The Nation December 16, 2014

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Our case against Mark, others, by angry senators Lawmakers return today amidst uncertainty We’re united, says Abaribe

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HEAD of plenary today, some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators who lost their primary elections met yesterday in Abuja to strengthen their resolve for leadership change.

One of the aggrieved senators, who was part of

From Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

the meeting, told our correspondent that it was “a continuation of a series of strategic meetings we have been holding before and after our primary elections”.

The senators are angry for the following reasons:

•the primaries “in most instances were hugely flawed”; •“the fact that our interest was not protected even after we were made to believe that there was automatic ticket for most of us”; and •“Senate leadership failed to do the needful at the Presidency and the PDP headquarters to create a level

playing field for us.”

But Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs Chairman Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe dismissed the speculation of a plot to remove Senate President David Mark as unfounded and misleading.

The meeting was held in a hotel in Apo, Federal Capital

Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The source noted that the meeting became necessary “for us to articulate and formulate some critical issues bothering on the primary elections”.

“We cannot pretend that all is well. We cannot also pretend that we are happy the way and manner most of us

have been left in the cold to fend for ourselves,” the source said.

Vowing that “we will not just leave things the way they are going”, he said: “We needed to meet to talk to ourselves ahead of our resumption.”

Asked whether the alContinued on page 4

How Chadian mercenaries run Nigerian villages •New equipment for troops From Yusuf Alli, Abuja and Duku Joel, Maiduguri

S

OME Nigerians fleeing the insurgency in the Northeast have relived their experiences in the town and villages occupied by the Boko Haram insurgents.

The insurgents taken over many communities in Borno and Yobe states. Among them are Chadian mercenaries who now run some border towns.

Villagers who escaped from Gajigana, one of the villages recently attacked by the insurgents are crying to the Borno State Government and the Federal Government to save them from the hands of the Chadians who, according to them, have now become judges trying and punishing villagers.

One of them, Ali Modu Kawu, who escaped to Maiduguri, the beleaguered Borno State capital, said: “The Chadian rebels from Mangal now preside over meetings in most of the villages. They sit in courts and hear disputes and pass judgement for the locals who are in dispute with one another.

“Just before they attacked Gajigana last Continued on page 4

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WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15 EVER RETURN?

•LET’S SING: Children performing at the Naval Officers Wives Association (NOWA) Christmas Carols in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Queues surface in cities as oil workers shut fuel depots

STORY ON PAGE 2

Govt summons meeting Shortage in Abuja, Kwara, Kaduna

•POLITICS P9 •TRANSPORTATION P14 •PROPERTY P17 •SPORTS P24 •FOREIGN P61

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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NEWS

Fuel scarcity s •Govt, PENGASSAN, NUPENG officials meet today

O • Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano, flanked by the Secretary to Anambra State Government (SSG), Mr. Oseloka Obaze, (left), Chairman, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, during a tour of the manufacturing plant in Nnewi, Anambra State...yesterday.

• From left: Managing Director, Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Mr. Ola Oresanya, Lagos State Commissioner for the Enviroment, Mr. Tunji Bello and Edo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Louis Odion, during the University of Lagos Alumni Association, Lagos Branch 2014 Award and Dinner ceremony in Lagos ... at the weekend.

PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

•From left: Executive Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Peter Amangbo and his wife, Chichi, during the 9th Zenith Bank Youth Christmas parade in Lagos ... at the weekend.

• From left: Managing Director, Financial Services, Accenture, Mrs. Tolueke Adenmosun, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) , Mr. Victor Famuyibo, Country Managing Director, Accenture, Mr. Niyi Yusuf and Strategic Planning and Implementation Committee (SPIC), Vice-Chairperson, Mrs. Titilayo Akisanya, during the CIPM ‘s visit to Accenture in Lagos... yesterday . PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

IL workers, under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), began a nationwide strike yesterday. They shut down petroleum depots in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, Warri (Delta State) and Port Harcourt (Rivers State) among other states.

But the Federal Government moved yesterday to end the strike.

The Ministries of Petroluem Resources and that of Labour and Productivity have invited PENGASSAN and NUPENG officials to a meeting in Abuja today.

The workers are protesting the inability of the government to carry out a Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) on the refineries at Port Harcourt I and II, Warri and Kaduna, and the delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

Others reasons for the strike, according to PENGASSAN spokesman Babatunde Oke, are: non-implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD); appalling state of roads to refineries and oil depots; casualisation of workers; sack of the secretary of National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers(NUPENG), Port Harcourt Zone, among others.

Oke said the association was left with no option than to call its members out on strike following government’s failure to accede to their demands.

He said: “In Lagos, most depots were shut and there was no loading. At Ejigbo depots, some tankers that loaded in the day were not allowed to move out of the depot because of the dangers of being attacked.

“At the Apapa depot and those owned by Mobil and Oando, there was total compliance, while there was skeletal operation by officials of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) at Total Depot. They were stopped in the course of the day.

“In Warri, there was no loading but NUPENG members were seen wearing red to signify their protests.

In Kaduna and Abuja, there was total compliance in oil and gas facilities, including the upstream, midstream where the loading bays were shut. There was no loading in Kaduna.’’

According to him, compliance with the union’s directive was impressive as workers effectively barricaded the loading depots.

His words: ‘’ The compliance level was okay because no depot was spared. No tanker was allowed to load yesterday. Those that loaded did so on Sunday night and in the early hours of yesterday for fear of being attacked. We will maintain the status quo, until the government accedes to our demands.”

The PENGASSAN spokesman assured that more people would join in the protest today to ensure full compliance.

The one-day old strike was already taking toll on the people when The Nation went round yesterday. In Lagos, Kaduna, Abuja and other parts of the country, motorists were seen on long queues forcing motorists to hike fares.

Scores of commuters were stranded in Ikorodu, Ojota, Ketu and other parts of Lagos.

Reports from Kaduna said that

•Fuel hawkers on the street of Kaduna...yes

By Akinola Ajibade, Adesunloye Busola, Seun Akioye, Abdulgafar Alabelewe and John Ofikhenua

many filling stations were shut against customers, worsening the queues that emerged at the filling stations on Sunday night when motorists engaged in panic buying in anticipation of fuel scarcity.

By yesterday morning, almost all filling stations in Kaduna have been locked. Only a few opened for business. Kaduna environs were not spared as the two stations on Kachia Road, including the NNPC Mega Station, did not dispense products.

Many motorists who spoke to The Nation lamented. They said the situation has shut down commercial activities.

“The people have taken advantage of this situation to hoard fuel making the black marketers to have field day. I woke up at 6am to look for fuel but I had to settle for the black market where a four-litre container sold for N900,” Abdulhaman Subru said. A litter of petrol sells for N97 at regulated pump price.

Another commuter, Aminu Shehu, said he approached the black market after his search for petrol with the Kaduna metropolis yielded no result. Shehu accused the government of deliberately causing fuel scarcity.

“It is a deliberate scarcity. The government wants to create jobs for black market operators.My neighbour is one of them and he told me they hoard fuel deliberately,” he

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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NEWS

spreads as oil workers shut depots

•Motorists quiuing for fuel at Oando Filling Station, Berger Junction in Abuja...yesterday.

‘

The queues had started building up as early as 5.15am. By noon, virtually all filling stations within the metropolis have been overwhelmed with consumers. They struggled to fill their tanks and buy in plastic containers

a...yesterday

alleged.

Evangelist Divine Edeh simply described the day as a “terrible waste”. She alleged that most of the filling stations hoard fuel to sell to their special people.

“I have not gone to the office today. I have been moving from one filling station to the other. I didn’t plan for this scarcity. So, it caught me by surprise. The attendants are only selling to their friends. They hang their nozzles and tell other buyers that they don’t have fuel.

“The government should give us relief for this hardship. This is adding more stress to the crisis in this country. This is not what we need at this festive season, she said.

But some stations dispensed fuel at dusk yesterday. According to some workers at the Total Filling Station on Wharf Road, NEPA Roundabout, the station got supply of only 16,000 litres against the usual 32,000 litres. “We just got fuel this afternoon (yesterday) and it is only half of what we used to get, but we are selling and whenever it finishes, we will stop,” an official said.

However, black market operators had a field day as they sold fuel at exorbitant prices. All over the metropolis, black marketers were seen selling to desperate motorists on the streets. One of them who spoke in anonymity told The Nation that they gave attendants N2,000 to get the fuel that they re-sell.

But some of the black marketers blamed the government for the sit-

The issues at stake

‘

• Delay in carrying out the Turn- Around Maintenance of refineries; • Global crude oil prices slump; • Non-implementation of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act • Expatriate quota law; • Appalling state of access roads to refineries and oil depots.

• Insecurity; • Casualisation of workers • Other anti-labour practices.

uation.

Bala Musa, who felt the government should be blamed, said, “We hear that the strike will be for three days so we want to see what we can do by then. We don’t have any job and this is the only way that we can make money.”

Muhammed Abubarkar, who dispensed illegally on Muhammadu Buhari Road, denied that they were selling at rooftop price.

He said: “We sell four litres for N600 so we gain only N70. Since morning, I have only made a gain of N700 which I have used to eat.

We are only helping people who will not have fuel to move around.”

There was no significant increase in transport fares in Kaduna as the

time of filling this report last night.

The gridlock created by the queues in Abuja affected transactions within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Many motorists resorted to panic buying since most of the petrol stations were under lock and key.

Our correspondent discovered that the queues had started building up as early as 5.15am. By noon, virtually all filling stations within the metropolis have been overwhelmed with consumers. They struggled to fill their tanks and buy in plastic containers.

At the Olusengun Obasanjo Way, where there is a cluster of three filling stations - NNPC Mega Station, Oando, and Forte Oil, the

queues stretched to about two kilometers on all the access roads leading to the busy area.

From Wuse to Maitama, Asokoro to Area I and Jabi areas, the story was the same causing traffic jam as better parts of the roads were taken over by motorists queuing up to buy fuel.

The black market sale thrived as fuel hawkers were at every strategic junction with gallons of the commodity chasing motorists.

Those who could not withstand the queues patronised the hawkers and bought a 10-litre container for as much as N2000 while motorists who waited on the queues spent long hours to refill.

A motorist, who simply identified himself as Tanimu Suleiman said: “I have been on this queue for more than two hours. This is madness. What shall we call this one again? Is it that fuel is scarce or what is happening?”

The management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday assured that no cause for alarm.

In a statement by its Group General Manager, Public Affairs, the NNPC said the three-day strike will not dislocate the robust distribution and sale of fuel.

According to the statement, the Corporation was in talks with the leadership of the unions. The spokesman claimed the unions not to disrupt the fuel supply and distribution system as the strike was

basically aimed at addressing the anti-labour issues by some of the International Oil Companies (IOCs).

The statement reads: “The Corporation and its downstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) also revealed that it has over 32 days stock of petroleum products available for supply across the nation during the Yuletide season and beyond. The Corporation also disclosed 17 additional petroleum laden vessels are at the Lagos Port waiting to discharge to the various depots for onward distribution to members of the public.”

The statement said the NNPC was doing its best to ensure that there was no hitch whatsoever in the supply system.

It called on the public to shun panic buying and product hoarding as that could lead to needless queues and fire outbreaks.

There were hints that officials of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity will today meet with NUPENG and PENGASSAN leaders in Abuja to resolve the ongoing strike.

Oke confirmed the scheduled meeting in a statement.

He said: “The Federal Government has invited the two unions for a meeting in Abuja where the affected stakeholders will be in attendance tomorrow Tuesday by 11am.

“The meeting is at the instance of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.”

to

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

NEWS

•FOR PEACE: Leaders of West African Nations , at the 46th ordinary session of ECOWAS heads of state and government in Abuja…yesterday. (From left) front row: President Boni Yayi (Benin Republic); President Goodluck Jonathan; President Mohammadou Issoufou (Niger Republic); President Alassane Quattara (Cote D’Ivoire); ECOWAS President, Mr Kadre Desire Quedraogo; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr Ebun Abebola Strasser-King; ECOWAS Chairman, President John Mahama (Ghana); President Faure Gnassingbe (Togo) and President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (Mali)

INEC: 1m Boko Haram victims can’t vote in 2015

How Chadian mercenaries run Nigerian villages Continued from page 1

week, the Manga tribesmen of Chad normally came around to judge the people.

As a matter of fact, some days before the attack on Gajigana, there was a problem between one of our friends and a Fulani man who took his herd of cattle into the farm of our friend. “ After our inability to resolve the ensuing dispute – which had taken a dangerous dimension, we had to report the matter to Boko Haram men, who came to resolve the matter. They found the Fulani man guilty and ruled that he must pay a fine equivalent of five bags of beans within 24 hours

or face death punishment; and the Fulani man quickly complied.

“Government institutions such as the courts and the local government buildings have been taken over by Boko Haram members who are mostly Chadians,” Ali Modu Kawu, one of the villagers who escaped told our correspondent in Maiduguri.

Kawu said the Chadian Boko Haram mercenaries are more brutal than the others, adding that “whatever they say is final and you dare not protest” Gajigana village in Mobbar Local Government Council of Borno States was last Wednesday attacked by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Over 30 died. Many others were injured.

No less than 12 local government councils from n o r t h e r n Borno comprising Abadam, Kukawa, Marte, Ngala, Dikwa, Mobbar, Nganzai, Magumeri, Marte, Kala-Balge, and Monguo, states including Gwoza and some parts of Damboa are under the control of the Boko Haram sect with no military or police presence.

One of the villagers who prefers anonymity said the terrorist were angry with Gajigana community for leaking information to security agents that they were embarking on forcible recruitment of youth into Boko

Haram in their villages hence their reason to attack the community.

“I overheard some of them when they were attacking the village saying that we were the ones that went to report their secret recruitments around Gajiganna so they will teach us a lesson,” he said.

Another villager who identified himself as Zaana, lamented that they are in a life of bondage in the hands of the Chadian conquerors who place a strict surveillance on them to monitor their movement and what they discuss with one another.

“We are very careful about what you say to who and Continued on page 60

I’ve no hand in plot against Senate President, says Saraki

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HE Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, had denied being part of any plot against the senate leadership.

Saraki, in a statement, said he read with shock, reports in some newspapers that some PDP senators, who lost out in the last primary were plan-

ning to remove Mark and replace him.

Saraki said: “We like to state categorically and unequivocally that Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial district of Kwara State, has no knowledge or being part of any plan by a group of Senators or any

individual for that matter about the said publications and he will not be a party to such for any reason.

“It is our candid opinion and belief that any Senator that loses his bid to return to the Senate should lay on his bed ?as he found it, hence, individual Senator should bear their own cross.

“It is a common knowledge that when Senator Saraki was the Chairman of Governors Forum, he fought with his colleagues to ensure that at least, each state of the Federation returns one Senator.

“Hence the reason why there was a reasonable turnover in the Senate in the 2011 election.”

M

ORE than a million Nigerians displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States may not be able to vote in the February’s general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday.

The only condition that will make them eligible to vote is if the Electoral Act is amended before the elections, the electoral agency added.

Besides, the election results may be challenged in court if such a large number of people is disenfranchised.

The National Assembly returns to plenary today after a vacation to enable members attend party congresses where candidates were picked for all states and local elections.

“Unless the act is amended, the IDPs (internally displaced persons) issue could expose the election to legal challenges by the losing party,” INEC spokesman Kayode Idowu, was quoted by Reuters as saying.

Idowu added: “INEC is hoping that some amendment will happen to the legal framework to make it feasible for IDPs to vote,” Idowu said.

INEC is in the process of identifying displaced persons camps and counting the number of people potentially excluded, Idowu said.

Many of the displaced are in small groups scattered across the country.

President Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will be challenged by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the elections which is expected to be the first real test of the PDP’s strength. The PDP has been ruling the country since the return to democracy in 1999.

The fragmented opposition came together to form the APC. Two of the states under a state of emergency – Borno and Yobe - as a result of the insurgency and where people are displaced, are controlled by the APC. Adamawa State is controlled by the PDP. Maiduguri, the Borno State capital is believed to be harbouring almost a million displaced people. About 20 local government areas in the state are controlled by the insurContinued on page 60

Our case against Mark, others, by angry senators Reps return today amidst uncertainty

Continued from page 1

leged plot to remove the Senate leadership was also discussed at the meeting, the lawmaker was a bit evasive, saying “nothing is ruled out; everything is on the table, but we’ll wait and see as things unfold.”

Asked how serious the aggrieved senators are in their bid to ruffle some feathers, he retorted “You know it is a group affair but some of us are ready to speak out, no matter the cost.”

But a source close to the Senate President, said that Mark should not be blamed for the loss of some PDP senators.

The source noted that “it is on record that Mark made necessary contacts with the party leadership and governors of the party to plead the case of the senators”.

Abaribe, who refuted the plot to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan, until Senator Alkali Jajare put a face to the plot, issued a statement that “senators are united behind Mark .”

Abaribe described as “false, media reports purporting a plot by some aggrieved sen-

M

EMBERS of the House of Representatives are to resume today, almost a month after the unsavoury experience of the police invasion of the National Assembly and the tear gassing of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and other lawmakers.

There is, however, a lot of uncertainty on the direction the House is going to take in the last leg of the seventh assembly when it resumes today.

One of the outstanding issues is the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The House has consistently said it is interested in passing the bill, and though the report of the Mohammed Bawa- headed ad hoc committee on the bill is said to be ready, it is not clear what is impeding its submission.

Another issue is the budget which, it may be argued, is more in the precinct of the Executive, yet the National Assem-

ators to remove Mark.”

He noted that “such unfounded story only exists in the imagination of its authors.”

The Senate, Abaribe said, has a tested internal mechanism to tackle any difficult issue that arises within and outside the chamber.

Such mechanisms and

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

bly is usually seen as the prerogative of the parliament which has the power of the purse. But the executive and the legislature are set to thread the familiar path of annual budget wrangling, particularly of non- implementation of the budget.

The Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) on which the 2015 budget would be premised is alternating between the Presidency and the National Assembly because of the downward crash of international prices of crude. The Federal Government had initially reviewed the 2015 budget oil benchmark from $78 to $73 and further revised it to $65 per barrel causing it to withdraw and resubmit the MTEF to the National Assembly.

The Chairman of the Committee on Finance, Abdulmumin Jibrin, could not be

channels, according to Abaribe, are inexhaustible and shall always be deployed by the leadership of the Senate.

Although most of the senators are said to be in Abuja for the plenary, the list of activities normally contained in the Order Paper and released ahead of resumption by the

reached to comment on the state of the MTEF yesterday.

A lawmaker, who spoke with our reporter under anonymity, however said the budget “will not be scrutinised as it should this time”. “We may see most of the work being done at the level of both House Committees of Finance and Appropriations to save time.”

The Nation learnt that many lawmakers are wary that today’s resumption, which was initially slated for December 3, may witness the kind of unruly behaviour of the Police like that of 20th November. Others are of the opinion that no such event would happen since the incident of November 20th has been roundly condemned locally and internationally.

Again is the fear that committee chairmanship may be reshuffled at the last instance before the House goes on Christmas recess.

Senate Committee on Business and Rules, was unavailable yesterday.

No official reason was given for the non-availability of the Order Paper, but a source said that the failure of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Business and Rules, Senator Ita Enang, to secure his return ticket to the red cham-

ber in 2015 might have affected his zeal to work.

Besides, the uncertainty about the fate of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF) and the 2015 Appropriation Bill does not help matter.

The MTEF has been presented to the National As-

•Mark

sembly by the Presidency and withdrawn twice due largely to the fluctuating oil price in the international market.

The consideration and passage of the MTEF by the National Assembly is one of the prerequisites for the consideration and passage of the Appropriation Bill.

Continued on page 60

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THE NATION TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2014

NEWS

Fed Govt to rehabilitate varsities with N1.3tr

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DUCATION Minister Malam Ibrahim Sekarau spoke yesterday of the Federal Government’s plan to spend N1.3 trillion to develop and rehabilitate infrastructure in public universities.

The government, the minister added, will ensure that the 190,000 out-of-school children affected by Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast continue their education.

Shekarau spoke in Abuja at the “Public Presentation of Strategies on Consolidating the Transformation in the Education Sector”.

He said while the government was ensuring the safety of schools in the area, it had also started placing children from volatile areas in Unity Schools.

The minister said guidance and counseling centres would be established in schools to sup-

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

port better learning.

His words: “The government is committed to the safety of our children in schools as a result of security challenges we are facing in some parts of the country. This will also involve providing facilities for our children to continue their education, where their institutions may have been affected.

“The Needs Assessment of Public Tertiary Institutions enabled us to identify challenges the institutions are facing in relation to the ability to serve the interests of the society. As a result, we have committed N1.3 trillion to the development and rehabilitation of infrastructure in our public universities.

“We are working with the affected states and I think they

•Northeast’s destroyed schools for repair are co-operating. We are gradually identifying them; most of them are scattered out of their stations. So, we are gradually doing a lot of census and we are reaching out to them and sensitising them.

“Most of them are so scared of going back to school again.

So, some of them need a lot of rehabilitation, counseling and we know the number is quite enormous. So far, the numbers that have been identified have been placed in various institutions, especially in Federal Government Colleges.

“The Federal Government would establish Guidance and Counseling Centres in educational institutions, to support better learning outcome.

“At the basic education lev-

el, over 600,000 teachers from across Nigeria have participated in diverse training programmes.

“At the tertiary level, over 9,000 lecturers from public tertiary institutions have benefited from scholarship programmes from Master’s to doctoral levels. This is part of the drive to increase the number of academic staff with doctoral degrees in our tertiary institutions”, he said.

Shekarau noted that allocation to education had increased from N234.8 billion in 2010 to N495.2 billion.

Intervention funds to basic and post-basic education, he said, had also been on the rise, adding that funds in support of the Universal Basic Education

(UBE) now total N240 billion.

The minister said: “At the tertiary level, TETfund interventions to tertiary institutions have been on the rise in the allocation to each public university rising from N303 million in 2010 to N912 million in 2014, from N180 million for polytechnics, to N661 million and from N157 million to N581 million for Colleges of Education.

High impact interventions have also seen selected universities receiving N3 billion each and polytechnic and colleges of Education receiving N1 billion to support their development as centres of excellence.”

Shekarau, therefore, appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the government’s plan for education.

Wamakko: Jonathan resign From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

S

OKOTO State Governor Aliyu Wamakko has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to resign and apologise to Nigerians for his failure, rather than seeking re-election.

Wamakko, who spoke in Sokoto at the weekend, said: “This is my candid opinion as a patriotic citizen, who believes in the advancement of the country.”

The governor added: “Nigerians need a change that will ensure total departure from the current situation. This is the yearning and expectation of majority of our people.”

He stressed that if Jonathan took to his advice, it would promote the nation’s “democracy, freedom and sense of belonging, which APC stands to justify.”

The governor hailed the conduct and outcome of the party’s primaries, especially the presidential exercise, which, he noted, had further built hope and strength in the average Nigerian.

“It was quite free, fair and transparent with purposeful vision for the country. Our future is our right and we owe ourselves the duty to protect and serve the country to prosperity by ensuring a new Nigeria with hope for all of us,” Wamakko said.

He noted that the country’s democracy was fast changing with two strong political parties.

“The two-party approach is primarily symbolising the path of world political standard in a democratic setting”, he added.

Wamakko noted that his intention was not to join the senatorial race for Sokoto Central, but added that his supporters and elders from the eight local governments constituting the district bought the party’s nomination form for him.

He, however, explained that his intention after leaving office was to be an active farmer.

“I intend to go into productive farm business that will yield farm produce for export.

“My plan was to have a large farm for cassava production because it is ripe for Nigeria to be an exporting than importing nation, especially in those aspects which we have comparative advantage,” Wamakko said.

•Brig.-Gen. Nicholas (left) decorating Mark (right) with the emblem in Abuja... yesterday.

Fight Boko Haram harder, Mark urges military

S

ENATE President David Mark has urged the armed forces to fight harder to keep the country united and secured.

Mark, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, spoke in Abuja after the National Coordinator of 2015 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Brig.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, decorated him with the emblem.

The Senate President noted that the nation’s insecurity had become so worrisome that Nigerians were anxious about their future.

He, however, insisted that the armed forces “remain the last man standing in this difficult situation.”

“It is therefore incumbent on our armed forces to rise up to the challenge to secure Nigeria and Nigerians,” he added.

Mark said the government was conscious of the challeng-

‘Damage ’ll take decades to repair’ From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

GOMBE State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo has warned that it will take decades for states ravaged by the activities of Boko Haram to recover from the economic damage.

He spoke in Minna yesterday at the closing ceremony of the orientation of 3, 000 Batch C corps members deployed in Gombe State, but had their orientation in Minna because of security challenge.

The governor lamented that the activities of the group had destroyed both the state’s economic and social lives, adding that the devastation would take generations yet on born decades to overcome.

Dankwambo said following the security challenges, corps members posted to Gombe State would continue to have their orientation in Niger State until situations improve.

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

es faced by the officers and men of the armed forces, especially in the Northeast, where Boko Haram is on the rampage.

Mark promised that the

government was more prepared to improve on their welfare, including providing modern equipment to fight the war.

“Government is appreciative of your pains and sacrifices to keep Nigeria united.

“We can only encourage you to keep on the good work

to make Nigeria a safer and better place.”

The Senate president however enjoined the Military Training and Doctrine Unit to propose a legislation to the National Assembly on how to provide for the upkeep of the families of soldiers, who died fighting to keep Nigeria one.

This, he noted, was imperative so that their efforts and sacrifices would not be in vain.

Such fallen heroes, he stressed, deserved national honours for their gallantry “because they died so that we may live.”

Brig.-Gen. Nicholas explained that the yearly event was designed to remember the supreme sacrifices of fallen heroes, who fought to keep Nigeria together.

He said: “Whatever proceeds realised from the sale of the emblem would be channelled to the upkeep of the dependents of the fallen heroes.”

‘We will give one million votes to Buhari, APC’

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GROUP, Urhobo Nationalist Movement (UNM), has assured that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would get its one million votes in the next year’s presidential and governorship elections.

The group vowed to mobilise Urhobos against the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan, as a payback for the president’s alleged betrayal of the Urhobo nation in the state Peoples Democratic Party’s

From Shola O’Neil, S’South Regional Editor, Port Harcourt

(PDP’s) governorship primary.

The National Chairman of UNM, Alhaji Mumakai Unagha, said the Urhobo nation would “do everything humanly possible to deliver their 1,000,000 votes to APC in the 2015 presidential and governorship election.”

He accused President

Jonathan of directing his Ijaw kinsmen to work for Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, instead of the Urhobo candidate endorsed by the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU).

He said: “If Mr. President and the Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark could work against Urhobo interest, then the Urhobos will certainly pay them back”.

He accused the Ijaw militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemukpolo (alias Tompo-

lo), of mobilising Ijaw delegates to vote against the Urhobo aspirant during the PDP governorship primary election on the allegation that he was directed by the president and Chief E.K. Clark.

“We are highly shocked at the decision of the Ijaws during the PDP governorship primary, although they have rights to support whom they wish, but we believed in one goal and aspiration,” he said.

Court refuses ex-parte motion on Tambuwal’s sack From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) failed yesterday in its bid to sack House of Representatives’ Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

The Federal High Court in Abuja refused an ex-parte motion filed by the party’s member, Abiodun Akinlade.

Akinlade, a member of the House or Representatives, representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State, had by the motion, sought to restrain Tambuwal from continuing to act or parade himself as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

He also sought an order dispensing with personal service and for substituted service on Tambuwal “by serving all processes in this suit in the office of the Speaker, House of Representatives”.

Akinlade’s lawyer Babs Akinwumi, while moving the ex-parte motion, urged the court to grant the interim injunctions sought by his client pending the hearing of the substantive suit earlier filed by the lawmaker.

Ruling, Justice Ahmed Mohammed refused Akinlade’s prayers on the ground that it was unfair to defendants in the case for the court to make ex-parte orders against them when they were already aware of the case and were represented in court by lawyers.

He ordered Akinlade to convert the ex-parte application to a motion on notice and serve it on the defendants to enable them respond to it.

“In this situation, all the parties are represented in this case. It will be most unfair to grant an order ex-parte against a party that has representatives in a case,” the judge said.

He fixed January 19 for further hearing in the case.

Defendants in the suit are Tambuwal (as the first defendant), the House of Representatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the substantive suit, Akinlade is seeking a “judicial interpretation” of an earlier judgment delivered by Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which held that there was no division in the PDP. The suit is intended to justify the PDP’s position that Tambuwal’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on October 28 was “illegal” and in breach of Section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Akinlade is urging the court to declare Tambuwal’s seat vacant on the ground that his defection is illegal.

The suit was earlier assigned to Justice Chukwu.

He withdrew from handling it on December 2, after Tambuwal petitioned the court’s Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta, requesting the transfer of the case to another on the ground that he was likely to be bias in view of his earlier position in a similar case.

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THE NATION TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2014

NEWS

• Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (fourth right); President, Nigeria lnternet Group Adebayo Banjo, an engineer (third right); Event Coordinator Mr. Tayo Adewusi (fift left); past President, Nigeria lnternet Group (NIG) and Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) Emmanuel Ekuwem (fourth left) and others, at the Africa Digital Forum and Presentation of Awards 2014 in Lagos, where Aregbesola and others won awards.

Jonathan’s eligibility: Court to rule January 12

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USTICE Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja will on January 12 rule on whether to refer to the Court of Appeal, some constitutional questions in a suit seeking to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting next year’s election.

The plaintiffs, who claimed to be presidential aspirants, Adejumo Ajagbe and Olatoye Wahab, urge the court to refer the interpretation of sections 135(2)(a) and (b) and 137(1) of the Constitution to the appellate court.

But the attorney general of the federation (AGF) argued otherwise.

Yesterday, plaintiffs’ lawyer Mahmud Magaji (SAN) and lawyer to the AGF, Kenechwukwu Nomeh, argued for and against the application for referral filed by the plaintiffs.

Magaji argued that “a substantial issue of constitutional law has been raised in relation

•Judge shifts hearing in similar suit to January 19 From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

to the effect of sections 135(2)(a) and (b) and 137(1) of the constitution and whether a person sworn into the office of the President on two previous terms is deemed to have been elected to that office at the two previous elections.”

“The applicants have raised two crucial constitutional questions for the Court of Appeal to resolve, which involve substantial questions of law and without its resolution by the Court of Appeal, it would not be possible to resolve the issues raised in the main suit,” he said.

Magaji, relying on some decisions of the Supreme Court, argued that a judge of the High Court was under obligation to refer constitutional questions and issues of law to a higher court either on its own or upon an application for referral by

a party in the suit.

He urged the court to grant his client’s prayer, noting that none of the respondents’ interests would be jeopardised, if the issues raised were referred to the Court of Appeal.

Nomeh argued that the plaintiffs’ application for referral was a ploy to delay the hearing and the disposal of the main suit.

The AGF’s lawyer argued that his principal, Ade OkeayaInneh (SAN), was representing the president in a similar suit, which is before the Court of Appeal, Abuja, challenging Jonathan’s eligibility, “hence there is no need for the referral”.

The appeal referred to by the AGF was filed by Cyriacus Njoku, who is challenging the judgment of Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of the Federal Capital

High Court, who had earlier ruled that Jonathan was eligible to contest in 2015.

He recommended the earlier decisions of the FCT High Court and the Federal High Court, Kaduna Division and urged the court to uphold the reasoning of those courts and dismiss the application for referral.

The judge has also fixed January 15 for continuation of hearing in a similar suit filed by Mase Acho, Saeeq Sarki and Murtala Abubakar, who are also challenging the eligibility of Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, to seek reelection.

The suit wants the court to hold that Jonathan, having contested the 2007 presidential election with the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua and agreeing to complete the ten-

ure at Yar’adua’s death, he is deemed to have inherited the tenure and served as the President, by virtue of the provisions of Section 142(1) and (2) of the constitution.

Yesterday, plaintiffs’ lawyer James Ocholi (SAN), who argued the plaintiffs’ originating summons and reply to the defendants’ applications, urged the court to uphold his clients’ arguments and grant their prayers.

Kenechukwu Nomeh, who represented the AGF, argued his client’s counter-affidavit and preliminary objection, urging the court to dismiss the suit for lacking in merit.

PDP’s lawyer, Victor Kwon, was arguing his own preliminary objection and counter-affidavit when adjourned, owing to large volume of cases in the court.

He adjourned to January 19 for Kwon to complete his argument.

Book on Justice Olorundahunsi for launch

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BOOK on Justice Sunday Olorundahunsi will tomorrow be launched at the NICON Luxury Abuja, Hotel.

Former Labour Minister Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) will be the chief host.

Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) is expected to be the presenter.

The book is titled: ‘Oiling The Wheels of Justice’.

Also expected are Prof.

Maxwell Gidado (book reviewer) and Prof. Josiah Amupitan (SAN) to deliver keynote address.

Justice Olorundahunsi served as chief registrar of the Supreme Court between 2010-2014. He was recently sworn in as a judge in the Ondo State judiciary.

President is like Jesus Christ, says Okupe

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ENIOR Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs Dr. Doyin Okupe maintained yesterday that Nigerians did not understand the burden the President was bearing.

Okupe, who spoke on a Channel Television programme: Sunrise Daily, said the President was “like Jesus Christ,” adding: “He’s bearing the burden of everybody.”

He claimed that the efforts of the Federal Government in fighting the Boko Haram insurgency and power generation were being hindered by external factors.

The presidential aide also said it would be impossible for Jonathan to lose in next year’s presidential elections.

Okupe explained that Nigeria had been “under-powered” for many years, noting that in Ikeja, Lagos State, the electrical infrastructure on ground was about 35 years old.

Okupe admitted that “power is a problem”, which was why the government was working to improve generation and distribution, through power reform.

He added that the equipment were expensive, which caused the private owners of power generation and distribution companies to borrow billions of dollars.

‘He lacks capacity to lead Nigeria’ A FORMER of Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Rivers State Chapter, Apostle Eugene Ogu, has alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan lacked the capability and will to address national issues.

Apostle Ogu, in an interview with The Nation in Port Harcourt yesterday, cited the plethora of excuses given by the Federal Government as clear indication that the President had been overwhelmed by the challenges of leadership.

He noted that the President’s allegation of sabotage in the fight against Boko Haram, inability to tame oil theft and provide regular electricity as pointers to the Jonathan’s inability to resolve the issues.

“I speak as a servant of God that the government of today lacks the capacity to address the challenges of Nigeria. If nothing is done to overcome it, then this country is in a serious problem.

“Evidences abound in the consistent excuses by the Federal Government on its inability to ensure security of lives and property in the North. The primary responsibility of the government is not to build roads and bridges; it is to protect lives and property. They took oaths to protect lives of all Nigerians

and the present regime lacks capacity to do that. All people get is excuses and allegation that people are sabotaging efforts to find peace.

“If the Federal Government thinks excuses is the only way to response to problem of Nigeria, that means that they have failed,” said Ogu, who spoke against the background of his recent meeting in Port Harcourt with victims of Boko Haram attacks.

On the Islamic insurgence in the North, he said: “It is clear that many communities that have been attacked, the victims do not have any feeling that there is government in place. In other words, the ones we know are the ones that the media reported; there are many deserted communities that the Federal Government does not know about, because nobody visited the scene of the incident.

“There are communities in the rural areas. But there is much more about communities where people have been killed. But the government does not know anything about it. Today, I have seen millions of people suffering and neglected by government and by people, who they voted to represent them.”

On why the government did not change equipment before increasing generation, which also costs money, Okupe said there was a limit the government could do as power was controlled 100 per cent by the private sector.

“In the power situation, we are not there yet. We are definitely on a road that cannot change,” he said.

He added that the government was working on huge dam projects to allow the private owners work effectively

funding and administration, were being worked upon.

According to him, “today, the Nigerian Army is in total and perfect control” of the Northeast.

On the comments made by Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, Okupe said the governor “never fails to amaze me”, adding that majority of the problems of insurgency was situated in the governor’s state. He alleged that Shettima was travelling to Lagos, London and other nations to

on distribution.

According to Okupe, government’s efforts were being sabotaged by politicians, who sponsored vandals to attack gas pipelines, to make the government appear incompetent.

He explained that the rate of sabotage had reduced in the last year.

On the state of security in the Northeast, Okupe praised the government’s efforts, claiming that all aspects of the war against terror, including

From Shola O’Neil and Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

discuss insurgency, but failed to meet the President on the matter.

Okupe argued that Boko Haram was a “multinational, international insurgency arrangement in Nigeria.”

He said the group had links with ISIS, Al Qaeda and other international terrorist groups.

He also said he did not know the identity of the sponsors as he was not working with security.

The presidential aide also claimed that there were huge

•Dr. Jonathan

political considerations in the fight against Boko Haram, using an example of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who Okupe said had polled over 12 million votes in the North in the last election.

He alleged that Buhari had said any attack on Boko Haram was an attack on the North and that the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) presidential candidate’s condemnation of Boko Haram was as a result of his fourth bid to become Nigeria’s president.

The presidential aide said “the issue of Chibok girls was an emotional tragedy, but added that “it is a tragedy that we must bear with fortitude.”

He argued that issues such as rape, murder and other atrocities were common in war.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

NEWS Three jostle for SDP ticket in Ogun

Ajimobi: opposition behind attacks

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

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YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has vowed to stop opposition politicians who he accused of foisting violence on some communities in Ibadan, the state capital.

The governor alleged that the violence was meant to discredit his administration “which has successfully enthroned peace since 2011”.

He vowed to stop the troublemakers while addressing a crowd of supporters and fun seekers at the opening of the Agodi Gardens, Ibadan.

Ajimobi said he would not allow violence again in Oyo state.

“The bad guys of yesterday are trying to bring back violence because election is near. But we won’t allow violence again. There is a definite connection between a peaceful, clean environment, healthy people and influx of investors. This Agodi Gardens is a good example. This is a world-class recreational centre.”

The Chairman of the partnering firm, JD Capital, Makin Soyinka, said his firm accepted to work with the government based on Ajimobi’s vision to restore the state’s old glory and monuments.

The lighting of the Christmas tree in the gardens was performed by legal luminary Mrs. Folake Solanke.

Ajimobi said his administration was motivated into reconstructing the gardens in view of its long years of neglect.

“Agodi Gardens was in a sorry state when we first visited the place. It was desolate and empty. Everything was very bad. It had deteriorated so much and it was very shameful,’’ he said.

Makinde gets Oyo SDP ticket From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

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HE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State has taken a new shape, with one of its leading governorship aspirants, Seyi Makinde, dumping the party for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Makinde, addressing reporters yesterday in Ibadan, said he would contest the governorship election on the platform of the SDP. He said after consultations with members, supporters and leaders, it was decided that the Omi Titun structure should move to the SDP in order to usher the state into a new era come.

“The PDP subverted the court by conducting an election with about 10 per cent of those who were eligible to participate. All entreaties made to the PDP leadership headquarters were rebuffed.

“I joined the PDP thinking that it believed in democratic tenets, rule of law, fairness and justice to all. The PDP candidate claimed to have been elected with 167 votes after the majority of 1,053 delegates were disenfranchised.”

He reiterated that the decision to join the governorship race was to improve the people’s standard of living through responsive and responsible leadership.

•The protesters in Abeokuta ...yesterday.

PHOTO:NAN

Ex-deputy governor, others protest against Bankole

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EOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in Ogun West–Chief Iyabo Apampa, former Deputy Governor Salmot Badru and Chief Ebun Oyagbola– led hundreds of party members yesterday to protest the alleged imposition of former Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole as the party’s governorship candidate.

The protesters, bearing placards with various inscriptions, decried the alleged plan by the party’s national secretariat to substitute the governorship

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

candidate, Prince Nasir Isiaka, with Bankole.

The PDP chieftains said Ogun West had been marginalised politically, reiterating that any attempt to favour the former Speaker would be resisted.

They urged party leaders and supporters from the two other senatorial districts to support their zone in realising its ambition of producing the governor for the first time.

The PDP Senatorial Chairman in Ogun West, Boye Adesina, said a few powerful and undemocratic elements and their collaborators were bent on throwing Ogun PDP into needless crisis as witnessed in 2011.

Adesina said: “It is not in the tradition of the PDP to impose or select candidates for elections but to go through democratic process of open, transparent election as was conducted on December 8.

