Wednesday 20th March, 2019 Edition

The

racle www.oraclenews.ng

Our Agenda,

by SE/SS govs VOX POPULI SACRUM

WEDNESDAY March 20, 2019

ISSN: 2545-5869

VOL.4 No.10 N200

•Ikpeazu - Enyimba city business hub •Udom - Eight-point agenda •Okowa - Rural roads, Kwali-Okpai bridge •Umahi - Ndibe beach bridge, dualisation of Abakaliki - Afikpo, Abakalili - Enugu highways •Ayade - Bakassi Deep seaport •Ugwuanyi - Rural development,

industrialisation and economic empowerment From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia, INI BILLIE, Uyo, ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar, JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba, CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki, CHUKS EZE, Enugu and NATH OMAME Jr., Port Harcourt

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xpect massive deployment of bulldozers, pay-loaders and cranes in South East and South South regions of Nigeria as the governors, new and re-elected, have made infrastructural development their focus for the next four years. Many of them will also pay attention to technical and vocational education as a way of providing life skills to their army of unemployed youths.

Governor Udom Emmanuel off Cross River State, for instance, will kick-off his eight-point ‘completion agenda’, that will focus on

Cont’d on page 2

BUSINESS

Polls violence: Oil firms shiver over anger in Niger Delta •P17 NEWS

How Obiano save APGA’s dignity in Anambra •P38

SPORTS •Okezie Ikpeazu

•Ifeanyi Okowa

•Emmanuel Udom

•Ifeanyi-Ugwuanyi

•Ben Ayade

•David Umahi

Okey Igwe wins in Umunneochi • Extends olive branch to co-contestants

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•Okey Igwe

Today

he Abia State legislative election for Umunneochi State constituency has been won by the PDP candidate Barr Philip Okey Igwe with a to-

tal vote of 6,910.

Igwe defeated the APGA candidate in the area Chaka Ikenna Chukwumerije who polled 5, 324 votes coming second, and Hon Prince Ike-

di Ezekwesiri of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who finished a distant third with 4,385 votes in the keenly contested poll.

Full story on page 46

•Emeka Ihedioha

•Nyesom Wike

Agu optimistic of Eagles P41 success in AFCON finals •P43

POLITICS

Tears, fears, lamentations, lessons as 2019 election winds up •P9

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS

Our Agenda by SE/SS governors Cont’d from Pg 1 industrialisation, aviation development, rural & riverine area development, small & medium scale enterprise, infrastructure, security, agriculture and human capacity development.

With a global market value of over $2.76 billion, cassava is the most important tropical root crop. Governor Emmanuel said he would position Akwa Ibom State to become a major exporter of cassava.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State will aggressively pursue development of Abia Economic City expected to create over 200,000 jobs at take-off.

The federal government and Abia State in December last year signed a N500 billion contract for the project. The federal government has taken 20 per cent equity of N100 billion. The project is private sector-driven.

Ikpeazu believes the project will spark industrial revolution in Abia State. The Enyimba Economic City is a 9,803-hectare new economic city, spanning three local government areas of Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Ugwunagbo.

Ikpeazu also plans to link the economies of Rivers and Abia.

He will build an eight-lane road between Aba and Port Harcourt, while also connecting other state capitals such as Owerri, Enugu, Abakaliki and Awka.

The standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, will establish a medical village using the Imo State University Teaching Hospital Orlu as nucleus for its activities.

The current governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, built a general hospital in every local government area of the state, a project Ihedioha criticised.

“Imo State does not need one big ill-equipped general hospital in every local government area but can have a specialist hospital in every senatorial zone.”

On educational, Ihedioha said he would embark on the training and re-training of teachers to enhance their skills and competencies. He will liaise with the National Teachers Institute and other multi-lateral agencies for the training and re-retraining of teachers.

Ihedioha noted that the state had been adjudged as educationally backward state, describing the current performance of the state in West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the national Examination Council (NECO) in the last four years as abysmal.

According to him, the state currently engaged only 87 mathematics, 20 further Mathematics, 130 English, 102 Physics and 92 Chemistry teachers in 548 junior and senior secondary schools.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa will continue his five-point agenda in Delta State advertised as a “comprehensive and multi-pronged approach to development.”

In his first tenure, Okowa began the construction of 264 roads. The sheer number of road projects going on simultaneously earned him the sobriquet – the Road Master.

“There will be a continuation of our focused plan for infrastructural development. Work will commence very soon at the Kwale-Ok-

pai Bridge, which is already in the 2019 budget to replace the agelong pontoon, that the people have been used to,” Okowa said.

Governor Dave Umahi will start the construction of a bridge connecting Ndibe Beach in Afikpo North Local Government Area with neigbouring communities in Cross River State.

“I am happy that our National Assembly Members ensured that the project was captured in the 2018 national budget but if it is not implemented, we would construct it. “We will also dualise the Abakaliki—Afikpo federal highway and the Abakaliki-Enugu with tollgates on them,” he said.

He also promised to construct another 5km of internal ring roads in Ezza South Local Government Area.

Professor Benedict Ayade will focus on the completion of a superhighway, the Bakassi Deep Seaport as well as a number of industrial projects, which he hopes will reduce dependence on the monthly federal allocations.

The 275km superhighway for instance, which suffered several delays as a result of objection by sev-

eral environmentalists will finally kick off as the government has secured approval to commence construction.

The highway will stretch from Bakassi along the Atlantic Ocean in the South to Hakim, a village bordering Cross River and Benue States, and serve as an evacuation corridor for the seaport.

Work on the Deep seaport, which is underway, was recently given a boost as the government completed a piles and pillage factory in Akamkpa that will provide raw materials for the deep-sea port.

The third project is a garment factory, which will employ women. There are other on-going projects such as the Calachika, Calaphram, Rice City, groundnut processing plant and many others.

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, governor of Enugu State will continue his fourpoint agenda that has earned him a resounding electoral success.

His major focus will be agriculture and rural development, industrialisation, social and economic empowerment and educational improvement.

A major Shoprite Mall in Nsukka

may be an immediate project. He will continue rural roads to open up the state.

However, efforts of the governors may be thwarted by lack of clear and transparent metrics for measurement of progress and the huge debt profiles of their states.

Besides months of unpaid salaries and gratuities, the states are carrying huge debts to contractors. Also, their GDP growth is slower than their population growth, an indication of serious economic difficulties.

For instance, Ebonyi State is owing domestic contractors over N60 billion, Abia N75billion, Edo N60 billion, IMO N110 billion, Enugu N65billion and Anambra N6 billion.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike’s first term was characterized by road projects, hospitals and schools (primary and secondary) rehabilitation; grants for small and medium enterprises; grants for the upgrading of private hospitals and clinics; support for private scientific medical institutions; broadening of the state’s security architecture with the setting up

Akwa Ibom APC demands Immediate Cancellation of Governorship polls

Congress, TcalledheAPC,AllforinProgressives Akwa Ibom State has immediate nullification of the gubernatorial/House of Assembly elections held on Saturday in the state.

The party said the elections were marred with fraud, illegalities and violence.

Addressing a press conference on Monday at the state party Secretariat, Ikot-Ekpene Road Uyo, the APC state Chairman, Mr. Ini Okopido alleged that INEC in the state was biased and was sympathetic to their opponent, the People’s Democratic Party PDP in the state.

Okopido insisted that APC won in the twenty-six (26) out of the

thirty-one (31) local government areas of the state adding that the results were manipulated in the collation centres against his party.

He also said the level of vote buying by the PDP, non- use of card readers by the INEC ad-hoc staff and falsification of results were among the reasons the election must be cancelled.

According to him, “The All Progressives Congress hereby vehemently reject the purported results as released by INEC in the state. We call on INEC to recourse to the part of honour to cancel the election results forthwith to avoid any breakdown of law and order.

“The result of the governorship

and state house of assembly elections in the state as obtained from our agents across the state clearly shows that the APC won in 26 out of the 31 local government areas of the state.

“We rather insist on the result of the elections from the field and reject the sham and fictitious result as announced by INEC in Akwa Ibom state as it was contrived, manipulated and concocted to suit the unholy alliance between the commission and the PDP. “INEC in collusion with the PDP committed an electoral coup against the people of Akwa Ibom state by publishing and announcing such spurious results.”

of a Neighbourhood Safety Corps, amongst others.

Even though he repeatedly said he would expand his infrastructura developmental projects for the state, he was categorical on what he intends to do for the youths in the state. Wike, impressed with the unalloyed support of youths in the state, pointed out that he would reserve 60 per cent appointments for youths and women.

Wike who addressed all the youth leaders from the 319 wards in the state, at the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters office, in Port Harcourt, after declaring his governorship ambition, declared that his second term will be used to groom youths for leadership positions for the state.

Wike stressed: “When we return for our second term in office, youths will take 60 per cent of the appointments. The elders have had their day during the first term. The second term will be for the youths.

We will groom, youths who will take our state to the highest level because the youths will play a key role in ensuring victory for PDP in the next elections.” The governor also promised to “expand women and youths empowerment opportunities across the state.”

Wike, who has promised to intensify the development of the health sector in his second term, emphasized that 40 per cent of the 7, 000 civil servants that will be employed will be allocated to the health sector.

“Our first term has been used to revive the health sector of the state. And we are constructing Zonal Tertiary Hospitals in different parts of the state. These health facilities have reshaped the sector.

Our administration will also be involved of the training and re-training of medical professionals in his second term.”

Wike assured: “About $16million dollars have been expended to acquire equipment for the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital.

The hospital has been positioned to serve Rivers people and meet their health challenges “.

•Mrs Peace Odinaka Igwe dancing with PDP women leaders in celebration of Barr Okey Igwe’s victory in Amuda Isuochi Umunneochi local government area Abia State.

Photo Oliver Udeogu

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS

1000 Nigerian students to undergo peace march in Ghana From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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bout 1000 Nigerian students drawn from several public and private universities from across the country are set to undergo a peace march, scholastic debate as well as humanitarian services with their counterparts in some universities in Ghana.

This was disclosed in Calabar by the Non-governmental organization, the Association of Brotherhood Academic Scholars (ABAS).

International president of the group, Ambassador Boma Ambille who made this known to newsmen said preparations are in top gear to move their entire membership to Ghana and the beneficiaries have already submitted their travelling documents.

He explained that the purpose of the one week visit is to conduct what he called Peace March which includes humanitarian works as well as engage in scholarly discourse with their counterparts in some universities while in Ghana and social programmes.

He disclosed that other international students from the UK, Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cameroon will also be part of the academic fiesta.

“Nigerian students who are members of this association will visit Ghana next month. We have over 1000 active members who are mostly graduates and undergraduates of universities in many countries, including UK and the Americas.

“We shall carry out not only academic but humanitarian works, which will include peace march. We do this every year since 2006 in many African capitals. It will now be the turn of Ghana. Last year, we conducted the same exercise in Uganda”, he said.

He said the trip is self-sponsoring because each student knows the benefits they enjoy, even though there are kindhearted people who are Peace Envoys that have extended supports.

He said such trips engender not only students international relationship but consolidate that of both countries. He said the trip was aimed at promoting love and unity amongst not only universities but all budding youths.

Also speaking, Ama Williams, Secretary of the organization and scholar at the Akwa Ibom State University said participants will present a ten minutes talk on a number of topics including “Religious tolerance: A panacea for world peace”, and “A perfect man in a non-peaceful world: Myth or reality”.

“This talk show and quiz competition will hold during the grand finale of the ABAS Peace March in Accra Ghana. It is aimed to test knowledge of students in religious and scholarly matters, and to indoctrinate them on the need for them to entrench culture of peace and tolerance in their daily lives”, he said.

He said the Association comprises of university lecturers, graduates and undergraduates numbering well over 1000 who are expected to participate in the Ghana event as was in Uganda last year and Liberia, two years earlier.

Chairman of the planning committee, Bishop Amba Koroye said the Peace March started over 15 years ago where they initially concentrated the event in Nigerian states with huge success.

He said it was the advice of their grand patron, spiritual Father and Benefactor, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu who encouraged them to take the event outside the country.

Delta guber poll: Okowa floors Ogboru

From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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elta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has dedicated his re-election victory to God, urging his opponents and all Deltans to join him in building a greater state.

At a special thanksgiving service held on Monday at the Government House Chapel, Asaba to celebrate the victory of Governor Okowa at the Saturday, March 9th, 2019 gubernatorial polls in the state, Governor Okowa observed that the victory was made possible by God. His wife, Dame Edith, wife of the Deputy Governor, Dr Ebieri Otuaro, former Governor of the state, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, members of the National Assembly, among other dignitaries, attended the thanksgiving service which was held shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that Governor Okowa polled a total of 925, 274 votes against his closest rival, Chief Great Ogboru of the All

Progressive Congress (APC) who got 215, 938 votes.

“We have come here (Government House Chapel) to give thanks to God because, we are a praying state and whatever victory or success we have recorded is as a result of His benevolence,” the governor said, disclosing, “before the elections, we heard all manners of stories but, we trusted in God and those who led the campaign trusted in God and I want to appreciate every one of them; I want to appreciate my leader, former Governor James Ibori; yes! We heard several stories but, we also ask our own question, how will they do it without the votes of the people? By the grace of God, we won very convincingly in the 23 out of the 25 local government areas of the state and lost marginally in the two local government areas that we lost.”

He continued, “I must publicly appreciate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for being very firm and fair and doing what

they ought to do as a commission, we must continue to grow and know that whatever we do, it should be in the best interest of the country; I want to appreciate the security agencies for standing for fairness and I must thank our religious leaders for their prayers and mobilization; we are all victorious together; it is a victory for justice, equity, fairness and a victory that will bring better love in Delta State.”

“There is no loser, this is the time to join hands together and build a greater Delta State; our opponents should join us as I seek the cooperation, the partnership of all Deltans because, we have done so much but, a lot more will be done in the next four years starting from May 29; as I seek for your cooperation and partnership as Deltans, I also seek for your prayers, we must work hard to take Delta State to greater heights; we need to be peaceful because, with peace, we will achieve a lot,” Governor Okowa said.

He reiterated, “my desire is that as I leave office as Governor in 2023, we should be proud of the job we have done together in our state and give thanks to God; please, trust in the Lord our God.” The Chaplain of Government House Chapel, Ven. Charles Osemenam had in a sermon, stated, “Delta State is unique and the uniqueness of Delta makes everything work peacefully; when a thing is of God, the thing is unstoppable; we are here to say, Father, thank you because, if not for God, the enemy will be rejoicing; people will know that there is God in Delta State; this is a new beginning and we thank God for the victory of our Governor at the polls, we thank Deltans for being peaceful before, during and after the elections.”

At the thanksgiving service, prayers were offered for successful inauguration ceremony to hold on May 29th, peaceful state and successful more years in office for Governor Okowa and his Deputy, Barr. Burutu Otuaro.

UCTH: Group advocates merit in appointing new CMD From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

A • Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa (r) with the state Chairman of Oil and Gas Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSTCOM), Evangelist Gabriel Isibeluo during a meeting with representatives of the group from Ijaw, Ndokwa, Ika, Urhobo, Itsekiri and Isoko ethnic nationalities which held at Oleh, Thursday

World Bank lauds C’River on SDGs implementation From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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orld Bank has expressed appreciation to the government of Cross River State for its commitment to accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the state through the implementation of the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP).

The World Bank notes that the project has been a success story in the state because of the commitment of the government in approving, funding and completing several projects by communities as well as vulnerable groups in the state.

General Manager of the World Bank assisted project in the state, Pastor Victor Ovat made this known in Calabar while appraising the progress made thus far in the Bank’s Project Development Objectives.

He said the state governor, Professor Ayade has been a key player in the project in Nigeria as he was the first Governor to meet all the World Bank conditions for effectiveness of the Project in Nigeria.

“Professor Ayade has been a key player in the project in Nigeria as he was the first Governor to meet all the World Bank conditions for effectiveness of the Project in Nigeria which included payment of the mandatory government contribution of

N150,000,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira), only.

“The release of N150 million by Gov Ayade enabled the Federal Government to meet the World Bank cut-off date for Project effectiveness in the Country.

He confirmed that the intervention has increased access of the very poor and vulnerable to improved social and natural resource infrastructure services such as; health care, potable water, improved access to farmlands, school facilities and others, in the state.

Ovat revealed that the health sector for instance received the second largest allocation of funds with over N100, 000,000.00 (one hundred million naira), and 26 micro projects credited to the sector.

Speaking on the impact of the intervention by the government, the World Bank representative said “over 19,000 rural people are accessing quality health care services today courtesy of the Community and Social Development Additional Financing (CSDP-AF) Initiative.

“The provision of functional health facilities in the rural areas is a bold step towards the realization of the desired Universal health coverage and complementary of the government industrialization drive in the state as only healthy people can be

gainfully involved in economic activities”, he said.

Speaking on the benefit of the intervention, Chief Francis Ebi, a community leader in Benekaba in Yala, Northern Cross River said the coming of the project has drastically reduced the death rate in his locality and its health impact cannot be underscored.

Also speaking, Diana Irek, a woman leader and member of the Association of Special People Group Development Plan, Adum, said members of the community hitherto passed through grave privations as they trekked about 9kms to access health facilities.

She expressed appreciation to the State government and the World Bank through the CSDA for changing the lives of the people particularly that of women, children and the vulnerable, in the rural areas.

She said so many lives have already been lost before the intervention but the people were however grateful for the humanitarian gesture towards the people today.

On his part, Chief Denis Oboh, a retired director who spoke on the Electricity Extension Project in Okpenehi, Yahe, also in Northern Cross River said the electricity project provided in the community will serve as a catalyst for development.

socio-political organization, the Southern Senatorial District Forum is advocating for merit in the appointment of a new Chief Medical Director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar.

The Incumbent Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Thomas Agan is rounding up his second term of four years in April this year and a substantive CMD is expected to be announced by the government.

The group through its spokesman, Price Peter Duke in a release made available in Calabar insists that equity, justice and fairness should be the order of the day and qualified candidates from other senatorial zones in the state should be considered to ensure inclusiveness in the state.

According to him, “We believe that in everything we do in life, there must be equity, justice and fairness. Cross River State is made up of three senatorial districts that have produced several Chief Medical Directors in the previous years.

“It is believed that following the present zoning formula subsisting in the state, it is the turn of a qualified candidate from the Central Senatorial District and we now believe that for the purpose of equity, justice and fairness it should go to the Central Senatorial District because they have not produced a CMD for the past fifteen years”.

He noted that the issue of new CMD for the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital from the other zones of the state particularly the North and the South should not be in contention as they have benefitted immensely.

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS

Ikpeazu will build viable local economy - Ememanka

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irector, Media, Information and Communications of Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Central Campaign Council, Barr. Onyebuchi Ememanka, who is also the Special Adviser to the governor on Public Communication, said the Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration, during it second term, would consolidate on the gains it has recorded and double its pace in the area of infrastructural development.

Ememanka told The Oracle Today in a telephone interview Monday that the re-elected state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, would focus on the economy, agriculture and infrastructural development.

Asked to give a bird’s eye view of what the general economic direction of Abia would look like in the next four years, Ememanka said: “We are a sitting government.

What the governor will do, just like

he said during the campaigns, is to consolidate on the gains he has made.

“The Ikpeazu thrust is to build a local economy that is viable and that can provide jobs for our people, to provide a level playing field so that our people can become self-reliant and become job creators instead of job seekers.

“As you know, in the last three years, almost four years now, Ikpeazu has invested heavily in developing the local economy here, especially in areas where we have comparative advantage like shoes, textiles and other things.

“You would agree with me that today, Aba is a super power in Small and Medium Enterprises development. Even the federal government agreed that the prowess of Aba town in economic issues can no longer be ignored.”

The Ikpeazu administration is already establishing the Enyimba Economic City which is expected to provide about 700, 000 jobs. With his re-election, he would ensure that the project, which would stimulate the economy of , nay Nigeria in small way, is pursued to its logical conclusion.

“So, Ikpeazu is going to continue with that, he intends to strengthen the local economy,” Ememanka assured, adding that the governor intends to provide security for investments to thrive.

“He intends to ensure peace and security because you cannot have proper development when there is an environment of insecurity. Peace is very important, security is very important.

“People need to ensure that their investments are safe before they can come. So, that is one critical thing Ik-

peazu wants to continue to do; to continue working on infrastructure which is critical to economic development. Most of the roads that we have done so far are targeted at specific economic centres of commerce like the Ariria market which today has about five different roads that lead to it,” the governor’s aide said.

He said that Port Harcourt Road in Aba, a federal road, would continue to receive attention because it is the technical power house of Aba, Abia State and South East well known for fabrication of many parts and other things.

“The road will link Ngwa Road which leads to the second largest market in Aba, that is Ahia Ohuru.

Eziukwu/Cemetry Road has been awarded. Work started there and the stopped. Work will resume there so that from Milverton junction, you

can drive straight to Cemetery Road Market and connect Ngwa Road Junction by Port Harcourt Road.

Then many other projects will be completed,” Ememanka promised.

“So, it is basically to consolidate on the gains we have made and expand the frontiers of development,” he added while thanking the people of Abia for reposing confidence on the governor “by stating their clear preference for Ikpeazu,” during the just concluded governorship election.

During his campaigns Ikpeazu also promised to boost agriculture and agribusiness by establishing an agric industrial park at Ubani in Umuahia, plant about seven million palm seedlings and upgrade Ohafia to the status of a city so that it would become the third city of the state after Aba and Umuahia.

Otti, Ogah reject guber poll result, demand cancellation

Ezeogbulafor upbeat on PDP rule in Abia

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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he governorship candidates of the major opposition parties in Abia, Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected the outcome of the governorship election in the state, alleging that it was marred by irregularities.

They have therefore demanded the cancellation of the governorship election within 24 hours.

Otti and Ogah spoke at a joint press conference in Umuahia shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the 2019 Abia governorship contest.

According to Prof. Benjamin Ozurumba, the Returning Officer, Ikpeazu got 261,127 votes to beat his opponents.

While Ogah secured 99,574 votes, Otti placed third with 64,366 votes.

Otti who read the joint statement of the duo alleged that “the results were highly tampered with to favour the ruling PDP,” adding that INEC connived with security agencies to change the results and give victory to the incumbent governor.

“We would like to inform you that all the results were not only fraudulent but did not represent the will of the people of Abia,” Otti said while reading the statement jointly signed with Ogah.

“We therefore reject in its totality, the results of the 2019 governorship election announced by INEC and demand its cancellation,” within 24 hours and organize rescheduled poll when the electoral umpire was ready to hold a transparent poll.

Otti said that “INEC (had) deceived us into believing that any result that did not agree with the card reader recorded will attract zero value,” adding that the electoral body failed to keep faith with its own guidelines for the governorship poll.

According to him, in Obingwa and Ugwunagbo local governments, card readers were not used only for INEC to record 78,803 and 22,084 votes respectively for the candidate of PDP. Otti was not equally happy that INEC reappointed Prof. Ozurumba as Returning Officer for the 2019 Abia governorship poll, complaining that he served in that capacity and allegedly robbed him of his mandate in 2015.

Ogah, in his remarks, alleged that agents of opposition parties were chased out of the collation centres to enable the PDP write the results the way they desired.

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• Ace broadcaster, Sola Schullzz Mogaji of Classic FM Lagos, MD Women Radio WFM Mrs Toun Okewale Sonaiya and Lola Oladimeji Head of Station Silverbird Abuja and lead team Women in Media during a pre-event gathering ahead the Women in Media Development initiative 2019 and Women Entrepreneur Fair, scheduled for 29th and 30th of March at the Justice Idris Kutigi Conference Centre in Minna Niger State, sponsored by Dana Air

Abia Speaker, others re-elected as Igwe wins in Umunneochi From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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peaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu, has staged a comeback to the Abia State House of Assembly as he emerged victorious in Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency in last Saturday’s House of Assembly election.

Kalu shrugged fierce challenges by his All Progressives Congress (APC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) opponents to coast home to victory.

A statement issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and endorsed by the Head of Department of Voters Education and Publicity, Godfrey Achibie, on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commission, Dr Joseph Iloh, showed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 19 seats, leaving the remaining five to the opposition.

While APGA clinched three seats comprising Arochukwu, Aba Central and Aba South state constituencies, APC chalked up victory in Bende and Isuikwuato.

State constituencies where PDP won include Umunneochi, where an

American-trained lawyer and immediate past chairman of Umunneochi local government area, Barr. Okey Igwe, was declared winner. Igwe is one of the 12 new members of the 8th Abia House of Assembly.

Also, 11 old members of the 24-member Abia legislature, including the current Majority Leader of the House, Engr. Chinedum Orji winning, are joining Kalu in the victory dance as they were re-elected by their constituents.

But the story is not the same for the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe (PDP), who lost to a new comer, Chukwu Chjijioke of APC, in Bende North.

In the same boat with the Deputy Speaker is the Minority Whip, Hon. Solomon Okogbue of APGA who lost to Chief Emmanuel Ndubuisi of the PDP. However, eleven new members were newly elected as thirteen serving members clinched their seats in the new 7th Abia House of Assembly.

Those elected into the Abia Legistaure from Abia North Senatorial zone are: Barrister Emeka Okoroafor (Isuikwuato-APC); Barrister

Philip Okey Igwe (UmunneochiPDP); Micheal Ukoha (ArochukwuAPGA); Ifeanyi Uchendu (Ohafia North -PDP); Mandela Obasi(Ohafia South-PDP); Chijoke Chukwu (Bende North-APC) and Emmanuel Ndubuisi (Bende South-PDP).

Those elected from Abia Central include: Kelechi Onwuzuruike (Umuahia North-PDP); Jerry Uzosike (Umuahia South-PDP); Engr.

Chinedu Enyinnaya Orji(Umuahia Central-PDP) Prince Chukwudi John Apugo (Umuahia East-PDP); Stanley Nwabuisi (Ikwuano-PDP); Ginger Onwusibe (Isiala Ngwa North-PDP); Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu (Isiala Ngwa South-PDP); Barr. Bishop Kennedy Njoku (Osisioma Ngwa South-PDP) and Nnamdi Allen (Osisioma Ngwa North-PDP).

Those that will represent Abia South are Uzodike Aaron (Aba North-PDP); Ichita Obinna Martin (AbaSouth-APGA); Abraham Obah (Aba Central-APGA); Munachimso Alozie (Ugwunnagbo-PDP); Solomon Akpulonu (Obingwa WestPDP); A.C. Nkoro (Obingwa EastPDP) Paul Taribo (Ukwa East-PDP) and Mezie Nwaubani (Ukwa WestPDP).

former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ezeogbulafor, has predicted that the PDPled government in Abia State would improve the welfare of the people.

“PDP will make you fishers of men,” he told a jubilant crowd of Olokoro people who trooped to his Itaja Olokoro country home “on a victory march,” following the outcome of the 2019 general elections which favoured PDP in Umuaghia South local government area.

He expressed optimism that better days were ahead as the people of the local government have rejoined PDP. In 2015, Umuahia South pitched camp with the All Progressives Grand Alliance, dumping PDP. The former PDP national chairman said he was happy that the people have restored PDP in the local government as they voted for the PDP candidate for the House of Assembly, Jerry Uzorsike, promising that this would translate to more dividends of democracy for the people.

Overwhelmed with joy, Ezeogbulafor commended the people for changing the political narrative of the area, stressing on the importance of making right political choices when embarking on political voyage.

“If you want to join a particular political party, be mindful of the party that will be beneficial to your people and the one that will bring your people to limelight,” he advised.

Also addressing the people, the immediate past Executive Chairman of Umuahia South, Prince Obioma Ezeogbulafor, expressed gratitude to God for the outcome of the elections, pointing out that Umuahia South has proved their unflinching support for Ikpeazu by voting PDP in all the elections.

He said with the outcome, Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) has actually become the power of the electorate, as it was used to vote out a nonperforming legislator and sustaining the mandate of Ikpeazu and as well, liberate the council from being in opposition, thereby giving the local government “a strong voice in the government of Abia State.”

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS

Idemili boils over polls outcome …2 killed, corpses dumped in palace

By Oge Onyeanusi, Nnewi

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bosi, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra state, country home of the former Secretary General of the Common Wealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, is boiling over conduct of State House of Assembly and fresh elections to Idemili Federal House of Representatives between a candidate of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Hon. Obinna Chidoka and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Ibezi, which reportedly resulted in the killing of two persons and scores sustained various degrees of bullet, machete and dagger injuries.

The newsmen gathered that the conduct of the duo elections was going on smoothly amidst water-tight security until about 5pm on the fateful day, when some unidentified political thugs numbering about 20 and said to be fully armed and led by a fiercelooking girl, had on alighting from a bus, made straight to the polling centre and in a bid to forcefully snatch the result sheets, ballot boxes and other electoral materials from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials holding the items, started shooting indiscriminately and wielding others weapons of death but were resisted by the INEC officials, security agents and political party agents.

On the process two persons, were gunned down and the assailants who had come for the electoral materials immediately fled the scene leaving the dead in the pool of their blood which littered the ground.

The identities of the deceased were not immediately ascertained but impeccable sources hinted that one was an indigene of Obosi while the other came from Okpoko, a neighbouring community.

As people within the vicinity scampered for safety during the shooting, there was cries and wailing and on a tip-off the State Commissioner of Police, (CP) Rabiu Ladodo, stormned the scene ostensibly to douse tension but before his arrival, angry youths in Obosi, reportedly led by the PDP House of Representatives candidate, who is also the incumbent, Obinna Chidoka, took the corpses to the palace of the Traditional ruler of Obosi, HRM, Igwe Chudubem Iweka, accusing him of having soft spot for APGA when he is supposed to be non-partisan.

Addressing the youths, the monarch denied supporting any political party adding that as a father to all, he would look into their case with a view to restoring sanity and peace in the community.

Contributing, the Palace Secretary, Shedrack Igwebuike, described the dumping of the corpese in the palace as an abomination which this morning (Sunday) members of the Igwe’s cabinet stormed the palace to make atonement to appease the gods.

“This morning being Sunday, members of the Igwe’s cabinet have come to make atonement to appease the gods because dumping the corpse in the palace is an abomination, the Monarch does not see corpses” Igwebuike stated.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Haruna Mohammed denied that the killing was perpetrated by political thugs adding that it was as a result of bloody cult clash between two rival cult factions. “it was a clash between two rival cult factions, black Axe and Vickings Contraternity that led to the death of the two yet to be identified persons.

The attackers fled after killing them” the PPRO maintained.

Anambra police launch man-hunt for killer cultists in Obosi

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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he police in Anambra state have launched a man-hunt for members of two rival cult groups allegedly responsible for the untimely death of two suspected cult members at Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra state, country home of the former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, during last Saturday’s State House of Assembly election and the re-run for Idemili North/ South Federal Constituency.

The re-run for the House of Representatives had taken place between a candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Obinna Chidoka, younger brother to Chief Osita Chidoka, former Corps Marshall of the

Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi.

The re-run exercise took place at Obosi simultaneously with the state Assembly election, during which two persons lost their lives, while scores sustained various degrees of bullet, machete and dagger injuries, as a result of bloody clash between two rival cult groups.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Haruna Mohammed who confirmed the killing of two persons, said their death was not perpetrated by political thugs but cult groups who had a bloody cult clash between two rival cult factions, the Black Axe and Vickings Confraternity.

He insisted that the police have launched man-hunt for the cult members, adding that those caught would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

It would be recalled that the conduct of the duo elections was going on smoothly in some polling units at Obosi amidst water-tight security until about 5pm when some unidentified armed political thugs who were later identified by the police as cult members numbering about 20 and led by a fierce-looking girl, alighted from a bus and unleashed mayhem.

According to an eye-witness, the group had shortly on alighting from the bus, made straight to the polling centre and in a bid to forcefully snatch the result sheets, ballot

• Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Peak Performance Academy and Guest Speaker, Mrs. Modupe Wigwe (sitting middle) with the Group Head, Corporate Services, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mrs. Iyatum Adode-Kobiti (sitting 3rd from right) in a group photograph with AMCON female staff at the end of the 1-day event marking the 2019 International Women’s Day (IWD) at the weekend

Anambra council boss lays foundation stone for new secretariat • Immortalises Anthonia Mable Isama Lavender

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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he foundation stone of a new Secretariat building in Ogbaru Council Area has been laid by the Chairman of the Local Government Transition Committee, Hon. Arinzechukwu Awogu amidst pomp and pageantry as the woman who provided electricity for the Local Government was immortalized by naming the new Secretariat building after her.

Recall that Anthonia Mable Isama Lavender (Omenwa), from Ossomala area of Ogbaru, the then Assistant General Manager of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), single handedly in the 80s attracted electricity to Ogbaru Local Government at a time when electricity was viewed as luxury only enjoyed in big cities and communities favoured by government.

The one-storey building which was designed to decongest offices at the existing Secretariat is expected to be completed in three months and when completed will accommodate the Council Chairman’s office among others.

Performing the foundation laying ceremony in company of Rev. Fr. John Ugobueze and some appointees of government, the Council Chairman, Awogu, bemoaned the slow pace of development in the Local Government but expressed

confidence that the new generation of Ogbaru are in a hurry to grow the Council Area and assured that with structures such as the new Secretariat building, the Council is heading progressively to the promised land.

He gave the assurance that the building would be completed in three months. Giving insight into the running of the Council, Hon. Awogu stated that prudent management of scarce resources has enabled him do more with less in line with Gov. Willie Obiano’s mantra.

According to Awogu, “We have in the last 10 months saved enough money for the Local Government to enable us undertake any such project of importance. First, we jettisoned frivolities and wasteful spending, which enabled us to save for capital projects and other interventions hitherto unheard of in the history of the Local Government.

“Today, two very important aspects of service is achieved with this project; the structure itself signifying a leap in the determination to develop the Council and a demonstration of the fact that service to humanity regardless of how long and how little it seem, will remain evergreen in the minds of many.

Anthonia Mable Isama Lavender in whose honour the structure is being built is to us a legend”.

“She could have quietly occupied such office and left without impact-

ing on her birth environment. But for standing up for her people she is today made our heroine of all time”.

“We also remember those who favoured Ogbaru using their positions, our own Prof. Ben Nwabueze who as Minister of Education midwifed what we have today as Atani Campus of Oko Polytechnic and some others like him. History will remain kind to people like Rev. Fr. Collins Ojene and Chief Pat Sule Ugboma who battled to fix Atani-OgwuIkpele road at different times”.

Those individuals like the then Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who used their various positions in government to employ Ogbaru sons and daughters into the system are all our heroes and heroines. It is in such recognition that give the slimest hope to those occupying public offices today that they will be remembered someday if they stand tall for the people”, Hon. Awogu said.

Fr. John Ugobueze in his prayers asked God to give leaders in Ogbaru the heart of service as in it lies remembrance, God’s mercy and favour.

Those who spoke during the occasion praised the vision and managerial ability of the Council Boss, encouraging him to continue in his effort to develope the Local Government.

boxes and other electoral materials from INEC officials, started shooting indiscriminately and at the same time, wielding other weapons of death but were resisted by the INEC officials, security agents and political party agents.

The source stated that on the process, two persons were gunned down and the thugs who had come for the electoral materials immediately fled the scene, abandoning the deceased persons in their own pool of blood which littered the ground.

Although the identities of the deceased were not yet ascertained even as at press time yesterday, impeccable sources hinted that one was an indigene of Obosi while the other came from Okpoko, a neighbouring community.

As people within the vicinity scampered for safety during the shootout, there was cries and wailings and on a tip-off the State Commissioner of Police, (CP) Rabiu Ladodo, stormed the scene ostensibly to douse tension but before his arrival, angry youths in Obosi had taken the corpses to the palace of the traditional ruler of Obosi, HRM, Igwe Chudubem Iweka, accusing him of having soft spot for APGA when he is supposed to be non-partisan.

But in a telephone chat, Igwe Iweka declined to comment on the killings and dumping of the corpses at his palace, adding that at the appropriate time, he would address the press on the matter.

However, in a reaction, an anonymous source from the Igwe’s Palace hinted to newsmen yesterday that the dumping of the corpses in the palace was an abomination which warranted members of the Igwe’s cabinet to storm the palace on Sunday morning and made an atonement to appease the gods because dumping the corpse in the palace was an abomination, more so when the Monarch does not see corpse or corpses with his eyes.

Meantime, INEC has eventually declared Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi, the candidate of APGA winner of last Saturday’s re-run of the Idemili North/South Federal Constituency.

The returning officer, Associate Professor Ike who announced the result on Sunday at Idemili North Local Government headquarters in Ogidi after the collation of results from the polling booths at Obosi and Abatete where the re-run exercise took place, said Ibezi scored 29,566 votes to defeat his PDP rival, Hon. Obinna Chidoka who scored 26,026 votes It will be recalled that INEC had canceled the result of Federal House of Representatives election in 26 polling units at Obosi and 5 polling units at Abatate during the National Assembly polls held two weeks ago and ordered for a re-run in those units.

At the end of the re-run Ibezi emerged winner sparking wide jubilation among people in the camp of APGA and Abatete respectively.

Effort to get Ibezi speak proved abortive as he took time shaking and hugging his supporters before disappearing with a waiting vehicle.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS Extra 2023: Zone Senate President to South East From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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he Young Peoples Party (YPP) House of Representatives candidate for Bende Federal Constituency in the last Presidential/National Assembly elections, Charles Obinna Chukwunaru, has challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to demonstrate its sincerity of promising to zone the Presidency in 2023 to the South East by zoning the Office of the Senate President to the region in President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term.

Chukwunaru also wants President Buhari to restructure the country for accelerated development and security.

Chukwunaru who is also the President of Eastern Nigeria Development Association (ENDA)an association of young progressive professionals from the eleven states of former Eastern Nigeria, while interacting with journalists in Umuahia, noted that, unlike 2015, APC has produced two Senators of South East extraction this time around.

“The APC produced two senators of South East extraction in the January 23, 2019 Presidential/National Assembly election, one of whom should become a ranking member of Senate due to his past legislative experience.

“Hence, there will be no excuse this time for the continued marginalisation of the South East by the APC-led Federal Government since its inception in 2015.”

The international scholar and political technocrat noted that failure by APC leadership to zone the office of the Senate President to South East would further feul “the perception of oppression, marginalisation, repression and exclusion of the South East from access to political and economic participation in Nigeria,” thereby aggarvating the call for separation from the centre by people of the zone.

The President of ENDA also called for the immediate restructuring of the country in order to ensure peace, security and accelerated development of Nigeria in general and the Eastern Nigeria in particular.

“The only starting point for any meaningful restructuring of Nigeria must start from bringing back the one and only genuine 1963 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which was suspended by late Major General J.T.U Aguiyi Ironsi since 1966,” he said He advised that the 1963 constitution could be amended to reflect present realities in Nigeria; while maintaining its original Regional fundamental principles.

The Peace theorist and Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution expert asserted that the present 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) was a mere federal working document concocted by past military governments to benefit the government at the centre to the detriment of the federating units.

“This aberration of fundamental Principles of Federalism, Constitutionalism, Rule of Law, Democracy and Human Rights is the underlying cause of massive underdevelopment, high and low intensity violent conflicts, hunger, poverty and untimely deaths in Nigeria in general and Eastern Nigeria in particular,” he said.

Why aparthy marred Anambra House of Asembly election – Ezeonwuka, Nweke

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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member of Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka and the President-General of Aboji Akanano Union, Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra state, Nze Dozie Nweke have attributed the obvious aparthy recorded during last Saturday’s State Assembly election to disillusionment arising from the presidential and national assembly election in the country.

Ezeonwuka and Nweke said it was quite disgusting that the result of the election did not reflect what they thought they voted during the presidential and national assembly

elections and besides, most of the electorate were disenfranchised after standing under the sun for a whole day.

According to Ezeonwuka who had the three polling units in his area cleared by APGA with wide margin, “the Presidential and National Assembly elections conducted two weeks ego were high profile elections that involved race for the President of Nigeria, Senate and House of Representatives seats while last weekend election was for the state level”.

“Most Nigerians came out to elect the President and National Assembly lawmakers and were not that interested in who becomes the Governor or State House of Assembly

lawmaker”.

The APGA BOT member who is also the Igbo Spiritual Leader, (Ogirisi Igbo) also attributed the low turn out to the fact that it was only one election (Anambra House of Assembly) that was contested for unlike in other states where there were two elections, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly.

In his own view, Nze Dozie Nweke, attributed the voting apathy to the allegation that the people’s vote did not count in the Presidential and National Assembly elections and as such people resolved to stay indoors.

“Most people voted for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku

Abubakar and his Vice, Peter Obi, but the PDP votes were stolen by the ruling APC Federal Government in collaboration with INEC. You can see that we are mourning the stolen of votes meant for PDP, the entire South East is mourning including South South and even some parts of South West and North, if PDP had been declared winner, the whole world would have celebrated it because it was expected” Nze Nweke who expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the only House of Assembly election in the state, added that, “that is why there was no violence because it was only one election and most people resolved to stay back at home also”.

