December 08, 2014 by The Nation

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•From left: Minister of Communication Technology Dr. Omobola Johnson, Nigerian Communications •CHEERS: House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal (right) and Lagos APC gover- Commission (NCC) Executive Vice Chairman Dr. Eugene Juwah and International norship candidate Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode congratulating each other in Lagos for winning gov- Telecommunications Union (ITU) Secretary General Dr. Hamadoun Toure in Doha (UAE) during ernorship tickets...at the weekend. With them is APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu the award of Strategic Partnership by ITU...at the weekend.

•INSIDE: FRANCE OWNS CARGO IN PLANE P4 EX-MINISTER ASHIRU’S BODY HERE P6

PDP faces crises in Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, others Governorship primaries today

RETURN TICKETS LOSERS

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

OR the first time since 1998, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing massive crises over the choice of its governorship candidates in 29 of the 36 states. The development forced the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party into a long meeting yesterday. Earlier on Saturday night, President Goodluck Jonathan, was solving intra-party wranglings on governorship primaries till 12.30am. The party is worried about seemingly vicious battles for its tickets in at least 17 states. The states are: Adamawa, Lagos, Bauchi, Imo, Abia, Delta, Ebonyi, Rivers, Cross River, Oyo, Ogun, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Niger, Enugu and Kwara. The crises became more complex following President Jonathan’s reported failure to allow the outgoing governors pick their successors - in line with the pact he reached with them at the Presidential Villa to get his adoption for a second term.

By Our Reporters •Ndoma-Egba

•Chukwumerije

• Lokpobiri

•Ugbesia

•Mrs. Usman

•Uba

•Aguariavwodo

•Ikisikpo

•Etok

Continued on page 2

INSIDE •Divided house set for primary in Lagos •It’s a two-horse race in Enugu State •19 aspirants threaten defection in Rivers •Utuama quits race •AND MORE ON PAGES 17&18

WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15 EVER RETURN?

Ndoma-Egba, Chukwumerije, others lose PDP senatorial tickets

•Akinlabi, Fadahunsi, Aina are candidates in Osun AND •Atunwa, Funke Adedoyin, Zakari get tickets MORE ON GES •Gbajabiamila, others get APC tickets in Lagos PA2-6

OME long-serving senators lost at the weekend the race to return to the Senate as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its primaries. The results showed the collapse of the agreement reached with senators by President Goodluck Jonathan to give majority of them return tickets as a trade-off for their support for his candidacy. He is the party’s sole presidential aspirant. The victory of many outgoing governors indicated their growing influence. The All Progressives Congress (APC) will today hold its senatorial primaries. Yesterday, it picked its House of Representatives candidates. Among the big losers are: Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba (Cross River), Senators Uche Chukwumerije (Abia), Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa), Emmanuel Agwariavwodo (Delta), Odion Ugbesia (Edo), Aloysius Etok (Akwa Ibom), Clever Ikisikpo (Bayelsa), Mrs. Nenadi Usman (Kaduna) and Andy Uba (Anambra). Governors who won PDP senatorial tickets are: Theodore Orji (Abia), Jonah Jang (Plateau), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Gabriel Suswam (Benue). Continued on page 3

•POLITICS P17 •SPORTS P24 •JOBS P35 •CEO P37 •MOTORING P39 •FOREIGN P58

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS

Ndoma-Egba, Uba, others •From left: Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; President/CE, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Chairman, CMA Investment Holdings, Rakesh Wahi and Vice President, CMA Investment Holdings, Sid Wahi at the 2014 "Forbes Africa Person of the Year" award bestowed on Dangote in Kenya

They never saw it coming. Their plan was to walk-over their challengers and get the tickets to represent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But they got it all wrong as they kissed the National Assembly bye, writes Group POLITICAL EDITOR EMMANUEL OLADESU.

OW are the mighty fallen? They exuded confidence before the parliamentary primaries. But, when the wheat were separated from the chaff, their egos were bruised. The so-called Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gladiators were demystified at the shadow poll.

Losers Chukwumerije

• Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO), United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, displaying an award given to his bank by DERMALOG Identification Systems (DIS) as the leading bank in Biometric Verification Number (BVN) enrollment in Nigeria when the DIS management visited Lagos Headquarters of UBA in Lagos…at the weekend. . With him on are: CEO/MD of DIS, GmbH, Gunther Mull, (left) and Jan Nack, Sales Director, Middle East & Africa

In Abia North Senatorial District, ebullient and fork-tongued Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, the combative wordsmith and Information Secretary under the military administration of Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), fell at the primaries. His political strength failed him. Next year, he would bow out of the Senate after two terms.

Ndoma-Egba In Cross River State, legal luminary and Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, lost his deposit at the primaries. It was a keenly contested exercise. The senator, who has been elected three times, was floored by the House of Representatives member, John Owan Enoh. The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) will be

missed in the Upper Chamber by his colleagues - Senate President David Mark and his deputy, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu.

Ugbesia

In Edo State, former minister Senator Odion Ugbesia also lost at the primaries. In the Senate, he is the Chairman of the Committee on Commerce and Trade. The senator from Edo Central, was elected in 2007. His godfather, elders statesman Chief Tony Anenih, could not save him.

Itulah Also, House of Representatives member Friday Itulah, who represents Esan Southeast Northeast in the Lower Chamber of the House of Representatives could not make it.

Aguariavwodo

The tenure of Emmanuel Aguariavwodo will be brief in the Senate. He was elected during the senatorial by-election in Delta Central, following the death of Senator Pius Ewherido. His attempt to clinche the ticket of the PDP for his Senatorial Zone failed.

Lokpobiri

PDP faces crises in 17 states Continued from page 1

•Guest Speaker at the Gold Medal Award Annual Lecture of Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), Miss Wendy Tlou at the Four Point Sheraton Hotel, Victoria Island, Lekki, Lagos...at the weekend. She is flanked by Chairman of the lecture, (left), Dr. Rotimi Oladele (left) and Chairman of the association, Mr. John Ehiguese. PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

•From left: Corporate Communications Manager Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr Patrick Olowokere, greeting Lagos Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Lateef Ibirogba, at the Lagos countdown 2014 media briefing in Lagos...weekend. with them is the Managing Director, Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), Mr George Noah . PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

It was learnt that shortly after Jonathan’s adoption, First Lady Patience Jonathan, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim, members of the Board of Trustees(BOT), ministers, some presidential aides and ex-governors became interested in anointing governors. As at press time, the fate of hitherto anointed candidates of the governors was unknown, leaving many state helmsmen to go into pacts with the President. Some of those unsure of their automatic tickets are Governor Bala Ngilari; ex-EFCC Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; House Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha; exSenate Leader Teslim Folarin; exMinister Emeka Wogu; ex-Minister Ali Pate; former Minister of Health Prof. Chukwu; ex-Permanent Secretary Tony Obuh; a former General Manager (Crude) of NNPC, Mr. Jeddy Agba; ex-Minister Musiliu Obanikoro; ex-Governors Ikedi Ohakim and Bayo Alao-Akala. Others are the President of Pan African Parliament, Hon. Bethel Amadi; Sen. Chris Anyanwu; Ngozi Olojeme; House of Representatives member Ndudi Elumelu, ex-Minister Samuel Ortom; Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi;

Auwal Tukur, son of the suspended former PDP National Chairman Bamanga Tukur; ex-Minister Nyesom Wike; ex-Minister Labaran Maku and Sen. Solomon Ewuga, among others. A member of the NWC, who spoke in confidence, said: “The PDP has never been in this mess. We have had issues from the election of delegates to the imposition of candidates. “The governors are also insisting on the ‘gentleman agreement’ they had with the President. As you are resolving a problem in a state, another crops up. Yet, contrary to our permutations, the APC seems to enjoy more stability than the ruling party. “I can tell you that we are likely to have more post-primaries challenges to address than presently the case.” Another top party source said: “Already, there is tension in the party as some chieftains like Governor Martin Elechi and exGovernor Bayo Alao Akala, threatening to defect if the perceived injustice from ward congresses and House of Assembly primaries are not addressed. “Some of the governors are displeased with the situation of things. They are regretting tagging along with the President instead of

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS

a, Chukwumerije, Lokpobiri, s bid National Assembly bye

•Mark

•Suswan

In Bayelsa West, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who was first elected on the platform of the PDP, failed in his third term bid. From 1999 to 2003, he was a member of the House of Assembly. He was the Speaker until May 2001.

Ola In Ekiti Central, Senator Bode Ola’s dream was dashed. Although Governor Ayodele Fayose was rooting for his candidature, pressure by notable monarchs made the governor to back out. Instead of Ola, former House of Representatives member Mrs. Fatimah Rasaki, was endorsed by stakeholders.

Gbajabiamila On Lagos Central, Hakeem Gbajabiamila, an engineer and former Commissioner for Water Front and a one-time governorship aspirant in 2007, could not make it. He was defeated at the primaries by the PDP governorship candidate

taking their destiny in their hands.” In Nasarawa State, the party is in disarray on who to choose among veteran governorship aspirant Sen. Solomon Ewuga, ex-Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku and Deputy Governor Dameshi B. Luka. Although these stakeholders joined forces to move against Governor Tanko Al-Makura, the plot has backfired as they refused to agree on a consensus candidate among themselves. It a tough terrain for Maku who had looked forward to an easy ride. In Adamawa, the Principal Secretary to the President, Amb. Hassan Tukur, yesterday appeared to have had his way in installing his age-long friend Ribadu with the shift of Adamawa National Assembly and governorship primaries to Abuja by the NWC of the PDP in defiance of the guidelines. With the boycott of the primaries by Governor Bala Ngilari and five other aspirants, Ribadu may emerge the PDP candidate today. The aggrieved aspirants are Auwal Tukur, Marcus Gundiri, Sen. Abubakar Girei, Brig-Gen. Aliyu Kama and Dr. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed. Apart from shifting the battle to court, there may be protest votes in Adamawa State by PDP stakeholders and members. The aggrieved stakeholders have protested to the Independent

•Ekweremadu

in the 2011 election, Dr. Adegboyega Dosunmu.

Winners Mark: Senate President David Mark has secured the ticket in Benue South for the fifth time. He was set to defeat Chief Mike Onoja, who hurriedly withdrew from the race. Nevertheless, the shadow poll was held and he scored 384 votes to pick the ticket. There was jubilation in Otupko, Okpokwu, Ado, Ogbadibo, Agatu, Oju, Obi, Ohimini and Apa local governments which constitute the constitute the district. If the PDP retains power in next year’s poll and he defeats his APC challenger, the retired General may retain his seat as the Senate President.

Suswam: Following the withdrawal of the former PDP National Chairman, Chief Barnabas Gemade, from the senatorial race in the Northeast, the

National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying the primaries are not in line with pages 6, 7 and 8 of the PDP Electoral Guidelines for Primary Election 2014. When Jonathan hosted Ngilari and 11 stakeholders at the Presidential Villa on Saturday night, they protested against the shift of the National Assembly and governorship primaries to Abuja. At the meeting were ex-NADECO chieftain Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, ex-Governor Wilberforce Juta, ex-High Commissioner to Britain, Gen. Haladu Hananiya, Sen. Abubakar Girei, Sen. Grace Bent, Col. Andrawa Sawa, ex-UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo and Gen. Aliyu Kamar. The source said: “They urged the President to call the National Secretariat of PDP to order as its action may cause disunity in Adamawa State chapter.” Though Jonathan promised to “look into” their grievances, the party went ahead to conduct the primaries last night in Abuja. For the gubernatorial race in Imo State, ex-Governor Ikedi Ohakim is banking on his family’s relationship with Mrs. Jonathan to take on Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, who ought to enjoy automatic ticket, going by the pact between the PDP members in the National Assembly and President Jonathan. Continued on page 4

•Chris Uba

coast was clear for Governor Gabriel Suswan to emerge as the flag bearer. The lawyer had earlier protested moves by the PDP national leadership to make him step down for Gemade. If Gemade defects to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and he gets the ticket, the battle will become more interesting.

Aku: In Benue North, Mike Aku was elected by delegates. But, the battle will now shift to the general election where he will have to face a lot of heat from the APC candidate, former Governor George Akume.

Ekweremadu: Ike Ekweremadu is the Deputy Senate President. The lawyer fought a big battle to retain the ticket. He survived pressure on him to step down. Senator David Mark threw his support behind

•Kashamu

him. In fact, he travelled to Enugu State to drum support for him among constituents. Both have worked harmoniously in the Senate.

Manager: Senator James Manager is s strong politician. He is also a lucky man. When Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan unfolded his ambition for the Senate, people thought that his time was up in the Senate. But, through serious horse trading, wheeling and dealing, the governor was compelled to step down.

Uba: Eselu Chris Uba has sacked his brother, Senator Andy Uba. At the primaries monitored by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, he won the ticket. A parallel primary election of the PDP also produced another candidate. But, it is doubtful, if the party will accept the result.

• Manager

Kashamu: Billionaire businessman Prince Buruji Kashamu emerged as the PDP senatorial candidate in Ogun East. Ahead of the primaries, former Governor Gbenga Daniel had stepped down, following the partisan heat. The ticket will further embolden Kashamu in his anti-Olusengun Obasanjo politics and enable him to consolidate his hold on the district chapter. Adeyemi Despite stiff opposition from a former Senator, Tunde Ogbeha and former Governor of the old Western Region, Gen. David Jemibewon (rtd), Senator Smarth Adeyemi has clinched his party’s ticket to represent the Kogi West Senatorial District. the threats by the duo to stop the third-term bid of the former Presdent of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) collapsed like a pack of cards at the part’s shadow poll.

Senators lose PDP tickets Continued from page 1

Topping the senators who got their ticket to recontest are Senate President David Mark (Benue) and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu). Some of those who also won their tickets are: Senators Smart Adeyemi (Kogi), Joshua Dariye (Plateau), Danladi Sankara (Jigawa) and Enyinaya Abaribe (Abia), among others. New entrants in the race are Ben Murray Bruce (Bayelsa), Chris Uba (Anambra), Ighoyota Amori (Delta), Buruji Kashamu (Ogun)and Sam Egwu (Ebonyi) The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) also elected yesterday its senatorial standard bearers in Anambra – the only state the party controls. Party chair Victor Umeh and former Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Executive Chairman Ernest Ndukwe won the ticket. Major candidates who picked the APC House of Representatives tickets are Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila (Lagos), House spokesman Zakari Mohammed (Kwara), Kwara State House of Assembly Speaker Razak Atunwa and former Minister Funke Adedoyin (Kwara). Ndoma-Egba, seeking a fourth term, was defeated in the Cross River State Central seat by House of

Representatives Appropriation Committee chair John Owan-Enoh, who was supported by Governor Liyel Imoke. Owan-Enoh polled 217 votes as against Ndoma-Egba’s 37 votes. Egbe Mark, with 20 votes, came last. Former Rep Mao Ohuabunwa polled 103 to win the Abia senatorial seat held by Chukwumerije. At the primary held at Ohafia Local Government secretariat, his rival David Ogba Onuoha won 67 votes while Chukwumereije came a distant third with 21 votes. Ugbesia, a protégé of PDP Board of Trustees chair Tony Anenih, lost then Edo Central ticket to Clifford Ordia who won 141 votes to the senator’s 61. Amori floored Aguariavwodo with 237 votes to 46. Others are Solomon Edoja, who scored 41 votes and Chief Kate Erueh, who polled six votes. Mr. Foster Ogola, with 69 votes, will take Lokpobiri’s seat if he wins the general election. Murray-Bruce, the chairman of Silverbird, the entertainment outfit, with 138 votes, will take the place of Ikisikpo, who scored zero in the primary. In Anambra and Ondo states, there were parallel primaries. The Pro-Governor Olusegun Mimiko group in Ondo State elected former Senator Bode Olajumoke

for North District, incumbent Senator Ayo Akinyelure for Central and Mr. Yele Omogunwa for South. The old PDP faction elected Dr. Olu Agunloye for North, Olusola Adegbesua for Central and Agboola Ajayi for South Senatorial District. The old PDP through its newly appointed Publicity Secretary, Gani Mohammed, said they conducted their primaries due to the fact that their own delegates were declared by the court as authentic. But, Mimiko, who monitored the process in the Central, addressed the party’s electoral panel headed by Adewale Afolabi in Akure, saying the crisis in the party was over. Senator Usman lost to Dr. John Danjuma Laah who pulled 129 votes as against Nenadi’s 123 votes. Senator Ahmed Makarfi representing Kaduna North Senatorial zone won the primary unopposed. In Lagos the PDP picked 2011 governorship candidate Ade Dosunmu for (Lagos Central), Bisi Salis for (East) and Segun Adewale (West). First lady of Kogi State Mrs Faridah Ijeoma Wada floundered to a third position in the hotly contested House of Representatives ticket for Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency in Imo State. Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi West) won his return ticket. He defeated Tolorunju Faniyi by 216 votes to 77 to retain the PDP ticket

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS

PDP faces crises in Kwara, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, others Continued from page 3

But the Presidency is yet to forgive the plot in the House of Representatives in June 2011 which led to the emergence of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and Ihedioha against the party’s zoning formula. The contest in the state has turned more complex because Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume, the political godson of the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, is also jostling for the ticket. Others in the race are Sen. Chris Anyanwu, the President of Pan African Parliament, Bethel Amadi and the Director of Mobilisation of PDP, Jerry Chukwueke. Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan is under pressure from the presidency to drop his anointed governorship candidate, Tony Obuh, as the flag bearer of the PDP. Uduaghan’s loyalist are opposed to the plot, warning Jonathan of dire consequences for his re-election in 2015. Uduaghan had at a secret meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan traded off his senatorial ambition to pave the way for Obuh’s emergence. But barely few days after, some forces have started mounting pressure on the Presidency to dump Obuh, following growing opposition

against his candidature in Delta State. Those on the card from Urhobo land to replace Obuh are a former executive member in Delta State, Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege, Paulinus Akpeki and ex-Principal Secretary to late President Umaru Yar’Adua David Edevbie. The Urhobo Progressive Union (UPU) had earlier recommended Obaisi Ovie OmoAgege(first choice) and Paulinus Akpeki( second choice). Ovie Omo-Agege was reportedly flown to Abuja yesterday from Delta State to meet some Presidency officials, but this could not be immediately confirmed. Besides the Urhobo factor, Uduaghan has to contend with National Chairman Adamu Muazu whose close friend, Sen. Ifeanyi Okonwa is also seeking the governorship ticket. Others in the race are a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Victor Ochei; ex-Minister Kenneth Gbagi (a godson of Ijaw leader Chief Edwin Clark); ex-Minister Godsday Orubebe; Elumelu; former presidential aide Sylvester Monye and the former Chairman of NSITF, Ngozi Olojeme, who is said to be the First Lady’s favourtie. But pro-Uduaghan forces in PDP are opposed to any plot to supplant Obuh.

A source said: “Any attempt to drop Obuh will not augur well for the unity and development of the state. It is a betrayer of Uduaghan who has done much to demonstrate his loyalty to the President and the party. “In a practical demonstration of his commitment to the party’s success in 2015, U d u a g h a n o n Friday sacrificed his senatorial ambition for the anointing of Obuh. “The President should not shortchange Uduaghan because dropping Obuh will affect Jonathan’s re-election bid in Delta State. He might end up not getting 25 per cent of the votes from this state.” With the battle over the right list of delegates still in and out of court in Oyo State, AlaoAkala is fighting the political battle of his life against forces from Ibadan, including the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, who is interested in Ibadan retaining the office. Akala faces stiff opposition from ex-Senate Leader Teslim Folarin; moneybag Seyi Makinde (whose list of delegates was endorsed by a Federal High Court) and Kehinde Olaosebikan, a journalist. Though Alao-Akala is rated high for the slot, the Presidency is not keen on him “because of his incurable loyalty

to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. It was gathered that Alao-Akala’s supporters are working on Plan B, either in Labour Party or Accord Party, if he is eventually “humiliated” by the PDP. Another gladiator with Plan B is Elechi, who has lost control of delegates to the combined forces of Anyim and exGovernor Sam Egwu. Chukwu, who is Elechi’s choice, is already left in the lurch because the Anyim-Egwu alliance favours Deputy Governor Dave Umahi. For Elechi and all aspirants who had earlier received his backing, defection seems the only option. In Bauchi, the PDP National Chairman is rooting for the former Secretary to the Federal Government, Yayale Ahmed from Katagum Emirate. The governor, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, who is a specialist in grassroots /populist politics, is watching by the sideline. Yayale is to slug it out with a former Minister of State for Health, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate(the only aspirant with international backing ) who is with Bill Gates Foundation. Others are Deputy Leader in the Senate Abdul Ningi, Babayo Garba Gamawa, Adams Ibrahim Gumba, Aminu Hammayo and Auwal Muhammad Jauta. Both President Jonathan and

•Julius Berger employee Felic Shoga and his wife being congratulated by top officials of Julius Berger Plc at the presentation of the Long Service Awards to the staff of Julius Berger in Abuja...at weekend. PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

Muazu may have to realign their interests in Bauchi State. Jonathan is trying to reward Yayale for his loyalty when the late President Yar’Adua was ill and he aspired to be Acting President Muazu also wants to take full control of the state, which he lost in 2007 to Governor Isa Yuguda. With the court rulings in his favour, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu is now in charge of the PDP in the state. This change of political fortunes has humbled Governor Sullivan Chime, who is trying to appease Ekweremadu to uphold the concession of the governorship ticket to his lackey, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. He has to choose from the following aspirants from Enugu North Senatorial District: Ugwuanyi, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Ayogu Eze, Hon. Eugene Odo, a businessman, Dr. Maduka Onyishi and Chinedu Onu. Chime’s undoing was his alleged snubbing of Ekweremadu when the Deputy Senate President offered the olive branch. If the court had not ruled in Ekweremadu’s favour, he would have been stranded. In Rivers State, the pendulum swings towards ex-Minister Nyesom Wike, who is the first choice of the First Lady. Though 16 aspirants have been crying foul within their closets, they have not been campaigning like Wike. Wike is set for a triumphal contest.But the aggrieved aspirants may vent their anger during the general elections. In Lagos, ex-Minister Musiliu Obanikoro and businessman Jimi Agbaje, who is returning to the gubernatorial turf since 2007, are set to slug it out. Obanikoro said last week that he will not be vying for the slot with Agbaje but his sponsors who he named as Chief Olabode George and ex-Minister Adeseye Ogunlewe. Others are Gbadamosi, Doherty and Kamson. Ogunlewe said yesterday that the party would reject candidates with thurgery background. He named nobody. The “caucus” in Taraba State, silently being bankrolled by exMinister of Defence Gen Theophilus Danjuma, is backing exMinister of State for Niger Del-

ta Darius Ishaku, who is from Takum(Danjuma’s home) in the southern part of the state. Though three other aspirants, including the sacked Acting Governor Garba Umar, David Sabo Kente and John Musa, are challenging Darius, they may not go far because the Danjuma group is entrenched. The signal from Cross River State last night, with the loss of senatorial ticket by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba, showed that Governor Liyel Imoke has regained his rhythm. The fight to the finish will be among “Aso Rock boy” Jeddy Agba(ex-GM Crude of NNPC) and Imoke allies(Senator Ben Ayade and a former Executive Secretary of the National Planning Commission, Fidelis Ugbo). Reports indicated last night that Imoke’s camp was having the upper hand the list of delegates. The governorship race in Abia State is between the Presidency and Governor Theodore Orji. Orji is backing a former Chairman of Abia Environmental Protection Agency, Okezie Ikpeazu. The Presidency’s favourites are oil magnate Sampson Uche Ogah and ex-Minister of Labour and Productivity Emeka Wogu. While Ogah may be enjoying the subtle backing of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, the ex-Minister depends on the First Lady to sail through. Others seeking the seat are Deputy Governor Acho Nwakanma, businessman Friday Nwosu, Okey Emuchay and a former MD of Hallmark Bank, Sir Mark Wabara. The governorship ticket tussle in Abia will be determined by cash because some aspirants are believed to be richer than the state government. Though Governor Jonah Jang is completing a good but troubled tenure, he has a last battle at hand. He intends to enthrone Sen. GNS Pwajok from Plateau North, contrary to the zoning formula in favour of Plateau South. The forcible attempt to alter the formula may lead to PDP losing the state unless Jang retraces his step today at the primary. Others in the crowded race are Amb. Ignatius Longjan, John Alkali, Sen. Victor Lar, Jimmy Cheto, Prof. Wapmut, Chief Godfrey Miri and Prof. Sunny Tyoden.

hours, they have been responding to intelligence issues isolated for them to clarify.” “We are also trying to get in touch at the diplomatic level with Russia, France and Chad accordingly. It is too early to talk about our findings.” Responding to a question, the source added: “We have not released the cargo plane. We may not do so until due diligence have been conducted.” The Defence Headquarters said the details about the mission of the cargo plane would be made known after investigation. The Defence Headquarters in a terse tweet said: “An Antonov Cargo aircraft carrying some military hardware was arrested at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport in the early hours of Saturday 6th Dec. 2014. “Investigation is ongoing to determine the content and origin of the aircraft. Further details will be made as soon as the investigation is completed.”

Meanwhile, the military confirmed that 67 Boko Haram insurgents had been killed in encounters with troops in Ashaka, Gombe State. A military source said: “At least 67 terrorists died during a fierce battle for the control of Ashaka, the host community of Ashaka Cement Plant in Gombe State last Thursday. “Their colleagues managed to retrieve three truckloads full of their members before their final retreat from the town, which they stormed earlier on that day after suffering heavy defeat in the hands of Nigerian troops. “The terrorists who had come in large numbers with heavy equipment and convoy of over 30 vehicles, including a number of motor cycles, were on a mission to take control of Ashaka town, after they had operated in Bajoga and environment in the state.”

Equipment in seized plane are ours, says France

USSIA said yesterday that its cargo aircraft seized by the Nigerian government at the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport in Kano, was carrying military equipment belonging to French peacekeepers. There were also indications last night that the plane might be released after investigation. But it had not been released as at 9.00p.m. The Russian Embassy in Nigeria said it was working with the authorities to resolve the issue in the shortest time, the embassy’s press attache Artyom Romanov, told the Russian News Service radio yesterday: “We are working with the Nigerian side to resolve the situation as soon as possible. At the moment, we are waiting, and so are the crew,” Romanov was quoted as saying by the radio station. He confirmed that the cargo on the plane belonged to French peacekeepers. The press attache said the French peacekeeping mission in Chad had chartered the

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja and Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

Russian plane with Russian crew to transport the cargo. The Russian side has nothing to do with the cargo, according to Romanov. Another statement from the Russians said: “Military equipment on board aircraft in Kano enroute CAR (Central African Republic) via Chad, allegedly owned by the French peacekeeping mission. “The detained Russian plane was chartered by the French peacekeeping mission in Chad and transporting its property. “The Embassy is taking all measures to ensure the departure of the detained in Kano Russian plane with the French military equipment on board.” France also admitted ownership of the plane. It said that the flight was covered by a diplomatic clearance given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, noting that the Autonov 124 Russian commercial plane was forced to land at the Kano airport because of dense air traffic at

Ndjamena airport, Chad. A statement from the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jacques Champagne de Labriolle, yesterday stated that the Antonov plane had to divert to an alternate international airport and the closest airport facility being Kano, the Russian crew decided to fly there, to refuel, and to take off again to reach Njamena Airport. He denied that the plane was carrying arms and ammunition, stressing that it was conveying two light Gazelle helicopters, spare parts and maintenance items belonging to the French Army. Labriolle explained that due to the nationality of the aircraft, and the nature of the cargo, airport authorities in Kano decided to check the flight plan, the clearance and the cargo manifest before authorising the plane to leave. He said that official information had been supplied by the French Embassy in Nigeria, noting that the federal and airport authorities, being satisfied with the documents and the

genuine character of the flight, had announced that the plane would be authorised to pursue its flight to Ndjamena. The envoy stated that the French Armed Forces had on December 6, 2014, chartered the flight on the Russian commercial company “224 Flight Unit” to ship two light helicopters from Bangui to Ndjamena. The Defence Headquarters said investigation was still in progress. Amid the controversy over the cargo plane, the military said that 67 terrorists were killed in encounters with troops. A military source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent at about 6.30pm, said: “Security agencies are still holding on to the crew of the cargo plane at the office of the Commandant of the MAKIA Airport, Wing Commander Imoke. “In fact, the pilot and others underwent another round of grilling by various agencies on Sunday. So, in the last 24

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NEWS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRIMARIES

David Mark, Suswam unopposed in Benue

ENATE President David Mark was returned unopposed as the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Benue South Senatorial Zone flag-bearer. His opponent, former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mike Onoja, stepped down shortly after accreditation.

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

Onoja said he acted without any pressure and asked his supporters to take it in good faith. In Benue North East Senatorial Zone, Governor Gabriel Suswam was also returned unopposed as his opponent, Sen-

ator Barnabas Gemade, had earlier withdrawn from the race. Results of the state’s PDP House of Representatives’ primaries conducted last Saturday showed that Bernard Nenger was returned unopposed for Gboko/ Tarka Federal Constituency, Bob Tyough defeated incumbent Benjamin Aboho

for Kwande/ Ushongo. Incumbent Emmanuel Udende Jike Tor Dwem won for Katsina Ala, Ukum and Logo Federal Constituency with Mrs. Mnena Shija, an engineer and former Works commissioner, winning to represent Jechira Federal constituency. Chris Abah sent incumbent

Ekweremadu emerges in Enugu

ORMER Chief of Staff, Enugu State Government House, Deaconness Ifeoma Nwobodo, won yesterday the Enugu East Senatorial Zone primary held at the Nnamdi Azukiwe Stadium. Deputy Senate President Ike Ekwereamadu dedicated his emergence to Governor

•Deputy Senate President thanks Chime From Chris Oji, Enugu

Sullivan Chime, whom he described as a gentleman. Ekweramadu’s victory followed the withdrawal of Chime from the race after a truce brokered by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The primary of the Enugu West Senatorial Zone was held in Awgu. Ekwreremadu polled 294 votes. The former Chief of Staff polled 192 votes to her opponents, including incumbent Senator Gil Nnaji and former Information Minister

Frank Nweke (Jnr) held parallel primaries in their respective home towns, where they declared themselves winners. But at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium primary, Nnaji got 11 votes, Nwabueze Okafor (four votes) and Nweke scored zero. Present at the primary were Minister of Power Prof.

Federal lawmaker for AdoOkpokwu-Ogbadigbo Federal Constituency, Hassan Saleh, packing. In another development, a PDP governorship aspirant, Paul Harris, Ogbole, has withdrawn from today’s primaries. Ogbole said his withdrawal was personally, adding that he remained a loyal party man.

Chinedu Nebo, member of PDP Board of Trustees Onyeabo Obi, the Deputy Governor of Enugu State Pastor Ifeanyi Nwoye and other top PDP chieftains. At the Enugu North Senatorial Zone, former Commissioner for Transport Chuka Utazi overwhelmed his opponent, Dr. Martins Oke, with 327 votes against three.

Aliyu, others win PDP Senate tickets From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

•Member, APC Media Committee Senator Babafemi Ojudu; committee chairman Lai Mohammed and secretary Proye Aganaho PHOTO: JOHN EBHOTA at the pre-APC National Convention news conference in Lagos.

Kwara speaker, ex-minister, others win APC House of Reps’ tickets

WARA State House of Assembly Speaker Razak Atunwa and former Minister of State for Health Princess Funke Adedoyin were voted yesterday as the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s National Assembly candidates for next year’s elections. Atunwa and Adedoyin are to represent Asa/Ilorin West and Irepodun/Isin/Oke-Ero. The speaker, who was a sole candidate for his constituency, polled 1,545 votes in the primary supervised by the INEC officials and a five-man team from the APC National Headquarters led by Chief Harry Osha. Other members of the House returned unopposed included

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

the House Reps Committee Chairman on Media, Alhaji Zakari Mohammed, representing Kaiama/Baruten and Ahman Patigi representing Edu/Patigi/Moro federal constituencies. Other APC House of Reps candidates are a member of the House of Assembly and Commissioner for Works and Transport Tope Olayonu as well as Dr. Abubakar Kaninke. They are to represent Offa/Oyun/Ifelodun and Ilorin East/ Ilorin South Federal Constituencies. After the election, Osha hailed the peaceful conduct of the primary and urged other states chapter of the party to emulate Kwara State model in electing their candidates

Gbajabiamila, others get APC House of Reps’ tickets in Lagos

HE Minority Leader of House of Representatives and All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) Caucus Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, was among the party’s candidates, who were victorious at the primaries yesterday. He emerged the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Surulere 1 Federal Constituency, Lagos, scoring 247 votes of 252 total votes cast. Five votes were declared invalid. He had no opposition. Gbajabiamila, after his declaration, said: “I thank our party members for their trust in my representation. I promise to give you even better representation in 2015.” Former Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Jide Jimoh picked the APC ticket for Yaba Federal Constituency. Jimoh, popularly called JJ,

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

FORMER member of the House of Representatives Alhaji Yinusa Yahaya won yesterday the Kwara North Senatorial District of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Yahaya polled 108 votes to beat his closest rival, Manzuma Mommoh, who polled 101 votes at the primary conducted in Bode-Saadu, Moro Local Government Area. Alhaji Yinka Aluko, former special security adviser to ex-Governor, Dr Bukola Saraki, got the Kwara Central ticket, polling 83 votes. His opponent and businessman, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Abdulrazak, garnered 81 votes. In Kwara South, veteran politician and 2011 Kwara South Senatorial candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) Lola Ashiru beat four others to emerge as the party’s flag-bearer. Ashiru, an architect, polled 132 votes

Macchido gets automatic PDP ticket in Sokoto

ENATE Committee Chairman on Maritime Transport Senator Zaynab Abdulkadir Kure defeated yesterday the former state Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abdulraham Enagi, to clinch the party’s ticket for Niger South. She got 328 votes against Enagi’s eight votes. In Niger East Senatorial, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu defeated Alhaji Adamu Idris Kuta with 281 votes against 86 votes to emerge victorious. The only candidate for Niger North, Halidu Agwara, a one-time chairman, Agwara Local Government, was returned unopposed. Reacting, Aliyu dedicated his victory to the people, adding that he was in the senatorial race on account of their goodwill. The governor promised them he would bring his wealth of administrative and political experience to bear in the office, if elected to the Senate.

Ex-Rep member, Saraki’s ex-aide to represent Kwara PDP

By Musa Odoshimokhe, Oziegbe Okoeki

won by scoring 494 votes of the 501 votes cast at the exercise held at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Alagomeji, Yaba LCDA. Seven votes were voided. A former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Adekunle Ademoye, who was supposed to contest the position with Jimoh, stepped down minutes after he was booed by the delegates. In Ifako/Ijaiye, Dr. Elijah Adewale, popularly referred to as Jah, who won the primary, scored 218 votes. His opponents - Moroof Adefolabi polled 76, Michael Ogunnusi scored 89, former Chairman of Ifako Ijaiye Local Government, Demola Doherty, scored only one vote. Also, former Chairman of

•Dabiri-Erewa steps down

‘

I believe that serving Ikorodu for 12 years is a privilege and honour. Though, the law allows me to go back, it was a personal decision not to run again to allow others to contest. If I decide to contest, how will others prove they too can serve the country?

‘

Apapa Local Government Ayodeji Joseph beat the incumbent member of the House of Representatives, Babatunde Adewale. The former Chairman of OrileAgege Local Council Devel-

opment Area, Taofeeq Adaranijo, defeated the incumbent member, Babatunde Adejare, to clinch the Agege ticket. House of Representatives’ member Abike Dabiri-Erewa decided not to contest next year’s election to give new aspirants a chance. Mrs. Dabiri-Erewa, who spoke after voting at the APC primary at Ikorodu to elect the party’s standard-bearer for the House of Representatives, said her decision was to encourage others. She said: “I believe that serving Ikorodu for 12 years is a privilege and honour. Though, the law allows me to go back, it was a personal decision not to run again to allow others to contest. If I decide to contest, how will others prove they too can

serve the country? “It is about serving my party, my nation, my state and constituency first. My party, the APC, is strong and virile. By the special grace of God, we are taking over the rein of power by 2015. I will work for the progress of my party.” She added that the peaceful conduct of the party primary to elect its governorship candidates was an indication that APC would give Nigeria the desired change. She said: “The whole process was transparent. There was nobody that was coerced to do anything. People voted freely and the results were openly counted. “We are glad that we had rancor-free primary in Lagos State. I am sure all the APC family is going to work together for the success of APC in the next year’s election.”

SENATOR Ahmad Maccido (PDP-Sokoto) has been granted automatic ticket in the state’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial primary. PDP Chairman, Ibrahim Milgoma announced this while addressing reporters in Sokoto. “Maccido was actually given an automatic ticket by the party to contest for the Sokoto Central Senatorial zone seat. “But, another member of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji, felt cheated and bought the party’s nomination form. He withdrew from the race on December 5,’’ Milgoma said. According to him, delegates from the eight local government areas that make up the zone will still conduct the exercise to ratify the decision.

Two senators win in Jigawa From Ahmed Rufa’I, Dutse

THREE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidates were chosen yesterday in Jigawa State by over 1,060 delegates. Two of the three senators, who were serving senators, got the party’s tickets for second term. The remaining candidate won after the party’s stakeholders dropped a serving senator. Senator Abdulmumini Hassan was elected as the PDP candidate for the Jigawa Central Senatorial ticket. He is seeking a second term as senator representing the district. Hassan won with 291 votes. Also, Senator Danladi Abdullahi Sankara became the PDP flagbearer to represent Jigawa North West Senatorial District with 436 votes.

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRIMARIES

Osun: Akinlabi, Fadahunsi, Aina emerge PDP candidates F

ORMER Minister of Youth Development Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi; a retired Deputy Comptroller General of Nigeria Custom Service, Chief Francis Fadahunsi; and an associate of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Daisi Aina, have emerged senatorial candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State. While Akinlabi had earlier been unanimously adopted as the party’s candidate for Osun West Senatorial District, Fadahunsi and Aina won the PDP tickets to contest for Osun East and Central Senatorial districts in the next year’s poll.

•Adeleke, Adeyeye, Omoworare, Lawal may get APC tickets From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

Fadahunsi, who is also the chairman of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, defeated the former Chairman of the National Emergency Management Authority, Chief (Mrs.) Remi Olowu by 265 votes to 116 to secure the PDP ticket for Osun

East. Aina, an Abuja-based businessman, who hails from Iresi, where Jonathan did his one year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), defeated Chief Kunle Alao to pick the ticket for Osun Central. Meanwhile, the All Progressive Congress’ (APC’s) Osun State chapter has fixed

its senatorial primaries for tomorrow. An informed source within the party said the state’s first civilian governor and former Senate Committee Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Isiaka Adeleke, may emerged the party candidate for Osun West. The source, who preferred not to be named, also said the incumbent Senator for Osun Central, Prof. Sola Adeyeye, may be returned. He added that the Senator Babajide Omoworare and Mr. Sola Lawal may battle for Osun East Senatorial District.

Fayose’s candidates win PDP primaries in Ekiti

SPIRANTS believed to have been anointed by Governor Ayo Fayose have won the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) House of Representatives and senatorial primaries in Ekiti State. At the Ekiti North Senatorial primary election in Ido-Ekiti, former House of Representatives member Mr. Duro Faseyi defeated Senator Otunba Ayo Arise to win the ticket. Faseyi, who represented Ekiti North 2 Federal Constituency in the Green Chamber between 2003 and 2011, is an ally of Fayose. Former Deputy Governor Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi won the Ekiti South Senatorial ticket conducted in Ikere-Ekiti, beating the former senator who

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

represented the zone between 2007 and 2011, Chief Sola Akinyede, to the ticket. Olujimi, a board member of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), was deputy governor to Fayose between October 2005 and October 2006. Another former House of Representatives member Mrs. Fatimat Raji-Rasaki beat former Senator Bode Ola and former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Obafemi Adewale, to win the PDP senatorial ticket for Ekiti Central Senatorial District at the election in Ado-Ekiti. The result did not go down

well with delegates from Ijero axis of the senatorial district, who were pushing for Adewale’s candidacy since the area has not produced a senator since 1999, unlike Efon, AdoEkiti/Irepodun/Ifelodun and Ekiti West, that had done that in the past. All the three senatorial candidates of the PDP are allies of Fayose This is the first time in the history of the state that a party would produce two female senatorial candidates. In the House of Representatives primaries, aspirants enjoying the backing of Fayose swept to victory. Those who won include three former council chairmen who served during Fayose’s

first tenure in office. They are former Chairman of Ido/Osi Local Government, Chief Thaddeus Aina; who clinched the PDP ticket for Ekiti North 2 Federal Constituency; and former Chairman of Ikole Local Government, Mr. Kehinde Agboola; who was declared winner of the ticket for Ekiti North 1 Federal Constituency. Former Chairman of Gbonyin Local Government, Mr. Akin Awodumila, was returned winner of Ekiti South 2 Federal Constituency while Mr. Segun Adekola won in Ekiti South 1. The result from Ekiti Central 1 returned Mr. Ayodeji Oladimeji as winner while to the PDP ticket for Ekiti Central 2 was won by Mr. Olamide Oni.

Akpabio wins PDP Senatorial seat From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

Senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District took the honourable path yesterday as he withdrew his aspiration, drumming support for Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio. Announcing his decision shortly before the beginning of the election, Etok, who claimed that he was the candidate to beat 30 minutes before the election, said the decision to step down for his brother was to promote peace within PDP. Etok, who noted that history was repeating itself at the same venue, Ikot Ekpene Stadium, where Akpabio persuaded 19 others to step down for his second term, said this afforded him the opportunity to feel what his opponents felt then. He called on his supporters to channel every support earlier intended for him to Akpabio. Reacting, Akpabio congratulated Etok for his show of spirit of statesmanship and advised him to consider himself privilege to have been given the opportunity to represent the people twice. Akpabio, who floored two other opponents, Ekperikpe Ekpo and Chief Inibehe Okorie with 423 votes, promised to restore dignity to the National Assembly.

Ben-Bruce, Paulker emerge winners •Ikisikpo out From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

HE Chairman, Senate Committee on Oil and Gas, Downstream Sector, Senator Emmanuel Paulker and former Director General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Mr. Ben Murray Bruce have won senatorial tickets of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State. While Bruce was elected yesterday the candidate of the party for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Paulker was reelected to represent the Central Senatorial District. Paulker polled 174 to defeat Mr. Austin Ogionwon Febo, who had 17 votes; Ebiundu Komonibo (one vote) and Torunana (one vote). But Bruce scored 138 votes to win the ticket while Mr. Anthony Ikoli (SAN) had 11 votes; Mr. Nelson Belief, two votes and Mrs. Irene Digitemie Opuene (four votes). Two of the aspirants - Austin Dressman and Prof. Ayebaemi Spiff - withdrew from the race.

Orji, Abaribe, Ohuabunwa pick PDP tickets in Abia

BIA State Governor Theodore Orji has picked the ticket to contest for the Senate to represent the people of Abia Central District. Senator Enyii Abaribe and Mao Ohuabunwa also won to stand for election to represent Abia South and Abia North. Announcing the result of the primary at the Umuahia Stadium, the returning officer, Chief Ndidi Okereke, said Orji scored 221 votes. The election, which was monitored by INEC officials, was held amid tight security, with Police Commissioner Adamu Ibrahim present to supervise his officers and men. Senator Nkechi Nwaogu,

Kashamu wins PDP Senate ticket From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

HE Chairman, Organising and Mobilisation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Buruji Kashamu, emerged yesterday winner of the party’s Senate tickets for Ogun East. In Ijebu Ode, venue of the PDP Senate primaries, Kashamu contested against two other aspirants, Taiwo Akintan and Dayo Oriola, after former Governor Gbenga Daniel withdrew from the race. Kashamu polled 365 votes to clinch the ticket, Oriola got four votes while Akintan scored zero vote. But the primary for Ogun Central was described as inclusive yesterday, following alleged violence at the election venue. Wife of Chief Edwin Clark, Bisola Sodipo-Clark, is contesting against Lanre Laoshe.

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-eke, Umuahia

who was screened and cleared to contest the election with Orji,

•Chukwumereije loses boycotted the exercise, citing lack of confidence in the processes, as her reason.

She alleged that the whole exercise was manipulated and skewed towards some preferred

aspirants. Ohuabunwa, a former member of the House of Representatives, in the primary held at the Ohafia Local Government secre-

tariat, beat his closet rival, Chief David Ogba Onuoha, by 103 to 67 vote, while the incumbent senator, Uche Chukwumereije, came a distant third with 21 votes.

Ashiru’s remains arrived Lagos

HE remains of former Foreign Affairs Minister, Ambassador Gbenga Ashiru, arrived yesterday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The body was flown in aboard South African Airways plane with flight number SA060. The aircraft, an Airbus 349 -600, landed on the runway at 4.30pm. It was marked with registration number: ZSSNC. The body was received by the family, led by Prof. Toyin Ashiru. At 6:19pm, the remains were ferried out of the aircraft into a waiting black Mercedes hearse. It made a brief stop at the presidential lounge, where some retired ambassadors and other workers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs waited to also receive the body. A prayer session was held for the family. The brother of the deceased, Ogun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, flew in with the body. He declined to speak with our reporter. Also at the airport were former Managing Director of

•Standing by the late Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru’s coffin from left: Head of family Prof. Toyin Ashiru; Olatunbosun Ashiru; Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi and Mr. Niyi Alonge, on the arrival of the corpse of the late minister at the airport...yesterday.

The late Ashiru’s children, Tayo, Femi and Gbenga. By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

Daily Times and Chief Executive Officer of Tanus Commu-

nication Company Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi; Olatunbosun Ashiru; Alaba Okupe; Ven. Oludare Otoki, Ven. Leke

•From left: Former Ambassadors Hamzat Ahmadu; Olu Adeniji, Tayo Ogunsulere with son of the late Ashiru, Femi PHOTOS: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE Ashiru...yesterday.

Dina; Sir Kehinde Smith; Amb Oluwatoyin Lawal, Niyi Alonge as well as Ashiru’s son. Others were Ambs Olu Ad-

eniji, Hamzat Ahmadu; Segun Akpata, and others. Benny Adejinle represented the ministry’s permanent secretary.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS Ajimobi’s wife woos electorate From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

IFE of Oyo State Governor Mrs. F l o r e n c e Ajimobi has called on the people to vote for her husband, Abiola Ajimobi, next year. She spoke at a bimonthly women’s prayer meeting at Remembrance Arcade, Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, at the weekend. Mrs. Ajimobi warned the people to learn from what happened in Ekiti, so they could enjoy the APC administration till 2019. The governor’s wife said the prayer meeting had helped the state. She urged the people to live with the end in sight.

‘Leave Fayose alone’ From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

HE Ekiti State Coordinator of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), Chief Femi Akinyemi, has advised opposition politicians to stop distracting Governor Ayo Fayose. Akinyemi, who spoke with reporters in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to cooperate with Fayose to develop the state. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain’s comments followed an allegation by the APC that four of the inmates who escaped from Ado-Ekiti prisons were being kept in the Government House. Akinyemi, a former Speaker of the House of Assembly in the old Ondo State, described the allegation as “comical, laughable, baseless, illogical and untrue”. He said Fayose, who condemned the attack, could not be harbouring fleeing inmates in the Government House.

Osun PDP suspends six From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State has suspended six members for alleged anti- party activities. Taiwo Adebusola, aka Otte, Femi Oke, aka Akilapa, Adewusi Adebimpe, aka Iya Juwon, Bunmi Opabunmi, Dele Olowokere and Ayodeji Yussuf allegedly engaged in anti-party activities during the PDP’s House of Assembly primaries in Ile-Ife. The Chairman, Ganiyu Ola-Oluwa, said they would remain suspended until the outcome of the disciplinary committee. The chairman said the party leadership took the decision to suspend them after a meeting of the state working committee at the party secretariat in Osogbo. He said the party leadership acted in consonance with the recommendation of the Ife Central Local Government chapter.

Vote Ambode, Fashola urges Lagosians

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged residents to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, to sustain the programmes of his administration. Before the APC primary election, the governor said he would support whoever emerged the candidate. Speaking at the Lagos Sea Food Festival 2014 at the Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Fashola said supporting Ambode and the APC would ensure that the state continued to enjoy good governance and high performance. Noting that this year’s edition of the festival would be his last as governor, he said: “I urge you all to support the new APC governorship candidate; support him, support the party and make sure that the festival continues”. He told the crowd of fishermen and women as well as other stakeholders at the event that “if you want this to continue, you have a role to play; you have to register and you have to collect your Permanent Voter Cards and then you can use your vote to choose what you want”. “So, if you want this Sea

•‘I’ll open up Lagos’ By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

Food Festival to be here next year, if you want Count Down to be here next year, if you want Beach Soccer to be here next year, the only way you can get them is to vote the government which is providing these activities in Lagos. So, if you want to keep them, you must do your part. Vote APC. “I hope that you will all do what is necessary to sustain these activities.” Also speaking at the 10 Degree Events Centre, Oregun, venue of the fifth edition of the Youth Stakeholders’ Forum organised by the State’s IGNITE Enterprise Partnership Project in conjunction with the After School Graduate Development Centre (AGDC), Fashola said the people must do the right thing to sustain the government’s programmes. “This intervention and several others that have uplifted the lives of unemployed youths have been made possible with taxpayers’ money. “So if you want continuation, you know what steps to

take during the next election,” the governor said. Ambode has reiterated his intention to open up Lagos for a more conducive business environment and investment opportunities. He spoke at a thanksgiving service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and later at a Meet-the-People reception in Epe. “We have a legacy to build upon, and it is our collective responsibility to build on the progress that Lagos has witnessed in the last 15 years,”he said. According to the former State Accountant-General, the last 15 years had witnessed an irreversible growth and development “of our great state with a foundation laid by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu between 1999 and 2007”. “The consolidation and actualisation of that growth, of which we are all living testimonies, have been achieved by Governor Fashola.” The candidate added that it was important to reiterate that the foundation laid by the two administrations must never be destroyed but built upon. “I wish to restate my promise, therefore, that I commit to

the continuation of excellence and the progress of all Lagosians.” Ambode said his core message stood on the acronym LAGOS, which, he explained, meant Leadership, Accountability, Good Governance, Opportunities and Service. “My mission and vision, therefore, is to create a clean, secure and prosperous Lagos State that is driven by a vibrant economy and supported by quality service, equity and justice; a Lagos where no one is left behind and where no one is discriminated against on account of age, religion, creed or origin. “In building on the legacies of the last 15 years, it is important to expand the frontiers of doing business in this state that has the potential to be one of the top five economies in Africa. “Lagos deserves nothing less and this shall continue to be part of my message to every Lagosian as we begin to solicit their votes.” The candidate said his sterling experience in public service over 27 years would be a priceless asset to his administration, if elected governor in 2015.

‘Owo APC exco legitimate’

N Akure High Court 1, presided over by the Ondo State Chief Judge, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, has upheld the April 12 election which brought in the executive of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Owo Local Government Area. The local government party executives, including Sidney Ogunleye, Adebayo Oke, A.Eniola-Ajipe, Abayomi Alale, Obanigbo Akinro and 21 others, sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the party for alleged non-recognition of their executive committee. They claimed that the election was done in strict compliance to Section 228 of the 1999 Constitution and sections 85 and 86 of the Electoral Act 2010. The applicants maintained that having been duly elected in Owo Local Government, they are entitled to be entered in INEC records, inaugurated and accorded all rights and privileges of the Executive Committee as required. Justice Kumuyi said: “I am satisfied that the Owo APC executives’ application has merit and it is accordingly granted as prayed.”

‘Respect zoning’

•Ambode (left), his wife, Bolanle and Pastor Yinka Gbajabiamila...yesterday.

APC, lawyer report Ekiti media to NBC

SENIOR lawyer, Anthony Adeniyi, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have accused the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) of lying to the public in the case involving the state party chairman, Chief Olajide Awe. A report aired on BSES’ radio and television stations last week claimed that the Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, vacated its ruling granting Awe reliefs in the murder case filed against him. Awe was charged with the murder of Ayo Jeje and Mrs. Juliana Adewumi at ErijiyanEkiti in Ekiti West Local Government Area last year. The party boss was discharged and acquitted. But the Ayo Fayose administration revoked the nolle prose qui initially granted Awe and other accused and re-opened the case against them. The BSES had reported last

•Stations accused of lying From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

week that the Jos Federal High Court vacated its ruling stopping Awe’s arrest, claiming he would be rearrested and re-tried. But Adeniyi, who is Awe’s counsel, called on the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to investigate the alleged partisanship and falsehood exhibited by BSES, which he accused of deliberately misinforming its listeners and viewers. The lawyer, who maintained that misrepresenting court proceedings was an offence, said contrary to the report by BSES, Awe was granted more reliefs by the court at its last sitting in Jos. Adeniyi said: “Instead of vacating the ruling, the court had granted Awe more reliefs. The police

were further restrained from any illegal arrest. We think the BSES is due for sanctions by the NBC before it worsens the damaged reputation of Ekiti people.” APC’s Publicity Secretary Taiwo Olatubosun criticised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration for allegedly arm-twisting the judiciary to nail its opponents. He urged the party to first present Fayose to the courts to clear cases of alleged fund misappropriation and murder preferred against him because “he who comes to equity must come with clean hands”. Olatubosun said: “We agree with the governor’s Special Assistant on Information and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, in his published article of February 9, 2010, where he described his prin-

cipal in the following words, ‘For over three years that Ayodele Fayose was the governor of Ekiti State, he was everything but a democrat. “Rule of law, free and fair election, political tolerance and respect for traditional institutions were anathema to him. “Those of us who dared him then had bitter tales to tell. For instance, just because I was courageous enough to expose his N1.4 billion poultry scam and other atrocities, using a local newspaper, he (Fayose) obtained a warrant of arrest against me and made arrangements with “boys” in the prison to break my leg in detention.’ Olatubosun argued that PDP’s action was a contempt of court by using the state-owned broadcast media to misinform the public on a court pronouncement.

NDIGENES of IjebuJesa have called on Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to respect the zoning arrangement between Ijebu-Jesa and Ipetu-Jesa. An indigene, Olawale Awe, who led other indigenes to Osogbo, said it was only by adoption of the zoning arrangement between the two communities in Oriade Local Government Area that could enhance the party’s chances next year. He said the party’s leadership should recognise the fact that Ipetu-Jesa lost two wards to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the August 9 governorship election . Awe said the party leadership should consider the contributions of aspirants to the party in its selection, adding that some of the aspirants had meaningful contributions to the party. The indigenes said a choice should be made between Sola Adewumi and Olufemi Balogun, adding that “either of these aspirants can deliver our constituency to our party”. Awe said both Balogun and Adewumi were once mandated to step down for Nathaniel Agunbiade for the House of Representatives’ slot without any complaint from them.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS

Court restrains Obasanjo from publishing autobiography

Lam, Fijabi’s sons pick APC tickets From Bisi Oladele and Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

ON of former Oyo State Governor Lam Adesina, Adedapo, picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the House of Representatives in yesterday’s primaries. Adedapo, who is the Commissioner for the Ministry of Industry, Applied Science and Technology, defeated other aspirants to pick the ticket for Ibadan North East/South East Federal Constituency. He polled 449 of the 610 votes cast. The lawmaker representing Ibadan North West/South West Constituency, Saheed Fijabi, also scored the highest votes to retain the ticket, he scored 180 votes to beat Kola Ajadi, who polled 179 votes. Umar Farouk, a son of the late business mogul, AbdulAzeez Arisekola-Alao, lost to the incumbent, Abiodun Awoleye. Awoleye polled 140 votes to beat Farouk who scored 114, Idris Lapade who scored 73, Amoo one, Adetona two and Esan six. In Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency, a member of the State House of Assembly, Temitope Olatoye (aka Sugar) picked the ticket unopposed. So was Matthew Abioye who picked the ticket in Surulere/Ogo Oluwa Constituency unopposed. The Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Jide Adewale, won the Oluyole Federal Constituency ticket. Sunday Adepoju defeated others to pick the ticket for Iddo/ Ibarapa East. Son of the Alaafin of Oyo, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi has won the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary in Oyo Federal Constituency. Adeniyi polled 708 votes to defeat the incumbent, Kamil Nudasiru Akinlabi, who scored 435. In Ogbomoso, Soun's son, Barrister Oye Oyewunmi, defeated the three other contenstants in the APC House of Representatives primary held at the Ogbomoso stadium. Oyewunmi scored 240 votes to defeat the popular musician, Abolore Akande (aka 9ice), who polled nine votes. Election in Ogbomoso North was inconclusive due to disagreement on delegates list.

‘APC has shown us the way’

ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has been restrained by a court in Abuja from proceeding with plans to publish or have someone publish on his behalf, a new autobiography, titled: My watch. Justice Valentine Ashi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, made the order after listening to Alex Iziyon (SAN), who argued a motion ex-parte brought on behalf of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Buruji Kashamu. Iziyon said the content of the book related to issues contained in Obasanjo’s December 2, last year, letter to President Goodluck Jonathan and former PDP National Chairman Bamanga Tukur, where he (Obasanjo) claimed that Kashamu was a fugitive wanted in the United States. He contended that since the contents of the letter was the subject of the libel suit his client filed against Obasanjo, which was pending before the court, it was wrong for the ex-president to be allowed to proceed to

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

comment on, write books about or make publications on the issue yet to be decided upon by the court. Justice Ashi, in a ruling, restrained Obasanjo from either publishing the book or having it published on his behalf by anybody, pending the determination of the main suit pending before the court. “The defendant, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, whether by himself, his agents, servants, privies or any other person by whatever name called and howsoever described, is hereby restrained from publishing or caused to be published in the yet to published book, ‘My watch’ or any autobiography or biography and any extracts of same, by whatever name called or howsoever titled, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice hereof,” Justice Ashi said. The judge restrained Obasanjo and his agents “from further writing, printing, publishing or causing to be published or printed or circulated, or otherwise, publishing of and concerning the plaintiff, the statement contained in the Daily Sun (pages 47-49) and The Leadership (pages 3 to 8) of De-

cember 12, last year and which statements are alleged to have reproduced the letter written by the defendant to the President, titled: ‘Before it is too late’ or similar statements pending the determination of the motion on notice.” The judge ordered the applicant to “execute a bond with the Registrar of the court to pay such damages as shall be assessed should it turn out that the order ought not to have been granted in the first place. He adjourned the hearing till Wednesday. Kashamu had, shortly after the contents of the letter became public, sued Obasanjo for alleged defamation of character. He argued that the defendant (Obasanjo) “maliciously and recklessly published a letter titled, “Before it is too late”, which contained words which he (Obasanjo) “knew to be false.” In his writ of summons, Kashamu stated that the criminal imputation made against him by Obasanjo in his letter injured him (Kashamu). He is praying the court to award in his favour and against the ex-President, N20

billion for the damage he had suffered as a result of the allegation. He also claims against the Obasanjo as follows: •A declaration that the words complained of and published by the plaintiff against the defendant in a letter titled: “Before it is too late” addressed to Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan and dated December 2, last year, which inter-alia carried criminal imputation against the plaintiff and published in several newspapers on December 12 is defamatory of the person of the plaintiff. •An order awarding N20 billion only to the plaintiff against the defendants as aggravated and exemplary damages against the defendant for libel falsely and maliciously published by the defendant against the plaintiff in the said letter. •An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agents, servants or privies from publishing or further publishing or cause to be published any defamatory words against the plaintiff to any person or persons; and N100 million as cost of this action.

FORMER Minister for Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would produce its governorship candidate for Lagos State today. Ogunlewe, who is member of the Lagos PDP Elders Council, spoke at a briefing ahead of its governorship primaries today. Ogunlewe said that the “APC has shown us the way”. “The APC picked an accountant and a Christian as its candidate from Lagos-East Senatorial zone. “The emergence of Ambode followed agitation for a Christian governor and also by Lagos-East that it was their turn to produce the next governor. “The standard set for Lagos on the type of sophisticated professionals that any party should present makes it impossible for the PDP to go for less. “We cannot go back to the days of Babylon where anything goes. We will come up with a candidate that the people of Lagos can vote for,’’ he said. “The election is not for the party alone. Any party with victory in mind in a state like Lagos must present a candidate that is sellable. “We must pick a candidate who people will have confidence in. We do not want to be arguing with voters,” he said. He noted that politicking had changed in Nigeria and people now ask questions hence any party that does not think of the electorate would lose. He assured the people that the party’s primaries would be free and fair. NAN reports that seven aspirants are seeking for the Lagos PDP governorship ticket. In a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Taofik Gani, the PDP wished all the aspirants good luck.

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (middle) with Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives Gbolahan Lawal (right) amd others at the Lagos Seafood Festival 2014, Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos at the weekend. PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Oyo PDP to hold primaries From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

FTER botched deals, two primaries and legal battles, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has agreed to hold its governorship primaries at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, today, according to a source. But none of the lists used for the two previous primaries last month will be used for the election. Only statutory delegates will vote. They comprise some members of the state and local government executive members of the party. They are the chairman, secretary, treasurer, youth leader and woman leader. Other statutory delegates are two members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and members of the state and National Assembly. The latest development came as a resolution to two conflicting court judgments obtained by some members of the party from the same Federal High Court judge in Abuja. One validated the initial list used for the November 1 primaries, the other validated the list used for the second primaries held on November 24. The new development was confirmed by the party’s spokesman, Kehinde Salawu, yesterday. Ten aspirants are vying for the party’s ticket. They include former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin and Oluseyi Makinde.

‘APC ‘ll provide level-playing field at primaries’

LL Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday reiterated the determination of the party to provide a level-playing field for presidential aspirants at the primaries. Eight thousand delegates from 36 states are expected at the shadow election billed for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on Wednesday. It will be presided over by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. Mohammed, who spoke with reporters in Lagos on the proposed primaries, said the party would elect a credible candidate, who will

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Group Political Editor

be more acceptable to Nigerians in next year’s general elections. He described the five aspirants as eminent Nigerians who were fit to rule the country. Mohammed said: The national convention of the party is scheduled to hold at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere , Lagos, between December 10 and 11. “No fewer than 8,000 delegates drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are expected to participate in the

convention and the presidential primaries that would elect the party’s flag bearer out of the five presidential aspirants of the party. “The five aspirants of the party are eminent citizens with proven credentials. It is our belief that at the exercise one of them would emerge the presidential flag bearer of our dear party in the coming election. The aspirants include: former head of state Gen Mohammadu Buhari; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha

and Publisher of Leadership Newspaper Group, Sam Nda-Isaiah.” Mohammed said the aspirants would address the delegates on their programmes before the commencement of voting, which will be by secret ballot. He said adequate arrangements had been made by the National Convention Committee (NCC), headed by former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi for a hitch-free convention. Mohammed added: “For the millions of Nigerians who may not be opportune to be at the venue of the convention , arrangements had been made for effective live coverage of the event.

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS Aspirants step down for Ugwuanyi

Jonathan winning anti corruption T war, says Presidency T HE Presidency yesterday said the President Goodluck Jonathan administration was winning the anti-corruption war. According to the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, the claim was premised on the country’s position in the latest Corruption Perception Index released by the Transparency International (TI) a few days ago. The TI had rated Nigeria 136th, against the 2013 rating of 144th. According to a statement by Okupe, the “improvement” in the rating has demonstrated that the President has remained focused in his determination to completely eradicate corruption in public service. The statement said: “The latest TI rating is a proof that President Jonathan’s effort in the fight against corruption is yielding positive results. There is no doubt that since President Jonathan came on board as president of this country, the fight against corruption has been taken several notches higher. “Unlike any previous administration in the country‘s history, the present administration has instituted institutional reforms aimed at giving fillip to the anti-corruption war. “One major area this fight has been visible is the agricultural sector where the administration’s carefully articulated and executed Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) ended forty years of corruption in the distribution of fertilizers to farmers. “The same thing applies to the reforms in the Ports where we have successfully plugged many loopholes which some corrupt officials had exploited to delay genuine business transactions and harm the Nigerian economy. “The old corrupt system of Government Direct Procure-

President lacks moral right to contest elections, says Kwankwaso RESIDENTIAL aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso at the weekend took a swipe at President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing him of lacking the moral right to contest the 2015 general election for failing to address corruption and insecurity pervading the country. Kwankwaso, who spoke at a fund raising dinner for his presidential aspiration in Abuja on Saturday night, said the country was suffering from the gross incompetence of the Jonathan administration, adding that many Nigerians have lost their lives to the activities of insurgents in the last six years. The governor raised over N1.5b through donations from his friends, family members, political associates and well-wishers from across the country ahead of the presidential primary election of the APC in Lagos on Wednesday. The governor is contesting the APC presidential primaries with former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha and the publisher of Leadership newspaper, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah. Kwankwaso, a former Minister of Defence, said it was a shame that a country that was once reputed to have one of the best armed forces in the world, cuold no longer protect its citizens He said: “I always feel terribly bad as a member

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

ment and Distribution of Fertiliser as well as the operations in the various Ports and government agencies contributed in no small measure to the negative rating of Nigeria by the Transparency International and other global watchdogs. “Also, the determination of President Jonathan to tackle corruption head on has seen the government take some other far reaching steps like the cleaning up of the import waiver system, which before his coming was fraught with corruption, nepotism, arbitrariness and other irregularities. As a result of this, billions of Naira were lost to the economy as the real business people failed to benefit”.

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

of the extended family of the Military in this country that today we cannot protect ourselves. I always remember those days when our military was in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Darfur and other parts of Africa. These were soldiers that did extremely well by even the world standard. “Those days, we were not even talking of protecting ourselves. We were protecting others on this continent. Many years before then, this country had the capacity to support other African countries to even remove them out of apartheid and other serious international issues. “But today, we have seen a situation where countries that were coming to beg for one thing or the other are the ones we are now running to for help to protect our lives and properties. I believe that this mess will certainly stop by the Grace of God in 2015 when we have the right Commanderin-Chief of the Armed forces. “All of us here are very much aware of what is happening in this country. Today, as we are sitting, we have thousands of Nigerians in Chad Republic, in Cameroon and in Niger as refugees.”

Okupe added that while it is important for suspects involved in corruption cases to be tried and if found guilty sent to jail, what is more important to the administration is for the development of mechanisms, the institution of structures and the enactment of policies that would plug loopholes and foster transparency such that the propensity for corruption is made more difficult and eliminated completely. The President’s aide maintained that the administration has adopted the template employed by least corrupt countries like Denmark and New Zealand, through the use of information and communications technology to tackle corruption head on.

He continued: “Key reforms instituted by the administration like the electronic payment system and the IPPS system have helped reduced corruption in the system. “Of particular importance is the fact that through these institutional reforms, the Federal Government has been able to weed out as many as 50,000 ghost workers and saved the country billions of naira in the process. “It is remarkable that it took the Electronic Wallet (E-Wallet) scheme to end four decades of corruption in the country. Such is the impact of the E-Wallet scheme that the African Union this year adopted the model to help African countries end corruption in the distribution of fertilizer in their countries.”

WO governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State have stepped down for the party’s consensus candidate, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. Chinedu Onu and Anayo Onwuegbu stepped down during yesterday’s senatorial primaries at Nsukka and Awgu. Onu stepped down after the result of the senatorial primary election in which Chuka Utazi emerged the winner, was announced. He did so in the presence of Ugwuanyi, whose popularity is rising. His action was greeted by applause from the delegates.

‘Court order invalidates APC primaries in Abia’

HE Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Fabian Okonkwo, has said no primaries have been held in the state. In a statement yesterday in Umuahia, Okonkwo said the House of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship primaries would hold later. He said there was a subsisting order of a High Court restraining the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC from conducting congresses or impeding him and his executive committee from performing any of their functions as provided under the party constitution. Okonkwo said: “In the light of the challenges faced by

NURSE has been allegedly stabbed to death by a co-tenant in Aba, Abia State. It was learnt that Chinyere Raphael Nwatakwochaka of 3, Agbarevo/Omuma Road, Aba, quarrelled with a cotenant, Gladys Leonard Nlemchi. A source said Nkechi, Gladys’ younger sister, who was not around when trouble started, confronted

•Woman kidnapped in Aba From Sunny Nwankwo, Aba

Chinyere, who was in the kitchen, asking why she quarrelled with her elder sister. The source said Nkechi fought with Chinyere, dragging her out of the kitchen. During the fight, both reportedly fell to the ground

and the knife, in Chinyere’s hand, was said to have pierced Nkechi’s stomach and she died. Her body was deposited in a public mortuary. Police are investigating the incident. A woman at the weekend was abducted by suspected gunmen. The woman, identified as Christiana Olewe, was said

to have returned from a medical trip abroad where she had a kidney transplant. She was reportedly kidnapped in her son’s home at Umuokohia village in Obingwa Local Government. It was gathered that the gunmen broke into the house, stole money and valuables before kidnapping the woman. They had not demanded ransom.

APC Abia chapter, we requested from the NEC, an extension of time to receive nomination forms and other logistics to conduct the primaries. As such, any information to the effect that the House of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship primaries have been conducted as at December 5 is false and misleading.” According to him, any claim by anyone to be the candidate of the party in Abia should be “treated as a ranting of court jesters and imposters, as it is a nullity.” The statement said the dates of the APC primaries would be communicated to the members and the public as soon as arrangements for the conduct were concluded.

Nwobodo’s son’s body taken to Port Harcourt HE deadlock over the funeral of Senator Jim Nwobodo’s son, Ifeanyichukwu, is yet to be resolved, as the former governor of the old Anambra State has remained adamant that the deceased would be buried on the premises of the bungalow he built for him after his death. Sources close to the siblings of the deceased hinted that they took the body to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and deposited it in an undisclosed mortuary. They were said to have insisted that unless their father made a statement on unresolved marital issues, the body would remain in Port Harcourt. The siblings have the tacit support of the Awkunanaw community, who see the former governor’s stance as threatening the custom and tradition of not only their community but the entire Igboland.

•Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola at a project inspection tour to the Owala Water Dam, Okinni...recently.

Nurse ‘stabbed to death’

From Chris Oji, Enugu

He was later hugged by Ugwuanyi. At Awgu, Onwuegbu withdrew in the presence of Senate Deputy President Ike Ekweremadu, amid applause. He said: “It is better to support the winning team than to become a spoiler.” He was hailed by Ekweremadu for his patriotism and wise decision. It is expected that two aspirants are likely to withdraw today. Still in the race at press time were Senator Ayogu Eze, House of Assembly Speaker Eugene Odo and transport magnate, Maduka Onyishi.

From Chris Oji, Enugu

Nwobodo’s second wife, Patricia, incurred the wrath of the women of the community, but was saved by the Anglican Archbishop of Enugu, Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, when they attempted to descend on her on sighting her with the husband. The cleric had invited them to St. Mathews Anglican Church built by Nwobodo in the 70s to talk to the couple. Archbishop Chukwuma and six other bishops were awaiting the arrival of the body for a requiem service when the fracas erupted. As Nwobodo and his wife were approaching the bishops, the women became hostile, accusing the former governor’s wife of being responsible for the deadlock. Dr. Chukwuma, however, intervened, appealing to the women. At press time, efforts by The Nation to get comments from both sides were unsuccessful.

Ambode’s victory hailed By Tokunbo Ogunsami

HE President of the All Christian Leaders/Ministers Forum (ACLMF), Dr. Sam Ogedengbe, has congratulated Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode for emerging victorious at the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Lagos State. In a statement yesterday by his Media Consultant, Elder Cornelius Olopade, Dr. Ogedengbe said the victory showed that God had answered the prayers of Lagosians. He also congratulated the leadership of the APC in the state and at the national level for organising rancour-free, peaceful, fair and flawless primaries. Ogedengbe said the emergence of Ambode showed that he was the most supported and God‘s chosen aspirant among the lot, adding that everybody should back him so that he would emerge victorious at the poll to enable Lagosians continue enjoying the dividends of democracy.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

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Three arrested for ‘robbery, murder’

Fashola’s wife urges more prayers for Chibok girls

By Ebele Boniface

HILDREN have been implored to remember the abducted Chibok schoolgirls in prayer as Christmas draws near. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 30th LTV Christmas Family Funfair at the Lagos Television Broadcasting House in Ikeja, at the weekend, wife of Lagos State Governor Dame Abimbola Fashola said with persistent prayers, God would save them. “Children, I want you to remember in prayer always, other children in captivity; you know those I am talking about the Chibok girls who were abducted and have been with the Boko Haram militants ever since”, she said. The girls were abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno State last April 15. She also urged them to pray for the country’s leaders to lead the country aright. Drawing inference from the LTV Christmas Fun Fair, Mrs. Fashola said that for the programme to have continually run for three decades showed that the management of the organisation had been credible, consistent and competent. She challenged the children as they grow up to imbibe leadership qualities of diligence, ded-

•From left: Mrs Salako, Mrs Fashola, Ibirogba and Ajanaku ... at the event.

•Unveils LTV’s 30th Christmas fun fair By Toba Agboola

ication, trust, love and forthrightness, stressing that as the future leaders, more is expected of them. She added: “As children, I want you to balance your lives by playing a little and reading very well. You must learn to read books on every subject of life and listen to news in order to be abreast of current things happening in your society. Our take-home at this Christmas season is to love each other, help the weak, learn to apologise, forgive and pray for peace in our land.” Commissioner of Information Lateef Ibirogba, urged the children to see the Christmas as

season to love and show appreciation to those who have positively touched their lives at one stage or the other at home, schools and the society at large. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of Radio and Television Services in the state, Adekunle Ajanaku, said the Christmas fair, which started in 1984, was as a response to the need to provide family-oriented entertainment for the people of Lagos during the yuletide. “Over the years, the LTV Christmas Fair has maintained the lead as the provider of wholesome family entertainment in a safe and serene environment. It has become a generational statement in terms of

patronage and audience appeal, selling over 35,000 tickets each year”, he said. Adding that over 45 schools with over 700 children attended the opening and all going home with special prizes from the Mrs Fashola and Santa Claus, Ajanaku said this year’s fair, which will end on December 26, is tagged: “Ceaseless Fun.” According to her, it will come with exciting packages such as street floats, children’s park, video games, carousals, fashion shows, mini zoo, school band competitions, carol presentations and musical shows. Mrs Adeola Salako, Chairman, Special Events Committee, LTV8, also assured all of a memorable outing that they “won’t forget in a hurry.”

Commercial motorcyclists lament police harassment

OMMERCIAL motorcyclists popularly called Okada in Ijegun and Ikotun Egbe in Lagos have accused the police of extortion. They have called on Commissioner of Police Kayode Aderanti to call his men to order. In an interview with The Nation, the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), lamented their alleged that the policemen always “give strange excuses to impose laughable levies on us.” The association’s treasurer, Mr. Biodun Adebanjo, said the association, in one of its meetings early last year, decided to impose a certain levy on its members for daily, weekly and monthly “settlement” of police divisions and stations in and around the area, adding: “While our members have been paying the levies for us to operate without any harassment, the police have not changed. They have continued to make life unbearable for us”. He further said: “We are appealing to our respectable commissioner to intervene in this matter. We want to work and feed our family without using the little we get to settle policemen who have refused to let us do our job. Oga (referring to the reporter), if you stay here for some time, you will see for yourself how they come to harass us. They don’t come weekly or monthly; they come every day. Why?” “Just about three weeks ago, I was with my colleague when about three policemen came in their van following a spurious report that we were fighting. We said it was true. They insisted on going to their station with some of our bikes despite the fact that no one at the time they came was exchanging any hot words, not

By Sulaiman Salawudeen

to talk of fighting. “We were at the station to retrieve the bikes they took away. We had “settled” them and were trying to retrieve the bikes when suddenly, one officer slapped one of us, Lere, from behind. Others hit me with the butts of their guns, banging my head against a nearby wall. I was drenched in my own blood. But there was nothing we could do.” “They also normally go to Ijedodo road to extort money from riders, seize their bikes and

take them to the station where owners of such would retrieve them after coughing up a minimum of N5,000. From here to Ikotun, the story is the same, especially in the evenings. We are helpless. The police commissioner should help us”, he pleaded. Recalling the shooting of a motorcyclist, Rasheed Adegoke, another cyclist, Tope Idowu, said: “We took Rasheed to the General Hospital in Isolo and a police officer paid for the bill. Mind you, he would not have accepted to settle the hospital bill

if the shooting was right”. “It is difficult to tell you all the police do to us here. In the morning, afternoon, early and late evenings, it is exploitation galore. Governor Babatunde Fashola and the commissioner should kindly intervene now. They bring guns and take away our sweat every day; we are tired of this,” Idowu said. A police officer, who spoke under anonymity, debunked the extortion allegation, adding that their dealings with the motorcyclists in the area had been in line with the state’s Traffic Laws.

HREE armed robbery suspects who robbed and stabbed their female victim to death have been arrested by operatives attached to the Area ‘F’ Police Command in Lagos State. They are now under “discreet investigation” at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba on Lagos Minland. The suspects are: Yinka Awoleye, Wasiu Amusa and another simply identified as Abiodun. Their victim is Esther Amadi. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Lagos State Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kenneth Nwosu, said the suspects were arrested on December 1 at about 1 am by operatives from Area ‘F’ Command. He said the victim was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja for revival and treatment. Two sharp knives, he said, were recovered from the suspects, while the case had been transferred to SCID, Panti for thorough investigations. Meanwhile, the new Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of the SCID, Olugbenga Adeyanju, has repositioned all its departments, to regain its past glory.

Rotary club lifts school By Ibrahim Adam

HE Rotary Club of Festac Town in Lagos has commissioned a children’s lounge, otherwise known as a crèche, at the Central Primary School, AmuwoOdofin Local Government Area. The colourful lounge is wellequipped with learning aids to give children a feel of some of the facilities they may be lacking at home. Some of the facilities in the airconditioned room include: an LCD television, a DVD set, wall arts, DSTV and padded foam carpets, among others. According to the president of the club, Gabriel Onyema, the idea behind the lounge which he estimated at N730,000, is to afford less-privileged pupils the same opportunity as their counterparts in high-flying private schools, and other children in the neighbourhood. The doors of the centre will be open to all from 7am to 5pm each day free of charge and will be maintained every three months by the Rotary, Onyema added as the facility was handed over to the local government. “We hope parents will appreciate this gesture and make good use of it because it is our zeal to impact knowledge in the younger ones with the hope to improve education in the country. These are the kinds of things we expect government to invest in the nation’s educational system,” Onyema said. Council Manager of Amuwo Odofin, Mr Segun Ajayi, described the gesture as unique and a welcome promise made and fulfilled.

Ex-council chief Bamgbola wins

•Council Manager, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos State, Mr. Segun Ajayi (2nd Right); Council Engineer, Mr. Martins Odupitan (Right) and other Council Management Staff during the inspection of road rehabilitation work on Akin Mateola Street, Amuwo Odofin, Mile 2, Lagos on Friday.

MMEDIATE past Chairman of Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area of Lagos, Hakeem Bamgbola has clinched the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives, Surulere Constituency II ticket at primary elections. Bamgbola defeated Sunday Aderounmu by 148 votes to 128, while the incumbent, Aliu Kazeem, came third with 58 votes. He dedicated the victory to God, saying: “No victor, no vanquish.” Bamgbola thanked party members and promised not to disappoint them.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

CITYBEATS

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Second wife threatens couple’s marriage

Why I shaved my beard, by robbery suspect

SUSPECTED robber’s trick to fool his victims and evade arrest has failed. Fifty-year-old Islamic cleric Adeleke Ramoni a.k.a Saviour shaved his long beard and moustache but this was not enough to save him. He was arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery squad (SARS) along with other members of his gang. They are: Alhaji Lekan Lanlegu a.k.a Baba Toyota (70); Kolawole Odemide (60) and Ramoni Adeleke (50). Their arrest followed a tipoff received by Commissioner of Police Kayode Aderanti about their location. Officer in charge of SARS, Abba Kyari, a Superintendent of Police (SP) and his decoy team arrested them while pretending to be buyers. Lanlegu, who was first arrested, said Odemide supplied the car to him. Lanlegu’s arrest led to Adeleke’s arrest. When policemen got to Adeleke’s private mosque, which he allegedly uses as office to dupe people, the priest (alfa) in charge of the mosque jumped the fence and ran away. Adeleke said: “I am from a village in Osun State. I am a transporter. I built a mosque and employed an Alfa (Minister of God) who takes charge of the mosque. I re-

By Ebele Boniface

side in Iba Estate along Lagos State University (LASU)/ Badagry Road. I am happily married with five children. I built a one-story home in Iba and I have only N151,000 in the bank now. I built my mosque with N300,000 and put an Islamic teacher to collect money from students to take care of himself. He does not give me returns or commission. I built the mosque to honour God and pray to him five times a day - that was 10 years ago. “In 2000, I started thinking of how to make quick money by stealing cars. I was jobless and had no money to feed my family. The man who lured me into car stealing died four years ago. I went to his house to seek advice on how to survive and he taught me how to steal cars. He told me that he survived by stealing cars and for 10 years, I started stealing cars and my poverty disappeared.” On how they operated, he said: “We would go to a place a car is parked, use a screw driver to open its door, and use starter wire to start its engine. We would sell it somewhere at Idimu to an old man called Fatai, who was a receiver. He is late now. After selling it for N100,000 then, he would give me N5,000 as my own share. “The late Fatai had a me-

•Ramoni (left) and Odemide

chanic workshop. It was there that I met him. I told him I needed money and he told me about stealing cars. When Fatai died five years later, one Shina brought Kola Adeniyi to me as a partner in crime. We operated more than five times before we were arrested. We had no gang leader. We are a twoman gang and any one can bring work. Our last operation was at Oyingbo, Ebute Meta on Lagos Mainland around July, this year. We stole one Hilux Pick-Up van and sold it for N700,000 to one Alhaji Lekan. I shaved my beard to avoid being identified as an Imam.” The suspect said he bought three commercial buses which ply Ijora-Obalende route, adding that each gives him N4,000 daily except on Saturdays and Sundays. He said he was arrested in

Osun State while going to the mosque. Odemide, who hails from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, said: “I am a property dealer (Omonile) in Ikorodu, Lagos. I’m married to two wives with seven children. I met Ramoni in Idiroko, Ogun State when I was a smuggler. I knew him through one of my friends known as Shina. “I learnt Gbelegbe (stealing cars from parks) seven years ago. I was once arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) at Panti, Yaba; charged to court and remanded in prison for one week. I had gone for nine operations and stopped. I started again in January because of the situation in Nigeria today. I have a land valued at N400,000 and another, valued at N300,000 in Ikorodu, but I’m broke now.”

65-year-old businessman, Disu Pele, has sought the dissolution of his 30-yearold marriage before the Customary Court in Alakuko, a Lagos suburb. He is accusing his wife, Kuburat of being ill-tempered. He said: “From the outset, our families have never been in good terms. Despite the fact that I set up a business for my wife before I married another woman, we still fight regularly. My wife vowed not to forgive me because I married another woman. She has made three of our children to develop deep-seated hatred towards me. I have informed her siblings but she wouldn’t listen. Besides, she is not ready to change. In fact, the last time I slept with her was three years ago. It was our first son, Azeez that advised me to marry another woman.” Azeez told the court: “The problem started when my mother caught a tenant stepping out of my father’s room. My sisters stopped greeting him as they took sides with our mother. It is true that I advised my father to marry another wife because I wasn’t comfortable with the secret relationship he had with our tenant, but my father is old enough to know what he wants.” Pele, who did not deny

By Basirat Braimah

his alleged affair with the tenant, said: “It is true, but I had no intention to marry her and I explained to my wife. Even when I bought a land for my wife to pacify her, she still insisted on a divorce.” However, Kuburat, a 54-year-old trader, said: “I am his second wife and he never told me he wasn’t going to marry after me. My father-in-law doesn’t like me. Each time he visits our house, we quarrel. My husband never bought a land for me. He only gave me N10, 000 to set up a business. He womanises a lot. I caught him smooch the 14-yearold girl living with us. He is currently sleeping with his late friend’s wife. The last time we had fun was last year; it wasn’t three years ago. My husband doesn’t know anything about our children’s education but he is falsely complaining that they disregard him. I still want this marriage.” The union was sealed under the Native and Customary Law and has produced five children: Ganiyat (29), Azeez (27), Ahmed (26), Kafayat (19) and Olamide (15). The court’s President, Chief Awos Awosola, advised the couple’s relations to plead with Pele since he is still insisting on dissolution. He adjourned the case till tomorrow.

•Ashafa (middle) with some of the beneficiaries at the presentation

ENATOR Gbenga Ashafa empowered yesterday no fewer than 5,000 youth leaders across the five Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in his constituency. The senator representing Lagos East District said the gesture was meant to further sustain the peace and tranquility enjoyed by the residents in the constituency, adding that the gesture was part of the strategy to maintain peace in all the Local Governments and LCDAs. Presenting the tools at the Mercy Hall, Ikosi-Ketu,

Ashafa empowers 5,000 youth leaders By Basirat Braimah

Ashafa urged the beneficiaries to remain calm and ensure that the tools are put into good use, saying that he was determined to make the youth become employers of labour rather than being job seekers. “This was what prompted me to hold meetings with some of you to enable me to know the challenges confronting some of you. In the course of my interaction with you, I realised that

some of you have skills in various vocations but lack the wherewithal to set up a business for yourself and become self-employed. This is why I deemed it fit to empower you with these tools to make you self-employed, having assisted you financially earlier,” the lawmaker said. Ashafa, who was represented by Laide Adesanya, an engineer, however promised that a strategy had been put in place to monitor the progress made with the em-

powerment, saying that he would hold meeting with them on a quarterly basis to know their progress and challenges. One of the beneficiaries, Aliu Balogun a.k.a Champion, commended the lawmaker for the gesture, saying: “It has been a while that somebody would consider us for empowerment. They look at us as touts who has nothing to offer the society even if empowered. This is the only elected representative that cares to know our

plight and challenges, I hope to make good use of these tools and become employer of labour soon.” One of the youth leaders, Abiodun Eniola also lauded the lawmaker for remembering them in his empowerment programme. He said: “It is unfortunate despite the rate of unemployment in the country; nobody is looking at our direction. The man is the king of empowerment; no one is empowering his constituents like this. Almost every-

body has benefited with his empowerment programme - the old, the young, students, market women, market leaders and clerics. We will try our best remain grateful and responsible because to whom much is given, much is expected.” Some of the items distributed at the event included sewing machines, hair dryers, barbing kits with generating sets, vulcanizing machines, grinding machines and school bags for their children.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS Buhari: I will not leave APC even if I lose in primary

Uduaghan dumps Obuh for Edevbie •Utuama opts out of race •Edevbie: I’ll claim governorship seat for Urhobo

EW hours to today’s Delta State governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Emanuel Uduaghan has dropped his erstwhile “anointed” candidate from Delta North, Tony Obuh for a new entrant, David Edevbie, an Urhobo. The game suddenly changed, it was learnt, because Uduaghan wanted to align with the people’s popular demand that the next governor should be an Urhobo. Also, Deputy Governor Amos Utuama, has withdrawn from the governorship race to support the people’s choice. Uduaghan met some oppo-

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

sition from the political class that demanded equity in the fair sharing of the governorship position among the various ethnic groups in the state. The Urhobo were favoured to produce the next governor to ensure that the position is shared equitably among the major ethnic groups in the state. The governor’s earlier endorsement of Obuh, an experienced civil servant, was seen to be against the wishes of majority of the people. The height of the opposition to Obuh’s aspiration and the tactical support he got

from the governor was the coming together of 14 other PDP aspirants. They got the backing of Ijaw leader Chief Edwin Clark to pursue an anti-Obuh agenda. The aspirants issued a statement denouncing the governor’s moves. But Uduaghan’s change of mind for Obuh filtered to town yesterday, less than 24 hours to the PDP primary. It showed that the governor had met with Urhobo leaders and agreed to support Edevbie, a former Principal Secretary to the late President Umaru Musa-Yar’adua. Our reporter learnt that the governor’s decision was in-

formed by two factors that emerged ahead of the PDP governorship primary. These include the pervasive disunity among interests in Delta North Senatorial District, which has 10 aspirants in the race and the resolve and seeming unity of the Urhobo nation to produce the next governor. Although the governor’s change of mind was still being relayed last night in hushed tones, one of those believed to be close to the governor on political matters, Chief Ayiri Emami, has said the disunity among Delta North’s politicians might have informed the governor’s change of heart.

By Precious Igbonwelundu

•Buhari

HEAD of Wednesday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election, former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has said he will stick with the party should he lose the ticket. Buhari stated this yesterday

19 Rivers PDP aspirants threaten defection to APC

OLLOWING the lingering crisis in the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 19 aggrieved governorship aspirants have threatened to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The aspirants said they would dump the PDP, if its leadership refused to honour their demands. The Convener of Concerned Rivers State PDP Stakeholders, Prof. Israel Owate, spoke at the weekend in Abuja on behalf of the aggrieved aspirants. The spokesman said money and cartel had hijacked the PDP machinery in favour of former Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike. Owate said: “Doing the right thing in the right direction is an option... Our options are wide, depending on what is unfolding.” A source, who recently resigned his appointment in the Presidency, told our correspondent that the aspirants could not hang on any longer, especially as some party leaders had supported Wike. The source said: “The next option is APC. Some of us have resigned our appointments from the Presidency.

Rivers Kalabari insist on governor from coast

HEAD of today’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in Rivers State, a social political organization in Kalabari kingdom in the state, the Kalabari Ene-Bate, has insisted that a candidate from the coastal area should be given the ticket. The group, which has respected people of Kalabari kingdom, said its decision to back Chief Ibinabo Michael West, a governorship aspirant from the coastal area, was taken after consultations and the assessment of other Kalabari aspirants. The group spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt when they endorsed Michael West as the consensus candidate. The leader of Kalabari Ene Bate, Chief Festus Igbikialabo, said the group discovered that West was the most acceptable among the aspirants. From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

APC is already calling us. We cannot be treated unjustly. So, it’s left to them to risk over 2 million votes.” Owate alleged that PDP National Deputy Chairman Uche Secondus had consistently aligned with Wike against the party’s constitution. He said Wike should not have been imposed on the people, adding that other ethnic groups, especially the Ogoni and those in the

Bayelsa PDP: internal rift caused attack on secretariat

HE Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the attack on its secretariat on the DSP Alamieyeseigha Expressway in Yenagoa, by irate youths. The party blamed the incident, which occurred on Saturday during the PDP’s House of Representatives primaries, on intra-party rivalry. Thugs carrying axes and other weapons, barricaded the secretariat and held hostage members of the electoral panel from Abuja to conduct the primaries. The mob vandalised the secretariat, pulling down the gate and shattering glass windows. In a statement at the weekend by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osom JacobMakbere, the party blamed members of the opposition within the PDP for being the attack. It described the PDP as a

From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

peaceful party, adding that it was surprised by the activities of some respected members of the party. The Bayelsa chapter regretted the use of youths to disrupt its primaries. The statement said: “The irate youths, in an attempt to hijack the election materials, forced their way into the building and ransacked the offices in search of election materials and other vital documents. “Having failed in their attempt to locate where the election materials were kept, they resorted to throwing missiles and other dangerous weapons, which led to the destruction of the party’s secretariat. “In order not to allow the situation to degenerate into a bloody clash, the security operatives handled the matter in a professional way, which is highly commendable.”

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

He said the aspirant had demonstrated his pedigree when he represented Asari-Toru II in the Rivers State House of Assembly from 2003 till 2011. The spokesman added that West’s legacy still spoke for him. Igbikialabo said: “We have a vision and a mission. One of them is to have a governor from Kalabari. Though we have many aspirants in the race, but the most important thing is to have a Kalabari as governor. “Of course, other aspirants are good, but one is outstanding. That is why we have taken the decision to adopt one of our sons as our candidate. We are backing him, starting from the primaries, because we have a common goal to ensure that a Kalabari becomes governor in 2015.”

coastal area, could no longer play the second fiddle. Owate said: “Money and cartel have hijacked the party’s machinery to favour one person whose brother is occupying the governorship seat. In Rivers State, we have major ethnic groups and other ethnic groups that also have a claim to that seat. “In Rivers State, there is a tradition of rotation, apart from the political tradition of rotation. So, what Rivers people are saying is that we cannot be slaves in our land, for one ethnic group to rule for eight years...” On the alleged open endorsement of Wike, the group said it was not aware of the allegation. Owate said the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, had

told the public of her impartiality on the matter. The spokesman said at the end of Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s eight-year tenure, another ethnic group should be allowed to govern the state, as stipulated in PDP’s constitution. Owate said installing Wike, an Ikwerre man, to succeed Amaechi was against the power sharing formula of the state. He accused those he called “powerful, stinking richly political collaborators” of conspiracy to grant Wike the exclusive right of the party’s ticket for the 2015 governorship election. He attributed the party’s Constitution on zoning and rotation of political offices as a panacea for sustainable peace and interethnic harmony in the state. The governorship aspirants sought President Goodluck

Jonathan’s intervention in the crises. They asked Jonathan to invoke his constitutional power, as provided in Part VIII, Section 5, sub section 5(2) (e) of the PDP constitution, as amended. They also demanded that he prevail over the National Working Committee (NWC) to cancel the flawed Rivers State ward delegates elections of November 1 and ensure that zoning and rotation of offices are respected. Other demands include: declaring the exclusion of the zone that produced Amaechi from fielding candidates, as observed in Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Adamawa and Enugu states, thus demanding that Secondus should be stopped from handling matters concerning Rivers State. Owate added: “The national leadership of the PDP has maintained ominous silence on Rivers state in spite of the timely advice from the South-South and Rivers State Elders’ Forum under the chairmanship of Chief E. K. Clarke, urging the PDP to respect its constitution by zoning the governorship seat to either the Riverine or the Ogoni. “There is sufficient basis to believe that the National Leadership of the PDP may have been ambushed by an exclusive, powerful and stinking rich cartel of desperate political collaborators hell-bent on installing an Ikwerre man to succeed the incumbent Governor Amaechi who is also from Ikwerre against the decades old power sharing formula which is the basis for sustainable peace and inter ethnic harmony in the state.”

during a live interview on Channels Television, where he spoke on security, the economy, unemployment and other issues of national importance. He noted that the primary will be keenly contested, adding that the process will be transparent because of the experience, maturity and commitment of the members of the planning committee. Calling himself a converted democrat, Buhari said he insisted on a transparent process, which will be done free and fair. “I cannot leave the APC even if I lose the primary because I signed an undertaking. APC has what it takes to bring the desired change in this country. Mergers never succeeded in this country but ours did. Whatever we can do to make the party stand we will do. So, we have to examine the extent of our patriotism,” he said. The former leader, who said the processes to the primaries have been “so far, so good”, noted that Wednesday’s election will be keenly contested. Stating that he was not forced to sign the undertaking to remain in the party even if he lost in the primary, Buhari said the undertaking was introduced to ensure stability in the party. Buhari said: “The primaries will be keenly contested. I am a converted democrat and I believe in transparency and a free and fair process. I will accept the result of the primary. I believe in the committee because it is headed by experience and mature people. It has been so far, so good. “I signed the undertaking, it is not cohesion. The party is the platform and it decided we have to stabilise it. We read and signed the undertaking. In Nigeria, the party is supreme because anyone aspiring to occupy an elective office must belong to a party. That is what the Constitution says. So, the party has its regulations and anyone who cannot abide by it, is free to walkout. “I know the implication of the undertaking and I went ahead to sign it. The bond is to stabilise the party and so, whatever we can do to strengthen the party, we will do.”

•From left: Senator Oluremi Tinubu congratulating Babajide Akinloye, House of Representatives winner for EtiOsa Constituency in Lagos State and Raliwan Aleshinloye, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries at the Millennium Golden Centre, Eti-Osa, Lagos.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 2014

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

LAGOS PDP GOVERNORSHIP PRIMARIES There is crisis in the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as it holds governorship primary today to elect its governorship candidate for next year’s election. The party is polarised by the ambition of two aspirants-Jimi Agbaje and Musiliu Obanikoro. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the acrimonious preparations for the shadow poll and the tension unleashed by the bitter competition for power.

A divided house goes for shadow poll T

HE die is cast between former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and the Afenifere chieftain, Jimi Agbaje, a pharmacist. The two politicians are the frontliners in today’s Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries. Other aspirants - Dr. Segun Ogundimu, Mr. Bola Gbadamosi, Ambassador Tokunbo Kamson and Mr. Deji Doherty, an engineer-may be like spectators at the shadow poll. Ahead of the exercise, there is tension in the troubled chapter. Party sources said that there is desperation on both sides. Although Agbade has not approached the contest as a do-or-die matter, those supporting him are hinging their survival on his ambition and success at the general elections. Also, those backing Obanikoro are not leaving any stone unturned to get the ticket. Prominent PDP leaders backing Agbaje include Chief Olabode George and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, the former Minister of Works. George has fired salvos at Obanikoro, saying that he joined the race to cause trouble. He said it was curious that he resigned as a minister, few months after he was appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan. George also said that Obanikoro was peddling falsehood, clarifying that he has not been endorsed by the President. In his view, Obanikoro’s candidacy may dent the image of the party before Lagosians. The bitter struggle underscores the personality crisis and ego war between George and Obanikoro. At the weekend, the former High Commissioner to Ghana returned the torrent of missiles from George. He said the retired naval officer and former military governor of Ondo State is his rival at the primaries, and not Agbaje, who he described as a foreigner in the chapter. He boasted that he will win the primaries without George’s support. His supporters said that it is a not an empty boasting, recalling that he Obanikoro beat George’s candidate, Mrs. Hilda Williams, at the 2007 primaries. A party chieftian hinted at the weekend that Lagos PDP is in trouble again. Reflecting on the division, he said the party would be weakened by the escalation of crisis, ahead of the general elections. “If Agbaje wins, the supporters of Obanikoro will not support him because reconciliation is always difficult in this party. Also, if Obanikoro becomes the candidate, with what is happening now, George and his group will not support him. Is the party not jinxed? That is the situation now.” But, Ogunlewe, who is backing Agbaje, disagreed. He said while the shadow election is the internal affairs of the PDP, Lagosians will determine the fate of candidates at the general elections. The former minister said there is no way Lagosians will prefer Obanikoro to the All progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, who he described as a reputable chartered accountant and financial expert. Ogunlewe added: “A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is leaving the position now. Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun is a chartered accountant and a financial expert. Mimiko is a medical doctor. Ajimobi has profile. Where is Obanikoro coming from? Is he

• Obanikoro

electable? The question is which type of governor do you want? In 2015, people will vote for personality, not party.” Obanikoro has been described as the most formidable aspirant. Politically, he is also the most experienced politician in the fold, having served as the Chairman of Lagos City Council, Vice Chairman of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, senator between 2003 and 2007, High Commissioner to Ghana and Chairman of the National Industrial Training Fund. In 2007, he was the governorship candidate. Many believe that strong Obanikoro has a structure and resources to fund campaigns and run for the election. However, Agbaje is not a push over. The Afenifere chieftain is a credible politician. He is loved by many people. In 2007, he was one of the aggrieved aspirants who defected from the Alliance for Democracy (AD), following the primaries that threw up Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) as the candidate. As the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), he did not make much impact during the election. Agbaje is rich. He also has a network of friends ready to support his bid. But, his strength lies in his integrity and credibility. Lamenting his defection to the PDP, a chieftain of the APC said: “Agbaje has been around for a long time. He was there when the PDP was described as the nest of killers. Can he stand the sight of blood? Can he handle gun? Can he wait when he sees cutlass and broken bottles at campaigns? That is why I said that he has joined a bad company.” For 15 years, the Lagos PDP has gazing at the Government House. Its ambition to produce the governor has been aborted by the progressive bloc. In 1999, the PDP candidate, Chief Dapo Sarumi, was defeated by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) flag bearer, Senator Bola Tinubu. In 2003, former Governor Tinubu also defeated the PDP challenger, the late Mr. Funso Williams. In 2007, the PDP candidate, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, lost his deposit. He was defeated by the Action Congress (AC) candidate, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN).

• Agbaje

Initially, the Williams’ widow, Hilda, was named as the flag bearer, following the primaries at the National Stadium, Surulere. But, based on the strategic advice of a PDP leader, Chief Tony Anenih, the ticket was given to Obanikoro. In 2011, Dr. Ade Dosunmu of the PDP could not make impact. He was also defeated by Fashola. Since its inception, the PDP has not known peace. Ahead of the primaries and the general elections, the party is in turmoil. The bickering has led to the defection of many chieftains to the ruling party in the state. The defectors include Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, Senator Tony Adefuye, Chief Yomi Finnih, Dr. Aganga-Williams, Chief Demola Seriki and Chief Wale Mogaji. Prominent ACN chieftains, who had earlier defected to the PDP, have also retrace their steps. They include Mr. Tunde Braimoh, Enock Ajiboso, and Dauda Kako-Are ran back to the AC. Since the report of the Harmonisation Committee led by Chief Tunde Osunrinde from Ogun State was not implemented, the politics of exclusion permeated the chapter. Osunrinde had recommended the sharing of party officers on equitable basis so that peace could reign. Owing to the nonimplementation of the report, other leaders, including Ogunlewe, Mrs. Modupe Sasore, the late Senator Wahab Dosunmu, and other chieftains were working at cross purposes with George. In fact, in 2011, many of them perceived Dr. Ade Dosunmu, not as the party candidate, but as George’s candidate. The party went for the election as a divided house. On poll day, it was crushed by the ACN. After the election, PDP leaders started to trade blames. A reconciliation move was mooted by some elders. But, it did not see the light of the day. Since last year, some elders have been brainstorming on how to package the party. Ogunlewe said necessity made it compelling to the chapter to do a thorough soul-

• Ogundimu

searching. A team of researcher was sent out to do a pseudo-survey on the prospect of the party in next year’s polls. Its finding showed that the party was rejected in the past because the candidates could not compete favourably with candidates of the AD, AC and ACN. Consequently, a search team was set up to look for a credible candidate. None could be found in the party, as it were. Therefore the party tried to extend its tentacles beyond the fold. Agbaje’s name was suggested. But, some people pointed out that it may be difficult to convince him. Ahead of 2007, Agbaje was contacted by George. At that time, Williams had just assassinated. Prof. Wole Soyinka’s description of the PDP as the nest of killers came to his mind. He told George: “ Do you want me dead like Funso Williams?” Also, former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel had beckoned on Agbaje to join the PDP. But, he also refused. Agbaje also refused to return to his former political family. Although he was persuaded to join the ACN in 2011, he rejected the offer of a juicy portfolio. When Agbaje eventually accepted to join the party, he joined because he believed that he would be endorsed as a consensus candidate. He met a party in crisis, making it difficult for the party to enlarged its coast. Crisis resolution in the fold is also defective. Its leader, George, has often come under attack for alleged monopolisation and personalisation of party power. It has also become increasingly difficult for Lagosians to embrace the PDP because the state has been neglected by the PDP Federal Government. Sources said that the research team found out that Lagosians were favourably disposed to Agbaje’s candidature. Therefore, he was introduced to the PDP national leadership and members were urged them to work for him. Agbaje gave a condition. He said that he would accept the offer to fly the flag of the party, if peace returns to the party. This necessitated the settlement of the rift between George and Ogunlewe. But, the suspicion and gulf between George and Obanikoro has remained. When Obanikoro became minister, many thought that the coast was clear for Agbaje to emerge as the flag bearer.

‘People will not vote for those who have baggage. We want credible candidates. APC has shown us the way by picking from the East Senatorial District a Christian, a chartered accountant. They have shown us the way. We cannot go below that’

Trouble started when he resigned, after weeks of speculation. Agbaje camp was jittery because it was not indifferent to Obanikoro’s antecedents and past feats. When the Lagos PDP Elders’ Forum tacitly endorsed the pharmacist, Obanikoro replied that it will not work. His associate, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, who has traversed the major parties, spit fire, saying that only Obanikoro can win the poll for the PDP. The former governorship aspirant is supporting Obanikoro, having claimed that he has been edged out from the contest. Obanikoro has also accused George of interfering in the congresses. He said the party will insist on free and fair primaries. However, the elders’ forum explained at the weekend why Obanikoro cannot win the general election for the PDP. The group described him as a “certified spoiler, twisting and turning in the winds, thrashing about in wild, uncoordinated confusion, frozen in a destructive fixation to weaken our party before he jumps ship.” Ogunlewe, who spoke with reporters, said the elders have rejected Obanikoro, adding that he cannot add to the fortune of the PDP. He took exception to Obanikoro’s statement that He is contesting, not against Agbaje, but against George, who is seriously mobilising for him. He said: “George is not an aspirant. Why should Obanikoro say he is contesting against him? George has been supporting the steady rise of Obanikoro, even before he became a minister. The point of departure is that George has said that he had supported him to become minister and he cannot support his governorship bid. “There will be a level-playing ground. Whoever wins will be supported by the party. But, why should Obanikoro be fanning the embers of disunity. He was the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee that brought into existence the structure of the party at ward, local government and state levels. What he should do is not to insult the leadership of the party, but to seek the support of the structures. He should be a game player and not spoiler.” Ogunlewe said there is no controversy over Agbaje’s defection to the PDP, adding that he has been cleared to participate at the primaries. He added: “Let him come and beat Agbaje with his certificates, honour and integrity. People will not vote for those who have baggage. We want credible candidates. APC has shown us the way by picking from the East Senatorial District a Christian, a chartered accountant. They have shown us the way. We cannot go below that. “The people are already assessing Ambode. In the Lagos PDP, we don’t want those who have age problem, those who have questionable credential. People are still asking this question: how was City Hall burnt? In 2007, Obasanjo said Lagps PDP had picked a candidate and that we should go an sell him. But, he said we should wash him, put grease on his body. Take him to the sun and see whther people will take him from you. In 2015, voters will ask questions. We don’t want to look stupid. We will not return to Babylon.”

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 2014

RACE TO 2015 Delta State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant Sir Felix Obuh spoke with Southsouth Regional Editor SOLA O’ NEIL on his chances at the primaries.

Obuh: I stand for good governance in Delta H

OW do you rate your chances in the PDP primaries, consid ering that there are 18 aspir-

ants? For me, I will say the more the merrier. But, the essential ingredient is what each of us is bringing to the table. What are you offering to the people? What are your antecedents? What do people perceive you to be? I believe that each and every one of us has to answer to our names. How much of you do the people know? I think I stand a very good chance. The people of Delta State know me in and out of public service; whether in the political class, the civil services or whatever. They know me enough and they know what I stand for – good governance, diligence and service to the people. I believe that I have a very great chance of emerging as the candidate of the the PDP on December 8 (today). There is a perceived gang-up of other aspirants against your quest to become governor of Delta State. What’s your reaction to this? It is very unfortunate because I thought everybody was going to market himself, rather than going about castigating other people and building animosity in a community that is supposed to be peaceful and united. Notwithstanding the fact that it may appear negative on the part of those who conceived it, for me they have succeeded in making me more popular and giving me publicity that I did not pay for. But, ironically, they were not able to raise even one issue against my suitability for the office I am seeking. For me, that is good enough. I am fully qualified and ready to run the race. They did not say I am not qualified. I understand what Delta State is and I know what the people require and I know what it is to run a good government that can deliver service; they did not deny that. Are you worried by the implication of this negative campaign? I would be worried if the allegation levelled against me is serious or significant. They have not said anything

• Obuh

that can be damaging to me. Indeed, they raised allegations about certain leaders trying to take possession of the state, as if to say they are condemning those leaders. Unfortunately, those are the people who have been in government, benefitted and are still benefiting from the same leaders they indicted in that publication. I believe that they just did it momentarily because they thought they have something unifying them, but in the course of time, as has already been proven, they will begin to find out that they have great differences between them as candidates, than with me as another candidate in the race. Delta State PDP has a history of acrimonious primaries that usually lead to defeated aspirants defecting to other parties. Are you worried about this? I have decided to build my tent within the PDP and for me that is where I will remain. Anybody who believes that he has something to offer to the people of Delta State on the platform of the PDP should be bold enough to run the primaries and if he loses let him donate whatever idea he has to the candidate that emerges, so

that we can build a strong and vibrant state of our dream. You don’t need to run somewhere else as if you are desperate for power. When you believe in the party, you should be sufficiently patriotic to give whatever idea you have to whoever emerges. I will not encourage defection and I will seriously discourage anybody who wants to do that. But if they wish to go, whoever will emerge will emerge. For me, if God blesses me with the ticket of the PDP, let them go elsewhere to combine forces, but I intend to carry everybody along. Will you make overtures to your opponents to remain in the party? I have always said that nobody is a champion. I have always said that we should stay within the party and build a strong and vibrant political party so that we can continue to win elections. There is enough ground for everybody to contribute one way or the other; there is no Mr Know-all in any field. What I think we can always do to be on top in Delta State is for us to bring to the table all our talents, all our ideas; what we need and what we have to contribute to the growth of the state so that we can harness them for the betterment of our society. We do not need to dissipate our energy. After the screening, we are into the last stretch of the primaries campaign, what is your position with the delegates? Are you satisfied with the delegates list? A couple of weeks ago, we had the election for delegates and since then we have been trying to reach out to delegates that have been so elected. The process of canvassing for support/ votes is a continuous one. We know that there are a good number of them (delegate) that believe in us. We are not giving up on anybody; we are accessing and trying to approach anybody who has been elected as delegate to make them understand why they should give us their votes. We are doing our best to win over as many of them as possible and we are doing that by trying to spell out to them what our philosophy is for government and what our position is in the PDP.

‘

When you believe in the party, you should be sufficiently patriotic to give whatever idea you have to whoever emerges

‘

It’s a two-horse race in Enugu By Raymond Mordi

ODAY’S Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship primaries in Enugu State is likely to be a two-horse race. The ruling party has temporar ily put at bay the crisis threatening to tear the chapter apart. As part of the agreement between the two factions, Governor Sullivan Chime’s has dropped his senatorial ambition. The Southeast Secretary General of the human rights watchdog, the Campaign for Democracy (CD), Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo believes there may not be any serious competition between the two camps anymore. “Since Governor Sullivan Chime has dropped his senatorial ambition, the least the Senator Ike Ekweremadu camp is expected to do is to give him (the governor) the privilege of nominating his successor. “The governor has mended fences with Ekweremadu and followed it up with the announcement that he is no longer interested in contesting for Senate,” he told The Nation at the weekend. From all indications, the contest is going to be a straight contest between the consensus candidate, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the Senate Works Committee Chairman, Senator Ayogu Eze. Other aspirants in the race are: the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo; business mogul and transporter, Dr. Maduka Onyishi; the youthful Chinedu Onu; and an Abuja-based contractor, Anayo Onwuegbu. All the aspirants are from Enugu North senatorial district, otherwise known as the Nsukka zone, which is slated to produce the next governor of the state. The only exception is Onwuegbu, who is from the Awgu axis of the state. Barring any unforeseen development, Ugwuanyi is likely to get the ticket. The man fondly called Gburugburu by his admirers seems to have an edge over Eze; as the consensus candidate endorsed by the party structure in the state. As Chukwuokolo observed, the least expected from the Ekweremadu camp is to concede the ticket to Governor Chime’s anointed choice. Apparently, there are two things working for Ugwuanyi: his humility and grassroots disposition. He is also known for his generosity. Although he was not all that well known before his emergence as a consensus candidate, most people in the state are beginning to appreciate his qualities. Aside from his humility and grassroots support, Chukwuokolo believes he is an amenable and fairly disciplined fellow. Eze is the next aspirant to watch. There are speculations making rounds that he may spring a surprise, consensus or no consensus. One thing going for Eze is that he had become a household name even before ventured into politics. His sojourn in journalism made his name a popular one. But, Chukwuokolo disagrees with the notion that he enjoys the backing of the populace. His words: “If they produce somebody like Senator Ayogu Eze, it would flop because he is not a likeable fellow.” Nevertheless, the other aspirants are no pushovers. Onu’s campaign team, for instance, can be said to be as strong as those of the two main contenders. Onu missed becoming the governor of the state in 2007 by whiskers. He was the anointed successor to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani. But, fate did not smile on him as Nnamani at the last minute changed his mind and settled for Chime. People have attributed this to the “hand of God”. What Onu has going for him is his sharp intellect and ability to mix and adapt with any level of the society. There were speculations that he was the candidate of Ekweremadu. But, the Deputy Senate President has since refuted that allegation. He is frank to a fault. Take godfatherism away from the primaries, Onu will likely carry the day. Onyishi is another aspirant is capable of turning the table against all odds. What he has going for him is his affluence. He is the founder and managing director of Peace Mass Transit. He is reputed to be a very generous man; he has touched the hearts of many people. He made donations of buildings to universities around the Southeast and Southsouth. His simplicity and low-profile nature makes him the man of the people. Although he played campus politics in his student days, he has been focusing on his business until now. He has been touted as a future strong man in Enugu politics. Odo, on the other hand, represents the new generation of politicians. He is ambitious. Apart from his being a lawyer and legislator, nothing suggests that

Hon. Michael Sabastine, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State, explains why he wants to rule Akwa Ibom State. He spoke with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE.

Why I want to rule Akwa Ibom, by Etuk

OW do you intend to compete with an obviously “preferred” candidate? People tend to forget history, so that history can repeat itself. In 2006, we had some other anointed candidates and the incumbent was not ranked amongst the first 10. But, people were with him who believed in his project and kept working towards the actualisation of the dream. Well, over here, we trust a lot in God and we believe that God controls or sits in heaven and affects a lot of things that happen in the affairs of men, especially in ruler ship. We believe that at the end of the second term tenure of the present administration, whosoever was marked by God to be the next governor of Akwa Ibom State will emerge and not one who was tipped by any individual. Politically, we know that human factors are important, but God uses the people. The human factor in politics

are those God waits to use to actualize His plans for the people. And so, whether anybody is anointed or supposedly anointed or not makes no meaning to me, because I believe in destiny and there is nothing that happens in life that is not pre-destined. Whosoever is blessed to be anointed by man is fortunate enough, but the person that is anointed by God to become the governor of Akwa Ibom State is the most favored. Can your coming on board put an end godfatherism in the state? I have never believed in godfather ism from the onset or else we wouldn’t have been key supporters of Gov. Godswill Akpabio in his heydays. And if you also look at godfatherism in the history of politics in Akwa Ibom State, there is no way Obong Victor Attah would have been governor because there were people supposedly more grounded than he

was, and rooted in the system who were also supposedly anointed. But, came out tops and changed everything. Same thing happened in the time of Obong Akpan Isemin. You may recall a slogan accredited to him saying that election is not a fashion parade. There were people who were more handsome, more educated and had people, had men behind them, but God had tipped Obong Isemin for the job. And so the few men he had saw him through. So, godfatherism in Akwa Ibom politics has never been the thing. Only in second term elections can you talk about god fatherism where the incumbent will definitely return fora second term and the people that lined up behind him will also go back to their offices or get elected into offices as the case may be, if favored. In Akwa Ibom politics, first term election is always a totally new ball game. It never

goes the way do people’s prediction. What would be the focus of your government? My key focus will be in the area of job creation. And as I speak, we have designed a number of ways with which we will use to push this idea or programme forward. Industrialization, in fact, will be a key part of Akwa Ibom development come 2015 because other infrastructure are on ground. Agriculture is something we cannot overlook, same for human development. There are ways a government can create an enabling environment that will enhance human capabilities and potentials. People will have a platform and the ability to express themselves economically, and so will create employment. We are also looking at our coastline. Anyone who wishes to develop the state must also look along that line. We

• Etuk

have swamp forest would be used for rice cultivation. I remember way back then when I learnt that a friend’s father earned as much N1m a day from fishing. So, we will be looking into fishing, seriously. We, therefore, have all the opportunities to develop that industry in Akwa Ibom which will definitely enhance the welfare of the people of the state. We also need to develop transportation along our coastline, that is marine transportation.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

UNILAG’s harsh policy on new students

Playing god •Except for foreign loans, the Federal Government cannot interfere in transactions between state governments and local banks

T is true that the downward plunge in the international price of crude oil has had very serious negative implications for Nigeria’s economy. Indeed, so critical is the situation that the crude oil price benchmark of $78 per barrel, adopted for the 2015 budget projection, has been lowered to $73 per barrel. Yet, it is no less true that no level of government can exonerate itself from partresponsibility for the profligacy and fiscal irresponsibility that have made Nigeria ill-prepared to absorb the shocks, resulting from dipping international oil prices. This is why the Federal Government’s grandstanding and ‘holier-than- thou’ attempt to hold other levels of government responsible for the unsavoury economic situation is most unhelpful, to say the least. The Federal Government’s latest stance in this regard is its reported directive to banks in the country to obtain the approval of the Federal Ministry of Finance before granting loans to any state government. This measure is purportedly to check alleged abuse of the money market by some state governments. Of course, we appreciate the responsibility of the Federal Government for the overall coordination and management of the national economy. However, the government at the centre is entirely deluded if it assumes that it has managed its own share of accruals to the national treasury with a higher degree of discipline and transparency.

Today, the Federal Government is statutorily entitled to 56% of all revenues remitted to the Federation Account and distributable to all tiers of government. On the other hand, the 36 state governments and the 774 Local Government Councils share 44% of accruals to the Federation Account. The implication is that each state and local government accesses less than one per cent of funds shared from the Federation Account. Yet, neither the Federal nor most of the other levels of government can show any appreciable level of development commensurate with the quantum of funds they share at their monthly allocation jamboree. No level of government is, therefore, qualified to try to paint the others black as the Federal Government tries to do in this instance. This is even more so because the Federal Government’s failure to effectively discharge its responsibility of securing the country’s oil supply pipelines has considerably worsened the economic crisis. Thus, despite yearly contracts worth N5.06 billion awarded to former Niger Delta militants to protect oil pipelines, the theft of the country’s crude oil continues on an astronomical scale; with the consequence of drastically reducing the funds remitted to the Federation Account. The revenue accruing to states thus continues to fall monthly, with many states now owing a backlog of salaries to workers. Therefore, to make it virtually impossible for states to access the money mar-

ket for short-term loans for development purposes, which is the implication of the new Federal Government directive, can only inflict further injury on the national economy. The Federal Government’s directive to banks, as regards loans to state governments, negates the spirit of federalism. As an agency of the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Finance has no business guaranteeing domestic loans to state governments. Such powers can easily be abused in an immature and overly partisan political process like ours, with negative implications for development. Rather, the country’s money market should have clearly stipulated guidelines and regulatory laws for granting loans to private and public entities, including the Federal Government. The operations of the money market must be guided by the laws of supply and demand, rather than the partisan proclivities of any arm of government. What the emergent frightening economic scenario calls for, from all levels of government, is greater discipline, transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.

‘As an agency of the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Finance has no business guaranteeing domestic loans to state governments’

Executive debtors

•The Federal Government, and security formations nationwide, should settle N100 bn owed Gencos and Discos

S it possible for government or any of its creations to be above the law? This question becomes pertinent in view of disconcerting reports that new owners of electricity generation (Gencos) and distribution (Discos) companies across the country are still being owed over N100 billion debts by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as military and police formations across the country. The debts, which preceded the power sector privatization, were a carry-over from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). The profile breakdown of the debts: MDAs- N20 billion; military and police formations/ barracks countrywide- N80 billion. Despite reported threats by the new power company owners to disconnect electricity of the debtors, the reality is that such threats fell flat in the face of their perceived awesome powers; and the typical blackmail that government activities might be grounded if such a drastic measure is taken. Another difficulty is the inaccessibility of military and police formations for staff

‘We consider, as a necessity, the need for money owed the cashstrapped Gencos and Discos by government institutions to be paid forthwith’

of these companies to enter and disconnect their power. When they even summon courage to go there, it is obvious they cannot come out unscathed since they are vulnerable to direct physical assault or even outright arrest. Yet, ordinary Nigerian electricity consumers are wantonly disconnected, even when owing paltry debts. In the past, the deployment of subtle administrative ploy to recoup the debts through scheduled courtesy visits meant to appeal to the MDAs, top military/police echelon to commence payment failed. Even moves at deduction at source in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance have reportedly not yielded the desired result in view of the huge outstanding debt profile. Also, efforts to ensure that the MDAs/ military/police operate on prepaid meters, which would inevitably compel them to always be in credit, or stay without power supply, remain a prospect. The metering system is not without avoidable hiccups. The execution of prepaid meter system has overtime been marred by procurement difficulties since the days of PHCN, especially in Lagos State. We recollect that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) just reportedly commenced a probe into the level of implementation of its metering directives by the two distribution companies- the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) and Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko

Disco), just to underscore this point. This decision by NERC is sequel to complaints from power consumers who had paid for prepaid meters but could not get any for months. There is the need for a critical official intervention if the inherent advantages of this system will eventually not be frittered away. We consider, as a necessity, the need for money owed the cash-strapped Gencos and Discos by government institutions to be paid forthwith. The idea of employing a debt-collector that will be paid an agreed percentage of recouped money is a good one. But the erratic power service and disputable billing system are serious impediments to this move. They must be addressed. There is the need for power firms to put the pre-paid meter system on the right footing, since it remains the most realistic panacea for credible billing system and one that would goad the GENCOs/DISCOs not to rest on their oars in terms of effective service delivery and meeting of set revenue targets. What is indisputable is that if indeed the government wants the privatisation of the power sector to succeed, then it should compel the debtor agencies, including the military and police, to pay the Gencos/Discos the debts hanging on their necks. Unlike what obtains during the PHCN era, the new investors in the power sector need to make profits on investment. This can only be achieved under an atmosphere of transparency and accountability of which the present regime is bereft.

IR: The screening exercise for fresh undergraduates recently carried out by the authorities of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) left much to be desired. There is no gainsaying that the institution is an attraction to many students from within and outside the shores of the nation. It has also made its mark among the tertiary institutions in the country, which belong to the old generation. I am inclined to suppose that the institution enjoy to a great extent, the monopoly of deciding on the manner and pattern of conducting the process of screening fresh students offered admission. Such policy, however should consider the safety and security of the students. From the admission stage, students had to shuttle Cybercafés to access information about screening which could have been better communicated through text messages via SMS. This made many fresh students to be late for the screening exercise. As a concerned parent, I particularly frown at the mode of screening. The students were required to be on campus for about three weeks to carry out the exercise. This was started with completion of form online to presentation of photocopies and originals of their credentials for sighting followed by payment of relevant fees and to enrolment as the final stage. The exercise was faulty because none of them could be carried out without being physically present on campus. I took some of the officials up on why it was not deferred till the students resume when accommodation for them could have been secured. The answers were not encouraging: UNILAG authorities did not want to admit students with deficient results; besides, it was a way of teaching them to stand on their own. What a hard way! The policy of the institution provides for admission of qualified candidate with a minimum age of 16 years old. At such a juvenile age, Nigerian law does not allow that they be accommodated in a hotel as a guest. They were not even entitled to travel by air unaccompanied. UNILAG however wanted them to come for the exercise without their parents. A pertinent question one may ask is, is the school meant for only people within Lagos State? As my son went to some of the designated centres for the screening, I observed some hostility in the eyes of the officials. Before you blink your eyes, he was requested to present a document which he had to go back to internet to produce; before he returned they had decided to call it a day. This is the plight of almost all of them. No amount of pleading would make such student not to come back the following day for the same thing which he was not sure would be accepted. The policy was not friendly. Such exercise should consider the interest of those who are not resident in Lagos and who probably have no relations in the city. At best it should be carried out only at the resumption of the students. If online screening should precede the physical aspect it should be all-embracing and adequate until the students resume. The institution may also wish to consider approving overtime allowances for all staff who would be engaged in the exercise during screening. It looks absurd and intimidating that after a child had stood on queue for a long time, he is greeted with stern directive of come tomorrow. And these would be from officials who would not start the day’s work until 11 am. University of Lagos should please refrain from stressing fresh students with harsh policy in future.

•Andrew Adedoyin, Lagos. TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

•Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •General Manager (Abuja Press) Kehinde Olowu •AGM (PH Press) Tunde Olasogba

•IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness •Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) •Press Manager Yomi Odunuga Udensi Chikaodi •Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu •Legal Counsel John Unachukwu •Group Business Editor Simeon Ebulu • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye •Group Sports Editor Ade Ojeikere •Acting Manager (sales) •Editorial Page Editor Olaribigbe Bello Sanya Oni

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

CARTOON & LETTERS

I write in response to an article by Oguntugbiyele Lanre published in The Nation November 27. The article in question is a rejoinder to an ealier one writen by Dr Paul John published in in the October 24 edition of The Nation. The writer made some wrong assertions which needs clarification. He stated that Joint Health Sector Union(JOHESU) was not formed to fight doctors! He may be right, but when a witch cries at night and the baby dies before morning, reasonable people will not struggle to draw conclusions. Since JOHESU was formed, our health sector and doctors have known no peace. Decree 10 of 1985 now referred to as CAP 463 (The University Teaching Hospitals Act) states clearly that the chief medical director must be medically qualified, have postgraduate qualification duly registered with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, have been a consultant for at least five years, be of proven good character. Management qualification is an added advantage.

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

Still on the unending crisis in the health sector JOHESU seems to pick the part that courts controversy leaving the part that elaborates and throws more light to who a medically qualified person is. We have our learned brothers at the Industrial Court to help interpret this. He stated that medicine is made up of multiplicity of professional groups, which is right, but he brought in JOHESU antiques, which is mixing a little truth with plenty of lies intended to confuse and deceive the uninitiated. The world of Health is a bigger umbrella, different from the Medical world. The medical world/field is made up of Neurosurgeons, Cardiac

Surgeons, Cardiologists, Neurologists, Pathologists, Psychiatrists etc. They all have MBBS in common, this makes them medically qualified. Nursing, Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Sciences etc are all branches of Healthcare System just like medicine and have their individual disciplines ie they have their own multi-disciplines just as medicine and surgery has its own disciplines within it (Cardiology, Pathology etc). Law is not unitary as he mentioned, but has its disciplines/ specialties like Contract, Property, Trust, Tort and Constitutional law. So, just as a paralegal cannot be made Chief

many Nigerians. To understand the uneasy place of patriotism in the country requires going back to 1914 when the Southern and Northern protectorates were merged to form a single country by the British without the agreement of the more than 300 disperse tribal groups, particularly the three major tribes of Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. It is the main reason Nigeria is still struggling to find its footing. Despite the lack of support from the other parts of Nigeria, civilians residing in the warring communities in the North have come together under the banner of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to repel attacks from the Boko Haram. Many youths have decided to join the Task Force to avenge the deaths of their family members at the hands of Boko Haram. Despite its sparse resources, the CJTF appears to have become a formidable group to supplement the labour of the Nigerian military. Its members are armed with bows, machetes, clubs and homemade rifles. They maintain

checkpoints, search pedestrians, vehicles and residences, and provide intelligence to the Nigerian military. In a joint operation with hunters, and a show of gallantry, they retook the commercial hub of Mubi in southern Borno State from Boko Haram. Violence in north-eastern Nigeria no longer fits the overly simplistic early narrative of Muslims killing Christians or themselves. Muslims have suffered from the insurgency also. An all-volunteer military force can unite Nigerians living or residing in any part of Nigeria against Boko Haram. The Nigerian military need to seize this opportunity and establish a reserve force to respond to this urgent situation in the North. Some Nigerians want to assist but they do not know how. The proposed Nigerian Military Reserve Force can supplement the efforts of the military and police. If there is ever a time in the history of Nigeria that the Nigerian people need to come together, it is now. •Roy Chikwem, Kano, Nigeria.

Curbing Boko Haram’s aggression

IR: More than 6,000 civilians have been killed by the armed Boko Haram terrorist group since July 2009. Their increasingly sophisticated attacks have graduated from soft targets to suicide bombings and progressed to an all-out war with the Nigerian military. Since May, Boko Haram has been in control of swathes of territories in and around Borno State. The attack on Gwoza signalled a game-changer in strategy for the insurgents as they also captured territories in Borno as well as in Adamawa and Yobe states. They had attempted to attack the Cameroon border areas, but were successfully repelled by the Cameroonian military. It is estimated that Nigeria now has the world’s highest number of terrorist-related killings in the past year. Most gloomily, Nigerians have failed to unite against this common enemy. Their lack of support for the military in its campaign against the terrorists has resulted in the military’s low morale. Patriotism has never been a strong attribute of

Judge or Attorney General, a paramedical Personnel cannot head a hospital or the health sector. On the issue of consultants, doctors do not have a problem with whoever government decides to employ as consultants. All they say is, the process must be right and their services must be needed. You do not become a consultant by years of service or by parttime training or updates or exams alone. Secondly, consultants are employed because of the training domiciled in our tertiary hospitals, to teach these upcoming specialists. For now, our hospitals train only doctors at post graduate level. Till hospital training of others is commenced, I don’t see any need for consultants in those fields.

I agree that justice is a panacea for peace, that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. I however refer him to Browns definition of injustice where he said that injustice is treating unequals equally. No matter how you look at it, the doctor cannot be equal with other health workers, and should not be equal with other health workers, and should not be treated as such. On another note, if NMA seeks increment in the retirement age of its members or an increase in hazard allowance, does it translate to or stop JOHESU from seeking what is due to them? Doctors may remind the governmentt of relativity, that does not mean they should not go ahead with whatever agreement others have reached with them. I’m very sure if the government announces that its setting ups committee to look into the privatisation of some services in the hospital, the strike will end the next minute. After all, resident doctors were sacked for going on strike. I urge the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to hold a press conference to at least address the lies and put things in proper perspective.

• Dr Eleazu, Franklin Scurty, Calabar

Nigerians and S/Africa’s gun violence

IR: South Africa has become the Mecca and the place of refuge for Nigerian economic migrants. But, daily, we are regaled with tales of how some Nigerians were killed in gun fight in South-Africa, the rain-bow nation. Those killed were alleged to be involved in illicit and illegal drug trafficking. Like America, South Africa has a gun culture that permits people to own guns. So, some people in these countries do use their mercanhdise of death to dispatch their friends and relatives to the great beyond when they’re emotionally troubled. And, armed robbers, terrorists, and kidnappers carry out their operations with guns, too. Lucky Dube, the great cultural ambassador of South Africa, was shot dead in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, South Africa, as he dropped off his daughter and son. Reeva Steenkamp, the beautiful model and lawyer, was another victim of the reprehensible gun violence in South Africa. Oscar Pistorious, the paralympian champion, who overcame

physical disabilities, to achieve global fame shot and killed Ms SteenKamp, on Valentine’s Day in 2013. He was convicted of culpable homicide by Judge Thokozile Masipa. Again, Senzo Meyiwa, the South African football captain, was killed while staying in his girlfriend’s house. The killing of Meyiwa sparked off outrage in South Africa. Zanokhule Mbatha, who was suspected of killing him, was arrested after a nation-wide manhunt. The government of South Africa should enact laws to curtail the possession of guns by its citizens. And, those that violate the country’s gun laws should be punished by the existing gun laws in the country. Nigerians who are living in that country should abide by the laws governing South Africa. They should desist from engaging in criminal activities, which can attract unpalatable repercussions to them. •Chiedu Uche Okoye, Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

COMMENTS way He has done. I know we do not deserve it, but when God says yes, who can say no? We give Him all the glory.”

HEN it comes to celebrating the country’s First Family, every angle deserves to be explored, to go by the creative sycophancy of the Ethical Leadership Academy, which has dreamt up an award for Mrs. Ayi Eunice Afeni Jonathan, mother of President Goodluck Jonathan. This is no laughing matter, considering that the award for excellent motherhood is reportedly designed to “promote transparent family values that inspire honesty, truth, justice, discipline, unity, better understanding, reconciliation, equal opportunities and respect for others.” If words have meanings, and indeed they do, it may be difficult, if not impossible, for objective observers to associate the string of positives with President Jonathan, meaning that in the eyes of the dispassionate public he reasonably cannot be said to stand for honesty, truth, discipline, unity, better understanding, reconciliation, equal opportunities and respect for others. But it would appear that the Ethical Leadership Academy is driven by a peculiar understanding of ethics, which may paradoxically prove enlightening for its lack of insight. According to a statement by the academy’s Executive Director/CEO, Dr. Chijioke Nwandikom, the maiden award will be given to Jonathan’s mother to “celebrate the joys of motherhood and give God glory that you are alive to witness the transformation of the child you delivered like a Hebrew woman, rise to become the president of Nigeria.” In case anyone missed the significance of the president’s birth for the country, the academy, with a tinge of regret, noted that little “is known of MAMA who has bestowed on Nigeria a gift of a great leader who has within a phenomenally short period transformed the political and socioeconomic landscape of Nigeria, a virtuous woman who has become an inspiration to generations and worthy of being celebrated.” It is against this backdrop, Dr. Nwandikom said, that “Mrs. Ayi Eunice Afeni Jonathan will be conferred with the title of MAMA GOODLUCK NIGERIA for giving Nigeria the gift of GOODLUCK as our amiable and transformational president and national leader.”

‘The dubious idea that Mama Jonathan represents model motherhood, and the shaky projection that President Jonathan has been a success in office, and stands for exemplary leadership, are perhaps predictable as the 2015 elections approach and desperation reigns supreme; however, the baseless communication cannot translate into acceptance’

N my way from the Abuja International Airport sometime last year, I saw a small billboard with the photograph of Sam Nda-Isaiah with a simple message: It’s time for the Big Ideas. Sam is the founder of the Leadership group of newspapers published in Abuja. I have been fascinated by his successful replication of the success story of the Daily Trust group. He and Kabiru Yusuf, chairman of the latter group, gave a lie to the hollow view that the soil of northern Nigeria was unhealthy for the survival of the print media industry. Other publishing entrepreneurs have similarly replicated their success stories. The Peoples Daily and Blueprint newspapers have done so. And thanks to them, Abuja is now home to a host of less known weekly and monthly newspapers and magazines. His billboard was not about newspapering. It was about his political ambition. To be sure, Sam is not the first well-heeled journalist in the country to root for the presidency. Dele Momodu, publisher of the society magazine, Ovation, beat him to it. Still, it came as no small surprise to many, including yours sincerely, that Sam had set his sights on Aso Rock, determined to send the incumbent to his village. The terse message on the billboard introduced a welcome dimension to our dull and uninspiring game of politics in which the contents of one’s pocket trump the contents of one’s brain and heart. Perhaps, not many people at first took him seriously. Perhaps, some believed he was trying to be noticed. The number one political position in the country is traditionally seen as the exclusive preserve of the big men – rich and well connected; men who had gone through the drill as actors at various levels of our national politics. His party, APC, is full of such towering aspirants – Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, former head of state and by Sam’s admission, his “role model and political boss,” Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president and one of the smoothest political operators in the country, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso, governor of Kano State and Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo State. Would Sam stand a chance against these towering figures, all of whom are practised hands in the election business? The prospects are truly frightening. It takes raw courage and a dollop of a sense of personal destiny for a young man such as he to take on his ‘masters.’ These men all turned up at Sam’s formal declaration in Minna, the capital of his home state, Niger, last month. They were not there to humour him. My take is that they were there to demonstrate a sense of political accommodation. If they wanted to show that in APC there is room for the young and the old as well as the rich and the not so rich, then they got it right. I find that refreshing in a country in which the stifling of political ambitions is the norm characterized by the Tony Anenih doctrine: there is no vacancy.

Mama Goodluck Nigeria Mama Goodluck Nigeria is expected to take this grandiose title on December 20 when the academy will also launch the Mama Eunice Afeni Foundation for Excellent Motherhood. All things being equal, it should be expected that Mama would grace the occasion with her presence, most likely calculated to boost the apparent publicity stunt for her son. In addition, it may not be unrealistic to expect President Jonathan and First Lady Patience Jonathan to attend the event as well, considering that it has the quality of an image-building exercise, or perhaps more specifically, an image-redeeming project, with both of them as the indirect focus. Certainly, it does not require any special gift of discernment to recognise that the award is a not-so-subtle effort to sell President Jonathan in connection with next year’s general elections and to promote his re-election ambition. It may well be that the organisers of this unique event would miss Pa Lawrence Ebele Jonathan, President Jonathan’s father who died in Aso Clinic, Abuja , in 2007 at the age of 81, while his son was still Vice President. If he were alive, it is possible that he also might have been factored into the ceremony by the academy. However, those he left behind would probably spare a thought for him on the important day. Interestingly, according to the awardee’s profile: “Madam Eunice Ayi Jonathan swept the Anglican Church in Otuoke every day for 30 years from when she became a Christian in 1976. She recounts that when she saw young people singing hymns from the hymnal she would say, ‘All I wanted was for them (my children) not to be illiterate like me, for them to be able to sing Christian songs from the hymn books as well as read the Bible for me.’ ‘God in his infinite mercy saw my sincere desire and decided to bless our family the

Mama’s words are not only thought-provoking; they have a disturbing ring. By appealing to divine intervention, she suggests that her son’s ascendancy is beyond human intervention, which may have the implication that she probably believes President Jonathan’s re-election cannot and will not be humanly decided. While she may be entitled to her faith and her understanding of divine operation, her perspective is not to be encouraged in a democratic context. Indeed, it ought to be emphasised that people power should determine the people in power, and not divine benevolence as suggested by Mama Jonathan. It may be a good sign that she said her family did not merit the unbelievable height; and, hopefully, she should appreciate the reverse saying when God says no, who can say yes? The dubious idea that Mama Jonathan represents model motherhood, and the shaky projection that President Jonathan has been a success in office, and stands for exemplary leadership, are perhaps predictable as the 2015 elections approach and desperation reigns supreme; however, the baseless communication cannot translate into acceptance. It is relevant to recall that Mama Jonathan made news in August last year when she donated two multi-million naira buildings of 20 flats to Federal University Otuoke (FUO) in President Jonathan’s hometown in Bayelsa State. Of course, President Jonathan was present at the event. Of course, no questions were asked, and no answers were provided, concerning Mama’s resources. There was no need for questions because the answers were clear enough. It was, without question, another unconscionable instance of dishonesty and untruthfulness, which are euphemistic in this case, and opposites of two of the qualities Mama Jonathan’s award seeks to promote. As President Jonathan’s mother becomes Mama Goodluck Nigeria, it is reminiscent of the dramatic move by First Lady Patience Jonathan who last year renamed herself Mama Peace. Mrs. Jonathan announced her new name to a probably bemused audience at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The occasion was the December 13 launch of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme Maternal and Child Health (SURE –P MCH) known as MAMA Project. She said: “My name is no more Patience but now Mama Peace because I believe that without peace, there will be no more women, no more children and no more health sector. Without peace, the international community will be afraid to come and invest in our country.” It is one year since this theatrical name-change, but where is peace? Similarly, concerning Mama Goodluck Nigeria, the question is: Will this title be less senseless one year from now?

Sam Nda-Isaiah’s Big Ideas By Dan Agbese I do not know what Sam’s chances of becoming the presidential candidate of his party are but his presidential ambition throws up some potentially interesting developments in our national politics. It could draw the line in the sand between yesterday’s men and today’s men. It could serve notice that there comes a time in the life of all nations when the old order dies and gives way to the new. It could signal the beginning of politics of personal conviction not subject to the whims and the caprices of the obnoxious political godfathers. Politics is not averse to tectonic generational shifts. I place some weight on his formal declaration and the presence of the high and the high to hear him out. As we say in Agila, if a boy washes his hands well, he can dine with his elders. I have read and re-read his declaration speech several times. I am impressed by the depth of his understanding of what our country is up against in every aspect of our national life. He is nostalgic about the past but does not necessarily romanticize it. He said: “I have seen Nigeria when our country’s schools and universities were among the best in the world and foreigners from all over the world trooped into this country to acquire world-class education.” It is all in the game of politics that Sam holds the PDP and its central government responsible for the comprehensive decay in our national life. Fact is, the rot began as a gradual process and reached its present nauseous level because we prefer to live the lie. I find Sam’s emphasis on the big ideas intriguing. He said: “I come to you waving the scroll of BIG IDEAS – big and bold ideas that will move our beleaguered country into the league of First World nations.” I like his self-deprecating humour. Does he have enough experience to be president? He said: “I find my lack of experience in government strength… because I have not been part of the rot of the past.” And his dig at Jonathan? “..you cannot have more experience than President Jonathan. He has been a deputy governor, a governor, a vice-president, and an acting president before becoming president and see what this huge experience has done to our dear country.” No one seems to talk about it but the major missing link in our national development is that ideas no longer count in our country. We have a nation of all-knowing men at all levels of government. Their monopoly of political wisdom robs our nation of an important ingredient in nation building: ideas as stimulators of

meaningful public discourse. We are all marginalized. In politics, ideas are about dreams for one’s country. And big ideas are about big dreams for one’s country. Public discourse helps in refining and implementing ideas critical to national development. Not all ideas, no matter how big, are necessarily worth anything. Some big ideas are dumb and foolish. The idea to have a federal university in every state was a politically correct big idea; in truth, it was a foolish idea. The idea to remedy the mass failure in the WAEC by limiting the children to the five subjects they need to enter the university was a big idea in response to the embarrassing failure rate every year but it was a patently dumb idea. A big idea is a sensible approach to a messy problem. As important as they are, big ideas will work no magic in freeing our country from its arrested development and set it back on a course to recover its lost glory. But ideas, the size Sam is talking about, are important sources of national discourse in the true sense of participatory democracy. Big ideas will smother petty ideas rooted in ethnic and sectional political, economic and other interests. Our country has for long been a victim of smallmindedness. Ideas, big or small, do not thrive in such an environment. Does anyone notice that there is so little talk about the Nigerian nation and so much talk about the political rights of our ethnic groups? This is the consequence of the absence of ideas and dreams for our country and its people. I am a sucker for ideas because they are products of deep and reflective thoughts. I am all for those who think we deserve much more than the somnolent routine into which our national politics has sunk. I welcome Sam’s decision to preach the virtues of big ideas and hope that when all this is done, our nation will find it increasingly hard to regress into the politics of empty promises, devoid of deep and reflective thoughts. Goodluck, Sam.

‘Big ideas will work no magic in freeing our country from its arrested development and set it back on a course to recover its lost glory. But ideas, the size Sam is talking about, are important sources of national discourse in the true sense of participatory democracy’

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

COMMENTS

HE role of the United States of America (US) in the war against Boko Haram insurgency came under serious scrutiny last week. At least, two well respected Nigerians came out publicly to deprecate the attitude of that country to the raging insurgency that has left thousands killed and maimed while property of inestimable value destroyed. First to take on the US was Gen. Yakubu Gowon Rtd, a former head of state and one of the few of such leaders whose views are taken very seriously by many. Gowon had criticized the US for refusing to sell arms to Nigeria to fight the insurgents. For him, if the US was a truly diplomatic friend of Nigeria, it should do everything to keep its corporate existence by aiding it fight any aggression from any quarters. He recalled the US did the same thing during the Nigerian civil war by refusing to sell fighter jets to the country even as they were shipping fighter jets and loads of ammunition to Zaire. “What sort of friends are they”, he queried. Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka added weight to Gowon’s position when he called on the same government to stop giving baseless and flimsy excuses for its refusal to sell ammunition to Nigeria to prosecute the war. He asked the US to stop ridiculing and laughing at this country through its current posturing on the war against the insurgents. Gowon and Soyinka’s intervention has raised the stakes on the inexplicable role of the US since the war on terrorism commenced in this country. Besides, it has elevated to the vortex of public opinion the inherent contradictions in some of the reasons that have before now, been adduced to justify the vague behavior of that country to Nigeria’s current predicament. Hiding under the spurious allegation of human rights abuses by soldiers, the US had sought to justify its refusal and obstruction of Nigeria’s attempt to acquire Cobra helicopters and ammunition to successfully prosecute the escalating war. Not unexpectedly, the schism within the political class on the motive and direction of the insurgency has allowed some of these curious excuses to fester. Those who want to take advantage of the war to further their political ambition have taken turns to hype the perceived excesses of the military on human rights. Curiously, a willing US government quickly bought into that idea and had since posed an obstacle to Nigeria’s at-

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Gowon, Soyinka and US tempt to acquire weapons to tame the monster. It is good a thing respected citizens are now coming to terms with the inherent contradictions in the US reasoning. Not long ago, the US ambassador to Nigeria James Entwistle amplified his country’s position on the issue when he said they would only sell or give out arms when they are sure of the purpose for which it would be used. “Before we share equipment with any country, we look at a couple of things. Does it make sense in term of the country’s needs? The second thing we look at is the country’s human rights situation. As you all know, there have been instances, I’m not saying across the board of human rights abuses by the Nigerian military in the north-east” the ambassador said. It can be deduced from the above that US does not see any need for Nigeria to acquire these weapons despite the admission of Entwistle in the same interview that Boko Haram has gone beyond being a small insurgent group with a couple of guns to a very effective collection of conventional force. Yet, the same government is of the view that Nigeria has no need for the ammunition it seeks to buy. Nothing can be more contradictory than this. Soyinka captured this contradiction very succinctly when he argued that what the country asked for are little weapons to destroy the enemy; weapons for self defense since we have found ourselves in a situation of destroy the enemy or have ourselves destroyed. He could not fathom how such weapons of self defense can be denied in the face of a heartless and murderous marauding enemy.

S if he was referring to the pretext of the multiple judgment dilemma which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) raised in refusing to honour the Chris Okotie-led Fresh Democratic Party’s verdict, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, subsequent to his confirmation by the Senate as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, said; “… the personal interest of judges and lawyers in certain political cases had been behind the incidences of conflicting judgments… these conflicting judgments are mostly common in political cases involving election tribunals where there are a lot of interests…” It will be recalled that FRESH proceeded to Justice G. O. Kolawole’s Federal High Court 5, Abuja Division, where it secured a victory in July 2013. FRESH, which upturned its de-registration, has strenuously claimed that INEC was deliberately frustrating its incursion into mainstream politicking. The catalogue of events since the December 2012 de-registration shows this to be true. INEC filed a notice of appeal but failed to perfect the process at the Appeal Court within the stipulated 90 days. But in response to FRESH’s sustained calls on the commission to make good the verdict, it instructed the party to re-register. There was then hurried re-amendment of Section 78 (7) (ii) of the Electoral Act by the National Assembly, which stipulates that political parties must win seats during state and National Assembly elections, to include councillorship elections, though this section of the Act has been set aside by the FRESH ruling. But after months of silence and subsequent re-filing of another notice of appeal in July 2013, nine months clear of the 90 days window, INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega, declared unequivocally that the law is the law and until it is changed, the commission will maintain status quo. Invariably, FRESH should not expect to see its name on the ballot papers come 2015, irrespective of the ruling. Now, Hope Democratic Party (HDP) has also secured another verdict akin to FRESH’s at Justice Ademola Adeniyi’s Federal High Court, Abuja, who referred to FRESH’s verdict and

‘In today’s highly evolved and networked world, a robust political and governmental structure is vital in every nation, one that is reliable, providing innovative solutions to challenges, not one that bamboozles the polity by the amount of noise which government’s peddle through their media machinery’

There is much to indicate the US is not coming clean on this issue. Neither is their argument plausible. They recognize the war has assumed a dangerous dimension in the face of the sophistication of the insurgents in weaponry resulting in heavy casualties on the part of our soldiers. They are also not unaware of the murderous escapades of the insurgents: a litany of abductions, the sacking and burning down of communities and their celebrated scant regard for the sanctity of human life. Why the US chose to look the other way in the face of these human right abuses by the insurgents has remained largely cloudy. Not long ago, the world was rattled by the abduction of over 200 school girls in Chibok in very inexplicable circumstances. Since then, we have been inundated with varying chilling accounts of the mindless abuses the girls have been subjected to in captivity by the insurgents. In the same very suspicious manner, the concerns of the international community have been more on the inability of the government to rescue the girls. Not much attention is being paid to the criminals that have been holding and abusing the poor girls. Despite the offer of assistance by the international community including the US for the quick release of the girls, nothing has so far come out of that engagement. Such has been the insincerity and deceit that had surrounded the war against the sect that one begins to wonder if some people are not set to achieve set goals through it. It did not come as a surprise when Nigeria cancelled the scheduled training of its soldiers by the US on account of that country’s refusal to share their equipment for the exer-

cise. What these series of events in respect of the US activities in this war underscore is that Nigerians are getting more suspicious of her real intentions in this fight against the insurgents. This suspicion is further amplified by earlier predictions from the same country that Nigeria is likely to self- destruct by 2015. As that year fast approaches, no body is sure events are not being activated from so many corners to bring about the doomsday. Though issues of human rights cannot be discounted, we find US position in the instant case tenuous because the insurgents have worst records of human rights abuses. Even if we succeed freeing the Chibok girls without terminating the war, chances are that the insurgents will abduct more sets of girls given the very way the previous one was hyped. Events have since proved this right. So it is a huge contradiction to disallow Nigeria the acquisition of the needed armament to tame the insurgency and at the same time, expect the war will be over. It will rather escalate and degenerate. Our people stand the risk of being consumed. No leader worth his onions will stand by and watch that happen. The nation must do all within its powers to defend itself in the face of the onslaught of the Boko Haram insurgents? Why the US is applying double standards in its perception and treatment of the evils of religious extremism as propagated by the sect is best known to them? It is puzzling that the same US that spent years and huge resources in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban; the same US that is currently fighting unsolicited wars in Syria and Iraq against ISIS is singing a different tune in the fight against Boko Haram. This ambivalence cannot be for nothing given that Boko Haram and ISIS are two sides of the same coin.

‘It is puzzling that the same US that spent years and huge resources in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban; the same US that is currently fighting unsolicited wars in Syria and Iraq against ISIS is singing a different tune in the fight against Boko Haram’

Parties deregistration, threat to 2015 elections By Opone Godswill questioned why the agency had not complied with it. INEC is out of touch with voter sentiments, and in making such a statement must expect a riposte, especially while touting a misleading notice of appeal which is now gathering dust, since they don’t regard the judiciary’s right of interpretation or even the verdict as worthy of the paper it was written on. The electoral agency is acting like an autocratic boss who doesn’t care about contradictions. INEC is 30 years behind the world’s current affairs, as a bird’s eye view of global politics shows that the paradigm of elective political participation has changed, and cunning play of political hands is obsolete. Political representation is not a question of winning over ideology, but that the dismal state of leading parties’ style of politicking and crony governance, a staple of Nigerian politics, needs to be put under with an integrity-focused and vibrant opposition. If there is a sector of Nigeria which needs a boom in un-curtailed representation, it is freedom of participatory politics. The prejudice of thinking that the new parties are not proper political organisms because they are not run by the old breed politicians is unfounded: INEC must be neutral, and not put the nascent parties under pressure to perform in a lopsided race. The internal manipulations and bureaucratic certification imposed by stalwarts of the ruling class is at the root of the emergence of smaller parties, and it can so easily asphyxiate the emphasis on innovation which the nation needs now. The yearning for a truly deregulated political space is being stymied by the daunting obstacle of animosity evidenced by INEC and the increased regulation by the Senate’s latest re-amendment of the voided electoral act. FRESH should be allowed to pursue its mandate without the fanged oversight of INEC. When it is asked to surrender itself to an abstract process which has consistently proven faulty, then it is stifled. The last few years has been filled with incredible upheavals inflicted by PDP’s super-stratum of politicians who have been moldering in politics with an inflated opinion of their own relevance and abilities. The irony of this cabal’s selfexultation is that the nation has been stuck in the doldrums, so growth is bound to stagnate and slow down to a halt,

especially with unforeseen circumstance like the fall in global oil prices; Nigeria’s economic mainstay. To parry the threat posed by FRESH, the leading party, which is not on the side of the masses, faces humiliation at the hands of this nationalist rival they once dismissed as non-starters and closet politicians. Okotie’s paradigm shift is all about challenging the statusquo and putting things in a different and more productive light with a global mindset. His party’s strategic perception means it is alert to the need for change, creative about how to accomplish that change, and alive to the strengths and weaknesses which may influence, enhance or frustrate the right atmosphere to accomplish that change, like INEC is engendering. In today’s highly evolved and networked world, a robust political and governmental structure is vital in every nation, one that is reliable, providing innovative solutions to challenges, not one that bamboozles the polity by the amount of noise which government’s peddle through their media machinery. But they cannot dispose of the fact that the populace consults with each other about current issues, rather than depend on the rehearsed media façade of spin doctors. But to put deception lower down the pecking order, Nigerians need to take a stand. We can’t continue to be fobbed off with generic excuses- we must begin to assert our rights. So 2015 presents another chance to address arguably the two largest issues facing Nigeria: corruption and transparency, by voting out the ruling cabal, whose philosophy is best expressed as ‘to the greater glory of us’ (Ad Manus Gloriam). The present rumblings in the political atmosphere are indicative of the need for change, and CJN, Justice Mohammed must save the judiciary from this political attrition by politicians, by making cases like this FRESH/ HDP tango a matter of urgency. Days after INEC’s lifting on the ban on campaigns, and the continued denial of these two parties the right to participate, despite an extant verdict, the possibility of a legal recourse already flies a red flag and jeopardizes the conduct and outcome of 2015 general elections. Now is the time for the CJN to alter the course of INEC’s highhandedness. • Godswill wrote from Delta State

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Sovereign Wealth Funds are managed conservatively. They don’t borrow money the way banks do, so you can’t compare this business to banking business. This business does not expose itself to that kind of risk. It is not the same thing as private equity •Managing Director/CEO, NSI A, Uche Orji

CEO

JOBS

Shell Live Wire Nigeria: Empowering youths - P. 35

‘Nigeria needs fiscal transformation’ - P. 37

News Briefing

‘Repeal Land Use Act, create land banks’

Falling oil prices WITH the falling oil prices, insecurity and focus on politics, the inflation rate is expected to rise above 10 per cent any moment. –Page 26

By Daniel Essiet

Data revolution THE Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Eugene Juwah, said Nigeria’s second revolution is in data, adding that it will have decisive effect on the banking sector as it will eliminate the expensive branch networks. –Page 26

‘Pay Somali pirates damages’ THE European Court of Human Rights says France violated the rights of Somali pirates who had attacked French ships and has ordered compensation for them over judicial delays. –Page 27

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil Cocoa

-$117.4/barrel -$2,686.35/metric ton

Coffee

- ¢132.70/pound

Cotton

- ¢95.17pound

Gold

-$1,396.9/troy

Sugar

-$163/lb RATES

Inflation

-8.2%

Treasury Bills-10.58%(91d) Maximum lending -30% Prime lending

-15.87%

Savings rate

-3%

91-day NTB

-15%

Time Deposit

-5.49%

MPR

-12%

Foreign Reserve

$39.6b

FOREX CFA

-0.2958

EUR

-206.9

-242.1

-156

-1.9179

SDR

-238

RIYAL

-40.472

• From left: Team Lead, Sponsorship and Events of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Mr. Matthew Obiazikwor; Retail Cluster Head, Ikeja, Mrs. Bukky Akintade; Corporate Affairs/Media Relations Officer, Mr. Rafiu Mohammed; the Branch Manager, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Mrs. Adedayo Sobajo and Head, Operations of Kinetic Sport Limited, Mr. John Adamu, at the Road Show organised by FCMB and Kinetic Sport on the COPA Lagos Beach Soccer Tournament at Ikeja, Lagos.

UN seeks urgent action to avert T economic collapse HE Vice President, In ternational Organisa tion for Economic Development (IOED), a specialised agency of the United Nations Organisation (UNO), Dr. Fatimah Aji, has said the economy is standing on the edge of a precipice, warning that only a more in-depth analysis of the macroeconomy could save it from collapse. In an email conversation with The Nation, the UN chief said though, in the wake of the slide in oil prices and the devaluation of the national currency, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had made some policy revisions, some of which are quite sound, a “more in-depth analysis of the macro-economy ought to have been done”. She said one of the viable solutions that would make the economy come out of the woods with immediate effect is to pump gold into the economy or bring in historical bonds. She said: “I am

By Chikodi Okereocha

confident that injecting about $500 billion worth of historical bonds or Treasury Reserve Notes (TRN) into our economy will bring us out of the woods and we will even march on to recovery,” she said. The IOED chief recalled that when she said warned that the United States dollar was on the brink of collapse, it was not intended to villify the Americans, stressing that the Americans are always proactive and took measures to aid the economy. She regretted that unlike America, instead of coming together to tackle the threat militating against the economy, Nigerians “are rather concerned and distracted with primordial politics.” She stressed that although,

she and others involved in international diplomacy are governed by the Vienna Convention, which forbids, among other reasons from engaging in politics and religion. She, however, said when matters that concern one’s country come into the fore, then the patriotic zeal dictates that one contributes and proffers solutions from one’s vantage and privileged position. Aji said it is ironical that Nigeria does not appreciate her own human capital well enough. She said: “Some of us have contributed well to the resounding feats some of the advanced economies are witnessing. It is therefore, appropriate that we be allowed to make our own contributions to help our economy. We therefore, need to strengthen the naira. The time has come for us to

decide what level we will not allow the naira to go below. “Most times, such decisions are taken to ensure that political and sovereign considerations remain supreme. We cannot afford to make such decisions on the spur of the moment. It is rather better that we err on the path of caution than rush to make comments and policy decisions.” According to her, the economy is standing on a precipice, adding: “We have to be very careful so that it does not somersault and crash into pieces and that is why my quiet and introvert person is coming out to give words of advice on how to make injection into the economy so that the tides against us will be immediately reversed. Nigeria is greater than all of us and this is time to bury our differences and make sure that we rise to the occasion and become a force to be reckoned with globally.”

Plunging oil prices threaten $150b oil, gas projects

LOBAL oil and gas ex ploration projects valued at more than $150 billion are likely to be put on hold next year as plunging oil prices render them uneconomic, potentially curbing supplies by the end of the decade. As big oil fields that were discovered decades ago begin to deplete, oil companies are trying to access more complex and hard to reach fields located in some cases deep under sea level. But at

the same time, the cost of production has risen sharply given the rising cost of raw materials and the need for expensive new technology to reach the oil. Now the outlook for onshore and offshore developments —from the Barents Sea to the Gulf or Mexico— looks as uncertain as the price of oil, which has plunged by 40 per cent in the last five months to around $70 a barrel. Next year companies will

make final investment decisions (FIDs) on a total of 800 oil and gas projects worth $500 billion and totalling nearly 60 billion barrels of oil equivalent, according to data from Norwegian consultancy Rystad Energy. But with analysts forecasting oil to average $82.50 a barrel next year, around one third of the spending, or a fifth of the volume, is unlikely to be approved, head of analysis at Rystad Energy Per Magnus Nysveen said.

“At $70 a barrel, half of the overall volumes are at risk,” he said. Around one third of the projects scheduled for FID next year are so-called unconventional, where oil and gas are extracted using horizontal drilling, in what is known as fracking, or mining. Of those 20 billion barrels, around half are located in Canada’s oil sands and Venezuela’s tar sands, according to Nysveen.

N international Con sultant, Dr. David Atte, has said the establishment of land banks will boost farming. Land bank is a development finance institution which mandate is to support, promote and facilitate the development and transformation of the agricultural sector. According to him, the availability of investible agricultural land — whether by location, tenure security, land rights, ownership, infrastructure or size — is critical to transforming agriculture from low productivity subsistence-based to high productivity mechanised modern agriculture. For this, he noted that the creation of land banks to facilitate the acquisition of land for commercial agricultural investment is important since the objective is to improve the overall enabling environment for inclusive commercial investment in agriculture. For this to succeed however, Atte said the Land Use Act would have to go. This is because land ownership is a thorny issue with agricultural land in the hands of the government. He said farmers still grapple with the challenge of landlessness and inequality of land ownership, adding that there are lots of useable uncultivated fertile land. He said repealing the Land Use Act and scaling up land registration would improve agriculture. He added that the government would also need to strengthen the system to handle the proposed land banks, since it possesses the legal mandate for custody of deeds records, registers, accounts and others. As modernising agriculture remains the overarching theme of the country’s agriculture policy as well as the new private sector development strategy, he aligned with the objective of improving the investment climate for agribusiness and developing inclusive private-public partnership. According to him, the land bank has an important role to play in helping to grow the number of sustainable emerging farmers who are entering the commercial space, while continuing to support commercial farmers, thereby ensuring they remain competitive.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

BUSINESS NEWS Practitioners fault aviation’s exclusion from RDAS

HE Chairman of the Skyjet Aviation Serv ices Limited, Alhaji Kashim Bukar Shettima, has faulted the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to exclude the aviation sector from the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS). He said the decision by the apex bank to exclude airlines from the retail RDAS was not well-thought out, arguing that such decision could affect all variables in the domestic air transport sector. He said exposing domestic carriers to sourcing their foreign exchange from the interbank arrangement is unhealthy for business survival. Shettima said: “I think the Central Bank needs to review this new policy because aviation is dollar based. “There is nothing about aviation we manufacture here in Nigeria; we do not make airplanes. We do not even make aircraft tyres here. “Our insurance underwriters are 70 per cent foreign. If you have any problem, you will need to fly abroad. No facility can do aircraft maintenance repairs which we call C or D checks here. You have to go abroad. We cannot even repair corrosion of the aircraft here. “If we do not do these little maintenance maintenance, there will be problems eventually that will affect people and business. If we cannot get our money from CBN, we have to go to interbank which is like black market. It is a big problem for us and government needs to look at this issue; therefore, the CBN

• Chidoka By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

should not exclude aviation in RDAS. “ Another operator, who pleaded not be named, said the decision by the apex bank will have adverse effects on airline operations. The operator said most purchases for aircraft spare parts are sourced abroad and paid for in foreign currency, adding that denying airlines access to foreign exchange from the CBN at the official rate will increase the operating costs as going to the interbank would make airlines spend more money. The Minister of Aviation, Mr. Osita Chidoka, said discussions were ongoing with the CBN to review the exclusion. He said the Ministry was on the verge of extracting commitment from the apex bank to assist airlines by accommodating them in the window offered by the retail RDAS, adding that allowing airlines to utilise the interbank window will reduce pressure in the finances of airlines.

Falling oil prices: Inflation to rise above 10 per cent W

ITH the falling oil prices, insecurity and focus on politics, the inflation rate is expected to rise above 10 per cent any moment. In a report made available to The Nation by Resources and Trust Company (RTC) Advisory Service, a private consulting firm in Lagos, Nigeria’s ranking in every assessment of competitiveness, doing business, governance or transparency have worsened dramatically in spite of improving macroeconomics and a larger economy. It read: “The most important concern for business will clearly be the falling oil

By Toba Agboola

prices and the implications for currencies. “Businesses may have to develop scenarios with reserves below $30billion; exchange rates reach N200/$; inflation rises above 10 per cent; and government deficits and relative austerity return,” the report said. The report, which was endorsed by its Senior Consultant/Chief Executive Officer,, Mr Opeyemi Agbaje said in addition to oil market volatility, global economic conditions are weaker than ex-

pected, and with geopolitical turmoil across the world, outlook projections in terms of global growth and financial stability must be more conservative. “We believe the rankings over-penalise for perceptions of insecurity and corruption, and reflect unannounced sanctions for anti-gay policies and the externalisation of domestic politics. “Capital market indicators have collapsed along with oil prices with year-to-date indices negative and bleak short term prospects. The saving grace may be that elections are

early 2015 and thereafter a focus on fundamentals may return, global factors permitting. “In spite of all negative “noise”, growth remains strong and the economy is on course to 2014 GDP (gross domestic product) growth of 6.5 to7.0 per cent and significantly oil sector output growth turned positive in Q2 2014". According to Agbaje, Nigeria is going into elections with significant oil market risks, severe fiscal and macroeconomic implications; a worsening terrorist insurgency, deep ethnic, religious and regional divisions and significant levels of poverty, unemployment and ignorance.