“We passionately appeal to the national leadership not to be hoodwinked by these elements to short-cir-

cuit the transparent process that has produced Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka as Ogun PDP governorship candidate.

“Isiaka emerged the governorship candidate of the PDP through the process as defined by the party and we are irrevocably committed to his candidature.”

Their protest letter was delivered to the party’s state Secretary, Semiu Sodipo, who assured them that the party leadership would stand by the mandate given to Isiaka during the primary election.

Fayose presents budget to seven PDP lawmakers •’Factional speaker will remain’

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KITI State Governor Ayo Fayose presented yesterday the appropriation bill for the 2015 fiscal year to seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in the House of Assembly.

Fayose said “nobody can remove factional speaker Dele Olugbemi from office”.

The 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers were absent at the brief ceremony, which was witnessed by senior government officials and a handful of traditional rulers.

All the lawmakers’ chairs were occupied as visitors were allowed to sit in the chambers.

There was massive security build-up around the Assembly complex, with soldiers, policemen, operatives of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) standing a guard.

Only the press crew of the Governor’s Office and the press unit of the House of Assembly were allowed to cover the proceedings.

Journalists from the electronic media were not allowed to record the proceedings. They interviewed the governor as he was heading towards his car parked in front of the main door of the complex.

The N80.774 billion budget was tagged: “Budget of Reality”. According to the budget estimate, N48.7 billion was earmarked for recurrent expenditure and

Ekiti won’t accept voodoo budget, says APC

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has advised Governor Ayodele Fayose to follow due process in governance and financial management.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said Fayose’s budget presentation to the House of Assembly yesterday was a constitutional breach, as it was illegal and absurd to present the budget to only seven of the 26member Assembly in less than 20 minutes.

Olatubosun said yesterday’s sitting “with a full house of thugs” was a new dimension to the constitutional breaches and lawlessness by the Executive.

“We never knew that Ekiti people could be brought to this low record in decency and respect for the constitution by assembling thugs in the hallowed chambers to join lawmakers to present the budget.

“The standard practice is for the governor to present the budget to members in full session while the public sit at the gallery to watch proceedings. But in this instance, thugs mingled with the members in such a way that you cannot differentiate a lawmaker from a thug,” the APC spokesman said.

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

capital expenditure N31.9 billion.

Contrary to his earlier position not to borrow, the governor said the state would access N5 billion internal loans to meet up with some commitments.

Fayose affirmed his support for Olugbemi’s “leadership” of the Assembly, maintaining that the “factional speaker” would remain in office till June.

“You (Olugbemi) are the speaker of this Assembly. I repeat, you are the speaker of this Assembly and nobody can remove you from this position. I want to em-

He criticised the barring of journalists, including the in-house correspondents, from covering the event, even as he berated the governor for rallying reporters after presenting the budget to an illegal press briefing.

“What is the use of calling reporters you intentionally barred from covering the main budget presentation to a post-budget presentation briefing if not to cover up the thugs who sat with the seven members to conduct that illegal sitting?”

Olatubosun urged all organs and agencies of government responsible for budget processing not to get themselves involved in any financial transactions based on the “illegal budget”, saying “actions on the budget and transactions involving the features of the budget are illegal until it is legally presented to a legally constituted Assembly composed of 19 APC members and their seven colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).”

He called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to probe government financial transactions in Ekiti State.

phasise that this speaker will remain there till June. Any attempt to overrun this state will be resisted by our people.”

The governor said the size of the bill was informed by his administration’s desire to live within its means and go with an achievable estimate rather than “decorate the budget with unrealistic figures”.

He said the budget would be funded by revenue from the Federation Account, Internally Generated Revenue and other sources.

During an interview with reporters after the presentation, Fayose justified the proposed loan from the

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), describing the situation as a “different scenario”.

“This is a different scenario. Taking loans from CBN is for all states and it is for the less privileged and market women who cannot access loans in banks.

“There is a repayment process. The government must stand as guarantor.

And the fact that I said we would not borrow should not be misinterpreted. If you borrow you must pay within your tenure so that you do not involve in financial recklessness for people coming after you.”

GUN State Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun and Wale Okunniyi are jostling for the governorship ticket of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The date for the primary has not been announced but Adesegun, who left the All Progressives Congress(APC) for the SDP, said two weeks ago that he would contest against his boss, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, in 2015, if given the party’s ticket.

The deputy governor said it was time for him to rise up and take a decision on how to “lead his followers to the promise land as well as move Ogun forward”.

According to him, his decision was driven by the desire to protect his “followers from rotting and wasting away” politically.

But Okunniyi, who was the governorship candidate of the then Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011, considered himself more qualified and deserving of the SDP’s ticket than any other contender.

The aspirant, who rode into the home of former Governor Olusegun Osoba on horseback last week to announce his interest, promised Ogun a better deal, if given the party’s ticket.

Another politician believed to be also vying for the SDP’s ticket is businessman Fola Adeola, whose posters adorn strategic locations in Abeokuta, the state capital.

It is not yet clear if the reticent former banker is keenly interested in the ticket even though his name has continued to feature in the last eight months.

Adefarati’s son rejects primary From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HOUSE of Representatives aspirant for Akoko Southwest/East in Ondo State, Otunba Adegboyega Adefarati, has petitioned the legislative election appeal committee over alleged irregularities in the National Assembly primary election in the area.

The son of former Governor Adebayo Adefarati rejected the primary election in which his opponent, Kolawole Babatunde, who is said to be an aide to Senator Ajayi Boroffice, won.

According to him, the venue for the election was changed to a hall at the back of the house of an APC leader in the community.

Adefarati said the approved designated centre for the primary election was Oka-Akoko town hall but was suddenly changed without the consent of all contestants.

He alleged that several names were smuggled into the delegates list at the point of voting, while the harmonised list for Akoko Southwest Local Government was not used for the election.

The aspirant alleged that thugs were “imported” into the venue of the primary where many delegates, including the APC Publicity Secretary in the local government, Ojo Felix and the Financial Secretary, Mrs Bukunmi Akeju, were beaten up.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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NEWS ‘Ajimobi, a blessing’ From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has described Governor Abiola Ajimobi as a blessing to his generation.

The party’s Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, in a statement, felicitated with the governor on his 65th birthday anniversary.

The statement reads: “We recall that Ajimobi’s superb record of performance in both the corporate and public service contributed to his undeniable success in the 2011 governorship election. This feat he has been able to take to a new level with his sterling performance as the governor of the pacesetter state.

“With the right approach to governance since his assumption of office, the governor has been able to achieve so much in public re-orientation, improved infrastructure, welfare of workers, stamping out of official corruption, security of lives and property, among others.

“As a party of the progressives, we are proud of Mr. Transformation even as we identify with his programmes and political aspiration.

“We also join millions of well-wishers across the globe to wish him many more years of sound health, fulfillment as well as service to God and humanity.”

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Ogun PDP withdraws contempt charge against Bankole, Daniel

HE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday struck out the contempt charge filed against former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole and former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel.

This followed the withdrawal of the applications for their committal to prison by the plaintiffs’ counsel, Ajibola Oluyede.

The plaintiffs, led by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in Ogun State, Adebayo Dayo, alleged that the respondents had been trying to remove them from office, thereby flouting a judgment by the Federal High Court affirming the legality of their positions.

However, counsel to Bankole and Daniel, Afolabi, Fashanu and Taiwo Osipitan prayed the court to dismiss the contempt case since they had joined issues, rather than strike it out This is because if a court action is struck out, it can be re-filed and started afresh, but if dismissed, the loser’s only option will be to appeal.

Arguing that the case be struck out, Osipitan said prior leave of court was not obtained before Daniel was named as an alleged contemnor.

“A person like Daniel who was not a party to a judgment cannot be an alleged contem-

By Joseph Jibueze

nor without prior leave of court being granted to begin contempt proceedings against such a person,” he said.

Counsel to a PDP chieftain, Dave Salako, also accused of contempt Yemi Oke argued that the appropriate order to make was to dismiss the suit, not strike it out.

But Oluyede said contempt proceedings were independent of the case they derived from and not interlocutory, therefore, he could discontinue the charge without consequences.

He added that the alleged contemnors did not join issues on the merit of the case in any of the contempt applications.

“Issues cannot be joined on the merit by preliminary objection. We’re well within our right to unilaterally discontinue or withdraw the applications,” Oluyede said.

Besides, he said in a criminal contempt case, the court’s leave was not required first.

Justice Okon Abang held that the contempt proceedings was a separate action arising from a judgment, which he said everyone aware of it must obey.

“Being an independent suit, the judgment-creditor can withdraw the committal applications at any time,” the judge held.

He said had the alleged contemnors joined issues through a valid counter-affidavit, the case could have been dismissed.

According to him, the counter-affidavit filed by Bankole’s counsel was out of time, while an application for engagement of time had not been heard.

“In this case, the alleged contemnors filed a counter-affidavit to the application dated March 24. If a counter-affidavit was filed, the consequential order to be made will be an order dismissing the committal application.

“If no counter-affidavit was filed, it means issues have not been joined. The consequential order to be made is an order striking out the applications.

“With respect to the application dated March 24, the alleged contemnors filed the counter-affidavit out of time, with a motion for extension of time to deem the counter-affidavit as having been properly filed and served.

“My lords, it is my humble view that unless the court takes the application for enlargement of time and the application granted, the counter-affi-

davit is not competent. I so hold.

“Issues can only be joined with respect to a competent process before the court of law, not an incompetent one.

“As at today, there is no order deeming the counteraffidavit as having been properly filed and served.

“The application therefore succeeds, and is accordingly struck out, not dismissed, because issues have not been joined,” the judge held.

The judge also dismissed other similar applications for withdrawal, and overruled the prayers that the case be dismissed.

Justice Abang restated his order restraining PDP National Working Committee from according any recognition or accepting as valid any primaries for next year’s election except those conducted with the Ad Hoc ward delegates’ list.

He also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting as valid any such primaries or publishing any list other than the Ad Hoc Ward delegates’ list prepared by the Adebayo Dayoled executive.

Justice Abang adjourned till tomorrow for hearing of the pending contempt charge against PDP and INEC.

Be proactive, cleric tells Fed Govt

By Musa Odoshimokhe

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HE Lord Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos West, Rev. James Odedeji, has urged the Federal Government to tackle insecurity wholeheartedly.

At a conference yesterday at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos, on the preparation for the next year’s election, Rev Odedeji said there was need for the government to double its efforts in securing the country.

He said: “It is only in Nigeria that the life of a chicken is more expensive than the lives of the citizens. Our leaders need to do a very good job in the area of security. As you can observe people are livng in fear.

“The people are not safe; many of our children abroad are not willing to come home. Our leaders, especially during the Yuletide, should make sure that lives and property are secured.”

The cleric urged the people to be security conscious, noting that security should not be left in the hands of law enforcement agents.

He said the ostentatious display of wealth by the rich was compounding the situation.

Rev Odedeji said the church’s 2015 Election Sensitisation, Mobilisation and Observation Committee has bought 60 buses to monitor next year’s election.

“Nigeria does not just deserve any leader, we deserve quality leadership. We want to know who will lead us, especially in Lagos.

“We will invite the candidates here, we will hear them out and their manifestoes and the people will ask them questions. As expensive as this could be, we are not being sponsored by any party. We are not collecting money from anybody.”

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (second left), Chairman, State All Progressives Congress (APC) Appeal Committee, Mrs Uyang Hellen, Committee Secretary Dala Mala (second right) and member Ogedengbe Ola-Daniel at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta....yesterday.

T

Two dead in Ibadan land dispute

WO persons were killed yesterday in a clash over land between Lalupon and Erunmu communities in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

It was gathered that several armed youths clashed over land, leaving some others injured.

A source said a man from Lalupon was attacked at the weekend when he went to plant items suspected to be charms on

•Others injured

From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

the disputed land.

The source said the two communities had agreed to stay away from the land after years of dispute over its ownership.

But the man’s supporters carried out a counter-attack on Erunmu youths, leading to the clash.

Ikuforiji hails APC primaries

S

PEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji has praised the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the peaceful conduct of its primaries.

He said the primaries demonstrated to Nigerians that the party is ready to lead Nigeria out of its woes.

The Speaker, who contested the governorship primaries, said the “rancour-free” presidential primaries and convention was the best ever conducted in Nigeria.

He urged the party to build on

By Miriam Ekene Okoro

the momentum and pledged his commitment to support the party’s quest to emerge victorious in the general elections.

“In all my years in politics and in managing the affairs of the Lagos House of Assembly, I have always believed in party supremacy and in protecting the interest of the people. It therefore presupposes that I will contribute my quota to ensure that APC becomes victorious in 2015 general elections.”

Jamiu Akanji and Wasiu Adeyemi were killed in the counter attacks with some others injured.

Police spokesman Adekunle Ajisebutu confirmed the attacks.

He said Adeyemi had been buried before the police got to the area.

Ajisebutu said the police’s early intervention prevented the crisis from escalating. He reiterat-

ed that no house was burnt but that bonfires were made by the clashing youths.

The police spokesman said Akanji was killed at 4:30 am at Erunmu; Adeyemi was allegedly killed at 2:30 pm.

The PPRO said no arrest has been made and that the two communities were calm as several policemen were keeping watch on residents.

No threat to Tongeji, says panel

T

HE committee set up by the Ogun State government to look into security threat on oilrich Tongeji Island in Ipokia Local Government Area has submitted its report, allaying fears of possible external aggression on the Island.

Presenting the report to Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday during the visit of the State’s Elders Consultative Forum, led by former

Judge of the International Court of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, Chairman of the Committee on Tongeji Island Prof. Anthony Asiwaju said the crisis in the area was a result of internal disagreement.

According to him, the security challenge threatening the peace of the Island is not from neighbouring Republic of Benin butan internal traditional chieftaincy tussle.

Osun tribunal faults Accord petition From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

T

HE Osun State Election Petition Tribunal has decried the way the legal team of the Accord Party governorship candidate, Niyi Owolade, was handling his petition.

At the resumed hearing of his petition against the victory of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Owolade through his counsel, Bisi Adedayo, had requested that the tribunal should stand down for some time to enable the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) produce the election materials listed in the subpoena issued on the commission.

But the tribunal Chairman, Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime, said the application for subpoena was made on Friday by the counsel to the petitioner and was signed about 4pm on the said day.

The tribunal chairman, who noted that the INEC was just served yesterday morning, queried the possibility of the production of the election materials by INEC for the day’s proceeding.

Justice Ikpejime added that the proof of service of the subpoena on INEC showed that the commission was served at 9am, saying “there was no miracle that INEC can perform to produce the document today”.

“You are asking that the agency produce ballot papers for the 30 local government areas. We don’t know the miracle INEC wants to perform.

When you filed your petition, you knew the document you listed and you should have known how to get them.”

The tribunal chairman subsequently gave the petitioner counsel an option of continuing with the other aspect of the proceeding, or seeking an adjournment.

Justices V.I Ofesi and A.I Kutigi wondered why the petitioner’s counsel had to wait till the “zero hour” to apply for a subpoena, even when he had promised at the last adjourned date to have his documents available.

They said the petitioner’s counsel had sought adjournment to perfect his documents he intended to tender, wondering why he took no action upon the basis for which the adjournments were granted.

The petitioner’s counsel sought an adjournment and the matter was adjourned till today.

Earlier, the tribunal chairman had drawn attention to a letter written to the President, Court of Appeal by Owolade’s counsel, requesting for the setting up of another panel to hear his petition.

Elaborating on the issues, Owolade’s counsel said the request was to ensure that the hearing of the petition meets the 180 days required by law.

He said he had decided to abandon the letter and allow the existing tribunal to conclude the matter.

Aregbesola’s counsel Kunle Adegoke; All Progressives Congress (APC) counsel Ibrahim Lawal and INEC counsel, Ayotunde Ogunleye observed that the documents were riddled with objections, but reserved their objections till the address stage. The documents were, however, admitted in evidence.

TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2014

9

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

DELTA POLITICS Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspsirant Tony Obuh was confident of victory, ahead of the Delta State governorship primaries. But, the calculation changed on the eve of the exercise, making the pendidum of victory to swing towards the direction of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa. EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the lessons of the gap between expectation and reality.

•Uduaghan

• Clark

• Okowa

• Obuh

• Elumelu

• Olojeme

Delta 2015: How Uduaghan, Obuh lost battle

I

T was a night of long knives for the Tony Obuh Campaign Group in Delta State. Many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains will not forget what transpired on the eve of the governorship primaries in a hurry.

All the powers that be swooped on the campaign organisation, as it prepared for the shadow poll scheduled for December 3. Members of the campaign team were overwhelmed by phone calls from lobbyists, politicians and traditional rulers. In the end, it was the determination of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) to force an Urhobo PDP candidate on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan that cost the aspirant, Tony Obuh, the ticket.

Before the exercise, the Obuh Campaign Group had everything going for it. It organised a rubost campaign. Obuh had successful tour of the media, enjoyed tremendous goodwill and donations. He had become a household name in the state. According to observers, the aspirant had become more popular and acceptable than any contender in the race. All of these were frittered away in one moment of indiscrete conspiracy by Governor Uduaghan and the UPU. On the morning of the poll day, there were speculations that Uduaghan had been summoned by the UPU leaders to a meeting in Warri and that he had conceded the governorship ticket to a relatively unknown Urhobo aspirant.

The campaign organisation was stunned, but it picked up courage and continued its work as the day wore on. There was anxiety among many chieftains when the governor refused to take anybody’s calls to confirm or deny the rumour.

The campaign group lumbered on, hoping that the matter would end up as a mere election buzz and that the governor would not behave like the proverbial headless chicken and muck up the agenda that he initiated and nurtured. It was unimaginable that the governor could dump his long standing associate for a another contender.

Uduaghan came back to Asaba, the state capital, in the evening

• Ochei

• Orubebe

and went into hibernation. It was not until after midnight that he called Obuh and his campaign directors to the Governors Lodge.

At this time, most of the delegates had been checked into their various hotels. Obuh, according to sources, had 685 delegates on his side. This accounted for 64 per cent of the total number of delegates. Only a simple majority of the delegates was needed to win.

Then, the swollen river burst its dam.

Uduaghan informed the directors that, in the face of new realities, a new game plan had been worked out to reinforce the victory of the group. The new “reality” would be that the Urhobo aspirant, David Edevbie, would run as the candidate of the group, with Obuh as his running mate, if he accepts. The directors were stunned, but they neither argued and nor offered a contrary opinion. That complicit acquiescence was what encouraged the governor to ask the directors to inform the delegates about the new “arrangement.”The delegates were incensed by the change of

• Omo-Agege

plans and there was an uproar.

Shouts of “Wicked Uncle has done it again” filled the air. In the confusion that followed, some of the delegates started packing their bags to go home.

An Itshekiri delegate said he would not submit to the blackmail of the Urhobo. He said, if President Goodluck Jonathan and Uduaghan had succumbed to the pressure, he would not be part of it. A woman delegate retorted: “The “wayo” is too much; they think we are children. This is not what was agreed before I left my local government area.

Let them come and tell us what happened to Tony Obuh or they take their primaries. I will not vote for any Urhobo man.”

When reminded by another delegate that she is also an Urhobo, she shouted back: “So bloody what? Let them bring Tony Obuh to talk to us himself.”

The Director-General of the Tony Obuh Campaign Group, Fred Majemite and the Director of Organisation, Chief Frank Nwugo, had met with Edevbie and his men. They headed for

• Gbagi

Majemite’s house for the harmonisation of the delegates for logistics. Obuh was never involved in the deal. Other aspirants, scenting blood from the deep cut in the Obuh camp, went berserk and swooped in on their delegates for the kill.

The Anioma PDP caucus gathered all the aspirants from Anioma for a meeting, which resulted in a stalemate, as the Anioma aspirants refused to step down for Ifeanyi Okowa. Okowa, through his agents, started to woo the delegates. Delegates said that aspirants were trying to woo them with partisan promises and all forms of inducement. Delegates seized the moment by asking for dollars because, in their view, the naira has been devalued.

When morning broke on that fateful Monday in Asaba, nothing was quiet on any front. The primary election was in quandary. There were speculations that the contest would be put on hold. But, in the end, the exercise was conducted by the Planning Committee.

The Delta North aspirants refused to step down for one an-

‘Fears are rife that the protest votes maycontinue during the general elections. As an observer put it, the bitterness and post-primary crisis in the Delta PDP may swing the pendulum of victory towards the direction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), if the PDP does not put its house in order through genuine reconciliation’

other. The governor, who could not fully comprehend the undercurrents that were playing out against him, still believed that he would carry the day with his new arrangement. He threw his weight behind the exercise in ignorance.

However, the Urhobo bloc also had a rebellion to contend with.

Many Urhobo delegates refused to obey the order of the UPU to vote for Edevbie. They said that they would either vote for Obuh or cast protest votes in favour of a Delta North aspirant of their choice. A chieftain from Okowa camp later met with the delegates to discuss logistic matters with them. The deal was successful.

According to a stakeholder, Basil Oboh, the Delta PDP governorship primaries was a game of intrigue, fierce competition, bitter antagonism and war of dollars. He said the aspirants tried to outdo themselves, adding that delegates smiled to the banks the next day.

To the consternation of delegates, Obuh had been forced to step down. Up came Okowa, who became the beneficiary of the protest votes. Delagates who had earlier given the former civil servant their pact with his campaign group. According to analysts, Uduaghan bungled Obuh’s chance by his lack of tact. In their view, the governor’s change of an evidently winning horse made Obuh to lose his deposit at the poll.

After the primaries, some stakeholders raised allegations of forgeries and called on the PDP national leadership to investigate it. It was alleged that the total number of votes cast exceded the number of accredited delegates.

Therefore, they maintained that the primary election was severely flawed.

Fears are rife that the protest votes maycontinue during the general elections. As an observer put it, the bitterness and post-primary crisis in the Delta PDP may swing the pendulum of victory towards the direction of the All Progressives Congress (APC), if the PDP does not put its house in order through genuine reconciliation.

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THE NATION TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2014

RACE TO 2015

‘

People can see what is happening; we have a strong robust internal democracy, we have a code of ethics for all our aspirants, they must all agree that only one person will get it and whoever gets it, the others will co-operate.

They should come and learn from us

‘

All Progressives Party (APC) National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed spoke on the Rockcity 101.9 FM, Abeokuta on preparations for next years elections and issues that will shape the contest.

‘Nigerians ready to vote out Jonathan’ H

OW prepared is the APC to take over the government at the centre in 2015, particularly with the menace of Boko Haram, which your party and the PDP have been pointing accusing fingers at each other as the master minds?

I find that question very odd. Somebody was voted as the President of this country and under our constitution that person is the commanderin-chief of the armed forces and he swore that he will secure our lives and properties, so, if at all there is any threat to our security, it is that person who was elected as president and commander-in-chief that hasresponsibilities to protect me and you. When that person who has failed in that responsibility now gives us an excuse, that it is the opposition that is behind the insurgency, then it means two things, one, he has lost the moral authority to remain as president and commander-in-chief two, he has failed woefully in his responsibilities. If your house is on fire, will you be looking for who started the fire first before you make moves to put off the fire? We have lost 22,080sqkm of territory to Boko Haram, we have lost 15,000 lives, as we speak today some parts of our territory have been taken over with strange flags hoisted and all you are telling us that, it is the opposition. If it is the opposition, why can’t they arrest those suspected members of the opposition?

Gen Obasanjo said the man never appreciated that Boko Haram is not a threat to his administration but a threatto the continued existence of Nigeria, he got it wrong, as a matter of fact, at the beginning, he thought he could benefit from the insurgency by saying “look at me o, because am a Christian, a minority” and so he didn’t pay attention to it. Anyhead of state would look at Boko Haram as a threat to the Nation, honestly, this thing about we pushing blames, we have no business with handling security, all we can do is to advise him. Look at what our governors in the north-eastern states are doing, of course we would not publicize it, I can tell you that there is no month that our governors don’t contribute to the war efforts.

Why is the government still saying the APC has not been cooperating?

Ask them, what sort of co-operation are they looking for, you ask for a state of emergency, you got it three times, yet casualties continue to mount. As a matter of fact, the Chibok girls were adopted during the state of emergency, the 60 children killed in Boni-yadi were killed during the state of emergency, the innocent killing of students in Potiskum was done during the state of emergency. It got to a point that we begin to doubt the sincerity of this government, all they are probably doing is to allow them capture as much territory and then turn around to say there won’t be an election in those areas because it is the PDP that stands to benefit if there is no election in the north-east region. What kind of cooperation does he want from our governors that they have not given him; on the contrary, he is the one who has abandoned them. Has he ever visited Chibok, Potiskum, Buni-yadi? Yet, he can go to Burkina-Faso; he can go everywhere, on the contrary.

In what way is the APC different from the PDP in terms of agenda and programmes?

Absolutely false, the APC manifesto is a 45 page booklet, which we have tagged “relief, recovery and reform” I can tell you immediately what we intend to do under our government, we will create three million job within the first four years of government, we will provide a meal a day to the primary school students, we will give an unconditional transfer of money to all vulnerable Nigerians, we will pay post youth corps allowance, under our housing, we will build one million houses within a decade, there is poverty alleviation, create a social insurance scheme, we will co-operate with our neighbours to use military force to tackle Boko Haram, use military and non-military tactics. We are not like PDP. You have known Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for a while now. Is it true that he is an autocrat? References have been made to the way he selects candidates for elections.

I served as his Chief of Staff when he was governor, and as the chief of staff, am the first person

• Mohammed

he sees officially in the morning and the last person at night, I was present at every organ of decision of government and I can tell you that, there are very few Nigerians that are as democratic as Bola Tinubu. Yes, he has a very strong will, I agree he has a very strong personality, I agree that he has his own ideas about certain issues but he has always impressed me as a person who will bow to superior ideas and arguments. Many of the people who talk about Tinubu have not worked closely with him. He is not an angel, of course there is no angel alive, I keep referring to this, that 80 per cent of those who served him, from 1999 till date are still with him,there are few leaders in Nigeria who has done this. If he is that autocratic, or self-centred, most of us won’t be around him.

Those saying so are assessing him from far-off. Oh yes! He has taken decisions that have rattled a few people but for him one thing is permanent, the party and Nigeria.

You were also at the thick of the crises that rocked the Afenifere and the AD, which led to some of you leaving to form AC. Was this as a result of Tinubu’s desire to form a political empire that made him to rebel and disrespect the leaders of the Afenifere?

I think we should not try to re-write history.

There was a crisis within the party and I say this with all seriousness, AsiwajuTinubu saw farther than most of the leaders at that time. What did he see? He saw that if we didn’t take time, we will play into the hands of the PDP and that was exactly what happened, under the guise of being Yoruba’s, we very foolishly in AD agreed not to field a candidate for the presidency, we adopted the PDP president and where did that land us? We lost five of the six governors of AD; we were humiliated in all the national assembly elections except in Lagos. It took us eight years to be able to recover a substantial part of that, now, it’s instructing that of all the governors of the AD then only Bola Tinubu survived, like they say, the rest I now history. He later became the rallying point to recover those lost areas working with the likes of GovOsoba, Niyi Adebayo, BisiAkande and co.

Now if he has lost Lagos in 2003, there will be no rallying point for anybody, so it’s not correct for anyone to say it was his political ambition that led to the crises in AD, those who say that are being unfair to him.

President Jonathan has been described as Nigeria’s best President since 1960. I think one should give it to him.

I don’t know what you described as a good President, but am happy that Gen. Obasanjo came out with a verdict that he has performed below average and I share that opinion. This is not been sentimental or been in the opposition, you ask yourself, what happened to security under his government, did it get better? What happened to poverty has it reduced? Has it disappeared?

Unemployment is it better, infrastructure! What happened to it? If your roads, power has improved, then this is a good government. No part of this country is safe, Boko Haram, kidnapping, armed robbery, the country has just been called as the third poorest country, we been told that our herd ship will increase with the devaluation of the naira, of course they throw figures at you, that they have done this and that, corruption has grown wings under this government. How then can a president like that come before you, what kind of audacity is that.

(Cut in) Should Mr President be blamed for all these? There are institutions created to handle them. If they don’t do their job, should the President be blamed for it?

We didn’t vote for any of them, we voted for the president, he is the chief executive officer of this country. If you have a factory and the factory is not doing well, are you going to blame the production officers,you will fire him? Those ones would say well, it’s not my fault, what you do is to fire them. It’s obvious that we are going through a very difficult time under him.

Is it not obvious that at a point, the country may have to devalue its currency? We have depended on one product for too long and the states have not helped to energise the economy by finding ways to increase IGR and stop dependence on the federal allocations?

Yes it’s true, we are a mono-economy, we rely heavily on oil, but we have enjoyed sixteen years unprecedented, uninterrupted boom in oil price, high price of crude, we should have spent that money to diversify our economy, we should spend that money to encourage industries to grow, we should have spent that money on infrastructure but what did we do, we wasted those opportunities. You know how many industries that have relocated out of this country because of power, it’s the failure of this government to diversify the economy that led to the collapse of our economy simply because price of oil has gone down, other OPEC members have not devalue their currencies. UAE (United Arab Emirates) makes the bulk of its money originally from oil but today, they rely on money from tourism and real estate then crude oil money because things work there. I remember that APC warned about two years ago, with the discovery on shale oil and gas, our oil will become uncompetitive, we warned that the cost of production is the highest in the world, we warned that the organised stealing of crude will bring dire consequences to the nation, and what did they tell us, they say we are alarmist, the minister said we are not broke and they are devaluing the naira, we are not broke, we will introduce austerity measure but don’t worry, it won’t affect you. To the argument that we could have done better but the states are not supporting them, I ask which state did they go to for anything and they deny them?

Let them tell us that they came to an APC state to say they went to build an A-P-Z and we denied them because we don’t belong to same political party we won’t co-operate, they don’t have anything to say, they are incompetent, clueless and are corruption on its own .Unfortunately, we are all going to pay for this.

The PDP has said that it’s a better party, at least, in the area of internal democracy. Is there any difference between APC and PDP in this regard?

In our own party, we printed so many forms for anybody who want to be president; they printed only one form, what is the difference between us? What is happening in Cross-Rivers, what is happening in Akwa-Ibom, Lagos

‘I think we should not try to re-write history. There was a crisis within the party and I say this with all seriousness, AsiwajuTinubu saw farther than most of the leaders at that time’

state,they have to repeat their congress. If anybody is talking about love of internal democracy, today, we have about five strong presidential aspirants campaigning; we didn’t say we have no form for them.

People can see what is happening; we have a strong robust internal democracy, we have a code of ethics for all our aspirants, they must all agree that only one person will get it and whoever gets it, the others will co-operate. They should come and learn from us.

Is it true that the APC has instructed its members in the Ekiti State House of Assembly not to cooperate with Governor Fayose?

It’s a pity that we are never ready to face reality.

When PDP decided to field Ayodele Fayose as their governorship candidate, knowing fully well that this is someone who has been impeached, knowing also that under our laws anybody who has been indicted cannot hold public office. Within ten years, they insisted, thinking they are the only one who has the capacity for violence, democracy is by numbers. This is not the first time in Nigeria that a governor will rule with, the minority in the house, 1979, Balarabe Musa of Kaduna state, his party, PRP, won on the terms of his popularity as a person but the NPN had the majority in the house, they refused to approve his list of commissioners and at the end, he was impeached, that’s democracy. Balarabe Musa did not seek to call the police and allow his minority to impeach the speaker; he did not use the police to chase the other people away. Anyway, what do you expect of a Fayose, a governor-elect who led people to beat up a judge, but let me tell you, what is happening in the country today, the impurity cannot happen without the support of the police. The police prevented the speaker of the House of Representatives from entering his office and said they were looking for hoodlums; did AminuTambuwal look like a hoodlum? He got down from the car and introduced himself, what did they do? They turned their back, and now they are saying what they did was ungentle manly and I say these people are heroes of democracy. If my house is on fire and my children and wife are in there, and I can’t get fire brigade to save me, I will break the door, that’s what they did.

Should two wrong make a right? In Ekiti, events there will affect the “people” and “the people” are in the majority.

Why are you not asking Fayose to allow democracy to work are you asking theEkiti lawmakers to go and waste their lives, or that they should roll-over and let Fayose trample on them? We are either a democracy or we are move out of democracy. There are other ways you can win over legislators, by persuasion I go back to history, 1979, NPN didn’t have a majority in the national assembly, they went into an accord and late UmehEzeoke became the speaker, Wash Pam the deputy senate president, even when that accord broke down, they remain the speaker, that’s what I call politics, not the gangsterism going on.

Politicians have raised the tempo of the 2015 elections, in terms of utterances during campaigns and other things. Are you worried about the elections? Pre and post elections events?

We are scared. Election is a process and what happens in run-off is always important, if not more than the election day itself see what is happening now, like the right of the people to be registered to vote, talking about being able to vote, talking about a level playing ground, government should be neutral in the process leading to election, unfortunately what we are witnessing today does not say so. Let me be specific, look at the collection of permanent voter cards exercise, it’s been bungled, it’s a fiasco and we begin to wonder if it is not deliberate because these are states that belong largely to the APC.

OUR ERROR In our report of yesterday, on page 46, it was reported that Tony Adeniyi and Remi Olorunleke disrupted the Ekiti South APC senatorial primaries. We will like to state that the duo were not involved in the disruption of the primaries. Our error is regretted.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 20114

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

There is nothing wrong in having a robust renewable energy programme in the country. In fact, government has taken a step in that direction by introducing the: ‘Light Up Nigeria’ scheme.

- Director-General, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, Rueben Okeke

Courier industry worth N300b, says ComTech Minister

By Lucas Ajanaku

T

HE Minister, Commu nications Technology (CmTech), Dr (Mrs) Omobola Johnson has said the courier industry is now worth N300 billion, adding that the sector has been growing and would continue to grow in coming years.

Speaking yesterday at the 2014 Ministerial Platform in Abuja, she said the postal sector is an amalgam of transport, logistics and distribution, and related entities that are involved in the linking of communities by movement of messages, information, goods and services According to her, the revised gross domestic product (GDP) figures showed that the contribution of the Post and Courier Services sector to GDP (at 0.03 per cent) is low.

She said: “The sector is however growing steadily, and is likely to experience more rapid growth as commerce (in particular e-Commerce) expands.

“Total number of registered courier companies as at Nov 31, 2014 was 293.

“Asset worth (including revenue, capital items and other working facilities) of the courier industry estimated at about N300 billion.”

According to her the Nigerian postal sector is managed

by NIPOST, therefore the growth of the sector is intrinsically tied to the reform of NIPOST. She said the Nigeria Postal Bill is currently being considered by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) which will create clear delineation of roles and responsibilities in the postal sector via the creation of an independent regulator; create a level playing field for postal operators; and transform NIPOST into an autonomous and financially viable postal company (providing low cost universal postal services and a broad range of service).

According to her, NIPOST is modernising its physical and IT network and collaborating with actors in the broader economy to deliver a wider range of services including digital inclusion by leveraging point of sales (PoS) as venues were the public can access ICT services.

She recalled that the ICT industry in 2011 was dominated by the telecommunications sector and multinational corporations with GDP contribution standing approx. 5.46 per cent She said there was a fragmented IT sector with small domestic players made up of approximately 350 companies while domestic value added in key areas was sub-optimal and it was characterised by consumer preference for global brands and high levels of importation of inputs and finished products Dr Omobola said over $360million was transferred out in purchase and maintenance of software on products and services.

• From left: Ag. Managing Director, NigComSat, Ms Abimbola Alale, representative of the Supervising Minister of Information, Dr Nurudeen Mohammed, Mr Emmanuel Agbegi, Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone, Yusuf Kazaure, Dr. Johnson, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology, Dr Tunji Olaopa and the Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr Peter Olu Jack at the Ministerial Platform Presentation of Dr Johnson in Abuja...yesterday.

NNPC takes over Stallion Property from BPE

T

HE Director-General, Bureau of Public Enter prises (BPE) yesterday in Abuja, handed over the remaining 51 per cent shares of the Stallion Property Development Company (SPDC), Abuja, to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Pension Fund Limited.

Speaking at the ceremony, BPE Director-General, Mr. Benjamin Dikki urged the NNPC PFL to work hard and inject funds into SPDC in order to harness the huge opportunities and build a viable company.

He also asked the property firm to create employment opportunities and add value to the national economy.

The BPE boss recalled that at the October last year

T

• Urged to inject funds into company From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

meeting of the National Council Privatisation (NCP), BPE had sought the council’s approval for the privatisation of Federal Government’s 51 per cent shares in the residual assets of the SPDC to NNPC PFL. He said: “The request was predicated on an earlier approval granted in 2006, that the proceeds from the divestment of Federal Government’s 51 per cent shareholding in SPDC be used to part bridge the funding gap (about N63 billion then) in the NNPC staff pension fund.”

In line with this strategy,

Dikki said the net proceeds of the first translation was paid to the NNPC Staff Pension Fund which helped to reduced the liabilities.

According to him, there were other unsold assets that did not receive any expressions of interest during the first transaction.

He noted that the assets were to be sold (notionally) to SPDC in accordance with the pre-emptive rights provided in the company’s Memorandum of Articles of Association (MEMART).

Dikki said: “Today’s handover of SPDC to the NNPC PFL is a clear confirmation of the word of late Nelson Mandela that says

‘things always seem impossible until they are done.’

“This handover is the outcome of seven years of unwavering desire, determination and commendable perseverance by the management and staff of SPDC/ NNPC Pension Fund Ltd who waited patiently (despite irregular staff salaries, and recon atom threat from FCDA) for this transaction to be completed so that SPDC could be free to compete (unhindered ) and take its rightful place in the real estate sector.”

He said the Presidency had directed and ensured that thorough due diligence was carried out by BPE and other

USTDA partners DISCOs

HE United States (U.S) Trade and Develop ment Agency (USTDA) has signed memoranda of cooperation with Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) and Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to help reduce electricity losses.

The two electricity distribution (DISCOs) serve nearly one million customers in the Lagos metropolitan area.

According to a statement, the agreements formalise the agency’s partnership with

the recently privatised DISCOs, both of which previously participated in a USTDA-sponsored reverse trade mission that introduced them to technologies to help reduce electricity losses on their grids.

USTDA Director, Leocadia I. Zak. said: “The Agency is pleased to strengthen its cooperation with our Eko and Ikeja partners, who have already purchased U.S. technologies that can help them improve power distribution.

“The next phase of our partnership will introduce them to U.S. industry experts who can assist them in developing comprehensive plans to modernise their electricity networks.”

The memoranda of cooperation were signed by the Director of EKEDC’s Board, George Etomi, and IKEDC’s CEO, Abiodun Ajifowobaje.

Under the agreements, USTDA is sponsoring a feasibility study that would develop a roadmap for implementing smart grid solu-

tions throughout the DISCOs’ power networks.

The study will assess the technological, economic, regulatory and financial frameworks required to expand and enhance the networks by focusing on business process reengineering and distribution automation. U.S. financial services firm Delphos International (Washington, DC) will also provide recommendations on how the DISCOs can collaborate to ensure network interoperability.

Firms to add 1000Mw into national grid

T

HREE renewable en ergy companies, Solius NGPC, Peoples Home Association and Solar Force Nigeria Limited, yesterday said they would inject 1000Megawatts (Mw) of electricity into the national grid but would begin with 100Mw in any location recommended by the Ministry of Power.

Federal Government had signed three Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with the companies for the production of solar power across the country.

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

Aside power generation, the companies would also provide training for the indigenous workers.

Chairman of Solius Solution, Mr. Onu Eluwa promised to establish a training school in the country as part of its commitment to the Federal Government.

Assistant Director (Press), Federal Ministry of Power, Deworitshe Patricia in a statement explained that the Chief Operating Officer of Peoples Home Association,

Rasaki Porbeni, said his company will provide 500MW solar power. This would be done in tranches of 100MW to five different locations in Nigeria just as it intends to establish Solar Research Centres in universities across Nigeria and generate 10,000 jobs for Nigeria.

Solar Force Company on its part will produce one MW each of Solar Energy to 200 different villages in six different states of the Federation.

These entire projects by these companies

would be self funded, the statement added.

The Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, commended the three chief executive officers for their readiness in partnering the Federal Government in providing electricity using renewable energy.

