Wednesday January 30, 2019 Edition

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VOX POPULI SACRUM

racle

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 30, 2019

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Today

ISSN: 2545-5869 VOL.4 No.3 N200

Why the ‘cabal’ wants Chief Justice out

• Accuses CJN of punitive posting of staff to ASCON •P2 • Onnoghen summoned to Aso Rock to explain action

Paul University on death row •University collapsing, laments Archbishop Chukwuma •SE/SS only co-owned university grossly underfunded • Awka Diocese wants sole ownership •10 lecturers resign ‘out of frustration’ •Eight-month salary arrears weigh authorities down •No pension, gratuities for staff •Staff alleges intimidation and harassment •P2

Coca Cola: Enugu plant, others shut over tech advancement •Onitsha plant too; others to be shut •Host

community can reclaim land if…– lawyer •P44 Page 22

POLITICS

INEC tasks lecturers on credible, elections

•P15

BUSINESS

Nuclear security panic dims Nigeria’s 4000 MW hope

•P17

ENTERTAINMENT

My boobs secret to my success –Allwell Ademola

•P38

SPORTS

Wuhua invitational: Nigeria humiliate Romania

•P45

Internet users hit 111.6m in December – NCC

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2018

NEWS

Anglicans’ Paul University on death row From CHUKS EZE, Enugu and PAMELA EBOH, Awka,

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nless something urgent is done to save the situation, Paul University, Awka, owned by 55 dioceses of the Anglican Communion East of the Niger, may hit the canvass.

The Oracle Today gathered that Paul University, second of the only two universities owned by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion)--the other is Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State-- is wracked by one major problem—underfunding.

This, it was further gathered, stemmed largely from the seemingly ill-defined, or poor management of the, ownership structure.

It was gathered that unless this structure was streamlined and funding processes clearly defined by reason of that structure, the university jointly owned by the South East and South South may collapse in the nearest future.

According to Engr. (Sir) Chris Okoye, new Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of the university, the problem with Paul University is that the fundamentals are not right.

“The university is supposed to be owned by 55 Anglican dioceses East of the Niger – that is all dioceses in the former Eastern Nigeria. The university is the only platform, as at today, that is owned by the former Eastern Nigeria. I am talking about the Igbo South East, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom--these are the owners of Paul University,” he said in his inaugural address as Chairman of Council recently. “Now, the foundational structure was not put in place in a manner to allow that ownership structure (make it clear) that they (South East and South South less Edo and Delta States) own the university.”

So, although there was some understanding that the university belongs to the aforementioned

groups, Okoye lamented that the the posturing of Awka Diocese showed that, in reality, “there was a problem over the ownership of the university” as the body language of Awka Diocese, where the university is situated “is that they should be left alone to take over the university.”

Engr. Okoye explained that the contradictions in the ownership structure, which, therefore undermined effective management of the institution, made the other dioceses that co-own Paul University wonder if they should still be contributing to the funding and resources for the growth of the university.

Expectedly, those contradic-

tions that arose from the ownership of the university, which resulted in underfunding or no funding at all, led to a number of management fault steps that have practically put the university on a death row.

Neither the Anglican Bishop of Awka, Bishop Ibezim, the host Bishop of the university nor Arch Bishop Anikwenwa, the founding owner-Bishop could not be reached for their comments on the issue, but the new Proprietor of Paul University, Archbishop of Enugu Province, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma lamented that, indeed, “Paul University is collapsing.”

According to him, the university

“is collapsing because of lack of funds”; he therefore appealed for assistance from public-spirited individuals and dioceses that supervise the university.

Archbishop Chukwuma who spoke at the 10th anniversary of Amichi Anglican Diocese and 10th episcopacy of Bishop Ephraim Ikeakor, said: “Paul University is collapsing. There is no money to run the university. We need assistance in Paul University, the only Anglican Church University. Former Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State just supported Paul University. He just gave us a cheque for Paul University. We shall wake up to make the university survive, I promise you.’’

•President Muhammadu Buhari being presented with a gift by the Alake of Egbaland and former PSO to Chief of Staff, HRH Oba Adedotun Gbadebo on behalf of former staff during a reunion of staff members of 1984-85 military administration in State House, Abuja.

Why the ‘cabal’ wants Chief Justice out

By PAMELA EBOH

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he much-vaunted ‘cabal’ in Aso Rock is bent on removing Justice Walter Nkanu Onnogehen, Chief Justice of the Federation because he is perceived to be standing in the way of what a judiciary insider decried as “unconscionable northernisation” of the bureaucracy of the highest court in the land.

Most of the directors and senior public servants in Supreme Court and National Judicial Commission (NJC) are persons of Northern origin.

Justice Onnogehen, when his turn came via seniority was left on acting capacity for an unduly long time because he did not offer any assurances to maintain the status quo.

Onnogehen was recommended as Chief Justice of the Federation by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo when Buhari was out of the country for medial treatment overseas.

Justice Onnogehen’s sins against the ‘cabal’ stemmed from his efforts to widen the leadership of the bureaucracy of the Su-

preme Court.

Sources at the Presidency said Justice Onnogehen incurred the wrath of the ‘cabal’ when he tried to reshuffle the top echelons of the court’s bureaucracy.

His attempts were resisted by the ‘cabal’ in clear breach of the constitutional provisions of separation of powers -- the three arms of government are separate but equal.

In frustration, Onnogehen sent the sacred cows on six-month compulsory training at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo Badagry, Lagos State. Affected officers are: 1.Shehu U. Muhammadu (Director of Administration) 2. Muhammadu Sani Ibrahim ( Director of Training Services) 3. Ibrahim Hassan (Director of Finance) 4. Muhammad A. Sharif (Director of Budget) 5. Mrs. Adama I. Belgore (Director of Special Duties).

6. Sulieman Muhammad (Head of Audit) 7. Hajiya Gunmai Wali (Deputy Director, Procurement) 8. Mr. R. Isa (Deputy Director, Stores)

Two others, Alhaja Nawjim Myhast (Director of Library) and Mr. Ibrahim Gold (Director of Legal Process and Archives) may soon face disciplinary panels for undisclosed offences.

These officers and others in Appeal and Federal Courts had been long serving in breach of the Federal Character law of the country.

The cabal consider Onnogehen and Justice Mary Odili PDP as Justices who may be unsympathetic to election cases involving the APC ruling party.

They want to influence the appointment of sympathetic judges.

Sources at the Presidency said that Onnogehen was invited to Aso Rock in December and requested to revert the posting and acting appointments but he refused.

Undue haste to remove Onnogehen led to the comedy of errors that has beset his trial.

First, the Presidency did not refer the matter to the National Judicial Commission (NJC) as required by law.

Second, the matter was not properly handled at the Code of

conduct bureau.

Section D of the enabling law of the Code of Conduct Bureau clearly states sub-section (d) the Bureau is to receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of this Act and where the Bureau considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by section 20 of this Act in accordance with the provisions of sections 20 to 25 of this Act: Provided that where the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non-compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary.

Onnogehen, when the matter was brought to his attention, responded in writing that he forgot to update his asset declaration form.

This was enough to end the matter as he had complied to the provisions of the CCB enabling Act as no further actions were required under the law.

Senior lawyers said efforts to arraign the judge in defiance of the provisions of the law were a witch-hunt and a ploy to harass him out of office.

On a visit to the university, The Oracle Today could observe that there was palpable tension on campus over non-payment of salaries as over 100 staffers of the institution were being owed some eight-month salary arrears.

Workers were paid July salary December last year only after they threatened to down tools and not return to work on January 7 this year when academic activities resumed after the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Besides, some members of staff of the university, who spoke to our correspondents on condition of anonymity, lamented that they had not been promoted since Paul University started in 2009 as the second of the only two universities in the country owned by the Anglicans.

They alleged that some members of staff had been promoted only once in eight years instead of every three years.

They also alleged that the university had no conditions of service, claiming that what obtains as the conditions of service were only known to the school authorities, which tactically did not want to circulate same.

They added that non-academic members of staff were the hardest hit by the non-promotion challenge facing the university.

They lamented that there were no pension and gratuity schemes for the over 100 employees of the institution, contrary to the provisions of the law regulating employment in the nation’s civil service.

They alleged that no fewer than 10 lecturers had resigned their appointment over non-payment of salaries, adding, however, that even with salary arrears, they were not on strike while other higher institutions with higher pay packages were on strike.

They appealed to the management to relax the 100 percent residential policy for students by making it optional for students to decide where they wanted to stay as well as review the school fees from N300,000 to N200,000 to attract more students into the school.

The workers claimed that they survived by borrowing and trekking long distances daily to the office, noting that it was not motivating for a graduate to be paid N50,000 a month for eight years without salary increase whereas a professor on contract who had retired from another place took a higher pay up to N300,000 “without adding much value”.

They warned that if the hardship persisted, the over 300 students in the institution would have their academic progress distorted and lamented that the closure of St Paul’s University Nibo/Nise affiliate of UNN brought hardship to Paul University, Awka.

Describing the closure as “abrupt as the university had Thousands of students before its sudden closure,” they pointed out that “Paul University would have done better if St Paul’s University affiliate of UNN was allowed to blossom alongside Paul University.”

They insisted that for the university to survive, regular payment of salaries, periodic promotion and complete leave period of 30 days

Cont’d on page 44

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION Don’t evict Nigerian refugees, UN tells Cameroon

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HE United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed grave concerns over plans by Cameroon to evict thousands of Nigerian refugees to Borno.

UNHCR said it deplored the reported move that Cameroon was forcing several thousand Nigerians to return to Borno, adding, it has put the lives of the refugees “at risk”.

Cameroon is currently home to more than 370,000 refugees, including some 100,000 from Nigeria, according to UNHCR. “We are gravely concerned for the safety and well-being of all these people”, said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.

The UN refugee agency said on January 16, 267 Nigerian refugees, who had crossed into Cameroon in 2014, were forcibly returned.

It regretted that at dusk on January 14, militants attacked and ransacked the border town of Rann, about 10 kilometers from the Cameroon border.

UNHCR said that at least 14 people were reportedly killed and an estimated 9,000 fled to Cameroon.

Grandi said: “This action was totally unexpected and puts lives of thousands of refugees at risk.

“I am appealing to Cameroon to continue its open door and hospitable policy and practices and halt immediately any more returns and to ensure full compliance with its refugee protection obligations under its own national legislation, as well as international law”.

North-eastern Nigeria has been particularly hard-hit by the insurgency being waged in the region since 2009, the UN said.

Meanwhile, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, has said the deadly attack interrupted aid delivery to some 76,000 internally displaced people in Rann.

Kallon said the attackers looted or destroyed a medical clinic, humanitarian supply warehouses and aid workers’ accommodations, and •Lagos State Head of Service Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; PS, Parastatals Monitoring Office Mr. Abdul-Ahmed burned down the nearby market Mustapha the General Manager, Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA ), Mrs. Kemi Olugbode and the management team of LASCOPA during a courtesy visit to the HoS. and camp shelters.

Acting IG orders SARS decentralization, reorganisation Lagos lifts embargo on construction

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HE acting Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the immediate decentralisation of operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit.

Before now, operations of SARS were centralized at the Force Headquarters, just as SARS operations were recently reorganised following alleged unethical conduct by personnel of the unit.

Adamu gave the order at a meeting with officers in the rank of Commissioners of Police and above on Monday in Abuja.

He said that with the new arrangement, commissioners of police in the 36 states and the FCT would assume full command and control on all SARS in their commands.

The police boss said henceforth the SARS unit in the force headquarters, would be under the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID).

He said that the DIG FCIID and CPs would be held laibe for any professional misconduct resulting from the operations of the units in their commands.

Adamu also directed them to evaluate the units in their commands and submit a report to his

office within two weeks.

The police boss also announced the disbandment of the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) and Special Tactical Squad (STS) and other quasi-investigation and operation units of the force.

He said that the DIG FCIID would take over and review all cases being currently handled by the units.

Adamu said that a comprehensive reorganisation of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counterterrorism unit and Special Protection Unit (SPU) would be undertaken.

“This re-positioning process will eventually cascade down to the zonal and state command levels,” he said.

The IG said that the essence of

Steer clear of public schools, FCTA warns political parties

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EDERAL Capital Territory Education Secretariat has warned political parties in the territory to desist from attempting to use public schools, pupils and students in their campaigns.

Assistant Director (Information) of the secretariat, Mr Anthony Ogunleye, gave the warning in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the attention of the secretariat had been drawn to various attempts by political parties to access public schools in the FCT

Media critical to global aviation growth – NCAA

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IRECTOR-GENERAL, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Muhtar Usman, says the media is critical to the growth of aviation globally and must continue to sustain its watchdog role.

Usman said this on Monday at the opening of “2019 Training of League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC)’’ at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State.

Usman, represented by the Deputy General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Mr Joe Jimoh said the agency considered the exercise as a key component of aviation development in

the reorganisation was to restore order and stop the current slide in policing standards.

Adamu also said it would discourage the proliferation of multiplicity of outfits competing for operational space in unprofessional manner.

He said that the capacity of personnel of the force would be enhanced towards situating its operations within the practice of intelligence-led policing.

He said that at the end of the reform, a protocol that would document its outcome would be developed.

The police boss charged the officers to remain dedicated to their duties by exhibiting the highest level of leadership and character.

Nigeria.

“Training is vital to our operations as a regulatory authority. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requires all civil aviation authorities in the world to have requisite professionals in sufficient number.

“Therefore, our members of staff are exposed to relevant trainings all over the world. This is to ensure the authority provides a robust regulation for the aviation industry.

“It is against this background that the NCAA has continually endeavoured to extend similar trainings to the media over the years.”

for purposes of political campaigns and other political activities.

“We wish to state very clearly that the Education Secretariat will not tolerate the infiltration of its school system for political purposes in any guise or form.

“We have a statutory responsibility to ensure the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of the students and pupils under our care.

“These cannot be guaranteed should there be unfettered access to our schools by political parties, individual politicians, their agents or representatives.

“We, therefore, caution all those planning to use our students or school premises for partisan political activities, to in their own interest, stay away,’’ he said.

Ogunleye said that principals and head teachers had been advised not to grant any access, whatsoever to any individual or organisation, intending to use schools or access the students for partisan political activities.

He warned that any principal or head teacher, who flauts the directive would be sanctioned in accordance with the extant civil service rules and regulations.

of petrol stations, gas plants

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AGOS State Government on Monday said that it had lifted the embargo on the grant of planning permit for the construction of petrol stations with immediate effect.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Rotimi Ogunleye, disclosed this at a news conference in Alausa, Ikeja, Monday.

He said that the government had also approved the implementation of a reviewed guideline detailing the requirements to be met by operators seeking planning permits for petrol filling stations and gas plants in the state.

It would be recalled that on April 26, 2017, the ministry announced the ban on granting of permits for the construction of petroleum filling stations.

Ogunleye said that the state government came up with the ban to ensure safe and orderly siting, operation and management of petrol filling stations and gas plants, for the overall safety of residents.

The state government also placed embargo on the approval of gas plants due to the recurring fire outbreaks as a result of noncompliance with standard safety measures.

Ogunleye said the embargo was to check the proliferation of petrol filling stations and gas plants,

and its consequences on safety of lives and property.

According to him, the government was also concerned about improving the aesthetic value and the efficiency of operation in the planning, building control and urban regeneration of the state.

The commissioner said that with the reviewed guidelines, investors intending to embark on developments of this nature and existing operators were directed to strictly comply with the provisions of the reviewed templates.

“Investors are enjoyed to apply for planning information from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development before embarking on any development.

“This will allow them have firsthand information about the kind of development that can be done in a specific area of the state.

“Planning information is a free service rendered by the Ministry to the public, providing information on land use zoning, permissible use, plot size, building coverage and height, deviation setback, air spaces and parking requirements.

“I hereby appeal to all relevant stakeholders and general public to ensure the successful implementation of the new guidelines, as erring developers would be penalised according to relevant laws,” Ogunleye said.

FG reappoints Bogoro as TETFund Executive Secretary

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EDERAL Government has approved the reappointment of Prof. Suleiman Bogoro, as the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

Bogoro was Executive Secretary between April 2014 and February 2016, but Prof. Bichi Baffa was appointed to replace him.

Deputy Director, Information,

Ministry of Education, Mr Ben Goong, in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, said the appointment of Bogoro is with immediate effect.

He said the reinstatement was also with the same terms and conditions as it were in his previous appointment and as stipulated in the TETFUND staff conditions of service.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

2019: We’re not under any pressure to do wrong – INEC chairman

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HAIRMAN, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, said that the commission was not under pressure to do what was wrong.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had on Sunday, expressed doubt about INEC’s integrity to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

Yakubu made the clarification at a meeting with the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and other senior police officers on Monday in Abuja.

“This is to be expected in an election year when people make all sorts of insinuations. I want to tell you that we as a commission have never been under any pressure to do what is wrong.

“We will never compromise our integrity to do what the law says that we shouldn’t and for the 2019

general elections, I want to assure and reassure Nigerians that votes and nothing but votes will count.

“With this level of cooperation from the security agencies, I want to assure you that Nigerians will have a pleasant voting experience in 2019,” he said.

He said that the nation was looking forward to INEC and the Nigeria Police Force to conduct credible elections.

Yakubu said that the media would be provided unimpeded access to the commission during the elections.

He called for a close working relationship between the commission and the police at all levels.

“The more we collaborate with the police, the easier the prosecution of election offenders. We are going to consult the security agencies for the deployment of personnel for the elections. We must work in partnership to give

Nigerians a pleasant election in the upcoming elections, our responsibility is to serve the Nigerian people,” he said.

He urged the police personnel to be on ground early enough to escort officials of the commission to polling units.

Earlier, the Acting IGP said that the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Criminal

Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID), has been directed to set up a special lectionaries investigation teams.

He said that the teams would take into custody and undertake detailed investigation of all arrested electoral offenders across the country.

Adamu said the teams shall liase with INEC towards the prompt

processing of the case files of the offenders for prosecution.

He said that the police would respect and protect the rights of all citizens of the country regardless of their socio-economic status.

The Presidential and National Assembly elections come up on February. 16, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly will hold on March 2.

APC kicks as Benue Assembly suspends 6 council chairmen

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ENUE House of Assembly has suspended six Local Government Area Chairmen for three months, over alleged misappropriation of public funds and gross misconduct.

The house suspended the chairmen on Monday during plenary in Makurdi.

The suspended chairmen were that of Oju LGA, Mr Augustine Okwoche, Makurdi LGA, Mrs Justina Akange Audu, Kwande LGA, Mr Terdoo Kenti and his vice, Mr Aondowaser Andrew.

Others were the chairmen of Agatu LGA, Mrs Comfort Echoda and her vice, Mr Joseph Ngbede, Okpokwu LGA, Mr Francis Oguche and Gboko LGA, Mrs Becky Orpin.

The house had received a correspondence from the State Governor, Samuel Ortom, accusing the suspended chairmen of misappropriating local government funds, gross misconduct and abuse of office.

Ortom, in his correspondence, urged the house to approve the suspension of the accused chairmen.

In its decision, the house unanimously agreed that the chairmen be suspended for three months while they investigate the allegations against them, saying that their offences were contrary to the Local Government Area Law.

All the local government chairmen suspended are members of the All Progressives Congress Publicity Secretary, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Mr James Ornguga, has, however, described the suspension of its six local government chairmen in the state as being politically motivated.

Ornguga said, Monday, in Makurdi that the allegations of financial impropriety against them were smokescreen. ”If you say, their suspension is due to financial impropriety, how about that of Buruku local government council chairman, who is related to the governor. There are more damaging allegations against her but the governor has chosen to sweep them under cover.

“The chairman of Apa local government had the same issues against him, but as soon as he decamped from the APC to the PDP, all allegations were dropped.

“The governor is just being vindictive and punitive just because the chairmen refused to decamp to the PDP with him; the man is just revealing his true colors, but not to worry, he has but a short time to leave office,” he said.

Also commenting on the suspension of all 8 APC lawmakers by the Benue Assembly, Ornguga said the matter was already in court.

Fidelity Bank assures digital innovations as 13 GAIM winners get N16m

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IDELITY Bank Plc said it has raised stake in its digital innovations, a move aimed at entrenching convenience, affordability, reliability and lifestyle in customer service, as well as supporting the goals of financial inclusion.

Listing some of its trending forays into the technology world, at the for the third draw of the “Get Alert In Millions” savings promo, in Lagos, the bank noted that its Quick Response (QR) scan would only take few minutes to launch one into full banking relationship, as well as its USSD Code for seamless transactions.

Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo, said the bank’s eighth promo in 11 years, is not all about making money, but to contribute to important national issues of financial inclusion and share part of the profits with customers for their loyalty. Represented the Executive Director, Shared Services and Prod-

ucts, Chijioke Ugochukwu, he maintained that the bank would always deliver on its promises and would sustain digital innovations that would enhance customer relationship.

Meanwhile, the lender has rewarded 13 of its customers with N16 million in a draw that also saw 18 others cart away fridges, television and power generating sets as consolation prizes.

The winners, randomly selected through a digital device for transparency purposes, cut across the bank’s six zones of operations- Lagos, UpNorth, Abuja, South-West, SouthSouth and South-East.

Specifically, in Lagos, Mr. Steven Omomoyesan from Ibeju Lekki branch and Oluwa Kareem Amodi of Burma Road branch, Apapa, emerged winners of N1million each.For the UpNorth, Evangeline Ifeoma Muoghalu of Bello Road Branch, Kano State, got N1million, while Umaru Gagi Umaru from Sokoto Branch in Sokoto State, won N2million.

•Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (r), accompanied by the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki (second right)in Edo State on a number of events including Family Chats, Youth meeting & interaction with a group of religious leaders among others.

Lagos, IFC sign MoU to enhance infrastructure, IGR

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AGOS State Government and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have sealed a major partnership to enhance provision of infrastructure in key sectors and strengthen the State’s long-term financial sustainability through improved revenue generation strategies.

The State’s Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, in a statement on Wednesday, said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the partnership dated January 7, 2019 had already been signed, and expressed optimism that the development would go a long way in helping to scale up municipal infrastructure, increase revenues and generally make life more comfortable to residents of the State.

In furtherance of the agreement, Ashade said IFC, which is a member of the World Bank Group, would seek to provide advisory services to enhance infrastructure development in key areas including power, education, health, environment and transport, with special focus on provision of electric buses, among others.

Giving details, the Commissioner

said: “IFC’s advisory services will be designed to improve procurement for key transport projects and support project development in areas including power, transport, municipal waste, health, education and energy efficiency.

“IFC will also be able to advise on strategies and policies for electric buses and ride-hailing services and assist Lagos State on its revenue mobilization strategies.

“We welcome IFC’s support and are confident that signing this memorandum will translate into viable infrastructure projects, expertise building and better access to financing for the benefit of all Lagosians.”

Also speaking, IFC’s Country Manager for Nigeria, Eme Essien expressed excitement with the partnership, saying it was in line with the organization’s program tagged ‘IFC’s Cities Initiative’ aimed at mobilizing commercial financing for priority urban projects, connect cities with capital markets, and to help improve municipalities’ creditworthiness through financial management training.

Revealing that a total of $13.5 Billion had been invested over the last 15 years across more than 70 coun-

tries through the initiative, Essien said the program essentially supports efforts to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities that open new markets, and create opportunities for all.

“Today’s announcement is only a first step in the building of a long term strategic partnership with the largest municipality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our objective is to support Lagos State’s efforts through IFC’s Cities Initiative to improve living conditions, expand and renew its infrastructure, and help reinforce Lagos’s position as an attractive investment destination — and by extension Nigeria’s position,” Essien said.

With a population of 24 million, Lagos State is Nigeria’s economic epicenter and main hub for commercial and industrial activities, accounting for more than 30 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Faced with a fast-growing population, the State has been working to improve its economic and social infrastructure to enhance economic development, while it aims to become Africa’s third largest economy, measured by GDP, by 2023.

The commissioner said the increasing rate of child marriage in West Africa was unacceptable with the sub region accounting for the highest in Africa and the second highest in the world.

“Indeed, six of the 15 ECOWAS countries; Niger: 76 per cent, Mali: 55 per cent, Burkina Faso: 52 per cent, Guinea: 51 per cent, Nigeria: 43 per cent, Sierra Leone 39 per cent, are among the twenty countries with the highest rates of child marriage in the world.

“Two ECOWAS countries, Nigeria and Niger, rank among the 20 countries with the largest absolute number of

child marriages in the world.”

“While ECOWAS Member States continue to implement measures to end child marriage, rates remain very high. This also is in spite of the work done at the level of the African Union and the launch of the Campaign in 2014; as well as the commitment of 11 West African Countries to end Early Child Marriage.”

She explained that the review would include the multidimensional issues affecting the rights of the child in West Africa with a focus on the Roadmap on Prevention and Response to Child Marriage.

ECOWAS, partners to eliminate child marriage in Nigeria, others

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CONOMIC Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is set to eliminate child marriage in the region through the validation and implementation of its reviewed Child Policy and Plan of Action.

The bloc’s commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender, Dr Siga Jagne, said this at an experts’ validation meeting on the ECOWAS Child Policy in Abuja, on Monday.

Jagne said the previous policy, which was based on international frameworks, was approved by the Heads of State in 2008 and covered the period of 2009 to 2013.

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS

Okowa bags ‘Governor Of The Year’ award

From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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elta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has emerged “Governor of The Year, 2018” for his diligent delivery of democratic dividends and working to make Nigeria’s democracy better.

Okowa while receiving the award christened “Independent Newspaper Award” at an impressive event held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos attributed his success stories to years of learning the act of governance and strong partnership with the people of Delta State in delivering democratic dividends.

It would be recalled that the governor was once Secretary to local government council, Chairman of local government council, Commissioner for Agriculture and at a time too, Commissioner for Health and water resources, Secretary to the Delta State Government, Senator before emerging as the Governor of Delta State.

According to the governor who thanked the organisers of the award ceremony, “recall that last year I was here to receive the ‘Man of The Year Award, 2017’ and I am honoured again today, these are possible because we are in perfect relationship with our people back home.”

“I thank God for His blessings, though, the terrain was tough but, I am able to succeed with our people because of the experience we have garnered in the act of governance over the years; in partnership with all Deltans that are now, more united than ever, as a government, we will continue to ensure good governance and better days ahead for us all,” Governor Okowa who attended the event with an array of personalities said.

He asserted, “I am comfortable saying that we are achieving results which has earned us several awards, including this Governor Of The Year Award because of partnership, positive partnership that brings confidence and satisfaction to our people no matter where they may be and as an individual, I will continue to appreciate Deltans for the genuine partnership with my administration. “ The Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson emerged Man Of The Year at the event which he dedicated to the people of Bayelsa State.

Governor Dickson congratulated Governor Okowa for receiving the Governor Of The Year Award, noting that the Delta State Governor and other award recipients at the ceremony, “have contributed greatly to the building of the nation.”

Some of the award recipients were the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike (Political Icon Of The Year, 2018), Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State (Governor Of The Year In Entrepreneurship, 2018), Enugu State Governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Grassroots Development Governor Of The Year, 2018), Aare Afe Babalola (Achiever Of The Year, 2018), Delta State Oil Producing Area Developmental Commission (DESOPADEC) (Outstanding State Agency Of The Year, 2018), Air Peace (Airline Of The Year, 2018), among numerous others.

Chairman of the occasion, Engr.

Mansur Ahmed observed that the occasion was to honour “men and women who have distinguished themselves; for Nigeria to be great, we have to recognise, honour our great men and women.”

CJN: ‘You are a disappointment’ -- PANDEF tells Sagay From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

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he Niger-Delta Forum (PANDEF) has lambasted the chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption (PACA), Professor Itse Sagay for supporting the planned trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Mr. Walter Samuel Onnoghen to appear before the Code Of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

In a statement signed by Dr. Alfred Mulade, Secretary General of the forum described the attitude of Prof.

Sagay as ridiculous adding that the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) never drew the attention of the Chief

Justice in any perceived anomaly, by the mere allegation of certain whistle Blower.

The body expressed disappointment over the attitude of prof. Sagay, who they described as a senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and well known campaigner against injustice and oppression, prior to his appointment, has suddenly found himself in president Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption committee.

“Professor Sagay need not teach anyone the functions of the Law, as provided for in CCB and CCT Act and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Law is very clear”, contended the forum.

While urging the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to call Prof. Sagay to order from further denigrating the judicial institution and constituting embarrassment to the noble legal profession, the Association noted with dismay that the legal icon has sold his conscience.

According to PANDEF, Prof. Sagay has become a turn coat for Justice, oppression and marginalization, to the extent that he has even forgotten the law, thereby justifying the on-going trial of the CJN at the code of conduct Tribunal by the federal government.

They contended that prominent and responsible senior lawyers with

some even sympathetic to the ruling APC have spoken eloquently in condemnation of the CJN trial at the CCT, but in prof. Sagay’s case, he must defend the government even if it is glaringly wrong, morally and legal, as it smacks of an attempts to subjugate and humiliate the head of the Judiciary.

“For Professor Sagay to berate the highly Judiciary institution and the upholders its sanctity in such a manner, amount to a denigration of the very essence of the judicial system and an advocacy for resort to judicial self-help. What an S.A.N,” Added the Forum.

Urhobo will vote massively for Okowa – Okumagba FROM EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

U • Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chief Patrick Ukah, represented by the Functioning Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Paul Osahor, today received members of the Christian Association of Nigeria Women’s Wing (WOWICAN), Oshimili South Local Government Area Chapter, led by the Co-Ordinator, Rev. Amb. Florence Nwosu, in Ministry of Information Conference Hall, Asaba

‘Presidential poll will be turbulent’ From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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bia State-born Prophet and Numerologist, Robinson Eze Korea, has predicted that next month’s presidential election may plunge Nigeria into violence, warning that the date of the election portends danger.

Korea who hails from Mbawsi Ancient Kingdom, in Isiala Ngwa North local government area, the homeland of Jaja Wachukwu, Nigeria’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs, noted that only concerted efforts by all stakeholders could steer Nigeria back from the precipice of violence that may erupt from the outcome of the February 16 Presidential polls.

He noted that violence erupted in the country in 2011 following the release of the results of the presidential polls, expressing fears that such a scenario may reoccur except Nigerians can prove that they have learnt from history.

The Seer, also known as Mystery Man, in an exclusive interview with The Oracle Today in Umuahia, explained that his predictions were based on what he called significance of numbers or numeric calculations in history and numerology.

“In history, there is what is called significance of numbers or numeric calculations. For example, on April 16, 2011, there was a Presidential election and something terrible happened in this country. Many people lost their lives. There were killings, burning of houses in many states.

“After that incident, Nigeria is warming up to conduct another presidential election on February 16, this year, the same significant of number of 16,” he noted.

“Now, what Nigeria has to do is to learn from the past, what happened eight years ago on April 16, so that the violence that rocked that election would not happen again in Nigeria, so that history will not repeat itself,” he said.

“For example,” he said further, “what happened that time shocked the whole nation and the world. It became the worst, violent election we ever had in Nigeria’s history. That was April 16. The 16 code is the end of all matters. When you trace the history of the country and the scriptures of the Holy Bible, you will discover that 16 is the end of all matters.

“For example, military rule ended in 16 years, from 1983 to 1999. From 1999 to 2015, was the 16th year of PDP rule at the centre. The party was founded on August 31, 1998. Now, let the country learn from the past that 16 is the end of all matters.”

Furthermore, he said: “I am advising Nigerians to give a deep thought to what happened on April 16, 2011; they should learn from the past so that history will not repeat itself. Let them pray that God Almighty will send His power to subdue all manipulations by forces that are coming against this election, so that what happened in 2011 will not happen again.

“We advise all people to stop violence, focus and pray for their leaders and know that when they pray for their leaders, things will change. Nigerians should pray seriously for this election entirely because, the way I am seeing things happening right now, the things that are going on show that the end of all matters has come.”

“For the February 16 election, it is significant in relation to April 16, 2011,

we don’t want what happened then to happen again, otherwise, Nigeria would be plunged into chaos. Any country that refuses to learn from the past will face the doom,” he warned.

He equally pointed out the whoever that would emerge from the Presidential election would be the 16th President of Nigeria, adding the person should be wary of what happened to the 16th President of America.

“For the seat of the presidency that they want to contest which is the 16th seat now, let the president that will enter there know that 16th president of America had problem and died in office.

“So they need a seer, a numerologist and a prophet who will direct them on this significance of numbers because Joseph was a seer to Pharoah; Daniel was a seer to Nebuchadnezzar; Gad was a seer to David.”

To buttress his claim that “Code 16 is the end of all matters,” Korea recalled that 53 years ago, on 16 January, 1966, Nwafor Orizu handed over the reins of the First Republic civilian government to the Military headed

by General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi.

He enjoined Nigerian leaders to trust in God “for things to begin to move.”

He pointed out the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has critical role to play in ensuring that peace reigned during the polls by conducting free, fair and credible elections and must resist every temptation to rig the election.

“The election will be free and fair, if we learn from the past, so that history will not repeat itself, nothing will happen.

rhobo ethnic nationality from the twenty-four kingdoms have been urged to vote massively for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for second term to enable him perfect the good works he is doing.

Director – General, Urhobo Progressive Network, Chief Emmanuel Okumagba who made the call when he spoke with our correspondent in Warri, stressed that Urhobo, the fifth largest ethnic nationality in the country, knows what is good for them as moves made by opposite people to rubbish the Governor’s good works will not augur well for the state.

“We must stand for good governance and, no effort will be spared to mount massive campaign to bring back the Governor for the second term”, enthused Chief Okumagba.

According to the group, “We know that (Urhobos) are the largest ethnic nationality in the state and, we don’t want to marginalize other ethnic group in the state, hence we are supporting the present leadership who is from Delta North Senatorial District to complete their two tenure of eight years.

According to him, the rotation system should be adhered to strictly, adding, “Delta Central Senatorial District had their turn of eight years through Chief James Ibori, Delta South also took turn through Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan while Delta North where the present Governor comes from should be allowed to finish their two tenure of eight years”.

Asked why the group decided to abandon their son, Chief Great Ogboru who is also an Urhobo, Chief Okumagba, explained that the network does not operate on ethnic basis, rather, it operate on due process and laid down rules and regulation.

We do not need to consult anybody on who to support, but whoever have the capability to contest should show it because we don’t believe in sentiment.

Besides, we are also interested in other offices and, we must give opportunity to others to come up because we know that the Governorship will come back to us after Okowa second tenure”, explained Chief Okumagba.

He, however clarified that membership of the group cuts across the Twenty-Four Urhobo kingdoms and, “we are not PDP appendage.”

POLITICS

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

2019: Why we’re No more war: Aguleri, witnessing peace Umueri are brothers, in Ebonyi, by Ugbala declares Igwe Okebo II Pg 10

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Pg 13

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2019 election: Hurdles before Candidate Buhari

From the political strength of the parties participating in the election, it will be a very competitive contest between President Mohammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). This is without any morsel of intent to play down the ability, capability and capacity of the other presidential candidates that will participate in the 2019 election, reports NATH OMAME from Port Harcourt.

”

he campaign of both candidates took off with resounding intensity, but, surprisingly, both have lost much of the steam with which they launched their campaigns. As a sitting president, his unanimous endorsement by the APC for a second term at the party’s national convention and the formality of his selection during the APC congresses in the 36 States were the lubrication of a well-choreographed strategy to, again, sell Buhari to Nigerians.

As it is, Buhari’s 2019 presidential campaign is a distinct opposite of the ferocious campaign that propelled him to the presidency in 2015. Although 2015 was his fourth attempt at the presidency, having tried previously in 2003, 2007 and 2011, he was an untested civilian president, having been a military head-of- state for 18 months until he was toppled by a coup d’etat in 1985.

But this time, it is different. Buhari’s campaign in 2015 was hinged on three programmes: national security; reviving the economy and the war against corruption.

Buhari’s anti-corruption war was powered by an audacious statement: “If we don’t kill corruption; corruption will kill Nigeria.’

The statement was pungent and struck a cord in most Nigerians. There is a strong feeling amongst Nigerians that the ravaging poverty in the country is the fallout of endemic corruption in government, essentially in government agencies.

In the course of his campaign, Buhari promised to frontally address the malaise of pervasive poverty in the country, emphasising that monies recovered from those who looted the nation’s treasury would be ploughed back to reflate the wobbling economy. The thinking of Nigerians was that most of such stolen monies which are hidden in foreign banks, invested in real estate, invested in blue-chip start-ups, in hotels and the hospitality sector, oil and gas, among others, outside the country would be gotten back and invested in worthwhile ventures that would rejig the economy and make life less miserable for Nigerians.

Apart from some of the monies looted by former Head of State, Sani Abacha, nothing tangible has come out from funds that were stolen and salted out of the country by some former public office holders in the past.

Indeed, for some Nigerians, the war against corruption is utterly selective, beamed primarily on politicians who are not in the ruling APC. Or so it seems. Most high-flying politicians who defected to the APC from other political parties were quietly taken off the radar of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the anti-graft agency. The obvious lopsided nature of the war against corruption took the sail off Buhari’s hitherto audacious mission to diminish corrupt enrichment in public office.

Although some obvious cases of corrupt enrichment were believed to have been perpetrated in government while those being tried were occupying public office, the leaking of details of what charges the suspects were being tried for to some select media organisations, sort of generated an impression among Nigerians that the Buhari government was far more interested in accomplishing mileages of publicity, rather than striving through the judiciary to recover stolen funds and ensuring that Justice is meted out to those found culpable and guilty as pronounced by the court.

With the conviction with which Buhari addressed Nigerians on his readiness to tackle corruption at his campaign rallies, propagated positively by the conventional and social media, Nigerians were in high expectations should he win the presidency.

Indeed, he won. Forty months after being on the saddle of the presidency, Buhari’s war against corruption is believed to be fal-

There is a strong feeling amongst Nigerians that the ravaging poverty in the country is the fallout of endemic corruption in government, essentially in government agencies

”

tering very badly. Perhaps, the Buhari anticorruption war would have recorded bountiful successes if the criteria for arresting and prosecuting offenders was devoid of bare-faced political consideration and party affiliation. Therefore, Buhari’s anti-graft war lacks morale conviction.

Unfortunately, Buhari was elected when Nigeria was on the threshold of a biting re-

cession. There was so much stealing in past successive governments. The fuel subsidy scandal was phony briefcase-carrying oil moguls got permits to import petroleum products which they didn’t, but still got paid subsidies in cohort with government officials, including personnel from the bank and financial institutions was one of many financial brigandages committed by public office

holders. Waivers for import duties were also granted indiscriminately to acolytes and politicians.

The government and foreign financial monitory agencies claim that Nigeria has actually crawled out of recession, but many Nigerians, essentially workers, students, farmers, traders, market men and women and Nigerians of all shades of professions and vocations do not believe that Nigeria has moved beyond the hard wall of recession because the harsh economic realities that it provoked are still shattering millions of homes across the country. So, Buharinomics failed Nigerians.

The security situation in the Northeast, especially Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa States that started before the 2015 elections was horrible, to say the least. About 17 local government areas, sliced from each of the aforementioned states were under the control of the Boko Haram Islamic insurgents.

Cont’d on page 11

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

POLITICS How do you feel about your elevation from SSA to Commisser and how do you intend take-up the new task?

First, let me thank God for the privilege of being identified among the numerous qualified people of the state. Also, I want to thank His Excellency for given me the opportunity to serve in his government.

While thanking God for this promotion, I have also told myself that this is a greater calling, which means the strategy already adopted and what has been done should be improved upon. I was basically in charge of internal security before now; boundary peace has been added to it, even though I can say I had been partly doing the work of boundary peace. Now, it is a responsibility that I have fully taken over; which means that I have to sit down with the people involved and redesign the programme for the state and communicate back to His Excellency for his guide. This is to ensure that we really take up the new ministry to the point of envy because every other thing in the state can work better when we have adequate security both within the state and in the boundary areas.

We know that there are pockets of crisis here and there around the boundary areas, but the government of Ebonyi State has done well in keeping peaceful atmosphere with our sister States and I know that in this new assignment, we are going to plan and do more, by the special grace of God. I pray God will give us a new grace. I believe when God promotes you he will give you the grace to carry on so as to continue to sustain peace in the state and the boundary areas.

The state appears to be unusually calm and peaceful despite that the general election is drawing closer. What is actually the reason?

First, we have to thank God for everything because he is the architect of the peace we are enjoying in Ebonyi State and the governor has really worked hard to ensure that the state is peaceful. Election period to me shouldn’t be different from the normal days because we are talking about electing qualified persons into leadership positions. But, unfortunately, those who want to install whether qualified or unqualified people into positions heated up the polity. You know, in 2015 under the administration of Governor Martin Elechi, tension was high. A lot of people wanted to install persons into positions and that caused serious agitation in the state. That led them to leave what they were supposed to be doing in government and went into full politics, which really affected Ebonyians.

You can agree with me that government of Ebonyi state under Engr. Chief David Umahi has done much. He told us two things: that only two days we will not go to work in Ebonyi (the day of the National Assembly/Presidential elections and the day of guber/state house of Assembly election. Every other day is work. He advised us working with him to be focused on our work.

In Ebonyi state for now, what matters is delivering the mandate of the people. They people voted for us and we know that they are still going to vote for us again by February but no government would like to be distracted. Ebonyi state government under Engr David Umahi is not distracted. He is not focused much on campaigning. If you go to other state, the level of political campaign is very high but in Ebonyi, we are talking about projects. It is a near capital offense in the state for any member appointed or elected not to be in your office to do your work.

So, that is the difference. Aside that, I can clearly say that we do not have opposition in the state and even if we have one, what is required as a political party is to go outside there to convince people as to why they should vote for you. Assuming we have opposition, I wonder what should be their campaign topic.

Is it to come and tell us that they will provide adequate security? Is it to tell us that you will build good flyovers? Or to tell us that you are going to build road network? Are you telling us that you will build street light? Is it to empower our youth and women? I think they are really in trouble.

The state Under Umahi is not asking for favour from either INEC or security agencies but the government will not be ready to be denied anything. Do the right thing let the popular candidate emerge in the election. Nobody is going to ask for favour but we wouldn’t allow us to be denied anything that is due to the divine mandate.

So, one could say the government of the day

2019: Why we’re witnessing peace in Ebonyi, by Ugbala HON. KENNETH UGBALA, Ph.D, was recently elevated from Senior Special Assistant on Internet Security (SSA) to a Commissioner in charge of the newly created Ministry of Internal Security and Boundary Peace by Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi. He told CHINEDU NWAFOR in ABAKALIKI what the government is doing to maintain peace in the state despite the political atmosphere ahead of the general elections. He also spoke on the military’s Operation Python Dance 3 currently going on in the South East, and his elevation to Commissioner.

So, we are not agitated. I know that when they brought the python dance II, Ebonyians were equally disturbed but they carried out the programs without any much ado. So, we expect nothing less than that. I think the people who should be afraid of the Python Dance 3 are only criminals because there is no hiding place for them.

Members of APC in the State have allegedly boasted that they brought Operation Python Dance 3 to help them rig the elections. Do you make anything out of this claim?

I’m not the PDP Chairman but I’m talking from the security aspect. Anybody can wake up and say anything and these things are capable of causing confusion, but thank God the government of the day is mature to manage and filter all these pockets of information and separate the negative from the positive.

If a man is weak, he will start looking for where he is going to anchor his blames on.

Now, there is no party that will say you have gone and brought Pyhton Dance to help you succeed in elections. The governor of Ebonyi State made a point in several of our meetings, he said, when the election materials come, we will put it in the Army command and all of us will be looking at it. We will conduct the election and anybody who wins it will be filled there and it will be sent back to Abuja.

We have observed that the activities of cultists have reduced in the state for a reasonable time now. What is the government doing differently to curtail it?

We equally observed similar thing but I think it has been put under control. One thing is that there is no responsible government that will go and negotiate with criminals, whether you are a cultist or not. Immediately your activities or conducts are not in line with the law, you are an enemy to the state and the state will stop at nothing to bring you to book.

I know you have not forgotten that we had a very peaceful Christmas. I even expected you to commend the governor. We had a very peaceful new year and nobody lost his egg or fowl except the one you killed in the name of celebration.

So, If anybody in the name of cultism tries to charge the environment, no government will take it. The government has severely warned and from what the governor mentioned during the flag-off of Egwueke 3, he said that anybody who distracts the peace of Ebonyi State in the name of cultism, Python Dance should go after the person.

•Hon. Kenneth Ugbala is interested in delivering good governance in the state rather than politics.

Yes, on several occasions, the opposition have said they want to heat up the state but the governor is not interested in that. He has advised everybody working with him to know that what is important is the peace and security of the state. There is no vote or personal interest that is worth the life of a person in Ebonyi.

where you tell people what you will do for them. It is not a matter of fighting and there is nobody who is ready to fight.

I think these are some of the reasons among others why Ebonyi is very peaceful.

Above all, God is with Ebonyi state very greatly because every leader has his own environment.

The environment of the state with David Umahi has been peaceful and we thank God for that.

So, I know that every support that is needed from government by the security agencies has been made available through my office to make sure that before, during and after 2019 general elections, Ebonyi remains calm. The security architecture of the state has been redesigned to make sure that everything works to normalcy and there is nobody that is ready to react to nothing because to me, the current administration has finished the campaign.

But if we have opposition let them go there and talk to the people. Awareness has been made in the state such that nobody is going to deceive the people. They know what is right and what is wrong. So, it is a game where you play with marturity, conviction. It is a game

There is this insinuation out there that Python Dance 3 is targeted at using military to intimidate voters in the southeast during general elections?

When we received the notification that Python Dance III (Egwueke 3) was going to be launched in Ebonyi State, it did not give us any trouble. Remember, this is not the first time such operation is taking place. This one is 3, which means that first and second of similar operation had taken place in the past. We are not looking at it from the point of negative neither are we disturbed about it. Everything that is going to be done to make sure that the society is sanitized security wise, Ebonyi state is going to do in obedience to the law.

We have also observed that hoodlums/political thugs in the state go about destroying politicians’ billboards. What is the state government doing to arrest the situation before it starts causing crisis?

His Excellency the governor has directed my office to liaise with the security agencies to have a zonal sensitization and orientation to the youth against destruction of billboards and posters. One fundamental truth is that this is the cheapest way to distract people, a billboard or poster does not have anything to do with the election. If you remove a poster of a man that God has ordained to win election from the whole of Ebonyi state, on election day, how he will win you will not know. So, to me it’s madness and it is a way of making some politicians who are not professionally inclined to lose focus on their campaign.

But in line with the directives of the governor, we are going to liaise with all the political parties in the state, because one fundamental truth is that Ebonyians irrespective of the political party you belong to, this government has the mandate to protect your life and property.

Recently, we heard you suspended and sacked some members of neighborhood watch.

What happened?

Of a truth, we sacked and suspended some but this is not the very first time we are sacking or suspending. The Neighborhood Watch is a security outfit of the state that is formed with the law backing it to compliment the efforts of security agencies by providing the necessary information that will help the security agencies do their work better. They are being monitored from this office and the chairman of the the commission is the Commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State and they are under the supervision of the security agencies.

So, if there are people that are privilleged to work in this outfit and they are not attending to work like those we sacked, we will sack them because they failed to come out to perform their duties. The positions given to them are not for patronage.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

POLITICS Cont’d from page 9 The terrorist group, which insists that Western education is bad even though they use equipment manufactured with knowledge gained from Western education also overran Sambisa Forest, which they elevated into their command headquarters.

Their deadly attacks and foray into more states in the North led to the postponement of the 2015 general elections by six weeks by the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s government upon the advice of the security agencies that warned that voting might not hold in some areas in the Northeast as earlier scheduled because it would disenfranchise some voters who had fled their homes from actively participating in the general elections.

Buhari was shocked when he took over the reigns of power only to learn that the Boko Haram Islamic insurgents were using far more sophisticated weapons and that Nigeria needed to acquire more sophisticated weapons for it to defeat the terrorists.

The Buhari government has spent about $3 billion buying weapons, including fighter jets, surveillance aircrafts, bomb emitting helicopters, arms and ammunition to ensure that the military is well-equipped to fight Boko Haram.

After more than three years of Buhari’s four-year tenure, the Boko Haram Islamic insurgents are still killing military men by laying ambush for them. On Friday, January 11, the Nigerian Army buried 14 soldiers killed in an ambush by terrorists along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road, on Monday, December 24, last year. The soldiers who were on escort duty were on their way back to Kaduna.

The Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) presented a cheque of N500, 000 to each of the bereaved families pending the payment of their benefits.

Painfully, other regiments of the military have also been ambushed in the past in very strange circumstances, considering that the movement of the soldiers was strategically supposed to be known only to a tight circle of soldiers involved in that particular operation, movement, as well as the exact location of the soldiers.

So, how come these deadly terrorists are picking up snippets of very sensitive information about the military? The ambush of the military by the Boko Haram terrorists is getting increasingly worrisome. The loss of lives and military hardware is a huge cost to the federal government.

A distraught former President Jonathan had complained before the commencement of a Federal Executive Committee (FEC) meeting that he was sure Boko Haram had sympathisers even in his cabinet, judiciary, public service and, maybe, within the intelligence and security agencies. If a president could complain so bitterly then, what the military goes through to confront these utterly vicious terrorists would be too gruesome to imagine.

There is no doubt that Boko Haram is not as cohesive and strong as it was in 2015. That the terrorists group for a long spell resorted to using mostly children and women for suicide bombing operations was indicative that its operational capability on the ground in fierce battle situations had been severely weakened by the Nigerian military. The joint military operations with other West African countries including Benin, Cameroun, Mali, Niger, and Chad has delimited Boko Haram’s main operational base to the confines of the Lake Chad Basin.

If Boko Haram’s insurgency was effectively encircled and delimited to the point that it could only attack soft targets by deploying body-bombs to orchestrate suicide missions, then, the position of the federal government as adumbrated by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that “Boko Haram has been technically defeated,” would have been widely accepted

by Nigerians. But the sporadic ambush of

•Atiku and Buhari

2019 election: Hurdles before Candidate Buhari

Nigerian soldiers who are the foremost representatives of Nigeria and Nigerians at the theatre of war rankles.

From empirical evidence, crime and criminality has increased. Armed Robbery, cultism, kidnapping, child-theft and human trafficking have blossomed tragically. Kidnapping appears to be most prevalent crime across the country. In the Niger Delta, an 18-seater bus is hijacked and all passengers kidnapped and led into the forest. On one tragic day, two 18-seater buses from Abuja were forcibly stopped by armed men wearing police uniforms; dispossessed of their personal effects and led into the forest for profiling to enable the kidnappers set their ransom prices according to the financial standing, or the connections of their victims in the society .

If not for the increased patrol presence of the Police along the major roads in the Niger Delta, ably complemented by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Police, Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tactical Response Team (TRM) and the military, kidnappers would have been on a damnable rampage in the Niger Delta. In the six South South States, people are being kidnapped every day, just as the police and security agencies are rescuing victims from the forest, villages and communities, anguished families are paying ransom for the release of their relations, friends and colleagues.

In the realm of criminology, there is a correlation between crime and unemployment.

Government policies, too, have a way of creating enabling environment for businesses to thrive. When a society is not secure, business people and industrialists will not invest in such a society for fear that their businesses would fail because of the rising wave of crime and criminality.

How can people go to the market to sell

or buy when they are not sure they will return home alive? How can people go to work when they are not sure they will come back home alive? How can industrialists set up factories in a society that is not secure?

Even if they do because of government incentives like tax waivers, how do they convince those with specialised skills and talents to take up jobs in such a society?

To strengthen the Nigerian Police, President Buhari approved that 10, 000 men and women be enlisted into the Police. But, considering the size, population and the wave of crime and criminality in the country, 10, 000 additional recruit into the Police is just infinitesimal. While many Nigerians are clamouring for State Police, or better still, community policing, the Police High Command is against state police. One of the greatest obstacles to state Police is that sitting state governors will use state Police against their political opponents.

Although, the Buhari-led APC federal government has not taken a cogent position on state Police, President Buhari has publicly rejected the notion of state Police. But Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, speaking at the 40th Anniversary of Friends on the theme: “Restructuring and the Nigerian Federation,” on Monday, November 12, last year, stated: “I have been an advocate, both in court and outside, of fiscal federalism and stronger state governments. I have argued in favour of state Police, for the simple reason that policing is a local function. You simply cannot effectively Police Nigeria from Abuja. Only recently, I made a point that stronger, more autonomous states would effectively eradicate poverty.”

However, some states like Lagos, Imo, Anambra, Kaduna do have armed neighborhood security outfits sanctioned by their respective state Houses of Assembly. They were essentially set up to operate as com-

munity vigilante to complement the efforts of the regular federal Police whose number is far too small to police a large and diverse multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country like Nigeria.

In the pockets of Nigerians, the economy is still wobbling. Businesses and factories began folding up before 2015. After Buhari won the presidency and took over the reigns of power, businesses and factories are still collapsing. In some instances, workers both in the public and private sectors are being owed salaries, upwards of 10 months. Even those who maintain that Nigeria has edged itself off the recession zone can’t tell the direction that the economy is trudging to.

And because businesses and factories are closing shop, unemployment has quadrupled, sparking a rampaging wave of crime and criminality across the country by unemployed youths, including men and women who have chosen, on their own volition, to embrace crime to earn a living by hurting other people. Fraudsters, infamously referred to as “yahoo boys” are on the rampage, too. Ritual murder for money-making is also becoming increasingly ferocious and rampant.

So, on the three planks of Buhari’s campaign promises in 2015: security, economy and fighting corruption, there is no one of the three that has been effectively accomplished. It has been tough four years for the Buhari-led APC federal government.

And it will be tougher during the electioneering campaigns as the APC will have to convince Nigerians on how it has executed and implemented what the party promised Nigerians in 2015 when the APC was a new political party without the inevitable baggage that confronts all parties that have had the electoral privilege of serving the people in government.

12

The Oracle Today Wednesday Jan€uary 30, 2019

POLITICS

I

t was a solemn declaration by the traditional ruler of Umueri ancient kingdom in Anambra-East local government area of Anambra state His Royal Majesty Igwe Sir Ben Izuchukwu Emeka Okebo II at his 2nd Ovala festival on the throne, that there is no more war between Aguleri and Umueri, whom he described as brothers who should and would live and co-exist in peace and harmony. According to Igwe Okebo II, marriage ties, culture, farming and a host of other ancestral heritage would also bind them together.

That was the declaration of the peaceloving monarch of Umueri whose Ovala celebration attracted the cream of the society to Umueri community on 29th December 29t last year. Governor Willie Obiano, Prince Arthur Eze and some other heavyweights added glitz and glamour to the universal cultural event where His Royal Majesty Igwe Ben Izuchukwu Emeka made an open confession that Governor Willie Obiano is the only governor that has made conscious efforts to heal the wounds the people of Umueri sustained during the communal war between Aguleri and Umueri.

The 2nd Ovala celebration of Ndi-Umueri was a veritable platform for the king to enumerate all that Governor Willie Obiano has done for his community and like Oliver Twist, asked for more practical developmental projects for Umueri kingdom to bring the community at par with other communities in the state.

His Royal Majesty Igwe Ben Izuchukwu Emeka had in his welcome address on the occasion said: “Since the creation of Anambra State, we have never had a governor from this northern zone and as God may have it , some five years ago we now have a governor from this zone. He started working in Aguleri and Umueri, giving Aguleri and Umueri people appointments.”

“Giving the governor the traditional title of Ogbunechendo is to further cement the relationship between Umueri and Aguleri,” the traditional ruler added. “He has given approval for the design of about two roads in Umueri in addition to other ones he has built already. And as Oliver Twist, I further requested him to recommend qualified Umueri people to the federal government for federal appointments in addition to other state appointments that he may wish to give Umueri people.

However, the governor’s statement that Umueri and Aguleri are brothers is not a mere political statement. It is a statement of fact! We are brothers. We will live in peace henceforth but you know the communal crisis that we have been having is not because of brotherly relationship. It is because of land dispute. That is why I told the governor that since he is on seat now, he has the power to do everything possible to see that this land dispute between Umueri and Aguleri is settled once and for all because if he leaves office without settling it, any other governor coming from the south or central senatorial district may not be interested in whatever we are doing here.”

The traditional ruler equally explained the significance of Ovala festival. He said the cultural event is an annual festival and the reason it is being celebrated is because it is a period that all the sons and daughters of the community return home from within and outside Nigeria to savour the richness of the countryside as well as appreciate native customs and traditions handed down to them by their forebears.

Igwe Emeka also described Ovala festival as an occasion for the investiture and conferment of chieftaincy honours on deserving individuals, adding that the celebration also helps the younger generation to think-home as well as provide conviviality and razzmatazz necessary to galvanise resources for community projects.

Responding to the requests made by the traditional ruler of Umueri on the oc-

No more war: Aguleri, Umueri are brothers, declares Igwe Okebo II It is better to jaw jaw than to war war, the time-tested saying goes. From Umeri, Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, OZO RAY reports that the recent Ofala festival at Umueri Kingdom offered the traditional ruler an opportunity to declare that there is no war between Kingdom and their Aguleri neigbours also in Anambra east Local Government Area of Anambra State.

•Igwe Okebo (in red cap) and others at the Ovala festival at Umueri

casion of his 2nd Ovala, shortly after his coronation as Ogbunechendo of Umueri, the Governor Obiano assured the people of Umueri community that Aguleri and Umueri will never be involved in any form of blood battle again, adding that lasting peace has returned in the area and that both communities will maintain a healthy brotherly relationship going forward.

The governor recalled that upon assumption of office he began his official assignment at Aguleri and Umueri working assiduously to revamp the area since they had been forgotten by successive governments. Governor Obiano said he didn’t discriminate against anyone but carried both communities along in his development agenda. He, therefore, told the people of Umueri community that wars were fought when most clans had not embraced civilisation, that in modern times , people sue for peace and peaceful co-existence emphasising that Aguleri and Umueri are communities renowned for their proficiency and propensity for farming, fishing , trading and a host of other lucrative ventures.

In the same vein , President-General Umueri General Assembly Chief Pius Ejimofor

Okonkwo, the Akwudolueze of Umueri ancient kingdom, while admitting that Governor Willie Obiano’s assertion that Aguleri and Umueri are brothers, maintained that it was a well-deserved statement but expressed deep concern that it was not merely saying brotherhood on paper but acting it.

Okonkwo said the history of Otuocha is clear starting from the Royal Niger Company of 1898. According to him “if you take off from Onitsha the next agreement is Nsugbe. If you reach Nsugbe the next is Nnehi-Umueri. If you leave UmunnehiUmueri the next is Umundezi-Umueri from Ako stream to Eri. Today check out the history and see who is the intruder.

We are not taking about war now. We are talking about restoring peace. Agreement is clear. Court judgements are clear.

He who wears the shoe knows where it pinches most. We want to involve external arbitrators to come and look at what is on ground and see who is the aggressor. Being brothers is one thing. Being greedy is another thing. We are all visitors on earth and one way or the other, we migrated from one point to the other. So political statements may or may not be al-

lowed anymore ...”

But comrade Chinedu Obidigwe a native of Aguleri and political juggernaut whose ambition is to represent the good people of Anambra-east and West federal constituency at the national assembly said shortly after paying homage to the traditional ruler of Umueri on the occasion of his 2nd Ovala festival that peace is priceless and there was need for Aguleri and Umueri to live in harmony stressing that peace begets progress and everything good for life. Obidigwe noted that today they have witnessed peace in Omambala region especially between Aguleri and Umueri and there is no more war between both communities. He however assured Anambraeast and West that if given the mandate to represent them in the Green Chambers, he will not only consolidate the existing peace between Aguleri and Umueri people but also bring about more largesse through practical representation.

The 2nd Ovala festival of His Royal Majesty Igwe Sir Ben Izuchukwu Emeka Okebo II of Umueri community equally featured masquerade performances, various traditional dances and a host of other ceremonies.

13

The Oracle Today Wednesday Jan€uary 30, 2019

PEOPLE

•Prof.Okafor being presented with a special plate number by the Anambra sector commander of FRSC, Corps Commander Michael Sunday Ajayi

P

rof Okafor was also a recipient of Nelson Mandela Leadership Award in Education Development and was decorated with the paraphernalia by the Leadership of ECOWAS Youth Council representatives from Cote d’Ivoire led by the Chairperson, Ambassador Emmanuel William from Cape Verde, flanked by Ambassador Epah Pablo, Deputy Secretary General and Ambassador MamMam Sowe from Gambia, Speaker GYP. According to ECOWAS youths, Prof Okafor is a passionate father, an apostle of education and development, a mentor to many, a Professor of high repute who had been nominated by Anambra Youth Forum, National Association of Nigerian Students and West African Youth Forum, as an educationist with track record known all over Africa and across the world. Indeed, Okafor, they said, has contributed immensely to youth growth and empowerment.

As well, the International Association of World Peace Advocate (IAWPA) under the auspices of United Nations Peace Volunteers Scheme, decorated Prof Okafor with a certificate of appointment as an Eminent Ambassador.

The citation for the award read in part: “Distinguished Man of the Year in recognition of your unsurpassed performance in your leadership style as a seasoned academic, who has advanced education and discipline beyond doubts, a philanthropist passionate about the growth of a workable Nigeria, supporter of youth development and unprecedented action plan for the progress of education in Nigeria.’’

Prof Okafor was also presented with an International ID card, special plate number, peace advocate medal and a broche, by the National Director, Prof Chidi Ehiriodo represented by a peace volunteer and seasoned journalist, Comrade Larry Nwaiwu. The award is the highest to eminent personalities.

Prof Ehiriodo said Prof Okafor got the recognition for bringing peace back to Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Uli at their most trying times and, therefore, deserves an accolade as an Eminent Peace Ambassador to the United Nations.

This is coming three years after Prof Okafor was named the Commonwealth Vice-Chancellor of the Year.

Prof Okafor was named the Common-

As Prof. Okafor mounts world stage as Peace Advocate…

CYNTHIA CHIDINMA IGBOKWE writes that it was joy amidst encomiums as Prof Fidelis Uzochukwu Okafor, immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU) Igbariam, Anambra State, received a Distinguished Man Of The Year Award from ECOWAS Youth council. wealth Vice-Chancellor of the year 2015 by the Commonwealth Students’ Parliament (CSP). The award of excellence was presented to Okafor at the COOU Auditorium by the CSP Speaker, Peter Mugisa.

He was also honoured for his strides in academic upgrade, infrastructure development and provision of a congenial learning atmosphere for students.

Mugisa had described Okafor as “a man that has and is still contributing his quota to nation-building, humanity and the promotion of qualitative education, which remains the best legacy that can be bequeathed to the children of the common man in any society.”

Similarly, the former VC was also decorated with Sir Ahmadu Bello award of “Garukuwa Matasan Arewa,’’ by the Northern Nigeria Youth Council among so many other awards.

The decoration of the ECOWAS award took place at Best Western Meloch Hotel Awka during the fifth Professor Fidelis Uzochukwu Okafor Annual international lecture series entitled “Humanities And Sciences: In The Search For New Perspectives In Confronting Emerging Global Issues,’’ organized by Literati Philosophia in conjunction with Eastern Nigeria Writers Forum. The event as well featured unveiling of the journal of the Literati Philosophia, Literati awards and honours.

Prof Okafor stood out as encomiums were

poured on him from all walks of life for his contributions to nation building, humanity and the promotion of youth development and education.

In his speech, Okafor maintained that the lecture was designed to provide a forum for men and women who are committed to research to discuss issues pertaining to humanity in Nigeria and the Diaspora. He said he had devoted all his life to the development of youths, hence he has received life membership honour from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The Convener, Prof Ngozi Chuma-Udeh described the theme as apt, commending Prof Okafor for his humility in service always and prayed that God would continue to bless him for all his services to humanity.

The keynote speaker and the traditional ruler of Obosi kingdom in Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, pointed out some emerging global issues to include climate change, poverty and hunger, religious crisis, genocide and mass killings among others and urged the government at all levels to mitigate such devastating and ravaging issues destroying the growth and development of some undeveloped countries across the globe.

Igwe Iweka stressed that quality education and awareness are vital and have a role in

confronting global issues.

In his lead presentation, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Of Anambra Broadcasting Service, Nze Uche Nworah, represented by Mr. Tobenna Obiano, said the rate of unemployment, especially in Nigeria, is a major threat to global peace, adding that endemic corruption and waste of national resources by political leaders who appear superficial and obviously directionless in their policies also constitute impediments to the development of Nigeria.

Another lead presenter, from the department of English Language, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Professor Ifeyinwa Ogbazi represented by Dr Christopher Kalu, the chairman of the occasion, Barrister George Orji, the State Sector Commander Federal Road Safety Corp, Mr. Sunday Ajayi, all corroborated the stand of the keynote speaker.

They said all hands must be on deck to combat global issues affecting humanity.

FRSC boss in Anambra State, Corps Commander Michael Sunday Ajayi pointed out high speed as one of the causes of accidents, adding that, “the faster a car drives the higher risk of mortalities.”

He cautioned the public on the need to attach a speedometer to vehicles to aid in reducing environmental pollution in our society and road hazards, counselling that road safety is an issue everybody should campaign about it.

The APGA flag-bearer for Ogbaru Federal constituency, Hon Chinwe Nwaebili who was conferred with an award of service to humanity by the Literati Philosophia, advised Ndi Anambra to vote with their conscience not because of peanuts from politicians.

Prof Okafor worked as Lecturer II, Lecturer I, Senior Lecturer before he rose to the post of a professor in 1997 at the University of Nigeria. He was Acting Vice Chancellor and later the Vice Chancellor of Anambra State University and later Vice Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu when it changed name. He has also served as provost in Nwafor Orizu College of Education, Nsugbe.

He has written books and articles which include New Strategies For Curbing Ethnic And Religious Conflicts In Nigeria, Legal Positivism And The African Legal Tradition and Rights And Law In Hobbes’ Ethical And Political Theory. He won the Japan Foundation Best Report Award in 1994.

14

The Oracle Today Wednesday Jan€uary 30, 2019

POLITICS

Rivers people appreciate what Wike has done in four years Emma Okah, a lawyer, is the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications and the Director of information and Communication for the Rivers State Campaign Organisation. He spoke in a live current affairs programme on radio at the weekend on why Governor Nyesom Wike deserves a second term in office. NATH OMAME, Jr. reports.

A few days ago, the Special Adviser to the governor on Lands and Survey, Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, was abducted by unknown persons. What is the situation now?

It is really sad and worrisome. The issue of kidnapping has slowed down in Rivers State and this incident happening at this time has, somewhat, unsettled that peace. Like the Police has said we hope they will do their best and do not bring politics into it and ensure Dr. Anugbum is returned to his family and society hale and hearty. We take them by their words. We are praying and hoping that God will enable all those that are concerned to do their best to secure his release without any harm done to him.

Kidnapping has become a national embarrassment and calamity. There is kidnapping across the country: in the North, South, West and East. Recently, the governors of Kastina, Bornu, and Kaduna States complained about the spate of increasing insecurity in their states which shows clearly that Nigeria is not getting it right in the nation’s security architecture to nip certain crimes in the bud.

The Kidnap Monitoring Register for the month of November 2018, stated that 65 per cent of kidnap cases in Nigeria occur in Rivers State. Isn’t that worrisome?

That is why the Rivers State government is saying that we all should see ourselves as stakeholders in the security of the state.

Two, that security agencies and professionals should not be a subject of politicisation.

Three, that security agents and personnel should be allowed to do their job, professionally; that the security agencies should not be politicised. If we all key into the three points I have mentioned, it will be a lot easier for us to know where our problems are coming from; and how to advance solutions to them in one accord.

What you see is that when kidnap incident happens in Rivers State, the opposition, who believe that they are not part of Rivers State will sing Hallelujah and clap their hands in a bid to make political capital out of it. But if such happens in other states like Kogi, Kaduna, Lagos, which are APC states, and even in Abuja, you see the stakeholders coming together to jointly seek solutions to the problem of insecurity, irrespective of the political parties that they belong to. It’s not a matter of blaming Mr. A, or blaming Mr. B. And when it comes to Rivers State, we have repeatedly said it that while the government is making efforts to find a solution to the problem, so, that the people of Rivers State and those who live in the state can sleep with their two eyes closed, our brothers on the opposition who should be concerned the way government is concerned are those working to thwart the efforts that the state government is making to combat insecurity.

Take for instance the recently aborted training and recruitment of prospective members of the Rivers Neighborhood Watch Corps at Nowan, in Tai Local Government Area by the Nigerian Army. How will anybody explain the action of the Nigerian Army. The same Nigerian Army have been spotted in other states, supporting, promoting and engineering the same neighborhood watch outfits.

And the impression you are giving to the people of Rivers State is that we should continue to live under the fear of insecurity. It is pathetic and worrisome. And it should worry everybody. My thinking is that everybody should rally round in any society that is being

•Wike confronted with insecurity.

And the federal government has keyed into the idea of the neighborhood watch sufficiently well. I remember very well that the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said at a seminar organised by the National Assembly that that is the way to go. You cannot post somebody from Maiduguri to Emohua local government, for instance, and expect him to know the people and the terrain within a very short time.

The locals know themselves; they know when a stranger comes into the community and they are better placed to monitor the movements of those who reside in the community. And because they are from the community, they are better placed to assist the security agencies with the gathering of relevant information. And that is what the neighborhood watch is set out to do.

Now, you see the Nigerian Army disrupting a well-thought out and noble process and you find our brothers in the opposition who even if they don’t live in Rivers State, their family members who live here and also face the same security challenges that others face and who are also expected to be beneficiaries of the efforts of the neighborhood watch, behaving as if the insecurity doesn’t touch us and all of that. I think we should desist from such uncaring and unfeeling attitude and behavior.

I begin to ask myself: is it that we have one society for PDP members; another society for APC members; and another for those who are not politicians? I think the important thing to do in a society that is confronted with insecurity is that everybody should rally round to form a united front and find a common solution. It’s like throwing a stone in the marketplace, you don’t know who it will

hit. So, why do we continue to behave as if it doesn’t touch us and all of that.

One of the factors that fuel insecurity is unemployment and poverty. Rivers State is being ranked as the state with the highest number of unemployed people. What is the PDP telling the people of Rivers State during its campaign on how does it intends to create jobs for its people?

Rivers State is not ranked as the state with the highest level of unemployment.

But there are statistics to prove that…

Those statistics are suspect. Those statistics cannot stand because if you take the statistics of other states, you would not say that Rivers State has the highest level of unemployment.

On October 14, 2018, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) published that Rivers State has become the capital of poverty in Nigeria with 58 per cent of the population living below the poverty line?

We are saying those statistics cannot stand because they are coming at a time when politics is in the air. Two, those statistics are coming from sources that are hostile to Rivers State. If you take the statistics of other states, there is no way you will say that Rivers State is suffering that level of unemployment.

You mean the National Bureau of Statistics is hostile to Rivers State?

Of course, yes! If you take a statistics of the number of people coming to Rivers State on a daily basis, you will agree that those who are coming to Rivers State are doing so because there is a level of comfort in the state.

Let me use those coming from the North

to Rivers State, for example. If you see the number of Muslims going to Jumat Prayers on Fridays, you will notice that the numbers have increased and continue to increase. So, who will want to go to a state where there is that level of misery and discomfort that the APC has painted?

In any case, Governor Nyesom Wike has done well for the state since 2015. And the people of Rivers State are cognisant of that, even though, the opposition have chosen to be blind and deaf; Nigerians; credible organisations; developmental agencies; watchers and assessors; the media; multilateral organisations, locally and internationally, are saying, comparatively, the governor has done well. We are even tired of receiving awards of honour acknowledging the effective leadership style of the governor especially in infrastructural development.

Does it mean that all these people are wrong? Now let me ask: which governor in Nigeria is flagging off projects and commissioning projects more than Governor Wike has done? Just name one governor.

One of indices of monitoring a developing society is human capital development. How much has Governor Wike done in human capital development that will make the people of Rivers State give him another four years?

Governor Nyesom Wike is running a New Vision government. Since 2015, Governor Wike has been running an all embracing and inclusive government; and we have been running that course well. Our human capital profile have been receiving commendable attention. Governor Wike is the first gover-

Cont’d on page 15

15

The Oracle Today Wednesday Jan€uary 30, 2019

POLITICS INEC tasks lecturers on credible, free and fair elections From PAMELA EBOH, Awka

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the weekend tasked lecturers at various Institutions in Nigeria who have been engaged for the 2019 General elections not to compromise their integrity foe a pot of porridge.

Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, dropped the hint during a town hall meeting organized by Academics in Tertiary Institutions in SouthEast and South-South under the auspices of Academic Frontiers Initiative (AFI) Anambra chapter at Finotel hotel Awka, Anambra state.

Dr Orji, a Political Scientist called on the lecturers to live above board and ensure that 2019 general elections remains the best in the annals of Nigeria’s democratic history as according to him INEC has perfected plans to give Nigerians a free , fair and credible election this year.

He insisted that delivery of a credible election depends on everybody including the lecturers who serve as collation and Returning Officers during the election based on integrity reposed on them even as he decried the voter apathy always experienced in Anambra state during elections.

The Anambra REC represented by the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Leo Nkedife lamented that over 300,000 PVC’s remained unclaimed in Anambra state out of over 2 million registered in Anambra state. He condemned vote buying and asked stakeholders to mobilize their people to come out and vote on Election Day since it is of no use registering over 2 Million votes but only 22 percent comes out to vote.

He urged political parties to nominate credible people as their party agents to assist in the credibility of the elections outcome.

Another Resource person, and President, Anabel Group, Dr Nick Okoye who decried the docility of Political science departments in Nigerian Universities for not proffering solutions to the failing democratic culture Nigeria is operating , challenged Nigerians to get rid of entitlement culture which is the bane of the Nigerian society.

Dr Okoye who was the former Managing Director, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, Transcorp wants Nigerians to have a rethink and elect leaders who are visionary and reliable by shunning mediocre and lousy

Cont’d from page 14 nor to give interest-free loans to medical doctors to support the medicare sector of the economy. Governor Wike also approved interest-free loans for business people and young entrepreneurs.

The Rivers State government also assisted women who are into petty trading with the sum of N500 million, and that is also running.

The monthly loan to civil servants is also there. From time to time, we have also gone ahead to provide financial support to organisations and individuals in business. And we are comfortable that some of them are doing well and some of them are profiteering.

Since 2015, civil servants have not been promoted. Since 2015, pensioners have not been paid. Since 2015, scholarships have not been awarded to students of Rivers State indigenes. These are areas the people think the governor should have done better. Do you really think the governor deserves a second term?

The governor deserves a second term, or, even a third term if there is anything like that. People should appreciate where we were in 2015. Civil servants were being owed salaries for about four months. Pensioners were also owed in the same manner. The officials and footballers of the three football teams: Sharks; Dolphins and Rivers Angels had become paralysed. Projects started by the previous administration were radically abandoned. Social infrastructures had almost collapsed.

The Wike’s administration is a PDP government, not APC. We had no handover notes.

•Left to right: INEC REC reps Leo Nkedife, Prof Okafor rep of Unizik VC Prof Ahaneku , Dr Nick Okoye , Chairman on the occasion Prof Idemobi, Dr Onyeizugbe, FRSC official and Igwe Anugwu leaders who have no interest in the future of Nigeria. He encouraged for interest in Science and Technology as it is the next industrial revolution imminent to rule the world.

He said Ndigbo are the best in the world and would have been part of inventions like the computers as Mobinson computers if not the sabotage by those responsible for patent.

National Coordinator Academic Frontiers Initiative (AFI), Dr Chinedu Onyeizugbe informed that the town hall meeting became necessary to mobilize lecturers who act as advisory an intellectual moulders to become partners in ensuring good governance through sensitization and advocating for free, fair and credible election because the ballot is stronger than the bullet, rather than continue to be arm chair critics.

Dr Onyeizugbe reiterated on the negative consequences of electoral malpractices especially vote buying and rigging because the ignorance of a voter in a democracy like ours impairs the security of all. He insisted that as lecturers they have responsibilities as stakeholders to ensure free, fair and credible polls.

He encouraged all to promote procedural integrity and shun every attempt to rig the general election against the will of the people even as he asked traditional leaders, reli-

gious leaders and market leaders to sensitize their subjects to reject vote buying and vote according to their conscience.

He warned against acts capable of jeopardizing the democratic process of voting the best candidate for the presidential election who regardless of political party will have the political will to be fair to all Nigerians, respect the rule of law, engage best hands in professional affairs o the nation , make appointments based on competence , run an all-inclusive governance that is devoid of tribalism, nepotism, and restructure the county for fairness , equity and justice which is the wish of the common man.

Contributing, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Prof Chinyere Stella Okunna , Chairman on the occasion and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Prof Elis Idemobi and the traditional ruler of Mbaukwu, Awka South local government area, Igwe Peter Anugwu commended the Academic Frontiers Initiative and encourage them to mobilize themselves to vote in a credible candidate for the future of Nigeria.

Prof Okunna who represented the Vice Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and former Governor of

Don’t forget that by the time we came in hostility has set in between his predecessor and his administration. We started in a zero ground, so to speak. We came onboard and started repairing: rebuilding as it were. The people of Rivers State can clearly appreciate what Governor Wike had done in three years, going to four years.

We started completing roads and building new ones. We started reviving the health sector. No general hospital was functioning when we came onboard. So, for any government it is a matter of priority. What do you want to prioritise? The judiciary received a boost in infrastructure and financial support to enable it function unhindered. The educational sector also received a boost. Primary, secondary and tertiary institutions were given proper attention. The Rivers State University now has a medical school which wasn’t there when we came in.

And at the time Governor Wike came onboard, the national economy was in recession and some governments could not even pay salaries until the federal government started giving them some support and boost. Rivers State did not receive any money from the federal government to enable us pay salaries. We kept managing ourselves and have continued to pay salaries. We also cleared the pension areas that we inherited from the previous administration.

Again, we realised that the existing law didn’t allow for proper administration of the state pension scheme, so, government decided to amend it.

You amended it because your administration realises it had failed in that regard and had to do something now that the general elections are fast approaching?

No. The process started long ago. And that was why we asked all pensioners to do their biometrics. As soon as the relevant pension laws are amended, each pensioner will be given his due entitlement.

Anambra state, Mr Peter Obi reiterated that Obi and Atiku are the best Nigerians needed now than ever as she witnessed Obi’s feats in Anambra during his 8 years of governance.

Prof Okunna insisted that good governance should not be selective and discriminating but wholistic for the entire country. She said the democratic model Obi presented in Anambra thorough ANIDS developed the state simultaneously and she is hopeful the entire country would be developed by Atiku and Obi if given the chance.

As well, a member of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) BoT, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka , Proprietor of Rojenny Games Village, Oba and the Director General Atiku/ Obi Campaign Organization, Anambra state , Chief Harry Ohanezi, a medical Doctor condemned vote buying which is a new lexicon in politics and decried the low participation of Igbo people during elections even with huge population and appealed to them to troop put and vote a candidate of their choice.

But Chief Ohanezi buttressed why Peter Obi and Atiku will emerge victorious in the next month’s election as according to him, this marks the biblical 40 years Late Dr Alex Ekwueme took oath of office as Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria and another Igbo man is going to take his oath of office as Vice President to Alhaji Atiku Abubakkar. He said the present administration has not improved on the economy that people now take money to vote. He wants INEC to assign an agent to each of the candidates rather than one for all of them from a political party.

In his welcome remarks, the state Coordinator, Academic Frontiers Initiative (AFI), Dr Uche Ngenegbo , Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Prof Joseph Ahaneku represented by Prof Godson Okafor, Prof Uche Nwogwugwu and other stakeholders as well as Political Parties representatives harped on the need for a free, fair and credible election in Nigeria to enthrone leaders who are committed, dedicated and visionary hence they are mobilizing the academics across institutions in the two zones to participate actively in the election without compromise. They called on INEC to be proactive and nip all forms of electoral malpractice in the bud, even as they raised alarm over vote buying jeopardizing the electoral process.

Rivers people appreciate Wike What has Governor Wike done in partnership with the private sector to alleviate poverty in Rivers State?

What a government needs to do is to create an enabling environment that will attract businesses to your state and we have done that by providing logistic support to the security agencies to enable them function effectively. We have done a lot to improve the security architecture in the state. Rivers people cannot forget in a hurry how TransAmadi Industrial Estate and the road network were in 2015. We have done a lot to put infrastructures in place.

We should all be stakeholders in the development of the state. Why are our leaders demarketing the state? You don’t have to wait until you become the governor of the state before you atract development to the state. Why are those in the APC not worried that Port Harcourt Port and the Onne Port are not functioning? Both ports are in Rivers State. Both ports when in use will have a ripple effect on the economy and jobs will be created. Go to Lagos and see the calamity that people are facing because the port

is congested.

But is it the duty of the state government to facilitate that?

Well...yes, of course. But we have our brother, the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. We have extended our hands of fellowship to the federal government, but it appears they don’t want to do anything with Rivers State. Maybe, somebody is telling them don’t do anything in Rivers State; if you do it, it is Governor Wike that will take the credit. But who suffers? It is Rivers State that is loosing. We all should be stakeholders in the development of the state.

Why did the Wike administration abandon the Songhai Farm, which should have generated employment and wealth?

The policy of this government is in agriculture is to avoid direct and huge participation in commercial agriculture for the simple reason that government is not a good businessman. From time to time such arrangements have always failed. The Songhai Farm is a typical example. Songhai Farm was set up without a business plan. There was no plan for sustainability. So, what you have there is a drainpipe. If you want to tell yourself the truth; we need the private sector to go in there do it better. This government will not expend government resources on projects that are not sustainable. We welcome private participation in agriculture.

16

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS

• (From left): Mr Dauda Yahya, Deputy Rector, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria; Captain Abdul Salam Muhammed, Rector; Dr Kareem Bakare, Head of Aviation Management School; Mr Joe Muhammed Jimoh, AGM, Public Relation, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority representing the DG NCAA, Captain Usman Muhtar and Mr Olusegun Koiki, Chairman, League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents at the Inauguration of training for Aviation journalists at Nigerian College of Aviation Technology sponsored by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria FAAN in Zaria, Kaduna State.

IPOB insist on boycott of Presidential election

By Theo Rays, Onitsha and gullible Nigerians who still

T

he Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has insisted on the boycott of the 2019 general election in Nigeria saying that nothing can change the decision of the group on that.

A statement issued by Mr. Emma Powerful, Monday, said IPOB ‘ably led by its supreme leader and prophet of our time Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will stand on the decision of election boycott in Biafraland on the 16th of February 2019,’ adding that the boycott of presidential election next month will showcase their readiness, determination and seriousness in the pursuit for Biafra freedom and sovereignty.

According to him, “it is important we notify our people mostly politicians, clergymen and women including pastors who strongly believe in rebuilding one Nigeria to retrace their steps because Nigeria Government and its leadership has been hijacked

by Fulani people. Fulanis are parasites and stranger in Nigeria today but it is unfortunate that they control over 200 million Indigenous Population because of British support to them.

“Our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu during his weekly radio Biafra broadcast from the holy land of Israel on Saturday evening reaffirmed strongly to the people

doubt our stand towards boycotting the forthcoming presidential election next month. It is crystal clear that one of our major lethal weapons to achieve this present Biafra demand is civil disobedience, therefore we urge Biafrans, both home and abroad to advise and caution their families not to vote and totally boycott this coming election no matter the level of promises and inducement politicians of this days might have given them.

“In few days to come IPOB high command will release a blueprint and how this election boycott will be achieved and it’s benefit to Biafrans, IPOB will evoke high level of civil disobedience next month to make it effective so as Biafrans will realize how much determined we are. Federal Government of Nigeria, South East governors mostly Okezie Ikpeazu, David Umahi and Willie Obiano including Ohaneze Ndigbo led by Nnia Nwodo conspired and brought in operation python dance to frighten our people to trigger panic, apprehension and fear in the minds of Biafrans who believe in Biafra restoration project. IPOB will inevitably bring those governors and few Abuja/ Lagos based politicians who believe in serving Hausa Fulani caliphate to account in no distant time.

Police confirm 4 fatalities in A/Ibom gas explosion P olice command in Akwa Ibom has confirmed the death of four persons due to a fire incident at Lord Mike and Sons Nigeria Limited, in Ede Obuk area of the state.

The victims are Daniel Usoro, Anthony Anthony, Enobong Sampson and Akpabio John.

State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Odiko MacDon, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Eket Local Government Area of the state.

He said that investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the accident and to prevent such from occurring again in the state.

“I can confirm the unfortunate incident, as the matter had been reported to the station.

“In fact, the Director of the company is currently receiving treatment in an unknown hospital in the State.

“The Commissioner of Police, Mr Musa Kimo had commiserated also with the families of the deceased.

“We are calling for safety measures to prevent such incidents from happening again.

“However, we are asking that there should be more safety checks to ensure that similar occurrence does not happen again.

“Meanwhile, we are also interested in knowing how and why the accident happened,” MacDon said.

On his part, Mr Sunny Ekong, the Project Manager of Lord Mike, said that he could not ascertain what led to the explosion of the two cylinders.

“Three out of the victims were working at their new fabrication yard, while one was doing the cutting of pipes before the incident,” Ekong said.

NAN also reports that LordMike is

an indigenous oil servicing company that deals with scaffolding and fabrication, used for cutting and grinding pipes.

According to Ekong, the incident happened at about 5:30 pm on Thursday, Jan. 17, while a management meeting was ongoing.

Mr Andy Obot, Safety Officer of the company, said that the incident happened at the close of work.

Obot added that the Oxygen and Acetylene cylinders exploded and the affected areas were immediately condoned off.

A safety Engineer, Mr Ubong Sunday, said causes of such explosions could be expired cylinders and over pressure of the cylinders, among other safety concerns.

The explosion destroyed items that included Trucks, Caterpillar, Hilux, building, and sound blasting.

to the right direction and we have done that. We are sweeping webs of collateral corruption, to give Nigerians a new life, new home and a solid foundation; that is what President Buhari is doing and we are 100 per cent behind him.

“President Buhari is upright, firm, steady and focused, with great vision for the betterment and progress of the country,” he said.

Tinubu added that Buhari was committed to upholding the rule of law and entrenchment of democratic principles, and therefore urged the electorate to give him their mandate for the second time.

Also, APC Chairman, Adams Oshoimole, lauded Buhari over the successes recorded in the counterinsurgency campaign and peace restoration to the northeast region.

Oshiomole recalled that 24 local government areas were under the control of Boko Haram insurgents in 2015, adding that the military under the stewardship of Buhari, reclaimed all the communities.

“We still have security challenges but the arrogance and impunity that was wallowing Nigeria is now a thing of the past.

“The situation we find ourselves in now started during Obasanjo’s regime. Do-or-die politics was Obasanjo’s legacy. Today, the era of impeaching state governors is over.

“The era of quarrelling with Vice President on the streets is over; the era of withdrawal of Lagos state monthly allocations is also one of the legacies of Obasanjo,” oshiomole added.

Ignore OBJ’s criticisms of Buhari regime – Tinubu

C

hieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Monday, said former President Olusegun Obasanjo’ s criticisms of President Muhammadu Buhari, was in bad faith and should be ignored.

Tinubu, who spoke at the inauguration of the President Muhammadu Buhari campaign in Maiduguri, noted that Obasanjo was not happy with the feat attained by the APC government in the clean-up of the mess of the past 16 years of PDP administration.

According to him, no amount of such criticisms will stop the electorate from giving Buhari another fouryear mandate.

“When we came on board in 2015, we promised Nigerians that we are going to turn the ship of this country

17

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

BU$IN£SS

•Energy •Finance

•Stock

•Insurance

•Aviation

•e-Platform

Nuclear security panic dims Nigeria’s 4000 MW hope

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

T

Buying(NGN)

P22

Travel

Lagos rolls out 2019 calendar of tourism, cultural events making it particularly attractive for anyone looking to use it.

“With just over 1 kilogram of HEU, the Nigerian material, if stolen, would not be nearly enough to create a full nuclear warhead. However, a terrorist group would be able to create a dirty bomb with the substance or add the material into a stockpile gathered elsewhere to get close to the amount needed for a large explosion,” an expert explained.

In a statement released by the IAEA, Yusuf Aminu Ahmed, director of the Nigerian Centre for Energy Research and Training, was blunt about his concerns over keeping the weapons-grade material in his country. “We don’t want any material that is attractive to terrorists,” he said.

And the nature of these types of reactors, used primarily for research, means they are ideal targets for terrorist groups looking for nuclear material, said Jon Wolfsthal, a nuclear expert who served as senior director for arms control and nonproliferation at the U.S. National Security Council from 2014 to 2017.

“They’re small reactors, they’re not power reactors where the fuel is so radioactive it kills you,” he said.

“This is very attractive to a proliferation point of view, and they are research reactors, so they are often at universities without high security.”

Central (NGN) Selling(NGN)

US DOLLAR 305.85 POUNDS STERLING 395.8922 EURO 348.8525 SWISS FRANC 307.82 YEN 2.7954 CFA 0.5122 WAUA 425.5471 YUAN/RENMINBI 45.0851 RIYAL 81.5404 S/ A RAND 2.1965

‘African oil producers to host big EPD projects in 2019’ P20 Internet users hit 111.6m in December – NCC

CBN Exchange Rates JANUARY 21, 2019 Currency

Energy

e-Platform

306.35 396.5394 349.4228 308.3233 2.8 0.5222 426.2428 45.1593 81.6737 22.2328

306.85 397.1866 349.9931 308.8265 2.8046 0.5322 426.9385 45.2334 81.807 22.2691

Whereas the secret operation was delivered safely as planned to protect just a kilogramme of HEU, it raises huge concern about international confidence that Nigeria can safely deliver her plan to generate over 4000 megawatts of electricity by 2027. The power plants would require far much larger volume of HEU to meet nameplate power generation capacity.

The Oracle Today gathered from credible government agencies that whereas the nation’s nuclear plan remains a document on the table, feasibility for practical realization of physical amperage of consumable electricity from existing nuclear experiment in the country might have faded with the evacuation of highly enriched uranium from the nation’s research reactor in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Enquiries by The Oracle Today followed reports in a defence journal about international military and scientific collaboration in evacuating the Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) from a research reactor at ABU, Zaria, as world powers feared possible overrun of the center by Boko Haram terrorists plaguing the northern axes of the country.

The concerns of possible proliferation of bomb grade uranium from the center into the hands of Islamic

State cells in the country prompted key actors in the global nuclear nonproliferation treaty to swiftly activate a covert operation to evacuate the delicate nuclear material from the country.

The evacuation involving experts from Russia, United States, China, Brtitain, Norway and Czech Republic dashed hopes of realizing Nigeria’s nuclear power in the medium to long term as the evacuated material, our sources said, would likely dampen international nuclear cooperation for the country’s power diversification project.

A replacement was made with low enriched uranium to enable the research reactor progress with less sensitive academic studies at the university which, international monitors say is now in the heart of cloudy security environment.

The report seen by The Oracle Today still contends that nuclear nonproliferation experts still believe that the university could be a target for terrorists hoping to get their hands on nuclear material, but dismissed concerns that Hoko Haram and its parent Islamic State would have the expertise and facilities for radioactive materials enrichment.

But whereas the international concerns over Nigeria’s seeming weak

HE wave of security panic that forced international nuclear powers to scurry funds and logistics to rapidly evacuate Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) from a research reactor at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, last quarter, is raising serious concerns over the visibility of Nigeria’s 4000 megawatt nuclear power programme.

Following security alarms over the successful Boko Haram overrun of Nigeria’s military formations in the northern parts of the country, global power watchdogs had rapids raised some $5.5 million, a cargo plane and special cargo containers to safely evacuate about one kilogramme of HEU from the center.

The removal operation cost the United States $4.3 million, the United Kingdom $900,000 and Norway $290,000. Russian Antonov An-124 cargo plane took a plunge into Nigeria amid tight security provided by US Department and Nigerian Army; and aboard were the team of experts and a 30-ton TUK-145/C cargo container designed to safely move such uranium.

The evacuation exercise which took place in the last quarter of 2018 kept world’s nuclear powers on their toes until the HEU materials were safely removed from the ABU research reactor in Zaria, under multinational security watch, transported under controlled environment and delivered to experts in China.

Nonproliferation experts had long warned that the The Nigerian Research Reactor 1 (NIRR-1), built by China and located in Kaduna could be a target for terrorists hoping to get their hands on nuclear material.

Moving the nuclear material out of Nigeria has been a long-sought goal for the United States and nonproliferation advocates. But the goal has taken on increased importance in recent years with the rise of militant groups in the region, particularly Boko Haram, a group the Pentagon calls a major terrorist concern in the region.

NIRR-1 is classified as a miniature neutron source reactor, designed for “scientific research, neutron activation analysis, education and training,” per the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The design used HEU, a type of nuclear substance often referred to by the general public as weapons-grade uranium. This kind of uranium forms the core of any nuclear weapons material, and the Nigerian material was more than 90 percent enriched,

•Tourism

Cont’d on Page 28

P26

Insurance

NIA to digitalize marine insurance certificate

P28 Equity & Capital Market

SEC, NIPC partner to woo investors

P30 Money Market

Forex restriction: Private jets, wooden doors to join restricted items P31

Stock Market Highlights As At 21TH JANUARY, 2019

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE EQUITY CAP BOND CAP ETF CAP

30,733.39 3,706.00 467,725,245.00 N5,355,290,261.73 N11,460,757,411,700.59 N10,207,621,951,115.80 N6,024,914,130.37

5 Top Gainers

Symbols Last Close CCNN N25.1 NEM N2.48 FCMB N1.76 UBA N7.3 LINKASSURE N0.56

5 Top Losers

S/N Coy (By Volume) DIAMONDBNK 216,316,027 GUARANTY 116,870,751 ZENITHBANK 24,624,464 NEM 20,912,084 FBNH 15,836,615

SEPLAT Value(N) N449,963,353.63 MOBIL N3,717,390,659.30 DANGCEM N531,314,159.80 WAPCO N56,825,610.88 ETRANZACT N114,699,016.80

N576 N188 N194.9 N12.8 N3.56

Current Change N26.9 N2.6 N1.83 N7.35 N0.61

%Change 1.8 7.17% 0.12 4.84% 0.07 3.98% 0.05 0.68% 0.05 8.93%

N530 N180 N190 N12.4 N3.25

-7.99% -4.26% -2.51% -3.13% -8.71%

-46 -8 -4.9 -0.4 -0.31

18

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

BUSINESS

‘Oil sector performance to determine Nigerian economy in 2019’ Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

I

N its 2019 economic outlook report titled “A Tale of Two Halves”, Coronation Research believes the narrative for the Nigerian economy in 2019 is largely hinged around the performance of oil.

Speaking on the report, Guy Czatoryski, Head of Coronation Research said, “We forecast an average $58.00/bbl for 2019. An average much below this means the CBN will have to keep rates very high and could even challenge the Naira / US dollar exchange argument. An average much about $60.00/bbl means the CBN will have confidence its reserve position, and will be able to cut rates later in the year, in Q4, less likely Q3.

The current rate of N365.29/$1, or close to it, is likely to prevail this year. The CBN’s policy is to defend the rate and with reserves at $43 billion, it is in a strong position to do so. We think the CBN will supply US dollars to the FX markets at an average rate of $500 million per month during 2019. This is compatible with maintaining a strong reserve level, he said.

He further that, If, as we think, the oil prices will average $58.00/bbl this year, then we think the CBN will want to keep interest rates high. It will do this through its open market operations (OMO). We think OMOs will be issued in a range of 17 percent to 19 percent and that T-bill rates will be very close to this level during 2019, he stated.

“We look at Nigeria in the international context of interest rates.

Nigerian T-bill rates look competitive in the context of other emerg-

ing market rates which is why the CBN is having success in attracting inflows of Foreign Portfolio Investment.”

He explained further that, if oil trades at substantially above $60.00/bbl during 2019 then foreign investors in T-bills will be encouraged and the CBN might well be in a position to cut rates in Q4 2019, or even in Q3 2019.

This could be helped by a downtrend in inflation. Inflation has proved stubborn and has trended at around 11.00 percent over the past few months. But if inflation trends, in 2019, towards the CBN’s target band of 6.00 percent to 9.00 percent, then it will help the CBN cut rates in order to stimulate the economy.

We are agnostic on politics. However, there is some evidence that in the period after general elections (2011 and 2015) yields in the T-bill market tend to fall. This might help persuade the CBN to cut OMO rates later in the year, he said.

According to the report, GDP growth is expected to be 2.25 percent in 2019, as a result of very weak consumer demand, and a lack of growth in government expenditure relative to the 2018 budget.

Banks are unlikely to post large gains in profits this year. They are unlikely to experience much loan growth, given the weak economy and the fact that they can benefit from high T-bill yields. On the other hand, bank stocks are cheap in historical terms. So, if interest rates come down later in the year and the market conditions improve, then there could be a sharp rally in bank stocks later in the year.

•Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, General Secretary, NLC; Ifie Sekibo, Managing Director, Heritage Bank; Mr. Muda Yusuf, DG, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mr. Fola Adeola, Founder/ Chairman, FATE Foundation; Chairman/ A Former Minister, National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman; Dr. Doyin Salami, Economists, LBS and Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager/ Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers, at the Vanguard Economic Discourse in Lagos.

CBN unveils new policy to capture the unbanked

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has unveiled the National Financial Inclusion Strategy designed to ensure that at least 80 percent of Nigerians have access to banking and other financial services.

The CBN Deputy Governor on Financial System Stability, Mrs. Aisha Ahmad, made the presentation at the National Financial Literacy Stakeholders’ Conference.

She said that the apex bank had

Transcorp Hotels bids Ozigbo farewell, welcomes Omogiafo

T

RANSCORP Hotels Plc, the hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, on Saturday, January 19, 2019, organized farewell/welcome dinner in honour of its immediate past Managing Director/CEO, Valentine Ozigbo and Mrs. Owen Omogiafo, his replacement in Abuja.

Ozigbo has been elevated to the role of the President/CEO of Transcorp Plc, replacing Adim Jibunoh who retired with effect from January 1, 2019, in line with an October 16, 2018 notice to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) by Helen Iwuchukwu, Transcorp Group’s Company Secretary.

Speaking at the event, an appreciative Ozigbo linked his success as the MD/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc the tutelage of the Chairman of Transcorp Plc, Tony Elumelu.

He stressed that the group could not have appointed a better person to succeed him that Omogiafo, expressing confidence “that she will do better, I have seen her strong execution skills and I can attest that she will do even better than me.”

Also commenting on the changes, Chairman of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Emmanuel Nnorom appreciated Ozigbo for maintaining and deploying high-level of corporate governance and for driving positive transformation in Transcorp Hilton Abuja and Transcorp Hotels Calabar.

He admonished him to carry on the good works, applauding the affinity of his successor with the vision and mandate of the Transcorp Plc group, expressing confidence in her

ability to take the company to enviable heights.

For Omogiafo, she thanked Ozigbo and the Hilton management team for leaving behind a solid foundation for her to build on, pledging to work with her team to fulfill the company’s “responsibilities to all its key stakeholders.”

The Black-tie event held at the Congress Hall of the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Abuja was also used as an opportunity to bid farewell/welcome the outgoing and

incoming General Managers of Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Etienne Gailliez and Kevin Brett.

Notable personalities at the event included Professor Charles Soludo, , under whose watch as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Transcorp was envisioned and birthed; Jan Van Der Putten, Vice President Operations, Africa and Indian Ocean, Hilton Worldwide, Professor Osita and Dr. Ogugua Ogbu, among others.

FG must grant education, health sector tax holiday – LCCI

T

HE Director General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, has called on the Federal Government to grant the education and the health sector tax holiday, to help mitigate the imminent social crisis bewildering the sectors.

Muda made this known during a panel section at the Vanguard Economic Discourse on Human development index Vs economic growth in Lagos According to him, “The public and primary schools have practically collapsed. The public health institutions are practically collapse.

“We find a situation today where you have more private schools in many of the states they are public schools. We are faced with a situation today where we have more private hospitals than the public hospitals, that goes to show the role that private hospitals are playing even in the social sector space.

“It also underscores the fact that

the resources of the states are dwindling by the day and making it difficult for the government to discharge some of its fundamental obligations in the social space namely, issue of educations, health and even security.

“The Federal Government should not be tasking a private school, either primary, secondary or university the way you are tasking a bank or an oil company, because they are helping to support the government to deliver on some key social objective.

“We should grant them complete tax holiday and all the input into the educational sector, either education material, laboratory materials all this should come into the country free of import duty so that the private sector may be able to complement the effort of the government in delivering quality human capital because we need human capital to drive the economy.”

also released new policy frameworks on consumer protection, financial literacy and financial education.

“Adequate consumer protection is critical to sustaining the long term viability of the financial sector because consumer protection is a necessary precursor to building and maintaining trust in the formal financial sector.

“An essential pillar of any consumer protection regime is consumer education, which is founded on financial literacy.

“The benefits of a financially literate population are immense.

Consumers are better equipped to make optimal choices in the use of financial products, pose lower credit and default risk.

“In addition constitute a market for sustainable financial services and promote Financial System Stability by increasing market demand and responsible use of financial services,” she said.

Ahmad said the CBN recently introduced regulations and guidelines for the licensing and operations of Payment Service Banks in furtherance of its efforts to leverage technology to enhance access to financial services for the unbanked.

She said the move was expected to drive down exclusion rates by leveraging wider variety of multiple channels to enhance access to deposit products, payments and remittance services to small businesses and low income households.

Meanwhile, the Director, Consumer Protection Department, CBN, Mr. Kofo Salam-Alada, harped on the importance of promoting sound financial system in the country to ensure that consumers continue to have confidence in the sector.

“As we seek to boost the number of consumers in the financial industry through the Financial Inclusion Strategy, it is important that we establish policies, structures and programmes that would engender confidence among the general public.

“This is even more imperative considering the fact that we are only just recovering from a financial crisis that brought the financial system on the brink of collapse.

“All the efforts at strengthening the financial system would be fruitless if there are no concerted efforts to restore trust and confidence among consumers,” he said.

Salam-Alada revealed that since the consumer protection department was set up, it had successfully recovered more than N68 billion in favour of customers who have been shortchanged by their banks.

Also, the Managing Director, Jaiz Bank, Mr Hassan Usman said that the bank was committed to deepening financial services in the country through its non-interest banking strategy.

He said that the bank was currently engaging with women entrepreneurs in rural areas and giving them small loans to grow their businesses while encouraging them to open accounts.

According to him, the aim is to expose them to bank facilities that will grow their businesses in the near future.

The newly released National Financial Inclusion Strategy proposes roles and responsibilities for key stakeholders in the financial sector to reduce financial exclusion rate from the present 36.8 per cent to 20 per cent by 2020.

The key stakeholders are the Federal Government, the Deposit Money Bank’s, Development Finance Institutions, National Insurance Commission, National Pension Commission, National Communication Commission and Nigeria Postal Service among others.

The priority areas identified for the success of the strategy includes “Tiered Know-Your-Customer” regulations, agent banking regulations, national financial literacy strategy and consumer protection.

19

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

BUSINESS

Why Lafarge Africa may miss N89.2bn Rights Issue target

By JEROME USHAKANG

L

AFARGE Africa Plc’s plan to raise a total of N89.2billion from its existing shareholders (Rights Issue) may not fly as the investors are reluctant to subscribe to their Rights at N12 per share higher than its market price of N11.95 kobo per share.

Some of the Shareholders in a chat with The Oracle Today said the Rights are being issued at a premium rather than at a discount expected by members of the company.

The company intends to raise N89.2 billion by way of Rights Issue of 7,434,367,256 Ordinary shares at N12.00 per share, by issuing six new shares for every seven shares held by shareholders as at December 4, 2018 which was the ‘Qualification Date’. Specifically, the offer opened on Monday December 17, 2018 and is expected to close on Wednesday January 23, 2019.

There are strong indications that the Lafarge Rights Issue might be extended as a number of investors were last Thursday seen at CardinalStone Registrars picking up subscription forms as the price of the stock closed at N12.50 on Wednesday January 17, 2019.

A Staff of the Registrars was trying to persuade an investor to buy more after taking up his Rights and he declined, saying that he just manage to take up his Rights because the price in the market is currently N12.50.

Though Rights Issues are broadly meant for existing investors, but sometimes, they leave such investors in a dilemma as to whether to

subscribe to the Rights or not. For instance, When Rights are offered to shareholders, they have about three or four options to think through in order to decide on what to do with the offer.

Here are some of the options that go with Rights issues: You can take up the Rights by buying the required number of additional shares allotted to you. Another option a shareholder should has, is to sell the Rights but it does not look like Rights are tradable in Nigeria or yet to be popular and the ability of a shareholder to sell the Rights in the market, where tradable, depends on the intrinsic value of the Rights, if any. When a Right does not have intrinsic value, it does not get sold and it expires worthless.

In specific terms, intrinsic value is the difference between a stock’s market price and the price at which an option on the stock can be exercised. Intrinsic value can never be less than zero. For Lafarge Africa Rights, the market price of the stock was N11.95, while the price of the Rights is N12, therefore the intrinsic value is N11.95 minus N12, leaving you with negative N.05kobo and since intrinsic value can never be less than zero, its intrinsic value is therefore zero or worthless.

Yet, another option is to refuse to take up the Rights by not participating in the Rights Issue. However, one disadvantage of not taking up a Rights Issue is that it has some dilutive effect. If you fail to take up your Rights, the additional shares issued as a result of the Rights will dilute your holdings and give you

•Wole Abegunde, Chairman, Niyi Toluwalope, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Olayimika Phillips, Non-Executive Director, all members of the Board of Directors of eTranzact International Plc, during the company’s Extraordinary General Meeting held in Lagos recently.

a less proportionate share of the company than you had before the Rights. Therefore, it is not in your interest to stand by and let the Right go by.

As already noted, the best option is to take up the Rights and buy the stock at the offer price. This decision will only be optimal if the new shares arising from the Rights are being offered at a discount; otherwise, it may not make sense.

The market price for Lafarge Africa was N11.95 which is less than the

IFC to help Lagos State improve municipal infrastructure, increase revenues

BY KAYODE OGUNWALE

I

NTERNATIONAL Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and Lagos State government have announced a memorandum of understanding under which IFC will seek to provide advisory services to enhance infrastructure development and strengthen Lagos State’s long-term financial sustainability.

IFC’s advisory services will be designed to improve procurement for key transport projects and support project development in areas including power, transport, municipal waste, health, education and energy efficiency. IFC will also be able to advise on strategies and policies for electric buses and ridehailing services and assist Lagos State on its revenue mobilization strategies.

According to Lagos State Governor, Mr, Akinkunmi Ambode, “We welcome IFC’s support and are confident that signing this memorandum will translate into viable infrastructure projects, expertise building and better access to financing for the benefit of all Lagosians”.

With a population of 20 million, Lagos State is Nigeria’s economic epicenter and main hub for commercial and industrial activities, accounting for 30 percent of the country’s GDP. Faced with a fastgrowing population, Lagos State has been working to improve its economic and social infrastructure to enhance economic development. Lagos State aims to become Africa’s third largest economy,

N12 being offered through Right issue. The shareholders are reasoning that, if you can buy the shares in the market at N11.95, what is the rationale to participate in the rights which will then obligate you to buy the shares at N12.

But, in order not to suffer the dilutive effect of the Right Issue by not participating and in order not to pay more than the prevailing market price, the rational and prudent thing to do is to calculate how many shares you would have

received through the Right Issues, and then buy that number of shares from the market at a slightly cheaper price.

However, the danger of doing so, is that, if most shareholders decide to take similar action,, it may push the market price above the N12 being offered by the Rights Issue making the issue gather some intrinsic value and therefore rational.

Perhaps, this is what is happening as the market price of Lafarge stock is now N12.50 per share.

By JEROME USHAKANG

Principles.

According to IOSCO in its Objectives and Principles of Securities Regulation, securities regulation has three key objectives: protecting investors, ensuring that markets are fair, efficient, and transparent, and reducing systemic risk.

IOSCO Principle 16 states that issuers should provide “full, accurate, and timely disclosure of financial results, risk, and other information which is material to investors’ decisions.” With regard to this Principle, IOSCO emphasizes that ESG matters, though sometimes characterized as non-financial, may have a material short-term and long-term impact on the business operations of the issuers as well as on risks and returns for investors and their investment and voting decisions.

It also stated that disclosure of ESG information in the market has increased in recent years. Examples of ESG matters that issuers are disclosing include environmental factors related to sustainability and climate change, social factors including labor practices and diversity, and general governance-related factors that have a material impact on the issuer’s business.

IOSCO monitors and discusses current developments regarding disclosure of ESG information and the perspectives of different market participants, including investors, issuers, and other stakeholders.

IOSCO said that at the moment, investors’ interest in ESG disclosure is growing and some investors already significantly value ESG matters in their investment strategy. It highlighted that such disclosures are necessary to supplement their investment and voting decisions.

IOSCO releases statement on disclosure of ESG matters by issuers

measured by GDP, by 2023.

IFC’s Country Manager for Nigeria, Eme Essien said, “Today’s announcement is only a first step in the building of a long term strategic partnership with the largest municipality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our objective is to support Lagos State’s efforts through IFC’s Cities Initiative to improve living conditions, expand and renew its infrastructure, and help reinforce Lagos’s position as an attractive investment destinationand by extension Nigeria’s position.”

IFC’s Cities Initiative works to mobilize commercial financing for priority urban projects, to connect cities with capital markets, and to help improve municipalities’ creditworthiness through financial management training. The program supports efforts to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities that open new markets, and create opportunities for all. Over the last 15 years, IFC’s Cities Initiative has invested $13.5 billion in over 400 cityrelated projects across more than 70 countries.

T

BY KAYODE OGUNWALE

private secondary schools from the six educational districts of Lagos Sate in attendance at the three-day sporting fiesta held in 2017.

Skoolimpics was an idea conceived to bring into being a national sports festival for young people in secondary schools aimed at helping the country discover young talents that will re-ignite the spirit of excellence in competitive and recreational sports.

The idea was intended to be a holistic development of young people in order to foster their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. It is a wellknown fact that physical education and sports help in character and community building, delinquency reduction, community safety, economic and social development.

In her address of welcome, the President of Para-Powerlifting Federation of Nigeria, Mrs. Queen Uboh noted that the Nigerian Para Powerlifters had always made the nation proud by winning medals and most times topping the medals table at

every competition they attended.

She said under her leadership within one year, the federation had won several medals and broken new world records at the Commonwealth Games and other major championships and got the hosting right for the first time for an International Para Powerlifting Competition in Nigeria.

Others are the federation being a proud owner of the only Spartan Wheelchair Accessible Van in Nigeria, courtesy of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, makers of Peak Milk, purchased brand new training and competition equipment for the Para Powerlifters as well as secured more corporate sponsors and partners for it.

Also speaking, the Marketing Manager of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, makers of Peak Milk, Maureen Ifada lauded the Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Mr. Solomon Dalong for approving the partnership between Peak Milk and the Nigerian Paralympics team since February 2017.

HE International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) has released a statement setting out the importance for issuers to consider the inclusion of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) matters when disclosing information material to investors’ decisions.

However, the organization said the statement does not supersede existing laws, regulations, guidance or standards or relevant regulatory or supervisory frameworks in specific jurisdictions, or any IOSCO

Heritage Bank partners Para-Powerlifting Federation on sports promotion

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ERITAGE Bank Plc has reiterated its commitment to promoting sports in Nigeria, in partnership with Para-Powerlifting Federation to host the Lagos 2019 International Para-Powerlifting Competition.

The competition which about 10 countries have indicated interest to attend is billed for 24th-31st January 2019.

The MD/CEO of Heritage Bank, Ifie Sekibo commended the Para - Powerlifting Federation of Nigeria for bringing the competition to Nigeria as well as the Lagos State Government for playing a leading role in the development of sports in the country.

Sekibo who was represented by Ozena Utulu, Head of Brand Management of Heritage Bank also recalled the support it received from the Lagos State government when it organised the Skoolimpics, its signature sporting event with more than 6,000 students from over 600 public and

20

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

ENERGY

‘African oil producers to host big EPD projects in 2019’

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

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•Egina field development models clock has been ticking since. The lack of progress on this plan has been so slow that operator Ophir Energy, as of January this year, has been denied the extension of its license to operate block R, which contains the giant Fortuna gas discovery. While Equatorial Guinea’s FLNG aspirations look more uncertain than ever, 2019 will tell if the country can find the right partners to put the project back on Africa’s FLNG map.

Meanwhile, new entrants in Africa’s hydrocarbons stage are making remarkable advances towards the development of their own FLNG industry. On December 21st last year, BP finally announced its FID for phase 1 of the crossborder Greater Tortue Ahmeyim development between Senegal and Mauritania, which involves the installation of a 2.5MTPA FLNG facility. It became the third African FLNG project to reach FID after Cameroon’s 2.4MTPA Hilli Episeyo and Mozambique’s 3.4MTPA Coral South FLNG. Other mega projects listed to be on the move to transform the future of the industry in Africa include both upstream and downstream investments.

On the upstream side, the recent inter-governmental cooperation agreement between Senegal and Mauritania, and BP’s FID on its cross-border Greater Tortue Ahmeyim development, aims at extracting the 15Tcf of gas estimated to be held in the Tortue gas field, located at a depth of 2,850 metres.

However, the ability of both Senegal and Mauritania to work out their differences to ensure a more sustainable development of their offshore reserves and facilities around the MSGBC Basin is a factor to watch out for, the advisory stated.

Mozambique is also moving forward with two landmark projects putting the Southern African nation on the global LNG map. Following the launch of the Coral South FLNG project by ENI in June 2017, a FID is now expected in the coming months for the Anardarkoled Mozambique LNG project, an

onshore LNG development initially consisting of two LNG trains totaling 12.88MTPA to export the gas extracted from the offshore Area 1, estimated to contain a whooping 75Tcf. “Sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest petroleum producer, Nigeria, is also moving forward with massive oil development projects in 2019.

Last year already saw the launch of Total’s $3.3 billion Egina FPSO in Nigeria, where production officially started in the first days of 2019 and is set to peak at 200,000 bopd. FID is now expected on Shell’s Bonga Southwest offshore field in Nigeria early this year, a multi-billion dollars development whose production is expected to reach 180,000 bopd,” AEC revealed.

The commercial viability of the big ticket Africa projects at a time Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is haggling for prices with production cuts introduces multilateral economic diplomacy into the mix.

With a majority of its members made up of African nations since the joining of the Republic of Congo in June 2018, OPEC’s evolving relationship with the continent as it strives to manage the global supply glut will be requiring skillful diplomatic ingenuity.

“On one side, Africa’s biggest producers and OPEC members Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, Angola and Congo-Brazzaville, are striving to boost their domestic output, which makes it harder and harder for the organisation to negotiate its production cuts,” the AEC observes.

On the other side, the continent is also home to a flurry of upcoming petroleum producers like Senegal, Kenya or Uganda, or old players making a comeback like South Sudan, some of them part of OPEC’s Declaration of Cooperation, whose upcoming or increasing output adds another layer of complexity to the formulation of OPEC’s global oil prices management strategy.

An increasing African output from OPEC and non-OPEC member countries only complicates OPEC’s maneuver capabilities and increas-

es its dilemma of both providing a stable pricing environment conducive to investments, while avoiding a worsening of the supply glut that would push prices further down.

More anxiety besets the investors from the political dynamics that would see changes in the government of the producing nations that have agreements with international investors.

“Amongst the series of elections happening in the continent this year, from Senegal to Mozambique, none will be more important for the African oil sector than that of Nigeria this February. The Nigerian presidential election is set to shape the future of the industry, not only because Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil & gas producer, but because what happens in Nigeria impacts the rest of the subcontinent one way or the other.

“While both Muhammadu Buhari, seeking re-election, and his ally turned rival Atiku Abubakar have committed to the signing of the Nigerian Petroleum Industry Bill, the ability of the future President to get his office in order and get the bill passed quickly will heavily influence investments within Nigeria’s hydrocarbons sector for years to come.”

In the North, Algeria and Libya are also entering an election year, with the 2019 Libyan general election set for the first half of the year, and Algeria’s for April.

Both countries are on a transformation path. Libyan authorities plan to more than double the country’s output to 2.1 million bopd by 2021, providing politics doesn’t tamper hydrocarbons governance and the work of the National Oil Company. With Muammar Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi set to stand for election and the country still divided between West and East, maintaining the stability required by investors will prove challenging, the advisory pointed out.

Also in Algeria, where a wave of reform is shaking the entire hydrocarbons sector, elections are expected to maintain existing sta

STRING of fiscal, diplomatic and market changes petroleum play is shaping the status of the Sub-Saharan Africa oil and gas producing countries as the new global frontier for new investments in exploration, development and production operations.

According to new industry investment analyses plus direction of global investments flows in the 2019 petroleum industry outlook published by several investment funding consultancy groups, successes recorded by independent wild cat exploration companies in the continent have attracted greater attention from international oil companies seeking greater reserves in Africa’s emerging frontiers.

A 2019 industry assessment by the African Energy Chamber (AEC) posted a changing outlook for the continent’s producers in the year, pointing at deliberate moves to achieve peace in countries torn apart by violent scramble for resource wealth, new fiscal outlooks in countries at dispute with investors and changing fortunes of small producers in the global market place.

According to the investment advisory group, the African continent will in the year witness host scramble for operating licenses by international players, improve market access for East African producers, big ticket development projects in countries with huge reserves discoveries.

Besides, increased global investment funding is expected to drive deeper exploration in the continent’s emerging frontiers where wild cat and appraisal drillings are expected to lead activity in the year, while existing discoveries would command investments in development of oil and gas with floating gas liquefaction defining offshore gas valorization.

According to the analysis, the flip side of events that would affect the investment climate include political processes that would lead to change governments, energy diplomacy dilemma for members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and wave of fiscal and regulatory reforms in producing countries.

AEC stated that the continent’s old and new hydrocarbons markets have an opportunity to further entrench its position as the world’s hottest oil and gas frontier in 2019 after a year of rebound and recovery.

It added however that the new year would also bring a new set of dynamics and challenges set to influence the future of the industry, including elections in some producing countries, development megaprojects, and intensifying international competition.

In pointing at emerging African frontiers, the group stated that independents are leading the way in exploring and opening up new frontiers, providing the key for the advancement of new exploration and production development projects from West to East Africa.

It listed the developments to include Senegal’s SNE field development where front end engineering design (FEED) works are ongoing and a final investment decision

(FID) is expected by Woodside Energy and Cairn Energy in the year.

The others listed in the assessment are Niger’s Amdigh oilfield development where Savannah Petroleum’s $5.0 million early production scheme is set to start anytime soon; and Tullow Oil’s opening up of Kenya’s South Lokichar Basin where FID is also expected before year end amidst rising tensions with the Turkana local community.

The AEC also sees opportunity for more exploration investments and activities in the continent with the ongoing bidding rounds in key existing and new African hydrocarbons markets.

“Amongst well-established African producers, OPEC members Gabon and Congo-Brazzaville each have ongoing bidding rounds. Gabon’s 12th shallow and deep-water licensing round is set to close in April 2019 and Congo-Brazzaville’s License round phase II in June 2019. With both countries struggling to implement their new Hydrocarbons Codes, the success of these rounds will tell if investors have been convinced by policy reforms developed over the past two years,” the AEC stated.

Two bigger African producers and also OPEC members, Nigeria and Angola, are set to launch landmark and out-of-the-ordinary bidding rounds this year, it hinted.

“Nigeria will auction its gas flare sites under the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, likely to happen after the February general election, and Angola will hold its Marginal Fields Bidding Round, result of a new May 2018 policy enacted by President Lourenço, and to be launched at the Africa Oil & Power conference in Luanda in June 2019.”

With the Nigerian Petroleum Industry Bill yet to be signed and the ink still fresh on Angola’s new policy regime, both rounds will also be key in assessing investors’ interest for both countries’ business environments.

Also attracting interest is the newest and arguably one of the upcoming entrants – Ghana – holding its 1st formal licensing round set to close in May 2019 which has reportedly got the attention of 16 oil companies, including majors ExxonMobil, BP, Total and ENI. As a hopeful new East African offshore frontier, Madagascar is also putting 44 concessions on offer until May 2019, none of which has ever been tendered or explored before. For a country without any major oil discovery to date, the ongoing license round is a wager test, AEC said.

On offshore gas valorization model involving liquefaction floaters, the group pointed out that hopes were high that Equatorial Guinea would soon move forward with its own Fortuna FLNG project, set to be Africa’s first deep-water FLNG development.

The project, The Oracle Today reports, comes after the start of commercial operations at Golar LNG’s Hilli Episeyo FLNG vessel in Cameroon in June 2018.

While Fortuna was to be game changing for the gas industry of Equatorial Guinea and the rest of the continent, the development of the $2.0 billion project has stalled due to a lack of financing. And the

Continued on P 21

21

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

ENERGY

Oil industry heavyweights seek cooperation on African big projects Stories by SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

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OVERNMENT agencies and global investors with commercial interests in African petroleum industry are seeking common policy and strategy platforms that would create value linkages across big ticket projects in the continent.

Specifically, ministers from producing countries and industry captains that stake funds in hydrocarbon exploitation are scheduled to gather at the APPO Cape VII conference in Equatorial Guinea to explore coordinated industry reform programme that would lead to enhanced regional cooperation.

The event being held under the auspices of the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, will bring ministers of all African oil producers and global oil and gas explorers, producers and service companies together to share perspectives on ‘Pathways to Shared Prosperity in the African Petroleum Industry.’

The organizers stated in a media release that the event also shines a spotlight on key regional energy projects and initiatives such as Equatorial Guinea’s Gas Megahub, which will link domestic and cross-border gas projects; Equatorial Guinea’s LNG2Africa, which is promoting intra-African gas trade; Sudan and South Sudan’s cooperation on restarting oil production; licensing rounds in Nigeria, Gabon and the Republic of Congo; and key economic and investment reforms in Angola.

Ahead of the event organized

by Africa Oil & Power, the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) and its member countries have called for unity, cooperation and reform amongst oil producers.

APPO is currently undergoing

important reforms focused on creating a united African front on the global energy stage. The organization seeks to increase regional cooperation on upstream projects, infrastructure, refineries and other major projects. It also aims to attract more members as African countries make significant oil and gas discoveries, while growing their reserves.

Secretary General of APPO, Mahaman Laouan Gaya, stated that “Africa needs unity and synergy in all sectors of its economies to boost growth. When we unite, it is easier to collaborate.”

“Taking place against a backdrop of greater African involvement in energy institutions, rising investment in upstream projects, a favourable oil price environment and the recent restructuring of APPO, the conference highlights regional cooperation and promotes alliances in African energy,” he said.

“Regulatory and policy reforms are needed on a case-by-case basis.

Countries like Ghana, Senegal and Mozambique have some of the most attractive and competitive market conditions in the world. Additionally, Africa has proven itself as a host of mega discoveries with a wealth of untapped and undiscovered potential,” said Gaya.

APPO Cape VII takes place during Equatorial Guinea’s Year of Energy, a series of events promoting Africa’s energy potential and positioning Malabo as a continental energy center.

Minister of Mines and Hydrocarbons of Equatorial Guinea, Gabriel Mbaga Obiang Lima, who hosts of the conference, said “Equatorial Guinea has a distinguished track record as a host country for events of continental importance, and this APPO meeting will be momentous.”

•Tony Attah, MD/CEO NLNG (3rd from L), and Engr. Simbi Wabote, Executive Secretary of NCDMB with executives of Nigerian companies at a public workshop on Nigerian Content for NLNG’s Train 7 Project in Port Harcourt.

NNPC tasks African Transportation Union on fuel smuggling

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HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has appealed for the collaboration of the African Union of Transportation and Logistics Organization in checking the participation of the group’s members in smuggling subsidized Nigerian fuel.

The Oracle Today reports that the corporation has traditionally blamed the nation’s large fuel import subsidy bills and acute supply shortages on activities of cross-border leakages of petroleum fuel smugglers that thrive on cheap Nigerian petroleum products.

The corporation’s spokesman, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said smuggling of petroleum products remained a seri-

‘African oil producers to host big EPD projects in 2019’

Continued from Pg 20

tus. The country’s national oil company, Sonatrach, has launched an ambitious transformation strategy that will see it investing $56 billion over the next four years and internationalizing its operations across major global energy markets. 2019 could even see the state-owned giant and Africa’s biggest company further expand south of the Sahara.

On the reforms side, Angolan President João Lourenço, since taking office in the summer of 2017, has been implementing a bullish reformist agenda which is drastically transforming the governance of the country’s oil & gas sector.

“Angola is reforming fast, but will market forces allow changes to happen at that pace and yield the results that the government is looking for?,” the group posed.

While international investors seem to think so, with Total and BP signing major agreements to boost their Angolan operations over the past few months, 2019 will tell if the international oil industry is being convinced of Angola’s return as a competitive African frontier or not.

To showcase the work being

done by Sonangol and the Angolan government to generate more investment in the country’s oil & gas industry, Angola is backing up an international conference being organized by Africa Oil & Power in Luanda on June 4-6, 2019, where it will be launching the Angolan Marginal Field Bidding Round.

“This will be the first official investment roadshow organized in Angola under the current administration, and one that is set to unveil a new set of reforms and investment commitments.”

On addressing physical environment for investments, the major progression in South Sudan, and one on which the entire economy relies, is that of the peace accords.

The Sudanese and South Sudanese authorities have time and again demonstrated their commitment to the peace process, which has remained peaceful for the most part.

However, some signals point to that direction that peace deals will translate into investment promises and money being invested into the South Sudanese economy this year. South Africa’s Central Energy Fund committed $1.0 billion to South Sudan late last year, but markets are still skeptical and observers wait to see how the peace-

ful transition is managed and how oil production resumes before making any concrete moves.

The year, according to AEC, promises to improve market access for East African producers; and with Uganda set to join the club of African petroleum producers by the early 2020s, efforts are on the way to develop adequate infrastructure for the evacuation of oil that will be produced from the Lake Albert Basin.

The project seemed to be positively moving forward when Uganda and Tanzania exchanged the inter-governmental agreement for the 1,443 kilometer East African Crude Oil Pipeline in May 2017.

However, the partners in the pipeline’s construction including Total, China’s CNOOC and Tullow Oil, are yet to make a final investment decision on the project but the Host Government Agreements are to be signed this January, and delays in concluding the pipeline’s financial deal have already pushed back Uganda’s oil production ambitions from 2020 to 2021.

The pipeline is crucial for the further integration of the East African community and to set a positive record of joint planning, financing and implementation of landmark energy projects in the region.

ous concern in the Nigeria’s fuel supply and distribution business.

