The Nation April 09, 2013

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Police detain four journalists over report

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NEWS

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•Leadership demands release of staff

•Police decry killing of officers www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 8, NO. 2453 TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Ekiti deputy governor’s dad: nobody killed my daughter Party: Cancer battle began in 2009

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That one person killed another through witchcraft is all lies. God, who creates, is the only one that can take life...Let people stop making unnecessary guesses

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HOSE blaming the death of Ekiti State Deputy Governor Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka on her perceived enemies were yesterday told to perish the thought.

Her father, Pa Festus Famuagun, said his daughter “died a natural death”.

Pa Famuagun spoke yesterday in his Isato home in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, while receiving members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin.

His clarification came on a day the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) said the late Mrs Olayinka had been battling cancer since 2009.

Party chairman Chief Jide Awe told reporters in Ado-Ekiti that those close to the late deputy knew of the ailment.

Pa Famuagun was reacting to insinuations that his daughter might have been

•The late Mrs. Olayinka From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

killed through diabolical means by people angling to take her position.

He said: “That one person killed another through witchcraft is all lies. God, who creates, is the only one that can take life.”

Urging the lawmakers to be close to the family, he said: “What will make us forget the pain of her passage is seeing you regularly. You are the jewels of Ekiti. Let people stop making unnecessary guesses.

“We hear stories that you people are very close. This you have proved since she died and through your performance. You have done well in your tenure.

“Please thank the governor for me: He has done very well. My entire family is impressed with the love he has continued to show us. If I was asked to nominate any of my children for politics when I was younger, I would not have considered Mrs. Olayinka, as she used to be very reserved.”

The 26 members of the Assembly were present.

The first son of the late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, Donald, and his wife, Lanre, also visited the Famuaguns.

Continued on page 6

•The late Thatcher

World leaders mourn ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher

Militants escape with bodies of 12 JTF men •Ex-MEND leaders go into hidding

M

ILITANTS who killed 12 policemen in Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, escaped with their bodies, arms, ammunition and uniforms, The Nation learnt yesterday.

None of the bodies of the policemen had been recovered by divers - as at press time last night.

The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Kingsley

•Britain’s first woman PM dies at 87

From From Shola O’Neil, Warri and Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

T

Omire, said the slain policemen comprised two inspectors, four Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and six constables. He did not name them.

Omire said a search party had been sent to the scene. They include divers, who are expected to go under water to search for the bodies.

The policemen were on escort duty from Yenagoa, the state Continued on page 61

•Okah

RIBUTES have been pouring in for the former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who died yesterday at 87.

Among those who sent their condolences to the Thatcher family and the British Government are: President Goodluck Jonathan, America’s President Barack Obama, Prime Minister David Cameron and Queen Eliz-

abeth II. The “Iron Lady”, as the late Mrs. Thatcher was known, dominated British politics for two decades. She died yesterday following a stroke she suffered on Monday, Tim Bell, a family spokesman, said.

The only British woman Prime Minister was a towering figure in the post-war British and world politics.

Tough and outspoken, the late Mrs. Thatcher led the Conservatives to three election victories, governing from 1979 to 1990 - the longest continuous period in office by a British prime minister since the early 19th century.

“It was with great sadness that I learned of Lady Thatcher’s death,” Prime Continued on page 6

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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NEWS MARGARET THATCHER 1925 - 2013

‘A unique T

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (middle), Chairman, Sagamu Local Government Couuncil, Mrs. Funmilayo Efuwape (left) and Chairman, Ikenne Local Government Council, Tajudeen Salako, inspecting the on-going Akarigbo/Isale-Oko/Sabo/Kara road project,Sagamu... at the weekend.

•Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu (left) and the Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), Chief Festus Odimegwu, at the opening of the commission's workshop in Minna...yesterday.

• Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang (right) greeting the Executive Secretary, Plateau Muslim Pilgrims Board, Alhaji Salisu Musa at the Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos, when the governor arrived from an overseas trip...yesterday.

•From left: Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa, Ambassador Said Djinnit, President, ECOWAS Commission, Ambassador Desire Ouedraogo and Head, European Union Delegation, Ambassador David Macrae, at the ninth meeting of ECOWAS with development partners in Abuja...yesterday.

RIBUTES poured in from across the political spectrum for former British Prime Minister Margaret Hilda Thatcher who died yesterday.

British Prime Minister David Cameron, Queen Elizabeth and U.S. President Barack Obama led tributes to the woman called ‘Iron Lady’.

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair described the late Thatcher as “a towering political figure”.

He added: “Very few leaders get to change not only the political landscape of their country but of the world. Margaret was such a leader.

Her global impact was vast. And some of the changes she made in Britain were, in certain respects at least, retained by the 1997 Labour government, and came to be implemented by governments around the world.”

UK Labour leader Ed Miliband said: “I send my deep condolences to Lady Thatcher’s family, in particular Mark and Carol Thatcher.

“She will be remembered as a unique figure. She reshaped the politics of a whole generation. She was Britain’s first woman prime minister.

She moved the centre ground of British politics and was a huge figure on the world stage.

“The Labour party disagreed with much of what she did and she will always remain a controversial figure.

But we can disagree and also greatly respect her political achievements and her personal strength.

“She also defined the politics of the 1980s. David Cameron, Nick Clegg and I all grew up in a politics shaped

by Lady Thatcher. We took different paths but with her as the crucial figure of that era.

“She coped with her final, difficult

•Cameron and the late Thatcher

years with dignity and courage. Critics and supporters will remember her in her prime.”

The Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, said: “Margaret Thatcher was one of the defining figures in modern British politics. Whatever side of the political debate you stand on, no one can deny that as prime minister she left a unique and lasting imprint on the country she served.

“She may have divided opinion during her time in politics but everyone will be united today in acknowledging the strength of her personality and the radicalism of her politics. My thoughts are with her family and friends.”

Among senior Conservatives, the work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, said Thatcher was “the reason I came into politics”.

He said: “Watching her set out to

Thatcher... The icon, the outcast M

ARGARET Thatcher was one of the defining personalities of the 20th century.

The test of a statesman is whether he or she changes the political weather: Thatcher, who won an unprecedented three consecutive general elections, certainly did that as UK prime minister from 1979 to 1990.

But Thatcher not only changed the philosophy of her own party, the right-leaning Conservatives, she also forced other parties to change their whole approach to politics. Since Thatcher, all British mainstream parties have been believers, more or less, in the market economy.

No other British politician during the second half of the 20th century had his or her own “ism” — but Margaret Thatcher did with “Thatcherism,” defined by some as the application of a housewife’s home budgeting to the national economy, coupled with the encouragement of home ownership and entrepreneurial capitalism.

Her first achievement, easily forgotten now, was to go as far as she did in politics as a woman: She was, after all, the UK’s first female prime minister.

It was much harder then, and the best she had hoped for when she started her political career was to become chief finance minister as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

When she entered 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s official residence, Thatcher headed a Cabinet in which no one had voted for her as leader. Soon, in scribbled comments on the margins of Cabinet papers, the

By Robin Oakley, CNN Political Contributor

prime minister derided as “wets” those fellow ministers who were aghast at the budgets driven through by herself and Chancellor Geoffrey Howe.

Her colleagues and advisers told her that she could not reform the trades’ unions that had brought the country to its knees during the 1970s through industrial action and seen off the previous Conservative government. Only governments run by Labour - the Conservatives’ main rivals for power — could do that, they said. But Thatcher brought the unions under control and no government since has reversed the measures she took.

Diplomats and ambassadors told her she could not get back from the European Union what she liked to refer to as “our money,” the contribution paid by the UK as part of its membership of Europe. But Thatcher “handbagged” her way through European summits till the UK secured a unique budget rebate which no prime minister has dared to negotiate away ever since.

Above all, advisers told her there was no prospect of fighting a far-away war and winning back the Falklands Islands after Argentina’s invasion in 1982 — but she did. As the late Washington diplomat Lawrence Eagleburger later confirmed, it was U.S. officials’ fear of her personal wrath which brought crucial intelligence

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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NEWS MARGARET HILDA THATCHER 1925 - 2013

figure has left the world’

•The late Thatcher

her

change Britain for the better in 1979 made me believe there was, at last, real purpose and real leadership in politics once again.

She bestrode the political world like a colossus.”

The senior Tory MP David Davis said: “Margaret Thatcher was the greatest of modern British prime ministers, and was central to the huge transformation of the whole world that took place after the fall of the Soviet Union.

“Millions of people in Britain and around the world owe her a debt of gratitude for their freedom and their quality of life, which was made possible by her courageous commitment to the principles of individual freedom and responsibility.

Her passing is a very sad event and she will be greatly missed.”

The London mayor, Boris Johnson, said on Twitter: “Very sad to hear of death of

Baroness Thatcher. Her memory will live long after the world has forgotten the grey suits of today’s politics.”

The Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, said: “I have always said that Mrs Thatcher was a great inspiration to me personally. Whether you loved her or hated her nobody could deny that she was a great patriot, who believed passionately in this country and her people.

A towering figure in recent British and political history has passed from the stage. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.”

Many took to Twitter to pay tribute to Thatcher. The Tory MP Therese Coffey said the former prime minister had transformed the country, “putting Great back in Great Britain”.

The shadow international development secretary, Ivan Lewis, said:

“Hoping all Labour supporters will respond with dignity + respect to news of Baroness Thatcher’s death.

Our thoughts with her family + friends.”

And the former Labour minister and MP Tony McNulty tweeted: “God bless her and thoughts are with her family. RIP.” The Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood tweeted: “Sad news about Baroness Thatcher. Don’t miss her policies but a towering figure in 20th c British politics, & made history UK’s 1st woman PM.” Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger told CNN, “She was a tremendous prime minister, she was a great lady, she had very strong opinions. And to those of us who knew her over the decades she was a very

warm person, which is not the public image that is often given.”

Thatcher’s great achievement for the country was its success in the Falklands crisis, he said, referring to the war over the disputed islands known to Argentina, which also claims them, as Las Malvinas.

“For the United States it was her staunch loyalty and commitment to the Atlantic alliance — she was a reliable and steady ally.”

She was also one of the first leaders to see the way forward to ending the Cold War, he said.

There was “something very feminine and personal about her,” in contrast to her public image, Kissinger said.

Britain’s Telegraph newspaper paid tribute to her as “Britain’s greatest post-war prime minister.”

Its obituary read: “She will go down in history not only as Britain’s first female prime minister, but as the woman who transformed Britain’s economy in addition to being a formidable rival on the international stage.”

In her lifetime, she was called so many names. One of them was the 'milk snatcher'. This was when as Secretary of State for Education; she withdrew milk from the meal of school children, all in the name of austerity measure.

But, the one that stuck of all the names was the 'Iron Lady'. She got it from a Soviet journalist because of her uncompromising politics and leadership style.

She was born Margaret Hilda Roberts on October 13, 1925. She became a Thatcher on account of marriage.

She was British longest-serving Prime Minister, having reigned from 19791990 and the only woman to have held

the post.

She was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, on 13 October 1925. Her father was Alfred Roberts, originally from Northamptonshire, and her mother was Beatrice Ethel (née Stephenson) from Lincolnshire. She spent her childhood in Grantham, where her father owned two grocery shops. She and her older sister Muriel were raised in the flat above the larger of the two, located near the railway line. Her father was active in local politics and the Methodist church, serving as an alderman and a local preacher, and brought up his daughter as a strict Methodist. He came from a Liberal family but stood-as was then customary in local government-as an Independent. He was Mayor of Grantham in 1945-46 and lost his position as alderman in 1952 after the Labour Party won its first majority on Grantham Council in 1950.

Margaret Roberts attended Huntingtower Road Primary School and won a scholarship to Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School. Her school reports showed hard work and continual improvement; her extracurricular activities included the piano, field hockey, poetry recitals, swimming and walking. She was head girl in 1942-43. In her upper sixth year she applied for a scholarship to study chemistry at Somerville College, Oxford, but was initially rejected, and was offered a place only after another candidate withdrew. She arrived at Oxford in 1943 and graduated in 1947 with Second Class Honours in the four-year Chemistry Bachelor of Science degree; in her final year she specialised in X-ray crystallography under the supervision of Dorothy Hodgkin.

‘

The irony though is that while her election results show the pull she exerted through her strong leadership, her populist streak and her raising of the British profile, many Britons never really identified with the underlying values of the woman who became, both in her time as prime minister and in the years to come, a national icon •The late Thatcher, during one of her several encounters with reporters

help from Washington.

With her program of selling off homes rented to tenants by regional councils and the privatization of state-controlled industries, Thatcher founded popular capitalism in Britain. Nobody would understand what was meant by “Heathism” or “Wilsonianism” or even “Blairism,” all creeds associated with previous prime ministers. But the British people still have a clear idea of what Thatcherism was all about.

Thatcher took power in a period when most commentators and politicians had accepted that the only role for Britain was the least painful management possible of gentle decline. Instead, she restored a sense of national pride and purpose, enabling Britain to continue punching above its weight in international affairs.

By taking on the power of the trades’ unions, many say she gave managements back the power to manage. But in her revolutionary march through the institutions of British society, she didn’t go as far as many Thatcher zealots would have liked, especially when it came to introducing the open market to health and education ser-

vices.

Overseas, Thatcher became a true power broker on the international scene, seeing Russia’s President Mikhail Gorbachev as a man with whom she could “do business” and re-charging her ideological batteries in exchanges with U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

The “Iron Lady,” as the Moscow media christened her, became a world figure. Her fondness for Ronald Reagan did not stop her bawling him out in 1983 when he allowed American forces to invade Grenada, a member of the Commonwealth, or telling him off for (in her view) conceding too much to Gorbachev in arms negotiations. But she engendered respect rather than love, especially when she fought the rest of the Commonwealth by opposing economic sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa.

The authority she gained did not mean there were not mistakes along the way. Some economists blame her governments for wrecking British

‘ manufacturing. They say it was under Thatcher’s financial ministers that chronic underspending on Britain’s public services created problems that are still being rectified today. Critics contend that hers was not a tolerant society and she ensured that Britain’s role in Europe become that of permanent irritant rather than profitable partner.

Aided and abetted by sections of the media, it seemed Thatcher came to believe in the myth of her own invincibility. That was what led her into mistakes including the poll tax — a charge that saw dukes and domestic cleaners paying the same local dues — and increasingly shrill anti-Europeanism, which alarmed even her own party and eventually led them to discard a leader who had won them three consecutive elections.

Thatcher’s vote-winning drive had forced Britain’s other parties to change their thinking to remain in touch with the electorate. But when the poll tax a levy on individuals — and her “no, no, no” response to Europe frightened

•The late Thatcher in 1970

her party into dumping her in 1990, they woke up the next morning and felt guilty about what they had done to their one-time heroine.

Many Tories then adopted Euroskepticism as a badge of loyalty to the discarded leader and made the party virtually unleadable under Thatcher’s successor John Major. As her friend the novelist Jeffrey Archer put it, this turned the Conservative party into the only known example of a “circular firing squad.” The appealing certainties of a “conviction politician” had turned a party that had been interested previously in the gaining and retention of power into an ideological sect more concerned with winning arguments than elections.

During Thatcher’s party leadership she purged her team of moderates who backed previous leaders like Ted Heath as well as other doubters. She quarreled with other strong figures like Chancellor Nigel Lawson and leadership rival Michael Heseltine, and she sought compliant government officials, inquiring in advance of

key Civil Service appointments: “Is he one of us?”

By the time she fell out with Howe, provoking him to deliver a ministerial resignation speech which began her own downfall, he was the only survivor of her first Cabinet.

Thatcher’s strength and drive made her an icon to conservatives in many parts of the world, especially in eastern Europe. She possessed the certainties of a tabloid newspaper editor, and her eagerness to see the power of central government reduced even made her a heroine to some of today’s Tea Party enthusiasts in the United States.

Few European politicians since have been so capable of drawing an American audience.

The irony though is that while her election results show the pull she exerted through her strong leadership, her populist streak and her raising of the British profile, many Britons never really identified with the underlying values of the woman who became, both in her time as prime minister and in the years to come, a national icon.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

NEWS •Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (sixth right) with the Management Team of theUniversity of Lagos (UNILAG), led by the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof.

Rahaman Bello (fifth right), Fashola’s deputy, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and others during a visit to the Governor at the Lagos House, Ikeja…yesterday

World leaders mourn ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher Continued from page 1

Minister David Cameron said yesterday.

“We’ve lost a great leader, a great Prime Minister and a great Briton,” Cameron said.

As a mark of honour, Cameron suspended his European trip.

“Cameron cut short a trip to several European countries on Monday after the announcement that former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had died,” a spokesman for his Number 10, Downing Street office said.

President Obama said “America has lost a true friend” who strengthened U.S. ties with Britain and helped win the Cold War. Obama went on: “As prime minister, Thatcher was an important ally to American leaders throughout the 1980s, developing close ties with Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

“With the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend.”

Obama, who has two young daughters, Malia and Sasha, said Thatcher, a grocer’s daughter who rose to become Britain’s first woman prime minister, “stands as an example to our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered”.

The late Mrs. Thatcher was closely aligned with Reagan in building up defences against

the defunct Soviet Union, policies that were seen as important to the eventual break-up of the Soviet bloc and the end of the Cold War. Obama noted: “She knew that with strength and resolve we could win the Cold War and extend freedom’s promise.”

“Here in America, many of us will never forget her standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President Reagan, reminding the world that we are not simply carried along by the currents of history - we can shape them with moral conviction, unyielding courage and iron will.”

According to Bell, Mrs. Thatcher died peacefully on Monday morning.

“It is with great sadness that Mark and Carol Thatcher announced that their mother Baroness Thatcher died peacefully following a stroke this morning,” Bell said.

A grocer’s daughter with a steely resolve, she became loved and loathed in equal measure as she crushed the unions and privatised vast swathes of British industry.

The Queen of England, Elizabeth II, said she was sad to hear the news of the former prime minister’s death and sent a message of sympathy to her family.

She retired from public life after a stroke in 2002 and suffered several strokes after that.

The former Prime Minister made few public appearances in her final months, missing a reception marking her 85th

birthday, hosted by Cameron in October 2010.

She also skipped the July 2011 unveiling of a statue in honour of her old friend, Ronald Reagan, in London.

In December 2012, she was hospitalised after a procedure to remove a growth in her bladder.

Thatcher won the nation’s top job only six years after declaring in a television interview, “I don’t think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime.”

During her time at the helm of the British government, she emphasised moral absolutism, nationalism, and the rights of the individual versus those of the state — famously declaring “there is no such thing as society” in 1987.

Nicknamed the “Iron Lady” by the Soviet press after a 1976 speech declaring that “the Russians are bent on world dominance,” Thatcher later enjoyed a close working relationship with United States (U.S.) President Reagan, with whom she shared similar conservative views.

But the British cold warrior played a key role in ending the conflict by giving her stamp of approval to Soviet Communist reformer Mikhail Gorbachev shortly before he came to power.

“I like Mr. Gorbachev. We can do business together,” she declared in December 1984, three months before he became Soviet leader.

Having been right about Gorbachev, the late Mrs.

Thatcher came down on the wrong side of history after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, arguing against the reunification of East and West Germany.

Allowing the countries created in the aftermath of World War II to merge would be destabilising to the European status quo, and East Germany was not ready to become part of Western Europe, she insisted in January 1990.

President Goodluck Jonathan extend condolences on behalf of the Federal Government to the government and people of Great Britain on the death of the former Prime Minister.

In a statement signed by Dr. Reuben Abati, his Special Adviser on Media, Jonathan said: “Baroness Thatcher was one of the greatest world leaders of our time.”

Abati quoted his boss saying: “President Jonathan and Nigerians join the Thatcher family, citizens of Great Britain, members of the Commonwealth and all those in far-flung corners of the world whose lives were positively touched by her dynamic and forward-looking policies in mourning the passage of the celebrated first female British Prime Minister.

“The President believes that having already attained a legendary status in her lifetime after positively transforming Britain forever in her 11 and half years as Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher will, with her passage today, formally take her place in history as one Continued on page 61

‘Nobody killed my daughter’ Continued from page 1

Awe said: “That was when those of us who were close to her knew she had the ailment. She has been in and out of the country for one medical treatment or the other.

“One unique thing about her is that you would never know of her condition unless you were very close to her.

There were times when she returned from her medical treatment and came straight to Ekiti, and the next assignment would be on the rostrum to campaign to the people. She was always with us, and from 2009 to 2010 when we retrieved our mandate, she was very strong.

“What she went through was enough to terminate her life. As a liberator, she became a force among Ekiti women and she was always at the forefront.

“She battled cancer and finally succumbed to it. She would be greatly missed for her stabilising role.”

Describing Mrs. Olayinka as a committed party member, Awe said the late number two citizen demonstrated uncommon loyalty to her boss and worked assiduously to ensure the success of the administration.

He noted that Olayinka contributed immensely to the transformation being witnessed in the state, adding that she will be sorely missed by party members and the people of the state in general.

He said: “We don’t want our

people to start reading meanings to the death of our dear deputy governor. I am aware that she was diagnosed of cancer in 2009 and I also know that between then until she breathed her last on Saturday, she got the best of medical treatment both within and outside the country.”

“We in the party have submitted to the will of God on this sad incident.”

“We all know that when issues like this happen in Africa, people will continue to read meanings into it. They will say evil people have done their worst, that is, somebody somewhere must have killed her.

“Death is a necessary end we all believe it will come at one time or the other in one’s life. She was a strong woman who had been in and out of hospital several times, but her spirit was never broken.

“Her travail with sickness started to manifest in 2009 even when we were in the trenches and ever since, she had been in and out of the country to seek medical attention. We believe that it is the will of God. “Mrs. Olayinka was a dogged fighter and liberator, she was at the forefront for the fight for women emancipation and participation in politics.”

He pledged the readiness of the party to liaise with the state government and the family of the late deputy governor to give her a befitting Continued on page 61

Police detain four journalists over report on opposition leaders

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HAT appears to be an era of media intolerance is gradually creeping in. The police yesterday detained four journalists with a national daily - Leadership.

They are being detained at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, over their refusal to disclose the source of information in respect of a published story entitled: “Outrage trails presidential directive on Tinubu and APC”.

The story and a bromide containing the said presidential directive on leading opposition leaders in the country were recently published by the paper.

Troubled by the story, which it had denied, the Presidency, it was learnt. prompted the police to invite the authors.

Mrs. Chinyere Fred-Adebulugbe, Tony Amokeodo, Chibuzor Ukaibe and Chuks Ohuegbe reported at the Force Headquarters yesterday morning to honour the police’s invitation.

In a statement yesterday, the Group Managing Director,

•Amokeodo

By Eric Ikhilae

Leadership Group Limited, Azubuike Ishiekwene, confirmed the detention of the reporters.

The newspaper said it was standing by its story and urged the government to go to court if it was uncomfortable with the report.

It also said its officials, being trained journalists, would not betray the ethics of their profession by disclosing the source of their information, as being sought by the government.

The statement reads: “The

•Fred-Adebulugbe

•Ohuegbe

•Ukaibe

Director, Human Capital and former Leadership Sunday Editor, Mrs. Fred-Adegbulugbe, who led the journalists, said, ‘After the journalists finished writing statements, DIG Peter Gana suddenly excused himself on a call from IGP Mohammed Abubakar.

“We were later told that we would not be allowed to leave, except we produced the source of the story. It was clear that this was not the call of the police. It is from President Goodluck Jonathan.

“We told them that it would

be unethical to disclose our source and asked them to charge us to court, if they wanted.

“They said they wanted to have the document. We said the bromide had been published and wondered why they were making such a fuss, since they said the document was a work of fiction.

“They have made it clear that we would not be released, except we give them the document. We can’t get out. I was escorted to use the toilet after begging.

“This is a calculated and brazen affront on press freedom; we are bereft that a supposedly elected government will come this low.

“We demand the unconditional and immediate release of our journalists – Mrs. Chinyere Fred-Adebulugbe (Director, Human Capital); Chuks Ohuegbe (Managing Editor); Tony Amokeodo (Group News Editor); and ChibuzorUkaibe (a Politics Reporter).

“President Jonathan and his handlers need to tell Nigerians and the civilised world why

they have suddenly moved from describing the document as ‘fiction,’ to a do-or-die obsession with knowing the source; they need to tell Nigerians most of who now live in mortal fear of their personal safety and security, if clamping down on the press has now become a priority sport.

“On our part, we wish to restate our resolve to continue to hold the government to account as enshrined in Chapter 22 of the Constitution and to remain resolute in championing the course of press freedom and the Continued on page 61

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NEWS

National Theatre: House of Reps orders stay of action

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AWMAKERS have asked the Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Mr. Edem Duke, to stay action on the controversial plan to convert the National Arts Theatre into a hotel.

The House of Representatives directed the minister to stop the planned ejection of three agencies from the Complex.

Besides, the minister is to appear before it on April 18, with 35 copies of documents relating to the proposed concessioning arrangement.

Stakeholders have praised the House Committee on Culture and Tourism for stepping into the controversial concessioning of the 37-year old edifice.

All the stakeholders in the Arts industry will meet today at the Arts Theatre in Iganmu, Lagos on the proposed plans.

The House decided to intervene in the matter through its committee on

•Invites Culture Minister From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Culture and Tourism.

A letter, dated April 8, 2013 and signed by the Chairman of the Committee on Culture and Tourism, Chief Ben Nwankwo, said the House ought to be briefed on the inherent public interest in the planned development of the National Arts Theatre.

The letter, which was obtained by our correspondent, reads in part: “The attention of the House Committee on Culture and Tourism has been drawn to your intention to develop the National Theatre Land at Lagos under a concessioning arrangement, a move which we understood started since last year. “ There is no doubt the Committee supports any good initiative to develop the country’s tourism sec-

‘We, therefore, owe it a duty under this guise to guard the process, actions and intentions of the government on its integrity, due process and transparency, being the scrutiny mechanism and watchdog over processes and procedures of delivery of public goods and services’ tor, using cultural and heritage assets, especially when such arrangement is in the overall best interest of the economy and the people of Nigeria.

“It is, however, sad, indeed very sad that despite the demonstrable eagerness of the Committee to play its legislative role in enhancing the sector’s performance, you chose to isolate it from knowing the strategic direction or intent in order for it to exercise due legislative diligence upon such action or plan.

“I am constrained to state in the strongest term that the Parliament by the Constitution is the centre of accountability of the public administration system and through it, all MDAs, including the subject ministry and the parastatals therein are accountable to the people.

“We, therefore, owe it a duty under this guise to guard the process, actions and intentions of the government on its integrity, due process and transparency, being the scrutiny

mechanism and watchdog over processes and procedures of delivery of public goods and services.

“In furtherance of the forgoing therefore, Sir, I am to request you to brief the Leadership of the Committee with appropriate documents on the approvals of the development, scope and extent of the plan, the platform under which you will secure investors, outcome or benefits to the sector, the impact or effect of the planned development in the operation of the National Theatre, Lagos, including its workforce, evidence of due process in the appointment of Advisor including his or her credentials, work plan of the planned development, and of course a presentation of the subject master plan, showing the extent of the land earmarked for concessioning and what will be left of the National Theatre.

“The briefs including the

documents should be submitted in 35 copies on or before the meeting slated for Thursday, 18th April, 2013 at Room 1.33, House of Representatives by 2.00pm.

This scheduled meeting will precede the proper briefing of the entire Committee on a date to be announced later, please.

“It will be only expedient you agree with me, to stay the quit notice already served on the tenant parastatals until the Committee is fully brought in the picture of the public interest inherent in the planned development, which has regrettably generated confusions and controversies in certain quarters.

“I crave your full cooperation and understanding of the purpose of this communication and comply in the overall interest of the Sector and our country at large. Please, kindly accept the assurances of my esteemed regards.”

Kogi crisis: Echocho, ex-governor insist on court process

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FFORTS to reconcile Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State and his political rival, Mr. Jibrin Isa Echocho, failed yesterday, following the decision of the latter to stay away from a peace meeting convened by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih.

Echocho alongside a former acting governor of the state, Chief Clarence Olafemi, wrote Anenih and urged him to allow the Supreme Court to determine the fate of Governor Idris Wada.

Anenih called off the meeting–in deference to the court process.

The BoT chairman summoned the meeting as part of the ongoing reconciliation in the PDP. It was also gathered that the session was called to prevail on Echocho to withdraw his suit at the Supreme Court challenging the election of Wada.

The suit is said to be a distraction to the PDP administration in the state.

•Anenih cancels meeting with Wada, others From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

But in a joint letter to Anenih, Echocho and Olafemi said it was better for the apex court to determine Wada’s fate.

The letter, which was obtained by our correspondent, reads: “We wish to commend your sterling leadership quality, which has earned you the position of the Chairman, Board of Trustees, for the second time in the life of our great party. We are confident that you will be able to reposition the party to face future election challenges.

“Sir, we particularly wish to appreciate your concern on the state of affairs of the party in Kogi State, which informed your decision to arrange for a meeting on 8th April, 2013.

However, we have discussed extensively with our supporters and various issues were raised, some of which are presented as fol-

lows: “After the stakeholders’ meeting with the President and leader of the party in early December 2011, we all worked for PDP to win the general election. Immediately thereafter, the government descended on our supporters, with all forms of humiliation, intimidation, deprivation and exclusion.

“Some of them were retired prematurely and were deprived of their benefits.

Others that held various positions in government in the past have been denied their benefits. They have, therefore , resolved not to attend the said meeting.

However, we have appealed to them to continue their loyalty to the party.

This, they have assured us, and we strongly believe them.

“Our resolve to continue the court process up to the Supreme Court is a reflection of our belief that the issue before the court is a

PDP invites ministers

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has invited ministers to appear before its National Working Committee (NWC) to give account of their stewardship.

A statement by the Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday said the ministers would brief the NWC on their policies and projects as well as the activities of parastatals and agencies under their ministries and how they have impacted on the people.

According to Metuh, the briefings will hold from today to May 30.

Minister of Works Mr. Mike Onolomemen and his counterpart in Youth Development, Alhaji Inuwa Abdulkadir, are billed to appear before the NWC today.

The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe,

CORRECTION

‘In furtherance to its determination to ensure that all apparatuses of government fully deliver on their mandates, all federal ministers have been invited to appear before the NWC to give comprehensive account of their stewardship’ From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

and Mines and Steel Development, Mallam Mohammed Musa Sada, are to brief the NWC on April 11.

“In furtherance to its determination to ensure that all apparatuses of government fully deliver on their mandates, all federal ministers

purely constitutional matter. Ours is not the first of such to be handled by the court.

“Previous cases handled by the courts have further helped to deepen the democratic system in the country.

“We believe that the judgment of the Supreme Court on our matter will assist PDP in the conduct of her affairs at all levels, as part of her leadership role to build a virile and sustainable democratic system.

“We believe that in view of the public attention that has been drawn by our case, any interference in the court process will ridicule us, Kogi State, and PDP. “In view of the foregoing, we wish to passionately appeal to you, to exempt us from the meeting scheduled to hold on Monday while reassuring you that our supporters remain absolutely loyal to PDP.” As of press time, it was gathered that the meeting

•Metuh

have been invited to appear before the NWC to give comprehensive account of their stewardship to the Nigerian people in pursuance of the mandate given to President Goodluck Jonathan and the manifesto of the PDP”, the statement added.

Paragraph 13 and 14 of our second lead story on Page 31 of today’s edition should have read: This is despite the fact that Chapter 353 of the Laws of the Federation, 1990 provides for death sentence or a prison term of not more than 21 years for anyone convicted of an oil theft, vandalism, and not - provides for only a maximum of 21 years in prison for anyone convicted — of pipeline vandalisation or oil theft.

The law in question is the Petroleum Production and Distribution (PDD) (Anti Sabotage) Act of 1975 The mix-up is regretted.

– Editor

had been cancelled.

A source close to the BOT chairman said: “The meeting has been cancelled because stakeholders have insisted on legal option than political solution. In deference to the court process, Chief Anenih called off the meeting.”

•Echocho

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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NEWS

Ajimobi, Aregbesola, Mimiko visit Fayemi over deputy’s death •Imoke, Afe Babalola, Ita-Giwa, Oshun extol Olayinka’s virtues

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OVERNORS Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo) and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) yesterday visited their Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to condole with him on the death of his deputy, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka.

Mrs. Olayinka died of cancer on Saturday at the St. Nicholas Hospital in Lagos.

She was 52.

Ajimobi, who was accompanied by his wife, Florence, described the late Mrs. Olayinka as “a lady of substance, who lived an exemplary life and achieved much for her age”.

Mimiko, who was accompanied by his wife, Olukemi, and some top officials of the Ondo State Government, described the deceased as “a strong pillar in the Fayemi administration”, adding that her death was a great loss to the state and the nation.

He said the late Mrs. Olayinka was active in the struggle that led to the enthronement of the Fayemi administration.

Mimiko said death is inevitable and will come at God’s time. He urged women to check their breasts regularly to detect any abnormality early.

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola also visited Fayemi on Sunday evening.

He said Mrs. Olayinka had gone to rest with the Lord and urged Ekiti people to support the governor and the deceased’s family.

Aregbesola said only God can fill the gap her death has created.

•From left: Aregbesola; Oba Adejugbe and Fayemi during the governors’ visit to the monarch ... on Sunday.

Signing the condolence register at the Government House in Ado-Ekiti, he said it was “such a pain to lose a polished, smart and diligent person like Mrs. Olayinka”.

Aregbesola said: “Conscious of the transience of life, we are consoled by the fact that her short life was very eventful and successful. We pray for eternal bliss in the bosom of God and the grace of God for her family.”

Aregbesola and Fayemi visited the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, around 10pm on Sunday night to condole with him.

Legal icon and founder of the Afe Babalola University, AdoEkiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) said the late Mrs. Olayinka served Ekiti people with all she had.

Babalola said ABUAD is working in partnership with a foreign university to establish a Department of Pharmaceutical Science and carry out researches on a possible cure for cancer.

Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke, in his condolence message, said: “Although words seem inadequate to express the sorrow felt by her loss, we must focus on the memories of her good works and life-long achievements.”

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa described the late Mrs. Olayinka as “a down-to-earth, dedicated and people’s politician, who was humble and knowledgeable”.

In a statement, she said: “Mrs. Olayinka was one of the few women that ventured into politics at a time when Nigeria needs independent and strongwilled women to help in na-

tion-building. On the few occasions that I met her, I saw a very humble and totally committed woman, who worked very well and cooperatively with her principal.

“I commiserate with Fayemi, who lost a partner in the development of the state, and the good people of Ekiti, who bestowed a traditional title on me. I pray that God gives them a good replacement for her. I call for more opportunities for women in politics, not only as deputy governors, but as governors.”

Chairman of the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) Adewale Oshun urged the government to provide effective and efficient health care services for the masses.

Oshun described the late Mrs. Olayinka as a courageous

Woman demands release of daughter’s body •Seeks help to educate victim’s four children

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RS. Rachael Olajiga (60), the mother of the woman who was killed last Tuesday by a policeman in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has urged the government to release her daughter’s body to the family for burial.

Mrs. Olajiga called for assistance to educate the deceased’s four children. She said the deceased’s husband died in 2009 and her children have become orphans.

Her daughter, Mrs. Oluwaseun Sunday (30), was hit by a bullet when a police constable, Abdul Alonge, shot at the vehicle conveying her.

When The Nation visited Mrs. Olajiga’s home at No. 9, Idofin Street in Supare-Akoko, she said: “I did not know she came to bid me farewell when she visited me on Tuesday morning. We were together until 7am when she boarded a vehicle to Akure. The vehicle took off in my presence.”

The house was filled with sympathisers, who came to condole with the family.

Mrs. Olajiga said the late Mrs. Sunday, who lives at No. 5, Ugbe Street in Supare-Akoko, was the fourth of her six children.

She said the deceased was “hardworking and very caring”, adding that she brought gifts for the family during the Easter celebration.

Mrs. Olajiga said her late

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

daughter sold pepper, tomatoes, okro and vegetables for a living, adding that she was in Akure to buy these items when she met her death.

She said: “I became worried when she did not return on time and sat in front of the house, asking familiar faces whether they heard anything from her or the friend that followed her on the trip, but, unfortunately, nobody had an answer for me.

“Around 8pm, a motorcycle conveying two young men and a commercial vehicle parked in front of my house.

The driver of the vehicle and the young men alighted and told me that my daughter was involved in an accident. They said she was critically injured.

“Five men in my family left for Akure that night, but when they returned at 12am, the story had changed from accident to death by the bullet of a policeman, who I learnt also hails from Akokoland.

“I learnt that when the driver of the vehicle that took my daughter and her friend to Akure did not return to pick them up and it was getting late, they negotiated with another driver, who agreed to carry them, but said he had to pick up some people first in Akure town.

“To secure their space in the vehicle, I learnt that my daughter went into town with the

driver, while her friend stayed in the market with their goods.

That was how she met her death.”

Mrs. Olajiga, in tears, said: “My daughter was very good to me. She was always concerned about my welfare. Her death is a great shock to me.

“I am not interested in pursuing any legal case against the culprit; God will judge him accordingly. What I desire now is the release of my daughter’s body and what the government would do to ensure that the education of her four children does not stop.

“Their father died in 2009 and, now, their hardworking mother has been killed. Who will take care of them? Her first born, Oluwatosin, is in Primary Six and preparing for Secondary School.

I want the government to help me. My daughter wanted her children to be well-educated.”

The deceased’s friend, who went to Akure with her, Miss.

Biodun Michael, could not hold back tears when she narrated her experience on that fateful day.

Miss. Michael hails from Okene in Kogi State but was born in Supare. She described the deceased as “an exceptional being, who was loved by many people in their neighbourhood”.

Miss. Michael said: “We travelled to Akure in the morning and finished all we wanted to do in the market before noon, but we could not get a vehicle to bring us and our goods back to Supare.

My friend became agitated when

•Mrs. Olajiga

we were yet to get a vehicle at almost 5pm. She said her mother would be worried.

“We approached one of our customers in the market, who discussed with a driver that brought gari to the market. The driver said he was going back to Akoko that day and agreed to take us, but said he had to pick up some passengers and drop some goods in town.

“My friend decided to follow the driver to town to secure our space. When it was getting late and I did not hear from her and the driver, I became worried and went to the woman that connected us to the driver. She phoned him and the reply I got was shocking.

“The man said my friend had been shot by a policeman and they were rushing her to the hospital. When we got to town, I only saw blood and her slippers. I ran into the bush and people ran after me. They seized me and later handed me over to some people from Akoko, who brought me home.

“Her death is very painful to me. She brought me back to life over a year ago when I was depressed and has always stood by me.”

Oluwatosin only managed to say: “We will miss our mummy.”

woman, who preferred to be treated in a Nigerian hospital although she had other choices.

He said: “We are all in God’s hands, but those in government should ensure that our medical services are of international standard.

“Funmi believed strongly in Nigeria and that must have informed her decision to be treated in the country. With her death, you can see that sometimes we pay heavily for what we believe in.

“Funmi was the first ARG chairman in Ekiti State. She was a principled fighter and a very loyal person. All we can do is pray for her family as well as the good people of Ekiti State.”

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Lagos State said the party has lost “a priceless jewel and a courageous woman of class and beauty”.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, ACN said: “The death of our beloved Deputy Governor of Ekiti State is like a dagger in our hearts.

The pain is deep and our wounds will take years to heal.”

The management of the Federal Polytechnic, AdoEkiti, also commiserated with the governor.

In a statement, the institution’s spokesman, Mr. Ade Adeyemi-Adejolu, described the late Mrs. Olayinka as “a warm, humble and brilliant woman, who displayed an astute sense of purpose”.

In her honour, flags in the institution were flown at halfmast, programmes were rescheduled and the monthly staff prayer meeting on Monday was held with soberness.

The Rector, Mrs. Taiwo Akande prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul.

Olukoya splashes N40m on First Class graduates

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HE General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry (MFM), Dr. Daniel Olukoya, has given N40 million to members of the church, who graduated with First Class degrees from different universities across the country.

At the weekend, 77 outstanding graduates smiled home with N500,000 each.

The event took place at the church’s Prayer City on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

This is the third time Dr. Olukoya is rewarding academic excellence.

Last year, First Class graduates went home with a car each.

This year, the number of outstanding graduates increased from 15 to 77.

Pastor Shade Olukoya, who presented the gifts to the beneficiaries, praised them for dedicating their time to their studies and God. She said:”This is a reward for hard work, dedication to duty and above all, service to God and mankind.”

The Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Akin Osibogun, who also presented some of the gifts to the graduates, praised the leadership of the church for “the unique award”.

He said it would encourage students to be dedicated to their studies and serve God.

Student killed in Ogbomoso accident

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200-Level Science and Laboratory Technology student of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) was yesterday knocked down by a lorry in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

The Nation gathered that the victim, who is yet to be identified, was on a commercial motorcycle when he was hit by a lorry at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) petrol station close to the institution.

When the news reached the campus, students in their thousands took to the streets in protest.

The peaceful protest ended up at the campus where the students were addressed by the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof.

Sulaiman Gbadegesin.

Though, police were said to have waded in to prevent a breakdown of law and order, no casualty was reported.

Man sells son for N350,000

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HAT is the worth of a baby boy? To Mr. Onyekachi Ekwelum (26), it is N350,000.

That was the cash he got for his only son, who he sold to procure a visa to Greece.

Ekwelum’s 20-year-old wife, Ozioma, blew the lid off the scandal by reporting to the police that her husband had sold their six-month-old son.

Abia State Police Commissioner Usman Tilli Abubakar told reporters that Mrs. Ekwelum reported the case to them and, after investigations, the boy was rescued from his “buyers” and handed over to his mother in good health.

The commissioner said all the suspects in connection with the incident had been arrested.

Abubakar said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

The police chief also said Mr. Chidiebere Samuel of Ovurungwu village in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area reported to the police on March 4 that his wife, Odinakachi, connived with a nurse to sell a baby girl she was delivered of.

The nurse, who delivered Odinikachi of the baby, was identified as Monica Benjamin.

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

According to him, the baby was sold for N150,000. He said the police have recovered the baby and arrested the suspects.

Abubakar said another case of child trafficking was reported to the police by Mr. Oluchukwu Ogidi of Anayo Nkwogu Amaoji in Ngwa, Isiala Ngwa North, who alleged that his wife, Kelechi, connived with Dr. Williams Oruwa, who delivered her of a baby boy, to sell the baby for N300,000.

He said during their raid on the hospital, three expectant women - Blessing Okwu (21), Janet Ogbonna (20) and Chinenye Onuoha (23) - being harboured by the doctor were arrested.

Abubakar said they are the prosecution’s witnesses in the trial of the suspects.

He said all the suspects had been charged to court.

The police commissioner spoke of Uchechukwu Gabriel and his wife, Nneoma, who were arrested for selling their baby girl to an unknown buyer for N200,000.

The buyer has not been identified.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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NEWS Jonathan appoints administrator for agency From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Dr. Shehu Abubakar Misau as the Administrator of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Abuja.

The appointment is for a four-year term that could be renewed for another four years, subject to performance.

A statement in Abuja by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Tope Ajakaiye, explained that before his appointment, Dr. Misau had been the Acting Administrator of the institute since 2009.

Labour shelves pensioners’ protest

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HE nationwide pensioners’ strike scheduled to begin tomorrow has been shelved following a meeting between the Presidency and Labour at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, last night.

At the parley, chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, were: Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim and Labour and Productivity Minister, Emeka Wogu.

Others at the meeting included President-General of CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, MR. MADU UCHE GOLD and MR. MADUFORO GIDEON UCHE are one and the same person, now wish to be known and addressed as MR. MADU UCHE GOLD. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as Tolulope Ibitola OLUDEMI now wish to be know and addressed as Tolulope Ibitola ADESOLA. All former documents remain valid.

Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, GTBank,National Youth Service Corps and the general public should take note.

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From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu

the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Peter Esele; Acting President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Issa Aremu and 10 other labour leaders.

The President raised a committee to look into the grievances of the pensioners, after listening to the demands of labour.

Representing the government on the committee are: Head of Service (HOS), Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, Anyim, Wogu, the State House Counsel and the Director-General of the Budget Office.

The labour leaders could not name their representatives at yesterday’s meeting.

They sought for more time to meet and nominate their representatives.

President Jonathan had assured that check-off dues of members would henceforth be remitted to appropriate quarters.

The organised Labour had prepared for tomorrow’s nationwide protest over unresolved pension scam, which has caused a lot of suffering among public service retirees.

In a statement yesterday, the President-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Peter Esele, urged affiliates of the congress to mobilise their members for the protest march in solidarity with pensioners.

The statement, co-signed by Esele and TUC Secretary-General, Musa Lawal, said the protest march would hold simultaneously in Abuja and Lagos.

Merger: ACN notifies INEC on April 18 convention T HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday said it has notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on plans to hold its National Convention in Lagos on April 18.

ACN Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed told reporters in Abuja that the party had spelt out in its notification letter to INEC that the merger of progressive parties into the All Progressives Congress (APC) is part of the agenda for the convention.

The party’s spokesman explained that INEC had also accepted to witness the convention.

Asked whether the APC was considering a change of name, following the recent altercations on the acronym by other groups that applied to INEC for the registration, Mohammed said the party would not change its acronym.

INEC had written to deny the registration of a group, African People’s Congress, which shares the same acronym with APC. But the merged parties comprising the ACN, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), described

•APC harmonises manifesto, constitution From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

the acronym as their intellectual property.

Mohammed explained yesterday that if the All Progressives Congress followed the agitation of other groups on the registration of the acronym, it would have become confusing now that another group has registered APCN, an acronym the merged party was initially advised to adopt.

The ACN spokesman said following the realisation that some interest groups and political parties were planning to ambush APC, the constituent parties decided to play safe to avoid any loopholes in its merging procedures.

He said: “I think you are all under this misconception. I keep saying that the process for registration is different from the process for merger. Now, what are the loopholes that we should look for? When somebody wants to ambush you, he would try his best to ambush

you. You are the one that should ensure staying on the straight path.

“As far as we are concerned, regarding merger parties, we are following the rule, the law to the letter. And not once did INEC ever say that we ought to have done something and we did not do it. As of today, ACN has given a letter - a notice of convention - to INEC for its National Convention on April 18 in Lagos. INEC has replied that it will witness it.

“They know that at that convention we are going to discuss, among other things, merging and becoming APC. As far as we are concerned, we have done all these things. You see, some people are behind these controversies. They say, ‘Why don’t you change your name to APCN of ACP. Yesterday (Sunday), we heard that some people had gone again to register APCN. “So, if we had not stood our ground to say that we were going to follow the law and the constitution, we would just be

jumping from place to place and we would not be doing anything. As far as we are concerned, we are following the law.

“As I am speaking to you, CPC is also to hold its convention and it will now pass a resolution to become APC. The same applies to ANPP. As I am speaking to you now, everybody is in this meeting. We are fine-tuning our constitution and manifesto because before you write a letter to INEC, you must be ready with the manifesto, constitution, slogan and logo of the party. These must be attached to the letter.”

Asked why members of ANPP were rejecting APC, Mohammed explained that it was ANPP members who were sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that denied the APC. He added that the political heavyweights in the ANPP were present at yesterday’s meeting where the merging parties harmonised the drafts of APC manifesto and constitution.

The harmonised documents, said the ACN scribe, would be presented to the party leadership for ratification.

Police: we are closing in on Asadu’s killers From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

•The late Asadu

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HE police authorities yesterday said they were closing in on the killers of Kwara State former Police Commissioner Chinweike Asadu, who was killed by gunmen in his Enugu home last month.

Deputy Force Pulic Relations Officer Frank Mba said the police have made tremendous

breakthrough in the investigation on the killing.

He explained that because of the sensitive nature of the case, the police were keeping the progress on its investigation close to their chests.

According to him, some of the gang members, who allegedly killed Asadu, are still at large.

Mba said publicising the progress of the investigation might make them to remain on the run.

He said: “We are deliberately keeping the investigation

A

under wraps in order not to jeopardise what we are doing or open up so that other suspects, who participated in the murder, who we are closing in on, would not find out the slightest clue and run away.

“Those who killed Chinweike have murdered sleep and they will not sleep again. We are closing in on them and, very soon, we will tell the whole world what happened.”

The spokesman said the police were worried about the indreasing number of unprovoked attacks and killing of police officers in in the country, including the recent killing of some police officers in Bayelsa

State.

According to him, the police management team is designing a new operational order that will reduce the spate of attacks on police officers and other security personnel in the country.

Mba added: “The challenges are not unsurmountable and we will cross over it. We believe that it is unfair for people to see police officers on official assignments as ready targets to be brutally murdered.

“Even with the killings, the Nigeria Police Force will not be forced into abdicating its primary duty of providing security for Nigerians. We will soon be on top of the situation.”

Akingbola seeks court’s permission to travel abroad for treatment

former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), Erastus Akingbola, yesterday applied to a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, for its permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.

The application, dated March 19, was filed by his counsel, Mr Mike Igbokwe (SAN), before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

The embattled bank chief is on trial with Bayo Dada, the General Manager of Tropics Finance Limited, for allegedly stealing N47.1 billion belonging to Intercontinental Bank.

Igbokwe sought the court’s permission for Akingbola to keep a medical appointment on April 15 at Harley Street Hospital, London, the United Kingdom.

By Adebisi Onanuga

The lawyer averred that permitting Akingbola to travel for the treatment would not jeopardise the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) case against the former bank chief.

Igbokwe said: “Medical appointments are fixed by doctors and this application is not meant to induce the court to exercise its discretion in the first defendant’s favour.

“The application is to enable the first defendant (Akingbola) quickly go for the treatment and come back for his trial.”

Akingbola and Dada have also filed two separate applications seeking the variation of their bail terms.

The defendants, in the ap-

plications dated March 23, prayed the court to remove the mandatory report to the EFCC’s office every Monday from their bail terms.

EFCC counsel Mr Godwin Obla (SAN) objected to the applications.

The prosecution lawyer said he needed time to respond and file a further affidavit to some of the issues raised by the defendants in their applications.

The judge, after taking the submissions of the prosecuting counsel, held that a short adjournment was necessary for the court to decide if it would grant Akingbola the permission to travel for the treatment.

Onigbanjo adjourned the matter till tomorrow to hear the arguments of the prosecutor and the defendants.

‘Cultists’ kill patent medicine dealer in Benue

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EN gunmen, suspected to be members of a cult group, yesterday killed a 30-year-old patent store dealer in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

Police spokesman Daniel Ezeala, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told The Nation that the suspected cultists

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

stormed the patent medicine store on David Mark Bypass at 8pm.

He said the gunmen shot into the air to scare away the residents and shot their target several times in the head before they abandoned him in his pool

of blood.

Ezeala expressed surprise that the Magistrate’s Court often granted bail to suspected cultists on murder charges.

The police spokesman said the war against cultists would be defeated if they continued to enjoy easy bail after committing heinous crimes.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

BUSINESS NEWS

Nigeria’s GDP rebasing likely delayed until 2014

T

HE rebasing of Niger ia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is expected to increase the estimated size of the country’s economy by around 40 per cent, is likely to be delayed until next year, the Head of the Statistics Bureau said yesterday.

The recalculation will enable Nigeria to join the ranks of middle-income countries and put it much closer in size to South Africa, the continent’s most developed economy. It will also make it an even bigger draw for foreign investors seeking a slice of Africa’s fast growth rates.

But several deadlines to implement the changes have been missed, with the latest being the fourth quarter of this year.

“It is unlikely that even the target of the last quarter (this year) we will make it,” Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Yemi Kale told Reuters.

“I underestimated how much work needs to be done.

I think everyone understands that this is very, crucial and has to be done properly,” Kale said when explaining the delay.

Most governments overhaul GDP calculations about every five years to reflect changes in output and consumption, such as mobile phones and the Internet. Nigeria has not done so since 1990.

The rebasing is expected to add about 40 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP, which would

boost the economy from roughly $250 billion, to around $350 billion.

That brings it very close to South Africa’s currently $385 billion economy. And, with a growth rate of over six per cent a year, compared with three per cent in South Africa, Nigeria may eventually overtake its rival to seize the top spot.

Some economists warn that a sharp increase in the size of Nigeria’s economy will mean slower growth.

“You’d expect that the bigger the economy, the slower the growth, but I don’t think it is as easy as that,” Kale said.

“Regardless of what our GDP is, we are still going to be small enough to produce even sharper growth rates.”

Sectors like telecommunications, construction, hotels and entertainment should get a greater weighting after rebasing, but agriculture, which currently makes up around 40 per cent of GDP and 60 per cent of jobs, is likely to decrease in influence.

“Growth in agriculture is largely subsistence, largely labor intensive, so there is a limit to how much you can grow. We know that capital intensive technology probably generates more output than labor intensive technology,” Kale said.

He said the oil and gas sector, which contributes around 80 per cent of government revenues, is expected to maintain a similar weighting of around 15 per

• Shamsudeen Usman, Minister of National Planning

cent.

A larger estimated economy would most likely boost interest in Nigerian stocks, especially goods companies looking to unlock the consumer potential of the nation’s economy.

It will also improve Nigeria’s debt to GDP ratio, currently around 16 per cent. But Nigeria’s tax revenues, seen as woeful for a country of this size, will look even smaller.

Foreign aid donors may also find it harder to justify giving support to Nigeria if it becomes a middle-income state.

Despite roaring growth rates, 61 per cent of Nigerians, or 100 million people still live in absolute poverty.

“It is very clear that middle-income is growing, it is very clear that consumption is improving. The major problem is ensuring that this is broad based,” Kale said.

NEPC seeks for more funding

N

IGERIA Export Pro motion Council (NEPC) has called for adequate funding in its quest to promote the export of non-oil export.

Its Board Chairman, Mrs. Grace Clark, stated this yesterday at the on-going fourday retreat in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. She said if the board relies only on its budgetary allocation from the government, its dreams of cutting down the country’s dependent on oil may be defeated and the idea of having a fall back on the non-oil sector to finance the economy may not be achieved.

She said: “Funding is a huge task, but we are looking at initiative to make our own internally generated revenue. We do not need to depend on the budgetary allocation, we have to generate our own money.

“We are trying to break Nigeria’s dependency on oil, everybody is talking oil, and if you follow the research that has been gong on world wide, very soon

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

oil product will fall. If it falls, what do we fall back to, we fall back to non-oil and that is what we are trying to empower to make sure that non-oil exporters are well known all over the world.” Mrs. Clark stated.

“We are not receiving all our funding that are due us,” she said, adding that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is supposed to be contributing 10 per cent of its resources to NEPC. She said: “We have not receive it. It has restrained us, we want to be part of the President’s transformation agenda and you can’t do it with words; we have a lot of things we have to promote and we had to promote it with funds.

“We do exhibitions, support manufacturers, exporters, we advise and provide them with expertise and technical support on how to promote their products so that they can compete fa-

vourably in global market, but if we don’t have this resources, how can we carry out all these things, stressing, “ we can’t do it with words.”

On guiding the sector from corrupt practices, Mrs Clark assured manufacturers and exporters, of the council’s readiness to block all loop- holes so that what is experienced in other sectors would not be repeated in the non-oil sector.

Her words: “We will not fall into the trap of corruption, we are going to set principles and polices that would checkmate what we think will be fraudulent activities so that it would not be like what obtains elsewhere.

“This is a fall back to the oil economy and we are trying to make it as important, if not more important than the oil economy. We will do our duties diligently to make sure we block all the holes that would allow any fraudulent activity,” she stressed.

Naira falls on demand before auction

T

HE naira retreated for the first time in five days as demand for dollars increased before the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) first foreign-exchange auction of the week.

The naira depreciated 0.1 per cent to N157.60 per dollar yesterday, its biggest decline since March 28, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The CBN sold $237 million

at an auction on April 3, its only sale of foreign currency last week because of a public holiday. That compared with $576.6 million sold in the previous week. The apex bank offers foreign currency at auctions Mondays and Wednesdays to maintain exchangerate stability.

“There was increased demand for the dollar yesterday as there was only one auction last week,” Sewa Wusa, Head

of Research at Sterling Capital Limited., said by phone yesterday.

Borrowing costs on Nigeria’s local-currency debt due January, 2022 rose two basis points to 10.91 per cent, according to April 5 prices compiled by the Financial Markets Dealers Association. Yields on Nigeria’s $500 million of Eurobonds due January, 2021 declined six basis points to 4.23 per cent yesterday.

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PROPERTY

Tuesday, APRIL 9 , 2013

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

* The Environment * Mortgage * Apartments * Security * Homes * Real Estate

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

In 2004, the Federal Government dispossessed the Abesan Town allotees of their land despite satisfying all requirements. In 2007, the government realised its mistake and promised to return the land to them. Six years after, the allottees are still waiting on the government, writes SEYI ODEWALE

Will they get their land back?

•Trespassers already building on the land.

P

A Olusegun Akinola, a pensioner, is distressed. Instead of enjoying his 20-year-old retirement, he is faced with the battle of his life. Before retiring in 1993, Akinola keyed into a Federal Government housing scheme, which began in 1987. Thirteen years after he was allocated the land, the Federal Government took it from him.

“Since then, I have been running from pillar to post because of this land, which

was duly allocated to me after I had paid the necessary money and got all the papers that entitled me to the land. Thank God, I have another place to rest my head. You could imagine what would have happened to me,” he lamented.

Tagged Aboru Federal Housing Scheme, which later became Abesan Town Project, Akinola put all he had into the project. It was then known as Site and Services Scheme. But his hopes were dashed. In 2004,

bulldozers demolished everything he had on the land.

Akinola is not alone, his compatriot and long time friend, Pa Olasunkanmi Adepoju, suffered a similar fate. His building was also demolished. So was that of Uche Obirai, whose in-laws are calling for his head because they think he ‘duped’ them; the money he spent on the land was said to be his in-laws. They have taken him to court.

There are many others with the same sour tales. About 636 plots allocated to them were seized in 2004 by the then Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Mobolaji Osomo.

According to Akinola, the government provided the land in the Site and Services Scheme, which was bought by the allottees to build specified structures on.

•Continued on page 18

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Will they get their land back?

•Continued from page 17

Government was to provide road network, maintenance of the estate and other sundry things.

“It was originally meant to be like others before it where the structures were built by the government and later sold to the beneficiaries. But paucity of funds, according to the government, brought about the site and services scheme where we bought the land from the government and built to its specification. The scheme is in three categories: low, medium and high density,” he said.

But Mrs Osomo vide a ‘stop construction order,’ issued on her behalf to the allottees threw a spanner into the scheme. The order read in part: “The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. A. M. Osomo is happy to inform you that the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has graciously approved the construction of the Abesan New Town under the 1976 Land acquisition act No 13 Vol. 63 of March 11. The construction will commence on or before the end of August 2004 by the grace of God. The estimated completion time and sale of completed units is 18 months. For planning and documentation purposes, you are requested to submit the following documents to establish your stake and your enabling authority: Letter of allocation; certificate of occupancy(C of O); approved building plan and any other relevant documents.”

A few months later, the allottees were declared illegal occupants through a letter dated December 9, 2004. Consequently, their structures were demolished and their ownership of the land put in abeyance. For almost 10 years their fate has continued to hang in the balance. Uncertainty became their lot. They became victims of what some of them termed ‘executive

•Akinola

•Adepoju

lawlessness’; lands duly allocated to them were taken away from them in one fell swoop with an executive fiat.

A few among them had died, while others are still hopeful that their case is not lost. What seemed a ray of light appeared at the end of the tunnel for them on October 17, 2007, when a letter signed by a Deputy Director (Land Administration), G.T.N. Tabansi, addressed to the chairman of the allottees, informed them that the government has “approved that the affected people (as contained in our records) should repossess their plots”.

The letter went further: “In order to enhance smooth possession, the Cadastral Survey Unit has been directed to assist in relocating or re-establishing the beacons after sighting the original documents earlier given to you. I am therefore directed to request from you a comprehensive list of the affected people with the addresses of such properties.”

However, since then nothing has been forthcoming on the part of the ministry.

Recounting their woes, Pa Akinola, who is the Vice Chairman of the allottees, said their plights were compounded with the encroachment of the land by the Omo Onile, who sold every piece of the land shortly after the demolition exercise of 2004 was carried out.

“As you know, nature abhors vacuum, the Omo Onile of the area encroached massively into the land and sold everything. Prior to this, there was a civil suit challenging the Federal Government at the Federal High Court, Lagos, filled by the Omo Onile over the ownership of the land. The Omo Onile won the case.This emboldened them to take possession of the land and sell it. But the government later challenged it at the Court of Appeal and the appellate court set aside the ruling of the lower court and said the land belonged to the government, having acquired it and paid full compensation to the Omo Onile,” Pa Akinola said.

In a letter by the allottees’ solicitors, Kunle Fadipe& Co. to the Minister of Works, Housing and Development, Ms Ammal Pepple,

dated March 3, this year, the minister was reminded of the pending promise to reinstate the allottees to their land. Fadipe quoted the October 17, 2007 letter signed on behalf of the minister by one Tabansi, a deputy director in the ministry, assuring the allottees of the ministry’s resolve to reinstate them back to their land. He said the obvious reason for the long delay was the pending law suit at the Court of Appeal, which was recently decided in favour of the Federal Government in a Suit No. CA/L/563/08.

“The pendency of the suit in court probably made it impossible for the Federal Government to restore our clients back to the land. Now that the major obstacle has been removed, it is our clients’ prayer that you would kindly see the need to do the needful at this time,” Fadipe wrote.

However, attempts to reinstate them, unfortunately, did not go far. The reason for this has remained unclear. In February 2008, one Olakunde A. D. on behalf of the Federal Controller, Urban and Regional Development Department of the ministry, Abesan Zonal Office, wrote a letter inviting them to a meeting to discuss strategies and logistics, but it yielded no meaningful results.

“This is why we are appealing to the ministry to do the needful and restore our land to us,” Akinola said.

Abesan Zonal Office Director, Mr Tayo Adeoya, in a telephone chat with The Nation declined to comment on the matter. He said he was barred as a civil servant to talk to press. “I cannot talk to you on that matter. Please see the controller who will give you an update on that matter. You know I am a civil servant,” he said.

Earlier attempts to see the Controller at the ministry’s Moloney annex office, Onikan, Lagos were unsuccessful as his aides said he was not available. Even when The

Nation reporter went with the allottees who requested to meet him last month, he was said to be unavailable.

Investigations, however, showed that the ministry was willing to get the issue done with, but what is delaying the process is the political will to do it. “The issue has been the albatross of the government and it will want to save its face by reinstating the allottees to their land. What may, however, delay this process is the illegal occupation of the land by those who bought the land from the Omo Onile,” said a source who does not want his name in print.

The source also said: “This should not be a problem for the government to tackle. What should be done is that since an appeal court judgment has declared government as the bona fide owner of the land, what is left for the government is to take possession and reinstate the original allottees.”

An unconfirmed source also revealed that the land appeared to be enmeshed in a web of litigation as one of those that bought the property from the Omo Onile has been dragged to court by them (Omo Onile) for failing to pay their balance.

Whatever might have been the case, the allottees believe that the wrong done them can still be redress. “Some of us have died, some are dying, some do not have the means to embark on such projects again and we are not growing younger. At least, I can count on my finger tips about four of our members who have died. They died frustrated by an anti-people decision and the only thing to make them happy in their grave and those of us alive is to restore the land to us. Our hope lies in a meeting we have scheduled with the Minister and the Director of Land Administration on the 25th of this month in Abuja. We hope the meeting will yield positive results and put our minds at rest,” Akinola said, showing copies of the letters sent to the two principal officers of the ministry.

up a UK bank account, city and area orientation, car purchase/lease and school search services.

The 2012 winner, Property Management Agency of the year in the UK, said the firms consistent level of personalised service has seen both landlords and tenants renewing their agreements. He said that their knowledge of the importance of maintenance of property and its relationship

to increasing the value of investment to attract the right tenants are the reasons they assign property managers to each property in their stable.

This, he said, is to ensure that a particular property is ready for letting and also looked after. These also includes sorting out rent collection, tax matters, organising insurance cover, settling utility bills, among others.

How to own property in London, by firm

W

ANT to own a property in London? Your dream may soon come true through a popular acquisition agency in the United Kindom (UK).

Daniel Ford International is dangling comprehensive real estate services to Nigerians to encourage them to own properties in London ease.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Yemi Edun, who spoke with reporters in Lagos, said the firm’s services were geared towards obtaining the best value for the buyer while also saving him time.

He said: “We manage the acquisition process on our clients’ behalf providing them with the direction and assistance they require when buying, renting or investing in London. Our typical clients are first time buyers; buy to– let landlords; developers; overseas/offshore buyers; clients looking to buy at the auction and ‘cash rich time poor’ investors like footballers and artists.”

He said the firm has an edge in adding value to properties bought at auctions featured regularly on a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) programme ‘Homes under the Hammer’.

Besides, Edun said their services are tailored to cater for the needs of clients, such as non-UK residents, high net worth global investors keen to invest in the dynamic London real estate market and UK residents looking to buy in particular locations.

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst. Editor

“Our strong network and knowledge of the London property market has provided a platform for numerous offshore and high net worth clients to achieve the purchase of their dream homes. Our business is tailored to our clients’ need and guarantees success,” he added.

On the best takes in the UK property market, he said auctioned properties still represent one of the best ways to acquire properties at a better rate than market rate. “However a working knowledge of the process and the best properties to go for, are keys in this fast moving market,” he stressed.

On financing, the Daniel Ford international boss maintained that regardless of the client’s financial circumstances, finding the most appropriate finance arrangement for clients’ property purchase is essential and can sometimes prove to be rather hectic.

But he added that through their relationships with several financial institutions, his firm can conveniently provide specialists’ property finance advice to ease these challenges and work out a financial package tailored to suit specific needs.

The firm’s specific services, he said, include private rental and relocation services. According to him, choosing to move locations has remained one of the most difficult decisions for some

•Property to let in Beech Hill, London.

individuals and families, but he maintained that the company is there to ensure that the process is as smooth and stress-free as possible.

Some of the targeted services in this category he said, include personalised property search, business purchase search, recommendations on areas to live based on lifestyle, property management, bill paying and maintenance.

Others, according to him, are setting

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

19

COMMENTARY FROM OTHER LANDS

EDITORIALS

It’s North Korea, Again

Iron Lady passes •Margaret Thatcher was a prime minister who failed Africa but helped capitalism

T

HE passing of the iron Lady of British politics, Margaret Thatcher, yesterday, at age 87, has sent shockwaves around the world. Many have praised her for her quintessential politics: hardheaded, defiant and audacious. In her eleven and a half years at the top of British politics, many of her fans and Western analysts have serenaded her for inaugurating a new era of conservative politics as a right-wing populist in the mould of her American counterpart, Ronald Reagan.

But to us in Africa, she was bad news.

While South Africa reeled under the grip of racist regimes of apartheid, Prime Minister Thatcher described the partisans of African National Congress as “terrorists.”

In the years of fervent anti-apartheid umbrage around the world, when Nelson Mandela had spent over two decades in jail, many forces called for an imposition of sanctions to force reforms on the regime.

Thatcher, like her fellow traveller Reagan, opposed the call for sanctions on the pretext that it would hurt the blacks more than the whites.

It did not matter to the Iron Lady that the blacks who had lost generations of pride and progress because of the draconian hand of apartheid prejudice were ready to make a few years of sacrifice. That was assuming that her opinion was right. In a recent meeting with Mandela, the present British Prime Minister distanced himself from the Thatcher policy and apologised.

But the woman never openly regretted her cold-blooded position even though she witnessed the birth of freedom, those years when Mandela became President and rose in stature as one of the greatest

personages that ever lived.

Thatcher’s role in inaugurating a new life for capitalism has remained controversial.

When she became prime minister, Thatcher opened up the economy to the rich by chopping down taxes for them and selling off many state-owned corporations, including the British Airways and British Petroleum. She also sold off council houses for the ordinary. She broke the back of the labour unions, and she succeeded especially with the miners’ union whose one-year strike did not compel the prime minister to change course. They eventually stopped the strike without a deal and many of the mines were shut down and others privatised. She was a great stalwart against socialism and, on her watch, the world saw a seismic ideological change with the fall of communist regimes in Europe and the Soviet Union.

Thatcher’s success brought a burst of entrepreneurial excitement to Britain and the rest of the world. Britain saw a new capitalist elan and the United States under Reagan followed that path as well. The economic idea of Milton Friedman took over the familiar state interventionist logic of John Galbraith. But it was a reflection of the ongoing war of ideas between Hayek and Keynes. The birth of Thatcher’s economic policies seemed to sound a death knell for Keynes.

It implied privatisation, lower taxes and deregulation of what was seen as suffocating state presence in the economy. Even the victories of President Bill Clinton of the United States and Tony Blair of Britain came at the expense of some of the leftist orthodoxies like the welfare state.

But that policy created a world that put

institutions at the service of rational choice and that gave sanctity to powerful individuals. The real consequence was that, between her and Reagan, an era of apparent prosperity was born that has exploded for its false premise. A wide chasm has charaterised the past 20 years between the rich and poor.

The collapse of the economies around the world showed that individual initiatives can be overrated in solving the world’s riddles and that is why both in the United States and Europe, interventionist policies are checkmating the hubris of the individual investor. Keynes returned from the grave.

That is the legacy of Thatcher’s years, not so much her victory at the Falklands War. She never regretted any of her acts even when the poor felt she was ruthless and imperial. “You turn if you want. This lady is not for turning.” She said that too.

‘The real consequence was that, between her and Reagan, an era of apparent prosperity was born that has exploded for its false premise. A wide chasm has charaterised the past 20 years between the rich and poor .... That is the legacy of Thatcher’s years, not so much her victory at the Falklands War. She never regretted any of her acts even when the poor felt she was ruthless and imperial. “You turn if you want.

This lady is not for turning.” She said that too’

Presidential ambivalence • Does President Jonathan have the boldness to declare his political ambition?

T

HE silhouette of President Goodluck Jonathan is really haunting him for want of valour to publicly proclaim his ambition to run, once again, for the presidency in 2015. Nigerians have overwhelmingly beckoned on him to come out clean on this matter. The deployment of presidential body language and other distracting proclivity is gratuitously overheating the polity.

President Jonathan, in apparent reference to pressures being mounted on him

by Nigerians, gave a hint of his ambition.

He did this at the church complex dedication of All Saints Anglican Covenant Church built by Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President, in Mpu, Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State.

His prosaic statement goes thus: “Irrespective of provocations… political leadership is very transient; every leader

‘The avoidable trouble shooting that has become the hallmark of Mr. President’s 2015 ambition is deplorable ... If he wants to contest, he should come out and say so and stop insulting the people by speaking with both sides of his mouth. We expect our president to be bold enough to say whatever he has in mind’

comes and goes. So, there is no need for people to fight over political leadership that is transient to the extent that you want to even burn your house down…These are transitional leadership, luckily we have a constitution that defines the maximum tenure any individual can stay in office and even if the constitution does not clearly define it, no one individual will stay there for life because we are biological specimen.’’

To us, the above underscores a presidential rigmarole on a very simple issue of whether or not the president wants to contest for the position he currently occupies come 2015. That coveted post demands the holder to be intrepid and not unduly waver on any serious issue of national importance. Despite curious discernible moves within and outside his ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and at a point the influx of the president’s campaign posters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, he has consistently maintained a dodgy position by claiming that the time for him to decide on 2015 was not ripe.

Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, the Anglican Prelate, at the church dedication attributed the problems affecting the nation to that of “human manipulation.” This position is better emphasised by the president’s covert political manipulation of the system to suit his ambition at the detriment of more salient national matters. Nigerians demand a peaceful and politically stable country of equal socio-political and economic opportunities from the present administration. Nigerians generally crave

for good governance that has been elusive under the on-going dispensation as a result of avoidable manipulations.

We thought Mr. President should really focus his mind and efforts on these significant issues that could satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of citizens rather than grab every occasion to engage in riddle talk. The position he sits atop does not require him to be ambivalent.

President Jonathan has done very little to convince his countrymen of his leadership prowess. Sometimes, it is debatable whether he is conscious of the verdict of history with his drab approach to governance and surreptitious moves to secure another term in office. His claim at the church dedication of having sanitised the flawed electoral system by making every vote to count in the country will be better tested in 2015 when he must have publicly made up his mind to face the electorate. The disappointed citizens are waiting!

The avoidable trouble shooting that has become the hallmark of Mr. President’s 2015 ambition is deplorable. Rather than avail the public the opportunity of engaging in beneficial discourses, the distractions of the alleged agreement of one term with the north, his eligibility for another term, which invariably the court has made pronouncement on, among others, pervade the air. If he wants to contest, he should come out and say so and stop insulting the people by speaking with both sides of his mouth. We expect our president to be bold enough to say whatever he has in mind.

R

ECENT weeks of saber-rattling and military escalation have affirmed a harsh truth: North Korea — which is much closer to putting a nuclear warhead on a missile than Iran and has threatened to strike the United States and its allies — is the more urgent challenge. The major powers still haven’t figured out how to solve it.

The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, took power in late 2011. Since then, the North has launched a three-stage rocket and tested a nuclear device. After the United Nations Security Council imposed new sanctions in last month for the country’s third nuclear test in February, North Korea’s s rhetoric became even more aggressive. It threatened to hit American cities with nuclear-armed ballistic missiles and declared itself to be in a state of war with South Korea.

For their part, the United States and South Korea went ahead with a joint military exercise, then upped the ante. Washington deployed extra ships, sent B-2 stealth bombers, F-22 stealth fighter jets and B-52 bombers on practice runs over the South, and, on Wednesday, announced it was setting up a land-based missile defense system in Guam. On Monday, South Korea’s president, Park Geun-hye, vowed to strike back quickly if the North stages an attack.

The Obama administration was prudent to bolster its forces in the region. Many experts assume Mr. Kim won’t attack the world’s top military power or its allies, but Washington has an obligation to guarantee that if this assumption is wrong, it can defend the homeland. There are also sound reasons to reassure South Korea and Japan that America’s defense commitments remain firm; some politicians in both countries are pushing their governments to develop their own nuclear weapons programs, which would be disastrous and unnecessary. Finally, there is a message in all this to China, namely that if it will not rein in the ally it keeps afloat with food, fuel and trade, then Washington will contain it.

But it’s clearly time to find ways to calm the crisis; there is no way to ensure that Mr. Kim, in particular, won’t miscalculate and trigger a serious confrontation. The Obama administration and North Korea in recent days have sent mixed messages in this regard. Secretary of State John Kerry’s declaration on Tuesday that the United States would negotiate seriously on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula was helpful. But it could prove more useful to encourage Ms. Park, who has talked of engaging the North, to take the lead, perhaps by exploring Mr. Kim’s recent comments about wanting to talk about development.

China remains central to any coherent strategy and some Chinese elites have urged Beijing to abandon its ally. Whether that happens, China needs to robustly enforce the United Nations sanctions it helped enact and stand with the United States and others in delivering a unified message that North Korea will never be accepted as a nuclear weapons state but that there is a path to economic revival and security if it chooses to take it. Plotting next steps should be high on the agenda when Mr. Kerry visits Beijing next week. There’s no guarantee any strategy will be successful, but military escalation is no answer either.

– New York Times

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CARTOON & LETTERS

S

IR: The recent simulated political crises in Ekiti State is a reminder of the build-up to the 2007 gubernatorial election, before the ignominious impeachment of Ayo Fayose as governor and the April 25, 2009 re-run election between Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi.

In 2006, the chances of Dr. Ayo Daramola, chairman of the state Poverty Reduction Agency to become governor of Ekiti State were bright.

Having warmed himself into the hearts of many through the World Bank-assisted programme, he succeeded in building lasting blocs that could have come in handy during the governorship election. He was murdered in cold blood in his Ijan-Ekiti country home in the August of same year.

Another governorship aspirant in the PDP who stood a good chance, having gained the loyalty of many party members, was arrested for this murder, which he knew nothing about.

Before the 2009 re-run election, there was a rehash of this. The election was almost a done deal for Kayode Fayemi, but so were the several humongous harassments, amongst which one stood out, and that was the killing of one Ahmed Saddiq, an AC member, who was on

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Ekiti has seen enough his way to Ikole in the company of other AC members. Thugs who were said to have come from Senator Ayo Arise’s house allegedly swooped on the vehicle conveying the AC members, riddling the car with bullets.

Sadiq died in the process while three others were injured. As it turned out,

however, AC leaders ended up being arrested for this murder while not even a pin prickled Senator Arise or any PDP members.

2014 is around the corner and the incumbent, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has done enough to win re-election. His chances are bright and the killings

seem to have started again, just like before 2007 and 2009.

Recently at a PDP event in Erinjiyan, hometown of ACN State Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, a promising Ekiti indigene, Ayo Jeje, was killed. The event was supposed to have been the defection of some ACN members to

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• Dimeji Daniels Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State

Jonathan and Easter Sunday’s power outage

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IR: It was fate that chose “Oga at the top” – President Goodluck Jonathan to experience the iniquitous show by the Power Holding Company on his Easter Sunday’s visit to Our Saviour’s Church, Lagos. A visit by the President to the commercial hub of the country to rejoice with fellow Christians on the death and resurrection of Christ is a pleasant thing.

When leaders acknowledge the place of divinity in their personal lives as well as in good governance,

such piety should be appreciated.

However, when leadership failure and political incompetence force their way to disrupt the smooth observance of such religious rituals, it brings distaste to the matter. President Jonathan has been worshiping with the other faithful on this bright Easter Sunday and nothing bizarre seemed to be in the offing for him. Perhaps, if thought had been given to that, the Cathedral would have gone to rent a 10,000MW generator at N10 mil-

lion daily usage charge to cover the shame PHCN eventually brought.

But thank God they forgot. No sooner had the President started addressing the members of the church than the usual thing happened: PHCN interrupted the electricity supply, leaving the president holding a useless microphone and smiling to conceal his discomfiture.

What the President experienced on that day, for those few minutes, is what common Nigerians expe-

Why Abuja land swap option is desirable IR: Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed has evolved diverse policies and institutionalized several programmes tailored towards making the nation’s capital city of Abuja one of the best capital cities in the world. In spite of several challenges confronting the administration, especially population explosion, financial constraints and activities of land speculators, he has refused to budge and continued to forge ahead with single-mindedness of purpose and iron-clad determination to succeed where others had failed.

One of the strategies and programmes for moving FCT forward evolved by the minister is the land

the PDP got out of hand and the young man, who was in fact a brother to the ACN state chairman, was killed, allegedly by opposing PDP factions, but it was the ACN state chairman who got arrested even though he was not in the town when the unfortunate incident happened.

Whatever the PDP may be planning for the 2014 election, they should leave the peace-loving people of Ekiti out of such plans. President Jonathan and security agencies should do their job by ensuring there is no more killing in our Land of Honour.

Ekiti has seen enough!

swap policy. The policy involves the granting of land to competent real estate developers who will in turn provide infrastructure, such as good roads, electricity, portable water, storm water drainage, sewer lines and communication ducts to the residents, without any financial or technical demand to the government.

The approach is not new. It is a land-based financing of infrastructure, which the World Bank has endorsed as suitable for any country that is experiencing budget crisis.

Many developed and developing countries like France, Japan, the United States, China, Denmark, Egypt and India found it necessary to adopt land-based financing techniques during periods of rapid urban growth like we are experienc-

ing now in Abuja. The underlying basic philosophy is infrastructure development to keep pace with urban growth.

It is trite to say that a capital city devoid of infrastructural facilities is like a car without an engine. The proposed land swap option holds lots of benefits not only for Abuja, but also for the indigenes, Nigerians in general and even the investors. It will integrate real property development with infrastructure provision; aspire to keep pace with existing urban growth and to break the present traffic gridlock by opening up more districts within the FCT and also hope to correct the distortions occasioned by mass housing development in Phase III. Much more importantly, it intends to de-

ploy global best practice in resettlement issues to such an extent that the economic aspects, social cohesion and cultural leanings of Project Affected Persons (PAP) are preserved and enhanced.

All things being equal, the land swap initiative if implemented to the letter can rescue FCT from its current risk of being overwhelmed by a continuously burgeoning population arising from a maddening rush from ubiquitous troubled spots in the country. This is certainly one masterstroke that is sure to meet the expectations of the Federal Government to deliver standard housing to the people of Nigeria at a very reasonable rate.

• Rogers Edor Ochela Abuja

rience for days, weeks and even months without respite. If a church service cannot continue without power supply, how much more the business of a welder, a tailor, a barber, a cold room operator and other small businesses and medium scale businesses?

Good thing the President said by this time next year, there will no more have power outages; the bad thing is we no longer want to hear good things; we want to see them, experience them and enjoy them.

Changing the Minister of Power is not the solution to the problem.

Put a reasonable time frame to the start of effective power generation and distribution to the homes and offices in Nigeria and cease to give us the “next year” speeches. We want action!

I hope that “by this time next year”, we will not be gathering at the Aso rock chapel, celebrating Easter with the President and have him tell us: “You can see we have uninterrupted power supply here”.

He should randomly pick a Lagos church to attend again. Hopefully, things might have changed. President Jonathan, now that you have again tasted reality, make things better for the countless millions who thronged the polling booths 23 months ago to cast their votes for you.

• Joshua Oyeniyi Lagos

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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COMMENTS

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The words above were not ERHAPS the only accident about exactly Mallam El-Rufai’s. But Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai’s The Accithey pretty much summarised dental Public Servant is the author his portraiture of his co-techdeveloping a Samson complex; that nocrats and flower of the seemed to care less if the tinselled ediObasanjo administration. So, fice crashed on him –and the rest of the why would El-Rufai want to establishment. So brutally candid was paint his friends in such notthe exposé! too-flattering though apparSuch is the angst of a court revolutionOlakunle ently honest and candid view? ary!

