December 20, 2014 by The Nation

THE NATION

NEWS

IGERIANS displaced by violence, particularly in the North East, will not be denied their right to vote in next year’s elections, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The commission yesterday announced the setting up of a task force on how to get such internally displaced persons (IDPs) to vote in the elections. The task force of 10 is headed by INEC National Commissioner, Mrs. Thelma Iremiren. Other members include the Director, Electoral Operations, Mr. Kayode

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

2015: INEC raises task force on displaced persons’ right to vote Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

Oladimeji; Ag. Director, Legal Services, Mr. Ibrahim Bawa; Director, Voter Registry, Engr. Emmanuel Akem; Chief Technical Adviser to the Chairman, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu; and Special Assistant to the Chairman, Prof.

Mohammed Kuna; the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Borno State, Prof. Tukur Sa’ad; his counterpart in Adamawa State, Mr.Kassim Gaidam; the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Yobe State, Mallam Sadiq Abubakar Musa; and Director, Planning and Monitoring, Barrister Okechukwu Ndeche, who will double as the Sec-

retary of the task force. The task force is mandated to examine the legal, political, security and administrative challenges in achieving IDP voting during the 2015 general election; evaluate the standards and recommendations emerging from conferences and workshops by international and local agencies on IDP voting,

and determine their applicability to Nigeria for the 2015 general election. It is also expected to review the experiences of other jurisdictions in dealing with the challenges of IDP voting; evaluate the adequacy of existing electoral legal framework for resolving the challenges of IDP voting in the 2015 general election; determine what the

Commission can do to ensure that IDPs are not disenfranchised if the existing legal framework is inadequate; determine the scope of IDP participation that is practicable in the 2015 general election. The task force has seven days beginning from Monday, December 22nd, 2014 to deliver.

APC raises the alarm over purchase of PVCs

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused an unnamed party of buying permanent voter cards (PVCs) with a view to disenfranchising the owners of such cards, especially in opposition strongholds. The APC said while such purchased PVCs may not be transferable. Those who are buying them are doing so to reduce the votes in the opposition strongholds and improve the chances of their own party at the polls. ‘’We appeal to our supporters in particular and all Nigerians in general not to sell their PVCs, because this will amount to mortgaging the future of their children just because of a paltry 1,000 Naira,’’ National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said in a statement. ‘’Your voter’s card is your power to help forge the much-needed positive

change in our country. Protect it,’’ he added. The party has also urged all its members and supporters who are yet to collect their PVCs and register to vote to do so urgently, saying they should visit their local government headquarters for the twin exercise. The party said while distribution of the cards and the continuous registration at the polling units might have ended, both exercise would still continue at local governments’ headquarters until Jan. 31, 2015, according to the assurances given by INEC. ‘’We have been assured by INEC that all those who registered will get their PVCs and the chance to vote in the 2015 general election. We are therefore appealing to all our members and supporters who have not collected their cards to immediately proceed to their local government headquarters to collect them,’’ the statement said.

Nigeria, Cameroun, three others set for GSK Ebola vaccine trials

RIALS of GlaxoSmithKline’s experimental Ebola vaccine are likely to move to a second phase in Nigeria,Cameroun,Mali,Ghana and Mali in February, later than previously suggested. This follows a meeting of national regulators which said said they needed more information. The World Health Organization (WHO), which hosted a meeting of national regulatory authorities and ethics committees earlier this week, said they had thoroughly discussed all aspects of the proposed trials at the two-day meeting. “Reviewing countries requested additional documentation from the manufacturer of the vaccine, GlaxoSmithKline, before authorization of the trials,” the WHO said in a statement. Nigeria and the other four countries are expected to receive and review the additional information by the end of next month. “If these steps are completed to the satisfaction of the national authorities, Phase II trials are likely to

begin in February,” the statement said. The GSK vaccine is already undergoing Phase I trials, to check its safety in humans, in Switzerland, Britain, Mali and the United States, and is one of the two leading candidate vaccines for Ebola already undergoing tests. The other vaccine, from NewLink Genetics is also still in Phase I trials. One of its trials, in Geneva, was suspended earlier this month after some patients complained of joint pains. Johnson & Johnson plans to start clinical trials with a third vaccine shortly. WHO officials have said they hope the unprecedented fast-track trials mean vaccines may be widely available around the middle of 2015, although they also hope the outbreak will be over by then. So far it has killed almost 7,000 people. There are still many unresolved questions about the use of experimental vaccines, including whether subjects will need one or two injections.

•From left: Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi; Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Office of Secretary to the Federal Government, Dr Habiba Lawal; Managing Director, Aso Savings, Hassan Usman; National President, Real Estate Developer Association of Nigeria, Bode Afolayan and Project Coordinator, Ebenezer Adebisi during the unveiling of FRSC Housing 20,000 project in Abuja yesterday. PHOTO Abayomi FAYESE

Boko Haram’s threat: It’s not acceptable to live in fear, Sanusi tells Muslims

HE Emir of Kano, Alhaji Mohammad Sanusi, led the special morning prayer at the Kano Central Mosque yesterday, urging all the Islamic sects in the country to unite and defend themselves against any external invasion or attack by any unknown group. Emir Sanusi, who led the prayer at about 9 a.m., called on the Islamic sects to be

Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano vigilant at their places of worship and protect themselves against any threats of attack. He said it was unacceptable that the people would live in fear or despondency in any circumstances, urging them to remain calm and go about their legitimate businesses without fear. The Emir also urged the

general public to remain security-conscious at places of worship, motor parks, markets, departmental shops, recreation centres and other crowded places, stressing the need for local security guards in public and private organisations. The Emir was one of the thousands of Muslims who observed the Friday Juma’at prayers at the City Central Mosque which came under

heavy attack about two weeks ago. The Boko Haram sect has since taken responsibility for the attack. Security was beefed up in Kano yesterday as Muslims observed the Juma’at prayers which held all over the state without any security hitch. In most of the Mosques our correspondent visited, Muslim youths were sighted directing vehicles away from mosques.

2014 Prosperity index: Nigeria ranked behind Niger Republic, Mali, Zambia, others

IGERIA’s economy may not be as rosy as the Federal Government claims, according to a global prosperity index released yesterday. Eight months after the Federal authorities announced the rebasing of the economy, making it the largest on the continent, the UKbased Legatum Institute ranked Nigeria’s prosperity 125th of the 142 countries surveyed and 26th in Africa, trailing countries such as Burkina Faso, Senegal, Benin, Zambia, Mali, Niger Djibouti and even Zimbabwe and Maurtania.

The Institute describes prosperity as more than just the accumulation of material wealth. “It is also the joy of everyday life and the prospect of an even better life in the future. This is true for individuals as well as nations. The Prosperity Index is the only global measurement of prosperity based on both income and wellbeing. “It is the most comprehensive tool of its kind and is the definitive measure of global progress.” Nigeria’s performance in the 2014 Prosperity Index is generally poor in all the

eight sub-indexes used in the survey. It came 97 in Economy; 114 in Entrepreneurship and Opportunity; 120 in Governance; 123 in Education; 132 in Health; 137 in Safety and Security; 106 in Personal Freedom; and 108 in Social Capital. Norway came first overall followed by Switzerland and New Zealand in the third position. Denmark, Canada, Sweden, Australia, Finland,Netherlands and USA occupy the fourth to tenth position. Botswana is number one in Africa but is 75th globally.

Other African countries and their rankings are as follows: South Africa (81), Morocco (85), Namibia (88), Tunisia (92), Algeria (97), Ghana (98), Rwanda (99), Burkina Faso (103), Senegal (106), Benin (108), Kenya (109), Zambia (110), Uganda (111), Mali (113) and Niger (114). Others include Cameroun (115), Tanzania (117), Malawi (118), Djibouti (119), Mozambique (120), Cote d’Ivoire (121), Republic of Congo (122), Zimbabwe (123), Mauritania (124), Nigeria (125), Ethiopia (126) and Sudan (130).

THE NATION

NEWS 3

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is racing against time in restoring peace to its state chapters fractured by the recent governorship primaries ahead of next year’s elections. Reports from Lagos, Rivers, Oyo, Ogun, Enugu and Adamawa states, among others, indicate that little or no progress has been made by the party leadership in the effort to reconcile the feuding sides and go into the elections as a united party. Rather, party members and factions have intensified their bickerings, hurling insults at one another. There is no end in sight yet to the crisis in the Lagos State PDP following the disputed governorship primaries won by Mr. Jimi Agbaje. The immediate past minister of state for defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who lost to Agbaje is contesting the result of the primary election in court. He accused party leaders, Chief Bode George and Chief Adeseye Ogunlewe, of manipulating the primaries in favour of Agbaje. George was unsparing in his response, dismissing Obanikoro as a “desperate and obsessed man who is apparently incapable of absorbing the reality of his defeat by a well-bred and better man.” He added: “He is a desperate sinking man, grasping and thrashing in self inflicted chasm. “What is the pedigree of this young man who has abandoned the typical African deference to elders? We know who sprung from violence and banditry. We know whose antecedents reek in noisome, vagrant, untidy ruffianism. “Politics is not a do or die affair. No civilized person with impeccable pedigree will seek a tacky refuge in destruction and ruin simply because he has lost in a free and fair contest. Obanikoro should go quietly into that good night if he means well for Lagos. “Enough of his desperate tantrums and lunacy. Lagos has moved on, far beyond the primitive wretchedness of little, ill-bred hooligans.” Meanwhile, Obanikoro’s supporters have marched on some streets in Lagos and Badagry, calling for his recognition as the governorship candidate of the party. The protesters threatened to dump the party and join the All Progressives Congress (APC) if the PDP refused to conduct another governorship primaries. Wike working round the clock to stop mass defection In Rivers State, former Minister of State for Education, Mr.Nyesom Wike, who was declared winner of the state’s governorship primaries, has been working round the clock to woo his aggrieved co-contestants and stop them and their supporters from dumping the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). It was gathered yesterday in Port Harcourt that the displeased PDP governorship aspirants were talking to an opposition party in protest of their alleged maltreatment by the PDP. The aggrieved PDP governorship aspirants, under the aegis of the Rivers Mainstream Coalition and led by Prof. Israel Owate, insisted that Wike’s emergence as the

Governorship primaries: Warring PDP factions adamant, stall peace efforts Leke SALAUDEEN; Bisi OLANIYI,Port Harcourt; Bisi OLADELE, Ibadan; Ernest NWOKOLO, Abeokuta and Barnabas MANYAM, Yola party’s governorship candidate was a show of shame. Spokesman for the Rivers Mainstream Coalition, Sotonye Ijuye-Dagogo, said: “We reject in its entirety the emergence of Wike as the governorship candidate of the PDP in Rivers State. We shall not concede our state to rogue politicians.” One of the aggrieved aspirants,Tonye Princewill, has already defected to the Labour Party. Wike, believed to be the candidate of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, is from the upland of the state whereas the yearning of the people is a governor from the coastal part of the state.

ready given to Isiaka. Also, the Ogun West Senatorial Chairman of the PDP, Boye Adesina, rued the fact that a few powerful and undemocratic elements as well as their collaborators within the party were bent on throwing Ogun PDP into another 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 Monday December 8, 2014. “We passionately appeal to the national leadership of our party not to be hoodwinked by these elements to short-circuit the transparent process that has produced

Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka as Ogun State PDP governorship standard bearer for the 2015 election.” National Publicity secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh declared the primaries null and void and of no effect. According to him, a new date will be communicated for the governorship primary in Ogun State. The party is yet to announce a new date for the primary. Adamawa The governorship primary that produced former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as winner has deepened the intra-party crisis in the Adamawa State chapter of the PDP. The national headquarters of the PDP ordered

that the congress be held in Abuja without the consent of the state executive. The state chairman, Joel Madaki, dissociated his executive from the conduct of the “Abuja primary”. He said Adamawa PDP had nothing to do with it. While the Abuja primary was on, the State Governor, James Ngilari and his supporters held a parallel election in Yola at the same time. The party has two governorship candidates in the state. Plateau Fourteen aggrieved PDP governorship aspirants in Plateau State have described the primaries from which Pwajok emerged as the flag bearer as a show of shame. The aggrieved aspirants

petitioned the national headquarters of the party, calling for the cancellation of the exercise and a new date for fresh primary. They insisted that the process was flawed and the governor manipulated it to favour his anointed candidate. Apart from the aspirants, people from the central and southern senatorial zones are bitter about the outcome of the exercise. A group, Movement for the Creation of South Plateau State. has called on the citizens of the state to vote for a governorship candidate from any other political party as far as he is from the Southern senatorial zone. The reaction of the PDP national secretariat is being awaited.

Oyo Elder Wole Oyelese, Hashim Gbolarumi, Prof. Soji Adejumo and Dr Azees Adeduntan, who contested against Senator Teslim Folarin, the party’s governorship candidate in Oyo State, are not yet convinced that they should work for his success in the February election, given the controversial manner in which he emerged. A major stakeholder in the party, Chief Adebayo AlaoAkala, has already defected to Labour Party (LP) to pick its governorship ticket while another leader, Oluseyi Makinde, joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and also picked the governorship ticket. Ogun The national leadership of the PDP is locked in a bitter dispute with the state executive council of the party over who should fly the party’s governorship ticket. The national leadership is backing former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr.Dimeji Bankole, while the state exco insists that Mr.Gboyega Isiaka, who won the primaries, is the candidate. Isiaka, who hails from Yewa, the only part of the state which has not produced the governor since the creation of the state in 1976, has the support of prominent PDP members in the state. Isiaka’s fellow Yewa people, led by Chief Iyabo Apampa, former Deputy Governor Salmot Badru, Chief (Mrs) Ebun Oyagbola and hundreds of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Ogun West, marched to the party’s state secretariat in Abeokuta, protesting against plot to foist Dimeji Bankole on the party as its governorship candidate. Mrs. Oyagbola, a former Minister of National Planning, Apampa and Badru said Ogun West has been marginalised enough politically, adding that any attempt to rob their son, Isiaka, in favour Bankole would not be accepted. They also threatened to resist any attempt by the party’s national leadership to withdraw the mandate al-

•President Goodluck Jonathan (right) receiving the report of the Presidential Committee of Experts On Inter-Professional Relationship in the Public Health Sector from the Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, in Abuja… yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Boko Haram: DHQ probes fresh abduction of 135 in Borno •Deploys soldiers in Gumsuri to protect lives and property HE Defence Head•US condemns invasion, pledges support quarters yesterday

said it has launched a probe into the alleged fresh abduction of 135 in Borno by Boko Haram insurgents. Also, troops have been deployed in Gumsuri in pursuit of the terrorists and to secure the area. The insurgents had killed about 33 people in Gumsuri and allegedly abducted 135. But the DHQ only admitted that some people were killed when the insurgents invaded the area. It said it was yet to verify reports of alleged kidnap of scores of villagers in Borno State. A statement on the DHQ blog said: “Troops are patrolling the general area of Gumsuri in search of terrorists who were said to have attacked the community last weekend. “ Although it has been confirmed that some people were killed by the terrorists during the attack, the reported abductions as claimed by unidentified sources being quoted in

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation and Vincent IKUOMOLA, Abuja

some foreign media is yet to be verified from any credible sources in the community. “Some of the villagers who fled during the attack have started returning to the village. Normal life has also returned to the area. “ The surveillance and patrol of the area by air and land forces has been stepped up to secure the general area. “Troops have been ordered to sustain an aggressive patrol over the area and the surrounding communities in order to ensure that terrorists do not have any freedom of action in the area while the counter-terrorism campaign continues.” As at press time, military sources said that troops were trying to secure all reclaimed territories in Adamawa State. Another source added: “Troops have been mandated

to protect all reclaimed communities like Garkida, Vimtim, Kumare-Uba, Mararaba,and Mubi. “The mandate given to troops is that the insurgents must never be allowed back into the hitherto occupied territories.”

Meanwhile, the United States of America has condemned in strongest terms the attack on the village. It also reassured Nigeria of its support at taming the terrorist group. The attack, which took place on December 14, according to Nigerian military sources, saw at least 16 people dead, including the Chief Imam of the village. The statement issued by the US embassy in Abuja stated in part: “We are aware of reports from persons who fled the scene of the attack that suspected Boko Haram gunmen kidnapped more than 100

women and children and killed 35 people during a Sunday raid on the remote village in northeast Nigeria, but we are not in a position to confirm the details. “We abhor such violence, which continues to take a terrible toll on the people of Nigeria, and we extend our condolences to the victims and their families. “Boko Haram has shown no regard for human life. This year alone, it has murdered thousands of innocent people in vicious attacks on schools, churches and mosques, and its attacks have resulted in displacement of hundreds of thousands of Nigerians. “We remain committed to helping the government of Nigeria address the threat posed by violent extremist organisations and its efforts to find and free the girls abducted in Chibok and all others who have been abducted.”

THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 20, 2014

4 News

Oil workers suspend strike

HE industrial action called by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has been suspended by the unions. The decision to suspend the industrial action was taken at a meeting between the unions and representatives of government, the NNPC and some oil companies whose actions form part of the demands of the unions. A memorandum of understanding released by the Fed-

Tony AKOWE, Abuja eral Ministry of Labour and Productivity, conveners of the meeting, said it was agreed that no union member who took part in the strike would be victimized for taking part in the strike. The meeting was attended by the permanent secretaries in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and Petroleum Resources as well

•Sign MOU with Fed Govt as representatives of NNPC, AMCON, NNRA, OGFTZA, DPR, DSS, Mobil, Total E & P and NAOC. The meeting resolved that the termination of the appointment of the Port Harcourt Zonal Secretary of PENGASSAN, Mrs. Elo Victor – Ogbondah, by Total E & P Nigeria Limited be cancelled.

The meeting noted the benefits associated with the Petroleum Industry Bill, but regretted the delay in passing it by the National Assembly and suggested that the FML&P, MPR, NUPENG and PENGASSAN should meet on the subject to decide on the best productive line of action. The meeting appealed to Mobil Producing Nigeria Un-

limited to request its contractor, Messrs Halden Nigeria Limited, to reabsorb Ikohesa O. Ikohesa, the Port Harcourt Zonal Treasurer of NUPENG whose appointment was terminated. On the issue of casualisation, contract staffing and outsourcing, the meeting said that the guidelines are still subsisting and ask the unions

to submit the names of companies defaulting from the guidelines which have been submitted to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for gazetting as Regulations. Also, the need to update the guidelines in view of the changing world of work was identified. They also resolved that the issue of national minimum wage is to be handled by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress.

