Wednesday September 26, 2018 Edition

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SONG and dance is being made of the belated departure of the former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun from President’s Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet. May be her forced resignation would be added to the achievements of the administration. She is being praised for her courage, and President Buhari for being Mr. integrity.

NOTHING can be further from the truth, except that truth these days is whatever the Buhari ad-

Finally, Kemi Adeosun left but…

The Oracle Today Comment

ministration claims it is. It took Mrs. Adeosun over three months, during which faint denials of the National Youth Service Corps cer-

The

VOX POPULI SACRUM

tificate scandal were made, to resign. Some top officials of the administration refused to discuss the certificate forgery, or minimised

the weight of the crimes involved in the former Minister forging a certificate to dodge the compulsory national service.

ITSE Sagay, Professor of Law, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) reduced the entire scandal to sophistry. “This woman is a brilliant and extremely valuable member of this government.

There is nothing in this world that will make me remove such a woman from the government. We cannot afford to lose that woman.

Who cares about youth service? I

racle

WEDNESDAY September 26, 2018

Cont’d on page 24

www.oraclenews.ng

Today

ISSN: 2545-5869VOL.3 No.38 N200

Again, controversy trails Buhari’s appointments From CHUKS EZE, Enugu and BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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he recent appointment of Yusuf Magaji Bichi as the new Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS) may have come as the denouement in the series of controversial federal appointments that are believed to have completely negated the federal character principle of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Bichi, a retired DSS director was recalled from retirement to replace Mr. Matthew Seiyefa from Bayelsa State, who was appointed by then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, as Acting Director-General of DSS following the sacking of Lawal Daura by Osinbajo on August 7 this year.

Seiyefa was billed to retire in July next year, barely two months after the swearing-in of the next set of elected officers of the political establishment.

Daura was sacked following the invasion of the National Assembly by the DSS operatives on August 7.

Bichi’s appointment was followed almost immediately by that of Zainab Ahmed who was appointed as a replacement for former finance minister, Kemi Adeosun from Ogun State, who resigned over NYSC certificate forgery allegations.

These two latest appointments complete what has come to be known as “a pattern of appointments characteristic of this administration, which has been disproportionately skewed in favour of the north,” according to one political commentator in Onitsha,

Cont’d on page 2

Page 17

•Appointments

negate federal character principle •Entire security architecturedomiciledinonesectiondangerous•Obasanjo’sappointments much more representative •President can’t trust only people from his

•Bichi - in

•Seiyefa - out

•Ahmed - in

•Adeosun - out

By IZUNNA EZINWA

•Says Commission is perfecting rigging arrangement for APC

he National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has condemned the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ban the use of smart phones at polling booths, saying the commission is perfecting rigging formula for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Prince Secondus who spoke during an interactive session with PDP leaders in Bayelsa State on Tuesday said Nigerians must rise up to frustrate all the rigging strategies being perfected between INEC and the APC. The PDP Chair said the INEC decision on the use of smart phone is a deliberate plan to kill means of gathering evidence against their

PDP Chairman lambasts INEC over smart phone ban

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rigging arrangements, which are being fine-tuned for Osun State this Saturday and already tested in Ekiti State.

According to a statement from his media office, signed by Ike Abonyi, the National Chairman sad the APC Administration is killing Nigeria and its citizens.

“They have borrowed over N11 trillion yet there is nothing to

show; hunger is raving the land and people are dying daily across the country.

He said critical stakeholders and the international community are worried at the debt profile of this administration, which has risen to such astronomical level amidst huge corruption in the system.

“I crave your indulgence to stand

The economy: gloom, doom and stats

Cont’d on page 44

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS

Again, controversy trails Buhari’s appointments Continued from Pg 1 Anambra State who asked not to be named.

Consider the security apparatchik of the country, for example.

According to analysts, there are 17 top security positions in the country, including Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Defence Staff, DG SSS, DG NIA; DG Immigration; CG Customs, Chairman EFCC, among others.

Out of this number, only Chief of Defence Staff (from Ekiti State) and Chief of Naval Staff (from Cross River State) are from the Southern part of the country; the rest are from the north and virtually all are Muslims.

Apart from security, there are many other major appointments that clearly negate the federal character principle that guides appointments into federal establishments in Nigeria but which the Buhari Administration would appear to have done quite brazenly.

The following list of sensitive appointments is instructive. In security, there are, among others already listed, Yusuf Magaji BichiDSS and Ahmed Abubakar- NIA. Others are: PETROLEUM: * Maikanti Barau- NNPC * Mordecai Danteni Ladan- DPR * Ahmed Bobboi- PEF * Dr Bello Aliyu Gusau- PTDF * Seidu Mohammed- NOSDRA TRANSPORT: * Hadiza Bala Usman- NPA * Engr Saleh Dunoma- FAAN * Capt. Mukhtar Umar- NCAA * Usman Abubakar- NRC FINANCE: * Zainab Ahmed--Minister * Abbas Umar Manasawa -NSPMC

* Ahmed Lawan Kuru- AMCON * Hajia Aisha Dahir-Umar- PENCOM * Alh. Umaru Ibrahim- NDIC * Mohammed Kari- NAICOM COMMUNICATIONS: * Prof Umaru Danbatta- NCC * Isa Ali Ibrahim- NITDA

EDUCATION: * Adamu Adamu -Minister * Dr Hamid Bobboi- UBEC * Prof Abubakar Adamu Rasheed- NUC * Dr Abdullahi Bichi Baffa- TETFUND HEALTH: * Dr Sani Aliyu- NACA * Prof Usman Yusuf- NHIS * Dr Faisal Shuaib- NPHDA WORKS & HOUSING: * Engr Nurudeen A. RafindadiFERMA * Ahmed Musa Dangiwa- FMBN * Prof Mohammed Al-Amin- FHA INFORMATION: *Yakubu Muhammed- NTA * Ishaq Modibbo Kawu- NBC * Mansur Liman- FRCN * Garba Abari- NOA PRESIDENCY: * Prof Mahmud Yakubu- INEC * Ahmed Idris- Accountant General * Tijjani M. Abdullahi- Budget Office * Mamman Amadu- BPE * Engr Mustapha Yunusa Maihaja- NEMA * Aliyu Abdulhameed- NIRSAL * Prof Sani Mashi- NIMET The Oracle Today investigations reveal that this list, which is by no means exhaustive, covers appointments in the critical sectors of the economy and statutory government agencies that span almost all the parastatals.

Reacting to this spate of appointments skewed in favour of

the North, Prof Adebanji Akintoye, an elder statesman, a public affairs analyst and Chieftain of Southern Leaders Forum accused President Buhari of running ‘a northern administration”, noting that the President is pursuing (this agenda) with considerable strength and consistency.

“And to make matters worse, he has slanted his direction to a section of the north,” Akintoye stated.

He also accused President Buhari of running what he called the worst “nepotistic administration” in the world, pointing out that as the 2019 general election draws nearer, it is left for Nigerians to decide what they want.

“If we want to continue to be slaves, the choice is ours. But my advice to the electorate, all well-meaning Nigerians, is that they should use their minds. This is not a matter of party loyalty; it is a matter of loyalty to yourself and to the interests of your kinsmen around you; people who brought you to this world, and to your children and grandchildren, forever. If your country is rapidly being distorted into an apparent dictatorship, you have the duty and ability to reject it, vehemently,” the elder statesman said.

He added: “Therefore, the opportunity is now (2019 polls). After the elections, nobody can blame anybody. If we fail to do the needful, if we choose him again, we cannot blame Buhari on the other side of 2019 election. If we choose him again, we choose to be slaves, no doubt about it!”

Speaking in the same vein, Barr.

Fabian Ugwuama, an Enugu-based legal practitioner also accused President Buhari of “nepotism and tribal chauvinism”, which he described as “so high that even the northerners are uncomfortable about it.”

“We have been witnessing the development since the inception

of the present administration, but his replacement, in quick succession, of the former Acting Director-General of DSS, Matthew Seiyefa (South-South), and former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun (South-West), with Yusuf Magaji Bitchi and Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, both from the north, has taken Mr President’s tribalism to an all-time incredible height,” he told The Oracle Today in an interview in Enugu.

Ugwuama noted that having sworn to abide by, and protect the provisions of the constitution, the President should not have practically side-lined the same constitution in practically all his appointments.

“But unfortunately, he has gone there to side-line the constitution which obtains, in section 14, that there should be Federal Character,” he contended.

“Federal character implies that the geopolitical zones, states and divergent interests of citizens and all sections of the nation, must be given equal consideration in all scheme of affairs in the country, including Presidential appointments. But President Buhari has loudly ignored that provision. He is running a style that negates the whole essence of our existence and business as a nation. How can a section of the country be made to take over the entire security paraphernalia of a nation and everybody is carrying on as if all is well?” Ugwuama lamented, adding: “By the recent appointments (of Yusuf Magaji Bitchi and Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed), Buhari has demonstrated that he is indeed, a president for the north. He has, by that action, unabashedly, continued to polarize our nation. The message to the people of South, especially the South-South and South-West, is that we are not one Nigeria that we have been claiming. If he truly acknowledges and

PDP Chairman lambasts INEC over smart phone ban Cont’d from page 1 up against all the evil plots of the APC by collecting your PVC and using it judiciously to vote them out in all elections in 2019,” Secondus said, stressing that the country is under siege with the APC government harassing and intimidating critical organs of the government such as the judiciary, the legislature and individuals, in its mission to cow and suppress dissenting voices to their undemocratic activities.

The PDP boss who was accompanied to the interactive meeting by the state Governor Seriake Dickson and the South South Vice Chairman of the party, commended the people for their commitment to the party and urged them to conduct themselves in the most civilized manner as demanded by the rules of democracy.

•Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (3rd right); Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right); Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele (3rd left); APC national chairman, comrade Adams Oshiomole (right); Governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo during the Book Launch African Arise and Shine, at Eko Hotel, Lagos State

believes that we are one Nigeria, the president would know that while making appointments, such exercise should take cognizance of divergent interests and sections of our nation.

“It is so unfortunate that those drumming support for President Buhari, especially as regards his re-election bid, have obviously turned blind eyes to the fact that the President’s Chief of Staff, the Inspector General of Police, Chief of Defense Staff, Comptroller-General of Customs, Head of EFCC, among others and about 90 per cent of major strategic positions in the country are manned by individuals from one region.

“They have feigned knowledge of the fact that there is general anger, frustration and resentment over Buhari’s style of governance, and that there is general fear among citizens because of his government’s blatant intimidation and muscling of citizens that are critical of the Buhari administration. Is that what Nigerians had prayed for? Is that what they had bargained for? Is that what citizens had expected in a 21st century democratic Nigeria? It is definitely not!”

Asked about what awaited the country should Buhari return in 2019; Ugwuama retorted: “It is obvious! If he returns in 2019, I can bet you that Nigeria will run into a complete draconian regime. There would be total anarchy, totalitarianism, a state-controlled system that would ensure that no oppositions would even dare attempt to talk or criticize the government.

Come to think of it: If Mr President could run this sort of ‘I don’t care’ administration now that second tenure is at stake, you can only imagine what would happen should the President return for second term, when nothing would be at stake. It would definitely be a case of “To your tents, O’ Israel.”

For his part, Eze Cletus Uwadiegwu Ogbonnaya, Traditional Ruler of Umuanyi Uturu in Isuikwuato local government area of Abia State and a renowned Journalist lamented that President Buhari’s appointments have portrayed him as a sectional leader and urged the Nigerian ruler to change his ways.

“The thing is that it is clear to all Nigerians that Buhari is a sectional leader from all his appointments,” he said, adding, “if you are not from Buhari’s section of the country, nothing for you.”

Referring to the ouster of the Acting Director-General of the DSS, Matthew Seiyefa, Eze Ogbonnaya described it as the height of insensitivity to the feelings of Nigerians.

“I wonder how he would think the people of Bayelsa would be feeling that their son who was made Acting Director-General by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was removed within a month and he (Buhari) has now brought somebody from his own section of the country. The removal of the Bayelsan is the height of insensitivity to the feelings of Nigerians,” Eze Ogbonnaya said.

He said the manner of appointments by the President compares very unfavourably to that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who, according to the royal father, chose competent people from any section of the country.

“When Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

Lagos Govt reads riot act to petroleum marketers over safety

By VICTOR NZE

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HE Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mr. Hakeem Dickson, has read the riot act to petroleum marketers who flout safety regulations, noting that the Lagos State Government has consistently carried out safety sensitisation and advocacy in a bid to ensure the requisite awareness about safety in the downstream sector. Dickson, who stated this today during a two-day maiden edition of Lagos State Petroleum Marketers Safety Conference 2018 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Balmoral Hall, warned that sanctions will be meted out to erring drivers and operators.

While decrying the recklessness of Petrol Tanker Drivers who flout safety regulations, thus

endangering the lives of the people, Dickson explained that the Conference will be beneficial to stakeholders in the sector, especially the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN and urged them to further train their drivers about safety because of the sensitivity of the substance they transport.

In his welcome address, the Chief Executive Officer of JBendeb Symlar Associates Limited, joint organisers of the Conference, Mr. James. A. Ashokeji commended the Lagos State Government for being proactive in convening the event which, he noted, had been planned early in the year before the unfortunate Tanker Explosion which occurred on the Otedola Bridge in June.

He said the Conference is a step in the right direction to save Citi-

zens from accidents and deaths due to explosions, adding that it is in line with the State Government’s vision to ensure a safe and sustainable quality of life.

Ashokeji said that his organisation considers the conference a key to alleviating all the inherent bottlenecks associated with the handling of Petroleum Products at the downstream sector.

Also speaking at the event was the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petro-

leum Resources Downstream, Mr. Joseph Iranola Akinlaja who spoke on implementing safety management systems.

He said safety management systems are part of a business operation through which an organisation proactively manages safety that concentrates on controlling business processes starting from the scope, policies, objectives, organisational structure, organisational safety culture, training, communication to hazard investi-

gation.

“It is a management approach through which a safety policy is established to continuously check the outcomes against the plans and most importantly take appropriate corrective actions as a result of lessons learnt from past experience”, he said.

At the plenary session, salient issues bordering on tank farm loading terminal operations in Lagos, the implications of HSE training in retail station management among others were discussed.

Flood submerges 160 communities in Niger State

• 42 in Edo

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IGER State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) on Tuesday disclosed that 160 communities had been submerged by flood in the state since the rains began in June.

Director General, NSEMA, Alhaji Ibrahim Inga, disclosed this when officials from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Kaduna Field Office, visited him to assess the extent of flooding in the state.

Inga said that the state government had approved release of N28 million to NSEMA to cater for displaced flood victims in Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camps.

He said that the agency had established seven IDP camps for families and persons whose communities were submerged by the flood.

According to the director-general, the IDP camps are located at Zungeru Central Primary School, Maikakaki, Muye, Ceku, Ebbo, Gbaciku and Gungu.

“The flood situation confronting us in Niger is beyond the state’s capacity, even one year of the state’s budget cannot solve the problem, and children and women are the most vulnerable,’’ he said.

Inga said that the Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Association of Medical Practitioners, Red Cross and the State Child Rights Agency were partnering the agency to give aid to victims, especially children and women.

Earlier, Mr Rabiu Musa, Communication Officer and Focal Person Emergency, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, said that the team was on assessment of the flood situation in the state.

“Our visit to Niger is to assess the situation and report back on what we have seen for further decision and action,’’ Musa said.

Meanwhile, nNo fewer than

42 communities in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo, have been submerged by flood.

Over 8,000 houses and thousands of hectares of farmland were affected by the flood.

The communities which are mostly on the bank of River Niger, had their crops, such as rice, were washed away by the flood.

The council chairman, Mr Victor Emuankhagbon, while lamenting the loss, called for urgent assistance for the victims.

He said because of the enormous destruction occasioned by the flood, there was little or nothing the council could do.

While noting that no fewer than 30,000 persons were displaced by the flood, he said a temporary camp was set up to accommodate the displaced.

“It is huge natural disaster which mainly affected Ifeku Island and Illushi mainland. The destruction is such that I cannot quantify the loss.

“I am appealing to all relevant government agencies, as well as the state and Federal government, to come to the aid of the victims.

“The disaster is mind boggling. Homes are submerged, some destroyed, farmlands and crops washed away. People don’t have homes to sleep in, no dry land to even cook their meals.

“We are in the process of evacuating them to safer locations. But the job is obviously beyond us; hence we are calling on both the state and federal governments to come to our aid without delay,” said Emuankhagbon.

The council boss listed some of the affected communities to include: Illushi Oji, Oji Ozigono, Oji Awenje, Ajobe, Ajabutu, Owoli, Iyegbi and Ukpodo.

Emuankhagbon noted that four wards out of the ten wards in the council were affected by the disaster.

•(From left): Elder statesmen, Christopher Kolade; Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode; Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, during the public presentation of Africa Arise and Shine, a book written by Ovia at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

2019 elections: Sultan, CAN president sign peace agreement

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ULTAN of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III and President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, on Tuesday in Abuja signed peace pact to ensure peaceful atmosphere before, during and after 2019 general elections.

The Sultan was represented by the Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Chindo-Yamusa, while the President of CAN was represented by the Prelate of Methodist Church, Rev. Samuel Uche.

The peace accord was signed at a Peace Declaration Summit organised by the Nigerian Interfaith Action Association (NIFAA) in collaboration with local and international partners.

The duo urged Muslims and Christians to continue to work together, shun violence, embrace dialogue and be committed toward building communities that were resilient and free from fear.

“We join together to affirm that Nigeria is and shall remain a country committed to peace and harmony among all of its members, Christian or Muslims, from the north or from South.

“And that democracy must bring us closer together as a people and not separate us.

“We join together in patriotic love for our country and our fellow Nigerians to declare for peace as key stakeholders representing various religious and ethnic groups in Nigeria.“ The duo further expressed commitment to embracing a vision of com-

mon humanity and speaking publicly of hope for Nigeria’s peaceful and bright future.

The Sultan and CAN President also pledged to demand that free and fair democratic elections should be conducted in peace and for the benefit of all Nigerians regardless of ethnicity, religion or geographical zone.

Similarly, the two leaders of domi-

nant religious agreed to promote peace and understanding in all communities as the country enters its elections period as well as denounced hate speech and violence.

The Peace Declaration Summit was attended by leaders of various religious groups, youth and women organisations, traditional rulers and academics from all over the country.

tered children in Ogun.

State Director of NPC, Mr Gbolahan Olude, told a UNICEF-backed meeting on media campaign for promoting birth registration that the situation called for a redress.

Olude lamented that the state, according to the National Demographic Health Survey in 2013, recorded 35 per cent birth registration.

This, he said, was “extremely discouraging,’’ adding that the record increased to 38 percent in 2018 based on the data available at the NPC state office.

Olude, who said birth registration is essential for national planning, urged parents and caregivers to register the births of their children.

“A child who is not registered at birth is denied the right to an of-

pulsory for parents to register their children.

“One of the dynamics of population is birth registration. Without strong birth registration system, it is virtually impossible to plan or implement effective development strategies. Birth registration is a fundamental step toward good governance and a vital element in the fostering of democratic processes,” he said.

Olude, however, listed some challenges confronting the commission to include slow digitalisation process, low morale of staff, hard to reach areas without facilities and attitude of some members of staff.

The NPC boss also appealed to the state government to help the agency in the area of recruiting adhoc staff to assist NPC staff in registering births at the ward levels.

Low birth rate in Osun worries FG ational Population Commission ficial identity, a recognised name N (NPC) on Tuesday raised the and a nationality. Birth registration alarm over the high rate of unregis- once done is permanent. It is com-

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

Two-thirds of world’s 10m TB cases recorded in Nigeria, 7 others – WHO

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N estimated 10 million people worldwide developed Tuberculosis (TB) in 2017, and the world is far from ending the epidemic, the World Health Organisation (WHO) report said, Tuesday.

Cases of TB were reported in all countries and age groups, but two-thirds of cases were in eight countries: India, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa.

TB is one of the top 10 causes of death globally and killed an estimated 1.6 million people worldwide in 2017, according to the UN’s health agency.

The WHO recorded 6.4 million cases of TB officially, but estimates the number of people who developed the disease was as high as 10 million due to underreporting and under-diagnosis.

High-income countries had a lower prevalence of the disease, with

only six per cent of total cases reported in the Americas and Europe.

The TB mortality rate is falling at about three per cent per year, and the best estimate for overall reduction from 2000 to 2017 is 42 per cent.

“For most countries, however, the ‘end’ of TB as an epidemic and major public health problem remains an aspiration rather than a reality,” the report says.

About one quarter of the world’s population is infected with TB bacteria. Only a small proportion of those infected will become sick with TB. The WHO is releasing its annual report on TB ahead of a UN meeting of world leaders hosted in New York on Sept. 26.

UN officials and world leaders are expected to issue a call to action at the meeting to speed up progress toward the goal of ending the epidemic by 2030.

•Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Heritage Bank Plc, Ifie Sekibo (right); President, Chartered Institute

Benue Assembly approves N3.5bn loan request by Ortom

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ENUE House of Assembly has approved the sum of N3.5 billion loan request by Gov. Samuel Ortom.

The house approved the loan on Tuesday at plenary after reading a letter written to them by the governor.

In the letter, Ortom had asked the assembly to approve the loan to be taken from the United Bank for Africa (UBA) for electrification and road construction across the state.

Moving a motion for the approval, the Deputy Speaker, Mr Egli Ahubi (PDP/Otukpo/Akpa) lamented the deplorable state of the states roads which he described as death traps.

Ahubi, therefore, urged his colleagues to agree to the speedy ap-

proval of the contracts funds.

He, however, appealed to the state government to judiciously use the money and not misappropriate it.

Deputy Majority Leader, Alhaji Sule Audu (PDP/Agatu) seconded the motion, saying that the loan should be approved for the benefit of Benue people.

Contributing, the Majority Leader, Mr Avine Agbum (PDP/Makurdi North) said that most of the projects which the loan would be used for were captured in the budget so there was no need delaying the approval.

Ruling, the Speaker, Mr Titus Uba, said that the house approved the loan request from UBA to facilitate the projects.

of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Uche Olowu; his wife, Beatrice; and Chief Compliance Officer/Senior Manager, Heritage Bank, Wumi Adeniyi, during CIBN’s 11th yearly banking and finance conference sponsored by the bank, in Abuja.

Lagos Govt approves N310m for farmers

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AGOS State Agriculture Input Supply Authority Board has approved the sum of N310m for the procurement of fertilizers, agrochemicals, seedlings and organic products for sale at subsidised rates to farmers in the State.

State Commissioner for the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau, who also doubles as the Board Chairman, said the money was approved as one of the measures through which the State Government supports farmers to boost their productivity and ensure food security.

According to him, LAISA, being

one of the Agencies under the supervision of the Ministry, is strategically positioned to achieve the vision of food security because of its proximity to farmers for the supply of agrochemicals, fertilizers, seedlings and other products provided by the government at affordable prices.

He disclosed further that as part of strategies to further enhance the delivery of quality services by LAISA, some persons have been coopted as members of the Board of

Directors of the Agency.

Suarau said that the new Directors appointed into the board would provide additional human capacity support and intelligence for the overall administration of LAISA. He reiterated that the Ministry of Agriculture remains committed to boosting food production and security in the State, stressing that all the Ministry’s agencies and departments must be committed to the same vision.

Restructuring will guarantee sustainable peace, of Lagos Lagos APC officially receives Adiukwu-Bakare, others development – ArchbishopAccording to him, all credible

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AGOS Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Tunde Balogun, on Tuesday said the recent defections of bigwigs of other parties to the APC was a measure of the growing confidence in the party.

Balogun made the statement in Ikeja, at the official reception for an ex-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bigwig, Mrs Remi Adiukwu-Bakare, and her supporters into APC. Adiukwu-Bakare, a former Commissioner of Commerce and Industry, had in June announced her exit from the PDP to join APC in her Oshodi-Isolo political base.

At a colourful ceremony to receive the defector and her teeming followers, Balogun said that Lagos State was transforming to a one -party state with the coming of defectors.

The party chairman said the coming of Adiukwu-Bakare, a few days after a former Chairman of the party, Mr Moshood Salvador officially joined the party, was a big plus for the party.

Balogun described the former commissioner as an accomplished politician who would add great value to the party.

“People are moving into our party because of the growing confidence in APC. This is the party to be; this is the party that means well for the people. This is the party of development. Just on Saturday, a former Chairman of the PDP, Mr Moshood Salvador, officially joined us; here today, we are having another big

fish in Mrs Adiukwu-Bakare.

“Tell me what remains of PDP; very soon, we will obliterate PDP from the state political map,” he said.

Balogun commended AdiukwuBakare for her decision to dump PDP for the APC, saying she would not regret joining ‘the party of progressives’.

The party chairman promised that the defector, along with her teeming supporters, would be accorded all the rights and privileges of existing members.

In her remarks, Adiukwu-Bakare said she was delighted to be back

in the fold of APC with her supporters.

The politician said her coming to APC was motivated by the development the party had brought to the state and the positive politics of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader of the party.

“I also came to the APC because of Alhaji Balogun, the party chairman, who plays pure and progressive politics. I have known him for long. He is a simple and a fair person and I thought it would be great to be in APC and partner with him for progress,” she said.

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ATHOLIC Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Adewale Martins, says proper restructuring of the country remains one of the surest means of ensuring sustainable peace and development.

Martins spoke in Lagos on Tuesday as he marked the 35th anniversary of his priestly ordination.

The cleric wondered why the country’s leadership, both the executive and legislature, appeared averse to the concept of restructuring.

Artificial ripening of fruits causes cancer, liver, kidney diseases – Experts

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EDICAL and health experts have warned Nigerians against using chemicals to ripen fruits, saying substances like carbide are responsible for the rising cases of liver, kidney and cancer in the country.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in some North Central states of the country, the experts called for stiff penalties for those indulging in the practice so as to curtail it.

Dr Ibrahim Adamu, Director, Public Health, Nasarawa State Ministry of Health, told NAN that chemicals used to ripen fruits could affect the liver and kidney.

“The chemicals could also cause cancer because the entire ripening process is usually unwholesome,’’ Adamu said.

The expert regretted that most people indulging in the act were ignorant of the consequences and needed to be educated on the dangers of their action.

Adamu, who identified carbide as the chemical commonly used to ripen mangoes and bananas artificially, said that the trend was responsible for the rising cases of kidney and liver diseases.

The official said that the ministry, in line with the directive of the Federal Government, had embarked on sensitisation programmes to alert people on the dangers posed by such practice.

“We are now trying to meet with the fruit sellers in order to educate them because some of them may not know the dangers of their actions.

“We also intend to engage security agencies after sensitising the communities and cautioning the fruits sellers on the dangers of their actions in order to stem the tide,” Adamu said.

He said that the ministry was already collaborating with the state House of Assembly to enact laws for effective prosecution of those found to be engaged in such unwholesome practices.

Some fruit sellers in Lafia, who spoke with NAN, confirmed that the practice of using carbide to ripen fruits was common in most urban settlements.

Some of them attributed the practice to the quest for quick turn over, adding that some of the culprits are not aware of the health implication of their actions.

parameters for gauging the country’s growth are pointing to the need to embrace a better alternative than the one presently being run.

“I wonder why anyone should be afraid of restructuring, especially since what it means in practical terms is devolution of power to the states in areas that are critical to the development of the country as a whole.

“Afterall, the country is nothing but the sum total of its constituent parts, and the growth of each constituent part sum up to the growth of the country.

“That is the concept of true federalism that we are supposed to be practising.

“The system of governance, allocation of human and natural resources, as presently practised, concentrates too much power at the centre, and is not suitable for a country as richly blessed and as diverse as Nigeria.

“It leaves many of the States unable to harness their human and natural resources to maximum benefit.

“I have said it severally, and will continue to affirm that the present structure that we practise as a nation is counter-productive and unable to guarantee the development that we desire,” he said.

5

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS

Group holds solidarity rally for Governor Umahi’s reelection

By CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

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ot less than 6, 000 persons from Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo otherwise called Ohanivo Federal Constituency, in Ebonyi state, Tuesday, staged a solidarity match in support of the reelection of Governor David Umahi.

The group under the aegis of Caring Heart Ambassadors, an arm of a foundation owned by the Member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo federal constituency, Hon. Linus Okorie, who matched round major roads and streets in Abakaliki also drummed support for the reelection of the Federal Lawmaker, Hon. Okorie.

Mr. Nnamdi Onu, leader of the group said they held the rally to appreciate Umahi ‘s efforts in developing the state.

He noted that the Governor has performed beyond his campaign promises to the state.

“Yours Excellency, we can unequivocally affirm that you have transformed Abakaliki capital city which now competes favourably with best cities in the country.

“You have painstakingly tackled the myriad of infrastructural challenges through massive construction projects in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

“Your financial prudence and transparency have attracted the attention of anti-graft agencies that now confer special awards on you”, he said.

Kerosene explosion victims languish in hospital, cries for help From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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hospitalized couple has cried out for financial assistance to the tune of about N1, 000, 000 to access proper medical attention following a recent kerosene explosion.

43 year-old carpenter, Uchendu Jacob, and his wife, Chidinma, 32, are now writhing in pains in hospital after suffering severe burns from a kerosene explosion since August 4, 2018.

Narrating their ordeal from his hospital bed, Jacob who hails from Isiala Ngwa North in Abia State, said he bought a bottle of kerosene along Uwalaka Street in Umuahia after he closed work that fateful day.

According to him, his wife woke up around 11 p.m to refill their lantern lamp which was almost going off. He said he was roused from his drowsiness following an explosion

and his wife’s shout of fire, fire, to witness his apartment in flames.

He said he braved the fire and rushed to children’s room in his bid to save his three little boys but fell inside the fire twice which explained why he suffered severe burns.

Despite his misfortune, Jacob’s bravery ensured that his children were unhurt but the fire did not spare their belongings.

Corroborating her husband’s story, Mrs Chidinma, a petty trader, said she woke up around 11p.m to discover that their lantern was almost going off and she rushed to refill it with the kerosene bought by her hubby. She recalled that what followed was the explosion.

“The lantern was on the floor, almost going off and I got hold of the bottle of kerosene and as I was opening it, what I heard was an explosion,” said Chidinm, adding:. “I never knew the kerosene was adul-

terated, I have never witness anything like this before in my life,” she said in tears.

After the incident, the couple was rushed to Madonna Hospital on Aba Road, Umuahia where they were admitted without any demand for deposit before commencement of treatment.

For the past one and half months, the Catholic Church-run hospital has continued to administer treatment on the couple without any financial commitment from the patients.

Currently, the hospital management says there was need to carry out surgery on the patients to quicken their recovery.

Administrator of Madonna Hospital, Rev. Father Christian Anokwuru, confirmed that the couple was brought to the hospital in a very bad shape and they had to commence treating them immediately.

Fr. Anokwuru said the hospital

Don’t contest against Umahi, PDP chieftain warns Ogbuoji

By CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

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Constituents drag senator Ogbuoji to court over defection

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Lawyer and four other constituents and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ebonyi South Senatorial zone have dragged Senator Sonni Ogbuoji to Court for defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC, praying the court to declare vacant the senatorial seat.

Senator Ogbuoji who is the vice chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation had defected from PDP to APC, a decision some of his constituents are kicking against.

In the Suit No FHC/AI/CS/44/2018, Evoh Ogbonnaya and four others who sued for themselves and on behalf all members of the PDP in Ebonyi South Senatorial zone sought the order of court to recall Senator Ogbuoji for leaving PDP,, on which platform he was elected a senator in 2015.

They also sought court interpretation on whether, Senator Ogbuoji should remain on the seat after defecting from his former party whereas there is no crisis in his former party and prayed the court to grant an order declaring the defendant’s seat vacant.

The plaintiffs also sought the court interpretation on whether Senator Ogbuoji should not vacate his seat or deemed to have vacated his seat to make him liable to refund to the National Assembly all moneys paid him by the virtue of his position as a Senator.

Other reliefs sought by the members of the party included the declaration of the court that the seat of Ebonyi South senatorial zone should be vacant or be vacated by senator Ogbuoji for defecting from his former party to APC in the absence of crisis and factions as well refund all the money he received.

They also prayed the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to withdraw the certificate of return earlier issued to Senator Ogbuoji on the ground that he (Ogbuoji) lost his position the day he defected to All Progressives Congress, APC.

has tried its best, adding about N700, 000 was needed to offset the accumulated bills and a surgery needed one of the patients needed to undergo.

Jacob and his wife are therefore appealing to Abia State government, public-spirited individuals and corporate bodies to rally to their assistance to enable them pay the hospital bill.

“We are poor and feeding has become an unbearable burden. Worse of all, we cannot afford the hospital bill. We are living at the mercy of the hospital and good Samaritans,” Mrs Chidinma sobbed.

Jacob used the occasion to commend Madonna Hospital for accepting and treating them unconditionally and gave his account details as Uchendu Jacob, Access Bank 0006217619 and appealed for assistance from the public.

• (From right): Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, at the Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Port Harcourt for the solemn funeral service of the late Attorney-General of Rivers State, Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma (SAN).

Obi Achebe adopts schools as centre for free remedial studies

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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bi of Onitsha and Chairman, Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe (Agbogidi) has reiterated his determination to commit more funds into the sponsorship of his free remedial studies for indigent students who are seeking requisite qualifications into tertiary institutions in the country, using Akunne Oniah Memorial Schools, one of the existing private schools in Onitsha as center for the exercise.

He said he has discovered that many students, particularly the indigent ones, both indigenes and non-indigenes of Onitsha, find it very difficult or even impossible to obtain their relevant qualifications into tertiary institutions due to lack of funds to sponsor themselves in formal or non-formal educations.

Achebe who spoke yesterday at the closing ceremony of this year’s month-long free remedial studies for about 1,700 students who he sponsored their holiday lesson fees to do their long vacation tutorials, said having sponsored such tutorials for consecutive eight years now, he was exceptionally happy that the

exercise has succeeded in assisting indigent children to obtain their relevant qualifications into tertiary institutions.

Flanked by his cabinet members and prominent indigenes and nonindigenes of Onitsha, Achebe who is expected to launch Anambra state Compendium on October 1, this year, commended the Principal of Akunne Oniah Memorial Schools, Onitsha, Nnabuenyi Jude Oniah for accepting to coordinate and host the studies and at the same time, provide a conducive learning environment for the vacation tutorials and urged every indigent person in Onitsha to avail themselves of the opportunity to enroll themselves every vacation.

Responding, the school Principal, Nnabuenyi Jude Oniah commended Igwe Achebe for choosing the school for the exercise and assured him that with the school’s serene environment and state-of-the art science, laboratory, library and computer equipment, all the students who take part in the vacation tutorials usually score high marks in their WAEC, NECO and even JAMB examinations, which enabled them to get their admissions instantly in various tertiary institutions of their choice.

Oniah who noted that the school was established in 1996, on the basis of probono publico (for the good of the public), at affordable school fees, to enable both the rich and poor get quality education, disclosed that the school has represented Anambra state for three consecutive years (2011, 2012, 2013) in U-17 Shell Company Football Cup Competition in Port Harcourt, River state where they reached q-finals stage in the last competition.

He therefore appealed to the state government to assist the school with vehicle to enable them convey the students, athletes and football players to the venue for subsequent competitions.

He also urged the state government to establish the proposed safe-school-security- initiative, now that schools in the state have resume after the long vacation, with electoral activities gradually taking off in earnest, adding that the safe school security initiative which involved mounting of CCT cameras on schools would help to serve as a security strategy at safe-guarding the students from child trafficking, abduction, kidnapping, cultism and other related criminal acts.

hieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi state, Chief Michael Ama Nnachi, Monday, urged Vice Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation and senator representing Ebonyi South zone in the senate, Sonni Ogbuoji to drop his governorship ambition and support the state governor Chief Dave Umahi for his reelection.

Ogbuoji, a two term senator who defected to the All Progressives Congress(APC) last year, had last week declare his intension to contest the 2019 governorship election against Governor Umahi under the APC. Umahi also hails from the south senatorial zone where Ogbuorji comes from.

However, Nnachi who is contesting Ebonyi south senatorial election in next year’s general election vowed that the people will retire Ogbuoji politically if he goes ahead to challenge Umahi in 2019 As far as I am running this election, I will make sure Ogbuoji doesn’t come back to power. I will make sure he doesn’t even win in Ebuwanna where he comes from.

“Everybody should support Engr.

Dave Umahi for his second term bid to continue the massive projects he has embarked upon on assumption of office, nobody especially from our zone should be a stumbling block to our Governor’s reelection.

“Everybody should support our governor. I am even afraid after his eight years whether we will have somebody like him who has large heart.

He also told some of the south senatorial aspirants to stop parading themselves as anointed aspirants.

“Now body should claim he is an anointed candidate because we are all contesting. I have come out to make sure that Ebonyi south is delivered to PDP”, Nnachi said.

He vowed to offer quality representation if elected to the red chambers.

6

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS Physically-challenged, others endorse Umahi for second term

By CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

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hysically-challenged persons, widows, less-privileged, the sick and the down-troddens who have received government financial or medical assistance through the office of the Senior Special Assistant, (SSA), to the Governor on Welfare and Religion, Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali, have endorsed Governor David Umahi for a second term.

They group under the aegis of Ebonyi State Welfare Empowerment Association, ESWEA, numbering about 2000 matched to the entrance gate of government house Abakaliki to convey their decision to Governor Umahi.

Coordinator of the group, Prince Solomon Okorie, who spoke on their behalf said the decision to back the governor’s second term ambition was because he has performed beyond his campaign promises to the people in less than four years in office.

Okorie said God has been using Governor Umahi as an instrument of positive change in the state; explaining that the Governor’s administration has empowered thousands of Ebonyians to be self-sustaining, many of whom are less privileged.

“It may interest you to know that despite other numerous people oriented programmes, the office of Her Excellency engages in massive women and widows’ empowerment.

Last Friday of every month, over 300 widows from the 13 local government areas receive their monthly stipend

of ten thousand naira (N10,000) and two bags of rice.

“It is worthy to note also that recently, one thousand seven hundred and ten (1710) widows were empowered with one hundred thousand naira (N100,000) each and the second batch are undergoing bank verification, and those cleared are awaiting payment”, he explained.

The Coordinator added that Governor Umahi’s administration through the office of Welfare and Religion has undertaken the treatment of over 110 residents of the state who had eye problems, many of which were surgical related cases; adding that the Governor equally through the same office visits hospitals in the state to offset medical bills of indigent patients.

He mentioned Governor Umahi’s unprecedented transformation in infrastructure, agriculture, health and security as other reasons they are backing him for another tenure.

Chief of Staff, Government House, Abakaliki, Dr. Offor Okorie, who received the group commended them for appreciating Umahi’s gesture through overwhelming support and solidarity; saying, for this, he would be motivated to do more.

He said the huge fund the Governor has been injecting on empowerment and welfare of the citizens was due to his belief in empowering the people.

Okorie urged them to ensure they have voters’ card and safeguard it in order to translate their support into votes during governorship election next year.

Anambra flooding: Schools shut in Ogbaru

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ll primary, post primary and tertiary schools in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra have been temporarily closed down in reaction to the flood disaster in the area.

Council Chairman, Mr Arinze Awogu disclosed this while inaugurating the distribution of relief materials at the council headquarters, Atani on Tuesday.

Awogu said the closure of the schools was in line with the directive of Gov. Willie Obiano who said schools in the affected areas should close down to avert loss of life.

“We are in an emergency situation and for us, safety of life is paramount, people will not have need for education when they are dead.

“So in line with the directive of the governor, we have asked that all the schools in Ogbaru be temporarily shut down,” he said.

He said that a 12-man Local Emergency Management Committee had been set up to ensure effective rescue and coordination of victims as well as distribution of relief materials to those in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

The council boss said Ogbaru had taken delivery of buckets, mattresses, mats, mosquito nets and blankets from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) but noted that it was still a far cry from what was required.

According to Awogu, about 190 households comprising of no less than 1, 100 persons are presently at the three IDPs camp located at the council secretariat, Community primary school Odoekpe and St James Anglicans Church, Iyiowa.

He noted that 13 out of the 16 villages were on the coastal bank of River Niger and all had been critically affected by flood adding that the remaining three were also highly ex-

posed to the menace.

The chairman, who had also been sacked from his house, said no life had been lost to the flood in Ogbaru at the moment stressing that destruction of property, farm, farm produce and livelihood of the people was massive.

He urged people to move to the camps and decried their reluctance to leave their ancestral homes.

“We are close to where we found ourselves on 2012, when the water height was 12.84 metres and as at yesterday it stands at 11. 80 metres, so you can see how close we are to it.

“There are 16 communities in Ogbaru and 13 of them are along the river bank; all these towns are terribly submerged.

“These are Odoekpe, Atani, Akiri, Ochuche, Mputu, Osamala, Oguikpele, Obaogume and Ummunankwo and they are all gone.

“Others are Obagu, Umuzu, Obaogume, Ogbakuma, all these towns are submerged, no place is safer than the other.

“It is a humanitarian challenge here, we need the best help we can get, it is good that the federal government has declared Anambra flood a disaster, we want to see massive deployment of relief materials here.

“We need effective medical assistance because of the looming epidemic; we need food, disinfectants, toiletries and other emergency items.

“What we are distributing is what we got from SEMA, we want NEMA to react to their declaration by massively deploying relief materials here,” he pleaded.

He thanked Obiano and the people of Ogbaru who had helped to draw attention to the disaster and also rendered assistance.

• Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel (r) receiving Nigeria’s Sports Governor of the Year 2017 Award from Mr. Kayode Idowu, Executive Director, Nigeria’s Sport Award (m) as Michel Obi looks on, at a ceremony which took place at Government House, Uyo

Implement Presidency’s directive on oil pipeline surveillance – Coalition tells FG

By IBE NWACHUKWU

C

oalition of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSCOM), Traditional Rulers of Oil Area Producing Communities (TROPCOM) and Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on the federal government to absorb the 10,000 youths trained for pipeline surveillance as approved by the Presidency with immediate effect.