He quoted the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, as telling a delegation of the continent’s transportation players the corporation would cooperate with them in bringing the high rate of smuggling cheap Nigerian fuel to profit centers to an end.

The transporters’ group led by its President, Mr. Mustapha Chaeun, was at the NNPC Towers on a courtesy visit the management.

Dr. Baru noted that the collaboration would not only help to stop the menace but would help rid the West African corridor of other vices that are associated with the illicit fuel smuggling business.

The NNPC GMD also charged the regional transportation union to ensure that its members comply with extant laws and regulations on speed limits, axial weight of haulage tankers and other sundry regulations necessary to ensure safety of high ways across the African terrain.

He said the NNPC was open to new

areas of mutual collaboration with the organization while calling on transportation union members to take full advantage of NNPC’s vast business portfolio and strategic position in the West African sub-region and beyond to expand business interest and areas of cooperation.

Responding, Mr. Chaeun, while thanking the NNPC GMD for the warm reception accorded his team, pledged the readiness of members to comply with laws and regulations in countries where they operate.

He said that the composition of the union members which encompasses groups from West, Central, East and North Africa, made it imperative for the union to work with key continental institutions like the NNPC to maximize its strategic role in the region. ‘’We expect collaboration on many levels: first at the level of development of our sector, the transport sector, and to enhance human resources management. On another level, there is the need for training our professional drivers that work in transport sector,’’ he noted.

Nigeria’s mini-grid market exhibits high growth potential

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NCREASING activity in Nigeria’s solar-powered mini-grid industry, coupled with government support for off-grid solutions, has the potential to electrify a significant portion of the rural population and circumvent transmission issues, according to industry review by Oxford Business Group.

The development potential of Nigerian mini-grids – generation and distribution systems capable of supplying up to 1 MW of capacity from renewable sources, independent of national transmission networks – is valued at up to $20bn, according to a report issued in late August by private sector think tank Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the US-based sustainability NGO, Rocky Mountain Institute.

The report, based on a study of 10 solar-powered mini-grids with a combined capacity of 364 KW, said that development of off-grid systems, including mini-grids and solar home systems, could save individuals and businesses $6bn per year.

In addition, by scaling up the minigrid market to 10,000 sites, each

with a 1-KW capacity, the sector can electrify an estimated 14% of the population and generate annual returns of $3bn for investors by 2023. At present, there are 30 solar-powered mini-grids in Nigeria serving around 6000 customers.

Rural communities, in particular, would benefit from development of the market. Just 36% of the rural population is estimated to have consistent access to a centralised power supply, and use diesel and oil generators, which cost around N0.70 ($0.0019) per KWh compared to N0.57 ($0.0016) for a mini-grid connection.

As the market expands, costs for consumers could fall even further – by as much as 60% by 2020, the report found.

Transmission shortfalls increase support for off-grid solutions In addition to providing communities with a cheaper, more reliable electricity supply, the expansion of off-grid systems could help the energy sector circumvent distribution shortfalls affecting the transmission network.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

e-Platform

Internet users hit 111.6m in December – NCC Stories by VICTOR NZE

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NTERNET users in Nigeria increased marginally to more than 111.6 million in December 2018, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said.

The NCC made this known on Monday in its Monthly Internet Subscribers Data for December posted on its website.

The data showed that overall internet users increased to 111,632,516 in December 2018 from the 108,457,051 recorded in November 2018, showing an increase of 3,175,465 new subscribers.

According to the data, Airtel, MTN and Globacom gained more

internet subscribers during the month under review, while 9mobile was the big loser.

The breakdown revealed that MTN gained the more with 2,221,153 new internet users in December 2018, increasing its subscription to 43,899,957 as against 41,678,804 in November 2018.

It further showed that Airtel was second, gaining 799,538 new users in the month under review, increasing its subscription to 29,757,791 in December 2018 as against 28,958,253 in November 2018.

It said that Globacom was the third gainer with 293,667 new internet users, increasing its subscription in December 2018 to 28,054,948 from 27,761,281 recorded in November 2018.

Galaxy Backbone set to boost SMEs businesses online

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ALAXY Backbone Limited is designing online services to assist Small and Mediumscale Enterprises (SMEs) to thrive in the digital space, the Marketing Manager, Mr Chidi Okpala, said.

Okpala who made this known, Monday in Abuja, said that the firm understood that different segments had to be treated differently, adding that “the public sector is our captive market: we also have large organisations and SMEs. `What we have been doing in the last couple of months is to design services that are specifically meant for SMEs space.

“We have services like internet connectivity, shared platform, and the use of our direct centres

to process services. SMEs can also co-locate with us: we set this up because we understand the intricacies of the sector and we did it in such a way that we can help them to grow and share resources.”

According to Okpala, Galaxy Backbone also has a communication programme on voice, data and video under a small service package in such a way to assist small businesses to grow.

He said that Galaxy was also collaborating with other agencies under the Ministry of Communications like National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) “to see how well we can engage these businesses.”

•Chairman, Tech X innovation Hub, Tony Ojobo, (third left) flanked by team at the unveiling of Tech X Innovation Hub in Enugu.

NITDA warns against use of public internet

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points to 22.3 per cent. Safaricom has a market share of some 65 per cent.

Insiders familiar with the matter said growth for Airtel Kenya had been driven by a combination of higher voice, mobile data and money transfer transactions in the eastern African country.

Airtel Africa is the UK-based holding company of Bharti Airtel’s operations in 14 countries in the continent.

Airtel is the second-largest telco in the continent with a customer base of some 94 million and ranking among the top two in most markets.

Airtel Africa has seen a turnaround in recent years, in a clear departure from before, when losses mounted every quarter, dragging down consolidated numbers and casting doubt on Bharti’s strategy of expanding into the continent in 2010.

Africa earnings have been supporting Airtel’s consolidated financials.

of the country.

According to him, PIA providers like hotels, IT companies, restaurants, event centres should ensure they comply with the PIA regulations as stipulated in the Nigerian Data Protection Regulation of NITDA, 2019.

He said that only registered, verified and vetted providers could provide public interntyt\yyhhet access services in Nigeria.

“The management of NITDA will like to bring to the notice of the general public on the need for caution in the use of Public Internet Access services.

“While PIA services are generally free and convenient for the public, where personal data is inappropriately or insecurely shared, it may constitute risks to members of the public.

“Similarly, where operators cannot provide adequate security for use of these services, malicious software and other applications can be introduced to harm users or to incur significant economic loss.

“The general public is therefore advised to always enquire if providers of free internet access services are duly registered with NITDA and therefore met all minimum requirements to offer free PIA securely in Nigeria,” he said.

He also admonished the general public to ensure that their personal information, such as personnel identities, residential addresses, banking details,

supporting infrastructure which are taken for granted in other jurisdictions,” it stated.

ALTON said Right of Way (RoW), multiple taxation, vandalisation of infrastructure, accessibility issues and shutting down of telecom infrastructure are rampant in Nigeria.

“Our members daily do battle the state and local government agencies who aggressively harass them to pay both legitimate and illegitimate taxes and levies that run to millions naira in some cases. They daily contend with high costs of diesel, frequent theft of equipment, without increasing

tariffs. It is on record that the cost of building one similar Base Transceiver Station (BTS) site in Nigeria will build three similar structures in Ghana,” the association added.

The association stressed that subscribers pay far less tariffs per minute than they paid five years ago, and data charges have continued to fall over the years due to the easy access to relevant telecoms services.

Noting that there is still service quality and ethical concerns in telecoms industry, ALTON said it is working with the regulator and other stakeholders to tackle these concerns in the best interests of subscribers.

ATIONAL Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), on Monday cautioned citizens on the use of Public Internet Access (PIA), saying it could pose some risks to their devices.

NITDA gave the warning in a statement signed by Dr Isa Pantami, the Director General of agency in Abuja.

Pantami said the warning was in line with the agency’s mandate to promote and regulate the Information Technology (IT) sector

Airtel moves to buy Telkom

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HARTI Airtel has entered into talk aimed at buying Telkom Kenya, which will help the Sunil Mittal-led telco emerge stronger in the east African market and improve overall valuation of Airtel Africa in the run-up to its initial public offer (IPO), likely in May-June, people aware of the development said.

Telkom Kenya is the third-largest telco in Kenya with over five million users, behind market leader Safaricom with over 30 million and Airtel Kenya, with 10 million-plus customers. It is 60 per cent owned

by UK private equity firm Helios Investment Partners and the rest by Kenya’s government.

According to Economic Times (ET) of India, Bharti Airtel is learnt to be in preliminary talks with Helios, though it will probably inform the Kenyan telecom regulator only if discussions lead towards a potential deal, said one of the persons cited above.

A Bharti Airtel spokesman declined comment and ET’s queries to Helios Investment did not elicit a response as of press time.

The Bharti Airtel scrip dipped marginally by 0.64 per cent to close at £331.90 on BSE. The latest deal overtures come in the aftermath of Airtel Africa recently raising $1.25 billion (about £9,200 crore) by placement of shares to six global investors, which will be followed by an Airtel Africa IPO, through which the telco plans to garner an additional $1.5-1.6 billion.

Sector experts though said the actual impact on Airtel Africa’s valuation will hinge on the premium Airtel pays to buy a controlling stake in

Telkom Kenya.

Head of India and Middle East, Analysys Mason, Rohan Dhamija, said any potential Airtel takeover of Telkom Kenya “will increase Airtel Africa’s overall valuation” as it would “be value-accretive, given the scale driven synergies, which are so important in the Africa market.”

Former Airtel chief executive, Sanjay Kapoor, said the degree of improvement in Airtel Africa’s overall valuation would hinge on a host of factors, “including the quantum of premium Airtel actually pays to buy Telkom Kenya, synergies that get drawn by virtue of such a consolidation and the level of pricing power gained in the Kenyan telecom market.”

Between September 2017 and September 2018, Airtel Kenya’s subscriber base jumped nearly 71 per cent to over 10.4 million, lifting its overall market share 7.4 percentage

ALTON urges support for industry

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SSOCIATION of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) has called on Nigerians to support the sector, saying that there are still myriads of challenges confronting operators in the country.

ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, in a document, claimed that members maintained stable charges in spite of the extremely high cost of providing services in Nigeria.

“The narrative has recorded not much change, 18 years on as operators are still left to self-provide power, transmission, security and other

among others were not shared over public networks.

Pantami added that members of the public should use up-todate antivirus software on their laptops and other computing devices before use of such free and PIA services.

“Always verify Wi-Fi access point before connection as the possibility exists for criminals to create a fake Wi-Fi name to lure the public into connecting to it and thereby intercepting activities on the network.

“Users are therefore advised to always re-confirm when in doubt, the legitimacy of a Wi-Fi name before connecting their devices.

“Always confirm that a website is secure before carrying out transactions. Website addresses starting with https:// provide secure and encrypted transmission of users’ data.

“Users are advised to always ensure that websites display “https:” and/or a locked padlock symbol on their browsers before entering personal or financial details while using public internet access points,” Pantami said.

According to him, users should also try using Virtual Private Network (VPN) enabled browsers.

He said that VPN prevents cyber criminals from reading the user’s data by encrypting it as it passes through the network.

“Where possible, users are advised to download and use VPN software on their web browsers when connecting to a public Wi-Fi network.

“Avoid using special service sites on public internet access services.

“Some special services that request for users’ identity, passwords or personal information, online banking services should be avoided while connected to public internet access points,” he said.

The NITDA boss, however, called on the public to support the agency in its efforts toward ensuring citizens’ safety and security while on the cyberspace.

23

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

e-Platform

Microsoft officially scraps Windows Phone

•Tells users to switch to Android or iOS Stories by VICTOR NZE

M

ICROSOFT has officially set an end date for Windows Phone. In a Microsoft support page titled; “Windows 10 Mobile End of Support: FAQ” some questions are answered regarding the eventual drop of support for the Windows Phone platform.

Under “What should Windows 10 Mobile customers do now?”

Microsoft recommends that Windows Phone users “move to a supported Android or iOS device.” Windows Phone devices will no longer receive security on December 10 of this year.

Though third party apps may continue supporting Windows Apps, Microsoft will no longer support the platform.

“Microsoft’s mission statement to empower every person and every organization on the

planet to achieve more, compels us to support our Mobile apps on those platforms,” the statement said.

Devices that are on Windows 10 Mobile version 1709 will receive security support patches until December 10 while the Lumia 640 and 640 XL on version 1703 will only last through June 11. Microsoft advises those who still have a Windows smartphone to manually create a backup using the built-in tool before the sunset date. After that, the tool will be phased out. To perform an update head to Settings > Update & Security > Backup > More Options > Back up now.

As for Cortana, Microsoft has positioned the voice assistant not as a competitor to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, but rather to compliment the platforms. Check out the Source link below to see the full FAQ sup-

port page.

“Cortana needs to be that skill for anybody who’s a Microsoft365 subscriber. You should be able to use it on Google Assistant [and] Alexa, just like how you use our apps on Android and iOS so that’s at least how we want to think about where it’ll go,” – Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO “Are any of our readers still rocking a Windows device? Let us know which device you have and tell us which phone you might be looking at down the road. “Though I never owned a Windows Phone, the early days of Pocket PC first sparked my interest in smartphones and I read so many reviews in Laptop Magazine in my high school years (Yeah, I’m kind of young).

I don’t know that I’d be writing this right now if it wasn’t for the platform. Thanks, Microsoft.”

LG, Samsung record worst export in last 16 years

P

HONE companies all across the globe experienced a sluggish 2018 in sales due to the oversaturated market.

Numbers for the past 12 months have started to arrive, with the first report coming straight from South Korea - the home of Samsung and LG. According to the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Institute of Information and Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation, mobile phone exports in 2018 totaled $14.61 billion, down 23% or about $4.4 billion, compared with 2017. This is the lowest figure since 2002, effectively meaning the last year was the worst for Korean smartphones.

Last time the market saw such a low performance was when it raked only $11.36 billion worth of mobile phones, which is way before the era of phones with internet, touch screen, etc.

Korean sources reveal the handset shipments peaked in 2008 with around $33.44 billion, outpacing the country’s main export of semiconductors.

Since then, the industry fell under $30 billion in 2009 and under $20 billion in 2017.

When you look at the detailed picture, the biggest reason for the flop is the Chinese market.

The biggest country, including Hong Kong, saw only $4.3 billion of sales, which is a decline of 37%. There was also a decline in the other major market, United States, where the numbers fell 10% to $5.05 billion.

While smartphones are not performing as expected, the export of semiconductors skyrocketed to $128.15 billion of sales, which is nearly nine times more than the handsets.

Since this product is also expected to decline and the outlook for smartphones is rather grim, companies are pushed to seek breakthrough technologies like 5G and folding screens.

Speaking about Korean manufacturers, we know Samsung will showcase the Galaxy S10 family and Galaxy Fold device on February 20 at its Unpacked event in San Francisco.

LG, on the other hand, is taking

LG to unveil foldable smartphone at MWC 2019

C

ES 2019 is behind our backs, and we’re looking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month.

Xiaomi already confirmed their presence, while Sony started handing out invites. Another big player that will be attending is LG, and according to sources from South Korea, the maker will introduce a foldable smartphone at the show.

The new device will not have a flexible screen like the Samsung Galaxy F or the Huawei concept. According to a company representative, it will be similar to the ZTE Axon M, but with a thinner bezel, making both screens merge into one big display. The reason for this

solution and not the flexible panel is the price - LG wants to keep the smartphone in the KRW1 million (less than $900) spectrum, instead of going for a KRW2 million phone (about $1,800).

The vice-chairman of LG said back at CES that the company is going for changes with the form factor to stay competitive and to keep its competitive edge. Korean sources also reveal the new device will have “touchless input” which will recognize hand gestures from 20 to 30 centimeters so that you can operate it in all situations.

The technology will be available both to the G and V series, as well as the Folder phone.

the scene at MWC 2019 to introduce both its G8 ThinQ flagship and a foldable device with an attachable screen, something similar to the ZTE Axon M.

•Google smartwatch

Google buys mysterious smartwatch technology from Fossil for $40m

F

OSSIL Group announced, last Tuesday, that it has entered an agreement to sell Google some secret still in development smartwatch technology for $40 million. The deal involves intellectual property related to that technology, as well as some of Fossil’s R&D team’s members

joining Google.

The agreement will eventually result in the launch of “a new product innovation that’s not yet hit the market”, according to Greg McKelvey, EVP and chief strategy and digital officer of the Fossil Group.

The mysterious technology in

Ecobank Nigeria targets 50,000 Xpress Points in 2019

M

ANAGING Director of Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Patrick Akinwuntan, has revealed that the company plans to establish not less than 50,000 agent banking locations, also known as Ecobank Xpress Points, across the country before the end of 2019.

Akinwuntan explained that this is part of the bank’s commitment to bringing banking operations closer to Nigerian neighbourhoods.

Speaking in a media chat with newsmen in Lagos recently, the banker said the move was also in line with the vision of the Pan African lender to ensure the financial inclusion of all Nigerians.

According to him, the bank has 400 physical locations in Nigeria, and the aim is to let every household have access to Ecobank services.

“We have presence in every state in Nigeria. We have a customer base of 9 million in Nigeria, with 400 branches. More interestingly, more than 4,000 agency locations, known as Ecobank Xpress Points, which is our approach to bringing banking to every neighbourhood,” he said.

He said further that, “Our ambition is to have 50,000 of such locations this year such that in every neighbourhood you can access Ecobank Xpress point to do cash deposit, withdrawal and actually

make it more convenient for customers to open an account, get an instant card and participate in financial economy.

“Across the group, we have about 4,000 ATMs. In Nigeria we have 2,000 ATMs and we are still expanding the ATM network.”

Speaking on the contribution of Ecobank to Nigerian and African economy, Mr Akinwuntan said the bank has recorded many firsts in the banking industry revolution and introduction of EcobankPay is one of them. He said, “We have introduced EcobankPay which has brought together all three QR codes available in the country on one platform. “EcobankPay accepts and make payment with Masterpass, Mvisa and Mcash. You can have 100 QR codes at no additional cost. “You don’t require different number, just one number and you are able to transact. We bringing this digital solution into the economy will enable small businesses to participate more effectively, enables faster savings, reduces risk of insecurity.”

Akinwuntan added that Ecobank will be bringing message of the combination of its POS, EcobankPay, Express Point, ATMs, Ecobank Omni, and Ecobank Omni light to markets and households to enable people interact with the products.

question has been developed by Fossil on top of what it acquired when it bought Misfit in 2015 for around $260 million. “It’s based on something out of our timeline, it’s new to the market technology and we think it’s a product that has features and benefits that aren’t in the category today”, McKelvey said.

A new product line is coming with this technology on board, but not only will Fossil and Google use it, it looks like the search giant wants to make it available to all of its partners in the Wear OS space - and that’s probably what this deal is all about.

Stacey Burr, VP of Product Management of Wear OS at Google said: “We saw some technology that they were developing that we thought could be brought out in a more expansive way if Google had that technology, and was not only able to continue to use it with Fossil but bring it to other partners in the ecosystem. It’s about bringing great features to the widest numbers of on-the-go consumers.”

McKelvey went on to reveal that “the Fossil Group will bring the product to market, across our full breadth of brands over time, and then in true Google fashion, the technology will be expanded across the industry over time to benefit all”.

The transaction between Google and the Fossil Group will be finalized this month, although neither company wants to reveal when we’re likely to see any products using the secret technology.

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

ISSN: 2545-5869

The

racle www.oraclenews.ng

EDITORIAL

Today

24

VOX POPULI SACRUM

Help Patients with depression

O

wing to the hard times witnessed in of every 10 Nigerians are at risk of depression; the past few years, many Nigerians 27.8% of respondents reported experiencing have come down with different types symptoms of anxiety. While both physical and of mental disorder. It is no surprise mental health is important for a flourishing life, that cases of suicide are rising in the country. mental illness explains more of the misery in Yet, our people do not even understand that the society more than physical illness, poverty many who commit suicide are just patients or unemployment.” that deserve treatment or care.

A depression patient could jump into a well or Depression is a medical condition marked by river and drown. She could deliberately drink loss of interest or pleasure, inability to sleep, a poisonous substance. He could tie a rope to weight loss, constant fatigue, muscle aches, a tree and hang. She could fall from a tree or headaches, back pain, restlessness, feeling high-rise building. He could run into a vehicle of guilt, and thoughts of suicide. One interon an expressway. He could become addicted esting fact is that this sickness affects every to drugs in a vain effort to “cure” his worries. class of people: rich and poor, old and young, Suicide bombers used by terrorists could be employed and unemployed, educated and patients with depression too. When a man uneducated, married and unmarried, men decides to give up his life for a cause, he means and women. business.

The World Health Organization states that Anyone who shows signs of depression should be depression is the leading cause of disability watched closely. One pervasive form is the one in the world, as the number of people sufferthat usually afflicts women during pregnancy ing from depression and or anxiety disorders (prenatal depression) or after they have given have increased by almost 50% since 1990. birth (postnatal/postpartum depression). And In commemoration of the World Mental Health medical authorities say it afflicts two out of Day 2018, recently, the Nigeria National Deevery 10 women of childbearing age. Left unpression report states that at least 60 million protected, she could easily commit suicide.

Nigerians are at risk of suffering from depres- Of the 60 million Nigerians estimated to be sion. It further found: “31.6% of polled redepressed, perhaps half a million are already spondents reported experiencing depressive dead. Only high-profile cases are reported. symptoms. Putting this in perspective, 3 out Many communities choose to live in denial: they attribute deaths by suicide to supernatural forces or “the enemy” at work. Some heap blames on the victims. At times, even the relations of a suicide victim refuse to disclose the actual cause of death, for fear of being despised.

Things are getting unbearably tough in the country, and mental diseases like depression, which are rarely treated here, are taking their toll on Nigerians. It is only when a mental case becomes irreversible that family members chain the victim and seek psychiatric doctors.

We are great pretenders, however.

Many Nigerians live false lives – they buy big cars and houses with money borrowed from banks. Until recently, smiling faces were common wherever you went, despite the misery in the land.

We do not approve of suicide or thoughts of suicide in any way. Only a coward would take their own life.

Many people who faced extreme poverty a decade ago are millionaires today, and it is not because they took to armed robbery, cybercrime or other crimes.

The Nigeria National Depression report advises: “Nigeria needs to be proactive in taking mental and emotional health seriously by reviewing the national mental health policy and creating a viable legislative framework to meet global standards, investing in public education to influ-

ence the culture to one that promotes resilience and creates safe spaces for emotional and mental healing, and investing in research, innovation and development.”

Those who control the resources of the nation should give their compatriots hope, or else they will continue to live in fear with suicidal neighbours. Acts of injustice and economic recessions fuel suicidal tendencies. Over 130million Nigerians live below the poverty line today; they have become nervous wrecks. Frustration has kept many in beer parlous where they take illicit gin or sniff Indian hemp.

“Only when people are sustainably happy can they truly flourish, innovate, and make the world a better place,” said Damola Morenikeji, one of the authors of the Depression report. “The collective roles of governments, businesses, and other stakeholders have to transcend from creating an environment purely for wealth creation to creating environments that facilitate the genuine well-being and flourishing of people.

“Human misery is real; the goal of every intervention should be to reduce misery while increasing the happiness of people. Investing in citizens’ happiness and well-being should not be a luxury, but a necessity.”

Nigeria has no job for psychologists yet. Thankfully, religious houses have taken over the job.

Let people understand, however, that mental illness is of various types. It is not only the people admitted in psychiatric hospitals or who roam the streets and eat from dustbins that are “mad”. It takes a mental illness for one to consider taking their own life.

Our Vision TO BE among the top five newspapers in Nigeria and, in due course, the Numero Uno; to be a newspaper of records that effectively caters to the information needs of all segments and sections of the Nigerian society as well as all social classes and cultures. Essentially, we want to be a responsible corporate citizen, a commercially viable, properly organised media business, which meets its obligations to society, government and the workforce.

Mission WE INTEND to contribute to the development of an inclusive Nigerian society, with a view to getting rid of the dark sides of our national life (slothfulness, greed, corruption, nepotism, totalitarianism, etc); to continually engender and sustain national debates that would ultimately lead to the enthronement of healthy national values-hard-work, justice, equity and fairplay, transparency, good governance, resulting, in themselves, the egalitarian Nigerian society of our dream. We will give voice to the voiceless and at all times, strive to be balanced, objective, honest, truthful and fair to all sides; so that through The Oracle Today, our people, the Nigerian people can see a bright light at the end of what has been a very dark tunnel. And we shall do all this in absolute trust in God who blesses good intentions.

25

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

OPINION Imo PDP: Why Ihedioha and Samdaddy are far from reconciliation

By OBIAKU LANCELOT

T

ruth be said, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has yet to hit top gear in preparations for the electoral battle ahead, vis-a-vis the 2019 governorship race. The party has been slow to reconciling waring factions and other skirmishes oozing out from its fold. Incontrovertibly, after the conclusion of the party’s governorship primary election, October 1, 2018, Imo PDP has struggled to make giant steps with the winner of the primary election, Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who pending the outcome of the suit filed by his closest opponent, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu (Samdaddy), challenging the outcome of the election, remains the candidate going into the election.

It is not new to the ears of people close to Imo politics that prior to the primary election, it was widely thought within and outside the party and state that Sen. Anyanwu would have been the near perfect man to hold the ticket and make the party’s passage into the government house easier. Recent events have even proven them right as Imo PDP tends to be struggling and grappling with not having Samdaddy as its governorship candidate three months after the election at the Kanu Nwankwo Sports Center, Owerri.

At the inauguration of Imo PDP campaign council on Thursday, the problems of the party in the state were further laid bare. There seemed to be lack of confidence among members. The repeated mention of the Samdaddy and Ihedioha conundrum created an air of little or no harmony still, despite media reports suggesting that both men have agreed to work together. I am not a prophet of doom and I don’t intend to be one. I am one of those

who believe that PDP taking over the governance of Imo State would bring the state better fortunes. However, if the signs of the time are anything to go by, PDP may have to wait until 2023 to win Imo governorship election for the first time since 2003.

Despite what I may call “induced media reports” three days ago that Samdaddy and Ihedioha have settled their differences, the reality is that the duo are far from reconciliation. Not even the statement made by the revered Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, supposedly a political father to Samdaddy, that the Senator agreed to withdraw his case at the Federal High Court, following a truce meeting between him, Samdaddy and Ihedioha reflects reality. The two heavyweights and their political camps and structures are still at daggers drawn.

From my thorough investigations to unravel why reconciliatory moves by the two parties keep stalling, my deduction is that as much as Ihedioha has appeared intent to make peace with his Owerri zone brother, the former lawmaker is guilty of putting up a deceptive posture that lacks the ingredients of man who genuinely and sincerely craves for peace, devoid of any ulterior motive.

Reports are rife that the former House of Reps Deputy Speaker still goes about boasting of how he has clipped Samdaddy’s wings, while also maligning his character. Uninterestingly too, Ihedioha’s supporters have maintained a bitter approach to issues about Samdaddy, just as the Mbutu born politician.

When you listen to them speak and read their arguments with Samdaddy’s supporters on social media, they are evident of persons who are not ready to heal the political wounds of Samdaddy and his supporters, and give genu-

ine reconciliation a chance.

Ihedioha, his camp, supporters and everyone around him have also continued to make utterances underrating, undermining and belittling Samdaddy’s political strength. Yet, they are desirous of having the Senator drop his grievances to work with Emeka Ihedioha.

How they want to achieve this reconciliation and genuinely too, remains far from my cognition.

Without appearing to disprove Chief Iwuanyanwu’s averment that he had few days back met and brokered peace between Ihedioha and Samdaddy, the true position of things as of today is that either one of the two parties or both is exhibiting treacherous tendencies over whatever agreement reached in the said meeting. That brings to mind Samdaddy’s claim that he was not consulted before being named in the Imo PDP campaign council. This is a man challenging Ihedioha’s victory and the role played by the party at the primary election. If indeed the both men had an earlier agreement as Iwuanyanwu said for Samdaddy to withdraw his case against Ihedioha and the party, but when drawing the list of members of the party’s campaign council, the Senator was not consulted for his input, then Ihedioha and co are not sincere about reconciling with him. At the court, Samdaddy has an interest he is fighting for. Where Ihedioha feels threatened by it and would be happy to see Samdaddy withdraw the case, then he must be ready to make sacrifices that will not only appeal to Samdaddy’s conscience, but also to his numerous supporters and followers. If not, Ihedioha should allow his challenger to continue with the case and be ready to take whatever the outcome will be. It may be argued that Samdaddy was not consulted for

the reason that he’s the highest ranking political office holder in Imo PDP and automatically gets a place in the campaign council. But it is morally and politically right to consult him for his input if not for any reason as a peace initiative, hence he is the same man being pleaded with to terminate the pursuance of an interest at the court. Therefore, Samdaddy should have been consulted in my opinion.

Samdaddy and Ihedioha cannot make peace where the latter still feels threatened by the former, and therefore not open to carrying Samdaddy along in the scheme of things and/or giving him full sense of belonging. Today, Samdaddy has yet to withdraw his case. If he would ever do, it doesn’t seem as though the decision will be premised on whatever agreement reached in meeting with Iwuanyanwu. Anyone taking the statement made by Iwuanyanwu seriously is not doing the best. Samdaddy is a full fledged man and if he has not spoken, any statement on his behalf from any other angle should not stand.

The feud continues and remains an obstacle in the progress of Imo PDP over the quest for Douglas House.

It is high time Ihedioha and the party decided what they want from Samdaddy. Either for the Senator to continue with his court case or withdraw it. If an out of court settlement must happen, a genuine reconciliation should be the precursor. And this has to be done quickly considering that the governorship election is only weeks away.

The two gladiators, Ihedioha especially, must be ready to genuinely give peace a chance, as this peace does not come with high handedness, autocracy, pride, ego and insincerity. A word is enough for the wise!

Countdown to 2019 polls: Opposition’s nose in Buhari’s campaigns

By EHICHIOYA EZOMON

“M

ay you not fall in your enemy’s mouth,” is an essential prayer of the Esan people of Edo State. Translated, it means, “May the prediction (expectation) of your enemy never come to pass.” Yet, while you concur to the prayer, you must do something concrete to counter the prophecy.

This is the case with Muhammadu Buhari, the candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 general election, which kicks off at 8 a.m. on February 16, a mere 25 days from today, Monday, January 21.

As incumbent, President Buhari bids for a second term in office, a prospect his “enemies,” both personal and political, do not want manifested. They do not want him to contest at all; they would rather he throws in the towel, even on the eve of the election, and allow them have a free ride into government.

Buhari’s enemies have done things seen and unseen, physical and spiritual, to ensure he doesn’t contest in the coming two-part election. The worst, and the most abhorrent was to pray for - and literally announced - his death while he was on medical treatment abroad.

Failing in that project, as he came home alive and healthy, the enemies concocted that he’d died in London, and that it’s a “cloned” version of his, who they labelled “Jubrin from Sudan,” that’s sitting in the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Imagine, a “total stranger” superintending over 200 million Nigerians!

They’ve run with this fairy tale due to the glaring ignorance in the populace. But it’s surprising they haven’t told Nigerians that they’ve renamed the Sudanese Jubrin as “Buhari” because they continue to refer to the “cloned” personality in Aso Rock as Buhari.

Unrelenting in the homestretch of the campaigns for the 2019 elections, Buhari’s enemies, mainly located in the opposition

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its affiliates in the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), have alleged that besides his age (76 years), the president isn’t physically fit to withstand the rigours of soapboxing.

Citing his appearance in only two zonal rallies since November 18, 2018, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the presidential electioneering open, the opposition claimed that Buhari has “outsourced” his re-reelection bid to his co-chair of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) and National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Consequently, they challenged, and indeed, taunted the president to prove them wrong by going into the field and do what the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, 72, does at his campaign stops across the the country.

Perhaps, on the prompting by his handlers headed by Senate President Bukola Saraki, Atiku has been performing “stunts” reminiscent of the good old days of the legendary Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Tafawa Balewa.

Despite warnings by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for “politicians to stop hanging on moving vehicles to minimise accidents,” Atiku showily rides into campaign venues, standing on the door threshold of an SUV, “to show (demonstrate to) them that you’re fit and capable to be president.”

He clutches the car’s roof-racks or doortop with his left hand, as he waves to the enthusiastic crowds. And alighting, and going into the arena, he runs, he jogs, he sings and dances in tandem with the campaign goers.

Called onto the podium, he shakes hands, left and right. On stage, he continues in the revelry, and dances to blaring music from huge loudspeakers. And not minding the one holding the microphone, both hands punch the air, as he mouths, “PEE-DEE-PEEEE”.

The opposition members have challenged President Buhari to imitate Atiku, so as to

convince the electorate that he’s fit, and worthy of their votes to be returned in the February 16poll.

These challenges aren’t new; they’re selfevident in an alien political system still rooted in our traditions and cultures that turn every event, whether sad or sombre moment, into a jamboree.

Flowing from this premise, I have written about, and implored Buhari to let Nigerians see his jovial and down-to-earth persona that Governor Nasir el-Rufai has vouched the president displays when in the company of his family members, friends and associates.

The question is: Who are more desiring of such acquaintances with Buhari than the millions of grassroots Nigerians, who voted him as their president in 2015 after he had failed in consecutive attempts in 2003, 2007 and 2011?

They are not asking for too much. All they want is for the president to have close (body) contacts with them in handshakes and hugs, and share in their laughter and merriment whenever he’s out in the street or in an event, such as campaign rallies.

They aren’t craving for Buhari to mimic the Atiku stage shows. Still, it’s not enough for the president to disembark from the aircraft, and sandwiched by security operatives, shakes hands and exchanges peasantries with aides and VIPs, and driven straight to the venue of a political rally, and escorted to the reserved stand or seat without physical contacts with the mass of the party members.

And when it’s time to address the rally, Buhari is again guarded, only facing different sides, to return cheers, as he waves the party’s symbolic broom, walks to the podium, mounts it and shouts, “AAA-PEE-CEE”.

Nonetheless, the president has punctured the opposition’s accusation of dodging campaigns, by leading his team to Kogi, Edo, Delta, Kaduna and Niger states in the past week.

It’s hoped he will lead and cover more states in the PCC scheduled 18-days of hustings.

He would thus prove wrong his “enemies,”

who have suddenly changed the narrative: that a “cabal” was undermining Buhari’s reported “ill-health and inadequacies,” and putting pressure on him to continue to campaign, remain in the race and in office.

Well, they seem to forget, or downplay the words of the Preacher in Ecclesiastes 9:11: “The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favour to the skillful; rather, time and chance happen to all.”

Buhari should carry on, as his re-election is for the all-seeing, all-knowing and all-caring God, who’s sustained him and guided his footsteps till date, to decide. “All power flows from Him, and He gives it to whomever He will.”

•Mr. Ezomon, Journalist and Media Consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

THE GROUP Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Ikeddy Isiguzo Editor Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Editor/Head, Lagos Bureau Sopuruchi Onwuka Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Circulation Manager Felix Oti

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

Travel & Hospitality

26

Lagos rolls out 2019 calendar of tourism, cultural events

Stories by VICTOR NZE

T

HE Lagos State Government has released the 2019 Calendar and Schedule of Arts, Culture and Entertainment events - an annual guide for local and foreign tourists, journalists and the general public towards planning their participation in the rich cultural content the State offers throughout the year.

The Calendar, already displayed on the State’s website, is also in print form listing more than 80 events either sponsored or endorsed and supported by the Lagos State Government.

A press statement issued on Sunday by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja, said the Calendar is “designed to frontload major State-sponsored and privately-driven arts, culture and entertainment events that will have a positive impact on tourism promotion and the creative economy”.

She explained that the release of the Calendar follows the initiative that started in 2018 in which major arts and tourism-promoting events taking place in the State throughout the year are announced in January to aid planning.

According to her, “This year’s calendar is rich in entertainment events all year round especially in April and the last quarter of the year leading to December. Also, different festivals like Eebi Epe; Kayo-

kayo; Agboremireke; Egungun; Ikorodu Oga and Zangbeto dot the Calendar all through the year”.

“Like in 2018, Ali Baba’s January 1 Comedy Concert tops the listing while other events like the Prof.

Akin Euba Symposium and Concert; Wazobia FM Carnival, Dance Gathering by Q Dance Company, BritishCouncil powered Lagos Dance Festival and the Lagos Marathon will hold in January and February”, the Permanent Secretary noted.

Adelaja emphasised that the State intends to celebrate both the World Theatre Day on March 27th and World Dance Day in April while the iRep Documentary Festival and the Eko Film Festival are slated for the first quarter of 2019.

She averred that idea of creating a calendar of events for statesponsored and state-endorsed programmes is part of efforts to make event planning, tour bookings and business decisions easier for tour operators and the general public.

The Permanent Secretary maintained that by improving access to tourism information and creating an events guide for the media and tour bloggers, the State has enjoyed a considerable increase in the consumption of its tourism products, saying that though the schedule is not exhaustive, the Ministry will periodically update the online calendar to accommodate more events whenever organisers bring such to the attention of government.

•Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema flanked by Cultural Ambassadors MorounRanti Ashabi (left) and Alfred Oladotun Taylor after receiving an Ife artwork and other gift items from the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwus, Ojaja II at Air Peace Corporate Headquarters in Lagos, recently.

Qatar Airways launches global campaign to inspire travellers in 2019

Q

ATAR Airways announced its latest global sales promotion designed to inspire passengers to explore new and exciting destinations in 2019.

Qatar Airways’ passengers can

Marriott Bonvoy to be launched Feb. 13

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ARRIOTT International has unveiled the Marriott Bonvoy, the new loyalty brand replacing the current loyalty brands – Marriott Rewards, The Ritz-Carlton Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) – and reflecting the unmatched benefits, single loyalty portfolio and experiences announced last year.

Marriott Bonvoy is built on the belief that travel enriches us all and has the power to enrich the world.

Marriott Bonvoy launches on February 13 when the logo and branding begins rolling out across all consumer touchpoints, including on property, marketing and sales channels, digital, mobile and co-brand credit cards, bolstered by a multimillion-dollar global media campaign starting in late February.

“Marriott Bonvoy marks an evolution in travel because it represents more than a loyalty program,” said Stephanie Linnartz, Global Chief Commercial Officer, Marriott International. “Marriott Bonvoy is a travel program designed to bring to life our extraordinary portfolio of global brands in 129 countries and territories, while also providing endless inspiration for members to keep traveling and pursuing their passions.”

Linnartz continued: “Represented by a simple, bold and modern logo, Marriott Bonvoy is welcoming and optimistic. Our 120 million members have access to the world’s leading hotel portfolio at the best room rates and member benefits, as well our collection of Moments experiences that bring exploration and discovery of the

world to the forefront.”

Beginning on February 13, Marriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments will become Marriott Bonvoy Moments, which together with Marriott Moments will feature approximately 120,000 experiences in 1,000 destinations available for purchase or by redeeming points. In addition. In addition to accessing locally relevant sights

and excursions, such as hiking into glacial Patagonia, desert treks on camelback in Morocco or cruising to Vietnam’s timeless floating villages, members can indulge in once-in-a-lifetime experiences like cooking alongside renowned chefs Daniel Boulud and Eric Ripert, or honing football skills in a master class with Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice.

enjoy exclusive discounts during this special promotion, where every journey to a destination becomes an unforgettable chapter, an experience that will create exciting stories to tell.

The promotion is valid on all Qatar Airways flights booked from January 7 to 16, 2019 for travel between January 7 and December 31, 2019. Passengers who book during the promotion period can take advantage of 25% discount on Business Class fares and upto 35% discount on Economy Class fares and will also receive 50% bonus Qmiles and Qpoints in Economy Class and double Qmiles and Qpoints in Business and First

Lagos rolls out 2019 calendar of tourism, cultural events

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HE Lagos State Government has released the 2019 Calendar and Schedule of Arts, Culture and Entertainment events - an annual guide for local and foreign tourists, journalists and the general public towards planning their participation in the rich cultural content the State offers throughout the year.

The Calendar, already displayed on the State’s website, is also in print form listing more than 80 events either sponsored or endorsed and supported by the Lagos State Government.

A press statement issued on Sunday by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja, said the Calendar is “designed to frontload major State-sponsored and privately-driven arts, culture and entertainment events that will have a positive impact on tourism promotion and the creative economy”.

She explained that the release

of the Calendar follows the initiative that started in 2018 in which major arts and tourism-promoting events taking place in the State throughout the year are announced in January to aid planning.

According to her, “This year’s calendar is rich in entertainment events all year round especially in April and the last quarter of the year leading to December. Also, different festivals like Eebi Epe; Kayokayo; Agboremireke; Egungun; Ikorodu Oga and Zangbeto dot the Calendar all through the year”.

“Like in 2018, Ali Baba’s January 1 Comedy Concert tops the listing while other events like the Prof.

Akin Euba Symposium and Concert; Wazobia FM Carnival, Dance Gathering by Q Dance Company, British-Council powered Lagos Dance Festival and the Lagos Marathon will hold in January and February”, the Permanent Secretary noted.

Adelaja emphasised that the

State intends to celebrate both the World Theatre Day on March 27th and World Dance Day in April while the iRep Documentary Festival and the Eko Film Festival are slated for the first quarter of 2019.

She averred that idea of creating a calendar of events for statesponsored and state-endorsed programmes is part of efforts to make event planning, tour bookings and business decisions easier for tour operators and the general public.

The Permanent Secretary maintained that by improving access to tourism information and creating an events guide for the media and tour bloggers, the State has enjoyed a considerable increase in the consumption of its tourism products, saying that though the schedule is not exhaustive, the Ministry will periodically update the online calendar to accommodate more events whenever organisers bring such to the attention of government.

Class.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Ehab Amin said, “We are delighted to invite all our passengers to start planning their next trip with this exciting global promotion offering extensive discounts across all cabin classes on all flights. No matter where passengers choose to travel, when they experience a new destination first-hand, they become the author of their own unique story.

With this new promotion, passengers can easily choose their next adventure and are truly spoilt for choice with Qatar Airways’ everexpanding global network of more than 160 destinations.

“We are also committed to bringing people from around the world to Doha, not only to experience our five-star gateway Hamad International Airport during transit, but also to make Qatar a holiday destination of choice for our passengers.”

To take advantage of this offer, passengers can visit www.qatarairways.com/adventure or any Qatar Airways sales office, or contact their nearest travel agent.

Qatar Airways has a modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft flying to business and leisure destinations across six continents. Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Business Class, ‘Best Business Class Seat’, ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’ and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge’ in the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax.

The airline recently launched direct services to Gothenburg, Sweden; Mombasa, Kenya; and Da Nang, Vietnam. It has a host of new destination launches planned for 2019, including Valletta, Malta and Isfahan, Iran, to name just a few.

27

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

AVIATION

Air Peace wins Airline of the Year award Stories by VICTOR NZE

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IR Peace has pledged to sustain its high safety standards and continue to strive to bring Nigeria honour in the global aviation industry.

The airline said this after emerging Airline of the Year at Independent Awards 2018 held in Lagos.

Organisers of the awards, Independent Newspapers Limited, said the airline was chosen for impacting the aviation industry in many great ways.

In a letter to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of Independent Newspapers Limited, publishers of Daily Independent, Saturday Independent and Sunday Independent, Mr. Ade Ogidan said, “The Selection Committee considered how you have redefined flight operations in Nigeria by bringing to bear a regime of safety and comfort for travellers at a phenomenal level.

“Your leadership in the Nigerian aviation industry is loud enough for all to see. For instance, in September 2018, Air Peace signed an

agreement with Boeing for the acquisition of 10 new 737 MAX 8 aircraft, making history as the first airline in West Africa to add such airliner to its fleet.

“Besides, your company also set a new record with the acquisition of Boeing 777 aircraft, making you the first and only Nigerian airline to procure and register the brand of airliner in the country. Its arrival, no doubt, has further expanded your service profile to several other countries.

“Since you commenced flight operations, we observed with satisfaction that your organisation has been able to focus on developing a customer-centric brand personality that speaks to safety, innovation, dynamism, comfort, fun, sincerity, affordability and quality service. These corporate traits have given you a unique identity in the Nigerian aviation industry.”

Meanwhile, Air Peace has dedicated its Airline of the Year 2018 award to its loyal customers, adding that it was grateful for the support given it to excel in its flight operations. It pledged to sustain the high standards of its flight operations and bring Nigeria honour

NAHCO partners ICAN on capacity development, financial literacy

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ROUND handling company, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc. (nahco aviance), will partner the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) on human capacity development, the Company said yesterday.

Speaking with a delegation of the Ikeja District of the Institute who paid her a courtesy visit at the Ikeja Head Office of the Company, the Group Managing Director, Mrs. Olatokunbo Fagbemi, said the Group will partner with ICAN in organising in-house training for staff who are accountants and others who are non – accounting staff of the Company for capacity development and financial literacy.

Commending the role its chartered accountants play in the development of the Company, Fagbemi said nahco aviance boasts of a sizeable number of chartered accountants and that the Company had always supported their participation in ICAN programmes.

“At NAHCO, we believe in training and retraining of staff. That is why we have a semi-autonomous unit called Learning & Develop-

I

ment enabled with global affiliations which handles aviation related training for the Company. Our staff are some of the best trained in the industry.”

She pointed out that the Company will leave no stone unturned in giving the best training to its staff.

Explaining why the Company had to run a harmonised group structure, the GMD said since the company is a group with a number of subsidiary companies, it has to be properly run as a group in a way that bring value to shareholders.

In his response, the Chairman, Ikeja District of ICAN, Mr. Oni Olalere, FCA, commended the management of the Company stating that ICAN was happy with the level of support NAHCO had been giving to its members working in the Company and also the Ikeja District of the Institute.

He said, “We are happy with the support NAHCO gives to the members working in the organization.”

He called for more cooperation between NAHCO and the Institute in areas of training and sponsorship of the Institute’s events.

in the global aviation industry with its planned international flights to Dubai, Sharjah, London, Houston, Guangzhou-China, Mumbai and Johannesburg.

It commended Independent Newspapers for boldly recognising merit, saying the company had acted consistent with the brand integrity it had been reputed for in

the media industry.

The carrier, which acquired six 50-seater Embraer 145 jets, four Boeing 777s and a couple of Boeing 737 aircraft in 2018, also signed a contract for the delivery of 10 brand new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in September and set a record with the establishment of a subsidiary, Air Peace Hopper.

The airline launched a number of domestic routes, including Kaduna, Kano Yola and Asaba in the period under review as well as expanded its foray into the West Coast of Africa by adding Freetown, Banjul, Dakar and Monrovia to its Accra operations under its no-city-leftbehind project.

•(Second left): Mrs. Olatokunbo Fagbemi, Group Managing Director/CEO, nahco aviance; presenting a gift to the Ikeja Disctrict Chairman of ICAN, Mr. Oni Olalere, during the visit of officials of the Institute to the Company’s Head Office at Ikeja. With them are, from left, Mr. Bamidele Adelaja, CFO, nahco aviance; and right, Mr. Kamoru Amodu, a member of ICAN delegation.

Delta announces pre-tax income of $1.2bn for Q4

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ELTA Air Lines has reported financial results for the December quarter and full year 2018 including both GAAP and adjusted metrics.

Adjusted pre-tax income for the December quarter 2018 was $1.2 billion driven by over $700 million of revenue growth, allowing the company to fully recapture the $508 million increase in adjusted fuel expense and produce an 11 percent adjusted pre-tax margin.

Adjusted earnings per share increased by 42 percent year over year to $1.30.

For the full year, adjusted pre-tax income was $5.1 billion, a $137 million decrease relative to 2017 as the company overcame approximately 90 percent of the $2 billion increase in fuel expense. Full year adjusted earnings per share were $5.65, up 19 percent compared to the prior year as the company recognized benefits from tax reform and a four percent lower share count.

“2018 was a successful year for

Delta with record operational reliability, increasing customer satisfaction, and solid financial results in the face of higher fuel costs. Delta people are the foundation of our success and I am honored to recognize their efforts with $1.3 billion in profit sharing for 2018,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s chief executive officer.

“As we move into 2019, we expect to drive double-digit earnings growth through higher revenues, maintaining a cost trajectory below inflation, and the modest benefit from lower fuel costs. Margin expansion is a business imperative and we remain confident in our full-year earnings guidance of $6 to $7 per share.”

Delta’s adjusted operating revenue of $10.7 billion for the December quarter improved 7.5 percent, or $747 million versus the prior year. Total unit revenues excluding refinery sales (TRASM, adjusted) increased 3.2 percent during the period driven by healthy leisure and corporate demand offsetting an approximately

0.5 point headwind from unfavourable foreign exchange rates.

For the full year, adjusted operating revenue grew to nearly $44 billion, up eight percent versus prior year on an increasingly diverse revenue base, with 52 percent of revenues from premium products and non-ticket sources. Premium product ticket revenues increased 14 percent along with double-digit percentage increases from cargo, loyalty, and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul revenue.

“Delta’s strong brand momentum was evident across the business with positive unit revenue growth in all geographic entities for the full year, a record revenue premium to the industry, and double-digit revenue growth from premium products and non-ticket sources,” said Glen Hauenstein, Delta’s president. “Our March quarter adjusted unit revenue growth is expected to be flat to up two percent including impacts from the timing of Easter, increasing currency headwinds, and the ongoing government shutdown.”

Joko Widodo said the recording will help clarify the cause of the fatal crash.

The recordings may include conversations from the previous trip of the ill-fated jet during which the pilots experienced issues with its airspeed and altitude readings, Nurcahyo Utomo, the lead investigator told reporters. The recorder, which can hold about 2 hours of conversations, may have details of what transpired between technicians during repair and also during preparations for boarding, he said.

Lion Air’s JT610 nose-dived into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff Oct. 29, killing all 189 on board to become the country’s worst air disaster in two decades. Poor safety procedures and the inability of pilots to gain control of a malfunctioning aircraft may have contributed to the crash, according to a preliminary report by Indonesian investigators in November.

Confusing Warnings While the report didn’t specify the cause of the tragedy, it outlined how pilots handled confusing anti-stall

warnings during the last two flights of the almost brand-new 737 Max 8.

It also recommended that Lion Air improve its safety culture.

In response to the report, Boeing said the 737 Max series of jets is “as safe as any airplane that has ever flown.”

Lion Air’s co-founder, Rusdi Kirana, threatened in December to scrap aircraft orders from Boeing, saying he felt betrayed by the manufacturer’s reply. Lion Air is the thirdlargest buyer of the updated singleaisle plane from Boeing, behind Southwest Airlines and Flydubai.

Lion Air plane’s cockpit voice recorder recovered in Java Sea

NDONESIA found the cockpit voice recorder from the Lion Air plane that crashed in October, giving investigators a real chance at solving the mystery of what brought down a modern jet.

The CVR of the Boeing Co. 737 Max aircraft was intact when it was recovered in the Java Sea, according to said Agung Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesian Navy’s first fleet command. The CVR, together with the flight data recorder that was found in November, are jointly known as the black box of an aircraft.

The crash survivable memory unit of the CVR will be taken to the National Transportation Safety Committee’s facilities for downloading the recording of the conversation and data, the agency said in a statement on Monday. It may take the investigators about three to five days to download the recording, Soerjanto Tjahjono, chairman of the committee, told reporters.

The CVR is intact even though it has some scratch marks and dents from the impact, Nugroho said.

While lauding the efforts of authorities to recover the CVR, President

28

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

INSURANCE & PENSION

NIA to digitalize marine insurance certificate

•Gets NAICOM, CBN approval Stories by VICTOR NZE

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MBRELLA body of insurance industry operators, the Nigerian Insurers Association, (NIA, Tuesday, disclosed that it has now received the approval from both the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) to digitalize marine insurance certificate in the country.

Speaking at his first media briefing of the association, as chairman, Tope Smart who said the move is aimed at generating more income for the industry and the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), added that the initiative will also help the industry to recover all lost income prior before the approval.

He stated further that the industry is also adopting the use of tech-

nology to drive insurance business, adding that technology play a vital role in the growth of any business and economy.

The NIA Chairman who also doubles as Group Managing Director of NEM Insurance Plc, said that in 2019 the Association will be collaborating with other industry bodies to grow the market and improve the industry.

He said the two government agencies will advance a common front with a view to ensuring that only people-oriented policies will be introduced to impact positively to the industry and the economy in general.

On 2019 expectation, the NIA boss said his optimistic that the year will be better and the industry will benefit, assuring that the government will renew the group life policy.

FBNInsurance appoints Moruf Apampa as Executive Director

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OLLOWING the confirmation by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM),FBNInsurance Limited has announced the appointment of Mr. Moruf Apampa as Executive Director, Business Development.

Apampa’s illustrious career started at T.A. Braithwaite Insurance Brokers and Company in 1994 where he learnt the ropes of Insurance Brokage in Nigeria. In 1997, he joined Elmac Assurance Company Limited as Special Products Manager and grew through the ranks to become the Marketing Manager of the firm with experience in managing the company’s branches in Abuja and Kano at various times.

Speaking on the appointment, Val Ojumah, MD/CEO, FBNInsurance said: “Moruf is the astute Insurance Professional any company would be proud to have on board. With more than two decades’ experience under his belt , we are sure he would bring that experience and managerial proficiency to bear on our business.”

A Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), he is also an Alumnus of the Howard University Business School and Lagos Business School respectively. Moruf is a graduate of Insurance from the Lagos State Polytechnic and holds an MBA in General Management (with special emphasis on Marketing) from the University of Ado-Ekiti.

•(From left): Head, Corporate Affairs, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Davis Iyasere; Director General, NIA, Mrs. Yetunde Ilori; Chairman, NIA, ; Mr. Tope Smart; Controller, IT, Research & Statistics, Bola Omole; and Director of Operations, NIA, Lanre Ojuola, during press briefing/interaction on the association activities and prospects in Lagos on Tuesday.

AFIG acquires 29.9% stake in NEM Insurance

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EM Insurance Plc has announced that Advanced Finance and Investment Group (AFIG), a leading African private equity fund manager has, through AFIG Fund II, completed an investment in the company, by acquiring 29.9 per cent of the company’s shares from some existing shareholders of the Company.

This Transaction now makes AFIG Funds the largest shareholder in

NEM, and marks the commencement of a strategic partnership between AFIG Funds and NEM, as the Company embarks on its next growth phase as a top-tier player within the Nigerian Insurance Industry.

NEM Insurance is a top-tier nonlife insurance company which has been in operations in Nigeria for over 60 years, and more recently in Ghana. The Company offers all class-

generation in the country.

Mr. Shornikov said it was important for Nigeria to develop energy mix, including nuclear, to improve its power generation and meet rising demand for electricity in the country.

He said Nigeria was following full process for nuclear power production, pointing out that IAEA conducted two missions to Nigeria in support of its nuclear programme in 2015.

Russia and Nigeria had started their partnership on nuclear power development in 2009 by executing an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in peaceful usage of nuclear technology.

In 2017, both countries signed project development agreements on construction and operation of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and a Research Centre housing a multi-purpose nuclear research reactor on the territory of Federal Republic of Nigeria. The parties also signed a roadmap for cooperation in the field of peaceful usage of nuclear technology.

Dr. Osaisai had in a briefing with Vice President Yomi Osinbajo said IAEA had conducted an integrated nuclear infrastructure review mission in the country and that the nation’s nuclear energy programme was on course to diversify power sources beyond gas and hydro bases.

“Our nuclear power plants are huge machines. And what we are planning is that each of the power plants will be generating power in excess of 1,200 megawatts. Nigeria is a signa-

tory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. We are a member of the IAEA and our responsibility as a country is to utilise nuclear power in the safest way possible.

“And what Nigeria is doing, as we can tell, is diversifying our energy generation base beyond gas and hydro to include other sources for which nuclear is also being considered.

Dr. Osaisai had also told delegates in 2016 at the the AtomExpo conference in Moscow that:”In as much as it is the right of every country to implement a nuclear program, the country also has responsibility for safety and security, it is responsible to put in place the infrastructure to make sure nuclear power is safe and secure and to fulfill obligations to safeguards and nonproliferation.”

Earlier in 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan had declared at the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague that Nigeria would develop a nuclear energy industry, adding that Nigeria is committed to negotiations on a “multi-lateral, internationally and effectively verifiable treaty banning the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons.”

However, despite the assurances by the Nigerian government officials, the prevailing security challenges in the northern parts of the country may have shaken international confidence in the capacity of the government to protect enriched uranium from terror cells in Nigeria.

Nuclear security panic dims Nigeria’s 4000 MW hope •Cont’d from Pg 17

ness to protect sensitive radioactive materials from marauding terrorist groups with links to external terror networks appears abated, hopes of the country’s power generation diversification practically dimmed with the smooth operations in the country.

Sources in the Ministry of Power declined comments on the issue, citing incompetence to comment on matters concerning security, but an independent expert said that it would be difficult for Nigeria to secure external technical assistance for uranium enrichment until a security audit is conducted and cleared by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the global monitor on nuclear proliferation control.

The Oracle Today reports that the ABU research reactor activated in 2004 is part of the precursors to Nigeria’s nuclear programme for peaceful and economic purposes.

A document on National Programme for the Deployment of Nucelar Energy for Electricity Generation has it that the country had sought the approval of IAEA to realize existing plans to build nuclear plants for generation of over 4000 MW of electricity by 2027.

According to the plan approved by late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007, government had proposed kick

off of the project in 2011 and targeted completion by 2020 as part of the efforts to to meet its growing energy needs with nuclear power.

The plants are planned to be sited in Geregu/Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State and Itu in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Whereas actually ground breaking for the main projects had not happened at proposed sites in Akwa Ibom and Kogi States, the research reactor in Zaria operated with 90 percent HEU. At that level of enrichment, experts say, the material has reached weapon grade purification and had to be monitored by the IAEA. In a parallel non research programme, the government under President Goodluck Jonathan who continued on the programme initiated by his late predecessor initiated talks with Russia’s state-owned Rosatom to collaborate on the design, construction and operation of four nuclear power plants by 2035, the first of which would be in operation by 2025.

Chairman, Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), Dr Erapamo Osaisai, said each of the planned four nuclear power plants was to generate power in excess of 1,200mw.

Just last year, Chief Executive Officer, Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation (ROSATOM), Mr Dmitry Shornikov, told agency sources that government has demonstrated commitment to introduce nuclear power into its energy mix to boost electricity

es of non-life insurance products to individuals and corporates in Nigeria, and has over the years become a household name. NEM has over the last decade built a solid record of service delivery excellence, superior financial performance including consistent profitability and healthy returns to its shareholders.

“We are delighted to welcome AFIG Funds as a significant shareholder in NEM at such an exciting time in the Company’s evolution.

This partnership with AFIG Funds is the outcome of several years of constructive engagement, as well as a thorough internal strategic process to identify and engage with the best long-term institutional partner for our Company. We look forward to continue to benefit from AFIG Funds’ extensive experience investing in strong African companies particularly in financial institutions. We believe this partnership will accelerate the realization of our growth ambitions within Nigeria and across the continent.

We are confident this will be a fruitful and mutually rewarding partnership,” commented Mr. Tope Smart, Group Managing Director of NEM Insurance.

“Through our engagement with NEM over the last several years, we have had the opportunity to observe its solid trajectory, and to develop confidence in the management team’s ability to seize growth opportunities in the increasingly competitive landscape,” said Mr. Kelechi Okoro, Director of Investments at AFIG Funds.

“We are excited about our partnership with NEM Insurance and the Company’s strong growth prospects. NEM is one of the fastestgrowing, best-capitalized and most consistently profitable underwriters in Nigeria. Our decision to invest in NEM during an election year in Nigeria, which is a time when foreign investors tend to shy away from emerging markets, is testament to our strong belief in the prospects of the Company and in the resilience of the broader economy.”

29

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

INSURANCE & PENSION

PenCom to unveil new micro pension plan •Set to attract 60m Nigerians to pension scheme

Stories by VICTOR NZE

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ATIONAL Pension Commission (PenCom) has concluded arrangements for the formal launch of its new micro pension plan, this month.

The planned initiative is expected to attract over 20 million workers and N3 trillion into the pension assets.

With total pension assets as at October, 2018 at N8.45 trillion, the country’s pension assets are expected to rise astronomically by the time the initiative kicks off.

Investigation revealed that the pension industry regulator, PenCom has put all mercenaries in place to ensure smooth launch of the plan.

To ensure seamless operations, PenCom, together with pension fund operators, has built robust Information Technology (IT) infrastructure that will support the Plan.

The commission has also had engagements with informal sector groups, such as, the Nigerian Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigerian (NUTGTWN), a body consisting Self Employed Tailors and Garment Workers; partner trade associations, NGOs, and religious bodies in a bid to persuade them to subscribe to the micro pension plan.

According to the Acting DirectorGeneral, PenCom, Mrs. Aisha DahirUmar, the implementation of the Micro Pension Plan will improve the standard of living of the informal sector participants at retirement and reduce dependence on extended family for support at retirement.

The plan, when operational, she said, would capture self-employed people, especially, those with irregular income, usually in the informal sector and are largely financially uninformed with limited or no access to financial services, especially, pension plan.

Section 2(3) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 legal framework extends

the coverage of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to self-employed persons through micro pension scheme.

The Head, Research & Corporate Strategy, PenCom, Dr. Farouk Aminu, had, at a forum in Lagos, said, the commission is working on ensuring that the plan commenced as planned, noting that, this is a development that could enhance the growth of pension assets in the country.

He stressed that the plan has the potential to generate about N3 trillion to the pension assets, while it intends to mobilise about 12 million contributors within five years.

On benefits to be derived, Aminu, noted that self-employed people and workers in the informal sector could reap by participating in the plan, saying, the initiative, in addition to providing income for people at old age and inculcating a savings culture through highly protected and regulated investment, would afford them the opportunity to connect to other programmes of government while helping to finance infrastructure across the country.

Subscribers could, as well, use the balance in their Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) as equity contribution for residential mortgages and support their businesses, he said.

He stated that additional benefits to self-employed persons and informal sector workers include the cover provided under the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), explaining that under this arrangement, Government would bridge shortfalls or financial losses from investment of their accumulated retirement savings and guarantee them minimum pension in retirement, irrespective of how much they are able to save before retiring.

He posited that the plan would be funded by an annual subvention of one per cent of monthly wage of Federal Government employees, annual levy on PenCom and pension

•(From left): Managing Director/CEO, Mutual Benefits Life Assurance Ltd, Mr. Femi Asenuga; his wife, Debo; Chairman, Mutual Benefits Group, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi; Renowned cleric and outgoing General Evangelist, Christ Apostolic Church (C.A.C,), Prophet Dr. Samuel Kayode Abiara; his wife, Grace Abiara; wife of Chairman, Mutual Benefit, Mrs. Dotun Akinbiyi; Managing Director/CEO, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Mr. Segun Omosehin; his wife, Modupe, during the Mutual Benefits’ 23rd annual thanksgiving service held at the Haven Hall, Ikeja , Lagos on Saturday. operators as well as pension fund investment income.

However, the Head, Corporate Communications, PenCom, Mr. Peter Aghahowa, said, the micro pension initiative is made flexible for people to easily join, while the method of contribution is decided by the contributors, who are to choose whether to contribute daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and so on.

Moreover, he said, anybody who is 16 years and above is eligible to join this Plan.

He stressed that the regulator and operators are jointly working on the I.T infrastructure to ensure a seamless operation of the plan.

Deputy Zonal Head, South-West Zone, PenCom, Mr. Sola Adeseun, said the micro pension plan has similar built in safety measures like the

Multiple smaller natural disasters in 2018 created ‘unusual’ insured loss picture – Report

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NSURED loss estimates from major natural catastrophes in 2018 totaled roughly $71.5 billion, the highest since 2011’s annual market losses of $120 billion, according to findings

by Willis Re. However, the insured losses in 2018 are slightly less than half of those from 2017, and are marginally above the average annual losses over the last eight years, said the report titled “Summary of Natural Catastrophe Events 2018.”

The eight-year average was driven upwards by peak annual losses of $120 billion in 2011 and $143 billion in 2017, said Willis Re, the reinsurance broker subsidiary of Willis Towers Watson.

In contrast to these previous peak years, where one or two natural disasters contributed a large percentage of the total insured loss, no such major event or events accounted for a large proportion of the 2018 losses, said the broker. Instead, the total arises from a series of smaller and medium-sized loss events. (See Willis Re’s annual comparison chart below).

The largest single insured loss for 2018 was the Camp Fire, which will cost re/insurers between $6.0 billion and $10.75 billion, pushing the likely combined losses from the Carr, Mendocino, Camp, and Woolsey wildfires to about $15-17 billion. The insured loss range for Hurricane Michael is

$6.0 billion to $10.0 billion, while Typhoon Jebi in Japan delivered an estimate of $8.5 billion of insured losses.

Willis Re said the largest European loss was winter storm Friederike, with insured losses of about $2.0 billion. No single major insured loss from natural disasters occurred in Latin-America or the Caribbean.

Karl Jones, managing director and head of International Catastrophe Analytics at Willis Re, said 2018 was an unusual year.

“The industry experienced a large number of mid-sized natural catastrophes. Three events – the Camp Fire, Typhoon Jebi, and Hurricane Michael – have all reached at least the high single digit billions in insured losses, but only the Camp Fire seems likely to exceed the level of $10 billion,” he noted.

“However, a large number of smaller, billion-dollar losses, principally storms, has added up to make 2018 a costly catastrophe year. With the exception of the major California wildfires, these losses are well within modeled expectations,” Jones added.

“The re/insurance industry has now absorbed more than $200 billion worth of natural catastrophe losses over a two-year period,” said Vaughn Jensen, executive vice president and head of North America Catastrophe Analytics at Willis Re. “It has been a significant test for

both traditional and ILS capacity but overall the sector’s capitalization remains strong. The distribution of smaller catastrophes in 2018 has given retrocessionaires and excess of loss reinsurers some breathing spaces, with the clear exception of aggregate covers as well as accounts with a concentration of exposure in California,” Jensen continued.

“The frequency of catastrophe losses over the last two years continues to result in many primary insurers rethinking their strategy around retention levels,” he added. “Several sustained storms may also lead to reconsideration of hours clauses by cedents and reinsurers. On the back of this unusual catastrophe experience, we expect to see further reinsurance program adjustments as the year progresses.”

Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).

According to him, the separation of duties in the management of pension assets, where the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) administer the fund and the Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) keep custody of the fund remains one of the best safety valves in securing the funds.

President, Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp), Mrs Aderonke Adedeji, on her part, said the operators are anxious, to get the workers into the initiative, stressing that Micro-pension remains one of the key focal points for development over the next 10 years.

The initiative will explore the potentials in the pension industry by persuading players in the informal sector to join CPS through the micro pension plan. When more people subscribe to the plan, she said, it will increase the pension assets, hence, allowing pension fund operators to invest more funds for economic growth and development.

Meanwhile, the Commission is set to attract 60 million Nigerians in the Informal Sector to the pension scheme.

PenCom said this was in order to ensure all Nigerians live a good life at old age.

Head, Research and Corporate Strategy of the commission, Dr Aminu Farouk said, Saturday in Lagos that the set of Nigerians would be attracted through micro pension scheme.

Farouk said the scheme, which targeted Nigerians with low and irregular income in the informal sector would be formally launched before the first quarter ends.

Farouk said the scheme was expected to enhance the growth of pension assets to the tune of N3 tril-

lion by year 2024.

He said: ”I have no idea how many people are expected to be registered at the launch of the Micro Pension.

I also don’t think PenCom has any number presently.

“However, we intend to cover the entire informal sector over time, this is about 60 million citizens,” he said.

He said that the commission and tbe Pension Fund Admistrators (PFAs) were working on the Information Technology (IT) infrastructure for a seamless operation of the plan.

He also said that micro pension would capture self-employed Nigerians, those with irregular income usually in the informal sector and the financially uninformed with limited access to pension plan.

“Section 2(3) of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 legal framework extends the coverage of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) to self-employed persons through micro pension scheme.

“Definitely, the pension plan will provide succour to participants when they are old and reduce dependence on extended family for support at retirement,” he said.

Farouk said the commission had created awareness in informal sector groups, such as, the Nigerian Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigerian (NUTGTWN) and partner trade associations.

“Also Non Governmental Organisation (NGOs) and religious bodies among others, to encourage them to subscribe to the micro pension plan,” he said.

Farouk said that the balance in the Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) of the micro pensioners could be used as equity contribution for residential mortgages or business support

sure from global catastrophe losses in the second half of 2018 and the continued development of 2017 claims was at least partially offset by plentiful capacity. As a result, Carpenter’s Global Rate on Line (RoL) Index, a measure of change in catastrophe premium dollars paid year-on-year, increased just 1.1 percent, despite back-to-back years of major loss accumulation.

Contributions to the Index from the two largest sectors, the United

States and Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), increased 2.6 percent and decreased 2.5 percent, respectively, but there was a wide degree of variation within these results depending on account specifics, the report said.

For some European renewals, the uncertainty around Brexit affected their willingness to use Lloyd’s capacity, but this had little effect on renewal outcomes as additional capital was available, said Guy Carpenter.

‘Jan. 1 renewals saw ‘muted impact’ from 2018’s catastrophes’

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HE overall impact of catastrophe losses on property rates was muted at the Jan. 1, 2019 reinsurance renewals, but the fourth highest annual catastrophe loss year on record did create questions over pricing adequacy, underwriting strategy and the amount of capital available, said Guy Carpenter & Co., the New York-based risk and reinsurance specialist.

In its annual renewal report, the company said potential sector pres-

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

EQUITY & Capital Market

SEC, NIPC partner to woo investors Stories by JEROME USHAKANG

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HE Securities and Exchange Commission (NSE) has restated its commitment to collaborate with relevant government agencies and the private sector to attract more investments to the country in a bid to further boost the economy.

This was the submission of Acting Director General of the SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk when Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) Ms. Yewande Sidiku visited her in Abuja.

Uduk said that it is in furtherance of its objectives of attracting more investors to the capital market that the SEC is poised to revitalize the commodities exchange market among other initiatives.

She disclosed that there are opportunities in the Commodities market and we need to scale up participation in that regard to attract investors. And we will require the collaboration of the NIPC in that regard.

The Acting-DG said, “Various opportunities abound in the capital market for both individuals and government and that is why we are exploring avenues to attract states to come to the market and raise funds for infrastructural projects. We are happy to partner

with you to make the market and the country richer and better”.

In her remarks, the NIPC ES, Yewande Sidiku said the Commission is committed to ensuring that the nation has the required business climate to attract both foreign investors as well as Nigerian investors in the diaspora.

She said the Commission is visiting different states to explore investment opportunities and also looking at some investments that were started by states but are now moribund and find ways to revitalize them.

Sidiku stated that there are many investment opportunities in the states and what we have done now is to design a platform for profiling such investment opportunities. Part of the strategy is to enlighten the state officials as it is important that the states are ready for the investors.

She said the mandate of the Commission is to encourage investors to come and that is why incentives are being put in place to make it easier for them to come.

“The work that we do is connected to the work of the SEC, we encourage investors to come while the SEC is here to protect the investors and that is why we need to collaborate. We are happy to work with the SEC to further grow our economy.

•Okechukwu Enalema

NSE, Afrinvest launch new equity indices to enhance investors’ returns

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HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Afrinvest Securities Limited (ASL), a leading capital market research and securities execution platform, have launched NSE-Afrinvest Banking Value Index (NSE-Afr BVI) and

of proxies that seek out dividendpaying stocks and value-oriented banking stocks listed in Nigeria,” he said.

Chioke said the NSE-Afr BVI and the NSE-Afr HDYI as with all other NSE indices would align with the NSE’s Index committee’s governance standards. He added that guidelines and methodologies for the indices were publicly available on the website of NSE and Afrinvest. The indices will be available real-time on both NSE and Afrinvest WA websites from January 21.

NSE-Afrinvest High Dividend Yield Index (NSE-Afr HDYI) into the Nigerian capital market.

The Exchange said that the two new factor indices are focused on value banking stocks and high dividend-paying stocks. It added that the new factor indices are available real-time on both NSE and Afrinvest West Africa websites from Monday, January 21, 2019.

Speaking at the launch of the new factor indices, the Chief Executive Officer of the Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema, said that the indices were built from wealth of experience resulting from years of index calculation, governance and management prowess of the Exchange and Afrinvest’s rigorous capital market research expertise.

According to him, the NSE-Afr BVI and the NSE-Afr HDYI as with all other NSE indices will align with the NSE’s Index committee’s governance standards. He added that

resumed.

“Dealing Members are hereby notified that the full suspension placed on trading in the shares of C & I Leasing Plc has been lifted”.

He added.

The outstanding shares of C & I Leasing before the reconstruc-

tion exercise was 1,882,818,912 of 50 Kobo each.

However, with the conclusion of this exercise, the total outstanding ordinary shares of C & I Leasing now stands at 404,252,500 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.

... launch indices to optimise investors’ returns

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IGERIAN Stock Exchange (NSE) and Afrinvest Securities Limited (ASL), Monday, launched two new indices to optimise investors’ return.

The indices are the NSE-Afrinvest Banking Value Index (BVI) and NSE-AFRINVEST High Dividend Yield Index (NSE-Afr HDYI).

NSE Chief Executive Officer, Mr Oscar Onyema, said the indices were designed in response to requests for applicable benchmarks for measuring value in banking stocks and high dividend stocks listed on the exchange.

Onyema said they would serve as tools for investment managers and corporate treasuries seeking appropriate benchmarks to evaluate the performance of their portfolios.

According to him, the indices can also be used as the performance target in index-replicating financial products such as Exchange Traded Funds and Derivatives.

“In view of rising demand for financial products that adequately meet the needs of market participants, particularly investors, the exchange is pleased to collaborate with Afrinvest West Africa on these novel index strategies.

“We commend Afrinvest for its product innovation and for leveraging the Exchange’s Index calculation and management expertise.

“The exchange is committed to driving sustainability of our market place and supporting investable product creation endeavours by stakeholders to enhance the depth of the market.

“We will continue to welcome innovative solutions to identifi-

able gaps in the capital market,” Onyema said.

Also speaking, Mr Ike Chioke, Group Managing Director, Afrinvest West Africa, said the company was proud and excited at the rollout of the new indices in collaboration with NSE. Chioke said the partnership would serve as a veritable proponent for more forward-thinking initiatives to meet the need of the market.

“On the back of these indices, investors will now enjoy the benefits

•Mary Uduk

NSE lifts suspension in C& I leasing shares

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HE embargo placed on trading in the shares of C&I Leasing Plc on December 13, 2018 has been lifted.

The shares of the Company were placed on full suspension on December 13, 2018 to enable the Registrars update the register of members, sequel to the share capital reconstruction exercise embarked upon by the Company.

Head, Listings Regulation Department, Mr. Godstime Iwenekhai in a market Bulletin dated January 14, 2019, stated that full suspension placed on trading in the shares of C & I Leasing Plc has been lifted.

He said the company has notified The Exchange that the reconstruction exercise has been completed and the shareholders’ register updated. Consequently the suspension placed on the Company’s shares has been lifted on Monday 14, 2019.

Iwenekhai added that trading in the shares of the Company has

Investors indicate interest in Aero Contractors acquisition

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OME investors who have currently showed interest in acquiring Aero Contractors are in talks with the management of Aero Contractors and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to acquire Aero Contractors.

Confirming this on Sunday, The Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Ado Sanusi, who confirmed the move of three investors to acquire the firm to an online medium, said the investors are interested in the entire assets of the company including its maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility.

Also speaking on the issue, an aviation expert and the Chief Executive Officer of Selective Securities International Limited, Mr Ayo Obilana, said that the lack of transparency, due diligence and policy summersaults on the part of the Government would make it difficult for the nation’s aviation industry to attract willing investors.

Records have shown that since, AMCON took over the management of Aero Contractors in 2016 when it was failing,it has attracted 19 local and international investors.

In December 2017 six investors were shortlisted but now it has been narrowed down to three.

guidelines and methodologies for the indices are publicly available on the website of NSE and Afrinvest.

Onyema explained that NSE-Afr BVI and NSE-Afr HDYI were designed in response to requests for applicable benchmarks for measuring value in banking stocks and high dividend stocks listed on the Exchange.

He stressed that they will serve as tools for investment managers and corporate treasuries seeking appropriate benchmarks to evaluate the performance of their portfolios to a segment of the banking sector or high dividend orientation as applicable. “The indices can also be used as the performance target in index-replicating financial products such as Exchange Traded Funds and Derivatives.” He added.

The CEO said, “In view of rising demand for financial products that adequately meet the needs of market participants, particularly investors, the Exchange is pleased to collaborate with Afrinvest West Africa on these novel index strategies. The indices consider the fundamentals of underlying securities. We commend Afrinvest for its product innovation and for leveraging the Exchange’s Index calculation and management expertise”.

Onyema declared that the Exchange is committed to driving sustainability of its marketplace and supporting investable product creation endeavours by stakeholders to enhance the depth of the market. He emphasized that the NSE will continue to welcome innovative solutions to identifiable gaps in the capital market.

Also speaking at the event, Group Managing Director, Afrinvest West Africa,Mr. Ike Chioke, said, “Afrinvest West Africa is proud and excited at the rollout of the new indices in collaboration with The Nigerian Stock Exchange. It is our belief that this partnership will serve as a veritable proponent for more forward-thinking initiatives meeting market needs.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

MONEY Market

Forex restriction: Private jets, wooden doors to join restricted items Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said it was planning to increase the number of items on its foreign exchange restricted items to 50 from 42.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who stated this at the weekend during an inspection of the Dangote Refinery at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos stressed that the step will boost local production and stimulate the export market.

He said the apex bank would get more aggressive in ensuring that more items being imported into the country were added to the forex restriction list.

Emefiele, who described the Dangote refinery as a transformational project for Nigeria, said the project keyed into the objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration which include conserving forex and diversifying the economy.

He said: “To put it in proper perspective, by the time you dimension the size of the foreign exchange we use in importing petroleum products into the country, it is at least one third of the foreign exchange the CBN spends to import items into Nigeria today.

“By the time we add also the 42 items that we have, which certainly we are going to increase from 42 may be to 50 or more in due course because we are going to get more aggressive in ensuring that more and more food items that are being imported into this country are added into the FX restriction list.

“I am saying that by the time we add the savings from the production and export of petroleum products; by the time we also add the

foreign exchange that we spend on food items, close to 55 or 60 per cent of what the CBN or what the government spends in funding its foreign exchange operations will be saved in the country.”

The items to be included are cement, margarine, meat and processed meat products, private airplanes/jets, roofing sheets, wooden doors, toothpicks, textiles, soap and cosmetics.

Speaking further, the CBN Governor revealed that the CBN supported the Dangote refinery project with N75 billion.

He said: “This (Dangote refinery) is a $9 billion project that is being funded not only by Nigerian banks but also by foreign banks.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria itself is contributing close to about N75 billion in supporting this project. N75 billion is just a drop compared to about $9 billion that this project costs.

“By the time this refinery is completed, it will not only service the needs of our domestic economy but shore up our international oil investments.”

Emefiele commended Dangote for his resilience and dedication to create wealth, urging other private refinery licensees to develop capacity to build more refineries.

“I have not seen any licensee approach the bank for credit to build refinery.

“Remember, such licensee will approach his bank, which will in turn assess his capacity to build such a refinery and such a request will be forwarded to the CBN for approval.

“If they have the capacity, we will support them through their banks”, he said.

•Corporate Affairs and External Relations Manager, Total ESP Nigeria Limited, Charles Ebereonwu; Head, Brand Management & Sustainability Corporate Communications, Heritage Bank, Ozena Utulu; Finance and Admin Manager, EPC Power Projects, Joseph Uboh; President, Para Powerlifting Federation of Nigeria, Queen Uboh and Marketing Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Maureen Ifada, at a press conference on Lagos 2019 International Para Powerlifting Competition in Lagos recently.

Heritage Bank partners Vanguard Media to drive inclusive economic growth

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ERITAGE Bank Limited, has partnered with Vanguard Media to organise the 2019 edition of its economic discourse in a bid to achieve inclusive economic development in the country.

The theme of the discourse is Human Capital Index versus Economic Growth, Nigeria’s policy options.

The discourse was informed by the recent World Bank Group ranking of Nigeria 152 out of 157 countries on its first-ever Human Capital Index. Also, the Brookings Institution said Nigeria had overtaken India as the nation

with the highest number of extremely poor people. The report showed that about 87 million Nigerians are in extreme poverty, with six Nigerians falling into extreme poverty every minute.

Data from National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, showed that the number of unemployed Nigerians rose by 3.3 million or 19 per cent to 20.9 million in third quarter of 2018 (Q3’18) from 17.6 million in third quarter of 2017 (Q3’17).

The discourse was therefore organised for economic experts to

defendants to liquidate their indebtedness Sterling Bank instructed the law firm of Oluwakemi Balogun to recover the debt.

Despite several reminders, demands, pleas and persuasions emanating from the bank and its solicitor, the defendants failed and refused to liquidate their indebtedness which has culminated in the sum of $16,412,819.06 and N100,493,225.59 as at November 2016.

Consequently, the bank urged the court to enter judgement in its favour as per its claim.

However,in her counter affidavit, Senator Stella Oduah, contended that, the Vessel purchased with the loan facility was registered in the name of Sterling Bank until the defendant discharges the facility. The bank was to appoint technical managers for the Vessel to ensure it is in good condition. The managers appointed by the bank mismanaged the vessel resulting in several losses to the defendants. The bank ignored all pleas for the managers to be changed. The company Sea Petroleum and Gas limited could therefore could not meet up with its financial obligations. The non payment of the loan was thus occasions by the bank’s inaction and it would be unjust to impose on the company the liability occasioned by the bank’s inaction. The bank still retained the Vessel since ownership was in the bank. The bank would have expected to sell the vessel but failed to do so in spite of the company’s consent to the sale. The bank is not also seeking a sale of the vessel in this suit.

Consequently the impossibility of performance is a defence to claim for specific performance. Where a Plaintiff defaults in his obligation under an agreement he cannot succeed in an action for specific performance.

The court was then urged to refuse the claim of the bank. The bank was expected to sell the properties pledged,title documents to which are in the bank’s custody. It is only after then that it will be clear who is indebted to who. Thereafter the company ‘s liability can be determined and Senator Stella Oduah’s liability arise.

In his judgement,Justice Faji said,” The defendant by letter dated 6/2/15 acknowledged it’s indebtedness. This is part of Plaintiff’s case to show that the debt is not disputed. The dependant did not comply with the repayment under the various facilities. The Sea Petroleum and Gas limited statement of account for the period 1/9/12 to 24/11/16 shows a debt balance of $16,412,819.06 and Naira debit balance of N100,493225.59.

As regard Sea Petroleum therefore, it is clear that the company was all material times indebted to Sterling Bank,Stella Oduah guaranteed the indebtedness and issue a guarantee and indemnity. The bank was to have a lien upon the immediate right of setoff against Stella Oduah whether on any current, deposit, domiciliary, or other accounts and assets.

I do not see any defence to this claim by Sea Petroleum and Gas company, as regards Stella Oduah, having guaranteed the loan and given an indemnity, she is equally liable with the company to pay the debt.

Sterling Bank secures $16m, N100.4m judgement against Stella Oduah

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TERLING Bank Plc has jointly and severally secured a $16,412,819.06 million and N100,493,225 million judgement before a Federal high court sitting in Lagos, against the former Aviation minister Senator Stella Oduah and her company Sea Petroleum and Gas Limited.

The Judgement sum represent outstanding debt owed by the Sea Petroleum and Gas company and duly guaranteed by Senator Stella Oduah as at November 2016 to the bank with accrued interest.

Delivering judgement, Justice Ayotunde Faji while granting six reliefs out of the fourteen reliefs sought by the bank, issued order of attachment in favour of the bank against such entire assets of Sea Petroleum and Gas company, cash in bank, bond, deposit, real estate, stocks,all forms of negotiable instruments in all stock broking firms, discount houses,mortgage institutions, financial houses, microfinance houses, and all licensed banks within Nigeria having Sea Petroleum as beneficial owner funds to the full extent of the unsatisfied portion of the sum of $16,,412,819.06 and N100,493,225.59 respectively as at November 2016.and other accrued interest.

The court also declared that having regard to the clear and unambiguous provisions of the deed of guarantee and indemnity personaly executed

by Senator Stella Oduah in favour of Sterling bank over facility advanced to the Sea Petroleum and Gas company limited who has failed upon demands to liquidate same, Judgement

can be granted against Senator Stella Oduah for the unsatisfied portion of the sum owed by Sea Petroleum and Gas company to the bank.

The judgement of the court was sequel to a debt recovery suit filed before the court by a Lagos lawyer Barrister Oluwakemi Balogun SAN on behalf of Sterling bank Plc .

In an affidavit sworn to by business manager, Maritime of Sterling bank Plc Mr Segun Akinsanya,with 34 exhibits attached filed and argued before the court by Mr Balogun (SAN),Mr Akinsanya in the said affidavit averred that on October 8,2012, the bank granted a lease /cabotage vessel finance facility to Sea Petroleum and Gas Company in the sum of $10,069,620.25 to finance one unit 5,000 MT tanker vessel.

The loan was secured by unconditional personal guarantee of the company director, Princess Stella Oduah supported by statement of her networth, legal mortgage of two properties worth N135 million, power of Attorneys of the tanker vessel in favour of Sterling Bank and fully executed irrevocable standing payment order and tripatite remmitance agreement between First Bank plc, Sterling Bank and Stella Oduah.

It was further averred that between June 27.,2013 Sea petroleum company requested for and was granted additional facilities in the sum of $449,600.00 for post delivery expences, $642,954.00 and $350,000 to meet the requisite conditions in securing of the Federal High Court in securing the release of the tanker.

Upon the persistent failure of the

proffer solutions to the problems confronting the economy such that government would be able align the nation’s economic with that of human capital development.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo said they decided to partner with the organisers to achieve inclusive growth in the economy.

Sekibo who was also one of the discussants at the event noted that there was need to deal with the energy problem confronting the country because it accounted for about 35 percent of overheads of banks.

He also said the minimum wage would increase liquidity and money supply and lead to inflation, a development which will make the Central Bank of Nigeria to mop up the excess money through Open Money Operation (OMO).

Also speaking as a discussant, Director-General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) said because of inadequate resources available to the Federal Government to adequately fund human capital development vis-à-vis economic development, government should grant complete tax holiday to private operators in the educational and health sectors to enable them to complement the efforts of government.

He observed that there was need to grow investments in a bid to grow revenue. Also contributing, Mr. Doyin Salami, an economist and former member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the CBN noted that there was need for inclusive government for human capital to grow in tandem with economic development. He also said there was need to set target like other developed economies such as China and focused on achieving it, remarking that because there is capital deficiency in the economy, there is need to encourage the private sector to invest in the economy.

Earlier in his keynote address, Mr. Fola Adeola, former Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank, had identified 12 giant evils plaguing the Nigerian economy. They include hunger, disease, voidness, illiteracy, corruption, aimlessness, ignorance, visionless, directionless, crookedness, insecurity as well fear of exploitation.

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS Collect your PVCs now, CD tells Anambra people

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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human rights group, Campaign for Democracy (CD) has appealed to the people of Anambra state to ensure that they collect their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to enable them participate actively in the forthcoming general elections by voting into into power those that would correct the anomalies in the country.

The group urged the people to disregard the calls from some quarters to boycott the elections in Southeast zone but said that full participation in electoral system would

guarantee the enthronement of good leaders for the betterment of the country and at the same time, flushing out bad leadership from the democratic system.

The Chairman of CD in Anambra state, Ekene Nnadi who made the call yesterday in Onitsha, after their meeting, also appealed to Anambra state government to clamp down on illegal levy collectors in some parts of the commercial city of Onitsha such as Bida, down flyover, Upper Iweka, Bridgehead, Ochanja, among others who uses markers as their tickets to extort money from innocent traders, motorists and tri-

cycle operators.

Nnadi stated that these boys who most times wield weapons and ready to carry goods of anybody that refuses to pay the money ranging from N50 to N300 depending on the size of the goods which they claim that government was aware of, have been causing panic in the commercial city as some traders who visit the market to buy goods in many occasions were assaulted and humiliated “We wonder how the so-called government agents use markers as their ticket to extort money from innocent traders. Based on the report

we got, the boys said that government knows about their activities and they are working for the government where they make returns.

How can if it is true that government revenue agents use markers as ticket. We want government to checkmate them and bring those illegal revenue collectors to book without further delay”.

“Governor Willie Obiano, as the chief security officer of the state should protect the lives and property of the citizens and should station security agents to those areas the boys operate from and extort

money, so as to arrest and prosecute them” Nnadi stated.

Nnadi however commended Obiano for the good work he is doing in the state such as roads rehabilitation and streetlights projects and also commended the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Onitsha unit command for the good job they did during the festive period at the Bridgehead that resulted to the free flow of traffic during the period unlike what was obtainable in the previous years where there were gridlocks from Asaba to Onitsha for hours within the period.

Foundation empowers 54 rural women in Enugu

Uba assures victory for Buhari in Anambra

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nambra State Coordinator, Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organization, Sen. Andy Ubah, has promised to mobilise total victory for President Muhammadu Buhari in the state.

Uba made the pledge at a meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his Uga ward one, Aguata Local Government Area on Monday.

“There are a lot of things that the President is doing that the people do not know about, but what we are going to do is to take those good works to the rural people and ensure that they assimilate this.

“There are projects like the Zik’s Mausoleum that have been abandoned for several years, but now constructed by the Buhari administration.

“There is the Second Niger Bridge which is still ongoing and seriously too, and there is also the Enugu-Onitsha expressway.

“There are several more projects and our job is to tell the people about them and mobilise them to vote for President Buhari,” he said.

He said his reason for beginning his campaign in the ward was to fulfill the saying that “ charity begins at home”, assuring that he would use his position to mobilise voters from the state to vote for Buhari.

Uba, who is also seeking re-election to represent Anambra South Senatorial District at the Red Chambers, said Igbos had a lot to benefit from Buhari if they voted him.

According to him, Buhari was ready to support the South East to produce the Senate President in 2015, but could not find an APC ranking senator from the zone, leading to the position being clinched by another zone.

“If Igbos vote Buhari in the coming election, I am sure that the Senate Presidency would come from the South East, especially as the people are also ready to vote senators from the zone on the platform of APC. “You need to have people who are ranking senators from the zone who can be made the Senate President.

“I am vying for a seat in the senate for the third time, and that among other things qualify me to be a ranking senator, who would be qualified to be a senate president. There are some people who are contesting for the senate against me, but cannot as little as read documents.

“To be a Senate president, you have to be a ranking senator, and you have to be in the senate for at least eight years and must have a number of bills you have sponsored. So Igbos must vote wisely in their choice of senators,” Uba said.

Uba will contest the seat with his elder brother, Chris of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Ifeanyi Ubah of Young Progressives Party (YPP) and Mr Nicholas Ukachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

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• Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, represented by Secretary to the Delta State government, Rt. Hon. Ovie Agas (r) receiving the “Outstanding Governor Of The Year Award (Job Creation) from DAAR Communications Limited from Mrs Tosin Dokpesi, during a colourful ceremony which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, last weekend

89 political parties endorse Wike for second term

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atisfied by his performance in the course of his first term, 89 Political Parties registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), have endorsed Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for a second term.

Chairmen of the 89 Political Parties under the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) announced the endorsement of Governor Wike during a Solidarity Visit to the Government House Port Harcourt on Monday.

Speaking during the visit, Chairman of Rivers State IPAC, Sir Precious Baridoo announced 67 that IPAC has recognised Governor Wike as “the Face of Politics in Nigerian Democracy “.

“We have decided to adopt Governor Wike as our sole candidate for his outstanding projects delivery which has earned him several awards.

“Eighty percent of our active members of IPAC in the state are ready to work with you. You have done well. You are a leader in whom we are well pleased. Our involvement in the forthcoming gubernatorial election on March 2, 2019 will not only be total, but all inclusive to ensure your victory “.

He stated that IPAC Rivers State

will resist any gang up by INEC to manipulate the elections or postpone the polls.

IPAC Rivers State declared that they will campaign for Governor Wike and also defend their votes during the elections.

The 89 Political Parties noted that the achievements of the Rivers State Governor are worthy to be replicated during his second term because Rivers State deserves the best.

Responding, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike thanked the 89 Political Parties for their endorsement. He declared that he will always place the interest of Rivers State above other considerations.

He said: “I appreciate this resounding endorsement and solidarity. What is important is the interest of Rivers State. It is important that we have agreed to work together for the good of the state. It is not easy for this number to agree to endorse our good work”.

Governor Wike called on all political parties in Rivers State to remain vigilant as Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has confirmed the plot to rig elections.

He said: “We must be vigilant and at alert. You heard what Former

President Olusegun Obasanjo said.

APC cannot deny that Obasanjo was one of the pillars that brought them into office. Obasanjo cannot see evil at his age and keep quiet “.

The governor said that the present INEC is not in any position to conduct credible polls because they take directives from the APC Federal Government.

He said: ‘But working together, we will never allow them to rig the forthcoming elections What happened in Port Harcourt on August 18, 2019 will never happen again “.

He said that the people will resist any attempt to use security agencies to manipulate the polls.

“If they think they will use security agencies to rig, that will not work.

We are preaching violence free elections, but we cannot fold our hands for someone to bring violence to us.

“If an armed robber comes to your house, you are under obligation to defend yourselves. The only way we can have credible polls is for security agencies and INEC to detach themselves from the APC”, he said.

He warned that Rivers people will not allow security personnel steal their mandate. He said that Rivers people will no longer play second fiddle.

he Grace Nwogbo Foundation (GRANFO), a non-governmental body based in Enugu State has trained 54 women in various vocations to make them self-reliant.

Speaking at the graduation of the women at Nenwe in the Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State on Monday, the Chief Executive Officer of GRANFO, Mrs Nneka Nwarueze, said the year-long training was to lift the women out of poverty.

She said that many Nigerian women, especially widows needed empowerment to fend for their families.

Nwarueze, a philanthropist, said she took up the initiative in 2016, noting that her compassion for the down-trodden, especially widows, made her to embark on the scheme.

She urged Local Councils to initiate empowerment schemes to lift people in the grassroots out of poverty.

Nwogbo commended the women, some of whom learnt tailoring, bead-making, hair dressing, cosmetology and other vocations for their patience in enduring the rigours of the training.

“Bear in mind that the cost of giving you these skills and empowerment was borne totally by the Grace Nwogbo Foundation.

“Over 300 women have benefited from this yearly training since 2016 and we are looking forward to training more people.

“In other climes, Local Councils offer empowerment programmes to lift people out of abject poverty but the case is different in our own clime,’’ she stated.

According to her, the foundation in line with its core mandate has also embarked on renovation of run-down schools and building of fences to protect schools in Nenwe community.

Some indigenes of the town, including an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Mr Godwin Nwobodo, were honoured for their outstanding contributions to community development.

Among those honoured are Mr Silas Nwoha, a Deputy Editor-in-Chief at the News Agency of Nigeria and Mr Chukwuka Udeogu, a businessman.

33

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

Love and Living

...With Ireto Temofeh

MODEL OF THE WEEK

LOVE NEWS

Female Yahoo executive sued for sexual harassment

A

Name: Chika Tel: 08123423134 • If you want to be our next ORACLE GIRL, e-mail or forward your photos/data to ireto007@yahoo.com. Call 07031028714.

high-level female executive at Yahoo Inc has been named in a lawsuit filed by a woman who worked under her, accusing her former boss of sexual harassment and wrongful termination.

Maria Zhang, a senior director of engineering at Yahoo Mobile, has been sued by Nan Shi, who was employed as a principal software engineer from February 2013, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in Santa Clara Superior Court in San Jose, California.

The complaint alleges that Zhang coerced Shi to have ‘oral and digital sex’ with her on multiple occasions in Sunnyvale and told her she would have a ‘bright future’ at Yahoo if she had relations with Zhang.

Shi is seeking monetary as well as punitive damages. The lawsuit also names Yahoo as a defendant.

Officials at the tech company have come to Zhang’s defense in response to the allegations outlined in Shi’s complaint.

‘There is absolutely no basis or truth to the allegations against Maria Zhang.

Maria is an exemplary Yahoo executive and we intend to fight vigorously to clear her name,’ a Yahoo representative said in an email.

Zhang founded her own mobile company, Alike, which was acquired

by Yahoo in 2013. She also worked at Microsoft and Zillow before joining Yahoo, according to her LinkedIn profile.

In the complaint, Shi accuses Zhang of unfairly downgrading her performance reviews for the second and third quarters of 2013.

According to court documents, the company’s human resources personnel refused to conduct an investigation

when Shi complained about her direct supervisor’s unwelcome advances.

Instead, according to the complaint, Shi was put on unpaid leave and eventually fired.

A native of Beijing, China, Shi graduated from Ohio University with a degree in computer science.

Shi’s complaint states she first crossed paths with Zhang when she went to work for her start-up in Seattle.

When Yahoo bought the company last year, both women moved to California. According to Shi, Zhang told her to stay in a temporary Yahoo housing unit in Sunnyvale.

The lawsuit cited by San Jose Mercury News goes on to say that Zhang ‘coerced’ her subordinate into having oral and digital sex with her and threatened to take away ‘her job, stocks and future’ if she rejected her advances.

Court documents allege the Yahoo executive forced her subordinate to work grueling hours and write work emails in her off-time, ‘sometimes right after sex.’

In an interview with Mercury News, Shi described how Zhang allegedly surprised her one morning as she slept on the coach in their shared apartment, crawled under the blanket without any clothes and began kissing and hugging her.

‘I woke up and got scared,’ the woman told the paper. ‘I was shocked.’

In April, Silicon Valley Business Journal celebrated Zhang as one of Women of Influence of 2014.

Her profile stated that ‘she is passionate about supporting women’, and ‘she actively mentors other women engineers.’

ODD NEWS

Millionaire helping pregnant women flee UK to avoid babies taken into care

A

multi-millionaire is helping pregnant women whose babies are deemed at risk to flee the UK. Ian Joseph has spent over £30,000 helping 200 to avoid having their newborns taken away by social services.

He pays for their fares to a new life and offers them free legal advice, even paying for lawyers in some cases.

Around 50 have fled to Ireland on his money while another 150 went to France, Spain and Italy.

Forced adoption opponent Mr Joseph, who runs a language business and has a law degree, has defended his decision to fund their escape, despite many already having children in care.

He said: “Social services have moved away from giving families support and are now too quick to take children away.

“I know what I do is controversial.

People ask how I know the people I’ve helped don’t go on to do something wicked, but my reply is that even killers are entitled to lawyers.

“These woman are entitled to a fair chance to keep their children if they have not been convicted of any crime of cruelty and aren’t on drink or drugs.”

ROMANTIC JOKE HAUNTED FROM THE GRAVE

The dad of seven set up a website and receives “around a thousand” calls a year from mothers.

Britain is the only EU country allowing forced adoption. Last year, 1,860 children were adopted without parental consent.

Mr Joseph, 82, featured in a documentary advising a woman called Mary with previous mental health issues who has two children in care and is expecting another.

Mary, who now raises her child in France, said: “The social services here are helpful and supportive, the opposite of the UK.”

Mr Joseph says he ploughs through piles of documents before agreeing to help.

He said: “Adoption shouldn’t go ahead if a mother is begging to get her child back. They should be given a fair chance.

“Social services used to only take children away if a parent was convicted of cruelty. Now social workers are feared and hated.

But one GP who works with social ¬services said: “People think they are right to help a mother but they do not have all the background to a case.

An old man and woman were married for years even though they hated each other. When they had a confrontation, screams and yelling could be heard deep into the night. A constant statement was heard by the neighbors who feared the man the most.

“When I die I will dig my way up and out of the grave to come back and haunt you for the rest of your life!”

They believed he practiced black magic and was responsible for missing cats and dogs, and strange sounds at all hours. He was feared and enjoyed the respect it garnished.

He died abruptly under strange circumstances and the funeral had a closed casket. After the burial, the wife went straight to the local bar and began to party as if there was no tomorrow.

The gaiety of her actions were becoming extreme while her neighbors approached in a group to ask these questions: Are you not afraid? Concerned? Worried? that this man who practiced black magic and stated when he died he would dig his way up and out of the grave to come back and haunt you for the rest of your life?

The wife put down her drink and said, “Let the jerk dig. I had him buried upside down.”

34

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

Relationships and Love Advice

I need a man who can treat me like a queen

Love Search Women seeking relationship/ marriage Esther, 34, civil servant in Abuja, single mother, needs a man of 37 years and above for marriage.+234 8114226917.

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Dear Love Doctor,

I

need a caring man in my life. I’m a very beautiful, young Igbo lady. Some men have already started asking for my hand in marriage, but I don’t feel anything for most of these men. I want a man who can treat me like a woman and make me feel special and loved; not just any man. Is that too much to ask? All I want is for a man who

knows how to treat a woman like a queen to call me.

Thanks.

From Juliet, Lagos.

Tel: 08144069613

Love Doctor’s Advice: Dear Juliet,

I

t is certainly not too much to ask for a man to treat you like a woman. That’s because real men are gentlemen. A gentleman is simply a refined kind of man and such men are truly separate from the crowd because they are real men.

Real men treat their women the way they ought to be treated. A real man is an ever-loving gentleman who knows what a woman deserves and gives it to her.

Don’t give up because it seems like you’re yet to find your ideal

Lora, graduate, works, HIV Positive, based in Jos, wants a HIV positive man of 35-40 years for marriage.

08090925014.

gentleman, because like they say, God’s time is the best. Destiny can only be delayed but never denied.

So never give in to despair because what belongs to you will eventually come to you.

You will definitely find your soulmate. Just keep searching and praying and God will help you find the one for you. Money is not everything. So don’t assess a man only by how much money he has in the bank.

Don’t focus your attention on outward appearance but look out

for the inner beauty that will reveal the truth about him.

I wish you the best in your relationship!

Note: In order to help women seeking relationship and marriage have a fuller figure and better shapes and curves, intimate products are available for you, such as hips and breast enhancement products and products that help ladies to have bigger buttocks. Call for more details.

Do you have advice on this problem? Please share your thoughts. Call 07031028714 or 08131161840. Email: ireto007@yahoo.com Do you have a marriage/wedding, birthday, anniversary or club or town meeting announcement to make? Call 07031028714 now!

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Men seeking relationship/ marriage Emeka, 44, businessman in Lagos, needs a god fearing lady of 35 years and above for marriage. 09060591429.

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35

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

With Douglas Omoyooma

My boobs secret to my success – Allwell Ademola, actress Boobacious actress, Allwell Ademola, has sensationally declared that her oversized bosom is central to her success in Nollywood. In a chat with Oracle Today, the star of movies like Larodo Ojo, You or I, Omo Emi and Aye Keji revealed that her oversized mammaries don’t present any challenges to her.

“Y

es of course,” she replies in laughter, “my endowments have been instrumental in getting me movie roles. Initially, it was challenging. Maybe, because I hadn’t discovered myself. I guess I didn’t know and couldn’t appreciate what I had back then. Now I know that there are very few people that have my kind of body and endowments. Little wonder producers are always on the look out for me.”

She’s extra-massive upstairs, did she find it challenging managing her assets at a younger age? “No, at all. My boobs were never a challenge to me. I’ve been acting with them since I was a child. Variety is the spice of life. Not everybody is meant to be slim or have small boobs. If everyone is a size eight, who will act the size 16 roles. Even as a child, I still got contacted to play certain roles so I never had self-esteem issues because of the size of my boobs.”

Indeed, the multiple-award-winning actress wears many caps. She is a filmmaker, movie director, scriptwriter and a singer who started her acting career as far back as 1985 at NTA on Animal Games with Uncle Wole at a tender age.

Today, the thespian has definitely carved a niche for herself as far as the Yoruba sector of Nollywood is concerned.

What was 2018 like for her and could she share some of the high points?

“It was a very beautiful year. In fact, it was better than past years in all its ramifications. First of all I got three awards and my career blossomed. I was able to achieve a whole lot. And then, I did the movie I had always dreamed of. In fact, I am a happier person today.”

Talking about her plans for 2019 she continues: “Well, I’m not relenting or resting on my oars. I hope to evolve into a better me and also do more for myself and career. I got three awards in 2018 and it was just awesome! This year I am dreaming real big, I hope to win like 10 awards this year! And also, this year I plan to make a cinema movie.”

She does more of Yoruba movies, doesn’t she think it’s about time she switched to English?

“I started out doing English movies. That was until Uncle Jide Kosoko invited me over to play a role in a Yoruba movie after spending like 15 years in the English sector. That was how I did just one Yoruba movie and boom! I was everywhere! I must confess, the movie took me to the next level. I was surprised because I had been in the industry for quite a while but didn’t get such attention. And that is why I appreciate the Yoruba sector of Nollywood so much. They help people to grow. Now I act, produce and direct Yoruba movies. I still do English movies though.”

Despite churning out many films annually, criticism that continues to trail the Yoruba sector of Nollywood. What does she think could be done to take Yoruba movies to the next level? “I think the Yoruba sector should do more high quality movies and also take more Yoruba movies to the cinemas. We can do it. We have all it takes.”

What’s the most memorable moment of your career?

“That should be when I directed a job that was not produced by me.

It was a great experience.”

Any marriage plans at the moment? “Not at all. Presently, I am not in any serious relationship.

Elections are coming soon, what is your advice for Nigerians?

“People should just vote; just go out there and cast your vote. Nothing untoward will happen. We have had elections over the years in this country and nothing happened. We are a blessed people.”

•Allwell

36

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

Entertainment

Pirates hijack Genevieve Nnaji’s Lion Heart

P

irates are having a field day on Genevieve Nnaji’s Lion Heart which popular online sureaming platform purchased for a whopping $3.8m.

However, as you read this piece, pirates have descended on it like

hungry vultures. In traffic on Allen Avenue, a copy sells for as low as N150 or N200 and The Oracle checks also revealed that the quality is also at par with the real product. Also, at various bus stops, vendors are doing brisk business as the movie is in high

• A scene in Lion heart

demand.

Meanwhile, the question on every one’s lips now is, how will Netflix react? Could it affect other deals with Nigerian filmmakers? Or could Netflix blacklist Nigeria?

Commenting, journalist turned moviemaker, Samuel Olatunji said: “It’s painful this has happened. The producer of Lion Heart will lose money.

Piracy is theft and theft leads to loss of revenue and discourages investors from investing further in the industry.”

For popular moviemaker, Eddy Ugnoma: “This is sad. Genevieve’s film was pirated because they withheld it for too long. Maybe, they did that with the hope of selling the film as well. If it is pirated then I’m sorry for her and her financier; It could be very painful. If it is not pirated then it is not a good film.”

Attempts to reach Genevieve Nnaji for comment was not successful.

Big Brother Naija 2019 berths

T

he stage is set for the 2019 edition of Big Brother Naija (BBN) and auctions are set to hold on the 1st and 2nd of February 2019 in eight locations across Nigeria.

And host of Big Brother Naija, Ebuka Peters has shared four rules contestants for this year’s edition have to abide by, as they prepare for the auditions.

He had posted the following message on social media: “Just to answer some questions I’ve been getting about the auditions holding on the 1st and 2nd of February 2019. You have to be 21 years or older, have a valid international passport and you cannot send in audition videos because you have to be physically present at the audition venue.”

Meanwhile, he added that there are no forms as auction is free. Among others, for this year’s edition which is the forth, the show will be recorded live in Nigeria. This disclosure was made by the Chief Executive Officer of MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr John Ugbe.

It took me 18 months to write my memoires – Eddy Ugboma

N

ollywood veteran, Eddy Ugbomah who clocked 78 years recently is appealing to Nigerians, government, corporate bodies and individuals to patronise him by buying his newly published memoires entitled Eddy Ugboma By Eddy which was published by Edifosa Entertainment Organisation.

In a chat with Oracle Today, Ugboma said: “It took me 18 years to write my memories. It’s a book entitled Eddy Ugboma By Eddy. I tried to get some of my colleagues to co-write it with me but they were not forthcoming.

“I feel great clocking 78 recentlyy

and I’m expecting the Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, PMB and Atiku Abubakar to celebrate my birthday and support me to get well; I’m seriously ill. Let them celebrate me now that I’m still alive. I intend to launch the book with a documentary soon. I expect government to order the book for libraries, establishments, universities and colleges. I need the cash for my treatment.”

So, what inspired the autobiography? “I’ve been in the industry for the past 60 years and survived life in Nigeria with its twists and turns but who cares to know or appreciate. How-

ever, President Mohammadu Buhari sent me a birthday greeting not knowing that I’m seriously down with illness that requires my traveling abroad for treatment. I’m grateful that he appreciates and respect me so much.

“The book is about my life, experiences and my pioneering role in the Nigerian movie industry. I’m the author and publisher because those I approached were asking for money to edit the script. Thank God that against the odds, it’s finally out; it’s a collectors’ item and a repository of knowledge not just for practitioners but Nigerians at large.”

Cardi B drags TV presenter over comments made about Donald Trump

I

t is no longer news that Cardi B dragged the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump a few days ago over the shutdown, what’s news is that she has also slammed a tv presenter who tried to troll her.

A FOX news presenter, Tomi Lahren had taken to her Twitter page on Wednesday, January 16, 2019, where she mocked Cardi B over her statement on Donald Trump’s continuous government shutdown.

“Looks like @iamcardib is the latest genius political mind to endorse the Democrats. HA! Keep it up, guys! #MAGA2020,” she tweeted. It took Cardi B just a few days to respond to the presenter “Leave me alone I will dog walk you,” she replied.

Tomi wasn’t done as she went on to troll Cardi with her next tweet “I’m sure you would. Still doesn’t make your political rambling any less moronic. #BuildthatWall.” Guess who wasn’t having of it? Yes, Cardi B, as she went to reply to the presenter in another tweet.

“You’re so blinded with racism that you don’t even realize the decisions the president you root for is destroying the country you claim to love so much.You are a perfect example on no matter how educated or smart you think you are you still a SHEEP!” she

replied.

Cardi B’s present altercation with the Tomi Lahren dates back to her now-famous video where she called out Donald Trump for shutting down the government over the Congress’ refusal to allow him to build at the border between the United States and Mexico.

It’s been almost four weeks since the United States of America’s president, Donald Trump shut down the government, leaving federal workers in untold hardship, which has led to Cardi B calling him out for the actions.

The rapper took to her Instagram page on Wednesday, January 16, 2019, where she called him out for leaving the workers stranded. He went on to appear to other Americans to take the shutdown by the government seriously.

“Hey, Y’all I just want to remind you all that this is been a little bit over three weeks, okay, it’s a little bit been over three weeks, Trump is now ordering federal government workers to go back to work without getting paid. Now I don’t want to hear Y’all motherfuckers say oh but Obama shut down the government for 17 days. Yea Bitch! For health care, so your grandma can check her blood pressure and you bitches can go check your pussy at a gynecologist with no motherfuck-

Aity Dennis, artistes celebrate hubby at birthday

R • Cardi B ing problem.

“Now I know a lot of you don’t care because you don’t work for the government or you don’t probably have a job, but this shit is fucking serious bro, this shit is crazy like our country is in a hell hole right now...we really need to take this seriously. I feel like we need to take some action, I don’t know what time of action bitch, this is not what I do but bitch I’m scared, this is crazy and I really feel mad for these people that gat to go to fucking work to not get motherfucking paid,”she said.

ecently, gospel singer, Aity Deñnis played host to friends and well wishers as a galaxy of gospel musicians joined her as her husband, Dr. Dennis Inyang, Presiding Pastor, SureWord. Assembly celebrated his birthday.

Dr. Dennis Inyang, who got born again 40 years ago and has been in Pastoral ministry for over twenty years, thanked the Lord for saving him from death five times Speaking at the Event, Bishop Mark Omonze, Zonal Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, reiterated that a pastor is a gift from God to humanity to help mould destinies and facilitate their receiving their needs from God and challenged parishioners to appreciate their undershepherds as they carry out their very challenging assignment.

The artistes took turns to eulogize the celebrant for his impact on the lives of the people and to lead the excited congregation in praise. To add more flavor to the celebration were Mega Steppers dance troup and the host choir, The Tribe of Judah.

The highpoint of the event was when the celebrant cut his birthday cake with his wife and three miracle children whom they had after waiting for over 20 years.

Artistes at the event included Eben, Pita, Jhadel and Linda Etukudo.

37

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS 2019: Stakeholders drum support for Lynda Ikpeazu

By Theo Rays, Onitsha

F

rom all indications, the member representing Onitsha North/ South Federal Constituency in Federal House of Representatives Hon. Lynda Chuba Ikpeazu of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may be coasting home to victory as relevant stakeholders from Onitsha South local government area have endorsed her candidacy ahead of the forthcoming elections.

Lynda will face Chief Patrick Nwachi Obainwu of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Mike Mbanefo of All Progressive Congress (APC) at the polls The Stakeholders endorsed her for continuity in a town hall meeting held at Onitsha Recreation Club Fegge. Those present include Town Union executives of Odoakpu, Woliwo Housing and Fegge Community Others were Street Traders Associations, Landlord Associations, Onitsha South Elders forum, Housing Estate Vigilante, Port Harcourt road Keke Riders Association, Silver & Gold Ladies cum Retired Teachers and Odoakpu Youth Forum.

Speaking during the town hall meeting, Chairman Onitsha South Elders Forum, Chief Sylvester Ezeokenwa extolled the achievements of Hon Ikpeazu describing her as ‘Madam projects’ who has attracted many democracy dividends to the constituency.

In his words, the chairman of Odoakpu community, Chief Annie Ekunie said that their union was not partisan but has decided to endorse Hon. Ipkeazu due to the some roads construction which she attracted.

“The roads constructed with flood/erosion control include, Williams street, Ogalonye street and Mbonu-Ojike road,fegge still under construction. Provision of 8 electricity transformers, construction of classroom blocks at Obi Okosi primary school, fegge”, he said. Chairman Landlord Association, Fegge layout Chief Mike Ide Orjiakor urged people to vote for Lynda to continue her good works because she built skill acquisition centers where youths are trained and empowered regularly.

The Chief Security Officer, Housing Estate, Mr. Julian Ikeanyianwu recounted other achievements of Ikpeazu to include provision of hospital equipments at children’s unit, sinking of bore holes at and sponsoring some major surgeries all at General Hospital, Onitsha In his remark, the former Secretary to State Government of Anambra State, Chief Oseloka Obaeze who was the governorship candidate of the PDP in 2017 governorship election in Anambra pleaded with the Onitsha presidents to return Hon. Ikpeazu to the legislature to continue her projects saying that experience counts.

Responding to the electorate, Hon. Ikpeazu a Lawyer urged them to renew her mandate to enable her complete the projects on the pipeline and continue sponsoring numerous bills at the floor of the National Assembly. Ikpeazu also told her teeming supporters irrespective of their party affiliation to support the Igbo agenda “Let us support our brother Peter obi who worked here for eight years. Don’t cast your votes based on sentiments. If we allow APC to win power will shift to the west come 2023” said Ikpeazu.

Election: INEC begins training of corps members in Enugu T he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday commenced training of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members as ad hoc staff for the forthcoming general elections in Enugu State.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training of the youth corps members is to equip and reassure them of their safety during the polls.

The training being done at local

government levels have so far witnessed large turnouts.

In Enugu North Local Government Area of the state, the INEC Assistant Electoral Officer, Operations/Local Government Training, Mrs Doris Onyeke, appealed to the corps members to be neutral.

Onyeneke said that electoral officers must perform their functions in line with laid down rules and regulations.

According to her, polling officers

are bound to be intimidated by politicians and or their agents but she appealed to them not to give in to such intimidation.

Onyeneke said that adequate security measures had been put in place to protect corps members and electoral materials them from unwarranted attacks from any quarters.

At Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the state, the INEC Training Officer, Mr Chukwuemeka

Okorie urged corps members that would participate in the exercise to be nonpartisan.

Okorie warned them not to embark on any unethical conduct such as allowing those whose names were not in the voters’ register to cast ballot.

He said that allowing such would amount to electoral fraud and could lead to the offenders serving jail terms.

On what corps members should do in an event of threat to their security at polling units, the INEC official advised them to relocate to safer places when their security was threatened.

He appealed to them not to enter into such arguments that could endanger their lives.

The INEC Electoral Officer in the local government area, Mrs Caroline Nwodo advised corps members and other electoral officers not to accept any form of bribery or financial inducement.

Nwodo described their roles as sacred that needed not be tainted.

N500m goods destroyed as fire razes 300 shops in Onitsha

By IBE NWACHUKWU

• (From left) Mrs Abosede Adelaja, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Aramide Giwanson, the Special Adviser, Arts and Culture, Mr Ayodeji Omoboye, winner of OLF 2018 Raffle Car, Mr Steve Ayorinde, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Gbenga Adesanya, Orenuga Funmilayo, Oreoluwa Olayinka, and Mr Kayode Adejuwon, Senior Channel Development/ Marketing Manager of GAC Motors

Abia Debate: Ikpeazu fails to show up

• Otti, Ogah, Nwagba slug it out From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

A

bia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, yesterday left the capacity-filled auditorium of the Mater Dei Catholic Church, Umuahia, disappointed, as he chickened out of the governorship debate for candidates of the various political parties, in Abia State, organised by the church.

The Catholic debate, first of three debates lined up for Abia gubernatorial candidates by different groups, was attended by Dr. Alex Otti of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Uche Ogah, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the lone female candidate, Hon. Blessing Nwagba of the Socialists Democratic Party (SDP).

According to the organisers of the debate Justice, Development & Peace/Caritas (JDPC), all the candidates, including the governor, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), were duly written and invited for the debate.

Expectation was high amongst the audience that the debate was going to bring together the dramatis personae in the political race face-to-face and under one roof, to speak to the people. But Ikpeazu, the incumbent governor, chickened out as he failed to show up, leaving Dr. Alex Otti, Uche Ogah and Blessing Nwagba to slug it out.

“All the candidates were duly informed and at the appropriate time”, Rev. Father, Barrister David Aguneri, the Cathedral Administrator, told the audience. He added:

“The governor sent an appeal that he did not get the information (about the debate) early”.

The governor’s excuse for shunning the debate, however, was seen as an afterthought. The debate moderator, prior to kicking off, had informed the audience that the programme was being broadcast live in the radio and therefore could not wait any longer for the governor who was being expected. He subsequently announced that the governor was going to join mid-way.

But rather than the presence of the governor, the audience and the organisers were taken aback when a group of vendors evaded the hall and brazenly distributed a propaganda publication featuring the governor’s activities in the last three and a half years in office. This created a lot of noise and distraction for the candidates who were dealing with questions on the dwindled state of Abia economy. It took the intervention of the Cathedral Administrator who screamed out loud to the intruders to “stop further distribution” of the magazine.

The candidates were asked questions on various issues affecting Abia State and how they intend to confront them and provide solutions. Questions were taken in the area of economy, non-payment of workers salaries and pensioners, unemployment, roads and other infrastructures, education, health and local government affairs.

APGA governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, shone brilliantly in his response to the numerous questions

thrown at him. Otti, according to the director media and publicity of Alex Otti Campaign organisation, Kazie Uko, told the audience that he was running for the office of the governor of Abia State because he wanted to lift the people out of poverty. He said that he had the requisite training, skill and knowledge to be able to achieve his objective.

Otti promised that he would create the enabling environment for the economy of Abia State to grow and flourish, through the provision of basic infrastructures, cleaning up the environment, prompt payment of salaries and pensions and security.

Asked how he intended to raise funds to fulfil his promises, Otti, an economist and noteworthy former bank chief executive replied: “It’s not a problem sourcing funds to execute the projects because I know where the monies are and how to raise them”. He said that he had the network and goodwill to attract such funds and investment.

On education, he said that his government would return all Mission schools taken over by government to their original owners, within 90 days of assumption of office. Such schools, he said, would be supported by government funding until they stabilise and able to run on their own without further government subvention. He also pledged to pay attention to teachers training and welfare, as well as improve on the curriculum.

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oods estimated at N500 million were at the weekend destroyed by a mystery fire which razed about 300 shops at Onitsha Printing Paper Dealers market, Woliwo area of the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra state.

According to an eye witness, the fire incident which started at about 7 p.m., when the traders had already closed their shops and went home, suddenly took off from SPW block and spread to EMWO and EMS blocks before creeping into empty cartons and wedding cards section and then the nearby motor spare parts market, before the intervention of men of the state fires service from Ogidi unit.

At the scene of the incident, the victims were seen clearing the debris from both down stairs and upstairs.

Evangelist Emma Ohanugo, the Assistant secretary of the market who spoke in the absence of the chairman, Chief Silas Uzor, told newsmen at the scene that it took men of the state fire service almost two hours to arrive the scene but when theyn arrived, they did their best to put off the inferno, adding that they did wonderfully well as they worked till 1 a.m.

Ohanugo disclosed that the state Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Dr. Christian Madubuko had equally visited the scene to commiserate with the victims and promised to take their message to Governor Willie Obiano for possible assistance.

Insisting that investigations were still in progress as to unravel the mystery surrounding the sudden fire outbreak, he however called on Obiano and other individuals and corporate bodies to come to the rescue of the victims as most of them were completely disorganized by the fire disaster.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS APGA senatorial candidate reels out 9-point agenda

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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rince Chinedu Emeka (Okenga Anam), former Deputy Governor of Anambra state and the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Anambra North senatorial district has reeled out a nine-point agenda which he intends to pursue at the ninth senate if elected on February 16, this year.

The nine-point agenda included restructuring/fiscal federalism, infrastructural development, reformation of internal security structures, industrialization, agriculture, oil and gas development, erosion control, riverine areas development commission and youth empowerment.

Presenting his senatorial manifesto to the people of Anambra North senatorial zone, through an interactive session with members of Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) at Otuocha, yesterday, Emeka who is a Doctorate degree holder in Computer Science, said he stepped out to contest the senatorial seat this time around because he was disappointed by the abysmal performances of the past and present senators that represented the zone, ever since the exit of Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, former Senate President.

Emeka who noted that Anambra North zone is naturally endowed with very fertile farm lands in Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum, Oyi and Ogbaru local government areas, while Onitsha North and Onitsha South are housing the largest market in Africa, wondered why industrialization, agriculture and oil/gas have not been developed in the zone up till date.

He insisted that once elected as a senator representing the zone, he would first of all pursue a legislative action for the establishment of a Riverine Areas Development Commission through which issues like annual flooding, shore erosion, infrastructure damage. among others which have become the hallmark of riverine/coastal communities would be addressed to improve the quality of life of Nigerians

in these areas According to the APGA candidate, “Anambra North is blessed with youths with abundant potentials, nurturing and harnessing the potentials of these youths shall be the primary focus of my legislative agenda and towards this end, collaboration with my colleagues from states such as Lagos, kano and Rivers that have similar populations of teeming youths to pass legislation that will provide employment/empowerment for these youths will be a priority”.

“I will sponsor a Bill for the creation of ‘Tech hubs’ in the six geopolitical zones which will help to discover and develop young men and women with talent for enterpreneurship. Specifically, I shall train 1,000 youths in computer software engineering and other ICT related fields during my senatorial term of office, as part of my calls for duty”.

Responding, the President of ASATU, Alex Onukwue commended Emeka for drawing a quality legislative agenda and called on all the presidents-general of all the communities in Anambra North senatorial zone to go home and spread the good news about this agenda so that their subjects can key into it by voting massively for the former deputy governor.

Earlier the chairman of the occasion and traditional ruler of Umueri, Igwe Ben Emeka and the traditional ruler of Nteje, Igwe Rowland Odegbo noted that although traditional rulers were forbidden from active politics, they were once members of one political party or the other before they became traditional rulers and as such they have the right to buy any political agenda that would be fruitful to the entire populace, such as this particular one drawn by Emeka.

APGA’s House of Representatives candidate for Anambra East and West federal constituency, Chinedu Obidigwe; APGA’s state secretary, Tony Ifeanya and Commissioner for Youths, Bonaventure Enemali who spoke at the event, appealed to the electorate to vote massively for Emeka and for the sake of Governor Willie Obiano.

Again, Court stops FG from removing CJN

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ederal High Court Abuja has restrained the Federal Government from forcefully removing the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen from office.

Justice Edward Ekwo gave the order on Monday in Abuja while ruling on an ex parte motion brought by the Action Peoples Party.

Defendants in the suit include President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

Other defendants in the suit are Justice Onnoghen, Justice Ibrahim Tanko, the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal.

The court ordered parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.

“This means that parties must observe the rule of law by not doing anything that would tamper with this matter pending the de-

termination of the Motion on Notice,” the judge said.

The judge also granted an order for accelerated hearing and determination of the substantive originating summons.

He also granted an order of substituted service on the president and the AGF as well as the other defendants.

Justice Evelyn Maha of the same court had issued two separate orders asking parties to maintain status quo in the CJN’s trial.

The plaintiffs in that suit were the Incorporated ‎Trustees of the Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative, and the Incorporated Trustees of International Association of Students.

The two plaintiffs had, through separate applications on Jan. 14, obtained interim orders directing the parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suits.

• Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, flanked by government functionaries including Minister of Okechukwu Enelamah, Trade and Investment (second left) launching the Code of Corporate Governance 2018, Tuesday in Abuja

IPOB gets new support group

By IBE NWACHUKWU

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ne of the lawyers to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor has cleared the air that leader of the IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu would soon return to Nigeria without hindrances.

Ejiofor who disclosed this at Amichi in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, yesterday while inaugurating Utali Igbo Foundation, a group that said it gave one hundred per cent support to the IPOB activities, noted that there was nothing to fear about Kanu returning to Nigeria.

According to Ejiofor, “Nnamdi Kanu is one hundred percent safe to return to Nigeria and that will happen in due course. You and I know that he has no case to answer. What is happening in court is being politically manipulated. He has no charge to answer and he is coming back any moment from now”.

He described Nigeria as a country in disarray and said: “All we are talking about now is the emancipation of the people of Biafra which is our own right as provided in the Nigerian constitution and international laws and conventions. And we are making impact.

“I’m a lawyer to the IPOB and it is wrong for anybody to say that only charlatans belong to the IPOB and by extension I’m the general counsel to Biafra, So, the group is only exercising its rights within the confines of the law”.

President of the Utali Igbo Foundation, Mr Obumneme Christopher Okechukwu said the foundation which is only six months old now already had branches in Senegal, Canada, South Africa, Anambra, Lagos and would soon open one in Equatorial Guinea and Ghana.

He confirmed that the foundation had one hundred percent support to IPOB activities in addition to uniting the Igbo both those in diaspora

and back to fight for their rights.

One of the strong members of the group is Dr Jeff Okeke known as Igwe Ndi Utali Foundation and its patron.

Dr Okeke called for Igbo unity and common purpose to stand on its feet. He said that nothing could be impossible for the tribe to achieve, if the members could come together and speak in one voice.

Another lawyer to the IPOB who said he is a special counsel to the pro-Biafra group, Alloy Ejimakor insisted that the IPOB must be delisted as a terrorist group.

Ejimakor who traveled from his base, Washington DC, USA for the inauguration said that government of the day should rather focus their attention to the activities of the Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen who he said are terrorizing the country “and not the IPOB.” He insisted that the group should be allowed to conduct the referendum as it demanded.

“Nigeria however, has the market, the people and local innovations that can disrupt business models around the world. We are on track to making this happen,” he stated.

According to him, “TechX shall create a platform for people with ideas to incubate, startups, business developers, coders, programmers and techies to perfect and scale up their innovations through a structured mentoring process, training and knowledge development programs.

“Our focus will encompass the following; Coding, Gaming, Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT’s) Robotics, Digital Innovations, Business Development, ICT Training, Software Development, Cyber Security, Digital Marketing etc.

“Our teeming youths can focus their creative energies more positively with a platform such as TechX Innovation Hub to give them a head-start in live. ICT has become

the new oil and countries that have depended on oil as the economic main stay are beginning to embrace technology.”

“We have examples from UAE, Qatar and other countries in the Gulf region. The federal government has been making efforts towards diversification of the economy; however more still needs to be done through the encouragement of innovations, startups and SMEs. “In realization of this need, TechX was set up to play our part towards the economic development of our people and thus contribute to poverty reduction in the region in particular and the country at large,” he said. Ojobo noted that TechX will be collaborating with relevant Stakeholders, such as; the Media, Regulators, Hub owners, Tertiary Institutions, State Governments, Federal Government, SME’s, Multilateral Agencies, Embassies, Equipment Manufacturers, Ministries Departments and Agencies.

statement issued on Monday, in Calabar, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Christian Ita. The governor said that the directive had become imperative following security reports which indicated that some politicians and their sup-

porters were stockpiling arms and ammunition ahead of the forthcoming elections.

The governor assured residents in the state of adequate security before, during and after the general elections.

TechX Innovation Hub unveils office in Enugu

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echnology Extra, TechX, Innovation Hub, a global organization that is concerned with the slow adoption of technology in the developing countries especially Africa has opened office in Enugu, South Eastern part of Nigeria.Tech X is focused on four key areas of technological advancement; Awareness, Access, Adoption and Application.

Speaking at the unveiling of the office, Tony Ojobo, founder, TechX Innovation Hub, said that a key strategy that addresses the issue of low ICT penetration is awareness.

“People need to be aware of the power of ICT to transform lives, businesses and the economy at large. The most capitalized firms in the world today are playing in the ICT space. The capacity of technology to lift peoples and nations out of poverty is phenomenal.In recognition of these tested facts, we decided to start from the area where penetration is low and scale up to other regions in the country.

Ayade orders police search on campaign convoys in C/River

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ross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, has directed the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Hafiz Inuwa, to stop and search all political parties’ campaign convoys in the state to curb illegal arms.

Ayade gave the directive in a

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS Don’t thwart ‘Charter of Equity’-- Orji warns Ngwa people From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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ith his second term bid being hotly challenged by the opposition senatorial candidates, notably Nkechi Nwaogu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Theodore Orji, has warned the Ngwa component of Abia Central Senatorial zone against supporting the opposition.

The former Abia State governor maintained that Ngwa component of Abia Central comprising Isiala Ngwa North, Isiala Ngwa South and Osisioma Ngwa “cannot hold the governorship and senatorial positions at the same time.”

Orji succeeded Senator Nwaogu in 2015 after she had sojourned in the Red Chamber for eight years on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before decamping to APC. Nwaogu is seriously angling to displace her successor, a dream if actualized, Orji said, would thwart the spirit of Abia Charter of Equity.

According to him, the Abia Charter of Equity under which Dr Okezie Ikpeazu became the first person of Ngwa extraction to emerge governor of Abia was all inclusive and not just limited to the office of the state chief executive.

Orji, therefore, warned the people of Ngwa against supporting other senatorial candidates who are challenging him for the senatorial seat as it would run counter to the spirit of equity from which the Ngwas are now benefiting.

Orji, who represents Abia Central senatorial district, clarified that the issue of equity in Abia politics while addressing his kinsmen at two separate events at Ossah Ibeku where he inaugurated a new market and Emede where he opened a town hall and inaugurated a road project.

He said that he expected the Ngwa part of Abia Central to back his second term ambition so that equity could be fully served in all ramifications, adding that he has performed creditably to deserve a revalidation of his senatorial mandate in 2019.

He reminded his kinsmen that it took his courageous decision to implement the state charter of equity and backed the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc to produce his successor when he had completed his second tenure as governor before proceeding to the Senate.

Several speakers at the occasion extolled Senator Orji for sterling performance as governor and for the quality representation he has been posting as Abia Central senator, noting that he has continued to positively impact on his constituents with his empowerment and human capital development programmes.

Commissioner for public utilities, Chidiebere Nwoke, who is also the President-General of Emede Town Union, said that while he was governor, Senator Orji brought tremendous developments to Emede, transforming the rural community into a semi-urban area.

He assured that his people would never forget their senator and were ready to demonstrate their support by giving him 100 percent votes in the forthcoming general election, adding that they would not allow Senator Nwaogu to have her way in the poll.

Chairman of the occasion, Justice Okey Nwamuo (rtd), commended the former governor for being a pathfinder and agent of development for his people, adding that the Ibeku clan was solidly behind his return bid.

No division in Southeast PDP -- Umahi

By CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki

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hairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, has declared that there is no division in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Southeast zone as being alleged in some quarters.

Umahi who spoke at Iboko, the council headquarters of Izzi Local Government Area of the State at a rally organised by the party to canvass support from the people of the area ahead of the general elections, vowed that all PDP candidates in

the upcoming general elections would get victory in the region.

“There is no division in southeast PDP. PDP is southeast and Ebonyi State is number one PDP”, he declared.

He told the cheering crowd that as the chairman of the PDP presidential campaign in the southeast, he would make the party proud in the upcoming Imo State zonal rally to prove to them he had the capacity to lead the party in the zone.

He also thanked the people of Izzi clan for their support and for donating ten buses to him when they

paid him Xmas homage in support of his reelection.

Umahi also said he wants all the gubernatorial candidates of all the political parties and their leaders to face him in a debate, boasting that he had all it takes to box them to the corner.

The governor also charged the people to get their PVCs and be ready to vote PDP candidates; just as he reinstated the commitment of his administration to empower the youths.

The State Chairman of PDP in the state, Barr. Onyekachi Nwebonyi

and the National Vice Chairman of the party in the southeast zone, Austin Umahi, commended the people for their support and appealed to them to reelect Umahi and other PDP candidates including Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Also speaking, the director general of Umahi’s campaign Organization, Chief Fidelis Nwankwo, who also hails from the area, assured the people that governor Umahi remained a right choice for them, having benefitted so much from his administration.

The rally was graced by a mammoth crowd of PDP supporters.

Buhari’s 2nd term will create more openings for C’River -- Enoh From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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• (From right): Akwa Ibom State Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC ) Chairman, Comrade Etim Ukpong, state Governor, Udom Emmanuel and other labour leaders during a consultative meeting with among leaders of the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the United Labours in Uyo, recently

Why Nigeria should diversify through agriculture – CBN Deputy Governor From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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eputy Governor of Central Bank in charge of Economic Policy, Okwu Joseph Nnanna, has appealed to Nigerians, particularly young school leavers, to embrace agriculture because the sector provides the best route to diversifying the country’s economy.

According to Nnanna, agriculture holds the ace in revamping Nigeria’s economy through diversification because its plays vital role in providing the impetus for economic growth and development such as provision of food and employment for the growing population; raw materials for the industrial sector and foreign exchange earnings from exports.

“There is no doubt that agriculture provides the best route to economic diversification,” he said, warning that a nation that cannot feed its population has mortgaged its future.

The economist noted that a diversified economy would assist the country solve the problems of high unemployment, uneven development, rising inflation, wide income inequality high poverty level and the high level of insecurity. He stressed

that Nigeria’s vulnerability to the oil sector has hampered long-term economic stability and development.

The CBN Deputy Governor who delivered the Abia State University, Uturu, Pre-Convocation Lecture at the weekend, while enumerating advantages of diversifying the economy through agriculture, noted that “Nigeria is blessed with fertile soil and a conducive climate for agricultural activities that supports all-yearfarming.”

The financial expert also emphasized that diversification of the economy offers a broad spectrum for enhanced revenue earnings to support sustainable economic growth and development He also said that agriculture has the potential to thrive with minimal input, feed the people and provide the basis for inter-sectoral linkages since its output serve as input to other sectors, stressing that the agricultural sector still remains the largest employer of labour force at 42.8 per cent.

He, however, warned that diversifying the economy through agriculture would not provide the desired benefits, if investments in the sector do not cover the agricultural value

chain.

Also, any meaningful attempt to diversify the economy and achieve food security must, therefore, be complemented by massive investment in critical infrastructure, driven by good governance with established sound institutions and private sector participation, he advised.

He listed inadequate infrastructure, unfriendly operating business environment, poor or lack of storage facilities, underdeveloped Value Chain and low public-private partnership as some of the challenges to diversifying the economy.

Nnanna explained that the federal government anchored the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) on the agricultural sector because it still represents Nigeria’s comparative advantage.

He challenged universities to “focus more on innovative and entrepreneurial researches” that would address inherent problems associated with agriculture in the country and enjoined young graduates to take advantage of the various agricultural programmes funded by the CBN to become employers of labour rather than searching for jobs on end.

enator John Owan Enoh the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s gubernatorial flag bearer in the forthcoming elections in Cross River has called on the people of Cross River to queue behind the re-election of the president as his re-election would be beneficial to the state.

Senator Enoh made the call in Ogoja during the Senatorial Tour of the Northern Senatorial district in continuation of his campaign tour across the state.

Enoh who was accompanied with the APC Senatorial Candidate for the area, Wabily Nyiam, as well as candidates for the various legislative positions in the zone, told party faithful as well as the electorate that the benefits that awaits the state should the president secure re-election is enormous.

“The administration of President Buhari has benefited Cross River state even when the party did not get more the 28,000 votes in the 2015 general elections. Voting President Muhammadu Buhari is like creating more openings and opportunities for Cross Riverians.

“A vote for Buhari is a vote for the restoration of the nation’s economy; it is a vote to strengthen the institutions of government and a vote to build hope for the future generations”, the Senator said.

He explained that under the leadership of President Buhari, several infrastructural projects have been undertaken while more are still in the pipeline.

While commending the president for all he had achieved over the years in the past three years, he reassured that Cross River state will give him massive number of votes out of our voting strength, so as to belong in the league of APC states and also to benefit more from the democratic dividends that comes with it.

He said the President had within the past three years restored international confidence as per the image of the country as well as chatting a new course for the nation’s economic recovery.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS Ekere kicks off campaigns, promises to banish poverty from A’Ibom From Ini Billie, Uyo

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Akwa Ibom State, and Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Nsima Ekere has said he will banish poverty from the state once he becomes governor.

He promised economic reforms in the state, saying he will build on five pillars which include economic prosperity, education, social security, governmental reforms and infrastructural development among others.

Speaking on Monday in Uyo during the flag-off of his campaigns in the state, Ekere said Akwa Ibom people have no business being poor, stating that he was ready to return the state to the path of prosperity while building on the achievements of past governors of the state.

He stated that the occasion signaled the beginning of a march towards peace and development of the state, adding that the campaigns should be focused on performance and not used to divide the people of the state.

He noted that the APC led FG has the most sophisticated social protection programme in the history of the country, adding that his administration would domesticate same in the state.

“Today marks the beginning of our march to a new dawn. You are here because you believe in change, because you believe that Akwa Ibom state must be taken to the next level.

“The change we are bringing to Akwa Ibom will be anchored on five pillars: It shall be anchored on the economic prosperity of Akwa Ibom state. For a start, we shall enable the economy by investing in public works to thrive and create enabling environment for investment. We shall invest in education, bealth and social protection.

“With all the endowments that God has given us, we shall banish poverty in this state and build on the achievements of past governors.

“Campaigns should be about performance. Please do not bring divisions among Akwa Ibom people. Let us be careful that politics does not divide us as a people. Politics is not about religion; preach peace, unity, hard work; stop lying and spreading lies over the state and causing problems,” he said.

Also speaking, former governor of the state, Senator Godswill Akpabio denied that his administration left a huge debt burden in the state, describing Ekere as liberal and that he wants him to take over the leadership of the state as a governor.

Akpabio who expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari would win the Presidential elections and urged the electorates to vote for the APC inorder to return the state to the same government at the centre.

He said the administration of President Buhari has placed many people in the state and the South-South geopolitical zone in places of authority in government.

The Director General of the APC gubernatorial campaign and Presidential Aide, Senator Ita Enang described Ekere as the candidate that would instill accountability and transparency in the governance of the state.

Former APC guber candidate in Akwa Ibom and Chairman of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Mr Umana Umana expressed confidence over the success of the party in the 2019 polls.

APC chieftain in Rivers state, Chief Magnus Abe described Ekere as a hardworking person who have worked and been involved in several projects in Rivers state, and as NDDC chairman transformed the commission and endeared it to the hearts of the people of Niger Delta.

PVC: Begin door-to-door sensitization -- Okowa charges Deltans From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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onfident that his administration has recorded a lot of achievements that will earn the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) victory in the forthcoming general elections, Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has urged members of the party to mobilise the people to collect their permanent voters cards (PVCs).

The governor who made the call at campaign rallies of the PDP at Aboh, Ndokwa East; Kwale, Ndokwa West and Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South local government areas of Delta State, stressed that an impressive PVC collection would give rise to increase in the number of votes at the polls.

“We thank you for coming out en masse to receive us, it shows that Delta is PDP and, PDP is Delta

State; there are still some voters cards that are yet to be collected, mobilize our people to utilise the window offered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for everybody to collect their voters cards,” he said, adding, “we want every Unit, Ward, and every local government area to beat its previous record in delivery of votes.”

He asserted, “we know we will win but, we should win with very high margin; you have listed the roads we have constructed, those we are constructing, the empowerment programmes we have done, when we make promises, we keep to our promise and in the next four years, we will surpass our achievements, vote for all the candidates of the PDP.” “This is not the time for disagreement, it is time for work as a one

united family because, the best results come from local government areas where there is unity,” the governor who was accompanied to the venues of the rallies by his wife, Dame Edith, his Deputy, Barr. Kingsley Esiso and top politicians in the state said.

At Aboh, he specifically said, “I relate with my people, I am at home with my people, the good people of Delta State, I enjoy staying in the state; together, we have worked for more than three years and we deserve to thank God for the success stories; even when you are at home, praise the Lord.”

“We are going on campaign from local government to local government, our people are campaigning from Ward to Ward, Unit to Unit, door to door, we must be armed with our voters cards that is what we will use to choose good govern-

ance for another four years, collectively, we can,” the governor who sang and danced with Deltans at the venues of the rallies said.

Those who spoke at the venues of the campaigns include Chief Godwill Obielum, Senator Patrick Osakwe, Chief Jerry Ossai, Chairman of the party, Barr, Kingsley Esiso, Director General of the Campaign Council, Hon. Funkekeme Solomon, Chairman of the Campaign Council, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, among numerous others listed the achievements of the governor which will be reciprocated by Deltans through massive votes for candidates of the PDP in the elections.

They listed the roads constructed in the local government areas, achievements in the health sector, education, empowerment programmes, among numerous others and stated that Deltans will vote for all the candidates of the PDP from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as President to the candidates for House of Assembly positions.

PDP will not disrupt opposition rallies in Akwa Ibom – Chairman

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• (From left): Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and his Bayelsa State counterpart, Seriake Dickson displaying honours received during the Independent Newspaper awards ceremony which held at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, Thursday

Job creation earns Okowa Daar top award From JONATHAN AWANYAI, Asaba

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n recognition of the success stories of his administration’s efforts in job and wealth creation, the Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa has received “Outstanding Governor Of The Year Award (Job Creation) from Daar Communications Limited.

At a colourful ceremony held at the weekend at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Daar Communications, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM observed that, “Governor Okowa is a man whose life has been dedicated to public service.”

“Despite the economic challenges that greeted his assumption of office, Governor Okowa has displayed remarkable resourcefulness, resilience and strong managerial acumen as reflected in the spread of infrastructural projects across the three senatorial districts, employment generation and notable transformation in the education sector,” organisers of the event said.

They continued, “in less than four years, his administration has embarked upon 357 road projects, comprising 1, 056. 15 kms of roads and 352.78 kms of drains; also, his administration has trained and established 4, 253 young graduates in their choice enterprise, while 16, 081

others have been trained and empowered to grow their businesses.”

“Under him, Delta State was in 2017, ranked number one among the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory in human capital development by the National Competitive Council of Nigeria, “ the award organisers stated.

Speaking shortly after receiving the awards which was personally presented by Mrs Tosin Dokpesi, Governor Okowa dedicated the award to Deltans, saying they gave him the opportunity to serve.

According to the governor who was represented at the occasion by the Secretary to the Delta State government, Rt. Hon. Ovie Agas, “this award is specially, dedicated to God and the good people of Delta State who provided the platform for service because, to us, governance is all about service.”

Some Deltans who were interviewed at the occasion including the Commissioner for Information, Mr Patrick Ukah, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Chiedu Ebie, the Director General of the Delta State Contributory Health Insurance Commission, Dr Ben Nkechika noted that it was a well-deserved award.

“This is a testimony and evidence to what we know and the world now know it is the truth that Governor Okowa has done very well in serving Deltans; I am happy today

that everybody can testify that this government has performed and as the Commissioner for Information, I am happy that my job has been made easy, the world is aware about the performance of the governor; they are all saying congratulations but, they have not seen the best of Governor Okowa, in the next four years, it will all be thanksgiving, thanksgiving and thanksgiving,” Mr Ukah said.

To Mr Ebie, “it is good when you are recognised and appreciated for the work you do especially when such recognition is unsolicited; the good work of our governor have been recognised and I can confidently say that haven worked closely with Governor Okowa for three and half years, the man is prepared for governance, so it is no surprise that he has done remarkably well and he is being recognised for his good works, as a person, I feel fulfilled.”

Dr Nkechika stated, “we have a good Governor in Delta State, he has done well and the next four years will be great in our state.”

Some of those who received awards at the event were another Deltan, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu (Minister Of The Year), Dr Bukola Saraki, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Kashim Ibrahim Shettima, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, Chief Dele Momodu, HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, among numerous others.

he ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom has assured that the party would not send anybody or its agents to disrupt rallies of other political parties in the state.

Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Paul Ekpo, gave the assurance during a press conference in Uyo on Sunday.

Ekpo said that the party would base its campaigns on issues and achievements recorded by Gov. Udom Emmanuel’s administration in last three and half years.

He urged opposition parties to also base their campaigns on issues as against intimidation and blackmail, stressing that only the will of Akwa Ibom people would prevail.

“We hereby state as follows, that we have not and will not send anybody to disrupt rallies or meetings of any other political party. We can assure the opposition that no amount of arrest and intimidation will bend the will of the people.

“The greater the opposition, the more resolute the will of the people will be to ensure their resounding failure. Our people will vote their choice and defend their votes, ” Ekpo said.

The party state chairman denied the allegation that PDP in the state was buying Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) from the electorate.

Ekpo, however, alleged that there were plans to frame up officials and financiers of his party with the aim of keeping them away from the elections.

He therefore drew the attention of security agencies this plot, adding that PDP was a peace loving party operating, within the ambits of the law.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS Extra THEEE Initiative marks 10 years of charity in Enugu From Larry Onwuta, Enugu

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arget Health, Education and Economic Empowerment (THEEE) Initiative, a non -governmental organization founded by Sir Victor & Lady U Obi Anadiume from Achi community in Orji River local government area of Enugu state has clocked ten (10) years of philanthropy in Enugu state and environs.

At its 10 years anniversary, over Six thousand persons including widows, widowers, indigents , blinds , orphans and vulnerable children as well as Umungbu and Gbalagu families of Enugu Akwu Achi and Amaetiti benefited from different gifts of charity.

The charity gifts included rice, tomatoes, wrappers, and cash worth several millions of naira.

According to the Chairperson, THEEE Initiative management committee, Mrs Ifeoma Anyalebechi, the organization has made presentations to improve lives of many people in Enugu Akwu Achi communities, families, Churches , Schools, Musicians and security organizations. She said the borehole drilled by THEEE Initiative founder has served the community for over 10 years.

Anyalebechi informed that men, women and youths of Enugu Akwu communities benefited from over Fifty Million Naira (N50M) interest free revolving loan. She said THEEE Initiative encouraged so many youths by sponsoring them to international sports competition like international football, others sponsored abroad for health care, and grass root football sponsorship as well as funding support to Churches and Schools.

She further said THEEE Initiative has sponsored healthcare for the community through NHIS through Izundu Medical service Oji-River even with a family sponsored to India to access Medicare. She said complimentary feeding cereals and infant milk of high quality and right nutrient composition were shared in the past.

Mrs Anyalebechi commended the Omeluora 1 of Achi and wife Lady U Victor Obi Anadiume for his commitment and dedication to the community despite the challenges of life, praying that God shall continue to protect them against evil forces to enable them serve their community better.

Commenting, beneficiaries , Mrs Chigozie Igwe , and Mrs Cecilia Nzekwesili thanked God for sparing the life of the couple when their flight got troubled mid-air and enumerated the numerous benefits the Achi community has gotten through THEEE Initiative.

Some other beneficiaries including Patience Ilo, Rita Unugwu, Cecilia Iloka, Helen Chukwuekefurum, Rosaline Ubasie encouraged others to emulate them and prayed for God’s blessing, open doors, good health, prosperity on the life of Sir Victor Obi Anadiume and wife , Lady U Obi Anadiume’s family.

Earlier in his sermon, an Anglican clergy man and Vicar St Mathias Anglican Church , Enugu Akwu, Achi , Reverend Emmanuel Ugwaegbunam admonished Christians to live the life of giving no matter their situation as giving is a way of thanksgiving to God. He informed the beneficiaries to always remember their benefactor Sir Victor and Lady U Obi Anadiume as their own way of giving back.

He described the Anadiume’s as God’s gift to the Achi community and prayed God to keep him safe and healthy to fulfil his mission on assisting others on earth.

Atiku no match for Buhari -- Oki From EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri

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olitical analyst, Hon Edward Nikagbatse-Oki has urged Nigerians, especially the youths to join President Muhammadu Buhari in his fight against corruption and sociovices, presently plaguing the country.

Oki who is also an elder statesman, made the appeal when he addressed newsmen yesterday in Warri, Delta State, wondered why a section of Nigerians, especially the PDP and its allies should be criticizing the goodworks being done by president Buhari.

According to him, president Buhari is the only man who can cleanse the society of the evil plaguing the country and the bad governance of the past PDP led government.

“It is a pity that those people who is responsible for the avalanche of problems besetting this country since the Independence are at it again.

This time, around, they will not succeed in their evil deeds because the man who is capable of rescuing Nigeria from the shackles of oppression, hunger and evil deeds in the person of President Buhari has come”,

stressed the elderstatesman.

“I am appealing passionately to the youths of this country not to allow themselves to be used by desperate politicians who sees nothing good in the present APC led government.

I say without fear or favour that Buhari who is on rescue mission should be supported to complete the good fight he has started”, Hon Oki further said, insisting that Nigeria need a change that will transform this country.

“The common man should know that president Buhari is God-sent to rid the country of bad eggs and put

food on the table of the masses and not Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. We are aware that the fear of Buhari coming back is worrying some of our politicians, hence they are campaigning against him,” explained the elder stateman.

He described Buhari’s visit to Warri last week as a clear testimony that the man is actually the person Nigeria needs at this critical time of the nation’s chequered history.

“Honestly, the crowd that welcome him to Warri was massive and, there is no gain saying the fact that Buhari is a blessing to Nigeria”, stressed Hon Oki.

Ayade’s industrialization drive earns him CAN nod From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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• Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah, during the last day of the three-day state prayer and fasting for the peace of Rivers State organised by the Rivers State Government in Port Harcourt between Wednesday, 16th and Friday 18th January, 2019

Nobody can rig the coming elections – INEC

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says nobody within or outside the commission can rig the forthcoming general elections.

Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, while responding to allegations made against the Commission by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, in Abuja.

The PDP alleged that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was being compromised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency with offers of huge sums of money, choice property and juicy appointments to his relations to rig elections in favour of the APC. Oyekanmi asked the PDP spokesperson, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, to substantiate his allegations, describing it as baseless and unsubstantiated like other allegations.

“Please ask him, where is the concrete evidence to support these new allegations? What does the country stand to benefit from this desperation to cause needless confusion?

“Did he attend the meeting where such incentives were purportedly offered to the INEC Chairman? Does he have witnesses to support his assertions?’’

Oyekanmi implored Nigerians to henceforth disregard and ignore any unsubstantiated allegations by the PDP spokesman against the INEC Chairman.

“Rather than work with the Commission to ensure that the general elections less than 30 days away are successfully conducted, it is very sad that some people are de-

termined to cast aspersions on the good work that INEC has been doing in the last three years just for their selfish interests.

“Let me assure Nigerians that nobody within or outside INEC can rig the 2019 general elections.”

Oyeknami reiterated that in the coming elections, every voter must present his or her Permanent Voter’s Card and must be verified, confirmed and authenticated by the Smart Card Reader before voting.

“Accreditation and voting will be simultaneously done as had been the case since January 2016 when the commission conducted the Bayelsa governorship election. It is important to also state that the Commission adopted this method because it was recommended by all the local and international observers that covered the 2015 General Elections.

“This was after confirmation that more than two million voters did not return to cast their ballots after accreditation in that election for a number of reasons.

“Indeed, INEC is capable of, and will conduct free, fair and credible general elections. All we ask is for all stakeholders to play by the rules,” he added.

Ologbondiyan had earlier addressed a press conference, calling on INEC to rise above the “manifest compromises’’ and conduct the 2019 general elections in a transparent manner.

He said that the entire nation was worried and that the palpable fear of every Nigerian today was whether INEC could conduct an election that would be free, fair, credible and transparent.

“This is particularly as allegations

are rife in the public space, that the INEC Chairman is being compromised by the APC and the Presidency with offers of huge sums of money.

“This also includes choice property within and outside Nigeria, as well as juicy appointments to his relations as bribes, in return for the rigging of the elections in favour of Buhari and the APC. “The PDP urges Prof. Yakubu to resist any such pressure.”

Ologbondiyan said that the call was critical following plans to have accreditation and voting simultaneously to pave the way for participation of aliens, underage and unregistered voters; as well as allocate fictitious figures in favour of the APC. He also alleged that the PDP already had information that the geo-spatial centers created by the INEC in the six geo-political zones had also been dubiously duplicated

by Mrs Amina Zakari, INEC National Commissioner.

Ologbondiyan, who further made a series of allegations against INEC, advised Yakubu to demonstrate his credibility and ability to conduct free, fair and transparent elections by taking urgent and decisive steps towards addressing these fears by Nigerians.

“To do this, we demand that Prof.

Mahmood Yakubu immediately rejig the electoral guidelines in a way that accreditation must be first concluded, number of accredited voters ascertained and openly announced before actual voting.

“Anything short of this will only validate the position of Nigerians that INEC has been compromised by the APC,’’ he said.

s the preparation for this year’s guber elections gathers steam, the Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has secured the endorsement of the Cross River State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Thus follows an Interface session between the governor and religious leaders in the state at the Cultural centre complex, Calabar.

Speaking during the interface, the Chairman of CAN in the state, Most Rev. Joseph Edra Ukpo said the has done well for the state particularly in the area of industrialization, good governance and payment of salaries.

Addressing the governor, he said: “CAN appreciates the interface with the governor which is aimed at developing the state.

“You have made landmark progress especially in the industrializing the state; construction of the garment factory, the first rice seeds and seedlings in Africa, construction of Calapharm for our pharmaceutical needs, the ongoing construction of chicken processing factory, the rice mill in Ogoja and the cocoa processing plant in Ikom.

“You have kept the promise of industrialization like the garment factory, rice seedling factory, Calachika, Calaphram amongst others which has created jobs for our people”, he said.

Responding, the governor said the endorsement by men and women of God is very special.

He disclosed that for CAN to endorse a governor is the greatest and highest assessment of his administration after three years.

“If there is any endorsement that is important to me, it is the CAN endorsement. I am moved by this endorsement and appreciate all the prayers and insistence that I should continue and complete all the industrialization agenda of the state.

“I cannot thank you enough. I am indeed grateful. This endorsement I must say is the greatest certification of my government and I promise I will not fail you because the church has made a huge statement and I will continue to offer good governance for our people,” Ayade said.

According to the governor, he is very confident of re-election based on his efforts to develop the state stressing that if his work does not speak for him then he does not deserve a second term.

He explained that all the industrial projects he is undertaking in the state is done without plunging the state into debts as the state cannot borrow and solicited the continued prayers of the church in the state.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS Extra 9.3m pupils benefiting from school feeding programme - FG From ANIEKAN ANIEKAN, Calabar

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t least 9.3million pupils spread across 26 states of the federation are benefiting from the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) initiated by the President Buhari administration.

In addition to this, 50, 000 schools and about 97, 000 individuals have so far been employed as cooks, a development which has productively engaged several unemployed youths in the country.

National Coordinator of the programme, Mrs Bimbo Adesanmi gave the figure at Ebiet Okon Community in Akpabuyo, Cross River State while speaking on the achievements of the programme.

According to her, the multiplier effect of this ha also drastically reduced the number of out of school children.

The coordinator maintained that with the programme, children of low income earners can afford to go to school without the challenge of feeding and called on members of the community to take advantage of the programme.

She said that outside purchased of grains such as rice, corn and tubers she NHGSFP at regular intervals slaughter 504 cattles adding that 6.8million eggs with 83metric tonnes of fish are being purchased to meet up with the protein need of school pupil.

She disclosed that the team has aligned with about 70% of the small holders farmers who are predominantly women who may have been finding it difficult to get market to sell their crops adding that with the programme the women have been given an opportunity to make supplies to the food vendors with an upfront payment.

Earlier in his remarks, the Muri Munene of Efut kingdom/Paramount Ruler of Calabar South LGA of Cross River State, HRM Prof. Itam lauded President Mohammadu Buhari for introducing the school feeding Programme which according to him has rapidly increased the number school enrolment.

“I don’t think there has been anything better than this programme in the last forty years. I get worried each time I see children in farms instead of being in school, during school hours”.

He said that with the programme, children who were hitherto staying at home to help their parents to hawk their wares are now in school courtesy of the programme.

Also speaking the Cross River State Coordinator for the Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) Comr. Gabriel Ogulajah called for fully participation of indigenes of the community in the programme.

• Buhari

Amaechi behind plot to destroy CJN, Wike alleges R ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has declared that the Minister of Transportation and the immediate past governor of the state, Chibuike Amaechi, is ‘behind the evil machinations to destroy the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) , Justice Walter Onoghen.’

Addressing thousands of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters during the State Campaign Rally at Eleme, Thursday, Governor Wike said that the Minister of Transportation made the confession at a meeting with an APC Chieftain in Abuja.

He said: “At that meeting in Abuja

last Monday, Amaechi confessed that he is the person behind the illegal crisis facing the CJN. He bragged that he will destroy the CJN the way he brought Former President Goodluck Jonathan down.

“He wants to destroy the nation’s judiciary. This particular evil will finally consume Amaechi “.

He said that Amaechi is notorious for the destruction of the Judiciary, having closed down Rivers State Judiciary for two years. He wondered why Amaechi hates the Judiciary, despite being a beneficiary of the vibrancy of the Judiciary.

The governor wondered why Amaechi would say that PDP is a party of thieves when he was Speaker for eight years under the PDP and eight years as Governor under the PDP .

He said: “If there is any thief, Amaechi is the proper thief. This thief sold our valued assets to his business partner, Mr Tonye Cole “.

Governor Wike stated that Nigeria has been liberated following the retirement of former Inspector General of Police , Ibrahim Idris.

He said the Former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris was

• Cross section of the management committee of the Target Health, Education and Economic Empowerment (THEEE) Initiative, a non -governmental organization founded by Sir Victor & Lady U Obi Anadiume from Achi community in Orji River local government area of Enugu state in a group photograph with some beneficiaries when the group marked its 10th year anniversary

Watch your utterances, Archbishop Okoh cautions politicians

From Pamela Eboh, Awka

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rchbishop Metropolitan and Primate of all Nigeria Anglican Communion, Most Rev Nicolas Okoh at the weekend called on politicians to be mindful of their utterances to avoid heating up the polity.

Okoh appealed to the Politicians to conduct themselves in a manner that will promote peace and rule of law, rather than indulging in activities that would jeopardize the 2019 general elections.

Okoh spoke at the Cathedral Church of Andrews Amichi in Nnewi South Local Government area of Anambra State during a two day working visit in the diocese for their 10 years anniversary celebration of its creation and Bishop Ephraim Ikeakor’s 10th year episcopacy.

The Primate tasked politicians on peaceful election, saying that there is very high tension in the country, which he described as threat to the nation’s unity.

He noted that: “The Nigeria state is bigger than any individual. So, all of us have a duty to ensure that Nigeria is not harmed in the course of electioneering campaign, during the election and after the election.

These three stages are very critical.

We should work hard to ensure that peace reigns. If you win, be considerate in your victory, and if you lose, don’t kill anybody because of that.

Archbishop Nicolas Okoh who used the opportunity to commend Bishop Ephraim Ikeakor for his 10

years Episcopal anniversary and dedication of projects built by the Bishop in the last ten years said the diocese is replicating the tripod evangelism of the early missionaries, hinged on education, medical services and the church.

“Let Amichi diocese continue with what they are doing because they are building along the tripod that the missionaries brought to us. That is education, medical services and the church. It is not enough to go to church; you must serve the people and make sure that when they come to church, they have opportunity to get their problems solved, not only through prayers but through medical and agriculture because the diocese is also involved in agricultural development.

Some of the projects dedicated

by Primate Okoh include: College of Nursing Sciences, Masters Vessel Seminary, Sure Anchor Micro Finance bank, diocesan integrated farm, Admin secretariat among other facilities.

Bishop of Amichi used the 10th anniversary of the diocese and his episcopacy to honour some individuals and families that contributed for the progress of the diocese.

Some of the recipients that bagged the distinguished Temple Builders award include: Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, Chief SN Ukachukwu, Sir Emmanuel Umeohia, Sir Michael Agazie, Mr and Barr Mrs Chinedu Okeke, Chief Abraham Oti and Chief Okwudili Oti as well as families of Ikebaba Nzewi family; Dr Samson

Obichi; Chief Benjamin Atuchukwu and Prof G.EO Ogum family.

Bishop Ikeakor, in an Interview, thanked God for given him the strength and wisdom to shepherd the flock in the past ten years, saying that the diocese introduced some programmes like the prayer breakfast, wailing women prayer summit for the women, the first born search, kneeling in his presence for the women, covenant Sunday, night of evidence to arm the congregants on spiritual matters.

He also expressed happiness that he was able to accomplish the mission and vision statement of the diocese as enshrined in the maiden Synod of the diocese held at Osumenyi which according to him, included preaching the gospel holistically and propagating the evangelism in four dimensions as quality education, robust healthcare provision, agriculture, and pragmatic social welfare and services.

In their separate reactions, Anambra state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic party, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo and the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA in Anambra south, Prince Nicolas Ukachukwu eulogised Bishop Ikeakor for using his God given talent and wisdom to transform the diocese to an enviable height, calling on others to emulate him.

Remarking, Obiano who was represented by Ven. Amechi Okwosa, described the development in the diocese as awesome.

Satan’s representative in Nigeria.

The governor called for an independent investigation into the murder of the Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner and his family through arson during the 2015 General elections. He noted that Ibrahim Idris was the commissioner of police in Kano State when this ugly crime was committed.

He said: “The Former IGP Ibrahim Idris is a representative of Satan in Nigeria. He represented Satan but the prayers and fasting of Nigerians ensure he was retired despite plans to retain him.

“If Buhari has any integrity, he should investigate the killing of the ResidentElectoral Commissioner in Kano alongside his family during the 2015 General elections. Buhari must ask what killed the REC and his family while Ibrahim Idris was a commissioner of police”.

He called on the people of Eleme Local Government Area to vote for Atiku Abubakar, so that he can revive Onne Port for the good of the economy of Rivers State.

“Buhari is not aware of anything.

No wonder he is not aware that he hates Rivers people and is yet to execute any project in the state. How can you support a President who does not respect the rule of law. If he fails to respect the law in his first term, the second term would be a disaster .

“The only way that Eleme people will get Onne Port to start working again, is to vote for Atiku Abubakar.

He is a man with the knowledge to create employment opportunities and develop the economy “ he said.

He declared that Buhari and the APC will lose in all the six states of the South-South, saying no deployment of security forces will help the failed APC Federal Government.

Governor Wike noted that during his second term, he will construct the Eleme Internal Roads in addition to other basic infrastructure.

The governor added that in line with his commitment to the expansion of leadership opportunities, youths and women will take 65 percent of the appointments.

Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah said that he is impressed by the large turnout of Eleme people and their maximum support for Governor Wike and other PDP candidates.

Rivers State Presidential Campaign Coordinator, Senator Olaka Nwogu said that Eleme will vote all PDP candidates during the 2019 General elections .

Director General of Rivers State PDP Campaign Council, Ambassador Desmond Akawor said across the 92 polling units of Eleme the people have resolved to support Governor Wike in 2019.

Philip Okparaji, Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area said that the people will correct the error of 2015, when PDP lost in Eleme.

Former Eleme Local Government Area Chairman, Ejor N. Ejor said that Eleme stakeholders have collectively pledged to deliver all PDP candidates.

The rally witnessed the defection of hundreds of APC members to the PDP. The Eleme Council of Chiefs conferred on Governor Wike a Chieftaincy title in appreciation of his developmental strides in the area.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

NEWS 2019: Odua, group drum support for Atiku, Obi

By THEO RAYS

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head of the 2019 polls, Senator Stella Odua, representing Anambra North Senatorial District in the National Assembly along with Christian leaders in Anambra State have drummed up support of the people for the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, the former Governor, Mr Peter Obi in Anambra State.

Senate Odua and the Christian group, CEWO heightened the momentum when they initiated move to fight against voters apathy with a view to ensure that every eligible voter in the State who have the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) will participate in voting on the days of elections during the inauguration of the Anambra State chapter of CEWO held inside the main auditorium of Christ Holy Church Awka branch.

CEWO, according its national coordinator, Rev Joseph Ajujungwa is a political arm of Christianity Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Senator Odua who was decorated as the Patron of the group decried the high rate of voter apathy that have consistently characterised previous elections in Anambra State, charging Christian leaders in the State to use their denominations to reach out to eligible voters on the need for them to make proper use of their PVC by coming out to vote during the forthcoming elections in February 16 and March 2, 2019.

The Anambra North Senator who was represented by Hon Pandola Okwuosa emphasised the need to return the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to Aso Rock, and also for the people Anambra North to return Senator Odua to the Senate noting that the 2019 polls is very important as it stands to be an opportunity to enthrone a leadership of PDP that is capable to move Nigeria on the right part.

Okwuosa who repeatedly told eligible voters that it is very important for them to come out and vote for PDP expressed the hope that PDP Presidential Candidate and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate and former Governor of Anambra State Mr Peter Obi have all its takes to move Nigeria on the right path and that is the reason why they should be voted in to take over the helm of affairs at Aso Rock.

Inaugurating the group, State Chairman of CAN Rev John Ndibuisi charged them to live up to the expectations by mobilising eligible voters with PVC to come out and vote during the days of elections.

The Chairman of the group Rev Charles Ekeke vowed to carry all the Executives and members along assuring that they will work hard to ensure that the issue of voter apathy among the people especially Christians is a thing of the past in Anambra.

Earlier in his keynote address, the national coordinator of CEWO Rev Joseph Ajujungwa who also charged the Anambra chapter to work hard and live to expectations described CEWO as a political eye of CAN pointing out that it is CEWO that directs CAN on who and who to vote for during elections after investigations and consultations.

2019: Group berates Igbo leaders for ‘secretly’ supporting Buhari

By THEO RAYS

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roup known as Concerned Elites For A Better Society Initiatives has lashed out at Igbo leaders who are secretly supporting the reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari saying that such is against the interest of Ndigbo as according to them, the conspicuous marginalisation of Ndigbo under the Buhari administration is enough to show that he does not deserve the

support of the Southeast in 2019 polls.

The group, in a statement, signed by its Chairman, Professor Justice Chidi, which was made available to journalists in Onitsha, Monday, said ‘it is bad to hear that sitting Governors, Senators and other top ranking politicians in the southeast secretly mobilising support for Buhari at a point when an Igbo man was given the opportunity to be Vice President of Nigeria,’ adding further that ‘the

support to return Buhari amid glaring marginalisation of Southeast is not acceptable among the Igbo.’

More so, he challenged those drumming support for Buhari to remain in Aso Rock both openly and secretly, maintaining that Buhari from all indications ‘he has failed to prove that he is competent to lead Nigeria to the promised land,’ further noting that ‘it is unacceptable to continue with him as President of Nigeria at this age upon all the pro-

• All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate for Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, addressing a rally in Isuikwuato which included committee of traditional rulers, at the weekend, led by Eze Ukandu

No kobo will be stolen under my watch, WOtti pledges

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he All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has promised that accountability and prudent management of resources shall be his guiding principle when he becomes the next governor of the state, come May 29, 2019.

Otti told the committee of traditional rulers in Isuikwuato, at the weekend, led by Eze Ukandu, that he had signed a contract with Abia people and not a kobo of the money that belongs to the state shall be stolen under his watch as the governor of the state.

“Instead of me to steal Abia money, I will put in the little that I have, because God has blessed me, just like His Royal Majesty has spoken”, Otti pledged at Eze Ukandu’s palace, while addressing the council of traditional rulers who had gathered to welcome him on a campaign tour of Isuikwuato Local Government Area, Abia State.

A statement by the director media and publicity of Alex Otti Campaign Organisation, Kazie Uko, quoted Dr. Otti as saying that the problem with Abia State was that successive PDP governments, since 1999, had failed to invest in the people they governed, in addition to not investing in critical infrastructure.

“Investing in the people is not a favour. That is what I always tell leaders. If you invest in, say, someone’s

education and the person graduates, he or she will invest in you. But because successive governments in Abia State have not been about the people, they have not bothered to invest in the people, rather they have misappropriated funds meant for the development of the state”, he said.

Otti, however, declared that Abia State will not be in this state of grief for much longer, for, according to him, relief was just around the corner. He said: “I know where all the money and investment in this world are. There are funds lying idle all over the world, but you have to know that these funds are available before you can get them and put them to good use. That’s the attraction of my governorship. I have the reputation and people trust me to be able to attract those funding.

What is required is for the people to enthrone a right-thinking government, in Abia”.

He informed the traditional rulers that Isuikwuato was a very important and strategic local government in the development of Abia State and promised that his government would tap into the great agricultural potential of Isuikwuato, especially, in cashew production. He explained that whatever investment government would make in that locality, it would recoup ten times over, with prudent management of resources.

While thanking the traditional rul-

ers for the support extended to him and APGA in the 2015 gubernatorial election in the state, he reminded them that the 2019 election was around the corner and further solicited for their support, by impressing on their subjects to vote for APGA at the gubernatorial, senatorial, federal and state legislative house elections. He promised that APGA would certainly defend its mandate.

“Now, because of the hardship in the state, rather than your subjects taking care of you, they now come to you for bail out, because either their salaries are not paid, or, as pensioners, their pensions are not paid for several months. On the other hand, our graduates and youth cannot afford to get employment.

So, it’s in the interest of all of us to ensure that we have good governance, so that things will change for better in our state”, Otti admonished.

Receiving Dr. Otti and his entourage, including the APGA senatorial candidate for Abia North, Chief David Ogba Onuoha (Bourdex), Eze Ukandu prayed that God will bless the aspiration of the APGA governorship candidate and grant his desire to be the next governor of Abia State. He acknowledged through another Eze who spoke on behalf of the Council that Isuikwuato voted APGA in 2015 and that they would do the same in the 2019 elections.

fessional bodies in the country with individuals of high degrees from renowned national and international Universities all over the world.’

He asked: “Who is our President compare to Atiku Abubakar? What is his academic qualification? What is his pedigree and management antecedents? What do we expect from such a tribal, non-liberal, uncivilized, incompetent and unteachable person. For me Nigeria should give Atiku chance to take over the helm of affairs at Aso Rock?

“Buhari has never run a business other than cow ranching coral.

While Atiku built schools to educate and develop Nigerian children, Whereas Atiku surrounds himself with cerebral minds who advise him on security, policy and economy Buhari has a cabal who thinks Nigeria is their farm. Whereas Atiku believes we can tap into the ingenuity of our nation’s human resource base, Buhari thinks we must establish 18th century style cattle colonies everywhere in the country for his rampaging herdsmen or else blood will continue to flow.enough is a enough.”

Professor Chidi who is the Director of Turning Point Learning Field group of schools and affiliate representative of University of Ghana and California lamentedt the apparent to use 2019 polls to lift All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) as the biggest disappointment for Ndigbof alleging that APGA which was handed over to present day politicinas by the founding fathersh had abandoned the party to pitch tent with another political party at a point when they were expected to move APGA to next level.

The Statement reads in part “The growth of APGA is the last wish of the late Igbo leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and from all indications the wish is on the threshold of collapsing. APGA is collapsing and it is bad for anybody who will be associated with the current misfortune of APGA, they should wake up and revive APGA and make sure that Ojukwu’s wish doesn’t die before it is too late Professor Chidi went further to dismiss the impression being created in some quarters that Buhari will hand over the Presidency under APC to Igbo man in 2023 saying that such is not possible because APC is under the control of former Governor of Lagos State Bola Tinubu and his allies and Tinubu is much interested in taking over from Buhari in 2023.

He added “If you tell us that Buhari will concede APC Presidency to Ndigbo in 2023 what will be the position of Tinubu and his allies who are in control of APC structures.

That is the question. And in the absent of an answer to this question, it is better for Ndigbo to pitch their tent with the PDP and occupy the position of Vice President. For PDP has a clearer arrangement for the Southeast and the earlier we discover that the better for us.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2018

NEWS Jail delivery: Anambra Chief Judge grants bail to 13 Onitsha inmates

From CYNTHIA CHIDIMMA IGOKWE, Onitsha

he Chief Judge of Anambra State, Hon. Justice Peter N.C TUmeadi has granted bail to 13 Onit-

sha prison inmates.

He granted them bail during his 2019 first quarter jail delivery/Prison visit to the Onitsha Prisons on Monday.

The beneficiaries have had a minimum of three years in the prison awaiting their trial that never came.

Other beneficiaries were based on health challenges and old age.

Those granted bail included Tochukwu Obika , 6 years in jail, awaiting trial for armed robbery and possession of firearm; Ikechukwu Okoro 5 years for armed robbery; Clement Ofoke and Akachukwu Egba, five years, 10 months for conspiracy and murder; Okechukwu Opene, five years and 10 months for kidnapping.

Others were Mohammed Nwaguode, five 5 years for burglary; Chukwuka Okoye, five years , 9 months for rape ; Ndubuisi Nwokorie, five years and eight months for Manslaughter via road traffic offense and Ebuka Nwankwo, five years and three months for armed robbery.

There were three psychiatric cases out of the 12 in Onitsha Prison that were granted bail while the welfare officer of the prison, Obiagazie Rita was ordered by the Chief Judge to facilitate their integration with their families to assist in proffering solution to their health challenge. They include Uchechukwu Nwankwo six years , 11 months ; Sunday Oranyelu from Abba Nsugbe five years, six months for murder even as he is suffering from Schizophrenia and Tobenna Maduabum five years and 11 months for murder.

He referred the cases of some of the female inmates back to the regular courts to either seek bail or continue the matter since some of are advanced in age while some others were stepped down to Awka Jail Delivery for attention.

Most of the female inmates had cases of murder including Ifeoma Arinze , Florence Mego and Ifeoma Chukwuma Onyenweife.

While Chinazaekpere Onwuasoanya who was carrying a four-month old baby was charged for armed robbery and Jacinta Mmanwoke for conspiracy and child stealing was granted bail.

An 85-year old woman already eight months in jail charged for child stealing and later changed for kidnapping, Madam Omeogo Ifejiaka who was remanded with her grandson was not granted bail as Chief Ikenna Egbuna ,SAN raised objections for her bail demand from her counsel , Francis Ossai and Chief Judge referred them back to regular court to seek bail.

Ifeoma Uzor and husband Peter Uzor and family had their case referred back to the regular court for continuation as well as Princess Anuri Sada, though F.A Ntefe tried everything he could to get her bail from the Chief Judge but he asked him to put up an application to restore her bail from the regular court.

Justice Umeadi accompanied by no fewer than 12 Judges informed that the essence of the jail delivery was to de-congest the prison for better justice delivery.

The Anambra state Chief Judge described the synergy between his office, other officials of the Judiciary including the other judges, Magistrates and lawyers, the police ,the Prison and every other aspect of the society concerned with justice

...Paul University may die Cont’d on page 2

for senior staff and 2 weeks for junior staff as well as a stop to all forms of intimidation and harassment of staff must be its watch words.

A few years ago, during the administration of Prof Gaius Igboeli as Vice Chancellor, students once protested against what they described as “non-committal attitude of the authorities” to the challenges facing the university,

accusing the authorities of hiring lecturers who were too old.

They had demanded the recruitment of young lecturers to be employed as well as improvement on the poor facilities on campus especially against the backdrop of exodus of lecturers owing to poor conditions of service.

55 Bishops of the 5 Ecclesiastical Provinces that own the university appear to have abandoned the university to only Bishop Alexander Ibezim and the late Dr Alex

Ekwueme, Chairman Board of Trustees of the University, but a new Board has been put in place led by Sir Chris Okoye The university has allegedly lived on loans and could possibly be said to be bankrupt as it could not pay its bills.

Meanwhile Bishop Ibezim has set up a Diocesan Investment Committee to raise N200 Million to bail the university out of its current problems, and appealed to churches in the diocese to raise

•Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha confers with his wife Nneoma at the commissioning and handover to the state branch of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) an ultra-modern office complex built by his administration

funds for the university.

Said Engr Okoye: “We have identified all the fundamental issues and we are ready to deal with them squarely and systematically. No more dancing around the problems and remaining in same cycle year in, year out. We are determined to put back the university on the right path.”

He noted that the university must survive because Paul University is not only an academic institution owned by the Anglican Communion but also a symbol of unity between the Igbo and their South South brothers.

“The Igbo nation has, for years, been exploring how to bring back the cooperation that existed among us and those that we lost to South-South – the former Eastern Region. Paul University is a huge opportunity towards achieving that. We must not allow that singular project that brought us together to waste away. Let us not lose another opportunity to work together, reinvigorate, recreate and redirect that loss that happened to us in 1970.

“If we handle Paul University well, it can become a model that we can sell to the political masters, to prove to them that it is indeed workable for the former Eastern Region to find ways and needs of working together on economic, social and other grounds.

“So, from a strategic perspective, whatever the Igbo nation must do to ensure that Paul University gains sustainability and growth, like its equivalents such as Ajayi Crowder University, they should not hesitate in doing so.”

Coca Cola: Enugu plant, others shut over tech advancement From CHUKS EZE, Enugu

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s citizens continue to rue over the recent shutting down of the Enugu production plant of Coca-Cola Company by the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd, fresh facts have emerged about “real reasons” for the development.

A Commercial Manager of the company, who gave his name simply as Nelson, told The Oracle Today that the development was purely a corporate decision in response to continued global technological advancement.

He explained that following the acquisition of latest automated production machines by the company, that it became necessary for the company to shut some of its production plants, in an “on-going” exercise which he described as repositioning measures to embrace latest global business trends.

“Yes, we have closed our Enugu plant but it is all about new technology. We have no squabbles with our host community or Enugu State government. We are still in operation at the plant only that we no longer produce anything there,” he explained.

Insisting that NBC’s action was “corporate response to technological advancement,” Nelson, who is now the Commercial Manager for Emene Depot of the company, also pointed out that the

company had also closed its Onitsha production plant, adding that more of their production outfits would also be affected in the coming days.

Although Nelson’s chat with our correspondent was not formal, but he took time to clarify and justify the motive behind NBC’s latest corporate move at its 9th Mile, Enugu plant, insisting that the action was in the best interest of the company.

“Our production plant in Owerri (Imo State) is still running; it was retained over ahead of Enugu and Onitsha because our plant in Enugu is smaller than what we have in Owerri. It is an on-going process that would affect more plants in future with our new high-capacity machines, running all our production plants would lead to overproduction.

“For instance, we were producing only bottled brands in Benin, but our new machine there can produce everything including water, in very large quantities. That is why management decided to close up some plants and redeployed some staff to some of the plants that are running while others were asked to go,” he said.

The manager also hinted that in the later phase of the company’s repositioning process, only distributors that own long trucks would be accommodated, adding, “very soon, we will stop supplying products to distributors who do not

own trailers (articulated trucks).

We will give them adequate encouragement but if you want to do business with us, you must own trailer.”

While highlighting the legal implication of the development, Enugu-based lawyer, Barr Fabian Ugwuama, pointed out that all leases are guided by terms and covenants, stressing that the dos and donts as stipulated in the agreement determine the legal implication of the NBC’s action.

He described the closure of the production plant as very unfortunate development considering the negative impact it would have on the economy of Enugu State and other neighbouring States. But he insisted that it is the content of the leasing agreement that would determine whether NBC had erred or not.

“Parties are guided by the agreements they reached from day one.

If it is contained in the agreement that the sole aim of NBC for acquiring that land is to produce Coca Cola, Eva water and other allied products and the company unilaterally breaches the covenant, the community can sue NBC and recover their land successfully. It does not matter whether you are a multinational company or not.

“Once you breach an agreement, your host community has the right to take you to court. But if the transaction was just lease for normal business without spec-

ifying the direct thing upon which that land is used for, then, Nigerian Bottling company can still retain its holder as a lease until 99 years elapses.

And on the alleged nonchalance and inaction of the Enugu State government over the issue, Ugwuama noted that the state government had minimal role to play over the matter, as far as he was concerned.

“To the best of my knowledge, NBC as a private multinational company is under private ownership and I think that the state government has minimal role to play here. Government cannot influence the company to rescind such management decision, which has been taken in their best corporate interest. The State government does not have direct involvement in the management of the company. So, whatever that can be done should be between the company and its host community,” he said.

The State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hon. Ogbu Nwobodo had while reacting to the development last week, stated that the State government has no right to dictate to any private company how it should run its business but pointed out that “the Ugwuanyi administration was actively engaging Coca-Cola.

He, however, offered to grant The Oracle Today detailed interview over the matter to clarify issues.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

SPORTS

Wuhua invitational: Nigeria humiliate Romania women Ekiti govt. solicits stakeholders’ support for sports development

Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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IGERIA’s women national football team, the Super Falcons on Sunday bounced back to winning ways after suffering a 0-3 defeat in their opening game of the four nation invitational tournament in China as they destroyed Romania 4-1 to place third in the four day tournament.

The Coach Thomas Dennerby’s side scored three times in the final 25 minutes to fuel 4-1 thrashing of the Europeans in Wuhua It is recalled that host China had in their opening game of the four nation tournament handed a 3-0 defeat to the African champions despite putting up a gallant effort in the encounter. However, in their second match of the encounter, the Nigeria senior women team responded to their China disappointing loss with a 4-1 hammering of European side Romania on Sunday.

Having been thrashed 3-0 at the Wuhua Olympic Sports Stadium on Thursday, the pressure was on Thomas Dennerby’s ladies to redeem themselves and they ensured the bounce back.

Late in the first half, Chinwendu Ihezuo marked her starting debut at the senior level with a goal as her strike broke the deadlock to see the Super Falcons go into the break 1-0 up.

But the Europeans, who suffered a 3-0 loss to South Korea on Thursday, leveled matters five minutes after the restart of the game.

Dennerby urged his players on, while throwing Brighton forward Ini-Abasi Umotong into the fray in the quest to regain the lead and they succeeded.

Onome Ebi scored in the 63rd minute to restore the lead before Rita Chikwelu and Umotong added the

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•Super Falcons of Nigeria third and fourth inside the final 20 minutes to seal the third-place trophy.

Goal scorers: (Chiwendu Ihezuo 44’, @EBIONOME 63’, Rita Chikwelu 68’, @iumotong 83’) - @NGSuper_Falcons redeemed themselves with a big win over the Europeans after loss to hosts China@thenff #SoarSuperFalcons #Team9jastrong #ROMNGA — NGSuper_Falcons (@NGSuper_Falcons) January 20, 2019 The result will lift the spirit of the African champions as they return to the country on Monday to shift focus to their next Women’s World Cup preparatory tournament in Cyprus next month.

Rangers zoom into CAF Confederation Group Stage

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T was celebration galore Sunday when Nigeria’s CAF Confederation Cup campaigners, Enugu Rangers overcame early scar by visiting Bantu Football Club of Lesotho to win 2-1 to qualify to the group stage of this year’s CAF Confederation Cup tournament.

The visitors shocked Rangers and their supporters when in the 13th minutes of the encounter they scored a beautiful goal through Lehlohpnolo Fothoane but six minutes later, Ajani Ibrahim equalised for the Flying Antelopes.

As if that was not enough, a minute later Godwin Aguda made it two for Rangers. It is recalled that Rangers had penultimate week defeated Bantu by 2-1 at their back-yard.

So, with the 2-1 victory recorded by Rangers they qualified for the group stage of the competition on 4-2 aggregate.

It is also noted that the first time the Flying Antelope featured at this stage of the competition was in 2004.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s CAF Champions League representatives, Lobi Stars of Makurdi were beaten by a lone goal ASEC Mimosa of Cote d’Ivoire in their second group match of this year’s CAF Champions League.

Lobi remain 2nd on the table despite losing by 0-1 in Ivory Coast. The Nigerian representatives enjoyed a better goal difference as ASEC Mimosa were hammered 5-2 by Wydad

Athletic club of Casablanca Morocco a week ago. Lobi will face Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco in a double header next months.

Reacting on Lobi’s loss to Wydad Athletic Club of Morocco, one of Lobi Stars’ players Musa Eloha said: “I don’t want to see it as a loss but basically, when you come to football, 1-0 is a loss. But I do not take it as a loss anyway.

“I am saying this because I think we are going to bounce back and do much better, because we are going to do things better in our subsequent matches,” he assured.

“However, for ASEC to lose to Wadad Athletic Club of Morocco by 5-2 and were unable to score more than a goal against us in their backyard, I think Lobi Stars should be credited,” Eloha said.

Southgate distances self from Man Utd job

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NGLAND’S Manager, Gareth Southgate has distanced himself from Manchester United managerial job insisting he enjoys his current position as the national team manager of the Three Lions as the England National team are known or referred to.

Southgate, a former England player stated his position following persistent speculation linking him with the permanent Manchester United job at the end of this season.

The 48 year-old Southgate, guided the Three Lions to their first World Cup semi-final in 28 years and their first major tournament semi-final since Euro ‘96, finishing fourth at the 2018 event in Russia after being knocked out by eventual losing finalists, Croatia.

The former Middlesbrough coach has since received plenty of acclaim and rumours have emerged that his name has been drawn up on a shortlist of candidates to take over at Old Trafford permanently ahead of next season, when interim boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is due to return to Norwegian club, Molde.

However, Southgate asserted his intention to remain the England head coach ahead of the inaugural Nations League semi-finals this summer and Euro 2020.

In his words: “I’m the England manager and it’s a privileged position to be in,” Southgate told Sky

Sports News.

“We’ve had the best year for 28 years and we’ve got a (Nations League) semi-final this summer and a European Championship (in 2020) that’s predominantly at Wembley, providing we take care of business to qualify.

“So, it’s a hugely exciting time with the team. I don’t think we’ve progressed as far as we can yet. I think there’s room for us to grow.

“I think there is a lot of importance in life about enjoying what you are doing.

“I am still a young coach, I’ve managed less than 200 matches, so, for me, it’s an honour to be in the role I’m in and I thoroughly enjoy it.”

Southgate also insisted that he did not want to rest on his laurels after the many tributes paid to himself and the England squad following their World Cup performances in Russia.

“When you’re having tributes, you’re thinking, ‘Well, the job is not done for us yet, there’s a lot for us to go for and a lot of improvement for us to make’.”

England will take on the Netherlands in their Nations League semi-final in June after impressively topping a difficult group containing Spain and Croatia. Portugal and Switzerland will contest the other semi-final.

ERMANENT Secretary, Ekiti State Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, Mr. Yemi Owoseni, has called on philanthropists and corporate bodies to complement the efforts of government in developing sports in the state.

Owoseni, made the call yesterday (Monday in) in Ado- Ekiti at a meeting with the General Manager of the State Sports Council, Mr. Deji Samo, coaches and the organising secretaries of the council.

He lauded the efforts of Gov. Kayode Fayemi in funding the sector and ensuring the full participation of the state athletes in local, national and international events.

Owoseni noted that funding and administration of sports could not be left for government alone, saying that ‘well-to-do’ individuals and corporate bodies must make it their social responsibility to support government to achieve the desired goals.

He decried the incessant loss of athletes trained in the state to other states and warned coaches against instigating their athletes against the state’s sports council.

“The effect of such act will be uncontrollable and most times leave the athletes vulnerable to unscrupulous agents that may want to lure them with bogus promises.

“I appeal for absolute cooperation from all stakeholders, as no meaningful development can occur in an atmosphere of rancour.

“I want to assure you that the present administration of Gov. Fayemi will continue to develop sports as part of its youth development programmes, ’’ Owoseni said.

In his remarks, Samo expressed gratitude to the state government for its efforts in boosting sports in the state.

He advised sports administrators to reciprocate government’s gesture and urged all stakeholders to support government’s efforts.

Samo said that the workers must shun laziness, disorderliness and other forms of indiscipline.

He called for necessary incentives and routine supervision of the workforce to ensure efficiency; and promised that they would perform creditably. (NAN)

•Dr. Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor

46

The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

SPORTS

Kanu rues loss of medals, Olympic Torch

By MADUABUCHI KALU With Agency Report

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ORMER Super Eagles’ captain, Nwankwo Kanu has lamented the lost of his football medals, trophies and other valuables to suspected vandals who invaded his Hardley Apartments located along Waziri Ibrahim Crescent on Victoria Island and made away his precious valuables.

Nwankwo Kanu has revealed how suspected vandals invaded his Hardley Apartments located along Waziri Ibrahim Crescent on Victoria Island, carting away his football medals, trophies and other valuable items.

The Hotel has been sealed since 2015 due to an alleged default between the hotel and Polaris Bank, which was then known as Skye Bank.

This led to serious litigation at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

And the last hearing was in November 2018.

“It was a rude shock to me,” Kanu, who fought back tears at what the hitherto sprawling facility had become since the renovation started, told TheCable.

“I almost couldn’t recognise the hotel as belonging to me anymore.

This is the saddest day of my life, as I cannot understand why this hap-

pen to me when the matter has yet to be settled in court.

“All the medals I have earned, in addition to the Olympic torch that I cherished are all gone and I don’t even know who to ask for all these prized assets.”

“This is unacceptable in all ramifications. I have not been served any notice that I have lost this property and until I am served the notice, it remains my legal property,” the former Super Eagles’ captain said.

“Even cars and buses belonging to the hotel can no longer be found and I wonder where they could have been moved to without my knowledge,” Kanu further said, even as he lamented how the fouryear seal of the facility had adversely affected treatment for numerous patients that his Kanu Heart Foundation planned to rescue from their ailment.

“We have used proceeds from the hotel business to effect treatment for the patients over the years and now we are being forced to seek funds elsewhere, a situation that has stalled the treatment considerably especially since 2016.”

An emotion-filled Kanu submitted: “During my service to this country in football up to the year 2000, I made many Nigerians happy. I don’t think I deserve this sadness in retirement.”

Onyekuru in ‘Cloud 9’ over first career hat-trick

Delta.

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UPER Eagles and Everton striker, Henry Onyekuru, who is on loan to Turkish club, Galatasary scored his first trick in Galatasary’s 6-0 humiliation of Ankaragucu in the TurkishSuper Lig on Saturday.

The win was the club’s biggest league victory in 32 years and it took them to the second position on the table with 32 points from 18 matches, three points behind table toppers, Istanbul Basaksehir.

The on-loan Everton forward scored in the 20th, 59th and 63rd minutes he entered the record book in Turkey and also increase his tally to nine for the season in 16 appearances.

The Nigeria international, however, took his Twitter account to express his happiness after the man of the match performance.

“The moves you make when you get your first hat-trick! A great start to the year and team performance!

All Glory to God!,” he said on Twitter.

It is recalled that Onyekuru was unable to make it to the World Cup following an injury that sidelined him before the 2018 Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) in Russia.

This will certainly delights the Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr who recently declared that Arsenal forward, Alex Iwobi is not just a play maker but a great footballer who is fast in the distribution of the ball.

If Onyekuru could take his recent club form to the national team, there is no gain saying that the three time African champions will do well in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

We’re focusing on winning in Niger – Aigbogun

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ATIONAL Under-20 team Coach, Paul Aigbogun has declared that they are targeting winning next month’s U-20 Africa Cup of nations billed for Niger Republic in February.

According to the former Enyimba coach, his boys have what it takes to deliver the title to Nigeria and will leave no stone unturned in order to achieve the objective.

“It is a tournament we are going to approach with all seriousness,” Aigbogun told NFF media.

“This team has a huge burden on it because of the previous performances of Nigeria at U20 level.

“Nigeria have won the competition seven times and anything less than coming home with the trophy would always be seen as failure.

“Playing in the WAFU Cup tournament in Togo gave my players sneak preview of what things would look like in Niger Republic, and we learnt a lot from the defeat to Senegal in the final match.”

Heartland stun Nasarawa Utd as debutants, Kada City record first win

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HE 2018/2019 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season continued with Match Day 3 fixtures on Sunday, but it was a much better match day than the first two.

There was action in eight of the 12 league venues with four home victories, one away win and three draws recorded in the two groups of the abridged league competition.

Three matches were played in Group A, while five were played in Group B. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that results in Group A saw hosts Kwara United defeat Enyimba International Football Club 3-2 to record their first win of the season.

It was a result which shot the Ilorinbased clubside to the top of their group, with their victims of the day closely following.

In Gombe, hosts Wikki Tourists of Bauchi defeated Niger Tornadoes of Minna 2-1 to record their first win in their very first league game of the season.

Aminu Ahmad opened scoring in the 47th minute after firing in a low drive into the far left corner of the post.

Abba Umar doubled the lead for them in the 83rd minute, before the visitors halved the deficit through Ismaila Sarki in stoppage time.

The win shot Wikki Tourists to the third spot on the group’s 12-club log,

while Niger Tornadoes slumped to the 9th position.

The third match in the group saw Remo Stars and Insurance of Benin play out a 1-1 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter at the Sagamu International Stadium.

Charles Omokaro scored in the 58th minute to hand visiting Insurance the lead on their return to the top flight, but Victor Mbaoma drew the hosts’ level in the 76th minute.

In Group B, another away win was recorded in what was unarguably the star match of the day as Heartland FC of Owerri defeated hosts Nasarawa United in Lafia.

Samuel Nwoshiri scored the match’s lone goal in the 15th minute.

The win ensured that Heartland FC claimed top spot as Nasarawa United slumped to the eighth position on the log.

2016/2017 NPFL champions Plateau United of Jos recorded their first win of the season by trouncing El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri 2-0, after a home draw and an away loss.

Plateau United who have been ordered to Ilorin for three home league games were playing the first of the three matches.

NAN reports that Plateau United are in Ilorin as punishment for crowd trouble and assault on match officials on Match Day 1, alongside a N5 million by League Management Company (LMC).

In spite of playing away from home, the former champions demonstrated more hunger and determination, and were duly rewarded with the opening goal by Saheed Jubril in the 50th minute.

While the goal sparked a response from El-Kanemi, it was Plateau United who doubled their advantage when Bernard Ovoke scored from the penalty spot in the 68th minute.

The win shot Plateau United to 6th place on the log, while El-Kanemi dropped to the second spot.

In Kaduna, hosts Kada City FC kicked off their NPFL campaign with a 2-1 win against Gombe United.

They went ahead through Umar Mohammed’s effort from a freekick in the 19th minute.

Enesi Sani equalised thirty seconds later for Gombe United, while Sadiq Suleiman restored Kada City FC’s lead with a half-volley which proved to be the winning goal.

Kada City FC are now seventh on the log while Gombe United are 11th.

Also, hosts Kano Pillars and Akwa United of Uyo played out a 1-1 draw at the Sani Abacha Stadium.

The draw saw Kano Pillars settling in at 5th position, while Akwa United climbed to 9th.

Hosts Go Round FC of Port Harcourt were held to a goalless draw at home to FC IfeanyiUbah of Nnewi to leave both sides in 4th and 3rd positions respectively.

IOC/NOC 4th Advanced Sports Mgt Course takes place today

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HE 4th Advanced Sports Management Course (ASMC) will get underway in Lagos today (Tuesday), the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) has said.

Deborah Chidobi, Coordinator of the programme, told journalists that the course, which is expected to hold for three days, would begin on Jan. 22.

The management course organised by the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) is aimed at managing Olympic sports and organisation even as the programme is classified as IOC certificate course.

“The 4th Module of Advanced Sports Management Course is currently running from March 2018 to

March 2019.

“The session will be held at the Bannex Hotels and Suites, Anthony Village, Lagos, and will be opened by the President of the NOC, Habu Gummel,’’ she said.

Chidobi said the course would be anchored by International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved course director, Prof. Clement Fasan, who is the Dean of Faculty of Physical and Health Education, Lagos State University (LASU).

“Other resource persons who will be in attendance include Jonathan Dyagas, Accountant with the Association of National Olympic Committees in Africa (ANOCA).

“There will also be Dr. Simon Ebhojaiye, Assistant Director, Feder-

al Ministry of Youths and Sports, as well as National Course Directors for IOC Sports Administration Course,’’she said.

The coordinator said the third edition of ASMC had no fewer than 30 participants, and the NOC would be expecting no less a number again.

“We had no fewer than 30 participants in the last edition of the course, with 12 from the Lagos State Sports Commission, six from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and others from the private sector.

“So far, 23 participants are being expected this time around,” she added.

The official disclosed that the last module of the course, which is the final stage, comes up on March 1.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday January 30, 2019

SPORTS

Why Joshua could fight Fury at Wembley instead of Wilder Moses demands £2.86m ‘assurance fee’ from Fenerbahce

Stories by MADUABUCHI KANU

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IGERIAN born British heavyweight boxing champions, Anthony Joshua actually wanted to fight WBC champion, Deontay Wilder but the American is set for a rematch against Tyson Fury following their classic bout last December, which ended in a controversial draw in Los Angeles.

That’s after the FA reversed their policy on not allowing the Manchester brawler to fight at the 90,000-seater stadium.

The Times reported at the weekend that FA top brass have changed their mind on Fury having previously blocked any attempts from his camp to set up a fight there.

Previous homophobic, sexist and racist comments three years ago, led to that decision by English football’s governing body but Fury’s public apology and subsequent behaviour have changed their minds.

A rematch between Fury and Wladimir Klitschko wasn’t allowed to happen at Wembley and was instead pencilled in for the Manchester Arena in 2016.

“Anthony Joshua could now fight Tyson Fury at Wembley after a change of heart from the FA” In the end the bout didn’t take part at all after an injury and drug ban meant the English heavyweight couldn’t fight.

A scrap between Joshua and Fury could be pencilled in for lat-

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•Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury er this year should the latter defeat American WBC heavyweight champion, Wilder.

Starsport understand Joshua could scrap his April Wembley date to face American Jarrell Miller in the US instead.

But the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight champion’s promoter, Ed-

die Hearn admitted facing Miller is now a strong possibility.

Hearn said: “To be a global star at some point you have to fight in America and to see Joshua fill up Madison Square Garden with 21,000-22,000 people - that’s a real statement of intent for a world heavyweight champion, for a Brit

especially.

“We will see what happens, I think you’ll get a decision next week.

“For me if (Joshua) can’t get Wilder, Fury of Dillian, he must come to America and Jarrell will be at the front of that queue.”

Serena Williams zooms into Australian Open quarter/finals

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ERENA Williams remained on course for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title after outlasting world No 1 Simona Halep in a fabulous contest to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Williams has looked in ominous form so far at Melbourne Park as she seeks one more Grand Slam title to put her alongside Margaret Court’s record 24 titles.

And the 37-year-old extended her winning record over the Romanian to 9-1 with a bruising 6-1 4-6 6-4 victory on Rod Laver Arena on Monday.

Speaking on court, Williams said: “It was a really intense match, some incredible points.

I love playing tennis, I love this court and it’s really cool to be back out here playing.

“I really needed to elevate my game and there’s a reason why.

She’s a great player. I had to just play a little bit like I knew I could and I did, and I think hopefully that was the difference.

“I’m such a fighter, I never give up. There’s definitely something that’s innate.”

Halep opened with a break of serve, but that was as good as things got for the top seed in the first set as Williams came storming back by winning the next six games in a row to take it in just 20 minutes.

French Open champion Halep struggled in her opening two matches, where she was extended to three sets in both, before finally hitting form to beat Serena’s sister Venus in round three.

She showed the same battling spirit once again by hitting back from an early break of serve down before sending the contest into a decider as Williams’ forehand return uncharacteristically sailed long at set point.

Williams, a seven-time winner in Melbourne, was now embroiled in a titanic slug-fest with Halep relishing the occasion under the lights.

Halep failed to take advantage of three break points in the sixth game and she was made to pay for her profligacy as Williams broke in the next game before successfully

serving out the contest.

Williams will now take on Karolina Pliskova who has been under the radar so far this tournament but she made a statement with a 6-3 6-1 victory over Garbine Muguruza.

The seventh seed, a quarter-finalist at Melbourne Park now for three years in a row, was in sensational form against Muguruza, hitting 23 winners and only three unforced errors.

“I’m feeling great. I always feel good energy here,” the 2016 US Open finalist said. “I feel like these conditions can be good for me.”

E

jailed since September 2018.

Efe, face of the charity, was given 18 months jail term, Bright was jailed for 21 months and Stephen got two years and six months as his prison sentence.

Michael Topolski, the judge, said: “All three of these defendants in various ways exploited their own and their families’ reputation, not only for the benefit of the poor children of the Niger valley but also for their own benefit.

Aubameyang hails Lacazette’s impact in victory over Chelsea

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Sodje brothers in jail for fraud since Sept 2018

FETOBORE Sodje, former Super Eagles defender, has been jailed for fraud alongside his brothers, Stephen and Bright.

The Sodje brothers were found guilty of siphoning money from their family charity, the Sodje Sports Foundation (SSF).

According to a National Crime Agency investigation, the brothers siphoned over £60,000 given to the foundation.

The Sodjes were said to have been

HELSEA winger, Victor Moses has made a sensational demand of £2.86m as ‘assurance fee’ from Fernebahce, in the likelihood of the team getting relegated after he joins them, reports footballlive.ng.

The report at the weekend said Fernebahce were still keen on adding Moses to their squad this month but, though the Istanbul-based side have reached an agreement with Chelsea for the winger, the former Super Eagles star is holding out for possible damages.

Apart from a princely assurance fee, Moses is also seeking 200,000 euros in bonus fee, if he helps Fernebahce avoid relegation, while preparing a cushion in the event that he failed to save them from demotion.

The winger’s caution is based on the startling reality that Fenerbahce are in the Turkish Super Lig relegation zone after the first stanza, as The Yellow Navy Blues sit 17th on the 18-team table with 16 points.

The club that once had Austin Okocha, Uche Okechukwu, Joseph Yobo and Emmanuel Emenike on their cards are just four points ahead of last placed Rizespor, and are seeking reinforcements to ward off relegation. Subsequently, for Fenerbahce to get Moses on loan from Chelsea, they will have to pay him full wages for five months, which amounts to about £2.86m in total.

“In this case, the defendants were all well known and respected men, particularly in the world of football and sport both here and in Africa.

“One had the honour of playing for his country in the World Cup final.

“I have no doubt to some extent at least it was that form of respect that made it possible or more likely that their fans and admirers would make donations to the charity that had been formed by them in their name.”

The judge said any good works done in the past by the charity would be “forever tainted by their dishonest and disreputable conduct”.

Efe Sodje played in the Football League between 1995 and 2015 and appeared for Nigeria in the 2000 African Cup of Nations and the 2002 World Cup, while Bright Sodje played professional rugby in the 1980s and 1990s.

Efe, Bright and Stephen Sodje set up SSF in 2009 with the aim of helping poor children in the Niger Delta.

IERRE-EMERICK Aubameyang has praised Alexandre Lacazette for his role in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Chelsea in Saturday’s Premier League game.

The 29-year-old opened the scoring before Laurent Koscielny’s header sealed the victory to help Unai Emery’s men maintain a fifth spot in the log having garnered 44 points from 23 games.

Aubameyang and Lacazette have formed a formidable partnership since the former joined the side in January 2018.

They have scored 22 Premier League goals between themselves this season and the Gabon international is delighted to be reunited with his ‘friend’ on the pitch against the Blues.

“It was really nice [playing with Lacazette],” Aubameyang said after the game.

“I think we made a lot of runs, with a lot of effort for the team, and we worked a lot and of course we are happy when we play together because we have such a good feeling between us. It was cool.

“When I joined Arsenal he was here and he came to me and talked to me and now we are going well, we have the same vision about football and I love him. He is a great guy.

“I think it is nice between us, it’s not a bad rivalry, we are friends when one is going well the other is happy and that’s the most important thing, to do well.”

WEDNESDAY January 30, 2019

The

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Abacha versus strange democrats

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any who lost out in the politics of the 1990s would want Nigerians to believe that Gen. Sani Abacha was the greatest evil to have befallen the country. They are wrong. It took an Abacha to expose the average Nigerian politician as a fraud, a gangster, a selfish moron, and worse.

The generation of Nigerian leaders before us – the generation that fought a civil war – are perhaps the worst human beings ever created. They lie. They steal.

They attempt to rewrite history at every given opportunity. I write as an authority on Nigerian politics for the past quartercentury – the period of the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida transition programme was my heyday as a journalist. I received firsthand information from the actors, and I participated in the June 12 struggle both as a news reporter and as an activist.

Some other eyewitnesses have died, but many are still alive. And I feel it’s our duty to tell the truth and not mislead the younger ones who have been prevented from studying History as a subject in Nigerian schools.

Abacha came into the limelight as a brigadier in the army when he announced the coup that toppled the Second Republic on December 31, 1983. He helped Babangida to topple Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on August 27, 1985, and helped to save Babangida from the Major Gideon G. Orkar coup of April 22, 1990.

Perhaps I should say that Babangida first exposed the character of the Nigerian politician, but Abacha removed all doubts. Unlike Buhari who said he had no plan to return Nigeria to civil rule, Babangida promised to hand over to politicians early, so long as they obeyed his transition programme. The gullible (or dishonest) politicians formed parties; Babangida (and his AFRC) rejected all of them and formed two parties to which every politician must belong: the SDP and the NRC. An egghead named Professor Humphrey Nwosu, as chairman of NEC, introduced Option A4. Things seemed to be working well, as IBB who had taken the title “President” remained the leader to whom elected governors, senators, House members and others reported.

These strange democrats continued to play ball until it was time to conduct the presidential election.

Midway into the primaries of the SDP and NRC, Babangida and his goons stepped in and stopped the process.

Shehu Yar’Auda was set to emerge SDP’s flag-bearer while Adamu Ciroma was almost set to fly the NRC’s flag. The “militricians” disqualified and banned several politicians, unbanned them and later banned some again.

Enter MKO Abiola into the race, and he emerged victorious at the SDP convention in April 1993. He picked the first runner-up in the SDP presidential primaries, Babagana Kingibe, as running mate. Bashir Tofa won in the NRC; he picked former governor of the Central Bank of Biafra, Dr Sylvester Ugo, as his

GUEST COLUMNIST Aniebo

Nwamu

•General Sani Abacha

running mate. The election proper took place on June 12, 1993.

While NEC’s Nwosu was releasing the results of the election, IBB and his minions [David Mark, Senate president from 2007 to 2015, was among them] moved again: they stopped him and then “annulled” the results. The announcement was made on June 23, 1993, throwing the nation into turmoil. Abiola entered his private jet and fled abroad. We protested almost everywhere in Lagos and some other south-west cities. On July 5, Abacha sent soldiers to the streets of Lagos and they killed 105 protesters. Gani Fawehinmi cried himself hoarse.

Following widespread discontent, IBB was forced to “step aside” on August 26.

But he handed over power to an interim government headed by Chief Ernest Shonekan. IBB didn’t retire Abacha; he remained chief of army staff; and

Shonekan was not the commander-inchief of the armed forces. The propaganda minister, Uche Chukwumerije, was all the government needed to tackle its opponents.

Unelected Shonekan’s cabinet was full of Yoruba ministers – there were 17 of them – and talk of restoring Abiola’s mandate became muted. Everyone waited for a miracle. Nothing happened and even the presumed democrats were literally asking Gen. Abacha to step in.

After 82 days, he struck – on November 17. He dissolved Shonekan’s cabinet along with the two political parties, SDP and NRC. The strange democrats still waited for Abacha to hand over power to the presumed winner of the June 12 election.

Even Abiola’s running mate became a minister in Abacha’s government!

NADECO was formed, and it soon became a south-west affair. It advised

Abiola to declare himself president. On the eve of the first anniversary of June 12, he declared himself president at Epetedo in central Lagos. Petrol tanker drivers went on indefinite strike and crippled economic activities. A battle line was drawn. When Abiola showed up on June 23, 1994, he was arrested and flown to Abuja.

Some NADECO chieftains went on exile as killings of their members started. Some were thrown into jail. As a reporter for The News/Tempo, I was in the home of Anthony Enahoro in Benin City when they came for him. Those that remained free continued to egg Abiola on: he should remain in jail and never renounce his mandate.

In 1995 a coup said to have been led by Col. Lawan Gwadabe was “uncovered”.

Many prominent people including retired generals Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Yar’Adua, journalists like Kunle Ajibade, and rights leader Dr Beko Ransome-Kuti were implicated, “tried” and convicted.

Luckily, Abacha later commuted their sentences, and those who were to face the firing squad were given a few years in jail.

In January 1996, Abacha’s first son died in a jet crash. On June 4, 1996, Abiola’s wife was assassinated in Lagos. When Obasanjo fell sick in jail, he refused to be injected. Yar’Adua died in custody in December 1997.

Abacha sat on the report of a constitution conference he had convened in 1994. His government registered five political parties all of which endorsed him [Abacha] as their presidential candidate.

The parties had the strange democrats as leaders and members.

Just before he was to announce to the nation that he had accepted the endorsement of the five parties, he died suddenly in the early hours of June 8, 1998. Beer parlours filled up with jubilant youth, and vehicle drivers honked horns in Lagos and several other major cities.

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar took over.

Abacha’s prisoners including Obasanjo regained their freedom. Abiola was still in jail. One thing led to another and Abiola also died suddenly on July 7, 1998, and many in Kaduna and Kano also struck their drums in celebration.

What killed both men has remained in the realm of speculation to this day.

Nigeria did not come to an end as NADECO had threatened. Abiola and his mandate were soon forgotten. As the “democrats” gathered again for politics, Abiola’s name was used as bargaining chip. PDP was formed, then ANPP too, and AC also. Obasanjo was pardoned, and he joined politics after expressing a lack of interest for some time. Abacha was a devil, he said. If he had known that he organised the 1966 pogroms against the Igbo in the north, he stated, he would have ensured that Abacha got sacked from the army. Obasanjo has remained a democrat!

Nwamu is the CEO of Eyeway.ng +234-8054100220 (SMS/WhatsApp only)

The Oracle Today is published by The Oracle Newspapers Limited. Head Office: 116 Awka Road, Onitsha. Lagos Office: 25 Remi Fani-Kayode Street, GRA Ikeja. Abuja Office: 1st Floor, Plateau House, Central Business District, Abuja, FCT. ISSN: 2545-5869 Email: oracletoday2016@yahoo.com, Twitter: @oraclenews.ng Facebook: oraclenews.ng@facebook.com Website: www.oraclenews.ng Advert hot lines: 09078310060, 09061836916. Editor: FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU.