Wednesday March 6, 2019 Edition

POLITICS Takeaways from presidential/NASS election

BUSINESS

Polls: Economy awaits new policy direction

The •P9

VOX POPULI SACRUM

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ENTERTAINMENT Davido, my crush – Sonia Nwankwo

Unbelievable! African footballers use juju – Odemwingie

racle •P38

WEDNESDAY March 6, 2019

SPORTS

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www.oraclenews.ng

ISSN: 2545-5869

Today

VOL.4 No.8 N200

INEC declares Buhari winner of presidential election

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•Atiku rejects results •PDP refuses to sign result sheet •Obi accuses INEC of disenfranchising 8m S/East voters • Yakubu: Cancelled votes can’t void result

SE/SS 2019 squad to Abuja

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lection night 2019 didn’t provide a story of the much- awaited PDP tsunami, but it was still a big night for the party in South East and South South regions of the country signaling the demise of APC, APGA and other parties in the zones.

The party members feared earlier on that APC’s incumbency foretold a night of gloom. But that did not happen. Chief Godswill Akpabio, a former governor advertised as godfather of Akwa Ibom politics lost in North West district. Emmanuel Uduaghan former

governor of Delta State lost in Delta South district; Victor Ndoma-Egba a former senate leader lost in Cross River Central senatorial district, while Andy Uba and his brother Chris Uba underperformed in the polls in Anambra South Constituency.

•Uche Ekwnife

•Mathew Urhoghide

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•Betty Apiafi

•Nnamani Chimaroke

•Rose Oko

Cont’d on page 44 •Ovie Omo-Agege

•Theodore Orji

•Stella Odua

•Sam Egwu

•Ifeanyi Ubah

•Mpigi Barinada

•Eyakenyi Akon

•Chuka Utazi

•Chris Ekpenyong

•Rochas Okorocha

•James Manager

•Ekweremadu Ike

•Orji Kalu

The Oracle Health column debuts with Dr. Nwabueze

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS

INEC declares Buhari winner of presidential election

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared President Muhammadu Buhari winner of Saturday’s presidential election.

President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat his closest rival, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 11,262,978.

Buhari won in 19 states while Atiku emerged victorious in 17 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

The PDP and its presidential candidate have, however, reject-

ed the result, citing irregularities.

Announcing the result, INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu said a certificate of return would be issued to Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the International Conference Centre (ICC).

In a statement, the former vice president said the election process was “heavily militarised” and alleged that results were manipulated.

He said: “If I had lost in a free and fair election, I would have called the victor within seconds of my being aware of his victory to offer not just my congratu-

lations, but my services to help unite Nigeria by being a bridge between the North and the South.

“However, in my democratic struggles for the past three decades, I have never seen our democracy so debased as it was on Saturday, February 23, 2019.

2007 was a challenge, but President Yar’Adua was remorseful.

In 2019, it is sad to see those who trampled on democracy thumping their noses down on the Nigerian people.

“Consequently, I hereby reject the result of the February 23, 2019 sham election and will be challenging it in court.”

Consequently, Atiku’s party, the PDP has refused to sign the result sheet of the presidential election, which was announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

PDP Agent, Osita Chidoka, walked out of the hall at the National Collation Centre on Wednesday when the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, requested that party agents to come forward to sign the result sheet.

Mr Chidoka told journalists on his way out that the PDP had rejected the result for three reasons earlier raised by the party.

He said the party expected INEC to have projected the results of what the smart card readers used for accreditation of voters.

“The second one is the issue we raised about the number of registered vis-à-vis what the chairman now calls collated voters, indicating that that 1.6 million people are missing from the voter register.

“We think that the issue is substantial enough to require a resolution.

“We also believed that the difference between the acCont’d on page 44

Continued from Pg 1

the fundamental reality was the party did what they needed to do — sweep the House and senate seats.

The overall results suggest a squad of doers from the zones who will invade the National Assembly. Unless PANDEF and Ohanaeze Ndigbo set sufficiently

engaging targets for them, they might be the ones confronting the executive and judicial arms of government, sponsoring impeachments and generally shaking things up. Ovie Omo-Agege was last year allegedly linked with snatching of the mace.

The campaigning from both

sides of politics was polarising, with the APC accusing PDP of corruption and a Next-Level message while the PDP accused the ruling party of incompetence, dictatorial tendency and pledged to create jobs and to put an end to divisionary politics.

The average age of the new rep-

resentatives is 50 years, and all -except two who are school dropouts – are university graduates.

Many of them have occupational background in politics highlighting the professionalisation of politics. The rest have their occupational background biased toward business.

The details of the races as reported by our correspondents were as follows:

SE/SS 2019 squad to Abuja The bright spots for the ruling party were Orji Uzoh Kalu, former governor of Abia State and Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo State. Billionaire Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah won on the platform of little known Young Progressive Party (YPP).

PDP’s math for winning the Presidency was tougher, but things quickly turned around for the party in other arenas -- Senate and House of Representatives -where, though they didn’t smash expectations or shock the world with their electoral performance, they won a lot of races. PDP won in most of the races, albeit not with the numbers that they had hoped.

The biggest revelation was that this was an election for people with deep pockets. It marked the enthronement of billionaires – men and women of means – the independent minded, and hustlers who live on their own terms.

South East and South South zones will be represented by billionaires such as Kalu, Orji, Ubah, Odua, Ekwunife, Nnamani, OmoAgege, Ekpenyong and Okorocha.

These men and women are not subtle in their approach to anything. They are go-getters who do not take no for an answer. Their weakness is in their impatience, their lack of interest in retail politics – the currency of legislation – and their laser focus on opportunities for aggrandizement and personal gains. Conspiracy theorists suggested that they went to the senate to protect their wealth.

Already, there is snobbery in the present system and hypocrisy.

And most of both are found in two houses: among the independently wealthy, especially in the Senate.

The saving grace will be returnee senators such as Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President, Chukwuka Utazi, Sam Egwu, George Sekibo, and James Manager who will act as both glue and stabilizing force.

A record-breaking number of women won on the party platform this year, including Uche Ekwunife, Stella Oduah, Betty Apiafi and Eyakeni Akpan.

Ramifications of this election will reverberate for years, fundamentally realigning power in in South East and South South Zones in critical ways. In the end, PDP didn’t do as well in the presidential elections as they’d been hoping to because they didn’t deliver high numbers. But beyond the noise and the expectations game,

S/N CANDIDATES PARTY CONSTITUENCY 1 Kalu Uzor APC Abia North 2. Orji Ahamefule PDP Abia Central 3.

•Abaribe Harcourt PDP Abia South 4. Akpan Bassey PDP Akwa Ibom North East 5.

Ekpenyong Christopher PDP Akwa Ibom North West 6. Eyakenyi Akon PDP Akwa Ibom South 7. Oduah Stella PDP Anambra North 8. Uche Ekwunife PDP Anambra Central 9. Ifeanyi Ubah YPP Anambra South 10.

•Ipigansi Izagara PDP Bayelsa East 11.

•Diri Douye PDP Bayelsa Central 12.

•Ewhrudjakpo Lawrence PDP Bayelsa West 13. Oko Rose PDP Cross River North 14. Onor Sandy PDP Cross River Central 15. Bassey Gershom PDP Cross River South 16. Omo-Agege Ovie APC Delta Central 17. Nwaoboshi Peter PDP Delta North 18. James Manager PDP Delta South 19. Egwu Samuel PDP Ebonyi North 20.

•Ogba Joseph PDP Ebonyi Central 21.

•Micheal Ama PDP Ebonyi South 22.

•Ordia Akhimienmona PDP Edo Central 23. Alimikhena Francis APC Edo North 24. Urhghide Matthew PDP Edo South 25. Nnamani Chimaroke PDP Enugu East 26. Ekweremadu Ike PDP Enugu West 27. Utazi Godfrey PDP Enugu North 28. Ndubueze Patrick PDP Imo North 29.

•Onyewuchi Ezenwa PDP Imo East 30. Okorocha Rochas APC Imo West 31.

•Sekibo George PDP Rivers East 32. Mpigi Barinada PDP Rivers South East 33.

Apiafi Betty PDP Rivers West • Leading candidates in Inconclusive elections

Enugu It was a comprehensive victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Enugu State, as the party won the Presidential election and swept all National Assembly seats in landslide manner.

The State Collation Officer for Presidential Election in Enugu State, Professor Joseph Ahaneku, officially announced results of the election at the State Collation Centre, INEC headquarters, Enugu.

According to Professor Ahaneku, who is also the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, PDP polled a total of 355,553 votes to defeat its closest rival, the All Progressive Congress which scored a total of 54,423 votes, thereby denying the ruling party’s candidate the statutory 25 per cent votes per state.

The result also apparently questions earlier widespread allegations that some leaders of the South East were conspiring to deliver 25 per cent votes to APC, per state in the zone, in order to pave way for President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election. The result also showed that even if the claim was true, that it was ineffective in Enugu State.

Meanwhile, PDP’s victory across the board has again ratified the party’s dominance in Enugu State since the advent of the present democratic experience in Nigeria, in 1999.

According to official figures, the total number of registered voters in the state stood at 1,935,168; number of accredited voters 452, 765; total votes cast was 451, 063; total valid votes was 421, 014 and total number of voided voted was 30, 049.

After announcing the result, Professor Ahaneku thanked all present at the state collation centre for displaying utmost “patient and sacrificing to see that we are diligent and meticulous in the entire exercise’’.

One remarkable thing about the outcome of the just-concluded National Assembly (NASS) election

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION

Okota crisis: AIG, Lagos CP, Eze Ndigbo, Oba in peace talk Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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N a bid to quell the election crisis in Okota area of Lagos, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Lagos and Ogun, AIG David Folawiyo and the new Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Mu’azu Zubairu, have engaged community leaders, the Osolo of Isolo, Oba Kabiru Adelaja Agbabiaka and Eze Ndigbo and Chairman Council of Ndieze Lagos State, Eze Christian, Uchechukwu Nwachukwu and other community leaders in peace talk.

Zubairu while speaking at the palace of Osolo of Isolo on Monday evening said what happened on Saturday was a matter of concern for everybody, including the security agencies, the Oba and the residents.

According to him, everybody was aware of the issues in the area but not aware of the true facts. He said he was in the area on Saturday with the AIG and without knowing that what happened in Okota, the election was wonderful.

“They said three people were killed and nobody had seen one corpse anywhere in this area. The gentleman who was attacked was immediately rescued, rushed to the hospital and he is getting better in the hospital. But you can see the negative news being sprayed about this area which is not good for everybody.

“If there are issues of elections in Nigeria, it should not be in Lagos and if there is any problem of elections in Lagos, why should it be in Okota where you have peace-loving Nigerians living together?

“This is why the AIG and myself have come here to reemphasise the peaceful co-existence which I believe has been happening in this kingdom for so many years. This kingdom is not known for any violence or crisis. It is known for living together in peace; why is this area trying to get a new name now? A place of crisis and chaos?

The CP said he believed the meeting was going to cement the relationship between the communities in the area.

“It is going to tell our followers

that we are all one, and that what we need is peace. On our own side as a security agency, we are going to tell the people that we are here for everybody. We assure them that we are going to give the necessary safe and secure environment for the remaining elections.”

He urged the leaders to allow people vote candidates of their choice. “Party A or B doesn’t matter because that is what is bringing the problem. That it must be a particular party must be erased from our minds. Let us focus on good leadership. Nobody must be compelled to choose a party or candidate of any party.”

Earlier, AIG Folawiyo had said they were lucky to have the community leaders in attendance at the meeting. He urged them to shun violence in the area, adding that the police do not have problems with the community leaders but need their assistance.

“We want them to assume leadership and let the people know that we are working for them.

They should lower their guards, enjoy the grace, go and vote with discipline. We have also assured them of additional security. I think we are expecting good outing in the next round of election,” Folawiyo said.

Eze Nwachukwu said, the meeting with the oba was very necessary and was about what happened during the last election.

According to Nwachukwu, there was a disagreement and the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba communities were ready to sort it out and agree among themselves that if such should happen, they should report to the police or the oba.

“What happened was that some hoodlums high jacked some polling units and suddenly somebody did not go to the police nor the oba and went ahead and took the laws into his hand. And nearly take someone’s life. Nobody died but there were some injuries.

“We have agreed that everyone should go home and talk to their people so that peace can reign.

We have talked about peace for the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba communities. We have agreed to be

•AIG Zone 2 Lagos, Mr. David Folawiyo; Lagos CP Mu’azu Zubairu; Eze Ndigbo and Chairman Council of Ndieze Lagos State, Eze Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu and other leaders at the Palace of the Osolo of Isolo, Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka on Monday after an election crisis peace talk in the area.

meeting from time to time to discuss our common problem for the interest of everyone.”

Oba Agbabiaka urged the Igbo leaders to always report any issues or disagreements to the police if they cannot come to him.

“Anytime you have any problem or any grudge with any people, you should please if you cannot come to me, call the police. You cannot take the laws into your hand or give judgement by yourself.

“Ndigbo, you see sometimes, it is good to show signs of appreciation. Majority of you know me, either you had your property through us or through the government.

“All you should know is that you are within Isolo and there is nothing that I do that I don’t carry you along. And that is what brought the idea of handing about four or

five of you chieftaincy tittles.

“Also, the government means well for you. Luckily, in the last election, the House of Representatives winner in this area is your man, an Igbo, and the House of Assembly representative is also your man, two councillors are from you and also one supervising councillor.”

The oba said there was nowhere in Lagos State the Igbo could see such gesture, adding that the government of Lagos State was trying to look after them and therefore them to be grateful.

“Anywhere you are living, where you have your property, you are living better and your business is growing well, you should also try to make sure that there is peace and harmony. Nobody is ready to fight you; you are not a trouble maker, neither the Hausa, Yoruba

Therefore, I enjoin our people to come out en mass on Election Day and vote for them. I am going to work with our party leaders to further sell the PDP candidates to the general public.

“I thank all Nigerians for their goodwill and to enjoin all of us that as we patiently await the outcome

of the Presidential election, we pray for peace, unity and genuine development in our country. It is also our prayers that at all times, the wish of the people will always prevail in the choice of the leadership and the electorate will always enjoy the benefit of good governance”, Saraki stated.

Polls: Saraki concedes, wishes those who emerged best of luck

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HE President of the Nigerian Senate and the Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who lost his bid to return to the upper Chambers of the National Assembly, has stated that in spite of the reported inadequacies that attended last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State, he is wishing the candidates who emerged from the election the best of luck.

Dr. Saraki in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu stated that while the election was generally peaceful, there are inadequacies like the card readers not used in over 70 per cent of the polling units, while there were multiple voting, overvoting and other discrepancies that were reported by agents of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) across the state.

He added that the state chapter of his party will take a position on the right response to these inadequacies.

“However, whatever the final outcome of the election, I wish the candidates that have emerged all the best in their attempts to serve our people.

It is my prayers that the good people of Kwara State will always have the best from any government both at state and federal levels.

“As a product of a family and a political structure that is, from its foundation, devoted to the service and development of our state and its people, it is my wish that our people will always have a good deal at all times.

The new development will even provide the people the opportunity to compare and contrast. After all, the people who have emerged from last Saturday’s election are not my enemies. They are fellow Kwarans.

“As we prepare for the March 9, 2019Governorship and House of Assembly elections, let me reiterate my position that the candidates of the PDP in the election represent the best materials for our dear State, Kwara.

or the OPC or any other person.”

The Oba also dispelled the rumours of death in his area, urging the Igbo community to support him and the police in making sure there is peace and security in the area.

“We need your support and you people should also know that you need our support too. Except you are telling us that your people who have been representing us in the House of Assembly, we have been making the mistake of allowing them to sit in that position.”

Others who were present at the meeting included Lagos House of Assembly member representing Oshodi/Isolo constituency II and the Chairman, Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Shamsudeen, Abiodun Olaleye among others.

Police arrest five suspects over attack on officers

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HE police have arrested five male suspects in Umuahia, Abia State, in connection with the attack on a Deputy Superintendent of Police who was on election duties at a collation centre.

This came as a gang attacked a Deputy Commissioner of Police in Brass, Bayelsa State, on Sunday.

However, the acting InspectorGeneral of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the arrest, investigation and prosecution of those behind the developments.

In a statement on Monday by Force spokesman, Frank Mba, the IG, who condemned the incidents, said, “such brazen acts of impunity will not be condoned”.

He said, “These attacks have once again highlighted the risks and hazards inherent in policing in our country, and the need for stakeholders and government at all levels to continue to support the police in the discharge of their

responsibilities.”

However, Adamu said the DCP and DSP were in good health.

The Bayelsa Police Command on Monday said the DCP, whose name it did not disclose, was manhandled by thugs.

Spokesman for the police in the state, Asinim Butswat, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa that the IG was not happy with the development.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS ACROSS THE NATION Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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WENTY-FOUR out of the 66 senators who sought for a reelection into the 9th Senate have lost out at the National Assembly elections, which held alongside the Presidential elections last Saturday. A total of 33 senators earlier lost out in primary elections, which took place in October last year.

The senators that sought for return bids, but lost at the polls, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) are the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki (PDP, Kwara Central), Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom West), Nazif Gamawa (PDP, Bauci) Rafiu Ibrahim (PDP, Kwara South), Tayo Ala soadura (APC, Ondo Central) and Yele Omogunwa (Ondo South).

Others are Senators Suleiman Hunkuyi (PDP, Kaduna North), Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC, Oyo Central), Rilwan Adesoji (ADP, Oyo South), Abiodun Olujimi (PDP, Ekiti South), Duro Faseyi (PDP, Ekiti North), Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP, Abia North),

24 senators lose re-election bid Andy Uba (APC, Anambra South) and Victor Umeh (APC Anambra Central).

Other serving senators in the category of those who lost on Saturday include: Senators Shittu Ubali (PDP, Jigawa North East), Shehu Sani (PRP, Kaduna Central), Mohammed Hassan (PDP, Yobe South) and Binta Masi Garba (APC, Adamawa North).

Also among the losers are Senators Hamman Isa Misau (PDP, Bauchi Central), Ahmed Ogembe (PDP, Kogi Central), Attai Aidoko (PDP, Kogi East), Barnabas Gemade (SDP, Benue North East), Bob Effiong (APC, Akwa Ibom), and David Umaru (APC Niger East).

Going by the above statistics, it means that a total of 66 senators in the Senate won’t return as eight others went for governorship primaries and succeeded.

Polls: APC hacked INEC IT server – PDP

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) of working with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel and manipulate the figures of results where it (PDP) had commanding votes. It specifically alleged that INEC IT server was hacked by the agents of the APC to manipulate results.

PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, at a press conference on Monday alleged that some of the results announced at the ongoing collation of presidential election by INEC were incorrect and, therefore, not acceptable by it. The party also called for the cancellation of results in many states in the North because elections in these states were allegedly conducted in breach of the INEC guidelines.

“The PDP is forced to take a stand and make the following pronouncements at this crucial point because our democracy is under threat of derailment,” Secondus said.

According to him, the results of Sarkin Dawaki and Doka wards in Doma Local Government areas of Nassarawa State were manipulated while 10,000 illegal votes in Agyaragin- Tofa ward were allegedly added to already announced results in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Secondus said: “With the INEC IT server hacked by agents of the APC to manipulate results, we can with certainty state that results from the following polling units have, for example, been tampered with, note: “i. Sarkin Dawaki ward in Doma LGA – Nassarawa State; ii. Doka ward in Doma LGA – Nassarawa State; iii. Agyaragin – Tofa ward; iv. 10,000 illegal votes added to already announced results in Wurno LGA in Sokoto State. “Additionally, violent and destructive attacks have been meted out to officials while counting at Lafia Street and Police Barracks polling units.

“As if these provocations are not enough, our agents and officials are constantly arrested and, in many cases, locked-up for complaining that card readers were not in use in many Northern states, implying that all results from the Northern part of the country where card readers were not used should be voided in accordance with INEC guidelines.”

He noted that results that trickled in on Sunday clearly put the PDP in the lead, but regretted that the ruling party and President Muhammadu Buhari dispatched high-rank-

ing officials to allegedly forcefully influence the outcomes in different geopolitical zones of the country.

According to him, “The Minister of the Interior, Lt- Gen. Abdurahman Danbazau was dispatched to the North-West of the country.

“The Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, was dispatched to the North- East of the country; while the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) were dispatched to the South-East and South-South regions.” The PDP said it has the original results from every polling unit, in every ward, in every local government area in the country.

His words: “First, I want to categorically state that our collation centres have all original results from every polling unit, in every ward, in every Local Government Area (LGA) in Nigeria, of which the international community is well aware, implying all results currently being announced by the INEC is incorrect, thus unacceptable to our party and people.

•Party Agents and International Observers secumb to the call of nature after a long wait for the arrival of INEC officials and the voting materials last Saturday.

Businesses partially open in Kaduna as residents await election results

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HOP owners partially opened for business in Kaduna metropolis as residents awaits the results of Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who went round the metropolis on Tuesday to monitor developments reports that most of the shops were under lock and key.

Most shops along Kano Road, Ibadan Street, Nupe Road, Lagos Street and other areas where Igbo traders hawked their goods remained closed.

Eateries and many supermarkets have also remained closed, except for some few ones that open for business to provide services for the few residents.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) there was light

traffic along the busy Ahmadu Bello Way with very few commercial busses and private vehicles seen plying the road.

Some of the traders that opened for business were complaining of low patronage as most residents remained at home waiting for the final outcome of result.

Malam Alhassan Musa, a secondhand cloth dealer, complained of low patronage, saying he had sold only a single cloth since he opened for business since Monday.

Musa attributed the development to the uncertainties when the election results come out, saying there might be violence like it happened in other general elections, “I have witnessed many election violence in this market, it is only logical that residents remained at home just in case there is a nega-

tive fallout of the election result.

Another trader, Rayyanu Ibrahim, who sells phones and accessories at Makarfi Plaza, also complained that the plaza was a bit empty with no form of activity taking place.

“Since Monday I come to the market around 10 am and closes by 5pm with very little,” Ibrahim said.

Meanwhile, a food vendor along NEPA headquarters Mogadishu road, Mrs. Maryam Adamu, said that patronage was picking up gradually and expressed hope that it would pick up fully in a few days.

“I only cooked small amount of food because of the low patronage so as not to run at a loss, i hope to cook more in subsequent days” she said.

said the action of the APC leader made them apprehensive.

“We are apprehensive because just some few minutes ago, we learnt that the soldiers went to Gboko INEC Collation Centre and packed all the materials with the Returning Officer and electoral materials and were heading to Makurdi without our agents and we were confused and we said we can’t just allow it.

“So we came to see the INEC REC to find out why it is so and he assured us that all will be well, and that they too were just apprehensive and that they were concerned about the security of the materials and INEC officials.

“We also want our agents allowed in to oversee whatever is happening and he did assure us that he will do that. So, with that assurance, we are comfortable and we look forward to seeing that the right thing is done. The REC told us that no mutilation or falsification of any results will be accepted and, with that, we are comfortable.

“Otherwise, the senator representing zone B (Akume) had boasted that he will ensure that the result is overturned against us after losing in six local government areas of Benue State out of seven local

governments in his zone. We all have the results sheets in the polling units and it was just at the local government level that the army intercepted,” he said.

Ortom described as baseless calls

by Akume that election in his local government be cancelled because of irregularities, saying “there is no basis” for cancellation.

“The card reader is there and let’s see whether we have flouted any process whatsoever. He should be calling for cancellation of the election in his own ward where there were issues in certain wards in his local government that they chased away our agents,” Ortom said.

But Akume, who also stormed the INEC office on hearing that the governor had been there to lodge a complaint, told newsmen that the allegation against him was untrue.

He described the governor as a violent man who is fond of making sweeping generalisation and spreading falsehood. Akume said he was at the INEC office with APC chieftains for consultation, but described as untrue allegations that he, alongside security operatives, intercepted election materials.

His words: “Occasionally, we come to consult as senior stakeholders of the APC. It is very untrue and unfair that I diverted materials

as said by Ortom.

The man (Ortom) is very fond of getting involved in sweeping generalisation and falsehood. I have never seen a man in such a position of responsibility behave this way. He cannot substantiate what he told you.

“Nobody has seen me with any military personnel, nobody has seen me with policemen going up and down. I voted in my local polling unit and I retired to my house and later came back to my house in Makurdi.

“But anybody who knows this governor will always conclude that he is a man of violence. He has created violence in Benue State, he secretes violence like bees and he is a liar.

I regret and apologise to the people of Benue for making that man governor.

“I do know, as of fact, that this is not my first time of contesting for election, I have always done it and you recall in 2011 when we were in opposition.

“In 2015, we won handsomely in spite of the fact that we were in the opposition.

So my seat is not threatened and I want to assure you that no matter the amount of padding by the non-performing governor, I will get there,” Akume said.

Ortom: Akume used soldiers, ROs to snatch, alter results

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HE war of attrition between Governor Sam uel Ortom of Benue State and his estranged political godfather, Senator George Akume yesterday assumed a disturbing dimension as the governor accused the senator of using soldiers and the Returning Officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intercept and alter, in his favour, results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Gboko Local Government Area of the state.

Ortom, who spoke with journalists shortly after he met with the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda at the INEC office in Makurdi, said that results of the election as made available to him indicated that the senator lost election woefully in six out of seven local government areas of his senatorial district and resorted to the latest action to retain his seat at all cost.

Ortom, who was accompanied on the visit by two former Senate Presidents, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and David Mark, as well as the House of Representatives member for Buruku Federal Constituency and PDP senatorial candidate in the just-concluded polls, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Orker Jev, among top party supporters,

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS

PDP wins all Senate seats, 6 Reps in Anambra as APGA takes 4 Reps

By THEO RAYS, Onitsha

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he All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has lost all the three Senatorial seats in Anambra State. The party however won four out of the eleven Federal Constituency polls in State from results so far announced by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the National Assembly elections.

In the Senatorial Districts elections Senator Victor Umeh who is currently occupying the seat of Anambra Central and was the candidate of APGA lost to his arch rival Uche Ekwunife of PDP, while Stella Oduah won Anambra North agaibst APGA’s Chinedu Emeka and Ifeanyi Ubah emerged first Senator-elect for Anambra South on the platform of the newly registered Young Progressives Party (YPP) beating Prince Nickolas Ukachukwu of APGA on the process.

One the other hand, PDP candidates won in six Federal constituencies, including; Nnewi North and South where Chris Azubuogu won, Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia was won by Val Anyika and Awka North and South which saw Sam Onwuaso as the winner. Others are: Ogbaru Federal Constituency where Chu Chu Onyema won, Onitsha North and South taking by Linda Ikpeazu and Oyi/Ayamelu Federal Constituency also taking Vincent Ofumelu of the PDP. In the other Federal House of Representatives announced by INEC iChinedo Obidigwe of APGA won the Anambra East and Anambra West Federal Constituency. Also on the victory list of APGA is Muoma Ifeanyi, the APGA candidate for Ihiala and the candidate for Orumba North and South, Okwudili Ezenwankwo as well as Chuma Umeorji for Aguata Federal Constituency won their elections.

Idemili North and South Federal Constituency currently occupied by Rep. Obinna Chidoka (PDP) is the only area yet to be announced by INEC. A political analyst described the outcome of the elections in Anambra as a departure from the November 2017 governorship election which Governor Willie Obiano won landslide ”APGA won in all the 21 Local Government Areas of Anambra during the November 2017 election. What played out in Saturday’s election shows that APGA needs to sit up if it must remain politically relevant,” the political analyst said.

• Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah

Jonathan’s kinsmen accuse Dickson, INEC of plot to subvert will of Ogbia people From CLEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa

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x President Goodluck Jonathan’s kinsmen under the aegis of Concerned Ogbia Youths For Good Governance has raised alarm on the alleged plot by the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson and the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) to doctor the result of the Ogbia Federal Constituency election held last Saturday in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday in Yenagoa, spokesman of the group, Wisdom Ikuli said the result of the Ogbia Federal Constituency collated at the 12 out of the 13 wards where election held showed that the candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Barr. Rex Jude Ogbuku won by land slide.

Ikuli said, “It is however sad that INEC staff and security agents through the order and instrumentality of the Bayelsa State Government hijacked electoral materials and result sheets from INEC office at Ogbia Town, headquarters of the Federal Constituency where the result was supposed to be announced and moved to Yenagoa, the state capital where they doctored the result that they are putting finishing touches to announce.

“Gov. Henry Seriake Dickson decided to adopt this mafia and commando like style in order to subvert the free will and mandate of Ogbia people knowing that there was no way they could have carried out such act of rigging at Ogbia Town where the electorates stood firm to defend their mandate which they

freely gave to Barr. Rex Ogbuku”.

Ikuli further regretted that Bayelsa State Government organized a protest against leaders of APC in the state accusing them of rigging elections in some areas, “whereas in actual sense, it is the state governor who is using state apparatus to intimidate, harass and coerce members of the opposition and whosoever that refuses to bow down to them” He added, “The great people of Ogbia like our brothers in Nembe and Brass know the evil agenda of Governor Dickson who is on a clear mission to attempt to relegate, subjugate and undermine our great people politically and economically. But like others, we want to let him know that his evil mission is an exercise in futility

“Ogbia people shall resist Gov. Dickson with our last blood because our people are not a conquered people and we cannot be conquered by one man who wants to impose and lord the whole state”.

The group maintained that they would reject any result by INEC that does not reflect the true position of the people. “INEC and all those involved in this shameful and unwholesome act should be rest assured that Ogbia people whose mandate is about to be subverted will use every lawful and legitimate means to ensure the protection of the mandate”.

Before the press conference, the group had embarked on a street protest with placards bearing different inscriptions like, “Ogbia are not conquered politically”, “Rex Ogbuku is the man for the job”, “Ogbia people say no to manipulation of the result of Ogbia Federal Constituency by agents of INEC, etc.

14 nabbed by Anambra State Command for ballot snatching, thuggery among others From PAMELA EBOH, Awka

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• President Muhammadu Buhari visits Campaign Headquarters in Abuja where he received updates on the performance of APC in the Presidential Elections

Atiku leads Buhari in 10 LGAs of Rivers

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lhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is leading in 10 of the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Rivers in the results so far released.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Port Harcourt had earlier on Monday released the results from nine LGAs. The latest results announced by Collation Officers of Khana, Ogu/ Bolo and Opobo/Nkoro, showed Atiku maintaining his lead over President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Party (APC).

The breakdown of the results showed that former Vice President Atiku got a total of 333,385 in 10 LGAs, while Buhari garnered 75,440 in the two LGAs. Announcing the results, the Collation Officer of Khana LGA, Okechukwu Francis said that Atiku won with 89,843 as against 5,329 of Buhari while Solari Otobo, Collation Officer of Ogu/Bolo said that Atiku got 8,221

as against 2,148 of the incumbent President.

On his part, Prof. Clifford Oforum, Collation Officer of Opobo/Nkoro, said that Buhari scored 3,706 votes while Atiku got 3,573 votes.

NAN reports that results released by the electoral umpire on Monday showed that in Oyibo, Atiku scored 16,102 votes as against 3,520 votes of Buhari while in Omuma, he won with 15,322 votes as against 2,494 votes scored by Buhari.

The rest of the results showed that Atiku won in Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni with 28,536 votes; Obio/Akpor, 69,981; Eleme, 8,464; Andoni, 72,330; Etche, 11,135, and Gokana, 10,276 votes.

Buhari polled 18,180 votes to win in Asari-Toru while Atiku got 3,175 votes.

The Collation Officer for Andoni, Prof Prince Oghenekaro, while announcing the results, said that Ward 6 of the LGA had no election as election materials were allegedly carted away by hoodlums.

Also, Dr Godwin Ihenacho, a Colla-

tion Officer for Etche LGA, said that there was no election in Ward 14 of the area due to hijack of election materials.

The Collation Officer for Obio/Akpor LGA, Prof. Arthur Nwafor, said the result so far was from 13 out of 17 wards.

He added that four wards — 1, 3, 15 and 16 — which generated a total of 4,000 votes, were not collated due to the security situation in the wards at the time of collation.

Meanwhile, INEC have yet to release the results of the House of Representatives and Senate in the state.

The state Returning Officer, Prof.

Aniefiok Essien, however, said that the results from the remaining LGAs would be announced as soon as they arrived.

NAN reports that 11 other LGAs — Abua/Odua, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Akuku-Toru, Bonny and Okirika have yet to be announced.

The list also includes Degema, Emohua, Ikwerre, Port Harcourt and Tai LGAs. (NAN).

he Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo on Tuesday said 14 suspects were arrested in the course of last Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections for various offences ranging from ballot box snatching, disruption of elections, malicious damage and thuggery.

He reeled out exhibits recovered from the suspects to include 2 vehicles, 2 Motorcycles, 3 Ballot Boxes snatched from Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state, 2 knives and dry leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa.

Ladodo said that electoral materials such as ballot papers were also destroyed at Obosi and Ojoto Collation Centres According to him, all suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

Speaking at a press conference in Awka, the CP who urged all aggrieved parties who lost in the election not to take laws into their hands and foment chaos but explore the legal avenue in order to seek for redress as stipulated by the law.

He said: “The Command will not fold its arm and watch any individual or group no matter how highly placed disrupt the relative peace in the State which the law enforcement agencies in the State are working assiduously to maintain.”

Ladodo observed that despite some isolated cases recorded in some parts of the State where the Command responded promptly and prevented breakdown of law and order, the election was generally peaceful without recording any loss of lives or injury.

He said that the peaceful conduct of election in the state goes to confirm that Anambra State is not only a peaceful State in the whole Federation but also the most secured in terms of safety and security even as he commended Anambra people for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and for coming out to exercise their civic responsibilities on Saturday.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS I’ll quit politics in 2023 -- Senator Orji From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia

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enator Theodore Orji has promised to quit active politics when his second term in the senate.

The former Abia State governor who defeated his rivals in that Abia Central Senatorial duel of February 23, 2019 also promised to do more for his constituent during his second term.

In a post-election media chat at his constituency office in Umuahia Tuesday, the Senator said his decision to quit in 20123 was to make way for young politicians to grow.

“In 2023, I’ll be off the (political) scene. This is my last political outing in terms of contesting for elective position,” he declared, adding, “you have to allow young people to grow (and) if I don’t retire, I’ll be denying young people the opportunity to grow,” he said.

While thanking his constituents for renewing his mandate, he prom-

ised them more dividends of democracy.

“There will be more dividends of democracy,” he assured his constituents, adding that “they can easily testify to the fact that good things have come and would continue to come their way during my next tenure in the Senate.”

He said that the people of Abia Central were satisfied with his performance as a senator, having made positive impact in all spheres with visible projects in all the six component local governments of Abia Central benefitting from water and electricity projects as well as empowerment programmes.

Orji acknowledged that though he emerged victorious in the senatorial poll his opponents had fought gallantly but stressed that he expected them to accept their defeat in the spirit of sportsmanship and congratulate him.

PDP Rejects Results Of AbiaNorth Senatorial Election

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he Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State has rejected the result of Senatorial election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abia North Senatorial Zone on Saturday, 23rd February, 2019.

In an emergency meeting of the State Working Committee of the Party presided over by the Chairman of the Party in the State: Sir Johnson Onuigbo, the Party, after a critical review of the election, including unlawful manipulations and unjustifiable cancellations, concluded that, at best, the election was inconclusive and should be so declared by INEC. Rule 33(e) of INEC Regulations and Guidelines For The Conduct Of Elections, 2019, stipulates that where the number of cancelled votes outnumber the difference in vote of a ‘leading candidate’, such election shall be deemed to be inconclusive.

From what the Independent National Electoral Commission purports to have as result of Abia-North senatorial election, the gap between the Senatorial Candidate of All Progressives Congress, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, and the Candidate of our Party; Distinguished Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, is only 10,400 votes.

On the other hand, votes cancelled

in Arochukwu and Nkporo alone amount to more than thirty-eight thousand.

By the aforesaid Rule 33(e) of INEC Regulations and Guidelines, Saturday’s senatorial election in AbiaNorth should have been declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission because the margin of lead between the leading candidates which is 10,400 is less than the cancelled votes of over 38,000.

PDP in Abia State shall not condone the unlawfulness of a calculated attempt to subvert the democratic will of the good people of Abia-North, for no fault of theirs. §Our Party; therefore, rejects the result of Abia-North senatorial election and vehemently demands that INEC complies with extant electoral guidelines by declaring the election inconclusive and consequently fix a date to conclude the election. Our stand is not strange as it has been done in the Ondo South Senatorial Election which INEC declared inconclusive.

That of Abia North Senatorial Zone cannot and shall not be different. The party’s statement was signed by the publicity secretary Sir Don Ubani.

Senate adjourns until March 12 for lack of quorum

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he Senate on Tuesday adjourned plenary until March 12, for lack of quorum.

The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) reports that President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, presided at the plenary, attended by only eight senators.

It was the first general sitting of the upper legislative chamber following its resumption from a onemonth election break.

A major item on the Order Paper is the National Minimum Wage Bill, which passed second reading on Jan. 24.

The bill is undergoing further legislative work by a seven-member ad hoc committee, which was given two weeks to conclude its assignment.

Before the adjournment, chair-

man of the committee, Sen. Olusola Adeyeye, told his colleagues that work on the bill was hampered by members’ engagement in the just concluded elections.

He explained that the committee could not form quorum, and all efforts to hold their sittings electronically failed.

Adeyeye said he would traveling for treatment, but in the event he was not able to return, a member of the committee would take charge.

Others in attendance at Tuesday’s plenary were Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; Leader of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan, and the Minority Whip, Philip Aduda.

Senators Andrew Uchendu, Abu Ibrahim and Fatimat Rasaki were also present.(NAN).

• President Buhari receives briefing from Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai in State House

APC wins all NASS seats in Gombe State

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State has won all the National Assembly seats declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential candidate of APC, President Muhammadu Buhari also won the presidential election with 402,961 to defeat his closest rival of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who scored 138,484 votes.

In the National Assembly elections, APC won the three senatorial and seven House of Representatives seats.

In Gombe Central Senatorial District, Sen. Danjuma Goje, retains his seat after securing 110,116 votes to defeat his closest rival of PDP, Alhaji Nasiru Nono, the incumbent Speaker of the state Assembly, who scored 39,760 votes.

Also in the Gombe North Senatorial District, Alhaji Saidu Alkali of APC won with 152,546 votes to defeat PDP’s candidate, Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo, who scored 88,016 votes to come second.

The APC also won the election in Gombe South, with its candidate, Mr Amos Bulus securing 80,549 votes to defeat his closest rival of the PDP, Hajiya Binta Bello, who got 63,312 votes.

The defeated PDP candidate is the member representing Kaltungo/ Shongom Federal Constituency.

In the House of Representatives election, APC candidate for Yamaltu/Deba, Abubakar Ahmed polled 45,315 votes to defeat the candidate of PDP, Inuwa Garba, who scored 30,420 votes.

The defeated PDP candidate was a former Speaker of the state Assembly.

Also, Hajiya Aishatu Jibril-Dukku

of APC won the election in Dukku / Nafada Federal Constituency with 40,122 votes to defeat her closest rival Saidu Adamu Jodoma of PDP who had 21,474 votes.

In Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency, APC’s Victor Mela was declared winner with 45,112 votes to defeat PDP’s Isa Ali, a serving member.

Similarly, in Akko Federal Consistency, APC candidate, Usman Belle was declared winner with 57,490 votes to defeat Aishatu Ahmed, a former Commissioner for Education, who scored 28,631 votes.

The result for Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency also went to the APC, where its candidate, Yahaya Tango, polled 173,466 votes to defeat his closest rival, Abubakar Durbi of PDP who scored 57,365 votes. (NAN).

he senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Sen. Philip Aduda has been declared winner of Saturday’s senatorial election.

Aduda won in all the six Area Councils in the territory.

Declaring the results on Monday evening, the Returning Officer, Prof.

Sani Saka, said that Aduda scored a total of 263,055 votes across all the area councils to emerge winner.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Jisalo Zephaniah, scored 148,401 to emerge second while the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr Johnson Somadina, came third with a total of 2,509 votes.

Earlier, the Collation Officer for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Prof. Muhammed Ndagi of the University of Abuja, said that Aduda scored 127,567 votes to defeat the closest contestant and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Jasilo Zephaniah, who got 61,692 votes.

Ndagi, however, said that there

were cases of over voting in Polling Unit 005, Gwarimpa Primary School and Polling Unit 007, Kado Housing Estate, which led to the cancellation of elections in the units.

He blamed the situation on the use of manual accreditation to solve incidents of failure of smart card readers to recognise some voters.

The Bwari Area Council Collation Officer, Prof. Simon Kawe of the University of Abuja, while making his presentation said that the area had a total of 230,269 registered voters.

He said that the total number of accredited voter were 84,541 and that the total valid votes cast was 77,700 as 2,697 votes were rejected.

Aduda of the PDP scored 51,797 votes to beat the closest contestant and candidate of the APC, Mr Jisalo Zephania, who got 22,775 votes.

The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr Johnson Somadina, scored 749 votes.

Also, the Kuje Area Council Collation Officer, Prof. Tony Onyishi of the Federal University Abuja, in his

presentation, said that the total number of voters in the area was 122,051 and that accredited voters was 44,562.

He said that the total votes cast was 42,604 and that the total valid votes was 41,407 while a total of 1,197 votes were rejected.

He said that Aduda of the PDP scored 25,190 votes to defeat all the other contestants while Zephaniah of the APC scored 15,441 to emerge second position in the contest.

Earlier on Sunday, February 24, 2019, the Collation Officer in Abaji Area Council, reported that Aduda got 11,290 votes to beat Zephania who got 11,276 votes.

In Kwali Area Council, the Collation Officer reported that the PDP candidate got 17,642 to beat the APC candidate who got 14,899 votes.

Also in Gwagwalada Area Council, Aduda of the PDP was reported to have beaten Zephaniah having scored 29,567 to defeat the APC candidate who got 22,318 votes.

(NAN).

PDP’s Aduda emerges winner of FCT senatorial election T

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS

INEC apologises over “drunk” Returning Officer

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Mr Salihu Adamu Musa, INEC Electoral Officer in Bokkos Local Government of Plateau, on Monday apologised over the “shameful” behaviour of the Returning Officer deployed to the area.

Musa was responding to a question raised by APC Collation Officer in Pankshin, Mr Emmanuel Bok, who sought to know why he (Musa), was declaring the results of elections for Bokkos, instead of the Returning Officer, as stipulated by law.

Musa, in his explanation, told the party agents, observers and INEC officials that the Returning Officer,

a university lecturer, was drunk on Sunday and was sacked when he could not perform his duty.

“The Returning Officer’s attitude was appalling; he was drunk and couldn’t do anything at all.

“I took over the job based on instructions from the INEC headquarters in Jos,” Musa explained.

Musa apologised to the election officials on behalf of the electoral body, and promised that the situation would not repeat itself.

Bok, who thanked Musa for the explanation, said that he had intended to reject the result because they were not presented by the officer designated to do so.

“If not for the explanation you gave to us, I would not have accepted the results until we see the Returning Officer.

“But, if that was what happened, then it is very unfortunate and bad for us in our journey toward deepening out democracy,” he said.

In his reaction, Mr Mason Mahli, PDP Collation Officer in the local government, appealed to INEC to always ensure that only reputable people were recruited to assist it in such crucial assignments.

“INEC must always look for credible persons for serious national assignments like this. Electoral duties are sacred assignments that must

be handled seriously and with utter commitment,” he stated.

Mr Jonathan Mawuyau, another APC Collation Officer and former justice commissioner in Plateau, who also reacted to the removal of the Returning Officer, regretted the “very bitter experience” elections officials had with the sacked official.

“The officer came to the collation centre drunk. On Sunday, we waited for his arrival up to 2.00 p.m., but when he later arrived and took his seat, he started dozing off before the very eyes of everybody in the hall.

“Shortly after, he woke up and excused us to go ease himself, but

Ndume returns to senate

Bayelsa APC denies involvement in violence in Nembe

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enate Leader, Ali- Ndume of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has emerged winner of the Southern Borno Senatorial Constituency election.

Ndume was declared winner on Sunday in Biu by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having scored the highest votes cast in the Saturday’s election.

Declaring the result, the Returning Officer, Prof. Isa Hassan, said Ndume garnered 300, 637 votes to defeat his closest rival, Kudla Haske, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who polled 84, 608 votes.

Ndume, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), shortly after victory, thanked the electorate for their support.

“I am very humbled and indebted to the people of my constituency who came out enmasse to support me.

“I must commend my people for their resilience, despite attack coordinated by Boko Haram insurgents on voters at Pulka community, they defied the insurgents to exercise their franchise.

“Despite all the desperation by PDP, we came out victorious. We thank God. We promise to deliver more than 90 percent votes for Mr President and we are keeping the promise,” he said.

Ndume commended INEC for conducting a free, fair and peaceful election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that results of senate and other House of Representatives election are still being collated in the state. (NAN).

• Ali Ndume

the next thing we heard was that he had driven away. He was later accosted and brought back.

“In fact, I had to apologise on his behalf. The official was so drunk that he could not do the Job,” Mawuyau explained.

Mrs. Joan Arabs, INEC official from the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, in her response, assured the party agents, journalists and observers, who had gathered at the senatorial collation centre in Pankshin, that the mistake would not be repeated.

“We have noted this mistake and want to assure you that we will correct it,” she said. (NAN).

From CLEM ONYEMAECHI, Yenagoa

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• Enugu State governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi arrvived the venue for his Intense door-to-door at campaign Obinagu Uwani Akpugo in Nkanu West Local Government Area.

INEC announces Atiku winner in Enugu

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday announced Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of Saturday’s presidential election in Enugu State.

The result was announced at the National Collation Centre (ICC) Abuja, by Prof. Joseph Ehaneku, the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who is the Collation Officer for the election in the state.

Ehaneku announced that Atiku polled 355,553 votes to defeat All Progressives Congress (APC)’s President Muhamadu Buhari, who scored 54,423 votes.

Obadiah Mailafia of African Democratic Congress (ADC) was third with 348 votes.

Mr Donald Duke of Social Democratic Party (SDP) camw forth with 472 votes.

According to him, Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (AAC) polled 219 votes, and Yusuf Yabagi of Action Democratic Party (ADP) scored 137 votes.

He said that total registered voters in Abia were 1,935,168 but that 452,765 were accredited, while total votes cast in the polls were 451,014 with 30,049 rejected.

Ehaneku noted that elections did not hold in two out of 11 local government areas in the state with 5,578 voters affected as a result of the cancellations. (NAN).

APC wins Lagos West Senatorial seat

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday declared the All Progressive Congress (APC) Sen. Solomon Adeola (Yayi) winner of the Lagos West Senatorial district.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the INEC Returning Officer, Prof Olumide Adenuga of the University of Lagos, said that Adeola polled a total of 323,817 votes to emerge winner.

He defeated his closest rival Gbadebo Rhodes of the Peoples Democratic Party, who had 243,516 votes.

“I Prof Olumide Adenuga hereby certify as the returning officer, Lagos West Senatorial District with the election held on Feb. 23, 2019, that the election was conducted among

10 candidates.

“I declare that Solomon Olamilekan Adeola of the APC has satisfied the requirements of law and scoring the highest number of votes, hereby declared the winner and returned elected having polled 323,817 votes,” he said.

Speaking on his victory, Adeola said that the victory would spur him to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people.

“We will do more for the people in terms of infrastructure and other things that will ease the problems of the people such as welfare programmes,” he said.

NAN reports that Mr Adeola is returning to the Red Chambers for the second time. (NAN).

Atiku sweeps 25 of 27 LGs to win Imo

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he People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has won the 2019 presidential poll in Imo. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the results were announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer in Imo, Prof. Benjamin Ozurumba on Monday.

He said the PDP won in 25 local government areas to defeat its closest rival, the All Progressives Congress (APC) that won two, Oru East and Ideato South.

Local government areas won by the PDP are Oguta, Isu, Nwangele, Ezinihite Mbaise, Nkwerre, Oru

west, Njaba, Owerri North, Onuimo, Ohaji-Egbema, Owerri municipal, Ahiazu Mbaise and Ngor Okpala.

Others are Orlu, Owerri West, Aboh Mbaise, Ehime Mbano, Obowo, Ikeduru, Mbaitoli, Isiala Mbano, Orsu, Ihitte-Uboma, Ideato North and Okigwe.

Ozurumba said that the PDP scored a total of 334,923 votes to beat the APC that polled 140,463 votes and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) that polled 10,880 votes.

Out of a total of 542,777 votes cast, 511,586 were valid while 31,191 votes were rejected. (NAN).

he Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied allegations by the Governor of Bayelsa, Seriake Dickson that it was responsible for the spate of violence, which occurred at Nembe during the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

A statement issued on Monday in Yenagoa by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Doifie Buokoribo said “Dickson’s goal in shouting ‘violence’ was to mask his own terror and lawlessness towards the polls” It would be recalled that in a press briefing on Sunday, Governor Dickson pointedly accused the leadership of APC in the state of masterminding the violence in Nembe.

“In Dickson’s court, Sylva and APC stalwarts are guilty of hijacking of electoral materials, killings - and even terrorism. Expectedly, the media has been awash with reports of “violence” by APC in parts of the state, particularly Twon-Brass and Bassambiri-Nembe.

“We reiterate that the APC in Bayelsa State and its leadership had nothing whatsoever to do violence during last Saturday’s elections.

Governor Dickson and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should be held responsible”.

Buokoribo alleged that that DCP Okunlola who was attacked in Nembe was performing extra-police duties and issuing illegal orders when voters acting in defense of their votes resisted him.

“Even the Nigeria Police have admitted that he was not kidnapped.

Indeed, it is impossible for unarmed men to abduct a senior police officer in the presence of armed mobile policemen and regular policemen.

“In Bassambiri-Nembe, the PDP wanted to use their usual commando-style of politics to compromise the elections but they failed lamentably. Voting took place in all the seven wards. Results were collated, and the APC did very well there. No political party or politician will seek to perpetrate violence in its stronghold or area where it is winning”, he insisted.

POLITICS

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

•Uche Ekwunife

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fter a widely condemned postponement, the presidential/National Assembly poll finally held on Saturday February 23, 2019. It was the first of a twoleg general election prepared by Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to usher in a new dispensation after the first term of the current government. The second leg of the election will take place on March 9 when Nigerians queue up again at their polling units to elect their state governors.

The presidential/National Assembly election has, as they say, come and gone.

But its reverberations are yet to die down.

As at the time of this report, even though the final result of the presidential election and with it the winner, was yet to be announced, the PDP had already rejected it, alleging irregularities relating, in particular, to poll-figure tampering.

There were also reported cases of violence in different parts of the country, especially in Rivers, Bayelsa, Lagos, Kano and a few other places where scores of deaths and or injuries were recorded. Similarly, there were cases of ballot box snatching and burning of ballot papers in places like Lagos, which occurred while security agents watched helplessly or, in some cases, unconcernedly.

In the same Lagos, party thugs, suspected to be working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly set fire to Igbo-owned shops on the suspicion that their owners (the Igbo) voted PDP in the last election and might vote the party again in the March 9 governorship election, if they were not given death or injury scares. Intimidation is it!

As we went to press, there were equally widely circulated reports about illegal changing of poll figures or attempts to do so, in favour of mostly the APC. The pollfigure tampering was reportedly so widespread that the opposition PDP not only rejected the figures released as authentic

by INEC but also threatened to release what it said “are the authentic results of the election.”

Despite the foregoing deficits, there are a few positives from the election. One is that it held successfully—election materials were available everywhere and largely on time. Two is that the election delivered an impressive number of upsets—incumbents being resoundingly defeated by their challengers. In Anambra, for in-

•Ifeanyi Uba

International Election Observation Missions comment on Nigerian elections

Pg 10

Pg 12

•Chris Ekpenyong

Takeaways from presidential/ NASS election Flawed as the February 23, 2019 presidential/National Assembly election may have been, there are a number of developments therefrom that highly recommend it, writes FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU stance, Iyom Uche Ekwunife of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated Senator Victor Umeh (APGA) to clinch the Anambra Central Senatorial seat. Businessman and Chairman of Capital Oil Limited, Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah of Young Progressive Party (YPP) defeated APC’s Andy Uba to clinch the Anambra South Senatorial seat while former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State and APC candidate defeated Senator Mao Ohuabunwa of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to win the Abia North Senatorial seat.

In Akwa Ibom State, former deputy governor Engr. Chris Ekpeyong and candidate of the PDP defeated his APC counterpart, immediate past governor of the State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to win the Akwa-Ibom North-West Senatorial seat.

Akpabio’s defeat came as a major upset for the APC and the former governor in a state he bestrode like a colossus only four years back. Ekpeyong beat Akpabio with a whopping 60,000 votes, having scored 136,373 votes to Akpabio’s 67,487.

In Cross River State, Senator Gershom Bassey of the PDP defeated his closest rival Prince Bassey Edet-Otu of the APC, a two-time Member of the House of Representatives to clinch the Cross River South Senatorial seat, the second time in a row.

Similarly, Dr. Sandy Onor, an Associate Pro-

Anxiety, despair, disappointment as Abians voted in presidential, NASS polls

fessor of History at the University of Calabar and candidate of the PDP emerged Senator-elect for the Cross River Central Senatorial District after defeating APC candidate and former Senate Leader on the platform of PDP, who is also Chairman of NDDC, Chief Victor Ndoma Egba. Other examples abound.

But suffice it to say that the upsets apart, there are also a number of takehomes from the election. What seems obvious, for instance, is that the APC as a party is not particularly hungry for victories.

The trouncing of the party by candidates of its main challenger, the PDP, in the National Assembly election has shown that APC may only have been interested in the presidency and no more. Apart from President Buhari, it is like every other candidate of the party doesn’t really matter; such a person is on his or her own. Here is the only Nigerian party that would not field candidates for election in two States just because its National chairman wanted to assert control over some party leaders in those States and nobody seemed to care.

Here is the only party that would not assist its candidates with funds to prosecute election in a nation that is notorious for the high cost of its electoral processes.

Indeed, but for the alleged tampering with poll figures, which allegedly gave un-

deserved victories to some people, the 2019 presidential/National Assembly election would have passed as one with the least interference with the course of the electoral process by the ruling party, using the overarching power of the central government controlled by it.

The card-reader malfunction in parts of the South East and South South may have put a question mark on the credibility of the election—the malfunction thing may well have been premeditated—but the point must also be made that if the party rendered help to its candidates as many had expected, there would probably have been a Dino casualty and or that of one or two other Senators with whom the establishment seemingly had an axe to grind.

The implication, therefore, analysts contend, is that every politics has become truly local. Those who claim that they reached a pact with Abuja for them to support Buhari’s re-election bid in return for Abuja’s support for their own re-election bids may have simply told a lie: in reality, they are on their own. Meaning that no one candidate has an extra advantage against the other.

The name of the game is money. Despite claims to integrity and anti-corruption crusade as the defining characteristics of this administration, the truth remains that at no other point did our election become this monetised as has been the case in #Nigeriadecides2019. Having not performed creditably in office, most of those seeking re-election are not pitching any message to voters any longer; they are simply buying them up! So, when you see soldiers or police officers wielding guns for the big man against the electorate, bludgeoning voters out of the way for rigging to take place, it is no so much because the big man is chief security officer of the State or whatever as simply because money has exchanged hands: every security man in APC’s Nigeria is gun-for-hire!

The point is simply this: every incumbent, apart from the President, is beatable. That is the lesson of this election. So, if you are challenging an incumbent and you got your strategy whose name is money, then sound the gong to the community and declare, ‘my time is here!’

From Umuahia to Asaba, Enugu to Abakaliki, Port Harcourt to Calabar, Owerri to Anambra, the message is the same: have money, shall win!

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

POLITICS

Views from Abroad: International Election Observation Missions comment on Nigerian elections

T

he Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA) said it is very concerned that after six consecutive elections, electoral violence remains a feature of Nigeria’s electoral landscape. Mr Rupiah Banda, former President of Zambia and leader of the EISA Electoral Observer Mission (EOM), made his comments in Abuja at a media conference on the organisation’s preliminary assessment of the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The mission observed all election day’s procedures in 54 polling stations in Abuja, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Kaduna, Kwara and Ondo. Bandah said that in elections, security was very important, with security operatives playing a role to secure both the processes and the actual voting and enable citizens exercise their democratic right.

The team observed that there was no widespread military deployment across the country on election day, except in the North East where the threat of terrorism remained high.

“Elections were not observed in some of the local government areas (LGAs) that experienced violence and terror attacks due to some of the security risks and threats ensuing in the Nigerian political environment,” he said.

He said the incidences of arson, thuggery and destruction of property in the buildup to the election raised doubts about the capacity of the security agencies to effectively secure the electoral process.

“These doubts were further heightened by the fire outbreaks at three Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices just before the elections,” he said.

Commenting on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that was not assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari, Banda said that the non-enactment of the provisions of the Bill was a missed opportunity.

He added that the legal framework in Nigeria does not provide for independent candidature and out-of-country voting.

“Silence of the law on such provisions remains a gap in the legal framework which impacts on the right to stand and the right to vote,” he said.

While commending Nigeria on the increased number of registered political parties, he said that it was indicative of a more competitive democratic space, but was not accompanied by the institutionalisation of political parties.

He added that the parties remain largely driven by personalities rather than ideologies and that the increase could also be attributed to stifled internal party democracy following the acrimonious party primaries that left many aspirants disgruntled.

“In addition, the high pricing of nomination for electoral candidates excludes some qualified aspirants who may not have such financial means, especially women and young people, from seeking nomination within political parties,” he said.

According to him, of all the political parties, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have nationwide outreach and presence.

This, he said, made political parties and individuals treat elections and elective positions as commodities to be purchased by the highest bidder.

Bandah also said that women were continually marginalised within political party structures and in general political and electoral processes in Nigeria.

•Buhari He recalled that the nation ranked 181 out of 193 in the global Women in Parliaments ranking with only five per cent women representation in its outgoing National Assembly.

Giving the organisation’s recommendations, he said security agencies should investigate the fire incidents that occurred at INEC facilities and give account to the public on the causes of the fires.

He also said they should investigate incidents of violence reported on election day and bring perpetrators to book.

He, however, commended Nigerians on their resilience even in the face of the postponement of the election from the initial scheduled dates and urged them to remain peaceful throughout the final stages of the process.

Commonwealth team was impressed The Commonwealth Observer Group on Monday said a major gain of the presidential and National Assembly elections was that Nigerians had the opportunity to express their will and exercise their franchise. They said that despite the fact that the elections were “highly-contested”, the fundamental freedoms of expression, assembly, association and movement were respected.

The observers said the elections showed that “people of Nigeria have demonstrated patience and commitment to their democracy.” They commended the Nigeria Police and security agencies for securing the polling units nationwide.

They however asked the Federal Government to hold those who perpetrated violence during the elections accountable.

They pleaded with all political parties to honour the National Peace Accord and avoid violence.

The group made its verdict known in an interim statement by its Chairperson, Dr. Jakaya Kikwete, who was a former President of the United Republic of Tanzania.

Kikwete said: “No report of underage voters from observers. The disabled voted and given preference. Voting was transparent and open at polling unit level.

“But at the collation stage, we did not participate yet. So, it’s the totality of all levels that will determine the overall status. We reserve that until the process is ended.”

Although the Commonwealth observers acknowledged that there were organisational, logistical and technical difficulties in these elections, they said the challenges should be part of the nation’s electoral reform.

The interim statement said: “This was a highly contested election. There was a significant increase in the number of political parties and presidential candidates although in practice the campaign was dominated by the two major parties.

“Whilst the environment was tense and divisive, overall, fundamental freedoms of association, expression, assembly and movement were generally respected.

“Notwithstanding the difficulties and challenges surrounding these elections, for the most part Nigerians had the opportunity to express their will and exercise their franchise.

“We trust that the final stages of collation and announcement of results will be handled in a transparent and credible manner.

“The people of Nigeria have demonstrated patience and commitment to their democracy. We appeal to them to maintain the same commitment in the post-election period and as Nigeria prepares to return to the polls on 9 March 2019 for the Governorship, State Assembly and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections.”

On violence during the elections, the observers urged the Federal Government to hold the perpetrators accountable. They advised political parties not to take laws into their hands.

They praised Nigerian police and security agencies for securing polling units.

The statement added: “Election related violence and loss of life, which occurred in a number of places, is deeply troubling. Nigeria can do better. Violence has no place in a modern democracy. Those responsible should be held accountable. We acknowledge the important role played by police, together with other security agencies, in securing polling units.”

The observers pleaded with political parties to shun post voting violence under whatever guise. “The political environment is highly charged and there are security concerns in some parts of the country. Several cases of election related violence have been reported.

We welcome the signing of the National Peace Accord by political parties shortly before the elections, which was witnessed by the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

We encourage all political parties to honour their commitments in the National Peace Accord and reject violence,” the statement said.

Regarding the conduct of the elections, the observers identified six challenges which Nigeria should address in its electoral reform. “Electoral reform is a continuous process building on what has worked successfully and addressing weaknesses.

However, there have been considerable organizational, logistical and technical difficulties in these elections, which we know INEC and all stakeholders will wish to address.”

The six challenges were: •Notwithstanding further assurances provided by INEC, there were delays in the distribution of materials, resulting in late opening of polling units. Although INEC subsequently authorized extended voting hours for those polling units that had opened late, this information was not communicated ef-

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

POLITICS 261 polling units, and the collation of results at 94 centres across 31 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Polling procedures were not always followed, and in 14 per cent some essential materials were missing. Positively, in almost all observations of counting, party agents received copies of results forms. However, there were problems in filling out results forms and they were not displayed in half the units observed, weakening transparency.

On the legal framework for elections, the EU EOM said there had been positive changes to the Constitution since the last elections, including reducing some of the minimum age requirements to be a candidate, meaning a more inclusive process. But the lack of further legal change was a missed opportunity.

The EU EOM emphasised the importance of transparency and accountability of institutions involved in elections. The Chief Observer, Maria Arena, remarked that Nigeria was fortunate to have so many civil society organisations, which have effectively contributed to election reform, voter awareness and scrutiny of the process.

“Their coordinated independent observation of different aspects of the elections is a positive contribution to the accountability of the process,” she said.

The mission will continue to observe the collation process, the announcement of results, as well any petitions. Its observers will also follow electoral preparations and the campaign for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections due on 9 March. It will remain in Nigeria until the beginning of April. A final report, including recommendations for future elections, will be published approximately in May 2019.

•Atiku fectively and not followed by all polling staff.

•We noted that polling officials, security staff and other essential workers were unable to vote and were therefore disenfranchised. In addition, we were told that 11.2 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were not collected; consequently, over 13 percent of all registered voters could not vote.

•We observed problems with the Smart Card Readers (SCRs) in a number of polling units. This caused further delays as polling officials awaited technical assistance or replacements.

• We were impressed by the hard work and dedication of polling staff, but we noted however, that many would have benefitted from more comprehensive training in polling procedures. For example, in some places, the layout of polling units, including the positioning of voting booths, potentially compromised the secrecy of the ballot. Incorrect labeling and failure to seal the ballot boxes correctly were also noted. Lack of signage within polling units caused some confusion.

• We witnessed crowding within a number of polling units with large numbers of party agents, many of whom were not wearing INEC accreditation badges. Some party agents attempted to intimidate polling staff and voters, including during counting.

• During sorting and counting, the determination of invalid votes was often vigorously contested by party agents and members of the public, partly due to a lack of understanding as to what constituted an invalid vote.

European Union The European Union election observers have called on INEC to buckle down, saying there were serious shortcomings with preparations and execution of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

“Serious operational shortcomings put undue burden on voters; civil society enhancedvelectoral accountability.”

The European Union Election Observa-

tion Mission (EU EOM) to Nigeria has concluded that the were marked by serious operational shortcomings resulting in delays but that, positively, civil society played a vital role in enhancing the transparency and accountability of the electoral process.

Presenting the mission’s preliminary statement in Abuja, EU Chief Observer, Maria Arena, said that that INEC operated in a difficult environment and made a number of improvements since 2015, including the introduction of continuous accreditation and voting. She noted serious shortcomings in INEC’s operations and also the need for regular communication and transparency. The last-minute postponement of the elections, and the delayed start to voting on 23 February, placed an undue burden on voters.

“Going forward, there is a great need for more transparency and communication during the whole process, with political parties, civil society, the media and, most importantly, citizens,” said Ms Arena.

The EU EOM concluded that the elections were competitive and that candidates were able to campaign freely, although it stated that campaign rhetoric became more acrimonious closer to election day. The mission expressed sadness at the loss of life in violent incidents during the campaign and on election day.

“On behalf of the mission, may I offer our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives.

Elections should be occasions of peaceful participation,” said the Chief Observer.

On the media, the mission’s media monitoring found that, positively, the federal governmentowned radio, as well as leading commercial broadcasters at national and regional level offered a diversity of views.

However, there was clear partisan programming by the Nigerian Television Authority, state-run media, and local commercial radio stations owned by politicians. This gave advantage to incumbents at federal and state level.

On election day, 91 EU observers saw opening, voting and closing processes at

African Union Election Observation Mission Statement: On 23 February 2019, Nigerians went to the polls to elect their president and representatives for the National Assembly. This marks the sixth consecutive elections since the return to civilian rule in 1999 and attests to a growing democratic culture. The elections recorded the highest level of participation, with 84, 004,084 registered voters and 73 Presidential candidates.

Following an invitation from the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the African Union (AU) participated in the 2019 electoral process by deploying a short-term election observation mission from 9 to 28 February 2019. The Mission is led by His Excellency Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, former Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and assisted by Her Excellency Minata Samate Cessouma, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs. The Mission also comprises four (4) core team members and 50 short-term observers drawn from AU member states and institutions notably the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) or African Ambassadors accredited to the African Union in Addis Ababa, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Election Management Bodies (EMBs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) from across the continent. Staff from the African Union Commission (AUC) and PAP provided support to the Mission.

The goal of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM) is to make an independent, objective and impartial assessment of the electoral process and offer recommendations for improved management of elections in Nigeria. The Mission conducts its observation activities in accordance with key international normative frameworks such as the 2002 OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa; the 2007 African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance; the 2002 African Union Guidelines for Election Observation and Monitoring Missions; and the 2005 Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. The AUEOM’s observation is further guided by the national laws.

Since its deployment, the AUEOM has met with a broad range of electoral stakeholders, including INEC, political parties and

candidates, civil society representatives, security agencies, the media, academics, and other international observer groups to assess the political environment and the state of preparedness for the elections. On Election Day, the Mission observed 122 voting points in 13 States spread across the 6 geopolitical zones in the country.

This preliminary statement offers a succinct summary of the AUEOM’s key observations on the pre-electoral political context, legal framework, election administration, campaign, participation of women, security and media landscape, as well as the voting and counting processes. It is important to note that the electoral process is ongoing.

Therefore, this statement is not an overall and conclusive assessment. The AUEOM will issue a final comprehensive report at the conclusion of the whole process.

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS The 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections were critical for deepening and consolidating Nigeria’s democracy. The Mission observed that the political space has significantly broadened, as evidenced by the high number of registered voters, political parties and candidates who took part in the elections. Despite some reports of electionrelated violence, deaths and intimidation, the overall political climate remained largely peaceful and conducive for the conduct of democratic elections.

Following the 2015 elections, the AUEOM notes that key electoral reforms, including the mandatory use of Smart Card Readers (SCR) and electronic transmission of results, were proposed. However, these proposed amendments were not passed into law.

Nonetheless, the Mission commends the Nigerian Government for the passage of the Not Too Young To Run Act which enhances youth participation and political representation in the 2019 elections by reducing the age limit for the office of the Presidency, National and State Assemblies.

INEC is vested with responsibility to direct and supervise all aspects relating to the conduct of elections and referenda including, constituency delimitation, registration and regulation of political parties, registration of voters, civic and voter education, establishment of polling units, and prosecution of electoral offences.

The AUEOM welcomes the fact that the 2019 elections were internally driven, and largely funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria. This reinforced INEC’s independence. The Mission recognizes the operational and logistical challenges faced by INEC that led to the rescheduling of the original date of the 2019 elections. At the same time, it is concerned by the pattern of consistent postponement of elections which have implications for citizens’ participation.

The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria guarantees the equal participation of citizens in all spheres of public life, including in the electoral process. The AUEOM recognizes efforts

by INEC, civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders to increase participation of women, youth and persons with disability (PWDs) in the electoral process. In particular, its notes that women and youth recorded high number of registered voters – 47.14% for women and 51.1% for youth, which is a notable increase compared to the 2015 elections.

While there was slight increase in the number of women presidential candidates, overall, women’s participation as candidates remains low. For instance, of the 73 presidential candidates, only 3 were women two of whom withdrew their candidature.

Concerning youth, the AUEOM observed that several young people were recruited as candidates and polling staff. This demonstrates a commendable level of youth mobilization for political participation.

The Mission also observed that INEC made efforts to address election-related challenges faced by People with Disabilities (PWDs) with the adoption of a policy and the provision of magnifying glasses to increase their participation in the electoral process.

The AUEOM found that civil society organisations (CSOs) actively participated in

Cont’d on page 13

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

POLITICS

Anxiety, despair, disappointment as Abians voted in presidential, NASS polls

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he February 23, 2019 Presidential and National elections have come and gone, leaving in its trail, tales of woes and disappointment in the memory of Abia electorate.

The electorate turned out in their number to perform their civic duty but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appeared not quite prepared to conduct the election.

The election was generally characterised by late arrival of INEC officials and voting materials which helped to disenfranchise thousands of voters who waited on end. In the end, only less than 400, 000 voters participated in the polls in a state with voter strength of 1.9 million.

In some cases, materials were brought at about 2 p.m when, ironically, voting ought to have ended.

The polls were also threatened by insufficient voting materials. In Ugba Primary School which has more than six polling units, the presidential ballots were not supplied until noon.

There was equally widespread malfunctioning of the almighty card readers which paved way for manual accreditation.

A veteran journalist, John Ndukauba said manual process was used in Unit 004, Olokoro Umuahia as the card reader failed.

Commenting on the exercise, he said: “The widespread failure of INEC in the South East to supply or release adequate electoral materials to polling units calls for investigation.

“In Umuahia, several polling units didn’t have complete electoral materials. In Unit 004 Olokoro there was a shortage of 142 polling papers for the Presidential and Senatorial elections. The centre needed 577 ballot papers but INEC failed to supply all.

“The agents of the parties engaged in protracted negotiation on the next step and they agreed to proceed. But in Umuntu Olokoro, it was a different scenario as one of the agents refused to allow voting to continue, opting for the return of the electoral materials to INEC. “So in effect no voting took place in Umuntu. Similar situation occurred in Umuchukwu, Amizi and other voting centres non delivery of needed electoral materials to voters.”

He suspected that pilfering of the ballot papers must have occurred at the CBN / INEC headquarters, adding that “INEC ought to explain this dismal performance. Voting didn’t take place for example at Amaeke Ibeku because INEC officials didn’t arrive.”

Similar scenario may have played out in Aba North and Aba South Federal Constituency, where elections were yet to be concluded as at Press time, same with Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo federal constituency and Abia South Senatorial election.

Generally, the polls were violence-free but its outcome would certainly be subjects of litigations. This may arise from non-conduct of elections, cancellation of votes in some places and or disenfranchising voters.

Already, those who failed are rejecting the results as announced by INEC. For example, no sooner had the Returning Officer for Abia North Senatorial election, Dr. Charles Anumudu, announced the result in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, than his opponent, Mao Ohuabunwa, the incumbent senator, cried foul.

Mao Ohuabunwa vehemently kicked against the result, saying that contrary to reports, the election was inconclusive.

He told journalists in Umuahia, the state capital, that it was wrong for Orji Uzor Kalu “to have gone to town proclaiming that he won the senatorial election.”

From Umuahia, BONIFACE OKORO writes on the tension-soaked moments that heralded voting in the presidential/National Assembly election on saturday, February 23, 2019.

•Election in progress

•Voters queue to cast their votes According to him, the Returning Officer merely announced the result and did not declare anybody as having been “returned” elected since the poll was inconclusive.

The Abia North senator pointed out that 38,526 votes were cancelled or rejected after the votes had already been collated and announced at the polling units.

He said that the cancelled votes came from 22 polling units in Nkporo and 72 polling units in Arochukwu, his (Ohuabunwa’s) local government.

From the result announced after the cancellation, Ohuabunwa argued that it was clear that the number of cancelled votes was almost five times the margin of lead, which was 10,400.

He further argued that since the margin of lead between the two leading candidates (Kalu and Ohuabunwa) is not in excess of the total number of registered voters in the

affected polling units, the Returning Officer did not make a return as provided in Sections 26 and 56 of Electoral Act. He, therefore, called on INEC to conduct election in the affected polling units and then announce appropriate results to avert “setting Abia North on fire.”

But INEC in Abia, through it Public Relations Officer, Bamidele Oyetunji, dismissed Ohuabunwa’ s claims, insisting that the result of Abia North Senatorial election was properly announced.

On its part, the APC is not happy with the outcome of the polls, saying that its candidates were Shortchanged in Abia South and Central, except in Abia North where its candidate won the senatorial contes as well as that of the House of Representatives.

“The will of the people was shortchanged in Abia South and Abia Central senatorial zones but necessary steps will

be taken to correct the anomalies perpetrated by the PDP in the stated zones,” the State Secretary of APC, Perfect Okorie, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Other parties which took part in the contest are yet to give their verdict on the conduct of the polls.

As the people will troop out once again to cast their ballot for their preferred candidates in the governorship and House of Assembly elections, INEC should as a matter of urgency and sense of responsibility and commitment to sustaining the Nigerian project, squarely address the logistic problems that marred the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The electoral umpire also has huge task in making collation of result more transparent in order to sustain the waning confidence of the electorate n Nigeria’s electoral process.

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POLITICS

Views from Abroad: International Election Observation Cont’d on page 12

the electoral process through observation and dissemination of voter information. The most prominent CSOs involved in the elections included YIAGA AFRICA, which fielded several thousands of domestic observers across the country before and during the elections; the Women Situation Room (WSR) and the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).

The active involvement of these organisations helped to raise awareness among voters and reinforced the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.

The AUEOM observed limited political campaign activities during the extended one-week period and these were largely peaceful. It also gathered from stakeholder consultations that earlier campaigns were generally violence-free. Political parties and candidates exercised their fundamental rights of association, free speech and assembly without significant restrictions.

However, there were reports of the use of inflammatory language and intimidation of political opponents during the campaign period.

The 2019 elections took place in a generally peaceful environment. Nevertheless, certain parts of the country, particularly in the North East, South-South and Middle Belt regions, faced security challenges. On election day, there were reports of bomb blasts and violence in some regions. The Mission notes the destruction of election materials including over four thousand Smart Card Readers, ballot boxes, and voter registers and fire incidents at INEC warehouses in Plateau and Anambra States impacted on the timely conduct of the elections. It further notes that the collaborative relationship between INEC and the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) contributed to the generally peaceful elections.

The media played a critical role during the election as a platform for candidates to communicate their political agendas and educate the electorate. The AUEOM notes that the media in Nigeria is diverse and largely accessible. However, the misuse of social media in propagating misinformation about the electoral process and the contestants has implications for the country’s democracy, peace and stability.

ELECTION DAY OBSERVATIONS: On Election Day, the AUEOM deployed 50 observers to 122 voting points in 13 states representing the 6 geopolitical regions. Below is a summary of the Mission’s observations on the opening, voting, closing and counting processes: Opening: The AUEOM observed opening procedures at 16 voting points in rural and urban areas. All (100%) of the voting points observed opened late. The average delay was over an hour. The reasons for the delayed opening were late arrival of polling officials and election materials as well as poor preparation of voting points.

More than a half of the AU observer teams reported lack of essential election materials in the voting points observed as follows: Ballot Boxes (25%), Polling booths (25%), Ballot Papers (25%), Copy of voter register (25%), Envelopes (25%), Indelible ink- marker pen (25%), Polling station journal (25%), Forms (25%), Seals (25%), Stamps (75%), and Smart Card Readers (25%).

Despite these challenges, all observers reported that the environment outside the polling units was peaceful, even though some polling units were overcrowded and congested.

Generally, polling staff did not demonstrate sufficient knowledge and competence in application of the opening procedures.

Thirteen (13) of the sixteen (16) voting points observed were not accessible to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) due to their placement in uneven ground.

•Mahmood Yakubu: INEC Chairman Party agents were present and performed their duties without restriction. Similarly, the presence of security personnel outside the polling units was observed and their performance was non-intrusive.

Voting: Although opening was delayed, voting took place in a relatively peaceful environment. However, there were reports of incidents of violence and snatching of ballot materials at some polling units.

The AUEOM observed that voters exercised their right to vote without systematic restriction. The secrecy of the vote was guaranteed in 85.4% of the voting points observed. Where it was not guaranteed it was mainly due to overcrowding.

Over ninety percent of voting points observed were laid out in a manner that allowed for easy flow of voters. Ballot boxes were placed in public view.

Observers reported that the polling procedures such as verification, authentication and accreditation of voters were adhered to in 98.4% of the voting points observed.

In 7.3% of the voting points observed, the process was stopped due to malfunctioning of the smart card readers and insufficient materials.

In 91.1% of the voting points observed, priority was given to persons with disability, the aged, expectant and nursing mothers. The AUEOM notes that assistance was given to persons unable to vote. While the procedures require that such assistance be provided by a person chosen by the voter other than polling staff, party agents or security personnel, in the majority of the cases the voters were aided by polling officials.

The AUEOM observed a commendable representation of women as polling staff (50%), citizen observers (45%) and party agents (12%).

Closing and Counting: Thirty eight percent (38%) of the voting points observed did not close at 2pm due to late opening. Voters on the queue at closing time were allowed to vote.

The closing and counting procedures were adhered to in over 80% of the voting points observed. Where they were not observed, it was mainly due to inconsistencies in determining valid or invalid votes, and failure to publicly post the result forms at the polling units.

The AUEOM observed overcrowding and interference by voters and party agents during the counting process. This situation amounts to a violation of INEC’s rules and regulations, creates tension and undue influence on the results.

Despite the challenges noted above, Election Day operations were administered

in a manner that allowed the free expression of the will of the voters.

Conclusion The 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections provided an opportunity for the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria. The AUEOM observed that the political space has broadened as evidenced by the high number of political parties and candidates that took part in the elections. Furthermore, the Mission is impressed by the patience and resilience demonstrated by Nigerians during the elections. Overall, the process was largely peaceful and orderly and in conformity with Nigeria’s legal framework.

Recommendations In the spirit of cooperation and solidarity, the Mission recommends the following: Political parties and candidates are urged to uphold the commitment to peaceful elections and resolution of disputes in keeping with the two peace accords signed in December 2018 and February 2019. They are further urged to call on their supporters to remain calm and peaceful and refrain from any action that might incite post-election violence.

In case of any grievances over the election results, political parties and candidates are encouraged to use the legal instruments at their disposal to seek redress.

While congratulating INEC for being open and cooperative with electoral observers, the Mission urged INEC to expeditiously and transparently collate and announce the results of the Presidential and National Assembly elections as provided for by law.

Calls on INEC to continue to improve election management to address the consistent postponement of elections through proper planning and execution of election logistics and operations.

INEC should strengthen the capacity of polling staff through training on assisting voters, counting and other electoral procedures.

Political parties and young people should leverage the opportunity created by the Not Too Young To Run Act to increase political participation and representation.

Calls on Nigerians and all stakeholders to act responsibly in the use of social media and refrain from spreading false information on the elections.

NDI/IRI Election Observation Mission The joint international observation mission of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) releases its preliminary statement on the Nigerian presidential and National Assembly elections, which took place on Saturday, February 23. The preliminary statement

builds on the findings of the joint NDI/IRI pre-election assessments conducted in July, September and December 2018.

The mission was co-led by: former Vice President of The Gambia, H.E. Fatoumata Tambajang; NDI President, Ambassador Derek Mitchell; and IRI President, Dr. Daniel Twining. The leadership originally also included former President of Botswana, H.E. Festus Mogae; former President of Latvia, H.E. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga; former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson; and IRI Vice Chairman Randy Scheunemann, all of whom arrived on February 12 in anticipation of the February 16 election.

The 40 member international delegation, which was deployed to all six geopolitical zones of the country, included political and civic leaders, election experts and regional specialists from 19 countries across Africa, Europe and North America.

“These elections are extremely important for Nigeria and the subregion. Our presence as observers is a mark of our solidarity with the people of Nigeria as they work to deepen their democracy,” stated H.E. Fatoumata Tambajang, former Vice President of The Gambia.

“The resilience and strong dedication to democracy of the Nigerian people was inspiring to observe. Despite the country’s many challenges, the international community should continue to invest in Nigeria’s democratic promise,” said Ambassador Derek Mitchell, President of NDI. In its preliminary statement, the joint mission seeks to reflect the international community’s interest in and support for democratic electoral processes in Nigeria; provide an accurate and impartial report on the election process to date; and offer actionable recommendations to the improve future elections.

“IRI and NDI have worked to support Nigerian democracy and observed every general election since 1999. We congratulate the Nigerian people for their commitment to democracy -- despite the election postponement and election day delays that risked disenfranchising voters,” said Dr. Daniel Twining, President of IRI. The mission notes that Nigeria has achieved significant democratic gains over the past two decades since the return to civilian rule, including in managing elections.

High levels of citizen engagement in supporting inclusive and credible polls through voter education and election monitoring demonstrate the strong commitment of Nigerians to their democracy. However, the last minute postponement of the election by INEC and significant delays in the opening of polling units undermined citizen confidence in the electoral process and disenfranchised voters. Last minute election postponements should not become the norm in Nigeria. Also, the mission urges political parties to ensure more inclusion of women, youth, and other marginalized groups and promote peaceful conduct by their supporters.

The statement provides actionable short term (before the gubernatorial elections), midterm and long term recommendations for Nigerian stakeholders to improve the overall electoral process in Nigeria.

The IRI/NDI mission stresses that this statement is preliminary in nature. With elections postponed in parts of three states, the tabulation and announcement of final results have not been completed. As this process continues, the mission calls on Nigerian political parties and candidates to cooperate in good faith with INEC; political leaders to adhere fully to the 2019 Abuja Accord and respect the will of the Nigerian people as expressed through the ballot box; and for INEC to release official results in a timely manner.

The mission recognizes that, ultimately, it is the people of Nigeria who will determine the credibility of these elections. NDI and IRI will continue to watch the remaining phases of the electoral process, including the announcement of official results and swearing in of newly elected officials

14

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

POLITICS

Rough, acrimonious road to presidential/NASS election in Rivers • How Wike released 18 luxury buses to convey voters to their communities without charge •INEC distributed sensitive materials from CBN to 23.LG’s on Thursday • Army pledged unflinching resolve to protect lives and property

I

n Rivers State, the presidential and National Assembly elections were preceded by accusations and counter accusations by the two leading political parties: the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Nyesom Wike, had in a state broadcast, on Thursday, February 21, accused the Nigerian Army and the Political of working in concert with the APC to manipulate the elections in favour of the APC. He alleged that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Major-General Jamir Sarham, and the Commander of the Federal - Special Anti-robbery Squad (FSARS), Assistant Commissioner of Police, Akin Fakorede, were working with the APCled federal government to the the detriment of the PDP. Wike, who asked both security chiefs to excuse themselves from the electoral duties, informed international observers that both officers should be held responsible should there be violence in the state during the rescheduled elections, on Saturday, February 23.

The governor stated: “We, therefore, condemn the provocative and unprofessional conduct of Maj-Gen Jamir Sarham and Victor Akin Fakorede in Rivers State and plead with the international community to hold both officers responsible for any electoral related violence in Rivers State during the elections.”

“I call on President Mohammadu Buhari to prevail on heads of agencies in the state to instruct their officers and men to be apolitical during the elections. I call on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Burutai and the Inspector-General of Police, Abubakar Adamu, to excuse both officers from election duties in the state.”

Governor Wike told journalists, at government house, on Thursday, February 21, that the GOC of the 6 Division, is allegedly planning to arrest 10 local government chairmen on Friday, February 22, on the eve of the election, in a bid to scuttle the election. He further alleged that “the intention of the GOC 6 Division is to generate violence and insecurity through undue provocation of the people.”

However, the Nigerian Army has always maintained that all its personnel will remain neutral in the discharge of its professional duties in maintaining peace and social order throughout the general elections.

To facilitate the transportation of eligible voters who may have traveled last week and came back disappointed since they couldn’t vote, following the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections by INEC, Governor Wike approved that 18 luxury buses be made available to convey voters to their communities free of charge.

The buses were to convey them to their communities on Friday, February 21, and bring them back to Port Harcourt after the elections. He maintained: “To ease transport difficulties, the buses will convey voters irrespective of political affiliation to their communities free of charge to enable them perform their civic duties.”

The relationship between the Rivers State government soured on Saturday, February 16, when the presidential and National As-

•wike sembly election were, originally, scheduled to hold. On Sunday, February 17, the headquarters 6 Division of Nigerian Army (NA) issued an vexatious, terse statement giving a 72 hours ultimatum to the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah,who is also the Director of Information and Communication of Rivers State chapter of PDP Campaign Council, to retract and apologise to it over alleged false accusation or face legal action.

Colonel Aminu Illiyasu, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, in the statement accused Okah of lying against the Commander 6 Division, Military Intelligence, Brig General Nasiru Najaja over allegations that the senior Army Officer was prevented by vigilant PDP members from tampering with INEC sensitive materials at the Central Bank warehouse in Port Harcourt.

The Army stated: “In the most bazaar and slanderous statement, Emma Okah, criminally and frivolously accused the person of a respected professional (Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja) the Commander, 6 Military Intelligence Brigade to the effect that the senior officer was prevented access to the Port Harcourt CBN premises by some so called PDP members who stopped him from tampering with sensitive electoral materials.

“Okah further went ahead to brazenly accuse the institution of the 6 Division for planning to rig the election in favour of another political party.” The 6 Division of Nigerian Army clarified that “For the avoidance of doubt, as part of the NA’s constitutional responsibility of aiding civil authority and our mandate to safeguarding Key Points and Vulnerable Points of our dear nation, troops of 6 Division NA were accordingly deployed and further reinforced at various locations including the CBN Port Harcourt where INEC deposit sensitive materials before, during and after elections.”

The statement explained: “Brig Gen Najaja as the coordinator of all deployments was at the CBN Port Harcourt and other locations to assess the level of troops deployment and alertness. This deployment must have thwarted Mr Okah’s sinister plans and

•Burutai •Amaechi that of his pay masters thereby making built trucks were accompanied by INEC offisuch frustrating statements.” cials and armed Policemen. The Rivers State The Army warned Emma Okah and his Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), party to restrict their politicking to them- Obo Effanga, explained that the sensitive selves and avoid dragging the respected material’s were kept in the CBN warehouse institution of the Nigerian Army and its per- because it’s offices could not accommosonnel for cheap popularity. date the volume of materials for the 2019 The 6 Division maintained that the Ni- general elections. gerian Army has over time reiterated and He assured: “We have no problem with genuinely demonstrated its neutrality and security because we already have security apolitical posture and will continue to play on ground at each of the local government its constitutional mandates responsively areas. The security that is escorting the maand professionally despite the distractions. terials will complement the security that is “Additionally, the Division wishes to cat- already on ground at the local government egorically demand an unreserved apology areas.” and withdrawal of the slanderous stateAs early as 6.pm, INEC ad-hoc staff that ment by Emma Okah against the NA and will man the polling booths, were being esthe person of Brig Gen Nasiru Najaja within corted by security personnel to the units 72 Hours of this publication failure of which they have been enlisted to serve. But up to will lead to institution of a legal proceed- 11. am, voting materials were still being disings.” tributed in most of the polling units in RivThe statement added: “The General Of- ers State. ficer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division/ Land Elections in Bonny and Akuku-Toru local Component Commander (LCC) JTF OPDS governments were cancelled by INEC due Maj Gen Jamil Sarham reassures the good to electoral violence and late arrival of elecpeople of Rivers State and indeed the Niger toral materials. In Andoni local government Delta region of the Division’s unflinching re- area where the National Chairman of the solve to protection of lives and properties PDP, Uche Seconds comes from, electoral in conjunction with other security agencies materials arrived at about 3. 35 pm. The for a conducive atmosphere in the entire national chairman of the PDP voted at 4. region.”

27 pm. The former Deputy Governor of RivHowever, in the afternoon of Thursday, ers State, Engr. Tele Ikuru, voted at about 4.

February 21, the Army, Police and detach- 40. pm, in ward one, where Secondus, also ment of other security agencies were those voted. that watched over sensitive materials that On Sunday, February 24, soldiers put were kept at the warehouse of the CBN, Abonnema in a lockdown. The residence of along Bank Road off Azikiwe Road, beside suspected hoodlums were raided. About 17 the Central Post Office, in Port Harcourt. young men were arrested and taken into The Army and Police dutifully ensured custody, following the widespread violence that all sensitive materials meant for the that rocked the riverine community on elecpresidential and National Assembly elec- tion day, leading to the death of seven pertion remained sealed. The sensitive mate- sons including an Army lieutenant. rials were distributed by officials of the InNobody was allowed to leave or enter the dependent National Electoral Commission ancient Kalabari town. The Nigerian Navy (INEC) to each of the 23 local government blocked all riverine entry and exit points areas, in the presence of Representatives with gunboats. As at 12 noon, Sunday, the of political parties, journalists, national and three major collation centres of Port Harforeign observers. court, Bori and Ahoada were busy with huThe sensitive materials which where tak- man traffic. Security presence was visible en out of the premises of the CBN in light heavy, too.

15

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS ANALYSIS

Why Atiku was defeated

For majority of the Igbo both at home and in the diaspora, as well as many others like them, who supported the candidature of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Peter Obi, that was a very big loss, a bitter pill very difficult to swallow.

By DONS EZE

B

ut what went really wrong? Why was Atiku Abubakar defeated?

Naturally, every accusing finger would be pointing towards the direction of the electoral umpire, that is, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as well as some other agencies of the federal government like the police, the army and other security forces.

But watching and listening to various news and commentaries about the ongoing election exercise, apart from the reported cases of electoral malpractices like ballot box snatching, illegal thumb printing of ballot papers, alteration of election results figures, etc., we would be tempted to advert our minds elsewhere, to a serious issue, which we believe had contributed to the defeat of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

Rightly or wrongly, we have observed that supporters of Atiku Abubakar don’t vote. They may be very vocal, great in Facebook, but they don’t have electoral value. This could be seen from the huge gap in voters’ turnout between those from the northern part of the country, particularly the core north, and their counterparts from the south.

From the figures already released by INEC, while people in the core north had turned out in their numbers to register during the voters’ registration exercise and equally had turned out massively to vote during last Saturday’s election, their counterparts in the south not only had showed apathy during the registration of voters’ exercise, but equally had hardly come out to vote during that election.

And from the results of that election, we have seen that while most people from the core north had supported Buhari, majority of those from the south were in support of Atiku.

For instance, while the average percentage of voter turnout in most states of the core the north was above 50%, in the south, the percentage of voter turnout was as low as 18% in some states, and this was where Atiku Abubakar had his support base. Let’s take some few samples.

Kaduna State, according to INEC’s record, has a total of 3,861,033 registered voters. In last Saturday’s election, 1,757,868 voters were accredited to vote.

That was about 50% of registered voters.

The number of people who actually voted in that election was 1,709,005. Those who gave their votes to Buhari were 993,612 people, while 649,612 people voted for Atiku Abubakar.

In Jigawa State, the number of registered voters was 2,104,889. Those accredited to vote in last Saturday’s election were 1,171,801people, which is about 55.6% of registered voters. Those who voted in the election were 1,149,922 people. The state gave Buhari 794,738 votes, while Atiku got 289,895 votes.

In Yobe, 1,365,913 were registered vot-

ers, 601,059 wete accredited to vote last Saturday, and 586,137 people actually voted. This is a Boko Haram infested state where everybody is living in fear. In last Saturday’s election, the people gave Buhari got 497,137 votes, while Atiku Abubakar got only 50,763 votes.

Conversely, in Enugu State, the total number of registered voters was 1,944,016, while only 452,765 came out for accreditation, which is less than 23.2% of registered voters. Those who actually voted in last Saturday’s election were 451,063. Buhari got 54,433 votes, and Atiku 355,553 votes.

In Anambra State, 2,389,332 were the number of registered voters, while 675,273 voters were accredited for last Saturday’s election, which is about 28%.

Those who actually voted were 605,734 people. Those who voted for Buhari were 33,298 people, while Atiku got 524,738

votes.

Lagos which has the highest number of registered voters in the country with 6,570,291 voters, had only 1,196,490 people who turned out for accreditation in last Saturday’s election, which translates to only about 18.2%. The number of people who actually voted were 1,024,307.

Those who voted for Buhari were 580,825, while 448,015 people voted for Atiku Abubakar.

This was the general pattern in most states of the south, including and up to the middle belt states – apathy, or low turnout of voters. Some people are worried. Why is it that people from the south hardly come out to exercise their civic responsibility? Why are they always nonchalant in what concerns them? But they will be the people to complain that the government was not doing well. Socrates says that the prize we always pay

when good people fail to participate in government is bad governance. That’s what we have been experiencing in the country ever since.

But some people are beginning to suggest that the so-called massive turnout of voters in the core north as recorded by INEC might have only existed on paper, but not in actuality. That is why in these core north areas of large turnout of voters there was no political violence during that election, but in the south where very few people had turned out to vote, there were political violence, ballot box snatching, tearing and burning of ballot papers, etc.. Surely, there’s more than meets the eye.

DR. EZE, a veteran journalist lives in Enugu. He wrote this article originally for donseze.wordpress.com

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

16

17

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

BU$IN£SS

•Energy •Finance

•Stock

•Insurance

•Aviation

•e-Platform

Polls: Economy awaits new policy direction

•Tourism

Energy

Emission control regulations to drive EVs adoption P20 e-Platform

NCC, ONSA go tough on fake mobile devices

P22

Travel

•President Buhari

•Atiku Abubakar

By SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

A

s Nigeria and global investment community anxiously wait for the outcome of the 2019 results, considerations focus in the new policy direction that will emerge to shape the business environment and probably dictate a different fiscal structure for commercial operations.

Analysts and business consultancy groups across the world have since early January been casting predictions on the likely changes that would accompany the presidential elections, given that the two political parties might have little differences in their positions on how the economy would be run.

Incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Professor Yomi Osinbajo of the All Progressive Congress (APC), are pitched against former political ally, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who has shopped a running mate with robust business background, Mr. Peter Obi. Thus, the APC’s candidates are mainly seen as political beneficiaries with little or no business backgrounds who emerged from public service to grapple with macro-economic dynamics of running state business.

While President Buhari was plucked from secondary school straight into the army infantry from where he rose through the ranks to become a General, Professor

Top ten ranked African countries

RANK

SCORE

Mauritius South Africa Seychelles Morocco Tunisia Botswana Algeria Kenya Egypt Namibia

49 67 74 75 87 90 92 93 94 100

63.7 60.8 58.5 55.6 54.5 55.6 54.5 53.8 53.8 52.7

Osinbajo schooled as a lawyer and become eminent in the profession before being appointed a commissioner in Lagos State.

Thus, the emergence of the pair into the presidency in 2015 was largely interpreted as introduction of bureaucratic systems men who are more experienced in running processes than in evolving practical solution to economic issues on ground.

Within their four years in office, the economy has faltered and fluctuated between recession and recovery. Growth indices have also been oscillating between zero and one percent, and never exceeding 2.0

CBN Exchange Rates FEBRUARY 25, 2019 Currency

Buying(NGN)

Central (NGN) Selling(NGN)

US DOLLAR 305.85 POUNDS STERLING 399.9906 EURO 347.4762 SWISS FRANC 305.9418 YEN 2.7619 CFA 0.5088 WAUA 24.8519 YUAN/RENMINBI 45.7173 DANISH KRONA 46.4318 SDR 424.0223

306.35 400.6445 348.0442 306.4419 2.7664 0.5188 425.5465 45.7925 46.5077 424.7156

306.85 401.2984 348.6123 306.9421 2.7709 0.5288 426.241 45.8677 46.5837 425.4089

percent. On the flip side, inflation, poverty, unemployment and crime rates have galloped in double digit progression.

Economic Recovery and Growth Programme (ERGP) activated in response to growing poverty and worsening unemployment emphasized diversification from crude oil exports, agricultural revolution and ease of doing business. Yet, by end of 2018, Nigeria became the poorest country in the world, local currency value depreciated by over 100 percent, government borrowing went out of control and unemployment figures soared as businesses shrank

and shed staff.

Besides the economic woes that beset the country in the past four years, the nation’s security situation continued to worsen with many civil society organization advancing different figures indicating that over 18,000 people have been killed in the northeast insurgency, nearly 2000 killed in northwest banditry, over 6000 killed in herdsmen attacks in the north central, while nearly 2000 killed in military operations to quell agitations in the southeast.

Thus, President Buhari and Alhaji Atiku are polarized along bureaucratic and business backgrounds respectively, putting investment analysts to work in forecasting possible movements in economic plans and policy directions as the ripples of electoral victory continues to cascade to lower tiers of government.

Spain based analysts, FocusEconomics, declared that “a Buhari victory would likely translate into a continuation of status-quo policy ahead, while Atiku’s business-friendly economic agenda hints at the possibility of a policy shift, particularly in the management of the foreign exchange regime and vital oil industry.”

The Buhari-led APC had received campaign boost from recently-released national accounts data which showed that oil income supported economic growth to a three year height in the last quarter of 2018. The growth claim which came from the

Marriott’s new marketing campaign aims to make bonvoy a thing P26

Insurance

NSIA introduces health insurance product

P28 Equity & Capital Market

NSE form alliance with stakeholders, unveils MF trading platform P30 Money Market

Nigeria records N3.4trn as 2018 budget deficit

P31

•Cont’d on Pg 19

Stock Market Highlights As At 25TH FEBRUARY, 2019

Summary

ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE EQUITY CAP BOND CAP

32,700.12 2,999.00 219,808,655.00 N5,549,958,007.14 N12,194,382,264,689.50 N10,245,991,539,052.60

ETF CAP N6,247,166,847.48 S/N Coy (By Volume) NB DIAMONDBNK ACCESS GUARANTY FCMB

Value(N)

5 Top Gainers

Symbols Last Close NB N80 MOBIL N178 DANGFLOUR N10.05 NASCON N18.25 DANGSUGAR N15

Current Change N83.2 N180 N11.05 N18.9 N15.5

%Change 3.2 4.00% 2 1.12% 1 9.95% 0.65 3.56% 0.5 3.33%

N190 N20 N6.35 N12.3 N8.3

-5 -0.2 -0.05 -0.05 -0.05

5 Top Losers

42,710,040 N3,552,951,606.55 TOTAL 30,796,307 N75,495,803.63 20,706,791 N131,398,963.40 FLOURMILL 19,202,192 N733,882,066.95 ACCESS 15,033,597 N34,413,082.07 PZ FBNH

N195 N20.2 N6.4 N12.35 N8.35

-2.56% -0.99% -0.78% -0.40% -0.60%

18

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

BUSINESS

PwC predicts slow economy growth, rise in unemployment in 2019 Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

P

ROFESSIONAL services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has predicted a possible rise in Nigeria unemployment rate and slow economic growth in 2019.

The predictions are contained in a report titled ‘Nigeria Economic Outlook Top 10 themes for 2019’ that examines Nigeria’s economic prospects in the year.

PwC predicted that Nigeria’s economic recovery hinges on a stable political environment following the elections.

Nigeria’s economy has been rebounding after it fell into recession in 2015. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced that the economy grew by 2.38 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 while there was an annual GDP growth rate of 1.93 per cent in the year.

The auditing firm predicted further growth for the economy after the elections if “uncertain postelection outcomes do not accelerate political tensions.”

Although PwC notes that the uncertainty usually associated with the pre and post-election cycles in the country will dampen the investment climate in the short term.

“Real GDP growth expected to grow slightly to 2.5 percent year on year on moderate improvements in net exports and domestic demand,” according to the report.

The report predicted a rise in the unemployment rate in the country.

NBS released the belated report of

the unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2018. The grim outlook was represented by the jump from 18.8 percent unemployment rate in Q3 2017 to 23.1 per cent in Q3 2018.

PwC predicts that the unemployment rate will “continue to trend upward even as the youth population expands rapidly with more than half of the population under the age of 30.”

PwC estimates that reelection for Buhari will see the oil production fall to 1.7mbpd from the 1.91mbpd recorded in Q4 of 2018 by NBS. The drop in the average daily oil production is due to the OPEC cut on Nigeria’s production quota.

The oil control body instructed its members to reduce oil production beginning in January 2019.

Although a win for Buhari in the 2019 election means there will be policy continuity with all the reform policies intact, PwC predicts the economy will continue its recovery albeit at a slow pace.

The financial advisory firm predicts stability in the average daily oil production if a new government emerges. It predicts a formulation of new policies or potential re-adjustment to existing policy with a focus on deepening the recovery of the economy.

In a possible scenario of heightened political risk, PwC predicts that the accelerated political tension in the wake of the 2019 general elections could hamper policy continuity and the economy.

It noted that such a scenario will “bring about a significant decline in revenues resulting in no growth (zero percent) in 2019.”

•Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON, Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) presenting a replica of closing gong to Mr. Rogers A.I. Nwoke, National President, National Association of Microfinance Bank (NAMB) during a Closing Gong Ceremony to address the grey areas or limitations that Microfinance Banks have in listing on The Nigerian Stock Exchange.

FIRS gets N23b unpaid tax from corporate firms

T

HE Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has generated over N23 billion in unpaid taxes from the recently suspended substitution exercise on corporate bank accounts, marked by the imposition of restriction on the accounts of tax-defaulting organisations.

FIRS Chairman, Babatunde Fowl-

Cordros Milestone Funds listed on the Nigerian bourse

C

ORDROS has listed its Cordros Milestone Funds 2023 and 2028 on the new NSE Mutual Fund Trading Platform. The listings, as well as the launch of the Mutual Fund Trading Platform took place last Friday on the Floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The launch of this new platform marks the beginning of a new era in Nigeria’s Mutual Fund industry as Mutual Funds can now be traded on the Floor of the Stock Exchange.

This means that you can now buy and sell units of both funds(CMF 2023 and CMF 2028) on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Apart from being the first and only target date funds in Nigeria, Cordros Milestone Funds 2023 and 2028 are also the First Target Date Mutual Funds to be listed on the New NSE Trading Platform.

In his address on the floor of the Exchange, the Group Managing Director, Mr Wale Agbeyangi reiterated that the two Milestone Funds were created to help investors save towards predetermined time-based plans.

He also noted that the essence of the listing of the milestone funds is to deepen financial inclusion and increase access to investments for retail investors and further encourage a strong investment culture.

He also had the honour of ringing the closing gong of the NSE alongside the President of the Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria and this came with a commemorative gong.

The listing of our Milestone Funds, strengthens our positioning as a wealth creation and investment management group, constantly creating wealth opportunities for our clients and partners.

er, who spoke in Lagos on Thursday at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Interactive Forum on Tax Matters as guest speaker, said the focus of exercise was 3,000 firms deducting Value Added Tax (VAT) and Withholding Tax (WHT) on behalf of the Federal Government without remitting such. The companies, he said, had no tax identification and therefore could not remit the deducted taxes to government, making them treat such deductions as part of their cash flow.

Fowler stated that the suspension of the exercise for 30 days, announced last weekend, was occasioned by the deluge of corporate taxpayers visiting FIRS offices

to regularize their tax affairs and make payments, a situation that stretched the service administratively, as it could not lift the lien on their accounts as quickly as it wished.

Thus, the FIRS directed banks to lift restrictions on such accounts to allow affected tax companies regularise their tax status within 30 days and begin to make arrangements for the liquidation of their tax liabilities. According to the FIRS chief, the Service’s decision to place lien on accounts of businesses, corporate organisations and partnerships with an annual banking turnover in excess of N1billion, but without tax identification, was announced at a stakeholders’ meeting last September.

FMDQ lists Mixta Real Estate Bonds & Commercial Paper

H

OUSING & Infrastructure development in the nation is taking progressive steps in the right direction, as another corporate, Mixta Real Estate (Nigeria) Plc, taps the debt capital markets (DCM) for funding targeted at this development.

The listing of the Mixta Real Estate Plc N2.96 billion Tranche A and N2.32 billion Tranche B Series 2 Bonds under a N30 billion Debt Issuance Programme and the quotation of the Mixta Real Estate Plc N9.84 billion Series 1 and N2.08 billion Series 2 Commercial Papers under a N15 billion Commercial Paper Issuance Programme, on FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange (FMDQ) is another significant contribution inspiring confidence in the Nigerian markets as housing and infrastructure development progressively takes form.

To commemorate the listing and quotation of the Mixta bonds and CPs, a prestigious Ceremony was held at FMDQ’s business complex, Exchange Place, on Thursday, February 21, 2019, where FMDQ played host to the issuer, Mixta

Plc, represented by the Managing Director, Mr. Kola Ashiru-Balogun, and other representatives of Mixta Plc. Also present at the Ceremony were the sponsor to the bonds and CPs on FMDQ and the Registration Member (Listings & Quotations), FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, and representatives from the Joint Issuing Houses, CardinalStone Partners Limited, Coronation Merchant Bank Limited, FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited and Vetiva Capital Management Limited, as well as the solicitors to the listing, Banwo & Ighodalo, Udo Udoma & Belo Osagie, amongst others.

Ms. Tumi Sekoni, Associate Executive Director, Capital Markets, FMDQ, whilst welcoming the guests gathered to commemorate this commendable feat, congratulated the issuer for the successful issuances. She highlighted that the use of the proceeds of the bonds & CPs would help address the nation’s housing and infrastructure gap in a sustainable manner to deliver prosperity for Nigerians and further deepen the domestic DCM, invariably contributing to Ni-

geria’s development. She further reiterated FMDQ’s commitment to continue to deliver strategic initiatives towards the development of a highly liquid, deep and welldeveloped DCM in Nigeria.

In delivering his special address, Mr. Kola Ashiru-Balogun, commented “these issuances play an important role in implementing our business strategy to develop affordable housing units; our modest contribution to bridging Nigeria’s significant housing deficit. The confidence the Nigerian capital market has in us as demonstrated in these issuances is encouraging; we are more than ever committed in our quest to make strategic partnerships and provide innovative solutions whilst utilising effective long-term financing mechanisms.”

Speaking on behalf of the sponsor to the bonds and CPs, Mr. Kayode Akinkugbe, stated, “we are pleased to have advised Mixta PLC on the issuances of its bonds and CPs. As a full-service investment bank, we have supported Mixta PLC in obtaining bridge finance, advised on the bond and CP is-

suances and security structure, and we leveraged our extensive distribution capability to successfully sell the bonds and CPs. This transaction enables Mixta PLC to finance affordable housing projects and extends the tenor of its debt portfolio. Listing and quoting on the bonds and CPs on FMDQ will provide investors with a transparent and efficient platform for price determination, liquidity and execution of trades.”

Ms. Kaodi Ugoji, Associate Executive Director, Corporate Development, FMDQ, in her closing remarks, applauded the issuer for achieving this landmark. She also commended the sponsor to the issue and Registration Member (Listings & Quotations) of FMDQ for their concerted efforts towards ensuring the success of the issuances. She further reiterated that through consistent collaboration with its stakeholders, FMDQ will not relent on in its efforts to further deepen and effectively position the Nigerian DCM for growth, in support of the realisation of a globally competitive and vibrant economy.

19

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

BUSINESS

Nigeria economy attracts $43bn investments in four years – NBS Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

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OCUMENT of the country’s investment inflows from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that between January 2015 and December 2018, the Nigerian economy attracted a total investment of $43.81billion.

The investment came from three main sources Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) made up of equity and other capital; Portfolio investment which comprised equity, bond and money market instruments; and other investments which were made up of trade credits, loans, currency deposit and other claims.

Further analysis of the report showed that Nigeria’s foreign exchange policy, the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and the economic recession witnessed in 2016 largely shaped capital importation over the period.

For instance, investigations showed that prior to the economic recession of 2015, the level of investment inflows was at an upward trajectory.

The economic was confronted with crisis few months after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari, during this period investment inflow recorded a sharp decline to almost half of the 2014 value of $20.76 billion dropping to $9.65 billion in 2015.

Further analysis of the report revealed that in 2016, the value of

investment inflow remained depressed, decreasing by $4.55 billion from $9.65 billion in 2015 to $5.1 billion.

It, however, noted that a recovery began in 2017, as investors raised their stake by $7.1 billion to $12.2 billion.

In the 2018 fiscal period, the country attracted about $16.81 billion investment, the NBS data showed.

In 2018, the largest amount of investment inflow by type was received through portfolio investment, which accounted for $11.8 billion or 70.20 percent.

This was followed by other investment, which accounted for $3.81 billion or 22.69 percent of total capital, while Foreign Direct Investment had $1.19 billi9n or 7.11 percent of total capital imported in 2018.

In terms of destination, the report stated that the United Kingdom emerged as the top source of capital investment in Nigeria in 2018 with $6 billion. This, it noted, accounted for 35.74 percent of the total capital inflow in 2018.

This was followed by the United States with $3.57 billion; South Africa, $1.15 billion; the United Arab Emirates, $937.19 million; Belgium, $886.08 million; and Singapore, $780.87 million.

Others were Ghana, $626.44 million; Mauritius, $560.87 million; The Netherlands, $373.08 million; and Switzerland, $355.98 million.

•Efiok Efiok, Head, Investment Management Department, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria (SEC); Oscar N. Onyema, OON, Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Chief Patrick Ezeagu, President, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON); Wale Agbeyangi, Group Managing Director/CEO, Cordros Capital; James Ilori, CEO, First City Asset Management; Dayo Obisan, President, Fund Managers Association of Nigeria (FMAN); Hajara Adeola, Managing Director/CEO of Lotus Capital Limited.

Merger: Access, Diamond Mobile Apps to run side-Bby-side

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USTOMERS are at the centre of the Access Bank, Diamond Bank merger to create a leading outfit. Diamond Bank customers will lose nothing under the new arrange-

W.Africa govs laud AfDB on $11.3 bn projects

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OVERNORS representing the African Development Bank (AfDB) in West Africa region have expressed satisfaction with the management of the bank and the initiatives it has taken to address poverty in the continent.

The governors who held a consultative meeting with the management of the bank stated that AfDB was providing solutions to Africa’s development problems.

The governors, according to a

statement from the bank, held consultative meetings with the institution’s President and senior management in Abidjan on Monday, where they took stock of the bank’s accelerated engagement in the region.

The achievements under focus included 370 projects valued at $11.3 billion which the bank is said to have delivered between 2010 and 2017 in the region to change lives.

The ongoing round of meetings forms the second in the annual con-

sultative meetings aimed at sharing views with the governors after the first sets of meetings were initiated

by President Akinwumi Adesina in 2018.

“Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the Governors are much closer to the Bank, and that you are integrally involved in the wider vision and direction, particularly as it pertains to the challenges and needs of your respective regions,” Adesina said in his opening remarks.

risk ahead.

The Oracle Today reports that the continued dependence on the performance of the petroleum sector to measure economic growth shows that the government’s economic diversification programme has not started yielding dividends since its launch in 2016.

Already, Nigeria is featured in the list sub Saharan Africa countries that post the weakest average regional performance on 10 out of the 12 pillars analyzed by the World Economic Forum (WEF), including information communications technology adoption and the human capital pillars of health and skills.

Nigeria is also missing in the list of top 10 African countries captured in the WEF’s latest Global Competitiveness Index even though African countries make up 17 of the bottom 20 nations.

The annual index ranks countries based on 12 pillars based broadly on these factors: an enabling environment, markets, human capital and an innovation ecosystem. Each of the 140 countries is ranked based on their scores out of 100.

While the global median score is 60, the median in sub Saharan Africa is 45.2 and forms the lowest for all the regions analyzed. Nigeria actually ranks 152nd of 157 countries analyzed

and Africa accounts for the entire bottom 10.

This month, Angola and Nigeria were among five of the region’s economies to have their 2019 growth forecasts lowered.

With Buhari’s victory underway amidst cries of foul play, widespread electoral violence and direct allegations of outright figure cooking, it appears that economic plans and policies may not see changes in the immediate to long term.

In a report on the economic outlook on the country, FocusEconomics stated that Nigeria would miss opportunities of economic reforms that would confer the country’s business environment with investment attraction if Buhari is reelected!

“Although, at first glance, the two seem to share much in common, a victory for Abubakar, who has promised to deregulate the foreign exchange market and upend the Central Bank’s governing body, could fundamentally shift monetary policy in Africa’s giant. Moreover, his planned privatization of the stateowned oil company could eventually attract a flurry of investment,” the report published January 20 stated.

“Thus, were Abubakar to win, the possibility arises that economic policy is reoriented going forward,” it added.

Polls: Economy awaits new policy direction

Continued from P 17

National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is however viewed more as a political support as parallel reports indicated strongly that the petroleum sector remained in the doldrums and actually contracted for the third consecutive quarter in Q4, 2018 amid lower oil production and easing global crude prices.

According to FocusEconomics, “available data suggests economic activity remained relatively weak in the final quarter of 2018, following a modest showing in Q3 which was propped up by higher oil production.

The PMI edged down in December and brought the Q4 average below that of Q3’s, signaling waning momentum of business activity towards the end of the year. On the demand side, multi-year high unemployment in Q3 coupled with still-elevated inflationary pressures through year-end likely weighed on private consumption in Q4.”

Continued fall in oil prices and announced oil production cuts by OPEC could dent activity in the petroleum industry, and maintaining existing monetary control policies which allows multiple exchange rates, high lending rates, plus long standing financial control measures despite high inflation poses a key downside

ment.

Access Bank will bring to bear on the deal its commitment to customers, financial inclusion, sustainability, corporate expertise and strong balance sheet. Both banks’ Mobile Apps will run side-by-side until when they become so much alike that their 13 million customers will not bother about their integration.

Globally, business combinations are seen as the surest route to achieving greater impact and giving customers the more values and enhancing profitability for the entities.

The merger deal between Access Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc, which will be concluded in April, presents great benefits to customers especially in the deployment of technology in providing banking services.

Based on the agreement reached by the boards of the two financial institutions, Diamond Bank shareholders would receive a consideration of N3.13 per share, comprising N1 per share in cash and the allotment of two New Access Bank ordinary shares for every seven Diamond Bank ordinary shares held as at the Implementation Date. The offer represents a premium of 260 per cent to the closing market price of N0.87 per share of Diamond Bank on the NSE as of December 13, 2018, the date of the final binding offer. Immediately following completion of the merger, Diamond Bank would be absorbed into Access Bank and it will cease to exist under Nigerian law.

“Together, we will bring the power of banking to millions across Nigeria, focused on speed, service and security. We are determined to ensure that both Access Bank and Diamond Bank customers will experience no distruption to normal banking services while we join forces to create Nigeria and Africa’s largest retail bank by customers. While there may be some changes in due course, we are committed to inform you ahead of time and in a way that is most convenient for you,” both lenders said in an emailed statement.

Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu, had during a media briefing in Lagos gave insight on what the future looks like for both lenders. He said: “ It is a merger of two big banks to meet the needs of customers. We

are going to run the mobile Apps of both banks side-by-side until when they will look alike, and when eventually integrated, customers will not even know. We know that Diamond Bank Mobile App is a market leader and we will leave it that way and same thing applies to the Diamond Extra”.

Continuing, he explained that where there are two close branches of both lenders, the customers will be the ones to determine which one will be closed, based on performance.

“If we have two branches like in Gbagada, Lagos, we will keep both of them open for one or two years.

Then we will see where the customers go. Our customers will decide where they want to go. For us, we believe that the customer is king, and this merger is about giving the customer the best of services and value,” he stated.

Findings also showed that existing Diamondxtra customers have nothing to worry about as the reward scheme is not changing and winners will continue being paid while new winners will continue to emerge.

Infact, with the merger with Access Bank, Diamondxtra will become bigger and better as the scheme will also be opened to Access Bank customers. The merger will create about 13 million mobile customers, 3,100 Automated Teller Machines, over 600 branches and 29 million customers.

Besides, Diamond Bank customers can now enjoy instant borderless banking from any Access Bank branch.

“When they walk into any Access Bank branch and initiate payment in their local currency, the beneficiary will receive an instant direct credit to their account or cash in their local currency. This service is available in all Access Bank subsidiaries – Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zambia and Sierra Leone,” the bank said.

Financial analysts said some other objectives behind mergers of the banks include increasing customer base and expanding into new activities. Another important advantage of merger is that the process reduces competition and eliminates competitors from the banking industry.

20

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

ENERGY

Emission control regulations to drive EVs adoption

•As US hit record EV sales in 2018 Stories by SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

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OOST in the production of electric vehicles will follow expected widespread regulations against continuous use of conventional vehicles propelled by liquid petroleum products and natural gas fired engines.

The development come with increasing popularity of electric vehicles across the industrialized world where automobile technology developers are in competition over early capturing of plum market positions across the globe.

Industry publication InsideEvs reported that sales of electric vehicles, popularly called EVs have continued to improve in the United States where automakers picture as the biggest car market in the world.

The US EV sales climbed to 361,307 in 2018 from 199,826 in 2017, the publication said.leading US EV producer, Tesla, 139,782 Model 3s in 2018, making it the highest selling EV in the US. In the final four months of last year, Tesla sold an average of 20,975 Model 3s per month, the publication reported.

The Oracle Today reports that the European community has fixed 2040 as the deadline for use of petroleum fuels in the automobiles used in the continent while automobile makers are in advanced stages of evolving efficient battery powered engines that would haul heavy axle weight across long distance.

In a report released weekend by S&P Global Ratings, analysts declare that the level of government

support for policies that reduce carbon dioxide emissions to combat climate change and enhance energy security would determine how quickly zero-emission electric vehicles are adopted globally.

While the transition of the global light vehicle fleet from internal-combustion-engine vehicles to that of pure electric vehicles is “still in its early stages,” the report said the adoption of EVs will depend upon government incentives, battery costs, range anxiety and infrastructure suitability.

“We expect the transition to EVs will occur at a faster rate in Asia, followed by Europe and then by the United States,” the credit agency’s report said.

EV sales could reach roughly 10% of global light-vehicle sales by 2025, the analysts said, adding: “How well-positioned traditional automaker and suppliers are to participate in this emerging market will increasingly have credit implications.”

As the global car fleet becomes larger, emission standards for many countries have become stricter and “continue to converge.”

China has regulations that limit average fleet CO2 emissions to 117 grams per kilometer, while the US is at 119 g/km and Europe 95 g/km, all by 2021.

Besides CO2, there are increasing fears of exposure to nitrogen oxides, or NOX, that has “penalized the share of diesel in new sales in Europe,” which, the report said, has accelerated a shift towards gasoline engines and also hybrids. TESLA MAKES LAYOFFS Global sales of plug-in EVs ex-

ceeded 2 million units in 2018, compared with 1.1 million units in 2017. Still, despite vigorous growth, sales of plug-in EVs represented only about 2% of the global total in 2018, according to the report.

Chinese companies made and sold 1.26 million EVs in 2018, up 61.7% when compared with 2017.

China made up 40% of the global EV car fleet in 2017. The Chinese government is targeting EV sales of at least 7% of the domestic market by 2020 and 20% of the domestic market share by 2025.

In the US, EV sales in 2018 totaled 361,307, according to industry publication InsideEvs. 2017’s total was 199,826.

In 2018, Tesla sold 139,782 Model 3s, making it the highest selling EV

Axxela pioneers IMS certification trifecta

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XXELA Limited (“Axxela”), sub-Saharan Africa’s preferred fast-growing gas & power portfolio company, has successfully achieved a trifecta implementation, evaluation, and certification of Integrated Management Systems: ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018.

Underscoring its longstanding commitment to Environmental, Health, Safety and Quality (EHSQ) management, Axxela is the first organisation in the Nigerian oil & gas space to hold all three certifications simultaneously as indicated by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

An Integrated Management System (IMS) collates all of an organisation’s systems and processes in to one holistic framework, enabling it function as a single unit with streamlined objectives.

Speaking on the remarkable accomplishment, Axxela CEO, Bolaji Osunsanya said: “We constantly strive to apply global best practices across all facets of our enterprise to maintain a high standard of quality, occupational health and protection of the environment.

“My commendations go out to the Axxela team for continually pushing the envelope, and as we

advance economic empowerment and industrialisation across the region, these integrated certifications are testament to our collective efficacy as an organisation.”

Axxela’s EHSQ Manager, Uche Okpala also said: “We actively engage SON, the frontline certification body and Nigerian representative of the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), to provide objective assessments of our management systems. Since 2009, our Quality Management System was certified in accordance with the requirements

of ISO 9001:2008.

“This heralded subsequent efforts to consolidate this achievement with certifications in Environmental Management System (ISO 14001:2004) and Occupational Health & Safety (ISO 45001:2018).

In keeping with the maintenance requirements of these standards, we have always maintained our certifications to the latest revisions, culminating in our most recent implementation, transition and certification across the three Integrated Management Systems.”

in the US. In the final four months of last year, Tesla sold an average of 20,975 Model 3s per month.

According to InsideEVs, Tesla sold just 6,500 Model 3s in January. The California-based company announced two Model 3 price cuts in January as well as a 7% employee cutback. CURING RANGE ANXIETY CAN BE COSTLY The high cost of EV batteries remains “a major obstacle to mass adoption” of EV’s, S&P Global Ratings said.

“Although adjusting the chemistry of lithium ion batteries could improve efficiency, the energy density is relatively fixed,” it said.

As demand for EVs increases, the credit ratings agency said it expects to see the cost of battery packs fall due to economies of scale. It said $100/kW is considered a breakthrough price for mass affordability.

“While there may be other tech-

Africa Energy Forum rebrands in 21st year

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NNUAL meeting for decisionmakers in Africa’s energy community has launched new brand identity to better represent core values of innovation, integrity and stakeholder collaboration.

The Africa Energy Forum attracts 2000 attendees annually to discuss the financing and development of energy projects across Africa. The rebrand marks the beginning of a new chapter for the meeting as it enters its 21st year.

NSE lauds NNPC for grooming women

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HE Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for its exemplary role in the advocacy of science and engineering-based education for the girl child through support for the activities of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN).

President Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr. Adekunle Mokuolu, who received visiting Group Managing Director, Engr.

Maikanti Baru, to his office in Abuja disclosed that the corporation was

taking a step that would engender a sound foundation for female engineering professionals in the country.

Responding, Dr. Baru said the corporation shares common goals of championing Nigeria’s march towards strengthening professionalism, capacity development, local content and industrialization.

He noted that the NSE has over the years, continued to play a pivotal role in transforming engineering profession in Nigeria, adding that the corporation would continue to identify with NSE’s resolve to groom

nologies showing signs of promise for better performance (i.e. solid-state batteries), we think any alternate approach would need to have substantial advantages to displace the lithium ion battery as the primary technology for EVs in the near and intermediate term, especially given the level of investment in research and development and manufacturing capacity to date,” it said.

The report notes that for an EV to go farther and reduce range anxiety, more batteries are required.

The standard version of the Model 3 can go up to 220 miles without recharging, the report said, adding: “The enhanced model can go 310 miles, but at an extra cost of approximately $9,000.”

On a full tank, a gasoline-fueled engine vehicle has a range of 300 miles to 400 miles, the report said.

professional engineers as well as promote and entrench engineering excellence in the country.

He explained that this role has become crucial due to the increasing need for sustainable and secured energy mix that would support the nation’s quest for economic prosperity and growth.

Dr. Baru tasked the NSE to find better ways of collaboration with engineering professionals within the oil and gas industry and the academia to evolve solutions to challenges of local capacity development.

Managing Director of the Forum Simon Gosling commented, “With momentum in African energy showing no signs of slowing down, we want to ensure our brand communicates our values to the communities we serve.

“This new brand identity is in keeping with the values that have underpinned the Forum’s development over the last two decades.

What we focus on is straight forward - gathering together the people who make deals happen.

“What we deliver is simple: ‘Energy. In One Place.’ Our new, bolder identity reflects this simplicity, whilst strengthening our position in the market and delivering increased value to our customers.”

The Africa Energy Forum’s mission is to connect decision-makers within the energy sector to drive development of energy projects and electrify the continent faster.

The new logo builds on this theme of connectivity, while the fresher, modern design is in keeping with the forward-thinking and innovative nature of the Forum. 13 African Energy Ministers attended the Forum’s 20th anniversary in Mauritius last June.

21

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

ENERGY

NLNG-7, BSWA part of global investments in 46 Bboe in 2019 Stories by SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

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PERATORS staking funds in energy supplies will drive projects that will unleash as much as 46 billion barrels of oil equivalents in energy terms into the market.

According to Norwegian industry research group, Rystad Energy, stated weekend that industry operators who declared billions of dollars in 2018 profit would haul out investment cash that would push new project sanctions by over 300 percent in the year.

No specific funding estimate was given by the group but The Oracle Today calculates that part of the global project sanctions will happen in Nigeria where four big multinational players including Shell, Total, Eni and ExxonMobil have taken $12 billion investment decision for development of the billion barrel Bonga Southwest and Aparo deepwater field.

Besides, the same set of investors is committed to major gas liquefaction in the country where Nigeria LNG Limited is driving 8.0 million metric tons per annum capacity expansion. The project is driven by a joint venture among Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Shell, Total and Eni. The investors are also funding the Assa North/Ohaji South (ANOS) field development that would target huge volumes of both natural gas and condensate.

Total is also taking investment

decision on operated Ikike field, Porowei and other satellite field development projects offshore Nigeria. The projects form parts of the company’s continued production boost program that has seen three deepwater field developments and major conventional offshore field development.

Researchers at Rystad Energy stated in a report available to The Oracle Today that project approvals for conventional oil and gas projects could almost triple this year in terms of volumes as operators catch up on delayed spending, new LNG projects move forward and Saudi Arabia greenlights major offshore projects, according to.

Excluding spending on shale and tight oil and gas prospects, collective FIDs were expected to unlock more than 46 billion barrels of oil equivalent in 2019, the Norwegian research group said, up from about 16 billion boe in 2018.

The report has it that years of tough capital discipline by operators, lower industry costs and firmer prices are fueling an uptick in upstream spending after billions of dollars in projects were shelved in the wake of the 2014 oil price collapse.

Most of the new planned projects are giant, capital-intensive LNG plants with multi-billion boe developments, such as Mozambique LNG and the Russian Arctic.

LNG expansions in Qatar and Papua New Guinea are also eyeing FIDs, while those for deepwa-

•L-R: Mr. Henry Sanyaolu, Regulatory Liaison Manager, Axxela Limited with Mrs Oluremi Ayeni, Director, Management Systems Certification, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) presenting the ISO 45001:2018 certificate to Mr. Uche Okpala, Environment, Health, Safety, and Quality (EHSQ) Manager, Axxela Limited in Lagos, recently.

ter oil off Brazil, Guyana, and Norway are also on the cards.

“The only supply segment likely to shrink this year is the oil sands, whereas deepwater, offshore shelf and other conventional onshore developments are all poised to show substantial growth,” Rystad upstream research analyst Readul Islam said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia was also expected to approve three major offshore shelf expansion projects that

Operators to spend $36 bn on decommissioning

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LOBAL decommissioning costs are set to hit a record $36 billion over the next 3 years, according to Rystad Energy.

The company projects decommissioning obligations in the global oil and gas sector to come in at an average of about $12 billion per year from 2019 to 2021, with the bulk of the spend stemming from Europe and Asia.

Global decommissioning costs were $11.7 billion in 2018, $5.5 billion in 2017 and $6.9 billion in 2016, according to Rystad Energy.

“2018 was an all-time high, and the next years are set to break this record,” Rystad Energy Partner Audun Martinsen said in a company statement.

“To put this into context, the global oil and gas industry is facing total decommissioning obligations in the magnitude of six Johan Castberg field development projects in the Barents Sea within the next three years,” Martinsen added.

According to a report from Wood Mackenzie (WoodMac) back in July last year, up to $105 billion could be spent on decommissioning worldwide over the next decade.

The report, which stated that WoodMac expects $32 billion to be spent on decommissioning around the world between 2018 and 2022, said the top three

largest decommissioning spenders in the next ten years would be the UK, the United States and Norway, respectively. The report said the UK will spend almost $30 billion on decommissioning in the next 10 years.

According to a report from industry body Oil & Gas UK released in November, the UK is expected to spend $19.5 billion

(GBP 15.3 billion) on decommissioning over the next decade.

“As the decommissioning sector matures, we’re becoming more efficient and our growing expertise is enabling us to plan projects more cost-effectively,” Joe Leask, decommissioning manager at Oil & Gas UK, and author of the report, said in an organization statement at the time.

would collectively account for nearly one-fifth of global FID volumes this year, Islam said.

He said, however, there were downside risks to the FID forecast, noting that potential delays to just a few mega-projects expected in 2019 could significantly affect total volumes approved.

In spite of the expected surge in big FIDs this year, Rystad also cautioned that growth opportunities for the oilfield service sector will

remain limited, given that the actual FID count is only seen growing by 12% on 2018. Almost all the expected FIDs this year are for fields of 25 million boe and above.

Though the project sanctions and funding decisions are expected in the year, delivery time lines may stagger market supplies across years, given that most the deep pocket projects are expected to span across years to commissioning.

Eq.Guinea to join EITI

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N a significant move toward joining the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), Equatorial Guinea received the official backing of the EITI International Secretariat weekend after a decade of efforts.

The endorsement follows earlier moves by Equatorial Guinea to join the initiative, which seeks to address key governance issues of transparency and accountability in the extractive sectors.

Equatorial Guinea made a deci-

sive step toward joining the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) in Oslo, Norway on Friday February 15 2019, receiving the endorsement of the EITI International Secretariat and establishing positive bilateral relations between the two parties.

Having initially applied for membership in the organization in 2008, Equatorial Guinea has since instituted several reforms to take part in the global initiative.

barrels a day -- enough to meet the combined consumption of Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

Hardy said the recent price rally that’s pushed Brent, the global benchmark for light-sweet crude, above $65 a barrel was “fully justified” on supply and demand fundamentals. In contrast, the sell-off from October until late December, when Brent plunged from more than $85 to $50 a barrel was “a bit irrational,” he said.

While Vitol painted a bullish view for the first half of the year, it warned shale supply could turn the market around in the fourth quarter because new pipelines linking the Permian with the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast will allow drillers to boost production. Oil demand growth is the other wild card as the global economy slows down. Vitol is forecasting consumption growth of just 1.1 million barrels a day in 2019, down from 1.5 million barrels a day in 2018.

“There could be a question mark

over market direction by the fourth quarter of this year,” Hardy said.

“There’s a certain amount of pentup production that’s awaiting logistics to allow it to be exported. As the pipelines come on, some of the drilled but uncompleted wells will start to hit. We should have a surge in production related to the pipelines.”

U.S. oil production last week hit an all-time high of 12 million barrels a day, up nearly 2 million barrels a day from a year ago. At the same time, America exported a record 3.6 million barrels a day of crude oil, putting it ahead of every OPEC country barring Saudi Arabia and Iraq, at least on a gross basis.

When U.S. production surges further, OPEC will face a “bit more challenging situation,” Hardy said. But for the time being, the cartel is keeping “supply and demand reasonably tight, so we think that refiners have to reach out for crude oil, and this is not helped by the problems in Iran and Venezuela.”

Vitol predicts higher oil prices over OPEC, Iran

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HE world’s largest energy trader says oil prices are set to rally further as OPEC output cuts and American sanctions on Iran and Venezuela cause a shortage of the low-quality heavy crudes refiners rely on, according to a Bloomberg report.

“From here there’s probably the potential to be a little bit higher,” said Russell Hardy, chief executive officer of Vitol Group. “Oil supply is going to be pretty tight until the third quarter.”

Texas and other shale-rich states are spewing a gusher of high-quality crude feeding a growing glut that’s bending the global oil industry out of shape. Refiners who invested billions to turn a profit from processing cheap low-quality crude are paying unheard of premiums to find the heavy-sour grades they need.

“You have a squeeze on heavy supply probably for the next six months,” Hardy said in a Bloomberg TV interview. “The OPEC decision

has meant there’s less available, the Iranian situation has meant there’s less available, and the Venezuelan situation now is adding to that.”

The heavy-light crude conundrum is turning the oil market’s usual price patterns on their head. The Brent-Dubai exchange of futures for swaps, which reflects the heavylight spread, narrowed to an almost 9-year low earlier this month.

The light-heavy mismatch is good news for OPEC giants like Saudi Arabia and Iraq, who don’t produce much light-sweet, but pump plenty of the dirtier stuff. Car drivers could even benefit, because too much light-sweet crude often leads to too much gasoline, and lower prices. On the flip side, truckers may find themselves short-charged, as refiners prefer heavy-sour crude to make diesel.

While less well known than industry giants like Exxon Mobil Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Vitol is the world’s largest independent oil trader, handling more than 7 million

22

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

e-Platform

NCC, ONSA go tough on fake mobile devices •set up committees to combat trend Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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ORRIED by the recurrent cycle of fraudsters deploying their trade via fake and substandard mobile devices, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and other government agencies, yesterday set up committees to combat the situation.

The two joint committees set up are the Project Steering Committee (PSC), comprising the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), the Federal Ministry of Communications and the NCC; and the Project Delivery Team (PDT) which draws representation from the Federal Ministry of Communications, the ICRC, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the NCC. The committees, with specific terms of references, are to work together to ensure the implementation of Mobile Devices Management Systems (DMS), a Public-Private Partnership project, aimed at combatting the proliferation of fake, counterfeit, substandard and cloned mobile communications devices in the telecommunication industry.

While inaugurating the committees in Abuja, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, said the move was in line with the

mandate of the Commission, as enshrined in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003, to type-approve all devices used in the telecommunications industry and to ensure that all devices used in the telecommunications industry are in line with agreed standards and specifications.

According to him, the principal objective of the proposed DMS project is to “establish a secure and comprehensive single-window solution that will enable the Commission to implement a proven solution in the Nigerian environment that is sustainable and demonstrate value for money in addition helping to address the various concerns that have been raised with the NCC from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in our regular interactions on security matters as it concerns the telecommunications industry.”

He said the increasing cybercrime, evasion of taxes, terrorism and health and safety concerns raised by the use of stolen, counterfeit and substandard devices in Nigeria is a responsibility which the NCC takes seriously.

“In 2015, the NCC organised a stakeholder forum aimed at developing recommendations that could influence decision and policy directions, leading to solutions to combat the issue of counterfeit and substandard Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

...Inaugurates working group on e-Financial Fraud

A

FORTNIGHT after it organised a very successful stakeholders forum on electronic financial fraud, the Management of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, 21st February, 2019, inaugurated an interdepartmental working group to produce the Commission’s position to address the telecom aspects of the

national response to electronic financial frauds in Nigeria.

Mr. Sunday Dare, NCC’s Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, while inaugurating the Group, urged its members to articulate concrete responses to combat the use of telecoms platforms to commit financial frauds.

9mobile set to appreciate subscribers’ loyalty in new promo

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IGERIA’S fourth largest mobile network, 9mobile, has commenced its newly – launched reward scheme, Magic Hour promo, in which millions of customers can win amazing prizes over the next three months.

Beginning from February 11, for the next 90 days, the network would be celebrating and rewarding its customers with amazing prizes such as free airtime, smart phones and cash prizes running into millions of naira as a way of appreciating them for their unwavering loyalty and brand affinity over the past one decade.

The amazing reward scheme which would run for a record 90 days, would see some customers move up the social status ladder as millionaires would emerge in the promo draws holding across key cities in Nigeria.

Prizes up for grabs include the N20 million grand prize for one winner at the end of the promo, and N5 million cash to be won by one lucky customer in each of the three months, at the monthly

draws.

Also, one lucky customer each day would win N250,000 throughout the 90-days promo duration, while five customers would win N50,000 cash each daily for 90 days. Other fantastic prizes are five smartphones per week to be won during the 90-day promo.

Explaining the process of participation, vice president, Marketing, 9mobile, Adebisi Idowu, said all that customers need to do is recharge a minimum of N100 to keep winning. Customers can also text WIN to 88808 to increase their chances of winning.

According to him, Magic Hour was another innovative way of putting a smile on the faces of millions of 9mobile customers, and the telco’s way of saying thank you to them for their loyalty and for keeping faith with the brand.

A few weeks earlier, the telecom company launched the ‘Northern Promo’ exclusively to delight its customers in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Katisna, Taraba and Yobe States.

•NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Professor Danbat in (M) sandwiched by other executive members of the commission

devices in the country. Based on the importance of the project to the NCC, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the ICRC were engaged for a no-objection to advertise for International Competitive Bidding (ICB) process towards the acquisition of an effective DMS solution, adding that the ICRC subsequently recommended the establishment of the two committees to fast-track the process,” he said.

Representative of the Minister of Communications, Chief Adebayo Shittu and Permanent Sec-

retary at the ministry, Mrs. Nkechi Ejele, commended the NCC for the initiative, stressing that she was impressed with the comprehensive and clear terms of reference given to the committees.

“The ministry has no doubt that thorough implementation of the terms of references as reeled out

by Prof. Umar Danbatta in his presentation, will ensure effective delivery of the project aimed at sanitizing the economy of fake devices with their attendant challenges,” she said.

Also, Director, PPP Resource De-

partment of ICRC, Mr. Michael Ohiani, said as the agency in charge of regulatory oversight over all PPP initiatives of government, “The Commission would support the process to ensure transparency of the process and value for money invested on the project.

“The constitution of the PSC and PDT are to ensure that projects are delivered in a sustainable manner and in the overall interest of the country and we would work with all stakeholders in this project to ensure effective implementation,” he said.

AJ’s star power brings Globacom back into sports sponsorship

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T took five years and four months for telecommunications giants, Globacom to sign a new sports brand ambassador when it unveiled unified world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Joshua at the beginning of the month.

The last time the company had a major sports personality as a brand ambassador was Victor Moses in 2013.

Since then, Globacom has eased itself away from sports sponsorship.

Contracts with the Confederation of African Football, the Nigeria Football Federation, the Nigerian national football teams, Manchester United and the Nigeria Professional Football League all ran down without renewals as the company shifted its focus to entertainers, actors, singers and comedians.

The global rise of Joshua, a Briton of Nigerian descent from the town of Sagamu, has propelled Globacom back into the sports market. Joshua’s clean boy image has endeared him to top global brands like Under Armor, Beats by Dre, British Airways and Lucozade.

Little wonder that Globacom decided to tap into his brand and fierce pride for Nigeria with a one-minute commercial where the boxer talks about his roots and his success in the ring.

Like the typical rags to riches story, Joshua claimed to have reached the top of his sport by being tenacious despite all the “hard knocks” that life has thrown at him. “I can’t carry these heavyweight titles by myself, there’s always got to be someone in my corner.

That’s why I believe in Glo. We have

that same tenacity, that Nigerian fighting spirit that makes us game changers,” Joshua said in the commercial. “You have to think deep to be a world champion. We Nigerians, yeah we know all about that,” he concluded.

The fact that Globacom has chosen to tap into the Joshua magnetism could mean many things. Since becoming a global sensation after his victory over Vladimir Klitschko in front of 90,000 people at Wembley Stadium in 2017, the 29-year-old has not hidden his love for his roots. But he has not visited Nigeria despite visits to Jamaica and Dubai as he has kept his sights on greater glory by working to unite the heavyweight division as the undisputed world heavyweight champion.

Joshua continues to be a magnet for brands that see him as a very approachable and marketable superstar.

The 29-year-old is well-spoken, respectful (he visited Alexander Povetkin in his dressing room and bowed his head in respect after his technical knockout of the hard-hitting Russian in March 2018), good looking and could be on his way to breaking into the billion dollars earnings mark according to The Drum.

He has sold out more than 300,000 tickets during his last four fights at the Wembley and Principality stadiums.

He was ranked the most marketable athlete in the world in 2017 by SportsPro and finished number two in 2018 (behind Manchester United’s Paul Pogba).

He has cultivated his well-oiled image painstakingly, making use of social media to engage his 13.2m fol-

lowers and sharing beautiful behindthe-scenes look at his life off the court.

His YouTube channel is also growing as he curates top HD videos of his prematch activities.

In short, AJ is a cutting-edge brand.

His well-chosen appearances, his brilliant social content all show he knows what he is doing.

First off, Joshua will defend his four titles against undefeated US boxer Jarrell Miller at the Madison Square Garden on June 1st.

It is a fight that has already broken pre-sale records at the MSG for a boxing fight. And with Miller shoving and bad-mouthing AJ at the first press conference this week, it is setting itself up to be a glamorous affair.

How will Glo make use of this fight to promote its partnership? Would we be seeing Joshua on a visit to Nigeria in the near future supported by his partners?

Is this a sign that Glo would be taking a closer look at sports in Nigeria and bringing its financial muscle to sponsor young boxers and boxing events? It is not enough to put in billions into a partnership with an already established athlete, in what ways will the company impact the domestic sports community from where its profits come? Globacom must commit to helping develop Nigerian sport by committing some of its profit into grassroots initiatives that can help us find the next Anthony Joshua from the Sagamu hinterlands.

Otherwise, young Nigerian sports people will continue to feel that there is no place for their dreams in this land. Globacom needs to become a game changer in domestic sports.

23

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

e-Platform

Glo social media competition excites youths

Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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IGERIAN telecommunication multinational, Globacom Nigeria Limited has introduced online talent competition, #GLOIN60SECONDS aimed at giving thousands of Nigerian youths exhibit their talents the social media.

The telecom giant gave details about the competition in a statement by its Corporate Communication Office yesterday, noting that a good number of Nigerian youths were thrilled by the prospect of the competition.

The statement said Nigerian youths “have gone buzzing on the social media platforms, uploading exciting videos that can earn them a slot in the finals of the competition.

“Following the presentations of cash prizes to several batches of winners in the competition, a lot of videos, ranging from drama skits to dancing, comedy, poetry, singing and other creative activities have been uploaded by thousands of youths vying to win either the N1 million grand prize or the five consolation prizes of N200,000 each.

“The competition offers participants the opportunity to upload a one-minute video of themselves showcasing their talents on their social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #GLOIN60SECONDS. The video could be on music, dance, comedy, poetry or any other creative ability.”

The statement added that seven lucky contestants with the highest video likes “are selected every week and rewarded with a sum of N50,000 cash in the challenge which started on December 10, 2018.

“Winners of weeks one to five had been presented with their cheques in Gloworld outlets across the country, while winners of the week six, seven and eight will be presented with their cheques on today (Wednesday), February 27.

“The presentation was made ahead of the grand finale, in which 30 top rated videos from all three categories will be selected to contest for voting for the period of one week and after which the cheque of N1 million, grand prize and five N200,000 consolation prizes will be presented to the lucky winners.”

Sharing his experience about the competition, a 200-level student of Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Akinmolarin Bolarinwa, who uploaded a drama skit on his Twitter account, expressed optimism that he would win in the final of the competition.

“I have read about those who have won in the competition and have also seen photographs of those who collected their cheques and I have confidence that my drama video will qualify to win in the next draw.”

Testimonies by previous winners showed that since they emerged winners in the competition, a lot of attention had been drawn to their

•Sola Mogaji, senior manager, Marketing Communications, Globacom - Olumide Iyanda, Publisher, qed.ng Bisi Koleosho, deputy chief operating officer (Technical), Globacom, and Mayor Akinpelu, Publisher of Globacom Excellence magazine.

social media accounts and they have been encouraged to follow their passions.

For instance, a professional dance artiste, Oreoluwa Oladapo, who had earlier collected his cash prize said that the #GLOIN60SECONDS had increased his followers on Instagram, saying his creativity had also gone up because you have to be creative to realise your dream. This is the best platform for youths at the moment”.

Similarly, a graduate of Botany from Ahmadu Bello University and a dancer, Mukta Anthony said winning in the#GLOIN60SECONDS challenge “is a big boost to me and I am particularly happy to be a winner. Glo gives back to its subscribers and I will continue to preach the Glo gospel to my friends and relations.”

The winners in the finals are expected to be announced in the next fortnight.

We need to bring back culture of sharing, giving during Festive period – MTN COO

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IGERIA’S telecommunication giants, MTN has declared the need to bring back the culture of sharing and giving during Festive period. This declaration was made by the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mazen Mroue during an interview after the MTN Season of Surprises campaign.

According to him, the telecommunication giants visited 31 out the 36 states of the Federation in 2018 giving various gifts to subscribers not minding the network they subscribe to.

In his words: “As we know, the Yuletide season is a time synonymous with sharing and giving, and we took this as an opportunity to spread the love and kindness through the act of giving. Season of Surprises is a plethora of surprising activities hinged on giving back to not just MTN customers but everybody.

“We saw the impact which resulted in the 277,718 lives touched in the 2017 edition. We put lasting smiles on people’s faces, and even going into 2018, there were ongoing positive conversations regarding the recently concluded Season of Surprise. It was just unbelievable to Nigerians that a brand like MTN will give without expecting anything in return from people.

“Therefore, it was crucial to take it a notch higher in 2018, in order to continue the chain of giving commenced in 2017. In every location visited during Season of Surprises, we ensured there was no transaction, we didn’t say bring N10 or make this number of calls on you MTN lines and get this, it was solely hinged on just giving back to Nigerians nationwide.

“What people fail to realize is that giving back should be irrespective of

your social status. We had gifts catered for all social economic classes, all geo-political regions, and all types of settlements. The primary goal was to give back to Nigerians as a whole.

Regardless of your social status or standing, giving back transcends that. For example, we visited and gave back to communities in three (3) IDP camps, within Benue and Abuja, and I can say those are the most vulnerable set of people in the country at the moment; however, we also visited bus parks and airports to put smiles on the faces of travellers.

“When it comes to giving people always believe that you give to the less privileged that is the thought line. If I want to give people will think I want to give to the less privileged.

However, we say giving transcends wherever you belong to in the social status. No matter what your social status is, whether you are upper class, whether you are in the middle class, whether you are one of the less privileged giving transcends that.

“What we did, for example, we were in two IDP camps in Abuja and Benue and I can say those are the most vulnerable set of people we have in the country right now.

Speaking further he said: “In 2018 Season of Surprises edition, we carried out different impactful activities in 31 states plus the FCT pan Nigeria, in which we successfully touched 325,491 lives compared to the 277,718 lives touched in 2017.

“We visited more than 90 communities within the 31 states and the FCT, which made up of 17 States in the South, 14 States in the North plus the FCT. However, due to security challenges, we were unable to carry out activities in the remainder 5 states.

“Part of our 2018 activities included our Supermarket surprise and delight in 50 Supermarkets pan Nigeria, where gave out N8, 000 worth of shopping vouchers. These vouchers were given to customers irrespective of if they were an MTN Customer or not.

“We also visited up to 10 public primary schools, in which every single student was given an amazing quality and sturdy school bag stuffed with educational items in anticipation of the new term in January. “We are extremely happy knowing that 7500 student lives were made better and happier by MTN,” he explained.

Continuing he further explained that higher institutions were not left out in the campaign of season of surprises: “Of course, the tertiary institutions were not left out; we gave back to students in 6 tertiary institutions pan Nigeria.

“Although, not the usual well known Universities, but Colleges of Education such as Schools of Nursing, and Technical Colleges, which are often overlooked by major brands. Hence, the deliberate decision to visit such schools like, Emmanuel Alayande College of Education in Oyo State, Enugu State College of Education etc.

“We were in schools up North; we also handed out gifts in the school of nursing in Kano. As you know, Transportation is quite synonymous with the festive period. We decided in 2017 to leverage the transportation hubs by paying for transport fares of people travelling home for the Yuletide.

“This was a huge success and even taken up a notch higher in 2018. In 2017, We were at the parks in Jibowu, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, Utako, Abuja, and we also paid for the train fares

of people that travelled from Abuja to Kaduna between Dec 22nd and December 24th, but this year we increased the excitement by not only visiting new parks such as Ajah Bus Park, but by offering a subsidy of N30,000 on Air fares of some customers.

“We needed to ensure we touch as many lives as possible. In the 2018 edition, we also included an exciting leg targeted at movie goers. We were at 15 different cinemas pan Nigeria to give out free movie tickets, popcorn and drinks. We also visited 30 general hospitals where we shared provisions to patients. “This turned out to be one of the most emotional initiative introduced in the 2018 edition. I know we can all testify that Fuel is a pure necessity. We continued the surprises in 50 fuel stations pan Nigeria as well. We succeeded in giving out N2000 worth of fuel to 60 customers within each of these 50 fuel stations in Why did we do all these?

You might ask. We did these to guarantee we spread our tentacles far and wide, and to as much people as possible by impacting their lives.

“We were able to use 10 different activities to touch 325,491 lives. The ultimate goal and objective for us are the lasting smiles we put on people’s faces, and the long lasting impact on these lives touched. What drove our commitment to give beyond the 2017 edition, as people expected it to be a one-off due to the scale and costs incurred.

“However, as the market leader in the telecoms industry, it is important we continue to lead by example.

Imagine if we can have three or four brands continue this chain of giving back, the country will definitely be a better and happier place for our deserving citizens,” Mazen Mroue explained.

Mixed feelings trail MTN Nigeria June listing

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OME capital market operators have expressed mixed feelings on the planned listing by introduction of the shares of MTN Nigeria on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in June.

The operators spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews in Lagos.

They were reacting to the recent announcement by Rob Shuter, President and Chief Executive Officer of MTN Group, that the shares of the telecommunication firm would be listed by introduction on the local bourse by June.

“We have decided though to pursue the listing by means of a listing by introduction. It is phase one,” he said.

He said the first phase of the company’s listing would be completed by the first half of the year, while the shares would be open to Nigerian investors as part of the second phase of the listing. However, Mr Gbadebo Olatokunbo, shareholder activist and co-founder of Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association, said there was no excitement about the proposed listing of MTN’s shares.

Olatokunbo said constant violation of Nigerian regulatory laws by MTN should be a source of concern for investors.

“MTN is not good in my view in their dealing with the regulatory agencies.

“Each time they will violate our rules and when caught, they will deny it and later apologise, such actions mean a lot in terms of corporate behaviour.

“As an investment entity, it will be a good investment but investors need to ‘shine their eyes,’ when they deal with a company like MTN,” he said.

Olatokunbo blamed the nation’s laws and regulations as well as regulatory agencies for lack of focus and pro-activeness. He said the rules/regulations guiding the operations of the telecoms industry were long overdue for review, particularly on the number of years a company should operate in the country before being quoted.

According to him, any company that is 10 years in Nigeria with good profit should be mandated to list on the NSE.

The Oracle Today Wednesday MArch 6, 2019

ISSN: 2545-5869

The

racle www.oraclenews.ng

EDITORIAL

Today

24

VOX POPULI SACRUM

Electoral offenders must now be punished

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oldiers and other security operatives failed to obey President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to shoot dead anyone snatching a ballot box during the elections held nationwide last Saturday.

Undeterred by the directive, which many had criticised as one that shouldn’t have come from a president, ballot box snatchers actually committed the offence in Lagos and elsewhere with impunity. No soldier, policeman or DSS operative rose to the occasion; they were not even seen at flashpoints that ought to have been better guarded.

There was no doubting that some evil politicians had hired thugs to disrupt the polls or invalidate votes in their opponents’ strongholds. In Lagos, the hoodlums eventually had their way in areas dominated by Igbo voters. They not only upturned ballot boxes but also burnt them along with their contents. And because the thugs were armed, no unarmed civilian could put up to them. Only one “Demola” was caught by an irate mob as he was destroying a ballot box; he was stoned and presumably left dead. But he did not die; sympathetic voters took him to hospital where he is now receiving

treatment.

In Kano, Ndigbo were not allowed to vote at all in the Sabon Gari area. In Kaduna, soldiers prevented some people from voting.

A similar report came from some other northern states.

Why were the security men absent when duty called? Their presence alone could have prevented the calamity in Lagos. It is regrettable that the military chose to shoot innocent people in Rivers State.

They also remained toothless as violence erupted in the state, leading to the death of 15 people.

We commend Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere for promptly condemning the thugs’ activities and distancing the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) from them. In a statement, Afenifere extended apologies to the Igbo voters and Ohanaeze for the unfortunate incident. Yet, the Igbo are still being threatened for voting according to their wishes. This Monday, miscreants vandalised some shops and attacked Igbo traders before soldiers reached Oshodi market.

The EFCC and other anti-graft agencies also failed in their duty during the polls. Although some of them appeared near polling stations ostensibly in search of those buying or selling votes, they hardly questioned anyone. Nevertheless, there was vote-buying in most towns and cities. On the eve of the election, for instance, a satellite image of bullion vans driving into the home of a prominent Lagos politician trended on the social media.

No EFCC operative dared visit Bourdillon Street in Ikoyi to see things for himself or query the offender. Chief Bola Tinubu later admitted that the vans moved cash to his home, claiming that he committed no offence because it was his money and not government money he was spending. At the same time, however, some prominent members of the opposition PDP were being hounded by “corruption fighters” for being in possession of large sums of money. That is double standard!

Tinubu’s defence that he was spending his money is not acceptable in a decent society.

What was the money meant for?

Since it came on election eve and many people were seen waiting in Tinubu’s home, the money was obviously meant for buying votes, hiring thugs or paying for other illegal activities. To have any iota of credibility left, agents of the law should put Tinubu on trial immediately. If it is found that he funded the armed thugs that wreaked havoc in Lagos, he should be charged with terrorism,

attempted murder or murder, arson, and election offences. The rule of law should apply to everybody including godfathers, not just to miscreants.

President Buhari and his party APC will have more explanations to offer regarding the conduct of the elections on Saturday. In spite of all the charges of alleged collusion with INEC and security agents to rig elections in the party’s favour, the APC has not pretended to be intolerant of the opposition. Among other complaints received so far: armed soldiers hijacked result sheets meant for Benue State, electoral materials were delivered late in targeted areas, the card reader malfunctioned in several places in the south but were not even used in parts of the north. The elections were conducted contrary to the Electoral Act. The worst of all is that many INEC officials were pressured to change vote figures in favour of the ruling party, and that accounted for the delay in announcing final results.

Our hard-earned democracy should not be threatened in these ways. If we must hold elections, then, the wishes of the electorate as expressed in their votes must be respected. We do not have to keep learning the ropes at every round of elections.

“Demola” was perhaps the only victim of a mob that took the law into its own hands in Lagos. Thank God he is alive. But he must have his day in court. So must all other people caught committing one offence or the other on Saturday. Only when crimes are punished would potential future offenders think twice.

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

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

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

OPINION When Israel faces an adversary too powerful to be defeated

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ran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei recently outlined a draft version of a vision for Iran for the next 50 years.

The vision calls for Iran to become one of the world’s top five countries in science and technology, one of the top seven in “progress and justice,” including eradication of poverty, corruption and discrimination, and one of the ten largest global economies. It further calls for strengthening Iran’s defensive and deterrent capabilities, promoting Muslim unity, jihadism and Islamic liberation movements, and “vindicating” Palestinian rights.

Khamenei’s overall objective is for Iran to gain regional, and even global, supremacy, through technological self-sufficiency, and by resisting Western concepts of the international order, politics and culture. Khamenei asked Iran’s academic and clerical establishments for feedback on the draft vision and directed the various branches of the government to turn its broad recommendations into actionable plans. A final draft is due within two years. One can legitimately ask whether a 50-year plan is at all feasible, especially in a world that is changing so rapidly. China has been somewhat more modest, recently announcing a vision for 2050, whereas the Saudis sufficed with a humble 2030. Iran itself failed to achieve an earlier 20-year vision, designed to turn it into a developed country by 2025. It may very well fail to do so again.

Nevertheless, Khamenei’s attempt to craft such an actionable vision is bold and impressive. Under his leadership, Iran is at least trying to think systematically about its national objectives. He has set out bold, if heinous, plans before. In 2014 Khamenei announced a Nine Point Plan for Israel’s destruction.

What if Israel were to adopt Khamenei’s longterm approach and prepare 50 years out? What should those national objectives include? These are my suggestions.

Preserving the national movement of the Jewish people. Zionism achieved its primary objective, the establishment of the state, rapidly, but has lost its way. The paramount, and even

existential decision we face today, is whether Israel’s Jewish character is determined primarily by its borders or population.

In 2060, the furthest demographic projections available, Israel’s population will be 15.6 million, of whom 12 million will be Jewish - just 76%. This figure does not include the West Bank, in which case the combined population will only be about 60% Jewish, as it already is today.

A state in which 40% of the population is not Jewish cannot be considered a Jewish state, even if we annex all of Judea and Samaria. The future of the Zionist enterprise depends on separation from the Palestinians. There is no need for a 50-year vision.

Determining Israel’s borders, peace with our neighbours and regional acceptance. Israel’s classic defence doctrine held that the conflict with the Arabs was unresolvable. In practice, during our first 70 years, we reached peace with Egypt and Jordan, conducted advance negotiations with the Syrians and Palestinians, now have growing ties with the Saudis and others and have become a regional fixture.

Peace with the Palestinians will transform Israel’s regional and international status. It is not all up to us, but it does require a decision regarding our borders. During the next 50 years we must strive to complete the process of regional acceptance.

Maintaining Israel’s deterrence and security.

Iran is the most sophisticated and dangerous adversary Israel has ever faced. A theocracy with a long-term perspective, Iran recognizes that it cannot destroy Israel in the short term and has thus adopted a decades-long strategy of attrition until destruction.

Israel is a frenetic democracy, focused on the here and now. Although we can manage the conflict with Iran and defend ourselves successfully, Iran may simply be our first adversary that is too big and powerful to be defeated.

Israel must thus adopt a national security strategy best suited to this new kind of longterm confrontation, one of “strategic patience,” based on maximal self-restraint, even in the face of significant provocations, and

greater emphasis on defense (e.g. Iron Dome) and diplomacy. Offense would be resorted to when the other options have been exhausted, Israel can achieve significant periods of calm (510 years), at a price it is willing to pay, and maintain societal resilience.

A number of regional actors are now acquiring nuclear power reactors, for legitimate energy needs, but a similar project was the technological basis for Iran’s military nuclear program.

It is thus increasingly likely that Israel will face the nightmare scenario of a multinuclear Mideast in the coming decades. Should this happen, Israel may be forced to contemplate a change its policy of nuclear ambiguity, seek a defense treaty with the U.S., or even consider regional disarmament, as fanciful as that sounds today.

Promoting regional stability. All of the forces that gave rise to the “Arab Spring” are still very much at work, even more so, including a population explosion, severe poverty and absence of economic opportunity, and political suppression. The Arab states are almost all in crisis, are at risk of becoming failed states, and have already caused a refugee crisis in Europe.

In 2007 an approximately 4 million Arab population lived near Israel’s borders; by 2027, 20 million will live within 50 kms. Israel’s thriving economy may prove a socioeconomic magnet that no border obstacle can withstand. Imagine 50 years from now.

Unlike Iran, Israel does not seek regional supremacy, certainly not global, but it does wish to influence critical regional processes such as these. It has two primary means of doing so: a settlement with the Palestinians, or even a reduction in the level of conflict, which would contribute to regional stability, as would a diplomatic campaign to promote a “Mideast Marshall Plan” designed to channel regional events in more positive directions.

It will cost the international community billions, but the alternative is for the Mideast to continue exporting its ills to Europe, a change in its fundamental character and even a conflict between the West and Islam.

Preserving the “special relationship” with the

U.S., a fundamental pillar of Israel’s national security, despite alarming demographic and political trends. New population groups are on the rise in the U.S. with little affinity towards Israel, especially Hispanics and the religiously non-affiliated, while the Jewish community, the second largest in the world, is decreasing in size and influence.

By 2050 the Orthodox will constitute 25% of the U.S. Jewish community, up from 10% today, whereas Reform and Conservative Jews, the vast majority of American Jews and heretofore the pillar of support for Israel, are intermarrying and assimilating themselves out of existence. We are already witnessing a significant decline in support for Israel on the American left, and even among the Jewish community.

Israel should seek a formal alliance with the U.S., but also reduce its dependence on it, inter alia, by weaning itself off U.S. military aid, beginning in 2027, when the current ten-year military aid programme ends. In 50 years, when we are 120, we must have long become fully independent. Nothing will contribute more to ensuring the long-term vibrancy of the “special relationship” than a settlement with the Palestinians.

Achieving a just and progressive society. Israel’s projected population of 15.6 million in 2060 will include 4.15 million Haredim (ultra-Orthodox) and 3.6 million Israeli Arabs. Non-Haredim will comprise just 65% of the Jewish population, or 50% of the national total, income disparities and poverty will grow far worse, and the Haredi and Arab populations will become an untenable economic burden.

Much of the nation will look to various spiritual leaders, rather than the state, as their primary locus of authority, and will have little identification with its values. Maintaining a progressive democratic society, with equality before the law and respect for minority rights, will become very difficult.

If, like Khamenei, we wish to eradicate poverty and discrimination, we should be formulating a comprehensive long-term national strategy for a “war on poverty.”

2019 election and President Jonathan’s peace sermons

By WEALTH DICKSON OMINABO

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own the southern part of Nigeria is a humble man with a temperament of peace. With a political philosophy of humanism, he goes about preaching peace to the world and urging his friends, brothers and of humanity to see peace as their kinsmen and harmony as their in-law.

He is a fellow who lives out the attributes of the beatitude daily. He scores the reproach of defeat and vilification just to maintain the climate of peace in his environment. He is a sermonist, who speaks in the manner of John Donne, Martin Luther King Jnr and Desmond Tutu. Although not a full-time member of the ecclesiastics, his messages are always refreshing and didactic.

Recently in Abuja and Yenagoa, I listened to him speak. His messages were like tonic for national peace. At a time when the most popular messages by politicians have been sermons of ‘body bags’ and ‘shoot at sight,’ he continues to give sermons of peace and love. Even when friends and associates go to him with itching ears, wanting him to make remarks that will send a strong signal to his political detractors who have taken upon themselves the iniquity of insulting him at every opportunity and assassinating his character, his utterances are always seasoned with the salt and savour of love.

In Abuja, about a fortnight ago in a conference organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF), he spoke alongside Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Gen.Abdulsalami Abububakar, Dr. Amos Sawyer, Dr.Fidele Sarassoro and Prof Al-Hassan Conteh on peaceful elections and national development. He spoke on the link between peace and national prosperity as well as the reproach of conflict and wars. The minutes that he spoke were

seconds of attention, penitence and orientation in the hearts of the pew. It was like listening to Charles Spurgeon preach his sermon of grace or watching Billy Graham on one of his evangelical outreaches.

Like a revivalist, he spoke on the need for peace and good governance, which are the issues of his heart and his foundation. Hear him: “The search for solutions to Africa’s seemingly intractable challenges is at the centre of the Foundation’s interest in the question of leadership and good governance. It is a known fact that Africa’s relatively slow growth and poor performing economies are linked to the preponderance of conflicts. What many patriotic Africans will also not deny is the fact that at the root of most of the conflicts ravaging the continent is the desperation that often characterises the struggle for power.

“No doubt, there is a strong nexus between the struggle for power and national development. There is a vicious cycle in Africa where the struggle for political power leads to conflicts that bring up poor governance and creates hardship, which fuels the struggle for change of leadership, thus, creating further conflicts and poor leadership. “ Like an Apostle on a great commission, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan called Africans to repentance. “ It is my considered view that as African leaders, we must change our approach and disposition towards stewardship. We must get to the stage where we should be more interested in developing our people, rather than ruling or just governing them.

“The 10 most developed nations on this earth are those countries that experience the least conflicts while the 10 least developed countries, many of them here in Africa, are the once wallowing in the worst form of conflicts. The lesson in this existential reality

is that any leader who is committed to the development of his country will do everything to save it from turmoil and conflicts. “ The most interesting part of the sermon to many was when Dr. Jonathan, perhaps a good student of the Pauline Epistle, spoke in the epistolary form. Just like Paul writing to Timothy of the expectations of church leaders (bishop), he said: “A development-minded leader is visionary and selfless. He does not seek power at all cost and will not wield it for its own sake...There is no gainsaying that when politicians resort to desperate measures in the bid to occupy important political positions, they run the risk of plunging their countries into serious crises that often lead to loss of lives, degradation of values as well as destruction of private and public assets.

“These breeds of politicians often ignore the fact that to be patriotic is to love your country and be prepared to live and die for her honour, reputation, freedom, progress and the ascendancy of the common good.

You can restore destroyed infrastructure almost to its former state or even better, but you cannot easily repair people’s psyche, reconcile aggrieved persons and restore hope in a nation, once they are damaged in destructive leadership struggles. “ On Monday last week, when youths of the Niger Delta region led by the President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Barr. Pereotubo Oweilaemi paid him a courtesy call, Dr. Jonathan re-enforced his message of peace, charging the youths to prioritise peace always especially during the elections. His message was a call for democratic humanism or better put a charge for Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of ubuntu.

“Anytime someone dies extra-judicially, it reduces the integrity of the country. So, if our

security personnel are interested in peace, especially during this electioneering, then they must do everything to suppress extrajudicial killings; because when one person is killed unlawfully, it affects everyone.”

As we went for elections beginning from last weekend, leaders and followers alike were expected to take to heart the sermons of Jonathan, especially where he said that no ambition is worth anyone’s blood.

•Ominabo is an Abuja-based journalist

THE GROUP Managing Editor/COO Felix Oguejiofor Abugu Deputy Managing Editor/COO Sopuruchi Onwuka Chairman Editorial Board Igwebike Mbanefo SE/SS Editor Odogwu Emeka Odogwu Acting BDM Kelechi Nze Head, Graphics & Designs Nnamdi Alex Chukwu Circulation Manager Felix Oti

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

Travel & Hospitality

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ManU partners Marriott on global marketing Stories by SOPURUCHI ONWUKA

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EADING hotel group, Marriott International, is entering multi-year marketing partnership with global soccer brand, Manchester United,.

The deal offers the 120 million members of the Marriott Bonvoy travel programme exclusive opportunities for once-ina-lifetime Manchester United football experiences - including the chance to become the club’s Stadium Announcer or Kit Manager for the day.

The new partnership was launched weekend with a film that features familiar faces from the Manchester United first team and team management, to bring the magical moments to life.

Manchester United’s, Group Managing Director, Richard Arnold comments: “Marriott International is the leader in its field and we’re excited to be partnering with them as Marriott launches its new travel programme, Marriott Bonvoy.

Together we look forward to creating some unforgettable moments for Marriott Bonvoy members, inspired by the thrill and excitement that only Manchester United can create for fans around the world.”

With the Marriott Bonvoy travel programme, members have access to its extraordinary portfolio of global brands and properties in 130 countries and territories, as well as unmatched memberbenefits and exclusive Marriott Bonvoy Moments’ experiences.

Marriott International,Global

Marketing Officer, Karin Timpone, comments: “We are thrilled to offer compelling benefits to Marriott Bonvoy members, now expanded to include

unique Manchester United experiences. This marketing partnership enables our members to access special VIP game ex-

•Company Secretary, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Uaboi Agbebaku (left)_ General Counsel, International Breweries Plc., Muyiwa Ayojimi_ Chairperson, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), Lagos Chapter.

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enables members to redeem points to purchase any of 8,000 lifestyle, entertainment, sport, culinary and more experiences globally.

Exclusive Manchester United Moments that members can bid points for include: ‘Stadium Announcer’ Experience – Marriott Bonvoy members will have the chance to go behind the scenes at the iconic ‘Theatre of Dreams,’ shadowing the stadium announcer with their prematch preparations.

Prior to the game, the member and a guest will soak up the atmosphere pitch side, before enjoying VIP hospitality, including match tickets and a meet and greet with a former player.

Members and their guest arriving at Old Trafford on matchday will head pitch side to meet a Manchester United legend before making their way to the player’s tunnel to be in prime position to welcome the team as they step off the coach and head into the dressing room to prepare for the game.

Members will also be able to add a final finesse to the home dressing room at Old Trafford pre-game as they shadow the first

FESPACO surmounts challenges to celebrate 50th anniversary

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AN-AFRICAN Festival of Cinema and Television, known by its French acronym FESPACO, first launched 1969 in Ouagadougou, the capital of what was then Upper Volta, has remained a biennial event for African storytelling for 50 years.

According to a report by global

economic media, Quartz, the festival which is hosted in a city that practically exalts cinema, Filmmakers’ Square, has survived copy rights violations, piracy and terrorism to host its 50th event this week.

Burkina Faso boasts the Filmmakers’ Square, along Filmmak-

film which best portrays the positivity of Africa. The Sembène Ousmane special prize will be awarded to the film which most reflects Ecobank’s value of dignity, honour and good governance.”

Named after one of Frenchspeaking luminary African creative writers, the Ecobank Foundation has been sponsoring the Sembène Ousmane special prize since 2007.

This year, over 400 movies will be screened at the festival of which 20 are taking part in the official competition.

The special prize awards ceremony will take place at the event while the overall winner of the festival will be announced during the closing ceremony.

This year the winning film will be selected by a panel of jurists comprising the Chair of the jury and Regional Director Africa of TV5 Monde, Denise Epoté ; filmmaker and former assistant of Sembène Ousmane, Clarence Delgado; filmmaker and former

Minister of Culture of Mali, Cheick Oumar Cissoko; and a journalist, Issa Soma.

The winner of the prize will receive XOF 5,000,000 and a bronze trophy, representing the bust of Sembène Ousmane.

The Ecobank Foundation was created to positively impact the lives of people across Africa.

Established by the Ecobank Group, the leading pan-African bank, the Foundation is positioned to contribute towards the continent’s transformation, particularly in the communities in which the bank operates.

Incorporated in Lomé, Togo in 1988, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (‘ETI’) is the parent company of the leading independent pan-African banking group, Ecobank.

It is a full-service bank providing wholesale, retail, investment and transaction banking services and products to governments, financial institutions, multinationals, international organizations, medium, small and micro businesses and individuals.

…Ecobank Foundation provides support HE Ecobank Foundation has announced its delight to honour the African film portraying the most positive image of the continent, at the prestigious 2019 Festival Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision Ougadougou (FESPACO).

The 2019 FESPACO festival is currently ongloing in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso. The festival is held every two years and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Organised by the Government of Burkina Faso, FESPACO is regarded as the most important film and cultural event on the African continent.

“It is a real honour for the Ecobank Foundation to sponsor such an important prize at this stellar film festival in Ougadougou,” says Carl Manlan, Chief Operating Officer of the Ecobank Foundation.

“Africa’s film industry is enjoying ever increasing global attention and acclaim, and we place great importance in providing public recognition to the

periences by using the points they’ve accumulated during hotel stays for unprecedented, exclusive experiences.”

Marriott Bonvoy Moments

ers Avenue with the statue of the father of African film, Senegalese director Ousmane Sembène. The city also hosts the African Film Library of Ouagadougou.

It’s this history and love of cinema that the 50th anniversary will celebrate, but it will also grapple with the very real challenges facing filmmakers in Africa. In a series of workshops, filmmakers gathered in Ouagadougou will discuss how the industry has changed, how to win back audiences and how to make a living from film and create the financial autonomy of the festival itself.

The festival attracts and awards the best in African film and television and culminates in the Etalon de Yennenga for best feature film. This year’s finalists include the South African Xhosa western Five Fingers for Marseille; Keteke the Ghanaian film that follows the desperate train journey of a couple who want their child born in the city; and Miraculous Weapons, a film about three women on death row by Cameroonian filmmaker Jean-Pierre Bekolo.

At the last festival in 2017, French-Senegalese director Alain Gomis won for his film Félicité, the story of a lounge singer who does everything in her power to scrape together money to save her son as he lies injured in a Kinshasa hospital.

The television selection is dominated by West African series, particularly Francophone; a genre of television overlooked by the increasingly globalized yet Anglo-

phone industry.

Like the protagonists of many of the films, the festival itself has had to survive a gauntlet of challenges over decades.

Founded in the optimism of the post-colonial period, the cinema and the film industry struggled, with Thomas Sankara rescuing the Ciné Burkina from near dilapidation in the early 1980s. It has struggled through the digital era, competing against cheap roadside DVDs and VCDs as well as the decline of African art house cinema. In 2017, it faced the very real threat of a terrorist attack, and this year will have to negotiate perceptions of growing insecurity in Burkina Faso.

In 2016, al-Qaeda’s presence in the Sahel spilled into cosmopolitan Burkina Faso with terror attacks on a restaurant and hotel, leaving at least 30 dead. Since then, violence has again come close to the city with increasing frequency of attacks.

Last week, the US State Department urged Americans to reconsider traveling to Burkina Faso, while the French Foreign Ministry warned travellers to avoid Burkina Faso, following an attack near the French embassy last year.

There is also the ever-present threat of kidnapping.

In 2017, metal detectors and armed guards secured the festival and filmgoers attended with a sense of defiance. It iss unclear what steps will be taken this year in the face of a more dangerous threat as organizers did not re-

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

INSURANCE & PENSION Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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SIA Insurance has introduced its international health insurance product, called ‘NSIA Health Insurance’, into the Nigerian Market.

In a statement, NSIA said it partnered Cigna and Hollard on the product as part of the efforts to deliver an international health insurance service.

The statement said, “Cigna is a Fortune 500 company in the United States of America and one of the world’s leading providers of health benefits enabled through its 41,000 employees serving over 90 million customers all over the world.”

Hollard is South Africa’s largest independent insurance company, with an ever-growing African footprint making it known throughout the continent for its innovative approach and customer-centric brand, it added.

The company stated, “NSIA Health Insurance provides a robust health plan to local companies that want to provide their workers with access to quality

NSIA introduces health insurance product

healthcare in Nigeria and beyond as well as multinationals operating in Nigeria who desire to harmonise their health insurance plan across Africa.

“The members of staff of these companies, once enrolled, are able to access quality healthcare available all over Africa and the rest of the world whenever they need such services.”

According to the Managing Director, NSIA Insurance, Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, companies that purchase the product are assured that their workers will easily access the best medical services wherever they are in the world when the need arises.

“This is a promise that is already being fulfilled by our technical partners in Nigeria and other parts of the world where they operate.

Already, a number of leading multinationals in Nigeria have signed on to NSIA Health Insurance with many other prospects in the pipeline.

Insurance brokers reiterate readiness to partner with companies

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HE Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) says its members will continue to partner with insurance companies to accelerate development of the industry.

President of NCRIB, Mr Shola Tinubu, who made this known in a statement on Friday, in Lagos, said such partnership would push development in the industry as long the council continued to hold its “NCRIB Members’ Evening”.

“The NCRIB Members’ Evening, is the coming together of an underwriting firm and an insurance broker, that gives the firm

opportunities to extend its business frontiers and break new grounds,” Tinubu explained.

According to him, Linkage Assurance Plc, has agreed to host to February’s edition of the outing.

“It would be a win-win event for both Linkage Assurance Plc, and insurance brokers, as it would facilitate harmonious relationship between both parties.

“It is a known fact that insurance brokers constitute a crucial chain in the insurance industry in Nigeria, given the enormous clientele they control.

What FG’s plans on N-Power after 2019 elections revealed

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HE federal government have revealed what will happen to the N-Power program after the 2019 general elections, the vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo gave the new insight recently.

Osinbajo said if re-elected, the Buhari administration will take the number of N-Power beneficiaries to 1.5 million.

The duo insisted that the reelection of President Buhari will set Nigeria on the path of socio-economic development They spoke during a visit to the palace of Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran.

Osinbajo said: “We are seeking second term to consolidate on the good work which we have brought to Nigeria as we are poised to build a prosperous Nigeria for Nigerians.

“We want to engage 1.5million youths to cushion the unemployment menace in the country. We will do this by increasing the number of beneficiaries of N-Power scheme from its present 500,000 to 1.5million.

“The statistics increment will help to absorb 1.5million youths out of 1.7million graduates that our country produces

every year. Though we have started loan scheme to support the economy through what we tagged ‘traders’ money’ but we will strengthen this scheme by establishing entrepreneur bank that will be responsible for this initiative.

Crash in fleet insurance rates to hamper premium growth

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HERE are fears that motor insurance premium income in the Insurance sector for 2018 may not exceed the 2017 figure as many companies have crashed rates for fleet motor insurance.

Although the industry’s 2018 financial performance is still being awaited, some stakeholders are of the opinion that the abuse of fleet motor insurance premium rates occasioned by cut-throat competition could hamper growth in premium income.

Fleet motor insurance covers multiple vehicles with a single policy and can be registered in the name of a company. Generally, the minimum amount is two, while maximum can be over a thousand.

Third party motor insurance premium rate is fixed at N5,000, while 10 per cent of vehicle value is charged for comprehensive insurance. But some insurance companies are flouting the law to grant huge discounts on fleet motor in-

surance.

A Managing Director of an insurance company told Vanguard Insurance how he gave a client a business proposal for fleet cover with total premium rate of N50 million.

Unfortunately, another firm sent a proposal to cover the same fleet at N15 million. Sadly, the other firm got the business.

Analysis of figures released by the Nigerian Insurers Association, NIA, show that motor insurance premium fell by 2.8 per cent to N39.3 billion in 2017 against N40.4 billion recorded in 2016.

A breakdown of the figures shows that Nem Insurance posted the highest motor insurance premium income of N4.4 billion while it paid claims of N1.9 billion. Axa Mansard recorded premium income of N3.08 billion while it paid claims of N2.2 billion.

Leadway Assurance made premium income of N3.07 billion and paid claims of N1.9 billion, Mutual

nisance the size and strategic importance of the Insurance Industry in Nigeria. Though relatively small, with a Gross Premium Income as a percentage of GDP at 0.4%, the industry’s economic importance is noteworthy.

Notwithstanding, the Agency’s short-term outlook on the Industry is stable. The performance of underwriters is expected to improve as political uncertainties subside and business operations pick up in the second half of the year. Buoyed by stronger regulatory support and anticipated recapitalisation requirements from the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the Insurance underwriting capacity is expected to improve in the medium to long term.

The Agency highlights the primary responsibility of insurers in supporting businesses and individuals recover from unexpected losses promptly, through claims payments, thereby promoting economic growth by mobilising domestic savings most of which are used to fund the budget

deficit through investments in treasury bills. Analyst at Agusto & Co, noted that there has been an influx of foreign direct investments (FDIs) over the last two years, which resulted in changes in the industry’s shareholding structure. A large number of these investors are prominent international insurance companies seeking to take advantage of opportunities lurking in Africa, and indeed Nigeria. Nigeria has a large underserved population, which presents enormous growth opportunities in the retail and corporate markets. In addition, increased activities in the oil & gas, construction and manufacturing sectors are bright spots for industry growth.

Investors remain attracted by low share prices of the few listed insurance companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), and NASD OTC Securities Exchange, which makes acquisition relatively cheaper.

Total market capitalisation of about 26 underwriters listed on both the NSE and the NASD OTC Securities Ex-

Agusto & Co. assigns ‘Bb‘rating to Nigerian insurance industry

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AN-AFRICAN credit rating agency in Nigeria, Agusto & Co. has assigned a “Bb” rating to the insurance industry in its newly published 2019 Nigerian Insurance Industry report.

This rating was assigned based on the size and strategic importance of the industry in Nigeria, and its satisfactory capitalisation ratios. This is expected to further strengthen on the back of anticipated changes in capital requirements for operators across different segments, although it notes that a number of fringe players remain undercapitalised.

The assigned rating reflects heightened risks in Nigeria’s geopolitical and macroeconomic environment, weak gross domestic product (GDP) growth, and inflationary pressures.

In addition, dwindling crude oil prices, and a contractionary monetary policy stance aimed at forestalling speculative activities on the Naira both impact the rating.

Agusto & Co’s rating, it said in a statement in Lagos, takes into cog-

Benefits posted premium income of N2.7 billion with claims paid at N755 million, while Custodian and Allied Insurance posted premium income of N2.4 billion each and paid claims of N1.2 billion each.

Speaking to Vanguard Insurance on the development, Executive Director of Leadway Assurance Company Limited, Ms. Adetola Adegbayi, said that fleet side premium of motor insurance has crashed; hence total premium income on that class of business could be affected.

Adegbayi said: “The crash in the premium rate of fleet motor insurance is worrisome as this could affect overall premium income in the 2018 financial year.” Also speaking, Managing Director of Boof Insurance Brokers, Mr. Olumide Fatogun, said that insurers crashed the premium rate for fleet motor insurance in the hope that the loss will not crystallise.

Fatogun said: “The crash in rates is for purposes of marketing and desire to outsmart one another.”

Also speaking to Vanguard Insurance on the development, Deputy Commissioner for Insurance, Technical, Mr. Sunday Thomas, said that it is sad that insurers are inventing diverse means to grant discounts to clients. Thomas said: “It is so sad to hear that operators, in their ingenious ways, are beginning to grant discounts to premium rates, even on the minimum rates.

It beats my imagination because I don’t know why anyone will want to cut himself. “However, we need the cooperation of the operators if a higher premium income is to be realised.

NAICOM is not a law enforcement agency; it is a regulatory body. “Third party motor premium is fixed at N5,000 and the market was recording over N40 billion in premium income. If operators now decide to charge N1,000 in the guise of giving discounts, what will the market record as premium income?” Thomas asked.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

INSURANCE & PENSION

Two companies delist from NSE Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

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ITH the request by Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc to delist from the main board of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the total number of companies that have made the request will be two.

In the last one month, Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc delisted its entire share capital from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), making it the second companies in the last one month.

This is coming at the time when efforts are being made by the NSE to embrace more companies into its fold.

Mr. Oscar Onyema, the Chief Executive Officer, NSE, had earlier this year outlined the listing of more companies on the Exchange as part of his core agendas this year.

This agenda could be somewhat undermined if already listed companies keep making plans to exit the market.

Shareholders of GNI in 2018 had approved a proposal by the board of directors for immediate delisting of the insurance company from the NSE. Giving reasons for delisting from the NSE, GNI said over the past five years, there is little or no trading activity on the shares held by the minority shareholders and also considerable fall in trading volumes over the last 12 months in the March 2017 to March 2018 period.

The company said: “further to our market bulletin of December 13, 2018 notifying dealing members of the approval of the application filed by MBC Securities Limited on behalf of Great Nigeria Insurance for the voluntary delisting of the

entire share capital of GNI, the entire issued share capital of Great Nigeria Insurance were delisted from the daily official list of the NSE on January 25, 2019.”

Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc has through its Stockbroker, Helix Securities Limited, submitted an application for voluntary delisting of the entire 634million ordinary shares of the company from the exchange.

According to the company, the voluntary delisting was as a result of its inability to meet up with the 20 per cent free float requirement of the exchange.

In line with the provisions of Rule 1.10 of the Rules for delisting of equity securities from the exchange, which states that issuer shall set aside funds sufficient to purchase the interest of all shareholders, who expressed their dissent to the resolution to de-list the issuer and the funds shall be domiciled with a Registrar or a Custodian duly registered by and in good standing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, broker said Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc has opened and deposited sufficient funds to settle minority shareholders in an Escrow Account with Zenith Bank Plc. Some market operators and shareholders have expressed shock at the decision of the company to delist considering the fact it just released highly impressive results and declared a dividend.

Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc posted revenue of N5.425 billion for the year ended December 31, 2018, showing an increase of 38 per cent compared with N3.92 billion in 2017. Profit after tax soared by 285 per cent from N386 million to N1.48 billion. The company recommended a dividend of 20 kobo per share.

•Analyst, Financial Institutions Ratings, Agusto&Co, Oluyomi Akinola (left); Senior Analyst, Ayokunle Olubunmi; Managing Director, Vivien Shobo, and Executive Director, Yinka Adelekan, at the launch of the firm’s Consumer Digital Banking Satisfaction Index Report in Lagos…October 2, 2018.

Sector to lose N46 billion income to 9.2m uninsured vehicles

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HE gale of premium losses to the nation’s insurance industry has continued with estimated N46 billion on the line from non-insurance of 9.2 million vehicles across the country.

According to the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, out of estimated 11.7 million vehicles in the country at the end of second quarter of 2018, only 2.5 million are captured in the motor insurance policy records.

With only 2.5 million vehicles having valid and active motor insurance policy, the 9.2 million vehicles uninsured, according to industry sources are either carrying fake insurance certificates or failed to renew their

expired policy.Non-insurance of vehicles is a violation of the Federal Roads Safety Corp (FRSC) Act, which mandated all vehicles on Nigerian roads to carry, at least, third party motor insurance policy.

Third Party Vehicle Insurance comes at a fixed price of N5, 000 for privately used saloons and SUVs, while commercially used vehicles are charged N7, 500 and in some cases, N5,000.Investigations revealed that most drivers go for fake insurance papers, because it is cheap, as well as to avoid the wrath of the law enforcement agents, as they have little or no knowledge of the benefits of buying original insurance cover.

While some motorists prefer to

have found out, their need for engagement have not been met.

As premium-paying customers, these digital natives are relatively few thus showing the path for potential increase in premium generated, if their needs are rightly identified and addressed by product innovation and digitalization.

If their critical need is cyber security and the local insurers lack the capacity to respond, some industry watchers need to understand that this is one major reason you have increasing interest by global insurance brands in our market today.

The other reason is our national investment in infrastructural development led by multinational corporations that would rather deal with their insuring partners.

Will the digital natives need Life Assurance, Travel and Health Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance? Of course, but they will prefer to buy one that offers global cover in internationally accepted currency which can hardly be affected by inflation and exchange rates.

So, this situation would probably leave the local insurers continuing to offer only legally-backed (compulsory) insurances to organizations and governments as we have today where 80% of our premium income is sourced from

corporate accounts.

Where the digital natives have the power of decision-making even in these corporate entities, we should expect that the insurers will either be partly foreignowned or strategically associated with foreign brands.

Quite unfortunately, as earlier pointed out, there were no deliberate steps by most insurers to get involved in the process of technology transition. Even as a way of building local capacity, there was too much emphasis on recapitalization that we seem to forget that such capital was meant for investment in technology and may be, these digital natives.

Given the population of digital natives in Nigeria, judging by the size of our internet users and mobile (smartphone) users, the insurance industry will do well to advance conversations on how best to engage them especially as the segment of the population that brought the industry thus far is aging.

We look forward to the time soon enough when insurance, like banking and other financial services, would be in our hands even as the operators of the digital economy are working seriously on taking mobile phones and other handhelds away from us.

Meeting Insurance needs of digital natives

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HE greatest challenge of mankind is immobility. We were created to move and keep moving, and trying to demobilize us can have dire consequences. So it is with things that involve human beings, such that, if a thing is not moving or perceived to be moving, we will abandon it and get on with what is moving.

Once you understand this natural law, you will understand how we have arrived in this digital era where digitalization is not just replacing analogue system but affecting every aspect of our lives from the way we talk to the way we trust.

However, life is a process, so everything you see came from somewhere and we are going some other place with it, this time, even without physically moving.

While so many people across the world are yet moving, quite a number have also accepted that you can do so much in this age with simply digitizing what you usually move around to do.

The question for the insurance industry in Nigeria therefore is: How involved have you been in the developmental process that has landed us in digitalization?

Prior to digital technology there were computer technology, infor-

mation technology, communication technology, mobile technology and now, financial technology but more specifically, insurance technology!

In these various transitions, there has been a growing community of young people (millennials) who, thanks to globalization, have become digital natives!

They, basically, live online and do their things in real time, staying connected to the rest of us, thanks to the techies who studied them, understood their needs and provided them, sometimes beyond their expectations.

They are engaged online by reputable organisations to, amongst other things, keep their customers, distract their competitors and understand the cyberspace.

Some are even engaged as hackers and mystery shoppers and handsomely paid on regular basis.

Most of the time, these digital natives face huge risks particularly cybercrime and respond by creating cloud computing solutions which ensures that “everything is beyond human reach”.

The need for their services increases by the minute yet we can begin to look at it from this point and ask: How many of them are engaged by insurance companies, and in Nigeria?

If the answer is very few, as I

bribe their way out with law enforcement agents when accosted, some uninsured vehicle owners are unaware that their insurance policy has expired as they were not notified by their insurers. Speaking on the development, the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) Director of Operations, Lanre Ojuola,in Lagos, at the weekend, affirmed that the number of active motor insurance policies registered on the Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID) now stood at 2.5 million, even though the total registered motor policies on the platform is over three million.

Earlier, the Chairman of NIA, Tope Smart, advised insurance companies to promptly upload Motor policy on the NIID platform as soon as it is purchased by policyholders, to avoid the insured being embarrassed by the law enforcement agents on the roads.He warned operators to avoid selective uploading of motor policies on the platform.Smart, who is also the Group Managing Director of NEM Insurance Plc, said: “We instruct operators to upload 100 per cent because selective uploading will embarrass your clients.

“When such vehicle owner is penalised, he transfers the cost back to the company because its the fault of the insurer and not his. In the end, insurance company will have to pay additional cost for something that could have avoided.”The DirectorGeneral of the association, Mrs. Yetunde Ilori, called on Nigerians to insure their lives and properties, as well as subscribe to motor insurance, promising that insurance companies are ready to pay genuine claims.

She said the claims profile of the industry has improved over time and that the industry is piortising claims payments, warning policyholders filling fraudulent claims to insurers to desist from such act.She noted that NIID and the recently launched USSD are mechanism to detect fake insurance policies and claims, noting that, the interest of policyholders remain crucial to insurance business.

Section 38 of the National Insurance Act 2003, currently in use, states that Third Party Motor Insurance is required as part of the minimum amount of auto cover one must carry as a road user. Penalties for non-compliance can include a fine of up to N250,000 and/or oneyear imprisonment.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

EQUITY & Capital Market NSE form alliance with stakeholders, unveils MF trading platform Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

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HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in conjunction with Fund Managers Association of Nigeria (FMAN); Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON) and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), have launched a Mutual Fund Trading and Distribution Platform.

The “great landmark,” according to Oscar Onyema, chief executive of the NSE, is the outcome of 18 months of intensive work by the various partners and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The platform, the NSE said in a statement, will bring together market participants to facilitate electronic transactions with seamless interaction among the various stakeholders for the good of investors who then have a single view of their mutual fund investment.

Onyema said the platform will enhance visibility for the 76 mutual funds with Net Asset Value of over N600bn as of February 18, 2019, out of which 47 are listed on the NSE, while promoting financial inclusion and stimulating retail investor participation in our market.

“This distribution platform is a new channel for accessing mutual funds which are listed on the NSE. This restates our commitment to provide market operators, issuers, fund managers and investors with a reliable, efficient and an adaptable platform to create a more transparent, liquid and accessible market in line with global best practices.

“The platform will facilitate electronic transactions with seamless connection between NSE, CSCS, Fund Managers and Brokers.

Investors have the benefit of a single view of their mutual fund investment while being able to invest with multiple fund managers through a single broker.”

The launch, he continued, provides an opportunity for the 256 brokers in the market to distribute to existing 13.9m investor accounts in CSCS and attract new investors that may be interested in gaining exposure to the capital

markets through mutual funds.

The NSE boss expressed hope that with the launch of the initiative, the NSE will receive more applications for listing of mutual funds, even as he announced the listing of two funds each managed

by First City Asset Management limited and Cordros Asset Management Limited. The funds are: FCAM Legacy Money Market Fund and Legacy Debt fund; Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 and Milestone Fund 2028 respectively.

The new platform is also expected to ease variety of transactions like subscription, redemption and cancellation, among others.

Speaking on the development, Olumide Bolumole, Head of Listing Business Division, NSE, expressed delight at the initiative, which believes, “will enhance visibility for the listed mutual funds and promote financial inclusion, while stimulating retail investor participation in our market.

“This reinforces our commitment to provide market professionals, issuers, fund managers and investors with a reliable, efficient and an adaptable exchange hub in Africa, to save and to access capital.

Through this platform investors can pool funds into chosen basket of securities which have proven to be a veritable means to optimise returns and reduce risks”.

Managing Director and chief executive of the CSCS, Haruna JaloWaziri said the trading platform for mutual funds “marks yet another milestone for the Nigerian capital market and we believe that it will serve as a step towards improving the level of financial inclusion in Nigeria by giving investors varieties of investment products.

“As part of our commitment to providing far-reaching benefits to the capital market, CSCS Plc has proactively invested in technology that would enable us provides seamless post-trade services to a wide range of financial instruments including collective investment schemes. Additionally, Fund managers can now augment their product distribution strength using the brokerage communities’ network. We believe this will also

•From Left: Paul McGrath, Managing Director of ExxonMobil Nigeria, Lorenzo Fiorillo, Managing Director Nigeria Agip Oil Company, (NAOC), Osagie Okunbor, Chairman, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Bayo Ojulari, MD of Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company (SNEPCO), Mallam Bello Rabiu, Chief Operating Operating Officer, Upstream, NNPC, Engr.

Saidu Mohammed, Chief Operating Officer, Gas &Power, NNPC, Nicholas Terraz, Managing Director of Total Exploration and Production Nigeria (TEPN) and Bala Wunti, Group General Manager, Corporate Planning NNPC at the signing of Terms of Heads of Agreement on Bonga South West Project .

contribute towards increasing secondary market participation whilst growing funds under management for Asset managers”, JaloWaziri added.

Dayo Obisan, President of FMAN, expressed pleasure at seeing the platform become operational, being “one of the initiatives in the FMAN 5-year road map was to develop and implement a nationwide distribution/trading platform for mutual funds.

“Over the past 18 months, The NSE, CSCS Plc, ASHON and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) worked closely with FMAN to attain this great milestone,” he said.

On his part, Chairman of ASHON, Chief Patrick Ezeagu, noted with delight that the “project was directed at reawakening the small savers to take advantage of investing via mutual fund to have the synergistic benefit of a better return in the market”.

“We cherish the relationship we have built in the course of this project with the FMAN and the NSE, we have the firm belief that

Renmoney makes 2019 LSE Group’s ‘companies to inspire Africa’ list

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ENMONEY, a leading fintech lending company in Lagos, was featured on the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) list of ‘Companies to Inspire Africa’ for 2019. Renmoney was listed alongside three other Nigerian companies.

In her remarks, Tobi Boshoro, CEO, Renmoney highlighted that the company “has spent the last few years building convenient lend-

ing solutions for Nigerians.” She also added: “We are laser-focused on listening to our customers and using their feedback to iterate on our solutions and processes.” This approach led Renmoney to 112% year on year growth in customers served in 2018 and the company has even more ambitious plans to make financial inclusion count in 2019.

According to David Schwimmer,

CEO, London Stock Exchange Group: “London Stock Exchange Group’s report ‘Companies to Inspire Africa’ identifies Africa’s most inspirational and dynamic private, high-growth companies to a global market”. He also highlighted that the ‘Companies to Inspire Africa’ report was born out of a belief that the featured firms are crucial to the future of the African economy and the growth of the economy of their home countries.

United Capital shareholders to get 30 kobo

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HE board of United Capital Plc, have announced to pay a dividend of 30 kobo per 50 kobo ordinary share for the year ended December 31, 2018.

The dividends will be paid electronically to shareholders whose names appear on the Register of Members, and who have completed the e-dividend registration and mandated the Registrar to pay their dividends directly into their

Bank accounts on Tuesday April 2, 2019.

The dividend payout is subject to appropriate withholding tax and shareholders’ approval will be paid to shareholders, whose names appear in the! Register of Members as at the close of business on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

United Capital Plc is a financial and investment banking ser-

vices group. Its services include investment banking, asset management, securities trading, and trusteeship. The company has a track record of assisting African Governments, individuals and corporate citizens achieve their strategic objectives throughout the market cycle, with a robust suite of financial and investment banking service offerings.

this success story will transcend to other areas of the capital market. The Memorandum Trading Platform will facilitate the ease of doing business in trading and distribution of Mutual Funds, it will inspire small savers thereby promoting financial inclusion which is an important focus of our mem-

bers.”

While congratulating everyone that contributed to the success of this initiative, he encouraged all operators to embrace the innovation aimed at deepening of the Nigerian capital market, being “a formidable incursion into an erstwhile grey sector”.

CSCS obtains ISO/IEC 27001: 2013 re-certification

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ENTRAL Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc has obtained recertification under ISO/IEC 27001:2013 following the recent audit of its compliance with information security risks controls by the British Standards Institution (BSI), UK, one of the world’s largest accreditation bodies for ISO certifications. The audit involved a series of process validation and assurance check of controls with respect to company and client data management.

Whilst receiving the recertification report, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of CSCS Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri said that as a significant Capital Market Infrastructure and indeed, the Central Securities Depository for the Nigerian Capital Market, one of CSCS’ paramount areas of focus is protection of commercially sensitive information belonging to the company and its investors.

According to Mr. Jalo-Waziri, “CSCS is committed to upholding the highest standards of security for the processes, people and technology powering our services. The confi-

dentiality, integrity and availability of information under our custody is held sacrosanct. ISO recertification provides assurance to all our customers that we have controls in place to identify and mitigate potential risks to confidential information. We work hard to ensure that we build trust and credibility in the market so as to inspire confidence among our stakeholders”.

Mr. Jalo-Waziri added that the “recertification serves to test and affirm our commitment to information security at all levels of our business and I am pleased to begin the year with this milestone”.

The Managing Director expressed his profound appreciation to both internal and external stakeholders for their commitment and steadfastness in ensuring the success of the recertification audit.

The ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification was first obtained by CSCS in 2015. It is conducted by BSI every three years and in between, a yearly surveillance audit is done. The next recertification audit comes up in 2022.

Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited and Standard Chartered Capital & Advisory Nigeria Limited have announced inaugural Commercial Paper Issuance by Union Bank of Nigeria Plc under its N100 billion CP Issuance Programme. The proceeds of the Issuance will be for working capital purposes.

Union Bank is a public limited liability company duly licenced under the laws of Nigeria to carry on commercial banking activities in Nigeria. The Bank is a full-fledged commercial bank with an international banking subsidiary in the United Kingdom. Union Bank is one of Nigeria’s leading financial services organisations, with an asset base of over N1.5 trillion and

shareholders’ funds in excess of N290 billion as at 30 September, 2018.

The Bank currently has approximately 4.3 million active customers served through over 300 sales and service centres, over 1,000 active Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and over 7,800 Point of Sale (POS) terminals strategically located across Nigeria. Union Bank has won numerous awards over the last two years, such as ‘The Fastest Growing Retail Bank’ by International Finance Magazine, ‘Excellence in Innovation in Banking’

by New Age Banking Awards and the ‘Brand Evolution of the Year’, ‘Iconic Brand of the Year’ awards

by Marketing World Awards.

Union Bank commences N100bn Series 1 and 2 commercial paper offer

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

MONEY Market

Nigeria records N3.4trn as 2018 budget deficit Stories by KAYODE OGUNWALE

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IGURES from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have shown that the budget deficit of the Federal Government of Nigeria stood at N3.4 trillion in 2018.

The 2018 budget, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on June 20 last year, had total spending of N9.1 trillion, comprising of N2.87 trillion for capital expenditure, N3.51 trillion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure while N2.01 trillion was budgeted for debt servicing.

Government had planned to fund the budget by generating N658.55 billion from Companies Income Tax, N207.51 billion from Value Added Tax, N324.86billion from Customs while N57.87 billion was expected to come from federation account levies.

Also, the government planned to raise N847.95 billion through independent revenue from its agencies, while tax amnesty income, signature bonus and unspent balance from previous years was to provide N87.84 billion, N114.3 billion and N250 billion respectively.

The CBN Economic Outlook Report for the fourth quarter of 2018 shows that the government’s revenue target was not met, as it was unable to generate enough to meet its expenditure.

In the fourth quarter of last year, the Federal Government’s retained revenue was put at N884.88 billion while it’s expenditure was N2.01 trillion. This resulted in a fiscal deficit of about N1.13 trillion.

In the second quarter of last year, the Federal Government earned N1.12 trillion while it’s expenditure was N1.63 trillion, resulting in a deficit of N504.8 billion.

For the third quarter, the revenue of the Federal Government was put at N1.03 trillion with the expenditure of N1.89 trillion, leading to a deficit of N855.09 billion.

In the fourth quarter, the fiscal deficit grew to N910.4 billion as the government was only able to generate N916.44 billion to take care of its total expenditure of N1.2 trillion.

The CBN said in the report: “The Federal Government retained revenue for the fourth quarter of 2018 was estimated at N916.44 billion.

“This was below the proportionate quarterly budget estimate and the receipts in the preceding quarter by 51.5 percent and 11.5 percent, respectively.

“Of the total revenue, the Federation Account accounted for 90.4 percent, while Value Added Tax, Excess crude/Petroleum Profit Tax, “Federal Government Independent Revenue, Excess Non-oil and Exchange Gain accounted for 4.3, 3.5, 1.4, 0.3 and 0.1 percent, respectively.

“The estimated Federal Government expenditure for the fourth quarter of 2018 stood at N1.82 trillion and was below the proportionate quarterly budget estimate of N2.37 trillion by 23.1 percent and the level in the preceding quarter by 3.4 percent.

“A breakdown of the total expenditure showed that the recurrent component accounted for 87.8 percent, while capital and statutory transfers accounted for 5.9 and 6.3 percent, respectively.

“A further breakdown of the recurrent expenditure showed that the non-debt component accounted for 53.8 percent, while debt service payments were 46.2 percent.”

The report explained.

•Mr. Kayode Akinkugbe, Managing Director/CEO, FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited, Mr. Bola Onadele. Koko, Managing Director/CEO, FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange, Mr. Kola Ashiru-Balogun, Managing Director, Mixta Real Estate (Nigeria) PLC, during the signing of the Listing & Quotation Registers at the Listing & Quotation Ceremony for the Mixta Real Estate (Nigeria) PLC Bonds & CPs at Exchange Place, Lagos.

Access Bank to issue N15bn first corporate green bond in Africa

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OLLOWING approval of its book build by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Africa’s leading financial institution, Access Bank Plc is set to issue the first corporate green bond in Africa.

The book build will commence on Thursday, February 21, 2019 and will be concluded in exactly one week,

after which the funding of commitment will begin on Friday, March 1, 2019.

The Bond, a 5-year Fixed Rate Senior Unsecured Green Bond of up to N15 Billion is the first ever Climate Bonds Standard Certified Corporate Green Bond to be issued in Africa. It has been awarded a B2 rating by Moody’s and verified by PwC

among others.”

His sentiment was shared by Robert Asogwa, another MPC member, who drew attention to Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) as another financial soundness indicator that evokes new concerns for him, having declined from 12.0 percent in June to 10.79 percent in August.

The trend is worrisome, Asogwa continued, “given the expectation that loan losses by the banking industry should be declining at this time, with the exit from recession.”

He agreed that it was not all bad news after all, judging by the growth in total banking industry assets from N33.7 trillion in July to N34.05 trillion even as total Industry credit moved slightly from N15.53 trillion to N15.76 trillion.

He equally drew attention to the deterioration of asset quality, despite the improved liquidity in the banking sector as a whole, calling for efforts to avoid provoking any further distress in the banking sector.”

Banks reports 11.67% non performing loan ratio in 2018Q4

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ATA from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), last week showed that Nigerian banks reported N1.792 trillion non-performing loans at the end final quarter of 2018, up from previous quarter’s N2.245 trillion.

As a ratio of gross loans of N15.353 trillion for the period, NPL ratio improved significantly to 11.67 percent, from 14.16 percent in the corresponding period of 2018 Q3.

NPL after specific provisions however stood at 13.22 percent, down from 16.84 percent.

The Q4 level was the lowest for the year, given that in Q2, NPL ratio stood at 12.45 percent, as against 13.83 percent in Q1; while NPL ratio after specific provisions stood at 14.27 percent from 15.75 percent in prior quarter.

The improvement in NPL ratio at Q4 2018 was even more significant, after it improved from N2.189 trillion, or 14.81 percent; just s NPL after specific provisions improved from 16.72 percent.

Despite the improvement, it is still a far cry from the 5 percent regulatory benchmark.

Total lending for 2018 Q4 improved by 2.92 percent Quarter-on-quarter to N15.134 trillion, with oil and gas lending continue to dominate the space attracting the highest credit allocation of N3.548 trillion of total lending, representing 23.45 percent, followed by manufacturing with N2.23 trillion or 14.74 percent.

Lending to government for the period stood at N1.362 trillion, or 9 percent of total credit; trade/general commerce attracted N1.076 trillion, or 7.11 percent; finance, insurance

and capital market sector lending accounted for N1.106 trillion, or 7.31 percent.

Rising from their meeting of September 2018, members of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), expressed worry over the bloating NPL as ratio of total industry loan for the period from 12.45 percent at the end of June, to 14.7 percent by August, at a time of rising oil prices at the international market.

Also worrisome, according to Dahiru Balami, a member of the committee, for instance, the fact that oil and gas lending alone is responsible for 30.8 percent of industry total loan book; followed afar off by the 12.95 percent of the manufacturing sector.

Rather than oil and gas, which does not generate so much employment for the economy, he had argued that concentration of loans ought to be towards “agriculture, manufacturing, transport and storage, service, mining and quarrying as well as real estate activities.”

For him therefore, one critical question Nigerian banks need to answer: “Is what credit appetite do banks have for giving more credit to the gas and oil sector?

“In Nigeria, the sectors with highest credit concentration are also sectors with high impact on the NPLs,” he had lamented, stressing that between August 2017 and August 2018, the sector accounted for 44.67 percent; General Commerce, 8.31 percent; General, 8.85 percent; Power and Energy, 6.95 percent; and Manufacturing, 6.13 percent

FirstBank Rewards Customers with Cardless Financial Transactions

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IRSTBANK has announced its ongoing Visa on mobile (QR) payment promo to reward customers with various discounts for using the QR payment on the FirstMobile App while carrying out transactions with select partner merchants. The promo is billed to end on 28 February 2019.

The Visa QR payment on FirstBank’s Firstmobile is a smart and convenient way to carryout transactions without the use of cards. All that is needed is for the customer to have a Firstmobile (the FirstBank mobile banking application) installed on his or her phone.

To carryout Visa on mobile (QR) payment, the customer opens the mobile app (Firstmobile), selects pay with QR code, scans the displayed QR code at the merchant location after which the merchant’s detail is displayed for a validation and enters the transaction amount and PIN on the FirstMobile App, then submits to consummate the

transaction.

Customers are encouraged to use the Visa QR payment on FirstBank’s Firstmobile at select merchant outlets to get the discount benefits such as 20 percent off movie tickets capped at N300 at Ozone cinemas; N500 off movie tickets at Filmhouse Cinemas Surulere Mall; up to 10 percent discounts at Marcopolo Oriental Cuisine, Lekki and lucky dip at VTL Store, Lekki; Foodco Limited Bodija, and Evron Food Store, Lekki.

According to the Group Executive, e-Business and Retail Products, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Chuma Ezirim, “FirstBank has over the years since its founding 125 years ago been a leader and pioneer at promoting excellent customer service delivery in its business transactions and with the Visa QR payment on FirstBank’s Firstmobile, we remain committed to putting our customers first in terms of convenience, security and ease of doing their financial services transactions.

(UK) following certification by the Climate Bond Initiative as having met the Climate Bond Standards.

Management of Access Bank had in anticipation of the approval, launched the Nigerian Green Bond Market Development Programme in June 2018, in partnership with FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange and the Securities Exchange Commission.

While reacting to the approval, the Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe described it as a step in the right direction adding that it lends credence to the process and gives hope of a favourable outcome. According to Wigwe, the final approval of the Green Bond will mean another feat that is commendable and speaks to the vision of being a key player in the country’s finance sector. In his words, ‘With over a decade’s experience leading Sustainability in the Nigerian financial sector, we believe that the issuance of this bond will create a path to financing Nigeria’s climate change objectives and also unlock the country’s economic growth potential’.

He continued, citing the Bank’s rich experience in the area of sustainability as a factor that will guarantee its success, ‘’With our pace-setting experience in the mainstreaming of sustainability in our business operations, we are confident that this Issue will further help in supporting environmentally friendly investors to meet their investment objectives whilst simultaneously supporting the Bank’s customer towards realizing growth opportunities in the fastdeveloping low carbon economy.”, he said.

The Issue proceeds will be used to finance eligible green projects that meet the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) standards. The Issue will serve as a turning point for Nigeria, attracting both domestic and international investors and will set the pace for other Nigerian corporates to raise green capital.

32

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

HEALTH

The Oracle Health Cancer: A threat to global medical practice With

INTRODUCTION ancer generally is defined as a mutated cell. Cell itself is a functional and structural unit of life. DNA is the lifewire of a cell. This DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is found in the centre of the cell. Free radicals damage DNA and cause mutation. Mutated cells, which grow erratically are called cancers, while free radicals are pathogenic particles in nature that cause cell oxidation. Basically, all forms of cancers are altered or the abnormal growth of cells which develop into malignancy.

C

Breast cancer leads in global cancer deaths Amongst all forms of cancers, breast cancer has been so rampant and death toll has risen steadily over the years.

The other cancers following breast cancer are long- cancers, cervical-cancers, prostate-cancers, pancreatic-cancers, kidney-cancers, liver-cancers, brain cancers etc. In rampancy and death toll globally, breast cancer has been raising public, political, social and medical concerns to people worldwide.

I call breast cancer “Dirty Mint Quadrant”, because of the social, mental and psychological injury and harassment it causes to people in Nigeria and globally.

The breast is made up of different tissues ranging from very fatty tissues to very dense tissues. Within these tissues is a network of lobes. Each lobe is made up of tiny tube-like structures called Lobules that

contain milk-glands. Tiny ducts connect the glands, lobes to the nipple. The nipple is located in the middle of areola, which is the darker area that surrounds the nipple. Blood and lymph vessels also run throughout the breast. Blood nourishes the cells. The lymph system drains the bodily waste-products.

The lymph vessels connect to lymph nodes, the tiny beanshaped organs that help fight infections.

Cancer of the breast begins when healthy cells in the breast change and grow out of control or erratically forming a mass or sheet of cells called Tumor.

A tumor can be cancerous or benign. A cancerous tumor is malignant, meaning it can grow and spread to the other parts of the body. A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. Breast cancer spreads when the cancer cells grow into other parts of the body through the blood ves-

sels. This is called metastasis.

This guide covers early-stage and locally advanced breast cancer, which includes stage i, ii, and iii. The stages of breast cancer describes where the cancer is located how much it has grown and where it has spread. Although the breast cancer most commonly spreads to the nearby lymph node, it can also spread further through the body to areas such as the bones, lungs, liver and brain. This is called Metastatic or Stage iv breast cancer.

The breast cancer has two major types. The breast cancer can be “Invasive or Noninvasive”. Invasive breast cancer is that which spreads into surrounding tissues. Noninvasive breast cancer does not go beyond the milk ducts or lobules in the breast. Most breast cancers start in the ducts or lobes and are called Ductal Carcinoma or lobular carcinoma.

The Ductal carcinoma is cancer

“

A benign tumor means the tumor can grow but will not spread. Breast cancer spreads when the cancer cells grow into other parts of the body through the blood vessels. This is called metastasis

“

Dr. JOHN

NWABUEZE •Calls only: +234-8127227226, Email: ogudoben@gmail.com

of the breast that starts in the cells lining of the ducts and make up the majority of breast cancers. Ductal carcinoma in situ”-(DCIS). This is cancer located only in the duct. “Invasive or infiltrating ductal carcinoma”.

This is cancer that has spread outside the duct. “Lobular carcinoma”, this is cancer that starts in the lobules. Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is located only in the lobules. However, the LCIS is a risk factor for developing breast cancer in the breasts.

There are other less common breast cancer types emanating from the two major types of breast cancer. There are: Medullary, Mucinous, Tubular, Metaplastic, Papillary breast cancer, while inflammatory breast cancer is a faster growing cancer that accounts for about 1% to 5% of all breast cancers. Pagets diseases is a type of cancer that begins in the ducts of the nipple. It is usually in situ and can also be an invasive cancer.

Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women, impacting over 1.5 million women each year, and also causes the greatest number of cancer –related deaths among women. In 2015, 570, 000 women

died from breast cancer, that is approximately 15% of all cancer deaths among women, while breast cancer rates are higher among women in more developed region and increasing in nearly every region globally.

In order to improve breast cancer outcomes and survival, early detection is sacrosanct.

There are two early detection strategies for breast cancer: “Early diagnosis and specialized screenings”. Limited resource settings with weak health system where the majority of women are diagnosed in late stages should prioritise early diagnosis programmes based on awareness of early signs and symptoms and prompt referral to diagnosis and treatment.

Early diagnosis strategies focus on providing timely access to cancer treatment by reducing barriers to care and improving access to effective diagnosis services. The goal is to increase the proportion of breast cancers identified at an early stage allowing for more effective treatment to be used and reducing the risk of death from breast cancer.

World health Organisation (WHO) package of essential non communicable (PEN) disease interventions for primary health care in low-resource settings has guidance on the approach to assessment and referral for women with breast cancer in the primary care setting.

The specialised screenings consists of testing women to identify cancers before any symptoms appear. Various methods have been evaluated as breast cancer screening tools, including mammography (MG) clinical breast examination (CBE) and breast self examination (BSE). The use of mammography for mammographic screening has been the last arbiter for breast cancer screening. Good political will, collaborations and partnerships are excellent approaches to fighting cancer scourge today. The Nigerian community and the globally should be more committed in the fight against cancers as an epidemic government and corporate individuals/groups are called upon to sign up in the fight against cancers, and support programmes, nationally to curb the menace.

33

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

Love and Living

...With Ireto Temofeh

MODEL OF THE WEEK

LOVE NEWS

Funeral director, 64, is sacked after being caught having sex with female worker beside COFFINS

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funeral director has been sacked after he was spotted having sex with a female worker beside coffins at an undertakers.

Christopher Grimes was ‘caught red-handed’ by shocked employees in Hamilton & Marshall Funeral Directors in Newport on the Isle of Wight.

The 64-year old grandfather and the woman admitted to bosses that they had been taking part in the ‘inappropriate’ sex act.

The couple were then sacked for ‘unprofessional conduct’ after romping in the room where the coffins are stored.

A source told the Mirror: You expect a funeral home to be a professional and dignified place, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

‘It’s the talk of the town. He’s no longer working there and they’ve

tried to hush the whole thing up.’

Grimes, who was in a long-term relationship with the woman, has not conducted any funerals since he was suspended.

The woman was also told to leave after admitting to the sex act.

The company Dignity, based in Birmingham, said: ‘Following an investigation [the pair] admitted an inappropriate sex act took place on our premises, and he was dismissed.

‘The female member of staff also no longer works for us.’

Mr Grimes declined to comment but his partner said she was ‘standing by him’, according to the Mirror.

The undertakers boasts a ‘professional team of funeral directors’ on its website, offering more than 50 years experience with prices of £1,995 for a basic package.

Name: Emelda Mobile: +234 816 633 9597 • If you want to be our next ORACLE GIRL, e-mail or forward your photos/data to ireto007@yahoo.com. Call 07031028714.

ODD NEWS What it’s REALLY like to work at a proposal hot spot!

From a Bristol hot air balloon ride to a London aquarium,

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funeral director has been sacked after he was spotted having sex with a female worker beside coffins at an undertakers.

Christopher Grimes was ‘caught red-handed’ by shocked employees in Hamilton & Marshall Funeral Directors in Newport on the Isle of Wight.

The 64-year old grandfather and the woman admitted to bosses that they had been taking part in the ‘inappropriate’ sex act.

The couple were then sacked for ‘unprofessional conduct’ after romping in the room where the coffins are stored.

A source told the Mirror: You expect a funeral home to be a professional and dignified place, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

‘It’s the talk of the town. He’s no longer working there and they’ve tried to hush the whole thing up.’

Grimes, who was in a long-term relationship with the woman, has not conducted any funerals since he was suspended.

The woman was also told to leave

after admitting to the sex act.

The company Dignity, based in Birmingham, said: ‘Following an investigation [the pair] admitted an inappropriate sex act took place on our premises, and he was dismissed.

‘The female member of staff also no longer works for us.’

Mr Grimes declined to comment but his partner said she was ‘standing by him’, according to the Mirror.

The undertakers boasts a ‘professional team of funeral directors’ on its website, offering more than 50 years experience with prices of £1,995 for a basic package.

ROMANTIC JOKE THE THREE FRIENDS

Three friends -- two straight guys and a gay guy -- and their significant others were on a cruise. A tidal wave came up and swamped the ship; they all drowned, and next thing you know, they’re standing before St. Peter. First came one of the straight guys and his wife. St. Peter shook his head sadly. “I can’t let you in. You loved money too much. You loved it so much, you even married a woman named Penny.”

Then came the second straight guy.

“Sorry, can’t let you in, either. You loved food too much. You loved to eat so much, you even married a woman named Candy!” The gay guy turned to his boyfriend and whispered nervously, “It doesn’t look good, Dick.”

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

True Confession

My wedding day was the saddest

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y name is Ade and my story is a sad one. The love of Ifeoma is the greatest love I have ever had, and will ever have.

In my own estimation, love is not measured by how long it lasts, but by how strong it is.

Even if it lasts for a moment, there is a kind of love that could be stronger than the loves that last for years.

That was the kind of love that I and Ifeoma shared.

Don’t look down on me because my wife is now a mad woman, because I’m determined to stand by her till the end. I met Ifeoma 15 years ago while we were still teenagers.

I was staying with my aunt in Lagos and my school was on holiday, so my aunt suggested that I go and spend the holiday with the children of her bosom friend in Enugu. That was how at the age of 16, I went to Enugu to spend a holiday.

The family of my aunt’s bosom

friend was a very happy and united one. We called my aunt’s bosom friend Aunty Ngozi, and she had 3 girls. I was gladly introduced to all her children who welcomed me with open arms.

Ifeoma was her first daughter and even at 12 years old, she looked bigger than her age. We became fond of each other and continued our friendship through to adulthood.

I yearned for Ifeoma like a deer yearns for water. And I prayed to God earnestly for the day she would finally be mine.

When I finally got a job in Lagos, I invited her to come from Enugu and stay with me in Lagos, pending when I would have saved enough money to do her introduction.

Ifeoma and I picked a date for our wedding and we looked forward to that day when we would become husband and wife.

However, our wedding day proved

to be the saddest day of my life. The truth was that one of my aunts was totally against my getting married to Ifeoma because she is Igbo.

My aunt did everything to turn my parents against my plans to wed Ifeoma by saying that Igbos are only after money. According to my aunt, Ifeoma would only take my money and abandon me.

But still, I was undeterred. I swore to go ahead with the wedding as long as my parents had agreed to it. But I didn’t know what my aunt had in store for us.

On our wedding day, we woke up early and went to the church with Ifeoma looking immaculate in her wedding gown.

After we had exchanged our wedding vows, that my aunt and other relatives came to greet us.

Suddenly, my aunt brought out a black substance from her bag, and rubbed it all over Ifeoma’s head.

Immediately, Ifeoma, my newly wedded wife, started acting funny and taking her clothes off. She would have run out of the church naked if I hadn’t held her hands.

At first, it didn’t occur to us that my wife had gone crazy. We rushed her to a private hospital thinking it was fever or malaria.

My wedding day was the saddest, because it was at the private hospital that it dawned on me that my wife had run mad on our wedding day when the doctor referred her to a psychiatric hospital.

Ifeoma is still in the psychiatric hospital. Yet my aunt is saying that she has found another wife for me, a Yoruba girl from my hometown.

But I have vowed never to let her succeed in her evil plans. I will stand by my wife, Ifeoma, till the end. I will never take another wife.

Your say: Call 07031028714.

35

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

Relationships and Love Advice

He claims he loves me, but he doesn’t express it

Love Search Women seeking relationship/ marriage

Chiommy, very tall, fair, sexy, hippy, busty, needs a sugar daddy who will take good care of her and she will satisfy him very well. 09028379398.

Chinyere, 35, dark, single mum, humble, works, seeks a hardworking man from 38 years and above for marriage.

09038028331.

Viky, 52, widow, working, Igbo, chocolate, average height, wants to get connected to a man of 53-60 years (not a divorcee) from any tribe.

08036309809.

Humble, 40, needs a sponsor in her theology school. 09026452405.

Rose, in Lagos, just rented a shop, needs someone to support her in starting a business. 08107458039.

Dear Love Doctor,

I

am a lady of 29 years who deeply loves a guy. He claims to love me too but he does not express it. He does not call but sends text messages once in a while. I complained but nothing is being done and I strongly believe he has someone else.

I stopped my frequent calling yet he never bothered. He does not give me money or

gifts, yet I have never asked him for anything.

Now I want to quit the affair because I am not enjoying the relationship at all. Does he really love me? Love Doctor please I need your candid advice.

From, Praise, Edo state

Dear Praise,

M

If he doesn’t respond after you make your need for affection clear, then we have to dig deeper to find out why he’s withholding affection from you. Is something not working for him in the relationship? Is something bothering him at work?

Is he depressed? Does he feel that you’re not meeting his needs?

Generally when we feel properly fed by our partners, we want to give back to them whatever they want from us. When a partner withholds, it can be a sign that he/ she is feeling unfulfilled in the relationship.

Now let’s move to another possibility. Maybe everything is fine for him in the relationship and he’s simply fallen into what some counsellors call the Caveman Courtship routine. The caveman did whatever he needed to win his female.

He’d show off, prove his strength

Lora, graduate, works, HIV Positive, based in Jos, wants a HIV positive man of 35-40 years for marriage.

08090925014.

A single mother needs a responsible man for a relationship. 08140599563.

Love Doctor’s Advice: y first question is whether your guy used to show you any affection before (in order to win you) or was he always not affectionate?

If he used to be affectionate and he’s become lazy of late, my first question is have you discussed the issue with him? Does he know that you need more affection? If you haven’t yet discussed the matter, then we can’t assume that he knows anything is the matter! Never assume anything about your partner in a relationship without first seeking clarification from him/ her. He may not have someone else as you think.

However, remember, don’t attack, blame, complain or criticize him. Simply state what you need and how much it means to you. In many cases, this solves the problem.

Funke, 44, needs a man (widower or divorcée) of 50-55 years for a serious relationship. 08185083988.

and prowess, fight off competitors, etc.

But once he banged her over the head with a club and dragged her back to his cave, the challenge was over! His conquest was won, and he could just sit back and watch the sports channel. In this way, modern day men aren’t very different from cavemen. Therefore, your guy may be taking you for granted because he sees you as a done deal rather than the prize that he needs to keep happy if he wants her to remain in his life.

Reach out to your man. Discuss with him to know why he doesn’t show you affection. If it’s clear that he is playing games, don’t settle for deception, because it wouldn’t be wise wasting your time being with someone who doesn’t love you.

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!

E-Mail: ireto007@yahoo.com Go to foodstuffs.com.ng. Call Love Doctor: 07031028714, 08131161840.

Men seeking relationship/ marriage Uche, a graduate in Lagos, needs a kind woman or man to help him in his new business. Text 08131161840.

Divine, 36, wants a beautiful, highly educated, tall, fair, working class lady from 25-30 years for marriage. 09054199030.

Diamond Prince, 28, living in Lagos, needs a sugar mummy. 07069498904.

Emmy needs a mature lady or widow in Lagos for companionship. 08077821830.

Godspower, 33, tall, from Kogi, based in Abuja, wants a sugar mummy from 40 years and above based in Abuja, to satisfy her very well. 0810069625, 07018735547.

Emeka, 54, in Lagos, needs an educated woman between 32-35 years for a wife.

08118482541.

36

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

It happened to me:

I Thought IVF Was Selfish, Until I Discovered I Couldn’t Get Pregnant Without It’ I began my first and only round of in vitro fertilization in the very house in Atlanta where my mother had died of cancer just a few months earlier. The bureau in the guest bedroom that was once covered with my mom’s cancer meds was now blanketed with the syringes, medicine vials, and alcohol wipes I would need for my fertility treatments.

Starting IVF so soon after losing my mother probably wasn’t the sanest choice. But I’d learned around the same time I found out my mom was suffering from terminal cancer that I had the severest form of a disease called endometriosis.

Surgery confirmed the only way I would be able to become pregnant was through in vitro fertilization.

My mom was still alive when my husband Alex and I decided we would go ahead with IVF. Her doctors in California had originally told her she had about a year left to live, and when I moved my mother out to Atlanta, Mom and I both anticipated we would be able to share my pregnancy, and that she would meet her grandchild before she died.

But the cancer had a mind of its own, and my mom died just six weeks after she moved to Atlanta. I didn’t have a lot of time to grieve before I had to make a tough decision. My reproductive endocrinologist made it clear that the scar tissue created by my endometriosis was growing so quickly, soon IVF would no longer be an option.

And, if I’m completely honest with myself, I had another, more tenuous motive, in choosing to undergo IVF so soon after losing my mother. As irrational as it now seems, I was looking for a sign. That she wasn’t gone forever. That part of her still remained close by, watching over me, wanting to make my dreams come true.

I went through the physically exhausting process of injecting hormones three times a day into my belly, getting blood drawn each morning at the doctor’s office along with regular ultrasounds, and afternoon phone calls from my nurse telling me about my hormone levels.

At the end of the first two weeks, my doctor harvested enough follicles to be able to later transfer two embryos into my uterus, ironically on the two-month anniversary of my mom’s death.

A week later, I took a pregnancy test (even though the clinic told me not to, false negatives and all that), and for the first time in my life, I saw two lines on the stick.

I was pregnant.

A phone call from my nurse a few days later confirmed the miracle. From that moment, the most complete form of bliss imaginable enveloped me. Every morning before he left for work, and at night when he returned home, Alex would talk to my belly (even though the creature growing inside me was only the size of a sesame seed) and kiss my stomach, and say “I love you” to what we thought would one day be our child.

But my womb wasn’t built right, not for carrying babies at least, and the rosebush planted in the sand soon died.

My nurse called me to say my pregnancy hormone levels were dropping, and I would miscarry within days.

Whereas the past few weeks had been in euphoric soft focus, now suddenly everything was real and sharp and painful.

My baby was gone, and my mother was gone. Forever. Mom wasn’t behind the scenes, orchestrating happy events for

the rest of my life. I lost the pregnancy, and with it all the hope I had in the world.

Soon after my miscarriage, Alex and I moved back home to San Diego, the city where we had met and fell in love years earlier. Out of the crucible of pain Atlanta seemed to represent, we had more time to reflect. We didn’t want to try again to get pregnant. I was emotionally wasted. I didn’t think I could survive another loss.

What might surprise you (because it sure surprises me) is how positive I feel about the whole medical wonder that is in vitro fertilization. I’d been trying unsuccessfully to conceive for two years when I underwent IVF, and the process allowed me to take back control of my fertility. With each injection, I was actively preparing my body for pregnancy. I finally felt I had some power and order in a world that, at the time, seemed so chaotic and random.

Word gets around when you’ve had IVF, and I often get asked for advice from friends, and friends of friends, whether in vitro is really worth it – worth the steep price tag, the physical pain, the emotional roller coaster. Despite my less than ideal experience with IVF, I tell these women it is their opportunity to take control of their bodies and their desire for a family.

I cringe at the thought of how judgmental I used to be toward women who had their children through IVF. In my 20s, I viewed celebrities as terribly selfish to undergo expensive fertility treatments when (I believed) there were so many adoptable babies who needed homes.

But there are no guarantees with adoption. A birth mother can change her mind.

With international adoption (an avenue we pursued for a year) timetables change and foreign governments can alter the rules in the middle of the process. There’s also the completely natural desire to have a child that carries on your family’s traits. I often dreamed that my baby would have my mother’s warm, cat-shaped brown eyes, or my husband’s fierce intellect.

Ultimately, Alex and I decided to change how we viewed what our family should look like. Now, ours is a family of two adults. My husband and I have a relationship of smudged boundaries, where one of us does not feel whole and complete unless the other is present. Our connection brings me enough comfort and peace to be content with what we have, instead of focusing on what’s missing.

Recently Alex and I went to dinner on a Friday evening with our friends Susanna

and David, recent transplants to San Diego from the East Coast. Alex and David had grown up together in New Jersey. And in a case of synchronicity, Susanna is a fertility doctor.

As we discussed our weekend plans, Susanna mentioned she had a birthday party to attend for a two-year-old. I asked if it was for the friend of one of her two young sons.

“Actually, no,” she answered. “It’s for the child of one of my patients.”

It took me a moment to realize what she was saying. “Your patients invite you to the birthday parties of the children you helped create?”

She smiled with humility. “I don’t really think of it that way.” But the answer was yes.

And there it was. IVF helps create families that once did not exist. Just because IVF didn’t work for me, that doesn’t mean it can’t make other women’s dreams come true. The word family can mean so many different things to different people. If medical advances can bring you the kind of bliss I once experienced, it’s a risk worth taking.

Courtesy: Cosmo

37

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

The Law and You

With Barr. Ken Akpom 08162016410

Relationship between spouses

O

ne of the funniest aspects of marriage preparations and processes in Nigeria is the ignorance of the parts to understanding the purposes of marriage and what is takes to making it very interesting and durable. The relationship between husband and wife in marriage is very different from a boy friend and a girl friend relationship which touched on our last discussion on void and voidable marriage. It is my candid advice to couples in marriage or those proposing to get into this aspect of life to understand the obligations legally involved before venturing into it.

At common law, this relationship is seen as a contract which the doctrine of common law governs. In this doctrine, there are three rules of it at common law which are: firstly, it is believed that a man cannot contract with his wife during marriage because both are seen as one legal entity (person). Even our Holy Bible says it that a woman (wife) will leave her father’s house and join the man (the husband) and they be-

come one.

When spouses marry and become one, any contract made is seen as contracting with joint persons who are same. It is worth noting that at common law, that a married woman lacks contractual capacity.

Secondly, when marriage is established at common law it makes void any contract made between the spouses when they were boy friend and girl friend (i.e. single). Thirdly, in a law suit a husband cannot sue his wife, likewise a wife cannot sue her husband, with some exceptions which include divorce, etc; as the rule of procedure portrays.

The big question is: Does the average Nigerian man know his liabilities on his wife’s contract? It is now very essential and necessary to look into this question that people ask me all the time. It is a well-established law or rule of law in marriage per-se that a wife has the power to act as the agent of her husband so as to compel him to be liable for her contracts.

Case

I want to sue my wife for buying goods on credit without my consent Dear Lawyer,

I

have been married for over 10 years now to a housewife. However, my problem with her is that she keeps on buying goods on credit on my behalf and without my consent from dealers/traders who sell these goods to her in my absence. They grant her request because I usually offset the bills. I am tired of this her behavior and I’ve tried to stop her but she says I can’t starve her and the children. Can I sue her to refund all the money I’ve spent on the settlement of these her debts?

From Adebowale, Lagos.

CONDITIONS IN WHICH HUSBAND MAY BE LIABLE FOR WIFE’S CONTRACT: There are four known conditions in which this may happen.

(1) Express Authority of the husband: In most cases, husbands authorized their wives to perform certain transaction(s) with a particular person(s) or organization.

Here, the act of the wife is seen as merely her acting as an agent in law, hence, not liable for her contract.

Likeness, some women may in the absence of the husbands perform certain contracts without the express authorities of their husbands. The law is that once those husbands on their returns ratify the wives’ actions, they are binded by the contract.

(2) It is true that marriage in itself does not give authority to a wife to bind her husband in contract because they cohabit. However, because of the wife’s cohabitation and management of the husband’s household, there is a presumption of fact that she acts as the agent to the husband hence, has the authority to request for ‘credit purchases’ in all domestic matters which the husband entrusted to her.

(3) If a husband performs it as a duty to pay a third party cash for goods bought by his wife, the third party can infer that the wife has her husband’s authority to ask for credit where this happens, then, the husband is bound by the contract.

However, I wish to state here that the wife’s usual authority to pledge her husband’s credit is limited to the purchase of “necessaries”. By ‘necessaries’ I want to clarify that it is not limited to the bare necessaries of life like food, clothing, medicine and lodging but includes those goods and services which are suitable in kind and sufficient in quantity and necessary to the position in life of the husband.

TERMINATION OF WIFE’S AUTHORITY. In as much as the law gives privileges to wives however, most wives tend to abuse them which results in the need to terminate it. The question, then, is: In what ways can a husband terminates his wife’s authority to pledge credit on his behalf. There are three main ways namely: (1) Express prohibition (2) Husband’s insanity (3) Husband’s death (1) Express Prohibition: The husband can expressly revoke the wife’s acting on his behalf by informing those granting her credit to stop because he is not to be held liable for any such act.

(2) When a wife, an agent, knows that her husband suffers from insanity or lunacy but pledges credit on his behalf, the law holds that wife liable to such contracted act because her husband was not in a right frame of mind to have knowledge of his wife’s action.

(3) In the case of death: It is the decision in law that when a wife is authorized by the husband to contract on his behalf and if he dies without the knowledge of the debtors and wife in time, the wife is not held liable but contract terminates. However, there are criticism on this.

Lawyer’s Answer: Dear Adebowale,

F

irstly, the law allows for a relationship between spouses regarding contract. Likewise, in law of tort, the rule is that no act committed by one spouse against the other during marriage can amount to tort. It is also prohibitive at common law for a spouse to sue the other during marriage or to even bring up an action in a marriage. To this effect, you can’t sue your wife based on your narrative to me. What I shall advise

you is to tell those her dealers/traders not to grant her credit facilities above a fixed amount that you know you can afford, and that if any of them exceeds that maximum limit, you shall not be held liable. Also inform your wife of the maximum limit you set and try your best to fulfill your responsibilities toward her and your children. This is necessary because you can’t starve her and the children deliberately.

I wish to add that a wife who deserted or was turned out by her husband has the power to pledge his credit for necessaries. This means that the wife’s power extends only to the purchase of necessities.

• Do you have questions or seek legal clarification on issues concerning your marriage, probate, property, etc? Send a text message to Barr.

Ken via 08162016410 or 08075763840. Email: kenakpom@yahoo.com

38

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

With Douglas Omoyooma

Davido, my crush – Sonia Nwankwo Actress and singer, Nwankwo Sonia Adaobi Aka Sonifoxy hit the Nigerian entertainment industry in 2011. Among others, she has starred in movies like King of the Vultures, Blind Mother among others. She has also released a couple of singles including Suspender and Obimo. In this chat with Oracle Today, she opens up on her career and why she’s crushing on hip hop act, Davido (David Adeleke).

“H

mmm… well, I love a lot Nigeria entertainers due to the fact that we are taking the global entertainment space by force but I must confess, I think when it comes to crushing I would just go for David Adeleke popularly known as Davido.”

Could she marry him if he proposed to her? “I think he is in a serious relationship which is very much visible. However, if he proposes to me I will jump into his arms. If it’s my destiny, why not? I will marry him over and over again,” she says giggling.

So, could she marry a younger lover? “Age is nothing but a number,” she says dismissively. “If a younger lover will make me happier and contented so be it. My ideal man is a man who very patient, loving, understanding and above all God fearing. And guess what, the sise of his pocket does not matter. That can be worked out because as far as I am concerned, it is not primary.”

Nollywood Recalling how her journey into the industry began she disclosed that ab-initio, it was tough because her parents did not support her dreams. She says: “At first they weren’t supportive at all especially my dad. But when they saw the outcome of my jobs they are beginning to get in line. My mum is my biggest fan now, she even goes as far as watching my movies and downloading my songs even before I inform her.

“You see, entertainment has always been in me right from when I was very much little. I used to be in a Debating and Dramatic Society. While I was in the University I used to travel to different states during ASSU strikes to learn more about movies and participate too.”

Today she has starred in movies like Cry

of the Motherless, Joy of my Destiny, My Mothers Wish, Where I Belong, Dear My Beloved, Against My Blood, Mary the Hunter, Sorrows a n d Tears. “ I have done so many challenging roles but one of them I can never forget in a hurry is on the set of Against my blood, which is an epic movie. There were times where we had to sleep in the Bush and I was heavily beaten by insects and I fell very sick for almost 2 weeks after leaving that movie set.”

“I admire a lot of people in the industry,” she continues opening up on her role models? “I admire a lot of people especially the women. One of the people that inspired me growing up was Stephanie Okereke. I remember wanting to act like her. I also Admire Patience Ozokwor (Mama G), Ini Edo, Genevieve Nnaji too. There is so much I still learn from them.”

Has she ever encountered sexual harassment in the industry? “Everybody has but I think the way you handle it is what matters. When I started, I remember losing a lot of roles all because I refused to play some dirty games but I’m glad now that my talent is gradually subduing the sexual harassment.

• Sonia Nwankwo

39

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

AVIATION Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

I

F you happened to be one of the millions of people who tuned into the Academy Awards on Sunday, chances are you likely saw Marriott International’s newest global campaign commercial.

In the 60-second spot, a series of vignettes plays out with a variety of travelers having different experiences at a number of Marriott hotels around the world, from The RitzCarlton in Kyoto, Japan, to the Courtyard by Marriott in Sedona, Arizona.

Each traveler snapshot features the usage of “Bonvoy!” as a shorthand expression for “bon voyage.”

Bonvoy is the name of Marriott’s newly combined loyalty program, which brought together Marriott Rewards, Ritz-Carlton Rewards, and Starwood Preferred Guest. The new program name was announced on January 16, and it’s clear that with this new campaign, “Rewards Reimagined,” the world’s largest hotel company is looking to boost brand recognition for Bonvoy, as well as all 30 of its hotel brands. Bonvoy has 120 million members, arguably the largest loyalty program for a single hotel company.

Interested in more stories like this?

Subscribe to Skift’s Business of Loyalty Newsletter for insight into what matters most to the people who travel for a living.

“It’s about the emotional part of what good travel means,” Karin Timpone, global marketing officer for Marriott International told Skift.

“That’s what the campaign is all about — people experiencing the joy of good travel and they have one word to describe it, and that one word is ‘Bonvoy.’ The more people hear that, the more they connect that idea of good travel to our portfolio and that program.”

So, can Marriott actually make ‘Bonvoy’ as ubiquitous a greeting as it hopes to with its less-than-subtle

‘Fly-to-vote Promo’ delights Arik

use of “Bonvoy?” It’s too early to say, but it’s clear that’s the main objective with “Rewards Reimagined” as well as speaking to Marriott’s larger efforts to be a true experience platform beyond just hotels.

When Marriott first announced Bonvoy as the new name for its loyalty program, and even prior to the official announcement, consumer response and reaction was, at best, mixed.

Nevertheless, Marriott continued with Bonvoy, and with this new campaign, it’s clear the company isn’t backing down anytime soon, and it knows that it’ll take some time for people to grow accustomed to the new name/phrase.

“It takes time to build a brand, whether in hospitality or any sector,” said Timpone. “There are many brand names we use in regular vernacular today where people were thinking, ‘What does that actually mean?’”

Bonvoy, which Timpone confirmed “comes from ‘bon voyage,’” was carefully selected by Marriott, which even investigated how the name would be pronounced in different languages, including Chinese.

“Anyone who’s worked in name development for brands knows it takes time to select and develop it with consumers,” she said. “We think it’s good because it relates to travel, and relates to Marriott, and also points to something new — that the loyalty program is now the richest set of benefits, and much more than what it was in pieces.”

Just as Marriott’s biggest rival, Hilton, has also sought to change the conversation about booking direct with its newest campaign, “Expect Better. Expect Hilton,” Marriott is also doing the same with its new

NDLEA woos Air Peace to check drug trafficking

By MADUABUCHI KALU

T

HE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has asked domestic carrier, Air Peace, to help in checking drug peddling in the country.

The agency said this would help to protect the country’s image and save its citizens from being executed in some countries with tough anti-drug laws.

The NDLEA made the appeal during its eight-day training for Air Peace cabin crew members as part of sensitisation programme for the carrier’s crew in preparation for Air Peace’s international flight operations expected to commence soon.

The NDLEA’s three-member team at the workshop comprised the Principal Staff Officer, Administration and Logistics, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Mr Abbas Abdullahi; Target and Intelligence Analyst, Mr Akan Inam, and Staff Officer, Evidence Collection/Exhibit Keeping, Mr Okwunjor Edache.

According to the agency, drug couriers are daily devising new means of beating the system.

“The NDLEA is always a step ahead of the drug peddlers, who are frequently being exposed by operatives,” Abdullahi said.

They urged the Air Peace crew to be calm and cautious in observing passengers, adding that drug couriers would always leave a trail.

The NDLEA operatives also warned the airline’s crew not to trust anyone and desist from mak-

ing assumptions as drug peddlers could put up deceptive appearances to escape being exposed.

The agency asked the crew to consider their role in exposing drug couriers as a commitment to save lives.

The airline said it planned to fly to Dubai, Sharjah, London, Houston, Johannesburg, Guangzhou-China and Mumbai, among other international destinations.

It added that it had recently operated demonstration flights to Port Harcourt, Kano, Freetown, Dakar, Johannesburg and Sharjah, as part of the requirements for the induction of the Boeing 777 aircraft it planned to deploy for its long-haul services.

According to the airline, its Cabin Services Manager, Florence Opia; Corporate Communications Manager, Mr Chris Iwarah; and Chief Security Officer, Mr Monsuru Akinbola, had recently paid a visit to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of the NDLEA to share ideas on proactive options to prevent drug couriers from attempting to peddle drugs using the airline’s international flights.

•Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika. loyalty program and campaign by emphasizing the benefits and customized, special experiences you can have as a Marriott Bonvoy member.

Some of those experiences include special musical performances, sports events such as Marriott’s partnership with Manchester United, and culinary events.

Prior to “Reimagining Rewards,” Marriott’s other two large global campaigns were “It Pays to Book Direct” and “You Are Here,” both of which put loyalty members front and center.

“Reimagining Rewards” does as well, and like “You Are Here” its other main goal is to educate consumers about all of Marriott’s brands.

“We want there to be a way for travelers to identify the brands in our portfolio,” Timpone said. “We believe that loyalty and the new Marriott Bonvoy is the way travelers can understand how the brands are related. The top business goal it to affiliate the 30 brands of our portfolio so travelers can recognize those as connected.”

By extension, Timpone said “We also believe it’s important for a single name of loyalty to be attached to the daily habit of our co-branded credit card members,” referring to Marriott’s co-branded credit card partnerships with Chase and American Express.

And as Hilton did when it debuted “Stop Clicking Around” during the annual Grammy awards in 2016, Marriott timed its global campaign with another entertainment-focused awards ceremony, the Oscars, seeing it as a prime opportunity to explore the connections between film and travel.

Timpone wouldn’t say exactly how much Marriott spent on this new campaign, but she said “it’s a considerable investment.” Marriott

also commissioned Oscar-nominated director Jean-Pierre Jeunet to work with its own creative and content marketing department, as well as an outside agency, Observatory Marketing, to create the TV spot that aired during the Academy Awards.

ABC was charging $2 to $3 million for its Oscar spots.

While there weren’t any celebrities featured in the TV ad that aired Sunday, Timpone said that celebrities from the worlds of film, sports, music, and food will be prominently featured in upcoming Marriott Bonvoy-related events.

In other words, the commercial was just the start of a massive multichannel digital, social, and media

campaign that will span 22 markets worldwide.

Whether consumers worldwide eventually warm up to the idea of “Bonvoy” remains to be seen, but Timpone said early signs point to success.

“One of the things I’ve observed in groups we’ve talked to [about the program name] is that once we fill the name with meaning, we hear from people that they absolutely love it,” Timpone said of Bonvoy. “Saying the name is just the first step. Then we affiliate it with the portfolio, and connect it to our loyalty benefits and have it as a single way to navigate all the things travelers do with us.”

China Airlines pilot caught sleeping in the cockpit while flying a Boeing 747

A

China Airlines pilot has been filmed taking a nap in the cockpit of his passenger jet mid-

flight.

The 30-second clip, filmed by the co-pilot, shows the Boeing 747 pilot slumping his head forward with his eyes closed while the aircraft was mid-flight.

The pilot was identified as Weng Jiaqi, a senior officer for China Airlines, the national carrier of Taiwan, with almost 20 years’ experience, according to media reports.

The video surfaced just days after China Airlines pilots ended an unprecedented seven-day strike over issues such as pilot fatigue and long working hours.

While it is not known when the incident took place, the airline responded saying that the clip was filmed before the recent strikes.

Weng is said to be the airline’s most senior Boeing 747 pilot, with near 20 years of experience flying mainly Tokyo, Okinawa, Seoul and Hong Kong.

The chief pilot is also an instructor

in charge of simulations at the China Airlines Flight Training Center.

Facing accusations including ignoring flight safety procedures, the pilot is said to have ‘received adequate punishment’, a statement by China Airlines said.

‘Fatigue is inevitable. But as a senior officer, the pilot should have set a good example for his subordinates, an unnamed China Airlines pilot told EBC News.

‘If the pilot was really too tired, he could have alerted crew members and have them observe your condition,’ he added.

The co-pilot has also been disciplined for not waking the pilot up.

Guidelines state that pilots can sleep in the cockpit on longer flights in what is known as ‘controlled rest’, but typically the procedure would be done with the seat pulled back and the pilot nowhere near the controls.

Taiwan’s Civil Aviation Bureau states that if pilots have flown for more than 12 hours, they should be given at least 24 hours off.

Nigeria Travel Awards: Jumia announces nominees, commences public on-line voting

J

UMIA Travel, the hotel & flight arm of Jumia has announced the launch of the 3rd edition of the annual Nigeria Travel Awards which is scheduled to hold on Monday, March 11th, 2019 at Jupiter Hall, Four Points by Sheraton. Image may

contain: text The online travel agency also disclosed that online voting for the awards has opened and will close on Wednesday, March 6th, 2019.

The Awards which aim to recognise outstanding players in the

Nigeria Hospitality/Travel industry will have the Hon. Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Lagos State, Steve Ayorinde, deliver the keynote address on the topic: “Lagos as a Model For Tourism Growth in Nigeria”.

Other top dignitaries are Annette Ibe, the Lagos representative of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Ikechi Ukoh of Akwaaba Travel Market and tourism/ travel expert, and the General Manager of Four Points by Sheraton, Jonathan Patterson.

racleToday

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41

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

EDUCATION

•The Bishop of catholic Diocese of Awka, Bishop Chukwuma Ezeokafor a in a group photograph with the management of Madonna Girls Secondary school Umunze and students during the 2019 celebration of their annual Feast and Parents’ day.

Madonna Girls’ Secondary School Feast Day: Bishop Ezeokafor tasks Christians on forgiveness

From CYNTHIA CHIDINMA IGBOKWE, Awka

C

atholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor has advised Christians to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness, describing it as the only way to maintain peaceful coexistence in the society.

Bishop Ezeokafor gave the advice at a Pontifical Mass at Madonna Girls Secondary School Umunze, Orumba South council area of Anambra State in celebration of their annual Feast and Parents’ day.

Delivering his sermon on ‘love of our enemies’, Bishop Ezeokafor advised Christians to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and love as it is the major weapon that conquers hatred.

The catholic Bishop of Awka said that what starts major conflicts which usually lead to war is the urge for revenge, warning that once there is revenge, war erupts.

Sounding a wake-up call to parents on the need to secure adequate educational training for children, Bishop Ezeokafor said Madonna Girls Secondary School, Umunze is one of the rare

schools parents must endeavor to send their children to because of what the children stand to benefit from the school.

He urged parents to shun attitude of looking at the cost of missionary schools but instead should look at what their ward stands to benefit from trainings obtainable in the school.

“If you think education in missionary school is expensive, try ignorance the major reason why the catholic church decided to set up this school is to ensure that children are given sound moral and academic lesson to be useful to both the parents and the society at large,” he said.

Meanwhile, the School Principal, Lady Justina Obiageli Okafor, in her address disclosed that the students of the school are exposed to many technical skills including operating special machines, production of beads, Christmas flower, reading lamps and others which help prepare students for the future, even as the school clamours for more space and accommodation to accommodate the growing student population in the school.

The principal stressed that one of

the major problem facing the school is space as the school needs more land to accommodate the growing population of students, who she said would soon feel squeezed into a little enclosure.

She described Madonna School Umunze as a school with a difference and exclusively for young girls who are studiously disposed.

“Madonna Girls’ Secondary School Umunze, being a school with a difference, has a vision that goes beyond academics. We are committed to producing students who are well formed and informed.

“Our academic life has continued to improve with each passing year. We have continued to record lots of success in different examinations. We recorded 100% successes in the past NECO, BECE, and 99% in WAEC examinations.

“Our students who attended the annual Diocesan quiz competition for catholic secondary schools in Awka Diocese last year, came first in the junior category. This year again, the same quiz competition came up in the regional level last week and our school claimed 3rd position in the senior category and 1st in the junior category,” she said.

At the occasion were Provost of Federal College of Education Umunze, Dr Mrs Tessy Okoli, the President General Umunze Progressive Union, Chief John Akanyeonu, Engr. Emmanuel Nwafor, among others.

Awards were given to deserving students who performed admirably well in their different areas of study and school activities.

Some teachers of the school , Mrs Onyinye Anazodo, Mrs Nwankwo Blessing Phillip and Mrs Juliet Okoli lauded the academic standard of the school insisting that teacher/ students relationship in the school was exemplary, while the Manager of the School , Rev Fr. Paul Onyebuchi sand the Dean of Studies, Mrs Ezenwegbu Veronica said Madonna stands out among others schools because of its emphasis on child formation rather than only academics.

Some students of the school including Anne Ariguzo in SS3 Arts, Eze Victoria of SS 2 Science and Anaelo Miracle in SS3 Arts described their school as the best and emphasized that their teachers are wonderful and give them the best .

42

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS

CHANGE OF NAME & PUBLIC NOTICE OLD BOYS ASOCIATION OF BOYS SECONDARY SCHOOL, EZZAMGBO

This is to inform the general public that the above named Association has applied to the corporate Affairs Commission for registration in accordance with the provision of the comparies and allied act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Awogu Emmanuel Obiajulu 2. Egwu Williams Emeka 3. Nnorom Emmanuel Okey 4. Onwe Emmanuel Osondu (Secretary) Aims & Objectives 1. To create and foster the spirit of comradeship and purposeful fellowship among our old boys 2. To uplift our alma-mater to a greater height Any objection to the above registration should be forwarded to: The Registrar General CAC Plot 420 Negris Cresent Maitama Abuja Within 28 days of this publication.

Signed by: Awogu Emmanuel Obiajulu (Chairman)

• Osinbajo casts his vote during the immediate past election

Rights group praises Atiku, Obi From CYNTHIA IGBOKWE, Awka

eople’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate , Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his vice Mr Peter Obi are heroes of democracy because they to abide by Democratic principles despite the obvious provocations and intimidation by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Inter society) in a statement yesterday said the 2019 Presidential election was an eye opener for Nigerians on those who abuse democracy yet pretend to be democrats.

The statement signed by the Board of Trustees Chairman of Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi accused INEC of failing on the integrity test Nigerians subjected it to.

The statement read entitled: “Beyond Rejection Of The Results Of 2019 Presidential Poll In Nigeria: What PDP Must Do” read in part: “Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law is calling on the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to go beyond the rejection of the results of the recently held Presidential Election in Nigeria as being announced by the integrity challenged Independent National Electoral Commission. Specifically, the Party must legally and patiently wait for the conclusion of the announcement of the INEC’s version of the Presidential Election results; after which the Party must put in

public domain its own country-wide collated results from the country’s 176,000 polling centers which must be done with State-by-State breakdown.

“Intersociety identifies with the Party over its rejection of the Presidential Poll results especially when such rejection arises from widespread disparities between what INEC is announcing and the independently collated results including those in the hands of PDP and observers or sighted by same as well as independent intelligence reports of widespread tempering of the collated results across the country by the officials of the Nigerian Presidency as disclosed in the Party’s statement and other reliable sources.

“Other sources include reports from several Igbo intelligentsia and privileged personalities alleging massive suppression in the Southeast INEC strong rooms of total figures generated from polling units across the geopolitical zone. Circumstantially speaking, it is unheard of in the history of election in Nigeria that nearly one week after an election was conducted in a country of less than 200m, results are still being withheld; suggesting strongly that they are facing massive alteration or padding in favor of the ruling central Government.

In India, a country of over 1.3b with about 800m voters, national election results are readied, at most, 48hrs after the poll.

I, also called SULAIMAN MUTIU ASHAMU, wish to confirm hereby that my correct name is SULAIMON OPEYEMI MUTIU. Existing documents bearing both names belong to me. This public notice is for record and official purposes.

I formerly known as NNALOW EDWIN now wish to be known as NNALOW EDWIN CHIWUBAH. All former documents remain valid. Please Banks and General Public take note.

I formerly known as UNEGBU NWAMAKA EUCHARIA OBI now wish to be known as AUGUSTINE NWAMAKA EUCHARIA. former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note

I formerly known as OKPARA FAVOUR ABUMCHUKWU now wish to be known as IDIKA FAVOUR ABUMCHWUKWU. former documents remain valid. Banks and General public take note.

P

“It gladdens our heart and that of most Nigerians and members of the international community that PDP through its own situation room and deployed election field agents; with the help of ICT, said it has all the results from all the 176,000 polling centers in Nigeria. It will gladden our heart, too, if the results collated by the Party were done in full compliance with the INEC guidelines and extant electoral laws of Nigeria particularly the Electoral Act of 2010 as amended (i.e. such result sheets must be original INEC’s result sheets called “FormEC8As” or their likes, signed and stamped by the polling officer (s) and co-signed by agents of the participating parties on the ground).

“Since PDP says it has “all the results from every polling unit, electoral ward, LGA, District, State and national levels from the 176,000 polling centers in the country”; such held results can be re-arranged accordingly especially in State-by-State order and put in the public domain for Nigerians and others to see; for purpose of comparing and contrasting the INEC’s version. Easiest method to be used by the Party for purpose of further or deeper analysis of the entire results from polling units to ward and LGA levels, is to create an electronic link for each State, done in secured ICT files (i.e. PDF). In other words, there shall be provided for public view by the PDP a State-by-State breakdown of its claims with each State result sheets containing additional link to FormEC8A derived results from each polling unit or that of every ward in each State.

“Beyond this and very importantly, PDP should also attach in the results lists arrows or symbols indicating areas or units, ward, LGAs and States where the INEC’s version of the results were padded or inflated in favor of PMB and his APC. Areas where PDP results were suppressed or mangled in the INEC’s version of the entire results must also be pointed out with marks or symbols.

“Added advantage is whereby such collated and duly signed results were pictured or videoed at polling units where they originated before being transmitted. Such ar-

rangement, if made, will technologically and easily differentiate or identify the fakery of those being bandied by INEC and APC especially during election petition proceedings. This can be done using modern techniques or applications used in dictating the origin or destination, dates and time of pictures or recorded videos.

“Beyond the above highlighted, it is a popular criminological parlance that “it is better to arrest an armed robber or kidnapper in his hideout than to chase him when he is on rampage”. That is to say that the PDP was and still is an accomplice in the political satanic influences or conducts running riot and rising to an apogee in Nigeria’s political dispensation including the leprous conducts of the top leaders of the present INEC. Also when the Attahiru Jega PVC virus was infested in the polity four to five years ago, the Party’s then central Government condoned same and refused to do nothing even when severally called upon. Today, the virus has let loose on its condoners of yesterday.

“The stark reality of the 2019 Presidential Poll is that the electoral wishes of many Nigerians including most citizens of Southern Nigeria and Northern Christians expressed in the recent bloc votes given to the Party, but brutally suppressed; were done not because PDP as a Party is socially saintly or ideologically founded or has unblemished status; but because they saw the Party as a “better evil” compared to monstrous evil now in charge of Nigeria and wanted a pseudo change in the country’s socio-legal and democratic system. It is a case of people wanting some breathing space under new “constitutional oligarchy” masqueraded in democracy than to stay in perpetuity at the expense of their lives and liberties under the present absolute and tyrannical oligarchy.

“The PDP, therefore, must rise above board or be permanently done away with. The Party must remain eternally grateful to Nigerians for re-baptizing it and making it a new saint. The massive votes of Nigerians and millions of others who expressed intents to vote for it but were brutally dispersed and

quelled by the military and Government hired hooligans; must not be taken for granted. Voting in an election is beyond being declared winner by the likes of integrity challenged INEC; but a popularity and acceptance test. The central message from teeming Nigerian voters to PDP is to rise to the occasion and save them and the country from the trios of Fulani jihadists, Boko Haram jihadists and their grand masterjihadists at Aso Rock and their lieutenants spread across the country’s military, intelligence network and other security establishments.

“In Southeast where not less than five million PVC holders trooped out to polling centers to vote but were suppressed and frustrated from voting by the deployed security personnel, the INEC (via deliberately created voting bottlenecks) and the gubernatorial “Ifeajunas” of our time; likewise in the South-south and Igbo dominated areas in Northern Nigeria and Southwest where over six million PVC holders came out to vote but were attacked, shot at, chased away and suppressed by thousands of deployed armed soldiers and hooligans hired by loyalists of the central Government; the PDP must not under-estimate or toy with such massive electoral expressions.

“It does not matter whether their massive electoral expressions are captured or suppressed by INEC or not, rather, their messages are sound, loud and clear to the newly sainted PDP-protect us to live peacefully and progressively in Nigeria or protect us to live apart in peace and progress as distinct sovereignties.

“The 2019 Presidential Poll in Nigeria is also seen as a referendum where the jihadists and their humanized herds of cattle, massively backed by the Islamist security forces, correctly and robotically voted for the retention of the status quo (killings, maiming, property destruction and pillages, kleptomania, immorality, insecurity, falsehood, lawlessness and general mal-administration) whereas the moderates and right thinking Nigerians took the opposite and voted for a clear departure from the status quo”.

43

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS Continued from Pg 2 credited voters and the total votes cast which came to about 750,000 votes, requires an issue to be looked at.

“Finally, we believe that INEC needs to look at the cancellations that took place in the election impacting 2.7 million.

“So, in our view, this election needs to be looked at again and possibly we would have had a re-run, more importantly,” Chidoka said.

Prof. Mahmood, before announcing the result, however, noted that the difference between the valid and cancelled votes was too insignificant to impact on the general outcome of the election For his part, Vice presidential candidate of the PDP Mr. Peter Obi said on Tuesday that the results declared by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from Anambra State were unacceptable to the party.

He accused the electoral umpire of disenfranchising over 8m registered voters in the South East Geo-political Zone.

Addressing newsmen in his Onitsha residence, Obi lamented that the election was systematically planned to ensure the zone did not participate fully in the exercise, agonizing that only 20% were able to cast their votes out of 10 million registered voters in the area He said: “You will recall that on the election day, I said that the process was clumsy and we also had major problems of card readers and most people could not vote.

“When over 400,000 card readers got burnt, it became clear that something was wrong somewhere and INEC could not save the situation and they would not allow people to vote manually. Yet, in some other parts of the country, people were allowed to vote manually and it was accepted by the electoral body. Now how can you tell me that a state like Yobe and Borno produced the number of voters that is higher than Anambra and Ebony States put together?

“The two states are areas that have been at war and I wonder how they got card readers that are working so well despite the war situation that they found themselves in?

Obi regretted the retrogressive path the country was towing, noting that instead of the country building on achievements of the 2015 general election, it has been put in a reverse gear.

He added: “The impressive turn-out of voters was discouraged by the performance of the electoral body last Saturday.”

Obi further decried the harassment and attack members of his party suffered in the hands of security agencies aimed at intimidating them.

He, however, hinted that it was not in his powers to announce any demand for the cancellation of the election, saying, “It is left for the party to make its position clear on the matter.”

The PDP has already rejected the result of the election Continuing, Obi narrated: “After I had voted on Saturday at my pulling unit, the card reader was very slow to recognize anything and with that process, many voters were not allowed to vote and what that meant

INEC declares Buhari winner of presidential election

•Buhari declared the winner

•Buhari and Aisha on Saturday during the presidential election balloting

was that at many voting points in Anambra State, the card reader was not functioning and where it functioned it was very slow and we were told that the process would end at a particular time and it eventually did.

“I recall that people sending text messages to me that they could not vote and I forwarded those message to relevant authorities. There was also a case of non-functioning of card readers, especially in densely pop-

ulated areas like Awada, Obosi urban, Igboukwu and such other places and the consequence was that in Anambra where we have over 2.4 million registered voters, only about 562,000 voters were able to vote.

“While we were told it was compulsory for us to use card reader to vote, I leant that in some parts of Nigeria, people were voting without card readers. Even those who voted here without card readers were not counted. Over 80 polling units where card readers were not used were removed from the system and that means that they were disenfranchised.

“The result has been released, PDP scored 524,738 votes and APC 33,298 votes which are a reflection of what happened in the entire South East. Using Anambra to form my judgment of the whole process, I could see where a state registered 1.5 million voters and nearly a million voted and where we have 2.4 million, we couldn’t achieve up to 700,000 votes and the reason is obvious because we were given a different set of condition and others given another set of condition which shouldn’t be.”

“People came out to vote but they couldn’t vote because they were given stringent conditions. I am happy that Dr Chris Ngige, the APC agent in the presidential election also faulted the process because he also raised a concern that many were disenfranchised. There is no reason not to allow people to vote and that is why the result from the South East was so low. We have in the south East, about 10 million registered voters but cumulatively, about 20 percent of that number voted but in other parts of the country, about 50 percent voted,” Obi further lamented.

44

The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

NEWS Cont’d from page 2 in Enugu State is that the State would have a team of experienced representatives in the NASS, especially the red chambers. All NASS-elect members in the state emerged from the platform of the PDP. For the Senate, a cerebral political gladiator, former governor of the state and one-term Senator Dr Chimaroke Nnamani was reelected. He would be joining another clever and highly intellectual lawmaker, Deputy President of the Senate (DSP), Professor Ike Ekweremadu – four-time Senator and three-time Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate. The third is Senator Chukwuka Utazi, is former Deputy Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, former commissioner and current Chairman, Senate Committee on EFCC and Financial Crimes.

While Ekweremadu is the Senator-elect for Enugu-West Senatorial Zone, Nnamani and Utazi would represent Enugu-East and Enugu-North respectively. Ekweremadu scored a total of 86,088 votes to beat his closest rival and President Buhari’s aide, Mrs. Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu, of the APC, who polled 15,187 votes to come distant second. Senator Utazi was returned elected with a total of 146,458 votes after defeating his closest rival Rt. Hon Eugene Odoh of the APC, who polled a total of 22,229 votes.

Similarly, Nnamani scored a total of 128, 843 votes to defeat his closest contender, Prince Lawrence Ibe, who recorded a total of 14, 225 votes.

Ekweremadu thanked God and his teaming supporters especially his constituents, pledging that he would continue to give back to the society.

“I must also thank my friends and associates, the great people of Enugu West, who in spite of the fact that I am just a little boy from Mpu, have given me this unprecedented opportunity.

Recall also that about a year ago, we went through a lot of storm for the major part of 2018. So, nobody believed that a day like this would come when I would stand for an election and be declared winner; only God can make that possible.

I believe that what is expected of us this time is to give back to the society that has given us this opportunity, this confidence to ensure that this confidence is not

SE/SS 2019 squad to Abuja misplaced.

A lot is lying on our shoulders and I would like to say clearly that we will not disappoint Nigerians.”

Ebonyi PDP made a clean sweep of Ebonyi State. The party defeated its main challenger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the three senatorial seats and six House of Representatives seats.

The senatorial candidate of the PDP in Ebonyi South Senatorial zone, Michael Ama Nnachi polled a total of 103,751 votes to defeat his closest rival of the APC, Nweze Onu, who got 19,663 votes. Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) candidate, Eze Igwe Ogbofia got 5, 805 votes to clinch the third position.

In Ebonyi North Senatorial zone, Senator Sam Egwu of the PDP won his second term bid with 80,711 votes while his challenger, Matthias Adum, of the APC got 38,375 votes. In Ebonyi Central zone, Senator Obinna Ogba of the PDP also won a second term with 62,452 votes to defeat the APC candidate, Senator Julius Ucha, who scored 46,676 votes.

Livinus Makwe of PDP has also been declared the winner of Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency with 68,136 votes. He defeated the APC candidate, Ifeanyi Oddi, who came second with 10,178 votes. Anayo Edwin Nwonu of the PDP won Ishielu/Ezza North federal constituency with 34,473 to beat Michael Ifere of the APC who got 13,372 votes.

Sylvester Ogbaga of the PDP won the Abakaliki/Izzi federal constituency for the fourth term. He got 40,890 votes to defeat Uchenna Nshii of the APC who got 21,814.

Idu Igariwey of the PDP won the Afikpo North and Afikpo South federal constituency with 28,691 votes to win the APC candidate, Tony Ekoh Jnr who got 9,967 votes and Maria Ude Nwachi of Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) who got 8, 485 to place the third position.

In Ebonyi/Ohaukwu federal constituency, Chukwuma Nwazunku of the PDP got 39,598 votes to win APC candidate, Peter Ogeali who got 18,213 votes. iN Ezza South/ Ikwo Federal constituency, Laz Ogbee of PDP got 31,296 votes to defeat Chinedu Ogah of APC who got 27,700 votes.

•Peter Obi casting his vote on Saturday during the Presidential election

Anambra Stella Odua Senator Stella Oduah has been reelected. She represents Anambra North Senatorial election. Oduah was a former Aviation Minister. She won the election with 113 989 votes defeating 20 other candidates. Her closest rival from the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 59,937 votes.

Senator Uche Ekwunife, won Anambra Central Senate seat on the platform of PDP. Ekwunife defeated the incumbent senator, Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance. She scoreda 18,412 votes against Umeh’s 14,403 Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah won a surprising victory in the platform of little known Young Progressive Party, YPP, in Anambra South Senatorial district. Ubah who polled 87,081 votes defeated the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, All Progressives Congress, APC, All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Chiefs Chris Ubah, Andy Ubah, Nicholas Ukachukwu, who polled 52,462, 13,245 and 51,269 votes, respectively.

scored 23, 345 votes.

Senator Matthew Urhoghide of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won Edo South senatorial district with 135,588 to defeat his All Progressives Congress (APC) opponent, Patrick Obahiagbon.

Chinedu Obidigwe of APGA won the Anambra East and Anambra West Federal Constituency. Muoma Ifeanyi, (APGA), Ihiala Federal constituency, Okwudili Ezenwankwo Orumba North and South, Oba Umeorji (APGA), Aguata Federal Constituency, Chris Azubuogu, Nnewi North and South Federal Constituency and VAL Anyika Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal constituency.

Sam Onwuaso won Awka North and South, Chu Chu Onyema, Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Linda Ikpeazu Onitsha North and South, and Vincent Ofumelu win Oyi/ Ayamelu Federal Constituency.

Idemili North and South Federal Constituency currently occupied

by Obinna Chidoka (PDP) is yet to be announced by INEC.

Cross River Etim Bassey Albert, (PDP) senator from Akwa Ibom State, has been re-elected for a second term. Bassey, who represents Akwa Ibom North-East, defeated his main challenger, Bassey Etim of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He scored 147,731 votes, while Mr Etim scored 60, 930.

Chief Ekpenyong Chris, former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State (PDP) has won Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.

He beat former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godwswill Akpabio. Dr, Eyakenyi Akon, former Commissioner, Commerce and Industry won Akwa Ibom South (Eket senatorial district).

Delta Senator Peter Nwaoboshi has been reelected on the platform of the People’s Democratic party.

He was former Chairman of PDP in Delta State. Ovie Omo-Agege was also reelected as senator for the Delta Central Senatorial District.

Omo-Agege of the All Progressive Congress (APC) scored 111,100 to defeat his closest rival, Everlyn Oboro of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 99,422 votes

Edo Mr. Dennis Idahosa, the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Ovia Federal Constituency won. Idahosa, a former Commissioner in Edo, polled 28,509 to defeat the incumbent Ms Omosede Igbinedion, daughter of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and younger sister to the former Governor of the state, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, who

Abia Orji Uzor Kalu, former governor of Abia State and senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), has been declared winner of the Abia North senatorial election.

Kalu won with 30,580 votes while the closest opposition candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa recorded 21,940 votes Chief Theodore Orji, the immediate past governor of Abia state, (PDP) has been declared winner of the Abia Central Senatorial zone.

Orji polled a total of 55,461 votes beating his APC counterpart, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who polled 29,860 votes, followed by the APGA candidate, Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu with 19,534 votes.

INEC announces Atiku winner in Abia The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday announced Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, as winner of Saturday’s presidential election in Abia.

The result was announced at the National Collation Centre (ICC) Abuja, by Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, the Vice-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi, who was the Collation Officer for the election in the state.

Nwajiuba announced that Atiku polled 219,698 votes to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, who scored 85,048 votes.

Similarly, Mr Donald Duke of Social Democratic Party (SDP) was announced as coming third with 472 votes.

According to him, Obadiah Mailafia of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) scored 336 votes, Mr Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (AAC) polled 212 votes and Yusuf Yabagi of Action Democratic Party (ADP) got 131 votes.

He said the number of registered voters in Abia was 1,793,861 but 361,561 were accredited, while votes cast in the polls were 344,471 with 21,180 rejected.

Nwajiuba noted that 98 polling units across seven Local Government Areas of the state were affected, while the number of registered voters affected was 59,825.

Oluremi Tinubu retains Lagos Central senatorial seat

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday declared Sen. Oluremi Tinubu winner of February 23 election in Lagos Central Senatorial District.

The Returning Officer, Prof. Oyeyemi Oyedola of the University of Lagos, said Mrs Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 131,735.

She defeated Onitiri David of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 89,107 votes. “l, Professor Oyeyemi Elijah Oyedola, hereby certify that as the retuning officer, Lagos Central Senatorial District with the election held on 23 of February, 2019 that the election was contested among 14 candidates.

“I declare that Tinubu Oluremi Shade of the APC has satisfied the requirements of law and scoring the highest number of votes, hereby declared the winner and returned elected having polled 131,735 votes,” he said.

The INEC Electoral Officer in Lagos Island, Mr Sodiq Abubakar, lauded the security agents for their support towards ensuring free, fair and credible election.

Abubakar said that no causality was recorded during the period of the election and urged the stakeholders to keep it up.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election was conducted in five local government areas namely;, Lagos Island, Eti-Osa, Apapa, Surulere and Mainland.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

SPORTS

Unbelievable! African footballers use juju – Odemwingie

By MADUABUCHI KALU with agency report

I

T is unbelievable but that is the candid revelation of former Nigerian International, Osaze Peter Odemwingie that at least 70 per cent of African football players use juju to boost their performance and help their medical conditions.

The 36-year-old is now retired from the national team the Super Eagles after representing the country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Over the years, there has been an increase of African professional exported to Europe, which has increased and developed the game on the continent.

In an interview by the Championat, Odemwingie narrated that while he was brought up in Russia, he was taken to a shaman instead of a medical doctor after he sustained an injury on his hand.

Osaze Odemwingie has played for several clubs over the course of his career. The Edo State born forward also claimed that it is not a rare occurrence among his colleagues to use juju instead of a medical doctor.

In the interview Odemwingie said, “What did you encounter when I moved to Nigeria at the age of 17?

With a football player? In training, I rolled my own two legs, I left the rolled-up roll, but in the fall, I also hurt my shoulder and broke my

arm. Mom was afraid to tell, so they took me to the local shamans. They poured hot water to relax their muscles.

“Somehow they returned the hand to the place, while I yelled, they twisted some small sticks.

They conjured something else to grow better. Some local affairs you know. Something was connected with the chicken, some kind of rite.

I come home, my mother saw the hand: “Broke?”. I answer: “Aha.” They were taken to a regular hospital, anesthesia was done, they put the plaster on. All is well in the end.”

Osaze Odemwingie is still active with Madura United and is the oldest Nigerian to sciore at a FIFA World Cup tournament Odemwingie also went on to state that shamans are more essential to professionals and at least 70 per cent of his colleagues believe in it.

He said, “Just at least 70 per cent of players believe in it. They think that some kind of salve will save them. This is more suggestion.

Brainwashing goes. But three years in Nigeria have been helpful to me.

They called me to the big league, and there my career developed much faster.”

Osaze has played for several sides over the course of his career such La Louvière, Lille, Lokomotiv Moscow, West Bromwich Albion, Cardiff City, Stoke City, Bristol City and Rotherham United.

FIFA hammer falls on Chelsea

.Bans Club from transfers over irregular signing of young players

By MADUABUCHI KALU

T

Olympic champion, Caster Semenya is seeking to overturn a new set of IAAF regulations that are aimed at lowering the testosterone levels of hyperandrogenic athletes.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has set a deadline of March 26 for a verdict in the appeal hearing of Caster Semenya against the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) that concluded on Friday.

CAS have called the hearing “one of the most pivotal CAS cases” that could have a wide reaching consequence not just for the future of athletics, but sport in general.

“The Panel has had the opportunity to hear from all parties, experts and witnesses, with the IAAF President, Lord Coe, speaking at the outset of the hearing, and Ms Semenya having the last word,” CAS said in a statement.

HE crisis rocking English Premiership Club, Chelsea is far from over as the world football governing body, FIFA, last Friday confirmed that the West London Club have been banned from any signings for the next two transfer windows, after breaching rules by signing minors.

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) said it found Chelsea guilty of 29 cases of breaching Article 19 of its rules, which are related to signing players under 18 years.

The English football club was also fined around 600,000 Swiss Francs (600,000 dollars), although the decision can be appealed.

Report says the decision means Chelsea will not be able to buy any players until the summer of 2020, though they will still be allowed to sell.

“This ban applies to the club as a whole, with the exception of the women’s and futsal teams; and does not prevent the release of players,’’ FIFA confirmed in a statement.

Chelsea are not the only big club to receive similar punishments from FIFA, as Spanish sides, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, were all punished in the past for irregularities in selection of players.

CAS sets March 26 deadline for verdict in Semenya case South African 800-metres double •FIFA logo

•Osaze Odemwingie in action for his club, Mudera FC Malaysia.

Leicester City sack Manager Puel after 16 months in charge

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EICESTER City Sunday sacked manager Claude Puel after 16 months in charge following heavy defeat by Crystal Palace on Saturday.

City were beaten 4-1 at home by Crystal Palace on Saturday in what proved to be manager Puel’s final game.

Puel, 57, left the club 12th in the Premier League having lost five of their last six league games.

The Frenchman guided Leicester to a ninth-place finish in the Premier League in his first season but the club are now looking for their

fourth permanent manager in 23 months.

Saturday’s defeat meant Leicester have lost four consecutive home Premier League games for the first time since January 2000 and conceded the first goal in 19 Premier League matches this season - more than any other side.

Assistant manager Jacky Bonnevay will also leave the club, with first-team coaches Mike Stowell and Adam Sadler set to take temporary charge of the squad.

Leicester’s next game is at home in the Premier League against Brigh-

ton on Tuesday.

Puel was appointed on a threeyear deal in October 2017, succeeding Craig Shakespeare who in turn followed 2015-16 Premier League winning manager Claudio Ranieri in managing the club.

The former Lyon boss had been dismissed by Southampton in June 2017 and arrived at Leicester four months later with the club third from bottom of the league.

He led them to ninth in the table, just their second top-10 finish in the Premier League since 2000.

South Africa recall fit again Ngidi for Sri Lanka ODI series

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OUTH Africa have recalled fast bowler, Lungi Ngidi to their one-day international squad for the five-match home series against Sri Lanka, restoring their first-choice fast bowling line-up ahead the World Cup in England.

Ngidi made a successful return to provincial cricket this month after injuring his knee in November and along with Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn, is an important element of the side as South Africa seek to win a first World Cup trophy.

“His recent form for the Titans in the (domestic) One-Day Cup has been most impressive and he is

clearly match fit for international cricket again,” Cricket South Africa selection convener Linda Zondi said in a statement on Sunday.

There is also a first call-up for fast bowler Anrich Nortje, who is also back from injury.

“We want to see what he can offer the Proteas after his highly impressive form in the Mzansi Super League. Outright pace is not something that you can coach, and he looks another exciting addition to our pace arsenal,” Zondi added.

South Africa have rested experienced opener Hashim Amla, while all-rounder JP Duminy has still not

returned from a shoulder injury sustained in October.

The first ODI against Sri Lanka will be played in Johannesburg on March 3, with the series to conclude in Cape Town on March 16.

South Africa opens their World Cup campaign against hosts England at the Oval on May 30.

Squad: Faf du Plessis (captain), Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Rassie van der Dussen.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

SPORTS

Wilder best heavyweight, not Joshua – Holyfield

By MADUABUCHI KALU with agency report

E

VANDER Holyfield, former two division undisputed champion is convinced that World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder is the best heavyweight in the world at the moment.

While he views IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO champion Anthony Joshua as being the most skilled fighter in the division - he can’t back him to be the best of the division.

Holyfield also believes that Wilder’s fight in December with Tyson Fury should have been stopped in the Between Wilder, Fury and Joshua - Holyfield is giving Wilder the top spot in the weight class.

“All of them are good. With me personally, I think it’s Deontay - regardless of the last fight with Fury.

When you knock a guy down like that, and he’s down for four seconds - they usually stop it. They

don’t wait for the guy to get up,” Holyfield told TMZ Sports.

“I think Deontay (is the best at heavyweight), but I think skill-wise I can say Anthony Joshua, but he won’t fight (someone). Until you fight somebody it don’t really make a difference (if you have better skills).

“Deontay stand a chance to beat any of them guys, because he got the knockout power and he’s quicker than a lot of guys think he is. He gets better in each and every fight.”

Joshua is back in the ring on June 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, when he faces undefeated contender Jarrell Miller. The bout will be Joshua’s United States debut.

Wilder and Fury were heading to a rematch, but that is no longer clear - as Fury recently signed an exclusive contract with Top Rank and ESPN - while Wilder is aligned with Premier Boxing Champions, who have content deals with Showtime and Fox Sports.

Isaac Success returns from injury, starts training

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ATFORD and Nigeria have received an injury boost after Isaac Success resumed full training with The Hornets ahead of their trip to Wales, where they face Cardiff City in the Premier League on Friday evening.

The former Granada man has recovered from a hamstring complaint which kept him on the sidelines and is in the frame to play his 28th game in all competitions, according to manager Javi Gracia. ”Roberto and Isaac are both ready to compete,” Gracia said at Thursday’s press conference.

“Isaac hasn’t played the same

minutes as other players, but the time he played, he played with quality and is helping the team.

“He’s a good option for us in attack with his power and pace. He is something different for us to help us manage different games.”

Success last featured for Watford in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur on January 30 and missed three games against Brighton, Everton and Queens Park Rangers.

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr is expected to name him in his squad for the international fixtures next month; provided he does not suffer any setbacks.

RGENTINA and Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi scored his 50th career hat-trick as Barcelona came from behind to beat Sevilla and go 10 points clear at the top of La Liga.

In a master-class from the Catalans’ captain, he first equalised with a brilliant volley from 16 yards.

He levelled for a second time with a curling shot from the edge of the box.

Messi then chipped Tomas Va-

Musa happy to return after injury

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ERNOT Rohr, Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, has been handed an injury boost with the return of Ahmed Musa, with the winger coming through his comeback game unscathed last weekend.

The Nigeria international’s last game for Al Nassr was against Al-Jndal in the King’s Cup on January 3 prior to weekend’s tie against Al Feiha.

Musa was introduced in the 78th minute as replacement for Hamdallah, who grabbed the winning goal from the spot midway through the second half in the 1-0 victory vs Al Feiha.

Writing on social media after the game, Musa stated: “Important win mates! Good to be back on the pitch.

“Thank to all the fans for your prayers!” Musa has now played 15

Beach Volleyball: Team Nigeria lands in Cape Verde

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IGERIA U21 Beach Volleyball Teams have qualified for next month’s U21 CAVB Championships final.

The finals of the U21 CAVB will be organized from 20th to 24th March, 2019 in Cape Verde.

The Nigeria female team finished

Messi nets 50th hat-trick as Barca defeat Sevilla

A •,,,,,,

•Deontay Wilder

matches in the Saudi Professional League since he was recruited from Leicester City last summer, scoring 5 goals while providing four assists.

The 26-year-old captained the Super Eagles in their last five international fixtures and had a hand in four goals (2 goals, 2 assists).

•Ahmed Musa

clik for his third, his 36th goal in 35 games against Sevilla, before setting up Luis Suarez for an injury-time fourth.

It really was a one-man show with Barcelona not playing particularly well as they extended their lead over second-placed Atletico Madrid, who host Villarreal on Sunday.

Sevilla – who are out of form – took the lead twice in the first half from a Jesus Navas counter-attack strike and Gabriel Mercado’s eight-yard finish.

At the age of 31, Messi shows no signs of slowing down. His treble takes him up to 25 La Liga goals for the season, an average of one every 75 minutes. He is nine clear of Suarez in second place and almost twice the top scorer of any other team, Cristhian Stuani’s 13 for Girona.

In all competitions, he has 33 goals in 32 games – including six in the Champions League as Barcelona chase the treble.

His third goal was his 650th career strike – 585 for Barca and 65 for Argentina.

All his goals were excellent with his first, a left-footed volley from Ivan Rakitic’s cross, a contender for goal of the season.

His second was a fine curling effort with his right foot from Ousmane Dembele’s pass. And, with five minutes to go, he clipped the ball over the goalkeeper after Carles Alena’s shot was blocked.

second while the male team placed third place after the qualifiers in Ghana.

Nigeria female won two games against Benin Republic (21-17, 2119) and Ivory Coast (21 -10’ 21- 17) losing to Ghana (21-17, 21-16) while the male team won a game against Benin Republic (21-13, 21-14), losing to Niger Republic (21-16, 21-19) and Ghana (21 -16, 21- 18).

The Head Coach of the U21 teams, Kayode Ajilore said the teams are leaving no stone turned in grabbing one of the tickets for the 2019 World U21 Beach Championships in Germany.

He attributed the shaky start of both teams to the environment where they played.

He said, “I feel responsible, because it is a great assignment given to me by the Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF) and Nigeria as a whole.

“As a matter of fact, the matches we lost in both male and female were as a result of playing in a new environment different from the one we used to prepare for the tournament. The teams played very close

•Nigeria beach volleyball team

to the sea where the wind was so heavy and the natural beach sand that is quite different from the one we trained on”.

Ajilore called on the volleyball federation to camp the players in any natural beach environment.

He said, “I think the best solution to our problem is to have a permanent place to prepare our beach team in any of the natural beach environment for the players to get acclamatised to the wind and the heavy beach sand”.

He promised on delivering one of the tickets for the 2019 World U21 Beach Volleyball Championships in Germany.

He said, “I want to tell you we emphatically that for the next round, the story will be different and better because we have been able to see some of our weaknesses and strength which we are going to work seriously on them.

“And also for the player, this outing has opened their eyes to many things and has built their confidence which would motivate them to face tougher oppositions in the future championships”.

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The Oracle Today Wednesday March 6, 2019

SPORTS

Super Falcons storm Cyprus Sunday for Women’s Cup Stories by MADUABUCHI KALU

A

FRICAN champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons departed the shores of the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Sunday to take part in the annual Cyprus Women’s Cup tournament which begins on Wednesday, 27th February in Larnaca.

The Nigerian national women Head Coach, Thomas Dennerby selected 24 players for the tournament, which will also welcome another of Africa’s three flag-bearers at this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in France – South Africa – as well as Mexico, Italy, Finland, Belgium, Slovakia, Korea DPR, Czech Republic, Thailand, Hungary and Austria.

The Super Falcons’ first match of the tournament is against Austria, on the evening of Wednesday, 27th February, before further

games against Slovakia (Friday, 1st March) and Belgium (Monday, 4th March) in the group phase.

Wednesday, 6th March has been fixed for the final match of the competition, as well as other classification matches (from 3rd – 12th). Players and officials converged on Abuja on Friday, had a training sessions in evening, Saturday and Sunday morning, before their departure by Egypt Air on Sunday evening.

The delegation slept in Cairo on Sunday and arrived Larnaca Monday. Former African Woman Player of the Year, Asisat Oshoala and fellow striker, Desire Oparanozie, who both missed the China Women’s Tournament in January, were included in the 24 –member squad this time.

There are also goalkeepers Tochukwu Oluehi and Chiamaka Nnadozie, defenders Onome Ebi, Osinachi Ohale, Glory Ogbonna and Faith Michael.

Ighalo helps Shanghai Shenhua to win on debut Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has made his debut for Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua. The former Changchun Yatai man rejected advances from top European clubs before sealing a transfer to Shanghai Shenhua on February 14 for a fee of 15 million euros, with two young Chinese players moving in the opposite direction.

Ighalo was handed his debut on Saturday afternoon as Shanghai Shenhua thrashed Dalian Yifang 3-0 in their final warm-up game ahead of the new season.

A minute after the interval, the new Shanghai Shenhua number nine missed a chance to increase the lead when his shot was blocked.

Shanghai Shenhua’s season opener comes up Friday, March 1 against city rivals Shanghai SIPG, which will be Quique Sánchez Flores’ first competitive game in the dugout since his appointment as coach in December 2018.

Ighalo was the second highest goalscorer with 21 goals in 28 appearances in his second full season in China.

Osaka‘ll learn to deal with fame – Nishikori

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EI Nishikori is confident his Japanese compatriot, Naomi Osaka will learn to cope with pressure as she deals deal with her new elite status in tennis.

Nishikori, playing as top seed at the Dubai Championships starting on Monday ahead of seven-time champion Roger Federer, has been-there, done that-in terms of national superstardom.

But he believes that the painfully shy 21-year-old ranks ahead of him as a national sporting hero after winning back-to-back Grand Slam titles at New York and Melbourne and igniting fresh tennis hysteria across the Pacific.

“It’s much more than me, maybe a year ago she wasn’t ranked top 10. Suddenly everything changes: she’s No. 1, I’ve (only) been Top 3 before.

“There is more pressure, for sure. Being No.1, winning Grand Slams, that’s something I never had before. It’s a bit different. It’s more than me, I think.”

The 28-year-old said Osaka will eventually find her way into a public comfort zone.

“I’m sure she’s going to adapt, she just needs the time. She has great mental, very strong, very calm. She doesn’t panic too much.

“I’m sure in time she will get used to it. It’s unfortunate she lost here (first round at the women’s event against Kristina Mladenovic) but I’m sure she’s okay.

“She’s going to be winning more Grand Slams.”

The top Asian in the men’s game, based in the US like Osaka, is playing Dubai for the first time as he shakes up his 21019 schedule a touch.

Nishikori arrived in the emirate after reaching the semi-finals this month in Rotterdam, losing to Stan Wawrinka.

He said that he is looking forward to a fresh ATP experience.

“It was always comfortable to play this week Acapulco. I used to play Memphis all the time, it was easier for me to play on the US side.

“But I always wanted to come here. Schedule-wise it wasn’t easy.

Something new. It’s fun, so I chose to play here.”

Nishikori spent part of 2018 injured, starting his season a month late with a Challenger, He started 2019 with the Brisbane trophy, his 12th title.

The sixth-ranked Nishikori will begin his Dubai campaign in the first round against Benoit Paire; he has defeated the Frenchman in five of seven matches.

• Naomi Osaka

•Super Falcons of Nigeria

Federer heads to Dubai, targets 100th career title

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OGER Federer heads into his ‘home’ Dubai Championships on Monday convinced that it’s only a matter of time until he wins his record-setting 100th career title.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who has long used the emirate as a winter training base, will take to the court for the first time since his Australian Open fourth-round defeat to Stefano Tsitsipas.

The Greek youngster is also in the field, with the pair in opposite halves of the draw.

The 37-year-old Swiss, seeded second behind tournament debutant Kei Nishikori, explained on Sunday that he is perfectly content to let things take their natural course and is not stressing over finally cracking his trophy century.

“That’s got to be the mindset, that you try your best every match, every week anyway.

“Things fall into place or they don’t. It’s not because of lack of effort,” says Federer who reached the 99 mark in October.

The tennis icon added: “We’ve been talking about 99 titles ever since Basel, every tournament I’ve played.

“There’s nothing new. Of course, coming to Dubai where I’ve enjoyed a lot of success sort of makes you believe maybe it could happen here.

“Then again, the draw is tough.

I haven’t played in a few weeks, so you reset everything, get ready for your first round, hope everything is going to click again here in Dubai.”

Federer will begin his quest for a record eighth Dubai title as he takes a 14-0 record into his firstround contest on Monday night against long-time friend and rival Philipp Kohlschreiber.

The German went down to Federer in the Rotterdam second round a year ago, with the Swiss winning the tournament and taking back the ATP number one ranking at the record age of 36.

“I just practised with Kohlschreiber a couple days ago, we played two sets basically.

“We really both know what we’re getting into. He looks good, so it’s going to be tough.”

The Swiss will feel the love from crowds at the Aviation Club as he returns for the first time since 2017 when he lost in the second round to Evgeny Donskoy. “It gives me confidence that I know I can play well here in Dubai on this court in these conditions.

“But conditions are playing much, much slower than the previous years. “You can really grind a player down now. It’s been actually quite a big change. I’m excited to be here. “I do believe this surface also lends itself very well for me to play well here. Hope I can show it tomorrow.”

Top seed Nishikori will start against France’s Benoit Paire. Croatian Marin Cilic takes the third seeding ahead of Russian Karen Khachanov.

Name Solskjaer permanent manager or face ‘revolt’, Neville warns Man U

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ORMER Manchester United player, Gary Neville, says the club many face “mutiny” by supporters if it fails to appoint Ole Solskjaer as permanent manager.

Solskjaer’s impact on United’s side that was labouring under Jose Mourinho until last December, has surpassed expectations.

The team have been unbeaten in 10 Premier League games and have also secured a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

“I don’t think you can give it to

someone else, otherwise there would be mutiny,” Neville, a former defender in the team, told Sky Sports.

Neville was Solskjaer’s team mate from 1996 to 2007.

“The fans were singing for him.

I think it’s very close now, I can’t see the club going away from it.”

Injuries forced the manager to make all three substitutions before half-time in Sunday’s 0-0 league draw with Liverpool.

But, Old Trafford was in full voice throughout the 90 minutes, singing the name of their manager.

“Three months ago they were singing ‘attack, attack, attack’ and today they were singing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s name for all of the second half.

“The mood has completely transformed – the atmosphere was one of the best I’ve seen at Old Trafford for years and it was 0-0.

If Manchester United had scored, it would have been incredible,” Neville added.

United, who trail fourth-placed Arsenal by a point in the league table, will visit Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY March 6, 2019

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Deadly Terrorists in the ‘Dark Continent’

L

ong before the emergence of AlQaeda or its forerunners, there existed tiny creatures terrorising the whole of Africa and some other parts of the world: mosquitoes. Those who declared a “war on terror” 17 years ago didn’t regard them as the enemy, though the WHO, UNICEF and national health programmes like “Roll Back Malaria” have specifically targeted mosquitoes.

It’s been a lost war. Anopheles mosquitoes, the avowed carriers of malaria, have continued their rampage of human destruction, especially in tropical Africa. Available statistics show that about 90% of all new cases of, and 90% deaths from, malaria occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

While the health authorities have battled several diseases to a standstill in the past century or two, they have not succeeded in reining malaria in. And I wonder why.

Is it because the victims are mainly in the “Dark Continent” and some people in the West worry about “population explosion” here? If Europeans or Americans were to exchange locations with Africans, it’s likely mosquitoes would be eliminated faster.

Sub-Saharan Africa is probably the hellfire that most religions talk about.

Its temperate climate and poor living conditions provide the right environment for mosquitoes to thrive on. The typical village hut lacks windows and ceilings.

It has no nets or repellents to ward off mosquitoes. Bushes surround the “home”. Villagers store water in open pots.

In slums found in most African cities, the conditions are even more welcoming to mosquitoes. There are no drainage channels – gutters reek of human waste.

Residents don’t enjoy the luxury of fresh air, as houses (or huts) are congested. On most nights heat is suffocating inside. If you attempted to avoid the heat by going

GUEST COLUMNIST Aniebo

Nwamu

outside, mosquitoes would invade you. If you ran back inside, you won’t sleep: heat and mosquitoes would combine to feast on you. There is no hiding place!

Many of us in Africa lived or live in either a village or urban slum or both. Some of us have since escaped, but mosquitoes are still pursuing us. Window nets, door nets, and even insecticide-treated bed nets fail to halt the tiny but dangerous creatures.

Mosquitoes don’t survive in places with extremely cold weather (during winter or spring, for instance), thus sparing the West. Due to climate change, however, it’s feared they might begin making inroads into Europe! When the colonisers lived here in the 19th and early 20th century, malaria killed many of them. Some Christian missionaries who came earlier also succumbed to mosquitoes’ attacks.

Before Nigeria’s independence in 1960, I gathered, health officials were seen spreading aerosol or other pesticides on gutters, bushes and everywhere else mosquitoes could hide and breed. My agemates never saw them. The health officials we know work in offices.

All the billion-dollar anti-malarial medicines shipped to Africa annually don’t seem to have even scratched the

surface of our problem. The claim that the incidence of malaria has been decreasing rather than increasing is suspect. Hardly a month passes by without one or two members of almost every family in my country coming down with malaria.

Mosquitoes have been a formidable enemy, yet it’s possible to conquer them with greater commitment. A mosquito’s lifespan is not more than 10 days for males and two months for the more deadly females. Coordinated attacks from us humans can therefore make conditions very difficult for them. Are there no other pests that feed on mosquitoes at their egg, larval, pupal and adult stages that could be set after them? Fishes eat them, and that, I think, is the reason they don’t survive inside rivers and oceans but at their banks.

On occasion we hear of aid worth millions of pounds and billions of dollars. I don’t know where they spend the money.

The one I know, which was announced last April, came during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in London.

The UK’s International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt announced a £100 million fund to be matched pound for pound by the private sector, which will be used “to support Global Fund work

•Targeted efforts led by Reckitt Benckiser (RB) Nigeria, makers of Mortein insecticide brand, Lagos, Ogun and Abia State governments and the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) Abuja to end malaria

in priority countries with mosquito nets, indoor sprays and the strengthening of health systems”. The aid is in line with the UK’s pledge, in 2016, to spend £500m a year for fighting malaria until March 2021.

Is it not said that prevention is better than cure? Our governments have failed us immeasurably, but primary health care is still what we should take more seriously. A better way to help us in sub-Saharan Africa is investing the millions of dollars we hear on radio and television on environmental sanitation and public enlightenment.

Jingles, for instance, should encourage us to unblock drainage channels, treat water ponds or stagnant water with oils or disinfectants, clear bushes, live in houses with mosquito nets, attack mosquitoes physically (with brooms), and process and use herbal drugs to treat malaria.

Such remedies are more effective than all the toxic repellents people buy to spray in their homes. Mosquito coils too are less useful. And who knows, we might have been poisoning ourselves with many toxic substances including anti-malarial medicines sent to Africa from all corners of the globe. I’m not even talking about fake or substandard drugs; genuine ones have side-effects too.

The poor can’t afford repellents every night and many don’t see the insecticidetreated nets “donated” to them. Even the rich can’t keep their air conditioners working every day and night in a bid to keep mosquitoes at bay. For everyone, treatments for malaria have come at a huge cost. Each time I or any member of my family visits a hospital to be treated for malaria, we part with N10, 000 or more. That takes care of the doctor’s consultation fee, lab tests and the relevant medications that almost always include an antibiotic for the treatment of possible typhoid fever at the same time.

Since most families can no longer find enough food to eat, it’s not strange that many opt for self-medication. Those who can afford it buy an anti-malarial with N1, 000 or less; those who can’t hunt for dogon yaro and other leaves in the bush.

It’s unfortunate that malaria attacks poor families more often than it does the rich ones!

We don’t need any validation from medics to know that herbal medicines are efficacious. I’m a living witness to how extracts from herbs can send malaria packing within a few minutes. I agree there is a problem in determining the quantity to be taken, but why can’t African scientists or pharmacists tell us the standard all this while? Herbs may have side-effects, but so do orthodox anti-malarial drugs.

Man-hours and incomes lost to malaria are enough to banish poverty or at least improve living standards in Africa. I have little doubt that mosquitoes with their malaria infections have been undermining our economic growth much more than all other terrorists put together. +234-8054100220 (SMS/WhatsApp only) •Nwamu, book editor and writer, is the CEO of Eyeway.ng. +234-8054100220 (SMS/ WhatsApp only)

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