Chime moves to further cripple Onyebuchi by Advocate Nigeria

Vol. 2 No. 101, September 3, 2014

N150 Page 7

EBOLA SCARE: FG shuts schools till October 13

ENUGU IMPEACHMENT:

Chime moves to further cripple Onyebuchi T By Ted Peters & Rex Arum

Withdraws security, official vehicles The underhand deals with Lawmakers, Panel “I will challenge the 'Chicken Impeachment' in court” – Ousted Dep Gov

“For whoever will be taking over from me, I will advise him not to operate poultry, rather he should concentrate on rearing Ostriches, Monkeys, Antelopes and if he must operate a poultry, let him ensure that he does it with public fund so that he won't have the same experience that I have had” - Onyebuchi

here are indications that the impeached Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi may be in for more trouble after he was removed from office on Tuesday as Governor Sullivan Chime ordered security operatives to recover all the official vehicles he has used since they came into office in 2007. His security was withdrawn shortly after he was impeached on Tuesday. Speculations were rife yesterday that the state government might set up a committee to further probe into his activities during the period he served as Deputy Governor in a further effort to get him indicted.

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Police arrest man over murder, sex with dead women in Ebonyi s Page

Insurgency: Cameroon's Army kills 27 Boko Haram militants in border clashes

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Crisis looms in Enugu PDP as Nnaji returns to court over party chair of the problem. Let the right person for the position go in”, he said. But the Vita Abba-led S t a t e Executive Committee of P D P o n Tuesday dismissed as untrue and misleading the statement made by the f o r m e r National Auditor of the party, Mr. Ray Nnaji that he conceded his position as s t a t e Chairman of the party to E n g r. Vi t a Abba on Vita Abba certain conditions which were not fulfilled by Governor highest echelon of the party and Sullivan Chime. parties are not run that way, that Reacting to Nnaji's comments, is why we have to speak out. "We have to sacrifice to ensure the state chapter of the party we liberate this party from the through its Publicity Secretary, hands of people who are Dr. Okey Eze, said that the determined to destroy it comment published in some pretending to be promoting the national dailies on Monday was aimed at misleading the public tenets of the party”. and “paint the leadership of the Explaining that Abba was not the party in a bad light as a means of rightful chairman of the party in r e g i s tering his alleged the state, he stated that he conceded the position to him at grievances. the instance of Gov Chime, The party said that there was no stressing that the agreement they crisis in the state chapter as it has had that led to it had not been met established “a new order of peace and stability in the state.” till date. “I am now questioning his The party said: “In the said legitimacy as the chairman publications, Nnaji among other because he is not doing what he is false and baseless issues alleged supposed to do. The party is that he conceded his position as supreme and even the governor is Chairman of the Peoples supposed to respect the tenets of Democratic Party (PDP) in the party but Vita is rubber stamp Enugu State in 2008 to Engr. Vita and not doing anything. The suit Abba “on certain conditions”. He is still alive and I am going to went further to accuse the State reopen it to tell him that he is not Leadership of the Party of the legitimate chairman of the playing rubber stamp to the State party; he is not helping matters G o v e r n m e n t . N n a j i a l s o and has become part and parcel threatened to “return to court to

* There is no crisis in our party – Abba-led EXCO By Ted Peters

ormer National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Ray Nnaji, has decried recent developments in Enugu state chapter of the party, saying the impeachment of the Deputy G o v e r n o r, M r. S u n d a y Onyebuchi was not discussed by the party. Nnaji said he was returning to court to reopen his pending case on the chairman of the party in the state insisting that he remains the party's authentic chairman. He warned that the impeachment of the Deputy Governor, which he alleged was planned by certain persons in the leadership of the party in the state, could boomerang as it is capable of creating crisis that would work against the interest of the party in the coming elections. He accused the Vita Abba-led state PDP executive of allowing itself to be used to destabilize the party by “becoming a rubber stamp in the hands of Governor Sullivan Chime”, stressing that he would return to court to reopen the pending case over who is the authentic chairman of the party in the state. Abba was said to be among leaders of the party that asked the ousted Deputy Governor to resign as directed by Governor Chime even when the matter was not tabled for discussion by members of his executive. Nnaji, who is a legal practitioner and PDP Chieftain, told journalists that rather than submit to the tenets of the party, certain officials who were not part of the formation had carried on as if they were above the party. Recalling how he emerged the state chairman of the party after its congress in 2008, and how the faction loyal to Governor Chime conducted a paralleedl congress where Abba emerged and the suit he filed over the development, Nnaji vowed to reopen the matter to ease out the incumbent leadership which, he said, was part of the problems of the party. He said: “I had to concede my position as PDP chairman to Vita Abba on certain conditions which have not been met and I am now going back to reclaim that position so that the correct thing can be done. We have to correct terrible things happening in our party. These are people, who do not know when this party was formed, who did not contribute to the party and now want to destroy the party; we will not allow them to do so. "What is happening to Sunday Onyebuchi (the deputy

Ray Nnaji governor) is not good for this party; we should not allow certain things happening now to have negative effect on the party in the forthcoming elections. The peace we have in the party is the peace of the grave yard and it will explode any moment from now.” Nnaji further said: “The problem is that PDP has been turned into a one man's affair who decides what to do at his own time. The state executive has become the rubber stamp of the government. A party where a deputy governor is being impeached and was never discussed by the party before you started the process. If the ongoing process succeeds, it is going to give room for a lot of problems and misgivings, bitterness and rancor and by the time we allow it to get to that level it will be difficult to handle. Party members are no longer talking and even when you come to meeting, it will look like rubber stamp agenda. This is not the type of politics we expect in the party, we have served at the

Cameroon's Army kills 27 Boko Haram militants in border clashes

ameroon's army has killed 27 members of Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram near a northern town, state radio said on Wednesday, in a sign of growing cross-border activity by the militants. The Boko Haram fighters crossed the border into Cameroon earlier this week, after attacking a military base and police station in Nigeria and apparently sending some 480 Nigerian troops retreating across the frontier.

"Cameroon soldiers have killed 27 Boko Haram elements during an attack in a locality near Fotokol in the far-north," state radio CRTV said, adding that the deaths occurred on Monday and Tuesday. There was no word on any Cameroonian casualties. A Cameroonian soldier in the region said the militants had been pushed back into Nigeria, with calm returning to the area on Wednesday. In recent weeks, Boko Haram, which is seeking to carve out a

de facto Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has stepped up attacks in Cameroon, leading the central African country to increase deployments along its jungle border. But Cameroon has not always been successful in fending off Boko Haram raids. President Paul Biya dismissed two senior army officers last month following attacks in which at least seven people were killed and the wife of the vice prime minister was kidnapped.

reopen the legal issue over the authentic Chairman of the Party in the State” in 2008. “Ordinarily, the State Leadership of the Party would have wished not to descend so low to join issues with the character in question, knowing full well his antecedence and style of politicking, but since he has raised some fundamental issues that could mislead the public and tarnish the image of the Party, the need to react becomes imperative. “The Party therefore wishes to state categorically that the allegations made by the former National Auditor of the Party are false, unfounded, baseless, laughable and smack of a grand design by those who are uncomfortable with the steady progress being made by the Party and its Government in Enugu State. “It is therefore spurious for Nnaji to allege that he emerged the Chairman of the Party after its State Congress in 2008 and conceded his position to Engr. Abba, when in the first instance he (Nnaji) was never elected as the Chairman of the Party in the Party's State Congress organized in 2008. “What is even more laughable is the fact that the tenure of the State Chairmanship position which he fruitlessly canvassed in court in 2008 and which he is now threatening to re-open in court has long expired as at February 27, 2012, consequent upon which a fresh State Congress was organized in March 17, 2012 and elected a new set of State Executive of the Party under the leadership of Engr. Vita Abba. “The allegation that the State Executive of the Party is a mere rubber stamp to the State Government is also baseless and unfounded. The State Leadership of our Party since its inception has lived up to its responsibilities without any interference by the State Government. We have established a new order of peace and stability in the Party till date. “The Party will not be deterred by such deliberate and mischievous ploy to undermine its integrity by such self-seeking individuals. We therefore call the entire public to disregard the false impression being created in the said publications.” Reacting to the party's claim that he was never elected chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Nnaji said that the matter was now before the court, adding that if they claim he was not elected chairman of the party, “how come Governor Sullivan Chime begged me to allow Engr. Abba to lead the party and why did they go to Appeal Court to challenge earlier ruling of the court that a u t h e n t i c a t e d m y chairmanship?”

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Chime moves to further cripple Onyebuchi Continued from front page Heavily armed security operatives led by the governor's Chief Security Officer, Mr. Fidelis Ogarabe, according to one of Onyebuchi's aides, Onyeka Nnaji, stormed their GRA residence at about 2pm on Wednesday to recover his official vehicles. Eight vehicles including the ones he used as Commissioner for Works under the Chimaroke Nnamani administration were recovered. The vehicles taken away from his private residence were one Toyota Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicle, SUV, two Toyota Prado SUVs, two Toyota Hilux Escort Vans, a Nissan Tienna car used by his wife and two Peugeot 406 cars he used as official vehicles under the two-term Chimaroke Nnamani administration. The development could be the climax of the protracted impeachment proceeding that lasted for about 36 days. The House of Assembly had on July 22, 2014 moved against the Deputy Governor following his disagreement with the governor over his senatorial ambition. Onyebuchi was finally removed from office on Tuesday following the unanimous decision of the State House of Assembly to impeach him for alleged misconducts. Governor Sullivan Chime is expected to forward the name of new Deputy Governor to the House of Assembly soon to fill the vacuum created by the impeachment of Mr. Onyebuchi, who hails from Ishiogbo Nara in Nkanu East local government area. The lawmakers said the Deputy Governor was removed for operating poultry at his official residence, which renovation had been abandoned since 2012, and his refusal to represent Governor Sullivan Chime at two events. They said that the poultry violated the House resolution banning operation of commercial poultry in residential premises. His removal by the 24-member State Assembly followed the adoption of the report of the 7man impeachment panel set up by the state Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezulike to probe the allegations of misconduct. The lawmakers adopted Section 188 Sub-section 9 of the Nigerian Constitution which deals with the issue of removal of the Governor or the Deputy Governor at a session convened Tuesday to deliberate on the report of the Franklyn Uche Oraekeiyi led panel submitted to it on Monday. Section 188(9) says: “Where the report of the Panel is that the allegation against the holder of the office has been proved, then within fourteen days of the receipt of the report, the House of Assembly shall consider the

report, and if by a resolution of the House of Assembly supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all its members, the report of the Panel is adopted, then the holder of the office shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption of the report.” In a swift reaction, the ousted Deputy Governor said that he was not surprised by the decision of the panel, which he said would be challenged in court as it failed to prove the allegations leveled against him during its 20-day sitting. He told journalists after the sitting of the House that he was not satisfied with the findings of the panel, pointing out that his impeachment took place the day the panel was constituted by the State Chief Judge, Justice I n n o c e n t Umezulike. Onyebuchi restated that the decisions of the panel and the H o u s e o f Assembly were the judgments of men insisting that God would pass a s u p r e m e judgment in the case. T h e A l l Progressives Congress (APC) South East zone, in its reaction, condemned in its totality the impeachment of the Deputy Governor saying it was politically motivated and based on flimsy allegations. A pressure group in the state, the Enugu Rescue Group also condemned and rejected the impeachment saying “ it stands as a travesty of democracy, glorification of sadism, and ratification of political terrorism.” At the sitting of the House that commenced 10 am Tuesday, the House Leader, Mr. Sunday Udeokoye, who had on July 22 moved the motion directing the State Chief Judge to constitute the impeachment panel, said “whereas a 7-man panel appointed by the Chief Judge of the State to investigate the said allegations, submitted their Report and the House having received the Report of the investigating panel; “Whereas the investigating panel having carefully reviewed the evidence presented before her both oral and documentary; and further, whereas the panel of investigation came up to the

conclusion that the “allegations of gross misconduct level against the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, by the Enugu State House of Assembly have been proved”, that the House having carefully considered the Report of the panel “do adopt it and it is hereby adopted.” The lawmakers, however, wasted no time in adopting the motion by voice vote when the speaker, Mr. Eugene Odo put the question, resolving that the Deputy Governor was guilty as charged and should therefore be removed from office. But reacting to his impeachment, Onyebuchi said: “I do not even think that the impeachment took place today. For me it took place the day the panel was constituted and had their first sitting; because

Sunday Onyebuchi from that day, the panel could not hold their bias. “I believe that what the state House of Assembly did when they signed my impeachment notice also happened with the panel; members of the State House of Assembly signed my impeachment notice before the allegations were made known to them. I have had opportunity to go through the report of the panel. On Monday evening, a member of the panel who reached me told me that his conscience was disturbing him and that he will reach me later to talk with me, but he made available to me a copy of the panel's report when I insisted that unless he makes available to me a copy of the report, I will not want to see him. I have had opportunity of going through the report and I want to say it is as

watery and frivolous like the allegations themselves. “Although you pressmen were not available during the sitting, but you will agree with me that the report was written by the lawyer to the government, who now attached it to the signature page of the report. I can say that I am not very surprised by the decision of the panel and I can also say that I am not disappointed. I would have been surprised if they had done anything differently. They had difficulty hiding their bias. Any human being doing anything honest and transparent will naturally be happy to have it witnessed by the public and especially the media. “ We h a v e h a d s o m a n y impeachments in the past and I know that no panel had sat in camera because it is not a secret thing. The allegations against me were read on the floor of the House before pressmen and you will now wonder why the panel will choose to sit in camera if they intended to do anything honest and transparent. “ I a m n o t disappointed and I want to use this opportunity to thank the people of the state and other Nigerians who have offered their prayers for me during the past few weeks for t h e i r encouragement and support. So many of them I do not know before now came out to support me because they believed that injustice to one is injustice to all. I thank them and I want to tell them that it is not over and like I have said,t after the panel of man, we have a panel where the truth cannot be suppressed. If you read the report, you will know that it took submissions of the government counsel but suppressing my own views to justify the conclusion already reached before the commencement of the sitting”. Onyebuchi continued: “One thing that I know that has come out of this is that sometimes there is positive records and sometimes negative records. I think I broke a record with this impeachment when I said I am the first office holder to be impeached from office without allegation of financial impropriety. I took time to read the allegations of all those

who were impeached even in the last and present administrations and I see that none was done without allegation of financial impropriety. In each of those cases, there must be financial impropriety, so I am making record as the first to be impeached without fraud which leaves my integrity intact. “I will say that I will continue to work for the people of the state, I will continue to offer them my services, they have supported me when they gave me their mandate, prayers and support . I believe I have more to offer. My lawyers will be ready with the suit challenging the faulty impeachment in matter of days. “You see a situation where they saw a video that shows I was in Onitsha and in their report, they said that as shown by the video I was there; but where I sat was unbefitting of a representative of the governor. It is embarrassing and therefore, they were of the conclusion that even though I was there, that I was not there as representative of the governor but in my capacity as Sunday Onyebuchi. “They went further to say that I dissipated energy in trying to prove that there was a poultry in government house; that they were not set up to investigate government house and that they are convinced that I operated a poultry farm. One would be surprised to know that ignorance of a law is no excuse because the House of Assembly's notice said 'resolution of the House', and one will be surprised to know that there was no law breached, yet they looked the other way”. The ousted Deputy Governor however offered an advice to his would-be successor saying: “For whoever will be taking over from me, I will advise him not to operate a poultry, rather he should concentrate on rearing Ostriches, Monkeys, Antelopes and if he must operate a poultry, let him ensure that he does it with public fund so that he won't have the same experience that I have had. I am happy, I am relieved and life goes on, even if the hope of getting justice from the judiciary fails, I am confident that God in his own way and time will give me justice”. Asked if he would proceed with his senatorial ambition, he stated that “in a few days time, I will go and take care of my health and when I come back, I will pay full concentration to my senatorial election”, stressing that the ordeal he had gone through has endeared him to the people. “I am confident I enjoy the goodwill of the people, I am confident I enjoy their support and I will like to tap into their support. So I am going ahead with my ambition”, he said. Onyebuchi said that the

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Akunyili goes home:

CJN, Anyim, Maku, others pay tribute

he late former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Dora Akunyili, began her final home journey on Monday, with prominent personalities playing glowing tributes to her for her service to the nation and humanity. Among those who were at the night of tributes, which held at the International Conference Centre in Abuja were, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim. Others also included, Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and current DirectorGeneral of NAFDAC, Paul Orhii. Also in attendance were, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Cardinal John Onaiyekan and former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige, with whom Akunyili contested and lost the Anambra Senatorial seat in 2011. A popular musician, Oyenka Onwenu, who led a delegation of members of National Centre of Women Development to the event, also rendered a song titled, 'Ochie Dike,' in honour of the deceased. According to Onwenu 'Ochie Dike' relates to mainly men in the fashion of 'warriors of old.' Akunyili, a renowned pharmacologist and erudite scholar, who was born July 14, 1954, died at 59 on June 7, 2014 in the United States of America after about two years battle with cancer. She was until her death, a member of the just concluded National Conference. Justice Mukhtar described the deceased, who will be buried in Enugu on Wednesday, as “very friendly and warm woman.” She added, “To say that Nigeria has lost a great future in Dora akunyili is an understatement. I pray the good Lord will condole her family and the nation and I pray the Lord God will rest her soul.”

Anyim, who delivered a short tribute, said it was heartbroken to realise Dora, as the decased was fondly called, was gone. On her part, Okonjo-Iweala, said with the impact of Akunyili's service to the nation, “it means one person can make a great difference in whatever” one devouts oneself too. She urged women at the event to learn from the life of Akunyili, who she said was able to combine her public life with good family life and was able to raise six elegant children. Soludo reiterated the family tie between him and the deceased, which he said spanned about 70 years. He said his wife was Akunyili's neice. “It is difficult to think that Dora s gone,” he said in an emotion-laden voice. “The crowd will disperse but the family will never remain the same without Dora,” he added. Maku, who earlier served under her as a Minister of State for Information, described Akunyili as a very courageous woman. “She will be long remembered for what she did and may this nation never forget her,” Maku said. Akunyili's predecessor at NAFDAC, Paul Orhii, described Akunyili as “an uncommon breed.” He recalled several ocassions when he had to run to Akunyili for guidance when she faced difficulty after resuming duties as NAFDAC DG. “I think the fortunate thing for me was that I was not in the country when Dora Akunyili was transforming NAFDAC. Maybe I would have been too scared to accept the appointment,” he said. “She was a woman who was passionate to make life meaningful to all Nigerians,” Orhii added. President, Institute of Governance and Social Research, Jos, Prof. Isawa Eliagwu, who served as the head of the Akunyili's 'Rebranding Nigeria' project, described the deceased as an amazon and a patriot, “who lit up the firmament and disappeared very quickly.” “It is not how long you live that is important but your contribution to your environment,” the don said.

Anambra Police cautions against unlawful demonstration

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o forestall what it believes is a possibility of hijacking genuine demonstration by unscrupulous elements and throw the State into anarchy, Anambra State police command has cautioned against unlawful assembly by members of the public, citing the recent demonstration at Onitsha over ownership of a primary school at Oyolu Oze, Nkwelle-Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area of the State. Reacting to the demonstration by members of the Ebenezar Anglican Church, Nkwelle-Ezunaka, the State Commissioner of Police, Usman Gwary said the warning became necessary to avoid breakdown of law and order. Gwary who briefed newsmen in his office yesterday appreciated the rights of people to register their protest when aggrieved, but observed that there is need to follow laid down procedure that will not threaten public peace as the police have the responsibility to protect violation of other people's rights. He noted that governor Obiano has taken proactive measures on the demolition of the church building by unknown persons by visiting the scene promptly and setting up

an investigation panel to look into the circumstances surrounding the demolition with the State Deputy Governor as the Chairman. Mr. Gwary advised them to channel their grievances to the six-man Panel set up by the State government to investigate contending issues, which he added has two weeks to submit its report on its findings for appropriate consideration. He explained that while the police decided not to confront them during their earlier demonstration at Onitsha, the Command, he said will not allow them to take the laws into their hands again and infringe on the right of those who use the highway and other roads in the State. Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Hon. Tony Onyima in a release pointed out that the Chief Obiano administration as a democratic and law abiding government, upholds the right of peaceful protests by citizens. He, however, stressed, that such protests must be within the ambit of the law adding that the government is committed to promotion of justice, peace and fair-play and called on all citizens to remain calm and law abiding.

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Insurgency

Ohanaeze hails military for defending Nigerians against invaders

hanaeze Ndigbo, the umbrella sociopolitical body of Igbo in Nigeria, has hailed the unrelenting efforts of the Nigerian military in the battle to dislodge Boko Haram (invaders) terrorists from the nation's shores even as the group sympathized over the casualties and sacrifices troops were being subjected to. President General of the body, Chief Gary Nnachi EnwoIgariwey who led his members to the office of the Minister of State, Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro in Abuja, condemned the continued violence perpetrated by Boko Haram on innocent Nigerians noting that “No country develops when there is this kind of insurgency”. His words: “No person should pray that these attacks and destruction should continue. We have come here to show solidarity and to appreciate the efforts being made by our troops to encourage them to do more. We pray for them, we appreciate that their lives are on the line and we sympathize with the families of those who have already lost their lives”. “We are here to give support to your war efforts. For over two years now we have had the situation in the country where some extremists are trying to undermine the unity of this country. We know the cost in lives and properties to our people we are also aware of the efforts our

security operatives have been making over time they have put their lives on the line making sacrifices so that we live. We appreciate their efforts and one can only wish that they do more”.

Continuing, the Ohaneze Chief said, “We have been through this before so many years ago and we really know what it was about. It started as a minor infringement in the North East now the thing has

grown to a situation where it is trying to put the unity of the whole country at risk and we will not allow that”. “We are also asking that government should do more in

NAFDAC urges stakeholders to resist fake, substandard products in Enugu

he Director General of National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii has call drug sellers in Enugu to resist fake and substandard drugs. Orhii made this call during a one day workshop organized by the Agency in collaboration with Christabel Consultant Concept Service, tagged “fight against fake and substandard regulated products- a fight for all” for Patent Medicine Dealers in Enugu state. The Director General who was represented by NAFDAC Coordinator in Enugu, Mr. Ikechukwu Okoye said the programme was aimed at enlightening the National Association of Patient and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) Enugu Chapter on the menace of fake drugs and the war being waged against it. “The fight against regulation of fake product is not for NAFDAC alone, it is a fight for all that everyone should contribute. “You can contribute by reporting

Dr. Paul Orhii the ones you see, avoiding fake product so that the proprietors will not flourish in the business, buying products from authenticated source and obtaining letter headed receipt of purchase. “Fake and counterfeit medicines pose a great threat to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) project as well as public health,” Orhii said.

In his lecture, Okoye warned the drug dealers in the state against trading on fake and substandard drugs pointing out that NAFDAC has technologies against counterfeit Medicines. “NAFDAC has Technologies like Trusan device, Mobile Authentication Service (MAS), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and Minilabs; which detects fake and counterfeit drugs. “Anybody found with fake and substandard drug will be prosecuted, according to the law of the federation,” Okoye said. He also warned them not to buy products that do not have NAFDAC registration number, date of manufacture and expiring date and other necessary information which showed that they are genuine products. In his vote of thanks, the president of NAPPMED Enugu chapter, Mr. Christoper Okoye thanked the organizers of the programme and promised that the participants will adhere to their advice. He also urged his member to take the massage to others who could not make it to the workshop so that Enugu state will be zero tolerance of fake and counterfeit product.

providing all the necessary equipment required to achieve this goal. The security forces must have the right equipments; their morale must be good, because they are fighting for us. So we can't expect less for them, because when they have the right equipment, they are better able to defend and protect their own lives, so that they will do service for us another day”. “We are also aware that in the process of this fighting, lives and properties have been lost by people from all over the country. The bomb blast in Abuja and in other places; and in the North East particularly. Collateral damages to civilians and properties. We are also hoping that as the country goes ahead in providing compensations for victims; very comprehensive studies should be made to ensure that all those who suffered whatever kind of damage both in lives and properties would be appropriately compensated”. Responding, the minister commended Ndigbo for the support to not only the military but for the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan “As you have rightfully said the challenge before us today is herculean. To every generation there is always a challenge. Our fore fathers had the challenge of ending colonialism; the next generation had to battle military dictatorship in the country. Our own generation has the onerous task of ensuring that we have a peaceful nation where all Nigerians can live as one as equals”.

Civil Defence boss escapes assassination

he Commandant-General, C-G, of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr Ade Abolurin, Friday, escaped an attempt on his life as a police Inspector opened fire on his team at Ikorodu, Lagos. Dr. Abolurin's team comprising officers of the Nigerian Army, EFCC, ICPC, office of the Attorney General of the Federation among others, came under siege during an inspection and assessment tour of disposable forfeited items seized from suspected oil thieves. NSCDC's spokesman, Mr. Emmanuel Okeh, said in a statement in Abuja, Friday, “the attack was orchestrated by the arrest of some suspected vandals and oil thieves on the waters in possession of petroleum products in several jerry cans, including two big Cotonou boats. The suspected police team who came in an unmarked danfo bus carrying AK47 riffles challenged the CG that they are in charge, so,

he has no right to visit the area because it belongs to the police. “The committee which the CG, NSCDC is the chairman was constituted by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and has for some time now been on assessment tour of the country for disposable forfeited items used for vandalism of critical infrastructure. However, attempt by members of the committee to caution the officer was rebuffed by him and members of his team claiming that they are on a mission here so everyone should steer clear. “Further investigation reveals that a distress call was put across to the suspected police team by the arrested

Dr Ade Abolurin

vandals and upon arrival, their aim was to set them off the hook of NSCDC by threatening to shoot the CG who masterminded the arrest of their partners in this illicit business and secondly to prevent the committee from confiscating the recovered items which has become exhibits in event of prosecution”. He added that it was however unclear if the suspected officer was working on a written script by a superior authority or just acting in his own capacity as one of the arrested vandals was in police uniform. “What is however clear is that, this is the umpteenth time that officers and men of the corps has been brazenly harassed, molested,

assassinated or maimed by officers of the Nigeria police in recent time in the cause of carrying out their legitimate assignments. Still fresh in our memory is the killing of two men of the anti vandal squad of the Lagos state command of NSCDC namely AIC Gabriel Adaji and IC Innocent Akegbe by the police in 2013”, the spokesman said. He clarified that the Act establishing the NSCDC was unequivocal in its assignment of the duty of protection of critical infrastructure of government and national assets to the corps with tremendous record of achievement by the organization as evident in the various arrest of vandals in different parts of the country and prosecution of same to serve as deterrent to others . Mr. Okey said that the corps was determined to ensure that President Goodluck Jonathan's efforts in ensuring constant supply of petroleum products, uninterrupted power supply among others was actualized.

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September 3, 2014

FG approves Protest: N4bn projects for Anambra Army chief

he Federal Executive C o u n c i l o n We d n e s d a y approved a total of about N4bn to provide transmission infrastructure in order to increase power supply in parts of Anambra State. The approval was granted at a meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan. Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku; Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting. Nebo said the projects are meant to serve communities within Onitsha and Ifitedunu known for their small scale industries and described as the industrial and manufacturing belt of the South East who have been facing power problems. He said the projects that are expected to be completed within 24 months were awarded both in local currency and dollars. The minister said, “The Federal Executive Council has approved the award of contract for engineering design, manufacture, supply, construction, testing and commissioning of Onitsha -Ifitedunu 132 KV Transmission line in favor of Messrs Sinotec-CCC International Joint Venture in the sum of $5.9m payable at the prevailing exchange rate at the time of payment plus N1.1bn inclusive of N271.9m for five per cent VAT and 10 per cent contingency with a completion period of 24 months. “Council also approved the award of contract for engineering design, m a n u f a c t u r e , s u p p l y, construction testing and commissioning of 2×60 MVA, 132/33KV substation at Ifitedunu and 2×132 line bays extension at Onitsha in favour of Messrs MBH Power Limited in the sum of $8.3m payable at the prevailing exchange rate at the time of payment plus N864.2m inclusive of N431.8m for the right of way compensation, five per cent VAT and 10 per cent contingency with a completion period of 24 months.” Nebo said upon completion, the projects would improve power supply in communities such as Awka, Ifitedunu, Onitsha, Nnewi and Obosi among others.

threatens to sack soldiers' wives from barracks

he Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah has warned wives of soldiers who recently protested against the posting of their husbands to the north eastern part of the country never to repeat such protest as the military authorities will not hesitate to throw them out of the barracks. Lt. Gen. Minimah also spoke strongly on the recent mutiny by soldiers in Maiduguri and the issues of saboteurs, who he said, have found it necessary to connive with insurgents in order to rubbish the efforts of the Nigerian army and the federal government to defeat the insurgents. Addressing soldiers of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu during his familiarisation tour of the Division, Lt. Gen. Minimah said categorically that the wives of soldiers must never attempt any form of protests again as doing so would attract the wrath of the military authorities. “If they repeat it, all those wives will leave the barracks. This is not a civil service organisation. This is not a Boys Scout organisation. Any repeat of such act, I will tell soldiers to use koboko on the wives and bundle them out of the barracks,” he said. “Your wives cannot dictate how you

Miminah should be employed. Bring your wives up in the normal regimental ways of the army,” he told the soldiers. “Protests by soldiers' wives is absolutely wrong. Soldiers wives have no role in the Nigerian army,” he added. “If you are tired of the army, you quietly pack your things and go away; don't come to ridicule the army,” he warned the soldiers. Lt.Gen. Minimah, who apparently referred to the mutiny by some soldiers in Maiduguri, Borno State, re-emphasised that, in line with the

military law, mutiny is punishable by death sentence where the offender is found guilty. “Mutiny is death sentence if you are found guilty; you face firing squad,” he restated. He advised soldiers and those who might want to mislead them into committing mutiny to always study the military law so that they would appreciate the enormity and implications of their actions. The COAS also condemned the activities of saboteurs who have undermined the efforts of the army in fighting the Boko Haram insurgents in the North Eastern part of the country. He said that the military authorities will fish out the saboteurs and give them punishments due to them. “We can't be fighting the insurgents, and some other people will be conniving with the enemies to undermine our efforts,” he warned. Lt.Gen. Minimah also spoke on discipline, loyalty, patriotism, welfare of the soldiers, stressing that the army must win the war against Boko Haram “very, very soon” with the arrival of the brand new weapons and equipment procured by the federal government. “It will cost so much but the federal government is prepared to foot the bill,” he said.

Goveror orji orders for statusquo By Nwokonna Emma, Umuahia

bia state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji has up-turned the resolution of the State House of Assembly which called for the removal of the State Chief Judge. Following the resolution, the Abia State House of Assembly was seeking the removal of the State Chief Judge for acts of misconduct arising from jail delivery exercise in Umuahia prison in which two prisoners involved in armed robbery and murder were released by the state chief judge, Justice Nnenna Otti The governor ordered that status quo should remain, in his words, I hereby direct that the status quo should remain while I go further to seek a peaceful resolution to the crises The governor gave the directive during a joint media briefing at the state exco chamber A source in government house who pleaded anonymity told daily trust that, the face-off between the legislative arms of Government and the judiciary was one of the major reason chief Orji cut short his annualVacation by two weeks

Farmers, herdsmen clash:

Law to criminalize illegal grazing under way in Enugu By Ted Peters

he Enugu State House of Assembly has commenced moves to end frequent violent clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the State. A bill, entitled "A law to make provisions for the control of normadic cattle rearing in Enugu State and other matters related thereto" is being sponsored by Hon. Chinedu Nwamba, representing Nsukka East Constituency. The lawmaker told journalists in Enugu yesterday that the bill when passed into law would promote symbiotic relationship between the farmers and the herdsmen. Nwamba, who lamented that several lives and property had been lost in different parts of the country owing to the clashes, urged other States to replicate the law. "The main reason behind this bill is to ensure adequate peace between the two parties- farmers and herdsmen. Nobody in this country is

"We have cases where the herdsmen will allow their cattle to grave on farmlands, and when the farmers kill the cows in retaliation, the herdsmen will go further extent to challenge the farmers. "So, it is my firm believe that when this bill is passed into law, it will end conflict and promote peace between these parties. They need the services of each other". The bill provides for the establishment of grazing areas in each of the three senatorial zones of Enugu State and the normadic cattle Speaker rearers shall ensure that the cattle are confined within the ignorant of some violent clashes grazing areas as provided. which have occurred as a result of It further provided that "any person disagreement between the farmers who permits cattle to graze in an area and the herdsmen. not designated as grazing area in the

State, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to six months imprisonment or a fine of N100,000 (one hundred thousand) or both. "As from the commencement of this law, the commissioner shall appoint poundmasters in all the local government areas in the state, whose functions shall include the impounding of cattle found grazing in a non-designated grazing areas. "Cattle found grazing in an area not designated a grazing area in the State shall be impounded by the poundmaster or any other person duly authorized by the commissioner". According to the bill, "any cattle impounded under this law, which is not claimed within one week of the impoundment shall be sold in accordance with auction law; the proceeds of the sale shall be deposited in the government revenue". Meanwhile, the bill, which was mentioned at the House plenary session on yesterday, is expected to be debated on Thursday.

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EBOLA SCARE:

FG shuts schools till October 13

h e F e d e r a l Government, Tuesday, t o o k f a r- r e a c h i n g decisions to curtail the spread of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, in the country as it postponed the resumption of all primary and secondary schools till October 13, even as government cleared the air on the health status of a sister to the late Dr. Stella Ameyo Adadevoh, confirming that she is Ebola-free. Announcing the shift in resumption date in Abuja, Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, said the decision became necessary in view of the risk posed by the Ebola virus which could easily spread through schools. His words: “All primary and secondary schools, both public and private are to remain closed until Monday October 13, 2014 which is the new school resumption date for all schools throughout the Federation”. The schools were originally scheduled to re-open in the second week of September. Shekarau, who briefed the press at the end of a meeting with state commissioners of education, added that all on-going summer schools were also affected with immediate effect. Further, he said the change in the resumption date was also to enable the Federal and state governments, as well as school authorities put in place adequate preventive measures before the pupils returned to school. “All state Ministries of Education are to immediately organise and ensure that at least two (2) staff in each school, both public and private, are trained by appropriate health workers on how to handle any suspected case of Ebola and also embark on immediate sensitization of all teaching and non-teaching staff in all schools on preventive measures. This training of staff must be concluded not later than September 15, 2014”. He further directed states Ministries of Education to

ensure that appropriate equipment are procured,” he added.

Summer schools closed “All summer c l a s s e s currently being conducted by some private schools should be suspended with immediate effect until October 13, 2014. “All private primary and secondary schools must comply with the directives given under these Minister of health, Onyebuchichukwu p r e v e n t i v e measures. State governments are e s t a b l i s h Wo r k i n g a n d called upon to support their Monitoring Teams for effective Ministries of Education with all supervision of school activities necessary funds to ensure before and after opening of effective implementation of these schools. preventive measures”, Shekarau “Each state Ministry of Education said. should appoint a designated Desk He warned that any private or Officer not later than September public school that failed to 1, 2014, who should also receive comply with the directives would appropriate training and who be sanctioned. must report on daily basis to the “Our concern is for the children Honourable Commissioner on and we would go to any length to situation in the schools. The ensure both private and public names of such Desk Officers, schools comply. You can imagine their phone numbers and e-mail if a child is infected in a boarding addresses should be school of say about 600 children, communicated to the it would be very dangerous. We Headquarters of the Federal are not saying there is Ebola in all Ministry of Education not later states of the Federation but we are than September 1, 2014. putting some preventive “All primary and secondary measures in place.” schools, both public and private He also advised all tertiary should be provided with a institutions to suspend exchange minimum of two (2) Blood of staff and students programmes, Pressure Measuring Equipment visits and major international by the State Ministries of seminars and workshops until Education. The State Ministries further notice. They are also to should determine the number of monitor the movement of foreign such equipment required and students in their campuses. They forward same to the Federal are to liaise with appropriate Ministry of Education not later government health institutions to than September 1, 2014. Ministry organize and ensure effective of Education will liaise with the sensitization programme for all Federal Ministry of Health to their teaching and non-teaching

CHANGE OF NAME OFOKE – I formerly known as Miss Ofoke Rodeline Mbam , now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Igweakpe Rodeline Mbam. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

OKORO – I formerly known and addressed as Miss Okoro Charity Chinasa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Nwoye Charity Chinasa. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

NWEKE – I formerly known and addressed as Miss Nweke Amoge/Ogechukwu Vera, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Chinweuba Ogechukwu Vera. All documents bearing the former name remain valid. ESUT, Enugu State LGSC, UBA, First Bank, and general public should please take note.

staff.”

male doctor and a female nurse

Adedavoh's sister not were discharged yesterday, both of them primary contacts of Mr. positive FG, LASG Also, yesterday, cheering news came from both the Federal Government and Lagos State Governments as both have cleared the air over the health status of a sister to the late Dr. Stella, Ameyo Adadevoh. Briefing the press in Abuja on the update of the EVD in the country, Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, debunked rumours that a sister to the late Adadevoh tested positive to the virus. Corroborating the minister in Lagos, State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who raised alarm over false stories being disseminated via social media, lamented that such rumours being circulated have been a critical and pervading challenge to the fight against the virus. Idris said: “These rumours have the capacity to undermine the efforts being made to contain and manage the outbreak as those who ought to present themselves for treatment may get discouraged, malign government in the face of residents and fuel stigmatisation of individuals and businesses. “I do not want to mention names because that is part of what we are told not to do but I must say that the report on the woman is false. She was discharged yesterday (Monday) as negative.”

We have contained Ebola Chukwu Thirty eight days after importation of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, into the country by the late American-Liberian, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, the threat of the disease may have been contained, following the survival of eight of the victims, seven of who have been discharged; screening of a total of 321 persons, even as additional 10 contacts were listed Monday in Lagos. Disclosing this in Abuja, the Health Minister said two more patients with the Ebola virus disease have been discharged from the Isolation Ward in Lagos State, bringing to seven the number of patients that have been treated and declared free from the virus in the country even as the number of deaths from the killer disease scourge still remains five, including the index case, Patrick Sawyer. Chukwu added that the nation has had 13 cases of EVD including the index case. “Of these 13, five including the index case unfortunately did not survive the disease and are now late. However, seven of the infected persons were successfully managed at the isolation ward in Lagos and have been discharged. “Two of the treated patients, a

Patrick Sawyer, having satisfied the criteria for discharge. “As I speak to you, Nigeria has only one confirmed case of EVD, a secondary contact of Mr Patrick Sawyer. This is an indication that, thus far, Nigeria has contained the disease outbreak. “I wish to reassure Nigerians and indeed the global community that the government shall remain vigilant and will not relent as government continues to work with her partners to ensure that the disease is kept out of the country,” the Minister added. Besides, the minister informed that 129 persons had been freed from surveillance, having passed through the 21 days incubation period for the virus without testing positive. Similarly, 128 persons are still on the radar of government for the virus, the minister stated. “All those who are under our surveillance, only one person is symptomatic; we are investigating, the result is not out. All others are not symptomatic,” the Minister stated. Speaking further, Dr Idris explained that the recovery of seven confirmed cases in the state have buttressed that Ebola infection is not a death sentence. “The suspected case is awaiting confirmatory test result to inform the next line of action. Currently there are two cases, one confirmed and one suspected in the isolation centre at the facilities in Mainland Hospital, Yaba.” He disclosed that the seven Ebolafree patients are being reintegrated successfully with their families and communities. “The common thread amongst the recovered cases is their early presentation for supportive treatment. There is no need to hide friends and relations we suspect have come down with the disease. The earlier they are brought for screening and surveillance, the better the outcome.” Idris explained that three bodies were cremated and two properly buried after full decontamination of bodies.

Nigeria records 61.5 percent survivors Nigerian and the world at large yesterday received the cheery news that the country has contained the threat of the dreaded EVD following the discharge of seven infected persons out of the 13 confirmed cases. Currently, only one person is at the isolation centre in Lagos and her condition is stable. Two more patients with the Ebola virus disease have been discharged from the isolation ward in Lagos State, Nigeria lost five persons to

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EBOLA SCARE: Continued from page 7 the disease including the index (first) case, Mr Patrick Sawyer, the late Liberian-American who brought the disease to Nigeria on July 20, 2014. With the development, the disease killed 38.5 per cent of those affected in Nigeria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 90 per cent of those affected die from Ebola. Through sheer determination and care on the part of government and awareness by the citizenry, Nigeria ensured that only 13 persons out of a population of 167 million were affected and 61.5 per cent of Ebola victims survived the disease. The record is bettered by Uganda, which in 2007 had 149 cases and 37 deaths (25 per cent

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September 3, 2014

fatality) and Cote d' Ivoire that had one case and no death in 1994. Since the outbreak of the disease in four West African countries Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria, late December 2013 and this year, the WHO, as of August 22, said that 2615 cases and 1427 deaths (54.57 per cent fatality) have been recorded. The breakdown of the figures is as follows: * Liberia1082 cases, 624 deaths, 57.67 per cent fatality * Sierra Leone935 cases, 392 deaths, 41.93 per cent fatality * Guinea 607 cases, 406 deaths, 66.87 per cent fatality * Nigeria 13 cases, five deaths, 38.46 per cent fatality. Nigeria is by far the most populous of these countries with a population of 167 million and yet recorded the least number of

cases, an indication of the professional manner the government, health authorities and the citizenry handled the challenge. The populations of the other countries are: Uganda (37 million), Cote d Ívoire (16 million), Guinea (10 million), Sierra Leone (six million) and Liberia (3.5 million), whose total of 73 million is about half of Nigeria's population.

Don't stigmatise discharged patients Imploring all Lagosians not to stigmatise all cases and contacts that have been given a clean bill of health, Idris urged them to facilitate their re- integration into the society. He cited the American doctor who was recently discharged by Emory Hospital, USA and how he was openly embraced by both the

h o s p i t a l s t a ff a n d f a m i l y members, “setting for us an example to follow in the integration process of discharged cases and contacts,” Idris said. The Commissioner allayed fears of discharged patients coming down with the virus again saying that the chances are almost nil but does not mean that such patients could not be re-infected with another strain of the virus but not the particular virus that late Sawyer imported into the country. “The process by which cases and indeed contacts are discharged is also in line with best practices, involving reviews by critical members of the Ebola Emergency Operations Centre,” he added. Further, he pointed out that a contact becomes infective only when symptoms appear-fever being a game changer. “By and large, only symptomatic contacts are admitted.

Chime moves to further cripple Onyebuchi Continued from page 3 impeachment does not disqualify him from the senatorial race citing Supreme Court judgments in Omehia, stressing that he would only be disqualified if his impeachment was based on financial fraud. “But if you are removed because of chicken or because you operated a poultry farm, I don't think that the constitution said anything like that will disqualify me from contesting. I know when Enugu people read through the report; they will be able to ascertain whether the House of Assembly which endorsed the report has done the right thing. I know I am eligible to contest and will go ahead”, he added. Onyebuchi added that his greatest strength now was that he had been able to put his case across, stressing that had he yielded to the pressure to resign from office, it would have been disastrous. “We hope that one day; we will have in Enugu state a House of Assembly that will be a true representation of the people rather than that of the governor or a few individuals. The members elected to represent their constituencies, if they had listened to the voice of their people, they would have taken a different position but they listened to a single voice and I am praying and hoping that we will

get to the stage where those elected to represent the people will be true representatives”, he said. APC condemns impeachment

Mr Sunday Onyebuchi The APC South East zone through its spokesman, Mr. Osita Okechukwu said in a statement that Onyebuchi's impeachment “has once more confirmed that the Enugu State House of Assembly is a Rubber-Stamp Assembly; for its only an Executive pliant and stooge Legislature, which will ignobly negate the intendment of S ectio n 1 8 8 o f th e 1 9 9 9 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” The party said that the “Constitution rates gross misconduct as grave violations of the Constitution, not impeachment as tool for political

vendetta, let nobody fool us. “Otherwise, when has ChickenFarming in the Government House become Gross-Misconduct envisaged by the Constitution? When has the resolution of the House become law? Or is the House not aware that the Chicken-Farm was raided on January 27, 2014, by the u n f o l d i n g dictatorship in Enugu? “We have to caution H i s E x c e l l e n c y, Chief Sullivan Chime to desist from the narrow road to dictatorship, as it is an ill wind that blows none good. Unfortunately, we have observed recently sign- post of dictatorship, corruption and propaganda in the state of affairs in Enugu State. “For if we keep quiet today because it is an intra-party dispute, Chief Chime may become a great risk to our fledgling d e m o c r a c y, especially on the eve of a crucial 2015 general election. Enough is Enough.” The opposition party, however, challenged the ousted Deputy Governor to contest his impeachment in court, “as it is our considered view that the ChickenFarm impeachment was politically motivated, unconstitutional and undemocratic.”

Democratic instrument of impeachment utterly abused - ERG On its part, the Enugu Rescue Group in a statement entitled “Enugu Chicken Impeachment:

We reject this travesty” signed by its publicity Secretary, Comrade Martin Okenwa, said: “We make bold to say that although this utter abuse of the democratic instrument of impeachment by Governor Sullivan Chime and the Enugu State House of Assembly did not come to us as a surprise, it rides on the crest of the reign of impunity in which right is wrong, might is right, and the innocent is always guilty. “We would therefore have been surprised if the outcome had been different... We had warned from the outset that the Panel's composition, affiliations, body language, haste, and ban of the media from its proceedings were clear signs that the Governor, the House of Assembly, the Chief Judge of the State and Panel members were in league for a predetermined outcome.” The group commended Mr. Onyebuchi for his bravery in standing his ground rather than throwing in a resignation letter to the panel which process were clearly compromised. “He has done great justice to the nation's democracy. It is clear to the world that he was not impeached because he committed any offence but because absolute power corrupts absolutely, while bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of the just.” While urging Onyebuchi to challenge “this travesty of justice” in a court of competent jurisdiction like former Governor Peter Obi successfully did in 2006, the ERG further called on the National Judicial Council to investigate the role played by a judicial officer in the impeachment scandal just as it urged the Nigeria Bar Association to impose the necessary sanctions on its members on the panel for allegedly “bringing the Bar to disrepute through their kangaroo conduct and verdict.”

Asymptomatic contacts are admitted when the index of suspicion that they may be lost to follow up is high. “Contacts are monitored twice daily for temperature changes and symptoms. On self-admission or evacuation of contacts for conducts of confirmatory test, their homes including areas of common use with co-tenants, offices and relevant general surfaces are decontaminated,” he said. On other challenges, Idris said that rejection of febrile patients in hospitals without proper assessment may also increase stigma and deter self-reporting. He explained that not everybody with fever or haemorrhage has come down with EVD. A situation where these cases are automatically referred to Mainland General Hospital is not good practice. The commissioner appealed to medical practitioners in both public and private health facilities to commence the management of these cases using universal safety precautions and only refer them if there is an indication to do so.

Why First Consultants Medical centre is still shut On when First Consultant Hospital, Obalende, where the first case was treated, will be reopened, Idris said the state government is waiting for directive from the World Health Organisation, WHO, as there will be many decontamination exercises in the facility. The Commissioner who said already several decontaminations have been done in the place confirmed that it was going to take some time before the facility will be opened. “I need to get clearance from the Ebola Emergency Operation Centre because they are the one who could give clearance that the hospital is clean and ready for reopening. It is after that the state government embarks on its own process. Decontamination may not be complete because some of the equipment in the hospital may be discarded, burn some materials and other activities. This is to ensure that the hospital is free of the virus. So it will take some time before the hospital will be reopened, but once we get the approval WHO and EOC the government will do the needful.”

No Ebola-free certificate Idris said there is need to report every death and obtain Ebola-free documentation to facilitate the transportation of out-bound corpses from the state. He however, dismissed rumours about Ebola free certificate saying that: “There is nothing like Ebolafree certificate being issued routinely to persons applying for visas in foreign embassies in Nigeria. Clearance certificate are nonetheless issued to contacts that have completed the 21-day maximum incubation period of EVD.”

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September 3, 2014

Governor Obiano's administration, not for a particular group or political class - Chikwelu By Our Reporter

he Commissioner for Wo men A ff air s an d Social Development, Dr. Mrs Victoria Chikwelu says the commitment of the present administration to improving the welfare of women, particularly the aged and the less privileged, is irrevocable. Speaking to newsmen in her office, commissioner Chikwelu remarked that it was in realization of this noble objective that the First Lady, Chief/Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano embarked on her tour of the 21 LGAs of the state to empower the women to better their living standard. T h e Wo m e n A ff a i r s Commissioner disclosed that in addition to empowering the women, the First Lady uses the opportunity to interact with them, feel their pulse and acquaint herself with their problems with a view to proffering solutions to them. She pointed out that one remarkable feature in the First Lady's tour is that she interacts with, and empowers every

woman irrespective of her political, religious or ethnic affiliations thereby demonstrating that the present administration is for the welfare of the entire Ndi Anambra and not for a particular group or political class. Dr Mrs. Chikwelu described the present state administration as a gender-friendly one, and reiterated the determination of her ministry to work assiduously to uplift the living standard of women and, accord them their rightful position in the society, even as she described them as veritable instrument for societal growth, who play vital role in nation building. According to Commissioner Chikwelu, Anambra State is now on the threshold of rapid socio- Chairman & Members of Technical Commitee of Anambra State Materials Testing Laboratory, Awka. economic advancement with the Four Pillars of Development and the indomitable Spirit of Ndi support to the present and even absenteeism, stressing their Enablers working together Anambra and positively administration and urged them that in the present circumstance to actualize this goal. transformed all sectors of the particularly the women to troop when the world is faced with While describing governor economy, creating an enabling enmass at designated centres to economic meltdown with its Obiano as an epitome of courage environment for investment obtain their permanent voters attendant mass unemployment, and a symbol of doggedness, opportunities and positively cards. huge job cuts and budget deficit, Commissioner Chikwelu turning around the fortunes of the She charged staff of her ministry every worker must work hard to remarked that his remarkably state. to imbibe the spirit of hard work, maximize output and become giant strides and efficient Joint Dr Mrs. Chikwelu then enjoined punctuality and selflessness and relevant in the system. Security Network have rekindled Ndi Anambra to give unalloyed avoid truancy, lateness to duty

Obi betrays Ojukwu, dumps Igbo party, APGA By Uche Chukwu

he hope of the former Biafran warlord and late Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Dim Chukwuemeka OdumegwuOjukwu to have a political party the Igbo nation can be identified with, may have been dashed following emerging facts of the reported dumping of the party by the former governor of the State, Chief Peter Obi. Obi according to a source resigned as the BOT Chairman of APGA, which is the ruling party in Obi's home state. Immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, had influenced the appointment of Biancah, Ojukwu's wife as the BOT Chairman in place of Dr. Tim Menakaya only for him to usurp the position as the BOT Chairman and National Leader of APGA, a move that created altercations within the party hierarchy. The resignation of governor Obi from the position which now leaves him as an ordinary member of the party is coming on the heels of rejection of his Ministerial nomination by the President Goodluck Jonathan. In a resignation letter addressed to

the National Secretary of the party and submitted at the party's National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday, Obi said he was resigning as Leader and BoT Chairman into which he was appointed in January 2014 by the National Executive Council, which, according to him, was yet to be ratified by a Convention of the party as stipulated by the constitution of the party. Obi cited family and personal reasons, but did not give details. However, Obi wished the party well in its future endeavours, assuring that he remains an ordinary APGA member. Speaking with newsmen penultimate Friday in Awka-Etiti, Idemili South Local Government

Peter Obi Area of Anambra State, Obi had lamented that the failure by APGA to ratify the positions has made it impossible for him to have

Late Ikemba Ojukwu a platform to engage aggrieved party members. When contacted, his media aide, M r. Va l e n t i n e O b i e n y e m ,

confirmed the development. His words: “If you recall, my boss was nominated the Leader of the Party and the Chairman of her Board of Trustees in January. The nomination was yet to be ratified by a convention of the party when he submitted his letter of resignation. “Since the convention will take place next year, people have found it convenient to blame him for the woes of the party on the reason that he had failed to intervene on matters affecting the party, not knowing that without ratification of his nomination, he had no platform under which to intervene.” Obienyem said that his boss remained an APGA member, and would continue to support the party at all times.

Military probes troops 'revolt’

he military moved fast Wednesday to probe the alleged revolt by some soldiers against deployment to fight Boko Haram. Various units of the army have been ordered to take the roll call of troops to fish out the rebellious ones. But, the Defence Headquarters said the allegation of a revolt was remote. A former Military Governor of

Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), advised the military to address the causes of revolt. According to a source, some army units, especially in the Northeast, have been directed to take the roll of soldiers to fish out rebellious ones. It was gathered that the Army took the decision following report that a group of soldiers refused posting to some parts of Borno State.

The said group of soldiers was alleged to have rejected deployment to Gwoza and Dalwa Village in Damboa. But a source in the military said although the likelihood of refusal of posting was remote, the Army Units in the area had been ordered to take the roll call of soldiers. The source said: “The Army units have been ordered to take a roll of the troops either on the fields or in the barracks to verify

if there was any group of soldiers refusing posting. We will certainly get to the root of this. “This is a well-organised army which can detect any unruly soldiers or deserters in record time. “We are suspecting that this may be an attempt to ridicule the Nigerian Army by some forces. As at the time they said the group of soldiers turned down posting, there was no operation going on in the said area.

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September 3, 2014

Chaos in Enugu as police teargas villagers at verification of monarch-elect *Dethroned Igwe Agana insists he is Amandim-Olo monarch By Ted Peters & Rex Arum

everal people including aged men and women sustained injuries at Amandim-Olo community in Ezeagu local government area of Enugu State on Wednesday as policemen fired several canisters of teargas to disperse the natives protesting the decision of the state government to install a new traditional ruler for the community. The protesters from four different villages in the community were heading to the venue of the verification exercise for new Igwe-elect of the community, Pastor Eric Emeka Nwankwo, when the policemen fired teargas to disperse them. The traditional ruler of the community, His Majesty Harford Agana, who was crowned by his people since 7th July, 2002, was removed from his throne on July 18, this year by the State government for allegedly refusing to handover the assets of Enugu West Traditional Rulers Council in his possession one month after he was suspended by the government. The deposed monarch, who has since served the state government notice of his intention to challenge his dethronement in court, had described his removal as illegal. He had claimed that the Toyota Hiace Bus which he was ordered by the government to handover to the council was given to him by Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu as a personal gift to him. He told newsmen at his palace yesterday he remains the traditional ruler of Amandim-Olo describing the move by the government to impose another traditional ruler on the community as mere politics and an illegal act, stressing that the people of the community who crowned him 12 years ago have not withdrawn their support for him. However, following the removal of the monarch, a section of the community presented Pastor Nwankwo, who had aspired to the throne in 2002 but lost to Igwe Agana, to state government as their Igwe-elect and the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Pastor Emeka Abugu, fixed verification of his nomination for yesterday. The Commissioner, Nwankwo and his supporters were seated for the verification exercise at the Central Primary School, Amandin-Olo, venue of the event when several villagers marched to the place with placards to protest the dethronement of Igwe

Agana. Some of the p l a c a r d s displayed by the protesting natives read: “Igwe Agana is our choice”, “Emeka Abugu you must refund our 2 million naira”, “No other Igwe except Agana”, “Government ,we need our Igwe back” and “Emeka Abugu leave our community alone”. The protesters accused the Commissioner for Chietaincy Matters of Community members protesting the Pastor Emeka Abugu dethronement of Igwe Agana collecting N2 million from some persons in the community to facilitate the policemen. Efforts by journalists to speak installation of the Igwe-elect The policemen led by an officer with the policemen were rebuffed from the state police headquarters by the officer who said that he against the will of the people. But few meters to the venue in mufti, flogged the protesters was not under any obligation to policemen who stationed three comprising old men and women, speak to press regarding their patrol vans at the entrance with sticks and when they refused operations in the community. ordered them to go back as they to disperse, the policemen fired However, an 85 years old man, claimed to have instructions not several canisters of teargas which Chief Ozokolo Chibunine, who is to allow them access to the venue. left the natives and those residing the leader of Ozo title holders and Explanations that they were at the nearby coughing and shedding kingmakers in the community, verification exercise to register tears. who was among those teargased, t h e i r o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e Some of the youths who were condemned the action of the dethronement of their monarch bleeding on their heads following policemen, saying they were duly fell on deaf ears and when some injuries they sustained from the invited to attend the verification youths insisted on forcing their police beaten were dragged into exercise to express their opinion way through the police barricade, the patrol vans and taken to an on the chieftaincy tussle. they were attacked by the unknown destination. He spoke amidst sobs that the

community was strongly opposed to the dethronement of the monarch by the government, stressing that the government had no right to remove Igwe Agana, who was constitutionally installed by his community. According to him, the purported selection of the new monarch was illegal as majority of the natives were opposed to it and called for the reinstatement of Igwe Agana. The Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters, Pastor Abugu, however, declined to comment on the incident as well as the allegation of N2 million bribe as he told journalists that he would only speak on the matter after returning to his office in Enugu. “I cannot respond to any issue here because that is not why I am here. You can see how charged this environment is”, Abugu said. The Igwe-elect, Pastor Nwankwo said that he was the person duly elected monarch by his people in 2002 but was rejected by the Chimaroke Nnamani administration which preferred Igwe Agana, explaining that even though he went to court to challenge the matter, the judgment was yet to be delivered 12 years after. He, however, stated that his current selection was an affirmation of what the entire community decided over 12 years ago, stressing that he had come to liberate his community.

Confab delegates form group to push for implementation of report

s the 2014 National Conference came to an end, Thursday, some delegates have formed a pressure group which main aim is to explore all necessary avenues to ensure that all the adopted recommendations of the conference are implemented by the Federal Government. The group, which was christened, 'Initiative for National Consensus,” according to its handlers, was borne out of genuine desire to ensure that no part of the recommendations agreed upon and adopted by the delegates, was thrown into dustbin by the government. Members of the group, led by its interim coordinator and

leader of Ondo State delegation to the conference, Mr. Remi Olatubora, while briefing newsmen shortly after their inaugural session at the confab venue, yesterday, insisted that their desire to come together in a group was informed by common desire of most delegates that all relevant governmental organs and agencies implement the decisions of the conference in totality. Olatubora, who is also a serving Commissioner for A d u l t a n d Vo c a t i o n a l Education in his home state, explained that their decision to form the group was mostly informed by past experiences where recommendations and reports of previous exercises were left to gather dust.

He said that the group would work together as advocacy group towards ensuring that “decisions of the conference were not left in the shelf to gather dust in the manner in which the reports of earlier conferences were treated.” The group's membership cuts across the six geo-political zones, comprises representatives of youths, academia, lawyers, politicians, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, religious bodies, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ and the Diaspora, among others. Olatunbora said the mission of the group was to engage with issues flowing from the confab, as independent input into the process of consolidating the gains of

Nigeria's centenary, and its reconstruction into a responsible, accountable, and egalitarian society. Other reasons according to him was “to campaign vigorously for gender mainstreaming and intergenerational justice as dedicated by the requirement of 21 century politics.” Some of the objectives of the group, according to Olatubora, were “to develop a framework for the emergence of alumni of the confab as the broadest convergence of pan-Nigerian constituent group and to act as a connecting rod between our group and the primary as well as secondary stakeholders in the sustainability of Nigeria project.”

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ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

Jonathan receives Confab report, says critics have been shamed

XACTLY 158 days after he inaugurated the 2014 National Conference, President Goodluck Jonathan, Thursday, received the report of the confab and vowed that his government would implement the recommendations. The visibly elated President, who said that Nigerians had shamed critics, who thought the exercise would dismember the c o u n t r y, a d d e d t h a t t h e government would discuss the outcome with the National Assembly and the Council of State on how to implement the report. Among other things, the conference made far reaching recommendations that could boost the socio-economic and political development fortunes of the country, if faithfully implemented. The recommendations include: Creation of 18 additional states; adoption of modified presidential system of government that integrates the parliamentary and presidential systems; part-time bi-cameral legislature at all levels; reintroduction of the old National Anthem; removal of immunity clause for criminal offences; independent candidacy and abrogation of the local government as a tier of government; scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECs and stoppage of government sponsorships of Christian and Muslim pilgrimages to holy lands. Others include: Sharing of funds to the Federation Account among the three tiers of government should be: Federal Government (42.5 per cent), State governments (35 per cent) and Local governments (22.5 per cent); in the modified presidential system the president shall pick the vice president from the Legislature and select not more than 18 ministers from the six geo-political zones and not more than 30 per cent of his ministers from outside the Legislature; President should reduce cost of governance by pruning the number of political appointees and using staff of ministries where necessary; presidential power should rotate between the North and the South and among the six geo-political zones, while the governorship will rotate among the three senatorial districts in a state. With local governments no longer the third tier of government, the federal and states are now the only tiers of government, states can now create as many local governments as they want. The

Joint State/Local Government Account be scrapped and in its p l a c e t h e establishment of a State RMAFC with representatives of LG and a chairman nominated by the G o v e r n o r. T h e Constitution should fix the tenure for Local Government Councils at three years. The conference also recommended that special courts should handle corruption cases in view of undue prolonged trials and prosecution of corruption cases in the regular courts; and retention of Land Te n u r e i n t h e Constitution but with an amendment to take care of concerns, particularly compensation in Section 29 (4) of the Act to read “land owners should determine the price and value of their land based on open market value. The confab, however, could not resolve the issue of resource control, derivation principle and fiscal federalism. It said that assigning percentage for the increase in derivation principle, setting up Special Intervention Funds to address issues of

President Jonathan reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas ravaged by insurgency and internal conflicts as well as solid minerals development, require some technical details and consideration. It therefore recommended that the government should set up a Te c h n i c a l C o m m i t t e e t o determine the appropriate percentage on the three issues and advise government accordingly. Receiving the report, which is in 22 volumes and totalling 10,335 pages from the Conference

Chairman, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, a happy President Jonathan said critics who thought the exercise would disintegrate the country have been shamed with the achievements of the delegates. According to him, all those who had predicted the disintegration of this country at the end of the nation's first centenary would wish they chose another country against the backdrop that the possibilities of the new vision for Nigeria were being actualised. He noted that the time has come for all Nigerians to put behind them all the drawbacks that inhibited the country from realising her manifest destiny and full potentials, saying: “We must steadily arrive at the juncture where strife, conflicts and mistrusts would become distant echoes of our past. We must make every inch of our country a space for joyous habitation. Our country must enter a new season of harmony, prosperity and happiness with justice abiding in every hamlet, community and our country. It is the dawn of a new day in Nigeria and the new nation is at the door accompanied by its great men and women, young and old.” President Jonathan promised that efforts of the 492 delegates will not be a waste as government would ensure that the recommendations were implemented in the interest of the country. He hailed the delegates for their tireless efforts and coming up with recommendations that will

FMC Yenagoa remains shut despite suspension National leadership of NMA, as I centre for Ebola virus disease in of NMA strike talk with you I am at work at the Bayelsa.

he Federal Medical Centre ( F M C ) i n Ye n a g o a remained deserted despite the suspension of the 55 days strike by Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). Allied health workers in the institution commenced an indefinite strike which paralyzed medical services that led to shutdown of the hospital on August 12. Our correspondent who visited FMC Yenagoa on Wednesday reports that the wards, consultation clinics, pharmacy, laboratories and other departments in the hospital remained shut. Dr. Israel Jeremiah, Bayelsa Branch Chairman of NMA said in a telephone interview that doctors in the state had complied with the directive of the NMA national leadership and returned to work on Monday. He however regretted that the ongoing local strike by other health professionals at the Federal Medical Centre was frustrating the efforts of the doctors to restore medical services. "We are on the same page with the

Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital and work is ongoing, unfortunately at the FMC, health workers have locked up the place. "Due to the ongoing strike of the other health workers who are custodians of the hospital facilities that our members need to work the hospital remained closed but doctors are ready to work. " I believe the hospital management will be on top of the situation to bring the workers back to work, " he said. Dr Ebitimi Etebu Chief Medical Director of FMC Yenagoa confirmed that medical service was yet to be restored to the health institution even though doctors had suspended their strike on Monday. He said that the strike by other health workers over promotion arrears was unfounded as there was a general funding gap in the health sector that necessitated owing them promotion arrears. The Medical Director accused that the unions of sabotaging the efforts of the hospital management to restore medical services in the tertiary hospital which serves as a surveillance

"I have insisted on a meeting with all the hospital workers because their leaders have deliberately been misinforming them and I am waiting for them to fix a meeting before they call off the strike. " Some of their demands are totally strange , so I need to explain issues directly to workers, I believe when the workers get the facts straight they will come back to work, the unions have a suspicious agenda, " he said However, Mr Simon Bernabas Coordinator of the Joint Health Sector Unions at FMC Yenagoa said that the hospital management had remained adamant to the demands of the workers. “There has not been any form of dialogue between the workers' representatives and the hospital management even though we made it clear that we remained open to dialogue, they simply ignored us. “We are aware that our colleagues in other Federal Medical Contres are enjoying some of these allowances we are agitating for, that is why the reason they give that it is a national thing is not convincing at all,” Bernabas said.

help chart a path of peaceful coexistence, sustainable development, justice and progress as the country marches into the second centenary, and stressed that as delegates, they had done their best, that the onus was now on the executive and elected lawmakers to compliment their job. He averred that the ability of the delegates to disagree to agree is a clear indication that Nigeria has remained our collective good and we are capable of solving our problems through dialogue. His words: “The success of this conference has proved the cynics wrong in many respects. Those who dismissed the entire conference ab initio as a “diversion” have been proved wrong as what you achieved has contrary to their forecast diverted our country only from the wrong road to the right direction. “As I receive the report of your painstaking deliberations, let me assure that your work is not going be a waste of time and resources. We shall do all we can to ensure the implementation of your recommendations which have come out of consensus and not by divisions. “The result of the conference has shown that we are not enemies, neither are we antagonists, no matter our religion, region, state, and tongue. This conference has reinforced what I have always believed- that Nigeria is here for our collective good. “The discourse reflected our latest challenges. We shall send the relevant aspects of your recommendations to the Council of State and the National Assembly for incorporation into the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. On our part, we shall act on those aspects required of us in the Executive. “Let me reaffirm this: Nobody has a monopoly of knowledge. We who are in government need to feed from the thoughts of those who elected us into power. You have done your patriotic duty; we the elected, must now do ours.” President Jonathan, who gave an insight into why he never intervened in their activities of the confab said that he took that decision on the premise that the delegates were capable of coming up with how to move the country forward, adding: “One of the many reasons for our noninterference is this: We have at the conference, 492 delegates and six conference officials who in their individual rights are qualified to lead our great country and if they were unable to agree on how to take decisions, we would be in real trouble! Acknowledging the quality and patriotic content of the delegates, I was confident the right thing will be done.”

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ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

The Nigerian Nationalist

Richard Akinjide

Richard Akinjide hief Osuolale Abimbola Richard Akinjide, SAN is a N i g e r i a n l a w y e r, politician and tribal nobleman. Biography Born in the ancient city of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State in the

southwest of the country in the early 1930s to an influential family of warriors, Richard Akinjide attended Oduduwa College, Ile-Ife from where he passed out in Grade One (Distinction, Aggregate 6). Richard Akinjide travelled to the UK in 1951 for his higher education and was called to the English Bar in 1955 and later in Nigeria. He established his practice of Akinjide & Co soon after. He was a former minister of education in the government of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa during the second republic and the minister for Justice in the administration of President Shehu Shagari. He was a member of the judicial systems sub-committee of the Constitutional Drafting

Committee of 1975-1977 and later joined the National Party of Nigeria in 1978. He became the legal adviser for the party and was later appointed the Minister for Justice. Richard Akinjide is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Attorney General  It was under his watch that Nigeria temporarily reversed executions of armed robbers.  The Abolition of a decree barring exiles from returning to the country.  He was lead prosecutor in the treason trial of Bukar Zanna Mandara.  The eviction of many illegal foreign nationals from Nigeria which contributed to mild violence against some

foreigners in the country. The event also exposed some weaknesses within the West African economic community.

Chief Richard Akinjide

HEALTH

Why Ebola disease don't kill some people – Experts

fter the recovery and discharge of Nigeria's first Ebola survivor from the quarantine centre at the Mainland Hospital in Lagos, Scientists have started revealing how some patients survive and 60% 90% don't and why it's so. Experts who spoke to Vanguard said: “Doctors don't know for certain who will survive Ebola, and there is no specific treatment or cure for the disease. But studies suggest there are some biological markers linked with a higher chance of surviving Ebola.” One Bioinformatics researcher at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, Derek Gatherer who majored in viral genetics and evolution said: “when a person becomes infected with Ebola, the virus depletes the body's immune cells, which defend against infection. “In particular, the Ebola virus depletes immune cells called CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes, which are crucial to the function of the immune system”, Gatherer noted, arguing that “if a person's immune system can stand up to this initial attack meaning their immune cells are not as depleted in the first stages of infection then they are more likely to survive the disease. “The patients that survive it best are the ones who don't get such a bad immune deficiency. But if the body is not able to fend off this attack, then the immune system becomes less able to regulate

itself”, Gatherer said. Another indication of a person's chance of surviving the deadly curse Ebola is said to be a gene called the human leukocyte antigen-B, this is responsible for the creation of protein in the immune system. One study done in 2007 says

revealed that this gene named B*07 and B*14, were more likely to survive Ebola, while people with other versions, called B*67 and B*15, were more likely to die. The study also said that if one has a mutation in a gene called NPC1, they could be resistant to the virus. Studies proved that, when

researchers take cells from people with the NPC1 mutation and try to infect them with Ebola in a laboratory dish, these cells are resistant to the virus. In a recent survey the World Health Organization has said that the recent Ebola outbreak has claimed the lives of 1,145

globally and is now the worst ever outbreak. Who confirmed that in the last two days, 152 new cases of the deadly hemorrhagic fever were reported in the two day period in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, bringing the total number of infected to 2,127.

Disregard claims for Ebola Virus Disease cure, it to a scientific committee set up by the Federal Government. says Enugu Health Ministry The Ministry called on the

he Enugu State Ministry of Health says it has observed with discomfort that some individuals have been making claims of having either physical or spiritual cure for Ebola virus

disease (EVD). In a statement by the Ministry, the general public has been advised to disregard such claims. According to the statement, “It is not only false and malicious but

misleading. The fact remains that at this moment, there is no certified drug for the cure of Ebola Disease. The Federal Ministry of Health directs that individuals with such claims should forward

members of the public to continue to observe strict personal hygiene, which include “regular hand washing and limiting body contact to mitigate further spread of the virus.”

UK to send warplanes to find Chibok girls

ritish warplanes are to be sent to Nigeria to help locate the abducted Chibok girls, it emerged yesterday. The over 200 pupils of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State were abducted from their hostels on April 15. MailOnline reported yesterday that three Royal Air Force (RAF) Tornado GR4s outfitted with surveillance equipment were being deployed to fly reconnaissance missions over the Northeast. A government source told The Times that the fighter bombers would help the Nigerian authorities by tracking the movements of Boko Haram militants. According to the report, the mission is dependent on a nearby nation giving them permission to use a runway. A United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD) spokesman did not deny the report about the deployment of the planes, adding: “The UK

continues to work with the U.S., France, Nigeria, its neighbours and international partners to provide advice and assistance to the Nigerian Government. “Together with our allies, we have provided continuous surveillance support to the Nigerian authorities, including satellite imagery. We are still in discussion with partners on the deployment of further surveillance capability.' In Abuja, protesters of the BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) movement said yesterday that the government owes them an apology for initially denying the abduction of the Chibok girls. They said that when the news first broke that the girls had been abducted and they began protesting for their safe rescue, people in government accused them of lying and being sponsored by the opposition instead of squarely looking into the problem. BBOG said in another clime, those people

would have come out and publicly apologised. A member of the group, Abubuakar Abdullahi, stated this yesterday in Abuja, at the sit-out of the group. “We deserve an apology, at least from the people who were within government or in office that came out, or people who stood up based on the office they occupy to say that the movement was based on lies, to say that the Chibok girls had not been kidnapped, to say that it was political and all. “I think after the committee went and did the research and found out that this was actually true and the girls had really been abducted, at least in a sane society, it would have been that we get an apology,” she said. The group promised that whatever the cause, they would stand firmly in their advocacy and insist that the government does its duty to the citizens of the country of which the Chibok girls are a part of and fight for their safe return to their families.

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ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

What the Deputy Governor told the 7-Man Panel on the Chicken Impeachment

he seven man panel instituted by the Chief Judge of Enugu State to investigate allegations of misconduct levelled against the deputy governor of Enugu State, M r. S u n d a y O n y e b u c h i concluded its hearing on the issue with testimonies from the accused last Wednesday, August 20, 2014. Mr. Onyebuchi who had earlier appeared before the panel penultimate Wednesday, August 13, 2014, however, truncated proceedings when he slumped midway into his testimony on that day. Concluding his testimony before the 7-man panel headed by Barr. Frankln Uche Oraekeiyi, Onyebuchi averred that his major sin against the governor was his ambition to contest the Enugu East senatorial seat against the alleged intentions of the governor's chief of staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo. He claimed that it was from that point that their relationship began to sour. On the allegation that he maintained a poultry in his official residence, Onyebuchi alleged that the Government House inhabited by the governor also maintained a bigger poultry and kept other animals for which money was provided for from the annual budget of the state. “I am familiar with the Agric Unit Government House, Enugu. From the gate of the Government House, you have the office complex by the left, directly facing the gate is a poultry house, to the right from the gate is a cattle ranch, behind the poultry house is a piggery section. I have had something with the Agric Unit in the Government House. As a civil servant working in Government House, I used to buy cow meat, chickens and eggs from the Agric Unit.” “Between 2012 and 2013 I acted as the Acting Governor of Enugu State. In my capacity as the A c t i n g G o v e r n o r, I d i d something in respect of the Agric Unit. A memo was brought to me by the Chief of Staff to the Governor requesting my approval for the sum of N3,000,000 for the purchase of consumables for the Government House poultry and piggery sections and I gave approval as requested.” “As at today 20/8/2014 there is a poultry house in Government House, Enugu but I am aware that on Tuesday the 5th August 2014 the birds in the poultry house were evacuated between 3pm and 12 midnight in anticipation of a possible visit by the Panel.”

Challenged that he opposed the removal of his birds by agents of the state government through newspaper interviews including comments published by national dailies, Onyebuchi said: “It is not in doubt that I spoke to the Newspapers. Two journalists came to me at 8:30pm on 27/1/2014 with a copy of the press release. I know Vanguard came and I think Guardian. I don't know the names of the journalists but they introduced themselves by the Newspapers they represent.” “I do not know where my birds are now. They were not returned to me. Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory who supervised the evacuation of the birds said that he did not know where the birds were kept.”

Refusal to represent the G o v e r n o r o n Assignments “My functions as the Deputy Governor is that I represent the Governor in functions as directed by the Governor. In addition, statutorily, the Deputy Governor is the chairman of the State Boundary Committee. The Governor conveys directives to me in person or through a phone call or a Governor's manifest which states the function that I am to represent the Governor. In the absence of these two channels I get an invitation letter with the Governor's minutes directing me to represent him and such letters are sent to me by the director of protocol.” He subsequently tendered to the panel letters of invitation to the governor with minutes by the governor directing him to represent him at such functions. “My 1st tenure came to an end on 28 May 2011. The Governor (had) invited me to his lodge and told me that we had worked so well in the preceding four years and that for that reason he has decided to continue with me for the next four years. Thereafter he gave me nomination forms and I thanked him.” “It has never been the practice that the Governor will issue a directive to me through a third party orally. It has never been my practice to take oral directives from subordinates as to what the Governor wants me to do.” “There was a situation when the Governor was on vacation specifically in 2012. He instructed me that his Chief of Staff will be telling me what to approve and what not to approve. The Chief of staff is Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo. My official designation within this period was the Acting Governor of Enugu State.” “The Governor was away for a little less than five months. From Exhibit H3 the Governor was

away from 17 September 2012 to 8 February 2013. During this period there was no approval that Mrs. Ifeoma Nwoboido presented to me that I refused to approve.” “The Governor wrote the House of Assembly that he is back and I have a copy of the letter as it was copied to me.” “After the Governor came back I received some reactions from those I worked with in the absence of the Governor. Most members of the State Executive Council came to me personally and commended me for the matured and able way I had handled the affairs of the State during the Governor's absence. A few of them who could not come sent in their commendations in writing. I have a letter from Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Jude Akubuilo.” On the allegation of failing to represent the governor at the flag off of the construction of the second Niger Bridge, Onyebuchi produced video evidence to show that he was there. However, on the failure to represent the governor at the South East Governors meeting on July 6, 2014, he said: “Around 8pm on the night of the 5th of July 2014, the director of protocol, Emeka Asogwa called me on phone and asked me if I would represent the Governor at the meeting of the South East Governors' Forum scheduled to take place the next day since the Governor was on vacation. I told him that he knew the rules that if the Governor asked me to, that I will do so since I was in town and I was healthy. He said that he thought that the Governor had called me. I told him no that I will attend the meeting if I get the order from the Governor. Emeka Asogwa said that he will get back to me. Around 9:45 pm of the same day, he called me and said that he was at my gate and I asked him to give the gateman the phone and he did and I asked the gateman to allow him in. He came in and told me that he spoke with the Governor and that the Governor asked him to tell me to represent him.” “I told him that I have tried the Governor's phone numbers and that they were not available. But since he knew how to reach the Governor, will he please call the Governor so that I will hear from him and also ask him what I will say at the meeting. He said he would not do that at that particular time and I told him that he knew that it was wrong for me to take any action without hearing from the Governor. He agreed with me and left.” “It was inside this Panel sitting that I heard from Emeka Asogwa

that he sent me a manifest. I will say that he did not send me any manifest, that would be the first time since 2007 that there would be a Governor's manifest when the Governor was on vacation. When the Governor was on vacation in 2012 and 2013, the manifests he prepared read “Acting Governor's Manifest”. The summary of my submission is that contrary to the allegation in the impeachment notice, there was no explicit directive from the governor asking me to represent him and that he did not tell me that he will pass instruction to me through a third party.” “On 18 June 2014, the Governor (had) announced at the State Executive Council Meeting that he will be commencing his annual vacation the next day the 19th of June and that he would be travelling outside the country specifically to USA for a Ship Cruise. On 6 July, he had not come back from the vacation. “Mr. Asogwa said that on the 5th of June 2014 that he did not see me but it is not correct. I was in the Panel when Asogwa told the Panel that he did not remember speaking to me on the 5th of July 2014. I did something especially when he said he did not call to know whether I was around. I applied to MTN to supply me the Call Data Record of that day,” Onyebuchi said he tendered the Call Data Record from MTN. “Between July 5 and now I have represented the Governor at some occasions. On the 11th of July 2014 I joined the Governor in receiving the Vice President of Nigeria. On the 18th of July, 2014, I represented the Governor at the commissioning of the Power Trading Institute at Oji River with the Minister for Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu.” “On the 16th of July, 2014 I went to the Governor's office to inform him of my intention to travel out of the country for six days and he asked me to give him one reason why he should approve it. I told him that I did not know of any reason but if there is any that I would like to know. He then said that I did not represent him at the South East Governors' Forum Meeting that took place in Enugu on the 6th of July 2014.” “I told him that he never instructed me to represent him. He now directed me to resign immediately from my office or he will make my life miserable. I told him that not representing him at that meeting was not enough reason for me to resign.” “He said yes that there are other reasons, that while he was on vacation in 2012 and 2013 that I suggested to him that his Chief

of Staff, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo should be removed from office. Another reason he gave was that I was interacting with his enemies. All these took place in the presence of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Intergovernmental Affairs, Rita Mba.” “I told him “Sir please May I explain”, and he said that if I did not leave his office immediately he would call the security men to carry me out of the Government House. This was after I told him that I noticed hostile attitude from him from the day I informed him of my desire to contest the Senatorial Seat of Enugu East Senatorial Zone. He repeated the threat and I left his office. I have no reason to resign from my office as Deputy Governor of Enugu State.” “I have done nothing to deserve removal. I have for the past seven years and two months carried out all that is assigned to me diligently, efficiently and effectively to the admiration of the Governor and most people in Enugu State. I have not in any way breached my oath of office or the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “I have displayed obedience even to the point of slavishness or stupidity. I have not in any way been reprimanded by the Governor in the last seven years and two months. I am happy that no serious allegations especially any bothering on financial impropriety, corruption, fraud were levelled against me. I am happy too that no accusation of lack of capacity or incompetence in carrying out my functions was levelled against me. I do not see from the allegations in the Notice of Impeachment where I have committed what would amount to gross misconduct as to warrant or justify my being removed by impeachment.” “I decided to appear before this Panel and risk being impeached rather than resign because I am convinced that in Nigeria today we can still find men and women who will stand by the side of truth and justice,” he told the panel of seven that includes four lawyers, one of whom is also a pastor. However, in spite of Onyebuchi's submissions to the panel, he was found guilty of all the three charges preferred against him. The House of Assembly which promised to deliberate on the report of the panel within 14 days as provided by the constitution, however, impeached the Deputy Governor within 30 minutes without deliberating on the panel's report. See the Findings and Recommendation of the 7-Man Impeachment Panel at pages 15, 16, 17 & 18

THE

From The Carpenter in court for biting lover's lip, attempted suicide

carpenter, Okechukwu Onyemachi, 37, who attempted to take his life, while at the Police cell, was arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Chief's Magistrate's Court. The defendant was said to have attempted to commit suicide by using his pair of trousers to hang himself in order to escape from being prosecuted for chopping off his ex-lover's lip. The carpenter was arrested for beating and chopping off the upper lip of his former lover, one Nneka Obi, after meeting another man in her apartment. Oyemachi is facing a two-count charge of assault and attempted suicide preferred against him by the police. The prosecutor, Sergeant Quasim Adams, told the court that the defendant had on August 7, 2014 at about 8.30am, at 80, Kadara Street, Oyingbo beat up and hit the victim with a hard object on the head before biting off her upper lip. He also told the court that the defendant in a move not to be prosecuted removed his trousers and attempted to hang himself at the water pipe that runs through the police's cell. According to Adams, the offences are contrary to Sections 244 and 233 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. The defendant's counsel, Saka Kayode, urged the court to strike out the case, as Oyemachi and the victim have agreed to settle the matter out of court. The prosecutor, however, objected to the application.

DCP Ojukwu now police Force PRO, Mba redeployed

ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

he Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Suleiman Abba, has appointed DCP Emmanuel Ojukwu as the new Force Public Relations Officer. Mba who occupied the position from February 2012 to August, 2014, has however been redeployed to Lagos State, as an Area Commander. In a statement by outgoing Mba, DCP Ojukwu, until his new appointment, was the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigations Department at Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja. In a brief handover ceremony on Thursday, ACP Mba thanked IGP Abba for the new assignment given to him, urged the media and the public to “extend maximum cooperation to his successor the new spokesman”. Mba expressed confidence in his successor's ability to move the Force Public Relations Department to a new level. The new Force Spokesperson in his remarks promised to work to increase the tempo of good relationship between the Police and the public in line with the policy thrust of the acting IGP.

COURT

Court refuses to hear suit on Nyako's re-instatement

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday temporarily declined jurisdiction over a suit filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, seeking the reinstatement of impeached Governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako. The lawyer had filed the suit seeking Nyako's reinstatement with immediate effect on the ground that his (Nyako's) impeachment did not follow the due process of law. When the matter came up before Justice Okon Abang, on Friday counsel to the applicant, Nelson Okedinachi, had urged the court to hear the suit because it was a fundamental rights application that borders on constitutional question. He said by the virtue of Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, the matter ought to and should be urgently heard, as further delay would jeopardise the suit, adding that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had already fixed October 11 for the governorship by-election in Adamawa State, and that any delay would be injurious. But Justice Abang held that as required by the rules of court in Order 46 Rule 5 (2), the matter could not be heard during the ongoing long vacation of the court as the applicant failed to apply for leave of court permitting that the matter be heard during vacation. The judge added: “On the account of the failure of the applicant to invoke the jurisdiction of this court to hear the suit during the long vacation of this court, for now, I have no jurisdiction to hear this suit.” The defendants in the suit were Umaru Fintiri (sued as the acting Governor of Adamawa State), Adamawa State House of Assembly, the Chief Judge of the state at the time a panel that impeached Nyako was constituted, Justice Ambrose Mammadi, Chairman of the seven-member panel that investigated allegations of gross misconduct against Nyako, Mr. Buba Kajama, INEC and the Inspector General of Police. Ogungbeje had specifically sought a declaration that the setting up of seven-member panel by Justice Mammadi after his order stopping the Adamawa State House of Assembly from constituting the panel was

Murtala Nyako biased, malafide, unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional violation of Nyako's right to fair hearing and fair trial as guaranteed under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The lawyer also prayed the court to declare that the constitution of seven-member panel by both the House and Justice Mammadi against a subsisting order of court restraining the House from setting up the panel was unlawful, contemptuous, illegal, undemocratic and a flagrant violation of the

constitution. He had further urged the court to nullify Nyako's impeachment of July 15, 2014 and compel Fintiri to vacate office as acting governor forthwith. The lawyer finally asked the court to reinstate Nyako as Adamawa governor. According to the grounds of the suit, the lawyer explained that the suit was necessitated by the fact that there had been grave constitutional infraction perpetrated by the respondents. The plaintiff had also contended in the matter that the failure of

the respondents to serve the impeachment notice personally on Nyako, was a breach of his (Nyako's) right to fair hearing and fair trial. Apart from the fact that Nyako was not personally served with the impeachment notice, Ogungbeje further stressed that Nyako was also not served with a copy of hearing notice by the seven-member panel chaired by Kajama. Besides, the lawyer contended that the conduct and actions of the respondents had seriously occasioned miscarriage of justice and right to fair hearing against Nyako, and that Nyako did not commit any offence to warrant the treatment that was meted out to him. The lawyer, who described himself as a Nigerian citizen, human rights activist, constitutional lawyer, property consultant, columnist, publisher, author and Lagos resident, stated that the suit was filed on the account of the fact that he was a patriotic Nigerian, who only wanted to challenge constitutional infraction. “I have a duty as a minister in the temple of justice and legal practitioner to protect and defend the sanctity of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from any constitutional contravention or infraction. “I have sworn to uphold the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in line with Rule 1 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners in Nigeria,” Ogungbeje clarified.

...I will return to my Seat like Peter Obi - Nyako

orty days after being removed from office, Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd) has expressed hope that he will return to his post since his traducers did not follow the laid down procedure in ousting him. Nyako, who has already filed an appeal at the Appeal Court against his impeachment, said there were justifiable reasons to prove that he was unjustly sent packing from his office by his opponents, who breached all the rules all in their desperate bid to get him out. In a statement made available

to journalists recently, Nyako said he was confident that the court would return him to office since the process leading to his forceful and undemocratic sack was illegal. The outsted governor said he was optimistic the Nigerian judiciary, which has men of integrity and honour, would restore him to his position given the gamut of evidences showing that his opponents violated all the provisions of the law in edging him out for political reasons. He expressed confidence that the county's judiciary which

had in the past upturned the removal of governors Joshua Dariye of Plateau, Rashidi Ladoja of Oyo and Peter Obi of Anambra, would restored him since he was forced out of office by desperate elements. Nyako urged his supporters to embrace the current reality and prepare for the October 15 by-election, which he believes would be a repeat of the case in Anambra State when Andy Uba assumed office after winning an election, only to vacate office after 16 days when the courts returned Peter Obi.

THE

ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

REPORT OF THE PANEL OF INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS MISCONDUCT AGAINST THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE: MR. SUNDAY ONYEBUCHI VOLUME 1 FINDINGS R E P O RT O F T H E PA N E L O F INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS MISCONDUCT IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE. RE: MR SUNDAY ONYEBUCHi. INTRODUCTION: On the 22nd day of July 2014, the Enugu State House of Assembly issued a “Notice Of Allegations Of Gross Misconduct In The Performance Of The Functions Of The Office Of The Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi”. The said notice was duly signed by twenty two Honourable members of the House of Assembly of Enugu State as shown in EXHIBIT H12. Service of the said notice on the Deputy Governor on the 24th day of July 2014 was admitted by him as shown in the first page in paragraph 1 of his reply to the said Notice of Allegations Of Gross Misconduct dated the 30th day of July 2014 titled, “Reply To Allegations Of Gross Misconduct In The Performance Of My Functions Of My Office As The Deputy Governor Of Enugu State” herein cited as EXHIBIT H13. On the 31st day of July 2014, the Enugu State House of Assembly resolved by motion to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, pursuant to Section 188 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended. The said resolution is herein referred to as Annexure C. The resolution and other documents referable to this investigation were transmitted to the Panel through a letter by the Clerk of the House to the. Chairman of the Panel. The said letter dated 511 day of August, 2014 is herein referred to as Annexure D. Consequently, at the request of the Speaker, the Honourable Chief Judge of Enugu State, Honourable Justice I.A. Umezulike (OFR), on Tuesday the 5th day of August 2014 constituted this panel of investigation to look into the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, by the House of Assembly. The Honourable Chief Judge's Speech and the Acceptance speech of the Chairman of this Panel which were read on the date of swearing in of the members of this panel are herein referred to as Annexures “A” and “B” respectively. The panel commenced sitting on the 6 day of August 2014 with further assurance to ensure fair hearing to everyone involved in the investigation. The sitting of the panel ended on the 20th day of August 2014. This report has been compiled in three volumes for ease of reference and comprehension. Volume 1 comprises the Findings of this panel. Volume 2 consists of all the documentary pieces of evidence made available to this panel, while Volume 3 comprises a comprehensive record of the proceedings and investigation activities of the panel.

CONSIDERED FINDINGS OF THE PANEL OF INVESTIGATION In proof of the allegations against the Deputy Governor, the House of Assembly called six witnesses who testified before the panel as HW 1 - HW6 and tendered several documents which were admitted in evidence as exhibits. The Deputy Governor in turn called seven witnesses who testified as DGW 1 - DGW7 in his defence, including him and also tendered several documents which were also admitted in evidence as exhibits. Before we proceed, we wish to point out that Section 188(11) of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended defines “gross misconduct” to mean “a grave violation or breach of the provisions of this

Constitution or a misconduct of such nature as amounts in the opinion of the House of Assembly to gross misconduct”. Consequently, taking a cue from the above definition, it is not our duty to determine whether or not the allegations we are investigating amount in our opinion as gross misconduct. That duty constitutionally and exclusively inures to the House of Assembly of Enugu State. What we are enjoined, by the constitution to do is to determine whether or not the allegations are proved. For purposes of clarity and to avoid prolixity, the allegations against the Deputy Governor as contained in EXHIBIT H12 shall be taken seriatim, one after the other as follows:

1. ABUSE OF OFFICE The summary of this allegation is that contrary to a resolution of the Enugu State House Of Assembly dated the 12th day of February 2013, prohibiting the maintenance and operation of commercial livestock and poultry farms within residential neighborhoods in Enugu metropolis, in promotion of public health standards, the Deputy Governor continued to maintain and operate a commercial poultry farm within the premises of his official residential quarters despite several demands to relocate same. The details of this allegation appear in EXHIBIT H12. Having carefully reviewed the testimonies of the witnesses of the House of Assembly, those of the Deputy Governor and the relevant documents presented by both parties to this investigation, which are referable to the above allegation, we find that all the witnesses, both for the House of Assembly and the Deputy Governor agree that the Deputy Governor maintained a poultry farm in his official residence, the poultry farm housed more than 3000 birds, and the poultry farm was for commercial purposes. The only two points of disagreement between the parties, referable to this allegation are on the purpose for which the official residential quarters of the Deputy Governor is meant and whether there was offensive odour emanating from the commercial poultry farm located therein. The first witness for the House of Assembly is Dr. Chukwuemeka Ujam i.e. HW 1. He testified that he is a member of the Enugu State Executive Council and that he serves as Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development. His duties include ensuring proper land administration, creation and designation of layouts and ensuring adherence to purpose clauses associated with those layouts. He went further to state that the official residence of the Deputy Governor which is known as plot M13 falls within the Independence Layout Planning Scheme. He tendered EXHIBIT HI which is the certified true copy of Description of the Area of The Planning Scheme (Independence Layout Planning Scheme). The witness further testified that Independence Layout has a survey plan and a Town Planning design. He tendered EXHIBITS H2 (a) and H2 (b) which are certified true copies of extracts from the larger Town Planning design of Independence Layout. He said that plot M13 does not extend to the Government House. Under cross examination, the witness stated that EXHIBIT HI is not a gazette. He maintained that plots Ml to M22 are plots within Independence Layout while EXHIBIT HI is a scheme that governs the entire independence Layout. He further stated that plot M13 is a residential building that has the status of an official outpost and that he does not allocate the State's house to anybody, but the resident knows the purpose and must abide by it. The second witness fielded by the House of Assembly is Mr. Christopher Amadi Chukwurah (HW2). He testified that he is the Clerk of the Enugu State House of Assembly and as such the custodian of all documents sent to the said legislature, he prepares business documents of the legislature to guide them in their legislative functions. The witness further said that he remembers the proceedings of

the House of Assembly of the 12th day of February 2013. He tendered EXHIBIT H3 which is the Votes and Proceedings of Enugu State House of Assembly dated 12th day of February 2013 which contains a resolution passed on the 12th day of February 2013. The directives contained in the resolution were conveyed to the relevant government officials through EXHIBIT H4. Under cross examination, the witness stated that the resolution was not a law and that a resolution is persuasive. The third witness of the House of Assembly (HW 3) is Dr. Anthony Ogbonna. He testified that he is the physician to the governor and the Medical Director of the Government House Medical Centre. His functions include looking after the health needs of their Excellencies, their families and members of the executive council. He also monitors the environment around the government house on health related issues. He further testified that sometime in December 2013 some security men came over to the clinic requesting for face masks, because some offensive odour was emanating from the Deputy Governor's residential quarters which is adjacent to the Government House first gate. He stated that after they were issued with the masks, he went down with them to go and verify the authenticity of their complaint. He further stated that he called the Deputy Governor's wife who was apologetic about the pungent and offensive odour which was oozing out from the poultry farm located inside their residential quarters, and promised to clean up the place. The stench subsided but usually came back depending on the direction of the wind. The witness further testified that the permanent secretary in the Government House later requested him to accompany him to see the Deputy Governor on this same issue, which they did after getting approval to see him. The three of them discussed the best approach to adopt in controlling the odour. The two of them suggested to the Deputy Governor that it would be necessary to relocate the poultry farm to somewhere else, but he refused. Thereafter, they presented the case to the Governor who directed the permanent secretary to formally put the request for relocation in a letter to Deputy Governor. The witness stated that the smell could cause vomiting, retching and abdominal pains and that there are other zoonosis that could follow poultry farming which he mentioned. Under cross examination, he said that he had always known of two structures existing in the Deputy Governor's quarters and that he is not a veterinary doctor, but the government has one attached to the Government House. The Deputy Governor's house is not part of the Government House. He stated that the veterinary doctor takes care of the animals in the government house including the pets in the government house such as ostriches, antelopes, a monkey and about two horses; and some in holding, often slaughtered for meal i.e. cows and goats. He further stated that there are no pigs in the Government House. He does not know whether a poultry farm was attached to the Deputy Governor's house when it was constructed. Under further cross examination he said that he had attended to a police officer that was attacked by an ostrich and a staff of Government House that was attacked by a monkey. Under re-examination, the witness said that he accompanied the two security men to the gate of the Deputy Governor's house where they called his wife for permission to access the compound which she granted. IKechukwu Newton Ugwuegede, testified as the fourth witness of the House of Assembly and said that he is the Chairman and Commissioner of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority. His duties include development control within the three local Government Areas in the Enugu Capital Territory. He is aware that the Enugu State Government adopted the resolution of the House of Assembly prohibiting the rearing of animals in residential

Continues on page 16

THE

September 3, 2014

ADVOCATE

REPORT OF THE PANEL OF INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS MISCONDUCT AGAINST THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE Continued from page 15 premises as a government policy. He further stated that he received a circular from the Secretary to the State Government on the matter which is admitted and marked EXHIBIT H5. He further testified that he took steps to implement what was in that circular by sensitizing the public through radio programmes and flyers. He said that in December 2013 it was brought to his notice through a letter that there was a commercial poultry farm in the official residence of the Deputy Governor. The relevant documents were tendered and admitted as EXHIBITS H 6 (a) and (b) respectively. He further testified that he approached the Deputy Governor, sought and got his permission to see the poultry farm. When he confirmed the existence of the commercial poultry farm, he pleaded with the Deputy Governor to remove the poultry farm by himself but he refused. He further testified that on or about the 26th of January 2014, he informed the Deputy Governor that he intended to remove the poultry farm by himself. The Deputy Governor granted him permission and on the 27th of January 2014, he entered the Deputy Governor's premises and carried out the removal of the birds. He went further to state that when he got to the Deputy Governor's house, he saw some people he believed were his staff and others he believed were pressmen who sought to interview him when they started the physical evacuation of the birds, but he declined to grant any press interview. The exercise was uneventful. Later on the 28th day of January 2014, his attention was drawn to several stories in both the print and electronic media about the poultry farm evacuation exercise. He tenders EXHIBITS H7 A, B, C & D which are Newspaper publications of the event. He stated that Independence Layout has a layout plan and identifies EXHIBITS H 2A and 2B as extracts from the larger plan of Independence Layout and tendered EXHIBIT H8 which is the larger plan of Independence Layout. He identified EXHIBITS H2 (a) and H2 (b) in EXHIBIT 8, and said that it is marked as M13 and it is Minister's House which is presently the official residence of the Deputy Governor. He further stated that it does not extend to the Government House, but one of 21 plots lying beside the Government House which is plot SI. He further said that there are some plots within Independence Layout that are designated as non residential and plot SI is one of them. M13 is a residential plot and as such has restrictions that do not apply to the ones that are not for exclusive residential purpose. He further testified that he has carried out much development control activities in other places apart from the Deputy Governor's residence and that his Authority had even been assisted in the past to carry out development control activities by His Excellency, the Deputy Governor. Under cross examination, the witness said that he does not have the gazette of the layout plan, and that plot SI does not have a Certificate of Occupancy. He maintained that it is not only when one sees the instrument allocating land that one can know the purpose for allocation of land; there are other documents, for example the approved layout plan which also shows the type of development that is permitted within a planning scheme. He has not seen the Certificate of Occupancy of M13. He agrees that EXHIBITS H6A and H6 B suggest that there is a certificate of occupancy. When he was asked whether he demanded the Certificate of Occupancy from the author of the document, he maintained that it was not necessary because he does not base his action on Certificate of Occupancy. He went further to state that he does not know that a poultry farm was attached to the Deputy Governor's house in 1960 when it was built. When asked whether he knew that each of the ministerial quarters had poultry

farms attached to it, he said he is aware of one that does not have a poultry facility because he lived in one as a Special Adviser to the then Governor between 1999 and 2003. He further stated that before 27th January 2014, he had gone to the Deputy Governor to plead with him to remove the birds or go to the Governor to ask for time, because the Deputy Governor told him that any movement of the birds at that stage would be catastrophic for the production of the birds. He said that he also suggested to him to ask either the Commissioner of Environment or Agriculture to assist him with the removal of the birds but the Deputy Governor refused. He further stated that there is no agriculture unit in the Deputy Governor's residence, but the Deputy Governor told him that the staff of ENADEP helped him to establish his poultry farm. His evidence is that the building housing the birds is an open hall with poultry feeders. He further stated that EXHIBIT H5 is a proper government notice conveying to him, a government policy. He carried out the removal of the birds under Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority Law. Under re-examination, he insisted that he did not make any I announcement before the exercise and that it was not possible I: for anyone to gain access into the Deputy Governor's residence without his consent. From the testimonies of the witnesses to the Deputy Governor, his written response i.e. EXHIBIT HIS, his oral testimony, the manner of his cross-examination of the

witnesses of the House of Assembly and the relevant documentary evidence available to this panel, it is glaring that his defense to this allegation is that the purpose for which his official residential quarters is meant is uncertain, indeterminable and unknown. Secondly that the poultry farm was so much cleaned by the two staff that no of odour whatsoever emanated therefrom. Thirdly, that the poultry farm was built by the Michael Okpara regime in 1960 when the house was constructed. Fourthly, that he was unaware of any government policy prohibiting the maintenance and operation of commercial livestock and poultry farm within residential neighborhoods in Enugu metropolis. DGW2 and DGW3 are in agreement that they cleaned the farm two times in a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. It is our view that the issue to be determined here is whether the absence of a certificate of occupancy of the Deputy Governor's official quarters makes the purpose of the quarters uncertain and unknown. We do not agree with the suggestion that because there is no Certificate of Occupancy for the Deputy Governor's official residential quarters, the purpose for the quarters cannot be determined. It is our considered opinion and conviction that there are other documents, apart from the Certificate of Occupancy, from which the use and purpose for which a plot of land was granted can be ascertained. Exhibit H10 is the certified true copy of the layout plan of Independence Layout Enugu tendered in evidence by HW7 who is a principal archivist at the National Archives,

Enugu. The said Exhibit describes plot M13 which is the Deputy Governor's official residence as Ministers house. It clearly situates plot M13 outside plot SI which is the Government House. EXHIBITS H2A and H2B also situate plot M13 outside the Government House. EXHIBIT HI is the certified true copy of the Description of the Area of the Planning Scheme (Independence Layout Planning Scheme). It has sufficiently identified plots Ml M21, which M13 falls within as residential plots. Page 5 paragraph iv of the above exhibit is very instructive in this respect. The said exhibit goes further at page 8, paragraph 26 thereof, to prohibit any commercial activity, including rearing of poultry on any residential plot. As a matter of fact, EXHIBITS HI and H10 are the source of the purpose clause which is inserted in a any Certificate of Occupancy issued in respect of any plot. Even without the above exhibits, we do not believe that the Deputy Governor does not know the purpose for which his official residential quarters was allocated to him. The Deputy Governor himself said he inherited his official residential quarters from his predecessors in office, so there is no doubt at all that he knew the purpose for which his official residence was allocated to him. We believe the HW1 who testified that the occupant of the premises knows the purpose for which it was allocated. The HW2 (the Clerk of the House of Assembly) testified and tendered the Order Paper containing the resolution of the Enugu State House of Assembly prohibiting the maintenance of commercial poultry farm in residential neighbourhoods in Enugu metropolis. The said resolution was adopted by the State a Government as a State policy, as shown in EXHIBIT H5. It is important to point out here that the members of the House of Assembly of Enugu State are elected representatives of the people and as such, their resolutions represent the wishes of the masses and have to be given effect. The defense of ignorance to our mind cannot avail the Deputy Governor, just as ignorance of the law does not avail anybody. The fact that the Deputy Governor claims ignorance of the policy of a government in which he serves as number two man, portrays him as one who has totally lost touch with the government he is supposed to be the champion and promoter of its policies. There is evidence before us that some top government officials approached the Deputy Governor to persuade him to relocate the poultry farm, but he rebuffed all the entreaties which prompted the writing of EXHIBITS H6A and H6B. In response to these exhibits the Deputy Governor wrote Exhibit DG2 where he indicated no intention whatsoever of giving effect to exhibits H6A and H6B. He tendered Exhibit DG1 to show that he received Exhibits H6A and H6B the same day, on the 27th day of December 2013. The fact remains that the combined effect of Exhibits H6A and H6B is that the Deputy Governor was given 14 days from the 27l day of December 2013 to relocate the poultry farm out of his official quarters. He refused to carry out the directives in Exhibits H6A and H6B until the 27th day of January 2014 when the poultry farm was forcefully removed through the agency of the government. That is one clear month after he was given 14 days to relocate the poultry farm, so the fact of receiving the two letters one day is irrelevant and immaterial. It is worthy of note and undoubtful that the instructions contained in Exhibits H6A and H6B are instructions of the Governor even though they were written by the Chief of Staff. There is no evidence before us that the said instructions were either withdrawn or revoked by the Governor. Let us also point out that the suggestion that the poultry farm was built in 1960 by the Michael Okpara regime is not helpful to the case of the Deputy Governor. Assuming that it was actually built in I960, and his predecessors

Continues on page 17

THE

ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

REPORT OF THE PANEL OF INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS MISCONDUCT AGAINST THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE Continued from page 16 operated a poultry farm there, that fact cannot fetter the present Government from enforcing its policy that prohibits commercial poultry on that residential premises. The Deputy Governor fails to locate the events and issues within a given time and space. The resolution of the State House of Assembly which culminated in the policy of the State government, that was violated by the complained act of the Deputy Governor, came into force and operation outside the time when the predecessors of the Deputy Governor occupied the said premises. In fact, the Policy became effective from the date the State Executive Council under the helmsmanship of the present Governor of Enugu State, took the decision as shown in the document before us, and not otherwise. It does not have a retroactive force. The Deputy Governor has dissipated much energy in trying to prove that there is an Agriculture unit in the Government house that also has a poultry farm, piggery etc. He tendered EXHIBITS DG3A, B, C, and D, that is the approved budget estimates of Enugu State for the years 2011 to 2014 to show budgetary allocation for the agriculture unit in the Government House. We must say that this is a total distraction because we are not investigating any activity in the Government House. Therefore, those exhibits are not relevant to the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the Deputy Governor and are hereby discountenanced for the purpose of our investigation. On the issue of odour emanating from the poultry farm, we do not believe that any amount of cleaning by two poultry attendants can rid a poultry farm housing more than three thousand birds of offensive odour. That suggestion by the Deputy Governor and his team is an affront to common sense and natural course of human conduct, and we cannot be lured to accept it. It is incredible and unreasonable. We reject it. We observed that all the witnesses who testified that there was no offensive odour emanating from the poultry farm are all domestic staff of the Deputy Governor, who have an interest in this investigation and who were active, albeit hired participants in the ignoble and unfortunate violation of the State government policy. Nobody who lives in the neighbourhood was called to give evidence in this regard in support of the suggestion of the Deputy Governor. It is also the case of the House of Assembly that the Deputy Governor wrongfully deployed the resources of His Office to invite the press and openly castigated the government and her officials thereby impugning and denigrating the office of the Governor and embarrassing the Government. HW4 who is the Commissioner of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority testified that when he got to the Deputy Governor's residence for the evacuation of the poultry farm, he met some men whom he believed were pressmen. That the men approached him for a press interview but he declined, and that he sighted a prepared document with them. He further said he did not invite the press and that nobody could gain access into the Deputy Governor's premises without the Deputy Governor's approval. Newspaper publications of the incident were tendered as EXHIBITS H7A, B, C and D and the exhibits speak for themselves. In the final analysis, this panel finds that this allegation of abuse of office has been sufficiently proved and established on the strength of the oral and documentary evidence before us.

2. DISOBEDIENCE TO THE LAWFUL DIRECTIVES OF THE GOVERNOR The summary of this allegation is that the Deputy Governor deliberately and habitually refuses, fails or neglects to carry out and or perform the functions of his office as directed by the Governor pursuant to section 193 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without any reasonable excuse. Some instances were given to include the failure of the Deputy Governor to represent the Governor at the flag off ceremony of the second Niger Bridge on the 11th day of March 2014 and the failure of the Deputy Governor to represent the Governor at the South East Governors Forum held at the Lion

Building Enugu on the 6th day of July 2014. In proof of this allegation, the House of Assembly called one Barrister Emeka Asogwa who testified as HW5. In his evidence in-chief, the witness testified that he is the Chief of Protocol to the Governor of Enugu State. He is in charge of His Excellency's appointments and engagements and also in charge of producing the Governor's daily manifest and scheduling officers that will attend any function which the Governor is expected to attend, etc. He stated that if a function which the Governor is expected to attend occurs in the Governors absence, and the Governor did not leave an explicit instruction, he normally contacts one of the Governor's aides that would be with him, in order to get clearance from the Governor on who is to represent him. As soon as the instruction is given by the Governor, he goes ahead to notify the nominated person to represent the Governor in such function. He notifies the person either orally or by issuing out the Governor's manifest. This also applies to the Deputy Governor. He stated that sometimes, when he notified the Deputy Governor, he complied, but some other times; he refused to comply with the Governor's said instructions or directives. He further testified that on the 4th day of June 2014, the Governor directed him to notify the Deputy Governor to represent him at the burial of Ezinne Alice Ocho Nnamani at Agbani. When he notified the Deputy Governor, he said he would not attend. The witness attended the function with other officials of government, where he requested the Commissioner for Lands to stand in for the Governor. 16 He went further to state that on the 4th of July 2014, the Governor asked him to tell the Deputy Governor to represent him during the visit of a British diplomat; Mr. Peter Cater the Deputy British High Commissioner, who paid a courtesy call on the Governor. He did but the Deputy Governor refused to represent the Governor on that very official occasion. According to HW5, on the 5th of July 2014 the governor through one of his aides with him, directed him to ask the Deputy Governor to represent him at the South East Governors Forum that was to take place on the 6th day of July 2014. The Deputy Governor was so informed by the witness, but he refused to attend the meeting. He said the Governor called him back on phone through one of his aides; Mr. Victor Atuonwu to find out whether the Deputy Governor had been informed as directed. The witness said that he informed the Governor that the Deputy Governor said he would not attend. When the meeting was going on, a call came in from the Governor, to ask whether the Deputy Governor was in attendance at the meeting, and he told the Governor that he did not attend. The witness tendered the Governor's manifest for 5th June 2014 and 6th July 2014, i.e. EXHIBITS H9 A and H9 B respectively. He further testified that on the 11th day of March 2014, the Governor directed him to ask the Deputy Governor to represent him at the ground breaking ceremony of the second Niger Bridge at Onitsha which Mr. President was to perform. He said he watched the event on the television as it was broadcast live. When he could not see the Deputy Governor nor hear them recognize him, he called the Chief of Protocol to the Governor of Anambra State, to know what was happening. He said he asked the said Chief of Protocol to please locate the Deputy Governor and recognize him. His said colleague later confirmed that she had seen the Deputy Governor, but that he came late and that was why he was not sitting with other governors in attendance. She said that bringing him out where he was seated at that time would amount to breach of protocol since the President was already seated. !n other words, Enugu State was not recognized in the said ground breaking ceremony. Under cross examination, HW5 stated that he had been in the protocol department of Government for over 20 years and in the protocol department of Government House for over 15 years. He has been the Chief of Protocol for about 5 years. He said that the Deputy Governor was already a Deputy Governor before he became the Chief of Protocol and that he met a protocol man with him i.e. Mr. Innocent Chukwu. He is a political appointee. He stated that he had worked together with Innocent Chukwu as protocol staff, even though his official designation is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Special Assistantâ&#x20AC;?. HW5 further testified that all the while he got instructions

from the Governor; he always did that through his aides who would pass the phone to him. He further stated that the manifest for the burial of Alice Nnamani got to the Deputy Governor on the 4! of June 2014. It is not in all cases that there is a manifest like the day the Deputy British High Commissioner came. Whenever he got instructions from the Governor that the Deputy Governor should represent him, the nature of the event and circumstances determine whether he conveyed the instructions to the Deputy Governor orally or in writing. He maintained that the fact that the Deputy Governor was late at the ground breaking ceremony at Onitsha, meant that he did not comply with the Governor's directives. He* further stated that he delivered the manifest for the Governors Forum meeting between 10:30 and 11pm on the 5th July 2014 when he is got confirmation from the Governor. He could not recall going to see the Deputy Governor on the night of 5th July 2014 and did not deliver EXHIBIT 9B personally to the Deputy Governor, but through one of his personal aides, which had always been the practice. He rejected the insinuation and suggestion that EXHIBIT 9B was manufactured for the purpose of this proceedings. He stated that he went with his personal assistant to deliver the document on that night, but did not confirm whether the Deputy Governor was in town. He further said that he sighted the Deputy Governor's orderly and protocol officer in Enugu on the day of the meeting, i.e. 6th of July 2014. When asked if the notice was not rather late, he said he had been delivering messages with even shorter notice to the Deputy Governor. In his defence in respect of this allegation, the Deputy Governor called DGW 6, Mr. Samuel Odo who testified that he is the Deputy Governor's driver. He further stated that on the 11th day of March 2014, he drove the Deputy Governor to Onitsha for the ground breaking ceremony of the second Niger Bridge. They left Enugu in the morning at around 8 am and got to Onitsha before 10 am. The deputy governor in his testimony as DGW7 stated that the Governor normally conveys to him, directives to represent him in an event in person, through a phone call, through a Governor's manifest or through a letter with Governor's minutes directing him to represent him. He tendered EXHIBITS DG 5A, B, C and D which are copies of letters with such minutes. He further stated that he attended the ground breaking ceremony of the 2nd Niger Bridge at Onitsha where he represented the Governor. He tendered EXHIBIT DG8, a DVD record of the event. He maintained that he did not receive express directive from the Governor to represent him at the South East Governors Forum on the 6th of July 2014. It was HW5 that called him on phone on the 5th day of July 2014 and asked him orally to represent the Governor at the event. He tendered EXHIBIT DG10, his call data record from MTN for that day. The Deputy Governor went further to state that he did not represent the Governor at the burial of the mother of Onyemuche Nnamani. His reason is that he called HW5 on phone and told him he could not go because he was sick and was reacting to drugs. He reeled out instances where he had represented the Governor in the past. Under cross examination, he maintained that he does not have a protocol officer. That Mr. Innocent Chukwu is his SA on general duties. He assigns protocol duties to him and admitted that it is right for him to claim funds for a protocol officer when he does not have^one attached to him. The witness stated that he has never seen an internal Government memo written by the Governor, that the Governor communicates his directives through the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the government, Commissioners, etc. It is clear from the evidence before us that the Deputy Governor was at the ground breaking ceremony of the 2nd Niger Bridge at Onitsha on the 11th day of March 2014. But the question is, in what capacity. It is also clear from the evidence before us that the Deputy Governor knew about the meeting of the South East Governors Forum of the 6th day of June 2014 and the instructions of the Governor to represent him thereat. The question then is, was he justified to have refused to

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THE

ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

REPORT OF THE PANEL OF INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGATIONS OF GROSS MISCONDUCT AGAINST THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF ENUGU STATE Continued from page 17 represent the Governor. It is also manifest from the evidence at our disposal, that the Deputy Governor was also aware of the burial of late Ezinne Alice Ocho Nnamani and the Governor's directive to represent him at that event on the 4th day of June 2014. We ask again, is there any plausible, credible and reasonable justification for his failure to represent the Governor at that event. The deputy governor tendered Exhibit DG8 (the DVD record of the event at Onitsha.) The contents of the said exhibit are very consistent with the testimony of HW5 who testified that when he could not see the Deputy Governor or hear them recognize him, he contacted the his colleague in Anambra State, who later told him that the Deputy Governor came late, and that was why he did not sit where the other Governors sat. It is important to note here that from exhibit DG8, where the Deputy Governor sat at that event is totally embarrassing and unfortunate. It was not befitting of a Deputy who was meant to represent a Governor at an event. He was physically sandwiched between a man and a woman. Throughout the whole event, no mention was made of Enugu State Governor or his representative. Therefore, one would not be wrong to say that he was there not in his capacity as the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, or the Governor's representative, but in his personal capacity as Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi. Even if we hold, for purposes of argument that he attended that event and represented the Governor, what about the other instances mentioned in the notice of impeachment and the ones that came to fore in the course of evidence. The Deputy Governor's defence to his refusal to represent the Governor at the South East Governors forum is that he was informed orally by HW5 and that he does not take oral instructions from him. He insisted that he gets such instructions through manifest or orally through the Governor. Therefore the issue is not whether he knew about the instructions; he was very much aware of all of them. HW5 testified that he is in charge of preparing the Governor's manifest and that he passes instructions to whoever will represent the Governor at any event, either orally or through the manifest. He tendered the Governor's manifest for 6th July 2014 as Exhibit H9B which clearly indicated the meeting of the South East Governors Forum and the fact that the Deputy Governor was to represent the Governor at that event. He also testified that he informed the Deputy Governor about the Onitsha event orally and he

went even though he was late. That piece of evidence was not challenged under cross examination and the Deputy Governor did not also tell us in his evidence in-chief how he got the instructions to go to Onitsha, even when there was no Governor's manifest for that event. It was only during cross examination that he retorted that the Governor called him through one of his aides to pass the instructions to him. We are convinced that the Deputy Governor had no reason whatsoever not to have represented the Governor at the South East Governors forum, on the excuse that he does not take oral instructions from HW5 when he clearly took oral instructions from him and attended the Onitsha event. Exhibit H9A is the Governor's manifest for 6th*June 2014 for the burial of Ezinne Alice Ocho Nnamani. It clearly indicated that the Deputy Governor will represent the Governor at that event. He failed to attend that event and represent the Governor. The defence of the Deputy Governor is that he called HW5 and told him that he would not attend because he was sick and was reacting to drugs. We find this excuse untenable because the deputy Governor has insisted before us that he does not deal with HW5 orally but in writing as regards instructions to represent the Governor. One would have thought that he should have conveyed that his excuse in writing to this officer that he doesn't deal with orally. Better still, he should have called the Governor whom he

deals with orally to convey his excuse. HW5 also stated that on the 4th of July, 2014 he was directed by the Governor to inform the Deputy Governor to take a courtesy call on his behalf during the visit of the Deputy British High Commissioner and he refused. The Deputy Governor said that he heard it before the panel, that he never received such instructions from the Governor. The Deputy Governor appears to us as a Deputy Governor who deliberately picks and chooses what instructions from the Governor he would obey and the ones he would not obey. May we also state that by the tenor of Exhibit 12, the instances mentioned therein are not exhaustive. Other instances have been unraveled and proved during this investigation against the Deputy Governor. The panel therefore finds that this allegation of disobedience to ; lawful directives of the Governor has been sufficiently proved I and established.

CONCLUSION: Having carefully reviewed the evidence presented before us, both oral and documentary, this panel of investigation comes to the conclusion that the allegations of gross misconduct leveled against the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, by the Enugu State House of Assembly have been proved.

UNCOMMON MIRACLE:

Woman delivered of quintuplets at NAUTH, Nnewi

he industrial town of Nnewi in Nnewi North Council Area of Anambra State recently played host to an uncommon occurrence but a pleasant surprise. Little did an expectant mother, Mrs. Chiamaka Ezeudenyi had started experiencing her labour pains and was rushed to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, to delivered of her baby. Though the 32-year-old Mrs. Ezeudenyi who hails from Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state had lost her previous pregnancy before this, her wish was to have this, survive. In the end, she came out of the labour room, instead, with unanticipated pleasant package as she was delivered of quintuplets. Sadly, one died leaving her 4 (2 males and 2 females). Interestingly, the woman was admitted to the hospital when the recent doctor's strike was on-going. As the mother of four, Mrs.

Mrs. Chiamaka Ezeudenyi and the quintuplets Ezeudenyi was caught between the mixed feelings of the gift of the 4 surviving out of the 5 quintuplets and the take of raising them. An indigene-a business man and well known philanthropist-Chief Louis Carter Izuchukwu Onwugbenu's (Okpata Ozuo Ora Nnewi) visited to the hospital and

saw that the family needed succor. Chief Onwugbenu popularly known and called Louis Carter in the business circle was celebrating his 61st birthday with children and friends in his house when the news of the uncommon birth filtered in. He excused his friends and quickly left to visit the mother and the new

quintuplets at the hospital where he announced the award of automatic scholarship to University level within and outside the country for the newly born babes. The philanthropist said he was moved by pity and compassion for the poor mother and the kids, moreso, as their birth coincided with his birthday. He also picked up the hospital bills. He did not stop there, he equally extended his benevolence to 3 patients earlier discharged from the hospital but held by the hospital authorities for failure to pay the sum of about four hundred thousand naira being their total bills, and he paid. He said the gesture was to glorify and appreciate God's abundant blessings on him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I remember when the hospital was commissioned in 1991. I have every reason to thank God for being exceptionally kind to me. August 15 is my birthday and I want to celebrate with these new set of twins who share the same date of

birth with me. Since God has endowed me with the means, I have awarded scholarship to the twins and I did this as the spirit directs me to touch the lives of the underprivileged and the physically challengedâ&#x20AC;?. In his remark, the deputy chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Dr. Joseph Ugboaja who represented the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Anthony Igwegbe said that Mrs. Ezeudenyi was admitted to the hospital when the doctor's strike was still raging. As a result, the few medical hands and nurses took it as a challenge until she was delivered of the quintuplets via caesarean. The beneficiaries were full of appreciation to God for the live granted them to see this glorious day, while praying to God to bless their benefactor abundantly and give him longevity. Meanwhile the set of quintuplets are doing well at the intensive care unit of the hospital.

THE

ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

Support for Jonathan:

Collapse APGA into PDP — Ezeibe, PDP Chieftain

founding ViceChairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, Chief Benedict Obiora Ezeibe, has decried the conditional support which the national leadership of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) have decided to give President Goodluck Jonathan's 2015 presidential ambition. Chief Ezeibe told reporters in Enugu Wednesday that APGA should be collapsed into the PDP rather than such proposal, coming from its national leadership which he accused of hypocrisy. Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, his predecessor in office, Mr. Peter Obi and National Chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh had said that the conditions upon which their party would support President Jonathan in 2015 presidential election is, among

Ezeibe others, giving their party members high profile Board appointments. Chief Ezeibe, who was also Chairman of the PDP Finance Committee in the state, described

the demand as “mere blackmail and an opportunistically outburst.” “For four years, you are telling us there is no APGA presidential candidate; does that make it (APGA) a political party?” he asked, adding: “What's the essence of having a party that will not present a presidential candidate during elections?” He further re-stated: “We should collapse APGA into PDP. What do APGA people have that will deliver the president in 2015? We want them to have their own presidential candidate as a political party.” He added sarcastically: “Is APGA a national party or Igbo party? Or is it an Igbo party for a particular Local Government Area in Anambra State?” According to him, PDP does not,

Patrick Sawyer, Ebola and the ‘Illuminati' minds of His children, to destroy of those families is the Rothschild Connection all His people and all men and family (which literally means the

Continued from back page women of faith that refuse to bow supply and the total domination and control of world politics and the entire world system itself. They are empowered directly, through a very complex and strict hierarchical system and command and control structure, by satan himself through his human agents and demons. Their ultimate goal and objective is to establish what has been rightly described by many commentators over the years as a "New World Order" which will be run by a "One World Government" that will be headed by the evil soul that the Holy Bible describes as "the beast", the "son of perdition" and the "AntiChrist". The Koran describes the same individual as the "Masih AdDajal". Everything that is going on in the world today, including the carnage and bestiality of the numerous conflicts and wars that we are witnessing are silently being orchestrated by them. They were behind the first and second world wars and now they are busy stoking fires all over the world, covertly funding and supporting the most vicious and horrendous types of terror groups and quietly preparing the ground for the Third and final World War. They are relentless, disciplined, purposeful, unyielding, ruthless, demonic, sociopathic, inhuman, committed, focused and very clear-thinking. Their ultimate goal is to enslave humanity, to enthrone the rulership of satan and his agents here on earth, to deny God His rightful place in the hearts and

to their perverse values and to compel humanity to accept their "humanist" and ungodly philosophies and ways. These are the facts and anyone that does not believe that such an agenda or such a group exists needs to do a lot more reading, praying and research. The fact is that their greatest source of strength and pleasure is the erroneous enunciation of the absurd notion that they do not exist. They want us all to believe that there is no such evil force and organisation and that there is no such hidden agenda. Yet sadly they do exist and they not only control much of the world's economy, media and commerce but they also, through the process of subtle manipulation and sheer guile, install governments, prime ministers and presidents in the most powerful nations in the world and they tell them what to do from behind the scenes. The inner circle of the Illuminati comprises of thirteen very powerful families that are all related to one another through complex and ancient bloodlines even though they come from different parts of the world. Between them these thirteen families, together with their underlings, fronts and associates, control virtually all the political power and money in the world. Whether anyone chooses to believe it or not, the truth is that they are not entirely human and they are utterly cold-blooded. One

"Red Shield"). I leave readers to do their own research on these families and to find out their links to the Illuminati. I suggest that they start by reading the numerous works of Mr. David Icke, an utterly brilliant man that has been described by his detractors as "the world's leading conspiracy theorist”

in any way, need APGA to deliver President Jonathan in next year's presidential poll. “It is important to clear the air at this stage so that our brothers and sisters in APGA are not deceived or cowed into isolated Local Government Party (APGA). PDP has a good product and candidate and we do not need APGA to vote him in. In 1999 and 2003 President Olusegun Obasanjo was voted in without APGA, again in 2007, Musa Y a r ' A d u a w o n without APGA support so what are we talking about? APGA or no APGA, PDP will deliver its candidate, Jonathan in 2015,” he said. In the opinion of Ezeibe, nobody should blame the APGA National Assembly members for their recent defection to the PDP since they saw clearly the handwriting on the wall. “Nigeria is an indivisible country; if you cannot beat them, you join them. How do you blame Uche Ekwunife and Chuma Nzeribe for dumping APGA back to PDP? It was PDP that made her what she is today, including making her Chairman, House Committee on Environment,” according to Ezeibe. Ezeibe advised the leadership of APGA to tow the path of best democratic practices by engaging in dialogue with PDP, “the party that produced President Jonathan,” because “if you like the product of the party, you must also accept the party; your support for Jonathan will be more meaningful if you join the party, PDP.”

NUJ correspondent's chapel elects new EXCO

he members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Enugu State Correspondent's Chapel have elected a new executive. The Sun Correspondent, Petrus Obi emerged the new chairman, defeating incumbent Chris Orji of the Nation Newspapers. Regis Anikworji of Business day retained his position as the Vice Chairman. The position of Secretary went to Emmanuel Ugwueze who was returned unopposed as the former secretary Maurice Okafor of Nigerian Pilot did not re-contest. Other members of the executive include Raphael Ede of Blueprint Newspapers, Assistant Secretary, Chibota Edozie of the National Light, Treasurer while the position of Auditor went to Mr. Michael Agada of the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN). The post of Financial Secretary however was not contested. In his acceptance speech, the chairman, Mr. Obi thanked the members for the confidence reposed in him pledging to carry everybody along. He stressed that his tenure will be eventful and beneficial to all the members. He however advised members to adhere to the tenets of the profession, especially as the nation enters into election year. Obi who was former chairman of Ebonyi state Correspondent's Chapel of the NUJ built a secretariat for the Chapel through the help of the state government. Meanwhile, the chief press secretary to Gov Sullivan Chime, Chukwudi Achife has congratulated the new chairman and his executive, urging them to remain steadfast in piloting the affairs of the chapel.

Abia Advisory Council clears air on zoning

bia State Advisory Council has decided to wade into the controversy being generated by the recent decision of the ruling People's Democratic Party to zone its 2015 governorship ticket to Abia South senatorial district, saying that zoning is a political equation to be solved by politicians. Addressing journalists Friday on the 2014 Abia Day celebration, Chairman of Abia Advisory Council, Ezeogo Anagha Ezeigbe said though zoning was enshrined in the Abia Charter of Equity scripted by the founding fathers of the state to ensure equity in the state, the document was however not binding as it was yet to be signed into law. He explained that the charter of equity was a document written in good conscience by the founding fathers but the failure of

subsequent sessions of the state's House of Assembly to pass into law a bill to that effect severally sent to them by the elders council had made the good intentions of the document unenforceable. Ezeikpe said “right now there is no law giving zoning a legal backing, so it is a political decision which only politicians will account for,” stressing however, that the good intension of the founding fathers which is to promote peace, unity and equity in the state should not be ignored. The Octogenarian hinted that very soon, the state's Advisory Council would make public standards it had set which anybody aspiring to be governor in the state must meet.” Adding his voice, Secretary of the council, Sir Bob Ogbuagu, appreciated the developmental strides of various administrations in the state especially the current

G o v. T h e o d o r e O r j i - l e d government, saying that “Abia is not backwards when compared to states created before it.” He, however, regretted that if the rapport and cordiality currently existing between the state and the federal governments had started early enough, more developments would have been recorded in the state. On the proposed creation of additional states in the country, the elders advised Abians to guard their utterances and avoid inflammatory remarks capable of causing disaffection “because in the final analysis we are still Igbos and must stick together like the Jews wherever we find ourselves.” High point of the celebration is the anniversary lectures on Monday, cultural exhibition on Tuesday, while the grand finale would be staged on Wednesday, August 27.

THE

ADVOCATE

September 3, 2014

Why Ribadu dumped APC T

he pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has partly broken his silence on his defection from the All Progressives Congress to the Peoples Democratic Party, saying the step he took was in the pursuit of a “good cause”. The 2011 presidential flagbearer of the Action Congress of Nigeria, a party which merged with other opposition political parties to form the APC, made his first comment on the defection to the PDP early hours of Tuesday He promised to give details of his next political steps “in due time” but added that his decision to join the PDP was not borne out of selfish interests as being portrayed in some quarters. He said, “As for my next step in this political struggle, this would be made known in due time. For now, I wish to assure you that my defection is in pursuit of a good cause, and never out of any selfish interests as portrayed by a section.

grateful. I'll never let you down on this new path.” Ribadu formally joined the PDP on Saturday, and on Monday he picked the PDP's Expression of Interest form to run for the forthcoming Adamawa State governorship bye-election slated for October 11. Though he did not mention it in his Facebook post, the exEFCC boss is believed to have left the APC Mallam Nuhu Ribadu because he felt it would be impossible for him to realise his governorship “Thanks for bearing with me on ambition on the platform of the this decision, and for those who APC. have been in solidarity with my He is also said to be habouring struggles and still giving me the many unresolved grievances benefits of the doubt, I'm most

against the leadership of the APC, who he believed failed to compensate him for his sacrifices for the party. Parts of such sacrifices, according to sources in his political camp, were his roles in wooing some PDP governors to the APC and his readiness to sacrifice his presidential ambition for the progress of the party. He is also said to have felt sidelined by the party, which sources close to him, said was no longer inviting him to key meetings at both state and national levels. All the candidates he also backed for the state and national offices of the party were also said to have been dropped. In addition, he was said to have been disappointed that the APC failed to mobilise sufficient support to block the impeachment of the former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, whose stay in office till 2015 he considered critical to his chances of winning the governorship election in

INEC to use card readers in the 2015 elections

oliticians planning to rig the 2015 elections by buying voter cards should forget it. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will use card readers to detect impersonation at the polling units, Chairman Attahiru Jega has said. Prof. Jega explained that on election day, the polling officer will ask the presenter of a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to put his fingers on the machine for authentication and verification. If it is valid, the machine will say 'verified'; if not, it will say 'unverified'. The INEC boss said if the machine says not verified and “such a person is allowed to vote, you cannot blame the Commission for that”. He said: “If you buy voter cards you can't use them on voting day because the mechanism we are putting in place in every polling unit will detect fraud and whoever that is involved will be arrested on the spot for electoral fraud and prosecuted.” Jega spoke yesterday at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he delivered a lecture: “Stakeholders and the electoral process in Nigeria”. It was organised by the Department of Sociology. The INEC chief said to ensure 100 per cent verification and authentication in the 2015 elections, the commission had started issuing registered voters with chip-based PVCs which will

be swiped by the card readers. “We have distributed the cards in 24 states till date while distribution will take place in outstanding states under the third phase of the programme at a date to be announced by the commission,” he said. The INEC boss described the August 9 Osun State governorship poll as the best election so far. He said the commission was not relenting on its performance “by tasking ourselves that the Adamawa State gubernatorial election coming up in October should be the best”. In preparation for the 2015 general elections, Jega said: “The consolidation and de-duplication of the biometric register of voters has been completed, as a result of which the register of voters now has the tremendous integritymuch better than the one with which the 2011 elections were conducted. Indeed, our register compares favourably with any register of voters on the African continent.” He said the commission had submitted recommendations for improvements to the legal framework on the Electoral Act and the Constitution to the National Assembly. His words: “An Election Risk Management Tool, designed with support from the African Union (AU) and International IDEA, has been deployed ahead of 2015 to enable the commission to gather information about risk factors

associated with elections, be able to analyse them and deploy effective measures to contain or mitigate those factors, towards ensuring peaceful and violencefree elections. “All guidelines and regulations on the electoral process are being revised while discussion has commenced with legal experts across the country on how to enact and gazette them.” Jega also spoke on the challenges ahead of 2015 elections. He said insecurity was one of the most depressing epithets of elections in Nigeria. The heat and passion associated with elections in the country often make elections appear like war, he observed. “Several security threats now characterise the electoral process. These include physical attacks on INEC staff and facilities, attacks on security personnel on election duty, misuse of security orderlies by politicians, attacks on political opponents, cyber- attacks targeting INEC's data bases, especially the register voters, violence at campaigns, intimidation of voters, snatching and destruction of election materials,” the INEC boss said. He said the second challenge facing the Commission is adequate funding of the elections. “Our estimate is that the cost of election per voter, which is an international standard for viewing the cost of elections, is coming down in Nigeria. We project that for the 2015 elections, this would come further down by almost $1- from $8 in 2011 to $7.99, representing almost 10%

drop. This compares favourably with some other African countries.” Another key challenge facing the electoral process, the INEC Chairman said, is widespread absence of moderation among politicians. Jega said the Commission remain deeply concerned about growing conflicts within the party. At the occasion were the UNILAG Vice Chancellor represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics and Research), Professor Babajide Alo, Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Professor John Obafunwa, Canadian High Commissioner in Nigeria Mr Perry Calderwood and political parties' representatives.

2015. But in his Tuesday's Facebook post, which he addressed to his friends, Ribadu maintained that his defection to join the PDP was taken after careful consideration and was not done to hurt anybody's feelings. He was apparently forced to make his first comment on the defection in order to debunk statements credited to him as “disparaging” APC and its members, including Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano). He denied making such statements. Ribadu said, “I know how difficult it may be for you to come to terms with my defection to another party. But I must assure you that it's a carefully considered decision for which I do not wish to hurt anyone's feeling. I'll not embark on a needless animosity with my good friends, irrespective of political, religious, regional and ethnic affiliations. “Let me quickly make it known that I did not issue a statement disparaging APC and its members, including Governors Amaechi, Kwankwaso… These were clearly fabricated, expected backlash, by mischievous characters interested in misleading the public and drawing a picture of non-existent feuds between me and my good friends. “My defection shouldn't be seen as an initiation of political antagonism with my good friends in another party. I still hold them in high esteem, and even where there are marked differences, I believe there are decorous and honorable ways of resolving them. So, kindly disregard any statement said to be by me attacking the personality of any politician since my defection. I'll never allow myself to be drawn into such disrespectful exchange.”

LOSS OF DOCUMENT LOSS OF ORIGINAL COPY OF TITLE DOCUMENT FOR PLOT 504 SITUATE AT OWO PREMIER LAYOUT, OGUI NIKE ENUGU LANDED PROPERTY FOR SALE I, Ugwu Anayochukwu Ebenezer of Ihewuzi Ogui Nike Enugu North LGA of Enugu State do hereby declare that I am the bonafide owner of Plot 504 Owo Premier Layout, Ogui Enugu allocated to me by my family. I misplaced the Original Copy of the Allocation Letter and all efforts to trace same proved abortive. I use this medium to solicit for the sale of the land. Any person interested should contact me through this medium. SIGNED: UGWU ANAYOCHUKWU EBENEZER

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September 3, 2014

Repositioning the Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu is our mandate – Provost …poor funding and mal-administration bane of development of the College

he expectation that agriculture can transform and become the next mainstay of the nation's economy, perhaps surpassing the oil industry is not in doubt. It is on record that government of the defunct Eastern region, under late Michael Iheonukara Okpara gingered the region's economy to become one of the best rising economies in the world with exploits in agriculture. The success was through establishment of palm plantations and farm settlements across the nooks and crannies of the region. As it stands successive governments of the states that make-up the defunct Eastern region have not shown much interest in exploiting the great potentials of agriculture that abound in the zone. The setting up of farm settlements and equipping colleges of agriculture with necessary human resources that will form the bedrock of reinventing agriculture as the mainstay of the nation's economy is still a great challenge to both the federal and state governments. The case of Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu is notable among the 14 federal colleges of Agriculture in the country which were primarily established to Reduce Poverty & Hunger, Ensure Sustainable agricultural Production in various sectors. Despite the fact that the college is the only federal college of agriculture serving the whole south-south and south-east region, it has been completely neglected; in short the college can best be described as a 'glorified secondary school' because when compared infrastructural wise to the federal government secondary school, Enugu and other places, they are many times better off with tarred roads from gates to inside. Poor funding by the federal government has dashed the hope and expectation to fulfill its mandate to train future agriculturist in the whole southern Nigeria that will ginger the nation's agricultural revolution. Our correspondent who visited the college recently in a journey of over 70 km from Enugu state capital, a short distance off Enugu to Port-Harcourt express road, shows that the school possesses the required potentials to make meaningful contribution in the nation's quest to become an agro based nation by the year 2020 which is a distance of six years from now if the institution is funded like other contemporary agricultural research institution in other parts of the country. It is glaring from the entrance into the College which is about ten poles away to the secretary to the

Federal government, SGF; Anyim Pius Anyim's home that there's a complete neglect. For instance from the gate down to different parts of the compound, the college lacks usual hustling and bustling that characterize contemporary tertiary institutions. However, the general ambiences of the institution including its “look and feel,” speak volumes of

after series of accreditation of its programmes in 1989 and 1993. However, other than the initial structures that were on ground upon the relocation, nothing much has changed in that direction. Apart from the poor state of infrastructure, the college is almost isolated from the rest of the world by impassable roads. The access roads within the school

two decades it has existed, it has done so depending on electricity generated by a giant power generating sets. Several electric poles bearing cables are scattered within the compound, but the host Ishiagu community is not connected to the national grid hence has no public power supply. The giant power generating set, which supplies light to the entire

the absence of care it has endured over the 20 years it was relocated from Umudike in Abia state to Ishiagu now in Ebonyi state. Established in 1955, it has the mandate of promoting the advancement of agricultural training, production and research in the country among others. The college, which is the only institution with such mandate in the South-South and South East geo-political zones of the country, depicts a clear case of the levity with which the government, more often than not, treat academic issues within the country. The school's other mandate includes developing and organizing high quality practicaloriented training, with dynamic curricula to produce self-reliant technicians and technologists at National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels in the nation. The college began as the Agricultural Research and Training Station of the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Umuahia, Abia state before it was relocated to its present location in August 1994, having been taken over by the Federal Government. It was at this juncture that the name of the school was changed to Federal College of Agriculture, by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). This was also

compound are in a sorry state as none of them is tarred or fitted with streetlights. Classrooms are no better as they are still the same antiquated structures inherited in 1993 from the displaced secondary school. Even the school library building and sundry facilities inherited from the secondary school have not been upgraded to the standard befitting a tertiary institution. To make matters worse, for the

school, including the hostels is switched on at 7.00pm and shut down at 11.00pm. It comes alive again at 6.00 am before being put off at 8.00am. Offices in the school are powered with small power generating sets. The college is also plagued by acute shortage of water and so relies on water supplied by tankers from Okigwe in Imo State, a distance of about 30 kilometers. The school water tanker does

between three to four trips daily to service the water needs of school and whenever it has a mechanical fault, the staff and students of the college go through untold hardship meeting up with their water needs. Students, however, have to visit Ivo River to fetch water anytime the water tanker fails to operate. O n l y r e c e n t l y, t h e n e w management of the school decided to lay pipes to pump un treated water from the river to the hostels. Several efforts made in the past to source water from locally dug well had proved abortive due to the nature of Ishiagu soil. Three years ago, a contractor claimed he could sink boreholes at the school premises to end the water problem. He only had his equipment ceased by the school authority after he collected money and failed in the bid. The equipment seized from the contractor still lies within the school premises. A student observed: “The College is at risk of an epidemic given that students defecate in the surrounding fields due to lack of water to effectively manage the toilets. Our hostel accommodation is something else because these hostels were mere dormitories designed to serve a secondary school. Now, between five and eight students are actually assigned to a room, and that is aside squatters. The rest live in the host community. Given the distance from the host community to the college, transportation to and from school for staff and students is largely a horrible experience.” There are no banks or automated teller machines (ATM's) in Ishiagu to cater for the financial

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September 3, 2014

Repositioning the Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu is our mandate – Provost needs of staff and students. So, they have to go to Okigwe or Abakaliki, several kilometers to pay their fees and do other transactions. Sometimes some students are often robbed, while some involve in auto crash in the cause of moving to and fro Okigwe to make payments or withdrawals from bank. The running battle between the immediate past Provost and staff over style of leadership our correspondent reports compounded the deplorable situation of the school as he didn't prioritize projects to grow the institution. For instance, students' enrollment in the college remained as low as 300 until a year ago. The result was the constant crisis that came as a result of low workers morale that bedeviled the college. In 2012, the college could not access her allocation from the Federal Government due to the crisis. However, the incumbent administration of the school, under the leadership of acting Provost, Dr. Felix Anuebunwa, who came on board in 2013, has demonstrated that it is one that has a vision and the will to address the sorry situation in the school. Within the last one-year, certain policies introduced by the administration have come with a ray of hope. For instance, students' enrollment, which remained perennially low due to lack of amenities, has been increased. From 300 students in 2013 when he assumed office, student enrollment increased to 1000. And by March this year, the student population had risen to 3000. The General Studies and Department of Fisheries TETFund building projects abandoned over the years have now been completed. The same goes for the resuscitation of the moribund college livestock poultry, fish farms and the establishment of a college bakery,

which now sells bread to members of the public. In the past one year, the college feed mill equipment has been rehabilitated. There's also the rehabilitation of the schools giant flash dryer equipment, construction of lecture halls using hydra form blocks as well as construction of common rooms for students. Some of the college canteens have also been converted to hostels to accommodate the growing students' population. The school in the last one-year has also created four new schools that is School of Agricultural Sciences, School of Management Te c h n o l o g y, E n g i n e e r i n g , Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition Centre and Enterprise Development Consultancy Services Unit. All these have increased number of departments in the school to 15. Presently, the school's main gate is being restructured, while through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, more hostels are being built. The National Information Te c h n o l o g y D e v e l o p m e n t Agency (NITDA) has also, in response to an appeal from the school approved the setting up of an Information Technology Infrastructure Centre at the college. D r. A n u e b u n w a s t y l e o f leadership in the last one year no doubt has earned him the admirations by the students. Notable among the reasons for this show of support and acceptance is that the Students' Union Government in the college which was hitherto proscribed due to myriads of problems before his appointment has been restored. Dr. Anuebunwa equally pursued and got the accreditation of courses in the college which was delayed for over three years. According to him, “we paid the NBTE fine for the three year delay before it agreed to come in July 2013 for the accreditation; barely three months after I came on board.”

Upon these developments, the college is now working in absolute harmony with the leadership of the Ishiagu community having regular interactive meetings to ensure peaceful coexistence. Since taking over, he said, he has achieved peace in the college, which has restored the confidence of both staff and students. The new confidence created by Dr. Anuebunwa has attracted the positive attention and goodwill of several agencies and government bodies which include Senate constituency projects, House of Reps education committee visitation, NCC donation of lap tops and internet cloud, IGP approval of police post. However, this new vista of development in the college was not without some attendant challenges, some of which are the hang-over of the crisis which consumed the immediate past provost. Speaking while conducting journalists round following a rift generated by a few staff believed to be indigenes of the host community who are alleged to be bent on frustrating t h e n e w administration in order to get one of them, an indigene, o n b o a r d , Anuebunwa said that apart from this distraction, the school has suffered poor funding and m a l administration over the years; a development he said resulted in its inability to effectively discharge its mandate. According to him, “This is the only Federal College of

Agriculture serving the SouthSouth and South East geopolitical zones of the country. It is not like that in other zones. When you combine these zones, you will find out that over 50 per cent of people looking for admission in this college will not have that opportunity. So, the college is not meeting up with its responsibilities. You can imagine where the total students' population was 300 a year ago when we came in. That is why we are working hard to increase enrollment and give opportunities to our young ones. “We have always lived in crisis here, and even the last provost left in the heat of a crisis over allegations of embezzlement of funds. We spend N2.4 m monthly to generate electricity because we don't have public power supply here. We don't have any source of drinking water, because we don't have boreholes. So, we have to go to Okigwe to fetch water for these students. Boreholes can't be dug here because of geological reasons and public power has not gotten here, so we depend solely on generators.” Anuebunwa stated that the college has had to rely heavily on federal allocation to run as virtually all its ventures that could shore up her internally generated revenue had collapsed over the years. “This is the lowest paying tertiary institutions in terms of school fees. When I took over, there was no kobo in the account and this affected the running of the school. For us to get to where we are, we sought assistance from elsewhere. We wrote several letters to corporate organisations telling them our story, and urging them to come to our assistance. We begged MTN to come and put a mast here to boost services and they did, we wrote to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and they came with the Internet lab, and Diamond Bank

has agreed to put an ATM here.” “We have restructured the administrative department of the college and other departments with full strength to work unlike what was the case before. We have revived our business outfit and established outfits that can generate money for the school apart from what we got from the 2013 budget. We need to develop the school because if we rely on the Federal Government alone, we will not get there. We are, as much as possible, trying to involve everybody to get this school running because the primary concern of government today is agriculture,” he said. Anuebunwa said the little effort by his administration so far has been recognized by students within the two geo-political zones of the country and consequently, “Within the last one-year, students in Zone B have found us worthy and gave me an award as the Most Outstanding Provost in the South South and South East.” “However, these achievements are a far cry from the numerous challenges the school must undergo if it must play in the league of Colleges of agriculture, there is more to do than what we have done so far. This is not yet how a school environment should look like. We must solve the infrastructural, power and water problems here in order to meet our mandate. There are several areas crying for assistance and if we have done what was expected of us, by now we should be a household name in agricultural training among others,” he said. The acting Provost declared that the intention of his administration was to reposition the college as a leading institution in the country adding that the college was in dire need of assistance from federal, state and individuals so that it could play a leading role in training of Nigerians in various agricultural skills.

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September 3, 2014

‘I killed my wife because she gave me HIV’ – Suspect

Robbers Snatch man's car, throw away 3-month baby, rape wife

man identified as Mr. Philip Katongu., who hails from Nasarawa state, has been arrested by the operatives of the Department of Criminal Investigations, Yaba, Lagos for stabbing his wife to death. According to reports, his late wife Justina was stabbed in three places in their home at Oniru Estate, Maroko, Lagos. In his statement to the police, Katongu explained that his reason for killing his wife was because she had infected him with HIV. He revealed that he tried to commit suicide after killing his wife, but neighbours forced their way in and immediately rushed him to the nearest hospital. “I married Justina, in December 2010. I later learnt that she had given birth to two girls for a man. The girls died of AIDS. “However, when we first met, she did not tell me all these. I explained to her that I have a wife with children and I wanted to marry her too. Before marriage, I told her we should go to hospital to conduct HIV test, but she refused and said that she was HIV negative. So we started sleeping together.” “I was angry and told the doctor who equally blamed her for not disclosing it to me. The doctor then tested me, and I was positive. We came back to Lagos and continued with the relationship because I loved her. But suddenly, she told me she wanted to pack out from my house that she was no longer interested in marrying me having had another person in Abuja. In fact, the man usually called her on phone while we were together.” he disclosed “I told her that with her status, she should not go and be infecting people with the virus. And that I will kill her and kill myself. We started fighting and I stabbed her. It was in the early hours. I stabbed her three times with a knife. She shouted and people were knocking at our door. After she died, I stabbed myself, and the people broke the door open. I woke up to find myself in a hospital. I feel very bad that I killed my wife. I loved her very much.”

ears flowed freely as people beheld the pathetic sight of a middle-aged nursing mother whose threemonth old baby was thrown into the bush while an eight-man gang of devilish souls raped her to a point of unconsciousness right in the presence of her husband. The woman (names with held) who had bruises all over her body especially in the waist region could barely stand unaided when she was sighted at the headquarters of the Kogi State Police Command. Our correspondent gathered that the 'devils' ambushed the man, wife and chid on their way to the village, and dispossessed the husband and wife of their cash and valuables at gunpoint after which they took them in the family car to a nearby bush where they tied the husband and raped the wife who baby was only three months old. The victims told that one of the robbers on getting to the bush, slapped the man's wife and forcibly took her baby and threw it away baby aside ordering her to undress. For more than two hours, the eight robbers, one after the other, thereafter engaged the poor woman in a marathon sex while the husband watched helplessly as their child cried. Acting Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Abiodun Odude while parading the suspects before newsmen said the family was travelling from Ogugu in Olamaboro Local Government

Area, Kogi State to Iga-Ikeje when the robbers accosted them. Odude said the victim (names withheld) a native of Ogugu reported at the Olamaboro Police Division and stated that he was travelling in his Toyota Corolla car with his wife and baby when suddenly some eight armed robbers accosted them, dispossessing them of their car, N6600 cash and mobile phone sets. The alleged robbers then bundled them into the vehicle and drove them inside the bush about two kilometres from the road, where the man was tied to a tree prior to raping the wife. Giving further explanation of what transpired, he said the wife who was oblivious of their plan as she was crying and begging them not to kill her husband. This prompted one of the robbers to give her a vicious slap, took the baby away and ordered her to undress, while pointing a gun to her head. He said the woman fainted after the ordeal. Done with their evil business, they sons-of-the devil tied up the woman's legs and drove away in the car. After about 40 minutes, the woman regained consciousness, struggled to free herself and walked to a nearby village, where she informed a group of vigilantes, who later rescued the husband. On receiving the report, a police patrol team led by Mr. Mbang Eteng, an Assistant Superintendent of Police tracked

down and arrested two of the robbers, whose names were given as Vincent Oguche from an uncompleted building, and Femi Simon, who attempted to run away, but was overpowered by policemen and both of them taken into custody. The police said the two suspects in the course of interrogation confessed to the crime and thereafter led the detectives to their hideout, where the stolen car, assorted guns and handsets were recovered. The names of two other members of the gang were given as Friday Oguche and Joe Agbo. The police are still on the trail of the remaining four members who are still at large. Vi n c e n t O g u c h e w h i l e acknowledging that he and the others actually committed the heinous crime, explained why they raped the woman despite that she was nursing a baby, saying: “We were not in our right sense because we were very high on drugs.” Femi Simon who claimed to be a native of Iyah Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of the state said he was an unemployed driver who was conscripted into the deal. He said he could not control his libido when he saw his comrades-in-crime 'enjoying themselves' so he had to join them to have a taste of the woman. The police rebuffed the request to speak with the woman, firmly saying she should be left alone on account of the horrendous ordeal she experienced.

Police arrest man over murder, sex with dead women in Ebonyi

olice have arrested a 20year-old man identified as Chukwuma, who allegedly specialised in killing women and having sex with their dead bodies in Ebonyi State. The suspect allegedly killed three women along farm pathways in the area and had sex with them. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Chris Anyanwu, who confirmed the incident, said the suspect was arrested after the police set him up with a girl along a farm pathway and he came out to strangle the girl to death. Anyanwu said the suspect, who is a painter, confessed to the crime and said he did it because his people refused to stop calling him a nickname he (suspect) hated. The PRO said the suspect after killing the last woman stole her N8,500 and used it to buy handset and drink local gin. The PPRO said: “We nabbed

him after placing surveillance at a particular farm, where he usually waylays women who are going to farm or coming back from farm. We got the information that he had killed three women in the same way. He has the habit of waylaying the women on lonely bush path. Whenever a woman passes through the place he pounces on her and strangles her to death and has sex with the dead body. “One of these women's name is Anyigor from the same village. On July 15, she went to farm at a place called Okwulike but never returned. Then, when he was later arrested, he (the suspect) confessed that he was hanging around that farm area when he saw the woman who is late now, and pounced on her, strangled her to death by grabbing her neck region until she gave up before he had sex with the dead woman and robbed her of N8,500, which he

found on her. “The suspect said he used the money to buy Nokia handset phone and used the remaining money to drink local gin called 'kaikai'. “The second incident happened a week after, on July 23, the victim is Mrs. Helen, a 54-yearold woman, who went to Egiagu village to farm and never returned. “So, alarmed by her non-return, her son alerted the villagers and a search party later found her dead body along the lonely farm path. When Chukwuma was arrested, he confessed that he strangled the woman the same way he strangled the other two women. When interrogated, the suspect said his annoyance was that people from that community called him a nickname 'Sogbodo', adding that he had warned people to desist from calling him the name but they continued.”

Auto crash claims 10 lives as 2 drown in well during funeral in Enugu

en persons were confirmed dead in an auto crash that occurred at Ehalumona in Nsukka local government area of Enugu State Monday evening. The accident occurred when two commuter buses collided and caught fire on the Enugu - Makurdi Highway. Also, two young men reportedly drowned in a well filled with water while fighting at a burial ceremony also at Ehalumona last Saturday. According to the State Police Public Relation Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu the two buses involved in the crash with registration numbers AKL 323 XA and AKL 323 XA belonging to two Mass Transit Companies were traveling at opposite directions when they collided. One of them conveyed passengers from Makurdi axis while the second was coming from Enugu when the unfortunate incident occurred. He said that the identities of the victims were yet to be established by press time yesterday as some of them were burnt beyond recognition. The police spokesman also confirmed the death of the two young men said to be 25 years of age while fighting following a disagreement at a burial last Saturday. He said: "Two people in a burial ceremony at Ehalumona of Nsukka axis of Enugu state met their untimely death on Saturday 16/8/14 during a burial ceremony as they got themselves drown in a nearby well dug in the compound which was filled with water. "Information available to us indicated that a squabble allegedly arose between the two deceased young persons identified as Egbebunbe Alumona aged about 25 years and Somadina also aged about 25 years which led to a serious fight between them and not noticing the well filled with water, they fell into it and died before any help could come their way," he said. Meanwhile, their corpses have been recovered and deposited at a nearby mortuary.

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September 3, 2014

UPP inaugurates Anambra Exco, eyes 2015 Presidency By Uche Chukwu, Awka c o n t r o l l i n g t h e N a t i o n a l

he National Chairman of the United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie has inaugurated the Anambra State chapter of the Party, with Dr. Sylvester Igwilo as the Chairman. Okorie who spoke shortly after the inauguration of the newly elected Anambra State Executive Committee of the UPP at the State Secretariat in Awka on Saturday, assured that his executive would do everything possible to ensure that the party takes the leadership position in the country and Anambra State in particular. According to him, the South-East PDP leaders have failed their people and there was nothing they could do now to attract their votes. He also disclosed that UPP was targeting the presidency, being the only party out of the 26 registered political parties in the country that made it a policy that its presidential candidate must come from the South-East. “UPP is targeting the presidency of this country. President Jonathan is doing okay but a UPP President for Nigeria will do better. And let nobody think we are joking. There have been countries where a party with the popular manifesto, the popular candidate won the presidency without

Assembly. Greece is one of them. “As for the National Assembly, our target is to clear the SouthEast to start with. And then of course make inroad in other places. We are not telling you that we will win the whole country” he said. Citing Greece as an example, Okorie noted that there were instances where a party may have not controlled the National Assembly and yet it won the presidency, adding that UPP, being a mass movement would

capitalize on Igbo support to upset the ruling party in 2015. On the 2015 presidential race, Okorie pointed out that Nigerians have only two clear choices, either to go for change, or to maintain the status quo, which according to him, 'is not attractive to anybody', stressing that UPP represents the change. “APGA has adopted Jonathan before he even says he is running. UPP has even taken the third position without firing a shot. Without even casting the first ballot, we have already prepared

as the party to reckon with as far as 2015 is concerned. “By the time we gather the quantum of seats or votes, it is either we form that government or nobody can form that government without negotiating with us. By that I mean that what happened in the First Republic between NCNC and NPC in a coalition or Second Republic between NPP and NPN in an accord, will repeat itself in 2015. We will either be the senior partner or at least a critical partner” Okorie said. He said a battle line drawn between the progressive forces which UPP represents and the reactionary forces, such as the party ruling now (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC),

which do not make any pretense about their ultra-conservatism. The UPP boss said UPP represents the face of the progressive and Nigerians, who are rational people; if given the chance, would make the right choice. Okorie however gave kudos to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), adding that people are beginning to have more confidence in the electoral process, leading to increased participation as witnessed in last Saturday's Governorship election in Osun State where about 800,000 people voted out of over one million registered voters, as against 25 percent turn out recorded in the past.

Enugu 2015:

Beware of mudslingers – Ekweremadu's aide warns

he office of the Deputy President of the Senate says its attention has been drawn to a recent magazine report, which sole, but failed purpose, is to bring the person of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu to disrepute. In a press statement signed by Mr. Uche Anichukwu, the Special Adviser (Media) to Ekweremdau, he said, “We are not surprised that after months of fruitless search, the peddlers of the pre-packaged fallacies and libel only ended up with an obscure and financially distressed medium, as every

professionally inclined and credible medium turned down both their cocktail of lies and mouth-watering offers. “We make bold to say that it is all about 2015 and we know where it is coming from. While more of such attacks are expected as we count down to the electoral processes, we wish to state that the said report and every other subsequent attempts to discredit the person of the Deputy President of the Senate or the numerous and laudable development projects he attracted to his constituency and Enugu State in general will continue to fail.

“This is so because while you may deceive the blind that there is no oil in the soup, you cannot deceive him as to whether or not there is salt in it. The legacies of the Deputy President of the Senate's representation in terms of socio-economic infrastructural development, human capital development, job creation, and political empowerment are as clear as daylight. “We therefore urge our teeming supporters and admirers to treat such attacks and malicious publications as mere antics of political desperados”. He added that, “Senator Ike Ekweremadu remains focused

on delivering on the mandate handed him by the good people of Enugu West Senatorial District as well as Nigerians, who through their representatives, considered him worthy to be unanimously elected the Deputy President of the Senate for two consecutive times. “He certainly will not join issues with those in sinking political ship grasping at straws and resorting to frantic mischief. The Deputy President of the Senate is not bothered in any way because power ultimately belongs to God and He gives to whomever he pleases. What will be will be”.

Why Peter Obi, South East PDP leaders endorsed Jonathan for 2015 By Uche Chukwu, Awka

ore revelations have been made as to the reason behind the endorsement of President Jonathan by former governor of Anambra State and some key leaders from the South East geopolitical zone. At a rally in Awka organized by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) in the SouthEast geo-political weekend, former governor of Anambra state and some key personalities from the zone endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as a candidate they will support in the 2015 presidential election, asking him to declare his intention to run. They threw their weight behind the TAN move and asked Jonathan to declare his intention to run. In an address he delivered on the occasion the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, listed the achievements of the President and said he deserved to be given

the chance to continue his that spoke include the transformation agenda. second Niger Bridge and “We have gathered here to good roads in the southdemand from the east. President Goodluck Some key South East Jonathan, one who has leaders, including former distinguished himself as a Governor Peter Obi, Chief preeminent visionary Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, leader, to declare and run Prince Arthur Eze, Chief for and be elected as the Mrs Uche Ekwunife, Mrs President of the Federal Josephine Anenih, Republic of Nigeria come Governor Theodore Orji, 2015. Anyim Pius Anyim and President Goodluck's Chief Ben Ndi Obi who Transformation Agenda were in attendance during has remained on course. the occasion also pledged The President has brought to mobilize the entire so much good to our region for Jonathan in the country,” the Minister 2015 presidential stressed. election. He pointed out that under In their separate speeches, President Jonathan, they promised to work for Nigeria had witnessed an the success of President unprecedented economic Jonathan anytime he President Goodluck Jonathan growth and had become comes out to seek reAfrica's largest economy, indices was stable, making election as the president adding stressing that all his achievements N i g e r i a t h e n u m b e r o n e they are supporting Jonathan as were enough to earn President destination for foreign direct they did in 2011 because he has Jonathan a second term in office. not disappointed them. investment in the world. Professor Nebo further stressed Some other achievements of the They also called on President that Nigeria's macro-economic President listed by other persons Jonathan to quickly come out and

signify his intention to contest again for the office of president of the federal republic of Nigeria as it is in the overall interest of Nigeria for him to seek a second tenure. Justifying their support for Jonathan, they contended that he (President Jonathan) gave the late Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu a full state burial, appointed the first post war Igbo Chief of Army Staff, appointed Dr Okonjo Iweala as the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge and honoured Late Chinua Achebe with his humble presence. The Igbo leaders also stated that the region is supporting Jonathan again because he has generally achieved a lot for the entire country as president since 2011. Highlight of the occasion was the handing over of a document containing the request of the group and the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan as the Presidential candidate that the region will support in the 2015 general elections to the Secretary to the Government of Nigeria, Senator Pius Anyim.

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September 3, 2014

Gunmen abduct two-year-old girl in Akwa Ibom

Obiano has performed well so far – Ifeakor

he Acting Managing Director, Anambra State Road Maintenance Agency, Engr Charles Ifeakor says by every index of development Governor Willie Obiano has performed creditably in all sectors of the state economy within the short time of his administration. Speaking to newsmen in his office in Awka, Engr. Ifeakor stated that the governor's four pillars of development in Agriculture, commerce and Trade, Industrialization and Oil and Gas, and their enablers are working progressively and recording landmark achievements in all sectors of the economy. According to Engr. Ifeakor, “within just four months of his a s s u m p t i o n o f o ff i c e t h e governor's programmes and policies have stimulated socioeconomic activities, opened up fresh windows of employment opportunities and launched the state economy on the path of sustainable growth and development.” While describing his administration as people-oriented and gender friendly, the Road Maintenance Agency Boss pointed out that the governor has successfully consolidated on the land mark achievements made by the immediate past administration and put in place strategies to better reposition all sectors, thereby breaking the gender barrier with the appointment of women in positions of authority and blazing the trail in the areas of agriculture, security and investment. Engr. Ifeakor pointed out that even in his four pillars of development, the Obiano administration is working assiduously to create wealth, guarantee grassroots economic development and provide opportunities through enterprise for the rural poor, just as he described his war on crime (Operation Kpochapu) as a novelty in the country. He described the judiciary as the "cardinal cornerstone" of Nigerian democracy and noted that with his appeal court victory the administration will have time to concentrate to implement its laudable programmes. Engr. Ifeakor observed that the governor's policy of constructing access roads from farming to consumption centres will make for easy evacuation of agricultural products, boost economy of scale and make the sector more attractive to our teeming unemployed graduates. He then re-iterated the commitment of his agency to ensuring that all dilapidated roads in the state are maintained for easy flow of traffic and charged the entire Ndi Anambra to give the administration all the necessary support.

hree unknown gunmen have abducted a twoyear-old girl, Patience Essiet, in Ukat Ubium, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. The mother of the abducted girl, Ms. Affiong Tommy, 20, said the gunmen, who also brandished machetes, broke into the room through the back door around 4am on Wednesday. She said the gunmen first broke into her brother's room, kicked him on the legs and asked him to lie still. She added that they threatened to shoot him if he tried to shout or move away from the scene. To m m y e x p l a i n e d t h a t

immediately the two other gunmen left her brother's room, they went straight into her room, where her daughter and mother, were also sleeping. She said the gunmen, who were in plain clothes, claimed to be police officers, who had been sent by their Divisional Police Officer to conduct a drug search in their house. She said, “We heard when they hit our backdoor open with axe. They were three, brandishing guns, machetes and axes. They first entered my brother's room; we thought they were thieves. They beat him and asked him to lie still as they threatened to shoot him if he tried to move away from the room or shout. “Two came into our room.

Immediately they saw my baby, they grabbed her. I tried to struggle with them to rescue my baby from their grips, and when they noticed that they were not having it easy with me, they slammed my back and that of my mother with machetes. They also pointed guns at our foreheads as we fell to the floor. I saw my baby being taken away in front of me. “None of us were able to chase them after they had left with my baby. We were not able to go out to identify what vehicle they came with; besides the darkness, my brother, mother, and I were on the floor trying to regain consciousness from the beatings. “They claimed to be police officers, why did they force our backdoor open at the ungodly hour of 4 am? Where have they gone with my child? Let them not

kill my child.” According to Tommy, the gunmen did not take anything from the house. She noted that they came for her baby. A sister to Tommy, Mrs. Iquo Bassey, said she received a call from her sister that three unidentified gunmen stormed our village house and took Essiet from her in the presence of my mother, Mrs. Affiong Akpan. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Etim Dickson, said he was in a conference. H e , h o w e v e r, a s k e d o u r correspondent to send him a text message so that he could make contact with DPO at Nsit Ubium police station. He was yet to respond as at the time of filing this report.

Senator Ubanesse Igbeke joins APGA, seeks return to Senate By Uche Chukwu, Awka

ll Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), lawmakers and chairmen of the party, in the seven Local Government Areas of Anambra State that make up Anambra North Senatorial district at Nsugbe, Oyi Local Government Area have endorsed Senator Alphonsus Ubanesse Igbeke as the person to carry the party's flag in forthcoming Senatorial race for Anambra North come 2015 general election. This indication emerged weekend following the said endorsement by the legislators at Igbeke's residence where they had thronged appealing to him to come and run. Confirming this to newsmen, Hon. Chris Obi Emenaka and Chief Mrs. Rita Maduabum hinted that senator Igbeke was able to provide dividends of democracy to his constituents when he was at the senate adding that he would do same again. They urged the people in the area to re-elect him stating that he has all it takes to provide their needs and contribute more than he had done towards moving the zone forward. In their own remarks on behalf of the seven APGA Chairmen representing their members, Chief Sylvester Ezeokenwa and Hon. Vin O Anyakorah, Chairmen of Onitsha South and Oyi Local Government Areas respectively, stressed the need for the people to return Sen. Igbeke, adding that he had done a lot to the zone. The duo recalled that he was the only one who was able to solve their problems and empowered the unemployed irrespective of where one came from. According to chief Ezeokenwa, “we are here to beg the Senator to re-contest the 2015 senatorial election, we are behind him.” Responding, Igbeke said based on pressure on him, he had to invite the constituents to seek their views

on whether he would re-contest or not having been at the senate before. His words, "this is a consultative forum to seek your view on whether I will re-contest or not". Igbeke pointed out that he joined APGA which he said is a party that

has interest of common man at heart. According to him, "I joined APGA because I wanted the governor to emerge from Anambra North Senatorial district. I am son of a peasant farmer so I know the problems of the people as a

grassroot man." Igbeke who reiterated his resolve not to disappoint them since according to him, they want him to re-contest, pledged to continue to provide dividend of democracy to them adding that God had sent him to salvage his people.

Ibanga compliments Akpabio's education policy By Christopher Okon, Uyo

he Gorreti Girls Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State are counting their blessings with 100 dual desk donated by their Vice Principal Mrs. Grace L. Ibanga to boast governor Akpabio's free and compulsory education for her citizens. The Vice Principal, Mrs. Grace L. Ibanga who spoke with journalists, shortly after her donation/ presentation of certificate of honour to Distinguished Akwa Ibom sons and daughter held at the school auditorium in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area said the significance of donating the dual desk was appreciation of God's love for her family as they have experienced some challenges still protect them over some circumstances and also the passion she has for education. Mrs. Grace Ibanga who is known as the great teacher across the state said she stated the dual desk project in 2013 and now dream come true without relenting over the passion she has for education despite challenges and experience she commended governor Akpabio's hand of fellowship to the school, especially embarking on massive renovation/construction of the school dilapidated building and provision of study materials and other facilities like text books, exercise books, laptop computer, borehole, Gee-PEE Tank for students to witness and experience

Governor Akpabio qualitative and standard of education. “These gestures deserve the governor who is a educational friendly governor received certificate of award from her over his passion for education eliminating the house-boy and house-girl syndrome, kidnapping in the society.” She said. She commended the governor’s effort towards the school, bringing back the lost glory again and assured them of maintaining the properties with care as she appealed for government to assist them with access road to the

school, assembly hall, principal quarters which has become a questionable state, and cut off academic works a seriously hampered as staff and students find it almost impossible to get to the school sometimes witness accidence on daily basis. The school former principal, Mrs. Alice Umoh has commended Mrs Grace Ibanga for her courage to donate 100 dual desk for the school over her passion for education without relenting despite challenges experience as part of her dedication over her family protected by God while advised the school authority to exhibit maintenance culture over the project done by government as the benefit the uncommon transformation. She said with these gestures the school cannot forget Mrs Grace Ibanga’s contribution in a hurry and should be documented in the school records for generation to generation and for others to emulate for the development of the school. Our correspondent reported that the event witnessed presentation of certificate of honouor to the state governor and his wife and other dignitaries in the society. While the 100 dual desk donated bear names of those honorees and supporters respectively over their educational contribution in the state.

By Our Reporter

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September 3, 2014

The Advocate Gospel This Week

TEXT: Matthew 18:12-14 What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. (NIVUK)

ADVOCATE

My experience with T.B Joshua, by Prof. R. A. Ipinyomi, University of Ilorin, Nigeria n Friday August 1 2014 I arrived at the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) Ikotun Lagos Nigeria at about 5 pm to have a weekend fellowship and rival with the team at SCOAN. The central attention man remains the very founder of the sect Senior Prophet T.B. Joshua. I am glad to report that he is raising unnumbered disciples after him. For those who may need a brief introduction of the man and prophet T.

in particular some think that TB Joshua must be using the powers of demons to cast out demons pretentiously. A few in my category would give the situation like this the principle of Lawyer Gamaliel (Acts 5: 34 40) believing that time would tell who is a true believer. Having come from Arigidi partly I don't have to support him or argue for him but to make sure that he is right and preaching a balanced and complete Christian doctrine of the Word of Life.

B. Joshua we will let them know that he is Temitope Balogun from Arigidi Akoko (my late mother's claimed place of origin) Ondo State Nigeria. He went only as far as Form I (JSS 1) before he left the village and resurfaced to become a global Prophet more than 20 years ago. In the village most people call him Synagogue because his church has become his identity and name. His parents' old age house and his little upcoming house are located closely by within the Balogun family compound. Joshua is his prophetic adopted name. A typical weekend at SCOAN would bring you into chains of events happening simultaneously and successively. You would come in contact with different nationalities, the sick and the looking well but could be spiritually sick also, visible and invisible signs and wonders, the Sunday festival of fashion of attires from different nationalities and cultures, the singing and the dancing, the prayers and the prophecies, knowledge that everyone of us may be harbouring (real or imagined) some degree of demons to be cast out by the prophet and his team, and the generosity of TB Joshua as if he is paying us to come. I saw much more than I can describe here. I was particularly fascinated by the contrasts of fashions and cultures, where a Ghanaian man tied rappers whereas his wife was in trousers and shirt, a couple from Mozambique whose wife was carried away in the singing and dancing but the husband seemed indifferent to her chanting, the different national flags symbolized in the real and expressed in the dressing, and then the appearance oneness of our souls and minds expressed in singing, dancing and prayers. I also experienced near what I love to see, that is when the entire universe will become one single choir to praise and adore its creator in unison and gladness. Because of the advantage front and central seat given to me in the reserved area I was only able to see a limited horizon but we were not fewer than 10,000 in the main auditorium and those outside in the arms and overflowing sections were equally as many and from at least 80 different nationalities. It was awesome, glorious and praiseworthy. Why do we need to report this? Recently even Christian communities have been critical of each other giving names to those who would not worship like them. A number of Christians know that Jesus is the centre of attraction and that he is Almighty (my own position) others think that Jesus is very important and mighty but not the Almighty (perhaps Jehovah Witness, Islam and some others). In Nigeria

He too is working to get to heaven even when we know he may have a special message for the world. By far today TB Joshua is one of the Christians with reckless and dynamic faith in the Word of God which is Jesus. We have also found that those who prefer to criticize others refuse to start a cause that others can follow that would lead to salvation and deliverance. We mostly become pharisaical because we fail to understand the antecedents of others or because we cannot compete with their work of faith or simply because we prefer to be a judge and forgetting about our weaknesses. Recently religion of all faiths has become suddenly financially lucrative and not as tasking as what the earlier missionaries encountered. Many of the early missionaries were shipwrecked and lost their lives in their attempts to bring the message while others who were successful did so in hardship and poverty, traveling on foot and boats at best. But their clothes did not wear out nor were their shoes torn while they preached the message that is enduring till date. They were able to raise disciples, provided spiritual and moral disciplines, devotion, dignity and duty. Of course they also left us with a high level of religious rituals, emphasis on doctrine that has led to seeming separation, and pharisaical orders. Our continuous focus shall be teaching and knowing the truth that sets free. It has been difficult to know the truth because we want to take the broad way to the truth. We cannot take the teaching of Boko Haram as anything nearing the truth because their activities and practices are against the very human dignity it is to serve. Neither can we say that the prevailing politicking has the ability to point to the direction of the truth because these guys in politics are always untrue even to their own party manifestoes and natural laws of humanity. The United States of America cannot tell Israel the truth neither can Iran, Russia, Qatar, or others of their cohorts advise Hamas correctly. We allow the blind war to continue and the carnages to continue to pile up. Nigeria in particular is a blessed nation but where weakness and wickedness is allowed to rule and plunder. Unfortunately our only source of consolation, the Church (the faiths) has been run over by deception, greed, the devil and his agents. If the Church will once more agree with one accord we shall together command every mountain to give way and every valley to level up and it shall be so. Instead of the

NARRATION Jesus continued with His teaching about not despising the 'little ones'. He was not just talking about children but also the adults who trusted Him and submitted to His authority â&#x20AC;Ś the 'children of His kingdom'. So He reinforced the teaching with this parable. The imagery would have been easily understood in a farming economy. Sheep were living investments. They came to the owner of the flock without cost they were born on his land. However they cost a lot of time and effort to raise them until their increased value could be realised when he sold them. Every animal which stayed was well worth searching for. A lost sheep would not only be at risk of death from wolves, but the farm owner would lose his investment. No sensible shepherd would say it did not matter if his flock was diminished. Of course it mattered. Not so much as an issue of animal welfare as of rightful ownership. So the owner himself would keep looking for the animal until he found it. His successful rescue mission would be the cause of great joy; and a special bond would be formed with that sheep, more so than with the much larger group of compliant livestock. That is Father God's reaction too. God cares deeply about all the people born on His world and does not want any of them to perish (2 Peter 3:9). That is why Jesus came, to bring many children to enjoy God's glory (Hebrews 2:10): also to delight God as He establishes a relationship bond with them (Luke 15:7). But note that this rescue is not described as being of benefit to the sheep, but for the benefit of Father God who regains real ownership of what belongs to Him. It is a common mistake to assume that God's salvation is primarily for the benefit of the saved. Yes, there is great benefit; but that is small compared to God's joy when He re-establishes His Lordship over His creation. Christians who merely revel in the blessings of salvation may be tempted to abuse the grace of God, but mature believers know they have been rescued at great cost and have an obligation to live in such a way that God is pleased (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Prayer: Father God. Thank You for saving me. I am so sorry when I have abused Your grace, thinking that it is all about glorifying me; not understanding that You are glorified as I accept Your authority over my life. Please help me to live in such a way that You will be delighted, and all heaven will rejoice at the way in which Your Lordship transforms my life, enabling me to be an asset to Your kingdom. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Continues on page 29

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September 3, 2014

ATM charge won't discourage financial inclusion – CBN

he Central Bank of Nigeria on Wednesday took a swipe at critics of its N65 charge on use of Automated Teller Machine stating that the policy won't discourage its drive for financial inclusion. The apex bank had last week issued a new directive for the reintroduction of the charge two years after it abolished the N100 per withdrawal fee. It noted that instead of N100 per withdrawal, customers using other banks' ATMs will from September 1, pay N65. But in a statement issued on Wednesday night in Abuja, it said the measure was taken in order to ensure that ATMs across the country continue to function to the satisfaction of all bank customers. The statement signed by the Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Ibrahim Mu'azu said the N100 was never removed, noting that it was only transferred to customer's bank to pay. This, it added, was intended to encourage and promote the use of ATMs nationwide, noting that having sufficiently raised customers awareness, the first three “Remote-on-Us” transactions in a month are free.

It said, “The charge is not intended to discourage financial inclusion. The CBN will not endorse any anti-customer policy. “Charging of fees on interbank networks is a widely acceptable practice globally.” It said the reasons for ATM charges is to ensure customers

get better services, increase healthy competition among the banks. It also said transaction volumes at other banks' ATM have increased astronomically due to the free Cash withdrawal at other banks' ATM. The wear and tear as well as the frequency of servicing the ATMs, it added have increased significantly.

recorded 4,468, 3,708 and 3, 571 cases respectively. In terms of products losses, he said, a total of 712,776 metric tonnes (MTs) of Providing details of how Premium Motor incessant pipeline vandalism Spirit (PMS) were have hampered supply and lost to act of distribution of crude oil and vandalism between refined petroleum products, the 2009 and 20012. GMD, who was represented by During the period the Managing Director of under review, the Pipeline Product and nation also lost Marketing Company (PPMC), about 9,548, MTs of a subsidiary of NNPC, Mr. Dual Purpose Haruna Momoh, said these Kerosene (DPK), heinous acts not only adversely 37,054 MTs of affected the capacity of Automotive Gas Nigeria's oil and gas assets to Oil (Ago) and function optimally, but have 1,310,130 MTs to resulted in colossal product act of vandalism. losses and cost of repairs of The GMD said, damaged pipelines. aside from products Given the breakdown, he said, losses and colossal these over 34,047 cost of repairing the damaged pipelines, pipeline vandalism Dr. Joseph Dawha is harmful to our environmental and results in breaks/ruptures were recorded loss of human lives. intervene because Uwazuruike has in its pipeline networks in He explained that the used the blood of innocent Igbo Gombe, Kaduna, Mosimi in corporation resorted to the use youths, who are killed daily while Ogun State and Warri. of marine vessels for crude oil obeying his orders to make He said in 1999, when activities deliveries to the refineries due money”, the Scribe contended. of vandals became noticeable to heightened incidents of In his reaction, leader of the Biafra in the PPMC operations, a total pipeline vandalism, adding that Defense Mission, Comrade of 497 incidents were recorded. Ndubuisi Igwekani, warned that if The act, he said began the Port Harcourt Refinery quick actions were not taken to call progressively from Port operated for only 82 days in Uwazuruike to order, the security 2013 due to pipeline Harcourt and Warri areas of situation in Igboland would be vandalism. PPMC operations and spread to seriously compromised. The NNPC boss urged the every part of the corporation's “We have called on Igbo leaders, federal government to develop especially Ohaneze Ndigbo to call network, resulting in 999 cases a national plan for critical Uwazuruike to order because his in 2000. infrastructure and key Further breakdown showed kind of Biafra was not the one resources protection similar to that between 2001 and 2004, Ojukwu fought for. the United States' National “He has abandoned the struggle the corporation recorded over Infrastructure protection Plan and now uses the MASSOB as a 2,473 breaks across its pipeline (NIPP), pointing out that the means to extort Ndigbo, we are out networks, while 2,258 cases US government recognised the to stop him no matter what he were recorded in 2005 alone. critical nature of pipelines to does”, said Igwekani. The GMD also noted that 3,674 When contacted, Uwazuruike, said cases were recorded in 2006; national security and treats he was not aware of such incident. 3,258 other cases in 2007 and them as strategic national “I got the information that there assets. 2,318 incidents in 2008. was crisis at Okwe few minutes “The federal government According to him, the year ago, and I will get in touch with my should likewise declare the 2010 recorded the highest administrators to know what was pipelines as strategic national happening. “There was no incidents of acts of vandalism assets and set up a special force problem, except that some of the as 5,518 cases of pipeline to protect them”, he said. security men working at the breaks/ruptures were reported As at 2010, the NNPC said it headquarters were transferred but across the NNPC pipeline lost N174.57 billion in product were yet to relocate and that may networks nationwide, as losses and repairs of products have been misconstrued as against the 1,305 cases pipelines within the last 10 disobedience to my instructions” recorded in 2009. In 2011, 2012 years he responded and 2013, the corporation

* 1.3mt of crude lost to pipeline vandalism

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has disclosed that about 34,047 cases of pipeline vandalism were recorded in parts of the country between 1999 and 2013. Also, about 1.3 million metric tonnes of crude oil was said to have been lost to the illicit act between 2009 and 2012. The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, stated this yesterday at the annual NAEC conference with a theme: 'Pipeline Vandalism and its Socio economic Impact on the Nation.'

4 killed, several others injured in MASSOB crisis our persons were on recruited by Uwazuruike, who Thursday feared dead and scores seriously injured as Commanders of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) staged early morning coup to overthrow the embattled group's leader Chief Ralph Uwazuruike. The aggrieved members of the militia body at the violent exchanges took over the National Headquarters of the Movement at Okwe, in Onuimo Local Government of Imo State. A member of the organisation who craved anonymity while speaking with our correspondent, said “the heavy fighting started at the high walled premises that served as the administrative headquarters of MASSOB as early as 7.30 am. “Heavily armed thugs numbering over 5000 invaded MASSOB Headquarters to dislodge the Commanders who had earlier taken over the premises on the alleged orders of the MASSOB leader”. Later in an interview with the newsmen on the development, the National Secretary of MASSOB, Comrade Ugwuoke Ibem Ugwuoke, confirmed that they were attacked by thugs allegedly

“If a part of this cost goes unabated, the banks may be forced to reject transactions coming from their customers at another bank ATMs, thereby frustrating the interoperability of payment systems.” The bank in the statement reassures the public that the long term interests and welfare of all bank customers remain the goal of all banking policies.

Nigeria lost $243m from pipeline sabotage in 2013 – NNPC

NEWS

It said, “Indeed, some Customers were beginning to abuse the use of ATMs through countless daily withdrawals. “This development has led to increase in cash transactions, which negate the Bank's Cashless policy. ” Maintaining ATM is expensive and it requires economic incentive for owners to deploy and maintain these machines.

stormed the Headquarters with sophisticated weapons. He disclosed they were resisted by MASSOB Commanders who had already taken over the Secretariat. Ugwuoke also disclosed that, “so many people were wounded in the early morning attack and those people were not members of MASSOB but were hired by Uwazuruike from Onitsha to come and assassinate us because we challenged his style of leadership”, but indicated they were overpowered. The Pan socio cultural group's scribe noted “our crime is that we told him to reduce the dues collected from poor members of MASSOB who toil monthly to pay money into his personal account”, adding that the factional leader receives over N20 million in his account monthly, while alleging those who died in the struggle were still abandoned in the mortuaries without proper burial. “What we are saying is that we can no longer be used by Uwazuruike to enrich himself. While we are dying, he is busy buying houses and exotic cars but we cannot continue like this anymore. ” We are calling on Igbo leaders to

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September 3, 2014

outbreak Ebola, another Terrorist weapon Ebola traced to toddler's contact with against Nigeria infected fruit bat By Rex Arum

lobal Prolife Alliance, GPA, has alleged that Ebola virus is part of the plan by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to decimate the black world and control their resource in a new post colonial strategy. In a press release signed by the Chairman, Academician Prince Dr Philip Njemanze, it stated that the way LiberianAmerican, Patrick Sawyer came into Nigeria with the Ebola virus was suggestive of one on an 'apparent suicide mission' because he deliberately infected people by passing urine in the corridors, interacting with the ladies at the Clinic and giving attendants tainted dollars. It also stated that it is a puzzle to note that even when Liberian doctors instructed Sawyer not to travel to Nigeria, he still went ahead to fulfill his mission by sneaking out from where he was quarantined. After a critical review of the circumstances surrounding the current Ebola problem in Nigeria, GPA stated that “Ebola is a deadly virus and requires a Biosafety Level 4 Laboratory for work to identify types and origins of the Virus” adding that Nigeria does not have this capability at this time except for some level 3 virology labs. The group noted that immediately after the outbreak of confirmed infections, SMS text messages were sent to Nigeria from another time zone about 4 AM by Nigerian time, on the disinformation of the use of salt for prevention to a usually poorly informed public in panic which it described as “a deliberate campaign to cause a public health emergency in Nigeria at a time of public doctors strike aimed at maximizing the deleterious impact” The group expressed regrets that the Ebola epidemic is coming at a time the Boko Haram crisis “has killed more than 80,000 farmers and displaced three million in the North West region (Borno, Adamawa, Yobe States) being the 'Food Basket' of Nigeria while there is a rigorously pursuit of transforming the sources for seeds and crops for all stable foods (rice, maize, sorghum, millet, cassava, yam etc) to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) supplied by Monsanto sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The statement further read,

“Many observers and stakeholders believe in the clear linkages of these seemly divergent approaches with constellation pointing towards hijacking the food security and endangering the health of Nigerian people.” It pointed out that two legal frameworks are being used to perfect these strategies which include “the National Health Bill 2014, that clearly by exempting gametes in the 'interpretation of tissues' does not provide for CONSENT protection for poaching of ovarian eggs and sperms, as well as in Sections 48 and 51, that waives the DONOR's right to CONSENT before organ transplantation.” “In other words, Nigeria would supply the entire Biotechnology Laboratories in the world with over 100 million ovarian eggs needed annually for tissue cloning research, from ten million poor Nigerian women who would die 2-3 years later from ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (kidney failure, liver failure, cancers, infections and infertility). “In view of Sections 48 and 51

of the NHB 2014 (regrettably passed by the National Assembly) all Nigerians have become donors of their organs to the entire world, who are all now seeking to establish hospitals in Nigeria for Human Organ Tourism. GPA argued that Section 13 of the bill which captured on Certificate of Standards for construction of hospitals based on the International Building Codes would close all Nigerian built hospitals within 24 months on the basis of nonconformity to standards. The foreign hospitals, it stated, “built to standard would be in place as 'killing houses' for organs of Nigerians and saving the foreign organ tourists. “The other legal framework is the so-called GMOs Biosafety Bill which was drafted by the biotechnology companies and using corrupt legislators to seek legalization of GMOs in Nigeria. “These crops are patented strains with terminator genes that do not allow replanting or limits replanting times. It revealed that GMOs crops damage the soil as mono-crops (used as one crop only for a given farm land) and cause irreparable damage to nature. The use, it further disclosed, is

very expensive since it needs special types of fertilizers from Monsanto adding “over 300,000 Indian farmers committed suicide when they could not afford the Monsanto Bt Cotton seeds”. “The synergy between hijacking the food security of the Nigerian people and poaching of the eggs of Nigerian women for tissue cloning is the establishment of E G G F O R F O O D PROGRAM'. It disclosed that some national and international organizations collaborating to effect this EVIL on the people of Nigeria calls for action and National Patriotism. Consequently GPA called on the office of the Attorney General of the Federation to begin proceedings for charges of Treason if any Nigerian is found complicit in the act as well as filing of proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC) of War Crimes under BWATA for all foreign citizens, organizations and governments collaborating on this project to kill Nigerians. “We call on all peace-loving and progressive humankind to stand with the people of Nigeria in defense from this EVIL,” it stated.

he largest-ever outbreak of Ebola was triggered by a toddler's chance contact with a single infected bat, a team of international researchers have concluded after a major investigation of the origins of the deadly disease now ravaging Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. A group of 17 European and African tropical disease researchers, ecologists and anthropologists spent three weeks talking to people and capturing bats and other animals near the village of Meliandoua in remote eastern Guinea, where the present epidemic surfaced in December 2013. They discovered that the disease was passed from colony to colony of migratory fruit bats until it reached Guinea. Their research is expected to be published in a major journal in the next few weeks. Early studies suggested that a new strain of Ebola had emerged in west Africa but, according to epidemiologist Fabian Leendertz, it is likely the virus in Guinea is closely related to the one known as Zaire ebolavirus, identified more than 10 years ago in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Ectogenesis, growing of fetus outside the womb, to be vogue in 30 yrs

Ectogenesis technology has been in development since 2001 Researchers have previously used tissue to create a freestanding uterus This technology was later used to grow mouse embryos in artificial wombs Futurist Zoltan Istvan believes the technology will be ready by 2034 It could then be made more widely available a decade later The issue raises the debate about whether the technology is ethical

ithin 30 years, a futurist believes babies will regularly be born in artificial wombs, outside of human bodies. The technology, known as ectogenesis, has been in development since 2001 and previous experiments involved growing mouse embryos in wombs attached to 'placenta machines.' Campaigners believe it could reduce the number of still births, because foetuses would be more closely monitored and accessible, but critics claim it could redefine social roles. Others have stated it removes the bond between a mother and her child. Ectogenesis is the growth of an organism outside of a body, and applies to animals as well as the growth of bacteria. Artificial wombs need an artificial uterus that supplies nutrients and

oxygen to the foetus. Custom-built amniotic fluid sacs would also need to remove waste.

This would be attached to a 'placenta machine', and cables could monitor everything from

the baby's weight to heart rate and development. It could be used for women who are unable to carry babies naturally, due to a damaged uterus for example. The technology may also remove the need for surrogate mothers for straight and gay couples. Elsewhere, artificial wombs would reduce the number of pregnancy and birth-related deaths among women, could extend the age at which women give birth, and drugs could be more easily administered to the foetus if it became ill. American-Hungarian futurist Zoltan Istvan told Motherboard he believes the technology will be ready for use within 20 years, and become widely available in 30. He claimed much of the technology already exists, but legal and ethical concerns will result in human trials being delayed.

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September 3, 2014

Entertainment plus

Mercy Johnson speaks My Butt and Hips are my on Genevieve Nnaji greatest asset – Lydia Forson

opular Nollywood actress and mother of one, Mercy Johnson, has come out to declare and proclaim her love for Genevieve Nnaji, another multiple award winning Nollywood actress. Mercy Johnson in a recent interview says Genevieve Nnaji is her role model, hence, her adoration of the international act. Mercy Johnson made it known that although she has been proclaimed as a great actress, she believes Genevieve's acting prowess far more surpass hers. “I think I have one of the best role models ever. I like Genevieve like crazy. I started watching her movies from the onset but I didn't want to be Genevieve, I wanted to be Mercy with the motivation that a Genevieve could give me. So I watched lots of movies. I don't play with her movies. I don't know what I can do that will be better than what she has done. But I just try to improve on it, try to do it the way she will do it and perhaps even better to my own level. I practice like all the time. It is like a passion. It is just where I want to be. I am alive and I am in my space. It was paramount to perfect that space. I need everything. I watch everything. Nothing passes me by. I watch newscasters reading there news and after they are done, I sit down the way they do and read the news like that. So it is practice and Passion.” She described her hilarious first time experience of meeting with

Genevieve Nnaji as this: “Ahh! The first time I met her, my friend took me there. When we got to where she was, I became nervous. I told my friend “no, let me hide in your boot”. And I did. I got into her boot. Can you imagine I came to see her and when I got there, I wanted to run back. I jumped into my friend's boot. So when she came out of the hotel, I could not see her, I could only hear her voice. The 2nd time I saw her was on set. When she came down and I met her, she said” “Ahh! Mercy, I like your movies” and I started crying. I was in tears of joy. I said “Aunty Genny, so you watch my movies?”. She was sort of embarrassed. Before I met her, she had already known that there was somebody who was crazily insane about her. She was really nice to me, receptive. And even whenever we work together, she will correct me and say, that thing you did, you could have done it this way. Usually in life, you will know somebody, who is more than you. Give him or her that respect. You can't fight a battle you can't win. It does not make any sense. If somebody is much more bigger than you, there is nothing as big as you admitting it and hearing it from that person. I didn't come into the picture to compete with anybody. I came to learn, do it well, make it and be there.”

“Each time I walk close to the mirror and see how endowed I am, I just feel so happy” Ghollywood actress Lydia Forson Ghollywood actress and AMAA winner Lydia Forson has confessed she's always happy seeing her butt and hip size, which she also sees as her greatest body asset. My hips and butt are the part of my body that I love most because each time I walk close to the mirror and see how endowed I am, I just feel so happy. I can also say it's my greatest asset because so many want it and they go for the buttpants but mine is natural. Just like I love my ass and hip; I also do love my lips and eyes lashes. This is because my hips and butt usually look sexy in dress; they bring out that perfect shape and I think that a good description of a typical African lady, she rounded off speaking confidently of the shape of her body

e y o n c e showed off her perfect figure in new photos she shared on her website. She also shared some from her outing with Jay Z and Blue Ivy. Obviously no divorce in the works.. She looks like an angel.

My experience with T.B Joshua, by Prof. R. A. Ipinyomi, University of Ilorin, Nigeria Continued from page 26 pursuance of justice, truth, oneness of the church so that we can solve every problem, considerable energy is dissipated on blaming others, labeling others as anti-Christ, prophet of doom or false prophets. Yet we all have come to realize one central truth, that is, no one is going to live unending and when we depart we depart with nothing more than we had brought at birth and then judgment will follow. The opportunity SCOAN has granted me has allowed me to continue to fellowship with TB Joshua and to keep sending him my suggestions and praying continuously for him. Meanwhile I notice that he does not always listen to me but to the Holy Spirit. I personally approve his Church for Bishops, Christians, young pastors, and others seeking to know the truth. He has a balanced

doctrine in worship, teaching, giving, healing, reconciliation, and obedience to the Word of God. As Africa moves on this century the issue of proper evangelism will confront us in the conflicts of competition of religions, money and power. In that possible confused state we may advise the state authorities that those who criticize first, rather than live the truth, should be disqualified from practice. The very truth we are seeking is yet to appear but its heralds are already drumming that the King is about to arrive. Hence make sure you are not deceived because in the king's court many servants there always dress up kingly but you need to look for the one on the throne before bowing.

Prof. R. A. Ipinyomi ipinyomira@yahoo.co.uk or/and raipinyomi@unilorin.edu.n

Lydia Forson

Beyonce

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September 3, 2014

By Okey Anyichie

FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup

Oshoala wins Adidas Golden Boot

Djokovic upbeat on US bid Men's Tennis

i c k n a m e d Superzee by her appreciative team-mates, Nigeria striker Asisat Oshoala owes her accolade to her speed and nose for goal. The free-scoring forward set several records during the competition and ended it as the leading markswoman to also pocket the Adidas Golden Boot. As well as serving up two assists, the insatiable Oshoala found the back of the net seven times in all, reaching her peak in the semi-final against Korea DPR, when she became only the third player in the history of the competition to score four goals in a single game. Her tournament haul is the most ever by a Nigerian player, taking her past compatriots Desire Oparanozie, Ebere Orji and Cynthia Uwak, each of whom scored five FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup goals.

he madcap striker is back in the Premier League in a £16million deal and took to Instagram to pay tribute to the Rossoneri's fans, staff and his former team-mates Balotelli sealed a £16million switch to Liverpool on Monday to return to the Premier League. It ended his 18-month stay at the San Siro, where he bagged 30 goals in all competitions for the Rossoneri. And despite admitting he should never have left England in the first place, Balotelli has praised all at the club for developing him as a player and as a person. The 24-year-old posted on Instagram: "As I am about to enter a new chapter, I would like to thank AC Milan fans who have shown incredible loyalty and faith in me. "I also want to thank the great staffs who have shown exceptional patience and guidance over the years. "Most importantly, I want to express endless gratitude to my teammates who supported me on and off the pitch, just like my family does. Your camaraderie will be forever appreciated, as I've learned so much from you all. "I leave Milan with sadness, but know that I will still make you all proud going forward. #FORZAMILAN!!!! #ThankYouMilan I'm forever grateful."

jokovic is confident he can land the US Open crown after easing past Diego Schwartzman in round one. Djokovic upbeat on US bid the top seed overcame Schwartzman 61 6-2 6-4 on Arthur Ashe Stadium Court to secure a place in the second round. Djokovic failed to find his form in the warm-up events in Toronto and Cincinatti and concedes he was not at his best in the build up to the final Grand Slam of the year in New York. The Serb married his long-term partner Jelena after winning Wimbledon earlier this summer and the couple is expecting their first child in October. Djokovic admits he lost some of his focus after his heroics at SW19 due to the changes in his life away from the court, but he insists he is now back in form and expects to challenge for the US Open title. He said: "I didn't have much time to think about tennis with all that has been happening. It is a new chapter for my wife and I, and we are very excited. "The last three weeks actually, Toronto and Cincinnati, were a bit tough emotionally for me. I wasn't finding my game, I wasn't able to feel comfortable on the court. "I probably was not mentally ready to still compete at a high level but now it's different. I feel emotionally recharged and ready to go.”

Mario Balotelli thanks AC Milan in a heartfelt goodbye message

Tiger Woods Butch Harmon reunion ruled out by the golf legend's most successful coach

dvisor who helped the American win eight of his 14 career Majors says they will not work together again - but does offer his former pupil some free advice Butch Harmon has told Tiger Woods he does not need a new coach - he just needs to practice more. Former world No 1 Woods this week announced his split with Sean Foley after four years working together. Harmon, who worked with

Woods when the American won his first eight Majors, has been linked with a reunion with his most famous pupil. But asked if he would be interested, the 70-year-old stated: “No I would not and he's not going to call and ask. "I don't think he needs a swing coach. If I were advising Tiger I'd tell him, 'You're the greatest player that ever lived, just go to the range and hit shots.'” Harmon already works with Woods' fellow American stars Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker. Woods had won 11 events with Foley since 2011 but failed to add to his total

of 14 Majors triumphs with Harmon and Hank Haney as his coach. This season has been marred by injury and he will not play again until December because of a back problem. “I had the easiest job in my 10 years He [Woods] was the healthiest,” Harmon added. “Sean had the hardest job. And he's had great success. He has nothing to hang his head about. I called him and told him that. I told him he worked his tail for this guy. Nothing lasts for ever.” Former US Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger has claimed Woods' swing has become “over engineered" - and could be quickly sorted.

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September 3, 2014

Odegbami, Umeh cleared for NFF election

ermany won the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup for the third time by defeating Nigeria 1-0 after extra time in Montreal on Sunday night. Maren Meinert's team asserted themselves in an incredibly difficult section, beating holders the United States 2-0, drawing 55 with China and clinching Group B with a 5-1 victory against Brazil. In a hard-fought quarter-final, hosts Canada were ousted 2-0, before Germany faced France who eliminated them in the last four of the qualifying event, the 2013 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in Wales en route to winning the trophy. This time Germany prevailed 2-1 thanks to a goal by Lena Petermann with nine minutes left. Watched by senior national team coach Silvia Neid, the final against a strong Nigeria side remained goalless for 90 minutes, and Germany proved to be the more efficient team when Petermann struck in extra time. France overcame North Korea 32 for bronze, while the other European contenders, England and Finland, went out in the group stage. Maren Meinert, coach The players and I spent the whole summer cheering on the men's team and their success definitely motivated us. The quality of teams we've beaten along the way makes us especially proud. One crucial thing today was that we played very well defensively as well as offensively, and the whole team worked hard to achieve that. Every one of my girls put in 100% and the win, in my opinion, is definitely deserved. I am proud of my team and happy that we managed to

win it. We wanted to play a good tournament but never expected to become World Cup winners. It was a crazy final, like the matches before were, too. It was fantastic how we worked our way into the match in defence today. Lina Magull, captain Since full time I have been asking myself: 'Are we really World Cup winners now?' Slowly, you realise it. Our team spirit was key to our success. We just wanted it more. We deserve to have won it. Lena Petermann was the hero against France and Nigeria Lena Petermann, goalscorer I am lost for words, it is so unreal, you have to let it all sink in first. Desire and team spirit were decisive. Manjou Wilde, defender I am very relieved. It was a tiring game and a tiring few weeks I am just [so] happy. We grew together so tightly, especially after losing some players before the tournament. We fought for everyone who had to stay at home. We desperately wanted the title, that's what made the difference. Meike Kämper, goalkeeper It is a great evening, I am overjoyed that we did it. Beforehand hardly anyone expected us to win the World Cup. A dream has come true. Sara Däbritz, midfielder It is an incredible feeling. We wanted this title right away. No one would have thought we could do it and now we really are world champions. 2013 European Women's U19 finals Silvia Neid, national coach I am very happy about this win for our U-20 women, who achieved this success with a great team effort and outstanding team

spirit. The team was asked to perform over the entire tournament by strong opponents. Many of the players born in 1996 have the chance to play another Under-20 World Cup in two years' time, which is important for their development. Also, I have seen several players with the potential to play in the senior side. Wolfgang Niersbach, German Football Association (DFB) president

Huge compliments to Maren Meinert and her entire team. The team played a great tournament and deserve this title thanks to their commitment and attitude. After winning the men's Under19 European Championship this shows that there is also outstanding youth work with our girls. This World Cup win is the perfect warm-up for the Women's Bundesliga, which starts on 30 August.

ormer national team captain, Chief Segun Odegbami has been cleared to contest for the presidency of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) when the elections hold on August 26 in Warri, Delta State. Chairman of the NFF's Electoral Committee, Amoni Rollins Biambo, confirmed yesterday that both Odegbami and the factional leader of the NFF, Mike Umeh, have been cleared to contest. “Having received the report/recommendation of the Electoral protest/Appeals Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, we hereby categorically state that Chief Mike Umeh and Chief Segun Odegbami are cleared to contest as president and member, respectively,” said Biambo in a statement last night. The Electoral Committee also unequivocally declared that the August 26, 2014 date set for the elections remains sacrosant. “We also categorically state that the 26th day of August 2014 still remains the proper date for the election. That date 26th is sacrosant as it has been communicated to FIFA, CAF and WAFU,” the statement further said, stressing that the rumoured extension of election time table in some quarters was false. The committee insisted it has given every interested candidate a fair level playing ground in the

NFF building fire

Guild of Sports Editors calls for probe

he Guild of Sports Editors has called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, institute a judicial panel of enquiry into the fire that gutted the secretariat of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Wednesday. The body in a statement signed by its Interim President, Tony Ubani, noted that this has become inevitable considering the circumstances in which the Glass House was raized down. According to the body, the fact that at the time of the fire there was no fire extinguisher speaks volume and putting into perspective the actions and inactions of certain high ranking officers of the secretariat, then a judicial panel of enquiry devoid of political consideration was the only way out. “Some of the fire service officials said on Wednesday that the fire extinguishers at the secretariat have all expired since 2012. It was also alleged that several memos written since then

NFF Building for a replacement were not attended to. It sounds incredible that an organisation as big as the NFF does not have up to date fire extinguishers. “In as much as we are not pointing accusing fingers at anyone, we feel as stakeholders that this incident must not be swept under the carpet. “Four years ago, $236,000 vanished into thin air at the secretariat of the NFF and till today, the money has not been

found and no one has been found guilty. “This is a national building; it is a loss that we cannot as a nation condone. Those behind this dastardly act must be brought to book,” the statement concluded. It will be recalled that at about 9.15am on Wednesday, a mysterious fire gutted the Glass House razing it to the ground. Some documents were destroyed in addition to a yet to be estimated property.

Vol. 2 No. 101, September 3, 2014

Segun Odegbami Back page comment

Nigeria:

Patrick Sawyer, Ebola and the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Illuminati' Connection By Femi Fani-Kayode

disagree with those that have described Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian/American that singlehandedly brought the deadly ebola virus into our shores, as a madman. He was not mad at all but just evil. He was a man that was on a mission. That mission was to spread the Ebola virus to Nigeria and to infect and kill as many people as possible with it. He was an evil man with an evil intention and purpose. Worst still, he was not working alone. Some people, and I mean rich, powerful and well-connected people, were working with him. As a matter of fact, they sent him on the mission. They cultivated him, took care of him, paid him, brainwashed him, gave him all that he wanted in life and finally asked him to go on a suicide mission to destroy the lives of others and spread the deadly disease. This was a clear case of bioterrorism and Sawyer was simply a pawn in a bigger game and a wider picture. The motive of those who sent him was to spread fear and panic, to kill as many people as possible, to create a need for a solution to the problem, to prepare the ground for a new wonder drug that could cure Ebola, to create a massive market for that drug and to ensure that there would be massive profits from it's sale. As usual, it is the unbelieving, unprepared, undiscerning and naive Africans that have been used as the prime guinea pigs in this satanic venture. When will they stop destroying us and treating us with such contempt? When will they begin to see and treat us as human beings? I guess the answer to that is when we cultivate the courage to stand up and say "no more" and when we have the good fortune of being blessed with a ruling elite and a political class that truly cares and that is incisive, insightful, properly educated, enlightened and historically literate. Just a few days ago, a Russian website magazine known as Pravda.ru considered what they described as the very real possibility that the American government actually created the Ebola virus as a lethal and effective biological weapon solely for the purpose of biological warfare. They wrote the following: "The epidemic of the deadly Ebola virus that was born in the depths of the jungle, has been spreading around the world with an unprecedented speed

lately. The number of victims, according to official figures, has already exceeded a thousand people. The number of infected individuals nears almost two thousand. The WHO declared the disease a threat of global significance. Are there ways to combat the fever? It turns out that there is a vaccine against Ebola. Pentagon scientists were developing it for 30 years, and all the rights for the drug belong to the government of the United States. Two infected US medics received injections of the vaccine and they started recovering from the disease immediately. Why was this made public only now? Why is it that the USA holds all the rights for the use of the vaccine? There can be two most obvious answers found to these

questions. As one can see, Ebola is a perfect biological weapon: it spreads quickly and gives nearly 100 percent mortality. Those having the life-saving vaccine can dictate any conditions to others. The second answer is a purely commercial interest. It is enough to arrange panic with the help of the media, as it was the case with several epidemics before, such as avian flu. Afterwards, it will be possible to sell the life-saving medicine "at any price". This is an interesting contribution from the Russians and it is indeed food for thought. Yet, even though many may harbour deep suspicions about the role of the United States of America in this ugly episode and even though many may

finger her, and indeed the entire western world, as being the sole culprits and coconspirators behind the creation and unleashing of the Ebola virus on Africa, in my view, this may not necessarily be the case. I say this because even though the majority of the leading players in this small and exclusive club from hell that is known as the Illuminati and that are involved in this strange narrative are undoubtedly from America and western Europe. It is by no means an exclusive club of solely Americans and western Europeans. As a matter of fact, some leading and well-known third world and African leaders and business people are also deeply involved even though they may not rank too high up on the ladder or in the pecking order. Before anyone gets swept away with the idea that this is all about the evils of America, we must make it clear that the American people themselves, as opposed to their leaders, are as much of a victim of this secret cabal of wickedness as is anyone else. They are also wallowing in the throes of abysmal ignorance about what is really going on behind the scenes almost as much as the average African. In order to get a clearer picture, it is important to take note of the following observations. The forces that are behind this evil are well beyond America and they are inflicting as much evil on America, and indeed the entire western world, as they are on the rest of humanity. Africa and the African people are not their only victims and they are not their only prey. They prey on all of humanity and they feed on the flesh and drink the blood of us all regardless of where we come from. The roots of these forces are ancient and they are very real. They pre-date America and they were established by a tiny group of deepthinkers, spiritualists, intellectuals, seasoned occultists and Lucifereans led by Adam Weishaupt in a place called Bavaria in Germany on the European continent in 1776. They are known as the "Illuminati" (meaning "The Enlightened Ones") and their activities are buried in absolute secrecy. Their symbol and operational structure is the pyramid and they are fortified, strengthened and protected by numerous ancient cults and fraternities, secret societies, false religions, pagan rituals, the control of the worlds banking system and money

Patrick Olusegun Odegbami, often shortened to Segun Odegbami (born August 27, 1952, in Abeokuta) is a retired Nigerian footballer who played as a forward. He's nicknamed Mathematical for his precise style of play. He was famous for running down the touchline with the ball to prevent opponents from getting it. Odegbami is regarded as one of the greatest Nigerian players of all-time.

Career Odegbami was brought up in the northern city of Jos, Plateau State.[2] He won 46 caps and scored 23 goals for the National Team, and guided Nigeria to its first Africa Cup of Nations title at the 1980 tournament in his homeland. Nicknamed Mathematical, he was famous for his skill on the ball, speed and precision of his crosses from the right wing. He played for IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan his entire career, from 1970 to 1984. His last game was the 1984 African Champions Cup final defeat to Zamalek of Egypt. The original source of the nickname "Mathematical" was because Segun Odegbami attended and was graduated from Nigeria's premier technical institution, The Polytechnic, Ibadan. He studied Engineering. His younger brother, Wole Odegbami, is also a former national team player. He is currently a columnist in Nigeria. In 2007 Chief Segun Odegbami appeared on Nigerian Who Wants to Be a Millionaire hosted by Frank Edoho. He played a game for charity with the much loved Zebrudaya and donated all his winnings to The Little Saints' Orphanage on the Strong Tower Mission.