He assured them of government’s commitment to power delivery to Nigerians most especially the rural communities which are denied electricity supply due to the demographic nature of the country.

relevant government agencies on SPDC and NNPC pension fund before approval was granted to the notional divestment of the FG’s shareholding in SPDC to NNPC PFL. The directive, said Dikki, was to bridge the gap in the NNPC’s pension fund and free SPDC from government’s management or control.

The BPE boss said available statistics shows that the housing deficit in the country is about 17 million units, stressing that BPE is currently working working with the Federal Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development on the reforms and restructuring of the housing sector.

Cement price rises to N2,200

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

T

HE hope of con struction experts and cement consumers over a crash in the price of cement was dashed yesterday with a fresh hike in the price of the commodity.

Some weeks ago, a major cement producer in the country said it had crashed the price of the product to as low as N1,000 eliciting excitement in the construction sector. Even with the promise, the product was never sold at N1000 anywhere across the country.

A dealer in the Ibafo area of Ogun State who spoke on condition of anonymity said one of the major manufacturers had indicated that its next consignment would be delivered at N1,900, adding that by the time other variables are added, a bag of the product would get to the final consumer at N2,200.

To make the product available to customers, the firm said it had set up depots across the nation and also offered opportunity for direct purchase.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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THE NATION

BUSINESS TRANSPORTATION

E-mail: ynotaderibigbe@gmail.com

Insurgency stalls work on Eastern rail line W

ORK on the Eastern rail line passing through the Northeast from PortHarcourt to Maiduguri has been stalled by Boko Haram insurgency, The Nation has learnt.

The contractor, China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), has suspended work on the Northeastern route until normalcy is restored. The project was expected to be completed this month end.

The rail, the second major arterial line linking Port-Harcourt to Maiduguri, the heart of Boko Haram’s insurgency, was abandoned over 20 years ago before it was resuscitated by the present government.

A source said though the feasibility studies on the Eastern line had long been completed, work cannot begin on Borno, Yobe and

Stories by Adeyinka Aderibigbe

Adamawa states axis because of insurgency.

The source however said the Port Harcourt-Calabar-AbaUmuahia-Enugu route, covering 340km, is almost completed, adding that passenger activity would soon resume on the route.

At the unveiling of the air-conditioned coaches and two Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) locomotives in Lagos in September, the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) Managing Director Adeseyi Sijuwade, said the five locomotives to be delivered before the end of the year, would be deployed on the Eastern line.

According to the source, the routes on which feasibility studies have been completed and on which construction has reached

advanced stage are; the Lagos Abuja high speed line (615km); Ajaokuta-Obajana- Jakura-BoroAbuja with additional line extension from Otukpe to AnyingbaNsukka-Aguleri- Onitsha covering 821km.

Others are the Zaria-Kaura Namoda-Nnewi-Owerri-IllelaBirni Konni (Niger Republic) covering 520km as well as BeninAgbor-Onitsha-Nnewi-OwerriAba with additional line from Onitsha- Enugu-Abakaliki covering 500km and the Eganyi-Lokoja -Abaji-Abuja line covering 280km have their feasibility studies completed.”

The 35.4km Kano- BichiKatsina-Jibiya route; and the 408km Sokoto-Birni Kebbi- JegaYaur-Makera routes is also nearing completion.

The stabilisation of the railway

following increased investment in more modern coaches and wagons would lead to a more service-focused corporation that would be the pride of Nigerians who have been longing for a railway that will be the backbone of the nation’s public transportation.

When the railway system comes on stream, it would reduce pressure on the highways and other road networks in the country, he added.

The source described rail as the most reliable, affordable, and safe mode of transportation patronised by the masses and the middle class and its efficiency may reduce the pressure on housing stocks in urban centres and equally have tremendous effect on other sectors of the economy.

• Sijuwade

Install speed limiter in your vehicles or face prosecution

M

• From left: Mobereola, Director of Public Transport, Gbenga Dairo and Deputy Director, Transport Safety, Olajide Oduyoye, during the tour.

Govt deploy 400 buses on Mile 12-Ikorodu route

N

O fewer than 400 wide bodied mass transit buses may be deployed on the Mile 12 - Ikorodu route to move about 300,000 passengers, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) Managing Director Dr. Dayo Mobereola has said.

This is the projected number of passengers to use the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) daily when the road extension is completed.

Speaking after a tour of the project, Mobereola said the road extension would boost transportation in Ikorodu and adjoining communities.

He appealed for patience, understanding and cooperation of motorists and residents living along the road as the contractor intensifies effort to complete the project.

Noting that it is 90 percent completed, he said the project was unique because it compares with other rapid transit systems in Africa and Asia, which are also based on median operation.

He said: “The Ikorodu project is a 13.5 kilometre long corridor with 15 bus shelters and a modern bus depot garage built on five hectares of land.

“Besides, there are three terminals at Mile 12, Agric and

Ikorodu, six pedestrian bridges; at Owode, Irawo, Awori, Majidun-Ogolonto, Agric and Haruna, 12 u-turning points (six on each side), provision of street lightings and signalised junctions at Ikorodu, Agric and Ogolonto.”

The BRT median operation Mobereola said, has a lot of advantages over its present system because it is faster, safer and efficient.

To ensure the participation of women in the operation, he said the modality for the employment and training of women as drivers, bus assistants and mechanics should be worked out.

“There should be a reasonable number of women in this operation. They could be drivers, bus assistants and even mechanics.

Women pay more attention to details. I believe that if the working condition is right, they would like to be part of the bus operation. So I would want the team to come up with modality for achieving the employment of women,” Dr. Mobereola said. He attributed the project’s delay to weather challenges, adding that the project would be completed before the end of the first quarter of 2015.

When completed, he said travel

time along the corridor would be drastically reduced from one hour 30 minutes to 30 minutes, while carbon emission would be cut down by 15 per cent and congestion significantly reduced.

Also, over 1, 500 employments would be generated while accessibility to the Lagos Central Business District would improve.

OTORISTS, especially commercial drivers, have been given up till June to install speed limiters in their vehicles.

The Lagos and Ogun States Zonal Commanding Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Godwin Ogagaoghene, said the speed limiter is to make the roads safer.

Motorists who fail to comply risk prosecution after the expiration of the ultimatum.

He spoke at the flag-off of the Corps’ ‘ember’ month safety awareness campaign held at the Panseke Motor Park in Abeokuta, the state capital.

The FRSC chief urged drivers to see road safety as a shared responsibility, and warned them against overspeeding and overloading, which he described as the major causes of crashes during ‘ember’ months.

Accident, the officer said, do not just happen, adding that “it must either be what we do or fail to do while we are behind the steering.”

Ogagaoghene urged commercial drivers to stop endangering people’s lives while trying to make more money during the Yuletide.

He said people pay transport fares to take them to their destinations not to their graves.

Sector Commander Adetunji Adegoke said though the ‘ember’ period is characterised by increase in human and vehicular movements, drivers must realise that they play a criti-

By Olalekan Ayeni

cal role in the war against fatal crashes.

He wondered why many commercial drivers disobeyed road traffic regulations during the period, when they should be mindful of their actions.

Adegoke urged road users to change their attitude as safety must be everybody’s concern, adding: “Passengers, drivers, pedestrians and commercial motorcylists must ensure safety of lives and property while driving or using the road.’’

Senior Special Adviser to Governor Ibikunle Amosun on Transport Mr Gbenga Ogunsanwo warned commercial drivers to change their attitude to end incessant crashes.

He said enough public enlightenment had been carried out by traffic agencies to bring about positive changes on traffic rules and regulations.

At similar exercises in Sagamu and Agbado, drivers were told that the FRSC is poised to reduce road crashes and fatalities during the yuletide.

The Sagamu and Agbado Acting Unit Commanders, Adebayo Jimba and Olagunju Yusuf, enjoined drivers to always obey traffic rules and regulations.

The campaign tagged: “Road Safety is a shared Responsibility: It depends on you,” was attended by commercial drivers and other stakeholders in the areas.

•From left: The Panseke Chapel Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Alhaji Fasiu Ajetunmobi, Ogagaoghene, Ogunsanwo and Adegoke at the event

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

THE NATION

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

BUSINESS PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com 08062722507

property@thenationonlineng.net muyiwalucas2002@yahoo.com

One year ago, Lafarge Nigeria and LAPO Microfinance signed a N1.3 billion housing deal. Under the initiative, they are expected to provide affordable housing for medium and low income workers. How far can such private partnership go in bridging the 17 million housing gap?

MUYIWA LUCAS writes.

I

N Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, shelter ranks very high.

This is why governments, the world over, take housing seriously; it is no exception in Nigeria.

But over the years, the reality of the government’s lack of capacity to provide, affordable housing for the citizens except with the involvement of the private sector seems to have dawned on her.

The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, in Abuja, stated this in Abuja. The minister, speaking at a presummit meeting on the proposed Nigeria housing and construction summit /expo, acknowledged that affordable housing delivery for the low and middle income earners cannot be achieved without the provision of incentives to encourage the participation of the private sector.

Indeed, this realisation has become even more compelling in view of the fact that the provision of affordable homes for 167 million Nigerians is an arduous task that cannot be left for the government alone, especially now that the government’s revenue is dwindling.

“To build a house in Nigeria is a very expensive task due to the high cost of building materials. Affordable housing cannot, therefore, be achieved without a drastic reduction in the cost of housing construction and other associated costs which invariably determine the selling price. Consequently, for affordability to thrive, emphasis must shift to reducing the cost of housing construction to promote access to affordable homes to the vulnerable segment of our national population,” Mrs Eyakenyi said.

She called on the organised private sector, manufacturing outfits, finance houses and multilateral agencies to support the drive for affordable housing delivery.

But long before this call, some private companies had taken the bull by the horn to tackle the problem. One of them is Lafarge Africa Plc (formerly Lafarge WAPCO), which, in collaboration with the French Development Agency (AFD) and LAPO microfinance, decided to invest N1.3 billion to provide affordable housing in the country.

The scheme, tagged “Ile Irorun” was kicked off in October last year, as Lafarge’s response to the challenges of urbanisation in the country. It also represented the first operation to be launched in the frame of AFD and Lafarge partnership to improve housing conditions through microfinance in Africa.

During the launch of the pilot phase of “Ile Irorun”, which was planned to

•A benefiting family in the “Ile Irorun” scheme pose in front of their building

Affordable housing: How far can private partnership go? involve 400 beneficiaries, the AFD’s Country Director, Mr. Hubert Dognin, declared a longterm credit line of N1 billion from AFD to LAPO to support the joint programme. Based on the development of new housing products financed by AFD, LAPO will commit an additional N300 million to the project, which is intended to enable low-income families to finance the construction, the extension or the renovation of their houses and thereby helping them to improve their living conditions. In all, an estimated 3,500 Nigerians were targeted to benefit from the programme over the next three years.

Under the scheme, prospective beneficiaries were to be identified through the network of branches of LAPO or the distributors of Lafarge Africa, and their loan applications are supported by free technical assistance from the cement giant. This technical assistance enables clients to lower their costs, choose their designs among a catalogue proposed by Lafarge Africa and ensures the quality of the construction through selected construction material retailers as well as help on construction supervision.

This initiative was seen by various stakeholders in the housing sector as a major development that would turn around the fortunes of Nigerians who crave for affordable shelter. For instance, Mr. Guillaume Roux, Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Africa Plc described it as a major step towards the realising his firm’s ambition to help build better cities in Nigeria. He said: “Lafarge’s commit-

ment to building better cities is unwavering, hence, we initiated this project to help provide access to affordable housing for Nigerians.”

Similarly, Mr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, managing director, LAPO Microfinance Bank, reasoned that for low-income earners, houses are not just mere dwelling places, but also business locations. This, he further revealed, was why the bank took the affordable housing initiative seriously.

“This scheme will be the start of hope for many and we embrace the momentous difference it will make in their lives and businesses,” he said.

Hubert Dognin, Country Director of AFD in Nigeria, added: “The development of housing financial products adapted to microfinance bank’s customers is an innovating concept which can be replicated at wider scale to break the vicious circle of housing market in Nigeria.”

The Project Manager for Lafarge, Mr. Aurelien Boyer, told The Nation that the “Ile Irorun” scheme is a social and business initiative of Lafarge aimed at providing housing for people who otherwise would have had serious challenges owning their own homes.

He said that as defined in the company’s “Sustainability Ambitions 2020, Lafarge operations in 16 selected countries have committed to improving housing conditions for two million people’’.

In arriving at this scheme, investigations by the partnering firms revealed that several factors have made it extremely difficult to have affordable housing in the country. There-

fore, the scheme was well thought out to tackle these challenges. Some of these challenges include a high percentage of independent builders lacking access to funds; the long period of building construction, leading to the phenomenon of buildings left uncompleted for many years; the absence of advice from qualified professionals resulting in poor construction, and the increasing population growth in urban areas.

Therefore, the initiative effectively responds to the challenges identified with Lafarge providing free high quality technical assistance which is available to the home builder throughout the construction process. This comes in the form of architectural design, materials selection and application, construction supervision and quality control. With the partnership with AFD and LAPO, ease of access to funds and flexibility in its repayment is assured given the meagre rate of 1.63 per cent per month on loans from N100, 000 to N1 million.

Participating in the scheme is easy as prospective beneficiaries under the scheme are identified through the network of branches of LAPO or the distributors of Lafarge Africa, and their loan applications are supported by free technical assistance from Lafarge.

Beneficiaries of the scheme have praised the initiative. For instance, Rev. Solomon Bamigbade, a selfemployed farmer in Ajebo village, Ogun State, said for 10 years, he had lived in a mud house, as he was unable to erect a modern building

‘The provision of affordable homes for 167 million Nigerians is an arduous task that cannot be left for the government alone, especially now that the government’s revenue is dwindling’

on his spare land.

However, he explained that with the “Ile Irorun” initiative, he has been able to put up another building.

According to him, with the help of Ile Irorun engineers, he was able to design his house from the foundation up to the tiling- a feat that has made him reside in one of the best houses in his area. “People now see me as a millionaire,” he said.

For Mr. Babatunde Adeogun, a teacher in Sagamu, Ogun State, after getting help through the initiative to do block walling, columns, beams, roofing and DPC, he has since stopped being a tenant. “My wife, two kids and I moved into our home not too long after I got the loan under the scheme, thanks to Ile Irorun,’ the happy home owner said.

The testimony of a secondary school principal, also in Sagamu, Ogun State, Mr. Olugbenga Omobo, testifies to the impact the project has on the communities. For six years, Omobo abandoned his building project due to lack of finance. However, with the Ile Irorun loan, and free technical assistance given to him by the promoters of the scheme, he has since completed his house. “I could not believe the very little interest I had to pay. With free technical assistance and professional hands, I was able to actualise my dream,” he said.

So far, more than 5, 000 people have been impacted by Lafarge Easy Home (Ile Irorun) through 850 constructions. The programme has expanded to five states: Ogun (Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode, Sagamu, Sango/Ota axis, Mowe/Ibafo axis), Oyo (Ibadan and Oyo), Lagos (Ikorodu), Ondo (Akure and Ondo) and Edo (Benin City) with the support of eight technical assistants and 32 branches of LAPO. Participants are selected from the clientele of LAPO microfinance institution in all locations for ease of administration. Low-income earners with viable land or an on-going building project, who are willing to be part of the initiative, are assessed and later admitted on the provision of a guarantor.

THE NATION DECEMBER 16, 2014

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PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Expert seeks more investments in real estate T HE Managing Director Beryl Shelter Limited (BSL), Mrs. Abiola Afolayan, has advised prospective investors in the property sector to invest wisely and seek quality guidiance before buying any property if the property so invested in is to give the maximum benefit to its owner.

Mrs Afolayan also added that a good property should give a minimum of 10 per cent per annum on the investment.

The property market, she further noted, is booming because of the available funding, especially as more banks are willing to give credit facilities.

“Investment in the real estate market will always remain a wise priority. Traditionally, investment in this sector provides a higher growth potential than other forms of investment, and being a home owner gives most people a great deal

•Firm holds promo

By Muyiwa Lucas

of personal satisfaction, but there is also the need to make a good judgement on this, and that is where we have comparative edge,” Mrs Afolayan said.

Similarly, the firm’s Chairman, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the firm was set to cause a stir in the sector with its unparalled product offering.

Therefore, he said, what BSL offers will bring about a change in the market, especially in how buying and selling is done. “We have taken it upon ourselves to take the lead in how people do business in this sector; we are improving the financial welfare of the people,”she reasoned.

Meanwhile, BSL has announced a promo to reward referrals made to her by the public. Tagged the “Felix Grand Promotion”, it is targeted at property owners and those who desire either to sell or rent out properties.

According to Mrs Afolayan, the promo is aimed at ensuring that the firm retains patronage of 30 per cent share of the property needs of the medium to high income earners.

Under the promo, the firm is offering a free Hyundai Elantra car, as the star prize, for property referrals to the tune of N100 million.

She explained: “Simply introduce to our company anyone who you know wants to buy, sell or rent a property and you get a free gift for your referral.”

Items to be won include an iPhone, 11 KVA generator, washing machine, and gas cooker.

Training for LAWMA, UNCRD-IPLA

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HE Lagos Waste Management Authourity (LAWMA) and the United Nations Centre for Regional Development and International Partnership for expanding waste management services of Local Authorities (UNCRD-IPLA) are holding a training in waste management.

The event, slated for Thursday, will take place at Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre, Ikeja.

LAWMA Managing Director, Mr. Ola Oresanya, said the increase in waste generation combined with complex/emerging waste streams arising from growing industrialisation as well as changing consumption patterns, which pose inherent implications for climate change,

Australia mulls fees for foreign property buyers

A

•From left: Clients of BSL, Mrs. Nike Tinubu and Mr. Sylvester Olatunji Fatunsi; Chairmain, BSL, Mr. Sanwoolu, Managing Director, BSL, Mrs. Afolayan and Mrs. Amaka Shah of Hyundai Motors Limited, at the launch of the promo in Lagos.

FHA gets technical board, interim managers

T

HE Federal Government has raised a technical boards (TB) and interim management team (IMT) for the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) in a bid to reposition the authority.

This is to enable FHA achieve its mandate 40 years after its establishment.

The government announced its repositioning and inaugurated its Technical Board (TB) and the Interim Management Team (ITM) for better performance.

The teams, which have 18

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

months to turn around the agency, will be chaired by the Minister of Housing, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi and driven by Prof Mohammed Al-Amin.

Speaking at the inauguration, Mrs Eyakenyi said FHA’s mandate as a vehicle for affordable housing delivery, especially for the less privileged and low income earners, was yet to be met.

She added that the authority was only able to build 37,000 housing units across the country, an average of less than 1,

000 houses per year.

“The noble objective of the Federal Government to use the authority (FHA) and its subsidiary as vehicles for bringing affordable housing programmes to the doorsteps of the less privileged and low income earners in Nigeria is yet to be achieved. ‘’Since its inception, the authority has built only 37, 000 housing units across the country,” she said, blaming the development on institutional losses, debts, poor internally generated revenue and poor budget.

among other environmental issues, have necessitated current global trends in adopting a multi-level collaborative approach, as well as empower stakeholders at municipal level towards appropriate technological choice and intervention.

The LAWMA boss noted that recognising the need for guided research, knowledge and capacity building in achieving the above, LAWMA being the west Africa secretariat for the UNCRD-IPLA is organising the interactive multi-stakeholders forum as a viable platform to promote Acedemia-industry-Government collaboration towards sustainable integrated waste management technologies in the country.

USTRALIA is considering placing additional charges on foreign buyers entering its booming property market after an inquiry found authorities had failed to enforce limits on purchases by investors from abroad.

The move follows growing concerns about the impact of foreign buyers, particularly cash-rich investors from China, who have poured billions of dollars into the local market and fuelled soaring housing prices.

A parliamentary committee said authorities had failed to police the recent boom and had not penalised or prosecuted a single foreign investor since 2008. It has recommended a £820 ($1,500) fee for properties purchased by foreign investors.

“No one really knows how much foreign investment there is in residential real estate nor where that investment comes from,” the committee chairwoman, Kelly O’Dwyer, a government MP, told ABC Radio.

“If you are not prepared to enforce the rules, then it is less likely that people will comply with the rules.”

House prices in Australia are among the most expensive in the world, with average values in Sydney up 50 per cent in the past five years.

Analysis by Credit Suisse found earlier this year that Chinese buyers purchased £13 billion ($AUS24 billion) worth of properties in the past seven years and were responsible for 18 per cent of new housing purchases in Sydney. The committee found that existing penalties for foreign buyers were appropriate but enforcement had been “severely lacking”.

“Australians must have confi-

dence that the rules, including those that apply to existing homes, are being enforced,” Ms O’Dwyer said. “Our inquiry revealed, that as it stands today, they could not have that confidence.”

Under Australia’s foreign investment rules, non-citizens are restricted to buying new or off-the-plan properties. Only Australian citizens, permanent residents or temporary resident visa holders can buy established – or second-hand – homes. Temporary residents can buy a single home but must sell it when they leave the country. However, the measures appear to have been poorly enforced, with reports that foreign buyers use family members in Australia to make purchases on their behalf.

Many foreigners reportedly view the risk of an £46,000 ($AUS85,000) fine for buying an existing property as a cost of doing business. Joe Hockey, Australia’s treasurer, a role equivalent to Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, said he would consider boosting funding for the authority that enforces foreign investment rules.

However, the opposition criticised the proposed fee for foreign investors as an additional and unnecessary tax. Ed Husic, a Labor MP, said commentators and analysts, including Credit Suisse, had engaged in scaremongering about the impact of Chinese investors.

He said the proposed new fee was a “dash for cash”. “One hopes this report dissolves from memory. Fast,” he said.

•culled from The Telegraph

NBC donates recycling machine to firm

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HE Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited has donated a bailer (machine for compressing Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles, cans, etc.) to Wecyclers Nigeria Limited, a beverage packaging waste collector.

This is to support the organisation’s expansion of its waste collection and encourage recycling in the packaging industry.

The NBC’s effort is not only a part of its Extended Producers Responsibility initiative programme, but also an effort at encouraging energy efficiency, water conservation and promoting sustainable packaging, focused on the reduction of carbon footprint by engaging with business partners to actively explore solutions to a

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

“green” culture that supports sustainability.

At the handover of the equipment in the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) office in Surulere, Mr. Uzo Odenigbo, Head, Public Affairs and Communications, NBC, explained that his firm’s sponsorship and participation in recycling was borne out of the its commitment to demonstrate its Expanded Producer Responsibility (EPR).

He noted that with the partnership with Wecyclers, other beverage packaging waste collectors and recyclers would continue to grow as the company is further committed to expand the scale and scope of the

recovery and buyback scheme according to the Coca-Cola System’s compliance plan on EPR. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Wecyclers, Mrs. Bilikiss AdebiyiAbiola, expressed her gratitude to the management of NBC for their support to its commitment to recycling.

She stated that after NBC’s previous donation of eight Wecycles, a fleet of low-cost cargo bicycles in December, last year, which aided in scaling the company’s collection and recovery of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles waste among densely populated, low-income households in Lagos, the donation of the bailer has come as a great relief as it would facilitate more collection and ease the difficulty in the transfer of collected PET bottles to the recycling plant.

•The Bailer being operated at the Wecyclers factory during the presentation. Watching are officials of the firms.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Christmas in darkness

The die is cast •President Jonathan and General Buhari hold the fate of Nigeria in their hands. It begins with a responsible campaign based on issues.

S a nation, we are at the point again when we try to hope, when the elections loom both as an opportunity for improvement, or as a juncture for renewal.

It is also a chance to peer into a potential abyss of tragic proportions. In the past month, Nigeria’s two major political parties, the People’s Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress, picked their candidates at various levels, for the general elections billed for February next year.

Not all the elections have been exemplary. Contentions about propriety and fairness have plagued quite a few of them, and that shows that as a people and political class, we are yet to rise above not only sectarian foibles but also the incubus of manipulation based on money and overbearing personal influences.

Yet, many of the exercises have d e m o n s t r a t e d marked improvements from the past experiences.

Court cases however hang over a few; and bad blood simmers over some that have been indubitably concluded.

H e a l i n g within the • Jonathan

States, as it has happened in some parties in Nigeria at a lower level, the incumbent is given the chance of first refusal. If he wants a second term, democracies abide the courtesies of bowing for continuity. This is understandable in the case of the PDP clearing the path for a Jonathan deuce.

In the case of the APC, the process came off transparent, and all the five presidential contenders had opportunities to orate before its audience of delegates. In the end, the votes in an emphatic victory fell on the laps of General Muhammadu Buhari.

What we have here is a clear duel for the ultimate Nigerian prize: the presidency. It is important to note that in the barely two months left to

parties may be the next step in those areas where the outcomes have left some contestants bruised. Victories of whatever type are no tea parties. Egos plummet, purses shrink, and influences come undone. But the political process continues. Tomorrow is another day.

But of all the contests, the presidential sweepstakes take priority, not only within the parties but also in the nation at large. The president as the leader of the nation embodies the soul of the people. Hence, whether the gubernatorial candidates or the senatorial picks are consequential, all of them are subdued under the overarching heat of the presidential power. So, when the PDP picked President Goodluck Jonathan in what was termed a consensus move, all eyes turned on the APC tussle for the prime seat. Yet the conventions took place last week, almost simultaneously. For the avoidance of physical collision and rivalry, the PDP held its own in Abuja, the nation’s capital, and the APC convoked its meet in the nation’s commercial hotbed, Lagos.

Commentators described the victory of President Jonathan as the standard bearer of the PDP as a coronation, after some party members tried to challenge the president. In the United

campaign for the elections, a sense of peace and harmony must be allowed to prevail. Crowds must not turn into armies of violence. Rallies should not morph into rabble.

It begins with the rhetoric of the contestants and their associates. Foul words and phrases of incitement must give way to civility. In a heterogeneous temper like Nigeria, both candidates should steer clear of language that emphasise why we are apart and focus on those ideals that cement our sense of community. Appeal to tribal sentiment in such a way that it rallies a people on the basis of primordial fealty only helps to rev up hate and distrust among people.

Regional jingoists only hark back to a period of bloodshed and fear in this country. The other matter of concern is religion. If we are a multireligious country, it only calls for toleration. All the faiths call for mod-

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• Buhari

eration and accommodation. It is not religion that brings us together but its values emphasize community. That is why religion should help coexistence rather division.

What the rhetoric should focus on in the next eight weeks should be the myriad problems confronting the nation today. In the northeast, swathes of communities lie prostrate under the will of pious extremism in the name of Boko Haram. We want ideas on how that will stop. Thousands of Nigerians have been killed and many more displaced since the insurgency careened out of our control over three years ago. A nation with a vibrant population and relatively robust oil wealth should not leave its fighting men without kit and unfit for battle.

In the past few weeks, we have w i t nessed the Naira drop in a free fall, so that the Central Bank of Nigeria had to officially devalue it in response to a giddy market.

Critical in that market is another freefall – of oil prices. This double threat amounts to a siege on the ordinary Nigerian.

The consequence is the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor.

The fear is that many will get out of job, and the army of the jobless will stoke social tension in the land. As we know, the standard of education has fallen so much so that our universities are at the bottom of world rankings. Infrastructure of roads and power are suffering from great decay, and the atmosphere for investment is increasingly endangered by these important features of development.

The task before us is therefore grave, and it will be a disservice to Nigeria if the candidates and parties veer out of the right issues and duel on the pettifogging matters of tribes, faith and region. The ordinary Nigerian has suffered enough. It is high time we took governance seriously, and it must begin with the candidates playing the true role of statesmen.

‘The task before us is grave ... it will be a disservice to Nigeria if the candidates and parties veer out of the right issues and duel on the pettifogging matters of tribes, faith and region. The ordinary Nigerian has suffered enough.

It is high time we took governance seriously’

S

IR: It lifts one’s spirit to travel around the country and see fantastic decorations of public places in Christmas lights. Such can be expected of enlightened cities like Lagos, Enugu and Calabar but to experience the brightness in the once centres of squalor, thrills the soul. Holiday makers passing through Head Bridge, Onitsha will be welcome to a new paradise. The city that has never known colours is decked in glorious ornaments.

Sunshine brings out the Christmas glitters to dazzle both the young and the old. Onitsha residents especially come timidly to this joy of lovely spaces with child-like wonder.

Many have never imagined that their squalid environment could wear the face of excitement.

The new attitude by the government to spruce up the horizon is a visible testament that the country is overcoming the dark days.

Christmas season showcases the best moment of openness. A gesture of magnanimity by the government will yield a quantum leap in advancement of a more civilized society.

If appearance is the sole test of ingenuity, Nigeria will be a first class nation. As the sun goes down, most of the shining Christmas festoons fade into the dark. The expected transition in the modern world from daylight to electricity becomes an illusion. Children do not parade around at night to cherish the blinking lights. Thanks to the sparkling stars from heaven, the joy of Christmas stays alive in their heart.

Government promised the people a steady power supply by October of this year. This is another Christmas in darkness. If New York City with all its skyscrapers and powerful industries could stand as a beacon of light year round, what could stop the nation from giving the people a taste of the good life?

The town of Umuoji in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State has been languishing in darkness for a steady stretch of over 10 months. The governor finally came to appease them by bringing a huge new transformer which has been mounted at the local power station. Hope was bright for the people of Umuoji both at home and abroad. As they count down days towards Christmas, they are sighing of the nightmare of returning and sitting in their home robed in darkness. The power supply company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, has doggedly retarded every effort to fulfil their part of the obligation.

This is not a lamentation of the heathen.

Christmas, from time, has created a special place in the heart of celebrants. The light of the soul shines during the season. Faces of loved ones reflect with kindness towards each other. This Christmas will not be any different. The power of love will turn darkness into light.

•Pius Okaneme, Umuoji, Anambra State.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: As Nigeria moves precariously to 2015, Nigeria’s Upper House, the Senate, will have a new configuration completely. With the speed with which governors whose constitutional tenure have expired harry opponents, brush aside old decorum and push or buy their way through target Primaries, Nigeria’s hope for break with the past is as bleak as ever. With the billions available to them as security vote, is it any wonder that no political daredevils can confront these sheiks; it is all about the Nigerian character.

There are some of the governors especially in the oil rich South-

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Senate as new home for their excellencies south who impound over N1billion per month ostensibly to keep the peace which they by their actions are constantly disturbing.

Upper houses in other climes are peopled by long standing statesmen or people who have significantly excelled in their careers or professions. Here in Nigeria, you

gravitate from the chairmanship of a Local Government to state commissioner preferably of works or finance or just plain Chief of Staff, positions that are incubators for the office of governor. After the expiration of your eight years, if you can continue tio manipulate the electoral proc-

ess or put your hands deep in the state till, the heavens are your limit.

But because we can only have a President and Vice-President and a limited cluster of pedestrian ministers, the next place for our governors is the Senate. My fear is that at no distant future, our re-

Nigeria needs more than good luck

S

IR: The founding fathers of Nigeria did not contemplate such a slow motion growth that we are witnessing. They established a virile nation endowed with all it needed for a catalytic growth in all aspects of life. They sacrificed their future and well comfort to jumpstart a country that designed to bring succour to the suffering people of Nigeria. Like some other nations, Nigeria had enjoyed the fruits of an economic boom whose bounty intoxicated the executive and blurred their vision. A windfall owing much to the rising crude oil market once flooded the nation’s treasury with sort of easy money that seemed as if it would last forever. The government happily spent the excess cash on the devilish objective which instead of improving lives of the people plunged the nation into round of civil disturbances due to mismanagement and corruption. Really, it did not take clairvoyance to see that the government dug itself a big hole.

In any responsible government, unlike what holds in Nigeria, accountability ensures that actions and decisions taken by public officials are subject to oversight.

This is to guarantee that government initiatives meet their stated objectives and respond to the needs of the people thereby contributing to better governance and

poverty reduction. The reason public officials must be accountable is simply because government is the only institution that has legitimate right, though sometimes misused and sadistically abused in our own case, to take away citizens’ rights, liberty, property and even their lives. It is in order, therefore, that individuals who are a part of it, the government, and the people who run it are held for their actions, and in some cases, their failure to act. What do we see in our nation? A nation that allows corrupt citizens to walk away with their loots and flaunt the stolen wealth around. The real concern here is not that our numerous problems defy solutions but that our government lacks wisdom and political will to effect positive changes. Such a government therefore, does not deserve continuity.

Even during the times of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, there were instances of corruption and charges of favouritism, but Shagari took a lenient view about people whom he favoured. By Ibrahim Babangida’s time, corruption grew in leaps and bounds and he justified it calling corruption an international phenomenon.

Obasanjo came and fought corruption in high places, his efforts and achievements were not sus-

tained. Since then, politics has become business instead of service, and politicians are reeking in public funds like never before.

Since they are public funds, politics are being made like family business! Kith and kin are all introduced into politics and dynasties are being created to reap the great monetary benefits. Under President Jonathan, corruption assumed another nomenclature: ‘mere stealing’ which is milder, and not one of Nigeria’s major problems. Such a leader cannot fight corruption and does not deserve continuity!

As a nation, prior to our independence, we have jointly shaped a culturally blended society reflective of our well know ‘strength and unity’ metaphor.

Unfortunately, there is a widening rift appearing in the fabric of our society. It is causing the temperature of our nationhood to approach the boiling point. Every year and perhaps, every day in the history of our nation brings a new test. Sometimes our strength as a people is tested and in recent times, it has been our security: security of life, food, jobs and good leadership. Those human rights that are commonly referred to as fundamental are no longer sacrosanct. The present government has shown it lacks capacity to provide security, thus, we cannot continue

to experiment with our lives.

There must be a change!

The praise singers that surround the government are not the true representatives of the people; they do not reflect the mood of the nation, they are not helping to fight our common enemies. Rather, they have hijacked government, which under normal circumstances should be brought to the doorsteps of ordinary Nigerians.

With these charlatans in power, Nigerians will become more miserable. They must be stopped!

While all the rest of the world moves on, we are stagnant and pretend as if everything is working well. If we want a real game changer, we must move on from the tyranny of these fee-takers and an economy that celebrates a few wealth makers government. Nigerians must make a statement and try another proverbial wife knowing fully that there is nothing to lose if the present government is kicked out. The youths should stop complaining of joblessness, inadequate infrastructure and insecurity of life and property; they should try an alternative government knowing that they can use their numerical strength to change the government if their aspirations are not met.

•Tola Osunnuga tolaosunnuga@yahoo.co.uk

vered Senate will be an automatic abode of expired governors. Soon the President of the Senate who himself must have been governor will address his colleagues as ‘Your Excellencies’ because these men of stature and of position will not easily forget their previous titles and nomenclatures. Indeed, Nigeria is working.

In like manner, political office holders of yester years who have graduated to the enviable positions of godfathers have established the now prevalent practice of imposing their children, born in or out of wedlock, on the legislative house that is if they are not already in appointive position of commissioners, Special Advisers, Special Assistants, etc.

I fear for Nigeria.

We ordinary Nigerians who are in the majority of up to 95% of the population continue to look on helplessly as the positions and hence the material resources of our country are being shared by less than 5% of the population. This is not merely a matter of inequity, it is clearly more than that. We are unconsciously building an oligarchic society when the few will remain lords forever and the rest, servile citizens. In the process of this manipulation and obscene wealth, we are building up a citizenry who though are opposed to the obscenity and butchery around seem compliant because for now, they can do nothing about their condition. There is hardly any healthy competition in any sphere of our life. You must know an ‘Oga’ who knows a ‘bigger Oga’ and who is related to ‘Oga patapata.’ I fear for my country.

As we march forward (some people have cynically said backward), we have a duty to moderate or modify our quest for power and our quest for materials wellbeing at the expense of the larget community. Our quest for positions and wealth have no parallel in contemporary Africa and perhaps, thoughout the emerging world. Let the mighty men and women of today march on softly, softly.

• Deji Fasuan JP. MON, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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COMMENTS prospect. That is unfortunate.

HOMAS Hardy’s Return of the After the mess of the Jonathan Native (1878) is a flawed heroine’s years, Nigeria would need her tale of dashed expectations. best pair of hands.

The heroine was Eustacia Vye, beautiful But aside from Mr. Fashola, and enchanting, but priding herself above there are other tantalising her native Egdon Heath; and all its young choices — vice presidents that men could offer. Clym Yeobright was could add value to Buhari’s grit the returned native, a former diamond and integrity: flexibility, merchant from Paris, France. modernity, federalist ethos and In Clym, Eustacia saw one through Olakunle breath of vision, as they have whom she could live her dream: a lordbeek1@gmail.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) Abimbola demonstrated with their diamond merchant come to lift her off respective gubernatorial the humdrum of Egdon Heath, to rich and tenures. sparkling life in Paris. But Clym was Edo Governor, Adams bound to a humbler and less exciting stuff: Oshiomhole: in a short time, a teacher in his native Egdon Heath.

Comrade Oshiomhole has The marriage ended in a fiasco — and tragedy. Eustacia drowned; and Clym, for the rest of his days, demonstrated the Edo have a right to developmental governance, electioneering progresses. lived with the self-imposed guilt of killer of both his wife and after the wasted Igbinedion years. Mr. Oshiomhole, however, In 2011, a mob-think, arising from the Umaru Yar’Adua Katsina mother — which he was not. needs to be a bit more federalist in his thinking, to balance out Mafia’s attempt to block Jonathan from the presidency, led to Transpose Nigeria to Hardy’s Victorian England or vice-versa, Gen. Buhari’s centrist thinking. mass anti-North sentiments (zoning be damned!), that dwelled and a comparison might just emerge.

Former Ekiti Governor, Kayode Fayemi: though he lost reon some mythical luck, glossed over Jonathan’s frailties, and Eustacia is Nigeria: blessed but perpetually plagued by the election, he showed enough to point to where Ekiti should be in vaulted him beyond his competence to the presidency. waywardness of her nationals; but nevertheless hopeful a saviour the comity of modern states the world over, even with scarce Four years down the line, it is exclusive good luck to Jonathan would come some day. resources. He also garnered additional plaudits as chair of the but extensive bad luck to his voters; who see the Nigeria they Clym is Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, a former military head of APC presidential convention, which has become a reference knew virtually melting away, and Jonathan, supposed state (1984-1985) turned reformed democrat, who not a few point. However, electorally right now, Dr. Fayemi would commander-in-chief at sea, even more than the people he was Nigerians now believe could offer Nigeria fresh hope, after appear toxic, because of the Ekiti loss. elected to lead.

Goodluck Jonathan’s six years of cascading fall.

Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi: in the non-availability of It is the devastating harvest of a lie the voters told themselves Still, Buhari’s first coming was sweet and sour. Sweet: not a Mr. Fashola, Mr. Amaechi would appear APC’s best bet, if — and believed! few hail his personal integrity; and his regime’s resoluteness, targeted goals — and not just political convenience — is the Sure, Jonathan supporters, in an appeal to pity, would claim particularly its War Against Indiscipline (WAI), with which, deciding factor. In Amaechi, politics and policy comes to a some northern elements swore to make Jonathan’s Nigeria Draco-like, he tried to smash some order into the decadent harmonious whole; and his stellar achievements, from his Rivers ungovernable; and have since walked their talk. Maybe. But the Nigeria he inherited. tour of gubernatorial duty, speaks volume of his quality. same sense of blatant injustice that elicited those threats drives Sour: Not a few too nail his regime as the fierce face of Not a few feel Mr. Amaechi is abrasive and tough. But without the presidential drivel and harvest of excuses. malignant military rule, from the benign years of Yakubu this twin-traits, he would have been crushed by the muscleBut no matter the excuses, Nigeria is worse off in Jonathan’s Gowon, with the Murtala-Obasanjo regime, which the Buhari flexing but little-thinking Jonathan federal armada, after he unstable hands; and leaving the country any further in those regime claimed an offshoot of, serving as link. dusted Jonathan’s man, Plateau Governor, Jonah Jang, in the unsteady hands only courts apocalyptic disaster.

That military gorgon would hit its nadir under the late Sani Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) chair election.

That explains the Buhari appeal — a rejected stone from a Abacha; leaving a country in a cul-de-sac little chance but to In Amaechi is a combo of an acute policy thinker and a tough discredited military past; that nevertheless appears the emerging return to constitutional rule. political fighter. APC needs no less in the South-South, where cornerstone to rebuild the country.

So, Buhari the democrat come to correct Buhari the autocrat, a the Jonathan camp would put up a very nasty campaign of ethnic But is this the real deal — or will turn yet another hope dashed? doughty voyage from military perdition to democratic spite and blackmail.