The coalition also called for immediate payment of the 13 percent derivation to oil producing communities in the country, to avoid restiveness and rebellion against the present civilian administration.

National Chairman of HOSCOM, Prince Mike Emuh who made the call on behalf of the coalition, said in a press statement issued in Awka, Anambra state, during a town hall meeting with members of Anambra state chapter of HOSCOM, that the absorbtion of the trained youths and payment of the 13 percent derivation were imperative now that the militants and the night group of exmilitants and agitators of Niger-Delta region are appreciably calm.

Emuh who identified TROPCOM as the father of the coalition, while PANDEF and HOSCOM are the foot soldiers, charged the coalition to remain unity in struggle for the payment of the 13 percent oil derivation, adding that the earlier the ex-militants and agitators in the Niger Delta region come together in support of the position of HOSCOM which is agitating for the release of gas flayed levy to oil producing communities, the better for all the parties concerned.

The coalition also urged Presi-

dent Muhammadu Buhari to revisit the 1999 amended constitution as reflected in Section 164 (2) of the amended 1999 constitution which stipulates that the template of 13 percent derivation is for oil producing communities and not to the state or local government areas as obtainable at present, adding a situation where the 13 percent derivation meant for the oil producing communities is wrongly channeled to states and local governments is purely against the law and a contradiction of Section 164 (2) of the amended constitution.

According to the statement: “President Muhammadu Buhari should follow suit with former President Shehu Shagari administration which appointed a committee to administer the 1.5 percent derivation then before it rose to 5 percent and now 13 percent as increased by the late General Sani Abacha regime”.

“Our argument is that there is no place in the constitution which stipulates that the 13 percent should be shared between states and local governments. Rather, what the constitution stipulates is that the 13 percent derivation should be given to the oil producing communities”.

“It was on the basis of this fact that former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the agitation for resource control and 13 percent derivation, established a socio-economic council for coastal states which as well gave birth to the establishment of Delta State Oil Producing Commission, DESOPADEC with 50 percent of the 13 percent derivation channeled towards the development of host communities”.

The coalition therefore want to

implore the services of all traditional rulers from the oil producing states to call to order, their children who are constituting rebels against host communities and factionalizing the host communities through some traditional rulers and politicians, adding, “we should all speak with one voice at all times”.

According to the statement, “I, Prince Mike Emuh, on behalf of Board of Trustees, BoT and National Executive Committee, NEC of HOSCOM hereby appeal to all HOSCOM rebels to listen to the voice of unity, peace and progress”.

“Finally, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources should remove all the administrative bottlenecks that are tied to Modular refinery licenses. The ministry should simplify it in order to accommodate HOSCOM foreign technical partners easily”.

“As we work towards the October 1 celebration of Nigeria’s 58th Independence anniversary, Nigerians should maintain peace and unity in order to remain a great nation”.

“I, on behalf of HOSCOM, appreciate what Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki did by resuscitating and inaugurating new executive for the established Edo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, EDOPADEC. Ondo state followed suit with the approval of 40 percent to HOSCOM”.

“Some other states like Imo, Abia and Edo have equally approved 40 percent to HOSCOM but pathetically, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Lagos are yet to approve any percentage to HOSCOM,” the state said.

with them by members of the family have proved abortive, leaving the family members scared stiff that they may be dead.

In an exclusive interview with The Oracle Today, spokesman of the family, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, lamented that the family has been living with the sad memories of the deadly invasion for the past one year following their inability to ascertain whether their loves ones were alive or dead. Emmanuel said the family has been traumatised.

“For the fact that we have not communicated with any of them,

we have not seen them, it is a big trauma for us. The community as well is in disarray. Of course, nobody is happy about it. The only thing that has kept us going is that we believe, somehow, they may be alive because considering what happened that day in my family house, only God knows because a lot of people died and their bodies were taken away; there was blood in every corner of the house. So, it is very difficult for us to know whether they were taken alive or killed; we do not know,” Emmanuel said.

Kanu: Family cries out over disappearance

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amily of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has cried out, saying it has been traumatised for the past one year following the disappearance of their parents, His Royal Highness, Eze Isreal Kanu and his wife, Ugoeze Sally, together with the IPOB leader.

Kanu and his parents disappeared after the Nigerian military, in execution of its Operation Python Dance II, invaded the country home of the Kanus on September 14, 2017.

The trio of Kanu and his parents has been missing since the invasion and all efforts to establish contacts

7

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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ational leader of Biafra Independence Movement and founder of the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (BIM/MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has called for immediate releases of all the BIM-MASSOB members who are currently languishing in the custodies of various security agencies since their arrests in Okigwe, Imo state, during this year’s 19th year celebration of the formation of MASSOB which took place on Thursday, September 13, this year.

No fewer than 28 MASSOB members adorned with Biafra insignia had been apprehended at Okigwe roundabout, along the Enugu/Umuahia expressway by some soldiers on patrol during the exercise.and handed over to police Area Command, Okigwe, for possible prosecution.

However, reacting to the development yesterday in a press statement issued on his behalf by his Media As-

Uwazuruike demands release of 28 detained BIM/MASSOB members sistant, Mazi Chris Anierobi Mocha, Uwazuruike wondered why a group of non-violent MASSOB members who were just celebrating the formation of MASSOB could be arrested for no just cause.

Giving the names of some of the arrested MASSOB members as Chief Solomon Ozoemena and his Wife, Christiana, BIM-MASSOB leader for Okigwe Senatorial District, Nze-Ebere Enwerem, Ohajirianya, Mrs. Okoha.

Others include Mrs. Bright Uka Nwilu, Emmanuel Okpai, Linus Chukwuma Anthony, Peter Anyanwu, Anthony Duru, Peter Martin and 17 others, Uwazuruike contended that based on the non-violent posture of MASSOB operation, no court can find the MASSOB members guilty of treasonable felony, even if they the charge was slammed against them a million times.

According to Uwazuruike, “be-

cause of the Non Violent activities of the BIM-MASSOB detained members, even if the police brought the charges of treasonable felony one million times against them, the judge would have no legal ground to convict anybody”.

Uwazuruike who also inaugurated MASSOB social media network committee at the Owerri zonal secretariat at Ubomiri in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo state, expressed confidence that before he formed MASSOB 19 years ago at Agunlejika, Ijeshatedo, Surulere, Lagos, he knew what he wanted to achieve and he programmed it so that he could not violate any body’s right.

He further stressed that as a non-violent organization and as a lawyer, he knows the elements of treason, adding, “We can never take to violence”.

Meantime, Uwazuruike has condemned in its strongest terms the at-

tack on the Biafra Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha which led to the smashing of his motorcycle with Registration No. “United States of Biafra” (USB) ANZ 06 1G by rampaging youths of Awkuzu community in Oyi Local Government Arera of Anambra state, last Wednesday, September 12, this year.

The youth were protesting the alleged shooting and killing of three of their members by the police, during which they barricaded all the entrance roads leading to the residence of the state Commissioner for Transport, Chief Uchenna Okafor (a.k.a Wiper).

Mocha noted that he was riding on his motorcycle from Awkuzu to Ifitedunu community in Dunukofia Local Government Area of the State, a neighbouring town to Awkuzu on the fateful day when he ran into the angry youths who barricaded the en-

NEMA advises residents of flood-prone areas to relocate

Enugu CP reiterates improved synergy among various security agencies

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ational Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised residents in seven floodprone communities in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas of Imo to quit their homes to prevent any calamity.

Head of Imo/Abia Operations Office of NEMA, Mr Evans Ugoh, gave the advice on Tuesday when he led officials of the agency to assess river level in the flood-prone communities.

“Residents in the area must be ready to quit to avoid major casualties should there be any flooding,” he said.

Ugoh, who said Oguta Lake and Orashi River had risen above the normal level, said farmland in the seven communities had been submerged by the overflowing rivers in the area.

He expressed concern that the Orashi River and Oguta Lake had also risen above the 2012 level when floods ravaged many parts of the country.

“You must continue to monitor movement of sea constantly and report to us where necessary for immediate action,” he said.

Ugoh listed the communities under threat as Ossemotto, Oguta, Eziorsu, Orsuobodo, Opuowa, Mmahu and Etekwuru.

He advised the flood-prone communities to daily observe rivers in their areas.

“NEMA has already strategised with other disaster stakeholders on the development for immediate response in case of any emergency.

“Flood-prone communities must be alert and always monitor the movement of rivers in their areas and report same to the agency promptly for immediate action,” he said.

He said the Oguta Lake; a tributary of Orashi River, has strong connection with the River Niger and has in recent time posed serious dangers to residents of the river bank areas.

He gave assurance that the agency was taking serious measures to avoid recurrence of the 2012 flooding.

trance road to the Ozzu Village residence of Okafor.

Describing the act as despicable, Uwazuruke stated that despite explanations to the youths to let Mocha have access to free movement to Ifitedunu, the youths used machetes to cut his front and rear tyres into pieces and at the same time, used iron rod to destroy the fuel tank and both side of the head lamps of the motorbike.

Uwazuruike, also recalled similar incident sometime in March, 2006 shortly before the national census exercise when the former chairman of Awkuzu Progressive Union, APU led by Chief Frank Oramulu allegedly invaded the residence of two MASSOB Chiefs, Humphrey Nweke and Onyibor Nwokedi, arrested and took them away for 3 weeks without recourse to the law, adding that MASSOB is following every event and brutality against its non-violent.

• Senate President and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential aspirant, Dr Bukola Saraki (r) with the Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, when the lawmaker visited the State Executive Chamber Calabar with his campaign team to canvass support for his aspiration come October 5 and 6 Presidential convention

Crisis: Police seal APC office in Enugu Police Command in Enugu State on Tuesday sealed the Enugu office of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following ongoing leadership tussle between the two factions of the party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited the office reports that a police squad led by the Commissioner, Mohammed Danmallam cordoned the office and prevented movement in and out of the party house on Nike Avenue, GRA, Enugu.

NAN reports that the factional group led by Mr Okey Ogbodo was holding a meeting in the office when another faction led by Dr Ben Nwoye attempted to scuttle the meeting.

The quick intervention of the police stationed at the venue saved the situation from degenerating into a violent clash.

The Ogbodo-led group later moved to a transport office company on Abakaliki Road and continued its meeting amidst tight security.

Speaking with NAN on the crisis, Ogbodo claimed that he was the recognised chairman of APC in Enugu State by the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Adams Oshiomole after the failed congress in the state.

According to him, the faction led

by Ben Nwoye had been declared

illegal by the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomole and the court.

“Ben Nwoye’s faction is illegal and you need be told this based on our National Chairman’s declaration and the court’s restraining order to Ben to stop parading himself as Chairman. My assumption of the State Chairman of the party is a product of the state congress held in 19th May. “In as much as another congress has not held afterwards to select another chairman, no one has the right to claim chairmanship position of APC in the state. The decision of the congress is what is recognised by enforcement agencies and upheld by the law,” he said.

Ogbodo however, said those thinking the rift in the party currently would reduce the chances of the party in the state during the forthcoming election were wrong.

“We are suing for peace and as soon as we reconcile with the other faction, we will become one and will come out stronger and better. Politics is all about conflict and conflict resolution. What is happening in the state is not new. It happens everywhere,” he noted.

The chairman disclosed that the party would adopt a direct system of primaries in the state.

He added that the essence of the gathering of party loyalists was to distribute materials that would set

the conduct of the primaries in motion.

“I have told party chairmen and their secretaries at the ward level to update the register of members.

“Primaries will begin immediately after we receive the guidelines from Abuja today or tomorrow,” the Chairman said.

Ogbodo also disclosed that five aspirants had already shown interest to run for governorship position under the platform of APC. “In addition, three candidates have shown interest to clinch the Senatorial ticket from Enugu North, four candidates for Enugu West and three for Enugu East’’.

He said a lot of candidates had bought forms for House of Representatives and National Assembly under his leadership adding that he would have to check the records to get the actual figures.

He enjoined members to embrace activities that would help the party win election and shun all forms of disunity perpetuated by individuals or groups.

Efforts to reach Nwoye failed as his phones were switched off.

Meanwhile, NAN gathered that an APC chieftain, Chief Jim Nwobodo has summoned an emergency meeting of all stakeholders apparently to look into the crisis.

ommissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Mohammed Danmallam, has reiterated the need to improve the synergy and inter-agency cooperation among various security agencies in the South East Zone.

The commissioner made this known in Enugu on Tuesday at the ongoing 82 Division Operations Planning Cadre 2018 Training.

Delivering a lecture entitled, `Contemporary Security Challenges in Nigeria; South-East in Perspective,’ Danmallam said the synergy should be done through collation and sharing of intelligence in the zone.

“Although there is close synergy of security agencies in the zone, but there are seven strategies to be adopted by the security agencies to ensure uninterrupted peace in the zone.

“First, there is a high need to improve the synergy and inter-agency co-operation among various security agencies through collation and sharing of intelligence in the zone.

“Develop capacity and procedures to provide a timely and appropriate response to incidents; and work with the community to detect, investigate and solve crime. Analyse and use the opportunities, causes and outcomes of crime to assist crime prevention; and use information systems and intelligence to prevent and respond to crime effectively.

“Promote the effective use of technology and evidence gathering techniques in criminal investigations; and emphasis should be geared towards sustainable synergy among security agencies,’’ he said.

He described the current security challenges facing Nigeria as the `evil of our time’ adding that the fight against the heinous crimes was a great challenge to the generation.

“However, it is evident that in spite of these security challenges, the South-East Zone still remains one of the most peaceful regions in the country.

“Major security challenges that could have dramatically disturb the peace, security and stability of the region have been effectively silenced.

“Consequently, there is the need for the various tiers of government, security agencies, civil society organisations, media and members of the public to collectively co-operate to sustain the existing peace for the benefit of all,’’ he said.

The four-day training, which started on September 17, would end on 21.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS My presidential aspiration, mission to rescue Nigeria -- Tambuwal tells Ebonyi people

By CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

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eoples Democratic Party presidential Aspirant and governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, said he was on a mission to rescue Nigeria from a clique who has run the country aground.

Tambuwal who disclosed this Abakaliki when he paid a consultation visit to Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi and other party delegates in the state, accused president Muhammad Buhari of being grossly incompetent in handling the affairs of Nigeria.

According to him, Nigeria is in dire need of a new leadership at the centre in 2019 and urged delegates to the Party’s national convention to elect him PDP presidential candidate for 2019 general elections.

He said the current presidency under Buhari is lawless and has impoverished the people.

“This is a mission to the rescue or retrieving of our country from the hands of a clique that is at the moment. You know what is going on in Nigeria. I am sure that all of you are feeling the heat of the level of abject poverty, and absence of rule of law and indeed the abuse of power by the current administration.

“Obviously there is a need for us to have a completely different leadership at the centre come February 2019. A number of us in PDP have indicated interest to be the Presidential flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. “Ebonyi state is the first state we are visiting. This is because Governor David Umahi is the chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum.

“The leadership that is in power in Nigeria is grossly incompetent.

As a result, we should provide a leadership that has proper understanding about the need to restructure Nigeria and clear appreciation of our Democratic values and Democratic institution. A leadership that has respect for the rule of law. As I said the bad economy is caused by this administration and it seems we are into another recession.

“All require is a leadership that has a listening ear and has the capacity to bring together all Nigerians irrespective of religion, tribe and we must put to an end this situation.

“The unity of Nigeria as of today has never been this bad. We need a leadership that has the capacity to hold the county together and that is why I insist that we must rescue Nigeria from the hand of a clique” he stated.

Dr. Kelechi Igwe, Ebonyi state deputy governor who represented Umahi commended Tambuwal for his leadership ingenuity, saying his current performance as Governor in Sokoto state, showed he had the capacity to lead Nigeria.

He said at a right time, Ebonyi through its leader, Umahi, would decide which PDP presidential aspirants to back ahead of party’s convention.

Foundation empowers 44 Less Privileged Persons in Ebonyi

T

he Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation (Z&SF), a Muslim humanitarian organisation, and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) have empowered no fewer than 44 indigent persons in Ebonyi.

The empowerment programme was held on Tuesday in Abakaliki.

The foundation based in Lagos said that the empowerment initiative was part of its humanitarian programmes aimed at reducing poverty by empowering the poor and needy to engage in economic

activities.

Dr Haroun Aja, leader of Muslim community in Ebonyi and Vice President-General of NSCIA, South East, commended the foundation for choosing Ebonyi as one of the states in the Southeast to benefit from the gesture.

Aja said that Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam and stressed that those who practice it always received a double of what they gave as Zakat.

He said the empowerment initiative was aimed at creating op-

portunities for the less privileged to participate in the economy and improve their earning potential in order to assist their families fight their way out of poverty.

He advised beneficiaries to make judicious use of materials given to them to justify the purpose.

He said that the foundation had constituted monitors that would monitor the use of the items, noting that the organisation would not hesitate to retrieve any of the items not being properly utilised by beneficiaries.

• Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike ; his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike and leaders of Rivers State joined the Aguma family for the outing service on Sunday at the Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral after Saturday’s burial of Late Attorney-General of Rivers State, Hon. Emmanuel Aguma (SAN)

Africa making progress, Osinbajo, Okowa, Dangote, others say From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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igeria’s Vice President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, billionaire businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, erudite scholar, Dr Christopher Kolade, among others on Monday graced the launch of the book, ‘Africa Arise and Shine’, authored by the founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr Jim Ovia, where they observed that Africa was making steady progress.

Speaking at Lagos where the event took place, Prof. Osinbajo observed that the fact that democratically elected Presidents are in charge of all the countries in Africa was a clear testimony that Africa is making progress.

While calling for the rebranding of Africa to project the continent in positive light, the Vice President described the story of Mr Ovia as inspiring, stating, “Mr Ovia is a great contributor to nation building, his investment in education and the training of thousands of people, he is humble and a self-effacing man;

I am not surprised he tells his story from humble beginning; his story gives ample room for grace and the Nigerian dream is captured here; a man who built from N20 million to N6 trillion enterprise, Jim have nurtured leaders.”

“It is not about how the figure looked in the first few days, it is about character, integrity, fidelity to service over self,” the Vice President stated.

Governor Okowa at the event, stated, “I want to appreciate all of you for coming to this great event, we are proud of what Mr Ovia has done for our nation and also back home in our state, Delta, we will continue to appreciate him for the great things he is doing for our country.”

The governor who attended the event with such Deltans like the Dein of Agbor, HRM Benjamin Ikenchukwu Keagborekuzi I, members of the National Assembly, among others stated that the book will inspire Africans to always aspire to bring out their best.

Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Christopher Kolade had in his open-

ing speech, said the book by Mr Ovia was an opportunity for Africans to tell their own stories, noting that the description of Africa as a dark continent was as a result of outsiders telling the story of Africa.

“Africa was described as a dark continent and I am happy that I am not leaving this world believing that Africa is a dark continent; one problem with Africa is that other people tell our stories and I am happy that one of the brightest is telling the Africa story and it is remarkable that Jim Ovia is telling his own story and I believe it is an interesting story for us to read,” he said.

Different personalities including State Governors, the Governor of Central Bank, Mr Godwin Emefiele, Alhaji Aliko Dangote who was represented by his daughter, Halima, Mr Akintola Williams, Mr Tony Elumelu, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Folunronso Alakija, Chief Tony Momoh, among numerous others read different passages from the book and also, spoke glowingly about how Mr Ovia grew an enterprise of N20 million to more than 16 billion dollars.

Aja said that beneficiaries were drawn from Muslims and nonmuslim members of the society, adding that over 72 persons were screened, while 44 persons were selected to benefit.

“The Zakat and Sadaqat distribution ceremony holding in Ebonyi is aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and economic viability of our people and assist us in our effort to be self-reliant without relying on anybody after the Almighty Allah.

“The zakat and sadaqat is a great institution we have in Islam and the organisation is really justifying the principle of charity by practicalising it.

“When we say that Islam is built on five principles; all the principles of Islam that Allah has put in place are not for His benefit, but for our own benefits.

“So, when we practise zaka and sadaqat, we are doing good to ourselves and not to Allah because He has commanded us to do it, “I urge beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items in order to become givers of zakat and sadaqat,” Aja said.

He decried alleged exclusion and discrimination of Muslims in political appointments and empowerment programmes under the current the Ebonyi state government.

He urged Muslim faithful to vote for political leaders that would protect their interest in the 2019 general elections.

The Executive Director of Z&SF, Mr Suleiman Olagunji, while distributing the empowerment materials, explained that the programme was aimed at maximising growth opportunities among the less privileged and support them to reach their full potentials.

He said that Islam is committed to universal brotherhood and peace, saying that the programme was part of efforts to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.

Olagunji urged beneficiaries to use the machines for the purpose for which they requested for them in order to lift themselves from the clutches of poverty.

“The rate of poverty in the society is killing and we must do everything possible to address the poverty level.

“When you give zakat, you will receive the double of whatever you have given because it is more blessed to give than to receive and Allah has commanded us to do this.

“Muslim believes in taken from the rich to give to the poor and needy and so what we are doing today is to give to our poor brothers and sisters through empowering them to be self-reliant and selfsustained.

“As little as it is convenient for you, take a little and give to the poor and by so doing you will practice love,” Olagunji said.

Z&SF foundation later distributed seven butterfly brand of sewing machines, two giant grinding machines, two washing machines, a deep freezer, lap top computers and printers to 11 beneficiaries, while 33 persons received cash.

Mr Abdulraham Ede and Miss Memunat Usman, who spoke on behalf of other beneficiaries, commended the foundation and promised that they would use the items judiciously to enhance their economic status.

POLITICS The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

With the Church, I don’t Emmanuel Kanu: know where Nigeria Kanu, our parents’ would be – Ezedebego absence traumatic Pg 10

9 Pg 12

Bianca for Senate: Taking Ojukwu’s legacies to the climax Anambra State Correspondent, THEO RAYS writes on Bianca Ojukwu’s Anambra South Senatorial ambition and concludes that her presence in the red chamber come next year will certainly be good for APGA, the Senatorial District and Ndigbo as a whole.

D

o not muzzle an ox when you are using it to thresh out the garins, so says the Holy Bible. When the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odemugwu Ojukwu got married to Bianca Onoh, the daughter of the late former Governor of old Anambra State, Chief Christian Chukwuma Onoh, people believed that the marriage was made in heaven. This is because, although Ojukwu was much older than Bianca, both of them were in love with each other.

Unlike many like her, Bianca, a charming former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria and former Nigerian Ambassador to Spain settled down with Ezeigbo and proved everybody right by making a wonderful home for her late husband. She passionately took care of him come rain or shine until the great Ikemba quit this earthly stage.

Following the exit of Ezeigbo Gburugburu who until his death was the national leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), there was hope that his Children would certainly continue from where he stopped, to move APGA, which has been described as the Igbo party, forward.

This hope stemmed from the fact that Emeka Ojukwu Junior who is recognized as the first son of the late Ikemba, has zoomed into the political arena by serving as Commissioner for Special Duties in Anambra State during the era of former Governor Peter Obi before the exit of his father. Political pundits were of the opinion and observation that Emeka Junior was being groomed to take over from his father. Pundits were proved right when after the death of Ezeigbo Gburugburu Emeka Junior was appointed to head Nnewi North Local Government Area as Sole Administrator.

After serving as Nnewi North Sole Administrator, Emeka Junior also took to the field to contest election for the seat of Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives in 2015 on the platform of APGA. He, however, lost to Hon Chris Azubuogu of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). The last time he was seen in the political arena was during the governorship election campaign in Anambra State when he decamped from APGA to openly support the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Hon. Tony Nwoye during Nwoye’s campaign rally at Ewkueme Square in Awka.

That was Emeka Jnr’s last political activity, as it were. While he was making effort to find relevance in the political arena, his father’s wife was also in the political field trading tackles for herself somewhere.

In what looked like her first move in the field of politics, she succeeded in gaining appointment as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain courtesy of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. On the expiration of her tenure as Nigeria’s Envoy to Spain, she came back to support the re-election bid of Governor Willie Obiano during which she played active role in going round Anambra State campaigning to ensure Obiano was reelected for a second tenure as governor of Anambra State on the platform APGA. The former Ambassador to Spain was everywhere for Obiano during last year’s governorship election campaign, ensuring, in the process, that the party, which her husband nurtured to limelight, didn’t fail to retain the governorship seat in Anambra State. Perhaps driven by her passion to ensure that APGA moves on and possibly to

•Bianca Ojukwu the next level, Iyom as she is fondly called, is out to trade political tackles with opponents for the Anambra South Senatorial seat in next year’s general elections.

The news of Iyom’s Senatorial ambition has been greeted with ecstasy by political pundits. First is that she is going to shine the light of APGA in the Red Chamber of the National Assembly if elected to occupy the seat of Anambra South. Second, she will move the memories of her late husband to the climax. To all intents and purposes, Ojukwu’s name is not just welcome in the Senate of the Federal Republic but will also be highly respected, coupled with the fact

that Iyom, an ex-beauty queen and daughter of an ex-governor is on the driving seat.

In fact, Bianca’s aspiration is worthwhile and welcome. If elected, she is going to the Senate with intimidating profile and undisputable reputation which in turn will make the good people of Anambra South, APGA and Ndigbo proud. And trust Nigerians from East, West, North and South most especially the political class, they will be happy to welcome such a credible candidate into the Hallowed Chamber of the National Assembly.

Bianca’s ambition no doubt could be a threat to other members of her husband’s family because of their interest on the poli-

tics of Nnewi and Anambra, but that is not withstanding because Iyom comes from a political family, thus politics runs in her blood and she is prepared for it. Secondly toeing the path of APGA she has more chances of succeeding considering the high level of acceptability of herself, her husband and the party she intends to represent.

Observers say Iyom is enjoying massive support from the people across board and who are ready to sink and swim with her. A recent statement credited to former Governor of Imo State Chief Ikedi Ohakim indicating that 15 Igbo billionaires have vowed to fund Iyom’s Senatorial aspiration. That is Ojukwu’s acceptability at work. Every other member of Ojukwu’s family could generate such massive support but since it is Iyom on the driving seat now let her be.

Reports after report emanating From Nnewi and APGA sources indicate that Iyom is being endorsed by notable businessmen and politicians who have found her worthy to move the legacies of her husband to the next level. The reports were followed by the news of her endorsement by International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (INTERSOCIETY). In a statement by the Board of Trustees Chairman of INTERSOCIETY, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi, made available to newsmen in Onitsha, the group warned that the Igbo would not stand and watch Ojukwu’s legacies destroyed by anybody for selfish and pecuniary interests.

Umegbalasi maintained that the best way to reward Ojukwu for his selfless and altruistic leadership of the Igbo was for all to support his widow’s (Bianca) Senatorial ambition.

The group’s admonition came a few days after the Ojukwu family members led by Emeka Ojukwu (Junior), dissociated themselves from Bianca’s senatorial ambition.

The family had cast aspersions on Ojukwu’s widow, saying that having been married from Enugu State, she was not the proper person to represent the family and senatorial district in the Senate.

The issue is not just about Ojukwu’s family. It is about Anambra South Senatorial District made up of seven Local Government Areas namely Nnewi North, Nnewi South, Aguata, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Orumba North and Orumba South. It also about APGA as a political party and all about Ndigbo and Nigeria which APGA stands for, so the onus lies on the good people of Anambra South and APGA to decide the fate of Bianca on her ambition to be a Senator in 2019 The acceptability of Ojukwu and Bianca could be the winning magic for APGA who has the Almighty Uba brothers to contend with at the polls for the revered Anambra South seat in the Senate. Obviously Senator Andy Ubah who is the incumbent Senator representing the District and his brother Chris Ubah Alias Eselu Uga who is eyeing the seat on the platform of the PDP are not pushovers. A victory for Bianca is a victory for Ojukwu’s political legacy as the shining light for Ndigbo. Senator Ubah who is likely to run on the platform of APC is seeking a third term in the red chamber come next year.

As it stands, Iyom stands the chance of making history as one of the many big political families to take over from where her husband stopped. It will be recalled that her husband contested for the Senate in 1983 on the platform of the defucnt National Party of Nigeria (NPN) but lost. He also contested for Nigeria ‘s number one seat 20 years after in 2003 on the platform of APGA and also could not make it because he was allegedly rigged out by the then President Olusegun Obasanjo who railroaded himself back to power for a second term in office.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

INTERVIEW Onitsha in particular and Anambra in general are regarded as the strong home of Catholics and Anglicans, so how are the Pentecostals faring in your own assessment?

The Pentecostal Churches are doing wonderfully well in Onitsha and in every other part of Anambra State. I am not saying this because I am the PFN Chairman; I am saying so because that is exactly how it is. Beside every Catholic or Anglican Churches is a Pentecostal Church in any part of the State both in the cities and villages. We have the PFN structure in every community and every ward in Anambra State. If you want to measure the strength of the Pentecostals in Anambra, you come to Awka to witness the inauguration of the new PFN administration under my humble self. On that day, we will converge at Ekwueme Square to receive the national and zonal leaders of PFN for the inauguration.

Whenever we have somebody like you, the question as to why Nigeria is facing difficulties even with all the Churches we have in the country readily comes to mind. So, why is Nigeria apparently failing to overcome challenges of development even with all the Christian Churches in the country?

Let me first of all tell you and every other Nigerian in all parts of the country that the Church is one of the pillars holding Nigeria today. I wonder where or how Nigeria would be without the prayer of Christians for the wellbeing and survival of the country. Only God knows the number of jobless Nigerians that the Church absorbs, shelters, feeds, trains and helps to raise businesses and families. Is there any means by which we can give account of the amount of healing and deliverance that takes place in various Churches across the country?

The impact of the Church cannot be overemphasised.

However, when you bring the challenges of development to the table and juxtapose them with what the Church is doing, you’ll find that there are many factors that are militating against the Church from the Nigeria perspective in the other way round. The society is terribly corrupt and the Church is a victim of that that corruption.

Secondly, the society still believes in religion and some Churches are toeing the religious path. What I am saying is that not all the Churches are genuine and don’t expect such ones to make any meaningful impact towards wellbeing and survival. Not all the Churches are after good human upbringing, social order and nation building.

Some people who call themselves men of God are just there to find means good, bad and ugly to make money. You see them indulging in all manners of religious practice-- making sacrifices, rituals and things that are not in line with the word of God. Such Church represents darkness. People in that kind of Church might be organising and attending crusades, revival and prayer meetings but that is just to cover up. In most cases, you see them stealing people’s belongings while prayers are going on.

Again we also look at individual characters and behaviour. If you come to my Church and I preach to you that to steal is sin and teach you the word of God on how to prosper without being a thief and you go out stealing, it is neither right nor safe for anybody to lay the blame of your penchant for stealing to my Church because the Church has done the needful.

You separated Christianity from religion.

What do you mean by that? Where then do you place Christianity?

Christianity is an avenue through which God established a relationship with man so it is not a religion. Religion is all about man looking for a way to find or reach out to God but throughout the ages, man has

Without the Church, I don’t know where Nigeria would be – Ezedebego, Anambra PFN Boss •Tasks Nigerians on fervent Prayers for the success of 2019 polls •Says fear of rigging not enough reason for voter-apathy, election boycott Bishop Moses Ezedebego is a popular preacher east of the Niger and the Senior Pastor of Rescue House Christian Centre in the commercial city of Onitsha as well as the newly elected Chairman of Pentecostal Federation of Nigeria (PFN) Anambra State Chapter. A Man of God who is passionate about using the instrumentality of Christianity to raise a God-fearing human family engender social order and build the nation, Ezedebego has effectively used his programmes and participation in Christian affairs to earn himself notable leadership positions in the Christian community. The Onitsha- based Bishop is also the Secretary of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Anambra State Chapter, State Coordinator Association of Christian Professionals, Anambra State Chapter as well the International President of Maximum Impact Leadership Development Centre with headquarters also in Onitsha. In this interview with THEO RAYS, he speaks on his plans for his administration as PFN boss in Anambra, the impact of the Church in Nigeria, his expectations from the 2019 general election in Nigeria and the reason every eligible voter in Nigeria should come out to vote on election day in the 2019 polls. Excerpts

failed to find God. It was through Christianity that God willingly sent Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of mankind. Man was looking God via religion but God willingly came to man via Christianity. The Bible says “for God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten son that whosever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Religion is man looking for God while Christianity is God sending His own son to man. From these two separate statements, you’ll see the difference between religion and Christianity.

How would you preview the 2019 general election? Some political pundits are predicting that it will either make or mar Ni-

geria. Do you agree with them?

No, I disagree with those saying the election will mar Nigeria. The election will come and go like the previous ones. It will come and go peacefully like the one of 2015. The Bible says with God all things are possible.

With God on our side, the 2019 election will be a success and we shall move on in peace. However, we have to be on our knees and hand the elections over to God. We have to pray fervently so that God in his infinite mercy will see us through. We can’t take things for granted; we have to fast and pray for God to take absolute control of the elections. We in PFN in Anambra State are ready for the elections. In PFN, we have a department called Social Secu-

rity Organisation (SSO) that takes care of socio political affairs and am sure that the people in that department did a good job in mobilising and sensitising eligible voters in all the Pentecostal Churches to get their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) ahead of the elections.

Ahead of the election, there is fear of rigging among the people. This may lead to voter apathy. Some are even talking of boycotting the election. What is your reaction to fears, among the people, of possible rigging of the 2019 election?

The fear of rigging shouldn’t be an excuse for anybody to stay at home on the day of election. Rigging is not enough

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

INTERVIEW most popular graphic design companies in Onitsha. So, as a minister, things were working in line with God’s purpose in my life and I was able to establish a Church and got ordained as a Bishop. Since then, God has been using me to touch lives, to heal the sick, bless people with fruit of the womb, breakthrough in businesses and all that. These are some of the remarkable things that God has used me to deliver in the lives of the people.

Again, God has used me to raise leaders through an annual event called Maximum Impact Leadership Development Programme. The programme is my brainchild and God has used it to do wonders. Every year in the month of February, we invite Ministers of God and Church workers from all around the world to refresh in the Lord.

We provide hotel accommodation and free feeding to every guest and the results have been of tremendous impact and very impressive. So, these are what God has been using me to do.

However, I am not a politician not to talk of being a powerful one. What happens is that people who have known me too well nominate me for leadership roles. For instance, the position of Secretary of CAN was zoned to PFN and they nominated me. Similarly, when it was time to choose a new PFN Chairman to take over from the late Archbishop David Ebelechukwu, they nominated me. So, I don’t see any atom of politics and politicking whereby you can say that I am a powerful politician.

•Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

America thrives because they believe in small business, and that is why their economy is excellent. But the government also helps in making credit available to small businesses and always encourages them.

Therefore, infrastructure has to be built to encourage our people to be entrepreneurs; and all hands must be on deck to achieve that. Overseas, education is applied; anything you do, you have to apply it.

• Ezedebego

reason for anybody to boycott election either. If President Muhammadu Buhari was afraid of rigging in 2015, having lost elections on three occasions in 2003, 2007, and 2011, he couldn’t have contested the presidential election not to talk of winning it. People should look at the case of President Buhari over the issue of rigging.

In 2003 he lost and not afraid of rigging he came out again and contested in 2007 and lost. Still not afraid of rigging he ran again in 2011 and lost. In 2015 he persistently put the issue of rigging behind and contested and won, so rigging should not be an impediment in the minds of the people towards the 2019. Pray and ask God to prevent your vote from being diverted

against your wish and come and vote and leave the rest for God. You have notable leadership roles in your disposal as Chairman of Pentecostal Federation of Nigeria (PFN) in Anambra State, Secretary Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Anambra and all that.

You must be a powerful politician. Tell us about your journey into the vineyard of God and some of the remarkable things you have done that distinguish you from the crowd?

I came into the vineyard of God with a strong conviction that I have the mandate to be a minister of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. When I got born again some

seven years ago, I dedicated myself to serving God and consequently, I started having the feeling in my spirit that I could be a minister and again there were revelations from some notable men of God that I have the call to serve in the vineyard of God so at a point, I became a freelance preacher going out to preach in open place, market place and all that. I also organised programmes such as Ministers Forum, crusades and revival programmes where people were touched and healed

by Holy Spirit. I was able to do all that because I was doing well in business as a graphic designer. Since I got born-again, my company has grown to be one of the

What is your vision and main target for PFN in Anambra State?

The immediate PFN Chairman, the late Archbishop David Ebelechukwu left PFN in very outstanding position and so he left a big shoe for his successors. As his immediate successor, I will continue where he stopped and also do some other things that will definitely move PFN to a higher level in Anambra. The late Archbishop Ebelechukwu as PFN Chairman built a very large Specialist Mission Hospital that is recognised by the State. He was the first PFN Chairman to execute such a project in the whole of Nigeria. Most interesting is that he ensured that PFN was gazetted by the State to receive grants meant for mission hospitals. So, my administration will ensure that the hospital is up and doing in serving the purpose for which it was built.

We are going to ensure that the hospital has different disciplines and departments and equipment also for effective services.

This is one. Two, we are going to initiate a PFN Media outreach such as a weekly Radio and Television programmes through which we present what we are doing at PFN to the people. We call it PFN hour.

Three, we are going to build a PFN Secretariat in Awka, the State Capital. The Secretariat will have a multi purpose conference hall, a guest house, book shop, library for Christian community in Awka in particular and the State in general and a well equipped business centre. Four, we are going to establish PFN Mission Schools in three Senatorial Districts in the State. We are gong to do all of these things, which I don’t want to reveal in details here. But, what I want to assure is that my administration will ensure a busy and fruitful years in office.

You talked about the inauguration of your administration?

We are going to do that in a grand style at Ekwueme Square in Awka. And we want to use that opportunity to also organise what we call PFN Day. PFN Day is going be an annual event, where we converge to discuss issues bothering on the welfare of PFN as a body. Like a I said earlier, we are going use the Ekwueme Park event to showcase our strength in the State and we are expecting PFN national and zonal leaders, among other dignitaries including Governor Willie Obiano.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

POLITICS

I

n the afternoon of September 14, 2017, soldiers of Operation Python Dance II invaded your father’s palace in Afara, Umuahia, what was your experience that day First, the experience is a very sad one and I still live with till tomorrow, as a matter of fact. The memory is still fresh and it is a very traumatic one and it has been difficult for us, particularly for me, to close my eyes and sleep at night. That is what I have been living with in the past one year.

Can you relive the piece of action you saw on that day.

That particular day, I was somewhere along Aba Road where I met some youths who were protesting. I remember addressing them, telling them to focus more on things that affect all of us instead of blocking the road out of anger.

I remember telling them to come together to attack those conditions and the constitution of Nigeria that, of course, adversely affect every one of us. I told them it is better to attack the forces of evil than those in evil. At the end of it, they calmed down. Soon after, I left for my house. Barely 15 minutes, from nowhere, I started hearing sporadic gunshots from the direction it was coming.

Everywhere was in turmoil; people were in panic, people were running, people were shouting ‘my leg o, my head o’.

They were those, I believe, who were hit by bullets. Eventually, the soldiers came to our gate in their Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and riddled everywhere with bullets.

There was this woman, Mary by name, about 60 years old who was in the compound. She couldn’t run out from the main gate. She remained inside the compound. I remember, when the whole thing became too much for us, jumping over the fence. And soon after I jumped over the fence, I heard her shout ‘my head o, my head o; I am dead, I am dead, I am dead’ and bullets were flying everywhere, left, right and centre.

That was exactly what I saw.

Kanu, our parents’ absence traumatic – Emmanuel Kanu •Blasts Swiss Embassy for denying IPOB and family members visa to attend UN session on involuntary disappearances

Last week Friday, September 14, 2018 marked exactly one year soldiers of the Nigerian Military, on Operation Python Dance II assignment, invaded the family house the leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, which is also is the palace of his father, Eze Israel Kanu, from where he administers Afaraukwu Autonomous Community as traditional ruler. After the deadly invasion, which left in its trail, blood and deaths, Kanu and his parents disappeared without trace, till date. In this interview with BONIFACE OKORO, spokesman of the Kanu family, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, narrates their ordeal in the past one year, describing it as traumatic. Excerpts: After the invasion, your brother Nnamdi, together with your parents Eze Israel Kanu and Ugoeze Sally Kanu, disappeared till date. How has this affected the family and even the community, by extension?

Well, for the fact that we have not communicated with any of them, we have not seen them, it is a big trauma for us. The community as well is in disarray. Of course, nobody is happy about it. The only thing that has kept us going is that we believe, somehow, they may

be alive. Only God knows--it was very, very appalling because a lot of people died and their bodies were taken away.

There was blood every corner of the house. So, it is very difficult for us to know whether they were taken alive or killed; we do not know.

What has been the role of the international community in trying to find out if they are still alive and how to help members of your family?

With regard to the international community, nothing serious has been done

although some IPOB members and my family members have been invited to attend the 116 Session of the United Nations Human Rights Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances, as key witnesses to the mass murder committed by the security operatives when the family compound was invaded during the 2017 Operation Python Dance ll. But instead of granting visas to the invitees, the Swiss Embassy in Abuja turned down their visa applications.

I wonder why the Swiss Embassy would constitute itself into an impediment to my family’s bid to get justice over the unprovoked invasion of our family house and the disappearance of my brother and my parents. I do not want to believe that the embassy is conspiring, colluding with or is in any unholy alliance with Abuja to frustrate the family and help the Nigerian State to escape punishment.

But we have also contacted our lawyers. So, at the end of the day, we will be able to know exactly what and what to do because that is where, for the very first time, they have given us the opportunity to come and explain to the world what happened. But, the idea of the Swiss Embassy not giving us visa is very shocking.

Has the Ohanaeze Ndigbo reached out to your family since that invasion?

The Ohanaeze has not reached out to the family but Ala Igbo Development Foundation (ADF) and the World Igbo Congress have. They have been in the forefront of efforts to know the whereabouts of my brother and parents. And we appreciate their efforts.

How has IPOB been relating with the family in the face of all these challenges?

