The Nation December 04, 2012

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

News Govt returns toll gates to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Sports Festival in top gear as athletes burn stadium tracks Business Labour Minister Wogu ‘has no link with firm’

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VOL. 7, NO. 2330 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

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2015: INEC seeks power to disqualify candidates Jega writes National Assembly

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HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is seeking powers to disqualify candidates as from the 2015 general elections.

The commission also wants a 10-year ban for those found guilty of electoral offences.

It has asked for an amendment to Section 31 of the Electoral Act to impose a N1million fine on any party which fields an unqualified candidate.

Such parties may also be disqualified from participating in that particular elec-

Ojukwu’s Will: Son lied, says lawyer

INEC’S PROPOSALS •Power to disqualify candidates as from 2015 general election •Full independence against control by anybody or group •10-year ban for any person convicted of electoral offences •Parties without democratic primaries should be barred from elections •Electoral Offences Commission and Electoral Offences Tribunal •Timeline for pre-election matters to prevent distractions •No fresh election if court disqualifies any elected candidate • Voting by Nigerians in the Diaspora should be allowed From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

tion.

Although INEC acknowledged that it is enjoying financial autonomy, it made a strong case for full independence to shield it from interference.

The commission’s 19 proposals are contained in a document, which has been submitted to Chief Ike Ekweremadu, Chairman of the National As-

sembly’s Constitutional Review Committee, who is also the Deputy President of the Senate.

Top on the list of the proposals is INEC’s demand for powers to disqualify candidates, an issue which dominated the countdown to the 2007 poll.

The document reads in part: “With such decisions as Atiku Abubakar V INEC and the proviso to Section 31 of the amend-

ed Electoral Act, the commission has no right to prevent even an obviously unqualified or disqualified person from being on the ballot.

“For example, it cannot prevent an under-aged or foreign citizen from contesting the election, even when this is obvious from the documents submitted or even a person who admits that he presented a forged certificate to the com-

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

M •Prof. Jega

mission if it seeks to disqualify such persons.

“This is not desirable. It (INEC) should be empowered to do so, (subject, of course, to judicial review), if there is a prima facie case shown from the documentation that the candidate is unqualified , after all, it is not only a management body, it is also a regulatory one and should have some powContinued on page 4

ORE missiles were fired yesterday in the battle ignited by the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s Will.

His lawyer, Mr. Emeka Onyemelukwe, joined issues with Mr. Emeka Ojukwu Jnr. Ojukwu Jnr had disowned the lawyer, saying he was never counsel to the late Ikemba Nnewi and vowed not to respect the Will read by him.

The Will has generated much controversy since it was read in the High Court of Enugu at the weekend.

Continued on page 63

Okonjo-Iweala: 50 oil firms got N232b illegally From Taofik Salako and Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

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IFTY oil marketers fraudulently collected N232 billion from the Federal Government as fuel subsidy, Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said yesterday.

The government has recovered only N29 billion through debt swap, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, added.

She spoke at the 18th Nigerian Economic Summit meeting in Abuja.

According to her, a forensic investigation carried out by the government revealed the subsidy fraud.

According to her, the government engaged 20 forensic experts, examiners and auditors Continued on page 4

•IT’S THEIR D AY: Some physically-challenged pupils at a ceremony to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Bauchi...yesterday DA PHOTO: NAN

•CITYBEATS P7 •PROPERTY P17 •ENERGY P17•SPORT P23 •POLITICS P43

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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NEWS

Boko Haram Is the Boko Haram ready for dialogue? The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the North and at the national level doubts the group’s sincerity to hold talks with the government, but many a Northern voice, including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), insists dialogue is the only way out, reports LEKE SALAUDEEN •Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije (left), Second Republic Vice President Dr. Alex Ekwueme (second left), Minister of State for Education Ezenwo Nyesom Wike and Enugu State Commissioner for Education Uche Otoanya (right) during the Annual General Meeting of principals of Unity Colleges in Enugu ...yesterday.

•From left: Chairman, Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), Foluso Philips; Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Akinwumi Adesina; Former CEO, Uba Group, Mr Tony Elumelu; Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and NESG Director-General, Mr Frank Nweke Jnr., at the Group’s 18th Summit in Abuja …yesterday

•Deputy Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka (left), winner, UBA Foundation National Essay Competition for Secondary Schools in Nigeria 2012, Master Ugwuegbulam Ogbonna (second left), Managing Director, UBA Foundation Ms Ijeoma Aso and Director, UBA Pensions and Managing Director, Financial Derivates Company Ltd, Mr. Bismark Rewane, at the Grand Finale and Prize Giving Ceremony of the Competition, organised by UBA Foundation in Lagos ...yesterday.

•Agriculture Minister Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina (left) and Managing Director/CEO of Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria Mr. Peter Eshikena during his visit to the minister in Abuja.

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T has no face, save for its leader whose face comes once in a short while on You Tube. Its members are visible through their destruction of men, women, children and valuables and their willingness to die to kill. These weird characteristics are the reasons Christians in the North and elsewhere in the country do not believe the Boko Haram (Western education is sin) is ready for talks with the Federal Government. Their fears are shared by some influential leaders in the North, who believe the veil must come off the group’s face, if it must be taken serious. President Goodluck Jonathan believes so too.

A former chairman of the Lagos charpter of the Christain Association (CAN), ArchBishop Magnus Atilade, said Boko Haram members must be identified before talks are held with them.

He told The Nation: “Given the circumstance in which we are today in this country, I think no sacrifice would be too much for the government to make in the name of peace. This is not to absolve the Islamic sect of criminal activities. The major issue is how to restore peace.

We can’t continue like this for long.

It is affecting our economy, it’s affecting governance, it’s causing distraction and it’s affecting the nation’s image.”

The spokesman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the North, Mr. Sunday Oibe, said it is sad Boko Haram wants to dictate conditions for peace talks to a legitimate government.

Oibe said: “While calls were being made for dialogue, the Boko Haram members continue with killings and boast to do more; then who are you negotiating with? After declaring ceasefire, they went and killed a retired Maj-Gen in his residence in Maiduguri, the Bornu tate capital.

(Boko Haram denied this) How do you take such people serious? All those calling for dialogue are after what they will benefit from the process. It will create the opportunity of extorting money from government in the name of dialogue.

“They have declared war against the state. They are not above the law.

Security agents should renew their efforts in unveiling the identity of Boko Haram leaders, their followers and their sponsors. They should face the full wrath of the law for wanton killing of innocent people.”

He dismissed those comparing the dialogue between Niger Delta militants with negotiations with Boko Haram, adding that in the prelude to the amnesty for the Niger Delta militants, it was the Federal Government, who said the militants must lay down their arms to benefit from the amnesty.

“For Christians in the North, the Boko Haram onslaught is a religious war against the followers of Christ.

Many have stopped going to church on Sundays for fear of bomb attacks.

Why is it that the churches and Christians in the North are being attacked?

This should not continue so that the country does not disintegrate. The killings and attacks on churches have provoked the Christians for too long.

There is a limit to resilience. Christians would not continue to keep quiet and watch their fellow broth-

ers and sisters killed by suicide bombers. If they want to split the country along religious line, they should come out and say it clearly. Just as Muslims have the right to worship according to the tenets of their religion, so are the Christians and traditionalists. This country has no official religion. Nobody can foist his/her faith on others. We have endured enough.”

It’s not North’s problem Former Military Governor of Kaduna State Abubakar Umar has absolved the northern leaders of any blame on the menace of the Boko Haram. To him, it is mischievous for any individual or group to hold the northern elders, politicians and traditional rulers responsible for the killing spree of the sect.

Umar told The Nation that northern leaders do not have the security apparatus to confront the insurgents, it is uncharitable for any group to jump into conclusion that the northern elite are sitting on the fence.

He said: “The state governors lack powers over the police who take directive from the Inspector General of Police in Abuja. There is no state police.

The governors are chief security officers without power on the Commissioners of Police. If there is state police, it would have been a different ball game.

If the Federal Government cannot use the instrument at its disposal to dislodge the criminals, do you expect individuals to come out and confront them?

“Different bodies and organisations have denounced the activities of the Boko Haram publicly. Some have even made presentations to the Federal Government suggesting how to end the crisis. They did this at the risk of their life.

They have condemned the notoriety of the group severally. They have forwarded their recommendations; it is left to government to accept or reject. What else do you want from the northern leaders?

“The truth is that the Federal Government is in a serious dilemma in combating the menace of Boko Haram .

However, all hands must be on deck.

All of us should be security conscious by reporting strange elements or suspicious movement around us to law enforcement agencies.”

Umar said rather than shifting blames, patriotic Nigerians should advise the Federal Government to find out what is responsible for the emergence of the anti-social elements like Boko Haram and Niger Delta militants.

He said: “They are products of economic mismanagement by past and present leaders. Corruption has eaten deep into the system. The army of unemployed youths feels they have no stake in the nation. To them the future is bleak.

“The way the economy is being handled is not in the interest of the majority. Two per cent of the Nigerian populace controls 90 per cent of the economy. About 70 per cent of the annual budget is spent on salaries for political office holders and civil servants.

Our legislators are the highest paid in the world. That’s why when members of the National Assembly sneeze they celebrate it on pages of newspapers by placing adverts. Unless our leaders change their life style, restructure the economy in such a way that it will enhance the standard of living of common people, the emergence of militant

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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NEWS

forces leaders to sing ‘scary’ tunes ‘

To some extent, the president is right and in another angle some people would say he is not sincere, especially when regard is paid to this fact that no one expects leaders of the sect to come into the open without anything in place to protect them from arrest by the authority •Sani

•Abdullahi

groups would not abate.”

On dialogue sought by Boko Haram with Federal Government, Umar said no.

According to him, how do you expect government to talk with unidentified group?

“I think the Federal Government was right in rejecting the peace overtures by the group. How do you hold peace talk with people whose identity you cannot ascertain, people that you can’t locate their residence? It looks awkward. Remember that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari turned down his nomination by the Boko Haram group to mediate on their behalf.

The reason given by Gen. Buhari was that he didn’t know them; so why should he be negotiating on behalf of people he didn’t know? Again how credible is the information that Boko Haram is seeking peace talk. Has anybody verified the authenticity of this message? Since they are operating underground, it will be very difficult for government itself to cross check. They have to unmask themselves before holding peace talk with government”, Umar concluded.

Former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Prof. Ango

Abdullahi said the mistake some highly placed officials make is that they have assumed that the issue of Boko Haram is a problem of the North.

This assumption, according to him, is absolutely wrong and shortsighted.

Abdullahi, a prominent member of the Northern Elder Forum, said; “Boko Haram, to me, was something that would have been nipped in the bud early, but was allowed to assume a dimension it is today. Their matter was badly handled in 2008/2009. From then on, instead of quickly nipping whatever problem it was in the bud, the matter took a totally different colouration. I think it was badly handled by law enforcement agencies.

If it was a religious sect, it should have been kept that way and dealt with accordingly. Unfortunately, politicians started employing them against their perceived opponents.

“The question now is, who is going to stop Boko Haram hostilities?

Everybody has a role to play. Some are more responsible than the others.

•Umar

Government has a larger role to play.

The primary responsibility of who to find solution to this problem is the government. From community leaders to traditional rulers, everyone has a role to play. We should start asking questions as to why this is happening.

“Dealing with the matter by force is not the solution. In a presentation by the Northern Elders to President Goodluck Jonathan recently, we cautioned against the use of force. Government at all levels should enlist every stakeholder they consider important to come out and find a way of reaching out to these boys in the bush. They always give the excuse that they don’t know them, but they are not fictitious. We believe that with the current approach through the communities, they will be able to reach out to them.

“Despite the difficulty in identifying who is Boko Haram in the society, there have been other efforts through the people who the leadership of Boko Haram felt they can trust in bringing about dialogue with

‘

government. I think the first one that I know is the efforts of Dr Datti Ahmed. I think they gave him a mandate to engage in discussion with government under certain conditions and these conditions were breached and that was why Dr. Datti withdrew from participating. Despite the fact that the government said it still wanted to pursue the dialogue and what we saw later was press statement on the papers and electronic media of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi being an intermediary between government and Boko Haram. But before we know it, the Boko Haram disclaimed the Sheikh that at no time had they instructed Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi to speak with government on their behalf.

“There are many allegations that a lot of bomb attacks were not carried out by the Boko Haram agents, that they are carried out by different people. In the course of various arrests that have been made after those attacks, a number of non-Muslims and even non-northerners were caught either by the people or security agents. May be the accusation is why

government is not making pronouncements about the people they caught who are not Muslims or agents of Boko Haram but make so much noise on Boko Haram because it is an Islamic organisation. This is what perhaps they are trying to say.”

They are as faceless to ACF The spokesman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, said Boko Haram members are faceless to the pan-North group.

He is pleading with the Federal Government not to close its doors against peace overtures by the Boko Haram group, adding that Jonathan has some points by insisting he must be able to identify Boko Haram leaders before discussing with them.

He told The Nation: “Mr. President did not rule out dialogue. He said the government cannot engage constructively with a faceless group. To some extent, the president is right and in another angle some people would say he is not sincere, especially when regard is paid to this fact that no one expects leaders of the sect to come into the open without anything in place to protect them from arrest by the authority. Naturally, they would fear being arrested or being killed. So there has to be some mechanism that would assure them of their security before they can show their faces. The situation is more complicated now that they have price tags.

“As a way out, we want to appeal to leaders of the Boko Haram to approach Saudi Arabia or any other country of their choice to play some roles in the dialogue. If Saudi Arabia or any other country of their choice that has good diplomatic relationship with Nigeria agrees to broker the dialogue, it would naturally fall upon such a country to approach the Nigerian government for effect. In that case, there would be no fear of any arrest

by Nigerian authority. Somehow, I do not believe the price tag means foreclosure of dialogue. It might be the government’s way of nudging the sect into accepting dialogue. A stick-andcarrot approach, one might say.”

He said the sect’s members are unknown to ACF. “If we know them and have access to them, they would have stopped their violence by now.

They are as faceless to government as they are to ACF.”

North should not be afraid of National Conference, says Gambari

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IGERIA’s former Ambassador to the United Nations, Prof.

Ibrahim Gambari, yesterday told the North not to be afraid of talking to other regions at a national conference.

He urged dialogue with Boko Haram by the government to end the sect’s insurgency.

Gambari spoke in Abuja when he delivered a lecture entitled: “Leadership and Good Government in Nigeria: Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Ghost of 1914 and the audacity of Hope for Nation Building”.

Gambari said every part of the country and every citizen must become part of the historic effort of nation-building.

He said: “The constitution review process that is ongoing gives us yet another opportunity to reconsider many issues that remain contentious.

These include revenue sharing, and also raising of revenue, the relationship and powers of the three tiers of government, federal, state and local government and fiscal federalism, judicial reforms and gender equity, etc. In this regard, I

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja would recommend that we complement the legislative constitution review process with the organisation of a broad-based, All Peoples National Dialogue on the Future of Nigeria without any future delay.

“Every part of Nigeria and every citizen must become part of the historic efforts of nationbuilding. I believe firmly that if we all come together, we can rebuild Nigeria as the greatest country in Africa and one of the greatest in the world.”

Gambari said to find peace in the country, the present crop of leaders must pay “attention to social justice,” adding that “too many Nigerians have fallen below the poverty line while a few are swimming in stupendous wealth.”

He said private jets “are increasing on the tarmacs of our airport at almost the same rate as that of the increase in misery and criminal poverty.

“While the current estimate of

‘Every part of Nigeria and every citizen must become part of the historic efforts of nationbuilding’ the GDP in terms of purchasing power parity for Nigeria is about $414bn, the unemployment rate is 21 per cent, while 70 per cent of the population live below poverty line.”

This, he said, was not only unjust; he said it was also unsustainable.

On Boko Haram, Gambari, a former United Nations Under Secretary-General for Political Affairs and a former Nigeria’s Minister of External Affairs, called on the Federal Government to embrace dialogue to solve the problem.

He warned that there would be consequences for Nigeria, Nigerians and its foreign relations if the sect was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States of America.

Gambari said it was unfortunate that many promises made to end the menace of the sect had not been fulfilled.

He appealed to the government to approach capable and credible •Prof. Gambari Nigerians to mediate and lead a dialogue with the group. of Nigeria today, or in this very city, He noted that the Boko Haram or that innocent lives will not be phenomenon is dangerously violently terminated? If you feel becoming a norm in Nigeria and any immediate unease, or even this calls for a comprehensive suppressed panic about this efforts with a rime line to stop the possibility, then imagine the killings which has become a threat terrifying experience of our to the country’s peaceful compatriots who have lived coexistence, religious harmony and everyday in the last few years under corporate existence. the fear of imminent terror. Is this On the way forward, he said the the North that Sir Ahmadu Bello country must assess the present bequeathed to us? If the Sardauna state of the nation. were to rise today, will the great “As we sit here today, is there grandson of the Commander of the anyone among us who has an Faithful be happy to know that ours absolute assurance that a bomb will have become a society ruled by fear not explode anywhere in the North of the known and unknown?

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

NEWS ‘Insecurity forces Yobe govt to Jigawa’ •It’s not true, says Speaker

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•From left: Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole; Niger State Governor Aliyu Babangida; Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; and the guest speaker Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the 1st Annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial lecture in Abuja…yesterday

Okonjo-Iweala: 50 oil firms got N232b illegally Continued from page 1

from PriceWaterHouse Coopers and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and they have worked for more than four months on the subsidy claims.

“Last week, the work was submitted to Mr. President and of the amount verified, they have determined N232 billion.

You know they came out with N270 billion initially; now they are out with N232 billion claims of oil subsidy that are not substantiated or fraudulent.”

She said on the strength of the forensic investigation, the government has started to recover the claims from the affected marketers.

She vowed that the government would recover the cash fraudulently obtained through subsidy claims.

Okonjo-Iweala regretted that the forensic investigation and the government’s resolve to hold indicted marketers to account have slowed down the

oil importation programme.

She, however, stressed that government has continued to pay genuine subsidy claims to petroleum marketers.

“We are going through forensic investigation because it is the kind of work that requires indepth investigation and that is because we want to do a thorough job on the matter because Nigerians want government to take corruption out of the way so that we can be like other nations of the world where things are done properly,” Mrs. OkonjoIweala said.

The presidential task force headed by Access Bank Managing Director Aigboje AigImoukuede and the National Assembly probe have verified slightly more than N3 trillion , but government decided to subject the reports to forensic examinations.

At a news conference, also in Abuja yesterday, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said the government had released N170

billion as cash backing for the fourth quarter of Budget 2012.

“On the issue of cash backing for the fourth quarter; as you know, we released N300 billion last quarter for a total of N1.01 trillion in releases and it was said that we have not cash-backed the fourth quarter “This is not correct; we have cash-backed N170bn of the fourth quarter release. About N111billion of that has gone straight into the accounts of Ministries, Department and Agencies as cash.”

According to the minister, a balance of N59 billion will service Authorisations to Incur Expenditure (AIEs).

She said as at the end of October, 71 per cent had been utilised; 20 per cent is yet to be utilised.

“So, we believe that before the end of the year, it will be utilised by the MDAs. “We also want to be careful not to just release funds anyhow, until we are sure of what they are being used for.

“We have also released N44 billion to the Federal Ministry of Works in order to enable it work on the major damaged roads ahead of the Christmas season.”

On the police pension, she said a letter had been sent to ensure that payments were continuously made to police pensioners.

“To make sure that police pensioners are paid, we handed over the management of the account to the Accountant General of the Federation and he has been effecting payment to pensioners.

“And he has restructured the nine accounts to four; he is managing them while the restructuring of the police pension outfit goes on.’’

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, gave the assurance that a transparent police pension office capable of managing resources effectively, would be put in place.

Continued on page 63

NSECURITY has forced top Yobe State government officials to relocate from Damturu, the State capital, to neighbouring Jigawa State, Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu said yesterday.

The governor spoke in Abuja during the late Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation lecture series in Abuja.

Aliyu, who is also the chair of the Northern State Governors Forum, urged the North to stand firm against terrorism.

He said: “North must stand up against terrorism because of investing in the region.

“The (insecurity) situation has reached a situation whereby members of the state Executive Council in Yobe now run away to nearby Jigawa State for their safety. What is happening is very scary.”

He added: The implication is that “those who are after us have defeated us and have taken over, what is the best way out and how do we address this situation because if the government institution is relocating then it means nobody is safe. We must stand up and say no more to terrorism in northern Nigeria.

“We must tell the government what to do and many of us have access to government. “ Don’t say my state does not have problem, you are in the middle of the problem and you must wake up and assist so that it won’t continue and we must appreciate that and I believe also that this guided Sardauna in making sure that he did not discriminate in terms of institutions or in terms of religion. He regarded people by what they can do to the transformation of the local community.

“This is indeed a moment of sober reflection for all of us; a moment that we should ponder to find out where we got it wrong almost a century after Sardauna left us and how it was possible for one person(the Premier) to achieve so much for the entire Northern Region and to unite the people to live in peace and harmony, while providing quality leadership.”

In those years, he said security of lives and property was almost taken for granted as people went about their normal lives without

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja and Duku Joel, Damaturu

any hindrance.

“In the north (then), murder, kidnappings and extreme criminality were abomination,” he added.

He said history would forever be kind to the late Sardauna, who he described as a colossus, a quintessential philanthropist and a selfless and revolutionary aristocrat and humanist.

“This is indeed a moment of sober reflection for all of us to ponder and find out where we got it all wrong almost half a century after Sarduna left us and how it was possible for one person to achieve so much for the entire northern region and to unite the people to live in peace and harmony while providing quality leadership,” he said.

But Speaker of Yobe state House Assembly Adamu Dala Dogo, described the statement credited to Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu that Yobe state government officials have fled to Jigawa state as careless, reckless and immature.

“I am very disappointed with Governor Babangida Aliyu for making such careless, reckless and immature comments based on a newspaper report which is not true.

Governor Aliyu as the chairman of Northern Governors Forum should have called his colleague Ibrahim Gaidam (of Yobe) to clarify things before making such sweeping statements in the public.

“In the first instance, Governor Aliyu cannot differentiate between Jigawa and Kano State because that purported report said Kano but Governor Aliyu said Jigawa. In any case, I challenge Governor Aliyu and any body to come to Yobe and take a roll call of all government officials in the state. Everyone is on ground.

“All the members of the state House of Assembly are around.

All activities in the state are moving smoothly, nothing is grounded. I am speaking from my house in Damaturu”, the Speaker said on the telephone.

The Speaker added: “come to my house right now and see all my children with my wives. I am right in my house with my children”.

2015: INEC seeks power to disqualify candidates Continued from page 1

ers in this regards, just like such bodies as the NDIC or Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) (in revoking bank licences, approving bank director nominees etc) or NAFDAC (in sealing unregistered pharmaceutical premises or seizing bad/ expired drugs), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) etc.

“In this regard, Part 1, Paragraph F, item 15 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999( as amended) dealing with the powers of the commission be further amended by inserting the clause “disqualify candidates who evidently do not satisfy the requirements for the position he /she is contesting for as provided in Sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 137, 177, and 182 of this constitution” immediately after clause (f) thereof.

“The commission shall notify the political party of the disqualification of its candidate and the grounds for the disqualification.”

On party primaries, INEC has asked for amendment of Section 87(9) of the Electoral Act, which would make it mandatory for all candidates to emerge through a free and fair democratic process.

It urged the National Assem-

bly to endorse its proposed amendment to enable it to disqualify a political party with flawed and undemocratic primaries from fielding candidates for any of the said strand of poll.

INEC said: “To further promote internal democracy, the emergence of candidates for elections should be on a democratic basis. A variant of the provision in Section 87(9) of the Electoral Act (before amendment) should be reintroduced thus: ‘Where a political party fails to comply with the provision of the constitution or this Act in the conduct of the primaries or nomination of any candidate for election under this Act, its candidate shall not be included in the list of nominated candidates for the election.”

On indulgence by unqualified candidates to win election, INEC is proposing that once a court establishes such an infraction, there will be no fresh conduct of election for any affected seat or constituency or district.

The document said: “It suggested that subsection (6) of Section 31 be amended to make provision that where the Court finds that a candidate submitted by a political party did not meet the qualifications required for contesting the office, the court shall disqualify the candidate from contesting the elec-

tion. Where, however, the person has been elected, the court shall order the person to vacate the office and the candidate with the second highest votes cast who has met Constitutional requirement for the post shall be declared elected. This suggestion is to avoid the waste of public funds to repeat election consequent upon removal of disqualified candidates.

The commission is also seeking a 10-year ban for electoral offenders or any person who commits party breaches.

The document added: “Any person convicted of an Electoral Offences (including registration offences, campaign finance breaches and breach of party finance provisions) should be disqualified for a period of 10 years from the date of conviction from contesting any election or holding any party position.

“Thus, be it enacted the clause ‘within a period of 10 years before the date of the election, he has been convicted of an electoral offence by a court or tribunal and inserted immediately after each of paragraph (d) of Sections 66, 107, 137, and 182 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’.

But to deal with electoral malpractice, INEC is proposing an Electoral Offences Commission and Electoral Offences Tribunal.

The Commission, according to INEC, will have powers to investigate and prosecute breaches of electoral provisions, taking such tasks off the electoral body.

“It is not in doubt that electoral matters are by their nature sui generi, so also are breaches arising from relevant electoral provisions. There is therefore the need to establish an Electoral Offences Tribunal to guarantee timely prosecution of electoral offenders,” INEC wrote.

On pre-election disputes, INEC pleaded with the National Assembly to provide for a timeline to resolve such and rid the electoral process of distractions.

INEC said: “It is thus recommended that any action challenging the conduct of primaries by a political party shall be filed within 14 days of the accrual of the cause of action.

“In this regard, subsection (9) of Section 87 of the Electoral Act 2010(as amended) be further amended by including timeline within which a candidate shall seek redress.”

The electoral agency equally sought for full independence to be able to discharge its responsibilities without fear or favour.It praised the National Assembly for its 2010 amendments to the Constitution that made its expenditure a first line charge.

It said: “Furthermore, the Chairman and National Commissioners are required to be non-partisan (Section 156 and paragraph 14(2) (a) of 3rd Schedule). The amendment to Section 160(1) also empowered INEC to make its own rules and regulate its procedure without recourse to the President. However, a bit more can and should be done to strengthen its independence.

“Thus, the following amendments are proposed. The Commission is, like other named Federal bodies established by Section 153, not subject to the direction or control of any person or authority ‘in exercising its power to appoint or discipline its staff’. The National Population Commission (NPC) is, however, given additional independence in its operations in Section 158 (2). This should be the same with INEC. The independence of INEC should be constitutionally guaranteed in all its operations and its management and control of the electoral process, as was the case in Decree (now Act) 17 of 1998 which first established the Commission before the 1999 constitution. Thus, be it enacted a new subsection (3) to Section 158 providing as follows: “The Independent National Electoral Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person in all its operations.”

•Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala

On Nigerians in the Diaspora, INEC has sought for amendment to Sections 77(2) and 117(2) to allow them to vote.

Earlier, in a letter, Jega said some of the proposed amendments are designed to strengthen the independence of the commission.

He praised the National Assembly for enhancing electoral activities.

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

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

5

NEWS ‘N25b Ecological Fund used for floods’ From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

T

HE Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim yesterday said N25 billion of the Ecological Fund was spent on the flood that ravaged the country.

He spoke during an investigative session by the Uche Ekwunife-led House Committee on Environment.

According to him, the main problem of the ecological fund was that at the time it was created, there was no policy direction for its operation.

He said: “By the time the fund was created, it was not properly streamlined. This is part of the problem.”

Mrs. Ekwunife said the fund was meant to address the ecological problems facing the states.

She noted that her committee was not impressed with the application of the fund, as everywhere the committee went, there were scores of abandoned projects.

Terrorism is war against Nigeria, says DG SSS

T

HE Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Mr. Ekpeyong Ita, has described the ongoing terrorists’ insurgency in the country as a war against the Nigerian state.

He, however, hoped that with the combined efforts of the nation’s security agencies and cooperation by the public, the nation would win the war.

Ita appealed to the media and the public to partner the security agencies in the fight against terrorism, noting that terrorists depend on publicity to sustain their attack against the people.

“Publicity by the media is the oxygen needed by the terrorists to sustain the attack on the Nigerian state and give prominence to

•Nigeria, EU to partner on counter terrorism From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

their activities,” he said.

Speaking at a security training programme for reporters in Abuja yesterday, the SSS boss said the attacks by the insurgent groups notwithstanding, the security agencies have been able to check a good number of the groups’ offensive.

According to him, the primary intention of the terrorists is to cause division and disaffection in the society and create fear in people.

He hoped that with the modest success recorded by the security agencies so far, the war against terrorism would soon be over.

Ita said it was regrettable that while the Western countries are fighting externallysponsored terrorism, Nigeria is fighting terrorism from within.

The SSS chief noted that of the three persons declared w anted by the security agencies, one of them had been killed, while another, whose identity is still being scrutinised, is already in custody.

He said a web is being built around the third wanted person by the security agencies, adding that his arrest is only a matter of time.

“I can assure you that very soon, we shall have him as our guest. We are not overwhelmed, we will never be overwhelmed and we can

never be overwhelmed. We are on top of the situation.

The situation is not out of control,” Ita said.

He urged the media to be circumspect in the handling of information given them by members of the terror groups, saying the motive is to create chaos, fear and division among the public.

Ita pleaded with reporters to contact the spokespersons of the security agencies and joint task forces for clarification on sensitive information.

The Nigerian government and the European Union (EU) have agreed on areas of partnering in the war against terrorism in Nigeria.

The EU counter terrorism

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

T

Nigerian appointed to Bench in US

A

NIGERIAN woman, Bunmi Awoniyi, has been appointed to the Sacramento County Superior Court in California, in the United States, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

According to local media reports monitored on Sunday by the North America Correspondent of NAN, Awoniyi, 48, and Steven Gevercer’s appointments were announced

by Governor Edmund Brown Jr. of California.

Awoniyi has served as a principal attorney with a family law firm since 1994 as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Northern California, Lorenzo Patino School of Law from 1997 to 1998.

French may be compulsory in schools THE National Assembly will soon enact a law to make the learning of the French language compulsory in primary and secondary schools.

Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, said this during a lecture he delivered at the 20th anniversary of the Nigeria French Language Village in Lagos.

He said the proposed legislation is part of the measures that can enhance the use of French language to tap into “the numerous advantages to be derived in its usage in the area of economic, political, diplomatic and cultural relations.”

Ihedioha congratulated the Nigeria French Language Village for attaining 20 years, which he described as a milestone.

‘Why polio is yet to be eradicated’ HE Minister of Health, Prof.

Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday gave reasons for the upsurge of polio last year.

Speaking in Abuja at the beginning of the Nigeria-India Rotary Polio Corrective Surgery Project to be carried out in Nigeria by 26 Indian doctors, he said what Nigeria is going through is not really a case of polio eradication reversal, but that it was caused by some communities that have been missed in the programmes for over 10 years.

While stressing that a new scheme has been developed to ensure no community is henceforth missed during polio immunisation programmes, Prof. Chukwu said the officials involved in the immunisation are now being held accountable for what they collect.

He said: “Prevention is better than cure. But where we are not able to prevent, we should not abandon. We feel bad that polio is still in Nigeria. What happened in the country is not really reversal of polio eradication.”

coordinator, Mr. Gilles de Kerchave, met with the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Olusola Obada, in her office yesterday to finalise the arrangement.

Obada listed the areas in which Nigeria is seeking assistance to include intelligence gathering; training anti/counter terrorism; training on arms/ammunition and improvised explosive devices; training on Improvised Explosive Devised disposal; counter improvised explosive devices training; and training on counter improvised explosive technology.

Activist slams Jonathan From Leke Akeredolu, Akure •Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo (left) and a judge at the opening of the 2012/2013 Legal Year in Gombe...yesterday.

‘Labour Minister Wogu has no link with firm’

M

ESSRS Masters Energy yesterday clarified the ownership of Pinnacle Contractors. It said the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emaka Wogu, has no link with the firm.

Its clarification followed speculations that the minister’s relationship with the company has compromised the ongoing probe of oil subsidy.

But the company, in a statement, described the claim as a falsehood, which it blamed on detractors The statement reads: “In recent times there appears to be a sustained media campaign to smear the image of our company Masters Energy and its subsidiary, Pinnacle Contractors on one hand, and that of the Honourable Minister of Labour & Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, on the other hand.

“It is not in our policy to join issues with our detractors on the pages of the newspapers.

“In keeping with the spirit of our policy, we have maintained a dignified silence on the assumption that the facts will speak for itself.

“However, we have now decided to break from our usual tradition of silence and speak up in order to lay the

facts out to the public, lest falsehood will be dished to unsuspecting members of the public as facts.

“We are somewhat amused that Mr. Dino Maleye, who after his failed re-election bid, has suddenly become the new crusader against corruption in Nigeria. Who is fooling who?

How interesting? Well, there is actually nothing wrong if an idle mind tries to engage himself. But there is everything wrong when a man who cannot take personal responsibility for his action attempts to take on a moral high ground to launch attacks against others who clearly stand shoulder above him on the moral pedestal.

“The Management of Masters Energy Oil & Gas Limited wishes to, and hereby refutes the false, misguided, malicious and misleading reports in the media linking the Wogu family with Pinnacle Contractors Ltd and state that we duly acquired Pinnacle Contractors Ltd from the Wogu family on March 23, 2010. The business sales/takeover agreement between Masters Energy Oil and Gas Ltd and Pinnacle Contractors Ltd is hereby attached.

“The Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, has no

stake in Pinnacle Contractors.

For the avoidance of doubt, let us restate here that he has NO HAND in the company and he is NOT a signatory to Pinnacle Contractors’ account.

“The political opportunist and perpetual election losers, who have joined the fray to call for the minister’s resignation without checking the facts should look for credible issues to use against the minister and not the issue of ownership of Pinnacle Contractors.

“All those making desperate efforts to smear his name and drag him down, using the so-called subsidy scam, should understand that using the issue of alleged subsidy scam to attack Pinnacle Contractors or the Minister cannot withstand elementary scrutiny in the face of hard facts. It is unfortunate that some people will do anything to smear other people’s reputation without even considering the implication on their businesses.

“The Presidential Committee on the Verification of Subsidy payment deems this clarification necessary in view of the public interest generated by the false reports and the purported indictment of the company.

“While we will not join issues with the committee, it

will also be of public interest to note that the attached extract of the report of Ernst & Young, a reputable audit firm hired by the committee, did not indict Pinnacle Contractors Ltd. “We also wish to state further that contrary to the reports you may have read, our company Pinnacle Contractors Limited is a registered company with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with RC No: 419968 “The petroleum products for which the subsidy claim was made was actually imported into the country and sold in the country as evident in the bill of lading, certificate of clearance and reports of the various regulatory agencies.

“Pinnacle Contractors is not a faceless organisation. It has employees; it pays its taxes; it pays VAT and also has its own bank account. You cannot have all these in place if your company is not registered. You cannot have a tax number if you are not a registered company; you cannot have a VAT number if you are not a registered company.

Except our detractors would want Nigerians to believe that it is possible to do all these without having the appropriate registration in place.

A HUMAN rights’ activist, Mr. Morakinyo Ogele, yesterday decried President Goodluck Jonathan for saying the country is safe despite the Boko Haram insurgencies.

A statement by President Jonathan’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, on the recent attacks by the Boko Haram members assured Nigerians and the international community that the country is safe.

But Ogele, who spoke with The Nation in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said Jonathan’s reaction to the Boko Haram insurgencies showed that he was not sincere with Nigerians.

He urged the President to resign, saying he is not capable of securing the citizens.

CAC: don’t tax churches

By Gbenga Aderanti

THE General Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Worldwide, Prophet Samuel Kayode Abiara, has decried the plan to tax religious bodies.

The cleric, who spoke with reporters ahead of a programme being organised by the CAC, tagged: ‘Obey and be blessed’, which holds at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos on Friday, said contrary to the view held in certain quarters that the country is okay, “things are not all right in Nigeria.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

6

NEWS Four killed in Borno

Toll gates to return to federal highways

Four people were killed yesterday as gunmen, believed to be members of the Boko Haram sect, engaged members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) near the main market, popularly known as Monday market, in Maiduguri metropolis.

The battle was raging last night.

The Task Force’s spokesperson, Lt. Col. Hassan Ifijeh, said the gunmen arrived late afternoon and threw an Improvised Explosive Device and started to shoot sporadically into the air.

The indiscriminate shooting, the army officer said, drew the attention of members of the Task Force near the area and both sides have been engaged in a hot exchange of fire ever since.

Official casualty figure has not been released but sources in Maiduguri said no fewer than four people have been killed.

T

OLL gates are coming back to the L agosIbadan Expressway,the Federal Government said yesterday.

This, according to the government, is to guarantee its regular maintenance and sustainability.

It also expressed its readiness to go ahead with its plan for the Public Private Partnership Policy (PPP) of sustaining infrastructure nationwide.

Minister of Works Mike Onolemenmen broke the news to reporters while on tour of North/South road from Lagos-Ibadan expressway linking Ibadan-OyoOgbomoso-Ilorin road extending to Jebba, Mokwa, Kaduna, Kano and other northern states.

Onolemenmen toured the 52-kilometre Oyo-Ogbomoso Road, which is the Section 11 of the Ibadan-Ilorin Road

•Lagos/lbadan Expressway to be completed in eight weeks From Bisi Oladele, Tayo Johnson and Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

being handled by Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) and expected to be completed next December.

He said toll gates would be introduced on the LagosIbadan road as soon as the ongoing reconstruction and expansion are completed by both the RCC and Julius Berger.

RCC is handling the Sagamu-Ibadan axis; Julius Berger PLC is handling the Sagamu-Lagos axis of the Expressway.

The move to reintroduce toll gates on highways nationwide, according to the minister, is to generate funds to “maintain these roads so that they would not go back to the sorry state we met it

and similar others across the federation”.

He said when the roads are completed; people can drive from Lagos to the North.

On the termination of the concession for Lagos-Ibadan Expressway , the minister said the company, BiCourtney, was not doing well on it as it failed to meet up with the financial involvement needed to fix the road in record time.

Onolemenmen added that the Federal Government has the right to terminate it.

He referred to similar road projects that were terminated in India recently.

“I assure you that by the first quarter of next year, you will see a major difference on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“In fact, the rehabilitation of Lagos\lbadan expressway

will take eight weeks to complete.”

Julius Berger’s Division Manager West Woifang Loesser said it would meet government’s deadline and public expectation.

He said men and material have been deployed to site and have started reconstruction on the worst portion of the highway.

Responding to a question on the terminated concession agreement on the road, the minister retorted that the firm is free to go to court as the government acted according to the tenets of the concession agreement.

RCC site engineer Yehoda Leve, who conducted the minister and his team round the Oyo-Ogbomoso section of the road, said the job would be delivered as scheduled.

Campaign office for Jonathan From Ogbonnaya Obinna, Abakaliki

THE National President of the Ebonyi Youth Assembly, Chinedu Ogar, yesterday said the group has opened a campaign office in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, for President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection.

Ogar said Jonathan has done well and deserves a second term to consolidate on his infrastructural and human development.

“President Goodluck Jonathan has done very well since he assumed office.

“We are going to support him. We expected him to tell Nigerians that he will run but based on his humility and respect for stakeholders, he said he can because he still wants to seek the consent of Nigerians.

“The youths have given their consent. We don’t need his money. All we yearn for is good governance and transformation.

“This is a man who has redeemed the campaign promises he made to the electorate.

“His re-election will help stabilise the country and that stability is what we need at this moment in time.”

‘Strengthen security’ MEMBERS of the Church of God Mission International (CGMI) have decried the insecurity in the nation.

In a communiqué after the church’s 40th International convention in Benin, the Edo State capital, the church condemned “the killing and maiming by unidentified and faceless terror groups”.

It warned against “any form of dialogue under preconditions, more so as the sincerity of the sect asking for dialogue is not guaranteed.”

The communiqué jointly signed by Rev. Prof.

V.Iyawe & Rev Efosa Akenzua said: “Government should reorganise and strengthen anti-graft agencies and also create special courts to handle corruption cases.”

•Former Chief Justice of Nigeria Mohammed Uwais (left); the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Chairman, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, and Kogi State Governor Idris Wada at the first annual Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Lecture in Abuja... yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Newswatch: Ekpu, Agbese, others urge court to OUR directors of the troubled news magazine, dismiss Ibrahim’s suit Newswatch, Ray Ekpu,

F

Dan Agbese, Yakubu Mohammed and Soji Akinrinade have asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss a suit by businessman Jimoh Ibrahim.

They calimed the suit was without basis.

The directors, who were in court yesterday contended that the suit showed no reasonable cause of action against them and that Ibrahim was not authorised by Newswatch to sue them.

Their lawyer, Adekunle Oyesanya (SAN), said an alternate ground on which his clients opposed the suit was that it was wrongly instituted.

He argued that the plaintiff ought not to have begun the suit via an originating summons because the issues raised are contentious and would require that parties call witnesses to resolve.

Oyesanya observed that the originating summons showed that the plaintiff merely told a story of a business transaction between two parties, how the defendants purportedly resigned and how they entered into a contract over the company’s shares.

He argued that as against what was required, the plaintiff failed to raise any complaint against the defendants.

The counsel argued that the

By Eric Ikhilae

share purchase agreement between the parties did not preclude the defendants from declaring a trade dispute.

Oyesanya said contrary to the plaintiff’s argument, the agreement contained a clause which allows a party to terminate the agreement.

“There is no complaint in the affidavit that the defendants are trying to terminate the agreement.

“That would have been an issue. But there is no such complaint.

“Instead, they created an imaginary dispute outside the agreement by parties and rushed to the court.

“In their claim, they have not made any complaint that is worthy of the court’s consideration,” he argued.

Responding, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Adenrele Adegborioye, insisted that his clients’ suit was competent.

He also faulted the defendants’ objection on grounds that it was faulty.

Adegborioye argued that by failing to accompany their objection with an affidavit, the defendants’ objection should be struck out.

“Where a party files an objection which raises issues of fact or mix law and fact, it must file an affidavit to support the

preliminary objection, failure of which renders it incompetent,” he said.

Adegborioye contended that the defendant’s objection dealt with issues of fact.

He further argued that by contending that the suit showed no cause of action, the defendants have admitted their issues raised by the plaintiffs in the suit.

He argued that the plaintiffs have raised enough issues in the suit to warrant the court’s intervention.

In the suit filed by Ibrahim, his company, Global Media Mirror Limited and

Newswatch Communications Ltd, the plaintiffs set six questions for the court’s determination and sought six declarative reliefs and an order.

They prayed the court to, among others, restrain Ekpu, Agbese, Mohammed and Akinrinade from further acting as directors of Newswatch on grounds that they had allegedly resigned voluntarily from the positions.

Justice Okon Abang adjourned till December 7 for them to further adopt their addresses to enable the court deliver its ruling within the stipulated three months.

‘Insecurity stifles FDI inflow’ From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

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HE spate of insecurity in the country has stifled inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Analysis conducted by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has shown that due to insecurity in the nation, the size and direction of foreign investment flows into the country in the last 12 months to June have fallen by 19.14 per cent to $10.4 billion from $12.8 billion a year ago.

NESG Director-General Frank Nweke Jnr announced the economic scorecard at the 18th Nigerian Economic Summit, yesterday in Abuja.

He said the share of foreign direct investments (that is, investments in brick-and-mortar businesses) has shrunk to 43 per cent from 62 per cent a year ago.

“These results collectively echo investor perception about the extremist insurgence in the northern parts of the country and gradually renewing militancy in the Niger-Delta and the resultant negative impact on investments into the country,” he said.

Jonathan, Mark, Tambuwal meet From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja HE Presidency and the leadership of the National Assembly met yesterday for about two hours.

Senate President David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Rotimi Amaechi met with President Goodluck Jonathan inside his office at the State House.

Mark turned down all overtures from reporters who had wanted to know the issues discussed.

The trio left in Mark’s car.

Amaechi arrived at the State House shortly after Mark and Tambuwal went into the President’s office.

The governor exchanged banter with a presidential aide who was trying to find out how he would leave the Villa.

He told the aide: “They told me to come with them here.”

Issues of the passage of the 2013 budget, the review of the 1999 Constitution and the sharing of the excess crude fund have been matters picthing the Presidency against the lawmakers.

Another contentious issue is the fixing of the oil benchmark. President Jonathan, in his budget speech, had pegged the benchmark at $75 per barrel against differing figures ranging from $78-$80 projected by the National Assembly.

The NGF has been in a row with the Presidency over the sharing of the excess crude.

The matter, which is before a court, is yet to be resolved.

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EFCC’s budget slashed by N11.7b From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi , Abuja

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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said its next year’s budget has been reduced by over N11.7 billion.

Its Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, said the cut would affect personnel cost next year.

The EFCC boss spoke yesterday at the agency’s defence session before the House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes .

Lamorde said the Commission had proposed N21,028,488,772 billion to fund its operations next year but the Budget Office approved N9,328,159,022 billion.

This amount, according to him, is less than half of the commission’s request to meet capital, personnel and overhead expenditure items in 2013.

He also told the committee members that the Federal Government did not release N25million appropriated for the purchase of arms and ammunition for the commission in this year’s budget.

The committee queried the inconsistent releases by the Ministry of Finance to the antigraft agency and members wondered why a such a huge deficit as high as a 15 per cent deficit in the 2012 releases to the commission barely four weeks to the end of the fiscal year.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

7

CITYBEATS

08033054340, 08034699757 E-mail:- ynotcitybeats@gmail.com

‘Embrace arbitration’

Hotels get permit tomorrow

By Adebisi Onanuga

THE Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and InterGovernmental Relations will tomorrow present licences/ permits to hotels and tourism establishments that have complied with its registration requirements.

A statement from the Ministry said the event, which is expected to take place at the Combo Hall, LTV premises, Agidingbi, Ikeja, will provide a forum for stakeholders in the industry to suggest ways to move the industry forward.

The statement said besides being an internationally accepted control mechanism; the registration would accord the industry the needed global tourism recognition.

The ministry implored those that are yet to fully comply with the requirement to do so.

‘Lawmakers aides must be emotionally stable’

By Oziegbe Okoeki

HOW can lawmakers get the best out of their aides? It is by ensuring their emotional and socio-psychological well being, says the Acting Clerk of Lagos State House of Assembly Mr. Ganiyu Abiru.

He spoke at a retreat organised for top officials of the Assembly at Bedrock Hotel, Oko-Afo, Badagry yesterday.

The retreat is being facilitated

by Micro Enterprise Assist & Consult Limited.

The retreat with the theme: “Emotional intelligence and principles of success,” Abiru said was designed, to promote emotional stability and ensure that the senior staff know what is expected of them.

“The training is to make our workers know what emotional intelligence is and what is expected of them in terms of their attitudinal disposition to their subordinates and superiors, to understand their mood, so that they can work harmoniously with them.”

Six held over Ajah crisis SIX persons have been arrested over the crisis that broke out in the Ajah area of the Lagos Island, the Lagos State Police Command has said.

The Police Command spokesperson Ngozi Braide disclosed this yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Braide a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said a traditional ruler was among those arrested, adding that the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti in Yaba area of Lagos.

She said the suspects are already helping the police in its investigation with a view to arresting others involved in the crisis.

The Ajah crisis broke out last Tuesday over a land tussle between the Ilajes and Ijebus.

"One person lost his life, while two pump action guns recovered have been transferred to the Anti-Robbery Squad in Ikeja," Braide said.

She said peace had returned to the area, stressing that antiriot policemen had been posted to the community to restore normalcy.

•The suspects and exhibits... yesterday

PHOTO:

EBELE BONIFACE

Suspected robbers of Fashola’s aide held F IVE persons have been arrested in connection with the November 13, robbery at the home of Lagos State Governor’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Alhaji Lateef Raji in Shogunle, a Lagos suburb.

Parading the suspects yesterday at the Police Headquarters, Ikeja, the command’s spokesperson, Mrs. Ngozi Braide, named them as Momoh Jimoh, a.k.a Jamiu, 38, who was identified as the gang leader, Sheidu Musari, 24, Sodiq Dauda, 38, Ahmed Abdulkareem, 32 and

By Ebele Boniface

Moruf Babatunde ,29, and one Keske is at large.

Braide, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said one locally made pistol with six rounds of live cartridges, one HP laptop and one Nokia 200 were recovered from the suspects.

She said their arrest came on the heels of a massive manhunt by the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), adding: “It took exhaustive

investigation and phone tracking operations, conducted by detectives from SARS to perform the feat,” The gang leader said he bought his way out of prison in another case, with N200, 000 before the robbery in Raji’s home.

Musari, who hails from Okene, Kogi State, said he was a tailor, adding that another member of the gang, Keske, is at large. He said they were three, adding that they entered

Raji’s house through the toilet.

Dauda claimed to be a buyer, adding that he bought the Nokia handset for N35, 000, the laptop N35, 000, the other recovered laptop, N30, 000 at Computer Village, Ikeja.

Abdulkareem said he was the gang’s informant, adding that Jimoh was his customer.

He said he was the one who asked Jimoh to look for a big man for them to rob in his area.

Babatunde, who describes himself as the gang’s major buyer, is a computer repairer at the Computer Village.

I steal to survive, convict tells court

A

N accused, Augustine Anthony, 28, who was released from prison last week, yesterday told an Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court in Lagos that he cannot stop stealing because he steals for survival.

Anthony was arrested alongside one Ajayi Ilesanmi and charged before Magistrate M.B. Folami, with conspiracy and stealing under Sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

The defendants were al-

C

By Precious Igbonwelundu

leged to have stolen a plasma television set, cable wire, fans and other appliances valued N700, 000 at 24, Morakinyo Street, Ejigbo, a Lagos suburb, property of Vincent Alumona.

Anthony, who pleaded guilty, begged the court for leniency.

He said:”I am used to stealing because that is how I have always survived. But this time, I stole those items and gave them to Ilesanmi

to keep so that I will sell them and start a new life.

“I have no other means of livelihood than stealing, which I use to feed myself.

My family lives at Isoko, Delta State, but I have not been in touch with them.”

Ilesanmi pleaded not guilty, saying he was not aware that Anthony stole the items.

He said: “As a security guard, I was at my duty post when he brought the items and asked me to keep them

for him. I did not know he stole them.”

Magistrate Folami noted that Anthony had been convicted on several occasions.

She sentenced him to eight months in prison with hard labour.

He will be sent to Isoko to his family after completing the sentence.

Mrs Folani granted Ilesanmi, N50, 000 bail, with one surety in the like sum and adjourned the case till January 14, 2013.

Doctor counsels construction workers on HIV/AIDS

ONSTRUCTION workers on the Mile 12 to Ikorodu Bus Rapid Transit extension project have been advised on how to avoid contracting the Human Immuno Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/ AIDS).

The event which was organised by Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), with the theme Getting to zero, was to mark this year's World AIDS Day. Dr. Latifatu Adeleye of the Directorate of Disease Control, Lagos State Ministry of

By Yinka Aderibigbe

Health, said the theme was aimed at the eradication of the virus.

She stressed the need for abstinence, faithfulness to partners, protective sex and a test to know their status. " A person can be infected with the HIV if the blood, semen, or vaginal fluid from an infected person enters another person's body, usually through sexual contact, or sharing needles when injecting drugs, or from mother to baby during birth," Mrs. Adel-

eye said.

She said government hospitals now offer free counselling and testing urging the workers to avail themselves of the services to know their status.

Those who tested positive to the virus could still live a normal life if their status was known in good time and they take their prescribed drugswhich are dispensed free of charge in government hospitals religiously, she said.

LAMATA's Deputy Director,

Safeguard Prof. Kayode Taiwo said Nigeria's current rating as the second largest HIV/ AIDS prevalent nation after South Africa, with about 3.1 million people living with the disease is becoming worrisome.

He said it is worrisome that while only 360,000 out of the 1.5 million Nigerians who require treatment, currently have access to HIV/AIDS medications, 300,000 new cases has been recorded in the country this year.

Traders’ factional leader returns to prison custody

F

ACTIONAL leader of the Ladipo Market in Matori, a Lagos suburb, Mr. Jonathan Okoli, yesterday returned to prison custody because the legal advice on his case was not ready.

The advice is being expected from the office of Lagos State

By Precious Igbonwelundu

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s Court was told yesterday.

Okoli, 50, was arraigned before the court on seven counts of riots, attempted murder, il-

legal possession of fire arms, assault, and damaging property with menace, among others.

The prosecutor, Mr. Chukwu Agu, the officer-in-charge of Legal Department, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, told the

court that the defendant with others at large, on March 5, at 11am at Ladipo, armed with dangerous weapons such as guns, machetes, bottles, rods, acted in a riotous manner and caused terror to traders in the market and the neighbourhood.

THE people of Alimosho have been urged to embrace alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for quick dispensation of justice.

The chairman of Alimosho Lawyers’ Forum (ALF), Mrs. Derin Kappo, gave the advice yesterday during the inauguration of its Law Week.

Mrs. Kappo said ADR offers another window for matters to be resolved quickly outside the court.

She urged the people to avail themselves of the services of the Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Citizen Mediation Centre (CMC), among others established by the Lagos State government for quick dispute resolution and to bring justice closer to the people.

Being the largest local government in the state, with over two million inhabitants, Alimosho, she said, had so many disputes arising from property ownerships, land matters, family matters and landlords’ and tenants’ issue among others.

According to her, these are matters that could be easily resolved quickly through the ADR as against the courts.

Mrs. Kappo said the week would be used to enlighten the people of their rights; thereby reducing infringements by law enforcement agents.

EFCC re-arraigns two oil marketers

By Adebisi Onanuga

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) yesterday re-arraigned two oil marketers before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on an amended charge of N976.6 million fuel subsidy fraud.

Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Habila Theck were re-arraigned alongside their company, Fargo Petroleum and Gas Limited before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

They are facing a 10-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery, uttering and use of forged documents.

EFCC counsel Mr Francis Usani told the court that the defendants conspired with one Olugbenga Adesanya (still at large) to fraudulently obtain N976.6 million from the Federal Government’s fuel subsidy fund.

Usani alleged that they obtained the money as payments for subsidy from the Petroleum Support Fund for the purported importation of 13.6 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

Usani said the PMS was purportedly bought from one Seatac Petroleum Limited and imported into Nigeria through MT Diplomat Ex MT Milleura.

The defendants also allegedly forged a bill of lading and other documents which they used in facilitating the fraud.

Usani said the offences contravened Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.

According to him, the offences are also contrary to and punishable under Sections 467 and 468 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003.

The defendants pleaded not guilty.

Justice Onigbanjo ordered that they should continue to enjoy the bail granted them after their initial arraignment for the same offences on July 30.

He adjourned the matter till tomorrow.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

8

NEWS ‘1999 Constitution doesn’t protect women’s rights’ From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

G

ENDER Activist and United Nations Special Rapporteur

Dr. Ngozi Ezeillo yesterday said the 1999 Constitution did not protect the right of women.

Dr. Ezeillo spoke at the Second Ekiti Gender Summit in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, while delivering a lecture, entitled: “Human security and its implications for women”.

The summit was jointly sponsored by the Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF) and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs.

Dr. Ezeilo said: “Although Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution prohibits all forms of discrimination against women, Section 55 of the penal code permits wife chastisement, that is spousal beating, which is an instance of the institutionalisation of violence.

“Section 26 fails to recognise the rights of Nigerian

•From left: Mrs. Ajimobi; Alhaja Aregbesola; Ekiti State Deputy Governor Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka; Dr Fayemi; his wife, Bisi; Mrs. Amosun and Dame Fashola...yesterday.

women to extend their citizenship to their foreign spouses.

“It has been noted that poverty and violence are the most surreptitious violation of women’s rights. In Nigeria and elsewhere in the

world, women have suffered tremendous and systemic discrimination, which has created inequalities in all spheres of life and encouraged a culture of violence against women.”

Governor Kayode Fayemi

said next year’s budget would enhance the opportunities of women in the state.

Fayemi said Ekiti put the Gender-Based Violence Prohibition Law in place to protect women’s rights.

He said the EDF was work-

Continuity in governance crucial for growth, says Afe Babalola HILANTHROPIST and founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) has said lack of continuity in governance was responsible for Nigeria’s underdevelopment.

He said successive administrations must learn to accomodate and consolidate on the “good” projects and policies of previous administrations.

Babalola spoke in ABUAD at the weekend when the management board of Oodua Group of Companies, led by the Group Management Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Adebayo

P

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

Jimoh, visited the institution.

He said: “If we ensure continuity in governance, good projects will not suffer the kind of neglect we are familiar with today.

“There is no reason our governments cannot have in place development plans of between 10 and 20 years, which would guide their development efforts and would be continued by successive administrations.”

Babalola condemned the idea of allowing private universities begin operation on

temporary campuses. He said: “Having ready structures in place before admitting students encourages them in the pursuit of excellence.”

He hailed Jimoh for sustaining the focus and excellence envisioned by the founders of the Oodua Conglomerate, adding that the conglomerate is today the pride of all Yoruba in the world.

Jimoh praised Babalola’s vision on private tertiary education.

He said ABUAD was one of the best institutions in the world.

Jimoh said the fact that only

ABUAD runs a degree course in Security and Intelligence Studies attests to the founder’s clarity of purpose and his vision to address the country’s security challenges.

He said he would consider ABUAD students for the conglomerate’s scholarship scheme.

Others on the Oodua Group’s team were the General Manager, Human Resources, Mr. Abimbola Ilori; Head, Marketing, Mr. Sunkanmi Omidiji; Manager, Training, Dr. Funso Alonge; New Business Development Manager Mr. Biodun Adedeji and Corporate Affairs Manager Mr. Victor Ayetoro.

Kashamu slams Obasanjo for comments on Jonathan

A

CHIEFTAIN of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Prince Buruji Kashamu, yesterday faulted reports that there was tension in the party as a result of the “cold war” between President Goodluck Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

In a statement, Kashamu said it was misleading to accept the views of “probably one of Obasanjo’s stooges” in the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) as that of the entire party.

He said: “From the tone of the statements made by the NWC member, who reportedly spoke on the condition of anonymity, it is obvious that the views expressed in the reports were from one of Obasanjo’s stooges planted in the NWC to achieve his selfish interest.

“Otherwise, how come he put the blame for the exchanges between the President and Obasanjo solely on the President? Where was he

when Obasanjo said the Umaru Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration could not fight corruption? Where was he when Obasanjo described Jonathan as weak in tackling the Boko Haram menace? Indeed, his second statement in that regard.

“How come the PDP NWC member did not caution Obasanjo? All the talks about 2015 and Obasanjo’s closeness to the northern oligarchy and control of Southwest politics hold no water. It is all make-believe. The future will take care of itself. No man is God!” Kashamu debunked speculations that Obasanjo is influential in the North and Southwest.

He described him as “an enemy of the North, who has betrayed them severally, just as he did to the Southwest”.

Kashamo said: “If he were that popular as his allies would want to have us believe, how

come the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has dictated the pace in Southwest politics in the last 13 years or so that Obasanjo has led the PDP in the zone?”

He urged the former president’s acolytes to purge themselves of the “messianic toga” they confer on him, saying “the nation boasts of many educated and intelligent people that are more knowledgeable than Obasanjo”.

Kashamu said: “It is noteworthy that of all the nation’s past leaders, like Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, it is only Obasanjo that rushes to the media every now and then to run down the Jonathan administration in the same way he fights and scrambles for crumbs with those old enough to be his children back home in Ogun

State. “In fact, if there was anyone doing anything inimical to the interest of the party at home and at the national level, it is Obasanjo.

“Instead of calling his benefactor to order and advising him to exercise restraint, somebody is hiding under the condition of anonymity to flaunt Obasanjo’s credentials and alleged connections to blackmail the President. It has not worked in the past and will not work now.”

The PDP chieftain urged Nigerians to learn from the United States, where President Barack Obama has “achieved a lot more by engaging in dialogue than going to war”.

He said: “Jonathan is methodological in his approach as a scientist. What is more, he is the nation’s first leader with a Ph.D degree. He cannot be brash in his approach to issues as some would want to have him do. With patience and careful planning, we shall soon overcome our present challenges.”

ing towards domesticating the National Gender Policy, establishing a Multiple Birth Trust Fund and offering free vocational training for women.

The event was attended by the wives of governors in

the Southwest - Erelu Bisi Fayemi (host, Ekiti); Dame Abimbola Fashola (Lagos); Mrs. Foluso Amosun (Ogun); Mrs. Florence Ajimobi (Oyo); Alhaja Serifat Aregbesola (Osun) and Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed (Kwara).

Southwest governors to raise panel on regional integration From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

A

CTION Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governors in the Southwest have resolved to set up a 21-member technical committee on regional integration.

Osun State Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties Ajibola Basiru told reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, that the governors made the decision after several meetings.

He said three representatives would be appointed from each state to appraise issues of development in the zone.

Basiru said the committee would identify areas of possible collaboration for rapid socio-economic development.

He said such areas would include agriculture, education, health, transportation, power, infrastructure, democratic governance and homeland affairs, among others.

Basiru said Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration was committed to a successful regional integration.

He said his ministry would continue to enhance cooperation and integration among Southwest states.

Basiru said the ministry has done well as the liaising agency between the three arms of government in the state, especially in the processing of bills and motions.

He said some outdated laws had been repealed and some bills processed by the ministry had been passed into law by the House of Assembly.

The commissioner said the Aregbesola administration had settled boundary disputes between some communities.

Protest disrupts activities at Saki council

A

PROTEST yesterday disrupted activities at Saki West Local Government Secretariat in Oyo State.

The protesters demanded the removal of council caretaker committees in the state and the conduct of local government poll.

Early in the morning, they set bonfires on the popular Sango Road and prevented council workers from entering their offices.

When the council’s Caretaker Chairmen, Mr. Dapo Popoola, resumed for work, the protesters, some of who were armed with cudgels, cutlasses and other weapons, angrily chased him away.

Many banks and shops in

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

the area closed for the day.

The protesters were later dispersed by armed mobile policemen, who fired tear gas canisters at them.

Popoola alleged that the protesters were a faceless group working for the opposition to disrupt the peace in the town.

As at 2.15pm, stern-looking policemen were still on guard on the road.

Police spokesman Ayandele Lanade said he had not been briefed on the incident.

He said: “I will confirm when I get to the office. I am presently on the Police Commissioner’s entourage at the University of Ibadan (UI).”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

9

NEWS Afe Babalola for EFCC re-arraigns two oil marketers award tomorrow

T

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday re-arraigned two oil marketers at a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on an amended charge of alleged N976.6 million fuel subsidy fraud.

Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Habila Theck were rearraigned with their compa-

P

By Adebisi Onanuga

ny, Fargo Petroleum and Gas Limited, before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo.

They are facing a 10-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery, uttering and use of forged documents.

EFCC’s counsel Francis Us-

ani told the court that the defendants allegedly conspired with Olugbenga Adesanya (still at large) to fraudulently obtain N976.6 million from the Federal Government’s fuel subsidy fund.

Usani alleged that they obtained the money as payments for subsidy from the Petroleum Support Fund for

‘Hunger and anger’ll cause problems’

RIMATE Theopihilus Olabayo of the Evangelical Church of Yahweh, Lagos, has decried the spate of corruption in the nation.

Speaking yesterday at a special spiritual retreat, the cleric said corruption has left the country on the path of destruction.

“The revolution I prophesied has come to stay with us and people are now seeing it.

“It’s unfortunate but I predicted the decline of statehood in Nigeria in the past, hoping that the Federal Government will take leadership serious.

“But it didn’t, and after a while I told them that God will unleash on them another formidable terrorist group.

“And that has come to pass with the menace of Boko Haram.

“But there is no hope in

By Paul Ukpabio

sight as to when the government will have the political will to take on corruption in this country.

“What I see next is that the poor will face the rich and between now and next year, things will escalate.

“God is not happy about this situation. The cry of Nigerians going to bed hungry is getting to God. “Those who want to say the truth cannot do so anymore, so truth is no longer being said, people are afraid for their lives.

“They are afraid of being killed. Like I’ve said, hunger and anger will soon destroy this nation.”

The cleric advised President Goodluck Jonathan to stop talking about the 2015 election.

UNDP laments disabled rate

T

HE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) yesterday said 15 percent of the world’s population are disabled.

The UNDP Democratic Governance for Development Project Coordinator, Dr Mourtada Deme, said this at the International Day of Persons with Disability celebration.

He said there is need to eliminate discrimination and create an inclusive and accessible society for them.

Deme said since the 1970s, there has been increasing international concern about the need to advance the rights of persons with dis-

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

abilities.

“To strengthen and monitor the protection of the human rights of persons with disabilities, the United Nations passed the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities in order to protect their rights,”he said The Minister of Women’s Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, said the aim of celebration is to improve the lot of the disabled.

“We need to rally support from all to ensure that the needs of persons with disabilities in Nigeria are met,” she said.

Wike: we’re not happy with headteachers

M

INISTER of State for Education Nyesom Wike has said the Federal Ministry of Education is not happy with the quality of leadership provided by headteachers of unity schools.

Wike spoke in Enugu yesterday at the opening of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of headteachers of unity schools.

He said due to the low performance of headteachers, appointments would be based on measurable criteria.

“The minister and I are not satisfied with the quality of leadership that you offer.

“We are determined to raise the performance and achievement levels of our pupils.

“From now on, appointment of headteachers to the unity schools will be based on measurable criteria to be established and adopted soon by the Federal Ministry of Education”.

The minister said the continued stay or retention of

headteachers in office will be determined by the outcome of a summative performance evaluation to be administered annually on all principals of unity schools.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije, praised the ministry for taking measures to revive the colleges.

Enugu State Acting Governor Sunday Onyebuchi represented by the Commissioner for Education, Uche Otoanya, thanked the Federal Government for investing in the unity schools.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry MacJohn Nwaobiala urged the head teachers to work hard to achieve development goals of the government for the schools.

“If I were him, I would not be talking about 2015 elections.

“If I were him, I would forget about that election and that’s even if there’s going to be an election, because there will be anarchy.

“There will be problems.

Jonathan has to be careful because the country will be divided over his contesting or not contesting.”

the purported importation of 13.6 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

The counsel said the PMS was purportedly purchased from Seatac Petroleum Limited and imported into Nigeria through MT Diplomat Ex MT Milleura.

They were further alleged to have forged a bill of lading and other documents to facilitate the fraud.

He said the offences contravened Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.

The defendants pleaded not guilty.

Justice Onigbanjo ordered that they should continue to enjoy the bail granted them after their initial arraignment on July 30.

He adjourned the matter till tomorrow.

By Adegunle Olugbamila

T

HE Founder/Chancellor of the Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, will be conferred with an Award of Excellence by the Education Society of Nigeria tomorrow.

A statement by the group’s President, Prof Alice Arinlade Jekayinfa, said the presentation, which holds at the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, is to appreciate Babalola for his “outstanding contributions to the growth and development of education in the country”.

The occasion, which is part of a four-day annual conference, will feature a keynote address to be delivered by the Life Patron of the History of Education Society, Prof

•Babalola

Michael Omolewa.

Also to be honoured are: former Minister of Education Mrs. Chinwe Obaji; former secretary of the Association of African Universities Prof Olugbemiro Jegede and the Provost, Federal College of Education, Okene, Dr Ajayi Iyela.

10

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Sacked Shell workers: NUPENG, PENGASSAN plan strike

By Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu

T

HE Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natu ral Gas Workers (NUPENG) has found an ally in its senior staff counterpart- the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) in its plan to go on strike this week.

In a statement, PENGASSAN informed the government and the public of its determination to join NUPENG in every protest and action to be undertaken should the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) management fail to recall the sacked NUPENG members as directed by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Wogu In the statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Zaid Kolawole, the union said the industrial actions will be jointly planned under the NUPENGASSAN platform to ensure that Shell complies with the Minister’s directive. The Minister had during a mediation meeting between NUPENG and Shell, directed that the sacked workers be recalled before December 4, 2012.

In the statement, PENGASSAN alleged that information reaching the union was that Shell management was contemplating circumventing the directive by the Minister of Labour and Productivity by planning that the affected NUPENG officers and members shall only be recalled to their jobs from which they were unjustly disengaged, as casual workers.

This, PENGASSAN said, is totally unacceptable to both NUPENG and PENGASSAN as it is repugnant to the principles of natural justice and decent work.

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

-N6.503 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion

RATES Inflation -11.7% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending -22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $43.5b FOREX CFA -0.2958 EUR -206.9 £ -242.1 $ -156 ¥ -1.9179 SDR -238 RIYAL -40.472

Banks need to start lending to the real sector of the economy because when the chips were down, it was government funds that were still used to bail these banks.

- Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina

Nigeria may miss Vision 20: 2020 target, says NESG N

IGERIA may miss the primary target of be ing one of the world’s top 20 economies by 2020 unless it significantly accelerated reforms and pace of economic growth to cover a whooping gap of about $730 billion.

This was one of the highpoints of the Nigerian Economic Score Card presented yesterday at the ongoing Nigeria Economic Summit (NES) in Abuja by the Director-General, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr Frank Nweke Jr. Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, however, said the Vision 20: 2020 was not a prediction but an inspirational roadmap towards attaining improvement in Nigerian economy.

According to him, irre-

• Jonathan seeks transparency in oil sector

From Taofik Salako and Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

spective of Nigeria’s position by 2020, substantial progress would have been made by 2020 given ongoing reforms.

After extensive review of the economic achievements, reports, goals and global and domestic scenarios, Nweke said Saudi Arabia would likely beat Nigeria to become the 20th largest economy in the world by 2020, with a GDP of US$1.2 trillion in purchasing power parity (PPP).

Also, President Goodluck

Jonathan yesterday vowed to ensure transparency and accountability in the oil sector and prosecute those involve in the oil theft.

Deregulation, he said, must be followed with views of Nigerians.

Jonathan, who was represented by the Vice-President Namadi Sambo at the 18th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, said: “We must deregulate totally. This is the best answer. We believe that Nigerians will come to realise what we mean by deregulation. We are not in the right economic position.

And the best way is to open

up and deregulate the oil and gas sector. The blueprint and the transformation agenda of Vision 20: 2020 are living testimony of this collaboration.

“The cost of governance and the Nigerian economic prospect capture the essence of our transformation agenda. The goal is to work on the critical sector of the economy that will accelerate job and wealth creation in our country. This same captures our commitment to good governance and efforts to full realise our huge economic potential.

“In keeping with my promise two years ago. The recommendation of the last economic summit were received and considered by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as potential imputes into government’s policy framework.

Nigeria, US to boost economic, bilateral trade ties From Franca Ochigbo, Abuja

N

IGERIA and the United States yesterday renewed their commitments to increase economic, trade and investment relationship between both countries, especially in non-oil exports.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, said given the current global economic meltdown, trade and investment remained the only potent tool for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth globally.

Aganga, who spoke at the Seventh US-Nigeria Trade and Investment Agreement Council Meeting in Abuja, said there was a need for Nigeria and the US to deepen their trade and investment relations, especially in the areas where both countries have comparative and competitive advantage.

The US-Nigeria Trade and Investment Agreement (TIFA ) was signed in 2000.

It established the framework for structured dialogue on Trade; Intellectual Property Rights; flow of investment, as well as partnership for cooperation between the economic operators of the two countries.

Aganga said: “All over the world, presidents and policy makers have agreed that there is only one tool that can lead to sustainable and inclusive economic growth. That tool, is trade and investment.

Starcomms to provide mobile broadband data service • Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (3rd right) with Managing Director/CEO Stallion Group Mr Harpreet Singh (2nd left), during a visit by the management of Stallion to the State House, Alausa ... yesterday. With them ( from left), are the Business Development Manager, Stallion Group, Mr Sunil Dhar Mappa; Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs Olusola Omoru; Transport Commissioner Kayode Opeifa (middle, back), his Works and Infrastructure counterpart, Mr Obafemi Hamzat, and Secretary to the State Government, Dr Oluranti Adebule (right).

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Senate, House query N58b SURE-P funds for foreign contractors T

HE joint Senate and House of Representa tives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) yesterday queried the N58 billion the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) paid foreign railway contractors in four months.

The joint committee also questioned the N75 million SURE-P claimed to have spent on local travels in four months.

The lawmakers were also uncomfortable with the N2.2 billion claimed to have spent on secretariat services between July and October 2012.

The issues were raised when officials of SURE-P led

by Chairman of the programme, Dr. Christopher Kolade, appeared before the joint committee to defend the 2013 budget of SURE-P. To start the session, Chair-

•N2.2b spent on secretariat services • Travel bills hit N75m

man, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Magnus Abe, said the desire of the lawmakers was to understand where the SURE-P was heading to.

He noted that the fund allocated to SURE-P was not the ordinary crude oil money to be shared by individuals, saying nobody should take questions by members of the committee personal, as it was incumbent on them to explain to their constituents the utilization of Federal Government funds Kolade explained that whatever they do under the programme is based on transparency, probity and

accountability.

He said there was no reason for them to hide information on what they are doing.

A member of the committee, Senator Benedict Ayade, wondered why the SURE-P paid N58 billion to multi-national contractors on rail line projects. The lawmaker from Cross River North also questioned the N75 million spent on local travels in four months.

He said the implication of paying foreign contractors N58 billion in four months was that the money would have been transferred out of the country.

Ayade said: “I though that

the philosophy of SURE-P is creation of jobs for Nigerians.

Now that major contracts under SURE-P are done by multi-national contractors, how will SURE-P achieve its philosophy and objectives?

“Is the philosophy of SUREP no longer empowerment of Nigerians?”

Ayade also said it was obvious that SURE-P projects are not evenly distributed across the states, adding that “SUREP is just going the way of other Nigerian committees.”

He said money was being recklessly pumped to multinational companies in the name of fighting unemployment, wondering why SUREP has taken over the functions of Primary Health Centres in the country.

The committee wanted to know what the Ministry of Work is doing when SURE-P has taken over payment of contractors.

By Lucas Ajanaku and Ajibade Akinola

I

F the bid by Capcom to buy over the assets and liabilities of distressed code divison multiple access (CDMA) operator, Starcomms, sails through, the firm will be engaged in the provision of mobile broadband data services, Chief Executive Officer, Capcom International, Mr Ademola Elesho, has said.

Speaking during an interactive session with the media in Lagos yesterday, he said the firm has concluded arrangements to inject a combination of cash and assets worth $210million into Starcomms as part of efforts to buy controlling shares in the ailing telecom firm, adding that the firm has opportunities to bounce back and play significant role in the market.

According to him, the ailing telco will be made to attract more highly profitable data subscription in the short term through the launch of 4G mobile broadband or long term evolution (LTE) technology, adding that the availability of 20 MegaHertZ (MHZ) contiguous spectrum 1900MHz range, would allow the telco to do data very well.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

13

PROPERTY

Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

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

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

Jakande Estates: Waiting to crash?

•New look, Jakande Estate, Isolo.

PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE

The administration of the first civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, scored a political point with the construction of low-cost housing units in several locations in the state. While some residents got their flats by lucky dips, others rented from original landlords. But since 1983 when these estates were constructed, some houses are yet to be renovated by their owners, others are distressed, OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE, who toured some of the estates, reports •STORY ON PAGE 14

•Group urges Kwara to expedite action on land policy - Page 14

• NCF, Chevron others launch GIS - Page 14

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Jakande Estates: Waiting to crash?

I

N the heydays of Jakande estates in Lagos State, people scrambled for the flats in the estates sited in areas with perceived large population. The flats were ridiculously cheap compared with what is obtainable today; and they created many landlords. The estates, then, were the only places one would find a block of six flats with six landlords.

But that was then; the euphoria has gone down as the years pass with each eating into the value of the buildings and flats as the owners refused to maintain them.

The roads in most of the estates are bad with many overtaken by weeds to the extent that Okada riders find it difficult to meander through. Residents live in squalor.

From the Jakande Estate in Oke-Afa, with over 2,000 flats and Aye in Isolo, to Iponri, Barracks, Agege, Meiran, Abeasan, Iyana Ipaja, Adeniji Adele, Ketu, Ajah and others, the story is the same — broken structures and severe deterioration of the environment.

Though the management of the estates has been ceded to Lagos Building Investment Corporation (LBIC), most residents are still waiting for the government to provide not only the necessary facilities but also to give a face-lift to their flats.

But the government has asked the residents to give their flats a facelift.

The estate at Oke-Afa, Isolo seems to be the worst of the lot. Two weeks ago, one of the buildings collapsed killing two sisters. The rainy and dry seasons present considerable challenge to residents of the estate.

During the rains, the entrance to the estate is usually flooded, creating hardship for pedestrians and motorists. Even roadside offices and shops are not spared from the chaos.

Motorists use one lane at particular periods on the road that leads to the estate from Isheri Osun Junction as the un-tarred road becomes extremely muddy at certain times in the year.

During the dry season, clouds of dust envelop shops on the streets.

The blocks of flats behind shops also get their share of the dust.

A resident said: “Basically, most people in this place know too well that this is not a perfect place to live.

But they also contended that this estate can’t be as terrible as other areas in the state. There has been a

gradual emergence of new blocks in the estate but they are still in the minority. Commerce is not entirely alienated from the area as almost every block has make-shift shops creating a kind of eyesore. It’s difficult to imagine if there is any regard to town planning and building regulations. Small-time traders, shop owners, schools, clinics and other small office dominate every part of the estate, especially the roadsides. Even in its poor state, the rents are not as low as one can imagine.”

A tenant, Mr Raheem Imodu, living in one of the old three-bedroom flats, said he pays N180,000 per annum though he buys water from water vendors while Mrs. Ifeoma Okoli, who lives in a two-bedroom flat pays N200,000 yearly. Her regret, however, is that no tenant is allowed to pound yam on the flats for fear that it may affect the structural integrity of the building. The notion is that the buildings were built without too much adherence to standards and quality as it was mass produced.

Residents, Okoli complained are not allowed to use generating sets on the flats except to place them on the ground floor no matter how many floors one needs to climb down and up to attend to the generator. She pleaded with the government to assist the residents to check the integrity of most of the buildings at the estate as most are already showing signs of distress.

A plot of land goes for N4.5million as against N375, 000 as at 2002, according to Mrs. Patricia Adeyemi, when her husband bought the plot of land that they built their bungalow.

For some residents at Jakande Estate in Mile 2, Amuwo- Odofin, the estate is the place to live though they claim outsiders may claim otherwise.

One of the residents in block 4 zone A, Mr Niyi said he has lived in the estate for 10 years after his father won their flat in a lottery. He stressed that their estate is different from other Jakande estates in terms of quality of construction and so have nothing to fear regarding building collapse. He, however, asked for adequate protection for residents by night marauders who visit them occasionally. Another resident said she moved into the estate some 17 years ago but con-

•Decaying parts of Jakande Estate, Mile 2.

fessed that some buildings are in bad shape and asked relevant government agencies to do more monitoring in the estate to identify distressed buildings.

Another resident in Block 16 Zone C, Mr Ibrahim Babalola, who lives in a rented two bedroom flat for N350,000 per year since 10 years ago, pleaded with the government to construct and rehabilitate the drainages in the estate.

Udoma Okon said he rented his apartment for N500,000 for two years in Block 16 Zone A. He, however, called on the government to refurbish the buildings – majority of which he described as an eye-sore.

Though Jakande Estate is wearing out daily, many residents are unwilling to leave even despite the fact that their lives are in danger. This is probably why when a building is even at its terminal stages some residents still refuse to evacuate banking on ‘God’ to protect them as it happened two years ago when the state government had to forcefully relocate residents of Princess Estate on the lsland to save lives and properties. The same scenario played itself out at Jakande Estate, Isolo were a building that had been previously marked for demolition by the planning authorities were ignored by the residents, which resulted to avoidable casualties.

Little wonder that recently when tragedy struck at Jakande Estate, it

left in its wake trail of tears as a woman lost two of her children and sustained bruises.

By now ‘If l had known’ will be one of the thoughts going through the mind of the 68-year-old Mrs. Adebisi Coker, who lost her two daughters, who incidentally were her only children (Miss Toyin, 30 and Bukky, 25) at Jakande Low Cost Housing Estate, Isolo, Lagos on November 21. The Nation gathered from neighbours, that the lady had three additional houses in the estate, which rent she has just increased before moving into this almost derelict building that incidentally claimed the lives of her children.

As if Mother Nature was on the offensive and arranged the fate of the young ladies, the eldest, Bukky, was to be on duty in the hospital she worked on the night of the incident but somehow she sought permission to be excused from work and got her colleague to stand in for her in one of the government hospitals in the state. The younger sister was undergoing her National Youth Service. Sadly for both of them, their youth and dreams were cut short in their sleep. Unconfirmed reports said their mother worked with an oil company.

A neighbour, who didn’t want his name in print, said about 11pm on that fateful day, when he came and saw that the building had shrunk

Group urges Kwara to expedite action on land policy

T

HE Ilorin Solidarity Club, a sister organisation of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), has urged the Kwara State government to expedite action on the abrogation of its land acquisition policy.

The Land Acquisition Policy 2009 of the state government has pitched the state government against IEDPU. The union alleged that the state government had sold many customary lands in the state without informing or paying compensation to land owners.

The group also condemned the urbanisation of native areas in Ilorin by the state government.

IEDPU said abolition of the Act would check against indiscriminate acquisition of lands by government.

This development caused the state House of Assembly to call for the suspension of the policy in the interest of peace.

In a statement, the President of Ilorin Solidarity Club, Justice Saka Yusuf said: The “people of Ilorin, nay the entire people of the state, are only waiting for a more positive response that would lay the ghost of the land order in dispute to rest permanently. We do not believe

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

in the prevailing peace of the graveyard.

“We congratulate the IEDPU and commend the efforts of its leadership so far on the land acquisition policy of the Kwara State government. We support the union whole-

heartedly as a sister organisation for every step taken on the vexatious matter till date.

“We also express full appreciation to the Kwara state House of Assembly for its bold and admirable action in upholding the people’s wish,

through its timely arrest of the grandstanding posture of the state government on the controversial policy ab initio.We hope it will maintain that stand and defend the cause of the people (the lawmaker’s constituency) till the end.”

and was peeling off, raised the alarm and called all the tenants to leave but only the victims’ mother insisted that nothing would happen at least until the next day as it was already late to start looking for where to take refuge with her daughters.

She was also quoted to have said that her daughters were already sleeping and she could not wake them. While some residents, who spoke to The Nation pitied her almost hopeless condition, others were full of harsh words for her for what they called intransigence, wondering how everybody hurriedly evacuated the building and she insisted to stay until the next day.

Though Mrs. Coker lost her daughters in the building collapse, she, however, made it alive with few scratches. But what was in the mind of many is what kind of life she would live thereafter. She lived for her two daughters and now they are gone.What does life hold for a widow in this harsh climate? She said much about herself when the tragic news was broken to her last Tuesday at the Lagoon Hospital.

Though her priest, church members and relations have been lifting her up through prayers, she is going to be faced with a grim future, which may not hold much hope for her.

The other side to the tragedy is the apparent inaction of the government, according to observers, who wondered why the government did not order the immediate evacuation of residents from the building even after it was allegedly marked for demolition because of its derelict nature.

NCF, Chevron others launch GIS

By Komolafe Funmi

N

•Lagos State Housing Estate, Ikorodu.

IGERIA Conservation Foundation (NCF), Chevron and Birdlife International have launched the Geographic Information System (GIS) to create awareness for their activities.

At the event, a scientist, Mr Ogunsesan Adedamola, described GIS as a computer-based tool for managing and analysing data that has a spatial or geographic dimension to aid work flow.

Prof. Seyi Fabiyi said GIS helps in managing the security of data in a given area.He added that low internet density is a major factor militating against the country from benefiting from Geospatial technologies.

The Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited, who was represented by Mr Muyiwa Agboola, praised the initiative promising to do more.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

15

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

16

DISCOURSE

The challenge of change •Continued from yesterday

F

URTHER to these have been the jumpstarting of industrial development through the establishment of technology parks for small and medium-scale enterprises; urban renewal; the creation of micro-credit facilities; development of the agro-allied and solid minerals sectors; and massive investments in the tourism corridor.

It’s still the structure, stupid!

Yet, we still face fundamental odds. The structural deformities of the Nigerian federation have circumscribed many of the possibilities of our state, and many other states in Nigeria and the country as a whole.

Both local and international observers have described Nigeria as an “embarrassment of riches,” both in human and materials terms. Why then is the Nigeria state in such a wobbly state and why are the citizens of the country trapped in such disappointing socioeconomic and political realities? What could be done to bring about sustainable change at the national-state level?

It is difficult, if not impossible to sustain good governance at the national level in Nigeria because of the structural fatalities that I have mentioned earlier. The overconcentration of powers in the Federal centre must give way to devolution and decentralisation of power and authority. Therefore, a critical fundamental political restructuring of the Nigerian federation is an unavoidable step that must be taken to generate the basis for the creation and sustenance of a participatory, consensus-oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive national governance and one that is based on the rule of law. I am convinced that this can, and will definitely, happen in Nigeria at some point in the near future.

Nigeria is a deeply divided, but immensely blessed and potentially great country.

Why Nigerians and foreigners are often focussed on the deep divisions, little is said, for the most account, on our immense assets and potentials. What Nigerians need to do is to use our immense blessings, both human and natural, and transform our potential greatness into real greatness, in order to reduce our deep divisions and enhance or strengthen our unity. The two steps I have elaborated above are critical in doing this. There must be a fundamental political transformation of Nigeria; then, good governance must become the underlying basis of political power.

With these, I believe that the question of deepening democracy and enhancing development would be largely resolved. Nigeria cannot achieve this without a national resolution by Nigerians to come together as one people with a common destiny.

The true representatives of the various parts of Nigeria last met between September and October 1958 to agree on the ways in which the federation should be constituted. This was during the last round of the Constitutional Conferences preceding inde-

•Dr Fayemi

pendence. Since then, neither the military regimes nor the civilian governments at the centre have allowed the Nigerian people to come together democratically and in all their diversity, to redetermine their common fate. Those at the centre of power in Nigeria have become so terrified about change that they have foreclosed the possibility of a national dialogue. Fifty years after independence and against the backdrop of the unrelenting inter-ethnic and inter-faith bloodletting, after five decades of abysmal leadership at the federal level - which has turned a country which was regarded at independence as the hope of Africa into what Eghosa Osaghae describes succinctly as the “crippled giant” - there is the need for a new national togetherness that will reauthorise the federal union and re-energise Nigeria.

Those who are clamouring for this kind of change are fundamentally concerned with how to create a country that is strong, stable and liveable, one that is diverse but united, and one which, through good governance, ensures life more abundant for all. Such a good life that is provided by good governance is neither bound to ethnicity, nor to religious affiliation. In the Nigeria that we seek to recreate, our divisions will not be the parameters of our oneness and common humanity; rather, our oneness and common humanity will be the basis of resolving our divisions. We seek to create a country in which all Nigerians will have the confidence that when they lose, they have lost fairly; and that when they win, they have won equitably. It is the absence of this seemingly simple logic of national togetherness – one that is participatory, consensusoriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and one that is based on the rule of law – that has been the frustration of most Nigerians. From the insurgency in the Niger Delta to the extremisms in the far north, justice, equity and fairness can be used as the mechanisms of preserving and consolidating Nigeria’s national unity.

While the fundamental restructuring of the Nigeria

State will address key questions of political transformation, such issues as the writing of a people’s constitution and the question of constitutional governance, the fundamental precepts or authorising principles of national togetherness, citizenship and the nationality question, the political economy of federalism, including the raising, sharing and spending of public revenue, human rights, justice and equity, the nature of the autonomy of the constituent parts vis-a-vis the centre, the recognition and protection of minority rights, and such other fundamental questions; good governance is geared towards resolving the questions of social and economic reconstruction, electoral reform, strengthening of legislative oversight, security sector governance, social security, public sector reform, privatization, gender equality, and other such issues. The dynamism and vitality or vivacity of the Nigerian people, the diversity and beauty of our climate and land, Nigerians’ passionate and unsurpassable nationalism when the Super Eagles are playing against other national teams, and the astonishing good sense that even our muchmaligned national elite exercises every time Nigeria faces an outrageous conflict that threatens to terminate the country as a corporate entity, all convince me that Nigeria, in the course of time, will rise to match her manifest destiny.

Conclusion As I said at my inaugural address in October 2010, it is possible. Positive change is possible in Nigeria. There are many change agents who are devoted to ensure the legitimacy and responsiveness of the State, the deepening and expansion of democracy, good governance and national unity in Nigeria. These change agents are not only in the civil society. We also have them in the political society and the State. There are many challenges that these change agents face, but most of us, and I count myself among them, are undaunted.

In Ekiti State, with massive investment in Agriculture, infrastructure, public education, social services and health, and by creating a conducive environment for private enterprise to thrive, thereby creating economic opportunities for our people and working towards expanding the middle class, and by creating synergy not only locally, but also regionally among our contiguous states and by partnering with international development agencies, we have shown that change is possible and that good governance is achievable – even in a resource challenged state. This change is not only material, but also attitudinal.

As for my people in IsanEkiti, two years after, I still don’t use siren when I drive into town, and they have now embraced this as part of the best practices of good governance. Positive change is constantly beckoning on us.

We only have to continue to rise up to the occasion but I urge friends of Nigeria not to let the perfect become the enemy of the good.

I thank you for listening.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

17

ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Utilisation of natural gas to power industries, such as steel,manufacturing and others has brought succour and reduced the cost of production, reports DANIEL ESSIET

Gas: A window of opportunities W

ITH good reason, investors continue to see gas as the Holy Grail of economic transformation. After all, historically it has been the one special engine that has powered the economic rise of nations. For this reason the government is placing high priority on further increasing its natural gas production in an attempt to boost foreign earnings.

The government has been consistently encouraging its national oil and gas companies to invest and pursue opportunities in the gas markets.

With this support, the nation has seen an influx of activity with more projects proposed, construction commenced, and pipelines commissioned.

Speaking on the topic “Natural Gas: Sustaining Nigeria as a major player in the global gas business amidst competition from other energy players” at the just concluded 8th International Gas Conference and Exhibition in Abuja ,Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Nigeria LNG Limited, Mr Babs Omotowa,said the government is set to ramp up gas production by developing its huge reserves.

He said overall level of economic activity, is driving longterm demand for natural gas. He said Nigeria is experiencing the benefits of a period of very high gas industry growth through the development of the LNG industry.

He assured of more than enough gas to meet demand for both the export and domestic markets.

Speaking on Nigerian content – Supporting Gas Development Through the Nigerian Content Act, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board(NCDMB), Ernest Nwapa said the board is ready support gas development by providing technology, knowledge and skills to transform the nation’s fortunes.

He said one way the government could build a strong and resilient economy that had the capacity to provide decent jobs with satisfactory remunerations, was to tackle the issue of youth unemployment using the oil and gas sector.

The Managing Director,Total Nigeria Plc, Mr Guy Maurice, said the company has strong experience in operating large gas fields, LNG plants and gas storage.

He said Total is one of the world’s largest energy groups with a strong presence in Africa including more than 4,700 service stations in more than 40 countries.

According to him, the organisation owns and operates 5,000 km of gas distribution pipeline.

He said gas utilisation represents another opportunity to bring technology and competences within the reach of Nigeria and its peoples.

He said active partnerships between the investing companies, the Nigerian state, and the Communities are necessary if all actors are

to derive maximum benefit from this influx of foreign investment and technologies. He said such partnerships would be enhanced through readiness of all parties to boldly listen and engage, mutually support and work inclusively to develop the society in sustainable ways.

He said Nigeria can benefit from experiences from other lands, but Nigerians themselves would have to decide the pace, quantum, and impact they want the gas era to have in their nation.

He said the way forward is to redefine regulations that foster active engagement of all parties across the gas value-chain.

Domestic gas users had raised concerns about affordability and security of supply, in terms of securing medium and long-term contracts.

In the communiqué was issued at the end of the conference and exhibition, the Nigerian Gas Association (NGA),it stated: With proven gas reseres of up to 187TCF and one-third of Africa’s gas reserves, Nigeria qualified to be in the league of nations which had achieved gas-driven industrialisation, but sadly, Nigeria has not fully exploited the opportunities to leverage these resources to achieve industrialisation through extensive domestic penetration and development of gas based industries and the establishment of additional export oriented projects. Although government had embarked on an extensive gas network infrastructure backbone across the east, west and northern parts of the country, the state of infrastructure and issues relating to fiscal, financing, pricing and regulatory framework were still major challenges to gas export, utilisation and penetration in the country.”

The conference noted the emergence of other gas plants since NLNG such as Brass LNG and OK LNG even though the vision to

•From left: Managing Director, Nigerian Gas Company and New President Nigeria Gas Association (NGA),

Seidu Mohammed and MD NIPCO Plc, Venkataraman Venkatapathy during the 8th International Gas Conference/Exhibition, at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja. have major LNG, export terminals in key coastal areas was yet to be realised. The commendable achievements being made in Nigerian content development, especially in job creation and human capacity development, since the enactment of the NCD Act and the creation of its Monitoring Board.

Discoveries of large gas reserves in other African countries and the emergence of Shale gas is tightening the window of opportunity for Nigeria.

In commending the Federal Gov-

ernment, led by President Goodluck Jonathan, for launching the Gas Revolution to make Nigeria a regional hub for gas-based industries, the Conference called on the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to provide leadership and ensure sustenance of the initial momentum and the federal Government to engage the Organised Private Sector and other stakeholders ( in the oil and gas sector) in a comprehensive, inclusive dialogue and negotiations of the contents, direction and intention of the PIB

so as to address all differences and ultimately enact a law which would reflect national aspirations as well as protect all stakeholders’ interests.

The conference, while expressing delight at the progress, made in the gas revolution, observed that a lot of work still needed to be done, especially against the background of intense global competition in the gas industry. It therefore recommended that government should expedite action.

Concerns

‘Ports accepting LNG tankers are large and capital-intensive. The receiving facilities must be operated for long periods to generate returns to investors. Moreover, there are those who believe such coastal facilities will have negative effects on the local environment’

Ports accepting LNG tankers are large and capital-intensive.The receiving facilities must be operated for long periods to generate returns to investors. Moreover, there are those who believe such coastal facilities will have negativeeffects on the local environment.

For watchers,the concerns is whether the discovery of oil will bring prosperity and hope, or a political and economic curse, as has been the case in so many countries.

Lagos seeks NAPIMS’ partnership in oil and gas

T

HE Lagos State government is prepared to enhance its oil and gas sector by seeking partnership with the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) to exploit the enormous opportunities in the sector.

The state Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Taofiq Tijani, disclosed this during a visit to the management of NAPIMS. He said the state had made effort, through its numerous development policies to make its lofty oil and gas aspirations a reality.

Tijani noted that the state believes that with the collaboration of stakeholders such as NAPIMS, it would be possible for Lagos to realise its vision of becoming a global economic and financial hub through the development of a sustainable energy strategy and safe exploitation of its hydrocarbon re-

By Bidemi Bakare

sources.

The partnership, according to him, is to boost such areas as the power project, especially the NNPC/Chevron Agura IPP, gas delivery to power plants, possible marginal oil and gas field development as well as the corporate social responsibility by the NNPC subsidiary.

He said the state through the ministry was prepared to encourage and support the development and production of oil and gas fields within onshore and offshore as indicated by the various exploratory works being carried out by some operators.

While disclosing plans by the state to establish an oil and gas corporation to represent the interest of the state in all the industry opportunities, Tijani noted that effort

would be intensified toward ensuring that the bill for the establishment of the corporation now before the legislature receives approval on time.

Responding, the Group General Manager, Morris Fiddi said the company is impressed by the state's exploits in oil and gas development promising to ensure that the partnership works so that achievements made in that sector can be boosted.

He described the visit as home coming for the commissioner who had spent 15 years out of his 30 years meritorious service in NAPIMS. He added that being a thorough bred professional transforming the state's oil and gas sector with his wealth of experience would definitely be within the realm of possibility.

He promised that NAPIMS would continue to do much more than what it is currentlydoing in its cor-

porate responsibility drive to ensure that communities get what is due to them in return for exploitation activities.

“What most people dont realise is that we have been doing a lot in terms of corporate social responsibility. In fact, a lot of people do not know that anytime any of our joint venture partners carry out any CSR activities we play a major part in this exercise. The truth is that we contribute 60 per cent while the joint venture partner contributes 40 per cent. But it is the effort of our joint venture partners that is always feasible. This notwithstanding, we would continue to do our part and support whatever is going to make the society better. As for the state's energy project, we promise we would there as expected,” he added.

He said the company was also ready to provide clues on curbing the menace of cable theft that has become the lot of power infrastructure in the state.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

18

ENERGY

Arco seeks execution of local content law

T

HE Group Managing Director, GMD of Arco Petrochemical Engineering Company Plc, Mr. Alfred Okoigun has said the local content law will radically change the way business is being done in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

In an interactive session with correspondents who covered the National Gas Conference in Abuja, Mr. Okoigun said that the law was like taking the bull by the horn. The law, he said, would reposition indigenous company in the oil and gas sector where their counterparts in other oil and gas producing

Stories by Daniel Essiet

countries of the world had long been functioning effectively.

According to him, “The local content law in the industry will ensure that it is no longer business as usual as Nigerian companies should be able to penetrate the nooks and corners of the industry and prove their own mettle.”

The Arcohelsman, however, warned that the law is not meant to offer blanket protection to local companies. He said it was enacted to ensure that competent Nigerian companies are not kept perpetually at the lower rungs of the lad-

der in the industry.

He said: “They must enjoy the privilege to move up to the commanding heights of the industry without let or hindrance. The requirement is that such companies should be professional in its chosen field of operation.

“There is no place for shoddy jobs in the oil and gas industry. You either know what you are doing or you are completely out of the industry. You will work with big time players and you better know your onions before you take jobs from them. As a matter of fact, they have the capability to cross-check your claims to competence and

professionalism.”

He referred to oil and gas producing countries that had removed the conventional industry restrictions on indigenous companies and the gains that had accrued from such measures.

He said: “Countries that removed obstacles to the development and growth of local companies in the oil and gas industry opened avenues for indigenous skill acquisition, employment for the bright young ones who were jobless and created multiplier effects within the economy.”

Alfred believes that the signs at the moment are that Nigeria is se-

•From right: front row: Coordinating Director, Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS), Standards and Compliance Group, Mr Andy Ejemeyovwi; Support Service Group, Mr. Osy Chuke; Member, House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Hon. Abubakar A. Mison; Ag.ECFIRS, Alhaji Kabir M. Mashi, Representative of the Chairman House Committee on Finance, Hon. Babangida Ibrahim; FIRS Coordinating Director, Direct Report Group, Mr. Onyekachi Ihedioha; House Committee memebers on Finance, Hon. Aliyu Kazeem, Hon. Michael Olokpa, Hon. Abdukareem Olalekan and FIRS Coordinating Director, Modernisation Group, Alhaji. Abdullahi Attah, after the House oversight visit to FIRS.

‘NIPCO spends N17b on CNG projects’

N

IPCO Plc, an integrated indigenous downstream operator, has injected over N17 billion in the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) infrastructure in a joint venture scheme with Nigeria Gas Company (NGC), a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC).

The scheme resulted in the setting up of Green Gas Limited had inaugurated 8 CNG stations and three conversion workshops in Benin City while more outlets are under construction in other parts of the country.

Managing Director, Nipco, Mr Venkataraman Venkatapathy, spoke at the Nigeria Gas Association(NGA) Eighth International Conference and Exhibition.

He said over 1,500 vehicles had been configured to use CNG as vehicular fuel, which are capable of saving the nation huge a lot of money that could have been expended on fuel subsidy The Nipco boss explained that the GGL initiative, which is the first of its kind in West Africa, is ushering a new set of vehicles running on CNG in Nigeria with their attendant benefits.

Venkatapathy listed other infrastructure provided by the JV Company to include the laying of over 50 km still pipelines for gas distribution to the inaugurated CNG stations Benin City to guarantee access to gas to the outlets.

He said the conversion, which takes five hours has been very smooth since 2009 when the company inaugurated its first set of stations .

Venkatapathy explained that after conversion the vehicle could run on petrol and natural gas, thus giving the motorist a tab switch between using CNG and petrol.

The NIPCO helmsman said in to create more awareness on the benefits of powering vehicles with gas over petrol, GGL has showed cased CNG vehicles in exhibitions, including the NGA event to enable the public to see and experience vehicle that runs on petrol and CNG. He said the latest addition in the CNG revolution being undertaken

by GGL is the conversion of tricycles popularly referred to as “Keke Napep” and Mass Transit buses in the fleet of Edo State government transport fleet popularly known as "Comrade Bus".

According to him, five Edo mass transport buses are running on CNG for the last six months while 25 more are being converted as a further boost to natural gas usage in the state and beyond.

"The CNG initiative, which is the first of its kind in West Africa, is

receiving a lot of support from both the Federal and Edo State government, a feat that is serving as good catalyst for GGL to pursue the dream with vigour and deep sense of responsibility, he noted.

He reiterated that pioneering the project was a big challenge but the unwavering commitment of the Federal Government through the relevant agencies such as the NGC the JV partner, DPR etc have spurred them to redouble their efforts to enable the citizenry to enjoy the benefits of the environment friendly fuel.

Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, NNPC, Dr David Ige said the GGL initiative was commendable and in line with the transformation policy of President Goodluck Jonathan, which harps on the exploration of the abundant natural gas reserves for the ben-

efit of the people.

“The initiative between NIPCO and Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) was to leverage Natural Gas in vehicular use as it is significantly cheap, environment friendly, safe and efficient in comparison to white products, especially in a deregulated fuel market,” he said.

Ige maintained that over time, the 50 per cent savings enjoyed by taxi drivers whose cars run on CNG would be passed to passengers and make an average passenger in Nigeria move around at a relatively cheaper rate than they could with petrol.

The NNPC chief assured that the government would continue to support initiatives of this nature, adding that of the three firms given the licence to pioneer CNG revolution in 2007, only NIPCO showed enough commitment.

Total rewards dealers, pledges improved services

T

HE Total Nigeria Plc has rewarded the performing dealers at its filling stations in the seven zones of the country during its NIGOSCARA reward promotion held in Lagos at the weekend.

The Managing Director, Total Nig Plc, Francois Boussagol, who revealed the motive behind the competition, said customer satisfaction is key and paramount on the company’s profile, hence the dealers are expected to treat customers as king.

Francois stated that the company business and industry is characteriSed as being customer driven, highly competitive and volatile. Our vision and objective is to continue to sustain our leadership position by ensuring that refined petroleum products are delivered to our customers efficiently and safely.

However, Lagos south petrol stations zone emerged as winner among other seven (7) zones competitors.

The other zones that competed alongside Lagos south zone include; Lagos North Centre, Kaduna, Kano, Benin, Ibadan, Abuja and Port Harcourt who came second through effective time management as it was on same aggregate points with 3rd, 4th and 5th position.

He said all the competitors are winners irrespective of their positions, the performances have shown their capacities toward rendering standard sale and safety servicing to customer without worries.

“This prove they are working, they know the job and understand the goal of Total, which is customer friendly oriented and train-

ing imparted on them is not lost of money or time”, he said He emphasised the significant impact of the competition scope to be a way to balancing check and encourage others to do better, adding that, it always has added value and good result on the company’s profile.

However, the winner of this year’s competitor which is Lagos south will be receiving gift from the management including tours and other benefits.

According to the helmsman, the NIGOSCARS is an incentive scheme used by the company to encourage and reward commitment and dedication to duty. It is a top service competition geared towards customer satisfaction centred on the delivery of the company’s service offered to customers regularly on its stations forecourts.

rious about the implementation of the law and those put in position of responsibility to make the law to work deserved the support of all the stakeholders in the industry.

He congratulated the oil majors that have begun to take the initiatives of putting in place building blocks that will enable Nigerian indigenous companies to expand their business horizon in the industry as they believe that they stand to gain if they outsource many of the activities they had hitherto engaged themselves in.

On the issue of gas revolution in Nigeria, Alfred wants the Federal and state governments to work together to ensure that the focus of the revolution is the ordinary Nigerian who needs a job or who wants power to run his or her business and above all looks forward to a secured future.

He said that over a period of 30 years, his company had sponsored conferences, seminars and workshops solely on utilization of gas for optimal energy generation and export as well as the establishment of a variety of industries that would derive their raw materials from gas associated plants.

“It should be a new dawn for Nigeria if all these activities are progressing in good speed and without break,” he said.

‘GE committed to sustainable development’

G

ENERAL Electric (GE) Nigeria is committed to sustainable development of Nigeria, its President, Lazarus Angbazo, has said.

He spoke at the on-going 18th Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja.

GE , according to a statement, said it has joined forces with the Federal Government in the private and public sectors to support sustainable development in Nigeria, adding that it is contributing to the economic development and improved quality of lives for Nigerians.

Speaking on the alliance, Angbazo explained that the pact with the Federal Government, especially in the health, rail and power sectors, is aimed at delivering government priorities for vision 2020.

“GE is a trusted and strategic partner to the Nigerian government and the people of Nigeria. Our commitment to grow in Nigeria with Nigeria is demonstrated by our holistic approach to investments in the country,” he said.

Angbazo stated that in providing the infrastructural and technological needs in the power, healthcare and rail transportation sectors, the company’s diverse technologies are well positioned to help the country become a top 20 economy by 2020.

“GE is committed to localizing global innovation capabilities, home grown solutions to Nigeria’s problems and collaborating with Nigerian stakeholders to broaden the innovation play whilst building strong partnerships.

“Today, our electrocardiogram and ultrasound healthcare equipment helps Nigerian doctors with early detection of health risks, health maintenance and preventative health measures. Our rail locomotives are designed to use advance monitoring technology to move passengers and freight across Nigeria, reducing road and port traffic. In the power sector, our superior oil and gas compressors and energy power turbines are helping to boost Nigeria’s oil and powergenerating capacities,” Angbazo reiterated while speaking on some of the activities of GE in Nigeria.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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COMMENTARY EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

EDITORIALS

Rules for targeted killing

Not so, Sanusi

•CBN boss’ controversial style often blunts the soundness of his message T is just as well that organised labour and some influential opinion moulders have heavily descended on Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, for his call to slice the federal civil service by half, scrap non-viable states and do away with cost centres that are 774 local governments nationwide, and their mimic bureaucracy.

He spoke at the 2nd Capital Market Committee retreat in Warri, Delta State.

For this outburst, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in a reaction that President Abdulwaheed Omar signed, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the CBN governor. Trade Union Congress (TUC) President-General, Peter Esele, hit Sanusi for his undue loquaciousness – a charge not at all unfair. Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, dismissed Sanusi as reckless, since his remedy of mass sack would plunge an uneasy country into further troubles. Femi Falana, SAN, declared Sanusi’s call “irresponsible”.

This flak is not unjustified – and not on the basis of loquacity alone. The CBN governor, in this latest controversy for instance, called for the complete removal of petroleum subsidy. But he also canvassed, as a prelude, the punishment of those who stole subsidy money.

If some people indeed stole “subsidy money” – and the allegedly stolen funds have been traced to ruling party barons and big time supporters and donors, lending credence to suppositions that the socalled “subsidy” was no more than slush campaign funds that the government is arm-twisting Nigerians to pay back –

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where in lies the soundness of that call?

How can Sanusi call for subsidy removal when there is no incontrovertible proof that there was ever any subsidy?

Recall: Sanusi, with Ngozi OkonjoIweala, finance minister and Diezani Alison-Madueke, petroleum minister, were the vociferous triad, goading the president to remove the “subsidy”, which he tried to do in January with disastrous consequences. After the explosion of peaceful protests, Sanusi lost his voice and slithered into uncustomary silence. With another January approaching, might this be another Sanusi goading the president to commit political suicide?

But be that as it may, Sanusi broached some home truths which not even his loquacity could negate. The current 36-state structure is simply a developmental nightmare: it makes the Federal Government too big to be responsible and the states too puny to be viable. To quash 70 kobo out of every one naira available to service this sink hole is not only criminal and ungodly; it is also a recipe for explosion that may well consume the polity. No less disastrous is the paradox of centralised local governments, 774 of them, structured less for development but more to extract nourishment from the federal revenue pool. All these need radical and sweeping restructuring – Sanusi’s loquacity or no.

But the CBN governor erred by picking on a soft target: civil servants. Yes, the civil service is bloated. To that extent, a section of it, particularly the lower cadre, would appear unproductive. But the real drain pipe would appear clearly the political bureaucracy, which in fairness, Sanusi

also attacked.

Still, the solution to trimming the bloated civil service is certainly not throwing half of its present size into sudden unemployment, in a country already crippled with massive joblessness. That is unwise and harebrained. A better result would emerge from clinical audit to weed out ghost workers and careful recruitment policy to engage only needed hands, after easing off deadwoods through statutory retirements. That, at best, is a long term plan.

But beyond everything in the Sanusi saga is the impropriety of a government chief banker turned newspaper activist, pillorying the same government he serves. If that is CBN autonomy, it is decidedly ugly and irresponsible. That is why Mallam Sanusi must put his garrulity in check, as long as he remains CBN governor.

‘Still, the solution to trimming the bloated civil service is certainly not throwing half of its present size into sudden unemployment, in a country already crippled with massive joblessness. That is unwise and harebrained. A better result would emerge from clinical audit to weed out ghost workers and careful recruitment policy to engage only needed hands, after easing off deadwoods through statutory retirements’

Profligate leaders • Incredible! N1.3bn not enough for ‘chop chop’ in Aso Rock MMANUEL Ogbile, State House, Aso-Rock Villa Permanent Secretary must have jolted the nation with his argument before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and InterGovernmental Affairs when he said that the N1,305, 292, 050 allocated for the Presidency in the 2013 budget for refreshments, meals and other miscellaneous expenses was insufficient. This is in a country where millions live on less than a dollar per day. The revelation was the fallout of his defence of the 2013 Presidency budget of N14.7 billion.

Ogbile was adamant in his laughable justification: “I have taken pains to explain that this money is not just to fund the residence of the President and the Vice President…The experience I have had is that this fund is grossly insufficient. It’s not enough… The Federal Ex-

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‘Nigeria is indeed a power debauched country with avaricious leaders. Mujica’s message to them all: “I’m called ‘the poorest president’, but I don’t feel poor. Poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle, and always want more and more….This is a matter of freedom. If you don’t have many possessions then you don’t need to work all your life like a slave to sustain them…..” We cannot agree more that our leaders’s profligacy has enslaved them to power’

ecutive Council (FEC) holds every Wednesday and we take care of them through this budget.”

He erroneously believes that his inclusion of the National Economic Council (NEC) meetings, presidential retreats, National Merit Award, hosting of dignitaries, Council of State meetings, among others in the menu list, would sway uncontrolled outrage. But it is a good thing that Senator Dahiru Kuta, committee chairman, corrected his claim that the Merit Award ceremony is a beneficiary as he pointedly told him that the award has its own separate budget. Obviously, some of the other headings might be a ruse too!

The Presidency budget also has few horrendous proposals, including the N107, 412,768 for honorarium and sitting allowance. We ask: To be paid to whom? Then there is N37, 277, 825 for publicity and advertisement; N50, 308,546 medical expenses in a country that lacks basic medical facilities for the people; N32,910,730 for sporting activities when there is a National Sports Commission in place; N4,589,793 for subscription to professional bodies; N144, 788,555 for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), IT, LOCUM, houseman-ship and contract staff allowances. Overtime is also to cost N250, 455,589 just as animals feeding and supplements for the veterinary clinic will cost N30, 584,144.

The financial impiety of the government is becoming legendary. The lesson from President Jose Mujica of Uruguay who has maintained a Spartan life as current leader of his country might be instructive. This former guerrilla soldier

and political prisoner spent 14 years in jail under harsh conditions before his election into office in 2009. Despite this, he does not vent his spleen on the system by emptying the public till to make up for his past sufferings, whether in the prison, with wife or as a member of Tupamaros, the radical Uruguayan leftist militia guerrilla group.

Mujica, 77, shunned the splendour of his Presidential Palace in the capital city of Montevideo to live an ascetic life on his wife’s half-dilapidated farmhouse where he fetches water from a well in a yard overgrown with weeds and hangs out his clothes on a line to dry in the open.

Mujica, a vegetarian, drives a 1987 VW Beetle. He takes home $775 a month since he donates 90 percent of his monthly salary of $12,000 to the poor and small entrepreneurs. In his 2010 mandatory wealth declaration, his entire possession was $1,800 plus the realisable value of his old VW Beetle. Contrast this with what happens in Nigeria? Unbelievable!

Nigeria is indeed a power debauched country with avaricious leaders. Mujica’s message to them all: “I’m called ‘the poorest president’, but I don’t feel poor. Poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle, and always want more and more….This is a matter of freedom. If you don’t have many possessions then you don’t need to work all your life like a slave to sustain them…..”

We cannot agree more that our leaders’ profligacy has enslaved them to power.

They have lost their freedom to insatiable urge to retain power at all cost. What an absurdity!

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HE White House reportedly is developing rules for when to kill terrorists around the world. The world may never see them, given the Obama administration’s inclination toward unnecessary secrecy regarding its national security policy.

But the effort itself is a first step toward acknowledging that when the government kills people away from the battlefield, it must stay within formal guidelines based on the rule of law — especially when the life of an American citizen is at stake.

For eight years, the United States has conducted but never formally acknowledged a program to kill terrorists associated with Al Qaeda and the Taliban away from the battlefield in Afghanistan. Using drones, the Central Intelligence Agency has made 320 strikes in Pakistan since 2004, killing 2,560 or more people, including at least 139 civilians, according to the Long War Journal, a Web site that tracks counterterrorism operations. Another 55 strikes took place in Yemen.

Administration officials have never explained in any detail how these targets are chosen. Are they killing people only associated with groups that participated in the Sept. 11 attacks, the limitation imposed by Congress when it authorized military force in 2001? Or are they free to remove any threat to the United States they perceive? Officials insist they go after only actual belligerents covered in the 2001 legislation, but the public and the world have no way of knowing whether these decisions are made ad hoc, or how they would be interpreted by future presidents.

Before the election, when it looked as if Mitt Romney had a chance of winning the White House, administration officials began codifying these rules, according to a recent report in The Times by Scott Shane.

Mr. Obama did not want to leave an “amorphous” program to his successor, one official told Mr. Shane anonymously.

That impulse was right, even if the reasoning was wrong. The rules for killing shouldn’t be amorphous simply because Mr. Romney might have taken over; they need to be rigorous and formalized for Mr. Obama, too. If he sets proper boundaries, it would create a precedent that his successors would have to justify breaking.

Providing wide latitude to kill would be worse than pointless. Any rules should specify that no one can be killed unless actively planning or participating in terror, or helping lead Al Qaeda or the Taliban. Raising money for terror groups, or making tapes urging others to kill, does not justify assassination, and neither does a threat or a revolt against another government. Killing should be a last resort, when it can be demonstrated that capture is impossible. Standards for preventing the killing of innocents who might be nearby should be detailed and thorough. (Most of these rules are already part of international law.)

Standard police methods should be used on American soil. And if an American citizen operating abroad is targeted, due process is required. We have urged the formation of a special court, like the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, that could review the evidence regarding a target before that person is placed on a kill list. Otherwise, the government should establish a clear procedure so officials outside of the administration are allowed to pass judgment on assassination decisions.

Mr. Obama has acknowledged the need for a “legal architecture” to be put in place “to make sure that not only am I reined in but any president’s reined in.” Yet his administration has resisted legal efforts by The Times and the American Civil Liberties Union to make public its secret legal opinions on these killings. Once the rules are completed, they should be shown to a world skeptical of countries that use deadly force without explanation.

– The New York Times

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Kunle Fagbemi •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: I was very enraptured when I came across the invitation by Boko Haram to have General Muhammadu Buhari as one of their mediators with the Federal Government. It was in the belief that more revelations would emerge. As a concerned Nigerian and a practising Christian, I am worried, just as others are, on the frequent attacks on churches by the sect which led to the loss of some of my precious teachers at the Bayero University Kano some months ago.

Many people are of the suspicion that Buhari was behind the hazardous activities of the sect, quoting what they claimed was his proclamation in the 2011 campaign tours that “he would make Nigeria unstable if he was not elected president,”, a statement I never heard from him because I actively participated and heard all his speeches during the presidential campaign tour.

They alleged his statement gave rise to the post-election crisis and now Boko Haram.

I remember vividly, Buhari’s popular statement to his teeming supporters was“vote, stay and guard your votes till they are counted.” He said this everywhere he went. The 2011 general election which was to some extent, rigged in favour of the government in power generated a lot of crisis in the northern part of the country, which led to the burning of numerous churches by the hooligans. The hooligans whose targets were the PDP big shots suddenly turned the whole aggression against Christians, not minding the fact that a lot of them had supported and voted for Buhari against their Christian brethren.

With a Christian cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare, as his running mate and for the fact that the National Chairman of CPC, Prince Tony Momoh himself was a Christian, nobody from the Buhari camp could have encouraged any mob action against Christians. Now, the sect has mentioned the General along with five other personalities as trusted mediators between them and the federal government. The blackmail of Buhari is now seen as the bargaining power for juicy gains from the PDP government and some inconsequential people have taken that as

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

Let’s unearth the truth about Boko Haram their new profession.

The General, who rejected his invitation on the grounds that he could not mediate for a group he does not know and which revels in killing innocent souls, has never been confronted by anybody for turning down the request. If he had not been invited as a mediator by the sect, his detractors wouldn’t have had the privilege of knowing his innocence.

If Buhari had any hand, directly or indirectly in the activities of Boko Haram, he would not have come out openly to denounce its invitation as a co-mediator. The sect would have

come out with some striking revelations if at all Buhari had betrayed them. There are some disgruntled elements in Nigeria who are usually prepared to use religion for their personal aggrandizements; they derive benefits from sponsoring violence and this is not new in our dear nation.

During Shehu Shagari’s administration, the Maitatsine crisis broke out in Kano and other parts of the north where innocent people were killed; up till now, and just like Boko Haram, nobody can clearly define its objectives and what the Maitatsine really stood for. This was

the handiwork of some disgruntled elements who wanted to create unnecessary confusion in the polity.

That was not Buhari.For anybody to link him to the chain of unfortunate activities happening presently in Nigeria is a disservice to the nation.

If President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had confessed in a national broadcast that he knew members of Boko Haram and some are part of his PDP-led government, I can’t understand why Nigerians are not pressurizing him to expose the so called members but rather accusing people whose guilt are not confirmed.

Where would somebody whose in-

come and financial status is known by all Nigerians, get the funds to procure the expensive cars and other weapons used by the Boko Haram?

Even if it is true that the person who spoke for the sect was their real spokesperson, it could be that they have seen Buhari as an honest person who cannot be bought over by both sides. This is because of their involvement of other reputable Nigerians like Dr. Shetimma Ali Mungono, who can be attested by anybody as a patriotic Nigerian in their negotiating team.

While I strongly condemn the devilish activities of Boko Haram and those behind them, I strongly believe that their day of reckoning is around the corner. I believe in the universally accepted statement that “ninety-nine days for the thief, one day for the owner”.

• Comrade Richard Tersoo Mnenga, World Peace Academy, University of Basel, 12, Basel 4053. Switzerland

NCC’s ban on telecoms’ promos in order

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IR: The indefinite ban placed by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on all promos and lotteries in the Telecoms industry is a welcome development. According to the Director, Public Affairs of the NCC Mr. Tony Ojobo, the ban is with immediate effect and shall continue to remain in force until such a time as may be determined by the Commission. It is very valid to assert that prior to the coming of this ban, Nigerians had for months suffered unnecessary hardship imposed on them by GSM providers in the country who under the guise of carrying out promos, which was nothing but unbridled capitalistic war to outwit each other, recklessly rolled out all manner of ridiculous promos, and bogus prizes.

It is on record that while this long season of anomie reigned, no week would pass by without one new promo or the other being unleashed by a GSM provider, ostensibly to overthrow the other competitors.

Thus, the GSM companies simply relegated efficient service delivery and subscriber satisfaction to the

background, and in a naturally expected bourgeois class-imposed scramble, some Nigerians too, unmindful of the huge fortune being made by these GSM companies via this conduit, also latched on to the so-called promos, seeing them as free-for-all. Most of them spent thousands of naira buying loads of recharge cards in time past with nothing to show for it. Had it stopped at just the problem of terrible overcongestion of the networks and continuous dropped calls perhaps it would have been a lot easier to explain. It got to a stage when the GSM companies were promising subscribers amazing prizes like winning an airplane for recharging up to N3000, or a huge luxurious bus to start a dream transport business or winning one billion naira.

At this point, the scramble to win the so-called star prize simply skyrocketed. While the GSM provider smiled to the bank, the already terrible network congestion tightened, confidence of subscribers in the sector was further imperilled and after so much pressure. Close to six months of this reign of “GSM Calls

go-slow” that was mindlessly imposed by the Telecoms companies, Nigerians suffered one unsavoury fate or the other, only by reason of the fact that they could not make calls out when caught in very terrible situations, and as at that time the NCC was nowhere to be found.

Where then does one situate all of these losses, if not at the doorstep of the NCC? The NCC like every other Government Agency is not supposed to avail itself of a deep slumber akin to the type the biblical Jonah in that Ship on the way to Tarshish, while companies under their superintendence go on frolics of their own. A chronicle of the plenitude of misdemeanours of these GSM companies will leave one amazed. For instance, many a time, Nigerians have had huge amount of credit vanish from their phones after making just a short call without a refund from their GSM provider. Countless times too, people are simply cajoled to switch from one package to another, usually offering all manner of goodies, only to do so and see that all of one’s credit is gone. That is not to also

leave out the unending flow of very many unnecessary promo SMS asking consumers to get one song or the other that usually adds no significant value to the subscriber. Also, the idea whereby some of the self-acclaimed giants amongst the GSM companies periodically thump their chest claiming to have hit a certain subscriber base usually above 10 million, whereas the necessary infrastructure is totally lacking, is just another way of short-changing subscribers. Much as Nigerians appreciate the NCC ban, it may turn out to be nothing but removing a tiny speck out of a log-filled eyes, if these other menace catalogued about are not addressed. Now is therefore the time for the NCC to indeed regulate these GSM companies and checkmate their unconscionable recklessness which transcends the congestion on their networks, but rather streams into their other roaming activities.

• Olusola Adegbite, Esq. Block 107A, Mayo-Belma Close, PW Estate, Kubwa, Abuja.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEEMBER 4, 2012

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COMMENTS

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HIS piece is not for the Christian Gregorian calendar, decreed bigot or Muslim fanatic. Neither into being by Pope Gregory XIII is it for the emotively misguided, on 24 February 1582. Besides, January 1 cannot be totally sepawarring for God who could war for Himrated from the international celself. It is rather for the open-minded; with ebration of the Yuletide, the absolutely no hang-up about religion, the Christmas season. bastion of immensely personal faith.

That moves the discourse to the Look at Nigeria’s green-white-green. hoopla State of Osun Governor, Isn’t green rather dull for Nigerians Olakunle Rauf Aregbesola, caused with known for their vigour, dynamism and his declaration of November 15 lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) corky pride, when the subject is national Abimbola as Hijrah (Islamic New Year’s bragging rights?

Day) this year.

Why would anyone therefore pick such Was the governor right by drab colour for Nigeria, when Britain the law? No doubt. Was it politic? departing colonial master had draped itNot convinced: that the Yoruba self in a blaze of red, blue and white? term in April (which dovetailed with Easter), second term in Auare famously tolerant of rival faiths does not eliminate residual Why green? A surreptitious tinge of Islamic green, as partgust and the end-of-year longer holiday in December (which also Christian-Muslim tensions, which the Hijrah declaration aping gift to the Sokoto Caliphate and its green flag, for its lastdovetailed into the Christian Yuletide, a season in Christendom peared to have goaded in many a Christian psyche. ing partnership in the British colonising mission in Nigeria? starting from December 24 – Christmas Eve – to January 6, well Was the declaration legitimate? If legitimacy is interpreted as Look at the Nigerian currency: N1, 000, N500, N200 and N100 beyond the Christian New Year’s Day of January 1). quiescence in Osun, it would appear so: for while Osun Muslims notes. All have Arabic inscriptions. Yet Nigeria’s lingua franca Indeed, ever so adaptive Yoruba Christians have promptly appear happy and proud of their latest concession from the state, is English, not Arabic. tagged Christmas, Odun Kekere (small festival) and New Year’s hardly any Christian groups have growled over the holiday.

None of Nigeria’s native national communities has Arabic Day, Odun-Nla (big festival). Besides, the harmless Yuletide wish So, why the media hue and cry? Perhaps because a governor as their mother tongue, though a lot of Muslim scholars and of “a merry Christmas and happy New Year” holds in its goodjust accused of putative Islamisation should be very circumspect clerics in these communities use Arabic as the Islamic code: for will cheer an imposed Christian calendar. on religious matters. That is good faith. teaching and scholarly discourse; a reality that led the reliIndeed, Yuletide appears some unseen parallel to Saudi Arabia, But much of the media flak veered beyond good faith into giously liberal Yoruba to tag Muslims Imale (literally, hard which theocratic court declares as many as 10 days to celebrate the impish intolerance and sweeping but false claims. The most stuff, regarding Arabic), as distinct from Igbagbo (Christianity). two Islamic feasts of eid-al-fitr (after Ramadan) and eid-al-adha (which blatant of these claims that no Arab and Muslim country has That tag underscored the relative inaccessibility of Arabic in Yoruba adherents simply tag Ileya – literally, “time to go home Hijra as public holiday is false. the local Yoruba community, since they could access Chrisand feast”).

According to www.schoolholidaysguide.com, Egypt, Malaytianity by English (the colonising language) and Yoruba (their The Nigerian case is even more interesting when compared sia (marked as Awal Muharram), Indonesia, Kuwait and United mother tongue, thanks to the works of Bishop Ajayi Crowther, with Egypt, a secular state with a Muslim majority and a sizeable Arab Emirates (UAE) have Hijrah as public holidays, though all who translated the Bible into Yoruba). Islam enjoyed no such Coptic Christian minority. Egypt, each year, celebrates the Coptic of these countries, except Egypt, also observe January 1 as public twin-luxury of lingo accessibility, even if both religions are Christmas (January 7), Orthodox Easter (April 25, this year). For holiday. Saudi Arabia runs an official Islamic calendar but does bastions of unquestionable faith, and Islam had cohabited with the Muslim festivals of eid-al-fatr, it sets aside three days of public not declare Hijrah a public holiday. Neither does it declare JanuYoruba traditional beliefs long before the advent of Christianholiday, and four days for Qurban (eid-al-adha). It also observes a ary 1. Hijrah is no public holiday in Pakistan. But Pakistan also ity. public holiday for Al-Hijrah, the Islamic New Year, but only only observes January 1 as “banker’s holiday”, according to There appears therefore ample evidence of Islamic symbolrecognises what, in most of the Arab world is called the internainformation on this website. ism in the panoply of Nigerian national symbols, even if Nitional New Year’s Day, January 1, though on that day, offices Thinking Aregbesola’s Hijrah move is impolitic, therefore, is geria is constitutionally a secular state. remain open. within the explosive realm of political gains and losses. If that But look at the other side of the religious coin. The governFrom the foregoing therefore, it would appear Nigeria is under Machiavellian motive indeed drove the declaration, then it is ment calendar and the routine work-free days are decidedly the twin-domination of Muslim and Christian symbolisms, which well and truly condemnable.

Christian. The colonial master worked from Monday to Satis just as well: since a majority of Nigerians claim to be Christian But if it was driven by meeting deeply felt but much repressed urday and worshipped on Sunday. So, Nigeria’s official rest or Muslim.

Muslim aspirations, there is nothing sinister about it, so long as day is Sunday, after the Western, Christian calendar.

It is also clear that though officially January 1 is not in Nigeria a no non-Muslim is forced to join in the Hijrah celebrations.

Femi Abbas, a Friday columnist with The Nation, has claimed Christian holiday, its root is Christian. It is the first day in the The notorious fact is that the Nigerian Christian and Muslim Seventh Day Adventists, a Christian sect, successfully permajority, having carved the country in their twin-images, bawl suaded Gen. Yakubu Gowon to, from half-day, make Saturday “The Nigerian Christian and Muslim and scream anytime they sense a tilt on the domination scale. a full work-free day, since the Adventists worship on that day. majority, having carved the country in That is no ode to tolerance.

But not even the strong Islamic lobby could persuade the BritSo, let all in the State of Osun beware. As citizens, Osun Musish colonialists and independent Nigerian governments to their twin-images, bawl and scream lims have a right to Hijrah. But adherents of other faiths, like make Friday, the Muslim rest day, work-free, though Musanytime they sense a tilt on the domi- African traditional believers, have rights too. lims are allowed ample time for Friday Jumat prayers.

So, when this most repressed group come to the fore to claim Before aligning the school calendar with the international nation scale. That is no ode to toler- their own religious rights, let no one turn emergency jihadists September-July cycle, the January to December calendar was ance” or crusaders! decidedly Christian. Schools took short breaks in the first

epublican ipples

Osun, Hijrah and equity

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HAT kind of human being returns to his or her own vomit?

Because even a dog does not...

But, obviously, some people, for whatever reasons seem to be comfortable around puke, whether it is theirs or that of others.

I’m pointedly referring to how the elite Nigerian political class as personified by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). As it is, the party continually gains notoriety for infamous acts of some of its high profile members across the length and breadth of the country. And this trend does seem to abating anytime soon.

The latest is the re-arraigning of one of its recently re-admitted members, former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, for embezzlement of N1.2billion while in office, at the Federal High Court, AdoEkiti. Even on that occasion, the highhandedness exhibited by security cohorts of the former governor spoke volumes of the brigandage associated with the PDP. At the court premises, it was reported that ‘loyal’ policemen to Fayose initially barred

‘Bode George, after being ferried off to prison was given a hero’s welcome by the party. Also, former chairman of the PDP Board of trustees, and former minister of works, Tony Anenih was recently asked by the House of Representatives concerning how N2.3bn that was awarded for road contract in 2001. These are examples of the sort of individuals sensible political parties should severe alliance with’

PDP and Fayose’s unholy alliance

By Daniel Akinbayo journalists from covering the court proceedings. It took the intervention of the state’s police public relations officer before journalists were allowed access. Now, that sends dangerous signals.

Yet, the same Fayose still aspires to hold public office. In saner societies, such ambitions would be a no-go after being arraigned on a 27 count charge bordering on mis-appriopriation of state funds. I find it also sad that Fayose is resorting to cheap legalese to buy time and perhaps a further lease of life for himself. Owoseni Ajayi, counsel representing Fayose had reportedly tried to stall the former governor’s re-arraignment. In a bid to frustrate the proceedings, Ajayi had sought to dismiss the EFCC’s counsel, Adebisi Adeniyi, saying it was only Rotimi Jacobs that had fiat to prosecute the case. It was a relief that Justice Adamu Hobon ruled in Adeniyi’s favour.

Fayose definitely lacks the stuff good leaders are made of. But, this is just my take.

It must be recalled that Fayose was first arraigned for the offence in Lagos in 2007 while he was still governor. The biggest challenge lawyers of the former governor could offer then came in the form of ‘lack of jurisdiction’ as it was pointed out that the offence was not committed in Lagos.

Hence, it was back to Ekiti State. Wellknown for his frolicking lifestyle, around Fayose, there was never a lack of the best comforts life offered. He explored them and it seemed that to him, cost was no restrain. As governor, there were various ways to pay for such a flamboyant lifestyle as long as Ekiti State coffer was still liquid.

And seemingly, for his profligacy, he

found ways to explore the state’s till.

I have often wondered why associations continue to adopt certain individuals despite allegations of treasury looting, stealing, and subsequent public disgrace labelled on such individuals. The PDP would do good to begin to renounce some of such individuals; rather it seems to make a penchant of rubber-stamping them.

Bode George, after being ferried off to prison was given a hero’s welcome by the party. Also, former chairman of the PDP Board of trustees, and former minister of works, Tony Annenih was recently asked by the House of Representatives concerning how N2.3bn that was awarded for road contract in 2001. These are examples of the sort of individuals sensible political parties should sever alliance with. Why does the PDP continue to swell its folds with characters like Fayose? Perhaps, the major reason why this severance may not be possible may be because birds of a feather flock together.

While in law, a suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond any reasonable doubt. In the eyes of the public, it is a different game. In the public glare, a suspect is presumed guilty should any accusation be levelled against him or her.

And responsible politicians do the honourable thing of hiding their face in shame. In some climes, Fayose would have been ashamed for rubbishing the party’s name by such accusation of theft.

But, sadly, this is Nigeria and the party concerned is the PDP, widely acclaimed as Africa’s biggest political party by its members.

However, with so much recklessness, the people of Fayose’s party plundered state funds, and like smart ‘crooks’ which most

of them are, they covered their tracks. But, one can only cover his or her tracks well for so long. There comes a time when a wrong step is taken and a wide opening comes up. That crack for Fayose came with the allegation of theft in 2007. As it is now, the law machinery is grinding for Fayose who has another set date in court for January 24th 2013. I wish him well.

And he had better be prepared to face judgment.

Lastly, while I do not speak for the entire Ekiti indigenes, I believe I can stick out my neck, that apart from the few crooks and PDP apologists in the state, the people are tired of the brigandage which the state was hitherto held by both Fayose and the PDP cabal. And for this, Fayose must not count on support from Ekiti people. Already, 31 witnesses are ready to testify against him. Interpreted in another way, Ekiti people no longer want to tolerate non-performers like him.

Fayose may not know now but being accused of theft has proved he is a good example of a bad leader in the public square already.

• Akinbayo writes from Ado-Ekiti

It must be recalled that Fayose was first arraigned for the offence in Lagos in 2007 while he was still governor.

The biggest challenge lawyers of the former governor could offer then came in the form of ‘lack of jurisdiction’ as it was pointed out that the offence was not committed in Lagos.

Hence, it was back to Ekiti State.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

22

COMMENTS

C

ENTRAL Bank governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is a straight talker, always shooting from the hips. Although some of his views could be annoying and irritating, but give it to the Kano prince, he says it the way he sees and feels it and seems not to care whose ox is gored.

And any time ‘Basket Mouth’ decides to leak or open, apologies to late Afrobeats legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, you can be rest assured that not a few feathers would be ruffled. And so it happened last week when the head of the apex bank decided it was time the government was told the home truth (according to St.Lamido) about its workforce; it is too large, he says, cut it.

In plain language, the economist is calling on the three tiers of government to sack some of their workers. And you may want to know why. The CBN governor says the government is spending about 70 per cent of resources available to it to service its workers, leaving just 30 per cent for other sectors. And for a government workforce of just a little more or less than a million, consuming the resources meant for a population of about 167 million does not just make sense, he argues.

He is therefore calling on government to lay off some of these workers in order to free some of the revenue used in paying their salaries and other emoluments for investment in social infrastructure that are presently seriously deficient. Spot on did you say? Good talk. But then that is just looking at the problem from purely an economist point of view. A sociologist will definitely differ and consider the wider implications of a massive sudden job loss as being suggested by Sanusi on the entire society, including the government.

As expected, the CBN Governor’s suggestion is not being well received especially by organised labour which has called for the sacking of Sanusi instead, by the Federal Government, which itself doesn’t seem to fancy the top banker’s unsolicited advice. And Sanusi as usual is unperturbed, after all this is not his first time of swimming against the tide of public opinion and every time he emerged unscathed. Will he be lucky again this time and weather the gathering storm of public anger, especially of workers against him? I think so.

Will this basket mouth once again get away with this intellectual arrogance and I know it all attitude that gives him that aura of an untouchable who could talk down on anything and anybody and nothing will happen? Sadly, yes. Has our CBN Governor attained that level of infallibility like the Pope that he can say and

T

HE Uduaghan-led administration’s commitment to education and human capital development has led to the birth of such laudable programmes as the Delta State Bursary and Scholarship award scheme to prove that “every child counts”.

When Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan assumed office in 2007, he compartmentalized the challenges of the state into peace and security, human capital development and infrastructural development. This three point agenda has not only remained the cardinal focus of his administration, during his first and now in his second tenures but has been vigorously pursued.

In achieving his goals towards Human Capital Development, the government has continued to support the educational advancement of Deltans with bursary, scholarship awards among other forms of financial aid to students at all levels.

From primary pupils to postgraduate students, there are various forms of scholarship schemes and financial assistance at their disposal. West African Educational Council (WAEC) fees are paid for secondary school students among others.

This year alone, additional 518 students of Delta State origin were beneficiaries of N73.9 million released by the state government as scholarship awards to outstanding students, including those currently studying in different countries across the globe.

A break down of the figure shows that 367 undergraduate students received amounts ranging from N100, 000 to N300, 000 apart from 106 masters and 45 doctorate degree students.

Though the Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board through which the scholarship is disbursed was established in August 2003, the impact of the Board was not felt till the Emmanuel led administration took over the reins of government in the state.

As the scholarship scheme is being pursued, expanded, courtesy of Governor Uduaghan’s education consciousness, it has clearly become part and parcel of the present administration’s vision for massive manpower development as well as to secure the future of Deltans.

The award also puts into consideration the financial challenges of certain categories of students such as children of deceased civil servants in secondary and tertiary institutions

Listen to the message do no wrong? Something like that. Is he beyond reproach? It seems so. Recall that this man had done and said certain things outside his core area of competence as an economist/ banker that could have caused social upheaval and nobody called him to order? Even in banking where we are told he is an expert in risk management, some of his whimsical decisions (some bordering on political rather than sound economic considerations) have done more harm than good to the sector and not a few workers have a sad story to tell as a result. The success or otherwise of his famed banking reforms is there for all to see and the jury is still out. You remember his failed N5,000 note project that crashed following public outcry?

Even when his reasons for wanting to introduce this new note fell short of basic economic principles and were shot down by fellow economists, he still insisted on going ahead until public outcry and common sense prevailed on the government to turn him down.

I am not trying to catalogue the sins of Sanusi, and they are many, depending on which side of the argument you are, the man also has some strong points that could help us get out of our economic problems. Now before we crucify him over his latest unguarded comment and unsolicited advice wouldn’t it be better if we look at what he said and not himself? That is, looking at the message and not the messenger.

Quite often the personality of the messenger tends to influence or interfere with the reception the message gets. And this is exactly the problem with Sanusi. He has put himself in a situation where not a few would read meanings into every of his actions or utterances no matter how altruistic and genuine they appear.

They now look for the motive first before supporting or believing him, even when he is saying the truth, as he seemed to be saying in the matter at hand.

Speaking last Tuesday at the second annual Capital Market Committee Retreat in Warri, Delta State, Sanusi observed that “at the moment 70 per cent of Federal Government’s revenue goes for payment of salaries and entitlement of civil servants, leaving 30 per cent for development of 167 million Nigerians. That means for every naira government earns, 70 kobo is consumed by civil servants.

You have to half of the civil service because the revenue of the government is supposed to be for 167 million Nigerians. Any society where government spends 70 per cent of its revenue on its civil service has a problem. It is unsustainable.

The various tiers of government should cut down their recurrent expenditure and use the fund to provide basic infrastructure like schools, hospitals, etc “How can we be using the proceeds from our major source of revenue to service recurrent expenditure, by paying salaries, allowances, etc. The country should be thinking of enhancing its productivity base rather than spending on things that cannot create wealth,” Sanusi said.

Whether his observation in terms of the percentages is true in fact is debatable, giving the fact that accurate statistics are rare to come by in Nigeria, but what is undeniable is that we spend far too much; the bulk of our resources paying its workers and this is unfair to the rest of us in the private sector. So why call for Sanusi’s head for saying the ‘truth’? is the solution he proffered to the problem he identified.

Calling for the sack of half of the population of government’s estimated one million workers cannot be the only solution to the problem.

Indeed it was a callous suggestion borne out of insensitivity and utter show of contempt towards these set of workers. Agreed that they

are too many, but to what end are they being deployed by government? If government is not optimally utilizing them whose fault? Do you blame them for that? Bureaucracy definitely can not grow the economy the way business would, but then government can use bureaucracy to pave way for job creation and growth of the economy. This same one million or so government workers can still be effectively used by government to facilitate wealth creation in other sectors apart from oil for the rest 166 million or so other Nigerians not in government employ.

I agree they are taking too much out of our resources but this is an issue now because they are not serving us well. If the civil service is actually providing the service to the public as expected, how much they earn wouldn’t necessarily be an issue. When the 30 or so players and officials of our national teams play well and make us proud, nobody cares how much they get as match bonus. It is only when they lose matches and play disgracefully that we remember that what they earn per match individually is probably more than the monthly or annual take home pay of the bulk of this same workers.

Rather than carpeting Sanusi’s suggestion what if these workers were retrained, refocused and redeployed to other more productive sectors or sent to the private sector to help grow the economy and create jobs. It’s just a matter of making them do other things that are more productive and beneficial to the rest of us than what they do now and still earn the same thing.

Instead of sacking half of the civil servants to conserve funds for use in other sectors of the economy, the problem I think lies with the large retinue of political appointees that currently service our bloated democracy. What each member of the National Assembly earns annually for instance is probably enough to build, equip and staff a primary health care facility in his/ her constituency.

This is not a defence of the civil service. In fact I am in support of any measure that will make it effective and plag waste. Who knows, it might be that the bulk of the 70 per cent Sanusi is talking about goes into servicing ghost workers or the very few top people at the helm of our bureaucracy including himself.

We have often spoken about the curse of oil, may be this lopsidedness is part of it but then cutting the head is not the cure for headache.

Agreed Sanusi can be tactless and unguarded in his statements; call him basket mouth if you like, but don’t ignore his observations, they are valid. The problem is just his suggested solution. Take the message, you may ignore the messenger.

Delta’s educational policy of ‘every child counts’

By Efe Otumara across the country. N30 million has so far been disbursed to 403 children of deceased civil servants and 101 students with physical disabilities in the state as a way of encouraging them to attain their educational goals.

The Chairman, Delta State Bursary and Scholarship Board, Monsignor Buchi Aninye said this while presenting cheques to beneficiaries of the 2011/2012 scholarship scheme for children of deceased civil servants and physically challenged Students at the Board’s office in Asaba.

Monsignor Aninye disclosed that since the inception of this administration the government has expended over N71million to 1,233 children of decreased civil servants and 346 physically challenged students adding that this administration has continued to demonstrate its unparalleled commitment and determination to her education policy of ‘’every child counts’’. According to him, children of deceased civil servants in secondary school category got N30,000 each while those in the primary school category received N20,000 each. with the physically challenged receiving N50,000 each.

Other schemes in the board also includes; Student Special Assistance scheme, scholarship recipients of first class degree honors to study to PH.D level any where in the world, scholarships to students in Aviation college within the country. Overseas postgraduate scholarship scheme and financial assistance to students in the Nigeria law schools.

The values of the scholarship award are on merit and selection of beneficiaries on the basis of academic performance and other competitive criteria.

Established in August 2003 by the former governor the state, chief Ibori, the Delta sate Bursary and Scholarship Board formulates and implements policies as it pertains to scholarship and student special Assistance scheme.

However the board never took off till the warri boy as I always call Dr Uduaghan came on line.

Since then, the board has achieved tremendous success. In 2007, the sum of N402,499,816 was released for the payment of bursary to 36,967 students of Delta state origin while in 2008 over N213 million was paid as scholarship for 10 students attending the maritime Academy Oron and Aviation college Zaria.

The board is also managing the special Assistance Scheme to Delta sate indigenes attending the Nigeria law school valued at N30,000 per student.

In the year 2007, total disbursement was over N13 million, this assistance has now been increased to N50, 000 per student.

The Board which is made up of seasoned administrators , technocrats and politicians,on the postgraduate scholarship, has disbursed over N7 million in 2008 while N45million was expended for this project in 2009.The most recent being on November 16 th when N12 million was disbursed to 40 beneficiaries of it’s local PhD scholarship scheme at the rate of N300, 000 per beneficiary.

Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries at no 2 Anwai road Asaba, office of the bursary and scholarship board, the chairman of the board said the beneficiaries were different from the batch that would soon receive the third tranche payment of their scholarship.

These beneficiaries are those that wrote the board’s competitive exam on September 1st and scaled through the bench mark set by the board.

The scholarship is not tied to the beneficiaries working for the state after the completion of their programes.

With the above, well articulated schemes, it becomes undoubtedly true to say that the government has shown enough passion about the educational needs of her citizens.

Already registration is on for the 2012/2013 first class degree scholarship while registration

for Masters in Science (M.Sc)scholarship for delta state female students who want to go for post graduate diploma in media and communication ended in July.

The commissioner for higher education in the state Prof. Hope Eghagha had earlier charged the beneficiaries to work hard and show greater determination in their endeavours, stating that they can not get to the top without being focused in their academic pursuit.

Some of the beneficiaries of the first class scholarship this year are Raolat Abiola, Ika South, studying at Cornell University ,New York. Chukwuedo Achi,Onisha south, Delta state University Abraka. Hillary Adibeli, Ndokwa west ,university of Benin. Daniel Akpo,Isoko south ,university of Lagos. Ufoma Diakparomre, Ethiope East, University of Benin, among others.

As the Uduaghan led administration works hard to afford every Delta the opportunity to attain his educational goals, it is a project that requires all hands to be on deck in order to move the state to an enviable height. It is an undisputed fact that education is needed to achieve the development of human resource base required to drive the economy of the state.

• Otumara writes from Asaba

‘These beneficiaries are those that wrote the board’s competitive exam on September 1 st and scaled through the bench mark set by the board. The scholarship is not tied to the beneficiaries working for the state after the completion of their programes’

I

AGE CHEATING

NFF won’t withdraw protest against Mali

Athletes burn tracks today

Pg. 41

Sport Tuesday, December 4, 2012

PAGE 23

Bauchi athlete

slumps in Langa

Photo by Bola Omilabu

T

RAGEDY was averted at the Langa event of the Eko 2012 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) after a Bauchi athlete had to be revived by the medical personnel and another from Zamfara quickly attended to after twisting his knee during a match between both northern states.

One of the Zamfara representatives sustained a serious knee injury after he was attacked by his Bauchi rival during a match, and as the doctors teamed up to

By Tunde Liadi attend to his injury, a Bauchi player was hit at the side of his head and slumped. He was afterwards attended to.

NationSport caught up with the National Coordinator, Langa event, Yakubu Mohammed Saulawa on the steps taken to ensure that avoidable injuries are prevented ahead of subsequent games. He stated that injuries are always the bane of

sports generally and added that the injury copped by the Zamfara player was just one of the few got in the 18th National Sports Festival in the event.

“Every sport has its danger and Langa is no exemption. The injury got by the Zamfara rep. is so unfortunate. We will continue to do our best to make the sport danger-free. We are working on introducing new reforms in Langa to make it more appealing and danger-free,” Saulawa explained.

Meanwhile, two of the three categories of the traditional sport, Langa were concluded yesterday with hosts, Lagos carting away two gold medals in both the ‘ Ruwa’ and ’Kawoshi’ classes after defeating Zamfara in the freestyle to emerge victorious.

Zamfara thus settled for silver medals in both classes while Bauchi and Bayelsa finished ‘Ruwa’ with the bronze medals.

Bauchi and Gombe ended ‘Kawoshi’ with bronze medals.

24

41

NATIONSPORT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

NATION SPORT

NATION SPORT EKO 2012...EKO 2012...EKO 2012...EKO 2012...EKO 2012

Basketball: Team Lagos women dominate

Edo grabs 2 gold in Taekwondo

Athletes burn tracks today

Team Lagos Taekwondoists boast of more medals

By innocent Amomoh

•Oshiomole

AGE CHEATING

Swimming commences after delay

NFF won’t withdraw protest against Mali

•Chika Chukwumerije

Manu proud

Handball president advocates long-term plan

By Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia

of high-flying Eaglets

Imoke, diplomats salute glorious Golden Eaglets ...Team returns today

Squash: Team Delta withdraws claim against Team Lagos

LOC urges particiapnts to enjoy boat cruise, tours, film shows

•Wale Edun

Adamawa defeats Oyo 3-2 on penalties, to reach second round

INSIDE

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Page 25

Website: http://www.thenationonlineng.com

‘Govt may not attain MDGs’ - Page 27

Hope rises for Abuja demoltion victims

Free surgery for polio patients - Page 28

Hope rises for Abuja demolition victims T Terror, sack and sundry matters - Page 40

HINGS may soon start looking up for Abuja demolition victims as the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed has approved the allocation of 50 hectares of land to build the first phase of the Abuja Social Housing Scheme.

The scheme was designed to take care of victims of the demolition exercises as well as lowincome earners who may otherwise find it difficult to live in decent homes.

The minister approved the scheme in Abuja while receiving the former United States

By Bukola Amusan

Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Robin Sanders who led a delegation of an American-based firm, American Building Systems International, to his office.

The minister said that the FCT Administration would continue to partner with genuine investors to build decent and affordable houses for all classes of residents of the Federal Capital Territory in order to reduce housing deficit in Nigeria’s capital.

Senator Mohammed stated that the visit of Ambassador

Sanders is heart warming; noting that it is one of the outcomes of the last US Infrastructural Summit that was also attended

by Nigerian delegation including FCT. The minister directed the FCDA Executive Secretary, Engr.

Adamu Ismaila to as a matter of urgency, allocate another plot of land at the Idu Industrial Zone to serve as site office for the American Building Systems International (ABSI).

He recalled that about 1,000 hectares of land had been set aside for the Federal Mortgage

Bank to build decent and affordable houses to take care of the same category of people by arranging a proper mortgage system.

According to him, the FCT Administration has embarked on demolition of illegal structures in the 250 square kilometers of the Federal Capital City comprising of Phases I-V in order to rescue the Abuja Master Plan that has been badly bastardised.

The minister reiterated that •Continued on Page 26

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

26

ABUJA REVIEW

T

HE Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Hon. Alhassan Doguwa has warned that Nigeria is at the risk of missing its target on the MDGs by 2015.

He identified diversion of core MDGs to other programmes by state and local governments.

This is in addition to the Federal Government’s decision not to release funds on time to Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA) as it was the case with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).

Doguwa gave the warning during an exclusive interview with The Nation in Abuja.

He observed that most MDG programmes approved for execution are not key projects that could fast track attainment of the set goals.

However, he noted that the Federal Government does not have any excuse to miss the target by 2015.

The United Nations Country Representative, Dr. Dawoudu Toure had earlier gave a warning on the risk of Nigeria missing the target on in Abuja.

He attributed the significant role the country plays in the African continent, stressing that its failure may prevent other African nations from realizing the set target.

Doguwa said: “The problem of partnering stakeholders. I am not indicting anybody and I have not found any case yet that may indict any stakeholder that might be diverting or derailing on the course of the MDGs or misusing MDGs funds. I am quite confident that some of the projects being embarked upon being at the State or Local government level are not very relevant.

“They are not core MDGs projects.

Let us call on all stakeholders be it Local or State governments that are partners to the attainment of these goals so that they must have to look at core MDGs projects that will improve our lot in actualising the MDGs goals.”

On funding, the lawmaker stated that the MDGs Office has more windows to source for funds and execute its programmes aside from the conventional $1 million. He said the National Assembly have agreed to spend their constituency funds in

•Unsafe source of water

‘Fed Govt may not attain MDGs in 2015’ From Olugbenga Adanikin

order to boost the MDGs ahead of its deadline.

Identifying the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) and Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) as few of the best approaches adopted by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President (SSAP) on MDGs,

Dr. Precious Gbeneol to fight hunger and poverty, he noted that there was need to create awareness for communities benefiting the MDGs, to claim ownership and maintain MDGs projects after execution.

He said: “The NPHCDA is enjoying a big chunk of money from the MDGs because most of the monies we give to them have to do with issues of campaign, immunization

among others. If you go through the budget performance, it is the only agency in this country that receives 100 per cent release of funds at the same time because of the implication of programmes they embarked upon. Because of what they are doing to the achievement of the MDGs 4,5 and 6, government is giving them that priority.

“I must thank Federal Govern-

partnership with the Federal Mortgage Bank but will independently deal with the FCT Administration because the needed funds would be sourced through the United States EXIM Bank to finance the project.

The former envoy assured that the entire project would be com-

pleted and delivered within eight and nine months, all things being equal.

Ambassador Sanders was accompanied on the visit by the Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of the American Building Systems International Inc, Emmanuel Nelson Iwuoha.

Hope rises for Abuja demoltion victims •Continued from Page 25

all those who lost their illegal houses to the demolition exercise would benefit from the social housing; adding however that his administration will not condone impunity or illegalities.

Senator Mohammed also said his administration is determined to correct all anomalies as it concerns housing development in consonance with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

His said: “My administration is working round the clock to correct the housing anomaly as it does not entirely believe that supportive staff be accommodated only at the satellite towns far away from where they are expected to provide services”.

Speaking earlier, the former American Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Robin Sanders remarked that her visit was in respect of her interest in economic development particularly in the areas of social housing and agriculture.

Dr. Sanders pointed out that

•Demolished houses in Abuja

the American Building Systems International (ABSI) has the capacity to build and deliver a house in a matter of days and which will be built with Light Guage Steel Framing and local raw materials.

She revealed that although the company would also go into

ment for doing this. When we conducted our oversight, we discovered that government released 100 per cent fund accruable to the agency.

It’s a welcome development but government should realize that since we are dealing with intervention fund, a fund that has international implication, government should have make same thing available to all agencies enjoying MDGs funds because it’s a special fund, and we have made international commitment with world leaders that will help us fast track the MDGs by 2015.”

However, he allayed fear of the country not achieving its goal on gender equality and global partnership for international development.

The lawmaker attributed the nation’s unique cultural belief and its technical know-how.

“Irrespective of the person, state or local governments, the moment you embark on pro-poor projects via MDGs, it doesn’t matter where you get the funds from but what we believe is if the commitment is there, if the level of sincerity is improved, if the seriousness is also entrenched in the mind of our leaders, certainly, we have all that it takes to succeed by 2015 with exception to gender equality and global partnership. As for the other six, I believe Nigeria can perform and we still have some time to make it up,” he said.

Doguwa advised the Federal Government to ensure complete release of funds for MDAs responsible for executing MDGs programmes. This step, according to him will contribute to the goal attainment.

“If you look at the trend of things in Africa, whether you like it or not, it’s not about resources, we have to tell ourselves the bitter truth. It has to do with the commitment and sincerity of our leaders. They have to be sincere; they have to stand to their responsibilities so that we can be able to maintain the leading status of Nigeria in the continent of Africa,” Doguwa added.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

27

ABUJA REVIEW

Road traffic officers allege attack on personnel

T

•Polio patients

Rotary plans free surgery for polio patients

I

N order to encourage more people to take the polio vaccine, Foundation of Rotary International, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, has disclosed plans to organise 400 free corrective surgeries for people grappling with the disease.

Beneficiaries drawn from different parts of the country will be conveyed to Abuja for the surgeries at the University of Abuja Specialist Hospital, Gwagwalada.

The exercise will commence at 10:00 a.m. on December 3, 2012.

According to the District Chair,

From Olugbenga Adaniki

Public Relations, Rotary District 9125, Sarah Sanda, a team of 26 doctors and volunteers will arrive at the capital territory on December 2, 2012 for a 10-day medical mission to perform minimum of 400 polio corrective surgeries.

The team of Rotarian doctors includes 12 Ortho- surgeons, five anaesthesiologists, one pathologist, one general surgeon, and seven non-medical volunteers from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar,

Chandigarh, Himachal, Haryana, Maharashtra, Kerala and Uttrakhand.

Sanda also said that the doctors and volunteers from India would be assisted by Rotarians as well as Nigerian doctors, including other health personnel in the country.

The project is aimed at gaining the confidence of local communities and to convince them to accept the oral polio vaccine as a step towards eradicating polio in Nigeria.

She added that visiting Rotarian doctors will also train local orthopaedic surgeons to be able to do

the corrective polio surgeries.

In addition to the project, she disclosed that the visiting Rotarian doctors would train local orthopaedic surgeons in order to conduct the corrective polio surgeries.

“In India, over 3,500 of such surgeries have been performed in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar while 18 of such projects have been successfully carried out in 18 African countries.

“To complement the polio corrective surgeries, mobility devices such as walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, canes and surgical recovery blankets would be provided.

als of the prisoners are quickened.

He encouraged the inmates to remain calm and abide by the rules of the prison, adding that they shall not be left alone.

One of the visitors who was

there to see his brother who has been on Awaiting Trial for over 20 years told Abuja Review in confidence that “it is sad. My brother has been here for 20 years now on Awaiting Trial for fighting

HE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Directorate of Road Traffic Service has raised alarm over incessant attacks on its personnel. Director of the Service, Mr. Rotimi Alade, an engineer, alleged that within the last quarter, about 30 officers of the service wwere attacked by the public and commercial motorcyclists while on duty.

He spoke during a briefing on their sensitisation campaign for travelers ahead of the Christmas season.

Alade said: “These people instead of obeying the law, they gang up and assault our men especially in areas like Airport Road, Area 1, Area 3, Gishiri among others. About 30 of such attacks have been made with various forms of injuries.”

However, he praised the police for their support, urge them to also obey traffic laws especially when in mufti.

Speaking on activities lined up for December, Alade urged travelers to avoid night journey. He said the service has set up a task force group that will ensure strict adherence to road signs and traffic laws.

He added that toying vehicles have been provided and additional 300 workers have been engaged through the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) to ensure full compliance.

“The service will not hesitate to arrest and delay erring drivers,” he added.

These people, instead of obeying the law, they gang up and assault our men especially in areas like Airport Road, Area 1, Area 3, Gishiri among others

Group donates to Kuje prison inmates

O

F a total 507 prisoners at the Medium Security Prisons Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 424 are awaiting trial while only 83 have been sentenced to death, Abuja Review learnt.

According to sources, many of the Awaiting Trial inmates have been there for over 20 years without even going to court for hearing of their cases while those who are fortunate to scale through the huddles have been having slow dispensation of justice.

The situation, according to our correspondent who visited the prison was pathetic for the Awaiting Trial inmates who do not know the day they will regain their freedom.

The capacity of the prison has been over-stretched. When members of the Abuja branch of St. Gregory College Old Students’ Association, Ikoyi Lagos visited the prison, they lamented the ugly situation, even as they sought how they could help the inmates out.

They donated the sum of N150,000 to the inmates through the prison’s authority to help speed up their trial and alleviate their suffering.

President of the association, Chief Kimashinor Nwakalo-Imu told Abuja Review that the old students feel the pains of the inmates which was why the body visited

•Prison inmates From Gbenga Omokhunu

them.

Nwakalo-Imu, a lawyer, said efforts are on to ensure that the tri-

with a woman in his compound.

All efforts to get him out of here have been futile. We are calling on government to speed up his trial. I can’t wait for him to be released.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

28

ABUJA REVIEW

‘No going back on new meat haulage policy’

T

HE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said that there would not be shift in its policy to ban rickety vehicles and motorcycles in the haulage of meat in the territory.

It explained that the new policy was aimed at safeguarding the residents and visitors to the FCT from cholera outbreak and food contamination which have been observed in some states of the federation.

The policy, which became effective on November 6, requires the use of dedicated meat vans and special purpose-made tricycles with meat haulage compartment for the movement of meat in the Federal Capital City, area councils as well as the satellite towns.

The tricycle meat vans are to convey meat to distances not more than three kilometres from the slaughter points while the fourwheel meat vans are to serve longer distances.

The FCTA disclosed that the implementation of the new policy followed meticulous sensitisation and meetings with the abattoir drivers cooperative societies and other stakeholders on its benefits.

“The FCT Administration wishes to inform the public that the reforms being undertaken in the meat haulage business is in the overall interest of the residents.

The previous means of hauling meat in rickety vehicles and motorcycles in FCT are no longer acceptable. They pose numerous health hazards to residents arising from contamination of the product.

“The specifications for acceptable vehicles required for meat transportation are solely through the dedicated meat vans and special purpose-made tricycles with meat haulage compartment. The internal coverings of the meat compartment of the vehicles are stainless steel sheets. This is to ensure non-metal contamination of the meat,” the administration stated.

The FCT Administration warned that it would not be blackmailed by any organisation or group of persons to review a law that will safeguard the lives of the residents.

It advised any organisation or group of persons interested in the meat haulage business to comply with the new policy.

“The importance of consumption of hygienic food in improving the quality of life of the populace cannot be overemphasised. Meat, being a perishable produce, must be

T

HE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has carried out an extensive cleaning of Abaji and Kwali area councils of FCT. The cleaning exercise, evacuation of refuse dumps, sweeping and clearing of major areas in the area councils was supervised by the Head, Waste and Sanitation Management, Satellite Towns Development Agency (STDA), Mr. Ahmad Abubakar.

Speaking with journalists at the site, Mr. Abubakar, said 17 trucks of recycling materials were removed from Babambola (waste collectors).

“It is the initiative of the present State Minister, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, and it has come a long way because we are evacuating the waste at a stage it would turn into recycling. We are equally sensitis-

The specifications for acceptable vehicles required for meat trans portation are solely through the dedicated meat vans and special purpose-made tricycles with meat haulage compartment Stories from Bukola Amusan

handled right or it may endanger the public health,” the administration further stated.

It urged the Nigeria Police, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Federal Road Safety Corps and Directorate of Road Traffic Services to enforce the new meat haulage regulation in Territory.

It noted that the effective enforcement of the regulation was an important thrust in ensuring best practices in meat handling in the FCT.

•Unacceptable means of meat haulage

HIV prevalence on the increase

S

URVEYS have indicated that the HIV prevalence in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) since the pandemic was first discovered in the territory in 1991 has been very high and doubles that of the National prevalence, the FCT Agency for the Control of AIDS (FACA), has revealed.

Project Manager of the agency, Dr. Uche Okoro, who disclosed this in a presentation on FCT HIV Situation during the FCT HIV/AIDS Expanded Partners Forum organised

by FACA at Alexis Hotel and Conference Centre, Jabi, Abuja said the fact emerged from the 2010 National HIV Sero-prevalence Sentinel Survey Report . The first case of HIV was reported in the FCT in 1991.

“Since then, the HIV prevalence in FCT over years has been very high and most times doubles that

of the National. Also, the HIV prevalence in FCT at site shows that the five sites surveyed have high HIV prevalence relatively,” he said.

Data presented by the manager in his presentation indicated that, in 1999, the national HIV prevalence was 5.4 per cent, while that of the FCT was put at 7.2 per cent.

In the following year of the survey, which is 2001, national prevalence was 5.8 per cent and FCT was 10.2 per cent.

For 2003 and 2005, the national and FCT prevalence were five per cent against 8.4 per cent and 4.4 per cent and 6.3 per cent respectively.

Similarly, in 2008, the national prevalence was put at 4.6 per cent, FCT prevalence put at 9.9 per cent while in 2010; it was put at 4.1 per cent and 8.6 per cent respectively.

It was gathered that the sentinel survey is usually carried out within

an interval of two years.

Earlier, Dr. Okoro had emphasised the importance of operationalising coordination meeting in FCT for an expanded and comprehensive response among development partners in delivery of HIV/AIDS services to vulnerable groups.

This, he said, was “given its significance for the achievement of one of FACA objectives which is to increase programme implementation through improved coordination and effective mobilisation and utilisation of resources.”

He said this would give partners strategic direction to increase synergy between their programmes; thus avoiding duplication of efforts and wastage of critical resource.

In his remark, the Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secre-

tariat, Dr. Demola Onakomaiya pointed out that, to provide a comprehensive and expanded response to HIV/AIDS epidemics in Nigeria, donor agencies and other external partners have a major role in ensuring that their funding and support policies enable a state-owned and led HIV/AIDS response.

He thanked the implementing partners and donor agencies working in FCT for their commitment in the fight against HIV epidemic.

On his part, the FCT Coordinator of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPHWAN), Mr. John Okene, said the association would monitor partners to ensure that funds are used so that from 2013 to 2015, the prevalence in FCT would drop.

He campaigned against the diversion of 2013 HIV/AIDS intervention funds.

FCTA mounts Clean and Green campaign From Bukola Amusan

ing the waste collectors that are collecting from house to house that we have a designated area for them to dump their waste.

“The ‘Clean and Green’ is going a long way. Some areas where we evacuate we intend to turn them into neighbourhood parks, some of the communities have already taken over and some of them we had to provide securities in order to ensure enforcement.

He added that “in the past administration the communities were not involved but now we sensitise the communities and motivate them”.

On how the programme will be

sustained, he said “We have a sustaining programme on waste programme.

About 17 trucks of recycling materials were removed from

Babambola. We are hoping to bring in investors that would help in the recycling programme,” he said.

Madam Sarat, a resident of Agwa Ashara in Abaji praised the FCTA

We want to ensure that everybody is involved in sanitation management because sanitation management is the work of everybody not by the government alone

for the evacuation of the waste in her area. “ Since the inception of FCT, when they have been clearing refuse, this is the best clearing so far.

“Actually the area council has been doing their best but this is the best so far,” she said.

Head of Environment Department, Kwali Area Council, Mr. Yusuf Yaqub, said there are 12 refuse dump sites but had already evacuated six of the sites.

“We want to ensure that everybody is involved in sanitation management because sanitation management is the work of everybody not by the government alone,” he said

29

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

think there has been a lax in that sector; I think ‘ Ithat the law should be properly streamlined so that people can earn food to eat. We heard that intellectual property law has to do with economics See page 32

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

’

• JB Daudu (SAN)

Mr. Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) is the immediate past President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). Recently, he was appointed Chairman of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) of the Body of Benchers. In this interview, he speaks on the responsibilities of that appointment, life outside Bar presidency, fate of new lawyers, corruption, constitution amendment and other national issues. LEGAL EDITOR JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU met him.

H

OW has life been with you outside Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) presidency?

Life outside the NBA presidency is the same as before I entered the service of the Bar. The only difference is the added positive visibility the assignment has brought me. People usually have kind things to say about my tenure as NBA President when they meet me at airports, petrol stations and other public places.

I am grateful to God Almighty that I have not been pelted with insults and pejoratives; that my efforts were at least understood and tolerated. Post service, my family has me back and it is an unbelievable feeling.

You were recently appointed chairman of the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee ( LPDC) of the Body of Benchers.

How do you feel about it? What are the challenges and responsibilities of this assignment?

It came to me as a surprise because as president, I nominated another person, but

‘Our major concern is speedy dispensation of disciplinary cases’ the new president made some adjustments to the list of nominees to the Body of Benchers and I was called to serve in that capacity. The LPDC is a creature of statute i.e. the Legal Practitioners Act, and an arm of the Body of Benchers. The LPDC is the body that exercises disciplinary powers and control over legal practitioners adjudged to have breached the Rules of Professional Ethics. There are numerous complaints against lawyers who, in their interaction with the public, have been accused of breaches of pro-

fessional ethics. As a result of the rise in the population of lawyers in Nigeria, from about 5000 in 1980 to 80,000 today, complaints of professional misconduct have increased in that ratio. The drawback is the slow pace in justice delivery at the level of professional misconduct.

So, what will you do about this?

I propose to accelerate the procedure so that all complaints are expeditiously dealt with.

How do you think existing disciplinary

Inside: • Ministry, stakeholders dialogue on FOIA... P.31

arrangements will assist in decongesting cases before the committee?

We must make do with what we have until the Legal Practitioners Act is amended and several committees are empowered to sit simultaneously instead of the one committee that currently dispenses disciplinary justice in the country. The bills are at the National Assembly and no one knows when they will be attended to. As I said earlier, the major thrust of the LPDC should be speedy and just determination of all cases.

What is your view on the ongoing process of amending the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria?

It is generally agreed that there is a need to bequeath to ourselves an acceptable people-oriented Constitution that will guarantee good government for Nigerians. The 1999 Constitution donated by the military has a few flaws not because of the misrepresentation in the preamble but in areas of •Continued on page 30

Court to hear suit against detained naval ... P.36

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

30

LAW COVER CONT’D

‘Our major concern is speedy dispensation of disciplinary cases’ • Continued from page 29 substance. It is these areas that require comprehensive adjustments.

Nigeria is hanging on a precipice.

Insecurity and corruption are literally tearing the nation apart.

These twin nemeses have taken root because the mode of devolution of powers in the Constitution allowed them to thrive. It is imperative that Nigerians understand that no development (no meaningful development) can take place under such political and constitutional arrangement.

Can you explain this ?

The strain caused by 774 local government councils, 36 states and one behemoth of a Federal Government cannot allow for any development. Nigeria is a heavily populated country; the inability to aggregate human resources potential has led to massive unemployment with the attendant consequences of crime and insecurity.

The relevance of a proper constitution amendment or review to the resolution of these problems lies in the sincerity of the political actors and architects. My conclusion is that those piloting the review do not have in mind such realistic restructuring. They are still asking Nigerians if they want more states created. From that point I lost interest in the exercise. None of the Asian or Arab role models has the kind of bloated government that Nigeria has or operates.

The Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi ,was quoted as saying the civil service is a drain in the country’s resources and advocated the sack of some federal civil servants. What is your take on this?

Sanusi is right when he said the civil service as presently constituted is a drain on the resources.

His only mistake was in the solution i.e. calling for the disengagement of 50 percent of the workforce in the civil service. That is not the solution.

What is the solution?

Well, while it is true that the civil service at all tiers of government is a huge welfare package for a few Nigerians, the solution is to tackle corruption seriously. If that is done, the 50 percent reduction advocated

by Sanusi will be achieved because anti-corruption measures will reveal ghost workers, unnecessary offices, duplications, and the need for mandatory restructuring, which will automatically take away the 50% he has in mind. But until corruption is addressed, it

will be an exercise in futility, so will the constitution review be if corruption is not addressed.

Your successor in office, Okey Wali (SAN, has heed his first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Asaba. What is your appraisal of the NEC, which areas would like to see improvement in the next NEC meeting?

This NEC meeting was impressive and quite a lot was achieved.

Wali has built on the innovations we introduced into the system. That is a credit to him. The greatest pressure on him will be to sustain or improve on the standards.

Justice Bulkachuwa has just been appointed the Acting President of the Court of Appeal; what is the effect of this on Justice Isa Ayo Salami’s status?

The appointment of Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa has nothing to do with Justice Salami’s predicament. That matter is in court and while we all have our positions, we are bound to observe the sub judice rule that enjoins silence while a matter is in court. This appointment is consequent on the constitutional stipulation that acting appointments do not exceed a certain period. Justice Dalhatu Adamu has to my knowledge served out his acting tenure, hence, Justice Bulkachuwa’s appointment.

It is a constitutional issue. We are waiting for the court to resolve the Salami issue.

The NBA has consistently maintained that, without a referendum, we cannot get a constitution that we can proudly say, we the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria...?

I agree that the Constitution must enjoy the assent and approval of the people. This minimum requirement is not just a matter of constitutionality, it is a matter of common sense. This means that the people who are to be governed by the said Constitution must, at least, understand the contents of the document and approve of it. But, in today’s corrupt Nigeria, where the economic and educational standards are fast being eroded, it is difficult to arouse the interest of the people in the process of constitution amendment with the kind of extreme poverty (hunger) and lack of interest in education that pervades the land.

There are, therefore, a lot of preconditions to a valid exercise of constitution amendment or review. The only positive outcome of the exercise is that it has generated some level of discourse

• Daudu (SAN)

among the people.

What is your stand on NBA position?

The NBA’s position of a referendum as a precondition to acceptability and perhaps validity, from my analysis above. is right. The response from those in a hurry to create states, which, in my view, is the thrust or catalyst for this review, is to say that referendum is not part of the law-making process as it relates to amendment of the Constitution as provided in Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution. While those in that school of thought may be superficially correct, the omission of a referendum as part of the process of constitutional amendment creates a real problem of legitimacy for any document that is eventually produced.

How do we resolve this?

My suggestion at just concluded NBA NEC is that the present effort should be directed at amending section 9 to include a provision for referendum as one of the steps for amendment or review. In concluding this point, I sincerely believe that the exercise should not be rushed, there are more compelling issues that Nigerians need to take an urgent stand on and this includes the nagging question of the structure of the nation. It is clear that the centre is too powerful and this financial lop-sidedness is creating a volcanic imbalance in the Nigerian political and economic landscape. The good thing is that this dangerous situation can be redressed. We do not need more than eight strong component units and one central government. However, ethnic nationalities must be allowed to gravitate to the units of their choice. These and other issues mentioned above must engage the attention of our political class in any meaningful discourse on constitutional amendment or review.

The challenge of security of lives and property has remained a big problem for us in Nigeria, how do we overcome this?

The primary responsibility of every Government is to provide

safety and security for the lives and property of her citizens. That this Government is unable to secure the lives and property of her citizens is an indication that her policies are not right. Whether we like it or not our insecurity is caused by the existence of very weak justice and law enforcement institutions. These institutions are weak because of the sustained devastation of corruption and breaches of the Rule of Law over the years on their structures. We are in serious trouble because a lot of people are now comfortable with corruption and we, having democratised and assimilated this demonic monster, fighting it is now a serious problem.

How do you think we can achieve judicial independence as provided in our constitution?

My response will be consistent with the foregoing hypothesis, no society riddled with corruption as ours is can expect progress in any facet of its developmental life. The greatest threat to judicial independence is not from outside the judiciary, it is from within the system itself. The twin malaise confronting delivery of justice is inefficiency and corruption. At this point, we should not only be concerned with what goes on in the superior courts i.e.

Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and the High Courts, we must be very concerned with the quality and quantum of justice that comes out of Magistrate, Area and Customary Courts. These are the courts that interface with at least 90 per cent of Nigerians and their scorecard at this point in time is very low.

Although it is true that State Governors are not investing in the machinery for grassroots justice delivery in most of the jurisdictions, lower court personnel, Registry and Court staff have gone haywire in the unjust and unlawful monetisation of the judicial process. The impression that the common man comes out with after contact with the judicial system is that he cannot escape corruption in the system. Frankly, I appreciate that

it is a national malady but our leaders are elected so that they can cleanse the rot in the system. As I said no one is a saint in this business, the rot must suck you in at one point or the other but time is running out. The short answer to your question is that judicial independence is seriously threatened by the internal deficiencies that I have mentioned.

Some students were recently called to Nigerian Bar, what is your advice to them on how to succeed in the profession?

New entrants to the Nigerian Bar should consider themselves exceedingly blessed, being a legal practitioner in an emerging economy like Nigeria with its unique history, turbulent contemporary politics and lifestyle. A lawyer should consider him or herself a crusader for social justice and the Rule of law in the light of the circumstances we find ourselves in Nigeria. Any lawyer who goes into practice in this age and time with personal gains and money as his or her objective will not survive the onslaught.

Why do you say this?

The decency and hope that greeted Nigeria at independence have long disappeared, there is no middle class again. You have only the superrich that are only about 5% of the populace, while the remaining 95% actually live at or below the poverty line. It is the new lawyer’s responsibility to redirect Nigeria to safe shores of good governance and a country under the Rule of law. This requires courage even up to the point of major sacrifices. The first battle that the new lawyer must fight if he is to survive is against corruption. If not tackled, today’s horrific accounts of security breaches and collapsed social services will be a child’s play when they look 20 years away. They have an urgent duty to apply the positives of what they have learnt. My own generation has not lived up to expectation, perhaps these young ones will make a difference. But courage is the watch word.

‘The twin malaise confronting delivery of justice is inefficiency and corruption. At this point, we should not only be concerned with what goes on in the superior courts i.e. Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and the High Courts, we must be very concerned with the quality and quantum of justice that comes out of Magistrate, Area and Customary Courts. These are the courts that interface with at least 90 per cent of Nigerians and their scorecard at this point in time is very low’

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

31

LAW AND SOCIETY

Ministry, stakeholders dialogue on FOIA implementation draft guidelines

T

HE Federal Ministry of Justice, civil society organisations and stakeholders, last week, in Abuja, held a consultative forum improve the revised guidelines on the implementation of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2011.

The forum afforded participants the opportunity to take an overview of the draft guidelines and its implementation, the objectives of the FOIA, examine the challenges against effective implementation of the guidelines on FOIA and contribute to the draft guidelines which are likely to be published before the end of the year.

In his opening remarks at the event, which held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Auditorium, Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), restated his commitment to full implementation of and compliance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. 2011 (FOIA) He said the forum was a collaborative initiative between the Federal Ministry of Justice and Democratic Governance for Development Project of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Adoke said: “ The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) came into operation on May 28, 2011. Under Section 1 of the Act, all government or public institutions are required, subject to certain exceptions, to disclose information pursuant to a request by a certain person.

He said: “It is worthy recalling that the implementation of FOIA is one of the cardinal strategies of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) being pursued under the aegis of the Panel on the Implementation of Justice Reforms (PIJR ) chaired

by Justice Ishaq Bello of the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT) High Court.

The sixth platform of the AGF’s plan outlines as priorities the development of FOIA guidance manuals for government agencies, training programmes for the agencies and the facilitation of desk officers for the management of FOI information and privacy issues.

He went on: “Conscious of the need to have a participatory approach to FOIA process, I have initiated a process of updating the guidelines through a participatory process with the hope of publishing the revised version later this year. This process is supported by the Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) project, a joint donor-funded project with the overall aim of strengthening the democratic character of Nigerian political process and promoting outcomes that consolidate and advance democratic governance and accountability to achieve the country’s stated development priorities and goals specified in the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework. (UNDAF) and the Country ProgrammeAction Plan (CPAP).”

Project Director (DGD) Dr. Mourtada Deme said: “ We welcome the initiatives of the Federal Ministry of Justice on the Freedom of Information Act and appreciate the efforts of the AGF Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) at ensuring transparency and accountability of public institutions through the effective implementation of the FOI Act in Nigeria.

“We are honoured to be the lead supporter, working with the Ministry of Justice to support improved compliance and reporting of public institutions on the status of their compliance with the FOI Act to the National Assembly and the public.”

“DGD’s support covers the revision of the National Reporting Guidelines with stakeholders input, publication and dissemination of the revised guidelines, six regional trainings of members of FOI Committees in ministries, departments and agencies, the coordination of an FOI Stakeholders Forum, publication of an FOI newsletter by the stakeholders forum and

By John Austin Unachukwu

an FOI website containing information collated from Ministries, departments and agencies.

“Over a year ago, the Freedom of Information Act was signed into law

by President Goodluck Jonathan. It was hailed as an historic moment all around the country because of the potential of the FOIA to demystify institutions of governance and encourage active citizen participation in the governance process. It is important that government institutions are sensitized and equipped to supply information based on request from individual citizens, civil society and other groups. Access to information is critical for national development and strategic for peace, security and conflict resolution. Government MDAs need to effectively implement the FOI and put in place solid record management procedures, proactive information disclosure and trained personnel who can speedily respond to requests for information within the stipulated time frame of the Act.” He continued:“We are pleased to note that the Ministry of Justice is taking a lead role in building institutional capacity and nurturing openness, accountability and transparency of government institutions and processes through its programmes to support Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies on the effective implementation of the Freedom of information Act”.

“I salute the expert panel on the Review of the National Reporting Guidelines who have worked hard to revise the guidelines in the light of emerging lessons and in accordance with international best practice. I urge all stakeholders present today to thoroughly engage the revised guidelines to ensure a focused, user-friendly and result oriented document that will effectively assist all public institutions in the discharge of their responsibilities to comply with the FOI Act.” Deme said: “I look forward to the outcomes of today’s consultative forum and reaffirm the commitment of the DGD project and its international partners to support the Federal Ministry of Justices on its initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of the FOI Act in Nigeria.”

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Human Rights and Legal matter, Senator Umaru Dahiru, said: “With the efforts of the government to improve the understanding and appreciation of the FOIA, Nigeria will be better for it.”

Speaking on areas of the Act that still needed clarification, Dahiru said: “We have this issue of exemption, the issue of uniformity, etc.”

He called on the public to make use of the FOIA which is a very powerful tool to probe the activities of the government and its agencies.

Mr. Wale Fapohunda said of the consultation forum: “It is a good thing that the process of consultation is continuing, clearly, this shows seriousness by the Ministry of Justice to activate its role of oversight. He said: “ This is a very important step, understanding the guidelines is a very important step, the next step is now, having understood the guidelines, how do we proceed from there, that is where the challenge is, nevertheless, this ia very good initiative. Going forward is implementation of the guidelines, how do we implement the guidelines.”

On whether the forum achieved the objectives of the organisers, Prof Deji Adekunle said: “I think largely it has because some of the people we have here have contributed very usefully, to ideas by which we can review the guidelines. The guidelines are simply meant to give flesh to the Act and ensure that when officers are in doubt, they have some kind of guidelines to assist them”.

“Indeed, this has helped tremendeously, while we are reviewing, is to receive a lot of input from stakeholders. That is why you see a

• Parmanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Socilitor-General of the Federation, A.A. Yola (left) and Adoke (SAN)

•Senator Dahiru

• Mr Kadiri

• Prof Adekunle (left) and Mr Fapohunda

lot of stakeholders from civil society here and also government stakeholders to look at some grey areas that the first edition of the guidelines did not capture. As you can see, the discussions are quite robust and we hope that at the end of the day, the revised guidelines will be a better product for all of us” For Mr. Maxwell Kadiri of Open Society Justice Initiative (OSJI): “This is a useful engagement because we don’t want to saddle key stakeholders who are to use this document with a fait accompli, so, there are several layers on which this becomes important. One, so that we can basically ensure that the guidelines also address what has been the experience in the last one and half years in terms of complying with the Act. Two, so that they also have ownership of the document, because it is supposed to serve like their Bible, particularly where you are not sure of what the provisions of the Act is encouraging you to do. Then the guideline then provides you with additional clarity built on both legal and extra legal experiences and basically in furtherance of the overriding objective of the Act which is promoting the pub-

lic right.

And, thirdly, to expand the stakeholding in terms of this document because the guidelines, much as they would be used by public institution are also supposed to inform members of the public on what public institutions are expected to do as interpreted by the chief legal officer of the federation, in all these levels, you will find that it certainly is useful to ensure that in developing the document, you get several people and develop robust document that is able to address all of these issues and many more.”

Kadiri said:“There is also the possibility that, because it is a new area of law in this part of the world, there is every likelihood that even the Judiciary, may also benefit from these guidelines because this law also applies to the three arms of government.

But so far we have seen sufficient action from the other two arms of government and for him, this is like blazing a trail that the other arms of government may like to look at in terms of what kind of advisory document would help, so that desk officers who are supposed to prefect compliance with this legislation in their arms of

government, would be adequately directed on what to do and what not to do.”

Onyema Omenuwa, a participant, said: “I enjoyed every bit of the contributions, the robust discussions. I am quite impressed. The only area that I don’t seem to really understand is responses from the civil society organisations. I am aware, because I used to be in the media, that civil society organisations championed the crusade for the passing of the FOIA. In fact, there was a time I was mobilised among others to come to Abuja for it.

“That was during the Senate’s public hearing on the bill. I was there and the civil society organisations were actively involved, now the Act has been passed. At this implementation stage, civil society organisations appear to have developed cold feet. I am not impressed because they championed the crusade and are supposed to take advantage of the provisions of this Act now. At a forum like this I expected a massive turn out of civil society organisations and they are not here. We have only a few of them here and it is quite discouraging, how the do they hope to take advantage of the provisions of the Act.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

32

LEGAL OPINION The need to entrench a mechanism for the regular review of Intellectual Property laws was the thrust of the Fifth Inaugural Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in Lagos. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports.

Wanted: Intellectual property laws reform

I

NTELLECTUAL Property (IP) laws aim at protecting the ap plication of ideas and information that are of commercial value.

However, experts say there has been a failure of effective application of these laws in Nigeria. A reform of the IP laws is therefore needed.

According to a former DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Prof Adebambo Adewopo, existing IP laws do not adequately protect “the nascent local knowledge economy” as regards copyright, trademark, patent and designs or other IP related rights.

He spoke when he delivered the Fifth Inaugural Lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in Lagos.

It had the topic: According to Intellectual Property: A Pro-Development Vision of the Law and the Nigerian Intellectual Property Law and Policy Reform in the Knowledge Era. The reasons for the failure of IP laws, Adewopo said, include the fact that they no longer meet modern demands.

“First, the sheer age of the IP laws reflect an astonishing legal anachronism, particularly in the area of industrial property.

“The Trademark Act is 47 years old while the Patent and Design Act is 42 years old. Only the Copyright Act of 1988 has been amended twice,” Adewopo, a professor of intellectual property law, said.

He believes the nature and scope of IP rights protection ought to reflect an appropriate standard which is compatible with contemporary developments in the relevant field or genre.

He said: “Copyright, for instance, in the current digital economy requires a careful balance between restriction and access to copyright works that the new information technology capacity can achieve.

“Trademark owners have continued to experience inexplicable loss

in the commercial value of their trademark as a result of the manifest lacunas in the protection of shape and packaging of goods, service marks and collective marks that can be used as viable trading devices.”

Adewopo faulted law enforcement, saying: “The general pace and pattern of law enforcement, administration of justice and law reform in Nigeria reflect a systemic failure in policy formulation and attendant capacity deficit which has implicated a largely deficient IP law.”

To him, IP is only a utopian phenomenon when it is stripped of its environmental or development context. The laws can only optimally function in the economic and cultural conditions of their subsistence.

“The inability to link IP with the domestic economy, technological and cultural environment has weakened its functional utility in fulfilling its acclaimed role of contributing to economic development,” he said.

On the way forward, Adewopo said reform is needed. It would require a careful understanding and analysis of the present state of the law in relation to the prevailing realities. It would include policy consideration that will promote investment in innovation and creativity, and the emergence and sustenance of a viable local knowledge economy.

“Consequently, the imperative of IP law reform is strong for the realisation of domestic developmental needs and goals, and for compliance with global standards, both carefully balanced one against the other,” he said.

Adewopo blamed a lack of political will and legislative action for the unsuccessful spate of IP law reform initiatives in the past.

He said over two decades have passed in the protracted history of IP law reform in Nigeria since the first industrial property draft bill

• Prof Adebanbo Adewapo (left) and Director-General, NIALS, Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN).

of 1991, with subsequent draft bills which never became laws.

“The draft bills would have made significant improvement in the development of IP administration, jurisprudence and practice.

“Clearly, lack of legislative appreciation and prioritisation of IP relative to other matters on the legislative agenda has largely informed both the old and the recent failed attempts at reform,” he said.

Nollywood actor Justus Esiri, who was a guest at the lecture, said there is still low knowledge and application of intellectual property rights in the entertainment industry.

“It was a very, very incisive lecture. If you realise that we are just getting to understand what intellectual property law is, you can see that Nigeria is a new capture. We have not actually imbibed intellectual property law.

“That is why so many things are happening in this country that you can’t talk about. How can somebody just come and tell you, ‘O, you’re a very, very pretty lady, you’re a very, very handsome man, come and be an actor.’ And you go in there without asking for your rights!

“I think there has been a lax in that sector; I think that the law

should be properly streamlined so that people can earn food to eat.

We heard that intellectual property law has to do with economics.

“It is wealth – wealth creation.

You should create wealth; you should enjoy your wealth. Is it not so? But it is not so in this country.

So this lecture is very, very apt, and I think something should be done about it.”

A professor of law, Clement Dakas (SAN), a challenged Nollywood, urging it to expand the scope of its scripts, and saying that long before America had a black president, several American movies had cast actors in the role.

Esiri said: “As regards Nollywood casting a woman as President of this country, it definitely would come to pass.”

Professor of Law, Osadebamen Osunbor, who was Dean of Law, Lagos State University (LASU) when Adewopo was a lecturer there, said government lawyers and those involved in bi-lateral deal on the country’s behalf must acquire sound knowledge of intellectual property law.

The former Edo governor said: “Those people who go to append signatures on behalf of Nigerians may not have the requisite degree of knowledge compared to their

counterparts in the developed countries.

“So, this lecture for me is very important in showing Nigerians the dynamics in international politics that is at work when all this international legal instruments are developed.

“It shows the need for us to develop our own capacity, so that those people that we are sending abroad to negotiate and sign these treaties on our behalf have the requisite knowledge.”

NIALS Director-General, Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN), said the paper should be seen as a policy document by the appropriate authorities, and should be addressed accordingly.

He added: “One thing that is the undercurrent, which we must not fail to revisit is the fact that people tend to see intellectual property from the perspective of law and legality, but intellectual property is much more than that.

“We can count repeatedly many countries that survive on intellectual property, and Nigeria is not one of them for so many reasons.

So, we must look at our traditional knowledge closely and we have a lot to make from that. That is the most important aspect of it.”

Nigeria’s quest for environment governance • Continued from last week

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HE challenges, most of which are deeply embedded in po litical, economic, institutional and cultural factors, range from (i) allocation of environmental responsibility to building capacity for compliance; (ii) the dynamics of international relations such as changing geopolitical relations and tensions among states keen to build and preserve economic competitiveness; (iii) the adaptability of international regimes and institutions to changing circumstances6; (iv) institutional capacity in relation to effective co-ordination, monitoring and enforcement; (v) appropriate consultative process through information sharing and public participation; (vi) preventing regulatory hijack in the management of risks; (vii) perception of risk as low or high, short-term or long-term; (viii) priorities of nations vis-à-vis their vulnerability to risks, and a whole lot of other constraints.

The recognition of the intersections between social and environmental problems and the desire to address some of the above challenges were the factors that informed the concept of ‘sustainable development’. According to the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED), the goal of sustainable develop-

By Olanrewaju Fagbohun

ment is for it to link ecologically sound development with the alleviation of existing poverty through the principles of intra and intergenerational equity.7 The former principle encompass the idea of meeting the basic needs of all and extending to all the opportunity to fulfill their aspirations for a better life. The latter principle means meeting the needs of the present in a way that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.8 Not surprisingly, it was just a matter of time before the promising sentiments of the concept also fell victim of the shifting shoals of politics9 and economic priorities.

It is beyond the scope of my discourse today to rehearse the sustainable development debate.

What is of importance is while it can be said that the challenges of environmental regulation and the confusion that has flowed from the concept of sustainable development are to a large extent general, empirical evidence has shown that environmental disaster risk is disproportionately concentrated in developing countries and will continue to be so for reasons of their lack of technological resources to effectively mitigate and/or adapt to environmental risks; lack of funds to develop requisite infra-

structure; and non-existent or inadequate governance structures to effectively develop, co-ordinate and mainstream necessary national policies and institutional systems.

Low and middle income countries, particularly those with weak governance, but rapidly growing economies will be more exposed to environmental risks; poorer households and communities, especially those that are poorly planned and managed will be more vulnerable to disaster impacts – the end result for all these is increased poverty outcomes for most developing countries as a result of environmental mismanagement.

Mr. Director – General, I am an environmentalist and environmental law is the turf on which I operate. Premised on the above general, introductory remarks, and guided by my understanding that one of the key essence of an inaugural lecture is to afford the Inaugural Lecturer an opportunity to share with the academia and the public the fruits of his research particularly as it touches on issues of national concern, I now wish to focus on my discourse which is how well Nigeria has fared in her quest to sustainably regulate her environment.

My thesis in this regard is that while it is clear that the momentum of environmental crisis has become quite significant in Nigeria

and so also the desire evinced by social movements to confront the crisis, the structure of Nigeria’s political and governance process is such that existing policies, laws and institutions are not appropriately positioned to give the requisite leverage. After more than two decades of various regulatory initiatives, accession to international treaties and countless environmental education programmes, Nigeria’s regime of environmental regulations has remained dysfunctional and afflicted with what I will call the ‘chaos theory’. Supposedly innovative strategies have either endedup as esoteric schemes that are hard to follow or were simply unable to stray beyond the rhetoric.

I argue that the inefficiency with environmental regulation in Nigeria is a creation rather than the effect of the law. Rather than being central, law is incidental. I further contend that in the absence of a profound reconfiguration of the present regime, particularly in the way it has guided allocation and monitoring of responsibilities for environmental protection, there is no reason to imagine and/or expect current strategies to succeed in fostering sustainable development. I aim to provide an analysis of various attempts by Nigeria to subject environment-related issues to various forms of legal and pseudo-legal regulations, reveal

• Prof Fagbohun

some potentially alarming developments to which these have given rise, and present alternative vantage perspectives from which Nigeria should seek to appropriately regulate environmental issues in Nigeria.

The lecture is divided into eight parts. The first part is my preamble and it is followed by an introduction of the lecture in part two.

• To be continued next week •Fagbohun is Professor of Environmental Law and Head of Department, Akinola Aguda School of Postgraduate Studies, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Lagos.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

33

LEGAL OPINION

Judicial correspondents urged on good reporting

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HE Senior Pastor of Grace Assembly Church, Pastor Femi Paul, has urged judicial correspondents to maintain the dignity of the justice system through their writings.

Pastor Paul, who gave this advice at the inauguration of the newly refurbished Press Centre of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents (NAJUC), Ikeja Branch, which was executed by the Oasis of Grace unit of the church, remarked that journalists reporting the judiciary, would be able to do this if they see themselves as an integral part of the judicial system.

The cleric, a lawyer before his call into the ministry, urged judicial correspondents to team up with those in the judiciary by making meaningful contribution to the reformation and sanitisation of the justice system in the country.

He counselled judicial correspondents to be factual and objective about their writings, especially when writing about sensitive issues that can cause disaffection in the system.

“It is important for me to let you know why I am particular about what is happening here today because, I myself, I am a lawyer and I used to

By Adebisi Onanuga

practice here some years ago.

So, it is homecoming for me in a way and I am glad that even though I don’t practise law anymore, I am glad to be part of maintaining the dignity of the justice system of which you are an integral part”, he said.

Pastor Paul acknowledged that “there is something hot on the plate about the excessiveness of some churches, in particular, the excessiveness of some pastors and others alleged to have purchased private jets.”

While condemning the purchase of private jets as an issue that has generated a lot of negative reactions in the country, he also appealed to members of the fourth estate of the realm to be balanced and objective in their reporting as not all churches are bad as it is being said in some quarters.

“Naturally, you will write about church and religion, but it is also a good point for you to review that because the fact that some people are not doing the right thing does not mean everybody is doing the wrong thing. “ I implore you to balance what you feel and what you have been writing so that you don’t use your powerful

position to cause disaffection across the nation” he said.

The Church chided the Federal Government for not maximizing the resources of the land for the good of the citizens of the country, especially its workforce. “ It is also important for me to say that ordinarily, it is the government that should be taking care of the people because they control the resources and they collect the taxes, but when the people who don’t get enough care from the government, we are sending a wrong signal to them.”

While highlighting some laudable projects embarked upon by his church as a social responsibility, he said that the Grace Family will continue to play its role as a light bearer and a pace setter in giving succor to the needy and defenceless in the society.

Responding, the Chairman of NAJUC, Ikeja Chapter, Alhaji Abdulwahab Abdulah, while expressing appreciation on behalf of the members of the association, urged the church to shine as light in the nation and speak out to powers that be on the need to make themselves accountable to the citizenry that voted them into power.

• From left: Third Vice-President, NBA, Francis Ekwere, second Vice-President, Steve Abba and first VicePresident, NBA, Justus O. Erhabor at the National Executive Committee Meeting of NBA held in Asaba.

Legal Dairy

Group holds conference tomorrow

Yola holds Law Week

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HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Yola Branch holds it Law Week, Annual Bar Dinner and presentation of Awards from December 4-7, at AUN Community Hall Yola. 9 am

Group holds Dinner/ Lecture

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he Global Association of Fe male Attorneys (GAFA) holds 2012 GAFA Dinner, Lecture and Awards Night at the The Role of Women in Nation Building- Promoting a violence free Society at the The Fountain Hall, Rockview Hotels, Royale, Wuse, Abuja, on Thursday, December 6, 2012. at 7. 30 pm. Guest Speaker: Former Minister for Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Akinlolu Olujimi Host: Open Society Justice Initiative

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HERE will be handover cer emonies and conference on legal aid and access to justice through the police duty solicitors scheme (PDSS) tomorrow. This is jointly organised by Legal Aid Council of Nigeria and Open Society Justice Initiative.

Venue: Rockview Hotel tomorrow. Time: 9.am.

PDSS is the product of partnership between Legal Aid Council, Nigeria Police Force, Open Society Justice Initiative and Rights Enforcement and Public Law Centre (REPLACE) designed to reduce duration of pre trial detention and number of pre trial detainees. It deploys young lawyers on national service to selected police stations in six states - Edo, Imo, Kaduna, Kebbi, Ondo and Sokoto - to offer legal aid and administrative support to indigent criminal suspects.

Since inception in 2005, the scheme has released over 10,000 detainees. In 2011/12, the scheme underwent exter-

Ezeobi (SAN) loses brother

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ORMER chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos, Chief Theodore Ezeobi (SAN) has lost his elder brother, Chief Christopher N. Ezeobi.

The death of Chief Christopher N. Ezeobi in a Lagos hospital has left the Ezeobi family of Awgbu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State mourning.

The late Chief Ezobi was a teacher, educationalist, educator, patriot, socialite, community and church leader.

He was a product of Christ the King College Bishop Shanahan Teacher Training College, Orlu (1948) and University of Ghana, Lagon, Accra (1958 – 1962, St. Charles Teacher Training

College,Onitsha (1947). His was a heroic and noble life of service to humanity as a class room teacher (since 1941), Tutor at St. Anthony’s Teachers Training College Agulu (1949 – 1958), Principal of Schools including St. Peters Secondary School Achina (1962 – 1966), Igbo Etiti Secondary School, Adada, Uzouwani (1973 – 1976) and as education administrator in various capacities at various places, including Nnewi Local Government Area, Idemili Local Government Area and Onitsha Local Government Area. He retired as Chief Inspector of schools (Onitsha Zone) (1984).

Burial announcement will be announced later by the family.

nal review preparatory to handover of management and control to the Legal Aid Council.

The handover ceremonies will therefore provide an opportunity for Legal Aid Council to officially receive the review report and symbolically takeover the scheme.

Following the handover ceremonies will be a stakeholders conference on legal aid and access to justice through the PDSS. The conference will bring together representatives of criminal justice institutions, civil society organizations, project partners and the media to review the scheme and propose ideas for a more robust and institutionalized scheme.

These events have been scheduled as follows: Handover ceremonies Date: Wednesday, December 5, 2012.Venue: Federal Secretariat (Head of Service) Conference Room, Abuja.Time: 10am Conference on Legal Aid and Access to Justice through the Police Duty Solicitors Scheme Date: Thursday, December 6, 2012 Venue: Zuma Hall, New Rockview Hotel, Wuse II, Abuja.Time: 9am Participants are enjoined to confirm attendance via blessing.usie@opensocietyfoundations.org.

Abuja holds Law Week

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he Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Abuja Branch, will hold her Annual Law Week and Lecture from December 10 13, 2012.

Venue: Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel. Abuja.

Time 9 am daily.

Theme: Challenges in the administration of justice in Nigeria Guest Speaker: Justice C. C. Nweze (JCA)

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

Sanusi’s road to economic recovery

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HE Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, loves to hug the public space. It may be part of his campaign strategy for the revered position of the Emir of Kano that he openly covets. In his search for publicity he never pretends to be a visionary. His training and working stints at the United Bank for Africa and the First Bank of Nigeria did not prepare him to creatively think.

His forte is to balance the books and ensure that bank borrowers meet preconceived standards before they are granted bank facilities. As I have said previously on Sanusi, there is nothing in his background that prepared him to be in charge of envisioning policies for the economic well being of Nigeria.

Sanusi has also shown that he is not a humanist, and that he does not exhibit a high quotient of emotional intelligence. The result is a Governor of Central Bank that talks, acts and writes without any rigorous thinking. As stated by Daniel Goleman in his book, Emotional Intelligence, having a high Intelligent Quotient, which Mallam Sanusi may have, is not the same as having a more balanced Emotional Intelligence that the job of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, or any important position, requires. Mallam Sanusi’s handicap explains his continuous gaffe as the ‘chief economist’ of the country. For in a modern economy ruled by bank charges, interest rates, inflation, lending priorities, and other monetary policies, the man who substantially determines that process, determines the economic direction of the country.

Sanusi’s answer to economic recovery for Nigeria is for 50% of the civil service workers to be sacked; which upon complaints he has modified as public office holders. In calling for the sack of 50% of the public sector workers for the economy to return to health, Mallam Sanusi was openly wringing his hands in frustration because of his inability to influence the necessary changes to get the economy up and running. As a trained book balancer, and the custodian of the wealth bank of the nation, contracting the number of workers is his answer to the dwindling value of the pay cheque. Obviously his forte does not extend to increasing the wealth pot, and definitely he has no emotional interest in the well being of those to be sacked, if he had the powers.

While Sanusi’s prognosis that a nation can not survive paying out 70% of her income for recurrent expenditure is correct, he has like the rest of the Nigerian elites once again shied away from the crux of the national crisis. He knows that the death knell for our country is corruption. But because he is involved in a variant of that corruption, he prefers to hold onto a straw as the economy he presides over goes under. Blinded by his other interests, Sanusi pursues policies ad programs that ordinarily harm the Central Bank and the country. Not long ago he unabashedly turned the non-interest banking into a religious issue, just to scurry favour from the Islamic community. Now that he has against the CBN’s act used public fund to set up this pet project, and the new Banks have been floundering, he has stopped talking about it, and of course, will give account to nobody.

Again while Sanusi is calling for reduction in the national work force to save the economy, his employment record since he took over as the CBN Governor has been anything but impressive. Recently Sanusi was openly accused of employing unqualified personnel from outside the bank at the detriment of those in the system. He has also been working hard to shield the National Assembly from scrutinizing the budget of the apex bank, against the express provisions of the constitution. In desperation, he muddles up the issue of the supervision of monetary policies, which must remain with the CBN, with the matter of how much of tax payers money does the Governor of the Central Bank earn, and how much does he spend to maintain the physical infrastructure and personnel of the bank.

Sanusi like the rest of our power elite, live falsely. While they seek out opportunities to sound as if they are concerned for the well being of the economy, they refuse to take necessary steps to put the economy to good health. If indeed Sanusi is as fearless as he pretends, how many of our Governors and Ministers has he exposed for the capital flight he gleefully reported recently in the media. Again after successfully bringing down his erstwhile colleagues who did not fortuitously support his ascendency to the position of the Governor, are we to believe that there are no more stealing and buccaneering in the banking sector, since his ascendency. Are we not aware that many of those Sanusi appointed to oversee the transition in the banks he forcefully took over, substantially helped themselves with the same resources they were asked to protect, as Mallam Sanusi looked the other way?

While I do not support that the powers of the Central Bank Governor be whittled down over monetary policies, I doubt if Sanusi has shown enough competence for his job. As Daniel Goleman said: “In a sense we have two brains, two minds – and two different kinds of intelligence: rational and emotional. How we do in life is determined by both – it is not just IQ, but emotional intelligence that matters. Indeed, intellect cannot work at its best without emotional intelligence.” Sanusi has by his recent calls for the sacking of onehalf of the national work force shown that he lacks empathy and as Goleman said: “the brightest among us can founder on the shoals of unbridled passions and unruly impulses….”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

34

LEGAL OPINION

Justice Joseph Olubunmi Oyewole: A perspective on the needless controversies A

NYBODY with more than a dilettante’s knowledge of ad ministration of justice would agree that an efficient, effective and credible judiciary requires, most importantly, committed, principled and incorruptible judicial officers.

It has often been said that it is more preferable to have a bad law than a bad judge, for the latter can interpret the imperfect statute with a human face, but no society can safely put up with a bad judge, a good law will be interpreted in a way that will induce miscarriage of justice if the judge is incompetent, biased, or worse still, corrupt. This informs the reason why there are always sustained public interests in judicial appointments, especially those relating to the superior Courts of Record in Nigeria..

The issue relating to the transfer of a well-known judge of Lagos State Judiciary, Justice Joseph Olubunmi Kayode Oyewole, from Lagos State Judiciary to the state of Osun Judicary understandably elicited considerable interests in both the legal and wider circle.

I have read many of the reactions on the issue and would have to say it is very disappointing that quite a number of commentators had not got familiar with the issue they glibly commented on. Many, others still, allowed their views to be compromised with personal bias or political sentiments. Justice Oyewole, it will be recalled, is one of the most known judicial personnel in Nigeria today. ] His visibility stemmed from serendipitous handling of majority of sensational cases in recent years while he was at the Criminal Division of the Lagos State Judiciary. Of course, it is not so much the sensational nature of the cases themselves that fetched Oyewole popularity, but the way he handled them. The highly industrious Ila-Orangun-born judge is reputable to be principled, cerebral, brave and incorruptible.

Some of the cases he handled included the famous case of Emmanuel Nwude and his two cohorts, Mrs. Amaka Anajemba and Mr. Nzeribe Okoli. The trio were convicted and sentenced to varying terms of imprisonment by Justice Joseph Oyewole of the Ikeja Division of the High Court Lagos State, between April and November 2005 for defrauding a Brazilian Banker, Mr. Nelson Sakaguchi, and his bank, Banquo Noreste, Sau Paulo, Brazil, to the tune of approximately US$242 million. The scam was the biggest single fraud case in the world and led to the collapse of the bank.

Oyewole also handled the case of former Deputy Chairman of the

By Ibrahim Lawal

Peoples Democratic Party and one time Chairman of the Nigerian Port Authority, Chief Olabode George.

George had been found guilty in the 68-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The offences included fraudulent contract splitting leading to loss of billions of naira and disobedience to lawful order. He was sentenced to 30 month imprisonment by Justice Joseph Oyewole on October 26, 2009. George also lost the bid to have the judgment overturned on appeal to the Court of Appeal as the appellate court, on January, 21, 2011, affirmed the conviction. The famous case of Pastor Emeka Ezeuko, aka Rev King was yet another matter he handled. King was arraigned on September 26, 2006 on a six-count charge of attempted murder and murder.

Five years ago, precisely on January 11, 2007 Oyewole convicted him and sentenced him to death by hanging, for the alleged murder of a church member, Ann Uzoh. His appeal to the Court of Appeal has been reserved for judgement at the appelate Court.Out of all these cases, perhaps the one that is the most trying for Justice Oyewole is the case of Bode George.

This writer had it on good authority that a lot of pressure was mounted on the young judge from “very high quarters” to compromise his judicial oath but the judge blatantly refused, following the law and his conscience in convicting George. Most of Oyewole’s judgments have been affirmed on appeal and even the few ones that had been sent back for retrial, were eventually decided the same way he had initially adjudged them.

The sterling qualities of Oyewole(J) must have inspired the Governor of the State of Osun, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to nominate him to the National Judicial Council (NJC) as the new Chief judge of Osun, following the recent retirement of the incumbent. In doing this, the governor was superimposing what he believed to be merit over the conservative consideration of seniority. This is not unprecedented as the order of merit had been breached in judicial appointments in the state even before governor Aregbesola assumed power. For example, Justice Adetotun Sijuwade was number four in the seniority list of judges in Osun State when he was appointed the Chief Judge. Elsewhere, Justice Ligali Ayorinde of

Oyo State was also number three when he became the CJ in Oyo State just as justice Shedrack Nwanosike was number three when he was picked for the Abia State CJ. It is also remarkable that the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Adetokunbo Ademola, was appointed CJN at a time when Justice Maririke was senior to him at the Supreme Court. In addition there is nothing in the 1999 Constitution that backs up the practice of sheepish adherence to order of seniority. Recently, a renowned professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Itse Sagay, was reported in the media to have supported the move by the Aregbesola administration to appoint Oyewole J as the CJ. Sagay had said ”You don’t need to be a native of a state to become a CJ of that state. All you need to qualify is 10 years post-call experience.

Whether Justice Oyewole is from Osun State or not is not the question, the governor is constitutionally empowered to appoint a person on merit whether he is in the Osun, Lagos, Kano or Enugu State judiciary. Governor Aregbesola has only gone for merit and competence rather than adopting the conventional turn-by -turn syndrome that has set the rot in the judiciary.

“Aregbesola’s decision was borne out of intelligence, courage that is worthy of emulation all over the nation. His decision is right in law and healthy for the judiciary’’. Sagay retorted.However, it is our culture

in this part of the world to allow politics to percolate and desecrate everything and to becloud our sense of judgment in appreciating issues.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saw in this innocuous move an opportunity to fan the embers of discord and create disaffection among the judicial officers in the state. The main opposition party in the state challenged the government over the preference of Justice Oyewole to other judges on the bench in Osun State. The party had in a statement signed by its Director of Media Publicity and Strategy, Prince Diran Odeyemi alleged that Justice Oyewole was being propped to come and execute some hidden agenda of the governor! It was particularly alleged that Oyewole was being favoured for the position by the government for political reasons. A petition was even sent to the NJC by a sponsored group or vested interests with a view to block the judge’s elevation. Eventually, Oyewole’s nomination was incidentally rejected by the NJC on two grounds, one, that he is not of Osun State Judiciary and two, he is not the most senior judge on the memo presented by the State JSC and could therefore not be the Chief judge now in accordance with the tradition of seniority .

The NJC without further recourse to the state JSC as it did for Kwara and Adamawa on the same day recommended Justice Bola Ojo to Governor Rauf Aregbesola as substan-

tive CJ for the State of Osun “subject to the confirmation of the House of Assembly” By that decision the coast was clear for the most senior judge in the Osun State Judiciary hierarchy, Justice Gloria Oladoke, following the rejection of Justice Bola Ojo by the state House of Assembly.

The lawmakers rejected OJO J on grounds that there were litigation against the composition of the State Judicial Service Commission. They reckoned that it would be inappropriate to appoint Ojo because of the pending cases in court in which the Governor and the House of Assembly are Parties The governor eventually appointed Justice Gloria Oladoke as the Acting Chief Judge, and she has since been sworn-in. There is a latest development in this saga, Justice Oyewole who was appointed a judge of the Lagos State Judiciary on May 22, 2001, has opted for his service to be transferred to Osun State Judiciary based on the advise of the NJC. All the procedural formalities for this transfer have been completed. He is now scheduled to formally resume work in his new station on December 4, 2012. As the Legal community in Osun gets set to welcome this quintessential judge, one cannot but wish him well as he enters another phase in his professional life.

•Ibrahim Lawal is the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal and Judicial Reform.

• Cross section of participants at the NBA NEC meeting in Asaba.

NEC approves inauguration of 18 committees for NBA, ratifies previous ones

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HE National Executive Committee(NEC) of the Ni gerian Bar Association (NBA), last week in Asaba, Delta State, gave nod to the President of the NBA, Okey Wali (SAN) to set up 18 committees to drive its administration and deliver the 10 point agenda of the Okey Wali adminsration.

The NEC also ratified the five committees which were previously inaugurated by the NBA President because of their strategic functions and they could not wait for the approval of NEC. The previously inaugurated committees are the Lawyers Welfare Trust Fund, the Data Base Committee, the Legislative Advocacy Working Group, the Rule of Law Action Group and committee on Constitution Review and Law Reform.

Inaugurating the committees, Wali (SAN) said: “The establishment of committees is fundamental to ensuring a more active Bar, as it is not

By John Austin Unachukwu

possible for the national officers or the secretariat to deal with all activities and functions of a Bar. In addition, the use of committees allows lawyers who have interest and expertise in a particular area to focus on specific issues.”

He called on all the chairmen and members of the newly inaugurated committees to view the assignment as their contribution to the legal profession in addition to their past efforts and if they are new comers to the process, they are opening chapter of a long and rewarding service to our noble association.

The new committees are : Technical Committee on Conference Planning with Chief Joe Agi (SAN) as chairman, Olumuyiwa Akinboro as Alternate chairman and Oluseun Abimbola as Secretary. NBA Local Government System Reform and Community Access to Justice Com-

mittee with Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) as Chairman,Faye Dikio (SAN) Alternate Chairman and Niyi Osunubi as Secretary. The NBA Welfare Committee has Mr Steve Abba as Chairman and Chinelo Iriele as Secretary. The Human Rights Institute Governing Council has Justice Amina Augie (JCA) as Chairman, Mr Festus Okoye as Vice Chairman and Mrs. Hauwa Shekarau as Secretary.

The NBA Anti-Corruption Commission has Yusuf Olaolu (SAN) as Chairman, Mr Ledum Mittee Alternate Chairman, Hajiya Fatima Kwaku as Vice Chairman and Charles U. Eduzor as Secretary. The NBA Election Working Group has Dafe Akpedeye (SAN) as Chairman, Mr Reuben James as Alternate Chairman and Folake Abiodun Emmanuel as Secretary. NBA Judiciary Committee has Kabiru Taminu Turaki (SAN) as Chairman, Mr Femi Falana (SAN) as AAlfernate chairman and Dr. Violet Aigbkhaerbo as

Secretary. NBA Legal Education Committee has Prof. Alwalu Yadudu as Chairman, Mr Lateef Fagbemi , Alternate Chairman and Dr. Ogugua Ikpeze as Secretary. NBA Property Development Committee has Dr. T.C Osanakpo (SAN) as Chairman, Obi Okwusogu (SAN), Alternate Chairman and Mrs. Kemi Osisanya as Secretary.

The committee on branch capacity building has Funke Adekoya (SAN) as Chairman, D. C. Denwigwe Alternate Chairman and Mr Ibrahim Eddy Mark as Secretary. Criminal justice Reform Committee has Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN) as chairman, Hon. Nimi Walson Jack Alternate Chairman and Nnenna Uko as Secretary. NBA Human Rights Committee has Mr Osa Erhabor as Chairman. The Institute of Continuing Legal Education Governing Board has Pro. M. I. Jegede (SAN) as Chairman, Chief John Ochoga and Prof.

Ernest Ojukwu as Project Director,

NBA Editorial Board has Prof.

Epiphany Azinge (SAN) as Chairman, S. T. Hon Alternate Chairman as Alternate Chairman.

The Committee on the Liberalisation of Legal services has YemiCandid Johnson (SAN) as Chairman, Mrs. Mfon Usoro Alternate Chairman and Mrs. Olufunmi Oluyede as Secretary. NBA Academic Forum has Prof. Ernest Ojukwu as Chairman and Mr Omale Ogar Omale as Secretary. The Finance Committee has Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN) as Chairman, Mr John Olatunde Ayeni , Alternate Chairman and Mazi Okechukwu C. K. Unegbu as Secretary. The Peace and Secrurity Committee has Okey Amechi (SAN) as Chairman, J. S. Okutepa as Alternate Chairman and Miss Fatima Hassan as Secretary.

The committees were given their terms of reference and charged to hit the ground running.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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LAW & SOCIETY NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC) OF NIGERIA BAR ASSOCIATION (NBA) HELD IN ASABA, DELTA STATE

• From left: Obi Okwusogu (SAN), Dr T.C. Osanakpo (SAN), Mrs Chinelo Iriele, NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN), Chairman NBA Ikeja branch, Monday Ubani and Chairman, Access Bank, Olatunde Ayeni

• From left: Former Chairman, Uyo branch, NBA, Essien Essien, Welfare Officer, Kelvin Ejelonu, General Secretary, Emeka Obegolu and Aniedi Abotti

• From left: Funke Adekoya (SAN), Austine Alegeh (SAN) and President, Common Lawyers Association (CLA), Boma Ozobia

• From left: Former President, Movement For the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSSOP), Chief Ledum Mittee and Chairman, NBA Isiokpo branch, Lukman C. Ihua

• From left: Chief John Ochoga, Hajiya Fatima Kwaku and Chief Godwin Obla

NBA reverses naming Abuja secretariat after Akeredolu

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HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) last week in Asaba, Delta State reversed the naming of its national secretariat after its former President, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) The NBA Secretariat in Abuja was named Akeredolu House by the past administration in honour of the former President, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) who served the Bar diligently and bought the property during his tenure as NBA President.

However, petitions flooded the secretariat in protest against this action hence, the matter was brought to NEC to take a position on it.

After deliberations on the matter, the NEC resolved that the naming of the house after Akeredolu was a unilateral decision taken by the Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) led administration without the consent of the NEC. Consequently, NEC reversed the nam-

By John Austin Unachukwu

ing. The house remains NBA House.

Earlier in his opening speech, NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN) thanked the government and people of Delta State for their hospitality and support to the Bar for the meeting. He also called for increased funding for the Judiciary.

Wali said: “We will, however, continue to call on governments across the country to ensure that the Judiciary is well funded.

We have noticed with dismay, that while budgetary appropriations at the Federal Level for other arms of government are on the increase, that of the Judiciary is declining. In 2009, it was N78billion, N91billion in 2010, N95billion in 2011, N75billion in 2012 and N67billion in 2013. This cannot be right, if we must have a modern judiciary for a modern justice delivery system, which

is very key for an orderly society, we must adequately fund the judiciary. Of course, the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) of an independent and self accounting Judiciary have been observed more in the breach. The NBA hereby calls on the Federal Government and various state governments to be law abiding and comply with the provisions of S.81(3), S.121(3) and S.162(9)of the 1999 Constitution” The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan called on NBA to collaborate with law enforcement agents to ensure speedy dispensation of justice in the country.

Uduaghan said: “No doubt, this country is passing through a phase in its existence where there is rise in criminality, particularly crimes of armed robbery, kidnapping, militancy and terrorist activities”.

Said he: “ NBA has a role to play by collaborating with the government in ensuring that those arrested are brought to justice speedily. In addition, there is the need to urgently re-define and reform the criminal justice system, this is long overdue” He called on the “NBA to expedite action on the results of previous two criminal justice reform conferences, the last of which was held in Asaba in June . He urged the NBA to come up with suggestions and blueprint for transforming the criminal justice system to achieve sustainable justice. This is imperative as the association is seen by government at all levels, as agent of change, organisers and mouth piece of civil reform in society” Wali (SAN) thanked the governor for his hospitality and assured him that the Bar will not relent in its efforts in promoting the rule of law and being the voice of the common man

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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FROM THE COURT

Court to hear suit against detained naval officer Dec. 17

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FEDERAL High Court, La gos, presided over by Justice Okechukwu Okeke, will on December 17 hear a suit by a Lt. Commander of the Nigerian Navy, Stephen Ochepo Edeh, against naval authorities over his detention.

He joined the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff and the Nigerian Navy as respondents in the Motion on Notice.

Edeh sought a declaration that his arrest and continued detention at the Base Officer’s quarters, BOQ NNS Quarra, Apapa, Lagos, by the respondents is a breach of his fundamental rights to freedom of movement, liberty and dignity of human person.

He prayed for an order compelling the respondents to release him from detention forthwith, and sought N20million being exemplary and aggravated damages.

The applicants urged the court to make an order of injunction restraining the respondents, either by themselves or through their agents, from further arresting or detaining the applicant or in any way infringing on his rights.

Edeh’s lawyer, Anthony Omaghomi said his client had gone

• Navy: Why he is in detention

By Joseph Jibueze

through a Navy court martial and was dismissed, yet is still being detained in inhuman conditions.

The applicant’s problems began a year and some months ago when he returned from a study trip abroad. He was arrested on the alleged ground that he exceeded the time he was supposed to spend abroad. He had travelled to the United Kingdom for his Masters Degree programme.

Edeh’s lawyer said his client was transferred to the torture centre of the Nigerian Navy in Lagos, where he was severely beaten and chained to the ground even in the custody.

Omaghomi said it was unfortunate that his client was treated in such a dehumanising way for no just cause, insisting that Edeh had applied for study leave abroad, was granted permission and stayed in touch with the Navy through a defence attaché.

He explained that because his client had issues with the timing of the programme, he missed out on some of the semesters, which pro-

longed his stay there.

When he eventually returned to Nigeria on July 31, 2011, he reported at the Naval headquarters in Abuja the following day (August 1, 2011) to explain himself. He has been held ever since.

On November 11, last year, Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court ordered the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Naval Staff to release Edeh from custody. The judge had also awarded N3 million damages in favour of Edeh against the Nigerian Navy for the unlawful detention.

Omaghomi stated that the Navy, instead of complying with the judgment set up a court marshal to try him on four count charge. The Navy eventually dismissed Edeh.

Despite not handing out custodial sentence, they have refused to let him go.

“They are very, very lawless people, extremely lawless,” the lawyer said, adding that they had evicted his client from his official quarters since December 10, 2005, and had stopped his salary while

he was abroad, even as his international passport was seized.

The Navy, in a press release, said Edeh’s was a case of desertion and absence without leave.

The statement, signed by Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command, Rear Admiral Azubuike Ajuonu reads: “The fact of the case is that, Lt Commander Stephen Edeh was released by the Nigerian Navy on August 23, 2004 to undergo a Master of Arts degree in intelligence and International security school in London. The period of his leave was for one year; however, the officer betrayed the trust and opportunity given to him and failed to report back to the country.

“He again unlawfully took another Master degree course in Business Administration in another school. Efforts to get him back to Nigeria failed. However, Lt Commander Stephen Ochepo Edeh sneaked into the country on July 31,2011 and to leave again, he was arrested at the airport.

“He was court marshalled under the Armed Forces Act Cap A20 Law of Federation of Nigeria 2004. Lt Cdr Stephen Ochepo Edeh was given the opportunity to defend

himself by a civilian lawyer during the trial. The case was concluded on August 4, 2012 and the judgment forwarded to the Naval Headquarters for confirmation.

Omaghomi is aware of this.

“While awaiting confirmation, Lt Commander, Stephen Ochepo Edeh who was on open arrest, however on November 22, 2012, he became riotous at the Naval Base, Apapa threatening to kill anyone on sight.

In order to save him and others he was taken for a medical checkup same day. The report indicated that he was of sound mind. After this incident, he was put on closed custody.

“Let me state here that the Nigerian Navy is a disciplined Service and have zero tolerance for indiscipline. The Service will not condone any act of unruly behavior and indiscipline by any of its personnel.

“The Service will also not allow to be stamped into any action as the due process of law will take its course in any case. The Nigeria Navy would like to warm lawyers to stop feeding the public with falsehood as the Service will not tolerate impunity by any lawyer seeking cheap publicity.”

Okunnu Eleku Family petitions Fashola over land excision

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HE Okunnu Eleku family of Oko-Olomi Vllage, IbejuLekki Local Government Area of Lagos, has petitioned the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) over what they described as “fraudulent activities of the Lagos State Bureau of Lands”.

The family urged Fashola to conduct a investigate the fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Bureau of Lands registry through Gazette No 19 Volume 40 dated February 22, 2007 by the land officials.

Speaking through their lawyer, Bamidele Ogundele, the Okunnu Eleku family alleged that a large parcel of their land measuring, 33.228 hectares and which comprises of Oko-Olomi, Imaletalafia, and Otunla villages was fraudulently ceded to Oba Tajudeen Afolabi Elemoro of Elemoro family by the Lagos State Bureau of Lands.

They said since Oba Elemoro is not the original owner of the land, the action of the state government therefore contradicts the provisions of section 28(1) of the Land Use Act, 1978, section 44(1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Article 14 of the Africa Charter of Human and People”s Right (Enforcement and Ratification Act) Law of Federation 2004.

Ogundele alleged that the fraud was made possible with the influence of a former permanent secretary in the State Ministry of Lands, (names with held), who is now a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria and who they claimed has his maternal roots in the Elemoro family.

The counsel to the Okunnu Eleku family accused the senator of gross abuse of office for hi-

By Adebisi Onanuga

jacking their lands from them and giving it to his own family without adequate compensation.

“It must be stated that there was no Notice of Acquisition and compensation paid to the owners of the land namely Okunu Eleku family of Oko-Olomi Village, Idogun family of Imaletalafia and Otunla family of Otunla village, all of IbejuLekki area of Lagos State”.

Going down memory lane, Ogundele recalled that the ancestral home of the Elemoro is Makun in Epe Local Government area adding that the Imoletalafia only gave two plots of land to the Elemoro”s forefathers as customary tenants to build a house.

The family accused Oba Elomoro of unleashing terror in the area, adding that on August 2, 2012, a member of their family , Rasheed Ismaila was shot in the chest and hand while the case was first reported at the Police station in their area before the matter was transferred to the homicide section of Panti, Yaba.

Ogundele urged the InspectorGeneral of Police to conduct investigation into an alleged attempt by some officers at the homicide section of Panti Police Station, Yaba to suppress the case file.

“We urge the Inspector-General of Police to take over the investigation and most importantly, we urge Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) to conduct adequate and exhaustive investigation into the alleged fraud perpetrated in the Lands Registry as contained in the gazette,” Ogundele added.

• From left: Delta State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Charles Ajuyah, Delta State Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama (SAN), Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN) and NBA General Secretary, Emeka Obegolu

• Former General Secretary, NBA, Olumuyiwa Akinboro (left) and former General Secretary, NBA, Ibrahim Eddy Mark, during a courtesy visit to NBA President in Abuja.

Kazeem replaces Habeeb Abiru on LG Election Appeal Tribunal

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NEW judge, Justice Kazeem Olanrewaju Alogba has been sworn in as a member of the Local Government Election Appeal Tribunal in Lagos.

Justice Alogba replaces Justice Habeeb Abiru, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal.

The swearing in ceremony was performed by the Chief Registrar, Mr. Gafar Safari in the office of the Chief Judge (CJ) of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips.

Other members of the tribunal

By Adebisi Onanuga

are the chairman, Justice Opeyemi Oke and Justices Candido Johnson, Mojisola Dada and Olatunde Oshodi.

In her remarks, the Lagos CJ, Justice Phillips charged members of the tribunal to be fair and just and not to allow themselves to be swayed by any extra-judicial circumstances and remarks.

“I urge you all to be bold and fairless and do what is right in the

face of God”, she admonished the tribunal members.

Justice Phillips advised the tribunal members against making unguarded statements.

“You know we judges, we speak through our judgements.

So avoid making comments that can be misconstrued in another way.

“I have confidence in every member of the tribunal and I am sure they would do what is right and best and that which is in the

interest of justice”, she said.

The Lagos Chief Judge said that all issues relating to some petitions that stalled the sitting of the tribunal temporarily have come to an end with the swearing in of Justice Alogba as she assured that the tribunal would commence sitting soon.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Opeyemi Oke, thanked the CJ for the confidence reposed in the members of the tribunal.

“I want to assure you that we would adjudicate on all cases brought before us without fear or favour, knowing fully well that the almighty God is the ultimate judge”, she said.

Oke poo-pooed what was said about the tribunal as not even befitting the standard of Nollywood.

She assured that the tribunal would carry out its duty diligently and ensure judicial excellence in all cases before it.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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LAW REPORT

Determination of whether a state is a littoral state within Nigeria is a question of fact

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA On Tuesday, the 10th day of July, 2012 Suit No: SC.250/2009

plaintiff - the Cross River State represented by the Attorney-General of the State lays claim for the purpose of the payment of 13% derivation revenue pursuant to Section 162(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. The statement of claim of the plaintiff captions the bone of contention in this suit as follows “This unilateral removal of the plaintiffs name among the beneficiaries of the 13% derivation fund and the recalcitrance of the 1st defendant to change the position culminated in the filing of this case.”

BEFORE THEIR LORDSHIPS DAHIRU MUSDAPHER....... Justice of the Supreme Court MAHMUD MOHAMMED....... Justice of the Supreme Court JOHN AFOLABI FABIYI....... Justice of the Supreme Court OLUFUNLOLA OYELOLA ADEKEYE....... Justice of the Supreme Court SULEIMAN GALADIMA....... Justice of the Supreme Court BODE RHODES-VIVOUR....... Justice of the Supreme Court NWALI SYLVESTER NGWUTA....... Justice of the Supreme Court BETWEEN ATTORNEY-GENERAL, CROSS RIVER STATE

...APPELLANTS

AND 1. ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION 2, ATTORNEY-GENERAL, AKWA IBOM STATE ...RESPONDENTS

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S the plaintiff is no longer a littoral state and as it has no Maritime Terri tory, the 76 oil wells which now lie offshore within another maritime territory not that of the plaintiff cannot be attributed to the plaintiff. In order that any Nigerian littoral state may be entitled to the attribution of any off-shore oil field/well within the 200 meters Isobath and the derivations therefrom, the oil field/well must lie offshore but within the state’s Maritime Territory which means that the state itself must abut and/or lie contiguous or proximate to the sea and have a Maritime Territory up to the 200 meters Isobath.

The Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission did not demarcate any boundary at the August 2008 Inter-Agencies Kano retreat. The plaintiff would have remained a littoral state if the effort made by President Olusegun Obasanjo to retain the western part of Bakassi Peninsula in Nigeria had succeeded. The plaintiff would have retained the direct access to the sea. The 1st defendant emphasized 1. The letter dated 4th January 2005 addressed to the former President Olusegun Obasanjo caption “Akwa Ibom/Cross River Interstate Maritime Boundary”.

2. The letter dated 31st October 2006 on the political solution in respect of oil wells between Cross River State/Akwa Ibom State/ Rivers State were based on the negotiation and expectation that the western parts of the Bakassi Peninsula would be retained as a Nigerian Territory. The International Court of Justice judgment was delivered in 2002.

The Greentree Agreement between Nigerian and Cameroon governments was signed on June 12, 2006 while handing over of the entire Bakassi Peninsula was eventually completed on the August 14, 2008. There is now in existence a National Boundary Com-

mission 2008 Map showing the seven littoral states in Nigeria after the handover of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon of which the plaintiff is not one of them. The status of the plaintiff was changed by the ICJ judgment which also disentitled the plaintiff from deriving benefits from the 76 oil wells which now belong to the 2nd defendant.

The 1st defendant raised the following issues for determination 1. Whether there had been an agreement between the parties upon which the 1st defendant could be stopped from resiling.

2. Whether the role played by the 1st defendant at her Inter-Agency Retreat held in Kano in August 2008 could be interpreted as a usurpation of the adjudicatory jurisdiction of the court.

3. Whether from the combined effects of the judgment of the International Court of Justice and the judgment of this court in Suit No. SC.124/1999 which is reported as A-G Gross River State v. A-G Federation & anor (2005) 15 NWLR (Pt.947) Pg.71, the plaintiff has a seaward boundary, estuarine sector or maritime boundary to entitle it to oil wells located off shore.

The 2nd defendant, Attorney-General Akwa Ibom State adopted and relied on documents as follows - 2nd defendant’s 1st Amended Statement of Defence deemed filed on 14/5/2012; the witnesses statement of Okokon Essien and Augustine Dominic Odokwo the Akwa Ibom State SurveyorGeneral and Director of Civil Litigation of the Ministry of Justice for and on behalf of the 2nd defendant, the 2nd defendant’s Final Written Address in disputing the claim of the plaintiff to the attribution of 76 oil wells to Akwa Ibom State.

According to the brief facts of the 2nd defendant’s case, these 76 oil wells are located offshore the coast of Nigeria to which the

As at the time of the institution of this suit, the controversial 76 oil wells were and are still attributed to Akwa Ibom State represented by the 2nd defendant. The InterAgency meeting of the Revenue Mobilization and Fiscal Commission held in August 2008 followed and relied on the 2008 littoral states maritime boundaries delineations by the National Boundary Commission. The letter of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to the Accountant General of the Federation in March 2009 forwarding the 2009 Revised 13% Derivation Indices for the payment of Derivation funds to littoral states omitted the name of Cross River State. It was decided at the RMAFC Inter-Agency meeting of the 15th April 2008 that in line with the National Boundary Commission Littoral States boundaries delineations The offshores oil wells will be attributed to the littoral states jointly by all the agencies using the co-ordinates to be supplied by the Department of Petroleum Resources under the supervision of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission.”

The RMAFC Inter-Agency Report was produced in August 2008. By virtue of Section 6(1)(b) of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act Cap R7 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, the RMAFC is empowered toa. “Monitor the accruals to and disbursement of revenue from the ‘Federation Account and review from time to time, the revenue allocation formulae and principles in operation to ensure conformity with changing realities. b. Section 6(2)(b) of the Act also gives the RMAFC the power to demand and obtain regular and relevant information data or returns from any government agencies.”

On the other hand, Section 7(c) of the National Boundary Commission Act Cap N10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 gives the National Boundary Commission the power to a. Define and delimitate boundaries between states, local government areas or communities in the Federation and between Nigeria and her neighbours in accordance with

delimitation instrument or document established for that purpose.

At the RMAFC Inter-Agency Meeting of 15th April 2008, Cross River State was factually affirmed as a non-littoral state in Nigeria sequel to the judgment of the International Court of Justice in 2002 in the Cameroon/Nigeria Boundary dispute.

The 2nd defendant gave the qualification of a littoral state, whether in Nigeria or anywhere in the world or whether a sovereign country or a state in a federation. Such state must have a territory which must abut or be contiguous to the sea; it must be possible to have direct access to the sea from the state without passing through any other state’s territory. Sequel to the judgment of the International Court of Justice delivered in 2002 and the ultimate execution in August 2008, Cross River State became landlocked and no part of its territory is contiguous to nor abuts the sea. The judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Attorney-General of Cross River State v. Attorney-General of the Federation and one other (2005) 15 NWLR (Pt.947) Pg.71 pronounced that Cross River State has no maritime boundary with Akwa Ibom State.

The 2nd defendant highlighted that prior to the judgment of the International Court of Justice, Cross River State qualified as a littoral state because as at that time it had access to the sea through the Bakassi Peninsula and the estuarian part of the inland waters; the “Cross River”. The Cross River State used to claim a riparian territory abutting the sea through the peninsula and the estuary which then were part of Nigeria.

The Bakassi Peninsula lies contiguous to the sea while the Cross River estuary empties into the sea. The fact of Bakassi Peninsula and the Cross River Estuary being part of Cross River State was the sole qualification and reason for being adjudged as a Nigeria littoral state. The National Boundary Commission 2008 Maritime Boundary Map did not reflect Cross River State as a littoral state. The 2nd defendant maintained that by virtue of Cross River State not being a littoral state and therefore not having any maritime territory, the 76 oil wells which are the subject matter of dispute in this suit and which lie offshore, within a maritime territory cannot be attributed to Cross River State. For any Nigerian littoral state to be entitled to the attribution of any offshore oil field/well within the 200 meters isobaths, the oil field/well must be offshore but within the State’s maritime territory which means that the state itself must abut and/or lie contiguous or proximate to the sea and have a maritime territory up to the 200 metres isobaths or as the case may be in some circumstances have a riparian territory abutting the sea.

• Continued next week

Family of slain CPP candidate in Delta urges IGP to expose killers

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HE family of the governorship candidate of the Citizens Popular Party (CPP) in Delta State, Chief Ogbe Onokpite, who was killed in controversial circumstances a year ago, has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar, to expose and bring his killers to book.

Onokpite was allegedly shot on November 26, 2011 by policemen at Beeland Hotel, Warri on allegation of gun-running.

Onokpite contested the governorship election with the incumbent, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State in 2006.

Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on the occasion of the one year commemoration of the death of the politician, Mr Odiana Eriata, counsel to the family, stated that the revelations from police investigation so far showed that a killer gang exists in the state.

Eriata, was accompanied by the younger brother to the deceased, Dino at the news conference.

Eriata alleged that there had been several attempts to cover up

By Adebisi Onanuga

the killing of Onokpite and some people by the Delta State Police Command.

According to Eriata, the various attempts by some powerful people in the state to cover up the murder of Onokpite, was what culminated in the gruesome murder of two other persons, British Egene and Orlando Owodo on July 17, 2012 .

The counsel to the Onokpite family asked the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the role of a particular Assistant Supretendent of Police(ASP) (names withheld) in the matter.

He alleged that Egene and Owodo, were the two persons suspected to have set up the late Onokpite.

According to him, the car in which guns were planted against Onokpite belong to Owodo.

Eriata said Egene and Owodo were murdered in Bayelsa State shortly after an eyewitness in the killing of Onokpite, Mr Gbenga Onasiji, identified eight of the 11 policemen involved in the incident

• From left: Tess Moris Okeke, Chief Joe Agi (SAN), Dr Ogugua Ikpeze and Mac Enamhe at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of NBA in Asaba.

at an identification parade in Abuja.

“We believe that the assassination of Egene and Owodo in Bayelsa State on July 16 could not have been a coinciden ce but planned to break the chain of investigation and information in order to frustrate the unraveling of the procurers of Onokpite’s murder.

“The police must expand its in-

vestigation to the owner of the vehicle that conveyed Egene and Owodo on the day they killed them because the character was at the Beeland Hotel the day late Onokpite was killed.

“It is also mentioned that one of the governors in the Southsouth had also harassed the police investigators who attempted to interrogate one Papa

Mike (the owner of the car) wherein Orlando and Egene were killed. I think there is more to this killer squad in the Southsouth,” Eriata stated.

He, therefore, urged the Inspector-General of Police not to leave any stone unturned in exposing those behind several cases of assassination in Delta State.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

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ABUJA REVIEW NEWS

•From right: President Goodluck Jonathan welcoming South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) National Treasurer, Dr Mathew Phosa. With them is the National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur .

•From right: Managing Director, Crown Realities, Darl Uzu; Chairman of the company, Ferdinand Alabraba; Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Amah Pepple and Director, Corporate Communication, Central Bank of Nigeria, Ugochukwu Okoroafor, at the commissioning of Crown Estate Mabuchi

•From left: Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah; Minister of State for Education, Nyeson Wike, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu and Minister of Labour Chukwemeka Wogu, during the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House PHOTOS: AKIN OLADOKUN

•From left: Former Principal, Government Secondary School Garki Old Boys and Girls Association,Yakubu Musa Maikasuwa; Secretary, Reunion Committee, Grace Ayoola; former Vice-Principal, Alhaji Duduyemi Lawal and first Senior Prefect, Kabiru Abdullahi during the first annual ReUnion dinner of GSS Garki Old Boys and Girls Association

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola briefing the press after the presentation of Borrowing Plans by some states to the Committee on Debts and Loans at the National Assembly. With him are some members of the House of Representatives from Lagos State

•From right: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Adeola Olamilekan; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Dr Abubakar Mohammed and Director of Finance, Ibrahim Tumsha while appearing before the Committee on audit query raised by the Office of Auditor-General at National Assembly

•From left: Members of House of Representatives Committee on Marine Transport, Gafar Amere Akintayo; Sunday Afolabi; James Faleke and Minister for Transport, Senator Idris Umar during the ministry's budget defence at the National Assembly

•President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oristejafor (middle) cutting the tape to inaugurate Kingdom Centre, headquarters of Good Tiding Bible Church.

With him is the pastor of the church, Pastor Dayo Olutayo and his wife, Bolu PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

ABUJA REVIEW

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AST week started on a very sad note as the country grappled with the killings in Jaji.

As if that was not enough, the incident was followed by attack on the Abuja office of the most dreaded arm of the Nigerian Police Force, the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) the following day. The security situation, no doubt, is a setback to whatever achievement the government might have made.

Nobody or group has claimed responsibilities for the attacks.

But whichever group carried out the attacks, it has sent a message that it has no respect for anybody and that it can beat any security network.

The Presidency has been silent on both attacks, making people feel that the government was probably overwhelmed. But the Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati was quick to refute this, noting that rather than talking as usual, the Presidency swung into action.

Besides, he said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring safety of life and property.

“Immediately they occurred, the CDS and the IGP briefed the President. Action was taken immediately those two incidents occurred.

The CDS has since set up a panel of enquiry after visiting the scenes of incidents.

“On the Abuja incident, the IGP has been there, even the Minister of the FCT, after briefing the President, also convened a security council meeting at the level of the FCT. “What needs to be reiterated is that this government is committed to ensuring the security of life and property. Yes, there are challenges, but as these challenges surface, the government remains determined to focus on the objective of ensuring the overall well-being of all Nigerians,” Abati said.

While the Presidency came under sharp criticism over the killings, it also received commendations for the sack of the DirectorGeneral of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa.

Just like the way she came in, she was also shown the exit door after over two years in the saddle; selling government properties. Her sack came almost one year after the Senate demanded she be fired.

Though Presidency was on why she was sacked, it was however gathered that Onagoruwa’s sack might not be unconnected with her handling of the $23.6m Transmission Company of Nigeria contract awarded to Canadian firm Manitoba Hydro International which caused the country some sorts of embarrassment as the Canadian government registered their displeasure over the incident.

While the Presidency is doing all possible to make the country move forward, there were rumours of crack in the President’s team over the N1.3trillion oil subsidy payment.

The rumour was milled around the two main players in the cabi-

F

ORMER chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Urban Development, Chief Osita Izunaso, has condemned what he described as the inhuman demolition of Minanuel Estate in Lugbe Extension and other estates within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

While cautioning against further demolitions in the city, Isunaso said the action doesn’t reflect the status of a country that is having 17 million housing deficit.

Senator Izunaso, in the statement issued in Abuja which he personally signed said: “I have viewed developments in the FCT whereby 500 housing units belonging to Minanuel Estate in Lugbe Extension, Abuja were demolished in a swoop as condemnable.

Terror, sack and sundry matters From the Villa

By Vincent Ikuomola net, namely, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Minister of Petroleum Resources Deziani Allison-Madueke.

Those speculating the purported rift also came up with an alleged open disagreement between two ministers.

According to the report, a delegation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation led by AllisonMadueke was said to have warned President Jonathan of an imminent fuel scarcity in the country if government failed to pay the debt after attempt to make the finance minister settle the bills failed.

But Dr. Reuben Abati was quick to

dispel this rumpus as he said: “I am not aware of any disagreement between the two ministers. I read those stories too but those stories are usually speculative. They are not based on any substance and I think we should refrain from this attempt to set one individual up against the other.

The cabinet over which Mr. President presides over works as a team at all times. What he emphasises is team spirit. I am not aware of any open disagreement between the two ministers.”

The Presidency has denied the possibility of any form of crack in the cabinet. It went further to say that all the ministers are on the same page

on the transformation programme of President Goodluck Jonathan who is the chief driver of the economy.

However, the talk about disputes in the cabinet has refused to abate.

Beside, the issue of unpaid petroleum subsidy claims, there is that of none release of funds to the country’s missions abroad. The situation was so terrible that most of the missions could no longer operate. It took the intervention of President Jonathan before the Minister of Finance could agree to offset the debt of the missions.

What’s wrong if the Presidency desires a new banquet hall or event centre? Are those in the Presidency forbidden to unwind?

According to FCT Minister Bala Muhammed, the banquet hall will cost N2.2b. The construction of the new 150-seater banquet hall is awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc “for security reasons.”

The week also witnessed the Presidency in contract frenzy. It approved the contract for the purchase of two sets of five-car Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs), each with a capacity for 540 passengers and an additional six 60-seater air conditioned passenger coaches to be used for intra-city mass transit services. The contract costs N4.3b, with

a completion period of 13 months.

The Lagos-Kano track, which will be ready for use before Christmas, is to be revived.

The Presidency also took another look at the idea of creating a national identity card after some failed attempts. It has budgeted the sum of N6.3b for the take-off of the scheme.

The sum is for the importation of 13 million smartcards to be used in registering Nigerians under the National Identity Management scheme.

The scheme, according to the Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson, is expected to kick off this December.

A similar attempt to create a national identity card was made in 2001 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo in which a $214m contract was awarded to SAGEM; a French firm.

Besides, the Presidency approved N30.066b for a Unified Identity Management System.

Nigerians from age 18 up are to be captured in a data system.

The implementation of the first phase of the project will begin immediately and ends in 2013.

Senator condemns demolition in Abuja From Bukola Amusan

“During my tenure as chairman, House Committee on Housing and Urban Development (2003-2007), our committee deployed all legitimate means of promoting the development of private sector participation in housing development, and this led to the formation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of Nigeria (REDAN) under the leadership of the former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

“The sad development in which investment of property developers are swept away by a single unguided action of the executive

raises many questions than answers.

“I expected REDAN to vehemently oppose the idea of demolishing completed housing estates in a country that is having a hous-

ing deficit of 17 millions.

“REDAN is expected to champion a cause of due process and rule of law on the part of government agencies,” he added.

He therefore advocated a synergy

The sad development in which investment of property developers are swept away by a single unguided action of the executive raises many questions than answers. I expected REDAN to vehemently oppose the idea of demolishing completed housing estates in a country that is having a housing deficit of 17 millionss

between the developers (REDAN) and government (as land owner) in ensuring proper housing delivery, even as he added that whoever defaults should be dealt with in accordance with the rule of law.

He challenged REDAN to take responsibility for the recent demolition in FCT. “Destroying 500 housing units is like destroying a community. I hereby call on the executive of REDAN to rise up and protect the interest of its members and sustain the purpose of why they were created, which is protecting and promoting public investment on home ownership for Nigerians,” he stated.

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Edo State Deputy Governor Dr Pius Odubu, in this interview with OSEMWENGIE BEN-OGBEMUDIA, reflects on the last governorship election in the state and why he and other politicians dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2006.

‘Oshiomhole will sustain tempo in Edo’ H

OW has it been working with Governor Adams Oshiomhole?

They say the opposite attracts. So, we just blended very well and no matter the stoic picture you see of Mr Governor, he is a very simple human beings. It is very easy to get along with him; easy to work with because he believes in carrying everybody along. All of us have easy access to him, whether in the office or at home.

So, whatever issues that were raised, you have direct access to him and you can discuss it with him. He is always engaging stakeholders in every issue, there will be arguments but at the end of the day consensus will be reached and that becomes the position of government. So, he is a wonderful human being, and very humorous as you know he is the one always referring me as a native doctor.

We operate as brothers, he is my senior, both in governance and in age, but we joke a lot. I accord him the maximum respect because he deserves it. He is a man that means well for the state, he is a man that is consumed with the passion to deliver to the good people of Edo State. And indeed, I am one of those that would lead the campaign to have him drafted to the national politics at the end of his tenure as Governor. Because if we have a man like him at the national level, Nigeria will surely benefit from him and we will move forward.

In the run-up to the 2007 general election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state was hit with a gale of defection and you were one of them. What happened then?

You know my tenure in the House of Representatives ended in 2007. Suddenly, there was this talk about registration. Before we knew what was happening, some of us who were perceived to be of particular tendencies were branded disloyal. So when that came up, we were de-registered. And we all gravitated to a new political party.

Let me quickly clear the air here, I was a legislator at the national level, I did not operate at the state level. I was a member of the Federal House of Reps so my business was business of making laws at the national level so I cannot be tied to whatever happened at the state at that time.

Would you say the mass defection spelt doom for the PDP in the state?

Without mentioning names, some of us were dissatisfied with the way the party was being run in the state. And coupled with the fact that we were de-registered, we just decided to move on. It is always better to be a born-again democrat than to die an anti- democrat. What we did was to come together, as like minds, and worked together with other like minded progressives in the state ably championed by the Comrade Governor. And here we are, you can see what is happening today in the state and today it is clear that this crop of leadership means well for the people of the state. You can see the difference in terms of development, in all aspects of human endeavour and today, Edo State has become a reference point for achievement and performance by any governor in the country.

How did you come into politics?

Everybody is a politician in a way. I have always been very active in politics. For example, I was first the state legal adviser of Liberal Convention during the aborted Third Republic. When this dispensation came in 1999, I found myself in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and I was elected into the Federal House of Representatives in 1999. And I won the election as an unopposed candidate because after my nomination, Anthony Inye, who was the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) candidate, stepped down for me. According to him, it was due to the respect he has for my fa-

• Odubu

ther. My father is one of the pioneer politicians in the then Midwest region. So I was returned unopposed to the Federal House of Representatives.

And in 2003, I won the election and went back to the Federal House of Representatives. So, I was there for eight years. And towards the tail end of my second tenure there was this agitation in the state then, some of us were not too happy with what was happening to the PDP, so we decided to migrate to what is today called Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). And I was lucky to have been found worthy to be nominated as running mate to the Comrade Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

They rigged the election but with the doggedness of the Comrade Governor and the support of Edo people, we reclaimed our mandate. Then, again, we just won our second term in office and I thank God for every thing.

Which political battle has been most difficult for you since 1999?

I have fought so many political battles.

This last election was my six election and by the special grace of God I have never lost a primary and I have always operated from the position of an under dog. May be because of my family background and my kind of person because they say if you humble yourself you shall be exalted. The most difficult for me was the last one, that

is the one for the deputy governorship prior to the 2012 governorship election. It was difficult for me because I was unable to do anything. You are not supposed to contest for the position of the deputy governor.

You are not supposed to run for the primary of the deputy governor but here I was being vilified. I was called a native doctor, called a ritualist, called a cultist and was even called a thief. But I could not reply because, who will I campaign to. For me that was the most difficult situation because we had a group of persons, who for one reason or another, wanted me out; hauling insults and abuses at me. I could not reply and I was just like a lame duck because you don’t campaign for a deputy governorship position, it is left for the governor and the party leadership to decide.

For me it was a trying time and I thank my God for helping me through it. And I thank the people of Edo State for giving me the massive support. I did not even know that the people have that likeness for my person because I got overwhelming support from the length and breathe of Edo State through phone calls every day; hundreds of text message every day, people from the rural areas. They came to me that they are with me and praying for me that they applaud me for the continuous support and loyalty to the governor. That gave me hope and that was what sustained me through

‘It is always better to be a born-again democrat than to die an anti- democrat. What we did was to come together, as like minds, and worked together with other like minded progressives in the state ably championed by the Comrade Governor. And here we are, you can see what is happening today in the state and today it is clear that this crop of leadership means well for the people of the state. You can see the difference in terms of development, in all aspects of human endeavour’

out that period. And I thank God that we have put that behind us now that is politics for you.

What do you think the people of the state expect from Mr Governor?

You will agree with me that Mr Governor has done the greatest good to the greatest number of persons in the shortest possible time. Before the Oshiomhole administration, like I said during the debate, Edo State was in coma and people were just watching for that day to come to give up on Edo State. Mr Governor came and he has touched every aspect of human life in the state. Today, I make bold to say that in every local government in the state, there is an ongoing project. You are also aware that thousands of classrooms have been rehabilitated and rebuilt. Before now, pupils use to sit in classrooms without roof, such that when it rains they are drenched. Before now, you have about four or five different classes in one room but today all that is history.

Before the Governor came on board, there was embargo on employment and indeed promotion. People were sacked. But today, the governor has not lifted the embargo on employment and promotion; he has employed thousands under the YES scheme.

Under the Neighborhood Watch thousands of people have been employed too.

And indeed teachers, doctors, nurses, Pharmacists, Accountants are being employed. As we speak, the Post Primary Education Board is in the process of employing five hundred science teachers here in Edo state. Pensioners now receive their salaries before other civil servants. We now have electricity, in my village we have trunk A road. Talking about water now, we have three dedicated Dando rigs one to each senatorial district. Before now, pipe born water was impossible in many parts of the state. Hospitals are being rebuilt or renovated and today we have a state of the art building currently going on at the Specialist hospital. You have seen markets, roads and many others. The Governor has touched human lives in many aspects and that is what he is going to continue to do.

But I want to appeal to our people to continue to give support to the governor because times like this, in order to succeed, you must step on toes. Some powerful individuals few of them though, are not happy with what he is doing but he is being sustained by the prayers of everybody in the state and he is he remains undaunted and by the Special grace of God he will over come. I want to tell Edo people is that Mr Governor intends to consolidate on the gains recorded.

What are the major challenges?

The major challenge we have faced since we came in has been how to fund our projects. Yes Edo State is an oil producing state but it is very marginal. But like the Governor said, he did not come to lament, so he sat down and planned his strategy.

There was this day that we slept at Government House having Exco meeting. We were fashioning out ways to look inward so as to generate money and that is how the formula of Internally Generated Revenue came about. When we came on board, the IGR was about N250million but today it hovers around N1.5billion, it got to N2.2billion at a point but it went down because of the subsidy issue. They said they have removed subsidy but that amounted to less funding for states. The Governor also decided that we must cut cost, we have blocked all leakages so as to save money. And if you look into our 2013 budget, provision for recurrent expenditure is about 1/3. We have 60 percent in favour of capital projects and 40 per cent for recurrent. So this shows that we are going to continue with the developmental projects.

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POLITICS

‘Jonathan remains PDP’s bride’

T

HE United Progressive Party (UPP) has disclosed that Presi dent Goodluck Jonathan will win the 2015 Presidential election without any threat from opposition parties despite the planned merger, which it said, would fail.

National Chairman of the UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, after the party’s first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, told newsmen that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not choose another candidate other than Jonathan for the 2015 election, warning that the PDP would lose power if it does so.

Okorie said: “The law guiding merger has made it impossible. That is why there has not been a successful merger in Nigeria and you cannot find it anywhere in the world. It is sheer deceit when you hear some political parties talking about the possibility of merger. The greatest risk any political party will take is to go into merger. The simple term is that the parties going into merger will hold national conventions separately and announce it that they are going into the arrangement. INEC will observe it and see that majority of members agreed with the plan.

The first step is that the merging parties will return their certificates to INEC and wait for INEC to issue a certificate bearing the new name and that is the card.”

He spoke further: “UPP may be a new party but the players in UPP are not new. We are conversant with political party processes. For instance, PDP is stuck with President Goodluck Jonathan. Forget about those who think he will not run in 2015; he will. Those who think they will defeat Jonathan at the Eagle Square should go and have a rethink because they will not. If PDP gives Jonathan red card, that means they have given themselves red card. If PDP says they have no confidence in Jonathan, then the one they will bring will be worse.

“Do I need to ask Nigerians who the Presidential candidate of CPC is?

No, because it has been zoned to an individual just like the PDP is zoned to an individual (Jonathan). So, this issue of merger has already failed because they have already understood that it is impossible.”

The UPP’s NEC also resolved to uphold the identity, characteristics and ideology of the party and that the party shall welcome, encourage and participate in political alliances with like-minded political parties for the promotion of democracy and electoral benefit to the allies without compromising the party’s identity, characteristics and ideology.

Other resolutions of the party read in part: “NEC has resolved to uphold the strictest sense of internal party democracy at all levels of the party’s organs and in dealing with members on all matters. NEC insists that only bona fide members of UPP shall have the prerogative to elect

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

party officers at party congresses and to elect party flag bearers at party primary elections at all levels in accordance with the clear provisions of the party constitution registered with INEC. “Our great party shall field candidates to contest all contestable elective positions at every election everywhere in Nigeria; that the UPP shall not countenance any proposal for merger with any political party either now or in the future and that the party at all levels shall endeavour at all time to observe the highest principle of credibility, responsibility, courage and boldness in all comments, reactions, input, and intervention in all political or social issues in Nigeria.”

The resolution further stated: “At any level in which we find ourselves in opposition, our criticism of government policies and actions shall be constructive without resorting to the abuse of persons and denigration of public office holders, and that the UPP shall constructively engage other political parties to ensure free and fair elections and promote the credibility of the electoral process.

In this regard, the conduct of the INEC and its officers, as well as all agencies associated with the conduct of elections in Nigeria shall come under our close scrutiny at all times.

“The UPP shall mobilise other political parties and relevant stakeholders to canvass for the amendment of the Electoral Act and relevant provisions of the constitution to provide for electronic voting system with effect from 2015 general elections in Nigeria. The party supports further democratization of the process of Local Government election in Nigeria. In this regard, our great party supports the transfer of the responsibilities of the various states’ Independent Electoral Commission to INEC. In this way, the decision and timing of the conduct of Local Government election shall not be left at the whims and caprices of state governments and their political parties.”

“NEC,” the resolution further said, “upholds the principle of rotation of

‘Do I need to ask Nigerians who the Presidential candidate of CPC is? No, because it has been zoned to an individual just like the PDP is zoned to an individual (Jonathan).

So, this issue of merger has already failed because they have already understood that it is impossible’

How to make new constitution, by Basorun

A

• Dr Jonathan

CTION Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain and former Secretary to Lagos State Government, Apostle Olorunfunmi Basorun has called for the setting up of a Constituent Assembly to give final approval to the constitution review embarked upon by the National Assembly.

The politician, who was a member of the Abuja Constitutional Conference set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006, said the Constituent Assembly should consider the 43 items on the review agenda within 60 days to give the exercise legitimacy. He spoke with our correspondent in Lagos.

Basorun urged the National Assembly and the executive to come up with a Bill spelling out the composition of the Constituent Assembly, its modus operandi, adding that, once it is assented to by the President, the coast would be clear for a thorough amendment.

He suggested that the members of the Constituent Assembly should be 960, stressing that 466 should come from the National Assembly, another 469 should be popularly elected from 360 federal constituencies and 109 senatorial districts, while 22 others should be selected from professional bodies, including the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Academic Staff of Nigerian Universities (ASUU), women societies, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) retired jurists and labour unions.

Basorun, who was also Education Commissioner in Lagos State for three months, submitted a memorandum on local government administration to the National Assembly. He said there is no need to list the local governments in the amended constitution, adding that states should take responsibilities for the creation, funding and control of councils.

He added: “Local government creation, structure, finance, and administration should be made exclusive function of the state governments. If need be, Section 7 and 152 can be strengthened to accommodate stiff sanctions in order to ensure compliance by the governors of laws enacted by the state Houses of Assembly relating to sharing of allocations.”

el-Rufai, Kuye, Akingba bemoan corruption

By Emmanuel Oladesu

P • Dr Jonathan

political offices and supports the principle of Federal Character in the appointment of public office holders as already enshrined in the 1999 Constitution without compromising merit. The party shall at all times promote the citizenship right of all Nigerians wherever they may be domiciled in the country, equity, justice and fair play.”

“The UPP shall immediately put all machinery in motion for effective participation and contest of the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria. In this regard, INEC has approved the zoning of the presidential slot of our great party for the 2015 presidential election in Nigeria to the South East geo-political zone. All aspirants from the Southeast geo-political zone wishing to contest for the office of the president in 2015 can to do so under the platform of our great party.”

UPP was registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on October 2, 2012 and was conveyed to the party through the commission on October 4, 2012.

• Senate President David Mark (middle), Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal and Chairman of Governors Forum, Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi after their meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House in Abuja... yesterday.

LADOKUN

ROMINENT Nigerians, including former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; former Nigeria Bar Associa tion (NBA), President Mrs. Pricilla Kuye and National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) chieftain, Dr. Amos Akingba have bemoaned the spate of corruption in Nigeria, stressing that the country is at a crossroads.

Kuye said proper upbringing of children and enthronement of good leadership would stem the rot, urging Nigerians to vote for men of integrity during periodic elections.

Akingba stressed the need for constitution change, adding that the current 1999 Constitution is the most corrupt document in the world. el-Rufai asked leaders and citizens to stand up for what is right and not what is convenient, lamenting that Nigerian system had converted individuals into municipalities.

They spoke at a lecture in Lagos organised by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG).

The lecture entitled: ‘Reparations: What Nigeria owes the tortoise’ was delivered by Prof. Pius Adesanmi, a Canada-based university don.

The SNG Convener, Pastor Tunde Bakare, who hinted that the group might hold another massive protest against the government on the national drift, declared that revolution should not begin in the churches and mosques because clerics have soiled their image and wreaked havoc on the nation. He called for the probe of sources of income of Christian clerics buying private jets, saying that they are corrupt.

Bakare also decried the poverty of political leadership, which he said, had crippled governance in the country.

The Guest Lecturer lamented that Nigerian leaders had been behaving like the proverbial tortoise assailed by selfishness and wickedness, adding that the struggle for national cake had displaced the more important need to bake the cake.

He said the current leadership had refused to learn from the good example of leadership laid by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the defunct Western Region, based on the principles of “collective good and common will”.

Prof. Adesanmi accused leaders of individualism, which he described as the father of selfishness. He said: “The rain that falls on bitter leaf is the same rain that falls on sugarcane. The same rain of oil falls Dubai and Nigeria. The difference is leadership. Since 1999, rulers have behaved like the tortoise”.

Mrs. Kuye asked Nigerians to speak up against bad governance to reduce the moral decadence in the society. She added: “Nobody should be above the law; it appears some people are. This is bad. Accountability is lacking in this country.

People should take the federal legislators to accountability. Why are the legislators earning so much money? That money can be used to develop the country”. el-Rufai said: “Nigeria is at a crossroads. We are situated in a crisis of unquantifiable proportion. Men and women of goodwill should reject evil.

Every year, we need to create three million jobs to arrest unemployment.

Investment in education has collapsed to less than five percent. Nigeria is not secured from these problems. It is the elite’s enclave mentality.

“No water, but people sink boreholes and get water treatment. No road, they buy jeeps. No police, they will get private police. Now, they are getting private jets. In the west, there is armed robbery. In the east, it is kidnapping. In the north, it is Boko Haram. They are not different”.

A politician, Jimi Agbaje, said: “We need to scrutinise politicians before we elect them to lead us”.

Also at the lecture were the Okeja NBA chairman, Monday Ubani; former federal legislator Dino Melaye; an economist, Erick Boyo; Campaign for Democracy (CD) leader, Dr Joe Odumakin; Dr. Akinyemi Onigbinde, Gbemi Ogunbiyi, and Pastor Simeon • el-Rufai Afolabi.

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EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 4-12-12

Market halts bullish run

A

CTIVITIES on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) yesterday got relaxed as a three-day bullish run in succession last week abated, beginning the week wth profit bookings from traders and investors.

According to figures produced by the NSE, significant numbers of stocks disposed for the sake of profit were penny stocks that had positive attraction last week.

Among the capitalised stocks that shed value were Nestle, Zenith, Access, UBA and GT Bank. The rest were small and medium capitalised stocks.

In summary, lead indicator, NSE-ASI shed 113.76 points, representing 0.43 per cent depreciation, to close low at 26,380.68 points. Similarly, the weight indicated by market capitalisation shed N37

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

billion, representing 0.44 per cent depreciation, to close low at N8.429 trillion. Both indicators had grown by 0.34 per cent in the previous session.

Specifically, investors transacted a total of 252.585 million shares worth N2.015 billion across 3,506 deals. Financial Services sector, as usual, led the activities chart with 211.198 million shares worth N1.229 billion in 2,040 deals. This was followed at a distance with 13.210 million shares recorded by the Consumer Goods sector.

Other actively traded sectors were Services, Agriculture, Conglomerates, Industrial Goods and Oil & Gas with 8.323 million shares, 5.941 million shares, 5.015 million shares, 4.606 million shares and 1.924 million shares.

However, the performances on the price movement table swung in favour of losers as the momentum dropped with a record of 21 losers against 13 advancers.

This, analysts said points at a weak outlook for yesterday.

Leading the gainers table was AAIICO with an increase of N0.04 to close at N0.58 followed

by Eterna Oil and Gas with a gain of N0.06 to close at N1.38.

Others on the list were Guinness, Air Services, Japaul Oil, Honeywell Flour, Livestocks, Nigerian Breweries, PZ Cusson and Dangote Flour.

On the flip side, Evansmedical led with a drop of N0.06 to close at N1.14 followed by NNFM with a drop of N0.92 to close at N17.51.

Also on the table were Forte Oil, Stanbic IBTC, BOC Gas, UBA, NAHCO, Continental Reinsurance, Access Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank.

Fed Govt readmits 84 stockbrokers to stock market

T

HE Federal Government has granted forbearance of about N22.6 billion on the margin loans of 84 stock brokers.

What this means is that the government will restrain itself from further pursuing stockbrokers who were accused of contributing to the collapse of the stock market in 2008.

Also the stockbrokers will enjoy temporary relief from their debt overhang and be welcome back into the stock market to reinvigorate the market.

This disclosures were made by the the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala when she addressed journalists in Abuja yesterday on the measures the government has taken to reinvigorate the capital market.

She stated that the decision was taken because "AMCON had purchased these margin loans from banks for about N42.6 billion, but the value of the underlying assets or collateral is worth only N19.96 billion today."

According to her, "in furtherance of AMCON’s cleanup of the banking sector, it is necessary to wipe off the debt overhang in the capital market, as this is dampening market activity."

The finance minister however emphasised that this forbearance will be accompanied with sanctions to dis-

...Waives 12% taxes to all stock market transaction fees Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor)

courage excessive borrowing behaviour by capital market operators in the future.

These sanctions include: Prohibition of the 84 stock brokers from services to AMCON: Brokers benefiting from forbearance will not be allowed to provide any professional services to AMCON for a period not less than three years; Greater disclosure-the firms will be required to reveal to the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC), any dealings in any security valued at a minimum of N25 million executed in a single deal or multiple deals on the same day on behalf of their clients as well set a limit on debt financing.

According to the finance minister, as part of their net capital requirement, none of the 84 stock brokers that has received forbearance shall permit his aggregate indebtedness to exceed 100 per cent of his net capital, adding that details of the 84 firms will be forwarded to the Credit Bureau Agency. OkonjoIweala further stressed that forthwith, there will be a strict requirement that imposes separation of assets and control for brokerage services and/or future mar-

gin facilities through the use of custodians. The last of thses measures is that the stock brokers will be prohibited from taking proprietary positions or trade on their own account for one year.

For other stock brokers who did not partake in any market infractions, including over-exposure to margin loans, and who managed their stock broking businesses well, the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), she said plans to celebrate the good standing of these stock brokers in due course.

The second measure taken by the Federal Government to reinvigorate the capital market, she disclosed, is the elimination of stamp duties and value added tax (VAT on stock market transaction fees.

She said that taxes on stock exchange transactions fees are as high as 12 per cent (five per cent in VAT and up to seven per cent in stamp duties) which are much higher than in other jurisdictions, and which also constitute a major disincentive to invest in Nigeria’s capital market.

As a result, the Federal Government has consented to: waive the 0.075 per cent stamp duties payable on stock exchange transaction fees; and, exempt from VAT, commissions: (a) earned on traded values of shares, (b) payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and (c) payable to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS); by including these commissions in the list of VAT-exempt goods and services.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 4-12-12

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MONEY LINK

C

Forex demand drops 28.5% to $14 billion

UMULATIVE demand at the foreign exchange (forex) market dropped by 28.5 per cent to $14.99 billion in the first six months of the year, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has shown. Forex demand stood at $27.23 billion in the corresponding period of 2011.

Total forex sales also dipped by 5.3 per cent, to $16.69 billion; while naira cum dollar rates at all the segments of the market were relatively stable, largely as a result of increased supply of forex through au-

Stories by Collins Nweze

tonomous sources to the inter-bank segment.

The apex bank said it intervened in the market to dampen demand pressure and increase the net open position of commercial banks in part to curtail speculative foreign exchange demand.

Furthermore, the mid-point exchange rate band was adjusted from N150+/- 3.0 per cent to N155+/- 3.0 per cent.

It said a total of 49 trading sessions were held under the Wholesale Dutch Auction

System (WDAS) spot segment of the forex market compared with 48 in the corresponding period of 2011.

Aggregate WDAS and bureau de change demand dropped by 40.1 and 27 per cent to $14.42 billion from $24.11 billion at end of December, 2011 and the corresponding period of 2011.

This, it said, was due largely to the increased supply of forex by oil companies at the inter-bank segment of the market and the inflow of portfolio investments for the purchase of Federal Govern-

ment bonds. Of the total demand at the spot segments, WDAS amounted to $10.96 billion and bureau de change $3.46 billion.

The total forex sold by the CBN fell by 27.9 and 15.8 per cent to $13.87 billion relative to the level at end-December, 2011 and end June 2011. A

G

a country’s balance of payments covers a variety of financial flows—mainly foreign direct investment (FDI), portfolio flows including investment in bonds and equities, and bank borrowing which have in common the acquisition of assets in one country by residents of another.

According to the global lender, capital account liberalisation, in broad terms, refers to easing limitations or fees and taxes on capital flows across a country’s borders. This can result in a higher degree of financial integration with the global economy through higher volumes of capital inflows and outflows.

“The free flow of capital across the globe can have important benefits for countries and for the global economy.

For example, capital flows can help a country’s financial sec-

E

COBANK Capital, the investment banking division of the leading pan-African bank, Ecobank, has announced that it has successfully raised a $202 million syndicated credit facility on behalf of IHS Holding Limited, Africa’s largest independent mobile infrastructure provider.

In a statement, the firm said the proceeds will be put to use as part of IHS’s acquisition of MTN Group Limited’s 1,757 mobile network towers in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire along with the continuation of IHS’s solar energy and build-to-suit programmes for

tor to become more competitive and sophisticated. At the global level, they can achieve a better allocation of capital that fosters higher growth, and help smooth the adjustment of economic imbalances between countries,” it said.

“We need to be in a position to provide clear and consistent advice with respect to capital flows and the policies related to them,” David Lipton, the IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director, said.

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

T

in the workshop and reach out to more groups. “We were delighted by the level and the quality of responses that trailed the various announcements on the workshop as initially planned.

Many other focused groups we had excluded also called to express surprise that they were not part of the plan,” he said.

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m 350m 113m

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 4-12-12 SYMBOL

O/PRICE

AIICO ETERNA GUINNESS AIRSERVICE JAPAULOIL HONYFLOUR LIVESTOCK NB PZ DANGFLOUR

0.54 1.32 230.19 2.60 0.55 1.99 1.38 140.28 27.68 7.75

C/PRICE

0.58 1.38 240.00 2.70 0.57 2.02 1.40 142.00 27.98 7.80

CHANGE

7.41 4.55 4.26 3.85 3.64 1.51 1.45 1.23 1.08 0.65

O/PRICE 1.20 18.43 8.84 11.77 5.97 4.50 5.78 0.67 8.96 19.35

C/PRICE 1.14 17.51 8.40 11.19 5.68 4.31 5.58 0.65 8.70 19.00

CHANGE -5.00 -4.99 -4.98 -4.93 -4.86 -4.22 -3.46 -2.99 -2.90 -1.81

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8 155.7

Date 2-7-12 27-6-12 22-6-12

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.8%

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

LOSERS AS AT 4-12-12

SYMBOL EVANSMED NNFM FO STANBIC BOCGAS UBA NAHCO CONTINSURE ACCESS GUARANTY

According to him, brokers have resolved to take a more active role in influencing economic policy by organising annual national workshops that would contribute immensely to the transformation, not only of the capital market, but the national economy as a whole.

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

The workshop as designed by CIS, is meant to generate quality input which it intends to make available to the Federal Government in designing the appropriate policies for the country.

CIS President, Ariyo Olushekun, said the national workshop would enablethegroupchartanewcourse for the country.

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM

MANAGED FUNDS

Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Group Head of Investment Banking, said the funding is in line with Ecobank’s strategy of supporting our key clients in their pan-African development.

“This transaction reinforces the commitment of the arrangers and participating banks to ongoing financing of the mobile network infrastructure, which is crucial to the economic development and growth of the continent,” he said.

The credit facility comprises two transactions, one in Cameroon and one in Côte d’Ivoire. Ecobank Capital acted as the Mandated Lead Arranger for both transactions.

DATA BANK

Tenor

OBB Rate Call Rate

other wireless operators.

Chief Executive Officer, IHS Holding, Issam Darwish, said he is happy with Ecobank, the co-arrangers and participating banks. “The facility was oversubscribed and securing this credit facility reaffirms our excellent reputation on the local and international credit markets.

We are delighted the consortium shares our long-term vision of creating an indigenous force in mobile network infrastructure and collectively has the financial capacity to support our panAfrican expansion,” he said.

Ehouman Kassi, Ecobank’s

Stockbrokers hold national workshop HE maiden edition of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers’ (CIS) Annual National will hold next Tuesday in Abuja.

The CIS Chairman, Albert Okumagba, said the event, earlier scheduled for September 13 was shifted to December 11 to enable CIS broaden participation

FGN BONDS

NIDF NESF

•CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido

Ecobank Capital announces $202m loan for IHS Holding

IMF adopts institutional view on capital flows LOBAL lender, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said it has developed a balanced view on the management of global capital flows to help give countries clear and consistent policy advice.

In a statement, IMF said global capital flows have increased dramatically in the last decade, from an average of less than five per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during 1980 to 1999 to a peak of about 20 per cent by 2007. In the past, countries’ capital accounts have ranged from almost completely closed to completely open and, while most countries have moved in the direction of greater openness, wide differences remain.

It said the financial account in

breakdown of the total showed that sales to WDAS and bureau de change segments amounted to $10.41 billion and $3.46 billion, respectively. The bank also conducted interbank sales and swap transactions valued at $1.61 billion and $0.53 billion, respectively.

Offer Price

Bid Price

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH 9.17 KAKAWA GUARANTEED 1.00 STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE 129.24 AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 124.61 LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL 0.79 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.11 BGL NUBIAN FUND 0.96 NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. 1,746.93 PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND 11.31 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST 1.87 STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY 8,829.17 THE DISCOVERY FUND 193.00 FIDELITY NIGFUND 1.67 • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

9.08 1.00 128.96 123.81 0.76 1.11 0.94 1,739.08 10.75 1.33 1.80 8,604.30 191.08 1.62

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

56

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

57

NEWS

Two dead as militants attack Navy in Onitsha

T

WO people were killed yesterday when suspected militants attacked a Naval outpost in Atani, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The outpost is located on the outskirts of Onitsha.

The Commanding Officer, Onitsha Naval Outpost, Navy Capt A. Ahmed, confirmed the attack yesterday when he addressed reporters in the commercial town.

He said the hoodlums had been abducting residents and engaging in other criminal activities.

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

The Naval officer said his men overpowered the militants as they advanced towards the base to disarm his men and take over the base.

Ahmed said some of the militants were arrested while the others fled into nearby bushes.

He said the Navy would sack the hoodlums from Onitsha, especially during and after the Yuletide.

The Naval officer urged the residents to give useful information on the various camps

of the hoodlums.

Ahmed said the items recovered from the suspects included cutlasses, various weapons, charms and two bags containing substances suspected to Indian hemp and cocaine.

Those arrested have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) in Awka for further investigation.

The Nation learnt that the Naval officers were on a routine check following a distress call from the police at Zone 9, Umuahia, that a suspect had evaded arrest.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said the policemen trailed the suspect, who was identified simply as Mmeso, to the area.

Mmeso had allegedly committed various crimes.

The police reportedly raised the alarm when the suspect was fleeing.

The source said: “Policemen from Zone 9 stormed this area at 5am and cordoned it off in search of a suspect, whose name was given as Mmeso.

He allegedly resisted arrest.

With his gang members, he drove towards the Naval

checkpoint. But the policemen raised the alarm. When the Naval officers got the information and saw a vehicle, a Volkswagen Golf car, they stopped the car.

“It was at that point the policemen arrived and identified Mmeso as the suspect they wanted to arrest. They presented a warrant and arrested him.

“Unknown to the Naval officers, the fleeing hoodlums had regrouped. They emerged with full force to attack the Naval outpost. They started pulling down the Naval checkpoints.”

•Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam (middle); his wife, Yemisi and DirectorGeneral, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, with the Do The Right Thing plaque at the sixth Edition of Benue Food Festival in Makurdi.

Students to sue Okorocha over free education From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

T

HE National Association of Imo State Students (NAISS) may sue Governor Rochas Okorocha for allegedly deceiving them with his administration’s free education programme.

Rising from its meeting at the weekend in Awka, the Anambra State capital, the Senate of the association, led by its President, Comrade Celestine Uzoma, said what the governor is giving them is an educational aid and not free education.

The students said Okorocha deceived the world when he announced at the Hero’s Square in Owerri, the state capital, that he had issued cheques to traditional rulers for indigenous students to collect under the free education programme.

They added that the announcement was false.

The students said: “If education was free, why are students paying N50,000 acceptance fee and an additional N20,000, which accompanies the so-called free education cheque?

“There is nothing like free education in the state. The governor is dodging the bursary allowance as a state under the Niger Delta development Commission (NDDC).

If he is offering free education, he should redefine it and also involve students’ leaders before implementation. This is because it affects us.”

Obi gives N60m to six mission schools

Okorocha presents N197.7b budget

A

I

NAMBRA State Governor Peter Obi yesterday gave out N60million to another six mission secondary schools returned to their owners by his administration.

The schools got N10million each.

They are: Girls’ Secondary School, Oba; Girls’ Secondary School, Onitsha and Comprehensive Secondary School, Onitsha.

Others are: Dennis Memorial Secondary School, Onitsha; St. Monica’s Secondary School, Ogbunike and Ogidi Girls’ Secondary School, Ogidi.

The governor ate with the pupils at each of the schools, visited their refectory, conveniences and other facilities and gave each of them a N10million

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

cheque from the N20million they would get for the rehabilitation of the schools this year.

Obi said he could have delegated his commissioners to tour the schools but chose to do it himself to see firsthand the conditions of the schools.

The governor said this would enable him to determine the extent of support the government needed to give them.

He hailed the neatness of the schools but regretted that previous administrations ran them aground after taking them over from the missionaries.

With apologies, Obi promised his administration’s assist-

ance to the schools until they are returned to their former glory.

The governor noted that there has been an improvement in the schools since they were returned to the missionaries.

The Anglican Bishop on the Niger, Rev. Owen Nwokolo, was surprised that Obi visited schools, ate with the pupils and accessed the infrastructure in them, when many other governors had bastaedised governance.

The cleric hailed the governor for his interest in all sectors, especially with the church and in restoring education and improving health care delivery.

He said the situation that

Anyaoku, Obi, others get Silverbird awards

F

ORMER Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Anambra State Governor Peter Obi were among 10 eminent Nigerians rewarded for their good character in public offices.

Frontline entertainment company, Silverbird Group, gave them the awards at the weekend.

The event was the third-year anniversary of the entertainment and communications giant in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

It took place at the prestigious Emmaus House.

Other recipients included the member representing Anaocha, Njikoka, Dunukofie Federal Constituency, Uche Ekwunife and the senator representing

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

Anambra South, Dr Andy Uba. Also, honoured were an oil magnate, Prince Arthur Eze; former Minister of Health, Prof Ikechukwu Madubuike; businessman, Dr Obinna Uzor and Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Prof Madubuike, from Abia State, who doubled as the chairman of the event, urged Ndigbo to build a Hall of Fame for those who have distinguished themselves in the zone.

He noted that it is good for such people to be honoured while they are still alive than to give them posthumous awards.

The academic criticised wealthy indigenes in the area for not investing in print and

electronic media as like their counterparts in the Southwest.

He described the award recipients as worthy ambassadors of Igbo land.

According to him, they are honoured in the month their leaders were born.

Those born in the month, the former minister said, include the first Nigerian President, the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe; the late Dr Akanu Ibiam; the late Biafran war lord, Dim Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and foremost politician, the late Dr Kingsley Ozumba Onyioha.

Ekwunife and Uba hailed the Silverbird Group for the honour.

They added: “This award will spur us the more to serve our people better.”

From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

•Obi

kept recurring was Governor Obi’s genuine interest in the development of Anambra State.

Rev. Nwokolo recalled that the governor had earlier provided schools in the state with computers, Internet access, and buses; provided them with boreholes, generators and above all, equipped their laboratories. He assured the governor that the Church would continue to remember him in prayers.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Uju Okeke, noted that the Obi administration has heralded a glorious dawn in the state.

She said the level of development in the present Anambra State could only be achieved

by Obi, who she described as an exceptionally committed governor in making the state the best in Nigeria.

The commissioner hailed Obi’s prudence, adding that this has made it possible for the state to achieve so much since the administration came to power.

MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday presented a budget proposal of N197,743,684,031 to the House of Assembly for the 2013 fiscal year.

The governor said he would seek the permission of the Assembly to probe his predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim.

The budget proposal represents 34.4per cent recurrent expenditure or N63,550,209,564 and 67.53per cent capital expenditure, or N132,183,474,467.

An estimated revenue projection from recurrent sources for the year and capital receipt are N93,889,888,530 and N101,853,795,501.

In the budget, tagged: Rescue Budget 2, Okorocha said an expenditure of N59,171,065,600, representing 47.29per cent of the capital receipt would be allocated to the economic sector, comprising agriculture, petroleum and environment, housing, lands, commerce and industry, works, transport, public utilities and rural development.

The governor explained that the 2013 budget as anchored on the 2012-2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, also called the Imo Rescue Development Plan.

The development plan was approved by the House of Assembly as part of the capital allocations and projects in the budget.

Fidau for Alhaja Folaranmi THE eighth day prayer of Alhaja Seliat Adunni Folaranmi (a.k.a Iya Oloyo) will hold today at Kasumu Estate, Odo-Ona Elewe, Orita Challenge, Zone C, Ibadan, Oyo State. The prayer will be conducted by Chief Imam of Kasumu Estate, Mukadam Abdulraham Oluwakemi.

Alhaja Folaranmi was born to the family of Fabunmi of Isale Ijebu dynasty of Ruling House.

Alhaja died on 26 and buried according to Islamic rite.

She was 84.

The deceased was a successful business woman and community leader during her

•The late Mrs. Folaranmi life time.

She is survived by Mrs. Serifat Olawore and Mr. Isiaka Folaranmi (aka FAKOL) of Ibadan South East Local Government, Mapo, Ibadan and grand children.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

58

NEWS

Three injured in Kano bomb blast T HREE paramilitary officials were injured yesterday in Kano in an explosion believed to be an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

An eyewitness said the explosion occurred beside the Jumat praying ground at Kofar Mata, where the paramilitary personnel were hiding from the sun.

A source said the three paramilitary personnel, who were from Hisbah Guards, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Kano Road Traffic Department (KARODA) had hardly settled down

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kola

when the IED exploded.

The three were seriously injured.

Sympathisers reportedly rushed the officials, who sustained injuries, to the Emergency Ward of the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital.

Security operatives arrived on the scene, which was in confusion.

Kano police spokesman Magaji Majiya, an Assistant

Superintendent (ASP), confirmed the incident.

He, however, said nobody died in the attack.

Majiya said security operatives were in control of the situation.

According to him, the police have begun investigation into the attack to know those behind it.

The police spokesman urged the public to assist security agencies with information that would lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspects.

At the time of filing this report, no suspect had been arrested on the attack.

Suswam gets Peace and Security award in US

B

ENUE State Governor Gabriel Suswam at the weekend received the Catalyst for Change Award in Los Angeles, California, United States.

The award was organised by the All Nigerian Nationals in Diaspora (ANNID), the global organisation for all Nigerians residing outside the country.

The organisers said the award was in recognition of Suswam’s “achievements in

fostering initiatives as catalyst for change in the countrywide effort toward obtaining peace”.

It was the highpoint of the first Global Convention of all Nigerians in the Diaspora, which held from November 29 till December 2 at the Westin Hotel and Resorts, Los Angeles.

President Goodluck Jonathan was honoured for the successful conduct of the 2011 general elections, which were ad-

Pro-Chancellor donates hostel, others From Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto

T

HE Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Alhaji Bilya Sanda, has established a multi million naira organic fertiliser industry to encourage academic research and generate revenue for the institution.

The Katsina State indigene said the facilities would promote academic excellence and standards in related discipline.

The businessman has begun to build a hostel that can accommodate 50 students for the Post-Graduate School.

Sanda announced an endowment fund for the Pro-Chancellor and donated two new Peugeot 406 saloon cars to the university.

The donor was among the six people that received honourary degrees in science, law, philosophy, among others.

Addressing reporters in Sokoto, Sanda said his mission and vision were encapsulated in transforming the institution to greater heights with competing standards for the benefit of Nigeria.

judged as transparent and fair in Nigeria’s recent political history.

In attendance were the President’s representative and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the US/Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington DC, Amb. Archibong; former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Robin Sanders, among other diplomats.

Suswam’s award was presented by the Global Chairman of ANNID and President, Diaspora Advisory Council, Dr Peter Mozie.

It was received on his behalf by the Head of Service (HOS), Chief Mike Iyordye.

The governor attributed his success at maintaining peace and security to his commitment to improving the operational capacity of the police and other security agencies in Benue State.

Suswam’s speech was delivered by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Dr Cletus Akwaya.

The governor said when he assumed office, he discovered that the police were incapacitated to fight crime because they were ill-equipped.

Mark visits Buhari over daughter’s death From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

•Mark

S

ENATE President David Mark yesterday visited former Head of State and pPresidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on a condolence visit following the death of his daughter, Zuliaha.

Mark was accompanied

by Kaduna State Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa.

The senator noted that no man has control over when to die, adding that all religions accept that every human being would die.

He said: “Your Excellency, I have to

condole you and sympathise with you and the family on the loss of our daughter. For all us, one thing that is accepted by all religions is death.

“It must come and everyone of us at his or her appointed time at a time that Almighty Allah decides. We don’t have control over it; the same way we don’t have control over when to be born. Allah did not consult our parents, He didn’t consult us before we were born. So, we are all His property and when He is going to take us away, we have no right to ask Allah to consult us. But we pray that the souls of those who have left us will rest in the bosom of Allah.

“We must glorify Him for whatever happens. So many people have died with nobody to even take their bodies to where they could get a befitting funeral.

“So, when Allah gives us the opportunity to bury our own, it is also a time for us to honour Him and glorify Him. We should not question Him.

“Sir, I pray that you have the courage and the fortitude to bear this loss. I also pray that Allah increases your faith, because He is the one who has given and He is the one who has taken away.

“Therefore, sir, on behalf of the Senate and the National Assembly, I would like to offer my very sincere condolence and sympathy.

“I am also informing you that we remember you in our prayers and we put the family in our prayers.”

Buhari expressed gratitude to Mark for the visit.

He recalled that he had expressed a similar appreciation to President Goodluck Jonathan who he said personally called him and sent a condolence letter.

The former Head of State described Mark as someone he had enjoyed long time relationship with, from his days as governor of Niger State.

Others with the Senate President included former Kaduna State senator, Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi and the senator representing Kaduna Central, General Sani Saleh, among others.

FUT Minna VC crisis: ‘Court to hear suit’

T

HE Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State, as well as its Governing Council yesterday at a Minna High Court failed to stop three of its professors from challenging the selection procedure of the next Vice-Chancellor of the institution.

The three dons - Professors Musa Galadima, Adama and M. A. T. Suleiman - had prayed the State High Court to stop the selection of the sixth ViceChancellor of the university.

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

They alleged double standards in the selection.

At the mention of the suit early in October, Mr Olajide Ayodele (SAN), counsel to the defendants (FUT), said the Governing Council and council chairman challenged the competence of a State High Court to entertain a matter affecting a federal-owned institution.

He accused the court of lacking locus to hear the case.

The defendants prayed the court to strike out the case for lack of competence.

The motion was, however, opposed by Ibrahim Ishyaku (SAN), the counsel to the plaintiffs.

He averred that the court was competent and should hear the case.

In her ruling yesterday, Justice Aishat Lami Buwari declared, after reviewing the submissions of the parties, that the court was competent to entertain the matter.

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

59

NEWS Tompolo: my dream for N’Delta children

F

ORMER leader of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo, has said his desire to imrove the lives of impoverished children in the region informed the setting up of the Tompolo Foundation.

He expressed concern about the fate of millions of indigent children in riverside communities, who have to compete with their fortunate counterparts from urban areas .

Speaking through the Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Mr. Paul

From Shola O’Neil, Warri

Bebenimibo, Ekpemupolo said the uneven playing field has negative impacts on the performances of pupils in their chosen careers.

He said: “The vision and mission of the Tompolo Foundation is to promote quality education and health care delivery to the less privileged at little or no cost .”

Ekpemupolo urged Nigerians, organisations and groups to support the foundation to enable him give indigent children and youths a sense of belonging in the society.

Lawmakers approve 19 aides for Oshiomhole

T

HE Edo State House of Assembly yesterday okayed Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s request to appoint 19 special advisers.

The request was contained in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Juluis Ihonvbere.

It reads: “I am directed to, on behalf of the governor, request your approval for the appointment of 19 special advisers for the governor.”

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Majority Leader Philip Shaibu urged the members to grant the request.

He said alot of ministries and parastatals need the governor’s attention.

Shaibu said: “A lot of activities needs the attention of the governor and, obviously, he cannot be everywhere at a time.

“The advisers will make it easy for the governor to attend to all the ministries and parastatals.’’

Azazi, monarchs on Bayelsa’s post-flood committee

F

ORMER National Security Adviser (NSA) Gen. Owoye Azazi (rtd.) and 14 others have been appointed members of the Bayelsa State Post-flood Management Committee.

Other members include Rev. Aye Oruwori; Most Rev. (Dr.) Hyacinth Egbebu; Apostle David Aggrey; King Godwin Igodo; King Joshua Igbagara; King W.S. Igbuburu; Mrs. Faith Opuene; Mr. Tarinyo Akono and Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa chapter, Mr. Willy Etim.

Others are the State Chairman of the Nigeria

From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

Medical Association (NMA); State Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); Miss Ineye Ambakederemo and Mrs. Wenih The committee will be inaugurated by Governor Seriake Dickson on Thursday by noon at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Yenagoa.

According to a statement by the governor’s media aide, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the committee will, among other things, solicit support, receive and manage funds for the resettlement of flood victims.

Delta gives implements, seedlings to flood victims

D

ELTA State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan yesterday began the distribution of farm implements and inputs to flood victims in Ozoro, headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area.

Hoes and cutlasses, cassava stems and seeds were distributed to hundreds of victims at the Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ozoro.

Uduaghan assured the victims that the flood committee-led by Justice Francis Tabai would continue to assist them.

He said: “Since this flood started, God has not left us alone and I assure you that we will not leave you alone. The flood has done its worst, but we are coming out stronger. Who knows, this flood might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

From Shola O’Neil, Ozoro

“This is the beginning of the utilisation of the N500 million intervention from the Federal Government. Yam, corn and plantain sucker s will come later.”

The governor said victims who did not register at the camps would not be left out of government’s intervention.

He said victims who have not been paid the stipend of N5,000 per adult and N3,000 per child would get the money.

Uduaghan warned council caretaker chairmen against diverting relief materials meant for the victims.

Tabai said the committee advised the government to distribute farm implements and inputs to the victims to enable them participate in the new farming season.

Ondo to reclaim undeveloped plots From Damisi Ojo,Akure OUGH time awaits owners of undeveloped lands in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The House of Assembly’s Committee on Lands and Urban Development said the government would take over plots in Government Reserved Areas (GRA), if the owners do not start developing them after three months.

Chairman of the Committee Afolabi Iwalewa said decision was to ensure that such property do not continue to constitute security risks to the people.

T

•From right: Acting Enugu State Governor Sunday Onyebuchi (middle); member, House of Representatives’ Committee on Interior, Mr. Peter Edeh (second left); Director-General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Chris Onyemenam (second left); Enugu NIMC Coordinator Mrs. Carol Ugwu and members of the commission at the Government House, Enugu...yesterday.

Amaechi: tax defaulters’ll be jailed next year

R

IVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi yesterday said the state’s law will be amended to ensure that tax evaders go to jail.

He said the state government would be ruthless in tax collection next year.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) decried the delay in the dispensation of justice.

He assured members of the legal profession that his administration’s policies would aid prompt and effective justice delivery.

Amaechi spoke at the maiden Town Hall Meeting

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

on the Roadmap to Effective Justice Administration, which was held at the Chief Judge’s Ceremonial Court at the Rivers High Court Complex in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The theme of the meeting was: “Justice delayed equals justice denied”.

The governor said his administration was doing everything possible to ensure even development in the state.

He said: “There are many ongoing development projects and I assure you

that we will complete all of them. We will be ruthless in tax collection next year.

Everybody must pay their taxes.

“We will amend the law to ensure that those who do not pay taxes go to jail. We need the money to provide free education and health care.

“We will stop our brothers from collecting taxes on the roads and stop multiple taxation. We have sent the bill to the House of Assembly and are waiting for them to pass it into law.”

Amaechi said his administration would continue to fund the

PUBLIC NOTICE

Court reserves ruling on Airhiavbere’s appeal HE Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin, the Edo State capital, yesterday reserved ruling on the appeal filed by Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd.), the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 14 election.

Airhiavbere is seeking permission to call more witnesses to testify at the

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From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Election Petition Tribunal.

He went to the Appeal Court when the lower tribunal refused his application to call more witnesses in addition to the 31 listed in his petition.

Yesterday, Airhiavbere’s counsel Kingsley Obamogie told the court that the tribunal’s ruling against the

Woman shot dead in Edo

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WOMAN has been killed by security operatives in Iduowina, Edo State.

It was learnt that Mrs. Grace Ogiesoba and her husband, Mr. Clifford Ogiesoba drove into an ambush laid by security agencies for some criminals.

Ogiesoba said he was not aware that security personnel, including soldiers, were in the locality in search of criminals.

He said he was driving out of his home when he heard voices in the bush ordering him to stop.

Ogiesiba said he thought the voices belonged to robbers and increased his speed.

He said he heard gunshots and his wife screamed.

Ogiesoba said his wife died instantly.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

Some members of the community said the soldiers threatened to shoot them when they attempted to go near the scene of the incident.

One of them said: “When we approached the scene, the soldiers started shooting, threatening to shoot us if we come nearer.”

It was learnt that the house invaded by the security agents was deserted.

Sources said Mrs. Ogiesoba’s body was taken away by the police.

Acting Commissioner of Police Muhammed Hurdi said he was yet to be properly briefed on the incident.

Hurdi said policemen from Ekihadolor Police Division, with the aid of residents of Idunowina, arrested two persons.

judiciary.

He said not only funds makes the judiciary independent, but the ability to be assertive and say no to any arm of government, individual or organisation, no matter how highly placed.

Amaechi said: “The day you compromise is when you will know that independence is beyond funding.

“It also has to do with the discipline of the leadership, not followership. If a judge says he will sit at 9am and punishes anyone who comes late, you will be punctual next time.”

application was influenced by an earlier ruling of the dissolved panel of the tribunal on September 27, which ruled that the part of the petition centred on Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s academic qualification was a preelection matter.

He said the September 27 ruling had been upturned by the Appeal Court and urged the Justice George Shoremiled panel to uphold the appeal.

Oshiomhole’s counsel Wole Olanipekun (SAN) said the application was sequel to the withdrawal of the PDP as a co-petitioner.

He urged the panel to uphold the lower tribunal’s ruling .

Justice Shoremi led adjourned ruling till a later date.

WILLIAMS I. formerly known and addressed as Mrs Toyin Rotimi Williams, now wish to be known and addressed as Toyin Rotimi. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note

PUBLIC NOTICE AMAONYE I. formerly known and addressed as Miss AMAONYE JUSTINA OBIAGELI, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.AKUNEZIRI JUSTINA OBIAGELI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note

CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP I Alhaja Titilayo.A Salami of Block 1.59/5, Dolphin Estate. Lagos, notify the general public that I have applied to the LSDPC for its consent to change ownership of Block 11A, Flat 7, Dolphin estate,Ikoyi Lagos which was originally allocated to Mr Zaccheus.A.Adebayo. I have made series of efforts to contact Mr Zaccheus.A.Adebayo the assignor from whom I brought the property, but all efforts have proved abortive.

I hereby indemnify the corporation against any future claims that may arise if my application is granted, and undertake to pay cost of any dispute that may arise on same.

LSDPC, Mr Zaccheus. A.Adebayo and the General public, please take

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

FOREIGN NEWS

Ghana’s 2012 presidential, parliamentary elections begin today G

Syria denies plans to use chemical weapons

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YRIA said yesterday it would not use chemical weapons against its own people after the U.S. warned it would take action against any such escalation.

The statements came amid media reports, citing European and U.S. officials, which said that Syria’s chemical weapons had been moved and could be prepared for use in response to dramatic gains made by rebels fighting to topple President Bashar alAssad.

“Syria has stressed repeatedly that it will not use these types of weapons, if they were available, under any circumstances against its people,” the foreign ministry said.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had earlier warned that Washington would take action if Syria used

•Mrs Clinton

the weapons.

“I am not going to telegraph any specifics what we will do in the event of credible evidence that the Assad regime has resorted to using chemical weapons against their own people, but suffice it to say, we are certainly planning to take action if that eventuality were to occur,” she said during a visit to Prague on Monday.

Pakistan’s Khar says NATO must avoid security vacuum

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AKISTANI Foreign Minister, Hina Khar, yesterday urged NATO and its allies not to leave behind a “security vacuum” in neighbouring Afghanistan, as they prepare to withdraw their combat troops from the country in 2014.

“Our expectation is that there will be no security vacuum in Afghanistan, that there will be a responsible transition. That is our expectation from NATO, and of the U.S.,”she told EU parliamentarians during a visit to Brus-

sels.

Khar was also scheduled to meet with NATO SecretaryGeneral, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, during her time in the Belgian capital.

She told EU lawmakers that the military alliance should not “leave any security vacuum.”

“It is difficult to predict at this point what will happen in the region after the NATO withdrawal in 2014, Khar said,” noting that it depends on events between now and then.

HANA’S 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections kick off today with “special voting” by staff of the Electoral Commission (EC) and security agencies that would be on duty during the Dec. 7 polls.

One polling station in each of the 275 constituencies has been designated for the special voting that would begin at 0700 GMT. Those ballot boxes will be sealed and kept until Friday when the ballots would be

I

counted together with those of the 14 million voters who would vote at 26,000 polling stations throughout the country.

There are eight presidential candidates, one of whom is an independent candidate.

They are President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Pa-

triotic Party (NPP), Dr Abu Sakara Foster of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), and Mr Hassan Ayariga of the People’s National Convention (PNC).

Others are Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Mr Akwasi Addai of the United Front Party (UFP), Dr Henry Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP)

and the independent candidate, Mr Joseph OseiYeboah.

According to the EC 1,332 candidates filed their nomination papers to contest for 275 seats in parliament.

They comprise 1,198 men and 134 women.

This is Ghana’s sixth election since the Fourth Republican constitution was promulgated in 1992.

Israeli settlement plans spark storm of protest in Europe

SRAELI’S plans to build 3,000 new homes in the West Bank sparked a storm of protest in Europe yesterday, causing Israeli Ambassadors in various capitals to be summoned.

Israeli envoys in London, Paris, Stockholm, and Madrid were called to the foreign ministries of their host countries, while Germany called on Israel to “reconsider” its decision.

However, reports that ambassadors to Israel would be recalled for consultations appeared to be premature.

Israel announced its plans to build the homes on Friday, in response to the UN vote upgrading the Palestinians’ status to “non-member state.”

The decision includes, construction in the corridor linking Jerusalem and the settlement of Ma’aleh Adumim, an area known as E-1.

While the building would not totally sever the West Bank in two, it would effectively isolate East Jerusalem, which Palestinians want as the capital of their future state.

U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said on Friday that “these activities set back the cause of a negotiated peace.”

EU Foreign Policy Chief, Catherine Ashton, said she was “extremely concerned” by the plan on Sunday and noted that the Union “has repeatedly stated that all settlement construction is illegal under international law and constitutes an obstacle to peace.”

The British Foreign Office

said yesterday it had warned Israel not to go ahead with the new settlement scheme, which threatened to “wreck” the peace process.

“The Foreign Secretary has consistently made it clear that settlement building ... threatens a two-state solution and makes progress through negotiations harder to achieve,” a Foreign Office spokesman said.

A spokesman for German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, said that plans were undermining trust in Israel’s “willingness to negotiate” in the peace process, since they would shrink the land available for a future Palestinian state.

“The issue is to be discussed

when Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, meets Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday, spokesman Steffen Seibert said, adding that Merkel was looking forward to “open talks between friends.”

Spain, Italy and the Netherlands also called on Israel to reconsider the plans, while a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry said the Israeli Ambassador was told of France’s “deep concerns.”

Both the British and the French, however, denied news reports earlier on Monday that they were mulling recalling their ambassadors to Israel to protest the settlement scheme.

The British Foreign Office said a recall was “unlikely” and the French said that “we have other ways to show our disapproval.”

Putin visits Turkey as clashes continue RESIDENT Vladimir near Damascus airport Putin and Prime Min-

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ister Recep Erdogan met yesterday in Istanbul for talks that included the civil war in Syria, over which Russia and Turkey are divided.

Russia is a main backer of Syrian President Bashar alAssad while Turkey backs the rebels fighting to overthrow him.

Putin was scheduled to meet Erdogan in October, but the visit was postponed after Turkey said it had found Russian-made military equipment on a Damascus-bound Syrian plane, which was forced to land in Ankara.

Putin aide Yuri Ushakov was quoted by the Itar-Tass

news agency as acknowledging differences between the two countries over Syria.

“Our purpose is to show that Russia’s stance in this situation is the most constructive and correct one,” he was quoted as saying.

Trade ties and energy are also likely to feature high on the agenda.

Ushakov said Putin and Erdogan “will discuss in detail the present state of and prospects for bilateral relations.”

The talks are also expected to touch on Russia’s objection to Turkey’s request with NATO to deploy Patri-

ot missiles near its border with Syria.

The rebels are making a push for Damascus., and for four days they have been trying to capture the capital’s main civilian airport, which would be a major blow to al-Assad.

Syrian forces used fighter jets and rockets on Monday to pound rebel-held areas around the airport, while rebels claimed they had cut electricity to the facility.

State television said troops struck hard at “terrorist bases” near the airport and the battle “to protect Damascus” continues.

Drama as Senate committee bars reporters from Aviation budget defence

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HE Senate Committee on Aviation yesterday barred reporters from the 2013 budget defence of the Ministry of Aviation.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma, sent resporters out shortly after the opening session of the event.

Uzodinma, in his opening speech, said the session was to examine the Aviation Ministry’s expenditure for 2012 to pave the way for a better 2013 budget performance.

He noted that the bane of budgeting in the country has been poor implementation.

The Senate, he said, expected that the 2013 budget implementation must be

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor

well implemented since many positive developments are expected by Nigerians in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

After the opening remarks, Uzodinma signalled to the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah to give the 2012 budget performance of her ministry.

She gave 63 per cent average performance on overhead by the ministry and Corporations under the ministry.

What followed was a “cough” by the minister after which she looked in the direction of Uzodinma.

The minister asked Uzod-

inma whether she could discuss with him.

The chairman quickly granted the request and beckoned to Princess Oduah to “approach the chair.”

She moved briskly, held about a minute ear-to-ear discussion with Uzodinma and went back to her seat.

What followed was an unexpected announcement by Uzodinma.

He said: “Please allow us to have a closed-door session with the minister, directors and heads of Corporations in the ministry.

“Reporters should leave so we can discuss with the minister and her team. This meeting will be done diplomatically. The minister is not feeling fine.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

NEWS

•Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi (left), newly wedded couple Gbenga Badejo and Omolara, daughter of the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Alake Adeyemo; and Adeyemo during the wedding at Bodija Estate Baptist Church, Ibadan...at the weekend.

L-R: First Lady of Namibia, Mrs. Penehupifo Pohamba (left); with Co-founders of the African Women’s Development Fund, Ms Joana Foster; Ekiti State Governor’s wife Mrs. Bisi Fayemi; and Dr. Hilda Tadria, who were recipients of the International Planned Parenthood Federation African Region’s Philanthropy Award during the 60th anniversary Gala of the IPPFAR, in South Africa... at the weekend.

•Chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale (right), former Director of Forestry, Nigeria / Chairman, Governing Council, African Forest Forum (AFP), Mr. Macarthy Oyebo and Executive Secretary AFP, Prof. Godwn K Kowero at the African Forest Forum exhibition stand in Doha, Qatar, venue of the on-going United Nations Climate Change Conference

•United States Consular General, Jeffrey Hawkins (left); Lead Actress, Kendra Etufunwa, Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Lead Actor, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, at the Premiere of Inside Story: The Science of HIV/AIDS in commemoration of the 2012 edition of World AIDS Day in Lagos... at the weekend.

•Prof. Lanre Awosika Fapetu (middle) addressing a news conference on partnership programme on small scale Entrepreneurship at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos...at the weekend. With her are Ekpere Sanny Nwosu (left) and an executive of School of Entrepreneurship, Vivian Akinyosoye.

PHOTO: RAHMAN SANUSI

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

62

SPORT EXTRA

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HE gold medal Daniel Olajide won at the Judo event of the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF), Eko 2012 is hanging following a protest questioning the eligibility of the athlete.

Olajide, who competed in the 73kg category, had defeated Abdulkareem Abdullahi of Niger State in the final to clinch the gold, but an allegation was made that he had participated in three other festivals.

Revealing this to NationSport, at the Teslim Balogu Stadium yesterday, the Head, Games Services of the competition, BrigadierGeneral Emmanuel Okaro (Rtd.), said like other issues of protest, the one against Olajide will be treated with utmost honesty.

Okaro further revealed that other cases at hand for his department is the decision just taken against the Chairman of Gombe State Football Association, Faruk Lawal, to stay away from all the event centres, after instigating his team against officials at the Agege Stadium venue.

Also, the case of a military man who slapped a policeman at the Agege Stadium venue and the brutal manhandling of The Sun newspaper, Dele Ojo by men of the military at the National Stadium is also being treated accordingly.

Other medallists at the various categories of the Judo event include one Oyebuchi of Edo State who defeated David Joseph of Oyo State to win the gold in the +100kg weight category. Yemisi Okelola of Delta State also defeated Adewunmi

Team Lagos’ Olajide’s gold medal hanging M

Team Rivers’ males, females for Abula finals today

By Innocent Amomoh and Akeem Lawal

Olowokonde of Ondo State to the silver medal in the 48kg of the female category.

In the male 66kg event,

...as Team Niger files protest Tunde Williams of Kogi defeated Eveshode Jegede of Kaduna State, Elizarbeth Peters of Rivers also beat Isaiah Abosede to the Second

position to emerge winner.

Bilikisu Zubar of Lagos overcame Charity Jatau to clinch the bronze medal in the 48kg category.

ALE and female Team Rivers teams will today play in the final of the Abula event at the ongoing 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) at the Sports Centre of the University of Lagos after both overcame their semi final opponents yesterday.

The Rivers male team bashed Bauchi 3-0 in the semi final while the females subdued Ogun 3-1. The Port Harcourt side will entertain Bayelsa and Delta respectively in today’s final after both South-South reps. defeated Ondo (3-0) and Imo by the same scoreline in the male and female matches in that order on Monday.

The final of the mixed double will also be decided today after Rivers made it another final appearance in that category after beating Lagos 3-1.

The head coach, Rivers Abula, Paul Asaah reiterated

•Mixed double too

By Tunde Liadi the conviction of Team Rivers to scoop the three available gold medals just like they did at the last NSF as hosts, stating that their impressive performance in Lagos was the result of proper and meticulous planning and support from the Rivers State government.

“We are going to retain the three gold medals we got back home during the last National Sports Festival. It is the sole reason we are here and it is a target we must achieve so that we could show appreciation to the Rivers government for the support extended to us during our preparation.

“We camped for three solid months and the results we have got thus far is a testimony to the fact that there is no short cut to success,” Asaah informed NationSport.

Bayelsa, Delta dominate wrestling •Imo wins first gold medal

B •Ibukun Adamolekun of Ondo State faints after wining the 100m Back Stroke Women’s finals as officials and the medical team try to revive her.

Photo: BOLA OMILABU

Future of Taekwondo in Nigeria excites LYMPIAN, Chika Chukwumerije has Chukwumerije guarantee the future of the sport in Nigeria. expressed excitement at

O

the turnout of athletes for the Taekwondo event of the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF).

The Beijing 2008 Olympic bronze medallist said though the

By Innocent Amomoh

technical and tactical aspect of the sport needs to be worked on, the passion to succeed exhibited by the athletes is enough to

“I am particularly happy that Taekwondo is gradually gaining the required popularity across the country.

“Can you imagine that out of the states in the federation, 35 registered for this event? That shows that more states are getting aware of the game,” he said.

Chukwumerije, who is at the festival as Tournament Director of the Taekwondo event, said he is impressed with the attitude and composure of the athletes so far during the competition, adding that that is what the sport needs to succeed.

EKO 2012 MEDALS TABLE G 1. Delta 36 2. Rivers 30 3. Lagos 18 4. Edo 13 5. Bayelsa 9 6. Plateau 5 7. Ogun 4 8. Ondo 4 9. A/Ibom 3 10. Oyo 3 11. C.River 3 12. Kano 3 13. Ebonyi 3 14. Kaduna 3 15. Nasarawa 3 16. FCT 2 17. Niger 2 18. Imo 1 19. Bauchi 1 20. Benue 1 21. Kwara 1 22. Jigawa 1 23. Kogi 1 24. Kebbi 1 25. Yobe 0 26. Borno 0 27. Enugu 0 28. Osun 0 29. Taraba 0 30. Anambra 0 31. Zamfara 0 32. Abia 0 33. Ekiti 0 34. Adamawa 0 35. Gombe 0 36. Katsina 0 37. Sokoto 0 TOTAL 151

S 34 17 16 9 5 6 11 4 8 5 5 4 2 1 1 5 2 5 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 151

B TOTAL 25 95 22 69 27 61 18 40 10 24 9 20 13 28 7 15 7 18 7 15 4 12 7 14 2 7 5 9 2 6 2 9 1 5 10 16 3 6 10 12 6 8 5 6 2 3 0 1 4 5 2 3 2 3 2 3 1 2 0 1 0 1 7 7 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 229 531

AYELSA, and Delta have carted away more gold medals than other states at the wrestling event of the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) tagged ‘Eko 2012’ after excelling in the Greco-Roman and the Female Freestyle at the Sports Centre, University of Lagos.

In the Greco-Roman event, Delta shone brightly with 4 gold medals and a bronze while Bayelsa came second with two gold and two bronze medals.

Delta won in the 55kg, 66kg, 74kg and 96kg while Bayelsa had theirs in the 60kg and 84kg.

Imo’s Benjamin Onyeagaziri however grabbed a bronze medal in the 120kg.

In the female freestyle, Bayelsa added three more gold medals to the haul scooped in the Greco-Roman.

Bayelsa’s Ebiarite James (59kg); Favour Opuene (63kg) and Hannah Reuben (67kg) all won the coveted gold medals

By Tunde Liadi in their class while Lagos’ Esther Ayodele got the gold at the expense of Imo’s Chidinma Oluigbo in the 51kg.

Imo grabbed her first gold medal of the NSF in the 5kg after Ugorji Chikaodi beat her opponent from Delta while two more bronze medals from Odoemelam Joy (59kg) and Nwanna Udoka (63kg) increased the medal haul of Team Imo. The president of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation, Austin Edeze told NationSport he was awed by the standard exhibited by the athletes and promised to attract sponsors so that the discovered wrestlers do not rot away.

He said the federation is in high level discussion with some companies in the country towards augmenting the funding from the government.

Weightlifting president unveils plans for 2013

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RESIDENT of the Nigerian Wrestling Federation (NWF), Austin Edeze, has revealed the various championships and international competitions the federation will be engaging in next year.

In a chat with NationSport, Adeze said aside international engagements, competitions such as the Timipre Sylva National Wrestling Championship in Bayelsa, Junior African Championship, National Open Championship, National Junior Championship and National Female Championship are some of the activities lined up for next year by the federation.

“We have accepted in principle to host a National Open Championship. You will also recall that the Timipre Sylva National Wrestling Championship in Bayelsa could not hold this December because of this festival. We have also shifted that to early next year. We are working very hard to have a championship hosted by the Federal Capital Territory Minister and which, as I am talking to you, has reached a very high state.

By Akeem Lawal “We are approaching some other states such as Imo, to see if they could sponsor the Female National Championship. So, our arrangement for next year is that we should, in addition to the National Open Championship, we are hoping to host the National Junior Championship and National Female Championship in addition to the international and continental championship that are on the way. So these are some arrangements we have for next year. However most importantly is training of our officials. We had an arrangement with FILA, our international federation partner, to come in during this festival and train our officials, train the national referees, bringing them up to Grade 3 referees. But that could not hold because of other logistics.

They are now planning to shift the training to February, which is very important to us because the more you train the officials; the more you are likely to get from them and what they impact on the wrestlers.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

NEWS Ojukwu’s Will: Son lied, says lawyer Continued from page 1

Defending his long-standing relationship with the late Ikemba of Nnewi with documents yesterday, Onyemelukwe said he prepared Ojukwu’s Will in July, 2005 and the CODICIL which gave details of the contents and corrections of what was missing on the original Will, with Ojukwu on July 24, 2009.

He insisted that the late Biafran warlord had no other Will and that the one read in the court last week was incontestable.

Onyemelukwe said: “It was a blatant lie for Emeka Ojukwu Jr to say that he did not know me and that I was not his father’s lawyer. When I was the person that prepared the legal documents for Ojukwu’s commercial property at No 26, Sokoto Road, Onitsha, yielding millions of naira, which Emeka Jr is managing and collecting rent and was the lawyer that handled Ojukwu’s case against the Federal Government from the High Court to the Supreme Court.

“I was also the Master of Ceremony (MC) when Emeka Jr. wedded the daughter of the late Chief Cyprian Ekwensi at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu. The reception was held at Nike Lake Hotel, with Justice Iguh, formerly of the Supreme Court, as the chairman of that wedding.

“Before Ojukwu’s Will was read last week, I was the one that sent text messages to all the parties concerned, including Emeka Jr. “I got his two telephone numbers from Mr. Val Nwosu, the late Ojukwu’s nephew.

The text reads: The Will of your late father will be read on Friday, 20th November, 2012 at the Probate Registry at the Enugu High Court.

Kindly inform Okigbo and Mi Mi (Ojukwu’s other children).

“I also sent the text to Ebele, who is the late Ojukwu’s daughter from Stella Onyeador, Mark Ezemba, who was Ojukwu’s best man during his wedding with Bianca. So, the pretence by Emeka that he was not informed about the reading of the Will did not hold water.

“His claim that I was not his father’s lawyer is also not true. On 24th July, 2009, I was the person that registered the power of attorney for the late Ojukwu for the property at No 7 Forest Crescent, Enugu. “ I am also in possession of the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) of the late Ojukwu’s landed property contained in the Will.

“There were even other documents which Ojukwu gave me. In the Will, which I prepared with Ojukwu, the following persons were named as Ojukwu’s children: Tenni Hamman (daughter), Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (son), Mmegha Odumegwu Ojukwu (daughter), Okigbo Odumegwu Ojukwu (son), Ebele Odumegwu Ojukwu (daughter) Chineme Odumegwu Ojukwu (son), Afam Odumegwu Ojukwu (son) and Nwachukwu Odumegwu Ojukwu (son).”

The lawyer also debunked the insinuation that Ojukwu’s widow, Bianca, had preknowledge of the contents of the Will before it was read.

He said: “What I knew was

that Ojukwu asked Bianca to bring all the documents when I was going to prepare the Will and anytime we were writing the Will, I was doing it with Ojukwu in his library at the Forest Crescent in Enugu.”

Onyemelukwe said he was shocked by the late Ikemba’s decision to Will the mansion at Nnewi to Emeka Jr because, according to him, it was Bianca who pressurised her late husband to build a house in Nnewi.

The lawyer said: “That was when Ojukwu was managing toll gates during the regime of Abacha and the person managing it for Ojukwu was asked to design and build the house at Nnewi.

“Before then, Ojukwu’s bungalow had burnt down and Ezeigbo had no place to stay whenever he came to Nnewi.”

He claimed that Ojukwu Jnr. benefited so much from his late father.

The lawyer said the Sokoto Street lock-up shops, consisting of more than 30 stalls under the mangement of Emeka and yielding millions of naira, was not included in the controversial Will.

Directors of Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL) also kicked agaisnt the inclusion of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu on the board.

They described the widow as a joker who has no stake in the company.

Their contention is that the OTL, owned by their late father and grandfather, the late Louis Odumegwu-Ojukwu was a different entity from the late Ikemba’s private proper-

Okonjo-Iweala: 50 oil firms got N232b illegally Continued from page 4

•The late Ojukwu

ty.

They added that Bianca cannot claim the company as the controversial Will had conferred on her the trusteeship of the company.

Mr. Ifeukwu Ojukwu, one of OTL’s directors, yesterday told reporters on the telephone from Boston, United States that “Bianca was neither a trustee member nor a director of OTL. According to him, it is good to note that OTL was a different property from the belongings of the late Ikemba and that the directorship cannot be transferred through a Will.

The Boston-based Ifeukwu reportedly said: “I just came back to Nigeria two weeks ago where I attended a meeting of OTL directors and Bianca was not there and she is not even a member of the directors. So she can not lay claim to that.”

His father told me that (Emeka Jnr.) is his first son and the head of the family in the event of his death. So, whatever he decides to do, we are behind him and we will support him.”

She reiterated the call for the sack of 50 per cent of public servants to prune down the cost of governance.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said the truth must be told that some redundant civil servants must be sacked to pave the way for good governance and to cut cost.

Reacting to a question by one of the panellists at the National Economic Summit on what the government was doing to reduce the cost of governance, the minister said those calling for the reduction in the recurrent expenditure were invariably calling for the reduction in the work force in the civil service.

She said it was contradictory for the public to “call for the head” of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, when he was recently according to the CBN, misquoted for calling for the sack of 50 per cent of the government workforce, arguing that the only way to prune down the cost of governance is to reduce the government’s workforce whose entitlements amount to 32 per cent of the budget.

Her words: “On the expenditure side, you said our reduction from 77 per cent to about 68.8 percent is marginal, but let me tell you that there is room to do more and you will come to a point where you have to implement the Oronsaye Committee report and eliminate duplication.

“We are aware that there are government agencies that are

not rendering any service. But let me tell you, the targets of this fiscal tightening are human beings; they are the ones that must be eliminated to prune down the costs. The cost of personnel in the budget is 32 per cent and that is huge.

So, when you get to a point of tackling the recurrent budget, it will then mean people. That is the bottom line; let us just be frank about it.

“And the same public that is crying about cost of governance will remind you that one civil servant is catering for five other Nigerians when you really want to reduce the cost of governance. We had this hue and cry about the misquoting of Lamido and people almost called for his head, but you have to understand that when you talk about reducing cost of governance, you are ultimately talking about human beings.

She described privatisation as robust.

“Nigeria probably has one of the most robust privatisation programmes in the world. We have actually done a research.

No country has so thoroughly privatised its power sector the way we have done in terms of the generation, distribution and management of the transmission arm all at once. Some countries and global organisations are looking into this feat as a case study.”

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala also expressed disappointment on the way some Nigerian do not want full deregulation of the downstream sector, adding that government can never be threatened and stopped from doing the right thing.

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04-12-12

TODAY IN THE NATION

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL. 7

NO.2,329

‘ The Nigerian Christian and Muslim majority, having carved the country in their twin-images, bawl and scream anytime they sense a tilt on the domination scale. That is no ode to tolerance”.

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

HAT can anyone say now about Justice Kayode Eso and Dr Olusola Saraki, both recently deceased, that has not been said with greater eloquence and insight by persons who knew them closely?

I met Eso only once, at the Third Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Dialogue, in 1995. His paper for the colloquium, which had as its theme: “Nigeria: In Search of Leadership,” was the product of a supple mind versed in the liberal arts, and an erudite piece of expository composition withal.

Eso’s career on the Bench was marked by judicial activism. But it was activism informed by the noblest ideals – to humanise the Constitution, to enlarge rather than constrict human freedom, and to make the law an instrument of citizen empowerment, not subjugation. He never flinched from raising his learned and resonant voice against governmental acts that were inconsistent with the Constitution or were carried out in disregard of the extant law or the rule of law.

Two cases are usually cited in support of this summation.

The first centred on the one Justice Eso himself called “the mystery gun man” in his engaging memoir — the gunman who sneaked into the studios of Radio Nigeria, in Ibadan, and ordered the staffers to replace a taped recording by Premier Ladoke Akintola already on air with another one pouring abuse and scorn on Akintola and his lawless “Demo” Administration.

Wole Soyinka, a militant opponent of the regime, was arrested and arraigned before the Ibadan High Court, in Ibadan, Justice Eso presiding, for the armed intrusion. Prosecution witnesses contradicted themselves on key points. One said the gunman was bearded; another said he was clean-shaven.

Eso dismissed the prosecution’s case. Ordinarily, no judge should be praised for abiding by his oath of office. But Akintola’s Western Nigeria was no ordinary place. A regime that came to power by usurpation preserved itself by the most brazen subversion of law and process. Those who did not fall in line stood to be humiliated and hounded out of the system. And many were the judges who dutifully fell in line.

Not Eso. For his fidelity to the law and to his judicial oath, Eso was transferred to Akure, then a provincial backwater. Today, we can only speculate how a finding of guilty would have changed the trajectory of the life of the nolonger-mysterious gunman and, for that matter, that of literary history.

The second case stemmed from the outcome of the 1979 Presidential election that was supposed to inaugurate a new democratic order in Nigeria after 13 years of unbroken military rule. To be declared winner, a candidate must secure a majority of the popular vote, plus a majority of the votes cast in at least 12 and two thirds of the nation’s 19 states.

The leading candidate, Shehu Shagari, won the majority of votes in only 12 states. Then, cardsharpers for the NPN, led by Richard Akinjide (SAN), inveigled the electoral umpires into declaring Shagari the victor on the ground that he had won the majority of the votes in 12 states, plus one quarter of the votes

W

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More tears sir.... the FOOTBALL PITCH needs all the WATER

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

A farewell to two legends

•The late Justice Eso

•The late Dr. Saraki

in two-thirds of a13th, thus satisfying a literal interpretation of the electoral law that had never been canvassed, namely, that two-thirds of 19 states translates into12 states plus two thirds of a 13th state.

Holding that the law could never contemplate an absurdity, that what the law states is exactly what it means, the Supreme Court nevertheless went on to consecrate a legal absurdity.

By what alchemy could a state with defined geographic borders and a juristic person to boot be transmuted into two-thirds of a state? When was the state divided into three equal parts for the purpose of ascertaining one quarter of the votes cast in two of its three constituent parts?

Which law provided for this curious expedient?

These were the questions that rang through Justice Eso’s robust dissent which, Professor

Ben Nwabueze said in his majestic 2005 Justice Kayode Eso Lecture at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, should have been the court’s opinion. Nwabueze’s endorsement is all the more remarkable, considering that he was rooting for Shagari to become president But Eso’s judicial activism extended beyond these cases.

There was his famous pronouncement that the Lagos State Government committed “executive lawlessness” when it evicted former Biafran leader Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu from his residence while determination of the ownership of the property was pending before the courts. There was the Adewumi case, in which he voided an edict of the military governor of Oyo State on the ground that only a decree of the Federal Military Government could override those portions of the Constitution that were operative.

Whether writing the lead judgment, concurring or dissenting, under military rule no less than under civilian rule, Eso insisted on maintaining a proper balance between the powers assigned to the Federal Government and those granted to the states by the Constitution. He sought to free the courts from technicalities that valued form over substance.

May his great example endure.

Olusola Saraki had already made his name and fortune in Lagos, where he ran a chain of clinics patronized largely by employees of government parastatals and private sector companies before he entered national politics to vie for the NPN presidential ticket in the First Republic. I saw him frequently at Lagos and Abuja airports, but never up close.

His preparation for the career move was vintage Saraki. He set up a state-of-the-art bakery in Ilorin, which flooded the city and environs

HARDBALL

T

URKEY is gradually changing in such dramatic ways that were the country’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (18811938), to rise from the grave, he would probably drop dead from shock. The change is not recent; perhaps it was even inevitable. After founding the Republic of Turkey in 1923 on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, Ataturk embarked on cultural, economic and political reforms to transform the former Ottoman Empire into a westernised and secular state. The epicentre of the reforms was secularism, which sought to preclude unhealthy religious influences on politics. Specifically, in 1927, courses relating to religion were excluded from the curriculum on the excuse that non-Muslims also lived in Turkey. Between 1927 and 1949, no religious instruction was permitted in the school system to prevent the sort of abuse of Islam that contributed massively to the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish Armed Forces stood as guarantor of that secularism, that is, until the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came into office in 2002 and began to slowly and more palpably roll the curtain back by, among other things, introducing religious instruction in school curriculum.

Now, after a long time, and after series of turbulent struggles with ruling parties that introduced non-secular policies into governance, the Turkish military has finally bowed to public policy by allowing the inclusion of elective Koranic courses in the curriculum of military high schools. This is not only surprising; it may in fact presage a steady surrender of the republic to religious influences in line with significant public opinion. But whether that opinion

Silent tremors in Turkey will serve the republic well in the near and distant future is not clear. It required the firm hands and ruthless conviction of Ataturk to resist the yearnings of Turks for Islamic influences in Turkish life, whether in education or in politics. The situation is now changing in favour of non-secularist policies, but the military, for which Kemalism is both a doctrine and a nostalgic way of life, still remains largely insulated from religion. Indeed, the rollback became sharply evident after the 2007 elections, which the AKP won more emphatically than it did in 2002. First was the controversial election of Abdullah Gul as president, in spite of his past involvement with Islamist parties.

(The presidency is ceremonial, as effective power resides in the office of the prime minister). And second was the proposal of the government that same year to lift the ban on headscarves in universities.

Of all the issues bifurcating the Turkish Republic, the headscarves controversy represents perhaps the most poignant. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had in the 2007 elections made electoral promise to lift the ban on headscarves. On winning, he caused the parliament in February 2008 to amend the constitution to that effect. But the opposition, at the head of widespread public protests, applied to the Constitutional Court to annul the amend-

OLAKUNLE ABIMBOLA

with its delicious loaves and sold them below cost, undercutting Mafarosere bread, which had been a reliable staple in the community for decades, subsequently forcing it out of business.

The Saraki bakery would collapse not long thereafter, but its proprietor had endeared himself to the public. He dispensed favours small and large to just about anyone who could show up in the right place or at the right time.

He failed in his bid to clinch the NPN ticket for the presidency, but ended up as Senate Majority Leader.More importantly, he helped ensure victory in the Kwara gubernatorial election for his candidate.

Since then, nobody has become governor of Kwara or attained significant federal office on the Kwara quota without his imprimatur.. He would install you in the office, but if you failed to keep your end of the bargain, he took you out. Not for nothing did they call him “the strongman of Kwara politics.” He made and unmade.

Remember Adamu Attah, and Mohammed Alabi Lawal? Ask Shaba Lafiagi.

Only when Saraki sought to install his daughter as state governor, to succeed his son Bukola who had held the office for the two consecutive terms permitted by law did he run into a communal brick wall. Even he could not turn the conservative tide of Kwara politics.

The remarkable thing is that Saraki dominated Kwara politics so comprehensively and for so long without espousing any ideology or even what might be called a para-ideology; without any set of ideas that could be distilled into a framework for good governance and development.

He made no memorable speeches, wrote no books, set up no institutions. His Société Général Bank collapsed in insolvency.

Yet, when Saraki died, Kwara State went into deep mourning, and so did his political family and the countless beneficiaries of his munificence across the nation. The day he was buried, Ilorin and environs stood still. Persons of consequence and aspirants to that status gathered from all over Nigeria to pay their last respects, with the former military president General, Ibrahim Babangida, revealing that he had learned not a few political lessons from Himself the Oloye.

He had little in common with the grassroots; yet he was the quintessential grassroots politico.

Truly, this was a man of the people, and of his clime.

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•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above ment. The Court upheld the appeal and retained the ban. By 2010, however, the ban was no longer enforced, even though the law remains in force. For a society that is 95 percent Muslim, it is instructive how they respond to the controversial issue of religion, especially against the backdrop of the secularist principles adumbrated by Ataturk. For now there are enough forces to safeguard Kemalism and keep Turkey on the straight and narrow path of secularism. But the tide is changing, albeit slowly, almost like silent tremors, and with religion constituting a dangerous undertow to the continuing modernisation and stability of the republic.

A majority of Turks appears to recognise the salience of the Kemalist doctrine of separation of roles between religion and politics as a factor in modernisation and social and political harmony. Turkey was fortunate that as the Ottoman Empire disintegrated, Ataturk came along with his visionary leadership and forceful personality. He was prescient enough to appreciate the drawbacks of the past and the high ground Turkey must climb in order to take its pride of place in the modern era. That great lesson is lost on Egypt, Iran, present Iraq, and sadly Nigeria. The case of Nigeria is particularly depressing. Having never tasted modernisation, it has also failed to produce leaders who knew where to draw the line and strike the right balance. This is why the northern part of Nigeria is in turmoil, and why, if the Southwest does not take extraordinary measures now, it could also become susceptible to the destabilising forces of retrogression masquerading as religion.

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