That would depend on a lot of things, not the least Buhari’s viceredemption, is a tantalising historical prospect.

If the Buhari dream must deliver on its prospect, Nigeria must presidential pick.

No less appetising is Buhari the progressive politician, enthrone a federalist ethos that frees the states — or better still, Lagos Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, should be an impatient for change, the war-cry of his All Progressives the six geo-political zones — from an insufferable and oppressive out-and-out pick. That choice is obvious: if Jonathan has Congress (APC); against Buhari the conservative military head federal Leviathan that delivers nothing but collective poverty, administered Nigeria the way Fashola has administered Lagos, of state, smug with the status quo, even if his regime was from the humongous resources at its disposal. But that would it would be sheer suicide for anyone to run against him. “corrective”. be in the long run.

Indeed, in Sam Omatseye-speak, Fashola has been the But many cynics would slant Buhari’s return as the return of In the immediate, Buhari as president would need a sound “governor of example” to who about every governor nationwide the North to its “born-to-rule” default setting. Now, this is a chief operations officer (COO) who will boss policy, while the refers to improve their states — with the possible exception of piece of emotive blackmail that would crowd the media, as president is the grand chief executive officer (CEO). And in the Rivers’ Rotimi Amaechi, who also carved a niche for himself, post-Jonathan collective rescue, let no one contemplate the shortly after Jonathan, by the Alamieyeseigha impeachment, ‘Four years down the line, it is exclusive good got gifted the Bayelsa governorship. political waste of the vice-president as spare tyre!

The return of Buhari — if and when it comes — must not end Jonathanian muck, however, which pits Christians against luck to Jonathan but extensive bad luck to his a tale of dashed expectations. Otherwise, things will turn really Muslims, North against South, and ethnic groups against one voters. That explains the Buhari appeal’ bad. another, for illicit political gains, has all but aborted Mr. Fashola’s

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T last, the first round of delegate elections in the build-up for the 2015 general elections has ended in Abia state. Candidates have emerged under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party to fly the party’s flag in the main election. It has been a very tensed and uncalm period with tensions and anxiety building up. A lot of horse-trading and intrigues pervaded the polity within the period. Reason for this is due to the undisputed fact that a PDP ticket in Abia is almost a forty-nine percent success record even before the election proper. Although in politics, anything can happen within a given period that even that one percent needed to attain the pass mark may be akin to searching for a needle in a hay stack.

Before the primaries, there were doomsday prophesies by those who hate to love the governor. Many paid commentators and a section of the media for some parochial interests were busy insulting their readers’ reasoning by tales of impending implosion in the state chapter of the party. They had predicted that the state would boil if things were not done in the way of their paymasters which to them was the only right way. Some even became President Jonathan’s apologists by showing more concern to the presidential project of Jonathan more than even the president. A case of a mere Roman parishioner being more Roman Catholic that the Pope. They asked the president to call the governor to order or else he should forget Abia, as if they cared whether the president succeeded or not. Yet these threat-mongers neither belonged to the party of the president nor do they have current voters card.

But sentiments apart, can it be said that the PDP has fared badly under the leadership of the incumbent governor Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji who returned to the fold of the party in August 2010? This is assuming that we give any serious thought to the false alarm by the detractors. In arriving at the answer, it is only helpful we look at the fortunes of the party under the incumbent governor, in comparison to what it was and what it is likely to be from all indications.

Under his shepherd, PDP would for the first time since its formation in 1998 be 100 percent in control of all the elective offices in the state. The feat started in the 2011 general elections.

In the last four years that the governor has watched over PDP in Abia, there has not been any form of unnecessary bickering that may lead to division or factionalism within its fold. Party EXCO members elected in 2010 have served out their full tenure without any in-fighting for party structure. Nobody has pocketed the party officials or subsumed its roles and functions into that of any parallel campaign organization or group. No officer has been forced to resign. Look beyond your shoulders and see events and hyped political tension in other neighboring South-east

Return of Buhari?

Abia PDP primaries and doomsday prophets

By Kingsley Emereuwa states of Ebonyi and Enugu states. Simply put, PDP in the South-east stands strongest in Abia today and this is an incontrovertible fact. That did not come by happenstance. It is a leadership virtue which every good leader must aspire to possess. To leave the scene better than you met it.

The last litmus test is the just concluded party primaries upon which the doomsday prophets have hinged their clairvoyant skills of foreseeing doom. The exercise has come and gone with the climax being the election of party’s governorship candidate Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu on Monday December 8. He slugged it out against seven other eminently qualified contestants and eventually emerged victorious. His entrance into the game had altered the political permutation.

What many of his co-contestants did not know was that they were actually the ones that made Ikpeazu to tower high and above them. No sooner had he indicated interest to run had the other branded him “the chosen” one. They were the ones who took him to the media and in the attempt to demonise him gradually brought him into the forefront. Before you knew it, the race was certain to be between Ikpeazu and the others.

While trying to drag him down, the commoners stretched their necks to catch a glimpse of this man who had become the talk-show. They wanted to know who was this man that did not wait for election to show his wealth and capacity to help their state. When the inquired, they were told that the man was only known to be carting away the refuse generated by the same wealthy chests. Rather than dampen their spirit, they saw the hand of God and the coming to fruition of that biblical prayer of Hannah, “He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifted up the beggar from the dung hill, to set them among the Princes and make them inherit the throne of glory”. They remembered he was once in charge of refuse disposal in Aba and Abia South. He did not receive any subsidy money for election, neither did he sit on the board of any bank with access to depositors fund as remuneration.

Ikpeazu did not man any federal ministry and felt the world revolved around him. Gradually everything fell into place and the man who had equal stakes with the others in the “Project Abia” was undoubtedly emerging a front liner courtesy of those who thought they were dragging him down.

In all fairness to Governor Orji, there was nothing to show that he had a preference for any candidate. He maintained his mien and stoic character in the face of all the horsetrading. Not even from his body language did he let out any whiff of suspicion as to his choice. If he had any preference for any of the contestants, he kept same to his chest so as to create a level playing ground for all. And why wouldn’t he?

All the eight aspirants that contested the governorship primary were on one-on-one personal relationship with him.

He couldn’t afford to love any more than the other given his position as father of all. And they all knew it.

There is also no point to pretend that the whole exercise from the State House of Assembly to governorship went down well with all contenders. No. There were places like in Abia North where some political mannequins against wider desire got tickets to remain liabilities and parliamentary graffiti to their people. But that is why it is politics. Interests are accommodated through political arithmetic in power distribution. The beauty of it all was that with a man like Ochendo, even the aggrieved were ready to sheathe their sword as their own contributions and sacrifices for the sustained peace in the party nay the state.

That is the attribute of a man who provided purposeful and selfless leadership. It has its reward called unalloyed loyalty.

Little wonder the exercise in Abia was as peaceful as it was interesting. So what do we make of those who predicted that Abia will boil as a result of the alleged attempted manipulation of the process. No candidate walked out of the exercise. None alleged any form of manipulation. How come it was only a section of media that was in possession of that intelligence report that Abia PDP will expode?

Abia is on the move and when the harvest time is ripe, posterity will no doubt show its kind face on a man who laboured to unite all interests for the peaceful co-existence and progress of his state.

•Emereuwa writes from Umuahia, Abia State.

‘So what do we make of those who predicted that Abia will boil as a result of the alleged attempted manipulation of the process?’

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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COMMENTS

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S I write this, there is no doubt that MTN has crossed the 60 million subscriber landmark. By the end of June, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission, MTN had 58,516,759 active subscribers. Judging by the average rate at which the company has grown over the last few years amassing over a million additional active subscribers in each of the quarters of the second half of the year, MTN has certainly hit this milestone.

Sixty million active subscribers is a formidable achievement and a far-cry from the day when at 60,000 subscribers, MTN called a press conference to announce to the world how much progress it had made. Could those bright eyed executives have imagined that just a little over a decade later, they would be celebrating the attainment of 60 million subscribers? Did any analyst anywhere on earth believe that the Nigerian market was sufficiently robust as to enable a single player amass 60 million subscribers?

The milestone is a testament to the beauty of market liberalization and excellent regulation. Less than 15 years after the telecom industry was liberalized and opened up to private sector participation under the guidance and active oversight of a regulator which understands the delicate nature of protecting multi-stakeholder interests, Nigeria is recording the kind of progress previously unimaginable. According to the Nigerian Communications Commission, the telecom industry has been responsible for an inflow of foreign direct investment in excess of USD25 billion so far.

Clearly the social and economic empowerment that is attendant to the ability to communicate in the way telecommunications makes possible is phenomenal. Whether it is by drastically reducing transaction costs or availing people with economic opportunities; whether it is by driving innovation or by fostering closer relationships; whether it is by enhancing economic productivity or creating jobs, telecommunications is a potent force for economic growth and development. Indeed, economists say that its potential to facilitate GDP growth is greater, the lower the country is on the development ladder.

But telecom’s impact on development goes even deeper than the aforementioned and their related economic spin-offs. MTN for instance, has invested in infrastructure across Nigeria, to the tune of several billions of dollars. Apart from its record over 10,000

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MTN’s milestone

By Calixthus Okoruwa base stations, it has long erected fiber-optic transmission networks across the country and within specific cities. Its transmission backbone provides a critical intermediary platform for practically every other industry in Nigeria from oil and gas to banking and finance, from agriculture to defense and security.

While MTN’s achievement is no doubt, formidable, the achievement of other players in the telecom space bears mention as well. Etisalat whose promoters were farsighted enough to commit USD 400 million for a digital mobile license in Nigeria many years after the initial players who had paid much less had become entrenched in the market space, now has in excess of 20 million active subscribers. The combination of Airtel and Glo is also responsible for more than 50 million telephone subscribers across Nigeria.

Overall, the telecom industry pays close to N300 billion to the government in taxes annually. The taxes comprise annual operating license fees, VAT, Rights of way; state taxes as well as federal taxes and sundry other levies.

The success of the telecom sector, manifested in increasing subscriber numbers and by extension, enhanced telecom penetration, has spawned a huge multiplier effect across practically every sector, including government. Today, the digital route is fast evolving as the preferred means of engagement between government agencies and the citizens, business enterprises and even government establishments themselves. The use of electronic payments for public sector transactions is fast catching on and is quietly plugging some of the leaks and waste (read corruption) that hitherto existed. In the area of education for instance, it is increasingly common to have examination results released within a few weeks and uploaded onto the Internet for students to access.

The challenges of rolling out telecom infrastructure across Nigeria have been detailed so many times, that followers of the industry’s trajectory may wonder if doing so again would achieve any effect. But repeat those challenges we must, if we are to

MAN’s achievements cannot amount to anything if such achievements are not beneficial to the generality of the people; or if such achievements are not expressive of the aspiration of the people; or if behind such achievements there is a concealed attempt to blindfold the people not to see the truth with deceptive projects to create impressions while the goodies are siphoned, or if such projects, are fluid and cannot stand the test of time!

Sometimes the people display the nature of passive recipients and this ineptitude gives impetus to the leader to think that the people could be played upon by giving them worthless projects since they may never react to it. There is a world of difference between such a leader and the one who would not seek to exploit his people.

Senator Liyel Imoke, Governor of Cross River State came to power, with the firm conviction that the state was stricken with abject poverty and needed a man with a clear head, sound vision and sincerity of purpose to deliver it from such anguish. Shrouding his vision, intentions and purposefulness and starling qualities in an uninhibited show of humility and meekness, he was largely misunderstood by friends and foes alike. Those who held him in contempt, though not many did, were misled by a false façade of acquiescence. But there-in lay his strength. It is his utmost understanding of human nature that when you concede to even those who are not likely to be your match, they feel gratified that they could overwhelm you. It is from this position that Imoke watches the foolery of man that as he overates himself, makes his mistakes before one who keeps quiet guard.

It is from this urbane, spartan and humble nature that Imoke finds the latitude to engineer his thought to positive completion.

Imoke inherited an empty treasury when he took over power. The allocation from the Federation account to Cross River was too small to create a meaningful impact in finding a footing for the state. The Internally Generated Revenue was so insignificant to make a difference. To make matters worse, the 76 oil wells were taken away from Cross River and given to Akwa Ibom.

So with this burden of financial insolvency, Imoke acknowledged that the task ahead was enormous and there was no room for distraction for him to succeed. No room for witch hunting. No room for the blame game.

He sat back to replan and redesign and he came out with the blueprint for the recreation of Cross River State. He created relevant agencies and commissions as the engine to drive this vision. Rural Development Agency (RUDA), Border Communities Commision (BORDERCOM) and State Electrification Agency (REA), were set up as the vehicles to make these vision work. There was the renewal of the urban development centres.

correctly situate the context of MTN’s achievement and by extension the achievement of the overall telecom industry.

With electricity from the national power grid insufficient and unreliable, an inordinately high proportion of operational expenditure, by some estimates up to 60 percent, goes into fuelling generators which operators rely on to power their base stations and other infrastructure. The result is that compared with many other African markets, network costs as a component of operating expenses, are disproportionately high in Nigeria.

Telecom infrastructure vandalism which could include malicious damage to cables and other infrastructure or outright theft of such infrastructure is another critical issue.

Industry-wide, there is an average of 500 such incidents per month.

Multiple taxation is yet another albatross which the telecom industry shoulders. Multiple taxation itself is a simple term that like AIDS, aggregates a complex syndrome whose manifestations are sundry. In a nutshell, similar taxes and levies are arbitrarily imposed on the same income by different levels of government and at other times, arbitrarily increased. In some instances taxes are created arbitrarily and expressly targeted at telecom companies Of course, it is no news that telecom installations have been sporadically shut down by agents of government in the last few years, for defaulting in some of these arbitrary payments. This worsens the issue of quality of service, the age-old complaint of the telecom subscriber and in addition to the inconvenience and disruptions it instigates in the economy, disrupts national security, creating avoidable problems for the government and citizens alike. Thankfully, the Nigerian Communications Commission has since issued a stern yet diplomatic warning to its peer government agencies and other agents of state on the dangers of indiscriminate and unwarranted forceful closure of telecom installations situated around the country.

Standing still, however, cannot be an option for MTN. The organization needs to aggressively gird its loins for the next stage of growth in the IT industry. Broadband will play a defining role in that next phase. The

Imoke’s most fundamental legacy

By Moses Uko In Akpabuyo, about 200 residential houses were built for civil servants. Construction of the second phase comprising 450 has reached advanced stage of completion. In Calabar South alone, over 40 roads have been constructed by the Imoke-led administration. The Margaret Ekpo International Airport Bypass with Calabar’s first interchange bridge is nearing completion. An ambitious underground drain system was undertaken and this has taken care of flooding in Calabar. Over 1000km of rural roads connecting over 200 rural communities have been constructed by the administration through RUDA and the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP).

Hundreds of schools have either been built or given comprehensive renovation. Over 810 health posts have been established in the rural areas with the aim of achieving the ratio of 300 households per health post.

Expectedly, two local government areas have in the last two years recorded near zero infant and maternal mortality.

A leader’s achievements could be measured tangibly and intangibly. Imoke has tried not to ignore either of these.

To me, out of these two, the more enduring legacy is the one that exist in the intellect and the mind. Intangible things are embedded in ideas. These ideas when they are recognized and appreciated, catapult the present society to a more well informed and founded future much ahead of the contemporary society. That is why it is said – ideas are the product of their time. It is most time resisted by those who are less favoured to peep into the future. But when through the insistence of go-getters and visionaries such progressive ideas are recognized and used, people become happy. Then those who initially stood against the change would now attempt to claim the credit. Sometimes, the originator of such idea faces persecution as powerful pretenders attempt to claim what they did not own.

As soon as Imoke became governor, he had planned to entrench a firm system that would take Cross River not only to the next level but even beyond. To achieve this, he envisaged the institutionalization of a sound socio-

various dimensions in which ecommerce is creatively manifesting – from the rapid emergence of mega online retail stores to the emergence of music streaming and an entire online music and entertainment ecosystem as well as advances in mobile payments may be pointers to the fact that broadband is the future.

In fact, the Presidential Committee for a National Broadband Strategy and Roadmap has since determined that broadband is an essential right and a basic requirement for social transformation and in so doing, outlined a vision for Nigeria as a “society of connected communities with high-speed internet and broadband access.”

Capital requirements, however, remain huge as are infrastructure demands. Though it currently operates in excess of 10,000 base stations, MTN will need to put several more thousands on the ground to sustain voice and data operations especially in a future that will be increasingly data driven. This implies a future of continuous investment.

As the industry enters this defining phase of growth, government must raise its game through policy action to ensure that the country is well positioned to benefit from the long-terms gains of sound policy interventions.

Designating NITEL infrastructure as critical national infrastructure was a key policy approach of the military rulers of old, who sought to protect the then key national asset from the kind of arbitrary pressures to which today’s telecom companies are now being subjected to by all arms of government. The Association of Licensed Telecom Companies of Nigeria, ALTON, has long advocated that in the current dispensation, telecom infrastructure should be designated as critical national infrastructure. While doing so may not necessarily automatically redress all of the problems with which the sector is beset, it will certainly help create a protective bulwark against the onslaught of multiple taxation and multiple regulatory regimes that the telecom industry currently faces to Nigeria’s detriment.

While congratulations are in order, no doubt, there is clearly an imperative for broad policy action to help drive the optimization of the promise which MTN holds for wide scale economic development. It is a challenge that our governments must brace up to, urgently.

• Okoruwa is communications management consultant

political system that would not be ephemeral but enduring. To achieve this, Cross River must have internal peace and peace with her neighbours; there must be non-violence in politics and in general life situations; there must be harmony and tolerance of each other especially by the various ethnic groups. These expectations if achieved would not only bring reconciliation but permanent solution to Cross River’s political quarrels, suspicions and ethnic disparagements.

When Imoke came to power in 2007, the issue of ethnic suspicion, fear and backwardness were in the front burner of his agenda. To surmount this, he built bridges across ethnic barriers. He began by making the party the centre of this agenda as the members became one big family of PDP to bring people closer. Outside the party, he made more friends in senatorial districts other than his.

Certainly, these efforts did not go unrewarded as could be observed in the reduction in the propagation of derogatory remarks made in reference to each other by the various ethnic peoples. Having moved closer in the abandonment of ethnic cleavages, it is expected that we now have a universal view of issues that concern us as a people. This has been one of the most fundamental intangible achievements since 2007.

Imoke has built so much on it. This is one of the factors that have stabilized PDP’s control of Cross River State. This is one of the factors that have lessened acrimony in the state.

When Imoke saw that the bridge building across ethnic divides had succeeded, it became easy for him to talk of the transfer of power to the northern senatorial district. The whole idea of moving power to the north started in 2010. It was not easy for Imoke to organize the north to come together to receive what was coming to them because some of the leaders were quarrelling amongst themselves.

Nothing can be confusing about the fact that the idea of a northern governor in 2015 was wholly that of Imoke. The transference of power to the north is one of Imoke’s most fundamental legacies and cannot be denied him.

By the zoning of the governor to the north, Cross River power tussle has become a thing of the past. From now onwards, it is going to be an easy affair. Every senatorial district would know when its turn has come to avoid the struggles by all people causing so much damage, bitterness, bad blood and acrimony.

It is from this perspective that Senator Liyel Imoke bases his consideration when he reasons that for equity and fair play, the next governor should come from the northern senatorial district. So let us not attempt to gloss over or cover this lifetime achievement by Imoke. If we do so, we would be taking the crown from the elephant killer to the elephant eater.

•Uko writes from Calabar

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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NATIONSPORT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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IGERIA Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Jaguar teams at the weekend ruled the 5th Korean Ambassador’s Taekwondo Championship.

NSCDC, the defending champion in the male category retained the title it won in 2013 after beating Oyo to the podium in the final while NSCDC female team could not repeat the feat of their male counterpart as they conceded defeat to Jaguar team at the three-day tournament held at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park in Lagos.

In the presence of the Minister of Sports/Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC), Tammy Danagogo, who described taekwondo as a sport with a lot of potential for Nigeria at international tournaments, NSCDC were at their best to clinch the coveted trophy ahead of others.

I have come to know that Taekwondo is one sport where Nigeria has lots of potentials and I am really impressed and elated that every effort is been made by the federation, government at all levels particularly the states and federal government and of course private individuals and corporate organisation to ensure that we harness these talents for future podium performance,” the minister said.

To clinch the title for the second time, NSCDC overcame Oyo 37-22 points. An excited member of the NSCDC male team, Bright Kolade attributed the victory to hardwork.

“We are the defending champions and I am so happy we won again this year.

This is the second gold we are winning as a team in this tournament which makes it interesting because it is coming back to back. Special thanks to our coach because he did it. He is a national coach and I can say he is the best,” he boasted.

In the Poomsea event, Kano and Ogun dominated the event with Kano female team garnering 34.80points while Ogun led the male category with 30.10points closely followed by Lagos with 29.40points.

The Kano team was led by Commonwealth Champion, Adaeze Asigbe, who attributed their victory to determination and commitment of the team.

For the President, Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), George Ashiru, the tournament was aimed at discovering the best of the bests that will represent the country in subsequent tournaments.

“In this year’s championship we are working with teams and because it is an open tournament, we can have like two teams from same state. We have about forty teams from all over the country including the armed forces and police.

Even the civil defense teams who are the defending champions are here too.

Basically, we are looking for the best of the bests, so this tournament is not a grassroots tournament. It is for teams with strong athletes coming together trying to compete”, the NTF boss said.

•Onyinyechi Mbah

N

OTABLE music stars across the African continent are billed to entertain guests at the 2014 GloCAF Awards which holds in Lagos on January 8, 2015.

The awards, dubbed as Oscars of African Football, is held annually in celebration of the continent’s finest football stars.

Prominent names in world sports, particularly soccer, as well as other spheres of life, such as business, politics and entertainment are expected to grace the occasion.

Among the music stars expected to thrill guests at the high octane continental event are Congo DRC’s multiple awardwinning song writer, singer and guitarist, Fally Ipupa; global Jazz icon, Hugh Masekela from South Africa, and Egyptian folk singer and the first person from an Arab country to perform at a Nobel Prize ceremony.

Others include the Soweto Gospel Choir from South Africa, sensational singing group, Uhuru, pan African group, Cirque D'Afrique; and Tanzania’s prominent multiple award winning singer, Diamond.

From the home front, some of the biggest stars in Nigeria are also expected to light up the evening. They include the wavemaking highlife artiste and Globacom Ambassador, Flavour, Hip hop sensations and Globacom Ambassadors, P-Square and Wande Coal, Afrobeat icon, who is also a Globacom Ambassador, Lagbaja, and one of Nigeria’s most prominent female singers and Globacom Ambassador, Omawumi.

“It is a careful selection of music stars and highly decorated performers, whose songs are currently ruling the airwaves across the continent” said Mr. Ashok Israni, Globacom's Regional Marketing Director, West Africa. According to him, the stars are expected to take turns performing at different stages of the awards.

One of the highest points of the night for many fun lovers, especially Jazz lovers, would be the live performance of the legendary South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer, Hugh Masekela.

Masekela has performed on some of the best stages across the world, and has picked a number of high profile awards along the way including Ghana Music Awards' African Music Legend award in 2007, Lifetime Achievement Award by Channel O and BBC Radio Jazz Awards’ International Award of the Year in 2002.

ByAdeyinka AdeyinkaAdedipe Adedipe By

Omeruo wants Boro in EPL next season •Ready for Ipswich challenge

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UPER Eagles' defender, Kenneth Josiah Omeruo has disclosed that it would be his desire to see his on-loan club, Middlesbrough in the premiership at the end of the current season after the club's electrifying start to the season.

The Riverside are second on the Championship log with 39 points from 21 games same point as first placed AFC Bournemouth but are behind because of Bournemouth superior goals.

Omeruo was missing in action last weekend 2-0 home win over Derby County after the head coach of Boro, Aitor Karanka chose to rotate his squad in order to give other players fair chance to prove themselves.

The Nigerian is expected to come back into the fray on Saturday when his team travels away to face Ipswich Town which once paraded George Finidi.

Speaking through his advisor, Chika Akujobi, Omeruo stated that the pre-season had by Boro has been the reason for the club's impressive start to the season adding that it would be his personal obsession to see the club in the premier league after the club's poor start to life in the Championship last season.

Omeruo joined the club during the January transfer last season aimed at boosting his chances of going to the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosted by Brazil which he did and he decided to go back to same club at the beginning of the season to properly oiled his skills before going back to Chelsea his parent club.

The Eagles' defender has refused to be drawn into the issue of whether he would like to make his move to Middlesbrough permanent stating that only Chelsea, which he committed his immediate future to at the beginning of the season has the final sign say on where he would be playing next.

"Kenneth didn't play against Derby because Aitor Karanka believes in the rotation of his players to bring out the best in them. He has good defenders and he decided to allow Kenneth to rest stating that he would play the next league game against Ipswich Town.

"He played exceptionally well in their last away win at Millwall but other players must be given chance to prove themselves too so as to make them happy.

From Tunde Liadi,Owerri " He also told me that he would be happy to have Boro in the premiership but he doesn't want to be drawn to the question whether he would like to remain with the club permanently for now because he is still a player of Chelsea," Akujobi quoted Omeruo to have said.

Omeruo has been a constant feature in the national team since he debuted for the country during the FIFA U17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria in 2009 where the Golden Eaglets grabbed a silver medal. He has gone ahead to represent the country in the U-20 and the Super Eagles.

With just 21 years of age, Omeruo is also still eligible to feature for the U23 team under the guide of Samson Siasia.

• Olawale Edun

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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The court has not been shown any extradition treaty between Nigeria and the Netherlands upon which the application sought could have been granted

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See page 38

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

For the parties, it was a week of primaries. But the exercise was full of woes for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)in Kano, Kwara, Adamawa, Abia, Delta, Kogi, Oyo, Ondo, Rivers, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kogi and Lagos States, among others, it was chaotic at governorship and assembly primaries. What does this portend for democracy and the rule of law? Lawyers share their views with PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU .

All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigwe-Oyegun

People Democratic Party (PDP), Adamu Mu’azu

A tale T of woes INSIDE

O many, it is worrisome that 15 years after the return to democracy, politicians are yet to learn to accept defeat. Politics without rancour remains an illusion. The do-or-die approach to seeking political office has become the norm. Many, are yet to imbibe democratic ethos.

The desperation to achieve power by all means, fair and foul, was witnessed during the governorship and assembly primaries. It was tales of crises in nearly all the states involving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants.

The All Progressives’ Congress (APC) has however, been exemplary in this respect. In all its primaries, which climaxed with its national convention in Lagos, there were no reports of rancour. But not so for the PDP.

Wanted: A revised extradition policy

Falana seeks convicted soldiers’ freedom

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Page 37

Continued on page 26

As Buhari, Ambode and Ugwuanyi emerge Page 37

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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LAW COVER CONT’D

A tale of woes •Continued from page 25 Tales of violence, deaths, lawlessness, malpractices and protestations greeted the ruling party’s primaries bringing to the fore the desperation to grab power at all cost among the political elite.

Nigerians watched in awe, as politicians moved against themselves. In some states, stooges replaced ‘preferred aspirants’. In others, the delegates’ lists, a prerequisite for the primaries, simply disappeared.

In Rivers and Lagos States armed thugs were used to scare away other aspirants and their supporters.

•Akeredolu

•Quakers

•Ngige

•Akanwa

Constituency 2, among others. In Nasarawa State, police claimed four people died during APC State Assembly primary but a source in the party denied the report.

Although analysts have described the hue and cries of some of the aggrieved aspirant as ‘bad-losers syndrome’, observers are of the view that the agitations if not properly handled, may sink democracy ship.

The tensions coming at a time the country is faced with security challenge; congested and perceived corrupt judiciary, economic crunch, among other issues threatening the stability of the country, observers fear political unrest may lead to an overthrow of democratic rule by the military.

ants on the basis of sex, religion, ethnicity, circumstance of birth or wealth.

It further stated that no party should set criteria or conditions to pre-qualify an aspirant to contest in its primaries as candidate except such conditions are in line with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the party’s Constitution, as approved by INEC, as well as the regulations, guidelines and directives of the Commission; and must within 21 days, submit a written communication to INEC primaries the date of its primaries, which must be held either directly or indirectly.

Tales of violence In Anambra State, a member of the House of Representatives, Victor Ogene, who sought re-election on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), dumped the party for APC, after alleging unfair treatment by Governor William Obiano.

He claimed that the governor had ‘doctored’ the list to favour his preferred candidate.

Aggrieved party faithful in Abia State claimed the assembly primaries did not take place as preferred candidates’ names were written and submitted to the headquarters.

Where primaries were allowed to take place, the accreditation processes were marred with alleged fraud and irregularities to ensure the emergence of an anointed candidate. People alleged that elected and statutory delegates’ lists were tinkered with since the names were not matched with pictures nor spelt out.

In Rivers State, 16 aspirants and their supporters have threatened to dump the party over what they termed favouritism and imposition of Nyesom Wike, as dictated by the presidency.

It was learnt that some of the aspirants led

by Tony Princewill and Bekimbo Dagogo-Jack stayed away from the primary because of a pending suit on the outcome of the state congress, which they said was a sham.

The story was similar in Ebonyi where Governor Martin Elechi, and former Health Minister and governorship aspirant, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu with other Elechi’s loyalists boycotted the exercise for want of credibility.

They kicked against the emergence of Elechi’s deputy, Dave Umahi as the party’s standard-bearer. Elechi threatened to leave the PDP if the situation is not addressed.

In Imo State, former governor, Ikedi Ohakim, called for the cancellation of the exercise alleging irregularities, bias and compromise from members of the electoral committee. Also, Ifeanyi Ararume cried foul over the emergence of Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives as the PDP governorship candidate. He hinged his grievance on alleged disparity in the number of accredited delegates and ballots cast.

Like Ararume, Musiliu Obanikoro, former Minister of State for Defence and Lagos PDP governorship aspirant decried what he termed a complete sham and eyesore where the number of votes cast surpassed the number of accredited delegates.

Obanikoro also kicked against the violence that marred the primaries, accusing one of the leaders of using hoodlums and unlawful means to impose his preferred candidate.

The situation was no different in Enugu State as two aspirants, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Ayogu Eze laid claims to being governorship candidates following parallel primaries. It was learnt that a disagreement arose between them, on one hand, and the electoral panel on the delegates’ list. The contenders including Prof. Onyeke Onyeke, claimed to be the party’s authentic flag bearer.

Akwa Ibom, Kwara, and Yobe States PDP had their share of alleged imposition, with 22 aspirants threatening to jump ship in Akwa Ibom for underhand dealings in the primaries that favoured the governor’s anointed candidate, Odum Emmanuel It was the same story during the State Houses of Assembly and National Assembly primaries across political parties, including Ekiti where Dr. Ayo Arise accused the governor, Ayo Fayose of doctoring doctoring delegates’ list to favour his candidates.

In Lagos, four persons were allegedly killed at Apena, Mainland Constituency 1, during the APC House of Assembly primaries following alleged violent protest by supporters of a politician. There were also protests in Ifako/Ijaiye Constituency 2 and Kosofe

Benchmark lowered?

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the primaries were of low standard compared to those of 2011.

Cross River Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mike Igini wondered why the delegates’ list, which is an equivalent to the voter’s register, was not made available to all stakeholders, including INEC observers in most cases.

He said: “The primaries process witnessed so far in the state (Cross River) are far below the standard of 2011 and this is not encouraging. It is strange that list of delegates, which is equivalent of voters’ register that should ordinarily comprise elected adhoc and statutory delegates for the various elections, that ought to be made available to all stakeholders including INEC has become a matter of conjecture and work in process.”

Is the umpire culpable?

In line with Paragraph 15, Part 1 of the Third Schedule and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) INEC under its current leadership, Prof. Attahiru Jega issued regulations for the conduct of political party primaries for the nomination of candidates for various positions.

Among the rules are that a party seeking to participate in any election organised by the commission must conduct primaries, wherein all eligible members of the party must be given equal opportunity to participate; political parties must not create rules or impose conditions or set high expression of interest or nomination fees that could exclude aspir-

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Lawyers speak A former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) said the crises would not affect next year’s elections.

He added that subsitution of candidates after election may no longer be possible.

“Such a situation can no longer occur because it has been settled that someone who did not sit for an election cannot be declared winner of a process he did not take part.

“The rancour was basically in the PDP and it is a reflection of the party. The APC primaries were transparent, free and fair. The aspirants have joined hands with the various candidates who emerged for the good of the party.

“The crises in the PDP will not affect the system because election the timetable is out, which will be strictly adhered to. If anything, it is the PDP that will be destroyed for its lack of internal democracy. Parties must be honest and have transparent process.

“Once processes are transparent, participants in a contest will have no reason to deny the result,” he said.

Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) blamed the unfortunate situation on INEC, insisting that if the commission had done its job as it should, political parties would have sat up.

“What is happening is because of the failure of INEC to do its job as it should. The model for primaries was the APC Presidential primary election where all contestants were allowed to participate and at the end of the day, the ballots were counted in public glare.

“INEC folds its arms and allow parties bridged their own constitution and even the country’s constitutional provision of fair hearing. INEC has not said anything about PDP’s

The road to democracy is hard because rules and procedures are observed more in the breach. If we follow the rules and allow the people to freely exercise their franchise in a transparent environment, rancour and will be removed and the process will gain legitimacy

‘

adoption of the President as its sole candidate and so, the governors are following suit.

“If INEC had given a very strict warning to parties that it would not tolerate unlawful practices in the conduct of primaries, and even go ahead to reject candidates produced through such practices, the political parties would be forced to do the right thing,” said Ngige.

Constitutional lawyer Norrison Quakers (SAN) stated that lack of political ideology was the bane of the anomalies in elections.

He attributed the rancorous primaries to the problem of winner takes all, which is not about service but gastrointestinal considerations at different levels.

“To nip these abnormalities in the bud, well informed and mature electorate must emerge and a truly independent electoral institution put in place. The quest for political office is not about service, but about personal enrichment or financial liberation.

“These trends will be curtailed, if those who had corruptly enriched themselves in the service of the nation are prosecuted and their illgotten wealth forfeited to the state.

“Disqualification of candidates is not within the purview of INEC but the Court. I believe if the judiciary is allowed to fast track the hearing and determination of disqualification of cases before election for pre-election issues and election tribunals for post election issues, political parties would be careful in nominating and sponsoring candidates for elections.

“The Police and the DSS should be allowed to screen all candidates for party primaries and any candidate with criminal record or is facing criminal trial or insolvency suit should not be allowed to participate in party primaries. The enforcement agencies should be apolitical and non partisanship,” he said.

To Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture Abdul Oroh, a lawyer, corruption is the crux of the matter because power seekers do not have the intention to serve.

He stated that the inordinate quest for political power can only be quelled if the people are allowed to freely exercise their franchise.

“The road to democracy is hard because rules and procedures are observed more in the breach. If we follow the rules and allow the people to freely exercise their franchise in a transparent environment, rancour and will be removed and the process will gain legitimacy.

“Corruption is at the heart of this inordinate quest for power because public service is now basically the great wealth. If the intention of power seekers is to serve the people and the nation, there is likelihood that the rule of law would be respected and accepted. The case is worse in PDP because most of its members believe once you’ve gotten the nomination you will be elected either by hook or crook.

To Lagos lawyer and activist Theopilus Akanwa, the practice of anointed candidates should be discouraged and ‘godfatherism’ completely eliminated in the nation’s polity.

He said: “The idea of anointing a candidate over the other aspirations by the sitting governors are the major causes of the crises.

Godfatherism also plays a serious role in the crises. The idea of anointing a candidate over others should be avoided as such an anointed candidate may not be the choice of the people.

“Let the will of the people be supreme. The attractions attached to political offices should drastically be reduced to avoid the do or die approach. Politicians should be made to understand that they are servants of the people.”

Former NBA Ikeja Chairman, Monday Ubani, said the PDP primaries, particularly in the southern part of the country, questioned the party’s internal democracy and exposed the absence of the rule of law.

“No one gives what he or she does not have.

Democratic practices and observance of rule must start from the political parties which is the foremost institution in any democracy.

Unfortunately after 15 years of return to democratic rule, we seem to have learnt and imbibe nothing as people who are in democracy.

“I monitored PDP primaries all over the country, especially that of Abia where I come from, and my findings and conclusions are that the political elite are not ready to do Nigeria and Nigerians any good, rather, what motivates and rules over their lives is self; how much they can grab and steal from Nigeria’s treasury as a conquered territory.

Their devilish plans start from congresses through which delegates for the primary elections are elected. The governors or the godfathers in places where the state is not controlled by them do not allow elections to hold at the wards or at the states.

•Continued on page 28

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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LAW & SOCIETY Text of a paper presented by Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN) at a Lawyers in the Media (LIM) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) forum.

Media, law and good governance

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VER the past century, the relationship between the media and government at various times in Nigeria has always been largely governed by suspicion. In Nigeria, the ruling class is hardly comfortable with the media and the media on their part look at the government with suspicion. The history of the media in Nigeria has always been characterised by two major forms of ownership, those owned by the government and those owned by private individuals.

These two forms of media ownership are all driven by separate agendas. The government media houses are used mainly as instruments of image-making for the government while the private media owners are driven by different motives, which could include profit making, agenda setting, and the gaining of political influence which can be later translated into political and business gains.

The government is naturally wary of some of the activities of the media while the media seeks to provide information to the public and ensure good governance.

We therefore have a stalemate. It is even more interesting when one considers the fact that the same government requires the media to educate the public on some of its unpopular policies. An example could readily be found in the fuel subsidy debate that occurred in 2012. The government required the press to sell its proposed policy of gradual subsidy removal to the populace. The suspicion with which the government views the media could be traced to what is widely accepted as the ability of the media to influence public opinion. This belief may not be farfetched when one considers the significant contribution made by the media towards the political decolonization of Nigeria from the hands of the British. It is on record that the founding fathers of Nigeria i.e. the nationalists like Dr. NnamdiAzikwe, Herbert Macaulay, Chief ObafemiAwolowo, SAN, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to mention a few, started their careers as press editors and publishers.In 100 years of the media in Nigeria therefore, the media has been worse off. Journalists, playwrights, poets, novelists and editors have all felt the wrath of the government on the numerous occasions that they have demanded good governance. They have been imprisoned, their newspapers banned and have faced kangaroo trials. This is without mentioning the uncountable occasions that members of the Armed Forces have “accidentally” killed or “accidentally” brutalised media practitioners. The Media has also not helped matters with largely lopsided, even if satirical write-

ups, selective reporting and some irresponsible journalism. A misrepresentation of a government policy for instance or an agenda driven write-up on the activities of the government could if not managed properly, cause unprecedented chaos, particularly with the advent of the internet.

The government is therefore under no illusions as to what a completely unfettered media in Nigeria can do. The media is also under no illusions on what a completely unchecked government can do. It is therefore an interesting relationship; one underlined by the fact that they both need each other. The media and the government have always worked together if not handin-hand and it is worthy of mention that the President, the Vice President, the Governors of each state and other high ranking government officials have media aides, selected from among media practitioners, who assist them in liaising with the media and the Nigerian populace.Flowing from the above, it would not be out of place to emphasize that it is on this fragile relationship, this delicate game of confidence, that a huge chunk of Nigeria’s future leans.

Media and law : An appraisal of the current media laws in Nigeria We have in over 100 years of the media in Nigeria, promulgated and enacted several decrees and Acts with a view to regulating the sector at one point or the other.

To that end, several laws have been put in place by successive governments, to keep the media in check. While this may sound oppressive, one needs tobear in mind the fact that without laws to its operations, the media would be practically impossible to control and we would then have on our hands, a problem bigger than any we have ever faced. Imagine a country where you could broadcast or print anything without checks; ethnic write-ups, unfettered extremist religious teachings, inciting speeches, unsubstantiated rumours, sensitive classified information and a host of others. Such a country would stumble from one crisis to another until it eventually goes off the rails and spins inexorably into orbit. To drive the message closer to home, imagine a situation where a privately owned Newspaper and perhaps one or two privately owned online media outfits, report that there has been a bloody coup in Nigeria. Immediately, there would be panic and the news, even if false, would spread really fast due to the infinite reach of the media. In the event that the government is unable to respond on time to these allegations, Nigerians would begin to believe it and gradually, other countries.