Of course, you know that we are all Indigenous People of Biafra. Nobody can take that away from us. They share in our pains and we share in their own as well. It is a collective effort. All we are asking for is nothing more but our freedom, nothing less.

What do you think should be done in the present circumstance to try to find out whether your brother and parents are still alive?

Like I said earlier, what I believe should be done is, one, launch what I call a holistic investigation to know exactly what happened and who and who carried out that action because Nnamdi Kanu, as a matter of fact, has done nothing wrong known to the law of the land. The invasion was uncalled for. So, we believe if they will allow us to come in, have a roundtable meeting, face-to-face and discuss exactly what happened and how it happened and their disappearance; that will give us a sense of fulfilment.

•Kanu’s parents

And who should launch the investigation, the federal government or the International community?

We don’t trust the federal government to do so; we heavily rely on the international community. If we had attended the UN 116 Session, that would have given us the opportunity to discuss what happened. The reason for the invitation was for us to state categorically as eye witnesses to the United Nations on what happened on the 14th of September last year when the Nigerian Army illegally invaded the home of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader .

I appeal to the United Nations as well as the United States of America and other human rights-promoting nations to prevail on the Swiss Government to grant visa to the invitees as not doing so would amount to deny the innocent justice, which in itself is a crime against humanity.

13

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

POLITICS

High cost of nominations forms sold by the political parties is seen as a scheme to exclude competent but not wealthy people from running for elective offices even after the Not Too Young to Run Act. Aren’t you worried that politics in Nigeria is being monetized even with many political parties that ordinarily should accommodate everybody?

If you recall when the amount was announced in APC, we protested. Even Mr. President protested. That was why the earlier date set for collection of forms had to wait and there was a review.

The National Executive Committee ordered that the National Working Committee should do a review and they reviewed the cost of some forms downwards.

But, you know we have about 93 political parties in Nigeria; it depends on what you believe in. Political parties are like church denominations where the doors are open. You choose where you want to worship. If you want to go to a pastor that expects you to sow seed every Sunday and you don’t want to continue to sow seed, there are other churches where the pastor may not ask you to sow seed every Sunday and you are free to leave.

Some of us delayed in picking nomination forms and tongues started wagging.

I was trying to convince myself whether this desire to serve the people is worth this level of sacrifice.

All the parties, what they offer is their platform, which is their product. When they place value on it, it is left for anyone to decide whether to go ahead with it or not.

Would this affect a number of people that are young after the Not Too Young to Run Act? Yes, it may. It even affected and will affect people that are not young.

The amount we are talking about is not small.

For me, yes, that of APC is considered very high; the other political parties are high too. Why should people be made to buy a form to indicate their willingness to serve so high? But the political parties and political party managers know better and they have set their templates and standards.

So if you choose to buy, like in APC, that of governorship which is N22.5 million; you buy, it is like a cloth; you wear it and hope that the cloth that you are wearing will fit you and actually serve you to the point you wish.

But if you think you don’t want to spend that much, you go and buy the one that is less, you wear it and hope that it will fit you and also serve you. So, yes, the cost of the nomination forms is high, but again there are options and we should decide on the options available to us.

APC in Abia is still steeped in controversy over the method to adopt for primary election. What is your take on this?

You see, anything you want to do, it is always good to plan well. Good a thing, in our party, the APC, there are three options, which are captured in our constitution - the direct, the indirect and the consensus. When people asked me this question last time, I said Chris Akomas is prepared for all.

But as a person, because we have worked hard, I say anything that will cause crises, lead to loss of life, create doubt in our relationship and in our ability to manage ourselves, Chris Akomas is not party to that.

I said I prefer indirect but my party has said direct at the presidential level, every state is free to choose their own pattern.

In our state, statements were made but we are still reviewing it. The leaders will meet. What we want is to deliver the best to our people. And in doing that, we don’t want anybody hurt. We don’t want crisis, we don’t want anything that will

‘I want to make good things happen in Abia’ Comrade Chris Alozie Akomas (Ph.D) is a former Deputy Governor of Abia State and currently, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where he is also a member of the Board of Trustees. An advocate of politics without bitterness, Akomas, in this interview with BONIFACE OKORO at his Umuahia campaign headquarters, enjoins Abians to unite, irrespective of party affiliations, and work for the development of the state; dismisses rumours that he was planted to destablise APC in Abia and cautions that any preferred primary election to choose candidates must not threaten the peace and stability of the party; throws light on the raging issue of method of primary election and asserts that his aspiration is for public good as he is eager to make good things happen, if Abians give him their mandate. Excerpts: We came when people did not have faith, we had faith in the party and we worked, and to the glory of God, here we are.

So, how can anyone say that? How can anybody even look me in the face and say I am sponsored? If I leave APC today for another party, I will still make meaningful contributions there. But Chris Akomas will not leave APC because I have invested so much. I am not the fair weather people that we see; when you work and they see it is going well, they jump in.

•Governor Yahaya Bello

•Senator Shehu Sani

•Comrade Chris Alozie Akomas

destroy the progress already recorded by this party.

What is your take on the speculations making the rounds that you are being sponsored, in your governorship race, to destablise Abia State chapter of APC? Isn’t that very insulting? I joined this party as early as February 2014 when it was like a taboo to be in the party and I have been in the party since then. I am a member of the Board of Trustees of the party.

I criss-crossed Abia and campaigned for

President Muhammadu Buhari; I campaigned for our gubernatorial candidate then, Chief Nyerere Anyim. I placed advertorials, jingle and made posters for Mr. President and I was not given any money.

For anybody to say that I am being sponsored to destabilse APC in Abia, it is just propaganda; that, for me, is insulting the sensibilities of members of the party because the party people know their own; they know who is who. Many are in APC because the party is the ruling party now.

There are about five governorship aspirants in APC already; are you confident of victory in the primaries?

After due consideration and the desire and willingness to serve my people because I want something good to happen, I decided to buy the nomination forms.

Others have bought the forms too.

At the end of the day, the party will have one person that will fly the flag and I know and believe that I am going to be that person and I will carry everybody along.

If we are looking for somebody who knows the way, who knows what to do, who should hit the ground running, Chris Akomas is the person and I am the people’s comrade.

I am interested in that which should benefit everybody, my interest is for public good and I mean everything and every step all the way.

An unwieldy crowd in any political contest throws up campaigns of calumny, do you envisage this I have always believed in the campaign of issues. Don’t go insulting or antagonizing others, that will not put food on anybody’s table, it will not help our people grow. For instance, if our roads are good, we will all drive on it, whether you are APC, PDP, SDP, whatever party; the road doesn’t know who is driving on it.

When there is accident on that road, that accident is happening because of its poor state.

So, we must learn to focus on issues, on doing what is right. We must remember that it is not about party A or B, it is about the character of the individual, about the possibility, the capacity of that person; it is about knowledge, believability, reliability; it is about ability to do things, capacity to deliver and that God-given talent to come up with something new and I say God has placed something in me some ideas which I will use to make our state better.

So, it is our duty here to look for and support the person who will be able to deliver, who will also be able to know that this is my brother, not that this is my party brother only, a person that will know that we are all Abians.

14

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

Focus

•The proprietor, Mrs Egwu (centre) the Administrator, Mr Achebe and some special guests (seated), with the SSSIII graduating students (standing)

•Ebonyi State Commissioner for Education,Chief Sabinus Nwankwoegu, represented Gov. David Umahi

‘Wise’ students from the East

T

hey are not exactly world beaters yet--like Regina Pacis, Onitsha, world’s breeding ground for technological innovation—but another South East high school students point the way to academic excellence with all graduating students of 2018 set of Hope High Int’l School Abakaliki ‘makin’ WASSCE and UTME. Elated Governor David Umahi, Deputy Speaker of Ebonyi State House of assembly, others have hailed management, students at graduation.

From Enugu, CHUKS EZE reports.

Proud parents and acquaintances recently joined the management, staff and students of Hope High British International School (HHBIS), Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, at the 2018 graduation/send forth ceremony of the school where a total of 309 pupils were celebrated for completing various stages of their academic pursuit in the school including crèche, nursery, primary, JSS and SSS cadres, respectively.

Although the school, which is located at 6, Onwe Road, in the city centre, did not produce the 2018 overall best candidate in either the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE), or the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), it delivered clean sheets in both external examinations, according to official records, In his welcome address at the event, Chuma Achebe, administrator of the school, described the development as “a harvest of success for the school in both external examinations – WASSCE and UTME”, disclosing that the entire 2018 SSIII set, numbering 27, “cleared” their WASSCE papers, making a minimum of six credit passes each, including English language and mathematics. He further informed guests that all the SSIII candidates also scored 200 and above in UTME and “are all currently processing their admission into various universities both in Nigeria and abroad to study their choice courses.”

“A1 is a common feature in the students’ results this year. Each candidate got at least A1 in two subjects in the SSS level, while all the JSSIII students made exceptional credit passes in the Junior WAEC examinations and are all moving into SSS1 class.

“That is why we all – our proprietor, management, parents and

students alike – have every cause to be proud and grateful to God,” he said.

Achebe unveiled the overall 2018 best graduating student Akama Favour Oka, at the colourful event. Miss Oka was announced as the overall best student for the school’s internal examinations, WASSCE and UTME, as well. The elated star, among other prizes that were not officially disclosed, also received a special portrait from the proprietor of the school and former First Lady of Ebonyi State, Mrs Eunice Egwu, who was present at the occasion.

The First Family of Ebonyi State, His Excellency, Engr. Dave Umahi and wife Rachael, were Special Guests at the event. The proprietor’s spouse, former Governor Sam Egwu was Father of the Day. But while the Ebonyi Commissioner for Education, Chief Sabinus Nwankwoegu represented Umahi at the event, his wife was represented by the Chairman of Ebonyi Local Government Area, Mrs. Chinyere Nwogbaga. Senator Egwu, was represented by Dr Peter Okorie. Chairman on the occasion, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State (FUNAI), Prof. Sunday Elom was accompanied to the event by his wife, Dr. Mrs Chinyere Elom. Dean, Faculty of Education, FUNAI, Associate Prof. Chinyere Nwajiuba was Mother of the Day. Other dignitaries were the Secretary to the Ebonyi State Government, Dr Hygenius Nwokwu; Deputy Speaker of the State’s House of Assembly, Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa and his wife; Prof. Icha Ituma; Major J.O Lekuti of the Ojo Military Cantonment, Lagos; and the Chairman of the Parent Teachers’ Association in the school, Elder Dr Uduma Samuel, Aka-Udu, among several others.

In his speech, Governor Umahi praised Mrs Egwu for her efforts in nurturing and packaging children and youths of Ebonyi State and Nigeria in general, to become excellent individuals in all spheres of human life.

According to the governor, who described the proprietor as an excellent woman, “What you are doing to transform our youths is very wonderful. The foundation you have made, the standard you

have set, no school has been able to beat it. We are proud of you, particularly because products of this school have always stood high over the years, in some of our highly-rated institutions across the country.

The governor promised to always encourage HHBIS adding that he would, “throw his weight behind you because we are running an education-friendly government” that is poised to make Ebonyi State the pace setter and hub of excellent learning in the country.

Prof. Elom, the FUNAI DVC, on his part, congratulated the students for graduating in flying colours and wished them well in their future academic endeavours. He also noted that the university was proud of the school and pointed out that they were working out modalities to improve the existing relationship it had with the school, adding that it would further establish partnership on areas of training and other activities of mutual interest, in the coming months.

Speaking about her emergence as best graduating student, Miss Oka told our correspondent that her feat was “God’s doing”. According to her, “I feel so happy about it, I am grateful to God and I thank the management and staff of HHBIS for bringing out the best in me”. She also appreciated her parents, who she said were always there for her, pointing out that, “I would not have been here without them, just as I would not have been here without God”.

Her parents, who could not attend the event, in a goodwill message, expressed immense gladness at their daughter’s feat, describing her as “a worthy ambassador”.

According to her father, Peter Oka, Favour, who he said still had four other siblings in the school, deserved all kudos, stressing that she “is a worthy ambassador of the Oka family and pathfinder” to her siblings, and we are proud of her’. “Please, keep up the feat; rise to new heights and continue to fly the family flag higher in your future endeavours,” Mr Oka, who also appreciated the management and staff of the school, wrote, in part.

Similarly, Dr. Mrs Amarachi Onyebuchi, the mother of the best-graduating kindergarten pupil, Olachi Onyebuchi, in an interview with our correspondent, noted that “I

•The 2018 best graduating student, Favour Akama Oka (centre), flanked by Mrs Egwu (Right) and Sir Dr Peter Okorie, who represented Sen. Egwu am so excited about today. I am elated and grateful to god for the good health and wisdom He has given my daughter. We are proud of her for this wonderful achievement, and we will do everything to ensure that she continues to excel in all her future academic and other endeavours; for her to achieve greater heights and continue to be among the best”.

The PTA Chairman, Elder Dr USA Udu, on his part, described HHBIS as a unique citadel of learning, and rated the school as one of the best in Nigeria, in academics and morals.

According to Udu, who is as well the Chairman of Ethics and Standards Committee of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), “I have been the PTA Chairman here, since 2002. I have constantly had a child or more in this school since then, and I can tell so much about HHBIS. It is a complete package, an academic institution that has all it takes to remould a child into a complete individual, academically and otherwise, to be smart, bold and an independent goal-getter,” he said.

And on her part, Mrs Egwu, appreciated parents and guests with immense gratitude for trusting their children and wards in the care of HHBIS. Shae also thanked them for attending the event in large numbers. She specially praised Governor Umahi and his wife for their continued support and encouragement to the school, stressing that the first family had always been there for the school, in various means.

She also eulogised her spouse, Senator Egwu, for his unrelenting encouragements, wise counsels and backing. The former first lady as well, congratulated the management, staff and students of the school, especially the graduated ones, for making the school proud and living up to the slogan of HHBIS, which she said, was ‘Built to Excel. She pointed out that, since inception, various cadres of the school had consistently recorded excellence in academics and other extracurricular internal and external exercises and competitions.

“Our WAEC and UTME results have consistently been awesome.

Our WAEC and JAMB results were fantastic last year, but they are excellent this year, to the Glory of God and pride of every parent, student and staff of this school. We do not cut corners here; we abhor all aspects of cheating, and cultism is completely absent here,” she noted.

She also seized the opportunity to announce plans to reposition the school, adding, among others, that management was set to build a multi-purpose hall and as well, remodel the nursery school section, and as well introduce Montessori Learning at the forthcoming new academic session, this September, 2018.

She pointed out that all the existing schools would still continue to run normally, but that the Montessori specialised and designed to ensure that no teacher would handle more than 10 pupils per class, when it comes on stream.

15

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS Extra Commission promotes 1,874 staff in Anambra

A

nambra Local Government Service Commission has promoted 1,874 senior workers who sat for the 2017 promotion interview.

Chairman of the commission, Mr Peter Egenti, said this on Saturday in Onitsha.

Egenti congratulated the affected staff and urged them to justify their elevation by giving greater support to the commission’s agenda.

He also urged them to remain disciplined and productive so as to transform the state local government system.

“The release of the promotion for senior staff on Grade Level 07 and above is a motivational factor for better performance of staff of local government system.

“The commission will continue to improve workers’ welfare in order to enhance their attitude to work,” he said.

Egenti urged those promoted to reciprocate the kind gesture of government by shunning absenteeism and lateness to work.

He said that severe sanctions awaited offenders, adding that the commission would soon conduct the 2018 promotion examination.

According to him, the released 2017 promotion list has been forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government, Cheiftaincy and Community Affairs as well as the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) for payment of financial benefits to those affected.

Buhari sponsoring some PDP Presidential aspirants – Wike

By VICTOR NZE

R

ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has posited that some of the Presidential aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are being sponsored by President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is also as the Rivers chief executive stated that the entire leadership of the PDP in the state will decide on the party’s Presidential Aspirant to support ahead of the party’s Presidential Primary.

In an interview in Government House Port Harcourt, Governor Wike, Tuesday, stated that the direction of Rivers delegates will not be determined by one person.

“At the end of the day, the leadership of the party will meet at the state level and decide where are we heading to? Then we will all be together. No one individual can do it alone. So, Rivers state will move as a team, I will listen to the leadership of the party, then we will move forward.

“Who are we going to support?

Where is the national survey? Who is more popular? This is how politics is played. I challenge any of the presidential aspirants from the north who have gone to other governors and they have given them campaign coordinators, I challenge them to mention if I have given them one name,” Wike said.

He said that the decision on the

way that Rivers State will go, will not be determined by sentiments, but on the overriding interest of Rivers State.

“Can anybody say I have met him one day to say support so, so, and so Presidential Aspirant? People have been coming here and I told them I will not, and I will never, nominate anybody to be a liaison to any of the presidential aspirants.

Not one person, I challenge them.

“Atiku (Abubakar) came here, (Sule) Lamido came here, Makarfi came here, Saraki came here, Tambuwal came here, (Ibrahim) Shekarau came here, (Attahiru) Bafarawa came here. Let one person say I have ever said take Joseph, take John, take John Bull, take Beatrice

Flood: Awka town cautions against building on water channels

P

resident General, Ebenebe Town Union (ETU), Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra, Chief Paul Nnatuanya, has warned the community against building on water channels or face wrath of the law.

Nnatuanya, made the call in Ebenebe on Sunday during his inaugural speech as the newly elected president general of the community.

The town union president said that his administration would monitor compliance to the new directives so as to save the community from imminent destruction from flood.

He said that most of the flood being experienced recently in the community was as a result of people building on flood channel, dumping of refuse in gutters and other activities alien to flood.

Nnatuanya urged the people of the community to key into the monthly sanitation usually observed in major cities of the state on last Saturdays of every month to sustain a healthy living.

He said that if the community imbibed the exercise which became necessary due to various developmental projects ongoing in the community, it would be more beneficial to the town.

The president general pledged that ETU under his watch would support any government directive regarding flood control or any other progressive work in the community.

According to him, I will not hesitate to bring to justice anyone caught evading sanitation or any act against development of the town.

He urged the people to shun acts of unclean habit such as littering the streets with eateries, indiscriminate dumping of refuse, building on the water channels, and others.

Inaugurating the executive earlier, Mr Sunday Eze, a director from the Anambra State Ministry of Town Union and Chieftaincy Matters advised the new leadership to work closely with its traditional ruler, Igwe Christopher Nnaegbuna to achieve desired results.

• A cross section of traditional rulers from the Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria meeting with the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel led its Chairman, the Paramount Ruler of Ibeno Local Government Area, His Royal Majesty, Owong Effiong Archianga at Government House Uyo.

Mother laments son’s death, advises youth against drug use

BY OGBONNA OZIOMA FLORENCE

“I

t’s over six months now but it still hurts like yesterday. I found my 20-year old son dead in his bed of an accidental heroin and vallium overdose; he was a promising university student with everything to live for, dearly loved by his family and by his friends but drugs destroyed his life.”

That was the painful cry of Mrs. Nike Olayemi (not her real names) as she lamented the untimely death of her young, university-student son in drug over-doze.

Olayemi spoke at youth forum in Owerri, where she gave advice to young people on the dangers of drug abuse.

“My son was a high honour student aiming to become a meterologist,” she further lamented.

“He moved from smoking pot to heroin and after seven months, he was found dead of an accidental heroin and vallium overdose. He was a youth with bright prospects but his life was cut short because of unhealthy lifestyle.”

Mrs. Olayemi said her greatest agony was that she never seized

any opportunity to have a heart to heart talk with her son, considering that she worked as a health advisor and a dietician in a hospital in Owerri.

She said as a health worker, she was in the best position to properly advise her son on the dangers of drug use and or abuse, but that she never did that, preferring instead to make calls and speak a few words with the young man until he went out of boundaries.

Saying she had learnt to live with her sorrows, Olayemi said she was moved to speak out on the dangers of drug abuse so young people would stay away from drugs and beware of drug stimulants for there is no single age group that is more affected by alcohol and drugs than the youths.

“Most times, youths feel they can enhance and improve their performance or take away depression by taking drugs like codeine, marijuana, cocaine, putting tramadol in drinks, etc but research tells us that overdose of these items can make one not to think straight,” Olayemi said. “The risk of taking these drugs and stimulants are numerous and they in-

clude loss of appetite, increased rate of heart diseases, high blood pressure, insomnia and sometimes violent behaviour, hallucination and so on. Gradually, the immune system becomes weak, increasing susceptibility to infections and other damages in the body.”

“My son never took good care of his health,” Mrs. Olayemi added. “He never maintained good hygiene but takes anything claiming they are all food, and that is what other youths do today endangering their lives. Similarly, youths indulge in tattooing and body piercing oblivious of the fact that tattooing can cause skin infection, blood-borne disease such as hepatitis B and C, HIV, burning or swelling of the affected part of the body. These are what led to the untimely death of my son, because he never for once stopped doing those things.”

Advising parents to be more watchful over their children, Olayemi said: “There is always a painful end to every misuse of drug and unhealthy lifestyle; youths are advised to desist from that so as to avoid untimely death.”

as your campaign coordinator like other some do. I don’t deceive people, I will not deceive people, and I will not deceive my people,” Wike stressed.

He stated that nobody will blindfold the people of Rivers State into supporting a Presidential Aspirant with compromised credentials, explaining further that some of the Presidential Aspirants are under the sponsorship of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“But one thing you must take home is that I cannot be misled, I cannot be blindfolded; I know what’s going on. I know what the presidency and the APC are doing to plant a presidential aspirant in the PDP. ‘I have not even mentioned how a very senior official of a security agency in the country told me which of the candidates to support!

You can imagine me as a governor and the head of a security agency would tell me to support one or two persons. Head of security agency who is in a government controlled by the APC! Come on, you direct me on who to support for president?”

Governor Wike reiterated that the plot by the APC Federal Government to use the security agencies to rig elections in Rivers State in 2019 will fail.

“It won’t happen in my state, but I know they will kill a lot of persons.

I can tell you they will kill a lot of us. No problem, this is the sacrifice we have to make for democracy to thrive.”

Governor Wike stated that he will have nothing to do with godfather politics, pointing out that when he leaves in 2023, the people of Rivers State will collectively choose his successor.

He said: “I’m on record and my friends, my colleagues, they know me and I have told them. I am a student of history, mention who has survived it. That you put your life, you put your blood to bring somebody. So as a student of History, I know it does not work that way.

“I will do what I have come to do , to serve my people and when my time has come to an end, those who want to run, let them run. Let the people of Rivers State decide, it is you, it is him. And that is the problem we are having, people want to continue to be Godfathers, how and that is the problem we are having without development.

“When I hear some people make comments, with all due respect, I don’t want to talk about persons, when I hear about one, they call him Tonye Princewill and I laugh. The young man forgot the interview he granted the Premium Times. He forgot the interview, and people forget history. That these things are documented, so I now hear what he’s saying, I say oh my God.” He recalled that those struggling to play godfather are doing so to protect themselves from criminal prosecution. He pointed out that Tonye Princewill in his 2014 interview with Premium Times outlined these issues.

“How much Rivers State assets were sold by the previous Government to his friend and how it was used to fund election of Buhari and the rest. He forgot easily, today He’s saying a different thing and I say what kind of characters do we have? “ Governor Wike asked.

16

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS Extra Don’t allow APC to manipulate presidential polls, cleric to PDP, others

By IBE NWACHUKWU

T By

he General Overseer of Mount Zion Faith Global Liberation Ministry Inc. ( a.k.a.

Fire By Fire), Nnewi, Anambra state, Bishop Abraham Chris Udeh has made a passionate appeal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate them by bring out an unpopular candidate that will lose the presidential election to the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.

He rather, PDP, as the only hope Nigerians have should bring out a popular candidate that can chase Buhari out of office because Nigerians are tired of the antics of Buhari as a person and APC as a Jihadist party.

Speaking to newsmen on phone yesterday, Bishop Udeh state that his appeal to PDP was stemmed from the fact that he saw in a vision that Buhari’s refusal to give assent to the electoral sequence was a proof that he actually wants to manipulate and rig the election.

“So, I am therefore calling on the national assembly to either override him and adopt the electoral sequence as a working document or get him impeached now before he will manipulate the election and rig himself into power again”.

According to Bishop Udeh, “please, tell Buhari to resign honourably and go home for presiding over insecurity, allowing Fulani herdsmen to be on rampage, without government action to stop them”.

‘To worsen the matter, he continued, none of his election promises was fulfilled. the exchange rate is higher than when he came into power, Boko haram is still butchering people here and there, lack of youth empowerment, poverty mentality, hunger and starvation, high cost of living, high cost of petroleum products, among others”.

“I could remember that Buhari promised to restructure Nigeria but when he assumed power, he threw it into the wind. He refused to tell the nation the type of ailment he is suffering from and yet he used our money to pay for his medical treatment abroad”.

Buhari is going about boasting that he will win the election because he has the support of his northern Fulani brothers and that is why he is dancing to their tunes but he should know that those his Fulani brothers alone .cannot fetch him winning vote”.

“Buhar’s government is the most corrupt and bloodiest ever had since inception and his Fulani brothers are clapping for him but we ate relying on God to do the needful”.

APGA stakeholders back Oduah’s for second term

By Oge Onyeanusi, Nnewi

A

ll Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) stakeholders in Onitsha North and Onitsha South in the Anambra North Senatorial zone have unanimously agreed to support Sen. Stella Oduah to realize her second term ambition of representing the zone at the senate over what they described as ‘an impactful representation she gave to the people at the Senate.’

During a sensitisation visit to APGA faithful in the two council areas on Monday, September 17, Oduah presented her achievements in pushing for the welfare of the people of Anambra North; and APGA faithful at the area agreed in unison to give her another opportunity to consolidated on her achievements.

In attendance during Senator Oduah’s visit to the area were executive members of APGA at the

ward and local government levels within the two council areas, APGA stakeholders within the areas, as well as members of the state assembly from the council areas, members of Sen. Oduah’s support groups, government appointees, among others.

Senator Oduah in a remark during the visit, told the party faithful that the purpose of her visit was to solicit their support for the forth coming APGA primaries, as well as the general election so that she would represent the zone for the second time at the senate.

She said that her second term journey to the Red Chambers was to further her efforts in making meaningful impacts with her position, with human capital development as the core thrust of her representation. She noted that such entailed the harnessing of the potentials of her people and empowering them in diverse ar-

eas of endeavour in order to create economic values for the people; and to create economic viable Anambra North where potentials are harnessed, skills acquired and the people empowered.

The senator listed various vocational training programmes already handled and upcoming ones which she said have led to the production of people with skills who have been financially empowered to start up something on their own while many have been assisted to go back to school.

She listed 30 different ongoing projects for the people of Anambra North zone which were successfully captured in the budget.

Some of the projects, according to her, included the construction of Environmental Research Centre on Climate Change in Anambra North Senatorial District, training on mechanized fishing and processing, research and training on soilless

• A cross section attendees who joined the Aguma family for the outing service last Sunday at the Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral after Saturday’s burial of Late Attorney-General of Rivers State, Hon. Emmanuel Aguma (SAN)

Ndigbo need to send Best to N/Assembly – Enwezor Theo Rays, Onitsha

A

n aspirant to Onitsha North/ South Federal Constituency, Mr. Chugbo Enwezor, has said that with the state of things in Nigeria, Ndigbo need to send their best hands to the National Assembly in 2019.

Fielding questions by newsmen on return from Abuja, where he went to purchase the form for the House of Representatives, the Chairman of Judiciary Committee in the Anambra State House of Assembly, said the issues that will confront Parliamentarians in the coming dispensation are so complex and intricate that only those who were adequately prepared and abreast with issues should be given opportunity to go to the National Assembly.

The legal practitioner and activist turned politician said he was driven by “vision and determination to bring something new to Onitsha, Anambra State and Ndigbo”.

Enwezor said he was adequately prepared for the job having been a two time member of Anambra State House of Assembly.

“For Igbos to attain what they need, they need to send the right people to the National Assembly

to adequately convey our message.

We are in a mess and it is the Parliament that will change the situation.

It is not a personal ambition but a commitment to bring change to our people, to loudly send the message of restructuring across” he opined.

He said there cannot be restructuring without the alteration of the Constitution to bring all components Parts of the country to equal pedestal.

He said those who represented Onitsha Federal Constituency in the past have done their own beats, saying that there was a time and a season for everything and everybody.

Enwezor said “there is a consensus that we must restructure the imbalance of Nigerian Federation, the subjugation. And to achieve that we need the people who have the grasp of issues, of how to unbundle Nigeria” He said the South East has only 96 Local Governments, while three States in the Northwest, Kano, 44, Jigawa,27, Katsina 33.have more Local Governments than the entire South East.

“This is lopsided. We had three regions but they kept shrinking the South East, while the North keeps

expanding into a Leviathan. We must unbundle the system.We have to rejig the revenues sharing formula. We are on the fringe. Something must be done to re-imbalance the imbalance systematically. We need to put the Igbo nation on the front burner again” He lamented that President Mohammed Buhari could deep his hand into the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), the money meant for the entire Federation to fund the North East alone.

Enwezor who is contesting on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said he was optimistic of picking the APGA ticket and eventually win the election because the members of the party in his Federal Constituency have resolved to send to Abuja people who can achieve results.

He said his performance in the Anambra State House of Assembly in the last seven and half years, where they have brought expertise and raise the quality of laws they made among others were part of his achievements.

Enwezor said some of them have quietly awarded scholarships to many of the constituents, empowered and helped pay medical bills for some of them.

farming for the communities where planting is only for 8 months of the year because of the impact of flood from the River Niger.

Other projects included construction of mini-basic sports stadiums in Okpoko and Nsugbe, provision of empowerment materials and equipment for women and youths in the senatorial district.

Oduah also listed 13 other projects cutting across road construction, provision of Information Communication Technology (ICT) centres, solar streetlights, water schemes, sports centres, police station, among others.

In the area of sponsorship of bills and motions, Oduah disclosed that she was presently the sponsor of the highest number of bills and motions at the eight senate with about 30 bills and motions which are in various levels presently either at committee stage, second reading or awaiting initial submission stages.

Giving more insight to some of the bills, she talked about the South-East Development Commission Bill. She disclosed that the bill would act as a catalyst to develop the commercial potentials of the South-East and other connected matters.

She expressed optimism that with Chief Willie Obiano as Anambra governor and also coming from Anambra North zone, they are poised to create a social network where the concerns of the people would be shared and taken care of.

Oduah said she was embarking on her second term mission through the platform of APGA because of the Igbo agenda, youths and women empowerment; which she said are the centerpiece of her politics. She said that joining APGA is borne out of her conviction that the party is the conscience of the Igbo; adding that APGA possess the Medas-touch to turn the South East into a land of gold.

Chief Mike Areh, former APGA Senatorial candidate for the 2015 general election in Anambra north, praised Sen. Oduah for her unequalled representation at the senate, and urged APGA faithful at the area to give her maximum support to help her realize her second term aspiration.

Member of the Anambra State Assembly representing Onitsha South II Constituency, Hon. Nkemdiche Ikpeazu; described Sen. Oduah as a virtuous woman and exceptional senator. She urged APGA faithful at the area to disregard propaganda making round that only old members of the party would be considered for the tickets; and contended that when Oduah go for second term, she would be a ranking senator and attract more dividends of democracy.

Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, the lawmaker representing Ogbaru II Constituency in the state assembly, also urged APGA faithful at the area to support Oduah since she had gathered greater experience that will move the zone to the next level.

In his vote of thanks, Chief Daniel Nwabueze, (Agbigwe), the Director- General of Sen. Oduah’s Campaign Organization, thanked the people for the warm reception accorded the senator and her entourage; and begged APGA stakeholders within Anambra north to allow Ogbaru/ Onitsha zone to produce senator for the zone since Omambala zone had already produced the state governor.

17

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

BU$IN£SS

•Energy •Finance

•Stock

•Insurance

•Aviation

•e-Platform

•Tourism

The economy: gloom, doom and stats Election panic: Oil investors resume Energy

profit taking

P20 e-Platform

Apple discontinues iPhone X, iPhone 6s, P22 iPhone Travel

Organizers rev up packages for 22nd MUSON Festival

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

T

CBN EXCHANGE RATES SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 Currency

Buying(NGN)

Central (NGN) Selling(NGN)

US DOLLAR 305.25 POUNDS STERLING 399.4196 EURO 356.7762 SWISS FRANC 316.3868 YEN 2.7286 CFA 0.5212 WAUA 426.2394 YUAN/RENMINBI 44.5195 RIYAL 81.3826 S/A RAND 20.5553

305.75 400.0739 357.3606 316.9051 2.7331 0.5312 426.9376 44.5929 81.5159 20.5889

306.25 400.7281 357.945 317.4233 2.7376 0.5412 427.6358 44.6663 81.6492 20.6226

event of a future decline in oil prices and Naira devaluation.”

The HSBC report positively pointed out that oil export bolstered exports and accruing revenues, stabilise exchange rate for Naira and narrowing value gaps in the exchange market while building foreign exchange reserves.

Still on the positive end, the report has it that inflation rate has dropped from 18.4% year on year at the start of 2017 to 11.6% in May 2018 while price pressures should ease further over the coming months. It however warned that election spending and budgetary released could spur higher inflation rate.

The report also pointed at possible unaccounted revenues that would pour in from differentials between budgeted oil revenue and physical returns from the market, pointing at surpluses that overflowed 2017 budget.

The HSBC faulted government’s fuel import model as high risk factor, saying that “Nigeria’s reliance on fuel imports means rising international oil prices are pushing up the cost of fuel subsidies, estimated by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) at USD250m in May alone. Oil prices at current levels therefore suggest a fuel subsidy that could total USD1.5bn in H2 2018, and about USD2.5bn for the

year as a whole, which would equate to almost 20% of last year’s gross oil revenue.”

Pointing stridently at Nigeria’s structural shortcomings,HSBC stressed that Higher oil doesn’t translate into stronger growth. It noted that the gains that have been achieved following the rise in oil prices have not translated into nonoil growth. “The non-oil economy, which accounts for 90% of GDP, expanded by just 0.8% y-o-y at the start of 2018.”

It pointed out that growth momentum in the non-oil sector has been constrained by sluggish growth in the agriculture sector and persistent contractions in the real estate, trade, and construction sectors. “Stripping out agriculture makes the picture even worse, with non-oil, non-agriculture growth stagnating at the start of 2018 and contracting by an average of 1.0% y-o-y since 2016.”

“For the economy to expand at a faster pace, a stronger recovery in non-oil growth needs to gain traction. The non-oil slump is particularly stark when compared with the pace of expansion before oil prices fell, with growth some 6pp slower than the average between 2011 and 2015.”

The report also painted a gruesome image of poverty in the country and

HE country analysis drawn on Nigerian by the HSBC might have come at a wrong time in the nation’s political schedule, sparking a tirade of angry slurs from President Muhammadu Buhari’s reputation managers who unfortunately appear to miss the point of harnessing the economic intelligence tools embedded in the report for the president’s economic team.

Beyond the contents of the prompt statement from Mallam Garba Shehu which attacked HSBC for gloomy prediction of the country’s economy under President Buhari’s oversight are disturbing statistics that are left unchallenged. More worrisome is the truth that some of the figures used in HSBC’s report are corroborated by statements and statistics by the government’s agents and agencies as well as other external voices that lament the state of the country’s affairs.

In the report authored by and economist at HSBC Securities (South Africa) (Pty) Limited, Mr. David Faulkner, the group declared that Nigeria’s higher oil revenue, improved capital inflows, inflation deceleration, and associated macro outlook failed to resolve the nation’s structural deficits.

According to the report, Nigeria’s

“economic growth remains sluggish, and reliant on the rebound in oil output while the non-oil economy, which accounts for about 90% of GDP, continues to languish with many service sectors still mired in contraction. Joblessness continues to rise, up almost three-fold in three years to 19% in Q3 2017, pushing the number in poverty to 87 million.

The report linked the nation’s current account improvements not to improved business environment and productivity but on higher oil prices, import restrictions and limited foreign exchange access for many sectors of the economy.

“All told, we see growth capped at about 2.5% over the next two years – a welcome recovery from the 2016 contraction, but less than half the rate of the previous cycle,” the report stated.

The report warns that the 22.5 increase in budgeted spend “may also prove to be a key source of macro risk if Nigeria fails to address its fiscal fault lines, including the ongoing reliance on oil revenues, inadequate non-oil tax collections and a large share of its budget directed to debt service. The decision to issue external debt to redeem more expensive short-term government securities is helping reduce debt service costs in the near term, but exposes the fiscal position to exchange rate risk in the

Cont’d on Page 19

P26

Insurance

NAICOM releases business conduct, sanctions in new TBMSC Regime

P28 Equity & Capital Market

Recapitalisation: LASACO holds EGM October 10 P30 Money Market

CBN directs banks, mobile money operators to resolve e-payment issues in 3 days P31

Stock Market Highlights As At 18th SEPTEMBER, 2018

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE EQUITY CAP BOND CAP ETF CAP

32,381.00 4,705.00 269,814,285.00 N2,653,992,681.68 N11,821,564,082,512.93 N10,370,510,774,113.50 N5,958,967,445.47

S/N Coy (By Volume) Volume ACCESS 51,184,242 SKYEBANK 21,337,361 INTBREW 10,292,093 ETERNA 7,384,548 FBNH 6,807,480

5 Top Gainers

Symbols Last Close FO N19 FBNH N8.2 UBA N7.2 ZENITHBANK N20.25 ETERNA N6.05

Current Change N19.4 0.4 N8.5 0.3 N7.5 0.3 N20.5 0.25 N6.25 0.2

%Change 2.11% 3.66% 4.17% 1.23% 3.31%

N90 N18.6 N4.5 N33.7 N7.95

-2.17% -3.38% -9.09% -0.74% -1.85%

Five Tope Losers

Value(N) N409,616,848.75 NNB N13,664,382.18 NASCON N299,701,755.50 REDSTAREX N46,142,925.00 GUARANTY N56,292,087.05 ACCESS

N92 N19.25 N4.95 N33.95 N8.1

-2 -0.65 -0.45 -0.25 -0.15

18

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

BUSINESS

NESG summit to focus on making Governance, institutions work

Stories by JEROME USHAKANG

T

HE Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma has disclosed that the theme of this year edition of Nigeria Economic Group (NESG) is: “From Poverty to Prosperity: Making Governance and Institutions to work”.

Udoma who briefed mediaprofessionals in Abuja on Tuesday, on plans for the 24th edition of the NESG explained that even as the ERGP is a carefully articulated medium-term plan specifically tailored to restore the economy on the path of diversified, inclusive and sustained growth, it recognizes that execution of priorities must be underpinned by a focus on governance and delivery to realize its objectives.

“Indeed, the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), sets out clearly that good governance at all levels is crucial for the success of the Plan”, and “it is in this context that the Plan maps out strategies to improve governance by entrenching transparency and fighting corruption, reinforcing security, reforming the public service, and strengthening coordination with sub-national governments”, he stressed.

Recalling the theme of last year’s Summit - “Opportunities, Productivity and Employment: Actualizing the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan”, the Minister said that Summit was out to get stakeholder commitment to the structural and fiscal changes required to link policy to economic opportunities, skills and competencies that deliver them so as to achieve the aims of the ERGP. The outcome of that Summit, according to him, inspired the focus of this year’s outing, noting that government has continued to implement the various strategies outlined

in the ERGP and the outcomes of the Economic Summits towards enhancing good governance and strengthening of institutions; the results of which he said are encouraging.

Enumerating the steps taken so far, the Minister said Government has sustained the fight against corruption and security has also been enhanced across the country to tackle all forms of criminal activities including kidnapping and terrorism; while reforms have been introduced to reduce the cost of governance, promote transparency in the management of public resources, block leakages, raise productivity and ensure value for money.

Others include efforts at moving the people from poverty to prosperity, creating employment and empowerment opportunities, combating hunger, improving health and educational infrastructure, enhancing transport and power infrastructure, among others, the Minister said Monday’s gathering was designed to accelerate progress towards the implementation of the governance component of the ERGP. “The ultimate goal is to stimulate discussions on accelerating implementation of ERGP strategies on governance in order to enhance the social welfare of the Nigerian people”, he stated.

The Minister stressed that it was against this light that the Summit is structured along five key thematic areas of: Corruption and Rule of Law,Effective Public Institutions, Sustainable Economic Opportunities, Human Development and Participation and Citizens’ Rights.

Discussion around the sub themes, the Minister explained, will be driven by identified indicators most of which are drawn from the Ibrahim Index for African Governance (IIAG), an internationally accepted measure of good governance; and will seek to

•Members of Fintech Association at a training at SEC Corporate Headquarters, Abuja.

underscore the link between good governance and economic growth and development as set out in the ERGP; as well as highlight the current state of governance and the challenges in delivering public services to the citizens. This is aimed at identifying ways to overcome those challenges. As with past Summits, this year’s edition will be anchored on Plenary and Breakout Sessions.

“This year, we have mainstreamed feedback from past Summits to restructure the formats of the sessions to be more robust, incisive, intense and solutions-based” he pointed out. The Minister was particularly pleased that the Startup Pitching Events which was introduced into the Summit programme last year to connect startups registered in Ni-

geria, as a platform for creating and expanding opportunities in the country, is already gaining traction.

“I am pleased to note that more than 745 startups have already submitted their applications through the applications portal which was opened on the 1st of August, 2018.

Eight selected startups will be invited to pitch in front of venture capitalists and angel investors”, he revealed. He was confident that this year’s Summit will present a good opportunity for discussion among leaders and citizens to deepen civic engagement on how to accelerate the achievement of the governance component of the ERGP. The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr ‘Laoye Jaiyeola, expressed the appreciation to the Fed-

eral Government for the collaboration that has seen the hosting of the Summit for the past 24 years.

The Nigerian Economic Summit is organized annually by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning. It is a forum for dialogue amongst top policy makers and corporate leaders.

It brings together government officials, representatives of the private sector, development partners, the civil society and some members of academia to reflect on issues constraining Nigeria’s national development, with the aim of building consensus so as to evolve common strategies and policy frameworks for addressing the issues.

and exchange in the humanities.