Lack of Jurisdiction: court strikes out ex-Life Breweries staff N10m suit against NB Plc

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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• Airtel employees under the company’s Employee Volunteer (EVS) scheme presenting a chequefor N1m to the family of Mr Okom (not pictured), and his wife, Mrs Blessing Okom, to save their eight year old son, Goodluck Okom who was battling with complications from a botched appendectomy procedure, at a ceremony at his family home in Ogijo area of Ikorodu, Lagos

1000 Nigerian students to undertake peace march in Ghana From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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bout 1000 Nigerian students drawn from several public and private universities from across the country are set to undergo a peace march, scholastic debate as well as humanitarian services with their counterparts in some universities in Ghana.

This was disclosed in Calabar by the Non-governmental organization, the Association of Brotherhood Academic Scholars (ABAS).

International president of the group, Ambassador Boma Ambille who made this known to newsmen said preparations are in top gear to move their entire membership to Ghana and the beneficiaries have already submitted their travelling documents.

He explained that the purpose of the one week visit is to conduct what he called Peace March which includes humanitarian works as well as engage in scholarly discourse with their counterparts in some universities while in Ghana and social programmes.

He disclosed that other international students from the UK, Uganda, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Cameroon will also be part of the

academic fiesta.

“Nigerian students who are members of this association will visit Ghana next month. We have over 1000 active members who are mostly graduates and undergraduates of universities in many countries, including UK and the Americas.

“We shall carry out not only academic but humanitarian works, which will include peace march.

We do this every year since 2006 in many African capitals. It will now be the turn of Ghana. Last year, we conducted the same exercise in Uganda”, he said.

He said the trip is self-sponsoring because each student knows the benefits they enjoy, even though there are kindhearted people who are Peace Envoys that have extended supports.

He said such trips engender not only students international relationship but consolidate that of both countries. He said the trip was aimed at promoting love and unity amongst not only universities but all budding youths.

Also speaking, Ama Williams, Secretary of the organization and scholar at the Akwa Ibom State University said participants will present

a ten minutes talk on a number of topics including “Religious tolerance: A panacea for world peace”, and “A perfect man in a non-peaceful world: Myth or reality”.

“This talk show and quiz competition will hold during the grand finale of the ABAS Peace March in Accra Ghana. It is aimed to test knowledge of students in religious and scholarly matters, and to indoctrinate them on the need for them to entrench culture of peace and tolerance in their daily lives”, he said.

He said the Association comprises of university lecturers, graduates and undergraduates numbering well over 1000 who are expected to participate in the Ghana event as was in Uganda last year and Liberia, two years earlier.

Chairman of the planning committee, Bishop Amba Koroye said the Peace March started over 15 years ago where they initially concentrated the event in Nigerian states with huge success.

He said it was the advice of their grand patron, spiritual Father and Benefactor, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu who encouraged them to take the event outside the country.

he National Industrial Court sitting in Awka, Anambra state, presided over by Justice J.I. Targema has struck out a N10 million suit brought against Nigerian Breweries Plc by one Chief Geoffrey Okey Omeh, a former staff of Life Breweries Limited, Onitsha, for lack of jurisdiction.

In his judgement, after considering the submissions of counsel to both parties, Dr. A. A. Orunkoya for NB Plc and J.A.C. Onuoha for the claimant, Justice Targema agreed with the submissions of Orunkoya that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit and struck it out in favour of NB Plc. Orunkoya had in his submission, told the court point blank that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit, by virtue of section 251(1)(e) of the 1999 Constitution of FRN and section 287(3) of same constitution.

Omeh had dragged NB Plc to the court in Suit No NICN/AWK/32/2017, seeking the payment of N10,000,089, among other reliefs from NB Plc., having served under Life Breweries Limited and had his appointment unlawfully terminated before it was acquired by NB Plc. In his statement of claim filed on his behalf by his legal counsel, J.A.C Onuoha Esq., the claimant contended that his appointment with Life Breweries was unlawfully terminated before it was acquired by Nigerian Breweries Plc. He further contended that Nigerian Breweries Plc having acquired Life Breweries Ltd and is now liable to assets and liabilities of Life Breweries Ltd by virtue of section 119 (1), 2(a) (b) and section 112(6) of the Investment and Securities Act 2007, should pay him all his entitlements amounting to a little above N10 million.

He therefore urged the court to order the NB Plc to pay him the N10,000,089 as judgement sum and damages by applying the pay package of Nigerian Breweries Plc. But counsel to NB Plc., Dr A.A. Orunkoya Esq, argued that NB Plc is not liable to apply its pay package in the payment of any entitlement to the claimant which he was hitherto entitled to when he was a staff of Life Breweries Ltd, since the said package was not applicable to him as at then.

Orunkoya further argued that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain the suit by virtue of section 254C (1) (J) (IV) of the 1999 constitution of FRN amendment to 3rd party alteration Act 2010, adding that the claimant is merely seeking execution of award not specifically part of the judgement of the state High Court that hitherto tried the subject matter and by this act oust the jurisdiction of the court.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS Extra Abia Speaker, Majority Leader re-elected, Deputy, Minority Whip lose seats as PDP clears 19 seats • Igwe wins in Umunneochi From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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peaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu, has staged a comeback to the Abia State House of Assembly as he emerged victorious in Isiala Ngwa South State Constituency in last Saturday’s House of Assembly election.

Kalu shrugged fierce challenges by his All Progressives Congress (APC) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) opponents to coast home to victory.

A statement issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and endorsed by the Head of Department of Voters Education and Publicity, Godfrey Achibie, on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commission, Dr Joseph Iloh, showed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won 19 seats, leaving the remaining five to the opposition.

While APGA clinched three seats comprising Arochukwu, Aba Central and Aba South state constituencies, APC chalked up victory in Bende and Isuikwuato.

State constituencies where PDP won include Umunneochi, where an American-trained lawyer and immediate past chairman of Umunneochi local government area, Barr. Okey Igwe, was declared winner. Igwe is one of the 12 new members of the 8th Abia House of Assembly.

Also, 11 old members of the 24-member Abia legislature, including the current Majority Leader of the House, Engr. Chinedum Orji winning, are joining Kalu in the victory dance as they were re-elected by their constituents.

But the story is not the same for the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe (PDP), who lost to a new comer, Chukwu Chjijioke of APC, in Bende North.

In the same boat with the Deputy Speaker is the Minority Whip, Hon. Solomon Okogbue of APGA who lost to Chief Emmanuel Ndubuisi of the PDP. However, eleven new members were newly elected as thirteen serving members clinched their seats in the new 7th Abia House of Assembly.

Those elected into the Abia Legistaure from Abia North Senatorial zone are: Barrister Emeka Okoroafor (Isuikwuato-APC); Barrister Philip Okey Igwe (Umunneochi-PDP); Micheal Ukoha (Arochukwu-APGA); Ifeanyi Uchendu (Ohafia North -PDP); Mandela Obasi(Ohafia South-PDP); Chijoke Chukwu (Bende North-APC) and Emmanuel Ndubuisi (Bende South-PDP).

Those elected from Abia Central include: Kelechi Onwuzuruike (Umuahia North-PDP); Jerry Uzosike (Umuahia South-PDP); Engr. Chinedu Enyinnaya Orji(Umuahia Central-PDP) Prince Chukwudi John Apugo (Umuahia East-PDP); Stanley Nwabuisi (Ikwuano-PDP); Ginger Onwusibe (Isiala Ngwa North-PDP); Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu (Isiala Ngwa SouthPDP); Barr.

Bishop Kennedy Njoku (Osisioma Ngwa South-PDP) and Nnamdi Allen (Osisioma Ngwa North-PDP).

Those that will represent Abia South are Uzodike Aaron (Aba North-PDP); Ichita Obinna Martin (AbaSouth-APGA); Abraham Obah (Aba Central-APGA); Munachimso Alozie (Ugwunnagbo-PDP); Solomon Akpulonu (Obingwa West-PDP); A.C. Nkoro (Obingwa East-PDP) Paul Taribo (Ukwa East-PDP) and Mezie Nwaubani (Ukwa West-PDP).

Rivers, 7 others top alleged vote buying list –YIAGA AFRICA

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IAGA AFRICA, a civil society organisation on Sunday listed Adamawa, Borno,Nasarawa, Kwara, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna and Zamfara as states with alleged most reports of vote buying during the March 9 elections.

Dr Hussaini Abdu, Chair, Watching The Vote Working (WTV) Group of YIAGA AFRICA made this known at a news conference on the governorship, state houses of assembly and Area Council elections in Auja.

Abdu said that YIAGA AFRICA sent out 682 observers to monitor the elections in states and received a total of 124 confirmed incidents reports during the governorship election.

“WTV observers reported cases of voter inducement and vote buying across the states.

“Specifically, YIAGA AFRICA received the most report of voter inducement and vote buying in Adamawa, Borno, Nasarawa, Kwara,

Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna and Zamfara States. ‘’ Abdu said that the group also noted that accredited observers and party agents were not allowed to observe the collation process in areas like Uruan, Ukanafun and IkotEkpene LGAs in Akwa Ibom State.

He said others were in Ado LGA in Benue State, Ethiope East, Ughelli south and Ughelli North LGAs in Delta State, Asari-Toru, Eleme, Gokana, Opobo/Nekoro and Oyigbo LGAs of Rivers State.

He named other places to include Silame and Yabo LGAs of Sokoto State, Tsafe LGA in Zamfara State, and in Ohaozara LGA collation center in Ebonyi State.

Abdu said YIAGA AFRICA also noted incidence of military personnel chasing away observers and some party agents in some collation centres.

He said that WTV observers re-

ported cases where collation officers declined to collate results at the LGA level or failed to announce results at the LGA levels in Lagos,Ebonyi ,Oyo and Katsina.

He said that the announcement of the governorship results in Ibadan North LGA in Ibadan, Ahoada East LGA in Rivers state andIbesikpoAsutan and Akamkpa LGAs in Akwa Ibom State were disrupted.

He said that there were also reports of attempts to disrupt Results collation in some places.

Abdu said that YIAGA AFRICA was concerned with efforts by the political class to undermine democratic institutions like INEC and Nigeria Police.

He said that the do-or-die attitude of the political class where agencies of state like the Nigerian army were deployed to interfere with the electoral process in spite of legal limits to their involvement in the elections

was unacceptable.

He said that this could imperil Nigeria’s democracy if not addressed.

Abdu condemned the destruction and vandalisation of INEC offices all in bid to prevent the electoral commission from conducting elections.

He said that the common good should be the ultimate goal of public leadership but it appears, politicians are determined to subvert the electoral process for their personal gains.

He said that the group was also worried with the reports on noncompliance with electoral guidelines and procedures lapses in our electoral process could potentially undermine the integrity of elections.

He condemned the attack on journalists and civil society actors during the 2019 elections as journalists and observers were intimidated, abducted and assaulted.

Why apathy marred Anambra guber/ Asembly election – Ezeonwuka, Nweke

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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• (From left): Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, his wife, Dame Edith, wife of the Deputy Governor, Dr Ebieri Otuaro, former Governor of the state, Chief James Onanefe Iboriat a a special thanksgiving service held, Monday, at the Government House Chapel, Asaba to celebrate the victory of Governor Okowa at the Saturday, March 9th, 2019 gubernatorial polls in the state

Bayelsa PDP, APC throw mud over death of Naval Rating

From Clem Onyemaechi, Yenagoa

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he Bayelsa State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party and the main opposition, the All Progressive Congress, are once again at each other’s throats over the killing of a Naval Rating in the state.

The PDP in a statement issued by the State secretary, Chief Godspower Keku alleged that the naval personnel was a victim of the thugs hired by the APC during the state Assembly election at the weekend.

According to the statement, the rating, was on election duty when he met his gruesome death at the hands of the rampaging APC thugs in the waterways of Bayelsa, Keku said that information at the disposal of the PDP indicated that the Naval personnel attached to NNS FORMOSO, was escorting Electoral materials from Egwuama to Brass when he and his colleagues came under attack from the APC thugs.

He said that the Navy in Bayelsa who have exhibited a high level of professionalism in the election, so far, may have come under the unprovoked attack for resisting at-

tempts by the APC thugs to hijack the materials meant for the area to non designated location for thumb printing in their usual way in Brass He said that it was unfortunate that a group of desperate politicians had been allowed to take the laws of the land into their hands and emboldened to commit acts of criminality for the purpose of undeserved electoral victory.

The PDP secretary called on the authorities of the Nigerian Navy to go after the hoodlums and their leaders behind the unfortunate death of the Naval personnel with a view to bringing them to book.

Keku recalled that a Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal SARS, Kola Okunola, was abducted, stripped and almost beheaded by thugs loyal to Chief Timipre Sylva and the member representing Brass Constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House òf Assembly, Israel Sunny-Goli during the Presidential/National Assembly elections in Brass.

He said that it was cheering to note that the Bayelsa lawmaker who led the assault on the DCP was arrested and would soon face prosecution alongside his cohorts.

Keku called on the Commander of NNS FORMOSO to take a cue from the leadership of the police by going public with the murder of the innocent security operative in the line of duty.

He said that only the right actions especially the pursuit of justice would suffice in the murder of the rating.

However the APC has washed its hands off the allegation, saying the party knew nothing about the killing of the rating.

“The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State did not kill any Naval rating on Election Day. We have no reason to kill for power. We are not a party of desperate people.

“The Naval authorities have not told anyone that one of their men was murdered on Election Day. It is only the Navy that can account for its men.

“We know that the PDP and its leadership in Bayelsa State have an established notoriety for lying and fake news. But this latest claim must rank as the lowest of the low. The PDP needs to understand that even lying has its limits”, a statement issued by the State Publicity Secretary of APC said.

member of Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka and the President-General of Aboji Akanano Union, Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra state, Nze Dozie Nweke have attributed the obvious apathy recorded during last Saturday’s State Assembly election to disillusionment arising from the presidential and national assembly election in the country.

Ezeonwuka and Nweke said it was quite disappointing that the result of the election did not reflect what they thought they voted during the presidential and national assembly elections and besides, most of the electorate were disenfranchised after standing under the sun for a whole day.

According to Ezeonwuka who had the three polling units in his area cleared by APGA with wide margin, “the Presidential and National Assembly elections conducted two weeks ago were high profile elections that involved race for the President of Nigeria, Senate and House of Representatives seats while last weekend election was for the state level”.

“Most Nigerians came out to elect the President and National Assembly lawmakers and were not that interested in who becomes the Governor or State House of Assembly lawmaker”.

The APGA BOT member who is also the Igbo Spiritual Leader, (Ogirisi Igbo) also attributed the low turn out to the fact that it was only one election (Anambra House of Assembly) that was contested for unlike in other states where there were two elections, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly.

In his own view, Nze Dozie Nweke, attributed the voter apathy to the allegation that the people’s vote did not count in the Presidential and National Assembly elections and as such people resolved to stay indoors.

“Most people voted for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his Vice, Peter Obi, but the PDP votes were stolen by the ruling APC Federal Government in collaboration with INEC.

9

POLITICS

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

Tears, fears, lamentations, lessons as 2019 election winds up In this report, BONIFACE OKORO reviews the just- concluded governorship/state assembly election and concludes that all is not well that ended not so well!

•Okezie Ikpeazu

T

he just-concluded 2019 general election was characterised by tears (of joy and sadness), fears of the unknown, lamentations over broken hopes and lessons for all—the electorate and politicians— about the inherent values of democracy and their challenges in Nigeria.

As we went to press, some results of the Saturday, March 9 governorship/State Assembly election were still being awaited while many others had been announced.

It was learnt that Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Rivers and others had been put on hold because elections were “inconclusive” in those areas.

Although the Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-rufai has been announced winner of the governorship election, collation of results in Imo and Kano had reportedly been suspended as at the time of this report.

Similarly, the election result in Rivers was reportedly suspended, sparking protests.

On the whole, the Saturday, March 9 election was replete with irregularities, violence and outright disenfranchisement of voters and contestants alike. In most parts of the South East and South South, vote-buying, ballot box snatching, shooting to scare voters so ballot boxes could be snatched, PVC seizures by INEC officials for sale to politicians and a whole lot of other irregularities were rife.

South East States, for instance, have probably the highest number of uncollected PVCs, which, however, may have been sold to politicians who routinely gave them out to supporters recruited to vote as many times as possible for the procurer of the PVCs or his party, with the connivance of INEC. The election also featured excessive use

•Alex Otti

•Uche Ogah

of soldiers to directly influence outcome of elections in different parts of the country.

Video footages of soldiers protecting thugs running away with ballot boxes, or snatching the ballot boxes themselves, went viral on several social media platforms, indicating an electoral system with a lot of credibility problems.

To be sure, what many have described as “disgraceful acts put up by the army” has attracted a lot of condemnations from across the country.

For instance, the South East-based Coalition of Human Rights & Democracy Organizations (SBCHROs), embarrassed by the role of the army in the 2019 elections, has derisively asked INEC to “register the Nigerian Military as a political party.”

In a statement tagged: 2019 Poll Rigging: Calling On INEC To Register Nigerian Army As A Political Party And Replace INEC Logo With APC’s Broom, SBCHROs said: “Given the shameless conducts of soldiers of the Nigerian Army in the shambolic polls of 2019 in Nigeria, which widely hit air, television and other electronic waves around the world, it would be safe to ask the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to initiate the process of registration and recognition of the Nigerian Army as a political party so that it could formally join the league of Nigeria’s registered political parties. In this regard, the Nigerian Army may go by the name ‘The Army Political Party of Nigeria (APPN).”

SBCHROs, a coalition of more than 23 human rights and democracy organizations based in South East Nigeria, said in a joint statement issued in Onitsha, Anambra State, and signed by Messrs Emeka Umeagbalasi, Aloysius Attah, Jerry Chukwuokoro,

Justice Chidi, Prof and Ms Chidinma Evan Udegbunam, further described the Nigerian Army as a disgrace.

SBCHROs said: “The brazen brigandage, thuggery and other forms of electoral partisanship and robbery played out in the just held shambolic polls of 2019 are clear signs that the Army is tired of being non-partisan or mere security referees in Nigerian elections.

“It is no longer news that soldiers of the Nigerian Army had, during the shambolic electoral exercise, engaged, with reckless abandon, in snatching and diversion of ballot boxes and materials including result sheets, doctoring of results, holding electoral officers and party agents to ransom, obstruction of their duties and restriction of their access to collation centres as well as forcing them to announce results at gunpoint.

“Soldiers of the Nigerian Army also engaged in shooting and killing voters, breaking into family apartments and exposing the nakedness of married couples in their sleep as well as intimidation and harassment of voters and poll observers, etc.

“Similarly, going by the compromised roles of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the shambolic polls, it may also be safe to advise the Commission to replace its existing logo with APC’s broom so as to formally legitimize its leprous status and stop being seen by Nigerians and international watchers as an ‘unbiased’ umpire or ‘independent’ electoral commission.”

Apparently fearing for their lives, especially in the light of the shoot-at-sight order given to the military by President Muhammadu Buhari against ballot box snatchers and other categories of election riggers, an order that was largely obeyed in the breach,

many, indeed, most voters, stayed away from polling booths. Most polling units across the country, especially in South East/ South South were virtually empty, with polling caught on camera sleeping most of the time because they had few or no voters to attend to. But, expectedly, that did not stop INEC from announcing very high figures as results of the election, such that it would even appear more people came out for the almost totally boycotted governorship/ state assembly election than came out for the president/national assembly election.

SENATOR EZE CALLS FOR CANCELLATION OF ENUGU ELECTION Angered by what he described as the shenanigans deployed by INEC in collusion with the State government to exclude his name from the list of contestants for the governorship election in Enugu State, the APC governorship candidate for Enugu State, Senator Ayogu Eze has called for the cancellation of the governorship and house of assembly election as held in the Coal-City State on Saturday, March 9, 2019.

In a press statement, Mr. Okey Ezirigwe, Spokesman of the Ayogu Eze Campaign Organisation said: “We have seen some ovenbaked figures churned out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Enugu as the result of the March 9, 2019 governorship election. These fabricated figures fly in the face of the very low turnout of voters in the entire state, resulting from the mistreatment of our candidate by INEC. “It would be recalled that a few days before the election, INEC published the final list of governorship candidates for the Saturday, March 9, 2019 governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Enugu State on its website, without the names of the APC governorship and deputy governorship candidates for Enugu State, a situation the electoral body strangely explained resulted from a court order.

“On March 7, 2019, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja cleared whatever legal obstruction the INEC invoked, declaring Sen. Ayogu Eze, in a unanimous decision, the validly nominated governorship candidate of APC, Enugu state.

“The Appeal Court judgment compelling INEC to immediately restore our candidate on the candidates list, was served on INEC the same day which it acknowledged but refused to effect, up to the moment polls closed on Saturday, in clear violation and contempt of the court order, leading to unlawful exclusion of our validly nominated candidates.

“This development occasioned massive voter apathy leading to the lowest voter turnout ever recorded in Enugu State. We make bold to state that it would be a miracle if as many as 100,000 persons participated in the Saturday election in the State, if the card reader is queried.

“The absence of voters gave the PDP and those collaborating with it the ample opportunity to manufacture figures, which they have now put out as election results.

“Our supporters observed that while the card reader was supposed to have been programmed to stop functioning at 2pm, many polling centres remained open, up to as late as 5pm with massive thumb-printing going on, using multiple fingers and objects to mark the ballot papers.

“We are, therefore, calling on the people of Enugu State, all institutions and people of Nigeria not to only reject these forged figures described as governorship election results from an election that never took place in Enugu State, but to denounce the said election as a farce.

“The stark evidence of a highly depressed voter turnout that indicates about 65% drop on the general turnout during the March 2, 2019 presidential and National Assembly elections challenges the legitimacy of the electoral process and undermines the freak-

Cont’d on page 12

10

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

POLITICS

No to the army as partisan institution – SBCHROs

S

outheast Based Coalition of Human Rights & Democracy Organizations (SBCHROs) has described as shameful the obvious partisan involvement of the Nigerian army in the 2019 general election.

SBCHROs did not stop at that as it asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the Nigerian Military as a political party.

Accordingly, SBCHROs said that the credibility problem the army is currently suffering from started way back in 2016 when it ceased to be truly “Nigerian Army”, but an Army composed or tailored along ethno-religious lines. ‘’The Army started by making itself a national militant branch of the Miyatti Allah cattle breeding of Fulani stock. Since then, the Nigerian Army has remained more of jihadist Isbar militias than the Nigerian Army,” SBCHROs) said in a press statement.

In the statement tagged “2019 Poll Rigging: Calling On INEC To Register Nigerian Army As A Political Party And Replace INEC Logo With APC’s Broom, SBCHRO’s said given the shameless conducts of soldiers of the Nigerian Army in the shambolic polls of 2019 in Nigeria, which widely hit air, television and other electronic waves around the world, it may be safe for the Independent National Electoral Commission to initiate the process of registration and recognition of the Nigerian Army as a political party so that it could formally join the league of the Nigerian registered political parties.

The statement endorsed by all the organizations stated in part: “In this regard, the Nigerian Army may go by name The Army Political Party of Nigeria (APPN)”.

SBCHROs, a coalition of more than 23 human rights and democracy organizations based in the South East said in a joint statement issued in Onitsha, Anambra State, and signed by Messrs Emeka Umeagbalasi, Aloysius Attah, Jerry Chukwuokoro, Justice Chidi, Prof and Ms Chidinma Evan Udegbunam, that Nigerian Army “is a disgrace”.

SBCHROs said further: “From the National Resistance Movement Army (Party) of Uganda to the Rwandan Patriotic Front Army (Party) of Rwanda, registering the Nigerian Army as a political party will generally make Nigerians begin to see and treat the Nigerian Army during the polls as “participant” and not “securitization referee”.

“In the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), for instance, wrestlers interested in certain championship belts usually do so by sending strong message to the title-holders or organizers of the WWE. “In the case of Nigerian Army, the brazen brigandage, thuggery and other forms of electoral partisanship and robbery played out in the just held shambolic polls of 2019 are clear signs to Nigerians that the Army is tired of being non-partisan or security referees in Nigerian elections.

“It is no longer news that Nigerian soldiers had during the shambolic electoral exercise engaged, with reckless abandon, in snatching and diversion of ballot boxes and materials including result sheets; doctoring of results, holding electoral officers and party agents to

•Burutai

•Buhari

ransom, obstruction of their duties and restriction of their movement or access to collation centres as well as forcing them to announce results at gunpoint.

Soldiers also engaged in shooting and killing voters, breaking into family apartments and exposing the nakedness of married couples in their sleep as well as intimidation and harassment of voters and poll observers, etc.

“On the other hand, going by the compromised roles of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in the shambolic polls, it may also be safe to advise the Commission to replace its existing logo with the APC broom logo,

•Yakubu

so as to formally legitimize its leprous status and stop being seen by Nigerians and international watchers as ‘unbiased’ umpire or ‘independent’ electoral commission. Apart from overtaking the Maurice Iwu era of INEC as the worst electoral commission leadership in Nigeria since 1999, it is also most correct to say that the present INEC is nothing short of an electoral commission flooded with “APC animated brooms”. ‘”Other than Dr. Mike Igini (REC of Akwa Ibom), other National and State RECs including INEC Chairman have by their recent misconducts shown that they are nothing short of apologists of dictator-

ship, tyranny and totalitarianism and archenemies of democracy in Nigeria.

“Dr. Mike Igini has been very outstanding and remained incorruptible since his appointment as REC several years ago, a feat he has maintained till date. He is integrity personified and deserves plethora of international awards.

“Aside him, others are speaking in tongues very difficult for Nigerians and other lovers of democracy to decode and understand. A clear case in point are the unfolding dramas in the just held Governorship poll, etcetera, whereby “inconclusiveness” was introduced in States where the ruling APC’s major

11

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

POLITICS

•Armed thug snatch ballot boxes

challenger, PDP, is coasting home to victory, whereas in others where APC has “won”, “conclusiveness” was applied to the last. In other States where PDP is having an edge with convincing margin, “the results are still being collated”. This is in spite of the fact that the ICT era governorship polls were conducted since past three days. ‘’In Rivers State, it was “suspension of the poll” even when APC did not run or field a governorship candidate. In Imo and Kano States where PDP was officially leading convincingly, “collation and announcement of results have been abruptly suspended”. The APC thugs led

by Deputy Governor of Kano State were reported to have torn the remaining results of the last LGA (44th LGA) so as to facilitate possible declaration of the entire guber poll “inconclusive”. The winner of the Kano governorship poll would have been long declared by INEC if it had gone the APC way. ‘’In Nasarawa State, where PDP was officially leading in most of the LGAs, the results were magically turned in favor of APC with its candidate announced as “winner”. In Taraba, Benue, Kaduna and Delta States where APC was officially trailing PDP in many results announced, their declarations have been suspiciously delayed. In Sokoto, Bauchi, Plateau and Adamawa, where PDP was coasting home to victory, their results “have been declared “inconclusive”. ‘’But in Ogun, Lagos, Borno, Kwara, Kebbi, Katsina, Gombe, Niger, Jigawa and others where APC “successfully” won, their results have since been easily and “conclusively declared” and their “winners” returned. Governorship polls are strictly designed by INEC as “State INEC business”, but in the just held governorship poll, “Abuja INEC and Presidency must reportedly confirm” and where the contrary is the case, “they are declared inconclusive and rescheduled” or put on hold under the guise of “results are still being collated”. ‘’Pitiably, therefore, the Nigerian Army under Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has been so debased with slimmest chances of being

redeemed and returned to professionalism, non partisanship and college of modern day territorial security and military science. We make bold to say that the Nigerian Army is on speed match, already hitting the nadir of precipice to join the moribund armies of former Yugoslavia, Ethiopia, Liberia, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sierra Leone and other armies of the crumbled brutal regimes around the world. ‘’It is on irrefutable records that the present Nigerian Army under its COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has never been so politicized, un-professionalized, disrespected, partisan, thuggery, debased, demeaned, uncontrolled and tactless than under the present chief of army staff. The Army has never been this bad and desolated under any other army chief of staff and all the past army chiefs put together. What remains of professionalism, neutrality and secular status of the Nigerian Army has been rubbished by its recent brazen thuggery and brigandage in the country’s 2019 shambolic polls especially in the South-south region of Nigeria. ‘’It is so brazen and shameful that the national Army of Nigeria is now being watched on televisions and other visual electronic devices all over the world snatching ballot boxes and other electoral materials; shooting and breaking into family apartments at night, exposing the nakedness of family couples and their children, disrupting their sleeps and staining their family apartments with bloods of the shot innocent citizens including public office holders. ‘’As undeniably caught on cameras and videos by Nigerians and members of the international community including the UK Government and foreign poll observers, the soldiers of Nigerian Army sent by Lt Gen Tukur Buratai have now been debased to the extent of usurping and taking over the functions of the compromised and integrity challenged Independent National Electoral Commission. It is so bad that soldiers of the Nigerian Army now determine which party agents and INEC officials to be allowed

access or denied same to results collation centers particularly in South-south region of Nigeria. ‘’The Army leadership is so shameless and unrepentant that when locally and internationally busted of its evil deeds against Nigerians particularly the innocent voting population; it shamelessly came out and claimed that “hoodlums in military uniforms are responsible”.

Footages of the military misconducts in the shambolic polls have not only rented the air or gone viral across the country and beyond its borders, but also sent shocks to Nigerians and members of the international community; ridiculing and tarnishing what remains of the country’s regional and international image and reputation. ‘’Noted, too, is the fact that the intensification and escalation of the military’s gross misconducts in the shambolic polls are chiefly necessitated by the conspiracy of silence and congregated and aggregated endorsement of such atrocious conducts of the military in the Feb 23 segment of the shambolic polls. Had the international community including the foreign observers come hard on the Nigerian Presidency and its military by calling spade a spade, the latest round of gross misconducts on the part of the military would not have taken place or occurred at minimal scale, if taken place. ‘’Today, the UK Government has suddenly and belatedly woken up to “express deep concerns over military interference with the works of INEC in Rivers State”; yet it was the same UK Government that hailed and congratulated PMB over the “free and fair conduct” of the 23rd Feb Poll. It is so bad and shocking that not even the award winning and $5m richer former President of Liberia and newest recipient of the Mo Ibrahim democracy icon award, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf; alongside others, could speak out or rise in strong condemnation of the armada of electoral fraud called “Nigerian General Polls of 2019”. ‘’Both at the level of the Coalition and Intersociety, several investigative reports and statements have been issued

on these, drawing the attention of various interest groups including the present central Government of Nigeria and the international community; calling for the return of Nigerian Army to path of professionalism and secularism. We have also on several occasions put it on clear records that no leadership of the Nigerian Army has troubled Nigeria and Nigerians than the present Army leadership under Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai. ‘’The Army under him has killed and maimed more innocent and unarmed Nigerian citizens than under any other Army chief in the country and in non war situations. He is also the first Nigerian Army chief of staff to be powerfully and popularly dragged to ICC over strong allegations of crimes against humanity perpetrated in non war situation(s).

Several international and local research works or documentations also abound over atrocities committed or condoned

by Lt Gen Buratai while in office as the Nigerian Chief of Army Staff since July 2015.

The statement concluded: ‘’INEC must therefore release all the results in its possession in the above named States and ensure that the results released are the true reflection of the votes obtained from polling booths. The results of Imo, Delta, Taraba, Benue, Kaduna and Kano must be released intact or as originally collated from their polling centers or in accordance with results contained in the FormEC8As. Nigerians also demand firm and concrete explanations from the integrity challenged INEC over its suspicious declaration of the governorship results of Sokoto, Bauchi, Plateau and Adamawa as “inconclusive” while those of APC held areas were released with ease and declared “conclusive”.

Going by recent experiences as were the case in the 23rdFeb Poll, these “delays” and “inconclusiveness” are obviously and deliberately designed to subvert the true electoral wishes of the Nigerian voters and massively manipulate them in favour of the APC ruling party and its central government and outgoing state administrations in the named States.

12

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

POLITICS

•Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

•Ayogu Eze

•Nyesom Wike

•Chibuike Amaechi

•Ibikunle Amosun

•Dapo Abiodun

• el-Rufai

enough and we are giving INEC the next 24 hours to cancel this sham election in its totality and we will be more than willing whenever INEC decides to conduct free, fair and transparent election in Abia State, we will be more than willing to present ourselves for election,” Otti and Ogah announced at the meeting with the press.

One of the grounds for their rejection of the results was that the Returning Officer (RO), Professor Benjamin Ozurumba could not be trusted to deliver a free and fair election, having been given a similar job in the past and he failed to deliver.

“We were surprised to see that INEC reappointed the Returning Officer (RO) Professor Benjamin Ozurumba, the Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria Nsukka. Recall that it was this same Professor Ozurumba that created the problems we had in 2015 where he reversed himself by accepting results he had earlier on cancelled, when he came under pressure and influence of then ruling PDP government in the State and at the Federal level.

“In the interest of fairness, we would have expected that INEC would not reappoint this Prof. Ozurumba who sold the mandate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2015. We would have expected that INEC would have appointed another Professor or another Vice Chancellor from any other

university in the country. But the fact that this same Prof. Ozurumba was reappointed gives us concern and unfortunately, we only got to know that he was reappointed by the time he sat to collate the results a few hours ago.”

‘This INEC worst in Nigeria’s electoral history’ SBCHROs further noted that “apart from overtaking the Maurice Iwu era of INEC as the worst electoral commission leadership in Nigeria since 1999,” it is also correct to say that the present INEC is nothing short of an electoral commission flooded with APCanimated brooms.”

“Other than Dr. Mike Igini (REC of Akwa Ibom), other National and State RECs including INEC Chairman have by their recent misconducts shown that they are nothing short of apologists of dictatorship, tyranny and totalitarianism and arch- enemies of democracy in Nigeria.

“Dr. Mike Igini has been very outstanding and remained incorruptible since his appointment as REC several years ago, a feat he has maintained till date. He is integrity personified and deserves a plethora of international awards.

“Aside him, others are speaking in tongues very difficult for Nigerians and other lovers of democracy to decode. A clear case in point are the unfolding dramas in

the just-held governorship poll whereby “inconclusiveness” was introduced in States where the ruling APC’s major challenger, PDP, is coasting home to victory whereas in others where APC has “won”, “conclusiveness” was applied to the last. In other States where PDP is having an edge with convincing margin, “the results are still being collated”. This is in spite of the fact that the ICT-era governorship polls were conducted three days ago. ‘’In Rivers State, it was “suspension of the poll” even when APC did not run or field a governorship candidate. In Imo and Kano States where PDP was officially leading convincingly, “collation and announcement of results have been abruptly suspended”.

The APC thugs led by Deputy Governor of Kano State were reported to have torn the remaining results of the last LGA (44th LGA) so as to facilitate possible declaration of the entire guber poll “inconclusive”. The winner of the Kano governorship poll would have been long declared by INEC if it had gone the APC way. ‘’In Nasarawa State, where PDP was officially leading in most of the LGAs, the results were magically turned in favour of APC with its candidate announced as “winner”.

In Taraba, Benue, Kaduna and Delta States where APC was officially trailing PDP in many results

Cont’d from page 9 ish and offbeat victory claimed by the PDP. “The government in Enugu State clearly refused to work for the people, only having its mind fixated on winning a second term through fowl means, including the suffocation of opposition through sponsored intrigues, deception, manipulation of the people and collusion with unseen forces, to influence the outcome of the election.

“We are also witnesses to how, out of desperation, the same government provocatively sent some goons to eliminate our principal in the guise of fake election observers who at the same time adorned our opponent’s fez caps to his (Senator Eze’s) country home.

“While we deprecate this farcical actions of our opponent and the obviously biased umpire, we continue to thank and appreciate our dutiful and very committed supporters who have remained resolute in the struggle to berth the leadership Enugu State truly deserves.

“We appreciate their sacrifices and reassure them that PDP’s false ‘victory’ is built on quicksand and will surely collapse in due course, as the lifespan of falsehood is truly short.”

OTTI, OGAH REJECT ELECTION RESULT, CALL FOR TOTAL CANCELLATION Similarly, candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr. Alex Otti and Uche Ogah, respectively, have jointly called for the total cancellation of the governorship election as held in Abia State.

At a joint press briefing in Umuahia last Sunday evening, the duo said they rejected the results of the election while they were being read out at the INEC collation centre in Umuahia, by the Returning Officer (RO), Prof. Benjamin Ozurumba.

According to Prof. Benjamin Ozurumba, the Returning Officer, Ikpeazu got 261,127 votes to beat his opponents. While Ogah secured 99,574 votes, Otti placed third with 64,366 votes.

Otti who read the joint statement of the duo alleged that “the results were highly tampered with to favour the ruling PDP,” adding that INEC connived with security agencies to change the results and give victory to the incumbent governor.

“We would like to inform you that all the results were not only fraudulent but did not represent the will of the people of Abia,” Otti said while reading the statement jointly signed with Ogah.

“We, therefore, reject in its totality the results of the 2019 governorship election being announced at the moment by INEC and demand its total cancellation in the entire state. We are peace-loving people and we do not expect anybody to take our peaceloving nature for granted.

“We believe that we have been patient

Tears, fears, lamentations, lessons as 2019 election winds up

13

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS Better days ahead for Abia PDP – Ogbulafor From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

A

former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Vincent Ezeogbulafor, has predicted that the PDP-led government in Abia State would improve the welfare of the people.

“PDP will make you fishers of men,” he told a jubilant crowd of Olokoro people who trooped to his Itaja Olokoro country home “on a victory march,” following the outcome of the 2019 general elections which favoured PDP in Umuaghia South local government area.

He expressed optimism that better days were ahead as the people of the local government have rejoined PDP. In 2015, Umuahia South pitched camp with the All Progressives Grand Alliance, dumping PDP. The former PDP national chairman said he was happy that the people have restored PDP in the local government as they voted for the PDP candidate for the House of Assembly, Jerry Uzorsike, promising that this would translate to more dividends of democracy for the people.

Overwhelmed with joy, Ezeogbulafor commended the people for changing the political narrative of the area, stressing on the importance of making right political choices when embarking on political voyage.

“If you want to join a particular political party, be mindful of the party that will be beneficial to your people and the one that will bring your people to limelight,” he advised.

Also addressing the people, the immediate past Executive Chairman of Umuahia South, Prince Obioma Ezeogbulafor, expressed gratitude to God for the outcome of the elections, pointing out that Umuahia South has proved their unflinching support for Ikpeazu by voting PDP in all the elections.

He said with the outcome, Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) has actually become the power of the electorate, as it was used to vote out a non-performing legislator and sustaining the mandate of Ikpeazu and as well, liberate the council from being in opposition, thereby giving the local government “a strong voice in the government of Abia State.”

• Price Vincent Ogbulafor

Anambra police launch man-hunt for cult members responsible for death of 2 in Obosi

• As angry youths allegedly dump deceaseds’ corpses at Igwe’s palace

By IBE NWACHUKWU

T

he police in Anambra state have launched a man-hunt for members of two rival cult groups allegedly responsible for the untimely death of two suspected cult members at Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra state, country home of the former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, during last Saturday’s State House of Assembly election and the re-run for Idemili North/ South Federal Constituency.

The re-run for the House of Representatives had taken place between a candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Obinna Chidoka,

younger brother to Chief Osita Chidoka, former Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi.

The re-run exercise took place at Obosi simultaneously with the state Assembly election, during which two persons lost their lives, while scores sustained various degrees of bullet, machete and dagger injuries, as a result of bloody clash between two rival cult groups.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Haruna Mohammed who confirmed the killing of two persons, said their death was not perpetrated by political thugs but cult

groups who had a bloody cult clash between two rival cult factions, the Black Axe and Vickings Confraternity.

He insisted that the police have launched man-hunt for the cult members, adding that those caught would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

It would be recalled that the conduct of the duo elections was going on smoothly in some polling units at Obosi amidst water-tight security until about 5pm when some unidentified armed political thugs who were later identified by the police as cult members numbering about 20 and led by a fierce-looking girl, alighted from a bus and unleashed mayhem.

According to an eye-witness, the

• Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku casting his vote at the Gauten ward Kofar sarki Takum in company of his wife during the just-concluding governorship and state Assembly elections in the state, Saturday

2019 Polls: Ag. CJN tasks Judges to protect interest of citizens

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he Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad has said that the judiciary is the only arm of the government constitutionally vested with powers to reconcile the interest of “the powerful” with those of “the voiceless poor”.

Justice Muhammad has, thus, warned that democracy could only thrive in the country when fundamental rights of the citizens, epitomized by free and fair elections, are respected.

The Acting CJN spoke on Monday at the opening ceremony of the 2019 refresher course for Judges and Kadis, held at the National Judicial Institute, NJI, in Abuja.