Tinubu canvasses tax payment in Edo

ATIONAL Leader of the All Progressives Congress(APC) and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday urged Edo residents to continue to pay taxes for the development of the state. Tinubu spoke in Benin City, Edo State capital, while inaugurating the six-lane New Lagos Road and the newly constructed General Hospital, Ewhohimi in the Esan South East Local Government Area of the state. The former Lagos Governor said he learnt about tax paying during his younger days when he would be told that his parents were at the tax offices. He said: “It is only a responsible citizen that makes contribution to the development of his state in form of taxation. I grew up to know about taxes. “Property owners, pay your taxes. Contribute a little because of your children, grandchildren and the future of Edo State.” Tinubu, who lambasted President Goodluck Jonathan for providing poor leadership and failure to defend the country in trying times, said: “These guys will soon be thrown away and Nigeria will be open to good men and women who can govern. “A nation fails because of the leadership failures. If there is a good leader at the top, the nation will not fail because fish starts to rot from the head. “No excuse for failure. Mr. President, we chose you to defend this country. Quit! Resign, you can’t do it. Enough of excuses. Jonathan should stop giving excuses. He is admitting failure. “To you, the youth, it is your future, and it takes a common sense revolution. It is not a revolution of violence, bloodshed. It is a revolution of freedom, a revolution to unshackle yourself. That revolution will come from your voter cards. Go to each of the local government areas and help your parents to get their voter cards. Let them be at the polling centres to send this man out.” He commended the governor for not relenting in his efforts to develop the state. “Men and women like you must offer themselves to lead this country because you have demonstrated that in performance in Edo. You have demonstrated courage,” he said. Speaking earlier, Governor Adams Oshiomhole explained that his administration was able to reposition the state’s infrastructure through proper application of revenue and less dependence on the federal allocation.

Osagie OTABOR, Benin He said his administration took a cue from the management of revenue in Lagos by blocking leakages in revenue which enabled the state government to save about N5 billion in the cost of governance. “We have broken a couple of eggs in this state. Now, we have been able to deliver so much omelette in roads, schools, furniture, rural electrification, hospitals and so on. “This road, people may have forgotten, was a place that no one dared to pass in the afternoon because, with the market, you can’t drive through this road. “The last two lanes of this six-lane road are made of concrete, well reinforced with covered drains. That is to ensure that the road does not fail and I hope that our people are able to notice that all the roads that we have constructed so far, none of them has failed.”

•From left: Edo State Commissioner for Works, Barrister Osarodion Ogie; Governor Oshiomhole; Asiwaju Tinubu and Mr Wale Edun during the commissioning of the dualized New Lagos Road, Benin City...yesterday Photo: Taiwo OKANLAWON

Agric Minister replies predecessor, says show what you did in seven years

HE Minister of Agricul ture and Rural Develop ment, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has challenged a former Minister of Agriculture, Adamu Bello, to show any positive investment he attracted to the sector under his seven-year reign. Adesina, who spoke through his Special Assistant on Media, Dr. Olukayode Oyeleye, accused Bello of failing to tell Nigerians the truth about his actual performance. Bello had, in a widely circulated statement last week, faulted the successes said to have been recoded under Adesina’s tenure, arguing such claims were uncharitable and misplaced as they could not be verified with figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). But Oyeleye, in an electronic mail to newsmen in Abuja, said that Adesina’s administration under two years attracted $4 billion of private sector investment in agriculture whereas Bello had no investment to show for his seven years as a minister. He said: “It will help greatly for Adamu Bello to point to the number of investments generated in seven years, whereas, within two years, under Adesina, Nigeria has attracted US$4 billion in private sector investments in the agricultural sector. Adamu Bello never told Nigerians the truth about his actual performance in office. Let him give details commod-

Frank IKPEFAN, Abuja ity-by-commodity, and let him state where and how this impact was felt”. Oyeleye, while noting that the 6.50 % performance growth rates referred to by the former minister under his seven years “smacks of some form of cosmetic and fiddled growth statistics, an indication of some tinkering somewhere,”said some critical minds in the Nigerian economy and stakeholders in the sector had publicly commended Adesina’s contribution to the growth of the agricultural sector.

Oyeleye said if a wellknown public affairs analyst like Professor Pat Utomi could commend efforts made by the government to block leakages “in farmers’ access to fertilizers, provision of realtime information to farmers through making available handsets to farmers across the country”, it is difficult to understand why Bello continues to vilify the minister for transforming the sector. He said the minister is content with the fact that those who have benefited from the positive impact of Adesina’s intervention in the sector have come out to defend him.

Noting that the Chairman of Umza Rice and Chairman, Rice Processors Association, Mohammed Abubakar, has publicly acknowledged that Adesina created incentives for seed and fertilizer companies to develop supply chains to reach farmers directly in the country, Oyeleye said Adesina attracted $5billion worth of investments by the private sector into local fertilizer manufacturing. Oyeleye also commended a frontline media practitioner and Chairman of 3D Global Leadership, Dr Victor Oladokun, for describing Bello’s claim as a pack of lies

as Adesina has achieved more in two years than Bello achieved in his 7-year tenure as agriculture minister. He quoted Oladokun as saying that”Adesina ended the corrupt, crony-driven fertilizer racket that helped serve the interest of the rich and the politically powerful, and turned farmers into paupers. The farmers know better. Their fertilizer was hijacked and ‘shared’ by the elite. So shady was the direct fertilizer procurement system that Nigeria was known to have one of the worst cases of fertilizer corruption in the world. Just ask the millions of farmers who today receive fertilizer directly, without needing middlemen or political cronies.”

Appeal Court affirms Oyegun family owners of Olokopupo village

HE Court of Appeal sit ting in Ibadan has af firmed the Oyegun family of Kookoo Atan as the rightful owner of Olokopupo village, Kookoo Atan in the Ado Odolota Local Government Area of Ogun state. The appellants, Madam Taliatu Odewande and three others on behalf of the Odewande family of Kookoo Atan in a suit Number CA/ 1/193 2011 had appealed against the judgment of the Ogun State High Court Agbara Judicial Division delivered by justice A.A. Akinyemi on May 23 2011 in favour of the Oyegun family. Mr. Mutairu Owoeye and two others who were respondents in the suit on behalf of

the Oyegun family. The appellants had sought four grounds for which their appeal should be upheld. These grounds are that, the lower court misdirected itself when it held to wit “they have therefore not proved the root of their title, the lower court erred in law when he held as follows: “Even in the case of IDUNDUN V. OKUMAGBA (SUPRA) where long possession was stated as one of the five (5) methods of proving title, court added that such acts of long possession in a claim of declaration of title (as distinct from a claim for trespass) are a means of defence rather than offence.”

The lower court erred in law by its failure to pronounce on the claimants’ claims for trespass and perpetual injunction and that the lower court judgment is against the weight of evidence. Delivering judgment in the suit, the three justices of the Appeal Court, in their separate judgments unanimously dismissed the appeal for lack of merit and subsequently affirmed the judgment of the lower court which entered judgment in favour of the Oyegun Family. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani, said “the appellants have by their claims for

trespass and also for possession, not been able to show conclusively that they are in possession. Either they are in possession or they are not. In the circumstances therefore, the claim for damages for trespass and injunction cannot in law be granted. “On the whole therefore, it is my finding that this appeal has no merit and should be consigned to dismissal. It is hereby dismissed. Consequently, the judgment of the Ogun State High Court, Agbara Judicial Division, delivered on May 23, 2011 is hereby affirmed. I assess the cost of this appeal to N50, 000 which 1 award to the respondents against the appellants.”

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

THE NATION, SATURDAY DECEMBER 20, 2014

6 News

HE 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly on Thursday held a plenary sitting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital and suspended factional Speaker Dele Olugbemi and the six lawmakers loyal to him. At the sitting, presided over by the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, the APC lawmakers also nullified all legislative activities purportedly carried out by the PDP caucus, including the receipt and consideration of the 2015 Appropriation Bill. They also resolved to relocate the sittings of the House to the campus of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) citing the "situation of the state" in the last one month and the taking over of the Assembly complex by thugs and miscreants "who have been mobilized to kill and destroy". The lawmakers also also voted in favour of the local government autonomy and constitutional amendment, giving autonomy to the House of Assembly. Other constitutional amendments that received the legislative approval of the lawmakers are Section 8 of the Constitution which confers citizenship rights and privileges on Nigerians anywhere they are living in the country. They also approved autonomy for the offices of Account General and Auditor General of the state as part of constitution amendment exercise. The House resolutions on the autonomy for local governments, autonomy for the House of Assembly, autonomy for the offices of Accountant General and Auditor General were forwarded to the National Assembly as the contributions of the Ekiti legislature to the constitution amendment exercise. All the 19 APC legislators were present with the mace of the House at the proceedings. Olugbemi and the six lawmakers who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had purportedly "impeached" Omirin on November 20 and received the 2015 budget estimate from Governor Ayo Fayose on Monday, December 15. The first issue on the Order

19 Ekiti APC lawmakers return •Suspend factional Speaker, other PDP legislators •Nullify all factional lawmakers’ activities Paper was the motion to reconvene at a public place within the state capital outside the House of Assembly chambers in view of security breach in and around the Assembly complex. The motion was moved by the Majority Leader, Mr. Churchill Adedipe. Adedipe, in his lead debate, said the action is in consonance with Section 101 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in view of what he called security breach being experienced within the Assembly "whereby seven lawmakers have chosen to disrupt the sittings of the House under the constitutionally recognized leadership". The Majority Leader in moving the motion said the House had resolved to hold its sittings at the Faculty of Science, Ekiti State University to conduct its normal legislative business. The Deputy Speaker, Chief Adetunji Orisalade (Ido/Odi 2), seconded the motion. The second matter on the Order Paper was the suspension of the seven PDP lawmakers who "impeached" the Speaker and "elected" Olugbemi. Adedipe (Irepodun/ Ifelodun 1) who also moved the motion said the House had witnessed drama in the last one month with the seven PDP lawmakers, violating the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the House Standing Order by several illegal actions carried out. He argued that the purported impeachment of Omirin, the "election" of Olugbemi and the "change" of leadership portrayed the House in bad light, hence the need to suspend the seven lawmakers to save the integrity of the Assembly. The Majority Leader alleged that the seven lawmakers gave false information to the public by accusing the 19 APC legislators of receiving bribes to im-

peach Fayose from office maintaining that the House has no intention to remove the governor. The motion to suspend the PDP legislators was seconded by Mrs. Omowumi Ogunlola (Ijero Constituency). They were suspended for violating Section 96 (1) of the Constitution. Those suspended include Olugbemi, (Ikole 2) Mrs. Abeni Olayinka (Ado 2), Mr. Adeyinka Adeloye (Ikole 1), Mr. Alexander Adeojo (Ekiti South West 2), Mr. Olowo Ajiboye (Oye 2) Mr. Dele Ajibola (Ekiti East 2) and Mrs. Ayo Olajide-Fatunbi (Moba 2) for violating Section 96 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The APC legislators also resolved that "the unconstitutional and illegal sittings conducted by the above-named honourable members are hereby declared illegal, null and void and of no effect with an attendant nullification of same forthwith". Adedipe moved that all actions carried out by seven members who did not form a quorum are deemed to be null and void. The motion was seconded by Mr. Seyi Shittu (Ado 1). The actions of the seven lawmakers nullified include "the unlawful approval of the dissolution and reconstitution of the caretaker committee members for the 16 local government councils in Ekiti State and the unlawful approval of the list of commissioner nominees and special advisers. Also nullified was the unlawful and purported removal of Omirin and Orisalade as Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively, the unlawful revocation of some laws duly passed by the House and the unlawful receipt of the 2015 Appropriation Bill. Adedipe moved a motion referring the seven lawmakers to

the Ethics and Privileges Committee for further disciplinary actions which was seconded by Mrs. Bunmi Oriniowo (Ido/Osi 1). The lawmakers, however, passed a vote of confidence in Omirin and the constitutionally recognized leadership of the House. The motion was moved by Adedipe and it was seconded by Mr. Yomi Daramola (Ikere 1).

Adedipe commended members for their steadfastness in the last one month, maintaining that Omirin and Orisalade still remained in their offices. Member representing Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency 2, Mr. Ayodeji Odu, commended the Omirin-led leadership for standing firm in the face of intimidation, saying "any other person calling himself speaker is a usurper". Odu stressed that the

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Omirin-led leadership is standing on the side of the law, describing the seven lawmakers on the other side as "dishonourable" members for submitting themselves to be used to commit illegal and unconstitutional actions. With no other item for discussion on the Order Paper, Adedipe moved the motion for the adjournment of the sitting of the House to the next legislative day which was seconded by Mr. Folorunso Ogundele (Efon Constituency).

PHOTO: RAHMAN SANUSI

Ex-militant Tompolo breaks silence over alleged ownership of warships

X-militant, Government Ekpemukpolo a.k.a Tompolo, has raised the alarm over attempts by politicians to tarnish his image ahead 2015 general elections. Tompolo yesterday reacted to media reports on alleged acquisition of gun boats. He said the boats were acquired from the Norwegian government with the assistance of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for policing the nation’s waterways. Spokesman to Tompolo, Paul Bebenimibo, alleged that the media onslaught is the handiwork of some Niger-Deltan ethnic chauvinists whose desire to enslave others have now backfired. His words: “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 gets closer”. Continuing: “For one ,the initial reaction was to ignore this cheap blackmail and forge ahead with personal commitment, but the propensity with

Okungbowa AIWERIE, Asaba which these lies are daily peddled requires that a bit of clarification is given to the Nigerian public. Clearly, the intent of those behind the malicious media report is to weigh me down, paint me as someone with a desire to wage war against the Nigerian state by painting a picture of an arms

build-up in the Niger-Delta as 2015 approaches.” He said the boats have been in the possession of the NIMASA in the last two years, adding that the boats in question were neither warships nor gunboats. He challenged the media to contact the Norwegian Embassy for more details on the boats.

Nigerian soldier cured of Ebola in Netherlands

Nigerian UN peace keeper infected with Ebola and brought to the Netherlands for treatment has been cured, the Dutch authorities said yesterday. "The Nigerian patient who was admitted on December 6 has been cured of Ebola," the Dutch public health institute RIVM said in a statement. The soldier was infected while working as a peacekeeper battling the deadly disease in Liberia. He was flown to the Netherlands at the request of the

World Health Organisation in a specially equipped plane and treated at the university hospital in central city Utrecht. He was the first Ebola patient to be treated in the Netherlands and will stay at a military hospital until he can return home, the RIVM said. Ebola has killed more than 6,900 people, almost all of them in West Africa. Liberia tops the number of fatalities at 3,290 deaths but Sierra Leone earlier this month overtook it as the country with the most infections.

US body accredits NAFDAC lab

HE National Board of American Society for Quality (ASQ) has accredited the Regional Drug Laboratory of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Lagos. ASQ certified the laboratory after it audited and assessed its

Quality Management System (QMS). NAFDAC Director–General, Dr Paul Orhii, who made this known yesterday at a budget retreat for regulatory officers, said the agency's Yaba laboratory had now joined four accredited laboratories in the last one year.

The others are Mycotoxin , Pesticides, Food and High Performance Liquid Chromatography ( HPLC ) laboratories. Orhii said the International accreditation of laboratories had capacity to diversify the economy by boosting production and export potential of indigenous industries.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

7 COMMENTARY

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Unlike Gowon, Obasanjo acted as Head of State twice. First as a soldier in the tearful entrance of ‘against my personal wishes and desires‘ after the assassination of Murtala Muhammed in 1975. Twenty years later he was elected president and in office from 1999 to 2007

Books, leaders and politics ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo’s book ‘My Watch’ which was launched despite a court order prohibiting its publication, showed how far a leader in politics can go to make sure his views are not silenced by any body or institution including the long but legitimate arms of the law. The writer has appealed the court order and the contents of the book may not be discussed here as this may be subjudice, as this is a case in court. But the motive and objective of writing the book and risking contempt of law in publishing it, is a subject of discussion here today. This has been prompted by a new book on another Nigerian leader that came my way this week and which I have consumed greedily and swiftly to be able to write this piece this week. The book written by Marina Osoba is titled ‘The Art of Selfless Service‘ and chronicles the life and professional career of the next Governor of Lagos State and APC gubernatorial candidate in the 2015 elections, Akin Ambode. The objective of the author is to show that a narration on one human being’s life as lived to date can help people devote their lives to serving selflessly without counting the cost or expecting any undue reward for doing their duty. It may sound unbelievable, unrealistic, far fetched and even un Nigerian, but Akin Ambode’s life story as told by Marina Osoba achieved the objective of throwing some light on rise of a hard working Nigerian with a work ethos that shunned publicity and attention in the course of duty and placed premium on achieving the larger public good and equanimity without undue fuss and ceremony. But for the fact that Akin Ambode is now in politics his life story would have been unsung and unappreciated. That he is in politics therefore means that he is adding value to our political terrain and environment which normally, nowadays is bedevilled by political actors coming in to fleece and bleed the system to death like bedbugs. Nowadays political leaders come into politics to make money for themselves and their families. The book ‘The Art of Selfless Service‘ which is a biography of Akin Ambode tells a different story of a different Nigerian programmed for changing the society right from the day he had his first degree in accountancy at Unilag. Today therefore we have two books on offer and two subjects or personalities to discuss as I said before. But before we go on let me say a few things on the issue of politicians falling in love with the idea of writing books. The motive may be to set the records straight on past issues. Which means that the writer must have performed before deciding to write. Which really is a form of post event analysis. It may be to enlighten the target audience of the writer and that makes the objective educational. The motive might well be to present a way of life as seen from the perspective and life experience of the author and this creates a way of life or ideology to be accepted or rejected depending on the reader or audience. Which ever motive may be on offer, the issue of the sequence

of experience or performance and the decision to write matters greatly. This is because some leaders like scientists did not go to any science school laboratory of power before serving while some had ample training before serving. Of course the quality of leadership is bound to be affected by such sequence of events. It is easy therefore to use the experience of former head of state General Yakubu Gowon as an example of the leader who practised politics before going to the university to read up to Phd level in political science at Warwick University in the UK. The general who prosecuted the Nigerian civil war in a humane and diligent manner and whose reconstruction, rehabilitation programme was globally hailed, never had the opportunity to practise political science after his Phd. Indeed the only time he tried to get elected in Plateau state he lost woefully. What would have happened to Nigeria if Gowon had obtained his Phd before becoming head of state at 32? That is a question best left to our imagination or posterity and this is where the motive for Obasanjo’s book My Watch can now be hazarded or guessed. Unlike Gowon, Obasanjo acted as Head of State twice. First as a soldier in the tearful entrance of ‘against my personal wishes and desires‘ after the assassination of Murtala Muhammed in 1975. Twenty years later he was elected president and in office from 1999 to 2007. After his first outing as head of state he wrote My Command and after his eight years as our executive president he has written My Watch. Both books have been highly controversial and I do not need to say anything about them but of the author’s motive and that to me is very clear. The author of My Command and My Watch is trying to write his legacy for posterity and that is an impossibly herculean task. This is because political leaders are birds of passage and history and posterity will judge them as they deem fit without any instructions from such leaders. Indeed Obasanjo’s writing of books is not out of love for literature perse but to put the records straight in his own words and that revealed the paucity of ideas he has about the social sciences, literature and history which are the bridge between the present, the past and the future over which no known author has had any hold at least in their lifetime. In chronicling his tenure and achievements the author of My Watch is simply trying to cover his tracks with history and that is a vain and almost inhuman way to treat a record of human management, history and social capital in any society including even Nigeria where Boko Haram kills with impunity in our North East. Which then gives us an opportunity to go back to the book on the career of Akin Ambode as chronicled in ‘The Art of Selfless Service’ mentioned before. I will highlight some aspects of the career that I find very educative and elucidating and try to link them with some events that happened this week. The first is with his secondary education in Federal Government Unity College in Warri for a Lagos boy born in Epe and the fact that the Principal of the school was a British Army Major who gave his wards drawn from all over Nigeria the best type of education from such expatriates. If you remember the likes of Father Slattery of St Finbbars College Akoka you will know what I am talking about.