This agreement aims to strengthen the economic ties and investments between China and African countries, as part of the Forum on ChinaAfrica Cooperation (FOCAC).

D

have been great to see one or two bank CEO’s also to provide an opinion of the book and how it may help them in achieving their goals.

Ovia launched his highly-anticipated book “Africa Arise and Shine” in the absence of many of his banking colleagues.

As expected, the televised event was graced with the presence of some of the biggest players in both politics and business, including the governors of Lagos, AkwaIbom, Delta, Gombe and Bornu states, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the Chief Executive Officers of numerous companies were in attendance.

Many of the dignitaries that were present used the occasion to praise Mr Ovia’s accomplishments in the banking sector and life in general, while also praising the perspectives shared in the new book.

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, had sent in a goodwill message stating that Mr Ovia’s contribution towards the building

of “our country’s most iconic enterprise is an encouragement to our fellow citizens. Congratulations on this achievement.”

The CBN Governor Mr Godwin Emefiele, on his part, praised Mr Ovia for sharing what he described as important words of wisdom drawn from years of experience as an accomplished banker.

“The book conveys an inspirational message on universal principles that are applicable in every country which can serve as a guide to millions of young Nigerians on how to succeed. As you will find in the book, these factors were instrumental in enabling him to build a US$16 billion conglomerate from barely N203 million at start-up of this empire.” -Emefiele Mr. Ovia’s new book gives insight into the changing narrative about Africa and the need for Westerners to change their negative perspective on the continent.

He is a seasoned industrialist and one of the most successful, influential and wealthiest businessmen in Nigeria. He has an estimated net worth of about N122.1 billion.

of good governance, risk management and internal control systems and strategies.

The award was conferred on Dangote at the Fourth NRA summit attended by top executives of both public and private sector was chaired by the Pro-Chancellor and Ex-Chairman of the Governing Council, Lagos Business School and Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Christopher Kolade and recognized other individuals and organizations across - Banking and Investment; Insurance and Pension, telecoms and Media Service, Oil and Gas Services sectors.

Dangote Group was shortlisted for the award by a panel of judges made up of 14 risk management professionals and academics across 4 countries including - Nigeria United Kingdom, United States of America and Denmark.

According to NRA co-chair Mr. Tunde Popoola, the panel of judges responsible for assessing all entries for the prestigious award, assessed all entries based on four criteria and went further to include a fifth and evidence-based metric to the selection process, further streamlining the process and ensuring winners have demonstrated actual value in the context of an overall risk management programme.

He said “This year’s award recognizes organizations that have successfully integrated and promote risk management culture and practices.

The decision-making process is merit driven and a new metric was introduced to attest the evidence of success made by organizations.”

16 African banks sign China-Africa inter-bank agreement Dangote wins 2018 Nigeria Risk Awards

T

HE first banking institution in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 16 African banks including Rawbank, and China Development Bank (CDB) have signed an agreement for the establishment of the China-Africa Inter Bank Association in Beijing (CAIBA).

The President of China, Xi Jinping, based on the presentation aimed at enhancing China-Africa relations and promoting “10 principal cooperation plans” between China and the African continent, eight major actions of China-Africa cooperation were planned in order to advance the partnership.

Taking into account the deficit in meeting the funding needs of African countries with regard to industrialisation, infrastructure connectivity and poverty alleviation, a closer collaboration between Chinese financial institutions and African countries was decided.

Within the context, CDB, represented by its President, Mr Hu Huaibang, and peer financial institutions in Africa jointly established the China-Africa Inter Bank Association (CAIBA), which is a concrete move in achieving win-win cooperation and better quality and higher common development. Rawbank, Congo’s lone bank to be selected owing to its leading position in the banking sector for more than 16 years, is henceforth one of the 16 founding members of CAIBA alongside international and Pan-African banks such as Standard Bank, Absa, Attijariwafa Bank and others.

With CDB, CAIBA is set to enhance financial cooperation between all member banks to advance partnership in various domains such as China-Africa infrastructure interconnection, international cooperation

angote Group has emerged winner of the 2018 prestigious Nigerian Risk Award (NRA) which recognizes organizations who have made tremendous impact within their sector through the effective application

Absence of bank CEOs at Jim Ovia launches book launch raises curiosity

T

HE book launch by Zenith Bank Plc’s Founder and current Chairman, Mr Jim Ovia, Monday in Lagos surprisingly witnessed absent of many bank Managing Directors and /Chief Executive and thus raises curiosity among those in attendance from other walks of life.

It was observed that apart from the Zenith Bank CEO, Mr. Peter Amangbo, and the Chairman of UBA Group Mr. Tony Elumelu, other bank Chairmen and CEOs were noticeably absent at the event.

Their absence, therefore, elicited curiosity in some quarters, with many wondering why the likes of Herbert Wigwe, Segun Agbaje, Uzoma Dozie were absent from the event.

However, for some bank executives who were perhaps present at the event, there was less camera focus on them as the focus was mostly on the politicians present at the event.

One of the participant at the event hinted that there is nothing peculiar to it as Jim Ovia left the banking industry years ago and was now more of a public figure.

Another suggested that it may

19

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

BUSINESS

CBN, BPE agree on sale of 12.4b FG shares in NSPM

C

ENTRAL Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) have signed an agreement for the sale of the Federal Government’s 12.4 billion shares in Nigerian Security Printing and Minting company (NSPM) to CBN. The ceremony was chaired by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who is the Chairman, National Council on Privatisation (NCP) at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.

Osinbajo said that the event was a landmark in the privatisation journey of the country. “`I am delighted to witness this signing of the sale of 12.4 billion shares of NSPM Plc to the CBN. I think this is an important event in our privatisation journey. Many, of course, will recall that in the past 30 years or so over 140 publicly-owned companies have been privatised.

“This is, perhaps, one of the very largest that has been privatised so far. The very idea of selling public asset to credible investors is one that is fundamental to our economic philosophy.’’

The vice president said that security printing had taken new dimensions as it was no longer what it used to be.

According to him, there are new assets, new dimensions and new ideas and it is just the private sector that can really be at the cutting edge of technology and innovation.

“I think that particular union between the CBN and De La Rue-the technical partners is good; and we believe that as time goes on even better expertise will be drawn into the company.

“And we think that this is possibly one of the best moves that have occurred especially with respect to the National Security Printing and Minting Company,’’ he said.

He expressed optimism that Ni-

geria would reap bountifully from the deal.

In his remark, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said that the capacity of the mint had increased and expanded and it produced all the currency that was needed in the country.

He said that the company’s capacity had been expanded to where it had idle capacity that could produce of other ECOWAS countries.

“We intend to embark on aggressive marketing to see to it that it not only produces for itself but also produces for other important stakeholders that may require its services in the area of currency printing.

“In the area of security document, we are working assiduously given the fact that the mint was in the past produced passports and produced visas and other very sensitive security documents.

“Our next phase is to see to it that the NSPM eventually begins the printing of the digital Nigerian passport. That request is already being granted.

“The board of the NSPM will be meeting to see what else is needed to retool this company and ensure that it performs its responsibility,” he said.

On his part, the Director-General, BPE, Mr Alex Okoh, said he was pleased to report that CBN’s strategic investment in the company was a success-achieving its objective of turning around the fortunes of the company-returning it to profitability.

He said there were commendable indications of the progress recorded

by NSPM under the strategic engagement of CBN. “Following the expiration of the strategic investment period, the CBN indicated its strong intention to acquire the company on an arm’s length basis.

•Vice President Yemi Osinbajo presiding over the signing ceremony for the Sale of the Federal Government’s 12.4 Billion Shares in Nigerian Security, Printing and Minting (NSPM) Plc to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the State House, Abuja, Tuesday

IGR: LASAA woos MVAA in Lagos

By VICTOR NZE

M

anaging Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), Mr. Mobolaji Sanusi has solicited for the support of Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) in the revenue drive of the agency, saying that it has become imperative considering the sensitive role MVAA plays as one of the revenue generating agencies of the State.

He stated this during a courtesy visit by the management of LASAA to the office of Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) at the

Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

Sanusi said that LASAA, whose major functions include regulation of signage and billboards, has observed that most companies with branded vehicles used for mobile adverts under-declare such vehicles for registration and payment, thereby reducing revenue accruable to the State Government.

He added that the assistance of MVAA in ensuring that such companies complied with their registration and payment responsibilities would be of immense benefit to LASAA. Responding, the General Manager, Motor Vehicle Administration

The economy: gloom, doom and stats •Cont’d from Pg 17

try and liked the situation to unemployment, underemployment and poor wages.

“One reason for this has been the squeeze on purchasing power and consumer spending from high inflation. Meanwhile lending growth to the private sector remains sluggish, on average contracting in nominal terms over the past 12 months, in part due to fiscal dominance and bank financing of the fiscal deficit.

“We also think that while foreign exchange (forex) supply has improved on oil and capital inflows, access to forex still remains an issue for many sectors of the economy, with goods and service imports down by 45% when compared with the 2011-2015 period. These factors are among those seen as most problematic for doing business in Nigeria, alongside the country’s long-standing structural impediments such as inadequate infrastructure, corruption, an inefficient government bureaucracy and policy instability.”

This mirrors the assessment of the IMF in its 2018 Article IV report, which argued that “a large infrastructure gap, high gender and income inequality, pervasive corruption, low financial inclusion, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the North East remain continuous concerns.”

According to the report, the situation naturally translates to the burgeoning labour market.

“Joblessness has been rising rapidly, up almost three-fold over the past three years, with headline un-

employment sitting at 18.8% as of Q3 2017, and one in three youths without work,” the report states.

With the scenario in view, HSBC estimates Nigeria’s GDP growth to just 2.4% in 2018 and 2.8% in 2019.

In taking a look at government’s economic recovery plans, HSBC pointed out that government’s efforts at enhancing the ease of doing business is hampered by regulatory environment that is restrictive as evident in Nigeria’s overall rank of 145 out of 190 countries in the World Bank Doing Business survey.

“Meanwhile weak institutions, infrastructure bottlenecks, disappointing macro dynamics, and poor basic health and education outcomes weigh heavily on the country’s competitiveness, leaving it languishing in 125th position out of 137 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2017/18 competitiveness rankings.”

On fiscal and forex concerns, HSBC pointed at figures released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which shows that fiscal deficit widened to 4.7% of GDP in 2017 as spending growth significantly outpaced revenue collections.

In dissecting the fiscal outlook for the rest of the year, the report states government is continuing to run sizeable monthly deficits. It also warns that rapid spending growth may also complicate the inflation outlook and influence the direction of monetary policy, with fiscal risks and electionrelated spending among the central bank’s key inflation concerns at the May MPC meeting.

“Indeed, CBN staff forecasts

project inflation to rise in H2 2018 given the rise in spending, and one of the nine MPC members voted for a rate hike in May,” HSBC pointed out.

“As we have highlighted in the past, Nigeria’s public finances need to be reformed to boost nonoil revenues, improve the efficiency of VAT or CIT collections, and address fuel subsidies.

Without these adjustments budget vulnerabilities will worsen, and Nigeria’s fiscal policy settings will become increasingly difficult to sustain.”

The report decried fast growing debt burden and the attendant service costs and drain on the fiscal framework. “In the first quarter of the year domestic debt service was equal to 2.2% of GDP and as high as two-thirds of federal government revenue. The rapidly rising cost of servicing debt has prompted the government to issue dollar denominated debt to manage this risk and redeem the more expensive treasury bills. In the near term the strategy may offer some respite from higher borrowing costs, but it creates other potential sources of future vulnerability should oil prices fall or NGN weaken. At the end of Q1 2018, hard currency government debt accounted for 30% of total debt, up from 16% at the end of 2015.”

In taking a swipe at the government’s forex policy, the report has it that “Nigeria’s FX system is still characterised by multiple rates and a range of restrictions that create inefficiencies, cause a misallocation of capital and frustrate the functioning of the local economy. The official central bank rate remains 15% strong-

er than the NAFEX at 305 against the dollar, and the CBN still excludes a range of imports from accessing forex from the bank. In our view, a move towards a single and unified flexible exchange rate remains a critical reform and precondition to any meaningful acceleration in growth.”

The report pointed out that the crucial growth-friendly macro policies that would work to reduce Nigeria’s oil dependence, lift tax revenues, boost spending on key socio-economic infrastructure, and improve the flexibility and simplicity of the forex regime are unlikely to be tackled in the near term.

Boldly touching the sensitive topic of Electoral uncertainty and macro risks, HSBC stated that political uncertainty would add to “Nigeria’s already disappointing macro outlook.”

It associated President Buhari’s tenure in office with “painful recession in 2016-17 and the sustained economic hardship that has accompanied his presidency, including rapidly rising joblessness, and poverty.”

“In addition to the economy, other key election issues are likely to include security and corruption. Security concerns persist across the country with the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, militant activity that has disrupted oil production in the Niger Delta, and more recently escalating violence between cattle herdsmen and crop farmers that compete for land and water resources in Nigeria’s middle-belt.

In delving into audacious appraisal, HSBC declared that: “A second term for Mr Buhari however raises the risk of limited economic progress

Agency, ‘Deola Adepoju, thanked the team for the visit and promised to look into the request.

She, however, noted that it was important that the request by LASAA be formalised as all agencies of government are geared towards achieving the same goal.

On her part, the Chief State Licensing Officer, MVAA, Mrs. Oluwatosin Adegun suggested that LASAA should also ensure to forward the list of companies with branded vehicles in its possession for verification by MVAA stations at the point of registration or renewal of vehicle documents. and further fiscal deterioration, prolonging the stagnation of his first term, particularly if there is no move towards completing reform of the exchange rate system or fiscal adjustments that diversify government revenues away from oil. In the near term, however, the election impact is likely to be negative as increased political uncertainty precludes policy reforms, weighs on confidence, deters investment spending and restrains the growth outlook,” the report concluded.

The key contents of the report, despite the inferences at performance appraisal, find convergence with other reports, statements and figures about the Nigerian economy.

Despite government’s ambitious3.5 percent growth rate in the country gross domestic product (GDP), most analysts see an unimpressive annual GDP growth rate of at least 2.0 % this year. The IMF projected a growth rate of 2.1%. And according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s GDP growth was 1.73% in the second quarter of the year.

In battling to save the economy from double dip recession, CBN has since 2016 maintained static monetary policy instruments that tend to be too protective of government and too harsh in the people.

Visiting British Prime Minister had lamented pervasive and crushing poverty in the country, while the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, declared on arrival that the country has serious liquidity problems.

The task before the government’s economic team, therefore, is to constructively analyze the country’s economic rating by global agencies and deploy strategies to steer the economy from the precipice.

20

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

ENERGY

Election panic: Oil investors resume profit taking

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

T

leum industry bolstered again.

Foreign firms that hold prized assets in the country’s petroleum industry, The Oracle Today gathered, had engaged consultants and political analyst that predict possible outcome of the imminent polls and painted risk scenarios for businesses in the country.

We gathered that some of the investors received analysts’ predictions since early 2017 and have since activated appropriate responses that include fund recovery and profit taking. In the oil and gas industry, international companies that dread political risks have activated processes of asset divestments for fund recovery.

However, most of the assets offered up by the foreign firms are those in the onshore locations of the Niger Delta considered highly vulnerable to attacks by angry host communities should reactions to electoral outcomes get out of hand.

A top official of one of the companies confided in us that most foreign firms in the petroleum industry have also plugged into security information channels at their countries’ embassies in Nigeria with a view of calculating their risk exposures as the contest between the two main political parties post indications of post election violence.

Concerns about post election violence heightened after the United States embassy in Nigeria served security warning to nationals over the likely outcome of the 2019 elections. There are also concerns raised by the Transparency International over the state of human right and security management in the country.

Foreign missions and international organizations in the country were also angry at deployment of security forces against the National

Assembly and its leaders following perceived switch of political alliance to the opposition party.

Already, the political space is charged with accusations and counter accusations of plans for use of force in the upcoming elections which pundits fear would pitch former political allies who have switched camps in bloody ego conflict.

Anger and discontents have been stoked in parts of the country as part of the political fireworks following clashes between conflicting interests in an economy that is smarting from recession associated with crash in commodity prices.

Also, the key political parties in the country have hardly agreed on any of the polling patterns and methods available for the elections. Accusations are also rife among the parties over plots to manipulate the electoral process while use of the permanent voters’ card also called PVC has become the subject of heated dispute.

With threats and counter threats from both sides of the political divide, there are predictions that the fierce disputes portend a guarantee of post election violence. Thus, investors that are apolitical are jittery over the fate of their businesses after the election.

Sources in the industry regulatory agencies stated that most of the players in the full industry chain are rapidly closing deals with government over approvals and licence renewals ahead of the elections with some of them taking safe windows to close beleaguered transactions.

For instance, Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC) is hurriedly concluding divestment deals as part of its cash recovery process from onshore locations where its relationship with local communities have soured over decades.

The Anglo-Dutch Elections have become traditional oil major is discussnightmares in Nigeria following the ing selling oil mining longstanding stereotype that violence licenses 11 and 17 to flows from the scramble for oil wealth; Tony Elumelu’s Heirs Holdings Limited. Inand the belligerent desperation of cluded in the sale are the political parties in the current infrastructure assets campaigns, has raised tension to new such as a natural gasfired power plant that heights would be managed by Transnational Corpo , ration of Nigeria Plc,

‘

another company run by Elumelu, inside sources said.

The latest sale would leave Shell to focus on its operations in Nigerian waters, where the risks of attacks on infrastructure and theft are relatively low.

Shell stated in its business report that, “Security issues, sabotage and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta continued to be significant challenges in 2017” when the campaigns for 2019 election campaign gathered steam.

The current profit taking from the Nigerian petroleum industry is seen as continuation from massive asset load off since 2010 when similar political intrigues with sparks of violence played.

Japanese Gas Company which was awarded the contract to rehabilitate, retrofit and upgrade the country’s domestic refineries declined the juicy offer purely on security reasons, telling officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that Nigeria features prominently in their global risk map.

Upstream, Shell started series of asset divestments after its operations facilities increasingly come under debilitating attacks by thieving vandals that thrive on illegal export of stolen crude oil.

Shell and its partners who have sustained phased divestment from vulnerable assets in the country placed on sale their collective 45 percent stake in Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 18, 24, 25 and 29, located in the eastern Niger Delta. They also divested their equity in OMLs 71 and 72, to First E&P Limited.

The partners had rolled off the divestments with a slogan to assist the growth of indigenous companies in the exploration and production niche of the industry but their shrewd bargaining strategies gave them away as fleeing investors, activating several declarations that the traditional government partners are not planning to quit the country.

For instance, the group raked in $2.618 billion from the first round of divestment and another $5.3 billion in the second phase of the deals.

When Shell announced in its operations report that it would recover whopping $15 billion through divestment of suboptimal assets around the world in 2015, many

HE rising tension in the political spheres following shifts in alignments, high level intrigues in application of law and growing discontent among ethnic nationalities may have worsened security outlook in the business environment and shaken the confidence of investors in sustainable oil and gas operations in vulnerable terrains.

Close monitoring of movements in the petroleum industry revealed that jitters over post election violence constantly shake investors’ confidence and lead to fund recovery from the Nigerian petroleum industry. And predictions from foreign missions in the country also contain security alerts that offer business intelligence to foreign investors.

The prevailing profit taking which has affected both the oil industry and local stock market follows predictions of economic and security woes related to the 2019 political elections; and investors in the highly vulnerable petroleum industry which is seen as the government’s riskiest assets appear to have activated cash recovery mode.

In its prediction of electoral uncertainty and macro risks associated with the 2019 election, the HSBC Global Research started that, “National elections are set to take place in February 2019, and are likely to add a layer of political uncertainty to Nigeria’s already disappointing macro outlook.”

“In addition to the economy, other key election issues are likely to include security and corruption.

Security concerns persist across the country with the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, militant activity that has disrupted oil production in the Niger Delta, and more recently escalating violence between cattle herdsmen and crop farmers that compete for land and water resources in Nigeria’s middle-belt,” the company added.

Threats of electoral violence flowing from campaign messages have started building tensions that dampen investor confidence in the Nigerian petroleum industry and accelerate liquidation of assets as investors haul out cash from the domestic environment.

According to HSBC, the IMF has reported capital outflows since April.

A survey of divestment moves in the petroleum industry showed that only foreign multinational firms have continued to offer their Nigerian operations and assets for sale in apparent response to gloomy predictions about Nigeria’s political future.

Companies like Shell, Petrobras, Statoil, MX Energy, Exile Resources and many others have accelerated investment recovery through a wave of asset divestments that deliver profits to foreign direct investors and portfolio managers in the petroleum industry.

Shell’s partners in the operated joint venture assets located onshore Niger Delta, Total and Eni, have also disposed their financial interests in the operated assets each time Shell chose to recover cost.

Whereas some of the companies try to avert impact of political violence and ethnic clashes that might spill from the results of the 2019 elections, others prefer to completely pull out investment funds from the country through asset divestments.

Shell which has since the entry of Muhammadu Buhari into the political fray started divestment of its operated interests in the onshore terrain of the Niger Delta is estimated to have recovered a total of over $12 billion for its tripartite joint venture partners. The trio, it was gathered, has once again declared process to divest additional assets to recover over $2.0 billion in cash takings.

However, with the stability that surprisingly came with the smooth transition from former President Goodluck Jonathan to President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, the wave of asset and interest divestments fizzled down as investor confidence in the Nigerian petro-

Continued on P 21

21

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

ENERGY

OPEC members to earn $736b oil revenue in 2018

C

RUDE oil revenue by the 15 members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will increase to $736 billion in 2018, according to factsheet of export market returns of members drawn by The Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the United States of America.

The revenue projection for the year would be a strong indication of sustained improvement in revenue earnings by the nation’s which depend mainly on crude oil and natural gas variants as their main export and major sources of foreign exchange.

The EIA stated in its Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) for the month of August that export revenue earning by OPEC members would be 30 percent higher than about $567 billion it recorded for the group in 2017.

According to the American agency, OPEC members received about $567 billion in net oil export revenues in 2017, up 29 percent from revenues in 2016.

Increases in both crude oil prices and in net OPEC oil exports drove revenues higher in 2017, and EIA expects that revenues will continue to increase in 2018, based on EIA’s August STEO. This expected increase in 2018 follows higher forecast annual crude oil prices in the year which more than offsets slightly lower crude oil production from OPEC members in 2018.

However, OPEC revenues is projected to decline to $719 billion in 2019, according to EIA, driven mainly by lower crude oil prices, as well as slightly lower OPEC production and exports.

The EIA stated that Saudi Arabia which pumps more oil into the market and receives more oil export revenue than any other member of OPEC has as nearly 30 percent share of total OPEC net oil export revenues in 2017.

It pointed out that Saudi Arabia’s leading oil revenue share in OPEC has remained relatively consistent since at least 1996, ranging between 28 percent and 34 percent.

Iran’s share of OPEC revenues increased to 10 percent in 2017 to its highest level since 1999, recovering from declines from 2012 through 2015 that resulted from sanctions targeting Iran’s oil exports.

Iraq’s share of total OPEC revenues also increased, reaching more than 12 percent in 2017, as

the country’s crude oil production and exports continued to rise.

Iraq’s exports averaged about 3.8 million barrels per day in 2017, despite the shut-in of northern Iraqi production and exports following the Kurdish Region’s independence referendum in September 2017 and the ensuing takeover of Kirkuk area fields by Iraqi forces.

Iraq’s crude oil production from the southern fields largely offset the northern Iraqi output losses in 2017.

Libya’s share of total OPEC oil export revenues has fluctuated since 2010 as the country’s oil sector was disrupted during the civil war that overthrew the Gadhafi regime.

Since 2010, warring factions in the country have repeatedly targeted oil sector installations, particularly Libya’s oil export facilities.

Venezuela’s share of OPEC revenues also declined in 2017, as the country experienced significant declines in production amid severe economic instability.

Shell caught in allegations of sponsored violence in Niger Delta

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HE Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) is in traditional trade of allegations with host communities over suspicions that the company which carries hostility tag sponsored illegal occupants prevent attacks on its facilities in the Niger Delta.

Shell in a statement Tuesday debunked the allegations in paid radio announcements linking it to incidents of clashes between the occupant and a group of people protesting the continued occupation of the facilities.

Shell disowned both groups and labelled them invaders. It said the group of invaders have been in unlawful occupation of the company’s production facilities at Belema Flow Station and Gas Plant since August 11, 2017.

Yet the company stated that it is committed “to dialogue and peaceful resolution of disagreements with the invaders.”

Shell declared in the statement that a group of people invaded the facilities in 2017, ejected the staff on duty and have illegally remained in occupation of the facilities since then. It added that the group has so far rebuffed all entreaties to resolve their grievances through dialogue but has instead demanded immediate transfer of ownership and operatorship of the facilities to

their preferred indigenous oil firm, under the pretext that SPDC has over the years neglected the interests of the local community.

“SPDC believes that all stakeholders in the matter should give the Rivers State Government-initiated mediation process the chance to resolve the disagreement peacefully”, said General Manager, External Relations, at SPDC, Mr. Igo Weli.

“Contrary to the false claims in the paid radio announcements, SPDC will only resume operations at the facility when it is safe to do so.”

“Our primary goal is the safe and peaceful resolution of this dispute, and we encourage all parties to return to dialogue to protect the safety and security of all concerned including those occupying the facility, community members, SPDC staff and contractors”, Weli added.

He said, SPDC and its Joint Venture partners continue to implement multi-million Naira social investment programmes to the benefit of the people of Kula Kingdom, in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, notwithstanding that the company has not been allowed to operate the facilities since the illegal occupation began 13 months ago, noting that this has also impacted the revenue base of

the State and the Federation at large.

The mediation process initiated by the Government of Rivers State led to the creation of the Kula Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC) with all contending parties providing members. The PIMC is intended to serve as an interim platform for the delivery of social investment initiatives and programmes worth over N263 million in the Soku-San Berth Project, which is separate from the GMoU projects have been initiated by the communities using funds provided by the SPDC JV. Weli restated the company’s commitment to implementing the

Price premiums, FOB cut Nigerian oil export

U

S Atlantic Coast imports of West African crude oil are expected to decline due to harsh arbitrage conditions made difficult by the large premium of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Brent futures over West Texas Intermediate (WTI).

The second factor, according to Platts, is strong premiums for WAF grades.

Nigerian grades tend to make up 40 percent of WAF imports and Angolan 20 percent, the rest coming from smaller more regional grades.

Election panic: Oil investors resume profit taking Continued from Pg 20

indigenous players caught the signal that the multinational partners might float more Nigerian assets for disposal.

Besides Shell and its traditional partners, American ConocoPhillips had also auctioned off its Nigerian assets in a bundle package that saw indigenous Oando Plc mopping up local funds to meet the acquisition cost of $1.79 billion.

Thus, over $10.316 billion poured into the above divestment deals, The Oracle Today reports, was mopped up from the nation’s commercial banks and equity markets inferring strongly that the divestments and repatriated funds from the country following fears of political instability.

Therefore, the trend of divest-

ments which is coming after protracted activity lull in the industry has been interpreted as investment flight since, according to analysts, there are no new investments to justify the confidence of some of the operators that sell off the assets.

Executive Director of one of the companies seeking to buy the assets of Afren in Nigeria told our correspondent that the foreign companies in Nigeria were liquidating local assets to cut its risk exposure to political violence.

Since the last election in the country, a number of foreign companies with assets in the country have no footprints anymore. They include Afren which apparently has gone under, Mart Resources, MX Oil and Exile Resources.

The development, according to the Managing Director of a service company in Port Harcourt, is very worrisome because such investment flights would lead to long periods of redundancy in the industry and revenue loss to government at a period when oil prices are recovering.

He said the asset acquisition by indigenous firms through divestment deals that are dominated in dollars put pressure on the nation’s foreign exchange market and force more depreciation on the local currency.

“These lost and deferred foreign direct investments translate to trillions of Naira. It will take many years for that volume of investments to flow back into the local economy,” he said.

social investment programmes for the communities including the Global Memorandum of Understanding which has suffered delay in implementation due to in-fighting among the different communities in Kula Kingdom, including Belema and Offoin-ama.

He noted that notwithstanding the prevailing situation in the area, the host communities of OML 25, including Belema and Offoin-ama, have continued to benefit from contract awards, employment of unskilled labour and SPDC’s social investment programmes, including yearly award of regular and special scholarships to eligible candidates from the area.

He said periods proceeding to elections have become traditional nightmares in Nigeria following the longstanding stereotype that violence flows from the scramble for oil wealth; and the belligerent desperation of the political parties in the current campaigns, he added, has raised tension to new heights.

Another Managing Director of and indigenous independent producing company likened the situation in Nigeria to the experience in South Sudan where, he said, operators are taking as much as they could as political uncertainty envelops the country.

He however called on investors to remain calm, pointing out that Nigerian election disputes, in recent history, have never escalated beyond legal tussles.

The USAC from May to August imported an average of roughly 24 million barrels a month, of which 8.7 million were from West Africa, data from the Energy Information Agency compiled by S&P Global Platts showed.

“The arbitrage of WAF grades into the US is fully closed,” a trader said.

Although negligible in outright terms, WAF arrivals in the region in the four months sampled compared to all foreign imports reached as high as 45.4 percent in June and as low as 19.8 percent in July.

Traders lose money in buying basis Dated Brent and selling basis WTI, implying the arbitrage only becomes possible when local buyers are able to cover the cost of conversion by bidding above, something which prompts them to look at alternatives when the spread is high.

The Brent/WTI spread closed at minus $10/b Monday last week, its highest level since mid-June, data from the InterContinental Exchange showed.

Cargo premiums basis FOB have also made the arbitrage difficult.

Healthy refinery margins in Europe and Chinese demand for Angola helped premiums reach fresh highs towards the end of the summer.

An increased cost of crude at loading will also push the overall price higher for delivery into the US. Lastly, at a time when everything is becoming more expensive, US refiners are scheduled to enter seasonal maintenance throughout October, taking away the demand for foreign crudes.

22

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

e-Platform

Apple discontinues iPhone X, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE

•Nears 2 billionth iOS device

A

PPLE has announced the launch of three new smartphones for 2018, the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max and the iPhone XR. However, what’s not on sale anymore is equally interesting.

This is just as the firm is close to shipping the 2 billionth iOS device.

Usually, when Apple launches a new smartphone, the previous year’s model gets a sizable price drop and a second tier status. This year, that did not quite happen. The iPhone X from last year has been discontinued entirely. Apple would have taken a bit of a hit on its profit margins by selling the iPhone X for a reduced price this year as the cost of materials likely would not have dropped considerably. It made more sense to launch the iPhone XR, which makes some key cutbacks in things such as the design, display and camera.

The other product to get

axed was the iPhone 6s, which was hardly a surprise considering its age.

However, it’s the loss of the iPhone SE that will be most felt, especially since it did not get any replacement. The iPhone SE is from a time when phones used to be small and comfortable to use, which made it quite popular even though certain aspects of the product were quite dated. However, the smallest iPhone you can buy now is the iPhone 7 or the iPhone 8, which are still fairly small but not quite as the iPhone SE. Perhaps some of you may want to grab from the remaining stock before it runs out or hold on to your existing unit a bit longer, although a successor definitely doesn’t seem to be on the horizon.

Oh, and the iPhone 6s and the iPhone SE were the last two iPhones on sale to have a headphone jack, so now that’s gone forever as well from the iPhone line.

•Releases iOS 12, watchOS 5, and tvOS 12

A

FTER a few months in beta, iOS 12 is finally out for supported devices, going back all the way to the iPhone 5s from 2013.

It comes with a strong focus on performance, especially in how that relates to older devices like the iPhone 6. In some cases, app launches could get up to 70% faster, with the keyboard appearing in half the time as before. Additionally, when there is a lot going across the system, apps can launch up to twice as fast.

So this definitely has the potential to be a very important update for devices not launched in the past couple of years or so.

One new feature is Siri Shortcuts for iOS apps, through which Apple’s virtual assistant now supports routines consisting on multiple actions. The new Shortcuts app lets you define your own routines, in order to streamline frequent tasks.

Think of it like the iOS equivalent to IFTTT on Android.

Memoji are personalized Animoji, basically, that you can create and customize right within the Messages app. Screen Time lets you understand and take control of the time you spend interacting with your device. Do Not Disturb mode can now automatically end based on a specified time, location, or action.

You also get more options for managing notifications, and iOS notifications are finally grouped by app. iOS 12 goes out today to the iPhone 5s and later, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, iPad 5, iPad 6, iPad mini 2 and later, and iPod touch 6th generation.

If you own an Apple Watch, you’ll also be receiving watchOS 5 today. This comes with activity competitions to challenge your friends with, automatic workout detection, podcast saving, and a Walkie-Talkie app for one-to-one interactions with other Apple Watch users. New watch faces are bun-

dled as well. You can earn points for every percent added to your activity rings each day. Yoga and hiking are new supported workout types.

You can talk to Siri by simply raising your wrist to your mouth and speaking your request into the watch for Series 3 and later. Like in iOS 12, notifications from the same app are automatically grouped together. tvOS 12 is out for the 4th gen and 4K Apple TV models. It brings support for Dolby Atmos audio for movies, and new, more interactive aerial screensavers.

Meanwhile, Apple is close to shipping the 2 billionth iOS device Apple has built stores in many

countries around the world, which attract millions of customers a year. Some even serve coffee, in case you want to hang out. This has proven successful as the company’s stores attract 500 million visitors each year.

And they are not just there for the coffee either, Apple is on track to ship its 2 billionth iOS device.

That’s “billion with a B”. Most of those are iPhones, but there are plenty of iPads as well.

Apple Watches too. In fact, this smartwatch is the #1 watch in the world – including quartz and spring-driven watches! While Android Wear struggles to gain market share among smartwatches, Apple’s intelligent timepiece has conquered the world.

Anniversary Samsung Galaxy S10 to come with new design, more colors

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AMSUNG is celebrating ten years of Galaxy S flagships next year and the company is planning a new anniversary smartphone to mark the occassion. At first, we heard about a trio of new phones with up to three cameras at the rear, and later we had a confirmation from DJ Koh, the Mobile Division CEO that none of them would be foldable - this will be an entirely different smartphone.

The mobile chief has now added a few more details to the picture, saying that the Galaxy S10 will arrive with a “significant

Realme reaches 1 million sales

T

HE Oppo sub-brand Realme is celebrating 1 million users, which is made all the more impressive by just how young it is – the Realme 1 launched in May this year and the followup came in August.

The Realme 2 sold 200,000 units in the first flash sale, the second sale brought the total to 370,000. In both cases the available units ran out in minutes.

There was another sale earlier today, but we don’t have the numbers from that one.

The 1 million number is a total of both the Realme 1 and 2.

Those two will be joined by the Realme 2 Pro in less than 10 days.

Malpractice: WAEC wants demobilisation of telephone networks at exam centres West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has urged the Federal Government to enact a law that would enable it to demobilise networks in all centres during the conduct of its examinations.

The Head, Public Affairs of the council, Mr Damianus Ojijeogu,

made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

Ojijeogu said this would help to further tackle the rising cases of examination malpratice among candidates in the country.

He spoke against the backdrop of activities of some fraudulent persons who operated rogue websites and use it to defraud candidates by posting wrong questions and answers during its examinations.

“You know, WAEC is not a national body. It is a regional body and as a result, we must always strive to operate within the ambit of the law that sets up the examination body.

“The fight against malpractice has remained one of our key challenges in ensuring that the integrity of our examination is not compromised.

“As such, we want all stakeholders, especially the Federal Government to join hands with us in taking it seriously and fighting the scourge.

“Indeed we want to appeal to

the Federal Government to assist us further by passing a law that will enable WAEC to jam the respective networks in all centres during our examinations.

“This is because countries where this has been successfully carried out, it is the governments of such countries that made it possible, for the sake of the future of their children and their education,’’ Ojijeogu said.

According to him, the council on its own, is doing all it can to tackle the menace by continually deploying cutting edge technologies and training and re-training of staff, to be able to detect and nip all forms of malpractice before it can be carried out.

“It will be recalled that we use persons who are not WAEC staff during the conduct of our examinations and therefore, we must always be proactive by being ahead.

“We are always putting measures in place to ensure that operators of those rogue websites are also apprehended and charged to court.

change in appearance” and there will be more intriguing color options.

The source does not reveal much more, but he is credible enough to trust him. If the Galaxy S10 will indeed have a new look, it means the edge-to-edge Infinity Display with curved edges will go away and make room for something even more impressive (hopefully).

Rumors about Samsung flagships arriving with fingerprint scanners under the OLED have been surfacing for the last twothree years, but now the info looks plausible, given that even midrangers sporting the tech are available.

Latest info from Korean sources is the biometric scanning technology would replace the Iris Scanner and might bring 3D face recognition to complement the fingerprint.

Speaking of colors, Samsung Galaxy S9 was first introduced in Black, Blue, Gray, and Lilac Purple, but later was joined by Burgundy Red and Sunrise Gold.

Metallic Copper arrived with the Galaxy Note9, and we can wholeheartedly hope for a Forest Green shade or a gradient option that is now so popular across Chinese manufacturers.

23

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

e-Platform

Orange backs MainOne submarine Cable project in W’Africa

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ELECOMMUNICATION s firm, Orange and MainOne Cable Company have announced that they have signed an agreement allowing for a major investment by Orange in the West Africa submarine cable system, MainOne. Through this partnership Orange will acquire additional capacity, thereby reinforcing its position in the African telecommunications ecosystem.

MainOne’s current cable system comprises a 7,000km submarine cable, which was launched in 2010 and has landing stations in Nigeria, Ghana and Portugal. The partnership between Orange and MainOne Company will provide for the construction and installation of two new branches and stations. These will connect the cable to Dakar in Senegal and Abidjan in the Côte d’Ivoire by mid-2019.

Orange will be the owner of the cable station in Dakar. Orange’s investment represents a major milestone for this project.

Orange Marine, a 100% subsidiary of the Orange Group, has been chosen to manage the installation of these two new branches.

Thanks to this new cable connection, local populations will benefit from better connectivity, lower prices and access to new services. Orange will benefit from multiple Terabits per second of additional bandwidth for the development of fixed and mobile data in Africa. More specifically, this cable extension is an opportunity to improve connectivity and offer a broader range of services for both Orange Côte d’Ivoire & Sonatel. In addition, MainOne offers an alternative route that guarantees the protection of voice and data

traffic passing through the other cables in the area – SAT3 WASC SAFE and ACE. Through this new partnership, Orange confirms its position as a leading player in the submarine cable market. In this role, the Group aims to develop the quality of service of its worldwide networks and facilitate the use of new digital services for end-users.

Orange has a strong commitment to the African continent, which has been at the heart of the Group’s strategy for the last few decades. The Group is investing heavily in building infrastructure and providing access to communication services over the longterm.

“Orange’s ambition on international networks is both to meet the needs of our affiliates in their interconnection with the Internet world and to increase our leadership on the international data services wholesale market. This partnership with MainOne will allow us to strengthen our presence, with new significant assets in West Africa,” said Jérome Barré, Chief Executive Officer of Wholesale and International Networks.

“The development of new digital services in Africa has fostered huge social and economic developments over the past few years.

As barriers to access continue to fall with improved networks and more affordable equipment, Orange, as part of its multi-service strategy, is seeking to position itself as an important partner in the continent’s digital transformation Through this new partnership, Orange is set to secure and improve direct access to high-speed broad-

CBN to sanction banks for non-reversal of e-funds transfers

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ROM Tuesday, October 2, 2018, banks operating in Nigeria will have to pay a fine of N10,000 each time it fails to reverse failed electronic payments into a customer’s account within 24 hours.

This was contained in a circular issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and signed by its Director of Banking and Payment System Department, Mr ‘Dipo Fatokun.

“A failed NIP transaction not reversed into customer’s account within 24 hours based on complaints of sender and/or beneficiary [shall attract] N10,000 per item,” the apex bank said in the circular dated September 13, 2018.

It further stated that, “Delayed application of inward NIP into beneficiary’s accounts beyond 4 minutes based on complaints of sender and/or beneficiary [shall attract] N10,000 per item.”

In the circular, the central bank explained that these regulations became necessary in line with powers under Sections 2(d), 33 (1)b) and 47(2) of the CBN Act 2007 “to promote sound financial system in Nigeria, issue guidelines, facilitate the development of an efficient and effective payments system in Nigeria.”

According to the approved regulations, where a customer claims to have made a transfer in error and the beneficiary is

known to the complainant, “the Sending Entity shall encourage the complainant to contact the beneficiary for an amicable settlement.”

However, the CBN said “where the beneficiary is not known to the complainant or a known beneficiary refused to effect a refund to the complainant, the Sending Entity having received a tenable claim from customer shall notify the Receiving Entity who shall place a lien on the amount in the account of the beneficiary and thereafter obtain the consent of the beneficiary to execute refund.”

It said further on “where the beneficiary does not give consent, the internal auditors of the Sending and Receiving Entities shall mediate between the two customers within 2 weeks of the complaint to resolve the issue, and their decision shall be final. Accordingly, the lien on the amount in the beneficiary’s account shall not last more than 2 weeks.”

Furthermore, the bank said “where the contested beneficiary has utilized the fund such that lien could not be placed, and he/she refuses to fund the beneficiary account to facilitate refund, the Receiving Entity’s Internal Auditors shall watchlist the customer’s BVN and the Sending Entity may report the incident to law enforcement agencies.”

band services in two of its most important countries, Senegal and the Côte d’Ivoire,” said Alioune Ndiaye, Chief Executive Officer of Orange Middle East and Africa.

In her comments, MainOne’s Chief Executive Officer Funke Opeke reiterated the company’s vision for a connected West Africa: “MainOne continues to lead the digital transformation of our sub-region by investing in affordable connectivity to drive economic development. Our objective is to bridge the digital divide between

and within West Africa and the rest of the world. We are committed to deepening broadband penetration across West Africa and believe our investments in technologically advanced subsea infrastructure will continue to liberalize the international bandwidth market, further support Orange and other wholesale customers, and ultimately result in improved digital services in the region”.