UniCem set to expand production

HE United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited (UniCem) is building a new line to add about 2.5 million metric tons to its 2.5 million tons to ramp up production to five million tons by 2016, its Managing Director, Mr. Olivier Lenoir, has said. He said the firm had invested on the expansion plant, adding that the project would give UniCem more flexibility in terms of product range. He stressed that the firm has over 30 per cent market share in the Southsouth and Southeast parts of the country. The firm also re-stated its commitment to providing sustainable and innovative cement and concrete solutions in the country.

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

He spoke at a conference with Totally Concrete West Africa as its theme in Lagos. Lenoir said: “We are in the forefront of providing sustainable solutions on cement/concrete product and application to the building construction sector. Unicem has a strong commitment to the development of concrete technology, sustainable environment and skills of building professionals and artisans in Nigeria.’’ He said the firm was looking at producing pozzolanic cement, using locally available pozzolana, instead of limestone, adding that it does not import any of its raw materials but are sourced 100 per cent locally.

Etisalat, other MNOs partner AU over Ebola

TISALAT Nigeria and other mobile network operators(MNOs) across Africa are partnering the African Union (AU) Commission to support the fight against Ebola in West Africa. The initiative, operating under the hash tag ‘#AfricaAgainstEbola’ will combat the dreaded virus by using an SMS dedicated platform to raise funds for the deployment of African health workers to affected countries. At a Business Roundtable on Ebola hosted by the AU, Etisalat alongside other mo-

bile operators committed themselves to support efforts to fight Ebola by unveiling an Africa-wide three –month campaign dubbed “AfricaAgainstEbola”. This initiative will focus on donations from members of the public who are customers of the operators and will be channelled into fighting the Ebola virus. The AU is leading this effort under its African Union Support to the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa (ASEOWA) mission, which has so far deployed 90 health workers to the three affected countries.

• From left: Presenter and Producer, World News Media, Jenny Hammond; and Group Executive, Transaction and Private Banking, FirstBank, Bernadine Okeke, receiving the Best Private Bank Award by World Finance Magazine at the London Stock Exchange.

Data revolution ‘ll shake banking sector, says NCC

HE Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Eugene Juwah, said Nigeria’s second revolution is in data, adding that it will have decisive effect on the banking sector as it will eliminate the expensive branch networks. He said things were happening in the industry without people taking notice. Juwah, who spoke in Lagos, said the world is fast changing, lamenting that many people seem not to be realising it. He said: “The banking sector is the sector that will be most affected’ by the data revolution that will sweep across the sector. It will eliminate branch banking and allow the road side mechanic, who is afraid of going to the banking hall, to do banking transaction on their mobile phones.” Juwah said it is a fact that Nigeria is the fastest growing telecommunications

By Lucas Ajanaku

market in Africa since the deregulation of the industry, adding that the transformation of telecom industry has led to a phenomenal increase in foreign direct investments (FDIs), employment, and efficient business transactions among others. This, he said, emphasises the importance of ICT in the development path of a nation. He said: “Nevertheless, for a country of about 180million people as at 2014, having more than 130million subscriber base, we cannot afford to be contented. ICT remains a priority of the Federal Government and an important sector in the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for strong, inclusive, non-inflationary growth, using ICT as the major driver for transformation. Mr. President requires us to ensure that ICT facilities are extended to all citizen of the Federal Repub-

lic of Nigeria. “In this regard, internet and broadband have been globally acknowledged as the foundation for the nation’s transformation to a knowledge-based economy.” He said the path to an efficient broadband service in Nigeria has been a long and difficult one; internet connectivity has come a long way from a single international submarine cable system with 340GB total capacity installed in 2001 (SAT3) to four cable systems with international bandwidth capacity of over nine terra bits in 2012. He said in spite of the progress made, Nigeria is still a far cry from achieving what is considered global broadband standards even among other developing countries. He said it has become more worrisome the kind of services most service providers sell to their subscribers, all in the name of 3G, while some canvassed to have 4G,

but nothing has changed in data services as consumer experience is nothing to write home about. He said the Commission had taken some steps towards realising effective deployment of broadband services in the country, realising that the world is a global village and Nigeria cannot afford to be improperly integrated into it. This integration, he argued, could be better achieved not only through voice telephony, but effective data service delivery. “On consolidation of progress made so far, we have increased teledensity from 63 per cent in 2010 to more than 90 per cent in 2014. The NCC is targeting a 30 per cent increase in broadband internet penetration by 2018. The increase from its current level of six per cent is expected to come from the planned historic auction of the 2.6 gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band,” Juwah said.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

BUSINESS NEWS

Court to France: Pay Somali pirates damages T

HE European Court of Human Rights says France violated the rights of Somali pirates who had attacked French ships and has ordered compensation for them over judicial delays. The nine Somali pirates should get thousands of euros because they were not immediately brought before a French judge, the court ruled. One is to get 9,000 euros (£7,000) and the others sums of up to 7,000

euros. The judges faulted France for keeping them in custody for an extra 48 hours. The pirates had held French citizens hostage after seizing a Frenchflagged cruise ship and a French yacht in 2008. The French military captured the pirates on the Somali coast in two operations, after the hostages had been released for ransoms of

$2.1million (£1.3illion) and $2million. Indian Ocean shipping has been plagued by pirate gangs operating off Somalia in recent years, but international naval action in the region has sharply reduced the attacks. Before transferring the pirates to France, the authorities held one group for four days and the others for six days and 16 hours.

But the extra 48 hours of custody on French soil violated the pirates’ right to liberty and security under the European Convention on Human Rights, the court ruled. The convention’s Article 5.3 “was not designed to give the authorities the opportunity to intensify their investigations for the purpose of bringing formal charges against the suspects” a court statement said.

Huawei increases partners

•From left: General Manager, Business Development, S&D, MTN, Kola Oyeyemi; GM Operations, Lagos & Southwest Region, MTN, Fehintola Mustapha, and Chairman, Tastee Fried Chicken, Adekunle Adedayo, at the launch of MTN-Tastee meal voucher in Lagos.

Lafarge invests 120 million euros in R&D

AFARGE Plc has invested 120 million Euros in Research and Development (R&D). Its General Manager ReadyMix, Mr. Chris Lobel made this known at a forum on Commercial ReadyMix Concrete as a Project Eabler-benefits for Owners and Contractors for the firm’s stakeholders in Lagos. He said the firm’s ready mix product was designed to meet construction needs as it is mixed to project specification and delivered to construction sites on need. He said it has a clear strategy as a project enabler, driving quality and innovation forward and promoting a sustainable environment for generations to come. According to him, the company

By Toba Agboola

achieves the development by working closely with its valued customers and partners. Lobel said: “As a member of the Lafarge Group, we have a unique opportunity to draw on the expertise of our employees worldwide to bring innovative value to our Nigerian customers.” He saidLafarge is one of the few concrete producers capable of manufacturing a wide range of concrete. Our technical expertise, state-ofthe-art plants, and commitment to innovation enable us to make a concrete that can assist our customers with all their construction needs. Our portfolio includes products ranging

from standard concrete used in everyday driveways and sidewalks to customised mixes used in complex high-rises that must meet strict design specifications to our proprietary technology, Chronolia, which lets users strip a wall from just a few hours after the concrete arrives on the jobsite.” Its Managing Director, ReadyMix/ Aggregates & Country Key Accounts Director, Loren Zanin, said Lafarge enjoys doing business in Nigeria and will continue to invest in the economy while ensuring to make the best cement and concrete solutions available in all parts of the country - not just the best cement and concrete solutions, but its building expertise as well.

Heritage Bank reaffirms commitment to int’l trade

HE Management of Heritage Bank Company Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to the growth of the economy and international trade through continuous engagement with local and international institutions who share its trade, investment and infrastructural finance vision. Its Group Head, Business Services, Mr. Wunmi Adeniyi, noted that with the acquisition of Enterprise Bank from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), it has re-positioned to play bigger role in promoting sustainable economic growth and

Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country. He spoke during the special meeting of the International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria (ICC Nigeria) Commission on Banking Technique and Practice in Lagos. He said: “The Enterprise Bank acquisition project is a great achievement for us a bank, given our age in the industry; and we hope to tap on the co-operation of our colleagues and ICC Nigeria as we aspire to play a bigger role in promoting economic growth and development in our nation. We look

forward to great partnerships geared towards the provision of much needed infrastructure and promotion of the industrialization of the Nigerian economy and the global economy at large.” He added that the lender is positioned for the emerging opportunities including growth in international trade and foreign investment. Speaking on behalf of the visiting ICC team, Vice Chairman, Banking Commission, ICC Nigeria, Dr. Omolara Akanji, expressed delight in Heritage Bank’s dynamic stride in the banking industry in its short span of existence.

Institute holds summit on businesses on Dec. 10

HE Institute of Business Development’s (IBD) Business Development (BD) Week/ Business Development Summit will hold between December 10 and 12 at Westown Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos. It has as theme, “Business development in Africa: Issues and strategic actions.” According to the institute, the summit will bring together some of the

world’s leading thinkers and captains of industry to challenge business models and practices, and explore how African businesses can create new opportunities by aligning themselves with the global business development ideals. IBD’s Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Paul Ikele, said the overwhelming characteristic of the emerging markets is that they exist in a majority of low income com-

munities that have come to be defined as the Base of the Pyramid (BoP), that is those living on less than $1,500 yearly. He said to engage with the BoP market place, new and innovative strategies will be required in order to respond to the unique obstacles and infrastructural development to position African business group to take a chunk from the global market considering the continent’s population.

The judges argued that the time between their arrest and transfer to France was already enough for France to draw up charges, instead of delaying for another 48 hours. Court judgements are binding on signatories to the convention. The judges did not challenge France’s right to arrest the pirates inside Somali territory, under UN anti-piracy rules.

UWAI has announced the expansion of its cooperation with its Nigerian partners to integrate Information Technology Communication (ICT) products and solutions to boost the growth of enterprises business in the country. The firm said this during the ENigeria Summit in Abuja. It was organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) with Creating market opportunities for indigenous ICT products and services as its theme. One of Huawei’s major business solutions, Huawei’s Enterprise Business Group, is growing, allowing the firm to solidify its position as the leading ICT solutions provider in the industry. The enterprise business also remains a key strategic direction for Huawei’s overall growth plans, with UC&C Product Line comprising telepresence, video conferencing and contact centre; IT product line comprising servers, storage, cloud computing and data centre; networking product line consisting of switches, routers, and energy product line comprising UPS and solar .

According ot the firm, to support these products and solutions, it has set up sales and technical service platforms, to further establish its commitment in the enterprise market and support enterprise business operations. Vice President, Huawei West Africa, Mr. Richard Cao, said: “With a firm dedication to customer-centric innovation, Huawei Enterprise caters to customers from the government and public sector, financial institutions, transportation, energy industries, oil and gas sector, hospitality, education and SMEs. “Huawei is committed to serving as the most innovative and optimal ICT Technology partner for global enterprises, accelerating ICT development and improving operational efficiency in Nigeria. “We will work with our Channel Enterprise Partners to jointly embrace the challenges brought about by ICT transformations, build a favourable industry ecosystem, and promote sound development of the ICT industry and society at large, so as to ensure customer satisfaction.”

MTN, Tastee Fried Chicken launch meal vouchers

TN has partnered Tastee Fried Chicken (TFC) with the launch of meal vouchers to increase its retail footprints and provide its products and services at all TFC outlets nationwide. With the launch, customers can top up their air time, purchase data bundles and renew blackberry subscriptions while purchasing mouth-watering meals in a relaxed atmosphere at any of the 13 outlets of Tastee Fried Chicken nationwide. MTN products and services (airtime and subscriber identity module (SIM) cards for now) will be sold and dispensed from TFCs payment till. What it means is that customers can walk into TFC outlets in Lagos and buy TFC products as well as MTN airtime and SIM card. General Manager, Business Development, Kola Oyeyemi, who represented MTN Sales and Distribution Executive, ‘Tsola Barrow, said

the meal vouchers are a demonstration of MTN’s commitment to exploring different ways of bringing MTN products and service closer to its customers and improving customer experience across different touch points. “This partnership has afforded us the opportunity to push our products and services to all nooks and crannies of the country and provide our customers with a unique experience. We want to continue to touch the lives of Nigerians in exciting ways with innovative solutions,” said Barrow. TFC’s Director, Dr. Fowoke Akinyele, described the launch as a way of consolidating its partnership with MTN Nigeria. He said: “This partnership which is positioned to do greater feats further validates and creates new opportunities for our vouchers. We encourage everyone to get the vouchers for personal use as well as family and friends in keeping with this season of giving and sharing.”

Worldcom PR expands

ORLDCOM Public Relations Group has announced new additions in the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia. The new partner agencies were elected during the recent Worldcom Americas Region Meeting in Chicago and EMEA/ Asia Pacific Region meeting in Dubai, where partners from the United States (U.S.), Canada, Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific convened for strategic planning and best practices sessions on th group’s business growth and initiatives. Managing Director, Worldcom Public Relations Group, Todd

Lynch, said: “These firms are a reflection of Worldcom Public Relations Group–diverse, expert, focused and deeply embedded in respective geographies and sectors. “It is because of these characteristics that Worldcom has emerged as a true alternative to the traditional global agency model. The spectrum of capabilities across market sectors and geographies allow Worldcom clients to customise the service model, scope and location to specific needs and outcomes without the overhead and inherent limitations that come with the standard multinational firm approach.”

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

Opportunities exist for foreign insurers, says FBN Life

HE Managing Director, FBN Life, Valentine Ojumah has said opportunities exist for foreign insurers desirous of playing in the country, stressing that the level of competitiveness in the industry is expected to increase especially, as foreign insurers have noticed the gaps in the retail segment. According to him, foreign investors have expressed keen interest and made strides to own investing stakes in the sector and this development is a testament to the vast potentials within the market. Ojumah, who made this known in Lagos, said based on the identified trends and opportunities, the FBN Insurance’ go-to-market strategy is hinged on deepening the underwriting firm’s footprints in the retail insurance space and expansion into the non-life insurance segment. Despite the sustained apathy and cautiousness of customers to the insurance industry in Nigeria, he said, their gross premium has grown by 35 per cent over a period of 12 months while corporate, retail, credit life and alternative business lines contributed 19 per cent, 59 per cent, 20 per cent and one per cent respectively to premium income for the year 2013. He added that their profit before tax grew by 22 per cent, noting that the growth is attributed to disciplined underwriting practices, cost

• Firm’s gross premium grows by 35% Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

optimisation initiatives and improved returns on strategic investments made by the company. “Also, in line with the firm’s expansion strategy, we are finalising the acquisition of a general insurance license that will stretch our product range to include insurance services such as household, motor, marine, oil and gas,” he said. Ojumah stressed that the organisation’s existing products categorised as risks, savings and hybrid plans, which include Group and Individual policies, are designed to accommodate differing consumer needs. He pointed out that with a thriving middle class and a population of over 168 million, growing at 2.5 per cent per annum, Nigeria possesses demographics no investor can ignore. “The huge population presents countless opportunities for insurers, particularly in the retail space, as the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) continues to seek viable means of improving insurance penetration which remains below one per cent. “Although the Commission has made notable progress in the restructuring and revamping of the Nige-

rian insurance industry since the financial market turbulence between 2008 and 2010, the operating environment still presents perennial challenges, which persists around major concerns such as security, infrastructural limitations, underemployment and unemployment, among others. “In spite of these concerns, the Nigerian economy has remained resilient; delivering an estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 6.8 per cent. The Nigerian economy has emerged the largest in Africa and one of the top 30 in the world after the GDP rebasing in 2014. “While insurance penetration remains low, Nigeria’s population is growing rapidly and is forecast to reach 209 million in 2021. Fifty per cent of that population will be younger than 25 years. This presents an opportunity for underwriters in Nigeria to explore the untapped potential of a larger retail market with the largest population in Africa and the eighth largest in the world. “Factors such as income level and consumer behaviour will continue to shape the attractiveness of the country’s retail market because economic growth will translate into rising disposable income for many Nigerians,

which will strongly influence social classification,” he said. He said terrorism and insurgency in the North has remained a key priority of the Nigerian government. He noted that the security challenges, which have resulted in the destruction of key infrastructure have the potential to disrupt business operations and reduce foreign direct investments, particularly in the affected states, adding that the government is expected to continue in its efforts to explore all viable options in curtailing these security issues. He said the implication of this societal unrest for insurers in the medium to long term is the creation of specialised products and services that can help governments and communities minimise losses due to terrorism. “Our key objective is to stabilise and sustain our growth through our disciplined approach to underwriting and conservative investment strategy. This means we maintain a focused approach in the execution of our long term strategy while positioning ourselves to exploit emerging opportunities in the insurance industry. We have set industry records by proffering attractive insurance packages for all Nigerians irrespective of factors such as age, occupation, income and location. “We are particularly concerned

about what happens after a death and the continuity of the living standards of a family when the bread winner is gone. In many homes in Nigeria, the death of the bread winner has brought about a total decline in the living standards of the dependants. Even critical illness or the permanent disability of the bread winner, has led to children dropping out of school and engaging in anti-social activities because there were no funds to continue their education or lead their once normal life. “Celebrities as well as ordinary citizens have had to turn to the government or the general public when hit by an unexpected illness such as stroke or a permanent disability, because they were not covered by insurance policies that could have borne such unexpected costs. “It is, therefore, essential that high net-worth individuals, the political class, schools, religious organisations, professional bodies, affinity groups, open markets and market associations, cooperative societies and government institutions embrace insurance to avoid financial upheavals and the potential disruption of lives and businesses in the wake of the unexpected because time and events have shown that it is important for families to provide now for the continuity of their lifestyle even after their bread winner is gone,” he said.

Mutual Benefits opens franchise UTUAL Benefits Assur office in Lagos ance Plc, has commis

• From right: Director, Prestige Assurance Plc, Mr Mufutau Oyegunle; Managing Director, Sterling Capital Market Ltd, Mr. Gaventa Otono and Managing Director, Prestige Assurance Plc, Dr. Anand Mittal at the Prestige Assurance completion board meeting on rights issue in Lagos.

Prestige shops for N1.5b rights issue

restige Assurance Plc is shopping for N1.5 billion on rights issue to enable it strengthen operation and build capacity for high risks. Chairman of the company, Charles Samson Sankey, who made this known at the company’s completion board meeting held in Lagos, said the the rights issue is a vital step by the Assurance Company towards actualising its strategic initiatives, which include business consolidation that would enhance the company’s risk underwriting capacity. The rights issue, according to him, will open on December 15 and close on January 26, next year. Sterling Capital Markets Limited, he said, will be the leading issuing house, while Nigerian Stock Brokers Limited is the joint issuing house. According to him, the underwriting firm will issue 3,009.978.524 ordinary shares of 50 kobo at 50 kobo

per share on the basis of six new ordinary shares for every five ordinary shares held by existing shareholders as at September 22, this year. The proceeds, he said, would be applied towards repayment of the balance of the loan provided by New India, investors in the company’s distribution channels, improvement of the company’s working capital, upgrade of IT infrastructure and enhance its gilt edge investment portfolio”. Sankey noted the estimated net proceed of N1.46 billion in the following order: 30.12 per cent equivalent of N441.745,100.43 will go into repayment of the balance of loan provided by New India; 25 per cent equalling N365,586,799.06 will go into enhancement of working capital to improve liquidity and increase risk retention capability; 18 percent for deployment of electronic platforms, facilities and other IT infrastructure to all

branches nationwide for quick and reliable service delivery. He said: “The remaining 12 percent will be channeled into investment in distribution channels for improved marketing of the company’s products. For example, creation of special markets for NAICOM’s compulsory insurance policies and Market Development and Restructuring Initiatives (MDRI). “I urge shareholders to take their rights as it will provide the company with required funds to execute projects that will enhance the company’s growth and profitability. I encourage you to exercise your rights in full, to reaffirm your support for our company and as declaration of your continued confidence in the company’s potentials.” The firm’s Managing Director, AnandPrakash Mittal, said the company is positive about the future performance, assuring that any investment made in Prestige Insurance is a worthwhile one.

sioned the first franchise insurance office in Nigeria to further boost insurance participation. Group Managing Director of the firm, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, while commissioning the office in Lagos said it was part of efforts at developing insurance business. He said the office was established for professionals from “various sectors, high networth officials, people, who have worked in various ministries and successful ones in different chosen careers”. According to him, the firm came up with 72 beneficial and affordable products, which were made available in urban and rural areas. He said: “The office would serve as a place for such stakeholders to partner with Mutual Benefits towards preaching the benefits of insurance. The firm was working with people, who were not insurance employees to increase awareness and take its message to the grassroots. “In developed economies, insurance firms own virtually the major sectors, but this is not the situation in Nigeria. In

the past 90 years of insurance existence in Nigeria, the operators had practiced the conventional insurance by concentrating more on corporate organisations, which had not helped to boost its impact generally in the society. “We are aligning with the National Insurance Commission’s (NAICOM) efforts to deepen insurance in the country and see how practitioners can introduce products and services that would be relevant in the society,” he said”. Mutual Benefits, he said, has continued to partner with and empower the low income earners through its insurance products. Assistant General Manager, Agency Operation, Mr. Ademola Fagbayi, said Mutual Benefits has continued to make insurance attractive to the public through prompt claims settlement. According to him, the firm has put in place a smooth process that would encourage easy processing of claims for its policy holders. Mutual Benefits presently has about 80 offices all over the country, to move insurance closer to the grass roots, he added.

ARIAN registers 2,110 insurance agents in one year

HE Association of Registered Insurance Agents of Nigeria (ARIAN) has registered 2,110 members from all insurance companies this year, its President, Gbadebo Olamerun, has said. Olamerun made this known during the association 5th Annual National Conference and award ceremony with the theme: “Micro-Insurance in Nigeria, the Role of an Agent as the Primeval Distribution Channel”, held in Lagos. Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola was one of the awards recipients for his contribution in deepening insurance penetration in the state and the country as a whole. The association, Olamerun said, has been able to expatiate and redefine the role of insurance agents in the country, adding value, dignity and respect to the insurance industry and the country as a whole.

In the last one year, Olamerun said, ARIAN has experienced a geometric increase in membership because of its strategic alliance with NAICOM to ensure that all its insurance agents are NAICOM licensed. The number of registered members, according to him, is 4,910, noting that the vision of the association is to register at least 20,000 agents before the end of next year. He added that efforts to increase agents’ professionalism and sense of belonging as insurance personnel have yielded positive returns. He said: “We have been able to create a comprehensive data base of all members so as to ensure a free flow of information at all times. The database include full names, membership identity number, company represented, contact phone numbers, among others.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

ISSUES Chemicals are essential to manufacturing. They are used in production of goods and services. But, the chemical industry remains unexploited because of lack of technological innovation and funds. If exploited, it has the capability to grow the economy, reports Assistant Editor OKWY IROEGBUCHIKEZIE.

Wanted: Action plan on chemical research

HE Director-General (DG), Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr. Hussaini Doko Ibrahim, is worried that despite the avalanche of research institutes in Nigeria, limited success has been recorded in generating new technologies. He noted that most science laboratories lack reagents and chemicals in the right quality and quantity. This, in his view, has resulted in the collation of false data, which has led to mass failure in various examinations with attendant implication for science education and industrialisation. To make matters worse, lack of patronage, he said, has left research results by the institutes to gather dust on the shelf. This has led indigenous manufacturing firms to be uncompetitive. Ibrahim, however, said the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) has mandated the RMRDC and National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) to develop a prgramme of action for local production of chemicals and reagents for secondary schools, colleges and large industries. This, he said, led to the establishment of pilot plant for the production of school chemicals and reagents starting with copper sulphate. At a recent investment forum on production of copper sulphate, which held in Lagos, he said: “There are over 500 different industrial chemicals presently being utilised in the country, out of which over 70 are commonly used secondary chemicals. All these chemicals are imported despite the fact that the country has comparative advantage in terms of local raw materials availability to produce some of them.” The DG said, for instance, last year, over N93 billion was expended on the importation of various quantities of industrial laboratory chemicals out of which N89.5 million was for the importation of 10.6million metric tonnes

•C hemical plant

of copper sulphate (analytical and technical grades). He noted that if copper sulphate was developed to commercial production level, it would result in huge savings of foreign exchange and create employments. According to him, the emphasis on copper sulphate was because

it is an industrial chemical and schools’ reagent with various applications in areas ranging from agriculture to medicine and other miscellaneous areas. He pointed out that in agriculture, it is used in the preparation of bordeaux and burgundy mixture used as

‘There are over 500 different industrial chemicals presently being utilised in the country, out of which over 70 are commonly used secondary chemicals. All these chemicals are imported despite the fact that the country has comparative advantage in terms of local raw materials availability to produce some of them’

fungicides. It could also be used in various ways as soil steriliser; tor correcting copper deficiency in soils and animals; to control scum in farm ponds and preserv wooden fruit boxes, plant baskets and other containers. The raw materials for copper, he said, are scraps and concentrated sulphuric acid, noting that the output capacity of the pilot plant is a metric tone per day for copper sulphate with its production cost put at about N600 per kilogramme. “This price is higher than the international price of N225 per kilogramme. If this project is fully commercialised, and there is improvement in the industrial facilities, the production cost will greatly reduce,” Dr Ibrahim said, adding that it is, therefore, expedient that Nigeria produce, if not all, • Continued on page 30

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

ISSUES

Wanted: Action plan on chemical research •Continued from page 29

most of these chemicals locally. The output capacity of the pilot plant is said to be infinitesimal when compared to the national demand of about 10 million metric tones per annum. Experts consider this a good area of investment. Expectedly, RMRDC said it is prepared to collaborate with any interested investor to actualise the full commercialisation of this project. Another interesting aspect of the production process is the production of distilled water as a by-product. Besides, the acidic fume from the reaction can be condensed and dissolved in the distilled water to produce electrolytes for car batteries, which is another source of income. Chairman, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sector, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Bayo Osibo, said the chemical industry is at the heart of manufacturing and central to global economy. He said it converts animals, vegetable and mineral raw materials into more than 70, 000 different products used by both industrial and household consumers. According to him, chemicals are used to make a wide range of consumer goods, as well as thousands of inputs to agriculture, manufacturing, construction and service industry. “The chemical industry itself is said to consume 26 per cent of its own output. Most of these products help to manufacture other items, although a smaller number goes directly to consumers. Solvents, pesticides, washing soda and cement provide a few examples of products used by consumers,” he said. While Nigeria is yet to fully exploit her chemical industry, the same cannot be said of other developed countries of the world where the impacts of the chemical industry on their economies are visible. For instance, the chemical industry is one of the United States (US’s) largest manufacturing industries, serving both a sizeable domestic market and an expanding global market. It is also one of the top exporting sectors of the U.S manufacturing, accounting for 15 per cent of global chemical shipments. The industry’s more than 10,000 firms produce more than 70,000 products. In 2012 alone, the U.S chemical industry recorded sales of $769.4 billion and directly employed more than 784,000 workers, with additional indirect employment by industry suppliers of more than 2.7 million. With investments of $57 billion in research and development in 2012 and strong enforcement of intellectual property rights, one-fifth of all patents granted in the U.S are chemically related. The story is the same in the United Kingdom (UK) where the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors represent 15 per cent of the UK total manufacturing output with exports of £53billion. The sector is one of the UK’s largest sectors, accounting for 18 per cent of its goods export. The sector employed 322,000 people and generated a turnover of £60 billion last year. The sector invests over £5billion in Research & Development (R&D) every year. This represents more than 28 per cent of total industrial R&D spread in the UK. China is also not left out. The Chinese chemical industry is said to have powerful state-owned enterprises that have made their mark internationally. “These ’local champions’ both state–owned and private, are influential and have large economies of scale, can innovate and upgrade, and harbour aggressive overseas’ ambitions,” Head, Chemicals, China and Asia Pacific, KPMG China, Mr. Norbert Meyring, said. He explained that the nature and characteristics of Chinese companies have changed dramatically over the years. Meyring said along with setting up mega production bases and expanding

•Ibrahim

products range in an integrated manner, Chinese companies have started to innovate and are swiftly incorporating technological changes into their production to brand management and are in the process of internationalising their businesses. A number of companies are keenly promoting their brands in the global market and are continuing to examine overseas investments and acquisitions. He added that Chinese companies have reached a certain stage of development and are now increasingly exposed to global competition. The government, Meyring said, has also adopted ambitious targets with regards to sustainability and self-sufficiency while chemical companies are expected to respond to the challenge. But Nigeria has not been able to replicate such successes in this area. The reasons are not far-fetched. For instance, as Osibo pointed out, the fortunes and growth of the Nigerian chemical sector have been erratically affected by inconsistent government policies such as the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). He enumerated other challenges to include tariff manipulations, insufficient resource allocation and prohibitive import restrictions. He argued that the several economic policies pushed out by the government were unsuccessfully implemented, with each succeeding plan seeking to correct the failures of the previous one, in addition to new objectives. Mr. Osibo said although, government has used decades to fine-tune rather unsuccessfully, the elements of development in the economy and its investment in R&D should be given enough time to mature. “In my opinion, many of these institutes are doing very good jobs, and would do better if well funded. However, it is very doubtful if the results of their findings are shared wide enough for the mutual benefit of the chemical industry,” Osibo said. Former Acting Director-General, MAN, Mr. Rasheed Adegbenro, said the structure of industrial establishments in the county is a major challenge, noting that most Small and Medium Scale Enter-

•Osibo

‘There is need to encourage Nigerian researchers and scholars to move from traditional to modern practices to exploit the benefits and potentials of information technology. He argued that Nigerian researchers can only make profound achievement and optimally contribute to the development of knowledge by using the Internet to enrich their research and to disseminate their findings’ prises (SMEs) are local in orientation and production. They are also uncompetitive in global standards. There are also issues around narrow market coverage, high cost of funds and infrastructural challenges. He frowned at the duplication of efforts by several research institutes and called for collaboration instead of competition. “Lack of systematic collaboration bet ween research institutions in the sector has created sub-optimal allocation of resources charecterised by duplication of efforts in some areas and underinvestment in others. Some research efforts have no bearing to the needs of the people, the tendency for research to be supply-driven than demanddriven with little accountability to investors,” he said. The MAN chief expressed regrets that government has not given R&D and the chemical sector their pride of place, but preferred the importation of motor vehicles, television and radio, which are things that will not rejuvenate the manufacturing sector. But bad as the state of the nation’s chemical sector is, experts say the situation is reversible. Osibo said funding is

‘Surely, somebody somewhere must be able to take benefit of the result of such extensive R&D efforts, if only FIIRO can take the trouble of interacting extensively with the chemical industry to fit their R&D results to the needs of the industry. Given the attitude of government departments, it would not be surprising if the FIRRO experience is found in other research institutes’

• Adegbenro

key. According to him, although many of the research institutes are doing good jobs, but they would do better if well funded. Besides, he said there is the need for sharing of the results of findings of research institutes to guarantee mutual benefits of the chemical industry and the institutes. He observed that checks with the Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO), Oshodi, have shown that the Institute, over the years, developed over 250 technologies based on virtually all raw materials available in Nigeria. This include agro and mineral resources with additional reports that over 50 of these technologies have made significant and laudable impacts in the chemistry industry. He wondered what happened to the nearly 200 technologies left. Osibo said: “Surely, somebody somewhere must be able to take the benefit of the result of such extensive R&D efforts, if only FIIRO can take the trouble of interacting extensively with the chemical industry to fit their R&D results to the needs of the industry. Given the general attitude of government departments, it would not be surprising if the FIRRO experience is found in other research institutes.” He further pointed out that there is need to have a strong product identification and quality; access to low-cost natural gas; a highly educated workforce; world class research centres; protection for intellectual property and a robust regulatory system. The chemical sector, he argued, can benefit more if the government realises its key position in national development. This, he said, means that government must pay attention to areas of deficiency such as lack of basic infrastructure and getting research institutes to relate more closely with the sector by tailoring efforts to their needs with a deliberate tariff structure not to enrich the government, but to lower the cost of industrial development. Osibo suggested the development of local raw materials through the development of the petrochemical industry, insisting that with the stagnation of the nation’s petrochemical sector, the nation may never be self-sufficient in raw materials development. All these, he added, would be best achieved with a deliberate and focused development of the desired manpower. Adegbenro said there is need to encourage indigenous researchers and scholars to move from traditional to modern practices in order to exploit the benefit and potentials of information technology. He argued that local researchers can only make profound achievement and optimally contribute to the development of knowledge by using the internet to enrich their research and to disseminate their findings.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

MONEYLINK

CBN pegs shareholders’ fund for ‘Super Agents’ at N50m

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has pegged the minimum shareholders’ fund for Super Agents in Agent Banking at N50 million, a guideline released at the weekend stipulated. In a circular to deposit money banks, mobile money operators (MMOs) and switches, signed by CBN Director, Banking & Payments Department, ‘Dipo Fatokun, said to be licensed, a Super Agent must be a company with an existing business, operational for at least 12 months and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission

Stories by Collins Nweze

(CAC). He explained that the agent must also have a minimum shareholders’ fund unimpaired by losses of N50 million and obtain a reference letter from a financial institution as part of its documentation for licence request. The Super Agent, the CBN directive further said, must also have a minimum of 50 agents even as applications for such position shall be accompanied with board approval, certificate of incorporation, shareholding structure of the consor-

tium, feasibility study for the agent network, among other conditions. “The Nigeria Interbank Settlement Scheme (NIBSS) shall provide the switching infrastructure to enable inter-scheme CICO at all agent locations. The super-agents’ platform shall be for the management and monitoring of the activities of their agents only and shall not hold electronic money value, whereas, the financial institutions shall provide and operate the Mobile Money platform and hold electronic money value,” he clarified. Explaining further, he said all

Sterling Bank introduces Shopping Dash for account holders

HILDREN with I Can Save accounts with Sterling Bank Plc are in for fun as the bank kicks off the Shopping Dash programme in four states in the country. They are Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Abuja. The bank is running the programme in partnership with top Shopping Malls in the country. The programme affords lucky children the opportunity to do a one-

minute shopping dash and pick items of their choice at shopping malls selected for the programme. The programme is meant to reward existing I Can Save accounts holders, an account for children and those willing to open the account during the programme at the stated locations. It is strictly for children between the ages of four and eight years. The bank in a statement said that the build up to the programme is already creating a lot of excitement and

enthusiasm as many children accompanied by their parents now visit the offices of the Bank to open the account nationwide. The Shopping Dash kicked off in Lagos at Shoprite, Adeniran Ogunsanya Shopping Centre, Surulere last Saturday and would be followed by a show at Shoprite, Polo Park Amusement Centre, Abakaliki Road, Enugu and Shoprite, Ikeja City Mall, Alausa both on December 13.

GTBank rewards undergraduate with car

HE grand finale of the GTCrea8 mini cooper promo - Season two held last week in Lagos saw Adebiyi Mariam Ajoke, an ND2 student of Business Administration, Lagos State Polytechnic, as the winner. She emerged the winner of the Season two GTCrea8 promo and won the star prize of a brand new mini cooper; a stylish fun-to-drive subcompact coupe with an efficient, boxy front-wheel-drive layout. The GTCrea8 mini cooper promo

also rewards undergraduates from different tertiary institutions with scholarship monthly. This is in line with the bank’s decision to support education and financial discipline. Miss Shalom Elisha Wigwe, a 400 level Medical student of the University of Lagos, was the proud winner of the mini-cooper car in the Season one of the GTCrea8 promo. A 200 level student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Mohammed Yisa was also re-

warded with N1 million worth of scholarship for being the five millionth customer of the bank. The GTCrea8 account allows students to conveniently carry out all their banking daily, seven days a week from anywhere in the world, without having to step into a banking hall. The essence of the promo is to promote a healthy saving culture and an increased adoption of the use of alternate banking channels among Nigeria students.

MMOs operators’ platforms must be up to date (inclusive of mandatory integration to NIBSS), tested and active to ensure interoperability between MMOs. Also, all licensed MMOs shall ensure that their platforms are upgraded as needed, tested and active within 30 days from the release of this document. For over-the-counter (OTC) transactions, it said the period for holding funds not withdrawn by a receiving customer shall be 30 days. Thereafter, the fund shall be reversed to the sender even as notifications sent to the receiving customer shall indicate the expiry date for the transaction. Financial institutions, he said, shall be responsible for setting up dispute resolution mechanism for their agents to facilitate resolution

• CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele of customers’ complaints. The financial institutions, he said, shall treat and resolve any customer related issues within 72 hours even as a Super-Agent shall facilitate the resolution of customer related issues.

FirstBank, Sweet Sensation partner on mobile payments

IRSTBANK has partnered Sweet Sensation to enable customers of the fast-food company make payments via Firstmonie at its outlets. The customers’ mobile phone can accesse reports on transactions. The bank said customers will get N200 additional worth of items when they spend a minimum of N1000. Speaking at a briefing, MD/ CEO Sweet Sensation, Lady Kehinde Kamson said that in addition to supporting the Central Bank of Nigeria cashless policy drive, the partnership offers consumers convenience, safety and financial prudence. According to the Head, Mobile Financial Services, FirstBank, Mike Ogbalu, the bank has led financial inclusion for over 120

years and is confident the partnership will create ease in payments by consumers and further drive financial inclusion in a cashless society. “We are very pleased to partner with Sweet Sensation on this strategic initiative. The collaboration and platform will help in actualising our goal of enhancing e-commerce in Nigeria through our Firstmonie platform. This alliance also provides another entry point for a fast and convenient means of sending and receiving money, and further demonstrates our commitment to continuously deliver innovative products and solutions, part of which includes enhancing the robustness of our mobile banking and mobile payments platforms,” Lady Ogablu added.

DATA BANK AFRINVEST W. A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGE FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

152.19 9.17 1.12 1.19 2,237.65 1.39 1,713.47 1,098.80 115.26 121.16 1,117.51 1.2147 1.2858 0.7802 1.0972

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS) Transaction Dates 17/11/2014 10/11/2014 06/11/2014 1,116.70 1.2072 1.2858 0.7666 1.0972

GAINERS AS AT 04-12-14

SYMBOL UBN ACADEMY EVANSMED CONTINSURE FO GUARANTY SKYEBANK ROYALEX BERGER VITAFOAM TRANSCORP

O/PRICE 8.43 1.03 2.08 0.96 215.05 23.12 2.41 0.54 8.90 3.80 3.90

C/PRICE 8.85 1.08 2.18 1.00 223.99 24.00 2.50 0.56 9.20 3.89 3.99

CHANGE 4.98 4.85 4.81 4.17 4.16 3.81 3.73 3.70 3.37 2.37 2.31

LOSERS AS AT 04-12-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

ETERNA FLOURMILL CHAMPION VONO NASCON UBCAP TRANSEXPR AIICO UACN OKOMUOIL WAPIC UBA AFRIPRUD

3.28 51.00 9.40 1.00 7.48 1.68 1.29 0.85 41.40 29.00 0.65 4.91 2.97

3.00 48.45 8.93 0.95 7.12 1.60 1.23 0.82 40.00 28.10 0.63 4.76 2.90

CHANGE -8.54 -5.00 -5.00 -5.00 -4.81 -4.76 -4.65 -3.53 -3.38 -3.10 -3.08 -3.05 -2.36

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: October

8.1%

Monetary Policy Rate

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

$79.98

Money Supply (M2)

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 399.97m 349.96m

CBN EXCHANGE RATES December 3, 2014

$37b

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

Amount Offered in ($) 500m 400m 350m

16.5%

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

US Dollar

164

165

Pounds Sterling

258.2344

259.809

Euro

204.2948

205.5405

Swiss Franc

169.8074

170.8428

Yen

1.3924

1.4009

CFA

0.2868

0.3068

235.4875

236.9234

Yuan/Renminbi

26.7114

26.8752

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

WAUA Tenor

11-11-14 Rate (%)

Rate (%) 12-11-14

Overnight (O/N)

10.54

11.17

Riyal

43.7054

43.9719

11.94

12.18

SDR

240.1288

241.593

13.08

13.33

14.03

14.17

FOREX RATES

R-DAS ($/N)

165.29

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

Parallel ($/N)

185.50

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Dec. 3, 2014

Rates

T-bills - 91

9.85

T-bills - 182

9.98

T-bills - 364

Bond - 3yrs

12.61

Bond - 5yrs

12.77

Bond - 7yrs

12.73

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 5-12-14

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 5-12-14

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

EQUITIES

Lafarge Africa offers 261.58m shares, N1.85b to Ashakacem’s shareholders L AFARGE Africa Plc is offering 261.58 million ordinary shares and N1.85 billion as equity and cash consideration for the take-over of the 41.39 per cent equity stake held by minority shareholders in Ashaka Cement Plc. Following the consolidation of Lafarge’s businesses in Nigeria and South Africa into Lafarge Africa, Lafarge Africa had acquired 58.61 per cent majority equity stake in Ashaka Cement. The majority equity stake was previously held by Lafarge Nigeria (UK) Limited. The acquisition was done through a block trade at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Now, Lafarge Africa is seeking to acquire the remaining 41.39 per cent equity stake held by other shareholders in Ashakacem in furtherance of the consolidation of Lafarge’s businesses. The board of Lafarge Africa met last week and approved the terms of the mandatory tender offer (MTO). Lafarge Africa had earlier

By Taofik Salako, Capital Market Editor

secured the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to proceed on the MTO. A tender document obtained by The Nation at the weekend showed that Lafarge Africa would be offering 57 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each in exchange for 202 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each of Ashakacem. In addition, Lafarge Africa will pay N2 for every acquired Ashakacem’s share. Minority shareholders hold 927.009 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each in Ashakacem, representing 41.39 per cent of the cement company’s total outstanding shares. According to the tender document, the tender offer will open this Wednesday and close by 5pm on Friday January 16, 2015. Ashakacem’s share price opens

today at the NSE at N24.60 per share with a market capitalisation of N55.09 billion. Lafarge Africa opens at N78 per share with a market value of N234.12 billion. The board of Lafarge Africa Plc had earlier notified the board of Ashakacem of its intention to proceed with the takeover bid by sending the tender documents to all minority shareholders in Ashakacem. Both Lafarge Africa and Ashakacem have also notified the NSE of the development. The MTO was triggered by the transfer of 58.61 per cent majority equity stake in Ashaka Cement previously held by Lafarge Nige-

ria (UK) Limited. Section 131 of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) and Rule 445 of SEC make it mandatory for any institution or person that acquires at least 30 per cent of a company to make an MTO to other minority shareholders. Lafarge had on July 9, 2014 received shareholders’ approval to consolidate its cement businesses in Nigeria and combine these with South African operations to create a leading sub-Saharan building materials giant to be known as Lafarge Africa Plc. The consolidation was done by transferring Lafarge’s assets in South Africa and Nigeria to Lafarge Cement

Wapco Nigeria Plc. Under the transaction, Lafarge Group transferred its direct and indirect shareholdings in Lafarge South Africa Holding Limited of 72.4 per cent and its equity stakes in three other cement companies in Nigeria-United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited, 35 per cent, Ashaka Cement Plc, 58.61 per cent and Atlas Cement Company Limited, 100 per cent to Lafarge Wapco for a cash consideration of $200 million and the issuance of some 1.4 billion Lafarge Africa shares to the Lafarge Group. Lafarge Africa, which retained Lafarge Wapco’s listing on the NSE, is the ninth most capitalised company on the NSE with a market capitalisation of N234.12 billion.

Nigerian Energy Sector Fund declares N70m dividend

HE Nigeria Energy Sector Fund (NESF) Plc, a sectorbased collective investment scheme, would be distributing about N70 million to its investors as the mutual fund increased net profit by 186 per cent. Key extracts of the audited account of the NESF for the year ended March 31, 2014 showed significant improvement in its bottom line, with 186 per cent increase in profit after tax from N32.1 million in 2013 to N92 million in 2014. The fund manager, Sterling Capital Markets Limited, stated that on the basis of the improved bottomline, note distribution to unit holders has also increased by the same margin from N24.08 million in the previous year to N69.98 million in 2014. Unit holder will thus receive a coupon payment of N92 per note for the year ended 31 March 2014. The distribution followed the approval of the audited account by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The coupon payment was made on December 3, 2014 to investors whose names appear on the register of note holders as at November 28, 2014. The fund managers stated that it was committed to continue to raise the investment horizon of the Fund

with more exposures to equities quoted in the oil and gas sectors of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and other energy related companies with prospects for growth. According to the fund manager, the fund will tap into prevalent opportunities and robust prospect of the sector to deliver impressive returns to unit holders. The NESF is a closed-end investment vehicle constituted under a Trust Deed with UBA Trustees Limited as the Trustees and UBA Global Custodian as the Custodian to the Fund. The Fund was created to mobilize investible funds from individuals and corporate investors both local and foreign for investment in the Energy sector of the Nigerian economy. Notes of the Fund were first allotted to subscribers on 26th October 1998 at a par value of N1, 000 each and subsequently listed on the NSE in June 1999. The Net asset Value of the fund as at March 31st 2014 is N1.05billion, while the price on the NSE is N552.20k. The investment objectives of the Fund is to achieve long term, high level capital appreciation and above average income to be distributed through an annual coupon payments.

Shareholders approve NB, Consolidated Breweries merger

HAREHOLDERS of Nigerian Breweries Plc and Consolidated Breweries Plc have approved the merger of the two companies, paving the way for the conclusion of the transaction. At their separate court-ordered meeting in Lagos last week, shareholders approved the proposed merger, which will see Consolidated Breweries fused into Nigerian Breweries. Following this shareholder endorsement, the companies will proceed to the final stage of the regulatory process with the aim of perfecting the merger by the end of 2014. In a joint statement, managing director, Nigerian Breweries, Mr. Nico Vervelde and managing director, Consolidated Breweries, commended all shareholders for their active support for the proposal by their overwhelming vote of approval. They noted that the merger of Nigerian Breweries Plc and Consolidated Breweries Plc is expected to create value for all key stakeholders as the consolidation will

derive benefits from increased economies of scale and enhanced operating and administrative efficiencies. At the meetings, the scheme of merger document was presented to shareholders in line with the Companies & Allied Matters Act (CAMA). As a major shareholder in the two companies, Heineken NV, which was in favour of the merger, had the right to vote in the separate court-ordered meetings but decided not to exercise its voting right to avoid any possible conflicts of interest in the deal. Heineken’s decision was taken to give the minority shareholders of both companies sole discretion as to whether to approve the proposed merger. With the approvals of the shareholders for the merger, for every five ordinary shares held in Consolidated Breweries as at the terminal date, the shareholders of the company will receive four ordinary shares in Nigerian Breweries or a cash consideration of N120 per share of Consolidated Breweries held.

•From Left: Second Vice President, Chartered Institute of stockbrokers (CIS) Mr Dapo Adekoje, First Vice President, Mr Oluwaseyi Abe, Registrar and Chief Executive, Mr Adedeji Ajayi, Chief Executive Officer, Laurel Ventures, Professor Taiwo Asaolu and Administrative Secretary, Laurel Ventures, Miss Funke Durojaye at signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on CIS Diploma Programme between Laurel Ventures and CIS in Lagos.

NSE trading adds value to Oando’s rights

HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) at the weekend stated that it would over the next six weeks continue trading on the shares being offered by Oando through its ongoing rights issue, paving the way for shareholders of the energy group to trade their renounced rights. Oando is seeking to raise about N49 billion through an offer 2.217 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N22 per share to existing shareholders in its book as at July 25, 2014 on the basis of one new share for every four shares held as at the qualification date. The NSE stated that the trading in rights, which started last Wednesday, will continue until Wednesday January 14, 2015. There is strong optimism that Oando, which recently acquired ConocoPhillips’ Nigerian oil assets, the largest acquisition by an indigenous player in Africa, will successfully conclude the rights issue. In similar issuance, Oando had in 2013 raised about N55.2 billion from a rights issue, slightly above the initial target of N54.6 billion. The company had issued 4.548 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to existing shareholders at N12 per share between December 2012 and February 2013 with the intention of raising N54.6 billion. Allotment approved by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) however showed that Oando succeeded in raising N55.2 billion, which many had said indicated the high level of investors’ confidence in the company. The rights issue comes on the heels of the completion of the 51 kilometre pipeline by Oando En-

ergy Resources (OER), a subsidiary of Oando Plc. The 45,000bbls/d, 51km Umugini pipeline will provide an alternative evacuation route for crude oil produced from the Ebendo Field through the Trans Forcados export pipeline. OER noted that following the successful drilling of Ebendo wells five, six and seven over the past 12 months, oil production capacity within OML 56 has grown to 7,140boepd gross for OER and Energia Limited the operator of the asset (3,052boepd net to OER). However, export had been constrained at 3,093boepd (1,322boepd OER Share) via the Agip operated Kwale-Brass NAOC/JV infrastructure, in which OER currently has a 20 per cent interest through the recent $1.5 billion acquisition of ConocoPhillips Nigerian oil & gas business. The completion and commencement of operations on the Umugini pipeline ensures that the Ebendo field can now produce at its full capacity. Ebendo is located onshore, in the central Niger Delta approximately 100 km north-west of Port Harcourt and covers an area of 65 km2 (16,062 acres). The License includes two fields, Ebendo (producing) and the Obodeti field (undeveloped). Oando Energy Resources holds a 42.75% working interest on the field. Third quarter report of Oando indicated that the company optimized its bottom-line performance as significant improvements in top and midline costs moderated decline in turnover and returned higher earnings to shareholders. “The group is making solid progress in achieving a more robust financial performance despite

the current industry trend and 30 per cent decline in global crude prices year to date. Our conservative nature ensures that we apply risk mitigating processes, by implementing hedging tools in the upstream on our future crude production, $100/barrel for 3 years. We also fixed our gas prices through long term contracts with our customers in the midstream sector and have taken advantage of the lower prices in landing our refined imported products, resulting in improved pricing efficiencies. As we wrap up 2014, we look forward to a full quarter’s production contribution from our newly acquired NAOC JV assets, which have steadily increased our current output above 50kboepd, as well as achieving diversity in earnings via our increased upstream contribution,” group chief executive officer, Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu said. Key extracts of the interim report and accounts of Oando for the ninemonth period ended September 30, 2014 showed that while turnover dropped by 12.5 per cent, the group drew on improved input and marketing costs to grow gross profit and operating profit by 70.4 per cent and 97.3 per cent respectively. Net profit after tax rose by 75.7 per cent. Group turnover stood at N338.11 billion in third quarter 2014 compared with N386.25 billion in corresponding period of 2013. Gross profit meanwhile rose from N70.4 billion in 2013 to N79.60 billion in 2014. Operating profit also nearly doubled at N36.25 billion in 2014 as against N18.37 billion in 2013. Profit before tax rose marginally from N9.76 billion in third quarter 2013 to N10.18 billion in third quarter 2014.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

Taxation

Integrated Tax Administration System (ITAS) Frequently Asked Questions

HAT is ITAS? • ITAS is an acronym for “Integrated Tax Administration System” What is SIGTAS? • SIGTAS is an acronym for “Standard Integrated Government Tax Administration System” What task is the ITAS Project set out to achieve? • To simplify and automate all Tax Administration processes Where is ITAS taking us?

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed

Mashi

Who was contracted to supply and implement SIGTAS? • Telnet/CRC Sogema Consortium. CRC Sogema in collaboration with Telnet Nigeria Limited works as the Lead Solution Provider, core information system providers, and direct local support in the short term and project managers. • Telnet on the other hand, provides system integration and infrastructure, 3rd party system interface and BUS, and local maintenance and support in the medium to long term.

Can you list expected benefits of the ITAS Project when completed? • Streamlined, efficient processes that make it easier for taxpayers and other stakeholders to interact with the Service • Reduced administrative costs to the service • Provision of a comprehensive repository of taxpayer information that makes it easier for FIRS to support and monitor the taxpayer base throughout the lifecycle of each taxpayer • Improved case management for audit, investigation and appeals • Increased voluntary compliance by taxpayers • Reduction in turnaround time for tax administration processes Can you list at least 5 tax administration processes identified for automation by the ITAS Project?

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

•Past beneficiaries of the scheme

Through its ‘Shell live Wire Nigeria,’ the oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), is training youths to create jobs and reduce poverty. Twenty persons, who graduated from the scheme, got N750,000 each as start-up fund, reports AKINOLA AJIBADE

Shell Live Wire Nigeria: Empowering youths to grow I

S there a link between unemployment and poverty? The World Bank believes it is so. In its Economic Index for 2014, it identified unemployment as one of the major causes of poverty. Joblessness, the bank said, is a scourge ravaging nations, noting that many governments have fought it to no avail. It said many countries have not been able to tackle unemployment because of their lean purses. To create jobs, governmental and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) have gone into training people.

Last week, Shell held a graduation and awards ceremony for 20 youths who benefited from its social empowerment scheme at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. The Shell Live Wire Nigeria, has helped in discovering and nurturing youths with the potential to become employers. The initiative is part of Shell’s policy of ploughing back into its host countries. Graduates apply online for the training. Those selected get N750,000 as start-up of candidates for the training, and provision of start-up after training. The Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Ex-

ploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), Tony Attah, said the scheme has a lot of jobs’ prospects, adding that the 20 beneficiaries are going to provide thousands of jobs. Attah said the scheme would build capabilities of people, and further enable them to reduce poverty by creating jobs. Those expected to benefit from the scheme are skilled, semi- skilled and unskilled workers such as computer engineers, marketers of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) products, cameramen, photographers, farmers, drivers among others.

According to Attah, jobs would be created when people acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources. He explained that 70 per cent of the world’s population are youths below 25 years, arguing that the only way they can bring about the desired change in the society is to empower them. He said the development informed Shells’ decision to train 20 new people, give them N750,000 each and one-year mentorship package. He said Shell’s enterprise development •Continued on page 36

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

JOBS

Shell Live Wire Nigeria: Empowering youths to grow

•Continued from page 35

programme is tailored towards jobs’ creation, in view of the fact that Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of unemployed in Africa. “Through enterprise development programme, we believe we can identify and develop youths who have potentials to become job creators in their chosen trades, and not job seekers. Through this, we are building capacity and raising a generation of entrepreneurs with wherewithal to take people out of labour market and grow the Nigerian economy.’’ Attah said. Also, the Youth Development Adviser, Shell, Monica Umah, said enterprise development programme is one way of making people build their skills and become employers of labour, adding that the programme is educating people on how to start and grow their businesses. Umah said:“We had a five-day programme where people were put in a class, taught how to produce their feasibility studies, start businesses, expand them, prepare books/ accounts, and benefit from their mentors. During the programme, we made people to understand that they can start business from homes, and shops. The 20 new beneficiaries have undergone the training. Though they are based in Lagos, they are of different origins.’’ On method of recruitment, she said people apply online, shortlisted, interviewed, and selected for the training, stressing that different stages were introduced in order to pick to get the best people for the project. She said 10 out of the 20 trainees are going into Information Technology and Communication (ICT) business, and require a chair, table, desktop computers, and small space to operate and interface with their customers. She added that Shell is taking them to its incubation centre in Marina, Lagos, for one year monitoring programme. The remaining 10 people, Umar said, are going into farming, food processing, among other areas, and do not need incubation centre. She said: ‘’What the incubation centre does is it help people know how to reduce overheads that usually trouble new businesses. The beneficiaries would be handed over to mentors that would guide them to

•Country Chair, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mutiu Sunmonu

• Attah

We had a five-day programme where people were put in a class, taught how to produce their feasibility studies, start businesses, expand them, prepare books/ accounts, and benefit from their mentors achieve success. The mentors would collect their details, and establish a working relationship with them. The mentors and the beneficiaries of the scheme would be meeting from to time to discuss the way forward. The reason for mentoring is to ensure that the beneficiaries record growth. What Shell is looking for is: What is the turnover of the

beneficiaries of the scheme? Is it the turnover growing or reducing? How many people have the beneficiaries employed? She asked. Umar said Shell has supported 3,017 out of the 5,000 Niger Delta Youths trained few years ago, stressing many of them have helped in creating jobs.

‘’ We have been able to establish over 3,000 small businesses around the region. Those businesses are doing well. Many of the business owners are now Shell’s suppliers. Shell has supported the over 3,000 people with cash to grow their businesses. The company started with N100,000, increased it to N300,000 and now N750,000 to enable people create jobs. The 12 new beneficiaries are to do the same thing. They have mapped out strategies to start, and grow their businesses in order to provide jobs for people.’’ She said. One of the beneficiaries, Jennifer Nwamaka, said she is going into farming to boost food production, create jobs and add value to the economy. Nwamaka, a graduate from Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State said she presently runs a farm, but would go into food processing in the future. She said her foray into agriculture was not a mistake because she has conducted extensive research on it in order to achieve success. Jenifer said: ‘’I have started planting vegetables. I’m going into cassava planting. Despite the fact that my background is in Chemical Engineering, I prefer farming to oil and gas which many people are running to. The reason is because agriculture is the future of Nigeria. People must eat. I have conducted research on agriculture and I’m still doing it. I realise that there is money in agriculture. I believe that I’m going to achieve success in this endeavour. I will farm to create jobs( direct and indirect), which would help in taking my mates who are looking for jobs, off the streets. I have been pursuing this dream since 2005, and I’m keeping it alive by keying into opportunities that would galvanise my potentials. One of them is the Shell’s training programme which I got to know through a friend.. Unfortunately, my friend was unable was not shortlisted. Another beneficiary, Kunle Yusuf said he is going into food processing, having realised the opportunities in it. Hear him: ‘’ I am investing in food processing because I know that food is indispensable to man. People need food for survival. The jobs’ prospects in food processing is huge, and I will try and provide jobs through this.’’

CAREER MANAGEMENT

MPLOYMENT experts agree that skill identification is essential to a successful job search. Employers want to know what it is you can do for them-not just what you’ve done for someone else. Knowledge of your unique skills is needed to successfully complete an application, write a resume or answer interview questions. Skills Identification is a key initial step towards new employment. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines a skill as “a great ability or proficiency, expertness that comes from training, practice, etc.” A simple definition is that a skill is anything you can do right now. Everyone has skills, hundreds of skills, many of which employers are looking for in an employee. Yet most people can only identify a few skills and are generally unable to describe them to an employer. Employers need to hear what you can do. If you’re looking at purchasing a product that will cost you thousands of naira a year for many years, you also would want to know that it can do. The more skills you have identified, the easier it is to convince a potential employer that you have what it takes to do the job.

Skills categories Job skills Job skills are those skills specific to a job or occupation. An administrative assistant is skilled in typing, word processing, answering

How to identify your skills By Olu Oyeniran

telephones, company correspondence and filing. An accountant would list accounts receivable, performing accounts payable, payroll, figuring taxes, using a 10 keys adding machine and computer accounting programs. A salesperson would include customer service, record keeping, order processing, inventory management, billing and product displays. Job skills are important to employers for obvious reasons. These are the specific skills they look for in a candidate to accomplish the duties of the job. Job skills do not always come from employment. Along with the skills you used in previous jobs, you may have developed job skills through education, hobbies, community activities and life experiences. Common activities such as shopping, managing finances, balancing a bank account, hosting a party and teaching a child all contain potential job skills. Self-management skills Sometimes called “personality traits,” these self-management skills are skills you use day-to-day to get along with others and to survive. They’re the skills that you unique. Sincerity, reliability, tactfulness, patience, flexibility, timeliness and tolerance are examples of self-management skills. Employers look for these skills in can-

didates as evidence of how they will fit into the organisation. How a person will fit in is an important consideration to employers. Transferable skills These are skills that can transfer from one job or occupation to another. They may be either selfmanagement or job content skills, and may or may not have been developed through pervious employment. For most jobseekers it’s very unlikely that they’ll find a job that is identical to their opportunities. It’s also important to look for ways to express this transferability to a prospective employer. Duties Many people have trouble distinguishing between their skills and duties. Duties are the basic functions of an activity. Skills are tools to accomplish those functions. Duties or functions are a part of any organised activity, whether it’s employment, volunteer work or hobbies. A simple example is the management of a lemonade stand. The basic duties of a lemonade stand owner might be to manage lemonade operations including product, marketing, distribution and finances. These are many skills needed to accomplish these functions including: mixing, measuring, planning, sales, customer service, writing, cash handling, record keeping, maintenance, timeliness,

dependability, accuracy and motivation. A complete list of skills would be very long. Writing out the duties or functions of an activity first can be useful way to begin identifying skills. When presenting your skills to an employer, it’s best to tie them to specific activities in which they were used. It’s not enough to tell the employer your skills: you need to be prepared to tell where, when and how you used those skills. Writing your skills Identifying, listing and describing your skills isn’t an easy task. However, it’s critical to job search success and you should plan to invest the time needed. Listed below is an outline for skills identification that has been successfully used by many jobseekers. • List by title a job you’ve held. Start with your most recent employment and work backwards. • Write a detailed description of four to five major duties. • Think of the skills needed to accomplish each duty you’ve listed. Write those skills down on a piece of paper. Remember to look for both job and self-management skills. Be sure to include tools used, machines operated, knowledge applied, etc.

• Repeat the above steps for each activity you anticipate describing to an employer either on an application, in your resume or in an interview. Use this process for other work-related activities including hobbies, volunteer work and community experience. Once you’ve completed this process, you should have a long list of skills-A list too long to tell an employer. Go through the list, select and prioritise those skills that match your job(s) target(s). Three to eight can be optimal, depending on your years of experience and relevancy. These are the skill you will use and sell in your job search effort- deciding what you will like to do, during interviews and in your resume/CV. EkiniConsult & Associates is organising three free and open workshops, “Knocking on the Right Doors- Strategies for Uncovering the Hidden Job Market” for The Nation readers in Lagos. A free eBook of the same title will be given to those who may not be able to. If you are interested, send-in your name, location, email address and GSM no to 080-8384-3230. Precede with the word ‘ATTEND’ for those who want to come and ‘FREE EBOOK’ for those who want the free eBook only. •Oyeniran is Lead Consultant, EkiniConsult & Associates. He can be reached on Jobsearchhow.com.ng Tel 08083843230 (SMS Only).

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

C EO JOBS

Nigeria needs fiscal transformation

• Oyebola

As an astute financial expert, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer, FBN Capital Asset Management Limited, Mr. Michael Oyebola, knows when spending becomes frivolous, especially in austere times, when there are several needs competing for scarce resources. In this interview with TAOFIK SALAKO, he speaks on the pertinent issues facing the economy and the financial market. He argues that even with the devaluation of the nation’s currency by eight per cent, all hopes are not lost as the nation could still score a double-digit economic growth if the right policies are put in place and implemented.

HAT is your view on the macro economy within the immediate, medium and long term? In the short term, we may witness a little volatility due to global headwinds and the slide in the crude oil price. This is due to the significant connections between the Nigerian economy and global markets given the dominance of oil revenue as a main source of national income and the large proportion of foreign investors in the economy. Having said that, this is an economy that is growing at over six per cent with the potential of double-digits if we are able to increase power supply to the economy dramatically and the Federal Government re-launches its reforms after the elections in February. The recently concluded rebasing exercise has made Nigeria comfortably the largest economy in Africa. The main benefit of this data revision is the accurate snapshot of the diversity of the economy. Potential investors now have a better view of the Nigerian economy. While most macro commentaries

on Nigeria dwell upon the electoral risks, far greater risks emanate from a sustained decline in oil revenues than from the business of elections. The fall of more than 20 per cent in international crude oil prices merely reinforce these risks. Such a decline was Nigeria’s fate in the third quarter of 2008 and first quarter of 2009 when the price was very briefly below $40 per barrel and administrative controls on imports were reintroduced and the naira was effectively devalued. As a country, we now have to tighten our belts and work towards coming out much better and stronger on the other side. We have seen a general lull in corporate earnings given the third quarter results. What could be responsible for this? There are many factors responsible for this trend. It ranges from general macroeconomic issues to specific sectoral challenges. Generally, the insecurity in the North is affecting the nationwide spread and sales network of most companies with a national marketing strategy. This has effectively re-

duced potential sales and market share, with many that had strong sales in the North suffering more than others. Besides, the decline in consumers’ disposable income has led to a shift in taste and preference. Consumers are now opting for cheaper products which are sold by small and medium unlisted companies. That in turn is affecting the performance of fast moving consumer goods made by multinationals, most of which are listed on the stock market. For banks, a major reason is the regulatory headwinds. Increases in cash reserve requirement (CRR) and other monetary policies have impacted banks’ earnings; and we are now seeing the industry-wide effect on both the top-line and the bottom-line. What do you think could be done as major catalysts to boost the Nigerian economy and create jobs, wealth and good standard of living for the populace? First and foremost, we need fiscal transformation that will drastically reduce inefficient recurrent spending, and so free up

resources for capital projects and social programmes. The government needs to increase allocation to capital projects, and this will require reordering of our national budget and priorities. The agricultural transformation has shown that the right policies do create jobs and boost incomes. This can be extended to other sectors. It can be done if reforms are made across sectors to weaken the rent seeking economy. The proportion of Nigerian population participating in the capital market is still minimal at less than six per cent; what could be done to enhance domestic participation? I think the first step towards achieving greater financial inclusion and better participation in the capital market is financial literacy. We need a holistic nationwide financial campaign so that Nigerians can have better understanding of finance – banking, financial planning, the capital market and so on. Besides campaigns directed at the adults, efforts should be made to include fi•Continued on page 36

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

C EO JOBS

Nigeria needs fiscal transformation •Continued from page 35

nancial literacy as part of our educational curriculum so that we can lay the long-term foundation for increased financial inclusion and participation in the capital market. Secondly, a reduction in transaction fees at the capital market would also help. Currently we have some of the highest transaction costs for capital market transactions. Government should see through its announced intention to remove stamp duty from capital market transactions. We have seen a decline in foreign portfolio inflow and increase in outflow in recent period, what could be responsible for this? This was a result of a mixed-bag of weak performance in the underlying earnings of quoted companies -both banks and nonfinancials. You also have noted the lull in earnings in the third quarter. So, investors with eyes on immediate returns were adjusting their portfolios to the earnings realities. Besides, this was also compounded by the foreign exchange weakness. Foreign investors were wary of currency risks and anticipated a devaluation of the naira. Foreign investors’ domination of the capital market seems to be waning now. What does this portend for the economy? This domination is easing as some offshore investors, mostly US investors, have exited the market at the prospect of the tightening of monetary conditions by the Federal Reserve. But even at that, this ties to the previous issue of popular domestic participation in our capital market. When you have more Nigerian institutions and individuals participating in one way or the other in the capital market, there would be a sort of balance and cushion for possible negative effects of foreign portfolio flow. There has been clamour for government to intervene in the capital market by getting major companies to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), what’s your view on this? It is good that we should have the major companies in the economy listed on the stock market; this should give a better representative view of the economy. Besides, this allows the general citizenry to participate in national wealth creation. It’s also a way to deepen the market. However, my position that is that whatever in-

• Oyebola

tervention should not impede the free entry, free exit principles of the market. Government can encourage companies to seek listing through incentives such as tax breaks and other concessions and waivers. Also, government can tie granting of licences for major national services and products to listing on the stock market. What’s your view on the new capital base for operators and how do you see the market evolving post deadline? The issue of new capital base is almost a foregone conclusion, the deadline is December 31, 2014 and by now, I think the operators must have devised ways to comply with respective new capital requirement. I think the increase in the minimum capital base is good for all stakeholders - the capital market, the economy, operators and regulators. It should foster a more vibrant market consisting of well capitalised operators. This will in turn further deepen the market as more funds and products are expected from better-capitalised operators. Besides, operators will be able to hire and retain the right and well qualified personnel and introduce and manage appropriate products for the capital market and public. All these will support the regulators’ aim of growing the market while simultaneously ensuring compliance with best practices. The Nigerian Stock Exchange is contemplating a change in pricing base rule that will allow stocks to fall as low as one kobo, what’s your view on this? The proposed change will change the base price for any quoted company from the par-value based system to a general minimum price of one kobo. Now, companies are not allowed to drop below their par value or nominal value. But under the new proposed rule, the share price of every quoted company will be determined by the market, except that no share shall trade below a price floor of one Kobo per unit. This is a commendable step; the Nigerian Stock Exchange should allow shares to find their own natural floor and ceiling. Less than 0.2 per cent of Nigerian population participate in collective investment schemes such as mutual funds, what could be responsible for this, and what could be done to stimulate participation? Collective investment schemes are investment products used for a

variety savings. They allow investors to pool their resources together and have a professional investment manager invest on their behalf, the same way they tell a bank to open a current account, issue them a cheque book and Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, they can tell a fund manager they want to invest in the money market or equity market by using a collective investment scheme from where all investment returns are returned to the customer. There is a need to increase investors’ education, particularly in the area of collective investment schemes. We, fund managers under the auspices of Fund Managers’ Association of Nigeria (FMAN), are collaborating with the capital market regulators and other stakeholders to address the dearth of knowledge about the potential of mutual funds, particularly for investors looking to spread risk. We are working closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the Capital Markets Literacy Initiative which aims to develop national strategies for financial education. Many of these inputs are already on board in the new capital market master plan. FMAN is also working to establish a robust nationwide distribution platform that will make mutual funds available to the nooks and crannies of the country. Part of the aims is to promote and increase awareness of the expertise of the fund managers in managing segregated investment mandates and mutual funds. One of the key objectives of FMAN is to establish a robust fund distribution platform for all SEC-registered fund managers in such a way that you can walk in to subscribe to mutual funds in a way that you walk in and get your car licences, pay for your DSTV channels and other utilities. As an investment firm, which sectors do you think hold the greatest prospect for growth? We see significant growth opportunities and returns in food manufacturing, real estate and infrastructure as well as agriculture. The potential in these sectors are evident, consider the real estate and housing need of Nigerians and the huge gap between housing need, demand and supply. The same also applies to infrastructure. Nigeria also has a large consumer base, which can drive returns for food manufacturers and property developers. What is your company doing to deepen participation and product variety at the Nigerian stock market? We are doing a lot; from customer education to product development and general market awareness; we are making concerted efforts to deepen investors’ participation in a variety of products. Through our customer education and financial literacy programmes, we help our customers understand the importance of the capital market and available opportunities best suited for their financial profiles. We also provide direct assistance by helping them to map out their financial plans. Besides, we have developed a variety of products that enable all categories of people to invest in the financial markets, irrespective of their means and age, like we have in the variants of our mutual funds,

• Oyebola

which are designed and available to everyone. What are some of these variants you talked about and how does it work? Our FBN Money Market Fund invests in a wide range of very liquid short term funds while our FBN Fixed-Income Fund offers investors opportunity to invest in Nigeria’s sovereign bonds and other long-tenor securities. FBN Heritage Fund is an open-ended mixed-fund that invests in wide range of assets including equities, bonds, money market instruments and real estate. As an open-ended fund, investors are able to subscribe to and redeem units on any business day. Investors will generally purchase units in the fund directly from the fund itself rather than from existing unit holders while offering an opportunity to achieve good returns from a diversified portfolio of investment. Our mutual funds are designed in a scalable way that allows small, medium and large scale investors to participate in the funds and benefit from high returns accruable from our expertise. We have a team of dedicated, professional and experienced investment managers and our primary objective is to achieve a high level of income obtainable from investments that is consistent with prudent investment management, the preservation of capital and good liquidity. There is no gainsaying that the level of professional management is a major determinant of success in today’s volatile market. What are the benefits of investing in the FBN mutual funds? Our mutual funds can help meet savings and wealth building needs, whether it be saving to go on holiday, buy a car or a house, saving for your children’s school fees or even saving towards a stress free and enjoyable retirement. We al-

‘Investors with eyes on immediate returns were adjusting their portfolios to the earnings realities... this was also compounded by the foreign exchange weakness. Foreign investors were wary of currency risks and anticipated a devaluation of the naira’

ready invest on behalf of thousands of Nigerians, both here and abroad, who have entrusted us with helping their money grow. Investors will benefit from our investment process, which combines top-down views on the macroeconomic environment with proprietary local bottom-up analysis of credit quality and market factors including supply, demand and liquidity by highly rated credit analysts and markets team. The FBN Capital asset management team has the experience, depth and diversity to actively manage a broad and diversified portfolio of investments. Yields on investments will provide portfolio diversification as well as the ability to gain exposure to different sectors of the economy. How do you see the decline in oil price and the changes in Nigeria’s reserves, foreign exchange and monetary issues affecting the capital market and the economy generally? The damage is already done; you can see the decline at the stock market. But if crude oil prices fall further we may see further losses. There is no doubt that Nigeria is susceptible to changes in crude oil prices, and the capital market is an integral part of the economy. If you are given the opportunity to prioritise the scale of preference for government, what and what will come first in your recommendation? I will look at this from the possible long-term growth stimulators and economic stabilizers. I will advise that government should approve some version of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to kick-start investment in the oil industry. New and increased investments in the oil industry, the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy, will not only enhance revenues accruable to government, they will create jobs and have multiplier effects on many social factors. Also, in relation to this, government should complete the deregulation of the downstream oil industry, deregulate fuel prices and let market forces determine the prices. Besides, government should replace the Excess Crude Account (ECA) with a ring-fenced sovereign wealth fund (SWF). All these should provide immediate quick wins and long-term supports to the economy.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

BUSINESS MOTORING

Lincoln Navigator: classy, stronger performance

â&#x20AC;˘Lincoln Navigator

For 2015, the Lincoln Navigator has received a makeover. Its highlights include new front and rear styling, a refreshed interior and the replacement of the old V8 engine with a more powerful and efficient turbo-charged V6, reports TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO with agency addition

S A LARGE vehicle in a small niche segment, the Lincoln Navigator SUV has typically played second fiddle to its Cadillac rival. With a substantial refresh taking place this year, the Lincoln's full-size luxury liner is putting up a stronger fight for the first place next year. Chief among the key changes in the 2015 Lincoln Navigator is a turbo-charged V6 engine that promises both stronger performance and better fuel economy than the anemic and old-tech V8 it replaces. Front-end styling adopts Lincoln's "split wing" grille, the rear gets a full-width taillight and an illuminated "welcome mat" lights up under both front doors when they are unlocked. Hidden from view is a newly optional suspension with adjustable dampers that promise greater comfort and stability when you need it. Inside, the Navigator finally receives the latest version of the brand's infotainment interface ("MyLincoln Touch") and adopts the company's latest touchscreen electronics interface that allows one to customise instrument panel displays. What remains unchanged are the Navigator's ability to carry up to eight passengers in comfort, transport the spoils of an over-enthusiastic Costco shopping spree and tow a 9,000-pound trailer all in style. There simply aren't that many luxury vehicles out there that can do all that. There is a downside, however, sheer size. To assuage parking issues, there are parking sensors and a rearview camera equipped as standard, but somehow the Navigator still feels hard to handle at times.

Body Styles The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) that is

available in two models: the standard Navigator and the extended-wheelbase Navigator L. Both feature three rows of seats that, with the standard second-row captain's chairs, can accommodate a total of seven passengers. An available three-person 40/ 20/40-split second-row bench seat increases seating capacity to eight. The Navigator's list of standard equipment includes 20-inch alloy wheels; xenon headlights; foglights; a heavy-duty tow package; front and rear parking sensors; automatic wipers; rear privacy glass; a power liftgate; power-folding running boards; keyless ignition and entry; dualzone automatic climate control with rear auxiliary controls; a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel; leather upholstery; heated and ventilated eight-way power front seats; power-adjustable pedals; driver seat memory settings; heated second-row captain's chairs and a power-folding 60/40split third-row bench. Also included are an auto-dimming rearview mirror; a 110-volt household-style power outlet; the Sync voice command system; Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity; a rearview camera; multi-configurable instrument displays; a navigation system; an 8-inch touchscreen electronics interface and a 14-speaker surround-sound audio system with High Definition (HD) radio; satellite radio; a USB/iPod interface and an auxiliary audio input jack. Its optional reserve package include 22inch alloy wheels; adaptive suspension dampers; a two-tone exterior paint scheme and upgraded leather trim (also covers the doors, dash and console). Other options include a sunroof, different wheels, a secondrow console and a rear-seat entertainment system with twin 7-inch headrest-mounted

â&#x20AC;˘The interior

screens.

Powertrains Power for the 2015 Lincoln Navigator comes from a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6 engine that puts out 380 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive are standard. A light-duty four-wheel-drive system (no low-range gearing) is optional. Properly equipped, a rear-wheel-drive Navigator is capable of towing up to 9,000 pounds.

Safety The 2015 Lincoln Navigator comes standard with antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, trailer sway control, frontseat side airbags, three-row side curtain airbags and a post-crash alert system. Front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, blind spot monitoring and rear crosstraffic alert are also standard. The standard programmable MyKey system allows parents to specify speed limits and stereo volume limits for their teenage drivers.

Interior Design and Special Features Step inside the 2015 Lincoln Navigator and

find an upscale environment filled with a long list of standard amenities, from heated and ventilated front seats to a 14-speaker surround-sound audio system. Perhaps the interior's greatest strength is its sheer size. Passengers in the standard first and second-row captain's chairs enjoy comfortable accommodations with plenty of room to stretch out. Even the third row feels relatively spacious, though the climb to get back there is best left to the young and limber. When it comes to hauling cargo, both Navigator models excel. With all the rear seats folded, the shorter-wheelbase version offers a healthy 103 cubic feet of cargo room, while the extended Navigator L comes in at an expansive 128 cubic feet. Easing cargoloading chores is the standard power-folding third-row seat that stows neatly beneath the floor with the touch of a button. Gauges and controls are straightforward and intuitive. The central, multifunction touchscreen offers a clean, logical layout for navigation, audio, phone and climate controls. Backed by many redundant voice commands, MyLincoln Touch can be a powerful tool for configuring and controlling the vehicle and your smartphone. But there's still a learning curve for getting accustomed to even basic functions.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

MOTORING

Ford builds climatic wind tunnel test centre

ERMANY will soon be home to some of the hottest and coldest temperatures, most arid and humid conditions, hurricane force wind speeds, and highest altitudes to be found anywhere on the planet courtesy of a new climatic wind tunnel test centre being built by Ford at its engineering centre in Merkenich, Cologne. The all-new, multi-million US$

Honda fuel cell vehicle debuts

HEY may not be everywhere, but Mercedes-Benz and Honda already have hydrogen fuel cell vehicles roaming the California’s sun-drenched streets and freeways in the United States (US). Toyota plans to expand the market with the introduction of the Mirai production model set to hit the US by 2016 along with investments in hydrogen fuelling infrastructure. Not to be outdone, Honda released an updated model of its own fuel cell concept in Japan on November 16 along with an announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show that it would increase the number of fuelling stations in the U.S. Fuel-cell vehicles run on electric motors, which make them EVs for all intents and purposes. The difference comes in the power source, which in the case of fuel-cell vehicles would be hydrogen gas tanks that sit inside the vehicle. Using this system, the only emissions are a light water drip from the tailpipe. Hydrogen offers a range of 300 miles that is nearly unparalleled in electric vehicles. Instead of charging a battery, swapping hydrogen tanks gets drivers another 300 miles of range in three-to-five minutes at a fuelling station. While this formula appears to be the holy grail for vehicles in an industry plagued by emissions caps, the current system in place has not come close to batterypowered electric vehicles (or even diesel-powered cars, for that matter), according to a study reported in CleanTechnica. Converting natural gas into usable hydrogen fuel for vehicles involves a very intense process that releases more emissions than other green car choices. Automakers such as Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai hope these issues are resolved by the time they hit the mass market, which appears to be 2016. For Honda, the Los Angeles Auto Show was a way to advance its entry while keeping pace with Toyota in production and fuelling infrastructure.

Stories by Tajudeen Adebanjo

facility – which is planned to be the most advanced wind tunnel test centre in the global auto industry when it is opened in the next few years – will feature two climatic wind tunnels capable of operating at wind speeds of up to 250 kph – almost at the Category 5 rating for hurricane wind speeds. The test centre will also house an altitude laboratory capable of emulating heights from sea level to 5,200 metres high – higher than the average height of the Tibetan Plateau, often described as “The Roof of the World.” “Around 50 percent of the vehicles we sell around the world

are sold in areas that are more than 1,000 metres above sea level, including regions like the Alps and Pyrenees here in Europe,” said Barb Samardzich, Chief Operating Officer, Ford of Europe, at the ground-breaking ceremony. He added: “This new, worldleading climatic wind tunnel test centre underlines Ford’s continuing commitment to investing in the most advanced vehicle testing technologies to provide our customers with the highest quality, worldclass vehicles.” The climatic wind tunnel test centre will also feature four separate cells where cars can be cooled to temperatures of minus 40 Celsius Arctic conditions, to plus 55 Cel-

sius, just 2.8 Celsius below the highest-ever air temperature globally recorded in the Sahara Desert. In addition, humidity in the centre will be capable of being adjusted from the driest desert conditions of just 10 percent humidity, to the most humid of rainforests at 95 percent. The new test centre, which will measure 5,500 square metres in size, equivalent to a football field – also underlines the continuing importance of Ford’s engineering centre in Merkenich, Cologne, which has the global lead for the design and the development of all Ford global B- and C-segment vehicles.

•Masters Iwu (second right) and Nwankwo with trophy flanked by Mr Zaki (right) and General Manager, Gas, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mr Ubaka Emelumadu, at the presentation of trophy to the winners.

Winners emerge in road safety contest

HE duo of Masters Victor Nwankwo and Patrick Iwu from Christ the King Grammar School, Okigwe, Imo State, have emerged the 2014 winners of the National Road Safety Competition. The event was organised by the Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC) in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). The final of the Senior Secondary School students contest on road safety was held at Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos. Nwankwo and Iwu in a keenly contested competition beat Emiemokumo Gesiye-Emi and Francis Ukpere from Winners’s International Academy, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and Ahmed Sanni Bello and Oluchi Ohaka from Federal Government College, Malaki, Kaduna State to the first

and second runners-up places. Master Adewole Damilola of Ondo Boys High School, Ondo, who scored 98 per cent in the examination, was named 2014 Safety Ambassador. While Nwankwo and Iwu went home with a trophy, 20 KVA generating set and laptops, Damilola was decorated with FRSC Marshall uniform and handed a laptop. The runners-up were rewarded with multipurpose copier, complete computer set and notebook computers. Speaking shortly after the emergence of the winners, SPDC Director of Human Resources, Mr Obinna Anaba, said the competition was aimed at supporting the development of school children’s general and road safety knowledge as well as encourage national focus on child safety in Nigeria.

“We believe in catching them young, spreading the safety message to our youth as early as possible because these are the future lea ders. The earlier they got the message, the better for the future generation,” he said. Assistant Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Shehu Zaki, hailed for bringing safety campaign to the secondary schools. Zaki expressed optimism that the future of road safety campaign is bright going by the excellent display of the participants. He congratulated the winners, and enjoined those who do not win to put in more efforts in subsequent competitions. He called on all participants to spread the message of general safety and road in particular on returning to their various destinations.

Coscharis introduces zero interest promo

OSCHARIS Motors, the sole franchisee of Jaguar Land Rover brands has announced a new favourable price ownership scheme for its Discovery and Freelander 2 variants. The scheme allows customers a zero interest spread payment for one year as Coscharis pay the interest on behalf of the customer during this holiday period. According to Coscharis Divisional General Manager, Sales, Ufuoma Umukoro, the ownership scheme is the first in the Nigerian auto industry against the usual financing scheme where customers will have to incur some interests or hiding charges that inflate the actual prices of the vehicles. “For Coscharis, we are offering the Discovery for N15.5million and the Freelander 2 for N7.5million with the option to choose between your interests being paid for one year, lease or cash transaction. This gives the customer the freedom to own the Discovery, interest free and spread payments over 12 months,” Umukoro said. He said the company’s existing customers can attest that the N15.5 million is the best price they can get for lump sum payment, but with the scheme, customers can spread the payment for one year without any interest. Consequently, Coscharis is responsible for the interest accruable. In addition, customers also get complementary monetised vouchers to use at GrosVenor Integrated Shirt Limited, the sole franchisee of Grosvenor London, who has the Royal Warrant of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, which makes it an official shirt maker of the British Royal. The voucher is redeemable in either of GrosVenor’s outlets in Lagos and Abuja. Furthermore, buyers will receive gift vouchers to spend at Q.Med Diagnostic Centre and Make Me. As part of the holiday offering, the General Manager, Marketing, Abiona Babarinde, said: “All buyers will also enjoy one year free registration, free road assistance, special discount for fleet purchase, extended service plan for three years or 100,000km (whichever comes first) and free delivery anywhere in Nigeria.” The aim of the scheme is to ease ownership of the premium variants for corporate and retail customers and to reward actual customers especially during festive season. It is one of the company’s strategies to ensure that Jaguar Land Rover customers enjoy their Christmas and New Year seasons with peace of mind. Coscharis Motors as the sole importer of Jaguar Land Rover in Nigeria offers a comprehensive warranty backed by a region-wide sales and service network responsible for the provision of world-class sales, maintenance and parts back-up.

SAFE DRIVING

ARS are dangerous. Although vehicular transport has become absolutely vital and necessary to the world’s economy over the past century, along with the fact that there have been tremendous advances in technology, cars still kill a lot of people every year through a variety of means. While accidents and collisions are often the first thing you may think of when you see the words “car” and “deaths” in the same sentence, vehicular emissions are quickly becoming a huge problem in different areas around the world. But are emissions actually deadlier than accidents themselves? From an American viewpoint, that seems almost absurd. After all, thanks to some regulation from the government, most cities have been able to clear up a good amount of smog and air pollution over the past couple of decades. And when was the last time you heard about anyone getting killed by air pollution?

Auto emissions much deadlier than accidents Well, that’s the shortsightedness that comes from living in America, whereas in places like China, it’s an entirely different story. To get to the bottom of things, CityLab, which is part of the Atlantic Media collective, decided to task itself with finding the answer. The question was originally brought up by David Levinson of The Transportationist in a post titled: “Death By Car: Are You More Likely To Die From a Crash or Breathing its Toxic Emissions?” It’s an interesting topic, and it became the starting point for CityLab. By focusing on the year 2005, CityLab looked at the number of deaths resulting from traffic accidents across the country, which added up to a little more than 43,500. Then, the publication contrasted that number with the number of deaths attributable to air pollution. Referencing a recent study conducted by MIT re-

searcher Fabio Caiazzo, it was found that 52,800 deaths could be blamed on particulate matter generated from road transportation alone for 2005 by looking at epidemiological evidence used to relate long-term exposure of pollution to premature deaths. By those numbers, it appears that car emissions contributed to 19 per cent more deaths than auto accidents in 2005. That number actually increases when you figure in other factors, like ozone concentrations. Your winner is auto emissions, and by a long shot. Those numbers and findings are astounding, and probably come as quite a surprise to most people. With so much energy and effort focused on preventing and protecting ourselves from auto accidents, the exhaust that pours out of vehicles has become the more potent killer. Of course, we can attribute some of this to the declining number of auto acci-

dent deaths over the past several decades. With the invention and implementation of numerous safety features like seat belts and airbags, it’s no wonder that deaths have come way down than from past decades. But what about the incredible amount of deaths that can be traced back to particulates from emissions? There’s plenty of reason for concern, especially since a great number of people probably never really considered emissions to be a threat. Sure, there has been a lot of talk about things like climate change and environmental devastation, but more than 50,000 deaths just in 2005 that can be blamed on emissions? That is a real wakeup call. However, there is also reason to be optimistic that those are figures that can drop dramatically — and may already be doing so. With more and more consumers increasingly opting to purchase hybrids and electric cars,

the levels of particles from vehicle exhaust are likely on the downturn. Another way that we can help is by investing more in public transportation systems, which get more vehicles off the road and therefore lead to less matter entering the air. Again, there is a long way to go on this front, but think about where we could be in a decade or two if as much effort and concentration is put into reducing emissions as there was in making cars safer to drive. It is still a pretty big shock to realise just how deadly and dangerous emissions actually are. The real challenge will be getting policymakers and auto manufacturers to look at the data and make regulations and incentives to help shape the future. China alone sees 670,000 of its citizens die every year from smog-related deaths. If that figure, along with the numbers CityLab has come up with can’t change minds, then we may be in for a rough ride.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 2014

RACE TO 2015

‘

Bankole is a young man. I love him. But, he doesn’t know who his friends and enemies are

‘

Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been embroiled in a crisis over preparations for next year’s general elections. In this interview with Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN, its chairman, Chief Adebayo Dayo, speaks on the disagreement over the choice of the governorship flag bearer.

‘Abuja can’t foist Bankole on Ogun PDP’

• Dayo

AS the Senator David Markled panel been able to integrate PDP factions in Ogun

State? The Senator David Mark Committee was set up to integrate the new and old members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest states. You know Mark is one of the strong pillars of our party. He was appointed to lead a committee that will stabilise the PDP in the Southwest. When you see a good man, you will see a lot of good things in whatever he does. What the committee is doing in Southwest will help our party. It has been so far, so good. Has the panel encountered any problem in that regard? The only problem it has is in Ondo State where the state executive of the party was dissolved. It was unfortunate that the Ondo executive was dissolved because its Chairman, Ebenezer Alabi and members of his executive council worked very hard to make sure that the PDP remained strong in the state. As co-ordinator of PDP Southwest chairmen, when I heard Ondo State executive was dissolved, I knew that Senator Mark was not responsible for the dissolution because he believes in the rule of law and due process. What is the position of the Southwest PDP Chairmen on the dissolved Ondo State executive? As far as we are concerned, the PDP Executive Council is not dissolved. That is the court order. The matter is before the court and the court has

OVERNOR Theodore Orji of Abia State has denied the ex istence of an anointed candidate. But, political developments in the state in the last couple of months suggest that one of the aspirants enjoys his backing. His name is Okezie Ikpeazu. The Chairman of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency, Aba Zone, has been enjoying a tremendous support and goodwill from various stakeholders. He has been endorsed by several groups and notable individuals in the state. A particular group organized a one million-man match for the aspirant. At the climax of the exercise, within the precincts of the Government House, Ikpeazu was handed over to the governor; symbolizing that he should accept him as his successor. Stakeholders were able to read Governor Orji’s body language and this has had a bandwagon effect. As a result, most of the aspirants have lost hope of receiving fair treatment during the primary, because they say the list of delegates was compiled at Government House. At the outset, there are about 15 as-

ruled that the status quo should remain. The party chairman and members of his executive remain in office until we have a final judgment on the issue. I know that members of the National Working Committee are law abiding, they will always uphold the rule of law. Is it true that a faction of the PDP in Ogun is calling for the dissolution of your executive? I am not aware of that. It is not true. However, we are in a democratic dispensation; people are free to express their opinion. The Ogun PDP executive cannot be dissolved until the expiration of our tenure in March 2016. Our executive is a product of a congress held in February 2012, which was validated by two courts of law. We have judgments from the Federal High Court and State High Court, Ilaro, confirming the legitimacy of the congress from wards to state level and the elected members of the state executive council. The speculators should be very careful, so that they don’t commit contempt of court. What is your reaction to the speculation that the Presidency has endorsed former Speaker Dimeji Bankole for Ogun governorship? The thinking of some people is that when a young man had the opportunity of occupying high office, he should remain there forever. It is not possible because time changes. Gone are the days when an individual will remain in the leadership position forever. The only person that remained a leader till his last day on earth was Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He worked for it and got it. Awo was a great man; a consistent leader who never misled his followers. Many people think they could be a leader like Awo. How many of them

can shun social vices like womanising, drinking and lying like Awo did. Awo was always busy in his study room thinking of how to improve the lots of common Nigerians. Bankole is a young man. I love him. But, he doesn’t know who his friends and enemies are. A man who is not ready to listen and learn from someone else’s experience, because he is too much in a hurry, how will he not make mistakes? He thought because he had occupied high office in the past that he will continue to be in big office for the rest of his life. That is why he is thinking of automatic ticket. I have told all PDP governorship aspirants in Ogun State that I am the umpire for the race. I have no interest in who picks the ticket. My ambition is that the PDP should win in Ogun in 2015. If I am a younger man looking for appointment from a governor, I would probably take side with an aspirant. I don’t have ambition of seeking political appointment. I want to organise a free and fair primary that will be acceptable to all concerned. If Abuja politicians give any aspirant automatic ticket, then they have to come down to Ogun State to vote for their anointed candidate. All I know is that we are preparing for the primaries through which candidates for elective offices would emerge. The delegates elected by the party members would decide the fate of the aspirants, including those seeking governorship tickets. Nobody can impose candidates on us in Ogun State. All the candidates would emerge through due process. What is your working relationship with Jubril Martins Kuye (JMK) like? What many people don’t know is that I happen to be a follower of JMK

group for 18 years. JMK has been my leader. There are no more factions or groups in Ogun PDP. Kuye played a major role in making Gbenga Daniel governor in 2003. I regard him as my leader. But, he is not the only leader in the Ogun State chapter. Daniel is one of the leaders in Ogun State today, Prince Kashamu is another leader, Senator Otegbola is also a leader. Being leaders do not mean that they have groups. We have settled all our differences in Ogun PDP. If our governorship candidate emerged either through consensus or primary, we will all work together. But, where an aspirant is contented with the promise of an automatic ticket by Abuja suggests that he lacks grassroots support. With the acceptability of a candidate by party members, 50 per cent of the workload is over. Through complimentary efforts, the party will make up the outstanding 50 per cent. If you are not popular among the party supporters, it is not possible for the party to win the election for you. Have you fully integrate Gbenga Daniel’s group back into the PDP? Thirty minutes ago, I received a text from Daniel, telling where he was. That speaks volume that our working relationship is very cordial. As someone who has been governor for eight years, he had helped many people through appointments. He has a lot of followers. The challenge I have now is how to manage the high calibre of people and having a working relationship with them. I don’t have any problem with Daniel and his followers. I am sure with the old and new group working together, the sky is the limit for us in Ogun PDP. Are you reaching out to other op-

‘If our governorship candidate emerged either through consensus or primary, we will all work together. But, where an aspirant is contented with the promise of an automatic ticket by Abuja suggests that he lacks grassroots support’

position parties like Social Democratic Party (SDP)? Yes, we have been discussing with our leader Chief Olusegun Osoba for a very long time. The relationship is very cordial, but we have not concluded any arrangement on 2015 elections. How many governorship aspirants have submitted their nomination forms? We have 11 in our records here in Ogun. They are Kayode Amusan, Tony Ojesina, Prince Yanju Lipede, Dr. Remilekun Bakare, Alhaji Sarafa Tunji Ishola, Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, Prof. David Bamgbose, Hon. Isiaka Akinlade, Omoba Segun Adewale, Prince Gboyega Isiaka, and Alhaji Rafiu Ogunleye. What of Dimeji Bankole? I am not aware of Dimeji Bankole’s intention. I have given you what we have in our records. May be he collected and submitted his form at Abuja. In addition to governorship aspirants, 109 aspirants for House of Assembly, 59 for House of Representatives and 10 for Senate have submitted their forms. How would you manage postprimary crisis? Unless we want to deceive ourselves, the people that have remained in the party over the years will have an edge over those that are just returning. But, we will make sure that the positions go round. Most of the returnees have got waivers to contest. We will support them in achieving their political ambition. We shall work together at the general elections. Are you prepared for the general elections? The large number of aspirants filing nomination papers shows the strength of the party. We have 11 governorship aspirants that cut across the three senatorial zones, canvassing votes in their respective constituencies. It is a warm up for the party’s campaign to commence. With the party structure and the party manifesto, the PDP is the party to beat in Ogun State.

Crowded governorship race in Abia By Raymond Mordi

pirants spanning across the three senatorial districts. But, only eight of them were screened by the party for the race. Beside Ikpeazu, the others are: former two-time Deputy Governor, Acho Nwakanma; business mogul and legal practitioner, Friday Nwosu; Okey Emuchay; oil magnate Sampson Uche Ogah; former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Nwogu; former managing director of Hallmark Bank, Mark Wagbara. Other aspirants who were not cleared for today’s primary include: former Deputy Governor and now Senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe; and the Senator representing Abia Central, Nkechi Nwaogu. Abaribe, who had been very hopeful of getting the governorship ticket, has been asked to return to the Senate. He has however not pulled out of the race formally. The same thing goes for Nwaogu. Indeed, she is very bitter about the

process leading to the primaries, saying there was no delegates’ congress on November 10 because the entire process was manipulated. Nwaogu, who may be dumping the platform for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), has been lamenting that in spite of being loyal, committed and dedicated to the party, she is not being fairly treated. She is particularly not happy that Governor Orji was cleared to contest for the party’s ticket for Abia Central senatorial race; after she was asked to forget about the governorship and buy the nomination form for the senatorial contest. Indeed, many disappointed aspirants have complained about the way the party is being run in the state; they say the party has been hijacked by a family and that their chance of realising their political ambition within the current set-up is slim. From all indications, there are no obstacles standing between Ikpeazu and the PDP ticket. The zoning arrangement favours him; he is from

Abia South. One thing that could go for Ikpeazu also is that he has the backings of the first family and some of the state party executives. The zoning arrangement also favours him because he is from Obingwa Local Government Area in Abia South. But, the irony is that the former lecturer at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) has never really been involved in politics as such. His opponents in the race have chided him several times, saying that the state doesn’t need a political greenhorn like him. There are fears that it may not augur well for the state, if Orji succeeds in installing Ikpeazu as the next governor. Observers are apprehensive that Orji who is popularly known as Ochendo may cage Ikpeazu like his predecessor (Orji Uzor Kalu) did. Such fears are justified, particularly with the governor’s son, Chinedu Orji and his associates being positioned to represent their various constituencies in the state house of assembly. They insist

• Orji

that Ikpeazu will remain a stooge in the hands of Ochendo. It is said that Chinedu is being positioned to become the Speaker of the state house of assembly, with the aim of checkmating Ikpeazu.

THE NATION MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 2014

RACE TO 2015 Prof. David Bamgbose is the governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State. In this interview with reporters, he explains why he deserves the party’s ticket and why he left the Accord Party for the PDP. MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE was there.

‘I’m running to liberate Ogun from poverty’

HY are you contesting for governorship? You cannot leave the governance of this state to the set of people in power. Someone like me need not have any business with governance, if they were doing the right thing. There is need to create conducive environment for the people in both private and public institutions. People should be able to have access to infrastructure, equipment and other facilities. But, the authorities in power have refused to tackle the problems. I have been a player in the private sector and other diverse local and international organisations. But, I have found out that my country and my state in particular is not fulfilling its God-given destiny. There is need for us to do something to arrest the situation. But, people have accepted the situation without question. They are not thinking of changing the status quo. We must do something and that is what I represent. But, the challenge that I have is how to achieve the above objectives. Let me give you this example; our College of Education charges the lowest fees among all tertiary institutions, whether private, state-owned or federal government-owned. We also allow students to pay in instalments. We equally run free education in the prisons. The prison is supposed to be correctional institutions, but in Nigeria it is a different thing entirely. Our activities and what we do for prisons inmate have made some of them graduates. Coming into politics is to seek a higher platform to reach out to more people, to make life better for them. We must do something about the state; we cannot leave it to the set of people in power to continue to toy with our collective destinies. Why did you leave the Accord Party for the PDP? It is a very pragmatic, but painful decision to move from my former party, the Accord Party to the PDP. Pragmatic in the sense that you cannot achieve certain things on the basis of ideas alone; you must be realistic. I found out that in Nigeria, there are two major parties the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC). The work we are going to do, if it must be successful, we must get across as many people as possible. It would be easier to achieve this through the PDP platform. So, there is nothing wrong taking that decision. The only thing that made me to move from the Accord Party to the PDP is to have a better structure. At the end of the day, also, I cannot confidently tell you that money will not be the criteria for the PDP to choose their candidate at the primaries. But, it should be on record that we presented our person on the platform. At the end of the day, the job would have been better done, if I can get the PDP ticket. This is because the personality of the people in governance has tremendous influence on the programme the party. The candidate of the party is very important; if you look at the calibre of the candidates of the parties in the elections in the Southwest, it speaks volume about the outcome of the result of the elections. So, one of the strongest reasons why I moved to the PDP is to be able to have a bigger platform, for us to be able to make our agenda available to a wide range of people and also to win the governorship of the state. There’s a long list of aspirants in the PDP. How you can achieve this? It is the fundamental interest of any political party to get to the seat of power. Now, everyone that is aspiring on the platform of the PDP will go through the primaries and I think I will be of greater benefit to the PDP now and in the future. Out of the 10 of us that are vying for the governorship, under the PDP, there is none of them that have a business organisation in the whole of the Ogun State. I have three organisations in the state and I am resident in the state. Of course, they too are residents in the state; they go for their businesses and come back to the state. I employed over 200 people in our organisations. I want to say I am a bigger stakeholder in the evolution of the state than any one of them. And for example, the incumbent governor has been raising issues on tax matter. There was a time he locked the gate of our college. And if my party will present a candidate that will lose the election, God forbid, this people will go back to their business located outside the state. I will be the one that will remain in the state and facing the governor in the state. Again, there is a clear record of our activities of reaching out to the poor. In our colleges, we have offered scholarship. I have the track record of contribution to the betterment of humanity. So, it is better for the party to look beyond narrow equation or what they can get now. They should look at the larger benefit. I have the record of not being associated with any blemish. I have not worked with any government before. Some of the contestants have held political offices in the past without any benefit to the people. I may be weak in the area of giving money. I don’t have the money to throw around. I am of the opinion that these people, who go into the political arena, spending money are doing so on the basis of business and would look forward to reaping it back. If they get to power, what they will be bothered with is how they will recoup the money they have plough into it. It is investment for them, so we will not throw money around. We are going to sell ourselves to the people, as we are doing right now and allow God to pick the right candidate. Was there any consultation before from the Accord Party to the PDP? I consulted with my primary constituency, but it was not a wide consultation. I had to talk to people in Accord Party, but they had divergent opinions. But at the end of the day, they understood my point of view. In Accord Party, we have little resources, for us to prosecute this election. • Bamgbose

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It is better for the party to look beyond narrow equation or what they can get now

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Okoko: Why I ‘m candidate to beat in Akwa Ibom T

HE ambition of Benjamin Enobong Okoko, a governor ship aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State, has unsettled the kingmakers. In the party, there is lack of internal democracy. The acrimony in the party is among some of the stakeholders, who brought the party to the state, managed and nurtured it effectively. The party’s primaries for the selection of candidates to represent the party in the elections are another test case between the founding members and those who joined the party. Incidentally, in the 2015 governorship race in the state, the only founding member of the party in the race is Mr. Benjamin Enobong Okoko, who co-founded the PDP in 1998 alongside seven other patriots. The others are Chief Don Etiebet, who was the state leader, Obong Victor Attah and Senator Anietie Okon as conveners from Uyo Senatorial district. Dr. Ime Titus Okopido and Sen Emmanuel Ibok Essien as conveners from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District while Eket District had Benjamin Enobong Okoko and the late Dan Etukudoh. As conveners of the PDP, they were charged with the responsibility of establishing the party. Among the founding members of the party, Okoko is now the only one aspiring to the Akwa Ibom Hill top mansion. At the age of 37, he contested the party primary in 1998 and won but the leaders intervened saying he was still a young man with prospect in future. Since then he had made two other attempts stalled through the party’s intervention. Okoko expressed his feeling thus: “It is said that greatness is not in how many times you fall, but being able to rise each time you fall. 1999 is a story everybody knows. The 1999 election was supposed to have been a coronation for me as everything was set. But some leaders of the party approached and prevailed on me to withdraw my candidature for the governorship election in 1998/1999 election. I accepted it without any condition. “In 2003, I ran and the party decided that the incumbent should have a second term. In 2006 we had a crowd of about 60 aspirants. There was complete confusion, but the party decided it was Governor Godswill Akpabio that should have the ticket. He got the ticket and ran. In 2011, I didn’t run because I became wiser, I came to understand my party better knowing that it is not easy to run against the incumbent seeking a second term. “In 2015, Governor Akpabio is fin-

• Okoko

ishing his second term. So, I feel I have to come out. With the experience I have the previous times, I really understand the politics better this time. I am quite optimistic to be successful this time and four is my lucky number.” Since launching his campaign in the state, Okoko’s strategy to pick the party’s ticket has totally put other aspirants in a tight corner and confusion especially when he was not expected in the race. He remains the first aspirant in the state to consult the party both at the local and state levels. As a bonafide party man, Okoko made history by making his first point of contact to be the party. It was like a presidential directive or an order from the national headquarters of the party that the state party leadership both at state and local government levels should open their doors and receive to Okoko’s campaign train. Out of the number of aspirants in the state, none ever deemed it fit to consult the party, until Okoko made the move. After consulting the state executive, Okoko, did not stop there but embarked on a state-wide consultation of 31 local government local government chapters of the party where he addressed the executive members and party faithful. His reception by the chapters was another homecoming of an original party man. The leadership urged Okoko, who started his political career as a chapter officer, to restore the supremacy and dignity of the party officers as key players of Government. The plight of PDP officers at these levels was described as pathetic especially after serving the party judi-

ciously. “There is nothing to show for our loyalty to the party. Our mandate as trustees for the party is with an empty stomach,” he said appealing to Okoko to remember that he started his politics as an officer of the party and should therefore reverse the trend his colleagues are passing through in the state To the PDP members, it was like a dream come true; that the restorer has arrived and from their disposition, mostly characterised by intermittent smiles and outburst of joy, it was obvious their hopes have been rekindled. Okoko, promised that with their support, the party will be returned to its proper place of pride. He admonished them to join hands and ensure that only a true party man becomes the next governor of the state. With his sincerity of purpose and track record, it was not totally surprising that the entire 31 local government chapters of the party were unanimous in accepting, confirming, agreeing that Okoko would emerge the PDP standard bearer of the party and shall go ahead to contest the 2015 governorship election and succeed Akpabio, as the next governor. They took this decision because they decided to go back to history and trace the root of the party. Having glanced into the immediate past, they resolved that justice should be the foundation for political stability. They remembered that Okoko did not join the party but co-founded the party in 1998. They remembered his sacrifice to the party when he was told to let go the ticket to pave the way for Obong Attah to become governor from Uyo senatorial district. They also remembered that he obeyed the party unconditionally and has remained a loyal, faithful, committed and dedicated party man under the umbrella. In addition, they remembered that he has not left the party since its formation. They remembered that in spite of the fact that he is yet to benefit from the party he co-founded, he has held on to the party. Okoko conducted the first state and local government congresses of the PDP in 1999, which saw the emergence of party executives. He was the second National Publicity Secretary of the PDP; former Member, PDP National Working Committee (NWC); former Member, PDP National Executive Committee (NEC); former Chairman, PDP National Electoral Panel, Kwara State; former Member, PDP National Convention Committee and pioneer Secretary, PDP South South/ South East Caucus.

Politician cautions against campaign of calumny

AGOS State All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Dr. Solomon Akin-Aina has advised aspirants to avoid campaign of calumny and character assassination, ahead of primaries and general elections. He lamented that political rivals have been portraying him in bad light before the party leadership out of envy by linking him with an alleged media publication, with a view to gain favour from the party leader. Reiterating his loyalty to the party and its National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the former Chairman of Ojo Local Government Area the peculiar character assassination i typical of political foes and desperate politician bent on denting his image.

By Emmanuel Oladesu

He dissociated himself from any embarrassing media publication, which he said is being exploited to drag his name in the mud before esteemed party leaders. He said: “Asiwaju Tinubu, our leader, and I have a common purpose as far as Ojo politics is concerned. I believe in his leadership and I have confidence on his ability to restore political logjams.” Akin-Aina, who said he was eminently qualified to vie for the House of Representatives in Ojo Constituency, said the contest is not a do-ordie affair. He said: “As a Ph.D holder, I am more qualified. I have the ability, the experience, the skill, training

and knowledge. I left public office in 2007. Instead of being idle, I went to the university to equip myself. I have two masters degrees and a doctorate degree in education. “Five of us are contesting for the House of Representatives. Those who are threatened by my intimidating profile and credential are the people behind the false publication about me. But, the leaders they seek to impress are wiser than them. Some of these aspirants have committed offences and they want to use me for settlement. I will advise them to leave me out of the predicament. One of them even said that he gave me N2 million and paid my allowances from 2007 to date. I challenge him to present the evidence before our party leaders.”

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

NEWS Minna prison break: 64 inmates re-arrested

CJN: lawyers frustrating efforts to rid Judiciary of bad eggs

HE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, has accused lawyers of frustrating the efforts to rid the Judiciary of bed eggs. Justice Mohammed spoke at the weekend in Abuja when some leaders of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), led by its President, Augustine Alegeh (SAN), visited him. Justices Mohammed Tanko Ibrahim, John Fabiyi and Bode Rhodes-Vivour of the Supreme Court also joined the CJN to receive the visitors. The CJN regretted the closure of the Rivers State High Court over the disagreement on the appointment of a Chief Judge. He urged the NBA to ensure prompt resolution of the disagreement in the interest of litigants and lawyers. Justice Mohammed said: “I want to use this opportunity

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

to urge the Bar to put the interest of the system far and above the individuals. Imagine this scenario: you in the Bar decry the rots on the Bench, calling for disciplining and cleansing of the Judiciary by weeding out the bad eggs on the Bench. “Yet, you are the first to jump to the court to seek restraining order on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to stop it from an investigation and the trial of a judge, based on a petition brought against the judge before the council. How then is the principle of fair hearing sustained? “The perpetual closure of court in River state is unacceptable. NJC has never said governors cannot appoint the chief judges. But the violation of the principle of checks and balances by the governor in Rivers State, as enshrined in

the Constitution for the appointment and disciplining of erring Chief Judges or judges, is equally unacceptable. Seniority is part and parcel of the legal profession. “To just appoint a chief judge from any position without recourse to the seniority arrangement is an invitation to anarchy in the system, as we are now witnessing in Rivers State.” In a statement yesterday in Abuja by his media aide, Ahuraka Isah, Justice Mohammed urged the lawyers to complain to the National Assembly, for sending the Constitution Amendment Bill to the Houses of Assembly for ratification, without giving the Bar and the Bench the opportunity to make inputs on matters concerning the Judiciary. He said: “There are a lot of items for amendment concerning the Judiciary. Some cases ought not to be remit-

ted to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court that are causing excess baggage in these courts. “The Supreme Court is still trying to clear the 2002 and 2003 appeals, not to talk of recent ones. Yet, you lawyers are not helping matters by not advising your clients correctly. “Just yesterday (Friday) a panel was inundated with appeals on who were candidates and not, in the 2007 and 2011 governorship elections. Of what use are these appeals when another set of party primaries are being conducted now?” On the Rivers’ Judiciary crisis, Alegeh said he had met with Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is disposed to a consensus candidate on the grounds that the NJC withdraw a letter for the appointment of Justice Daisy Okocha as the Administrative Judge of River State.

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

•Justice Mohammed

Alegeh suggested the appointment of a Justice of the Court of Appeal to head the Rivers State Judiciary for two years, where the next most senior judge in the state’s High Court was not acceptable to the parties, a suggestion the CJN was not comfortable with. Justice Mohammed wondered if it would be right where the appointed Appeal Court Justice was younger on the Bench than some of the current judges of the Rivers State High Court before his or her elevation.

HE Controller-General of Prisons, Dr. Peter Ezinwa Ekpendo, has said 64 of the 275 inmates who escaped from prison when gunmen attacked on the Minna Medium Security Prison have been arrested. This means 211 of the escapees are still at large. But Ekpendo ruled out the possibility that the Boko Haram sect was responsible for the attack. The prisons controllergeneral, who assumed office barely 24 hours before the invasion, addressed reporters yesterday after an assessment of the facility. He described the incident as “unfortunate, embarrassing and unacceptable”. Ekpendo said the service, in conjunction with other security agencies, had launched a massive search within and outside the state to re-arrest the escaped prisoners.

Atiku, Kwankwaso woo Amaechi, Rivers APC delegates

Dasuki to replace Tambuwal

•Amaechi seeks new leadership for Nigeria

MEMBER of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Abdussamad Dasuki, yesterday picked the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Kebbe-Tambuwal Federal Constituency. If, as expected, he wins the February 2015 election, he will succeed House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who has been in the seat for eight years. Dasuki, from Dogon Daji in Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, was affirmed as the candidate for the constituency by 176 delegates from 21 wards in Kebbe and Tambuwal local government areas. The election, which took place at the Tambuwal Stadium, was attended by political office holders from the constituency at the state and the Federal levels.

ORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, both presidential aspirants of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have canvassed for votes from the party’s delegates from Rivers State ahead of next week’s presidential primary. Abubakar told the delegates that he was the most experienced person in democratic governance among the presidential aspirants for the 2015 general elections. Kwankwaso described himself as having the capacity to lead and transform Nigeria, if elected President next year. Addressing the delegates at the weekend at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Atiku promised to support the APC to rescue the nation from maladministration. The former vice president said he would ensure that the party

PDP youths endorse Belgore for Kwara From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

HEAD of today’s governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kwara State PDP youths have endorsed Mohammed Dele Belgore (SAN) as their candidate. The youth, under the aegis of PDP National Frontier Youth (NFY), urged delegates to vote for him. In a statement in Ilorin, the state capital, NFY Coordinator Seyi Thomas noted that “with Belgore, victory is certain”. The statement reads: “It is a great testimony of a true democracy when we see over 10 people freely coming out to express interest in leading the state on the platform of our great party. These are all great people, but only one of them must emerge.

maintained its internal democracy and promote due process. He said: “Rivers State is my home because I have an investment which employs over 20,000 persons here. That is why I have come to seek the support of the delegates to win the APC presidential primary holding next week. “We are prepared to bring the needed change this nation deserves. Among APC presidential aspirants, I think, I am better prepared. None of them has the experience of democratic governance. But I have served as a democratically elected vice president for eight years. I have a better blueprint for the Niger Delta.”

•Amaechi and Kwankwaso discussing in Port Harcourt...at the weekend

Adamawa: Primaries hold in Abuja

OTWITHSTANDING President Goodluck Jonathan’s last-minutes pact with Governor Bala Ngilari and 11 key stakeholders on Saturday night, the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conducted yesterday in Abuja the National Assembly primaries for Adamawa State. The development may make a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the sole governorship aspirant today, following the boycott of the primaries by other aspirants and stakeholders. But some stakeholders alleged that fake delegates were mopped up on the streets in Yola and brought to

•Jonathan’s in pact with Ngilari, Dan Suleiman, others •Ribadu may contest as sole governorship aspirant •Stakeholders petition INEC The source said: “Ngilari From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

Abuja in a chartered jet on Sunday. The aggrieved stakeholders protested to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), faulting the primaries as violating pages 6, 7 and 8 of the PDP Electoral Guidelines for Primary Election 2014. Investigation revealed that Jonathan had hosted Ngilari and 11 stakeholders at the Presidential Villa on Saturday night where they protested the shift of the National Assembly and governorship primaries to Abuja.

Those at the session were former National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman, former Governor Wilberforce Juta, former High Commissioner to Britain, Gen. Haladu Hananiya, Senators Abubakar Girei and Grace Bent, Col. Andrawa Sawa, former Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Executive Secretary, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo and Gen. Aliyu Kamar. A source at the meeting claimed that the stakeholders protested the shift of Adamawa primaries to Abuja.

and others said conducting the primaries in Abuja would amount to a violation of pages 6, 7 and 8 of the PDP Electoral Guidelines for Primary Election 2014, approved by the National Executive Council (NEC), that all primary elections shall be held in their constituencies. “They pleaded with Jonathan to avert a situation where PDP members would embark on protest votes at the February polls in 2015. They urged the President to call the National Secretariat of PDP to order as its action may cause disunity in the Adamawa State chapter.”

Masari to abolish joint account law, if elected

HE Katsina State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Aminu Bello Masari has said he will abolish the State/Local Governments Joint Account Law, if elected in 2015. Masari addressed reporters yesterday in Katsina on what he will do for the state, if elected next year.

He promised to solicit the support of the House of Assembly to abolish the law, which compels the 34 local governments to operate a joint account with the state government. He said: “The joint account is conduit pipe that is being used to divert the local government funds into the state treasury.

“It is an account mechanical system that is used to drain the Federal grants of local governments by the state governments.” The APC candidate said his administration would release federal allocations to the 34 local governments to liberate the local governments from the apron of the state government. The former House of Repre-

sentatives Speaker said the state government, after releasing the funds to the local governments, would monitor their activities to avoid financial recklessness. He said: “We are going to establish a mechanism that will monitor all the expenditures of the local governments, and anybody caught diverting the funds will face the full wrath of the law.”

NULGE chair hails council chief

HE Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, Comrade Tope Lawal, has hailed the Council Manager, Mr. Segun Ajayi, for his uniting the people and developing the local government. Lawal spoke at the swearing-in ceremony of NULGE’s new executives in the local government. He said: “The council manager’s efforts in today’s feat cannot go unnoticed. Also, he brought oneness among the workers. Not too long ago, he started the rehabilitation of Akin Mateola Street, Amuwo Odofin Low Cost Housing Estate and Agidimo Road, Amuwo Odofin, among others. He should be appreciated.” The union leader praised Ajayi and the management team for sustaining the developmental legacy of the former administration.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 08, 2014

Pomp as Ahmed launches reconstruction of 64 kilometres Kaiama-Kishi road By Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

enultimate Tuesday, the ancient town of Kaiama in Kaiama local government area of Kwara state was in convivial mood. That sunny afternoon, the state Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed was in the town to launch the rehabilitation of the 64 kilometres KaiamaKishi road. The contract sum of this long abandoned federal government road has been put at a princely sum of N7.9 billion. On the same day the governor also commissioned the remodeled Kaiama General Hospital and distributed some transformers. Before being honoured with a chieftaincy title of ‘Jarman Kaiama,’ Alhaji Ahmed held a town hall meeting with residents of the community. Unusual crowd thronged, the Kaiama local government area secretariat, venue of the interactive session. Said Ahmed: “I am fulfilled because having pledged to rehabilitate this Federal Road since last year and connect more communities to the national grid, we are fulfilling that pledge with these interventions. Today, we once again demonstrate that whatever we pledge to the • Governor Ahmed (middle) at the launch of reconstruction work of Kaiama-Kishi road people we deliver to the people. “As you are all no doubt aware, Kaiama–Kishi Road had been on the “That leadership is that political structure where people who ordinarily drawing board for quite sometime. It is a project that has received priority wouldn’t have been anything have become something. Many of them that for obvious reasons. First, the rehabilitation of this road will eliminate the left us for other parties had benefited from that structure.” hardship experienced by motorists and commuters on this route. Promising to always carry the people along in the scheme of things, “Secondly, this road will boost the socio-economic life of this area and its maigidan Kwara as he is fondly referred to said “we will let know what is people, especially those engaged in farming, when completed. In doing available and what that can do. Our monthly allocation has greatly shrunk these, we are also demonstrating to the people of Kaiama and indeed of when we went to the bank to borrow money, the federal government went Kwara State that we are an administration that matches its words with to the same bank to block from getting the loan.” action. Overwhelmed with happiness, the House of Representatives committee “Although this is a federal road, we are driven by the socio-economic chairman on media and publicity, Alhaji Zakari Mohammed said the state factors and the need to promote the welfare of our people to intervene on government is making the community proud. this and other federal roads in the state. As a resourceful administration, Mohammed who is representing Kaiama/Baruten federal constituency we have secured necessary funding for jump-starting and successfully berated successive governments in the country for abandoning the road. completing the project. Said he: “A journey that should ordinarily take between 40 minutes and “It is important to emphasize as we flag off this road that the federal one hour is taking close to five hours due to the bad state of the road is government is yet to refund the N4b outstanding balance for the very unpleasant indeed. rehabilitation of Ilesha Baruba-Chikanda Road more than five years after That the state government is taking the responsibility to rehabilitate the the road was completed. road is a thing of joy for us in this state. I once again call on the federal government to pay all monies owed the “Our prayer is that, in spite of the lean resources of the state government, state as a result of our intervention on key roads in the state. Despite these the governor wants to make us proud so that we the political representatives setbacks, our administration will continue to intervene on federal and indeed of the people will have a place. People have been enduring this nightmare. other road projects in the state to reduce the discomfort caused by these It is nightmarish. Imagine that a woman is under labour and she would roads. We also remain committed to ensuring that every community in have to be moved to the hospital. our state no matter how remote will be connected to the national electricity “I am confident that the state government will do it, but also know that grid through transformer installation. the federal government that will have today will definitely not do a refund “Perhaps it is imperative to use this forum to inform all Kwarans that it is for so many obvious reasons. We thank the governor for his foresight and not only Kaiama – Kishi Road that is being earmarked for reconstruction commitment to the project and we thank our leader too, Senator Bukola in the State. Saraki for facilitating this. For us at the Baruten/Kaiama constituency we “In the next few days, we shall also flag-off the construction of Ilesha- will be grateful for the development and it will enhance the economic Baruba–Gwanara Road in Baruten Local Government Area, Maigida – development of the area.” Arobadi Road in Moro Local Government Area, Mission Road, Lafiagi, in Commenting on the development, an indigene of the sleepy and Edu local government area and the bye-pass from Asa Dam Road to Egbejila predominantly agrarian community, Usman Mora conveyed the people’s and Airport in Ilorin West local government Area. I assure you all that we heavy load of gratitude to the state government for the kind gesture. shall deliver these roads at record time for the benefit of the people.” Alhaji Mora who is the state Environment Commissioner said “I feel highly At the town meeting, the governor told the gathering that the All happy because since the creation of the state we have been agitating for Progressives Congress (APC) has come to stay both in Kwara and Nigeria. the construction of this road. To God be the glory it is happening today. He added that the change going on throughout the country is not exempting We thank God that this thing is also happening during our generation; Kwara state and “most importantly we have been able to demonstrate which means it is a struggle that our forefathers had left for us that we are that we have a leader. actualizing today. “We thank God and the governor for listening to our cry. Today is a very I once again call on the federal government to pay all historic day. We have three memorable days in the life of the council. They monies owed the state as a result of our intervention on are the day the local government was created to us; the day our first class key roads in the state. Despite these setbacks, our status was given back to us and today when the governor will launch the rehabilitation of the road. We thank the governor; our history will never administration will continue to intervene on federal and forget him indeed other road projects in the state to reduce the “We are quite aware that this road is a federal government road but for discomfort caused by these roads. We also remain God sake, with this it has shown us that there is no need for federal ministry committed to ensuring that every community in our state of works. Since federal government can’t do our road. Federal government no matter how remote will be connected to the national is in the position of authority, it has money and everything but nothing electricity grid through transformer installation. has come from them.”

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THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

SHOWBIZ How Oritsefemi survived attack

Tanzania’s Idris wins Big Brother Hotshots

D By Victor Akande

•Tayo wins African Ambassador for Agriculture

TUNNED with monumental disbelief,Tanzanian housemate Idris in the Big Brother Hotshots reality show, went hysterical, as he was declared winner last night. The Tanzanian housemate ‘grabbed’ the prize money of 300,000 dollars, thus ending the 63day reality show. With two contestants from each country, the doors had opened for 26 housemates from 13 African countries in Johannesburg, South Africa, on October 5. Including Tayo Faniran and another Nigerian, Lillian Afegbai, who was evicted in the third week, Tayo and Idris made it to the Top 2, but Africa, through their votes, gave the tiara to the latter. In the same manner that Richard, a Tanzanian housemate won the money in 2007, the 22-year old Idris played around the girls to victory - he earned the moniker, playboy, and one who ate his cake and had it. It was a painstaking exercise for the Oyo State-born contestant, who made it into the Top 8,

• D'banj

leading to the grand finale. He had survived weekly eviction shows, despite altercations with fellow housemates, who saw him as a threat to the prize money. At a previous night dinner, the Nigerian model was declared winner of a contest, earning him an endorsement as African Youth Ambassador on Agriculture. While in the house, he also received news of the birth of his first child. Tayo, 28, had always described his feat as a journey from an obscure village in Ilora, Oyo State, to international acclaim. “I believe Big Brother show is not a game of football where a player can score a goal in the last minute. This is about personality and if you have not sold a good

personality to Africa in the last 63 days, I don’t think you can do it now,” he told show host, IK, before the final result that declared Idris winner. He was brandishing a talking drum with a green-white-green strap. Should he win the money, he said he would pay his tithe and bride price of his girlfriend, who is the mother of his new child. Idris, on the other hand, said he would give it back to Africa in appreciation of their love. Prior to the announcement, Nigerian rapper, M.I, trilled the crowd with some of his hit songs. The last performance for the night was from D’banj and the housemates were ecstatic to see him on stage. After his first song he told housemates they were all

OUBLE Wahala crooner, Oritsefemi, early Saturday morning, survived an attack on Ikorodu road, Lagos, when he and his team were chased by armed men, leading to a severe damage of his newly acquired Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV). Recounting the ordeal, the artiste stated that the incident happened while he was on his way to finalise a meeting on his traveling arrangement with Big Brother Africa’s officials, as he was billed to perform at the grand finale of the event in South Africa on Sunday. The artiste, who gave an eye-witness account of the incident, said that he and the other occupants in the car suddenly noticed that a car was trailing them, and as they approached Funsho Williams road, Surulere, it was clear to them that their assailants were armed. He said the gunmen later caught up with them, pointed guns at the

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

driver, Danku, and ordered him to park. “He refused to stop and accelerated, trying to escape. While he was struggling with the robbers, a truck conveying loads of cement hit the vehicle. The driver’s side was smashed. Danku lost control. The truck hit him on the chest through the driver’s side but the airbag brought the situation a bit under control. I was at the back seat with my brother. I quickly cried for help and soon got some Good Samaritans who rushed Danku to the hospital. He was already in coma at that point,” Oritsefemi narrated. It will be recalled that the artiste took delivery of the car last week, as part of his new record deal. He said: “I thank God for my life. I thank God that no life was lost. My fans should continue to pray for me.”

winners .

Kate Henshaw loses PDP primaries

N • Kate Henshaw

OLLYWOOD actress, Kate Henshaw, on Saturday, lost the ticket to represent Bakassi, Akpabuyo and Calabar South at the Federal House of Representatives, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party. She was defeated by the incumbent, Essien Ayi, who polled a total of 75 votes – Henshaw, it was reported, scored only 1 vote. The thespian announced her loss on twitter, shortly after the election, by accepting defeat and congratulating the winner. She said: “The primaries was

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

conducted in an orderly manner. It was fair and transparent. Sadly I did not make it. My congrats to the winner.” It has not been cheering news for most of the entertainers who have veered into politics in recent times, as only actor Desmond Elliot has scaled through the primaries so far, while the likes of Dayo Adeneye, Kenny Saint Best and Bob Manuel-Odokwu have also lost out.

Skales, Patoranking, Jimmy Jatt, others for Copa Lagos 2014

S the Copa Lagos beach football tournament kicks off on Friday, December 12, organisers have promised fans an exciting fusion of soccer, music and fashion. According to Samson Adamu, CEO of Kinetic Sports, organisers of the event, electrifying dancehall maestro, Patoranking; Shake Body crooner, Skales; Yemi Alade; Shoki master, Lil Kesh; Ruby Gyang, Shaydee, B.O.J and DJ Jimmy Jatt are part of the line-up of music artistes set to thrill beach soccer fans at the 2014 edition of Copa Lagos Beach soccer fiesta.ý “Over the years, music has become an integral part of the 3-day COPA Lagos fiesta and the festival, in its 4th year, has recorded several music highlights, year on year,” he said. According to Adamu, “Lead sponsor, 1960BET and long-standing sponsors First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Eko Atlantic, Cool FM, Pepsi and venue sponsors Eko Energy Estate under Orlean Invest are lending their support to serve up another unforgettable beach soccer experience.” Berthed in 2011, Copa Lagos is

By Medeme Ovwe

organised under the scope of Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) World Tour – the FIFA-recognised entity behind the creation and growth of Beach Soccer, and aims to have a strategic role in development of beach soccer in Nigeria. Copa Lagos, Adamu added, is keen on making a difference through the development of social action, which will embrace three major concerns: Environment protection through awareness, recycling; children/youth development through the sport; and, Skin cancer awareness.

• Dj Jimmy Jatt

• Oritsefemi with car before the accident

Why I boycotted Enugu State PDP primaries, says Kenneth Okonkwo

HEN Nollywood icon, Kenneth Okonkwo decided to join the race to contest for the PDP House of Representatives for Nsukka/Igboeze South Federal Constituency, many of his fans supported his ambition. Some even felt it was long overdue, as he exudes the charisma that comes with such position. Meanwhile, since the just concluded primary elections held recently to select aspirants that will represent the party at various levels of the 2015 elections, fans have been wondering why the Living in Bondage star boycotted the primary elections. The artiste has however come out to clear the air on the issue, claiming in a BBM broadcast message that not only was the process marred by irregularities and confusion, there were parallel congresses with different delegates’ lists. He said: “How can I participate in a primary election when nobody has furnished me with an authentic delegates list. I can only participate if the right thing is done. The PDP NWC should step in and can-

• Kenneth okonkwo By Medeme Ovwe

cel this purported primary, save Enugu PDP from self-destruction and call for fresh delegate and primary elections.”

Court orders internet providers to block access to The Pirate Bay

court in Paris has ordered French Internet service providers to block access to The Pirate Bay, a notorious file-sharing site. The court had ruled in favour of collection society and anti-piracy group, SCPP, which brought the legal action before the courts earlier this year. The group — representing some 2,000 music labels, including the majors Warner, Universal and Sony — succeeded in their goal of getting an injunction forcing French ISPs to take “all necessary measures” to render The Pirate Bay inaccessible to users in the country. The injunction requires French service providers to block both direct access to The Pirate Bay as well as access to all “its proxy and mirror sites.” The legal action follows a similar move in the U.K., which also requires

all major ISPs to block access to most torrent sites, including The Pirate Bay. Music labels and the Hollywood studios claim The Pirate Bay is responsible for facilitating massive piracy by allowing its users to share audio and video files online. The site’s founders have all been convicted of copyright violation charges in Sweden. One of them, the Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, was recently sentenced by a court in Denmark to a three-and-a-half year prison term on separate charges of computer-hacking and illegally downloading files. Following the hack of Sony Picture’s computers, screener copies of several new Sony films, including Fury and Annie, turned up on The Pirate Bay and other sites worldwide.

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS

THE NATION FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014

No major damage in Philippine typhoon; 3 dead

American, South African hostages killed in Yemen

YPHOON Hagupit knocked out power, left at least three people dead and sent nearly 900,000 into shelters before it weakened Sunday, sparing the central Philippines the type of massive devastation that a monster storm brought to the region last year. The typhoon, which made landfall in Eastern Samar late Saturday, was moving slowly, dumping heavy rain that could possibly trigger landslides and flash floods. Traumatized by the death and destruction from Typhoon Haiyan last year, nearly 900,000 people fled to about 1,000 emergency shelters and safer grounds. The government, backed by the 120,000-strong military, had launched massive preparations to attain a zero-casualty target. Rhea Estuna, a 29-year-old mother of one, fled Thursday to an evacuation center in Tacloban - the city hardesthit by Haiyan - and waited in fear as Hagupit’s wind and rain lashed the school where she and her family sought refuge. When she peered outside Sunday, she said she saw a starkly different aftermath than the one she witnessed after Haiyan struck in November 2013. Nearly a dozen countries, led by the United States and the European Union, have pledged to help in case of a catastrophe from Hagupit (pronounced HA’-goo-pit), disasterresponse agency chief Alexander Pama said. The EU commissioner for humanitarian aid, Christos Stylianides, said a team of experts would be deployed to help assess the damage and needed response. “The Philippines are not alone as they brace up for a possible hardship,” Stylianides said, adding that the European Commission was “hoping that the impact will be less powerful than a year ago, when Typhoon Haiyan left a devastating imprint on the country.” Displaced villagers were asked to return home from emergency shelters in provinces where the danger posed by the typhoon had waned, including Albay, where more than half a million people were advised to leave evacuation sites.

Merkel condemns Russia ‘interfering’ in Eastern Europe

ERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel has accused Russia of interfering in the affairs of Eastern European countries seeking closer ties with the EU. In an interview in Die Welt am Sonntag newspaper (in German), Mrs Merkel said Russia was “creating problems” for Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. Russia’s violation of “the territorial integrity... of Ukraine must not be allowed to stand”, she added. Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine have signed trade deals with the EU. Russia is suspicious of these association agreements - it is trying to draw republics which were once part of the Soviet Union into its own customs union. Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a “strategic partnership” agreement with Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia, drawing strong criticism from Nato and the EU. In the interview, Mrs Merkel also accused Moscow of trying to make countries in the western Balkans economically and politically dependent on Russia in order to gain influence there. She said she was “convinced” that the “common European response to Russia’s actions is correct”. The Ukraine crisis began a year ago, when then-President Viktor Yanukovych abandoned an agreement on strengthening trade ties with EU in favour of closer cooperation with Russia.

•Obama

N American photojournalist and a South African teacher were killed Saturday during a high-risk, U.S.-led raid to free them from al-Qaida militants in Yemen, a turbulent Arab country that is a centerpiece of U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the region. The raid before dawn was the second rescue attempt in as many weeks to free Luke Somers, a 33-yearold freelance photographer and editor kidnapped just over a year ago in Yemen’s capital. South African Pierre Korkie,

abducted 18 months ago with his wife in the city of Tazi, also was killed by militants as U.S. forces descended upon the militants’ compound in southern Yemen. A South African aid group trying to negotiate Korkie’s release said he was a day from freedom after a deal late last month that included a “facilitation fee” to the kidnappers. The relief organization had told Korkie’s wife that “the wait is almost over.” President Barack Obama said he ordered the raid because Somers was believed to be in “imminent danger.” The president, in a statement, condemned Somers’ killing as a “barbaric murder,” but did not mention the 56-year-old Korkie by name, offering condolences to the family of “a non-U.S. citizen hostage.” The South African government said it was informed that Korkie died during the mission by American special forces.

“It is my highest responsibility to do everything possible to protect American citizens,” Obama said. “As this and previous hostage rescue operations demonstrate, the United States will spare no effort to use all of its military, intelligence and diplomatic capabilities to bring Americans home safely, wherever they are located.” About 40 American special operations forces were involved in the rescue attempt, which followed U.S. drone strikes in the area, U.S. officials said. The rescuers, backed by Yemeni ground forces, advanced within 100 meters (110 yards) of the compound in Shabwa province when they were spotted by the militants. A firefight ensued. Amid the fighting, U.S. forces saw a militant briefly enter a building on the compound. U.S. officials believe it was then that Somers and Korkie were shot. When Americans

entered the building, they found both men alive, but gravely wounded. Officials said that based on the location where Somers and Korkie were being held, there was no possibility that they were struck by American gunfire. U.S. forces pulled Somers and Korkie onto V-22 Ospreys, and medical teams began performing surgery in midair. One hostage died during the short flight; the second died after the Ospreys landed on the USS Makin Island, a Navy ship in the region. The raid was over in about 30 minutes. Saturday’s operation was the second rescue attempt by U.S. and Yemeni forces to bring Somers home alive. On Nov. 25, American special operations forces and Yemeni soldiers raided a remote al-Qaida safe haven in a desert region near the Saudi border.

UK closes its Cairo embassy over security fears

HE British Embassy in Cairo has been closed because of security fears. The Foreign Office says public services were suspended Sunday and people should not come to the embassy building in central Cairo. It gave no details of the threat and there was no word on when the embassy would reopen. On Saturday, the Australian government said travelers should reconsider their need to travel to Egypt, citing reports “that terrorists may be planning attacks against tourist sites, government ministries and embassies in Cairo.” Egypt has seen a surge in bomb attacks blamed on Islamic militants fighting the government of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

•Rescue centre for refugees in the aftermath of Typhoon across the Philipines...yesterday.

PHOTO: EPA

U.S. sends 6 prisoners from Guantanamo to Uruguay S IX prisoners held for 12 years at Guantanamo Bay have been sent to Uruguay to be resettled as refugees, the U.S. government announced yesterday - a deal that had been delayed for months by security concerns at the Pentagon and political considerations in the South American country. The six men - four Syrians, a Tunisian and a Palestinian - are the first prisoners transferred to South America from the U.S. base in Cuba, part of a flurry of recent releases amid a renewed push by President Barack Obama to close the prison. All were detained as suspected militants with ties to al-Qaeda in 2002 but were never charged. They had been cleared for release since 2009 but could not be sent home and the U.S. struggled to find countries willing to

take them. Uruguayan President Jose Mujica agreed to accept the men as a humanitarian gesture and said they would be given help getting established in a country with a small Muslim population. ”We are very grateful to Uruguay for this important humanitarian action, and to President Mujica for his strong leadership in providing a home for individuals who cannot return to their own countries,” U.S. State Department envoy Clifford Sloan said. Among those transferred was Abu Wa’el Dhiab, a 43-year-old Syrian on a long-term hunger strike protesting his confinement who was at the center of a legal battle in U.S. courts over the

military’s use of forcefeeding.Uruguayan officials declined comment Sunday on the transfers. Adriana Ramos, a receptionist at a military hospital in Montevideo, the capital, said the six men were being examined there but declined to provide any details.Cori Crider, a lawyer for Dhiab from the human rights group Reprieve, praised Mujica, a former political prisoner himself, for accepting the men. The U.S. has now transferred 19 prisoners out of Guantanamo this year, all but one of them within the last 30 days. Saturday’s move brings the total number of prisoners still at Guantanamo to 136 - the lowest number since shortly after the prison opened in January 2002. Officials say several more releases are expected by the end of the year.

Somalia PM to resign after MPs vote

OMALIA’S Prime Minister, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, has accepted a parliament vote asking him to resign. In a session on Saturday, 153 members voted to oust Mr Ahmed, with 80 voting for him to stay. Correspondents say the vote is part of a political battle between Mr Ahmed and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud which has crippled the government. Security has improved in the country in recent years but the government remains weak and largely ineffective. Various armed groups have been battling for control of Somalia since President Siad Barre was ousted in 1991. The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab militant group has been responsible for a string of suicide attacks in Somalia which have left hundreds dead.

Swiss hostage escapes Abu Sayyaf captors in Philippines

SWISS hostage kidnapped nearly three years ago by the Abu Sayyaf Islamist group has escaped his captors in the Philippines, military officials say. Lorenzo Vinciguerra fled as government troops attacked the jungle camp where he was being held on the remote island of Jolo and was wounded as he fled. He was later found by army troops and taken to hospital. Mr Vinciguerra, 49, was one of two European bird watchers captured by the militants in the southern Philippines.

He was seized on Tawi Tawi island in February 2012. The fate of a Dutchman, Ewold Horn, who was taken captive with him remains unclear. Mr Vinciguerra managed to run away during the army attack on the Abu Sayyaf camp near Patikul town in Sulu province on Saturday morning. “He found an opportunity to escape because of the running gun battle with our troops,” Colonel Restituto Padilla told the AFP news agency. Mr Vinciguerra attacked an Abu Sayyaf commander and was shot by

rebels as he made his escape. He is now receiving treatment for non-life threatening injuries at a military hospital, according to Ivo Sieber, the Swiss ambassador to the Philippines. Mr Vinciguerra was brought to the military hospital by helicopter He was seized in February 2012 Abu Sayyaf has been active since the early 1990s. It is a small but violent Islamist militant group which operates in the southern Philippines. In October, it released two German hostages, who had been held for six months.

•Vinciguerra

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS

THE NATION FRIDAY, JULY 25, 2014

Mexico missing student ‘identified’

Cuban doctor returns home after Ebola treatment

CUBAN doctor who recovered from Ebola after receiving experimental treatment in Switzerland has been welcomed back to Havana by relatives and officials. Felix Baez was the first of Cuba’s contingent of 250 doctors and nurses to have contracted Ebola in West Africa. He was met at Havana’s Jose Marti airport by his family and Health Minister Roberto Morales. He told reporters that he and his colleagues were committed to fighting Ebola and he hoped to return to Africa. “I will return there to finish what I started,” he said. Dr Baez fell ill in Sierra Leone and was taken to

•Felix Baez, right, was greeted in Havana by wife Vania Ferrer and son Alejandro

Geneva a few days later, on 20 November. At a Swiss hospital he was treated with a precursor Ebola drug, ZMapp and also given an untested Japanese flu drug. The hospital says Dr Baez has made a full recovery. The Cuban contingent of medical workers is the largest sent by any country in the fight

against the epidemic. More than 5,000 people have died in the current Ebola outbreak - almost all of them in West Africa. The contribution has won the Caribbean island international praise. It has also focused attention on Cuba’s programme of medical diplomacy.

The scheme frequently deploys teams of doctors and nurses, in some cases to provide humanitarian relief, other times in exchange for cash or goods, says the BBC’s Barbara Plett Usher in Havana. Dr Baez had to be helped off the plane when he arrived in Geneva for treatment last month

Australian parliament backs migrant reforms

HE Australian parliament has approved changes to immigration laws that include reintroducing controversial temporary visas for refugees. The bill will allow refugees to live and work in Australia for three to five years, but denies them permanent protection. It was passed by 34 votes to 32 in the senate and later backed by MPs. Australia currently detains all asylum seekers who arrive by boat, holding them in offshore processing camps. It says that those found to be refugees will not be

permanently resettled in Australia, under tough new policies aimed at ending the flow of boats. It also has a backlog of cases - about 30,000 - relating to asylum seekers who arrived before the current policies were put in place. Those people live in detention camps or in the community under bridging visas that do not allow them to work. To secure enough support in parliament to pass the bill, the government made concessions. Children will be freed from detention on Christmas Island, an offshore camp where conditions have

been strongly criticised. The number of confirmed refugees Australia will agree to accommodate will rise by 7,500, from the current level of 13,750, by 2018 (reversing an earlier cut). Asylum seekers on bridging visas will be allowed to work while their claims for refugee status are processed. The bill was narrowly approved in the senate after intense debate in a late-night sitting. It was then passed into law by the House of Representatives, where the government has a majority. Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the move as “a win

for Australia”. Refugees are kept in detention centres waiting for their claims to be assessed While refugees can live and work for a temporary period in Australia, the government can deport them to their country of origin after this period if it deems conditions there have improved. The government won the vote in the senate - where it does not have a majority - with the support of the Palmer United Party (PUP) which had negotiated several changes, including the provision relating to children detained on Christmas Island.

Policing and race Global Focus relations in America (1) DAYO FAKUADE, Foreign Editor

T’S been a long, windy road in the search for social justice and equality in America’s quest for egalitarianism. From the 1964 Civil Rights Act to the 1965 Voting Rights Act, America has come of age in her sought for advancing the cdause of her minority in all aspects of human rights and co-equal existence. To some progress has been made. To others, it’s about one step forward and two steps backward. Last week marked yet another watershed in this often dreaded, big question of race and attitudinal quagmire, trust, perceptions and realities between neighbours and the police. All over the world, policing is all about community relationship complexities. In other words the policing strategy is primarily targeted towards the people in the community. Race relations in America have always been a case of we versus them. Interestingly, the “them” of yesteryears suddenly get transmogrified into the “we” of today as is insouciantly noted that no condition is permanent. What happened last week as a result of lack of indictment in two popular cases of police brutality

commited by white police officers in Ferguson, Missouri and Staten Island New York are not isolationist happenstances. The Missouri case against Michael Brown, a black teenager, who was gunned down by a white police officer Darrel Wilson, who has since resigned from the police force and the chokehold death of black man Eric Darnell by a white police officer— Pantaleo are not new in America’s pursuit of so called correctional jurisprudence. At best and without wasting time we can just ignore at our own historical peril the various historical antecedents which have dramatically documented the injustices which race relations had inflicted on a people of colour, so to speak, and their psyche in a union supposed to be free and egalitarian. Lady Justice is a blind folded adjustor in the temple of justice, such that whatever holds inequity should prevail in all circumstances. In both cases, the Grand Jury system worked the way it was set up to work within America’s justice system. The basic issues are twinfolds. First, the prosecutors work with the police to bring all cases to trial. Just as I was watching

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daborgu@gmail.com

‘In the aftermath of these two cases, President Barack Obama and his Attorney General, Eric Holder, have both strenuously decided upon revisiting both Ferguson and Staten Island cases as to what remedial measures could be taken to upstage the decisions of the grand jury especially from the perspective of the elemental justice system on fundamental issues of human rights’ CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin on TV over the weekend. So there is this conviviality between prosecutors and the police on what is prosecutorially actionable or not. And when time is to prosecute a police officer for any alleged criminal misconduct, chances are that the prosecutor will tread gingerly in favour of the police establishment with whom they parley and cavort regularly in pursuit of your regular criminals. The issues as noted earlier on are different in both

Ferguson and Staten Island cases. But what is is germaine is the mistrust between the black community and the general framework of equality between the community and the law in terms of perception and reality.. How did we get here? Even in latter days, from the Broncos highway case of Orienthal OJ Simpson and the fallout no conviction by a jury upon the dastardly murder of his wife. It was a race –related challenge to America’s grand jury system. Famous musician

T least one of 43 Mexican students who went missing in Guerrero state has been identified from charred remains, an official says. A family member of one of the students, Alexander Mora, confirmed that the remains identified were his. The relative said the family had received the information from a team of forensic experts. The students were allegedly seized by local police in the town of Iguala in September and given to a criminal gang. Prosecutors say the gang killed them and burned their bodies at a rubbish dump near the town of Cocula before scattered their ashes in a river. The students’ disappearance has triggered widespread protests across Mexico against corruption and violence. Will Grant on reports that DNA of one of the missing 43 students has been discovered in a rubbish dump. Another demonstration was held on Saturday in Mexico City at which parents of students spoke about the identification. “We will keep fighting until we find the other 42.” The unrest has seen President Enrique Pena Nieto’s popularity rating drop to its lowest point since he took office two years ago. In response, he has submitted a package of reforms to Congress that include replacing all 1,800 municipal police forces with state-level units. Demonstrators have returned to the streets of Mexico City to demand justice The students are said to have been taken to this rubbish tip outside Cocula

Obama dealt major setback in closing Guantanam

RESIDENT Barack Obama’s 5-year-old campaign to close the federal prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, suffered a major setback as lawmakers finalizing the annual defense policy bill rejected steps toward shuttering the facility. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the Armed Services Committee, told reporters on Monday that the final bill omits a provision giving the president the authority to transfer terror suspects to the United States if Congress signs off on a comprehensive plan to close the prison. Levin had pushed for the authority and hailed it in May as creating “a path to close Guantanamo.” With lawmakers rushing to complete the defense bill in this month’s lame-duck session, Levin said proponents were unable to prevail. “Our language ... (on Guantanamo) ... will not be in,” Levin said. The House and Senate are expected to vote and overwhelmingly approve the sweeping policy bill in the coming days, sending it to Obama. The president has pushed to close the post-9/11 prison since his inauguration in January 2009. He has faced strong resistance from Republicans and some Democrats in Congress who don’t want terror suspects housed in U.S. facilities and have warned of suspects returning to the fight when they are transferred back to their home countries.

late Michael Jackson was aquited by a grand jury of child molestation charges \and the list is endless. According to experts what exactly is the grand jury system and how has it strengthened or weakened the American legal system? •In the US, a grand jury of ordinary citizens who represent the community is often used to decide whether there is enough evidence to pursue a prosecution •Usually the only lawyer present in grand jury hearings is the prosecutor, who will present evidence •Grand jury proceedings are conducted behind closed doors to encourage witnesses to speak freely and to protect the defendant’s reputation in case the jury does not indict •Even though a grand jury may decide not to indict, a prosecutor could still bring the defendant to trial if they think they have a strong enough case. In the aftermath of these two cases, President Barack Obama and his Attorney General, Eric Holder, have both strenuously decided upon revisiting both Ferguson and Staten Island measures as to what remedial cases could be taken to upstage the decisions of the grand jury especially from the perspective of the elemental justice system on fundamental issues of human rights. In the meantime, the momentum keeps increasing

and the racial divide in America is not subsiding any time soon on race. The government response during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans will also hype the issue of race relations in America even out of the orbit of police relations but to project the very essence of how the American society and government treat her minority population. It was alleged that the government did not respond to the disaster as itv would have had it occurred in an affluent neighbourhood rather than a predominantly back community. All in all, the dreams of the civil rights leaders of ur time including the likes of Martin Luther King, Malcom X, Revd. Jesse Jackson about a racially equitable America is still a forlourn one even in the twight of a modern day America as one unjustifiable act is one too many for one to contemplate. Well, as we conclude, our globe is our heritage. Lets continue to keep her clean in our everyday living. Go green, plant a tree in your neighbourhood and put a smile on a tight face, by doing an act of random kindness. Remember that BRF administration extols us :”Life is better with Trees”” Sit under it and read a story to your child and grandchildren, you will be better for it. See you next week

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

We ‘ll miss Nigeria at AFCON — Hayatou P

RESIDENT of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Issa Hayatou has affirmed that failure to qualify for the 30th Africa Cup of Nations has not diminished the importance of Nigeria to the entire structure of African football. In a chat with President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick after the Draw Ceremony for the championship in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday, Hayatou admitted that the entire African football family will miss the Super Eagles at next

year’s finals. “The whole of Africa will miss Nigeria in Equatorial Guinea. But the absence will not in any way diminish your stature as a very big and influential nation in the African game. “It would have been good to have the defending champions here. Nigeria brings so much value to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, we know that you will come back much stronger, as you did in winning the Cup in South Africa last year after missing out of the 2012 championship.” Africa’s football supremo also celebrated the vitality and enter-

prise that the youthful Amaju Pinnick will bring to Nigeria’s football administration, while formally welcoming him to the African football family. “I am happy to see someone like you take charge of Nigerian football. I have always known you right from Nigeria ’99 World Youth Championship to the African Women Championship finals in Delta State in 2002 and 2006. I know your dynamism and capacity and I believe you will deliver for Nigerian football. There is so much promise for the future.” Pinnick was the youngest

• Hayatou

head of National Association at the Draw Ceremony held in Malabo on Wednesday.

Pinnick assures Super Falcons of support

• Super Falcons celebrate after lifting the AWC trophy in Equatorial Guinea recently

RESIDENT of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick has once again assured the Super Falcons of high –level preparations ahead of the 7th FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Canada next year summer. The NFF supremo spoke on Saturday night, hours after the African champions were drawn in the same group with United States of America, Australia and Sweden at the finals taking place June 6 – July 5, 2015 across six Canadian cities. “It is a tough group. You can see that even the Americans are calling it the most difficult group in the competition. “However, our pledge to give the Super Falcons the best high –performance preparation possible is intact. They will go to a very good environment for their final camping programme and be engaged in quality friendly

LMC remits Merit Awards, TV coverage incentives to clubs

LL the 20 Clubs that participated in the recently ended 2013/14 Glo Premier League season have been paid the Financial Merit Award as well as received their television coverage incentive. Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the League Management Company (LMC), Salihu Abubakar confirmed that remittance of the N75m set aside for the season’s Merit Award to the clubs have been completed last week. The LMC had increased by 50% the Glo Premier League annual Merit Distribution Award. It raised the total amount to be shared by the 20 clubs from N50m in the 2012/ 13 season to N75m in the last season. “Payment to the clubs was approved by the LMC Management during the last week and we have made the remittance to the clubs' bank accounts based

on their standing on the league table with Kano Pillars earning the highest amount of N15m while the lowest earning of N1.5m was by Nembe City. The merit award represents cash earnings shared to the 20 clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) sponsored by Globacom Limited relative to their placing on the final league table ratified by the league body. LMC Chairman, Hon. Nduka Irabor had weeks ago announced the new award value which meant clubs earned 50% higher than what was paid for particular positions on the table. Abubakar said television coverage incentive was also introduced at the start of the season to encourage the Clubs activate programs that will draw fans to

RESULTS

HE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is battling to secure the release of Arsenal center back Semi Ajayi for Nigeria's Under 23 National Team training camp, according to his agent. Coach Samson Siasia has always maintained that the 21year-old was in his plans, and true to his words, he has summoned the ex Flying Eagles defender along with 46 other players for a screening exercise. But club commitments with the Gunners might prevent Semi

England - Premier League West Ham 3 - 1 Swansea Aston Villa 2 - 1Leicester Italy - Serie A Napoli 2 - 2 Empoli Atalanta 3 - 2 Cesena Genoa 1 - 0 AC Milan Parma 1 - 2 Lazio Spain - Liga BBVA Rayo 0 - 1 Sevilla Barcelona 5 - 1 Espanyol Germany - Bundesliga Hamburger 2 - 1 Mainz 05 E. Frankfurt 5 - 2 Bremen

the stadium and build good spectacle and television friendly ambience during live broadcasts. “The television broadcast incentive seeks to support clubs increase match attendance through fan activation programs that will create the right football spectacle on live broadcast match days. It was also meant to discourage the hostile reception to broadcast partners by the home teams”, explained Abubakar. The LMC said revenue distribution amongst clubs would continue to increase as the league continues to enjoy friction free and stable seasons and described the 2013/ 14 season as relatively stable compared to the previous season that was bedeviled by fixture disruptions.

U-23 NATIONAL TEAM CAMP

Siasia battles to secure Ajayi's release

Ajayi from embarking on the 2,960-mile journey from London to Abuja this month. ''We are aware of his invitation but I don't think Arsenal will release him. I am not sure they will, we will have to wait,'' Semi Ajayi's agent simply told SL10.ng. Only last year, Semi Ajayi was hoping to make the Flying Eagles’ squad, having trained with the team in Germany, but John Obuh surprisingly declared him surplus to requirements when he named his final squad.

matches before the finals,” Pinnick reassured. Nigeria’s senior women’s team won a seventh African title in Namibia in October and will be expected to fly Africa’s flag high in North America. “It is important that we exceed our previous best performance of a quarter –final berth. Having dominated Africa ceaselessly, it is time that we begin to dominate the world. “We certainly have the players who can stand up to the best in the universe, as shown by the U-20 girls in the same Canadian nation in August this year. What the team needs now are matches against some of the best teams in the world and exposure to the best tactical and training programmes available.” Super Falcons’ Head Coach, Edwin Okon, Team Administrator Ruth David and Team Media Officer Gracious Akujobi were at the ceremony held in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city.

Anichebe’s injury woes persists

IGERIAN striker, Victor Anichebe has been playing through the pain barrier despite making 10 league appearances for West Bromwich Albion this season. Anichebe started for the Baggies against Hull City at the KC Stadium on Saturday but was substituted after 73 minutes with Saido Berahino taking his place. The WBA manager, Alan Irvine has now explained the rationale behind the premature withdrawal of his Nigerian forward in Saturday’s stalemate against the Tigers. “Victor Anichebe was outstanding in the first half (against Hull on Saturday). “He was very difficult for (the Hull City defenders) to handle. Unfortunately, he’s still nursing a bit of an injury and it got to a point where he had to come off. “I didn’t want to take him off because he’s a key player for us but I had to take him off at some point. “We were playing a 4-4-3 formation and Anichebe is the best player to play in such a formation because with his back to goal, he’s quite exceptional.”

THE NATION MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014

TODAY IN THE NATION

MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL 9 NO 3,056

‘It is puzzling that the same US that spent years and huge resources in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban; the same US that is currently fighting unsol icited wars in Syria and Iraq against ISIS is singing a different tune in the fight against Boko Haram’ EMEKA OMEIHE

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

OT long ago, the nation witnessed a case of selfaccounting. Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi sought the permission of the state House of Assembly to draw on the state’s savings. The state had reeled in the past year. The Federal Government had cut its monthly allocation by several billions, and its oilrich fable had faded away. Civil servants, teachers, and ambitious projects creaked desperately from neglect. He had to do something. Banks no longer obliged, so the road was shut to loans. Even the Federal Government had given a directive that banks should clear any state loans with the finance minister. The banks, run by timid souls, know the directive as illegal but they bow. They know it defiles banking independence and federalist principles, but they bow. Amaechi’s vision had, however, bought his independence. He did not need to go to Jonathan with a beggar’s bowl. He did not need to cajole the cowardly consciences of the bank chief executives. When he became governor, the state rustled with money. He admitted that palmy days were not forever. He had a balmy thought – to prepare for the rainy day. He did not expect misery to howl in the now, in his era as governor. He looked at a generation away. In his lens, he saw an era looming with empty oil wells and emaciated purses, when oil would no longer be the queen of resources. He had enough to work with, and so he chastened the spendthrift temptation of the day and kept at least a billion a month in the bank. Well, the rainy day came sooner than anticipated. His vision marked the difference between he who sees and he who looks. Amaechi saw, even when the Federal Government had turned the nation’s reserve into a bleeding mule, thinning from $68 billion to $37 billion. Rivers State can chew its cud while others cuddle with anxiety. What Governor Amaechi has done is the difference between a great leader and the routine man in the saddle. The Amaechi story is important because he is the chief shepherd of Rivers State, and that state is one of the pivotal entities in our federation. It is the beacon of the East, while Lagos holds the West and Kano the North. For a nation that relies on oil, Port Harcourt is the capital of oil. So, Rivers State is one of the states in the federation to watch as the present governor takes a back seat and a new one emerges. We need a governor with the same – if not better – sort of energy and organisational acumen as well as vision

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

intouchnation@gmail.com 08054501081(sms only) Twitter: @samomatseye

•Winner, Informed Commentary (DAME)

A sense of legacy

•Amaechi

•Dakuku

to pilot the state. Much has happened under the watch of the man who was once deprived of his right to the saddle. The Owu chief had a lifetime ago described with scorn his claim to the governor chair. He said his case had “K leg.” The cripple now walks with swagger. But the Rivers State he took over comes to memory, among others, as a state no one wanted to visit. I remember walking the street once and everyone in Port Harcourt had to raise their hands to indicate they had no guns. The air bristled with martial portent. Expatriates no longer loved the Garden City. Oil money became crude because safety was better. Amaechi became governor without access even to the rudiment of a governor’s safety. He reached to his colleague, the ebullient Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, to help him with security vehicles. Yet, it was

RIPPLES Falling oil prices: PREPARE FOR HARDSHIP––Expert warns Nigerians

Which HARDSHIP? The NEWS should have been ‘PREPARE FOR MORE HARDSHIP’

Amaechi that drove the militants out of town and anyone can walk the entrails of the Garden City with hands in the pocket. The job of any government is to eliminate poverty. In this society, the urban centres reflect the ugliness of class divide. The rich mock the poor with their extravagant decadence of cars, palaces, parties, private jets and boats. To bring the society into a place of fairness, we have often wanted governments to take infrastructure development and education seriously. None of our literary lights has in the picturesque skill of the realist painted the Nigerian poverty. Not Achebe, not Soyinka, not Clark. When Dickens wrote his Bleak House, David Copperfield, especially Oliver Twist, the Prime Minister was worried and asked him if his characters really lived in London. The graphic tales of inequality permeate the narratives of Jane Austen, and Balzac told tales of the depredations of the postNapoleon and the new industrial societies on the ordinary folks. No one can forget Balzac’s Old Goriot. We have not seen the tragi-comic spectacle of the disabled embarking on a parade known as the feast of fools as graphically set in Victor Hugo’s The Hunch Back of Notre Dame. If our literature focuses generally on postcolonial anomie, it is probably time to tell specific stories of beggary and inequality.

Kudos to Osundare

OET Niyi Osundare looked every inch a winner last week when he was be medalled as this year’s recipient of the Nigerian Merit Award. The author of The Eye of the Earth as well as other stellar works is as buoyant in his evocation of images as he is in his social graces. He is one of the jewels of today, not only in Nigeria but internationally. His various awards testify. He also travels around the world on invitation to recite his poetry. He is a great teacher and mentor to many. I say congratulations to a rare man whose visage and temperament always remind one that the joys of life remain unsullied by the routine of every passing day.

HARDBALL

ARDBALL took an astral trip back to those giddy old days of rulers in khaki when military administrators were overlords in our various states. Milads they were known as, they went about, all sorts, all characters, the only smart thing about most of them was their starched uniforms. They would strut about, pretending to govern, barking out instructions to bloody civilians and trying hard to be ‘action governors’. You dared not share a thought with them. Power corrupts but power in a soldier’s hands corrupts murderously, to re-jig that famous saying. This is how come one Milad of those days was inspecting a new flyover bridge and on getting to the scene, so displeased was he with the quality of work done, that he was reputed to have hollered: “who build this gada that is doing gbigi gbigi in my leg; no kobo for you?! Hardball is now moved to scream: “who buy that N12, 000 Eco-stove; how much food village woman dey cook with this kind stove?! You must have heard about the N9.2 billion the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved for the purchase of ecostoves at its meeting of late November. The matter struck like a thunder out of the blue; if the matter ever came up before that day, not many Ni-

Right now it is newspaper reporters who bear that heroic task. But a great novel or play can immortalise this chasm between rich and poor. Festus Iyayi’s stories work as themes but not as artifice. Rivers State is one of such states where the governor has made efforts to address the inequalities. We know that governance is a continuum. His education programme, for instance, in which secondary schools look like some of our universities in ambience, facilities, teachers and architecture, require sustenance. It is not enough to have them. It is important to see them as a way of life, not privilege for a time. My former teacher, Prof. Biodun Jeyifo, wrote in his column how he visited the model schools and one of the teachers made a darkly funny observation. She said although the children in the schools were from poor parents, their parents were not interested in their education. An oil-rich state with so much inequality where the lazy and criminal live in plenty while industrious persons beg from them. The result is cynicism about education, which is a slow grind to light. Why wait for a nine-month pregnancy if you can induce the baby in nine days? That is the warped logic of oil in today’s Nigeria. So while Amaechi has built a solid foundation in education and infrastructure and health care, the state ought not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. If his successor does not understand the dynamics of governance and only eyes the opportunity to be a fat-cat chief executive presiding over thin and miserable citizens, it will be tragic. It is very easy to reverse the work of a visionary. As they say, a good success depends on a good successor. It is going to be a slugfest between the urbane Peterside Dakuku and the PDP nominee to be decided Monday. Rivers State voters must guard jealously the legacy of Amaechi. If they vote the wrong person, they will see before their eyes the loss of what they have taken for granted. Rivers State is not only important to the people of Rivers State, just as Lagos State is not only important to Lagosians. Whoever takes charge of Lagos, Rivers or Kano holds a huge chunk of our patrimony in trust. But it begins with the people and their votes.

Who buy those stoves? gerians may have heard about it. We just got the bombshell – 175,000 clean cookstoves are to be imported for onward distribution to Nigeria’s rural women. Wow, the long-forgotten rustic womenfolk are in for a good time. Pray, by what alchemy did this modern wonder come about? Which genius or would it be a wizard dreamed this scheme up and ensured its execution via the speed of light. Hardball was almost going to break into the song: come and see Nigerian wonder, come and see Nigerian wonder. Just when you think you have seen it all, our government simply reinvents itself and reaches more obdurate limits. Just the week before this FEC meeting, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy had most solemnly announced to Nigerians that the economy is so gloomy that some austerity measures had become imperative. There was need to immediately cut all the fat about the government, we were told one bright morning.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above No more overseas junkets for public officials in the name of training and seminars for instance. Those who acquire and enjoy the good things of life would have to pay a penalty by being levied heavy taxes. It is even suspected that the complete removal of that phantom petrol ‘subsidy’ would follow if not now, after the 2015 polls. Now in the midst of all these economic strictures and pains we awaken another week to be confronted by a nine billion naira caper. Oil prices are crashing and our currency is equally off its hinges; our reserves are depleting with barely enough to take us through three months of our ravenous purchases. Yet we can afford nine billion naira to throw around? Who are these rural women that we love so much that if they do not get these stoves immediately they would become extinct? Of what significance are 750,000 out of no fewer than 25 million rural women? Or what really is the purpose of this wonder policy? Nigerian rural women have been long deprived and abandoned and cannot even afford a good meal a day. Say, was our Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at that meeting where this decision was taken?

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