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The second was Ambode’s gritty, hands on experience with local government administration in Lagos state where he served as Accountant, Auditor, Treasurer in the hot bed of local government politics like Badagry, Somolu, Mushin, and Alimosho local governments. How he survived such positions and how he later opted to go to the State public service to the surprise of those who thought he was crazy to leave the opulence of the local government for the stipend and discipline of an austere state civil service, was also very interesting. Thirdly this was an accountant who became an administrator and who because he got a scholarship as a Fulbright Scholar in the US was able to inculcate American values of accountability, transparency and integrity into the state public accounts system as well as the state civil service before retiring voluntarily after 27 years of service. If you recall that the Nigerian army has quarrelled with the US trainers of our soldiers by accusing them of training Nigerian soldiers about human rights instead of how to fight Boko Haram then you will understand the sort of change the Fulbright Scholar, Accountant and Administrator was bringing to his watch at Alausa in those days. If you again see the news that Nigerian soldiers are to be killed for daring to question the quality of weapons supplied them by their superiors you will see how lessons in transparency and integrity can make leaders be on their toes and reshape the society more productively in terms of respect for human values of trust and accountability. These to me are the highlights of Akin Ambode’s career which he brings to the competition for power in Lagos state in the 2015 gubernatorial elections. The book showed clearly that he knows the problems of the state like the back of his hands and I tremble for the PDP opponents who face him at the polls even as they go to court to sort out the funny mathematics of their available primary electoral votes. Let me end on a congratulatory note on the election of the running mate to APC presidential candidate retired General Muhammadu Buhari. Professor Yemi Osibajo brings impeccable credentials to the high office of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigera as a SAN and distinguished law professor. I know his family very well and I am very proud of him and wish him happy campaigning and a very successful tenure of office. Which is not wishful thinking as Boko Haram reportedly again captured 182 Nigerian women and children in Gumjuri a town in the North East and the Nigerian government reportedly, as usual, expressed ‘outrage‘ Let me state clearly and without ambiguity that in the election in 2015 to select our president, the choice should be obvious between an incumbent his sycophants have called Jesus Christ, to the horror and consternation of Christians, and a general who on his military watch, chased the forebears of Boko Haram back to where they came from, and his running mate, a legal luminary and proven warrior in our temples of justice. This is because while the 200 Chibok girls are still missing and Nigerians are still being abducted with impunity by Boko Haram, security and the safety of life and property will determine the winners of the 2015 presidential elections.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

8 COMMENTARY

President Obasanjo, take responsibility... or take a seat HERE has been much hullabaloo over former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s autobiography, titled ‘My Watch’. The exhaustive autobiographical three-volume book, contains several national issues from past to present, chronicling the life of the former president from birth till date. The book has presently aroused political interest, by its unflattering portrait of the current president. The former president via the book accused the current president of surrounding himself with aides and political associates with corrupt tendencies; dedicating several parts in the book to pointing out some of President Jonathan’s actions and inactions Obasanjo considers ill-advised or disastrous for Nigeria and several instances of policy somersaults by Mr. Jonathan as well as deliberate actions by the incumbent president that have imperiled Nigeria’s progress. The book also took swipes at former President Umaru Yar’Adua, former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, Bukola Saraki, among other political foes. In the book, the former president also stated that he was never interested in pursuing a third term while in office. The book has undoubtedly attracted a lot of acclaim and criticisms respectively, the latest being a court order for copies of the book to be confiscated by the police, DSS and the customs; also restraining media houses from publishing excerpts from the book. As a citizen of this great nation of ours, the former president has every right to air his views in a verbal or written form, or whatever means available at his disposal. Under Chapter IV of the Nigerian constitution, every citizen has the “right to freedom of expression and the press”. As a former president and an elder statesman, Obasanjo has every right and is entitled to his own views, pointing out certain anomalies within the polity which he feels should be addressed. As a two-time president, he has an obligation to speak out when and if he feels the nation’s present leadership is erring in its policies, actions or inactions. However, this is increasingly becoming the norm with Nigerian leaders, in that, as soon as they vacate office, they castigate, find faults and point accusing fingers at their successors. In most cases, these former leaders have ample opportunities in creating a positive and vibrant long-lasting legacy while in office, but mostly fail to do so; consequently blaming their woes on their successors. Another appalling norm widely practiced in our clime is “godfatherism”. As soon as incumbents cease to dance

to the tunes of their godfathers or cease to be puppets in the hands of their puppeteers, all hell is let loose; the godfathers and puppeteers begin finding faults and become vociferous, chastising their successors at every available opportunity. In his book, the former president supposedly “revealed” how late president Yar’Adua deceived him about the gravity of his illness, which he never recovered from till he died in office. Obasanjo maintained that the late Yar’Adua gave him the impression that he had overcome his health challenges. Needless to say, this sounds preposterous, as it was a well-known fact that President Yar’Adua was periodically ill while he was governor of Katsina state. It is also a widely known fact that Obasanjo was instrumental to late Yar’Adua ascension to the presidency. From all the other capable and fit candidates for the presidency in 2007, President Obasanjo took it upon his merry self to choose who would rule after him. There were 35 other governors and so many other capable Nigerians, which the former president could have chosen from. But he made his choice and opted for an ailing candidate. The former president erred in his action of single-handedly making the choice that was the fundamental right of 170million Nigerians. He deliberately imposed the Yar’Adua candidacy on Nigerians, evident in the highly controversial 2007 general elections which saw the emergence of Yar’Adua as president, viewed by local and foreign observers as one of the worst elections they had ever seen anywhere in the world, with "rampant vote rigging, violence, theft of ballot boxes and intimidation”. This was also acknowledged by the Late Yar’Adua on assumption of office.

Honestly, it beggars belief that President Obasanjo is now crying over the tank of milk that he spilt himself. Not then, nor now does President Obasanjo have any moral right to play the victim, accusing the late president of deceiving him about his health, when he failed to oversee a free, fair and credible election which brought the ailing president into office. Just when one though that President Obasanjo’s bellowing couldn’t get any worse, one is confronted with the his alarming declaration of who was responsible for the third term agenda. With regards to that infamous agenda bid in the twilight of his presidency and in a manner reminiscent and common with African leaders who never want to quit office, the former president in a curious twist in his book stated that “selfish PDP governors were behind the third-term agenda”. He accused the former governors of masterminding the plot to extending his tenure in office. This is indeed a laughable excuse and a pathetic attempt at absolving himself of blame. It would be difficult and almost impossible to convince anyone that the former president played no part in seeking tenure elongation while in office. The same unashamedly ploy has and is still paying out in different African countries. The former president should indeed own up and accept responsibility for the state the nation is currently in today. The death of President Yar’Adua in 2010 (Obasanjo’s anointed candidate), paved the way for current President Goodluck Jonathan who was then vice-president to become acting president and now president. Ultimately, the former president cannot extricate himself from the responsibility of inadvertently sponsoring President Jonathan’s rise to political prominence and the Presidency. Why crying foul now when you had an invincible but efficacious hand in the current’s president’s rise to power? As a former president for 8-years, while his administration had its merits, amongst the demerits includes the legacy of “do or die” political atmosphere and the failure to adequately tackle corruption; salient national issues still plaguing our nation hitherto. There are few challenges that this nation is going through presently which do not have a direct link to choices that President Obasanjo single handedly made for all of us. So instead of huffing and puffing, sulking & throwing out the bath water, while he continues to spill secrets of the Obasanjogate era, I’m respectfully going to ask President Obasanjo to take responsibility or…. Take a seat!

ABUAD medical student on world map HE much talked about nexus between the community (town) and the ivory tower (gown) was recently given a remarkable impetus by a 300 Level Student in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Mr. Emmanuel Adegbite, who wrote a thoroughly well researched scientific paper on the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) that recently ravaged the country. Titled “Therapeutic Measures against the Current Virulent Endemicity of Ebola Virus”, the paper was published by the Nigerian-based international Science Journal Publication in the October edition of the Science Journal of Medicine and Clinical Trials. It is trite to say that the third outbreak of EVD which started in December 2013 in Guinea and got imported into the Nigeria by Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian, sent shivers down the spine of the Federal Government and created palpable fear in the hearts of many.But good enough, the Federal Government rose to the occasion by commendably going into action to contain it and in good time too for which it earned world acclaim from the World Health organization (WHO). But while all these were going on, Adegbite was looking for a way of affecting his immediate environment and imparting his larger global community. He was angling for a solution to the deadly disease in tandem with the whole essence of the university culture which is learning, research and imparting the community/environment. In the introduction to his paper which is divided into 14 different parts, Adegbite bemoaned the seemingly helplessness EVD has foisted on the West African sub-region when he said “In the light of recent events surrounding thebioterrorism facing several West African countriesincluding Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and nowspreading to Nigeria, my country, I have developed asuggestive and an insightful quest into answering theinsuperable challenge posed to us by the ravaging Ebolahemorrhagic viral disease”. He added: “I got livid by the way Africans seem helpless and are nowturning to entreat the United States to salvage thesituation which started in December 2013 in Guinea andhas continued to spread for several months in whichthousands have been infected and hundreds have died. “I hereby write to give my own little contribution on thepossible ways out of our current predicament.Nevertheless, the role of developed countries insalvaging the situation cannot be overemphasized inputting an end to this seeming threat to humanity.Collective efforts are needed in providing funds to theaffected countries in order to put stringent measures inplace in curbing the spread”. By way of definition, Adegbite defined Ebola virus dis-

…His scientific paper published in International Journal Tunde OLOFINTILA

• Afe Babalola ease (EVD) as a severe viral disease(which is often fatal) that affects mammals, includinghumans. According to Baltimore classification system ofviruses which is based on the mode of replication andgenome type, Ebola virus can be placed in group 5together with the negative-sense single-stranded RNAviruses. After delving into such areas as an overview of Ebola Hemorrhagic Viral disease, incubation period, mode of transmission (including transmission through aerosolized droppings), reservoir, cycle of events inside human host, chemical manifestation, protective guidelines that should be strictly observed, developing the vaccines, symptomatic treatment and processes involved in the isolation of Ebola virus as well as pasteurization, Adegbite concluded by enjoining Scientists all overthe world, most especially Africa Scientists who seem not to be doing enoughfor humanity to join others in the concerted efforts to finding a lasting solution to theperilous viral diseases affecting mankind, animals and even plants. This, according to him is much more needed at this time

ofendemicity of Ebola Virus Disease because of the impact ithas conferred on economy of the nations, discrimination against affected persons and the fear of eating bush meats byAfricans who are used to hunting them for food; shaking ofhands, the loss of loved-ones to the dreaded virusand most importantly the fear of saving people dying ofother ailments not related to Ebola across the regionsaffected. It would appear that Adegbite’s efforts have started being rewarded for his efforts as a Johns Hopkins, United States-trained Nigerian Consultant in Public Health, Dr. KatteyKattey, has commended the scientific rave of the moment for his bright and brilliant exploits in Public Health through his article. In a short mail Katteysent to the stunning young scientist on his stupendous achievement, he (Kattey) said:“Hello Emmanuel, your publication is very good. I think you really did a good job. My comments are as follows:This is a good piece by a Nigerian medic. It shows that the future of Nigeria is very bright with brilliant scientists doing exploits in the field of public health. He has put in a lot into this work and I believe this article will be cited in subsequent researches aimed at controlling Ebola. “Building on Adegbite’s work can even lead to getting a cure for the Ebola virus. “Yes, it’s time we learn to do ground-breaking researches and help ourselves rather than completely depending on researchers from the western world." Also, in appreciation of this achievement, the World Changers International (WCI) Organization has nominated Adegbite for the 2014 Leadership Award of Excellence in Scientific Research. He will be joined by other World changers like the CEO of Easy Taxi, Mr. Bankole Cardoso, who won the Leadership Excellence Award in Entrepreneurship, the President of Lagos State University (LASU) Students’ Union, Mr. Nurudeen Yusuf (Youth Advocacy), CEO, Fresh Clothing, Yinka Fresh (Fashion) InnocentIdibia (2Face) (Music), the late Dr. Stella Adadevoh (Humanitarian), the Publisher of LindaIkeji.blocspot.com, Linda Ikeji (Media) and Nigeria’s Minister for Agriculture, Dr. AkinwunmiAdesina (Agriculture) as well as Lagos State Governor, Mr. BabatundeRajiFashola, SAN (Politics) for the Award ceremony at Planet One, Maryland, Ikeja, Lagos on Friday, December 19, 2014. •Olofintila wrote from Ado-Ekiti. For more details about Adegbite’s paper, pls visit:abuad.edu.ng

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

PEOPLE SOCIETY ROMANCE ENTERTAINMENT SPORTS

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

“

Santa’s gift (1)

'Hook UP'…

Are you single and ready to mingle? Then, take advantage of my 'Hook Up' segment. Text messages only please.

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My name is Allen from Delta State. I'm 42 years, a widower. I hope I fit into this segment as I need a matured, God-fearing lady between the ages of 29 and 42. 08056594311 My name is Comrade Gabriel Oladuntoye, 35, Lagos-based. I need a lady between the ages of 28 and 34 for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage. Check my details on facebook, Oladuntoye Gabriel O. Call or send sms to 08067996139. Hi, I'm 35 from Akwa-Ibom. My name is Solomon. I need a wealthy unmarried or divorce, widow mature lady for a serious relationship. Please publish this for me. 07087420135.

RE: Are you a main chic or side babe? Sister Mercy, thank you for the gift that God has given you. Please, why do you limit your column to sisters alone? Some ladies too are moneymonger. For me, I would like to reach you on the phone. I'm a young man who wants a serious relationship, but I have not seen a sincere sister. I feel all the sisters now are after money. 070346871**

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

Continued on Page 18

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

Site of Igoli machines installed in Bagega

Saturday (left) and Daniel

One of the Igoli machines

Children helping to process gold ore

MSF clinic in Anka

Abandoned site of a borehole project

Continued on Page 48

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

Pandemonium as suspected thugs attack youth leader n Stories: Kunle AKINRINADE n HERE was pandemonium on December 12, 2014 when thugs suspected to be loyal to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Alimoso Local Government Lagos State allegedly attacked an APC member, Johnson Evimena Arauwou in Olota area of Abule Egba. The incident was a fall out of a controversy over the relocation of a polling unit in the area during the voter’s card registration in the community. Arauwou, who is an All Progressives Congress (APC) youth leader in the Ward E of Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, explained that he was singled out for attack because of his influence among the youths in the community. He recalled: “On November 28, 2014, during the voter’s registration and distribution exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I heard a rumour that some members of the PDP were planning to attack me. They were said to have accused me of instigating the shifting of a polling unit and that I was doing that to give APC an edge in the elections. But I dismissed the story as rubbish because no polling unit was being relocated. “ A few hours later, at the polling unit, one Shola, who is a loyalist of the PDP chieftain, told me they had what it takes to deal with me and that I should be prepared for a showdown. I told him that he should not allow the issue to degenerate into confrontation. The following day, he met me again at the polling unit and he put up a fight against me, while his accomplice, John, who is a brother in–law to the chieftain, slapped me. Some of my party chieftains and community leaders, however, appealed to me to leave the Continued on page 20

•Arauwou, the victim

Cultists hack motorcyclist commercial motorcyclist popularly called Okada, Sanjo Oyetola, escaped death by whiskers when some suspected cultists attempted to snatch his motorbike in the Adesan Olu area of Mowe, Ogun State. The incident happened on Friday November 31, 2014, when Oyetola was returning from where he had gone to drop some pupils. He was allegedly attacked by the cultists who had apparently laid ambush for him along the road. An impeccable source, who spoke in confidence, recalled the incident, saying: “The incident happened about 8 am

when Mr. Sanjo was returning from a trip on his bike. He had actually gone to drop some pupils in their school and was returning when the cultists ambushed him . They made attempt to snatch his bike but he resisted them. “There was a struggle over the bike during which he was stabbed in the neck by one of his assailants. The incident created panic as bystanders scampered into safety, while shop owners in the community hurriedly closed in order to avoid falling victim. the victim was rushed to a hospital.” “We were shell-shocked when the Okada man fell down in a pool of his blood immedi-

ately he was stabbed while he was resisting the culstists, hence, we quickly locked up our shops”, recalled another eyewitness, who simply identified herself as Omolara. Reliving his experience, Oyetola said: “ I first had an encounter with the hoodlums while returning from the monthly vigil of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) a few weeks ago. They harassed me while I was eating in a local canteen and tried fruitlessly to dispossess me of my motorbike. “Their first failed attempt might have informed their latContinued on page 20

•Oyetola on hospital bed after the attack

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

CRIME

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

OTHER STORIES

olukunle87@yahoo.com

86-yr-old suspect gets bail but... n Kunle AKINRINADE n

OLLOWING the inability to perfect his bail conditions, an 86-yr-old, Pa Adeola Ajidahun, who is standing trial at the Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos, for his alleged complicity in a N30 million land scam, may spend the yuletide season behind bars. Ajidahun was slammed with a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy to defraud by false pretence and stealing with others now at large. He was arrested following a petition forwarded to the police antifraud unit by one Kehinde Ola, who claimed he was defrauded by the octogenarian and that he had refused to refund his money despite several entreaties. The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the counts. Police prosecutor, Mr. Boniface Asogwara, alleged that the accused conspired to obtain a sum of N30 million from Ola under the pretext that the said sum was the cost of two plots of land at Lekki Penninsula Resettlement Scheme in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

•Arauwou’s living room littered with broken bottles after the attack

Suspected thugs attack youth leader Continued from page 19 scene in the interest of peace to which I obliged. On my way out, Shola, John and two others again attacked me but we were also separated by bystanders.’’ Not done with him yet, Arauwou’s attackers regrouped and headed to his residence at 16, Ololotan Street, Olota, where they allegedly attacked his wife and vandalised his home. “Before I returned home, they had regrouped and unleashed terror on my family. They stormed my residence and smashed my doors and windows. They also threw broken bottles at my wife who was nursing our two-weekold baby in the living room. They threatened to kill her but she escaped unhurt. They destroyed some poultry equipment that I kept in my house and also threatened to deal with me wherever they found me. “Unfortunately, they met me near Olota Central Mosque and attacked me. They were about 20 in number; they beat me with iron objects, machetes and cane laced with razor blade, which lacerated my body. ‘’I reported the matter to the Meiran Police Station and my assailants were arrested, surprisingly, they have since been released without my consent. I

est attack on me while I was taking my boss’ children to school. One of them suddenly emerged from a bush path asking for the keys to my motorbike, a demand I quickly rebuffed. Before I knew it, other members of the group joined the fray and one of them drew out a knife and slashed me in the back.”

Asogwara told the court that the offence was committed some time in December, 2013. He said the offence contravened

Monarch warns land buyers HE traditional ruler of Isheri-Olofin , Lagos State, Oba Wahab Ayinde Balogun, has warned members of the public not to fall prey to a group of land grabbers who have perfected the act of defrauding unsuspecting land buyers with fake claim of land ownership in Isheri –Olofin and its environs. In a statement issued by the spokesman of the monarch, who is also the Baaroyin of the community, Chief Jide Osokoya, the monarch said: “I am using this medium to warn the general public and unsuspecting buyers not to fall victim of land grabbers who have been making public announcement on radio and fictitious advertisement in newspapers, so as to legalise their illegality and criminal activities.’’ Oba Balogun admonished prospective land buyers to always carry out checks on property they want to buy before payment. “I implore members of the public to endeavour to pay a visit to the palace for confirmation on any land in Isheri – Olofin before going into any negotiation, as the people of Isheri – Olofin had been declared the rightful owners of the expanse of land in a judgement delivered by Justice L.B. Lawal –Akapo of Lagos High Court on Tuesday May 15, 2012 in suit No:

•His vandalised poultry shed learned that they were released following the intervention of the PDP chieftain.’’ It was gathered that the suspects again allegedly attacked Arawou on Wednesday December 17, 2014 at Ololotan Street, Olota, Abule Egba. Arauwou, who was sighted at the Orile Agege General Hospital, said: “I was walking along the Olalotan Street when they swooped on me again and stabbed me on several parts of my body. I reported the incident to Meiran Police Station and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) gave me a note to Orile Agege General Hospital for treatment.’’

The PDP chieftain, however, denied complicity in the attack on Arauwou, saying: “I don’t know anything about the incident and I do not know the victim. I was actually in Abuja when a police officer told me on phone about the incident. I told him that I did not send anyone to attack people and I asked him to arrest and detain whoever was involved. “I have also been informed of the latest attack on the person you mentioned but like I told you earlier, I did not send anyone to attack anybody as I am currently attending a meeting in Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.’’

Cultists hack motorcyclist Continued from page 19

•Pa Ajidahun

Some of the community leaders in the community described the activities of the cultists as worrisome calling for more police presence to checkmate the misguided youths. The spokesman of the Ogun State Police Command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent said: “The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, has

directed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Mowe to intensify patrol and surveillance in the community in order to ensure adequate protection of lives and property. The community leaders and residents are also enjoined to always inform the police of any unpleasant conduct or disruption of peace by people of questionable character.”

n Kunle AKINRINADE n

ID/488/80. He added: “I must also state clearly here that Justice L.B Lawal-Akapo on Wednesday October 3, 2012 dismissed an application for a stay of execution on the matter, brought by one Ishau Olorunfunmi. I, therefore, urged the general public to disregard the false announcements on radio station and newspapers.”

Sections 409,312 (1) and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011, urging the court to remand the defendant in prison custody. The three- count charge reads: “That Adeola Ajidahun ‘m’ and others at large between 1st and 14th December, 2013 at Mega Chicken Restaurant at Ikota, Ajah, Lagos within Lagos Magisterial District did conspire among yourselves to commit felonies to obtain money by false pretence and stealing and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011. “That you Adeola Ajidahun ‘m’ and others at large on the aforesaid

date, place and magisterial district, with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of N30 million from one Kehinde Ola, under false pretence that you were selling him two plots of land at Lekki Penninsula Resettlement Scheme in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, a representation that you know to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 312(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011. “ That you Adeola Ajidahun ‘m’ and others at large on the aforesaid date,place and magisterial district did steal the sum of N30 million property of Kehinde Ola, which you fraudulently took from him to sell him two plots of land and fraudulently converted same to your own use and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 285(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.” Counsel to the defendant, Adio Abdulkareem, told the court that they had filed bail applications and urged the court to admit the defendant to bail in liberal terms. The presiding magistrate, Mrs O.O Oshin, while ruling on the bail application, granted Ajidahun bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties must be a senior civil servant on level 16. The court held that the sureties must show evidence of tax remittance to the Lagos State government in the last three years. Ajidahun, was ordered to remain in the Ikoyi prison custody until he meets the bail conditions while the case was adjourned till January 19, 2015. The embattled octogenarian was, however, unable to perfect his bail conditions at press time.

•Some of the motorcycles recovered from the suspect

I took to robbery because I couldn’t sustain my family with farming –Suspect he Benue State Police Command has paraded a robbery suspect accused of snatching 11 motorcycles at gun point. Speaking to The Nation while he was being paraded by the police, Aondoseer Tyohemeba admitted that he used to snatch motorcycles in Vandeikya, Benue State, and sold them in Cross

n Uja EMMANUEL, Makurdi n River State. He said he took to armed robbery because he was married with three children and needed money to take care of them. The suspect said he was into farming but it was not enough to take care of his family. Addressing newsmen,

n Mike ODIEGWU, Yenagoa n

mobile court of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bayelsa State Command, has convicted 50 road offenders in Yenagoa, for various traffic offences. Commercial tricycle operators, popularly known as Keke NAPEP, were major part of the convicts. The State Sector Commander of the

n Kunle AKINRINADE n

through. “I observed that one of them who went into the tunnel was electrocuted while his colleagues abandoned him and hurriedly left in their vehicle. I took courage to visit the scene and I found the body of the deceased with the torch he used to carry out the vandalisation in his mouth. I was the one that alerted neighbours before passersby gathered to catch a glimpse of his body. Men of the Isokoko Police Division and officials of an electrical company later removed the body from where it was stuck in the tunnel. It was gathered that the body of the suspected vandal has been deposited in the mortuary. Some of the residents who visited the scene condemned the mission of the vandals in the area, adding that it served the deceased right.

•The body of the suspect with the torch in his mouth

•Adeleke

The offences included armed robbery, kidnapping and illegal possession of arms. He warned criminals to leave the state or turn a new leaf.

FRSC convicts 50 traffic offenders in Bayelsa

Electric cable thief meets waterloo T was a tragic end for an unidentified suspected electric cable vandal who was electrocuted penultimate Friday in Agege, a suburb of Lagos. The deceased was said to be a member of a three-man gang that stormed the Alfa Nla area of the community in the wee hours of the day to vandalise underground cables. They were said to have opened a manhole covering some underground electric cables, while the deceased who was armed with a torch and tools tried to remove the cables but was electrocuted in the process. An eyewitness who spoke in confidence said: “I was preparing for work in the early hours of the day when I noticed a car with three occupants stop in front of my residence. I thought they were robbers until they stepped out of the vehicle and opened a tunnel where some electric cables passed

the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Hyacinth Dagala, stated that in the month of November alone, more than 30 suspects were arrested for various offences.

corps, Mr. Vincent Jack, said the mobile court session was being organised by the FRSC on a weekly basis to check and control traffic during the Yuletide. He revealed that 56 suspects were brought before the mobile court presided over by Chief Magistrate Lucky James along Opolo area of the Isaac Boro Expressway in Yenagoa, the state capital. Jack said 49 of the offenders were convicted with options of fines ranging between N3,000 and N30,000. He, however, said one of the offenders was sent to two months imprisonment while six were discharged and acquitted. Jack noted that only 36 out of the 50 were able to pay their fines, while the rest had their vehicles confiscated pending when they would make the payment. According to him, the different offences committed by the offenders, ranged from overloading, misuse of seat belts, plate-number violations, driving against traffic, driving without licences and other road offences. He said language was not a barrier during the court session as FRSC personnel were on ground to interpret to the understanding of the suspects the language they understood, including Pidgin English. Jack said: "As we approach the end of the year, I want to appeal to all road users to ensure that they obey the rules and regulations. "Do not overspeed. If you want to make a trip this period, plan it well. Don’t patronise tokunbo tyres. "Ensure your documentation is properly done. Remember that the road is always patient but it does not forgive those who make mistakes.”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

•Ighodalo

Our plans for •Nikki

Christmas, New Year –Celebrities Stories on pages 28&37

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

‘What Christmas, New Year mean to us’

has been an amazing year for me. So this period is about celebration, celebration and celebration. I am not travelling, it’s celebration galore. I am also warming up for the New Year. That is because, I will have to complete work on the video for my new single dropping this Christmas. My New Year resolution is to be a better person in every way. Empress Njamah, actress I really do not have any plans for Christmas yet. It may, however, likely turn out quiet. The truth is that I do not have any plans yet and like I said, it might just be quiet and be the usual kind of Christmas that it should be. Ireti Doyle, actress How I will spend the Xmas holidays? I will just go somewhere quiet with my kids to chill out. That's all.

The Christmas and New Year season, a period of joy and festivities everywhere is here again. To find out what some of our favourite celebrities would be doing during this season, The Nation went to town to sample their views.

This year's Christmas, I hope that Nigerians give more to the country. The country needs a lot of giving from us too. That is because, 2015 is a crossroad for Nigeria. So though we would be celebrating, we should remember those that have been abducted, those that have died and those that are still being bombed

n Paul UKPABIO and n Patience SADUWA Iyalode Adunni, Lagos business woman and socialite T’s the season of happiness and a time to thank God for His mercies. We are celebrating with a wedding in the family and it will be a time to share and rejoice with family, loved ones, friends and well-wishers. Christmas is also a sober time for reflection and a time to pray for the coming New Year. I am wishing Nigerians and everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. Let us pray for those that are going through tough times and pray that our country gets better for us.

Zacky Adze, musician I wish I can spend it with my family, but the way things are going now, I do not think that will be possible. Really, I don’t know because I have appointments here and there. And a couple of things that I have to do. I most likely will be out of the country. But even if I am not outside the country, I still doubt if I will be

•Adunni

•Funmi

with my family; that is, considering what I have lined up right now. Yes, I will be between Kano, Gombe, Abuja and Lagos, especially Lagos where I have two gigs lined up. During Christmas, I am sure that my family will be okay. I have prepared enough and they must first of all have enough before they can think of giving. Christmas is about giving. So they must have enough to give to people around them. Enough to eat and to share. The giving part is more important. That is the spirit of Christmas. My message for Christmas will be that it is a time of giving, a time of peace and reconciliation. This year's Christmas, I hope that Nigerians give more to the country. The country needs a lot of giving from us too. That is because, 2015 is a crossroad for Nigeria. So though we would be celebrating, we should remember those that have been abducted, those that have died and those that are still being bombed. I want to be a better person in the New Year. I want to improve spiritually, financially and then practically. Grace Egbagbe, formerly of the NTA I will spend Christmas with my family

•Ireti

•Ronke

•Ure

and with people I love. I will not be travelling; this Christmas is a special one for me and my family. So we will be together and celebrate together here in Lagos. Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Senior Pastor, Trinity House I am going to be celebrating in church. We are doing Christmas Carol service on Friday, then service on Sunday and then the Christmas Day Service on the 25th and on 26th, I am conducting at two birthday parties. So, I am going to be celebrating the Christmas, serving God and serving God’s people. The Christmas service will actually be different. It is what we call the celebration service. It will be a live thanksgiving service in appreciation of God and the sacrifice He made to come all the way from heaven to show and bear our burden at Calvary and healing service. There will be sharing of lots of gifts too and rendition of lots and lots of Christmas Carols. My message for Christmas is that there must be peace in Nigeria. There must be goodwill to all men. And I declare that Nigeria is on a path to greatness and that within the next two years, by God’s grace and mercy, Nigeria will

•Empress

be a better country. My New Year resolution is to serve God more, to help His people better, and to live a better life according to His will. Nikki Khiran, designer How will Christmas be for me? Ha, I am going to spend my Christmas working! I will be working till the 24th. You know, in my kind of business, this is the season that we really get very busy. So that is how it’s going to be. My staff and I will be closing on the 24th. Right now, I am packing my bags and will be heading to my office in Abuja, where I am doing some new stuff. I will be there all this week, I will return on Monday of Christmas week to work with my staff in Lagos, and then close on Wednesday, and I will rest through Christmas. We are actually resuming at work on the 2nd of January. Like I said, I am sleeping through Christmas, and in January, I will take my holiday. I will be going to Dubai and London in the second week of January. Travelling in December is always too hectic for me. I really do not like travelling when everyone else is travelling. I prefer taking my holiday when everyone is back from theirs!

Funmi Goka, DMD, Nigerian Agip Oil Company “It’s a trying and gory period. So many sad and devastating occurrences all around. By God’s grace, we pray for an end to these evil things that have affected family members, loved ones, friends and many other families. So for me, Christmas is a solemn period that calls for sober reflections and a time to pray without ceasing, seek the face of God, intercede with prayers on behalf of others and of course fasting, with a solace in the scripture, 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Of course, it’s a time to lend a helping hand to the under-privileged. I intend to visit the motherless babies' homes, to brighten up their season in my own little way. May l seize this opportunity to wish everyone a blessed Christmas under the shadow of the wings of the Almighty."

•Tessy

•Zacky

However, this time last year, my dad passed away, so this year is going to be on the low key for me. I really do not feel like celebrating and moreover, most of my friends would have travelled out on Christmas day, so, I am not preparing any special menu. I am going to have a quiet Christmas to reflect about 2014, check out my goals for 2015, watch movies, order my Chinese whatever… I will not be partying, it is not my style. End of the year to me is usually a time to reflect. When I was younger, it was parties, but now I reflect. My New Year resolution is to grow spiritually, mentally and to generally improve. That is what I will be up to. Ronke Oshodi, actress I am going to spend my Christmas in Lagos with my family. Traveling won’t be part of Christmas for me this year. There will be the usual festive mood for me at home with our usual Christmas dishes. And my New Year resolution will be out there in the New Year as it rolls in. I am more particuar now about praying to God that we make it to the New Year. Tessy Yembra Christmas will be a prayer time for

me. I will spend it with my family. Church first, then return home for special Christmas celebration. I am actually going to be cooking for my family, neighbours and for my well-wishers too. Later, if there is a party around, I will step out for it, but if not, I will take my family out to enjoy the season. My greetings to all my fans. All those who love me, and my well-wishers, I wish them Merry Xmas and a happy New Year in advance. My New Year resolution is that I want to get better. Next year will be a great year for me because I will be celebrating my 30 years on stage. Also, next year, I want to see my wine business grow bigger. I started it this year. Queen Ure Basically I will be spending the season with my loved ones, and in my usual way, I will be out there doing one charity work or another. I am going to go and visit and share items with the less-privileged, and then on the musical side, I have a single that I will be dropping this Christmas to share love, to share the love of Jesus Christ around. I want to thank God so much because this year has been very fruitful for me. It

•Egbagbe

I am sleeping through Christmas, and in January, I will take my holiday. I will be going to Dubai and London in the second week of January. Travelling in December is always too hectic for me. I really do not like travelling when everyone else is travelling. I prefer taking my holiday when everyone is back from theirs

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

GLO-CAF AWARDS: A CELEBRATION OF AFRICA’S BEST FOOTBALLERS

•Ahmed Musa

•Enyeama

• Yaya Toure

SPANISH LA LIGA..SPANISH LA LIGA...SPANISH LA LIGA....

ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A... ITALIAN SERIE A...

PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS...PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS...PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS...PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS...PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS...

McIlroy

ADOKWU CELEBRATES WITH GOLF

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

with KAYODE ALFRED

E-mail:kayflex2@yahoo.com Tel:08116759807, 08035733605

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

41 with KAYODE ALFRED

E-mail:kayflex2@yahoo.com TEL:08116759807

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

48 Continued from Page 47

Miners doing their thing

Continued on page 51 Shehu Anka

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

FCT MINISTER

Repair Demonstration Road

HE Demonstration Road in Gwagwalada in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was at a time in good shape. Now, it is completely bad. Motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians are avoiding it because of river-like potholes and other problems. I am now appealing to the FCT Minister, Bala Muhammed, to come to our aid by repairing the road in

GOVERNOR AMOSUN

Save us from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;rider permitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; thugs

the interest of people of the FCT. I know that the minister is capable of effecting the repair of the road without the Federal Government's intervention. But if it will be difficult for the minister to do it alone, he should contact President Goodluck Jonathan on the project. L. O. David, Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory.

WAEC REGISTRAR Release my SSCE result

AM using this opportunity to appeal to Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, the Registrar of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), to release my 2014 Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) result. My Centre Number is 4290223 and my own Number is 070. I need this result urgently. I want to use it for admission purposes. It is my belief that the only person that can help me out of my problem is the WAEC boss. I am waiting to hear from him soon. Sanusi Akeem, Agbaluku, Arigidi-Akoko, Ondo State.

INEC CHAIRMAN

PVCs were not distributed in Irawo

HIS is an appeal to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State. He should urgently act on it in the interest of justice. There are certain men in Ogun State disturbing commercial motorcyclists, popularly called okada riders, on the pretext of checking for rider permits. These men are in all local government areas of the state. They start their operations in the morning and end them late in the night. They beat, insult and stone innocent people carrying out their legitimate businesses. These men are thugs, pure and simple. I want the governor to find a way of putting a stop to their nefarious and annoying practice. Suleiman, Ota, Ogun State.

GOVERNOR MIMIKO

Pay our gratuities

HIS is to inform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the people of Irawo in the Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State have not been given their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). During the cards distribution exercise held in the state recently, the town was left out, a situation that will deny us the constitutional right to vote in the 2015 general elections. I want Professor Attahiru Jega to probe this matter and order the commission's officials to distribute the cards before general elections. I will like Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola to also go into this matter. He should find a way of making the INEC to do the needful in this area. Mrs O. Adebayo, Irawo, Lagos.

HAVE a message for Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State. The message is of great importance to me and others in my situation. I want him to know that retired employees of Ondo State are suffering as a result of the state government's failure to pay their gratuities. I mean those who retired between 2012 and 2014. I must add that some of them are no more. They died while expecting their gratuities from the government. We all served the state meritoriously. With this service, we expect rewards in the form of our gratuities. In the light of this, I am calling on the governor to look into this matter with urgency. Mr. J. A. Ajayi, Akure, Ondo State.

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

Continued from Page 48

Agega village Adamu Rabiu

Agega village

Email: counselling@faithoyedepo.org

Coping with Diseases ith

Professor Dayo Oyekole,

Ph.D. (Ibadan), NMD, FNCP. Tel: 0803-330-3897 Website: www.holisticlifecare.com E-mail: kolemetric@yahoo.com

Yusufu IDEGU, Jos

SOCIETY

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

As Ultimate Circle of Nigeria holds Ultimate Night 2014 PHOTOS: Biodun ADEYEWA

•From left, Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Lagos State, Gbolahan Lawal; Special Adviser on Works and Infastructures, Lagos State, Ganiyu Johnson, President Ultimate Circle of Nigeria, Adelaja Adeleye and Mrs. Lanre Oniyitan receiving an award during the Ultimate night 2014 celebration at the Eagle Club, Surulere, Lagos

•Foundation President, Oloye Olubunmi Olaopa, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Oduwole and Immediate Past President, Dr. Wale Oduwole

• From left: Special Adviser on Youth and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru, Vice - President Ultimate Circle of Nigeria, Honourable Seye Oladejo, his wife, Seye; Special Adviser, Ministry of Environment, Lagos State, Dr. Taofeek Folami and Saka Akinbayo

•From left: Marcus Niyi Oyeyipo, Seye Akinde, Mrs. Timi Adetola and Mrs. Mojisola Adeleye

•From left: President, Akowonjo Lion Club, Mr. Adegboyega Adedeji, Registrar, Nigeria Post Graduate Medical School, Professor Oluwole Atoyebi and Managing Director, Rinsol Limited, Adegboyega Ogunosun

• From left: Pharmacist, Biodun Oduwole, Managing Director FAB/Past President, Gbolagade Adebisi and Gbenro Adetona

•From left: Mr. Adegbite Adebayo, Mrs. Funmilayo Ogunosun, Mrs. Linda Eboreime and Mr Ben Eboreime

•From left: Managing Director, Jalibice Sadakka Nigeria Limited, Sesan Buraimoh, Manging Director, Wilsongate, Gbolahan Adenuga, Haulage Magnate, Bashiru Oluokun and a Guest

THE NATION,

News 57

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

Fashola meets APC gov aspirants, urges support for Ambode

AGOS State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, yesterday hosted a meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirants, who contested the governorship primaries of the party in the state, commending their conduct during the primaries. He urged them to rally round the party’s flag bearer, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, for the campaigns ahead. Those in attendance at the meeting included Ambode; his running mate and Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs) Oluranti Adebule; Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; former Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Tola Kasali; Senator representing Lagos West, Senator Ganiyu Solomon; former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Supo Shasore, SAN, Mrs

Miriam EKENE-OKORO Adetokunbo TobunAgbesanwa, Mr Abayomi Sutton and Mr Lanre Ope. The governor, who spoke at the Lagos House, Ikeja, added that there was a need to build the team for the governorship candidate, suggesting that even if meant offering the people who helped in their various campaigns, they should all rally round the party’s flag bearer. “The candidate has to get on the road from yesterday. And nothing would be more enabling and more intimidating for the opposition than to see all the aspirants together with the winner”, he said. Fashola noted that it was a matter of managing time, stressing that once or twice, the aspirants should find the time so that they can give the flag bearer the needed push to

Three suspected rapists to spend Christmas, New Year in prison THREE boys suspected to have raped two teenagers and dispossessed them of their property in Oje area of Ibadan, Oyo State will be spending their Christmas and New Year celebrations in the prison custody. The suspected randy boys, Akintunde, 24, Olalekan, 19, and Aderemi, 23, were arraigned by the police before an Ibadan Magistrate court on Friday on a four-count charge ranging from conspiracy and rape to stealing. The prosecuting police officer, Mr. Philip Amusan told the court that the trio and others at large on November 30, 2014, at about 10 am at Oje area of Ibadan conspired to commit felony to wit rape and stealing and thereby committed an offence. The second-count charge against the accused stated that they also had unlawful carnal knowledge of two teenagers (names withheld by us), who are aged 18 and 19 years. The prosecutor said the accused persons had committed an offence. A Blackberry Curve Two phone, valued at N15,000, a property of one of the victims was also stolen by the suspects. Also, they were accused to have stolen items such as IPhone valued at N18,000, Asha phone valued at N12,000, and a cash sum of N55,000 belonging to the second girl that was raped by the accused persons. The plea of the suspects was not taken for counts one and two. But they pleaded not guilty to the third and fourth counts preferred against them. The presiding magistrate,

School wins British Council award THE International School Award , a coveted award given by the British Council for schools working towards Global citizenship- was given to Grace Children School. About 50 schools competed for vied for the coveted prize at the ceremony held in Lagos.

Tayo Johnson, Ibadan Olaide Amzat, ordered that the suspects be remanded in the prison custody. He adjourned the case to third week of January 2015.

go forward with the campaigns. He congratulated the candidates for making Lagos proud with the way they conducted themselves during the Lagos APC primaries, adding that it served as a push for the bigger convention of the APC at the national level

which turned out to be a success. He stressed that many of the presidential candidates borrowed a leaf from the way the Lagos aspirants conducted themselves, adding that he is yet to learn from any state where there were as many as 13 contestants in a delegates

Chief Henry Ajomale thanked the aspirants for the spirit of sportsmanship that they displayed during and after the primaries. He said since the process has now been concluded, what is left is for everyone to rally round Ambode to ensure the success of the party at the 2015 gvernorship polls.

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (middle); the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode (4th left); his running mate and Secretary to the State Government, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule (4th right); Lagos State Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Henry Ajomale (3rd left) and other aspirants who participated in the APC gubernatorial primaries: Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat (2nd left); former Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Tola Kasali (left); Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (2nd right); former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Supo Shasore, SAN (right behind); Mrs. Adetokunbo Tobun-Agbesanwa (3rd right); Mr. Abayomi Sutton (left behind) and Hon. Lanre Ope (right) during the meeting... yesterday

Ekiti election: Tribunal dismisses APC’s petition

THE Justice Siraju Mohammedled tribunal yesterday in Abuja, dismissed the petition by the All Progressives Congress (APC against the outcome of the Jun 21 governorship election in Ekiti State. Justice Mohammed, who is the chairman of the three-man panel read the unanimous decision. He held that the petitioner failed to prove its allegations against the defendants, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), its candidate, Ayodele Fayose (who won the election) and the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC). In the judgment that lasted about four hours, the tribunal resolved all issues raised, in favour of the respondents.Respondents to the petition are the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Fayose, the Independent National Electoral Commission) , the Chief of Army Staff (COAS)and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) The APC had in its petition argued that the election was invalid by reason of corruption, did not comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, and that Fayose was not qualified to contest the election having allegedly submitted forged certificate to INEC and having been impeached for allegedly violating the Code of Conduct. The petitioner alleged that the election process was over militarized, accreditation process not properly conducted and that the PDP, Fayose and INEC adopted scientific, mechanical and methodical process in rigging the election by utilizing photocromic and

Verdict has affirmed my victory, says Fayose

EKITI State Governor Ayo Fayose has welcomed the judgment of the Election Petition Tribunal saying the verdict has demonstrated that the election which brought him to office was the freest in the political history of Nigeria. Fayose who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, Fayose in a statement said the verdict has proved that Judiciary is the last hope of the common man. He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) action of challenging the result of the June 21 governorship election was a character of bad loser whose stock in trade is fabricating lies purposely to deceive gullible minds. Fayose said, “ The tribunal verdict has demonstrated that the Ekiti people freely gave their mandate to Ayo Fayose and that the June 21 governorship election was the freest in the political history of this country. “We have said abinitio that going to court by the APC was trying God and that is the character of a bad loser whose stock in trade is fabricating lies purposely to deceive the gullible minds. Beside that, we have said repeatedly that the impeachment of October 2006, is a ruse organised by the cabal of that time to subvert the popular will of the people. “Ekiti people who came out enmass to vote for Fayose are not fools. thermocromic ballot papers. On the issue of Fayose’s qualification, the tribunal held that as against the argument of thePDP and Fayose that the

•We’ll appeal judgment - APC “Though the truth will suffer persecution , oppression, suppression, annihilation and humiliation, but it will certainly come out victorious. “We however thank the people of Ekiti State who were never deceived by the voodoo of impeachment by voting for Fayose overwhelmingly to return the peoples candidate to power. “We thank the judiciary for standing by the truth. T he judiciary certainly has reiterated its stand as the last hope of common man. “We again thank Ekiti people, leaders of our great party and also assure the people of Ekiti State a responsive and responsible government”. But the Ekiti State Chapter of the APC has declared its intention to appeal the judgment maintaining that the allegation of perjury against Fayose had been raised before the election was conducted. In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of Ekiti APC, Taiwo Olatubosun, the party said it was dissatisfied with the judgment which dismissed the petition that the grounds of the petition were pre-election matters. “Even though the tribunal did not say that all the issues raised against Fayose were not true, dismissing the entire case on the basis of pre-election matter tag will not be challenged at the Appeal Court,” Olatubosun said. The APC spokesman noted that before the election, an allegation

of perjury was raised against the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate, who stormed the court to disrupt proceedings of the trial of the case after the trial judge, Mr. Justice Segun Ogunyemi, judges, lawyers and other court officials were beaten and court records in the office of the Chief Judge were torn. Expressing worry over the triumph of impunity in the polity by desperate politicians, the party called on the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC) to save Nigerian Constitution by preserving the integrity of the judiciary. His words: “It is worrisome that the judiciary appears not ready to tackle the flagrant abuse of the courts by desperate politicians. An allegation of perjury was raised against Fayose before the election. “On the day a judgment was expected on the matter, Fayose stormed the court with his thugs to beat the judges, lawyers and other court officials. This forced indefinite suspension of the case and so the case could not be determined before the election. “The only competent court that can adjudicate on the matter after this sad episode in Nigeria’s judicial system is the election tribunal, but now the tribunal is saying that Fayose should have been stopped from contesting the election.

Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

It however held that Fayose could not be disqualified from contesting election because impeachment did not form one of the grounds, under Section 182 of the Constitution, on which a person could be disqualified from contesting election. The panel also faulted the impeachment of Fayose in 2006, holding that the panel set up to investigate allegation of embezzlement of public funds against Fayose and on which basis he was impeached, was wrongly

issue of qualification was preelection issue, it was both pre and post-election issue.

Ajimobi seeks lawmakers’ approval for new LG chairmen GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has forwarded the names of nine persons to the state House of Assembly for appointment as Transition Committee Chairmen in their respective local governments. The governor, in a letter dated 18th December, 2014 and addressed to the Speaker of the

election in the current dispensation where there was no bickering. Governor Fashola said all of them embodied the spirit of excellence, adding that this informed his delight at their conduct during the primaries. Also speaking, the Lagos State chapter of the APC,

Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, listed the names of the nominees to include Gbodeniyi Ibrahim Azeez (Surulere Local Government), Adepoju Aderemi (Ogo Oluwa), Bamigboye Jacob Abidoye (Oriire) and Omolewu Francis Adetunji (Ibarapa North). Others are Akinlabi Akinyemi

(Ibarapa Central), Atanda Adelore (Ibarapa East), Oorelope Kolawole (Oluyole), Olagunju Clement (Iddo) and Gbolagade Okeniyi (Atiba). According to the letter, the nominees are to replace the incumbent Caretaker Committee Chairmen. Governor Ajimobi urged the Assembly to give his request ac-

celerated hearing to avoid a vacuum in the governance of the affected local government councils. The governor has also approved the appointment of Mr. Adeagbo, Ganiyu Adesina Oyebode as the acting Transition Committee Chairman of OnaAra Local Government Council.

constituted because it was not set up by the Ekiti State’s Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Kayode Bamishile, but by Justice Jubril Aladejana, who was not known to be the CJ. It also held that even if the panel was set up by the CJ, it was done outside the time provided in Section 188(5) of the Constitution, which allowed the CJ to set up such panel within seven days. The panel further held that by a letter from the Speaker of the House of Assembly, requesting the constitution of a panel to investigate Fayose, the panel was set up eight days after the letter was written, which was outside the seven days provided. On the allegation that Fayose was not the person issued the Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate by The Polytechnic, Ibadan, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove their claim that another individual from Oluyole Local Government, Oyo State was actually issued the certificate. It held that the petitioner failed to invite the said individual from Oyo State to testify and claim ownership of the certificate. On the allegation that Fayose presented a forged certificate to INEC, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegation of forgery and that it was wrong for the APC to have waited after the election to raise it when it could have safely reported the criminal offence of forgery to the relevant security agencies for investigation and prosecution. On the allegation that the election was manipulated through scientific means, the tribunal held that the petitioner failed to prove their allegation, having earlier pledged to demonstrate, at trial, how the scientific process was deployed by the PDP and INEC. The tribunal noted that while it had expected the petitioner to invite scientists in its bid to prove this allegation, it called witnesses some of whom are barely computer literates.

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

2015 polls: Peterside picks another Rep as running mate HE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, has picked another member of the House of Representatives, Asita Honourable, as his running mate for the 2015 election. Asita, from Engenni in

n Bisi OLANIYI, n Port Harcourt Ahoada West Local Government Area in Orashi Rehion, represents Ahoada WestOgba/Egbema/Ndoni constituency of Rivers state and he is the leader of the Rivers caucus in the National Assembly, is also of the upland part of the state.

Peterside, who hails from riverine Opobo, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro LGA of Rivers state, represents Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro constituency in the House of Representatives and chairs the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream). Picking of Asita was announced yesterday evening

on a local radio station in Port Harcourt, after wide consultations, according to a top official of the APC, who would not want to be named. The running mate (Asita) moved the motion for the endorsement of Peterside, during the recent primary election of the APC at the

Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt, before the delegates from the 23 LGAs of the state massively. voted for the only governorship candidate of the party who picked the nomination and expression of intent forms. Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who is the Chair-

...as Rivers East, Ikwerre politicians back APC candidate IVERS East Senatorial district and politicians in Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality have vowed to give the consensus candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Rivers State Dakuku Peterside a total support during 2015 governorship election. The leaders of Rivers East Senatorial district made up of eight Local governments which include Okrika, Ikwerre, Emohua, Ogu/Bolo, Omuma, Port Harcourt City Local government , Obio/Akpor and Etche Local government, said Hon. Peterside is the rallying point in 2015. The politicians in Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality and their brothers in Rivers East made this declaration yesterday during an inauguration of

n Precious DIKEWOHA, n Port Harcourt Rivers State leadership Advancement Foundation (RIVLEAF), in Ubima community, the home town of governor Chibuike Amaechi in Ikwerre LGA of Rivers state. RIVLEAF is a political forum of Rivers students and youths in support of Governor Chibuike Amaechi's aspiration and political movement. And the inauguration yesterday became a rally for the support of Peterside's political ambition. Speaking yesterday at the Inauguration, the Rivers East leader of RIVLEAF, Hon. Dickson Temple Wobo, said in spite of the noise making and political propaganda Rivers East is in support of

Dakuku Peterside. He said Rivers east is very happy on Peterside's candidature and would vote massively to ensure that he is elected as the governor of Rivers State. “Peterside is Rivers east and Rivers east is Peterside that shows how much we love him, he is our rallying point in 2015. I believe in an atmosphere of free and fair elections, Wike cannot win Peterside he is a man of high pedigree, decency and God fearing.” The APC chairman in Ikwerre Local government Hon. Ben Odigwe who spoke the minds of Ikwerre Politicians said whether rain or sun Ikwerre Ethnic Nationality is for Peterside. He said in Ikwerre Land Peterside will be given 90

percent of their votes, adding that Ikwerre is the heart of APC because the leader of the party, Governor Chibuike Amaechi is from Ikwerre local government. “The problem people have about Dakuku is that they don’t know about the man Dakuku, he is a political grandmaster who grew under the tutelage of Governor Chibuike Amaechi. He is generally accepted in Ikwerre land and he is the choice of my people. “The choice of Dakuku for the party is the choice of Rivers people; let me tell you Dakuku would have won the primary election if there was no consensus agreement because before now 17 local governments’ chairmen had adopted him.”

Responding, Hon. Geotex Kpako, the Special Assistant to Governor Chibuike Ameachi on Energy who is also the leader of APC in the area said Ubima community, the home town of governor Chibuike Amaechi has adopted Dakuku as their own governorship candidate. “Some people wanted to destroy our gathering here today, they don’t want us to honour Dakuku, but I look at it as a matter of misunderstanding. I give God the glory that the inauguration took place. For me Dakuku is a friend of Ubima and we are going to give him 100 percent vote. “I want to thank him for accepting to serve and I want to also thank the APC in Ikwerre Local government and Rivers east for not only coming down here for RIVLEAF inauguration but to support Dakuku candidacy.”

man of the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF), recently declared that no Ikwerre person would succeed him, while opting for somebody from another ethnic group or senatorial district, to ensure justice, equity and fairness. Amaechi and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Nyesom Wike, who is the immediate past Minister of State for Education, are both Ikwerre. The Rivers governor is from Ubima in Ikwerre LGA, while Wike hails from Rumueprikom in Obio/Akpor LGA. Upland/riverine dichotomy is very strong in Rivers state, thereby prompting Peterside, from the riverine part of the state to pick an upland person as his running mate. It was learnt in Port Harcourt yesterday that Wike, an uplander, would pick his running mate from Kalabari (riverine) part of the state. The Rivers APC's governorship candidate is quietly moving round the state and meeting with the main stakeholders, ahead of the official launch of his campaigns, while his counterpart of the PDP was at Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoniland on Thursday, where he commenced his "thank you" tour.

Niger Delta youths flay calls for NDDC’s boss removal n Precious DIKEWOHA, Port Harcourt n group, Eye of Niger Delta (END) has condemned the call to remove the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Chief Dan Abia by a socio-political group in Rivers State who protested last Tuesday. END, a non-governmental organization said the protesters have the right for peaceful demonstration, but are being blind to see the numerous projects done by the NDDC under Dan Abia’s administration. Arising from an emergency meeting yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, the leader of the group, Comrade Tari Ben Victor said it is only a blind man that could protest on non performance of the present board of NDDC. He said his organization last month set up a committee to assess the projects executed so far by the board including the social policies in the entire Niger Delta states, adding that their assessment shows that NDDC under Dan Abia has credibly done well. Tari called on the protesters to channel their energy in protesting against desperate and corrupt politicians in the Niger Delta region who have no agenda for the people of the Niger Delta rather than wasting their time criticizing a man who has demonstrated fairness in serving his people. “We as a group have condemned every act of insensitivity in calling for the removal of Chief Dan Abia. It is clear for everyone to see that the NDDC boss is a blessing to the people of the Niger Delta. He has massively constructed roads, solar energy and water projects, scholarships and other projects across the region.

•Durbar at 2014 Rivers State Carnival in Port Harcourt...yesterday

Benin residents hail Oshiomhole over road projects housands of residents of Evbuogida, Oronmiyan and Useh down to Egor market in Egor Local Government Area trooped out yesterday in Benin City to welcome Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as he commenced inspection of various projects in the area. Governor Adams Oshiomhole who expressed joy with the high level turn out of the people advised them to be peaceful and to imbibe the philosophy of good work which he says “is the only weapon to fight the power of darkness”. Oshiomhole said, “now that the rain is beginning to subside, though we still have some rainfall, but no longer every minute as it used to be and as you can observe along the road, Hi-Tech Construction Company is back to site. “So, I decided to come myself to see the state of the

n Osemwengie BEN OGBEMUDIA n roads and other on-going projects. As you can see, the contractors are already back and we are hopeful that as the dry season fully sets in, contractors will remain at project site to continue their work.” Continuing he stated: “The Siluko Road project like I always tell you will continue from Upper Siluko Road to Siluko and it is a dual carriage road. When completed, it will go with street lights,” he maintained. Governor Oshiomhole however advised residents of Egor community and indeed the entire Egor Local Government against the urge to sell their houses adding that the value of houses in the hitherto abandoned areas will soon go up and the landlords will benefit and thanked the people for their continuous support and prayers.

He said: “Whatever the other people in opposition are doing, be rest assured that the devil is always a liar. The only way to punish the devil is to do good, once you do good to people, devil minded individuals will be in trouble. When you hear them misusing their television to tell lies, they are wasting their time. "They have been in government before now, they created the mess that we are addressing. They will not stop us, we must address and complete everything we have started because the way to punish darkness is to keep your light on. "Once your light is on, darkness must disappear,” Oshiomhole asserted. He reassured the people that his government would keep faith with its electioneering promises adding that

the essence of governance is to impact on the citizens. Speaking with journalists at Oronmiyan quarters shortly after the inspection of the ongoing projects, a frontline woman politician and the erstwhile woman leader of the defunct Social Democratic Party (S.D.P.) in the third Republic, Mrs. Grace Obaseki described Governor Oshiomhole as a messiah sent to rescue the people from the “valley of Bacca” orchestrated by the 8 years’ rule of the People's Democratic Party (P.D.P) in the state. Mrs. Obaseki said that, Governor Oshiomhole can’t be compared with any other past governors in the state. "Even the opposition party know this and that is why they are using all means to deceive the people and paint the present government in bad faith," she stressed.

Ex-minister blasts FG on lip service to science, technology n Osemwengie BEN OGBEMUDIA n former Minister for stitutes do not appear to be Science and Technol- funded to show Nigeria the ogy, Professor Em- road map to prosperity. manuel Emovon has berated Asian tigers invested lots in the federal government for science and technology; it is according lip service to sci- where their prospect lies, so, ence and technology. we do hope that our goverProfessor Emovon in an nors and masters will try as exclusive interview with much as possible to harness The Nation in Benin City what we have. Add value to against the backdrop of the exported agric products by sliding crude oil price in the adopting science and techinternational market said, nology,” he added. unless the nation gives adeAccording to him in diquate attention to science versifying the economy, you and technology, “we are not cannot rely on mono-econserious” about finding a so- omy and expect the country lution. to move because oil is a "Agriculture is being wasted asset that is irrestepped up, but research in- placeable.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

NEWS 59

Olisa Metuh warned against unguided utterances

Obi receives Papal honour and award tomorrow

HE Salvage Group, a professional arm of All Progressives Congress (APC) warns Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to guide his utterances in his approach to issues of other political parties, more especially APC. The Group according to Peter Ajayi the National Coordinator, stated that, All Progressives Party is seen as the most democratic party in Nigeria as evidently showed in the recently conducted governorship and presidential primary elections adjudged to be the most peaceful, transparent and rancour free in the history of Nigeria unlike the ones conducted by the ruling party (PDP) which was a show of shame and another opportunity to further show to Nigerians the stuff the party is made of by spreading its dirty linen to the outside world. The Group condemned the ways and manners by which Olisa Metuh described APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and party's presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari. Ajayi maintained that Metuh is bereaved of ideas and lack the essential knowledge of the process of democratically electing or selecting candidates. Olisa Metuh is a lower human being who does not have what it takes to occupy such a sensitive office,” he added.

N appreciation for his good work and personification of sound Christian principles in public service and his fruitful collaboration with the Church, the former Governor of Anambra State has been awarded the Pontifical Equestrian Order of Saint Sylvester, Pope and Marty. This order is one of five Orders of Knighthood awarded directly by the Pope as Supreme Pontiff and head of the Catholic Church and as Head of State of the Vatican City. The Investiture will take place tomorrow at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka. Many Bishops and priests are expected at a pontifical mass to mark the event. Though the award was granted by Pope Francis 1 to Mr. Peter Obi on the 31st of July, 2013, he delayed the investiture, preferring that it should be done after he has left office in line with his belief that honours and dignities that are not time-bound are better granted after one leaves office to allow for more objective assessment of the person. Reacting to the development, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor congratulated Obi on the award and described it as an honour most deserving. He said that Obi as the governor of Anambra State was able to deliver democracy dividends to the 177 communities in Anambra State and rehabilitated a whole lot of schools and hospitals and even built new ones. He recalled that Obi returned schools to their original owners, the Church, adding that Obi’s foresightedness placed Anambra State where it is today.

•From left: Mr. Chinedu Udegbunam, Mr. Sullivan Chime, Enugu State Governor, Mr. Kanu Nwankwo and Sir Victor Atuonwu, Chief of Staff to the governor during Nwakwo’s visit to Government House Enugu

Why I contested APC presidential primaries –Okorocha I MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has urged Ndigbo to work with team spirit and unity of purpose, so as to return the zone to the main stream of Nigeria polity. The Imo Governor who gave the charge while receiving Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, Imo State Chapter, at the Government House Owerri, regretted the level of marginalization of the Ndigbo in the affairs of the nation, “irrespective of the fact that they are part of the tripod of Nigeria”. Okorocha stated that all the key positions in the country eluded Ndigbo including the citing of developmental projects by the Federal Government, stressing that he contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Primaries to ensure that

Cleric seeks end to insurgency

n Okodili NDIDI, Owerri n

Igbo are given their pride of place in Nigeria. He noted further that “for me, time has come for Ndigbo to reason together, Ndigbo should no longer be relegated to the background, we should take our rightful position in Nigeria polity and say no to second fiddle. “With my action it is crystal clear to APC and entire Nigeria that Ndigbo are alive to take their position. I will not stop the struggle till there is liberation for Ndigbo and until ordinary man is liberated. What we

need is a national party that will carry Ndigbo along, Igbo are better off in APC”. The Governor challenged the apex Igbo socio-cultural group Igbo to reconcile their differences and speak with one voice, “as the umbrella body that covers the entire Igbo nation. You must speak for Ndigbo, and raise good leaders”. Speaking on behalf of the group, the President Imo State Chapter, Dr Ezechi Chukwu, commended Governor Okorocha on his tremendous achievements and the transformation of the image of the State within and beyond the State

to the envy of many. Dr. Ezechi Chukwu described Ohanaeze as a mass movement organization which stands to support every government that is people oriented. He stated that governor Okorocha’s inability to secure the APC Presidential ticket is “an answered prayer for him not to leave Imo State at this point in time”. Chukwu conveyed the group’s unalloyed support to Okorocha, urging him to consolidate on his landmark achievements which are second to none in the State.

Court lifts order on Akwa-Ibom PDP’s governorship The judge upheld Usoro’s argument High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja yes- candidate, others that the date of submission of candi-

terday lifted its earlier order dates’ names to the Independent Nan Eric IKHILAE n restraining the People’s Democratic tional Electoral Commission (INEC) n Bishop HUMPHREY Erumaka n Party (PDP) and its National Chair- Mu’azu and the PDP from submitting would have closed before the January HE General Overseer of Word Base Assembly, Bishop man, Adamu Mua’zu from accepting the name of former Akwa Ibom State return date. Humphrey Erumaka , has appealed to leaders and citithe list of delegates produced at the Secretary to the State Government He further held that if the order was zens to pray for the crisis in the North to stop. December 8 primaries of the PDP in (SSG), Udom Emmanuel’s name or the not set aside, the PDP would be deAccording to him, is important as Nigerians celebrates the Akwa Ibom State.. name of any other person as the win- nied the opportunity of fielding a canyuletide season. “When there is peace things would be reBy the court’s pronouncement yes- ner of the PDP governorship primary didate for the governorship election. stored. There is war, whatever you give is a relief. We need the Parties are to return in January for terday, the coast is now clear for the in Akwa Ibom State on December 8. crisis in the North to stop and we must stop politicizing it”. PDP in Akwa Ibom State to submit the the hearing of the substantive suit The judge after granting the interim The cleric said though the situation in the country might list of its candidates for next year’s order, fixed January as the return date in marked: CV/765/2014, filed by Ime appear unstable especially regarding the presidential elections the case: Yesterday, Justice Husseini Baba Effiong Ekanem and two others, in in parts where Boko Haram has exercised damages but “It is election. Justice Y. Halilu of the High Court Yusuf, the court’s vacation judge, having which they are challenging the outmore of a national disaster. I have been to top clergy meetings where we donated money in good measure to send to our of the FCT had earlier this month listened to argument from the applicant’s come of the December 8 governorship granted an order ex-parte, restraining lawyer, Paul Usoro (SAN), lifted the order. primary held in the state. brothers in the North. We are doing our best but how much can you help a man who has lost house, family and more.” Speaking about the security and other problems affecting the naHE Osun State deputy goverthe public schools, no doubt, will public education a model to other n Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo n tion, Erumaka stressed that things nor, Chief Mrs. Grace Titi sustain the growth of the state edu- states in the federation.” would get better if all hands are on She restated the government’s cation sector. Laoye-Tomori, has pleaded Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in deck. “The greatest challenge in with teachers to show understand- commitment to the welfare of the The deputy governor, who de- the Osun State Universal Basic EduNigeria is poverty and it is orches- ing over the delay in payment of workforce in the public schools. scribed the distribution of the mate- cation Board, Alhaji Fatai Kolawole, According the deputy governor, rials as symbolic, assured that it will said the provision of functional edutrated by corruption.’’ their salaries. Nigerians are not lazy but the Speaking in Osogbo, the state cap- who is also the Commissioner for be a continuous exercise which she cation is a key performance index of opportunities and facilities are not ital while flagging off the distribu- Education, investment in workers in said “was designed to make Osun the Aregbesola administration. favorable. In China, people are tion of instructional and ICT running factories from their materials for Elementary and Midgarage but here we have issues dle Schools, she blamed the delay on PEAKER of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. State House of Assemn Oziegbe OKOEKI n with electricity. This leads to consistent reduction in monthly fedAdeyemi Ikuforiji has described the choice of Prof. bly, that our former restiveness and make our youth eral allocation accrued to the state in Yemi Osinbajo as the running mate to General Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and inavailable tools.” the last fourteen months. He said the annual programme Items distributed include, 30 sets Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All deed, an internationally acclaimed legal luminary and of the church, Festival of Power of computers, training materials and Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2015 election as “the scholar in the person of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has just much-needed tonic that will turn around the moribund emerged the running mate to the presidential flag bearer and Prayer Crusade which would packets of chalk. However, the deputy governor condition of our nation, Nigeria as the much-endowed of the our party, the APC in the 2015 general election. take place from 4th to 11th Janu“For us here at the Lagos State House of Assembly, the ary, would not be just for the promised a new lease of life for giant of Africa.” In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. choice of the highly cerebral, humane, and highly induschurch but the community. “It is a teaching and non- teaching staff in period when we open our doors to the state public primary and second- Rotimi Adebayo, Ikuforiji declared that, “ It is indeed a trious Osinbajo as General Buhari’s deputy promises to be thing of great joy to me, my family, my fellow legislators the much-needed tonic for the long-awaited turn around ary schools. members of the public. , the entire management and staff members of the Lagos that Nigeria desperately needs for her restoration.”

Osun deputy governor pleads with teachers over salaries delay

Buhari/Osinbajo ticket is good for Nigeria, says Ikuforiji

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

NEWS

Police save two Hijab wearing students from being lynched •Mob mistake them for suicide bombers Jide ORINTUNSIN, Minna WO female undergraduate students of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, were yesterday nearly lynched to death by irate members of the public when they were suspected and accused of being suicide bombers. The students who were dressed in hijab (Islamic apparel for women) were returning to resume school when some members of the public at Central mosque Minna, raised alarm that the two ladies were suspected to be suicide bombers. Eye witness said that the two victims who were dressed covering all their bodies and faces were trying to walk across the frontage of the mosque when the jumat prayers were about to be said. Their mode of dressing and the bags they were carrying attracted the attention of other worshippers and this led to the raising of alarm. But for Police intervention, the two ladies would have been lynched to death. One of the victims was injured by the irate crowd and she is currently receiving treatment from Police Clinic in Minna. When contacted, Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr Ibrahim Gambari confirmed the incident but said that the two victims were wrongly accused. "When the attention of our men on duty was drawn to the ladies, they were subjected to bodily search and their bags also whisked and nothing incriminating were found on them. We were able to establish that the two of them are returning students of FUT Minna. Their mode of dressing made people to suspect them. "It took the timely intervention of our men, as members of the public had started to beat up one of the ladies leading to her sustaining some injuries. She is being treated at the Police Clinic," Gambari stated. The Police spokesman, who decried the mob action of members of the public, advised that Police should be allowed to do their work after complaint must have been lodged. According to the PPRO, "The crowd that came round when the ladies were being searched, would have been affected should the suspects be suicide bombers and were carrying bombs". The students are still being kept in Police custody.

Primaries: Elected APC members in Benue get return tickets Uja EMMANUEL, Makurdi LL Progressive Congress ( APC) in Benue state has given tickets to all their elected members as a deliberate effort at strengthening the party and winning elections in 2015. Speaking in a telephone interview with The Nation, the indisputable leader of APC in Benue state, Senator George Akume said, with the primaries over and all issues arising resolved amicable , APC is poised to send Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) packing from Government House Makurdi in next year election. The former governor of Benue state stated further that giving tickets to elected APC candidates has strengthen the party and will win more seats in both state and National Assembly, before crowning it with Chief Samuel Ortom as the governor in 2015. APC elected members who got their tickets back to contest in 2015 are Senator George Akume, for Benue north west senatorial seat, Hon Herman Hembe of Jechira Federal constituency and Hon John Dyeh, Gboko/ Tarka federal constituency. Others are Barrister Benjamin Adanyi, House of Assembly member Makurdi south and Hon Avine Agbom of Makurdi north state assembly representatives.

Boko Haram attacks Yobe town Duku JOEL, Damaturu IGHTEEN days after the heavy attack on Damatutru, the Yobe State Capital, Boko Haram insurgents have launched another attack on the state. This time, it was at Damagum, the headquarters of Fune Local Government, they struck. Damagum is one of the major towns along the Kano/Maiduguri Highway, south of Damaturu. Details of the attack are still sketchy but residents, who spoke from their houses with our correspondent on phone, disclosed that the insurgents came into the town in their hundreds shooting sporadically, an action that caused panic and fear, forcing the residents to return abruptly to their houses. One Isa Adamu disclosed that the police station in the area and the military formation in the town were the first points of attack. The police station was allegedly burnt down. Unconfirmed sources disclosed that the local government secretariat might have also been set ablaze. Isa Adamu also informed that there was timely reinforcement from the military. “The timely intervention of the military with prompt reenforcement has made the fight to subside. As I talk to you now, there are fewer gunshots around the town. We gather that the boys have been chased out of the town,” Isa informed.

•The burnt house in Gboko

Family of six burnt to death in Benue mystery fire HE police in Makurdi are currently investigating to unravel how a family of six got burnt to death, by a fire outbreak. Mr. Oye Lawani, his wife Elizabeth and four of their children’s roasted bodies, were discovered lying in ashes at their razed flat located at No 14, Young Christian College Street, Anyam Kor, Gboko East of Benue State. Neighbours said they woke up to discover the roasted bodies, while eye-witnesses said the house caught fire at 11:00p.m Thursday. But no one could immediately tell exactly what the source of the blaze was. Some neighbours rushed to the scene but were only able to save the late family's rickety Honda Accord car from catching fire. According to James Ayankaa, an eye-witness, “we watched helplessly as all the doors of the flat had gulped fire almost at the same time. "We heard people (not the deceased) shouting for help! When we came out all the doors had gotten fire. And there was no way one could enter to save them. Some people were praying and wishing that no one was trapped. "We only broke the wind screen of his car, from where someone entered in and put the gear on neutral, after which we pushed it away from the burning building. "As the fire burnt, we retired home to sleep. This morning we came to the house by

Fanen IHYONGO, Jalingo and UJa EMMANUEL, Makurdi 4:00p.m and shockingly discovered that Lawani, his wife and four kids were burnt," Ayankaa said. Fire and smoke were still billowing up when The Nation visited the scene yesterday. Their bodies were taken to a morgue. Remains of burnt bones were still left on the floor. A refrigerator, stove, gener-

ator, television set, bottles, utensils, furniture, books and other valuables were seen razed. Sympathizers at the incident, discussed in groups, while some were seen inspecting the rubbles. It was also difficult reasoning that the fire outbreak may have originated from their generator which was seen burnt inside their sitting room. The 37-year old burnt building is occupied by the

Why PDP will lose Sokoto gubernatorial election —ex-Commissioner HE Sokoto State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will lose the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state, it was learnt yesterday. A former Commissioner under the Attahiru Bafarawa's administration and a stakeholder and member of the Elders Committee of the Sokoto State PDP, Alhaji Dahiru Yusuf Yabo, gave the indication in Abuja during an exclusive interview with The Nation. Yabo insisted that Nigeria's former Ambassador to Morroco, Senator Abdallah Wali, who purportedly won the Sokoto State PDP gubernatorial primary, will not be a match for the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation and Sanni ONOGU, Abuja He said: "The Sokoto State PDP has not gotten the right candidate to withstand the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2015 gubernatorial election because PDP is now fielding the wrong candidate, in the person of Senator Abdallah Wali. "Certainly he is a wrong candidate because if you remember, he was a candidate in 2003 and he lost the election woefully. "He was a Senator then, a Senate Leader under Obasanjo administration, yet he could not win the election against Bafarawa. Yes, with the support of Muktari Shagari, a very powerful minister then." Yabo, who is also the former

PDP not prepared to govern Kwara, says Saraki HE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state is not ready to provide credible alternative to the All Progressives Congress (APC) based on its rancorous governorship primary and yet-to-emerge governorship candidate, for governor of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki has said. The PDP in the state is yet to name its governorship flag bearer; even the party conducted its primary over a week ago with Senator Simeon Ajibola polling the highest votes of 144.

deceased family and other neighbours -all of them tenants. The biggest puzzle is that the late Lawani's wife was said to have telephoned their neighbours who escaped the blaze. Lawani, 57, is a Yoruba based in Gboko. He was billed to travel for Christmas yesterday. His eldest son, who slept at a different apartment, was early at his father's house for the trip, only to be greeted by the tragedy.

Adekunle JIMOH, Ilorin The state chair of the PDP, Chief Iyiola Oyedepo said only the national working committee (NWC) of the party can declare the winners of the recently held congresses in the state, including the governorship primaries. The executive committee of the party upheld the election of Senator Ajibola as the party’s flag bearer. Speaking with reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, Saraki who is also the leader of APC in the state, said

PDP is not a party that can instil confidence in the minds of Kwarans. Saraki stated that, “As of now it will be difficult for me to comment on the chances of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, as we are not sure who the party’s governorship candidate is. We have always been hearing conflicting results. Normally after such ‘primary’ a certificate is issued and a winner declared , but what do you expect when a party chairman is saying he doesn’t know his candidate.

Deputy Chairman of the Sokoto State Chapter of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP), noted that Wali has no political structure to win the election but rather relying on the platform of ex-Governor Bafarawa. He alleged that the primaries was manipulated to favour Wali instead of the generally acceptable aspirant and Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Muktari Shagari. He disclosed that Shagari has since protested the outcome of the primaries to the national headquarters of the PDP, while other aspirants in the primaries have come together to oppose Wali. Yabo added: "One, there was a protest letter written by his Excellency Muktari Shagari at the venue that the election should be postponed for a better atmosphere. "There was also a petition again that was written and passed to all other stakeholders, including the party and the three aspirants have come together, met and also made their complaints to the appropriate quarters and they have all agreed to work together, that is, Muktari Shagari, Senator Gada and Yusuf Sulieman. "Incidentally, the same Senator Gada, who participated in the election and congratulated Wali at the venue, has now come to see that he is being duped. He has now seen the evidence. "He now understands that such manipulation would not have benefited him: So, he is also back on board and they have agreed that they will not support Wali no matter what, and they have given their reasons.”

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Market sustains rally amidst bargain-hunting

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 19-12-14

HE Nigerian equity market yesterday built on the recovery that started on Thursday as investors upped demand for value stocks, which are mostly trading at huge discounts. The benchmark index at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) indicated average gain of 1.21 per cent, representing a gain of N328 billion within the five hours of trading. The rally helped to moderate equitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; average year-to-date return to -29.08 per cent. With 40 gainers to 14 losers, the positive market situation was driven by widespread bargain-hunting for stocks, most of which had depreciated significantly in the past eight days, as well as increased demand for highly capitalised stocks with prospects for capital appreciation and good dividend yield. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities on the NSE regained the N10 trillion mark to close at N10.005

By Taofik Salako, Capital Market Editor

trillion as against its opening value of N9.677 trillion. The All Share Index (ASI), which tracks prices of all quoted equities, also crossed the 30,000 points, rising from 29,311.25 points to close at 30,306.51 points. Seplat Petroleum Development Company led the advancers with a gain of N12.09 to close at N265.02. Dangote Cement and Nigerian Breweries followed with a gain of N7 each to close at N160 and N147 respectively. Guinness Nigeria rose by N5.95 to close at N124.96. Forte Oil added N4.26 to close at N213.25. Lafarge Africa gained N3.56 to close at N74.88. UAC of Nigeria rose by N1.63 to close at N35.93. Guaranty Trust Bank chalked up N1.05 to close at N22.05. Zenith Bank added 95 kobo to close at N16.32 while Unilever Nigeria rose by 73 kobo to close at N32.10 per

share. Turnover was above average with a turnover of 3.99 billion shares valued at N30.26 billion in 5,681 deals. Union Bank of Nigeria was the most active stock with a turnover of 3.54 billion shares valued at N26.53 billion in 32 deals. Transnational Corporation of Nigeria followed with a turnover of 114.78 million shares valued at N347.07 million in 343 deals. FBN Holdings placed third with a turnover of 55.18 million shares worth N458.20 million in 846 deals. Financial services sector accounted for 3.78 billion shares valued at N27.97 billion in 3,288 deals. On the other hand, Seven-Up Bottling Company recorded the highest loss of N8.30 to close at N158.40. Total Nigeria dropped by N6.80 to close at N143.31. PZ Cussons Nigeria declined by N2.70 to close at N25.09. Champion Breweries dropped by 51 kobo to close at N4.88 per share.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 19-12-14

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

Rescheduled Ranchers vs Kwara United match ends in fracas T

• Kelechi Iheanacho • Success

Garba assesses Flying Eagles progress

HE Flying Eagles of Nigeria concluded the first phase of their camping ahead of next year’s African Youth Championship on Friday 19 December 2014. After the exercise which lasted for one month, head coach of the team Manu Garba spoke with SL10.ng and gave his view on the progress made so far. ON NEW PLAYERS PERFORMANCE IN CAMP... Yes we have quite a few of them as usual who have impressed, but we need to see them compete with some of our regulars who are in Europe, some of them will be in the 30 man list we will continue with when we resume. ON FOREIGN BASED PLAYERS... For now we called up eight, but that is not all we intend to call and see more of them in camp. The truth is nobody is guaranteed a spot in this team, not even my captain. We looking to strengthen all positions in the team. ON THE CHANCES OF GATE CRASHERS... In the Camp we can only take 30, at most 35, so they cater for their accommodation and feeding, but we let them train with the team when we see they are better than what we have. We decamp and accommodate them in camp. ON DOUBTS OVER ISACC SUCCESS AVAILABILITY... We are always ready to make up for any player absence, no doubt he is a fine player and key to our plans,

but if he doesn't make it we won't miss him. Remember he got injured at the Under-17 World Cup and Taiwo Awoniyi stood up and more than made up for Success’ absence with vital goals and good play. Success wasn't part of our qualifiers, but we were able to make it to the tournament proper. ON RESULTS OF FRIENDLY GAMES... We have conceded just once and scored over 30 goals from four games. To people watching it's good enough, but to me and my crew we still have work to do. Our strength at the Under17 level was making few mistakes collectively as a team and I think bar our first game when we drew 3-3 we had a tournament with our players making less mistakes. I strive to create that same spirit and mentality in this team, and for now until I have the full complement of my team it is hard to do that. ON SETTING TARGETS... I always believe that second position means you weren't good enough, so my eye is on the first prize. I try to make my players share in my belief, confidence and optimism of wanting to be champion at the Africa Youth Championship and World Youth Championship with style. When I say style I mean with goals and eye catching displays, the type that will be talked about years after the tournament and be used as a reference for future teams.

OML 58 FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT

Sponsor, LOC chairman chide teams

HE 2014 OML 58 football tournament is in its second week and lots of matches have been decided between the sixteen communities that are vying for honours. Players of the respective teams have been showcasing their skills and interpreting the instructions dished out by their coaches. Competition has been intense because of bragging rights between the competing teams. However, it must be mentioned that the matches have been played in good and brotherly atmosphere, as fair play has been the watchword. Members of the Organising Committee have been up to speed, making sure that every logistic is in place to ensure a hitch-free tournament. Chair-

man of the Main Organising Committee, Goodnews Mbonu said that sponsors of the tournament ,TOTAL E and P always striveto improve the standard. Mbonu also charged players and officials of the competing teams to continue to adhere to the rules governing the game of football, and the competition rules of the annual OML 58 football tournament. Manager, Community services, TOTAL E and P, Okechukwu Obara charged the players to continue to turn on the style, as scouts are taking notes and keeping tabs on exceptional players who will be helped to have a possible future career in football. The 2014 OML 58 Football Tournament will end on January 16.

HE fourth club that would be promoted to the Nigeria Professional Football League, the elite division in Nigeria could not be decided in yesterday’s rescheduled Nigeria National League (NNL) match between host Ranchers Bees and visiting Kwara United as the match was marred by alleged irate home team’s fans who attacked the center Referee Charles Ozigbo after calling for a penalty in favour of Kwara United in the 22nd minute of the match that was to be played for only 28 minutes. The match which was first played in Kaduna was marred by crowd violence when the game stood at 2-2 score draw. But the Appeals Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation ruled that the match be replayed in Abuja yesterday and that only the remaining 28 minutes left in the match before it was disrupted by fans’ violence should be played in Abuja. But alas pandemonium broke out just six minutes to end the 28 minutes match when the irate home fans went for the injured Referee Ozigbo’s jogular for awarding a spot kick in favour of Kwara United. Ozigbo was injured with cudgels and stones while his head was covered with blood. The Police at the venue did not come with canisters of tear

• Irate fans attack Referee Ozigbo From Segun Ogunjimi, Abuja gas and were not armed, giving the irate fans the opportunity to have a field day. The NationSport’s reporter and others had to run for their dear lives while the 10 Policemen on guard tried all the tricks they had to save Referee Ozigbo and his colleagues’ lives. The matter will again move to the corridor of the Nigeria Football Federation to finally rule on which team gains the promotion to the elite division of the Nigeria Professional Football League of Nigeria. Ranchers Bees and Kwara United needed to win to be very sure of promotion a reason why the match was played under such undue tension and provocations. The ugly scene was also watched by the invited foreign based professionals who had just trained. They were asked to stay behind to watch the match by their Coach Samson Siasia shortly after their morning session training. The NNL promotion match between Ranchers Bees and Kwara United kicked off at exactly 10.32am at the Goal Project of the Abuja National Stadium yesterday (Friday).

• Referee Charles Ozigbo covered with blood in the recheduled NNL match between Kwara United and Ranchers Bees at Abuja National Stadium Goal Project on Friday. PHOTO: SEGUN OGUNJIMI

Iwu ready to wait for Nigeria call

EARTLAND young g o a l k e e p e r Emmanuel Iwu has told supersport.com that he is ready to wait for the chance to play for Nigeria at under20 level. Iwu explained that if the chance to play for Nigeria's under-20s does not materialise he will focus his energy on working his way into any of the men's national teams - whether the under23s or seniors. "I am not disturbed about not being in the camp with the under-20 national team. I have been asked about this by most people, but I think the coaches know better and

I do not think they should be pressured into selecting players against their will or plan. "Nigeria is a big country with plenty of talent and I am just one. So I am always ready to wait for my turn. But if it doesn't come at the under-20 level, maybe I will have to work and focus harder with my club and ensure that I am called up for maybe the under-23 or even the Super Eagles, who knows? In football anything can happen," Iwu told supersport.com this week in Lagos after he was named Best New Goalkeeper in the NPFL at the 2014 League Bloggers Awards (LBA).

However, Iwu's focus is now on the upcoming NPFL season with Heartland. Heartland finished in ninth place last term and 10 points behind Nigerian champions Kano Pillars. Iwu hopes the Naze Millionaires can challenge for the title next season. "The season started slowly for us but I am hoping that we can start and end next season strongly and challenge for the title," he said. Iwu made his NPFL debut with Heartland in the southeast derby against Enyimba in April this year. He kept a clean sheet in his team's 1-0 win after coming off the bench for Ebere Obi.

• Iwu

Alhaji Gero vows to 'shake' Europe after Viborg switch

IGERIA striker Alhaji Gero has promised to make a name for himself in Europe after he signed A three-year contract with Danish table

toppers Viborg on Friday. The 21-year-old Gero joined Danish first division side Viborg as a free agent after his Swedish club Osters were demoted to the third-

tier. “I’m really delighted to have joined a massive club like Viborg and I believe this will help me make a name for myself in Europe finally,” Gero told only AfricanFootball.com. “It’s a great move and the first person I spoke to when I signed was my mother, who has always supported me in my chosen career. I

now have to justify the confidence Viborg have in me by scoring goals for them both in Denmark and beyond.” Last season, the former Kaduna United and Enugu Rangers star scored nine goals in all competitions for Osters, but it was not enough to keep them up even in the second-tier league after they were demoted the previous season.

Joel Obi delighted with progress at Inter

S • Gero poses with his jersey after signing for Viborg on Friday

PEAKING at a gathering, Nigeria international Joel Obi has been encouraging the players representing the youth team of Inter Milan, pointing out that he was promoted to the main squad after distinguishing himself. The ex NEPA Lagos youth teamer spent five years playing for Inter Milan’s academy teams before he broke into the first team at the age of 19.

“The boys I can say never give up and are always hungry. I thank all those who have made me grow in this great youth,”says Joel Obi to fcinternews.it. Joel Obi has recorded 8 appearances in the Serie A this season, and an additional five in the Europa League. The 23 - year - old has started 21 matches in the the top division since his debut.

THE NATION SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

SPORT EXTRA

Flying Eagles spank Highlanders 10-0 N

IGERIA U-20s recorded yet another big win against Nigeria Nationwide side Highlanders of Kaduna when they trounced them 10-0 in a final test game on Friday before they broke for the Christmas holidays. Skipper Musa Muhammed and Samuel Mathias scored a

brace each with six other players on the scoresheet - Mustapha Abdullahi, Billy Auta, Nafiu Kabuga, Akinjide Idowu, Israel Emmanuel and Jacob Njoku Both teams also missed a penalty each with a Highlanders player sent off after 59 minutes. The rampant Flying Eagles also hit the cross bar thrice. But it was

• Flying Eagles’ skipper Musa Muhammed

Highlanders who first stunned their opponents after just five minutes of action when they struck the crossbar. The Nigeria U-20s then took over the attacking initiative thereafter with Ifeanyi Matthew’s left-footed shot just missing narrowly, before Mathias opened scoring after eight minutes. Musa Muhammed doubled the lead of the Flying Eagles in the 20th minute off a low cross by fellow fullback Mustapha Abdullahi. Billy Auta made it 3-0 in the 28th minute, before skipper Muhammed again hit target on 50 minutes via a superb free kick. Mathias netted the Flying Eagles fifth goal after 63 minutes, when he toe-poked his effort home. Giwa FC goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo will save a penalty awarded Highlanders in the 78th minute, before fullback Mustapha Abdullahi continued his rich vein of form in front of goal with a sixth goal for the Nigeria U-20s when he capitalised on a defensive blunder. In the 85th minute, Abdullahi Alfa missed a penalty after the goalkeeper fouled a goal-bound Mathias. There were also late goals by Kabuga, Israel Emmanuel, Akinjide Idowu and FC Porto midfielder Jacob Njoku. The Flying Eagles will now regroup for a second phase of training camp on December 27.

Ajayi unlikely to join Eagles

EPORTS suggesting that Arsenal central defender Semi Ajayi will link up with the Super Eagles squad in Abu Dhabi next month for exhibition matches against Cote d'Ivoire and Mali might not come to pass. Assuming Nigeria had qualified for the 2015 African Cup of Nations(AFCON), the English

Keshi possibly AFCON bound

ORMER Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has applied to manage Equatorial Guinea national team, ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, which the central African country will be hosting from January 17 to February 8, 2015 but so has Stephen Keshi. The Nzalang Nacional are in search of a renowned coach for the tournament and are likely to fire current coach Andoni Goikoetxea, whose performance is widely criticised in the country. The Equatorial Guinea Football Federation has confirmed the receipt of several applications, with Rajevac showing as a strong candidate, according to local officials. The Serbian led the Black Stars to the quarter finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi also figures on the list and remains a top favourite, officials said. Although Keshi failed to qualify the outgoing African Champions Super Eagles to Afcon, he could participate at the competition if given the job. Rajevac’s agent Marc-Antoine Kiplé has also confirmed the 60year-old’s bid for the post.

Premier League side would have no choice than to release the former Flying Eagles stopper or face the wrath of football's governing body, FIFA. In theory, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) cannot twist the arm of Arsenal to part with Semi Ajayi, as the aforementioned games are outside the international window. The 21-year-old's agent, who is a man of few words, confirmed as much after he strongly hinted that his client may be unavailable for the friendly matches. “I am not sure Semi will feature in the games in January. At the moment, everything is up in the air,” said Semi Ajayi's agent to SL10.ng. 18 months have now passed since the centre back trained with the Flying Eagles, only for him to

• Ajayi be dropped by John Obuh before the squad left for Turkey for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Semi Ajayi confided to SL10.ng that his priority is to represent the country's Olympic team.

Siasia pleads for time

REAM Team Coach Samson Siasia has admitted that producing another Olympic team for Nigeria is a big challenge and has pleaded for time to make things happen. The former Super Eagles coach has been tasked with the responsibility of moulding another team to represent Nigeria at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil, after winning a silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, and Siasia reckons that it is another huge challenge for him and his coaching staff. “It’s a big challenge and it’s always a challenge for us and hopefully we will surmount the challenge and build a good team,” Siasia told sl10.ng. The 47-year-old has enjoyed the support of the Nigerian football fans since his appointment

and remains arguably the most loved football coach in the country. He said he is aware of the support and added that he hopes to build a very good team for the country. “I know they support me and I appreciate them and hopefully we will build a very good team for the country,” said Siasia. But despite the support he has enjoyed, Siasia admitted that he will need some more time, and called for patience, adding that he hopes to make Nigeria proud in the end. “Well I know they expect a lot from me, we’ve just started and gradually we’ll get there. They have to be very patient because we are working very hard to produce a team that will make the country very proud,” he added.

Probe panel my foot! • Amuneke

Amuneke finally opens Facebook account

N a bid to further interact with his teeming fans, Golden Eaglets' Head coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, has finally opened an account on the famous social platform, Facebook. The former Barcelona star recently disassociated himself from a spurious account on the social platform but reckons it is about time he joins the networking train in order to mingle more with the fans. "I think it is about time I make a presence on Facebook because of the huge demand from the fans that want my opinions on football issues," said the former Nigerian international who occasionally appears on Al Jazzier Sport as a soccer pundit. He added: "It has always been my dream to share my knowledge of the game with people and I think Facebook is an opportunity to reach out to so many." On the last check, over 50 persons have made friend's request to the account within just few days of opening but Amuneke has warned against any untoward conduct on the altar of social networking. "I have only opened this account on Facebook strictly because of football and there is nothing more to this other than that," Amuneke noted. "There is the need to interact with the fans, especially those who want my opinion about my former club, Barcelona." He, however, pleaded for patience from those he has not confirmed their friendship request because of his present tight schedule:" I'm not going to be on Facebook all the time but I will attend to every request as soon as possible."

Emenike: I’m not selfish

N an interview with Turkish media, Fenerbahce attacker Emmanuel Emenike has insisted that he is not after personal glory, saying he would pass to teammates, if they are in a better position to score. Remember that the Nigeria international was recently criticised by the Yellow Canaries supremo Aziz Yildirim for wasting several chances when the Turkish champions faced off with Bursaspor last month. “I have made a lot of assists in my career because I want the team to win every game each time. I always think of the happiness of the team. I love scoring goals but I also like to make assists. If I have a colleague in a better position to score, I always try to give him a pass. “I am not trying to do selfishness and I am not a selfish player,” said Emmanuel Emenike to Haberturk newspaper. Emmanuel Emenike has failed to score in his last five games in the Super Lig.

<<<<<<<<< Continued from back page days when the present Eagles Eagles with the players loyal to technical crew members were each of the coaches seeking to players. We had forgotten about show supremacy. players’ strife until these coaches Shortly before the painful 2-2 returned to the team. The legisladraw against Bafana Bafana of tors should save us the cash of runSouth Africa at the Akwa Ibom ning a committee, only for people International Stadium, Uyo, one to say what we already know. of the assistant coaches tutored a Indeed apperance fees are only home-based side that played expaid after the World Cup. The reaciting football against Ghana’s Uson for this delay is to allow FIFA 23 side. The Nigerian team won accounts department make de1-0 but the fans were impressed ductions arising from yellow and with their swift interchange of red cards and sundry fines like passes among the players and the fans’ misbehavior as the case may can-do spirit exhibited by the be. homegrown players. This had But how did Ghana and been conspicuously missing in the Cameroon deal with the dissidents Super Eagles side. in their World Cup squad culmiA week later, many pundits nating, in their qualification for the looked forward to having some 2015 Africa Cup of Nations slated of the home-based stars play for to hold in Equatorial Guinea? The the Eagles based on their perfortwo countries’ Football Federamance against the Ghanaians. tions’ chieftains analysed what Not so for the boss. His squad is transpired in the two camps in constant, even if it means fieldBrazil and immediately removed ing orthopedic players, such as the unpatriotic players and Kenneth Omoeruo. Omeruo’s coaches. Without any fanfare, they poor performance yielded the replaced “rebels” with dedicated two goals that the South Africans and determined younger players. scored in Uyo. Had the boss They recruited new coaches since opted to take the risk in parading the old ones worked in tandem the home-based players’ defensive with the ousted players. These quartet, maybe Nigeria would changes ensured that there was have qualified for the 2015 change in attitudes in the team. It AFCON tournament? also improved the quality of coachGlobal best practices allow for ing that the players received. Little the assistant coach to take charge wonder both countries are being of the team, if the boss is slow in tipped as likely successors to the renewing his contract. We didn’t Super Eagles, when the curtails of do that. Amokachi’s return to the the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Eagles will not solve the team’s falls on February 8 in Malabo, problems. My interactions with Equatorial Guinea. some of the players suggest that The matches of the 2014 World ‘Da Bull,’ as Amokachi is admiCup in Brazil exposed the technirably called, is the catalyst behind cal inadequacies of the Eagles. If some of the draconian decisions our coaches did their job during that the coaches took against the game against France, we some players. Most of the playwould have qualified for the quarers finger Amokachi as the man ter-finals - for the first time - and behind all the crises between joined the league of African counsome of them and the chief tries that have achieved that feat coach. Amokachi would be at the World Cup. The game furworse than his boss, given what ther revealed the fact that the I gathered. We need a clean break Eagles needed new players as it from the old order to return the became evident that our players Eagles to winning ways. were not competitive enough, perIt is good that the NFF has haps, because most of them started to rebuild the team, using warmed the bench with their Euhome-based players. Equally sigropean clubs in the build-up to nificant is the NFF’s insistence the Mundial. that the coaches must work with The games provided the need the technical study group, comto ask the coaches the parameters prising some of our brightest they used in picking those who former internationals. But the bigplayed for Nigeria at the Mundial. gest joker is the NFF’s resolve to Indeed, it became apparent that train them in the basics of the it was wrong to give the coaches game that set the European the freehand to arbitrarily pick coaches apart from the local ones. players for the national team in All these changes would amount the future. to fetching water with a basket, Today Cameroon and Ghana if the coaches refuse to use the are in the Africa Cup of Nations. information gathered to improve Nigeria, which did better than the on the team’s tactics and playing two countries at the Brazil 2014 style. World Cup, are at home, with her My worry though is that the citizenry ruing the miss. We exchief coach will scheme himself pected the coaches to resign back to the Eagles to make a mockhonourably instead of showing ery of these new developments them the exit door like we did with and it would be tragic. He appears other coaches. not prepared to work with this There is a lacuna, which is benew NFF, like others before it. And ing exploited by the coaches ad with the coach securing the ears their henchmen in government of those in government, a road to emasculate the NFF. And with block seems imminent for the the general elections being paraEagles, irrespective of the changes. mount in the minds policy makEmenike’s parcel of ers, the choice of a new Super Eagles chief coach looks as far land and wide apart as the dentition Emmanuel Emenike must be of an elder. smiling now. The Enugu State We are being told that one of government has returned the disthe assistant coaches has picked puted land. Did I hear you say a 24-man squad of home-based the power of the media? Of players to play two friendly course, the battle axe of the opmatches against Cote d’Ivoire pressed. and Mali in Abu Dhabi. I hope The good news is that Emenike we haven’t taken the wrong dehas been given 17 plots of the cision. I also hope that this would land, four more above what was not set the assistant coach against in dispute. So, the Emenike Foothis boss in the future. I smell ball Academy is back on track trouble because this assistant Enugu. coach won’t be welcome in the So, if you are a young boy or team when things are sorted out. girl who wants to play the game, Can the NFF chiefs impress it on run to Emenike’s Football Acadthe boss to retain the assistant? I emy and ask for the other details. doubt it. And it would rock the

TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.9, NO. 3068

We have been reminded that this is the second time Buhari would be pairing with a clergyman. In 2011 he ran with popular pastor and activist, Tunde Bakare of The Latter Rain Church in the vain hope that it would give him the much-needed Southern breakthrough. It never happened. —Festus Eriye

N approximately eight weeks, Nigerians will go to the polls to determine which party will run their affairs at the centre and most states of the federation between May 2015 and 2019. Before us is one of the most critical elections in the history of the country. The two major political parties have presented Nigerians with a clear choice. It is one between continuity and change. For the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan, assisted by the ‘loyal and tested’ Vice President Namadi Sambo should continue to steer the shape of state for another four years. As far as the PDP faithful are concerned, the duo has done so competently, faithfully and incomparably over the last six years. Continuity of the present order is thus in the best interest of the country. The PDP faithful contend that the party has facilitated the unbroken practice of democratic rule for the past 15 years of the country’s history. It does not matter to them that the opposition has often had to grimly fight the tyranny of central incumbency to attain its present formidable place in the country’s political space. Under the PDP’s watch, they contend, Nigeria’s economy has become the largest in Africa and its growth rate one of the highest in the world even at a time of global economic depression. Of course, the emergent alternate major political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not agree with this depiction of the nation’s current realities. In the duo of General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) as its presidential candidate and the reputable lawyer, academic, administrator and committed reformer, Professor Yemi Osinbajo as his running mate, the APC presents the country with a ticket for change. The party believes that, like the Titanic, Nigeria’s ship of state is headed for irredeemable disaster unless there is a fundamental change of direction in the management of her affairs. It is left to the Nigerian electorate to make the decision at the polls next year on whether they want continuity or change. Over the last year, long before campaigns were legally permitted, the PDP, particularly through the ubiquitous ‘Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria’ (TAN) had aggressively marketed Dr Goodluck Jonathan as the Moses of our time. They had likened him to such great historic leaders as Martin Luther King (Jnr), Nelson Mandela and President Barak Obama. An exuberant aide has gone further to liken Jonathan to Jesus Christ, the saviour of mankind. Fervent supporters of President Jonathan contend that his much advertised ‘Transformation Agenda’ is achieving wonders in diverse sectors including agriculture, aviation, rail transportation, power- supply, job creation and road infrastructure. Rosy and tantalising statistics are cited to buttress this position. Are the vast majority of the Nigerian people better off today than they were be-

2015 elections: Continuity or change?

•Jonathan fore the advent of the PDP government at the centre in 1999 and particularly since the emergence of the Jonathan administration? It is difficult to answer the question in the affirmative. There is an incredible and unbridgeable gulf between the tantalising statistics of progress peddled by the Jonathan administration and the experiential reality of millions of Nigerians. The great development economist, Professor Dudley Seers, posed three key questions to determine whether a country is developing or not: What is happening to poverty? What is happening to inequality? What is happening to unemployment? All three have worsened considerably in Nigeria under the PDP and the Jonathan administration. Let me quickly note that in continually making a distinction between the PDP and the Jonathan administration, I am informed by the fact that many voters in 2011 claimed they were voting for the humble former shoeless schoolboy from Otuoke and not necessarily his party. The difference now appears to be that between six and half a dozen. Ardent supporters of Dr Jonathan contend that his administration is working admirably to contain the challenge of insecurity, which

•Buhari they attribute to those who allegedly threatened to make the country ungovernable for him if he won the 2011 elections. But then, is this not an indictment of the Jonathan presidency? The implication is that President Jonathan had a forewarning of the security challenge long before his election and yet could not utilise the immense powers of his office to anticipate and thwart such threats as well as bring saboteurs of the country’s stability to book. The truth is that there can be no excuse for the appalling degree of insecurity and massive corruption witnessed under the Jonathan administration. The change promised by the APC is indeed appealing but the details and promises of this change must be rigorously interrogated. Why has Nigeria stagnated and even retrogressed in some areas during the last 15 years of civilian ‘democratic’ rule? Is it because there are no competent, incorruptible or visionary persons at the disposal of the PDP-controlled centre? I do not think so. The problem is fundamentally structural. Unless the structural impediments to rapid and revolutionary national transformation are urgently and vigorously addressed, a highly anticipated ‘Messianic’ Buhari/Osibanjo presidency will work no magic.

Yes, an alternative to the current PDP/ Jonathan presidency must work hard and fast to enhance the existential living conditions of the wretched of the Nigerian earth. However, enduring success in any such endeavour must be predicated on more fundamental structural changes. Firstly, is the necessity urgently demystify and detoxify Nigeria’s imperial presidency. The extensive, almost unlimited powers of Nigeria’s presidency constitute the greatest threat to good governance, the rule of law and the very survival of democracy in Nigeria. An alternate government at the centre, no matter the personal integrity and good intentions of the president will be as perverse as its predecessor within the present structural context. The security, electoral and anti-corruption agencies must be freed from the current suffocating presidential stranglehold and granted a sufficient degree of institutional autonomy in the interest of democracy and good governance. Secondly, an alternate Federal Government must urgently work towards substantial decentralisation of powers, responsibilities and resources to the state and local governments. Today’s excessive centralisation of governance can only deepen corruption, abuse of power and corruption no matter which party is in power. However, this suggested decentralisation is only one half of the challenge. The truth is that the states and local governments today, irrespective of which party controls them, are as tyrannical and imperial as the centre. Decentralisation of powers, resources and responsibilities in favour of imperial governors, who are miniature tyrannical ‘presidents’ of their jurisdictions will be nothing but the decentralisation of despotism. There is therefore the need for far reaching constitutional reforms to promote accountability, transparency and good governance at the sub-national (state and local) levels of government. Now, when we talk about continuity and change, must we be concerned with the national government alone? I do not think so. This column believes that an impregnable case can be made for drastic and fundamental change at the centre given 15 years of the PDP’s visionless and inept rule that has left the country prostrate and humiliated. However, the situation at the sub-national (state) level is more complicated and nuanced. While some PDP and APC state governments deserve to be allowed continuity on the basis of their performance and vision, others of both parties ought to be resoundingly rejected by the electorate for non-performance. The cause of the country’s political development will be significantly promoted by the emergence of an electorate that is sophisticated and enlightened enough to reward good governance and punish incompetent governance at the polls across party boundaries.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

Probe panel my foot!

UPER Eagles are moving towards extinc tion. We are watching; mouth agape, unable to take the crucial decision for change. Influence peddlers have introduced politics into the running of the Eagles by dropping the name of President Goodluck Jonathan to reverse a decision that would have given the team its desired fillip. We are 43rd in the world and it doesn’t matter. It has just dawned on our legislators to probe Nigeria’s ouster from the Africa Cup of Nations. A committee will be constituted to find out what happened. The problems of the Eagles are commonplace, except those who are asking haven’t been in the country in the last two years. Our legislators must understand now that sports cannot thrive in Nigeria with yearly fiscal budgets. Major competitions have fouryear calendar settings. So, if we want to do well at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, gov-

ernment should be now have provided the cash in NFF’s coffers to run their programmes towards achieving that feat. As I write, we are already one year behind. If we fail to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, this is one of the major reasons, dear legislators. I also don’t need an oracle to tell me that Nigeria will fail at the 2016 Olympic Games, with Blessing Okagbare changing her marital status. If we want the Eagles to improve, we must break away from our old ways and announce a new technical crew for the team. If we insist on keeping those there, then we shouldn’t expect much. And it would be tragic, given the depth of talents at the grassroots, waiting to be discovered, trained and exposed to the big European markets. Let me attempt to highlight some of the problems of the Eagles. It may interest our legislators to know that Nigeria and four other African nations - Ghana, Algeria,

Cameroon and Tunisia - partook in the Brazil 2014 World Cup with mixed results. But three of these countries -Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana - became notorious because their players and coaches were involved in the show of shame protests demanding their entitlements. Nigeria’s case was more ridiculous because our players and coaches asked to be paid their share of the country’s 2014 World Cup largesse. They wanted to be paid their appearance fees. There is nothing wrong in players asking for their rights. But when such demands defy logic, the obvious question we ought to have asked the players is if others have been paid theirs? We ought to have asked other countries what the rules are on such matters. We didn’t because we play politics with everything. Instead, the players’ and coaches’ refusal to train in Brazil compelled the President to discuss with everyone on telephone in Brazil, promising to release

$3.85 million. It wasn’t the first time that the Eagles and their coaches held the country by its balls to demand their entitlements. The week before the 2013 Confederations Cup held in Brazil, the Eagles refused to board the chartered aircraft provided to airlift participating teams by FIFA in Johannesburg by remaining in Windhoek. Rather than deal with those who caused the shame, we patted the players and coaches on the back, even when it was apparent that cash was not disbursed to the NFF. It took the President’s intervention and the swift transfer of the cash to the Nigerian Embassy in Brazil before the team went to Brazil. Former sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi’s plea to the players and coaches to rescind their decision fell on deaf ears. It took the president’s plea to convince them. This can only happen in Nigeria, where impunity is now a norm. Nothing was expected from such a divided house. It might interest the legislators to know that since 1992, all such protests by the Super Eagles started from the

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