Orange is present in 20 countries in Africa and the Middle East and has 119 million customers (at 30

June 2018). With 5 billion euros of revenues in 2017, this zone is a strategic priority for the Group.

Orange Money, its flagship mobile-based money transfer and financial services offer is available in 17 countries and has 38 million customers. Orange, a multi-services operator and key partner of the continent’s digital transformation, provides its expertise to support the development of new digital services in Africa and the Middle East.

•From left: Mr. Ibrahim Dikko, Director, Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria; Mr. Tijiani Borodo, Fellow/Director, Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria; Mr. Bola Adeeko, Head, Shared Services Division, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Professor Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, Fellow/Director, Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria and Mrs. Hilda Nkor, Chief Executive Officer, SCGN during a Closing Gong Ceremony at The Exchange.

College introduces computer-based-test for marking exam scripts

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R Ango Landan, Provost, Federal College of Education (FCE), Zaria, said on Tuesday that the college had introduced Computer-Based-Test (CBT) to reduce the burden of marking examination scripts by lecturers.

Ladan disclosed this at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected executives of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Federal College of Education, Zaria.

He said the new initiative had already commenced in the college with courses that have a large number of students, adding that other courses would be incorporated soon..

According to him, once a student writes his examination, he can log on to the system to see his results immediately.

Ladan explained that with the new syste, it was impossible to accuse a lecturer of cheating a student.

He also that assured that the management of the institution was ready to work with the new executives but charged the entire FCE community to be disciplined and develop a positive attitude to work.

“I want to assure you that the present management is out to work together with you; you can see the changes we are are bringing into the college; all these are not by accident but by plan.

“I started the CBT examination centre in this college and God willing, very soon, the cumbersome way of marking examination will be no more.

“That is if only you cooperate; because a lot of us are afraid of the computer; if you turn-on the

computer for them, they become afraid, why?

“Why should you not conquer the computer when you have your handsets with you, the handset is a mini computer; we want to ease your work, if we want you to give us result today, we want it today,” he noted.

Administering the oath of office, the COEASU National Vice Chair-

man, Malam Ma’awiyya HarunaUsman, attributed the success of the outgoing executives to the support of the congress.

Haruna-Usman said the college remained a training and testing ground as far as COEASU was concerned. He said that the union would promote a cordial working relationship with the incoming executives.

Facebook loses more younger users – Survey

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HE world largest social media platform Facebook is losing a large number of young users as about one in four of them had removed the app from their smartphones in the past one year, a new Pew Research Center survey.

The survey found that a whopping 44 per cent of users aged between 18 and 29 have removed Facebook’s app from their phones in the past 12 months, and about 42 per cent have taken a break from checking the platform for several weeks or more.

The findings coincided with Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg’s appearance before a U.S. Congress hearing on Wednesday on how Facebook addresses political content on the platform.

Facebook has been under heavy scrutiny for the way it handled privacy issues and misinformation activities over the past months since a scandal erupted earlier this year following revelations that a former British consulting firm Cambridge Analytica had illegally accessed data of more than 87 million Facebook users without their knowledge.

The Pew surveyed more than 3,400 U.S. Facebook users in May and June, and found that more than 54 per cent of users aged 18 and older have adjusted their privacy settings.

The number of young people who deleted their Facebook app is about four times higher than that of users who are 65 years and older, with about 12 per cent senior users quitting the app in the past 12 months, said the Pew study.

Older users were less frequently adjusting their privacy settings with only a third of them doing so, in comparison with the 64 percent of younger users more willing to do the readjusting.

An estimated 9 percent of Facebook users have downloaded the personal data about them after Facebook updated its privacy settings to make it easier for its users to download the data collected by the social media site, according to the Pew study.

The survey showed that among the users who have downloaded their private data from the Facebook platform, nearly half of them, or 47 per cent, have dropped the app from the cell phone.

24

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

ISSN: 2545-5869

EDITORIAL

www.oraclenews.ng

VOX POPULI SACRUM

Finally, Kemi Adeosun left but…

Cont’d front page 1

years at the time of their graduation.

SHE was not, yet she applied and obtained a forged certificate with which she first worked don’t bloody care whether she did youth in the private sector and then as Commissionservice or not. It’s irrelevant as far as I am er of Finance in Ogun State. She knew what concerned. I don’t believe it. I don’t see anyshe did, and none of the spins about being thing serious about not doing youth service. born abroad absolved her of guilt.

If I were President Buhari, I would never, ever touch that woman because she’s damn WHILE her perfidious presence lasted, she was beaming into the cameras on her election as good,” he said the President of the AFriEXIM Bank in Abuja, THE allegation which government never reon July 14, five days into the scandal, at a high futed, in the 69 days, before Mrs. Adeosun profile event that drew international participaresigned, Sagay continued, was the work of tion. Almost every news item, on the event, enemies. “The PDP can weep from now until mentioned the scandal. there is no tear in their body; she is going MRS. Adeosun accompanied President Buhari to be there. We cannot afford to lose that to last July’s Summit of Presidents and Heads woman. The enemies of this government of Government of West Africa and Economic want to reduce his (PMB’s) capacity to proCommunity of Central African States (ECOvide good governance by engaging in social WAS/ECCAS) in Lome, Togo, on 28 July. The media attacks and trying to get rid of her. It President waxed strong about corruption in will not work.” his address. Mrs. Adeosun didn’t flinch.

ANOTHER comment from government: “It will OTHER high profile engagements included receivnot be down the aisle of Professor Sagay ing the British Prime Minister and the German to advise on that matter because it is not a Chancellor. In fairness to her, she reduced corruption matter so to speak,” said Femi her public appearances and did not speak to Adesina, President Buhari’s Special Adviser the media on her activities for fears that the on Media, on Mrs. Adeosun. certificate forgery would be raised. A couple GOVERNMENT’s strategy was to wait out the of pictures of her, lost in thought, at public scandal. For once, Minister of Information, events appeared in the media.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed was taciturn. It was AS pressured mounted from the public for her the earliest indication that Mrs. Adeosun was resignation, Mrs. Adeosun was mute. Govguilty of parading a forged NYSC Exemption ernment was indifferent. Her continued stay certificate. An Exemption Certificate was after the scandal, running over its third month, applicable only to those who were above 30 caused a decrease on government’s trademark caustic communication on corruption. The scandal would not go away.

ON the delegation to China, earlier in September, for easily the President’s biggest economic mission, Mrs. Adeosun stuck out as a poor inclusion. She was busy penning agreements without the government caring about the perfidy of her position after such a scandal.

FOUR days into the Mrs. Adeosun scandal, an FCT High Court sentenced Lebi-Ayodele James, a member of staff of the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation to two years in prison for forging the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) certificate. Justice Yusuf Halilu, who gave no option of fine, ordered Mr. James to refund N100, 000 he should not have earned.

“The convict knew full well that he never had ICAN certificate. He forged the certificate and eventually got elevated from Executive officer to a Senior Auditor in a country where securing government employment is a huge challenge, and with the army of graduates who have truly earned better certificate but remained unemployed.

“Government should scrutinise all employees in her pay role to ensure only those who deserve to be gainfully employed are employed,” Halilu said.

BEFORE Mrs. Adeosun, President

Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Prosecution, Okoi Obono-Obla, and the Chairman of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel, SPIP, on Public Assets Recovery, was accused of alterations in his West African School Certificate result. A House of Representatives Adhoc Committee that investigated the matter said the name on the certificate with which Obono-Obla gained admission to the University of Jos was Ofem Okoi Ofem.

OBONO-OBLA is still in office since that discovery in March this year. He occasionally speaks about corruption and the criminality that is persistent in the National Assembly. The President is silent on Obla-Obono.

POSSIBLY worse than these is the attitude of suspects when caught. Mrs. Adeosun’s letter of resignation showed no remorse. Rather it was a lengthy account of her performances as the Minister of Finance. It read as if Prof Sagay authored it.

ALL the platitudes about her courage and service should not becloud the fact that she committed crimes, including forgery, perjury, false pretence, and dodging national service. All these are crimes under our laws, and in the process she earned incomes she was not entitled to, again, according to our laws.

MRS. Adeosun should be prosecuted to serve, as an example to others; otherwise Mr. James – and others jailed for forgery - should be freed.

Mr. Obono-Obla should be dismissed from office and prosecuted.

JUSTICE Halilu’s point, while sentencing Mr. James, should not be taken lightly. Will government heed the judge’s advice? Will government continue to have different laws for different people? What it does with Mrs. Adeosun and Mr. Obono-Obla would be the immediate test.

Our Vision TO BE among the top five newspapers in Nigeria and, in due course, the Numero Uno; to be a newspaper of records that effectively caters to the information needs of all segments and sections of the Nigerian society as well as all social classes and cultures. Essentially, we want to be a responsible corporate citizen, a commercially viable, properly organised media business, which meets its obligations to society, government and the workforce.

Mission WE INTEND to contribute to the development of an inclusive Nigerian society, with a view to getting rid of the dark sides of our national life (slothfulness, greed, corruption, nepotism, totalitarianism, etc); to continually engender and sustain national debates that would ultimately lead to the enthronement of healthy national values-hard-work, justice, equity and fairplay, transparency, good governance, resulting, in themselves, the egalitarian Nigerian society of our dream. We will give voice to the voiceless and at all times, strive to be balanced, objective, honest, truthful and fair to all sides; so that through The Oracle Today, our people, the Nigerian people can see a bright light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel. And we shall do all this in absolute trust in God who blesses good intentions.

25

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

OPINION

The ‘ambush’ of Ambode’s second term bid

By EICHIOYA EZOMON

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oing by antecedents, and the power that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, wields over his political protégées, the “confusion” over Governor Akinwumi Ambode’s re-election ticket for the 2019 elections is a story foretold.

Look all over Lagos and what you see are many political aides, who Tinubu had elevated to different elective offices and “retired” when they were not yet “tired” to serve in such capacities. Some of those aides “grumble” in private, while others are eternally grateful that he took them from obscurity into the limelight politically.

The unwritten code of “obedience” to the political godfather is more complex in the positions of governor and deputy governor. As insiders would vouch, you dare not attempt to carve a “niche” for yourself if you want to last on the seat.

Remember the tales of former Deputy Governors Kofo Bucknor-Akerele and Femi Pedro? Their alleged “ambition” for a higher office led to the loss of their position, and the “death” of their political career, at least, till date.

What about ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola? His reported schism with Chief Tinubu got to a head that his “millions of followers” clamoured for him to decamp to another political party to re-contest in the 2011 elections. But with what happened to his supposed “candidate” in the primaries for the 2015 elections, taking that decision would

By ROY IWUALA

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hen I adopted the metaphorical caption of this piece, what flashed through my mind was the book, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” written by Lewis Carroll (1865). The book presents a captivating catchphrase, “I can’t go back to yesterday ....” Here, time frame or day was used as a metaphor for a place or somewhere. In the said book, Alice made the metaphorical statement when she was asked to talk about her adventures in Wonderland. Indeed, the response to the question was rather surprisingly shocking than expected. For example, Alice insisted that it would be of no use going back to yesterday because she was a different person then.

Unarguably, Alice should not have got stuck in her past. We are supposed to face the world with courage and determination in spite of its changing tides of time. In fact, it is very likely that if you face the world with smile, the world will smile back at you. Even at that, are there no lessons we could learn from yesterday? Should we forget yesterday simply because it was a bad day? Should we sit back and take no part in the persons we are becoming? Definitely not.

It follows that for a person who doesn’t know where he wants to go, it doesn’t matter which path he takes. Similarly, he who does not know when the rain started to fall on him will definitely not know when it will stop. These examples depict confusion, hopelessness, and frustration and are not different from the case of Alice who refused to go back to yesterday. This is the same situation that we have found ourselves for over seven years in the Wonderland called Imo State.

Regrettably, we didn’t control our minds when it matters most in 2011, which emboldened the plunderer extra-ordinaire to control our minds for us. Surprisingly, the plunderer came with lust and deceit, which roared more than his demons, and we mistook it for love. No wonder, Martin Luther King Jnr said, “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

We don’t need the services of a soothsayer or pay consultation fee to a native doctor in order to know that “Ikiri ka Onye oshi nma.”

This is why the journey to 2011 will help us to rediscover the way we ought to go as people

have been a political suicide for him.

Notwithstanding his acclaimed “popularity” with Lagosians, Fashola’s ambition for reelection was in tatters until Elders of Lagos, including the paramount ruler, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, who “have the ear” of the Asiwaju, met him and interceded on Fashola’s behalf.

Wise counsel prevailed, and he got his second tenure after he “apologized” for his purported “indiscretion.”

As for Mr. Ambode, getting to securing the ticket for his first term in office was practically a matter of pressure, and “blackmail” from the Christian community, which threatened to cast its lot for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the Asiwaju did not “anoint” a member of the faith.

I recall a piece The Guardian did when I headed the Political Desk of the stable. It took us weeks of painstaking investigation, which finding we added to the trove of information our beat correspondents had gathered over time, to string a three-page analysis, on the hot-button issue, that reportedly got the ‘Grandmaster of Lagos Politics’ “really mad.”

His numerous aides, one or two of them my colleagues and friends, were livid, and they tore into me in telephone calls, accusing me of raking up “unnecessary controversy” to stir up “religious disunity” in the state. One particularly alleged I was “sponsored” by the “enemies of the Asiwaju and the good people of Lagos,” to upend the Action Congress (AC) (read Tinubu’s) plans for a seamless governorship succession.

When I reminded the aide of the person he was so “falsely accused,” he toned down his

rage, apologized, and confided that the “analysis” on the need for a Christian governor for Lagos in 2015 had punctured the calculations of “those that decide Lagos politics.”

Well, the Asiwaju, ever so calculative, came around to buying into the “campaign” that had then taken on a life of its own, and “anointed” Mr. Ambode as the APC candidate, thus dashing the aspiration of several members of his political family (including the one reportedly “supported” by Governor Fashola), some of whom braced the odds and stood for the primaries, which Ambode secured to win the governorship election.

So, what could have gone wrong, barely three years after, for the governor to “incur” the wrath of Chief Tinubu to contemplate dumping him for another ambitious aide in the queue? Has Ambode defied him in any way? Has he deviated from the “development plans” laid by Tinubu to make Lagos a “Mega City” in Africa? Has he stopped paying obeisance to his political godfather, or the Lagos Elders? Or has he developed the spirit of “political independence” that had cost others dearly? Many questions needing answers!

Governor Ambode has debunked having any issues whatsoever with the Asiwaju.

Yet, from one of the interviews that formed the first exposé by a national daily recently, he may have failed to pay homage to “associates” that joined Tinubu to “make him governor.” As one of the “kingmakers” declared, the governor “is an ingrate.” Meaning, he hasn’t been paying his dues to the “Elders” in the state, and perhaps in the APC.

That’s a very “serious offence” in politics, which’s responsible for the high turnover of elective political officeholders in Nigeria. “If you can’t deliver, why holding on to the position,” is a refrain in political circles.

Thus, Ambode’s problem may be located in this prism, and he needs to appease, or make a firm commitment to appease these power repositories before he will “smell” the seat of governor in 2019.

Meanwhile, amidst denial by the Lagos APC that there’s no “adopted” candidate for governor, the drumbeat for a possible “replacement” for Ambode is getting louder by the day. And Mr. Jide Sanwo-Olu seems to be dancing to that tune.

Besides a former Commissioner, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and Governor Ambode, Sanwo-Olu, managing director of Lagos State Property Development Corporation, has filed his nomination forms, secured the “endorsement” of an APC group and the 57 local council chairmen, allegedly at the behest of Tinubu, and appointed campaign coordinators at the weekend.

The group has done a video, promoting Sanwo-Olu’s “done deal” candidacy, and bidding bye to Mr. Ambode in 2019. But that’s if the “last minute” intervention by President Muhammadu Buhari failed to sway Asiwaju Tinubu, who has remained taciturn in this macabre dance of political “life or death” of a godson!

•Ezomon, journalist and media consultant, writes from Lagos

Imo 2019: Quest to return to 2011 of common destiny. What is happening in Imo State is a histo-social truism where one needs to be a victim of the plunderer in order to appreciate the import of the plight of others, otherwise the entire episode looks like playing Kokoma music to a drama queen.

For casual observers in Imo politics, going back to 2011 would appear like reopening an old wound. Some people do not want to be reminded of something unpleasant that happened or existed in the past as in the case of Alice. But, most people would want to be repaid for harm or loss they suffered unduly in the past. Here, lies the crux of the matter.

Therefore, restitution or restoration is part of why we need to go back to 2011. It is imperative because the cooking pot used for the chameleon should be used for the lizard.

Without mincing words, 2011 is an important landmark in the history of Imo State since it was when a devastating storm swept away Imo people from the path they ought to go. In this regard, it marked the beginning of Holocaust reminiscent of the killing of millions of Jews by the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s. Here, the weapons of half salary, half pension, no promotion, no gratuity, disrespect to Court judgement debts, demolition of markets and homes, misappropriation of lands and Certificates of Occupancy of property owners, to mention few were employed to kill Imo people in droves. At this point, I vividly remember the gruesome killing of the 10year old boy, Somtochukwu Ibeanusi during the mindless demolition of Ekeukwu Owerri market.

No wonder, burial ceremonies , which used to be on Fridays and Saturdays have become a daily routine in Imo State. This accounts for why mortuaries have increased from about 30 in 2011 to about 142 in 2017, according to a report by Morgan Claude Incorporated.

Significantly, the quest to go back to 2011 is a burning issue for most Imo people who desire to rediscover themselves. It’s really useful going back to 2011 in attempt to retrace our road map or the way we ought to go. Accordingly, 2011 is the point of return to retrieve and reclaim our stolen rich economic heritage and to rebuild our legacies that speak.

There’s no doubt that we need to bring back the 10,000 job beneficiaries as well as immor-

talize the slain leader of the group, Comrade Ugonna Omereonye. As his surname depicts, whom did he hurt that he should pay with his life? Because there’s something in a name, the mastermind of the incident will be uncovered so that Imo people will know how water entered the coconut. It is only then that the public will be at liberty to honour the slain young man and pray for his soul to finally rest in the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In simple terms, there is hue and cry to redress the plight of government workers and pensioners who are compelled to live like branches tossing in the wind. In the same sad situation, smiles have disappeared from the faces of most property owners whose buildings were demolished or defaced and whose lands or Certificates of Occupancy were coveted or jeopardized by the plunderer of our time. More so, market traders and artisans run helter skelter dash from certain places of businesses to another while those that suffered the legacy of destruction or demolition of their places of businesses have to contend with no compensation. In short, Imo people are yearning for restoration of justice and due process as the key to solving the myriads of problems besieging the State.

Given the foregoing, who can drive the motor vehicle of Imo State to the right way we ought to go? This motor vehicle does not require a driver with learner’s permit. Yes, it is true there are many drivers with driving license that wants to drive this motor vehicle.

However, in view of the fact that our roads are not motorable and our motor vehicle is about to knock engine, we need a good mechanic driver.

In this our compelling circumstance, all we are saying in Imo State is that we aren’t thirsting for somebody who will use a year or more to learn how to be Governor. We have no time to waste because our entire money is in one family while people are dying for lack of its circulation. To worsen the matter, our government health centers have been reduced to mere consulting clinics with doctors and nurses being owed many months of salaries.

Our woes are endless.

In conclusion, for those aspiring to govern Imo State, we are in a state of emergency or ungovernable rage with debt problem

of mind boggling complexity. Thus, we are desirous of somebody who will kick off the governance at the blast of whistle on 29th May 2019. With due respect, somebody that flashed through my mental wind vane has only four years or one tenure to fix Imo State back on the track. This is somebody that will restore the Imo Charter of Equity.

Most importantly, this is somebody in whose custody is the original duplicate copy of the records of our properties at Abuja, Lagos and Imo (nke bu nke anyi), and thus, knows how to unlock every treasure of Imo State. So, his experience in situ is our assurance. Some people call him Ochinanwata, Ogbujingidi, or Ikiri. Without equivocation, I know him as Ikedi Godson Ohakim.

•Sir IWUALA wrote from Owerri, Imo State

THE GROUP Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Ikeddy Isiguzo Editor Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Editor/Head, Lagos Bureau Sopuruchi Onwuka Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Circulation Manager Felix Oti

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

Travel & Hospitality

26

Organizers rev up packages for 22nd MUSON Festival Stories by VICTOR NZE

A

CTIVITIEs have been revved up preparatory to a successful 22nd edition of the annual MUSON Festival of the Arts, an event that has continued to surpass expectations with its yearly renewed and invigorating medley of electrifying line-up of events.

The 2018 Festival Planning Committee has assured to replicate same standard, with an improvement that would make this episode grander than last year’s.

Details were released to the public during a press briefing last Thursday at the Foyer, Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Representing Arch. Kitoye IbareAkinsan, Chairman, Festival Planning Committee, Dr. (Mrs) Femi Akinkugbe announced that the festival would run from the October 17 through to the 28, 2018 at the different halls within the serene MUSON ambience.

“The Board of Trustees and the Planning Committee of The Musical Society of Nigeria (MUSON) Festival are excited to announce the varieties of events planned for her 22nd annual MUSON Festival, scheduled to hold between 17th to 28th of October, at the MUSON centre- 8/9, Marina Road, Onikan Lagos, Nigeria.” Dr. Akinkugbe declared.

“The Festival commences with two major events: MusiQuest/ Youth Concert – featuring several young musicians constantly emerging in Nigeria. The Youth Concert is a competition that provides a platform of self-expression for these young budding artistes and, Wednesday, October 17 will flag off the final phase of this competition.

The other opening event, is the Festival Art Exhibition- Music Meets Art, in partnership with the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) led by Mr. Oliver Enwonwu. The exhibition will officially open on Wednesday, October 17th and will continue until the 28th of October 2018. A special highlight of the exhibition will be the Dinner and Art Auction which will hold on Wednesday, October 24th,” she continued.

“My Kind of Music is scheduled for Thursday, 18th October. As usual, guests will be taken on a musical journey through the memories, experiences and life philosophies of four outstanding individuals: first, an acclaimed art curator and founder of an internationally recognized Film Festival; who is also a member of the Marketing & Fundraising Committee at MUSON, Ms. Ugoma Adegoke, second, a Jazz enthusiast, promoter and founder of the Lagos Jazz Series, Engr. Oti Bazunu; third, Media Mogul and Chairman of Guardian Newspapers, Lady Maiden Alex Ibru; and fourth, Lawyer and Honorary Secretary of the Board of Trustees, MUSON, Mr. Adeyemi Akisanya.

The first weekend of the Festival will feature two interesting shows, the first is- LEGENDS- a 3 day musical drama production, highlighting selected ancient African Kings & Kingdoms. This production is in partnership with Seeing Through The Arts, led by Gbenga Yusuf- Creative Director, Professional Dancer/ Choreographer; and Declassical Arts & Entertainment, led by Ayo Ajayi – Music Director, Composer/ Arranger and a MUSON School Alumnus. The second highlight of the weekend is the production of Don Giovanni, a Danjuma Festival Opera sponsored by General T. Y. Danjuma.

The 18th Century Opera in two acts by W. A. Mozart will feature the MUSON Opera Department led

by Joseph Oparamanuike. Since partnerships have proven to be very valuable, once again, in alliance with the Friends of Azerbaijan Organisation led by Ms. Billura Bayramova, we present Quand L’est Rencontre L’ouest- When East Meets West, featuring pianist Saida Zulfugarova and Tar Player Sahib Pashazade on Monday, the 22nd of October.

This year’s MUSON Day is scheduled for Thursday, October 25. It is a special members’ day event, set aside to mark the founding of our society. On this day, the new MUSON Chamber Orchestra will be officially launched and featured, followed by a cocktail and net-

Dana Air Introduces ‘Smart Booking’ On WhatsApp

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ANA Air, Nigeria’s most innovative airline has taken a bold step to revolutionise the ease of booking tickets with the introduction of the ‘smart booking’ on WhatsApp. According to the airline, with the ‘Smart Booking’ on WhatsApp, guests of the airline can now book and pay immediately, book and pay later, register for Dana Miles or get details of their Dana miles account, get flight update, make inquiries, reservations and lots more.

Speaking on the airline’s cutting edge initiative in the aviation industry, The Accountable Manager/ Chief Operating officer of Dana Air, Mr Obi Mbanuzuo said, Dana Air continues to lead the pack with its innovative ways of getting customers to book with ease and take advantage of the multiple benefits of interacting with us on our social media platforms especially WhatsApp.” According to him, ‘We are always

seeking ways to ensure that we offer the best of service and that our customer-centric products appeals to everybody: the elderly, young, middle-aged, funky, and the busy and all our guests need to do is save the mobile number 07051190363 as contact on their phones to get quick and necessary attention from 7am to 7pm daily’’ He continued, ”For us, nothing stops you from getting a booking even when you have too many things to do. Just a chat and you will get your booking code to pay conveniently when less busy or before expiry on our website www. flydanaair.com or at any of sales outlets Nationwide.”

‘In 2017, when we launched our self-service kiosk located at MMA2, which enables travelers to book, pay, reschedule or checkin without joining the queue, we promised to continue to deploy necessary technology not just to guarantee ease of booking but to continually exceed the flying aspirations of our guests.”

working session.

Festival Jazz Party, supported by Dangote Group is one of the events to look out for. This year, it features Afro Jazz Guitarist and vocalist, Adedeji Adetayo, who is based in Greece; Aramide – internationally acclaimed Afro Soul Vocalist and guitarist; and Kaline – a fast rising and talented pianist, songwriter and singer.

This year’s Chevron Festival Drama Such is Life; a play by Prof. Femi Osofisan will be showing on Saturday, October 27. This hilarious musical comedy is about a household entangled with the intricacies of a marriage. Featuring PAWSTUDIOS, the play is directed by Kenneth Uphopho. The Chevron Festival Drama has been sponsored since 2001

by Chevron Nigeria Limited.

The 22nd MUSON Festival will come to a close on Sunday, October 28, with an enthralling performance by the MUSON Choir, and the MUSON Chamber Orchestra directed by Nigeria’s ace Choral Conductor and Music Director, Sir Emeka Nwokedi. The event will feature a special appearance by the MUSON Junior Choir featuring young singers between the ages of 5 and 15 led by Raphael Francis and Perpetual Atife, members of the MUSON School Alumnus.” Dr. Akinkugbe concluded.

MUSON Trustee Mrs. Francesca Emanuel also weighed in saying that “the main objective (of the MUSON festival) is the promotion and development of classical mu-

sic, and as such, this year’s activities seek to surmount the previous Festivals in the pursuance of this aim.”

Adding to the statements, the MUSON Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gboyega Banjo acknowledged the immense contributions of the various stakeholders, sponsors, donors, advertisers, festival audience, the media and various artistes who he said “share in the festival ideals, for the implementation of its activities and projects.” He appreciated them for their unwavering supports in “motion and in advance” as a successful journey is expected to begin Wednesday, October 17th.

He reassured that this year’s festival would be a huge success and encouraged more membership of the Musical Society of Nigeria.

•From right: Dr. Mrs. Femi Akinkugbe (Trustee), Mrs. Francesca Emanuel (Trustee), Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe (Member, Festival Planning Committee), Mr. Adedamola Adeniyi (Dangote Group), Mr. Oliver Enwonwu (SNA), Mr. Gboyega Banjo (MUSON CEO)during a press briefing organized by the 2018 Muson Festival Panning Committee which held at the Foyer, Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

Lagos Luxury Lifestyle Summit announces 2018 speakers

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ANAGEMENT of the Luxury Lifestyle Summit has announced renowned speakers for the 2018 edition of the summit scheduled to hold on the 26th October in Lagos.

This is just as the Lagos State Government formally endorsed the summit as the host city and as published in the Lagos tourism calendar of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

The Lagos Luxury Summit as endorsed by the Lagos State Government will have Foluso Phillips, Executive Chairman of Phillips Consulting and erstwhile Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group as the lead speaker to deliver the topic; Growing the Lagos luxury sector: opportunities and challenges.

Foluso Phillips has got a phenomenal experience in the luxury sector coupled with his organization’s extensive research report on the luxury industry in Lagos state, his speech promises to be an eye-opener to the numerous opportunities abound in Lagos State and beyond.

Funke Osae-Brown, Partner of The Lagos Luxury Lifestyle Summit and Publisher of The Luxury Reporter announced that the 2018 edition of the summit is unique because it is expanded beyond Nigeria with a specific look at the Kenya

and South African luxury markets.

In this vein, Michael Mwai, the CEO, Luxuria Lifestyle East Africa, will be speaking on the Africa luxury experience: The Kenya experience.

Nwai’s passion for the luxury industry in Africa is rare with a distinctive speciality in connecting luxury brands to consumers on the continent and to opportunities in the sector.

Other speakers include Modupe Ogunlesi, the CEO of Adam and Eve Homeware who has been in the luxury retail space for 20 years and counting. She will speak on luxury retail in Lagos: The making of homegrown luxury brand while Bola Alli-

son, who has been a Jewellery for 15 years will speak on The next phase of luxury in Lagos: expectations and challenges.

The Lagos Luxury Summit will also feature a panel discussion to further engage professionals and experts in the luxury sector Tope Ogbeni-Awe, Partner of The Lagos Luxury Lifestyle Summit and Chief Service Officer, Topcomm PR has called on brands to take advantage of the summit to showcase their products as spaces are limited.

A Golf Tournament to engage professionals and corporate brands is in the pipeline for the second day of the summit.

ACI names NAIA best improved airport in safety award

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NAMDI Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja, has been chosen as “the best improved airport in safety” by Airports Council International (ACI), Africa Region.

General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Henrietta Yakubu, disclosed this last Sunday.

Yakubu in a statement in Abuja, said that the airport emerged the winner of the category, following an extensive evaluation process that considered entries from several other airports in Africa.

According to her, the letter dated September 13, addressed to Mr Rabiu Yadudu, Director of Airport Operations, FAAN by Mr Ali Tounsi, Secretary General of ACI Africa conveyed the award.

“ACI noted that despite fierce competition, NAIA’s infrastructure and processes were rated the best in Africa for its category. It will be recalled that NAIA was in November 2017 audited and certified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), haven been given a clean bill of health by the regulatory Authority.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

AVIATION Boeing, Air Peace sign Fidelity Bank-backed deal for 10 new B737 MAX Stories by VICTOR NZE

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NDIGENOUS carrier, Air Peace, has signed an agreement with Boeing for the acquisition of 10 brand new 737 MAX 8 aircraft, making history as the first airline in West Africa to add the equipment to its fleet.

Air Peace already operates Boeing 737s and Embraer 145s on its domestic and regional routes. The airline, which recently added Boeing 777s to its fleet, is looking to soon launch its international flight operations.

Speaking at the agreement signing ceremony at the residence United States Consul General in Lagos, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema said the airline was now more positioned to lift Nigeria’s economy, create jobs and transform air travel.

“We are excited to add the 737 MAX to our fleet as we expand our network to offer more destinations and serve more passengers,” said Onyema.

He added: “The fuel efficiency and superior operating economics of the 737 MAX will ensure that the aircraft will play a major role in growing our business in the years to come.”

He commended Boeing, the governments of Nigeria and the United States as well as Fidelity Bank for their different roles in assisting the airline to achieve the feat.

For his part, the Sales Director of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (West and Central Africa), Mr. Larry Tolliver praised Air Peace for the feat.

The new aircraft, he assured,

would drastically cut the airline’s cost of operations.

Also speaking, the US Consul General in Lagos, Mr John Bray assured Air Peace of the support of his country’s government, while also commending the carrier and its chairman for the feat.

On his part, Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, praised Onyema for his integrity and hard work, as he also confirmed that Fidelity Bank decided to support Air Peace because of its financial discipline and sound business model.

The 737 MAX 8 is part of a family of airplanes that offer 130 to 230 seats and the ability to fly up to 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 kilometers). With improvements such as the CFM International LEAP-1B engine and Advanced Technology winglets, the 737 MAX will help Air Peace save more than 20 percent on fuel costs compared to its current single-aisle airplanes.

The MAX 8, in particular, offers airlines 13 more seats than its closest competitor, seven percent lower costs for each of those seats, and 300 miles more range.

“Africa is a growing market for commercial airplanes and we are proud that airlines like Air Peace are selecting Boeing aircraft to be part of that growth,” said Marty Bentrott, Boeing Sales vice president for Middle East, Turkey, Russia, Central Asia & Africa. “This order reflects the strong demand that we are seeing for the 737 MAX as airlines choose the airplane’s superior performance and reliability.”

The 737 MAX is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating more than 4,700 orders from 102 customers worldwide.

•Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema (right) and the Sales Director (West and Central Africa) of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Mr. Larry Tolliver after the singing of an agreement between Air Peace and Boeing for the acquisition of 10 brand new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft by the airline at the residence of the US Consul General in Lagos.

Safety: FG mulls upgrade of NAMA’s infrastructure

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EDERAL Government says it will upgrade the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA)’s infrastructure toward enhancing safety of the nation’s airspace.

Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, gave the assurance on Tuesday at a Stakehold-

Take advantage of African Open Skies – IATA urges Nigerian carriers

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NTERNATIONAL Air Transport Association (IATA) has urged Nigerian airlines to take advantage of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) to expand their operations across the continent.

Vice-President, IATA for Africa, Mrs Adefunke Adeyemi, gave the advice, last Tuesday, while speaking at the recentlyconcluded Akwaaba Travel and Tourism Fair taking place in Lagos.

Adeyemi said that SAATM was inaugurated by the Heads of States of the African Union (AU) in January to deepen bilateral relations among countries and foster cooperation among the airlines.

According to her, Nigerian carriers have right to fly into about 40 African countries and can establish hubs in these countries through negotiations and mutually beneficial air service agreements.

Adeyemi noted that no Nigerian carrier was flying to Chad and Niger Republic in spite of the presence of a viable trade on the routes.

She said it was unfortunate that the airlines were not taking advantage of the SAATM the way Ethiopian Airlines had done so far, including its enter-

ing into a technical partnership with Asky, based in Lome, Togo.

Adeyemi said African airlines should form alliances among themselves to improve their operations as well as profits, adding that some of them already belonged to international platforms like Star Alliance.

She added that the airlines should also strive to get the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate which would enable them to play on the global stage.

Adeyemi also decried the high cost of air fares in Africa which she attributed to excessive aviation charges by African governments and also the notion that air travel was exclusively for the rich.

“It is 45 per cent more expensive to fly across Africa than any other region in the world.

“That is why we are trying to let African governments know that is not an elitist means of transportation,” she said.

Also, Mr Wimpie Van Vuuren, Senior Manager, Air Namibia, said that in spite of the initial fears, SAATM had enabled the airline to expand its operations to Ghana and Nigeria.

He said African airlines should look beyond the initial challenges of the policy and find ways to

make it beneficial to their operations.

On his part, Mr Richard Aisuebeogun, former Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said governments must find ways to address the infrastructure deficit in the aviation sector in Africa.

Aisuebeogun noted that upgrading of airport infrastructure would not only help to reduce air fares but would attract more investors to the sector.

ers’ Interactive Forum in Lagos.

Sirika said that aviation was a key means of transportation that contribute to the nation’s economic growth and development.

According to him, the policy thrust of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is to provide enabling environment for investment in sectors that will stimulate economic diversification.

Sirika, represented by Alhaji Sabiu Zakarimade, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, said: “A safe airspace, seamless and free flow of domestic, regional and international air traffic are essential for capital investment into any economy.

“In keeping faith with this policy direction, I will continue to support, encourage and facilitate all initiatives from NAMA and indeed other agencies.

“This is to provide required airspace infrastructure and facilities

for safe air travel in our airspace and bring about sustainable growth in the sector.”

Earlier, the Managing Director of NAMA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, solicited the government’s assistance in the agency’s drive to re-engineer the airspace facilities within the shortest period of time.

Akinkuotu said that continuous assistance from the government was necessary for the provision and maintenance of airspace infrastructure, adding that the required personnel were quite expensive.

He said that the goal of NAMA was to upgrade the navigational aids at the airports in order to reduce flight delays and cancellations in the country.

The managing director said that NAMA needs fund to modernise the safer tower system at the four international airports located in Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt and Abuja.

Emirates replaces B777 Classic with ER aircraft on Abuja route

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MIRATES Airline has effectively upgraded the aircraft used to operate the Abuja route from the 777-300 Classic to a Boeing 777-300 Extended Range (ER).

The development took effect from tomorrow September 15.

With this development, the EK785 and 786 will be on the Dubai-Abuja-Dubai routes four times in a week.

“The upgrade of our Abuja service to a Boeing 777-300ER demonstrates our commitment to the Nigeria market and is another step to ensure we offer world-class products and services to our customers. Since its launch in 2014 Emirates boosted international tourism and trade in Abuja from a raft of destinations in the Far East, West Asia, Middle East, Europe

and North America.

“Emirates constantly strives to provide its passengers with the very best service and the introduction of a Boeing B777-300ER reflects that commitment. Our 777-300ER will offer Emirates’ renowned cabin comforts and facilities, including our award-winning ice entertainment system,” Regional Manager West Africa, Afzal Parambil, pointed out.

The airline is upgrading its aircraft on the route to ensure uniformity with other operating aircraft into Nigeria and stated that the upgrade demonstrates as our commitment to our Nigerian customers and is a step further to ensure we offer world-class products and services. The new aircraft boasts new innovations

in the aviation industry to provide an enhanced flying experience, at 40,000 ft.

The B777-300ER is a three class cabin with 310 seats in Economy Class, 42 seats in Business Class and 8 seats in First Class. Economy Class will feature specially designed and contoured seats in a 3-4-3 configuration with 2-4-2 configuration in the last rows with generous space for passengers and Business Class offers comfortable sleeperette seats which recline to a 78” long lie flat bed.

First Class features the world’s first private suites with privacy screens, massage-enabled leather seats which convert to flat beds include luxurious comfort covers, down pillows and cotton-lined blankets.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

INSURANCE & PENSION NAICOM releases business conduct, sanctions in new TBMSC Regime •Commits to protecting insurance consumers, operators Stories by VICTOR NZE

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ATIONAL Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has released conduct of business practices and sanctions for insurance companies under the new TierBased Minimum Solvency Capital (TBMSC) regime.

This also the regulatory agency reiterated its commitment to protectinmg consumers and operators of insurance policies in the country.

A statement signed by the Director Supervision, NAICOM, Mr Barineka Thompson, said the ethical codes would enhance soundness of insurers.

NAICOM explained that in the new TBMSC capitalisation structure, insurers would automatically fall in any of tier 1 to 3, based on their financial statement position.

“No mandatory capital injection is expected from an insurance firm except the insurer deems it fit.

“Life insurance firms need a minimum solvency level of N6 billion for Tier 1, N3 billion for Tier 2 and N2 billion for Tier 3.

Non-life business requires a minimum of N9 billion for Tier 1, N4.5 billion for Tier 2 and N3 billion for Tier 3.

“While composite companies (combination of life and general business) require a minimum of N15 billion for Tier 1, N7.5 billion for Tier 2 and N5 billion for Tier 3,’’ the commission explained.

The commission also reiterated that the new TBMSC capitalisation structure is not to punish operators but to nourish them.

It maintained that the regulator was poised to ensure that the insurance industry was isolated from future financial crisis.

“The TBMSC framework has been exposed to insurance companies on July 25; Letter of Advice to each insurer on their “Solvency

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Assessment Status’’ as at 2017 was issued on Aug. 30 and NAICOM would release and publish categorisation list of insurers in October.

“What is the need if an insurance company underwrites businesses it would not be able to pay their claims when the need arises,” NAICOM said.

The business conducts by NAICOM states that an insurer shall not underwrite insurance policies or undertake risks outside the Tier Level or combination in the case of a composite insurer as authorised by the Commission.

“Any violation shall attract penalty equal to the sum of the advised gross premium involved and in addition, the CEO and other relevant Officer(s) of the insurer shall be penalised as the commission may determine.

“The sanction above will similarly extend to a broker that may be found to be culpable on the advised gross commission involved,’’ NAICOM stressed.

The Commission said it had the sole responsibility to publish the list of insurers and their qualified Tier levels before the commencement of the policy.

It said all insurers certified to operate in a specified risk class shall be viewed and treated by insurance institutions and the insuring public as having equal opportunity, rights, obligations and qualifying financial capacity.

According to the commission, the “Tier-Based” inference shall not be used by an insurance institution for public advertisement, commentary, presentation and communication whatsoever without the prior approval of the Commission.

“No Insurance institution shall use the Tier-Based classification as a de-marketing tool against an insurer, within and outside the institution,” it said.

It further said any violation in ad-

•From left: Former Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Richard Aisuebeogun; Vice Chairman Skypower Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) , Mr Chike Ogeah; Mrs Fartima Garbati, former president of NATOP, Adefunke Adeyemi, Regional Director, International Air Transport Association (IATA Africa and Middle East), Wimpie Van Vuuren, Senior Manager, Sales and Cargo, Mr. Steve Isokariari , CEO Dial Travel and Tours and organiser 14th Akwaaba Travel Market, Mr Ikechi Uko at the Aviation Day held in Lagos Tuesday.

dition to previous stated sanctions would attract the sanctioning of the Chief Executive Officer with suspension of operational license for a period of six months.

“This also extends to other relevant Officer(s) of the insurance institution,’’ NAICOM stated.

Meanwhile, NAICOM has said it will continue to protect consumers and operators of insurance policies in the country.

Commissioner for Insurance, NAICOM, Mr Mohammed Kari, made the commitment at a seminar for Insurance Correspondents in Abuja.

“As a regulator, we cannot shy away from our responsibility which is to protect the shareholder, consumers and every stake holder, including the interest of the operators,’’ Kari said.

Commenting on the importance of Tier Based Minimum Solvency

Capital (TBMSC), Kari urged that the concept be embraced as it would help Nigeria’s insurance industry attain its position in the world.

The commissioner said the insurance industry was at a cross road of failure or survival but expressed optimism that the TBMSC would help build confidence of policy holders in the country.