He said: “My Lords, as we are all aware, Democracy insists on the respect for the Rule of Law. Its principles also advocate the independence of the Judiciary, the doctrine of Separation of Powers, guarantee of fundamental rights, freedom of expression epitomized by free press and media as well as free and fair elections.

“These are principles which we as Judicial Officers are called to protect. “Brother Judges, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, our nascent democracy has to be nurtured, consolidated and developed even as we will be faced with the arduous task of adjudicating over election petitions

as we are in an election year.

“We must be constantly reminded that Democracy in itself is nothing if fundamental principles enshrined in the Constitution of this nation cannot be readily determined in constitutional adjudication by a Judiciary manned by upright Judicial Officers.

“This is premised on the fact that as the society depends on justice, those who are singularly advantaged to do justice to all manner of persons, must ensure that they themselves are standing erect far away from all manners of injustice. “In this light, I must not fail to emphasise at this forum, that Judges are enjoined to ensure the protection of constitutionally enshrined human rights of the citizens “Our institution, the Judiciary, is the only Arm of Government vested with such powers. The interest of the powerful must always be reconciled with those of the voiceless poor. “This is a constitutional function which the Courts in this country must continuously pursue. It is heart-warming that our courts have lived up to expectation in perilous times which our dear country has faced in the past and we must continue to do so.

“In addition, my Lords, we must remain sensitive to the fact that the Constitution imposes on all of us obligations to interpret the law and adjudicate impartially. “The courts must

at all times be prepared to interpret the constitution, relevant statutes and to serve as an arbiter to litigants at minimum costs.

“This process amongst others can rapidly enhance the true comprehension of our Constitutional provisions as a step towards the identification of the grey areas requiring future amendments, modifications, alterations, and/or even complete deletions”.

In her welcome address, the Administrator of the NJI, Justice R. P. I. Bozimo, said the theme of the this year’s Refresher Course: “Repositioning the Judiciary for Better Justice Delivery”, was apt and topical, considering that judicial integrity and the Rule of Law are the underlying principles of justice and the bedrock of democracy.

“Therefore, much energy, skill and experience must be devoted to strengthening the principles of impartiality, diligence, competence, propriety, qualitative justice, strict adherence to the Rule of Law, speedy dispensation of justice and fair conduct of cases with a view to ensuring that justice is not only done but must be seen to be done.

“It is only when these factors are present that judicial functions can validly and effectively be exercised”, Justice Bozimo added.

group had shortly on alighting from the bus, made straight to the polling centre and in a bid to forcefully snatch the result sheets, ballot boxes and other electoral materials from INEC officials, started shooting indiscriminately and at the same time, wielding other weapons of death but were resisted by the INEC officials, security agents and political party agents.

The source stated that on the process, two persons were gunned down and the thugs who had come for the electoral materials immediately fled the scene, abandoning the deceased persons in their own pool of blood which littered the ground.

Although the identities of the deceased were not yet ascertained even as at press time yesterday, impeccable sources hinted that one was an indigene of Obosi while the other came from Okpoko, a neighbouring community.

As people within the vicinity scampered for safety during the shootout, there was cries and wailings and on a tip-off the State Commissioner of Police, (CP) Rabiu Ladodo, stormed the scene ostensibly to douse tension but before his arrival, angry youths in Obosi had taken the corpses to the palace of the traditional ruler of Obosi, HRM, Igwe Chudubem Iweka, accusing him of having soft spot for APGA when he is supposed to be non partisan.

But in a telephone chat, Igwe Iweka declined to comment on the killings and dumping of the corpses at his palace, adding that at the appropriate time, he would address the press on the matter.

However, in a reaction, an anonymous source from the Igwe’s Palace hinted to newsmen yesterday that the dumping of the corpses in the palace was an abomination which warranted members of the Igwe’s cabinet to storm the palace on Sunday morning and made an atonement to appease the gods because dumping the corpse in the palace was an abomination, more so when the Monarch does not see corpse or corpses with his eyes.

Meantime, INEC has eventually declared Hon. Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi, the candidate of APGA winner of last Saturday’s re-run of the Idemili North/South Federal Constituency.

The returning officer, Associate Professor Ike who announced the result on Sunday at Idemili North Local Government headquarters in Ogidi after the collation of results from the polling booths at Obosi and Abatete where the re-run exercise took place, said Ibezi scored 29,566 votes to defeat his PDP rival, Hon. Obinna Chidoka who scored 26,026 votes It will be recalled that INEC had canceled the result of Federal House of Representatives election in 26 polling units at Obosi and 5 polling units at Abatate during the National Assembly polls held two weeks ago and ordered for a re-run in those units.

At the end of the re-run Ibezi emerged winner sparking wide jubilation among people in the camp of APGA and Abatete respectively.

Effort to get Ibezi speak proved abortive as he took time shaking and hugging his supporters before disappearing with a waiting vehicle.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS FG reports massive decline in Lassa fever cases

Results of Gubernatorial election in 29 states have vindicated my prophesy – Bishop Udeh

ederal Government on Monday says there is a decline in number of new cases of Lassa fever in the country.

Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja, said that the country had witnessed a reduction in the number of people who have died from the disease compared to 2018.

He revealed that the NCDC and partners had continued to sustain response activities in states across the country, despite progress made so far.

“An outbreak of Lassa fever was declared in Nigeria on Jan. 21, 2019.

Since then, 420 confirmed cases and 93 deaths have been reported in 21 states.The national response is being coordinated by the national, multi-sectoral, multi-partner Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) led by the NCDC. “In addition, the centre has supported Ebonyi, Edo, Ondo, Plateau and Kebbi States in activating sub-national level EOCs for coordination,’’ the chief executive officer said.

Ihekeazu said that following the large Lassa fever outbreak in 2018, the NCDC together with partners instituted five key measures to ensure improved preparedness in 2019.

NCDC boss listed some of the measures as training of over 1,000 healthcare workers on Lassa fever management, diagnosis and surveillance, together with the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital.

He said that prepositioning of treatment and diagnostic supplies to the 21 states that recorded cases in 2018, treatment centres and laboratories.

Ihekeazu added that publication of Lassa fever messages on three major newspapers, weekly radio shows on Radio Nigeria and intensive community engagement were part of the improved preparedness.

“Other measures to improve preparedness are high-level advocacy visits to state governments, encouraging them to do more to prevent and respond to cases of Lassa fever.

“Also, we developed new case management guidelines, initiated a Lassa fever Research Consortium and hosted an International Conference on Lassa fever to share knowledge,’’ he added.

Ihekeazu stressed that the NCDC also supported full availability of drugs, personal protective equipment, laboratory reagents and other supplies required for case management and diagnosis of Lassa fever.

According to the NCDC boss, this year, there has been no single stockout reported in any state.

The NCDC boss noted that in 2018, genetic sequencing carried out showed that the virus circulating originated from the pool of lineages that have been in Nigeria since the first discovery.

He said that this year, early sequencing result showed similar findings.

“The preliminary results of 42 Lassa fever virus sequences indicate that rodent to human transmission, as observed in 2018, is still the dominant route of transmission. Therefore, there is a strong need to improve prevention measures especially around environmental sanitation.

“The progress recorded in the response to the 2019 Lassa fever outbreak including an early decline in the number of new cases and reduced case fatality has been attributed to various factors. This includes the early deployment of One-Health national RRTs, improvement of functions in Lassa fever treatment centres, revision of case management guidelines, enforcement of environmental sanitation in some states.

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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eneral Overseer of Mount Zion Faith Global Liberation Ministries, Incorporated (a.k.a,

By Fire By Fire), Nnewi, Anambra State, Bishop Abraham Chris Udeh has said that the results trickling in from the 29 states of the federation has vindicated his earlier prophesy that APC would rig the presidential election for Buhari or else they will be defeated by Atiku’s PDP.

Bishop Udeh who spoke to newsmen yesterday, via telephone, said the spirit of God showed him even before the gubernatorial election that if it was true that APC rigged the presidential election, they would not achieve as much as it achieved during the gubernatorial election and eventually APC has failed to achieve that much, which is an indication that it rigged the presidential election.

“You can imagine that all the

states where APC claimed to have scored high votes against PDP during the presidential election have been reversed to PDP and it is an indication that the result of the presidential released by INEC is questionable”.

After the presidential election and before the gubernatorial election, APC had boasted that it has dominated major parts of Southeast, Southsouth and the Middlebelt, while claiming sole ownership of

Northeast, Northwest and Southwest but as the result of the gubernatorial election is trickling in from the states, you can see that it was a different thing from what APC claimed to have recorded during the presidential election” “Let me that apart from the wrath of God awaiting some disgruntled Nigerians, I hereby advise Atiku to go to court and recover his stolen mandate so that Nigerians can have peace once again”.

Benue: I’m not perturbed by ‘inconclusive’ governorship poll — Ortom

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•Cross River State governor, Prof Ben Ayade, former governor, Liyel Imoke and others celebrating Ayade’s victory in the recently held governorship election in the state.

School proprietor decries poor reading culture in Nigeria

By MADUABUCHI KALU

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roprietor of Alexahill Schools Okota- Isolo Lagos, Mrs. Chinelo Christine Chuwkualuka Ugochukwu has given reasons as to why the educational institution held two important events in their calendar together, just as she expressed disappointment with the reading culture in the culture which she described as ‘poor.’

According to her, over time the two events “Book Fair” and the School’s Open Day are usually held different days but due to the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the management had no choice than to merge the two events together.

Mrs. Ugochukwu, who also serves as the Dean of Studies of the school stated this in an exclusive interview with the Oracle Today in her office last Friday, during the School’s Book Fair/Open Day events held at the school premises.

“Yes, today (Friday) is our Open Day and Book Fair. Today is the 7th of March 2019. It is a day designated the world over as ‘Book Day’ by the United Nations as a way of ensuring that the culture of reading books doesn’t die.

“Therefore, we are joining the world to marking today as “Book Day” being a critical stakeholder in act of inculcating in the young

ones the culture of reading books with aim of acquiring knowledge through the reading of books.

“So, in line with the United Nations’ objective of inculcating reading culture to the world, we at Alexahill Schools are joining the world body to spread the good news of the importance of reading books to our pupils.

Speaking further, she said: “I don’t think that we (Nigerians) can in good conscience claim to have a reading culture. Our reading culture in this country is very poor. It is not only about the pupils or children.

It’s all encompassing. All you see is that instead of children and adults picking books to read; they will pick up phones to fondle with.

“As a matter of fact, during our school days, we were reading novels from pacesetters, James Hadley Chase and the rest but such culture is no more there. Now it is all about phone and phone. It is bad. That is why we are encouraging not only our pupils to know that they gain a lot reading books because by so doing, they learn a lot. It is very hard these days to see an adult Nigerian who will in all honesty claim that he has picked a book and finished on record time. That was a common thing in the past. People take pride in reading in those days when we were growing up.

“But these days with the advent of the GSM, internet, Whatsapp,

Twitter, Facebook, Instagram among others social media platform, I actually don’t know why many us cannot grab a book and start reading and say, yes I have finished this book.

“The act of reading is no more fashionable in our society today I can attest to that. Therefore, there is urgent need to bring back that act of reading books. I remembered growing up as a young girl, we take pride in saying we have read so, so, so and so books. Therefore, we are using this ‘Book Fair’ to once again bring to the fore the need for us Nigerians to return to the good old days when reading was the order of the day. The advantages of reading cannot be over emphasized,” Mrs. Ugochukwu explained.

Speaking on the school’s ‘Open Day’ she disclosed that the it is a special day mapped out by the school for parents, teachers and pupils to have one on one interactions on the pupils’ academic performances just as the pupils entertain parents and guardians with various academic and social performances.

“The ‘Open Day’ is normally a day set aside by the schools for the pupils and their parents to interact.

It is a day set aside for parents to interface with their children. It is a day the children perform some activities before their parents for them to know what they have been doing in school.”

overnor Samuel Ortom of Benue says he is not perturbed by INEC’s declaration of Saturday’s governorship election in the state as inconclusive.

Ortom made his feelings known on Monday in Makurdi while interacting with newsmen.

He said that he was not bothered by the declaration because he believed he would still lead during the supplementary election.

“I am comfortable because my party has the majority in the State.

I am not contemplating of winning because I know I will surely win.

APC cannot come overnight and get more votes than me.

“My party won all the three senatorial seats, six out of 11 House of Reps seats and 18 House of Assembly seats out of 30, but some assembly seats are declared inconclusive too,” he said.

He said he had a lead of 81,554 votes, stressing that he polled 401,576, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr Emmanuel Jime polled 329,022 in the results so far released by INEC. He said that although the election was declared inconclusive, he was optimistic that he would emerge victorious at the end of the day.

The governor, who said that it was in PDP strongholds that the elections were cancelled, called on security agencies to provide adequate security to ensure the safety of lives during the supplementary election to enable the electorate exercise their franchise and to prevent the snatching of electoral materials.

He said that what the people of the state wanted were free, fair and transparent elections.

He commended Benue people for voting massively on March 9, and urged them to take INEC’s declaration in good faith and remain calm.

•Gov. Ortom

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS Polls: Taraba Government imposes dusk-todawn curfew

By VICTOR NZE

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ollowing the uncertainties surrounding the declaration of the election results, the Taraba State Government has moved to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Jalingo, the state capital with effect from Monday 11 March 2019 until further notice.

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Hassan Mijinyawa.

The curfew which would run from 6 pm to 6 am daily however exempts some Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, key agents of political parties and observers involved in collation of elections results.

The statement quoted the state Governor Darius Ishaku as enjoining the people of the State to continue to be law abiding even as he urged security agencies to make sure strict compliance.

CCT reserves ruling on Onnoghen’s motions

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ode of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Monday reserved ruling on an application filed by Justice Walter Onnoghen, suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.

Chairman of the tribunal, Mr Danladi Umar, took the decision to reserve the ruling on the motion after counsel to parties canvassed their positions on the matter in Abuja.

The tribunal also reserved ruling on another application brought by the suspended CJN urging the tri-

bunal chairman to recuse himself from the trial process.

Umar said the tribunal had relied on Section 296(2) of the ACJA to reserve ruling on the two applications pending the hearing of the substantive matter.

He also held that the defendant’s trial would be conducted on daily basis in accordance with Section 296(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

ACJA gives the court the powers to entertain all substantive issues in criminal proceedings without

deciding on interlocutory motions before judgment.

Umar further said the tribunal would in its next hearing entertain motions brought by the prosecution, adding that ruling in all pending interlocutory applications would be reserved.

“In the circumstance, all rulings needed can be ruled upon with the substantive matter. The hearing of the substantive matter shall proceed day by day’’, Umar held.

Earlier, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Counsel to Onnoghen

No going back on date to sync NIN with passport - FG

I look forward to mutual relationship with 9th NASS – Buhari

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ederal Government says there is no going back on the April 29 date for the integration of the National Identity Number (NIN) with the new passport.

Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, made this known when he paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Engr. Aliyu Aziz.

NIS had postponed the issuance of the new passport from March 4 to April 29.

The C-G said that the postponement was to enable the service integrate the new passport with the NIN. Babandede explained that the postponement was to ensure that every Nigerian whether resident in the country or abroad, must have NIN before getting the new 10 year improved e-passport.

The C-G explained further that NIN was very compulsory to every Nigerian whether resident in the country or abroad.

“The Job of NIS cannot be complete without working with NIMC. The directive from President Muhammadu Buhari is clear that every person in our territory must have one identity.

“That identity should not conflict with other identity agencies since NIMC is the custodian of the identity of citizens.”

Babandede, however, noted that NIS had shown commitment to implement the President’s directive.

He said that with the collaborative efforts between the two agencies, there would be no cases of multiple identity.

“If we work under one ecosystem, this is achievable. Harmonisation of the passport with NIN is not only for security issues but is also a social and developmental issue. The immigration boss said that a test run had been carried out with one thousand samples of biometric identity.

“These biometrics were matched with NIN with that of passport and the success recorded is 89.4 per cent.”

The Director-General of the commission, Aliyu Aziz, assured Nigerians that the procedure for enrolment of NIN was easy, urging them to utilise the opportunity.

He said that the collaboration between the commission and NIS would be enhanced.

urged the tribunal to take judicial notice of the defendant prayers, adding that the tribunal had no jurisdiction to entertain his client’s trial.

Awomolo also urged the chairman of the tribunal to recuse himself from the case as a result of obvious bias displayed so far.

Awomolo referred the tribunal to decide the motion challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal in line with constitutional provision.

According to him, they are several such decisions made by the Supreme Court to be used as parameters in deciding the application, adding that the tribunal should be guided only by the rule of law.

Malam Umar Aliyu (SAN), the Prosecutor prayed the tribunal to refuse in granting the two applications, adding that the tribunal was a creation of the constitution and therefore, had jurisdiction to handle the matter.

Onnoghen is standing a six-count charge of non-assets declaration.

P • Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, accompanied by his wife Abimbola, at his polling unit at ward A5, unit 033, Ogunmodede College, Ajaganabe Area, Papa Epe, to vote during the just-concluded governor and state Assembly election in the state, Saturday

Akeredolu lifts restriction order on movement in Ondo community

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ov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Monday lifted the restriction on vehicular and human movement placed on Oba Akoko in Akoko South West Local Government Area of the state.

It would be recalled that Akered-

olu had ordered the restriction in Oba-Akoko on Saturday evening due to the violence during Saturday’s House of Assembly election.

But Akeredolu lifted the restriction order after Oba Nurudeen Adegoroye, the Oloba of Akoko and his

Kano PDP tells INEC: ‘Declare our candidate winner to avoid violence’

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hairman, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, Rabiu Bichi has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to declare the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Abba Kabir winner to avoid eruption of violence.

The PDP chairman made the warning on Monday while briefing newsmen on the suspension of the governorship election result collation by the INEC. According to Bichi, “the election has been won by our candidate therefore the INEC should declare our candidate as the winner because we have scored the highest votes.

“We have no problems with the recalling of the Nassarawa results, but we should be declared winners with the already results at hand. If you declare us winner, and later you don’t get the results for Nassarawa you can go for supplementary elections, but you should just declare us winners final.’’

Bichi said the INEC had set a bad precedence adding that it should give the party its mandate to avoid problems.

The electoral body had suspended

the collation of the results at the early hours of Monday due to security challenges at the Nasarawa Local Government collation centre.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in Kano announced that some hoodlums attacked the centre, disrupted the collation and tore the result sheet.

According to him, the commission will re-generate the results from its primary and secondary data base and verify its authenticity with the party agents.

Arabi-Shehu had emphasised his assurances of bringing out the final results from Nassarawa Local Government to declare the winner of the elections.

The INEC commissioner assured the political parties and people of the state that nobody would temper with the original results stored in its database.

“Our Primary and Secondary Sources entered in 10 wards of the Nassarawa local government results. Therefore, I assure you that the results are intact and we are going to recall them and in the presence of party agents announce them,” he assured.

chiefs appealed to him in his office in Akure during a visit.

The governor, however, warned that the state government would not condone any act of criminality.

“You want to support your son or daughter, do so legitimately. If they win, fine. Don’t go and commit crime because of election.

“If there are other communities in the state who are dreaming of wanting to perpetuate any act of criminality, let them know we will be decisive.

“Any purveyor of violence will be dealt with henceforth in this state,’’ he said.

Adegoroye, in a letter of apology, had expressed sadness over the incident that led to the restriction order.

He said the community was subjected to untold hardship and urged the governor to lift the suspension order.

“The truth is that Oba-Akoko has always been peaceful and law-abiding, but we are taken by surprise by this incident and we want you to know that we don’t condone such unrest.

“It is on this note, that we appeal to you, sir, to lift the restriction imposed on this community, because the hours to which this town has been under restriction has created untold hardship on the town.

“Socio-economic activities and progress within the community have been retarded; no doubt, we regret this incident and we appeal to you, once again, to lift the restriction for the sake of the pregnant women, the aged and others,’’ he said.

resident Muhammadu Buhari says he looks forward to a mutual working relationship with the ninth National Assembly towards improving the budgetary process and restoring the country to the January-December fiscal cycle.

This was disclosed in a statement by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Monday.

Shehu quoted Buhari as saying this when he received his old schoolmates, who came to congratulate him on his re-election for a second term, at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.

The president recounted how the delay in the passage of budgets hindered timely execution of projects across the country.

He, however, expressed the hope that with the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the presidential election and majority seats in the ninth assembly, the efficiency of the process.

He also told his classmates in the 1953 set of Katsina Middle School, Daura, led by Sen. Abba Ali, that it was on record that the proposed 2018 budget submitted to the National Assembly on Nov. 7, 2017, was passed after seven months.

Notwithstanding the challenges, he assured his classmates that the Executive arm of government, under his watch, would strive towards effective implementation of national budgets, while promoting transparency and accountability.

He thanked his old school colleagues for the ‘reunion’, and commended their interest and useful suggestions on advancing Nigeria’s prosperity and stability.

In his remarks, Sen. Ali, while congratulating the president on his reelection, said majority of Nigerians believed in his purposeful leadership and resoundingly renewed his mandate.

He wished the president more success in his second-term, noting that “The country will benefit more when the executive and legislative branches of government work in unison on national interests.’’

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS Okowa, Uduaghan, Ibori praise ex-gov’s late father From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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elta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, his predecessor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and former Governor James Ibori, last weekend, mourned as the remains of High Chief Williams Ibori was laid to rest saying, he was a peacemaker and stabiliser.

Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Peter Obi, Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, former Governor of Edo State, Chief Lucky Igbenedion, Deputy Governor of Delta State, Barr. Kingsley Otuaro, former Deputy Governor Benjamin Elue and personalities from different parts of the world attended the day of tribute held at the Oghara Township Stadium before the internment took place at the residence of the deceased.

According to Governor Okowa, “together, we mourn this afternoon, we mourn because, he died suddenly, Oghara is our political base, and he was a father to all of us who visit our leader, Chief James Ibori in Oghara; he played a major role in my becoming the Governor of Delta State.”

“I will forever remain grateful to Chief William Ibori; he was a great man and he was a member of the Delta State Advisory Council; we know that he has played his role as a father and a community leader; we pray that God will console the family,” Governor Okowa said.

To Dr Uduaghan, the deceased “was a pillar in this state, a great adviser, and severally, we called on him to settle dispute in any part of Delta State.”

Former Governor Ibori in an emotion-laden speech, said, “Uncle William as I used to call him was a father to all of us; it was indeed very sad that we stand here today preparing to lay him to rest, his death was a big shock.

God knows best but we would have wished that he gave us some notice.”

“God called him and he answered the call like every one of us will do and on this occasion, mine is to wish him well and to thank him for what he was to everyone of us,” the former Governor stated.

In a related development, Governor Okowa has urged Nigerians to live a worthy life and contribute to the development of their communities.

The governor made the call at the funeral service of Senator David Dafinone held at Bethel Baptist Church, Sapele, Delta State.

According to the governor, “live a life that is worthy, a life that will touch other people’s lives positively bearing in mind that after you have gone, you will only be remembered by what you did when you were alive.”

“In whatever we do, we should consider the feeling of others, we must make impact in our communities because, people can only love you when you have made impact on the life of people back home,” the governor said, adding, “I must condole the family of late Senator Dafinone, it is my hope that the Lord will receive his soul; we are very proud of him; he touched a lot of lives and played a lot of roles to grow the accounting profession and the roles he played in the building of the Palace of the Orodje of Okpe cannot be forgotten,” Governor Okowa who attended the burial ceremony accompanied by political aides stated.

Bishop Diamond Emuobo in a sermon at the ceremony, urged Christians to make the society better through their actions.

I will run govt devoid of malice — Emmanuel

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overnor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom says he will run a government devoid of malice and carry everyone along in the administration of the state.

Emmanuel, who made the promise in his re-election speech on Monday in Uyo, therefore called on all to join hands with him to build the state.

Gov. Emmanuel of the PDP was announced the winner of the governorship election on Monday in Uyo

by the state Returning Officer, Prof.

Faraday Orunmwense, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin.

The governor-elect thanked the people for their belief in his capacity to lead them and for the peaceful conduct of the March 9 poll.

Emmanuel also promised not to fail the electorate by working harder to transform the state into a major economic hub in Africa.

The governor dedicated his victory to God and the Akwa Ibom people.

He said: “Education, healthcare delivery, food sufficiency, peace and security, infrastructure renaissance, foreign investment will remain my abiding articles of faith for the next four years.

“Your fresh mandate has fired me up; the passion to do the most for our people remains right and uplifting. We will not fail you.

“We have all we need to be great, the mindset of our people has been changed, thanks to our Dakkada phi-

losophy, we have great talents and a propelling desire to be successful.

“Our youths are embracing an ownership culture and the need to use the work of their hands and their creative instincts to create wealth for themselves.

“As we get ready to start our second term, I urge you to continue to maintain the peace we have so far enjoyed; show love to your neighbours.”

Re-election: I trusted in the Lord, says Okowa

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• Ihedioha Youth Movement Jubilating on the streets of Owerri even before the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha of the People’s Democratic Party the winner of the Imo governorship election yesterday

Lagos: ‘I am going to court’ -- AD candidate rejects result

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overnorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Lagos State in the March 9 election, Chief Salis Owolabi, on Monday rejected the result of the poll declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Salis, at a news conference, said the election was marred with ‘multiple voting, intimidation, collation fraud’ , among others.

Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner of the election by the Returning Officer of INEC in the state, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede.

He polled a total of 739,445 votes, while his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Jimi Agbaje, got 206,141 votes.

Salis polled a total of 3,370 votes in the election.

“I am not accepting the result of the governorship election. It is complete fraud. This is not an election and I totally reject it.A lot of miscounting was done against AD; they even tried to relegate us by putting us in the sixth position.

“I do not believe Sanwo-Olu won a clear contest,” Salis said.

He vowed to challenge the outcome at the election tribunal, expressing optimism of getting justice.

“I am going to court. I have overwhelming evidence and will get lawyers that handle election matters to look into these irregularities committed against my party in the justconcluded election. It is very easy to win the case when you have enough evidence,” Salis said.

He, however, said in spite of all that had happened, he would still remain relevant politically and not relent in empowering the masses.

PDP thanks Enugu electorate for “continued confidence” in party From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu, has hailed the people of the State for their massive support to the party during the just-concluded 2019 general election.

The party said, the comprehensive victory recorded by the party across board was a reflection of total confidence of the people on the PDP and her candidates especially the re-elected governor of the State, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Communication, PDP Campaign Council in the state, Barr Nana Ogbodo.

The party also hailed other candidates who ran for various offices on other party platforms for exhibiting immense faith in Nigeria’s political process and for enriching the dem-

ocratic exercise, urging them to join hands with Governor Ugwuanyi to move the State “to higher levels of development and good governance”.

“We once again hereby express our profound gratitude to the good people of our dear State for your immense support to our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and all our candidates at the Saturday, March 9, elections as underscored by the overwhelming victories recorded at the polls.

“Your mandate is a testimony to your continued confidence in the PDP and indeed in our indefatigable governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, you have by this uncommon gesture, challenged His Excellency to surpass his present very high profile records of achievements” the statement read.

Elkana takes over as new Lagos Police PRO

C

ommissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu, has appointed DSP Bala Elkana as the new Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the State.

Elkana took over from CSP Chike Oti. Elkana was enlisted into the Nigeria Police in 2003, holds a Bachelors degree in Law (LLB), Masters Degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution as well as Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA).

The spokesman had served in different commands and held various positions, including Operations

Officer, Divisional Crime Officer, Divisional Police Officer and Community Policing Officer.

He was at various times police public relations officer in Niger and Akwa Ibom.

He is a Fellow of Corporate Institute of Administration, an active member of International Association of Chiefs of Police and a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

Until his recent posting, he was an Investigator in the Inspector General of Police (I-G) Monitoring Unit.

overnor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Monday celebrated his re-election in Saturday’s governorship poll at Government House Chapel, Asaba, saying he had trusted in God for the victory.

INEC had declared Okowa, the Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), winner in the March 9 election, having polled 925, 274 votes to defeat Chief Great Ogboru of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who scored 215, 938 votes.

Okowa thanked God for the victory and appreciated party chieftains and Deltans generally for their support that ensured the victory.

He said that the election came with all manner of challenges, causing the party members to become worried, but they refused to be discouraged.

According to the governor, the victory is for all Deltans and not that of Okowa.

“At the final announcement of the governorship election results, we won convincingly in 23 out of 25 local government areas, but lost marginally in two Local Government Areas.

“I trusted in the Lord and those who led the campaign also trusted in the Lord. a“Most especially. I want to appreciate my leader, former governor, Chief James Ibori.”

The governor said that the opposition had plotted to disrupt the governorship election in the state, but God averted their plans.

“But I want to publicly appreciate INEC and the security agents for being very fair and firm, and for standing for free and fair elections in the state.

In a sermon titled “The Triumph of God” taken from Psalm 2 verses 1-4, Venerable Charles Oseme enjoined everyone to trust in the Lord for a sure victory.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Government House in Asaba witnessed huge crowd immediately the final result of the election was announced.

Among those that graced the thanksgiving celebration were former Gov. James Ibori; Sen. James Manager; Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi; State PDP Chairman, Mr Kingsley Esiso; party faithful, and civil servants.

17

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

BU$IN£SS

•Energy •Finance

•Stock

•Insurance

•Aviation

•e-Platform

Polls violence: Oil firms shiver over anger in Niger Delta

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

T

HE 2019 ongoing election process in the country was predicted to into clashes between the two major political parties in the country, and business leaders in the country have been cautious with resource exposure in the local environment until the outcomes of the elections provide a guarantee.

Before the election, profit taking among portfolio investors in the country turned frantic leading to massive capital flight as analysts predicted likely rancour, protests and possible clashed between party supporters.

Local businesses have also threaded cautiously, leading to activity lull in industries vulnerable to violence and proxy attacks. The petroleum industry forms the symbol of proxy victim, absorbing all forms of attacks conceived to hurt government revenue.

The industry accounts for over 90 percent of cumulative revenue flow into the government coffers, and remains nearly the sole earner of the country’s foreign exchange income.

Attacks on industry infrastructure and key facilities had in the past crippled operations and translated to fall in export volumes and related revenue to the government.

Thus, the industry has remained visible and easy target for launching proxy attacks on government. And, over the years, attacks on the industry have graduated from civil protests and barricades of facilities through industry sabotage to hostage taking.

And demands from the host communities have also shifted from environmental remediation through infrastructural development to political inclusion.

In 2015 when Retired General Muhammadu Buhari emerged winner against Niger Delta born incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in a highly controversial election, militant attacks on the oil industry had cut Nigeria’s oil export to less than a million barrels per day and contributed to the economic recession of 2016.

Events in the political turf ahead of the 2019 polls signalled worry to businesses in the country, especially the players in the oil industry whose facilities are exposed to attacks.

International petroleum industry consultancy firm, Wood Mackenzie, had last year served notes on risk analysis to its clients in the country, pointing at likelihood of violence and advised caution against risks associated with political clashes.

Other analysts and risk consultants in the Nigerian business environment had also warned their clients of

•Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu stormy outcomes; but none predicted the highly level of uncertainty that has currently beclouded the environment.

These notes of caution played off on the economy as the bears overtook the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), eroding shareholder values following massive share load off by foreign investors.

Ultimately, the election-related economic volatility was worsened by brazen loss of fiscal discipline as the government, in trying to win votes, borrowed heavily ahead the polls and embarked on spendthrift to woo voters with trifle and unsustainable N10, 000 credit facilities criticized by opposition parties as vote buying.

Head of Africa research at risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, Ben Payton, had warned in a published interview that the cash haul that went into the election would not only cause anger among impoverished Nigerians but also inflict long term economic damage that would take a few years to recover.

Next in the list of industry anxiety is possible change of policy as new administration ushers in. Traditionally in Nigeria, every new administration, including re-elected ones, introduce changes or new policies that affect business plans across sectors.

Analysts as Spain based FocusEconomics stated in a report that investors worry over possibility of drastic policy changes that could shatter

CBN Exchange Rates March 11th, 2019 Currency

Buying(NGN)

Central (NGN) Selling(NGN)

US DOLLAR 305.9 POUNDS STERLING 399.6278 EURO 343.0974 SWISS FRANC 302.9013 YEN 2.7507 CFA 0.5081 WAUA 424.609 YUAN/RENMINBI 45.4989 RIYAL 81.5646 S/A RAND 21.0252

306.4 400.281 343.6582 303.3964 2.7551 0.5181 425.3031 45.5738 81.698 21.0596

306.9 400.9342 344.219 303.8915 2.7596 0.5281 425.9971 45.6486 81.8313 21.0939

business plans and endanger existing investments.

They stated that policy uncertainty “is also magnified because newlyelected administrations could take months to form a cabinet and appoint heads of key agencies. Following his 2015 victory, Nigeria’s president Buhari took six months to name a cabinet.”

Besides, anxiety and socio-economic shut down associated with the polls form part of investors’ worry.

SBM Intel, a Lagos-based research firm, projected that the postponement of the past presidential and National Assembly polls by just one week cost the economy whopping $2.2 billion, or N796.4 billion.

However, as elections took place, traditional concern has shifted from anxiety over policy shifts and programme changes to security and stability of the business environment after the elections.

Quatrtz analysts write that “African politics, too, are vulnerable to demagoguery, debauchery and divisiveness.” This assertion stridently played out in the 2019 elections where nonindigenes from eastern parts of the country were attacked in Lagos by thugs loyal to chieftains of the ruling party.

Besides, deployment of military and other security forces to disrupt electoral processes and video reports of brazen involvement of troops from the Nigerian Army in snatching of bal-

lot materials have stoked tension in the key oil producing states of Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom.

These states are known from daring militant activities that oil firms dread.

And leaders of angry youths in the area, gathered under the auspices of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) have issued retaliatory threats against the attacks in Lagos.

In a widely circulated video broadcasts, former militant leader have lamented attacks on “Biafrans” in Lagos, pointing at key oil locations in Forcados, Escravos and Eket where he said people of Yoruba extraction work or own oil and gas assets.

He also lamented harassment, intimidation and killing of local people in Rivers State during the presidential and parliamentary elections on February 23.

It is also obvious that the conduct of the military personnel during the state elections in the three key oil producing states did not go down well with the local people who are visibly loyal to the state governors.

All these have built tension in the operating environment and heightened fears that the petroleum industry might suffer a post election impact.

Chairman of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) could not be reached to comment on fears in the industry, neither was the spokesman of the group, Mr. Ranti Omole, available to comment on the matter.

However, one of the leaders of the oil service groups disclosed that workers of oil companies and their oilfield contractors have served security caution by consultants.

“This means that activity might not pick up in the industry immediately after the elections. Companies don’t want to put workers at risk, and no regulator will pardon you if you record security incidents under the prevailing tension in the operating environment,” he explained.

Mr. Ben Payton pointed out in a report that the situation of security risk in a business environment could cause contraction in the economy.

According to him, fear of post election violence is “probably the single biggest cause of a contraction in the economy,” adding that companies, in such cases, would “consider evacuating personnel, shutting down operations, which is the kind of low probability but very high impact scenario.”

He pointed out that whereas oil companies might not totally abandon operations due to security concerns, prolonged downtime might leave an impact that could hold back the economy from fast recovery.

•Tourism

Energy Seplat exceeds business targets, sets new goals

P20 e-Platform

Microsoft opens first datacentres in Africa P22

Travel

Sheraton Lagos Hotel offers March treats P26

Insurance

Emerging markets to drive global insurance growth – Report

P28 Equity & Capital Market

Unleashing women’s potential has multiplier effect on businesses – Onyema P30 Money Market ECOWAS parliamentarians engage in single currency creation programme P31

Stock Market Highlights As At 11TH march, 2019

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE EQUITY CAP BOND CAP S/N FBNH ZENITHBANK UBA ACCESS GUARANTY

31,636.66 2,752.00 128,374,226.00 N2,386,097,305.43 N11,797,801,153,626.34 N10,375,574,493,870.70

Coy (By Volume)

Value(N)

34,058,848 N279,192,103.05 21,300,036 N484,399,420.35 17,529,263 N134,249,299.15 11,462,570 N69,220,295.25 5,663,756 N211,840,919.30

5 Top Gainers

Symbols Last Close NASCON N20 CADBURY N11 ZENITHBANK N22.45 FLOURMILL N19 FBNH N8.1

Current Change N21.7 N12.1 N22.75 N19.25 N8.2

%Change 1.7 8.50% 1.1 10.00% 0.3 1.34% 0.25 1.32% 0.1 1.23%

N1480 N79 N12.5 N13.7 N26.7

-1.99% -1.25% -3.47% -2.14% -1.11%

5 Top Losers NESTLE OKOMUOIL WAPCO ETI INTBREW

N1510 N80 N12.95 N14 N27

-30 -1 -0.45 -0.3 -0.3

18

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

BUSINESS

E-payment transactions rise to N138.67tn in 2018 – NBS Stories by JEROME USHAKANG

T

RANSACTIONS on e-Payment Platforms in Nigeria increases to N138.67 trillion in 2018 representing a growth of 32 percent Year on year when compared with N104.67 trillion, recorded in 2017, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed in its latest report.

According to NBS, the report covers data for Electronic Payment (Epayment) Channels in the Nigeria Banking Sector, adding that a total of 616,528,697 transactions valued at N39.15 trillion were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2018.

The report also shows that NIBSS Instant Payment (NIP) transactions dominated the volume of the transaction recorded with 228,209,423, valued at N23.57 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Conversely, the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transactions dominated with 220,270,371 volume of ATM transactions recorded, valued at N1.59 trillion in third quarter of 2018. NIBSS Instant transactions recorded the highest value of N23.57 trillion recorded in fourth quarter of 2018 quarter on quarter.

On the other hand, M-Cash recorded the lowest value of N180.65 billion transactions. However, M-Cash witnessed a growth of 24.1percent in December month on month.

Mobile Payment transactions recorded N592.9 billion Q4 of 2018.

There was a decline in Mobile payment transactions by 35 percent month on month in December.

Web payment transactions witnessed the highest decline of 83.8 percent month on month in December. In fourth quarter, it recorded N221.5 billion quarter on quarter.

The Point of Sale (POS) transactions witnessed an 18.22 percent increase month on month while the fourth quarter transactions

amounted to N714.35 billion.

ATM also experienced growth of 16.88 percent month on month in December. In fourth quarter, the estimated transactions through the ATM channel stood at N1.72 trillion.

However, there was a slight increase in transaction done through cheque. Month on Month, there was a 0.82 percent increase in the transactions through cheque. In total, transactions completed through cheque amounted to N1.26 trillion quarter on quarter.NIP recorded a 6.92 percent increase in December month on month. Also, transactions recorded in fourth quarter amounted to N23.57 billion.

In the fourth quarter, E-bills payment recorded a 10.7 percent increase in December month on month. In fourth quarter , a total of N128.85billion transactions was made through the e-bills payment system.

On the other hand, NAPS recorded in 15.29 decline in December month on month. However, the fourth quarter transactions amounted to N5.986 trillion.

There was an 18 percent increase in central pay channel month on month, while the fourth quarter figure was estimated at N2.56 billion.

Lastly, Remita witnessed a 46.02percent increases month on month in December, recording N2.56 trillion in fourth quarter of 2018.

Meanwhile, why e-transaction increase is a booster for the economy.

The cashless economy is essentially a system whereby financial transactions are not conducted with physical cash in the form of physical banknotes. Rather, transactions are done through an electronic representation of money between the transacting parties.

The obvious importance of cashless policy in an economy like Nigeria includes the provision of job opportunities, attracting investors

•ECOBANK Nigeria MD, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan (middle) celebrating with female members of staff to commemorate 2019 International Women’s Day at ecobank Hqters in lagos.

into the financial sectors, reducing risks of carrying cash and so on.

Hence, the digital payment channel is important for pushing the economy towards the path of a cashless economy.

Also, this is important for the CBN financial inclusion objective, which is targetted at making sure about 70% of Nigerians are doing transactions electronically. To realise financial inclusion goals, the CBN targets deposit money bank branches to increase from 6.8 units per 100,000 adults in 2010 to 7.6 units per 100,000 adults in 2020.Also, the ATMs are targeted to increase from 11.8 units to 203.6 units, POSs from 13.3 units to 850 units, Mobile agents from 0 to 62 units, all per 100,000 adults between 2010 and 2020.

In this light, the increase in e-pay-

ment transactions signals a move in the right direction to achieving financial inclusion.In recent years, electronic transaction channels are penetrating rapidly in Nigeria. This is also substantiated by a business development executive at ITEX Integrated Services, Macdonald Okoh stated that, in the past three years, we’ve seen major growths and this growth has been seen in both the number of te rminals deployed and the number of active terminals has grown. we have also seen the number of value and counts of transaction grow. it grows actually by over 80% yearly.”

He further stated that,“in the next two years, with the advent of agency banking and aggressive deployment of financial inclusion, we will see this grow to over 300%. we see pos deployed in remote areas. i

think pos has done a better job than any other channel.

Despite the increase in usage of electronic transactions, electronic transaction platforms in Nigeria are still faced with some challenges besetting them.

For instance, the issue of debit cards’ rejection by some ATM terminals or POS poses setback and vent frustrations on public’ acceptance of e-payments channels. Similarly, there have been repeated cases of systems errors, where customers are being debited despite failed transactions.Also, the increasing rate of internet fraud cases in Nigeria further casts aspersion on public acceptance of technological advancements in the banking sector.

These challenges have its effects on the pace development of e-transaction channels in Nigeria.

Ecobank introduces unique support scheme for female entrepreneurs Access, Diamond banks shareholders’ approve merger amidst commendations

E

COBANK Nigeria has established a platform designed to provide women with the necessary support to help them excel in their endeavours and to promote and grow their businesses.

The initiative tagged “Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative” is also designed to recognise women as special and unique customers who require tailor-made service offerings. And generally position them for increased participation, validation and contribution within the society.

The Managing Director Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan has disclosed while addressing female members of staff as he unveiled the initiative at the bank’s head office in Lagos,as part of activities marking the 2019 International Women’s Day. Akinwuntan said, “Increasingly, we are seeing the change in the attitudes of women, and their economic viability as individuals and leaders in their fields. Their banking and financial services as a whole therefore present vast opportunities, if properly understood and managed”.

He stated that the launch is a charge to the society in line with the theme of the International Women’s Day 2019, to challenge the

status quo and strive for a balance by empowering females in their immediate environments and subsequently, on a macro level.

In his own words, the MD said, “Our female customers will become our flagship ambassadors and we have created this platform for them in line with the sustainability requirements of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). These women will be provided with free health checks, training and empowerment sessions and other support tools from Ecobank.

The Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative aims at empowering women by helping them build capacity to grow their businesses” According to him, some of the benefits include access to credit facilities with little or no collateral, network opportunities across Africa, financial advisory services, wealth management resources and loyalty schemes.

Also speaking, Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Mrs. Carol Oyedeji stated that Ecobank as a Group, is proud to join the rest of the world to commemorate the IWD 2019, with the special theme #Balance for Better. For her, this year’s theme leaves no one in doubt as to the dire need to raise more awareness that gender balance is not a women’s issue but a human

issue that must be tackled for us to have a better society and that it should not be mistaken for a battle between the sexes.

She called on all in the corporate world to join hands to ensure that “our women attain their full potential in all areas of society, including the workplace, which is vital for our communities and economies to thrive. A balanced world is a better world. We must help forge a more gender-balanced world by celebrating and recognising women’s achievements, raising awareness against bias and taking action for equality”.

I

N what appears to be an epoch making event in the banking subsector, shareholders of Access Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc, unanimously approved the merger of both financial institutions, and expected to produce the largest banking group in Africa with more than 29 million customers.

Majority of shareholders who spoke at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of both banks held in Lagos,Tuesday,where they gave approval for the merger commended Access Bank Plc for the merger.

One of the shareholders, Bisi Bakare of Pragmatic Shareholders Association, commended the Board and

SEC refutes involvement in Visionscape Bond

T

HE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has debunked rumours making the rounds that it approved Visionscape Bond saying that being an issuance by a private company, it was not offered to the public, but to qualified investors by private placement.

SEC in a statement said, “The attention of the Commission has been drawn to news media publications regarding the default in repayment on Visionscape Bond and the Commission’s role in the transaction.The Bond under reference was issued

by Municipality Waste Management Contractors Limited, a private com-

pany promoted by Visionscape Sanitations Solutions Limited – under a N50Billion Medium Term Note Programme”.

According to the Commision,the transaction was therefore not subject to the prior review and approval of the Commission and does not fall within its regulatory preview.In addition, the Bond was not certified as a Green Bond as portrayed by the media.

The Commission wishes to assure the general public that it is committed to its duties of investors’ protection and ensuring an efficient, fair and transparent capital market.

Management of Access Bank for the merger stressing that it has saved shareholders of Diamond Bank Plc from of what befell shareholders of Defunct Skye Bank now Polaris Bank Limited.

Speaking in the same vein, the President, Trusted Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria (TSAN), Alhaji Muktar Muktar, said, “We thank Access Bank for saving us from Diamond Bank by giving us a good deal”. Muktar said that the bank gave them the best deal which was above Diamond Bank price on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Also speaking, Mr Adebayo Adeleke of Independent Shareholders Association commended the management of Access Bank for not shortchanging shareholders on the scheme of the merger.“Quite a lot of commendable things have been put in place and we hope the court will have no other reason not to agree on the merger,” Adeleke said.

He added that the shareholders were in support of the plan that would give birth to one of the largest banks in Africa.“We are here to approve of this wedding (merger) and hope to see a marriage of a formidable force,” he said. He stated that shareholders would want to see the birth and growth of a new bank that would take on challenges headlong, proffer solutionand take over the entire world.

19

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

BUSINESS

NSE, Meristem collaborate on investment style orientations

By KAYODE OGUNWALE

T

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange a multi asset exchange & index provider and Meristem Securities Limited, have announced the launch of two new style indices, the NSE-Meristem Growth Index and NSE-Meristem Value Index. These indices will be available real-time on the NSE’s website from March 12, 2019.

The style indices were designed in response to demand for customized indices to support product development and investment management.

Broadly, the style indices will provide a benchmark for the market to gauge the performance of value stocks and growth stocks listed on

the Exchange.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Jude Chiemeka, Divisional Head, Trading Business Division of the NSE remarked, “We are pleased to collaborate with Meristem Securities in the development of the first style-focused indices to be publicly launched in Nigeria. The introduction of the NSE-Meristem Growth and NSE-Meristem Value Indices is a laudable and innovative effort which is long overdue. These indices provide products strategists and asset managers the leverage to create investment vehicles that democratize professional asset management for the benefit of investors, while still following the tenets of classic investment philosophies: growth

and value. The indices are available for licensing and the investing public is encouraged to take advantage of the benefits they provide”.

Shedding more light on the purpose of these Indices, Mrs. Kemi Akinde, Group Head Investment Research, Meristem Securities Limited, explained that “the indices are benchmarks to track the performance of growth and value stocks that are traded on the floor of The Nigerian Stock Exchange, thereby

contributing to the deepening of the equity capital market by providing a leverage for fund managers to build investment products. Furthermore, the indices serve as more appropriate benchmarks for fund managers with same investment philosophies help in effective performance attribution, and facilitate better manager selection and appraisal, while also providing market data for academics to enrich studies

on the performance of growth and value stocks in the Nigerian market.

A multi-factor approach was considered in developing the indices to enhance the index stability and minimize turnover cost.”

The NSE-Meristem Growth and Value indices, as with all other NSE indices, will align with the Index committee’s Governance standards. Guidelines and methodologies for the indices are publicly available on the NSE and Meristem’s website.

Rwanda set to launch broadband satellite

R

WANDA is working with OneWeb, a UK based company, to unveil a satellite that will provide broadband internet to schools in remote areas. This was announced recently by the Ministry of ICT and Innovation.

The much anticipated satellite is expected to be sent into orbit from a spaceport on the Atlantic coast of French Guiana. on Wednesday at around 23:30 pm,The satellite was nicknamed Icyerekezo by students from Nkombo Island (Groupe Secondaire St Pierre Nkombo).

The school will be the first beneficiary of the broadband satellite.The location of the school (on Nkombo Island in Lake Kivu) had made it extremely costly and inefficient to be connected to standard fiber connections. A satellite is the perfect solution to provide internet connectivity.

OneWeb is backed by some of the major players in the space industry.

The global communication firm’s partnership with Rwanda will, however, enable orbiting satellites to connect more remote schools across Rwanda.

According to available information, OneWeb is backed by some of the major players in the space industry and finance, including Virgin, Qualcomm, Airbus and Soft Bank of Japan, among others.

The satellite that will be launched tonight is part of the first six initial satellites that OneWeb is launching. It plans to roll out 650 satellites

across the world to connect schools, hospitals and other basic facilities.

Rwanda believes launching ‘Icyerekezo’ satellite is a symbol of the country’s commitment to build the local space industry, build local capacity, inspire the younger generation and prepare to usher Rwanda into a hyper-connected future.

In January this year, Rwanda announced its long-term space programme plan, with a complementary initiative to launch its own first satellite this year.

Subsequently, during the recent World Government Summit, UNICEF announced Rwanda’s partnership with Project Connect, an initiative designed to visually map school connectivity status globally.

The Ministry of ICT and Innovation indicated in a statement that these datasets are crucial input into designing sustainable programmes for connecting schools across Rwanda and globally. The programme will involve training students in space technology, part of the efforts of the newly launched Rwanda Coding Academy which was set up to foster local experts in software development. This is all part of the Rwanda Digital talent policy’s drive to strengthen ICT capabilities in the country.

Both Rwanda and OneWeb believe that without a means of connection, economies stagnate, education falls behind, and development slows significantly compared to connected regions.

GTBank posts 9.1% profit growth, to pay N2.45 final dividend

G

UARANTY Trust Bank plc has released its audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2018 to the Nigerian and London Stock Exchanges.

A review of the results shows positive performance across all financial metrics and improved strategic positioning of the brand.

Gross earnings for the year grew by 3.7 percent to N434.7billion from N419.2billion reported in the December 2017. Profit before tax stood at N215.6billion, representing a growth of 9.1 percent over N197.7billion recorded in the corresponding year ended December 2017.

The Bank’s customer deposits increased by 10.3 percent to N2.274trillion from N2.062trillion in December 2017, however, loan book dipped by 12.9 percent from N1.449trillion recorded as at December 2017 to N1.262trillion in December 2018.

In view of the above, the Bank closed the 2018 financial year with Total Assets of N3.287trillion and Shareholders’ Funds of N575.6Billion. In terms of Assets quality, NPL ratio and Cost of Risk improved to 7.3 percent and 0.3 percent in December

2018 from 7.7 percent and 0.8 percent in December 2017 respectively.

In addition, coverage ratio for NPL stood at 105.1 percent and Capital adequacy ratio remained very strong, closing at 23.4 percent despite the implementation of IFRS 9. On the backdrop of this result, Post Tax Return on Equity (ROAE) and Return on Assets (ROAA) closed at 30.9 percent and 5.6 percent respectively.

The Bank is proposing final dividend of N2.45 kobo per unit of ordinary share held by shareholders in addition to interim dividend of 30 kobo per unit of ordinary share bringing total dividend for 2018 financial year to N2.75 kobo per unit of ordinary share.

Commenting on the financial results, the Managing Director/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Mr Segun Agbaje, said; “In 2018, our focus on staying nimble, strengthening customer relationships and driving our digital-first strategy paid off. We successfully navigated the pressures of our challenging and radically changing business environment, recorded growth across key financial indices and reaffirmed our position as one of the best performing and well managed financial institutions in Africa.

•Chief Executive Officer Union Bank, Emeka Emuwa (middle) with panel discussants, (from left) Uchenna Agbo, Founder, TrustVas; Francesca Uriri,Founder, Leading Ladies Africa; Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin, Founder, Pearls Africa Youth Foundation and CNN Hero; and ZeeZee Ihe-Okuneye, Marriage and relationship coach at the Bank’s IWD celebration in Lagos.

Dangote Cement targets $600m annual exports to African countries

P

RESIDENT of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has restated his Group’s commitment to Nigeria’s economic development through continuous innovation, value creation and investments.

This is just as he disclosed that Dangote Cement’s exports to other countries are targeted to rise to $600m annually, with the management intensifying efforts at actualizing the planned increase.

Declaring that his massive investments in Nigeria’s economy is borne out of his firm belief in her vast economic potential, Dangote said “by next year we will be the largest exporter of cement in subSaharan Africa with about $600 million worth of cement export to other African countries with limited access to limestone. In addition, we also have new terminals coming up at Onne and in Lagos and we are hopeful the congestion at Apapa will soon be behind us helping us meet our export targets.”

Speaking at the 2018 Dangote Cement Distributors’ Award Night held in Lagos, he said that Dangote Group is committed to ensure that Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in all the sectors where it operates, such as cement, agriculture, mining and petroleum.

“Let me reiterate that our continuous efforts to innovate, create value and invest in Nigeria are borne out of our firm belief in the vast economic potential of Nigeria.

This has also informed our desire to invest massively in agriculture in some states across the country.

Our target is to ensure that Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in all the sectors where we play; cement, agriculture, mining and petroleum.

We are leaders in all the sectors

where we play, and this demands continuous improvement and partnership with you, our customers.”

“We are front-runners in keying into the diversification of the economy by the Government. We have continued to roll out massive agricultural projects across the country. We have started in rice, while plans are underway for dairy farming. Our push for backward integration in providing our own raw materials on a massive scale has led to the planned investment of $4.6 billion over the next three years in sugar, rice and dairy production alone. That will eliminate the country’s reliance on imported food, and the foreign exchange outflow that comes with it,” he added.

Dangote, who commended the award winners for their commitment, noted that the ceremony was to celebrate the Group’s valued customers and distributors for their unflinching partnership in ensuring that Dangote cement products remained the first choice for construction purposes across the country.

Said he; “Tonight, we celebrate excellence for 2018 performance and I am hopeful 2019 customers award ceremony will be an even bigger event. We have worked with our customers to agree on targets, we will also be giving out bonuses and working together to achieve our collective goals and objectives. We value our customers and we will continue to treat them as king, because without them we don’t have a business.

“You have made Dangote Cement become a household name and the product of choice among cement users in Nigeria. Our cement plant in Obajana, Kogi State,

is already the biggest in Africa.

We are building the fifth line, and hopefully it will come on stream early next year and will make its production 16.25 million tonnes.

The cement plant and its sisters in Ibese, Ogun and Gboko, Benue have long been the bedrock of our leading role in the cement sector.”

He said Dangote Cement’s strict adherence to best global standards in producing its range of cement products has made them market leaders as the products; BlocMaster, 42.5R, 42.5N and Falcon are all top-of-the-range brands developed to ensure that cement users have a choice on the type of product suitable for their specific needs. According to him, a lot of research and tests went into the development and production of these products as “we are determined to offer our customers the best quality and experience either in building personal houses or in commercial construction works.”

The overall National Best Growth customers rewarded were D.C. Okika Nig. Ltd, Lafenax Nig. Ltd., Gilbert Igweka Global Concept, Chinedu & Sons Ltd, and Kazab Heritage Ltd while Corporate Customers such as CCECC Nig. Ltd, ITB Concrete, Julius Berger Nig. Ltd, Dantata & Sawoe Construction Company, EXTEX Group and Setraco Nigeria Ltd were given recognition awards.

In her reaction, the overall national winner, Mrs. Beatrice Okika, of D.C. Okika Nigeria Ltd thanked Dangote Cement for honouring her and other winners with diverse gifts which she said has encouraged her to do more volumes. She described Dangote Cement as the perfect partner in business with lots of incentives.

20

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

ENERGY

Seplat exceeds business targets, sets new goals •Production hits 106 kboed •Gas revenues jump 474% to record $156m •Makes $210m returns to shareholders •Deploys $63.6m in host community development

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

L

EADING indigenous oil and gas exploration and production company, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, has declared that it satisfactorily met and exceeded its short term business aspirations in the past four years, growing production and reserves beyond targets.

The company has also rolled out a new five-year target with target to continue pushing growth with a robust drilling programme that seeks to enhance oil and gas reserves volumes plus production numbers in order to sustain value generation for its shareholders, partners and other stakeholders.

In detailing its business performance in the preceding year, Seplat stated in its financial statement that revenues from traditional exploration and production, and innovative gas businesses galloped in the period.

The company stated that it set the targets in 2014 when it was simultaneously listed on the equity trading platforms of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

In the 2018 full year financial statement, the company scored itself high in the full 10 point growth targets comprising mainly of diversification of production sources and accretive asset acquisitions, optimum reserves replacement, gas valorisation, value creation for host communities and creation of ancillary business growth opportunities in the economy.

In the financial statement captioned Stability Performance Growth, Managing Director, Mr. Austin Avuru, declared that Seplat maximized production and reserves from operated assets and sustained consistent production and reserves growth in the past four years.

According to Mr Avuru, the company pushed gross operated production through the set target of 85,000 barrels of oil equivalents per day (boepd) gross operated production to new threshold of 106,000 boepd evenly balanced between oil and gas.

The company, in the period, exceeded its 100 percent reserves replacement target and scored 121 percent in 2018; while proven and probable (2P) reserves CAGR since inception hit 16.6 percent.

The company’s focus on acquisition and farm-in strategy, according to Mr. Avuru, yielded acquisition of onshore and shallow water assets in the Niger Delta. The statement also has it that Seplat’s current portfolio now stands at five blocks onshore the Niger Delta, all of which are in production.

To maintain balance of production, development and exploration, Mr. Avuru stated that Seplat acquired interest in the large scale Assah North and Ohaji (ANOH) project as part of opportunities taken

Mr. Austin Avuru, Seplat MD

by the company to diversify production.

He said the company undertook massive investment to add 375 million standards cubic feet per day (MMscfd) of new gas processing capacity at operated plant at Oben as part of the set target to exploit strategically located infrastructure to commercialize gas reserves and secure additional commercial off-takers.

Consequently, he noted, the company’s gas revenues increased by 474% since 2014 to a record $156 million in 2018. He also pointed out that the gas business would be enhanced with the decision by the board of the company to sanction final investment decision FID on the ANOH project.

According to the statement, the impressive business scorecard accounted for the company’s progressive dividend policy which supports “core, sustainable annual dividend plus special dividend when profits, cash and capital expenditure (capex) commitments allow.”

Mr. Avuru said shareholders of Seplat has since the company’s initial public offer (IPO) benefited from total of cash return of $210 million, adding that the management of the company made

returns of $0.10 per share in 2018.

Seplat stated that it only skipped dividend payment between 2016 and 2017 when the company’s operated production was shut in due to attacks on third party managed evacuation infrastructure.

To maintain good relations and integrate with host communities, Mr. Avuru said Seplat is running a global memorandum of understanding (GMoU) which, according to him, has proven as a successful basis for community engagement.

U n d e r t h e

“

ects, deploying proactive and transparent engagement strategies to understand specific development needs, and achieved multiplier economic effects that include over 1,300 jobs linked to Seplat’s operations in the areas.

The Oracle Today reports that Seplat operates oil and gas exploration and production venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It holds 40 percent operating interest in the joint venture while NNPC holds an overriding 60 percent on behalf of the government.

Seplat’s average working interest production for 2 0 1 8 financial year stood at 49,867 boepd, up by 12, 903 boed from the average working interest production of 36,923 boepd for the 2017 financial year.

Seplat’s average working interest production for 2018 financial year stood at 49,867 boepd, up by 12, 903 boed from the average working interest production of 36,923 boepd for the 2017 financial year. This represents some 35 perGMOU, cent growth in average working he said, t h e interest production across 12 compamonths. ny has invested a total of $63.6 million in host community development proj-

This represents some 35 percent growth in average working interest production across 12 months.

Within the year when Seplat operated with 85 percent production uptime, the company’s working interest liquids production was 25,669 barrels of oil per day (bopd), up by 7,816 bopd from the 17,853 bopd recorded in the 2017 financial year.

Working interest gas production grew by 31 MMscfd from 114 MMscfd in 2017 financial year to 145 MMscfd in 2018 financial year.

The working interest production growth is just about 40 percent of the company’s total operated production of 106,000 boed in 2018; resulting from work plan activities in OMLs 4,38 and 41 where the company drilled one new gas production well and undertook one gas well workover at Oben where it also activated non associated gas (NAG) booster compression.

At OML 53, Seplat said it undertook rig based re-entry and completion of two oil wells in Ohaji South field, carried out one workover of a producing oil well at the Jisike field. It also installed a flowline within the financial year under review.

In setting a new set of agenda for the next five years, Seplat declared intention to be the foremost independent exploration and production company in Africa’s petroleum play by managing its current portfolio to maximize value and maintain significant financial capacity and flexibility.

Mr. Avuru said the company would maintain disciplined capital allocation to drill out highest cash return production opportunities, ensure current portfolio continues to be a FCF generative engine for growth while underpinning a sustainable dividend yield for shareholders .

The company will also target to capture transformational value accretive acquisition opportunities in the period, recognizing that Nigeria remains home to one of the most prolific oil and gas resources in sub Sahara Africa.

Mr. Avuru said Seplat would prioritize opportunities with immediate production, reserves and cash flow; and “leverage its core production and development expertise to capture upside.”

To this end, Seplat aims to grow its operating interests in assets to a range median of 52, 000 boed in 2019, working on growth target range of between 49,000 boed and 55,000 boed.

Operations Director of the company, Effiong Okon, explained in the financial statement that the 2019 average working interest production forecast is predicated on expected liquids production range of between 24,000 bopd and 27,000 bopd. Average work-

Cont’d on Page 21

21

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

ENERGY

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

G

OVERNMENT has fully drawn international petroleum industry process management consultancy firm, KPMG, into the implementation of the Project 100 initiative which is designed promote excellence among indigenous players in several segments of the petroleum sector.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) which said it created a unit in its office to oversee the programme stated that KPMG would provide advisory services to the team managing the selection and mentoring process.

Executive Secretary, Mr. Simbi Wabote, stated that a Project Management Office for Project 100 with pan-industry implementation committee membership would be supported by KPMG which, according to him, has been working on the project.

Support that would be provided to the beneficiaries are Non-Financial interventions and Financial Linkages.

The Non-Financial interventions include policy interventions, access to market, capacity building, research development and business insight. The financial linkages include letters of recommendation to access intervention funds and highlighting collaborative opportunities between beneficiaries to enable them take on larger projects.

According to the project execution timeline, the Project Management Office would begin in March 2019 to engage beneficiaries to revalidate expectations and thereafter develop execution plans for targeted interventions. From June 2019 to December 2020, the PMO would begin to implement targeted interventions.

NCDMB enlists KPMG in Project 100 Mgt Key personnel for the unit, he said, were assembled from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). The unit would function within the NCDMB to deliver Supplier Development Programs that will drive the growth of Nigerian service companies.

The new office will focus on managing the ongoing process and refinement of Project 100 strategy, managing the selection, acceleration and graduation process of Project 100 beneficiaries and managing the implementation of initiatives for the various target beneficiaries.

Other roles of the office include developing fact based documentation of performance of Project 100 interventions and impact on local content, and managing wide relationships and partnerships with public and private sector entities that support the delivery of the initiatives and interventions.

The team is to create a pool of high performing large scale enterprises that would impact positively on job creation, retention of industry spend within the Nigerian economy, development of skilled manpower, robust policies, and access to credible data.

Mr. Wabote directed the members to identify the various areas of interest of the beneficiaries and provide them opportunities in collaboration with the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS).

He added that “while we would engage in public tendering, we have to specially look for opportunities. We also need to engage Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas

Seplat exceeds business targets, sets new goals

Continued from P 20

ing interest gas production in 2019 is projected at a range between 146MMscfd or 25,000 boed and 164 MMscfd or 28,000 boepd.

In consideration of the estimates, Seplat advanced a 2019 working interest production guidance that projects average working interest production growth that ranges between 49,000 boed and 55,000 boepd. And to realize the target, the company will drill 16 development and appraisals wells in four oil blocks among other major projects penciled down for the year.

In the OMLs 4, 38 and 41 operations cluster, Mr. Okon said Seplat plans commission the Amukpe to Escravos pipeline in the second quarter of 2019 after resolving payment with contractors.

He added that the company would drill up to seven new oil production wells; drill one new gas well; carry out rig based re-entry of an existing oil well; and also drill appraisal wells. It also plans to activate the Sapele integrated gas processing facility project, and upgrade operated liquid treatment facility to enable increased deliveries of dry crude in Sapele and Amukpe fields.

Seplat stated that it is also work-

ing on the field development concept and front end engineering design on the Igbuku field hosted in oil prospecting lease (OPL) 283 confines.

In the year, Seplat will also drill three new oil production wells to develop oil reserves in Ohaji South field in OML 53. It also plans one rig based workover of an existing oil production well at the Jisike field, an appraisal well at the Owu oil discovery, and expansion of oil production facilities at Jisike and Ohaji South fields.

In pointing at the gas business, Mr. Avuru said that Seplat would aim to become the largest single supplier of processed gas to the domestic market; leverage midstream processing capacity to attract and grow third party tolling business; and consider strategic initiatives to demonstrate the equity value of the gas business.

According to Mr. Avuru, with solid position in premium segment on NSE, Seplat would in the business term under target aspire to achieve premium listing on LSE, and solidify its lead capital market status with premium listing on both platforms.

He boasted that his board and management team were working to establish Seplat as the African indigenous oil and gas investment of choice.

•NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Dr. Maikanti Baru, address top Management of NNPC at the workshop, Wednesday in Abuja.

(NLNG) and other organizations that carry out procurement outside the Nigerian Petroleum Exchange (NIPEX) System. Project 100 companies must be included in the bidders list of such organizations.”

Making a presentation on the operating guidelines of the PMO, the General Manager, Research Strategy and Development, NCDMB, Mr. Abdulmalik Halilu, explained that the concept of Project 100 was to identify and grow indigenous companies from small players to large enterprises.

He said the project hoped to support beneficiary companies to grow their annual turnover from about N100 million to over N500 million, increase job creation and their local content level, train more manpower and acquire cutting edge technology.

He listed factors that determined the selection of the beneficiaries to include their impact in the oil and gas sector, status of their registration on the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Joint Qualification System (NOGICJQS), compliance with Nigerian Content

and their level of regulatory compliance.

Other considerations, he said, include their ownership status, compelling business plans submitted by the companies and their baseline commitments.

Mr. Halilu stated that key performance indicators for Project 100 would include “percent increase in business turnover, percentage increase in employment, percentage increase in local content level from contracts executed and percentage increase in personnel training and certification.”

Crude swap beneficiaries required to patronize NNPC’s shipping arm

N

IGERIAN National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has charged its partners in the crude oil for petrol swap arrangement to hire shipping vessels from NIDAS, the shipping subsidiary of the corporation.

Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, handed down the directive as part of direct intervention to guarantee sustained profitability of the company.

Dr. Baru who was at the NNPC’s office in London, United Kingdom, directed the Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD) of the corporation, the NNPC Trading Ltd, and NIDAS to require their customers to charter vessels from the corporation’s fleet.

DSDP is a scheme by which NNPC sells crude oil directly to off-shore refiners and receive products from same in return.

Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said Dr. Baru’s directive came as a boost to the rising profitability profile of NNPC/NIDAS since it launched into international freight business.

“I wish to commend NIDAS for beginning to make money for the NNPC. I am particularly elated with the company’s performance which has seen it doing 15 voyages on clean petroleum products from October 2018, just four months after it resumed international freight

business,” Baru told the company’s staff during the visit.

He called on them to redouble their efforts towards sustaining the current tempo which he said, was in line with the profitability drive of the corporation.

NIDAS Ltd Managing Director, Mr. Lawal Sade, who spoke during the visit of the GMD, lauded Dr Baru for his support and efforts in revamping the company which he said, prior to the GMD’s assumption of office, had been moribund.

“Our recent modest successes wouldn’t have been possible without Dr. Baru’s support. We are truly inspired by this visit and we are ever ready to achieve the targets set for us by the NNPC Management,” he added.

Sade further stated that the company would work harder to sustain

the tempo by engaging and soliciting the support of sister NNPC’s outfits and international partners towards improving the corporation’s bottom-line.

Sade informed the GMD that NIDAS had already signed Contract of Affreightment (COA) with BP and Socar for their DSDP clean cargoes, while discussions with Vitol, Mercuria and Petrocam are ongoing.

According to the MD, NIDAS has gradually started to find a good footing from the vessel fixing of last month as they were able to fix vessels below its competitors’ rate, which made some companies particularly Oando to come to NIDAS for a spot charter.

He observed that they were in the process of deploying IT facilities and software that will enable them monitor their ships on the high seas.

Procurement process defaulters face penalties

T

HE Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, has warned workers of the corporation that penalties await any defaulters of the Public Procurement Act in the award of contracts.

Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, stated that Dr. Baru cautioned staff against contract splitting and accumulation, which he described as a deliberate act by procurement managers to subvert due

process in the procurement process.

He restated the corporation’s commitment to transparency in every aspect of its operations, stressing that all procurements and contract awards in the corporation must be carried out in conformity with the Public Procurement Act. To further deepen the culture of transparency in the corporation, the GMD directed the Supply Chain Management Division to step up monitoring of the various tender boards within the NNPC for full compliance.

22

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

e-Platform

Stories by VICTOR NZE

M

ICROSOFT has announced the opening of its first datacentres in Africa, becoming the first global provider to deliver cloud services from datacentres on the continent.

“Microsoft Azure is now available from our new cloud regions in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The combination of Microsoft’s global cloud infrastructure with the new regions in Africa will create greater economic opportunity for organisations in Africa, accelerate new global investment, and improve access to cloud and internet services,” says Yousef Khalidi, corporate vice president, Azure Networking, Microsoft.

Ibrahim Youssry, general manager, North, West, East, Central Africa, Levant & Pakistan, Microsoft said, “Today is a milestone moment in bringing the global cloud closer to home for African citizens and businesses.

Enterprises across Africa can now take full advantage of the many benefits of Microsoft Azure, using cloud services to maintain security and meet compliance standards.”

According to the Cloud Africa 2018 report, cloud use among medium to large organisations in Africa has more than doubled between 2013

Microsoft opens first datacentres in Africa

and 2018. Due to the benefits of cloud in offering efficiency and scalability, more than 90 percent of surveyed companies in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria have plans to increase their spending on cloud computing in the next year.

However, a secure offering remains important in maintaining this momentum, with many African CEOs concerned about cyber threats.

“Microsoft has deep expertise in protecting data and empowering customers around the globe to meet extensive security and privacy requirements, including offering the broadest set of compliance certifications and attestations in the industry,” adds Khalidi. “We look forward to supporting more African enterprises in their cloud journeys and offering a trusted path to digital transformation.”

With a network of over 10,000 local partners – and a nearly 30-year history of operating on the continent – the new datacentres form part of Microsoft’s ongoing investment to enable digital transformation across Africa.

•(From left): Chief Financial Officer,9mobile, Phillips Oki; Company Secretary,9mobile, Ore Olajide and Ag. Managing Director, 9mobile, Stephane Beuvelet receiving from MC Tagwaye, 9mobile’s award as the Telecom company of the Year 2018 at the Leadership 2018 Awards which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja recently.

9mobile rewards customers in new Magic Hour promo

9

MOBILE, is indeed fulfilling its promise to make this year as exciting as possible for its subscribers with the telco announcing the commencement of its newly launched reward scheme, Magic Hour promo, in which millions of customers stand a good chance to win amazing prizes over the next three months.

Beginning from 11th of February for the next 90 days, the network will be celebrating and rewarding its customers with amazing prizes such as free airtime, smart phones and cash prizes running into millions of Naira as a way of appreciating them for their unwavering loyalty and brand affinity over the past one decade.

The amazing reward scheme which will run for a record 90 days, will see some customers move up the social status ladder as millionaires would emerge in the promo draws holding across key cities in Nigeria.

Prizes up for grabs include the N20 million grand prize for one winner at the end of the promo, and N5 million cash to be won by one lucky customer in each of the 3 months, at the monthly draws.

Also, one lucky customer each day will win N250,000 throughout the 90-days promo duration while 5 customers will win N50,000 cash each daily for 90 days. Other fantastic prizes are 5 smartphones per week to be won during the 90-days promo.

Explaining the process of participation, VP Marketing, Adebisi Idowu, said all that customers need to do is recharge a minimum of N100 to keep winning. Customers can also text WIN to 88808 to increase their chances of winning.

The unique thing about the Magic Hour promo is the equal chance it gives everyone to participate because the promo is open to both new and existing customers.

According to him, Magic Hour is another innovative way of putting a smile on the faces of millions of 9mobile customers, and the telco’s way of saying thank you to them for their loyalty and for

keeping faith with the brand.

Idowu stated: “9mobile is a caring brand and a brand for all Nigerians. Magic Hour is truly the firstof-its-kind, because for the first time, subscribers are being given a chance to play over and over again, to stand a chance to win a wide range of prizes. At 9mobile, we are known for going the extra mile to ensure that we give our customers the best. This reward is just one of our numerous ways of appreciating and thanking our customers for being with us over the past 10 years.”

He added that the promo is also the telco’s unique way of changing the lives of its customers for good and affirming 9mobile as a caring network.

A few weeks earlier, the telecom company launched the ‘Northern Promo’ exclusively to delight its customers in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katisna, Taraba and Yobe states.

Magic Hour promo is definitely set to create some magic in the lives of 9mobile subscribers.

Meanwhile, in a related development, 9mobile, has again added to its long list of honours and recognitions with the latest being ‘Telecom Company of the Year 2018’ Award.

The newest honour conferred

by Leadership Group Limited, publishers of Leadership newspaper, is in recognition of the telco’s resilience and stability in the face of challenges which the company pulled through over the past two years.

While presenting the award to 9mobile during an awards ceremony which took place on Thursday, February 7, 2019 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Group Managing Director of Leadership Group Limited, Abdul Gombe, said the decision to honour 9mobile as the Telecom Company of the Year was a unanimous decision reached by an enlarged Board of Editors at a recent meeting.

He commended 9mobile for emerging stronger from its many tests including the challenging

operating environment, tough regulatory requirements, threat of take-over by a banking consortium and post-acquisition realities.

Gombe said, “In the face of all these, 9mobile has maintained its relevance and its 9ja brand heritage within the Nigerian telecommunication space. For your resilience, the selection board found you most suitable for this prestigious award.”

Receiving the award, Acting Managing Director, 9mobile, Stephane Beuvelet, commended the Leadership Group Limited for

finding the telco worthy of the honour, stating that it would serve as further motivation to the new board and management to continue building a world-class telecommunications company.

“On behalf of my other board members, we’d like to say thank you to Leadership Group Limited, for this award. Indeed 2018 was a defining year for 9mobile, but we saw it as an opportunity to show our mettle and spirit of resilience.

Our appreciation also goes to all our stakeholders – our regulators who worked assiduously to en-

sure that the transition process was seamless; investors and financial partners that sustained the flow of critical lifeblood that we needed to stay afloat, and our customers who demonstrated loyalty and confidence in the brand” he added.

Beuvelet, who received the award alongside the telco’s Chief Financial Officer, Phillips Oki; Company Secretary, Ore Olajide and Executive Director, Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Abdulrahman Ado, pledged 9mobile’s commitment to transacting business with integrity, putting value for customer spend at the core of its propositions, and disrupting the market with innovative products and services.

ing AI platforms without the need for additional hardware.

The α9 Gen 2 processor in LG’s W, E and C series of OLED TVs elevates picture and sound quality with deep learning technology and access to an extensive database of visual information. This allows the processor to optimize the images by recognizing source quality and implementing the best algorithm to display a stunningly real image. The processor also analyzes ambient conditions to achieve the optimal level of screen brightness.

LG’s 2019 home entertainment lineup is led by its industry-leading OLED TVs in a variety of screen sizes: W9 (model 77/65W9), E9 (model 65/55E9), C9 (model 77/65/55C9) and B9 (model 65/55B9). The world’s first 8K OLED TV (model 88Z9) expands LG’s premium TV portfolio while NanoCell, the company’s most advanced LED TV offering, will deliver stellar picture quality, vibrant images, accurate colours and wider viewing angles all in a sleek package with ultra-thin bezels and in more largescreen options this year than ever before. Select 2019 OLED and NanoCell models support HDMI 2.1 for the viewing of 4K content at a fast 120 frames per second as well as offering 4K high frame rate (4K HFR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM), variable refresh rate (VRR) and enhanced audio return channel (eARC).

Moreover, 2019 TVs from LG intelligently adjust content compatible with Dolby Vision to ensure an outstanding HDR experience, even in brightly lit conditions. The α9 Gen 2 also fine-tunes audio according to a content type, making a movie and TV dialogue easier to understand and delivering crisp, clear vocals in songs. While the AI can adjust audio settings to ideal levels based on the environment, users can also make manual adjustments if they wish. LG’s flagship TVs again feature Dolby Vision for an outstanding HDR experience and Dolby Atmos for realistic, immersive audio.

LG’s NanoCell range for 2019 comprises fourteen AI-enabled models, available in sizes varying from 49 to 86 inches.* Other LG TV models in the lineup for this year include the 8K OLED TV (model 88Z9) and the one-of-a-kind rollable LG SIGNATURE OLED TV R (model 65R9) which wowed audiences at CES earlier this year. Specific dates of availability and prices will be announced locally.

“LG continues to push the boundaries of TV technological innovation, as can clearly be seen from our premium TV lineup for 2019,” said Brian Kwon, president of Mobile Communications and Home Entertainment companies.

“LG’s advanced AI technologies to improve picture and sound enrich and expand the viewing experience.”

LG kicks off global rollout of 2019 TV models

L

G Electronics (LG) announced, Monday, that its 2019 premium TV lineup featuring advanced OLED and NanoCell TVs will begin rolling out this week.

This year, OLED models will make up 20 per cent of the company’s high-end TV portfolio and with demand for OLED TVs expected to grow to 3.6 million units this year, 7 million units in 2020 and 10 million in 2021, LG expects to extend its leadership in the premium TV segment. Customers in South Korea and the United States will be the first to be able to take home a 2019 LG TV starting this month with availability in key markets of Asia, Europe and South America to follow soon thereafter.

This year’s OLED and NanoCell LCD TVs from LG will offer upgraded AI picture and sound quality thanks to the company’s advanced second-generation α (Alpha) 9 Gen 2 intelligent processor and deep learning technology.

New LG TVs will receive an upgrade mid-year to support Apple AirPlay 2 and Apple HomeKit for easy streaming of video and audio content and connectivity to Apple’s smart home products.

2019 LG TV owners can also expect to receive a firmware update that will add Amazon Alexa support to complement Google Assistant which is included out of the box, making LG the only TV brand to provide support for both lead-

23

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

e-Platform

SAA Voyager launches new mobile App

By VICTOR NZE

S

OUTH African Airways (SAA) Voyager has launched its own SAA Voyager Mobile Application. This means that the transactional experience for Voyager members is now in the palm of members’ hand with easy navigation whilst on the go.

The current SAA Mobile App only displays a customer’s status and balance of miles, whereas the first release of the SAA Voyager App includes additional transactional functions beneficial to the customers namely; update of personal details, PIN reset, award requests, claiming of missing miles, converting miles and, being able to donate miles.

The SAA Voyager App is an intervention aimed at enhancing Voyager members’ transactional experience with Voyager in the short term. It is envisaged that once SAA re-launches its Mobile App in the latter part of this year, there will be integration between the SAA and SAA Voyager Mobile Apps, whereby customers will be able to transact seamlessly with SAA, be it for check-in, printing of boarding passes, making and/or changing reservations or transacting on their Voyager accounts.

SAA Executive for Customer Loyalty, Suretha Cruse explains that one

of SAA’s key strategies is to enhance the customer experience. “Customer insights were a key driver in the design and development of the SAA Voyager App with our Africabased members in mind, where 80% access the internet via their mobile phones,” she says.

SAA Voyager was Africa’s first value-based airline loyalty programme, offering members miles based on the ticket price purchased, rather than the distance travelled. The earning velocity of miles in the SAA Voyager programme remains the best in class on the African continent whereby members receive one SAA Voyager Mile per ZAR 1.60 spent, which counts towards the status of members. The programme also allows members to spend miles on any available ticket price for flights operated by SAA. With more than 67 partnerships globally, including the Star Alliance global network, the programme gives members access to more than 1 300 destinations in 190 countries.

Not a SAA Voyager member yet, but want to register? Simply download the SAA Voyager mobile app onto your phone from the Apple App store or Google Play store, alternatively, contact the SAA Voyager Call Centre on 011 978 1234. You can also send an e-mail to voyager@flysaa. com.

Huawei announces world’s best smartphone

T

HE Huawei Mate 20 Pro has been adjudged the world’s best smartphone.It received the accolade at the 2019 GLOMO Awards at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

The GSM Association, a trade body that represents the interests of mobile network operators worldwide, conferred the award. The Huawei Mate 20 Pro was unveiled in October 2018.The manufacturer dubbed it “the king of smartphones.”

Huawei’sMate 20 Pro is equipped with a 40MP wide angle main camera, a 20MP ultra wide-angle camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera.

At the GLOMO Awards, Huawei also won the Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough for its 5G RAN Innovation as well as Best Mobile Operator Service for Consumers, together with Sunrise, for the Sunrise 5G FWA service.

Huawei also clinched Best Mobile Innovation for Automotive for the C-V2X Solution. Samsung won Best Wearable Mobile Technology for its Galaxy Watch.

John Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer of GSMA, said the awards were a testament to the incredible innovation and ingenuity shaping the industry. “Our congratulations to all of the winners and nominees of the GSMA’s GLOMO Awards 2019,” he said

•The LG ThinQ AI TV

Telecom stakeholders entreat Govt to ameliorate sector’s woes

T

ELECOMMUNICATIONS stakeholders have appealed to President, Muhammadu Buhari to prioritise the sector in the next four years of his administration.The plea comes as operators started the New Year on an upward swing, adding about 1.14 million new sub-

Wema Bank plans for tech start-ups

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EMA Bank Plc has reinforced its commitment to technology banking with its plan to launch hackathon to help tech- start-ups achieve their goals.

Hackathons are tech projects that bring together software developers and other digital creators to design solutions for everyday challenges.

Every successful hackathon harvests new solutions that will drive business ideas and scale the heights of technology in the world.In a statement, the bank said with Hackaholics, it will pull together startups and young tech professionals to develop digital solutions that will alleviate financial, institutional and social challenges.

Participants will be required to analyse the given problem areas, strategise, brainstorm and develop solutions that will be screened by a reliable team of judges.

“For the bank, the goal is to avail innovators, creative thinkers and developers the opportunity to convert their visionary concepts into winning solutions which will be nurtured into marketable products.

Along with awarding the best solution with full technical support and funding up to $10,000, the hackathon will improve skills and re-echo the bank’s passion to build a community of innovators working constantly to bring safer, more convenient and profitable banking,” it said.

Samsung working on two more foldable smartphones

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AST month Samsung unveiled its first foldable smartphone - the Galaxy Fold, and it appears the company is now working on two more foldable smartphones with a different design.

The Galaxy Fold comes with an inward notebook-like design, but one of these upcoming smartphones will fold similarly to the Huawei Mate X - a screen that will wrap around the device instead of folding inwards.

The other foldable smartphone will be similar to the upcoming Motorola RAZR. It will come with a vertically folding display with a smaller one placed outside. However, Samsung may remove the extra screen depending on how customers respond to the smaller screen on the Galaxy Fold.

Samsung plans to unveil the vertically folding phone later this year or in early 2020, with the one folding outwards coming later.

•The new Samsung Fold

scribers to the network.

The Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, urged President Muhammadu Buhari, and Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to eradicate multiple taxes plaguing the sector.

Adebayo, While congratulating them on their re-election, urged the incoming regime to declare telecoms as a critical national economic and security infrastructure, stressing that the industry required the highest level of protection from the government.

On his part, the Director-General, Delta State Innovation Hub (DSHuB), Chris Uwaje, said ICT, which currently contributes more than 10 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) remains perhaps the best accelerator, assurance and trustworthy strategy for the creation of massive wealth for Nigeria.

“Every leader can always be convinced and encouraged to listen to viable alternatives, embrace innovation and new directions that lead to change dynamics for national development. This is instructive, strategic and required especially when the concept creates more effective and productive ways to deliver sustainable development,” he stated.

Uwaje noted that for the records, President Muhamadu Buhari remains the only Nigerian President, who has graced the e-Nigeria IT event, consecutively for three years of his four-year tenure as a civilian President.

“Not only that, under his watch, Executive Orders on innovation and patronage of ICT local content were issued for implementation. Has IT failed in Nigeria in spite of the over 10 per cent GDP growth? Or has the professional failed to innovate and positively disrupt the ecosystem?

Why is a national IT Baseline study blueprint not in existence in Nigeria? There are currently more questions than functional answers!”

To Kehinde Aluko, another tele-

coms expert, Prof. Osinbajo should encourage more youths to go into innovation, which is the future.

Aluko, who charged the government to move from analogue system of doing things and embrace digitisation, also urged the incoming regime to take a cue from other advanced economies and replicate some of “those beautiful things in Nigeria.”

According to him, Nigeria needs to move higher up the global value chain and “this means nurturing our own R&D talent and capabilities. Technological progress and innovation plays a central role in a country’s economic progress. In this regard, the clarion call for the nation to focus on innovation and creativity should be heeded and immediate action taken, by all sectors, especially ICT.” Meanwhile, the new subscribers’ statistics released yesterday by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), showed that subscriptions in the country climbed from 172.9 million in December 2018, to 174 million by January end.

The growth impacted on Nigeria’s teledensity, which increased by 0.81 per cent. As at December, the teledensity was 123.4 per cent but by January ending, climbed to 124.3 per cent.

Expectedly, MTN remains the market leader with 38.4 per cent share and 66.7 million subscribers.

As at the period under review, Globacom is still second, with 45.6 million customers and 26.3 per cent.

Airtel with 44.9 million subscribers, controlled 25.9 per cent market share by January end. 9Mobile had 16.4 million subscribers and 9.44 per cent market share.

Internet subscription also appreciated; the quartet of MTN, Globacom, Airtel and Globacom added got 2.24 million more subscriptions.

Subscriptions grew from 111.6 million as at the end of last year to 113.9 million in January. Broadband penetration leaped slightly, gaining 0.86 per cent within the period under review

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

ISSN: 2545-5869

The

racle www.oraclenews.ng

EDITORIAL

Today

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VOX POPULI SACRUM

Voter apathy as threat to democracy M any registered voters who had voted We are appalled and at the same time frighton February 23 refused to vote on ened that a majority of Nigerian voters March 9. Across Nigeria – from Lagos chose to ignore us. Voter apathy is a threat to Abuja through Kano and Enugu to Akwa to democracy anywhere! Already, many Ibom, Benue and Sokoto – only a few peohave sworn they would never vote again in ple were available at each polling station. the future.

Something similar happened sometime in INEC and other government agencies are likely 1996. to request funds to enable them educate Angry voters interviewed said they were no and mobilise voters for elections in the longer interested in voting because they future. Unless something drastic is done, believed their votes would not matter, an they are likely to fail in persuading these Niobvious reference to the outcome of the gerians to leave their homes or their workfirst round of elections (for president and places to queue in the sun or rain to cast National Assembly) held on February 23. votes that would not count. Besides, those They believed that the results announced who lost their relations or friends will like

by INEC did not reflect the actual results. to see justice done to the memories of their Anyone who disagreed with such view could loved ones before they would take the risk simply be called a liar. of taking part in elections again. At least 40 As we stated in this space last week, INEC’s people were felled on February 23; no fewer performance during the first round of than seven other Nigerians reportedly died elections this year was well below averon March 9 -– for no just cause. age. But we also admonished: “Many Joseph Stalin of Russia is often quoted to have people already discouraged by the events said: “Those who vote decide nothing. of February 23 should persevere to vote Those who count the votes decide everyagain. Leaving polling stations free for thing.” That exactly has been the trouble thugs alone will do more harm than good. with Nigeria elections. Results announced at Eventually, many cases will be decided by polling stations – where elections are actuelection tribunals and higher courts. The ally conducted – are almost always different courts will need evidence, and one canfrom the results taken to collation centres. not gather evidence without being at the In many places, result sheets are bought and scene of action.” filled in advance of polling day, and party stalwarts thumbprint stolen ballot papers inside bushes, hotel rooms and fortified residential houses.

Such act of vote thievery is, at times, perpetrated by supposed law enforcement agents including soldiers and INEC officials. What is more, during both the February 23 and March 9 polls, armed soldiers flooded targeted states especially in the Niger Delta. They were not drafted to maintain law and order but to break the law and cause chaos. They were sent to intimidate voters in order to whittle down vote numbers in targeted areas.

As expected, the results to be announced or already announced in many places do not reflect the voter turnout in those places.

Some result sheets had been filled in already and there was little the vote thieves could do any longer. In most remote or inaccessible villages, there was no need of anyone voting: figures were just cooked up and ballot papers thumb-printed to tally with the figures. Election riggers know that the electoral law does not make use of the card reader compulsory; the legislature wanted to make it mandatory but President Buhari refused to assent to the bill. Politicians who cheated might go free on account of loopholes in the law. They know that rigging is

difficult – almost impossible – to prove in the courts.

Power still resides in the electorate. Any candidate who gets “elected” by foul means should not expect to be respected when they get into office. There were warning signs after the polls: the victorious candidates did not see many of their supporters rejoicing in the streets.

All in all, the Nigerian authorities must work to save democracy by curtailing election rigging. Where are the thugs caught in 2003, 2007 or 2011?

The starting point should be a post-mortem: all those involved in election rigging this year should be brought to justice. Open trials (captured live on television) of the culprits will be necessary, so that in the end convicted thugs, INEC officials and military people will be known and ostracized even before they serve jail terms. Those who sponsored vote-buying or thugs should also be identified and punished. Unless we begin to prosecute electoral offenders, rigging will not stop, and voters will continue to be discouraged.

The judiciary in particular has the duty of reversing dubious victories. As the last hope of the common man, the judiciary should not rely on technicalities to prevent aggrieved candidates from proving cases of rigging.

Those who voted already know the truth.

And truth cannot be buried.

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.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

OPINION 2019 Elections: Happy Survival

By Owei Lakemfa.

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igerians who are alive today, should wish themselves happy survival because scores of their compatriots have been sent to untimely graves within the last five weeks in election-related violence.

Perhaps the most heart rendering is the case of 61-year old Sir Daperi Amachree. His daughter, Ibisaki Amachree, a computer scientist and ad hoc official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bakana, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, was shot dead during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections on February 23. She had concluded the elections and was going to submit her report for collation when a bullet took her precious and irreplaceable life.

Amachree posted the photograph of his daughter, who was also his first child, on Facebook and wrote: “Here lies my beautiful daughter Ibisaki, a post-graduate degree holder, full of cheer, love and kindness and mother of two. She was shot dead yesterday by a trigger happy and jittery soldier while she was on a national assignment with INEC. I have never arranged for the death of any youth. I hate violence and thuggery. If law enforcement agents have to kill an enemy, should it be my responsible and peaceful daughter? …She was among the dozens of young lives lost on that day.”

Ibisaki’s death, again, raises the issue of the role of soldiers in elections and national politics.

When I was a kid in Lagos, the then capital of the country, it was rare to see a soldier in uniform. They simply blended with

the populace. They were not heard, and were rarely seen. One day, there was a commotion; it was caused when a soldier in camouflage walked down the street.

Some adults thought it was a change of uniform. But an obviously informed person explained it was camouflage and was worn in war. So the talk shifted to whether there was going to be war. Such was the oddity.

But today, it is not only common place, but it is also not uncommon to see policemen on the streets in camouflage.

But no oddity surpassed soldiers playing the role of the political leaders of the country. In the process, the country was plunged into a quite bloody Civil War reinforcing the fact that as an institution, the military given its training, orientation and mandate, is unsuitable for civil duties or governance.

In the last twenty years since soldiers were forced back to the barracks, the country has been struggling to de-militarize governance; to re-orientate the country after a cumulative 29-year military rule.

This has of course not been easy especially when many in politics including Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari are beneficiaries of military coups that enabled them at various times to be Heads of the Nigerian State.

Even today, many Nigerians who were weaned in the military era, have not lived down the culture of militarization nor have many in the armed forces. This is the situation the country found itself as we went into the 2019 elections with the armed forces playing roles which are neither captured in the electoral law nor our constitution.

It is the Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC) that is charged with conducting the elections with the police providing security. Even so, the police is not allowed to carry arms at polling booths.

So the involvement of the armed forces in elections which is purely a civil matter, is a gross violation of the constitution. When we should speak as a collective; that the armed forces should stay clear of elections and allow Nigerians a free choice of candidates at all levels, I am distressed reading even senior lawyers justify such brazen violation by claiming that the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) used the military in a similar fashion when it was the ruling party. Such persons had also weeks ago, justified the directive of President Buhari that the military and police should shoot ballot box snatchers at sight.

So rather than the soldiers being in their barracks performing their civic responsibility of voting for candidates of their choice, they were out in the streets on military operations.

On Wednesday March 6, the army announced that it had uncovered plots by some politicians to disrupt the March 9 gubernatorial elections by setting off bombs, using herdsmen, thugs, assassination, and smear campaigns on the social media.

Clearly, the army is not equipped to deal with these, and all that was required was for it to avail the police with such information and not to assume that it is its responsibility to handle such matters.

The subordination of the armed forces under civilian control must be absolute; the military has no initiative to take on elections which is a purely civil matter.

Therefore the European Union (EU) Election Observers that went to the Nigerian

Army enquiring about security measures for the March 9 elections were not helping our democracy nor assisting our military to concentrate on its core mandate. The EU Deputy Chief Election Observer, Hannah Roberts said the team was visiting the Chief of Army Staff and his subordinates because: “It is important for us to understand some of the security challenges you have and the way you see things going forward.” This is a blatant interference in Nigeria’s internal affairs. If the foreigners truthfully wanted to understand Nigeria’s security challenges in the elections, it is to the police or government they should have gone, not the army. In any case, Nigeria has a Minister of Defence who can speak on such matters on behalf of the entire armed forces.

No Observer Mission will do that anywhere in Europe. Belgium where the EU has its headquarters and which is also the home country of Ms. Maria Arena, the Head of the EU Electoral Observer Mission to Nigeria, went without an elected government for 589 days (2010-2011) and nobody consulted its army on the security measures in place. Rather, the civil authorities were allowed to sort out the disagreements between the warring Flemish and Wallons. In the European Parliamentary elections, no European army is involved in its conduct. The first elections held in Nigeria was ninety six years ago, so no European should come here and insult us as if Nigeria is new to holding elections.

Whatever the machinations and intrigues, whether local or international, what is certain to me, is that Nigeria will survive. Happy survival to all!

INEC in middle of electoral storm in Enugu

Saturday, March 9, 2019 election in State may have come and gone.

TBut,heEnugu the fire it set in the political landscape

is still smoldering. And the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) takes all the blame for the mess that the exercise became in the Coal-City State.

The question is, in whose interest did INEC so shabbily conduct the governorship/ State Houses of Assembly election in Enugu State? We say shabbily because INEC appeared to have conducted that election in utter disregard of the Electoral Act, which fundamentally provides that the Commission must not only provide a level playing field for all parties involved in the electoral process but must also, perhaps even more importantly, ensure the safety and integrity of electoral materials so as to avoid their being compromised. But Enugu INEC woefully failed in these two important aspects of the electoral process.

On Wednesday last week, March 6 to be precise, INEC brought out--and caused to be widely published--what it called FINAL LIST of candidates for the Saturday, March 9, 2019 governorship/State Houses of Assembly election in Enugu State. But conspicuously missing from that list were APC candidates—the governorship/deputy governorship candidates, for instance. Why, many asked? INEC’s explanation was that APC’s governorship candidacy was a subject of ligation and so it had to play safe by not putting anybody’s name on that list until the court had decided otherwise. Right?

Wrong!

Earlier on, a high court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had ruled (so very wrongly, it turned out) that Barrister George Ogara one of the governorship aspirants on the platform of the APC, was the authentic governorship candidate of the APC for Enugu State not Senator Ayogu Eze whom the party had last November nominated via a widely publicised, validly conducted primary election, which representa-

tives of the self-same INEC witnessed. That ruling was promptly appealed by APC and Senator Eze who asked the Appeal Court to quash the ruling of the High Court declaring Barr Ogara the ‘authentic’ APC governorship candidate for Enugu. The appealing party also applied for a stay of the execution of the judgment, thereby allowing the status quo ante to remain.

Fundamentally, INEC was expected to have done either of two things when it publicised the first ‘final’ list. 1) If it wasn’t sure the APC/Eze had obtained a stay of execution from the Appeal Court, it should have simply complied with the ruling of the High Court by listing George Ogara as the authentic candidate of the APC pending the determination of the appeal filed by APC/Senator Eze against the judgment. Or, 2), it should have published Senator Eze’s name since a service of the notice of appeal on INEC by APC/Eze was enough reason for INEC to stay execution of the High Court ruling pending the determination of the appeal on notice. That INEC put neither Barr Ogara nor Senator Eze’s name on the ‘final’ list was not only an illegality (contempt of court, violation of the extant provisions of the Electoral Act) but also a brazen denial of the fundamental rights of the candidates to be fielded by their political party for an election, having been found qualified in character and learning to be so recognised.

Now consider this other self-destructive act by INEC: On Thursday, March 7, the Appeal Court in Abuja overruled the Abuja High Court and declared that Senator Eze, not Barr Ogara, was, indeed, the authentic governorship candidate of APC for Enugu State. Promptly, Senator Eze’s camp served the judgment notice on INEC on the evening of that very day, whereupon INEC promised to return his name on the candidates list. But the rejoicing in Senator Eze’s camp was cut short when until the election kicked off at 8 am yesterday, March 9, 2019,

the Senator’s name was yet to be restored on INEC’s web portal as APC’s authentic governorship candidate for Enugu State.

Why? No explanation. They wouldn’t even pick calls from inquirers who wanted to know what was going on. Which is to say that INEC, which widely publicised its ‘final’ list three days earlier inexplicably failed to use the same channel to publish the ‘new final’ list so that thousands of APC/Senator Eze’s supporters would also come to know and be reassured that their candidate was still in the race.

Why did INEC so brazenly overreach itself? Why did INEC so brazenly act so partially against one party/candidate in an election?

On that same Thursday, INEC reportedly distributed sensitive electoral materials to the 17 local governments areas in the State without representatives of the APC present to witness the distribution. State Chairman of the APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who statutorily supposed to be present to witness the process was not invited by INEC and, as such, was not present when the materials were practically handed over to agents of the PDP to take ‘home’. So, the Independent National Electoral Commission in Enugu led

by Dr. Emeka Ononamadu prepared candidates, electoral materials et al for a crucial governorship/state assembly election without involving the major opposition party in the state, in clear violation of Nigeria’s Electoral Law and the equal-footing principle of democratic refereeing? Why? Now, do we need an Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) or Wole Olanipekun (SAN) to tell us that the Saturday, March 9 governorship election in Enugu State was invalid ab initio and must, therefore, be cancelled? That election was conducted in clear violation of the law (exclusion is a serious violation of the law, not to say contempt of court) and cannot stand. It was built on nothing.

It is a pity that Governor Ifeanyi Ug-

wuanyi spent nearly four years preparing for his reelection (Gburugburu Movement was launched in August 2016, barely three months after his first anniversary as government) only to be handed a non-celebrative victory. Or, where is the celebration?

All this just because, rather than help the electoral umpires to smoothen the electoral process so Enugu could witness a fair contest, he spent all of his time and money fighting to remove Ayogu Eze and APC from the ballot paper so he could coast home to victory unopposed. And shot himself in the foot in the process!

•Copied from OGANIRU ENUGU online platform

THE GROUP Managing Editor/COO Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Managing Editor/COO Sopuruchi Onwuka Chairman Editorial Board Igwebike Mbanefo SE/SS Editor Odogwu Emeka Odogwu Acting BDM Kelechi Nze Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Circulation Manager Felix Oti

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

Travel & Hospitality Sheraton Lagos Hotel offers March treats Stories by VICTOR NZE

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HERATON Lagos Hotel has lined out special treats for the month of March, which the hospitality destination said it is intended ‘to make this period memorable.’

“On mother’s day coming up on the 31st of March, every mother who arrives for our Sunday brunch will get diffusers. We will equally offer a most elevated brunch experience on that day to show all mums that we care and honor them.

“On the 8th of March, International Women’s Day, every woman who comes in for dinner will

also get a diffuser.

“If you are stopping by on the 17th of March, you will be delighted to be part of our St Patrick’s Day commemoration at our Goodies Pub. A local Irish band will be on hand to perform and create that excitement to get you in the mood. Our guests are sure to enjoy our specials on beers that day.

We are really out to deliver great moments to our patrons.

“During the month of March, we will also offer specials on our cakes. Sheraton Lagos hotel’s pastry department is renowned for delicious unforgettable cakes, meat pies and other items which are a hit amongst our guests,”

reeled out F&B Manager for the Hotel, Mr. Churchill Bemigho.

Continuing, Bemigho said: ”While our birthday cakes start from N6,000 and our white forest cakes from N10,000 only, we will certainly have more on offer.

These tasty treats have become a household name in the homes of many.

“Our Sheraton Lagos teams are

geared to ensure that March is indeed a special one for all our clients, especially mothers & women in general. We acknowledge their value and believe women are an integral bedrock of society and nations at large.

On his part, General Manager for Marriott Hotels in Nigeria and head of the Lagos Sheraton, Mr Barry Curran, said: “At Sheraton

Lagos Hotel we go beyond in being innovative when it comes to the service we deliver and it delights us to offer something to our loyal customers which is eclectic and not currently in the market.

“By doing this, we believe we are reinforcing our place as a hotel not just for business travelers but as a destination that creates experiences for leisure seekers too”.

Aero rebrands cabin crew

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NDIGENOUS carrier, Aero Contractors has unveiled the new face of its Cabin Crew. This is also as the airline reeled out its achievements under the administration of the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), as well as reeling out new routes.

Chief Executive Officer, Aero Contractor, Capt. Ado Sanusi, Thursday, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, during the unveiling ceremony disclosed that the essence of the move was show its passengers the new look of its Cabin Crew.

“We are celebrating the new face of the cabin crew of Aero Contractors and we are also unveiling the success that has been achieved over the last 24 months that I have been in the seat of managing the airline. The first thing we did was to unveil the new face of cabin services and also to tell you that we are opening new routes to serve our passengers better.

“What we have done today is that we are telling the passengers that we are back and we pride in safety and reliability, which is the best way to fly in Aero,” said Sanusi.

He stated that Aero was not only starting new routes but that it was also reinstating old ones that were suspended sometimes ago, adding that when he joined the airline it was eight flights a day but that it has risen to 30 flights daily in the last 24 months.

“We are starting new routes and we are also reinstating those routes that we suspended. When I joined we were doing eight flights a day, which we were servicing only Abuja and Port Harcourt. In the past 24 months, we have increased to more than 30 flights daily. We were carrying close to 8,000 passengers a month, now we are almost 33,000 passengers every month.

The routes we have included as we go are Kano, we introduced more frequencies into Abuja, AbujaAsaba, Warri, Uyo and we are now in the process of introducing Yola.

We will have Lagos-Yola and AbujaYola, Yola-Abuja and Yola-Lagos.

“This will open more routes for our passengers. Sokoto bound passengers going to Yola can come and join our Yola flight and those from Asaba can join our Yola flight. We are opening up Nigeria for our esteem passengers. We believe that by the end of first half of this year, we will have opened new routes in the Eastern part of the county. We

are looking at Owerri and Enugu and it will come very soon. Uyo was there before, so we are reinstating it.”

On whether the airline is going to secure more airplanes to services the new destinations, the Aero boss, stated that the carrier intend to bring more aircraft into the system “We started with one aircraft in the beginning of 2017 and now we have four airplanes. We intend to bring more airplanes into the system. We have two aircraft that we want to conduct C-checks if the Nigeria Civil Aviation of Nigeria, (NCAA) gives us the go ahead to do that. We will conduct two C-checks on two 737. Our aim is to have a 15 aircraft airline. What we have done today is that we are telling the passengers that we are back and we pride in safety and reliability, which is the best way to fly in Aero.”

Also speaking, the Head of Cabin Crew, Kudirat Bello said that Aero decided to unveil the new look of the airline’s Cabin Crew to show that the airline is full back and back for good.

She stated that Aero organised the event to also tell travelling passengers that the carrier was ready to provide better, effective, seamless and safe service delivery to its customers.

According to Bello, “We are using this medium to tell passengers and the public that Aero is back and back for good.”

•Aero’s rebranded Cabin Crew posing before the media during the unveiling of the New Face of carrier’s Cabin Crew event at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA2),Lagos.

Dubai receives 16m int’l overnight visitors in 2018

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CCORDING to the latest data released today by Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Dubai hosted 15.92 million international overnight visitors in 2018, marking a new high for the emirate.

Dubai’s top source markets delivered bankable performances with several strategic feeders witnessing standout double-digit growth yet again to continue momentum towards growing the number of international visitors annually in line with Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2022-2025, in addition to driving even greater economic impact on the emirate’s GDP. “Guided by the vision of His

Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Department remains focused on ensuring that Dubai becomes the number one most visited city in the world in line with Dubai’s Tourism Strategy 2022-25.

“As such, throughout 2018, we developed and deployed a custom-market specific approach to our global outreach programs to deeper penetrate our target markets and widen the sphere of influence and engagement with the Dubai proposition. Exposing our industry to new potential in order to convert a higher share of the dynamically evolving global out-

bound travel market has helped steady Dubai’s base tourism volumes throughout last year.

“Our strategic investments, innovative destination promotion programs, responsive federal policy reforms, and long-term global partnerships – all backed by the tremendous support of our stakeholders across the government and private sector – continue to yield strong results as we ramp up efforts to increase Dubai’s accessibility, visibility and overall appeal, minimize barriers to travel, deliver new standards in global travel experiences, and ultimately drive both first-time and repeat visitation,” commented Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism.

S/Africa prioritizing visa issuance to Nigerians, others – SAT

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OUTH Africa has said it will prioritize visa processing and issuance to visitors from Nigeria, India as well as China.

Making the disclosure in Lagos, Mr Thekiso Rakolojane, the South African Tourism (SAT) Head for West Africa Operations, said the country is prioritizing the issuance of visas to tourists from Nigeria, India and China to ensure that incidences of visa delay experienced by tourists from these countries especially Nigeria is addressed.

Although, Rakolojane admitted that the issue of visa is not exclusive to SAT, he however, stated that a team has been put in place to look at ways and means of how the current visa challenges

can be addressed.

“The issue of visas really is not a challenge that is exclusive to us in South African tourism but also West Africa. It’s actually a challenge that is so important to us that it’s actually receiving a presidential attention. I do know that there is a task team that has been put in place to look at specifically Nigeria, India and China in terms of ways and means of how the current visa challenges can be addressed.

“In the interim while the micro issues are been looked at in terms of addressing the issue of visa challenges, we do have particular people who have the competency and have been tasked with the responsibilities of overseeing

the visa process which in this case is the Consular General as well as the high commissioner.

“So the way we engage or rather the way we approach the current issues that are been experienced by our partner is by ongoing engagement to show you how important it is. As a matter of fact at my very first meeting when I got into the market was to go visit the Consular General just to understand where we are in terms of the issue of visas and to share also with him some of the operational challenges that have been brought to our attention by our partners just so that there is an ongoing sharing of information between us.

“One thing that we are committed to including the consular general is the ongoing engagement with our trade partners with the view of as and when these issues are being resolved, particularly because this market has high influx of applications.

And for the longest of time there has been this despairing view in terms of the efficiency in which the processing happens, where we can get to a point where we can standardize the process.

What that standardization looks like I’m not at liberty and I not sure how that is going to be but I know that eventually we will get to a position where we can find a common way of solving this.”

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

AVIATION

B737 Max: Air Peace rules out order cancellation as airlines ground fleet

By VICTOR NZE

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NDIGENOUS carrier, Air Peace, has ruled out any order cancellation for the controversial B737Max 8 aircraft following a spate of fatal crashes involving the aircraft in the last five month across the world.

The latest crash involving the airliner occurred last Sunday when an Ethiopian Airline-operated aircraft type crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa airport en route to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi killing all 157 passengers and crew onboard, which also included two Nigerians.

The Nigerians were identified as Canadian-based Prof Pius Adesanmi, as well the country’s former United Nations and African Union (AU) Representative in Darfur, Sudan, Ambassador Abiodun Bashua.

Reacting swiftly to the development, China’s aviation regulator, Monday grounded nearly 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by its airlines, which comprise more than a quarter of the global fleet of the jets, while Ethiopian Airlines, on its part, suspended operations of the rest of the embattled jets in its fleet.

Chinese airlines have 96 737 MAX 8 jets in service including Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Hainan Airlines.

However, while these operators have already taken immediate actions following the latest crash of the airliner, the second in barely five months, Africa’s largest operator of the airliner, Air Peace said it will continue to monitor development.

However, Management of Air Peace Airline has ruled out cancelling orders already placed for the embattled B737Max aircraft series, saying ‘they are still at the design and configuration stage,’ even as he described as ‘premature’ fears expressed by customers over the aircraft.

Air Peace’s Corporate Communications Manager, Chris Iwarah, reacting to the Ethiopian Airline crash in a statement, Monday, said the clarification has become necessary ‘in view of numerous calls and enquiries on its response to the incidents involving the B737 Max 8 aircraft.’

“Although it is premature to comment on the incidents, we wish to assure members of the flying public that we are closely following and monitoring developments on the is-

sue as an airline that prioritises the safety and well-being of its customers”.

“While we keep engaging with our partners in this regard, we repose implicit confidence in Boeing and aviation authorities to capably and satisfactorily address all the issues if at the conclusion of ongoing investigations it is discovered that the challenge is with the B737 Max 8.

“We urge members of the flying public to continue to choose Air Peace as their preferred airline and trust us to always act in their best interest.

Outside North America, Lion Air is the biggest customer of the Boeing 737 Max, while Air Peace in Nigeria is soon to become the aircraft’s largest operator in Africa with 10 aircraft.

Other operators include: Southwest Airlines 23; Air Canada 18; American Airlines 15; Norwegian Air Shuttle 12; Air China 11; Air Lease 11; China Eastern Airlines 11; China Southern Airlines 11; GE Capital Aviation Services 8; WestJet Airlines 8; Xiamen Airlines 8.

It would be recalled that the United States-based aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, in November, last year, issued a warning to operators of its 737 Max series aircraft following the crash of a Lion Air plane in Indonesia that killed all 189 passengers including crew, a month earlier.

The reaction followed the October 29 incident involving a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft belong to Lion Air which crashed in the sea shortly after takeoff, killing all 189 people on board.

The warning by Boeing which came in the wake of the crash followed another one by Indonesian investigators which suggests that the pilots on the ill-fated Lion Air 737 Max 8 were battling the plane as its computers commanded a steep dive during its final moments of flight.

Data extracted from the flight recorders revealed that the aircraft experienced problems with airspeed indicators during its last four flights.

In its bulletin issued, after the crash, Boeing cautioned that the so-called angle-of-attack sensor can provide false readings in limited circumstances, such as when a plane’s autopilot is switched off, that cause the 737 Max to pitch nose downward. The sensor malfunction can essentially trick the plane into pointing its nose down to gain the speed it thinks it

•From left): SAA Regional General Manager for Africa, Mr Aaron Munetsi; South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Hon Luluma Xingwana; SAA Group CEO, Mr Vuyani Jarana; CEO Africa World Airlines, Mr John Quan; Chief Operating Officer: Africa World Airlines, Mr Sean Mendis; Head: Commercial - Africa World Airlines, Mr Richard Kyereh, at the official signing of the MoU between SAA and AWA at the Ghana Ministry of Aviation in Accra, Ghana.

needs to keep flying.

Although the Boeing directive does not call for operators to conduct new inspections or take other action, it merely stressed that pilots should follow procedures in the flight manual when encountering erroneous data.

These warnings are also similar to the one issued by United States regulator, Federal Aviation Administration, as contained in an emailed statement which told operators, to follow Boeing’s instructions and add information to pilot manuals showing how to diagnose the problem and respond.

The U.S’ FAA said the problem “could cause the flight crew to have difficulty controlling the airplane, and lead to excessive nose-down attitude, significant altitude loss, and possible impact with terrain.”

Only the Nigerian carrier, Air Peace has the embattled B737 Max in its fleet, which, it said, is intended to be deployed to its newly-designated international routes from this year.

Air Peace said it planned to bridge the gap created by the country’s inability to exploit the numerous air service agreements it signed with other countries when the carrier fully deploys its newly-acquired fleet of four B777 aircraft as well as the B737-Max.

SAA increases West African connectivity

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OUTH African Airways (SAA) has enhanced connectivity for its customers travelling to, from and beyond the West Africa region following the successful completion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Africa World Airlines (AWA), the airline’s Ghanaian partners.

The Chief Executive Officers of SAA and AWA, Mr Vuyani Jarana and Mr John Quan, respectively, officially signed the MOU at the Ghana Ministry of Aviation in Accra, Ghana.

Hon. Joseph Kofi Adda, the Ghana Minister of Aviation, officiated at the event.

The MOU allows the two airlines to enhance their relationship through synergies that include code sharing, franchising and any other related projects.

“As part of our turnaround strategy, we are constantly looking at ways of improving our customers’ travel experiences. This agreement

gives our customers seamless connections from Johannesburg into more destinations in Ghana and other West African destinations.

“The agreement augments SAA’s popular and successful Ghana operations and offers customers a host of additional travel options in Ghana as well as further afield in the African West Coast region.

“As the leading carrier on the continent, our aim is to improve air travel connections on the continent through partnerships and this agreement with AWA goes a long way towards improving intra-African travel,” says Vuyani Jarana, SAA CEO. “This agreement with South African Airways will help consolidate Africa World Airlines’ position as one of the leading airlines in West Africa.

We are excited by the potential that this African partnership can deliver, and are confident that it will be a winwin relationship for both sides,” says John Quan, AWA CEO.

SAA and Africa World Airlines formed a relationship in 2015, which resulted in the commencement of the Accra to Washington Dulles flights. SAA operates daily flights between Johannesburg and Accra, with four of the flights continuing onwards to Washington; and the other three flights continue onwards to Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire.

SAA’s relationship with AWA has since grown from the original commercial co-operation into the new interline commercial agreement, which became possible when SAA finalised technology integration with AWA in November. The interline agreement allows the acceptance of each other’s customers and access to each other’s network.

SAA customers will fly from Accra on SAA operated flights and then connect to further destinations on flights operated by AWA. Over the coming months the interline agreement will evolve into a

The airline’s chairman, Allen Onyema who disclosed this during a media briefing, in September, last year, stated that its orders, the Boeing 737Max will be deployed to service routes including Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Sharjah, Jeddah from Abuja, Dubai from Kano as well as London from Enugu among others. ”On the international scene, why did we buy four 777? Why did we order 10 brand new 737Max? You know the max has over 7000 nautical miles range. We brought all these equipment because we want to cover that gap that is making the government of the day worried and for people of this country.

“Those 737Max, we don’t want Nigerians to fly through London to get to Amsterdam. We don’t want Nigerians to pay through their noses to get to their destinations Air Peace decided to bring these jets, the stateof -the-art Boeing 777 and brand new 737Max in other to do these destinations direct for Nigerians.

“We want to start flying Lagos to Paris direct with those max, we want to deploy another max from Lagos to Frankfurt. We want to deploy the Max from Lagos to Amsterdam. We want to deploy it to Milan, we want to deploy it from Abuja to Jeddah.

We want to do Kano to Dubai, we code share agreement.

SAA customers will then travel on one ticket from Johannesburg to Accra, or from Washington to Accra, and onwards to a number of destinations such as Kumasi in central Ghana, Tamale in the north, and Takoradi in the west. SAA customers will also be able to connect from Accra to Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria, Freetown in Sierra Leone, and Monrovia in Liberia.

In turn, customers of Africa World Airlines travelling from Ghana, Lagos, Abuja, Freetown, and Monrovia, are able to travel on one ticket from any AWA point of origin and connect onto SAA international flights to either Washington D.C. or Johannesburg, or further on the SAA network.

With effect from April SAA increases the frequency from Accra to Washington to five flights per week.

SAA offers the only nonstop flight between Ghana and Washington D.C. and convenient connections to / from over 100 cities across the U.S. and Canada through its Star Alliance partner, United Airlines via Washington, D.C.-Dulles.

want to do Enugu-London with it and some days we use our triple seven to London through Lagos where majority of people travel.

“So the triple sevens are made for the London route, US route because of its range, meant for China because of its range too and cargo. It is meant in some days to go to Johannesburg because of the traffic there too. Most of the work like Mumbai and others will be done by the 737Max which will take like 180 passengers.

“You are not going to go to Mumbai with full load of three hundred and seventy something that the 777 will carry so we decided to do that route with the 737Max. So what are we looking for again? An airline has emerged from this country to plug the gaps,” he said.

According to Boeing’s most recent reports, 350 MAX planes have already been delivered to airlines across the world. A further 4,661 have been ordered.

The plane that crashed on Sunday morning was delivered to Ethiopian Airlines in November. It was one of five active MAX 8 aircraft belonging to the airline, and another was on order.

The highly anticipated 737 MAX 8 was the first member of the company’s new series of more efficient, single-aisle plane family.

The planes, which also include MAX 7, 9 and 10 models, were intended to compete with Airbus A320neo family aircraft in an ongoing battle to dominate the global narrow-body market segment.

However, the new MAX 8 models have previously been placed under scrutiny.

In 2017, Boeing temporarily grounded all 737 MAX planes over concerns about a manufacturing quality issue inside its new engines.

Jamie Jewell, a spokesperson for the plane’s engine maker CFM International, said at the time that the company’s inspections found “some anomalies in the process” of manufacturing disks for the jet’s turbine.

Jewell also stressed that no problems related to the part were seen in the more than 2,000 hours of test flights for the 737 Max. “Out of an abundance of caution, we decided to temporarily suspend MAX flights. The step is consistent with our priority focus on safety for all who use and fly our products,” the plane maker said in a 2017 statement.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

INSURANCE & PENSION

Emerging markets to drive global insurance growth – Report Stories by VICTOR NZE

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MERGING markets will remain the growth engine of the global economy and insurance industry over the next decade, reflecting a continuing shift of economic power from west to east, according to Swiss Re Institute’s latest sigma report.

Discussing the macro-economic trends, the report noted that emerging market growth has moderated in recent years as economies mature and are more exposed to external cyclical factors.

Nevertheless, projections still indicate that emerging economies together will account for 60 percent of global growth in 10 years’ time.

“In this context, we expect quality rather than speed of growth to be a differentiating factor among the emerging markets themselves,” said the report, The sigma report noted that the seven largest emerging markets will contribute up to 42 percent of global growth, with China on its own contributing 27 percent.

Economic growth also drives growth in the insurance sector, with the emerging markets’ share of global premiums forecast to increase by about 50 percent over the next 10 years, said the sigma report titled “Emerging markets: the silver lining amid a challenging outlook.”

“Our forecasts show that emerging Asia will lead the charge for premium growth, expanding by three times the world average over the next two years, and China becoming the biggest insurance market in 15 years,” sigma went on to say. Indeed, emerging market premiums are expected to outpace advanced

market premium growth by four times during the next decade.

The report said that emerging markets’ growth is being driven by a group of industry-specific trends, including: Regulatory evolution; Improvements in market access; Insurtech revolution; Growing use of mobile devices; Urbanization and investment in infrastructure; as well as; Wider financial inclusion.

Regulatory evolution Growth-enabling regulation helps increase insurance penetration in emerging markets and create a social safety net, said sigma, pointing to governmental policies that promote insurance take-up, help build financial resilience of households and develop certain industries. For example, compulsory motor third-party liability (MTPL) insurance can protect drivers against liability claims for death or injury to individuals. In addition, international solvency standards are being adopted at different speeds by different emerging nations.

They are designed to protect consumers, maintain financial stability and build trust in insurance companies.

Improvements in market access Trade barriers reduce competition in re/insurance markets, leading to less customer choice, poorer service, higher premiums and less capacity over the long-term, said sigma. Such protectionism “reduces the growth of affordable risk cover, preventing insurance markets from realizing their full potential and making it difficult to close protection gaps.” Some markets have seen an increasing number of protectionist measures

•Pupils displaying educational materials recently donated by the AIICO Insurance Plc., in line with its commitment to promoting literacy and to aid the adoption of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Nigerian schools.

that have reduced market access in recent years, such as limits on foreign ownership of insurance companies. However, insurance markets are generally more open today than they were 10 years ago, said sigma, citing the example of emerging Asian governments that have undertaken additional deregulation and liberalization measures while seeking to improve consumer protection.

Insurtech revolution The use of technology in insurance can make products more affordable, business more profit-

Lagos releases N1bn to 177 retirees

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AGOS State Government has again presented Retirement Benefit Bond Certificates worth one billion, one million and one hundred and thirty-nine thousand Naira to 177 public service retirees.

The payment was made into the retirement savings account of the retirees represents government’s obligations under the discontinued Pay as You Go Pension scheme, Thursday.

From April, 2007, the State had transited to the Contributory Pension Scheme and had consistently remitted contributions into employees Retirement Savings Account.

Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson Oke who represented the state Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode at the event held at the LASPEC Complex, NECA House, Ikeja stated, that under the state’s chief executive, a total number of 10,601 retirees from the Mainstream Service, Local Government/ State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), Teachers Establishments Training & Pensions Office (TEPO)TEPO and Parastatals of government had received accrued Pension rights of N43,630,874 billion naira.

The Director-General, LASPEC in her welcome address gave words of encouragement to the retirees

and advised them to be wary of engaging in business ventures that appear to have high risk.

She made their day when she informed them that the issue of Identification Cards which had been in the pipeline for sometime has been concluded, the issuance of the cards will begin in April, 2019.

The retirees were all appreciative of this development and prayed for this administration and smooth transition.

It would be recalled that Ambode had on the 22nd of February, 2019 signed into law the Amendment of the Lagos State Pension Reform Law which increased the contribution rates under the Contributory Pension Scheme to 18%.

The State Government contributions have now been increased to 10% from 7.5% whilst the employees’ contribution is 8% from 7.5%.

This is to make life more comfortable for employees who retire from the State’s Public Service.

AIICO lifts STEM campaign in schools

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S part of efforts to ignite passion for science and technology innovation in Nigerian youths, AIICO Insurance Plc. has donated thousands of mathematical sets and calculators to pupils and students in over thirty Primary and Secondary schools across 6 states of the Federation.

A statement signed by AIICO’s Head, Strategic Marketing & Communications, Atinuke Jose, explained that the move was is in line with the organization’s commitment to promote literacy and to aid the adoption of STEM in Nigerian schools.

STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering

and Mathematics and this campaign is being championed across various climes, including Nigeria.

AIICO identifies with this initiative and supports government’s drive to entrench STEM in our schools by encouraging young ones to pursue STEM subjects.

According to the Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Babatunde Fajemirokun, “AIICO has always had a culture of giving back to impact society.

Our Corporate Social Responsibility program is centered on: promoting literacy and STEM education, skill acquisition and aiding in the delivery of quality, affordable healthcare. This initiative is aimed at igniting a spirit of innovation with the younger generation who will be our future leaders.”

able and provide access to new risk pools, said the report, noting, however, that the adoption of tech is not uniform across emerging markets. While China has become a major enabler of insurtech solutions, adoption has been slower elsewhere, sigma said, citing regulatory barriers that are preventing insurers from using tech solutions to transform their business models. “Flexible regulation, like the stance taken in China, can give insurers the opportunity to increase their involvement in technology companies. It is a crucial step when trying to cater to the rising influence of millennials – a consumer base that is not only tech savvy, but is also willing to share data.”

The report indicated that other emerging markets could soon follow China’s lead.

Growing use of mobile devices Mobile devices are becoming the most important point of interaction for customers with their insurance providers. “The expansion of the internet and mobile phones is enabling insurers to distribute, underwrite and pay claims online, which in turn helps expand the reach of insurance and close existing protection gaps.”

Urbanization and investment in infrastructure Growing urban populations re-

quire substantial infrastructure investment to enable sustainable development. Globally, there is a need to invest US$69.4 trillion in infrastructure between 2017 and 2035, said sigma, quoting an October 2017 report from McKinsey Global Institute, titled “Bridging infrastructure gaps has the world made progress?” These infrastructure investments will provide substantial insurance opportunities, generating cumulative construction insurance premium volumes from emerging markets of US$44 billion (in 2017 constant dollars) for the period 2017-2035, said the report.

Wider financial inclusion “Improving access to insurance is particularly valuable for people with low incomes, who often struggle to manage unforeseen financial shocks,” the report said, emphasizing they are particularly vulnerable to shocks such as illness, incapacity to work, and the effects of natural catastrophes and extreme climate events, such as droughts. “For insurers, opening up a new risk pool of several billion customers on the cusp of transformative growth is an attractive proposition to embrace inclusive insurance of emerging consumers. It also helps close the protection gap for a large segment of the world’s population,” noted sigma.

Insurance sector, others borrow N1.1trn from banks Q4, 2018

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N the fourth quarter of 2018, the total value of credit allocated by the banks operating in Nigeria to the capital market, finance sector as well as the insurance industry stood at N1.1 trillion.

This figure was revealed by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and was retrieved from the electronic payment channels in the Nigerian banking sector.

According to the stats office, in the period under consideration, the total value of credit allocated to the private sector by the bank was N15.13 trillion.

It further said oil and gas and manufacturing sectors got credit allocation of N3.55 trillion and N2.23 trillion to record the highest

credit allocation as at the period under review.

Also, the agriculture sector collected N610.2 billion, power and energy received N403.4 billion, construction sector had N614.5 billion, trade/generak commerce industry got N1.1 trillion, government had N1.4 trillion, real estate received N622.8 billion.

The NBS also said a total volume of 616,528,697 transactions valued at N39.15 trillion were recorded in Q4 2018.

It was disclosed that the NIBSS Instant Payments (NIP) transactions dominated the volume of transactions recorded, with 228,209,423 volume of NIP transactions valued at N23.57trn recorded in Q4 2018.

29

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

INSURANCE & PENSION

‘Insurers need communications strategy, others to boost awareness’

By MADUABUCHI KALU

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N Insurance expert says there is need for a communications strategy to boost insurance penetration and acceptance of insurance by Nigerians.

The expert, Okey Udezue, spoke at a seminar organised by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) in Lagos.

The event with the theme “The Nigerian economy 2019: Issues, Challenges and prospects for the insurance industry.”

Udezue said there was no defined communications strategy by the operators.

He listed other challenges facing the industry to include lack of innovative products and poor integration of technology.

He said the industry is only just waking up to the enormity of the task confronting it and may have underestimated the level of apathy that the typical Nigerian, particularly those living in rural areas, has towards insurance.

He stated that the promotion used to create awareness, persuade and reassure the people is key to the marketing mix.

Should communications strategy be left to individual firms or should some aspects be left to the regulators while the operators focus on various aspects under an integrated marketing platform? he asked.

He said the industry should note that during the period the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was pursuing a vital communications strategy to actualise cashless banking, individual banks created their own strategies to exploit the opportunity to get many non-customers open accounts with them.

Another challenge of the industry, he said, is inadequate training and skills of some workers in the industry.

He said: “The law of natural selling, which states that ‘nobody will spend his money to buy anything unless by so doing he will be better off than before’ points to another issue that is creating a challenge for the industry. Given that the revenue in the profit equation is all about ensuring continuing growth of sales (insurance premiums), the question arises as to whether or not those that actually go out to sell insurance have the necessary training and skills to win over the many skeptical people across the nation, especially those that live outside commercial cities.

“As marketing gurus would say, selling financial services is different from selling tangible products and requires special skills that go beyond merely presenting and listing features of products to prospects.

And because financial services are the same from company to company, the ‘messenger’ (the seller they see) is the one that will make the

•Umar Garba Danbatta, EVCCEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission_ Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, MDCEO, Airtel, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, Chairman Open Media and. difference and must be bought be“The future of insurance selling ing and general brokerage experts. fore his ‘message’. This means the calls for a shift from features-orient- The industry should be concerned insurance seller must possess and ed marketing to benefits-focused that not too many students enrol exhibit skills and techniques for sur- customer engagement. And be- for insurance-related subjects in the facing the non-verbally expressed yond the need for a general up- universities. A proactive response emotions of the buyer in addition grade of selling skills, there are also may involve working with the unito having great product and indus- issues with the dearth of trained versities (NUC) to evolve a strategy try knowledge. Or else, how can he actuaries’professionals, underwrit- to attract more people into these speak to his priorities? programs. How it responds will be critical for achieving agreed future performance milestones.

“It is significant that the banking industry, when faced with similar In addition, 28 properties includ- annum until the judgment sum is issues and challenges, set up their ing office complexes and residen- settled. training academies to equip protial apartments had been recovThe judgment was obtained spective new hires into their banks ered from the underwriters by following the failure of the initial with knowledge and skills for prePTAD. out-of-court settlement anchored paring them in meeting and dealing Currently, there is an alleged out- by the National Insurance Commis- with issues and challenges peculiar standing N11 billion in pension as- sion (NAICOM) between PTAD and to provision of banking services to sets with underwriting firms.

Goldlink Insurance Plc. Nigerians.”

Ikeazor said PTAD would underPTAD then had requested from He further stated that the issue of take legitimate processes to re- Goldlink Insurance Plc, relevant lack of innovative products is one of cover the funds from all insurance information on its ongoing recapi- the top (if not the top) reasons for companies that had not complied talisation process including the insurance exclusion challenging the with the agreed final demand no- prospectus and other relevant doc- industry. If the growth of revenue tice of October 2017. umentation, manifestly specifying in the profit equation is critical for She stressed that the funds were assets and liabilities to ensure that growing the industry, perhaps, this needed to pay pensioners under the interest of PTAD is indisputably is a good time to single out for inthe old scheme as and when due. secured in their future plans. dustry attention.

Given the statistics on people livIt would be recalled that PTAD PTAD also demanded that in November 2018 won a legal bat- Goldlink Insurance Plc execute a ing with extreme poverty and the tle against Goldlink Insurance PLC Memorandum of Understanding demographic distribution of adults when Justice Ibrahim Buba of the (MoU) with the Directorate to be with survival income, the commitFederal High Court Lagos ruled endorsed by NAICOM as a com- ment to expand the market for that the insurance company pay mitment to repay the outstanding insurance will be frustrated by the up the N1.2 billion legacy fund in Legacy Funds and Assets over a pe- absence of innovative products its possession to the Directorate riod not exceeding 12 months after that can be used to tap into the vast untapped market, he noted. as well as 10 percent interest per its recapitalisation.

NLPC, Standard Alliance Life Assurance, others owe N11bn Legacy Fund

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HE Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has begun the audit of assets surrendered by five insurers to determine whether their values equate the N11 billion owed by the firms.

The five companies allegedly owing N11 billion Legacy funds are Goldlink Insurance Plc, Standard Alliance Life Assurance, Industrial and General Insurance (IGI), Unic Insurance Plc and Nigerian Life and Provident Company.

According to a report attributed to PTAD, forensic auditors from the agency would also look into the books of the insurance companies in a bid to authenticate the true position of the transactions and come up with the true balance of funds with each of the companies.

This is to resolve the raging controversies that what they are being asked to pay is higher than what they are owe.

Legacy funds are pension funds of federal government parastatals that were hitherto managed by insurance firms prior to the enactment of the Pension Reforms Act (PRA) 2004. Findings show about 15 insurance companies owing a total of N27billion of legacy funds.

On request for the funds, some insurance companies opted to forfeit their properties in lieu of what was in their custody; while others returned both cash and properties to make up for their obligations.

Ten underwriters including Leadway Assurance, AIICO Insurance PLC, Custodian Life Assurance Limited, LASACO Assurance Plc, NICON Insurance, and African Alliance Insurance Plc had transferred over N16 billion in cash and properties to PTAD. Findings further show that NICON Insurance handed over certificates of occupancy on its 28 prop-

erties located all over the country which it valued at N13 billion in lieu of cash payments under Legacy funds to PTAD. AIICO Insurance returned N1.5 billion legacy fund to the Directorate, while LASACO returned N1.5 billion Leadway Assurance paid N330.2 million and Custodian and Allied Insurance returned N148 million.

Speaking on this development in Abuja, Sharon Ikeazor, the Executive Secretary, PTAD, said the cash and assets totaling over N16 billion was the recovery so far on the inherited pension liabilities of all the Federal parastatals under the Defined Benefit Scheme.

Breakdown of the N16 billion shows N6.9 billion was the cash component and is currently lodged with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), while the balance of N9.1 billion was in form of properties that had been sent to the Ministry of Works for valuation.

Insurance records 13.9% growth in oil businesses in 10 yrs

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HE country’s insurance sector in the past ten years (20082017), recorded the highest cumulative average growth rate of 13.9 per cent in oil and gas business.

But between 2015 and 2017, the sector recorded the highest growth of 40.9 per cent in engineering business.

In the past 10 years, though oil and gas remained the main stay of Nigerian economy, growth in oil and gas insurance has been fluctuating, the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA) disclosed in the latest edition of its insurance digest.

This perhaps was not far from the fact that large chunk of premium from this class of business goes abroad due to capacity problem.

Looking at comparison of year-

to-year premium growth from this class of business according to the report, it showed that the sector in 2013, which saw the beginning of implementation of the sector’s ‘no premium no cover,’ realised N66.813 billion.

This was followed by 2017, when the sector recorded N63.917 billion premium in oil and gas.

The sector recorded the least premium figure in oil and gas business in 2008 when its premium stood at N17.403 billion.

In 2010, it recorded mere N26.096 billion while in 2009, the premium jumped to N31.578 billion.

In 2011, it climbed to N34.121billion, while in 2014, the figure moved up to N52.870billion.

However, in 2015, it went down to N51.120 billion, while in 2016, it

moved up again to N54.130billion.

Among the companies that played in the oil and gas business, in the past five years, Leadway Assurance

took the lead in terms of premium generation. It was followed by Custodian &Allied Insurance Plc, which polled N13.212billion premium.

AIICO partners with Wema Bank to deepen insurance penetration

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IICO Insurance Plc., a leading insurance Company in Nigeria has concluded arrangements with Wema Bank to increase access to retail insurance products leveraging on the bank’s robust and efficient retail distribution network.

This is following the recent endorsement by both The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Adewale Kadri, Executive Director, Technical of AIICO Insurance Plc. stated that it is another move

by AIICO to demonstrate its com-

mitment to increase awareness, access and deepen insurance penetration in Nigeria. “The public can now be linked to AIICO’s bouquet of retail products through Wema Bank’s digital channels anytime and anywhere” he said.

He said “both organizations have a shared legacy of trust and resilience that has won the loyalty of customers over decades. We look forward to fruitful outcomes on this endeavour to the delight of our highly esteemed customers and the general public”.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

EQUITY & Capital Market Unleashing women’s potential has multiplier effect on businesses – Onyema Stories by JEROME USHAKANG

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HE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar N. Onyema has revealed that unleashing the full potentials of women and girls by empowering them to be equal members of society has a multiplier effect on businesses, families, communities, and nations.

Onyema who was speaking at The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) International Women’s Day symposium, with a theme: “Balance for Better”, last Friday added that as a member of the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative (SSEI), The Exchange takes issues of gender equality and balance very seriously and it is playing its part to accelerate the achievement of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number five which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030.

“At The Exchange, International Women’s Day is an important day in our calendar. It is a day we pause to recognize women and girls’ achievements, take stock of the progress made in achieving Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment and discuss how we can accelerate gender parity.” The NSE CEO stressed.

He said, “In 2016, I signed the NSE’s commitment to the Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs), reinforcing our support for gender equality globally. The WEPs are a set of seven principles that offer guidance to businesses on how to empower women in the Page two of three workplace, marketplace and community and advance SDG five and other gender-specific targets across the SDGs.” According to him, The NSE’s gender-focused initiatives are all in line with the WEPs. For Principle one which concerns establishing highlevel corporate leadership for gender equality, we have improved the representation of women on our

Council by 27 percent.

Onyema disclosed that Women representation on Executive Management committee is currently at 20 percent. Adding that Women constitute 17.3percent for senior management positions. The Exchange has a ratio of 1:2 for female to male employees.

On Principle two: Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect and support human rights and nondiscrimination, NSE has implemented policies that promote fair opportunities for women, equal pay irrespective of gender and equal career opportunities.

He explained that in addition, The Exchange provides four months of maternity leave, which is one month above industry average. The Exchange has also introduced a one week paternity leave for male employees so that they can take time off work to support mother and child.

“Moreover, NSE has a crèche where employees can bring their children from birth till they are 18 months old. Although the Global Gender Gap Report 2018 by the World Economic Forum shows some evidence of progress amongst the 149 countries that were indexed, the progress to close the gender gap is slow, as it will take 108 years to close the gender gap and 202 years to achieve parity in the workforce. To me, these timelines are not encouraging, especially when you recognize that it will take incredible scientific advancements in age longevity for any of us and quite possibly our children to be around when the gender gap becomes a thing of history, based on current trajectories.” Onyema emphasized.

He observed that International Women’s Day marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity by taking groundbreaking actions that truly drive the greatest change for women. The global theme for this year’s International Women’s Day therefore provides an opportunity

• L – R shows Kemi Dasilva- Ibru, Founder, Women at Risk International Foundation; Erelu Angela Adebayo, former First Lady of Ekiti State and National Council Member, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Tinuade Awe, Executive Director, Regulation, NSE; Eme Essien, Country Director, International Finance Corporation (IFC); Lansana Wonneh, Deputy Country Representative, United Nation Women during the Closing Gong Ceremony in commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration at The NSE today in Lagos.

to declare how we will balance our workplace and community for better. We need more urgency, more action to deliver faster results.

The way to do that is not to want someone else to act. We need to redouble our efforts and commitment as individuals as well as a community to living gender equity. One way we can do this is by forcing ourselves to undertake an audit every time we do something. Page three of three. Not an audit on things we have done, but an audit about the thing we are going to do to accelerate women’s empowerment.

To build a sustainable future, people of all genders must be included in solutions and decision-making for improved, economic, social, and environmental well-being. It is critical that we continue to engage everyone actively in the fight against gender-based discrimination and violence. We have an opportunity to secure a better future and raised a new generation of women who will be

Africa Prudential proposes 50kobo dividend per share

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HE Board of Africa Prudential Plc has tentatively planned to pay 50kobo dividend per share to its shareholders for the financial year ended, December 31, 2018.This translates to a total dividend payout of MN1 billion.

However, the proposed 50kobo dividend payment is subject to approval by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled to hold on March 26, 2019. According to the company, if approved, the dividends will be paid electronically to shareholders whose names appear on the Register of Members as at Wednesday, March 13, 2019, and those who have completed the e-dividend registration and mandated the Registrar to pay their dividends directly into their bank accounts.

The dividend, according to Africa Prudential, is subject to the deduction of the appropriate withholding tax of 10 percent. However, the Register of Members will be closed from Thursday, March 14, 2019, to Wednesday, March 20, 2019. More so, the qualification date has been scheduled to be Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

An investor in the company who do not want his name in print said that the dividend payment will no doubt be a warm welcome for Africa Prudential Plc’ shareholders, as the company recorded laudable financial

results for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Analysis of the audited results showed that Africa Prudential recorded Gross Earnings of N4.4 billion in the year under review as against N3.3 billion for the corresponding period of 2017. Profit before tax achieved marginal growth as it closed the year at N2.4 billion in contrast to N2.1 billion for the corresponding period of 2017. In the same vein, Profit after tax stood at N1.9 billion in 2018 as against N1.7 billion for the corresponding period of 2017.

Africa Prudential Plc was originally incorporated as UBA Registrars Limited on March 23, of 2006. The company subsequently changed its name to Africa Prudential Registrars Plc in August 2011 and was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in January 2013. To expand its business portfolio, the firm acquired UAC Registrars Limited in June 2013. It later changed its name to Africa Prudential Plc, following a special resolution passed by shareholders to reflect the firm’s expansion beyond registrar services.

key drivers of global development across industries as we set our sight on the fourth industrial revolution.

In his own words, the CEO said, “The NSE can play a crucial role to impress on our ecosystem, the business and investment community in Nigeria, the urgency of achieving gender parity. We can utilize every opportunity such as presented by this event to do some introspection and document useful suggestions on how to harness the innate capabilities of women by allowing them to flourish like their male counterparts. “ Meanwhile, globally, women continue to contribute to social, economic, cultural and political achievements, and we recognise that achieving gender equality and women’s rights is a moral obligation and a development imperative.

A growing body of evidence, including academic, policy, and private sector research, shows that empowering women, realising rights, and

NSE places Newrest shares on full suspension

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HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has embargoed trading in the shares of Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc following the application submitted by the company for voluntary delisting of its shares from the Daily Official list of The Exchange.

Following the company’s request, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has in a statement said, notified dealing members of The Exchange’s approval of the application for voluntary delisting of the shares of Newrest ASL as it formally announced on wednesday, February 27, 2019 that company has been placed on full sus-

Illegal operation: SEC shuts down Growing Circle

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HE Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, has sealed off the premises of Growing Circle in Lagos for engaging in illegal fund management activities.

The Commission, in a statement said the company was shut down for carrying out investment operations that falls within fund management without registration with the apex regulator.

The commission had established that the company’s activities also constituted an infraction of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA), 2007.

According to SEC, “They do not

have registration with the SEC and the Commission has powers according to Section 13 (w) of ISA 2007, to shut down any company carrying out capital market activities without due registration”.

The mode of operation of the company is that for a new entrant, registration is N10,000 and the person is not entitled to products while the second category has a registration fee of N16,000 that entitles the registrant to receive products.

For anyone to come under the company, he has to come under an up liner since the company engages in networking business. For the net-

reducing gender gaps, is associated with higher economic growth, higher productivity and return on investments, and better organizational effectiveness.

Embedded in the symposium was a panel discussion of individuals from various spheres of social and economic activity, who have succeeded in their chosen professions.

They shared their unique journeys with participants while engaging in a focused deliberation that will further increase knowledge and awareness on innovative ways that can advance gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The CEO stated that all participants have the power to unleash gender equality, by ensuring that humanity contributes to the consolidation of prosperity, sustainability and peace for all. He lauded the Keynote speaker, panel discussants and all who were present at the event for making out time to celebrate with the NSE despite their busy schedules.

working business, the Least stage is a starter point with minimum registration of $50 with an incentive of $15 for a member who introduced two down liners.

It was gathered that the company also engages in free seminars at its head office for people to learn more about the products and the money making business with an unbeatable compensation plan and huge bonuses. The SEC disclosed that however, after registering, the members claim they do not get any products from the company and all efforts to retrieve their funds proved abortive, hence the complaint to the SEC.

pension.

The statement in part read:“This suspension is required to prevent further trading in the shares of Newrest Asl, and in order for the company to comply with the post-approval requirements which will precede the final delisting of the company from the daily official list of The Exchange”.

The NSE statement also recalled that further to the market bulletin of February 19, 2019, with reference number: nse/rd/lrd/mb14/19/2/19, wherein the market was notified of the application filed by Newrest Asl Nigeria plc (Newrest Asl ) for voluntary delisting of the entire 634,000,000 ordinary shares of the company from the Daily Official list of The Exchange.

As with the previous companies that were delisted, Ordinary shareholders who are minority are usually offered a buy-out option. This may not be different for Newrest ASL’s ordinary shareholders.

Already, the company’s stockbroker said it has “opened and deposited sufficient funds to settle minority shareholders in an Escrow Account with Zenith Bank Plc to be managed

by Meristem Registrars Limited”.

Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc is a Nigerian company which provides catering and hospitality services to foreign Airlines operating in the country. The company was incorporated in 1996 and listed on the NSE in 2007.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

MONEY Market

ECOWAS parliamentarians engage in single currency creation programme Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

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HE Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) seeks to become more involved in the region’s single currency creation programme and appropriate recent decisions on the matter issued by meetings at ministerial and Heads of State levels.

To do this, it has convened a regional meeting in Dakar Senegal from 5 to 7 March 2019, on the theme: “Challenges and outlook regarding the creation of the ECOWAS single currency – Mobilising parliamentarians for the actualisation of the project”.

The meeting’s opening ceremony was presided over by the President of the National Assembly of Senegal, Moustapha Niasse in presence of the President of ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou and the Speaker of the Community Parliament, Moustapha Cisse Lo. The President of the Task Force on the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, Djibo Salou, several ECOWAS parliamentarians, the Senegalese Minister for African Integration, Mbagnick Ndiaye and the Minister of Budget, Birima Mangara, were also in attendance.

In his opening remarks, Moustapha Niasse dwelt at length on the

history and the role of the currency in Europe and in Africa since its creation, and subsequently commended the progress made

by ECOWAS towards a quality regional integration.

Speaking in turn, Moustapha Cisse Lo recalled efforts made and progress attained by West African leaders in the implementation of the single currency programme; their specific guidelines for the exchange regime, harmonisation of the monetary policy framework, the future Central Bank model, the name and symbol of the common currency.

Subsequently, Djibo Salou declared that the non-existence of a common currency is an impediment to regional integration and encourages diverse tariff barriers.

That which, according to him, hampers the free movement of persons and goods and the ongoing abnormal practices in certain Member States of ECOWAS. He however noted the Task Force’s persistent advocacy with the Member States for the lifting of barriers.

In turn, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou commended the initiative of the meeting which, according to him, will enable an assessment of the status of implementation of the regional single currency.

“This conference is holding at a time of widespread focus on the single currency implementation

Ecobank unveils special initiative for female entrepreneurs

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S part of activities to mark the 2019 International Women’s Day, Ecobank Nigeria has unveiled special initiative for female entrepreneurs.

The Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative is a platform designed to recognise women as special and unique customers who require tailor-made service offerings.

The concept is designed to provide women with the necessary support to help them excel in their endeavours, promote and grow their businesses and generally position them for increased participation, validation and contribution within the society.

Unveiling the initiative at the bank’s head office in Lagos, Managing Director, Patrick Akinwuntan, said “increasingly, we are seeing the change in the attitudes of women, and their economic viability as individuals and leaders in their fields. Their banking and financial services as a whole therefore present vast opportunities, if properly understood and managed”.

According to him, the launch is a charge to the society in line with the theme of the International Women’s Day 2019, to challenge the status quo and strive for a balance by empowering females in their immediate environments and subsequently, on a macro level.

In his words “Our female customers will become our flagship ambassadors and we have created this platform for them in line with the sustainability require-

ments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). These women will be provided with free health checks, training and empowerment sessions and other support tools from Ecobank. The Ecobank Female Entrepreneurs Initiative aims at empowering women by helping them build capacity to grow their businesses” Some of the benefits include access to credit facilities with little or no collateral, network opportunities across Africa, financial advisory services, wealth management resources and loyalty schemes.

Also speaking, Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Mrs. Carol Oyedeji stated that Ecobank as a Group, is proud to join the rest of the world to commemorate the IWD 2019, with the special theme #BalanceforBetter. For her, this year’s theme leaves no one in doubt as to the dire need to raise more awareness that gender balance is not a women’s issue but a human issue that must be tackled for us to have a better society and that it should not be mistaken for a battle between the sexes.

She called on all in the corporate world to join hands to ensure that “our women attain their full potential in all areas of society, including the workplace, which is vital for our communities and economies to thrive. A balanced world is a better world. We must help forge a more gender-balanced world by celebrating and recognising women’s achievements, raising awareness against bias and taking action for equality”.

•Chiugo Ndubisi, Executive Director/Chief Financial Officer; Caroline Anyanwu, Deputy Managing Director; Uzoma Dozie, CEO; Dele Babade, Acting Chairman; and Uzo Uja, Company Secretary, all of Diamond Bank at the Court-ordered meeting of Shareholders held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos recently.

deadline, given the slow pace of macroeconomic convergence, harmonisation of financial and economic policies of the region.

With the gradual approach of the 2020 target date for ECOWAS, the monetary integration programme has become a topic eliciting keen interest and lively debate within the Community, particularly among policy makers and practitioners”, stated Mr Brou.

“Following the progress already achieved in building a regional community, particularly the free movement of persons and goods, the customs union and harmonisation of different sector policies, the next phase will be to perfect the process

with the creation of the monetary union, a unifying factor for ECOWAS Member States”, reaffirmed the ECOWAS Commission President.

Speaking of challenges to the implementation of the single currency programme, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou cited the existence of gaps in the harmonisation of macroeconomic policies and sustainable compliance with convergence criteria, the non-consensus regarding the choice of monetary policy, the harmonised exchange rate regime as well as ECOWAS Central Bank model.

He also stressed the need to sensitize West African citizens on the single currency programme and state of play.

For his part, Senegalese Budget Minister, Birima Mangara welcomed the decisions of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS aimed at expediting the process towards the 2020 deadline with the creation of the special fund for implementing the single currency roadmap, and steps taken to transform the West African Monetary Agency into the ECOWAS Monetary Institute.

“Beyond the economic dimensions, the single currency equally presents a social and cultural dimension forging a sense of belonging to a community. It symbolises a unifying factor and a means of social integration”, Mr Mangara stated.

AMCON seeks more female slots in financial services industry

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N commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr. Ahmed Lawan Kuru has called on parents to educate the girl child to enable them stand the opportunity to compete with their male counterparts in the financial services industry and other fields of employment hitherto dominated by men.

Addressing the staff at the brief ceremony to mark the day at the corporate head office of the Corporation in Abuja at the weekend, Kuru who was represented

by Mr. Aminu Ismail, AMCON’s Executive Director, Operations, noted that the financial services industry is fast expanding just as the population is growing meaning that over the next decade there would be critical need for skilled professionals in the sector, and that women must play a significant role in ensuring that these needs are effectively met.

He said, “Nigeria is a big market for financial services and as the most populous country in Africa, it is also the choice investment destination for forward-looking investors. From projections,

the country in the years ahead would require professionals in all aspects of financial services and it is my wish that we have increased women participation in the sector. It is not accidental that the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Balance for Better’. It has come at a time when women in the industry need to step up participation and contribution in order to achieve this desired goal.

“As far as our Corporation is concerned, we remain committed to ensuring that more women are given the opportunity to pursue their ambitions. We are not afraid to put women in positions of authority because they are women, it is rather based on the competence and value they have added and would continue to add to our resolution and recovery strategy. Aside that, we continually ensure that we train our women and also encourage them to put in more efforts into self-development for effective capacity building.”

The AMCON boss disclosed that the “bad bank” has women who are taking the lead in resolution strategy, administrative and managerial areas of the Corpora-

tion’s work. He said, AMCON remains committed to investing in both her female employees and their male counterparts as capacity and efficiency have been at the core of the corporation’s focus.

While commending the efforts of other groups who have pushed for more women participation in the financial industry, he commended associations contributing largely in taking the message to the grassroots, which have encouraged more female participation including young girls in these areas.

Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Modupe Wigwe, a renowned counsellor and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Peak Performance Academy, who was appointed guest speaker at this year’s edition of the celebration at AMCON, challenged the ladies in the corporation to always ensure that they are bold, qualified and competent enough to compete with their male counterparts on professional grounds around the office space. She said it was not enough for women to be shouting equal rights when indeed most of them are not ready professionally, mentally and emotionally to assume such positions they fight for.

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

HEALTH T Cervical Cancer: A 21st century paradox and paroxysm he cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus or neck of the uterus; a link between the womb and the Vagina. The uterus holds the growing fetus during pregnancy. The uterus holds the growing foetus during pregnancy. The cervix connects the lower part of the uterus to the vagina and forms the birth canal.

The best cancer care starts with the best cancer information. Cervical cancer starts in a woman’s cervix. The cervical cancer begins when healthy cells on the surface of the cervix change and grow out of control or erratically forming a mass called a tumour. At first, the changes in a cell are abnormal, and may be cancerous. Often, the precancerous tissues can be removed or destroyed without harming healthy tissues, but in some cases a hysterectomy is needed to prevent cervical cancer. A hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus and cervix.

If the precancerous cells change into cancer cells and spread deeper into the cervix or to other tissues and organs, then the disease is known and called cervical cancer.

Treatment of this type of cancer lesion (wound) in a precancerous area depends on the following factors: (i) The size of the lesion and the type of changes that have occurred in the cells. (ii) If the woman wants to have children in the future. (iii) The woman’s age (iv) The woman’s general health (v) The preference of the woman and her doctor. You may experience physical and emotional changes during and after treatment. These may affect your desire and ability to have sex. Even treatment not targeting reproductive organs may affect the woman’s body image, mood, energy level and sense of well being. Talking openly with health care provider’s team and professionals about your sexuality can help a lot. They can evaluate systems and address your concerns before, during and after treatment.

Cancer is curable, treatable and manageable only if it is detected earlier enough. In any case, cancer treatment can be emotional and psychological and therefore, imposes sexual challenges to the patients during, immediately after, or years after treatment. It is always better to tell doctors who are highly experienced in cancer treatment about your changes and new symptoms after treatment.

Some potential sexual side effects are: Decrease or loss of sexual desire, inability to achieve or maintain sexual arousal, decrease or loss of Vaginal and vulvar lubrication, difficulty or inability to achieve orgasm, pain during sex and pain or numbness of the genitals. Often, the enumerated points are usually seen as signs and symptoms of the cervical cancer, and should be seriously taken note of.

Some treatments that affect women sexual health directly or

indirectly are: (i) Radiation therapy:The radiation therapy often decrease sexual desire and cause a woman fatigue, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Meanwhile, radiation therapy to the pelvis can cause vaginal dryness, soreness and pains. Scar tissues can also form narrowing or shortening of the vagina. Such changes can make penetrative sexual activities painful or even impossible.

Menstrual periods may suddenly stop in women who have not been through menopause. The onset of menopause come with the following sexual symptoms; contributing to pain during sex: Reduced sex drive, vaginal and vulvar dryness, vaginal and vulvar itching, vaginal and vulvar irritation. (ii) Chemotherapy: This reduces sexual desire and self image causing; weight loss or gain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and sometimes irritation unnecessarily.

Young women risk sudden loss of ovarian functions, which could be temporary or permanent leading to infertility.

There are two types of cervical cancer: (1) Squamous carcinoma-making up 80% to 90% of all

HEALTH

With Dr. JOHN

NWABUEZE •Calls only: +234-8127227226, Email: ogudoben@gmail.com

cervical cancers. These cancers arise in the cells on the outer surface covering of the cervix.

(2) Adeno-carcinoma-making up 10% to 20% of all cervical cancers, arising in the glandular cells that line the lower birth canal. The squamous and glandular cells meet at the “squamocolumnar junction”, point at which most cervical cancers arise. Relieving side effects affecting people living with cervical cancer, sexuality is an important part of cancer care. Professional health

care team can recommend ways to manage side effects of the symptoms include: (1) vaginal moisturizers: These are non-hormonal, non-prescription products. They provide moisture to the vagina and can also be applied to the vulva. This improves vaginal/vulvar health and comfort during sexual activity. These products may need to be used 3 to 5 times per week for relief. For best option and for absorption, use at bedtime.

(2) Vaginal lubricants: These

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are water, silicone, or oil based products. There reduce vaginal friction to increase comfort and pleasure during sexual activity.

(3) Pelvic floor physical therapy: This helps women with tight or tender pelvic floor muscles.

Exercise promotes muscle relaxation and strengthening.

This can also reduce pain during sex.

(4) Vaginal dilators: These devices stretch the vagina and reduce tightness. This can increase comfort for women with pain during penetration. Vaginal dilators come in various forms/ diametres. You can increase the dilators ‘size as vaginal stretch improves. People often use these together with pelvic floor exercise. Vibrators can also be used as vaginal dilators and it improves blood flow.

(5) Low dose vaginal oestrogen: A flexible ring, cream or tablet delivers oestrogen to the vagina. This can help restore vaginal health and is another option if non-hormonal moisturizers and lubricants are not very actively effective. Ask your doctor (oncologist) or obstetrician gynaecologist for the one that will be the best and more effective for you.

(6) Intravaginal didehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA): This can treat vaginal dryness or pain without increasing oestrogen levels. It can be a good option for women with oestrogen-senstive cancers.

(7) Vaginal lidocaine: This goes at the vaginal opening just before sexual activity commences. It can decrease pain and increase satisfaction.

(8) Hormone replacement: This is the most effective way to manage hot flashes for some women. However, women who are receiving hormonal or endocrine therapy for cancer may not be able to take hormone replacement therapy. For these women, other medicines such as paroxetine (multi-brand names), venlafaxime (Effexor), gabapentin (Neurontin) and clonideine (Catapres, kapvay) can also help with hot flashes.

However, obstectrician gynaecologists or oncologists will advice you inside the office about the risks and benefits associated with them all, especially your choice of product. Often times, these treatments are used in combination to improve sexual comfort and pleasure. In addition, cancer health education, counseling, support groups and prompt referrals can help a lot.

Government policy towards health especially cancer which has become epidemic in this part of the world has to be given proper urgent attentions.

•Dr. John Nwabueze Calls only: +234-8127227226, Email: ogudoben@gmail.com

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

Love and Living

...With Ireto Temofeh

MODEL OF THE WEEK

LOVE NEWS

How Ike forced Tina Turner to go to a brothel on their wedding night!

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Name: Elizabeth Tel: 08103664687 • If you want to be our next ORACLE GIRL, e-mail or forward your photos/data to ireto007@yahoo.com. Call 07031028714.

ODD NEWS

Art experts say iconic Banksy painting Girl with Balloon that shredded is now worth DOUBLE

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anksy has dropped the strongest hint yet that he was behind the shredding of his iconic artwork Girl With Balloon after it self-destructed moments after the gavel fell for more than a million at Sotheby’s auction.

In an interview with Channel 4, the Bristol artist is reported to have quoted Mikhail Bakunin, telling flagship news presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy: ‘The urge to destroy is also a creative urge.’

The video captures the complete shock of everyone in the room as a shredder he secretly built into the frame whirred into life.

A stunned member of auction staff can be seen on the phone to the winning bidder as the painting is destroyed in front of his eyes.

Banksy posted the clip on his Instagram but then deleted it. In it, he reveals video of himself building the shredder.

He explains: ‘A few years ago I secretly built a shredder into a painting in case it was ever put up for auction...’

However he may have inadvertently helped to reveal his own identity because other people filming the scene caught him on camera.

The man who is believed to be the person who shot the video that Banksy uploaded bears a strong resemblance to Robin Gunningham who has previously been named as the elusive artist.

However, far from devaluing the

art, experts believe that last night’s stunt may have actually doubled the price of the work because of the huge interest it generated.

Immediately after the auction Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s senior director and head of contemporary art in Europe said: ‘It appears we just got Banksy-ed.

But today Joey Syer, co-founder of MyArtBroker, said: ‘The auction result will only propel this further and given the media attention this stunt has received, the lucky buyer would see a great return on the £1.04million they paid last night.

‘This is now part of art history in its shredded state and we’d estimate Banksy has added at a minimum 50% increase to it’s value, possibly as high as being worth £2million plus.’

As the sale concluded to a phone

buyer the canvas suddenly passed through a remotely activated shredder installed in the frame and an alarm went off.

Posting a picture of the moment on Instagram, Banksy wrote: ‘Going, going, gone...’

The artwork was photographed dangling in pieces from the bottom of the frame as auctioneers removed it from the wall.

The Girl With Balloon, which was signed and acquired from Banksy by a mystery buyer in 2006, was the final piece auctioned in a contemporary art sale on Friday night.

The framed stencil painting is one of Banksy’s most recognised murals, and the original appeared on a shop wall in east London, depicting a girl reaching towards a heartshaped balloon.

t is a sultry afternoon in Tijuana, , and Tina Turner is anticipating what should be the most romantic night of her life. She is 22 and has just married blues musician Ike Turner.

Dreamily, she wonders where he has chosen – some enchanted retreat, perhaps – for their wedding night.

‘Guess where we went?’ she exclaims more than half a century later in a soul-baring interview with The Mail on Sunday’s You magazine. ‘To a whorehouse! On my wedding night!’

Once inside, too fearful of her violent husband to turn on her heels, she was forced to watch a live sex show. The young woman from Nutbush, Tennessee, who grew up singing in a Baptist church choir, had been married just a matter of hours.

‘The experience was so disturbing that I suppressed it, scratched it out, and created a different scenario, a fantasy of romantic elopement,’ she says.

Everyone knows something of the singer’s ensuing marital torment, which was chronicled unsparingly in a book, film and musical. Preacher’s son Ike – sexually rapacious, cocaine-addicted – physically abused her throughout their relationship, using everything from walking canes to a pot of boiling coffee. But until now Tina has never revealed what happened on the fateful day they married in the border city of Tijuana in 1962, when her notions of love were brutally upended. She never told anyone because she was ‘too embarrassed’.

Now 78, and in frail health having suffered a stroke, cancer and kidney failure in the past five years, she sits in the garden of her Swiss chateau reflecting on the Mexican wedding and her remarkable life. She also talks openly of the death of her son, Craig, who took his own life aged 59 in July. She blames this – albeit indirectly – on Ike. By the early 1960s she was in thrall to her domineering lover and mentor, seven years her senior, and had already experienced his violent temper, just as she knew of his many infidelities.

Yes, she was in love, but she could see that marriage to Ike would be disastrous. When asked, though, she was afraid to say no. They drove from California over the border to Tijuana, a city that, even then, had long lost its chic allure.

Sailors were attracted by the cheap brothels. Eloping couples came for the ubiquitous ‘nuptial parlours’ offering cheap weddings. Only Ike

came for both.

Tina says: ‘People can’t imagine the kind of man he was – a man who takes his brand new wife to a live, pornographic sex show right after their marriage ceremony.

‘There I sat, in this filthy place, watching Ike out of the corner of my eye, wondering, “Does he really like this? How could he?”

‘It was so ugly. The male performer was unattractive and seemingly impotent, and the girl… well, let’s just say that what was on display was more gynaecological than erotic. I was miserable the whole time, on the verge of tears, but there was no escape. We couldn’t leave until Ike was ready, and he was having a fine time.’

She can hear the cries from those telling her she should have ended the marriage (which would last 16 years) just as soon as it began. Instead she buried the experience. ‘Some things you don’t remember. Some things you don’t want to. Those memories dig into your gut.’

She adds that the ‘ceremony’ wasn’t much better. ‘Ike always had an angle. He must have figured out that Tijuana was the best place for a quickie ceremony. It probably wasn’t even legal. But there was no point in questioning his motives.

‘It would just make him mad, and that might lead to a beating. I definitely didn’t want a black eye on my wedding day.

‘Once we crossed over the border, we drove down a dusty road and found the Mexican version of a justice of the peace.

‘In a small, dirty office, a man pushed some papers across a desk for me to sign, and that was it.

‘I may not have had much experience with weddings, but I knew the occasion was supposed to be emotional and happy. There was none of that at this wedding. Nobody said, “You may kiss the bride.” No toasts.

No congratulations. No mention of living happily ever after.

‘As bad as that was, what came next was even worse. As long as Ike was in down-and-dirty Tijuana, he wanted to have fun, his kind of fun.’

After the brothel visit, the newlyweds returned to Los Angeles. ‘By the next day, I was bragging to people, “Guess what? Oh, Ike took me to Tijuana. We got married yesterday!”

I convinced myself that I was happy, and I was happy for a brief time, because the idea that I was married ac-

• Continued on page 36

ROMANTIC JOKE LOOKING FOR LOVE This man was really lonely, so he posted an ad on a popular website.

The ad said, simply: “Wife wanted.”

He was surprised the next morning to find he had over a hundred replies in his inbox. Unfortunately, they all said the same thing: “You can have mine.”

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

True Confession

His girlfriend made me a better person

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have always heard people say that men will be men. But I never knew that my husband would act like the socalled typical married man who cheats on his wife.

Since he is a very good medical doctor, my husband managed to get a job abroad. Through his success in his medical practice abroad, he was also able to bring some of his brothers and sisters abroad.

However, some of my husband’s brothers who weren’t fortunate enough to bring their families overseas with them, succumbed to the temptation of being with other women. Two of them have already broken their families in the process.

My husband was always very critical of those his brothers who had broken homes. According to him, no responsible man would have a broken home.

Therefore, I would never have believed if anyone had told me that my husband would ever be unfaithful to me, because he knew the implication. He knew that infidelity in marriage could lead to a broken home.

When my husband got a job in the U.S., he took me and our three children along.

We lived together in New Jersey where he worked for about 10 years until my husband started having nostalgic feelings about his motherland.

He woke me up from sleep one night and said: “Martha, I’m seriously thinking of returning to Nigeria.” “Why?” I asked him. “Because there is no place like home,” he said.

My husband advised that I return to the country to buy a piece of land in order to build a house for the family, while he would remain in the U.S. and be sending me money both for the construction of the family house and for the upkeep of myself and the children.

He said I had to do these things in order to make way for him to return permanently to Nigeria after five more years in the USA. So I returned to the country according to my husband’s advice. I bought a piece of land in a choice location and began to build a house. My husband promised to visit us regularly.

However, I started to suspect my husband of cheating around 3 years ago.

When my husband first visited us in the country, he used to come straight to our house to sleep. But later on, he started acting strangely whenever he visited.

For example, when he visited last April, he didn’t let me come and pick him at the airport. Before he boarded the plane from the U.S., he called me and said there was no point for me coming to the airport to wait for him. He insisted that I stay at home to take care of the children because he could and would find his way home by himself.

To my further surprise, my husband checked into a hotel immediately on arrival, instead of coming straight to the house where I and the children were.

From the hotel, my husband traveled to Abuja and came back two weeks later with an apology. He claimed to have gone on a very important business trip.

According to him, it was for a business which demanded his immediate attention the moment he arrived the country.

“My dear, oil and gas business is like that,” my husband had said to me. “It demands your instant and total attention.”

I forgave him even though I knew he was lying, but I didn’t forget. Days later, I started getting reports from people who claimed they had seen my husband on several occasions at the same hotel with a particular lady.

So I dropped by the hotel unexpectedly. I caught him having drinks with a lady, whom he introduced to me as his “business partner.”

That day, I let the issue of his infidelity rest without making any trouble. Three days later, my husband returned to America.

Approximately six months ago, he visited Nigeria again and I suspected he was still seeing that particular woman. On my way to a popular mall called Justrite on a weekend afternoon, I recognized his car on the road.

I stopped and watched from a safe distance. About five minutes later, my husband appeared and entered his car with that same woman I had seen with him at the hotel.

He turned on the engine and turned the car around. The way he was now taking showed that they were headed towards the hotel. I forgot about what I wanted to buy at the mall and followed them from a safe distance.

Trailing my husband and his mistress broke my heart. And I wept in my car as I secretly followed them to the hotel.

While my husband drove straight into the hotel, I parked my car outside the hotel to avoid detection and sneaked inside.

I managed to conceal myself until

my husband and his mistress had gone into one of the rooms in the hotel. Then I bribed the hotel staff to tell me the number of the room in which they were lodged.

After getting the room number, I went and knocked on the door of their room.

The first time I knocked, there was no answer, so I knocked harder. “Who is that,” came a male voice from inside the room.

It was obviously my husband.

I pretended as if I was a member of the hotel staff who had come to serve them free drinks. So, using a fake accent, I said: “The hotel manager sent me to serve you free drinks in appreciation of your patronage.”

“Oh that’s good,” came my husband’s voice from inside the room. Not knowing it was me, he opened the door to receive the so-called free drinks.

Immediately my husband opened the door, I pushed him out of my way and forced myself into the room. I saw the lady naked on the bed and pounced on her instantly. It was a big fight.

I had a shoe in my hand and I hit her with it, and she fought back. But what pained me the most was that she mocked and insulted me as she fought me back.

For example, after I had slapped her the first time, I tried to slap her again, but she held my hand and asked me: “When was the last time you had sex with your husband? When last were you intimate with your so-called man? Are you even sure he is still your husband?”

Her words stung me. It was like a

sword had pierced my heart. But everything she had said was the truth. Even though the hotel staff threw my husband’s mistress out of the hotel, I went home that day feeling guilty.

The fact was that after I had given birth to our last child, I practically stopped having sex with my husband. I refused to let him touch me on most occasions and I didn’t care about his feelings or protests.

I realized that my husband had taken a mistress for himself because I had neglected and abandoned him instead of fulfilling my sacred duty as a good wife to sexually satisfy my husband.

I realized that my husband’s mistress had done me good in the sense that she had at least told me the truth about the serious problem I had created in my marriage. And that realization made me resolve to change for the better. Her taunting words literally changed my life.

I now understand why they say that every disappointment is a blessing in disguise. My husband’s mistress did good to me by saying those things she said to me, although she actually thought she was mocking and insulting me. I have learned the lesson she taught me.

I am now a good or better wife. I now do everything expected of a good wife to please her husband. And I’m glad that my husband now looks much happier than he ever was and spends more time with me indoors whenever he visits, rather than going on suspicious outings and fake business trips.

Your say: Call 07031028714.

35

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

Relationships and Love Advice

I can’t get over his previous relationships

Love Search Women seeking relationship/ marriage Funke, 44, needs a man (widower or divorcée) of 50-55 years for a serious relationship. 08185083988.

Ngozi, 28, fat, jovial, fair, in Onitsha, Anambra state, needs a God-fearing and buoyant man of 45 years and above to take good care of her. 08022792682.

Busayo, 33, single mother from Ogun, needs a hardworking Yoruba man between 34-40 years for marriage. 09096187179.

Uchechi, 36, a graduate, tall, fair, needs a tall, fair, graduate, Igbo evangelist, pastor or God fearing Igbo man for marriage.

08052366993.

Jenny, 38, Big, Busty, Needs An Igbo Or South - South Man Above 50 Years In Lagos Who Is Romantic And Caring. 08117340383.

Joy, 38, HIV positive, graduate, needs a young widower or single man from 43 years and above with the same status, for a loving and caring husband. 08184889175.

Lora, graduate, works, HIV Positive, based in Jos, wants a HIV positive man of 35-40 years for marriage. 08090925014.

Dear Love Doctor, I have been dating my boyfriend for about a year. I love him and he is good to me. He is funny and supportive and everything positive. However, We have fights about his past relationships. I cannot get over the fact that he got married twice and divorced twice, and now he is talking about marrying me. I

always refuse whenever he tries to propose to me because I just can’t get over his past. I feel that if I marry him, he might divorce me too the same way he divorced others. What do I do?

From Titilayo.

Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Titilayo,

Fighting with him over his past is like repeatedly beating a dog for having torn up your photo album. The damage is done and you can’t put the pictures back together.

Likewise, what your guy has done can’t be undone; the baby that he created as a result of his infidelity won’t go away, nor can he take back the marriage.

You say you keep fighting with him over what he’s done. We need to figure out why you’re doing this. Ask him why he divorced those women so that you will know what to avoid and what not to avoid.

Again, you need to ask yourself if you really love him enough to marry him. If you don’t love him, then there

is no point being with him.

I’m wondering maybe you also reject his proposal because you don’t actually love him and want to push him away before he does you permanent harm. In other words, do you think, deep down, that you don’t love him and can’t trust this man, and you don’t have the courage to quit the relationship?

You’re going to need to really examine your heart and this man and evaluate whether he is someone that can be trusted. You need to find out why his past marriages failed and if he has changed. Find out if the breakups were his fault or not. That information will help you in making a decision.

Have a serious discussion with him,

and if you feel that he has changed and that he is now ready for a committed marriage, you may go ahead and marry him.

The fact that he has been divorced twice doesn’t mean that he would also divorce you if you marry him.

Love, compatibility and commitment are three necessary ingredients for any marriage to work or last.

In as much as you dig into his past and ask him necessary questions, check your love, compatibility and commitment levels to know if both of you love each other enough, are compatible with each other, and truly committed to each other to want to spend the rest of your lives together.

E-Mail: ireto007@yahoo.com Go to foodstuffs.com.ng. Call Love Doctor: 07031028714, 08131161840.

Men seeking relationship/ marriage Ugochukwu Raphael, 26, needs a rich sugar mummy who will help him financially.

08087720682, 07059911437.

A man in Lagos wants a mature working woman who loves receiving oral sex or likes a man going down on her. 08077821830.

John, an undergraduate in Akure, Ondo state, needs a lonely and sexually unsatisfied woman residing around the SouthSouth or South-West regions to care for.

08106969227.

Emeka, 54, in Lagos, needs an educated woman between 32-35 years for a wife.

08118482541.

Do you have advice on this problem? Please share your thoughts. Call 07031028714 or 08131161840. Email: ireto007@yahoo.com

Ogbonna, 40, from Ebonyi, in Abuja, business man, needs a working class lady between 3040 years for marriage. 09069054706.

Do you have a marriage/wedding, birthday, anniversary or club or town meeting announcement to make? Call 07031028714 now!

Bukky, 32, employed, good looking, needs an employed/business woman of 40-65 years in Abuja. 07057749475.

36

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

It happened to me:

Dumping my girlfriend got her fired

I

met June at a time when I was a young man who was trying to “sow his wild oats” as much as possible — which is to say, I didn’t think I wanted to settle down any time soon.

June worked in administration at a foreign embassy. While she was a shy sort of woman, I soon found she had a wicked sense of fun.

She and I went on a few dates, going to dinner and movies, and we shared a few passionate kisses, and passionate sex — including once in a busy shopping centre parking lot!

Around the same time, I met Lauren.

Lauren made me feel like no women ever had before; she was funny, smart and, in a word, mesmerising.

I soon found myself, against all my previous protestations, falling in love with her.

It became clear to me the only fair thing to do was tell June of my feelings for Lauren, and end our relationship.

When I first broke the news to June, she was very calm and even joked about it. Everything seemed fine. But the next, day she sent me several angry text messages saying I had been selfish and dishonest towards her.

For the next two weeks, I agonised over my behaviour. So I resolved to send June a note expressing my regret and to apologise.

During our couple of months together June and I had never gone to her place, so I didn’t know her home address.

All I knew was where she worked: the foreign embassy.

I bought a card with some flowers on the front and wrote a short message: Dear June, I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you, but wish you the very best for the future. You are a great person.

— Rob Three days later, June rang me sobbing. All she could say was, “Why did you send that card?”

• Continued from page 33 tually held meaning for me. For Ike, it was just another transaction.’

By his own admission, Ike’s affairs ran to three figures. His private quarters at their Los Angeles home were known as the Orgy Room.

Tina finally left him after he hit her because she complained that he got chocolate over her white suit.

He would later say in an interview: ‘Ain’t it part the woman’s fault if she stays around and lets me hit her?’

She found it was not easy to disentangle herself. Bullets were fired into one of the houses she moved to, and a car was burned. For a while, she carried a gun. When Tina walked out, she had 36 cents and a single handbag to her name.

I didn’t wear fishnets and minis to be sexy Her raunchy stage act famously featured red-hot dance moves, leather mini-dresses and fishnets.

Yet Tina Turner reveals today that she hated her sexy image and says there were eminently sensible reasons for her choice of outfits.

‘Fishnets are practical, they don’t run, and

I didn’t think my words were quite that moving, so I was a little bit baffled.

But then she continued: “My boss opened the card and read it. He said the embassy wasn’t my personal letter box and that I could pack up my things and leave.”

Embassies are largely a law unto themselves, so there was nothing she could do. My card, meant to be a peace

offering, had instead got June fired!

I listened in shock as she told me never to speak to her again and hung up. I recently found out she’s now working in real estate.

Lauren and I are still going strong — though I never told her about my fatal letter.

How Ike forced Tina leather doesn’t show the perspiration on stage or wrinkle,’ she explains.

‘I only wore a mini because everyone knows you can’t dance in a dress past your knee.’

She believes today’s music stars flash too much flesh.

‘I think these days women are not wearing clothes, they are undressing as much as possible. Maybe the men are interested but I suspect it turns other women off.’

She adds: ‘If people thought I was sexy, then it was their perception of me from energy and the dresses and the dancing.

‘On stage I worked, I danced, I sang. I didn’t perform sexy, I didn’t gyrate.

‘I have never been a sex-driven person, it has never been a priority for me.

‘After my first marriage, I didn’t have many men in my life, sex was not important. I didn’t sleep around. I was celibate for a year at a time until I met Erwin.’

In the subsequent divorce action she asked for no money or property. It was the price of freedom.

The couple’s divorce was finalised in 1978 and

Tina rebuilt her solo career, achieving £200 million record sales, comfortably eclipsing Ike’s own ventures.

Before he died in 2007, aged 76, he spent much of his time trying unsuccessfully to erase his reputation as a wife-beater.

Just a few months ago, Tina was forced to confront her past when Craig, the son she had aged 18, killed himself in his flat in Los Angeles with a gun which had belonged to Tina’s mother, Zelma.

She says Craig grew up lonely. ‘I think he missed his mother a lot. I was always away, touring… and I blame Ike for not being able to be the mother I would have been.’

In her new autobiography – My Love Story – she writes of how Craig, aged two or three, would desperately want to sit with her when she returned from a tour ‘but being told by Ike to go to his room’. She tells The Mail on Sunday: ‘I was as good a mother as I could be under the circumstances. I believe I made it up to Craig somehow, later. I don’t feel bad about it because that was my reality then. I had no options.’

Of his suicide, she says: ‘Craig took it [the gun]

Names in this story have been changed. Picture: Getty Images.

Your say: Have your say about this true confession below...

Do you have a story or comment about this confession? Call 07031028714.

bought the bullets and planned his own death really well. He wanted to go. What I don’t know is why he would take his life so dramatically. That’s the mystery.’

Asked how she is coping since Craig’s death, she says: ‘I handle it with acceptance. I remember all the moments when he visited me.

Like all boys, he was a bit of a pest, but he was still my son. I remember all the good things and the bad.’ Tina married music producer Erwin Bach in 2013 after 27 years together. She is alive, she says, and off dialysis only because Erwin, 16 years her junior, donated a kidney.

‘We call it “the baby” because it’s like me being pregnant – it’s part of him, kind of a baby from Erwin!’

She had been ready to die, though. Tina has no qualms about dying and is a member of the assisted suicide organisation Exit.

‘I do not want to sit and suffer. I thought, “This is my time” and it was OK with me…

‘I decided I would rather just leave the planet… But my husband said, “No, no, no, Tina.

I do not want another woman in my life. I am not ready to deal with that.” ’

37

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

The Law and You

With Barr. Ken Akpom 08162016410

All you need to know about ‘MORTGAGE’ T he lender is the ‘mortgagee’ while the borrower is the ‘mortgagor’ The simple idea of a mortgage is that it is security for loan. In fact a mortgage is birth. i. A contract between the mortgagor and the mortgagee ii. A proprietary interest in the land of the mortgagor granted to the mortgagee.

If a mortgage was only a contract, then this would not give the mortgage enough security as if the land was sold then the mortgagor would not have to repay the mortgagee before he/she sold the land. Therefore it must also give an interest in the land.

TYPES OF MORTGAGE A mortgage is normally a charge by deed by way of legal mortgage.

CHARGE BY DEED: It is a statutory form of legal mortgage which is shorter and simple than the accustomed form. It states merely that the property has been charged with the debt by way of legal mortgage. There is no conveyance of any estate to the mortgagee. It must be made by deed and must contain a statement that the charge is made by deed and must contain a statement that the charge is made by way of legal mortgage. The effect of such a charge is that the charge get the same protection, powers and remedies as if he has had a term of 3,000 years.

ADVANTAGES OF THE CHARGE There are 3 practical advantages in using a legal charge; 1. It is a convenient way of mortgaging a freehold and leasehold estates together.

2. Probably, the granting of a legal charge in a lease does not amount to a breach of any covenant against subletting for the charge creates no actual sublease in favour of the mortgages but merely gives him the same right as if he has a sublease.

3. The form of a legal charge is short and simple.

EQUITABLE MORTGAGES 1. Mortgage of an equitable interest: If a mortgagor has no legal estate but an equitable interest, e.g. mortgages the effect must necessarily be equitable. It need not be made by deed but must either be in writing or by will.

2. Informal mortgage: It is a contract to create a legal mortgage which gives an equitable interest to any party entitled to a specific performance. E.g. deposit of title deeds by way of security. Edge v. Worthington EQUITABLE CHARGE An equitable charge is created by appropriating specific property to the discharge of some debt or other obligations without there being any change in ownership either at law or in equity. No special form of words is required. It is sufficient in an intention that the property should constitute security can be gathered – Craddock v. Scottish Provident Institution. The same applies where a will or voluntary settlement charges land with the payment of sum of money. Matthew v.

Goodway, Re-Owen.

RIGHTS OF THE MORTGAGEE OR CHARGEE A mortgagee may sue for the money due as soon as the date fixed for repayment has arrived but not before there.

However, the REMEDIES peculiar to the mortgagee and charge are those for enforcing the security, these are; 1. Remedies primarily for the recovery of capital a. FORECLOSURE By giving the mortgagor an equitable right to redeem after he had lost his legal right of action, equity inter-

fered with the bargain made by the parties. Once the legal date for redemption has passed, the mortgagor’s right to redeem was merely equitable. Foreclosure is the process whereby the mortgagor’s equitable right to redeem is declared by the Court to be extinguished and the mortgage is left as the owner of the property, both at law and in equity. An order of the court is essential for foreclosure. Section 111 (2) PCL. The right to foreclose does not arise until payment had become due at law – Williams v. Morgan. For until the equitable right redeem has arisen, it cannot be extinguished for foreclosure. Repayment is due at law when; i. The legal date for redemption has passed; ii. If the mortgagor makes the money fall due; iii. Breach of any term of the mortgage or iiii. The occurrence of any such breach e.g. failure to pay interest – Keene v. Biscoe.

A foreclosure action gives the mortgagee and all other interested in the equity of redemption an opportunity of redeeming the mortgage or applying for sale in lieu of foreclosure. b. SALE Section 9 of Conveyance Act 1881 gives power of sale in non-PCL states. In the PCL states, every mortgage is made by deed and has a power of sale provided that; i. The mortgage was made by deed ii. The legal money is due i.e. the legal date for redemption has passed. Section 123 (1) of PCL The power of sale is not exercisable unless and until 1. Notice requiring payment of the mortgage money has been served on the mortgagor and default has been made in the payment of part or all of it for three (3) months thereafter.

2. Some interest under the mortgage is two months or more in arrears.

3. There has been a breach of some provision contained in the mortgagedeed. Section 125 of PCL. In general, the power of sale is exercisable without an order of Court. The mortgagee may sell by public auction or private treaty or contract.

2. Remedies primarily for the recovery of interest i. To take possession Section 123 (I) (G) PCL, Section 19 (1) C.A 1881. See Chaplain v. Young ii. Power to appoint a receiver Section 131 (1) PCL, Section 19 C.A 1881, the power is not exercisable until the power of sale is exercisable.

RULE AGAINST PERPETUITIES 1. Appointive Property: Property subject to the power of appointment 2. Permission Appointee: Possible beneficiaries 3. Possessory Interest: Allows a beneficiary to possess the property when the interest is conveyed.

4. Future Interest: Allows a beneficiary to possess the

property at some time in the future, after the interest has been conveyed.

5. Reversion: When a finite estate ends and there are no other grantees with a future interest in the property, the property will revert back to the grantor.

6. Possibility/Right to Reverts: For instance, if the grantor conveys land to be used to build a church, and the grantee does not build a church, the land will revert back to the grantor automatically.

7. Right to entry: it is similar to a possibility of reverter except that the right of entry gives the grantor a choice to re-enter the property if a condition is not satisfied.

However, the grantor must obtain a court order to re-enter the property.

Case

I bought land but couldn’t complete payment Dear Lawyer, I purchased a piece of land by depositing part payment for it, but I was unable to complete payment. Is there any effect of failure to pay balance of purchase price of land?

Ngozi, Abuja.

Lawyer’s Answer:

Dear Ngozi,

W

here a purchaser of land makes part payment of the purchase price but defaulted in paying the balance, possession cannot defeat the vendor’s title. In such a case, the vendor can rescind the contract and resell the property. See Maryam v. Idris (2000) FWLR (Pt. 23) 1237 Ratio 3.

• 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

38

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

With Douglas Omoyooma

Davido, my crush – Sonia Nwankwo Actress and singer, Nwankwo Sonia Adaobi Aka Sonifoxy hit the Nigerian entertainment industry in 2011. Among others, she has starred in movies like King of the Vultures, Blind Mother among others. She has also released a couple of singles including Suspender and Obimo. In this chat with Oracle Today, she opens up on her career and why she’s crushing on hip hop act, Davido (David Adeleke).

“H

mmm… well, I love a lot Nigeria entertainers due to the fact that we are taking the global entertainment space by force but I must confess, I think when it comes to crushing I would just go for David Adeleke popularly known as Davido.”

Could she marry him if he proposed to her? “I think he is in a serious relationship which is very much visible. However, if he proposes to me I will jump into his arms. If it’s my destiny, why not? I will marry him over and over again,” she says giggling.

So, could she marry a younger lover? “Age is nothing but a number,” she says dismissively. “If a younger lover will make me happier and contented so be it. My ideal man is a man who very patient, loving, understanding and above all God fearing. And guess what, the sise of his pocket does not matter. That can be worked out because as far as I am concerned, it is not primary.”

Nollywood Recalling how her journey into the industry began she disclosed that ab-initio, it was tough because her parents did not support her dreams. She says: “At first they weren’t supportive at all especially my dad. But when they saw the outcome of my jobs they are beginning to get in line. My mum is my biggest fan now, she even goes as far as watching my movies and downloading my songs even before I inform her.

“You see, entertainment has always been in me right from when I was very much little. I used to be in a Debating and Dramatic Society. While I was in the University I used to travel to different states during ASSU strikes to learn more about movies and participate too.”

Today she has starred in movies like Cry

of the Motherless, Joy of my Destiny, My Mothers Wish, Where I Belong, Dear My Beloved, Against My Blood, Mary the Hunter, Sorrows a n d Tears. “ I have done so many challenging roles but one of them I can never forget in a hurry is on the set of Against my blood, which is an epic movie. There were times where we had to sleep in the Bush and I was heavily beaten by insects and I fell very sick for almost 2 weeks after leaving that movie set.”

“I admire a lot of people in the industry,” she continues opening up on her role models? “I admire a lot of people especially the women. One of the people that inspired me growing up was Stephanie Okereke. I remember wanting to act like her. I also Admire Patience Ozokwor (Mama G), Ini Edo, Genevieve Nnaji too. There is so much I still learn from them.”

Has she ever encountered sexual harassment in the industry? “Everybody has but I think the way you handle it is what matters. When I started, I remember losing a lot of roles all because I refused to play some dirty games but I’m glad now that my talent is gradually subduing the sexual harassment.

• Sonia Nwankwo

39

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS C’River: PDP clears all 25 seats in state Assembly From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

P

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won all the seats in the Cross River State House of Assembly.

The party won all the 25 seats and this will once again make the house a one party assembly as the party is presently occupying all the seats in the present assembly.

Aneh Kanu, the Commission’s Public Relations Officer confirmed this today saying results have been

announced at all the local governments by their respective returning officers and the full results and details will be published shortly.

The major players in the assembly have returned and the only major absentee will be the present Speaker, Hon. John Gaul Lebo.

John Lebo, lost his bid to represent Abi/Yakurr in the Federal House of Representatives to APC’s Alex Egbona.

C’River sets aside N114.14m for community projects From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

C

ross River State Government has set aside about N114, 140, 821.00 for 33 micro projects in 33 communities in the state.

These were captured in the government’s 2019 annual budget through the Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA).

The microprojects approved are in the Health, Education, Water and Sanitation, Environment, Socioeconomic and Transport sectors of CSDP in focal Local Government Areas of the state.

The CSDA is the Implementing Agency of the CRSG partnership with the World Bank assisted Community and Social Development Project in Nigeria.

The beneficiary communities in this batch of approval include; Ikot Esia, IkoiEkperem, New Ekuri and Old Ekuri in Akamkpa LGA, Ofatura, Onyen Orangha and Yala Obubra in Obubra LGA. Also, Katchuan II, BekpoIrruan, Kakwagom, Orunghe, Mkpat-Bawopand Oku Bushuyu in Boki LGA respectively.

Speaking on this, the General Manager of the Agency, Pastor Victor Ovat disclosed that a total of N312,207,734 has so far been disbursed to communities and vulnerable groups in the state to fund social projects that will

improve access of the people to services for human development since 2015.

He said the state government through the Community and Social Development Agency has budgeted to disburse a total sum of N370,972,166.00 as grants to communities and vulnerable groups in the state in 2019 so as to improve the welfare of the people through shared prosperity.

He emphasized that the monies will be managed by the communities and vulnerable groups themselves through their elected Community Project Management Committees (CPMCs) and Group Project Management Committees (GPMCs) respectively, for the implementation of projects identified by themselves.

According to him, the state government has kept faith with its commitment to transform the state by approving and funding 59 Community Development Plans (CDPs) for communities and 11 Group Development Plans (GDPs) for Vulnerable Groups across the State through CSDA. He said the 59 CDPs comprises 138 micro projects out of which 33 micro projects have been and put to use.

On the other hand, the 11 GDPs comprises 22 Group micro-projects with 11 already completed and put to use.

APC kicks as Ayade secures re-election From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

T

he All Progressives Congress, APC in Cross River State have kicked against the results of the Cross River State Gubernatorial elections which returned Professor Ben Ayade as the duly reelected governor of Cross River State.

Incumbent, Prof. Ben Ayade was early Monday declared the winner of the governorship election held on Saturday.

Ayade garnered 381,484 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) which polled 131,161 while the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Barr. Eyo Ekpo polled 4, 818 votes.

Announcing the results, Professor Akii Ibhadode, the returning officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, said the PDP candidate scored the highest number of votes and therefore, fulfilled the requirements of the law and returned Ayade as the elected governor of the state.

He said the number of registered voters was 1,486,026, accredited voters 542,115, valid votes 522, 309, rejected votes 11,499 and total votes cast 533,808.

However, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state said it has rejected the results because according to the party, The party said it rejected the results because of “discrepancies of all sorts,” and that the State Secretary was held hostage by the military, while the Dep-

uty Governorship Candidate was also held throughout the exercise by the Military and was denied movement in his unit.

Other reasons given by the party include “Violence against our members was massive, and that some of our members were even killed for attempting to resist irregularities.”

In a press release made available to Oracle Today, the acting chairman of the party in the state, Mr. John Ochala said the party wishes to dissociate themselves from the results as released by the returning officer.

“The All Progressives Congress, Cross River State hereby informs the general public that we dissociate ourselves from this rape on democracy in the name of the governorship and state house of assembly elections.

“We are all witnesses to the daylight robbery of our collective will and mandate, led by the PDP state government in active connivance with the INEC and security operatives.

“Despite the very responsible manner in which our teaming party faithful and supporters went about their civic responsibility, the PDP in desperation to perpetuate their evil agenda killed several of our members who refused to compromise and resisted the vote stuffing carried out by the PDP. “We call on all APC members and well-wishers to remain calm and go about their lawful duties without let or hindrance while the Party Leadership Explores all avenues within legal limits to correct this aberration,” the statement read.

• Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike (r) with the United States Consul-General to Nigeria, John Bray (m) who was also accompanied to the Government House in Port Harcourt by the Political Officer of the British High Commission in Nigeria, Louis Edwards, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, during a meeting which held following the mass arrests of the party’s leaders by security agencies, Friday

Umahi wins re-election, thanks electorate

By CHINEDU NWAFOR Abakaliki

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state the winner of the March 9th governorship election in the state.

Prof. Chukwuemeka Eze, the Returning Officers of the election while declaring the result at the INEC, State Headquarters in Abakaliki, the Returning Officer, said the governor polled a total of 393,343 votes cast across the 13 local governments of the state.

His main Challenger, Sunny Ogbuorji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got a total of 81703 votes cast which placed him at a distant second.

The candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Chibueze Agbo took third position with just 10,129 votes.

Eze said the total valid votes was 48,2018 while 10, 984 votes were rejected bringing the total votes cast for the election to 493002.

The Oracle Today reports that the victory of Umahi has thrown the entire Ebonyi into wide jubilation.

Meanwhile, Governor David Umahi, has thanked Ebonyi people for reelecting him to serve second term

in office.

He thanked the Christian and Muslim communities, civil and public servants and indeed the entire people of the state for appreciating his good works in the first term and entrusting their mandate on him again for another four years The governor expressed his unalloyed loyalty to the patriotic citizens of the state and promised to consolidate on his infrastructural, human development and aggressive industrialization of the state.

The Governor also reiterated his readiness to hand over power to Abakaliki bloc in 2023 after completing his second term to continue to rotate round the three senatorial zones of the state in the spirit of equity and justice.

This was contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor in which he described the election as the reflection of the wishes of Ndi Ebonyi.

He said Ebonyians have been resolute and desirous of consolidating on the already achieved development in the state.

Uzor in the statement also quoted Umahi as saying that the election was the best in terms of credibility and professionalism on both the sides of the Independent National

Electoral Commission, INEC and all security agencies.

The governor further called on those that contested with him to accept defeat as the election was a consensus of the people of the state.

He promised that his second term projects would include the construction of Ebonyi airport, mega Olympic size stadium and completion of the already started 198km Abakaliki ring road and many more.

He added that within the first four years of his administration, over 534km of roads have been constructed on rigid pavement with over 100 years life span, mega shopping mall, International market, Ecumenical Centre as well as new government House while the stigma on the Abakaliki man was removed by reconstructing and making Ebonyi State the model of development.

He said his closest rival and candidate of the All Progressive Congress, APc, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji was never his match, noting that the verdict of the entire people of the state as reflected in their ballots across the 13 Local Government areas of the state confirmed that his opponent was never and will never be a match to his political sagacity.

Group tips Kalu for Senate President

By Oge Onyeanusi, Nnewi

F

ormer Governor of Abia state, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, now a Senator-elect, has been tipped by a group, the Movement for Justice and Equity/Solidarity for Election of President of Igbo Extraction, as the next President of the Senate to succeed the out-going Bukola Saraki.

Giving reasons for the choice of Kalu by the group, its National President, Ambassador Simon Chukwuemeka Ogonaezi, stated that, “Kalu is a very vibrant, fearless and hardworking democrat who always considers the interest of his people and not selfish interest”.

“He is more than qualified to lead this new senate to the promisedland as he will work in synergy with President Mohammadu Buhari to better the welfare of Nigerians.

If elected the next Senate President, it is also going to be an opportunity for Ngerians to enjoy the

ingenuity bestored on the Igbo man

by God towards development and progress in all aspects of the economy” Recall that since the assumption of President Mohammadu Buhari, in office, the Igbo have not been appointed to any key positions.

“The President of this country, Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives, all come from the North while the Vice President comes from South West and as such the South East is completely marginalized and we will not tolerate the unprecedented marginalization of the area further. The federal character reflection must be adhered to, to give the South East a sense of belonging.

“It is unfortunate that among the Service Chiefs none comes from the South East except for the compulsory constitutional statutory appointments that must reflect the Federal character”.

“So the choice of Kalu would douse tension and the marginalisation of the South East and create room for the Igboman to display that ingenuity that God created him with.”

The group Chairman reminded President Buhari that now that he has been elected that he is not the President of All Progressive Congress, APC, but Nigeria and as such should do the needful by ensuring that the marginalized South East will now be allowed to produce the senate President slot in the name of Orji Uzor Kalu, “Recall that the President swore to an oath of allegiance that he will be fair and unbiased in the discharge of his duties.

As such he will not take into cognisance those who voted for or against him while performing his official responsibilities, the South East tried and gave him reasonable votes.”

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS Tension in South-East, South-South over Lassa fever outbreak

T

here is tension in health facilities in South-East and SouthSouth as health workers are on the watchout for new cases of Lassa fever.

According to a health worker in Awka ,Nnenna Emeka, since the announcement of over 1,447 in 33 states and FCT this year alone by the National Centre for Disease Control that there has been tension in Anambra State and the entire SouthEast and South-South following previous ugly experiences in the zones.

She urged health workers to be vigilant to detect victims immediately to avoid spread while asking the general public to take precautionary measures to avoid contacting the ailment.

She is worried that each rainy season approaches Lassa Fever spreads despite huge resources government has expended on its control.

The Anambra state commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Akabuike could not be contacted as at press time but feelers from his office indicated that Anambra state is battle ready

for any unforeseen circumstances with regard to Lassa fever outbreak.

The Oracle Today reports since the outbreak, there have been 93 deaths in 66 local government areas, with case fatality ratio in the confirmed cases put at 22.1 per centre.

Already, there are thirty-nine new confirmed cases of Lassa fever reported from six states of Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Taraba, and Kogi, with eight new deaths in Edo, Ondo, and Kogi.

It also said that at least, 21 states have recorded one confirmed case across 66 local government areas.

According to the NCDC situation report, in the reporting week 09, no new healthcare worker was affected but a total of 15 healthcare workers have been infected since the the outbreak in seven states with one death in Enugu.

Sixty-nine patients are currently being managed at various treatment centres across the country.

NCDC also said a total of four thousand, nine hundred and two contacts have been identified from nineteen states.

CHANGE OF NAME & PUBLIC NOTICE The family of ADEBANJI ADEBISI JAMES, ADEBANJI ABIMBOLA OLAWUMI and their daughters ADEBANJI RACHAEL SIMISOLA and ADEBANJI MARY ENIOLA hereby draw the attention of the public to the continous intimidation, harassment and life threatening messages coming from the traditional sects in OKEMESI, EKITI WEST LGA in EKITI STATE in the wake of a family chietancy title he had been mandatorily summoned to ascend the throne as next “OLORI AWO” “HEAD OF THE INNER CULTS” within a stipulated time and prior to the installation of d chieftancy ceremony all traditional rites that includes circumcision of all female children and twenty-one traditional tribal marks to inscribed on their shaved heads of which failure to comply shall be graviously faced with consequences from ancestral law of the community.

This was communicated to him on the 19th day of December 2018 when he was summoned for a meeting by the Kingmakers, Council of Chiefs and Diety protector.

After-which he was told to ensured that all traditional requirements are met 7days before the day of ceremony and he was given 100days as from 19th of December,2018.

Although the matter had been reported to the police for investigations, but no arrest had been made so far.

The family is therefore notifying the general public to take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS IREOJI FRANCISCA MUNACHI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EJIMADU FRANCISCA MUNACHI. Banks and general public should please take note

I formerly known as MRS LATIFAT AYOKA NWAFOR / AYOKA CHUKWUDI now wish to be known as MISS AYOKA PRECIOUS AKINFENWA. former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

I Mr. Ejike Chikelue (on the behalf of my family) hereby declare that the under listed were members of my family who were formerly known, addressed and called as follows: AFOAMA ANAYO JOHN - Brother AFOAMA EJIKE PETER - Brother AFOAMA VERONICA CHINYAKA - Wife That we now wish to be known and addressed as follows: CHIKELUE ANAYO JOHN CHIKELUE EJIKE PETER CHIKELUE VERONICA CHINYAKA All former documents remain valid Please Banks and General public take note.

I formerly known as EJIMCHUKWU SAMUEL OKECHUKWUnow wish to be known as ODOH SAMUEL OKECHUKWU. former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note

THIS SPACE IS FOR SALE

• Gov Willie Obiano (m), his deputy, Nkem Okeke and APGA National Chairman, Ozonkpu Victor Oye during the party’s interactive session for the 326 Wards across the state at Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.

How Obiano swayed majority votes in Anambra State Assembly election for APGA From PAMELA EBOH, Awka

T

he Anambra State House of Assembly election held on Saturday, March 9, 2019 may remain the one election that rattled the Governor Willie Obiano administration out of it its comfort zone.

Pundits say the result of the presidential and national assembly election in the state, which the opposition PDP won decisively practically woke the governor from his slumber.

Though, some political observers align the victory to the hard work of the party’s candidates who campaigned vigorously and also had on the ground achievements speaking for them, the national Chairman of All Progressives Alliance (APGA) said the victory was borne out sentiment.

According to him, the electorate were emotional towards a particular direction and that made PDP carry the day, stressing that PDP cannot win any political contest in Anambra State because this is an APGA state.

“The sentiment will not play out in the state assembly polls; APGA will take back what belongs to them,” Oye said.

Oye’s water-tight optimism did not disappoint him at the end of the polls as APGA carried the day in most of the wards in Anambra State including his ward in Amawbia that he lost to PDP on the day of presidential election.

Suffice it to say that the loss of both the national chairman, the governor and the deputy governor in their wards in the presidential and national Assembly polls was the cutting razor they needed to know that any slack on their party’s side would create a smooth ride for the opposi-

tion.

Shortly after the February 23, the governor went back to work to wake up an almost sleeping cock party.

Various meetings were held to proffer ways to surmount the seeming blockade. The armours that were picked include allegedly ‘settling’ aggrieved members APGA. According to an inside source who spoke to The Oracle Today on condition of anonymity, a huge amount of money running into millions of naira was spent to get the cock party’s name planted in the heart of the electorate.

He said that apart from Catholic Bishops promoting the party during mass, they also gave people reason why they should vote for APGA. He said: “Using the church as a means of campaign works like magic and you know Catholic church is in the majority. Whatever the Bishops say stands because they respect them a lot.”

It was also gathered that political appointees were hugely empowered and given mandate to either “deliver their wards or go home”.

The source said that at a crucial meeting of the party, the governor had expressed fears that a PDP majority in the state Assembly will definitely work to impeach him.

At the meeting, he pleaded with members to give it their all to ensure a repeat of the party’s victory in the 2017 governorship election in the state.

The source revealed that when the governor asked about areas with red flag, about six areas including Anaocha, Ekwusigo, Ogbaru, Onitsha were mentioned.

He added: “The governor wanted

a total win because he was worried of PDP interference in his government, but when the cards were placed on the table, he knew better. For example, he was told that Ekwusigo has a standing zoning process that cannot be thwarted. For Ogbaru, he was told that it was under the firm grip of PDP as the senator representing the zone, Senator Stella Oduah has the ears of the people.”

With that said, it became a task for party faithful, especially the political appointees to get down to work.

In a similar move, the governor held a meeting with the state workforce a few days to the election.

At the meeting which had the state Labour leader in attendance, the governor assured the workers that he would be the first to pay the new minimum wage. He reminded the workers that his government needed to consolidate on the good work already on ground, hence the need to have APGA members dominating the state Assembly. It was gathered that like he presented it before church leaders, he also told the workers that if PDP took over the Assembly, it would lead to owing of salaries and pensions as he would use the money available to settle the opposition lawmakers.

It was also observed that on the day of the election, voters in Obiano’s ward at Aguleri were specially treated with snacks and chairs placed under a canopy.

Perhaps, the efforts, meetings, money and commitment at the end gave APGA 24 seats majority in the State House of Assembly to Obiano’ s advantage while PDP scaled up the ladder from two to six.

Delta Guber Poll: APC rejects results, calls for cancellation of election

By Emmanuel Ogoigbe, Warri

D

elta State All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday called for the cancellation of last Saturday’s election where INEC declared the incumbent Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa as winner.

The state APC chairman, Prophet Jones Erue made this call during a press briefing held at his residence in Warri.

Erue said the party would approach the Election Petition Tribunal should the electoral umpire refused to cancel the election.

Jones said the election in Delta State was characterized by mass

irregularities and thumbprinting of ballot papers, adding that elections did not take place in most council areas.