There is no telling what that could lead to for the country; politically and economi-

cally.

Law is, therefore, the only civilized instrument with which the activities of the mass media, be it government owned or privately owned can be effectively regulated.

Improvement in Media-Government relationship It is imperative that the media and the government improve their relationship as their partnership is key to a successful Nigeria. In advanced countries, the media and the government, while they may have divergent views on issues, express these views within the ambits of legality and decency. In Nigeria however, the reverse is the case. Nigerians regularly take to twitter, facebook and other social media to insult the government. While it is true that governments and heads of government are insulted on social media in foreign, advanced countries, such insults are not as pronounced as they are in Nigeria.

The Electronic and Print Media are no different. Government officials are regularly depicted as ‘clueless’ and incompetent through headlines, editorials and private contributions from individuals. Successive Nigerian Governments on their part, have also earned a reputation over the years for the treatment meted out to members of the media most especially the detention and physical manhandling of media practitioners by members of the armed forces. This is without mentioning the oppressive laws and decrees of the past, some of which are still operative even today.

I believe there exists today, a high level of distrust between the government and the media. The media, especially the private media, must show that they are ready to engage the government in intellectual, robust debate and not unjustifiable witch-hunting or unwarranted criticism. If for instance, the government as represented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducts a free and fair election, the media outlets should acknowledge this fact irrespective of the political leanings of their owners. The current terrorist activities of insurgents in Nigeria should also unite the media and the government. Such activities should not be seen as an avenue to highlight the failings of the government without offering viable alternative solutions. The same goes for the recent Ebola outbreak in Lagos.

The government must also treat the media with more respect and trust. They should sieve their various suggestions and identify those that are useful while respectfully doing away with those that are not. The Special Assistants to government officials on Media should also help to link up both

•Gadzama

groups in this regard. It is expected that with these measures put in place, 100 years of the media in Nigeria would not have been wasted.

Conclusion: A cursory glance at the historical background of the mass media and law in Nigeria, will reveal both as partners in the struggle to sustain good governance in Nigeria.

It can be therefore bestated without fear of contradiction that law and the mass media are not strange bed fellows in the struggle for good governance in the past 100 years in Nigeria. Through the media, the Nigerian populace has always been sensitized on the policies and programmes of government affecting their individual and collective interests. The relevant laws regulating media practice in Nigeria also assist in regulating their activities and curbing possible excesses that could result in anarchy if left unchecked. The success recorded by the media through purposeful journalism would not have been achieved without certain regulatory bodies controlling their affairs.

The recently passed Freedom of Information Act 2011 is a right step in the right direction. With this piece of legislation, a fairer and better mass media environment is further guaranteed in Nigeria which will in turn foster more transparent governance.

•Concluded

•From left: Representative of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Gbola Odugbesan, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof. Deji Adekunle and Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun at the Jadesola Akande Memorial Lecture held at the Akoka campus of NIALS .

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

28

NATIONAL BAR

NBA Abuja elects new officers

T

HE Abuja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has elected officers to run its affairs for the next two years.

Mr Agada Elachi was elected chairman.

Other officers are Betty Umegbulem (ViceChairman), Kolawole Omotunigbon (Secretary), Christopher Etche (Treasurer), Silas Joseph Onu (Publicity Secretary), Chinedu Obienu (Welfare Secretary), Philemon Yakubu (Financial Secretary), Nduka Okatta (Social Secretary), Obioma Ezenwabodo (Provost) and Ego Umukoro (Assistant Social Secretary).

The contestants for the post of Assistant Secretary and Assistant Financial Secretary were disqualified because they did not pay their local dues as at when due.

The new officers were inaugurated immediately and they have taken the mantle of leadership from the U.M.Yamah led administration.

Elachi holds a Degree in Law (LL.B) from the University of Jos, Plateau State. He attended the Nigerian Law School, Bwari and was called to the Nigerian bar in 1999.

He has been engaged in active legal prac-

tice with a bias for resolution disputes outside the conventional Litigation system. He has varied experience in the practice of law covering areas like commercial law and company practice.

He is a qualifiedand Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) certified capital market operator. He is also actively engaged in investment and real estates practice, advising individual clients and corporations.

Agada has over a decade’s experience as an Alternative Dispute Resolution expert with a bias for mediation and arbitration.

Agada has a more than passing interest in the academia and served for two years as an external resource person for the Benue State University, Makurdi (Abuja Study Centre).

He holds a postgraduate degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan and is a member of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP). He is currently in pursuit of a doctoral degree in Public Policy and Administration specializing in Terrorism Mediation and Peace with the Walden University (USA).

A tale of woes

•Agada

•Continued from page 26 “I am not surprised with the hullabaloo that greeted the outcome of these primaries because the party has murdered internal democracy and they will not dare to sleep until they put their house in order. The most grievous of them all is that PDP national office did set up an Appeal Panel that receives appeal from aggrieved candidates but deliberately do not attend to such petitions, yet they will punish any member who goes to court for a redress of the injustice on the ground that such a member has not exhausted the internal dispute resolution mechanism, when they know that such does not exist. ‘‘The desperation must be nipped in the bud if we want to make progress. The party must make a conscious effort to enthrone transparency in the process. All the lapses enumerated above are the handiwork of the party and, most times, they are allowed deliberately to ensure the emergence of their preferred candidates who most of the time may not be acceptable and credible. It is a costly act for them unless they correct themselves before the national election.”

Lagos community urges court to remove monarch

T

HE Ewade Ruling House of Igboye in the Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State has gone to court to seek the removal of their traditional ruler, Michael Onakoya.

The claimants are praying Justice Iyabo Kasali of the Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, to declare that the monarch is not a member of the Ewade Ruling House.

They added that he is not entitled to be nominated to the stool of the Orijeru of Igboye.

They sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Onakoya from parading himself as a member of the Ewade Ruling House or presenting himself for the stool of Orijeru of Igboye on the ruling house’ platform.

The claimants also prayed for an order barring the Lagos State Government, its Attorney-General, and the Head of the Ewade Ruling House, Otunba Abdulwasiu Musa-Adebamowo (who admitted the claimants claims) from recognising Onakoya.

Justice Kasali awarded N100,000 cost against Onakoya’s counsel, Mr Babatunde Osilaja, for failing to lead his witness in

By Joseph Jibueze

evidence, thereby stalling hearing in the case.

Osilaja had called a witness, Fatai Mustapha, who was not earlier listed to testify. The claimants’ lawyer, Mr Babatunde Oyende, pointed out that Osilaja was supposed to call Onakoya, who was the only witness he listed, and not Mustapha.

Osilaja then apologised for the “mix-up”, saying his secretary gave him the wrong file, which got him confused. He said he was not prepared to lead Onakoya in evidence, and therefore, sought an adjournment to enable him “put things in order.”

Oyende and Musa-Adebamowo’s lawyer, T.A. Dairo, asked for N100,000 cost each after “vehemently” opposing the request for an adjournment, but Justice Kasali awarded them N50,000 each.

The claimants are Alhaji M. A. Quadri, Chief Dauda Kadiri, Mrs Oladipe Otunowo (for themselves and as representatives of the Osekelu Branch of the Ewade Ruling House); Chief Gbenro Otunowo, Mr Yemisi Adegboyega and Mr Adeleke Ogunnubi (for themselves and as representatives of Okuyemi/Okuboyejo Branch of the ruling

house).

They alleged that the monarch is of the Erelu Ruling House, and that unless the court restrains him, he could deprive them their lawful right of producing the next traditional ruler.

“Onakoya has, with the active connivance of the heads of the ruling houses, been parading himself as a member of the Ewade Ruling House whose turn it is to present the next Oba Orijeru of Igboye with the sole intention of depriving the bonafide members of the Ewade Ruling House of their birthright of contesting for and ascending the throne of the Oba of Orijeru of Igboye,” the claimants said.

But Onakoya denied the claims, saying his occupation of the throne was legal and based on an agreement by all the ruling houses in Igbooye, a contract which he said was reduced into writing in 1987 and in 1989 and 1991.

The monarch said his unanimous nomination and appointment followed all traditional conventions and customary laws, adding that the suit is “a collusive action tainted with malice, greed, inordinate ambition and selfishness.”

Justice Kasali adjourned till March 10 and 11 next year for continuation of hearing.

•Chief Judge of Lagos, Justice Funmilayo Atilade

Firm launches court management software

By John Austin Unachukwu

N

IGERIA’S foremost legal technolo gies company, Grace InfoTech Lim ited has launched its latest initiative in courts technologies, the enhanced LawPavilion Court Management Software.

The product was unveiled at the E-Courts Conference in West Charlestown, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States (US).

The e-courts conference brings together stakeholders in legal technologies as they relate to courts, court processes and records as well as court management/administration.

The enhanced LawPavilion Court Management Software is first of its kind as it boasts of several innovative features, which make its functionality sheer pleasure.

It has two unique features namely: The Judicial Performance Management Support Module and the Court Rules Compliance

Management Module.

The Judicial Performance Management Support Module, according to Grace Info Tech Limited Managing Director, Ope Olusaga, offers ease and convenience to individual judicial officers, Heads of Courts (such as Chief Judges) and the National Judicial Council (NJC) in collating, analysing and evaluating performance of judicial officers/workers within a specified period.

Olugasa said: “Research has shown all around the world that efficient performance review and evaluation of judicial officers are best done using available technology, which can sift through thousands of records and generate a pictorial view by means of graphs to depict performance for reward and promotion “This enhanced module will assist judicial officers to quickly compile their periodic reports with minimal inconvenience because as judicial officers give their rulings or judg-

•Olugasa

ments, such rulings or judgments are automatically populating the judicial returns form, which has been integrated into the module.

“The Judicial Performance Management Support Module will also assist decision makers in the judiciary to verify the volume of cases pending within the entire court system at any point in time, whether at the state or Federal levels. This will greatly assist in appropriate manpower planning for the Judiciary and eventually speed up the process of adjudication and justice delivery in Nigeria.”

The Civil Procedure Rules Compliance Module was designed with judicial officers in mind. It is a simple interface within the court manager software, which has been populated with the relevant civil procedure rules of the applicable court where the judicial officer is sitting. It is specifically customised for each court’s use in accordance with the applicable rules of court for that court.”

Alleged N28m fraud: Court orders estate agent’s arrest

J

USTICE Oluwatoyin Ipaye the Ikeja High Court in Lagos has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of an estate agent, Ishola Salawudeen, over an alleged N28million fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is accusing Salawudeen of defrauding 120 prospective tenants of about N28 million.

Justice Ipaye issued the warrant following Salawudeen’s failure to appear in court for his arraignment.

The defendant’s alleged accomplice, Babatunde Habeeb, was, however, in court.

His absence prompted the judge to order

By Adebisi Onanuga

his arrest.

Ipaye ordered the police to arrest and produce Salawudeen before the court on the next adjourned date of January 15,2015 for the arraignment of the defendants.

The EFCC counsel, Mr Ben Ubi, had alleged that the defendants collected various sums of money from accommodation seekers between May and December 2013 in Lagos.

Ubi said the obtained the money from the complainants under the pretense of securing accommodation for them at No.59,

Oriola St., Alapere, Ketu, a Lagos suburb.

He listed those swindled by the defendants to include Vincent Anthony, Adebunmi Damola, Rilwan Lawal and Azeez Ogundiran, among others.

Ubi said their offences contravened Sections 1(1) and 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.

The first defendant is also facing a similar charge before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of an Ikeja High Court where he is facing trial for allegedly defrauding Mr Attah Ocholi of N320,000 under the pretext of helping him secure a two-bedroom apartment.

•EFCC chairman Ibrahim Lamorde

Newspaper of the Year

AN 8-PAGE PULLOUT ON NORTHERN STATES

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

PAGE 29

Honour for Suswam’s wife •PAGE 30

Senior Advocate ordained •PAGE 31

•The internally displaced at a camp in Abuja

Displaced by Boko Haram, neglected in Abuja Fleeing from the guns and bombs of insurgents, internally displaced persons (IDPs) from the Northeast hoping to find shelter and relief in the Federal Capital Territory are ignored by the authorities. GBENGA OMOKHUNU and GRACE OBIKE report that they are grappling with the worst circumstances

T

HEY must be grateful for surviving the insurgents but after that, daily living has presented internally displaced people (IDPs) from the Northeast with unspeakable challenges. Several towns in their home states have been overrun by Boko Haram fighters, the invaders’ black flags announcing the conquest. So many have been gunned down or killed by bombs. A good number have been kidnapped. Many more, though, survived and have fled to just about anywhere they can find shelter and relief. The less terrorised parts of the region are saturated with these fleeing residents of the frontline states such as Yobe, Adamawa and Borno.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is not spared. The IDPs are continuously streaming in, first finding shelter with relatives and friends but soon discovering that they are putting undue pressure on their hosts. Such problems as overcrowding and feeding challenges have pushed them further on to various locations.

At those locations, life is almost unbearable. Neither the FCT leadership nor the Federal Government has made any provisions for them.

‘Life is almost unbearable. Neither the FCT leadership nor the Federal Government has made any provisions for them. Feeding is as much a problem as is shelter. When they find something to eat, there is no water, so they make do with filthy stream water. With the cold season setting in, the displaced people are at the mercy of the elements, too’ Feeding is as much a problem as is shelter. When they find something to eat, there is no water, so they make do with filthy stream water.

With the cold season setting in, the displaced people are at the mercy of the elements, too.

Some individuals once offered the IDPs farmlands to build temporary shanties until they could return home but some yet-to-beidentified armed people, said to be security agents, raided the location

and reportedly shot at some of the displaced people, even arresting a few. Some escaped with bullet wounds and fled to Nasarawa State and some villages in the FCT. Although the Federal Government and FCT administration are aware of the existence of these people, they have refused to assist or associate with them. The IDPs now survive from assistance from well-meaning Nigerians or on odd jobs since they do not have any cer-

tificate or means of identification that can provide them with better jobs at the seat of power.

The Nation discovered that there are about eight settlements of IDPs in Abuja alone documented by the organisation, Ending Terrorism and the Restoration of our Ancestral Homeland, Northeast Nigeria.

There are four settlements around Apo which include Waru, Wa’asa, Zintili and Panteka; there is another around Jabi Airport Road after the bridge and some around Area 1 but they are living inside and one can hardly identify them until you go there with some aid.

They are scared after the experience with the security agents.

Although well-meaning Nigerians have tried to assist the displaced people, there are reports that some politicians about a month ago tried to take advantage of their situation. The report said that the politicians visited the displaced people and offered them T-shirts and cap, promising to give them N10,000 if they agreed to return to their troubled communities to vote for them.

A non-governmental organisa•Continued on page 33

4,560 patients treated in Ochekpe’s outreach •PAGE 32

‘Let’s fix streetlights to keep criminals •PAGE 34 away’

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

30

THE NORTH REPORT

Lawmaker launches micro-credit loans

T

HERE is something to cheer among the Yagba people of Kogi State. Hon. Sunday Karimi who represents them at the House of Representatives has launched his jobs scheme called Yagba People Empowerment Initiative (YAPEIN).

It thrilled hundreds of beneficiaries of the micro-credit loan facility.

The lawmaker said he floated the scheme to assist low-income business entrepreneurs and start-up access to revolving soft loans to develop or grow their businesses.

On the occasion held at the Town Hall, Isanlu, Yagba East Local Council, Kogi State, each of 112 Cooperative Societies representing 1,120 soft loan beneficiaries in Mopamuro, Yagba East and Yagba West local Government Areas received their cheques for N200,000 per group.

Shedding more light on the programme, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of YAPEIN, Otunba

•Hon. Karimi

Funsho Ibrahim, who is also the Chairman of Yagba East Local Government Council, said the initiative was aimed at empowering thepeople at the grass roots level to create economics clusters for wealth creation thereby reducing unemployment.

Ibrahim said 4,400 people applied for the micro-credit soft loans out of which 112 groups representing 1,120 individuals benefited from the first phase. He said the second phase is billed for January 2015.

Hon Karimi said the success of the pilot scheme has dispelled the rumour making the rounds that YAPEIN was not real or a ploy to deceive the people of the area.

“I want to empower my people and make them happy. As you can see, the Yagba People Empowerment Initiative programme is real.”

He added, “Yagba People Empowerment Initiative has the sole purpose of economically empowering the resident indigenes of Yagba, improving their standard of Living and increasing the financial output of Yagbaland. This initiative is borne out of the realisation of the fact that the resident natives of Yagbaland are also adversely affected by the high level of Poverty prevalent in Nigeria. My passion for qualitative representation of Yagbaland in the National Assembly includes taking steps and initiatives to alleviate the poverty of the people back at home. If extreme poverty is to be eradicated and become a thing of the past, dashing out paltry or meagre sums of money upon calls from the people cannot be a permanent solution to poverty, (if it is a solution at all).

This is because for poverty to be effectively attacked, the causes of

poverty need be addressed. The causes of poverty include unemployment, lack of capital for small businesses and handcrafts, idleness, non-performance of the real sector and death of small scale businesses in Nigeria.

The launch witnessed the donation of eight Pathfinder Sports Utility Vans (SUVs) to traditional rulers in the constituency, three buses to the Peoples Democratic Party executives in the three local governments comprising Yagba Federal Constituency, while 80 motorcycles and 20 deep freezing refrigerators were also shared among youths and women respectively.

Karimi disclosed that out of the N200m target, he had lodged an initial sum of N34 million with the banks, representing the number of the electoral wards in the constituency, at N1m each.

Governor Idris Wada who was present at the ceremony inaugurated the trustees.

In April 2014, Hon Karimi added 13 more cars to various beneficiaries. It was on occasion of the 2014 Isanlu Day celebration. The empowerment items said to be worth over N10 million included nine Golf cars and four Ford space buses, all given out to new beneficiaries in addition to those distributed in December 2013.

Hon. Karimi also pointed out that the initiative, launched in 2013, would soon take off, noting that the administrative staff to run the programme had already been recruited. He added that forms were available for collection at various designated points in the three LGAs. A beneficiary, Gbenga Bello, a commercial motorcyclist, from Okedisin, Egbe, Yagba West Council, who got N20,000, the little sup-

•YAPEIN BOT chair, Funsho Ibrahim presenting a cheque to a beneficiary port from YAPEIN has helped him in his business in many ways.

“I have a monthly contribution of N5,000. I can now effectively pay for two months upfront, which means I am covered for the rest of the year. I still have N10,000 left to fuel and maintain my motorcycle.

It has brought me a relief because I can now plan and focus on other things including domestic needs of my family especially now that the

Christmas and New Year season is fast approaching”.

Ileri Oluwa Cooperative Society and Empowerment Cooperative Society which got N200,000 each commended Hon Karimi for the initiative, describing YAPEIN as unprecedented in the area.

The groups who have as members peasants, artisans and junior civil servants assured of judicious use of the facilities.

Honour for Suswam’s wife

A

•Family planning mothers with their babies

Mothers relish family planning

T

HE World Health Organisation preaches it. The government makes some pronouncements on it, not that everbody believes everything it says. Now, here is the best part: mothers are keying into it. They are planning their families and are the happier for it.

One of such women is 32-yearMargaret Michael. As soon as she got married, she agreed in principle with her husband to have only three children, which they believe will form a manageable size family for them. But she was not been able to keep faith with the plan. She started giving birth almost on a yearly basis. Although she would

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

not say when she got married or the number of children she has, she was quoted as saying, “For a very long time I have been hoping to see how I will plan my family by spacing my children but I keep giving birth almost every year. This is how fertile I can be…I don’t want to get pregnant. This has been a major worry in my martial home”.

Margaret, a resident of Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, was scared of family planning because she had a very vague notion of it. The information she heard was coupled with scary sto-

ries of strife and side effects.

She said, “I used to think that family planning destroyed the womb and made one to add weight. In short, so many side effects even our forefathers forbade it because a woman was meant to give birth to as many as she can”. However, Margret said that a chance meeting with a team of social mobilizers representing the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI) changed her notion and today, she said she is better off. The team, she said referred her to a health facility and “I am happy now and my oga (husband) are happy. Now we can enjoy ourselves without worrying about pregnancy.”

FTER raising the profile of Benue women for seven years, wife of the state governor, Mrs Yemisi Suswam has herself been honoured.

Through her project, the Sev Av Foundation, she helped women, the needy and children, among others.

Now, the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in the state has singled her out for recognition, calling her mother par excellence.

Several dignitaries attended the event which took place at IBB Square, Makurdi, the state capital.

First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan was represented by the wife of Senate president, Helen Mark.

From the 23 local government areas the state women groups turned up too. They also came with a truckload of presents which included oranges, fish, meat and all kind of farm produce in their locality. The Deputy Governor of the state, Chief Steven Lawani also graced the occasion.

It was a day Benue women demonstrated their love and admiration for the governor’s wife as they marched past her while she took the salute.

In their goodwill message, representatives of Benue Zone A, B and C, Mrs Margaret Igbetar, Elizabeth Ivase and Susan Adoba said Mrs Suswam has made a great impact in the lives of the state women.

The guest speaker and DirectorGeneral, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri commended the NCWS for honouring the governor’s wife, urging them to keep supporting her.

Chairman of the occasion and Min-

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

ister of Interior Comrade Abba Moro and lady chair of the occasion, former deputy governor of Plateau State Mrs Pauline Tallen both spoke in the same vein, saying Mrs Suswam has positively affected women and the less privileged.

Dame Patience Jonathan described the honoree as a kind and dependable friend deserving of honour.

The governor’s wife thanked the NCWS for the honour, urging more women to participate in politics and governance.

Governor Gabriel Suswam, who came late to the event, congratulated his wife, saying that soon he would set up a committee to celebrate men as well.

•Mrs Suswam

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

31

THE NORTH REPORT

Senior Advocate ordained

A

SENIOR Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), John Olusola Baiyeshea, has been ordained a Reverend of United Missionary Church of Africa (UMCA) in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The former counsel of University of Ilorin and three others, David Abolarin, Samuel Adesina and Sola Babatunde, were chosen as priests in a colourful ceremony.

Baiyeshea described their choice to serve as “a matter of absolute privilege for us”.

The newly ordained reverends were senior pastors of the church.

Before performing the ordination, President of UMCA, Rev Paul Awojobi urged members of the congregation that was predisposed to any secret sins that could disqualify then would-be reverends to come up with such.

Rev Awojobi added that ordained child of God should “not be selfwilled; not so angry; not giving to wine; not a striver; not given to filthy lucre but a lover of hospitality; a lover of good measure; sober; just; holy and temperate.”

In his message entitled: “I will build my church,” the guest lecturer, Rev Sunday Chini said their ordination was meant to assist in the building of the church.

Admonishing the new reverends, Rev. Chini said that ministry work is not avenue to amass wealth, but opportunity for the extending the frontiers of the kingdom of God on earth.

“If you are concerned about the church you will relate with all members equally. Jesus Christ came into this world because of the church. Everyman that wants peace in his life should not take any step that will trouble the church. But if you are looking for confusion and challenges in life then begin to take step to affect the church negatively,” the lecturer said.

Responding on behalf of his colleagues, the Ilorin-based lawyer said in the reckoning of man they were the least qualified.

His words: “On behalf of my colleagues and our wives, I stand here for the first time after our ordina-

•The new reverends and their wives at the ordination From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

tion to address the congregation of the people. Beyond that it is a period of very sober reflection for us.

We just imagine ourselves coming into the church; hide in some corner just to worship God; jump out after service and go to our houses.

Come again next Sunday make be during the week if there is programme you come again.

“Just quietly hideaway and go; but God said no. We don’t know how it happened. God is awesome and He just used his people to fish us out from our hiding places and bring us where we are today. The journey really started seven years ago. It is what God orders that He makes all through. So we have become reverends by his will not by our own qualifications at all. Because, if it were so we wouldn’t have been considered at all. As there are by far several more qualified people on ground, but God has chosen to visit us.

“Our response majorly and mainly is to appreciate God in our

‘If you are concerned about the church you will relate with all members equally. Jesus Christ came into this world because of the church. Everyman that wants peace in his life should not take any step that will trouble the church. But if you are looking for confusion and challenges in life then begin to take step to affect the church negatively’ lives and in the life of the congregation. We want to thank you all for your patient and waiting since morning.

We acknowledge the presence of

our lord Jesus Christ in the order of the church and who has assured us that he would build the church and the gate of hell will never be able to prevail.

Our healthcare plan, by doctors W

ORRIED about the decline in the health system, the Nigeria Medical Association has gathered in Jos, the Plateau State capital, to chart the way for-

•NMA in a press conference

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

ward. The doctors, at the end of their meeting, issued what they called the Jos Declaration.

National President of the NMA Dr. Lawrence Kayode Obembe who signed the 10-point communique on behalf of his members, said Nigeria is not lacking in qualified medical

doctors, only the political will of government to take care of the health needs of its own citizens.

“At the moment, the federal government has been starving the health sector of required funds. What the federal government has been giving to its health sector annual is less than 5% of its annual budget. But what the sector desires is 15% of the annual budget.

“This 15% we are demanding for is not an outrageous demand; this is the universal minimum standard for health coverage of a nation. Every Nigerian citizens is entitled to qualitative health coverage, this is the universal health declaration which Nigeria is signatory, we cannot afford to lag behind for this long.

“We wish to remind the three tiers of government on the need to ensure the setting aside of a minimum of 15% of the nation’s budgetary allocation to health. This is in consonance with the African Union’s 2000 treaty in Abuja Nigeria, knowing full well that this is the recommended minimal percentage for health. Universal Health Care coverage cannot be actualised without a reliable and realistic budgeting into the nation’s healthcare services.

Actually, one thing I would have taken away from the occasion of today is that whereas some people may wear their own promotion on their shoulders wherever they go by way of pride to showcase their pride all over the place. Our own is hanging on our throats. In fact, it is hanging on our necks, but I know by his grace and your prayers we shall not be strangulated.

We want to thank our elders and leaders of faith; people whom God has used ahead of time to go ahead of us as good examples for us to follow.

“We were privileged to be trained for five years at the theological college. That is the most difficult aspect of the training we ever had in all the schools we attended. Professors, engineers and lawyers are there but not enough for that place.

We needed to put that aside. Not because you are a lawyer and a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

When you get there you will discover that there is more than the position you carry. We thank you for supporting and raising us.”

The NMA further stated in their communiqué: “The NMA appreciates the FG’s recent initiative tagged “The 2014 Declaration” which aimed to ensure that the 30 per cent Coverage (UHC) target by 2015 set by the president is achievable.

The declaration sought to develop a blueprint on how to ensure UHC in the country, and charged all levels of government in the country to increase budgetary allocation to health with a portion earmarked for UHC priority interventions; define a standard benefits package of essential health services that address priority health care needs of Nigerians, and inaugurate appropriate committees that will initiate actions towards the realisation of the recommendations of the Presidential Summit.

“The NMA views this action as a right step in the right direction. The NMA commends the organisers of this summit and charge the Federal, State and Local Government authorities to faithfully implement the recommendations in the UHC 2014 Declaration to achieve the desired objectives.

“There is no gain doubting the critical role of a healthy population in promoting sustainable economic growth and national development.

To achieve this, we must not only institutionalise UHC, we need to •Continued on page 32

32

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

THE NORTH REPORT

4,560 patients treated in Ochekpe’s outreach

O

VER 4,560 ailing people have been treated in Zamko, Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State in a medical outreach launched by the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe. The effort is directed at drumming up support for President Goodluck Jonathan.

Of the number, 126 people had eye surgeries, 348 were given reading glasses while over 4,000 treated mosquito nets were distributed to nursing mothers and children.

Also, a total numbers of 118 major and minor surgeries were carried out successfully. The surgeries include hernia, fibroid and appendicitis. A total 3,833 HTC counseling were conducted.

In related development, about 33 snake bite patients were rushed to the centre and administered with Anti snake venom-EchiTAbG 10ml.

According to the Nurses on duty, one of such Anti snake venom cost between N20, 000 to N25,000 and one or two doses were given depending on the level of complication.

A sixty years old woman, Hanatu Dashe and eleven years old little

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

girl, Satya Ventnom both victims of snake bite were full of thanks to Mrs. Ochekpe who made it possible for them to get treatment quickly, which would have been impossible for them as treatment costs about N90,000 per patient.

Commenting on the entire exercise, Pastor Sonnie Reng, the General Administrator of the Outreach, disclosed that over 4,500 people were treated during the five days Free Medical Outreach in Langtang North.

According to him, the figure kept increasing day by day and therefore called on Mrs. Ochekpe not to relent in doing more for the people.

“Though when you reach out to people in this manner, you hardly get their appreciation back because most of them don’t know you in person, but their shout of glory announces your name in heaven”, he said.

In his remarks, the Lead Consultant on the Outreach, Dr. Talemoh Wycliffe Dah who is also the Director, Soteria-Afrique Rural Health Initiative one of the collaborating organizations in the Outreach, said

•Mrs Ochekpe addressing the patients that minor surgeries cost between N30, 000 to N40, 000 and major ones cost between N60, 000 to N70, 000 in rural areas like Langtang and could cost much more in the city.

charge, they were volunteers moved with passion for the plight of the ordinary people and their desire was to see that the Project succeeded.

Mrs. Ochekpe is full of gratitude to God for the successful completion of the 4th Edition of the Outreach to the South Senatorial District of Plateau State. She is deeply touched by the commitment and passion of the volunteers led by Dr. Talemoh Wycliffe of Soteria Afrique. She prayed God to bless them richly and grant quick recovery to all those treated.

‘Mrs. Ochekpe is full of gratitude to God for the successful completion of the 4th Edition of the Outreach to the South Senatorial District of Plateau State. She is deeply touched by the commitment and passion of the volunteers led by Dr. Talemoh Wycliffe of Soteria Afrique. She prayed God to bless them richly and grant quick recovery to all those treated’

•Pharmacists dispensing drugs to patients •Continued from page 31 develop our healthcare delivery systems. Adequately staffed and equipped hospitals need to be made available throughout the country, including the rural areas, where most Nigerians live.

“The UHC Declaration has rightly identified unequal quality of health care services, and shortage and maldistribution of human resources for health as key challenges. These manifest in the shortage and quality of health care services and human resources in our rural areas. The relevant authorities must resolve to redress this.

The NMA supports the Federal Government’s position on the importance of health to national development, and its identification of insurance as the best vehicle to achieve universal health coverage.

The socio-economic realities in the country at this time dictate that there is a dire need for the expansion of access to healthcare in the present-day Nigeria, requiring all levels of government and even non-governmental organisations to do everything possible to make health care available to all, especially those on the lower rungs of the social ladder. In this regard, the plan by the NHIS to enroll pregnant women and children under the age of five in the scheme by 2015 is

He further “thanked Mrs. Ochekpe for bringing succor to the teeming population of this area that needed urgent and serious medical care who ordinarily could not afford these services due to financial constraint”.

He praised the zeal and patience of the medical team, doctors, nurses, lab. scientists and attendants, pharmacists and other auxiliary workers who were up to 230 and volunteers willing to work for the five days. According to him,” all these workers mentioned here were doing these services free of

Our healthcare plan, by doctors ‘Health insurance is one sure way to provide health care for the poor. It is, indeed, the best way to ensure that both the rich and the poor can access healthcare wherever they live in the country.

It is the panacea for sustainable growth and development’ also a step in the right direction. It will help to increase the base of participants, reduce infant and maternal mortality, and move the nation closer towards the attainment of the objectives of the scheme.

Health insurance is one sure way to provide health care for the poor.

It is, indeed, the best way to ensure that both the rich and the poor can access healthcare wherever they live in the country. It is the panacea for sustainable growth and development. NMA strongly believes

that UHC will help to reduce Nigerians’ penchant for medical tourism, as it will provide a pool of funds to improve health care services in the country.

“It is our view that the presidential mandate of 30 percent coverage of Nigerians in the NHIS by 2015 is conservative enough. The relevant agencies of government should be able to achieve and even exceed this, if they demonstrate the necessary commitment to achieving the objective. The Federal Gov-

ernment has rightly set the ball rolling towards the achievement of this objective with the 2014 Declaration on UHC. The challenge now is in the courts of the three tiers of government to work towards the institutionalization of the scheme.

Sadly, only very few states have embraced the NHIS at the moment.

It has become imperative for all states to bring their workers on board. There is the need for greater commitment of the states to UHC. It is also necessary to increase the participation of the formal sector, which has not been impressive so far, while strategies are designed to bring in the largely untapped informal sector.

“To achieve UHC and increase enrollment in the NHIS, all hands must be on deck to promote public enlightenment on the benefits of health insurance. The NHIS must, however, intensify improvement (e.g. digitalisation) of its operations on its ongoing biometric data capturing of participants, which has already reportedly thrown up 100,000 fake enrollees.

Fraudsters must not be allowed to hijack and make nonsense of this very noble scheme.

Commenting on the ongoing strike by medical workers across the country, the medical doctors said, “The NMA is deeply perturbed by the burden of health challenges bedeviling the nation. This is compounded by the rat-race power tussle among healthcare givers threatening the already ravaged health care system in the country.

For the avoidance of doubt, the NMA wishes to inform Nigerians that doctors in Nigeria remain committed to providing qualitative health care services to the nation, even in the face of several challenges and difficulties. We hereby bring to the public notice that the members of the NMA are NOT on strike, but rather have continued to render services and keep the nation’s public health care facilities functional despite the current strike action being embarked upon by health workers. Members of the NMA will continue to keep health services running and shall not succumb to cheap blackmail. We, however, urge the government to honor all agreements so far reached with the Nigerian Medical Association, to boost the already bashed morale of the Nigeria doctor.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014 •Continued from page 29 tion was said to have visited the IDPs, attracting much media presence only to give the over 1,000 displaced people very little relief materials which caused a fight among them as they struggled to get the little they saw.

Aisha Hammid, an IDP from Gwoza, who is now sheltering in Wa’asa, said: “My husband is a welder but since we have been here only one organisation came to present some items to us but they were not enough. They brought ten bags of rice, one bag of sugar and nine blankets. They were shared and at the end of the day people fought because some did not get and my family did not even get any of the materials.

“The living conditions in most of the IDP settlements are so horrible and these people who obviously had comfortable houses back home have to live in degrading conditions; some live in shanties, others sleep in open fields while a few who can be said to be a bit lucky, like the Wa’asa community, live in an abandoned estate with no light and water and in some cases, no toilets, so they have to defecate in the bushes.

The stream in the Wa’asa community is almost dried up; snakes and cattle drink and defecate in the dirty yellowish water that the people drink and bathe in. When asked, the women explained that they throw alum into the water and lets it sit for a while before drinking. They also complained of the effects that the water was having on their children who now easily fall sick and have contracted various skin diseases.

A resident of Wa’asa, Mariam Muhammed, said, “I have five children. We have Gwoza, Bama people here and many others. We ran for our lives to settle here in Waasa village and we are about 3000. We are staying in an uncompleted estate by the mercy of those who are taking care of the houses. If by tomorrow peace is restored to these troubled villages we are willing to go back.

We are struggling to survive here.

“Things are hard to come by.

We the women stay at home while our husbands go out to look for what we will eat. My husband drives taxi while others ride Okada; the children are no more going to school because there is not much money; even to feed is a problem. We have been here now for about four months. Many of our people are still joining us but there is no more accommodation in this settlement. Many families are managing; for example, two families of 12 are sharing two rooms. No electricity, no potable water. The only water we drink, cook and wash with is from a dirty stream. We defecate inside the forest because there is no toilet facility. We are begging Government to come to our aid and save our soul. We are also Nigerians.”

Acting coordinator, Ending Terrorism and the Restoration of our Ancestral Homeland, Northeast Nigeria, Mr. Baba Oliver, an engineer, said that Northeastern youths are ready to take up arms and assist the military in the fight against Boko Haram to take back their ancestral homes if only the government is willing to train and give them weapons.

He also lamented that most aged parents, including his, are still trapped in their troubled communities, with some dying of hunger and exhaustion in caves and bushes since they cannot walk long distances like the younger ones to escape the insurgency.

His words, “From Gwoza, Madagali, Michika, up to Mubi,

Website: http://www.thenationonlineng.com

Page 33

•This is the water they drink

Displaced by Boko Haram, neglected in Abuja there is no way anybody can go back to Maiduguri; all those people displaced there ran through Cameroon to Yola and Yola is congested with no place to sleep; now what happened is that Abuja happens to be the centre of Nigeria where everybody from every Local Government has a brother, so if you run to your headquarters and there is nowhere for you to lay your head, what do you do? You try to run to where you can see your brothers to seek help.

“That was why people rushed to Abuja but when they came to Abuja, the houses of the brothers got filled up. What did they do? They now tried to live in camps which, we know, government went to disperse like the one in Durumi where security agents attacked the IDPs at night shooting at them, so they now dispersed all over like in Nasarawa State and some villages in Abuja

‘We the women stay at home while our husbands go out to look for what we will eat. My husband drives taxi while others ride Okada; the children are no more going to school; even to feed is a problem. We have been here now for about four months. Many of our people are still joining us but there is no more accommodation in this settlement. Two families of 12 are sharing two rooms. No electricity, no potable water. The only water we drink, cook and wash with is from a dirty stream. We defecate inside the forest because there is no toilet facility. We are begging Government to come to our aid and save our soul. We are also Nigerians’ like towards the end of Apo and other places.

“We have to talk because our first need is for the government to re-

capture our land for us; let us go back and cast our votes for the leaders we want and so that we can continue our businesses; all of us lost

our houses, businesses; we lost everything. Our communities are now filled with dead bodies and burnt-down houses; we are just asking for the return of our land.

“We are not only willing but on standby; if today we see that killing has stopped, by tomorrow, almost 90% of the IDPs in Abuja will go back because they do not have a source of living; most of them are in farm settlements and stay there trying to farm to feed or engage in menial jobs.”

He also said, “In our letter to the President and speech at the National Assembly, we made it known that we the youths came out to protest because our leaders have refused to talk; they will go to a board room or hotel room and sit down to pass a memorandum on paper which they have never •Continued on page 34

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

34

ABUJA REVIEW

T

O discourage criminality under the cover of darkness, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has directed that streetlight poles knocked down by vehicles be immediately replaced.

Mohammed asked the Department of Facilities Maintenance and Management to replaced the damaged poles in order to brighten up the nation’s capital and make it difficult for criminals to operate.

The Minister, who gave this directive in Abuja, said that the replacement of these streetlight poles would go a long way in providing full illumination of the entire city at night, thereby enhancing the security surveillance of the nation’s capital.

Mohammed reminded the Department that maintenance of public facilities has always been part and parcel of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Minister also directed that all the potholes found in the city should be patched to further enhance ease movement of vehicles thereby reducing traffic gridlock often experienced at peak hours in the Abuja metropolis.

He further instructed that all drainages be cleared and maintained to de-flood the roads and streets within the Federal Capital City, Abuja in preparation for the next raining season.

He, however, commended the department for the patching of potholes on some major streets and roads in the Federal Capital City namely; Tafawa Balewa Street before and after Garki District Hospital; Nnewi Street, Area 2, Garki; Imo Crescent/Moshood Abiola Junction, Area 2, Garki; and Birnin Kebbi Street in Garki II District, Abuja.

According to him, other streets that have been patched include the

•Abuja streetlights

‘Let’s fix streetlights to keep criminals away’ From Gbenga Omokhunu

junction of Yakubu Gowon Crescent and Murtala Muhammad Way; Junction of Muhammad Ribadu Street and Yakubu Gowon Crescent and Roundabout near SS Quarters-Murtala Muhammad Way all in the Asokoro District, Abuja.

“In Wuse I District, Mambolo Street, Zone 2; Gabes Street, Zone 2; Aswan Street, Zone 3; Suez Crescent, Zone 4; Tunis Street, Zone 6 and Makeni Street Zone 6 have been adequately patched in addition to the Obafemi Awolowo Way in Jabi District and J.T. Useni Way as well as Salihu Iliyasu Street in Gwarinpa I District (Life-Camp),” he added.

Displaced by Boko Haram, neglected in Abuja •Continued from page 33 acted on, or they have never come out to tell the government anything tangible or put any pressure.

“That is why this insurgency is coming out because the government does not do anything that people do in a civilised way; the only good thing that I know is that the youths are willing to even go to the war front because what happened in Mubi, everybody knows that it is the determination of local hunters and vigilante groups that went with the army together to fight Boko Haram.