He wanted to knock off evelordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) No surprise there – that the gadfly deAbimbola ryone and, like his sweet-sour nuded Olusegun Obasanjo and his benefactor, Obasanjo, become “democratic regime” (crazy oxymoron, the last man standing? Or beto be sure; but all-too-grim reality of the cause, even with the best of Nigerian polity). At the end of it all, brains, Nigeria still had not Holy Sege, the pope of the Lugard establishment of his era, did found the right mixture of brilliance and character to become women, as rather too clinical, too annot appear so pious after all! a model country? tiseptic, too spick-and-span; as he In contrast, Holy Sege’s No. 2, ab initio no hero of the gadfly, Only El-Rufai can pronounce on El-Rufai’s motives. But from galloped from victory to victory; did not (at least in El-Rufai’s fierce opinion) levitate above his the malice-less portraiture of these “reformists”, among whom solving one problem after another presumed moral universe; where scandals and rumours of El-Rufai was a prime member, the second supposition would with near-divine aplomb and moral scandals are allegedly fair fare. Still, both President Obasanjo appear more probable. panache. and Vice President Atiku Abubakar have made their stands, It, of course, shows the futility of pushing personal daring to Doesn’t blood flow in his veins, for good or for ill; and await the verdict of history. correct a systemic problem, as this column has always held. It many are wont to ask? Was he livBut for this polity, for the umpteenth time, a single personwas always going to end up in fiasco. ing in Jupiter before he swooped in, age has succeeded in turning a putative democratic republic Obasanjo came with a messianic air, built on nothing but like some super-human UFO, to salinto a monstrous regime. A single man has moulded a counpersonal daring, hung on personal rectitude and piety. But all vage the Nigerian establishment, try in his own image; and all the rest could do is gawk at the too soon, it became clear that perhaps both traits were, for teeming with moral savages? monstrosity! their Baba, a bridge too far!

These, to be sure, are tough quesNow, is it just déjà vu, or an outright jinx – 1960, 1966, 1983 That seems to have bred the dissonance that made El-Rufai tions to chew for Malam El-Rufai and 1999: important junctures that threw up inadequate perdismiss, with flat contempt, Obasanjo’s collapsed third term and his friends; even as his foes – sonages, and changed for the worse the course of Nigerian project and other presidential malfeasance like the presidenand of those he has quite a myriad, history? tial library moral swindle.

1960: under Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, it took less than three who dismiss him as a maverick – as the debate on how But then, the harm is done. As it was in the Bible, Saul had years for Nigeria, putative model of African democracy, to Pentascope killed Nitel, and who was and was not responsible killed his thousands and David, his ten thousands. Obasanjo, abort into fascism, anomie and eventual anarchy. for it rages on. piety and all, got away with his presidential library extortion.

1966: Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi inherited a coup he knew nothStill, in his book, El-Rufai, despite the cockiness of one canSo, why shouldn’t Goodluck Jonathan, following Obasanjo’s ing about, and was consumed by its violent contradictions, tering away on a moral high horse, trailed by a dust of selfpious profanity, get away with his own presidential extortion leaving behind the northern anti-Igbo pogroms and Civil War praise, came across as a witness of truth: named names of his in the name of God? (1967-1970). benefactors, his traducers and those in-between; and provided, The harm is done – and permanently perhaps: and not even 1983: lieutenants of Shehu Usman Shagari, trophy of the in the appendices, letters, memos, facts and figures to back his El-Rufai’s moral outrage in his book could change that. But by Obasanjo junta’s manipulation, rigged out the Second Repubclaims. trying to push himself as the exemplar of what Nigeria needs lic only after four years and three months.

That leads to his take on his fellow “reformists”.

1999: Obasanjo, another trophy of Army Arrangement (apoloto succeed – intelligent, competent, fearless and daring – withNuhu Ribadu: a fierce and volcanic anti-corruption crusader gies to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti) has turned this democracy into a out addressing the systemic flaws that aided Obasanjo’s fiasco, who nevertheless was no less fierce and volcanic in court poliburlesque, with dire consequences of its high-stake tragi-comEl-Rufai appears fated to the same mistake. tics and intrigue. edies.

Nigeria needs competent and brilliant and resourceful and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: the Breton Woods expat expert (apoloEl-Rufai might come across to many, after reading his book fearless and upright leaders to save her. But even more, Nigies to Wole Soyinka’s biting sarcasm in The Interpreters) who, and its comments on his fellow- establishment men and geria needs a structure that would build on Nigeria’s multinext to spreading the gospel of IMF and World Bank, logs national reality; and somehow weave, from this salad, a strong fierce political ambition, far beyond the narrow prism of finational fibre that proclaims a Rainbow Nigeria but does not nance, debt forgiveness and allied affairs.

“The only accident about El-Rufai’s The Acdecry the different colours that make up that brilliant rainChukwuma Soludo: adept orator, dashing power dresser and cidental Public Servant is developing a bow. dazzling intellectual showman who nevertheless was not Samson complex; that seemed to care less if That is the point El-Rufai’s brilliant book missed as it went averse to executive kowtowing to claim a coveted Central Bank in quixotic search of the “de-tribalised Nigerian” – whatever of Nigeria (CBN) governor trophy, when Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, the tinselled edifice crashed on him – and that means. head of Obasanjo’s Economic Management Team, would not the rest of the establishment” It is restructuring, stupid! share her glory with anybody!

epublican ipples

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HANKS to Vanguard newspaper’s April 2 edition for reminding us, yet again, of the confounding arithmetic of the power sector. According to the newspaper, Nigeria from 1999 till date poured some N5 trillion ($31.45 billion) into the sector. Hopefully, by December when the new power plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) come on stream, output in power generation is expected to hit 10,000mw – barring unforeseen developments.

For the power-starved citizens, it remains a matter of watching and praying to see whether this dream would materialize. Just like 2005 when the nation first caught the bug of power sector activism, a lot of action is supposedly going on in the sector to stoke excitement. Never mind that the activism of the last 14 years and which has gulped $31.45 billion now promises to deliver a mere 5,500mw net addition to the grid.

By comparison, South Africa’s $37 billion expenditure spread over a 10-year period is programmed to treble its current 45,000mw capacity. Now, if that is supposed to be a measure of how confounding the nation’s power econometrics is, that comparison merely seeks to temper citizen’s expectations as the magical date of abundant-power-for-all draws close.

If I may repeat the familiar cliché, it is certainly not yet uhuru. The signs of bad faith and incompetence are more than evident. Call it the Nigerian nightmare; we have seen lots of talks but very little progress in terms of things that count. If it is not failed contractors stalling the projects, it is gas pricing and investment issues bogging down the process.

While these go on, the turbines cannot be put into action.

Most recently, we have had personnel issues – issues of severance package to be paid to disengaging PHCN staff thrown into the mix. If anything, they merely remind that the Nigerian jinx is alive and well.

I have looked at the Power Sector Reform Act 2005. Honestly, I find nothing that can be described as unworkable in the instrument. I have also taken time to look at the roadmap for the sector’s reforms – a beautiful document by any standard.

Those two instruments are no doubt milestones at least as far

‘Parceling the behemoth among different operators is a far cry from the picture of post reform power sector once bandied. I mean the picture of foreign investors falling over themselves to have a piece of the action in the deregulated power environment’

The regime denuded

Policy Sanya Oni sanyaoni@yahoo.co.uk 08051101841

Groping along the long, dark tunnel as laying the foundations for the much touted liberalization of the sector goes. Unfortunately, this is Nigeria where achievements are better delivered – on paper.

In other words, real progress is a different matter. True, the structural reforms have gone fairly well. One can safely say at this time that the reforms have turned the corner – irreversible. Save for the lingering personnel issues, the sale of the unbundled distribution entities are as good as sealed.

And, after months of dithering, the transmission company has also been handed over to the new managers – Manitoba Hydro Electric of Canada. For once, it seems that the regulator can claim to be on top of its game. Taken together with the frenzied pace to deliver the NIPP plants on their target date, and the various initiatives to deliver gas to fire them, the nation can claim to be closer to the dream of steady electric power supply.

The issue unfortunately is hardly whether progress has, or is being, made. The debate has gone beyond the need for structural changes. They have in fact been accepted as inevitable. The real problem is the attempt to see the changes as an end as against being a means to an end. For instance, the process that led to the sale of PHCN entities cannot by any stretch of imagination substitute for the truly liberalised power sector that the nation craves. Sure, parceling the behemoth among different operators is a far cry from the picture of post reform power sector once bandied. I mean the picture of foreign investors falling over themselves to have a piece of the action in the deregulated power environment.

The issue, in summary, is about doubling, trebling or even quadrupling investment and output of electricity in the years to come. Isn’t that the whole idea behind the institutional redesign?

This is where I consider the entire process somewhat

disappointing.

With due respect to the new owners of the distribution companies, what comes as striking is the absence of players of substance – global leaders – among them. Of course, in some established cases, some of the power plants were sold on non-competitive basis. Taken together, these issues raise the question of whether something isn’t fundamentally missing in the post-reform legislative and institutional architecture.

I wish I could state that the prognosis in the near term is anything but bad. Unfortunately, it’s hard to see the inefficiencies which hobbled the operations of the PHCN disappear because it carries a new name; as for competition; there will be none.

Of course, no one needs to worry about the long term because by then, we’ll all be dead!

Feedback Re-Oteh/Reps duel

Your write up on the Oteh/Reps duel is very informative.

The Reps vengeance has blinded them to the extent that they denied SEC workers 2013 appropriation. It is tyrannical overreach and unconstitutional. Chuma Mbaise, Imo State The two chambers reps/senate is one of the calamities that befell Nigeria. Their salaries/benefits are never and will never be known. Their next target will be the judiciary. Were they that articulate, they would have issued a query, asking the Senate to explain why Oteh was confirmed. They always have exaggerated impression of themselves/limitations.

They are a disaster. Akinlayo A, Osun I am fascinated by your write up on Oteh/Reps duel. It is indeed sad that the so-called representatives of the people have decided to play to the gallery on this Oteh saga. What these honourable members should tell Nigerians is: what was the state of our stock market before Arunma Oteh took over as DG and the present state since her leadership of the market. I believe the powerful “thieves” who ran the stock market aground during the tenure of the Prof Ndidi Okerekeled stock market with the active collaboration of the CBN then, are hell bent on frustrating this woman who has worked tirelessly to reposition the market. She sure stepped on toes when she revealed the rot in NSE/SEC perpetrated by her predecessors with the active connivance of the Board. It is pathetic that those who are sincerely ready to work for the benefit of all Nigerians are usually frustrated. What a pity! +234 8158836388 Sanya, I didn’t know we still have knowledgeable and bold Nigerians in the country’s enduring hopelessness and rudderlessnes. Thanks for your piece on Oteh/Reps duel.

When will those reps stop behaving like street urchins in legislative quarters? Sincerely, we must find a way to end the madness. Rev Dr A Ezimah.

By

(The

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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COMMENTS

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F feelers from Abuja last week are to be believed then the National Examination Council (NECO) the rival examination body to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) could be scrapped soon by the Federal Government paving the way for WAEC to reclaim it monopoly of Senior Secondary School Certificate examination in the country.

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) being conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for students seeking admission into tertiary institutions in the country is also to be scrapped, leaving the institutions free to conduct their entrance examinations, but with JAMB serving as the clearing house.

The decisions as contained in the white paper on the Steve Oransanye committee on the streamlining of government agencies, if eventually implemented would not only profoundly affect the face of secondary and higher education in Nigeria in the foreseeable future, but also the quality of the trained and educated workforce that would come out of our universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

Prior to the setting up of NECO, WAEC was largely solely in charge of the organisation and conduct of secondary school final examination in English West Africa, leading to the award of the then West African School Certificate (WASC) ordinary and advance levels. It was also in charge of he General Certificate of Education (GCE) ordinary and advance levels for external students.

But like all monopolies, WAEC became too powerful and sadly inefficient leading to wide spread criticism of its performance, one of which was alleged frustration of the higher education ambition of hundreds of thousand of students who sat for its examination and who either failed even after so many ‘retakes’ or had their results withheld permanently.

Even those who passed with six credits or more at either one or two sittings waited for years before they got their certificates ( for the few lucky ones), while many others had no school certificate to show (apart from notification of result) even up till now, more than two/three decades after they sat for and passed WAEC. Meanwhile several fake results were in circulation bearing the logo and ‘signature’ of WAEC. Many had secured university/polytechnic/college of education admission or even employment using these fake results at the expense of the truly qualified ones and to

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ARLIER in the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the State of Osun, the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, felt decidedly miffed to proceed to court in defense of the governor. It was alleged that the administration planned to Islamize the state. CAN, at that point, was a friend of the administration.

Now, flip the pages. In March 2013, the religious body has sauntered into public space with tones of generally incredible and particularly mundane allegations of islamization against the governor it earlier poignantly defended. In Osun, it is barely a year to gubernatorial election in which the governor would be seeking re-election. In our clime where elections are nothing else but a make or mar affair, old bonds of friendship are often too tenuous to stand the slightest exertions. It is time for friend to abandon friend.

In reality, the Aregbesola administration is not a stranger in the dingy surgical theatre of spin doctors. This latest onslaught against the administration presents the imprimatur of an earlier lurid one about secession of the state allegedly plotted by the governor single-handedly without other states in the South -west in the picture. Several months after, how the masterminds or this ill-fated idle engagement expected anyone to believe them still beats logic. In quick succession came opposition PDP-backed campaign about non-constitution of the cabinet culminating in the patently devilish question mark

‘Every issue raised by the Osun CAN - from allegation of fixing state events for Sunday morning to the visit of the Sultan of Sokoto - oozes so much partisanship that the official opposition to the ACN government of the State of Osun could not have done a better job’

Good riddance to NECO? the detriment of the system. These and many other problems posed to our educational system must have prompted the then Federal Government to consider setting up a truly Nigerian secondary school examination body to not only rival WAEC but also meet the yearnings of out teeming youths for access to higher education, but operating in accordance to international standard.

But can we say in truth and fairness that NECO has been living up to expectation since it was formed? Regrettably,the answer is neither yes or no. And that sums up what is called NECO today.

From the outset the body was inadvertently made to look inferior to WAEC in the minds of both parents and students, admission authorities at the various higher institutions of learning and even employers of labour. This could be attributed to the initial seeming alarming rate of success recorded by students in contrast to WAEC’s examination. And with confidence in NECO waning, even students were not attaching much value to NECO’s certificate and that has dodged the examination body up till now.

But as another window of opportunity to students NECO can be said to have lived up to expectation and has in a way made WAEC to sit up and improve its service delivery to it customers. But should that be the only thing about NECO? Certainly not. Couldn’t something be done to improve it and make it live up to expectation instead of scrapping it? I think so.

If one considers the problems and shortcomings of NECO since inception, one would be tempted to say scrap it, but then would a return to WAEC’s monopoly solve the problem it was created to solve? I don’t think so.

Compelling or encouraging WAEC to increase the frequency of its examinations to create more windows of opportunity for student is good, but that is not enough to think there is no need for NECO again. I thought so initially, but considering the fact that WAEC is a West African body, who would Nigeria convince other countries in the project to also buy-in to this new thinking? How much of influence does Nigeria have in WAEC to think she can sway others in the examination body to refocus to suit our own needs? Would that not be better done with NECO? Instead of scrapping NECO, government should investigate why it is not performing as designed and device a way of improving it.

Apart from the job losses that a scrapping or absorption by WAEC would cause, there is no guarantee that WAEC could be relied upon, after all it has failed us before. NECO could still be made to do the same thing we want WAEC to do and be compelled to even do it better. This will in turn also improve WAEC and ultimately to the advantage of the students and the betterment of our education system and delivery. The more examination bodies and window of opportunities for the students the better. After all, even in spite of WAEC and NECO, Nigerians still write Cambridge and other foreign secondary school certificate (O&A levels) examinations here at home for admissions into foreign universities. Let the choice be many, but government must set and maintain the standards comparable with what obtains elsewhere in the world where we have top rate education standard.

This brings to mind the UTME which is also set for the axe. There is not much to say about that joint entrance examination other than its

Religion and politics in Osun

By Sola Lawal on the state of health of the governor in which the Osun helmsman was alleged to have collapsed at every public function extending beyond two hours. Bristling with misapplied ingenuity, they manufactured the now famous but fake cancer tale against Ogbeni.

It is, however, instructive to know that these baseless allegations came after a bigger grand plot to impeach the governor fell flat on its face. Less than a month in office of Ogbeni in 2010, the trio of Vice President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark and Senator Iyiola Omisore sponsored PDP state assembly members to Abuja where the incendiary plot was hatched.

By its sheer antecedent, ascribed and enunciated objectives, the issues put forward by a religious body of the status of CAN ought to provoke interest and sympathy. This one, however, is a little off- side. Every issue raised by the Osun CAN - from allegation of fixing state events for Sunday morning to the visit of the Sultan of Sokoto - oozes so much partisanship that the official opposition to the ACN government of the State of Osun could not have done a better job.

Among others, CAN allege that the governor changed “the state official brand point from “the state of living spring” to the state of the virtuous” to spite the Christians who refer to Jesus Christ as living spring. By simple extension of the underpinning logic, this assertion by CAN presupposes that the state, despite its secularity in the face of its multi – religious character, has officially been packaged as a Christian enclave all along. Besides, is Omoluabi - to which “the virtuous” translates - not more elegant and edifying to a people who are outstandingly moralistic?

The visit of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar ,to the state was also lampooned

by CAN. The nationally respected traditional

ruler was accused of being in the state, of course at the instance of Ogbeni, to prepare the ground for a Jihad “following the Sultan’s request for amnesty for Boko Haram members. It will utterly be difficult for any sensible mind to ascribe to Osun CAN any iota of nationalism with this lousy claim.

The derelict state of most infrastructures in public schools, whether in the state of Osun or elsewhere, is well known to everyone. The obvious transformative agenda of the governor in demolishing and replacing these archaic relics is the butt of vitriolic attack by CAN in the state. In the self-righteous view of the religious group, this government gesture is a prelude to changing the schools into madrasas or fortress of Islamic evangelism.

Instead, the collapsing buildings – complete with all their health hazards and aesthetic debasement – should have been left in memory of the lofty legacies of alien missionaries of yesteryears.

The plot of this drama of the absurd in Osun similarly incorporated other scenes including allegation of imposition of hijab dress code on female students in the state as well as declaration of a strange holiday which the government termed Hijra holiday to mark the commencement of Islamic calendar. It does not matter to this set of CAN leadership in the state of Osun that the now globally accepted Gregorian calendar is Christianity based without anyone raising a divisive hell in a country that is populated by Christians, Muslims and traditionalists in almost equal proportion.

The prodigious reality of the hijab brouhaha must have breathtakingly been lost on CAN. Otherwise the organization should have come to terms with the presumptuousness of its endeavor considering the fact that it is the Muslims themselves in the state who, incidentally, dragged Ogbeni administration to court, seeking enforcement of their fundamental human rights to wear hijab .The case is

a failure. JAMB started very well with its exams but as the population of university admission seekers expanded the ability to cope dwindled such that instead of the body serving as a facilitator for the attainment/ fulfillment of the higher education yearnings of the students, it became more of an impediment. With fewer university places available to the hundreds of thousands of secondary school graduates every year, JAMB began compounding the problem with its arbitrary cut off and educationally disadvantaged states policy in which for instance a student with a lower score gains admission to the same university at the expense of somebody with a higher score just because the former comes from an ‘educationally disadvantaged’ state.

How do you sustain merit and encourage hard work in this kind of a setting? And to compound JAMB’s problem, polytechnics and colleges of education entrance examinations were added, and that’s one of the reasons we found ourselves where we are today.

As with most public examinations in Nigeria, the higher institutions have lost faith in JAMB and have gone ahead to conduct heir own post-JAMB screening exams to determine the suitability and capabilities of those who passed JAMB and offered admission by the body. Many who passed JAMB have been found to have failed the universities’ postJAMB exams even where the questions were similar. So, the question is, how did they pass JAMB in the first place? Well, your guess is as good as mine.

So, a return to the past when each university was conducting its own separate admission examination for prospective students will be a welcome development. It will not only engender competition, but also ensure that only the best from our secondary schools proceed to university, polytechnic or college of education. This will ultimately raise standard in our higher institutions and make their product to be once again competitive in the international arena. It is no longer secret that our graduates find it difficult to secure post graduate admission into foreign universities again due to the low regard the international community have for our university graduates. It wasn’t like this in the past. What a shame.

I am not saying this is the main or only reason for this low recognition of our graduates and their certificates, the problems are numerous, but hey are not insurmountable, scrapping the UTME could be one of the solutions.

still pending in the state high court of justice.

A particularly interesting aspect of CAN’s problem with Ogbeni consists in the allegation that he, in the heat of the campaign for the 2007 election in Iwo, distributed hijab to students in the town. What really is the worth of a serious politician who, confronted with the grim task of soliciting for vote in a catholic enclave, fails to seize the moment to distributed rosaries and images of Virgin Mary!

Indeed, fathoming partisanship in all these is not rocket science. For one, the inglorious exercise is nothing more than an attempt to put the whammy on the salient life – changing strides being wrought by Ogbeni administration.

Landmark economic and infrastructural transformation is alien to the state until Aregbesola came along. In one fell swoop 20, 000 youths got employed. Close to 400 roads spread across the state are getting facelift. The elderly, the young and the invalid have never had it so good. Educational rebirth, espoused through capacity building of teachers, infrastructural renewal and reclassification of educational segments sits pretty well with the people of the state.

As the Christian religious body in the state launched its attack on the governor over alleged islamization on one hand, it, on the other, accused the Ogbeni administration of promoting traditional religion “bothering on idolatry and sorcery “. In the account of CAN, the state government refused to officially inaugurate the state chapter of National Inter Religious Council (NIREC) because of the refusal of both Muslims and Christian’s leaders to incorporate traditional religionists into the membership of the body.

Pray what manner of Islamization would promote traditional religion? Not a few people would attest to the fact that Osun of the Aregbesola era is about the only state in the country where traditional religionists are officially recognized at public functions where they have their prayer slot like the Muslims and the Christians. It is imperative therefore to implore CAN to take steps to promote the subsisting religious harmony in the state rather than stoke embers of faithbased conflagration. The nation already has its hands full.

• Lawal is Publicity Secretary, Action Congress of Nigeria, Ogun State.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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NATION SPORT TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Ajiboye out for five weeks

INSIDE

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Website: http://www.thenationonlineng.com

Page 25

NSCDC arrests suspected oil thieves - Page 26

Suspected car thief nabbed

- Page 26

Abuja partners Khartoum F Farmers urged to register for GES project - Page 27

OR the love of the nation’s capital, a cosy relationship is shaping up between its leadership and that of Khartoum, the Sudanese capital.

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, said his administration would soon establish a relationship with Khartoum which will enhance sharing experiences, expertise in metropolitan management.

He also said such sister-city partnership will promote African brotherhood that has existed between Nigeria and Sudan.

Mohammed disclosed this in Abuja while receiving the Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Tagelsir Mahgoub Ali.

Stories by Bukola Amusan

Senator Mohammed noted that apart from being African nations, the two countries have other things in common as they are both Third World countries as

well as oil producers.

The Minister called for closer collaboration by establishing a student-exchange programme in which Sudanese students will study in Nigeria’s institutions and vice-versa.

He said that with this relation-

The minister called for closer collaborations through a student-exchange programme in which Sudanese scholars will study in Nigeria’s institutions and vice-versa

ship, the millions of Nigerians in Sudan will have a better sense of belonging.

The new Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Tagelsir Mahgoub Ali remarked that there are about 8 million Nigerians living in Sudan and 1,400 students studying in various institutions in the country.

He revealed that Nigerians in Sudan helped him win election into the Sudanese parliament when he contested.

It would be recalled that Senator Bala Mohammed in 2012 facilitated the establishment of such a relationship with Caracas, capital of Venezuela.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

26

ABUJA REVIEW

US NGO trains biomedical engineers, technicians

T

•Oil pipelines

NSCDC arrests suspected oil thieves

T

HE FCT command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has confirmed the arrest of three suspected oil thieves at Berger Junction in Abuja.

The FCT command spokesman, Mr David Akinbinu, who made this known, alleged that the suspects were caught in pos-

session of the product after a tipoff.

He said civil defence officers rushed to the roundabout and made the arrest.

According to him, the officers turned down the offer of N40,000 bribe allegedly offered to them by the suspects.

“The commandant has always

drummed it into our ears that any officer who collects bribe in the discharge of his or her duties will be arrested and prosecuted. So our watchword here is “collect bribe and die,” he said.

He added that the suspects are in custody and will soon be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.

HE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in collaboration with a non-profit organisation in the United States of America, Medshare, is providing free training for biomedical engineers and technicians.

A statement issued in Abuja by the Special Assistant (Media & Publicity) to the Minister of State for FCT, Oluyinka Akintunde, said the training was being funded with a grant obtained by Medshare from generous partners in the United States.

Akintunde disclosed that the choice of the FCT as recipient of the grant was facilitated by the Honourable Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide.

He added that the Health and Human Services Secretariat in the FCT would host the training of over 50 participants from various states of the federation from April 2 to 5.

He quoted the FCT Minister of State, Akinjide, as saying that the Administration was committed to ensuring a sustainable quality and affordable healthcare delivery system in the Federal Capital City, Area councils and satellite towns.

”This training is coming at a time when the FCT administration is focused on a health transformation agenda poised at ensuring a sustainable quality and affordable healthcare delivery system comparable to those of developed cities around the world. ”It is anticipated that this specialized training in the repair, servicing and maintenance of biomedical equipment will go a long way in allowing the FCTA achieve these laudable objectives,” Akinjide stated.

Medshare, a registered as a non-profit organisation in the USA, works in the Health sector to bridge the gap between demand and surplus through the collection of surplus medical equipment and supplies from manufacturers, distributors and hospitals, and the redistribution to qualified healthcare facilities in developing countries.

Since its inception in 1998, Medshare has donated over $93million worth of medical supplies and equipment in more than 700 forty-foot containers to hospitals and clinics in the economically developing world.

The training came at a time when the FCT administration’s focus is on health transformation. It is committed to ensuring a sustainable quality and affordable healthcare delivery system comparable to those of developed cities around the world

Suspected car thief nabbed

T

HE police at Wuse division have arrested a suspected car snatcher at Kayes Street, Wuse Zone 1, Abuja.

The Divisional Police Officer of the station, Chief Superintendent Joshua Bakyi, said the man was arrested by his men on patrol who noticed him struggling to remove a Toyota Camry car where it was parked.

“My men on routine patrol saw a man struggling to remove a Toyota Camry car from where it was parked at around 4am at Kayes Street, Wuse Zone 1 on Easter morning.

“Immediately they saw his suspicious moves, he was arrested and a handset and laptop computer were found on him,” he said.

The police officer hinted that the mobile phone was later discovered to be one of the items earlier reported stolen by a lady at the division last week, adding that they were able to make such discoveries based on the text messages found on the phone.

A resident of Wuse Zone 1, Mr. Taiwo Oyerinde, told our reporter that such incidents are rampant in the area, adding that armed robbers attack residents of the area frequently.

“I was recently robbed of my handsets and money in my street

•Abuja cars

but the police are now aware of the level of armed robbery attacks here and they have intensified patrol. I hope that it would be sustained,” he said.

When contacted, FCT police spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent Hyelhira Altine Daniel, said the police at Wuse were able to arrest the suspect because of the

command’s determination to rid the territory of any form of criminality, assuring that the commissioner is working harder to ensure that Abuja is safe for all.

”Residents of FCT should endeavour to call [police] emergency numbers at any particular time whenever they suspect any criminal activities within their areas.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

27

ABUJA REVIEW

Councils’ revenue increases

Easter pilgrimage ends

T

T

HE last batch of the 2013 Easter Christian pilgrims has arrived in Abuja, bringing to an end the second Easter pilgrimage which began in February.

The exercise was conducted by the National Christian Pilgrimage Commission (NCPC).

The first Easter pilgrimage was introduced in 2012 to give states that could not meet up with the deadline for payment of the October-December pilgrimage the opportunity to benefit from the exercise.

President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by the Minister of Police Affairs, Captain Caleb Olubolade, urged the pilgrims to continue to pray for the success of the present administration.

Minister of State 1 Foreign Affairs Prof. Viola Onwuliri thanked God for the safe return of the pilgrims and assured that government would continue to embark on policies that would make its people happy.

Prof.

Onwuliri also commended the Executive Secretary of NCPC, Mr. John Kennedy Opara and his workforce for their commitment.

In his remarks, Mr. Opara de-

•Navy Capt. Olubolade

scribed pilgrimage as a tool for moral transformation and spiritual rebirth.

He said the Easter pilgrimage exercise would continue to grow in leaps and bounds, even as he urged the pilgrims to live a transformed life by impacting positively on their immediate communities.

A total of 18 states with a combined total number of 3,130 pilgrims were airlifted during the Easter Pilgrimage exercise.

Out of this number, 83 Christians sponsored themselves to the Holy Land.

The six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory recorded an increase of N281, 174,986.71 (13.4 per cent) in their revenue allocation for February.

Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali councils received revenue allocation of N2, 380,208,667.17 from the Federation Account for February compared with the sum of N2, 099,033,680.46 received for January.

The acting Permanent Secretary, FCT, Alhaji Nuhu Ahmed who disclosed this during the monthly FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee meeting, attributed the increment to the improved inflow from Value Added Tax (VAT) and the arrears of January Budget augmentation.

Ahmed, who represented the chairperson of the FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee and the FCT Minister of State,

Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, disclosed that N1.041 billion was received for the five per cent VAT in February as against N1.007 billion in the preceding month.

He gave the breakdown of the allocations from the Federation Account as: N731.26 million from Statutory Revenue Allocation, N56.77 million from Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) and N23.10 million being refund by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Other allocations from the Federation Account were: N250.35 million being arrears of January 2013 Budget Augmentation and N277.09 million being differential between budget and actual.

Of the N2.38 billion revenue allocation, Ahmed stated that the JAAC transferred N894.43 million to the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) for payment of

The FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee also distributed N233.77 million to Gwagwalada Area Council, N218.94 million to Bwari Area Council, N205.91 million to Kuje Area Council, N194.79 million to Kwali Area Council and N193.92 million to Abaji Area Council

the primary school teachers’ salaries in the area councils; N95.04 million to FCT Area Councils Pension Board (ACPB) being 15 per cent pension fund as statutorily required, and N23.80 million to FCT Area Councils Service Commission being one per cent training fund, also statutorily required.

According to him, the net revenue allocation of N1.366 billion was distributed to the six area councils, with Abuja Municipal Area Council receiving the lion share of N319.58 million, as against N242.75 it received in January, 2013.

The FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee also distributed N233.77 million to Gwagwalada Area Council, N218.94 million to Bwari Area Council, N205.91 million to Kuje Area Council, N194.79 million to Kwali Area Council and N193.92 million to Abaji Area Council.

Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kuje, Kwali and Abaji got net revenue allocations of N190.38 million, N198.28 million, N167.92 million, N155.29 million and N157.94 million, respectively.

On SURE-P funds, Abuja Municipal Area Council received the highest allocation of N16.77 million, followed by Bwari (N9.28 million), Gwagwalada (N8.50 million), Kwali (N7.79 million), Kuje (N7.45 million) and Abaji (N6.96 million).

Farmers urged to register for GES project

T

HE Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Mrs. Olvadi Bema Madayi, has urged farmers in the Federal Capital Territory to come out en masse and register in the ongoing Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme data capturing exercise for farmers.

Mrs. Madayi said the essence of the exercise is to ensure that real farmers both subsistence and commercial farmers have direct access to farming inputs like fertilisers, improved seeds and seedlings, implements and modern farming information techniques.

She emphasised that the exercise will equally help the secretariat to adequately come out with effective, comprehensive and workable plans for the distribution of these farming inputs for the benefit of the farmers.

“To key into the drive by the Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda to transform agriculture into a commercial venture which will lead to economic empowerment of the farmers, there is need to capture a comprehensive data of farmers and farming families residing in the territory so as to take adequate care of them,” Madayi stressed.

The secretary called on the traditional rulers and chiefs across the territory to sensitise their subjects to turn out in large numbers and register in their various wards as those not captured may find it difficult accessing farm inputs during farming season.

She, however, expressed her satisfaction on the level of cooperation so far received from FCT

•Farmers

farmers ever since she became the Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat.

The secretary also used the occasion to thank the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed and FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, as well as the members of the National Assembly and staff of Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat for their support and presence during her recent installation as the Tikulti Bachama King-

dom by His Majesty, Hama Bachama, Homum Honest Stephen (Kwire Mana Kpafrato11) in Lamurde in Adamawa State.

Recall that the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme registration exercise is targeted at capturing data of about 80,000 to 100,000 farmers before the closing date. So far, about 53,400 farmers have been registered in various wards across the six area councils.

To key into the drive by the Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda to transform agriculture into a commercial venture which will lead to economic empowerment of the farmers, there is need to capture a comprehensive data of farmers and farming families residing in the territory so as to take adequate care of them

28

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

ABUJA REVIEW NEWS

•From left: President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice-President, Namadi Sambo; Alhaji Maitama •From left: Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike; Minister of Special Duties, Sule and Paul Unongo at the Northern Forum meeting with the President at the State House, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki; Erelu Olusola Obada and Minister of FCT, Senator Bala MohamAbuja. med at the Federal Executive Council (FEC)meeting at the Presidential Villa.

•From left: President, Talent Groom Foundation, Mrs Nelly Egbo, with President, Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Mrs Jummai Ahmadu, celebrating Easter with children of St. Maryland Orphanage Home, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

•From left: Chairman, IBTC, Atedo Peterside; Governor of Central Bank, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and Chairman, Visafone Communications Limited, Jim Ovia, during the Economic Management Team meeting at the Presidential Villa.

PHOTOS: AKIN OLADOKUN

•Director of Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), Dr. Abdulaziz Mohammed (right); Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Olajumoke, Akinjide; Acting Permanent Secretary, FCT, Alhaji Nuhu Ahmed; Acting Managing Director AEA, Ms Aisha Abubakar, and Director of AEA, Mr. Joe Wenegieme during a courtesy visit by the board members of AEA to the minister in Abuja.

•Director-General, Nigerian Governors Forum, Bayo Okauru (left); Executive-Director, Strategy and Research, Abdulateef Shittu, and Coordinator, State Peer Review Mechanism, Afiekhena Jerome, during a briefing in Abuja.

•From left: Director, Ministry of National Planning, Dr Zakari Lawal representing the Minister of National Planning; Managing Director, West Africa, SAP West African Region Ltd, Richard Edet; Executive Secretary, NEITI, Zainab Ahmed and Director Economic Planning, FCTA, Isa Muhammed at the SAP Government Performance Monitoring and Evaluation seminar in Abuja.

•Managing Director, Infinity Trust Savings & Loan Ltd, Banjo Obaleye (left); Publicity Secretary, Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria, Mr Emmanuel Mbaka and Managing Director, ASO Savings & Loans PLC, Hassan Musa Usman, during the association’s visit to FMBN headquarters in Abuja.

PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

29

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

the light of the forgoing, the NBA shall continue to ‘ In encourage the Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIEDEL) and Human Right Committee of the 100 branches of the NBA to embark upon massive public interest litigation and pro-bono cases See page 35

’

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

In one fell swoop, the three deputy directors-general of the Nigerian Law School were shown the way out. Their removal has continued to generate reactions. Was due process followed in their removal and should such changes be made in the middle of an academic session? These are some of the questions being asked by lawyers. Some also argue that the Council of Legal Education Act should have been amended first to specify the tenure of Law School officers.

JOSEPH JIBUEZE examines the issues.

•See story on page 31

Row over removal of Law School chiefs •They should wait and pass the law. That is what I am saying. There is something they call due process.

If you know something needs amendment, pass the law to amend the status quo. Be patient. Pass the law first, and then you can implement the law. To go ahead and act when the law has not been amended is not due process.

-Hairat Balogun

•Their removal is not in breach of any subsisting legislation. I believe that the Council of Legal Education, which is their employer, is perfectly entitled to deal with the situation, having regards to the overall interest of legal education in Nigeria. I do not think that an amendment to the existing statute was necessary to effect these changes.

-Nwobike (SAN)

• Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (SAN)

While inaugurating the Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill, Senate President David Mark suggested death penalty for oil thieves and pipeline vandals.

But some lawyers believe that capital punishment will not solve the problem, just as it has not solved armed robbery. For them, the existing laws should be enforced, PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU reports.

• People scooping fuel from a broken pipeline

S

ENATE President David Mark has called for the death penalty for oil thieves and illegal bunkerers to stem pipeline vandalism.

He spoke while inaugurating the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), noting that capital punishment was most suitable for oil thieves who have made the country lose so much revenue.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has, on

various occasions, released statistics showing the havoc the vandals cause.

A report said between August and October 2012, the NNPC System 2B pipeline transporting petroleum products recorded 774 break points from Atlas Cove to Ilorin.

The report said there were 118 break points to Mosimi; 421 ruptured points from Mosimi to Ibadan; 50 vandalised points from Mosimi to Ore and 122 break points

between Ibadan and Ilorin.

The effect is that conveying petroleum products across the over 5,000km of vast network of pipelines has become a nightmare.

The attendant dangers has not stopped the perpetrators. There have been a series of pipeline explosions that have claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed properties worth millions of naira.

In May 2006, about 150 people died at Abagbo Village, Eti-Osa Local Government Area (LGA),

• Tahir

?

Should oil theft attract death penalty

while scooping petrol from a vandalised pipeline.

Forty- three others were given mass burial in the same area in 2007, as a result of pipeline explosion caused by vandals.

Similarly, scores of Nigerians, including women, children and the aged, were reportedly killed in different explosions, while scooping fuel from a vandalized pipeline in Arepo.

In its quest to address the menace, the Federal Government has

constituted a taskforce on petroleum monitoring which includes men of the Armed Forces, the Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to guard pipeline areas and arrest illegal bunkerers and vandals. But this seemed not to have yielded much fruits as the illegal activities increase daily with the perpetrators getting deadlier.

The security agencies have also •Contined on page 31

Inside: Discordant tunes trail Appeal Court’s verdicts... P.33 Falana faults ejection of businessman,family... P.38

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

30

LAW COVER CONT’D

Row over removal of Law School chiefs • Continued from page 29

W

AS due process followed in the removal of three deputy directors-general (DDs-G) of the Nigerian Law School? This is a question only the courts can answer satisfactorily.

The DDs-G and other directors were relieved of their appointments following a directive by the Federal Government The Nation learnt at the weekend that some of the affected officers who feel they have been demoted may consider legal action.

News of the sack was contained in a memorandum issued from the Nigerian Law School Headquarters, Bwari, Abuja. It was signed by Mrs E. O. Max-Uba and addressed to all staff.

It had the subject: Restructuring/ Re-Organisation of the Council of Legal Education and Nigerian Law School.

The memo, dated March 18, reads: “This is to inform all staff that the Federal Government has directed the immediate implementation of the following administrative policies in the Nigerian Law School: “1. The appointment of the Chairman of the Council of Legal Education shall be four years, renewable once for a further term of four years.

“2. The appointment of the Director-General shall be for a first term of four years, renewable once for a further term of four years, after which he/she shall retire from service.

“3. Deputy Directors-General shall be appointed for a single term of five years, at the expiration of which they revert to their teaching assignment.

“4. Non-teaching directors shall serve a term of eight years after which they shall retire from service in line with the Government Policy on tenure of directors.

“These policies take immediate effect, and officers occupying any of these positions are to note and be guided accordingly.”

The effect of the directive was that the DD-Gs had to leave their positions as head of campuses having stayed longer than five years.

Three directors in administration were asked to proceed on retirement, having been in service for at least eight years.

The new changes Mrs Max-Uba reportedly said in a statement that the Council of Legal Education (CLE) Act would be amended to strengthen its regulatory and supervisory roles in respect of the LL.B programmes of universities.

In effect, the CLE would give mandatory approval for the commencement of LL.B programmes in any university.

Under the new arrangement, the chairman of the CLE would continue to be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) for a first term of four years subject to re-appointment for a further term of four years only.

Also, the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School shall also be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the AGF for a first term of four years, subject to re-appointment for a further term of four years only, in line with what now obtains in federal parastatals and agencies.

Some members of the Council were said to have argued that the DDs-G were appointed under the Legal Education Act and that their letters of appointment prescribed the post of DD-G as pensionable.

Therefore, they could not be retired before the end of their compulsory retirement date.

The affected DDs-G include Head of Enugu Campus Professor Ernest

• Taiwo

Ojukwu (appointed in 2001); Head of Lagos Campus Mr. Olanrewaju Onadeko (appointed in 2005), and Head of Kano Campus Dr. Nasirdeen Usman (appointed in 2006).

The CLE is made up of state Attorneys-General, all Deans of Law Faculties, and 15 members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), including the President and General Secretary. It is headed by former NBA President, Mr. O.C.J. Okocha (SAN).

It was learnt that the CLE decided that directors who had done more than eight years should be given notice of retirement. The directorgeneral, it was agreed, should be entitled to one term of four years, renewable for another four years to make a maximum of eight years.

Deputy directors should hand over to their next most senior in rank and revert to teaching in the law school, the CLE decided at its meeting.

Criticisms trail announcement Analysts say the Council of Legal Education (Consolidation etc.)

Act empowers the Attorney-General of the Federation to give ‘directions of a general character’ to the CLE. The removal of the DD-Gs, they argue, does not fall within the ambit of such directions, meaning that the CLE could have chosen not to carry out the government’s directive.

One of the removed DD-Gs, it was learnt, expressed worries that they were not given any prior notice before they were abruptly booted out.

Their removal also raises questions. What would they return to the classrooms as, since the position of DDG is a post and not an office as obtainable in the universities? If they are to revert to directors, would that not amount to a demotion?

Director-General of the Law School, Dr Tahir Mamman, had justified the removal of the Deputy D-Gs, although he did admit that there were gaps in the CLE Act which did not address the management structure of the campuses.

Mamman, who himself will leave at the end of the year, said the affected DD-Gs could remain in the Law School and retain their titles.

He said the administrative component of their positions “is secondary.”

“They can remain as Deputy Directors-General in the system,” he said.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Dr Joseph Nwobike, backed the government’s action. He said: “Those offices were not created by the establishment legislation which created the Law School.

“They were merely created for administrative convenience which became paramount after the additional campuses of the Law School were established to meet the ever-

• Nwobike (SAN)

• Nwadioke

increasing need for Law School education. Their removal, therefore, is not in breach of any subsisting legislation.

“However, I believe that the Council of Legal Education which is their employer is perfectly entitled to deal with the situation having regards to the overall interest of legal education in Nigeria.

“Having said this, I do not think that an amendment to the existing statute was necessary to effect these changes.”

Lawyers react But some lawyers argued that the CLE Act should have been amended first, and that the action should not have been taken midsession.

Some stakeholders also wondered why the government was in a hurry to sack the officials even when the law setting up the school was yet to be reviewed.

A Life Bencher and former Chairman, Body of Benchers, Mrs Hairat Balogun, faulted what she described as a “hasty” removal of the three DD-Gs, saying due process was not followed.

Not only should they not have been removed in the middle of an academic session, the CLE Act should have been amended first before the action was taken, she said.

Her words: “They are now taking care of the gaps in the law by decree, more or less. They should wait and pass the law. That is what I am saying. There is something they call due process.

“If you know something needs amendment, pass the law to amend the status quo. Be patient.

Pass the law first, and then you can implement the law. To go ahead and act when the law has not been amended is not due process.

“The other thing is that this is the middle of a session. At least, wait till the end of the session, so that in the new session, even the new students will know what they are coming to meet, not halfway through a session.

• Ofuokwu

“What is the rush? What’s the emergency? They as lawyers should guide the government. Is it not the Attorney-General that will advise the President about the Law School?”

Mrs Balogun said rather than merely restructuring the school, the government should have been more concerned with improving its infrastructure.

“The infrastructure of the Law School is appalling. Why don’t they go and see to that? That is more important,” she said.

Some lawyers shared Mrs Balogun’s view. Chairman, NBA Lagos Branch, Mr Taiwo O. Taiwo, said should the government’s action be found not to be supported by law, it should be reversed.

“I support the views expressed by the former Chair of the Body of Benchers Mrs Balogun, and as such, I will only state that if the action is not supported by law, it must be reversed.

“The fact that it was done midstream is immaterial. As a body that trains lawyers, we must do things in accordance to the law.

Why the rush? Any ulterior motive?”

Chairman, NBA Ikeja Branch, Mr Onyekachi Ubani, said it was imperative that the position of DD-G should be tenured under the CLE Act. He added: “It is anomalous for a very important position such as the Deputy Director-General of the Law School to be at the whims and caprices of the Executive. The Law should be amended to incorporate the tenureship for that position.”

Chairman, NBA Ikorodu Branch, Mr. Sahid Owosile, said where there is a lacuna as to the provisions of a law establishing any institution, it creates opportunities for maneuvrings based on whims and caprices.

“To that extent, we could say that since there is no provision in the law establishing the Law School, particularly regarding the appointment and tenure of the deputy directors-general, the authority reserves the right to do as it did.

“However, when such provisions are not made, then in exercising that power, the authority exercising it must take cognisance of its environment. For instance, the changes happened at a time that the school was in session.

“We have to temper our powers with empirical realities around us.

But I do not support that action of the authority of the Law School. In fact, it is condemnable,” he said.

An executive officer of the NBA Ikeja Branch, Mr Samson Omodara, said: “Aside the fact that they were removed mid-session and without amendment of the CLE Act, some of the best brains and experienced lecturers who imparted great knowledge to majority of lawyers were shown the way out. This is

highly compunctionable.”

A Constitutional Law, Mr Ike Ofuokwu, is of the view that the law should have been amended first.

He said: “The removal of the DDGs, especially in the absence of an enabling law regulating their appointments and tenures, by the Federal Government, being the owners of the Nigerian Law School is, to me, in order and noble.

“But the timing mid-session and without first amending the CLE Act portray the whole exercise as political, rascally and malicious, designed to disrupt academic programme, create bad blood and illfeelings amongst academic staff and likely undermine the integrity of the institution. It is simply a case of putting the cart before the horse.”

Lagos lawyer Emeka Nwadioke described the development as “untidy.” He said: “The entire debacle is needless, untidy and unfortunate. The controversy has also been fuelled by the seemingly inelegant admission by the Council that it was acting on a ‘directive’ from the Federal Government in removing the DD-Gs. “The Council of Legal Education (Consolidation etc.) Act empowers the AGF (not the Federal Government) to give ‘directions of a general character’ to the Council. It does not seem to me that the removal of the DD-Gs falls within the ambit of such directions. Accordingly, the Council, with respect, ought not to have obliged the President or AGF in the circumstances.

“Indeed, I am of the firm view that no amendment of the Act is required to remove the DDGs, as they are not specifically mentioned in the Act, and fall under ‘officers’ that may be appointed by Council as provided for by Section 6(1) of the Act. The Council may then remove them under its omnibus powers in Section 2(5) of the Act. “I am aware that a Bill sponsored

by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) is pending before the Senate. The bill seems to have answered some of the questions on the tenure of DDGs. Going forward, it seems to me that greater circumspection is required,” Nwadioke said.

Founder, Coalition of Lawyers for Good Governance (CLGG), Mr Joe Nwokedi, said the government’s action was inconvenient, as it could disrupt academic flow.

He said: “The action of the Federal Government is ill-timed and in my opinion holistically condemnable. The Council of Legal Education should get the Act amended to clearly stipulate tenure of the office of D-G and DD-Gs of the Nigerian Law School campuses.

“It amounts to recklessness of a higher magnitude for a body as reputable and knowledgeable to omit such as clause in their Act. It then means that the occupiers of such venerated office will be at the mercy of the executive and can be hired and fired at will.

“Therefore, something urgent should be done to reflect their tenure, ground for their removal before the expiration of their tenure, eg, misconduct, fraud, forgery, immorality, insanity, incapacitation or any act or omission capable of tarnishing the image of the legal profession.”

But Mr Seth Amaefule, a lawyer, disagreed with Nwokedi, saying the office of the DD-G is administrative and not necessarily academic.

“Their removal ought not to affect the academic curriculum. More so, public service is a continuum.

The removal, retirement, death, or resignation of a public officer should not create a vacuum in the system if well-managed.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

31

LAW COVER CONT’D

Should oil theft attract death penalty?

• Continued from page 29

been accused of conniving with the vandals to steal oil. Where vandals have been arrested, no one has ever heard of a successful prosecution or conviction of the criminals to serve as deterrent to others.

This is despite the fact that Chapter 353 of the Laws of the Federation, 1990, provides for a maximum of 21 years in prison for anyone convicted of pipeline vandalisation or oil theft.

There is also the Petroleum Production and Distribution (PDD) (Anti-Sabotage) Act of 1975. Could it be that these laws are not stringent enough? Will death penalty stem vandalisation of pipelines?

Lawyers, who spoke on the issue, noted that such vices are the least of Nigeria’s challenges. They called on the legislator to rather make corruption a capital offence. They accused the government of insensitivity to the plight of the citizens, which has left vulnerable and unemployed youths with no other option than to fend for themselves.

Although they described pipeline vandalisation as a heinous economic crime that deserves stringent sanctions for offenders, the lawyers blamed the government for non-enforcement of existing laws on economic sabotage.

They differed on the recommendation of death sentence for oil thieves and vandals by Mark. Some of them maintained that such laws were already in existence but underutilised.

Those who spoke on the issue included Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Norrison Quakers; constitutional lawyer Dr. Fred Agbaje; Lagos based lawyers Dr. Frederick Banjoko and EbunOlu Adegboruwa and Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu Branch, Sahid Owosile.

Quakers said the statement accredited to the Senate President was “borne out of emotion and concern for the plundering of our common wealth as a nation and as a people”, just as he noted that death penalty will not address the problem. ‘‘Many Nigerians at the top echelon of the military, government and private individuals are involved in plundering our common wealth with impunity, bearing in mind that the various laws in the petroleum sub-sector such as: The Petroleum Act 1969; Oil Pipeline Act 1956; Oil & Gas Pipelines Regulations 1995, among others, regrettably, do not provide or carry heavy penal sanctions. ‘‘Section 4(1) of the Petroleum Act Cap P10 1969, says a person must obtain licence from the Minister to sell, store or distribute any petroleum product in the country. Then 4(6) went further to provide a penalty upon conviction, of two years in prison or a fine of N2,000 or both as well as the forfeiture of the petroleum products in respect of which the offence was committed. The same thing applies for Section 13(2)(b)(iv) of the Petroleum Act, which provides a fine not exceeding N2, 000 for any person who acts without the appropriate licence.

“Section 26 of the Oil &Gas Pipeline Regulations, 1995, provides for the punishment for any person who contravenes the regulation on pipeline building. Such an offender will be liable upon conviction to a fine up to N500, 000 or imprisonment for a term of six months or to both fine and imprisonment.”

Quakers said the provisions of Sections 4, 6 and 13 of the Petroleum Act, 1969, were not strict enough and adequate to tackle oil bunkering and pipeline vandalisation compared to the higher sanction for failure to build a pipeline in line with the laid down regulation as provided for in Section 26 of the Oil & Gas Pipeline Regulations.

“Although there have been talks from all sides that death penalty should be imposed on offenders involved in bunkering and vandalism, I am of the view that such provision would not deter the offenders from continuing with these acts. I agree to an extent that stricter punishments should be meted out such as life imprisonment and forfeiture of wealth amassed or acquired from illegal bunkering activities, if the government will be courageous enough to stamp its authority in imposing stricter sanctions on persons found liable regardless of how highly placed they are.

“The thought of being locked up for a long time in the prison should help in curbing pipeline vandalism. Proactively, proper surveillance machinery should be put in place and monitors connected to a central computer system should be used in detecting any leakage or bust on any of the pipelines in the country.

Once this is in place, any form of tampering will be immediately and easily detected and proper actions taken to prevent the destruction from escalating to a disaster.

“Pipeline vandalisation and oil bunkering are also financial crimes because they rob the state of its resources. They should be treated as economic crimes and the Economic and Finance Crimes Commission (EFCC) by its enabling Act is empowered to investigate and prosecute before courts of competent jurisdiction such persons or offenders.

“As we have always maintained, there are enough laws covering the field, and as a country we must never appear to be helpless if only our enforcement and prosecutorial agencies will step up to their responsibilities in the face of clear and unambiguous enabling legislations which can be deployed conjunctively in stemming the tide of illegal bunkering which has also encouraged foreign participation,’’ Quakers said.

Agbaje noted that the Senate President in the recommendation said nothing new. He added that there was a legislation under the Laws of the Federation, 1990, that provides for death penalty or a prison term of not more than 21 years for pipeline vandals.

• Mark

• Owosile

• Quakers

• Agbaje

He blamed the government for the under utilisation of the PPD (Anti-Sabotage) Act of 1975, blaming the connivance of the various agencies as well as the lack of political will by the government for the upsurge in vandalism. ‘‘With due respect to the Senate President, he has not said anything new by recommending capital punishment for oil thieves and pipeline vandals. What he said is in consonance with what the PPD Act says. So, it was an oversight for him to repeat what has been provided for in the law. ‘‘His recommendation is borne out of verbosity. In as much as

he has reminded Nigerians that oil thieves constitute economic sabotage and deserve the heaviest capital punishment, he must also be reminded that we also need death penalty for looters of treasury, particularly political office holders and top civil servants, who have nothing else to do but loot us dry. And such death penalty must start now. ‘‘That is the only way the recommendation of the Senate President can be meaningful to average Nigerians. As far as I am concerned, the law is adequate. I am in total agreement with that law because the activities of these vandals, who are highly connected, are affecting our general interest. ‘‘My worry is not with the law but its under utilisation. If the provision of the PPD Act has been followed, with one or two people convicted and executed, others would have learnt their lessons. ‘‘But the government has not shown any activism towards the fullest implementation of the petroleum laws. In spite of the series of pipeline vandalisations and arrests of suspects, how many convictions have been secured?’’ He queried.

According to Agbaje, the government has been engaged in media ground standing as against effective prosecution of vandals. He said because there is a liturgy by the government as well as a growing connivance between suspects and the relevant agencies that is why pipeline vandalism has thrived.

“An example is what happened recently at Ikorodu, where members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) allegedly arrested some vandals, only for the police to go there and kill NSCDC men and by so doing, freed the vandals.

“Government must show seriousness in the arrest and prosecution of oil thieves including the very highly placed ones. I agree that most judges may not want to deliver death sentences on criminals when they have alternative options, but even 21 years in prison as provided by the PDD Act is enough punishment for anyone convicted of the offence,” Agbaje said.

To Banjoko, there is no aversion to such a proposal if it is intended to discourage the growing dangerous practice which has caused havoc to the nation’s resources. He noted that the penalty for such crime is death in the country’s statute.

He said: ‘‘I do not know if such crime does not already attract death sentence in the nation’s statute. It amounts to economic sabotage, and I believe it should attract capital punishment.

Honestly people should be discouraged from acts capable of crippling the nation’s economy. ‘‘The state should also learn from this that it arises from an aversion to the current unjust distribution pattern of the national wealth. Today, the few in the corridor of power enjoy the national wealth more than the rest of us outside. There should be a change of tactics. Corruption in public space should be tackled. ‘‘Mark and others, who have been in the corridor of power for decades, should be ashamed that fraud and corruption are still common among public office holders. ‘‘Mark and others should know that laws, on their own, do not effect necessary changes, but the willingness of the people to appreciate the justice behind the law. ‘‘The Senate President and others cannot continue to enjoy the benefit of a system that shut the poor majority out from benefiting from the national wealth and yet want them to be subjugated by mere enactment of laws. ‘‘What I am saying is that politicians and public officers should change from their greedy and kleptomanic nature. It is only then that we can begin to agree that those who seek to help themselves to the national wealth through any means, illegal bunkering inclusive, are truly enemies of the state, and hence should be classified as economic saboteurs,’’ Banjoko added.

Owosile described the recommendation as taking the country backward. He insisted that the problem was not the existing laws but the enforcement of such laws. The NBA chairman disagreed with the death penalty recommendation, noting that it won’t yield positive result. ‘‘It is like going back in time. Let us appreciate one thing, Law is culture. In our own society, our morality surpasses our legality. That is why, often times, when punishment is too high, the deterrence expected does not come because nobody wants anybody to die. ‘’At the end of the day, it won’t work. We have gone past the period of death sentence. You remember the case of Bartholomew Owoh and the rest of them in 1984. That incidence was a big smear on the administration of General Muhammed Buhari and General Tunde Idiagbon because at that time it was military fiat and they exercised their fiat to kill those people, which backfired. ‘‘Why should anybody take us to that level again? It is not fair.

It is not proper. The world is shifting from absolute deterrence to subtle jail term. So how can we go back to death sentence?

And all these talk about subsidy fraud, they are not sincere about them, they are not at all. The laws that are existing; how have they enforced those ones before talking about death sentence? I do not agree with them at all,’’ he said.

Adegboruwa said death penalty in any part of the world can never be deterrence to criminal activities. ‘‘In Nigeria today, offences like murder, armed robbery, coup, or mutiny carry death penalty, but till date, armed robbery is on the increase.

Abating oil theft is not a matter for sentences and convictions.

Those involved in illegal oil bunkering are mostly beyond the law because they are highly placed. ‘‘Empty legislations will not curb incidence of illegal oil bunkering, unless there is the will power by the government to clamp down on the powerful oil thieves. The remedy to a crime of such nature would be to strengthen existing institutions, such as the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy, to monitor and regulate bunkering.

“It is common knowledge that most of these big oil thieves utilise the proceeds of their illegal acts to even fund campaigns and elections of some political big-wigs. So, the fight should begin from empowering the requisite institutions, which will in turn put up resistance to the activities of these dubious Nigerians. Their duties must, however, be carried out without interference,” Adegboruwa said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

32

LAW & SOCIETY

State of Emergency in Nigeria: Law and Politics Book Summary HE textbook - State of emer gency in Nigeria: Law and politics is a collection of 16 chapters covering different topics on the subject matter. With themes ranging from comparative studies, the act of proclamation of state of emergency, the concept of clear and present danger to the consequences of proclamation of state of emergency, the textbook comes as a rich authoritative source of information in this area of law. The chapter contributors are culled from within and outside the faculty of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

Chapter One of this book entitled: - State of Emergency: A comparative study by Dr Adebisi Arewa compares the laws on and application of state of emergency in Nigeria with that of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, France and Germany. He examines modalities and constitutional constraints on the use of emergency powers across these jurisdictions. He attempts to provide answers to the questions on the resolution of the inevitable conflict between emergency powers and human rights in a democracy. He also considers the efficacy of the extant instruments for managing emergency y situations. Between extreme positions - the preservation of guaranteed constitutional rights and derogation of same in the midst of extraordinary circumstances that call for a state of emergency, Dr Arewa choses the middle position - ‘One that permits shortterm emergency rule but clearly defines the legal parameters against perpetual emergency rule.’ He recommends this middle position as it provides a delicate balance between the two extreme positions he outlined.

Awa U. Kalu, SAN writes on the Act of Proclamation of State of Emergency in chapter two. He gives a treatise on the conditions for the invocation of emergency powers in Nigeria. In doing this, he provides a summary of the security concerns that dominated the news media in recent times and poses a question as to the origin of the powers of the President to declare a state of emergency in states plagued with serious security concerns. The author outlines and provides the reader with a detailed explanation of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution which gives the President proclamatory powers in the event of a state of emergency. He replays the case of Plateau State of Nigeria & Anor v. Attorney General of the Federation [2006] 3 NWLR (pt 967) 346 and makes the events that precipitated the case fresh in the mind of the reader that is, the declaration by the then President Obasanjo of a state of emergency in Plateau State and the subsequent suspension of the office of the State Governor and the House of Assembly in the state. The author notes that while section 305 may seem exhaustive of the circumstances which may compel the President or the Governor of a state to exercise emergency powers, it is not entirely clear whether the declaration of emergency would mean that democratically elected officials of government would be excluded in the from performing their official functions during the period of the emergency. The author advocates for a ratio from the Supreme Court of Nigeria which should clearly delineate the construes of section 305 another section of the1999 Constitution that deal

T

BOOK REVIEW State of Emergency in Nigeria: Law and Politics Editor: Professor Epiphany Azinge, SAN Year of Publication: 2013 Publisher: NIALS Press Title:

with the exercise of emergency powers.

The third chapter by Professor Nnamdi Aruba focuses on the Presidential Powers and State of emergency and commences with the definition of some terms. The chapter traces the history behind presidential system of government in Nigeria and outlines and explains various theories of executive power. Prof Aduba critically appraised the enormous powers given to the President by the Constitution especially as it relates to declaring a state of emergency. He recommends the creation of state a state police force or requirements of the concurrence the Governors and the Chairmen of the Local Government Areas that have security challenges requiring the declaration of state of emergency.

State of Emergency under the 1999 Constitution: The Role of the National Assembly is the title of the fourth chapter by Ona Osanakpo. Ona discusses the functions the legislature plays in the event of a state of emergency in the light of its constitutional powers. She further deliberates on the composition and powers of the legislature to give a better understanding of its mechanisms.

She provides a comparative analysis of the legal framework of the Nigerian National Assembly in a state of emergency, using the United Kingdom, United States of America and Canada as comparators.

Amaechi Nwaiwu writes on the topic - State of Emergency and the Limits of Extraordinary Measure.

In this chapter, the author in writing on limits of extraordinary measure uses historical facts following three periods in Nigeria’s history where the state of emergency proclamation was utilised.

The three periods mapped out by Nwaiwu are the period of Nigeria first republic, the period between1999 - 2010 and then from 2011 to date. Sub-themes treated in this chapter include the application of national and international human rights law and limits under emergency rule and the rationale for the termination or extension of state of emergency.

David O. Oluwagbami’s chapter six begins with the position that declaration of state of emergency does not constitute a threat to the Nigerian Federation. This chapter titled State of Emergency as a Threat to the Existence of the Federation attempts to provide a solution to the circumstances bring about state of emergency, especially the ‘other public dangers’ as stated in section 305(4) of the Constitution. The chapter highlights these other public dangers and takes the position that while some of these dangers may by their nature be clearly linked to the need for a proclamation of a state of emergency, many will not; yet they constitute threat to the Nigerian Federation. Mr Oluwagbami notes that the real threats to the Nigerian Federation are the lack of respect for the Constitution, inefficiencies of the legislatures, poorly coordinated executive organs and unfriendly inter-governmental relations.

The rejection of democratic culture by political elites, poorly

‘Chapter thirteen on State of Emergency: The Role of the Armed Forces looks into the meaning role and effect of state of emergency, the powers of the President and the National Assembly over defence and security matters, and the relationship between a state of emergency and the armed forces’ managed electoral process, rising insecurity and ethnic militias, corruption, defective local government system and challenges of credible census are the other threats noted by the author.

State of Emergency under the 1999 Constitution: State Governor’s Powers is the topic treated in the seventh chapter by Mr Uchechukwu Ngwaba. In this chapter, the author seeks answers to the questions regarding the implications of the declaration of a state of emergency, situations that would trigger a state of emergency under the Constitution and the powers conferred on state governors in respect of the declaration of a state of emergency or the management of the affairs of

a state of emergency. The questions for which the author proffers solutions in this chapter also include the limitations on the powers of state governors in the state of emergency and the efficacy of Nigerian Laws in dealing with current and future threats to national security. The chapter argues for reforms in certain broad areas to position State Governors to better handle security threats and other emergencies facing their states.

Professor Mike Ikhariale’s chapter eight deals with the Concept of Clear nd Present Danger (CPD). He describes the concept as a justifiable judicial subtraction from the corpus of the civil liberties of the citizens in the larger interests of society. He notes that the CPD test was developed by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Schenck v. United States as a wartime invention with associated circumstances set primarily to protect the authority of the State and government.

In summary, Professor Ikhariale states that the CPD test cannot fit completely into the modern democratic setting where the freedom of speech is highly appreciated and strengthened.

Professor F.C Nwoke provides a treatise in chapter nine on the conditions for the declaration for the state of emergency: breakdown of public order and public safety. It provides an examination of the meaning, scope and theories of emergency rule in Nigeria and the historical perspective of the the declaration of emergency in Nigeria. The chapter also analyses the concept of actual breakdown of public order and public safety as a condition necessitating the declaration of a state of emergency in Nigeria or any part of it. Professor Nwoke, in his jurisprudence of actual breakdown of public order and public safety states that where there is breakdown of public order and public safety in a state, it threatens the very existence of the state. The author recommends the amendment of the Constitution to add flesh and guidance to the concept - ‘actual breakdown of law and order’ for a purposeful and encompassing determination of the concept.

The title of the 10th chapter by Samuel Ogwuche captures the purpose and content of the chapter. The chapter is titled the Challenges of use of State of Emergency in Democratic Governance: Plateau and Ekiti Experiences. It discusses the use of state emergency in Plateau and Ekiti States its relationship with democratic governance. The author concludes by noting that the state of emergency is an affront to good governance. Part of the author’s recommendations include amendments of the Constitution

to provide for a state police in which case the Governors of states would have total control of police affairs within the state for the maintenance of public order in their states.

Chapter 11 is entitled Partial Declaration of State of Emergency. Professor Paul Obo Idornigie examines the legal foundations of the powers of the Federal Parliament and / or the President to declare a state of emergency in some parts of Nigeria.

Chapter 12 on State of Emergency and Internal Conflict in Nigeria by Professor Joash Amupitan establishes that since all the constitutions of Nigeria allow the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency where there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety or a clear and present danger of an actual breakdown of same, requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger, it could be used to deal with internal security. The work finds that states have used states of emergency for political reasons rather than for restoring law and order in Nigeria. The work recommends that given the enormous powers of the Federal and State Governments in sections 4,5,11,215 and 217 of the 1999 Constitution, there is no need to continue to use a state of emergency to deal with internal conflict in Nigeria or if it must be used, it must only be in exceptional and emergency cases.

Fatima Bello’s chapter thirteen on State of Emergency: The Role of the Armed Forces looks into the meaning role and effect of state of emergency, the powers of the President and the National Assembly over defence and security matters, and the relationship between a state of emergency and the armed forces.

The concluding chapters also provide interesting discourse on the subject to of state of emergency. Professor Dakas CJ Dakas, (SAN) writes on the international and comparative jurisprudence on state of emergency and human rights in Chapter 14. Dr Fatima Waziri- Azi also writes on a similar yet distinguishable topic on human rights and state of emergency. The final chapter is written by Emmanuel Anyaegbunam and his topic is titled consequences of proclamation of state of emergency.

The textbook is recommended to lawyers and non-lawyers alike.

It can be purchased from the NIALS Publication stands in the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies offices within the Supreme Court of Nigeria Complex and the University of Lagos, Akoka Campus respectively. For further details please contact c.nwabuzor@nials-nigeria.org.

• Prof Lanre Fagbohun (left) and Jude Ogamba at the NBA SLP training workshop for lawyers held at NIALS UNILAG, Akoka campus, Lagos.

33

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

FROM THE COURT

Discordant tunes trail Appeal Court’s verdicts on Daily Times

W

HAT is the true position of the Daily Times case at the Court of Appeal?

This is the question many are asking as the disputing parties are claiming victory in the recent verdicts given by the court.

It was thought that the appellate court would give a definite pronouncement in the case between Folio Communications Limited (promoted by the Anosike brothers) to which the Federal Government initially sold controlling shares of the newspapers and DSV Limited, another investor in the company.

But, in three separate judgments on March 27, a three-man panel headed by Justice Amina Adamu Augie refrained from determining the appeal by Folio, but ordered that the case be reheard by another judge of the Federal High Court, Lagos to resolve an interlocutory issue.

The court failed to make a specific pronouncement on the judgment of Justice Okechukwu Okeke (of the Federal High Court, Lagos) in a petition initiated in 2009 by DSV and one of Daily Times creditors, Afribank (now Enterprise Bank) under Section 311(1) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 1990.

Justice Okeke upheld the petition and declared among others, that Folio “is no longer a shareholder in Daily Times” and that Folio “did not pay for the 140,252,900 shares (amounting to 56 per cent shares) allotted to it and therefore the shares should revert to Daily Times. Folio appealed the judgment and two other earlier rulings by the judge.

Today, DSV claims the judgment, which made it the remaining major stakeholder in the company, still subsists. Folio and the Anosike brothers – Fidelis, Charles and Noel – on their part have gone to town, claiming that by the appellate court’s judgment, they have been restored to the preOkeke judgment era.

Pursuant to the privatization programme of the Federal Government under President Olusegun Obasanjo, Daily Times was offered to Folio at N1.250 billion. In an effort to raise funds, Folio approached the now defunct Hallmark Bank, for a N750,000 loan.

DSV provided N500,000 as foundation money for the loan and was accordingly allotted 40 per cent shareholding.

Dissatisfied with the conduct of Folio and its promoters, DSV and Afribank, to which Daily Times owed about N575.696m filed the petition. On December 21, 2009 Folio and the Anosikes filed two processes in response to the petition – an affidavit in opposition to the petition and a motion on notice praying the court for an order dis-

with

By Eric Ikhilae

missing and striking out the suit for want of jurisdiction.

Parties argued their applications on January 14, 2010 following which the judge adjourned to February 19, 2010 or an earlier date for ruling or judgment. Before the date, Folio and the Anosikes filed an application dated January 27 seeking among others, an order granting them leave to reopen argument in the case by filing a further and better counter affidavit and further supplementary address before any ruling/judgment was given.

They also sought leave to raise the issue of jurisdiction by querying the petitioners’ locus standi to file the petition and deeming the supplementary address on the issue properly filed and served.

DSV and Afribank did not file a counter to the application by Folio and its promoters. On the date set for ruling/judgment, petitioners’ lawyer L. A. Idu opposed the application, arguing that it was a ploy to delay proceedings and arrest the scheduled ruling/judgment, an argument the judge upheld.

Justice Okeke proceeded to deliver judgment on the petition, upholding it and granting the petitioners’ prayers. Folio and the Anosikes appealed the interlocutory ruling and the judgment.

They filed three appeals –CA/ L/298/2010 against the lower court’s ruling on their contention that the petitioners had no cause of action; CA/L/298A/2010 against the court’s ruling on their argument, questioning the petitioners’ locus standi and CA/L/ 298B/2010 challenging the court’s final decision on the petition.

On March 27, the appellate court, in the judgment on appeal CA/L/298/2010 read by Justice Adamu Augie, held: “the lower court fell into serious error when it failed or refused to consider the prayer for leave to raise the issue of locus standi, which means that the said issue is still hanging, and nothing can be done until it is resolved.

“After all, it is one thing to have a reasonable cause of action, and quite another to have the locus standi to appear and be heard in court.

“I am aware of the tremendous pressure on judges, who have to deal with litigants and counsel, but in the circumstances of this case, I really think the lower court should have adjourned the matter or taken its time to consider the application because the issue of locus standi is not something a court can ignore or close its eyes to since it may affect its jurisdiction, and jurisdiction is the lifeline of

gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

Amnesty as alternative to governance

P • Acting President, Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa

any action.

“This appeal therefore succeeds and is allowed. The application dated January 27, 2010 is hereby sent back to the lower court for hearing by another judge.” In view of this decision, the appellate court struck out appeal CA/L/298A/ 2010.

Justice Adamu Augie held that having ordered that the issue of locus standi be first determined by the lower court, “it will be foolhardy for this court to deal with this appeal because cause of action and locus standi are jurisdictional issues, and it will augur well for justice of this case if the other judge deals with both issues, given that a matter cannot be heard unless there is a cause of action, and the plaintiff had right to bring the action.”

The court also struck out appeal CA/L/298B/2010 in view of its first decision. Justice Adamu Augie held that “the bottom line is that the lowere court should have considered whether or not to grant the appellants’ leave to raise the issue that the respondent did not have locus standi before it dismissed the said application dated January 27, 2010 which remains an obstacle in the way of determining this appeal on its merit.” Justices Rita Nosakhare Pemu and Fatima Omoro Akinbami agreed with Justice Adamu Augie.

Until the lower court decides the issues of cause of action and locus standi raised in the January 27, 2010 application by Folio and the Anosikes one way or the other, the argument remains that the judgment by Justice Okeke still subsists until set aside by a competent court.

This position, DSV argues remains potent in the face of the appellate court’s silence on what becomes of the judgment before the lower court determines the application sent to it for fresh hearing.

Lagos CJ urges prisoners to plan for life after jail foundation for a better future when AGOS State Chief Judge Jus-

L

tice Ayotunde Philips has advised prisoners to plan for life after their incarceration.

Justice Philips urged the prisoners to study well and sit for examinations such as the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) while serving their jail term.

The Lagos CJ, who was represented by the Chief Registrar of the Lagos High Court, Mr Gafari Safari, gave the advice at the launching of an education facility named, Prison Knowledge Centre(PKC) donated

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

By Adebisi Onanuga

by the Zaccheus Onumba Dibiazue Memorial Library(ZODML) at the Ikoyi Prisons.

"You can live a good life even after leaving the prison and this can be achieved when you develop your mind while you are here. This you can achieve by reading," she said.

She remarked that being in prison should not deter them from getting education which he said would provide them with the necessary

they regained freedom after serving their terms.

Justice Philips counselled the prisons to take advantage of the opportunity the prison afforded them to write examinations as external candidates.

She said they could also proceed to the National Open University of Nigeria(NOUN) to earn degrees like other prison inmates are doing.

She remarked that this is one way of ensuring that they are easily absorbed back into the society on the completion of their terms.

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is surely not at any crossroads over the resurgent demand for amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect, mainly by the Northern elite. Never mind his tough talks and braggadocio. As a politician desirous of another term in 2015, he can now comfortably claim that he has no alternative than to heed the call. But instead of piecemeal amnesty as variants of our national fault lines parboils, I strongly recommend to the President, that it will pay his political ambitions better, to declare amnesty for all crimes that have or may be committed in the near future by the teeming unemployed and disillusioned Nigerian youths. That will surely give his ambition a lift.

Indeed, after declaring an all encompassing amnesty as an alternative for economic opportunities for our youths; the President should go ahead to design programmes to pay the youths to maintain peace, appease them to learn a trade in a foreign country, and arrange for their ringleaders to be handed very lucrative security contracts, with the payments to be made in foreign currency. This way he would have used a single stone to kill all the political birds in the bush. The payments can be called peace and presidential political advancement subsidy. The President should also setup a presidential committee under the headship of the politically savvy Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Ayim Pius Ayim, with the super-ministers as members to manage the programme in the interim.

The governors, particularly those in the North, must also rise up to the occasion and through their Governor’s Forum take steps to match the President. They should form a parallel committee, with local government chairmen as members. The committee should be responsible for providing the lacking millennium development goals across the states and the local governments. The governors in the southwest, north-central and southeast must preempt their own youths, by preparing them in advance for their own presidential amnesty programme.

For the long term, a new ministry of presidential amnesty must be created. The ministry must be allocated the biggest chunk of our national budget, for I can prophesy that this new national economic venture will surely create new multi-millionaires. Now if the petroleum subsidy scheme could spin off several new-mint millionaires, despite it being under-budgeted for, I can imagine the number of new millionaires, a nation-wide amnesty induced subsidy programme would add to the list of the rich Nigerians.

I guess it may be necessary to, immediately, create the Boko Haram presidential amnesty offices in all the states of the federation. Never mind that the scourge of the Boko Haram criminality has been predominant in the northeast, youths from other zones would swear that they have always been members, only that they have relocated in anticipation of the amnesty. I can also bet that the President would be forced to swallow his words that members of the sect are ghosts. As he would soon find out, millions and millions of unemployed and unemployable Nigerian youths would gladly own up as members of the sect, once the largess starts flowing. Since the government cannot create economic opportunities, is it not better to earn income without working?

I hope also that the cries of Governor Kwankwaso of Kano State have been tampered. Who will forget his argument that the Niger Delta states have been earning a disproportionate share of the oil revenue? As he argued, the statistics of free money is intimidating. From the Ministry of Niger Delta, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), 13 per cent derivation, presidential committee on amnesty, and the security contracts; the governor has been livid with envy, all this while. Considering the strategic position of his state in the politics of Nigeria, and his advertised struggles for a bigger share of oil-revenue resources for the North, I will not be surprised if his state is given the privilege to host the headquarters of the Boko Haram amnesty subsidy programme. After all, his state will be crucial to the success of Mr. President in 2015.

One other man who must have been assuaged now should be the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr Aliyu Babaginda of Niger State.

Strongly in contention as the champion of northern interest, he had repeatedly claimed that President Jonathan promised to serve only one term.

With a presidential amnesty and the attendant largess rolling in for the north, which he claims to fight for, would he not now allow Mr President an opportunity to fully implement this laudable project, in the overall interest of the north? If he stays adamant to his claims despite the new developments, and fails to join in seeking to register the highest number of members of Boko Haram from his state, then he will soon realise he has fewer sympathisers.

Since the sharing of the amnesty benefits must necessary start from the core north, I know the billionaire Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) president will increasingly be livid and critical of the programme; even while enjoying the son-of-soil presidency. Also, the people of the southwest need to be immediately appeased, over their marginalisation by the Jonathan administration, to starve their youths from taking the matter into their own hands. The youths of the southeast, who thought that kidnapping their own people will attract a presidential intervention programme must wait for their turn to benefit from the general amnesty.

Like in the Niger Delta, the Boko Haram villains would soon become responsible wealthy citizens, organising scholarships and humanitarian projects for their surviving victims. As patriots, President Jonathan and other political leaders must find a tactical way to spread the largess to the surviving victims of the Boko Haram ascendance. That way, the mismanaged national economy will boomerang, sorry boom.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

34

LAW & SOCIETY

Tribute to Justice Emmanuel Araka Ahead of the funeral of Justice Emmanuel Araka, former Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Ike Uko pays tribute to the late chief judge of Anambra State.

O

• Speaker, House of Reps, Aminu Tambuwal • Continued from last week

National Assembly introduces plea bargaining

By John Austin Unachukwu

273. Effect of plea of not guilty A person who pleads not guilty shall be deemed to have put himself to trial.

274. Effect of plea of guilty (1) Where a defendant pleads guilty to an offence with which he is charged, the court shall: (a) record his plea as nearly as possible; (b) invite the prosecution to state the fact of the case; and (c) enquire from the defendant whether his plea of guilty is to the fact as stated by the prosecution.

(2) Where the court is satisfied that the defendant intends to admit the truth of all the essential elements of the offence for which he has pleaded guilty, the court shall convict and sentence him or make such order as may be necessary, unless there shall appear sufficient reason to the contrary.

(3) Where the defendant pleads guilty to a capital offence, a plea of not guilty shall be recorded for him.

275. Amending charge where defendant pleads guilty to offence not charged.

If the defendant pleads guilty to an offence not contained in the charge or information on which he was arraigned, the court shall direct the prosecution to amend the charge or information accordingly to include the admitted offence, in which case, a fresh plea of the defendant shall be taken on the amended charge or information.

276. Failure to plead due to malice or otherwise (1) If the defendant, when called upon to plead remains silent or refuses to answer, the court shall enter a plea of not guilty on his behalf.

(2) A plea entered under subsection (1) of this section shall have the same effect as if the defendant actually pleaded to the charge.

(3) The court may inquire into the mental state of the defendant, and if the court is satisfied that the defendant is of sound mind, the court shall proceed with his trial.

(4) If the court finds that the defendant is of unsound mind, the provisions of this Act in relation to persons of unsound mind shall apply.

277. Pleas: autrefois acquit or convict, pardon (1) A defendant against whom a charge or information is filed may plead that: (a) by virtue of section 238 of this Act he is not liable to be tried for the offence with which he is charged; or (b) he has obtained a pardon for his offence.

(2) If either of the pleas under subsection (1) of this section is raised in any case and denied to be true in fact, the court shall determine whether such plea is true in fact or not.

(3) If the court holds that the facts alleged by the defendant do not prove the plea, or if it finds that it is false in fact, the defendant shall be required to plead to the charge or information.

(4) Nothing in this section shall prevent a person from pleading that, by virtue of some other provision of law, he is not liable to be prosecuted or tried for an offence with which he is charged.

NE day in January, 2013, news filtered in that Nnanyelugo Emmanuel Oseloka Araka had gone to join the saints triumphant.

The news came from a friend who is the judicial editor of a national newspaper. I immediately called his first son who is a colleague here in Lagos, Martins Araka, and he confirmed the news.

I was saddened for I expected him to stay longer in this realm based on my judgement of him the last two times we met.

The first was in November 2011 in the chambers of Obi Okwusogu (SAN), who is his townsman and former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Our meeting was sequel to an article I wrote earlier in the year celebrating his 60 years at the bar in March 2011. He had earlier called me on phone to show appreciation on the piece on him carried by major national newspapers.

During the meeting, I was speechless for I was filled with awe on meeting a man I have heard so much about as a young man growing up in Onitsha. I particularly noticed that he was so strong physically that he climbed the three storey rooftop chambers of Obi Okwusogu unaided!

He talked so much about the judiciary, and the circumstances of his retirement as a judge in March 1985 about the age of 60 years with five more years to go before the compulsory retirement age of 65 years for judges.

The details will be in his biography, which I hope would be out soonest. Our second meeting was at the wedding reception for the daughter in Ikeja last August who got married to a young man from Osun State, where he wrote his West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1943 at Ilesa Grammar School. Now he is gone, a chapter is closed.

The next thing is to tell his story. Who is he? Which soil produced him? What were his challenges? How did he overcome

them? What are the lessons to be learnt by those who heard it or encountered such a golden life?

Araka was born in 1925. He grew up in the present Delta State.

He was born in Agbo town, Delta State where his father was the headmaster of an Elementary School. The father was transferred to Isele-Uku Government School, also in the then Asaba Division of the then Western Region of Nigeria. A headmaster then belonged to the burgeoning upper class of the colonial society.

He attended Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, where he was taught mathematics by the renowned “Teacher Nwanjoku”, who later became professor of Botany and later pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Eni Njoku made first class honours in Botany in a top British University.

However, Araka wrote his school certificate in Ilesa Grammar School with the likes of Justice Kayode Eso, Ambassador Haastrup (lawyer and diplomat), Dr. F.A. Ajayi, SAN, (the first Nigerian to make first class in law at the University of London).

They all made division 1 grade in West African Examinations Council (WAEC) with Araka making A1 in both General Mathematics and Advanced Mathematics.

He worked briefly in the Customs and Excise Department in 1946 before going to Ireland later in the year to study law at the Prestigious Trinity College, Dublin.

That was the same school eminent Nigerian jurists like Justice Udo Udoma, Dr. Jaja Wachukwu, Justice Kayode Eso, etc attended. By the company one keeps, you evaluate him.

After being enrolled to practice law in Nigeria in March 1951, he set up shop in his home town, Onitsha, but with practice extending to all major towns in Eastern Nigeria and beyond. In 1963, he was admitted to the inner bar, as a Queens Counsel (equivalent of SAN) at 12 years post-call. He was a member of the House of Representatives representing Onitsha Urban after the resignation of the eminent mathematician, Professor Chike Obi. He was enjoying his practice when the civil war came with all

its distractions. He was detained by the Biafran authorities and released after the war.

In 1972, he was sworn in as a Judge of the High Court of East Central State along with five other eminent lawyers viz: F.O. Nwokedi, Abai Ikwechegh, T.C. Umezinwa, B.O. Okadigbo and A.I. Aseme. In 1978, he was sworn in as Chief Judge of Anambra State after the elevation of the Chief Judge, Anthony Aniagolu, to the Supreme Court. He held the office admirably until March 1985 when he retired. As a judge, he had delivered many land mark cases. Two of these cases stand out. The first is the tax case of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Presidential Candidate of Nigerian Peoples Party in the 1979 election. The Right Hon. Dr. Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe Vs. The Federal Electoral Commission and the Attorney-General of the Federation of Nigeria (1979) Law report of Anambra State of Nigeria page two held: 1. That the plaintiff has fully paid his income tax for the financial years 1976-77, 1977-78, 197879 as it became due and in accordance with the tax law applicable in the Anambra State of Nigeria.

2. That on the true construction of Section 72 (1) and 72(2) of the Electoral Decree No. 73 of 1977 the plaintiff has fully paid his income tax for the said years as and when due in accordance with the provisions of the Decree and has satisfied the tax requirements of the said subsections.

3. That the plaintiff has fully paid his income tax for the financial years 1976-77, 1977-78 and 1978-79 as it became due and in accordance with the tax law applicable in the Anambra State of Nigeria and being qualified on tax grounds to stand election as a Presidential candidate at the forth-coming Federal elections, he is entitled to be recommended

by FEDECO to be accorded extra security coverage.

In that land mark case, he held that the payment or non-payment of tax has to be decided from the moment the tax authority made request for same. Based on that judgment, Dr. Azikiwe was cleared to contest to the joy of all Nigerians and to the Ibo in particular who felt reintegrated into

• Araka

Nigeria after the civil war.

Another aspect of it that made the case memorable was the contempt proceeding on Dr. Olu Onagoruwa, being Legal Adviser to Daily Times for his report of the case.

Next is the case of Jim Nwobodo Vs. Christian Onoh, which was an election petition on the 1983 gubernatorial contest between Chief Nwobodo of the NPP and Chief Onoh of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

In that case, the Trial Election Tribunal chaired by Justice Araka gave judgment to Nwobodo.

Chief Onoh refused to accept the verdict and went up to the Supreme Court. Onoh got judgment. But the facts are so similar to Omoboriowo Vs. Ajasin, but the outcome was different. The Supreme Court decided by a slim majority in favour of Onoh. However, when the case of Omoboriowo Vs. Ajasin with similar facts, the judgment of the Supreme was in line with Araka’s judgment at election tribunal. I believe that his memory will live for ever in the law reports and the governments of the Southeast States of Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi states will honour him by naming public institutions in the judiciary after him for his public service.

• Ike Uko is a Lagos based legal practitioner

• Oladosu

Law firm elects partner

A

LAW firm, Templars, has announced the election of Mr Olamide Oladosu as a partner.

With international recognition by international legal directories as a leading lawyer in his areas of specialisation, Mr Oladosu has over the last decade advised a broad spectrum of clients on a wide range of legal and commercial issues across different industries. They include project, finance, M&A, capital markets, oil & gas and power projects.

Since joining Templars in 2006, Mr Oladosu has been a key member of the Structured Finance, Energy & Projects and Tax practice groups of the firm.

• From left: Justice Funmilayo Atilade; Lagos Chief Judge, Justice Ayotunde Philips and Justice Owolabi Dabiri at an event in Lagos.

35

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LAW & SOCIETY

NBA urges lawyers to take up public interest litigation

T

HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA ) has called on lawyers to take up pro bono cases and engage in public interest litigation to fasttrack the trial of human rights cases.

NBA President Okey Wali (SAN) made this call at the weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State while speaking at the Human Rights Summit organised by the Human Rights Committee of the association with the theme: The protection of human right in Nigeria-A collective project.

Declaring the event open, Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, who was represented by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adebayo Ojo, said his administration would partner with the NBA to protect the rights of citizens.

Chairman of the event, Chief Bandele Aiku (SAN) said the Constitution made adequate provisions for the protection of people’s rights and urged lawyers to ensure that the provisions of the constitution are respected.

In an address, Chairman of the NBA Human Rights Committee and first vice president Mr Osas Justy Erhabor praised Ajimobi and Ojo for co-sponsoring the event.

He promised that the Human Rights Committee under his leadership will not just be a mere talking committee. He stated further that at the end of the event, there would be a working session where human rights issues from the various branches would be tabled and a plan of action put in place.

During the working session, one of the issues that came up was the case of a lawyer, who was brutalised by the Police at Agbowo Police Station, Ibadan.

Mr Erhabor ordered a member of the Committee from Abeokuta Branch of the NBA, Mr Emmanuel Olu Alade to liaise with the Chairman of Ibadan Branch Human Rights Committee to get to the root of the matter.

Wali said: “Paragraph 3 of the preamble to Fundamental Right (Enforcement) Rules 2009, signed on November 11, 2009 by the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Legbo Kutugi (CJN), obliges and encourages the courts to welcome public interest litigation in the human right field and no human right case may be dismissed or struck out for want of locus standi. Thus the following persons can institute human rights cases: a. Anyone acting in his own interest-individual b. Anyone acting on behalf of other person(s); c.Anyone acting as a member of, or in the interest of a group or class of persons; d. Anyone acting in the public interest e.Association acting in the interest of its members or other individuals or group. f. Other persons include human right activist, advocates or group as well as nongovernmental organisation who may institute human rights application on behalf of any potential applicant”.

“The new Fundamental Right (Enforcement Procedure) Rules have made provisions that represent the widest possible latitude that may be given to

• Some of the participants at the summit.

• From left: Mr Kazeem Gbadamosi, former NBA Ikeja branch Chairman, Niyi Idowu, Gabriel Opayinka, Lukman Laoye and Chairman NBA Ife branch, Bonaventure O.

By John Austin Unachukwu

potential applicants in human right cases”.

The NBA president stated: “Public interest litigation leverages the power of judicial review which courts possess and invoke those powers to determine complaints by particular persons who act for themselves or for others in order to remedy infringement of the rights which the affected groups suffer. Therefore, it is incumbent upon our courts to entertain public interest litigation matters using the process of judicial review.”

“The NBA uses this opportunity to call on our judges to expeditiously determine human right cases so as to join in the protection of the rights of Nigerians.

“I want to use this opportunity to call on all lawyers, particularly members of the Human Right Committee of the various branches of the NBA to take up pro-bono cases and engage in public interest litigation by making use of other regional mechanism for public interest litigation matters like the African Human Right Court and Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS) Court.

By so doing lawyers would be

protecting fundamental rights of Nigerians especially the less privileged”.

“In the light of the forgoing, the NBA shall continue to encourage the Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIEDEL) and Human Right Committee of the 100 branches of the NBA to embark upon massive public interest litigation and pro-bono cases.

“There have been reported cases of human rights abuses on both sides in the fight against insurgency, terrorism and crime, the NBA has repeatedly decried this and has even received support from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Mohammed Adoke, (SAN), in respect of the Boko Haram insurgence, the NBA thinks government should rethink its strategy very clearly.

The use of force has not been successful”.

“The protection of life and property remains the primary responsibility of government, so government must take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of Nigerians and their property. Very prominent citizens including His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto has called for amnesty for Boko Haram Sect members, the NBA thinks

government must listen to the calls for amnesty” It has been said that nothing ventured nothing gained. If the use of force has not achieved peace and safety of the Nigerian citizens and Nigerians are being killed on both sides, then government must listen to the calls for amnesty. It has been said and I quote Prof. Akin Osuntokun ‘‘that there are different Boko Haram, which are political, criminal and religious Boko Haram’’. If amnesty may very well differentiate which of the Boko Haram we are dealing with, then government will be better positioned or equipped to deal with the Boko Haram insurgence” He concluded that “The NBA will be proactive and assertive in the protection and defence of the rights of the Nigerian people as enshrined in Chapter four of the 1999 Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the various International Covenants and Protocols. All the Human Rights Committees in the various branches will be energised and made more active through the NBA Human Right Institute and NBA National Human Right Committee. We will confront cases of human rights violations headlong and cooperate with the

government when it makes efforts at protecting and defending the rights of the Nigerian people”.

In a paper titled: The role of lawyers in the protection of human rights in Nigeria Dr Mike Ozekhome said: “Nigeria has an historic, but chequered track record for human rights. It has survived lawless and delinquent civilian regimes as well as despotic military misadventures (known for this legendary violations of human rights) since its independence in 1960.

Violations of human rights including torture, suppression of freedoms of association and expression, detentions without trails, abuse of rule of law and due process, excessive executive and legislative lawlessness, extra-judicial executions, mindless expulsions from schools and insensate dismissals from work without fair hearing, joblessness, unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities for years, monumental corruption, sustained violations of women’s rights, etc. abound in the country.”

“Human rights and freedoms principally address two major classes of obligations: the first, the duty to abstain from infringing human rights; and the second, a duty to guarantee respect for these rules. The former is composed of a set of specific obligations relating directly to the duty of the state, institutions and individual or group of individuals to abstain from violating human rights, whether through actions or omissions, while, second refers to obligations incumbent on the state as guarantor of rights of the individual, which involves investigations and punishment of rights violations and reparation for damages caused thereby the latter role of the state puts it in the position of serving as guarantor of these rights, from which emerges essential obligations relating to protection and assurance of such rights?”

Chief Mike Ozekhome, (SAN), said human rights are divided into five sub-headings namely: Civil Rights, Political Rights, Social Rights, Economic Rights and Cultural Rights. We shall however discuss this classification under two broad further categorisation.

Ozekhome said: “In conclusion, we state that the role of each and every lawyer transcends just the tendency to “make money” of just pursue a carrier devoid of societal responsibilities. Each and every lawyer must as a matter of professional exigency and moral urgency, take upon himself to actively participate in the fostering and enforcement of fundamental rights of the citizenry.

“Wherever such a lawyer may find himself-whether it is at the Bar, Bench or Ivory tower, it is incumbent on him to actively participate through our varied calling in the enthronement of the dignity of man and protection of our liberties as encased in the principles of Fundamental Rights. There is no place for ‘playing the Ostrich’ as complacency and nonchalance of the lawyers of today will have strong repercussionary effects on the societies of tomorrow.”

The summit was highly attended by lawyers from the South west and beyond.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

36

LAW & SOCIETY

NBA organises professional development workshop for young lawyers

T

HE Professional Develop ment Committee of the Ni gerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Legal Practice (SLP) last week in Lagos, organised a Professional Development Workshop for young lawyers in the in the zone to improve their professional skills.

The workshop with the theme “ Lawyering skills in a global economy” held at the Prof. Ayo Ajomo Auditorium of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Akoka Unilag Campus under the chairmanship of Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN) In his opening session remarks, Azinge emphasised the importance of continued professional training in the modern lawyer. He encouraged the young lawyers to continue the process of skills acquisition and improvement because that the only way to compete in globalised world.

Chairman of SLP, Mr. Donald C Denwigwe SAN drew the attention of the participants to a Lawyer who drafted a filling station purchasing agreement for his client but did not forsee to include the procurement of licence in the agreement and at the end of the day, the client bought the filling station but did not have the licence to operate it.

Denwigwe noted that a good lawyer should forsee all the situations that would arise in a given transaction and try his best to cover it in drafting the agreement and necessary documents.

President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Okey Wali (SAN) encouraged the participants to make good use of the training programme to beef up their professional skill because we are in a competitive global economy where everybody has to demonstrate international best practices.

In a chat with The Nation, Wali said: “ We live in one global village because of communication.

Nigerian lawyers are in competition with lawyers in New York, in London, in Accra and in Johannesburg so it becomes incumbent upon us to make sure that we are equipped for this competition and that is why we make sure that we always have this training workshop from time to time to update our members on the happenings around the world.

The chairman, Section on Legal Practice (SLP) Mr. Donald C. Denwigwe SAN said: “ well, this one of the activities that the NBA SLP has organised to develop the practice of law in the country. To this effect, we have different committees, this committee is on professional development, we have a committee on civil litigation which will be having its programme in Benin, the Edo State Capital latter this month, we have the criminal litigation committee that will be having a programme in Abuja and so on.

The essence of all these programmes and efforts is to make sure that the Nigerian lawyer is a composite lawyer and is not a lawyer just because he puts on a black suit. We want to make sure that what we render to the Nigerian public as legal services actually qualifies to the name that we call it.

Fielding a question on the choice of drafting skills as one of the first courses discussed at the training workshop, Denwigwe said: “ Legal drafting does not stand alone, you have to become a better advo-

By John Austin Unachukwu

cate, you draft in terms of preparation for documents in transactions and what have you.

The chairman of the event and Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN) said: “This is purely an NBA programme for which I must give them credit. I can see very young lawyers trying to learn the rope of the profession , they are being mentored and tutored on how to go about it. One of the courses listed for discussion legal drafting - is very critical and advocacy which is very important for anybody who wants to practise law and go to court as an advocate.

“There are so many issues listed there for discussion which have direct bearing on modern realities in the practice of law, such as e mail etiquette, online research and transactions and so on, these are contemporary realities. On the whole, I can say that the programme is well thought out, there is a good faculty to drive the process and the participation, going by the degree of attendance is quite commendable. I have no doubt that the idea that the NBA Section on Legal Practice is driving is one that will stand in good stead for all those who are here and beyond because many of the participants will go back to their respective offices and demonstrate the skills that they have acquired from this training. We believe that on the whole, the legal profession stands to benefit immeasurably from this training and like they pointed out, this one is in Lagos, it has to be replicated in other places so majority of young lawyers will benefit from it.

“This is because the number of lawyers is growing every now and then and we have to continue building capacity, that is the only way we can make sure that standards are up there and we can compete favourably with any lawyer anywhere. At the time we are talking of trans border prosecution, trans border transactions and what have you it is important that we up the ante in our own jurisdiction to make sure that our lawyers are up there and we can only do so, not necessarily by passing through the universities and the Nigerian Law School, but by continuously building their capacity as we are doing now, acquiring all the necessary skills that they need for legal practice and building up their confidence so that they know that they are up there with the best anywhere in the world, that is the essence of this training. I must praise the NBA for a job well done.”

Chaiman, NBA-Section on Legal Practice (SLP) 2013 Professional Development Committee, and President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association(CLA) Mrs. Boma Ozobia said: “That remains a key lawyering skills in a global economy, facing the reality of the fact that there are no borders in today’s world, with the internet, we can advise a client sitting in Lagos in places like New York and viceversa, so we have to recognise that.

We also have to recognise that standards are the same wherever you go, excellence is excellence in the profession. There is no such thing as a good Nigerian lawyer. You are either a good lawyer or not and we are competing with colleagues in a globalised economy; we are competing with colleagues in London for example, in New York, Paris, South

• From left: Mrs Ozobia, NBA General Secretary Emeka Obegolu and Wali.

• Prof Azinge (left) and Denwigwe.

• Delano and Laura Alakija

Africa and even in Accra next door.

We have to be ready, equipped and prepared to compete. You have to equip yourself to compete with the best international standards so that you can serve your Nigerian clients to the best of your ability , remember, your Nigerian client also has access to lawyers outside Nigeria because of the internet, you really have to be on top of your game, you have to equip yourself, you need to know how to do your research online, you really have to know how to sign documents on line for example and

do so many things that are available to lawyers that are internet compliant. Business development and so on, that is what this workshop is all about.

Chairman NBA Lagos, Mr. Taiwo O. Taiwo said: “ This is very important because as you all know, the world has moved from the archaic, so we should stop behaving as if we are in the 19th century. Today, everything is about Information Technology (IT) . Although by nature, our profession is conservative, but then that does not mean

that our conservatism should not move forward. So, given the instruments at our disposal now and the training that we receive, I believe that we are in a better position to compete globally and effectively too. I praise the organisers of the programme and I believe it will highly equip the participants for better service delivery”.

Mr Oluyele Delano (SAN) took participants through legal drafting skills and procedures while Laura Alakija took them through internet research procedures.

Legal Dairy

NBA Suleja elects officers The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Suleja branch has elected new officers for the branch . Those elected are as follows: Chairman, M. T. Zakari; Secretary, Eddy Clement Okhaigbe; Asst. Secretary, Ibrahim O. Bako; Public Relations Officer (PRO), Auta Nyada;Welfare Officer C. A. Uche; Financial Secretary, A. O. Olowu; NEC, Rep. E. U. Iorna and Treasurer P. T. Okoli

Institute hosts enlightenment advocacy The Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) will host an Intellectual Property Enlightenment Advocacy for traditional medicine practitioners. Time: 10 am. Venue: Ayo Ajomo Auditorium, NIALS, UNILAG Campus, Akoka, Lagos

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THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LAW REPORT

An accused person who confesses to committing a crime and affirms so under cross exemination can be convicted IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA ALHAJI MOHAMMED MMAMMAN vs. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

ALHAJI MOHAMMED MMAMMAN

APPELLANT

AND FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

RESPONDENT

SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA Date: 22nd February 2013 SC. 97/2011, 2013(2)LEDLR-27

WALTER SAMUEL NKANU ONNOGHEN CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL CHUKWUMA – ENEH BODE RHODES-VIVOUR MUSA DATTIJO MUHAMMED CLARA BATA OGUNBIYI

Issues: HETHER the Court of Appeal was right in affirming the decision of the Failed Bank Tribunal in convicting and sentencing the 1st accused on count 9.

W

Facts: The appellant was charged before the Failed Bank (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Tribunal on counts 1, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in an amended 12 count charge filed before the said Tribunal. At the end of the trial, he was found guilty on counts 9 and 11 and sentenced on count 9 and 11 respectively.

Aggrieved with the judgment, he appealed to the Benin Division of the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal in its judgment allowed the appeal in part, affirmed the conviction and sentence on count 9 of the Amended Charge by the Tribunal and quashed the conviction and sentence on count 11.

Dissatisfied with the judgment of the Court of Appeal, the appellant proceeded to the Apex Court.

Ratio: Where an accused person confessed to the commission of a crime and further affirmed his confession under cross examination, he can be convicted purely on it and will not be allowed to complain of miscarriage of justice on appeal The Supreme Court ordinarily will not interfere in the concurrent findings of fact of the lower court but will do so where: (I) the findings of facts are erroneous or perverse, and/ or not based on evidence led.

(II) where there has been in the course of trial some violation of some principle of law or procedure.

(III) there has been miscarriage of justice.

For the prosecution to succeed in a charge under section 18(1) (b) of Banking and Other Financial Institution Decree, he must establish following to the satisfaction of the court: (1) that the accused person is a Manager or officer of the Bank.

(2) that the accused person granted an advance loan or credit facility to a person.

(3) that the credit facility was granted without authorization as provided by the Rules and Regulations of the Bank, or (4) Where security is required such security shall be deposited in the Bank before the advance, loan or credit facility is approved and given to the customer.

(1) (2) and (3) must coexist. (4) becomes mandatory only if security is required.

NOTABLE DICTA On the definition of confession 1. Now, Section 27 of the Evidence Act states that“27 “A confession is an admission made at anytime by a person charged with a crime stating or suggesting the inference that he committed that crime” – Bode RhodesVivour, JSC

On the effect of confession 2. The position of the law is that once the court is satisfied that the confession is voluntary it can convict an accused person. A confession is an acknowledgment of guilt by whoever makes the confession and it is usually in writing but may be made orally.

It is relevant and admissible when it identifies the person who committed the offence and proves the fact that constitutes one or all the ingredients of the offence. See Yusuf v. State 1976 6 SC p. 167; Igbinovia v. State 1981 2 SCp.5 –Bode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC On the need for court to determine live issues and not academic issues 3. Court should on no account spend precious judicial time on issues that are academic. They should determine live issues, and those are issues that will meet the ends of Justice. See Oyeneye v. Odubgesan (1972) 4 SC p.244, Bakare v. A.C.B. Ltd (1986) 3 NWLR pt. 26 p.47, Nzon v. Jinadu (1987) 1 NWLR (pt. 51 p.537. –Bode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC On what constitutes miscarriage of justice 4. There is said to be miscarriage of justice or failure of justice when the judgement of the court is inconsistent or prejudicial to the right of the party concerned. It is failure on the part of the court to do justice. That is to say the court did what amounts to injustice.

See Oladija Sanusi v. Oreitan Ameyegun (1992) 4 NWLR (pt. 237) p. 527, Harrison Okonkwo & Anor. V. Godwin Udoh (1997) 9 NWLR (pt. 519) p. 16, Ojo v. Anibire & Ors (2004) 10 NWLR (pt. 882) p. 571. –Bode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC When the supreme court will interfere with the concurrent findings of the lower courts 5. This court does not upset concurrent findings of the fact of the court below except where: (a) the findings of facts are erroneous or perverse, and/ or not based on evidence led. (b) where there has been in the course of trial some violation of some principle of law or procedure. (c) there has been miscarriage of justice.

See Ogba v. Sate (1992) 2 NWLR (pt.222) p.

164; Ogbu v. State (1992) 8 NWLR (pt. 259) p.

255; Dakolo v. Dakolo (2011) 46 NSCQR P. 669. –Bode Rhodes-Vivour, JSC On when a court finding is said to be perverse 5. A court’s finding is said to be perverse if the finding draws wrong inference from the evidence before it or where same has occasioned miscarriage of justice. See Ukpabi v.

State (2004) 11 NWLR (Pt. 884) 439 SC and Aiguokhian v. State (2004) 7 NWLR (Pt. 873) 565 SC. –Musa Dattijo Muhammad, JSC. On the nature of justice 6. Justice is not a one way traffic but for all parties concerned and must be seen as done.

–Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, JSC. LEGISLATIONS The Evidence Act Banking and Other Financial Institution Decree Judgment: BODE RHODES VIVOUR, JSC,:- In an

amended twelve count charge filed before the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Tribunal, the appellant as accused person was charged on counts 1, 9, 10, 11, and 12. He was found guilty on counts 9 and 11 and sentenced on count 9 to N100,000 fine or 2 years imprisonment, and on count 11 to N5,000 fine or 6 months imprisonment.

Dissatisfied with the judgment he appealed.

The appeal came before the Court of Appeal, Benin Division. The concluding paragraph of the judgment of that court reads ‘’ On the whole, for the reasons stated above by me, this appeal succeeds in part and it is hereby allowed appropriately. The conviction and sentence of the appellant pursuant to count 9 of the Amended Charge by the Tribunal are affirmed and confirmed respectively and accordingly. However, the appellant’s conviction and sentence on count 11 are quashed and I hereby order that the said count 11 against the appellant be struck out.”

This appeal is against that judgment. In accordance with the Rules of this court briefs were filed and exchanged. The appellants brief was deemed filed on the 15th of February 2012, while the respondent’s brief was deemed filed on the 29th of November 2012.

Learned counsel for the appellant formulated a sole issue for determination. It reads: 1.

Was the appellate court right in upholding the interpretation of the Tribunal that section 18(1)(b) of BOFID creates two offences and thereby held appellant guilty for granting unauthorized advances or credit facility in contravention of exhibit FB45.

On the other side of the fence learned counsel for the respondent formulated two issues for determination of this appeal. They are: 1. Whether the Court of Appeal was right in affirming the decision of the Failed Bank Tribunal in convicting and sentencing the 1st accused on count 9.

2. Whether count 9 predicated on section 18 (1) (b) of Banks and other Financial Institutions Decree No.25 of 1991 (otherwise referred to as BOFID) is bad for duplicity of charges.

I have examined the Record of Appeal and the briefs filed by counsel. The appellant was convicted because he granted unauthorized credit. To my mind the live issue for determination is whether the appellant did in fact grant unauthorized credit. Issue1 presented by learned counsel for the respondent would easily resolve that issue and incidentally the only live issue. At the hearing of the appeal on the 29th of November 2012 learned counsel for the appellant Mrs. E. A. Uwaifo adopted the appellant brief deemed filed on the 15th of February 2012 and urged this court to allow the appeal.

Learned counsel for the respondent Dr. V .J.O .Azinge adopted the respondent’s brief deemed filed on the 29th of November 2012 and urged this court to dismiss the appeal.

ISSUE 1 Whether the Court of Appeal was right in affirming the decision of the failed Banks Tri-

bunal in convicting and sentencing the 1st accused person on count 9.

COUNT 9 reads: “That you Mohammed Kabir MMAMMAN (m) between the 25th day of November,1993 and 3rd December 1993 at Kano within the jurisdiction of this tribunal, whilst being Relief Manager of Allied Bank of Nigeria PLC, Kano main branch granted unauthorized advances or credit facilities totaling N61,075,000 (Sixty-one million, seventy five thousand Naira only) to your customer, one Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar Mohammed (m), in violation of the Rules and Regulations of the Bank and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18 (1) (b) of the Banks and other Financial Institutions Decree No.25 of 1991” The appellant was charged with granting unauthorized advances or credit facilities amounting to N61,075,000 to Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar, a customer of the Bank contrary to section 18(1) (b) of No.25 of 1991, and the Rules and Regulations of Allied Bank.

After reviewing evidence the learned trial judge found the appellant (1st accused) guilty on count 9.

His lordship said: “The 1st accused to my mind contributed in perpetuating the irregularity, if not illegality associated with the instant credit facility granted to the 3rd accused irrespective of the huge amount involved and irrespective of the embargo imposed on granting such facility. The Rules and Regulation shown to have been violated are found in exhibit FB45.The 1st accused was not authorized or empowered by the Bank to grant direct credit as he did. It was granted contrary to the Regulation and circular of the Bank, exhibit FB45 disallowing the grant of credit facility. The direct facility allowed the 3rd accused was unauthorized and thereby rendered the 1st accused liable to conviction on count 9 under section 18 (1) (b) of BOFID.” In confirming the judgment of the trial tribunal the Court of Appeal said: “I cannot agree more with the above stated conclusions of the learned trial judge.

The defence of ignorance of the credit guidelines glibly relied upon by the appellant and his exercise that Alhaji l. A. Mohammed had long been accorded special privileges of credit facilities from the Banks Kano branch are of no moment and cannot avail him. Unfortunately for the appellant, he got ensured and shackled when he contravened his employers guidelines with his two eyes wide opened and his understanding antenna properly tuned.

He has himself to blame for his indiscretion.”

Concluding the Court of Appeal then said:“ ‘’...........In my sincere view, the Tribunal made far reaching findings of facts after assessment and evaluation of the evidence adduced before it unhesitatingly, I hold that the case against the appellant on count 9 proved.”

• Continued on page 38

Akpabio for Commonwealth Lawyers Conference

A

KWA Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio is expected to chair a special plenary and closing ceremony of the forthcoming Commonwealth Lawyers Conference (CLA) in Cape Town, South Africa.

The conference has the Lord Judge, Chief Justice of England and Wales as speaker.

Another special plenary has been planned to highlight the crises in Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe with Anthony, Lord Lester of Herne Hill as the Chairman.

The CLA has sent an observer to Zimbabwe to observe the trial of a leading Zimbabwean lawyer Beatrice Mtewa, who was unlawfully arrested and detained in the course of her work as an advocate. She represents a close ally of the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangarai. She has since been released on bail by a courageous judge who is now under investigation by the Mugabe regime.

• Akpabio

About 300 Nigerian lawyers have so far registered for the conference and the South Africa High Commission’s West Africa desk has assured that visas will be issued on time for lawyers that want to participate in the conference The conference will hold in Cape Town, South Africa from April 14 to 18.

38

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

LAW & SOCIETY

Falana faults ejection of businessman, family from home • Petitions NJC, FCT High Court CJ

By Eric Ikhilae

• NJC Chairman, Justice Mukhtar

R

IGHTS activist Femi Falana (SAN) has urged the Na tional Judicial Council (NJC) to take a second look at the circumstances surrounding the ejection of a businessman, Imoukhuede Ohikhuare, from his multi-million naira property on Plot 1809 (formerly 865) Cadastral Zone AO4, Asokoro, Abuja.

Ohikhuare was reportedly ejected from the building on September 13, last year by some officials of the Sherriff Section of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, who claimed to be executing a judgment by Justice A. S. Umar of the court.

Falana expressed discomfort over the motive behind judgment’s execution; the reason behind the judge’s issuance of a warrant of possession, six days after the judgment was given on May 17, last year and the haste with which the judgment was executed by court’s officials, despite the pendency, at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, of a notice of appeal and an application for stay of execution.

The activist’s position is contained in two petitions to NJC’s Chairman, Justice Aloma Mukhtar and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Lawal Gummi.

The NJC had considered an earlier petition by Ohikhuare and held in the judge’s favour.

Ohikhuare said he bought the plot of land from former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed Habibu Aliyu at N50 million in 2006 after conducting the required legal search at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) He said the search established that “the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) and allied documents issued in respect of the said plot of land were in favour of Mohammed Habibu Aliyu and was free of all encumbrances.

“The legal search did not reveal that any previously granted, but revoked right of occupancy, cancelled certificate of occupancy, or any previously granted and still subsisting right of occupancy/or certificate of occupancy over the said plot of land.”

Ohikhuare said he proceeded to apply for and obtained the consent of the FCT Minister for the assignment to him, of the plot of land and the C of O covering the land, thereby perfecting his title documents in respect of the land.

He added that he also obtained, in 2006, development and building approvals from the FCDA, upon paying all the requisite fees and charges.

Ohikhuare said he proceeded to commit funds to the construction of the house – a two-wing structure – that cost him about N900 million to complete in three years.

He said by 2009, he had moved into

a wing and let the other out to a daughter of one of the country’s presidents.

He said he was shocked when, in 2010 some court papers in respect of suit FCT/HC/CV/1056/2010 were pasted on his building’s outer fence. Ohikhuare, who said he never had anyone disturbed him or claimed ownership of the land all through the time it took him to erect the structure, said he was taken aback by the development.

The suit was instituted by a former Nigerian ambassador – Shehu Othman Malami – who claimed to have been allocated the plot, on which the house now stands, sometime in 1984. The suit had Malami and plantiff, with the FCT Minister, FCDA, Aliyu as defendants. Ohikhuare was later joined as the fourth defendant.

Malami earlier sued the FCT Minister and FCDA in 2007, but withdrew the suit marked FCT/ HC/CV/31/07, consequent upon which Justice U. A. Inyang struck it out in a ruling delivered on September 17, 2009.

In his judgment on May 17 judgment on the latter suit, Justice Umar held in the plaintiff’s favour and voided the allocation of the land to Aliyu, holding among others, that the revocation on October 15, 2005 of Malami’s earlier allocation was wrongly effected by then FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

Dissatisfied, Ohikhuare filed a notice of appeal and application for stay of execution of the judgment on May 23, but later substituted the application for stay with another one dated May 28.

Justice Umar, in a ruling on July 14, refused to stay execution of the judgment, prompting Ohikhuare to file a similar application before the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

Ohikhuare stated that he was

taken aback when on September 12, some court oficaisl stormed his house, seeking to forcefully eject on the strength of the judgment.

He said his lawyer raced to court only to be told that Justice Umar had become functus officio (could no longer act on the case) having signed a warrant for possession on May 23.

Falana, who queried the propriety of the warrant of possession granted by Justice Umar, noted that “the plaintiff did not seek, in his claim, as per the amended statement of claim, and the court did not grant an order for possession, which procedurally, could have ripen to the issuance of a writ of possession being issued by the judge.”

He faulted the execution of the judgment and argued the judge issued the warrant of possession before time and also when none ought to have been issued.

Citing Order IV, Rule 1 (1 and 2) of the Judgments (Enforcement) Rules, made under Section 94 of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act 2004, Falana contended that the judge “did not only issue a warrant of possession before the time allowed by law, but he also deliberately issued a warrant of possession when none ought to have been issued at all. This is nothing but a naked abuse of judicial power.”

He added that it was illegal for the judge to have issued a writ of possession by Justice Usman “only six days (including Saturday and Sunday)”, instead of 14 days after delivery of judgment, as stipulated by law.

Falana further contended that writ or warrant of possession could only be issued on judgments obtained by landlord against a tenant or for the recovery of possession of premises.

He noted that in this instance, which is a dispute over a parcel of land, the judgment the plain-

tiff got against the defendants was not for the recovery of possession of premises pursuant to Recovery of Premises Law. “Assuming, without accepting, that the judgment contained an order for possession along with the declaratory, mandatory and injunctive reliefs granted by the judge; that order for possession can only be enforced pursuant to the Sheriff and Civil Process Act, and the Judgment Enforcement Rules, made thereunder, with requisite Forms being used in the circumstances.

“The NJC has a duty to halt any further dent to the image of the judiciary in these troubling times, when the impartiality and relevance of the judiciary is, daily being called into question,” Falana said. He urged Justice Gummi to sanction all those involved in the judgment’s execution.

“We want your Lordship to cause an investigation into this petition, sanction those involved from the office of the Sheriff and Bailiffs, in the sordid execution and grant our client an administrative redress by restoring him by to his property pending the outcome of the said appeal.”

Meanwhile, a twist has been added to the appeal as a businessman, Emeka Offor, claiming to have purchased the land from Malami has applied to be made a party. Malami has written to the appeallate court to strike out his name and replace it with that of Offor to whom he claimed to have sold the land.

Malami said his request was that his interest in the property had ceased, stating in his letter: “In 2010, I consented to the action at the High Court being instituted in my name because I did not know that Sir Emeka Offor had registered the power of attorney I gave him.”

An accused person who confesses to committing a crime and affirms so under cross exemination can be convicted • Continued from page 37

Learned counsel for the appellant observed that there is miscarriage of justice in the concurrent findings of two lower courts as it concerns count 9, contending that the interpretation of section 18(1)(b) of the Decree by both courts below affected the charge consequently the entire proceedings at the trial. She further observed that heavy weight was placed on exhibit FB45 by both courts without calling the maker.

She urged this court to acquit and discharge the appellant on count 9.

Learned counsel for the respondent submitted that the Court of Appeal was right in affirming the decision of the Failed Bank Tribunal in count 9 as all the necessary ingredients of section 18 (1) (b) of BOFID was proved and established by the prosecution as required by law.

He urged this court of uphold the findings of the lower court in respect of count 9 of the charge.

To succeed in a charge under section 18(1) (b) of BOFID the prosecution must establish the following to the satisfaction of the court.

(1) that the accused person is a Manager or officer of the Bank.

(2) that the accused person granted an advance loan or credit facility to a person.

(3) that the credit facility was granted without authorization as provided by the Rules and Regulations of the Bank, or (4) Where security is required such security shall be deposited in

the Bank before the advance, loan or credit facility is approved and given to the customer.

(1) (2) and (3) must coexist. (4) becomes mandatory only if security is required.

Now, Section 27 of the Evidence Act states that‘’27 ‘’A confession is an admission made at any time by a person charged with a crime stating or suggesting the inference that he committed that crime.’’

The position of the law is that once the court is satisfied that the confession is voluntary it can convict an accused person. A confession is an acknowledgment of guilt by whoever makes the confession and it is usually in writing but may be made orally.

It is relevant and admissible when it identifies the person who committed the offence and proves the fact that constitutes one or all the ingredients of the offence. See Yusuf v. State 1976 6 SC p.167, Igbinovia v. State 1981 2 SC p. 5 The appellant in his written statement to the Police said: “..........I was posted to Kano January 1992 as Asst. Manager. In September 1992 I was given Head of Customer Services in charge of Operations, that is officer in charge of general duties within the banking Hall and in charge of staff duties...... sometime in 29th November 1993 Mr. Balo Jabo left the branch for Victoria Island Branch.

I was overseeing the day to day running of the branch until when the new Manager Mr. Aminu Suleiman resume as the Manager.”

The above satisfies (1) above that

the appellant is a Manager or officer of the Bank Under cross-examination the appellant said what amounts to an admission. He said: “.........Yes I granted direct credit facility to the 3rd accused, while I was relief Manager of the branch.

It was a regular practice of the bank to allow the 3rd accused direct credit facility. There was no formal authorization and I could not stop it.”

This testimony satisfies (2) and (3) above. The findings of the trial Tribunal affirmed by the Court of Appeal earlier alluded to are correct. By his own admission the appellant made it abundantly clear that his actions were contrary to the Regulation and circular of the Bank - exhibit FB45. In the circumstances the appellant is guilty of count 9.

Courts should on no account spend precious judicial time on issues that are academic. ‘They should determine live issues, and those are issues that would meet the ends of Justice. See Oyeneye v.

Odugbesan 1972 4 SC P.244, Bakare v. A.C.B. Ltd 1986 3 NWLR Pt.26 P. 47, Nzon v. Jinadu 1987 1 NWLR Pt. 51 P. 537 The only live issue in this appeal is whether the appellant granted unauthorized credit facility. He admitted it under crossexamination when he said: ‘’yes I granted direct credit facility to the 3rd accused, while I was relief Manager of the branch. It was a regular practice of the bank to allow the 3rd accused direct credit facility. There was no formal au-

thorization and I could not stop it ………..’’

To my mind that settles the live issue in this appeal. But it is important I address whether there was miscarriage of justice as contended by learned counsel for the appellant.

There is said to be miscarriage of justice or failure of justice when the judgment of the court is inconsistent or prejudicial to the right of the party concerned. It is failure on the part of the court to do justice. That is to say the court did what amounts to injustice. See Oladija sanusi v. Oreitan Ameyegun 1992 4 NWLR Pt. 237 P.527, Harrison Okonkwo & anor v.

Godwin Udoh 1997 9 NWLR Pt. 519 Pt. 16, Ojo v. O. Anibire & Ors 2004 10 NWLR Pt. 882 P. 571 There is no miscarriage of justice where legislation states clearly that it is an offence to grant unauthorized credit and the appellant admitted that he granted unauthorized credit to one Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar in the sum of N61,075,000. (Six-one million, seventy-five thousand naira). The evidence against the appellant is one way and conclusive. The charge (count 9) was proved beyond reasonable doubt.

The defence of the appellant is that the 3rd accused had always enjoyed direct credit facility and that he could not stop the indulgence.

The fact that this was going on does not make it right and the fact that officers of the bank responsible were not brought to book/ charged does not make similar acts of granting unauthorized credit right.

This court does not upset con-

current findings of fact of the courts below except where: (a) the findings of fact are erroneous or perverse, and/or not based on evidence led. (b) where there has been in the course of trial some violation of some principle of law of or procedure. (c) there has been miscarriage of justice. See Ogba v. State 1992 2 NWLR Pt.222 P.164, Ogbu v. State 1992 8 NWLR Pt. 259 P.255, Dakolo v. Dakolo 2011 46 NSCQR P.669 The trial tribunal based on the admission of the appellant found and quite rightly too that he acting as a relief Manager of Allied Bank of Nigeria, Kano branch, granted unauthorized credit facility of N61,075,000 to one Alhaji Ibrahim Abubakar, an act clearly in violation of the Rules and Regulations of the Bank (Exhibit FB45), thereby committing an offence under section 18 (1) (b) of the Banks and other Financial Institutions Decree No 25 of 1991.

The above was affirmed by the Court of Appeal. My lords, the fact that the appellant told the truth by admitting that he did grant unauthorized credit makes concurrent findings of the courts below correct. The findings are clearly not perverse.

There is no substance in this appeal. It is accordingly dismissed.

Delivered By Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen JSC:- l have had the benefit of reading in draft, the lead judgment of my learned brother, RHOOES-VIVOUR JSC just delivered.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

39

DISCOURSE

Forging a synergy between public and private universities Text of a paper delivered by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), former president, Nigerian Bar Association and pro-chancellor and chairman of Council, University of Ibadan, at the debut of Distinguished Lecture Series of the Elizade University, Ondo State.

•Continued from Friday

Private university N contradistinction to public universities which are established by Law, private universities owe their existence to the initiatives of private investors and publicspirited individuals. To my knowledge, there is no enforceable law that brings any one of them into existence; rather, what each of them has to operate is a licence from the National Universities Commission (NUC). In effect, there is a relationship akin to that of a licensor and licencee between the NUC and each private university. In law, a licence is ordinarily considered to be a mere personal or revocable privilege to permit an act or series of acts to be done. A licence is a permission, usually revocable to commit some act that would otherwise be unlawful. A licensor is one who grants a licence to another, called a licencee. I am not unaware of what the NUC normally gives to private universities, as their respective Laws and for the purpose of this lecture, the Elizade University Law. Under the Nigerian Constitution, an Act of the National Assembly does not become a Law until it is passed by the Assembly and assented to by the President. At the State level, the Governor assents to any Bill passed by the State House of Assembly before it becomes Law. I have my very serious doubt as to whether or not the NUC possesses the vires to make for any private university a Law. It is suggested, therefore, that the National Assembly should make a composite Law for private universities, in the semblance of what it recently did for all Federal Universities. I am not very comfortable with a situation whereby the NUC, as the licensor, can, for any reason, reasonable or otherwise, revoke the licence of any private university.

According to Ajadi, private universities are ‘non-public or independent universities who do not receive governmental funding and are usually administered by denominational or secular boards, usually for profit’. In essence, they are those universities that are solely owned, financed, and managed by private individuals with intention to recover cost in short time and make profit. This is without prejudice to the fact that some private universities are faith based and are being run on not-for-profit basis. There are not many of such.

While agreeing with Ajadi that many private universities have been established as money making ventures, one must be fair enough to commend and appreciate the godly and genuine efforts qua intentions of sizeable Proprietors or Founders of private universities at establishing their individual institutions. In this connection again, Chief Michael Ade Ojo is in the forefront.

The point must also be made that while some new generation of public universities have come into existence without any planning at all, a lot of committed efforts and resources always go into the establishment of private universities and one can state without any equivocation that much more funds and structures have been committed to some of the leading private universities in Nigeria at inception than any of the Federal Universities. For example, while Elizade University at inception is berthing at its Ilara-Mokin nativity this session with an array of the best architectural structures the world can boast of, including an enthralling ceremonial gate, a well laid out University approach, an imposing Senate building, a magnificent ViceChancellor’s office, a state-of-the-art structure called the University Centre Courtyard, a wellequipped Information Technology Centre, a Banking Hall, a sprawling Faculty Building, a gigantic Auditorium, a beautifully stocked University Library, world class Science Laboratories, Students’ Hostels with facilities and amenities which are comparable with what are provided in 7 Star Hotels etc., the University of Ibadan, for example, started in 1948 from make shift structures of the 56th Military General Hospital at Eleyele, Ibadan. It managed to inherit some transferred equipment from Yaba Higher College.

I

National development National development, simply, is the ability of a country or countries to improve the social welfare of the people, for example, by providing social amenities like quality education, potable water, transportation infrastructure, medical care, etc. National, according to Longman

Dictionary of Contemporary English, refers to a phenomenon that embraces a whole nation.

National development, therefore, can be described as the overall development or a collective socio-economic, political as well as religious advancement of a country or nation.

This is best achieved through development planning, which can be described as the country’s collection of strategies mapped out by the government.

Essentially, national development is the ability of a country or countries to improve the social welfare of the people, namely, by providing social amenities like good education, pipe-borne water, etc. In discussing national development, one needs to look at economic development, socio-cultural integration and development and how these cascade to human development. Without human development, which is the development of the human capital of a nation or its citizens, national development can be thwarted or defeated. In fact, human development is one basis for judging the effectiveness of the economic development component of national development.

Synergy Wordweb dictionary defines the word as: “The working together of two things to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.” The term synergy comes from the Greek word synergia from synergos, meaning ‘working together’.

The term synergy was defined by Fuller, who analysed some of its implications more fully and coined the term Synergetics. He analyzed it as: A dynamic state in which combined action is favored over the difference of individual component actions.

• Behaviour of whole systems unpredicted by the behaviour of their parts taken separately, known as emergent behaviour.

• The cooperative action of two or more stimuli (or drugs), resulting in a different or greater response than that of the individual stimuli.

In this discourse, the first and second definitions suffice for our understanding. However, there are two types of synergetic relationships that will be instructive for us to emphasize in relation to educational systems. These are ‘human synergy’ and ‘corporate synergy’.

Human synergy relates to human interaction and teamwork. Fuller went on to posit thus: “For example, say Person A alone is too short to reach an apple on a tree and Person B is too short as well.

Once Person B sits on the shoulders of Person A, they are tall enough to reach the apple. In this example, the product of their synergy would be one apple. Another case would be two politicians. If each is able to gather one million votes on their own, but together they were able to appeal to 2.5 million voters, their synergy would have produced 500,000 more votes than had they each worked independently. A song is also a good example of human synergy, taking more than one musical part and putting them together to create a song that has a much more dramatic effect than each of the parts when played individually.” Human Synergy usually arises when two persons with different complementary skills cooperate.

Corporate synergy occurs when corporations interact congruently. A corporate synergy refers to a benefit that a corporation expects to realise when it merges with or acquires another corporation.

In the context of this lecture, synergy simply denotes the partnering of public universities and private universities with the purpose of engaging in collaborative research or technical projects, (including individual scholars and institutional collaboration) for the advancement

•Chief Olanipekun

of knowledge and national development.

University Education Evolution of university education It is apt to begin this section by asking the question, which University is oldest in the world? The answer is debatable. However, AlAzhar University in Cairo, Egypt, is generally considered to be the oldest university in the world. It was founded roughly the same time as the city of Cairo, in 969 AD. The first lecture was delivered in 975 AD. Like many centres of learning, Al-Azhar University was originally intended as a place of worship and religious institution. The mosque at Al-Azhar is one of the most famous in the Muslim world, and is still considered the seat of Sunni Islamic study.

The University pioneered systems of advanced academic institutions with its hierarchy of regular instructors and visiting professors. Its history follows the turbulent rise of the Islamic Empire, replete with political revolutions and competing religious philosophies. While AlAzhar University has a storied history of religious instruction, it also boasts a robust secular curriculum, offering advanced degrees in Engineering and Medicine.

As with all matters medieval, historical facts and figures are up for academic interpretation.

Qarawiyyin Mosque in Fez, Morroco, has also laid claim to the title of oldest university in the world.

Europe’s oldest university was founded in 1088 in the Northern Italian city of Bologna. The United States’ oldest university, Harvard, opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1636, not long after the first English colonists arrived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. To put things in perspective, especially in relation to the university as a modern institution, it is important to point out that the university was historically rooted in that medieval society. This thought was aptly captured by Rüegg as follows: “The University is a European institution; indeed, it is the European institution par excellence. There are various reasons for this assertion. As a community of teachers and taught, accorded certain rights, such as administrative autonomy and the determination and realisation of curricula (courses of study) and of the objectives of research as well as the award of publicly recognised degrees, it is a creation of medieval Europe, which was the Europe of papal Christianity...No other European institution has spread over the entire world in the way in which the traditional form of the European university has done. The degrees awarded by European universities – the bachelor’s degree, the licentiate, the master’s degree, and the doctorate – have been adopted in the most diverse societies throughout the world. The four medieval faculties of arts variously called philosophy, letters, arts and sciences, and humanities – law, medicine, and theology have survived and have been supplemented by numerous disciplines, particularly the social sciences and technological studies, but they remain none the less at the

‘No one today would dispute the fact that Universities, in the sense in which the term is now generally understood, were a creation of the Middle Ages, appearing for the first time between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. It is no doubt true that other civilizations, prior to, or wholly alien to, the medieval West, such as the Roman Empire, Byzantium, Islam, or China, were familiar with forms of higher education which a number of historians, for the sake of convenience, have sometimes described as universities...’

heart of universities throughout the world...”

This thought was reinforced by Jacques Verger who equally noted the importance of understanding the context in which universities were formed, and how different they are from what we generally understand them to be today: “No one today would dispute the fact that Universities, in the sense in which the term is now generally understood, were a creation of the Middle Ages, appearing for the first time between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. It is no doubt true that other civilizations, prior to, or wholly alien to, the medieval West, such as the Roman Empire, Byzantium, Islam, or China, were familiar with forms of higher education which a number of historians, for the sake of convenience, have sometimes described as universities. Yet a closer look makes it plain that the institutional reality was altogether different and, no matter what has been said on the subject, there is no real link such as would justify us in associating them with medieval universities in the West. Until there is definite proof to the contrary, these latter must be regarded as the sole source of the model which gradually spread through the whole of Europe and then to the whole world. We are therefore concerned with what is indisputably an original institution, which can only be defined in terms of a historical analysis of its emergence and its mode of operation in concrete circumstances.”

However, from the early modern period onwards, the university gradually spread from the Medieval Latin West across the globe, eventually replacing all other higher-learning institutions and becoming the preeminent institution for higher education everywhere.

This process occurred in the following chronological order: • Western Europe (since 11th/12th century) • Eastern Europe (since 14th/15th century) • America (since 16th century) • Australia (since 19th century) • Asia and Africa (since 19th/20th century), except in the Philippines where the University of Santo Tomas was established in the 17th century.

In sum, the university, as a form of social organisation, was peculiar to medieval Europe.

Later, it was exported to all parts of the world, including the Muslim East, and it has remained with us down to the present day. But back in the Middle Ages, outside of Europe, there was nothing anything quite like it anywhere.

University education in Nigeria Public universities in Nigeria It was during the second world war that the British Government tinkered with the idea of establishing either full-fledged Universities or affiliate Colleges in the Commonwealth, including West Africa. This led to the setting up in 1943 of the Asquith and Elliot Commissions. The earlier Commission recommended the establishment of a University College in Nigeria. Both Asquith and Elliot Commissions agreed on the desirability to have full-fledged universities or affiliate Colleges in West Africa, thus paving the way for the establishment of the University College, Ibadan in 1948 with 104 foundation students.

Professor Munzali Jibril, President of the Nigerian Academy of Letters recently provided a graphic but detailed information on this subject when he enthused as follows: “The first higher education institution in Nigeria was Yaba College, which was opened in 1934 by the British colonial authorities to help with the production of middle level technicians. This was followed by the establishment of the University College as a degree-awarding College of the University of London in 1948. The Ashby Commission – which the pre-Independence government established to advise on higher education for the new nation in 1959 – recommended the upgrading of the university College to a fullfledged university in 1960, as well as the establishment of a university in the then capital city of Lagos and in each of the Northern and Eastern Regions. The Western Regional Government also proceeded to establish its own regional university at Ile-Ife. Thus, by 1962 there were five universities in Nigeria, which were joined in 1970 by the University of Benin. These six universities constitute what is known as the first generation of Nigerian universities. The second generation of universities consists of seven universities, which were established in 1975-1976 to ensure that each of the then 12 states of the federation had a federal University; two state Universities were also taken over by the federal government in 1991 and 1992 to join the second generation club of universities. Although all the regional universities had by 1975 been taken over by the federal government, in 1979 states began to establish universities of their own. The trend is still continuing, as there are now (in February 2013) 128 universities, of which 40 are federal (including one Defence Academy and one Open University), 38 state and 50 private.”

• To be continued

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

40

With ekpo:funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08138168825 TRAVEL & LEISURE The financial crisis slammed global banking hubs around the world. Were it not for government bailouts, Wall Street, The City and other banking hubs may never have recovered.

The traditional financial powerhouses stand weakened, and others, long hungry to steal their business, are taking advantage.

THE WORLD’’STOP EMERGING FINANCIAL CENTERS

Dubai — a desert financial dream Dubai spent healvily in recent years to position itself as a regional financial center and a player in international finance.

But its debt-fueled, spendthrift ways finally caught up with the UAE member in late 2009; Dubai was forced to take a $10 billion bailout from Abu Dhabi and remains in serious financial trouble

Sao Paulo — it’s just more fun As Brazil emerges as Latin America’s leading economy, investors are increasingly looking to Sao Paulo to play the country and the region. Brazil’s banking sector is relatively underdeveloped and security remains a concern in Sao Paulo, but there’s lots of upside.

Luxembourg — safe and exotic Luxembourg is growing as a financial center because of its Swiss-like secrecy rules, but that could be its downfall.

There’s plenty to find attractive.

Luxembourg’s marketing materials claim “it’s the second largest investment fund centre in the world after the United States, the premier captive reinsurance market in the European Union and the premier private banking centre in the Eurozone.” It’s also the second-

SANDS OF TIME

CROSSWORD

Dizzy Gillespie

largest mutual fund market after the U.S.

Johannesburg infrastructure

—

Sophisticated financial

Johannesburg is poised to be the financial hub of a continent which represents more than 900 million consumers and one of the world’s fastest growing markets.

John Birks Gillespie was born October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina, to John and Lottie Gillespie. The last of nine children, Gillespie’s father was abusive and unusually strict and the youngest Gillespie grew up hard and strong. When Gillespie was ten, his father died and left the family in terrible financial trouble. Around this time Gillespie’s English teacher introduced him to music, and he soon joined the school band. At first he played the trombone, but switched to the trumpet after borrowing a neighbor’s and immediately falling in love with the instrument. Over the next several years Gillespie played with local bands—to both black and white audiences— until his family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Gillespie was influenced by Roy Eldridge and played with the big bands of Cab Calloway, Earl Hines, and Billy Eckstine before leading small groups in the mid-1940s.

When Gillespie was in the Frankie Fairfax band in Philadelphia he carried his new trumpet in a paper bag, an act that inspired fellow musicians like Bill Doggett to call him “Dizzy.” In 1989, the year he turned seventytwo, Dizzy Gillespie received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences’ Grammy Award ceremonies. The honor—one of many awarded to the trumpet virtuoso—recognized nearly fifty years of pioneering jazz performances. That same year he received the National Medal of Arts from President George Bush (1924–). Not letting age slow him down, in 1989 Gillespie gave three hundred performances in twenty-seven countries, appeared in one hundred U.S. cities in thirty-one states and the District of Columbia, headlined three television specials, performed with two symphonies, and recorded four albums. The next year, at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ceremonies celebrating the centennial of American jazz, Gillespie received the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers’ Duke Award for fifty years of achievement.

Although Gillespie’s failing health was due to pancreatic (having to do with the organ that helps digestion) cancer, Gillespie continued to play the music that he loved late into his life. His last public appearance was in Seattle in February of 1992. Gillespie passed away quietly in his sleep on October 6, 1993, at the age of seventy-five.

Pep Talk

FIRST BANK GOES GLOBAL ON BRANDING

ACROSS

DOWN

1. Correspond (9) 2. Pinch (3) 3. Sexual Desire (4) 4. Ourselves (2) 5. Moisture (3) 6. Discourage (4) 10. Expression of Surprise (3) 11. Get with Difficulty (3) 15. Enumerate (4) 17. Bird (3) 18. Taxi (4) First Bank of Nigeria has taken a further step in consolidating its position 20. Father (2) as the leading bank in Nigeria by taking its outdoor branding outside the shores of the country.

SUDOKU Sudoku is simply a game of logic and needs no The banking giant has its beautifully designed billboard displayed at mathematical skills to play. All you are required terminal 5 of the London Heathrow airport in what might be a move to to do is to fill in the blank spaces in the grid to position itself to take advantage of the Federal Government’s vista of ensure that every row, column and 3 by 3 box new investment incentives for potential foreign investors in the country. contains the numbers 1 to 9.

The novel branding move which may well be regarded as country branding, drawing attention not just to the bank but also the country is has the propensity of triggering a new trend with advertising in corporate Nigeria.

Companies all over the world are looking to expand their businesses into foreign markets.

With the dropping of trade barriers and improvements in communication, many firms aspire to go global.

With increasing globalization, MNCs are becoming stateless players, detached from individual nation states.

However, the consumer’s brand evaluation process is a complex one with a number of variables. One key, albeit often ignored, factor is the Country of Origin (COO) of the brand. COO has been an important factor in consumer purchasing decision making.

The FBNbillboard is strategic, given the fact that Nigeria has become the focus for Direct Foreign Investment.

1. Finalised (9) 7. Employ (3) 8. Tear (3) 9. Succeeded (3) 10. Consumed (3) 12. per Unit (4) 13. Bird (4) 14. Beer (3) 16. Imitate (3) 18. Bed (3) 19. Resort (3) 21. Justly (9)

Our ideas like orange plants, spread out in proportion to the size of the box which imprisons the roots.

– Edward Bulwer Lytton

42

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

43

TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola will complete his two terms of eight years in two years time. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the issues that may shape the next governorship election in the Centre of Excellence.

I

N two years time, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) will complete his second term in office. Ahead of 2015, the governorship race will engage the attention of Lagosians, who have enjoyed the dividends of democracy under Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola administrations for an uninterrupted 14 years.

The task before Fashola’s party, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), is searching for another competent politician and astute administrator to run for the next governorship election. Since Lagos State was created in 1967, its residents have participated actively in seven governorship election - 1979, 1983, 1991, 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011. In those polls, except that of 1991, Lagosians voted along similar and predictable lines. The 1991 exception was due to the inability of the progressives to put their house in order.

By 2015, 18 million Lagosians would be on the march again. Like his predecessor, Senator Bola Tinubu, the hardworking governor will bow out with grace, honour and dignity.

However, the incumbency factor will not wane. If the tempo of achievements is sustained till the end, many believe that the progressives will continue to hold sway in the Centre of Excellence.

Challenges of governance A mega city and economic capital, Lagos, the former Federal Capital Territory, is a mini Nigeria. The feature of the metropolis is its cosmopolitan nature. Its national status as the commercial nerve centre offering buoyant opportunities often compels a mass exodus to the city leaning on the Lagoon. Apart from savouring occupational, social and economic opportunities, the indigenes of other states have become part of the city’s political establishment. Living harmoniously with the people of the five divisions of Epe, Badagry, Ikorodu, Ikeja and Lagos, Nigerians from the hinterland have also increased the voting quality and strength of Lagos. These factors of accommodation and tolerance are great marks of Lagos, a city that harbours representatives of every family in Nigeria. As the non-indigenes become integrated, they exercise the right to vote and be voted for.

Lagos is a special Yoruba city. It is a blend of diverse, complex and sophisticated dwellers who account for the prosperity of the city and the menace and vices that characterise its daily life. Lagos is host to the headquarter of many thriving businesses. Over 60 per cent of the Value Added Tax (VAT) in the country is generated in the state. Despite the relocation of the federal capital to Abuja, many foreign diplomats still prefer to operate from Lagos.

On the Lagos governor’s shoulder is the care and security of over 18 million residents, although he lacks power of control over the police. These residents include the army of restless, jobless youths, unemployed graduates and the masses. Every governor will always shoulder the burden of population explosion as thousands continue to flood the city daily to stay permanently and search for the real and imagined golden fleece. The huge population and influx of people daily has raised the demand for the few public sector employment, water, schools, roads, and other social infrastructure.

Illegal immigrants from poor West African countries join the native beggars who take refuge under the bridges. Alarmed at this scenario, Information and Strategy Commissioner Lateef Ibirogba said Okada riders who are from Niger and Togo have also come to protest against traffic law at the state secretariat. Together with the area boys, they pose a threat to security. The state has not been accorded a special status by the Federal Government, although it shoulders enormous national responsibilities. The next governor will also have to contend with flooding in a state that is exceedingly water lodged. He will inherit many local government roads calling for attention. He will also wake up to the reality that governance is not a tea party.

• Fashola

•Asiwaju Tinubu

Who succeeds Fashola?

Mystery of Lagos politics Lagos politics is full of instructive lessons, which aspirants often refuse to learn. Historically, it is difficult to predict who will emerge as flag bearers of political parties.

Lagos State is dynamic. Therefore, the contest is always unpredictable. The first aspirant on the track may never become the winner. The history of governorship contest in Lagos is replete with the emergence of candidates who were never in reckoning before.

These emergency candidates have always smiled away with the crown.

Ahead of 1978/79, when the members of the Committee of Friends, which later transformed into the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), were preparing for the governorship election, three heavy weight politicians; - Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, Chief Akanbi Onitiri and Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu; - were struggling for the slot. Ogunsanya was a federal legislator and Minister of Housing and Surveys. Onitiri was one of the heroes of the treasonable felony trial, who was jailed along with the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Dawodu was a councillor, Lagos Town Council chairman and commissioner.

Ogunsanya had approached Awo, urging him to influence the committee to give the ticket to him. But Awo turned down his request, saying that the fate of aspirants would be decided at the party primaries. He later joined Dr. Nnamidi Azikiwe’s Nigeria Peoples Party (NPP). Onitiri was favoured for the job. But he was lured into the NPP by people who promised to make him the presidential candidate, after convincing him that the late Zik would not run. He later died in an auto crash. There was another candidate who was turned down because of his low education. Awo was surprised that he had no library in his house. Alhaji Lateef Jakande, a prominent member of the committee,

emerged as the candidate.

In the Third Republic, the proscribed Social Democratic Party (SDP) was highly embraced

by Lagosians. Locked in the governorship battle were Chief Dapo Sarumi and Prof. Femi Agbalajobi. However, the two were banned.

In the subsequent shadow poll between Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, the candidate of the Jakande Group, and Yomi Edu, who was backed by the Primose, group, the latter won.

But he lost to the less popular National Republican Convention (NRC) candidate, Sir Michael Otedola, at the election.

In 1999, Tinubu initially was warming up for the Senate, until the Afenifere leaders of Ijebu origin advised him to signify interest in the governorship, a move that created distrust between them and their colleague, Dawodu, who had favoured Funso Williams for the seat. Had Dawodu, fondly referred to as the god of Lagos, signified his intention to run, he would have emerged as the candidate. Tinubu emerged as the Alliance for Democracy (AD) flag bearer, defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Sarumi, and spent eight years in office. In 2007, the AC had 14 aspirants, including Jimi Agbaje, Ogunleye, Ganiyu Solomon, Oyinlomo Danmole, Tola Kasali, Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Femi Pedro, Tunde Fanimokun, Bayo Ajisebutu, Kaoli Olusanya, Omotilewa Aro-Lambo, Remi Adikwu-Bakare, and Fashola, who was thrown up by Tinubu. At the primaries, the former Chief of Staff secured the ticket.

The platforms There are two main political parties in Lagos State; the PDP led by Captain Tunji Shelle (rtd) and the ACN led by Otunba Oladele Ajomale. Other platforms are usually spectators. But there was a near shift in that paradigm in 2011 when Labour Party (LP) was briefly promoted by some aggrieved ACN

‘Lagos politics is full of instructive lessons, which aspirants often refuse to learn. Historically, it is difficult to predict who will emerge as flag bearers of political parties. Lagos State is dynamic. Therefore, the contest is always unpredictable. The first aspirant on the track may never become the winner’

leaders loyal to Fashola. The rebellion was short-lived. Since then, the party has remained on a waiting list as a borrowed platform. Other mushroom parties, including the National Conscience party (NCP) and Mega Social Democratic Party (MSDP). If the merger plan succeed, ACN, ANPP and CPC in Lagos will cease to exist and the All Progressives Congress (APC) will become the dominant party.

In Lagos, the PDP is a roaring lion seeking to devour the progressive bloc. Since 1999, it has repeatedly failed in this venture. Now, the party is on the prowl again. A major setback for the party is its protracted crisis over leadership and distribution of offices and largesse from Abuja. Today, Lagos PDP is being marginalised by the Federal Government.

The minister representing the state, Segun Aganga, is not an indigene of the state. Unlike former ministers Bimbo Ogunkelu, Seye Ogunlewe, Femi Anibaba, Yomi Edu and Sarumi, he is not perceived as a politician with a clout and an effective arrowhead.

Sources said that PDP is wooing the Afenifere chieftain, Agbaje. All the caucuses in the polarised and crisis-ridden party are ready to concede the governorship ticket to the successful pharmacist. The lone dissenting voice is the Musiliu Obanikoro group. This has lent credence to the fact that the senator still nurses a governorship ambition. But Agbaje is cautious. If he defects to the PDP, he may be mocking his fine credential and antecedent as a neat politician bubbling with progressive ideas. A source said that Agbaje, who is loved by Lagosians, has the latent ambition of becoming the governor. “The only option left now is for him to use the LP,” added the source, who refused to make further clarifications. During the electioneering, PDP’s candidate may not appeal to Lagosians because the Federal Government has not done much to improve the lot of the state.

For ACN, the slogan is continuity. It is to the credit of the party that it has produced two performers Tinubu and Fashola. The next ACN or APC candidate will use the achievements of these prominent politicians to woo the voters. However, times are changing. Certain forces are emerging from the two divides to press vigorously for internal democracy.

It is indisputable that the culture of imposition is being gradually resisted. The advocates of guided primaries are even being challenged. This is a major challenge. If the primaries are thrown open, it is likely that money bags from nowhere may hijack the ticket and deliver it to the highest bidder.

Indigeneship and zoning For strategic reasons, the PDP has tried to put on the front burner the vexed issue of indigeneship, in a bid to incite indigenous Lagosians against the ruling party. But that is now a weak factor. In 2007, indigeneship was displaced by zoning. But analysts have questioned the merit of the rotational formula in a state where people of all tribes cohabit peacefully. Those who canvassed zoning based on the three senatorial districts also lack convincing argument to support it. The critics of the idea point out that many residents and indigenes of the West District have enjoyed political opportunities in the Central and East districts and vice versa.

The first civilian governor, Jakande, son of the Oluwo of Lagos, is from the Central District, although he has been living in Ilupeju, West District. He has his roots in Omu-Aran, Kwara State. The second executive governor, Otedola, hails from Epe, East District. The third, Tinubu, from the Central, represented the West in the Senate in the Third Republic. Fashola is from the Central. In 2007, Ikorodu elders, led by an eminent lawyer, Babatunde Benson (SAN), pressed for power shift to Ikorodu, East District, claiming that of the five divisions, only Ikorodu and Badagry have not produced the governor. It was a legitimate crusade.

However, critics pointed out that the four governors who have ruled the state have never •Continued on page 44

44

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

POLITICS The leader of the Niger Delta Volunteers Force (NDVF), Alhaji Dokubo Asari, spoke with AUGUSTINE AVWODE in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, on the presidential pardon for former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, national security and agitation for a national conference.

Dokubo: power can’t shift to North in 2015 W

HAT is your reaction to the presidential pardon for former Bayelsa State Governor Depriye Alamieyeseigha?

The criticisms are mischevious. In the first place, the President has the right under the constitution to exercise the prerogative of mercy. And because the right to do this is constitutional, it makes the view of anybody, which may be to contrary, null and void and of no effect whatsoever because it is done on the basis of the right granted and protected by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Secondly, the whole world knows that the money stolen by Alamieyeseigha belongs to the people of Bayelsa State, his kith and kin.

And the people of Bayelsa State have forgiven him long time ago and have rehabilitated him.

In fact, the majority of Ijaw people feel that Alamieyeseigha was unjustly victimised.

What we have discovered is that the majority of the people criticising the pardon because of politics stole much more than what Alamieyeseigha stole and they are walking free. The thinking here, if I must tell you the truth, is that our people have been used over time as sacrificial lamb. Go to any state and look into their financial records, come back and tell me if their money have never been stolen in a manner that is even worse than the celebrated case of Alamieyeseigha. What do you say of the people who are allowed to do plea bargaining and they are walking free?

2The Ijaw people feel they are being used as examples for the world that Nigeria is fighting corruption. But we are saying that, if we want to fight corruption, it should be holistic.

All the governors who have ruled any state since 1999 should be brought and examined and interrogated and we would see how many saints are out there.

You seem to be justifying Alamieyeseigha’s action? Is that not a vote in defence of corruption and corrupt practices?

No. When Alamieyeseigha was governor, he was one of my greatest enemies. But be that as it may be, we have to forgive each other. And we know that that his conviction was manipulated by the Nigerian government under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. Under Yar’Adua, many governors were given plea bargain, why was Alamieyeseigha not given plea bargain. Must he be convicted first? Look at the case of Cecilia Ibru. Why was she, first and foremost, convicted and others are given bail today, bail tomorrow, adjournment today and another one tomorrow. The picture I see is that of a plot to criminalise the people from the Niger Delta . It is an established pattern and it is not

lost on us. All the people that stole money in the failed banks and so on, how many of them have been convicted? Why is it that it is only the people from the Niger Delta, why? This is the question we are asking. Unfortunately, they use our elite in government because of petty jealousy and hatred for each other to achieve their aims.

If I may ask again, is your argument not a justification of corrupt practices because, clearly, that is the way many people will look at it.

I said no, and I repeat no. Nobody is in support of corruption. I am not in support of it, it is evil, it is bad and we must oppose it. But when a pattern is established that it should be our people that must be disgraced while others walk free as their sins are covered up, we won’t accept it.

Would you advise President Goodluck Jonathan to seek a second term in office in 2015?

I am not a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member. But even though I am not a PDP member, we will have two terms of uninterrupted presidency and we are not going to compromise it. All we are saying is that you have been ruling and this time we want our eight years and we are getting it. It is a simple as that; there is no magic that will stop it and no amount of figure you cook up can change it. If you try to take it from us, we will stop you, period. Whether it is President Goodluck Jonathan or any other person, the Southsouth region will have eight uninterrupted years. It is a constitutional right for Goodluck Jonathan to go for a second term. He knows that, it should not take my advising him before he does what he knows too well. Besides, I am not one of his advisers. All the people that are talking, since 1956 when self-rule started in Nigeria, what have they done to change the face of the country like other countries that got independence with us at the same time like Malaysia, which was also a British colony like us; like Singapore; what have they done to change the fortune of the country?. What did the previous administrations do to change Nigeria to Kuwait, Qatar or Saudi Arabia or Turkey. What did they do that Jonathan has not done? The Benin/Shagamu Expressway has changed from what it used to be. Jonathan made it possible. Now, people travel smoothly on it. Our airports at a point in time were looking like slaughter houses. See what is happening in the airport or aviation sector today. Go to Kano Airport, I flew from there. Go to others airports across the country. The railway has been on its kneels for many years. Today,

• Asari

for the first time in many years, train goes from Lagos to Kano. These are evidence that people can not wish away.

Many people are calling for amnesty for the members of Boko Haram sect. What is your view?

I have a different view about what you call amnesty. What was given is simply bribe to some people so that that they could stop kidnapping foreign oil workers and allow for peace so that production of oil can continue without interruption. It was a bribe and many of us saw through it and did not accept it. I considered it a bribe to enable us jettison our struggle. So, for me, based on your question, I support amnesty for those who claim to be Muslims but they are criminals. Can they be Muslims? I doubt. They are falsely claiming to be Muslims. So, if you want amnesty for them, fine, give it to them because amnesty really, should be for only convicted people.

Pardon them, no more fighting, JTF is no more looking for them, to that extent it is ok. But the question is, what name will you call it? If it is to stop their being arrested and prosecuted, well fine. But if it is to provide for the payment of stipends as bribe like it is done now to allow oil to flow, then we need to ask, what will flow from there? I am in total support of it. If it was given to one set of people for what-

Who succeeds Fashola?

•Continued from page 43

discriminated against any zone or district. They have treated all the zones and district equally as reflected in their distribution of amenities and key appointments.

Also, zoning has not really shaped the contest for governorship, judging by the sheer number of aspirants from across the zones and districts. In the Third Republic, Agbalajobi, Sarumi, Otedola, Edu, (Epe), Adikwu-Bakare (Awori), Alaba Williams, Tokunbo Dosunmu (Central), Ogunleye (Ikorodu) were aspirants. In 2003-2007, when Muritala Asorobi (Central), Olorunfunmi Basorun (East), Tokunbo Kamson (East), Funsho Williams (Central), Wahab Dosunmu (Central) Obanikoro (Central) and Tunde Olowu (West) and Ademola Adeniji-Adele (Central), were in the race, zoning was a non-issue. All these have lent credence to the fact that Lagos will not compromise merit, standard, excellence and track record of the contestants on the alter of zoning.

Religion Also, in Lagos State, and indeed, in the Southwest, religion has not played a crucial role in the election of the governor. Recently, some faceless groups have invaded the media, clamouring for a Christian governor as successor to Fashola. The groups are said to be enjoying the backing of a Second Republic federal legislator, who had complained about an imaginary marginalisation of Christians. Some Christian bodies have denounced their activities, advising them to desist from heating up the polity, ahead of 2015.

Jakande and his deputy, Rafiu Jafojo, are Muslims. Otedola, a Christian, ran with a Muslim, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu. Tinubu, a Muslum, had three Christian deputies; Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, Pedro and Ogunleye. Fashola, another Muslim, has two Christian deputies; Sarah Sosan and Victoria Tawa Orelope-Adefulire. There is nothing to suggest that religion has shaped major state policies. Although Tinubu is a Muslim, his wife, Sena-

•Ajomale

tor Oluremi, is a member of the Redeemed Christian Church. Fashola’s wife, Abimbola, is a Catholic. Since the Second Republic, religion has also not played any role in the executive council’s composition. Therefore, governorship issues will not revolve around religious leanings. The deciding issues are the antecedents of the parties and candidates, merit and track records.

The aspirants Many politicians are coveting the

ever reason, it should also be given to the other set of people for whatever reason.

What is your position on the call for a national conference?

I am all for it. There should be a Sovereign National Conference where we would sit down and the decision of this conference should be put to a plebiscite and the outcome upheld. If not, we are just postponing the doomsday. Because the people who are doing the killing in the North, they are daring others. And let me tell you, the consequences of what is happening now in the North, by the time it fully arrives, it will be too late for them.

Take the case of the bombs that exploded in a luxurious bus park, killing many innocent people, and immediately, you get phone calls saying Alhaji, please don’t make any comments, otherwise, there will be reprisal attacks, the leadership of other groups in the Southeast and Southwest are called and told to exercise restraint. Well, I am saying that a time is coming when people will no longer be able to persuade others to keep quiet. A time will come when nobody will be able to do that because it is becoming so glaring. What if the people making the phone calls become the victims tomorrow? So if the voice of reason is not allowed to prevail now, a time will come when ordinary people will invade Government Houses and say look here, they are killing our people and you are conniving. And it will be too late. But before it gets to that level, those who have good sense and know better than others should moderate because we cannot continue like this. It is impossible to continue like this and let nobody think about Biafra era, it is gone. We are gradually getting to a stage when people are just waiting for somebody to throw the first stone and people will rush out of their houses. Before then, there is the urgent need for those in the leadership position in the North to moderate now. If they don’t, what will happen, history has not conceived of it. The noise about the six million Jews will be small because you can’t continue to kill others and expect them not to retaliate.

Will true federalism solve all these problems?

Let Nigerians decide through a Sovereign National Conference. It is what they say that will determine whether it is federal or unitary. If it is not done now, the beast in men will soon show up. Soon, the perception that people are not ready to defend their rights will be proved to be a wrong assumption. I tell you that there are more people in this country who are ready to die defending themselves than be slaves in their country.

Alausa seat of government. In 2015, the race may be crowded. The governor, sources said, may not be indifferent to the nature, character, tendency and sentiments of his successor. The party has a bigger role to play. There will definitely be a search team by the ruling party. But the flag bearer will not come from the moon.

In ACN, there are veteran governorship aspirants who have not retired from politics. But it appears that the generational shift may seal their ambitions. Consistent with the history of political evolution in the state, a dark horse may also not be ruled out. As men are scheming to become governor, women are positioning themselves as the running mate.

The only party chieftain who has openly declared his interest is Senator Ganiyu Solomon. He is the former Chairman of Mushin Local Government and member of the House of Representatives. He was re-elected as senator in 2011.

Sources said that there are three potential aspirants from Epe Division. One of them is a successful medical doctor from Agbowa-Ikosi area, who was commissioner for Health and later, Education. The second is a retired Permanent Secretary and legislator in the Upper Chamber. The third is a three-time state lawmaker beloved by the party leadership.

Eyes are also on the brilliant technocrat and former Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning.

When he was being considered for the post in 2007, it leaked. The following day, he was surprised when party followers invaded his residence, hailing him as the governor. On the advice of his wife, he travelled abroad and did not return until the nomination was over. Reflecting on his rejection of the assignment, a first class monarch in Lagos described him as a “run away governor”.

Also likely to vie is a commissioner who is in charge of works.

His father was a legislator and commissioner in the Second Republic. He is an easy-going professional. Sources also said that his colleague in the traffic ministry is eyeing the position. The former university teacher and rights activist is the son of a prominent Awori leader. Another source said that the Commissioner for Agriculture is also interested.

It has also been speculated that a prominent journalist, lawyer and two-time commissioner is interested in succeeding his boss.

So is the legal scholar and former university don who was a member of the State Executive Council from 1999 to 2011. Another lawyer from Surulere itching to succeed Fashola is in the Federal Parliament.

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ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Gas flaring: Lagos clears WAGPCo Stories by Emeka Ugwuanyi

•Managing Director, WAGPCo, Charles Adeniji

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HE West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAPCo) has been absolved of the reported gas flaring at its Lagos Beach Compressor Station (LBCS) at Badagry.

The gas flare was said to have caused environmental and health hazards within Itoki community and environs where the compressor is situated.

It was as a result of the gas flare report that the Lagos State Government mandated the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) that carried out a thorough investigation to confirm the veracity of the report and magnitude of the impact of the flaring on the communities within the facility.

The report of LASEPA’s visit to the LBCS, which was obtained by The Nation, showed that five officers, including Ogunleye Abiodun, Okeleye Olusegun, D. K. Adeyemi, M. A. Akinjeji and Lewis Gregory Adeyemi, were members of the LASEPA team while the WAGPCo team comprised Olugbenga Agbola, Romeo Obaye and Egbe Jude.

The LASEPA team, it was learnt, carried out both day and nocturnal tests at the LBCS on separate days to determine if the level and intensity of flared gas during the day were different from those done at night. This was because the communities said that whenever they cried out, WAGPCo would reduce the level of flared gas.

But the LASEPA team led by Ogunleye, which paid an unscheduled visit to the facility on February 15, this year, after receiving WAGPCo’s last year third and fourth quarter environmental reports, carried out the day test at LBCS to establish WAGPCo’s compliance standard on alleged persistent gas flaring by some members of the public. The team after the test made their findings.

However, following a subsequent joint meeting with the LASEPA General Manager, and a Director, Mrs. A. W. Onisarotu, there was a request to conduct a night test at the LBCS, which was carried out on February 19, this year. Ogunleye said the essence of the night monitoring was to establish the fact that both day and night are incompliance with the statutory environmental standard.

Following their findings, he buttressed the fact that the public outcry could be that most people may not have an appreciative understanding of the operation of a company such as WAGPCo, hence the complaints. He added that as environmental regulators, they are in a better position to clear all the grey areas. He also dismissed earlier report that there was presence of heavily armed security personnel,

which made people unable to gain access to WAGPCo’s facility.

He said: “If we were not at the site on Friday, 15th February, 2013 unannounced, we would have assumed that WAGPCo demobilized the security force due to our proposed visit.”

According to the report, Romeo Obaye and Olugbenga Agboola gave further enlightenment on the compliance position of WAPCo with respect to the flaring. They also presented previous reports by an external auditor certified by both the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and LASEPA. Besides, Ogunleye and his members confirmed that the external auditor is well known to them and requested that in future, they should be carried along from the on-set so that they will also assist in the sensitisation exercise since they stand to be believed and understood better than hearing from the company’s officials.

It was gathered that both WAGPCo and the LASEPA teams took temperature readings within and outside the plant, which they confessed were in line with the required standard. The teams also went to the communities to take readings and meet with the community leadership.

The community leaders at the meeting include the Chairman, Council of Chiefs, High Chief Agbesanga, who deputises as the community paramount ruler, Dr. S. Amosun - community opinion leader, High Chief Vokor, High Chief Hunga, Youth Vice President - Saheed Isiaka, Misimau Ajasa youth assistant secretary, and Chief Akibu, the Baale in the community.

Ogunleye explained to the community leaders of their findings on Friday, February 15, and February, 19, this year. He pleaded with them not to envisage any environmental concern now or in future since their readings indicate that WAGPCo flaring operations are in line with the statutory approved standard. He told the community leaders that if there were hazards, WAGPCo personnel will not be excluded from the impact since they are also in the community.

But Dr. Amosu, it was learnt, said he is a qualified health physician and based on his research, such impact may not manifest until about 20 years of which most of the existing generation would have gone. He added that as long as

•Firm may resume operation this month ionisation was not considered in the readings they took, he doubts if the findings could be taken hook line and sinker by the community.

High Chief Vokor also supported his view.

However, after due explanation on the mechanisms and control systems deployed by WAPCo in the flaring operation to ensure adequate regulatory compliance standard, the concerns of the community were allayed. But they said that the WAPCo team reduces the flare each time they raised the alarm on too much heat.

Amosu and the chairman, Council of Chiefs, however, attested that the community executives were informed about the flaring by the WAGPCo team, but complained that the notice was too short. He requested for a minimum of two weeks prior to commencement of the flaring in future. LASEPA team also requested for adequate sensitisation and their involvement in future.

The LASEPA team used the opportunity to visit some of the community development projects (CDPs) in Ajido and expressed their joy on WAGPCo contribution to the community. They suggested that a lot of publicity should

be made during the inauguration of the clinic so that outsiders will know the contribution of WAGPCo to one of their major host communities.

The flaring issue started when WAGPCo’s 20’ main line broke into two on August 28, last year at Lome, Togo during a skirmish between the Navy and a third party vessel, which dragged anchor across Anchoring Exclusion Zone, and caused the damage. Necessary actions and repair processes have since been done by WAGPCo but the pipe needs to be cleaned before normal operation resumes, which involves a measure of flaring.

Sea water entered the line when it was broken and also depressurised it. It was in the process of removing the water, contaminated gas and debris in the line that brought about the alleged gas flaring.

The company had expected to fix the pipe and commence operations last December but in order to ensure that adequate and standard repairs and safety measures were observed, normal operation is expected to resume this month, it was learnt.

The WAGPCo owns and operates the West African Gas Pipeline

(WAGP) with headquarters in Accra, Ghana and an office in Badagry, Nigeria. It also has field offices in Cotonou - Benin, Lome Togo, Tema and Takoradi, both in Ghana.

WAGPCo is a joint venture between public and private sector companies from Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana.

The company’s main mandate is to transport natural gas from Nigeria to customers in Benin, Togo and Ghana in a safe, responsible and reliable manner, at prices competitive with other fuel alternatives.

WAGP transports purified natural gas free of heavy hydrocarbons, liquids and water, ideally suited as fuel for power plants and industrial applications. Eighty-five per cent of the gas is for power generation and the remaining for industrial applications. The Volta River Authority’s Takoradi Thermal Power Plant in Ghana, CEB of Benin and Togo are WAPCo’s foundation customers.

WAPCo is owned by Chevron West African Gas Pipeline Limited (36.7 per cent); Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (25 per cent); Shell Overseas Holdings Limited (18 per cent); and Takoradi Power Company Limited (16.3 per cent), Societe Togolaise de Gaz (2 per cent) and Societe BenGaz S.A. (2 per cent).

•From left: President, Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Mr George Osahon; President, American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG),Africa Region, Mr. Gilbert Odior; Coordinator, Imperial Barrel Award (IBA) Programme, Africa Region, Mr Oluseye Ekun and IBA Global Committee Member, Adedoja Ojelabbi, at the AAPG-IBA programme Africa region competition in Lagos.

Shell to invest in promising technology firms

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OYAL Dutch Shell is ready to invest millions of dollars in emerging technology companies to accelerate the deployment of innovations that add value to the company’s operations, its Executive Vice President Innovation, Research & Development (R&D) and Shell Chief Technology Officer, Gerald Schotman, has said.

From smarter exploration processes to enhanced extraction techniques, he said, Shell’s corporate venturing arm Shell Technology Ventures would make investments over the next six to eight years.

Schotman said: “Ideas from outside the organisation are critical to our open innovation approach to R&D. We want to enable the brightest and

the best to develop their ideas, and benefit from Shell’s expertise and global reach, so that we can get these technologies up and running in our projects as fast as we can.”

A statement from Shell said the company is looking forward to investing in technology spin-outs and externally-managed venture capital funds. The company said it will look at areas including gas production and conversion; geophysical imaging; chemical manufacturing and conversion; novel materials; enhanced oil recovery; and water treatment. It will also look at various aspects of information technology (Big Data); oil and gas wells drilling and completion; sub-surface sensing; production in challenging environments; opera-

tional efficiency; and future energy technologies will also be sought.

Partners according to the statement, may be granted access to Shell’s technical experts, its global research capability and its customer, supplier and contractor base. Shell may also look to enable field trials where appropriate and serve as a launching customer for these new technologies. Itc asked companies to submit their proposals via the process as set out at www.shell.com/techventures.

Shell Technology Ventures Director, Geert van de Wouw, said: “We are looking to develop long-term mutually, beneficial partnerships with emerging technology companies, venture capi-

tal firms and corporate venturing organisations. A good example of where this is working is our investment in GlassPoint Solar Inc. Their pilot plant in the Middle East taps heat from the sun to generate steam for enhanced oil recovery. Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) contracted GlassPoint to build the plant, which is currently being tested.”

Shell Technology Ventures is the corporate venturing arm of Shell and follows the existing Shell Technology Ventures Fund 1, which is managed by independent Kenda Capital. Kenda will continue to commercialise its existing portfolio of oil and gas technology investments, the report said.

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ENERGY

Baywood, Ghana in talks on local content B

AYWOOD Continental Limited (BCL), a Nigerian oil firm and Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, met in Accra to discuss how BCL would assist the emerging Ghana’s oil and gas industry develop robust local content.

In a statement BCL said its Chief Executive Officer, Emperor Chris Baywood Ibe, led the delegation from his company while Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah represented the Ghanaian Energy and Petroleum ministry and the government.

Speaking during the meeting, the minister said Ghana will understudy indigenous companies from sub-Saharan Africa to develop local content in its oil and gas industry. Armah-Kofi Buah said he was satisfied with BCL’s profile and advised the company to develop a good local content model, which

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

he assured would be adopted by Ghana’s oil industry.

Since the discovery of oil in Ghana, the government has been making efforts to ensure it prevents all the ills and shortcomings that are associated with oil producing firms including developing content and indigenous skills early enough.

The minister noted that Ghana’s local content policy is not only targeted at skills acquisition by Ghanaians but also empowering indigenously-owned companies. He added that Ghana’s move to optimally develop local content was on top gear.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Ibe said BCL is a Nigerian company incorporated in 1989, which has developed capacity in designing, construction, operation and maintenance of major oil and gas facilities.

He said BCL’s investment in equipment and plants over the last five years is in excess of $180 million. He also assured the minister that his company was ready to enter Ghana’s oil and gas industry, for mutually beneficial partnership to ensure the growth of the country’s indigenous companies.

He said: “Our Company has firsthand experience in design, construction and operation of onshore base. Our company is currently carrying project execution portfolio of about $700 million, with additional $100 million new projects, which will start this year.”

He said the multinational oil firms in Nigeria, including Shell, Total, Chevron and Agip, among others, are major clients to BCL, adding that as a result of the outstanding services, BCL has won various safety awards from these international oil companies.

Some of the projects Baywood has

done, and is currently doing, which it presented to the Ghanaian minister include onshore 42inch by a 46-kilometre gas pipeline construction for Total; onshore 6-inch by 33 kilometre oil pipeline construction for Agip; maintenance and upgrade of Shell’s floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel (Sea Eagle); maintenance of Shell’s Western Division Swamp Pipelines of 6-inch to 24-inch capacity and 200 kilometre length; rehabilitation of Shell’s Forcados terminal tanks; and Chevron’s Escravos terminal tanks.

The company’s newly-awarded contracts include mechanical modification works on Shell Petroleum Development Company’s (SPDC) flow-station and offshore shop fabrication call-out contracts phase 2; fabrication and load-out of platform structures, as well as piping and appurtenances for Chevron.

He said the company has also completed world-class projects valued in excess of $200 million, which include the EPIC (engineering, procurement, installation and construction) contract to relocate and upgrade the entire Oredo flow-station for the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corpora-

tion (NNPC), which was executed between 2003 and 2005.

It has also carried out maintenance and operations of Compressors for Shell’s Eastern Division between 1996 and 2000; Swamp Flowline/Pipeline Replacement Campaign for Shell’s Western Division between 1999 and 2000, as well as Shell’s Eastern Division Pipeline Maintenance between 2003 and 2009.

Others include the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and rehabilitation of collapsed storage 75,000 barrels capacity tanks at Yola and Mosimi for Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC between 2000 and 2001 and EPC of two new 25,000 barrels capacity tanks at Izombe for Addax Petroleum between 2001 and 2002.

Baywood is also involved in other major contracts, which are at tender stages including the upgrade of water treatment plant in Amenam Kpono platform for Total, which was scheduled for 2012; Brass tank rehabilitation and upgrade for Agip, which is scheduled for 2013 to 2017 and firewater systems upgrade in oil mining lease (OML) 100 for Total, scheduled between 2013 and 2015.

Seplat to boost domestic gas

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•President/Chief Executive Officer, Baywood Continental Limited (BCL), Emperor Chris Baywood Ibe (left) and Ghana’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, when a delegation from the company paid a courtesy visit to the minister in Accra, Ghana.

Bayelsa, oil firms to collaborate on safety

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HE Bayelsa State Government is planning to collaborate with international oil companies (IOCs) and other oil producing states to find ways of ensuring safe operating environment for oil firms and other business.

Bayelsa State Governor Dickson Seriake made this known while fielding questions from reporters during an oil and gas forum in Abuja.

He stressed the need for such collaboration, noting that it would benefit the oil firms and the people of Bayelsa by createing the platform to empower the people, contribute to overall development and generate revenues for the state.

He said: “This is a time to talk of collaboration and cooperation to see that we have a safe operating environment for the IOCS and to also see that we have a safe and protected environment. We are also concerned about the issues of empowerment of our people. We know that is critical.

We are concerned about the environment. We are concerned about how the oil industry can respond and work with us and other states to ensure that we make life more meaningful for our people.”

On how to involve other states in the collaboration, he said: “We have a platform at the regional level, the regional cooperation framework, so at our meeting, I’m going to discuss the need for us (governors of oil producing states) to deploy our resources for the security of the environment. So, I’m going to discuss model with other governors of the

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

region.”

On what the state government is doing specifically to tackle insecurity, he said: “We have a robust security framework in Bayelsa and as a matter of fact, that is what we recommend to all states that have similar problems. That is why I keep on talking about collaboration and partnership because that is the key.

“The security system we have devised in Bayelsa works a lot better when keyed into the communities, so we have communities working on that, young people and leaders of communities working on that, and we have a system we key the information that we have and make it available to the security operatives.

“We gave 15 patrol boats to the joint taskforce (JTF), the marine and the navy. We need to do that because that is part of collaboration.”

He also commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s efforts in exploring Nigeria’s diplomatic relations to fight oil theft. “The President is right and I wish him luck. He said he will use the full weight of our diplomatic resources to ensure that it makes it easier to track and identify stolen crude in order to discourage the activities of oil thieves.

But you must know that there is a lot of international conspiracy in what is going on.

“Those who buy crude are from outside this country, they don’t reside here in the Niger Delta. Those who get involved in big time bun-

kering activities are from outside the Niger Delta. But we the states in the Niger Delta and we the people who live and do business there, suffer the effects because we are left with degraded and fragile environment and ecosystem and above all most criminal activities originate from bunkering activities because that is how live ammunitions and small weapons get smuggled into this country and generate violence.”

He also spoke on the Nigerian Content Act saying: “The local content is one framework by which the Niger Delta region can benefit from the various legal, legitimate opportunities, so we have to further expand the frontiers of the local content law not only in theory as it is but we need to continuously examine how it is working and to the extent to which that has impacted on the wellbeing of the people of the producing communities.”

EPLAT Petroleum Development Company Limited is putting measures in place to exploit gas resources from its assets to boost domestic gas use.

The company’s Gas Project Manager, Obi Nwasike, who stated this in Lagos, said the company has advanced strategies to ensure increased production of gas, which would start to manifest within the next 12-18 months.

Nwasike, who spoke with The Nation, said the company has developed projects that would deliver more gas for supply to the power industry and other domestic gas users. He said that there are companies developing power plants currently that will benefit from the gas supply.

“In the next three years you will see growth in the delivery of gas to consumers and off-takers in the country, so it is a growth opportunity around power and around manufacturing in Nigeria,” he said. He added that there would be a significant increase in volume of gas supply.

He said his company is positioned to guarantee that the gas assets keep producing for 20-30 years, which he said is the effective period of gas assets.

Nwasike said the company is challenged to take these assets that have been there for 20-30 years and stretch them for another period of time, adding that the company would not only value the assets but would also look at what the off-take demand would be on oil and also on gas.

He also pledged commitment to encourage adequate gas supply to power plants in the country. He

By Ambrose Nnaji

added that the company has embarked on some projects to improve the quality of gas that is delivered to power plants.

Nwasike identified the fiscal regime including taxation and government’s take from produced resource as some of the factors that militate against gas production in the country.

He expressed fear that the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) if passed the way it is would deter companies from investing in gas production in the country. He urged the government to step down some of its demand to encourage investment in the sector develop the gas reserves and help generate more power.

He said: “If there is uncertainty in the fiscal regime, people who have the money to invest will hold on until they are sure of what the new law says, the they will assess it and may go ahead to invest but generally many gas projects will not go ahead if the PIB is passed the way it is.

Nwasike said the economy would be affected in the sense that the power plants may not be able to get the gas. “If as a country we have the money, we will invest it and develop our gas resources, but we don’t have the money and these people that have the money have told us that unless the bill is altered slightly they may not bring their money. Therefore, we may not witness any meaningful development in any of the sectors in the near future if the bill is not addressed to favour all stakeholders,” he added.

WorldStage power confab holds Sept.

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S the Federal Government shows commitment to privatisation of successor companies unbundled from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the WorldStage National Electricity Power Conference (WNEPC), has set aside September 24 for industry players to discuss the huge potentials in the emerging private sector driven power industry.

The Bureau of Public Enterprises

(BPE) has made substantial progress in 15 of the companies 10 distribution and five generation companies whose preferred bidders have paid $559.446 million, which is 25 per cent of the bid value of the assets, with expectation that the private investors will take over the power assets within the next six months.

WNEPC entitled: Moving Nigeria’s electricity power sector forward, according to the organisers,

would bring the policy makers and the private sector together to review the new development in electricity power sector, identify new challenges, deliberate on critical issues and chart the way forward for the realisation of stable power supply in the country.

President and Chief Executive Officer, WorldStage, Segun Adeleye, in a statement, said this year’s conference will be a watershed in the history of summits on electricity power supply in the country.

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EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 8-4-13

High-cap stocks rally equities to N11.1trn

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IGERIAN equities market opened this week with a strong bullish rally as gains by highly capitalised stocks pushed aggregate market value of equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange to N11.141 trillion yesterday.

Market capitalisation had opened at N10.978 trillion.

The All Share Index also rallied from 34,301.37 points to 34,810.25 points.

Nestle Nigeria topped the gainers’ list with a gain of N9.50 to close at N970.

Dangote Cement trailed with addition of N9 to close at N165, while Nigerian Breweries rose by N3.49 to close at N164.99.

PZ Cussons Nigeria and Mobil Oil Nigeria topped the losers’ list with a drop of N1 each to close at N35 and N123 respectively. Access Bank lost 59 kobo to close at N9.91 per share.

Consequently, total turnover stood at 492.8 million shares valued at N5.19 billion in 6,380 deals.

Meanwhile, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) Plc, the pan-African bank-holding company for the Ecobank brand, plans to raise new funds to support Ecobank Nigeria in recog-

•Ecobank to raise new funds

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

nition of the country’s importance as the hub of the financial services group’s operations.

Group chief executive officer, ETI Plc, Mr Thierry Tanoh, said this at the presentation of the underlying facts behind the ETI Group to the investing public at the Excahnge in Lagos.

Tanoh said the group was considering raising tier two capital to further bolster its Nigerian operations, noting that ETI clearly recognizes that Nigeria will be a game changer and as such, the plan to consolidate the growth of ts operations after it successfully integrated a major acquisition in 2012.

While Ecobank has operations in 33 African countries, Nigeria contributes nearly half of the group’s turnover.

ETI’s pre and post-tax profits stood at $348 million and $287 million respectively in 2012, with Nigeria accounting for profit before tax of $64.1 million. Nigeria’s turnover doubled to $743 million in 2012 just as ETI Group’s turnover increased

by 46 per cent to $1.8 billion.

The new fund raising comes on the back of injection of $400 million into Ecobank Nigeria by the parent company.

Tanoh said ETI’s Nigerian operation has been well positioned to competitively improve its performance, citing the successful integration of Oceanic Bank International, which the group acquired in the previous year.

“We see very strong upside potential in Nigeria in the area of profit growth,” Tanoh said.

He outlined that the group recognises that its growth would be driven organically and as such would focus on three key areas such as customer service, employee management and value creation for shareholders.

According to him, Ecobank will put more resources into innovative products and services as well as cutting edge technologies to become the reference point in customer service.

“Our footprint has largely been built. We must now focus on maximising the potential of this unique platform. By driving revenue growth and increasing efficiency, we can deliver significantly improved returns for our shareholders in the longer term,” Tanoh said.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 8-4-13

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MONEY LINK Diamond, Wema banks to raise N153b GTBankplansEastAfricaexpansion for expansion last“TheDecember.

IAMOND Bank and Wema completion of the placeBank are to raise N153.19

D

billion in the coming months to enable the lenders expand their operations.

Diamond Bank will be raising N118 billion ($750 million) from an undisclosed source, while Wema will secure N35 billion through special placing and listing of additional shares. Already, Wema has held a completion board meeting to issue 23,333,333,334 Ordinary shares of 50k each at N1.50 per share.

Diamond Bank’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Abdulrahman Yinusa told Bloomberg that that the lender will raise the money through a share sale or debt offering this year. The bank’s shareholders are expected to vote on the plan at an April 30 meeting.

Wema Bank’s management also said it got regulatory approval to

Stories by Collins Nweze

raise N35 billion through special placing and listing of additional shares. The fund raising comes a year after the lender raised its annual loan-growth target to 40 per cent from 20 per cent.

In a statement, Wema said a regulatory approval from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Securities & Exchanges Commission (SEC) had been secured. It said that with this development, it is expected that the lender will complete the process of raising the required capital before April 30, 2013.

Segun Oloketuyi, Managing Director, Wema Bank said the lender was delighted at the development, adding that it signifies a milestone in the entire process, which began

G

UARANTY Trust Bank Plc will open units in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as it seeks to expand in East Africa, African Banker of the Year and Chief Executive Officer Segun Agbaje told Bloomberg yesterday The bank will “acquire lenders that are not that large, but profitable in those countries in the short term,” he said.

GTBank, which is currently operating in six countries outside Nigeria, is targeting the East African nations owing to their “appreciable gross domestic product, growing investments and ease of doing business,” Agbaje said.

Just last week the GTBank boss attributed the successful outing of the bank during the 2012 financial year to customer loyalty.

He stressed that no organisation in the world could be profitable if its customers did not believe and support its vision.

GTBank’s results for the 2012 financial year showed a Profit Before Tax of N103 billion, the highest for any Nigerian bank from continuing operations at both Bank and Group levels. The Group’s results also depicted improved gross earnings of N221.9 billion and 69 per cent improvement in Profit After Tax to N87.3 billion.

This was against the N51.7 billion posted in 2011..

The lender closed the 2012 financial year with an On-Balance Sheet size of N1.73 trillion as against N1.608 trillion in 2011, while total assets and contingents stood at N2.26 trillion compared with N2.14 trillion in 2011, representing a growth of 8 per cent and 6 per cent respectively. Besides, the bank’s stance as an upstanding social citizen and commitment to full disclosure was evidenced by its 2012 tax liabilities, which came to over N16.3 billion, while total dividend payment for the financial year is projected at N45.62 billion (N1.55 per ordinary share of 0.50 kobo each).

Mr. Agbaje confirmed that the bank would continue to introduce products

ment process will further enable Wema Bank compete more effectively in the banking industry and also enhance the quality of products and services being offered to an increasing customer base. We will remain focused on efficient service delivery whilst scaling our business organically and strategically for superior returns to all stakeholders”, he said.

Meanwhile, Diamond Bank’s stock, yesterday, fell 1.7 per cent to N7.13 but has risen 44 per cent this year, outpacing the 22 per cent increase of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All-Share Index.

While Diamond is yet to report full-year earnings, first-half profit rose more than fourfold to N9.99 billion, the lender said in July.

ICAN flays late approval of budget

T

HE Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has condemned the trend of late approval the country’s budgets, saying that it makes difficult economic planning.

In a communiqué issued at the end of its 2013 budget symposium held at Lagos, the institute said the trend could have a negative impact on economic management.

The institute observed with dismay the evolving tradition of late approval of national budget in recent times. It called for timely presentation to, and expeditious consideration by, the National Assem-

By Daniel Essiet

bly such that it would be signed into law preferably before the commencement of the fiscal year.

ICAN noted that successive budgets were prepared merely on the basis of estimates as actual figures were never available. According to it, the poor performance of the budget was traced to this unscientific method of preparing budgets.

The institute recommended that the budget preparation should be more scientific and more professional and that the budget should be based on actual figures to minimise wide

variances. The institute called on the government to conduct thorough feasibility studies and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before capital projects are approved for implementation in order to reduce incidence of spurious and abandoned projects.

While noting that the expectations/objectives of the 2012 budget were largely not met, especially, in the areas of job creation and poverty alleviation, the participants urged the government to carefully examine the factors that hindered the implementation of 2012 budget with a view to avoiding a recurrence in 2013.

FGN BONDS Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m 350m 113m

MANAGED FUNDS

NIDF NESF

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 8-4-13

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

CONTINSURE PAINTCOM WAPIC LEARNAFRCA ROYALEX ABCTRANS CAP DANGCEM PORTPAINT NEM

1.03 1.45 0.97 1.74 0.66 0.88 37.10 156.00 5.39 0.79

1.13 1.59 1.06 1.90 0.72 0.95 40.00 165.00 5.70 0.83

0.10 0.14 0.09 0.16 0.06 0.07 2.90 9.00 0.31 0.04

AIRSERVICE IHS WEMABANK DNMEYER CILEASING ACCESS IPWA MAYBAKER IKEJAHOTEL DIAMONDBNK

O/PRICE 4.75 2.35 1.57 1.85 0.61 10.50 0.63 2.31 0.85 7.25

C/PRICE 4.28 2.12 1.42 1.70 0.57 9.91 0.60 2.21 0.82 7.00

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

(S/N) Parallel Market

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.8%

July ’12

Date 2-7-12 27-6-12 22-6-12

7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL BGL SAPPHIRE FUND BGL NUBIAN FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY • ARM AGGRESSIVE

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 138.34 147.89 0.80 1.14 1.10 100.00 1,000.00 1,786.88 15.58 1.39 1.87 10,855.53

9.08 1.00 137.92 147.26 0.78 1.14 1.09 100.00 1,000.00 1,781.87 14.82 1.33 1.80 10,528.92

• KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUNDARM AGGRESSIVE

NIBOR Tenor

NSE CAP Index

Name

CHANGE 0.47 0.23 0.15 0.15 0.04 0.59 0.03 0.10 0.03 0.25

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8 155.7

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

LOSERS AS AT 8-4-13

SYMBOL

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

OBB Rate Call Rate

and alternative channels that will allow the public to undertake their banking activities quickly, safely and conveniently.

Guaranty Trust Bank was established in 1990 and is regarded by industry watchers as the best run financial institution within the Nigerian financial services space, due to its bias for world class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation. The bank operates from over 200 branches within the country and has banking subsidiaries in Cote D’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom.

In recognition of it service standards, management quality and financial performance, the Bank has been the recipient of numerous awards over the years that most recently include the Best Bank in Nigeria Award for the fourth consecutive year from Euromoney Magazine and the Best Bank in Nigeria Award from EMEA Finance.

DATA BANK

Tenor

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

•Agbaje

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

THE NATION TUESDAY APRIL 9, 2013

56

NEWS

PDP fuss over Oshiomhole’s age •I’m 61, says governor

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has asked Governor Adams Oshiomhole to “honourably resign” from office over what it described as the confusion arising from his recent birthday celebration.

The party said Oshiomhole’s ‘60th birthday’ celebrated last Thursday contravened the affidavit swornto by the governor, which showed he is 61.

PDP Chairman Dan Orbih, at a briefing yesterday, said Oshiomhole, in the affidavit, claimed he was born on April 4, 1952 but that the governor’s birthday celebration, including several profiles of the governor, showed that he was born on April 4, 1953.

Members of the PDP present at the briefing wore black dresses because of what they termed “ a sad day for democracy”.

Orbih said the governor committed perjury by swearing to an affidavit that he was born in 1952 when actually he was born in 1953.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

He said Oshiomhole gave the PDP a bad name in the state and presented himself as a saint.

The PDP chairman urged Bishop Matthew Kukah to return to Edo and conduct a confession for the governor, adding that Oshiomhole never corrected the age discrepancies.

He said: “We are in a dilemma. When was he born; 1953 or 1952? No one man can be born in two days.

“It is only here we are seeing inconsistencies in birthday celebrations.”

“We challenge Oshiomhole to declare his true age.

“We are here to deepen democracy. Democracy cannot be deepened when leaders are not credible.”

But Oshiomhole said he is 61 and was born in 1952.

The governor explained that he pointed out the error but the committee of friends that organised the birthday said it was too late to make any adjustment.

•Oshiomhole

The governor, who spoke through his Media Adviser, Kassim Afegbua, said past advertorials placed in the papers congratulating him on his birthdays were not authorised by him.

The governor said he had publicly declared his true age.

He said: “The PDP is a busy body. It is an attention-seeking party cashing in on any issue to gain press coverage.

“The governor’s true age, which is 61, is reflected on all his travel documents and credentials.

“Oshiomhole insisted that he would not spend tax payers’ money to celebrate his birthday.

“If PDP is serious, it should prove allegations of spending millions on the birthday.

“The PDP should go and campaign for the local government elections.”

Mass burial for luxury bus victims

V

ICTIMS of the accident involving a luxury bus, fuel tanker and a trailer which occurred at Ugbogui village on the Benin-Lagos Road are to be given a mass burial tomorrow.

The decision, according to investigation, was because of the inability of relatives to identify the bodies.

A source at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) told The Nation that 70 bodies were deposited at the hospital’s mortuary.

All the victims were burnt beyond recognition after the tanker exploded.

In the accident, which happened last Friday at about 1pm, several shops, cars, motorcycles and property were burnt.

Two brothers, aged three and four, whose names were given as Kesmond and Solomon,

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

were burnt to death when the fire spread to their mother’s shop where they were sleeping.

The UBTH management said it was not in the best interest of the hospital and its environment to continue to keep the bodies.

A statement by its Public Relations Officer, Ms Kehinde Ibitoye, said the management was left with no option because the bodies were badly burnt and beyond recognition.

Ms. Ibitoye said the management was yet to decide on the spot where the victims would be buried.

A source at the university said 70 bodies were brought to the hospital, contrary to claims by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) that 36 persons died in the accident.

Troops invade Delta community

T

HERE was tension in Kokori, an Urhobo community in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday.

Troops from the 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Effurun invaded the area in search of one of Niger Delta’s most wanted criminals.

The target, simply identified as Kelvin, an indigene of the community, has allegedly master-minded the killing of a dozen security operatives.

The victims include two soldiers, who were killed in the community last weekend, and four prison warders in Warri last month.

It was gathered that troops moved into the area yesterday morning, forcing residents to stay indoors.

Kelvin, whose operations have drawn comparison with the infamous Lawrence Anini of the 1980s, reportedly stormed

From Shola O’Neil, Warri

Kokori, his hometown, on Friday and opened fire on soldiers deployed in the area to curtail his onslaught.

It was gathered that prior to the attack on the soldiers, Kelvin had also allegedly killed two chiefs for their alleged collaboration to facilitate his arrest.

“After killing the chiefs, he warned that he would eliminate as many people as possible before his capture,” a community source told our reporter.

Soldiers, who escaped the scene with injuries, were rushed to the Battalion’s headquarters in Effurun-Warri.

It was gathered that the Commander of 3 Battalion, Lt-Col Ifeanyi Otu, warned that the operation would last for as long as the suspect is on the run.

The military chief told reporters that he was prepared to end the onslaught of Kelvin and members of his gang.

Expectant mum, 12 others die in car crash

T

HIRTEEN passengers, including an expectant woman and her two kids, have died in an accident involving a trailer and a bus at Ihiala, Anambra State.

The bus, which was coming from Port Harcourt, was on its way to Anambra State on Sunday, when its brake reportedly failed.

One of the two survivors, Joseph Chimbuakor, said: “We were going to Anambra State, when we got to Ihiala we noticed that the driver was speeding.

“He overtook a bus and a trailer but he did not know that in front of him another truck had blocked the road.

“Before the driver could notice, it was too late and effort to apply the brake failed.

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

With that speed we hit the truck and the other trailer he overtook also hit us at the back and squeezed the bus under the truck in front.”

Chimbuakor, who is receiving treatment at Life Care Medical Centre, Port Harcourt, said: “I was sitting next to the driver; I want to thank God, there are two of us who survived.

“I did not realise where I was, but after 10 minutes, I turned my neck and I saw something that look like a goat without a head.

“But with his shirt on him I realised it was the driver. I can still remember that there was an expectant woman with two kids who were in the vehicle.”

57

THE NATION TUESDAY APRIL 9, 2013

NEWS 11 shot in Anambra/Kogi clash

Maxi Okwu elected APGA chairman

T

HE All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) got a new leader yesterday.

Maxi Okwu was elected national chairman at the party’s national convention held at the Women Development Centre, Awka, the Anambra State capital.

But the Appeal Court in Enugu, also yesterday, upheld the election of the embattled National Chairman, Victor Umeh, by granting him a stay of execution.

Okwu scored 764 votes to defeat his only challenger, Joe-Martins Uzodike, the Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Culture, who scored 91.

The results were announced by the Convention’s Electoral Returning Officer, Larry Nwosu.

Former Deputy Governors Chinedu Emeka and Okey Udeh were the collation officers.

Other national officers elected included Chris Ejike Uche (Deputy National Chairman, South); Sadeeq Massala (Deputy National Chairman

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

E

•Obi calls for resolution of crisis From Nwanosike Onu, Awka and Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

North); Sagir Maidoya (National Secretary); Bernard Akoma (National Publicity Secretary); Alex Ejesieme (National Legal Adviser) and Ferguson Okpara National Youth Leader).

National Protem Chairman Isa Arzuka Jega presided over the Convention.

The National Vice-Chairman (Southwest), Deputy National Financial Secretary and National Woman Leader were not elected at the convention, which was attended by 875 delegates.

Okwu, reacting to the court ruling, said the judgment was ridiculous.

“I do not know what the justices considered, but it is an elementary law that injunction and stay do not lay against a completed act.

“How can a relief granted around 12:30pm affect an act completed by 8:30am?” he

asked.

A six-man delegate from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Victor Agbonwaneten, monitored the convention.

Also in attendance was the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof Chukwuemeka Onubuogu.

The National Deputy Leader, who is also Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, praised party members for their orderly conduct during the convention.

He urged the party leadership to embrace peace and reconciliation with all aggrieved members.

Obi urged them not to visit the past but to work for the growth of the party.

The governor assured that the party would remain in the Government House, Awka, in the forthcoming governorship election.

“We have to focus on to-

Court reinstates Umeh as APGA chairman E

MBATTLED National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Victor Umeh was yesterday reinstated by the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu.

He was on February 10 restrained from parading himself as the party’s chairman by the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Innocent Umezuluike.

As soon as the ruling was delivered, hundreds of APGA members, who were in court, started singing Umeh’s praises.

Security officials had a hard time preventing the ecstatic crowd from getting to Umeh.

The APGA Chairman drove with his supporters to Nnewi to visit the tomb of the party’s late leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu.

The three-man panel of judges- Justice Paul Galinje (presiding), Justices F. A. Kwasami and Tom Yakubuunanimously ruled that since Umeh appealed against the decision of the lower court presided over by Justice Umezulike, the status quo ought to be maintained, pending the determination of the appeal.

The judges deposed that the lower court judge erred in delivering judgment in such a doubting circumstance.

Justice Galinje said the court agreed with the submissions by Umeh’s counsel, Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) and Wole Olanipekun (SAN), that the injunctive order made against him by the lower court was capable of causing him and APGA irreparable damages, if the status quo was not maintained.

He said the respondent, Jude Okuli, an expelled member of the party in Enugu State, did not file a counter-affidavit.

Justice Galinje said when the bailiff attempted to serve him the applicant’s motion

•Three hospitalised •Govt confirms attack

From Chris Oji, Enugu

and other processes, he refused to accept the court processes, including the application for a stay of execution.

“I have taken note of the fact that there is no affidavit in opposition to the supporting affidavit filed by the applicant. “ The law is settled that upon the receipt of the applicant’s motion paper together with affidavit in support and exhibits attached, the respondent is duty bound to file a counter affidavit, if he intends to controvert the deposition of the applicant.

“Where a respondent to an application failed to deny the facts deposed in an affidavit through filing of a counter-affidavit, those facts are being admitted and the court shall rely on the facts so presented by the applicant,” the judge said.

The court agreed that “an appeal per se does not operate as a stay of execution” but the same law did not prescribe in favour of any execution being carried out during the pendency of an appeal.

“The section does not give any licence directly or indirectly for the issuance and execution of any processes which might be offensive.

“Whatever it is, it is the duty of this court to ensure that whichever way the or-

ders are made upon the determination of this appeal, they are not rendered impotent.

“The applicant herein is exercising his right of appeal as provided for under Section 240 of the 1999 Constitution and the rules of this court. “ It is, therefore, the duty of this court to protect the exercise of that right and to ensure that lawful and regular proceedings are not rendered useless by the actions of the stakeholders of the party,” he held.

Justice Galinje granted the stay of execution on the order of the Enugu State High court, which restrained the applicant from parading himself as the National Chairman of APGA, pending the determination of the substantive appeal in court.

The court rejected the application for an accelerated hearing of the appeal made by the applicant.

It said the process of accelerated hearing had been put in place by the applicant’s counsel.

The counsel for APGA stakeholders, S. T. Abba, who brought two applications for joinder in the matter, withdrew the motions, having been rendered useless by the ruling.

Umeh, who was flanked by the national secretary of the party, Alhaji Shinkafi and other national officers told reporters that he was happy with the ruling.

Funeral for Madam Osuntokun Friday LL arrangements have been concluded for the burial of the remains of Mrs Hanah Folorunso Osuntokun on Friday at the cemetery of St Michael Church, Odowo, Okemesi in Ekiti State.

A statement by Prof Akinjide Osuntokun said a commendation service and lying-in-state would be held for the late Mrs Osuntokun on Thursday at the All Souls Chapel, Odobi Street, in Okemesi.

The statement added that a wake keep, slated for the deceased residence on Odobi street will hold between 6pm and 7pm on Thursday. Guests are to be entertained within the premises of St. Paul’s African Church Primary School, Odobi street, Okemesi immediately after the interment.

A

•Okwu

morrow. We have to do so with reconciliation, we have to do so with love.

“Don’t let people think that some have been left behind.

“We will bring those left behind back so we can build a great future because our future is important.

“We are not going to leave anybody behind,” the governor said.

Okwu, in his acceptance speech, thanked delegates and party faithful for the confidence reposed in him.

He pledged that his priority is to reconcile all aggrieved party members and build APGA as the core political party in Nigeria.

The chairman called on Umeh to join in re-building the party.

“I believe that somewhere down the line Victor (Umeh) will find peace with us.

“I am extending a hand of comradeship to him and I believe he will bury the hatchet and come back. I will give him a soft landing.”

LEVEN people were shot yesterday in renewed sectarian violence at the boundary between AguleriOtu in Anambra State and Echonwa/Ideke in Kogi

State.

A source in Aguleri-Otu told The Nation that there may be many casualties from both sides but he confirmed that three persons were hospitalised.

He said eight others had non-life threatening injuries, which have been taken care of by traditional doctors.

The Special Adviser to the Anambra State Governor on Security, George Molokwu, confirmed the eruption of violence, which he described as skirmishes. He, however, played down the casualty figures.

Molokwu said: ’’ I am aware there were fresh skirmishes for two days now, on Saturday and on Sunday. I was told that two people were hospitalised. I have told the police to search for the hospital and give us a feedback. ‘’I am surprised that after the Kogi and Anambra governors have appealed for peace, the crisis has continued. ‘’They appealed to warring parties to lay down their arms and I am still surprised some people are creating tension.

But I am joining Governor Peter Obi (Anambra) and Governor Idris Wada (Kogi) to appeal to the communities to lay down their arms in the interest of peace and unity. ‘’The skirmishes are deterring development of oil and gas in that zone and it is unfortunate. We want peace and everybody should give peace a chance.”

The Chairman of Anambra East Local Government, Chiedu Obidigwe, said 11 people were shot but three were hospitalised. ‘’My brother, things are beginning to take a dangerous shape. Yes, it is true 11 were shot and three have been hospitalised.

“I am sure there may be more than that but to be on safe side that is the position. There are casualties from Echonwa and Ideke but I did not get to their community to know the casualty rate and nobody called me from there. ‘’Ibaji Local Government in Kogi State has disobeyed the order of the two governors.

“The governors had advised the two communities to maintain the peace and stop going after each other until the National Boundary Commission (NBC) comes out with a stand on the issue.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

58

CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

Victims of Alade market fire count their losses

•No plan to take over market, govt assures

I

T was time yesterday to count the losses of Sunday night’s fire at Alade market, Ikeja, Lagos.

To mitigate losses in such incidents, the government said it might consider a general insurance scheme for all markets in the state.

Deputy Chairman of Lagos State Market Development Board, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, who was on the scene of the fire yesterday, said; "We are planning a general insurance scheme for the markets in Lagos. It is important that all our markets get insured against these kinds of incidents. If they have that on the ground, the responsibility will not rest on the government and the victims, the insurance company will be able to pick up the bill. The way fire is happening in our markets calls for us to begin to think about a way out.

Tinubu-Ojo said it had become imperative for the government to initiate the insurance scheme because many of the traders do not have any insurance package.

Two brothers, Chinedu and Christian Odinta, said they lost goods val-

By Seun Akioye and Mirian EkeneOkoro

ued at about N1 million to the fire.

"When you look at the cost of rent in Alade market and what we had in the shop, we are talking almost N1 million. I cannot even think about what has happened now; we have left everything for God," said Christian.

The fire affected seven shops; most of them with jewelry, bags, shoes and clothes. A woman simply identified as Mrs. Ladi, whose store was also affected, was said to have opened the store just two weeks ago.

"She could not stay here when she came this morning. She opened this store only two weeks ago. It was a full store and now everything is razed," said Jubril Adeboye, who owns a store in the same row. He, however, praised the state Emergency Services, saying their intervention saved the rest of the market.

On the scene, many of the affected traders were seen picking up remnants of their goods. A jewelry trader, whose store was razed, said:

•Some of the affected traders ... yesterday "I am picking the gold jewelry because they can survive fire. I cannot afford to lose everything; I am trying to get pieces of my gold."

No one could pin-point the cause of the fire, but many attributed it to electrical fault.

Deacon Lanre Ajayi, the Secretary General of the Association of Commodity Market Men and Women in Lagos, who also visited, said; “I

came to condole with the traders here and pray that such a thing never repeats itself.”

Visibly distraught Iyaloja of the market, Mrs Elizabeth Adenuga, said: "There is nothing I can say again. You have seen what happened. We are getting over it; tell everybody that Alade market is open for business."

Meanwhile, the state government

has also allayed fears of likely take-over of the market. The General Manager of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Femi OkeOsanyitolu made the clarification.

Sypathising with the affected traders, he said: "Government has no plan to take over the market; the interest of the state lies in a conducive environment for the traders and every resident of the state as a whole."

'Respect Lagos environmental sanitation laws' •Fashola orders relocation of waste sorting from under bridge

L

AGOS State Government will no longer waive the restriction of movement during the monthly environmental sanitation days, Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, said yesterday.

Speaking during the inspection of some projects, Bello said the government would, henceforth, not grant the request for a shift in the exercise’s date or its mode of operations.

He urged event planners and planning officers at various levels of government not to fix national, state or local government events on any last Saturday of the month.

Bello advised examination bodies to

By Yinka Aderibigbe

stop fixing local or national examinations like the General Certificate Examination (GCE) and West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), among others, on any last Saturday of the month.

The Commissioner said Lagos, as Africa's fastest growing mega city, cannot afford to toy with sanitation because its population has continued to grow.

He warned individuals, groups, corporate organisations and all levels of government to ensure that the last Saturday of every month is kept free

between 7am and 10am for “full participation” in the state-wide exercise.

He advised residents to desist from acts that could contribute to flooding during the raing season, adding that the government had begun massive cleaning and dredging of primary and secondary channels in order to attain a flood-free Lagos.

Urging residents not to dump wastes in unauthorised places like canals and drainage channels, he advised people not to patronise cart pushers who dump wastes into canals.

Governor Babatunde Fashola has ordered the relocation of people sort-

Council gives free healthcare to 5,000 people

T

HE expansive premises of the Rauf Aregbesola Medical Centre, Okunola, Lagos, could not contain the crowd that came for a Free Health Mission programme yesterday.

The two-day programme, sponsored by the Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA), is expected to attract over 5,000 participants.

The event is to complement the renaming of the medical centre, the Rauf Aregbesola Primary Health Care (PHC). It will be flagged off by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, today.

Residents and others from neighbouring council areas arrived the hospital as early as 6am for the services scheduled between 7am and 6pm. It ends today.

The participants were diagnosed of various ailments which include blood pressure, Eye test, Screening for Diabetics, Dental screening, Anti-Natal screening Immunization/Nutritional and Health Education.

The council chairman, Mayor Abiodun Mafe, who monitored the exercise, said the programme was aimed at bringing good health services to the people.

Mafe expressed determination to

•Bello people are sorting refuse, so they are engaged in very useful economic activity. We are going to make them work with LAWMA because we have a recycling plant on the Mainland of Lagos where all the sorting of wastes can take place and be passed on to the end users."

Over 70 vehicles vandalised as cultists clash in Lagos

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

reduce health challenges to zero level in the council area and promised to build another befitting Primary Health Center at Abesan Estate.

He enjoined residents to seize the opportunity of the free health mission to avail themselves of medical services and update their health status.

"All tests and drugs are free. Do not hide your sickness; come and be treated free. One thing is quality health service, another is charging exorbitant fees, but we are saying that the people of this council and its environs can enjoy quality health care without paying money. All one needs to do is to come down and be part of the ongoing free exercise," he said.

He expressed happiness over yesterday's turn-out, hoping that more people will turn out today.

He added: "There is no way we can eradicate medical challenges of the people; it is even beyond what a state government can do. Even in the United States, residents still have challenges of paying for good health services, hence President Barrack Obama’s health care policy.

But as a level of government clos-

ing refuse under the Oyebanji Bridge

by Adeniji-Adele on Lagos Island to the Lagos Waste Management Authority's (LAWMA’s) recycling plant office on the Mainland.

He spoke on Sunday when he led members of the state Security Council to inspect the cleared areas in Ijora and Apapa on Lagos Mainland.

Their relocation, he said, would enable them to function under LAWMA’s supervision, and boost their sorting capacity. He said such a business should not be carried out under the bridge.

Fashola said: "Unlike those degrading the environment in Ijora, who were emptying oil waste and other effluents into the ground water, these

O

•Mafe est to the people, we can contribute our quota to ameliorating their challenges. This informed the twoday free health mission."

Some of the beneficiaries commended the council boss for the initiative.

Mrs Rachael Ajasa, a petty trader, said she missed the maiden edition of the programme when the medical centre was opened by Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, hence her early arrival.

She thanked the council chairman for resuscitating the programme.

Pa Yemi Akande who partook of high blood pressure test hailed the professionalism of the medical practitioners.

He said they did not behave like typical public health workers who are always in haste to attend to patients.

He praised the council boss for keeping the centre tidy.

VER 70 vehicles were burnt between Sunday and yesterday following rival cult groups’ clashes in Shomolu, Lagos Mainland.

Although nobody was reported dead, houses were destroyed and shops looted. Also, many residents sustained injuries when the clash spread to Akoka.

It was gathered that the cultists stormed about eight streets in the area, wounding some residents.

The Nation further gathered that the clash was caused by superiority tussle between the warring groups.

It was learnt that a resident popularly known as Old Skool, was killed during a rally on Good Friday on Solanke Street, leading to the reprisal attacks of Sunday and yesterday.

A resident, who pleaded anonymity, said: "Someone was killed on Good Friday and these thugs came to our area to carry out reprisals. They claimed to be holding a procession in honour of the deceased only to unleash terror on us.

"They came from the carnal area in Bariga. They initially assembled at Ajose and went through other

By Jude Isiguzo

streets to Bajulaiye. They later stormed 10, Odunlade, where they attacked the house hold and stole their valuables.

"At house 10 on Okanlawon Street, they ordered the occupants to produced one Azeez; failure to do so led to them beating and robbing them of valuables.

All the streets were looted and the attackers vandalised cars, and snatched phones and money. At the end of the day they assembled at Majiyagbe and later moved to their hide-out in the canal area.

The Shomolu Local Government chairman, Gbolahan Bagostowe, promised residents yesterday that the hoodlums would be arrested and prosecuted.

He added: "The residents are not helping us. They know these hoodlums and where they live. If the hoodlums are arrested, I promise to make sure that they are prosecuted. I will hold a meeting with OP MESA, the police and the Community Development Association to make sure that we put an end to this problem.

Already the policemen have been drafted to the area to forestall further crises. Efforts to reach the command's spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent, was unsuccessful.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

59

CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

Joy as Senator donates to widows

T

HE Senator representing Osun East (Ife/Ijesa) District of Osun State, Babajide Omoworare, has donated relief items to widows at the Abundant Life International Ministries Widows Centre, IleIfe, Osun State. The items, estimated at N1.5 million, include bags of rice, canned tomatoes, salt and other food items.

The beneficiaries, numbering about 150, gathered at the headquarters of the centre to receive the Senator and the items. They were filled with joy as they praised the Senator for coming to their aid.

The centre's coordinator/ founder, Evangelist Mrs Juliana Akintayo thanked the Senator and urged him to continue the good work he had been doing, especially his dedication to the cause of lifting people's living standards in his constituency.

"We will always remember this day and your deed of kindness; please do not leave us to this situation we have found ourselves as widows; it is not our choice," Mrs Akintayo said.

Omoworare assured the people of his dedication to the cause for which he was elected, adding: "My mother is also a widow. I lost my father in my first year at the university and she went through a lot to raise me and her other children. So, because mother is one of you, I know the difficulties you go through on daily basis to survive and raise your kids".

He further admonished them to give of their best to the revolutionary agenda of the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

Dada Aladelokun, Assistant Editor

and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in his effort to transform the state, especially in the areas of provision of sustainable infrastructure, education re-modelling, job creation and agricultural development which have direct bearing on people's well-being.

He admonished them not to allow their situation as widows to limit their ability to develop and make decent living. He stressed that opportunities abound in various economic areas of the state, adding that more of such would be created to make life meaningful for all.

All the widows who spoke at the event praised the Senator for extending a helping hand to them. They urged other political office holders to emulate his good work of not just giving qualitative representation in the National Assembly, but also maintaining visible presence in the constituency.

ACN chair in Ife Central Local Government Area, Mr Gabisiyu Olaobaju; Mr Ojuolape Olagbaju; Hon. Kayode Ogundele, a former Chairman of Ife East Local Government Area; Hon. Taiwo Olajolo, a former chairman of Ife Central Local Government Area; Alhaji Bisi Omisakin, the Constituency Officer of the Senator, other party chieftains and community leaders were present at the event.

•L-R: Evangelist Akintayo, Omoworare and Olaobaju, during the presentation.

Sweet Sensation visits orphanage

T

HE Executive Director, Sweet Sensation Confectionery, Mr. Tunji Kamson, yesterday restated the organisation's commitment to its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The commitment, he said, informed the management's courtesy visits to the Little Saints Orphanage, Ogudu; Old Peoples Home, Sabo,

Yaba and the Lagos Children Centre, during last Easter.

"Ours is no just about doing business and making money; we do it rightly to serve our teeming customers.

Interestingly, we are the most decorated Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) brand in Nigeria. However, we take our CSR seriously because we are part of the society," he said.

The confectionery, he said, had also actualised its promise to continue to reward her customers through several customer-loyalty programs.

At the Easter, it partnered with GlaxoSmithKline, makers of Ribena on a one-week celebration with its customers.

Apart from giving free meal to it loyal customers, it also

held 'Easter Golden Egg Treasure Hunt' in all Sweet Sensation outlets for three days.

Kamson, said the Treasure Hunt was "to bring excitement to the celebration of Easter with our teeming customers and reward them for their unwavering loyalty," adding: "It was just to give back to our customers in an atmosphere of fun and excitement."

60

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

FOREIGN NEWS North Korea suspends work at factory

N

ORTH Korea said yesterday it will suspend operations at a factory complex it has jointly run with South Korea, pull-

ing out more than 53,000 North Korean workers and moving closer to severing its last economic link with its rival as tensions escalate.

The Kaesong industrial complex just north of the Demilitarized Zone is the biggest employer in North Korea’s third-largest city.

Shutting it down, even temporarily, would show that the destitute country is willing to hurt its own economy to display its anger with South Korea and the United States.

Pyongyang’s move follows weeks of threatening rhetoric and provocations aimed at Seoul and its U.S. ally following U.N. sanctions punishing the North for its third nuclear test, on Feb. 12. In recent days there have also been worries in Seoul of an even larger provocation from Pyongyang, including another possible nuclear test or rocket launch.

The point of the threats and possible future provocations, analysts say, isn’t a full-scale war, which North Korea would certainly lose. It’s seen instead as an effort to force new, Pyongyang-friendly policies in South Korea and Washington and to boost domestic loyalty for Kim Jong Un, the country’s young, still relatively untested new leader.

France in big offensive against Malian Islamists

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RENCH forces have launched one their biggest offensives against militants in northern Mali, officials have said.

About 1,000 troops are sweeping through a river valley believed to be a logistics base for the armed Islamists near Gao, AFP news agency reports.

This is said to be the last major French-led operation before France starts reducing its military presence.

The militants have been driven out of northern cities and towns since France intervened militarily in January.

However, the Islamists have carried out several suicide attacks in Gao, about 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) north of the capital Bamako, and the ancient city of Timbuktu.

The BBC’s West Africa correspondent Thomas Fessy says the French offensive, called “Operation Gustav”, is intended to clear the Gao region of any militants still hiding there and to prevent further attacks on the city.

France wants to search as much of the remote region as it can for militant hideouts before it starts scaling down its troops from the end of this month as this the kind of operation that African forces may not be able to carry out once they take over, he says.

No Islamist fighters were encountered on the first day of the operation, launched at dawn on Sunday, AFP quotes a journalist travelling with the troops as reporting.

The French forces neutralised around 340 artillery shells and high-calibre rockets found stashed under acacia trees in ravines, it reports.

Russia needs active civil society, Merkel tells Putin R USSIAN President Vladimir Putin arrived in Germany on Sunday to protests over his human rights and democracy record and a warning from German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Russia needed an active civil society to flourish.

Putin’s visit to Germany and the Netherlands, Moscow’s biggest trade partners in Europe, was supposed to focus on trade but comes at an awkward time after a wave of state inspections of foreign-funded non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Russia, much criticized abroad.

In her address at the opening of an industrial fair spotlighting Russian business, Merkel told Putin Russia was propped by its raw material deposits and huge investment in infrastructure but Germany could help it

in its aims to innovate and diversify.

“We believe this can happen most successfully when there is an active civil society,” she said.

“We must intensify these discussions, develop our ideas, and we must give the NGOs, who we know as a motor for innovation, a good chance in Russia,” she added to strong applause.

Germany and the Netherlands need Russia for energy and as a market for exports ranging from Volkswagen Touaregs to tulips, but are uneasy about the influence its oil and gas give it and about Putin’s treatment of opponents and activists in his new Kremlin term.

Merkel had come under pressure at home to voice her concerns to Putin, not only on the inspections of NGOs, but also on their differences over Syria’s civil war and Russian criticism of the German-orchestrated financial bailout of Cyprus. Her talks with Putin would include “controversial subjects” she told reporters on the sidelines of the fair.

In his address to the trade fair Putin focused on Russia’s economic strength, noting, “despite global disarray and the global financial crisis, our country has continued to develop positively.”

Outside hundreds of protesters gathered, many carrying Syrian flags, others wearing devil masks or waving images

of Putin dressed in a prisoner’s striped uniform. “Stop political terror,” read one banner.

In an earlier interview with German broadcaster ARD, Putin had dismissed criticism of the NGO inspections and said they would not cast a shadow over the visit, echoing his repeated rejection of Western worries about his domestic policies.

Putin - a former Soviet KGB officer who was stationed in East Germany, where Merkel grew up - has accused Western states of using NGOs to spy on Russia and influence politics.

He said in the interview that Russians have a right to know which NGOs are foreignfunded “and for what purposes”.

U.S., Japan agree on Okinawa base

•US President Barack Obama

T

HE United States and Japan announced on Friday an agreement for the return to Japan of a U.S. air base, taking a step to resolving an issue that has vexed ties when

both countries face a belligerent North Korea and a rising China.

The U.S. Marines’ Futenma air base on Okinawa island will be returned to Japan as early as 2022 if a planned relocation within the island is carried out.

By unveiling the deal, which includes time frames for the return of all or part of five other U.S. military facilities on the southern Japanese island, Japan and the United States aim to send a message that their alliance is on a solid footing.

“With the security environment in the Asia-Pacific region getting tougher, I’m glad that we were able to show that the bond of trust in the Japan-U.S.

alliance is not wavering at all,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters.

Japan’s ties with the United States were strained after thenPrime Minister Yukio Hatoyama in 2009 sought to keep a campaign promise to move the Futenma base off the island.

The Japanese government, however, could find no alternative site and was forced to reaffirm a 2006 agreement to move the base to a less populous area on the island, although the plan still faces opposition from residents, who associate U.S. bases with noise, pollution and crime.

Okinawa, occupied by the United States from 1945-72, ac-

counts for less than 1 percent of Japan’s total land but hosts three-quarters of the U.S. military facilities in the country in terms of land area.

The Futenma facility is surrounded by more than 100 schools, hospitals and shops. Former Japanese defense minister Naoki Tanaka once called it the world’s most dangerous air base.

Abe’s government hopes to win the support of residents for the relocation of Futenma facility to another part of Okinawa.

The agreement comes when the United States is shifting its economic, diplomatic and security focus to Asia-Pacific.

THE NATION TUESDAY APRIL 9, 2013

61

NEWS 10 policemen demoted in Kano for alleged corruption

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EN police officers were yesterday in Kano demoted to various ranks following allegations of torture, corruption and unprofessional conduct against them.

The police officers, according to the Kano State Police Command’s spokesman, Musa Magaji, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), were reported to the command through the Public Complaints Bureau.

Magaji explained that other officers were caught by the of-

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

ficer in charge of the X-Squad, which monitors police formations, such as check points, across the state.

He said 18 cases were mediated since the assumption of Police Commissioner Musa Daura, in February, this year.

Those demoted are two Inspectors, to the rank of Sergeant; a Sergeant, to Corporal; six Corporals to Constables and a Constable, who received a warning letter and a reprimand.

Insecurity: Kano health workers suspend rally

T

HE Kano State Council of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) yesterday suspended a rally to mark its second Health Week.

It said the security situation in the state did not favour such an outing.

The union’s Chairman, Dr Kabiru Ado Minjibir, told reporters in Kano that the rally was shelved because the members wanted to avoid a likely security breach.

The union leader said MHWUN, at its emergency State Working Committee meeting on March 28, resolved to hold a low-key celebration because of the security challenges in the state.

He explained that the goal of the MHWUN Week, among others, is to institutionalise the union’s contributions to quality health care delivery in Nigeria by mobilising human, material and financial resourc-

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

es.

Minjibir also said MHWUN would focus on topical health issues, policies and practices in the country to raise the health status of Nigerians.

The union’s leadership, he stressed, would protect the interest of its members, especially on the conditions of service and payment of approved salary structure among health workers in the state.

MHWUN hailed Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for making health care services more efficient and affordable to the residents.

The union referred to the governor’s response to its call for the renovation of the only dental health centre in Kano as well as workers’ welfare and other issues on health care delivery in the state.

Agency, husband seek justice for 'violated wife'

T

HE Bauchi State Office of the Legal Aid Council and a 35-year-old man, Isa Umar of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, have urged the state government, the police and other relevant agencies to bring to justice a man who allegedly violated his wife.

Umar and an official of Legal Aid Council, Zubayr Hanbali, spoke yesterday when they visited the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Bauchi.

Umar said he had engaged the services of an Okada (commercial motorcycle) rider to convey his wife, Fatima, to a nearby village. He alleged that the motorcyclist rode the machine into the bush, overpowered his wife and violated her.

O

•Police: we're not aware of incident From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

He said the incident took place near Barh village, Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area in the presence of his two children, aged three and six years.

The aggrieved husband also said after the act, the motorcyclist allegedly stabbed his wife with a dagger, which caused the loss of her pregnancy following a haemorrhage.

In tears, Umar added: "I feel very sad over what the motorcyclist did to my wife and I intend to see that he does not go unpunished.

"I took my wife to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching

Amosun: Controversy on Ijebu-Ode road won’t GUN State Govertaken until his administration stop our plan for Ogun nor Ibikunle took over its modernisation.

Amosun has said the controversy generated by the Federal Government on the construction of road in Ijebu-Ode would not distract his administration from continuing its massive expansion of the road.

The governor, who spoke at the weekend in Ijebu-Ode when he inspected the road, assured that his administration would execute the project in line with its promise to provide good roads throughout the state.

He said the Ijebu-Ode road deserved more than the asphalt, which the Federal

•Governor assures ex-political appointees on unpaid allowances From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

Government hurriedly laid on it after the state government had paid N2 billion to contractors for a more elaborate expansion.

Amosun said: “Ijebu-Ode residents deserve more than mere asphalting of their road.

They need something better than this. This is the area where the Awolowos, Soyinkas, Onabanjos and

Nobody killed my daughter, says deputy governor’s dad Continued from page 6

burial.

Awe had earlier held a meeting with party members at the Jibowu Hall of the Government House to explain the circumstances surrounding the death of the late deputy governor to ACN faithful.

The meeting was attended by leaders of the party from across the 16 local government areas. Former governor

of the Old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, was at the meeting.

The late Mrs Olayinka first suspected that all was not well with her health late 2008, a source said yesterday.

She was in London for biopsy in January 2009 when the symptom persisted. The doctors said she had cancer of the breast.

In August 2009, she was again in London for a follow

up test, which also confirmed the disease. She was diagnosed for stage three breast cancer She went back to the hospital for mastectomy in September. The doctors then placed her on chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The late Mrs Olayinka has been travelling to London every six months for review and chemotherapy.

By 2011, the cancer had en-

tered stage four, which is the final stage. It had spread to the other parts of the body.

“Those managing her health condition since 2009 told her in February this year that the condition had become irredeemable, the source said, adding: “Her case was handled by world renowned oncologists within and outside the country, including an indigene of the state.”

World leaders mourn ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher Continued from page 6

the greatest world leaders of our time.

“President Jonathan notes that Baroness Thatcher will be eternally honoured for serving her country with immense passion and strong-willed determination as well as for the

great transformation that resulted from her economic and social policies which laid the solid basis for the remarkable economic growth that was witnessed in Britain under the Conservative Government that she led.

“The late Baroness Thatch-

er, the President believes, will always be remembered by the world for her very unique, distinctive and purposeful leadership which restored pride and respect to her country and made a resurgent Great Britain a force to be reckoned with on the global stage.

“He assures the Prime Minister David Cameron and the people of Britain that the government and people of Nigeria share their sadness and deep sense of loss at the passage of Lady Thatcher and join them in praying for the peaceful repose of her great soul.”

Militants escape with arms, bodies of 12 JTF members Continued from page 1

capital, in a speed boat heading for Azuzuama for the burial of the mother of an ex-militant leader, Kile Torughedi, aka Young Shall Grow, who is also a Special Assistant to Bayelsa Governor on Maritime Security.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for the killing of the policemen.

It had earlier threatened to resume hostilities and sustained attacks, codenamed: “Hurricane Exodus” as a result of the 24year jail term slammed on one of its leaders, Henry Okah, in a South African court on March 26.

Okah was sentenced for his involvement in the October 1, 2010 twin bomb blasts at the Eagle Square, Abuja during Nigeria’s golden independence

anniversary. Twelve persons died in the incident.

The militant group declared that its fighters killed the policemen, because the Joint Task Force (JTF) dismissed its Hurricane Exodus as an empty threat.

Some former leaders of the MEND in Delta and Bayelsa states have gone into hiding, fol-

Hospital, where she received medical attention for over two weeks. The motorcyclist has promised to give me N40,000 to settle the matter; I have not agreed to the deal. So, I reported the matter to the Police Divisional Office in Bununu."

It was learnt that the motorcyclist initially refused to confess during police interrogation. When he later reportedly did, it was said to be at a meeting with the village head.

Fatima, a mother of four, alleged that the motorcyclist did not take her to the village she intended to go but threatened to kill her if she refused to sleep with him.

The woman alleged that the

motorcyclist stabbed and slapped her before wrestling her to the ground because she did not cooperate with him.

"I feel ashamed of myself because he has spoilt my name and reputation," Fatima said.

The State Officer of Legal Aid Council, Hanbali Azzubayr, said the group does not prosecute.

He said it was the reason its officials were seeking legal help to prosecute the alleged offender and "appeal to the relevant authorities and women organisations to help the victim to get justice".

Police spokesman Hassan Mohammed Auyo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said he was not aware of the incident.

He promised to call back after a confirmation.

lowing the controversy surrounding the killing of the policemen.

Renowned MEND commanders, such as Mr. Victor Ebi (aka Boyloaf) and Paul Eris (Ogun Boss), have stayed away from public glare since the weekend incident.

Those who venture out do so

with more civilian and police escorts.

A top source at the Joint Task Force, “Operation Pulo Shield”, the special security outfit in the area, told our reporter that at least one of the former ex-warlords made “an informal appeal for inclusion of soldiers in his security guards” after the incident.

other founding fathers of the state come from. As you are aware, our own road is known as ‘Ogun standard road’. That is what we are committed to do here in Ijebu-Ode.” The governor decried Federal Government’s attitude to the road.

He said the contract for the asphalt surfacing was awarded by the Federal Government in 2010 but without any action

Also, Amosun yesterday advised former political appointees, who were being owed their severance entitlements by former Governor Gbenga Daniel’s administration to be patient.

The governor assured that their case would be examined soon.

Amosun said his administration was prioritising the resources of the state and channelling them to massive infrastructural development, including road expansion and construction, model secondary schools in the 20 local governments, as well as hospitals.

Tambuwal criticises pardon for corruption convicts

H

OUSE of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal yesterday criticised the granting of pardon to corruption convicts.

Tambuwal spoke at the opening of a two-day national conference on corruption and national security in Nigeria organised by the Institute for Anti-Corruption Studies, University of Abuja.

He also cautioned those he called ‘state actors’ against misapplying the law in granting pardons to persons involved in corruption and security related cases.

According to him, for the nation to succeed in the fight against corruption ‘state actors’ must have a ``better understanding of the law’’.

The Speaker said: “A situation whereby you misapply the law even to grant pardon or whatever it is, we need to really look at that because if you don’t understand the law, you may tend to misapply the law.

“So, there is the need for us at the high places to increase our capacity of understanding our legal system.

“And the law that relates to

issues of security and fight against corruption, for us to apply them is in the best interest of the citizenry.”

Tambuwal , who described corruption and insecurity as key challenges facing the nation, regretted that government agencies saddled with the responsibility had faced serious budget cuts in recent years.

His words: “There is the need for the government to properly fund the security agencies for them to have proper training to face the challenges of insecurity especially terrorism, which is a new phenomenon around here.

“There is also the need for our anti-corruption agencies not only to be independent in paper but also to have adequate funding and the requisite financial muscle to face the uphill task in the fight against corruption.’’

He challenged the conference, largely made up of personalities from the academia and the civil society, to study the funding pattern of the anticorruption agencies over the years.

Police detain four journalists over report on opposition leaders Continued from page 6

right of the people to know.

“We stand by our story and will neither be cowed nor intimidated by the strong-arm tactics of President Jonathan nor by the puerile attempts by his spokesmen – Doyin Okupe and Dr. Reuben Abati – to tarnish our report.”

One of the detained journal-

ists told The Nation by 5pm yesterday that: “We were being kept by three officers from the Office of the DIG Gana on the 7th Floor. Three officers asked Chibuzor and I to write statement. We told them that they could not compel us because we honoured their invitation.

“I simply wrote that I received the document in the course of my duties. I also wrote that

when the Presidency said the story was false, we published the bromide to authenticate the story.

“When they said that I must disclose the source of the bromide, I replied that the ethics of the profession did not permit me to do so. Based on our insistence on this, they are still keeping us.”

The police had, by a letter dat-

ed April 7, 2013, signed by Danmallam Mohammed, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Admin) for the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP), ‘D’ Department, Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja, invited the journalists.

The company was, by the letter addressed to its chairman, requested to release the journal-

ists “to interview the Deputy Inspector General of Police, D’ Department, FCID on Monday, April 8, 2013 at 1000hrs through the undersigned”.

The letter urged the company to “note that it is your civic and corporate responsibility to assist police investigation by honouring its invitation in the interest of justice and due process”.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

62

SPORT EXTRA

Aguero’s magic hands City Yobo to beg Keshi J derby victory at United S

UBSTITUTE Sergio Aguero broke Manchester United’s hearts all again as Manchester City won 2-1 at Old Trafford.

The Argentine, whose goal won City the title in May, came off the bench to score the winner after a Vincent Kompany own goal had cancelled out James Milner's strike in an eventful second-half.

The result closes the gap between the two sides to 12 points with seven games to play and while it is unlikely to prevent the Red Devils regaining the Premier League crown, the game was still played out in an intense atmosphere.

The first half, although surprisingly open, was more notable for a series of robust challenges rather than

goalmouth incidents as Wayne Rooney and Kompany were both booked for poor fouls.

Rafael did clip the crossbar after latching onto a Robin van Persie flick-on just before the interval but clear opportunities were few and far between despite the end-to-end nature of the contest.

But City didn't have to wait long to find the breakthrough in the second half and it came after good work from Gareth Barry, who robbed Ryan Giggs on the left before finding Samir Nasri in the area.

Rafael did well to tackle Nasri in the box but the Frenchman was still able to tee up Milner and the midfielder struck a fierce leftfooted shot that took a slight deflection past David De Gea. As has been a feature of their season, the goal appeared to

spark United to life and the home side soon found an equaliser from the unlikely source of City skipper Kompany.

Van Persie whipped in a freekick and Phil Jones just had to nod into the empty net but he miscued the effort badly only to strike the back of the Belgium international and see the ball diverted home.

OSEPH Yobo may soon be on the way back into the good books of Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, because the Fenerbahce defender will apologise to Keshi over his recent outburst.

The Super Eagles skipper had complained on a Lagos radio station that he is disappointed at Keshi and the Nigeria Football Federation becuase neither considered it correct to notify him of his non-inclusion in the team that took on Kenya. However, in a twist to the tale, it has emerged that Keshi actually called Yobo, but the defender did not take the call.

"We now know for certain that Keshi called Yobo, but because he was either not paying attention, or it was a number he was not familiar it, he did not take the call," a source in the NFF told futaa.com "It was when the matter blew up, and Keshi insisted that he called Yobo, and he checked to verify that he saw the missed call.

He now discovered that indeed, the coach had tried to reach him."

The president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Aminu Maigari, had already started a reconciliatory process, before it was discovered that Keshi did make the call.

“Okpekpe Race will benefit our people economically”

A

HEAD of the Okpekpe International 10 kilometers Road Race, Traditional Rulers, Elders and the people of Okpekpe and its environs yesterday praised the initiator and the sponsor of the event, Mike Itamuagbor for bringing life and economic activities to the people of Edo

From, Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin North.

The spokesperson of Okpekpe clan, Lucky James, who is also the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, also thanked God for

•Sergio Aguero settled the Manchester derby by scoring a brilliant solo goal

the chief pilot of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who was able to inject into everybody the spirit of transformation of humanity in this part of the world.

He said: “The area in question, Okpekpe clan, spans over two local governments. The area has a very challenging environment.

“The hills were so high that they suffered total neglect for the past years until this administration came into power and dealt with the risk to construct what you can see is the total transformation of the lives of the people.

“What we have in the Okpekpe area before now was a foot path. I'm telling you authoritatively because I was a teacher in that place.

“The objective of this international 10km road race, from Iyamho down to Okpekpe which is my area, apart from the physical test on the athletes also has mental satisfaction.

When that comes into view the area is totally different because the environment is very useful in terms of the tourism potential that we have in Okpekpe. “ There are chains of hills. The local people in the area will continue to see what life is.

Your Sexual Health & You: Novelty Tips, Questions & Answers

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lease why is it that men ejaculate but women don’t?

My husband always climaxes and enjoys himself but I find it difficult to reach my peak. I don’t really enjoy sex – Lara Men are endowed with the ability to climax with ease because that is the only way babies can be made. Female ejaculation on the other hand is strictly for pleasure. It does not contribute to baby making and therefore has not been prioritized by nature. But you too can learn to climax and even ejaculate. It is a form of climax called a Squirting Orgasm and it is the most intense and fulfilling orgasm that a woman can experience. But it requires patience, practise and the right blend of clitoral stimulation and G Spot stimulation to be able to reach this ultimate sexual peak. The G Spot is a spongy tissue located about an inch deep into the vagina, on the vaginal roof. Skilful stimulation of this G spot will eventually lead to a squirting orgasm. G Spot vibrators such as the Erotic Ridged Twister Rabbit Vibrator and the Seventh Heaven 7 Function Vibrator are very good for this. Books such as Female Ejaculation and the G Spot and orgasm gels like O’My Clitoral Gel will also enable you become orgasmic – Uche I enjoyed the Exploding Thunder supplement. The feeling is hard to describe. It just makes you feel like a sex machine that can keep on going and going. My erections are more powerful than before and I am now having many rounds of sex anytime I want. Wicked stuff - Benson Good afternoon sir. Sometimes I do not lubricate well during intercourse and it causes painful sex with my husband who is well endowed down there. This makes me avoid sex sometimes. Is there any drug that I can take to stop the dryness? Mrs. Obierika Dear Mrs. Obierika, vaginal dryness is usually caused by inadequate stimulation of the female body during foreplay or as a result of menopause in older women. It can also be caused by certain medications. In any case, the use of a lubricant during sex such as Colt Click Lubricant or Climax

Burst Lubricant will ensure smooth and painless love making, regardless of your husband’s organ size. The vaginal void usually expands to accommodate any length of penis during intercourse - Uche Dear Sir, I have been using Max Size penis enlarger for some months now and I have noticed an increase in my overall penis size. But I continue to suffer from quick ejaculation. Sometimes I cannot last for even 2 minutes before I climax – Henry That is good news Henry. Max Size is really good and the current formula is super strength. To last longer before ejaculation, you have a few options. You can use a delay wipe, delay cream or delay condom. You can also use a penis sleeve. For the wipes, use the Sex on the go Delay Wipes. Use it to wipe your penis a few minutes before sex and it will reduce penile sensitivity so you can last longer. Delay creams such as Power Plus Delay Cream and Stay Hard Delay Cream also help you last longer when applied on the penis a few minutes before sex. The Pasante Delay Condom does the same job as well. Penile sleeves are worn over the penis just like condoms. But they are thicker and textured for female stimulation and are also reusable. They enable you last longer and make your penis appear 1.5 inches longer and thicker as well. Two very good penile sleeves for delaying ejaculation are the Nasstoys Penis Extender and the Glow in the Dark Penis Sleeve - Uche Good job Uche. My erections are stronger. The Exploding Thunder is powerful - John You are welcome. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments can call us on 07038845262, 08027901621 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. We deliver to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

63

TODAY IN THE NATION

TUESDAY, APRIL 9 2013 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

‘Parceling the behemoth among different operators is a far cry from the picture of post reform power sector once bandied. I mean the picture of foreign investors falling over themselves to have a piece of the action in the deregulated power environment’ VOL. 8

NO.2,453

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

F

OLLOWING my column for this newspaper (“Beware, rumour monger,” March 26, 2013) on the firm resolve of the authorities to break the stranglehold of rumour on the governance of Bayelsa State once and for all, I expected a full-court rejoinder, couched in the reader-unfriendly lingo of bureaucracy and bearing the intimidating signature of a senior official of Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration, possibly the Secretary to the Government.

It must be that I have been gone too long and have lost touch with the way such things used to be done, for I least expected that the rejoinder would issue from someone who identifies himself not merely as a journalist, but as chair of the Bayelsa State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists.

Even in this era of unsophisticated careerism, many Nigerians must still find it unsettling that a journalist – the chair of the Bayelsa State chapter of the NUJ, who could one day become its national president – would enter a robust defence for a law designed ostensibly to curb the transmission of rumour – or “dem say, dem say” communication in Dickson’s felicitous coinage, but is sure in operation to constrict freedom of speech and of the press.

My analysis of the subject, says Torinyo Akono (“Understanding Bayelsa’s anti-rumor law,” The NATION, April 1, 2013) is “fundamentally misplaced in conception” and “an outright oversimplification.” Nor, he adds, is there any “draconian tendency” to the proposed law.

“We disagree with his position,” Akono wrote with reference to my column.

I have it on the authority of my editor, by the way, that despite the publication date of April 1, Akono’s piece was no April Fools caper.

Notice the collective pronoun he employs, which can with justice be deconstructed as the royal pronoun as well, given the hauteur, the overweening presumption that perfuses his rejoinder. It is not clear whether he is employing that inflated mode of speech by virtue of his being NUJ chair in Bayelsa, or because he is a member of the state’s anti-rumour squad that bears the Orwellian title of “State Public Information Management Committee.”

One thing is clear however: Akono is not an official of the Bayelsa State Government and has no mandate to speak for it.

But hear him: “The intention of the state government is to have in place functional structures where information can be easily accessed by members of the public as well as quickly disseminating information on current issues of public concern to the people, detailing what is true or false, thereby nipping in the bud such dangerous information capable of causing disaffection and indeed reducing the incidence of blatant misinformation among the people.”

This is the language of bureaucracy, not journalism. But Akono is not done yet.

“The idea,” he submits in the same vein, “is to avoid the bureaucracy in the ministries but have many centres so localised that you can

RIPPLES ONLY 27.2% OF NIGERIANS WILL BE POOR BY 2015–National Bureau of Statistics

...from April 1, 2015?

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

Bayelsa’s rumour epidemic: A propagandist at work

•NUJ logo

easily find out the truth about anything relating to the government and the public. Here, people can contact or meet officials for quick response to whatever may be their concern or interest on the flow of information, including any rumour that may also affect the interest of an individual or organisation in the state. This is important because of the pervasive nature of rumour-mongering among the people with inherent social crisis if not curtailed or addressed so frontally.”

And then, with the smug condescension of the all-knowing insider, he adds: “What Dare failed to note is the peculiar nature of the society where such falsehood is politically motivated to create pure mischief and

blackmail which could be dangerous to proper functioning of the government and socio-economic activities in the state.”

In the face of such clear and imminent dangers, Akono declares, “Government must respond by spelling out what constitutes a decent citizenship and why it is not a right to engage in conscious actions to create social crisis and looking at the strategic position of Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta, then taking legal means to have stability is a legitimate action of any serious government.”

That is precisely what the state government has done, Akono states. For the benefit of those who might think that the anti-rumour project is another ill-considered scheme that will soon run out of steam, he makes it clear that the state government “will continue to impress it on the people to be law-abiding and responsible stakeholders in the current mission of restoring Bayesla to its deserved glory in leadership and development.”

When the law comes into force, he hints darkly, people will find it “unprofitable” to wake up one day and begin spreading the rumour that the state government had been sacked by a court in Port Harcourt, in the process causing panic and among the teeming population “lamenting the future” of the restoration of the programme of the Dickson administration.”

This is boosterism of the most unsubtle kind And thus has Akono sought to imbue Bayelsa’s proposed anti-rumour law with the context and nuance he said my analysis lacked.

HARDBALL

SANYA ONI

Neither the chief press secretary to Governor Dickson, nor for that matter the secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, could have entered a more robust justification of the proposed law.

No one should make light of the pervasiveness and perversity of the rumour industry in Bayelsa. It was something Dickson’s predecessor, the defenestrated Timipre Sylva, had to contend with all the time, to the point that he actually appointed to the senior ranks of his administration a Special Assistant or Senior Special Assistant on Rumour-mongering.

It is not clear whether that official’s remit was to squelch the “rumours” the authorities did not like or to plant the government’s own “rumours” in the public sphere. In whatever case,the epidemic refused to lift That is why a high-powered committee comprising, according to Akono, “eminent journalists chosen for their integrity and credibility not only in their individual and professional lives but also to give credence to the good intentions of the state government” has now been set up to perform a task previously assigned to an aide of the former governor — a governor whose tenure he calls “the locust years, in contradistinction, it must be supposed, to the present era of super-abundance in Bayelsa.

All this has been done, says Akono, in keeping with the time-tested wisdom that “peculiar circumstances in any political or social formation will invariably demand some clearheaded answers but to the extent that such ameliorating mechanisms conform to the basic ethics of leadership and constitutionalism.”

There you have it.

On one issue, namely, the content of the “rumours” that had driven Bayelsa to contemplate such drastic measures, Akono has been less forthcoming.

“We can boldly say,” he asserts, “that not only are the contents of such rumours spurious and ill-informed, they constitute nuisance to the sanity of the society. They are inimical to peace and progress and must be checked forthwith.”

Deconstruction: “Those rumours are too vile to be repeated. Take my word for it.”

I am gratefully the wiser and more enlightened for Akono’s pellucid clarification of the real purpose of Bayelsa’s anti-rumour law in the making. I believe the public is, too.

With a state chairman of the NUJ like Akono, the Bayelsa State Government needs no official propagandist.

•For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Murdered policemen: Jonathan’s Borno words return to haunt him

O

N Saturday, a boatload of policemen ran into an ambush along the creeks of Azuzama in Southern Ijaw local government area, Bayelsa State, leading to the death of 12 security agents. They had been deployed in the area for security purpose during the burial ceremony of the mother of an ex-militant, Kile Selky Torughedi, a.k.a. Young Shall Grow. The killings coincided with the warning issued by members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to resume attacks in the region following the conviction and jailing of their former leader, Henry Okah. In the warning, MEND had said: “…A series of attacks, codenamed Hurricane Exodus, will begin at midnight on Friday. (The attacks) will be a direct repercussion of a forged threat letter contrived by the Nigerian and South African governments purporting to have originated from MEND… We are now determined to conjure this imaginary trumped-up threat into a painful reality.

The attacks will be sustained until an unreserved apology is offered to MEND and the Nigerian government shows its willingness to dialogue, the same way they are willing to dialogue with Boko Haram.”

But in contemptuously dismissing the MEND threat, the Nigerian military had immediately offered this explanation: “The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has an outfit

on the ground in the Niger Delta. Our structures are on ground in the area. They (MEND) should not reverse the hand of peace; nobody should threaten the peace in the area. The JTF is on the ground and is prepared to do their duties in defence of every interest of the nation. Anybody trying to threaten the peace in the area is advised against it.” The police also weighed in with a terse statement. “The police will not respond to threats by criminal elements,” they said curtly, “but suffice it to say we are ready to curb any acts of lawlessness or criminality in the country.” However, notwithstanding the assurances of the police and the military, some 12 policemen were murdered barely moments after the security chiefs finished responding to the MEND threats.

It is not the seeming impotence of the government’s assurance that has unsettled the public; the problem is that the responses by the two security agencies are agitating the people. For the military, it appears, it is still a matter of muscle flexing. “The five sectors of the JTF covering the nine states of the Niger Delta region are on the alert,” its spokesman boasted. “Our maritime and air assets have also been mobilised and we have intensified our patrols to dominate both land and waterways to checkmate any assailant. We will not permit any lawlessness that will jeopardise the peace in the region.” Not to be

outdone, the police, through the state police commissioner, Kingsley Omire, suggested that the killing of his men had nothing to do with MEND’s threat of last week. It was probably a misunderstanding over money matters within the former militant group led

by Torughedi, who now works for the Bayelsa State government, and the ‘General’ Adaka Boro Jnr group, the police boss argued. But whatever the cause, the fact is that the killings have been carried out, and the noses of security agents have been rubbed in the dirt.

President Goodluck Jonathan will now ha v e t o r e v i s i t t h e t h r e a t h e a l s o unwisely issued in March when he visited Borno and Yobe States. He had angrily told his audience that he had issued directives to his security agents of his unwillingness to hear that a security agent had been murdered by anyone, let alone militants of any colour. The presidential threat was widely interpreted to mean that security agents could use maximum and indiscriminate force to pacify restive regions, just like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo did to Odi town in the president’s home state of Bayelsa when some seven policemen were murdered by militants. It remains to be seen what Jonathan will do to his home state now that 12 policemen have been murdered by militants, a classic case of the president’s words returning to haunt him.

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