He said, “The Delta APC is using this medium to call for the cancellation of result announced by INEC because we were under siege. Our people were not allowed to vote during the election. The military was used to scare APC members away. There was no election in Delta state not to talk of a free and fair election.

“Our people were not allowed to enter any collation centres, our agents were treated as enemies of electoral process. The whole place was militarised against the APC and

results were changed at will.

“For example, at Emede Ward 5 unit 2 in Isoko South. soldiers aided the destruction of that unit at about 10:00 am ballot boxes and ballot papers were carted away.”

But when contacted, Spokesman of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Col. Aminu Iliyasu told our correspondent on telephone that the allegations were just mere allegations.

He said, “People see security agencies as instruments of the ruling party of any state. But you and I know that that is not the case. If APC has complaints they should go to the tribunal.”

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

42

43

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

SPORTS

Agu optimistic of Eagles success in AFCON finals – Agu

By MADUABUCHI KALU

F

ORMER national team’s No1 choice and the current Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer, Alloy Agu, has expressed optimism that the Super Eagles will do well at the June/July Africa Cup of Nations which Egypt will be playing host to.

According to the former Eagles’ shot stopper, he hinges his optimism on the fact that the team as currently constituted is made of young talented players who have a lot of years ahead of them.

Agu beard his mind while speaking ahead of the final round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles on March 22 and the international friendly match against Egypt four days later. The former Eagles’ captain while speaking further, he explained that the team had what it takes to excel when hostilities begin in Egypt later in the year.

According to him, the two matches were as important as the World Cup final and the Eagles would approach the games the same way.

“Every game is so important, whether a qualifier or a friendly,” Agu said. “All games are important to Nigerians and also to the technical crew because it is going to form part of our preparations for the AFCON, it’s important for team bonding and that’s what we are looking at.

“The quality of players invited shows the seriousness of the technical crew towards that game, although we still have some few months before the AFCON, the players invited have to showcase their talent, and justify their inclusion in the team.

“Nigeria has a young and very promising team that will do great exploit for the country, we are expecting them to get their acts together and explode in Egypt by going as far as the final.”

Meanwhile, Agu has said the goalkeeping department under his watch is very solid and all the three goalkeepers invited are going to make the country proud. He added that they have confidence in the trio even though they are still on the lookout for other capable hands.

Agu said: “That department is solid and I am sure they are not going to disappoint Nigerians, they are currently doing well for their clubs, (Ikechukwu) Ezenwa for Katsina United, (Daniel) Akpeyi for Kaizer Chief and (Francis) Uzoho in Cyprus for Anorthosis Famagusta.

“All we want is for them to come to the national team and replicate their club’s form. We are also looking out for other able hands but at •Super Eagles of Nigeria. this moment, those are the best hands with us and we all have confidence in them and they will do Nigeria proud.”

How 10-man Enugu Rangers held Salitas in Confederation Cup

NFF to teach FIFA’s new rules across all levels – Olajire

M

EDIA Officer of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ademola Olajire has disclosed that the country’s soccer governing body’s technical department and other egg heads at The Glasshouse will teach new FIFA rules of the game across all levels.

The NFF’s image maker said the new soccer rules will come into play, as initiated by International Football Association Board (IFAB) come into play, and the NFF will not be left out in passing details on to players and coaches.

Team officials, backroom hands and NFF staff will also be involved in the scheme to transmit the new FIFA rules, for which the technical committee and department of the Nigerian body will meet on the best approach to educate all active stakeholders.

Olajire revealed that, at its 133rd Annual General Meeting on March 2nd in Aberdeen, Scotland, IFAB approved five changes to the rules of football, with all expected to come into force on June 1st.

Among them is a cancellation of rebounds from penalties, meaning play will stop for a restart if a penalty is saved or hits the post and no longer an opportunity for a player or teammates to follow up to score.

Players will now be allowed to touch the ball in the area after a keeper kicks it, even before it leaves the box, and a substituted player can leave the field anywhere to guard against time wasting by advantaged team.

Finally, coaches will receive yellow and red cards instead of repri-

mands or finger signals; all of which Olajire says will be spelt out in days ahead.

Olajire declared: “We are ready to adapt to the changes that will come into force in the next few months.

“Nigerian football has suffered from negligence in the past, but we are abreast to adaptation that goes with any change in our dynamic sport.

“In the days to come, the technical department and committee will soon meet on how best to educate all the teams, not only the Super Eagles.

“The same message will go down to clubs participating in the continental competition and also in the domestic football.”

N

IGERIA’S Caf Confederation Cup representatives, Enugu Ranger Sunday held Salitas of Burkina Faso to 1-1 draw were held to a 1-1 draw at the Stade du 4 Aout in Ouagadougou.

The Nigerian Confederation Cup holders who lost their two last games in the competition home and away somehow redeemed their image by ensure that they secure a point in the game on the road. With the points shared, the Coal City Flying Antelope now have five points to place third on the group log while their Burkina Faso counterparts are at the bottom of the group The group has CS Sfaxien of Tunisia on the driver’s seat and as a matter of fact, they have already secured qualification for the quarterfinal stage of the competition having garnered nine points and their fellow Tunisians, Etoile du Sahel are second with seven.

It is true that the Burkinabes had more possession of the ball but the Coach Gbenga Ogunbote tutored boys looked more fluid in attack, having more shots through the course of the first half.

And the Nigerian side was rewarded with the opening goal in the 33rd minute, as Ifeanyi George got the better of goalkeeper, Diakite Daouda to make it 1-0.

Rangers’ goal arrived despite being down to 10 men, with Semiu Liadi sent off for a second bookable offence inside the opening half hour.

Salitas needed just five minutes of the second half to hit back and level the game, with Ilasse Sawadogo netting to make it 1-1. That proved to be the last goal of the match, as the teams settled for a draw.

The teams will wrap up their group stage campaigns next weekend, with Salitas away to Etoile du Sahel and

Peterside may be deported from South Africa

T

HIS is not the best times for former Super Eagles’ goalkeeper, Peterside Idah as the alarm bells are ringing in South Africa for his possible deportation from the country where he has spent about 20 years of his life.

It is recalled that just recently, Idah who is currently a pastor and cable television sports analyst, had a baby through his wife, but the Oracles Today Sports gathered that he had come under scrutiny by the home office in South Africa.

The ex-Iwuayanwu Nationale of Owerri shot-stopper, who was recently in Nigeria for the presidential election a fortnight ago, confirmed that he was facing questions from SA officials, but hinted it was due to the dirty operations of fake pas-

tors in The Rainbow Nation.

The former Super Eagles’ Media officer hinted as much in a post on social media, in which he admitted home affairs officials calling to question his continued stay in their country and tagging him a foreigner had embarrassed him.

It was an ironic twist of fate for the player-turned-pastor, as he was also a regular in goal for Temba Classic FC of South Africa from 1999 to 2001 and with Moroka Swallows up till 2002, which he believed should normally accord him star status in the country.

The former Super Eagles media officer, who is now a full-fledged pastor at Christ Ambassadors Church based in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, was, however, staying •Enugu Rangers Internationl calm over the development.

Ranger at home to Sfaxien.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns sealed their place in the quarterfinals with an impressive 3-0 win over Nigeria’s Lobi Stars in a Group A match at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night.

The result sees the South African team at the top of the standings on 10 points, three points ahead of Wydad Casablanca in second place with only one game left in the group.

Sundowns got off to the perfect start on the night with Thapelo Morena giving them the lead only two minutes into the game after he latched onto a pin-point pass from Gaston Sirino and finished with aplomb from close range, 1-0.

The home side continued to pile on the pressure, but only managed to double their lead in the 38th minute when Themba Zwane produced a clinical finish from just inside the box, 2-0.

44

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

SPORTS

Rohr rules out Mikel for Egypt, Seychelles matches Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

N

ATIONAL team Technical Adviser, Franco-German Gernot Rohr, has ruled out the possibility of Eagles’ captain, John Obi Mikel playing any part in the team’s remaining Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game against the weeping child of the group B, Seychelles and the international Friendly game against the Pharaohs of Egypt at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State capital.

According to the experienced football tactician, the rationale behind the technical crew’s decision not invite Mikel for both matches is because his team’s captain was not ready for the games after just returning to action for his new

club, Middlesbrough.

Rohr stated this while speaking with the official website of Confederation of African Football, saying Mikel was not ready for the games after just returning to action for his new club Middlesbrough.

“He (Mikel) has arrived in Middlesbrough recently. He told me he was not ready and needed to work after his knee injury in China,” Rohr said.

“He did not play all winter either.

He is not ruled out for the AFCON but could not make that match in Asaba. We will see for the future.”

On Victor Moses, the former Burkina Faso national team coach said the player was still maintaining his stance on his retirement.

The Chelsea loanee, who made 37 appearances for the Super Eagles

and won the 2013 AFCON with the national team announced his retirement immediately after the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and has not made himself available for selection since then.

The former England U-17 player is currently enjoying a new lease of life at Turkish side Fenerbahce, for whom he has scored two goals in the last six matches in the Super Lig. There were speculations recently that he might be returning to the Super Eagles but Rohr has maintained that the decision must come from the player himself.

Rohr said: “I was against his international retirement and, if he changed his mind, he must tell me but I have no information about it.

We’ll see.”

periods and weak in some,” Dennerby told Goal.

“Overall, we have a really good defence in open play but there is a need to be more stable on set pieces defensively.

“We also have good quick and counter-attacks but need to work with build up from the midfield to have more variation in attacks.

“We defeated Slovakia and should have scored more goals despite the incidents in the match. We won 3-0 against Thailand and were very stable.

“We equally had a strong per-

formance against Austria even though we lost badly due to the early red card. We had a weak game against Belgium.

“All the players need to keep improving.

“We still need to improve in all departments -both defensively and offensively. We need to link it all together.”

The African queens have now played six games so far this year ahead of their preparations for the Women’s World Cup in France and they are expected to regroup early next month.

France 2019: You must improve your performance, Dennerby warns Falcons

T

HOMAS Dennerby, Super Falcons coach, has read the riot act to his players as he charges them to improve on their performance if they are to make any reasonable impact at the fast approaching FIFA Women World Cup in France.

The team just finished participating at an invitational championship in Cyprus where they finished seventh after losing to Austria and Belgium, while defeating Slovakia and Thailand.

“It’s been a little bit of up and down as we’ve been very good in

•Super Falcons of Nigeria

Ighalo, my role model – Armstrong

By SAB OSUJI

D

ESPITE being a defensive midfielder, Nigeria teenager, John Armstrong Chikezie has revealed that Super Eagles’ striker, Odion Ighalo is his career role model.

The 17-year-old Aspiringkids Football Academy, Ihiala, also disclosed that his career ambition is to reach the highest level in football just as Ighalo has done.

“Football runs in our family. My father played and my cousin, John Ejike Ibekwe also played football.

“I love football and I’ve passion for the game. Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo is my role model.

“I love the way he plays. He’s a

sharp striker and I love Isaac Success’ way of playing too,” Armstrong Chikezie said.

He also expressed desire to play than Oghenekaro Etebo of Stoke City and Nigeria Super Eagles.

“Yes, it’s all ambition with determination. Etebo is doing great and I could play even more than him.

“Talking about the Nigeria Premier League, I love FC Ifeanyiubah because of the way they play. They have young and enterprising players who never get tired. They are too good to my liking.

“My family has been there for me in my career. And I want to make her more than proud. It’s more than a promise. For me it is a contract and I’ve signed it.”

•John Armstrong Chikezie

•John Obi-Mikel

World Beach Volleyball: Nigeria gets wild card to Qatar championships

T

HE Qatar Volleyball Association has extended a wild card to athletes in the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) to compete in this year’s Katara Beach Volleyball Cup. Francis Imoudu, The head coach of the beach volleyball team, made this known on Monday in Lagos.

If athletes are given a wild card for a particular competition, they are allowed to play in it, although they have not qualified for it in the usual way.

Imoudu said that top beach volleyball players like Jefferson Bellaguarda (Brazil), Kay Matysik (Germany), Phil Dalhausser (USA) and Todd Rogers (USA) will star in this year’s extravaganza.

It is going to be staged at Katara Amphitheater in Qatar from March 12 to March 16.

Nigeria is the only African team invited for the four-star event allotted by the FIVB in the Middle East.

Imoudu expressed joy over the invitation and promised that Nigeria will put up a good performance at the event.

He said that Obayemi Ogunshina and Hilary Simon will fly the colours of Nigeria in Qatar.

Imoudu said that it was a thing of pride and joy for Nigeria to be the only African side at the four star championship.

•Beach Volleyball team, Nigeria

“I want to assure Nigerians, including the President of the Nigeria Volleyball Federation, Mr. Musa Nimrod that we are going to put up a good performance.

“This invitational championship will also prepare the boys for the busy 2019 calendar and also use the opportunity to score points for the world FIVB ratings,’’ Imoudu said.

He said the invitational championship was made possible by the efforts of the NVBF President and immediate past president, Gumel.

According to Imoudu, Nigeria has never participated in an FIVB Beach tour, this is the first time and we are the only Africa team in an entry of over forty countries.

He said that the nation is enjoying this privilege due to the positive hard work of the president who sits on the FIVB board.

“The championship is the second of the 10 competitions called FIVB 4stars to be organised during the 2019 season by the International Volleyball Federation worldwide.

“The competition in Doha will see the participation of 56 teams from 28 different countries.

“In the main draw, the world’s top 14 out of 16 teams will be contesting for the title, which shows the value of the event,’’ Imoudu said.

45

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

SPORTS

Emery special, can’t handle big names like Ozil – Salgado Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

M

ICHEL Salgado has declared that Arsenal Manager, Unai Emery, is “a special manager” but lacked the capacity to manage big names like Mesut Ozil amongst others.

The Gunners boss has done a fine job in his debut campaign at the Emirates, but his fellow Spaniard believes he still has much to prove as a coach “Unai Emery is “a special manager”, says Michel Salgado, but the Arsenal boss has not yet learned how to handle “big names” like Mesut Ozil,” Salgado began.

Having been chosen to succeed the legendary Arsene Wenger at the Emirates Stadium, the former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain boss has not shied away from tough challenges.

He has done a fine job in his debut campaign with the Gunners, with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United last time out lifting his side back into the Premier League’s top four.

Emery has, however, faced difficulties when it comes to handling World Cup winner Ozil and a fellow Spaniard believes dealing with egos has been an issue throughout the coaching career of a 47-year-old

who still has much to learn.

Former Real Madrid star Salgado told US network Stadium of Emery: “He’s a special manager like [Rafa] Benitez. He needs a squad with no big names, with no big egos. He cannot handle big egos.

“He needs a squad with teamwork players, players that he can shape, that he can develop, that he can get into his system.

“Then if he’s got depth in his squad and the right players to work for him during the season and they follow him and are ready for it, then he can get results like he did in Sevilla, winning three Europa Leagues back-to-back because the players were ready for him.

“They were great players, but no big egos, no big names.

“I think he needs to learn how to deal with egos. He’s still learning.

“I know in PSG it was difficult for him because those were really big egos.

“I think, here, the squad is quite big for him. Ozil can be the only one who is a special player because he’s a talented player.

“It’s the job to try to get him into the system because he will need him.

“A team like Arsenal needs sometimes a different player, a talented player, that’s Ozil for sure.”

Serena Williams retires from her Indian Wells

S

ERENA Williams retired from her Indian Wells match against Garbine Muguruza citing “extreme dizziness and extreme fatigue”.

Muguruza was winning 6-3 1-0 when Williams was forced to withdraw from the third round meeting.

Williams had gone 3-0 ahead but after losing six consecutive games, she called for the trainer.

She emerged for the second set but it was short lived.

“Before the match, I did not feel great and then it just got worse with every second - extreme dizziness and extreme fatigue,” 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams said.

“By the score it might have looked like I started well, but I was not feeling at all well physically. I will focus on getting better and start preparing for Miami.”

In the men’s draw, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal cruised into the round of 32.

Nadal thrashed Jared Donaldson 6-1 6-1 and Federer beat Peter Gojowczyk 6-1 7-5.

•Unai Emery, Arsenal Chief Coach.

Ighalo opens goal account for Shanghai Shenhua Football academy to unveil 4,500 capacity stadium

S

UPER Eagles’ and Shanghai Shenhua goal poacher, Odion Ighalo netted his maiden goal in Shanghai Shenhua colours, as the club fell to a 2-1 loss at home to Hebei CFFC on game week 2 in the Chinese Super League on Sunday.

Having fired blanks in the derby against Shanghai SIPG on March 1, the Nigerian international netted his first goal for his new employers after 134 minutes of game time.

Ighalo needed only four minutes to cancel out Ayoub El Kaabi’s opener, which the prolific Morocco international scored on the halfhour mark.

The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations leading marksman is known for his ability to finish from inside the

box and was on hand to fire home a rebound from close range after goalkeeper Geng Xiaofeng saved his initial effort.

Ighalo proved his worth at demoted Changchun Yatai, scoring 36 goals in 55 appearances across two seasons.

Following their second loss of the new season, Shanghai Shenhua is the basement team in the division.

It is recalled that the Edo State born deadly striker had wanted to return to Europe but despite his being linked to different top European clubs such as Barcelona, Liverpool and Everton ended up not tying down any contract with any of the afore mentioned clubs hence his decision to return to China.

Arsenal dent Solskjaer’s league record •Beat Man U 2-0 at Emirates

A

RSENAL on Sunday shock many English Premier League lovers as the North London side handed Manchester United’s Interim Manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer his first Premier League defeat since being appointed the club’s interim manager following the acrimonious exit of former manager, Jose Mourinho.

Switzerland midfielder, Granit Xhaka beat David de Gea with a swerving shot from outside the penalty area, which the Manchester United keeper was expected to stop.

Romelu Lukaku hit the bar while the game was goalless, when it appeared easier to score, and, soon after Arsenal took the lead, Brazilian midfielder, Fred struck a post for United.

Arsenal keeper, Bernd Leno also produced two crucial saves to keep out Lukaku, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doubled the hosts’ lead from the penalty spot after Fred’s foul on Alexandre Lacazette.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suffered his first Premier League defeat since being appointed Manchester United’s interim manager as Arsenal leapfrogged their opponents to move into the top four.

•Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

A

BIODUN Agbaje, a football enthusiast and Director of New Hall Football Academy in Lekki, Lagos, on Monday said that the Academy would soon unveil one of the biggest academy-owned stadium in West Africa.

Agbaje, who is the Proprietor of New Hall International School, Lekki, told the Oracle Today Sports in Lagos that education was not about reading alone but to develop the psychomotor of children.

He said that the academy would be a centre of excellence in sports, arts and academics.

Agbaje said that one needed to allow the children to participate in physical exercises and do it in a positive way.

“New Hall Football Academy is a model of some of Europe’s biggest club academies. In a few weeks’ time, the Academy will be unveiling probably the biggest academy-owned stadium in West Africa.

“The newly-built 4,500 capacity ultra-modern New Hall School Complex was completed about a month ago and will be commissioned by the Governor of Lagos State.

“Our amiable Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode would be here on March 16 to commission the building for the purpose of sports and recreational developments for our wards.

“The complex will house other facilities like a modern clinic and a VIP lounge,’’ he said.

According to Agbaje, the building of the magnificent stadium is my willingness to leave a legacy behind.

“Seriously speaking, this happened based on my intuition, my willingness to leave something behind as a legacy and the story started about 22 years ago.

“Having been very successful in the education sector and in the banking Industry, I think it will be

a good thing to add my quota to sports.

“I am building a stadium of this kind in Lekki, not something you think you will want to make money from.

“I am just giving back to the society so that youths will have the opportunity to be able to sit, play and enjoy themselves in a facility that can be compare with the best in the world,’’ Agbaje said.

•Serena Williams

Rades, Defenders pick Elite 8 tickets

T

UNISIAN giants, Etoile Sportive de Rades and Nigeria’s Civil Defenders Sunday, became the seventh and eight teams to sail through the FIBA Africa Basketball League Elite 8.

Rades qualified, recording three wins for 6 points, while Civil Defenders of Nigeria recorded two wins out of three games to sail through.

While Rades booked their ticket to the Elite 8 with a 96-80 points win over Defenders on Saturday, the vice champions of the FIBA Africa zone 3 qualifiers for this championship had to wait on the final day to survive host in a keenly contest-

ed match that saw Elan Sportif losing 62-58 (19- 11,14- 18,17- 11,12- 18).

Defenders had to rely on the experience of veteran Ocheibi Okpe, who led the floor with a double double of 16 points, 16 rebounds and 4 assists, followed by Garba Umar’s 14 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists while Ibe Abuchi Agu scored 3 points and had 6 rebounds to help his side to victory.

Elan Sportif de Porto Novo on the other hand had Vivien Tossou to thank for his efforts in taking his side to a near victory with 11points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist and their Nigerian import John Oweh 9 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists.

Former Kenyan Federation official killed in Addis Ababa crash

A

FORMER senior Kenyan football official was among the 157 people killed in an Ethiopian Airlines crash, the country’s federation said Monday.

Hussein Swaleh, former general secretary of the Kenyan Football Federation (KFF), was said to be returning to Nairobi after serving as a Match Commissioner on Friday in a CAF Champions League game.

Both the KFF and Confederation of African Football (CAF) said the match was between Egyptian side Ismaili and TP Mazembe Englebert of Congo in Egypt.

“The President of CAF, Ahmad Ahmad, and all the African football family send their condolences to our dearest Hussein Swaleh Mtetu’s fam-

ily, his relatives and to the KFF,” the CAF statement said.

The plane, bound for Nairobi, crashed minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa on Sunday, killing all on board.

•Hussein Swaleh

46

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

NEWS EXTRA

•Igwe after he picked PDP ticket and flag

•Igwe with elder brother Chris (left), Group MD Chrisnak Ventures World-wide, shortly after he was declared winner of the election

•Victory parade continues: Igwe with his elder brother Chris and others

How Igwe won Umunneochi State constituency election

•Igwe as PDP candidate campaigning for the election

T

he Abia State legislative election for Umunneochi State constituency has been won by the PDP candidate Barr Philip Okey Igwe with a total vote of 6,910.

Igwe defeated the APGA candidate in the area Chaka Ikenna Chukwumerije who polled 5, 324 votes coming second, and Hon Prince Ikedi Ezekwesiri of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who finished a distant third with 4,385 votes in the keenly contested poll.

The PDP candidate Barr Igwe recorded an impressive figure in his traditional stronghold, the Zone Two political power blocs comprising Mbala, Amuda, Umuaku and Achara Isuochi. The Zone One power bloc made up of Ngodo, Umuelem, Ndiawa, Lomara and Ihie Isuochi produced both the APGA and the APC candidates.

Zone Three consisting of Nneato and Umuchieze in Zone Four complete the Umunneochi political establishment.

While the APGA and the APC candidates in the election hail from Ngodo and Umuelem, the PDP candidate Igwe hails from Amuda Isuochi in the Zone Two political bloc.

The PDP candidate went into last Saturday’s election as the consensus candidate of his political bloc.

Analysts believe that this development gave him the muchneeded political leverage that made his victory possible with a bloc vote of his constituency neatly secured, thereby sinking the chances of his opponents whose votes were split during the intense horse-trading on election day.

Following the announcement

His victory was predicted—not exactly prophesied—based on his beautiful antecedents. As the immediate past Executive Chairman of Umunneochi Local Government Area, Barr Okey Philip Igwe gave the people of the local government hope. He promised to restore power supply to the area after more than 30 years of darkness in the place monumental Uche Chukwumerije, former Health Minister Dr. Ihechukwu Madubuike and other prominent political personalities in Abia State and Nigeria as a whole hailed/hail from. And he did just that and more. His election as Member, Abia State House of Assembly for Umunneochi State Constituency was well-deserved, a kind of payback by the appreciative community, writes OLIVER UDEOGU who covered the keenly contested election. of the election results, there was massive jubilation at the Igwe residence in Umuahamaya Amuda Isuochi as people besieged their residence to the extent the place was suddenly turned to a mecca of sort.

Reason for the people’s excitement with Igwe’s victory was not far fetched. This was because they vowed to vote out the incumbent representative of the area Prince Ikedi Ezekwesiri the APC candidate in the election who, they believed, had outlived his political usefulness and had become a spent force so to say. And it came to pass with a large turnout of voters at the various polling units on the election day contrary to public expectations.

The voters’ mission, it seemed, was quite simple: to dethrone the APC candidate Prince Ikedi Ezekwesiri. At last, the legislator

had the people’s wrath and the Umuelem Isuochi-born Prince was outrightly humiliated at the polls, coming a distant third in the very interesting contest.

Contrary to the expectations of many, the second first up in the contest, the APGA candidate Chaka Chukwumerije really gave a good account of him self. Though he lost, he lost gallantly, as he was able to diminish the thought in the minds of many residents in the area, of him being a political green horn after all.

The Umunneochi poll in general was one hitch-free except for the incident of heavy gunshots that were recorded at the council headquarters Nkwoagu Isuochi on the collation night.

Gunshots from the police rang in frightening dimension in the air, forcing people to scamper for

safety.

However, no life was lost and normalcy was soon restored thereafter and the collation process was completed hitch-free.

Commenting Barr Igwe’s victory, the local government chairman and a major PDP stakeholder, Chief Richard Agbadogo Mbanefo described it as an act of God. According to him, the PDP candidate deserved to win the contest, going by his achievements when he was Council boss of the area.

“This is someone who, during his electioneering period, promised to restore light to Umunneochi within a year of his administration and he did exactly that. There was no way people would forget such a kept political promise in a hurry, and that has manifested today with this resounding victory,’’ Mbanefo enthused.

47 The Oracle Today Wednesday March 20, 2019

CORNUCOPIA: Your land or your Blood

C

ows in the classroom! Cows in the fields! Cows in the Church!

Cows in ancestral sacred lands!

Cows in our houses! Cows in the market! Cows on the tarred roads! Cows in the plantation! Cows on our farms!

Cows in the streams! Cows on the pedestrian Bridges! Cows on Abuja and Lagos streets! Cows everywhere!

Destruction everywhere! Herdsmen on rampage with AK47 among other weapons! Seeking throats to slit, bloods to guzzle! Yet grasses are in the bush without cows eating them.

Houses destroyed and burnt.

Farm lands destroyed, grazed on and burnt. Women, girls raped, children and men slaughtered, thousands homeless. Maimed citizens in shock! Lifeless bodies everywhere!

IDP camps an eyesore. Billions lost to wanton destruction. Any hope? Is it hopeless now President Muhammadu Buhari has returned? Or what do you think? The killings were not only atrocious and grisly but inexcusable as these are innocent citizens.

Accuse Buhari of: “I-don’t-care attitude, nepotism, sectional, narrow, parochial, and tribalistic’’, he is unfazed. Jihadism is on! It’s a matter of your land for my cows to graze on, or your blood.

Middle Belt has been conquered.

The ‘conquest’ is now South-East and South- South bound. Islam or nothing! Hundreds of quasi skilled and non-skilled youths have arrived already in these zones atop trailers and dumped to scavenge for life while settling for the future jihadism being awaited. Look around and see them almost everywhere!

Before it was their crops and seedlings that were destroyed by cattle but today their cash crops plantation now serve as feed for the cattle of the herdsmen without their consent.

What do we make out of this? This is March 2019 and a new planting season is nigh. The savagery by herdsmen is still on, why?

Human life is indeed worthless to the security agencies that should be protecting their lives judging by the mindless, wicked, ruthless, brutal, unlawful and indefensible massacre of over 480 unarmed and defenseless Igbo citizens and injuring of over 500 others during the military massacre codenamed Python dance operations against IPOB members in Eastern Nigeria between 30th August 2015 and 14th September 2017, according to Intersociety led by Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi.

Even, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the umbrella body of Christians through the General Secretary, Musa Asake said Nigeria’s security has become dysfunctional but Buhari was not moved. CAN categorically told Buhari that insecurity is threatening the existence of Christians and other innocent citizens in Nigeria, but that was a bark! Is there a vow to wipe off Christian states?

Is this not an insult to the Christian community from Buhari who is supposed to protect their lives and property? What a shame!

The horrendous, mindless and inhuman killings since 2013 by herdsmen and Boko Haram to destabilize former President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency till date before it assumed a dangerous trend attest to this. Does it mean Islamists of Northern Nigeria have “legalized jihad” in Nigeria? Are we in a mess really?

Can it be true to say that President Buhari is not running Nigeria according to the dictates of the Democratic values in the Constitution and has no respect for Human Rights, Rule of Law and Democracy? Buhari was sworn into office to uphold and defend the Constitution but has he not flagrantly violated the Constitution and adopted Sharia ideology as operational standard?

In

CORNUCOPIA

By Odogwu Emeka Odogwu Telephone number: 08060750240

E-mail : odogwuchampionawka@yahoo.co.uk Why would murderous Fulani herdsmen enjoy unprecedented protection and favouritism from the security chiefs who most times in recent time are from the North? Is it not curious that they enjoy government protection from counter attack, arrest or prosecution? Why? The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN a business interest group with Buhari as their Patron sees the killings by herdsmen, its members as a revenge mission and nothing else, justifying mass killing of hapless commuters for missing or stolen cows by Cattle rustlers even if the incident happened 20 years ago.

What a shame!

Amnesty International, AI has blamed Federal Government for the killing of 3,641 persons during the clashes between herdsmen and farmers from 2016 to 2018. AI said the Federal Government beyond issuing statements to condemn the attacks, did not do enough to “bring those reasonably suspected of involvement in crimes to justice”. Federal Government failed in “fulfilling its constitutional responsibility of protection of lives and property by refusing to investigate arrest and prosecute perpetrators of attacks”. What a shame for a country like Nigeria!

Now, the blood is flowing SouthEast and soon may be a conflagration that will consume South East.

Let’s take Anambra state as a case study, Ideke Secondary School Iyiowa Odekpe, Ogbaru council area was invaded by cows and herdsmen. The school called on the state government to wade into the incessant encroachment of herdsmen and their cattle into the school compound.

What do you make out of it?

Cattle and herdsmen were seen in the school compound during the school hours by journalists not hearsay and the Acting Principal of the

school, Mrs. Ann Nwosu and a teacher, Mrs. Nkoli Anikpe gave a gory tale of their ordeals in the hands of the herdsmen, confirming it has been a regular occurrence.

They narrated how the children were harassed by the herdsmen and their cattle whenever they were on break. And the worst, herdsmen have threatened them on several occasions when they tried to stop them from encroaching into their compound. What is Governor Willie Obiano waiting for? Obiano is a peace lover, right? Inaction now but when our children are slaughtered, the airwaves would be set ablaze with incessant but unnecessary media buzz.

But, the Anambra State Government has warned against wanton destruction of farmlands resulting from influx of cattle herders into the state.

As well, warned against reported incessant attacks and killing of cattle belonging to local herders in one or two communities by hoodlums with its attendant security implications.

Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C-Don Adinuba confirmed reports by both farmers and cattle owners regarding destruction of farmlands and killing of cattle.

The state government introduced conflict resolution committee comprising of the security chiefs for compensation to farmers and herders but what has it achieved? Herdsmen invaded Amanuke community and some other communities in Awka North destroying their rice and other crops, raping their women but till date no compensation. What proper evaluation and adequate compensation would the people of Amanuke claim they have got since the committee was set up? Nothing! This could apply to other communities.

Does it mean Obiano’s government is interested in being in the

•Fulani Herdsmen with their cows on tarred road

good books of the Presidency and that’s all, hence all the emphasis is on desist from any form of attack and killing of cows?

Obiano’s safest and most peaceful state may be in crisis soon if this is not resolved as the farmers don’t want the herders and their livestock again. This is where the trouble lies.

Obiano’s government is struggling to extricate itself from the understanding of the masses that it is sponsoring herdsmen against its own people as herders’ massacre farmers in Anambra West, food basket of the state and erecting mosque for them with one in Awka to please the Presidency. C-Don Adinuba was at his best rejecting the claims as he said it was patently false, as the state government is not in the business of building places of worship, but what of the killings?

Umumbo community farmers in Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra state are already in bondage in the hands of the herdsmen. They have cried out to Governor Willie Obiano to rescue them from what they termed bondage of herdsmen in the area. They have been holding their youths from going on rampage against the herdsmen for over a period of time, while the herdsmen themselves are still busy unleashing terror on their people by raping their women and robbing law abiding citizens.

President-General of Umumbo Town Union, Chief Tony Nnaamah spoke at the commissioning ceremony of JOSAN Giant Rice Mills, a subsidiary of Joseph Agro Industries Limited located at Umumbo. Why has Obiano’s magic committee failed this people, his people as an Aguleri man? Farmers watch helplessly as the herdsmen’s cattle eat up their growing farm produce in many acres of farmlands without considering the

plight of the farmers. Shame!

Herdsmen waylaid women, disposes their valuables, waylaid commercial motorcyclists, take away their bikes, rob them even machete or shoot them. Mmiata-Anam in Anambra West council Area of Anambra State led by Igwe Sylvester U Nnose has same story. A community leader, Chief Matthias Ameke confirmed one Alex Nwokoye was butchered to death while waiting for a vehicle to convey him and his fishing gear. He left behind 9 children. Had herdsmen paid any dime for destroying farmers’ crops and grains? President General of Innoma community, Anambra West , Mr Patrick Ugboja and a councilor from Ezi-Anam ward , Hon Sunday Onyeaka said nothing has been paid by herdsmen in the last 5 years Obiano became Governor. Can this be true?

Igwe Nnose decried a situation innocent farmers would be arrested each time there is a faceoff between the farmers and herdsmen. He said some are still in custody months after despite all attempts to get them bail and that the traditional rulers from Anambra North Senatorial zone comprising of 7 council areas wrote Obiano asking him to order herdsmen to withdraw from their zone. Is this possible? If no! What next? I pray Obiano to urgently wield into this before more lives would be lost.

What did Governor Obiano do after listening to this mindless tales from a hopeless and hapless people? He appealed to them to exercise patience as the herdsmen are gradually leaving the East in batches and would soon be gone. Is this logical? Shame!

Obiano reminded them about the committee on compensation but I ask, what kind of compensation would you pay to a family who lost their breadwinner by mindless and blood ‘sucking’ herdsmen? Is cattle now equating for human life? Why can’t cattle graze grasses rather than crops, plantations and farm lands? Why can’t the compensation be mandatory as a way to reduce tension and maintain peace if that is Obiano’s way? Obiano spoke during the launching of the Emeka Anyoaku Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Five years after, who has been compensated? What were their claims of destruction and what was paid? Politics and propaganda should not be used against the people who strive daily to survive without government support. But, is this committee on compensation true or propaganda?

People are still being killed in Anambra state by herdsmen. What next?

Obiano even confirmed herdsmen planned to attack Umungbo after 15 years of killing its 35 cows and two men but the committee intervened and paid N50,000 for each cow and N500,000 for each of the two killed but he was silent on how much paid to the farmers for their crops destroyed. Who else has been paid? Which other community has benefited? People in Okoti-Odekpe community in Ogbaru council area of the state are weeping. 15 communities in Orumba South council area raised an alarm that herdsmen were raping their wives and children. What has changed? Yet, Obiano claims he wakes up all night so that all Ndi Anambra will sleep with their two eyes closed. Your Excellency! Please do something!

Odogwu Emeka Odogwu is a known Journalist, Editor and famous Blogger, as well as Social Media Entrepreneur, publisher and Conversationalist @ www.odogwublog.com among others.

Phone Number: 08060750240 E-mail : odogwuchampionawka@ yahoo.co.uk and odogwuemekaodogwu@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY March 20, 2019

The

www.oraclenews.ng

48

racle Today

VOX POPULI SACRUM

ISSN: 2545-5869

The Disaster Called Buharinomics

N

othing unites citizens like a prosperous commonwealth. A country without prosperity is a country at war with itself.

History is a guide: The Greek Empire was progressively united when the commonwealth was prosperous for all.

When the Roman Empire became more prosperous for all citizens, it replaced the Greek; imperial Greece was no longer prosperous for all its citizens.

Nigeria is at a crossroads because rather than being prosperous for all its citizens, it exists more for the tiny privileged political and business classes.

President Muhammadu Buhari has paid more attention to reducing prosperity at all levels, to the extent that the once-booming middle class has finally disappeared. As a result of Buhari’s economic socialisation, the country is today dangerously divided into two extreme classes — the tiny super-rich class and the sprawling super-poor.

But how did we get this backward?

How was our smoothly running economic journey not only halted but taken to such an economically egalitarian society where everyone is being made economically poor? Imagine Nigeria experimenting with such a socialist economic ideology as the one Deng Xiaoping had to dismantle in China starting from 1978, and Mikhail Gorbachev had to discard in an effort to end the crushing classless socialist economic experimentation in the Soviet Union.

Today, Nigeria has as many as 91 million out of its 200 million citizens stuck in excruciating poverty to the extent that the country has become the world’s poverty capital. All but about 1% of the country’s citizens fight for their survival every day, a situation that has thrown the country into difficult-todeal-with ethnic and religious rivalries.

The nation is in such an economic danger that if nothing is done — that is, if Buharinomics is not stopped – it will be so socially and economically threatened and devastated that millions of Nigerians might be forced to head for other African countries in search of economic and social survival.

The question remains: how did we get to this tipping point? How did we get to spending as high as 66% of our revenue on just debt service? How has the country’s debt profile skyrocketed from N12.06 trillion accumulated over 16 years (from Obasanjo 1999 to Jonathan 2015) to N24 trillion in only four years of Buhari? Why is it that it now costs Nigerians double the amount they used to spend four years ago in order to put food on the table? How come Nigeria’s social security has become worse than what is obtainable even in warring nations?

GUEST COLUMNIST

Odilim

ENWEGBARA

•Buhari

By growing big government, recurrent expenditure, and consumption spending without any efforts to ensure a corresponding productive government, Buharinomics has undermined government revenues.

Consequently, fiscal deficits have grown in a way that skyrocketed domestic debts with expensive high cost of debt service. With this, the country is today approaching a national debt crisis. Just imagine that Nigeria’s debt service which stood at N943 billion in 2015 is today N2.04 trillion without corresponding capital expenditure, particularly in infrastructure that is critical to reducing the cost of doing business and improving the country’s competitiveness. Not even the social welfare of the millions of Nigerians increasingly being pushed down the poverty line is being taken

care of.

So, what is Buharinomics all about?

If it is an ideology, how can we really explain this kind of ideology? The worst debt service to revenue ratio in Nigeria’s history? With recurrent from N2.59 trillion in 2015 jumping unbelievably to N4.04 trillion in 2019, one is forced to wonder what kind of economic ideology is this that has almost doubled the country’s debt service to revenue ratio from about 45% in 2015 to 70% today!

What we are contending with is not perceptible economic growth benefits but high debt service to revenue as a result of high government spending, that is, over 80% consumption.

In the meantime, inflation is increasingly difficult to combat without liquidity tightening, which by reducing money in circulation goes further to

reduce the overall purchasing power of the already impoverished Nigerians.

Mopping liquidity along with spending over $15 billion annually to artificially strengthen the naira is unbelievably subsidising forex for importers while putting local producers out of business as well as more job export and poverty import.

We have to stop Buhari from continuing with this senseless dismemberment of the country’s economy. And there is no other way to stop him than by voting him out on February 23; unless we do so, the country would, by December 2020, become bankrupt. At that point, the country would be forced to borrow to add to its revenue if it wanted to continue to meet its debt service obligations.

Perhaps it will be difficult to stop Buhari, given that those benefiting from this shambolic arrangement are doing everything humanly possible to ensure that he is re-elected to continue with this destruction of our commonwealth.

No, we must take our economy out of Buhari’s incompetent hands! Getting to the point of bankruptcy will mean lenders stopping to lend to us, even if we increased the policy rate to as high as 30%. Getting to that point automatically makes lenders resort to demanding that we hand them our strategic oil reserves and other important national assets.

And should government refuse, then, they could go ahead to confiscate our offshore assets including oil cargoes leaving the shores of our country.

We all know that if this happens, it is all over for Nigeria. At this point, all our crude oil buyers will avoid our oil, while the cost of insuring oil cargoes will skyrocket. Also at this point, the country’s foreign reserves would become zero, since creditors could be given the right to take over such foreign exchange accounts.

There is need to set in motion a set of pro-growth, pro-investment and projob policies – policies geared toward stopping the looming bankruptcy by discontinuing the country’s expensive domestic borrowings. Prioritisation of cheap and concessionary external loans will bring to an end the present crowding out of the real sector from the debt markets and government social spending. And to prevent the looming bankruptcy, besides replacing domestic loans with external loans along with buy-back of government’s debts using quantitative easing, there is need to use some of the cheap external loans for the repayment of the country’s expensiveto-service domestic loans.

•Enwegbara, a development economist, writes from Abuja; he can be reached at basil_enwegbara@ yahoo.com or 07038501486

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