The Nation April 23, 2013

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Fed Govt names chairmen of agencies

NEWS Page 58

•67 parastatals get board members

NCC launches Number Portability NEWS

Page 11

•SIM card registration ends soon www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 8, NO. 2467 TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

Buhari, Tinubu to PDP: pack and go

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Group Political Editor and Musa Odoshimokhe

F

OR the umpteenth time, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday got the red card from the opposition camp.

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu told the PDP to be ready to quit in 2015.

The duo spoke in Lagos at the public presentation of a book “Witness to history: Action Congress of Nigeria and its struggle for democracy, liberty and justice”.

The 642-page book, written by ACN National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was unveiled at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The event was chaired by Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu.

The opposition leaders reiterated their determination for change in 2015. They urged Nigerians to support the push for power shift to the progressives by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Continued on page 6

MTN to sign $3b deal with banks

M

OBILE giant MTN is set to sign a $3 billion (N470b) loan with a consortium of banks.

The telecom operator said in an invitation to the ceremony that the mediumterm facility will be signed today. MTN officials declined to give details of which banks are involved or what the money is to be used for.

MTN has been borrowing to upgrade its network in Nigeria, as competition hots up in its most lucrative African market.

•The scene of the fire...last night

PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI

45 shops, 25 homes burnt in Ibadan

•SEE PAGE 6

Boko Haram bloodbath: Jonathan orders probe How 185 died, by residents UN shocked at casualties

W •Dr. Jonathan

ITH 185 dead in fighting between the Joint Task Force (JTF) and Boko Haram insurgents at the weekend, the crisis may have recorded its biggest casualty this year.

President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a probe into the incident.

Official sources doubted yesterday the figure, which was given by residents of Baga, the scene of the bloodshed in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

voiced shock and sadness at the blodbath.

“The Secretary-General reiterates his firm conviction that no objective sought can justify this resort to violence,” Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement.

“He expresses his condolences to the bereaved families and calls on all extremist groups to cease their attacks.”

Mr. Ban “underscores the need for all concerned to fully respect human rights and safeguard the lives of civilians,” the Secretary-General’s statement added.

Baga is a fishing town on the shore of Lake Chad adjacent to the Chadian border.

Most of those killed were said to be women and children.

About 2000 houses and more than 50 motorcycles were burnt in the commercial town, which is close to the desert.

No fewer that 186 people were killed in coordinated attacks by Boko Haram fighters in Kano in January, last year.

The Federal Government has demanded a comprehensive brief from the Commander of the Task Force in Borno

State, Brig.-General Austin Edokpaye.

A source said: “Security reports have so far indicated heavy fighting between the JTF and Boko Haram between Friday night and Saturday.

“But it is difficult to say exactly the casualty figure. What we have now is conflicting death toll. While some of the locals are claiming 185, others are saying it might likely be below 100.

“There were also reports that many old men, women and children were killed in the attack, allegedly sparked Continued on page 6

•FORUM TO GOVT: DEVELOP NIGER DELTA P56 •LAWYER SUES FOR N500M P10

2

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

3

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

4

NEWS

U.S. Report: No f •President Goodluck Jonathan (right), greeting the Chairman of Vigeo Holdings Limited, Victor Gbolade Osibodu, at the Presidential Power Reform Transactions Signing Ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja... yesterday.

PHOTO: AKIN OLADOKUN

•Managing Director, Notore Power Limited, Mr Femi Solebo (left) and the Managing Director, Contourglobal, Mr Stephane Loosen signing the Joint Development Agreement at the signing ceremony of the Presidential Power Reform Transactions in Abuja ... yesterday.

•Vice-President Namadi Sambo greeting the chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, at the signing ceremony of the Presidential Power Reform Transactions in Abuja ... yesterday.

• Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Umaru Dahiru (left) and Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, at the opening of a public hearing on a “Bill for an Act to create the offence of corporate manslaughter and for matters incidental thereto in Abuja”... yesterday.

The United States’ Department of State, in its justreleased Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012, indicted the Federal Government for poor handling of the prisons. It says there are prisoners with mental disabilities incarcerated with the general prison population and no less than 6,000 children in prisons across the country, among many other human rights abuses. Excerpts:

P

RISON and detention center conditions remained harsh and life threatening. Prisoners, a majority of whom had not been tried, were subject to gross overcrowding, food shortages, inadequate medical treatment, and infrastructure deficiencies that led to wholly inadequate sanitary conditions. Reports indicated guards and prison officials threatened inmates with extortion or levied fees on them to pay for the maintenance of the prison and subjected them to physical abuse; in some cases female inmates faced the threat of rape. Female prisoners pregnant at the time of incarceration gave birth to and raised their babies in prison.

Domestic and international human rights groups reported the existence of unofficial military prisons, including the Giwa military barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State.

HRW and AI cataloged cases of illegal detention, inhumane and degrading treatment, beatings, torture, and extrajudicial killings in these prisons. AI estimated 200 to 500 people were detained at the Giwa barracks. Those interviewed for the reports claimed families and lawyers did not have access to suspects detained in these facilities, and authorities moved detainees frequently and without notice, making it difficult for families or lawyers to locate a detainee. The government claimed Giwa barracks was only used as a military barracks, and did not serve as a detention center. Boko Haram suspects were reportedly held in inhuman conditions at the Special-Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) detention center, also known as the “abattoir,” in Abuja. On November 26, suspected Boko Haram militants attacked the SARS detention center, freeing an estimated 30 detainees, possibly including Boko Haram members.

Physical Conditions The prison system included 12 maximum-security prisons, 83 satellite prisons, 10 farm centers, two women’s prisons, eight zonal offices, and six directorates, all of which held prisoners and detainees.

The Nigerian Prison Service released statistics at the end of March

•Internal Affairs Minister Abba Moro

indicating the prisons held 50,920 inmates. Of that inmate population, slightly less than 2 percent were females and 1 percent juveniles.

Overcrowding was a problem. Although national capacity stood at 47,284, an imbalance in the use of prisons resulted in underutilisation at some facilities—some newer prisons had no inmates—while others were at 600 percent of their designed capacity. The Owerri Federal Prison had a capacity of 548 prisoners but held more than 1,784.

Ogwuashi-Uku prison in Delta State, with a capacity of 64 prisoners, housed 541, while Port Harcourt prison, with a capacity of 804 prisoners, held 2,955.

Ijebi-Ode prison in Lagos, with a capacity of 49 prisoners, held 309.

Most of the country’s 234 prisons, built 70 to 80 years earlier, lacked basic facilities. Lack of potable water, inadequate sewage facilities, and severe overcrowding resulted in dangerous and unsanitary conditions. Disease remained pervasive in cramped, poorly ventilated prison facilities, which had chronic shortages of medical supplies.

Inadequate medical treatment caused many prisoners to die from treatable illnesses. Prison illnesses included HIV/ AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Inmates with these illnesses lived with the general prison population. Although authorities attempted to isolate persons with communicable diseases, facilities often lacked the space to do so. Prison authorities claimed the death rate in prisons was 89 out of 1,500 prisoners per year; no reliable independent statistics existed on the number of prison deaths.

During a June 22 visit to prisons in Enugu State and Owerri, Imo State, an observer noted cells designed for 20 inmates held 80, authorities conducted no routine screening for tuberculosis, other infectious diseases, or pregnancy, and they had not established isolation wards, adequately equipped clinic facilities, or proper sewage disposal systems.

Only those prisoners with money, or whose relatives brought food regularly, had sufficient food; prison officials routinely stole money provided for food for prisoners. Poor inmates often relied on handouts from others to survive.

Prison officials, police, and other security force personnel often denied inmates food and medical treatment as punishment or to extort money.

Prisoners with mental disabilities remained incarcerated with the general prison population. Individual prisons made efforts to provide mental health facilities, but most prisons did not provide mental health care.

The Federal Government operated all

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

5

NEWS

o fewer than 6,000 kids languish in prisons Most of the ‘country’s 234 prisons,

•MD Abubakar

•Controller General of Prisons Zakari Ohinoyi Ibrahim

•National Human Rights Commission chair Prof.

Chidi Odinkalu

Presidency: the report didn’t indict us

T

HE The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Communications, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has said the State Department's Country Report 2012 does not amount to an indictment of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Okupe spoke yesterday during a visit to The Nation's corporate headquatres in Lagos.

He described the report as a rehash of local reports.

Okupe said: "It is crab, from abroad my foot. It is an all an embodiment of reports written here and it was lifted into a document in the United State and presented to Secretary of State. The impression that the report is from abroad, I am not impressed. The Secretary of State has not written anything extra ordinary. A market woman in Nigeria knows those things. I have read the report. I have studied it, and contrary to what you think, it does not indict this Federal Government at all. I have itemised the major areas: that though Nigeria laws provide criminal penalties for official corruption, government did not implement the law effectively; there was a wide spread perception that judges taking bribes and litigants can't rely on the court to get impartial judgment; they cited the following cases - The N1. something trillions fuel subsidy scam, the N328billion Police Pension scam, the N41billon Bankole/Nafada scam. It further stated that: EFCC initiated prosecution of approximately 50 cases.

"Their grouse in the case is that investigation and trials have not produced any conviction by the end of the year 2012. How does that concern President Jonathan?

The President has revatalised the place, and the organ

the prisons but maintained few pretrial jail facilities. Of the total prison population, 72 percent were pretrial detainees.

Authorities sometimes held female and male prisoners together, especially in rural areas, and prisons had no facilities to care for pregnant women or nursing mothers. Infants born to inmate mothers usually remained with the mother until weaned. Juvenile suspects were often held together with adult prisoners.

Although the law precludes the imprisonment of children, minors, many of whom were born there, lived in the prisons. A report by the African Union on the rights and welfare of the Nigerian child found an estimated 6,000 children lived in prisons and detention centers. Despite a government order to identify and release such children and their mothers, authorities had not done so by year’s end. Authorities held political prisoners with the general prison population.

Administration Prison authorities allowed visitors within a scheduled timeframe. However, few visitors came due to lack of

By Augustine Avwode

has been prosecuting indicted people of about 50 cases.

They are comparing it with the US. For instance in three days, they got the Boston bombers. We don't do that kind of thing here. Since I was a child, I used to follow my dad to court. Land dispute can take 20, 30 or 50 years to resolve in Nigeria. It is not what to be proud of but this report is presented in a way to make it look like it indicted the Jonathan Administration. No, sir, it doesn't."

He added that: "The other one is that judges are bribed.

It is true. Not only judges, magistrates, police, everybody is bribed in this country. That didn't start yesterday. It started way back. You cannot hang these things on President Jonathan. When we have a problem, let us face it. Scapegoat is what is killing Nigeria. You don't need a scapegoat for every malaise in Nigeria.

"We don't need a scapegoat. When they bombed Boston, nobody mentioned Obama. Is it possible for you to know what the President does? The inefficiencies in the Police Force is not Jonathan's making. We agree that the bulk ends on his table. And he is kicking the ball and kicking it well. Those who attack the Emir of Kano have been arrested. Madalla have been arrested.

Jonathan is not a showman and does not need to be a showman to be President. Jimmy Carter was not a showman, people have different characters. The question is: is the job being done? Then, I want to tell you that for every bombing that takes place, nine have been prevented."

family resources and travel distance.

Prisoners could attend religious observances, although prisons often did not have equal facilities for Muslim and Christian worship. In some prisons outside clergy constructed chapels or mosques.

The country does not have an ombudsman to serve on behalf of convicted prisoners and detainees in considering such matters as alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders to alleviate overcrowding; the status and circumstances of confinement of juvenile offenders; or improving pretrial detention, bail, or recordkeeping procedures to ensure prisoners do not serve beyond the maximum sentence for the charged offence.

Prisoner complaints centered on lack of access to court proceedings, as in many cases inmates lacked transportation to attend a court hearing. All prisons suffered from poor facilities and lack of resources.

Monitoring The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) monitored prisons throughout the year. The commis-

sion compiles an annual prison audit but the report for 2012 was not available by year’s end. The Federal Ministry of Justice was also known to monitor prisons under the Federal Government Prison Decongestion Program. However, there were no regular outside monitors of the prisons, and no statistics on the mistreatment of prisoners or availability of food or medical care.

The government provided access to prisons for monitoring conditions, although few outside visits occurred. The local Red Cross made attempts to visit prisons but could not maintain a regular visit schedule. Authorities inconsistently maintained records for individual prisoners in paper form but without making them widely accessible.

Improvements The government did not make widespread improvements to prisons during the year, but individual prison administrations attempted to collect donations from religious

organizations, NGOs, and the National Youth Service Corps to benefit inmates. For example, on April 27, Junior Chamber International Nigeria renovated and donated a five-room housing unit to the Akwa Ibom prison. On May 13, the youth service corps donated a psychology clinic for the rehabilitation and counseling of inmates at the Onitsha prison.

Arbitrary arrest or detention The constitution and law prohibit arbitrary arrest and detention; however, police and security forces continued to employ these practices.

The JTF arbitrarily arrested hundreds of persons during sweeps for militants, and security force personnel made arbitrary arrests during the national elections.

The NPF reports to the inspector general of police, who is appointed by the president and responsible for law enforcement operations.

An assistant inspector general commanded each NPF state unit.

The constitution prohibits state and local governments from organizing their own police forces; however, state governors may direct federal police for local emergency actions. The SSS remains responsible for internal security and reports to the president through the national security advisor. Due to the police’s inability to control societal violence, the government continued to turn to the army in many cases. For example, throughout the year President Jonathan ordered the deployment of military, JTF, or Special Task Force units to Bauchi, Borno, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, and Yobe states on a continuous basis in response to Boko Haram attacks and after local police could not contain outbreaks of ethnoreligious violence in Jos and Kaduna.

The NPF, SSS, and military reported to civilian authorities; however, these security services periodically acted outside of civilian control. The government lacked effective mechanisms to investigate and punish abuse and corruption. The NPF remained susceptible to corruption, committed human rights abuses, and generally operated with impunity in the apprehension, illegal detention, and sometimes execution of criminal suspects. The SSS also committed human rights

built 70 to 80 years earlier, lacked basic facilities. Lack of potable water, inadequate sewage facilities, and severe overcrowding resulted in dangerous and unsanitary conditions.

Disease remained pervasive in cramped, poorly ventilated prison facilities, which had chronic shortages of medical supplies. Inadequate medical treatment caused many prisoners to die from treatable illnesses.

’

abuses, particularly in restricting freedom of speech and press. In some cases private citizens or the government brought charges against perpetrators of human rights abuses in these units. However, most cases lingered in court or went unresolved after an initial investigation.

According to AI’s 2009 report, only a fraction of the NPF annual budget reached state and local police stations, and the lack of funding contributed to many police failures. In May and July the new inspector general of police, Mohammed Abubakar, publicly attributed poor performance and corruption among police to a lack of government support for the personnel, inadequate funding, poor work environment, lack of incentives, and low morale. On August 7, widows of slain police officers protested outside police headquarters in Abuja over the nonpayment of benefits (see section 4).

Police routinely detained suspects without informing them of the charges or allowing access to counsel and family members. Provision of bail often remained arbitrary or subject to extrajudicial influence. Judges often set conditions of bail too stringent to be met.

In many areas with no functioning bail system, suspects remained incarcerated indefinitely in investigative detention within the prison system. Authorities kept detainees incommunicado for long periods.

Numerous detainees alleged police demanded bribes to take them to court to have their cases heard. If family members wanted to attend a trial, police often demanded additional payment.

Police held persons who happened to be in the vicinity of a crime for interrogation for periods ranging from a few hours to several months. After their release authorities frequently asked them to return for further questioning.

Security force personnel arbitrarily arrested numerous persons during the year. Human rights groups accused the government and security forces of arbitrarily arresting male inhabitants of Maiduguri or family members of suspected militants following Boko Haram attacks. The number of such cases remained unknown, but AI and HRW catalogued examples of such cases throughout the year.

6

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

NEWS

•From left: Former Lagos State Governor Alhaji Jakande, Lagos State Governor Mr Babatude Raji Fashola, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola AhmedTinubu, ACN National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, former Ogun State Governor Chief Olusegun Osoba, ACN Nation Publicity Secretary and the author of the book Alhaji Layiwola Muhammed, Special Guest of Honour Gen Muhammodu Buhari, and Sen. Chris Ngige display the book, Tittle Witness to History Writing by Hlahaji Lai Mohammed at the Book Lunch held at Civic Centre Victoria Island Lagos...yesterday PHOTO: NIYI ADENIRAN

Opposition leaders to PDP: pack and go

Tinubu advises Jonathan to address issues

A

CTION Congress of Nigeria (ACN) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday described the President Goodluck Jonathan administration as a “rudderless presidency”.

He rejected his description as a political liability by a presidential aide, Dr. Doyin Okupe, stressing that his achievement, as the former governor of Lagos State and party leader are impeccable.

A statement by Tinubu’s media aide, Mr. Sunday Dare, urged the President’s aide to address cogent issues, instead

of attacking personalities.

The statement reads: “Nigerians, once again, are being entertained by the Abuja theater circus. Figures and numbers that translate to nothing for the ordinary Nigerian are being bandied as achievements. Their penchant for dancing naked in the market place is now commonplace.

“The small-minded media minstrels of Abuja are at it again. It is a curious thing.

They call former Lagos Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari insignificant and are nothing to fear, yet they seem

to spend so much of their time on them. Does the eagle fear the sparrow or does an elephant fear a blade of grass? Despite their huffing and puffing, they know they are not the eagle or the elephant. Deep in their hearts, they fear that the APC has the potential for change that they lack.

“Governor Tinubu and Gen. Buhari are flattered by the attention. But Nigerians must heed the warning signs about this government and its anti-people policies. If they would only do their work as they should, the op-

position and indeed millions of Nigerians would have very little to say but to congratulate them. “Instead they chase after the opposition leaders like street kids running after a moving car. We have left them behind. They will soon be past history.

“They can’t let their record speak for itself because it will only say bad things about them. Nigerians today are saddled with a government that lacks the presence of mind and the discipline to serve the people. The cluelessness of the current governContinued on page 62

Baga killings: Borno to rebuild houses

T

HE Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima yesterday raised a stock-taking committee on the mass killing of innocent citizens in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area during a confrontation between the Joint Task Force (JTF) and Boko Haram.

He has also mandated the Ministry of Works to start the reconstruction of demolished houses in the town.

Besides, the governor has opened up talks with the military to get its side of the Baga bloodbath.

A statement issued last night by the governor’s Spe-

From Yuuf Alli, Abuja

cial Adviser (Communications), Alhaji Isa Umar Gusau, said the governor felt the incident was “gruesome and highly condemnable”.

It, however, faulted the casualty figures in the media and claimed that a competent authority was trying to verify the death toll.

The statement said: “Following the very unfortunate and barbaric destruction of lives and properties in Baga, Kukawa Local Government Area in Borno State at the weekend, Governor Kashim Shettima yesterday ordered immediate release of relief

materials, including food items and clothes after which he ordered the State’s Ministry of Works to immediately mobilise to sites in Baga town and start the reconstruction of houses that were destroyed even before a committee he set up is expected to investigate and submit a report on the cause of the crisis, take records of all those killed or injured, take stock of all houses destroyed and recommend compensation.

“The number of persons killed as well as houses destroyed has not been accurately ascertained by any

competent authority as government awaits the report of its committee or any reliable source of information. “ A news report claiming 185 persons were killed and 200 houses destroyed, published in a Nigerian newspaper and a news agency on Monday, April 22, 2013, were solely based on accounts by some residents in Baga, who spoke with the governor during his visit, as the author (s) reported the news without any independent verification for accuracy and with no form of investigation whatsoever.

“Governor Shettima, howContinued on page 62

Continued from page 1

Gen. Buhari, the CPC leader and former military Head of State, spoke on the need to consolidate the merger of the likeminded opposition parties before stepping up the mobilisation of the various constituencies for political action.

Tinubu charged Nigerians to get set for the future electoral contests, adding that “PDP should go in 2015”.

Seasoned poet, Odia Ofeimun, who reviewed the book, praised the author for his courage and sense of duty. He said: “This is not a review, but a statement; a compendium of the publicity output of the party’s spokesman challenging the business-as-usual ap-

proach of those in power at the centre. The book is the defender of the public memory of the political situation in the country”.

Dignitaries at the ceremony included: host governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola former Lagos State Governor Lateef Jakande, his wife, Alhaja Abimbola, ACN National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Otunba Niyi Adebayo and wife, Angela, former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, former Lagos State Deputy Governor Sarah Sosan, Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd), Dr. Amos Akingba, Chief Tom Ikimi, Senators James Kolawole, Olabiyi Durojaye, Continued on page 62

45 shops, 25 homes burnt in Ibadan

T

HE week began yesterday on a sad note for residents of Ode-Olo, Inalende and Omitowoyin in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Properties worth several millions of naira were lost as 25 houses and 45 shops were razed when a fuel-laden tanker spilled its content.

Scores of residents were still missing as at the time of filling this report last night.

The fire began at about 6.20pm.

An eye witness said no few-

er than 80 tenants were rendered homeless.

The tanker fell on its side when the driver, who against advice, chose to ply a neighbourhood road under construction.

It was learnt that the content spilled on St. Stephen Primary School junction, where a food vendor was cooking.

The National Emergency Management (NEMA), through its Southwest information officer, Ibrahim FariContinued on page 62

How 185 were killed in JTF, Boko Haram battle, by residents Jonathan probes high civilian casualties Continued from page 1

by the combing of Baga.

“There was an intelligence report of a likely overrun of the town by Boko Haram and the JTF moved in to reclaim the area.

“The coming of the JTF was resisted by Boko Haram, leading to heavy fighting all through Friday night and Saturday.”

“The JTF’s action was part of moves to reclaim 10 local government areas in Borno State.”

The 10 grounded local government areas are: Marte, Magumeri, Mobbar, Gubio, Guzamala, Abadamin, Kukawa, Kaga, Nganzai and Monguno.

A delegation from the state government visited the town on Sunday in the aftermath of the fighting, and a community representative put the death toll at 185, Borno spokesman Umar Gusau said by telephone.

“We are investigating,” he said. “For now, we don’t have a very good basis for the figure.

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday ordered a full-scale investigation into reports of high civilian casualties in the confrontation between soldiers and insurgents at Baga, a border community in Borno State.

The presidential order followed preliminary briefings from the military high Command on the incident, A statement from the Presidency said: “While the preliminary briefings indicate that the casualty figures being reported by the foreign media may be grossly exaggerated, President Jonathan assures Nigerians and the global community that the Federal Government of Nigeria places the highest possible value on the lives of all citizens of the country and that his administration will continue to do evThese people say they have died and they have buried them. From my experience, most times residents exaggerate figures.”

He added that since the town

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

erything possible to avoid the killing or injuring of innocent bystanders in security operations against terrorists and insurgents.

“Rules of engagement for the military and security agencies are already in place for this purpose and the investigation ordered by President Jonathan into the incident in Baga is to amongst other things, determine whether or not these rules were fully complied with.

“The President has also ordered the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) and federal health agencies to liaise with the Borno State Government and take urgent steps to provide immediate relief and medical support for all who suffered losses and injury in the fighting at Baga.

had already buried the victims, it had been impossible for authorities to count the bodies.

Authorities were questioning residents about family members who had died to try

“He commiserates with all those who have regrettably lost their lives in the fighting, including the soldiers who gallantly made the supreme sacrifice in the operation against terrorism, insurgency and insecurity in Nigeria.

“The President is deeply pained by the continuance of these needless deaths and will continue to do all within his powers to achieve lasting peace, security and stability in all parts of the country.

“It is his hope and expectation that the national committee which he will inaugurate on Wednesday (tomorrow) for dialogue and the peaceful resolution of security challenges in the North will contribute significantly to ending the continuous loss of lives to wasteful violence.”

to estimate the death toll, he said.

Task Force spokesman Sagir Musa also expressed skepticism about the reported toll.

“There was a clash between

the Boko Haram terrorists and the JTF but what I can tell you is that the death toll was terribly inflated,” he said by telephone.

The fighting in Baga began

•Shettima

ADVERT HOTLINES: 08023006969, 08052592524 NEWSROOM: LAGOS – 01-8962807, ABUJA – 07028105302 COMPLAINTS: 01-8930678

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

7

NEWS

EFCC vs Ikuforiji: Doubts as case resumes tomorrow

AFTER several adjournments, the case by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Lagos House Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji is expected to resume tomorrow. But there is the fear in legal and political circles that the trial may, as usual, not go on. The situation has provoked the thinking that the EFCC may not, after all, have an iron cast case against Ikuforiji.

T

he trial of the Lagos State House of Assem bly Speaker, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, for alleged money laundering charges, is expected to resume tomorrow before Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, but will it?

Observers are of the view that the prosecution may not have a water-tight case against the Speaker, hence its dilly-dallying and frequent requests for adjournments. The matter has been adjourned for more than six times.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged the Speaker and his aide, Oyebode Alade Atoyebi, with allegedly accepting over N500million from the Assembly without passing through a financial institution, an allegation they denied.

Most of the adjournments

By Joseph Jibueze

have been at the instance of the prosecution, leading the defence counsel to ask that the matter be struck out for want of diligent prosecution.

On February 18, the prosecution, led by Godwin Obla, asked Justice Okeke to stand down the matter till 11am “to allow counsel for the prosecution appear in a highly contentious public interest fundamental human right proceeding…” before another judge.

Opposing the application, Ikuforiji’s counsel, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) recalled that on October 21, last year the court had indicated that it was prepared to hear the matter from day to day.

“The prosecution failed to show up on 20th of November, 2012. We lost at least 15 days at the instance of the prosecution.

“I submit that the defence has never asked for an adjournment in this matter,” Oyetibo said.

However, the court adjourned at the instance of the prosecution.

Again on March 25, the prosecution was not in court. Oyetibo complained, and recalled other adjournment requests by the prosecution.

He said: “On 6th November, 2012, the prosecution again

failed to appear in court, to continue this case. He (Obla) wrote for an adjournment. The case was adjourned to 20th and 21st November 2012, as requested by the prosecution.

“On 20th November, the prosecution again failed to appear in court, stating that he mixed up the date and my Lord graciously accepted the date.

Rather than coming here, he asked for another adjournment and my Lord adjourned till 17th and 18th December 2012.”

Obla said on February 18, the prosecution wrote two letters, one of which was that the matter be transferred to another judge as Justice Okeke would soon retire.

The judge, he said, called Obla from another court, and the lawyer said he was not with the Ikuforiji casefile and that the prosecution witness was not in court.

The case was again adjourned till February 19 and 20 at the prosecution’s instance.

On February 19, the prosecution asked for yet another adjournment to “to be in Makurdi on the 20th of February.”

All other dates fixed for trial after February 20 were vacated and the case was adjourned again till March 19 and 20. On those days, the court did not sit

and the case was adjourned till March 25.

Obla had said in court on March 25: “The first Defendant is the sitting speaker of the House of Assembly, Lagos State. The case ought to be given accelerated hearing so that the people of Lagos State can know within a reasonable time his guilt or innocence.

“The prosecution is taking steps to frustrate these proceedings because he knows my Lordship will be retiring this year.

“What the charge is saying is that the money did not go through a financial institution and not money laundering or that he stole, and that the accused did not conduct the business of the House in line with Money Laundering Procedure Act. “Flowing from this, I urge your lordship to either dismiss this charge or close their defence.”

The court did not dismiss the charge as prayed, but adjourned till April 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 25 and 25.

At the last hearing, Obla withdrew from the trial.

In his letter dated April 5 to the court’s registrar, he said the manner in which the court fixed dates would deny him the ability to diligently prosecute the case.

Obla, who was not present in court on March 25 when the dates were fixed, said the 13 days

Senate to pass Health Bill

By Oyeyemi GbengaMustapha

T •Ikuforiji

were scheduled without considering his commitment in other cases in other courts.

“The new dates clearly conflict with those long-scheduled obligations,” he wrote.

His withdrawal forced Justice Okeke, who will retire next month, to cancel the dates.

The head of EFCC’s Legal Department, Mr. Alli Yusuf, said he was informed late about Obla’s withdrawal and would need three weeks to study the file.

Oyetibo complained that the EFCC was handling the case with levity, urging the court to dismiss the charge for lack of diligent prosecution.

“This is a case where the accused person is begging to be prosecuted and the prosecution is running away,” Oyetibo said.

Observers wonder if there is not more to the prosecution’s frequent requests for adjournments than meets the eye. Is there a hidden agenda?

Justice Okeke adjourned till tomorrow for trial, but will this be the last adjournment at the prosecution’s instance?

Jonathan to support lawyers From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has assured lawyers of his admnistration’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for them to practise.

Jonathan spoke in Abuja at the weekend at a dinner held by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to raise funds for its planned headquarters building to be known as the NBA House.

The President, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said he would support the association in realising its objective.

Jonathan said the nation’s Bar deserves to be sufficiently and well accommodated to enable it effectively perform its role in the society.

‘Corporate manslaughter to attract severe punishment’ From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

S

•Head, Commercial, Dana Air, Mr. Obi Mbanuzuo (left) greeting Director of Flight Operations, Capt Oscar Wason, during the Airline’s relaunch of Lagos-Port Harcourt-Lagos flight in Port Harcourt... yesterday. With them are Head, Corporate Communications, Mr. Tony Usidamen and Head, Administration, Mr. Anand Alagarsamy.

Court awards N10m against GTBank for breach of contract

F

OR unilaterally terminating a contract it entered with its client, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc to pay Foxglove Nigeria Limited N10million damages.

The court held that the bank did not comply with the contract’s terms by which parties were bound.

The bank rather cancelled the agreement without recourse to the client as agreed.

A Lagos High Court, therefore, ordered GTbank to also pay 21 per cent interest on the N10million, beginning from June 1, 2008.

The bank must pay the 21 per cent from then till last Friday when the judgment was delivered, the court ordered.

Thereafter, the bank must pay interest on the sum at four per cent per annum until the payment is completed.

Justice Grace Onyeabor, who delivered the verdict, said: “Parties are bound by the con-

HE Senate will soon pass the National Health Bill (NHB), Health Committee chair Ifeanyi Okowa, said at the weekend.

Okowa spoke when his committee visited the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos. He said the bill, when passed, would take care of its financial aspect.

The Senator also praised the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and the FMC, Lagos, for maintaining a high level of cleanliness.

He said FMC’s Medical Director, Mrs Yewande Jinadu, had talked about the small space that housed the 190-bed hospital, “but now that we are here to inspect the hospital, we are marvelled at how neat the hospital is in view of the large number of patients it has to attend to. We had same experience with the University of Benin, Edo State. We challenge other hospitals to take a cue.

Patients don’t feel as if they are in prison as we see in some hospitals’’.

“This hospital is taking care of its environment and the need of its patients not to come down with other diseases while receiving treatments.

This is in line with the Committee’s resolve to advocate for more funds for health sector and infrastructural development, to stem the tide of medical tourism, which by our last calculation has reached over N80 billion, which should not be. ‘’We need more tertiary hospitals in Lagos State to reduce the high burden, demand on facilities like FMC, Ebutte Metta.”

By Joseph Jibueze

tract between them. Where there is a breach of contract, damages is awardable.”

She held that the bank broke the contract outside what was stated in Clause 5, which is that 60 days notice must be given before termination.

“The issue is resolved against the defendant and in favour of the claimant,” the judge said.

According to the judge, contrary to the bank’s claim that it notified the claimant before terminating the contract, there was nothing before the court to show that any notice was given the firm.

“The defendant has not shown that it gave the claimant notice. The burden of proof of an assertion is on the party which made it. I so hold,” said Justice Onyeabor.

The firm entered into a dis-

tribution agreement with MTN Communications Limited sometime in 2002.

In fulfillment of the requirement of a bank guarantee, it took out one with GTBank at N10million on February 26, 2007, to guarantee full and prompt payment of all indebtedness to MTN. Clause Five of the contract stated that 60 days written notice must be given of intention to terminate the bank guarantee.

But to its shock, the claimant said MTN, via a letter dated June 16, 2008, informed it that the bank had withdrawn the guarantee.

MTN gave the claimant 14 days to replace the guarantee, failing which the distribution agreement would be terminated.

After several enquiries, the claimant said GTBank never responded. Consequently, the agreement with MTN was ter-

minated due to its inability to get another bank guarantee.

GTBank eventually replied the claimant’s letter, saying the claimant breached several terms of the contract.

The defendant “failed to state specifically what breach was committed by the claimant,” said the claimant.

Foxglove said the guarantee’s arbitrary termination had a ripple effect on its business. It said it suffered irreparable loss of over N38million, as well as another N67million.

The claimant sought a declaration that the termination of the bank guarantee by the GTBank without informing it as stated in the offer letter and conditions of the bank guarantee is unlawful and void.

It sought for N20million as special damages suffered, N50million as general damages, and N500,000 as cost of the

action.

GTBank had denied the claims and urged the court to dismiss them.

It said the claimant failed to disclose the stock of recharge cards received from MTN in line with the contract; failed to provide agreed security for the bank guarantee, and failed to meet the agreed turn-over and ‘Collateral Covenants’ for the utilisation of the guarantee.

The bank added: “By the term of the Contract of Guarantee, the obligation of the defendant to MTN as regards Notice of Termination of the Bank Guarantee is to the effect that liability under the said Contract of Bank Guarantee extinguishes only after 60 days of Notice of Termination of same and owes no obligation whatsoever to the claimant.”

But the court agreed with the claimant, holding the contract was illegally terminated

by GTBank.

HOULD it become law, corporate manslaughter will soon attract severe punishment.

The Senate yesterday held a public hearing on “a Bill for an Act to create the offence of corporate manslaughter and matters incidental thereto.”

The Bill was sponsored by Senator Pius Ewherido (Delta Central) after the Dana plane crash on June 3 last year.

Senate President David Mark, noted that when the Bill becomes law, any act of corporate manslaughter will attract severe punishment.

Represented by the Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba at the occasion, Mark recalled that the Bill generated robust intellectual debate during its second reading.

He described it as novel, saying that it should be treated as such.

He lamented that for a long time, corporate organisations have been shielded from punishment for acts of criminal negligence.

Mark noted that the Bill encompassed the criminal law, jurisprudence and the law of tort He said: “It is not meant to reinvent the wheel, it is a Bill that will rewrite the criminal and penal codes to create the new offence of corporate manslaughter.”

THE NATION TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2013

8

NEWS Drama in court as APGA factions quarrel over lawyer From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

I

T was a stormy session yesterday at the Federal High Court, Awka, the Anambra State capital, following arguments by two camps of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on who should present a lawyer to represent the party in a suit filed by Charles Nwazojie.

The politician had filed the matter for himself and on behalf of the ward, local governments and state executive committees of APGA, praying the court to recognise Chief Victor Umeh as the National Chairman of the party.

The Umeh camp as well as that of Chief Maxi Okwu, who represents the Governor Peter Obi camp, argued on who the party’s lawyer should be.

Also joined in the matter are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Anambra State Police Commissioner, Maxi Okwu and Egwuoyibo Okoye.

The court, presided over by Justice M. T. Salihu, on April 15, granted an interim order restraining Okwu and other key officers in his group from further parading themselves as APGA executives.

But at the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, two lead counsel - Kingsley Awuka and Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) - fought on who between them should represent APGA. The party is the fourth respondent in the judicial review application brought by Charles Nwazojie.

Ikpeazu told the court that he was representing APGA based on the mandate he got from Okwu, the disqualified National Chairman of the party.

Awuka objected to Ikpeazu’s representation, saying Umeh had briefed him to represent APGA in the matter.

Both lawyers reeled out the principles of law and facts to support their positions.

Fed Govt targets 10,000 megawatts by December

T

HE Federal Government is targeting 10,000 megawatts of electricity supply by December, presidential aide Dr Doyin Okupe said yesterday in Lagos. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, who visited the corporate headquarters of Vintage Press, publishers of The Nation, was answering questions from some top journalists.

Okupe said the 10 national Independent Power Plants (IPP) are 90 to 95 per cent completed and that when they come on stream, they will generate additional 5,000 megawatts.

He explained that with the current capacity, which he puts at 4,500 megawatts, the target would be realised.

“There is some work that needs to be done. All the power plants, as of today, are 90 to 95 per cent completed. There is every assurance that by December 2013, all the NIP projects would have been completed. When they are completed, they will bring in additional 5,000 megawatts.

So, we are looking at 10,000 megawatts by December,” he

By Augustine Avwode

said.

Okupe argued that President Goodluck Jonathan could have performed better if there was no Boko Haram to tackle in the last two years.

The President, he said, is not a miracle worker.

According to him, Jonathan has been very sure and steady in the implementation of his Transformation Agenda.

Okupe said: “Dr Jonathan is not a miracle worker. He is a sure and steady master technician. He is doing the work slowly, diligently and steadily. Jonathan would have done better were it not for the Boko Haram crisis.

“No matter how good your plans are, if your wife comes up with a major crisis, that programme would be derailed. But this is more than a wife’s tantrums. It is a national crisis, a major phenomenon that occupies one’s time 24/7.

He is human too. Jonathan can insist that he hasn’t had the template that other Presidents have had. This is a daily war for two years now.”

The presidential aide de-

•Okupe at The Nation corporate headquarters in Lagos...yesterday

fended the state pardon granted former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. He said after conviction as a criminal, going to prison and suffering loss of dignity and assets, we should not begrudge him for the pardon.

Okupe also spoke on a report by the United States on sundry issues in Nigeria.

He argued that contrary to some people’s views, the report did not indict Jonathan.

Describing the report as “crap”, Okupe said there was nothing new in it.

The General Manager (Training and Development), Mr Soji Omotunde, welcomed Okupe to the company.

The senior journalist said it was good he found the time to explain issues at close range.

Omotunde assured him that The Nation would always uphold the sacred tenets of fairness and balance in its re-

Court orders police, SSS to pay group N10m for stripping members in public USTICE Evon Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday ordered the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the State Security Service (SSS) to pay N10million to a group, Peace Corps of Nigeria (PCN).

Both security agencies were found guilty of stripping naked in public members of the group and subjecting them to other forms of harassment.

Justice Chukwu declared the actions of both agencies on members of the group as “barbaric, uncivilised and a gross abuse of powers”.

The judgment followed a suit by the Trustees of the PCN, which sued the police

J

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

and SSS for abuse of its members and a secret report by the SSS labelling the group and its members security risks.

The group argued that the series of attack on its members by both agencies reached the peak in July, last year, when, at a state function in Zamfara State, some policemen and SSS officials held 11 of its members, beat them up and stripped them naked.

The members’ offence, the group said, was that they refused the security operatives’ directive to remove their uniform in public.

They also complained about

a plot by the security agencies to ground PCN’s activities nationwide by authoring spurious security reports labeling it and its members security risks.

Justice Chukwu ordered men of both agencies to conduct themselves within the ambit of the law and refrain from gross abuse of innocent citizens’ rights to freedom of association.

The judge, who noted the PCN was a duly registered private organisation, barred the police and SSS from further interfering with its lawful activities and programmes.

He restrained them from further arrest, detention, intimidation and harassment of PCN member.

Justice Chukwu held that it was barbaric and uncivilised for operatives of the SSS and the police to strip officials of the Peace Corps (members of the group) naked in the public for no cause that could be defended in a law court.

The judge nullified and set aside the secret security re-

port, which the SSS sent to some governors, labelling PCN as an unregistered and a security threat. He held that the report was unlawful, illegal, unwarranted and made in bad faith.

Justice Chukwu held that the SSS was not diligent in defending the case, adding that in a democracy, where the rule of law prevails, such a gross abuse of power and deliberate infringement on citizens’ rights must not be allowed.

He disagreed with the defendants’ claim that the group was exploiting Nigerian youths by training them on illegal activities that could undermine the country’s security.

Justice Chukwu averred that the defendants did not supply any proof to support their allegations.

The group’s National Commandant, Ambassador Dickson Akoh, hailed the judge for upholding the rule of law.

He said the SSS and the police had crippled PCN’s activities in past judgments in their favour.

portage of events.

Okupe was accompanied by Dr Olusanya Awosan, the Director (Media) in his office; Bamidele Salam and the Director of Strategy, Mr Jackson Ude.

SSANU shelves planned strike From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

T

HE Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has shelved its planned nationwide strike in the universities.

It has resolved to dialogue with the Federal Government on its grievances.

A statement yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by the union’s chairman in University of Ibadan (UI), Mr Wale Akinremi, said the decision followed the prompt intervention of the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Emeka Wogu.

The minister, late last night, held a meeting with the presidents of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which comprises SSANU, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and Allied Institutions (NASU).

Akinremi said the unions agreed to sheath their swords until a planned meeting with the Federal Government on April 26.

“The outcome of our meeting with the Federal Government will determine if we will still go on strike or not.

We want all our members to remain calm and be on the alert and fully mobilise pending the outcome of the Friday meeting,” he said.

ThisDay bombing: Court to decide on secret trial

J

USTICE Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court, Abuja, will next Monday decide whether or not to bar the public from the trial of Mustapha Umar, the alleged mastermind of last year’s bombing of a building occupied by three media houses – ThisDay, The Sun and The Moment - in Kaduna.

The judge chose the date yesterday after parties disagreed on whether or not the request for trial behind closeddoors, made by the prosecution, was appropriate.

Justice Adeniyi also set aside the date for argument, ruling and beginning of trial in the case.

Umar, 34, is facing a count charge of terrorism of the bombing of SOJ Plaza in Kaduna State, occupied by the three newspapers. Ten people

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

reportedly died in the incident.

The lead prosecution lawyer, Magaji Labaran, told the court that the trial should have begun, adding that he had an application seeking an order preventing people who are not parties in the case, with the exception of the media, from witnessing the proceedings.

The lawyer said the application was harmless and should be heard and granted by the court, following which the trial could begin.

But the defence lawyer, Nureni Sulaiman, told the court he was new in the case, having just been briefed early yesterday.

The lawyer averred that though necessary papers had

been served on him, he still required time to study the case and take the necessary steps.

Suleiman also hinted of his intention to oppose the application for secret trial. He argued that by the provision of the Constitution, every court trial ought to be conducted in public.

Justice Adeniyi granted Suleiman’s application for a short adjournment. He ordered that Umar be further remanded in prison custody.

The judge also ordered the prison authorities to grant the accused’s lawyer and immediate family unfettered access to him.

Justice Adeniyi directed the defence to file and serve its response within 48 hours.

He adjourned the matter till April 29.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

9

NEWS

Flood sweeps away three children in Ado-Ekiti •Illegal structures must go in two weeks, says Fayemi From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

T

HREE children have been swept away by flood in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

The flood was caused by six hours of rainfall, which began around 8pm on Sunday night.

Properties were also destroyed by the flood.

The worse-hit areas were Adebayo, Iworoko road, Dallimore, Okesa, Nova Road, Ureje, Omisanjana, Ajilosun, Peace Estate and Omirin.

A seven-year-old boy, Olamide Ayeni, was among the victims. The identities of the others are yet to be known.

Speaking with reporters at their home at No. 45, Dallimore Street, Olamide’s uncle, Simeon, said: “Olamide and his 15-year-old sister, Faith, were out running an errand for their mother when the rain started.

They said they waited somewhere for it to subside before heading back home.

“Faith said she held her brother’s hand as they made their way home, but Olamide missed his step and fell into the culvert.

“She ran home to report what happened and people in the vicinity tried to rescue him.

We alerted the Fire Service and its officials joined in the search for him. Up till now (about 1pm yesterday), we have not found his body.”

Mrs. Funmilayo Obayemi, an engine oil dealer, said: “All the cartons of oil in my shop are soaked with water. I am trying to move them to my house, but the problem is that customers will not want to buy the ones affected by the flood because they are dirty.”

Mrs. Dupe Idowu, who sells food stuff on the AdebayoIworoko road, said: “I am a 62year-old widow. My husband

•Dr. Fayemi pointing at a flooded area...yesterday. With him are Adaramodu (second right) and other officials.

died seven years ago and left me with seven children. Four of them are in the university. It is this shop that sustains us.

Now, everything is about going. The flood has dug up the foundation of the shop. It may collapse any time.

“I urge the government to assist me. I have no one to turn to. All the food items I am selling, including rice, gari and beans, are gone. Even the yams are soaked.”

Parts of a students’ hostel, the Mount Zion Hostel, have collapsed.

The owner of the hostel, Chief Kolawole Faleye, said: “The hostel was built in 1981 and has been accommodating students consistently. Now, it is not just flooded, it has collapsed.

“Four students narrowly escaped death when the walls of their rooms fell. The flood pulled down the fence and took over the rooms, destroying the belongings of about 40 students.”

Some of the students said: “We do not know where to be-

gin now. Our textbooks, certificates, food items and electronics are all gone.”

The General Manager of Crownbiz Hotel, Mr. Oteruku Sunday, said: “The hotel is soaked with water and many things have been destroyed.

It may take months to resume business.”

The proprietor of the Hotel, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, said: “The flooding was caused by the bridge that was built by the contractors handling the Ado-Iworoko road. The bridge is too small to accommodate the volume of flood coming from the School of Nursing area. The drainage channel was also blocked at some spots, which hindered free flow of water. I urge the state government to reconstruct the bridge to the standard of the Elemi Bridge.”

Governor Kayode Fayemi inspected the flooded areas and channelisation work.

He said buildings blocking the waterways would be demolished within two weeks.

Fayemi decried the viola-

tion of town planning laws by many landlords, saying the government would sanction offenders.

He said: “A lot of the houses that have been caught in harm’s way as a result of flooding were built on flood plains and do not have development control approval. There is also the problem of enforcement on the side of the government.

It is the duty of the government to enforce the law. “Even on an approved plan, there must be a setback. There must be certain metres between your house and the road. That law was not obeyed in many of the places I visited today, which include Olorunda, Nova Road, Peace Avenue in Afao road and Oke-Ila.” Fayemi said the government would make amends by building larger drains.

He said: “We will make sure adequate room is provided for drains, so that water can flow into wider channels. We will dredge the channels and ensure that water flows properly. Anyone who has built on a water-

Credible polls’ll prevent crisis in Nigeria, says Akiolu

O

BA Rilwanu Akiolu of Lagos yesterday said unless credible polls are conducted, there would be trouble in Nigeria.

The Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, urged Commanding Officers (CO) to ensure that their troops are always at the alert.

They spoke at the opening of the maiden CoS’s workshop, hosted by the 81 Division, Lagos.

Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji was also present.

Oba Akiolu said there would be no trouble, if credible and fair elections are conducted.

Lamenting the poverty rate across the country, he said: “Let us be honest with ourselves, trouble is coming in Nigeria. It can only be avoided, if we conduct free and fair elections.

“There are monarchs in this country who will tell the authorities what they want to hear, but I am not one of them.

I was on phone with the Sultan of Sokoto until early this morning. There is hope for this country, provided we know what we are doing.

“The level of poverty and suffering in Nigeria is growing

•Army chief urges tighter security

By Precious Igbonwelundu

in a geometrical progression.

Government should please do something to ease the situation.”

The monarch urged the Federal Government to increase the budget of the police by 400 per cent. He said without adequate financing of the police and effective service delivery by men of the force, Nigeria “will not be in order”.

Gen. Ihejirika, in his address entitled: Enhancing the capacity of commanding officers to meet contemporary challenges, said suicide bombing has brought a challenge to policing.

He said: The threat we are faced with today is principally asymmetric and not conventional. From the creeks in the Niger Delta to the Sahel Savannah region in the Northeast and Northwest, there is no clear line between you and the adversary.

“The adversary employs all forms of unconventional weapons and tactics in urban and rural areas, capitalising on the porosity of our borders. Its capability, in some cases, has overwhelmed the capacity of our

border security agencies, including the police.

“I expect you, as part of an operational security, to ensure maximum alertness and security of your troops, installation and equipment at all times.

Remember that the security of your troops and barracks is a command responsibility.

“Beyond this, you must ensure effective supervision, down to the lowest level, without compromising the mission command philosophy. Your ability to deal with distress situations must be robust. We are working assiduously to build our surveillance capability through local research and external procurement.

“A decision has been taken to reinforce the existing Quick Response Groups and FOBs to tighten border security. We have also concluded plans to restructure and reinforce Operation Restore Order III for better effectiveness to ensure good command and control.”

The army chief urged the officers to sustain the cordial relationship with other security agencies, the media and their host communities.

Ikuforiji said Nigeria’s major problem was how to harness our resources for growth.

“The peace we used to take for granted is gone. Terrorism, which was alien to us, has become the order of the day. Security agencies must prepare to confront insurgencies,” he added.

way or in a place that will not allow water to flow seamlessly should be ready to hear from me. I have instructed the Ministry of Urban Planning and Lands to demolish those houses within two weeks.”

The governor was accompanied on the inspection by the Chief of Staff, Mr. Yemi

Adaramodu; Commissioner for Lands and Housing Elder Remi Olorunleke; Commissioner for Special Duties Wole Apalara-Adewunmi; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Roads Sunday Adunmo and officials of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

10

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

NEWS

‘Brutalised’ lawyer demands N500m damages from police

I’ll leave concrete legacies, says Ajimobi

O

YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has said his administration will leave behind landmark legacies will stand the test of time.

He spoke yesterday shortly after inspecting some projects in Ibadan, the state capital.

They include the flyover at Mokola Roundabout and the dualisation of the Onireke-Jericho-Dugbe-Eleiyele road.

Ajimobi said: “We are not working haphazardly. We have a blueprint and by when we leave, we will leave legacies that no one before us will surpass.” Expressing satisfaction with the work done on some of the projects, he said his administration would continue to execute projects that would directly improve the life of the people.

The governor said: “Those who do not understand development economics will argue with our approach, but there is a pyramid of development anywhere in the world and that is what we are following.

He said the projects being executed were of international standards and assured the people that his administration would not leave any project uncompleted.

Lashing out at his critics, Ajimobi said no past administration has surpassed his achievements in less than two years.

He said: “We are not doing construction by propaganda. Let those condemning us tell us what they did. The good thing is that many of them had been there in the past, what did they do?

“We thought of some of these projects and we executed them in two years, but some people thought of them and were here for four years but they never did anything.”

The Mokola Flyover is expected to be handed over to the government by the end of the month.

T

A

N Ibadan lawyer, Mr. Joshua Olaniyan, who was allegedly brutalised by some police officers a few weeks ago, has sued the force.

He is demanding N500 million damages.

The case comes up today at the State High Court Two. The Ibadan branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has directed its members to attend the hearing in solidarity with Olaniyan.

Olaniyan sued the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP), the

•Case comes up today From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Kajorepo Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and Mrs. Sola Olanrewaju, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

He was arrested, detained and allegedly brutalised by Mrs. Olanrewaju at the Kajorepo Police Station on April 3, when he went to secure the release of a truck that

was impounded by the police.

The truck was impounded because the driver could not produce the waybill for the consignment being transported.

Olaniyan took the waybill to the station to secure the truck’s release, but was allegedly picked on by Mrs. Olanrewaju.

He was allegedly beaten-up and detained. He was also

“accused of being a fake lawyer and an accomplice in the stealing of the consignment”.

Olaniyan said it took the intervention of the DPO, who arrived later in the evening, before he was released. The lawyer said he ended up in the hospital after he was released.

He is also seeking a declaration that his alleged brutalisation and detention was “wrong, illegal, unconstitutional and a violation of his rights”.

Two arraigned for ‘attacking’ Fayemi’s convoy

WO persons were yesterday arraigned before an AdoEkiti Magistrate’s Court for allegedly attacking the convoy of Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Police prosecutor Ebenezer Ewuola told the court that Oladipo Akinwumi, Oluwadare Temitope and others at large allegedly committed the offence around 12 noon on March 30 at Iyin-Ekiti.

The accused allegedly attacked the governor’s convoy with cutlasses, sticks and broken bottles, threatening the governor’s body guards.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Defence counsel Femi Olojede prayed the court to grant them bail, but the prosecutor objected to it.

Magistrate Bayode Owoeye granted them N100,000 bail each and two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned till June 3.

A

UCH consultants appeal to striking scientists

S the strike by laboratory scientists at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, enters the fifth day, consultants at the hospital have urged the aggrieved workers to consider their patients first.

The scientists began the strike on Thursday to protest the appointment of Dr. Kayode Adedapo as the Director of Laboratory Services by the hospital’s management.

The striking workers claimed that Adedapo was not a professional laboratory scientist.

But the Chairman of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), UCH wing, Prof. Juwon Arotiba, said Adedapo was “professionally-qualified”.

Speaking with reporters yesterday, Arotiba said Adedapo was a laboratory medicine specialist and a pathologist with over a decade of experience.

He said: “He is suitably qualified to assist the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, in directing laboratory services in the hospital. The MDCAN of UCH therefore takes exception to the terminological inexactitude in the statements and publications that are misleading and misinforming the public about the competence and quality of its member.

“All professionals in the health sector must put the patient at the centre of all activities in the hospital.”

Ondo farmers demand caretaker committee From Damisi Ojo, Akure

T

HE Farmers’ Commodity Association (FCA) in Ondo State has urged the state government to raise a caretaker committee to manage its affairs.

There has been a rivalry between two factions of the association, led by Mr. Joshua Oyedele and Mr. Akin Olotu.

This prompted the state government to seal off the farmers’ office in Akure, the state capital.

It was learnt that a refusal of the executives to leave office several months after their tenure expired sparked a row in the association.

Sources said efforts to set up a caretaker committee failed.

Speaking with reporters in Akure, a member of the FCA Mobilisation Committee, Mr. Bola Adetula, urged the government to encourage all farmers to register with the parent Commodity Association.

He reiterated the call that a percentage of the state’s Cocoa Development Fund (CDF) should be given to individual commodity associations directly as annual subventions to aid their operations.

Adetula said: “We also reiterate the call that elections into any umbrella body on agricultural affairs should be put on hold until the commodity associations are properly organised. The previous illegality of the former exco of the state’s Farmers’ Congress, which paraded itself as Farmers Congress/AFAN executive, holding double posts simultaneously within two separate bodies should be discouraged.”

•From left: Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State chapter, Comrade Gbenga Opadotun; former Editor-inChief, Tribune and Hall of Fame awardee, Mr. Felix Adenaike, being decorated by the Chief of Staff to the Oyo State Governor/ Chairman of the occassion, Dr. Adeolu Akande, during the presentation of awards at the Hall of Fame at the Press Centre in Ibadan...at the weekend.

PHOTO BY FEMI ILESANMI, IBADAN

One killed, two injured in Lagos Boy dies gate, but he was identified by MAN was killed yesaccidents someone in the angry mob in well terday at Haruna in

A

Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb, by a hit-and-run driver.

The incident occurred around 9am when policemen attached to Owutu Police Division, who were on patrol, attempted to impound a commercial bus and arrest its driver.

It was gathered that the policemen chased the driver, who allegedly committed a traffic offence, from Agric bus stop towards Ikorodu town.

Sources said the driver, who was driving recklessly, knocked down a man who was waiting for a bus by the roadside.

The victim, simply identified as Baba Peace, died on the spot.

His wife, who earlier escorted him to the junction, kept on crying out for help.

She was later taken to her house by sympathisers.

When the accident oc-

By Jude Isiguzo

curred, the policemen immediately turned back to avoid a mob action.

The police patrol vehicle veered off the road and raced into Wahab Avenue, before heading for Marwa Estate.

Youths and commercial motorcyclists went after them and the policemen started shooting into the air to scare them away.

They went into a compound in the estate, where they packed their vehicle.

They told the owner of the house that some robbers were after them and the man phoned the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Owutu Police Station, who immediately ordered reinforcement.

However, before the reinforcement arrived, one of the policemen changed into mufti and went out of the

that was waiting outside the gate.

He was held there until reinforcement arrived and set rescued him.

The body of the deceased was later taken away by policemen from Owutu Police Division and men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

Also yesterday, a bus driver fleeing from LASTMA officials, who wanted to arrest him for driving on the BRT lane, knocked down two pedestrians at Ketu bus stop, Lagos.

The bus driver escaped.

The incident occurred around 2pm.

The injured, a male and a female, were taken to a nearby hospital.

Attempts to speak with deputy police spokesman Damasus Ozoanifailed, as several calls to his cell phone were not answered.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

A

TWO-YEAR-OLD boy, Feranmi Oladeji, has fallen into a well in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The incident occurred on the premises of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Iyinrere in Ayedun Quarters during the Sunday service.

Sources said Oladeji was playing with his friends outside the church when he stepped on the planks that were covering the well.

The planks gave way and the boy fell into the well.

When the boy was confirmed dead, irate youths vandalised the church.

The pastor and members reportedly ran away when policemen from Okuta-Elerinla Police Division stormed the church.

Amosun: Ijebu-Ode bridges’ll be ready before next GUN State Governor kind of activities we envision Ojude-Oba Ibikunle Amosun here, going by the presence of

O

yesterday said the two bridges being built in Ijebu-Ode will be completed before the next Ojude-Oba festival.

The bridges are part of the ongoing expansion of the Mobalufon/Folagbade road.

Amosun spoke while inspecting the work done on the

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

road.

He said: “By the grace of God, the Folagbade Bridge and the one at Mobalufon junction will be ready before the next Ojude Oba. “I am sure that we are on

track. These roads projects will outlive us. They would be motorable for over 50 years.”

He said the ongoing IlisanAgo-Iwoye road project, when completed, would boost commercial activities in the area.

Amosun said: “With the

Apoje Farm and the proposed Cassava and Rice Mills in this axis, we need to put necessary things in place to enhance the movement of goods and people. I can see a Gateway State where people will link major towns and communities easily in the next two to three years.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Following the approval of Federal Executive Council, we have concluded arrangements to commence the construction of not just one, but five brand new world class international airport terminal.

- Ms Stella Oduah, Minister of Aviation

Naira falls on oil-imports demand

T

HE naira declined for a fifth day, reaching its lowest in more than five weeks on increased demand for dollars by oil importers and as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cut the amount of U.S. dollars sold at yesterday’s auction.

The naira weakened by 0.1 per cent to N158.83 per dollar, the lowest on a closing basis since March 14, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Nigeria relies on imports to cover 70 per cent of the fuel needs because of inadequate refining capacity. Those shipments into the country are a source of pressure on the naira, according to the CBN. The apex bank sold $246.5 million at an auction yesterday, compared with $266.2 million at the previous sale on April 17, it said in an emailed statement.

The naira weakened “on huge dollar demand by oil importers,” Access Bank analysts led by Tony Monye and Michael Ndiomu, wrote in a note. The drop in the CBN’s supply also added pressure on the naira, Tunde Ladipo, Chief Executive Officer of Lagos-based Valuechain Investment Limited, said by phone.

Borrowing costs on the nation’s local-currency debt due January, 2022, fell four basis points, or 0.4 per- centage point, to 11.44 percent, according to April 19 prices on the Lagos-based Financial Markets Dealers Association website.

Yields on Nigeria’s $500 million of Eurobonds due January 2021 fell three basis points to 4.04 per cent yesterday.

Ghana’s cedi retreated 0.3 percent to 1.9675 per dollar in Accra, the capital, the lowest on record.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil -$107/barrel Cocoa-$2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold -$1,800/troy ounce Rubber -¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N10.6 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -9% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending -22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $48b FOREX CFA -0.2958 EUR -206.9 £ -242.1 $ -156 ¥ -1.9179 SDR -238 RIYAL -40.472

•From left: Executive Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Mr Okechukwu Itanyi; Executive Vice Chairman, Dr Eugene Juwah; Chairman, House Committee on Communications, Mr Ojo Oyetunde; representative of the Senate President, Senator Tony Adeniyi and Chairman, NCC, Mr Peter Igho, at the launch of the Mobile Number Portability Scheme by the NCC in Lagos...yesterday.

NCC begins mobile number portability scheme

R

EGULATOR of the telecoms sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday in Lagos kicked off the implementation of the mobile number portability (MNP) scheme, saying the development will give subscribers freedom to choose which service provider to use.

Speaking yesterday at the event, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Eugen Juwah, said it is in furtherance of the commission’s vision of providing not only access to telecoms services to Nigerians at affordable cost, but also to continue to provide the required stimulus and appropriate environment for the introduction of innovative services that will impact on quality of telecoms service delivery.

The NCC also said that on-

By Lucas Ajanaku

going national registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card that kicked off in the country on February 28, 2011 will end soon.

“SIM card registration will come to an end very soon. We are collating data from the operators (and the agents commissioned by the NCC),” the EVC said, adding that data submitted to the commission by the operators and the agents it commissioned to carry out the exercise is being collated by the NCC. According to Juwah, MNP has been identified as one such services that could further deepen the competition in the telecoms market, adding that with the growing reliance and dependency on mobile communications for everyday socio-economic interactions.

“The vision of the commis-

sion is not only to provide access to telecom services to Nigerians at affordable cost but to also to continue to provide the required stimulus and appropriate environment for the introduction of innovative services that will impact on quality telecoms service delivery.

“Our mobile subscriber numbers have become our identity and in most cases, we are required to provide our mobile (telephone) numbers while filling out forms in opening bank accounts, making hotel and airline bookings.

“With the launch of MNP today, consumers of telecommunications services will no longer need to acquire new numbers in order to move from one network service provider to another.

They will simply take along their existing numbers along with them to any network of their choice. The

power and freedom of choice will, henceforth, rest with the consumer. If a consumer is dissatisfied with the quality of services being provided by a service provider, s/he can simply port out of that network to any network of his/her choice without losing his/her subscriber number,” Juwah said.

According to Juwah, with the launch of MNP, there will be no need for customers to engage in the usually painful exercise of trying to commit phone numbers to memory, neither will they need to frequently change complimentary cards, billboards, letter-heads and other corporate documents.

He added that MNP will revolutionise the way calls are being routed since the National Destination Codes (NDC), that is, the network prefix such as 0802, 0803, 0805, 0809 usually identified with operators will no longer play

the role of unique identifier.

He added that preparatory to the implementation of MNP, NCC adopted the ‘All Call Query (ACQ)’ option for routing calls and SMS in line with international best practice.

He pointed out that there are rules governing the process of customers porting from one network to another and regulating the implementation of by network providers.

“These rules are contained in the Mobile Number Portability Business Rules already published and available on the Commission’s website. In addition, the commission has also developed Regulations for Mobile Number Portability. It is anticipated that these documents will provide guidance, promote transparency and healthy competition among service providers,” the NCC chief said.

PPPRA saves N1.09t in fuel subsidies

F

OLLOWING the ongo ing reform in the down stream sector of the petroleum industry, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) saved N1.09 trillion on fuel subsidies paid to marketers that imported products last year.

The Executive Secretary of PPPRA, Reginald Stanley, made this known yesterday in Lagos while fielding question from reporters.

He said as a result of the stringent measures and controls applied in the petroleum products marketing and distribution arm of the oil industry, the agency was able to contain subsidy payment to N1 trillion as against N2.09 trillion spent in 2011.

He said the PPPRA, like any other industry regulator, is like the final arbiter when it comes to any of the sectors that are being regulated.

• Says refineries are down

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

He noted that though regulators are protected by immunity and cannot be sued. ‘’They are made of people with the highest level of integrity knowing that the decision they take are in the best interest of the citizenry. The regulators have to protect investment and consumers, therefore they cannot go away from a standard template that ensures transparency and creates a level playing field which will boost the confidence of investors coming into the business,” he added.

He said what led to his appointment as the PPPRA’s chief in November 2011 was as a result of a comprehensive reorganisation of the downstream oil and gas sector, which was carried out to ensure greater transpar-

ency, accountability, effectiveness and efficiency as well good governance consistent with public expectations, adding that he must stick to these ideals no matter how negatively it affects any company or individual.

In view of the mandate given him by the government, he has carried out some restructuring in the agency, including staff redeployments and organisational structure realignment, proper tracking of vessels, personnel training in competency building courses and automation of operations, among others.

He explained that following the restructuring and strengthening of the rules, there is improved compliance to guidelines and policies by marketers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

This development, he added, has resulted in achievement of 67 per cent reduction in the number of participants in the subsidy scheme, from 128 marketers in 2011 to 39 by end of 2012. He said the number reduced to 32, but because new filling stations were licensed, new participants were given permits to import fuel.

He said the ultimate goal is to make the sector selffinancing and self-sustaining to support a more robust national economy.“The maintenance of product supply stability in the last two years of my administration cannot be divorced from the wide industry networking capacity and expertise of the agency’s chief.

The ground rules have been set, if participant violates it, the person will be sent out.

He also said the refineries are not working as ex-

pected due to several problems and challenges. He said: “The refineries are not yet there, Warri and Port Harcourt refineries are down and Kaduna produces just about 1.2 million litres daily. On the performance of the refineries, the PPPRA assigned zero percent to it, just to be on the safe side.

So, whatever the refineries produce in a day is regarded as a bonus to us.

“The refineries are still being bedevilled by lack of crude supplies, breakage of lines, equipment breakdown and until we do thorough overhaul of the refineries, the supply of the refineries into the mix will probably not be more than 10 per cent.

Suggested that the Federal establish a strategic reserve company, and build a huge strategic reserve in the six geopolitical zones and stock it with products

12

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

BUSINESS NEWS

Govt to conclude PHCN workers’ severance payment in June T HE Federal Govern ment yesterday said it would settle all outstanding workers’ severance payments with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) before the end of June, this year.

The Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, said this at the Presidential Power Reform Transaction Signing ceremony in Abuja.

Though the government recorded an achievement in the power sector reform when it handed over certificates of 25 per cent payment for the first installment of the purchase of the PHCN generation and distribution companies, severance package for workers had remained a problem.

However, a representative of the Generation Companies

From John Ofikhenua and Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

(GENCOs), Tony Elumelu, said once the government removes the labour crisis barriers, the investors are ready to pay their 75 per cent balance instead of waiting for the expected six months.

Elumelu, the Chief Executive Officer, Transacorp & Woodlock Consortium, that invested in the Ughelli Power Pant, urged the government to resolve the outstanding labour issues.

“The Hon. Minister has said it will be concluded before the end of June. Some of us are ready to pay the balance of 75 per cent today and go on. But we do not want the labour is-

sue to affect us,“ he stressed.

Already, the Federal Government has appropriated N45billion in the 2013 budget for settlement of labour arrears. President Goodluck Jonathan approved N348billion for the same payment.

The deficit, said the Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power (PTFP) Dagogo Jack, could be raised from other sources, such as proceeds of the PHCN privatisation.

He said: “There are other sources to fund the settlement.

If you come to the conclusion that there is only N45billion in appropriation, that means

there is no money. You might not be right. It is a government responsibility. You just have to act in good faith that the government will find a way.”

Nebo said there is an installed generation capacity of 6,000MW, while generation capacity has risen to 5,228MW, with a peak generation at slightly above 4,500mega watts (mw).

He explained that despite the increase in power generation, the power sector needs a robust transmission grid.“Currently, our transmission grid remains a weak link with a wheeling capacity of about 4,800MW,” he said.

He pointed out that with the government’s policy to achieve 10,000MW in 2014 and 20,000MW in 2016, the need

to expand the transmission capability is imminent.

He said: “A total capital outlay $3.4billion is required up to 2016 to bring our transmission grid to evacuate all the generated power. Government is working out the funding of Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN’s) long term expansion plan for a mix which will include the Transmission Development Fund, International Development Banks and multilateral agencies.”

Jack listed the foreign organisations involved in the funding of the power sector to include Chinese, German and of Japanese origin, saying they offered very low interest rate in the transaction.

PIB: Host communities demand gas flare penalty cash • Northcentral states seek reduction of Minister’s power From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt and Victor Oluwasegun, Ilorin

L

EADERS of host com munities of oil and gas producing states in Niger Delta have called on the Federal Government to stop paying gas flare penalty into the Federation Account.

They said such funds should be paid to them instead.

They stated this in a memorandum they submitted to the House of Representatives Committee on the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) at the Presidential Hotel, Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The host communities said they would no longer tolerate the present formula of paying gas flare penalty into the Federation Account.

In the memorandum presented by Ajobo Edward to the Chairman, House of Representative Adhoc Committee on PIB, Hon. Ishaka Bawa, he said the host communities are the ones bearing the pains of gas flare.

“The host communities have by the reason of this hearing decided that henceforth the gas flare penalty should not be paid into the Federation Account, because the host communities do not share the pains of the devastating effect of our environment with anybody and so the money should not be shared with anybody.

“Oil and gas is treated as a national asset, but the same cannot be said of gas flaring and its environmental implications to its immediate environment. This section must be expanded to include payment of gas fines to the communities through host oil and gas communities.

The host communities also demanded the establishment of petroleum host communities’ trust fund.

“We need the establishment of host communities’ petroleum trust fund to manage 10 per cent profit to be paid to host communities,” they added.

Meanwhile, Hon. Ishaka Bawa, the Chairman House of Representative Adhoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill, said: “The House quickly swung into action by taking the bill through first and second readings before committing it to this Adhoc Committee for further legislative action.

“I wish to report here that the Adhoc Committee has so far undertaken extensive work on the bill leading to today’s public hearing.

Meanwhile, states in the Northcentral geo-political zone of the country have kicked against the power of the Minister in the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

They said the sweeping powers granted the Minister in Section 6 of the PIB will lead to abuse, if not toned down or completely removed.

Speaking during the Northcentral zonal hearing on the PIB organised by the House of Representatives yesterday, Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfata Ahmed, said Section Six of the proposed bill is worrisome.

13

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23 , 2013

PROPERTY

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

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

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

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

•One of the affected streets, Arowolo Street, Abule-Egba.

‘Losing our land means losing our lives’ For landlords of houses on three streets — Arowolo, Akinola and Onitiri — in Ojokoro, AbuleEgba on the outskirts of Lagos, the hope of retaining their houses appears slim. A 1987 court ruling, enforced on the land in 2009, has brought about unending legal brickbats. A future without their properties stares them in the face, reports SEYI ODEWALE

S

EGUN Gbadamosi, a pensioner, who retired as a Chief Superintendent of Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Border, in 2004, never had an inkling that 41 years after he had fully paid for his two plots of land, and 35 years after he had moved into the house he built on the land, he would be tagged an ‘alien’ on his land, courtesy of a 1987 court ruling.

His number 57, Arowolo Street, Mile 16 ½, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Abule-Egba Ojokoro residence, came under the threat of bulldozers in 2009 in a bid to enforce a 1987 court judgment, which ceded his land and those of others to another family, different from the one he bought the land from.

He is not alone. His neighbour, Olusegun Akinola of 50, Olusegun Akinola Street, who also retired from Incar Nigeria Limited in 1993 as a General Manager, is equally running from pillar to post to save his property. His house of about 40 years is facing a similar threat. So are many others, such as those belonging to Johnson Popoola; Jonathan Anuibe Adewale Shola; Madam Adisatu Bankole and Mr Oyewumi on the three streets - Arowolo, Olusegun Akinola and Onitiri - at Mile 16 ½ Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway, Ojokoro, Abule Egba; an area comprising 32.5 acres of land.

They are faced with the dilemma of losing their houses and land.

To them, the thought of losing their

properties is a nightmare that has refused to go. The land has been a subject of litigation and counter-litigation over its ownership for many years.

“About 120 homes and houses would be destroyed; several families would be displaced; many would be made to suffer for what they knew nothing about and many more people may be forced into crime or be made to do what may be inimical to the peace of the area and the state at large, if justice is misplaced on the land,” said Gbadamosi.

The trouble with the land, Gbadamosi, who is the Chairman, Landlords’ Association of the streets in question, said, started on August 7, 2009, when forms ‘O’ (certificates of execution of warrant of possession) were served on them, taking possession of their lands and houses by the Carenna family, which was said to have won a 1987 High Court case on the land.

“We were rudely shocked that day when we saw people with armed uniformed men come with bulldozers to pull down our fences and houses. We were helpless and watched hopelessly as their machines destroyed some of our properties. We bore the brunt of what we knew nothing about,” he said.

While the ‘invasion’ lasted, Gbadamosi said he and others ran to the Iyanru family, which they knew as the original owners of the land.

“We went to the family and they assured us that nobody would take our land away from us. To them, it was a cruel joke. They showed us the original Deed of Conveyance of the land, which covered a vast area from SangoOta in Ogun State to the Abattoir in Agege.”

Recalling the genesis of the problem with the land, Gbadamosi, said: “I bought my land in 1972 and, by 1978, I had built and moved into my house, so had others like me. I think the trouble began in 1980 when Carenna family went to court; they accused the Akinlase family, a branch of the Inyanru family, of encroaching on its land.”

He continued: “The matter went on for so long, for over 20 years. But within the first 10 years, precisely in 1987, Carenna family, who took Akinlase to court, won. This was because Akinlase, through a member of the larger Iyanru family, was not seen as representing the Iyanru family. Iyanru Chieftaincy family of Ogun and Lagos states owns the land. I actually saw the Deeds of Conveyance made in 1930s covering Sango to Abattoir in Agege.”

The judge in his declaration said, inter alia: “In the statement of defence filed on behalf of the 5th-9th, defendants, the Defendants (others joined with Akinlase in the case) averred in paragraph three that they are the owners in possession of all that large area of land situate at Ojokoro in Lagos State as an estate of

inheritance under Yoruba Native Law and Custom.

“Other paragraphs alleged one thing or the other which required oral evidence to be given. Since the defendants have failed to appear, and to give evidence, I am bound to consider the only evidence before. I am, therefore, satisfied that the plaintiff (Carenna family) is entitled to the declaration of title asked for by virtue of the evidence before me which is in line with principles laid down by Coker JSC in the case of Olujebu of Ijebu v Oso, Eleda of Eda as regards trespass, there is evidence before me that the plaintiffs were in possession until 1980 when the defendants entered.” Akinlase’s failure to prosecute the case and present evidence at Justice Fernandez’s court made him and others joined in the suit to lose the case.

Justice Fernandez said: “I hereby declare the plaintiffs (Carenna family) as entitled to the property situate at Ojokoro Mile 16 ½ (Abule-Egba) AgegeAbeokuta Road in Lagos State and covered by a Deed of Conveyance known as No. 38 page 39 in Volume 987 in Lagos •Continued on page 16

14

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

15

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

16

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT ‘Losing our land means losing our lives’ •Continued from page 13

State Registry of Lands.”

“But a member of Iyanru family, Chief Jimoh Arowolo, now late, on behalf of himself and Olarokun family, another branch of the Iyanru family, filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal. Although he was not a party to the earlier case, but he sought to be joined as a party to prosecute the appeal,” Gbadamosi said.

Arowolo’s appeal, he said, could not sail through.

“On November 24, 1994, his appeal was dismissed. But he was not satisfied with that. He went on to appeal to the Supreme Court in Appeal No. SC.65/1965. While his appeal was pending at the apex court, the man also in Suit No ID/ 313/94 instituted a fresh action against the Plaintiffs, who are also Respondents in the appeal, asking for four prayers,” Gbadamosi said, reading from a certified copy of the Supreme Court judgment.

He continued: “In March 1999, his September 22, 1995 appeal in suit SC.65/1965 was dismissed for want of diligent prosecution. On January 25, 1999, Chief Jimoh Arowolo filed another application for stay of execution of the ruling of the lower court, but he lost. In July 2001, he appealed against it and won. His victory was short-lived as he was taken to the Supreme Court. The presiding judge, F.F. Tabai (JSC), set aside the appeal and the Appeal Court judgment of Moni Fafiade of March 2000, which endorsed the High Court’s declaration, was upheld. But while the cases were on, Arowolo died. This was a huge setback for the entire family.”

The issue has not been laid to rest as series of litigations are still pending in different courts and this has compounded the fear of the affected landlords. At some point, some of them came up with an idea of amicable settlement, whereby they would repurchase the land.

Representations were said to be made to the Carenna family, but

they did not make any headway.

“Although we are still exploring legal options available, we have not foreclosed amicable resolution of the matter. Some of us went to negotiate with Carenna’s family lawyer to see how we can salvage our land, but the family seemed insensitive.The amount they are demanding is outrageous. They are asking us to pay N6 million per plot for the land most of us had built on about four to five decades back. We even made our position known to them, but they flatly refused,” Gbadamosi said.

Showing photocopies of cheques drawn in favour of Carenna family by some of the landlords, which were rejected,Gbadamosi said the Carenna family does not seem to agree to an amicable settlement.

Seven persons: John Popoola; Olusegun Akinola; Oyewumi; Mrs Mosunmola; Jonathan Anuibe; Madam Adisatu Bolanle and Adewale Shola through their lawyer, Victor Kolade &Co., on February 28, 2011, wrote to the counsel to Carenna family, Mrs Bisi Awonuga and offered to pay N3 million per plot and N150,000 as legal fees to be spread over two years. To show their seriousness, they attached cheques drawn in favour of Carenna family. It was delivered on March 3 of the same year.

“But the letter accompanying the cheques was received and the cheques returned. Consequently, Mrs Awonuga wrote a reply on March 15, to acknowledge the receipt of the letter from Kolade’s Chambers and the rejection of the offer. On May 11, 2011 counsel to the seven landlords wrote again to increase the offer to N4 million per plot. But this had no effect as no response was got,” Gbadamosi said.

What was to later bring fear into minds of the people was the issuance of Form 48, which is notice of consequence of disobedience to court order to the landlords on November 4, 2011. “The order put us on the edge and we are

•One of the houses affected by the ruling.

‘

‘

The amount they are demanding is outrageous. They are asking us to pay N6 million per plot for the land most of us had built on about four to five decades back. We even made our position known to them, but they flatly refused.

’

hopelessly helpless,” he said.

“While we are still battling with Form 48 order, Form 49, order of committal to prison for disobeying a court order was issued on the 21st of the same month. And this has left us where we are. Not only this, there have been instances of direct physical attacks on us by the alleged agents of Carenna family. Last January, I was short at and I almost lost my life. The Police investigator told me that the people behind it

are very powerful. According to him, they see me as the only obstacle to their ambition of taking over the land. They said I know so much about the land, hence I must be removed,” Gbadamosi said.

Carenna family’s lawyer, Mrs Awonuga, however, dismissed the landlords’ claim. To her, their ‘noise’ is just to attract sentiments to themselves.

“I hope you know that the case has gone to the Supreme Court and back and the apex court’s decision is final,” she said on phone.

She continued: “They are not telling the truth about the case. Some of them have gone to court to challenge the Supreme Court’s judgment. But, quite a number of them are complying. Some have fully paid up while others are making attempts to pay.”

On the price the landlord were asked to pay, she said: “Initially, we agreed with them to pay N4 million, but we later discovered that some of them are not sincere. Some went to court to seek injunctions and you know that we are paying money to look after the land. We

pay N1 million monthly on the land and we have to recoup the money.”

But Gbadamosi said: “While the legal battle is on I believe we can get a way around this imbroglio. I think the family should be reasonable enough by shifting ground. If after building on a land bought over 40 years ago, someone is now asking for N6 million per plot from pensioners, widows, widowers and the aged to be paid afresh, then we should ask ourselves what our values are? Where am I going to get that kind of money? I don’t want to leave debt for my children when my father never left any debt for me,” Gbadamosi said with emotion.

“I would suggest that the families involved meet and settle out of court.

We have seen instances like this and hell was not let loose. I remember a similar issue happened in Ilupeju area of the state. The family who won the case did not bring bulldozers to pull down all the houses in Ilupeju. The same happened in Papa Ashafa, Agege between The Apostolic Church and residents of the area, involving about 15 streets, stretching to about 42,000 acres. Heaven did not fall. I think it was resolved amicably,” he said.

Fed Govt, Ondo commit $5m to UN-Habitat partnerships

T

HE Federal Government and Ondo State have pledged $5 million to boost the work of the global city agency. The contribution was announced at the 24th Governing Council Meeting of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) which ended at the weekend in Nairobi Kenya.

The contributions comprised $3 million through the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, aimed at research and strengthening UNHabitat’s engagement with Habitat Agenda Partners and other non-governmental actors across sub-Saharan Africa and, $2 million from Ondo State, to be used in preparing a range of programmes, such as slum upgrading, youth empowerment schemes, local economic enterprises, and land reform in the state.

The Nation learnt that the new partnerships will enhance Nigeria’s status among emerging economies supporting UN-Habitat with core funds. The continental initiative is aimed at mobilising and building the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and nongovernmental actors towards a New African Urban Agenda, which focuses on transformational initiatives and governance, anchored on the core values of transparency and inclusiveness.

African countries have been actively engaged with the urban challenge over the past two de-

cades. Following the African Union’s Decision 29 in 2003, African countries established the African Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (AMCHUD) in 2005, and have addressed themselves at national levels to the challenge of urban poverty, slums and access to land for development.

This initiative is aimed strengthening the second and third legs of the engagement with private sector firms and civil society actors as the continent prepares itself to benefit from urbanisation.

The New Urban Agenda recognises Africa as a rising continent which prosperity will be shaped by its cities as the drivers of growth, equity and sustainability. It is expected that the process will contribute to a shared vision for sustainable urban development.

The Ondo State initiative is coming on the heels of a N100 million partnership brokered between Osun State and the UN Habitat in July last year, under which Structure Plans are being developed for nine cities in the state, namely: Oshogbo, Ile Ife, Ilesa, Iwo, Ede, Ejigbo, Ila Orangun, Ikire and Ikirun.

Earlier, the partnership had seen the completion of Structure Plans for three cities in Anambra State (Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi), as well as work nearing completion on masterplans for four cities in Nasarawa State (Lafia, Doma, Keffi and Karu).

In Ondo State, the administra-

Stories by Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst. Editor

tion has risen to the urgency of governance and is addressing the needs of its people through programmes that touch and impact on peoples livelihoods. The Governor who is a winner of UNHabitat’s Scroll of Honour pledged to further the recognition by aligning the State’s development priorities with the new vision of UN-habitat.

The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms.

Pepple, said: “The New Urban Agenda recognises that Africa’s prosperity will be shaped by its cities as the drivers of growth, equity and sustainability. It is expected that the process will contribute to a shared vision for sustainable urban development”.

According to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, “The collaboration between UN-Habitat and the Ondo State government that we are here to formalise today is to ensure that together we are able to transform our vision to reality in the areas of

youth employment, urban economic development, urban infrastructure rehabilitation and better land reform management. To us, these areas are strategic and important for both individual development and improved state economic growth.”

Un-Habitat Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos commended “the energy and freshness brought in

by Nigeria’s move”, and expressed hope that other countries in the global South would follow suit.

‘Lagos not deterred by flimsy court cases’

T

HE Lago State Government will not be distracted by flimsy court cases in its pursuit of delivering competitive infrastructure in the state, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Femi Hamzat, has said.

Hamzat, who spoke over the weekend in response to the current status of Lekki/Ikoyi floating bridge and Okota Road, which have been dogged by several litigations, said the court case on the first cable-stayed bridge in West Africa, the LekkiIkoyi Link Bridge, has not affected its inauguration. The government is more concerned with ensuring the delivery of a safe bridge by the contractor, he said.

He said the bridge was restricted to tippers, tankers and trailers considering the location.

On Ago Palace Road, he said

the contractor had moved back to site after an amiable out-of-court settlement with some landlords.

He said several roads roads would be delivered by July, including Ozumba/Mbadiwe, Ayobo/Ipaja road, Ajao /Ejigbo road and Idimu/Ejigbo, while the Second Lekki/ Epe toll plaza will take–off as soon as stakeholders agree on a date, he added.

Hamzat also said 82 new roads of 112.75km have been added to the state’s infrastructure stock, but stressed the need for the public to protect them. On the choice of roads to build, he said they were undertaken in a manner that reflected the need to develop all parts of the state and not any sectional interest.

Hamzat noted that the state government has incorporated the period of rainfall into its master plan, thereby including the up-

grading and construction of drainage channels in a way that it will properly discharge water from the roads, bearing in mind that Lagos is a coastal city.

On the 13.5km Ikorodu six-lane expansion project, with a dedicated BRT lane on both sides, the commissioner said the state is satisfied with the pace of work done. He further emphasised that it requires patience and commitment from citizens for government to deliver an enduring infrastructure.

On the major challenges of road development, he said the government constantly undertakes soil test, soil replacement with enormous cost implications.

Hamzat frowned at the careless attitude of the public to several infrastructure provided by the governemnt by incessant vandalism of road furniture and public utilities by traders, and artisans.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

17

ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Fed Govt urged to invest in large power plants T

HE Federal Government has been urged to look for investors with capacity to build large power generation plants.

A partnering Group comprising Cummins Power Generation, Gentec and Leventis AG, also said it would be appropriate for the authority to centralise generation and reinforce the distribution segment of the power value chain.

They spoke at the inauguration of its business support office in Lagos over the weekend.

Cummins’ President, Power Generation, Tony Satterthwaite and Director, Power Generation, Africa, Satish Jayaram, said the group supports the on-going privatisation.

“It makes sense, but I think the government should reinforce distribution and centralise generation and find investors to build large generation plants, such as 200MW to 1000MW, and also incorporate small investors that

•Centralise generation

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

should build 10-50MW. “We think government should include all those options because it makes sense,” they added.

They said the government has a huge gap of power deficit to make up and it is investors in the small scale power plants, such as Cummins, that can fill the gap.

Government is focusing only on the large scale power plants, nothing is wrong with it, but there is struggle there because the investment is large, risky and our investment is smaller and less risky. The large plants are good for long term purposes, he argued.

They cautioned that government should understand that the cost of not having power is much more than having power and the value of having power all the time. It

should open the space for small, medium and large solutions providers,” they said.

The firms said they have invested about $50million, including assets in the power sector.

He said the joint venture would bring much value to Nigeria in terms of training, knowledge transfer and job creation. The partnership with Gentec would bring additional employment for almost 100 Nigerians, admitting that opportunities and the market in Nigeria are huge.

“Cummins Energy Solutions Nigeria with Gentec will provide reliable, turnkey, cost-effective gas based power plants in Nigeria. We provide the entire life cycle of a power plant. The investment that we have made is to allow the business to provide the engineering procurement, construction and

maintenance of gas power plants in Nigeria.

“Three key things the joint venture will bring, include bringing up world class Nigerian engineers that will design, do the engineering, procure, produce and install these projects. It assures of training and regular jobs for Nigerians. In the three joint ventures, we have 400 employees, and with the Gentec JV, another 100 jobs will be created.

“The Gentec synergy brings significant knowledge and capability of the engineering construction and procurement in Nigeria, combined with the strength of the Cummins product, which is a world class product and globally

‘40% of oil output expected from marginal fields’

T

•From left: Satterthwaite; Jayaram; and Chief Internal Auditor of the firm, Robert Herdman, at the event.

‘Skills development ‘ll boost oil & gas industry’

B

UILDING relevant skills through training and retraining of university graduates will advance the oil and gas industry and yield more revenue to the government, Human Resources, Oando Energy Resources, Ernest Mpi, has said .

He appealed to stakeholders in the industry to look at building the right skills so that young school leavers can get jobs and support the economy.

He said there are many graduates without relevant skills that can get those jobs in the industry.

He called for well-thought out trainings for potential employees, saying that Nigerians in Diaspora were not willing to return home to take up emerging roles. This, he said, had led to a reduction in the available team to support the everrising drilling demand.

Mpi, who said he was passionate about the oil and gas industry, restated his commitment to building

By Ambrose Nnaji

the basic structure that would exploit meaningful development in the sector.

He said the company plans to address manpower requirements in the next 10 years, adding that the company is developing the capacity to fill relevant positions in that project.

He said: “We are not only developing for ourselves, we are also developing for the industry at large because by and large we are training more people than required.

That’s our contribution to developing capacity as it relates to the oil and gas industry.

“We have different programmes that are drawn from our objectives and those programmes basically address the midlevel manpower requirement, which is where we have a big gap in the industry.”

He identified unavailability of trained and competent personnel, large skills gap from potential hires,

and the role of experts in key positions within the drilling contractors’ organisation as part of challenges confronting the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

Mpi said the workforce, which was trained by the multinational oil firms, is ageing without a replacement in sight. He attributed the development to lack of a structure to transfer knowledge from ageing staff, investment by stakeholders, especially public-private partnership, government’s inability to buy into providing support and lack of infrastructure to drive further the educational curriculum in institutions.

He added that the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) needs to be reassessed to be in harmony with changing dynamics.

He said the company is training offshore installation managers, middle level supervisory staff, drillers, assistant drillers, and truck pushers, among others.

known and, which brings huge opportunity in the partnership.

“We have 200MW of this solution installed in Nigeria. The major consumer is the industries, which include Heineken, and Cornflower. We provide low cost energy, heat and electricity for the industries, but most importantly, reliable power that is much cheaper than diesel,” he added.

Satterthwaite said Cummins is versatile in the business of cogeneration and captive power solution provision globally, even in places where energy is reliable. He said there are many cases in developed economies where customers choose to go with the firm’s power solution.

HE Federal Government is putting measures in place to increase oil reserves and production from marginal fields’ contributions to the country’s reserves base and output meaningful.

The Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Osten Olorunsola, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Upstream Division, Samuel Obiorah, at an event in Lagos, last week, said the marginal fields account for only 1.6 per cent of the nation’s oil reserves of about 36 billion barrels and 2.1 per cent of the total oil production, which stands at between 2.1 and 2.3 million barrels daily.

He said government’s plan is to make reserves and production from the marginal fields to account for 40 per cent of the nation’s oil reserves and production in the next 10 years.

Obiorah, who spoke at a commemorative seminar on “Ten years of marginal oil field development in Nigeria,” organised by Nigerian Energy Digest, said part of government’s plan is to merge marginal fields that have low reserves in order to make the reserves substantial, adding that unlike what obtained in the 2003 bid round where some fields had less than 2.1 million barrels reserves, the next marginal field bid round, will ensure that each field would have not less than five million barrels reserves. To achieve this, fields with low reserves would be merged.

“Our target is that in 10 years, we would see a situation where the marginal fields would produce up to 30 and 40 per cent. A lot needs to be done. There has been one problem or the other. I would not say we have achieved up to expectation, but we would surely get there. We have learnt our lessons and remedial measures are being put in place to address the issues.

“The fields with low reserves, but in the same concession would be merged together so as to get something appreciable. Unlike the fields awarded in the 2003 bid round, where we have some with less than two million barrels of crude reserves, this time, we are aiming at five million barrels and above,” he said.

He said a marginal field is one that has reserves, but has remained unproductive for a period of over 10 years for some reasons. He noted that the frequent reasons usually cited for non-production of these fields by

By Ambrose Nnaji

holding operating companies, include uneconomic reserves, prevalence of gas not fully appraised, location in areas where there are difficult terrain, or inaccessible to existing evacuation facilities, especially pipelines.

He said that several marginal fields have been identified by the DPR and these are located in concessions held by Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Total, Agip and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), adding that these marginal fields have a total estimated reserve in excess of 600 million barrels He said that because those reserves were small, it was difficult to attract financial partners, “but now we want to award marginal fields with reserves much more than five million barrels and above, assuring that investors as well as technical partners would surely come in.

He also noted that the marginal fields would be awarded on the condition that the partners would agree to work together, adding that they must find a joint operating agreement before the final agreement would be executed.

The DPR boss explained that some of the challenges confronting the industry are the unwillingness of some operators to work with each other, as well as community related issues.

Some of the operators, he added, continue to fight themselves unnecessarily, but assured that the differences would be addressed as soon as possible.

On financing challenges faced by marginal fields’ owners, he said challenges arose because the reserves of those fields were small. He, however, believed that with good reserves, foreign financial partners would come in to invest.

He noted that the DPR is not in control of the banks and therefore cannot be in a position to negotiate a reduction in interest rates for industry players, saying, if they have financial partners they would be able to fund all the operations in the marginal field.

“Every business has its inherent risks. But for a field to be branded marginal, there must be a discovery in that field. So, if there is a discovery in any field, we expect the awardees to simply provide the facility where you can tie in those things. But if they don’t do anything, then the government might not be in a position to help them,” he said.

18

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

ENERGY

NDPHC to contribute over 45% of total power supply by December T HE Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) that superintends the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) has said it will contribute about 4,200 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the national grid by December.

This will be over 45 per cent of the 9000MW generation targeted by the Federal Government by end of the year.

The Managing Director of NDPHC, Mr James Olotu, made the promise in Lagos when the company inaugurated some distribution substations and control panels in some parts of the state.

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

He said: “NIPP is contributing about 1,900MW to the 4,300MW that is currently available in the system. By December, out of the expected 9,000MW that will be available, NIPP will be contributing nothing less than 4,200MW, which means NIPP will be contributing about 50 per cent of the entire capacity of power that is available in Nigeria.”

He also explained that the cause

of poor power supply experienced across the country a few weeks ago was as a result of maintenance of some of the gas plants by gas producing companies, which led to shut down of such plants, assuring that the company will be able to meet the December deadline of completing all NIPP projects.

He went on: “We are moving in the right direction and the evidence are these facilities we are inaugurating. We will continue to

commission projects. Come December, we will be able to deliver significant number of projects and God willing, the power supply in Nigeria will change for good.

“The reason there was inadequate gas supply a few weeks ago, was because some of the gas producers had to shut down to maintain their facilities. That accounted for the dip in power supply.The facilities have been turned around and they flow more gas now than they used to do because they have expanded the facilities. Currently, the gas problems are being solved and we making progress in that direction. As a result of the synergy among stakeholders in the industry, by December all the gaps we have in the value chain would have significantly been addressed and Nigeria will not be the same thing in terms of power supply God willing.

“Besides, some of the power plants, which are the primary source of power supply are at various completion stages and by the time they are completed by December, the power supply will be stable.

The contractor handling Egbema, Omoku and Gbarain plants promised to complete them by August and with all these projects coming on stream, Nigerians’ expectations will not be cut short.”

He said as gas supply continues to improve, more of the NIPP projects will continue to come on

stream and the transmission and distribution companies will continue to harness every available generation to ensure that stable electricity is delivered to customers.

The Chief Executive Officer of Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Oladele Amoda, also noted that with the inauguration of the facilities in Lagos, there would be significant improvement in power supply as the company has the capacity to evacuate more power for customers.

He further said: “The inaugurated projects will enable us cover more customers. The load-shedding that has been going on in some areas will be stopped because of this addition in capacity. Hitherto some of the old equipment, such as obsolete switch gears, which have been giving us concern and make us unable to supply optimally have been replaced. With the inauguration of these new facilities, I will be able to guarantee fairly steady supply to the customers.

“Our doors are open to our customers to bring their complaints with the assurance of prompt response,’’adding that customers should pay their bills promptly to enable the company to discharge its duties effectively.

Over 7x 15MVA distribution substation and three control panels at different formations, including Isolo, Ojo, Yaba and Ijora, among others built under the NIPP projects were inaugurated by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Power, Lanre Egberongbe, Olotu.

Expert harps on import of waste management •From left: Egberongbe; Amoda; Project Manager Lot 9 EEDC, Michael Bolaji; Olotu; and Field Project Manager, NIPP, EEDC, Jerry Obrutu, during the inauguration.

WAGPCo to engage Navy in pipeline protection

T

HE West African Gas Pipeline Company (WAGPCo) is to engage the Nigeria Navy in the protection of its pipelines as the firm prepares to resume operation.

The vandalism of its pipelines near Lome in Togo has kept the firm out of operation for over seven months.

The General Manager, Corporate Affairs of the company, Harret Wereko-Brobby, told The Nation during a facility tour of the company in Badagry, Lagos that it would engage the Navy of the four countries (Nigeria, Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana) where the company’s pipelines passed to protect the facility from attack.

Specifically, she said the Nigerian Navy will be engaged to help protect the pipelines against sand mining, adding that the arrangement would be extended to protect the offshore aspect of the pipeline. The company has lodged several complaints about the activities of sand miners in the Lagos area of its operation, which it said threatens the safety of the pipeline.

On conclusion of the arrangement, a combined team of Naval officers from Ghana and Togo would work with their Benin Republic counterparts to patrol the pipelines. She also said WAGPCo would work with the ministry to engage the Naval authorities so that there would be sub-regional cooperation to protect the entire pipeline in the offshore installation She said: “It is necessary because we want to make sure that the ships and the fishing community

By Ambrose Nnaji

respect the pipeline protection zones that we have. It is compulsory for us to keep them from anchoring close to the pipeline so that similar damage does not occur again. We hope that through this arrangement, the pipeline would be protected against damage.”

She said the company would continue to have periodic engagement with the media to inform the public about the progress of the company’s activities.

“Because there is action going on towards the re-inauguration of the pipelines and some of the activities, we felt that we should bring you here to come and see what is going on and for you also to see that there is no flaring going on here,”she said.

She said the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Lagos State Environmental Protection have confirmed that the gas flaring that

occurred as part of cleaning the pipeline in preparation for resumption of operation was within limit.

The WAGPCo Station Supervisor, Agboola Olugbenga, said the company has made remarkable progress in its efforts to bring back the pipeline into service. He said the re-inauguration of the gas pipelines has been contracted out. He added that the company is committed to ensuring that the water and debris that got into the pipeline were completely removed.

He said: “What we are doing now is the final cleaning base. We need this gas pipeline to be as clean as possible because we don’t want to supply gas that is out of specification to our customers. It is very good for us to ensure that the pipeline we would be using for our business is very clean. The pipeline has been repaired we need to clean out all the dirt that would have gone inside when the pipeline was exposed under the sea.”

T

O secure lives and the environment where oil and gas exploration and production are carried out, such as the Niger Delta region, there must be adequate waste management system, an operator has said.

The Project Coordinator, Titan Integrated Environmental Management Limited, Andrew Ellea, who spoke with The Nation in Abuja, said the host communities have a duty to mandate the oil companies operating in their areas to establish a waste management company that would ensure that the waste being generated from their activities are properly managed.

He said exploration and production sometimes result in accidental discharge of oil into the environment, which distorts the originality of the area.

According to him, oil spills create environmental hazards, loss of the natural habitat and inability of the impacted area to sustain plant and human life.

He said it was in view of the anticipated hazards that his company urged the host communities to ensure that oil companies operating in their areas put in place waste

Masters Energy chief bags honorary doctorate

T

HE President, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Mr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, will this Friday be conferred with a honorary Doctor of Business Administration (Honoris Causa) at a special convocation of the Abia State University, Uturu.

Ogah will be honoured with the award in recognition of his enterprise, versatility and achievements in business. He is a successful businessman with interest in banking, aviation, shipping, agriculture, construction, insurance, and security, among others.

Ogah had a distinguished career in banking before leaving the industry.

A consummate businessman, master planner and strategist with a creative mind, Ogah is a Fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Shipping, among other professional bodies.

He is a recipient of many local and international awards, including the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

•Ogah

management companies that would effectively handle these waste by converting them from toxic elements to detoxicants.

He said even though there are regulatory bodies, sometimes some of the oil companies evade the laws.

He advised that even during drilling, communities should ensure that they have waste management companies that would effectively handle these waste. “It is your duty to safeguard the environment you live in to ensure that whoever that is exploring oil in your community has a waste management company that would handle waste,” he said.

Ellea said Titan Project Nigeria Limited has introduced a technology known as the Thermal Desorption Unit (TDU) in Forcados terminal, among other facilities for the management of oil fields’ waste.

The company has also introduced the Titan Integrated Environmental Waste Management. This process, he said, would not only handle the oil and gas wastes, but also handle municipal and solid waste. He said the process is still ongoing because the company is yet to conclude agreement with the Federal and Rivers State Government.

He said the company provides its services to many exploration and production companies, including Shell, Elf, Addax and ExxonMobil within and around the Niger Delta region.

Titan facilities, he said, handles tank bottom sludge, hydrocarbon contaminated waste, oil and water based drilling/cuttings, pipeline pigging waste and obsolete chemicals. He explained that the waste generated from exploration and production is drawn into the TDU and what is left after the treatment is broken down into detoxicants in such a way that what is given out into the air eventually is a gaseous element, which he said, is safe for the environment.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

19

COMMENTARY FROM OTHER LANDS

EDITORIALS

Billionaire debtors again!

•The lenders should be named and shamed as part of ways to clean the Augean stables

T

HERE are several ways to view the report that billionaire debtors earlier blacklisted by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) are back in warm embrace of the nation’s lenders. The first is to underscore the farce in the high drama of naming and shaming them; the other is indicative of the extent to which the culture of impunity in the sector has not only endured but metastasised; the third merely acknowledges how far the nation is down the ladder of global best practices.

Last September, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had rolled out the names of individuals and corporate bodies barred from further accessing credit from the financial system. The companies were 113 in number, with additional names of 419 directors/shareholders.

The apex bank had explained at the time, that it was forced to wield the big stick because of the reluctance of the debtors to meet their obligations to AMCON, after the latter purchased the debts.

Today, both the CBN and AMCON have enough stories to tell about the toxic loans that were products of bad credit decisions by the lenders oftentimes acting in collusion with unscrupulous borrowers. Indeed, a good number were no more than avenues to steal depositors’ funds – with no considerations about paying back. Aside the fact that the loans were huge, most were granted in grave violation of relevant credit guidelines, and in almost all cases, poorly documented.

Which was why the idea of shutting the culprits out of credit until they had purged themselves of their pathology was considered a just and fitting penalty.

We understand that in the shifting terrain of business and the economy, there can be no such thing as a sacrosanct list of debtors. This is at least as far as those who took the loans are willing to engage their creditors for amicable settlement on mutually agreed terms. Asides – we find no merit in criminalising the debts, so long as the debtors are willing to engage.

There are in fact, indications that some of the debtors on the original list have either made good on their obligations or had their debts restructured. This is where regular, periodic update of the debtors’ list by the CBN would have made eminent sense if only to avail the nation of information on the progress being made, given the publicity that greeted the publication of the list.

Now to the issue of pathological debtors said to have found ways round the CBN regulation barring them from the financial system despite neglecting to meet their debt obligations. What the development indicates is that nothing has changed – that decisions about credit are still hardly about issues of credit-worthiness of borrowers but other extraneous considerations. It is also indicative of how far the CBN’s message of diligence in credit administration is yet to sink among banks. For an industry that expended a whopping N3 trillion to clear its Augean stables of toxic debts, the development

must come as deeply troubling, a test of the apex bank’s resolve to punish bad behaviour.

Those who gave fresh loans to the class of delinquent borrowers obviously have a case to answer; it seems also about time the apex bank extended the tactic of ‘naming and shaming’ to negligent and delinquent bank directors who approved them.

This newspaper has long made a song of the need for a credit bureau. The latest development is precisely why the bureau – a veritable instrument for making credit decisions – can no longer wait.

‘Those who gave fresh loans to the class of delinquent borrowers obviously have a case to answer; it seems also about time the apex bank extended the tactic of ‘naming and shaming’ to negligent and delinquent bank directors who approved them. This newspaper has long made a song of the need for a credit bureau. The latest development is precisely why the bureau – a veritable instrument for making credit decisions – can no longer wait’

Cabotage sabotage?

• This is a matter for the National Assembly to look into

G

IVEN the parlous state of Nigeria’s maritime sector and its inability to maximise its full potential for the benefit of the country’s economy, it is shocking that over N40 billion ($525 million) of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) is reportedly trapped in designated banks rather than being utilised for the purpose for which it was set up. Established under the Coastal and Internal Shipping Act of 2003, the CVFF is meant to assist indigenous shipping firms to acquire the capacity to compete with and overcome foreign domination of coastal and in-land trade in the country.

The fund is derived from a deduction by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Security Agency (NIMASA) of two per cent from all contracts awarded under the cabotage regime. NIMASA reportedly deposited the funds with des-

‘We call on the National Assembly, as part of its oversight function, to inquire into why the CVFF remains unutilised.

Could the designated banks be trading with the funds? Why has NIMASA not been more forceful in ensuring that the banks adhere to their agreement with the agency?’

ignated banks on the agreement that indigenous firms seeking to purchase vessels would be supported by the agency to the tune of 55 percent, the participating banks would contribute 35 percent while the respective firms would bear 15 percent of the cost at an interest rate of 5.6 percent. For some inexplicable reason, the participating banks have reportedly developed cold feet, refusing to fulfil their own part of the bargain, with the consequence that the fund lies idle as the targeted beneficiaries cannot access it.

Thus, a critical sector of the economy continues to be grossly underdeveloped as well as remains under foreign control and dominance. The attitude of the banks and the non-utilisation of the CVFF surely defeat the key objectives of the Cabotage Act of 2004, which includes empowering Nigerians to engage in maritime enterprises carried out within the country’s coastal and inland waters. If Nigerians are to effectively participate and benefit from this potentially lucrative sector, they must be empowered to build, own and crew ships locally. Given the current foreign domination of the sector, indigenous firms cannot achieve this without the kind of support envisaged by the CVFF. Experts believe that if fully developed, Nigeria’s maritime resources have the potential to surpass the country’s current earnings in the oil sector. Apart from her vast coastline, over 90 percent of Nigeria’s international trade is sea borne. The country’s dependence on exports of

crude oil for the bulk of her foreign exchange as well as massive importation of various goods such as raw materials for industries further underscore the importance of her maritime sector. Yet, Nigeria is yet to take maximum advantage of this huge asset.

For instance, it has been estimated that the country’s merchant fleet hardly accounts for three per cent of the world merchant fleet. In the same vein, while an estimated 300 vessels are required to meet Nigeria’s tonnage, there are reportedly less than 20 active Nigerian registered vessels handling the country’s external trade. If the CVFF achieves its objective of boosting indigenous participation in the sector, this will enhance the country’s national finances by helping to conserve foreign exchange. This will be in addition to enabling Nigeria have greater control over her maritime security as a sovereign country.

We call on the National Assembly, as part of its oversight function, to inquire into why the CVFF remains unutilised.

Could the designated banks be trading with the funds? Why has NIMASA not been more forceful in ensuring that the banks adhere to their agreement with the agency? Indeed, the National Assembly should look into all other funds that lie idle instead of being used for their stipulated purposes. A good example is the National Automotive Council Fund. A country like ours in dire need of urgent economic transformation cannot afford to have designated development funds unutilised.

First lessons from Boston’s manhunt

• We should avoid sweeping generalisations about the attacks

W

HATEVER consensus emerges about the motivations of Dzhokar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the brothers suspected of the Boston marathon bombs, it is likely to shape US counter-terrorism for years to come. It is vital to stick to what we know. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Massachusetts State Police have done an impressive job of sifting the evidence and enlisting the public in their manhunt, which has already claimed the life of one police officer. So too have Boston’s hospitals and fire services. Everyone else should be wary of the fog of half-fact, retracted claims, rumour and denial that proliferates at such moments.

So much is still hazy. As the FT went to press, it was not clear whether the Tsarnaev brothers were acting alone, or whether they were part of a larger ideological group with links to Islamists in the Caucasus and beyond.

Should it be the latter, it is unclear whether their Muslim faith played a role, or whether their radicalisation had its roots in the brutal Russian response to the rebellion in their native Chechnya in the late 1990s. Were they isolated or part of a group? Homegrown or imported? Were they one-offs or part of a larger pattern?

Until we are sure of the answers, generalisations should be treated with suspicion. On Friday Chuck Grassley, the Iowa senator, linked the Tsarnaev brothers’ foreign-born status to proposals for comprehensive US immigration reform, which he opposes. There is no link between the Senate’s draft immigration bill and the ghastly events in Boston. The brothers were legal refugees who were partly schooled in the US. It would make as much sense to scapegoat undocumented Hispanic workers as to close down the Boston high schools the brothers attended. This is irresponsible politics.

There are legitimate questions we can already ask. The two brothers were able to acquire explosives, firearms and bombmaking equipment with apparent ease. There may be lessons that the FBI can learn from the UK, France and others about how to monitor potential homegrown terrorists.

These, in turn, will raise questions about the brothers’ easy access to material that can kill on a large scale. Three lives were tragically cut short on Monday. It could easily have been 30. Given that the suspects had firearms, it was unfortunate that the US Senate this week shot down a bill to tighten background checks on gun purchases.

Finally, public calm remains paramount.

Residents of Boston on Friday must have felt they had awoken to martial law. Let us hope the presence of large numbers of armed police on empty rush-hour streets proves to be a one-off. It is not a fate anyone should wish on America.

– Financial Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile •Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon •Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina •Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) Yomi Odunuga •Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu •Group Business Editor Ayodele Aminu •Sport Editor Ade Ojeikere •Editorial Page Editor Sanya Oni

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu • Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •Chief Internal Auditor Toke Folorunsho •Senior Manager (sales) Akeem Shoge •Advert Manager Robinson Osirike •IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Press Manager Udensi Chikaodi •Manager, Corporate Marketing Hameed Odejayi • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

S

IR: According to Zimbardo, “Terrorism is all about psychology; it is about understanding the motives, values and ideology of terrorists to induce generalized fear, anxiety and helplessness in target populations”.

Mr. President, your administration will be mistaken to be seen to be directly involved in extending blanket pardon to the members of an organized criminal group that had mercilessly embarked on “propaganda by deeds” to inflict sustained fear and fright on both the military and civil populace leading to the death of about 2000 persons. There is nothing under the heaven you can do to placate religious terrorist group. How can you grant amnesty to a terrorist who is in a hurry to be immolated or martyred? He or she is not interested in money or material things hereunder any longer. He or she is narcissistically enraged!

Those people calling for amnesty for terrorists are lounge lizards or spongers: their values are not the values of the terrorists. They are simply tiger riders!

Sir, let me humbly recommend to you what to do to reduce the menace of domestic terrorism in Nigeria in line with the global best practice.

Declare Sheik Ibrahim Shekau, the leader of Al-Qaeda – Boko Haram terrorist group wanted as public enemy number one, with a promise to reward handsomely any move to arrest him.

S

EDITOR’S MAIL BAG SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 800 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS. E-mail: views@thenationonlineng.net

Terrorism: Letter to the President Scrap the Ministry of Niger – Delta to be replaced with the Ministry of Religious Affairs. The Ministry of Internal Affairs should be rechristened Ministry of Home Security. More importantly, create a special anti-terrorist standing squad to be named NIGER FORCE to be well funded and disciplined.

Please don’t dare granting amnesty to the terrorist group: but you can cut a deal with its leader through your

National Security Adviser and other security people. For instance, deals were made to solve the problems of domestic terrorism in Germany and Italy in the seventies and eighties.

You don’t set up commission on political evil to thrive. It is counter-productive to the current global moves to curtail terrorism. Al Qaeda, meaning the “base”, is a global terror network fuelling international terrorism using municipal cells.

A long term solution to terrorism is to imbibe democratic values at all times. Terrorists hate democracy.

Election must be transparent. Votes must count. Corrupt officers and people must be severely punished. Profane and sacred cows must be barbecued. The information ministry must be charged to combat the apparent winning streak of the domestic terrorist as far as strategic communication management is concerned. Ter-

• Michael Angel Folorunso Alakia, Ibadan.

These killings must stop

S

IR:In recent time, there have been reported escalation of violence in Plateau, Taraba and some parts of Kaduna State. The activities of Boko Haram in the troubled Borno, Yobe and Kano states have robbed these once peaceful states of their serene status. While the north has been battling and grappling with these unfortunate incidents, other parts of the country share their sorrowful experience of rampant cases of kidnapping, land disputes, militancy and political assassinations.

Evidence abounds in the gruesome murder of 11 policemen in Bayelsa State, as well as the kidnapping and subsequent killing of former deputy governor of Anambra State. The developments attest to the dimension of insecurity in the country.

The lingering questions agitating the minds of Nigerians are: why these killings? What are the perpetrators trying to achieve? What are the constituted authorities doing to stem the tide of insecurity in the country?

From religious and cultural points of view, killing is abomination. Neither Islam nor Christianity encourages killings. Those who kill in the name of religion do it out of ignorance or they do not understand the content and context of our holy books. So also are the killings alien to our African culture.

There exists a philosophical belief that the spirit of the dead person would haunt whoever kills a fellow human being. Nowadays, people kill with instinct and passion.

The objectives of these evil-

No time for APC to seek enemies

IR: The Yoruba say a prince should not ask who killed my father until he becomes the king, otherwise, he may be killed like his father. So, why is the All Progressive Congress (APC) said to be aiming at probing ex-Presidents?

Indeed the Yoruba maxim that I would expect the APC to adopt is that a person should seek more friends rather than more enemies, particularly now that many conscientious members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) realize that their party has derailed and lost the moral justification to seek the votes of Nigerians in 2015.

The PDP has been deceiving Nigerians about electricity and other

rorism has political, strategic, religious, ideological, economic, social, academic, financial, tactical, technological and narcotic dimensions.

Mere setting up of an already frightened group to distribute money and job cannot curb the anomic phenomenon; neither will the northernisation of the landing ogre. Everybody must be concerned. The world powers are watching us. Any attempt to give blanket amnesty to terrorist group as erroneously ignorantly compared with the Niger Delta militant group, who the whole world know is fighting a legitimate cause against “environmental genocide”, will lead to balkanisation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No sane person will want that.

amenities since 1999 till date. What else has the party got to say? You can deceive a people many times but not forever. Dr. Goodluck Jonathan went as far as promising he would transform Nigeria into paradise. But I knew he could not enjoy divine blessing, because God is opposed to destabilization which his truncation of rotational presidency represented.

The APC has done well if truly it adopted whatever is good in the PDP’s manifesto. That would mean that the party is not sentimental.

After all, nobody has monopoly of knowledge. Did the PDP itself conjure the manifesto? Only God knows the original author of each item in a manifesto. It is even possible that

what the PDP is protesting is no more than certain coincidences in the APC’s manifesto.

More importantly, of what use is a manifesto that the PDP has not made to benefit Nigeria but only its own self-aggrandizement? Note how all the major opposition political parties supported PDP’s rotational presidency, only for the PDP itself to truncate it after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua! I enjoin the APC to reinstate rotational presidency for order, peace, and progress.

The APC should not hesitate in fielding General Muhammadu Buhari and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because Nigeria needs their

integrity for genuine transformation. A Buhari/Tinubu presidential ticket will mark the beginning of the end of religious bigotry in Nigeria.

Henceforth, politicization of religion must stop; people must be judged by the content of their characters, not religious or ethnic sentimentalism. In rotational presidency, Nigeria must elect suitable persons from each zone (South-east in 2019, etc.).

Towards success, APC must woo friends, not make enemies. The focus is not probe but transformation through eradication of corruption.

• Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D, University of Ilorin.

minded people or vampires are to promote disunity and hatred among Nigerians. To them, a divided Nigeria is the only way to achieve their parochial interests.

It is agreed that no nation can develop in an atmosphere of rancour and instability hence the need for peaceful coexistence. Can this tall dream become possible? For optimistic people, a united and peaceful Nigeria is possible if we can eschew violence and love one another.

Though conflict is inevitable, instruments of conflict resolution should be employed to tackle the frequent violence ravaging our country. The use of dialogue in resolving our grievance should be encouraged.

Interestingly, the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration, after several appeals from eminent Nigerians, has agreed to grant amnesty to members of Boko Haram. This gesture, in spite of the barrage of criticisms that trailed it should be commended. Government at all levels should pay more attention to the problems of unemployment. A situation where thousands of youths are roaming the streets is like a time bomb waiting to explode. The problem of corruption, now a hydra-headed monster should be confronted while good governance should be institutionalised!

• Isyaku Garba (Matawallen Dass), Bauchi.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

21

COMMENTS

E

ZE Igbo gburugburu, the There is a radical difference inimitable Chukwuemeka between Lagos of 1999 and Odumegwu-Ojukwu, must be Lagos of 2013. That did not just smiling in his grave. happen. It was product of The handshake across the Niger he deliberate and painstaking canvassed in life, between Nigeria’s efforts. Perhaps with the often mutually antagonistic East and Federal Government West, might just be flourishing – in achieving a similar morbid romance with the dead, with transformation nationwide, the Ikemba himself as the undisputed Olakunle Nigeria would not be the godhead! anarchist’s haven it has lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) Abimbola It is the age of political necrolatry. become.

Necrolaters, across the Niger, rejoice!

Now Ogun’s Ibikunle The other day, Peter Obi, the Amosun is thinking of light Anambra governor, went to Ojukwu’s rail to link his capital, graveside and declared the Ikemba – Abeokuta, to Lagos, by the dead or no – remained national leader of his faction of All (DPA), formed by some disaffected Lagos AD members, made Lagos-Ibadan expressway corridor. If that happens, South Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). The humble governor up of Awoist old guard and young Turks, in the run-up to the West economic integration would receive a big boost. dutifully queued behind the Ikemba, perhaps awaiting sacred 2003 elections in Lagos State.

Ibadan, hitherto so glum and comfy in its muck and rot, is instructions from the land of the dead!

Indeed, but for the Ibrahim Babangida “new breed” suddenly making a dash for one of the cleanest cities around, Not long after, after the judicial restoration of Victor Umeh experiment that somewhat cut the inter-republic umbilical just as Lagos has made that transition. Is Ibadan that same as APGA national chairman by the Court of Appeal sitting in cord, the AG regnant credo would even have been more place as Adedibu’s garrison headquarters, where satanic chefs Enugu, Emeka Ojukwu Jr, staked a rightful claim to the pervasive in the South West political mainstream. served life-scalding amala and gbegiri, in unbridled anarchy?

Ojukwu godhead, as a political franchise. He said with Umeh’s So, the UPN could not have been said to be “dead”. But that Osogbo, Ilesa and other Osun towns are receiving a boost, reinstatement, his beloved father would be happy in his grave, cannot be said of Pa Fasehun’s latest political gambit, after after years and years of politically induced coma, the Oyinlola knowing all was well with the party he left behind. the Hamza al-Mustapha campaign. years being the latest excursion in the desert of misrule and Now, some political analysts are wondering: is this the Like the looming APGA-PDP vs APGA-APC battle in the stasis. opening skirmish in the APGA-PDP Vs APGA-APC war to East, could the coming ACN Vs UPN battle be one and the After the tragically hilarious years of Fayose’s juvenile rule, come? Whatever it is, the Ikemba as a political franchise same proxy battle, but fought under different colours, at the climaxed by Oni’s mimic rule of progressive reaction, Ekiti remains potent and undiminished. behest of the same desperate forces, digging in for 2015? appears settling down to deliberate and systematic Step across the Niger then, to Oodualand, where Dr. Fredrick Look, politicians would be something else, if they didn’t development, which could well be sustainable.

Fasehun, the Odu’a People’s Congress (OPC) leader, is play politics – and the meaner, the more cynical and the more Again, all these are no partisan accidents. They are the mounting his own romance with dead ideas. sinister, the better perhaps. The kingdom of politics suffereth work of those who want to make a positive difference.

With full flourish and even fiercer conviction, Dr. Fasehun violence; and the end always justifies the power meanness!

Wale Oshun, chairman of Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), is breathing new life into Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Chief There are speculations, of course – true or untrue. There is hit the nail on the head in his interview in The Nation (‘Oshun: Obafemi Awolowo’s Second Republic party, presumed long talk of Fasehun’s OPC faction pitching the Jonathan Presidency Don’t extend amnesty to Boko Haram’, April 16): Each time dead with that republic (1 October 1979-31 December 1983). for South West oil pipeline security gravy. What is sauce for Yorubaland appears on track for sustainable development But maybe it cannot, in all good conscience, be said UPN is the goose, is it not sauce for the gander? and the prosperity that comes with it, noxious forces, internal dead.

And there is also talk of the mudunmudun (Yoruba for fingerand external, move to truncate the move.

As The Nation columnist, Mobolaji Sanusi rightly argued in licking gravy) from the pitched gravy train coming in handy That macabre drama appears unfolding in Pa Fasehun’s his “Steps without imprint” piece (April 12), the UPN mutated for Fasehun’s quixotic UPN resurrection. And why not? As curious UPN resurrection campaign – and every discerning from Awo’s First Republic Action Group (AG); and has itself the Yoruba say, the drunkard is no fool; he only blows his mind must see through it, even if the old man is entitled to mutated into aborted Third Republic’s unregistered People’s cash on his passion! It is good old utility in basic economics. his avowed nobility of motive.

Solidarity Party (PSP), which became a major partner in Social Even outside the Fasehun gambit, Olu Falae and the Afenifere Awo, the UPN and all he stood for are ever-living winning Democratic Party (SDP), the IBB-imposed party that clinched old guard are stirring, smitten perhaps by the ongoing APC ideas that need no recall to life by cheap demagoguery. Awo MKO Abiola the presidency. merger, to rally a “third force” of Labour Party and other is too saintly to be an ogre for anyone’s dirty, private political In this Fourth Republic, the UPN mutants are the Alliance partisan bric-a-bracs to also essay a merger. wars. Ojukwu probably is too; but only the Igbo can tell. for Democracy (AD) and its variants, Action Congress (AC), “Me-too” syndrome is a legitimate political aspiration – Besides, with the likes of Bode George pushing Fasehun’s Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and even (but Bolaji did for in partisan politics, driven by eternal push for relevance, brand of UPN, Awo unlike Ojukwu, is probably sadly turning not include this in his analysis) Democratic People’s Alliance a plus for one is always a minus for the other! So, let the in his grave. politicians play their game.

Dr. Fasehun is, of course, entitled to his latest whim of “Awo, the UPN and all he stood for are everBut not so the people, the umpteenth victims of these rogue political necrolatry. But Awo’s lifework of enlightenment living winning ideas that need no recall to life games. That is why the discerning must ask hard questions; and development would have been undone if anyone took by cheap demagoguery. Awo is too saintly to and the people themselves never surrender their thinking him seriously. process to demagogues, especially where development is the His is a final flourish of dead ideas before they are interred be an ogre for anyone’s private political wars” issue. with the scorn they deserve.

Angola and the independence of Namibia. Indeed, with the ARONESS Thatcher, the longest-serving British Prime unscheduled visit of Mrs. Thatcher to Windhoek in SeptemMinister of the United Kingdom in the 20th century ber, 1989, the world nearly had a caricature of UN Resoluhad been laid to rest at the age of 87. She was better tion 435 on Namibian independence as she displayed coloremembered as The “The Iron Lady” – a paradox indeed for nial bias and wrongly accused SWAPO of ‘disrupting’ the first woman to be British Prime Minister. Rabidly antidecolonisation process, she never believed in the first incommunist, her globally “uncompromising politics and leadstance. Africa problem-solving was never her specialisaership style” made a Soviet journalist to so nickname her, tion in office.

Iron Lady.

Her worst footprint was on the global economy. ObviIn Africa, we dare not speak ill of the dead. Certainly noously not by accident, her tenure coincided with the worst body would ever recommend a Thatcher Death party the economic crisis in Africa: balance of payment crisis, coltype which before her burial reportedly attracted some hunlapse of primary goods’ prices, poverty and unemployment. dreds in London, who had fun rather than shedding tears These crises were in themselves attributable to the debt crifor a Prime Minister, whose poverty -inducing policies in

By Issa Aremu sis. Maggie was ruthlessly committed to debt collection Britain are known as Thatcherism. and the better if the structural ‘adjustment’ programme But while we are enjoined to miss a departed soul, some of tion of Thatcher as British Prime Minister on November 22, lacked a human face. Britain was the home of the ‘Club of the post mortem exaggerated tributes from Africa are too 1990 after her humiliation by her conservative party was private creditors’. The Prime Minister was committed to good to be believed about the Iron Lady. Indeed some tribone big relief for Africa. Long before the war in the gulf in neo- liberal free enterprise at home, never hesitated to exutes by their factual untruths amount to speaking ill of the 1990, her African policy passed for political and economic port same abroad with the support for IMF and World Bank dead. During her reign (without royal entitlement!) the noequivalent of war(s) against a continent. Thanks to the scores reforms. Thus the continent became a showcase of mutually no woman never gave in to flattery and praise singing. I of her doctrinaire policies (read: missiles) for which the con- exclusive competitive policies of devaluation, liberalisarecall that in 1988, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher visited Nigeria. tinent lacked the capacity (read: patriots) to repel. tion, privatisation and cuts in public spending.

The tour was greeted by NLC-led mass anti-apartheid proApartheid South Africa thrived on Thatcher’s ‘no-sanctions’ The results: unemployment, brain drain, decline in income, test. She actually declined to take along her BARB horse gift policy. The popular belief was that both the liberation ef- and ‘perverse flow of resources’ through debt repayment. given to her by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero. Defiforts and sanctions by the international community would Her tenure was the same as SAP-military imposed regimes nitely I bet that Maggie who rejected a royal horse gift would bring the racist Boers to reason and negotiation table. For in Africa. She suffered no democracy rhetoric in Africa; she dismiss posthumous, unsolicited and certainly undeserved, her, sanctions campaign was ‘absurd’ and commonwealth- administered UK at a time constitutionalism was trampled attributions. after-commonwealth, she could not conceal her annoyance upon by corrupt military adventurers in notable commonPresident Goodluck Jonathan while condoling the govabout the fact that sanctions would not set out ‘to relive the wealth states of Nigeria and Ghana. As recent as 2004, Sir ernment and people of Britain on the death of its former poverty and starvation’ in South Africa. She single handedly Mark Thatcher, the son of Lady Thatcher, was arrested and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said in a statement signed subverted reasoned positions of the of the Commonwealth’s charged over claims that he was involved in a plot to overby the President’s spokesman Reuben Abati, that; “The late Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG) on apartheid and guaranteed throw the government of Equatorial Guinea.

Baroness Thatcher will always be remembered by the world British security for the most inhuman system on the globe.

Let’s forgive but we dare not forget her dubious African for her very unique, distinctive and purposeful leadership Former President Olusegun Obasanjo commendably un- legacy. The defunct West Africa Weekly summed up Mrs. which restored pride and respect to her country and made a masked Thatcher’s outlook in a personal letter, sent to her Thatcher’s tenure thus: ‘Mrs. Thatcher never developed a resurgent Great Britain a force to be reckoned with on the published in an edition of British Financial Times, when he coherent policy that remotely took account of the genuine global stage.” These tributes were mere words without histold her thus: “Many people around the world view your interests of African people…’ toric justifications. What made Thatcher’s leadership continued opposition to sanctions as founded in instinct, not • Aremu mni, is Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress “unique”, “purposeful” for our continent? logic and as displaying a misguided tribal loyalty and myThe bane of contemporary African leadership is lack of opic political vision…”

‘Her worst footprint was on the memory and accountability. The generous posthumous asShe mischievously taunted the repeal of the so-called sessment of Margaret Thatcher once again shows that some global economy. Obviously not Mixed Marriage Act by Pik Botha as evidence of her romance African leaders are eager to impress outside powers rather with apartheid. General Obasanjo reportedly asked Thatcher by accident, her tenure coincided than being accountable to their peoples. if all 25 million blacks were fighting for was to “marry or True to her divisive character, Thatcher while in office have sex with five million whites” adding that the “mental with the worst economic crisis in made two rancorous visits to Africa characterised by prolaager of the Boer seem to be mirrored” in Thatcher’s “own Africa: balance of payment crisis, tests and condemnations against her notorious racist supattitudes”. port for the discredited apartheid terror-regime. A woman Thatcher’s UK did not promote any decolonisation policy collapse of primary goods’ prices, who in defiance of the world and unapologetically saw Nelor initiative on Namibia. On the contrary, Cold war perpoverty and unemployment. son Mandela as “a terrorist” deserving no freedom from spective beclouded the policy perception of the legitimate Robben Island maximum prison (instead of a freedom fighter efforts of SWAPO to restore the usurped rights of black men These crises were in themselves Madiba is) offered no purposeful leadership neither for Afand women. The struggle for independence was reduced to rica nor for Britain where anti-apartheid feeling was rooted attributable to the debt crisis’ a ‘regional ideological conflict’ according to which a ‘linkin spite of her obstinacy. Undoubtedly, the sudden resignaage’ existed between the withdrawal of the Cuban troops in

R

epublican ipples

This way for necrolatry

B

Margaret Hilda Thatcher: Lest we forget

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

22

COMMENTS

N

IGERIA’S judiciary suffered a major setback in its determination at ensuring fair dispensation of justice on Monday April 15 in Abuja High Court. Justice Ishaq Bello sacked the Rivers State executive of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and approved the election of a parallel executive and a faction of the party.

The issues in Rivers State politics especially with regard to Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the PDP are well known. What is however strange and disturbing in the barefaced verdict is the consequences of this action on our judicial system and the consolidation of democracy. The sacked executive, led by Chief Godspower Ake enjoyed the support of Governor Amaechi while the parallel faction recently imposed on the people of Rivers State is loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of State for Education who is alleged to have been drafted by the Presidency to spearhead this onslaught against the people of Rivers State and their outspoken governor.

Unknown to many Nigerians, what has turned out to be a judgement usurping the powers of a democratically elected executive is fraught with

‘For a judicial system that only recently embarked on measures to rid its rank and file of corrupt officials, this is a test case. The National Judicial Council, NJC must quickly act to restore confidence in the judiciary if the revered institution hopes to remain as generally perceived as the last hope of the common man’

T

HAT huge corruption thrives in Nigeria is no news. It rankles. It is sad that from the low class, through the middle class, to the elite, corruption seems to be the order of the day. But, it is sadder, when the ruling elite, the class projected on public beam, and meant to represent the interest of the people of the country, are also guilty of this malady.

Particularly irksome to me is the current state of affairs in Imo State.

I’m particularly worried about the malfeasance which caused the impeachment of Jude Agbaso, the erstwhile Imo deputy governor. Following an embittered relationship with his boss, Agbaso, upon impeachment recently by the Imo State of House of Assembly over a N458m bribe allegation, is singing like a canary. According to reports, the N458m kickback came from a Lebanese road contractor, Joseph Dina of JPROS International Nigeria Limited. His disclosure showed that discussions that probably took place in cosy sanctuaries and at odd hours is now out in the open and for all ears. It stinks of shady dealings in top places.

The way it is, development is coming at a great cost to Imolites. Though, the state government maintains a public display of thriftiness and modesty, this might not really be the case with the governor at the helm of affairs. And if the words of the impeached deputy governor have any measure of truth, then, funds earmarked for development purposes in Imo have embarked on foreign trips. This is indeed a sad development.

On the surface, Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, seems to be concerned about saving Imo State government funds.

It never tires the governor to reiterate how he does not spend his ‘security’ vote on himself. Rather, he boasts of how he channels it towards developmental efforts. But, a tour around the state reveals a chaotic form of development, where things are

Jonathan vs. Amaechi: Again, judiciary on the spot

By Kayode Salami irregularities and absurdities. For instance, to all intents and purposes, the perceived crisis in Rivers State occasioned by the presidency’s undue interference is serving nobody’s interest.

Aside that, this issue that resurfaced in an Abuja High Court is strictly an intra party matter which presupposes that it would not have been taken to court for adjudication in the first place.

More so, the party congress that happened took place in Port Harcourt, not in Abuja. It is therefore inconceivable for a supposedly “local” case to be heard in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja and not even the Federal High Court. Lawyers will tell you this is absurdity of the first order.

Baffling too is the fact that the state congress that produced the Chief Ake led executive took place in March 2012 and it took almost a whole year for the petitioners to file their case. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC was joined in the matter of Obuah and one other versus Chief Ake and others before an FCT high court.

By my elementary knowledge of law, this case was clearly filed out of time coming almost a year after the completion of the congress, thus statute barred. The judge also ignored this well known principle of law.

There is also the outstanding issue of gross criminal allegations and the manner the judge treated it leaves much to be desired. Whereas there was an allegation of fraud and forgery, yet no witness was called throughout this

trial. The trial judge relied on affidavit evidence sworn to by one of the officials who conducted the congress.

This is against the spirit and practice of the law.

The trial judge also deliberately ignored a report from INEC which monitored the state congress as enshrined in the Electoral Act. It is quite ironic that these characters who now brandish a spurious court victory did not even purchase nomination forms nor where they found anywhere near the venue of the PDP congress.

These developments are disquieting and posse a great danger to our democracy. There is no doubt that the judiciary and the work they do is a pillar in the consolidation of democracy. Daily, we drift steadily towards full blown dictatorship yet we all seem helpless. What is happening today in Nigeria is distressing and calls for urgent intervention from all men of goodwill.

Sadly, those entrusted with the onerous task of keeping Nigeria running are the same people undermining and desecrating our institutions. Even a blind man can see the unseen hands of the perpetrators of the crisis in the PDP across the country and this is traceable to the Presidency. There is nothing accidental about this latest onslaught in Rivers State PDP considering the running battle between the Presidency and Governor Amaechi. As a people, I think it is time we took the affairs of our country more seriously.

Fortunately, some Nigerians are already speaking out against this unjustified abuse that our country is sub-

Playing kite with corruption in Imo

By Justin Nduka perpetually in a state of work-in-progress.

The truth be said: After his four-year term, Okorocha might just turn out to be another extravagant governor.

And, while posterity has rubbished Agbaso by brandishing him as being corrupt, it remains to be confirmed if indeed that is the whole truth concerning the matter. This is because, like a wounded animal, Agbaso is attacking back. He is talking about complicity involving the use of state funds, which he says that even the governor, Okorocha, is aware of. According to the embittered deputy governor, Joseph Dina who has graft cases to answer with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was made to implicate him.

According to Agbaso in an interview, ‘Joseph Dina was specially sponsored to falsely confess that he gave me bribe. If not, how could a Lebanese, who had had series of graft cases with the EFCC since 2009, boldly come out in the open to confess that he used up to 46 per cent of fully paid contract sum from Imo people’s money to give me bribe? It is unbelievable.’

On the other hand, how could I collect such an amount from a man I never did any favour for and was not in a position to do any favour for?’

Agbaso had said, ‘An aide of Governor Rochas Okorocha, Prince MacDonaldAkano, who is the governor’s Special Adviser and Chairman of the Committee on Monitoring and Implementation of Road Projects in Imo State, was made a shareholder in JPROS International Nigeria Ltd.

on June 20, 2012 and allotted two million shares of the company’s 10 million shares.’

Following his impeachment, Agbaso and his family enlisted the services of private investigators. According to him, the N458m purportedly paid to him was traced and it was found out that the money was paid in two tranches through private foreign bank accounts in Dubai and London. The investigation, Agbaso said, also revealed that the accounts in which the money was paid into belonged to Three Bother Concept Nig. Ltd and IHSAN Bureau De Change Limited. Defending himself, Agbaso said he had no links and had no relationship with any of the companies.

Agbaso also said it was the governor that paid the contractor an initial N200m from his office. Again, if close aides to Okorocha are in the thick of the matter and if the ousted deputy maintains that any money missing can be explained by the governor, then, something is definitely fishy. What is it? Could the governor be complicit? Or is it merely a case of pot calling kettle black and making the kettle pay for being black?

It takes two to tango. And a leopard does not develop spots overnight. Surely, Agbaso and Okorocha were buddies before things turned sour. And both of them, to an extent, know about the deals going in Imo State. To have power is sweet as people obey your words. But, those in power should realise that it intoxicates.

And the outcome is not too rosy. In his cries, Agbaso had said his impeachment also had to do with the politics of 2015.

jected to almost on a daily basis. They are alarmed at the despoliation of the political space and the impending doom.

For a judicial system that only recently embarked on measures to rid its rank and file of corrupt officials, this is a test case. The National Judicial Council, NJC must quickly act to restore confidence in the judiciary if the revered institution hopes to remain as generally perceived as the last hope of the common man. There is no doubt that the action of Justice Bello will impact negatively on the credibility of our courts. This is absolutely needless.

As election year approaches, it has become very imperative for Nigerians to be more vigilant and participatory in this arduous task of building a country we can proudly bequeath to the next generation. We must also show interest in the affairs of our nation; that is the only way to build a great country. To assume that we are still learning because our democracy is still relatively young and evolving presupposes that we may learn forever and this will do us more harm. Therefore when patriots like Amaechi challenge any contradictory reality that is inconsistent with our federal structure, we must not stand aloof and watch.

I believe that every serious Nigerian must be gravely worried at the turn of events in our country today particularly with our parties and their promoters. Less than twenty-four hours after obtaining the controversial judgement, a kangaroo swearing-in ceremony was arranged by some members of the PDP National Working Committee in Abuja. As a people, we must begin to take ourselves more seriously and the time to avoid taking actions that would haunt us in the future now.

• Salami, Executive Director, Judiciary Watch Initiative writes from Lagos.

I know Nigerian politics is one of strange bedfellows; hence, there is no way Agbaso cannot come out clean. But, the fact is that there are certain things which are not right.

For one, Agbaso fingered his aide for being made a director in the company only last July. Is investigation going on in that direction? In addition, there was so much hurry to prosecute Agbaso. Why? Has the phony ‘construction equipment’ rant by the company been investigated? It would be difficult for Okorocha to claim not to have knowledge of how the disputed money went.

In the Imo financial conundrum, it seems Agabso is just being used as the sacrificial lamb by a gang of corrupt politicians.

While Agbaso really deserves little pity, the situation is not fair. More eyes should be cast on other implicated persons, even if they are friends and cronies of the governor. Even, if it is the governor himself.

• Nduka writes from Owerri

‘I know Nigerian politics is one of strange bedfellows; hence, there is no way Agbaso cannot come out clean. But, the fact is that there are certain things which are not right. For one, Agbaso fingered his aide for being made a director in the company only last July. Is investigation going on in that direction? In addition, there was so much hurry to prosecute Agbaso’

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

23

INSIDE

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

Page 25

Website: http://www.thenationonlineng.com

Boutique hotel opens in Abuja - Page 26

More illegal structures pulled down

NGO, FRSC team up against trauma

- Page 27

•Project Coordinator Francis Onyekwue (in black suit) with participants at the event

T

Youths urge Fed Govt to strengthen security - Page 28

HERE is hope for trauma patients. A non-governmental organisation, TAR Initiative, is partnering with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Prisons Service to to help people suffering from trauma induced by invisible wounds.

Accidents, death of family members and even robbery are some of life’s realities that have left people with deep and enduring psychological wounds.

In some cases, such people find it extremely difficult to put themselves together and move on.

The NGO, FRSC and the Prisons are teaming up to offer such sufferers hope and get them to enjoy life again.

In a one-day symposium at the Sheraton Hotels, Abuja on “Psychological Trauma and its Effects on Society,” the NGO said it is committed to the process of “healing

From Victor Oluwasegun

invisible wounds and restoring human dignity.”

The organisers said the programme was meant to bring the NGO and stakeholders together in order to create awareness on psychological trauma in order to determine the rate at which people know about it and its damaging effects as well as see areas of possible collaboration.

The NGO further said it was also dedicated to making people aware of the various types of trauma which include acute trauma, severe trauma, individual trauma, shared trauma, historical trauma, and collective or societal trauma and how to cope with them.

Prof. Matthew Atobe in his presentation spoke on the impact of trauma on the individual. He said

that the country is rife with trauma as offshoot of accidents, death and robbery, adding that such situations traumatise the people.

Mr. Ugo Udoji, a lawyer, who spoke on the family aspect of trauma, said that “every hospital, school, and so on, should have a counselling unit. What the NGO is doing should be done at a national level. It’s a time for us to go for healing.”

Dr. Aham Neze, a Consultant Physician/ Dermatologist with the Nigerian Prisons Service dwelt on “trauma in the community.”

She said that “people in prison, especially those on awaiting trial list, are traumatised. Most times, they ask questions about what the society is going to be like when they are released from prison or whether they are going to receive love or rejection? These are some of the things that cause trauma in

such people.”

She reeled off some the causes of psychological trauma to include physical trauma sexual abuse, employment discrimination, police brutality, bullying, domestic violence, indoctrination, rape, being a victim of alcoholic parents, life-threatening medical conditions as well as medication-induced trauma.

Neze further said that environment conditions could also cause stress, even as she said that this could affect a person in such a way that it conditions the person’s responses to future stress.

She added that the more frightened one is the more traumatic the person becomes.

Prof. Matthew Atobe in his presentation stated that the coun•Continued on Page 26

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

26

ABUJA REVIEW

NGO, FRSC team up against trauma •Continued from Page 25

tions the person’s responses to future stress. She added that the more frightened one is the more traumatic the person becomes.

Prof. Matthew Atobe in his presentation stated that the country is rife with traumatic experiences which he said are offshoots of accidents, death, robbery and all sorts of natural and man-made trauma. He added that there are many victims of violently-inflicted trauma like kidnapping, torture and criminal violence and rape.

Speaking on the socio-political and economic aspect of trauma, Dr. Joseph Habila Ponchi Gobwa of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution said that the Nigerian environment is a traumatised one.

He commended TAR Initiative for organising such an important event.

In a goodwill message, Her Royal Highness, Nana Modupe Onwudi said that the effect of trauma weighs much on widows.

According to her, widows are traumatised by traditional practices, community laws and social norms.

According to her, it was time for government to come up with policies that would stem such harmful and traumatising practices.

While speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator for TAR Initiative, Mr. Francis Onyekwue said: “Violence in Nigeria has eaten deeply into the fabrics of Nigerian society. Before and after independence, Nigeria as a

Traumatic exposures are seen as major causes of violence in the world today, and Nigeria is not an exception. If unhealed, it could hurt oneself or others nation has witnessed series of violence; ranging from military coups, the civil war of 1967 to 1970, political violence, religious violence, tribal conflicts, the Niger Delta crises, kidnapping that has become the order of the day and the recent bombing mainly in the northern part of the country.

“With these re-occurrence and renewed violence, Nigerians are now faced with a new phenomenon one could term culture of violence. Violence has become a way of life and part of the society. People are also seen to be trapped in a cycle of violence.

How to break free from this cycle has become a major problem.

“Traumatic exposures are seen as one of the major causes of violence in the world today, and Ni-

•Some victims of car crash are traumatised

geria is not an exception. If unhealed, it could hurt oneself or others.”

Also speaking , F RS C Commander, Mr. Ibezim A. O., said the organisation has mapped out strategies to prevent drivers from causing trauma to others. One of these strategies, he said, includes testing of breath of drivers that are suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

According to him, those that

drive recklessly are sometimes subjected to psychiatric tests to verify if they are normal. According to him, the introduction of the manifest on all transport vehicles was to reduce the issue of trauma on the loved ones of accident victims.

He disclosed that a N50,000 fine exists in the Act of the FRSC for hospitals that reject accident victims, and that this is currently being enforced.

Ibezim further said that the organisation is partnering with religious bodies and will soon establish help desks in churches and mosques to help accident victims as well as enlighten the populace on issues bordering on road safety.

He said the organisation has considerably reduced the death rate on the roads and is committed to the reduction of road accidents by 50

G

RAND Towers, the holding company for Grand Towers Leisure, in partnership with Mantis Collection South Africa has officially opened Nigeria’s first boutique hotel in the Federal Capital Territory.

Known as “The Grand Towers Hotel,” the boutique hotel is operated by Mantis Nigeria, officially opened on April 9, 2013.

The hotel is set to cater to Abuja’s fast growing business, travel and leisure tourist market.

The launch of the new hotel is important to the group’s development in Nigeria as it hopes to establish branches in all major cities in the country including Lagos, Ado- Ekiti, Minna, Owerri and Enugu.

Located in Katampe, the city’s suburb, Grand Towers Hotel is accessible in just a few minutes from the city’s Central Business Districts.

The Boutique Hotel is designed for upscale stylish lifestyle. The 31-room hotel is decorated to offer stylish, restful and comfortable work environment.

All guests have free access to wifi, and the rooms are equipped with LCD flat screens with a broad range of international selection of TV channels.

Guests staying on the executive floor have access to an exclusive dining lounge among a host of other benefits.

Rock climbers will be pleased to know that the hotel is located close to some of Abuja’s climbing spots. In addition, the hotel can provide organised tours of Abuja’s tourism highlights.

For conferences or meetings, the hotel offers uniquely styled meeting rooms flooded with natural

•The boutique is inside Grand Tower Hotel

Boutique hotel opens in Abuja From Nduka Chiejina

light and fully equipped sound and multi-media equipment.

Alongside state-of-the-art meeting facilities and the latest in cen-

tral cooling technology, Grand Tower’s Boutique Hotel offers innovative leisure services such as fitness gym filled with the latest exercise equipment and swimming pool which provides guests

spaces to unwind and work out.

The Chief Executive Officer of Grand Towers, Mr. Uchenna Duru stated that “the opening of our first hotel in Abuja illustrates the strategic importance we at-

tach to hospitality in Nigeria.”

“With staff offering that extra personal touch like referring to guests by name and an offering of affordable accommodation without cutting on service delivery, we can assure that our hotel stands out among those that exist for the market we serve,” the General Manager, Jaco Minnaar said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

27

ABUJA REVIEW

A

S part of efforts to tackle land freezing and speculation in the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Administration has given three months notice to all agencies and groups that ownership of undeveloped plots will be revoked after the period of grace.

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed gave the warning at a ground-breaking ceremony of one of the Land Swap pilot projects, Dallas Carraway District in Abuja.

Mohammed reiterated that the FCT Administration shall take appropriate measures at the expiration of the three-month notice.

He said: “I wish to announce that we are giving a three-month notice to all ministries, departments, agencies and cooperative societies that have been allocated land by this or previous administrations for housing development for their staff or members to commence development of such plots of land or risk revocation.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we shall take appropriate stern measures at the expiration of the three-month notice. We shall no longer accept any form of excuses for non-commencement of development on such lands”.

He assured Nigerians that the transformation agenda has set off the march towards a comprehensive development of the Federal Capital Territory; stressing “we are very optimistic that by the year 2020, FCT will certainly rank among the league of the 20 leading cities in the world”.

The minister described the Ground Breaking of the project as a fulfillment “of our dream for a new model of city development that takes cognisance of the need for a unique partnership between government and the private sector; today’s event therefore lays

•A piece of land in Abuja

‘Undeveloped plots to be revoked’ From Gbenga Omokhunu and Grace Obike

the foundation for the effective and pragmatic development of the Federal Capital City in line with the aspirations of the FCT’s founding fathers”.

Mohammed remarked that the process that led to the event has enriched both parties, particularly the Federal Capital Development Authority and the Abuja Infrastructure Investment Centre to be able to deploy the model in other identified Greenfield dis-

tricts within the Federal Capital City.

The minister emphasised that Land -Swap Model which is premised on the philosophy that FCT land be utilised as resource for infrastructure development, was adopted in response to the expectations of the administration under the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. ”It was designed to forestall a repeat of the mistakes of the past where land was allocated to private developers without ad-

equate consideration for the provision of infrastructure,” he added.

Senator Mohammed noted that the Land- Swap programme is poised to unlock dead capital by freeing up land with issuance of title documents to catalyse investment; crash the real property rental value in Abuja; bring about a paradigm shift from ‘land ownership to house ownership’ and encourage development of big time real property developers.

The minister further assured that interest of the communities

will be adequately taken care of as his administration has put in place a framework to avoid the mistakes of the past in the implementation of resettlement and •Continued on Page 28

‘We didn’t collect rates from property owners’ From Gbenga Omokhunu

T

•Illegal structures demolished

More illegal structures pulled down

T

HE department of Development Control of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (FCT) has removed some illegal structures in Dakibiyu District of the federal capital city.

The demolished structures include kiosks, shanties and other structures which were said to be developed without legal titles to land and building plan approval.

The illegal settlement harbours criminals as well as women of easy virtue working mostly at night.

It was alleged that the village

From Bukola Amusan

head, without recourse to existing statutory provisions, was illegally selling land to unsuspecting developers in need of accommodation who also went ahead to develop without building plan approval.

The structures were mainly built on lowland and water-logged areas, thereby obstructing the free flow of water in the area during the rainy season.

Also removed were houses that encroached into other people’s plots.

The District Officer in charge of the area who led the demolition team, Ismaila Adamu, said all the affected houses in the area were previously marked for demolition.

“We marked all these houses that we are removing now. We also served the illegal developers adequate notices to stop work and quit site last year. We also served them demolition notices early this year, but they refused to comply,” Adamu said.

Also, the department has embarked on demolition along BwariDutse Road.

While explaining the reason for the exercise, the Assistant Director in charge of Monitoring and Enforcement, Nathaniel Atebije, said that the FCT Water Board had informed the Department of Development Control about the houses that encroached on a major pipeline linking Gurara Dam and the Lower Usuma Dam. He said the need to carry out the demolition exercise became necessary because of the implication of the illegal development to the maintenance of the pipelines.

HE Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has denied collecting tenement rates from property owners between 2006 and 2008, saying it was because of the suspension placed on the collection by the el-Rufai administration.

Head of Works and Housing Department of the council, Alhassan Dakwoyi, said that the council might have been collecting N18.8 billion yearly on the tenement rate since 2006.

The statement added that between 2009 and 2012, revenue that accrued from such rates fluctuated between N230 million and N550 million yearly as against estimated N18.8 billion according to the report.

“We want to stress that due to policy somersaults and undue interferences (stoppages) by the Federal Capital Territory Administration in the past, the council has not been able to cover the so-called 188,000 households as quoted by the newspaper report.

“The tenement rate desk officer, Mr. Aghotor, rightly puts the number of households covered by the council progressively over the years to be between 60, 000 and 70, 000 housing units based on information contained in the data bank of the tenement rate office,” the statement read in part. The statement also said it was wrong that the council charges a straight jacketed fee of N100, 000, adding that its clients paid as low as N10, 000 and could be higher depending on the value of the property.

It also said the 188,000 housing units mentioned in the report did not include municipal (city-centre) houses alone but other adjourning villages and satellite towns within Abuja Municipal Area Council whereby over 70 per cent of the houses are ineligible to be charged tenement rates.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

28

ABUJA REVIEW Committee raised to resettle Jabi-Yakubu community

T

HE Federal Capital Territory Administration has constituted a technical committee to resettle Jabi-Yakubu Community at Shere-Galuyi in Bwari Area Council.

The community, which comprises about 500 households, had written the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, on March 5, this year, requesting to be moved to the new resettlement town earmarked for them.

The technical committee, according to a statement issued by the Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the Minister, Oluyinka Akintunde, is chaired by the Deputy Director of Planning and Resettlement in the Resettlement and Compensation Department, FCT, Mrs. Helen Obiechina just as the Special Assistant (Legal) to the minister, Mr. Festus Tsavsar, is the secretary of the committee.

Other members include: Special Assistant (Resettlement Matters) to the FCT Minister of State, Mr. Benedict Ogenyi; representative of Urban and Regional Planning Department, Mr. Adamu Adamu; representative of Public Building Department, Mr. Ibrahim Momoh Jimoh; Head of Admin in the Resettlement and Compensation Department, Mr. Awwal Abdullahi Ibrahim; Security Chief, Abuja Municipal Area Council, Mr. Kelechi Uko-Abasi, and a representative of Satellite Towns Development Agency.

The Jabi-Yakubu community has two representatives as members of the committee. They are: Chief of Jabi Yakubu, His Royal Highness Yakubu Auta and the Madaki of Jabi -Yakubu community, Mr. Ishaku Suleiman.

Inaugurating the committee, the minister said the movement of Jabi-Yakubu Community to the new resettlement town was in line with the policy and programmes of the FCT Administration on resettlement. ”The setting up of this technical team became imperative because of the willingness of the Jabi-Yakubu Community to move to the Shere-Galuyi Resettlement Town. The community identified environmental hazards and the need for expansion as reasons for

A

S part of efforts to tackle emergency situations in the Federal Capital Territory, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed has approved the establishment of the FCT Emergency Management Agency.

Accordingly, this new agency has been created to effectively and efficiently respond to all emergency challenges in and around the 8,000 square kilometre of the Federal Capital Territory in line with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Act that stipulates the establishment of similar agencies in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja.

The Agency, according to a statement by the Assistant Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Hazat Sule, would be a one-stop-shop for all emergency cases to provide basic infrastructure as well as immediate rescue services to all affected residents of the Federal

FCT gets emergency management agency Capital Territory.

The minister added that the agency has been well packaged to deliver services in tune with the mission and vision of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Meanwhile, Senator Mohammed has also approved the constitution of the FCT Emergency Management Committee in line with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Act.

This new agency has been created to effectively and efficiently respond to all emergency challenges in and around the 8,000 square kilometre of the Federal Capital Territory in line with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Act that stipulates the establishment of similar agencies in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja

75 lives, N1b property saved from fire •Oloye Akinjide Stories from Gbenga Omokhunu and Grace Obike

the relocation request,” Akinjide stated.

She assured that the administration was committed to proffering a lasting solution to the problems that have hindered the success of the resettlement scheme. ”This has become imperative for the administration to realise its dream of an environmentally functional and befitting worldclass cityscape in accordance with the Master Plan provisions of Abuja,” the minister added.

She gave terms of reference to the 10-man committee as: •to assess the Resettlement site (Jabi Yakubu designated area within Shere-Galuyi) with the view of knowing the areas that require urgent action and the cost implication in order to facilitate immediate movement; •to verify additional claims for plots allocation and recommend them for consideration; •to effect immediate movement of the affected community; and •any other matter that could assist the administration in resettling the Jabi Yakubu and other affected communities.

T

HE FCT Administration has saved 75 lives due to its prompt response to rescue calls in the territory between January and March his year .

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed made this disclosure in his office in Abuja The minister, who further disclosed that during the same period under review, eight persons lost their lives during such rescue missions, remarked that 21 per-

sons were saved in January, 21 in February and 33 in March this year.

Senator Mohammed revealed that the his administration also saved property valued at N1,138,800,000 while, N257.9 million worth of property was lost during the same period under consideration.

According to him, the FCT Administration saved property valued at N258.2 million in January;

N594.2 million in February and N286.4 million in March 2013.

He said that the FCT Urban Affairs Department received 162 fire calls with 56 in January; 61 in February and 45 in March 2013.

While praising workers the FCT Urban Affairs Department for their pro-activeness in handling all these emergencies, the minister enjoined them to redouble their efforts to further reduce the number of casualties in future.

‘Undeveloped plots to be revoked’ •Continued from page 27

compensation policy.

He said that any resettlement and compensation policy, whether integration, resettlement or hybrid of the two, will only be arrived at and endorsed after detailed discussions with all relevant stakeholders including the communities, the investors and FCTA Agencies.

The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, Engineer Adamu Ismaila stated that the Land Swap model is the first of its kind in FCT and that the authorities took great care and caution in the

conceptualisation of the project, selection of the investor and negotiation of the transaction.

Ismaila disclosed that Dallas Carraway is a 220-hectare district with 413 plots comprising of 332 residential; 50 diplomatic, 3 commercial and 15 others.

He revealed that the scope of work to be undertaken by the investor include constriction of 16.4 km of roads of various sizes; provision of 16.4 of storm water drains; provision of 21.2km of foul water drains; provision of 22.3km of water distribution lines and provision of 19.9km of street lighting lines.

The Executive Secretary also disclosed that the scope include provision of 27.6km of electric power

distribution lines, provision of 14.5km of telecommunication ducts and construction of three mini sewage treatment plants totalling N26,217,860,549.57 being the entire cost and 15 percent return on investment.

The Chief of Karu, Mr. Emmanuel Kyauta Yepwi who also spoke at the occasion on behalf of the natives, praised the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed for the robust resettlement and compensation plans the Abuja Land-Swap Model initiative has evolved.

He assured that the native are ready to cooperate with his administration, as they have never had it better.

Youths urge Fed Govt to strengthen security

T

HE incessant attacks by members of the Boko Haram sect and the general insecurity in the land were the subjects of discussion at a meeting of the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) in Abuja last week.

The group urged the Federal Government to be more proactive in tackling the security challenges just as it did during last year’s flooding.

The group’s National President, Dr. Simon Dolly said the reconciliation moves being proposed to address Boko Haram insurgency can only succeed if certain precautions are taken into consideration.

He said: “We want the Federal Government to be proactive on the security crisis just the way they treated flooding issues.

“The victims of the crisis should be compensated before reconciliation. They have to be attended to first before proposing reconciliation and absence of it will show

From Faith Yahaya

high level injustice. We all want peace, we need dialogue”, he said.

Dr. Dolly who attributed the tottering progress in the country to lack of forgiveness on the part of Christians, called on Christians to have the heart of forgiveness, tolerate one another and avoid the politics of killing.

While decrying the state of insecurity, he said, “It is difficult for you to see any Christian youth at the arms of any government affair in the far north, also, Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) taught in other parts of the country is no longer taught in the north.

“Our people are displaced because of insecurity, people die virtually every day and the level of suffering of people in the north is very alarming. This country needs a lot of prayers”, he added.

Reacting to the issue, the former

•Simon Dolly (left) and former Minister of Petroleum Dan Etete at Sheraton Hotels, Abuja PHOTO: WALE ADENUGA

Minister of Petroleum, Chief Dan Etete urged them to interact with other youth organisation irrespective of the religious belief.

He explained that elders and

leaders are ready to give support to youths but they must make contact with one other. CAN youths, Arewa youths, Afenifere youths, South South youths and

other groups should meet from time to time.

Etete donated N5million to YOWICAN for its upcoming convention.

29

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

situation of women’s marginalisation is no less evident in ‘ The public life as fewer women participate at the higher levels. Nigeria is ranked 118 out of 192 countries in terms of gender parity in the aspect of participation in politics.

See page 31

’

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

INSIDE: ‘She was an angel’ -Page 31

We are ready to partner Abia for good governance -Page 32

Getting judges to be IT compliant -Page 33

Ngige identifies sections of NBA Constitution for amendment -Page 35

Common solutions to common challenges -Page 36

Group seeks urgent review of anti-graft laws -Page 37 • Senate President David Mark

• Speaker Tambuwal

Should immunity for president, I others be retained ?

Will Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prevents the President, the Vice President, governors and deputy governors from facing trial while in office be amended by the National Assembly – in line with the wishes of Nigerians? ADEBISI ONANUGA asks.

F the National Assembly goes with the public, the presi dent, vice president, governors and deputy governors may lose their immunity against trial, while in office.

At the public sessions held by the House of Representatives, Adhoc Committee on Constitution Review, Nigerians voted against “full” executive immunity. The committee said in its report that Nigerians voted for immunity for the president, the vice president, governors and deputy governor on civil proceedings.

The report reflected the wishes of Nigerians as collated during the exercise held on November 10, last year.

The committee presented the result of the 43 items voted on by the constituencies.

On the immunity clause, 225 constituencies voted for Section 308 to be amended, to the effect that the president, vice president, governors and deputy governors be covered by immunity in civil proceedings alone while in office. About 132 opposed the removal of the clause; three others did not vote. The section does not protect any sitting member of the National Assembly from facing criminal or civil trial.

Nigeria is not the only country with immunity clause in its constitution to protect the president, vice president, governors and deputy governors from being distracted by claim that they have litigation while in office. Globally, •CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

30

LAW COVER CONT’D

Should immunity for president, others be retained ?

• Continued from page 29

immunity for public officers is a constitutional issue. Most democracies claim that they have the immunity clause in their constitutions to allow the executive do its job unfettered.

Analysts have different views on whether or not the immunity clause which protects public office holders from criminal prosecution should be removed from the Constitution.

Those who believe the clause should be removed cite what they call the high level of corruption since the return to democracy about 14 years ago. It has prevented Nigerians from benefiting from the dividends of democracy. To them, the removal of immunity will prevent the president, vice president, governors and deputy governors from acts that would undermine their office and the Constitution.

Nigerians are piqued that they have to wait for a suspected corrupt governor to complete his four-year tenure before he could be tried.

They argue that the clause should not be a cover for unjust acts by those in public office, adding that the provision must be amended or expunged from the Constitution to enthrone transparency in government. To them, amending or removing immunity from the Constitution would not diminish the office of the President nor its powers.

But the antagonists said the removal of immunity would give opposition parties something to capitalise on to disrupt government. They also argued that, in the event of a sitting President or governor engaging in a criminal act, it would affect the smooth running of government as such a public officer would be made to face trial in court and, if found guilty, removed from office.

They also posited that, though it encourages corruption, removing immunity is not the solution to corruption. To them, removing immunity to reduce graft would neither work nor make any difference because there are laws and institutions that should have taken up the challenge of tackling corruption in the country.

Dr Joseph Nwobike, (SAN) said:“I think immunity should be retained as it is at the moment. The truism is that the number of our public officials who are beneficiaries of the immunity clause are very insignificant considering the public officials and civil servants who have unhindered access to public funds and opportunities that may be abused in diverse manners.”

To Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, the problem is the lack of strong institutions that prevent criminality. He said with or without the immunity clause, if institutions that prevent criminality are not strengthened, executive lawlessness would persist.

Ndume suggested that immunity against criminal charges should be removed and such officers be made to face the law for criminal charges while still in office.

“Immunity should not be used as a cover for unjust acts. I think it is wise to remove the immunity against criminal suits while civil immunity should be left to avoid a disruption in governance by frivolous charges against certain individuals in office.

“If there is continuous checks and balances as well as good accounting system in this country, it will be difficult for the executive to steal or engage in any criminal act.

“I strongly believe that our institutions must be strengthened, they are so weak and that is the fundamental problem.”

He went on:“Government has been privatising removal of immunity, that should not be. Government is public sphere and its activities should be made open and transparent.

“What is happening in our country to-

• Nwobike

• Balogun

• Senator Ndume

• Adekile

• Hon. Ikedioha

• Ofuokwu

Section 308 of the Constitution ( as amended) (1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Constitution, but subject to subsection (2) of this section (a) no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against a person to whom this section applies during his period of office; (b) a person to whom this section applies shall not be arrested or imprisoned during that period either in pursuance of the process of any court or otherwise; and (c) no process of any court requiring or compelling the appearance of a person to whom this section applies, shall be applied for or issued: Provided that in ascertaining whether any period of limitation has expired for the purposes of any proceedings against a person to whom this section applies, no account shall be taken of his period of office.

(2) The provisions of subsection (1) of this section shall not apply to civil proceedings against a person to whom this section applies in his official capacity or to civil or criminal proceedings in which such a person is only a nominal party.

(3) This section applies to a person holding the office of President or Vice-President, Governor or Deputy Governor; and the reference in this section to “period of office” is a reference to the period during which the person holding such office is required to perform the functions of the office. day shows that the real culprit making the executive unaccountable for their actions in office is not the immunity clause, but the absence of an efficient, working justice system and a lack of willingness by anticorruption bodies to pursue cases.

“We need to strengthen our justice system by making it quick in dispensing justice and concluding cases, and by giving stiff penalties for crimes not mere slaps on the wrist.

“Additionally, there must be a resolve by prosecuting and investigating agencies to investigate all allegations conclusively and satisfactorily, and also by the executive branch of government to provide political backing to the agencies which will shield them from interference, coercion and harassment by suspects.

“We should stop dissipating energy in

fighting an immunity clause that even without its existence nothing would change, unless we have strong institutions as well as an effective political leadership that is committed to ensuring that the justice system and law prosecuting agencies worked without interference,” Ndume added.

Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN) said immunity should not be absolute. “I have always supported limited immunity which will not extend to issues of corruption and misgovernance,” he said.

Former Chairman, Body of Bencher, Mrs Hairat Balogun, said the immunity clause should be removed.

“I believe that all men should be equal before the law. “Immunity breeds impunity and recklessness. Equality is equity,” she said.

‘The House may not agree with the decisions of Nigerians on the questions posed to them during the town hall meetings on constitutional review...We may even have doubts on the practicability and efficacy of the decisions. But at this point in time, our duty is to present the response of Nigerians on the various issues, without doctoring or any form of tinkering or manipulation’

Constitutional lawyer Ike Ofuokwu said: “The framers of the 1999 Constitution meant well with the immunity clause. But, unfortunately, it is now an anachronism because, since the inception of our present democracy, the immunity clause in our Constitution has been antithetical to good governance and accountability.

“It has been flagrantly violated and politically raped by public officials against the wishes of the Nigerian people.

“It should be jettisoned with speed from our Constitution. It has only served the fraudulent intent of corrupt government officials to the detriment of the Nigerian nation.”

He said further: “We need not fret about the removal if we are desirous of quality and selfless service to our people. I, therefore, respectfully submit that the disadvantages of the clause far outweigh the advantages, if any. To posit otherwise is reductionist,” Ofuokwu added.

Executive Director, Access to Justice, Mr Joseph Otteh, said: “For me, immunity allows impunity and that’s mostly how we’ve experienced it in these parts.

“The immunity clause has been an obstacle to those who are charged with fighting public sector corruption. They see indictable looting going on, but cannot stop the ‘ogas at the top” who sit over them.

“Immunity has not worked well for Nigeria, and it is open to debate whether it can sit compatibly with any society that truly values transparency and accountability.

“In Israel, a siting President, Moshe Katsav, was forced to resign as part of a plea bargain over an indictment for rape, but was afterwards prosecuted and convicted for sexual harassment and molestation, while a former Prime Minister, Ehud Olment, was indicted while in office, and subsequently prosecuted and convicted over allegations of corruption.

“More recently, in the UK, a former Minister and Cabinet member, Chris Huhne was prosecuted in February for obstruction of justice and was forced to resign following the indictment. He has • Continued on page 31

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

31

LAW & SOCIETY Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Ayotunde Philips, led others to the memorial lecture for former president, Foundation of International Development Assistance (FIDA), Nigeria, the late Mrs Slyvia Shinaba. PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU reports.

‘She was an angel’

I

T was the first memorial lecture in hon our of former FIDA President, the late Mrs. Sylvia Shinaba (SAN). The venue was the McGovern Hall of St. Agnes’ Catholic Church, Maryland; the same venue her friends and associates converged three years ago to celebrate her conferment as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

Mrs. Shinaba died on December 23, 2010, at a beach in Lagos, while trying to rescue a receptionist in her firm, Mrs. Victoria Odunaiya, who was drowning. Those who knew Mrs Shinaba described her as a woman who lived and died for love.

Mrs Philips, who was the guest lecturer, described the late Mrs Shinaba as a visionary member of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), who stood for legal and social actions for justice. She added that the late activist devoted herself to working for the improvement of women and children’s lives using law and other strategies.

The Chief Judge, was represented by head judge, Administration, Justice Funmilayo Atilade. She said she was very impressed by the various cases the deceased pursued to better the lots of persecuted women and children, adding “the last time I was in this hall was to celebrate her elevation as SAN”.

In the lecture titled empowering women in Nigeria: keeping the promise of law, Mrs Philips said Mrs Shinaba stood up for the cause of ensuring that the promise of law to do justice to all was kept always, as well as stood at the vanguard, especially for vulnerable and marginalised members of the society.

“She not only served this cause through her membership of the NBA, she did through her membership and leadership (at some point in time) of FIDA and even in the church. This lecture and indeed, this topic is to ensure that the legacy of her work-advancing the cause of women and other vulnerable groups through law-is continued.

“I make bold to say that the end of all law is justice and Sylvia Shinaba (SAN), certainly believed this. In other words, the end to which law strives is the end of doing justice and the promise of law is that it will work for justice.

“The idea of the rule of law will hardly fly, even at a conceptual level, if it can be assumed that the process of law-making will not be concerned with the end of justice or that laws can be capricious and arbitrary.”

On the situation of Nigerian women, Philips said the unassailable evidence present is of historical and institutionalized injustices against women on a global level, adding “women appear to have suf-

fered more in the hands of law and have less experienced the justice that even men have intuitively entrusted them with.

“Although women represent about 50 percent of Nigeria’s population, they have been marginalised on all fronts social, economic and political…While it is true that a number of women daily break the glass ceiling and transcend the traditional barriers, the majority of women remain invisible.

“Systemic discrimination in terms of access to education, denial of decision-making powers and weak economic power ensures they are consigned to the private sphere with much of their contribution undervalued.

“The situation of women’s marginalisation is no less evident in public life as fewer women participate at the higher levels. Nigeria is ranked 118 out of 192 countries in terms of gender parity in the aspect of participation in politics. The 13.1 per cent representation in the National Assembly is below the global average (15per cent) and far behind South Africa and Rwanda’s representation (43 and 56 per cent respectively).

“At the local government level, only about four per cent of Nigeria’s councilors are women compared with South Africa’s declining but still credible 38 per cent, “she said.

On the promise of law, the Chief Judge said law is an instrument of social engineering and can be an agent of social change for women empowerment, adding that an array of national and international legal instrument exists in the country, which provide supportive legal frameworks for women’s empowerment in all spheres of life.

She, however, pointed out the constitutional limitation on the enforceability of undomesticated international treaties, just as she called for the harmonization of laws noting that it does not do well for the development of the country’s jurisprudence to have enormous volume of contradictory laws under the National Legal System and a vast amount of international legal instruments, which the nation has subscribed to.

“Many call upon the judiciary to engage in judicial activism to fill the gaps where the legislature is slow to act. My view is that this approach, if not preceded with extreme caution, comes with great risk of courts violating the constitutional principle of separation of powers.

“Even worse, our jurisprudence becomes all the more muddled up, to put it mildly, when International Courts can enforce a right against Nigeria at the instance of a Nigerian

• From left: Mr Ogie Eboigbe, Justice Atilade and Austin Alege

• From left: Mr Mohammed Shinaba, Rev Monsignor Hotenyin and Prof Ayodele Atsenuwa

citizen under an international treaty which is not enforceable under the constitution as happened in Socio-Economic Action Project v.

Federal Republic of Nigeria and Universal Basic Education Commission.

“This is where the NBA and indeed, the body of Learned Silk can take some leadership in getting us out of this quagmire and arguably, there is no better time than now when we are engaged in a constitutional re-

form process,” Mrs Pihilips said.

At the event, which was organised by Catholic Lawyers Association of Nigeria, were husband to the deceased, Mr Mohammed Shinaba; Mrs. Funke Adekoya (SAN); Prof Ayodele Atsenuwa; Mrs Titilayo Akinlawon (SAN), Chukwuma Ezala; Shina Shofola (SAN); Martins Adeleye; Alex Morka; Rev. Monsignor Hotenyin; Mr Ogie Eboigbe and Austin Alege

Should immunity for president, others be retained ?

• Continued from page 30

since been convicted and is in prison.

“In the United States, former Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich was, while in office as governor, investigated by the FBI and was arrested in 2008 by federal agents and charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and one-count of soliciting bribes. He was convicted and, on Dec 7, 2011, sentenced to 14 years in prison.

“So, why retain what works so inimically against us, our nation, our children, our future?” he asked.

A lawyer, Mr Aderemi Adekile, said: “The consideration of whether or not to remove immunity clause from the Constitution, by way of amendment, is a sword. It is in the sense that the makers of the Constitution; the original drafters, the founding fathers of the 1979 Constitution, who thought it fit to insert that clause, were not mad. They were not idiots. May be, what they didn’t see or see properly then, was the corruption that has become pervasive and has now been substituted with the act of governance itself by the political leaders of today.

“When you look at a typical Prime Minister or President from the Western world, who has spent two to three years in office; if you compare his picture with when he just assumed office, you will see a man or woman that has not only worked, but the office is telling and tak-

ing a toll on his looks, personality and everything about him.

“But, if you reverse the situation and come to, not only Nigeria but other developing and under developed countries, you see a more robust man, with a lot of affluence.

“May be he was so poor to the extent of having no shoes when he was coming into office. So, that is the problem.

“Law is a function of the society, which it has been called upon to regulate. So, if you consider all this against the background of corruption, and the height it has reached in the country, you will agree that there is the need to take a critical look at it; to determine whether we should retain immunity in the Constitution.”

Adekile continued: “But, when you look at governance and the fact that the people we have elected for four years should be allowed to work and not be distracted; because litigation is a major source of distraction, and since the immunity covers them only while in office as they can be prosecuted after their tenures, to that extent, I will say yes, if the focus is only on the business of governance. I think the National Assembly will not be justified by taking the position that the immunity clause should be expunged from the Constitution.

“But I do not think that if you take a poll in Nigeria today, that position will win. What you are likely going to get is

an overwhelming majority voting in favour of the removal of the immunity clause from the Constitution.

“That position is just a function of what is going on. It is not hinged on any principled consideration of the concept of immunity for the drivers of the business public governance, which is the foundation of the consideration for the inclusion of the clause in the first place.

“The age when the concept of immunity was conceived and made a constitutional provision in countries other than Nigeria, was when the people loved their leaders, wanted the leaders to succeed, believing that when the leader succeeds, the society will succeed.

“But, today, in Nigeria, when the leader succeeds; himself, his family and his cronies have succeeded.

“The way the society is perceiving the immunity clause is that, it is not in the interest of the society to retain it. Our overriding consideration, in taking a final position on this, should be the will of the people.

“May be if it is possible to arrest and prosecute a serving governor immediately, may he will be discouraged from stealing the money in the first place,” Adekile said.

As Ihedioha explained while submitting the report of his committee, the House may not agree with the decisions of Nigerians on the questions posed to them during the town hall meetings on constitutional review.

“We may even have doubts on the practicability and efficacy of the decisions,” he

said, stressing that, at this point in time, their duty was to present the response of Nigerians on the various issues, “without doctoring or any form of tinkering or manipulation.”

The people of Nigeria have expressed their views on what changes they would like to see in the Constitution. Having done this, the nation now awaits the National Assembly to decide on whether or not it would bow to the wish of the people on the immunity clause.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

32

LAW PERSONALITY Mr. Victor Nwaugo, a graduate of Imo State University (IMSU), was called to the Bar on December 12, 1990. He was the Legal Adviser, National Republican Convention (NRC) Aba South; Social Secretary Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Aba branch, Publicity Secretary, NBA Aba branch, member, National Executive Committee (NEC) NBA from 2006 till date, NBA National Legal Adviser (201012); and prosecutor, NBA Disciplinary Committee (2010-2012). In this interview, he bares his mind on the amendment of the NBA constitution, the face-off between NBA Aba branch and Abia State government, amnesty for the Boko Haram and sundry national issues. Legal Editor, JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU met him.

We are ready to partner Abia for good governance

T

HE NBA Constitution is cur rently being amended. Which aspects do you want reviewed?

Quite frankly, it appears that since the regime of Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), every other President desires to have NBA constitution amended. But I think we should rather concentrate on implementing the letters and spirit of NBA constitution rather than seek to amend the constitution every time. I would wish that the constitution is left the way it is to avoid introducing clauses and things that may cause division or breed crisis in the association in future.

Why do you say this?

You will recall that during the Abuja conference in 2012, a group of lawyers, led by Ikeja branch of NBA protested and insisted that they must be allowed to attend the meeting in the Annual General Conference (AGC) which they wrongfully referred to as the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

They argued that they were entitled to attend the meeting even without paying the NEC approved conference fees for that year. But I quickly disagreed with them because nowhere in our constitution are words “Annual General Meeting” used. So, if you are required by the arrangement of NEC of NBA Pursuant to Article 9 (9) (e) (iv) to pay conference fees to attend our Annual General Conference, any member who defaults in the payment of such fee is not qualified to attend any programme of that AGC, be it meeting or talkshow. The argument taken from Article 6 (6.7) of the said Constitution that payment of Bar Practicing Fees (BPF) opens door for a member of the association to attend the meeting at the AGC does not hold water in that the paragraph only provided for members who can qualify to pay the conference fees and attend.

A member who fails to pay his practicing fees cannot attend even after paying the conference fee.

If NEC in their arrangement for the AGC decides that a member must a pay fee to attend, so be it. So, rather than propose amendment, I would rather say, please, let’s not talk of state Bar, general membership suffrage, zoning of NBA offices as we are not the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) or the All Nigerian Peoles Party (ANPP).

Such things will create division rather than hold us together.

The question of giving amnesty to members of Boko Haram has generated dust. What is your position?

Well, In Igbo, there is a saying that a man who was absent when a corpse was buried, if asked to exhume it, will definitely start from the wrong end.

You see, we must first trace the root or origin of this sect. What are their demands? Who are their backers? My research takes the origin of this sect back to 7th century when the followers of Ali, the 4th caliph to the throne who was believed to have been murdered in AD 661, decided to hold on to his teachings and ideals. The followers of Ali or Shiat Ali who refer to themselves as the custodians of the Islamic faith authentic tradition do not believe in the free will or tolerance to worship God or A’llah as generally believed by Muslims and Christians.

In their belief, it is either you are compelled to worship Allah according to their ideals and style or you are an infidel who must be eliminated. The sect also believes that Islam which led to civilisation of the world in the

10th century was cut short by the invading crusaders who terminated the spread of Islam that had spread to parts of East, India, Africa and Europe.

The last known world leader of that sect is Osama Bin Laden, who recruited and trained many Nigerians for this project. The problem of Boko Haram was predicted in the 9/11 Committee Report headed by Henry A. Kissinger, which was published in 2004. So, do we have sympathy in their course?

While I agree that the members of Boko Haram just capitalised on the level of poverty and religion in the North to recruit many, remember also that in the South, so many jobless youths abound who are also waiting to be recruited by any new crime wave that may suit their beliefs and ideals.

So, if Christians in Nigeria are willing to surrender their faith to Boko Haram, then, the problem may have been solved, but if not, Federal Government may be deceiving themselves by proposing amnesty package to real Boko Haram members.

So, what is their mission?

This sect is simply propagating that but for the crusade of the 10th century, the entire world would have been Islamised hence they seek to Islamise the world by conquering Nigeria and Nigerians. But I think they are wrong.

In the first place, the entire area now called Nigeria was dominated by worshippers of traditional religion during the crusade, hence the Nigerian Communities played no role. Both Northern Nigeria and Southern Nigeria became captives to the two Ibrahamic religions as was given to them by their captors. So, if Christians have found love, peace and life in Christ introduced to them by the white man, who should take him away from them?

Rather than talk of amnesty for Boko Haram, Federal Government should find a way to assuage the feelings of families who lost their breadwinners and should find a way to engage the jobless youth of the North and South in gainful employments.

What do you make of the House of Representatives making plea bargain a vital aspect of our Criminal Justice Administration bill soon to be passed into law?

Quite frankly, I think already, under several sections of criminal procedure law and in particular, section 284 of Criminal Procedure Act and other laws in various states such as Magistrates Court law of Eastern Nigeria, Section 45 of which promotes reconciliation and encourages and facilitates settlement in an amicable way, there is room for complainant and an accused person to report settlement. You know that a person standing trial will still remain a mere accused person and he is presumed innocent until proved guilty. So, where the state is likely to lose so much as a result of length of trial, concession may be given. However, a person who pleads guilty to an offence, whether imprisoned or fined has become ex-convict. When we realise that the essence of imprisonment is geared towards reforming the convict, it then would not matter if the person who stole all the money of pensioners, after making restitution, is put in a reformatory confinement for mere six months. To that extent, I adopt the plea bargain initiative. However, one of the ways to check abuses is to ensure that a person found guilty of certain degree of offences should not be allowed - please mark my words - to occupy any public office, hold any position in churches, mosques, community or as-

sociations in Nigeria where he may, by virtue of his position, deal with government as a representative of such church, mosque, community or association. In that way, people will be careful in the things they do.

Why is there a face-off between NBA Aba branch and Abia State government?

My dear, quite frankly, I must say that it is most unfortunate. I say so because the problems of NBA, Aba branch and Abia State Government started with the administration of Mr. Uche S. Awa, the then chairman of NBA, Aba branch who honestly encouraged us to support and embrace T.A. Orji as a better Orji.

In keeping with the plea of our then chairman, we embraced the Abia Governor. This embrace extended to hisAttorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, (AG)Mr. Umeh Kalu whom we visited severally and who in return attended our 2009 Annual Dinner. The problem started when the Abia government in 2009 introduced placement of values or prices on the landed property in Aba area for purposes of imposing capital gain tax on registerable instrument. For instance, a plot of land in Abayi-Nchokoro in Ugwunagbo in 2009 was going for about N100,000 to N150,000, but value placed on such land was N3,000,000.

The value of a bungalow in Aba town then was N7million, but a value of N15million was placed on such property. We engaged the services of private estate valuers. We gave our position to the government through the A-G. He accepted the report and did nothing. We took the same document to the Speaker of Abia House of Assembly then and he and invited the AG to defend the government’s position after which the A-G went to town shouting that NBA Aba petitioned him before Abia House.

Again, we also disagreed with the government on the mode of appointment of a Chief Judge of the State. We favour appointment by order of seniority as practiced even in Supreme court. So when vacancy existed in 2010, the NJC in their wisdom appointed Justice Ijeoma Offonry, the most senior Judge in Abia State. The government of Abia neglected the appointment of the NJC and we disagreed with them. You see, the issue of appointment of CJ of a state should be depoliticised to breed certainty. Do you know that a politician demanded for a romantic outing with a female judge if she wanted to be the CJ of her state? I mean, this nonsense must stop.

So, Aba Bar disagreed with the Governor, after all he can only stay in office for only eight years while we lawyers have the rest of our lives to live with what a bad CJ does.

Again, when the Governor invited NBA Aba branch to a meeting to resolve the crisis, the, A-G aborted it and we went our different ways.

Again, when the Governor sacked Eastern workers in Abia State from other states including those married to Abia indigenes, we protested. When the infrastructure built by Sam Mbakwe administration in Aba were kept in a state of disrepair, Aba became death trap. We hit the streets to attract world attention.

Have the issues been resolved?

Well, no, because the CJ as appointed by the NJC has not been sworn in, value placed on land in Aba area has remained the same and our clients no longer register their documents and part of our practice is affected. Though the governor has started patching some roads, let us see

• Nwaugo

how far he can go and how serious he is. The governor boldly told the leadership of Eastern Bar Forum that visited him in 2012 that he bought buses for all the branches in Abia except NBA Aba branch and that he also refused to sponsor NBA Aba branch members to conferences even when he sponsored other branches.

I think the governor should be bold enough to invite the leadership of NBA Aba branch led by Chief C.U.C. Eduzor outside the AG for a meeting.

He should let us talk as partners in progress. All we desire is for the good of Abia which we believe he too is interested in. In fact, there are so many Social Services the branch is giving to Abia people in Aba which is what the government ought to be doing.

Can you name some of those services?

We organise lectures for the people, town hall meetings, human right forum, talk shows, awareness campaign and so many interactive programmes. When Chief Gani Fawehinmi died, NBA Aba was the only body in the entire old Eastern region that organised a programme in honour of Gani which was aired on NTA network. We are organising one for Achebe.

I think, this is the Governor’s hour to call for dialogue. Luckily for him, the labour Minister, Emeka Wogu who is an expert in conflict resolution is his friend and an Aba lawyer.

What is your appraisal quality of governance in the country now?

Well, there are states that are not doing well at all. I doubt whether Abia State capital, Umuahia can host NBA National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting while a small state like Gombe hosted NEC of NBA and we discovered that they have an airport and a University . Akwa-Ibom is in a class of its own, Lagos, Imo, Ondo, Rivers and Edo are doing well. I must not fail to mention that the best public secondary school in terms of maintenance I saw in Nigeria, is St. Patricks College, Asaba in addition to the airport and good roads. For the Federal government, I will find it difficult to say a word against Dr. Goodluck Jonathan now because of his own very statement at the Annual General Conference of NBA in Abuja 2012, where he admitted he is the most criticised President ever in this country, and added that he was sure that before the end of 2014, Nigerians would be begging him to continue. I would want to

wait to see that his magic. But for now, there is no fish in the bowl of soup served me by my mother-in-law as far as Federal government is concerned.

The Judiciary is always said to be the last hope of the common man. Can you confidently say that of our Judiciary now?

I think indeed the Judiciary is the last hope of everybody including the common man. The present Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) has demonstrated that she wants the judiciary to be cleaner. The example of Justice Charles Achibong is still fresh in our minds.

However, Aba NBA is awaiting Justice in the case of Justice Uzokwe of Aba High Court.

I think one of the ways to clean the judiciary of some misfit is to re-appraise the process of appointment.

Over the years, the Bar’s input has been sidelined. I know of a judge in Abia today who was living on bribery as a Magistrate and it got to the point that she even took a bribe of N100 but today, she is a judge despite the Bar’s comment on her integrity and knowledge of law. To protect her, she was posted to a remote part of Abia. I hope she has changed, if not, she will eventually expose herself.

Some Journalists working for one of the national dailies were recently arrested and detained for doing their job. What is your reaction to this?

The arrest and detention smack of the dark days in the history of man akin to July 6th 1809 when Pope Pius VII walked out of the papal apartment and down the staircase into the waiting hands of the soldiers who Napoleon had sent to arrest him, or during the 13th century i.e in 1227 when Frederick II, Emperor of all Germany ordered his armies to arrest Pope Gregory IX because he was allegedly antagonised by the Pope. The police once again have failed to save their battered image, sacrificing constitutional obedience on the altar of obeying the Presidential command.

It is wrong to arrest journalists because they published that they have document showing that the PDP-led government is frustrating the registration of APC. Who does not know that this present government does not smile to opposed view? After all, why is Governor Rotimi Amechi being crucified? Is it not because he requested that the East/West road should be completed?

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

33

FROM THE COURT Lagos State judges have undergone a training on the use of Information Technology (IT) facilities to enhance their productivity. PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU reports.

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

Tambuwal on constituency projects

T • From left: Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile; Justice Y. A. Adesanya and Ope Olugasa.

Getting judges to be IT compliant

L

AGOS State Chief Judge Jus tice Ayotunde Philips did not just provide her colleagues with Ipads installed with law reports, statute books, a case management system and performance evaluation report to ensure they have all they need; she went a step further by organising a training to acquaint them with the use of the gadget.

Gathered at the Judges’ Recreation Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, the excited members of the bench actively participated as the Law Pavilion team took them through the lectures. In their characteristic manner, the judges flipped through their Ipads as the lecturers tutored to ensure the lectures tally with what they have in their gadgets.

The lecture, which was the second in its series, according to the Chief Registrar (CR), Gana Safari, was to ensure that the state’s judiciary is IT compliant and to move in tandem with the present development around the globe, whereby people can easily access information online.

Safari said the CJ is keen and open to initiatives that will enhance the productivity of the judges, bearing in mind the stress they go through in conducting manual research, which ofcourse, delays the course of justice.

The CR noted that there have been some improvements since the CJ provided the gadgets to the judges, adding ‘‘we have noticed speedy delivery of judgments by some judges and they have also told us that the gadgets have made their jobs much easier. ‘‘With particular reference to judges, we want to bring the law reports to their hands by so doing, eradicate the former situation where books are kept everywhere with the attendant stress of searching for particular information. ‘‘That was why the CJ introduced the use of Ipads and softwares that will provide them with law reports, statute books as well as other necessary requirement they need to do their jobs, to avoid carrying books around. ‘‘With the provision of these facilities, judges can work from their homes, cars, and even while on a trip. So, I am sure their exposure to the training will enable them use their Ipads optimally. ‘‘Although the project is a new innovation, we have noticed some improvements. From the interac-

tions we have had with the judges, quite a number of them have made mention to the fact that they now have easy access to law reports. ‘‘Before now, most judges have to depend on their judicial assistants, who are also lawyers to research and look for books in the shelves but with their exposure to the use of the Ipad, they now do it themselves easily. ‘‘You know when you depend on someone to do something for you the human factor will always be there in terms of delay, among others. But in doing it yourself, you have programmed your thoughts as to how you want the job done and the time you want to spend on it. ‘‘So, to that extent, I can say there have been some improvement with regards the way judges deliver their judgments, since the delay encountered in the process of waiting for judicial assistants to look for the reports has been cut off,’’ he said.

Safari, who noted that the judges were not the only beneficiaries of the training, disclosed that support staff such as registrars were being trained under the Judicial Information System (JIS).

He said: ‘‘We are training the court registrars because we know they are integral part of the judiciary. The registrars perform quite a number of tasks in terms of relating with the public; providing record of proceedings for litigants and lawyers alike; providing certified true copy of court proceedings, among others. ‘‘Under the JIS, which we are launching very soon, lawyers and litigants will have access to court processes online from anywhere in the world, so, it is necessary for us to carry the registrars along so that the judges will not be working in isolation without the necessary backup from their support staff. ‘‘So, training is ongoing for the registrars on the use of laptops and internet facilities from their offices, of course, when the judges finish their own training, the support staff will also benefit from this particular system so that when their judges give them directives, they will know what to do.

Managing Director, Law Pavilion, Ope Olugasa, said his organisation trained the judges on how to effectively use their gadgets and the softwares installed in them so that the effect of the state’s investment will be felt in justice

delivery.

He said they employed the principles of project management into case management for effective and efficient justice administration.

“At the same time, we also introduced them to some of the new features we have integrated into the software that was not there when they purchased it last year; how to conduct legal research with law pavilion as well as the case management procedure, which provides them with details of all their cases on their Ipad, hence, they do not need to go about with case files.

“On their Ipad they can see details of the next proceedings, hearing dates, which gives them round the clock productivity. Even if they are in the plane, they can review their matters.

“We also introduced them to the judicial performance system, which the National Judicial Council (NJC) has been doing. But we have installed it into their Ipads such that they can begin to proactively monitor their own performances.

“What NJC does is to give them a per quarter target, which they are expected to fill and file to the NJC as regards their activities for a quarter. So, they can now proactively monitor that report themselves and measure their own performances.

“With what we have now, it is not only at the end of the quarter that they begin to take stock of their activities, they can always monitor on daily, weekly or monthly basis and they will know when to improve.

“What we have done is employ the principles of project management into case management. We factored in the user friendliness of the gadget and interestingly, most of the judges in Lagos are familiar with the use of Ipad.

“For us, this is a stakeholder engagement. It is not about dumping software solutions on their tables, but it also provides the opportunity for feedback from them that will enable us improve.

“Because the judicial process involves not only the judges, we have been working with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and we have provided another type of case management for the lawyers that will help them be on top.

“It also has its own course list and an auto reminder so that lawyers will not ask for frivolous adjournments,’’ Olugasa said.

HE National Assembly resumed last week from recess hopefully rejuvenated for another round of legislative duties. At the lower house, otherwise known as the House of Representatives, the first legislative session took off with the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal warmly welcoming his colleagues. In his address, Tambuwal spoke on the controversies over the so called constituency projects, among other issues.

He took a swipe at those who claim that he and his colleagues are trespassing into executive functions through constituency projects. Looking into the cameras he claimed that members merely influence the citing of projects in their constituencies, and have no hand in the choice of contractors or similar mundane matters.

Tambuwal must have used the break to refresh himself on the constitutional responsibilities of the legislature, particularly in a presidential democracy. My guess is that after refreshing himself with the provisions of sections 4 and 80 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, he may have come to the realisation that it amounts to folly and a constitutional aberration for legislators to also seek to appropriate sections 5 and 81 of the constitution to their loaded responsibilities. Section 4(1) vests the legislative powers of the federation in the National Assembly, while sub-section 2 deals with the gamut of the powers which is: “to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Federation or any part thereof with respect to any matter included in the Exclusive Legislative list….”

From the idiosyncrasies of our young democracy, and obviously in furtherance of section 4, it is section 80 that provides the bedlam upon which most of our national crises oscillates – it deals with the sharing of the almighty consolidated revenue fund of the federation. Subsections 2, 3 and 4, of that section are instructive in this endeavour. In summary they provide that no expenditure from any money of the federation or the consolidated revenue fund can be shared unless authorised by the constitution or an act of the National Assembly. So except monies due to the judiciary and other special agencies, that should be paid directly to them - observed mostly in the breach; Tambuwal and his colleagues at the two chambers have the powers to legislate on how to share the rest. The charge from members of the public which the Speaker was trying to deny at the first plenary of the House is that, they have not illegally appropriated the executive powers provided in sections 5 and 81 to their own powers in breach of the constitution.

Section 5(1)(b) provides that: “the executive powers of the Federation – shall extend to the execution and maintenance of this constitution, all laws made by the National Assembly and to all matters with respect to which the National Assembly has for the time being power to make laws”. On its part, section 81 (1) and (2) in summary authorizes the President to prepare and lay before the National Assembly the revenues and expenditure of the Federation; and to include the heads of expenditure in a bill, and the sums to meet that expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, which he will then present before a joint sitting of the National Assembly for legislative action.

From the foregoing, it is clear that our presidential democracy is structured to avoid the concentration of two very important key powers over the sharing of national resources in one institution.

The charge against the members of the National Assembly is that they usually add their own heads of expenditure to that provided in the bill presented by the executive, determine the sums to meet those expenditure (these are executive powers), and then authorise through an appropriation act those heads of expenditure that they have added (legislative powers). The worse of the charges is that they execute the laws they have made for their own benefit, (tagged constituency projects) by determining the contractors who will execute the projects, force the executive to disburse the monies, otherwise, they risk a breach of the appropriation act which they made, and then going back to their legislative responsibility, they provide the oversight functions over those expenditures as provided by Section 88 of the constitution. Now the combination of these disparate functions in a presidential democracy is clearly incongruous and must have informed the spirited efforts by the Speaker to exculpate his colleagues from the charge; for if they are culpable as many believe, then the democratic project may be charged as dubious.

No doubt it is reassuring that Tambuwal has denied these charges of unconstitutional conducts proffered against his colleagues at the two chambers; even if many Nigerians believe it was mere propaganda. I prefer that Nigerians give him benefit of doubt in this matter. After all who is sure that the speaker has not come to a new understanding of the constitution? Or if they had knowingly been acting against the constitution, is it not possible that they are now determined to act in the overall interest of the law? The Speaker and hopefully his colleagues may have realised that a combination of these two powers could derail our democracy and are determined to make amends.

The other matter to which the National Assembly must come to terms with is the issue of their salaries and allowances. They must urgently reread and imbibe the provisions of Section 70 of the constitution. That section provides unequivocally that: “a member of the Senate or the House of Representative shall receive such salary and other allowances as the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission may determine”. Indeed any other money they receive not determined by the Commission amounts to stealing.

34

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

LAW & SOCIETY Judge vs bus driver: Court adjourns ruling on bail

O

• From left: Aniedi Akpabio; Patrick Udofam and Ime Ashibong at the Commonwealth Lawyers Conference held in Cape Town, South Africa.

Ojukwu Transport Limited: May 27 fixed for hearing on application

A

LAGOS high Court, Igbosere, has fixed May 27, for hearing on an originating summons brought by an oil firm, West Africa Offshore Limited, against Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL) and two others.

The oil firm had dragged OTL before Justice Sybil Nwaka, over alleged N24 million rentage fee.

As part of its prayers before the court, the firm had urged the court to make an order directing the firm on who to remit its rent to. In its originating summons dated October 5, 2012, and brought pursuant to Order 43, Rules 1,2 and 10 of the High Court of Lagos (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004, as well as Section 6(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, and signed by one Hakeem Babatunde Salami, the oil firm prayed the court for an Order directing the payment of the sum, which according to it, represents two years rent from March 16, 2012 to March 15, 2014, in respect of the property located at 30, Gerald Road, Ikoyi.

The firm also urged the court to direct that the said amount be lodged into an interest yielding account in the name of the Chief Registrar (CR) of the High Court of Lagos State for the collection of either of the respondents or as may be directed by the cour, since there are rival instructions as to tittle and who is authorised to collect the money, subject matter of the application.

The applicant in an affidavit in support of the summons deposed to by its Finance Manager, Frank Iwelu, informed the court that in January 2007, it took a five year tenancy of the property known as 30, Gerrald

By Precious Igbonwelundu

Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, at the rate of N8, 000, 000. 00 (Eight Million Naira) per annum from the third respondent (OTL), with the first respondent, Emmanuel Omuojine, as OTL’s agent.

The oil firm said the sum of N40 million only was paid to Omuojine in respect of the property as the agent of OTL, the owner, adding that the said tenancy took effect from March 16, 2007.

“Prior to the expiration of the five years tenancy, the rent payable in respect of the property was revised and the sum of N12 million only per annum for a period of three years with two years rent payable in advance and the balance subsequently was agreed.

“That the Applicant’s intention was to pay the agreed rent directly into the first respondent’s account when the tenancy agreement was between the Applicant and the third respondent.

“It therefore necessitated its solicitors to cause a letter dated March 19, 2012 to the first respondent requesting the provision of evidence of its authority to have the rent paid directly in its name.

“It was at this point that the Applicant discovered the first respondent was laying claims to the rent payable in respect of the premises probably as a result of dispute between him and OTL, which the Applicant did not understand.

“While discussion on how to pay the agreed rent was pending, the second respondent surfaced through its letter dated July 10, 2012 with reference number MUC/MAN.OTL/215 informing the applicant that he is the

manager of the property, by virtue of a power of attorney dated May 4, 2012 purportedly donated to him by OTL. “By a letter dated July 25, 2012, a copy of which was received by the OTL, the applicant’s solicitors informed the second respondent of the existence of a relationship with the first respndent as the agent of the third respondent in respect of the property and that the Applicant will chart a middle course until the issue of representation is resolved.”

The court was further informed that the first respondent had written a letter to the oil firm on August 1, 2012, with a purported copy of OTL’s letter advising the tenant occupying the said property that the first respondent remained the owner’s agent.

In a counter affidavit to the originating summons deposed to by one Lotanna Ojukwu, a director in OTL said the transport company has commenced the process of recovering possession of its property from the claimant as well as money for unlawful occupation.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, Counsel to the oil firm, O.C Smith, reminded the court that there was an Order of substituted service on Massey Udegbe, the second defendant adding that the said service had been effected on him, just as she prayed for a further date for hearing of the application.

However, counsel to the respondents, George Uwechue (SAN), told the court that the matter was a simple one, which ought not to have any disagreement.

Nwaka thus adjourned the matter till May 27, for hearing of application.

NE year after a Lagos commercial bus driver, Quadri Kasali, has been in prison custody for attempted murder of a High Court Judge, Justice Adeniyi Adebajo, an Igbosere High Court, adjourned ruling on an application for his bail.

Kasali, who was arraigned first at the Magistrates’ Court, Tinubu, was denied bail on several occasions by the Magistrates who handled the matter and was remanded in prison custody pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), despite efforts by rights group to secure his bail.

He was alleged to have attempted to kill Adebajo by hitting him three times with his bus on March 3, 2012, at Moloney Street, when Adebajo accosted him for obstructing traffic.

According to the charge sheet, Kasali was driving a commercial bus with registration number XA242 KLK at Moloney Street, Lagos Island, at 2:20pm, where he obstructed other road users.

The alleged offence contravened Section 228 of Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

Kasali’s matter was transferred to the High Court after the DPP, established an attempted murder case against him.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, the defendant’s counsel, Oludare Falana, applied for Kasali’s bail but the trial judge, Justice Christopher Balogun, retained the defendant in prison custody.

Falana in applying for the defendant’s bail, urged the court to consider that Kasali, who was

Stories by Precious Igbonwelundu

the breadwinner of his family, also has a young wife who just delivered a baby.

He said: “The court should consider the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise”, adding that the defendant has been in prison custody since his first arraignment. “”The offence for which the defendant was charged can be likened to a mere traffic offence and not attempted murder as stated by the charge sheet.

“Even the alleged attempted murder as stated is a ballable offence,” he said.

However, the prosecutor, Femi Adamson, objected the defendant’s bail application, stating that Kasali’s counsel has not given enough facts to guarantee that the defendant will not jump bail.

He said: “Although the offence committed is a non-capital one, the provision of law is clear that bail of that nature is dependent on the facts before the court.

In his ruling, Balogun said the defence has not given enough facts to prove that the defendant will come back if released on bail.

He said: “where in your affidavit have you shown that the defendant will come back if released on bail?”

After listening to both parties, Balogun, who denied the defendant bail, adjourned the case to May 2, for hearing of the bail application.

June 18 for N500m libel suit

A

N Igbosere High Court, Lagos, has fixed June 18 for hearing on a motion challenging its jurisdiction on a N500 million libel suit against Google Incorporation and two others.

The internet company, along with a blogger, Ladun Liadi and Google Nigeria, were sued by Chairman, Anabel Group, Nicholas Okoye, for alleged improper editorial censorship and libel.

Justice Adedayo Oyabanji adjourned hearing on the suit following two applications from Google’s counsel, E.K Bahabo,

challenging the court’s jurisdiction as well as seeking that Google Nigeria, the third defendant, be struck out of the suit.

Meanwhile, an interlocutory injunction was earlier filed by Okoye’s counsel, Emeka Okwosa, to prevent the defendants from further publication of the said libellous document pending the determination of the case by the court.

Laidi, who is the first defendant in the suit was represented by her lawyer, A. I. Enaefo, claimed there was no evidence the libellous document was downloaded.

Baba Suwe: Court reserves judgment

A

N Appeal Court sitting in Lagos, has reserved judgment inthe suit filed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) challenging the judgment of Justice Yetunde Idowu of a Lagos High Court, that awarded a N25 million damage to a popular comedian,

Babatunde Omidina alias ‘Baba Suwe’ against the agency for illegal detention over allegation of drug trafficking.

The Justice Chima Nweze-led appeal panel arrived at the decision after counsel to both parties adopted their briefs.

Supreme Court fixes July 12 for judgment in case by ex-NLNG staff

T

HE Supreme Court has fixed July 12 for judgment in an appeal by 15 ex-workers of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG).

A five-man panel of justices of the court, led by Justice Walter Onnoghen, chose the date after entertaining arguments from parties.

The plaintiffs, who were employed as security officers by NLNG, particularly, want the court to determine whether it was proper for their former employer to summarily terminate their employment without recourse to due process of law.

They told the court that though the High Court of Rivers State had on December 7, 2005, ordered their immediate reinstatement, the com-

Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

pany had since refused to either comply with the judgment or pay their entitlements.

The High Court had issued “an order directing the first defendant, its servants and officials to pay to the plaintiffs their accrued entitlements in the sums respectively computed in favour of each plaintiff.”

NLNG, represented by Seyi Sowemimo (SAN) had contended that the appellants, being Supernumerary Police Officers (SPOs), the plaintiffs ought to approach the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for their entitlements, a position the trial court upheld in its judgment.

Dissatisfied, the 15 SPOs went before the Court of Appeal, Port

Harcourt. The appellate court, on March 5, 2009 gave its decision and held that the appellants were SPOs who, by virtue of the police Act, are members of the NPF. The court, however, noted that pursuant to the provisions of Section 18(4) of the Police Act, the first respondent (NLNG), having availed itself of the services of the appellants as SPOs, has the legal duty to comply with the said section of the Police Act. Yet unsatisfied, the SPOs headed for the Supreme Court, urging it to decide whether, on a proper application of the law to the evidence before the court of appeal, the court was right when it held that they were SPOs and members of the NPF.

Arguing the appellants’ brief, their lawyer, Ledu Mitee told the apex court that the plaintiffs were recruited in batches from the year 2000 by the NLNG “whom they undoubtedly worked for and not by the NPF as alleged and contended by the respondents.

“The Police Act, Cap. P19, 2004, clearly stipulated the procedure for the recruitment of SPOs otherwise called Supernumerary Constables and that procedure was not applied nor was shown by the respondents to have been applied in the appellants’ recruitment.

“The appellants herein were not serving police officers as at 2000 when they were recruited, but persons of varied background including retired police, naval and army

personnel, amongst others.

“We, therefore, submit that there having not been compliance with the provisions of Section 18 (1) (2) of the Police Act in the recruitment of the appellants, the judgment of the lower court that the appellants are SPOs and members of the NPF be reversed and verdict entered that the appellants are employees of the first respondent (NLNG) who, recruited them and for whom they undoubtedly worked,”Mitee argued.

Sowemimo and lawyer to the second respondent (the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mrs. M.C Iroegbu, opposed the appellant’s argument and urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal as grossly lacking in merit.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

35

LAW & SOCIETY

Ngige identifies sections of NBA Constitution for amendment

A

SENIOR Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and bar leader, Chief Emeka Ngige has identified certain provisions of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Constitution that need amendment.

He said it has become “urgent” to carry out the reviews to restore the glory of the lawyers’ body.

In a memorandum to the Committee on NBA Constitution Review, Ngige noted that NBA elections “continue to generate concerns” among NBA members and the public.

“These worries were further escalated during the last NBA elections, thus threatening the moral standing of the association in fostering the rule of law within the socio-political space,” said Ngige.

He had narrowly lost the last NBA election to the incumbent NBA President Okey Wali (SAN), alleging electoral infractions. According to him, his proposals would check the disruptive tendencies of such hiccups.

In the memorandum jointly submitted by Ngige and Mr Emeka Nwadioke, a lawyer, they noted that most of the controversies that trail NBA elections “are rooted in the independence of the Election Committee.”

They warned that “the election committee must not only be independent, but must be seen to be so,” adding that members of the committee “should henceforth be nominated by the NBA Trustees and approved by the NBA Na-

By Joseph Jibueze

tional Executive Committee (NEC).”

According to them, the committee must be entirely independent of NBA national officers both in form and substance.

“Every effort must be made to insulate the election committee from the influence, authority, direction or control of the National Secretariat or the National Officers. Under no circumstance should the election committee take directives or instruction from a national officer or the National Secretariat,” they said.

They also canvassed financial autonomy for the committee, adding that its funding should constitute a first-line charge on the association’s finances.

Furthermore, the election committee must publish the list of eligible voters on the NBA website not later than 30 days to the election and ensure that branches receive copies of the list within the same period, they said.

The list, they added, should also be issued to all candidates for the election not later than 30 days to the elections.

To be eligible to vote at any NBA election, whether at national or branch level, each member must have paid their practicing fees and branch dues for the three years preceding the elections, except for those called to the Bar less than three years before the election, in which case receipt for one full year

A

man woke up in a hospital bed and called for his doctor.

He asked, “Give it to me straight.

How long have I got?” The physician replied that he doubted that the man would survive the night.

The man then said, “Call for my lawyer.” When the lawyer arrived, the man asked for his physician to stand on one side of the bed, while the lawyer stood on the other. The man then laid back and closed his eyes. When he remained silent for several minutes, the physician asked what he had in mind. The man replied “Jesus died with a thief on either side. I just thought I’d check out the same way.”

A

lawyer named Impos Syble was shopping for a tombstone. After he had made his selection, the stonecutter asked him what inscription he would like on it.

“Here lies an honest man and a lawyer,” responded the lawyer.

“Sorry, but I can’t do that,” replied the stonecutter. “In this state, it’s against the law to bury two people in the same grave.

However, I could put `here lies an honest lawyer’.”

“But that won’t let people know who it is!” protested the lawyer.

“Sure it will,” retorted the stonecutter. “People will read it and exclaim, “That’s impossible!”

Lawyer: “Now that you have been acquitted, will you tell me truly? Did you steal the car?”

Client: “After hearing your amazing argument in court this morning, I’m beginning to think I didn’t.”

T

HE National Institute of Health (NIH) announced last week that they were going to start using lawyers instead of rats in their experiments. Naturally, the American Bar Association was outraged and filed suit. Yet, the NIH presented some very good reasons for the switch.

1. The lab assistants were becom-

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

LEGAL JOKES ing very attached to their little rats. This emotional involvement was interfering with the research being conducted. No such attachment could form for a lawyer.

2. Lawyers breed faster and are in much greater supply.

3. Lawyers are much cheaper to care for and the humanitarian societies won’t jump all over you no matter what you’re studying.

4. There are some things even a rat won’t do.

A

client who felt his legal bill was too high asked his lawyer to itemise costs. The statement included this item: “Was walking down the street and saw you on the other side.

Walked to the corner to cross at the light, crossed the street and walked quickly to catch up with you. Got close and saw it wasn’t you. -$50.”

A

lawyer calls his client to tell him about his fee schedule.

“Alright,” the lawyer says looking through his papers. “You owe me $1,000 down and $417.58 cents each month for the next 36 months.

“What! That sounds like a car payment schedule,” retorted the client.

“Your right. It’s mine.”

T

WO women are on a transcontinental balloon voyage. Their craft is engulfed in fog, their compass gone awry. Afraid of landing in the ocean, they drift for days. Suddenly, the clouds part to show a sunlit meadow below. As they descend, they see a man walking his dog.

One of the flyers yells to the figure far below, “Where are we?”

The man yells back, “About a half mile from town.”

Once again, the balloonists are engulfed in the mist. One flyer says to the other, “He must have been a lawyer.”

The other says, “A lawyer! How do you know that?”

The first says, “That’s easy. The information he gave us was accurate, concise, and entirely irrelevant.”

• Ngige (SAN)

will be acceptable.

Given the “unsatisfactory nature” of the current electoral grievance settlement regime, the memorandum noted that an Election Appeals Committee (EAC) “has become imperative.”

The EAC, the lawyers said, should be mandated to handle preand post-election grievances as they relate to disqualification of aspirants and the conduct of the elections, they suggested, adding that “This will save the NBA needless public odium.”

Members of the committee would be nominated by the NBA Trustees and approved by the NBA NEC, they suggested.

They also argued for the adoption of universal suffrage in NBA elections, noting that all lawyers who have paid their practicing fees and branch dues for the three years preceding the elections should be eligible to vote, except for those called to the Bar less than three years before the election, in which case the receipts for one year would suffice.

Noting that the efficacy of electronic voting has been eloquently demonstrated by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) at its last general elections with the technical collaboration of NIGCOMSAT, Ngige and Nwadioke called for the adoption of e-voting in future NBA elections.

This, they noted, would “engen-

• Nwadioke

der transparency and widespread acceptance of the outcome of the elections and obviate needless controversies of the recent past, as such controversies tend to detract from the standing of the NBA as a leader in the fight against electoral malfeasance.”

According to them, a major concern of many NBA members is the alleged increasing monetisation of NBA Elections, with the attendant danger of throwing up unpopular candidates whose sources of funding may be questionable, and the potential of compromising the NBA and its objects.

They suggested that a “Code of Conduct for NBA Officers” should be fashioned out to promote professionalism and good behaviour among NBA national officers, adding that “infringement of certain provisions of the code shall constitute an impeachable offence.”

The duo suggested that “under no circumstance should officers of the NBA at national and branch levels accept Federal or state government appointment whether honorary or otherwise and whether with or without remuneration, except committee appointments reserved for NBA.” To promote transparency and accountability, they suggested the establishment of an Internal Audit Unit and a Tenders Board/Procurement Unit, with the latter empowered to advertise all contracts above

N1 million on the NBA website and communicate same to branches prior to the award of such contracts.

Also, the National Treasurer must be a mandatory signatory to all cheques payable by the Association for capital expenditure, while the accounts of the Association should be posted to the NBA website on a quarterly basis, the lawyers said.

On the controversial co-option of members into NEC, they suggested that the list of co-opted members should be posted on the NBA website and published in at least three national newspapers immediately after the list is approved by the NEC. In addition, they said NEC meetings should be held in the open and “should be accessible to any lawyer who desires to observe same, provided that the said lawyer should within two weeks before the meeting indicate in writing his desire to observe the meeting.”

The memorandum also contains proposals on the duties of NBA national officers, increase in the number of standing committees, procedure for creation branches, powers of NBA trustees, establishment of liaison offices in the six geopolitical zones, and the need to promote the rule of law and justice sector reforms, sanctioning lawyers who argue trite and unarguable points to delay cases to frustrate opposing counsel and litigants, among others.

Bank chief sued over alleged N459.4m debt

U

NION Bank Plc has asked an Abuja High Court to com pel a director with Keystone Bank Plc, Maude Aminun-Kano to repay a loan he allegedly took in 2010.

It said Aminun-Kano, who deployed the loan to the purchase of a property in Ikoyi, Lagos, has allegedly neglected to repay the loan.

Union Bank stated this in a counter-claim its lawyer, Chimezie Ojiabo filed against a suit by Aminun-Kano.

The bank averred that Aminun-Kano got a loan of N260 million from it to buy a five bedroom detached house with guest chalet and four room boys quarters located at No 3c Bank Road, Ikoyi, Lagos under the presidential implementation committee on Federal Government Landed Property Scheme.

It further averred that as at close of work on October 8 last year, Aminun-Kanu’s alleged total indebtedness, on account of the loan, stood at

Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

N459,443,799.29.

Union Bank denied that AminuKano was willing to pay the loan. It also denied that any of its management staff was negotiating with the bank director.

The bank denied claim that Aminun-Kanu was making plans to repay the loan.

It stated that seven months after the expiration of the date of repayment, he asked for interest waiver on the loan and in response the bank gave him a concession and asked him to pay N310 million within 60 days as full and final settlement of his indebtedness.

Union Bank said Aminun-Kano failed to take advantage of the concession granted him, following which the bank appointed Chikwendu Madumere as a debt recovery agent to recover the debt.

It said despite a letter of demand written to him by Madumere, Aminun-Kano persisted in not repaying the loan.

“The plaintiff does not want to repay the loan and does not want the bank to realise the security for the loan,” Union Bank stated.

It described his suit as a “design to use the instrumentallity of the court to frustrate the bank and avoid his obligation to the bank.”

Aminun-Kano had sued the bank as it began to take steps to sell the property to defray the indebtedness.

Aminun-Kano claimed in his suit that Union Bank was not entitled to sell the property because the bank’s management was still negotiating with him.

He prayed the court to order the bank to pay him N5 million as general damages for breach of understanding and inconveniences suffered by him.

Aminun-Kano further prayed the court to compel the bank to return to him the certificate of occupancy (C of O) in respect of his house in Abuja, which he used as collateral for the loan.

Justice Hussain Baba has fixed further hearing for April 25.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

36

LAW & SOCIETY The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) has held its 18th Law Conference in South Africa. It is one of the most prestigious events on the international legal calendar. The conference highlighted the legal, socio-economic and commercial challenges faced by the legal profession in Commonwealth jurisdictions. Legal Editor JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU, who was there, reports

I

T was a gathering of who-iswho in the legal profession as lawyers from Commonwealth countries under the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA), converged in the South African city of Cape Town.

It was for the 18th Commonwealth Law Conference.

There were 48 panel sessions involving over 175 speakers. It had the theme: Common challenges - Common Solutions, Commonwealth, Commerce and Ubuntu.

Ubuntu is a term used in South Africa to denote humaneness, social justice, fairness and conformity with basic norms.

The conference had different topics formulated to address topical legal problems in developing and member countries.

At the opening ceremony, delegates were entertained by the Tiger Bird children’s choir.

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee and former President of CLA, Mr. Mohammed Hussain noted that South Africa was admitted to the association in 1995.

In 1997, the country formally took its seat in the global association of Commonwealth Lawyers which was formed in Jamaica in 1982.

This was the first time South Africa would host the event.

Outgoing CLA President, Boma Ozobia said the conference provides a forum for participants to learn from one another and serves as the primary source of funding for the CLA. The theme, she said, reflected the globalised world and the challenges and opportunities this presents to lawyers especially as regards the rule of law and justice.

Ozobia said: “As always, the conference presentations focused on current trends in corporate and commercial law, legal and judicial profession, constitutionalism, human rights, the rule of law and contemporary legal topics “An exciting and truly unique of social and networking events were designed to ensure that all those who attended had an opportunity to meet colleagues from different jurisdictions, exchange experiences, renew and build friendships that would continue long after the closing ceremony.”

The Keynote speaker and Chief Judge of South Africa, Justice Mwean Mwean gave the history and experiences of South Africa under apartheid regime.

He spoke of how greed and unmitigated irrationality almost destroyed the country.

Justice Mwean stated that the best way to destroy a democracy was to neutralise it and to destroy a stable and independent judiciary.

“We need to thread gingerly as we discuss matters concerning judiciary, etc, because we cannot afford to rubbish a constitutional structure without which democracy cannot survive.”

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, spoke on the indivisibility of human rights.

She noted that the International Covenant of Economic and SocioCultural rights and Security of Persons needs to be addressed from the point of view of law enforcement and crime prevention.

“We cannot separate political, social and economic rights from civil and cultural rights,” she said.

Lawyers spoke on how they benefitted from the conference.

Council Member of the CLA who chaired the session on Terrorism and Civil Liberties, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN) said: “The good thing about it is that the three discussants were all agreed that despite the challenges of terrorism, nations

Common solutions to common challenges

• Ali (SAN)

• Akpedeye (SAN)

• Azinge (SAN)

• Daudu (SAN)

• Governor Akpabio

• Adekoya (SAN)

cannot do but observe the rule of law and respect civil liberties.

“You cannot, because of a very few abhorrent people, destroy institutions. The observance of the rule of law and fundamental human rights are institutional and I agree with them that we cannot destroy our own value system because a few people have decided to go to the wrong side of the law.”

Another speaker in that Session, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) said: “Terrorism is an international phenomenon. It is, in a way, a concern of majority of the states in the commonwealth but my challenge is to the Law Societies and Bar Associations of the Commonwealth States.

“Yes, terrorism is inhuman, their activities are horrendous, it is destructive but we must maintain a balance so that the era of impunity is not placed on our hands, so that we do not get to an extent that government becomes irresponsible.

“True, the government has the duty to maintain law and order, peace and security, but they still have a right to protect the life and property of the citizens.”

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Godswill Akpabio, who chaired the closing ceremony, said: “The conference was very well-organised. For me, it is good to organise all the Commonwealth countries of the world. Of course you saw that it was like a reunion - 54 countries coming together to espouse and discuss on the rule of law. It is indeed a great thing. It it will deepen the process of the rule of law and the ability to treat everybody equally before the law and particularly to deepen democracy in the entire Commonwealth countries of the world. It was indeed a good conference.”

Mia Essien (SAN) who chaired the Session on Special Commercial Courts, a Bad Idea, said: “We looked at several other jurisdictions and practices vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. And when you put it in perspective, at the end of the day, we come to what Prof Menes talked about. After the High Court level, what happens at the appellate court?

That has not been addressed.

“So, you find that the answer is not in having special courts per se,

but implementation, making sure that the Judiciary itself addresses litigants’ concerns at the trial court.”

Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) who chaired a session on financial institutions regulations, said: “The thrust of that session was to look at what has happened almost globally arising from various financial crises caused by so many factors.

“You know that they have had crises in the past leading to having unserviceable loans, non performing loans, bad loan portfolios, the misuse of depositors funds which involved billions and trillions of Naira by bank directors.

“As a result of this, the stock market crashed. All of us bought shares and overnight, as a result of the conspiracy between the banking industry and the capital market operators, these shares were wiped ought.

“So, this crises had to be fixed and a lot of banks caved in. The extent of our discussion was: How has the regulatory authorities such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) between them used the Banking and Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) the CBN Act and the NDIC Act to instil discipline back into the system?

“For the United Kingdom (UK), there was the Northern Rock scandal and all other scandals including suspicious inflow of funds from accounts that were viewed as terrorist accounts.

“I likened the conduct of some of these actors to financial terrorism and for you to have a set of financial terrorism and for it to have effect on financial banking terrorism, you must have an equally counter terrorism measures in finance and you must fight fire with fire.

“So, to expunge this bad corporate governance habit which some of our finance people have inculcated leading to their making easy money,living big above their means, you must be able to take draconian and drastic actions measures within the rule of law to cut them to size.”

Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies (NIALS) Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN) said in an abstract to his presentation at the conference: “The indispensability of courts in any given jurisdiction cannot be over emphasised as courts provide a forum to resolve disputes and to test and enforce laws in a fair and rational manner.

“In order to guarantee an effective court, funding becomes inevitable and the laws establishing courts usually the Constitution ensures that particular allocation is appropriated to the court for its effective running.

“Adequate funding of the courts, however, still remains a challenge as is evident in the condition of many courts in Nigeria today. This stands as an impediment to justice. Besides advocating for an increment of allocation to the judiciary, it is recommended that more attention should be placed on Alternative Dispute Resolution and traditional administration of justice as these will lift some burden off the courts. Class action litigation is recommended to cut down the cost associated with litigation. Representative action is recommended in the same vein as people without economic power will have their interests protected by those who do. It is also recommended that legal clinics should be made available in institutions and legal aid should be intensified.”

Speaking on separation of powers, Mr. Dafe Akpedeye (SAN), said: “Where and how does the principle of checks and balances come in? Nigeria has a very young and nascent democracy. How do we grow?

“What we are taking away from there is that all the players in the system, all the stakeholders in the political system needs to learn that there is true separation of powers in democracy and that it is only then that democracy can thrive.

“It is only then that you have the rule of law and when you have the rule of law, everybody doing his own bit and respecting each others’ powers and terrain, that will help democracy to thrive and we truly need that in Nigeria.”

A Professor of Environmental Law at NIALS, Olanrewaju Fagbohun who presented a paper on the ses-

sion on Environment: Rethinking legal responses said: “The main thrust of the session was how to look at remodelling the laws so that they can be effective. A lot of laws are out there, people are putting in efforts, national laws are there, conventions and treaties are there, but it will appear like they are not achieving their goals in that environmental crises are deepening and poverty is worsening. So the question is: How do we rethink the law so that it will be able to achieve its goals?”

Chief Funke Adekoya (SAN) said: “The two issues that came up for discussion were one, whether contractual claims should be elevated to the status of treaty claims so that investors can access ICSD arbitration . The second issue was whether ICSD arbitration itself allowed access to because it seems that the cost of it are so high. The basis of the discussion was that whilst the ICSID costs themselves are not so high, the foreign investors seem to have more money to throw out the cases than the developing countries and so many developing countries are at disadvantage and so, we don’t want to access ICSID arbitration, so they feel that they do not have that international access.

“On the point of elevation of the claims, it also seems many tribunals were elevating contractual claims to treaty claims, so now we find the investors have access one by contract, to go and sue the host country and secondly to go to ICISD again and take the host country there where can use all their power and might and their funds to get whatever it is that they want. There was a sense that somehow, developing countries are disadvantaged at the ICISID tribunal.”

Former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN) said: “Our session was about outsourcing justice and the encroachment of private sector-driven dispute resolution in the Court environment. And I made the point that whereas the Courts are interested in access to justice, in India and the private Disputes resolution, the parties are interested in access to a remedy , justice and the remedy are in contest and we need to recognise that, so that we can be strategic in the way we deploy private disputes resolution in the Court environment. And I thought that it was important that the unintended consequences of what we were doing, this wholesale adoption of India in the Court system was going to lead to a serious confusion. So I was able to point out that there are developments in Nigeria, in the use of Alternative Disputes Resolutions (ADR), particularly in Lagos and Abuja but we need to make sure that there is a settled system for ADR within the Court system and not an interchangeable adoption of ADR within the Court system.”

Prof. Osadebamen Osunbor said: “First of all being in a forum like this is indeed a rare privilege and an opportunity, to be in conference with delegates from about 54 countries that represent trhe Commonwealth drawn from all the continents of the world, it is indeed quite a rich experience “I think that as many people as can afford it should avail themselves of this kind of opportunity to learn and share experiences from other jurisdictions.

“I also participated in other sessions particularly the one on social and economic rights. So, I have been able to learn from here a new approach that the courts in Nigeria can adopt in order to ensure that government delivers on the promises that are represented in the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

37

LAW & SOCIETY

Group seeks urgent review of anti-graft laws

A

HUMAN rights group, One Voice, has called for a com prehensive review of Nigeria’s criminal laws, saying existing statute tends to encourage corruption rather than deter it.

It said there are loopholes which corrupt persons capitalise on to delay their trials, while others have got away with impunity.

“The answer of course lies squarely on the shoulders of those saddled with the responsibility of formulating our criminal justice policy,” the group said.

One Voice is a coalition of nongovernmental and human rights organisations which receive grants from the United States’ National Endowment for Democracy.

Among them is the Centre for Constitutional Governance, the Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), Access to Justice (AJ), Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), among others.

One Voice, at a media briefing on the state of the nation in Lagos, said criminals have realised that so long as they remain within the

By Joseph Jibueze

shores of Nigeria, they can be safe in the knowledge that the laws are weak, and that the courts and prosecuting agencies are helpless.

“We continue to use 19th Century legal framework to prosecute 21st century crimes and criminals. Save for Lagos State, our criminal procedure regimes at the federal and state levels are archaic and patently unfit for their purpose.

“The federal Attorney-General and his various state counterparts should make reforms of our criminal justice system, particularly our procedural regimes, both criminal and civil, their top priorities,” One Voice said.

According to the group, countries which are serious about fighting crimes have always found a formula which blend fairness with speed in the dispensation of criminal justice.

This, it said, is done by establishing robust and necessarily rigid case management system which brooks no undue delay on the part of either the prosecution of de-

fence.

With the help of disclosures, the courts fix trial timetable and nothing short of serious injury or death or other such serious unanticipated occurrence would make the court extend the trial beyond the fixed timetable.

“However, in Nigeria, if there is any semblance of ad-hoc case management system at all, parties feel free to treat it with contempt,” One Voice said.

The group said an area of abuse which the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) must address is the use of frivolous interlocutory appeal to delay the course of justice.

“Defence lawyers typically take advantage of this situation to milk the system and ensure trials proper never really take place. The system is rotten and is designed to be toothless and unworkable. The executive knows it. The legislature knows it.

“The real culprit is not EFCC, ICPC or the judiciary; the real culprits are the Executive and the Legislative arms of government

Lagos sentences 1,154 offenders to community service

L

AGOS State government has sentenced 1,154 offenders to various terms of community service across the twelve magisterial districts between August 2012 and March 2013.

Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, said the introduction of non-custodian sentences like community service, probation and restitution was geared towards decongesting prison and minimise the effect of imprisonment on individuals and their families.

He said many of the offenders are between the ages of 20 and 40 and are mostly male, adding that the government has succeeded in decongesting the prison system without compromising the criminal justice administration system.

Ipaye explained that without the provision of community service for these offenders they would have been incarcerated in prison with the consequential disruption in their economic, social and family lives.

He added that the community service unit established in furtherance of the implementation of the Criminal Justice Law has become fully operational, adding that training session are organised for magistrates and field officers.

• Ade Ipaye

or forged to create the impression that their transaction predated the Act.” On the Law reform commission, he said the commission has developed a comprehensive sentencing guidelines Bill, which will provide statutory framework for sentencing of offenders in the state.

“Other law which the commission is currently working on include the law reform (Contract )law-1961, Law Reform (Tort)Law1961 and sale of Goods Law-1958.” stressing that the provisions of these laws have become somewhat inadequate to meet the challenges of modern day Lagos State.

of the Supreme Court in the case of LPDC v Chief Gani Fawehinmi (1985, 2 NWLR, Pt 7, 300).

“Unless the disciplinary committee is reconstituted and filled with members who are prepared to rid the legal profession of bad eggs, the impunity that has been associated with lawyers will continue unabated,” One Voice said.

The group urged the Federal Government to give an account of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), saying it will only create monumental corruption as “accountability and transparency are being sacrificed on the alter of political expediency.”

It said: “The SURE-P programme is not transparent. Eminent Nigerians must be empanelled to examine how the list of beneficiaries was compiled. We had expected a chunk of the programme’s budget channeled towards revamping the decline in the education sector,” it said.

Fuel Subsidy: Court clears firm’s boss of bribery allegation

T

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro The commissioner also revealed that in the period under review, the High Court Law of Lagos State was amended to empower the Chief Judge to make rules regulating the practice and procedures in the High Court.

“With this development, we have demonstrated our commitment to improving the access of our people to Justice.” adding that in the exercise of this power, the new High Court of Lagos State Rules 2012 were made.

He said the highlight of the rules is the introduction of mandatory alternative dispute resolution which is aimed at assisting litigants to resolve their disputes in the shortest possible time without rancour.

Ipaye said other legal instrument of the state which impacted positively in the lives of Lagosians is the Land Use Act (title Documentation) regulations. “the Regulations were issued by this administration as a novel mechanism to curb the practice of parties to land transactions entered into after the commencement date of Land Use act applying for certificates of Occupancy using receipts or other documents which are backdated

which have chosen to make the works of the prosecuting agencies impossible.

“It is high time the executive and legislative arms of our government reformed our antiquated criminal justice system.

“Until this is done, all case files involving all former governors, ministers, high-profile government officials should be promptly outsourced to England and South Africa!” One Voice said sarcastically.

The group praised CJN Maryam Mukhtar for her admission of the rot in the justice system and for her willingness to sanitise it.

One Voice urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to take urgent measures to reorganise its disciplinary mechanism to deal decisively with professional misconduct without fear or favour.

“In this regard, the NBA leadership should reconstitute the Body of Benchers’ Disciplinary Committee to reflect the decision

HE Managing Director of Integrated Oil and Gas Limited Anthony Iheanacho has been cleared by an Apapa Magistrate’s Court in Lagos of a three-count charge of offering N1.5million bribe to members of the Presidential Committee on Fuel Subsidy Verification.

Former Interior Minister Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho is the chairman of the company.

Magistrate Martin’s Onwumi who quashed the charge held It is ‘obvious’ that the prosecution is speculating as none of its evidence supports the charge….. The prosecution has failed in proving a prima facie case. In the circumstance to do justice to this matter is the discharging and acquitting of the defendants after their no case submission is upheld…… Based on the above, the no case to answer succeeds and the defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted on all counts.’

Also cleared are Assistant General Manager (Supply) Humphery Okoh, Financial Controller, Akinwusi Julius, two members of the Presidential Committee on Fuel Subsidy Verification, AlaladeAbioye and Oni Oluwasola.

They were all arraigned before the court on the conspiracy to offer gratification of N1.5million to public officers.

The prosecutor alleged further that the money was offered while the com-

mittee was rounding its exercise of verification and reconciliation of payment of fuel subsidy.

The Investigation Officer, Olalokun Kehinde, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who testified for the prosecution told the court that his investigation did not show that the gift influenced the team nor induced them, adding that he recommended that the file be passed on to the legal department but, ‘ I did not recommend the prosecution of the defendants.’

Counsel to the defendants raised a ‘no case submission’, saying there was no evidence to prove an essential element of the alleged offence.

Magistrate Onwumi held that by the provisions of the 4th and 5th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, members of the Presidential Committee on Subsidy Verification could not be categorized as public officers.

Confirming that the money was not meant to influence their work, he held finally that, ‘In a bid to rush the case to court, the defendants were arrested, statements taken and on the basis of their statements charged to court. The Legal Department of the Special Fraud Unit(SFU) did not take into consideration the report of the Investigating Police Officer who clearly gave the defendants clean bill of health but just felt that this case must be charged to court forgetting that there are certain ingredients that must be proved in court.’

Julius Berger loses bid to withdraw suit against ex- workers

C

ONSTRUCTION giant, Julius Berger Plc has lost its bid to withdraw the suit it filed against some of its former workers.

Magistrate Igboi Anthony of an Abuja Magistrate’s court struck out an application by the company for want of merit.

The magistrate held that since his court did not inherit the substantive case instituted by Julius Berger in 1999, he could not be called upon to sanction the plaintiff’s desire to withdraw it.

“The case is not before me. I did not inherit the case. So, this application is in the wrong place. It is like a prayer brought before a cripple to help push an abandoned car. You will be mocking the cripple.

“The application is infected with disease more dangerous than HIV/ AIDS which I have no cure for. So, it is accordingly struck out,”Magistrate Anthony held.

Julius Berger had filed the suit in

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

its effort to eject about 7200 sacked workers from the official quarters earlier allocated to them. Th e company placed them on “redundancy” since 1999.

On March 13, 2000, Julius Berger filed the suit against Akpan Dominic and 213 others, praying for among others, an order ejecting the defendants from the houses scattered in Kubwa, Gwarimpa and Mpape.

The defendants challenged the court’s jurisdiction before an Abuja High Court, which held that the Magistrates’ court possesses the jurisdiction to hear the suit.

Dissatisfied, the workers went to the Court of Appeal, Abuja. They also filed a motion for stay of proceedings and motion to file the appellant’s brief out of time.

The appellate court, in a ruling, granted the motion for stay of further hearing at the Magistrate’s court pending the determination of the

substantive appeal.

Faced by this development, Julius Berger returned to the Magistrates’ court, with the application to withdraw the substantive suit, an application Magistrate Anthony struck out.

Reacting to the magistrate’s decision, Lawyer to Julius Berger, Kennedy Aireruor said, “the matter was assigned by the Chief Magistrate of the court. So, it was his duty to hear it, but since he said he doesn’t have the file and the file cannot be found, we will go back to the Chief Judge that the necessary action should be taken.

The worker’s lawyer, Emmanuel Esike said “the judgement was fantastic, so we thank God for using the judge. The judiciary has renewed the hope of last the man, the hope of the hopeless today.

“It then means the prayers of the workers of Julius Berger since 1999 till date has never been in vain”, Esike said.

• Boma handing over CLA flag to the new President, Prof Stephens

CLA President bows out

F

ORMER Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) president Mrs Boma Ozobia, has handed over to Prof. Mark Stephens. She quit after the 18th CLA in Cape Town, South Africa.

Mrs Ozobia who was elected President of the association in Hyderabad, India, in 2011 completed her two year tenure. Her tenure witnessed a dramatic change and improvement in the activities

of the body.

In a chat with The nation, the new CLA President, Prof. Mark Stephens said: “ I am excited, delighted, but at the same time humbled because it is will be very difficult to follow a woman President, Boma Ozobia from Nigeria who has been an absolute exampler in the way and manner one should carry out the duties of such a high office”

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

38

LAW REPORT

‘Documents are not admitted as a matter of course at appeal stage’ IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA Date: 1st February 2013 SC. 185/2003, 2013(2) LEDLR-3 IBRAHIM TANKO MUHAMMAD ….JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT JOHN AFOLABI FABIYI ….JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT MARY UKAEGO PETER-ODILI ….JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT OLUKAYODE ARIWOOLA ….JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT KUMAI BAYANG AKA’AHS ….JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT BETWEEN S. O. ADEYEFA J. A. BALOGUN………………………… APPELLANTS JOSHUA AWOREFA [On behalf of themselves and Representing Ojaja Community) AND BELLO BAMGBOYE…………………… RESPONDENT

• Continued from last week

W

HETHER or not it is necessary to amend the brief of argument in view of the death of the 1st and 2nd appellants and the respondent and on (sic) the light of the newly discovery (sic) documents.”

Learned counsel observed that it is the appellants/applicants’ prayer that the three photostat copies of the documents attached to the affidavit and the amended brief of argument be permitted to form part of the Records of Appeal. He submitted that the documents sought to be tendered as additional/further evidence are very relevant, credible and weighty and are for the just determination of the issue before this court.

Leaned counsel further submitted that the documents are admissible in law. He maintained that once a document is admissible and even if it is not pleaded but supports the facts already pleaded and having regards to the nature of the claim, such document will be admitted, not minding the fact that it was not pleaded. He cited the case of Abual v.

BENSU (2003) 16 NWLR (Pt. 845) 59.

Learned counsel submitted that in this matter, there are sufficient facts in both the pleadings as averred and evidence on record to justify the admissibility of the documents.

He observed that the letters relate to the access road-in-dispute. He opined that if the three documents were available during the trial at the High Court or before the Court of Appeal, the judgments must have been different. He urged that the prayer sought be granted in the interest of justice.

On the 2nd issue, learned counsel submitted that it is necessary to amend the appellant’s brief of argument as a result of the deletion and substitution of deceased parties to the suit. He observed that as a result of the discovery of the new documents to be tendered for consideration of this court, it would be necessary to make submission on them in the appellant’s brief of argument.

On 12th November, 2012 when the application was argued before us, Z.O. Alayinde, Esq. appeared as counsel for the appellants/ applicants. He made oral submissions and observed that the three documents now sought to be tendered were admitted as Exhibits at the customary court and marked thereat as Exhibits D, E and F respectively.

He stated it clearly that there is nothing to indicate that Exhibits P10, P11 and, P12 were recovered from the Customary Court.

Learned counsel for the respondent referred to counter-affidavit of eight (8) paragraphs filed on 5th June, 2012. He submitted that admission of additional evidence like Exhibits P10, P11 and P12 must be done with extreme caution. He cited the cases of Adeleke v. Aserifa (1990) 3 NWLR (Pt. 136) 94 at 111 and Okpanum v. S.G.E (Nig) Ltd (1998)7 NWLR (Pt. 559) 537 at 540.

Learned counsel submitted that the documents, on their faces are not credible. He observed that Exhibit ‘A1’, attached to the further affidavit is not certified. He opined that it is worthless and made in an attempt to fill the gap. He felt that the filing of the further affidavit did not cure the defect in the application.

Learned counsel submitted that the application is overreaching and will prejudice the respondent as the documents were not pleaded. He maintained that it will not assist the court to do justice. As well, learned counsel urged the court to refuse the application.

Let me say it without any atom of equivocation that the tendering of documents in this court is subject to valid objection. This is because they cannot now be cross-examined upon unless this court assumes the whole role of the trial court. It is basic that admission of further evidence in this court is not granted as a matter of course. This court in the case of Esangbedo v. The State (1989) 4 NWLR (pt.

113) 57 at page 67, per Nnaemeka-Agu, JSC stated the guiding settled principles as follows:1. It must be shown that the evidence could

• From left: Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN) and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) who represented President Goodluck Jonathan at the NBA dinner and fund raising ceremony held at the Congress Hall, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja at the weekend.

not have been obtained and, with reasonable diligence, used at the court of trial.

2. The court must be satisfied that the evidence is such that, if given, it would probably have an important influence on the result of the case, though it need not be decisive.

3. The evidence must be apparently credible, though it need not be uncontrovertible.

On the above principles, the cases of Asaboro v. Arawaji (1974) 4 SC 119 at pages 123-125; Chairman Board of Inland Revenue v. Rezcallah (1962) 1 All NLR 1 are of moment. It is also apt to observe that the Privy Council in Turnbull v. Duval (1902) A.C. 429 held that a new trial would not be ordered where the fresh evidence is a document which could have been obtained by discovery during the trial with due diligence. A party who has won a case at the trial court on the case brought to court by his adversary ought not normally be confronted with a new case on appeal simply because iris adversary decided to bring his case in dribbles. See: the case of Queen v. Ohaka (1962) All NLR 505.

I think that it will not be out of place to state another principle which I strongly feel is paramount in seeking to tender documents as additional /further evidence, as in this case. It is that such document must satisfy the dictates of the law of evidence. It is not an avenue for putting in a public document which ordinarily must be certified, but was not duly certified, as provided by the law.

Let me further state a clear point which is also of moment in admissibility of documents in evidence in civil cases. It is that for a document to be admissible in civil proceedings it must not only be pleaded by a plaintiff so as to make the defendant know what to meet at the trial, it must also be relevant. The two requirements must be complied with conjunctively and not disjunctively. The cases of Oyediran v. Alebiosu 11 (1992) 5 NWLR (Pt. 249) 550 and Monoprix (Nig) Ltd. v. Okenwa (1995) 3 NWLR (Pt. 183) 325 are of moment herein.

I have carefully read over the statement of claim of the appellants a number of times. I am unable to trace where the three document’s sought to be tendered as additional / further evidence have been pleaded. The learned counsel to the respondent is quite right on this point. He got it right when he submitted that the application is designed to overreach and same will prejudice the respondents; if granted from the blues; as it were.

The above is not the end of the matter. The

learned counsel for the respondent seriously raised objection to Exhibit ‘A1’, attached to the further affidavit filed by the applicants who seriously relied on it. He maintained that it was not certified. For Exhibit ‘A1’to be admissible it must be duly certified by the appropriate officer of the court and it must be issued with the seal of the court as dictated by section 74 of the Evidence Act, 1990. See: International Merchant Bank (Nig.) Ltd. v. N. Abiodun Dabiri & ors. (1998) 1 NWLR (Pt. 533) 284 at 298, Daily Times v.

Williams (1986) 4 NWLR (Pt. 36) 526.

Dobadina Family & Ors v. Ambrose Family & Ors.(1969) 1 NMLR 24.

After all, certify, put simply, means to authenticate or vouch for a thing in writing. It may also be said to mean- ‘to attest as being true or as represented’. As Exhibit ‘A1’, did not contain the seal of the customary court, it failed to pass the test of due certification as dictated by the law and the heavy premium placed on it by the appellants/applicants appears to be to no avail. By virtue of section 110 of the Evidence Act, 1990 public documents must be duly certified before they can be admissible in evidence. This is a pronouncement of the Court of Appeal per Tobi, JCA (as he then was) in Aina v. Jinadu (1992) 4 NWLR (Pt. 233) 91 at 107. It was well made and I endorse same without any shred of hesitation.

There is a point which needs to be reiterated at this junction.- On 12/11/12 when the appeal was heard, learned counsel for the appellants/applicants observed that the three documents sought to be tendered as further evidence were admitted as exhibits at the customary Court in 1983 or thereabout. He thereafter stated it in clear terms that there is nothing to indicate that the documents were recovered from the Customary Court.

It does not require that any one should put on a magnifying glass to view the desired exhibits and conclude that there is nothing on the faces of the documents to show that they were tendered and admitted as exhibits at the Customary Court. They were not.

This significantly cast aspersion on the posture of the appellants/applicants. I do not want to say it that they embarked upon falsehood; all in a bid to get in those un-pleaded documents through the back door; as it were.

I was not taken in by the ploy or gimmick embarked upon by the appellants/applicants. No court of record should tolerate such a rather mundane practice.

• Continued next week

Court remands three in custody for ‘forgery’

A

N Igbosere High Court, Lagos, has re manded three men in custody for al leged forgery of medical report purportedly issued by the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

The defendants are Jonathan Udeagbala, 48; Emmanuel Inyang, 33 and Dr. Ayantola Isaac, 44.

While Udeagbala was remanded in prison custody, Inyang and Isaac were left with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who instituted a six-count charge against the trio.

Udeagbala, the first defendant, was alleged to have paid the second and third defendants N20, 000, to produce a fake doctor’s report, which was presented before Justice D.O. Oluwayemi, as the reason he jumped bail in N140 million suit brought against him by the EFCC. Sometime last year, the EFCC arrested and arraigned Udeagbala for allegedly obtaining N140 million from Leo Eze and Francis Nwagbale, under the guise that he has a valid dealership with one of the telecommunication service providers.

According to EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Udeagbala conspired with the others to obstruct the course of justice by procuring a false document titled “to whom it may concern medical report Re: Jonathan Udeagbala Ref no; LUTH 436\VOL2\44” dated December 4, 2012.

He said: “On or about December 3, 2012, Udeagbala attempted to obstruct the course of justice in charge LCD\129\2012, between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Jonathan Udeagbala and 1 other, by paying N20, 000 to procure a false medical report.

“They went further to present the false medical report purporting same to have been

By Precious Igbonwelundu

issued by LUTH. “The trio, with intent to defraud, knowingly and fraudulently forged the said document and fraudulently used same before Justice Oluwayemi by presenting the said document through Udeagbala’s counsel, U. C. Ikegbule.”

The alleged offence, Rotimi said contravened Sections 364, 363, 409 and 97(3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

The three defendants, who were represented by three lawyers, pleaded not guilty to the six count charges against them.

Counsel to Udeagbala, G.E. Ojiekhude, made an oral application for bail of his client, which was objected by the EFCC. Ojiekhude, in his submission, urged the court to allow his client go home since he was enjoying bail from the substantive suit, adding “the offence for which he is being arraigned is not a capital one.”

He also prayed for an adjournment to allow him go through the proof of evidence. Making reference to Section 36 of the Administration of Criminal Justice System, the lawyer noted that he was not given enough time to study the proof of evidence.

Inyang’s lawyer, G.J. Daniel, also applied for the bail of his client but their applications were objected by Rotimi, who notified the court that evidence against the defendants were overwhelming.

In her ruling, Oluwayemi, ordered that the first defendant be remanded in prison custody, while the second and third defendants be kept in EFCC custody and adjourned the matter to April 25.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

39

COUNTRY CROSSWORD

With ekpoita :funtreatsvilla@yahoo.com / 08077706130

ACROSS 1.German City (6) 3.South American Country (4) 5. Top European City (6) 8. Republic, formerly of Denmark (7) 10. Country, SE of Europe (7) 13. World Power, abbrv.(3) 14. W/A Country (6) 15. Sovereign Entity (5) 16. First Capital of Nigeria (7) 17. Eastern Nigerian City (3)

DOWN 1.Western Nigerian City (5) 2.Where Julius Caesar Reigned (4) 4.Nigerian State (3) 5.Nigeria’s Commercial Capital (5) 6. Central American Country (9) 7. Fmr. US Colony (6) 9. Coca Growing Country (8) 10. Fmr. Unit of USSR (6) 11. Spanish City (6) 12. French W/A Territory (5)

WORDWHEEL Form as many words as you can with the letters in the wheel below.Proper nouns and 2-letter words are not allowed. Every word must use the letter ‘E’.There is a 9-letter word with an ‘orbicular’ meaning hidden in the grid. This is the star word.

SANDS OF TIME Venus Williams’ gorgeous rose dress pop eyes at U.S. Open

poetry Smile If you're feeling down, turn your frown upside down.

Put a smile on your face, take the world in your embrace.

Ask for a little help from the man up above.

And remember you have your best friends love.

-Jessica R. Dillinger

Success The road to success is not straight There is a curve called Failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, and caution lights called Family But if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, and a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success!!

Niderah

JUMBLE WORD UNSCRAMBLE THE WORD JUMBLED UP IN THE GRID BELOWTO REVEAL A 10-LETTER WORD MEANING “INVIGORATE”

E T E N HS G N R T

HUMOUR Sense of Responsibility.

Venus Williams was a vision in rose recently wearing a beautiful self-designed dress during a first-round rout of Bethanie Mattek-Sands at the U.S. Open The dress is beautiful from afar, but hardly an impressionist painting up close. It’s designed with red and black roses with background stem lines and “love” written all over in script.

To say it’s the best looking of Venus’ self-designed eleVen dresses could be damning it with faint praise.

She’s dressed like a can-can dancer and fireworks display in recent years, so it’s not as if it’s a high bar to clear. This is a step in a different direction. It’s not the best Venus has looked in years; it’s the best anyone has looked.

“It’s pretty fun for me to design this and actually wear it,” she told reporters after the match. “So it’s great.”

For once, Venus didn’t have the most interesting outfit on the court. Her opponent, American Bethanie MattekSands, had her typical tight tank top, wrist bands, high compression socks and eye black. This time, she added red hightops to the kit.

A man goes into library and asks for a book on suicide.

Librarian looks him and says, Who will return the book back!

MINI-SUDOKU

Fill in the missing numbers in the grid to ensure that every row, column and 2 by 3 box contains the numbers 1 - 6.

Real Estate Salesman “This house,” said the real estate salesman, “has both its good points and its bad points. To show you I’m honest, I’m going to tell you about both.

“The disadvantages are that there is a chemical plant one block south and a slaughterhouse a block north.”

“What are the advantages?” inquired the prospective buyer.

“The advantage is that you can always tell which way the wind is blowing.”

Chess Playing Dog A man went to visit a friend and was amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watched the game in astonishment for a while. “I can hardly believe my eyes!” he exclaimed. “That’s the smartest dog I’ve ever seen.”

“Nah, he’s not so smart,” the friend replied. “I’ve beaten him three games out of five.”

BRAIN TEASER How can you throw a ball as hard as you can and have it come back to you, even if it doesn't bounce off anything? There is nothing attached to it, and no one else catches or throws it back to you.

To conquer oneself is the best and noblest victory; to be vanquished by one’s own Pep Talk nature is the worst and most ignoble defeat. Plato

40

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

ABUJA REVIEW NEWS

•From left: Director-General, Millennium Development Goal’s (MDG’s), Precious Gbenoire; Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs,Alhaji Mohammed Ali Gulak and FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed during the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House Abuja

•From left: Assistant Director, National Human Rights Commission, Harry Obe; Regional Representative, Altus Global Alliance, Blessing Abiri and Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Kemi Okenyodo at the presentation of results of the 2012 Police Station Visitors held at the National Human Rights Commission Conference Hall in Abuja

•From left: National Secretary, Ashi Robert Rigye; First Vice-President, Raheem Toyosi and National President, Okara Godswill during the Association of Medical Laboratotry Scientists of Nigeria Briefing on World Biomedical Laboratory Science Day in Abuja

•The Glorious Band Sisters with the their gifts presented to the management and children of the Christ Foundation Orphanage Home Kuje in Abuja

From left: Catholic Lawyers Association’s Public Relations Officer Chris Echie; member, Angela Odunuwe; Secretary, Christian Pilgrims Commission, John Kennedy Opara; Secretary, Bunmi Aina-Craig and member, James Ugbeda during the association’s visit to the Commission in Abuja

•From left: Chairman, Senate Committee on Privatisation, Senator Gbenga Obadara; Chairman, Toyota Nigeria Ltd., Chief Michael Ade-Ojo; Managing-Director, Toyota Nigeria Ltd, Chandrasheker Thampy and Managing-Director, Infrastructure Bank Plc., Adekunle Oyinloye at the launching of Toyota RAV4 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja PHOTOS: AKIN OLADOKUN

T

HE Counsel to the residents of Kpaduma and Gazupe communities in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Mr Mela Audu Nunghe has filled form 48, a notice of consequence of disobedience of court order that will be served to the FCT Administration for demolishing houses in the communities despite a court order.

He, however, said the notice has not been served, a development, he explained, stalled the progress of the contempt proceedings at an Abuja High Court sitting in Apo. The FCTA, through the Development Control Department of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), was reported to have demolished about 10 houses in Guzape community despite a pending court injunction.

The counsel to the locals said the injunction ordered the administra-

FCTA to face contempt charge over Kpaduma demolition From Bukola Amusan

tion to stay action on any form of demolition in Kpaduma and Guzape communities pending the determination of subsisting case by inhabitants against the FCTA. He said that in 2011, the community had filed a suit against the FCT Minister and the Department of Development Control before an Abuja High Court sitting in Apo, praying the court to prevent the FCTA from ejecting the inhabitants from the area without adequate resettlement and compensation.

The counsel said his clients were taken aback when, despite the court order, the Department of Develop-

ment Control went ahead to demolish structures in the community.

“That was why it became necessary for us to take an adjournment pending when the Form 48 is served.

After 48 hours, the Form 49 will be served and then the processes will now be ripe for hearing,” he said.

He further said that the matter has become criminal case as it is no

The community filed a suit against the FCT Minister and the Department of Development Control before an Abuja High Court sitting in Apo, praying the court to prevent the FCTA from ejecting the inhabitants from the area without adequate resettlement and compensation

longer a civil matter, even though it arose from a civil proceeding. This is because contempt proceeding are criminal in nature.

Justice A.B Mohammed of the FCT High Court 34, Apo Division, who presided over the case, had at the sitting, adjourned the matter to May 9, 2013 for the contempt proceeding.

In his remark, AMAC Councilor representing the community, Bala Iyah, expressed confident in the ability of the court to give fair hearing to the affected parties. Chief of the community, Birtus Yakubu, condemned the manner they are being disturbed by the people laying claims to ownership of lands in their community.

42

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

43

44

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

45

46

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTANTS OF NIGERIA (ANAN) NIGERIAN COLLEGE OF ACCOUNTANCY, JOS (POSTGRADUATE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGE AND TRAINING ARM OF ANAN) 2013/2014 ADMISSION Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates for admission into the Professional and Conversion Programmes of NCA for the 2013/ 2014 academic session commencing on 10th September, 2013.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENT 1.

PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMME

a.

Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Accountancy of any NUC accredited Nigerian University or any approved Overseas University.

b.

Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy of any NBTE accredited Nigerian Polytechnic or any recognized Overseas Polytechnic.

NOTE: a.

That any applicant who is a graduate of an Overseas University/ Polytechnic is required to provide a Transcript of his/her academic records properly issued and signed by the Registrar of that institution.

b. i. ii.

That the Professional programme is run on two bases; Full-Time basis which is a nine-month programme and: Mature basis which is a twenty-one month programme.

2.

CONVERSION PROGRAMME

Holders of BSc degree or HND in Business Administration, Economics and Banking/Finance may be admitted into the Conversion programme which, on successful completion of the nine months programme, qualifies the person for admission into the professional Class.

3.

METHOD OF APPLICATION Requests for Application Forms should be made directly to: The Director-General Nigerian College of Accountancy, No. 42T Bauchi Ring Road, Dogon Dutse, P.M.B 2734, Jos Plateau State, Nigeria.

08166466164, 07053599039 Website: www.anan.org.ng E-mail: infornca@anan.org.ng. infonca@ananportal.org.

Candidates are to either collect First Bank Tellers from the Bursary Department of the college to pay N7,500.00 for the forms or enclose a self addressed and N400.00 stamped envelop measuring 36cm x 24.5cm with an application fee of N7,500 in bank draft payable to the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria.

CLOSING DATE: only application forms duly completed and returned with all relevant credentials not later than 29th June 2013, will be considered for admission.

Signed:

Dr. Joseph F. Adebisi,

PhD, FCNA, ACTI, MNIM, MACFEI

Director-General 26th March, 2013

47

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

PLATEAU 2015 Many aspirants are jostling for the governorship in Plateau State, ahead of 2015. Correspondent YUSUF IDEGU examines the issues that will shape the contest.

2015: Crowded race to Rayfield P

LATEAU State Governor Jonah Jang will bow out of office in 2015, after completing his second term. But the preparations for the next general elections have started.

Many issues will shape the race. These include ethnicity, religion and security. Jos, the state capital, has not known permanent peace. Thus, the people look forward to elections that would be held in an atmosphere of transquuility.

The next governor may still inherit the security challenge. Besides, he will have to work hard to improve on the reconstruction of the city that has been devastated by the ethno-religious conflicts.

The governorship ambition has engulfed the entire cabinet. There are at least 20 commissioners, 36 special advisers, 20 special assistants, 18 heads of parastatals.

Sources said that the majority of them are eyeing the number one seat. Some of them are also scrambling for the National Assembly slots.

However, the ambitious aides of the governors are competing for his endorsement.

All of them are scrambling for Jang’s signature.

In the rival All Progressives Congress (APC), there are also formidable aspirants.

There is a serious agitation for power shift from the PDP to the progressives. With the fusion of the like-minded parties, the opposition may wax stronger in the state.

The former governor, Joshua Dariye, sources said, is also planning to raise a candidate on the platform of the Labour Party (LP) to challenge the PDP candidate.

But many of his followers want him to team up with the APC, although some leaders of the PDP are also reaching out to him in the spirit of reconciliation.

The governor has established himself as a formidable politician who will definitely want to annoint a successor. He became more popular, following his victory at the poll for the second time in 2011. Since then, many opposition figures have abandoned the political space for him. The governor also has a great influence on the party machinery and as a rugged retired soldier, he has been able to combine the military tricks with political tactics. Many believe that he had survived the political vissiccitudes in office, thereby emerging as a cat with nine lives.

The prelude to the governorship election is the council poll. Plateau politicians appreciate the power of the grassroots structures. Thus, the governorship contenters are trying to build solid networks at the grassroots. Jang’s commissioners, special advisers and special ssistants are lobbying him to support their candidates for the chairmanship and councillorship in their respective local governments.

Observers contend that Jang’s support has become necessary because many political appointees are not popular in their respective constituencies. When they became commissioners and special advisers, they became detached from their constituencies.This, according to them, explains why they want to ride on the governor’s back to power.

Also, the quality of aspirants outside the State Executive Council is a major source of worry to those in the government. This worry has made the internal lobbying more aggressive. There is obviously a serious competition between those in government and those outside government to get Governor Jang’s blessing.

Apart from the governor’s aides and party chieftains itching to succeed the governor,

•Map of Plateau State

•Gov. Jang

•Longjan

some politicians who defected from the PDP when they fell out with the current administration are retracing their steps.

Now that Jang’s second term has gone half way, these aggrieved politicians are returning to the fold. Those in government perceive them as threats.

One of the styles adopted by the aspirants is positioning themselves for the governor’s attention. Jang usually visit his family house at Du. This residence has become a centre of attraction for these appointees. They normally accompany him to the house for the purpose of discussing their partisan interests with him in a relaxed atmosphere. Jangs’s aides have also accelerated their loyalty to the boss in recent times. They also back it up with eye

• Sen. Pawjok

service. As an experienced politician, this approach is worrisome to Jang.

The governor has said that he would not impose any candidate on the people as governor. He has also urged those aspiring to lead the state to strike a deal with the people to have a smooth nomination.

But according to a PDP chieftain who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Jang will not support a candidate that will not defend his legacies.

The governor has deviced a means of preventing the ambitious chieftains from accompanying him to events, particularly his family house. He has asked the security personel manning the gate to his personal residence in Du to restrict movement. “If the visitor is a member of my government,

tell him this is my private house. They should meet me in the office, and if they say I gave them appointment, confirm from me before you let such person in please” Jang pleaded with his securities.

But this directive has not deterred them.

They have also devised other means to lobby the governor through his relations and close associates. In this plot, the wife of the governor, Talatu, his children, the Gbong Gwom Jos, and some church leaders have become their links to the governor.

The Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Gyang Buba, who is the paramount ruler and head of traditional rulers, command a high influence. He is respected by the governor. Thus, the aspirants have been going to his palace to pay homage to the monarch for political reasons. Other aspirants who believe the governor’s wife is more influential are already falling over themselves to curry her favour.

Mrs. Jang, sources said, knows how to convince and persuade her husband about ceratin things. Thus, some of the aspirants have nearly turned themselves to her house maids to achieve their ambition. One of the governor’s children, Yakubu, is the Special Adviser on Special Duties in his father ‘s government. With his vantage position, other political appointees, including commissioners, are already worshipping the ‘big boy’.

In Plateau State, Senator Gyang Pwajok, popularly known as “GNS Pwajok,” is the closest politician to the governor. He is the Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial Zone. He is perceived as the ‘adopted political son” of Governor Jang.

He recently delivered a lecture at the governor’s 69th birthday, where the governor eulogised him as his political son.

Senator Pwajok, no doubt, has unhindered access to the governor. This senator is currently battling to save himself from pressure by lobbyists.

Pressures are also being mounted by the aspirants on the influential clerics; Prophet Isa El-buba, General Overseer, ‘Ebomi International’, and the President of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN), Reverend Soma Bewarang to sell their candidature to the governor. The priests are close to the governor. The governor has enormous respect for these two religious leaders. While Governor Jang has been worshiping at COCIN from childhood, Prophet El-buba is a spiritual adviser to him.

The majority of the aspirants are from the Southern and Central Plateau. The thinking is that, since Governor Jang is from Plateau North, the slot may be zoned to either of the two zones.

Top on the list is the deputy governor, Ignatius Longjan, who hails from Quan Pan local government. Many have argued that the governor is prompting his deputy to succeed him. The Secretary to the Government, Prof Shedrack Best, who hails from the Central Zone, is another strong contender. Other aspirants include the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. John Dabwan from Mangu South Constituency, Dr. Haruna Dabin from Plateau Central, who is currently the PDP state chairman, and Mr. Hezekiah Dimka, a retired Commissioner of Police.

However, not all the aspirants have made their intention known to the public. Governor Jang, who does not want any distraction, has said that any member of the cabinet nursing the ambition to succeed him should resign.

48

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

49

50

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

51

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

52

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

53

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

54

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Equities open with N31bn gains

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 22-04-13

•Thomson Reuters enhances data delivery

N

IGERIAN equities opened this week on a bullish run as significant demand for shares of the three largest banks helped to sustain the market recovery that started at the weekend.

Aggregate market capitalisation of all quoted equities increased by N31 billion to N10.578 trillion as against its opening value of N10.547 trillion, reflecting the overtly bullish market situation.

The benchmark index at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the All Share Index (ASI), improved by 0.29 per cent from 32,993.97 points to 33,090.05 points, pushing up the average year-to-date return to 17.85 per cent.

Besides the preponderance of gainers to losers at 30 to 24, the uptrend reflected the gains by large-cap stocks, especially main banking stocks such as Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), Zenith Bank, FBN Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA).

Investors also showed relatively stronger appetite as value of activities increased by about 36 per cent from N2.53 billion staked on equities at the weekend to N3.44 billion yesterday.

CAP led the advancers with a gain of N1 to close at N38.

GTBank trailed with addition of 88 kobo to close at N25.09.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria followed with a gain of 80 kobo to close at N49.

Zenith Bank rose by 50 kobo to N19.70. Presco chalked up 47 kobo to close at N24 while UBA added 28 kobo to close at N7.28.

Two cross deals were struck on Standard Alliance Insurance for 93 million shares valued at N46.50 million, putting the insurance firm atop activity chart, in terms of volume of activities. FBN Hold-

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

ings placed second on the activity chart with a turnover of 3 placed second on the activity chart with a turnover of 32.66 million shares valued at N620.71 million in 434 deals. Zenith Bank recorded a turnover of 28.62 million shares worth N559.8 million in 370 deals while GTBank placed fourth with a turnover of 23.86 million shares totaling N593.2 million in 565 deals.

Total turnover stood at 317.66 million shares worth N3.44 billion in 4,682 deals.

Banking stocks accounted for 130 million shares valued at N1.54 billion in 2,165 deals.

Insurance subsector recorded turnover of 112.17 million shares worth N61.21 million in 163 deals.

However, Lafarge Wapco Cement Nigeria topped the losers’ list with a loss of N3 to close at N80. MRS Oil and Gas followed with a drop of N2.24 to close at N20.16. Unilever Nigeria lost N1.70 to close at N51.30. PZ Cussons Nigeria dwindled by N1.50 to close at N40.50. Cement Company of Northern Nigeria declined by 90 kobo to N9.60 while Flour Mills of Nigeria dropped by 89 kobo to close at N76.06 per share.

Meanwhile, Thomson Reuters yesterday launched the latest version of its desktop product, Thomson Reuters Eikon, with a promise to make it easier and quicker for financial professionals in Nigeria to access historical and real-time market data on quoted companies on the NSE. At the presentation of the product to operators at the NSE yesterday, Thomson Reuters said the new product was part of the company’s bold innovation agenda to re-

define how financial professionals work by placing the most comprehensive market information, news, analytics and trading tools available into a desktop as simple to use and collaborative as the Internet.

The company has recently introduced advanced, webstyle search techniques to the desktop to help customers find information and return complete answers, in graphical format, to questions posed using natural language text. Eikon is available via any device, including Blackberry and iPhone mobile devices, with a single signon to access information anywhere, anytime.

Managing Director, Africa, Thomson Reuters, Keith Nichols noted that the difficulty for customers in African markets in general is getting relevant historical and real-time data relating to stocks.

“Research analysts and equities traders need vast amounts of information at their finger tips to be able to generate their reports and to make decisions on different stocks,” Nichols said.

According to him, Thomson Reuters Eikon delivers this data in a very intuitive way and therefore closes that gap for financial professionals. With the recent addition of advanced search, Eikon has done away with the need to remember instrument codes or navigate complex interfaces, thus creating a new benchmark in providing information across asset classes.

Executive director, market operations technology, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Ade Bajomo, commended the ease with which financial professionals can now find information using the new advanced search techniques in Eikon noting that this will expose the stock market to a wider pool of investors, which in turn will make the Nigerian market more transparent, liquid and central.

“We are pleased that Thomson Reuters continues to bring innovative solutions to our market, as we work towards our goal of becoming the gateway to African capital markets,” Bajomo said.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 22-04-13

55

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

MONEY LINK African finance ministers seek improved infrastructure to enhance growth

A

FRICAN countries are focus ing on improving their infra structure and tackling unemployment to maintain their dynamic growth, said African finance ministers during a panel discussion at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conference holding in Washington DC. They told reporters at the 2013 IMFWorld Bank Spring Meetings that although Africa had weathered the crisis remarkably well, efforts needed to be undertaken to maintain solid inclusive growth.

Noting that Europe, Africa’s traditional trading partner, was still grappling with weak growth, ministers called for more regional integration, and greater trade amongst African countries to maintain dynamic growth in the continent.

Ministers also emphasised that Africa’s continued growth was based on sound policies including prudent fiscal and monetary policy, adequate foreign reserves and lower inflation.

They added that improving the business climate through more trans-

•Okonjo-Iweala says reserves provide buffer for economy Stories by Collins Nweze parency and easier access to information and statistics would facilitate the development of a strong private sector, which in turn would stimulate growth.

Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said Nigeria had seen growth of around six per cent this year, as well as a decrease of inflation to single digits. She added that reserves in Nigeria were at $50 billion, providing an adequate buffer for the country.

Okonjo-Iweala said better roads and transport system were crucial to achieve more regional integration.

She pointed out that labor mobility was also a tool to ease unemployment and urged African countries to create more labor enhancing policies that would facilitate the movement of skilled labour across countries.

Comoros’ Finance Minister Ali Soilihi said despite a more difficult global environment and a year of in-

strong domestic demand.

Although South Sudan has been particularly affected by a severe lack of roads, the South Sudanese Minister Kosti Manibe Ngai pointed out that the government had taken steps to address the problem.

“We are planning on making major investments in infrastructure. We have plans to build a road that will start in Juba, and which will connect South Sudan to Uganda, “noted Ngai.

African countries still suffer from relatively high levels of unemployment, and particularly youth unemployment. Cameroon’s Minister Mey said that the issue of youth unemployment needed to be addressed by improving the business climate and facilitating the activities of the private sector.

“By improving the business cli-

stable internal situation, growth in Comoros had picked up from 2.6 per cent to three per cent this year.

He credited an increase in activities in the construction sector, a good harvest, the resilience of remittances from expatriates, and significant internal contributions from the banking and financial sectors.

Despite this bright outlook, ministers noted that challenges in infrastructure and energy needed to be addressed. Cameroon’s Finance Minister Alamine Ousmane Mey underlined that better infrastructure were needed to develop more efficient industries.

“In the case of Cameroon, we are building better roads and ports, and following up on project such as the Lom-Pangar dam to increase energy supplies in order to boost the creation of industrial centers,” said Mey. He also added that creating better infrastructure would boost low-cost imports and exports, thus creating a

F

surveyed.

The Visa Mobile Money study analysed the financial services needs and expectations of mobile money among nearly 2,500 consumers, mobile money agents, and merchants in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan.

The global study highlighted that consumers’ needs for financial services are far more sophisticated than previously believed and go well beyond the established transaction set offered by mobile money services today. The Visa study suggests that the success of mobile finan-

T

HE IoD Centre for Corporate Governance, an organisation es tablished by the Institute of Directors (IoD will be organising a corporate governance training on Risk Management on Thursday, April 25th, 2013 in Lagos.

In a statement, the group said the workshop is part of its effort to support organisational development and compliment the regulatory institutions in the drive to create an ethical business environment in Nigeria.

It said the risk management workshop which is divided into two sessions will have an advocacy session in the morning. This session is free of charge but for invited guests only. The second session which is the training session will be facilitated by risk management professionals and is for paid participants only.

cial services is determined by how deeply a mobile money provider understands its customers and tailors the service to the needs of consumers and mobile money agents – from service menus, to marketing and education.

It is also meant to raise awareness and drive adoption providers need to educate consumers on the key benefits and uses of mobile money services whilst tackling barriers to uptake. According to the Visa study, 83 per cent of respondents in Nigeria cited “safety of not having to carry around a lot of cash” as the primary benefit of mobile money.

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

OBB Rate Call Rate

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 22-04-13

SYMBOL JOHNHOLT LEARNAFRCA WEMABANK PAINTCOM AIICO JAPAULOIL IPWA CUSTODYINS ABCTRANS UBA

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

1.50 1.52 1.24 1.46 0.83 0.60 0.68 1.74 0.60 7.00

1.65 1.67 1.36 1.60 0.90 0.65 0.73 1.83 0.63 7.28

CHANGE 0.15 0.15 0.12 0.14 0.07 0.05 0.05 0.09 0.03 0.28

MRS DEAPCAP ROYALEX COSTAIN CCNN AGLEVENT UBCAP NAHCO PRESTIGE NEM

O/PRICE 22.40 1.82 0.71 1.76 10.50 1.54 1.20 5.88 0.62 0.75

Amount

Exchange

Sold ($)

Rate (N)

Date

350m

150m

150m

155.2

2-7-12

350m

138m

138m

155.8

27-6-12

350m

113m

113m

155.7

22-6-12

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Currency

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

NGN USD NGN GBP

147.6000 239.4810

149.7100 244.0123

150.7100 245.6422

-2.11 -2.57

NGN EUR

212.4997

207.9023

209.2910

-1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

Bureau de Change 152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

(S/N) Parallel Market

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N)

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

153.0000

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

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%

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH KAKAWA GUARANTEED STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE INVE 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

LOSERS AS AT 22-04-13

SYMBOL

Amount

Offered ($) Demanded ($)

MANAGED FUNDS

NIDF NESF

“The purpose of the workshop is to enhance awareness of risk management and its importance in the overall success of an organization.

Specifically, the workshop will focus on risk from different perspectives, and the possibilities for managing such risks effectively. It will also center on operational, project and reputational risks” it said.

The Director General, Nigeria Stock Exchange, Oscar Onyema, Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Bello Mahmud, Funke Osibodu, former Managing Director, Union Bank Plc and Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Crusader Insurance Plc, Tola Mobolurin are members of the panel that will bare their experience on risk management in different sectors of the economy.

DATA BANK

Tenor

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

mate, we can attract international and domestic investments that will create stable and long lasting jobs for our youth,” said Mey. He also added that “the current emphasis on second generation agriculture is such that well educated young African populations can take advantage of this opportunity to find stable means of living, while producing enough foodstuffs for the region.”

IoD holds workshop on risk mgt

Visa report raises hope for mobile money UNDAMO, the Visa-owned mobile money platform, has announced the results of the Visa Mobile Money Study for Nigeria which shows that although there are 110 million mobile subscribers in the country only a 56 million people have bank accounts making it one of the most exciting mobile money markets in the world.

Despite the staggering market potential the Visa study reveals that only 35 per cent of respondents are aware of mobile money versus an average of 56 per cent across all six of the emerging markets

•Dr Okonjo-Iweala

Offer Price

Bid Price

9.17 1.00 138.34 147.87 0.80 1.15 1.07 100.00 1,000.00 1,801.67 15.86 1.39 1.87 10,855.53

9.08 1.00 137.92 147.13 0.78 115 1.05 100.00 1,000.00 1,795.78 15.09 1.33 1.80 10,528.92

• KAKAWA GUARANTEED

C/PRICE

CHANGE

20.16 1.64 0.64 1.59 9.60 1.41 1.10 5.40 0.57 0.71

2.24 0.18 0.07 0.17 0.90 0.13 0.10 0.48 0.05 0.04

• STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUNDARM AGGRESSIVE

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

•

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK Previous

Current

04 July, 2012

07, Aug, 2012

Bank

8.5000

8.5000

P/Court

8.0833

8.0833

Movement

56

THE NATION TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2013

NEWS Army burns tanker, diesel From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

A 33,000 litre tanker, 294 drums of diesel, a white Ford Transit bus, six pumping machines and some yards of hose were burnt by the 13 Brigade of the Army yesterday in its bid to fight illegal bunkering.

The burning of the items was witnessed by the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Maj-Gen Adebayo Olaniyi and the Commander 13 Brigade, Brig- Gen Okwudili Azinta, at the Joint Task Force (JTF) destruction site in Odukpani.

Gen Olaniyi said the army remained committed to fighting oil thieves and called for support to achieve its aim.

The Army Public Relations Officer, Capt Joseph James, said following intelligence reports that the illegal products were being brought in, Azinta who is also the Commander, Sector 3 of JTF Operation Pulo Shield, led his men on a raid to the creeks in Jebbs, Calabar-South, at about 3am on Saturday.

Obasanjo’s killer squad claim criticised A GROUP within the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), PDP Patriotic Forum, has criticised the claim that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had a killer squad that may have been used for some unresolved assassinations during his tenure, among others.

In a statement by its Coordinator, Hon. Enitan Odulaja, the group said it was preposterous that the duo of Messrs Richard Odusanya and Hon. Segun Seriki decided to use an online medium to launch such an “invidious attack”.

The group said since Odusanya’s boss and Obasanjo’s bosom friend, Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, had explained who he (Odusanya) is, it was duty bound “as stakeholders within the Ogun State chapter of the party to also clear the air on Seriki, particularly when he was described as a member of the PDP in Ogun State”.

‘Contractors should help govt’ THE Leader of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Okpolupm Etteh, has advised companies handling contracts for the government to be serious about corporate social responsibility.

In a statement by his Media Office, Etteh said it was important for the companies to do so, as “a helping hand to the government that has graciously patronised them.”

He said this when members of the executive committee of the Akwa Ibom Youths for Justice and Equity Network visited him.

The leader said Governor Godswill Akpabio has performed beyond expectations.

He urged contractors to support the government by impacting on the communities in which they are working.

• Some local government chairmen taking their oaths...yesterday

Oshiomhole swears in local govt chairmen

E

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday swore in 14

of the 18 elected local government chairmen.

Local government elections were held on Saturday and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) won in the 14 local governments, where the elections were held.

Elections were cancelled in four local governmentsIkpoba-Okha, Esan North East, Esan West and Oredo.

Results of the remaining local governments as released by the State Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) showed that ACN candidate Ijegbai Jimoh won in Owan East with 19,783 votes to defeat his PDP rival, who had 6,045 votes.

In Esan Central, Eromosele Solomon scored 15,153 and the PDP candidate had 4,613.

Alari Enoma garnered 12,888 votes to floor the PDP’s 2,129 votes in Uhunmwode.

In Owan West, Godwin Aigbodion had 10,503 and the PDP candidate had 7,728 votes. In Ovia North East, PDP candidate Elisabeth Edomwandagbon scored 2,277 votes and lost to Lucy Omagbon of the ACN who had 17,238 votes.

Hassan Kadiri scored 37,707

ACN backs prosecution of arrested lawmaker

T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Edo State has backed the prosecution of one of its lawmakers in the House of Assembly, Rasaq Momoh.

Momoh was allegedly arrested during the conduct of the local government elections last Saturday.

The lawmaker was said to have been arrested with a pump action gun at Estako West Local Government Area.

State Chairman of ACN Thomas Okosun, who confirmed the arrest, said the law should take its course.

Okosun said the party would not interfere in the matter. He said there was an attempt to kill an ACN leader, Gani Audu, in the locality during the conduct of the election.

“He was arrested. He should be made to face the law. The party will not interfere,” the chairman said.

It was gathered that Momoh was not happy with the outcome of the party primaries and decided to support a candidate from another party.

Calls to the lawmaker’s phone went unanswered as it was learnt that he was still in detention and that the police were preparing to votes to defeat the PDP candidate in Estako West.

Oshiomhole urged the chairmen to appropriate the resources accrued to the councils for their development.

He directed EDSIEC to apologise to the people for late arrival of electoral mate-

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

charge him to court.

Okosun dismissed allegations by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the elections were rigged and fraught with irregularities.

“Edo people, through their votes, said nobody can trust the PDP in Edo. It is over for the party.”

The chairman acknowledged that materials arrived polling centres late but explained that the ACN was not responsible for conveying the materials to polling centres.

Okosun noted that the PDP did not prepare but planned to unleash mayhem during the election.

“The failure of the PDP is self-inflicted.

The people have rejected it and it remains rejected. ACN has no control over election materials. This government is committed to one-man-one-vote.

“PDP leaders brought policemen to cause disaffection but we are committed to ensure peace in our land. The election was free and fair. We lost in some wards because some of our members voted against the candidates we presented.”

rials.

He said: “It was an embarrassment and I insist that those who manage elections should be sensitive to the feelings of the electorate.

“For me, I will not protect any public office holder found wanting in any form.

“It is not enough to say sorry to me, I insist that EDSIEC or the contractor or both apologise to Edo people for the delay.”

The governor urged the council chairmen to remain committed to transforming

the state, adding that it was the road map of the ACN. Oshiomhole, however, warned them against absenteeism, saying government would not tolerate such a situation.

“I want to warn that no local government chairman should be seen in Benin City.

As a local government chairman, you must reside with your people to ensure effective governance.

“Anyone I find in Benin will be in serious trouble. We want you to justify the confidence the people have reposed in you.

“There should be no godfathers, you are not the best but by the grace of God, you have been chosen,” the governor said.

The Chief Judge, Justice Cromwell Idahosa, has constituted a three-member panel for the Local Government Election Petition Tribunal.

Members of the panel are Justice Efe Ikpomwosa, Justice Ohimai Oviagele and Justice Stephen Omonua.

A statement by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, H. Enemaku, said the constitution of the tribunal members was in line with the State Local Government Electoral Law, 2012 as amended.

Stakeholders to Fed Govt: develop Niger Delta

T

HE Niger Delta Stakeholders Conference began yesterday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, with participants calling on the Federal Government to display the political will needed for development of the region.

The participants also called on the Federal Government to improve its funding of projects in the region, suggesting that rather than allow crude oil bunkering to thrive, the government should use crude oil as a means of payment to solve the funding crisis that has slowed down development.

They stressed that no meaningful development could take place without better funding.

But the government reassured the gathering that the East-West road, which is at about 53 per cent completed,

From Vincent Ikuomola and Kazeem Ibrahim, Uyo

would be delivered next year.

Among the speakers were ex-Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Ufot Ekaette, Senator James Manager, Honourable Goriba, Florence Ita-Giwa, Stella Omu, Amanyayabo of Brass King Diette-Spiff and former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Timi Alaibe.

Representatives of Ondo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Abia and Bayelsa states’ governors were also present.

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, said the region had suffered from a development paradox and there was a need to work together to break the cycle of poverty by promoting investment in infrastructure,

basic social services and institutional development.

He said:. “Successive governments have taken a series of measures to address this developmental paradox. However, despite the well-intentioned efforts of the past and present, the region still lacks a development strategy that is consistent in vision, coherent in implementation process and rooted in a sound accountability framework.”

The minister also said the government was aware of funding challenges to meet expected development.

“Because funding is limited, it demands that we explore options for private-public sector partnership and also increase resources mobilisation flexibility as well as improved financial management,”he said.

Underscoring the importance of the new action plan to the development of the region, the minister said: “The min-

istry, through this plan, seeks to provide a coordinated framework that will reinforce a culture of transparency and accountability to communities by adopting the approach and techniques of managing for development results.

“The plan is a tool to harmonise, coordinate, measure and report on the delivery of development results.

The Amupitan of Mahin, Ondo State, Oba Omawole, said what the people are asking for is physical development and not talk.

Also, Diette-Spiff challenged the government to act now by funding the ministry to enable it deliver its mandate to the people.

Senator Omu urged the government to engage capable construction firms in executing high profile projects in the region.

THE NATION TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2013

57

NEWS

PDP will become opposition in 2015, says Onu

T

HE National Chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, yesterday said major opposition parties in the country have concluded plans to merge after their conventions.

Three major opposition parties - the ANPP, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) - would ensure that their members do not disappoint Nigerians with the merger, he said.

Onu vowed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would become the opposition after the 2015 general elections.

The ANPP chairman spoke in Abuja when he inaugurated the 2013 special convention committee of the party, led by Zamfara State Governor Abdulazeez Abubakar Yari.

He urged party faithful to remain committed to the merger process.

Onu said: “Today is historic, because this is the first time in

Taraba Assembly removes Speaker

T

•Yari heads convention committee From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

the long history of our country that opposition political parties, which control governments at the state level, have come together to form a new political party. This has never happened before in our country and would in many other countries of the world.

“By this merger which, by the grace of God, will be completed before long, the individual participating political parties will lose their individual identities to be submerged into the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is definitely in the best interest of the development of democracy, the happiness of our people and the greatness of our nation.

“With this merger which, by the grace of Almighty God, will soon be completed, it is certain that the way politics is played in our country will change forever. Our dear coun-

try will never be the same again. Those in government today should prepare their minds to be in the opposition tomorrow.

“It is about going a step further to show our fellow countrymen and women that we mean what we say that the ANPP strongly believes in the merger of opposition political parties for the benefit of all. It is about reaffirming our faith in the greatness of our beloved country as well as the power of democracy as an important instrument of good governance and development that will long endure.

“You must utilise the opportunity, which your membership of this committee demands for us to show that our great party believes in the union of the progressives that is being forged for the common good. You must work in unity as one body of honourable men and women, who are devoted to the happi-

•Onu

ness of our people and the greatness of our country.

Above all, you must focus on the future, for it should be backward never but forward ever!

“Our country is in great distress. Wherever we look, we see problems and problems.

We live in darkness. People feel insecure. Our schools and hospitals are not working as they should. Unemployment and poverty have crippled the dreams and ambition of many Nigerians. Hope for a brighter future has continued to fade for many people, day after day.

Things cannot continue this way. There must be a change for the better. The time to effect that change is now…”

Aliyu dissociates self from Lamido/Amaechi posters

N

IGER State Governor Babangida Aliyu yesterday dissociated himself from the presidential campaign posters of two governors: Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).

The governors’ posters have been flooding parts of Minna, the state capital, since Sunday.

The posters show Lamido as a presidential candidate and

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

Amaechi his running mate.

The posters were seen on Sunday on some public buildings in the state capital.

Aliyu has denied any link with the posters.

In a statement in Minna by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Malam Danladi Ndayebo, the government

said neither Aliyu nor the state government was serving as the campaign agent for the governors.

Describing the posters as the handiwork of political jobbers, the government urged the public not to link the posters to it or any government official.

The statement reads: “Those who pasted the posters are neither agents of the state gov-

ernment nor that of the governor; they also do not have the sympathy of government or any of its officials.”

The statement added that the state government would always respect the decision of the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has banned all forms of campaign ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Kano spends N30m on youth empowerment

T

HE Kano State Government has spent N30 million to empower its youths in various programmes to make them self-reliant.

Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso spoke yesterday in Kano at the graduation ceremony of 600 women trained in poultry management.

The governor said the women were drawn from six local governments for the one-month programme held at the Poultry Training Institute.

He explained that the programme was to make them selfreliant and enable them contribute to the development, the and welfare of the state as well as their families.

According to him, women are vulnerable and if they are not economically empowered, there will be a setback that can cause a serious challenge to the society.

Kwankwaso said this was the reason his administration began to train the women on various skills.

The governor said the country was facing myriad of socioeconomic problems because the nation’s leadership has neglected the role of agriculture in the in national development, especially in job creation and food for the nation.

“When agriculture is given the required attention it deserves, I assure you that the Nigerian economy would grow with increased development in many sectors of the nation’s economic life,” he said.

Kwankwaso urged the beneficiaries to use well the experience, knowledge and skills they acquired during their training

•Trains 600 women in farming From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

to improve themselves and the well-being of the state.

He said: “Our small holder poultry training approach, as a solution to poverty alleviation and economic empowerment, focused on women empowerment and poverty alleviation.

“Since the inception of this administration, the government is convinced on the need to prioritise agricultural development in order to reduce poverty among the state’s teeming population to increase in revenue generation and ensure food security in the state.”

The governor said 70 per cent of Kano population was into agricultural value chains, adding that this informed the government’s decision to increase the funds for the sector in this year’s budget.

Women are important to nation’s building because if you trained women, automatically you have have trained a nation, he added.

The Commissioner of Agriculture, Hajiya Baraka Sani, hailed Kwankwaso for ensuring that women in the state were not left behind in the administration’s programmes.

Hajiya Sani noted that since the inception of the Kwankwaso administration, over 2,200 women have benefited from dividends of democracy.

Suswam, minister mourn Benue ex-Deputy Governor Ajene

B

ENUE State Governor Gabriel Suswam and Interior Minister Abba Morro have mourned a former deputy governor of the state, Prince Ogiri Ajene, who died in a London hospital.

He was 56.

The governor noted that Ajene’s demise has left a vacuum that would be difficult to fill in the political leadership of the state, especially in Benue South Senatorial District, where he hailed from.

Suswam said he was saddened by the death of the former deputy governor, who he described as a patriotic Ni-

•Body expected from London Friday From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

gerian, an elder statesman, a true leader, a grassroots politician and a trusted political ally.

According to him, Ajene’s love for Benue State cannot be matched.

Suswam condoled with the Ajene family, the people of Obi Local Government Area in Benue South Senatorial District as well as the people of the state on the irreparable loss.

The governor prayed Al-

mighty God to grant Ajene’s soul eternal rest.

Morro described the former governor’s death as painful and shocking.

In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr George Udoh, the minister noted that the late Ajene was a great son of Benue State and Nigeria.

He said the late politician’s contributions to the growth and development of Benue State would remain indelible in the annals of history.

Morro extolled the virtues

of the late deputy governor, adding that he would be missed for his political shrewdness, experience, knowledge, flexibility, especially the role he played as two-term deputy governor of Benue State between 1999 and 2007.

A Benue State delegation, led by the Deputy Governor Steven Lawani, has departed for London to bring back the body of the late Ajene.

The Nation learnt that the Lawani-led delegation would return to Nigeria on Friday with Ajene’s body before a funeral programme would be announced.

ARABA State House of Assembly Speaker Istifanus Haruna Gbana was removed yesterday by the Assembly for “gross misconduct.

Gbana’s offences, according to the members, include “abuse of office” and “misappropriation of public funds”, among other infractions.

The members alleged that the offences amounted to gross misconduct.

Also removed as were the Deputy Speaker Abel Peter Diah and the Majority Leader Charles Maijankai.

The Assembly’s principal officers were accused of being Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai’s men.

Suntai is receiving treatment in a European hospital

From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

following the injury he sustained in last year’s plane crash near the Yola airport, Adamawa State.

Haruna Tsokwa, representing Takum II, was immediately sworn in as the new Speaker and Tanko Maikerfi as the new Deputy Speaker.

The member representing Lau State Constituency, Joseph Albasu, moved the motion (to impeach Gbana). The motion was seconded by Abubakar Jugulde. Abalsu was voted the new Majority Leader.

John Kizito Bonzima presided over the sitting as Speaker pro-tempore. He declared Gbana impeached.

‘Those with Kwankwasiyya ideology may succeed us’ From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

K

ANO State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso yesterday said whoever shares or practises the Kwankwasiyya ideology and philosophy of his administration would succeed him in 2015.

The governor, who addressed reporters in his office in Kano, said people at the top level of government, who shared the Kwankwasiyya ideology and thought like the incumbent administration, would be eligible to succeed him.

According to him, the government’s movement is for development, which is on display in Kano.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

58

NEWS

Jonathan okays boards of agencies, parastatals President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday approved the composition and appointments of the Chairmen and members of the Governing Councils/Boards of the following Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies: Name of the appointments, according to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, included: Nigeria Boundary Commission Dr. Yunusa Adamu Dangwani Member Hajiya Mamma Ibrahim Hassan Lau Member Abe Joseph Aku Member Chief Adebowale Atanda Niyi Salako Member Chief Ndidi Okereke Member Surv. AnselemIgo-Goin Member 2 Nigerian Shippers Council General Salihu Ibrahim Chairman Alhaji Sani Dauda Member Alhaji Bala Buhari Member Hon. Paul Anikwe Member National Youth Service Corps Chief Gordon Bozimo Chairman Mr. Domnic G. Yahaya Member Prof. Stella Attoe Member Nnamdi Anyaechie Member Nigerian Television Authority Chief Patrick Ogbu Chairman Bashir Samaila Ahmed Member Daniel Bwala Member Ahmed M. Agina Member Hon. Dele Fagoriola Member Mrs. Rose Okoronkwo Member Engr. Billy Etuk Member Raw Materials Research and Development Council Sen. Walid Jibrin Chairman National Lottery Regulation Commission Mr. Damian Dodo, S.A.N, OFR Chairman Mohammed Saleh Annur Member Alh. Hassan Abba Member Chief Vincent Aondaakaa Member Chief Greg Madu Member Mr. Ighonoba Onyeluka Member Hon. Olugbenga A. Adewusi Member Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron Chief Mike Abiotomere Chairman Abdulmumini Yunusa Member Chief Oliver Agbasoga Member Mr. Reuben Aggo Member Nigerian Railway Corporation Alhaji Kawu Baraje Chairman Hon. Iquo Minima Member Sq. Ldr M Ashu (Rtd) Member Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed Gimi Member Emma Ogbu Member Hon. Austin Nwachukwu Member Umar Liman Zuru Member Alh. Abdullahi Jalo Member

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

Alhaji Yunusa Yahaya Suleiman Member Alhaja Sariyu A. Oyawoye Member Chief Ejinima Mike Member Mr. Ehiozuwa J. Agbonayinma Member Mrs. Theresa Ikwue Member Hon .A. K. Saliu Member Hon. Wakil Aliyu Member Mohammed Kabiru Abubakar Member National Educational Research & Dev. Council Dr. Stephen Dike Chairman Gen. Suleiman Wali [Rtd] Member Mal. Ahmed I. Tsauri Memberv Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Ningi Member Iliyasu Adamu Kazaure Member National Tecaher's Institute Barr. Ali Sa'ad B/Kudu Chairman Dr. Eddy Olafeso Member Ebiye Abigail Jonesare Member National Veterinary Research Institute Dr. Isaac Edoja Chairman Nicholas Elyas Mshalla Member Dr. Ado Yusuf Member Yusuf Muktar Member Pastor Yusuf Alfa Member National Agric Extension & Research Liaison, ABU Moses Ngbale Chairman Chief Basil Osoukun Member Dr. (Mrs.) Jane Onwugbuta-Enyi Member Alhaji Dauda Birma Member Zubairu Saluhu Namama Member Institute for Agricultural Research and Training, OAU, Ife Charles S. Ogwu Chairman Aminu Lab. Baba Member Tselim Igbalaiye Member Nwakanma Diala-Uka Member Barr. Felix Alari Member Institute for Agricultural Research , Samaru - Zaria Kashim Mukhtar Alkali Chairman Sen, Umaru Ibrahim Tsauri, CON Member Chief Reginald Ezenta Member Ibrahim Bello Member Mrs. Love Ezema Member Federal Institute for Industrial Research, Oshodi Dr. Alex Obi Chairman Mr. Claudius Enegesi Member Mr. Chukwudubem Ejiofor Member Col. Musa Shehu Member Prof. Godwill Nnaji Member Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria Ngozi Eniyoma Chairman Zailani Mohammed Yawuri Member Hon. Hajja Fanta Baba Shehu Member Hon. Bitrus Kura Member Chief Abiodun Opebiyi

Member Barr. Chucks Okoye Member Barrister Isoboye Barango Member Industrial Training Fund, Jos Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro Chairman Juliet Chukkas Member Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq Chairman Hon. Abba Anas Adamu Member National Directorate of Employment Hon. Minister of Labour and Productivity Chairman Chief Perry Opara Member Mohammed A. Mohammed Member Sulaiman Kishimi Member Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti Mr. Victor Ebamoyi Chairman Omowunmi M. Olatunji Member Yinka Ibrahim Member Chief John Enyi Member Mr. Badeji A. Adikoye Member Mohammed Abdul Bunza Member Prince Afolabi Ayenuola Member Federal Polytechnic, Afikpo Mr. Chimdi Ejiogu Chairma Chief Osita Okereke Member (To be provided later) Member** Alh. Babajo Ibrahim Member Mr. Adeyey J. Onyeniyi Member Hon. Abubakar Suka Baba Member Lady Nkechi Mbonu Member Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State Prof. Gabriel Yumere Chairman Surv. Eli Adams Member William Ule Member Mr Jude Iyitor Member Alh. Nasidi Ali Member Hon. Ngene Samuel Member (To be provided later) Member 23 Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Bauchi State Alh. Adamu A. Abdulkadir Chairman Babangida Shehu Maihula Member Mohammed Tukur Giwa Member Barrister Garba Tumaka Member Mr. Godwin Okereke (DCP Rtd) Member Alh. Maccido Mohammed Member M. Adamu Usman Thawur Member Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Yobe State Alh. Abba Anas Chairman James Yakubu MemberLawan Mai Bukar Member Alh. Wakil Adamu Member Prof Solomon Nnanna Umeham Member Isiaka Zurmi Member Mr Japheth Wubon Member Federal Polytechnic, Ede Alh. Tajudeen Oladipo Chairman Joseph Okpodu

Member Dr. Robort Audu Member Dr. Walter Oji Member Abdullahi Abdullahi Gwaranyo Member Alhaji Razaq Lawal Member Barrister Chike Onwuelo Member Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State Bar. Mohammed Kabir Usman Chairman Engr. Suleiman Achimugu Membe Barr. Kabiru Umar Member Arc. David Ochai Member Hon. Manga S. Asha Member Mohammed Yammamman Member Hon. Sola Oladeinde Member Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro Hon. Ethelbert Okwaranyia Chairman Hon. Chukwuma Umeoji Member Elizabeth Ohremi Bakare Member Engr. Paul A. Agboola Member Mike Obinna Ikoku Member Chief Patrick Adaba mni Member Chief (Mrs) Onikepo Oshodi Member Federal Polytechnic, Kaduna Chief Sergent Awuse Chairman Abdulkareem Usman Member Hon. Graham Ipigansi Member Amb. Ghali Umar Member Hon. Mamman Tambuwal Member Bashir Tanimu Member Abubakar A. Kari Member Federal Polytechnic, Kaura Namoda Alhaji Lawal Nalado Chairman Prof. Bello Orubebe Member Njoku Nwachukwu Member Dr. Abubakar Abdullahi Member Yakubu P. Ibrahim Member Chief Daniel O. Okabe Member Elder I. Salisfu Member Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State Surveyor Ibrahim Jahun (Galadiman Bauchi) Chairman Alh. Abubakar Malami Member Mohammed Baba Iyali Member Dr. Adamu Zakka Member Chief Shitabe Member Sulieman Ibrahim Kaura Member Alh. Danjuma Ayuba Member Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa Senator Dipo Odujurin Chairman Funmi Uzo Nnaji Member Habu Mu'azu Member Chief Joel Madaki Member Aisha Audu-Emeje Member Hon. Aro Samuel Bamidele Member Mr. Alaye Eremie Jnr Member Federal Polytechnic, Nekede Dr. Ado Yusuf Chairman

Bassey Ita Edet Member Prof. Hagher Member Barrister Ogah Ekwu Member Alhaji Saad Babatunde Member Barr. Emmanuel Ubua Membe Barr. Laura C. Ndubuisi Member 33 Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State Chief Okey Ezenwa Chairman Mr. Tunde Odanye Member Ahamed Hassan Killa MemberHon. Tim Ibrahim Member Halilu Tanko Gilma Member Hon. Adamu Gora Kalba Member Mr. Uka Ude Egwu Member Federal Polytechnic, Yaba Chief Ebenezer Babatope Chairman Dr. (Mrs.) Olayinka Eniafe Olatunji Member Alh. Sijuade Amodu Member Philip Olabode A. Badagari Member Hon. Shehu Ibrahim Kagara Member Dr. Yakubu Kwari Member Hon. Adekunle Olukayode Ayobola Member Federal College of Education (SSP) Kontagora Gambo Lawan Chairman Mr. Christopher Abah Member Mr. Obiora Obi Member Mr. Sylvester Augustine Ekong Member Federal College of Education (Tech) Potiskum Engr. Mohammed Abba Gana Chairman Ibrahim Sabo Keana Member Alh. Hassan Haruna Member Dr. B. T. Salam Member Federal College of Education (Tech) Umunze Lawal Sulieman Jarman Kaura Member Alh. Babayo Madugu Member Mr. Danlami Saleh Yebu Chairman Mr. Cosmos Onyeneke Member Federal College of Education (Tech) Akoka, Yaba Alh. Kadiri Aliyu Maska Chairman Mohammed M. Bello Member Hon. Kayode Babade Member Hon. Franklin Otele Member Federal College of Education (Tech) Asaba Dr. Bungum Hassan Yusuf Chairman Mr. Ishaya Buba Bajama Member Hon. Baba Shehu Agaie Agwai MFR Member Dr. Mrs. Gloria Chukwukere Member Federal College of Education (Tech) Bichi Col U. F. Ahmed [Rtd] Chairman Sen. Clement K. Awoyelu Member Hajiya Aishatu Marado Member Chief James Katugwa Member •To be continued

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

59

CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

A

Ladipo market leader held for 'N52m fraud'

N Ikeja High Court yesterday remanded Jonathan Okoli, President of Aguiyi Ironsi Market in Ladipo, Lagos Mainland, in prison over an alleged N52 million fraud.

Okoli, 51, was remanded in Ikoyi Prison, after his arraignment before Justice Olabisi Akinlade.

The market leader, who resides at 2, Akinwunmi Street, Ladipo, Mushin, was charged to the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The auto spares' dealer is facing a three-count charge of obtaining money by false pretences and stealing.

EFCC counsel, Mr Anslem Ozioko, said the market leader had between 2009 and 2010, obtained N52 million from members of the markets' traders' union.

Ozioko said the money belongs to the association, add-

•Okoli

By Adebisi Onanuga

ing that it was held in trust

by Okoli for the payment of the association’s members’ Trade Permits and Auto

Dealer Fees.

The accused, he added, diverted the money to his personal use, instead of making the payments to the Lagos State Government and Mushin Local Government.

According to him, Okoli's offences contravened Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act of 2006.

The EFCC’s counsel stated the offences also contravened Section 390 (8) (b) and (9) of the Criminal Code of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003. The offences, it was learnt, attract between seven and 20 years imprisonment.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judge ordered him to be remanded in prison pending the hearing of his application for bail on May 16.

•R-L: Vice-Chairman, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government, Ogun State, Mrs Olufunmi Afusat; Chairman, Comrade Rotimi Rahmon; his wife,Basirat; father of triplet, Mr Dorfor Charles and mother, Elizabeth with the new babies and other well-wishers at the council’s healthcare centre, Ota during Rahman’s visit as part of activities marking his 39th birthday recently.

SSS arrests five suspected robbers

F

IVE suspected robberys suspects have been arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) in Anambra State.

Three of them allegedly snatched a red Toyota Highlander Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) with registration number, Anambra HTE 335 AA from a South African-based prophetess on April 1, at Ichida in Anaocha Council Area of the state.

The suspects are: Isa Yusuf, 26, from Kaduna State; Ukamaka Okafor, 29, from Enugu State and Ugochukwu Okeke, 38.

By Nwanosike Onu,

The state director of SSS, Alex Okeiyi, told reporters yesterday in Awka that his men travelled to Sokoto to arrest Yusuf while about taking the vehicle to his master, Alhaji Dogo.

The operatives, he said, returned to Enugu to arrest Okafor who had turned up to collect her share of the proceeds from the vehicle's sale.

The woman, according to Okeiyi, claimed that her fian-

cé, who is serving a jail term for robbery at Enugu prison, sent her to collect the proceeds.

The two others were arrested after snatching a hand bag from a woman in her Camry car at gun point at the Unizik Junction in Awka. The suspects, Emmaunel Molokwu, 21, and Stanley Ndefo, 20, both from Obosi in Idemili Local Government Area, were arrested on a motorbike at Enugwu-Agidi in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state.

Apostolic Church suspends three

T

HE Joint Fields Council of The Apostolic Church Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State chapter, has suspended three apostles and nine pastors indefinitely for allegedly creating a new field to operate.

The decision is contained in a statement jointly signed by the General Secretary of the Council, Apostle S. A. Isaiah and its Chairman, Apostle Amos Ikpe, at the Joint Field Council Meeting held at the Akwa Ibom State Fields Headquarters of the church in Uyo. The council described the creation of the new field as illegal because its national secretariat was unaware of the development.

By Jeremiah Oke

The suspended apostles are: Sunday Solomon Okpob, Unwana Isaac Okobo and Mfon Ekong. The nine District Pastors are: Udo Esset, Emmanuel Henshaw, E. A. Essien, Pastor O. O. Umana, Emmanuel Bill, I. U. Etim, S. U. Etuk, E. S. Inyang and Emmanuel Ekam.

Their offence: Alleged plot to create an illegal Field with the name, The Apostolic Church, Central Field.

The statement added: "All erring pastors who directly or indirectly connived to cause division and crisis in The Apostolic Church through the acclaimed cre-

ation of the illegal field are suspended indefinitely and with immediate effect as the church does not, and will never entertain rebellion.

"All suspended Apostles and Pastors should by this notice, surrender all properties, documents and seals in their possession belonging to The Apostolic Church Nigeria in Eket and Ikot Abasi Fields, respectively, to the appropriate authority and with immediate effect. All meetings held or scheduled to be held by the suspended persons in the name of The Apostolic Church Nigeria, are hereby declared illegal and unconstitutional."

W

IFE of immediate past chairman of Edo State branch of the Butchers Association of Nigeria (BAN), Mrs Mercy Omokaro has described as illegal, the detention of her husband by the police. She appeals to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to intervene in the matter.

Mrs Omokaro said her husband, on April 12 and August 16, last year, in a petition to the police chief, alleged threat to his life and plot to frame him up by the union's national leadership.

She deplored the police preliminary investigation into a fight that occurred at the abattoir, which led to her husband's detention.

She appealed to the state government to intervene and

C ITYBEATS Woman seeks justice over husband's detention From Osemwengie Ogbemudia, Benin

ensure that justice is done, saying: "All that is happening at the abattoir is that some persons are trying to create monopoly and a cartel in a public market environment. Nobody has the right to determine the number of cows to be slaughtered and that is why they came up with the frame-up in collaboration with the police to keep him out of circulation for them to remain unchallenged.

"My husband has been under incessant intimidation by a prominent Benin-based chief who claims to be the life national president of the

union. He, in collaboration with some corrupt police officers, framed him up with false allegations and was hurriedly charged, arraigned and remanded at the Benin Prisons.

"I am not only demanding justice, but I am equally demanding that everything that has to do with Edo butchers should be within the ambit of the rules and regulations governing the union."

Police sources confirmed that Omokaro is facing a four-count charge of murder and other offences punishable under Section 516 of the criminal code. He was reportedly charged to court on March 14.

Dismissed policeman caught with Indian hemp.

O

PERATIVES of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a dismissed police Sergeant, Augustine Odogwu, with 108 kilogrammes of weeds suspected to be cannabis sativa (Indian hemp). Odogwu, 45, was caught at Ningi, Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The NDLEA commandant in the state, Parah Julius Bawa, told reporters yesterday that Odogwu and two others "neatly concealed the deadly weeds inside the booth of a brown Toyota Avalon Saloon car, with Lagos registration number MUS 937 BB, driven by him''.

Bawa said the command seized 194.23 kilogrammes of the illegal drug between January and March. The drugs,

From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

he said, were recovered from 56 suspects, among them a "very stubborn cannabis sativa dealer, Turaki Mohammed, of Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State."

The NDLEA chief, who described the suspect's arrest as spectacular, said: "The suspect disguised himself as a Superintendent of Police. He, indeed, conspicuously displayed a Police Superintendent rank/uniform and Police ID Card No 1084 to match."

The fake 'Police Supo', according to him, used police uniform to beat security checkpoints from Abbi, in Delta State to Bauchi, where luck ran out on him and was arrested.

NDLEA's investigations indicate that Delta-born Odogwu, who resides in Ondo State, was dismissed from the Police in 1993, and had been in cannabis sativa business for more than four years.

Odogwu, it was learnt, was also arrested about two years ago in Ondo State for a similar offence, but was freed.

Odogwu, who spoke fluent English, said: "I commend the Bauchi NDLEA operatives for the good work they did to arrest me. It is true that I was dismissed from the Police, but I got the Superintendent's uniform through a friend who has a serving Supo friend''.

The suspect, who said he was sorry for his action, blamed it all on "a society that does not judge most of its members justly."

60

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

FOREIGN NEWS Top Gadhafi aide to face trial in Egypt A COUSIN and onetime top aid of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi will face trial in Egypt on charges of attempted murder.

Prosecutor Hamdi Mansour ordered Sunday that Ahmed Qaddaf al-Dam be tried for attempted murder, resisting arrest and possession of firearms without a license. The charges stem from a skirmish with police during his arrest last month in Cairo.

Al-Dam had long been the point man on relations between Libya and Egypt under Gadhafi. He challenged a Libyan request to extradite him, though two other Libyan officials arrested along with him have already been sent back.

An Egyptian court ruled in his favor on grounds he fears he won’t be guaranteed his full rights in Libya.

Libya has asked Egypt to hand over around 100 other former regime officials.

EU governments ease Syria’s oil sanctions EUROPEAN Union governments agreed yesterday to ease sanctions on Syria to allow for purchases of crude from the opposition, in hopes of throwing a financial lifeline to rebels fighting President Bashar alAssad.

The decision, taken at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, will allow European importers to buy oil from Syria, if authorized by an opposition umbrella grouping.

The sanctions were first imposed in 2011 in response to Assad’s brutal crackdown on prodemocracy protests. Two years later, the conflict is largely a stalemate, and an estimated 70,000 people have died.

“Anything that can help more resources to be available to people affected by the crisis of course is welcome,” EU commissioner for humanitarian aid, Kristalina Georgieva, told Reuters on the sidelines of the meeting.

Buying Syrian crude will be complicated, because of security concerns and battered infrastructure, but officials said more financial help would be offered.

“It is important for us to send a signal that we are open to helping in other ways, in all the ways possible, including ways adding to the finances (of the opposition),” British Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters as he arrived for Monday’s meeting.

•Kosovo Serbs stand in front of graffiti that shows Serbian coat of arms and silhouettes of people, reading: “... because there’s no going back” during the protest against the recognition of Kosovo as an independent state, in the northern Serb-dominated part of ethnically divided town of Mitrovica, Kosovo… yesterday.

PHOTO:DARKO VOJINOVIC

Second man arrested in India five-year girl rape

I

NDIAN police arrested a second man yesterday in connection with the rape and torture of a five-yearold girl in New Delhi and parliament was adjourned twice amid an uproar about the crime which has rekindled popular fury at widespread sexual violence.

The anger echoes the response to the gang rape of a 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist on a bus on December 16. She later died of her injuries. Protesters are angry authorities have failed to prevent more such crimes.

Police say the child was

abducted on Monday last week and kept in captivity by two men in the basement of the building that she lived in with her family. Neighbors say they found her two days later after hearing her cries.

Media reported several other attacks on children over the weekend, including that of a nine-year old girl in the north-eastern state of Assam, who had her throat slit after being gang-raped, TV channels said.

A man was arrested at the weekend for the attack on the five-year-old and is due to appear in a Delhi

court this week. The second suspect, in his early 20s, was arrested early on Monday at a relative’s house in the eastern state of Bihar on information received from New Delhi, local police chief Rajeev Mishra said.

“He was arrested about 1 a.m.,” Mishra said. “...Delhi police and local police made a combined effort to arrest him.”

Brutal sex crimes are common in India, which has a population of 1.2 billion.

New Delhi has the highest number of sex crimes among major cities, with a rape reported on average

every 18 hours, according to police figures.

But most such crimes go unreported and justice is slow, according to social activists, who say successive governments have done little to ensure the safety of women and children.

The December 16 attack brought thousands on to the streets in protest and provoked national debate about the rising number of vicious attacks on women, putting the issue firmly on the national political agenda a year before elections.

Activists planned a

Afghan Taliban captures crashed helicopter victims

T

HE Taliban have cap tured all aboard a heli copter that crashed in a volatile region of Afghanistan’s east, a spokesman for the insurgency said yesterday.

The helicopter, owned by air charter company Khorasan Cargo Airlines, made an emergency landing in Logar province late on Sunday due to bad weather, a Khorasan staff member said on condition of anonymity.

“Mujahideen immediately surrounded the chopper, detained (the) foreigners aboard and completely destroyed the helicopter ... by setting it alight,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in an emailed statement.

Onboard the Russian-

made Mi-8 helicopter were eight Turkish engineers and at least one Russian pilot, according to Turkish and Russian officials. There was also at least one Afghan pilot aboard.

“The helicopter was carrying eight Turks, the pilots were Russian and Afghan. We believe they are in good health and Turkish officials are in contact with Afghan officials over the issue,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Gumrukcu said.

Mujahid said nine Americans wearing military uniforms and two translators were onboard, though the Taliban routinely misstate the facts surrounding such incidents.

All onboard were captured

alive, and they were being transferred to “the most secure region of the nation”, Mujahid said, though he did not say where that was.

Helicopter crashes and “hard landings” occur relatively frequently in mountainous Afghanistan.

In August 2011, 30 U.S. special forces soldiers, seven Afghans and an interpreter were killed when a Chinook transport helicopter was shot down, the deadliest single incident for foreign troops in more than a decade of war.

Khorasan flies Russian Mi8 and Mi-17 helicopters as well as fixed-wing aircraft in Afghanistan. They offer troops and cargo transportation as well as medivac and civilian transportation services.

TV anchor covers earthquake in wedding dress

•Ying

R

EPORTERS often have to disrupt their personal plans when there’s breaking news, but Chen Ying may have taken things to a whole other level.

Israel hints at patience on Iran

I

SRAEL suggested yester day it would be patient before taking any military action against Iran’s nuclear program, saying during a visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel there was still time for other options.

With Iran’s presidential election approaching in June there has been a pause in hawkish rhetoric by Israel, which has long hinted at possible air strikes to deny its

arch-foe any means to make an atomic bomb, while efforts by six world powers to find a negotiated solution with Tehran have proved fruitless so far.

“We believe that the military option, which is well discussed, should be the last resort,” Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon told reporters at a news conference with Hagel.

“And there are other tools to be used and to be

exhausted,” Yaalon said, listing diplomacy, economic sanctions and “moral support” for domestic opponents of Iran’s hardline Islamist leadership.

Iran has denied seeking nuclear weapons capability, saying it is enriching uranium only for domestic energy purposes while calling for the elimination of the Jewish state. Israel is widely believed to have the Middle East’s only

fourth day of street action amid heavy security in Delhi after protesters tussled with police and tried to reach the homes of India’s leaders at the weekend. The protesters are calling for Delhi’s police chief to resign.

The five-year-old girl’s name has not been revealed, but media have nicknamed her “Gudiya”, or doll. She has undergone surgery and was in stable condition on Monday, a doctor at the hospital where she is being treated told reporters.

nuclear arsenal.

U.S. President Barack Obama has in the past clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over how urgent the need may be to consider military action against Iran. Washington has suggested more time should be given for concerted diplomacy combined with sanctions pressure to produce a peaceful solution.

The anchor for a Chinese television station was reportedly set to get married when a strong earthquake struck in rural Sichuan province, near where the nuptials were to take place.

According to the South China Morning Post, Ying sprang into action.

Based on several media reports, it’s not clear whether Ying was already at the ceremony or on her way, but video from the earthquake’s aftermath shows her interviewing people in the streets. She was dressed in her full bridal finery - beaded white wedding gown, headpiece and veil and a corsage on her left wrist.

The Post said Ying’s actions have resonated on Chinese social media, with people expressing admiration for her apparent professionalism and dedication.

The quake - measured by China’s earthquake administration at magnitude 7.0 and by the U.S. Geological Survey at 6.6 - killed at least 208 people and injured an estimated 11,000 more, the Associated Press reported.

Meanwhile rescuers struggled to reach a remote rural corner of southwestern China yesterday as the toll continues to rise.

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

61

62

THE NATION TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013

NEWS How 185 were killed in JTF, Boko Haram battle, by residents Continued from page 6

•Sitting from left: Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Sen. George Sekibo; U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Terence NcCulley; Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim; Leader of U.S. House Armed Services Committee Congressional delegation, Mr Mac Thornberry and Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Sen. Chris Anyanwu, during the visit of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee Congressional Delegation to Defence Headquarters in Abuja…yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Buhari, Tinubu to PDP: pack and go in 2015 Continued from page 6

Chris Ngige, Olufemi Lanlehin, Oluremi Tinubu, Babafemi Ojudu, Gbenga Obadara, Ayo Adeseun, Sola Adeyeye, Ganiyu Solomon, Olorunnimbe Mamora and Prof. Adebayo Williams, and Prof. Ropo Sekoni.

Also at the ceremony were the Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, his deputy, Kolawole Taiwo, Secretary to Lagos State Government Dr. Oluranti Adebule, Olawale Osun, Oba Olatunji Hamzat, Otunba Busura Alebiosu, Mr. Olorunfunmi Basorun, Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Otunba Dele Ajomale, Chief Rasak Okoya, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, Prof. Idowu Sobowale, Cardinal James Odunmbaku, Alhaji Ganiyu Badmus, Mrs. Wonuola Folami, Yemi Cardoso, Chief Sam Bolarinde, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, who was the Master of Ceremony and Mohammed’s wife, Kudira Adeoti.

Urging the progressives to remain committed to change, Buhari said: “Let us agree to come together and give an alternative to Nigeria. We should consummate this merger and mobilise our constituencies.”

The CPC leader noted that Nigerians were eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the merger in readiness for the next elections, stressing that “nobody will want to rig because it will not pay.” Buhari commended the ACN for its successful convention in Lagos, assuring that the CPC and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) will follow suit in Abuja and Zamfara State respectively on May 11.

Hailing the author, Buhari, who wrote the foreward to the book, applauded his single mindedness, intellectual capacity, hardwork, consistency

and courage, adding that every school library in the country should have the book on its shelve.

Tinubu observed that the presentation of the book was timely, coming after the last convention of the APC, which has heralded its merger into the APC. Noting that the APC has a permanent place in history, the former Lagos State governor said: “Democracy, justice and liberty may move slowly, but when they gain momentum, nobody can stop them. That is why I talked about positive storm.

“With the APC, we will form a bigger party that will accomplish bigger things for Nigeria.

This is a bigger project with an agenda for change. That was why ACN has made a sacrifice for the greater good. We should not call ourselves the opposition again. We are the progressives and governmentin-waiting. Those in power only believe in what good governance oppose.

“We have witnessed their empty history. Let them be a witness for our fruitful one.

The US State Department has been decrying their impunity and corruption. The presidential aides are blind people embellishing facts. They attack the messengers, rather than heeding the message. We do not oppose for the sake of it. We stand for democracy, fairness, justice, harmony, unity, the eradication of corruption. We oppose indifference to bad governance, unemployment and insecurity.

“Our overriding vision is to gain power at the centre for progressive change. The storm is here. That storm is a positive storm. APC is the storm that will sweep them away. It is time for those in power to go.”

Lauding Mohammed, who he described as a wise man and a one-man army for his sagac-

ity, competence and commitment to the growth of democracy, Tinubu said that he has been issuing press releases with the rapidity of a machine gun and turned them into a weapon of truth.

Fashola, who welcomed the guests, recalled that he had succeeded Mohammed as Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, noting that the astute lawyer and politician performed well in office by setting up the logistics, which facilitated the success of his tenure.

He said the book has told the story of a party that has become yardstick for good government and governance.

Firing the salvo at the PDP, Fashola said: “A party is saying that there is no vacancy in the highest office in the land.

Why are they organising elections then? There will be vacancy in 2015.”

Governor Aliyu frowned at late-coming to events, advising dignitaries to send representatives, if they cannot keep to time. He observed that the ceremony was rich in attendance by attracting tall people like Gen. Buhari and Speaker Ikuforiji and short people like Mallam el-Rufai and Dr. Ngige.

Replying Fashola, he said: “We are not saying that there will be no election. There will be election to give you the task to participate. We are not saying that there will be no vacancy. We are saying that you should work hard. I was the first party to pray for the success of the merger so that we will not take things for granted. There is the need for options in democracy. But we should not allow personal ambition to becloud the general interest.”

Aliyu clarified that his presence at the book presentation did not translate into defection from the PDP, stressing that he had deliberately asked the Niger State PDP chairman, Alhaji Mahmud Batanga, to accompa-

ny him to Lagos for the ceremony.

The governor cautioned against viewing issues of national importance from the prism of narrow partisan ship, adding that nation-building and development go beyond political partisanship.

He added: “As politicians, we are not up to 10 percent of the people and we decide the fate of all the people. We must listen to all perspectives.”

Applauding the role of the opposition, Aliyu said: “Lai Mohammed has been asking us to understand what Nigerian politics has been and what it will be. If you want to excel, you must have enemies that will put you on your toes. opposition is always there to help you to look at the other side of the coin.”

Osibajo praised Mohammed’s devotion to image making, he said that he has become the peoples’ publicity secretary.

Ipaye, who read Mohammed’s profile, said that as the country has proceeded on the fast lane to development, it should be remembered that the author is one of the engineers of the movement. He added: ‘He is a thinker, strategist and wise counselor.”

Other dignitaries at the ceremony included Dr. Remi Desalu, Dr. Wale Adebanwi, Hon. Omotilewa Aro-Lambo, Dr. Samuel Adedayo, Hakeem Fashinro, Dr. Leke Pitan, Prof.

Abisogun Leigh, Jide Jimoh, Ayodele Adewale, Abiodun Mafe, James Faleke, Rotimi Agunsoye, Jide Sanwolou, Kaoli Olusanya, Segun Dawodu, Chris Ekwilo, Ademola Seriki, Femi Gbajabiamila, Yakubu Balogun, Kemi Nelson, Dele Belgore (SAN), Pastor Eze Iyamu, Chief Adedoyin, Sunday Adepoju, Yekini Alabi, Ismaila Tua, Bolaji Ariyoh, Ife Oyedele, Segun Babatope, Meriko Ebikebina, and Wale Ahmed.

Tinubu advises Jonathan to address issues Continued from page 6

ment needs no announcement. Their incompetencies need no contestation. It is large in the policy somersaults, misspeak and economic and security malaise now prevalent.

“Nigerians are currently saddled with a government asleep at the switch. This is a government engaged only in dynamic inactivity. Of motions and gyrations without moving Nigeria forward. Nigerians are eyewitnesses to history and will be the judge when the time comes. They are possessed by the greatest political fear of

them all – not that people will mistake who they are but that the people truly know who they are.

“Thus, in a futile attempt, they seek to belittle the accomplishments of Governor Tinubu as governor of Lagos, they shoot themselves in the foot.

There is concrete and verifiable evidence about the transformation of Lagos, a foundation laid by Governor Tinubu and his team. The Tinubu-Fashola plan for the transformation of Lagos has worked. And as members of the same party they had a coherent plan to

develop Lagos State.

“Can they say the same thing about anything at the federal level? Everything they touch gets broken. They call what they are doing a transformation agenda. They seem to want to transform the nation into one big failure. Nigerians have endured this with grace and good humor. It is time for serious people with serious plans to address the serious problems we face.

“The Federal Government presides over failure after failure, yet they spend time criticizing the success that is Lagos.

Tinubu and Fashola can walk anywhere in Lagos in peace and without an army to protect them. I wonder if they can make that claim about their leaders and the whole of Nigeria. No one needs a President on lock down in Aso Villa all the time, completely isolated from the people he governs.

“A leader who locks down every city he visits in Nigeria for security reasons is not our idea of a successful citizen friendly leader. There is no greater liability than such a presidency.”

Friday and lasted for hours, sending people fleeing into the arid scrublands surrounding the community on Lake Chad.

By Sunday, when government officials finally felt safe enough to see the destruction, homes, businesses and vehicles burnt.

Authorities had found and buried at least 185 bodies as of Sunday afternoon, said Lawan Kole, a local government official in Baga. He spoke haltingly to Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima in Kanuri language.

Officials could not offer a breakdown of civilian casualties versus those of soldiers and extremist fighters. Many of the bodies had been burned beyond recognition in fires that razed whole sections of the town, residents said. Those killed were buried as soon as possible, following Muslim tradition.

Brig.-Gen. Austin Edokpaye, also on the visit, did not dispute the casualty figures. Gen. Edokpaye said Boko Haram extremists used heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades in the assault, which began after soldiers surrounded a mosque they believed housed members of the radical Islamic extremist network Boko Haram. Extremists earlier had killed a military officer, the general said.

Gen. Edokpaye said extremists used civilians as human shields during the fighting implying that soldiers opened fire in neighborhoods where they knew civilians lived.

“When we reinforced and returned to the scene the terrorists came out with heavy firepower, including rocket-pro-

pelled grenades, which usually has a conflagration effect,” the general said.

However, local residents who spoke to an Associated Press journalist who accompanied the state officials said soldiers purposefully set the fires during the attack. Violence by security forces in the northeast targeting civilians has been widely documented by journalists and human rights activists.

A similar raid in Maiduguri, Borno State’s capital, in last October after extremists killed a military officer saw soldiers kill at least 30 civilians and set fires across a neighborhood.

Sunday afternoon, the burnt bodies of cattle and goats still filled the streets in Baga. Bullet holes marred burned buildings.

Fearful residents of the town had begun packing to leave with their remaining family members before nightfall, despite Shettima’s plea for them to stay.

“Everyone has been in the bush since Friday night; we started returning back to town because the governor came to town today,” grocer Bashir Isa said. “To get food to eat in the town now is a problem because even the markets are burnt. We are still picking bodies of women and children in the bush and creeks.”

Boko Haram, which means “Western education is sacrilege” in the Hausa language, wants its imprisoned members freed and Nigeria to adopt strict Shariah law. A committee has been set up to initiate dialogue with the sect as a prelude to granting its members amnesty.

Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau has dismissed the idea.

Baga killings: Borno to rebuild houses Continued from page 6

ever, believes that regardless of the number of persons affected, the incident was gruesome and highly condemnable since the life of a single human being is as important as the lives of thousands of humans.

“Governor Shettima had on Saturday, visited the town for on the spot assessment during which he strongly condemned the incident while he met with military authorities to get their side of the story before the committee he set up completes its findings to determine the next line of action.

“The Governor also ordered release of funds to the Ministry of Works to gather all consumables and move earth moving equipment and brick making machines to Baga town to begin reconstruction while he held several meetings with stakeholders from Kukawa Local Government to take firm measures that will further ameliorate the condition of surviving victims and other residents.”

The statement assured the people of the state of the governor’s readiness to take firm measures to protect lives and property.

The statement added: “Governor Shettima is taking other firm and appropriate measures that will ensure the security of lives and properties in Borno State.

“He, once again, commiserates with families of deceased victims and those who sustained injuries or lost properties, noting that Government is working round the clock to ensure an end to the security challenges in the state.

“The Governor expressed strong optimism that the ongoing efforts for peaceful resolution of the crisis through the amnesty programme being worked by the Federal Government will help in solving the problem.

“He called on the amnesty committee members to be resilient as the task before them is such that will not entertain any failure as there is no alternative to peace for any society that desires progress.”

45 shops, 25 homes burnt in Ibadan Continued from page 6

woye, blamed the incumbent on the obstinacy of the driver.

He said: “The PMS tanker fell near residential buildings and close to a woman cooking. Presently (last night), 25 houses and 42 shops have been burnt.

“Fire fighting operations are ongoing and the details of casualties cannot be ascer-

tained as it is dark. Search and recovery will start as soon as the fire is brought under control by firemen.”

A resident, who identified herself as Iya Kafaya wailed uncontrollably. She was said to have lost everything to the fire.

Many of the residents shouted aloud to ensure that their members were not trapped inside the burning houses.

THE NATION TUESDAY APRIL 23, 2013

63

NEWS

Corruption: Jonathan defends administration •Allegations blown out of proportion

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has disagreed with the United States (U.S.) Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Country Report on Human Rights Practices that government officials are neck deep in corruption.

He said the claims of massive corruption were misplaced and over-amplified.

Speaking at the signing of the Presidential Power Reform Transactions at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, President Jonathan said the Federal Government has taken many steps to discourage corruption.

According to him, reforming the power sector and handling of the fertiliser distribution have been transparent under his leadership.

The President said: “I’m particularly pleased to hear directly from the private sector that the process was transparent and those stories of corruption were not heard.

“Let me continue to assure Nigerians that ‘yes there are issues of corruption in this country, but somehow it has been over amplified’.

“People should watch how we have been conducting government business. We have been bringing down the issues of corruption gradually.

“If you look at the fertiliser sector, you will agree with me that if government actors are interested, we would have continued the same

From Augustine Ehikioya and John Ofikhenua, Abuja

story of buying all kinds of things, awarding all kinds of contracts in the name of fertiliser.

“But we are not doing that. We have sanitised that sector. Look at the power sector, when we started. Initially, there were stories in the papers but in the end, even when I was in the US, companies from there that participated said publicly that the process was transparent and issues of corruption were not there.

“At least today, we have also heard directly, that the process was transparent and that there were no issues of manipulation or corruption.

“I plead with Nigerians that the country belongs to all of us and we will all protect what belongs to us, what belongs to our children and what belongs to the generation yet unborn. We are committed to doing our best for this country, God willing, we will succeed.

“To underscore our government’s commitment to transparency, our renewed emphasis on inclusiveness in core transactions and sustain the current tempo of transformation in the power sector, it became imperative that the meeting be publicly held here, instead of doing it in the confines of the offices of the transacting parties.

“I can assure you that in spite of daunting challenges, we will not waver in the commitment that has seen the fundamentals of our economy advancing, compared to several economies around the world.

“We continue to command prime attention as a preferred long-term investment destination in Africa and our electricity sector, in particular, maintains its promise of reasonable returns on investment and ease of entry, for all interested investors.

“I must acknowledge that since I effectively kickstarted the power reform agenda in August 2010 with the launching of the Power Sector Reform Roadmap, and bearing in mind the scale and complexity of our power sector, considerable progress has been made.”

The President also said the government will not rest on its oars till the power sector has been fully reformed and stable power supply delivered.

But he warned that the government will not entertain short-cuts in the power reform processes.

His words: “To fellow Nigerians, my dear brothers and sisters, this age-long problem of inadequate power supply will be brought to an end.

“We are dealing in a very dedicated way with much overdue infrastructural and corporate upgrades, and de-

spite the challenges, we are making steady progress daily, towards permanent and lasting correction.

“Nigerians must have electricity for domestic and industrial use and there is no turning back and there is no relenting.

“This government cares about you and will not rest until you can sleep well at night without the irritating noise of generators.

“Let me reassure all Nigerians, that working in concert with our partners, we will continue to pursue the reform of the power sector with intensity, vigour and determination; there is no shortcut possible. This is a significant event.

“I call on all sector agencies to redouble their efforts, sustain their vigilance, and increase the level of cooperation and synergy amongst themselves required for the earliest completion and delivery of the structures and services, that will meet the needs and expectations of our population.

Nigerians deserve the best and we cannot afford to offer less..”

Recalling that the complex web of trading regimes evolved out of the ingenuity of the market participants in the telecommunications and banking industries in Nigeria, he said that the government will not design the market structures for the Nigerian electricity industry.

•The remains of the living room

Two escape death as vehicle rams into house From Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

A

MOTHER and her nine-year-old son, narrowly escaped death at their Abakaliki Street home in Mile One, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when a commercial bus rammed into their living room.

An eyewitness said Mrs. Ngozi Dike and her son, Chiemem, were relaxing in their living room when the bus hit the house.

Mrs Dike said: “When I came back from work this morning, there was no power supply, I decided to lie down on the sofa in the living room.

“Shortly after, my son came in and sat on the single sofa opposite me, I suddenly heard something hit the wall, I jumped up and rushed my boy and ran out of the house.

“It was when I got out that I saw the bus hanging on our wall.

“The wall did not collapse immediately, it was being suspended by the bus, it was when the bus was removed that the wall crumbled.”

When The Nation visited the scene, the vehicle had been taken to the Mile One Police Station, where the driver was being detained.

Police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulam said he was yet to get details from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO).

TODAY IN THE NATION

TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL. 8

NO.2,467

‘Awo, the UPN and all he stood for are ever-living winning ideas that need no recall to life by cheap demagoguery. Awo is too saintly to be an ogre for anyone’s private political wars’OLAKUNLE ABIMBOLA

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

T

HE Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, has been all over the media this past week congratulating himself and his colleagues on executing what by his reckoning is one of the rarest political feats ever achieved in this clime.

“We have kept faith with Nigerians,” he proclaimed, in an article detailing the exertions the House of Representatives put itself through in its self-serving and utterly misconceived task of fashioning a new Constitution for Nigeria (ThisDay, April 19, 2013).

He recalled how, on December 10, 2012, all 360 members of the House fanned out across the country to their constituencies to stage town hall meetings at which various “stakeholders” deliberated on a 43-item template of issues they would like to see amended in the 1999 Constitution.

Discussions at the sessions were not merely free and robust, Ihedioha wrote, they were resoundingly “participatory.” Thereafter, votes were taken and recorded in full view of all the participants. Each member of the House then presented a report, incorporating voting results from his or her constituency and backed by video evidence, to the secretariat of the ad hoc Committee on the Review of the Constitution.

The reports were then deposited at the secretariat of the Constitution Review Committee, which again invited representatives of “stakeholders” to join with its staffers to collate the results.

As Ihedioha sees it, the outcome of this process, presented to the House of Representatives last week, categorically represents “the voice” of the Nigerian people regarding what changes they would like to see an amended Constitution.

He admitted that the process may not be perfect, but before you could give him high praise for candour, he declared without fear and without research that “it is the first time in the history of this country that Nigerians at the grassroots have been made part of the Constitution Review Process in a practical and transparent manner.”

The process is nothing of the sort. In conception and execution, it is as incurably flawed as the 1999 Constitution it was supposed to modify.

It is certainly not an improvement.

To begin with, what the nation needs is not a trainload of amendments to a Constitution that may not be a grand forgery as some leading authorities have called it, but is so shot through with errors and omissions, and so constricted in its underlying assumptions, that it cannot serve as a useful guide for and resolving the conflicts convulsing the country.

In undertaking to re-work that document, Ihedioha and his colleagues in the House of Representatives were laboring under a misapprehension Even if the House has a mandate to review the 1999 Constitution, the way it went about it belies Ihedioha’s claim that the outcome represents the “voice” of the people. For one thing, the people had no hand in preparing the agenda.

They certainly took no part in designing the “43-item template” that constituted the sub-

RIPPLES GOVT LOST N191B TO OIL THIEVES IN FIRST QUARTER - NNPC

and how much was lost to OIL MONEY THIEVES?

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

A misbegotten constitution review

•Ihedioha

stance of discourse – assuming it is not a case of unnecessary dignification to call what took place a “discourse”.

For another, those whom House members railroaded from their constituencies into attending the town meetings were for the most part self-selected or induced by the prospect of free food and drinks and gifts from the abundant perks – the constituency and hardship allowances, among others — of the Honourable Visitor from Abuja. In no sense can they be said to represent the political tendencies or shades of opinion in the constituency, much less in the country.

For yet another, there was no independent verification of the “collation” that followed each town meeting. The House member who staged the meeting and had a vested interest in showing that it was a “robust” grassroots de-

liberative forum, the kind of which Nigeria had never witnessed, was responsible for the “collation”. In this digital age, the “video evidence” presented with the report cannot authenticate an exercise that was at bottom a mockery.

Or “a sham and a monumental failure,” as High Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, the influential minority-rights activist called it, in a withering critique (ThisDay, November 13, 2012) of the town meeting held in her Delta State constituency of Warri. The exercise, she said, was “nothing more than a ploy to rubber stamp the selfish agenda of those who organized it.”

The Warri town hall meeting took place the day President Goodluck Jonathan was visiting to join in the birthday celebrations of the televangelist, Ayo Oristsejafor. Scheduled to start at 9 o’clock in the morning, it did not begin until 4 p.m. By then, many of those who had gathered for the event had left.

Only one minute was allowed for indicating “yes” or “no” to 43 questions on the template.

That was the sum total of the “discussions.”

“How on earth do you expect people of my calibre and age to just answer ‘Yes or No’ about a matter that was not previously discussed?”

Lori-Ogbebor asked in justified indignation.

To be sure, not all the public hearings across the country were as shambolic as the one in Warri. But even where they were better organized, one cannot in good faith call them “consultations.” Asking members of the audience to answer “yes” or “no” to the questions on the template cannot be called “consultations” without doing great violence to language.

Nor can it be honestly claimed that the outcome represents the “voice” of the people.

What a good-faith exercise requires is a forum at which persons elected for the purpose

HARDBALL HIEF Olusegun Obasanjo was not the main subject of Hon Aminu Tambuwal’s lecture last Wednesday in Kano, but the former president (1999-2007) received unsparing and uncomplimentary mention enough to merit strong headlines in the following day’s newspapers. In an exhaustive treatise delivered at the annual Mallam Aminu Kano memorial lecture, Tambuwal, who is Speaker of the House of Representatives, described Obasanjo’s government as a proponent of lawlessness. He went beyond just describing that government as lawless and arbitrary, he added that it also endangered the country’s democracy. He damned the Obasanjo presidency with faint praise for establishing various institutions to undergird democracy and good governance, and concluded that that government lacked the discipline to restrain its law enforcement agencies from mass killings in both Zaki Biam and Odi towns in Benue and Bayelsa States respectively.

Drawing on various sources, Tambuwal gave the following summary of the Obasanjo presidency and the Umaru Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan governments: “A closer examination of the actions and inactions of the government since 1999 shows that the rule of law has been relegated to a mere declaration in conformity with the ideological smokescreen of the government. An example

C

Tambuwal on Obasanjo of the strangulation of the rule of law is the failure in recognising and respecting the constitutional roles of the three main institutions of State namely the legislature, the executive and the Judiciary. The political imbroglio between the Lagos State government and Federal Government over the failure of the latter to remit funds allocated to local government councils in Lagos following the State Governor’s creation of some additional council is a case in point of bizarre executive lawlessness on the part of the executive arm of government in Nigeria. Despite the judgment of the Supreme Court on the matter, the federal government turned deaf ears to the ruling of the highest court in the land ordering the Lagos State to be given all the statutory allocations due to LG councils in the state. Indeed it was the late Yar’Adua regime in 2007 that enforced the Supreme Court ruling and ordered the immediate release of the funds to Lagos State amounting to N10.8 billion.”

The Tambuwal conclusion is not significant simply because he mourned the abject failure of Obasanjo and his successors to seize opportunities to consolidate democracy, or because

of re-writing the Constitution meet over a period of time – certainly not one day – and deliberate, no options foreclosed, on a wide range of significant national issues in a spirit of giveand take, and come up with a document reflects a broad national consensus on which a healthier union can be founded.

The town hall meetings provided no such forum.

One of the issues that has been convulsing Nigeria is that federalism – the bedrock principle on which the nation was established — has over the years been honoured more in the breach than in the observance, to the point that Nigeria today is more or less a centrally administered state.

The so-called public hearings evaded the problem altogether, or sought to perpetuate it.

One of the items on its template required the audience to indicate by yes or no whether the electoral commissions in the states should be abolished, leaving it to the National Electoral Commission to conduct all polls.

No one desirous of restoring true federalism would ask a question like that.

Another item called for a vote on whether the states should establish a police force, without laying out the arguments for and against, and without outlining how potential abuse of the scheme might be averted or curbed.

And in Lagos State of all places, a majority of attendees – the very people who stand to lose the most – reportedly voted to deny federal funds to local governments allegedly created outside the framework of the1999 Constitution.

How plausible is this outcome? Did they really understand what they were voting on?

Surely, the more fundamental question is whether Kano State, which allegedly has roughly the same population as Lagos State, should have three times as many local governments in Lagos State, and three times as many representatives in the lower house of the National Assembly.

The foregoing, in sum, is the process Emeka Ihedioha and his colleagues in the House of Representatives are busy advertising as a great breakthrough. This is the product they want Nigerians to accept as an unprecedented act of keeping faith with the public.

I see it as a grand evasion of the problems at hand, and a usurpation of the prerogative of the sovereign people of Nigeria to give themselves a new Constitution. Something tells me that it will go down as yet another exercise in futility.

Meanwhile, the question needs to be asked again: Who is afraid of an authentic people’s Constitution, one truly warranted by the preface, “We the people . . .”?

•For comments, send SMS to 08054503104

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above he wanted the mass killings in Zaki Biam and Odi to be censured. It is in fact not clear that the Speaker saw any significance. What is significant is that the governments the Speaker spoke disapprovingly about were all produced by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He is, however, not the only one with such strident views of the ruling party, though he is a member of the party. But to hear him and others in the PDP speak forthrightly and dismissively of all the governments that have ruled Nigeria since 1999 gives the heartwarming impression that the process of party formation is just beginning. The political dividing lines are not yet cast in granite, and in the foreseeable future there will still be movements across party lines, with patriots sensibly ignoring party loyalties and structures in order to form and nurture alliances capable of rebuilding the country’s democracy.

Beyond the façade of one-party dominance of the polity, a façade PDP leaders said could continue for some 60 years, clearly discernible undercurrents of resentment against mediocre governance, executive arbitrariness, and mishandled economic reforms are being seen and felt. Tambuwal’s lecture, assuming it is the product of deep conviction rather than a mere academic exercise, indicates quite appropriately that substantial change is afoot, perhaps strong and copious enough to save the polity and engender growth and stability.

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025,Oshodi, Lagos.

Telephone: Switch Board: 01-8168361. Editor Daily:01-8962807, Marketing: 01-8155547 . Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Tel: 07028105302. Port Harcourt Office: 12/14 Njemanze Street, Mile 1, Diobu, PH. 08023595790 WEBSITE: www.thenationonlineng.net E-mail: info@thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 Editor: GBENGA OMOTOSO