“Right now, the survival of the Abuja IDPs is by the grace of God and sheer determination of the people.

Our people are hardworking most of them are farmers so they go out there to engage in menial jobs to earn money to take care of their families; then

there are good-hearted Nigerians who go there every day to give them money or foodstuff.

“If the government refuses to recognise the existence of IDPs in Abuja, then what will NEMA do, since it is a parastatal under the government, this people are simply surviving from the help of wellmeaning Nigerians and their sheer determination.

“To be honest, I cannot tell you the actual number of IDPs in Abuja but I will speak from the records we have. As of today, we have the records of about eight settlements; we have four settlements around Apo and they include Waru, Wa’asa, Zintili and Panteka, we have one around Jabi airport road after the bridge, we have some around Area 1 but the people are inside and you can hardly identify them except you go there with some aid. They are scared of people after what happened in Durumi.

‘I can tell you that when we begin to record the families around Apo, we will get over 2,000 alone and the IDPs keep on coming into Abuja because as we are talking, people are still running. If people say that the fight has stopped, it is a lie because people are still coming into Abuja; our only prayer is that whatever the government will do, let our people celebrate the Christmas at home but if we don’t, then I will plead with well-meaning Nigerians to help us celebrate the Christmas here’

•The IDPs source their water here

The Minister noted the strides achieved in the maintenance of drainages in the efforts made to deflooding of roads and streets in Garki I District, Asokoro District, Central Business District and Wuse II District, Abuja.

The Minister disclosed that the activities of undesirable elements vandalizing Manhole and Gully inlet covers would soon be a thing

of the past as his Administration is already working to replace the stolen covers with ductile iron, which would remain worthless, if stolen.

He therefore called on all the residents of the Federal Capital Territory to join hands with the authorities in maintaining all the public facilities in the Territory for the common good of all Nigerians.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

35

ABUJA REVIEW

•From left: Minister of Petroleum and OPEC Chair, Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke; Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina and Minister of Land and Housing , Mrs. Okon Eyenkayi congratulating the Minister of Petroleum at the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa

•From left: Group Managing Director, Armoured Vehicle Manufacturing Co., Ade Ogundeyu; Minister of Trade and Investment, Segun Aganga; Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank, Sir Remi Omotoso and President Goodluck Jonathan during the Presidential dinner with the top 100 businesses companies in Nigeria at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa

•From left: National President, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, •From left: President General, Electric Africa, Jay Ireland; Vice President Namadi Sambo; Alhaji Toyosi Raheem; Permanent Secretary, Head of Service, Dr, Amina Sawaba and President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice Chairman of General Electric Global Growth and immediate past President Godswill Okara during the Investiture of the 12th National PresiOperation, John Rice during their courtesy visit to the Villa PHOTOS: AKIN OLADOKUN dent in Abuja.

•Assistant Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Kayode Olagunju (left); •Outgoing Principal, Pacesetters College, Wuye, Abuja, Mr.Andrew Irekolo (second left) Director, FCT Road Traffic Services, Danjuma Garba; Head of Sports, FRSC, Bisi Kassim displaying his award. With him are FCT Judge,Isyaku Bello (left); Chairman, Pacesetters Schools, Mr. Kenneth Imansuangbon and his wife Kate, during a farewell party in honour and Olaide Onabajo during the 12th National Summit of Special Marshals in Abuja of the outgoing principal in Abuja

•Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (left); his wife and founder, Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF), Titi Abubakar and chairman of the occasion, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Uwais at the public presentation of a book “Rethinking the Legal Framework for Right of Women and Girl-Child in Nigeria” in Abuja

•National President, Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA) Mrs Yemisi Oyeyemi (left); President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Mr Isaac Ademola; Deputy Corps Marshall, Federal Road Safety, Charles Theophilus and pupils from various schools in the FCT during the FRSC and NSE Child Safety Campaign on “Ensuring Child Safety in Vehicles” in Abuja PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

36

ABUJA REVIEW

T

HE vision of keeping staff fit in the multi-million naira State House Gym appears to be getting blurred.

The facility, which is one of the best in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was set up to encourage physical exercise among staff towards enhancing or maintaining their physical fitness and overall health and wellness.

Benefits of physical exercise, which health care providers often call the “miracle” or “wonder” drug, helps to boost the immune system, prevent the “diseases of the affluent” such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, and promote physiological wellbeing, while reducing surgical risks.

It also prevents depression, promotes and maintains positive selfesteem, improves mental health, and can augment an individual’s sex appeal or body image just as it strengthens muscles, and ensures weight loss, among other things.

But the ability of the State House gym to effectively provide these critical services to staff is hanging in the balance due to utilities challenges.

There is presently no electricity supply to the gym. The electricity transformer by its fence has packed up for several weeks now.

Rather than coming together to repair the faulty transformer, many of the neighbours surrounding the gym building have acquired smaller transformers to supply electricity to their individual houses.

In the interim, the 200 litres of diesel being provided weekly for the gym’s generator set is like a drop in an ocean as it hardly lasts a day.

Since the Gym’s generator set consumes an estimated 19.6 litres of diesel per hour, the 200 litres meant for one week only last for about 10 hours. The gym is open 64 hours a week, including 12 hours daily from Mondays to Fridays and four hours on Saturdays.

Water supply to the gym also cannot be taken for granted as the gym users most times always find dry taps when they want to freshen up after their exercises.

This development has not only discouraged many users from exercising in the gym, but it threatens to worsen some of the staff’s already bad medical cases.

One staff, who spoke on a condition of anonymity, said: “I cannot remember the last time I met light in the gym. Most times I work out on the treadmill and that machine cannot work without electricity. I have stopped going to the gym.”

Another user, who does not want his name in print, said: “My Doctor has warned me to intensify my exercises so as to keep my blood pressure within the normal range. That is why I registered at the gym. But this problem is working against that.”

T

Challenges of keeping fit at the Villa A female staff, who also uses the gym said: “Since this power outage problem started, I have resorted to my skipping rope at home. But, you know, this cannot be very effective like coming to use the equipment in the gym and having the instructors around to help you. One is even motivated to do more in the company of friends.”

“I was lucky one day to meet the generator set on and I stayed on the treadmill for 45 minutes before going to the bathroom. I was shocked when I got there. There was no water to wash my face and hands let alone to take my bath.”

Since no standard gym can effectively operate without electricity for the machines and water for users to freshen up, it is hoped that this writeup will be a wake-up call to those in charge to take steps to ensure continuous wellness of State House staff.

The Presidency, no doubt, deserves healthy staff for its day-to-day activities.

A day of gaffes There were too many inexcusable mistakes by one of the Master of Ceremony (MC) in the full glare of President Goodluck Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja last Monday.

The occasion was the launching of the 2015 Armed Forces Remem-

From the Villa

By Augustine Ehikioya brance Day Emblem and Appeal Fund.

There were two MCs for the occasion, one civilian man and a woman from the military.

While the female MC performed the role well, the male MC was coming up with one error after the other during the programme that was carried live on the national television station.

The first error that took those in the hall by surprise came at the beginning of the function when the male MC mentioned the names of Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Senate President, David Mark and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal while acknowledging the dignitaries in the

hall.

The number two, three and four citizens were conspicuously absent at the function and they were not represented.

When the MC mentioned the three names, especially Tambuwal, some people in the hall stood up to have a glimpse of the Speaker, who has become a subject of intrigue and powerplay since he defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The MC, who was standing at the podium which was about 30 feet away from the high table and with nothing obstructing his view, was completely in his own world and oblivious of happenings in the hall

as he appeared to be the only one who did not know that the three people he mentioned were not in the hall.

He was probably acknowledging the dignitaries based on the photographs and names of leaders in the event programme without looking around.

It was also surprising for him to repeat the same mistake towards the end of the function.

After the President had made a remark and launched the emblem, it was time for dignitaries to be decorated by the chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Col. Micah Gayya.

President Jonathan was decorated first. Then the MC called the names of Vice President Namadi Sambo and Senate President David Mark, who were not at the function, to stand up to be decorated.

The President must have been embarrassed with what was going on but did not show it.

Another error occurred when it was time for launchers and colaunchers to be decorated. The Publisher of National Mirror Newspapers, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, was the only co-launcher in the hall.

When the MC got to the name of Jimoh Ibrahim on his list, to invite him to stand up to be decorated, the MC said “representative of Jimoh Ibrahim should please step forward”.

Minister unveils business plan competition

HE FCT Administration (FCTA) has flagged off its Third Abuja Business Plan Competition (ABPC) in a bid to support and grow businesses as well as encourage healthy competition among entrepreneurs.

Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, while unveiling the competition said the it presents an exciting opportunity for young people to develop and present business plans for new and emerging ventures.

Akinjide who was represented by her Senior Special Assistant (SSA), Mrs. Jumai Kwanashie, added that the key objective of the competition is to generate jobs by encouraging and supporting aspiring young entrepreneurs, especially those whose plans may lead to job creation.

She said: “The competition will no doubt provide aspiring youths the platform to showcase their

By Gbenga Omokhunu

business acumen, skills and aspirations to business leaders, investors and captains of industry in Nigeria.”

She said the competition is open to all potential and existing businesses as long as it is viable and has a demonstrable capacity to create jobs.

She added that FCTA will continue to support the hosting of this competition and indeed all other programmes of Abuja Enterprise Agency as part of our resolve to provide better life for residents of the territory.

AEA Managing Director, Aisha Abubakar, said, the intention is to initiate an arena to enable large

businesses, financial institutions and other corporate entities and support upcoming entrepreneurs.

She added that apart from prizes to be won, such business plans will receive the assistance and possible sponsorship which include access to N10 million grants by corporate organizations, angel investors and other stakeholders.

Only 20 successful entrepreneurs will be shortlisted out of which only three will win the N1 million prize money each A former beneficiary, Saidat Shonaiki, said “it is an avenue that all our youths should avail themselves of. AEA has made me come out of my shell; they have boosted my business. AEA gave us the opportunity to plan our business to run a profitable company and we are doing that.”

•A man transporting chickens for Christmas sale on Zuba-Abuja Expressway at Kubwa

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

37

LAW & SOCIETY Terrorism has assumed a frightening dimension with the government appearing overwhelmed by the menance. But lawyers say “no” to the menace and are proffering a way out, reports ADEBISI ONANUGA

Lawyers seek special courts for terrorism

L

AWYERS have called for the establishment of a Counter Terrorism Commission (CTC) and a special court to try terrorism cases.

This, they said, would ensure speedier determination of terrorism cases.

They gathered to review the various acts of terrorism, which are being unleashed on innocent Nigerians by the Boko Haram insurgency, and the attendant government’s inability to end the menace.

They lawyers included activist and constitutional lawyer, Mike Oze khome(SAN), who was represented by Charles Omosohwofa; Head of Department, Jurisdiction and International Law, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo; Gbenga Ojo, a legal practitioner and lecturer in the Faculty of Law, LASU and former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch, Monday Ubani among others.

Though terrorism cases are within the jurisdiction of Federal High Courts (FHC), they, however, pushed for the establishment of such commission or court to speedily try terrorism cases.

The occasion was at this year’s Law Week seminar of the NBA, Badagry Branch, which has as its theme: “Terrorism: Threat to human rights – the Nigerian experience”.

Ojo, who was the guest speaker, said the National Industrial Court (NIC), was specially established to handle labour, employment and trade union disputes.

“There is no reason why Nigeria should not establish a special court for cases of terrorism. The wheel of justice moves very slowly in the court including Federal High Courts. Time is of the essence in cases of trial of terrorists.

“We advocate for the establishment of special courts for cases of terrorism. This will complement the newly suggested Counter Terrorism Commission (CTC). It is only when Nigeria does this, that the country will demonstrate political will to fight and stamp out terrorism in Nigeria,” he said.

The university don explained that the CTC should be in the nature of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practice and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), adding that the commission should employ and train its lawyers in prosecuting terrorism.

Ojo said the war against terrorism must involve capacity building for judges, prosecutors and investigators.

He remarked that cases of terror-

ism should not be assigned on the basis of a lawyer being a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) or a professor of law.

“The Federal Ministry of Justice should have a pool of lawyers specially assigned and trained comprehensively on prosecuting cases of terrorism with all its intricacies,” Ojo said, adding that judges should be specially trained on the laws, practice, procedure and intricacy of terrorism.

He stressed that quick dispensation of justice is one of the benefits of such training, urging the media to stop giving publicity to the activities of the terrorists.

The media, Ojo said, should not be seen to be supporting the disintegration of the country, which the insurgents are noted for.

“The act of terrorism is one of the most heinous crimes in any state.

Most times the motives are unclear and senseless. Nigeria has lost several human lives and huge material costs due to the senseless acts of insurgency in Nigeria,” Ojo said.

Former Ikeja NBA Chairman, Monday Ubani, observed that individuals’ human rights are not respected by terrorists. “They kill and maim lives callously most of the times thereby depriving the citizens the right to life as guaranteed by the constitution,” Ubani said.

He added: “On the other hand the government, in a bid to effectively tackle the menace of insurgents, usually impose state of emergency on the areas affected and in the same vein deny the citizens of their freedom of personal liberty and movement contrary to human rights provisions in the constitution.

“The Nigerian experience has been very horrendous. The insurgency has not only retarded human development, it has also retarded physical development. The country deserves peace if we are serious about developing the country.”

Constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), in his paper, advised that any measure to be taken by the country to combat the menace must comply with its obligations under the constitution and international rights instruments.

Ozekhome, who represented by Charles Omosohwofa, said the country must make effort to develop and maintain an effective law enforcement and rule of law, based on national criminal justice system with respect to human rights.

According to Ozekhome, law enforcement agencies such as the Police, military, SSS, DIA, NIA, Civil Defence among others, need re-orientation for them to be abreast of the duties expected of them.

“They should be taught that respecting the rights of the citizens

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•Falana

AGOS lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has urged the military authority to set aside the death sentence passed on 12 soldiers by a Court Martial.

His plea was contained in a petition to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Kenneth Minimah on behalf of the convicts, pursuant to Section 149(1) of the Armed Forces Act (Cap A20) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Falana said the convicts were illegally charged with mutiny under Section 52(1) of the Armed Forces Act. He said the prosecution during the trial failed to prove that the

•From left: The Awhligan of Badagry, Chief Omolara Senami Adeniji-Adele; Chairman, NBA Badagry Branch, Chris Okoye and Oshodi-Makanju.

Gbenga Ojo (left) and Associate Professor and Head of Department Jurisprudence and International Law, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Dr. Rufus Olaoluwa.

• Ubani (left) and Charles Omoso-Hwofor.

constitutes an integral part of their duty. The military in particular, being at the forefront of the war on terror, should be taught to know how to sift the wheat from the chaff in their quest to fight terror and ultimately help in restoring law and order.

“As patriots, they should understand that extra-judicial killings, inhuman torture, degrading treatment under whatever circumstance and guise, constitute an infringement on human right and is a dis-

service to the nation,” Ozekhome stressed.

The constitutional lawyer noted that one right usually violated more than other rights is that of fair hearing.

“It is the evil propensity in the hearts of terrorists to kill and maim innocent harmless people without giving the individual the chance to defend themselves in a fair and just trial that often result in the carnage and open sadism being perpetrated by them.

The chairman of Badagry branch of the NBA, Chief Chris Okoye in a welcome address said the theme was informed by the high level of kidnapping, the activities of the Boko Haram insurgency among others.

Okoye lamented that Boko Haram insurgents have been violating the sovereignty of the country and subjecting the citizenry to incessant bombings with resultant loss of lives and property.

Falana seeks convicted soldiers’ freedom

By Adebisi Onanuga

convicts disobeyed a military act in connection with any operation against the enemy.

In view of this, he submitted that the judgment of the Court Martial cannot be justified.

He claimed it was characterised by grave errors of law, which occasioned miscarriage of justice.

According to him, the soldiers ought not to have been convicted as charged since there was no evidence that they wanted to kill the

General Officer Commanding (GOC).

While praying the military authority to temper justice with mercy by granting the convicts full pardon, Falana stated that the 12 soldiers ought not to have been charged with attempted murder, nor convicted and sentenced to death.

“We pray the confirming authority to temper justice with mercy by granting the convicts full pardon. Even though they were illequipped and ill-motivated they

had fought the Boko Haram troops with courage, commitment and loyalty to their country.

“In the process they had lost many of their colleagues including the 10 whose corpses were brought to the Mailamari Cantonment.

In considering the extenuating circumstances we are compelled to remind the Confirming Authority that the military high command confirmed the allegations of the soldiers who took part in the protest.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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LAW & SOCIETY Is Nigeria too eager to extradite its citizens accused of crime? Yes, say some lawyers who have advocated a review of the country’s extradition policy, writes ERIC IKHILAE from Abuja.

Wanted: A revised extradition policy

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N recent time, the rate at which the Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke (SAN) approaches the court for permission to extradite its citizens abroad for trial is becoming alarming.

The zeal often displayed by state officials, in arguing such extradition applications in court, always gives the impression that the Nigerian government enjoys shipping abroad, its citizens, accused of involvement in criminal activities.

Even for offences that could be adequately prosecuted by Nigerian courts, the Federal Government is always too eager to extradite Nigerians abroad for trial.

The government cannot be totally faulted, in view of the fact that most of such extradition requests are hinged on existing mutual agreements/treaties between Nigeria and such foreign countries.

The government’s seeming willingness to honour every extradition request is however worrisome, when viewed in the light of the fact that most foreign countries, particularly the United States, hardly allow their citizens to be tried in foreign territories.

While most of these foreign governments hinge their decisions on the need to protect their national interests and those of their citizens, it seems such considerations never count in the case of Nigeria, where state officials even attempt to extradite Nigerians to countries with which the country has no extradition treaties.

One of such cases was that involving Kingsley Edegbe. The Federal Government had, upon a request by the Kingdom of Netherlands, applied to the Federal High Court, Abuja for an order extraditing Edegbe to Netherlands for trial over his alleged involvement in human trafficking.

Edegbe was said to have allegedly belonged to an international syndicate involved in the trafficking of Nigerian girls to the Netherlands for prostitution and other related acts.

He was said to be particularly wanted in connection with the trafficking of about six Nigerian girls, aged 25 from Nigeria to the Netherlands between 2006 and 2007.

The documents filed along with the extradition application showed that, if successfully extradited, Edegbe would face charges bordering on human trafficking, human smuggling, falsification of travel documents, forgery of travel documents, abduction of minors from the authority having legal custody over them and

participating in a criminal organization.

The alleged offences were said to be punishable by deprivation of liberty of more than one year and covered by Articles 3, 5 and 16 of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime (TOC Convention), which Nigeria signed and ratified with its protocol on December 9 and 14 2004.

But for Justice Ahmed Mohammed’s refusal to grant the order of extradition, Edegbe would have been shipped to a foreign land for trial, even when he allegedly trafficked Nigerian girls, an offence that the Nigerian courts could effectively prosecute.

Justice Mohammed held, in his judgment, that the Federal Government failed to show that an extradition treaty existed between the country and Netherland on which such order of extradition could be based.

“The court has not been shown any extradition treaty between Nigeria and the Netherlands upon which the application sought could have been granted. The reliance on the United Nation’s Convention against Transnational Organised Crime fails because it is not an extradition treaty Act as envisaged by section 1 of the Extradition Act of Nigeria.

“This court is not prepared to hold that an extradition treaty exits between the Netherlands and Nigeria when there is none. It is a dangerous precedent to abandon an existing law to enable the extradition of the suspect,” the judge said.

Even when a the country sought the extradition from Sudan, of a Nigerian, Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, the alleged mastermind of the Nyanya bomb blast, the Sudanese government did not jump at the request from Nigeria. It took months of rigorous scrutiny before the Sudanese government could release a Nigerian suspected to have been involve in the commission of a capital offence for trial in his country (Nigeria).

Some few years ago some foreign citizens were accused of bribing some Nigerian officials in the Siemens, Julius Berger and Halliburton scandal. They were charged in Nigerian courts, but were never tried. Their companies were only made to pay some money as fine to the Nigerian government, after which the officials and their companies were let off the hook.

However, two senior Siemens officials were found guilty of breach of trust and abetting bribery in Nigeria by a Munich court in Germany.

Also, the Nigerian government once brought charges against a former ýUnited States’ Vice Presi-

dent, Dick Cheney, who it charged with corruption. He was charged as the Head of Halliburton when the company’s engineering subsidiary, KBR purportedly paid bribes to secure contract in Nigeria.

The trial never went on as the Nigerian government, on October 14, 2010 ýdiscontinued the case. It was not in public domain whether Federal Government applied to the countries of these foreign nationals for their extradition to Nigeria for them to be tried here.

Observers are of the view that since the Nigerian government is always eager to send its citizens abroad for trial, it should have also insisted that these foreign citizens were brought to Nigeria for trial.

The latest case is that involving a former managing director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting (NSMPC) Plc, Emmanuel Okoyomon, who the Federal Government seeks extradite to the United Kingdom for trial.

Okoyomon is purportedly wanted in UK over his alleged role in the bribery scandal involving officials of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NSMPC and Securency International Pty of Australia, between 2006 and 2008.

The government, through AGF applied on September 23 this year, for an order to enable it extradite Okoyomon to the United Kingdom based on a purported request by a UK’s Diplomatic Representatives, based on a supposed extradition treaty between the United States of America and Great Britain, signed in London on December 22, 1931.ý At the hearing of the extradition application recently before Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the AGF argued that the 1931 treaty between the US and Great Britain was binding on Nigeriaý.

Alex Iziyon (SAN), representing Okoyomon, disagreed, arguing that the treaty which the AGF relied on is not applicable to Nigeria and could not be a ground to extradite a Nigerian Citizen to the UK. “There is no treaty between the UK and Nigeria for the purpose of extradition of the respondent (Okoyomon) or any other person contrary to the submissions and assertions of the applicant (AGF). The treaty between the United States of America and Great Britain applied on to pre-independent Nigeria as part of the British colony at the time, and therefore subject at that time, to the treaty.

“However, after Nigeria’s independence, all the imperial treaties and Acts applicable to Nigeria were

•Mofiyinfoluwa Enitan (middle) flanked by parents Mr and Mrs Olukayode Enitan during his call to Bar at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos.

•Adoke

repealed by the Extradition Act, Decree No. 87, 1966 which came into force on January 31, 1967. In the absence of any Act of the National Assembly domesticating or making the said treaty applicable to Nigeria, no Nigerian can be extradited to the UK,” Iziyon said.

Justice Chukwu has fixed judgment in this case for December 17.

While many await the court’s judgment on this important case, lawyers have suggested that rather than ýsending Nigerians abroad for trial over cases that could be effectively tried by courts in the country, the government should consider strengthening the courts and prosecuting agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to enhance their capacity to deal with such cases.

Dr. Richard Chukwuemeka noted that the EFCC hasý experienced investigators and prosecutors, who can handle complex cases. He argued that pandering to foreign authorities by

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sending our citizens abroad for trial makes the country look cheap before other countries.

“Nigerian authorities should be reminded that patriotism is not imposed on citizens. It is only when citizens believe that their country can protect their interests at any time that they will be willing to do anything for such a country. We should let citizens’ interests drive our policy direction in this country, particularly on foreign relations.” he said.

Another lawyer, Abdulazeez Ahmed of the Centre for Democratic Right (CDR), noted that the prison transfer agreement the country recently signed with the UK will be defeated if “we extradite our people to be tried in the UK only to have them shipped back to Nigeria to serve their prison terms. Those in authorities should reconsider the idea of taking Nigerians abroad to face trial at the behest of other countries, who are always reluctant to treat their citizens that way,” he said.

Lawyer harps on proper ADR models

LAGOS lawyer, Charles Candide-Johnson (SAN), has urged legal practitioners to develop appropriate alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms for businesses.

Speaking on the topic, “Contracts are forever” at the maiden Lagos Court of Arbitration (LCA) Day held in Lagos, CandideJohnson said businesses must be prepared for disputes that may arise in their transactions.

He noted that the situation required competent individuals and institutions such as the LCA that have the requisite knowledge and facilities to ensure fast and efficient resolution of disputes while preserving business relationships.

This will in turn create value for all concerned.

Noting the growing appeal of Lagos and Nigeria to local and international investors and businesses, Candide-Johnson expressed concern on lack of adherence to business contracts in particular.

By Adebisi Onanuga

He said this contrasted with traditional societies where contracts were generally respected, adding that the time is ripe for the cultural milieu and tendencies of peoples to belie interpretation of contracts by dispute resolution entities to aid sanctity of contracts.

LCA pioneer president Babajide Ogundipe who represented the incumbent president, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN) gave an overview of LCA’s activities for 2012 and 2013, urging members to commit afresh to LCA’s vision of becoming the preferred arbitral/ADR centre in Africa. This was followed by a presentation of the audited accounts for the two years.

Speaking earlier, LCA Executive Secretary/CEO Ms. Megha Joshi, , said the Annual General Meeting was in fulfillment of the LCA Law 2009, adding that the “LCA Day” was however designed to “provide an interactive platform where the LCA and ADR can be discussed effectively.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

39

LEGAL OPINION

Group seeks accountability in fund use

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HE Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG) has called for transparency and accountability in the utilisation of the Global Fund (GF) allocations to Nigeria for 2014-2017.

In a statement by its Programme Officer Juliana Iregbu-Ihejirika, the group said Nigeria with an allocation of $1.1billion tops the list of a group of 15 countries who will receive over half of the total allocation of $14.67billion by the Global Fund.

Global Fund’s allocation for HIV in Nigeria is pegged at $477 million, while malaria gets $500 million, it was learnt.

The group said the civil society,

By Joseph Jibueze

including the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and others, should pay attention to his this money is used by demanding accountability.

“The optimistic determination of the Global Fund donors to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB to a halt with such a laudable commitment should also translate to a heightened resolve of those in charge of utilizing the funds in Nigeria to do what is right and a steadfast zeal of civil society and key populations to police these monies,” IregbuIhejirika said.

She added: “Only about three percent of HIV positive mothers in Nigeria are said to have access to antiretroviral treatments, a large number of inmates in congested prisons across Nigeria are living with HIV and AIDS and most often without treatments. The rate of TB infections is also tilting towards an epidemic level”.

Iregbu-Ihejirika urged the civil society to ensure that “there is effectiveness and efficiency in the utilisation of the current global fund allocation to Nigeria to enable us turn the current state of the Nigerian health sector around.”

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com For comments: 08033054939 (sms only)

As Buhari, Ambode and Ugwuanyi emerge

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•Former Chairman Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ibadan Branch Mr. Seun Abimbola (left) presenting a Lifetime Achievers Award to Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), the award was received by his representative Mr. Biola Olangunju

N5bn fraud: ‘How I was defrauded’

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LAGOS High Court sitting in Ikeja has heard how a former accountant with Cheveron Nigeria Limited converted a jointly owned N5billion landed property to personal use.

A witness, Mr. S.K Oyeniran, who is into real estate told Justice Sedotan Ogunsanya that he and other investors in his group signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Adenuga’s group to jointly buy the land.

Oyeniran was being cross examined by the counsel to the second defendant, Dr. Muiz Banire during a N5 billion property theft charge brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-

By Adebisi Onanuga

mission (EFCC).

The witness said each of the partners was expected to contribute 50 per cent of the cost of the land.

He explained that under this arrangement, investors under his group would own 50 per cent of the property while Adenuga would own the remaining 50 per cent.

Oyeniran told the court that his group raised its share of N380 million while Adenuga’s group only raised N250 million, adding that his group had to raise additional N150 million to make up for the shortfall.

He said this made the contribu-

tion of his group to add up to N530 million far above the 50 per cent initially required of his group.

He said he was surprised when he discovered later that Adenuga had allegedly converted the said property to personal use despite the fact that his group had a higher financial commitment in the transaction.

The witness alledged that the defendant, Adenuga, did not just convert title of the property to his personal one, but also used the documents of the property to obtain a personal loan.

The trial judge, Justice Ogunsanya adjourned till February 17.

Coalition sues Fed. Govt over alleged war crimes

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INE human rights groups have filed an action at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking an order of mandamus to compel investigation into war crime allegations.

President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke (SAN) are the defendants/respondents.

The plaintiffs are praying for an order of mandamus to compel them to conduct “a thorough, prompt, and impartial investigation into allegations of brutal extrajudicial killings/executions and war crimes made by Amnesty International (AI) on August 5.”

The civil society organisations are the Access to Justice (AJ), One Voice Coalition for Sustainable Development in Nigeria (OneVOICE), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Human Right Law Services (HURILAWS), and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

By Joseph Jibueze

Others are the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria Foundation (NOPRIN), the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG) and Centre for Constitutionalism and Demilitarisation (CENCOD).

They said: “AI’s report, accompanied with video footage depicts horrendous acts of extrajudicial killings and possible war crimes against suspected members of the Boko Haram sect carried out by members of the Nigerian military and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).

“The accompanying video footage shows horrific images of detainees having their throats slit one after the other and their bodies dumped in mass graves by men who appeared to be members of the Nigerian military and the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF).

It also shows 16 young men and boys all seated in line. One by

one, they are called forward, and ordered to lie down in front of a pit that served as a grave. Five of them were reportedly killed this way.” The suit follows the government’s alleged refusal to demonstrate that it had acceded to demands by the applicants for a thorough investigation of the “serious allegations.” No date has been fixed for hearing.

AJ’s Executive Director,Joseph Otteh

HE political environment is on a tailspin, with the cries of the politically robbed and the jubiliation by the successful gladiators. Of course there are those who suffer political hallucinations and delusions about their political worth, and as such, try to pass off mere political mirage as arrested political tsunamis. Among the political wayfarers and the wailing, it is difficult to distinguish the genuinely robbed, from the robbers who were beaten in their game.

So, I propose to the weather beaten victims and failed aspirants, particularly those who abandoned their constituencies while the party lasted, a new law to establish a chartered institute of political arbitrators and mediators, to help arbitrate and mediate the rambunctious fractures arising from their rejection at the primaries.

While the law makers work out the details of such an act, or law, to show their frustration, let us look at some of the celebrants, who are already gearing up, for the February show down.

Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari Retired General Muhammadu Buhari, austere politician and veteran presidential contestant, and the candidate of the alternative national behemoth, the All Progressive Congress (APC), will square with President Goodluck Jonathan, as the main contenders for the 2015 presidential election. Fortunately for him, his co-contestants at the APC primary have accepted defeat with equanimity, and so will hopefully support him during the campaign and general election. But still he has the challenge of time and resources to prosecute the money guzzling presidential campaign.

He will also have to contend with selling his vice presidential candidate, as the best, from among the very influential contenders, within his party. Hopefully the choice he has made will bring value towards a successful campaign.

There is also the combustible issue of religion and tribe. Even more serious will be how to handle his several enemies, from among the top corrupt national elite, who know that a Buhari presidency could ruin their contrived life of opulence, luxury and corrupt enrichment, at the expense of the hoi polloi. But despite the challenges, Buhari will give President Jonathan a good fight.

Mr. Akin Ambode The emergence of Mr. Ambode, an urbane retired civil servant, is substantially similar to that of Governor Babatunde Fashola in 2007, and Lagosians are hopeful that if he wins in 2015, he would perform excellently well, just like the incumbent. Ambode’s emergence as the gubernatorial candidate of the APC started off as a rumour, before the royal endorsement of the Oba of Lagos. Now, against the permutations of his co-contestants, he resoundingly won the contentious party primary.

His major challenge now should be how to assuage the ill-fillings of the other contestants, who had high opinion about their political clout, but had languorously lost out at the keenly contested primary. As has been argued by

other concerned commentators who have genuine sympathy for the success of the party at the general polls, there is the need to heal the fractious ruling party, before the elections in 2015. There is also the need to assure non-indigines that Lagos remains the center of excellence for all its inhabitants, regardless of religion or tribe.

Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi As expected, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Gburugburu) the preferred candidate of the incumbent Governor of Enugu state, Barrister Sullivan Chime, emerged as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), though with some serious hiccups. Against the tradition of Ebeano political family, the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, successfully extracted a favourable compromise from the Governor. That is a good development, in the interest of enduring democratic culture. As I have stringently argued on this column, the closure of the political space against any form of opposition does not do anybody any good, not even the immediate beneficiaries of the existing status quo.

Considering that Enugu state is substantailly a PDP state, it may be safe to conclude that Gburugburu will be coronated at the general elections, next year. Well that is if the state Ebeano family are able to put their fractious house in order. Towards that, I urge Hon. Ugwuanyi to reach out to his senior brother and colleague, Senator Ayogu Eze, in the overall interest of their senatorial zone, primed to produce the next governor of the state.

Gburugburu must give it to Ayogu, he distiguished himself creditably well as a Senator, and with executive and legislative experience, would have made a fantastic Governor, if he was the choosen candidate.

There is also the issue raised in a discussion I had with a friend and colleague, who argued in favour of our state producing a female senator, for the first time. Pushing his argument, he said that Enugu state is a laggard, when it comes to empowering women with high political office, and urged for suport for what many call, the tumultous emergence of Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo (Ifeoma di niru), as the candidate of a faction of the PDP, to represent Enugu East senatorial zone. But that will wait for the final resolution of the party or the court, over the authentic candidate from among the three contenders laying claim to the same position. Furthering that argument, the alternative would be for Gburugburu to nominate a female, as his deputy.

As we await the final showdown next February, it is my wish that Buhari will gain enough support, to pose a serious challenge to President Goodluck Jonathan, at the polls. To achieve that, he must come up with a dream team. As we count down to that election, which may make or mar our fractious nation, it is my earnest prayer that the campaign will be issue driven, with the candidates telling our troubled nation, how he can solve our numerous nation-state threatening challenges.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

LAW REPORT

Marriages cannot be dissolved on agreement of parties IN THE COURT OF APPEAL AKURE JUDICIAL DIVISION HOLDEN AT AKURE ON FRIDAY THE 28TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2014 BEFORE THEIR LORDSHIPS MOJEED ADEKUNLE OWOADE, J.C.A. MOHAMMAD AMBI-USI DANJUMA, J.C.A. JAMES SHEHU ABIRIYI, J.C.A. CA/AK/139/2013 (2014) LPELR-24065(CA) BETWEEN: MR. JOSIAH AYO OLABIWONNU …..………..…………….………..….… APPELLANT AND MRS. STELLA OLURANTI OLABIWONNU ……….…..………….... RESPONDENT LEAD JUDGMENT DELIVERED BY JAMES SHEHU ABIRIYI, J.C.A.

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HE Respondent as Petitioner filed a di vorce petition against the Appellant as Respondent at the Osun State High Court sitting at Ilesa. The Respondent and Appellant were joined in marriage on 1st July 1989 at St. Thomas Catholic Church Ogotun Ekiti. According to the Petitioner/Respondent not long after the marriage, she discovered that the couple was not compatible. The husband was always beating her. At times he would lock her up and thus prevent her from going to work. He was always suspecting her of going out with another man. She was even admitted in the hospital as a result of the beating. The Appellant even beat her sister and father who tried to intervene. She had to leave her house which she built when the husband poured hot water on her. They both built the house. She was the one that bought the (plot) land in her husband’s name and her name.

When she bought the land and started building, she was keeping the receipts with the husband to appease him and make him happy.

The husband spent N700,000 on the building.

Although the Appellant stated that he was only interested on the issue of the house, the Appellant nevertheless opposed the dissolution of the marriage because he invested in the wife and did not want to lose his investment. He also still loved the wife. He denied ever beating the wife. He did not do anything to make the wife leave the matrimonial house. It was discovered in 2004 that the wife was befriending one Mr. Femi Odebode but she denied the affair. Since then, she started staying away from the house for days. Efforts to reconcile with her proved abortive. Although the wife caused him to be arrested by the police and be detained for two days, he still loved her.

The land and the house belonged to him and not to the wife. The house is not worth N3 million. He built it with mud block.

After considering the evidence before him and addresses of learned counsel for both parties, the trial Court entered judgment in favour of the Petitioner/Respondent in part.

The Appellant was dissatisfied and he approached the Court of Appeal asking it to set aside the judgment and dismiss the Respondent’s case upon six grounds of appeal. The following three issues were formulated from the six grounds of appeal.

1. Whether the writing of affidavit verifying the facts of the divorce petition on a separate document other then on the petition complied with Order V rule 10(1) of the Matrimonial Causes Rules 1983 to make the divorce petition of the respondent competent for the court to entertain.

2. Whether or not the ancillary orders made by the trial Court on settlement of property are supportable in law and in equity.

3. Whether or not from the pleadings and evidence adduced by the parties their marriage could be said to have broken down irretrievably.

Arguing issue 1, learned counsel for the Appellant submitted that the affidavit verifying the facts stated in the petition was not on the petition itself but filed separately.

This it was submitted was not in compliance with Order V Rule 10(1) of the Matrimonial Causes Rules 1983 and rendered the petition incompetent which robbed the Court of jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

On issue 2, it was pointed out that the Respondent as PW1 said the house was her own and that she built it herself but that this is not supported by the pleadings. Therefore the claim of the Respondent that the Appellant be ejected from her house ought to fail.

It was submitted that the trial Court rightly held that the house was a matrimonial home jointly owned by the Petitioner and Respondent. As such the Respondent cannot be ejected therefrom as demanded by the Petitioner. However the trial Court somersaulted when it ordered the Respondent to vacate the matrimonial house. The Trial Court, it was submitted, correctly held that the Respondent “cannot just be ejected” as

demanded by the Petitioner only to overrule itself and consequentially order the Appellant to vacate the matrimonial home and further directed the Chief Registrar to conduct a public auction of the house and distribute the proceeds of sale. It was submitted that the trial Court having found that the house was a matrimonial home jointly owned by the parties, ought to have invoked the provisions of Section 72 of the Matrimonial Causes Act, Cap 220, Laws of the Federation which deals with settlement of property. Section 72 of the Matrimonial Causes Act, it was submitted, is wide and sufficient for the Court to exercise its powers in settling the property without recourse to Yoruba custom which is inapplicable to this matter under the Marriage Act. On issue 3, it was submitted that despite the fact that there were three children of the marriage, the Respondent still argued that the marriage was not consummated. It was submitted that Section 15(2)(a) of the Matrimonial Causes Act will not avail the Respondent because there was consummation of the marriage between the Respondent and the Appellant.

On Appellant’s issue 1, learned counsel for the Respondent submitted that the Appellant having failed to bring an application before the trial Court to set aside any irregularity in the petition cannot be heard to be raising such an objection at this stage for the first time. It was further submitted that under Order XXI Rules 2-4 of the Matrimonial Cause Rules, a petition cannot be defeated by any irregularity in the proceedings. On issue 2, it was submitted that the trial Court has unfettered discretion to make the order it made for the Appellant to vacate the house and for same to be sold by the Chief Registrar. Amaechi v.

I.N.E.C. (2008) 33 NSCQLR (Pt. 1) 348; (2007) LPELR-9039(CA). On issue 3, it was submitted that the pleadings and evidence adduced by the parties show that the marriage had broken down irretrievably. The Court was referred to the remark of learned counsel for the Appellant at the trial Court that they were not contesting the divorce and all they were interested in is the issue of the house. Having caused the Respondent to narrow the issue to the house, it would cause the Respondent hardship to go into whether or not the marriage had broken down irretrievably. The trial Court was therefore right; it was submitted, in pronouncing the dissolution of the marriage.

In determining issue 1, the Court cited that case of Unegbu v. Unegbu (2004) 11 NWLR (Pt. 884) 332 where the Court per Mahmud Mohammed JCA (as he then was) held that failure to do exactly what is required by Order V Rule 10(1) of the Matrimonial Causes Rules could be fatal to a petition. The Court noted that in that case which is very similar to this in the sense that Order V Rule 10(1) of the Matrimonial Causes Rules was not complied with the petition was struck out. The Court further noted that in that case objection was raised to the non compliance by the Respondent immediately he was served with the petition. However, the Respondent in this case raised no objection to the processes served on him, participated in the trial and conceded in

part to the petition in that he did not object to the dissolution of the marriage. It was after hearing, addresses of counsel and judgment that the Appellant now sought to have the petition struck out for failure to comply with the rule. The Court held that when an irregular procedure is adopted with the acquiesce of a party to a civil action such irregular procedure cannot be a ground of appeal. Also where a wrong procedure has been followed in filing a process and no objection was raised by the party who should have objected, the Court is entitled to proceed with the hearing despite the wrong procedure followed. See Sonuga & 1 OR v. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory & 1 OR (2010) LPELR 19789.

The Court further held that the Appellant having maintained his silence on the wrong procedure in filing the petition after he had been served with the processes and participated in the trial to the end should therefore hold his peace. Issue 1, was therefore resolved in favour of the Respondent.

On issue 2, the Court agreed entirely with the Appellant’s counsel that there was no basis for the somersault by the Trial Court. Having found that the Appellant cannot be ejected from the house it amounted to the same thing asking him to vacate the house and for it to be sold and the proceeds distributed according to Yoruba custom. The Court agreed totally with learned counsel for the Appellant that Yoruba Customary Law was inapplicable to this petition for the dissolution of a statutory marriage. There was therefore no basis for invoking Customary Law principles of distribution of the proceeds of the sale of the house. The Court held that the issue of dealing with the house under Yoruba custom had no basis as the marriage between the parties was not customary but statutory marriage.

Issue 2 was resolved in favour of the Appellant.

On issue 3, the Court held that no marriage will be dissolved merely because the parties have agreed that it be dissolved. The Court held that it will not be dissolved merely because it is a contract between two willing parties as the learned trial Judge held. The Court noted that the policy of the law is to preserve the institution of marriage. That is why marriages will not be dissolved on agreement of parties to it. The Court held that a decree for the dissolution of marriage would therefore only the granted if the petitioner has proved that the marriage had broken down irretrievably and that the petitioner finds it intolerable to live with the respondent. See Section 15 of the Matrimonial Act and Damulak v.

Damulak (2004) 8 NWLR (Pt. 874) 651. Issue 3 was resolved in favour of the respondent.

On the whole, the Court held that the appeal succeeds in parts. The order of the Court ordering the Appellant to vacate the matrimonial house and directing the Chief Registrar to get a valuer to value the house, sell by public auction and distribute the proceeds was set aside. The Court affirmed the decree granted for the dissolution of the marriage and the order restraining the Appellant from threatening or disturbing the Respondent at her place of work or abode.

•Edited by Lawpavillion

•From left: Alain Sigg and Pascal Holliger of the Switzerland Embassy; Mrs Ranti Daudu; Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu; Fatima Agwai, Mr. Hari Obe and Pwadumdi Okoh at a symposium on World Human Right Day in Abuja.

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SHOWBIZ

Headies 2014: Patoranking, Davido win big

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ANCE hall sensation, Patoranking, was in the spotlight early Monday morning, during the Headies Awards ceremony which began Saturday night, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The reggae star, who clinched three diadems at the show, also became the proud owner of a brand new Hyundai, the only car prize in the music competition.

The awards include his collaborative effort on Emergency, the hit single he did alongside WizzyPro, Skales and Runtown and bagged the Best Collabo award; his hit track, Girlie’o, which gave him the Best Reggae / Dancehall category and the biggest award of the night - the Next Rated award category, which earned him the car prize.

Patoranking’s acceptance speech aroused emotions. The artiste went down memory lane, hinting about

• The car won by Patoranking

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

his humble beginnings.

“If I tell you I was once a rat killer seller, would you believe? If I tell you I was once a brick layer would you believe? But God brought me out of the gutter. My story should inspire you. Don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot make it in life or you can’t achieve anything, I am a living proof of how God can turn around your story in seconds,” he said. The speech earned him loud applause and standing ovation by the crowd.

Meanwhile, Davido and Olamide also won two awards each, being Song of The Year and Arististe of

The Year, and Album of The Year and the Best Rap Album respectively. Don Jazzy won the Best Producer of The Year, while the Mavin Crew won Best Pop Single with their smash hit single Dorobucci.

Others are, Best Recording of The Year- Ordinary People by Cobhams Asuquo; Best Music Video – Clarence Peters for Flavour’s Ada Ada; Best R’n’B/Pop Album – Sean Tizzle for The Journey; Best R’n’B Single – 2face Idibia for Let Somebody Love You; Best Rap Single – Phyno for Parcel; Best Vocal Performance (Male) – Timi Dakolo for Iyawo Mi; Best Vocal Performance (Female) –

South African wins Miss World beauty pageant

Niyola for Love To Love You ft Banky W; Hip-hop World Revelation – Kcee for Take Over; Best Street-Hop Artiste – Oritse Femi for Double Wahala; Best Alternative Song – BOJ for Bolaji and Best African Artiste – Sarkodie (Ghana).

P-Square, who did not win in their chosen category, were

honoured with a recognition award for their impact in the music industry.

Although the event started behind schedule, it featured exciting performances from top artistes and nominees such as Patoranking, Tiwa Savage, Dr Sid, Runtown, Skales, P-Square and Don Jazzy.

Yinka Ayefele recounts wheel chair tale

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OPULAR remix artiste, Yinke Ayefele has urged his fans to join him in thanking God for sparing his life in a ghastly auto crash which has confined him to the wheel chair since 1997.

Ayefele, who shared picture of the December 12, 1997 accident on Facebook, also had a word of encouragement for fans.

He said: “Rejoice and thank God with me. The journey started

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OUTH African contender, Rolene Strauss, 22, won the Miss World 2014 beauty pageant which held on Sunday, in London.

The beauty queen defeated Nigeria’s MBGN winner, Iheoma Nnadi and about 122 others.

Nnadi who did not make it to the Top 10, however thanked her fans for their support.

She said: “Thanks for your supports and prayers to make me win Miss World. Our Miss World 2014 is Miss South Africa. She deserved it. I’ll still do that which I am destined to do with or without a crown of Miss World.

Thanks for your votes, calls and text messages. I will be back soon.

Special thanks to Mr and Miss Luxury Nigeria for your supports.”

Hungary’s Edina Kulcsár came second, while Elizabeth Safrit, representing the United States, came third.

• Davido with his award plaque

By Mercy Michel

exactly 17 years ago; it was on Friday December 12th 1997, on my way to Abeokuta where I had that ghastly motor accident. It was indeed my turning point; “Odunbaku”. I will forever be grateful to you my Lord. Thank you all for your love, support and encouragement. When there is life there is hope.”

• Strauss, with runners up

By Ovwe Medeme th

In its 64 edition, this year’s pageant was marred by tragedy after a Honduran beauty queen was found shot dead in a suspected crime of passion, days before she was due to take part.

The pageant’s 124 contestants

travelled to the Oxford Union society earlier this month, to discuss whether such competitions still had a place in modern society.

British media reported that some students from Oxford University were disappointed that the event failed to generate a lively debate on the subject.

• Ayefele’s damaged Volswagen car from the accident in 1997

Subscriber wins Kia Rio in MultiChoice promo

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• L-R Afe, prize winner Oladimeji, PR Manager, DStv, Caroline Oghuma and MultiChoice Branch Manager, Ikeja, Lateef Tijani

HE first of the 20 Kia Rio cars in the MultiChoice promo has been presented to a DStv subscriber, Mr. Olateju Oladimeji, who emerged winner in the promo, which was launched last month.

The largesse, which is expected to run till February 2015, allows both existing and potential subscribers the chance to win one of the 20 Kia Rio cars, 100 Plasma TV screens or 30 DStv Explora decoders, by paying for three months subscription.

Mrs. Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, DStv, while presenting the keys of a brand new Kia Rio car to Oladimeji, a staff of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), at the MultiChoice Office, Ikeja, last Wednesday, said, “MultiChoice, by this presentation, is proving to Nigerians that the SuperCruise promo is real. We are living up to our promise to reward our subscribers. Apart from the 20 Kia Rio cars, MultiChoice is also giving away 100 Plasma TV screens, or 30 DStv Explora decoders, to DStv and GOtv subscribers.”

Elated, the lucky winner thanked MultiChoice for what he described as end-of-year surprise, stating that it still felt like a dream. “Up until now, I did not believe that I actually won a car in MultiChoice promo. I wish to sincerely appreciate

By Dupe Ayinla-Olasunkanmi

MultiChoice for this gift. I encourage Nigerians to continue to support the DStv and GOtv brands because they practice what they preach.”

To qualify for the promotion, Afe said subscribers need to buy a DStv decoder, which comes with a dish, pay three months subscription on Compact, Family or Access Bouquets. “It’s so simple, once you buy the decoder and pay three months subscription, you automatically qualify for the weekly draw where you could win any of the amazing prizes,” she said, adding that current DStv subscribers can also enter the competition by ensuring they remain connected for three months.

Annual premium customers automatically qualify for the draw.

Also, a GOtv subscriber who buys a decoder, which was formally N5,300 for N2,900 with one month subscription and makes an additional two months subscription with the GO-recharge card, stands a chance to cruise home in one of the 20 Kia Rio cars.

Winners will be selected from both current and new subscribers in weekly draws in the promo, while presentation of prizes to winners will hold in different regions across the country.

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EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 15-12-14

25-07-14 DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 15-12-14

Downtrend persists as equities open with N89b loss

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HE bearishness at the Nigerian stock market resumed on Monday as continued sell pressure shaved off N89 billion from market capitalisation of quoted equities. With 34 losers to 15 gainers, the first trading session this week was pervaded by the negative sentiments.

Aggregate market value of all quoted equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) declined by N89 billion from N10.156 trillion to close at N10.067 trillion. The benchmark All Share Index (ASI) declined by 0.88 per cent or 271.08 basis points to close at 30,492.30 basis points as against its opening index of 30,763.38 points.

Seplat Petroleum Development Company recorded the highest loss of N29.83 to close at N295 per share.

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

Guinness Nigeria followed with a loss of N5.61 to close at N117. Flour Mills of Nigeria dipped by N4.24 to close at N39.49 per share. Nigerian Breweries lost N2.09 to close at N143.50. UAC of Nigeria depreciated by N1.90 to close at N36.10 per share. Lafarge Africa declined by 98 kobo to close at N72. Cadbury Nigeria dropped by 86 kobo to close at N40. Guaranty Trust Bank depreciated by 44 kobo to close at N22.05. Oando lost 38 kobo to close at N16.69 while Nigerian German Chemical dropped by 35 kobo to N6.65 per share.

Total turnover stood at 372.642 million shares worth N3 billion in 4,179 deals. FBN Holdings was the most active stock with a turnover of

58.9 million shares worth N505.27 million in 547 deals.

NEM Insurance followed with 50.7 million shares valued at N30.9 million. FCMB Group recorded a turnover of 43.7 million shares worth 124.51 million. Zenith Bank placed fourth with 27.05 million valued at N463.1 million while United Bank for Africa recorded a turnover of 22.12 million worth N87.2 million.

On the upside, Forte Oil led the gainers with addition of N9.32, to close at N216.90 per share. Beta Glass followed with a gain of N1.20 to close at N25.20. Ikeja Hotel rose by 19 kobo to close at N4 per share.

Custodian and Allied Insurance appreciated by 16 kobo to close at N3.60 while Fidson Healthcare rose by 15 kobo to close at N3.24 per share.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

55

MONEYLINK

Bankers’ Committee urges lenders to raise MSMEs’ loans T

HE Bankers’ Committee at the weekend agreed to increase aggregate bank lending to Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and expand the number of operators that have access to loans.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who disclosed this at the sixth Bankers’ Committee Annual Retreat held at the weekend in Calabar, called on banks to improve the rigour in credit analysis and encourage discipline in borrowing culture.

He said this would help ensure a reduction in credit defaults in the sector. He said that to harness the entrepreneurial skills in our youths and young graduates, the CBN shall, through its Anchor-Lending Programme, provide grants and Small and Medium Enterprise (SMES) loans to graduates who develop interest in agribusiness.

The retreat also afforded bankers the opportunity to examine the role of the financial system as an enabler

Stories by Collins Nweze

for diversified real sector growth, especially in the face of ongoing uncertainty regarding the near-term path of oil prices.

The CBN chief said the theme of this year’s retreat, “Strategies for Financing Real Sector Growth” is congruent with the prevailing developmental initiatives of the apex bank as well as the goals of the banking community.

“We acknowledge that this year’s retreat is at an auspicious time given the events in the global economy. In recent times, the global economy has been dominated by strong downside risks to growth, in view of softening commodity prices, escalating geo-political tensions, and heightening threats to financial markets following the end of the US Federal Reserve’s Quantitative Easing Programme in October 2014.

Bearish developments in the international oil market have intensified these risks particularly for oil exporting countries like ours. These developments are exacerbated by the supply glut in the world oil market following the shale oil revolution spearheaded by the United States,” he said.

Emefiele said the committee supports President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s national development agenda and the objective of growing the Nigerian economy. “We affirm our commitment to financial deepening of the economy, improving financial access to key sectors of the economy, innovative solutions for the critical finance of generation, distribution and transmission in power sector, provide finance for SMEs, as well as the agriculture sector,” he said.

The committee, he added, has made significant contributions that are delivering tangible benefits in critical sectors of the economy through intervention, advocacy, and dedicated support.

He said the CBN, in cooperation with the banks, affirm commitment to maintain and improve impact of existing programmes that support development in the agricultural sector, including the Agricultural Credit Support Scheme (ACSS), the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS), and the Nigeria Incentivebased Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

He said that availability of efficient power supply is critical for sustainable growth and development. “We appreciate the potential multiplier effect on our GDP of improvements in the power sector as a catalyst in creating the enabling environment for other sectors to thrive. We are committed to our ongoing partnership with the Ministry of Power, Nigerian

S

the country, will enable Nigerian women living in the rural and hardto-reach locations in the country to receive cash through Stanbic IBTC’s mobile money service as incentive for their increased accessibility and utilization of maternal and child health services.

Speaking at the launch at Dobi Primary Health Care Centre, Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Tuesday, December 2, 2014, Executive Director of Personal and Business Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Obinnia Abajue, said the partnership represents another major way to leverage evolving technologies and partnerships to enhance value propositions and bring affordable financial services closer to Nigerians. He said the

service will leverage on Stanbic IBTC Bank’s unique bulk payment solutions to transfer money seamlessly and instantly into mobile money accounts.

“We are very pleased to partner with SURE-PMCH Project on this strategic initiative. The partnership will help in actualizing our goal of enhancing access to mobile money services by more Nigerians through the Stanbic IBTC mobile money platform. This collaboration provides another entry point for fast and convenient means of sending and receiving money, and further demonstrates our commitment to continuously deliver innovative products and solutions’, Abajue stated.

Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in our drive to resolve legacy debts in the Power Value Chain.

Following the signing of agreements with relevant stakeholders, the CBN has agreed with the Bankers’ Committee to begin disbursements towards these legacy debts by early next year,” he said.

Diamond Bank praised for supporting entrepreneurs

Stanbic IBTC, SURE-P partner on transfer TANBIC IBTC Bank, in partnership with the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Project, have launched the mobile conditional cash transfer programme tagged ‘Moni for my Phone,’ in a move designed to enhance financial inclusion and boost the cashless policy in the country.

The SURE-P MCH mobile conditional cash transfer programme is part of a scheme being implemented in the Federal Capital Territory and 17 other states in support of SURE-P MCH’s demand-side interventions in the health sector.The service, now rolling out in selected primary healthcare centres across

•Emefiele

D

IAMOND Bank Plc has been commended by Pan-Atlantic University’s Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), for its robust and unwavering support for young and upcoming entrepreneurs in the country.

Speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship Week in Lagos where the bank was recognized as a sponsor at a National Scale, Peter Bankole, Director, EDC, said that Diamond Bank, through its array of MSME-friendly products and propositions, has contributed significantly to the development of the sector in recent years, noting that the Bank’s robust initiative for MSMEs has aided a lot in stimulating employment in the country.

“Diamond Bank has done a lot in the development of the economy through her support for the Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs). The initiatives of the bank have positively impacted areas such as employment generation, advisory support services to MSMEs and access to finance for entrepreneurs,” he said.

Speaking on the Bank’s itch for entrepreneurial development, AyonaTrimnell, Head Corporate Communication, stated that Diamond Bank is very passionate about MSMEs development in the country, and drives the initiative through its Building Entrepreneurs Today (BET).

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 1,710.65 1,092.63 115.26 121.16 1,117.51 1.2232 1.2897 0.7759 1.0986

RETAIL DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM (RDAS) Transaction Dates 10/12/2014 3/12/2014 1/12/2014 1,116.70 1.2158 1.2897 0.7625 1.0986

GAINERS AS AT 11-12-14

SYMBOL BETAGLAS ETRANZACT AIRSERVICE AIICO LIVESTOCK FIDSON 7UP NPFMCRFBK ETI IKEJAHOTEL

O/PRICE 23.15 2.43 1.65 0.77 2.28 3.25 152.00 0.84 18.05 3.82

C/PRICE 24.30 2.55 1.73 0.80 2.33 3.30 153.85 0.85 18.20 3.85

CHANGE 1.15 0.12 0.08 0.03 0.05 0.05 1.85 0.01 0.15 0.03

LOSERS AS AT 11-12-14

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

FLOURMILL TRANSCORP UACN NB MOBIL NNFM NESTLE FO GUINNESS FIDELITYBK CADBURY UBCAP ZENITHBANK

48.45 3.43 40.00 161.31 159.00 19.00 815.55 230.00 135.85 1.60 43.01 1.60 18.40

C/PRICE 43.73 3.10 38.00 153.25 151.05 18.05 774.78 218.50 129.06 1.52 40.86 1.52 17.48

CHANGE -4.72 -0.33 -2.00 -8.06 -7.95 -0.95 -40.77 -11.50 -6.79 -0.08 -2.15 -0.08 0.92

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: October

8.1%

Monetary Policy Rate

13.0%

Foreign Reserves Oil Price (Bonny Light/b) Money Supply (M2)

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

$36.8b

US Dollar

167

168

$68.12

Pounds Sterling

261.9395

263.508

Euro

206.2617

207.4968

171.546

172.5732

Yen

1.3838

1.3921

CFA

0.2944

0.3144

242.3484

243.7996

Yuan/Renminbi

27.1505

27.314

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

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

CBN EXCHANGE RATES December 10, 2014

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

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

Swiss Franc

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

WAUA Tenor

11-11-14 Rate (%)

Rate (%) 12-11-14

Overnight (O/N)

10.54

11.17

Riyal

44.4906

44.757

1M

11.94

12.18

SDR

243.2856

244.7424

3M

13.08

13.33

6M

14.03

14.17

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

FOREX RATES

R-DAS ($/N)

165.29

165.29

Interbank ($/N)

162.75

162.75

Parallel ($/N)

185.50

185.50

0

Dec. 8, 2014

Rates

T-bills - 91

13.65

T-bills - 182

13.88

T-bills - 364

13.65

Bond - 3yrs

13.81

Bond - 5yrs

13.85

Bond - 7yrs

13.83

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NEWS Court adjourns governor’s son’s case

Ebonyi Assembly boils again

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

AN Abia High Court in Ohafia yesterday adjourned till January 26 for ruling, an application brought before it by the defendants in a suit by the eldest son of Abia State Governor Theodore Orji, Chinedu, against Ebere Wabara and the Sun Publishing Ltd. Three applications were argued, following the applications filed by the counsel to the defendants asking the court to strike out the name of Wabara from the process and to also strike out three other paragraphs of the statement of claim.

•Deputy Speaker’s faction locked out •Attacked by thugs

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UPPORTERS of the Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly Chukwuma Nwazunku yesterday attacked a faction loyal to Deputy Speaker Blaise Orji on the premises of the Assembly on Nkaliki Road, Abakaliki.

In a manner reminiscent of the National Assembly fracas, members loyal to Orji were locked out by the Nwazunku faction, as the House reconvened.

The faction loyal to Nwazunku gathered at the Speaker’s residence on Onwe Road, Abakaliki and drove in a convoy, escorted by over 200 youths, to the Assembly.

As the sitting began, with only the 10 members loyal to Nwazunku present, the Orji faction stormed the House, but were barred by policemen led by an assistant commissioner of police.

They alighted from the coaster bus. After argument and persuasion, they were allowed to enter the premises.

As they approached the outer entrance into the chambers, they found out that the

Indigene wants governor to continue

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

door was locked from inside.

This angered the members, who threatened to break the door if they were not allowed in to participate in the sitting.

They argued that it was their right.

As they attempted to enter the House through one of the windows, they were attacked by youths who allegedly came with the Speaker.

A legislative aide to a House leader, Mr. Ifeanyi Onweoga, was beaten up by suspected thugs. He was taken to the Government House clinic.

The hoodlums dispossessed lawmakers of their belongings.

One of the victims was the Leader of the House, Sam Nwali, whose phones and money were stolen.

The legislator sustained a deep cut above his eyes and was treated at the clinic.

He scaled the fence of the Assembly when he was about to be lynched by suspected thugs.

Other members were, how-

A

ever, guarded out of the premises by the security personnel attached to the Deputy Speaker.

The hoodlums attacked a reporter and the publisher of Conscience newspaper, Mr. Charles Otu. Minutes later, Commissioner of Police Maigari Dikko stormed the premises with police officers and arrested over 50 suspected thugs.

The Nwazunku faction denied the allegation.

It spoke through Frank Onwe, who accused the Orji faction of causing the fracas by smashing windows when sitting was on.

Dikko debunked the allegation that the police supported the Nwazunku faction.

His words: “I was not there when the incident happened.

We are investigating it. It is not true that we are supporting any of the factions. We are very professional.”

The Nwazunku faction

Chukwumerije debunks death rumour From Onyedi Ojiabor,

passed several motions during its plenary attended by 10 of the 24 members.

They include: rejection of the compulsory retirement of some principal officers of the House, such as the clerk, cashier and sergeant-at arms, among others, as announced by the government.

The House removed Mrs.

Chinyere Acho, whom the government appointed to replace the Clerk, Mrs. Roselyn Nwokporo, “because she was not qualified to be a clerk.”

The Assembly condemned the N15billion bond facility sought by the government, noting that the administration would not complete the projects before leaving office in May.

ALGON, NULGE insist on right to collect council revenues

HE Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and N entrepreneur, the National Union of Local Prince Alex Mbata, has said the failure of Government Employees Imo State Governor Rochas (NULGE) have said that the exclusive right to collect all Okorocha to win the All the constitutionally Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket is recognised revenues by the 774 councils in the country a blessing in disguise for rests on them. the indigenes.

The two bodies said this in Mbata, the CEO of ABM a joint statement they issued Global Group, said what the nation lost in Okorocha in Lagos yesterday. It was in for failing to emerge as the reaction to another statement issued by the Joint Tax APC standard-bearer, would be gained in Imo, as Board (JTB) in which it said he remained at the Douglas some revenues were not collectible by the councils.

House, Owerri for another four years to continue his rescue mission.

His words: “It is better for INETEEN Ekiti State us to have him as our House of Assembly governor after May 29. If members have told Owelle Okorocha goes to the Federal High Court in Abuja, there is no guaranLagos how Governor Ayo tee that the good work he Fayose tried to force them to has started in Imo will join the Peoples Democratic continue. For me, his not getting the ticket of APC is Party (PDP).

They said the governor ingood for Imo people. Even timidated, harassed and Okorocha’s opponents can attest to the fact that Imo is mounted pressure on them to leave the All Progressives being renewed in the area Congress (APC). of infrastructure developIn a supporting affidavit to ment and other sectors, an originating summons by especially education. So, the lawmakers, the Speaker, why lose a man, who is Adewale Omirin, who was rescuing Imo, to Abuja?” forced out of office, said Mbata, the pro chancellor Fayose employed several inand chairman, Governing timidatory tactics to force Council, Imo State Univerthem into submission. sity, hailed the governor First, Fayose closed down for transforming the educa- Omirin’s petrol station and tion sector. that of other APC members.

Said he: “I’m happy the Second, he declared two of the governor has paid attention plaintiffs wanted for no legal to education, because the reason. first thing a leader must do Third, he denied the plainto emancipate his people is tiffs their statutory rights and to educate them. Ignorance privileges as members of the and poverty go together.

Assembly.

The free education Fourth, they suffered programme of the “physical attacks through poOkorocha administration litical thugs.” Fifth, Fayose will take Imo to the next froze the Assembly’s account level.” because the House refrained

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Onweoga on hospital bed

They said that the 1999 Constitution as amended in the Fourth Schedule empowered the councils to collect certain revenue, such as market/motor park fees, radio/ TV license fees and loading/ offloading, among others, which the statement said the JTF had already harmonised.

According to ALGON/ NULGE, in view of this, they have appointed the Joint Mobile Advert Agency of Nigeria (JMOAN) and the Logistics Agency of Nigeria as

their official consultants to provide logistics, provision of ICT facilities, vehicles, public enlightenment and other branding to facilitate the revenue collection, while “the actual assessment and collection are done by the local government revenue officials”.

The two groups also said that they set up a Biometric Pin Code Clearance, which is issued free of charge to ensure uniformity of council taxes all over the country and stop double taxation of motorists,

adding that they had set up task forces to enforce this.

According to them, these tax forces had arrested some defaulters who had been prosecuted for molesting motorists and collecting double taxation.

The two bodies therefore urged corporate organisations, motorists and others to “make all the requisite payments on the demand notices served on them by their respective local governments in their domains and obtain receipts and bookings without fear of any molestation across the Federation”.

How Fayose tried to force us to join PDP,

by Ekiti lawmakers N

By Joseph Jibueze

from deliberating on a matter which was pending in court.

Six, the governor sacked and removed the plaintiffs’ aides.

Seven, Fayose withdrew their official cars and drivers. The governor also sealed the Speaker’s office and took the keys.

The plaintiffs explained why they had to flee Ekiti to file the action in Lagos.

“Due to the harassment and threat to the lives of the plaintiffs, and the attitude and actions of the eight defendant (Fayose) and his desecration of justice in Ekiti State, the plaintiffs verily believe that the eight defendants would deploy the machinery of the state to frustrate their recourse to justice in a court of law in Ekiti State,” they said.

The Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, the Department of State Security Services (DSS), and the purported “speaker”, Dele Olugbemi, are the respondents.

Olugbemi was “elected” by seven PDP members of the House after claiming to have “impeached” Omirin.

Also joined as defendants are members loyal to OlugbemiSamuel Ajibola, Adeojo Alexander, Adeloye Adeyinka, Israel Ajiboye, Fatunbi Olajide, Olayinka Abeni- and the commissioner of police.

Three commissioner-nominees purportedly cleared by the House under Olugbemi, namely Oweseni Ajayi (Attorney-General), Kayode Eso (Works) and Toyin Ojo (Finance) were also joined as defendants.

The plaintiffs, in their originating summons, are praying the court to declare that Omirin and his deputy are entitled to occupy their offices, unless they are removed by the votes of two-third majority of the Assembly.

They also sought a declaration that the attempt to force them to join the PDP was against their right to freedom of association.

They want the court to nullify the purported removal of the Speaker and his deputy by seven lawmakers.

The court was also urged to hold that Olugbemi’s election as speaker was illegal, and all deliberations and actions of the seven PDP lawmakers are invalid and a nullity.

Among others, the plaintiffs also asked for an order of mandatory and perpetual injunctions restraining the defendants laying claim to offices they were not duly appointed to.

Omirin, who was elected as Speaker on June 6, 2011, said a team of heavily armed security operatives were deployed to the Assembly’s premises on November 17, and prevented the plaintiffs from conducting their legislative duties.

While the APC lawmakers were locked outside the gate, PDP’s seven lawmakers were escorted into the Assembly, where they confirmed the nominees and approved the appointments of local government caretaker committee chairmen and members, despite a suit challenging it in court.

Assistant Editor

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HE Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, refuted yesterday the rumour of his death.

The lawmaker, in a statement by his Special Assistant, Azuikpe Ogbonna, described the rumour as the handiwork of “a few ungodly and irresponsible individuals.”

A three-time senator representing Abia North, Chukwumerije said he was alive.

The rumour went viral after the legislator lost his return bid to the Senate. He was said to have slumped.

The five-paragraph statement reads: “It has come to our notice that a few ungodly and irresponsible individuals are sponsoring the rumoured demise or incapacitation of our amiable, admirable, adorable and highly responsible senator.

“This is just one of the tactics of a prolonged campaign of calumny against the person and office of distinguished Senator Uche Chukwumerije, orchestrated by these few unscrupulous individuals who have no fear of God and will go to any length to blackmail, deceive, short-change, loot, kill and destroy the people of Abia State just for their selfish political agenda.

“We should have ignored this propaganda, but for the myriad of calls from the good people of Abia North, Abia State, Ndigbo from home and abroad as well as Nigerians from all walks of life, who expressed concern and anxiety about this uncharitable, callous, unconscionable and mindless rumour.

“We wish to put it on record that the distinguished Senator Uche Chukwumerije is neither dead nor incapacitated by stroke.

“He is very much alive and has forgiven those behind this rumour as a good father he has always been to his people.

“He uses this medium to advise them to change from their wicked ways before it is too late, to escape the wrath of God, who gives and takes life in accordance with His divine will.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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NEWS

Reports on battleships political, says Tompolo

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HE leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Chief Government Ekpemupolo, (aka Tompolo), has said the reports that he acquired some battleships and other military hardware were a sign of ignorance among those behind the reports.

A Norwegian newspaper, Dagbladet, reported that Tompolo acquired six decommissioned battleships and had them rearmed.

But in a statement yesterday by his spokesman, Paul Bebenimibo, the former mili-

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

tant leader said the reports were not only misleading but orchestrated by Delta State politicians to blackmail him.

Tompolo said the marine vehicles were neither warships nor gunboats and had no connection with arms and ammunition.

He said they were ordinary boats fitted with communication gadgets for surveillance on the nation’s oil and gas facilities.

According to him, the boats had been delivered to the Nigerian Maritime Administra-

tion and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which used same boats with the Navy.

The statement added: “I am not surprised that this blackmail is coming at this crucial time that Nigeria is facing serious security challenges, even as the most decisive moment for the nation, which is the 2015 elections, closes in.

“For one, the initial reaction was to just ignore this cheap blackmail and forge ahead with personal commitments, but the propensity with which these lies are daily peddled requires that a bit of clarification is given to the

public.

“Clearly, the intent of those behind the malicious reports is to weigh me down, paint me as someone with the desire to wage war against the Nigerian state by painting a picture of an arms build-up in the Niger Delta as 2015 approaches.

“On the issue relating to the alleged purchase of war boats, it smacks of ignorance on the part of those who have taken an ignoble delight to embark on this despicable path; it is pertinent for the ignorance of those behind this blackmail to be exposed.

Itsekiri bank on UN, others to actualise 2015 goals

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HE apex Itsekiri sociocultural organisation, the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILT), has said the focus of its struggle for next year’s projection will be on some international resolutions that protect the interests of the minority.

The ILT spoke yesterday in Warri, Delta State, at an endof-the-year meeting where it reviewed its activities this year.

In a resolution on its 2015 interest, the group cited some of the beneficial alliances it made with other minority ethnic groups in the region.

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

In a statement, titled: Not Yet Uhuru, by its Secretary Edward Ekpoko, ILT hailed the Itsekiri for supporting its ideals to defend their motherland and common interest.

The statement reads: “In 2014, we were able to reach out and align with other ethnic nationalities in our region and across the nation to ensure the survival of the Itsekiri ethnic interests.

“In our interaction and work with other minorities, we found a common thread of marginalisation, deprivation,

poverty, oppression, intimidation and downright neglect.

“While collaborating and working in synergy with other ethnic minorities and our life-long allies, the Itsekiri were able to push through their major agenda at recently concluded National Conference.

“In 2015, working with other minorities, we intend to anchor the Itsekiri struggle for survival on the various resolutions of the United Nations (UN) and inter-parliamentary conferences. Some of the resolutions affirm the need to give the greatest possible support

to the protection of the individual respect for human rights through the rule of law and due process.

“Protection of minorities and respect for their political, social, economic, cultural and linguistic rights as well as observation of the integrity of existing states and boundaries.”

Those present at the meeting inluded: the Chairman of the organisation, Pa Johnson Ayomike; Deputy Chairman, Pa Isaac Jemide; the Treasurer, Madam Florence Rewane and Prof. J. N. Omatseye.

“The truth is that the boats have been in the care of NIMASA for about two years now. For the avoidance of doubt, the boats are not warships or gunboats, as being erroneously spread by mischief makers.

“The boats, as acquired, are neither equipped with war arsenal nor are they ammunition carriers. They are simply boats equipped with modern surveillance devices to track oil thieves and, in the process, increase the nation’s revenue base through NIMASA. “Similarly, Tompolo is not in charge of the boats as, upon acquisition, the boats were handed over to NIMASA which in turn involved the Nigerian Navy in their usage and operations.

“Perhaps, it is apt to say that this latest blackmail could not have come from any quarter other than some Niger Delta politicians whose desire to enslave others has not only failed but backfired.

The masterminds of this cannot cow me to withdraw my support for President Goodluck Jonathan.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerians and indeed the Nigerian media, can do the nation a big favour by contacting the Norwegian Embassy for more details on the boats in question.”

Suit against Calabar dredging contract for January 12

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HE hearing in the suit filed by an activist, Mr Sam Nmeje, at the Federal High Court in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, to declare illegal the contract for the dredging of the Calabar Channel has been adjourned till January 12.

The hearing was earlier scheduled to hold yesterday.

A clerk in the court told our reporter yesterday that the judge, in whose court the matter was to be heard, Justice Obilo Emmanuel, was out of town.

In the suit, Nmeje said the contract breached Section 16 of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and was, therefore, unlawful.

Respondents in the matter are: President Goodluck Jonathan, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Minister of Transport, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the Calabar Channel Management Limited (CCML).

The plaintiff alleged that BPP cancelled a bid for the contract midway in 2010 without reason.

He said another bid was held and CCML, which allegedly was not in existence in 2010, made a bid for and won the contract.

Nmeje prayed the court to de-

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

clare as illegal the contract awarded for the capital dredging of the Calabar Channel.

The activist said the process of the contract breached Section 16 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, and was, therefore, unlawful.

He said: “I know that the sixth defendant (CCML) lacks the necessary capacity and experience to execute contracts of such magnitude and economic importance to Nigeria.

“It was incorporated solely for the purpose of unlawfully procuring the capital dredging of the Calabar Channel, as is apparent from its objects in its memorandum and articles of association.”

The plaintiff is seeking a declaration that it is unconscionable, unlawful and contrary to public policy and the provisions of Section 28 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and ultra vires the powers of the fourth defendant to, in August 2014, cancel a re-procurement process ordered by the fifth defendant in line with Section 16 (19) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 only to award the same contract to the sixth defendant the same month, without due process of law, as stipulated and laid down by Section 16(I) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

He is also seeking a declaration that it is not in the interest of the public that a re-procurement conducted by due process of the law should be cancelled and the capital dredging of the Calabar Channel awarded to an inexperienced company without due process and contrary to the Provisions of the Public Pro-

curement Act, 2007.

Nmeje is seeking an order of injunction restraining the defendants from releasing any fund to the contractor to execute the project.

The activist is also seeking to prohibit the Calabar Channel Management Limited from mobilising workers to

the site, carrying out any work or executing the “unlawfully procured contract”.

He is also seeking an order of mandatory injunction directing the NPA to immediately revoke the contract award to CCML for allegedly being procured contrary to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

Edo gets first solar-powered building From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

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N indigenous construction firm, Havillahtrend Engineering Consult and Construction Limited, has built the first energyefficient building complex wholly powered with solar energy in Benin, the Edo State capital.

The firm said complex was the first of its kind in the state and boasts a lighting load of only 150 Watts per floor instead of 1.6 kilowatts (KW) in standard designs.

Addressing reporters during a tour of the facility, the company’s Chief Executive Dr Robinson Ehiorobo said the building, labelled Ehiorobo House, was powered by 16KVA solar panels and saves 90 per cent of electricity bills.

He also said the idea was to showcase a tip of what the company could deliver in the power and energy sector.

According to him, Ehiorobo House is a baby of Havillahtrend Engineering Consult, which specialised in renewable energy, including renewable rural electrification, solar, hydro and wind power and energy-efficient solutions for buildings.

Ehiorobo said the facility would make Nigerians to have confidence in local contractors and engineers to uplift the Power sector.

He said the building would be inaugurated on Thursday by Edo State Deputy Governor Pius Odubu.

•From left: Member, University of Benin Shell Eco-Marathon Team (Team UNIBEN), Mr. Osas Emmanuel; General Manager, Sustainable Development and Community Relations of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mr. Nedo Osayande; SPDC Managing Director, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu; Team UNIBEN Project Coordinator, Prof. Akii Ibhadode; SPDC General Manager, Communications, Dr. Philip Mshelbila and another Team UNIBEN member, Mr. Iyamu Eloghosa, during a ‘Thank You’ visit to Shell in Lagos ... last weekend

Kate Henshaw, other PDP aspirants: Cross River primaries credible

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OME Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants, who contested the National Assembly or governorship primaries in Cross River State have dismissed claims of irregularities by some defeated aspirants.

They said the primaries were free, fair and represented the will of the people.

Among the aspirants who debunked claims that the delegates’ lists were tampered with is Nollywood diva, Kate Henshaw; former Secretary to the State Gov-

ernment (SSG), Mike Aniah and former Chairman of the Editorial Board of DAAR Communications, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power FM, Mr Ugba Murphy.

Aniah, who was an aspirant for the governorship ticket, noted that there would always be one winner in any contest.

The politician urged the losers to stop throwing mud.

He said: “The governorship race was always going to be a contest and there was bound to be only one winner.

For me, the process was fair and I subscribe to it.”

On the alleged tampering with the delegates’ list, he said: “What I saw in the state congress was what was arrived at at the ward congress. The delegates’ list was authentic.”

Ms Henshaw stressed that there was no manipulation of the delegates’ list during her primaries.

The actress was in the race for the Calabar South/ Akpabuyo/Bakassi ticket for the House of Representatives.

She said: “It (alleged tampering with delegates’ list) did not occur in my primaries. I have heard the allegation of tampered delegates’ list. I don’t know what they are talking about.

“The delegates I met with before the primaries were the same delegates I saw during the primaries because I remembered all of them.

And there was no stranger that voted on the day of my primaries.”

Murphy, a senatorial aspirant for the Cross River North, described the process

as credible, particularly the governorship primaries.

Speaking on the sidelines of the governorship primaries at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, he said: “Wonderful.

I can see it is very orderly and people are voting according to their local governments. The procedure is wonderful.”

Also, Cross River Youth Vanguard said neither Senate Leader Victor NdomEgba nor Mr Goddy Jeddy Agba had the moral ground to question the integrity of the primaries.

The group, in a statement in Calabar by its SecretaryGeneral, Ofem Obiang, wondered how after taking part in the process, the two politicians found everything wrong with it.

He said: “If they had won, they would not have questioned the process. NdomaEgba even voted at the National Assembly and governorship primaries, which Agba is now trying to discredit. We don’t know how true this is, but we understand that the Senate leader didn’t even vote for Agba.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

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NEWS

Tension as Kwara PDP leaders meet over post-primaries’ complaints

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HERE was a heavy presence of security yesterday at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The party’s executive members met to appraise the outcome of its governorship primaries amid fears that the outcome might be reviewed by the national secretariat in Abuja.

About 20 riot policemen mounted sentry at the entrance to the party’s secretariat on Asa Dam Road in Ilorin.

But the State PDP spokesman Rex Olawoye said the presence of security men was to prevent hoodlums “who may want to protest the loss by their principals”.

Olawoye explained that although there was no crisis within the party, there were fears that its national secretariat might tinker with the outcome of the primaries, which produced Senator Simon Ajibola as the governorship candidate.

It was learnt that the police

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

presence might have been used to prevent a protest march to the secretariat by supporters of the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Ajibola. Their protest was meant to counter last Saturday’s march by some members of the party against the emergence of Ajibola as the PDP flagbearer for next year’s election.

Last Saturday’s protest was believed to have been sponsored by some aggrieved stakeholders in the party to give the impression that Ajibola was a hard sell for the election.

The aggrieved leaders were said to have made several moves to rework the outcome of the primaries in favour of their candidate.

Olawoye said: “We have an executive meeting today to appraise the primaries so that we can take a position on some issues. You know some hoodlums could come to demonstrate as a reaction to the loss by their principal.

That’s why we asked the police to keep them at bay. We need to meet and review things. If there is a modification, that can come later; if not, we go ahead.”

On the likely modification of the outcome of the primaries, Olawoye said: “When you have a primary like this, the national body still has the final say. You remember when Rotimi Amaechi won the primary, but later the party changed the thing. But he went to court and won without contesting in the election. This is politics. Anything can happen. But for anyone to say he doesn’t know Ajibola is a lie. He has represented Kwara South for 12 years and he has done well for us. We know him very well.”

Also, a Kwara State PDP pressure group, The Freedom Group, warned against the substitution of another candidate with Ajibola.

The group dismissed religious arguments being allegedly raised against the candidate.

In a statement, the group’s spokesperson Tajudeen Kareem said: “We wish that, in the interest of democracy, freedom of choice and peace in our party, nothing is done to tamper with Senator Ajibola’s mandate. Any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the governorship election supervised by Governor Gabriel Suswam is a recipe for electoral disaster for the PDP in Kwara State.”

He added: “We testify to the fact that the governorship primary election was conducted in adherence to due process, transparency and in conformity with the guidelines and regulations of the PDP. That anyone or group of persons is uncomfortable with its outcome is myopic, divisive and undemocratic. It flies in the face of logic and the facts on the ground in Kwara State.

“When has religion become the basis for political representation in Kwara State? The advocates of anti-Ajibola candidacy are disingenuous. Their antics have exposed them as a

bunch pursuing selfish interests and not the interest of our people. If Ajibola is a Christian, so what? All three candidates who recently won tickets to contest senatorial seats under the PDP umbrella are Muslims: Alhaji Yinka Aluko, Central; Alhaji Yinusa Yahaya, North; Lola Ashiru, South.

“As a matter of fact, of the six candidates chosen by delegates for the House of Representatives election, only one, Mr. Richard Babatunde (Oke-Ero, Isin, Ekiti and Irepodun constituency) is a Christian. The rest are Muslims. Going further, the same PDP delegates had elected 24 of their members to contest election to the House of Assembly. Of the lot, only six are Christians. They are: Eunoch Omokanye (OdoOgun in Oyun), Henry Olatunde (Omupo in Ifelodun), Ben Duntoye (Irepodun), Olu Adeoti (OkeEro), Segun Bamidele (Ekiti) and Sunday Adedoyin (Isin).

“The Freedom Group is comfortable with the emergence of Senator Ajibola. That is the collective wish of PDP members who elected delegates to represent them. His emergence has put a lie to the face of those who tried to hoodwink the delegates that the Presidency in Abuja had anointed a candidate.”

Yobe relaxes curfew on Damaturu From Duku Joel, Damaturu •From left: Former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Kehinde Ayoola; Chairman, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Oyo State chapter, Mr. Sunday Adelaja and SDP governorship candidate, Seyi Makinde, during Makinde's declaration for the governorship race at his canpaign office at Iwo Road, Ibadan...yesterday

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HE curfew imposed on Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, following the December 1 attack on the town, has been relaxed.

Boko Haram insurgents attacked the town, killing 69 people, including policemen and soldiers, two weeks ago.

In a statement yesterday in Damaturu by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, Abdullahi Bego, the government said the restriction on movement would begin from 8pm till 7am with effect from yesterday (December 15).

The statement reads: “This is to inform the public that Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has approved a review of the curfew earlier imposed on Damaturu, the state capital.

“From today (December 15), the curfew will begin from 8pm till 7am daily.

Until now, the curfew used to be between 6pm and 7am daily.”

The statement explained that the decision was taken following the consultation between Gaidam and heads of law enforcement agencies in the state.

“The review of the curfew hours followed consultations the governor had with heads of law enforcement agencies in the state,” he statement said.

It expressed the governor’s appreciation to the residents for their cooperation with security agencies to fight insurgency.

PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI

Jonathan, Mu’azu get knocks for undermining Adamawa Christians S OME Adamawa State indigenes, under the aegis of the Movement for the Emancipation of Adamawa People (MEAP), have accused President Goodluck Jonathan of alleged insensitivity to the interest of Christian in the state.

In a statement yesterday in Kaduna, MEAP said Jonathan was being misled by some people in the corridors of power to undermine the interest of Christians in Adamawa State and treat them with disdain.

The statement, by its Chairman, Philip Adamu, said the President was subjecting Christians who, it claimed, constituted 80 per cent of the population of the state, to the

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

authorities of the minority Fulani.

The statement accused Jonathan, his Principal Private Secretary, Alhaji Hassan Tukur and the National Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Muazu, of manipulating the state PDP governorship primaries in favour of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, a Fulani.

MEAP said the party’s action amounted to gross injustice against Governor James Bala Ngilari and the Christian community in the state.

The statement said: “We find it very strange that Mallam Ribadu who, until his recent defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP, was an ardent critic of Jonathan and his government, has been imposed on the Adamawa PDP in a very crude and undemocratic manner, simply because some elements within the corridors of power in Abuja are opposed to Ngilari, a Christian, from governing the state in 2015.

“If Ngilari was a Fulani man, they would have given him the ticket. This is unfair and undemocratic, and it will

not stand. We will use our voting power in 2015 to resist this injustice.

“We are aware that following the growing disenchantment of our people against the President, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Mr. John Kenedy Opara, with the connivance of some individuals in the corridors of power in Abuja, arranged some people to posed as the representatives of the Christian community in the state and held a meeting with the President on Friday December 12, 2014 as part of ploys to appease our people to accept and support Ribadu and Jonathan in the 2015 elections.”

Yero: we must work for change in Kaduna From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

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ADUNA State governor and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2015 governorship election, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, yesterday said hard decisions would be taken in the years ahead to make positive changes in the state.

The governor said such decisions could not be taken now because they could be misunderstood and used to achieve political gains.

Yero spoke at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Chairman’s round table as part of activities marking this year’s Press Week of the Kaduna Council of the union.

The governor recalled that when a law was passed in the state banning commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada, the ban was pain.

But he stressed that the ban had reduced insecurity in the state.

Yero said: “When I banned commercial motorcycles in the state, some people even sent me threat messages and questioned why I should do that. Some even gave me an ultimatum to reverse the decision.

“But we need to take hard and painful decisions to effect changes in Kaduna State, but certainly not in an election year. The ban of Okada, though painful, has helped to reduce insecurity substantially.”

On the 2015 elections and the expectations of the people, the governor said: “If I am elected in 2015, we will change Kaduna positively. We know the problems, the challenges. We will address them accordingly with the political will.

We will do our best.”

Ondo High Court chief’s book for launch

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BOOK, titled: Oiling The Wheels of Justice, will be presented tomorrow at the NICON Luxury in Abuja in honour of the Judge of Ondo State High Court, Justice Sunday Olorundahunsi.

The public presentation, which will hold at 6pm, will have former Labour Minister Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) as the chief host and Prin ce Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) as the book presenter.

Also expected are: Prof Maxwell Gidado, the book reviewer, and Prof. Josiah Amupitan (SAN), who will deliver the keynote address.

Justice Olorundahunsi was the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court of Nigeria between 2010 and 2014.

Benue youths hail APC for Buhari’s emergence

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GROUP of Benue State youths, under the aegis of Benue Grace Group(BGG), has hailed the All Progressives Congress (APC) for choosing former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, as the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2015 general elec-

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

tions.

The group also praised the party for choosing a former Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Sameul Ortom, as Benue State governorship candidate. state.

In a letter to the of the party’s

national leadership in Abuja, the group hailed APC National Chairman Chief John OdigieOyegun for leading the conduct of credible primaries for the emergence of the candidates for the various offices.

BGG noted that the outcome of the primaries showed that internal democracy prevailed

in the party.

The letter, which was signed by the group’s Chairman Emmanuel Abah; a former National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) President Orkuma Hembe and BGG’s Secretary Christopher Iduh, reads: “The APC has, in the short period of its exist-

ence, raised the bars of honesty, accountability, transparency, among others. It has set new standards, providing a formidable and worthy alternative for Nigeria and Nigerians to access justice and fair play as far as politics is concerned in Nigeria.”

BGG said the emergence of

Gen. Buhari had shown that money politics would soon give way for competence and selflessness and replace mediocrity and impunity.

The group said it found it worthy to participate actively in politics because of the choice of Ortom as APC governorship candidate in Benue State.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

NEWS INEC: 1m Boko Haram victims can’t vote in 2015 Continued from page 4

gents.

The insurgency could also mean some local government areas in three northeastern states may be prevented from holding the ballot if the army deems it too dangerous, Idowu said.

Thousands of people have been killed. Bombs, ambushes and raids on towns occur on a near-daily basis in the region.

The United States Council for Foreign Relations estimates that about 10,340 violent deaths between November 2013 and November 2014 were linked to Boko Haram-related violence.

Also yesterday in Abuja, the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), said no fewer than 700,000 Nigerians were displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

Mr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the Special Representative

of the Secretary General of the UN for West Africa, spoke at the 46th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government (HOSG).

Chambas, who put the number of refugees and returnees in Chad, Cameroon, and Niger at about 142,000 persons urged all parties concerned to intensify efforts at ensuring the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals were met.

“The Boko Haram insurgency continues to create mayhem as innocent civilian populations are being killed and entire communities are living under very challenging security situations.

“The regional dimension of this violent extremism is more than ever visible.

“The number of refugees and returnees in Chad, Cameroon, and Niger is estimated at about 142,000 persons.

“In Nigeria Internally Dis-

placed Persons are estimated to be about 700,000.

“Efforts need to be stepped up to globally and comprehensively combat the insurgency.

“The issue of youth unemployment needs to be urgently addressed and the attainment of the objectives of the MDGs which has been shadowed by the many security challenges we’re facing, not only on the African continent but the entire world, needs to be refocused.

“The nexus between peace, security and development cannot be overemphasised,“ he said.

The UN representative also commended ECOWAS for restoring political stability in Burkina Faso.

He said: “UN will remain actively engaged jointly with ECOWAS to prepare for transparent, free, and fair elections that will mark the end of the transition period in 2015.

“Events in Burkina Faso should be viewed as a call for improved governance and especially participative democracy which allows the driving force in our region.“ Chambas also called for concerted efforts at ensuring violent-free elections in memberstates preparing to hold elections in 2015.

Such countries include Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, Guinea, and Cote d’Ivoire.

He also called for coordinated efforts at stopping the spread of the Ebola virus and reiterated the UN’s continued support in the implementation of developed mechanisms.

In his address, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Amb. Kadre Ouedraogo, said the combined efforts of ECOWAS and the international community had led to the development of mechanisms to tackle the scourge.

How Chadian mercenaries run Nigerian villages Continued from page 4

what and at what time because these boys have agents everywhere in the town monitoring the affairs of everyone,” Zaana said.

There were strong indications yesterday that the Chad-brokered ceasefire deal between the Federal Government and Boko Haram might

have collapsed.

The botched deal was designed to effect the release of the abducted 219 Chibok girls.

Faced with unworkable negotiation, the Federal Government has opted to engage the sect headlong in all the states in the Northeast.

It was also learnt that the

Defence Headquarters has given timelines to troops to regain Gwoza and Bama. Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the ceasefire has got stuck along the line because of what a source described as “interwoven interests and power play.”

It was gathered that the noninvolvement of the nation’s security agencies and military hierarchy contributed to the failure of the negotiation on the freedom for the Chibok girls.

A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence, yesterday said: “The so-called ceasefire pact or agreement is virtually dead. Those driving the deal in the country have also lost the steam because there is no headway. In the past two weeks, the talks had been stalled.

“The negotiation was purely political without the knowledge and the input of the military and security agencies.

Those who spearheaded the deal knew little about intelligence and military diplomacy.”

The source added: “The Chadian government has the capacity to attack the Boko Haram group which is partially operating within its territory.

“It is suspected that there is a kind of truce between Chad and the insurgents who have not been striking in Chadian territory. So, it is a case of ‘don’t attack me, I will not attack you.’

“And the backlash of the negotiation on Chadian government has made it not to get too much involved again.

“The Chadian government is

unhappy that its intervention was misinterpreted to the extent that it has to be reacting to certain allegations on its relationship with Boko Haram.”

It was gathered that the military hierarchy had directed troops to “go ahead” with the reclaiming of all seized territories from Boko Haram’ It was learnt that the military had given timelines to the troops to recover Gwoza and Bama where the insurgents had proclaimed Islamic Republic.

A military source said: ‘The government has taken delivery of more fighter helicopters and military hardware from Russia. These equipment have assisted troops to fight Boko Haram and retake seized towns like Mubi, Garkida, Vimtim, Kumare-Uba, Mararaba, Mubi, and others.

“Most of the towns and villages occupied by Boko Haram in Adamawa State had been reclaimed by troops in the last two to three weeks.

The success recorded has buoyed the spirit of troops that the won is winnable.

“The insurgents are on the run. This explains why they are now attacking Ashaka, Bajoga and a few isolated places in Gombe State.

“Troops now have the mandate of the military hierarchy to sack Boko Haram from Gwoza and Bama which had been under the control of the insurgents.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “We are still hopeful that we can liberate the Chibok girls who had been in captivity in the last 245 days.”

Our case against Mark, others, by angry senators Continued from page 4

The Oil benchmark which was initially fixed at $78pb by the Presidency has been reduced to $65pb.

The Senate will take at least one week to consider and approve the new oil benchmark to pave the way for the presentation of the budget by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Besides, the Senate, which is likely to adjourn plenary on December 18 for the Christmas break, may not have enough time to conclude discussions on the MTEF. Observers say the delay in presentation of the 2015 bud-

get would, no doubt, affect its passage with a corresponding adverse effect on the implementation of the fiscal estimates.

Other salient issues waiting for the attention of the Senate as the lawmaker approach the zero hour is the all-important Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which has been in the National Assembly since 2007.

Some Senators are reported to have vowed to ensure that the PIB does not see the light of the day.

The National Assembly is also said to be waiting to receive the conference report of the recently concluded National Conference.

Senate begins probe of police invasion of National Assembly

T

HE Senate yesterday commenced investigation into the November 20 police invasion of the National Assembly complex.

Chairman of the ad-hoc investigative panel, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, initially refused to allow reporters into the venue of the probe.

Makarfi who is also Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, was however prevailed upon by other members to allow reporters access into the venue of the probe.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the National Assembly, Mr. James Idachaba, a Superintendent of Police, told the committee that the instruction to lock the gates of the National Assembly on November 20 was based on a directive received from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command.

The information made the panelists to invite the FCT Police Commissioner to clear the air on what informed his decision to order that the gates of the National Assembly should be locked on the fateful day.

Following the out cry over the police invasion of the National Assembly premises, the police high command had claimed that they acted on security reports that the National Assembly would be invaded by thugs.

Members of the Senate and

From Onyedi Ojiabor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

House of Representatives had reconvened to consider the request of President Goodluck Jonathan to extend emergency rule in the North east states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

Unexpectedly, majority of Senators and House members were not only locked out but some were tear gassed by the police.

The commencement of the probe is coming more than a week behind schedule.

Apart from Makarfi, other members of the committee included Senators Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, Victor Lar, Gbenga Sefiu Kaka, Paulinus Igwe, Jubrilla Bindowo and Ehigie Edobor Uzamere.

•Police IG Abbah

‘Nigerian students’ repatriation

by Sudan erroneous’

T

HE Federal Government has described the repatriation of 30 Nigerians by Sudan over suspicion of being infected by the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) as “erroneous and unfortunate”.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Federal Government had already protested the ill-treatment of Nigerians to the Sudanese authority and was seeking appropriate redress.

The ministry’s spokesman, Mr. Ogbole Ode, said 30 Nigerians were repatriated by the Sudanese authority last Thursday.

“The repatriation is erroneous because the World Health Organisation, (WHO) has declared Nigeria Ebola-free since October 20 after 42-day observation period without recording any new case of Ebola.

“It is unfortunate that Sudan, a supposedly friendly African nation, which has cordial relations with Nigeria, will act this way,” Ode said.

He said 26 of the affected Nigerians were students who had travelled to Nigeria on holidays and were returning to Khartoum after their holidays.

According to him, the Nigerians travelled to Khartoum via an Ethiopian Airline, but on arrival, authorities seized their passports and arranged for them to return to Nigeria.

He, however, said that following the intervention of the Nigerian Embassy in Khartoum, 13 of the affected students, who had not left the Sudanese capital, were allowed entry.

Ode said the ministry was committed to the country’s foreign policy of promoting and protecting the interest of Nigerians living or traveling abroad.

61

THE NATION TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2014

FOREIGN NEWS

Sydney siege ends as police raid cafe A

USTRALIAN police stormed the cafe where a self-styled Muslim cleric had been holding hostages early yesterday, ending a crisis that had shut down central Sydney for hours.

“Sydney siege is over.”

New South Wales police announced on Twitter. “More details to follow.”

Police have not commented on casualties in the raid, but Australian media reported that some people may have died and others may have been injured. Police have not disclosed the fate of the gunman, identified by an official with direct knowledge of the situation as Man Haron Monis. It was unknown if any police were injured.

Chilling images from Australian media on Monday showed people, believed to be hostages, with their hands

pressed against the cafe’s windows. They were holding up a black flag with Arabic writing on it reading, “There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God.” Five hostages sprinted out of the cafe toward heavily armed police officers several hours into the standoff, sending the gunman into an agitated tirade, according to an Australian reporter.

Chris Reason, a correspondent for CNN affiliate Seven Network, said the gunman became “extremely agitated” when he realized what had happened and “started screaming orders” at the remaining hostages.

Reason said he could see the gunman pacing past the

cafe’s windows from his vantage point at the network’s nearby offices. He described the man as unshaven, wearing a white shirt and black cap and carrying a shotgun.

The gunman demanded a flag and phone call through hostages who contacted several media organizations, CNN affiliate Sky News Australia reported.

Some had also reportedly posted messages to social networking sites and the YouTube online video service. Police urged media early Tuesday not to show the videos.

Monis, also known as Sheikh Haron, pleaded guilty in 2013 to writing letters to Australian service members saying they were “Hitler’s soldiers,” according to Aus-

tralian media reports.

He was believed to be acting alone and does not appear to be part of a broader plot, additional U.S. law enforcement and intelligence sources said Monday.

Beyond the demands for the flag and phone call, precisely what he wanted remained murky late Monday.

As night fell, Reason said, the cafe’s lights had been turned off, plunging the interior into “complete darkness.”

In what appeared to be a dramatic ending to the hostage situation early Tuesday morning, police could be seen throwing flash-bang grenades into the cafe in video aired by Seven Network.

Gunfire erupted amid the chaos. After a brief episode of violence, the crisis appeared to ease, with police officers assuming a more relaxed pose, according to Australian media.

It’s unclear how many hostages were in the building at the time.

Palestinian statehood bid under debate

I

SRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said before talks on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry he would defy any U.N. move to “dictate” a timeframe for withdrawal from land Palestinians seek for a state.

Before the two convened in Rome, Israel put the United States on notice it expected Washington to exercise its Security Council veto against any resolutions setting a timeframe.

Jordan has circulated a draft Palestinian resolution to the 15-member forum calling for Israeli occupation of Palestinian land to end by November 2016.

U.S. officials have indicated that Washington did not find the Palestinian draft acceptable, but said that with matters still fluid, it was pre-

mature to take a position now on any particular Security Council resolution.

“Whether we have the nine votes at the Security Council or we don’t, the decision has been taken to present the Palestinian-Arab resolution in the Security Council on Wednesday,” said Wasel Abu Youssef, an official of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, the Palestinians’ highest decision-making body, led by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Shortly before leaving for Rome, in the middle of a reelection campaign, Netanyahu said: “We will not accept attempts to dictate unilateral, time-bound moves to us,” he told reporters. “I will say these things in the clearest manner. Even if there are dictates, we will stand up to them firmly.”

World’s press condemns journalists’ arrests in Turkey T

HE World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the World Editors Forum (WEF) have condemned the arrests of nearly two-dozen journalists, editors and critics of the government in Turkey and called on authorities to stop the crackdown on critical media.

“The use of dawn raids to intimidate journalists while having the police enter the premises of media organizations sends a chilling message to the rest of society that criticism will not be tolerated,” the global organisations of the world’s press said in a statement.

“Given Turkey’s record of imprisoning journalists, we are deeply concerned that many of those arrested could face lengthy prison terms,” the statement said.

WAN-IFRA and WEF, which represent 18,000 newspapers, 15,000 online sites and more than 3,000 companies in 120 countries, called on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to ensure that the government respects press freedom and stop its targeting of news media.

Police attempted to raid the offices of the Zaman daily but were repelled by protesters who had gathered to support the newspaper and vocally defend a free press. The paper’s editor-in-chief, Ekram Du-

manli, challenged the police to arrest him and was later detained, along with Hidayet Karaca, head of the Samanyolu Media Group. Also arrested were some two-dozen journalists, producers, scriptwriters, directors, police officers and two former police chiefs.

All are accused of forming and belonging to an illegal organization with close ties to US-based Islamic cleric Fethul-

lah Gülen, a former ally but now a leading critic of President Erdogan. The arrests appear to be in connection with a year-long campaign against Gülen and his alleged supporters following a corruption scandal that implicated the government and the President’s entourage. Authorities maintain that the allegations were an attempt to seize power by Erdogan’s critics.

ECOWAS parliament gets enhanced Powers

T

HE Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), yesterday finally adopted and signed into law the Supplementary Act on the enhancement of the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament.

The highest decision-making body of the ECOWAS, according to a statement by the Special Adviser (Medai) to the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Uche Anichukwu, said that ECOWAS adopted and signed the Supplementary Act into law at the 46th Ordinary Session of the Authority in Abuja yesterday.

It said that adoption of the Act granted the ECOWAS Parliament a co-decision making

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

status with the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.

It said that Ekweremadu who is also Speaker of the parliament in his reaction to the development, hailed the Supplementary Act as a “monumental breakthrough for the Community Parliament and the entire West African subregion”.

It quoted an elated Ekweremadu to have said: “For me and the entire ECOWAS Parliament, this is indeed a pleasant dream come through.

“It is a major breakthrough for the Community Parliament, democracy, good governance, accelerated integration, peace, and development

Ugandan maid bags four years for assaulting toddler A

UGANDAN maid has been sentenced to four years in jail for assaulting a toddler, in a case which sparked national outrage after a video was released.

Jolly Tumuhirwe, 22, was filmed beating, kicking and stamping on the 18-month-old child.

On Friday, she said the attack was revenge after she was beaten by the child’s mother.

The mother denied beating her. Earlier charges of torture were dropped.

Chief Magistrate Lillian Buchan told Tumuhirwe she had committed an “unjustifiable and inexcusable” crime.

She said the sentence was appropriate in light of the “ruthlessness exhibited” on an “innocent, helpless child”, reports the AFP news agency.

WAN-IFRA, based in Paris, France, and Frankfurt, Germany, with subsidiaries in Singapore and India, is the global organisation of the world’s newspapers and news publishers. It represents more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3,000 companies in more than 120 countries. Its core mission is to defend and promote press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity and the development of prosperous businesses.

Mr Kamanzi installed a camera in his home after becoming suspicious The video footage, which prompted the case, came from a camera the child’s father, Eric Kamanzi, had installed in his home after noticing his daughter was bruised and limping.

He reported the abuse to police last month and circulated the video online to family members. The footage was later shared more widely, provoking horror and upset internationally.

After the sentencing, Mr Kamanzi said: “It’s not for us to decide the punishment for what she committed.

“We hope this has set an ex-

ample for other maids out there, that you can’t just go to someone’s house and torture their baby and expect to walk out,” AFP reports.

Another family member, Rose Zimulinda, said the child was physically well now but there were likely to be longer term psychological consequences.

In Uganda, there is no requirement for people paid to look after children to have qualifications.

Police have recommended that parents do background checks with friends, neighbours, local police, council and previous employers before taking on nannies or maids given these responsibilities.

in the entire sub-region.

“I am indeed short of words to describe my joy over this feat or express my profound gratitude to the Authority of Heads of State and Government under the Chairmanship of President John Dramani Mahama; the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, his able Vice, Macintosh Toga, the Council of Ministers, Attorneys-General and Ministers of Justice of ECOWAS member states, Administration and Finance Committee, the entire membership of the ECOWAS Parliament, and indeed all sister institutions and organs as well as the press for their support, hard work, and commitment, which made this possible.”

•Prince George of Cambridge first official one year old stepping out, he was born July 22, 2013.

PHOTO: STILL WELL

Syria: Rebels capture key army bases

A

L-QAEDA’S affiliate in Syria and allied rebel groups have taken control of two key army bases in the northern province of Idlib, activists say.

Members of al-Nusra Front, supported by those from Jund al-Aqsa, captured Wadi al-Deif base on Monday after launching a fierce offensive on Sunday morning.

Ahrar al-Sham later joined their assault on the nearby Hamidiya base.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad had until now managed to repel a number of assaults on the facilities.

Situated outside the town of Maarat al-Numan and next to the country’s main northsouth motorway, they have been surrounded since 2012.

A Twitter account run by al-Nusra declared on Monday morning that “Wadi alDeif was completely liberated” and said the group was now removing mines.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UKbased activist group, said at least 31 government soldiers and 12 members of alNusra and Jund al-Aqsa had been killed in the fighting.

A local activist, Asad Kanjo, told the Associated Press that most of the troops at Wadi al-Deif had withdrawn before the base was overrun and headed to Hamidiya.

But within hours, the Syrian Observatory reported that Hamidiya had itself been captured by al-Nusra, Jund al-Aqsa and Ahrar alSham.

At least 15 soldiers, including an officer, were taken prisoner, it added.

Rebels are now believed to control much of the countryside of Idlib province, while government forces dominate the provincial capital - also called Idlib - and the nearby Qarmid base.

The Syrian Observatory said al-Nusra and Jund alAqsa had used tanks and other heavy weapons which they captured from the Western-backed Syrian Revolutionary Front last month.

The defeat of the SRF was seen as a blow to US efforts to build a moderate rebel force to counter jihadist groups like al-Nusra and the rival Islamic State (IS), which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq.

62

THE NATION, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

Juventus vs Dortmund:

Enrique: Messi will destroy Man City

Very even tie, insists PavelNedved

J

UVENTUS legend Pavel

Nedved believes the Italian side's Champions League last-16 match-up with Borussia Dortmund will be a 'very even tie'.

The Serie A champions will face Jurgen Klopp's Dortmund over two legs for the right to reach the quarter-finals after the draw was made on Monday. And,

although Dortmund were finalists two seasons ago, Nedved believes the draw could not have been much kinder to Juve.

The former Czech Republic international told UEFA.com: 'We have to be very careful because Dortmund have young, talented players. It could have been worse because there was still Bayern (Munich) and (Real) Madrid when Borussia's name came out.

It will be a very even tie.'

Juve sit top of Serie A under the management of Massimo Allegri while Dortmund are languishing in 16th place in the Bundesliga following a dreadful start to their campaign.

And Nedved, who scored 65 goals in 324 appearances for Juve between 2001 and 2009, thinks his former side have a great chance of progressing at the expense of Klopp's men.

“There are a few teams who are almost impossible to compete with, so we are happy to have a side against whom we have a chance. I'm a big fan of Jurgen Klopp and I'm curious to see our level in Europe. The games against Dortmund will give us a clear indication of that,” he said.

Toulalan: Monaco can beat Arsenal

M

ONACO midfielder Jeremy Toulalan believes his side have a strong chance of eliminating Arsenal from the Champions League. The Ligue 1 runners-up have endured a tricky domestic season and were widely seen in the build up to the draw as the weakest of the group winners, but the 31-year-old believes the fixture against the English outfit will prove evenly balanced.

“It’s 50-50,” he said, before downplaying the significance of his side’s 1-0 Emirates Cup win in July.

“We won there in pre-season, but this is a completely different challenge.

“The Arsenal players are technical and quick. It will be

really difficult.”

Toulalan believes his side’s defensive strength gives them a chance in the tie.

“We’ll go to the Emirates with our weapons calmly.

“We’re not a team that’s easy to breakthrough. We’ll be fresh and we’ll have no pressure on us.”

Arsenal boast a large French contingent, while the tie will also mark a return to his old club for Arsene Wenger, who enjoyed a successful spell at Stade Louis II from 1987 to 1994.

“I think it’ll please him to come back here, and the other French members in the Arsenal squad . I know Olivier Giroud well and it’ll be fun to be on the same field as him again,”Toulalan said.

B

ARCELONA boss

Luis Enrique has paid tribute to Manchester City's quality, but insisted that he has the best player in the world at the Camp Nou. Enrique reserved special place for City forward Sergio Aguero after the two sides were drawn together in the last-16 stage of the Champions League.

Neuer:Shakhtarwon'tbeeasy B

AYERN Munich will approach their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie with Shakhtar Donetsk with caution, according to Manuel Neuer.

Five-time winners Bayern will travel to Ukraine in February for the first leg of the tie, in what will be the first ever meeting between the two clubs.

And Ballon d'Or nominee Neuer expects Shakhtar to pose a serious threat to his side's hopes of winning their second Champions League title in three years.

"Donetsk are the great unknowns in the last 16 so preparing for the matches won't be that easy," said the goalkeeper.

"But as always, our coaching and analysis teams will provide us with all the information we need.

"I've never personally faced this team, although I played in Lviv once with Germany when

we beat Portugal 1-0 at Euro 2012, so that's a good omen.

"I'm definitely confident we can make the quarter-finals."

Sporting director Matthias Sammer echoed Neuer's confidence around Bayern progressing, but insisted they would not take Mircea Lucescu's team lightly.

"We don't know them," he said.

"But any team that makes it through the group stage against the likes of Bilbao has the class.

"We respect Donetsk but intend to progress," he said.

However, the Spaniard has claimed that for all City's quality, the Premier League club do not have a player in the class of Lionel Messi.

"They have a quality group of players and within the top10 is Kun, but none of them are better than Messi," Enrique told reporters.

The first leg of the last-16 tie will take place at the Etihad.

Schalke can shock Madrid - Howedes

S

CHALKE defender

Benedikt Howedes insists Real Madrid are "beatable" after their Bundesliga side were paired with the holders in the Champions League last 16.

The Bundesliga side were dispatched 9-2 on aggregate by eventual winners Madrid at the same stage last season, but Howedes is determined to prove that his side have learned their lesson.

"We know how we lost badly last year. Real are one of the best teams in the world. But even these teams are beatable," he said after the draw. "We will do our best to challenge the holders."

Team-mate Joel Matip added: "Real are an awesome team. Those are two matches over 90 minutes and, in football, anything can

happen. We are looking forward to it and we want to show that we learned from last year."

Striker Eric Maxim ChoupoMoting, who has impressed since joining from Mainz during the summer, is particularly keen to show his qualities against one of the continent's best teams.

"Faith wanted Schalke and Real Madrid to meet again," said the Cameroon international. "Personally, I am really looking forward to it, since they are one of the best teams in the world and I did not play against them last year. I think we will do better than last year."

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

63

TODAY IN THE NATION

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

‘Four years down the line, it is exclusive good luck to Jonathan but extensive bad luck to his voters. That explains the Buhari appeal’ VOL.9

NO. 3066

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

I

COUNT it an honour to be included among the “very influential and patriotic Nigerians” to whom Your Excellency addressed your letter Ref GMB/PE-2007/1, of May 29, 2006, regarding your intention to seek the ticket of the ANPP for the 2007 presidential election.

You have since secured the ticket, and your presidential campaign is approaching full throttle.

Congratulations.

From my current abode in the United States, I have been following the electioneering campaign and related developments as reported in the Nigerian newspapers and other information sources on the Internet. I have nothing but high praise for the single-mindedness, the energy, and the passion with which you are pursuing the quest.

I owe you an explanation and an apology for employing this public medium to respond to your letter. Although it was addressed to me directly and could therefore be considered private communication, it was entirely about public issues. It was also addressed to me, I believe, because I am a public affairs commentator. Besides, since so many issues would be contending for your attention, I was not sure that if sent a private reply, your campaign staffers would bring it to your notice.

As your candidacy and the support it has been garnering became a subject of heated controversy, I decided that this was the best time to respond, and to do so from this public platform. If this is a breach of protocol, I offer Your Excellency my remorseful apologies.

In the letter under reference, you identified with remarkable perspicacity the challenges that lie ahead for whoever aspires to be Nigeria’s next president – establishing and nurturing democracy, fashioning appropriate institutions to ensure good governance, and building a just society.

I am heartened that if elected, you will not abandon the disconnected majority of our compatriots to the not-so-tender mercies of the market, but will seek and maintain a proper balance between the caprice of the market and the judicious application of public policy. They in turn will also find very reassuring your determination to bring about improvements in literacy, public health, nutrition, employment, and physical security.

A good many of our compatriots will, I am sure, contest Your Excellency’s assertion that it has been resolved for all time that Nigeria should remain “a single, indivisible, political entity.”

I can almost hear them ask: “When was the question resolved, where, and by whom?

The presumption that this question has been resolved, Your Excellency, lies at the heart of some of Nigeria’s most intractable problems.

It has bred in some ascendant groups an overweening sense of entitlement, leading them

RIPPLES

WE’LL MISS NIGERIA AT AFCON–Hayatou

NIGERIANS won’t miss NIGERIA. They ‘ll be free from HYPERTENSION

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

Dear General Muhammadu Buhari

•Buhari

to treat other groups with condescension, to expropriate them and generally relate to them as if they were colonial subjects.

This attitude has in turn moved disadvantaged groups to demand, with increasing militancy, a negotiated re-structuring of Nigeria, based on equity and justice.

There is no room for complacency on this important issue, Your Excellency. The unity and indivisibility of Nigeria should never be taken for granted. Unity has to be cultivated and nurtured in the crucible of justice. Without justice, there can be no unity. When the system is seen to be working for justice, not thwarting it, Nigerians will unite behind common purpose, including preserving Nigeria as a single indivisible political unit. Without justice, that goal will remain an aspiration at best.

I was somewhat encouraged on this score, Your Excellency, by the accent you are placing on social justice in your campaign. The hope must be that, under a Buhari presidency, this accent will at all times animate the process as

well as the outcomes of public policy.

But there is one section of your letter that I find troubling. I crave your indulgence, Your Excellency, to quote the relevant paragraph. It reads: “The first challenge, Nigeria to be or not to be, has been settled once and for all in favour of Nigeria, despite the occasional picture of impending doom by harbingers of war, unguarded utterances and sensational reporting.”

This may be nothing more than the speculation of an overwrought imagination, but I hear in the phrase “unguarded utterances” and “sensational reporting” faint echoes of Decree Four, the most repressive press law ever enacted in Nigeria. At the very least, the phrase suggests that Your Excellency still regards contrarian speech and “sensational reporting,” howsoever defined, as irritants that stand in the way of good governance.

If this is a misreading of your thinking, I hope Your Excellency will quickly disavow it. For that perception runs deep among those who are implacably opposed to your candidacy and those who are merely ambivalent about it. They acknowledge that your Administration meant well for the most part. But they remember all too well how Decree Four, Decree 2, and indeed the posture of your Administration, created a climate of fear and rendered thought socially hazardous.

Two incidents captured this climate of fear most poignantly. The first was the jailing by a military tribunal of two journalists, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, for publishing a news story that failed the exorbitant test of not being “accurate in every material particular” – a standard unattainable even in particle physics. The story at issue had no bearing on national security, and the factual error that sealed the doom of the two reporters did not call into serious question the integrity of the reporting.

The second was the firing-squad execution of three young men convicted of drug peddling

HARDBALL

B

BA — Baba barks again: and the polity shivers! At any rate, that’s what Baba would wish.

Baba is, of course, you know who: former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who (the courts be damned!) reserves the right to maul his subjects anyhow he likes. That, from news reports, is the standard fare in his new offering, My Watch.

Virtually forever, Baba has pressed his right as no respecter of persons, no matter “whose horse is gored”, to use his favourite cliché. But more sinister, with the release of My Watch: Baba appears to be pressing his right as no respecter of the courts!

But however that adventure ends, the court will decide, since the matter is sub-judice.

Still, one single philosophy runs through all Baba’s autobiographies, all harbouring the ultra-selfpushing “My”: My Command (his Civil War account), Not My Will (his account as accidental military head of state) and My Watch (his threevolume tome, on his tenure as elected two-term president), the controversial publishing and presentation of which has landed Baba in hot soup in the court of Justice Valentine Ashi of a Federal High Court in Abuja.

That sole philosophy: drum up other people’s perceived rot just to divert the nose from your own pus.

In My Command, everybody was a villain — not even the mercurial and iconic Brigadier Benjamin

Baba barks again (BBA) Maja Adekunle, the Civil War hero, lately deceased, who pioneered the formidable 3rd Marine Commando amphibious division that struck terror in the heart of the Biafra rebel enclave. Everybody was undisciplined; everybody was a knave; everybody was a coward.

But Brigadier Godwin Alabi-Isama’s The Tragedy of Victory punched holes in Baba’s fanciful tale of wayward narcissism, even claiming the selfpainted dashing war hero once took a bullet in his buttocks, while fleeing from enemy bullets! That revelation, backed by veterans who corroborated the claims at the book’s public presentation, made Baba a butt of public jokes. Baba never forgets — or forgives. That would appear why he comes hard on Alabi-Isama in My Watch!

In Not My Will, Baba gloried in the fact that what the great Obafemi Awolowo coveted all his life — the Nigerian presidency — he got in on a platter of gold as military head of state. But he was in a hurry! If he had waited a little, he would have added that Nigerians even begged him to come back — and he did, as two-term elected

OLAKUNLE ABIMBOLA

by another special tribunal invoking a law passed after the offence was committed. Retrospective punitive laws are always reprehensible. It would be hard to find anything more odious than laws that prescribe death by retroaction.

This record cannot be prettified, Your Excellency. It is no answer that these incidents occurred under a military regime. Nigeria was not a military barracks, nor was it an occupied territory.

Unlike some of the people who claim to speak for you or to advance your cause, you have not tried to dodge the facts. You have not sought by vile tactics to assail the honour of those who insist that you confront the record.

It remains for you to acknowledge, even if only in the antiseptic language of officials whose policies have gone frightfully awry, that “mistakes were made,” and to enter a solemn pledge that you will never embark on nor permit such measures again.

Those measures may well have been discussed and approved by the Armed Forces Ruling Council over which Your Excellency presided. They were undoubtedly backed by law. Still, their application did not adhere to the rule of law. Rather, they belonged in the discredited practice of “rule with law.”

Every barbarous measure the white supremacist regime in South Africa embarked upon was scrupulously backed by law; hence, they claimed, the rule of law operated in the enclave. But the world community was not fooled. It declared apartheid a crime against humanity.

Your iron self-discipline, your Spartan lifestyle, and your capacity for following up and following through, your large appetite for work, your concern for the disconnected, and your reputation for integrity, will stand you in good stead in the testy days ahead, and if you win the race, in the years ahead.

But you need to reach out, Your Excellency, to the human rights community, to those who have expressed strong opposition to your candidature, and those who were gravely injured by some of your policies.

Play Mandela. Play Yakubu Gowon. Start with Nobelist Wole Soyinka, if only because he is the most outspoken and the most influential among your critics. Seek him out during your impending campaign tour of the Southwest, not to appease but to engage him.

And be sure reach out to Umaru Dikko, whom you should have no difficulty locating.

My apologies once again, Your Excellency, for addressing you through this public medium.

I thank you for your time and attention, and wish you all the best in the race to Aso Rock.

•First published in The NATION on February 6, 2007, this article is reproduced today for its contemporary resonance.

•For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above president.

Still, the Awo he tried to mock then and probably still resents now, even in death, towers above Obasanjo, like some Gulliver in Lilliput.

While Awo’s place in history is secure, Obasanjo still tries to cement his own. The snag is: Obasanjo would rather write his own history, reserving the right to selectively forget and remember!

That desperation would appear to have catapulted him into My Watch, which venom and immodesty his old age has not even mellowed.

In My Watch, Obasanjo still tried to paint Atiku Abubakar, the vice-president under him, black.

Somewhat he has succeeded, even without a shred of proof, in erecting his preferred public image of Atiku. Yet it was Obasanjo, not Atiku, that as president and Oil minister, suborned the Oil and Gas sector to donate (more of extortion, really) to his private presidential library — pushing out others’ pus to cover your own, if you get the gist?

Someone should tell Baba that his perennial barks are biting with no one — except the utterly dense. So, he should spend his winter years on things more ennobling and purposeful.

As for his new challenge to the courts, you don’t tell a child to shun cultivating wild incisors. The glaring discomfort comes all too soon!

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