“What NAICOM has done in this policy is to guide operators to understand the brackets of operation which is the core of risk-based supervision, which the components have already been fully implemented.

“It will determine the class of business they will do based on the capital they have, that is having qualified to the minimum requirement.

“This policy will guide the operators, consolidate what we have

done in the code of governance; policies and guideline submission and ensure that the insurance sector in Nigeria economy does not suffer when the next financial crisis will come.’’

On the recent court order restraining NAICOM from continuing implementation of the TBMSC, Kari said the commission was yet to receive any court order to that effect.

It would be recalled that Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court Lagos had given a directive that NAICOM should put a hold on its proposed minimum solvency capital policy.

NAICOM on August 27, through a circular, informed insurance firms that their operations would now be reclassified into tiers.

The policy was supposed to take effect from January1, 2019 but was brought back by the commission to October 2018.

tional Dailies requesting NSITF contributors to apply for the transfer of their contributions into their RSAs. “I implore all employers to encourage their employees who have contributed to the NSITF Scheme to liaise with the PFAs and, in particular Trustfund Pensions, for guidance on how to have their contributions transferred to their RSAs. “Members who contributed to the NSITF Scheme can also visit the commission’s website for the guidelines on the transfer of NSITF contributions,” she added.

Expert urges HMOs to partner Govt. on health insurance education Executive Director of Wellness Health Management Organisation (WellnessHMO), Mrs Adetutu Afolabi has called for more education on the benefits of health insurance plans to prevent financial frustrations associated with emergency healthcare needs of Nigerians.

Afolabi made the call at a programme tagged ‘Wellness for Life’, organised by WellnessHMO in collaboration with Hadassah Healing Foundation, in Lagos.

She said that awareness and ac-

ceptance of health insurance plans in the country was low, compared to the adoption of same plans in other African countries such as Kenya and Ghana.

According to her, many Nigerians are unable to access health care due to poverty, resulting in deaths from curable diseases because they cannot pay. ”Even with limited resources and competing social demands, the ideal of health for all is a compelling moral objective and should be pursued with all vigour. ”There is the need for more education on the benefits of health insurance plans and how it can be included in individual and organisations’ financial planning. ”Many Nigerians are not aware that with little money, they can access quality healthcare. This is where education and enlightenment is key, to prevent financial frustrations associated with emergency healthcare needs,” Afolabi said.

She said there was the need for organisations such as HMOs to partner with government and educate Nigerians more on health insurance

plans. ”In a society that is permeated with so many helpless people, not just in terms of feeding and housing, but also in regard to accessing quality health care, help should be given by organisations and well-meaning individuals who have the ability. ”This is why we felt that as a way of giving back to the society, we can adopt three women and take care of their health needs for life, instead of a one-off experience with Wellness.

“When a woman is empowered, her community flourishes; women are the pillars of the nation. We have been partnering with Hadassah foundation — a women empowerment platform — since 2015, where we educate women and select our beneficiaries via a yearly raffle draw. ”Each of the women gets a Wellness For Life certificate to access healthcare without hitch. We will not stop at three. We hope to increase the number of beneficiaries yearly, and we encourage other organisations to emulate this, so we can improve on our healthcare system,” Afolabi said.

PenCom recovers N14.76b outstanding contributions, penalties

CTING Director General of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mrs Aisha DahiruUmar, says its appointed recovery agent recovered N14.76 billion outstanding pension contributions and penalties.

Dahiru-Umar disclosed this at a one-day interactive session with the Organised Private Sector (OPS) on “Challenges and Future Outlook of the Pension Reform Act (PRA 2014)” in Lagos on Tuesday.

Dahiru-Umar, represented by the Head, Compliance, PenCom, Mr Aliu Bwala, said the figure comprised N7.53 billion principal contributions and N7.23 billion as penalties respectively.

The acting Director General also said the entire amounts were credited into the workers’ Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs).

According to her, the penalty is meant to compensate the workers for the income that would have been earned, if the principal contributions were remitted as and when due.

“The recovery exercise which has been largely successful has boosted

the confidence of contributors and encouraged employers to embrace the CPS. “We would like to again thank NECA and its members for their cooperation in the course of the recovery exercise.

The director general said the pension industry had transited from a deficit of over N2 trillion in 2004 to accumulated pension fund asset worth over N8.23 trillion, with registered membership of 8.14 million as at July 2018.

The commission was saddled with the responsibility of supervising the transfer of the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) contributions of employees into their respective RSAs under the CPS. The Director General said only 136,377 NSITF members had applied for their contributions to be transferred into their RSAs to date.

“That number is a far cry from the over 1.2 million workers that transited from the NSITF Scheme to the CPS. “To address the challenge of contributor apathy, the commission had severally featured advertorials in Na-

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

INSURANCE & PENSION Stories by VICTOR NZE

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ICRO Pension Scheme will begin in earnest in the first quarter of 2019, the Director-General, National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mrs Aisha Dahir-Umar, said on Tuesday.

Dahir-Umar made the disclosure at the sixth conference organised for pension directors by the commission in Lagos.

She said that the scheme was delayed due to hitches encountered in the Information and Communication Technology.

The director-general, however, affirmed that the hitches would be sorted out latest by the end of September for the scheme to kick off fully in the first quarter of 2019.

“The commission believes that the scheme will be part of the efforts toward ensuring the long term and sustainability of the Federal Government’s social empowerment programme,” she said.

The PenCom chief also said that the guidelines for the scheme had been approved by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

On the pension scheme challenges, the PenCom directorgeneral said that there was

Micro Pension Scheme to kick-off Q1 2019

increased clamour by pension contributors to redirect their retirement savings.

She explained that the clamour was redirection of the N8.5 trillion pension assets toward the resolution of other social problems such as health, unemployment and other similar challenges.

Dahir-Umar said that 2017 was particularly difficult for the industry as the commission had to contend with several bills before the National Assembly seeking to distort or dismantle the Contributory Pension Scheme.

“Our social partners played a critical role in that struggle, which we successfully surmounted.

“However, one of the important lessons learnt from that experience is the imperative of continuous stakeholders’ collaboration and engagement.

“The commission, therefore, believes that directors of operator companies must appreciate the critical importance of stakeholders’ collaboration and the need to give it the attention it deserves,” she said.

More than 100 pension practitioners attended the conference,

including insurance practitioners that sell annuity products.

Dahir-Umar further said that the conference was to keep pension practitioners abreast of the international best practices in global pension.

“This year’s conference is the sixth in the series of such confer-

ences introduced by the commission to constantly update members of the Boards of Directors of pension operator companies on topical issues in the industry.

“The conference is meant to sharpen operators’ capacity as the commission believes such will enhance the performance of the

he said.

Commenting on the importance of Tier Based Minimum Solvency Capital, Mr Kari urged that the concept be embraced as it would help Nigeria’s insurance industry attain its position in the world.

The commissioner said the insurance industry was at a cross road of failure or survival but expressed optimism that the TBMSC would help build confidence of policy holders in the country.

“What NAICOM has done in this policy is to guide operators to understand the brackets of operation, which is the core of risk-based supervision, which the components have already been fully implemented.

“It will determine the class of business they will do based on the capital they have, that is having qualified to the minimum requirement.

“This policy will guide the operators, consolidate what we have done in the code of governance; policies and guideline submission and ensure that the insurance sector in Nigeria economy does not suffer when the next financial crisis will come,” he noted.

•Officials of the Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) alongside those of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) at the recently-held the 2018 Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) meeting in Lagos.

operators and protect the N8.5 trillion pension assets.

“As you are aware, the pension reform has been very impactful in Nigeria since the beginning of its implementation in 2004.

“The major visible areas of this impact are the economic and social spheres,” she said.

No going back on recapitalisation – NAICOM

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OMMISSIONER for Insurance and CEO of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has said the proposed tier-based capital structure of insurers operating in the country will continue as earlier planned.

On August 27, 2018, NAICOM, through a circular, informed insurance companies that their operations would now be reclassified into three tiers; 1, 2 and 3.

In the circular, the insurance sector regulatory agency had said the policy would take effect from January 1, 2019, but the commission later brought back the commencement day to October 2018.

The boards of insurance firms were also given till September 14, 2018 to submit their resolutions on how they intend to key into the policy.

However, some hours before the September 14 date, some shareholders of insurance firms obtained an order from Justice Muslim Hassan of the Federal High Court, Lagos halting the implementation of the policy.

Speaking at a seminar for Insurance Correspondents in Abuja, the NAICOM chief said the agency was yet to receive any court order to stop the minimum solvency capital policy.

Kari explained that the policy was mainly aimed at protecting consumers and operators of insurance policies in the country.

“As a regulator, we cannot shy away from our responsibility, which is to protect the shareholder, consumers and every stake holder, including the interest of the operators,”

PenCom, PenOp strategises on micro pension

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OLLOWING the successful implementation of contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in the formal sector of the economy, National Pension Commission (PenCom) and pension operators have assured their full readiness to tap into the opportunities provided by the CPS in the informal sector through micro pension scheme.

The PenCom had recently announced that the Federal Government has approved the Micro pension guidelines that will guide the operators in its implementation Speaking at the 2018 Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp), held in Lagos recently, the Managing Director of ARM Pension Managers, Mr. Wale Odutola, who spoke on behalf of the operators said they are ready to commence business when it finally takes off in January 2019.

According to him all modali-

ties have been put in place by the commission and the association to make sure the industry bring all working Nigerians into the scheme and the same time grow the pension assets above the N8.23trillion.

He added that the operators before now had to set up two committees to review the guidelines and come out with plans how the industry can harness the potentials of the micro pension scheme.

Poised to ensure that all Nigerians are in the scheme he said the operators plan to deploy the service of agents, technology and others to drive the micro pension plan.

He noted that distribution channels have been identified as one of the major tools that can help to deepen Micro pension in the informal sector.

He added that expanding the channels of distribution will go a long way in bridging the gap of pension awareness and penetration in the country.

StanbicIBTC Insurance Brokers unveils annuity products

S

TANBIC IBTC Insurance Brokers Limited has introduced some exciting annuity products to its rich bouquet of insurance services.

Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Insurance Brokers, Mr Anselem Igbo, at a recent media parley disclosed that the new products were designed to give Nigeria, especially retirees, a variety of retirement income solutions to choose from.

He said some of the benefits of annuity include the creation of a guaranteed lifetime income stream,

protection of assets in annuity from market volatility, growth of income, and the opportunity to transfer the annuity to a spouse or named beneficiary, among others.

According to him, the new products bring value, flexibility, and security, among other benefits and are in line with Stanbic IBTC Group’s determination, as the leading end-to-end financial services provider, to avail its customers and Nigerians quality and bespoke financial services solutions that cater for their every need.

“We believe that the test of any insurance arrangement is in prosecuting claims to a satisfactory conclusion for our clients. Our role as brokers also ensures that insurers, as a matter of obligation, pay claims equitably and promptly.

“Prompt payment of claims is a key factor in any insurance contract. We continuously develop key relationships and requisite logistical processes to ensure that we get clients the best quotes and prompt claims settlement,” Igbo said.

Speaking further, Peter Aghahowa, Head Corporate Communications PenCom, said the commission, is developing the required ICT infrastructure to drive the process as this is critical to the success of implementing the Micro Pension Plan.

On capital inadequacy, he said: “There is no need for capital adequacy requirement for Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) as happens in the banking and insurance sectors given that PFAs offer mainly administrative and investment services to contributors.”

He noted that the current capital status of PFAs is adequate for the micro pension scheme.

With about 50 million potential pension contributors residing in the informal sector yet to be captured in the new pension scheme, the micro pension scheme is aimed at persuading these people into the pension system, thereby mobilising about N3 trillion from this informal sector into the N8.23 trillion pension assets.

The CPS, within 14 years, grew the pension assets from a deficit of almost N2 trillion in 2004 to a robust contributors’ fund of N8.23 trillion as at the end of June, 2018, a feat achieved through proper implementation of regulatory policies and initiatives.

As at June 30, 2018, a total of 8.14 million contributors made up of 43.67 percent in the public sector and 56.33 percent in the private sector.

30

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

EQUITY & Capital Market

Recapitalisation: LASACO holds EGM October 10 … to raise share capital to 50bn shares

Stories by JEROME USHAKANG

L

ASACO Assurance Plc. has concluded arrangement to hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on Wednesday October 10, to pass resolutions that will pave the way for it to raise its share capital from 10billion shares to 50 billion by the creation of 40 billion Ordinary shares.

LASACO is in the queue of insurance companies queuing to raise additional capital in line with new capital requirement introduced by its apex regulator, National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

The company in a statement notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) of its plans to hold an Extra Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) on the 10th of October 2018, to pass the following resolutions: That the authorised share capital of the company be increased from 10 billion to 50 billion by the creation of 40 billion ordinary shares. The shares shall have equal value rank with the existing ordinary shares of the company (LASADO).

The resolution also stipulates

that the board of directors, subject to regulatory approval raise additional capital through the issuance of up to 40 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each by way of public offer, private placement or preference shares.

It also stipulates that Clause six of the Memorandum of Association and Article 43 of the Articles of Association respectively be and are hereby amended to reflect the new Authorized Share Capital of N25,000,000,000 (Twenty five Billion Naira) divided into 50,000,000,000 (fifty Billion) Ordinary shares of 50 kobo each.

Also that the Board of Directors be and are hereby authorized to exercise all the powers of the Company to modify and/or conclude the terms of the public offer, private placement or preference shares, seek approvals from the relevant regulatory authorities appoint Professional parties and Advisers, finalize and execute all agreements or documents and to do all such acts and deeds which the Board of Directors in its absolute discretion may deem neces-

sary and expedient for the purpose of the public offer, private placement or preference shares without being required to seek further consent or approval of members of the Company or otherwise to the end and intent that they shall be deemed to have given approval thereto expressly by the authority of the resolution According the statements Shareholders of the Company have the right to ask questions not only at

the EGM but also in writing prior to the EGM. But that such questions must be submitted to the Company via the Company Secretary at least 48 hours before the EGM. A review of the company’s results for the half year ended June 2018 showed that gross premium written increased from N4.7 billion in 2017 to N6.3 billion in 2018.

Profit before tax increased from N483 million in 2017 to N527 million in 2018. However, Profit after tax,

declined from N387 million in 2017 to N382 million in 2018.

Following NAICOM new capital requirement, various Insurance companies have unveiled plans to raise capital in a bid to move from one tier to another. For instance, AIICO Insurance Plc, last month announced it will be holding an Extra Ordinary General Meeting on Friday October 5, 2018. Agenda of the meeting is on how to raise capital as required by the regulator.

NSE lifts embargo on RT Briscoe shares

T

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has lifted the suspension of trading in the shares of R.T. Briscoe Plc. The NSE, in its weekly market report, referred to as Market Bulletin, on July 5, 2018, notified the public of the suspension of the company for non-compliance with the rules for filing of accounts and treatment of default filing and the rulebook of the Exchange.

The NSE in a statement said : “R. T. Briscoe Plc, which was among the companies suspended, has submitted its audited financial statement for the year ended December 31, 2017. The company has also submitted its unaudited financial statements for the periods ended March 31, and June 30, 2018.

“In view of the submission of the company’s accounts and pursuant to rule 3.3 of the default filing rules, which provides that The suspension of trading in the issuer’s securities will be lifted upon submission of the relevant accounts provided the Exchange is satisfied that the accounts comply with all applicable rules of the Exchange. ”According to the rule, the Exchange shall thereafter also announce through the medium by which the public and the SEC was initially notified of the suspension.

“The general public is hereby notified that the suspension placed in the trading of the company’s shares has been lifted, effective Friday, September 14, 2018.”

It said the rule provided that if an issuer failed to file the relevant accounts by the expiration of the cure period, the Exchange would send to the issuer a ‘Second Filing Deficiency Notification’ within two business days after the end of the cure period.

The bourse added that trading in the issuer’s securities would be suspended and the Securities and Exchange Commission and the market would be notified within 24 hours of the suspension.

R.T. Briscoe (Nigeria) Plc was incorporated in Nigeria as a limited liability company on 9 March 1957 and

became a public limited liability company in 1973.The Group is primarily engaged in the sales and servicing of Toyota and Ford motor vehicles, technical equipment, including forklifts, industrial compressors, mining and drilling equipment and generating sets, facility management, property development and leasing of property.

• From left: Tinuade Awe, Executive Director, Regulation, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Mr. Kamarudeen Kareem Oladosu, National Council Member, NSE; Austin Ani, StanbicIBTC, Winner of the 2018 NSE Corporate Challenge; Titi Ogungbesan, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited and Daniel Ogunbote, Sales Executive, Rwanda Air; and Patrick Adebayo Ajayi, National Council Member, NSE during the 2018 Corporate Challenge at Muri Okunola Park, Adeyemo Alakija Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Stanbic IBTC, Vetiva, PZ emerge winners at NSE 5th Corporate Challenge

By JEROME USHAKANG

T

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) annual five kilometre race, otherwise known as NSE Corporate Challenge, with a theme: “e-Race took place in Lagos recently with Austin Ani of Stanbic IBTC emerging the overall winner with a completion time of 18.45 minutes.

Other winners were Paul Alabi of Aluko & Oyebode and Danladi Verheijen of Vetiva came second and third, finishing the race in 19.57 minutes and 20.04 minutes respectively. Paul, who is also not new at the NSE Corporate Challenge, was the overall winner in the 2016 edition.

Ngozi Dozie-Madubuike of Vetiva, with a completion time of 22.48 minutes, emerged the Fastest Female while Sadhisha Dave of PZ Cussons, also female, emerged the winner of the Senior Citizen category for runners aged 50 and above, with a race time of 29.10 minutes.

The over 500 runners at the race were joined by outstanding race ambassadors such as Ikechukwu Onunaku, Immaculate Dache, Monica Ogah, Wole Arole the Prophet, Asiri Comedy among others.

Explaining the NSE’s rationale for throwing its weight behind the race, the CEO of NSE , Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, who was ably represented by Ms Tinuade Awe, Executive

Director, Regulations, NSE, said during the event that “the cancer epidemic in Nigeria is huge and is set to rise if urgent actions are not taken to raise awareness about early detection of the disease, and to develop practical strategies to address the increasing cancer burden.

The NSE Corporate Challenge was birthed to minimize cancer and maximise life by stimulating additional awareness about cancer, advocating for the importance of early testing/detection and more importantly raising funds towards the purchase of Mobile Cancer Centres to provide free screening and treatment in Nigeria”.

It was held on Saturday, September 15, 2018, at Muri Okunola Park, Lagos, with the purpose of raising funds and creating awareness on the fight against cancer.

The NSE Corporate Challenge which started in 2014, is a one-day competitive and fun-filled five kilometre walk, jog and run event aimed at promoting health and wellbeing in the Exchange’s operating environment. It is a professionally organized and volunteer-driven initiative involving companies listed on the Exchange, broker dealer firms, non-listed companies and individuals who identify with the initiative.

Some of the corporate sponsors of the fifth edition include, Dangote Cement, Stanbic IBTC, Beta

Glass Plc, FCMB, FBN Holdings, Unilever and IHS Towers, while in-kind contributions and media support were received from Aquadana Water, Emergency Rescue, Bodyline Fitness and Gym Ltd, Airtel Nigeria, Duracell, Lotus Fitness and Spa, PZ Cussons, LASAA, Channels Television, CNBC Africa, Business Day Newspapers, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Television Continental (TVC), AIT, Raypower 100.5 fm, Proshare, KaftaTV and Plus TV .

So far, the NSE Corporate Challenge has been highly successful, recording more than 2,500 runners from over 306 institutions, comprising c-suite level executives, top government officials and celebrities. Celebrities such as Ali Baba,, MI Abaga, Burna Boy, Seyi Shay, Dolapo Oni-Sijuwade, Gideon Okeke, Debola Williams, Tina Mba, Simisola and Yung6ix amongst others, have at some point identified with the campaign to “e-Race Cancer” in Nigeria.

IOSCO addresses Conflicts of Interest, conduct risks in equity capital raising

T

he Board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) has published guidance to assist members address conflicts of interest and associated misconduct risks that may arise and undermine the equity capital raising process.

The Board in a statement said that conflicts of interest and associated conduct risks stemming from the role of intermediaries that can harm the integrity and efficiency of the equity capital raising process, damage investor confidence and weaken capital markets as an effective vehicle for issuers to raise funding.

According to IOSCO, to help regulators identify and address these risks, it has published the final report on Conflicts of interest and associated conduct risks during the equity capital raising process, which sets out guidance for regulators to address conflicts of interests that

may occur when intermediaries manage an equity securities offering.

The report details the key stages of equity capital raising where the role of intermediaries might give rise to conflicts of interest that compromise the integrity and efficiency of the process.

The guidance comprises eight measures that address: conflicts of interest and pressure on analysts during the formation of their views on an issuer in the pre-offering phase of a capital raising;conflicts of interest during the allocation of securities; conflicts of interest and conduct risks in the pricing of securities offerings; conflicts of interest and conduct risks stemming from personal transactions by staff employed within firms managing a securities offering.

The guidance sets standards of conduct for market intermediaries in the equity capital raising process.

31

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

MONEY Market

CBN directs banks, mobile money operators to resolve e-payment issues in 3 days Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Micro Finance banks, key stakeholders in the mobile money sector to resolve all Electronic Fund Transactions issues within threeworking days or face sanctions.

The new directive by CBN also directed DMBs, others to report within five working days any aggrieved entity of the failure to resolve the dispute so as to minimize customer pain.

The circular signed by Director, Banking and Payment System Department, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, stated, “Where the Sending and Receiving entities fail to agree, the aggrieved entity shall report to the Director, Consumer Protection Department, CBN within five working days of the failure to resolve the dispute so as to minimize customer pain.”

The circular stated further that the CBN in furtherance of its mandate for the development of electronic payments system in Nigeria, hereby issues the Regulation on Instant (inter-Bank) Electronic Funds Transfer Services in Nigeria.”

It added that effective date of the regulation is October 2, 2018.

According to the circular, the

CBN’s regulation covers Instant Electronic Funds Transfer Services in Nigeria on various payment channels and any payment platform that seeks to provide Instant Electronic Funds Transfer Services in Nigeria.

Explaining on wrong transfer due to bank error, the newly circular by CBN stated that, “Where a Sending Entity erroneously sends value contrary to customer’s instructions due to wrong account number, wrong amount, duplication, etc to a Receiving Entity and requests the reversal in writing within 14 working days of the transaction, the Receiving Entity shall oblige within one business day without recourse to the customer (beneficiary) of the Receiving Entity provided funds are available.

“An automatic indemnity shall be inferred against the Sending Entity making the reversal request.

“Where funds are not available, the Receiving Entity shall immediately notify its customer that the account was wrongly credited and provide proof of such notification to the Sending Entity.

“The Receiving Entity shall notify the customer the consequences of not funding the account within 24 hours, which includes watch-listing in the banking industry, Credit Bureau and reporting to law enforcement agencies.”

FG needs more borrowing to fund infrastructure, says Agusto & Co

T

HE Federal Government is expected to take more loans if its plan to fund infrastructure is to be realized, Senior Analyst at Agusto & Co, Jimi Ogbobine has said.

Speaking at a training for financial journalists during the Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) 2018 Annual Workshop held in Lagos at the weekend, he said government is expected to deploy about N1.6 trillion to fund infrastructure this year.

He said, the training, titled: ‘Analysis of the Macroeconomic Environment’ and sponsored by Rand Merchant Bank, was meant to deepen the knowledge of journalists on the economy and financial industry developments.

Ogbobine said the bulk of financing for infrastructure will come from borrowing with a larger share being domestic debts. He added that funding the capital budget will require higher than planned borrowing with adverse implications for interest rates and interest costs for the economy.

“The Federal Government borrowing to fund infrastructure is likely to be between N1.2 to N1.6 trillion. The implementation is unlikely to start before the second quarter and revenue is likely to be lower than planned.

Actual funding from asset restructuring, recoveries and “other” may be substantially lower than the planned level of N2 trillion. Therefore, fully funding the capital budget will mean higher than planned borrowing with adverse implications for interest rates and interest costs,” he said.

He added that obligatory spending of the Federal Government is still more than 100 percent of revenues, hence, there is no free cash flow for investment in infrastructure. “Every kobo of infrastructure spending is financed by debt constrains ability to

fully fund budgeted amounts. Debt as percentage of revenue is significantly higher than the median, of 200 percent, for countries in Middle East & Africa. Federal Government plans to partly finance 2018 capital expenditure with proceeds of asset sales,” he said.

Speaking on inflation, he said a hyper-inflationary environment is one where prices double at least every three years. “This means inflation rate of about 25 percent per annum.

In such environments, investors hold savings in low inflation currencies in dollars, Pounds Sterling and Euros and business persons price products (particularly those with a high import content) in these low inflation currencies, usually the dollar.”

•Mr. Matin Middernacht, Managing Director, Chi Farms Ltd, Dr. Olaniran Alabi, Director and Chief Veterinary Officer, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Mr. Gabriel Varga, Regional Director, Zoetis, Sub-Sahara Africa at the unveiling of City Laboratory in Ibadan, Oyo State.

FinTechs won’t displace banks, David-West

F

ACULTY member, Lagos Business School (LBS), Dr. Olayinka David-West, has said that Financial Technology (FinTech) companies will not displace banks in their completion for market share and provision of financial services to customers.

She spoke at the 2018 Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) Annual Workshop help at the weekend in Lagos.

David-West, who was represented by Faculty Member, LBS, Prof. Olawale Ajai Ajai, spoke on the theme: ‘Banks, FinTechs and Nigeria’s Financial Inclusion Journey’ said banks that fail to innovate will however lose their market share to the FinTechs. She said that banks needed to embrace innovation if they want to succeed.

She said that 40 percent of adult Nigerians have bank account while 9.2 percent used informal financial services as at 2017. According to her, three percent of the account holders used mobile

money services.

She described FinTechs as small and innovative startup companies that develop financial technology and related products. “In practice, Financial Technology is not the exclusive domain of the FinTechs as more traditional banks, microfinance institutions and development organizations make use of financial technology. Banks and other financial services providers are important actors in scaling up FinTech solutions. Scale is important, both financially and digitally, to include the vast amount of people and companies at the bottom of the pyramid,” she said.

She said the financial services sector has witnessed digital entrepreneurship in the form of FinTech majorly because they are highly innovative, inexpensive startup skillset, very entrepreneurial and passionate and have no defined guidelines/regulations.

She said FinTechs can work with banks as facilitators to deliver

Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Lagos top BudgIT’s 2018 Fiscal Sustainability Index, as Cross River, Osun and Ekiti trail

B

UDGIT recently analysed the fiscal condition of states and noticed that states fiscal account generally improved on the back of increasing oil revenue according to recent states fiscal condition analysis

by Budgit.

BudgIT, a civic organization that applies technology to intersect citizen engagement with institutional improvement, to facilitate societal change said, it was critical that State governments embrace a high level of transparency and accountability, develop workable economic plans, take haircuts especially on overheads expand their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) base, and cut down on debt accumulation without a concrete repayment plan.

According to Budgit, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Edo and Ondo sits on top of the BudgIT’s Fiscal sustainability index due to their robust revenue profile and manageable

recurrent expenditure obligation.

BudgIT also sees a commendable appearance by the states with low expenditure outlay and sizeable debt such as Anambra, Enugu and Katsina.

We also noticed that Abia had tightened its recurrent projection, providing it with the opportunity to leap on our sustainability rankings.

“Lagos dropped from 2nd to 4th place on the fiscal Sustainability index notwithstanding the state’s economic advantage. Lagos’s internallygenerated revenue, when compared to many of its peers, is relatively high. Her IGR as at the end of 2016 was N287 billion, from 2015 levels of N268.2 billion. In 2018, the State is planning a Recurrent expenditure spending of N305 billion or N25 billion monthly. With its IGR not expected to grow significantly above N300 billion, while its share of revenue from FAAC in the first six months of 2017 was

N6.6 billion, Lagos overheads cost and debt which is unusually elevated weighing down on its revenue and its performance on the 2018 fiscal sustainability index.”

BudgIT is extremely concerned with the poor fiscal management thinking in Cross River with its bogus budget plan of N1.3 trillion, which severely weighed it down on the index. BudgiT research also showed that Osun State is not out of the woods as it still ranks 35 out of the 36 states.

The Research concludes that states need to look beyond rhetorics and commit to a reduction in its operating costs, including significantly slashing its unreasonable overheads bill while freeing up more spending for social and economic infrastructure. States also need to link future borrowing to sustainable projects, which can pay back the capital cost of its current loans and improve the overall income profile of the state.

financial services to the underbanked and the unbanked.

She said there are more Nigerians without bank accounts than those that have and it is important and a crying necessity to move more people into the financial ecosystem.

This is a national economic emergency. It is important done about it urgently.

“All over the world, particularly in developing countries, technology can only go so far if you look deeply at the issue of access not translating to inclusion. Obviously, you want to increase the reach and the innovation that technology can provide, we will still have these issues.”

“FinTechs have provided useful services, not only in point of view of complementarities with the formal financial services. In terms of helping the sector delivers its traditional services more efficiently. Even in terms of innovations that allows for partnerships or greater interface between various players. They have introduced a budding platform for innovation for the banking and financial services by their disruptive effect on the industry. It is going to be a challenge to the banks not by way of being driven off of rendering banking services. They are not going to displace bankers, but they are going to displace some banks definitely,” she stated.

Also speaking, Managing Director, Proshare, Femi Awoyemi, said banks see FinTechs more as partners than threats. He said that FinTechs are supposed to provide digital financial services to the unbanked.

According to him, financial inclusion has been declining since 2014 and has widened about 20 basis points. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Director, Taiwo Oladimeji said regulation for the FinTech is done by the department adding that Nigeria’s payment system remains one of the best.

32

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The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS DSS appointment: Buhari running Nigeria like a caliphate -- Intersociety

By Theo Rays, Onitsha

H

uman rights activist Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi has lapooned President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of a northerner, Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi to replace a southerner Mr Mathew Sefiya as the Director General of Department of State Security (DSS) saying that the move by the president ‘is a clear indication that he is running Nigeria like a caliphate and an Emirate council contrary to federal character and civil service rule.’

Umeagbalasi who is the Chairman of Board of Trustee of International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) noted that Bichi retired from active service a year ago and it is unacceptable for Buhari to pull him out of retirement from north to head DSS at a time when he is expected to address the inbalance of appointments in his administation most especially in the area of security aganecies.

“First of all Bichi retired last year from active service and going by the civil service rules which guides DSS, he is not supposed to head DSS. Secondly, Buhari is being expected to address the imbalance of appointments in his administration in line with the federal character. Right now 15 out of 17 heads of security agencies are from the north, so when Daura was disengaged Nigerians expected that a southerner to replace him,” said Umeagbalasi.

The right activist described the appointment of Bichi as an act of favoritism and nepotism adding that it is most unfortunate that president Buhari is more interested in promoting ethno religious interest of the north than meeting the yearnings of Nigerians who elected him.

Probe Daura over possession of PVCs -- Ohaneze chieftain tells FG

By IBE NWACHUKWU

F

ormer chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Anambra state chapter, Elder Chris Oseloka Eluemunoh has urged the Federal Government to investigate the speculations making the round that a large number of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were found in possession of the former Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura.

He said after the investigation, if it turned out to be true that Daura was in possession of those PVCs unlawfully and could not give an accurate account of who owned them and how he came about them, he should be prosecuted according to the electoral law.

Eluemunoh who spoke at his home town, Nkwelle-Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra state, during their new yam festival, said he was disappointed that such a high calibre of person like Daura could be found in possession of PVCs which is a clear offence as contained in our electoral law and yet nothing has been done about it since then.

On the political, economic and religious problems plaguing the nation, Elder Eluemunoh declared: “if the executive arm of government do not perform well, the national assembly cannot perform well because the arms of government are expected to work together to produce better result but whereby both arms disagree, then the nation will not move smoothly”.

Aguma’s funeral reunites warring Rivers politicians

P

rominent Nigerians and previously warring politicians in Rivers State defied expectations as they unanimously gathered at the Saint Paul’s Anglican Cathedral, Port Harcourt for the solemn funeral service of late Attorney-General of Rivers State, Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma (SAN), Sunday.

The Solemn Funeral Service marked by prayers and transitional hymns was formally kick-started by the heart-touching reading of the late Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Biography by his daughter, Miss Onyinyechi Aguma who stated that alongside her mother, Mrs Inime Aguma, they sang a hymn that ushered Aguma into the presence of God. Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Gombe

State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel honoured the Attorney-General of Rivers State with their presence.

Also present were Former Rivers State Governors, Peter Odili, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Celestine Omehia. Former Senate President Iyorchia Ayu, Former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, Senator Magnus Abe, National and State Assembly members were at the Church to comfort members of the bereaved Aguma family.

In a sermon, Archbishop of Anglican Province of Niger Delta, Most Rev. Tunde Adeleye urged all Nigerians to work towards living according to the desires of God in order to inherit eternal life.

Archbishop Adeleye prayed God to comfort the leaders of Rivers State, the family of Aguma and forestall

such a painful untimely death.

In a funeral oration, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike noted that the Late Attorney-General of Rivers State was instrumental to the massive infrastructural development in the State Judiciary and the Bar. He announced that the Rivers State Government will re-name the Judges Quarters after the Late Attorney-General of Rivers State when the facility is completed.

Governor Wike thanked the Aguma family for giving the Late Emmanuel Aguma (SAN) to the state for unparalleled service.

He stated that the State Government will not forget the Aguma family. The governor informed that to cement the relationship, the wife of Late Attorney-General of Rivers State will be drafted into the Rivers State Executive Council.

He said: “The Late Attorney-Gener-

al of Rivers State was strong willed and he was loyal to the core. He was a man with character.

“His death is very painful. His service to the state will never be in vain.

Having made sacrifices, the State will continue to honour him”.

Earlier on Saturday, the corpse of the Late Attorney-General of Rivers State was taken to the hall of Orogbum Community, Rebisi in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area where chiefs and leaders paid tribute to him and repeatedly fired traditional canons.

President General of Orogbum Community Council, Pastor Theophilus Akugbo said Aguma was a peace maker who brokered peace within Ogbum-Nu-Abali community over disputed land issue that threatened the peace of the area.

The remains of the Late AttorneyGeneral of Rivers State, Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma (SAN) were laid to rest at his family home at Orogbum after graveside prayers and benediction.

Implement health insurance law in A/Ibom, doctors tell lawmakers From Ini Billie, Uyo

T •President Muhammadu Buhari receiving Akwa Ibom elder statesmen, led by former Senate Moniority Leader and ex-governor governor of Akwa Ibom State Senator Godswill Akpabio,Monday, at the State House, Abuja

Enugu group calls for ‘perfection’ of zoning arrangement

By VICTOR ONYEKA ANIATU

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group known as Ezike Equity Collective has called on the government of Enugu State and PDP leadership to fine-tune the zoning arrangement in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the State in order to promote equity, harmony and justice in the local government.

In a press statement signed by Godson Ogbunweke, media director, the group said since the introduction of rotation of elective political offices in the local government between the two political blocs of Ozzi and Umunano, the local government has not only witnessed even development but also, perhaps even more importantly, peace and harmony. “ As we prepare for another round of elections come next year, we must bear in mind that rotation has served our local government well and must be maintained,” the group stated.

“We must never lose sight of the fact that there are two elective positions that are rotated between Ozzi and Umunano, namely, Chairmanship of the local government and Membership of the House of Representatives for the Udenu/Igbo-Eze North Federal Constituency and call on our political leaders to ensure that those two positions are properly rotated. We expect that in the run-up to the 2019 general election, this arrangement shall be taken into consideration in selecting candidates to fly party flags in IgboEze North.”

Igbo-Eze North is practically a onetown local government. Carved out of old Igbo-Eze Local Government, which is now comprises Igbo-Eze North and

South Local Government Areas, IgboEze North has all but three of its 20 electoral wards within Enugu-Ezike town. The other three are in Ette, a non-Igbo-speaking community in the northern part of the local government and sharing boundary with Kogi and Benue States.

Enugu-Ezike itself is made of four communities and 37 villages. Of the 37 villages, Ozzi alone comprises 23.

To valorize political office rotation, the local government’s leaders of thought and other stakeholders decided to create two political blocs out of the four communities and Ette, hence Ozzi and Umunano (‘the four children’, socalled because the remaining three communities in Enugu-Ezike and Ette were combined to produce Umunano as the second political bloc).

The leaders of thought who drafted what came to be known as Izu Udo (Peace Conference) Document or Charter of Equity, agreed that chairmanship of the local government would rotate every four years (after two terms of two years each) between Ozzi and Umunano and the House of Representatives seat would also so rotate, when it is the turn of Igbo-Eze North to produce the Rep. “We are aware of the agreement reached when the rotation agreement ran into murky political waters not too long ago,” Ezike Equity Collective added. “That agreement, which was drafted and signed and sealed by leaders of the two communities before Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi affirmed the earlier agreement that at the expiration of the tenure of the current chairman in August next year, the chairmanship would return to Umu-

nano for another four years. Similarly, at the expiration in June next year of the tenure of the current Member representing Udenu/Igbo-Eze Federal Constituency, an Igbo-Eze North politician from Umunano side, an Ozzi man should occupy his seat for the next four years. We expect that this arrangement shall be honoured to avoid any disagreement that could challenge the peace and harmony reigning in Igbo-Eze North at the moment.”

Ezike Equity Collective commended the peace dividend that democracy under Governor Ugwaunyi has brought to Igbo-Eze North and called on the political leadership in the area to put their selfish interest aside and work for the peace, equity, harmony and justice that Igbo-Eze North has been known for in this political dispensation.

While recognizing the shortcomings of the rotational arrangement in the local government, the group argued that the peace, harmony, sense of equity and justice that rotation has ushered into Igbo-Eze North politics is more important than the sense of fulfillment one person derives from serving a second term in an elective office.

“Those planning to truncate this noble arrangement for their selfish reasons should have a rethink,” the group appealed. “The rotation between Ozzi and Umunano must not be truncated for whatever reasons.

We reiterate that this has served us well and we all stand to lose should we allow ambitious and self-serving politicians to dismantle an arrangement that has served us well. A word, they say, enough for the wise.”

he Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Akwa Ibom State branch is seeking the speedy implementation of the State Health Insurance Law to cater for the needs of indigent people in the state.

Dr. Nsikak Nyoyoko, State Chairman of NMA said the implementation of the law would relieve the sufferings of poor people in the state who cannot afford healthcare services.

Speaking yesterday in Uyo when members of the association visited the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Onofiok Luke in the assembly complex, Nyoyoko said the category of persons who would benefit from the law were among the 89 percent of Nigerians who live below the poverty level.

He lamented the non-payment of 14 months’ salary arrears owed doctors between November 2014 and December, 2015, noting that it showed government’s neglect of doctors’ welfare.

He requested for the defrayment of 6 months CONMESS arrears from June to December 2015, 4 months’ salary arrears owed recently employed medical officers from January to April 2018.

He also sought the payment of 2 months’ salary arrears and 50 percent of salary arrears owed doctors in Akwa Ibom State University (AKSU), adding that it was sad that there were no call rooms in some hospitals in the state.

While complaining of lack of sponsorship for training and delay in promotions, he lamented the nonrelease of subvention for running cost to medical superintendents of hospitals in the state.

The NMA chairman said the association had been assisting the government through free medical outreaches, sensitization programmes and effective healthcare services and had refused to embark on industrial actions despite being owed.

In his response, the Speaker, Mr. Onofiok Luke said the state assembly will continue to produce legislation that would positively affect healthcare delivery in the state.

He noted that the arrears owed doctors in the state would soon be cleared and promised to present the issue and others plaguing the health sector to the governor.

34

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS

Dud Cheque: Court orders arrest of Senator Uzodinma

Akwa Ibom Govt moves to check loitering by students, pupils

Kubwa Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Tuesday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Sen. Hope Uzodinma, accused of issuing N200 million dud cheque.

Uzodinma, a serving senator representing Imo-West, Smiec Engineering and Chemical Construction Company, Niger Global Engineering and Technical Company, were charged with alleged issuance of N200 million dud cheque to Chitex Ventures and Chima Akuzie.

The judge, Mr Abdulwahab Mohammed, said the defendant was absent on the last adjourned date of Sept. 11, but his counsel, Eze Oguaju promised to make him available today, Sept.18.

Mohammed issued a bench warrant against the defendant and entered a plea of not guilty for the other defendants, relying on Section 478 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

The section provides that a court shall order a plea of not guilty to be entered and the trial shall proceed as though the corporation involved had duly entered a plea of not guilty.

The judge adjourned the matter until Sept. 25 for hearing.

Chitex Ventures Ltd and Chima Akuzie, the complainants, had made a Direct Criminal Complaint against the defendants over alleged issuance of a UBA N200 million dud cheque.

The complainant’s counsel, Oluwatosin Ojaomo, had earlier urged the court to invoke the provisions of Section 131 of the ACJA against the defendant, by issuing a warrant of arrest against the defendant.

He further stated that the defendants were absent in court in spite the fact that they were aware of today’s date, Sept. 18 fixed for definite arraignment.

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Flood ravages 700 houses, farmlands in Rivers communities

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o fewer than 700 houses including large farmlands have been affected by flash floods following heavy rains in parts of Rivers, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

According to Mr Martins Ejike, the Rivers Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the flood began since August 2018.

He said that areas affected by flood in the State included Rumukpokwu, Elekohia and Rumueme communities and Mile 4.

Ejike said flash flood ravaged Mile 1, Obiegbo by Pipe line axis, Ahoada farm lands and some villages as well as Aba road by Intel axis.

He said that although no life was lost in the flood, economic activities and farming were affected at ABS Road Axis and Ahoada farmlands.

The coordinator said the State government had constructed drainage on major roadsides for free flow of water while sensitisation effort by NEMA were still ongoing.

From INI BILLIE, Uyo

he Akwa Ibom State government has established a taskforce to check pupils and students loitering on the streets during school hours.

The taskforce is made up of persons from the Ministry of Education, Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and would start operations immediately schools reopen in September.

Speaking, Monday, in Uyo, Commissioner for Education, Professor Victor Inoka said the task force was put in place in response to com-

plaints from teachers that many students don’t attend classes.

He said the ministry has strengthened the monitoring and supervision of all public schools across the state, besides its effort in the development of physical infrastructure.

He noted that monitoring in public schools was to ensure that the teachers lived up to expectation, adding that the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel was committed and determined in making quality education for students in the state a reality.

He explained that a list of approved private schools was being

complied by the ministry as unregistered schools will be closed down.

“We are aware that some students, pupils, go to school and roam about. And people, teachers are complaining too that some students don’t go to classes. Without education nothing can work. The governor is passionate about how we can impart positively on the future generation.

“So from September we will be going round the whole schools in the state. It is going to be a team work. The police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps will also be involved. Once it is 8,

o’clock in the morning and we find you loitering, we pick you up.

“And so many private schools are springing up again in the state. We have got list of those we call illegal; they started operating without our approval. We are still compiling the list zone by zone and if we see those that don’t meet our standard we are going to close them down.

“Education experts have told us that there are two key variables paramount in achieving total quality education: the exogenous and endogenous variables. Exogenous variable is talking about physical infrastructure, renovation of facilities, classrooms and all that”.

Oko Poly shuts down Atani campus over flooding

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• Osun 2018:Buhari, Ganduje(Governor of Kano State) and Rauf Aregbesola(Governor of Osun State at the grand finale rally for Odetola,APC flag bearer in Osun governorship polls

Lagos records 5 cases of domestic violence daily

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Professor of Sociology at the University of Lagos, Prof.

Fatal Badru,Tuesday, said statistics indicated that a minimum of five cases of domestic violence were being reported daily in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Badru spoke at a Symposium organised by Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) in Lagos.

He delivered a keynote address at the Symposium, themed “Securing the Home Against Violence”, and put together to commemorate the 2018 Domestic and Sexual Violence Month in Lagos.

Badru said: “According to the DSVRT statistics, there has been an increase in domestic violence daily in Lagos.

“At least, a minimum of five incidences of domestic violence are reported daily.”

The sociologist said recent doctoral studies also showed that domestic violence was more prevalent in the urban areas than the rural areas.

He attributed the high level of domestic violence in urban areas to psychological factors and stressful living conditions.

“People with disabilities are also

highly vulnerable to violence. Both men and women with disabilities are vulnerable to domestic and family violence at higher levels than men and women without impairments.

“Women with disabilities experience higher level of sexual abuse,” Badru said.

He advocated the protection of persons with disabilities from domestic violence.

The sociologist called for a need to understand the gendered nature of domestic violence as well as the factors that make individuals vulnerable to domestic violence.

“A key barrier to seeking help for domestic violence is when the survivor depends on the perpetuator for upkeep and survival. The principle of respect and value for one another should be re-informed throughout the community.

“This should be done by the education system, community leaders, social and sporting organisations and leaders of faith. Securing the home against violence is everyone’s responsibility, ” he said.

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, at the event, highlighted the role of the home in the upbringing of wholesome children.

Represented by Mrs George Onafowokan, his Special Adviser on Social Development, the governor said, “The home is the first place the child lives.

“The parents are the primary educators of the children and the home is the first place of security of the children.

“Every kind of behaviour begins from the home; it is from our behaviour that children learn, and they are the direct representatives of who we are.”

He said that parents should be cautious in bringing up children because of the effect it has to the larger society.

Also, Justice Sybil Nwaka of the Lagos Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court said the Lagos State Judiciary was taking up the fight against sexual and domestic violence.

“Domestic and sexual violence cases are being expressly disposed of and justice is being served.

“The Lagos State Government and Justice Sector are coming to the doorsteps of people, creating awareness, encouraging survivors to come forward and not be afraid of stigma,” Justice Nwaka said.

anagement of Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State has directed its students in Atani Campus to vacate immediately following flooding that submerged the campus.

In a statement made available, Tuesday in Awka, the management of the institution said that the order became imperative to avoid casualty.

The statement signed by Mr Obini Onuchukwu, the Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, urged the students to vacate the campus for one week to enable the flood dissipate.

Onuchukwu said that the emergency holidays might be extended if the remedial work the management intends to do failed to salvage the situation.

“The access roads to the campus, fields, offices and classrooms have all been submerged and the students are having challenges in accessing their classrooms.

“The institution’s perimeter fencing, electric transformer, electric generating sets are also submerged resulting in total blackout,’’ he said.

Onuchukwu, called on both the National Emergency Maintenance Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Maintenance Agency (SEMA) to come to the aid of the polytechnic.

“We encountered flooding almost yearly, but the magnitude of this year’s flooding has gone beyond what we had recorded in the recent past.

“Apart from the campus, hostels belonging to individuals where our students stay off campus were also submerged, making life and activities in the school impossible,’’ he said.

The Polytechnic spokesman attributed the recent disaster to lack of proper drainage system within the host communities.

He recalled that in 2012, the same flooding adversely affected academic activities for several months.

Onuchukwu said that the flood has already damaged some of the household appliances and personal belongings of the students like books and mattresses.

NWAOKO CHIEMELA EMEKA and NWOKO IFEANYI, is one and the same person but wish to be addressed as NWOKO IFEANYI, banks and general public please take note

35

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS

2019: I’ll trun around Nigeria’s economy in 2yrs -- David Mark

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residential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and former senate President, Sen. David Mark, has promised to turn around the economy of the country within two years if elected president of Nigeria in the 2019 general elections.

Mark, a former Senate President, made the promise on Tuesday at the PDP state secretariat in Lokoja while on a campaign visit to solicit votes of the state delegates to the presidential primaries in October.

He pledged to do many things differently to revamp the economy saying, “a lot of research had been done on the economy and if given the chance, he would bring them to bear and turn around things’’.

Economic growth under his watch, according to him, will experience tremendous change within 700 days, and will be physical and not based on paper statistics.

“I will do so many things differently. When we put our processes in, the woman who is selling groundnuts by the roadside will feel the impact.

“It is not by mere statistics or indices that we churn out. We want the ordinary people in the streets to feel the impact of the economy on their lives.

“We have young men and women who are neck dip into research and understand the economy of this country,” he said.

On his acceptance by the electorate in the core Northern part of the country, Mark said he had equally worked for candidates from the core North and that now it was their turn to support him.

“I think the core North should support us because we also have supported the core North. It is a give and take thing and we are talking about Nigeria.

“We are not talking about a section of this country. If I don’t have a national support, to be honest with you, I would not want to be a president of this country.

“I want to be president of a united and indivisible country called Nigeria. Call it core north, core south or core whatever, wherever they are, let them support me because we too have supported them,” he said.

On consensus candidate, the former senate president said that would be left for the aspirants and the party to decide.

“Whatever we do, the most important thing is that whoever emerges should emerge through a process that is fair, transparent and credible whether it is by consensus or by primaries.

PDP shocked as Dariye picks APC nomination form from prison

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ormer Plateau State Governor, Sen. Joshua Dariye, who is currently serving a 14-year jail term over financial misdeeds while serving as Plateau governor, has picked an All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination form to contest next year’s election.

“Yes, Sen. Dariye has picked a nomination form to seek a third term. It is true. He is among those jostling for the APC ticket in Plateau Central,’’ Mr Chindo Dafat, APC Publicity Secretary in Plateau

disclosed this on Tuesday in Jos. Dafat said that Dariye has filled the form and submitted to the party.

“His (Dariye)’s ward secretary came and signed the form on his behalf. It has been filled and his supporters are already campaigning ahead of the party primary election,’’ he said.

According to him, Dariye will battle with three others – Zakari Dimka, Sam Piwuna and Manji Pompori – for the APC ticket.

The party official said that Dariye was “still very popular and relevant in Plateau Central in spite of his current ordeals’’, adding that the former governor “can win the primary elections from the prison’’.

He said that Dariye had appealed his conviction and could have it upturned “because we are praying for him’’.

“Aside possible success in the appeal, we are also praying for a state pardon. That is another possibility.

• (From left): Special Assistant to Managing Director, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), Funsho Olumoko; Deputy General Manager, Technical, Kunle Martins; Managing Director, Folashade Joseph; Executive Director, Finance/Admin., Philip Ashinze and Deputy General Manager, Legal, Chike Okafor at an event

2019: APGA has over 85 per cent chances in Anambra -- Umeh

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enator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh (Anambra APGA), has said that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has more than 85 per cent chances of winning all the legislative seats in Anambra in 2019.

Umeh said this on Tuesday while addressing members of the state executive committee of the party at the APGA secretariat in Awka, the state capital.

He said that only sabotage by party members could rob the party of electoral victory.

“APGA has more than 85 per cent chances of winning all legislative seats in next year’s elections. But

we must be vigilant to ensure that APGA wins all the 30 seats in the state assembly, all the house of representative seats and three senatorial seats.

“Our enemies will be APGA members who present themselves as members in the open, but go behind to work for other parties,’’ he said.

Umeh further said that the achievements of Gov. Willie Obiano were enough image booster for the party’s candidates for the polls.

He said that what was needed or all the party’s candidates to succeed was unity of purpose among all the members.

He, therefore, warned members

Flood ravages 700 houses, farmlands in Rivers communities

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o fewer than 700 houses including large farmlands have been affected by flash floods following heavy rains in parts of Rivers, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

According to Mr Martins Ejike, the Rivers Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the flood began since August 2018.

He said that areas affected by flood in the State included Rumukpokwu, Elekohia and Rumueme

communities and Mile 4.

Ejike said flash flood ravaged Mile 1, Obiegbo by Pipe line axis, Ahoada farm lands and some villages as well as Aba road by Intel axis.

He said that although no life was lost in the flood, economic activities and farming were affected at ABS Road Axis and Ahoada farmlands.

The coordinator said the State government had constructed drainage on major roadsides for free flow of water while sensitisation effort by NEMA were still ongoing.

to be wary of saboteurs whom, he alleged, had been mobilised by opposition to work against the interest of the party.

According to him, “some of the opposition members have started visiting our members to woo them to work against their party.”

Umeh, who is the immediate past National Chairman of APGA, said that nobody could claim to be working more tirelessly for the party than him.

He, however, said that he would not wish anyone else to relive the ugly experience he had while fighting for the party.

The lawmaker commended the party leadership for working tirelessly in ensuring a landslide victory for APGA during the governorship polls.

He appealed to them not to rest on their oars, saying that the task ahead was enormous.

Speaking on the sideline in an interview with journalists, Umeh underscored the need for the restructuring of Nigeria.

“There is a strong need for whosoever that would win the 2019 presidential election to restructure the country. Restructuring of Nigeria has become a common campaign tool by every political party and I feel that this is imperative for the nation to move forward,” he said.

“Dariye is very important to our party, unfortunately, this happened to him. It is not that we cannot win elections without him; we can win without him, but he has done a lot and is well loved by his people.

“Somebody could be in the hospital or prison and pick a nomination from from there. We have no right to deny anyone a nomination form. Even INEC cannot stop Dariye from contesting the 2019 elections.

“There is no law that stops him from buying the form. Whoever comes for the nomination form can get it. I see it as a constitutional matter. Only the court can disqualify him.

“If Dariye wins elections from prison, he will not be the first Nigerian to do that. Iyiola Omisore, from Osun, once won a senate seat while in prison,’’ Dafat pointed out However, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the development as “shocking, strange and embarrassing’’.

“It is shocking that a convict serving a 14-year jail term will be given a nomination form to contest an election. This is just ridiculous,’’ Mr Ben Shignugul, PDP Vice Chairman (Plateau Central), told NAN. “The nomination form has a portion which requests aspirants to state whether they were once convicted; I wonder what information Dariye provided in that column.

“He (Dariye) is our illustrious son and we sympathise with him. We expect him to be sober and reflect on what has happened to him, instead of allowing himself to be dragged around by desperate politicians,’’ he said.

Shignugul said that the Plateau PDP executive council, led by its chairman, Damishi Sango, recently visited Dariye in Kuje prisons and prayed for him.

“We still pray that he will serve out his 14-year jail term and come out in good health.

“Dariye should equally be praying, instead of attracting unnecessary attention to himself,’’ Shignugul said.

The PDP official, however, said that the party was not afraid of facing Dariye, or any other APC candidate, in the 2019 general elections.

“Dariye cannot be a threat to us because people in the zone are already fed up with him after eight years as governor and two terms in the senate,’’ Shignugul claimed.

But, section 107 sub-section 1 (d) of the Nigeria Constitution 1999 as amended, states that no person shall be qualified for election if, within a period of less than 10 years before the date of election, he has been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty.

It also states that anyone that has been found guilty of contravening the code of conduct shall not be allowed to contest election.

36

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

News

2019: Abuja godfathers, stakeholders battle for soul of PDP in C’River From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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S the crisis besetting the People’s Democratic Party over the choice of candidates in the next general elections festers, a group of stakeholders have denounced the planned seizure of the party structures in the state by Abuja based godfathers.

The peace which the party in the state has enjoyed over the years has been disrupted following the choice of candidates to fly the party’s flag in next year’s general elections.

The fight for the soul of the party stems from the recent decision of the party hierarchy to grant automatic tickets to all its legislators from the state at the national level and this has cut short the aspirations of other party men and also disrupted the local zoning arrangements that are in place in the respective senatorial districts and federal constituencies across the state.

As the time for primaries draws close, the battle for the soul of the party seems to have intensified as some stakeholders have raised the alarm over the hijack of party structure by Abuja-based politicians.

The stakeholders, which comprise senior citizens, former legislators at the federal, state, local levels and former political appointees, are worried that the Governor Ben Ayade has been boxed into surrendering the party structure in the state to Abuja-based political godfathers.

According to them, the hijack of party structure by the Abuja based group has polarized the party at the state level caused undue interference into the on-going selection processes of aspirants into various offices of state and national assembly.

Speaking Oracle Today in Calabar over the ugly development, the spokesperson of the group, Chief Nathaniel Okon Esua, flayed the attempt by the Abuja group to handpick candidates for political offices not minding the implications it

would have on the party ahead of 2019.

Esua, an indigene of Biase in Central Cross River and former a former board member of Federal Medical Centre Abakaliki said the party has been reduced to a one-man show and a broad spectrum of party men have been sidelined in the process for selecting candidates.

“The PDP in the state has been reduced to a one-man-show as party members are totally side-lined in terms of making input on who represents the various state and federal constituencies as was the case.

“Before now we used to have caucus meetings at wards, local and state levels to decide who-andhow one gets what and then create a soft landing for those who will lose out of the power game. In the end, we go into the election with one voice. But today the reverse is the case as the party leadership has been hijacked by strong men in Abuja, leaving us with no option”.

On his part, a former special assistant to the governor of the state, Hon Otu Ewah, decried the intrigues stressing that the godfathers in Abuja may be working against the interest of the governor.

He said the party leadership in the state should be given free hands to perform its functions in the state and not take the state back to what happened in the botched second republic.

“I can see the high intrigues and unseen hand of some prominent party bigwigs based in Abuja who are discreetly working against every Ayade’s move and some of his political allies in the race.

“We are not against anybody contesting or having an interest in any candidate, but what are against is the imposition of candidates. All we want is a level playing ground for all party members to express their intention and taste their popularity in the field. PDP is in a new era and so we don’t want any form of impunity in the state chapter.

“The party leadership in the state should be allowed to perform its functions rather than dictating to

them who to choose and who not to choose.

“It is quite undemocratic and therefore taking us back to the NPN-NPP era when we had Abuja Front and Home Front fighting for the soul of Cross River,” he stated.

On his part, an aspirant from Etung said the governor is in a fix with this development and if the

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dry ports in 2006 and which were currently at various stages of completion.

He said that the AMES-Edo Inland Dry Port had fulfilled substantially most of the requirements for a PPP, adding that the project was already awarded a four-star status few months ago.

“By this, it means the project is ready to go and the full might of the Federal Government is behind the project,” he said.

Mr Humphrey Azeke of the ICRC, gave assurance that the council would continue to provide the needed guideline for the regulation and implementation of the project.

Senior Special Assistant to Edo Government on Investment Promotion, Mr Kelvin Uwaibi, said that the state government was working assiduously to see that businesses in the state thrive.

He said that the state was anxious to see the commencement of activities at the port.

Chief Executive Officer, At-

fices in PDP. “The party leadership in the state is equally powerless as they have no say in the ongoing congresses and pending primaries. So we call on party members to rise against this position else we work against the party at the appropriate time”, he said.

•A cross section of attendees at a reception in honour Mr. Udom Emmanuel, Sports Governor of the Year 2017 and Akwa United Football Club, AITEO Cup Champions 2017, which held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Uyo Wednesday.

Ayade’s bold vision is what Nigeria needs – Saraki

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ENATE President and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential aspirant, Dr Bukola Saraki, Wednesday, said that the bold vision of the Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, as encapsulated in his signature projects of the Deep Seaport and the Super Highway, was what the nation desires at

FG restates commitment to AMES-Edo Inland Dry Port EW months to the inauguration of the AMES-Edo Inland Dry Port, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to see to the operation of the project.

NSC Deputy Director, Public Private Partnership (PPP), Mr Glory Onojedo, said this in Benin on Monday.

Onojedo spoke during the physical inspection of the project by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Council (ICRC) and the NSC at Agbonmoba community near Benin.

He also restated the commitment of the NSC Director General to the implementation of the project, saying that it was the wish of government that export cargo would start originating from the various states across the country.

He said that ports in the hinterland would assist in decongesting ports and roads in Lagos.

Onojedo said that government concessioned six inland

actions of the stakeholders are not curtailed, it may undermine the chances of the party in the next elections.

“Ayade is in a fix because the Abuja-based big politicians have taken control and calling the shots of who gets and how. He cannot even help his own friends who are interested in running for political of-

lantique Marine Engineering Services (AMES), the Promoters of AMES-Edo Inland Dry Port, Dr Charles Akhigbe, said the project, among others, would help accelerate socio-economic transformation of Edo and the South-South in general.

He said it would also drive export business of the state as well as assist in reduction of overall cost of transit cargo to landlocked neighbouring states and countries.

He said that this was because investigation had shown that 70 per cent of cargo cosigned to the Lagos Port complex was destined for the hinterland.

Representatives of the Federal Ministries of Transport and Finance, South-South Chambers of Commerce and Benin Chambers of Commerce were at present at the event.

The others represented were Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Edo State Export Cluster and representatives of the host community.

this point in time.

Saraki, who was at the State Executive Chamber Calabar with his campaign team to canvass support for his aspiration come October 5th and 6th Presidential convention, maintained that all the nation needs is a President that supports business.

“You have a governor who said I want to build a deep seaport, and to show his thinking, he maintained that after the port, I have to evacuate the items through a superhighway, that is a big idea and that is what this country requires and desires. I believe we need a government that supports business and that interacts with the private sector as government cannot do all alone,” the presidential aspirant remarked.

He intimated that his administration will create an enabling environment for investors, pointing out that, “the time is over for sentiment as sentiment has not taken us anywhere in leadership. It is time for capacity and ability, I have the courage, determination and doggedness to beat all these.”

Continuing, Saraki who is also the Waziri Ilorin said, “ There is a new world order, it requires a President that is mobile, digital, and with the capacity that can plan for his people and has a destination that the people seek.

Everybody is waiting for when all these will come to Nigeria, it has finally come at this time.”

The Presidential Aspirant further admitted that the nation cannot afford to make mistakes at

this point in time as, “it is not just about voting out APC, it is about voting out APC, restructuring and repairing Nigeria,” adding that, “to achieve all these, we need a president that knows what the issues are.”

Responding, Ayade noted that Cross River was bedeviled by the security challenges from Cameroon, not benefitting from the 13 percent derivation, the loss of 76 oil wells and its revenue that is less than the salary of an expanded workforce. He pleaded for a sovereign guarantee to allow direct foreign investment.

The Governor who was emotional at some point argued that, “you cannot dislodge and dislocate the people of Bakassi to look as if they are IDPs in their own State and town. You deny them access to the oil wells, you take away all they got,” reasoning that “all they ask is to support them build their deep seaport as a means to create an alternative income.”

Ayade also said: “I believe that the Nigeria we see, the Nigeria we look forward to tomorrow, it is the Nigeria that creates opportunity for egalitarian distribution of wealth, creating opportunity for each Federating State to have the opportunity to harness its potentials.”

To the delegates, the Governor advised them to vote according to their conscience for the very best they want for the nation and make the only choice that will bring prosperity to the State

37

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS

Edo Govt/BEDC disagree over power outage in 444 communities

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o fewer than 444 communities, spread across the 18 Local Government Areas of Edo are without electricity, Mr Yekini Idaiye, the State Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources says.

Idaye made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Benin on Saturday.

He said from the figure, 157 communities were yet to be connected to the national grid.

The commissioner explained that about 32 of the communities were disconnected by the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), while 145 communities had faulty transformers.

Idaiye, in addition, said another 110 communities required network rehabilitation.

While expressing the government commitment to ensure every communities in the state is electrified, he stated that Orhionmwon, Uhunmwode and Ovia North East council areas, as the worst hit.

“Indeed, the government is very much worried with this development and has taken a position by setting up “Ward Development Committees” whose mandate is to identify the problem being faced by the communities.

“The committee which is made up of 10 persons per ward also has the mandate of identifying the priority needs of a particular community or ward.

Idaiye said members of the ward committees were drawn from the traditional and religious leaders as well as politicians.

“As you may have rightly guessed, electricity which happens to be one of the priority needs, is been accorded a priority by the state government,” he said.

Idaiye noted that the challenges are age-long and regretted that the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), have failed to be alive to its responsibility in ensuring an effective power supply.

According to him, the BEDC is not helping matter, it is their statutory responsibility to provide electricity and

they are not meeting up with this responsibility.

“We have met severally on this issue, yet they are not forthcoming, he said.

However, in a swift reaction, the BEDC denied ever disconnecting any community in the state and expressed doubt that over 440 communities were without electricity in Edo. The company’s Chief State Head, Mr Fidelis Obishai, told NAN that issues of decaying infrastructure are age-long and was inherited by the utility company.

He stated that the BEDC which had since taken over the asset and liability of the defunct PHCN in November 2013, had carried out, and still carrying out, network rehabilitation as well as changed no fewer than 150 transformers in Edo alone.

“To start with, I do not quite agree with the number of communities, the question is, how many communities do you have in Edo that you will have such a figure without electricity? On this issue of disconnecting some communities and those with faulty transformers, we do not just go about disconnecting people or communities, rather, they naturally disconnect themselves.

“BEDC is a business entity and a situation where you are owing and you refuse to pay, when you have issue and you come to us we ask you to pay and if you still refuse, we don’t attend to such problems.

“Look at the case of Okpella, where they are refusing to pay and still beating up our staff. What we did was that we simply withdrew our services by not attending to faults from such area, and not disconnection as alleged.

“Since we took over the utility, BEDC has invested a lot to improve on the infrastructure we met on ground, it is an ongoing thing.” he stated.

According to him, the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has not been inaugurated by the Rivers government.

• President Muhammadu Buhari declaring open the 2018 African Ports and Hinterland connectivity Regional Conference held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja

Motorists warned to drive carefully at Tarzan Junction

By ANYAMAGHIOBI TOCHUKWU otorists plying Enugu-Onitsha Expressway have been advised to drive carefully while approaching the popular Tarzan Junction, a major intersection at the Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State end of the busy highway, to avoid fatal mishaps.

The Tarzan Junction is notorious for frequent but avoidable road accidents, which have claimed the lives of many commuters and motorists alike.

The accidents occur due mainly to impatience on the part of motorists who, in an apparent hurry to make many intra or inter-State trips, often try to beat road traffic police commands, thereby hitting, in the process, vehicles that have been given the green-light to move.

A resident of the area, Mrs. Ngozi Okwudiba told The Oracle Today that although the residents were happy when the road was reconstructed some six years back, the rate of accidents on the road, espe-

cially at that junction had become worrisome.

She, therefore urged the authorities to do something about the situation.

“We were happy when this road was under construction but since then, we have been in sorrow because many accidents have claimed the lives of our loved ones; I lost one of my relatives on these road in 2015,” she said lamented.

According to Okwudiba, who said she had lived in the neighbourhood for “many years now”, a fatal accident was recorded along that road three years after its construction and many others have occurred there thereafter.

“These accidents usually occur as a result of reckless driving, which endangers especially the lives of roadside hawkers around the area,” she explained. “There is need for a roundabout at the Tarzan Junction.

This will slow down the speed at which motorists descend the Nkpor bridge that terminates at the junction.”

Agonising over the number of

accidents that had occurred at that junction, which she had herself witnessed, Mrs Ijeoma Okeke, a trader along the road close to the junction said: “I have witnessed several accidents on this road. Most times, we leave our goods and run for our dear lives so as not to be victims of any accident. In order to save lives, government should send down good and qualified road safety workers and also commission the construction of a roundabout; these would help curb the rate of accidents here.”

An Anambra State traffic police officer who would not disclose her name, noted that the situation would have been worse but for the presence of traffic wardens at the junction, especially at peak periods in the morning and evening.

“These motorists are so impatient that most often they would move even after you have waved them to a stop. In the process, they get involved in mishaps. But, we are dealing with the situation as best we can. It could have been much worse if we weren’t here,” she said.

Governor Emmanuel dismissed the promise of a one term by the APC promoters, saying: “In four years, how many investors will you talk to? So how many of those factories will arrive for our people to work in?”

He urged his opponents to “tell Akwa Ibom people what they are going to do for Akwa Ibom. I have never heard that for once.”

Continuing, the Governor said: “Anyone who controls all the monies of the International Oil Companies, two percent of their budgets

plus budgets of nine states and you don’t have a kilometre of road to show. Even the village you come from, there is no transformer. So what magic will you perform?”

He said his administration can show a lot that he has done in the state in the last three years, and it would be appropriate to also have a glimpse of the programmes and ideas they are bringing to the table.

“It is not a time for story-telling.

Let’s look at whether people are coming to loot the little that we have or they are actually coming to add

value,” Mr. Emmanuel added.

The Governor, who was impressed with the number of aspirants gunning for the country’s number one plum job on the platform of his party, said it was an indication that the PDP was the most sought after party which has the solutions to the myriads of problems plaguing the country.

“I want to believe, at the end of the day, whoever we will bring out as a candidate should have a whole lot of solutions to the problems in this country.”

M

Emmanuel flays NDDC’s abysmal showing in Akwa Ibom

G

overnor Udom Emmanuel has urged aspirants showing interest in his seat to first tell Akwa Ibom people how they are making good use of their current public offices to the benefit of the people of the state.

Speaking with Government House reporters shortly on arrival from official engagements at the Ibom International Airport, Governor Emmanuel dismissed the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, saying they have don’t sound like people with any genuine agenda for

the state.

Apparently ruing the failure of the NDDC under the headship of Mr Nsima Ekere to execute any tangible project in Akwa Ibom in the last three years, Governor Emmanuel quipped: “If those they want to bring control budgets of nine states and all the IOCs and you are in Akwa Ibom, you’ve been here over how many years now, we’ve not seen even a kilometre of road commissioned with such mongoose sum of money, so what will they now do when they pledged to do four years?”

THE ORACLE BUSINESS ARENA

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known as AGBOR SAM EVAL now wish to be known as AGBOR EVALSAM ENYA. All former documents remain valid. Please Banks and General Public take note.

I formerly known as AZUBUIKE CHIDIMMA GIFT now wish to be known as NNAKWE CHIHIMMA. All former documents remain valid.

Please Banks and General Public take note.

I formerly known as UCHECHUKWU MICHAEL UDEGBUNAM now wish to be known as UCHENNA UDEGBUNAM. All former documents remain valid. Please Banks and General Public take note.

I formerly known as OKPEEKE BASSEY now wish to be known as UKA DANDY UFERE. All former documents remain valid, Banks and General public take note

I formerly known as AWARA EMENG EGOR now wish to be known as AWARA KINGSLEY EGOR. All former documents remain valid.Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as EZUBELU CHINWOKE DUMEBI now wish to be known as OKAFOREZUBELU CHINWOKE DUMEBI. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

38

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

Love and Living

...With Ireto Temofeh

MODEL OF THE WEEK

LOVE NEWS

Princess of York’s ex Dave Clark marries Lynn Anderson in a lavish beach wedding

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Name: Didi Ekanem • If you want to be our next ORACLE GIRL, e-mail or forward your photos/data to ireto007@yahoo.com. Call 07031028714.

ODD NEWS

This $10.95 Australian toner beloved by celebrities is so popular that one sells every 52 seconds

A

hydrating mist created by an Australian company is proving so popular, it has caught the attention of A-list Hollywood celebrities.

The product by Sukin is made from natural ingredients including chamomile and rosewater.

And it costs a mere $10.95.

Actress Emma Watson recently endorsed the budget-friendly spritz on her Instagram page, where the post received more than 58,000 likes.

She wrote: ‘Sukin is an Australian brand committed to offsetting their carbon emissions through clean energy biomass

project in India’.

As would be expected, such endorsements have led to the product becoming a beauty must-have.

The brand now report a sale of the product every 52 seconds.

Hair stylist to the stars, Jon Chapman, is also a big fan of the Sukin range.

Recently he created gorgeous looks for Australian model Shanina Shaik and actress Elizabeth Olsen who were both attending a red carpet event at Cannes.

In an Instagram post, the stylist revealed he used Sukin’s hydrating mist as a hair controlling

product on Elizabeth Olsen’s stunning locks and the brand’s skincare products to create a high-gloss look for Shanina.

‘Fantastic quick fix for any woman on an early morning or tight working schedule!,’ he wrote on the post.

All of the products produced

by Sukin are Australian made, with ingredients that are naturally derived, cruelty-free and 100 per cent vegan.

YouTube makeup stars, including 21-year-old Australian Maddy Lee, have also commented on the performance of Sukin’s hydrating mist.

rincess Beatrice’s ex-boyfriend Dave Clark has married Lynn Anderson in a lavish Italian wedding over the weekend.

Dave, 33, who dated Beatrice for ten years before their split in 2016, said his I dos at a lavish beach side wedding in Puglia,Italy on Saturday.

The couple, who have been dating for two years, said their vows in front of an all-star guest list including the likes of model Sara Sampaio and Ashton Kutcher.

Lynn, a New York advertising executive, looked every bit the fairy tale bride in a figure hugging lace gown as she married Dave on Saturday.

The pair met in the US, where Dave is an executive for cab app Uber and she was a director of partnerships and portfolio products at NBC Universal in New York.

Dave and Lynn were married over looking a spectacular sea view at the Apulian resort of Borgo Egnazia before hosting a buzzing reception at a built for purpose beach club.

Several guests shared snaps of ‘The Clark’s beach club’ (which some clocked for unfortunate typo) complete with custom made napkins with the slogan ‘Save water drink Rose’ printed on them.

Borgo Egnazia is a five star luxury resort with its size compared to a ‘small village’ complete with ocean views which guests could be seen taking full advantage of for their wedding snaps.

The resort has a total area of about 4.000 sqm, and features a large banqueting room, several swimming pools and is equipped to hold up to 300 guests and has 63 on sight bedrooms.

Borgo Egnazia is located between Apulian land and the enchanting Adriatic coastline, and therefore guests of the Clark wedding were likely to enjoy a variety of vegetables and fish as the main ingredients of the wedding menu in line with the Medi-

terranean tradition.

To hire out the venue in its entirety would have set the newlyweds no less than €150,000 (£132,317) a day according to local travel sites and has previously played host to the wedding of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel.

The no expense spared wedding was clearly a hit among guests who took to social media to share snaps from the event.

Sara Sampaio was quick to congratulate the couple on her Instagram story sharing a photo of the happy couple’s first kiss as well as a snap of her wedding invite.

Meanwhile American entrepreneur Scooter Braun gushed over the newlyweds, sharing a photo of their first dance captioning it: ‘Congrats to David and Lynn Clark on a beautiful wedding filled with laughter and love and more laughter and some dancing and some donuts.

‘Shotgun Anderson will always be my hero. Love to you guys and your new family! Cheers!’

Meanwhile his Instagram story captured the very high profile guest list with Ashton Kutcher spotted in the background of one of his snaps.

Guests partied into the night with the bride swapping her chic chignon for beach waves as she joined attendees on the dance floor.

One noticeable absentee was of course Princess Beatrice who was spotted arriving for lunch at the Club 55 restaurant in Saint Tropez alongside her mother Sarah Ferguson on Saturday.

The Queen’s grand-daughter, 29, was said to be ‘devastated’ after she split from her longterm beau, reffered to as ‘Mr Smiley’ by Sarah Ferguson in 2016, reportedly after she gave him an ultimatum to marry - although sources told the Mail that they were long drifting apart.

Daily Mail

ROMANTIC JOKE Wife: “Our new neighbor always kisses his wife when he leaves for work. Why don’t you do that?”

Husband: “How can I? I don’t even know her.”

39

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

True Confession

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y name is Femi and I shared the greatest love of my life with a beautiful lady called Amina. I remember there were people that said beautiful things about our relationship.

They called it a Cinderella story, something beyond perfect. But sadly, the relationship had to end. In February this year, my lover, Amina, finally told me that there was more going on than I thought between her and the Alhaji from Kano.

I had been in a long distance relationship for 3 years with Amina, and I thought things were working and that the relationship was leading to marriage. But the truth was that Amina was only interested in dating any man that has a lot of cash to spend on her.

Her list of boyfriends included several white men and black Nigerian sugar daddies especially rich Muslim men from the Northern part of the country.

Initially, a friend of Amina had sent me emails, telling me how Amina and one particular Alhaji were always seen together.

I demanded to hear the truth from Amina herself. But Amina avoided my questions and kept torturing me with thoughts of her and Alhaji actually making love.

After a week she finally admitted the story was true, and that was the moment our relationship ended.

I loved her so much that I was actually willing to forgive her if she still wanted me, but without words she let me know that she preferred Alhaji to me.

I had been in love with Amina for so long, thinking I was indispensable to her, and foolishly believing that what we shared was true love.

But to her, I was dispensable, something she could exchange for a rich man.

I cried my eyes out for love of Amina, because she was my life. I had given her so much of my life that when the relationship ended I didn’t even remember who I was anymore.

After Amina broke up with me, I developed a minor mental problem.

I became a crippled monster that needed love to walk. I was addicted to Amina like cocaine, and I couldn’t live without her.

Sometimes, I felt the love I once had for Amina change into hate and I kept asking myself, “How could she do this to me?” “What have I done to deserve this?”

Amina called me after we broke up, saying that she wanted us to remain friends. But I told her that it would be better we remain enemies.

That’s because when you have dated for that long and loved someone with all your heart, friendship is like knowing a sword has pierced your heart, and yet you pretend that it didn’t and keep deceiving yourself.

I stopped receiving Amina’s

She died because of her love for money Your memory is a memory of flowers, Loving you was the greatest moment of my life.

“ I demanded to hear the truth from Amina herself. But Amina avoided my questions and kept torturing me with thoughts of her and Alhaji actually making love. After a week she finally admitted the story was true, and that was the moment our relationship ended. ” ‘friendship’ calls altogether, even when I knew she was trying to talk Alhaji into getting me a job with an oil company as a way of consoling me for breaking my heart.

But on April 24th, I received the news that Amina had died in a ghastly motor accident on her way to Kaduna state to inform her parents of her upcoming marriage to

Alhaji. She was to be Alhaji’s fourth wife.

I was devastated at the news of Amina’s death. But I noticed that Alhaji went about as usual with his girlfriends as if nothing had happened.

I wonder why girls don’t love guys that love them, but fall for rich men who don’t love them. I was dying

for Amina, but instead of dying for me, she was dying for Alhaji.

Amina died for love of Alhaji and ruined my life. How can I ever love again? I wish I had married Amina before she died. I wish things had turned out differently, like in the Cinderella story. Part of me has died with Amina.

40

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

Relationships and Love Advice

He is only using me for sex

Love Search Women seeking relationship/ marriage Blessing, 26, fair, fat, in Anambra, needs a responsible, God-fearing and buoyant man of 40-55 years that can take good care of her.

08038198746.

Mojisola, 43, works in Lagos, needs a Yoruba man of 45-50 years for marriage. 08091027827.

Uchechi, 36, a graduate, tall, fair, needs a tall, fair, graduate, Igbo evangelist, pastor or God fearing Igbo man for marriage. 08052366993.

Wunmi, works in Lagos, needs a working Yoruba man from 32-45 years who attends Cherubim & Seraphim for marriage. 09075839386.

Joy, 30, graduate, tall, light in complexion, from Kogi, living in Kaduna, wants a responsible graduate, Christian man within 35-42 years for marriage. 08127651483.

Lora, graduate, works, HIV Positive, based in Jos, wants a HIV positive man of 35-40 years for marriage. 08090925014.

Chichi, 28, from Abia, needs a caring, God fearing, loving man for marriage. 08130775977.

Dear Love Doctor, I’m presently in a relationship with a guy who has been a good friend to me from my secondary school days. We have sex but the problem is that I love him but he doesn’t love me. He’s only using me for sex. He always says that he likes me as a friend but that he isn’t in love with me, yet he enjoys having sex with me. I’ve tried to use sex to make him love me but it isn’t working. What do I do?

From Grace.

Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Grace,

H

I’m not going to say that he’s using you because I think he may truly see you as a friend, otherwise he would be telling you what you want to hear to get what he wants out of you.

Remember, what you are doing with him, you are doing of your own free will. So you are also to blame. But if you think having sex with him will make him love you. It won’t.

Peace, 33, fair, HIV positive, from Imo, needs an educated, HIV positive Igbo man of 35-42 years from East or Delta for marriage. 07065323282.

Blessing, 33, from Imo, in Lagos, fat, busty, single mother, needs a matured man of 45years+ for marriage. 08025117116, 08053407885.

Thanks,

e isn’t lying to you. That’s a good thing. He doesn’t love you and he isn’t telling you he does to get what he wants from you. He also likely isn’t going to fall in love with you. Ever. It’s always better for you to hear the truth.

Roseline, 38, chocolate, from Cross River, living in Port Harcourt, needs a honest, mature, caring, god-fearing and well-to-do man of 40-50 years for marriage. 08180072310.

hurting yourself unnecessarily by having sex with your friend who you are in love with. Move on. Sex is great fun. It feels good. And it is possible to have sex with your friends without it meaning anything other than both of you wanted to have fun with each other.

Announcements If your birthday is in the month of July, send your beautiful birthday pictures and let’s celebrate you! Send your birthday pictures now to ireto007 @yahoo.com move on and learn from your mistake. You are worthy of love, respect and affection. Don’t be an object for anyone to satisfy their physical needs. Please be careful with that guy.. I believes that guy is treating you as an entertaining object in the name of friendship.

However for you, this isn’t just harmless fun. But for him, it is harmless fun. And that’s why you feel so disheartened. So I would advise you to forget him and move on. You can stay just Don’t run after people who friends with him if you like, but are not worthy in your life. stop having sex with him for There are lot more people availyour own good. able in this world. Learn to love those who love you a lot, underRemember that you have stands you a lot and care about control over your future and you a lot. Love people who are My suggestion is that you stop present. So please, for the sake also there with you in any situhaving sex with him. You are of your self respect and dignity ation.

Do you have advice on this problem? Please share your thoughts. Call 07031028714 or 08131161840.

Email: ireto007@yahoo.com Do you have a marriage/wedding, birthday, anniversary or club or town meeting announcement to make? Call 07031028714 now!

Chioma, 27, tall, homely, graduate, from Anambra, wants a hard working, understanding man of 28 years+ for a serious relationship. 08066521152.

Ayo, 29, gentle, sexy, needs a reliable and sexually active man of 30-45years for a lasting relationship.

08066642286.

E-Mail: ireto007@yahoo.com Go to foodstuffs. com.ng. Call Love Doctor: 07031028714, 08131161840.

Men seeking relationship/ marriage Lanre, self-employed, needs a very fair girl who is ready to have a baby and start a family. She should either be Yoruba or a Northerner. 07030595988.

Emmy, tall, handsome, works in Lagos, wants a mature, sexy, nurse or working lady from 23-35 years in Lagos for a relationship leading to marriage. 08077821830.

Uche needs a tall, busty, working lady in Lagos between 20-40 years. 08131161840.

Chigozie, 37, from Ebonyi, fair, 5.6ft, works in Lagos, needs a God-fearing, working class lady for a relationship leading to marriage. 08164630953.

John, 52, a widower with two kids, from Edo, in Lagos, needs a fair, plump, Christian woman.

08025313929.

Ogbonna, 40, from Ebonyi, in Abuja, business man, needs a working class lady between 30-40 years for marriage. 09069054706.

41

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

It happened to me:

I made them break up by making a fake call

M

y boyfriend Donny and I had been together for almost two years and although we didn’t live together we were inseparable. Every Friday night we would head to the local pub together and because we lived in a small town we knew most people there.

One night, I returned from the bathroom to find him chatting to a flirty brunette who I’d never met before. He introduced me to Julie and quickly explained that they went to primary school together and hadn’t seen each other in years.

I soon forgot about her until one day a friend told me that she had seen Donny and a mysterious brunette eating lunch at a local cafe. I decided to confront Donny about.

Donny laughed it off and said that he

was having lunch with his sister and that I was being paranoid.

But my suspicions didn’t leave me, and they weren’t helped by the fact that we began to stay together less and less. And when we did, upon his insistence, we only stayed at my place.

When I received a phone bill of his a few days letter, I couldn’t help myself — I had to open it. Donny had made several late-night calls to a mystery number, which I soon confirmed was Julie’s. It seemed that they were making a lot of contact for two old primary school friends who hadn’t seen each other in 10 years.

I was convinced that Donny was cheating on me but he wouldn’t budge, not matter how much I probed him, so I decided to call Julie.

I cleared my throat, dialled her number and put on my most official-sounding voice.

“Hello Julie, this is Heather from the local healthcare clinic. I have something very private I need to discuss with you”.

“OK,” she replied slowly.

“It’s concerning your friend Donny. He is very embarrassed at the moment and has asked me to contact you on his behalf regarding the results of his STD test. Donny put your details on a list of people he has had intercourse with in the last six months. Is this correct?”

I could hear Julie gasp before blurting out, “Yes, but what’s wrong with him? Oh my God ... Am I going to be all right?!”

I could hardly contain my anger and

slight amusement at her freaking out, so I swiftly ended the conversation. “Well you better get yourself checked out then. Bye!” I was so hurt by what Donny did but I figured that there was little point in bringing it up with him, if he hadn’t been truthful to me all this time, why would he start now? I broke up with him two days later saying that we had grown apart and, between that and all of the STD rumours about him flying around, that it made sense to just put it behind me.

Besides, I had a few old friends that I wanted to look up myself. *Do you have a story or comment about this confession?

Call 07031028714.

42

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

The Law and You

With Barr. Ken Akpom 08162016410

Rape

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his edition’s topic –rape- is one of the social evils that have been eating deep into societies today and most people fail to report the crime because of so many reasons such as the destruction of the image of the victim, the young girl, the relationship between the perpetuator of the crime and the victim of the crime.

This type of crime in criminology is termed “victimless crime”. Do not call me a pastor or minister of God but you should not forget that one of the greatest impacts the Law profession has on Lawyers is that it makes them “ministers in the temple of Justice”.

Yes, we are always for truth and those who do not want to understand it turn it the other way round. Coming to the topic in question, rape is rampart in this country as most perpetrators have not been taught the consequences of their actions. Some if not most of them (the perpetrators) see it as a plus to their achievements in life.

“Oh! Boy!! I don nak this one-o-o”, “Ah! Dis one get figure 8 and I must show-am” are some of the slangs used by these perpetrators before and after committing this social evil. Most of our higher institutions are not left out.

Young and intelligent boys who are sent to school with hard earned money by their parents as soon as they enter make bad friends or make bad friends with the sole aim of harassing and molesting innocent female colleagues of

theirs, and in so doing commit a crime of which they do not know the consequences of jail term as to be discussed below and even worse the shame, disgrace, ridicule and in most cases resultant death of the parents of both sides and in some cases death of the victim who was psychologically, morally and physically subdued to death.

In some cases, the perpetrators even organized parties or take out or give out drugged drinks to the innocent victim and perform this act believing it is not a crime in Law. Some being more masculine and stronger than the female partner used force on them and even tore their pants and/or soaked their dresses in water to make it impossible for the victim to leave their houses or rooms or hostel in school and compelled them to un-consorted sexual intercourse.

Even while the victim is shouting “Stop! Stop!! Stop it!!!” they continue not knowing that the crime they are committing under the name of enjoyment is to lead them to life imprisonment of suffering. There are more of such cases and these prompted this very important topic in this edition.

Sexual Assault Sexual assault can take many different forms, but one thing remains the same: it’s never the victim’s fault.

Case 1

What is sexual assault?

The term sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim.

Some forms of sexual assault include: • Attempted rape • Fondling or unwanted sexual touching • Forcing a victim to perform sexual acts, such as oral sex or penetrating the perpetrator’s body • Penetration of the victim’s body, also known as rape.

What is rape?

Rape is a form of sexual assault, but not all sexual assault is rape. The term rape is often used as a legal definition to specifically include sexual penetration without consent.

Using the USA as an example, for its Uniform Crime Reports, the FBI defines rape as “penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” Every country or jurisdiction including Nigeria has its own legal definition of rape and other forms of sexual assault. * To be continued next week.

Case 2

Is it rape to fondle my girlfriend’s breasts while she is sleeping?

Dear lawyer, Please I fondled the breasts of my girlfriend when I entered her room one night and met her sleeping. But I didn’t have sexual knowledge of her or penetrate her vagina. Can I be charged for rape?

From Peter, Owerri, IMO state.

My ex wife is threatening to report me for rape Dear lawyer, I divorced my wife about five years ago but anytime I see her moving and shaking her bottom I feel moved. One day, I took courage and sneaked into her residence and begged her for sexual intercourse and she refused, but I forced her and penetrated her vagina. She threatened to report me for rape. Please is she right?

Answer: No. In rape there must be sexual intercourse without the consent of the victim. Also, penetration into her vagina is necessary to prove. However, what you did could constitute sexual assault and/or attempted rape, sexual abuse, gross indecency, etc; because you touched her (while she was sleeping) without her consent. Next time, don’t touch anybody without the explicit consent of that person because the victim can accuse you of attempted rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, etc. Stop taking advantage of people sexually, especially when they are sleeping, because it can get you into serious trouble. Consult any lawyer around you or call me for more explanation.

From Abiodun, Ibadan, Oyo state.

Answer: Yes; you committed the crime because it was done by force and without her consent as an ex

• Do you have questions or seek legal clarification on issues concerning your marriage, probate, property, etc? Call or send a text message to Barr. Ken: 08162016410, 08075763840. Email: kenakpom@yahoo.com

43

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT

With Douglas Omoyooma

Sometimes I feel I didn’t do enough for mum – Abounce, late Bukky Ajayi’s son Musician, actor and son of late movie legend, Bukky Ajayi, Abounce (Kunle fawole), has disclosed that he is till missing his mum a couple years after she passed on in 2015.

“It was a very sad moment for me; she died in my arms,” he says recalling the day she died. “One thing I won’t forget she told me was always to pray and to believe in myself. I miss her dearly.”

Any fond memories of her? “I can’t pick on one particular moment as my fondest. I think just having her as my mother was so much of a blessing. Sometimes I feel I didn’t do enough for her.

Though born with a silver spoon, the rapper turned actor and moviemaker says he was not a pampered kid: “Growing up with my mum would probably be the same with every other kid that grew up with their mums.

There was a healthy balance of love, pampering and discipline. And when needed, very strict discipline.

There was this air of humility that she carried; she wasn’t about being a celebrity and that is the same mentally I have grown to adopt.”

A movie legend who inspired generateions of Nigerian thespians, late Bully Ajayi died in 2016 at the ripe age of 82. Among others, Ajayi was a pioneer actress on the now defunct Village Headmaster.

veered into moviemaking in 2008 and to this day he was won several awards. He opens up on why he relegated music to the background.

“To say I have veered into movies makes it sound like I am just a couple of years in the movie industry. It was a calculated decision to become an actor. I have been working my a** out and thank God, I am getting results.

“There are a number of projects that should be out in a bit. The music part of my life is still alive and well but is on hold for a bit or as long as needed.”

What has been your happiest moment? “I guess it will have to be when I got my nomination for best up coming actor at that AAMA awards, 2008, the recognition was a blast for me.”

“Growing up with my mum would probably be the same with every other kid that grew up with their mums. There was a healthy balance of love, Nigerian music scene pampering and In his day, the contemporary discipline. And music scene in when needed, Nigeria was still in its infancy. Today very strict it has produced global acts like Wizdiscipline.” kid and Davido who

Movies After many years of life as a successful career as a rapper, Abounce

are making their mark across the world. What is his take on the music scene.

“The music industry is on the rise and with likes of Wizkid and Davido no doubt leading the charge and it is getting more exciting. In my day it was more of passion and little money but today, these young ones are sweeping endorsements all over the place and leading the charge, I don’t see it slowing down any time soon.”

• Abounce

44

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

NEWS

donates relief Man, 35, docked for allegedly Group materials to IDPs in Plateau raping 67-year-old woman A

A

35-year-old man, Samuel Gbodogbe, was on Monday brought before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly raping a 67-year-old woman, Mrs Ayinke Ogunade.

Gbodogbe, whose address was not stated, is facing a four-count charge of rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and breach of peace.

The Prosecutor, ASP Akpan Ikem, told the court that the accused committed the offences on

Sept. 9, at about 3:00 pm. at Okuju Ilado, Badagry.

Ikem said that the accused unlawfully had sexual intercourse with the Ogunade without her consent.

“The accused sexually penetrated with his penis the vagina of the 67-year-old woman without her consent.

“The accused did sexually touch the complainant and also conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace,’’

he said.

Ikem said that the offences contravened Sections 166(1), 168, 258 and 259 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Lazarus Hotepo, ordered that the accused be remanded in Badagry Prison and adjourned the case until Oct. 15 for further hearing.

(NAN).

faith-based global organisation, `Congress WBN’, on Monday donated relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge in COCIN Church, Kassa in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that `Congress WBN’ is a faith-based global initiative committed to nation building and human development.

Donating the items to the IDPs, Pastor Paul Ogedengbe, the West African Regional Coordinator of the Congress, said the gesture was part of its key mandate.

Ogedengbe, who was represented by Pastor Sunday Gobum of New Sight Kingdom Community, said the visit was to identify and empathise with the displaced persons.

He also said that the visit was at the instance of its Africa Regional Coordinator, who directed that relief materials be contributed and distributed to victims of attacks in Northern parts of Nigeria.

“We are here because we are fully aware of your circumstances and part of our mandate is human development and nation building.

We have seen the need to pay you this visit.

“There is nothing we will give you today that can be equal to all you have lost but it is a duty we have to do.

“So, the little we will give you today is just to cushion your sufferings, ‘’ Ogedengbe said.

Gobum urged the displaced persons to trust in God and pray for the return of total peace to the affected areas.

Receiving the items on behalf of the IDPs, Mr Gyang Dayak, the Camp Leader, thanked the group for the gesture.

Dayak, however, decried shortage of food, lack of sleeping spaces and poor medical attention at the camp The camp leader urged government to intensify efforts to ensure the return of total peace to the affected communities to enable them return to their original homes.

NAN reports that the group donated bags of used clothes, cartons of washing and bathing soap, beverages and cartons of children’s Bible, among others.

NAN also reports that the group had visited and donated items to IDPs in Riyom Local Government Area of the state. (NAN).

Acupuncture increasingly embraced in U.S.

A •A group from Umuida, Senator Ayogu Eze’s village at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu to receive him

...trails Buhari’s appointments Cont’d from page 2

was the president, he gave appointments to Nigerians, no matter where they came from.

Obasanjo used Charles Soludo, a Professor of Economics as Central Bank Governor; he brought back Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from the World Bank and made her the Finance Minister; he made Dora Akunyili the Director-General of NAFDAC and also used Oby Ezekwesili and up till today, nobody has said these people never performed,” he noted.

He pointed out that a glaring shortcoming of the President’s lopsided appointments remains that issues affecting those who are excluded from such appointments would not be given due attention.

“There is no doubt that issues concerning sections of the country not represented in these appointments may not be given adequate attention at the national level. When it comes to National Security meeting, what will they be speaking there,” he queried. He advises the President to give every Nigerian a sense of belonging.

A commentator on public affairs, Comrade Paul Ikechukwu Njoku, noted that by his appointments, “Buhari is very clear about his Northern agenda and he doesn’t pretend about it.”

The appointments, he said, portray the President as “very divisive,” pointing out that as a President of a multi-ethno-religious, secular nation like Nigeria, he should act the way he has been

doing.

According to Njoku, Bichi’s appointment was a very glaring example that Buhari “doesn’t give a hoot about us from the entire Southern Nigeria.”

Njoku is further irked that the President is fixated on the past.

“He appointed dead people as Board Chairmen and now he is appointing retired people. Why so much fixation on the past and not the future.

Customs Director-General he appointed is a retired soldier; Lawal Musa Daura that was sacked recently by the Vice President was a retired officer before Bu-

hari repackaged him. National Intelligence Agency Director recently appointed by Buhari was not only retired officer, but someone who allegedly had failed several civil service exams and there were insinuations that he was Chadian and not Nigerian.

“The President is dragging us back. No wonder, we are not making progress as a nation, when you keep recycling dead woods.

For him, the best solution to the Buhari factor is to vote him out next year. “He must be rejected by all,” he said.

cupuncture, an ancient traditional Chinese medical technique, is increasingly embraced by patients and doctors in the United States, attendants at a conference in San Francisco said on Monday.

The First National Conference of Chinese Medicine and U.S. Chinese Medicine Development Strategy Forum gathered over 300 Chinese medicine practitioners.

Huang Xiansheng, president of the American Association of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture (AACMA), one of the event organisers, said he saw the potential of introducing acupuncture to more patients and promoting traditional Chinese medicine to the U.S. mainstream.

“Though traditional Chinese medicine faces both challenges and opportunities in the U.S., in particular, acupuncture is getting to be recognised as an alternative treatment to certain conditions,’’ Huang said.

Currently there are about 45,000 licensed acupuncturists in the U.S. “Traditional Chinese medicine is a cultural treasure of the Chinese civilisation, and it provides ‘distin-

guished footnotes’ to the world’s medical diversity,’’ Xiao Xiayong, Chinese cultural counselor in San Francisco, said at the conference.

He told the conference that the Chinese government attaches great importance to developing and promoting traditional Chinese medicine.

The conference, co-hosted by seven Chinese medicine organisations in California, New York, Florida, Washington D.C. and Massachusetts, was aimed to integrate traditional Chinese medicine into the U.S. mainstream medicine and provide a platform for exchanges.

California Assembly Members David Chiu, Phil Ting and Evan Low, both of Chinese descent, attended the conference to show their support.

Chiu said he was born in the family of a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner and that he supported a California legislature to include acupuncture in insurance coverage.

“It is important to boost the acupuncture community and have acupuncture included in insurance coverage,’’ Low said. (Xinhua/NAN).

Zainab Ahmed resumes duty as Supervising Minister of Finance he Permanent Secretary, FedTMahmoud eral Ministry of Finance, Dr Isa-Dutse, and other di-

rectors of the Ministry, on Monday received the Supervising Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed in Abuja.

Ahmed while addressing members of staff of the ministry who had gathered to receive her, said going forward, she would work closely with the Permanent Secretary to catch up on the activities of the Ministry.

She said: “These are very challenging times for our country.

“It means we are part of the economic team that has been charged with making sure there is economic stability in our country.

“We have very serious revenue challenges and it is up to us

to shore up the revenues of this country.

“Mr President has a lot of confidence that we can do this. We are working for Mr President, but at the end of the day we are working for the benefit of the citizens of our country.

“There are a lot of sacrifices that I know that you have done, and we are going to push ourselves to still do more so that at the end of the day we will say Alhamdulillah– glory be to God,” she said.

President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Zainab Ahmed to oversee the Ministry of Finance after the resignation of Mrs Kemi Adeosun.

Before her new appointment, Ahmed was the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning.

Ahmed also held several critical positions in the past including the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Managing Director, Kaduna Investment Company, to mention but a few. (NAN).

Ganduje nominates Gawuna as Dep. Gov., seeks Assembly’s approval Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has sent the name of the Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna to the state Assembly as his Deputy Governor nominees.

Ganduje is seeking the approval of state Assembly for the appointment of Gawuna as his Deputy following the resignation of his former Deputy, Prof Hafiz Abubakar.

The Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Ru-

rum announced this at plenary while reading the letter sent to the House by the governor on Monday.

After reading the letter, the speaker asked the House if the nominees could be invited for screening in which the House unanimously agreed to invite the Deputy Governor nominees.

The speaker then requested the deputy governor nominee to be come to the House for screening on Tuesday, Sept. 18 by 10.30a.m.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the former Deputy Governor, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar resigned recently and defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

45

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

SPORTS

NFF Elections: FIFA, CAF observation teams storm Nigeria TEaglets return to continent

HE Golden Eaglets have returned to the continent after missing out on the continent in the two previous editions of Africa Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Golden Eaglets on Sunday soared over there in Niamey, capital of Niger Republic at the General Sani Kute Stadium beating the Starlets of Ghana to the qualification ticket for the 2019 Under-17 Africa Cup Nations.

The Coach Manu Garba charges won 3-1 on penalties after they played out 1-1 draw after regulation time. It is good for the boys that they are returning to the continent where they have been kings on several occasions.

It is recalled that the Coach Manu Garba led Under-17 team the Golden Eaglets had a problem at the beginning of the sub-regional championship in Niamey to determine the team that would represent west Africa in the four Nations championship that will produce the team that will ultimately fly the continent’s flag at the global stage next year when three of the players were disqualified via MRS Scan including the captain of the team.

This rattled the team which contributed to their defeat in their first game but were able to gather themselves back by thrashing their next opponents Cote d’Ivoire and host Niger Republic and finally sending perennial rivals the Starlets of Ghana back to Accra.

It is hoped that this Eaglets’ qualification to the continental Nations championship will help them return to the global stage where they have the record of winning the cadet championship five good times.

. As Army Colonel leads delegation

•NFF President, Amaju Pinnick.

Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

A

S all roads lead to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Elective Congress that will usher in new executive board members which holds in Katsina tomorrow (Thursday), the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) and Confederation of African Football (CAF) observation team are billed to arrive the country to monitor the Congress in order to report

• FIFA Head of Delegation, Sita Sangare

back to the two bodies at the end of proceedings.

As a matter of fact, there is fear that the elections may not hold if there is any court order barring the elections.

The Oracle Today Sports reliably gathered that a-no-nonsense- Army Colonel, Sita Sangare with experiences in military justice is a part of the CAF delegation.

Sangare, who doubles as the President of the Burkina Faso Football Federation has been described as

Rohr to recall in-form Anthony Ujah

•As Troost-Ekong wants Mikel in Seria A

S

UPER Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr has disclosed that he is planning to recalled inform Mainz of Germany striker, Anthony Ujah for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations double header against Libya after three years of hibernation.

The Mainz forward has scored in his second consecutive game playing as a sub on Saturday and has caught the eye of the Nigerian gaffer who even said on German television that “we are scouting him”. We could remember him for the next game,” the words of Gernot Rohr.

Therefore, it will not be surprising if Ujah makes a return to the national team in next month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against the Green of Libya games that will determine Super Eagles future for the 2019 AFCON that Cameroon will be playing host to all things being equal.

Meanwhile, Williams Troost-Ekong would love to see his international team captain John Obi Mikel move over to joining him in Seria A. TroostEkong believes the Cartelist will make a huge impression in Italy top flight. Troost Ekong also rates Ola Aina, a fellow defender who plays for Torino as a player capable of enacting sterling mark in the Seria A. “Who I want to see in this Italian

championship is John Obi Mikel. He is a great player and I think he could play in all teams in the Seria A and would make Italian football fans happy with his qualities,” Troost Ekong declared.

On Ola Aina he said: “I really like Ola who has moved from Chelsea to Torino, he is an excellent full back and he has all the qualities to do well in the Seria A,”

• Anthony Ujah

an iron man in his home country because of his high esteemed reputation and integrity.

Meanwhile, The Oracle Today Sports gathered that FIFA have released names of two strict protocol officials that work directly with FIFA President Gianni Infantino that will lead its delegation to Nigeria for the poll.

The observers are; Messrs Luca Piazza who is a senior official in the FIFA’s President’s office and Solomon Mudege – Senior Manager for Development Programmes (Africa).

A check on the two delegates revealed that they are men of unquestionable characters.

It is also gathered that already, the city of Katsina is already bubbling for the much –anticipated polls with the arrival on Monday of an advance team from the NFF Secretariat.

The NFF Electoral Committee put in place by the NFF Congress at the 2017 Annual General Assembly in Jos, which is headed by Mr. Muhammed Sani Katu, will conduct the polls.

The committee has already cleared

four candidates to contest the position of the NFF’s President including incumbent, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, former Nigeria international and one –time NFF Secretary General Taiwo Ogunjobi, former NFF President Aminu Maigari and Chinedu Okoye for the juicy position.

As for the First Vice Presidency of the NFF, two candidates are billed are to contest the position and they are incumbent, Seyi Akinwunmi and Sunday Dele-Ajayi while the position of Chairman of Chairmen will be contested by Anambra FA Chairman and proprietor of FC Ifeanyi Ubah, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah and the incumbent, Ibrahim Musa Gusau.

The remaining eight available positions on the Executive Committee will be contested by 15 candidates.

All 44 Members of the Nigeria Football Federation Congress will cast their votes for their candidates tomorrow (Thursday). Many of the voters arrived in Katsina yesterday (Tuesday) for tomorrow’s much publicized •Manu Garba, Eaglets’ coach NFF’s Elective Congress.

Aigbogun hopeful of Flying Eagles success in AFCON U-20

P

AUL Aigbogun, the Flying Eagles’ coach, has expressed the hope that his players will record success next year when they compete for honours at the CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations as they continue to improve ahead of the championship.

It is recalled that the Nigerian U-20 side zoomed to a 5-0 win over Mauritania in August at the Agege Stadium and Aigbogun who resigned his position as Enyimba coach few months ago, is interested in seeing the team excel at the African tournament billed for next year.

Despite the team being on break, the Delta State born football tactician said his target was to go all the way to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup which will take

place in Poland.

In his words: “As far as the preparation goes, the first aim is to qualify which we have done. The next thing is to go as far as possible in the competition and bring the trophy home,” Aigbogun disclosed adding that the team are about resuming camp.

Speaking further, the former Warri Wolves Fc said he had been on the lookout for more talented players to be injected into the team but he is yet to see the ones that can make much impact or better than what he has.

He hinted he had been going around during the ongoing Nigeria National League (NNL) in the quest for more quality players to add to the team but regretted that those he identified did not

meet the standard for the U-20 level.

“I have been going around; the only issue is just the time frame of some of the matches. And I have not been able to see any to add to what we have. Although some of them can still qualify to be a part of the game if they improve their skills,” he said.

He also expressed total confidence in Captain Ikuowem Udoh to lead the team despite being relatively young.

“Maybe the competition and travelling around hasn’t been easy for him but that is what he is paid to do, that is his job. You are not young to play for a national team if you are doing it right at the time, but that is left for the coach to decide. It is his decision.”

46

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

SPORTS WTF sanctions Nigeria Taekwondo International Open

T

FIBA World Cup: D’Tigers secure World Cup ticket in style Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

N

IGERIA’S national Men Basketball team, D’Tigers Sunday secured World Cup ticket in style after a formality game that saw them dispatched their West African neighbours Senegal 89-61 in the final of their second round qualifying game at the Indoor Sports Hall National Stadium Surulere Lagos.

The match was a formality as the Nigerian Basketball Men team (D’Tigers) had already picked the ticket for the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) World Cup next year tagged “China

2019” having earlier defeated Central African Republic (CAF) 114-69 to qualify for the world tournament with one game to spare.

The Coach Alex Nwora tutored side won all their matches en route their qualification for the World Cup which will be taking place in next year.

In the first round of the qualifiers, the Ike Diogu captained Nigeria Men Basketball team, topped their group and needed to maintain their grip of the top spot in their group to qualify and that was exactly what they did.

Despite becoming the first African country that made it through to the

FIBA World Cup, D’Tigers were aiming to finish their qualification campaign unbeaten at the National Stadium Surulere.

The Alex Nwora’s team made it nine wins from nine qualification games but had to fight to the victory against their tough West African rivals.

D’Tigers aimed to wrap up their qualification series in style and they did so with Alex Nwora now facing a major selection headache for the World Cup next year.

Following their win against CAF, D’Tigers came out fast and took the first quarter 27-14 and the second

Henry Agbamu is Sports Veterans’ VP

E

LDER Statesman, Barrister Henry Agbamu, the Chairman of SCOA Motors PLC, was recently elected the Vice President of Sports Veterans of Nigerian at their secretariat in Lagos during one of their meetings.

This much was exclusively disclosed to The Oracle Today Sports by no other person than the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Sports Veterans of Nigeria, Prince Isidoreh Oduah.

According to Prince Oduah, the CFAO chairman replaced the ailing former Vice President and former sports journalist of note, Mr. Peter Osugo popularly known during his active sports reporting days as

• Barr. Henry Agbamu, Chairman SCOA Motors.

“Pecus”.

The replacement of Osugo, the former member of Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Prince Oduah disclosed is because the former Vice President of the Sports Veterans has not been attending meetings for a very long time due to ill health; hence the need to fill the void his long absence has created in the association and Barrister Agbamu just filled the void.

According to the Ochuche Prince in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, Barrister Agbamu is vice to the President of the Association, the former President and honorary Life President of West Africa Football Union, (WAFU), J.B. Ogufere.

In the words of Prince Oduah: “The Sports Veterans of Nigeria recently unanimously elected the Chairman of CFAO Motor Limited, Barrister Henry Agbamu as our Vice President in place of Mr. Peter Osugo who has not been attending meetings due to illhealth,” Prince Oduah began.

“Agbamu is coming in with a lot of good ideas on how to transform the association. And his thoughts and vision for the Sports Veterans of Nigeria are contained in the memo he presented to us at our meeting.

“He has a lot of things that he has lined up for the Sports Veterans of Nigeria in order to reposition the association to enable it perform the crucial sports veterans in other clime used to perform including the expansion of the membership of Sports Veterans of Nigeria to include other sports instead of being only about football,” Prince Oduah said.

“He said Sports Veterans of Nigeria should not limit themselves to only football but should ensure that other sports like boxing, swimming, tennis, table tennis, wrestling, cycling, basketball, handball, weightlifting, hockey, gymnastics amongst other sports should be part and parcel of sports veterans of Nigeria to enable it be a true sports veterans as obtained in other parts of the world.

“This is one area nobody had thought of before now and it took his memo for the association to realize that the association has been operating without the full compliments of sports in the country.

“It is in the same memo that he declared that “this giant (Sports Veterans of Nigeria) should not sleep” meaning that we have not been doing what sports veterans should be doing. He is brining life into sports veterans I can assure you if we will be able to implement

quarter 22-17.

The Senegalese tried to get back into the encounter as they won the third quarter 18-17 but were trailing by a massive amount of points.

The Top performers for D’Tigers were the usual suspects in Ike Diogu with 17 points nine rebounds.

Meanwhile, immediately the former continental champions booked their ticket to next year’s FIBA World Cup, the world basketball governing body, FIBA sent them congratulatory message on their qualification even as they wished them as they prepare for the world showpiece. the content of his memo to us,” the former member of Anambra State Sports Council explained.

Continuing he said: “He promised to ensure that he brings a medical doctor who will be having medical examination of members on monthly basis saying he could implore his daughter who is a medical doctor to be conducting the medical examinations on members on monthly basis to ensure that members stay in good health condition.

“As a matter of fact, after present his memo to members, we had no option than to agree with him in all that he said and planned for members and for the association.

He promised to upgrade our secretariat with provision of some office equipment that have been lacking or that we had thought were not important before now.

“He also promised that all sports federations in the country ought to be represented in the sports veterans of Nigeria to enable the association play the important role expected of them like it obtains in other climes.

“He is of the view that sports veterans have a very crucial role to play in the development and growth of sports in the country such that in a situation like the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) recently found itself, the veteran ought to have been the ones that should step in to quell whatever is the problem,” Prince explained.

HE World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) has sanctioned the 2nd Nigeria Taekwondo International (NTF) Open Championships by awarding it a G-1 International ranking.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NTForganised event planned for Abuja is the first competition in Nigeria to have an international ranking.

NTF said on Tuesday in Lagos that the competition would hold in Abuja from Nov. 16 to Nov. 18, and termed it a priority programme of the current board.

Chika Chukwumerije, NTF Technical Director said that the federation worked very hard to get the approval from World Taekwondo through the African body, after being satisfied that the event fulfilled all conditions.

“In spite of some top competitors on the continent, our athletes have literally no world ranking because they cannot afford to travel to compete, but the upcoming event is still sanctioned.

“We will provide hundreds of our elite and upcoming athletes the opportunity to gain vital world ranking points, and competitive experience with some of the best athletes in the world,” the three-time Olympian said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the NTF’s Technical and Development Committee, Sani Lawal, has blamed the lack of G events for the rise of other African countries over Nigeria at international events.

“Countries like Cote d’Ivoire have more than seven competitors in the high ranked Grand Slams series because their athletes have a lot of ranking from organising G-ranked tournaments in Cote D’Ivoire since 2012.

“We can see the impact of these tournaments in the fact that they won an Olympic gold and bronze medals in Rio Olympics in Brazil and World titles in 2017.

“So, getting the Nigeria Open to be sanctioned by the World Taekwondo body is the way forward if Nigeria Taekwondo is to have players on the world stage,” Lawal said.

• Chika Chukwumerije, NTF Technical Director.

47

The Oracle Today Wednesday September 26, 2018

SPORTS Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

D

ELTA State at the weekend retained its position as the number one sporting state in the country having emerged champions of the fifth edition of the National Youth Games that held in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The State with the finger of God won with 67 medals made up of 27gold, 24 silver and 16 bronze medals to retain their position as the undisputed No 1 sporting state in the country. This is the fifth time Delta has won the National Youth Games (NYG) making 5/5 having won the previous four editions.

Lagos State placed second after making a return to the championship having failed to participate in the 2nd and 3rd editions returned in a big way by placing 2nd after amassing 60 medals made up of 23gold 16silver and 22 bronze medals while Team Bayelsa and Team Ogun were joined 3rd with 34 medals, 11gold, 7silver and 16 bronze medals.

Meanwhile, the State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed delight over the emergence of Team Delta as the champions of the just concluded 5th of the National Youth Games held in Ilorin Kwara State.

The Governor expressed his de-

light over the retention of their No.1 spot in the country while receiving Team Delta in Asaba even as he congratulated the team on its success in Ilorin.

According to him: “The successes recorded by the victorious Team Delta stems from the huge investments in sports by the state government.

From the revived Headmasters’ and Principals’ Cup as well as the huge investments in sports infrastructure like the Ozoro Polytechnic Stadium and the world class Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba which hosted the just-concluded African Senior Athletics Championships tagged Asaba 2018 Delta is poised to continuously blaze the trail.”

Governor Okowa, used the occasion to commend the Federal Ministry of Sports for organising such events that provides an avenue to bring the young people together and to improve their physical and mental development and assured youths in the state that the state government will do more to improve their welfare and charged Team Delta to continue to make the State proud.

There is no gain saying that Team Delta are doing very well in it comes to sports in the country as they have continued to prove that with pains-

Buhari, Dalung mourn Rev. Moses Iloh

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RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari and Sports and Youth Development Minister, Hon. Solomon Dalung have expressed sadness over the demise of Rev. Moses Iloh, who passed on Saturday at the age of 88 according family source.

Rev. Iloh was renowned sports administrator, cycling promoter and cleric, who founded and served as General Overseer of the Lagos-based Soul Winning Chapel in Yaba Lagos.

The President made his feelings known in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, Sunday in Abuja.

He extended his heartfelt condolences to Rev Iloh’s family, friends, associates and the Christian community in Nigeria, who mourned the demise of an exceptional statesman and religious leader.

The President affirmed that the faith-based community and the nation would immensely miss “the bold cleric who, throughout his public life and ministry, “abhorred corruption, promoted morality and influenced his followers to seek righteousness that truly exalts a nation”.

The President believed that the deceased, whom he described as a philanthropist, labour leader, humanist, sportsman and great teacher of the gospel, would be long remembered and honoured as a worthy patriot.

According to him, Iloh stood for social justice, peace and truth.

According to Adesina, President Buhari urged all who mourned Rev. Dr. Iloh, who left a worthy and commendable legacy for other patriotic Nigerians to build upon, to always be inspired by his deep love, devotion and dedication to humanity.

Reacting to Iloh’s death, Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung in a statement also on Sunday condoled with family of the elder statesman.

He hailed the cleric for his contributions to nation building and development exemplified through his pastoral teachings.

“This is sad news to the sports fraternity especially now that we need experienced sports administrators to assist us in rescuing some sports that are almost moribund and dying gradually.

“Rev Iloh was a seasoned sports administrator who had deep passion for cycling.

“I sympathize with Rev. Iloh’s family, friends, associates and other well-wishers who are affected by the death of this Reverend gentleman. I pray Almighty God to grant the elder statesman eternal rest,” Dalung said.

Rev. until his death, Rev. Iloh was the patron of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Lagos State Chapter.

Delta wins National Youth Games

taking planning and implementation of sports programmes, sports can thrive in the State.

Delta State has continued to rule Nigerian Sports due to the pride of place that sports occupy in the scheme of things in the state because despite the change of guard as it concerns who governs the state they have continued to accord sports its pride of place.

And from every indication, it does not seem that the state is going to lose that position to any other state in the near future because of the solid foundation it has when it comes to sports.

Delta’s sports foundation and prowess did not come easy but due to the foresightedness of the former Military Administrator of then Bendel State, the late Brigadier Gen. Samuel Ogbemuda and good enough, when Delta and Edo emerged out of the old Bendel, Delta refused to depart from that sports culture they had from the old Bendel State.

That is why they have continued to muscle out opponents in every national sports meets except in football. They are the powerhouse of aquatics sports in the country as they have continue to sweep most of the medals in swimming which gives them edge over competitors and definitely position them to win championships.

Heartland‘ll soon be financially independent – Etuemena

By SAB OSUJI

A

T a time all the state owed football clubs are groaning under heavy financial burden, the Chairman of Heartland FC of Owerri, Chibuzo Goodfaith Etuemena said he was working towards improving the finances of the club through foreign partnership deals even as he declared that the welfare of his players is top on his agenda.

Etuemena in his quest to ensure

• Late veteran sports administrator, Rev. Moses Iloh.

Rayon Sports vow to stop Enyimba

R

WANDAN club Rayon Sports of Rwanda have vowed to stop Enyimba from going further in this year’s CAF Confederation Cup as they are determined to beat people’s Elephant in the second leg of their quarter-final clash in Aba this Sunday.

The two sides played out a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Kigali on Sunday but Rayon coach, Roberto Goncalves said his players were ready to beat the two time continental champions to reach the semi-finals.

“My boys played well although we failed to achieve the win we wanted while playing at home but we can win in Nigeria,” Goncalves told KweseESPN. “I liked the way my players controlled the game, but we must improve on getting the goals. We got

• Delta State Gov., Ifeanyi Okowa.

a vital win away from home against Gor Mahia in the group stage, and we can go and do the same away in Nigeria.

“The absence of one of our key players Yannick Mukunzi was also a problem but the motivation among the players is very high. We are surely going for a serious battle in the return leg in Nigeria.”

Also, captain Abdul Rwatubyaye said: “We now know what to expect in Nigeria and we are determined to make history and qualify for the semi-finals.”

Rayon are the first Rwandan side to qualify for the quarter-finals of a CAF club competition.

Meanwhile, Enyimba play Nationwide League One side Dynamite Force today (Wednesday) in a rescheduled Aiteo Cup round of 32

that the Nazi Millionaires do not rely solely on the state government for her finances in the near future has signed a technical partnership deal with Turkish club, Boluspor, who have already sent them Coach Mahmet Tayfun to work with them.

“I realised that Heartland players have always complained of unpaid salaries and bonuses,” he began.

“But under my leadership, I have tried to ensure they are paid as at when due. I have tried to rectify things such that we do not owe any player salary or match bonus.

“We have to do everything possible to make them happy and feel so important because without the players doing the playing, football, as an object, cannot play itself and the management won’t be there too,” he explained.

Continuing he said: “I’m trying to create the impression that these players who are doing the actual playing are happy at all times.

“So, in all of this, their welfare is my priority,” disclosed.

It is noted that Heartland are rooted at the bottom of the NPFL table with 16 points, but Etuemena, who is called digital manager; disclosed that he is exploiting the commercial potentials of the club to attract sponsors while at the same time revealing he wanted a situation where the club could become financially self-reliant with government having only to pay players’ salaries.

“I’ve secured sponsorship with Dana Airline for Heartland. They fly the club to away matches that is about four or five hours, he said.

“Dana Airline has also instituted Heartland Player of the Month Award with the winner going home with N200,000.

“We have also secured kit and technical sponsorship with Turkish club, Boluspor.

“Aside the jersey they provide for us, they have also assisted us with Coach Mehmet Tayfun.

“All these are free of charge because we are paying no dime whatsoever except that we put the coach on mere allowance since he is on

ground.

“Under normal circumstances, if we were to pay, we cannot pay the coach less than $10, 000 per month.

“There is also a deal I struck with Grasshoppers of Switzerland. They sent a scout here few weeks ago and he will soon be back to set up a Heartland Football Academy from where we would be catching the players young.

“All these efforts are geared towards ensuring financial stability of the club so as to become less dependent on government.

“In fact, I’m looking forward to a situation whereby I would be able to one day ask the government to be paying only the salaries of the players.

Despite the club’s precarious position on the table, the club boss teased there is still a possibility of the club winning the Premier League title at the end of the season.

“I’m worried because we are not getting the commensurate results.

When I paid them their March salary, one of the players called me and said, chairman, even with our position (on the table), you still pay us,” he revealed.

“I cannot seize their salaries because they are not doing well. But I never give up in life. Yes, things are not panning out for us as expected.

“Heartland could be the first at the end of the day, it is possible, very possible because I=E2=80=99m working towards that”.

•Chibuzo Goodfaith Etuemena, Chairman Heartland FC of Owerri.

WEDNESDAY September 26, 2018

The

www.oraclenews.ng

M

OST debates about Nigeria end before they start. The easiest line is, “We are not a nation”. It is mouthed off so proudly that it appears an irredeemable flaw that we must live with. Attaining the status of a nation takes hard work that we have minimised to holding regular elections.

French historian Ernest Renan in his 1882 treatise, ‘What is a Nation?’, discountenanced language, region, religion, and ethnicity as the constituents of a nation, though admitting their importance to the lives and cultures of people. His conclusion was that none of them, or all of them, could make a nation.

He opted for higher standards. “A nation is a soul, a spiritual principle. Two things, which in truth are but one, constitute this soul or spiritual principle. One lies in the past, one in the present. One is the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories; the other is present-day consent, the desire to live together, the will to perpetuate the value of the heritage that one has received in an undivided form.” Did Renan have those who often quote the error of 1914 that resulted in Nigeria in mind when he noted, “I would even go so far as to say historical error, is a crucial factor in the creation of a nation”?

What then is Nigeria? Some say a country, which is so loosely defined, that it bears no burdens of striving for the ideals that a nation holds. A country is a region that is identified as a distinct national entity in political geography, which would fuss over the state, international relations and the localities.

Renan’s challenge that, “A nation is therefore a large-scale solidarity”, and a “daily plebiscite” are areas where Nigeria has failed woefully, by the various freedoms its keeps denying its people under the guise of “democratically elected governments”, from the local governments, through the States to the Federal Government.

The only things that matter in Nigeria are elections, just any elections. Lives are nothing. Whether people die in their thousands from terrorists attacks, disasters, hunger and illnesses, make no impressions on our governments.

Some examples of 0ur Nigeria: •Abia: 14 August 2018 Dead bodies were discovered in Obiawom Village of Ogwe Autonomous Community in Asa, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State. The pictures were published. The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, alleged that they were bodies of their members the military killed during Operation Python Dance II. To date, there has been no official statements, no investigations. Whoever were killed was not important. They were dead. Who killed them? Why were they killed?

Was there a crime involved? Governments are not interested. We are talking about lives, not elections. They do not matter. Why waste resources investigating them?

•Anambra: 13 November 2017 26,000 personnel Deputy Inspector General Assistant Inspector General 3 State Commissioners Sniffer dogs Gunboats Helicopters APCs Also deployed were men from Special Police Forces, Police Mobile Force, Specially Trained Counter Terrorism Unit, other Intelligent and Tactical Squads. These figures not include the Army, Navy, Immigrations, Civil Defence.

They were ready for the 2017 Anambra State Governorship election. The Inspector General of Police was fully abreast of the security issues, real, anticipated, and acted.

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racle Today

VOX POPULI SACRUM

ISSN: 2545-5869

Elections do matter Lives don’t matter

of Police 300 patrol vehicles for the poll.

From the armada of the deployments it is easy to know that in both Ekiti and Osun, the issues were governorship elections.

It is important that these assignments are executed with all the seriousness that elections deserve and demand. Elections are important. When it comes to lives, there are reasons for not caring.

The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. - Section 14 2 b of the 1999 Constitution Elections are important.

elections matter.

•Adamawa, Benue, Nassarawa, Plateau, Taraba States have been having series of attacks from Fulani herdsmen, with particular intensity since January 2018. Hundreds of lives have been lost. There has not been such intensity of security deployment to the areas. When the President last March asked the Inspector General of Police to redeploy to Benue, he never spent a night in the State.

He was not punished for disregarding the presidential order.

Lives are not important. Elections, only

•Ekiti: 12 February 2018 30,000 policemen Deputy Inspector General Assistant Inspector General 4 Commissioners of Police 8 Deputy Commissioners of Police 18 Assistant Commissioners of Police 7 State Commissioners of Police on red alert •Osun: 15 September 2018 40,000 policemen Deputy Inspector General Assistant Inspector General 2 helicopters 30 APCs 10 AVPs 8 Commissioners

•Zamfara: 27 July 2018 Amnesty International noted that attacks in 18 villages in the Mashema, Kwashabawa and Birane districts of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State were attacked, leaving at least 42 people dead. At least 18,000 residents of the affected villages, who were displaced, were taking refuge at various locations in the local government headquarters. The following day a further 15 people were kidnapped in Maradun Local Government area. At least 238 killings had taken place by that point.

Lives have become so unimportant that reports of killings, kidnappings, uncovered mass graves, bodies dumped in forests, hideouts of ritual killers hardly elicit any concerns or responses from the security agencies.

These lives that our various officials swear to protect. These are lives that can build a nation. These are lives whose loss affects the lives of other Nigerians. These are human beings.

They do not matter. Only elections matter. Only who becomes what, in what government, and who gets what to ensure that others get nothing are the considerations of our politics.

If all we achieved through the 2019 elections were to let politicians know that lives matter, we would have taken huge steps towards being a nation.

•Dead bodies dumped in a forest in Asa, Abia State

The Oracle Today is published by The Oracle Newspapers Limited. Head Office: 116 Awka Road, Onitsha. Lagos Office: 25 Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA Ikeja. Abuja Office: 1st Floor, Plateau House, Central Business District, Abuja, FCT. ISSN: 2545-5869 Email: oracletoday2016@yahoo.com, Twitter: @oraclenews.ng Facebook: oraclenews.ng@facebook.com Website: www.oraclenews.ng Advert hot lines: 09078310060, 09061836916. Editor: FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU.