February 09, 2015 by The Nation

NIGERIA DECIDES

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•Jonathan’s coup against Nigeria•Fashola gets PVC •ASUU to Nigerians: don’t get frustrated by polls shift •AND MORE ON •Wamakko seeks exit of service chiefs, IG PAGES 4-7,12 &58 •Back to old military tricks•Osinbajo: It’s impunity

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Jonathan, service chiefs under fire over polls shift •SEE ALSO PAGES 2&3

U.S., U.N., WHO SAID WHAT ASUU, TUC Political interference with the The Secretary-General hopes National Electoral that the...elections will meet the disappointed Independent Commission is unacceptable, high expectations of the Nigeit is critical that the govern- rian people ...The successful Falana alleges and ment not use security concerns conduct of these polls would... as a pretext for impeding the enable the country to continue treason

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and the Service Chiefs came under attack yesterday for weekend’s postponement of the general elections. The President, who is also

democratic process

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja, Adamu Suleiman, Sokoto, Seun Akioye and Toba Agboola

the Commander-in-Chief, by the action of the military chiefs who said they could not guar-

—U.S.

to play a leading role

antee security for the exercise, has committed an impeachable offence, All Progressives Congress (APC) vice presidential candidate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said.

The military chiefs should resign, rights activist-lawyer Femi Falana said. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Attahiru Jega said

If the satanic Boko Haram sect is not defeated by the armed forces of the republics of Chad, Cameroon and Niger in the next six weeks, the security chiefs are likely to ask for another post—UN ponement —Falana the agency was persuaded by the memorandum from security chiefs that they could not guarantee protection for the process. INEC moved the elections from February 14 and 28

to March 28 and April 11. Jega said the commission was ready for the elections, but could not ignore the written security advice, Continued on page 4

Buhari: be calm but resolute •May 29 stands, says Jonathan From Yusuf Alli and Tony Akowe, Abuja

LL Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged Nigerians to avoid violence over the postponement of the general elections. He said though the polls shift was disappointing and provocative, Nigerians must remain resolute and rise above provocation. To Gen. Buhari, the postponement is a delay tactic, but he was quick to add that whether the Presidency or Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) likes it or not, an elected government must be in place by May 29. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the weekend moved the elections from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11 – a decision that has drawn much anger. Gen. Buhari said the nation must continue to trust in the entire democratic process and in INEC. Continued on page 4

WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15 EVER RETURN?

•Gen. Muhammadu Buhari speaking on the postponement of the elections in Abuja...yesterday. With him are: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (second right), PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE Senator Danjuma Goje and Senator Bukola Saraki (left)

More details of how Ekiti election was rigged coming

•SEE PAGE 10

Fashola: Fayose, Obanikoro, others can’t deny their roles

•IVORY COAST WINS NATIONS CUP P7 BLOW FOR BOKO HARAM IN BORNO P4

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS

NIGERIA DECIDES

Back to old military tricks •Consul-General of China Liu Kan (right), Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (middle)and Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), West, Rear Admiral Jonathan Ango at the delivery of a newly-built Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for Nigeria Navy from China in Lagos.... at the wekkend. PHOTO: PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU

The waiting game has ended. Elections will not hold this month. That was the outcome of the series of meetings the Independent National Electoral Commision (INEC) held with critical stakeholders on Saturday. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU says the shift may return Nigeria to the old era where umpires shifted goal posts in the middle of the game.

From right: Assistant Brand Manager, Dettol, Tolulope Olaoye; Brand Ambassador Dettol, Nollywood Actress Patience Ozokwor (Mama G); Special Adviser to Kwara State Governor on Sports, Otunba Kayode Bankole; Chairman, ParentsTeachers’-Association (PTA), Chrisland School, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos, Chiedu Ajoku, at the Dettol School Hygiene Programme at the school’s premises. PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

•From left: Managing Director, Arik Air, Chris Ndulue; Global Development Officer, VIP TV, Jerry Weller; Founder Values in Leadership (CVL), Prof. Pat Utomi; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Arik Air, Dr. Micheal Arumemi-Ikhide and Deputy Managing Director, Arik Air, Capt. Ado Sanusi at the airline’s Seminar/Management Retreat at its corporate headquarter in Lagos...at the weekend.

•Managing Director,Azman Air, Alhaji Mohamed Abdumunaf (left), Chief Executive Officer, BiCourtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), Mr. Christophe Penninck (middle) and BASL's Head of Aeronautical Services, Mr. Raphael Uchegbu at BASL's 2015 Appreciation Dinner, in Lagos.

HE postponement of the general elections may not be the end of the matter. The people have more hurdles to cross in the march of electoral democracy. According to analysts, those behind the polls shift have a hidden agenda. As the agenda unfolds, further damage to the electoral process can only be averted, if the polity is vigilant and bold to resist it. With the postponement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Nigeria has regressed. Old military tricks are being reenacted. It worked in the aborted Third Republic. Now, propaganda is displacing the truth again. President Goodluck Jonathan has looked for an excuse to justify his request for postponement. He ultimately stirred controversy when he told anxious Nigerians, through his Service Chiefs, that he as the Commander-in-Chief could not guarantee their security, if the commission insisted on February 14 and 28 dates. It was the same trick employed by self-styled military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, almost 22 years ago, to scuttle the historic June 12, presidential election believed to have been won by businessman-turned politician, Chief Moshood Abiola, who was the candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP). The Minna, Niger State-born military leader wanted to extend his hegemony and prolong military rule. But, he ended boxing himself into an unmitigated crisis. Till date, the ghost of June 12 is hunting him. At the height of his rule, Gen. Babangida, who implemented the longest transition programme in Nigeria, wanted to - by all means and at all cost - abort the presidential election scheduled for June 12, 1993. He said the military did not want the lateAbiola. At midnight, a judge was drafted to grant an injunction against the election, few hours to the exercise. But, as the legal luminary, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), pointed out, soldiers voted massively for Abiola even in their barracks. Today, the linkage may be quite different, but the issue is the same security. In 1993, it was alleged that Abiola, a wealthy man, was disliked by the military because he was perceived as a threat to security. It was inexplicable. The voting party by the army put a lie into the fabrication. In 2015, it is still security, but, in a different context. Rationalising the curious request for poll shift, the Service Chiefs said

that they could not ensure the safety of voters, polling officers and materials during the exercise. Also, an aide of the President, Dr. Doyin Okupe, explained that, if the elections are allowed to proceed as scheduled, they would aggravate the security situation in the Northeast, where the dreadful sect, Boko Haram, has been on the prowl. Observers have pointed out that government’s inability to guarantee security is an admission of failure by the President, who sworn to an oath and the constitution that the security of life and property will be his priority. However, hiding under the excuse by the military to postpone polls has its implications. It is a double tragedy for Nigerians. First, they cannot be protected, based on President’s remarks about the inability to guarantee security. Second, the President is now using the military’s excuse to deny Nigerians of their right to vote or demand for a leadership that will guarantee security. During the anti-February 14 and 28 campaigns, Jega replied the paid agents that the commission was ready to conduct the polls. But, he later succumbed to pressure to change the date. Thus, the feeling now is that INEC has lost its independence to government’s blackmail. If that amounts to a crisis of undue interference, only the law can resolve it. But, the interference may have sent a clear signal that government’s interference can still mar the electoral process at any stage. This means that electoral reforms have been an unfinished business in the country. INEC’s independence should not be subjected to the whims and caprices of the government. It is only logical that when INEC is not free, the ballot box cannot be safe. Instructively, the PDP has labelled Muhammadu Buhari, a retired General and former Head of State, as a dictator. But, stakeholders may now perceive the President as a dictator in a civilian garb. When the government insisted on a six-week extra time, contrary to INEC’s projection, it meant that the hand of the government is heavy on the umpire, which had no alternative than to cave in, almost under duress. Another question is: how far can the exhumed IBB trick go? Does it have prospect? Since 2011, there were signs that the President had a view to sell to the polity. Shortly after his inauguration, he reflected on the succession battles that have characterised Nigeria’s democracy. To stem the rivalry, antagonism, acrimony and bitter competition, he canvassed a single-term of six years for the executive. The President called

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NIGERIA DECIDES

•Gen. Buhari

for a constitution amendment. But, the idea could not fly. According to analysts, the President was trying to dodge the general election to avoid an imminent defeat. Others alleged that his party is trying to create a logjam to frustrate the opposition. But, the puzzle is: can the election be put on hold for ever?

•Gen. Babangida

• Prof Jega

Yet, there is an unanswered question. Will Boko Haram insurgency end before March 28? The damage to the military psyche by the struggle for power is also enormous. According to commentators, Nigerians have to be convinced that the military was not used to scuttle the previous date, just as IBB used the military to truncate ‘June 12’.

The military may have suffered under the administration as they suffered under previous administrations. A professional military is a vital asset to the nation. To maintain professionalism and political neutrality, it must be insulated from partisanship. But, the institution has been abused and misused by the powers that be. This has led the

•The late Abiola

former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Salihu Ibrahim (rtd), to describe it as a military of anything goes. Besides, the military has been reduced to a shadow of itself due to obsolete equipment. When the Service Chiefs told Nigerians that 100 abducted children have been rescued from Boko Haram camp and there is no evi-

dence; when military top brass said that they knew the whereabouts of the abducted girls and they kept a sealed lip thereafter; and when soldiers said that they were ready to guarantee security for voters and they later ate their words; then, it is indisputable that the military needs help.

INEC’s reasons for polls’ shift untenable, says Buhari

RESIDENTIAL candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Gen Muhammadu Buhari yesterday described the reasons given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shift the February 14 and 28 elections as untenable He said INEC Chairman Prof Attahiru Jega had ealier given details the body’s activities since the general elections of 2011 to the National Council of State and assured that his commission was ready for the elections as originally scheduled. The APC standard bearer in a chat monitored last night on Al Jazeera International Television Network Buhari said: “If they say the military cannot secure 14 local government areas out of 774 local governments in six years, how can we be sure they can secure those 14 council areas in six weeks?” Expressing Nigeria’s gratitude to its neighbours for eventually agreeing to secure its territory, Buhari wondered what went wrong with the nation’s military that earned global accolades in the past for excelling

APC presidential flag bearer speaks on issues of national interest in an interview aired yesterday on Al Jazeera International Television Network By Musa Odoshimokhe and Bola Owolabi

in peace-keeping missions. He said: “But as far as informed Nigerians are concerned, there is corruption in government, where is the vote for the military? Where is the money for equipment and training going to?” The former Head of State, however, urged Nigerians to give INEC the benefit of the doubt to carry out its rescheduled programmes since the constitution allowed for such. His words: “We are all going to appeal to our supporters to give to INEC the chance, because there is 30 days limit for the swearing-in of new government and before that time, election must be conducted. “So, there will be no more room for maneuver as far as we are concerned. I hope the military, the ruling party and INEC will accept this is the limit provided by the constitution.

“We do not expect INEC to say they cannot conduct the elections. In any case, INEC briefed the National Council of State that they were ready to conduct the elections. “Now if they are approached by the military for whatever reason to consider addition six weeks before the elections start, we are going to accommodate that and abide by this. We urged our support to remain calm, to participate in the elections on the March 28 and April 11.” He added that if the troops deployed in Ekiti for the June, 2014 governorship election had been utilised to flush out Boko Haram, tangible results would have been recorded. Buhari said: “If deployed in the Northeast, they (troops) could have at least rescued the over 200 school girls who were abducted by the rebels or the Boko Haram from their dormitory since last year.

“They know where they are, they still can give a cohesive reason whether they have the capacity to put an end to it.” According to Buhari, the government has failed to protect lives and property, noting that the numbers of soldiers deployed to rig election in favour of the ruling party could have been judiciously used to end insecurity in the country. Recalling the standing of the Nigerian military in external operations, Buhari noted that outstanding performances of the military during the Boma war and the uprising in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), earned the country the respect of the international community. He said when he was a military head of state, all the law that his administration enacted were meant to make the society better. He added that there was no secret

trails f any suspect that contravened the law. He said there has been effort to undermine what they tried do as a government. “I was a military leader and part of the constitution was suspended to ensure that accountability is return to the Nigeria system. “We accepted part of the responsibilities; the concept of executing people was about the drugs. We said cocaine and associated drugs were not developed in Nigeria. “Those who want to make money at the expense of health and lives of the people would not be condoned. We were concerned and if people were to make money, they should go out and work hard.” He explained that his age has nothing to do with his ability to carry out his duties, stressing that he could move up his chosen career, it was as a result of the dedication put to his job.

Jonathan’s coup against Nigeria •Continued from yesterday

HILE this entire shenanigan was going on, the usually very articulate civil societies in Nigeria saw through it all and knew that the Commanderin-Chief had something up his sleeves. They started asking questions: ‘What on earth could have led to the Presidency and the president’s jolly fellows to begin to chicken out in the face of an imminent election? Why should they be falling down one by one when Death was yet to knock on their doors? Finally, the Commander-in-Chief struck! The elections would have to be postponed because the Commander-in-Chief had now just gathered his strength to lead an onslaught on Boko Haram now that Chad, Cameroon and Niger had shown what leadership was all about. The Commander-in-Chief announcing the coup through his service chiefs says that his

By Tola Adeniyi forces will be commencing offensive against insurgents the very day the whole of Nigeria and the international community had concluded to hold a most popularised election.By this coup, Jonathan has exposed the underbelly of the Nigerian nation to a most unpardonable ridicule. Never in the over 100-year history of the country have elections been postponed. And it is an irony that Nigeria that used to be the toast of the world in international peace keeping operations and had in fact rescued Liberia, Congo and Sierra-Leone from destruction is now the same country being rescued by land-locked Chad. A greater irony is that the same Security Agents that could not muster forces to quell insurgency in the North East is now battle ready to squash Nigeria’s hopes and aspirations. They cannot fight the insurgents but they can terrorise law abiding Nigerian citizens and prevent them from their

basic civic duty of electing their leaders. This coup master-minded by the Commander-in-Chief is billed to throw Nigeria back for twenty years. And it may just be the beginning scenario for more coups to unfold from the arm pit of the Commander-in-Chief. The Commander-in-Chief has already deployed his armoured tanks to strategic places in the country. This ferocious step is a confirmation of the fears and suspicions which the Nigerian populace had nursed all along; that the Jonathan government being seriously afraid of its own shadows will truncate the planned elections to ensure the unpopular government remains in power for as long as the Commander-in-Chief is in control of all forces of intimidation, coercion and terror and also to ensure for its beneficiaries an undisturbed flow of illicit money to their bank accounts. The coup of February 9 2015 will forever be a date to remember! All hail Jonathan, our very smart Commander-in-chief!

•Dr. Jonathan

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS Boko Haram suicide bomber hits Niger

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (third right), All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Akinwunmi Ambode (right), Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu Ojo (3rd left), Chairman, Ram & Cattle Dealers Association, Alhaji Haruna Muhammed (2nd right), Chairman, Arewa United, Alhaji Muhammed Danjuma (2nd left) and a member of Arewa United, Alhaji Yaya Dabi (left) during the Endorsement Rally by the Amalgamated Foodstuff, Ram & Cattle Dealers Association for APC Candidates at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos…yesterday.

Buhari to supporters: be calm but resolute Continued from page 1

But he warned that the APC will not tolerate any further interference with the electoral process.

He said March 28 and April 11 must remain sacrosanct. Gen. Buhari, who made the appeal at an international briefing in Abuja, said Nigerians must not allow the delay to abort their desire for change through the ballot. He said: “Following the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the 2015 general elections by six weeks, I wish to appeal for utmost restraint and calm by all Nigerians, especially the teeming supporters of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). “This postponement, which comes on the heels of the bogey of the National Security Adviser that half of the registered voters were being disenfranchised, was exposed as a crude and fraudulent attempt to subvert the electoral process. “The PDP administration has now engineered a postponement, using the threat that security will not be guaranteed across the length and breadth of Nigeria

May 29 stands, says Jonathan From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

ESPITE the postponement of the 2015 general elections from February to March and April, President Goodluck Jonathan as insisted that May 29th handover date is Sacrosanct. Jonathan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, appealed to all stakeholders to accept the adjustment of the election dates by INEC in good faith. Urging politicians not to make statements that may overheat the polity, he said it is time to show understanding and support INEC. The statement reads: “Following the adjustment of the dates for the 2015 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11, yesterday, President Goodluck Jonathan has reassured the nation of his commitment to the sanctity of May 29, 2015 as the terminal date of his first term in office. “He strongly reaffirms that May 29 is, has been, and will remain sacrosanct. “The President appeals to all stakeholders to accept the adjustment of the election dates by INEC in good faith, as the electoral body has a responsibility to conduct credible elections in which every Nigerian of voting age is afforded the opportunity to exercise their civic right without any form of hindrance.”

because of military engagement in some states in the Northeast. “It is important to note that although INEC acted within its

constitutional powers, it is clear that it has been boxed into a situation where it has had to bow to pressure. Thus, the independence of INEC has been gravely

compromised. “As a Nigerian and a presidential candidate in the elections, I share in the disappointment and frustration of this decision. This postponement, coming a week to the first election, has raised so many questions, many of which shall be asked in the days ahead. “However, we must not allow ourselves to be tempted into taking actions that could further endanger the democratic process.” Gen. Buhari said recourse to violence might complicate the security challenges facing the nation. He urged Nigerians to use the postponement to strengthen their resolve to sack PDP from power and rescue the nation during the poll. He said: “Our country is going through a difficult time in the hands of terrorists. Any act of violence can only complicate the security challenges in the country and provide further justification to those who would want to exploit every situation to frustrate the democratic process in the face of certain defeat at the polls. “If anything, this postponement should strengthen our reContinued on page 58

OKO Haram attacked Niger Republic town Diffa yesterday, killing five people in a suicide bombing, after the army repelled an attack by the sect. It was the second attack by Boko Haram in three days on Niger’s southern border region, where some 2,500 Chadian troops have gathered ahead of a planned military offensive by regional powers against the sect. Niger’s parliament is due to vote today on a proposal to send its troops into Nigeria to help fight Boko Haram. Residents in Diffa said fighting was heard between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. (0600 to 1000 GMT) in the southern outskirts of the town. “There was fighting between security forces and elements of Boko Haram who tried to enter the town,” said a military source. “Fighting is taking place around the bridge at Doutchi. There are many dead.” Local residents said a young boy carrying explosives blew himself up in Diffa’s market. Local radio Anefi, however,

said the bomb was thrown by a young man on a motor-bike who escaped. “We have carried five bodies out of the market,” said a member of the local emergency services. “There are around 15 wounded, some of them in a serious condition.” Chadian forces already crossed into Nigeria last week to the south of Lake Chad to attack Boko Haram in the town of Gamboru, bordering Cameroon. On Saturday, the governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Benin agreed to establish an 8,700 strong regional force. Chad has deployed some 2,500 soldiers to neighbouring Cameroon and Niger as part of this effort. Boko Haram has seized territory in northeastern Nigeria as part of a five-year insurgency to carve out an Islamist state. Around 10,000 people were killed last year. Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the weekend postponed elections until March 28 due to “security concerns” over Boko Haram’s insurgency.

Blow for Boko Haram in Borno

CORES of Boko Haram insurgents were killed by troops as they attempted to attack Damboa town, the headquarters of Damboa Local Government of Borno State at the weekend, according to residents. A resident of the area, Aisami Bukar, who escaped to Maiduguri, disclosed to our correspondent on telephone that the insurgents who came in large numbers at about noon and were sighted by troops of 195 Battalion of the army whose men gave them a devastating blow. He said insurgents were attacking Damboa from Kalla village, just two kilometers away when the military launched artillery guns and killed scores. He said: ”Scores of the Boko Haram insurgents who attempted to attack Damboa had a bad outing , as the troops intercepted them at Kalla village on the outskirts of Damboa.”

From Duku Joel, Maiduguri

He added: “The insurgents were intercepted by the soldiers, who swiftly reacted by shooting artillery missiles and scores of them were killed”. A Civilian JTF members, Haruna Isa, collaborated it saying: “The army did a good job in Damboa, it would have been a different story today. But we thank Allah “. He said bodies of the insurgents and their vehicles were burnt and scattered all over in the bush. A military source, who does not want his name in print, said: “Yes our troops in Damboa this afternoon successfully foiled an attempt to sack Damboa town, where they killed scores of the insurgents. Damboa is 87km south of Maiduguri, the state capital. One of the exit points out of the state capital that was once seized by the insurgents.

Jonathan, service chiefs under fire over polls shift Lawyers: Service chiefs have failed Nigeria

Continued from page 1

which many believe was made up by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government to halt the momentum of support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

Expectedly, the PDP has hailed the polls shift as necessary in the nation’s interest, but the APC described the decision as “a major setback for democracy and highly provocative.” It nevertheless urged Nigerians to remain calm. The United States expressed disappointment with the postponement, especially since Secretary of State John Kerry visited President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari last month to extract a promise of a violence-free poll to be conducted as scheduled. Kerry said the U.S. is deeply disappointed” by the decision to postpone Nigeria’s presidential election. “Political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process. “The international community will be watching closely as the

AWYERS yesterday condemned the postponement of the general elections, saying the service chiefs have failed Nigeria. According to them, there is more to the postponement than meets the eye because the battle against insurgency, which has not been won in six years, cannot be won in six weeks. The lawyers warned against actions that could result in a constitutional crisis even if the law makes room for a postponement. Those who spoke include Prof Itsay Sagay (SAN), former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), Dr Babatunde Ajibade (SAN), Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN) and Mr George Oguntade (SAN). Others are a professor of law at the Nigerian Institute of advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Lanre Fagbohun, Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) and activist-lawyer Festus Keyamo. Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The United States underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays,” Kerry said. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged electoral authorities “to take all necessary measures... to exercise their right to vote in a timely manner.”

By Joseph Jibueze

Sagay said INEC exhibited its lack of independence and bowed to the rule of force in postponing the general elections. ‘‘Is it within the next two months that they want to quell Boko Haram that they have been unable to do these past years? This action will demoralise voters, create more expenses. “It just means that INEC has been influenced and no longer independent. Prof. Jega never said anything about postponement until the NSA did and was later joined by all the operatives of the PDP. ‘‘So it is correct to say that INEC has collapsed under pressure. Everyone took the postponement rumour for granted until PDP loyalists started raising dust about it. “This shows there is lack of independence and it will affect everyone’s disposition on the outcome of the election when it is eventually held since INEC can be pressurised into changing its mind,’’ said

He added: “This is imperative for ensuring a credible, free and transparent election. In the statement issued yesterday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and made available by the National Information Officer, United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in Nigeria, Oluseyi Soremekun, Ki-moon said he had separate telephone conversa-

Sagay. Akeredolu said with the polls shift, INEC has confirmed that it is castrates in the present arrangement where it depends on the Federal Government for everything. “The Federal Government shenanigans in arriving at the ultimate postponement of the elections must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerian. “What we have witnessed is ‘government magic’. They have just turned green to blue and electric to candle (apology to Fela),” he said. Oguntade said the decision appears to be a volte face on the part of INEC which, aware of the security situation for some time, had always maintained that the elections would proceed as scheduled. “What major calamity has therefore happened of late to warrant this sudden u-turn a week to the elections? “Furthermore, the security challenge that has been provided as an excuse for the

tions with President Jonathan and Gen. Buhari last week during which he reminded them of the need to abide by the Abuja peace accord on non-promotion of violence during the elections. “The Secretary-General notes the decision of the Nigerian Independent Electoral Commission to postpone the general elections, initially scheduled for

Continued on page 58

14 February 2015. “He urges the electoral authorities to take all necessary measures, such as the rapid distribution of the remaining Permanent Voter Cards, to enable all eligible citizens, including those displaced, to exercise their right to vote in a timely manner. “This is imperative for ensuring a credible, free and transparent election.

•Prof. Jega

“He looks to Nigeria’s authorities to uphold their commitment to ensure a violence-free election and put in place adequate security measures so that citizens across the country are able to exercise their civic duty safely and without fear. “The Secretary-General hopes that the forthcoming elections will meet the high expectations of the Nigerian people and the Continued on page 58

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THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS POLLS’ POSTPONMENT Mark: polls shift necessary to avoid anarchy

ACF: we are disappointed

HE Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed disappointment over the postponement of the general elections. ACF lamented that the security chiefs, who earlier assured that they were prepared for the election to hold as scheduled, could make a sudden U-turn. A statement by the forum reads: “Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) received with disappointment the INEC’s decision to re-schedule the elections slated for February 14 and 28, citing security challenges in the states of Ad-

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

amawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe as the main reason. “ACF appreciates the concern of the security agencies and Nigerians regarding the security situation in the Northeast region and the urgent need to put an end to the insurgency, which has been on for so long. “However, the earlier assurances given to Nigerians by the security chiefs that elections would definitely hold as scheduled heightened the en-

thusiasm of Nigerians to look forward to the scheduled February elections. “The political parties and NGOs embarked upon vigorous campaigns and sensitisation programmes on the need to a free and fair elections. Unfortunately, seven days to the election, the hopes of Nigerians were dashed by the same military authorities, despite INEC’s submission of their preparedness and its determination to conduct a free, fair and credible election.” The group added: “ACF and indeed all Nigerians have no option but to accept the se-

curity reasons advanced by INEC and to have faith in our security agencies’ determination to bring an end to this insurgency. “ACF particularly welcomes the collaborative effort of our neighbouring countries (Chad, Cameroon and Niger) to rid the Northeast region of the Boko Haram insurgency as promised by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. “The security chiefs should remember that as representatives of the Nigeria Armed Forces, Nigerians will hold them on their words.”

ASUU to Nigerians: don’t get frustrated by shift

HE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has appealed to the citizens not to be frustrated by the polls’ shift, but to ensure they collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). Its President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, in a phone interview, urged Nigerians to ensure they use the polls to usher in new leaders that are interested in the people and the nation’s development. Dr. Fagge noted that the

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

challenge before Nigerians is how to ensure the emergence of a leadership with focus on the people and the nation’s institutions. The 1999 Constitution, according to him, is not the solution to Nigeria’s problems. He added that a new government should give the country a people-friendly constitution, which will not encourage people to steal, but guarantee equitable distribution of

wealth and income. The ASUU president noted that this was necessary since insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria were the results of denial of people’s rights. Also yesterday, the Ibadan Zonal Coordinator of ASUU and Chairman of University of Ibadan chapter, Prof. Segun Ajiboye, said hiding under security ruse would not help pro-election postponement forces to frustrate the genuine efforts of Nigerians seeking

change. He urged Nigerians not to agonise, but organise towards ensuring that the new set of leaders that will emerge in the country are those with genuine interest for the masses. “The decision is a serious setback for Nigerian democracy. But we should remain steadfast. This is time-buying game. It will not work. Let us organise and not agonise,” he said.

Fashola blames Fed Govt, PDP •Governor cautions residents against violence AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola believes that with the shift in the dates of the general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Federal Government have succeeded in hoodwinking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Fashola spoke to reporters shortly after collecting his Permanent Voters Card (PVC) at his polling unit at Itolo Grammar School, off Eric Moore in Surulere Local Government Area. The governor, who was presented his PVC by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, condemned the postponement, saying the move was to achieve the Federal Government’s and the PDP’s premeditated agenda. He flayed the excuse given by the security chiefs that they could not guarantee the safety of INEC officials as well as voters and election observers in 14 local governments in

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

Northeast, hence the suggestion to shift the polls by six weeks. Fashola said: “The credibility of our governance is regrettably diminished. I don’t know any serious democracy in recent times that have set date and then changes them, except perhaps the last one was when a British Prime Minister backed down from elections. And you know what happened in the end; he was still defeated. “I think that when a country sets in motion a process like this, it ought to know that there would be political and economic consequences and that is why investors and the global community watch what is going on. I mean it’s disappointing; to put it lively. “When you now even hear the Presidency, the Federal Government and the PDP saying they cannot guarantee security; they say it with such relish as if they have a choice

in guaranteeing security. That is the primary purpose of government. “And when you say it to ambush an electoral manager into not conducting an election because you are afraid of defeat; I mean it’s really a very low point for governance in this country. Because whether we go to elections or not, government will still have a duty to secure this nation. And if countries like Afghanistan, Syria and all those countries where there was war and internal conflicts have held elections, I don’t see why not here.” The governor wondered why elections were held in 2011, about a year after the insurgents started attacks in the Northeast. He urged Nigerians not to fall for the gimmick of those who orchestrated the postponement. “I think Nigerians can see beyond this smokescreen. But it is a deferment of the imminent date of change,” the governor said.

•Fashola

Fashola, who spoke earlier at a rally organised by the Hausa speaking community in the state at the Onikan Stadium, however, urged residents to refrain from violent acts over the latest development. “I use this opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to remain calm, especially to the supporters and members of the APC. “This is just a matter of time and the momentum of change is already on and the momentum is Nigerian people’s momentum. But it’s just that it would have consequences for us as a nation,” he said.

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

HE Senate President, David Mark, has urged Nigerians to put the country first before any partisan consideration. Mark said this in a statement in Abuja following the postponement of the elections. He noted that no matter the political divide, “we all must take the path of caution in order not to jeopardise the process towards a successful exercise in the Nigerian project.” The Senate president cautioned against the noise trailing the shift in the conduct of the polls, saying: “It is a necessary step to avoid anarchy and chaos because of some shortcomings and insecurity fuelling the already charged atmosphere.” Mark, in the statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, said: “To conduct a peaceful, free, fair and credible election that meets international best practices, unarguably demands that all stakeholders and participants be on the same wave length. “It is a process that must of necessity be followed religiously. Any of the steps not taken or subverted could produce a questionable result. “That is why, we must all be careful in what we do or say.”

It’s a plot to derail democracy, say APC senators From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) senators yesterday condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for postponing the February 14 and 28 elections. Spokesman for the group, Senator Babafemi Ojudu (Ekiti Central), in a statement in Abuja, described the postponement as a “tele-guided plot” by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to derail democracy. Ojudu said: “What we are seeing is a desperate and jittery response to the imminent defeat of the PDP. The postponement has shown the helplessness of INEC in the face of a malicious cabal bent on destroying the fabric of democracy.” The APC senators said the decision has raised a big credibility question on INEC and the forthcoming elections. He added: “This decision is borne out of fear of defeat and malice against the people of Nigeria in the face of the overwhelming support the APC command across the country.” He insisted that the PDP leadership in collaboration with INEC have put Nigeria in extremely bad light among the international community. The postponement, according to him, “is a diversionary tactic, which undermines the aspirations of Nigerians and dims the hope for change in a country that in the past has seen bitter upheavals due to similar partisan posture of the electoral umpire.” He alleged that the INEC has placed itself above the interest of the people, adding that the action of the electoral body runs contrary to the decision of the Council of State.

Agbaje: it’s constitutional By Seun Akioye

AGOS State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mr. Jimi Agbaje has argued that the postponement of elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fell in line with the Nigerian Constitution. But, he noted that the shift meant more expenses and more stress for candidates. According to him, the postponement would facilitate the holding of more credible and better inclusive elections by INEC, saying a slight delay in the polls should raise no eyebrows so long as the May 29 handover date remained sacrosanct. “It is apparent to everyone now that the postponement is within the confines of the constitution and the electoral guidelines. As long as May 29 remains sacrosanct, everything is in order. And it is obvious that May 29 remains sacrosanct,” he said.

Momoh: military has no power to decide on polls From left: Chairman, Adamawa State Positive Change Initiative Alhaji Abubakar Kari greeting Adamawa State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate,Malam Nuhu Ribadu, at the endorsement meeting for Ribadu in Yola...yesterday. With them is the state PDP Vice Chairman,Alhaji Jingi Rufa’i.

ORMER Chairman of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Prince Tony Momoh said yesterday that the only security agents that can guarantee free elections are the police. The army, the former minister noted, “has no power or right to decide which day to vote or which day not to vote.” His words: “My reaction to this matter is independent. They told us that the election is February 14, and we all worked toward the date. “ “The only person that can tell us that February 14 is not feasible is INEC. The only security agents that can equally tell us that it cannot guarantee free elections are the po-

By Musa Odoshimokhe

lice. The army has no power or right to decide which day to vote or which day not to vote. “Their own area of operation is the external affairs. They are to protect the territorial integrity of the country against external aggression. If there is problem in 14 local government areas, in a country with 774 local governments and if you minus the councils with problem from those without problem, elections can still be held successfully. “They are telling us not to hold elections in all other areas because 14 councils have

problem. So, we must find out why there are no guarantees for INEC to conduct elections in all the other areas. They must tell Nigerians. “With the commission of some other people, they are imposing their own wishes on the Nigerians people to derail our democracy. I begin to think of the June 12, 1993 scenario. “Nigerians will not accept the June 12 scenario now. It is only the police that will be present where INEC will carry out elections. “Everybody should know that this is an attempt to divert attention; and nobody attention should be diverted.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS POLLS’ POSTPONMENT

Lagos APC: move is an ambush against democracy

HE Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the postponement of general elections as an affront on Nigerians and a threat to democracy. In statement by its spokesman Joe Igbokwe, the party said it was laughable that a four-yearly general election was being postponed eight days to its due date because the military has chosen the date to clampdown on insurgents. “It is a cheap insult; an annoying blackmail on the sensibilities of Nigerians by a party and government that is desperate to remain in power when it is obvious that Nigerians don’t want it any longer,” the party said. According to the APC spokesman, the Peoples Dem-

ocratic Party (PDP) and the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan government had shown that it was desperate to manipulate every institution to remain in power. He said: “Nigerians must be more resolute in ensuring the party (PDP) is banished from our politics, if only to preserve our hallowed institutions from such abuse as the PDP is presently visiting on them. “We encourage Nigerians to remain strong and steadfast in ensuring that the country is saved from the illegalities and outright impunity the PDP has made part of the country’s governance. “We remember that what is turning out as a dangerous, cold blooded attack on democracy started as a hatchet call by President Jonathan’s Na-

tional Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), in far away London for the postponement of an election fixed more than a year ago and which time-table had been religiously followed by all parties. “We remember that Dasuki hinged his call on the position that most Nigerians had not gotten their permanent voters card. We recall that the country rose in one demeaning crescendo to condemn the demand and we remember that both the PDP and the Jonathan government, tongue-in-cheek, denied being behind the plot, as most Nigerians alleged. “We recall that INEC not only showed its preparedness to conduct the election, but went extra miles to demonstrate that contrary to Dasu-

ki’s allegation on PVCs, it had not only distributed the voter cards, but made provisions for all registered Nigerian voters to collect their voter cards before election day. “We recall that INEC had been studiously going about its duties while the PDP, the Jonathan government and the headship of the country’s security services had been in an intricate plot to scuttle an election, where every indications point to a crushing defeat of the Jonathan/PDP government. “We note that the decision of the hastily convoked National Security Council that the election must go on, having been satisfied with preparedness on INEC, was not enough to deter the desperate plot by these joint forces to sabotage democracy and force

It’s a coup, says activist

ADUNA-based human rights lawyer and National Coordinator of Independent Election Monitoring Group (IEMG), Mr. Festus Okoye, has described the postponement of the election as a “coup against democracy”. Okoye said IEMG was not convinced and will not accept the postponement of the elections since the reasons given for the said postponement were not cogent and verifiable. In a statement in Kaduna yesterday, the constitutional lawyer said: “We view the postponement as unwarranted and a coup against the constitution of and the Nigerian people and therefore unacceptable. “We condemn the decision by the security agencies and forces not to provide security for the February elections. The said decision is a coup against democracy, the constitutional order, the electoral process and the Nigerian people. “The Independent National Electoral Commission in compliance with section 25 and 30 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) issued the timeline for the conduct of all the strands of elections provided for in the Constitution. The security agencies did not complain about the dates and did not call for an adjustment of the timelines. They did not oppose the conduct of elections in the Northeast of Ni-

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

geria and were taken into confidence as regards voting by Internally Displaced Persons. “At every forum, the security agencies assured the Nigerian people that all systems are geared towards the successful conduct of the elections and urged Nigerians not to be cowed by insurgents. “It is unfortunate and a constitutional aberration that the security agencies that did not oppose the conduct of elections have decided to kidnap democracy through the illegal abdication of their constitutional and statutory responsibility to provide security for the conduct of elections. “It is more shameful that a country like Nigeria can commit so much to an election and get this type of embarrassment. So much resource has been committed to the electoral process. Agencies and organisations have signed contracts and made payments for various services connected with the elections. Domestic and international observers and media have been mobilised. Nigerians have made all sorts of preparations, including mental and emotional preparations. People have made arrangements and some have relocated due to the scare-mongering of a section of the political elite. All these

CNPP expresses outrage at security chiefs From Chris Oji, Enugu

HE Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has expressed outrage at the submission of the security chiefs that they could not guarantee security for the general elections earlier planned for February 14. In a statement, its spokesman, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said: “We are at a loss the mileage the security chiefs will cover between now and March 28 to crush the Bokom Haram, which warranted the shift of the February polls, or will the poll be shifted again, if the insurgency rages? “CNPP is making this assertion, based on our phobia of possible truncation of our fledgling democracy; for we witnessed firsthand how our member political parties, some of whom have no candidate for any parliamentary bid or governorship were manipulated and compromised by the presidency to support polls’ elongation. “We, however, commend the 21 Resident Electoral Commissioners and 12 political parties that opposed poll-tenureelongation and pray that there is no further elongation: they should take solace on the truism that postponement of examinations cannot assist an indolent student.”

are now in abeyance. “We find it difficult to understand why the security agencies decided to blackmail and push the burden of postponement to the electoral management body. The security agencies are aware that the Independent National Electoral Commission (NEC) can only postpone an election under section 26 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) only on grounds of a likelihood of a serious breach of the peace or natural disasters or other emergencies and these must be cogent and verifiable. “It is our opinion that the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) has made provision for the isolation of areas of security challenge and a return may not be made for such areas if the quantum of votes will affect the results. So, the use of the Northeast insurgency as bait is only a cheap blackmail to achieve a pre-determined outcome. “If the security agencies truly believe that Nigeria is at war and it is impossible to hold elections, they should have accepted responsibility and advised the President and Commander-in-Chief to approach the National Assembly

to extend his regime by a period of six months utilising the provisions of section 64(2) of the Constitution, rather than blackmail the electoral management body to achieve a pre-determined result. “The added danger in the manipulation of the electoral timelines is that Nigeria may be heading towards a constitutional cul-de-sac. By section 132(2) of the constitution, 1999 (as amended) elections must be held not later than 30 days to the terminal date of the last holder of the office. If the present election is postponed and a second election is to be conducted in accordance with section 134 of the Constitution, it may be next to impossibility to accommodate same within the constitutional framework and this will land Nigeria in an interim government arrangement. “We must be careful not to play into the hands of antidemocratic forces that want to abort our democracy. The Nigerian people are advised to remain calm and act within the constitutional order and not give an excuse to those that do not want the elections to hold,” he said.

INEC to postpone an election that was to hold barely in a week.” Igbokwe said the postponement was the beginning of a grand design to scuttle Nigeria’s hard-earned democracy. The statement added: “Lagos APC agrees with a majority of Nigerians that the postponement of the election was an illegal ambush on democracy and follows an extensive plot by Jonathan and PDP to cling to power by all means when they have lost favour with Nigerians. “We warn that this is just the beginning of a thick antidemocratic plot to ensure that democracy is shackled and that Jonathan and PDP continue their corrupt wreckage of the country by every foul means.

“We warn that these evil plots are being financed with the trillions of naira and billions of dollars that have been stolen from the treasury and involves an extensive recruitment of menservants and hirelings masquerading as ethnic, religious, regional and tribal warriors, who are being serviced to further lay ambush on democracy and tarnish the electoral process as conditions necessary for the continuation of the Jonathan/PDP government. “We alert Nigerians on these looming enemies of democracy who are richly patronised by the present regime to procure more years for this government and ensure the democratic process is scuttled.”

APC youths plan one-million-man march From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

The presidency has

THE Cross River State All Pro- been caught in another web gressives Congress’ (APC) of cajoling by feigning inYouth Leader, Mr. Effiom Otu, security as reason for the has announced plans by the postponement, because it party’s youth wing to organ- could not convincingly pull ise a one-million-man march through the issue of PVCs in Calabar in solidarity with collection as initial reason their presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and for the shift other candidates ahead of the resheduled elections. Otu condemned postponement of the general elections, saying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was only expressing fear of losing the polls. He said: “Cross Riverians should vote for the APC to justify their agitation for change and restoration of lost glory occasioned by long period of neglect and injustice meted on them by the PDP government. “The presidency has been caught in another web of cajoling by feigning insecurity as reason for the postponement, because it could not convincingly pull through the issue of PVCs collection as initial reason for the shift. “They forget that local government polls were successfully conducted in Yobe State last year even in the face of heightened insecurity, yet the same Presidency is saying the entire Nigerian Army need to be available for the elections to hold successfully. “Again, if INEC has achieved a substantial rate of readiness, what stops the presidency from going ahead with the polls and then fight the insurgency later on if all our soldiers must be put out there for the war at the same time? “The postponement, like our national secretariat has pointed out, is highly provocative because it not only dislodges the parties and candidates of their plans, but was also a way of delaying the berthing of goodwill to the masses, who had long been yearning for change that was already at their threshold.’’

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN being attended to by National Youth Service Corps members- Miss Adeyemi Oluwatomilayo (right) and Miss Metus Lynda (middle) during the collection of his Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Polling Unit, Ward G3 Unit E002, State Junior Grammar School, Itolo Street, Surulere, Lagos...yesterday.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS POLLS’ POSTPONEMENT

Mamora, Ali, Akintola, Sani kick

HE poll shift announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has drawn the ire of Nigerians who considered it a setback for democracy. Deputy Director General of All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora described the postponement as conspiracy from the highest level of government against the people of Nigeria. Mamora said what the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “has done is not just to commit fraud, they have also succeeded in raping the country and the generality of Nigerians. He said: “If you look at the chronology of that perfidy, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marsall Alex Badeh said they were ready to provide the security to hold elections but less than two weeks, the National Security Adviser Col, Sambo Dasuki (rtd) went to London to ask for postponement not because of security. Jega responded that there was 70 per cent distribution of voter’s cards in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Jega said he

By Leke Salaudeen

will be willing to extend collection up to February 14. “The decision to ask for postponement was not based on altruism. It was concocted to hoodwink Nigerians. It was based on compulsion and deceit to achieve their diabolical end”, Mamora stated. Legal luminary Malam Yusuf Ali (SAN) said the election was postponed to satisfy the selfish interest of those who are bent in drawing us back. He said the reasons given for the postponement are quite amazing. Ali claimed that there is no logic postponing the election because of Boko Haram insurgence cited by the security agencies. If the security agencies have failed in the past four years to end terrorists’ activities, what is the guarantee that they will bring the insurgents under submission within six weeks, he asked. His words: “If they have not been able to get rid of Boko Haram insurgents in the last four years, what magic wand would they apply to achieve this within six weeks. I can’t see any justification for the

postponement; moreover, there is no state of emergency anywhere in this country”. The position of the military that they cannot guarantee security for February elections, according to him, is an admission of failure. The primary responsibility of the security forces is to protect lives and property at all times, the legal luminary pointed out. “INEC is the principal actor in election matter. I don’t know why those playing supportive role should now be dictating when elections should hold”, he added. Another Senior Advocate Chief Niyi Akintola expressed disappointment over the shift INEC. It was a very sad development that the military will now decide for us when elections should hold in a civilian era, he said. Akintola wondered why military chiefs who should be on top of security matters are saying they cannot guarantee security for the elections. I don’t know what kind of military commanders we have in this country. Civil rights activist, Malam Shehu Sani condemned the postponment. He said there is no justification or rational for

the shift. Sani said the excuses given by Prof Jega were untenable. The postponement is aimed at given President Jonathan and PDP time to re-strategise for the elction adding the excuse of security challenges is untenable because elections hold in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan where there is war and high degree of insurgence. He said it was apparent that PDP would lose the election if it were to hold on February 14 and 28. No matter how long the elections are postponed, Jonathan and PDP will lose, he added. To Ajibola Bashiru, INEC was simply blackmailed by the security agencies acting the script of President Jonathan and the PDP. Bashir, a lawyer, said the postponement has shown President Jonathan is ready to sacrifice democratic gains of Nigeria in the past 15 years on the altar of personal ambition. It also shows his slide towards civilian autocracy backed by a corrupt and inept military hierarchy. He called on Nigerians to brace up for the struggle for liberation from inept leadership.

Shift won’t save PDP, says Buhari campaign organisation

OORDINATOR of the Lagos Office of the Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation, James Abiodun Faleke, has condemned the postponement of the general elections by six weeks as announced by Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega. The INEC chair cited security reasons to justify the shift in the dates for the national election from February 14 to March 28 and the state election from February 28 to April 11. Faleke said the postponement could endanger the nation’s budding democracy and diminish the reputation of Nigeria in the comity of nations. Faleke, who chairs the House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corrup-

By Wale Ajetunmobi

tion, National Ethics and Values, accused those who are afraid of defeat at the polls as the architects of the postponement. His words: “We condemn this shift in election dates. It is a sad development and a dangerous signal to the growth of democracy in Nigeria. The time-table was released more than a year ago. Why is it that a week to the presidential and National Assembly elections, INEC is just announcing the postponement?” The lawmaker accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of intimidating and blackmailing the electoral body into submission. “It is obvious that Nigerians will overwhelmingly reject the ruling party and its candidates at the polls. The

Federal Government has seen the defeat of the party clearly and boldly written on the wall and it is now afraid of the rules it set for the game and decided to shift the goal post in the middle of the game,” Faleke said. He, however, stated that the PDP has only succeeded in pushing forward the doom’s day as six weeks cannot make up for the pains of six years. Nigerians are wiser and would not be fooled. “Let them postpone the elections. Nigerians are waiting for them. Nigerians are bonded in this struggle for change and they are determined to make it happen. Is it in six weeks that the PDP will correct the evils of 16 years?” “The plot is to weaken the opposition and give some respite for the ruling party. The

PDP thinks the opposition will run out of steam because it is the only party that raised more than N20 billion to perpetuate itself in office. “What we are telling them is that the people’s will to effect a change is stronger than the federal might that the PDP has exerted INEC to shift the polls. “All agents of change must, however, remain steadfast and calm. They should avoid falling into the trap. The APC is determined to give Nigerians a new direction and a new lease of life from the rudderless leadership the PDP has offered for 16 years.” Faleke, who is the candidate of the APC for the Ikeja Federal Constituency, urged those who have gotten their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to take advantage of the shift window to do so.

Security factor is mere smokescreen, says MURIC

HE Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the postponement of the general elections as an attempt by the ruling party to buy time. MURIC said the security factor cited by INEC was a mere smokescreen. A statement by its director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, said the postponement is unnecessary because countries like Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which are ravaged by worse security situations, have successfully conducted general elections and did not succumb to security threat. Akintola said: “The real raison d’etre lies in the imminent defeat of the ruling party. Having read between the lines, the ruling party has been running from pillar to post looking for the magic wand. They turned to litigation after the main opposition candidate’s certificate imbroglio failed. The attempt to hoodwink the Council of State also hit the rocks. The military option is the ace. “This postponement is

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

therefore not about security issues. The real casus belli is the urgent desire of the ruling party to buy time. The idea is to keep stalling until a sinister plan matures. This can be gleaned from the understanding that the shift is for six weeks “in the first instance”, a phrase that has surfaced in the controversy. Well, Nigerians are waiting. “MURIC regretted the manner the Federal Government and the ruling party are dragging the military into politics. This portends great danger for democracy. “Bastardisation of the military is bound to undermine its professionalism. They appear so desperate that rather than play the role of good sportsmen and true democrats, they are prepared to destroy what they cannot enjoy. Resorting to the use of security agencies after the Council of State had rejected a postponement exposes the low level the Federal Government has sunk.”

Nigerians in Diaspora disagree

IGERIANS in Diaspora under the aegis of the Buhari Friends Organisgaion Network has kicked against Federal Government’s decision to postpone the polls. The group described the postponement as a third term plot as well as a sign of desperation of the ruling party. Coordinator of the group, Mr. Charles Whate, in a statement in Jos, Plateau State yesterday, said: “We have observed that Prof. Attahiru Jega, the INEC chairman, was

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

bullied and threatened by the presidency into postponing the February elections. The sighting of security as the reason for the postponement is ridiculous and makes a mockery of Nigeria in the eyes of the international community. “The situation in Nigeria is not even near that of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq, yet all those countries conducted their elections despite the monumental security challenges.

Ivory Coast is Africa’s champion

VORY Coast won their second Africa Cup of Nations title on penalties after a goalless draw with Ghana. Goalkeeper Boubacar Barry saved from his opposite number and then scored the winning spot-kick to seal a repeat of the 1992 final between the sides. Barry, only playing because of injury to Sylvain Gbohouo, had seemed to be suffering from cramp in the shoot-out. But the 35-year-old’s heroics gave the Ivorians a 9-8 victory and only their second Nations Cup title.

Malala pleads for Chibok girls’ release •300 days after

•Malala with some of the escaped Chibok Schoolgirls at a reception in Abuja on July 14, last year.

OBEL prize winning education campaigner Afghanistani Malala Yousafzai yesterday called on world leaders to do more to free the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, who have been in captivity for 300 days. Writing on her website she said: “If these girls were the children of politically or financially powerful parents, much more would be done to free them. “But they come from an impoverished area of northeast Nigeria and sadly little has changed since they were kidnapped.” “Nigerian leaders and the international community can and must do much more to resolve this crisis and change their weak response to date. “These young women

risked everything to get an education that most of us take for granted; I will not forget my sisters.” Boko Haram kidnapped 276 schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State last April, triggering global outrage expressed through the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. Although a few girls managed to escape during the kidnapping, 219 of the girls remain missing. Women who have escaped Boko Haram tell of the brutalities they experienced at the hands of the militants, including forced marriage and being sold into sex slavery. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau also said in one of the videos the sect posted on you tube that he would “sell the girls” and marry them off.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS ‘Stop fomenting trouble’

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is planning to foment trouble during the election. The Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Group said it had alerted the security agencies and other stakeholders to take action against the alleged plot. The leader of the group, Ife Oyedele, said: “Details of the plan, upon verification, consist of mobilisation of party thugs and hired hoodlums to induce and attack voters on election day. “They are also paying N2,000 to each voter for access to copy the VIN and other bio-data on the Permanent Voter Card (PVC). “The objective is to clone the cards and use them on election day. These cards will be invalidated by

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

INEC’s new technology; the card readers which ultimately invalidates the original voters’ data and cards. “The ultimate goal is to cause confusion during the voting process and ultimately disenfranchise thousands of legitimate voters.” The group called on the electorate to remain resolute, ignore intimidation and perform their civic responsibility and secure it by standing by their votes until results are declared. But the PDP through its spokesman, Banji Okunomo, described the allegation as spurious. He said APC is threatened by the outcome of the reconciliation efforts of the PDP and its mega party status, since its merger with the Labour Party (LP).

15 die in road accident

•Osun State Governor State Rauf Aregbeola flanked by All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos West Senatorial Candidate, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (right) and APC State Organising Secretary Abdullahi Enilolobo at a Walk for Change rally in Alimoso Local Government Area of Lagos State

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

IFTEEN persons died yesterday in an accident on the Ilesa-Ife Expressway. It was gathered that the accident, which occurred at 4.30 pm, was caused by the driver of an 18-passenger commercial bus, who reportedly ran into an oncoming Toyota Sienna bus. The Toyota Sienna, it was gathered, was on its way to Lagos. Besides the six male adults, four female adults and four children who died on the spot, several others were injured. Though the state Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mohammed Hussein, confirmed the accident he said he was yet to be properly briefed. Motorists were held up for many hours because of the traffic caused by the accident. The victims were taken to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

Clerics pray for Ajimobi USLIM clerics and Islamic faithful in Oyo State yesterday prayed for the success of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in the general elections. The occasion was the Maulud Nabiyy celebration at the Remembrance Arcade, Government House. The event attracted Islamic faithful and Muslim clerics from all over the state, with representatives of various Islamic societies and students of Islamic schools present. Among the clerics were the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Busari Haruna III, renowned Islamic clerics and scholars, Sheikh Muyideen Ajani Bello and Sheikh Ibrahim Ayede. The Chief Imams of Oyo, Kishi and others were present. The occasion was also attended by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Oyomesi, former Chief Judge, Justice Nurudeen Adekola, religious leaders and prominent indigenes as well as members of the State Executive Council. Sheikh Bello and Sheikh Ayede led special prayers for the governor’s victory, basing their prayers on his outstanding performance and his commitment to the promotion of Islam and the observance of its tenets.

Makinde: robust economy coming

YO State Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate Seyi Makinde has said he will create a robust economy in the state, if voted into office. The SDP candidate identified non-patronage of local contractors and irregular payment of workers salaries as factors contributing to the poverty afflicting the people. Makinde said: “It is when those people affected get their money and patronise local markets that money can circulate. “But, unfortunately, what we have in the state today is contrary. Contractors are not based in Oyo State and they take our money to Lagos State where they are based. Workers are not regularly paid and they lack purchasing power to go to the markets, hence the low sales being recorded by our market

men and women.” The SDP candidate spoke in Ibadan at the weekend during his market campaign led by the party state chairman, Sunday Adelaja and which took the team to Orita-Merin, Agbeni and Ogunpa markets. Makinde, who alighted from his vehicle at Orita-Merin Market square and trekked to Agbeni Market, stopping along the way to greet the people. He said the SDP administration under his leadership would ensure that the statebased contractors would be engaged to halt capital flight and that workers’ salaries would be paid on time. The Babaloja of Orita-Merin, Rasheed Oloola, praised the governorship candidate for his vision and focus, recalling that his good works had preceded him and would go a long way in bringing him victory.

•Ajimobi (right) greeting Oba Adeyemi...yesterday.

ASUU demands reversal of sack of UNIOSUN’s VC, registrar, bursar

HE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has intervened in the crisis rocking the multi-campus Osun State University, Osogbo. The body called for immediate reversal of the indefinite suspension of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bashir Okesina, the registrar and bursar by the governing council led by its Chairman and Pro-Chancellor, Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin. At a briefing at the weekend in Osogbo, the state capital, ASUU Coordinator, Ibadan zone and Chairman, University of Ibadan branch, Prof. Segun Ajiboye, said it was regrettable that the governing council acted beyond the scope of power granted to it by the law establishing the university. He said it was “urgently necessary” to address the briefing, which was attended by some ASUU leaders, including the union’s national treasurer, Dr.Ademola Aremu, the ASUU chairman at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Dr.Oyebamiji Oyegoke, and his counterpart for Osun State Univer-

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

sity branch, Dr. Oluseye Abiona, to ensure sanity was restored into the university system. Ajiboye, who insisted that only the Visitor, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, could suspend or sack Okesina, said ASUU had studied the law establishing the university and concluded that the governing council overstepped its boundary. He warned that the governing council should not create unnecessary crisis in the institution, saying what was expected of the council was championing improved welfare of the university workers by ensuring that their salary arrears were paid to boost their morale. In the interest of equity and fairness, Ajiboye advised that

the status quo should remain within the university while the visitation panel set up by the government should be allowed to do its work. The ASUU Coordinator said: “Since the crisis is between the management and the council what should be done is for both parties involved to submit themselves to the visitation panel and wait for recommendations. “It has never happened in the history of any university that a VC was sacked by the council. The governance crisis is taking a dangerous dimension and what message are we sending across to the world. Prof. Olawoyin is laying a bad precedent in this case. “Prof Olawoyin is diminishing Uniosun and Prof. Basir Okesina. What if after the conclusion of work of the

visitation panel, the VC is not found guilty, what becomes of his person? “So, ASUU is demanding immediate reversal of suspension and let the status quo ante remain while the visitation panel carries out its assignment. “In the spirit of equity and fairness, the suspended VC should return to his office since the governing council is a party in this issue. Let the commissioner for education take over and save the university from further crisis and ensure there is sanity in the system. Let the law establishing Uniosun be respected.” Prof. Jelili Oguntola Alamu has been appointed the Acting VC while the accountant now acts as bursar and another senior office in the non academic has taken over as the registrar.

Agbakoba to chair Beko symposium

EGAL luminary Olisa Agbakoba will chair the ninth Beko Memorial Anniversary Symposium “Which Way Nigeria?” tomorrow at the banquet hall, Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos. Governor Babatunde Fashola is the host; Special Guest of Honour Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Prof Nkem Onyekpe of the Department of

History and International Relations, University of Lagos, Akoka, will speak on 2015 General Elections: The Electorate and the Legitimacy of Electoral Outcome. Other discussants are Malacky Ugwummadu; Col. Gabriel Ajayi (Rtd) and Dr Femi Obayori.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS Ambode promises more projects By Daniel Essiet

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Akinwumni Ambode, has promised to implement people-oriented projects, if voted into office. He made this promise at a rally in Lagos yesterday organised by Southsouth, Arewa and Ndigbo indigenes in the state. The APC candidate promised to provide an enabling environment for non-indigenes to do their businesses, adding that his administration would not discriminate against them. “I want to build a Lagos where people can realise their aspirations. My vision for Lagos is leadership and accountability, good governance and quality service. “I will build an educational trust fund to cater for the unemployed youth; I will finance artisans to establish cottage businesses. “There would be a revitalisation of vocational skill and education so people with vocational education don’t end up as roadside vulcanisers and welders.”

‘Don’t harass our members’ From Damisi Ojo, Akure

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State has raised the alarm over the alleged threat to its members. A statement in Akure by the party’s Media Campaign Committee Chairman and Secretary, Tunde Imonehin and Charles Titiloye, decried the alleged intimidation of its members in Idanre, Ondo West, Ondo East, Ore, Odigbo, Ile Oluji/ Okeigbo local government areas. The party urged its supporters to vote for its presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates. It urged security agents to provide adequate security and stop the alleged intimidation of voters in remote areas of the state. “APC state legal committee is ready to address any illegal harassment, intimidation and or arrest of voters before, during and after the general elections.

Fayemi: more Ekiti rigging audio details coming

ORE details of how the June 21 , last year, election in Ekiti State was “rigged” are on the way, former Governor Kayode Fayemi said yesterday. An online news portal, Sahara Reporters, released at the weekend an audio recording, which reportedly captured the voices of Governor Ayo Fayose, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Police Affairs Minister Jelili Adesiyan at a meeting where they ordered military officers to rig the poll for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The former governor spoke at his 50th birthday thanksgiving service at St. Martin’s Catholic Church, Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area. Fayemi said: “The news of the audio clip, which was reported yesterday, was not a surprise to me. “Those who denied that they were not the ones will hear the second part of the recording and they will keep quiet. “Justice belongs to God. God will vindicate us because we have worked hard for our people.” The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Rev Felix Ajakaye, urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the country. The cleric urged Fayemi to continue to exhibit the qualities that marked him as a servant of the people during his four-year term, urging the exgovernor not to relent in offering himself for the service of humanity. Rev Ajakaye, who noted that God has not concluded his work in Fayemi’s life, advised the ‘birthday boy’ to always be good to others, regardless of whether or not they will pay

•APC: we’ve been vindicated •Fashola: Obanikoro, Fayose can’t deny their roles From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti and Miriam Ekene-Okoro

him back. “Don’t relent in doing good whether or not you are appreciated. Be good to people whether they will pay you back or not”, the bishop tells the former governor. The service was attended by the wife of the celebrator, Bisi; former Governor Adeniyi Adebayo, former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt.-Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd); former Deputy Governor Prof. Modupe Adelabu, husband of the late deputy governor, Mr. Lanre Olayinka, federal and state lawmakers, and other officials, who worked with the governor during his tenure. Alluding to the postponement of the general elections in his homily, Ajakaye urged Nigerians, whose enthusiasm has been dampened by the shift of the polls, to put the disappointment behind them and still hope for a brighter future. The bishop said: “The journey continues, don’t lose hope about Nigeria. Don’t be discouraged that we want to vote and they are now shifting the goal post. Some people are somewhere now drinking wine and clinking glasses. “When we learnt of the plan to postpone the election, we knew it was the hand of Esau and the voice of Jacob. “Nobody can play God, the controversy about whether or not we will vote, all I can say about it is that one day is for the thief, one day is for the owner.

“Failure to tell ourselves the truth is one of the greatest problems of this generation. One of the prayers I have always prayed is that may God shame the shameless.” The bishop earlier led a song: “Jesus never fails, the man of the world may let you down but Jesus never fails” to drive home the point that human beings are fond of disappointment when much is expected of them. He continued the song: “Your best friend may let you down, your best politician may let you down, INEC may let you down, Jega may let you down but Jesus never fails.” The rendition of the song sent everybody in the church reeling in laughter. The bishop noted that Fayemi served the people to the best of his ability and fulfilled the purpose God sent him to accomplish. Rev Ajakaye said one of the ways Fayemi demonstrated leadership by example was discouraging people from addressing him as “Your Excellency”. He urged the governor not to be a professional politician but a statesman, saying “statesmen are better than all these professional politicians, most of them are chopI-chop, ‘moneticians’ and ‘pocketicians’, who are fond of saying they are not allowing me to eat”. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola said Obanikoro and Fayose could not deny their involvement in the audio clip. Fashola, in an interview in

Surulere, said the audio clip, which has gone viral on social media, smacks of impunity and clearly explains the PDP's desperation to win elections at all cost. He said: "Well, I am sure some of those people who spoke in that audio, especially the one who claims that the promotion of security officer is in his hands, and they have drawn the Presidency into it. "They said they were acting on behalf of the Presidency. I am sure that fellow, even his grandchild, will know that is his voice; so how he wants to deny it I don't know. "His grandchildren will recognise his voice as many of us have done. This must open the minds of Nigerians to what it takes to win an election. “When Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola was celebrating, I know what he went through, because we have been through it, we have been in opposition here, and when we win elections in Lagos as we have always done, we know what it takes to do so, to protect votes that are legitimately cast for us. "Those people in that audio are the examples of some of the kind of base desperation for power that you will ever see. So, when ordinary Nigerians are struggling in the sun, trying to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), trying to vote, you see what they are doing at night, you see how seriously that party that they represent takes your vote and your effort and your sacrifice for democracy. "I’m sure now that Nigerians are getting wiser, because

Lagos warns contractors

Council boss advises residents From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

HE Chairman of Akinyele Local Government, Opeyemi Salami, has advised the people not to allow themselves to be deceived by selfish politicians. He urged the people to pray for peace in the state and the country. Salami spoke at the inauguration of a transformer donated to Gospel Faith Mission International Church (GOFAMINT) by the wife of the governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi. Salami said: “We are urging Nigerians to pray for peace. The people should not allow selfish politicians in the opposition deceive them. They failed when they were given the opportunity to serve and that is why we should all vote for Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the All Progressives Congress (APC).” Mrs. Ajimobi said: “You have supported my husband in the last three and a half years. I urge you to please support him again by voting for him. You should also vote for all the APC candidates.”

all of the things that they thought was done in the dark are now in the open." The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it has been vindicated by its claim that photo chromic ballot papers were used to fix the election. In a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, the party said it was shocking that principal participants did not hide their evil plot as they spoke freely of an elaborate rigging. “It was shocking that one of the participants spoke of how he must deliver on the assignment given to him by the ‘President’. The fellow said: ‘I am not for a tea party but to deliver on the president’s assignment’. “Another voice said he had been governor in the last 12 years and should not be toyed with. The voice blamed a major general, who was also heard defending himself, of not cooperating in the assignment. The voice said the major general nearly sabotaged him in using the soft copy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) papers and computers given to him to ease the assignment.” Olatubosun said it was clear that Fayemi could not be defeated by Fayose, considering the love Ekiti people had for him based on his integrity and unprecedented development he brought to Ekiti State. He urged Ekiti people to brace up for the challenge ahead to peacefully and legally retrieve Fayemi’s mandate.

•Fayemi flanked by (from left) Gen. Akinrinade (rtd); Prof. Adelabu, his wife, Bisi, and Mr. Olayinka...yesterday

‘Stop destroying Ambode’s billboards’

GROUP, Support Group for Ambode 2015, has condemned the destruction of billboards belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, by operatives of the Federal Task Force. A statement by its spokesman, Kehinde Bamigbetan, described the Federal Task Force as a “gross exploitation of the unemployed by an insensitive and anti-people-led Federal Government, seeking to set the poor against one another”. “It is sad that the same government

that controls power at the centre is approaching the electoral contest in Lagos State with reckless impunity and irresponsibility. “For instance, two weeks ago, the Task Force pasted notices on outdoor advertisement on the Third Mainland Bridge and other roads built by the Federal Government in Lagos State, purporting to direct their owners to remove them. “It followed up this illegal threat at the weekend by destroying the billboards and other outdoor adverts. We hereby call on the PDP and its

candidate, Jimi Agbaje, to call on the Federal Task Force to abide by the rule of law and respect the authority of the local governments of Lagos and their agency, the Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA) to carry out the regulation and control of outdoor advertisements and hoarding. “This is the only way Agbaje can convince the electorate that he truly subscribes to decency, respect for authority and non-violence in canvassing his options in the forthcoming elections.”

HE Lagos State government has warned contractors to complete the 16 projects assigned to them on schedule without compromising standard. The projects cut across the education, housing, health, judiciary and tourism sectors. Some of the projects include: science and technology complex; multi-storey building; magistrates’ courts in Ajegunle, Ogba, Epe, Ikeja, Badagry and Igando, as well as the Lagos arbitration centre. Works and Infrastructure Commissioner Obafemi Hamzat reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring that all construction activities in the state conform to acceptable international standard. Hamzat said the Office of Works, the unit saddled with the responsibility to enforce compliance with standard, had been mandated to monitor all ongoing rehabilitation projects. The commissioner said tax payers’ money was being judiciously applied by ensuring standard and preparing the state for the challenges of its status as a mega city. He said the government was working round the clock to ensure the completion of all projects without compromising standard before May 29. The Office of Works has completed the Senate Building, Students’ Union Arcade, Central Library, Faculty of Management Sciences and 3in-1 Lecture Theatre at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

MONDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2 015

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

The general elections in Akwa Ibom State will be a stiff competition between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), which is waxing stronger by the day. Deputy Political Editor RAYMOND MORDI examines the contest for relevance between the two parties.

APC, PDP in make or mar contest T in Akwa Ibom HERE is a crack within the ranks of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State that has seriously whittled down the influence of the party. The party has governed the state since the return to civilian rule in 1999 and was hitherto considered to be entrenched in the state. But, seeds of distrust had been sowed in the party over time because of the leadership style of Governor Godswill Akpabio, who has governed the state like his personal estate. Many of the founding fathers of the party had borne the whole thing with equanimity, believing that everything would be over soon with the expiration of Akpabio’s second term in May. But, things began to fall apart as the December 8, 2014 governorship primary approached, when stakeholders realized that Akpabio was not ready to allow the contest to take place under a free and fair atmosphere. He turned deaf ear to entreaties by senior citizens from the state such as former Governor Victor Attah and Donald Etiebet, asking him to make the race open to all. Stakeholders in the state regard the candidature of Udom Emmanuel, the PDP governorship flag bearer, as a third term agenda on the part of the governor. As a result, things have moved from bad to worse since his emergence after the primary. Twenty-two of the 23 governorship aspirants under the auspices of the ‘Forum of Akwa Ibom State PDP Gubernatorial Aspirants’ otherwise known as the G-22, alleged gross irregularities in the conduct of the primary. The aspirants registered their grievances in a petition signed by all of them and appealed for fair play and justice from the national leadership of the party. The major grievance is that no primary took place, as everything was skewed towards returning the governor’s anointed candidate, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, as the party’s flag bearer. For instance, the aspirants said there was no accreditation of any delegate at the venue of the state congress. They insist that accreditation was done at the Government House, Uyo and that unqualified persons were smuggled into the venue with accreditation cards which was contrary to paragraph 19 (e) (f) and (g) of electoral guidelines, which stipulates that names of accredited delegates shall be announced to the hearing of all persons present. Though members of the G-22 have doggedly refused to leave the PDP, they are believed to be working underground to thwart Akpabio’s ‘third term agenda’. What really went wrong in Akwa Ibom? Observers say the problem could be traced President Goodluck Jonathan’s bid for a second term. PDP governors are believed to have entered into an arrangement to return Jonathan for a second term in exchange for a free hand to choose their successors. This explains why the party is having internal crisis in most of the states it controls. “Our people are fed-up with the insults, arrogance and provocative insensitivity of President Jonathan and the PDP to the wishes of the people and they will show to the world that there is no gain or pride in slavery and imposition,” a source who wants to remain anonymous said. Observers say in spite of the support President Jonathan enjoys from the state that there is no federal presence in terms of empowerment and projects and that Akwa Ibomites are totally disenchanted with the conspiratorial silence on and the obvious acquiescence of Mr. Jonathan with Akpabio’s dictatorial tendencies, especially the imposition of the party’s governorship flag bearer. Akpabio has been accused of treating the people of Akwa Ibom with contempt and disrespect. In spite of the amount of money that accrues to the state on a monthly basis, the Akpabio’s administration has been squandering it without planning for the future of

•Akpabio

•Okori

‘

Our people are fed-up with the insults, arrogance and provocative insensitivity of President Jonathan and the PDP to the wishes of the people and they will show to the world that there is no gain or pride in slavery and imposition

’

the state. On average, Akwa Ibom’s share of federally allocated revenue is five times that of the average state and the state is acknowledged as the richest state in Nigeria. Today, there is a veneer of tranquility when one drives through the streets of Uyo, the state capital. But, beneath the glitter and tranquility on the surface lies a deep rancour. Critics say there is no long term planning and that the government is squandering the states resources on white elephant projects. Former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly Uwem Udoma said healthcare is in shambles, agriculture remains at subsistence level and that government is paying lip service to education, but the environment is not conducive for learning and government has not provided facilities in the schools, especially in the hinterland. School pupils in the rural areas do not have access to laboratory equipment and a good number of them study in dilapidated structures. Udoma, who is now a chieftain of the APC said there is no functional hospital in the state, except the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, which is owned by the Federal Government. Akpabio has no doubt constructed roads and put up some other physical infrastructures in the state. But, critics say what he has achieved is nothing, when compared with the amount of resources that accrues to the state. Indeed, some of the structures he has put in place is nothing but white elephant projects and critics say he has pocketed the “kickbacks” and the inflated costs from

them, even though they are not yet operational. There are those who have been bought over by “Akpabiosm” and the “uncommon transformation” of the governor. To such persons, the PDP still remains the party of choice for the people of Akwa Ibom. But, there are a growing number of persons who are insisting that the party has run short of ideas and that the electorates should try the alternative provided by the APC. The second school of thought believes that Akpabio wants to extend his tenure through Emmanuel. Constitutionally, the governor would be concluding his second term as governor in May, but if he succeeds in imposing his candidate, the incumbent governor would continue to hold on to the reins of power through his protégé. Take the stadium for instance; he has refused to state the exact sum expended in putting up the structure. Yet, the stadium project has not been completed. The only unit that has been completed is the football arena. The swimming pool, the gymnasium and other components of the project are yet to be put in place. In spite of this, Akpabio went ahead to organise a extravagant opening ceremony believed to have gulped over N500 million. There is also a lot of hype about the number of flyovers in Uyo. But, as far as many Akwa Ibomites are concerned, there is no need for such flyovers at the moment. In December last year, Akpabio also organized a profligate Christmas carol believed to have gulped over a N1 billion. Well known personalities,

including Reverend Jesse Jackson, were brought from different parts of the globe to Uyo for the carol. Yet, civil servants have not received their salaries since September last year. Workers in the local governments have been on strike since December and have vowed to remain on strike until all their demands are met. Chairmen of local governments owing salaries claim money released to them by Governor Akpabio could not cover their salary bills. Former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Akwa Ibom State chapter, Felix Udo, said apart from unpaid salaries and allowances of workers, retired NULGE members had not been paid gratuities since 2009. The former NULGE boss said another reason for the strike was the irregular computation of salaries and allowances of local government workers. Primary school teachers are also on indefinite strike over non-payment of salaries since last December. The schools are now ghost towns. The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Akwa Ibom State chapter, said its members would not go back to classes until the state government fulfilled the agreement it reached with the teachers in concrete terms. The union’s secretary, Mike Ike-Ene, said its members proceeded on the strike following the breach of agreement earlier reached between the government and the union. Unpaid salaries aside, teachers in the state have not been paid promotion arrears since 2009. Ditto their leave grants since 2012. Besides, there is also a huge backlog of pensions and gratuities due to Akwa Ibom primary school teachers. For the first time since the return to civil rule in 1999, the opposition appears to have taken root in Akwa State politics. Umana’s defection to the APC has breathed life into the hitherto comatose opposition party. It has turned it into a viable alternative for the people, particularly for politicians who have crashed out of favour with the ruling PDP. With thousands of politicians who were hitherto the foot soldiers of the PDP in their respective political domains now in the APC, there are fears that the PDP has lost its steam in the state. Apart from the likelihood that the PDP may lose the governorship election, there are fears that President Jonathan may not receive the kind of overwhelming support he got there in 2011. Most of those who have decamped to the APC have vowed to ensure that the President does not win in Uyo Senatorial District and the state as a whole. But, Akpabio is not impressed by Umana’s threat to sweep the polls. He described the threat as “laughable and impossible.” According to the governor, Umana has never been a politician and as such does not have the political clout to win the governorship. Aside from the governorship election, the other contest generating interest in Akwa Ibom is the David versus Goliath senatorial election in Ikot Ekpene District, otherwise known as the Northwest Senatorial District. In the contest, Obong Inibehe Okori is challenging Governor Akpabio’s bid for the seat. Abak division, which is one of the two major components of the district, has turned against Akpabio and the PDP. After governing the state for eight years, Akpabio is bidding to retire to the Senate, against the subsisting agreement that the next senator from the district should come from the Abak division. As a result, there has been a frosty relationship between people from the area and Governor Akpabio. Okori, who is contesting on the APC platform, is one of the arrowheads of those protesting against the perceived injustice. Akpabio has tried to placate the people by

•Continued on page 18

THE NATION MONDAY FEBRURARY 9, 2 015

Nigerians are passing through a difficult ‘ That period is reflected in the inability of the government to rescue the abducted Chibok girls; it has also reflected in the insecurity of lives and property, the lack of effective poverty alleviation programme and the absence of prosperity-driven policies

‘

Moderate your utterances, don urges politicians

professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Olanrewaju Badmus, has urged politicians to moderate their utterances. Badmus urged them to avoid any action that could cause violence before, during and after the elections. The university don delivered the 256th inaugural lecture of the institution. Its title was: “Utilising the Qu’ran, Stabilizing the Society.” He criticised the current leadership for squandering the resources and fueling corruption. Badmus said: “That Nigerians are passing through a difficult period is reflected in the inability of the government to rescue the abducted Chibok girls; it has also reflected in the insecurity of lives and property, the lack of effective poverty alleviation programme and the absence of prosperity-driven policies. “A large part of the world today,

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

including our dear country, is experiencing instability and insecurity because leaders promote injustice and corruption and neglect the welfare of followers. “Only recently, a former Secretary of State for the United States of America, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, lambasted the Nigerian leadership for squandering the resources of the people and indirectly festering corruption. “Leadership as a position of trust is fragile and it has to be handled with care by eschewing unethical behavior and conduct, which hinder peaceful co-existence and stability of human society. If leaders will function well according to expectation, there will be a functional economic package which will benefit the rich and the poor.

APC, PDP in make or mar contest in Akwa Ibom •Continued from page 17 choosing the running mate to Emmanuel from the area, but the people are saying it is not acceptable. Indications are that the election is going to be keenly contested. But, Akpabio is widely expected to use his huge financial war chest to try to influence the outcome of the contest. However, Okori is of the view that the Lord will give him victory, in spite of Akpabio’s huge war chest. His words: “What type of money does Akpabio have? Is it not the peoples’ money that has been entrusted in his hands? Is it justifiable for him to use this money to oppress the people? The God I worship would not allow that. As I speak to you, I want you to look at me once again; I am that David that fought Goliath; I am that Moses that confronted Pharaoh on behalf of the people of Israel. It shall come to pass.” For the first time, ethnicity is going to be a major factor in the forthcoming election in the state. The state is made up of three major ethnic nationalities: Ibibio, Anang and Oron. In the governorship election, the Uyo Senatorial District, which is predominantly an Ibibio enclave, is expected to back Umana, who is an Ibibio person from that district. Umana defected to the APC along with a large chunk of PDP faithful and notable chieftains, who are opposed to the decision of Governor Akpabio and the PDP to exclusively zone the governorship slot to Eket and the governor’s insistence ticket, against the logic of zoning. The entire Oron ethnic nationality (in Eket District) has resolved to back the APC. A group known as Oro Think Tank, an umbrella group of Oron stakeholders, made the above declaration last Thursday. It says that with the way are, an Oron person may not be able to govern the state in the next 24 years. The position of the group was articulated by its chairman, Comrade Okon Osung and secretary, Prof. Eminue. So, from all indications, the five local government areas that make up the Oron nation is likely to vote APC. Naturally, the

•Umana

What type of ‘money does Akpabio have? Is it not the peoples’ money that has been entrusted in his hands? Is it justifiable for him to use this money to oppress the people?

’

three Ibibio local governments in Eket District, where Emmanuel comes from, may back the PDP flag bearer. The Ibibios in the two local governments in Ikot Ekpene district are also likely to vote APC. Ikot Ekpene district has 10 local governments. Three of the local governments are from the axis where Akpabio comes from, while five belong to the Abak division where Okori hails from. Based on this calculation, Okori is very confident of victory in the senatorial race. He said: “To be honest with you, I am not aware of any prominent citizen of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district that is supporting Akpabio’s ambition. The people that are adopting Akpabio are his commissioners, his special advisers, in short, his aides. Those are not political leaders. Besides, his performance in the state has no bearing on the legislative matter.” For the first time in 16 years of civil rule, the opposition held a rally in Ikot Ekpene last week Monday, which attracted a mammoth crowd.

The Director-General of the Dakuku Peterside Campaign Organisation, Chief Victor Giadom, in this interview with BISI OLANIYI, explains why the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win the governorship election in Rivers State. He also speaks about how the standard bearer, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, will build on the legacies of Governor Rotimi Amaechi and other issues.

‘Peterside ’ll excel in Rivers’

AN the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer, Nyesom Wike, at the general elections in Rivers State? It is common knowledge that Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, has done well in the last eight years. It is imperative that we have a successor, who is properly schooled in leadership. We know that the APC governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, is a former Commissioner for Works in Rivers State and he has what it takes to maintain the legacies of our performing and focused governor, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the Director-General of Buhari Campaign Organisation. He has been in the House of Representatives. I know that he has no other option, but to perform much better than Amaechi. It is the dream of every father to have a son that will do better than him. We are confident that one of the things we will achieve from the candidature of Peterside is improved and quality governance in Rivers State. So, we feel very proud and extremely honoured that our candidate will do the very best. You should expect the best from the Rivers APC’s governorship candidate, when he eventually wins the election. God willing, he will be inaugurated as the governor of Rivers State on May 29 this year. Dr. Peterside and his campaign team are not bothered about the noise being made by Nyesom Wike, the immediate past Minister of State for Education and his few supporters. They may depend on guns, bombs, thugs, dynamites, federal might, President Jonathan and his wife. But, we will continue to put

•Peterside

•Amaechi

our trust only in God and rely on the support of Rivers people, who are ready to massively vote for Dr. Peterside. What is your assessment of the campaign so far? We have campaigned in some of the 23 local government areas of Rivers State. I am assuring Rivers people that Dr. Peterside will campaign in all the 23 local governments. Our campaign have been successful and will continue to be successful. We are focusing on issues and not abusing people or attacking personalities, the way PDP leaders are doing. We are on course. We will continue to leverage on our performance. We know that we have done well; to drive home our message and it will not be difficult for the electorate to embrace our our candidate. Wike has made some allegations against Governor Amaechi and Peterside. How will you disabuse the minds of the people before the elections? I know that members of the public, especially Rivers people, are aware of the truth. They know that the government of Amaechi has done well in the past eight years. As Commissioner for Works, Dr.

Peterside performed impressively before moving to the House of Representatives, where he is currently representing Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro Federal Constituency. He is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and he is doing well in that regard. Are you comfortable leading Peterside’s Campaign Organisation? This is not new to me. By the grace of God, I successfully led the Presidential campaign in Rivers State in 2011. This is not a new terrain to me. I know what to do to also deliver Dr. Peterside on election day. I have my strategies and a very strong team of eminent personalities, who are highly experienced in politics. I am focused and I know that God will give us victory. Don’t you think the reconciliation in the PDP will affect the chances of the APC at the poll? We are not looking for people who are aggrieved in the PDP, but if they feel that they can find their future in the APC, we will not stop them. We have a membership that can drive the success of our great party, the APC. We have the kind of membership that will give us victory.

• From left to right: Members of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Publicity Committee: Chief Jide Osokoya, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal, Prince Tokunbo Oyedemi, Prince Tunde Adeleke, Mrs. Yinka Babalola, Hon. Biodun Salami, Mrs. Funmi Olusunmade and Mr. Sesan Daini at a rally in Badagry, Lagos.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

The change we need

Tragic reversal • Nigeria leaning on Chad and S/African mercenaries calls for urgent fixing of the country

N 18 April 1983 Chad, under warlord President Hissene Habre, invaded and seized 19 islands on Lake Chad, inside Nigerian territory. Nigeria’s retaliation, by 21st Armoured Brigade in Maiduguri, under the overall command of the then Brig. Muhammadu Buhari, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division, pushed the invaders some 50 kilometres deep into Chadian territory. Thirty-two years later, however, Chad, though under an international coalition of forces, would appear the gamechanger in Nigeria’s bungled war against Boko Haram, plaguing Nigeria’s North East in particular, but planting morbid fear in the whole of northern Nigeria. Only a few days after Chad’s intervention, under an African Union (AU) conceived international regional force against Boko Haram, the integrated armies of Nigeria, Chad and Niger (Cameroun is reportedly yet to join, except in battling Boko Haram inside its own territory) have recaptured, from the Islamists, Malumfatori, Gamboru, Mafa, Abadam and Marte. Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has, of course, balked at the suggestion that Chad, not the Nigerian Army in its own territory, is calling the shot. Nevertheless, it is clear that Chad’s intervention has been decisive; and if the current successes mark the final turning point to eventually routing Boko Haram, Chad will, not unjustifiably, claim credit. The defeat of Boko Haram cannot be bad news — in any case, not to the luckless North East locals, whose towns had been captured, and people exposed to Boko Haram’s savage code. But it is certainly sobering, if not outright bad news, that neighbouring Chad had to come to Nigeria’s rescue. Pray, what plague has

afflicted Nigeria and its military? That sobering question is imperative because, parallel to the Chad intervention, news came that Nigerian authorities had allegedly hired 100 South African mercenaries to help free the rump of the Chibok 276 school girls, who Boko Haram kidnapped in April 2013, to intense universal outrage. Executive Outcome, the mercenary company, is reportedly owned by one Lt. Col. Eeben Barlow, formerly of the South African Defence Forces; who from newspaper reports had previously fought in Angola, Sierra Leone, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. He was allegedly hired, aside from springing the Chibok girls, to “skill” Nigerian soldiers. So, Nigeria would spurn a military training offer by the United States, only to hire mercenaries to do the job? And these mercenaries, who their home government has disowned, with Maite Nkoana Mashabane, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, expressing sadness at the development; and saying there are enough laws to prosecute the alleged mercenaries, any time they set foot in South Africa? Nuhu Ribadu, former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss but now Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Adamawa State, has admitted Nigeria embraced black market arms because the Western countries were shunning it. So is Nigeria, though a democracy, fast sliding into a pariah state again? What really is happening to this country? President Goodluck Jonathan, on the virtual eve of a crucial election, stands legitimately charged with leading Nigeria to bust. Still, his tenure is only the cul-

mination of a progressively decaying Nigerian state. Take the Chad intervention, which should really be counter-intuitive. Chad is less populated, less blessed with resources, less vital in regional standing in the context of global geo-politics, and has smaller military budget. Yet, it appears to suffer less corruption (than Nigeria, in any case!) and has somehow instilled more discipline in its army. It appears a long, winding road from 1983, when Buhari crushed the Chad invasion of Nigeria! And what if Chad, after its current help, suddenly develops territorial ambition, with Nigeria manifesting disturbing symptoms of a country unable to defend its integrity? Nigeria, from the saviour of West Africa to the wimp being saved by less endowed countries, is a tragic reversal of monumental proportion. But that grave challenge compels a solemn re-visit, to halt the decay in the Nigerian state, once and for all. By making the right choices, this election offers a historic opportunity for a rebuilding process, starting from the scratch.

‘Nigeria, from the saviour of West Africa to the wimp being saved by less endowed countries, is a tragic reversal of monumental proportion. But that grave challenge compels a solemn re-visit, to halt the decay in the Nigerian state, once and for all’

Police insurance premium

•We can’t get the best from the cops when govt keeps delaying payment

E are astonished that a mountain is being made out of the Federal Government embarking on the needful by setting aside N3.5bn as insurance premium for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for the 2015 financial period. More outrageous is the fact that the newly approved premium expected to be paid to Custodian and Allied Insurance and 21 other insurance firms as underwriters for the police in 2015 had expired since December, last year. This is despite the fact that the underwriters had long sent reminder letter about the expiry date of the insurance policy to relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government. Yet, the MDAs have been apathetic despite their knowing that insurance companies, as provided by

‘It is sad that the nation is still grappling with how to sort out police insurance premium in an age and time when such an issue should be taken as given. It is equally disheartening to know that the same police that governments unleash on the society just to perpetuate themselves in power are not well taken care of’

law, run a policy of ‘no premium, no cover’. The Insurance Act 2003, section 50 is explicit: “The receipt of an insurance premium shall be a condition precedent to a valid contract of insurance and there shall be no cover in respect of an insurance risk unless the premium is paid in advance.” The concerned authorities need to be asked about the fate of policemen faced with misfortunes in the intervening period of premium default for 2015 so far, in view of the volatile security situation in the country. Equally worthy of note is the observation that the police premium for 2014 is reportedly the same as 2015. The question: If premium is determined by claims made by the insured in the covered years, why is it that police premium has remained static despite reported increase in the number of incidents leading to more claims from the underwriters? Is the 2015 police insurance premium officially assumed or based on policy advice from the underwriters that are aware of the consequences of under-insurance when in the long or short run, the need for claims arises? We are aware of the demand for enormous insurance claims from underwriters by widows and dependants of slain police and other paramilitary men and officers engaged in battles with the Boko Haram insurgents in the north east and others in the line of duty in other parts of the country. The figures purportedly sent by the underwriters and the National Insurance Commission in September 2013 to the of-

fice of Accountant-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Finance reportedly showed that a significant number of men of the armed forces and police were killed on duty. For instance, between January and June, 2013, claims of above N1.5billion were recorded from men that were killed on duty alone, without those that died from other causes. The reason for the static premium figures remains scary. We are also aware of provision for Group Life Insurance Cover under the Pension Reform Act which is meant to provide financial compensation to dependants/relatives of an insured worker who dies while still in service. But since the NPF gained its autonomy over its insurance matters and equally got separated from the civil service and other forces in 2013, we expect a better coordinated structure for all they do; something that is a far cry from its shoddy handling by the office of the secretary to government of the federation. This is today not the situation. It is sad that the nation is still grappling with how to sort out police insurance premium in an age and time when such an issue should be taken as given. It is equally disheartening to know that the same police that governments unleash on the society just to perpetuate themselves in power are not well taken care of. If the government is genuine and sincere about building a committed police institution, the police should be insured as a matter of law, and not as an act of favour.

IR: I have been following the electioneering campaigns of all the major political parties with keen interest and expectedly, they have been feeding us with promises to win our votes. In as much as no single party /candidate will come out to tell us what we do not want to hear at this critical period, there is need for Nigerians to peruse all these sugar coated talks and decipher the realistic ones from mere rhetoric. From whichever angle we look or interpret these numerous promises vis-à-vis the situation on ground in the country, one thing is very certain and, that is the need for change. I will want to draw the attention of Nigerians to the basic changes that we are expecting from the administration that will come on board from May 29. Foremost, we want a government that can guarantee the security of lives and properties of the people. We need a government that will make the environment conducive for citizens and residents to be able to move freely at all times without fear of intimidations or attacks, a government that will make the country attractive to foreign investors and tourists. We want a government that will protect the lives of our children in boarding schools as well as those on the streets. Secondly, we want a government that will revive the collapsed manufacturing industries. We want a government that will encourage the growth of the agricultural and other sectors of the economy to be self sustaining, a government that can make the naira to be very strong and competitive again. Thirdly, we want a government that will be prudent in using our resources to better the lots of Nigerians. We want a government that will make our roads to be motorable again and not the death traps we have presently. We want a government that will make our refineries to work, a government that will make our electricity to be stable. Fourthly, we want a government that will make education and health care services relatively cheap and affordable for all Nigerians. We want a government that will bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, a government that will make our teachers/ lecturers get their rewards on earth and also cater for the welfare of our pensioners. Fifthly, we want a government that will tackle unemployment and give the youths hope for the future. A government that will make Nigerians proud everywhere they found themselves (that is a government that will make the Westerners/foreigners treat our people with respect and dignity). Sixthly, we want a government that can fight corruption and eradicate the menace from our system; where public office holders would be made accountable. We want a government that will put measures in place to ensure free and fair elections at all times, where every vote will count. We want a government that will put measures in place to discourage other countries from turning country to dumping ground of all worthless and inferior commodities. We want a government that will bring back discipline and order to the ways we do things in the country. •Raymond Oise-Oghaede, Lagos TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

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THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: Why would a US secretary of state visit Nigeria just to advice us to have a peaceful election and not resort to violence before and after elections? Can Nigerian leaders ever manage our affairs without coaching from the West? How, we have - proved Lord Lugard and P.W Botha time and again that the black man is a burden to the west and that we can’t manage our affairs. Crops of leaders over time have taken Nigeria to the Hobbesian era when life supposedly was short, nasty and brutish. In Nigeria, some people who as a rule should be named as outlaws in saner climes - are feted and tolerated even when they preach ill will and, call for the break-up of the country. These are persons who profit more from unity than many others, but go on a crying jag, to play the script of their backers - by rapturously calling for secession. While some of these ones have openly, repudiated and renounced their Nigerian citizenship in their

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Our state of chaos mission to heat up the polity, without evidence of dual citizenship or naturalization elsewhere - as required by law, the Nigerian state never rises up to the occasion to register their open declaration of statelessness and expatriate them to a country of their choice. In Nigeria it is easy for the civil populace to acquire bombs which they toss at office blocks and court premises but the benefactors and guilty parties are never captured because they are always in the wind. Citizens of Nigeria do not feel the impact of governance and have resorted to self help for almost everything. Communities of

people these days make provision for security, water and road. In this country you hardly see a policeman patrolling our neighbourhoods (streets) daily, presence is always on the highway and major suburban locations, how then do they hope to dominate the environments, get information and burst up criminal gangs? Our security apparatus are yet to get past the ‘reactionary’ tactics for ‘preventive tactics to nip crime in the bud. Governments overtime have had to make the Nigerian so undisciplined - that they empty their bowels openly in public because there are no public toilets and bathrooms which should be

The courage to begin

IR: I call on fellow Nigerians to begin from this year’s elections to set our country on the path to glory and fame, by not giving our mandate away and trade our future and that of our children for a morsel of meat like Esau, for just like him also, free flowing tears of regret will not recover a mortgaged destiny. Let us begin by buying the future with the present, knowing assuredly that the future is a collection of choices of the present and wrong and unwise choices of today will turn back to hurt us as pains and agonies in the future. Let us begin by learning from our past mistakes or the mistakes of our past leaders as well as followers and how it has cost us dearly thus far and determine not to repeat same. As the saying goes, he who fails to learn from his past mistakes stand the risk of repeating same in the

future. God forbid that it should be our lot. The mistakes of ethnoreligious, nepotistic, divisive politicking rather than solutionbased politics, driven by accountability, political stability, effectiveness in governance, control of corruption, adequate regulation and rule of law should be corrected this once! Let us begin to build an egalitarian society, where the children of peasants can afford a decent life and education and go all the way to realize their lofty dreams without impediments imposed by a skewed, ‘only-the-rich’ economic policies and practices that has left us craving for the return of the good old days our fathers told us of. I once told a friend that if all of us in Nigeria are relocated to the United States and Americans brought to Nigeria to settle here, in the next 50 years, this land Nigeria would have

transformed for the better and will be like America and vice versa. So, what does that mean? Attitude. Abundant natural resources profit little in the hands of people with a wrong attitude. Let us begin to change our attitude to our nation, to our neighbours and to ourselves. This degenerate attitude found in a vast many was not innate, but learned. So it can be unlearned. The good attitude can be learned too. Those ‘little little’ things we do or fail to do to ourselves, our neighbours and for our nation are the difference between the great nation and the gory. Therefore, as we match out to elect leaders to various offices, fellow country men and women, let us begin. •Pharm Oluleti Olalekan, Kubwa , Abuja.

provided by government as a matter of course: fast food and other eating places, have now seen the need to lock up their chamber pot and make it only accessible to customers. This is a country that takes delight in putting her citizens in darkness so good that little children shout ‘UP NEPA’ when there is power supply (which is so infrequent), and when the supply stays beyond particular hours before outage, same children say, “NEPA tried today.” This is a country that allows her citizens to be ill-treated by foreigners who should be grateful for our hospitality: some of these non-nationals are citizens of war torn regions where peace is elusive. In this country there are no welfare provisions for the masses like urban mass transit scheme to ease transportation and, in states where you once had such privilege, most of these vehicles have all broken down due to lack of experts to maintain the means of transportation procured. Our administrators never plan beyond a year: they love to revel in the ‘now.’ In Nigeria, Fulani herdsmen whose daily fare is to go on nomadic expedition now know how to use fire power to kill innocent Nigerians. Where they get these trainings to use military capability, buy armaments without fore knowledge by the state remains a mystery. Even well-trained members of the armed forces still hone their craft by going to shooting range: but who train and inspire these Fulani and where? In Nigeria, some persons interpret

the holy book above the constitution of the federal republic. While countries like Egypt and India support an applied secular state, ours, is in words only. I am left to wonder which country in the world liberates her citizens by tenaciously setting down religious precepts over constitution. •Simon Abah, Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Osun verdict: vox populi

IR: The verdict of Osun state election petition tribunal of February 6, has further reaffirmed the authenticity of the result of August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election held in the state. But more than anything else we must commend members of the tribunal for their doggedness even at the risk of their lives. Feeble judicial minds world have crumbled. Also, the electorate, many of who were condemned to the narrow cells of emotional jail, deserve accolade for being civil in the build-up to the election and maintaining peace during the election in the face of intimidating security personnel as if that state was at war with the rest of the country. It is an antithesis that such red eyed security apparatus could not be deployed to Sambisa forest for the release of our Chibok 219 from the gnome called Boko Haram. We are still waiting for our government to reunite the girls with their families. Our leaders should, however, learn from the French phrase Noblesse Oblige; because he who is going to bury his senior brother alive must not take his junior brother along as a witness. N o w that the tussle is over, the governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola should see himself as father of all by distributing dividends of democracy evenly among the people of the state. It is noteworthy that he is known to act pro bono publica. To the people of the state we say congratulations. Vox populi, vox dei. •Adelani Olawuyi Odooba-Ogbomoso

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

COMMENTS

Election: Human desperation or God’s will?

T last, the hour for genuine Nigerians to vote the future they desire has started being truncated. This Saturday presidential election has been pushed out of the will of the people. The desperation of those seeking power at all costs and stressing by all means to frustrate the will of God is at work. Why are those trying to manipulate the choice of the people able to push forward their purpose by shifting the elections from the ordained dates to contrary blind dates of their personal favour? Why not surrender to the right choice of the people in a nation where there has been apparent failure of leadership? Will people’s votes still be allowed to bring forth who indeed is meant to be voted for? Is the postponement coming to manifest rigging agenda? At the countdown to the general elections, the self-centred nature of our politicians and those in power is evident. It has become apparent that most Nigerian politicians are insincere liars. This is why many make open promises of what they have no mind to implement. All they want is just getting elected and then begin to steal in multiples from public resources to restore the what they spent on campaigns. What happens to the life of citizens would not matter to them until another election season comes. Today, Nigeria keeps declining in virtually all fronts – power, educational and healthcare standards, job and financial progression - just name it - in a nation tagged with grand economy. Contrary to INEC’s consistent position to keep it’s ordained day of love, the stressful leadership who could see the reality of the mind of the people, believes that with more days to handle stomach infrastructure, there might be a change of heart to receive unmerited votes. Isn’t it distressing that foreigners are those that know the reality in the land more than the owners of the land? The United Kingdombased The Economist magazine last week revealed its mind in an editorial write-up. It endorsed the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) on its ground that a “former dictator is better choice than a failed president.” Of course, as expected, the presidency became shocked and in its bitterness knocked the endorsement out as “tongue-in-cheek.” Sincere Nigerians are only shocked at the insincerity of the leadership that keeps claiming achievements in the midst of apparent failures. Not that undeniable The Economist which is one of the most influential and reliable global publications spared Buhari or President Goodluck Jonathan. In veracity and “with a heavyq heart,” it only chose Buhari as better than Jonathan who it believes “risks presiding over Nigeria’s bloody fragmentation.” Why must Jonathan be ruled out if he is truly qualified to win?

T is said Rivers State is the most ethnically diverse State in Nigeria, in fact, it is so diverse every 30-50 miles you travel in the state, you’ll meet people speaking different languages. For such multi-ethnic state to be stable, the ethnicities must have devised a way of co-existence sociopolitically. Yes, we have done so democratically by respecting the rights of every ethnicity including the minorities among us. From the inception of political parties in the state in 1979, the ethnicities were divided into upland and riverine regions by the NPN under the leadership of Late Chief Melford Okilo, the first democratically elected governor of the state. This later gave rise to the upland/riverine dichotomy. With the creation of Bayelsa State out of the Old Rivers State, that political division gave way to the present three senatorial districts namely: Rivers West, Rivers East, and Rivers SouthEast senatorial districts. The map of each senatorial district maintained the upland/riverine dichotomy for fairness, equity, and peace. This meant, the boundaries of the major and minor ethnicities that constituted the upland/riverine were cut across to create each senatorial district. Again, for equity, fairness, and peace, the senators from every senatorial district has rotated between the Upland and Riverine ethnicities. The governor of Rivers State since 1999 has originated from the senatorial districts: Governor Peter Odili is from Rivers West Senatorial District and the current Governor Chibuike Amaechi is from Rivers East Senatorial District. However, both of them are from the upland ethnicities giving our upland brothers and sisters 16 years of control of the state governorship while the riverine ethnicities held the deputy governor position. Following the above logic, Governor Amaechi and the state All Progressives Congress (APC) party made two correct decisions in selecting Hon. Dakuku Peterside to be its gubernatorial flag bearer for Rivers State. First, Peterside is from the Rivers South-East Senatorial District that is next to produce a governor for the state. Second, he is from a riverine ethnicity to balance the upland ethnicities’ dominance of the state governorship. He has in turn picked an upland representative from the Rivers West Senatorial District as his

‘Six years was good enough for the President to showcase his vision, his ideas, strategy, competence, projects, resolve, and performance...there is nothing new we can reasonably expect from this President, his PDP, and gubernatorial candidate for Rivers’

Who should replace him? Surely, The Economist did not perceive Buhari as a perfect choice. Many Nigerians too do not see him as an angel. But the magazine remarked in its understanding that the incumbent President has been a colossal failure and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mismanaged Nigeria’s economy in its 16 years in power. President Jonathan who himself accepted his generation’s failure at the take - off of his political rally in Lagos was truly branded by the magazine as vastly incompetent, moreso with his failure to tackle the insecurity devastating the country. This must be why a better alternative is needed. Indeed, PDP that has been running the country since 1999 has hardly made any viable impact on the nation. The editorial insists Jonathan “has shown little willingness to tackle endemic corruption,” such that when Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor “reported that $20b had been stolen, his reward was to be sacked.” Prof. Charles Soludo, also CBN’s former Governor has been consistent in hitting the Jonathan administration of economic gross mismanagement and resources diminishment. Last week, he who knows the nation’s economy lashed back at Finance Minister Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala under who the country cannot recount the loss of N30 trillion - either stolen or mismanaged. This is a hithertorespected woman heading the nation’s economy, apparently functioning to please World Bank other than her fellow nationalists in joblessness, poverty, deficiency and dearth. No one can deny current dilapidating naira exchange rate which is going speedily to N250 to one dollar. The magazine declared that even the claim that Nigeria’s economy is fast growing, “the prosperity has not been broadly shared: under Mr. Jonathan, poverty has increased. Nigerians typically die eight years younger than their poor neighbours in nearby Ghana.” Insecurity is not being well handled for peace to reign across the nation and in the life of the people. The Economist reminds us that President Jonathan “has shown little enthusiasm for tackling insecurity, and even less competence. Quick to offer condolence to France after the attack on Charlie Hedbo, he waited almost two weeks before speaking up about a Boko Haram attack that killed hundreds, perhaps thousands of his compatriots. What a leader without focus, sending sympathy to foreign country while ignoring his own millions that are affected by his poor security system? What else do we need to be reminded by outsiders who know the truth more than the citizenship under desperate office holders? We can see foreign media giving us more accurate information than our local media of brown envelopes seekers. Not that Buhari is considered faultless. The only thing is that he is the preferred between available two options. The opposition criticizes him for being anxious to rule this nation as he has been contesting since 2003. All the negative things being attached to him are making more people to symphatise with him and turning him to become the weapon of change of the flattened country. As The Economist recalled, Buhari was once guilty of human rights abuse while in power with “blood on his hands.” His military rule, according to the editorial, was “nasty, brutish and mercifully

short.” Yet, he is seen as an incorruptible and honest leader, whose consistent participation in presidential election since 2003 was an indication that he had now hugged democracy. Let it be said that if the right candidate wins and he is not allowed to rule, unless there is divine intervention, the nation will be dumped into storm. If the defeated one manipulates and is enforced to rule, the lost glories of the nation in the last 16 years won’t be recovered as unrighteousness cannot exalt any nation. It is the restoration of the lost glories that will make Nigeria to move forward. The very few who are rich, notwithstanding the source of their wealth bother less about the pains and agony of the masses. It is a high level of unrighteousness to steal and partake in usurping the blessing of somebody and then see your own life as successful. Nigeria is not being lifted today due to massive corruption of those in power – stealing the good of the land. The most depressing reality is that most of the resources stolen are sown in foreign lands where such are not even needed. More and more of their own people are in poverty as there is no doable job to be done. The unrighteous continues proclaiming Nigeria’s economy as the biggest in Africa as if that is of benefits to the same country which has the same continent’s most massive paucity and infrastructural malfunctions. No matter what is received from the devil, the end will be valueless and inglorious. It is only the true gift of God that will not add sorrow to it. If there is going to be war at all, the ultimate winner can never be those who are falsehearted, or the enemies of peace and the deceitfuls whose focus is either on their self wills or the truncation of democracy. Let there be war against corruption, fraud, insurgency and treachery against humanity, then the nation will begin to move out of the valley to higher heights of real good economy in impactful benefits to the settlement of the depressed, disconsolate and miserable masses. The Economist rounded-up: Buhari would be able to revive the demoralised military and address insecurity. “If Mr. Buhari can save Nigeria, history might even be kind to him.” For militancy and insurgency to be settled, Buhari’s military experience cannot be ignored as it is needed to boost the morale of the military. It is a shame to Nigeria to depend on the Chadian and Camerounian military to resolve the issue which our men are failing to accomplish. Will political desperadoes reverse the story of February 14, the day of love to the sadness of June 12, the day of demolition of people’s will? Visiting churches from pillar to post for political campaigns cannot convince genuine children of God to vote wrongly. True Christians go beyond the name we bear. It is more of total dedication of life, full commitment and trust in God to do His will without human fear or nervousness. Let the unrighteous seek the mercy of God and be determined to live a new life in the Lord, then there won’t be need for desperation to succeed. Afterall, not all that are prayed for receive desired positive answers. We need the Most High to give us a better Nigeria than the one we currently have.

Why Peterside is Rivers best choice

given the state’s oil wells to Bayelsa, Abia, and Akwa Ibom states President Jonathan has taken federal projects that late President Umaru Yar’Adua allocated to Rivers State and moved them to Bayelsa State like the Nigerian Law School, relocated from Port-Harcourt to Yenagoa, Bayelsa. The Port-Harcourt International Airport was torn down to be expanded and beautified by President Jonathan and the PDP and for over two years now the reconstruction remains abandoned while the President is going around the country opening new and other reconstructed International Airports in Birni-Kebbi, Enugu, and other cities The two oil refineries in Eleme are operating only at 20%30% capacity when they can be restored to full capacity and provide well-paying jobs to the Rivers People. Instead of President Jonathan bringing the South-south regional governors together frequently and work with them to economically develop the region, bring industry, commerce, and transportation infrastructures like major coastal highways, rail, and develop the Nigerian Water Front between Calabar and Lagos, the President was busy fighting them, and undermining the governors and the states apparatus. Now at the end of six years, he has done nothing for the region, the people, and the states. What a wasted opportunity? Under President Jonathan, the Ijaw people are more divided than they have ever been because for him, doing that was easier than getting them together to meet their demand for jobs, education, health-care, security, entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, housing, and what have you. In effect, if the President was working well with the Rivers Ijaw leadership and people, Wike will never have the audacity to challenge their turn to produce a governor. What President Jonathan and the PDP has not done for Rivers State and the Rivers people in six years with all those excess crude oil revenue, they cannot do in four with falling crude oil price. In my opinion, six years was good enough for the President to showcase his vision, his ideas, strategy, competence, projects, resolve, and performance. The point then is, there is nothing new we can reasonably expect from this President, his PDP, and gubernatorial candidate for Rivers. They have outlived their usefulness and must be voted out. It is time for a change. Finally, I urge every registered voter in Rivers State to go out on February 14, to cast their vote because every vote matters. If the PDP offer money, take it, vote your conscience, don’t be sheepishly driven by sentiment and emotion, but use your sagacity and let this discuss inform your vote. And whatever you do, please vote for Hon. Dakuku Peterside/ APC, the candidate for the right reasons of equity, peace, and stability in Rivers State.

By F.A. Amaye-Obu running mate. This APC solution to the uniquely Rivers State socio-political situation is the best that shows maturity, political balance, and intellectual brilliance in comparison to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) alternative Nyesom Wike that is thoughtless, disrespectful, and irresponsible to say the least. Let us now scrutinize what the PDP has offered the state in Wike that made me describe their actions as I just did. As I intimated earlier, two of the three senatorial districts (Rivers West and Rivers East) have produced state governors and the next governor should emanate from Rivers South-East Senatorial District to be fair and equitable. Instead of doing this, PDP went back to Rivers East Senatorial District to pick Wike as their gubernatorial flag bearer. Besides, he is an Ikwerre man like the current governor in total violation of the above unique Rivers solution to our peaceful ethnic diversity. I read this is also one of the root causes of Amaechi/ Wike saga and space does not allow me to go into any details of that. A few questions I’ll pose presently will encapsulate some of my concerns and make you see that the PDP has lost their moral compass and sense of decency. It buttresses the narrative of entitlement and culture of impunity forgetting they are only given the privilege to serve the nation as long as they have. The following questions are pertinent: Do they think Rivers State consists of only the Ikwerre ethnicity? Does it dawn on them that the other ethnicities of our multi-ethnic state deserve to be governors? By manipulating the system for Wike to emerge, do they know that such electoral tampering was an insult to the intelligence of the Rivers People? It is really true, “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Further, let us review very closely what the PDP, President Jonathan, and vicariously, Wike have done for Rivers State and the Rivers people to earn their vote again, because just being a brother does not put food on the people’s table. Currently, there is no federal project in Rivers State and there has never been any since President Jonathan took office. Rivers State was the top Crude Oil/Natural Gas producing state, but under President Jonathan and the PDP, the state is now the third or fourth largest producer because they have

• Prof Amaye-Obu M.D. writes from New York, United States.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

COMMENTS

LL things being equal, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold this Saturday. There is no cogent reason they should not hold despite suggestions from some quarters that they be postponed due to the inability of the INEC to get all registered voters their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) By now, so much has been put into the elections by the various political parties and their candidates that any further delay will amount to overstretching them both financially and physically. Apart from the wrong signals it will definitely send to the outside world, such a scenario is bound to demoralise not only the candidates but the electorate generally. The opposition, for justifiable reasons is imputing sinister motives into the development and it is within it rights to do so. The National Council of State has met over the issue. But the buck has stopped at INECs table. The right thing to do in the circumstance is for all those concerned, to do the needful and ensure that all impediments to the smooth conduct of the polls as scheduled are removed. Already, the political atmosphere has been heated up. There is even apprehension and fear in the land that the worst is about to happen. The feeling is high that the coming elections may make or mar this country. Postponing the polls in this very uncertain circumstance may be the last straw that will break the camel’s back. The authorities may be playing into the hands of those simulating calamity for this country if they go ahead with such a plan. But as it stands, the INEC will have to take responsibility should the election be bungled. That appears to be the unwritten message from the National Council of State meeting.

‘Those things that make nonindigenes unsafe outside the boundaries of their ethnic origin, those things that mark them out for selective attack each time their hosts feel aggrieved, are the greatest impediment to our national development. They are the things to watch if we are honest with ourselves’

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

Fleeing for their lives Moreover, aborting the elections now will be a sad reminder to the inglorious days of the military when elections were postponed, annulled or cancelled all together even when results had been collated. The Ibrahim Babangida regime had an uncanny notoriety in this regard. And we are all witnesses to the unmitigated damage which such precipitate action wrought on our collective psyche. The problem this country still encounters in the area of power shift is in the main, a logical consequence of such misguided interventions in our political process. We can ill-afford a repeat at this point in time. That however, is not the only source of the foreboding signals that have enveloped the nation. The outcome of the elections, especially the presidential election, is fraught with frightening prospects for the peace order and unity of this country. It has come to mean so many things to so many people. The stakes are very high as sections lay claim to that office as a matter of right and none would let go. The question on the lips of the discerning is whether this country will survive as a corporate entity after the polls. The situation is not made any easier by the utterances and threats from sundry groups and individuals laying claims to the rights of their zones to occupy that exalted office this time around. Tension and fear have been so much so that we are now regularly inundated with reports of non-indigenes fleeing their residences to their ancestral homes for fear of what is to follow with the elections. They fear that given the high emotions that have been ruffled by events leading to the elections and the benefit of previous

E cuts the worst image of temperamental mien of choleric Abubakar Shekau, the wily terrorist who frets at his imaginary enemies with brutality fueled by uncontrollable sectarian anger. His eyes blazing like a scarlet coal reminds of the visage of the Benin knight of the underworld, Lawrence Anini, as he drooped in submission to the stake to embrace the fate that awaited him that hot afternoon in the Benin red square. The reality of the moment choked the presidential air out of a man desperate to win the last battle of his life to lead Nigerians again. That is President Goodluck Jonathan at the opening of his presidential campaign rally in Lagos where he lost his presidential graces to both anger and fear of survival. But while Anini took advantage of his offences against humanity to plead guilty before God and man and was in a hurry to join his fellow Barabbas in hell that afternooný, Jonathan in Lagos was evidently scared of warming his way to the Golgotha of Nigerian voters as he raved and raked, beating his chest and tearing the air to convince that he is best placed to begin and finish the process of Nigeria’s renewal in four years, which he failed to do in six years. There are glaring facts that emerged from the Lagos rally, which also laid a foundation for other issues he canvassed in other places as he promised in his campaigns to give Nigerians hope again. Shortly after that Lagos effusion of anger, President Jonathan stormed Enugu where he confounded the observers of Nigerian politics as a president with scant knowledge of the history of the military he commands, dishing out incorrect information and outright lies on the military strength of his country under General Muhammadu Buhari that is well-known to the leaders of Congo and Chad republics. He ýaccused Buhari of not buying a single arm for the military to strengthen the armed forces when he was head of state. Pronto, students of Nigerian history, who do not hold PhD like Jonathan, flashed the Nigerian military books before the President with facts and figures of the military purchases by Buhari that placed the Nigerian armed forces as the best equipped in the subsaharan Africa. Just like he did not know for six weeks as the nation’s chief security officer that the Chibok girls were seized by Boko Haram, the President did not also know for six years as commander-inchief of the armed forces the history of his nation’s strength in her armament programme. ýFrom all indications, it is that lack of knowledge of the capability of his armed forces and the need to strengthen it that is responsible for the shame Nigeria is facing in Sambissa forest today where Shekau is kicking the arse of the Nigerian military and drinking from the well of cowardice of the Nigerian soldiers, who think first of their lives before the life of the nation they swore to protect and preserve at all costs, courtesy of alleged illequipped military.

experiences, it is nigh risky to stay outside the place of their primordial attachment during elections. By the same logic, they seem to be saying that it is only within their states of origin that their lives and property can be guaranteed. And this point goes without saying. The Inspector General of Police was so concerned by reports of the exodus of people especially the northern parts of the country that he had to come public reassuring that measures had been put in place to guarantee their safety wherever they live. The police boss has discharged his duties. But it is left to the people who are fleeing to their home states to believe him or not. It is left to them given the benefit of hindsight to believe whether the police had been a trusted and readily available friend in incidences of mob action and urban violence. The way they perceive their previous encounters with religious or political uprisings will point the direction as to whether they should take the police boss serious or not. And if one may hazard a guess, they are very unlikely to heed his advice and assurances. That is the stark reality. But that is the real problem this country has to contend with rather than this obsession with which section of the country captures power in the coming elections. That thing which regularly gives rise to the feeling that one is only safe and his live and property better assured within his ethnic origin is the real problem of this country. It can neither be whittled down nor obliterated by the mere fact of an Ijaw or Hausa-Fulani man emerging victorious in this crucial election. Rather, such feelings

are further reinforced and accentuated when elections are fought along ethnic and religious lines as is evident from the current one. It is therefore not enough to ask those fleeing not to do so. It is not also enough to give assurances of their safety when the real causes of their fear are still there. Those things that make non-indigenes unsafe outside the boundaries of their ethnic origin, those things that mark them out for selective attack each time their hosts feel aggrieved, are the greatest impediment to our national development. They are the things to watch if we are honest with ourselves. And they will continue to be so unless genuine and conscious efforts are made to redress these systemic dysfunctions. In the past, we have seen non-indigenes suffer heavy losses in lives and property because of mere cartoons in other countries considered irreverent to the faith of some fanatics. It does not matter to the perpetrators and purveyors of violence and hate that those they attack had nothing to do with the said cartoons or alleged acts of ridicule to their faith. It is this unjustifiable penchant for such people to resort to the law of the jungle that compels non-indigenes to flee each time they notice potential sources of schism. Most of those fleeing are not in doubt that though their ethnic group is not in a direct contest for the presidential slot, they stand the greatest victims of any violence that will follow the outcome of that election. And with threats of dire consequences coming from right, left and centre, the circumstance of those fleeing can be better appreciated. The Catholic Bishop of Abuja Cardinal John Onaiyekan and the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar were so moved by these fears that they had to issue a joint statement warning that unless urgent steps were taken, the elections might spell crisis for this country. They also warned that religion should not be allowed to divide the country. These warnings are very instructive and are at the root of why people are fleeing. Implicit in them, is the negative role religion and ethnicity are bound to play in determining the character and direction of the elections. These are the real irritants to contend with. They are at the heart of the progress or lack of it of this country. Elections may be fought and won. But as long as these factors remain irreducible decimals in electoral contests in this country, so long shall this country know no peace.

Jonathan: Fretting to Golgotha of voters By Wole Olujobi The soldiers anger, never a misplaced one, derived from ýtheir knowledge of what it is to be an officer and what it is to be a soldier in the war front. Ill-equipped with poor motivation in the face of yearly budgetary allocations that took great chunks of the nation’s resources, Nigerian soldiers are exposed to the dangers posed by the ferocity of the poorly trained but highly prepared Boko Haram fighters that have become the worst nightmare that Jonathan is facing today but which the President would blame on Buhari for not purchasing a single military equipment when he was Head of State. But the truth that the President will not tell Nigerians is that Buhari as Head of State confronted the deadly Maitatsine sect in just few days and ran them out of steam.ý Once defeated, they never dared or tried Nigeria’s patience again. But under Jonathan, Boko Haram, armed with guns, machetes, bows and arrows inside their ramshackled Hilux vans and motorcycles chased Nigerian soldiers in their tanks to Cameroun to seek protection from a better equipped army of that country. In the Lagos rally, the Commander-In-Chief demonstrated that he was not in charge of a fighting army. He was also oblivious of the fact that history had already recorded Buhari as a Commander-In-Chief that went to wars to win battles. Jonathan upped the ante in Enugu rally where he shockingly read Generals Ibrahim Babangida/Sani Abacha coup speech to despise Buhari who the duo in that speech castigated as not doing enough to place Nigeria in her pride of place in the comity of developed nations while he was Head of State. But President Jonathan again did not tell Nigerians that the two military Heads of State later regretted their actions in Buhari’s ouster. It is on record that Abacha later praised Buhari for his integrity and hardwork while inaugurating the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which Buhari headed. Abacha had said: ”I have realized our collective mistake in over-throwing you. I have seen the terrible damage which our inaction caused to the Nigerian psyche. I am most sorry. Please, come and do what is best known about you. Patriotic service to the nation.ý” Then Babangida capped it all when Buhari threatened to quit PTF and Nigerians were begging the retired Head of State to stay: “If Buhari quits PTF job as he promises and as we knew him to mean his words, all along, I support the idea of scrapping PTF as no one else can do the job as him”. ýThese statements by the duo should have advised the President to stay on the side of caution and history never to use the coup speech against Buhari. But is the President on top of the history of his country and the military he commands? Then Jonathan’s clincher in Enugu: ”Our generation has failed.

It is now left for the younger generation of Nigerians to take over.” Pray, what is the business of a man who is tired out at the beginning of a trip he has never taken a step in this arduous task to salvage Nigeria from the myriads of her socio-economic predicaments? Of course this is a clear capitulation of a man who is conscious of ýhis modest endowments to take Nigeria to the heights of our collective dream. Throughout his campaigns, Nigerians have not heard anything different from old promises. It has been direct attacks on the presidential candidate of APC or talks about some national leaders who count for nothing but motor park touts. In some cases, we have heard about some leaders who do not possess certificates. There are also instances of promises of millions of jobs without explaining how such jobs would be created. There is nothing from the President on how to end Boko Haram menace. The oil thieves in the Niger Delta have nothing to worry about because there is nothing to fear as there is no plan to check their activities. The thieves in government would continue to be protected to cause pains in the lives of ordinary Nigerians because it is “callous and rigid” on the part of any President to check their activities by sending them to jail. What all these point to is a President seeking another term without telling us what in concrete terms he wants to do to make Nigeria great. He has not also told us why he is justified to earn our trust again in leading an economy that his administration has failed to grow. The president does not believe that Nigerians have the right to protest against playing ludo with their lives. He has not also convinced us that the reign of impunity that has killed government’s institutions and made judges to hide under the table to escape the anger of his (Jonathan) men would stop. For now, it is all about venting anger against Nigerians who have made up their minds for a change and chart a fresh course to a purposeful governance after years of a clueless administration that is bereft of ideas of how to build a verile nation. The welfare and development of Nigerians cannot be placed in the hands of a government that lacks capacity to evaluate the past and develop a blueprint for the future development of Nigerians.ý What six years of patience and sacrifices among Nigerians cannot do, definitely anger and rhetoric cannot achieve it. That is the meat Nigerians must chew if we truly love our country on the Love Day of February 14, the day a Roman Priest, St Valentine, chose to sow the seed of love in the hearts of ancient Romans who desired a change, productivity and freedom. • Olujobi, Special Adviser to Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, writes from Ado-Ekiti

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

JOBS

CEO

‘Oil price crash may propel job cut’ - P. 37

Small businesses, many jobs - P. 35 News Briefing N18.2b loan won’t solve gas problems THE N18.261billion okayed for five electricity firms under the Nigerian electricity Stabilisation Facility (NESP) will not address the fundamental problems besetting the energy sector, stakeholders have said. –Page 26

Five banks to manage Warehouse Receipt FIVE banks and a collateral management and logistics company have teamed up with the Nigerian Commodities Exchange (NCX) to manage warehouse and provide logistics support for its smooth take-off. –Page 26

NAICOM eyes vehicle shops, filling stations TO further enhance channels of distribution of insurance products to the public, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) is considering engaging vehicle shops; fuel filling stations and malls, the Commissioner for Insurance Fola Daniel has said. –Page 33

Fed Govt mulls listing of GENCOs, DISCOs on stock exchange T HE Federal Govern ment is considering taking the privatised generation companies (GENCOs) and the distribution firms (DISCOs) to the capital market under its longterm plans for the power sector, the Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, has said. He explained that the measure would position the firms to access needed funds for expansion and improvement of their facilities to enable them supply power to Nigerians adequately. Nebo said the listing of the power firms had become imperative because the capital market remains the surest means through which the companies can easily raise money and attain the required operational efficiency. He, nonetheless, said the government was not relenting in its effort to ensure that policies were put in place to give banks the latitude and muscle they need to be able to do-longer term loans,

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

pointing out that this would further position the financial sector to support the needs of the distribution firms on long tenor. He said a situation were banks are clamouring for repayment of the facilities granted the GENCOs and DISCOs because the loans were short term, does not guarantee good growth and stability of their operations. This development made the government, through the collaboration of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Ministers of Power, Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to assist by raising over N230 billion as intervention fund for the firms, Nebo said. “The problem we have now with the financing of the GENCOs and DISCOs is that

much of this financing came from local banks and they are short term, and they are all eager to get their money back. “There is no way you can develop the power sector based on short-term loan, it doesn’t work and it has never worked in any part of the world. That was why in February, last year, the Ministry of Power worked with the Chairman of the National Economic Council and the Vice President, to have a global financing conference where we invited financiers from all over the world to come and tell us what they have as packages to ginger up the power sector,” Nebo said. He said it was because of this problem of short tenor loans that no Nigerian bank was involved in financing of the telecoms industry, making foreign banks to finance

it and reaping the dividends now to the detriment of our local banks. Now, from that experience, indigenous banks latched on the GENCOs and DISCOs, hoping that they could give them the financial backing required, but forgetting that it wouldn’t work on shorttenor basis. “So, the Central Bank has helped us to galvanise that, and has stabilised the market from the loan that will last for 10 years to pay back, but then banks are now being restructured in such a way as to begin to handle that.” Nebo said the government was working hard to ensure that policies were put in place to give them the latitude and muscle they need to be able to do longer terms, adding that without that ‘’we will keep depending on international communities”.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil

$54/barrel

Cocoa

$2,686.35/metric ton

Coffee

¢132.70/pound

Cotton

¢95.17pound

Gold

$1,396.9/troy

Sugar

$163/lb RATES

Inflation

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

15.87%

Savings rate

91-day NTB

15%

Time Deposit

5.49%

MPR

13%

Foreign Reserve

$34.5b

FOREX (RDAS) US Dollar

168

Pounds

253.26

Euro

190.6968

Swiss Franc

181.1907

Yen

1.4316

CFA

0.2889

WAUA

235.9975

• From left: Executive Director, Southsouth/Southeast, Skye Bank Plc, Mrs Ibiye Ekong; Doyen of the stockbrokers, Mr. Sam Ndata; and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Skye Bank, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo, at the stockbrokers’forum hosted by the bank in Lagos ... at the weekend.

More banks to raise funds

EPOSIT Money Bank are preparing to raise more capital from the stock market soon, The Nation, has learnt. The move is part of proactive measures to address possible future depletion in capital base, and hedge against increased future capital requirements. The banking industry is grappling with increasingly tough operating environment, which could be exacerbated by impending conversion to higher global banking standards. Investment banking sources said many banks are set to raise

• Anxiety grows over more capital By Taofik Salako

new capital as a precautionary measure to cushion and absorb any regulatory headwind and offset possible depletion of reserves that may occur, especially in relation to banks’ loans to the oil and gas industry. According to sources, banks are anxious that the macro conditions may become tougher during the second half of the year as government kicks in its austerity measures and the industry transits from its current standards to higher capital risks management standards.

Lenders that are designated as systemically important banks (SIBs) are expected to make provisions for additional 100 basis points to increase their minimum capital adequacy ratio to 16 per cent with effect from April 2015, as against the general requirement of 15 per cent. The banking industry has also scheduled to transit to the Basel II Capital Accord with effect from October 2015. The adoption of Basel II mainly implies additional capital charge for market and operational risks.

The Basel II is the second global standards of capital adequacy issued by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, under the auspices of the Basel, Switzerland-based Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the oldest international financial organisation that coordinates Central Banks and standards for the international financial markets. The Basel Committee has issued three sets of the global standards including Basel I, Basel II and Basel III, which increased and stricter capital risks and exposure management requirements from one level to another.

‘Demand, supply imbalance affecting real estate’ By Muyiwa Lucas

ESPITE efforts of stakeholders in the real estate sector to address the housing needs, there still remains a huge demand and supply imbalance in the market, an expert, Michael Chidi, has said. Chidi, who is the Director, ACTIS, said until the supply imbalance was addressed, it would be hard for the Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) market to grow. REITs are investment vehicles geared towards acquiring an aggregated asset; they are either private REITs or publicly listed ones. At present, there are about three REITs. Chidi said alot of constraints exist on the supply side of housing and until these were addressed, it would be difficult for the market to grow. He listed some of the constraints to include securing land at the appropriate price with the proper title; getting adequate funds; regulation; costs of building, which is said to be triple that of South Africa and exit options from the property. He cited the six-year gap between the completion of the Palms Shopping Mall in Lekki and Ikeja City Mall in Lagos. He also cited Jevnik Mall, in Abuja due for delivery this year. ‘’These gaps are too far apart to meet the supply requirement,” Chidi lamented. On demand, the ACTIS boss explained that there is also a huge demand from those who want to own houses, as well as from real estate portfolio managers. But these are also being retarded by regulations, especially double taxation, he added. Chidi told The Nation that on the international market, REITs were not subject to double taxation, as they are taxed only at the individual level. “So, this serves as an incentive for people to invest in REITs, because they do not face two sets of taxes,’’ he said. He regretted that in Nigeria, the double taxation problem has not been fully resolved, and that it is inhibiting the growth of the market. Chidi reiterated that with the devaluation of the naira, the dollar equivalent costs for housing investment are now actually lower for investors who are bringing dollars to invest; a trend he sees as “fair” for the sector. He however noted that it was important to have a buoyant economy for real estate to thrive, adding that anything that, ultimately, retards the growth of the spending power, and that of the middle class expenditure will, ultimately, impact on the real estate.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

BUSINESS NEWS

• From left: Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, presenting a gong to the Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe at the Access Bank’s Facts Behind the Offer at the NSE in Lagos.

N18.2b loan won’t solve gas problems

HE N18.261billion okayed for five elec tricity firms under the Nigerian electricity Stabilisation Facility (NESP) will not address the fundamental problems besetting the energy sector, stakeholders have said. The President, Petroleum and Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), Emeka Ene, said the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide two distribution firms and three hydro-power generation firms with the fund, was a good step in the right direction,

By Akinola Ajibade

adding that gas is the critical issue facing the industry. He said the loan would only deal with the legacy issues and debts of the firms, as against helping to close the infrastructural gap in the sector. He said: “The fund is a good start in the industry, because it would help the beneficiaries to address the legacy issues occasioned by the sale of the assets of the power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN). However, the fundamental problem in the industry, which

is gas, is still there. Gas can only be a thing of the past when government grants incentives to upstream and downstream sector to provide gas for the power generation companies. The marginal and independent oil producers need incentives to deal with infrastructural bottlenecks in the area of accessing and piping gas to the power firms.” Ene said the government should be thinking of how to provide more loans to the power firms. Also, a Professor of Energy Economics with the University of Ibadan, Adeola

Akinnisiju, said the problems in the industry are overwhelming and that the loans may not do much for the sector. The CBN Governor, Godwin Emiefele announced a loan of N18.216billion to five power firms. They are Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc, N5.164billion; Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company N11.367billîon; Jebba Hydro Electricity PLC N816.831billion; Kainji Hydro Electric N234.82million, and Shiroro Hydro Electricity PLC N678.650.

Five banks join NCX to manage Warehouse Receipt System F IVE banks and a collat eral management and logistics company have teamed up with the Nigerian Commodities Exchange (NCX) to manage warehouse and provide logistics support for its smooth take-off. This comes on the heels of the launch of the warehouse receipt system by the NCX. Acting Managing Director/ CEO) of the NCX, Mrs Zaheera Baba-Ari, told The Nation that "since the launch of the pilot WRS last year, five more financing banks have joined the scheme, including a reputable collateral management and logistics company to manage the warehouses and provide logistics support." She said the exchange has been carrying "out sensitisation at major crop

From Nduka Chiejina (Asst. Editor), Abuja

producing areas of maize, sorghum, sesame, soya and cocoa. We are providing a trading platform from the Gombe State government and have entered into Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a big processor to buy commodities from the state through our Warehouse Receipt System." She said the Exchange has "provided a market for traders in that state. We are collaborating with four licensed seed companies on commodity supplies through farmers groups to big processors. Our Warehouses Receipt draft bill, which has been at the Na-

tional Assembly since 2010 is being pushed for onward enactment into an Act with the necessary support by FSS2020 of CBN." She said the Exchange is ensuring "that the enablers for a successful exchange are put in place. These enablers were totally absent when we began operations and without such enablers and incentives from government in place, no commodity exchange can make any headway." On the challenges confronting the exchange, mrs Zaheera Baba-Ari, said: "A Commodity Exchange as an alternative trading platform, is more complex than the stock exchange to set up, therefore it is imperative that

the basic and required infrastructure, as well as the right policy initiatives and government interventions are put in place. Nigeria Stock Exchange is what it is today due to a number intervention policies of government since the 1970's," she said. She said the reason an exchange, such as the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) is so successful and palpable among its farmers, is because of the strong support they have received along the way from the government. The South-African Futures Exchange (SAFEX) which is private sector driven has the support of all commercial banks, she stated. if you must use agricultural commodities as collateral to obtain funds from the bank, you must trade on SAFEX."

Involve OPS in N220b MSMEs fund’s administration, CCESS to the N220 bil Noting that the N220billion says chamber lion Micro, Small and MSMEs intervention fund is Medium Enterprises not charity, he said OPS mem-

(MSMEs) intervention fund by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) remains a challenge for members of the Organised Private Sector (OPS). To ensure access to the fund, OPS members should be brought into its administration, the Director-General, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Mr. Emeka Okereke, has said. He told The Nation that if OPS members were involved in the administration of the fund, some of the fac-

By Chikodi Okereocha

tors responsible for members’ lack of access to the fund would be addressed. “Some of our members don’t package their feasibility studies very well; they lack the capacity to do their feasibility,” he said, insisting: “OPS should be brought into the administration of the fund.” Reminded that the Bank of Industry (BoI) had earlier signed an agreement Business Development Service Providers (BDSPs) to help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) package their

loan requests, develop bankable business plans and proposals for to facilitate their access to finance, Mr. Okereke said most of the MSMEs don’t have the financial resources to hire experts or professionals to their feasibility studies. Describing the N220billion MSMEs fund as ‘a laudable objective capable of reinvigorating the sector’ the ECCIMA chief pointed out that most MSMEs lack good management structure and accounting system to make them attractive to financial institutions for any form of assistance.

bers must possess all the basic criteria for accessing the fund, including a bankable proposal. Okereke pointed out that since the fund is a developmental thing, OPS members should be involved in its administration. According to him, this would allow a chamber like ECCIMA vouch for the integrity of its members wishing to access the fund. This, he said, would go a long way in reducing incidents of loan default, as the OPS would be engaged in setting eligibility criteria for assessing the loans.

NCS makes N100b from PAAR

HE Pre-Arrival Assess ment Report (PAAR) introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) last year has increased the Service’s revenue generation by N100 billion. In 2013, the NCS generated N833.39 billion, while the revenue increased to N999 billion last year - a feat that has been attributed to the introduction of PAAR. The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Mr. Charles Edike, said the Service is upbeat about this achievement, and also satisfied that PAAR is boosting its revenue drive. “We are talking of about a difference of N100 billion that PAAR has brought into our economy. This is really worthy of commendation. We must not for the sake of trade facilitation, loose revenue; so we try to strike a balance between revenue and trade facilitation,” Edike said. This feat has drawn applause from the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA). ANCLA’s National President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu. Praising the NCS for the im-

BY Oluwakemi Dauda

plementation of PAAR at the seaports, he said the NCS management had demonstrated high level of competence in the handling of PAAR since it was introduced. He added that PAAR has blocked all leakages, leading to the boost in revenue. “We are in support of PAAR and we have given the scheme a pass mark because of the effective manner it was implemented by the Customs. The scheme has no big problem and I can tell you that it has come to stay and it is better than RAR, which cannot in any way be compared to the PAAR as far as ANLCA is concerned,” Shittu said, adding that PAAR is an indigenous concept that has proved to be effective when compared to RAR, which he classified as a foreign investment which is not suited for the benefit of the people and economy. Another executive of ANLCA, Mr Kayode Farinto said the PAAR regime has increased cargo clearance process at ports, urging officers of the service to increase the tempo.

BDC operators move to resolve crises in ABCON

UREAUX De Change (BDC) operators has started moves to resolve the lingering leadership crisis in the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) Rising from a stakeholders meeting of BDCs in the Southwest zone, the operators adopted four resolutions aimed at restoring peace to the association. Since last year, some members of the association’s Board of Trustees and the Executive Council have been locked in legal battles which have grounded its operations. But last Tuesday, some concerned BDC operators, under the aegis of BDC Stakeholders Committee in the Southwest, convened a stakeholders’meeting of BDCs in the Southwest zone in Lagos. Addressing the meeting, Chief executive Officer (CEO), A&S BDC, Mr. Abdul Rasheed Amao, and a member of the Stakeholders’ Committee, said the leadership crisis had denied BDC operators of a voice to speak at a time such voice is needed most. He said the meeting was convened to allow BDC operators brainstorm on the way out of the leadership crisis.

BDC operators at the meeting considered four resolutions for adoption. Thereafter, Mrs Mojisola Adesanya of Anchoria BDC, moved the motion, calling the warring members of the Board of Trustees and the Executive Council to withdraw the court case at the Supreme Court and settle amicably. The motion was seconded by Mr. Okai Agare of Green House BDC. The second resolution was moved by Prince A. Ajayi of Double K BD and seconded by Ndubisi of All Saints BDC. The resolution called for an Emergency General meeting of all stake holders nationwide. This was followed by another resolution by Benjamin Oje, seconded by Ken Ajurichi of mandating the Stakeholders Committee to develop the agenda of the proposed EGM. The fourth resolution mandated the Stakeholders Committee to meet with Mr. Bamidele Adiesa, pioneer chairman Board of incorporatedTrustees ,other members of pioneer Board of Trustee and four members of stakeholders committe to resolve the lingering issue. The motion for the resolution was moved by Mr. Osita and Engineer Nze.

‘Multiple charges hindering airlines’growth’

HE Chairman Com mittee on Aeronauti cal and Passenger Charges in the aviation sector, Mr. Ahonsi Unuigbe has accused some agencies of imposing multiple charges on airlines, ground handling firms, concessionaires and other players in the sector. He said the charges were affecting many investors. Unuigbe told The Nation that such practice could be a huge disincentive to operators who are groaning under huge operating costs and other challenges. He said the committee has come up with its findings to help reshape practices that would increase competitiveness in the avia-

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

tion industry. Unuigbe also said the imposition of port charges as well as cargo charges by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on the same cargoes were enough evidence that the industry is plagued with multiple charges. Said he: “With respect to passenger ticket charges, the basis of some of these charges, is not known and is quite arbitrary. The committee analysed the basis of computation of passenger tickets for four domestic airlines, namely, Arik, Dana, Medview and First Nation.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL

• HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman/Chief Executive Emirates Airline and Group, with employees honoured for their excellence, dedication and performance to the company.

Wall Street: Little changed after payrolls report

NITED States stocks were little changed shortly after the open at the weekend, after a stronger-than-expected monthly payrolls report lent weight to a belief that the U.S. Federal Reserve would hike interest rates in June. Nonfarm payrolls increased 257,000 last month, topping expectations for 234,000 jobs, and data for November and December

showed a huge revision of 147,000 more jobs created than previously reported. The unemployment rate ticked up to 5.7 percent as a result of an increased labor force. “It was decent, the revision was definitely good,” said Scott Wren, senior global equity strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute in St. Louis. Traders added to bets the central bank would start to hike interest rates by mid-year after the report.

The utilities sector SPLRCU, which had been used as a bond proxy by investors in the low rate environment, lost one percent as the worst performing S&P 500 sector. In contrast, financials .SPSY, which stand to see an increase in profits from higher rates, gained 1.1 percent. “The Fed has got to be very careful, they know it, they are going to be pretty much going against what every other major central bank on

Japan automakers hit production snags as U.S. port dispute drags on

APANESE automakers are being forced to ship some car parts to U.S. plants by expensive air cargo and tweak production processes as a protracted labor dispute at U.S. West Coast ports shows no signs of letting up. Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd’s Subaru, the fastest-growing brand in the United States, said this week that it now had to shoulder an extra seven billion yen ($60 million) in costs a month due to air freight, which has seen prices go up with the extra demand. “It looked like the labor talks were going well at one point but in recent days the slowdown has grown quite severe,” Fuji Heavy Chief Financial Officer Mitsuru Takahashi said. He said that without the move to chartered cargo flights, the automaker’s U.S. production would have come to a halt in mid-Febru-

ary. “I think others are in the same boat,” he added. Ports along the U.S. West Coast have been experiencing severe delays since October, due partly to lengthy labor talks between dockworkers and the group representing shippers and terminal operators - a situation reminiscent of the disruptions seen during the West Coast ports shutdown in 2002. The chief labor negotiator for the operators this week warned ports were days away from complete gridlock. Union officials in turn played down the potential for shutdowns, suggesting management was exaggerating the situation as a negotiation tactic. Toyota Motor Corp, which built about 2 million vehicles in North America last year, has eliminated overtime at some factories in North America, a spokeswoman said. The

company declined to disclose whether it was using air freight, adding only that it expected no major change to its overall production plans. Honda Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co said they had switched to air freight for some components, from late-January and December, respectively. Hyundai Motor said it was seeing no impact on production so far as it had added and diversified shipping routes. Hyundai uses eastern ports more than western ones to supply its factory in Alabama, a spokesman said. The last time dockworkers’ contract negotiations led to a shutdown of West Coast ports was in 2002, when the companies imposed a lockout that was lifted 10 days later under a court order sought by President George W. Bush.

Google panel backs firm on EU limit to ‘right to be forgotten’

PANEL of experts appointed by Google to advise it on how to implement an EU ruling ordering it to remove links to some personal information from search results has backed the company’s view that links be removed only from websites in Europe. That puts the so-called Advisory Council at odds with the European Union’s data protection regulators who said at the end of last year that Google should remove links worldwide, including from Google.com. Google set up its eight-member panel last year to draw up a report, published on Friday, on how to implement the surprise “right to be forgotten” ruling from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in May. The conclusion had been expected. The report is non-binding and carries no legal weight. The panel, which includes a former German justice minister and

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, concluded that Google should only remove links to personal information deemed inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant from its European websites, such as Google.de in Germany or Google.fr in France. “It concludes that removal from nationally directed versions of Google’s search services within the EU is the appropriate means to implement the ruling at this stage,” the council said in the report. However, one member, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, a former German justice minister, dissented, saying that de-listing search results should be global. “The Internet is global, the protection of users’ rights must also be global,” she wrote in the report. “Since EU residents are able to research globally the EU is authorized to decide that the search engine has to delete all links globally.”

The panel held seven public hearings across Europe last autumn. The geographic scope of the ruling has highlighted the difficulty of applying national law to the Internet. The issue of whether Google or any other search engine should inform the original publisher that a link to their site will no longer appear under searches for a person’s name has also been divisive. People who have been denied the right to have links removed can turn to their national data protection authority (DPA) to contest the decision. The Advisory Council, however, said that the original publisher of the information should also “have a means to challenge improper delistings before a DPA or a similar public authority”. EU regulators previously said there is “no legal basis for such routine communication under EU data protection law.”

the face of the earth is doing and they want to be just very, very careful.” Twitter (TWTR.N) jumped 12.7 percent to $46.52 after it beat Wall Street’s profit and revenue targets in the fourth quarter. LinkedIn (LNKD.N) surged 11.4 percent to $265.09 after the corporate networking site reported a higher-than-expected 44 percent jump in quarterly revenue as more businesses used its services to assess candidates for employment. But action camera maker GoPro Inc (GPRO.O) tumbled 12.6 to $47.48 percent to $47.10 after it forecast a quarter profit that could miss Wall Street expectations and said its chief operating officer was resigning. The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 22.71 points, or 0.13 percent, to 17,907.59, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 2.68 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,065.2 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 1.45 points, or 0.03 percent, to 4,763.65. According to Thomson Reuters data, of 306 companies that reported quarterly results in the S&P 500, 73.5 percent have topped Wall Street expectations, above the 69

beat rate for the past four quarters. The 6.4 percent expected growth for the quarter is down from the 11.2 percent growth expected on Oct. 1. The S&P 500 .SPX is up 3.5 percent for the week, its best weekly performance since October, buoyed by a rebound in oil prices. U.S. crude gained 1.9 percent to $51.44 on Friday while Brent advanced 2.3 percent to $57.86, putting it on pace for its second straight weekly advance. Harris Corp (HRS.N) said it would buy Exelis Inc (XLS.N) in a deal valued at about $4.75 billion, combining two big suppliers to the U.S. military at a time when the government is squeezing spending on defense. Harris shares rose 11.3 percent to $77.35 while Exelis jumped 36.5 percent to $24.18. Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by 1,533 to 1,230, for a 1.25-to-1 ratio on the downside; on the Nasdaq, 1,171 issues rose and 1,148 fell for a 1.02-to-1 ratio favoring advancers. The benchmark S&P 500 index posted 28 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 47 new highs and 9 new lows.

Health insurer Anthem hit by massive cybersecurity breach

EALTH insurer Anthem Inc (ANTM.N), which has nearly 40 million U.S. customers, said late on Wednesday that hackers had breached one of its IT systems and stolen personal information relating to current and former consumers and employees. The No. 2 health insurer in the United States said the breach did not appear to involve medical information or financial details such as credit card or bank account numbers. The information accessed during the “very sophisticated attack” did include names, birthdays, social security numbers, street addresses, email addresses and employment information, including income data, the company said. Anthem said it immediately made every effort to close the security vulnerability and reported the attack to the FBI. Cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc FEYE. said it had been hired to help Anthem investigate the attack. The company did not say how many customers and staff were affected, but the Wall Street Journal earlier reported it was suspected that records of tens of millions of people had been taken, which would likely make it the largest data breach involving a U.S. health insurer.

Anthem had 37.5 million medical members as of the end of December. “This attack is another reminder of the persistent threats we face, and the need for Congress to take aggressive action to remove legal barriers for sharing cyber threat information,” U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas and chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, said in a statement late Wednesday. The FBI had warned last August that healthcare industry companies were being targeted by hackers, publicizing the issue following an attack on U.S. hospital group Community Health Systems Inc (CYH.N) that resulted in the theft of millions of patient records. Medical identity theft is often not immediately identified by patients or their provider, giving criminals years to milk such credentials. That makes medical data more valuable than credit cards, which tend to be quickly canceled by banks once fraud is detected. Security experts say cyber criminals are increasingly targeting the $3 trillion U.S. healthcare industry, which has many companies still reliant on aging computer systems that do not use the latest security features.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

BUSINESS AFRICA

Why we rolled out long-term plan, by South African Minister “I T’s the first time our country has ever had a long term plan. It is not comprehensive and it’s not perfect but it’s a pretty good way forward,” the South African National Planning commissioner, Bobby Godsell said at the National Development Plan discussion: A Plan in Motion. He said: “The challenge now, however, is to implement it. At the heart of the plan is the idea that it’s for society as a whole, not just government. We have to mobilise the business community, nongovernmental organisations and labour.” He said, however, that there has always been miscommunication between government and business, mostly because the private sector doesn’t understand the difficulties of governing a newly democratic country. This needs to

change to re-build South Africa. “There has been a dialogue of the deaf between the business community and government. We can’t afford this rhetoric any longer, if we want the lights to stay on and if we want to find our place in a new global economy, we have to work together to renew the electricity supply and rebuild the global competitiveness of South Africa,” said Godsell. The chairperson of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Nonkululeko NyembeziHeita, said the private sector has embraced the NDP however businesses’ role within the plan remains vague.

“There are many in the business community who are quite confused about the exact role of the private sector simply because when the government did introduce action plans that were immediate in nature, such as the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), the private sector didn’t seem to have much of a role within that,” she said. “The issue now is to define boundaries so that each partner understands their role within the NDP. There’s still quite a bit of work that needs to be done.” The acting head of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Khulekani Mathe, argued however that the NDP merely serves as a guide for society players and should

not be responsible for defining each specific role. “The NDP ought to set a strategic direction for the country that will guide what government and business does. The MTFS is government’s way of saying this is what we plan to do for the next five years in implementing the NDP. We now expect the other sectors of society to do the same- develop a guide that is motivated by the NDP,” he explained. “I don’t think it’s realistic for the NDP to detail what each sector of society should do as it’s meant to guide and provide a strategic direction that everybody should draw on in order to develop their own business strategies.”

Nyembezi-Heita, however, believes that the business community and government need to have a certain level of joint action in order to implement the plan. “We are tired of talking about the plan, we just want to implement it and ensure that the implementation framework is robust enough to deliver the results at the end of the day. It’s not that business wants to be told what to do or where to slot in within the NDP however if we are to deliver the ambition, there has to be a level of joint action,” she explained. Godsell added, however, that a partnership between the two players has started. “We have started a new presidential working group between business and government focusing on making existing regulation more effective.”

Aganga lauds EDC, Coca-Cola, Diamond Bank on entrepreneurship development

• From left: Mildred Bagshaw, Marketing Manager Cussons Baby; Marketing Director Family Care, Sandy Griffiths; mother of the winner, Mrs Funmi Davids and Mr Oluyinka Davids; winner little Morireoluwa Modesire Davids; and Brand Manager Cussons Baby, Oluwaseun Ayeni, at the Cussons Baby Competition Season 2 grand Finale and Awards in Lagos.

New Tunisian PM sees economic growth accelerating to three per cent

HE new Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid promised quick reforms to stimulate growth as he took office on Friday at the head of a coalition government combining secular and Islamist parties. The government sees economic growth accelerating to three percent in 2015 from an estimated 2.5 per cent in 2014, while the budget deficit is expected to narrow to five percent of gross domestic product from 5.8 per cent. Four years after toppling autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali and inspiring Arab Spring uprisings in nations like Egypt, Libya and Syria, Tunisia is widely praised as a model for the region, having held free elections last year and adopted a new constitution. But it faces pressure from its international lenders to curb high public spending, including by cutting politically sensitive subsidies on basic foods and fuel. Jobs, high living costs and economic opportunities are the main worry for most Tunisians. “After the success of the democratic transition, now we must make a successful economic transition, stimulate growth, fight poverty and open new windows of hope to desperate youths,” Essid said. “We must immediately start structural reforms of the economy and new development schemes because temporary solutions are no longer appropriate.” Essid, an independent, will lead a coalition between the secular Nidaa Tounes party, which won the most

seats in elections in October, its Islamist rival Ennahda and other smaller parties. It took a month to negotiate the line-up of the new cabinet, in which Ennahda will lead the employment ministry and hold three other junior ministerial posts. The government sees economic growth accelerating to three percent in 2015 from an estimated 2.5 per cent in 2014, while the budget defi-

cit is expected to narrow to five per cent of gross domestic product from 5.8 percent. The International Monetary Fund agreed in 2012 to support Tunisia with a two-year credit programme worth $1.74 billion, of which Tunis is still waiting for the final instalment. In exchange, it agreed to keep its deficit under control and make the foreign exchange market more flexible.

HE Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), an arm of the Pan Atlantic University, has been praised for leading the way in entrepreneurial development in Nigeria and Africa. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, gave this commendation at the formal inauguration of the EDC’s purpose-built learning complex near the Lagos Business School in Ajah, Lagos. The Minister, who was the guest of honour at the event, said by focusing on developing the capacity of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME), the EDC is helping to build the foundations for sustainable economic development for Nigeria. He commended the institution’s tradition of excellence and service, adding that it earned its recognition and confidence among international institutions and development agencies. The Minister acknowledged

Driver wins Range Rover in Airtel promo TRUCK driver, Mr. Abiodun Adio has emerged the lucky winner of the 2015 Range Rover Vogue’s grand prize of the Airtel’s Red Hot Promo Season 2. The draw signifying the grand finale of the 60 days, 60 millionaires yearly promo, was held at the corporate headquarters of Airtel situated on Banana Island, Lagos. It was conducted in the presence of journalists and independent auditors,

Egypt’s leader to woo investors in economic summit

GYPT’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has promised investment opportunities for participants at the economic summit in Egypt next month to lure eager investors and win economic support. In a statment on the Egypt Economic Development Conference website, Sisi confirmed

LAXOSMITHKLINE Consumer Nigeria Plc, manufacturers of Macleans toothpaste, has announced the launch of a consumer promotion tagged ‘Macleans Pimp My Bath’. It is designed to reward new and existing consumers in Nigeria who purchase Macleans toothpaste within the duration of the promotion. The promo offers participants the opportunity to win one of eight bathroom makeovers. To enjoy this offer, consumers in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja are

that the conference as an opportunity for the global financial community to come to Egypt to witness firsthand the changes that the country has made over the past year to reform the economy and unleash its productive capacity. Egypt’s leader invited domestic and foreign investors “to take part actively in the re-invigoration of the Egyptian economy’’, vowing to eliminate

antiquated and unfair legal practices in order to further encourage investors to head to the Egyptian market. Sisi mentioned a number of sectors that could be targeted by investors, including tourism which he predicted will regain its status as a major area of investment and catalyst for growth.

Macleans kicks off promo required to purchase two 125ml tubes of Macleans toothpaste, get a raffle ticket and a gift. Group Product Manager, Oral Healthcare, Mr. Yusuf Murtala, said: ‘’The ’Macleans Pimp My Bath’ promo is our way of thanking our consumers for their patronage over the last 40 years and also to restate our commitment to continuous consumer satisfaction through the provision of constant engagement opportunities, he said. He continued: ‘The promo also aims

that the EDC’s giant strides over the past 12 years could not have been possible without the generous support by its longstanding partners, especially Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited and Diamond Bank Plc. He noted that both organisations have always stood out for their impactful contributions to entrepreneurship development and that it was not surprising that they were among the sponsors of the new EDC building. The Managing Director of CocaCola Nigeria Limited, Mr Adeola Adetunji, praised the faculty and staff of the EDC for the remarkable achievements of the institution in its 12-year history. Also, the Director of the Enterprise Development Centre, Mr. Peter Bamkole, said the contribution of the students and the EDC Alumni to the building fund would make interesting case studies in sacrificial giving.

to encourage patronage from new consumers, whilst also appreciating the existing ones as Macleans toothpaste has been providing all round family protection for Nigerians for 40 years. ‘’ Senior Brand Manager, Macleans, Ms. Tricia Ikponmwonba added: ‘’During the period of the promotion, a team of Macleans promoters will engage consumers across several high-traffic areas and neighbourhood markets, rewarding purchase.’

TCQ&A. The winner of the Range Rover SUV valued at N30 million, Adio was lost for words when contacted on phone. He initially thought it was a fraudulent phone call when the news was broken to him right at the venue. Adio, who could not believe his luck, confirmed that he was a commercial truck driver residing at Akute area of Lagos State. The Managing Director TCQ &A Associates, Mr. Wale Akingbade, an independent auditor to ensure transparency during the draws of the promo. Akingbade added: “The promo is to put smiles into the life of hundreds of families. The draw process was transparently and accurately conducted, and no hard coded numbers were involved. Staff and family members of the auditors, Airtel and her suppliers are excluded from participating and therefore can never emerge winners. Airtel is the only company conducting promos ensuring diligent screening of the applications and auditing the entire process. We ensured no hard coded number was used.” Head, High Value Segment, Airtel Nigeria, Kenechukwu Okonkwo, said customers’ recharge and accumulates points to get selected in the top 10 numbers and the numbers are transferred for double checking the names and numbers against the registered KYC details.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

ISSUES The market for beekeeping and honey production is huge. From cosmetics, medicine, confectioneries, and the pharmaceutical industries, to religious groups, the demand for organic honey and other bi-products is growing. However, despite its huge employment and foreign exchange earning potential, apiculture, as the business is called, is not for the lily-livered. Beekeepers and operators in the local honey production industry are faced with formidable challenges, writes DANIEL ESSIET.

• Honey production line. Inset: honey being extracted.

The bitter side of honey production A

PICULTURE, the business of beekeeping and honey production, is a goldmine. With 4, 500 hives from where he produces about 50 tonnes of honey a year, Chief Executive, Centre for Bee Research & Development, Igbeti, Oyo State, Bidemi Ojeleye, has since carved a niche for himself in apiculture. He and a few other beekeepers are encouraged by the growing demand for organic honey and other products from the bee family. Their ever-growing clientele comprise mostly of mostly operators in the cosmetics, medicine, confectioneries and the pharmaceutical industries, including religious groups. Because of the huge local and global demand for honey and its byproducts, Ojeleye believes that beekeeping offers tremendous opportunity for rural farmers to contribute to the fight against poverty and hunger. The business, he added, also has huge employment and revenue earning capacity. According to him, the beekeeping industry when fully developed, can create thousands of jobs and a dozen new products and services as government seeks to diversify the non-traditional agricultural sector. Apiculture specialist, Mr. Victor Obi, agrees with him, noting that honeybees are quite valuable as they contribute to the successes of agriculture and industry, adding that Nigeria’s potential for local honey production is high and is a major export commodity. While maintaining that the development of beekeeping in Nigeria is important to meet local demand and contribute to the global demand for apiary products, Ojeleye regretted that beekeeping is still being done in a very traditional way, saying at the

moment, the primary interest and product of the industry is liquid honey, which probably accounts for more than 95 per cent of the resources. Most of the liquid honey reaches end-users as bottled honey. The Apiculture specialist emphasized that despite its capacity to replace oil as the nation’s foreign exchange earner, Nigeria’s beekeeping and local honey production industry has not witnessed rapid growth. Rather, the industry has declined, with reduction in the number of beekeepers, apiaries and hives, which is reflected in the poor supply of honey, a healthy, natural sweetener. According to him, Nigerians are yet to recognise its huge potential, which perhaps, explains why there has not been significant investment in apiculture to allow that segment of the real sector blossom. Besides, a lot of domestic impediments still hold operators down. For instance, despite the increasing demand for honey and other bee products, such as bee wax (for making cosmetics, antiseptics, and for floor, furniture and shoe polish), bee cake, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, and bee bread, among others, local beekeepers are finding it difficult to

meet the demand for original, pure honey and other bee products. While noting that there are encouraging signs from a few beekeeping businesses that seem to be making serious efforts to diversify operations into these products, he said from an industry standpoint, there will be no meaningful development or commercialization of these products in the short-to-medium term; for the same reasons that non-honey hive commodities are untapped. Apart from inadequate yield due to lack of investment, there is also the challenge of inadequate or poor infrastructure, such as roads and access to farm input. Right now, most bee farmers cannot access inputs and rural services and extension information to take advantage of its growing demand . There is also absence of coordination in form of farmers’ cooperatives to achieve scale. At present, there are no clusters of small and medium supply chain firms with training and market-linking assistance to maximise efficiency and innovation. There is no proper coordination with the agriculture ministry to bring about integrated solutions to the bottlenecks that hold down operators in bee

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Despite its capacity to replace oil as the nation’s foreign exchange earner, Nigeria’s beekeeping and local honey production industry has not witnessed rapid growth. Rather, the industry has declined, with reduction in the number of beekeepers, apiaries and hives, which is reflected in the poor supply of honey, a healthy, natural sweetener

’

farming and honey production. Beekeeping, its multiple benefits The tremendous potential of the beekeeping industry is not widely acknowledged even amongst beekeepers. This partially explains why there has not been any remarkable investment and growth in the number of beekeepers and hives. For instance, as Obi pointed out, most people do not know that the value of beekeeping to the economy is far greater than the value of the honey, which is harvested. This is because honeybees are the most efficient pollinators for several crops and environmentally important non-crop plants. This is why Obi is advocating for measures by the Federal Government to rebuild the industry. He observed that at present, there is nationwide shortage of pure honey, as a result of which prices have been going up and the trend is expected to continue for some time. Former Chairman, Oyo State Beekeepers Association, Ayodele Salako, also said there are many value added products of beekeeping. The Chief Executive, Soba Bee Ventures, Oyo State, agrees with him. He noted, for instance, that liquid honey is the easiest, least expensive and least profitable hive commodity to produce. Aside from beeswax, which is an unavoidable byproduct of honey production, there is comb honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, package bees and queen bees, among others. He said there are export markets for all these products. He however, noted that nothing dramatic is likely to happen with any of these commodities in the short term • Continued on page 30

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

ISSUES

‘

The bitter side of honey production

Honeybees contribute an estimated $200 billion to the global economy through crop pollination and production of honey, beeswax and other bee products. In sub-Saharan Africa, beekeeping is important as a source of food, employment, environmental conservation and diversification of the export base

• Continued from page 29

because they all require significantly greater resources than liquid honey, better support services and infrastructure and an industry which is generally well developed and better organized. For him, every beekeeper who has dared to dream big knows of at least three or four of these products. Samples are almost always on display at local agriculture and trade shows. He said this is proof that interest and technical competence are both present in the industry. Experts say that honeybees contribute an estimated $200 billion to the global economy through crop pollination and production of honey, beeswax and other bee products. In sub-Saharan Africa, beekeeping is important as a source of food, employment, environmental conservation and diversification of the export base. Also, compared to other agricultural enterprises such as fish farming, poultry and livestock, beekeeping is a relatively low-cost, low labour intensive enterprise that does not require vast tracts of land. This makes it viable for women, youth and other disadvantaged groups. Although, domestic honey prices have risen sharply over the last five years, and there is export potential for honey to niche markets in Europe, the European Union — the preferred export market for African honey and beeswax — has a negative perception that African honey and beeswax are smoky, dirty and of inferior quality due to rudimentary harvesting and handling processes. On the balance, the process of honey production is arduous, dangerous, and pays little for many people, but it serves as a social event for locals through which knowledge and skills regarding honey production and living in forests are taught and exchanged. Many believe that honey production is indispensable for the growth of younger generations. Beekeeping: A business for the lion- hearted While the aforementioned challenges apply to operators in virtually all other sectors and businesses, apiarists have their own unique challenges. For instance, while admitting that the potential to make good money from beekeeping and honey production is huge, Ojeleye said that apiculture is hard work. “Being stung by bees every day is just one of the things one can look forward to as an apiarist. Though it looks like a simple enterprise, but it’s far from it,” he said, adding, “It requires dedication and passion.” He is right. The Nation learnt that most farmers abandoned beekeeping because they were afraid of handling these Africanized colonies that have proven to be aggressive. Indeed, for a bee farmer, walking around on a hot day, sweating heavily in a thick suit, with angry bees hovering around cannot be one of life’s pleasant experiences. Yet, dedicated beekeepers do this almost daily in their quest for top quality honey to meet a growing consumer demand. This partly explains the decline in production, which is jeopardizing the national honey industry since most farmers are not interested in keeping bees or are unable to do so since they live close to residential areas. Financial institutions are not helping matters either. Most of them are afraid to invest in the honey industry. Indirectly this has caused decline since most beekeepers have lost confidence in the sector. Fewer people are keeping bees and there is also significant unsatisfied demand for honey. So far, there is no national agricultural incentive to encourage investment in the beekeeping sector. That is not all. According to Ojeleye, bees need balanced protein and carbohydrate diet to stay healthy. Generally there are three distinct working seasons with bees, each varying slightly from year to year. Hive maintenance and preparation typically take place in June and July; pollination season from the end of July to the end of October; honey production season from September to May. During these two months –June and July – the bees gather protein-rich pollen from the aloes and citrus

•Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Dr Akinwumi Adesina

trees. The bees are also fed with sugar water solution to provide the carbohydrates they need, but which are in short supply in the wild at that time of year. Also, since the hives are not close to one another, farmers are sometimes faced with the task of repairing hives damaged by human honey thieves and vandals when the hives are in other places. Some other beekeepers hire guards to protect the hives. They also implement hive management and hive manipulation. Hive management, for Ojeleye, includes checking for pests and diseases, which are of course, common and feared problem for today’s beekeepers. The most serious diseases could disrupt breeding in honeybee hives. For this reason, farmers have to deal with more common pests and diseases in his dayto-day management. It’s crucial for him to remain updated on what’s out there and to be alert. Some bee diseases are a grave threat to the industry. Sometimes, the infected hives must be burnt to stop the disease from spreading. There are several major honeybee pests, and beekeepers need to know them and maintain rigorous vigilance against them being introduced into the farm. There are also dozens of viral diseases. However, recent research show that the path by which most of these viruses enters a country is importation of honeybee queens and package bees. Also, having so many hives placed on so many sites increases the threat of honey theft and hive vandalism. But Ojeleye relies on the landowners to inform him of problems. He decides how many hives to place at a particular bee forage site according to the honey production potential of the targeted flora species in the area. Another challenge is finding safe and suitable bee forage areas. Like other beekeepers, Ojeleye has had to win many landowners over before they will allow him to use their land as hive and foraging sites. For this reason, he is very strict about abiding to the landowner’s rules about the use of land for placing hives. This approach reduces the risk of losing a productive site because of a landowner withdrawing permission for hives to be placed there. Sometimes, beekeepers lose their total bee population due to high mortality and other natural factors, such as swarming behaviour, when the bees in one of the hives find a new home elsewhere. The beekeeper replaces lost stock by breeding replacement queen bees either by splitting an existing single hive into two, or by catching wild bee swarms in a catch box baited with bee wax and propolis (a mixture of beeswax and resins collected by the honeybee from the flowers and leaf buds of plants. Indeed, the sector is facing many hurdles. The most daunting perhaps, has to do with maintaining the quality of its products. It has been a challenge to ensure that the honey

•Salako

received has not been adulterated. Some farmers initially used molasses and liquid sugar to try and increase the quantity of their supplies. Ojeleye cited inadequate finance and technical support from government as major impediment to the development of the beekeeping industry, a position shared by other beekeepers. Some farmers recently said legislative restrictions and growing government marginalization of the sector are key issues that are slowing down its growth. For instance, previous methods of honey harvesting excluded women from the practice since they could not climb trees to reach the beehives. This led to the introduction of the Langstroth hive. The advantage of the Langstroth hive over traditional hives is that the bees build honeycomb into frames, which can be moved easily because the frames are designed so that the bees do not attach wax honeycomb between the frames or to the walls of the hive. This ability to move the frames allows the beekeeper to manage the bees easily and efficiently. Inclement weather also an issue Ojeleye said when a beekeeper has done all that he could, the profitability of his business is left entirely to the vagaries of the weather. A nectar flow may be truncated or wiped out by a spell of prolonged rainfall or dry weather, a cold front or extended windy conditions. Generally, anything that impacts the flowering trees and other plants from which honeybees collect nectar or pollen within a three kilometers radius of an apiary will affect hive productivity; negatively or positively. Local beekeepers have very good reasons to be concerned about global warming and climate change. Salako said, for instance, that deforestation is a problem. It reduces the availability of nesting sites for feral colonies and diminishes the amount, variety and quality of forage for honeybees. The net effects on beekeeping are reduced colony carrying capacity of the area and reduced hive productivity. In the past, the main drivers were old traditional activities such as charcoal burning and cutting yam sticks. The impact of these activities is soft, when compared with several other drivers, which have near permanent or irreversible effects. If the business must blossom Ojeleye said the government and financial institutions must revive their interest and seriously support beekeeping/farming, which is at present operating at below capacity. For him, liberalisation combined with improvements in rural infrastructure would no doubt open the door to a progressive and financially rewarding honey production system. He said local beekeepers have the capacity to produce enough honey to satisfy the local market provided they receive adequate resources and support.

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The most serious diseases could disrupt breeding in honeybee hives. For this reason, farmers have to deal with more common pests and diseases in his day-to-day management. It’s crucial for him to remain updated on what’s out there and to be alert. Some bee diseases are a grave threat to the industry. Sometimes, the infected hives must be burnt to stop the disease from spreading

’

According to him, beekeepers do not have the financial wherewithal to acquire equipment/input/bees and so must be supported. He also recommends that the industry must be given some level of institutional support in terms of structures and systems for its protection, and to facilitate its growth and development. For Obi, a former staff of National Root Crop Research Institute, Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State, there is urgent need to stop the use of pesticides. He said the use of synthetic chemical pesticides on nearby crops has always been a problem for beekeepers. He noted that the problem is as a result of crop farming models by respective communities and wider society. “Beekeepers must join whatever efforts there are for reduced use of these substances. Furthermore, developments else where in the agricultural sector are likely to result in greatly increased and more widespread use of these insecticides,” the apiculture consultant said, adding that government must impose bans and/or severe restriction on the use of some of these insecticides. Experts also urged government to strengthen bees’ habitat in core areas, double the number of acres dedicated to beekeeping, and increase funding for surveys to determine the impacts on pollinator losses. While urging the Federal Government to use its research, land management, education, and public/private partnership capacities to broadly advance honey bee health and habitat, Ojeleye appealed to the government to allocate hectares of standing forest, which has been committed for sustainable beekeeping activities. Experts also caution against wanton treefelling and indiscriminate setting of fire on forests, as forests are good source of attraction for bees in their search for nectar. Government’s response The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina recently expressed government’s determination to resuscitate honey production. According to him, Nigeria is in a position to produce more honey if it maintains its rich natural vegetation, which is best known for beekeeping, leading to increased production and related products. The Minister noted that demand at the local market has been increasing year after year, with more people using honey for different purposes. Adesina urged increased sensitization and promotional activities so that demand will push production to higher levels down the years. He said that involvement of youths in beekeeping would bring benefits to the nation as a whole because youths who languish in the country's metropolises would be incentivised and induced to stay in their home villages, engaging in beekeeping business.

Conclusion For stakeholders and industry watchers, the market for locally produced honey has much room to grow and has space for new entrants. This is because the industry’s total production is nowhere near meeting national demand, resulting in importation to fill the shortfall. To reverse the trend, stakeholders want the government to do more by empowering the youths by providing them with some portions of forested land, which is suitable for beekeeping activities. According to them, beekeeping can contribute to food production through increased pollination of food crops and cash crops and production of bee products for the market.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

MONEYLINK

BDCs: $76.3m special fund fails to lift naira

HE naira ended at a record closing low against the dollar on Friday despite Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) $76.32 million special intervention to Bureau De Change (BDC) operators. The naira, which opened at N193.60, strengthened to N185.80 to dollar after the intervention but it quickly fell back to close at 193.90. Stakeholders accused currency users of holding on to cheap dollars bought at the almost-daily CBN

Stories by Collins Nweze

interventions, dealers said. The calculation is that the naira would continue to weaken as falling oil prices hurt the economy. The CBN had on Friday sold $30,000 to each of the 2,544 BDC operators in a special move to strengthen the naira. The $76.32 million is an addition to the weekly sales to the operators. The move, the apex bank said, is aimed at increasing dollar liquid-

ity in the system and freeing the naira from pressure. A dollar was selling at N209 in the parallel market operated by BDC agents while the interbank market rate closed at N186.60 on thin trades. The CBN is trying to narrow the gap at which the naira, hard hit by the drop in oil prices, trades on the interbank market through its regular interventions and is also trying to curb speculation. The naira has come under pressure, losing about 4.5 per cent of its

ChamsMobile, Skye Bank to launch Visa card

HAMSMOBILE and Skye Bank Plc have signed an agreement to launch a Virtual Visa Card in the country. The product, a digital payment card for online and mobile use had great success in Asia and Europe, and this new programme will expand financial inclusion to millions of Nigerians. Deputy Managing Director, ChamsMobile, Gavin Young, said that he was excited to partner with Skye Bank on the new virtual payment solution to be launched next month, which was developed with

the company’s international joint venture partners Bancore and Global Technology Partners (GTP). According to Young, with the Virtual Visa Card offering on mobile phones, millions of Nigerians will have access to payments and make purchases, along with a range of other services, by using a Visa card from their phone & other electronic devices, with the benefit of access to the global digital economy. “E-commerce savvy users can shop securely online and those without a formal banking relationship will suddenly have the means to

make their money work for them and move towards financial inclusion,” he said. Head, E-Channels, Skye Bank Plc, Mr Akinwale Ojo said: “The bank chose to work with ChamsMobile, and its card processing partner GTP, based on careful consideration of the benefits all parties could bring to the table and in consideration of how the bank could best serve millions of Nigerians with this product, and particularly those who may be financially excluded, requiring a low cost yet fully inclusive financial services offering.”

GTR finance confab focuses on economic devt

TAKEHOLDERS at the just concluded sixth GTR annual West Africa Trade & Export Finance conference held at the weekend in Lagos, have advised that more attention should be given o the economy. Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of Shoreline Energy International, Kola Karim said the economy has lots of potentials than can be harnessed for economic development. He said Nigerian banks have come of age and are funding key projects that are supporting the

economy. GTR Managing Director, Peter Gubbins said the annual West Africa trade and export finance conference has rightly become a flagship event within the GTR calendar. “Many delegates and supporters return year after year and have helped develop this key industry gathering into a hotbed of contemporary discussion and unrivaled networking. We look forward to facilitating business in the region for many years to come,” he said. Producer of the event, Paul Greetham said Nigeria’s economy

has flourished of late with optimism growing in many sectors. He said the conference brought together people that make a difference in the market to discuss new strategies, address industry opportunities and to strategically align their expert policies with international financing standards. He said the conference attracted over 300 business leaders and providing expensive networking opportunities for domestic and international financial institutions, local Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

value against the dollar this year, because of declining crude prices, which fell by almost half in 2014. Nigeria relies on crude exports for 95 per cent of its foreign exchange and 70 per cent of government income. Governor Godwin Emefiele said last week that the CBN may halt the sale of dollars to companies importing the types of goods that are already locally manufactured. He has consistently said that government will continue to intervene to keep the exchange rate stable because of the dire consequences of doing otherwise. Speaking at a meeting with stakeholders in Lagos, he said that the apex bank is committed to achieving exchange

•CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

rate stability. He said that allowing the local currency to find its level will not be in the interest of the economy and the larger population.

Heritage promises improved customer service

ERITAGE Bank Limited has promised its customers improved services and harnessing alternative markets in the non-oil sectors of the economy, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Mr. Ifie Seiko has said. He represented the bank’s Executive Director, Ivory Banking, Mrs. Mary Akpobome at the second Jeff & O’Brien Roundtable held in Lagos. Seiko said that with Nigeria’s over reliance on the oil sector and the effect of the fall in foreign exchange rate, banks need to redefine their retail banking strategies to cater for the emerging retail business opportunities in the nation’s non-oil sector. “Retail Banking in Nigeria is evolving. Traditional way of banking is changing. It is going to even change more with the digital age that we are coming into. Reliance and over reliance on Brick and Mortal branches is going to change. Customers are going to have a lot

of alternatives as to how to interface with the market. Today, we hear of non-oil sector as alternatives to the oil sector. We can see what over reliance on the Oil sector has done to our economy. If we had focused greatly on these alternatives, the exchange rate would not have hit us as much as it did”, he explained. He added that those emerging alternatives, which form large chunk of what today’s retail banking needs to focus on, include businesses managed by middle-men, farmers, entertainers and other medium-sized businesses that are the new money spinners which have got the banking industry to rethink their customer management strategies. He added that with the successful acquisition of Enterprise Bank by Heritage Bank, the nation’s retail banking service is about to witness the best of retail banking offering established on “unique customer experience, culture of excellence and people skills”.

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

126.59 34,541.45 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.63 1.39 1,742.56 1,107.28 113.69 1.67 1.29 1.32 0.95 1.17

126.46 34,541.45 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.62 1.33 1,742.56 1,106.51 113.07 1.62 1.28 1.32 0.93 1.17

GAINERS AS AT 05-02-15

SYMBOL DANFLOUR ACCESS PRESCO SEPLAT BETAGLAS WEMABANK RTBRISCOE WAPCO AIRSERVICE STANBIC NASCON DANGCEM FBNH

O/PRICE 3.63 5.69 29.00 318.00 30.00 0.90 0.79 85.25 1.67 25.50 7.50 159.00 6.99

C/PRICE 4.00 6.00 30.45 333.90 31.49 0.94 0.82 87.99 1.71 25.75 7.55 159.80 7.00

CHANGE 10.19 5.45 5.00 5.00 4.97 4.44 3.80 3.21 2.40 0.98 0.67 0.50 0.14

LOSERS AS AT 05-02-15

SYMBOL VONO ZENITHBANK FLOURMILL JBERGER VITAFOAM CHAMPION ETERNA GUARANTY STERLBANK AIICO CADBURY TRANSCROP OANDO

O/PRICE 1.17 17.49 36.10 44.89 3.42 6.91 2.65 21.90 2.45 0.84 40.25 2.89 15.40

C/PRICE 1.07 16.10 34.20 42.65 3.25 6.57 2.52 21.00 2.35 0.81 39.00 2.80 14.93

CHANGE -8.55 -7.95 -5.26 -4.99 -4.97 -4.92 -4.91 -4.11 -4.08 -3.57 -3.11 -3.05 -2.85

FOREX RATES (NairaVs Dollar) February 6, 2015

R-DAS ($/N)

168.00

Interbank ($/N)

185.50

Black Market ($/N)

205.00

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation: December

CBN EXCHANGE RATES (RDAS) February 6, 2015

Monetary Policy Rate

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

$34.5b

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$55

Money Supply (M2)

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

03-02-15 Rate (%) Rate (%) 04-02-15

Overnight (O/N)

10.54

11.17

11.94

12.18

13.08

13.33

14.03

14.17

Transaction Dates 03/02/2015 3/12/2014 1/12/2014

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

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

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

US Dollar

167

168

Pounds Sterling

251.7525

253.26

Euro

189.5617

190.6968

Swiss Franc

180.1122

181.1907

Yen

1.4231

1.4316

CFA

0.2689

0.2889

234.5928

235.9975

Yuan/Renminbi

26.6837

26.8444

Riyal

44.4908

44.7582

SDR

235.2863

236.6952

WAUA

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Feb. 4, 2015

Rates

T-bills - 91

13.65

T-bills - 182

13.88

T-bills - 364

13.65

Bond - 3yrs

13.81

Bond - 5yrs

13.85

Bond - 7yrs

13.83

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

EQUITIES

UBA extends rights issue, reduces offer price U

NITED Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc at the weekend extended the offer period and gave additional discount of 12.5 per cent as part of incentives to woo shareholders to its ongoing rights issue. UBA had launched a rights issue of 3.3 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N4 per share. The offer had opened on December 29, 2014 and was scheduled to close on February 5, 2015. The bank at the weekend indicated that it has reduced the offer price by 12.5 per cent to N3.50 while extending the offer period by one week to February 12, 2015. The bank however retained the pre-allotment ratio of one for 10 shares and shares on offer of 3.298 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each. This implies that the gross proceeds target will reduce from N13.2 billion to N11.5 billion. The extension and reduction in offer price had been approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). UBA is the second issuer to reduce offer price in line

By Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

with the downtrend at the stock market. Oando had earlier in January reduced the offer price of its rights issue. UBA would use the net proceeds of its ongoing rights issue to finance its business development plan aimed at further entrenching the bank as the leading bank in Africa. Regulatory filing on the rights issue indicated that the bank would use the net proceeds of the N13b rights issue to strengthen its business units across Africa. UBA had in 2013 launched a new business development plan aimed at consolidating the bank’s position as a leading pan-African global financial services group. The three-year business development plan codenamed Project Alpha was designed as the group’s next focus of strategic transformation and it contained key transformation initiatives. Group managing director, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Phillips Oduoza, said the new business plan

was designed to consolidate the group’s strategic positioning and fully capture the opportunities from Africa’s economic renaissance. According to him, Project Alpha is focused on leveraging all aspects of the group’s footprint, product offerings and operational capability, allowing a commitment to cus-

tomer service transformation, market share growth, the implementation of key e-banking initiatives across all segments, the growth of corporate and trade finance capabilities. He outlined that a critical aspect of the Project Alpha initiative is the focus on UBA Africa, which is pro-

jected to contribute about 50 per cent to the group by 2016. He pointed out that Project Alpha will allow the bank to build on the existing strengths of its franchise as well as continue to reinvent ourselves, ensuring it captures and delivers the maximum of value for all stakeholders.

Investment One makes world’s top 100 list

NVESTMENT One Financial Services Limited has been ranked among the world’s top 100 companies. Investment One was listed in the World Finance 100 for 2014, an exclusive list that celebrates companies which have reached the pinnacle of achievement across a wide variety of expertise. Investment One was recognized as an organisation that leads the way in advancing the investment management industry. Each year, World Finance compiles the list of 100 individuals and companies purely on excellence in their field. The WF100 research fellowship appraises the invaluable nominations, explores and analyses new trends to unearth the best and the brightest pioneers in business today. Investment One Financial Services stated that the listing was a confirmation of its efforts to be a one-stop shop for comprehensive investment service and the first point of call for insightful and innovative financial solutions. Investment One stated that it has continued to position itself to be the preferred choice for companies seeking a partner in Africa to help them achieve their investment objectives while assuring that it will continue to focus on maximizing returns on clients’ investments.

The listing rounded off an active year for the investment group. Investment One’s stockbroking subsidiary, Investment One Stockbrokers International Limited had secured high-profile additional professional appointments at the Nigerian Stock Exchange as a fixed income market maker and a supplementary equity market maker. Investment One Financial Services also received three licenses from the Financial Market Dealers Quotation (FMDQ) as registration member (quotation), registration member (listing) and associate broker to the Exchange. Its funds management subsidiary, Investment One Funds Management Limited also took giant strides in 2014 to provide investment products and services for the emerging middle class retail customer whilst providing investment education through its free seminars for members of the public. The funds management company secured the rights to manage the Abacus Unit Trust Scheme which is the oldest mutual fund in Nigeria. This addition complements its existing mutual fund products; Kakawa Guaranteed Income Fund (KGIF) and Nigeria International Growth Fund (NIGFUND) and increases the customer’s choice of products.

Experts chart way for economy at Ecobank Capital’s forum

ECONOMIC and financial experts last week underscored the need for Nigeria to further diversify its economy and sustain ongoing reforms. They spoke at the maiden Investors’ Conference of Ecobank Capital, the investment banking subsidiary of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) Plc. The conference themed “Nigerian Economy -Navigating the headwinds of Oil prices” brought together business and industry thought leaders to discuss the Nigerian Economy and how to navigate through the current headwinds. The event was attended by domestic and international investors, with the panel speakers including representatives from Helios Capital, Dangote Cement, Nedbank, Qatar National Bank and First-EPDC. Experts from Ecobank Research reinforced the need for the Nigerian economy to diversify. The noted the agriculture transformation agenda and emphasised the need for Nige-

ria to continue in its value capture in key soft commodities value chain. Experts also stressed the need for Nigeria to recalibrate local crude oil funding dynamics. In his remarks, group executive, corporate and investment bank, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) Plc, Charles Kie noted that the Nigerian economy remains strong in spite of the headwinds. He said Ecobank is strategically positioned to provide the required support for industry players given the bank’s scale and industry experience. Managing director, Ecobank Capital, Moyo Kamgaing, pointed out that the investment bank recently closed a $1.5 billion landmark deal for Societe Nationale Des Petroles Du Congo (SNPC) for the company’s five-year capital expenditure programme Kamgaing reiterated that Ecobank Capital is committed to providing innovative solutions for its clients.

•From Left: Acting Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, welcoming the Managing Director, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, Kyari Bukar during a courtesy visit by the Management of CSCS to SEC’s headquarters in Abuja

Skye Bank highlights benefits of Mainstreet Bank acquisition

HE acquisition of Mainstreet Bank Limited and the attendant synergies between the two institutions had given Skye Bank the competitive edge, which it would leverage to deliver quality customer service and high returns to shareholders. Group managing director, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo, disclosed this at the weekend at a forum with stockbrokers in Lagos. He said the acquisition has provided the bank the opportunity to optimize cost, assuring that the bank would leverage its superior information technology to block leakage as well as pursuing aggressive expense control. According to him, as the bank assumes the status of a mega bank following the acquisition, it will place strong emphasis and focus on retail and commercial banking as a way of bringing about a healthy deposit mix to bring down its cost

of funding. He highlighted that the new business strategy will also allow the bank to reduce the volume of public sector deposit and term deposit at its disposal for enhanced profitability and business sustainability. He outlined that the bank would continue to upgrade its information technology continually, while also promoting the usage of point of sales terminals and automatic teller machines to serve its teeming customers. Assuring of seamless integration, Oguntayo said the bank has put in place measures to grow its balance sheet as well as create value for its shareholders. Similarly, the bank’s branch network is now 450 compared to 260 branches before the business combination with Mainstreet Bank. Oguntayo also expalined that the increased branch network would make access to the bank’s

services easier as branches are now easily accessed. He added that the bank’s combined automatic teller machines network is now 815 from 600 prior to the acquisition. Oguntayo said the bank has strongly established its presence in the South South , South East and the North through the acquisition and promised the customers of better days ahead. Currently, he said the customer base of the bigger bank stands at five million, while efforts are still on to increase the figure. The doyen of the stockbrokers, Mr. Sam Ndata, commended Skye Bank over the acquisition of Mainstreet Bank and for informing the brokers of the developments in the bank. He also lauded the transparency and openness of the bank which he said would help the market to take informed investment decisions.

SEC educates youths on investments

ECURITIES and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that young Nigerians are equipped with financial literacy and are able to make investment decisions in line with the national financial inclusion strategy. Head, Investor Education and Outreach, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Obi Adindu, gave the assurance when the apex capital market body hosted student groups from Nakam Memorial Secondary School, Panyam, Mangu, Plateau State and the University of Abuja. According to Adindu, SEC is committed to ensuring capital market awareness to the country’s lower demographics in order to strengthen retail participation. He noted that the progamme attests to the aggressive emphasis which the Commission places on

developing and expanding the retail segment of the Nigerian capital market. The programme was part of SEC’s “Catch ‘em Young Series,” a capital market awareness programme aimed at spreading capital market education among young Nigerians. The programme particularly aims at inducting school age Nigerians into a culture of saving and investing in the capital market. During the visit, the students were taught the virtue of a culture of saving and investing as well as the role of the capital market in providing investment opportunities for wealth creation. They were also taught the rudiments of investing in the capital market and the oversight and governance role of the SEC. The students were also entertained with a telecast of “Easy Money,” a Nollywood movie

sponsored and produced by the SEC to give dramatic and entertaining expression to the nefarious activities of illegal fund managers or wonder bankers or ponzi schemes. This was with a view to sensitizing the students to the modus operandi of investment scammers to enable the students recognize a scam for what it is, and to alert their parents or guardians when such manifests. The students were also given a number of capital market literacy resource publications produced by the SEC both for their individual use, as well as for enriching their school libraries. The publications included “Investing in Shares”, “Opportunities in the Capital Market: A Guide for Graduates”, “What Is E – Dividend, Dematerialization and Straight – Through – Process?”, “Doyin and Friends in the Capital Market” and “Beware of Investment Scams (Ponzi Schemes)”.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

NAICOM eyes vehicle dealers, fuel stations for insurance distribution

O further enhance channels of distribution of insurance products to the public, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) is considering engaging vehicle shops; fuel filling stations and malls, the Commissioner for Insurance Fola Daniel has said. He made this known at the seminar for insurance correspondents, with the theme: Transforming the Nigeria Insurance Sector; the Three Years Agenda, in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

He noted that the decision is part of the present initiative of the government to transform the industry. He added that the commission will issue guidelines on how the intermediaries would help take insurance to the unreached and make insurance products easily accessible for the public. He said the insurance transformation initiative is expected to translate into enforcement of pub-

NIA seeks regulator’s aid to reducte taxes

HE Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) has sought the assistance of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to help in pursuing the amendment of the Companies Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2007 (CITA) to relieve insurance companies of the heavy tax burdens they bear, which is capable of inhibiting the desired growth of the market. The NIA also want the Commission to help in sustaining its efforts in the enforcement of the compulsory insurances listed in the Insurance Act of 2003. The Chairman of the Association, GUS Wiggle presented the issues among others to the Commissioner for Insurance, Fola Daniel, during a meeting between the Commissioner and Chief Executive Officers of NIA member companies in Lagos. Wiggle listed the giant strides the association has made in recent times to include; sponsorship and strengthening of Customer Complaints Bureau, which is an Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism, awareness campaign to increase insurance education thereby bringing more people into the insurance net, and the establishment of the Energy and Allied Insurance Pool to curb capital flight. Others include increasing retention and building capacity in Energy and Allied Risks underwriting, as well as sponsorship of a candidate to pursue a Master of Science Degree in Actuarial Science in a United Kingdom University as part of capacity building initiatives in that critical area of insurance practice.

He however, urged the Commissioner to assist the association by supporting these and other initiatives in order to deepen insurance penetration. “We urge you to support the association in the drive to increase insurance penetration in Nigeria. We have taken some bold steps and we believe that they will complement the reform initiatives you have introduced. Your support is critical to the growth and expansion of the insurance market in Nigeria,” he stated In his response, Daniel noted that the association had taken some giant strides in some areas but added that more effort needed to be made to shore up the fortunes of insurance companies. He challenged insurers to key into the growth agenda espoused by the government as a fall-out of the Insurance Summit held in December 2014. While appreciating the role of insurance in national development, Daniel said the major goals of the Summit was to enable the insurance industry deliver jobs and skills development, build consumer trust and public awareness, increase access to insurance and enforcement of compulsory insurances. He charged underwriters to own the deliverables from the Summit and ensure attainment of set goals and urged the association to help work out modalities at ensuring competitive and appropriate rates in the industry. Daniel commended the association for setting up the Energy and Allied Insurance Pool and encouraged companies to key into the Pool arrangement in order to participate fully in the underwriting of Oil and Gas Insurance risks in the Nigerian market.

Aon beats earnings estimates on organic revenue growth

ON plc’s (AON) fourthquarter 2014 operating earnings of $1.89 per share exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.86, thereby marking the seventh straight quarter of positive earnings surprise. The results were also higher than the year-ago quarter figure by 23%. Aon’s earnings improved year over year on account of organic revenue growth, operating margin improvement across both the segments and effective capital deployment. Including extraordinary items worth 33 cents per share, Aon’s net income per share was $1.56, comparing favorably with $1.14 in the year-ago period. The company’s total revenue went up 3% year over year to $3.3

billion on higher organic revenues (up 6% from the year-ago quarter). Revenues were a tad lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.4 billion. Total operating expenses at the company were $2.7 billion, down 1% year over year. Lower formal restructuring costs, decline in intangible asset amortization and favorable impact from foreign currency translation led to the improvement. Segment Update Risk Solutions: Total revenue came in at $2.1 billion, up $3 million year over year. Organic growth of 3% in commissions and fees and a 1% increase in commissions and fees from acquisitions, net of divestitures led to the improvement in revenues.

lic insurance; delivering more jobs/skills; building consumers’ trust and awareness and increasing access to insurance. Daniel noted that the industry would also through the initiative create more jobs in line with the Federal Government’s desire to improve the level of employment in the country. Director Inspectorate, Thompson Barineka, who showed the intermediaries would operate, said the broking sector would be structured

into individual brokers; universal brokers and partnership brokers. He noted also that the agency would be structured into individual agents; corporate agents; insurance agents; micro-insurance agents; web aggregators and referrals. The Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. NgoziOkonjoIweala, had at the insurance summit held last year, said the insurance industry is a powerful engine for job creation in the country saying that government’s target is to

• Fola Daniel

grow the number of direct employment to 100,000 in the three years from its present 10,000.

PTAD verifies 1,847 police pensioners

BOUT 1,847 police pensioners who retired under the old pension system, the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS), have been biometrically verification by the Lagos State Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), the Director-General, Nellie Mayshak, has said. Mayshak, who made this known at the just concluded verification exercise carried out by PTAD in Lagos, said 2321 police pensioners were expected for the verification, adding that the Lagos Center was meant for pensioners from Lagos and Ogun States. The Directorate is charged with the management of pensions under the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS) for the attention of pensioners not transiting to the Defined Contributory Scheme (DCS). It is responsible for the Civil Service Pension, Police Pension, Customs, Immigration and Prisons Pension; and Pension Departments/ Boards of Trustees of all federally funded Parastatals. The PTAD boss said although some

of the policemen have before now been receiving their pensions, the exercise will further ensure that no authentic pensioner is left out of the payroll while ghost pensioner will be fully eradicated. According to her, the exercise is been carried out in a painless manner such that the pensioners are not made to queue. She disclosed that the Directorate commenced the verification exercise in December 8, last year from the Northern zone of the country noting that the exercise has been completed in the zone. She added that while the Directorate has commenced the exercise in the South-West, other geopolitical zones will also be done so that by the end of the first quarter of this year, they would have finished verifying all police pensioners in the country. She said they started with police pensioners because of their large number and would carry out the same exercise for the Civil Service Pension, Immigration and Prisons Pension; and Pension Departments/Boards of Trustees of all federally funded

Parastatals. Director, Pension Support Department of the Directorate, Mrs. Roz Benokagbue during the exercise said they concluded with Lagos pensioners’ on Thursday but those who cauld not make it before the closing date can come to the office in Abuja. Benokagbue said they have also been going to conduct the exercise for those who have health challenges in their respective homes. She said: “We put a lot of planning into place to ensure that we have a seamless exercise. We make sure the pensioners sit down comfortably to do the verification instead of standing in the sun while we also provide them with food and drinks. “We are taking the full biometric capture because the whole point is that we will never have to do this again. This is the only time we will call them together again for verification. “In the future, we will just have a mild verification every six months, which will only require their fingerprint. This is just to show that they are still alive. We now have their full details and information.”

• From left: Chairman, Promasidor Nigeria, Chief Keith Richards; President, Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC), Prince Adeyemi Adefulu; British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock and Chief Executive Officeer, Business Day Newspaper, Mr. Frank Aigbogun at the NBCC Business Roundtable in Lagos...at the weekend.

SA Insurance restructures for productivity

HE Board and Management of Standard Alliance Insurance Plc, have initiated a process of restructuring and rightsising as part of its corporate strategy for growth and efficiency. This was contained in a press release signed and made available to journalist over the weekend by the company’s Corporate Communications Manager, Nelson Egboboh. He stated that the restructuring and rightsising exercise involves the reshuffling of some key staff to fill specific positions in line with the new focus while others who could not be accommodated were exited from the system with their

terminal compensations extended to them for their dedicated and invaluable service to the company. Egboboh disclosed further that dedicated staffs have been earmarked for promotion, stating that the Board has given the Management its approval to immediately come up with a much more competitive salary structure for the company’s workforce as a way of motivating them to raise their output level. He said that four major marketing divisions headed by senior marketing management staff of proven records have been created to aggressively cover all the segments of the insurance market nationwide noting

that the initiatives were a part of Management’s comprehensive strategic plan to align the company’s operations with prevailing insurance business realities, He said: “The Board and Management expect that these actions will help to make SA a more competitive company, better positioned to drive innovation in new products and enable it to better utilize its resources in this challenging economic climate under which businesses have been operating towards delivering super financial performance results to our shareholders as well as provide much higher level of service to our clients.”

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

Taxation

Filing returns based on self assessment regime (i)T HE Self- Assessment Regime requires the concurrent filing of tax returns and payment of tax due on or before the due date. (ii) A taxpayer must compute his/her tax liabilities, pay the tax/taxes due and file the relevant returns with evidence of payment of the tax/taxes on or before the due date. (iii) The relevant tax authority, FIRS shall accept all tax returns submitted by the taxpayer. The Tax Authority shall carry out necessary checks to ensure that all required information have been appropriately entered into the tax return forms. (iv)Failure by a taxpayer to submit the tax returns forms on or before the due date is a breach of these Regulations and the Taxpayer shall be liable to pay such fines together with interests as may be prescribed in these Regulations or under the relevant provisions of the applicable tax laws.

FORMS FOR FILING TAX RETURNS For the purpose of filing of tax returns required under the tax laws listed above: (a) In the case of the Personal Income Tax Act and other taxes on individuals, the tax return forms shall be as may be prescribed by the Board of FIRS; (b) In the case of taxes on companies, the tax return forms shall be as may be prescribed by the Board of FIRS; (c) In the case of the tax return forms required under the Value Added Tax Act, the forms shall be as may be prescribed by the Board of FIRS; (d) In the case of all other taxes not covered by paragraphs (a) – (c) of these Regulations, the tax return forms shall be authorized by the relevant tax authorities responsible for the collection of such taxes. MODE OF FILING RETURNS (i) A taxpayer must file tax returns under the Self- Assessment Regime in person or engage the services of accredited Agents to file returns on his behalf. (ii) For an Agent to carry out the services required under this Regulation, the Agent must be fully certified by any one of the under listed Bodies: • The Association of National Accountants of Nigeria; • The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria; and • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. (iii) For the Agent to render the services under this Regulation, the Agent must have the accompanying seals of any of the Bodies listed in (ii) above. SIGNING OF FORMS WHERE AGENT IS ENGAGED BY THE TAXPAYER: Where an Agent has been engaged by a taxpayer for the purpose of filing of tax returns: (i) In the case of filing returns for Personal Income Tax Act, the forms must be signed by the taxpayer in person; (ii) In the filing of returns under the Companies Income Tax Act, the forms must be signed by a Director or the Company Secretary. (iii) In either (i) or (ii), the Agent shall sign alongside any of the signatories mentioned in (i) and (ii) above. LISTING AND DELISTING OF AGENTS BY RELEVANT TAX AUTHORITY: The FIRS in the exercise of its responsibilities under these Regulations may: (i) Compile annually a list of agents upon being satisfied that they are knowledgeable in the provisions of the applicable tax law, rules and regulations; and (ii) Remove from such list, in consultation with the relevant professional body, any agent who fails to satisfy the standards referred to in these Regulations. TIME FOR FILING RETURNS: 1. For Personal Income Tax Act- The due date for the filing of self- assessment returns under the Personal Income Tax Act shall be on or before the 31st day of March of every year. 2. For Companies Income Tax Act- The tax due for filing self-assessment returns under the Companies Income Tax Act shall be six months from the end of the accounting year; 3. For Petroleum Profits Tax Act- Under the Petroleum Profit Tax Act, a company shall file a return of its

estimated tax for an accounting period within two months after the commencement of each accounting period while instalment payment shall commence not later than the third month of the accounting period and the final return shall be filed within five months after the end of the accounting period with evidence of payment of the final instalment. 4. For Value Added Tax Act- Taxable persons and agents of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government subject to Value Added Tax (VAT) shall render a return of activities of the preceding month and remit VAT due on or before the 21st day of the month after the month of transaction with evidence of payment.

EXTENSION OF TIME FOR MAKING RETURNS: (1) For the purpose of filing income tax returns, a taxpayer may apply in writing to the Board of the FIRS for an extension of time within which to file returns provided the taxpayer: a. Makes the application before the due date of filing returns; and b. Shows good cause of its inability to comply. (2) The Board may in writing grant the extension of time for making returns to such time as it may consider appropriate. CONDITIONS FOR GRANTING EXTENSION OF TIME FOR MAKING RETURNS: (1) In granting any extension, the Board of the FIRS shall take the following into consideration: a. in the case of an individual taxpayer, on the death of the taxpayer within the period of filing of the returns; b. in the case of a company, on the death of any principal officer of the company, such as the Chairman, Managing Director or Company Secretary, within the period of filing of the returns; and c. Where the company experienced a fire or natural disaster within the period of filing. (2) The company must provide verifiable evidence of the fire or natural disaster or of the death of the principal officer of the company. CONSEQUENCE OF LATE FILING UNDER THE PERIOD OF EXTENSION: Where an extension is granted, any late filing outside the period of extension whether accompanied by payment of tax due or not shall be penalized for late filing under these Regulations. APPROVAL TO EXTEND TIME NOT TO ALTER TIME FOR PAYMENT OF TAXES: Any approval granted by the Board of the FIRS under 14 of these Regulations shall not be construed as to alter the time within which payment of taxes shall be made under any applicable tax law provision. The filing of returns for VAT is excluded from this extension. INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS OF TAX: (1) A taxpayer may make instalment payments of tax due by commencing payment in the relevant year of assessment in a manner that the final instalment payment shall be made not later than the due date provided that: (a) The taxpayer notifies the FIRS of his intention to make instalment payments; and (b) The taxpayer files returns on or before the due date with evidence of payment of the final Instalment. (c) The FIRS shall not approve more than three instalment payments from the due date. (d) The payment of VAT is excluded from instalment payments. PAYMENT OF TAX DUE Where a tax falls due and is not paid under any enactment by any person from whom it is due, whether or not the payment of such tax is secured by a bond, the tax due shall be paid on demand by the FIRS or by delivering the demand notice in writing to his place of abode or business or through his agent, registered post or approved courier service.

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed

Mashi

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSESSMENT FOR FAILURE TO FILE RETURNS: (1) For the purpose of this Regulation the term “Administrative Assessment” means an assessment raised by the Board of FIRS where a taxpayer has failed to file returns and pay taxes due on or before the due date or where there is an understatement of tax in the returns filed. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSESSMENT NOT TO RELIEVE A TAXPAYER FROM OBLIGATION TO FILE RETURNS A determination of the tax payable through Administrative Assessment shall not relieve taxpayers from the obligation to file tax returns of their businesses, in the case of a company or full disclosure of income from all sources in the case of an individual. Administrative Assessment shall include penalties and interests imposed as part of the liability due, effective from the time the returns became due. FAILURE TO FILE RETURNS AFTER EXTENSION OF TIME Where a taxpayer, agent or employer fails to file the tax returns for an accounting period after the time extended by the Service, the taxpayer, agent or employer shall be liable to pay prescribed penalties for late filing of returns from the due date of filing. DETERMINATION OF PENALTIES AND INTERESTS The determination of penalties and interests shall be as prescribed under the relevant tax laws, rules and regulations issued by the Service from time to time. DISPUTE RESOLUTION APPEAL PROCEDURE Where a taxpayer is dissatisfied with any administrative assessment levied on him under the established Self-Assessment Regime, he may seek redress as follows: (a) Lodge an appeal with the appropriate tax office of the Service responsible for the assessment; (b) If dissatisfied with the decision of the appropriate tax office of the Service, he may appeal directly to the Executive Chairman (c) In the event that the assessment complained of remains unresolved, the taxpayer may appeal directly to the Tax Appeal Tribunal; (d) Any further appeal from the Tax Appeal Tribunal may be lodged at the Federal High Court for resolution; and (e) Time within which to appeal or raise objection shall be as prescribed by the relevant tax law.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

• A medium-scale mat industry in Lagos.

Small businesses, many jobs The Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) have the potential of creating jobs. But there is a snag–the sector is under funded. With the government and banks waking up to SMEs’ potential, the subsector is skybound, writes COLLINS NWEZE.

S its name implies, Small and Me dium Scale Enterprise (SME) is aimed at promoting small businesses. Many countries encourage SMEs because of their potential for job creation. Banks too have recognised the SMEs’crucial role to the ecnomy and are doing everything to promote them. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and banks see the subsector as a viable means of building sustainable wealth and creating jobs. Through its Anchor-Lending Programme, CBN is providing grants and SMES loans to graduates interested in agribusiness. “We affirm our commitment

to financial deepening of the economy, improving financial access to key sectors of the economy, innovative solutions for the criti-

cal finance of generation, distribution and transmission in power sector, provide finance for SMEs, as well as the agriculture

‘Nigeria must tackle the challenges of infrastructure, especially power and roads, to create new SMEs or keep existing ones in business. There is also the need to create access to market and provide capacity, especially in keeping company financial records’

sector and jobs for the youths,” CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele said. Executive Director, Ovie Brume Foundation, Mrs. Iwalola Akin-Jimoh, lamented that many graduates are being churned out for jobs that are not there, adding that it is important the education system is structured to make it easy for graduates to get jobs. On entrepreneurship, Mrs. Akin-Jimoh said the available jobs are not enough to go round. “So, it is even better, where people are not coming out and looking for white collar jobs. They come out with •Continued on page 36

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

JOBS

Small businesses, many jobs •Continued from page 35

skills that enable them start their own businesses. So, instead of looking for a job, one can be a job creator. We need people to think more along the line of creating jobs, rather than seeking jobs,” she said. The Bank of Industry (BoI) and Ecobank are working to provide low interest loans to SMEs. Managing Director/Chief Executive, BoI’s Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, said the low interest rate would heighten activities in the sub-sector. For Access Bank, SMEs’ growth is a mission that must be accomplished. Its Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe, said at the Africa Sustainable CEO Business Roundtable in Lagos, that the bank has a team that drives and adds value to SMEs. “What we have done in Access Bank is that we have a team to drive and add values to SMEs. Finance is not the major issue but building capacity, understanding things around. We also have programmes that support women entrepreneurs because we find it interesting working with them,” he said. SMEs’ potential Monday Okozua, an entrepreneur based in Lagos insisted that SMEs subsector has the capacity to create two-thirds of the jobs needed to tackle unemployment, making the subsector more significant. He said the subsector holds the ace to taming unemployment in the country and, as such, must be made active if the unemployment rate, which is put at 28 per cent of adults between the ages of 18 and 60, is to drop. But he put a caveat: “Nigeria must tackle the challenges of infrastructure, especially power and roads, to create new SMEs or keep existing ones in business. There is also the need to create access to market and provide capacity, especially in keeping company financial records. The CBN defines SMEs according to asset base and number of employees. The criteria are an asset base of between N5 million and N500 million, and a staff strength of 11 to 300 employees. Findings showed that banks are becoming

interested in the SMEs sector as yields on government securities drop. Equally, the rise to 50 per cent of Cash Reserve Requirement on public sector deposit makes SMEs the best place for banks to raise cheap deposits. Director, Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan Atlantic University, Peter Bankole, said if a country wants to develop, it must start taking SMEs’ lending seriously. He said the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) survey conducted last year showed that the SMEs sector will continue to play a dominant role in job creation in the economy. Bankole said the challenge remains that majority of SMEs are micro, stressing that the government was trying to move as many as possible from micro to small businesses because that will give better multiplier effects for the economy and create jobs. General Manager, IBM Africa, Taiwo Otiti, said the SMEs tools help entrepreneurs manage their businesses properly, and in the process, making it attractive for banks to grant them loans and subsequently create jobs. He said SMEs remain the engine of growth for the economy, adding that they are the largest employer of labour within the economy. He said that when the SMEs businesses are run well, they will have the capacity to employ more people. “Part of the SMEs teaching is how to package their businesses to attract

• Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity Alhaji Kabiru Turaki

• CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

bank loans making it easier for them to create jobs,” he said. A Lagos-based SMEs Trainer and Facilitator, Chima Maduka, said the subsector constitutes an important vehicle for national development and could integrate a large segment of the populace in productive economic activities. He said the economies of the Asian Tigers or Asian Dragons of the highly free and developed Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan, owe their climb to economic pre-eminence largely to the existence

of well-organised and efficiently run SMEs. He said SMEs remain a vehicle for employment generation and they provide opportunities for entrepreneurial sourcing, training, development and empowerment. Developing nations, such as Nigeria characterised as low income earners by the World Bank, value SMEs for several reasons. FirstBank is giving SMEs the opportunity to grow their businesses so they can create the much-needed jobs. The bank said although the sector has the potential to employ a large portion of the population, lack of support from banks has derailed the sector’s vision. Diamond Bank reiterated its commitment to supporting small and SMEs in a bid to contribute to the economic development in a sustainable manner. The bank said there is need to empower micro and medium entrepreneurs in the country in areas where there were lack of funds. Heritage Bank has unveiled plans to provide funding for the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) subsector of the economy. Speaking at the bank’s MSME Clinic held in Lagos, the bank’s Managing Director, Ifie Sekibo, expressed the lender’s commitment to assisting MSMEs to become large corporate organisations that can be quoted on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) in the next three years.

‘Equally, the Bankers’ Committee has agreed to increase aggregate bank lending to SMEs and expand the number of operators that have access to loans. The committee called on banks to improve the rigour in credit analysis and encourage discipline in borrowing culture. These, it said, would help ensure a reduction in credit defaults in the sector and harness the entrepreneurial skills in the youths and young graduates’

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Optimising multiple job opportunities K

AYODE has a poser: I cast a wide net in my job search and interview with some companies that I am not that interested in just to practise and get out there. Well, I am far along in the process with some of these and just beginning with my first choice companies. I am afraid that an offer will come along that I don’t really want. At the same time, in this market I am afraid to turn down a sure thing with just the hope of something better. What can I do to buy time? In this market, more candidates are casting a very wide net with their job search with good reasons. Hiring targets change constantly as budgets get slashed, companies get acquired or restructured, or circumstances change the needs over time as firms take longer and longer to decide. The reality of applying to a lot of places is that it is almost impossible to control the pace of the search. Some compa-

By Olu Oyeniran

nies move through the process faster than others. You may find that you are in the final rounds at one company and just starting the first round elsewhere. If you prefer the slower company, how do you slow down the faster search without seeming disinterested? Just as you negotiate salary and other conditions of service, here you need to negotiate for time. The same general rules of negotiation apply: know who you are negotiating with - their wants, their constraints - and frame your requests accordingly. Prospective employers want their company to be your first choice. They want to know that you’re excited and genuinely interested in the position. They also have very real time and budget constraints. Maybe you are filling a spot for someone who is leaving in two weeks and they need to have the

replacement there next week to transition. Maybe their fiscal year ends in two weeks so if they don’t hire for this spot before then they lose that space in the budget. When a company pushes a process through quickly or pushes for a decision quickly, they may have good reasons and not just giving you a hard time. Therefore, ask about timing for all employers as you go through the process. How quickly do you expect to make a decision? When do you need this person to start? How many rounds/ how many people will be involved in the decision? Once you know that a firm is interested in you, these are all fair questions and will help you know how quickly the process may move for all companies in your pipeline so you can effectively juggle your schedule and negotiate for time. Negotiate a wide range. You might say, “Officially, I am to give two months notice, but I can make

it one. Really, it all depends on the projects at hand” You can get the information to your first-choice company about what is happening with the other company. Don’t be pushy but let them know that you have another company who is interested and close to a decision. Get a commitment or at least a good estimate from your first choice as to when you will hear from them. Then you know how much time you need to negotiate for. You also remind the first choice company that you are desirable on the market! At the same time, ask your second choice for the time you need. Reiterate your interest, but let them know that you have committed to certain projects/ assignments and don’t/can’t/ shouldn’t want to cut these short. It is not recommend continuing to interview with companies that you are not genuinely interested in because

it wastes everyone’s time. But if you would potentially accept an offer at a firm but it is just a lower priority, it is worth negotiating for more time so you can make an informed decision. Your second choice may become more desirable as you learn more about it (or about your first choice). In this way, negotiating for time means a more informed job search. This article is an adaptation of a presentation by Caroline Ceniza-Levine. She helps people find fulfilling jobs and careers, and co-author (along with Donald Trump, Jack Canfield and others) of the best-selling How the Fierce Handle Fear: Secrets to Succeeding in Challenging Times 2010; Two Harbors •Oyeniran is Lead Consultant, EkiniConsult & Associates. He can be reached on Jobsearchhow.com.ng Tel 08083843230 (SMS Only).

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

THE CEO What are the implications of oil price crash? They are enormous,says Seplat Petroleum Managing Director Mr Austin Avuru.In this interview with EMEKA UGWUANYI,he argues that it may lead to workers’ retrenchment in oil companies as is the case now abroad.

‘Oil price crash may propel job cut’ O

IL companies overseas are laying off their staff because of oil price crash, will that apply to Nigeria’s oil indus-

try? Yes, it will apply to the Nigerian oil and gas industry. I have also heard that some companies will lay off. Will that apply to Seplat? I can specifically say no, not because we are doing better than other companies but because fortunately we are killing the growth mode. Ordinarily, we should still be growing even our human capital. So what will happen with the reality of cutback in capex and work programme, is that we will simply reduce our growth rate in terms of manpower rather than fire the ones we already have. So, Seplat wouldn’t be firing but it will slow down on its manpower growth because of the existing reality. How can the drop in oil price affect the economy and implementation of 2015 budget? I think that the estimated federally generated revenue was about $147. 50 billion at crude oil price regime and today oil price regime even if you discount the portion of revenue that is non oil and you are seeing 55 per cent drop in oil price, it means that the total federally generated revenue will fall by 30 per cent minimum, so you will be looking at your total revenue dropping from say $850 billion to $735 billion, that is how drastic it is. When you recognise that 76 per cent of your budget is already recurrent and total your total revenue drops by 70 per cent of what it used to be, it means that it has eroded the entire capex provision. In fact, if you don’t go back to take another look at your recurrent, you will have difficulty in executing it. But I think that the Coordinating Minister of the Economy (CME) and her team are competent enough just like the industry cutting down on capex and reviewing their work programmes to accommodate current reality, I expect that the minister for the economy will go back to work and do what needs to be done, to re-programme the entire federal work programme, that is capital and recurrent expenditures, which is like capex and opex in the industry. She has to reprogramme it in such a way that it falls within the bracket of the expected revenue. They just have to go back to work. There have been complaints about undue lengthy contract process, vandalism and oil theft. How have these issues been impacting on multinational and indigenous operators? The direct impacts are in two levels. Increase in cost and reduction in revenue to the operator and to the government. Reduction in gross revenue is reduction in revenue to government and reduction in bottom-line profit to the operator. Actually everybody suffers. Why did Seplat seek an extension of Afren deal even after securing $1 billion refinancing? The two events are not related and we cannot speak about Afren beyond what has been published by both Seplat and Afren. What we have said earlier which remains the truth is that we have made preliminary approaches between the two parties and there is no guarantee that anything will happen. It is true and like I said, seeking an extension simply means that those approaches are still on and may take a little more time. It absolutely has no relationship with debt rescheduling. What is the implication of the refinancing; does it give you more buying power? Yes. When we started back in 2009, we secured $550 million five-year line and drew down only halve of it to do the acquisition we did, and that is how we were able to conclude that acquisition by 2010. Fortunately, we were able to prudently manage our business, and oil prices also helped, so we grew our balance sheet and we were able to service the loans and without any problems whatsoever. When we started the second attempt at our major acquisition in 2013 and 2014, we drew down the balance of that $550 million so that we had cash to back the debt that we were negotiating for those acquisitions. We were not successful to secure those acquisitions even though we went to create length to put all the debt and equity together. Some of that debt that put aside we didn’t have to return it because fortunately we have

• Avuru

enough headroom for that debt. So what we have done is to put all of the existing and some additional debt together because we had headroom to do so and put all that together, and raise finances to start a new longer tenure. It gives us fire power, and it is a statement of confidence in our business at that clime and at this time. You can have support from your banker to put money aside for you to do business. For us, it serves two purposes, it gives us that power which we need and it is a very statement of confidence in the business we do and us as a company. Even though the talks on acquisition of Afren is still ongoing, Can you give us the range of the cost should the deal become successful? No, I cannot say what I do not know. When I said that the statements that we and Afren put out and eventually put out on the Nigerian Stock Exchange clearly said that the approaches were preliminary. The approaches were preliminary means that first, each party has to look at the other, see what their business is really, because we don’t know from the outside and they don’t know how our business is. It is only after looking at those things that the parties can actually say if there is synergy or not. So that was very preliminary. We are not even at a point to

start talking about cost. If we reach a point where we think something really has to happen, we will come up with a statement saying this is what we think will and this is what it will cost. If you struggle to squeeze anything other than what we have published about Afren, it will be pointless because what we have published is absolutely true. That is the situation where it is now. Anything other than that will be a misrepresentation of where we are now with Afren. Are there other bidders in the deal? We don’t know and we cannot know. These are two listed entities on the stock exchange and there are very strict rules we follow. I recently read that a company CEO was said to have spoken to reporters that Afren is on their radar. The next day they issued a specific denial that it was not true that Afren was in their radar. Afren too issued a denial that they had no discussion with the company. The way the Stock Exchange work is, because that company has issued a denial, in the next six months even if they wanted, they cannot make an approach to Afren. So there are very strict rules to follow on these things. So we are not in a position to know if anybody else is talking with them because there will be confidentiality clauses that will stop them from letting us know.

‘What does corporate governance do? It ensures that you have set up a structure and a culture within the institution that can drive the business in line with given rules. That’s what corporate governance does. It is corporate governance that made Nigerians banks what they are today’

What have been the benefits derived from listing the company on the stock market? I think it is easier for us to understand why we went to the market in the first place because every CEO will tell you that he would rather sit down and run a non-listed company because of the headaches in listing them. But we went to the stock exchange with full conviction that it was the right thing to do, and I will tell you why. I have always said it in public places that if you look Nigerian exploration and production (E&P) companies, we have not shown the consistency of both operational and financial discipline that you find in multinational companies. We were in this industry in the early 1980s when Texaco (Chevron) was doing 32,000 barrels per day (bpd) and Elf (Total) was doing 32,000 bpd, Ashland (Addax) 25,000 barrels per day and Agip , among others. Every one of them in the past 50 years has grown production and has stayed at a certain minimum plateau production and ensured they have reserves that underpin that production. You can plot their graph, all from the smallest to the biggest, such as Shell and others. Now flip to the other side and take the typical Nigerian indigenous companies that have been successful. The most successful indigenous company today by production volume remains Conoil. Others include companies like Moni Pulo that got to the peak of 37,000 bpd. And show me any one that has stayed at plateau production for five years? It is always the case of early success, plateau and then a decline. I personally believe that one of the strongest reasons for that trend is corporate governance, but people would not know. People will think something else but it boils down to corporate governance. What does corporate governance do? It ensures that you have set up a structure and a culture within the institution that can drive the business in line with given rules. That’s what corporate governance does. It is corporate governance that made Nigerians banks what they are today. Corporate governance was forced on the banks because of strong regulation and that is why the founders of GTBank are all out of the bank now and GTBank is still carrying on probably stronger than when Fola Adeola was there. In their own case, corporate governance was forced on them by strong regulation. Regulation in our industry doesn’t force corporate governance on you. For instance, if you are appointing me as the CEO of this company, you don’t need DPR to approve it but if you are appointing CEO of a bank, Central Bank of Nigeria must approve it. Really if we are left alone we can do what we like in this industry and you can go up and go down. The regulation makes sure that tactics are real and in line with the rules. So for us from day one, we sought to operate at a level where corporate governance culture will be comparable only to international companies. So we sought to operate in such a way that even if we didn’t want to, we are operating at a platform that will force that level of corporate governance on us. That is why we went to London. We could have listed only here and could have been much easier for us. So we sought from day one to set up a company that will operate to international standard, and that those standards will be forced on us even if we are not disciplined. Also, once we manage to achieve that, it also meant that we have built a reputation for the company that will make growth relatively easier for us. The first example is what you are seeing. There is no indigenous company today that can get a $300 million loan from international bank. All the acquisitions that have been going by indigenous companies, there is no international bank that has put a dollar than Nigerian banks. If we are not listed, this restructuring you see today will not be there. The point of listing has put us at a level where the level of due diligence it has put on is not the level you do on a company that is not listed. We also know that listing will put us at a level of credibility that makes access to funding both debt and equity easier provided we focus on doing good business. So to answer question specifically, we think that we have achieved both objectives that drove us to the market •Continued on page 38

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

THE CEO

‘Oil price crash may propel job cut’ •Continued from page 37

in the first place, which is to establish a level of operating standard that is only comparable to international company and also to achieve a level of corporate credibility that makes funding both debt and equity easier to access. With the oil price bottoming, what is the outlook for Seplat, how long will it take and did you hedge any of the production? We didn’t hedge because as a company we take a long term view of the business we do. Even if you hedge and some of our competitors had hedged, you make some hefty gains within the next year or two but if you take a long term view, the game as I have always said, these companies I gave as examples earlier, have operated here when oil was $2 per barrel and have operated when it rose to $30 per barrel, and also when it came down to $9 and went back. So, if you take a long term view, for instance, we haven’t been here long enough unfortunate before this crash. But our view was that if we stay long enough, we will build a balance sheet, that will enable us operate at all climes with low price or high price. And that remains our strategy in spite of the crisis we face now that we should be able to operate at all climes in which case at all oil prices. My personal view and not Seplat’s view about oil price, is in accordance with a joke that says that no economist has ever been able to predict oil price trend because when it is heading down, they will tell you it will get to $20, and when it is heading up, they will tell you it will head to $250 but my personal view is that a stable long term average in today’s money for oil price will be between $70 and $80 per barrel. And when you plot the long term graph, you will see some spikes above that periodically and some spikes below that. But I think a stable long term average price will be bwteen $70 and $80 and I still believe that will remain true, which means that it should not go lower than $40,

and if it eventually starts the process of picking up and starts heading toward that $70 or $80. On how long will it take, whether it will be six months or three years, I don’t know? But a few things will normally happen. At $40 per barrel, a number of projects will be cancelled. Every company in Nigeria today is reviewing its capital expenditure (capex) spend. Every company is reviewing its work programme. There are some big deepwater projects that will be cancelled and there some high capex projects even on land that will be cancelled. In the near term if this low price persists, there are some more expensive oil developments outside of Nigeria, whether it is shale oil, deepwater, oil sands in Canada that will simply be cancelled. Also, it is the capex that sustains production in the future. When you cut down capex today, you are inevitably cutting production in future. Eventually, we will get to a point where production capacity will get lower than where we are now because of the cost we are effecting today. And once the production capacity gets lower and demand doesn’t fall with that production, there will be pressure on price. There is no doubt that price will pick but to what level and over what time, we cannot predict. What of your earnings outlook? Our earnings outlook will naturally be lower than what was forecast, which is also why if you plot the graph of our share price against oil price, you will see that the market has discounted us to the extent of oil price drop. I think what you want to know is the impact of oil price drop on our energy profile. You expect a large slash on our energy profile. For us, at this kind of oil price regime, what is important is operational discipline and prudence to make sure that you survive as much as possible and your cash flow remain neutral at least if not positive, because once you can establish the operational discipline and financial discipline to stay alive during a period like this, then it can only

‘At $40 per barrel, a number of projects will be cancelled. Every company in Nigeria today is reviewing its capital expenditure (capex) spend. Every company is reviewing its work programme’

‘

• Avuru

get better. So for us, these are trying times but these are the kind of times that you require from to time to time to test your resilience in the business and to always remind you that you need to remain disciplined and prudent because there will always be tough days like these. Can you give us an update in your gas strategy and the advantages to your earnings? One of the things we beat our chest about, is our gas business and the reason is this; Part of the reason why the government must encourage indigenous participation in this business is that more often than none, any investment they make remains; there is nowhere else to go once their interest is here. See what Dangote has done, and what these young men that started banking 25 years ago, have done with banking. It is the same thing here. At a time when we were earning 7 cents in 2010, the equity revenue to us from gas was 7 cents per thousand standard cubic feet (scf). But we looked 3-4 years ahead, remember that the assets we bought came with some gas facilities, two plants in Oben and Sapele, the business was sitting down there yielding zero revenue, in fact negative revenue. Nobody was maintaining those facilities, but we saw a future because even the cement plant alone gets low volume of gas. The 10 million standard cubic feet (scf) that Oando supply to local industry are sold at $5 per 1000 scf. So we saw a future in gas and if we will achieve the kind of electricity generation we dream about, we knew that we will be looking for some 3 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas in the next 10 years and somebody has to supply that. And we knew that because of the currency of the domestic gas business is in Naira, it doesn’t matter what you do and what say about that, they would not tell you the truth but the multinationals wouldn’t invest in it. We decided as a company from the very beginning that gas will be one of our niches and we started investing in gas about three years ago at a time when you almost couldn’t justify it, going by the price regime. The result is that today, by the end of this year’s first quarter, we would have doubled our producing capacity from 120 million scf to about 275 million scf per day. And the new plant is modular, so we can stick in two extra modules and add another 150 million scf within a short time and with a relatively small capex spend. What that means is that this same capacity we can build it up to 375 or 400 scf per day. So our target at the end of 2017, is to be able to process and deliver between 300 scf and 400 scf per day and they will all go into the domestic market. None is targeted at export. And by that time, our target is to see that 20-30 per cent of our bottom-line comes from our gas business. It is like investors are not really looking at those parts of your business? When we did our road-show for the initial public offer (IPO), investors at best showed interest in oil and gas but actually discounted what we were saying on gas. Even though they believed there was future is gas, they found it difficult to believe that even offtakers of the gas could pay and we are still seeing the problem because we are not being paid as it should. But we still see a future and transition in another couple of years, when we will have a proper marketdriven gas business where off-takers will pay if you give them the guaranty on supply. So we have seen gas price go from 7 cents to 70 cents, $1, $1.5, and now $2.5 for 1000 scf. At least that is the minimum for power plants. In fact, the arms length agreement we negotiated

• Avuru

‘So, if there is any company that is an example of local content and capacity development, I think we are the shining example’ on gas against 2017, is actually at $3 per 1000 scf and if you manage to supply to industry, you could get $4. For us we see beyond 2017 prices averaging about $3 per 1000 scf, and that is good enough to justify the investment in it. Operators have not been meeting their gas supply obligations, what actually is responsible for this? I cannot speak for other operators but Seplat has been meeting. In fact, as a matter of fact, Seplat doesn’t talk about domestic supply obligation (DSO) because our gas delivery projection will probably be about three times our DSO by the end of 2017, so we are not looking at DSO. We already had a strategy of supplying into the domestic market because we thought we could do it efficiently and also commercially. But more importantly, we don’t worry about the currency of the business that the multinationals should worry about. So for us, we have proactively partnered with government to deliver volumes of gas that are critically needed in the domestic market and we are proud to be doing that, and that partnership is working. It is between us and the NNPC, Ministry of Power, and government generally, so for us we don’t look at DSO. Those who look at DSO are those who are looking for reasons not to supply to the domestic market and we don’t belong in that category. What is your plan for capacity development for your workforce? That is another area where you must give credit to the success of indigenous participation in the business, and to whoever deserves that credit from government agencies to participants. It would have been difficult for you to see an operating company in Nigeria doing over 70,000 barrels per day operated production with 99 per cent Nigerian staff. You will never find that if we are not a Nigerian company. We probably have a total of 5-6 expatriates in our workforce, maybe if you add that of our London office, you get no more than

10 expatriates. Any company of our size will have 60 to 100 expatriates in its workforce. Ours is Nigerians from top to bottom, well trained and equipped to deliver this value we are delivering. Cascade that down to those who work for us because in our business it is not so much of those you employ, it is the wider effect – the different contractors who work for us. I don’t think company of our size in Nigeria has the level of domestic spend in our business that we have in terms of engaging domestic contractors and consultants. So, if there is any company that is an example of local content and capacity development, I think we are the shining example. What is your plan to expand your crude oil production? Our plans from the beginning has always been to increase not just gas or oil but continuously grow oil and gas production to a possible plateau at the end of 2017. But more importantly to a sustainable plateau, which means we must also find the reserves to underpin that plateau production and achieve a reserve production ratio of at least 20 years. In summary, we will grow oil, gas production and grow our reserves to a level that can sustain that growth in oil and gas production. It is a tripartite thing and we will focus on them, so for us these days, we no longer talk about operated production, we talk about our own equity production. Today, we are on an operated production of about between 70,000 and 74, 000 barrels per day and our equity there is around 33,000 barrels per day. We hope to drive own equity production for oil over the next three years closer 50,000 barrels per day, and drive our gas production equity to between 200 million scf and 250 million scf per day in the next three years. Those are projections but that is where we want to be. Again, there are mitigants to all of these – oil price, cut down on capex but that is where we want to be. Our overall corporate plans are targeted at achieving those objectives.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

BUSINESS

MOTORING

Here comes the new Honda CR-V The 2015 CR-V has received a refreshed exterior styling and richer feature content, including a front console armrest, rear climate vents, a seven-inch touch screen linked to the Lane Watch blind spot monitoring system. It possesses a high-end touring trim level with additional safety technologies, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO with agency addition

•Honda CR-V

HE Honda CR-V is like a carton of Tropicana orange juice. Sure, there are enticing beverage alternatives — maybe there is even an impartial, but a whole lot of people still go with this tried-and-true juice. The CR-V appeals because it is a product you can count on year after year. As it happens, the CR-V has been refreshed for 2015, offering more mpg, fresh features and even a few styling tweaks. The juice, in other words, is smoother and sweeter than ever. The 2015 CR-V switches to the Accord’s direct-injected four-cylinder engine and Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The headline this year is the CR-V’s revised 2.4-litre engine that is paired with a CVT (essentially, the engine/transmission combo you get in the Accord). The result is a little more torque and a lot more fuel efficiency. With an EPA-estimated 29 mpg combined with frontwheel drive, the CR-V is three mpg better than last year’s model and among the most fuelefficient non-hybrid crossovers on the market. On the outside, Honda has added LED running lights and new front and rear fascias, while the interior benefits from extended touch screen availability, mildly improved materials and a more traditional centre console design. There is also a top-of-the-line Touring trim, which comes with extra luxuries and advanced safety systems. Still, this Honda’s appeal lies largely in what was already there. The CR-V practically invented the genre with its high driving position and carlike handling, and the current model adds a particularly spacious backseat and cargo hold to the mix, the latter enhanced by a nifty spring-loaded mechanism that folds each rear seat at the pull of a lever. Low ownership costs and high resale value further bolster the CR-V’s. Of course, Honda isn’t the only company fielding a highly popular small crossover. The 2015 Toyota RAV4 is also excellent at meeting the needs of crossover shoppers. If you want something with a little more personality, we recommend the athletic-handling 2015 Ford Escape or 2015 Mazda CX-5. The Escape also offers an engine upgrade if you

• Interior of the car

want more power, as do the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, the 2015 Jeep Cherokee and the 2015 Subaru Forester. But for a great many households, this Honda, which earns a top spot in the 2015 SUV Buying Guide, will hold more overall appeal than the alternatives. Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options The 2015 Honda CR-V is a five-passenger crossover SUV offered in LX, EX, EX-L and Touring trim levels. Performance Every 2015 Honda CR-V comes with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine rated at 185 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. A CVT is the only available transmission. Buyers can choose between front- and allwheel drive on all trims. The EPA’s estimated fuel economy on 2015 CR-Vs with front-wheel drive is 29 mpg combined (27 city/34 highway), a superb showing for this segment. The allwheel-drive CR-V, at 28 mpg combined (26

city/33 highway), is right behind. In an Edmunds acceleration test, an all-wheeldrive 2015 CR-V accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds, which is a bit quicker than average. Safety The 2015 Honda CR-V comes standard with antilock brakes, stability and traction control, front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and a rear view camera. The Lane Watch blind spot monitoring system (featuring a camera of its own that displays passenger-side blind spot activity on the 7-inch touchscreen) is standard on all but the LX. The touring boasts a lane departure warning system and a forward collision warning and mitigation system that is able to distinguish between vehicles and pedestrians (and warn the driver accordingly) as well as apply automatic braking intervention to reduce the severity of a collision.

Special Features Overall, the 2015 CR-V continues to possess one of the most practical cabins in the segment. There is an abundance of space for rear passengers, and those seats recline and have child safety seat LATCH anchor points in all three seating positions. Space up front is good, too, especially with the added adjustability that comes with the available power driver seat, providing superior visibility and a sense of openness. There have been changes, though. The front cabin’s centre console has adopted a more traditional design, ditching last year’s seatmounted, van-style armrests and the long, deep bin that could swallow a purse. There is now a console-mounted, armrest-covered bin with just enough space for a few items inside, along with two accompanying cup holders, a small card-sized cubby and a longer one with a grippy surface for holding smartphones. In other words, it is better for small items, less so for big ones. Honda has also added soft-touch dashboard inserts with simulated stitching to give the CRV a more premium vibe, but these are less successful. The current-generation CR-V has utilised subpar plastics in various cabin locations from the get-go, and most of them have stuck around for 2015. Aside from that touch screen, notable tech features include a rear-view camera, Bluetooth (phone and audio), a text-message reader with a digitised voice and Pandora compatibility. Those are all standard on the base LX, by the way; they will run you extra on many competitors, if they are offered at all. On the other hand, certain popular features are restricted to the highest trims, including a power liftgate. Power or no, that liftgate reveals one of the most user-friendly cargo areas in the compact SUV segment. The 2015 CR-V can carry 35.2 cubic feet of cargo behind the rear seats. That area benefits from a low load floor and a boxy shape overall, making it easier to carry large items. Lowering the spring-loaded, auto-folding rear seatbacks with a tug of the trunkmounted levers reveals 70.9 cubic feet of maximum space, which is one of the top figures in the segment.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

MOTORING

Peugeot leads Europe in Co2 emissions

• Kia Sorento

Kia Sorento wins award

IA Sorento, the brand’s flagship SUV, has received the prestigious ‘iF Design Award’ for the first time. The jury of the globally-recognised design awards programme honoured the third generation of the Sorento, which goes on sale globally in 2015, with an award in the ‘Product’ category. Also awarding the car for the overall quality of its design, the jury rated the car on criteria such as finish, degree of innovation, environmental impact and safety. The all-new Kia Sorento is the seventh Kia model to secure an iF Design Award. In every year since 2010, at least one of the coveted awards has been scooped by Kia Motors, with previous winners from the brand including the Kia Venga, Sportage, Optima, Picanto, pro_cee’d and Soul. “I am very proud of this award for the Kia Sorento because it is recognition of the great advance in quality we have succeeded in achieving in this model,” said Peter Schreyer, President and Chief Design Officer of Kia Motors Corporation and Hyundai Motor Company. “The Kia Sorento unites the classic poise of an SUV with a premium look and feel that is particularly tangible in the cabin. It offers the very highest design quality and excellent value for money. This is largely the achievement of our international design teams – which is also why I am so delighted with this award,” Schreyer stated. The new Kia Sorento was developed by the Kia design team in Namyang, Korean, assisted by the Kia Design Centres in Frankfurt, Germany and Irvine, California. It is a stylish and practical SUV with

Stories by Tajudeen Adebanjo

exceptional versatility and practicality. The smoother, swept-back profile and deeply sculpted surfaces give the Kia Sorento a lithe, elegant appearance. The spacious interior follows the horizontal lines of the overall design concept and delivers a luxurious look and feel with top-quality materials throughout the cabin. The new Kia Sorento, which is available with five or seven seats, has a longer wheelbase and provides more passenger room than its predecessor. The luggage area is larger, and thanks to the sliding, 60:40-split seat row it is even more versatile, holding up to 1,732 litres. The Kia Sorento has a powerful and efficient 200 ps (147 kW) 2.2-litre turbodiesel engine, while four-wheel drive versions are fitted with Kia’s new Dynamax™ All-Wheel-Drive system with torque vectoring. High-tech specifications and a range of premium features, including the 360-degree Around View Monitor and smart parking system make it easy to manoeuvre and park. Buyers can also choose from the latest safety assistance systems, from lane departure warning to rear cross traffic alert and traffic sign recognition, through to adaptive cruise control. Since it was launched in 1953, the annual iF Design Award has become one of the world’s most important prizes for excellence in design. The award has its origins in the ‘Formgerechte Industrieerzeugnisse’ (Good Industrial Design) product shows initiated by the Hannover Messe, and is now one of the world’s largest design competitions. The iF Design Award is presented in five disciplines. In 2015, companies from 53 countries participated in the

iF design awards programme, submitting 4,783 designs. The new Kia Sorento was honoured in the ‘Automobiles / Vehicles / Bikes’ category. The official presentation of the awards will take place on February 27 in Munich, Germany during the Munich Creative Business Week.

SA Peugeot Citroën has recaptured its first place in emissions reduction at the end 2014 in Europe, with an average of 110.3 grams of CO2 per kilometre* (source: AAA DATA), compared with an average of 123.7 grams for the European market. Since 2008, the group has gradually lowered its vehicle emissions by about 30 grams. The new record illustrates PSA Peugeot Citroën’s commitment to finding practical solutions to environmental problems. More than 50 per cent of its R&D budget is devoted to developing technologies aimed at improving the fuel and environmental performance of its vehicles. PSA Peugeot Citroën’s top ranking is primarily the result of its engine downsizing strategy and the introduction of new PureTech 3cylinder petrol engines, as well as the introduction of new-generation, fuel-efficient BlueHDi diesel engines. In 2014, nearly 30 per cent of vehicles sold by the group emitted less than 100 grams of CO2. Paired with these highly efficient petrol and diesel engines, many

group models are low-carbon leaders in their category. Due to the fact that they represent a significant proportion of European sales, they contribute to an overall reduction in emissions. This petrol version also set a new fuel economy record of 2.85 litres per 100 kilometres, covering 1,810 kilometres on a51-litre tank of fuel. The recent Peugeot 308 and Citroën C4 Picasso models (built on the new EMP2 platform) and the Citroën C4 Cactus (launched in 2014) weigh significantly less than their predecessors, by 140 kilograms and 200 kilograms, respectively, which is a key factor in reducing emissions. “The outstanding reduction in CO2 emissions is the fruit of PSA Peugeot Citroën’s advanced petrol and diesel engine technologies but also of its ongoing research to make lighter, more aerodynamic cars,” said Gilles Le Borgne, Executive Vice President, Research and Development, PSA Peugeot Citroën. “The group continues to invest heavily in research and innovation, particularly in the field of plug-in hybrid technologies and new-generation electric vehicles,” he added.

Coscharis begins year with display at Oriental Hotels

OSCHARIS Motors Limited, the franchise holder for MG ‘Morris Garages’ cars in Nigeria, started the year with display of MG 6, MG 550, and MG 5, at Oriental Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos. The display which started early January attracted both prospect and customers who were offered opportunity for test drive, to have a first-hand experience of the luxury and capability of the vehicle.

Apart from test drive offer, all MG cars come with three years warranty, with adequate after sales back-up, genuine spare parts, finance and leasing, to create more value for the customers. Furthermore, the display is part of the brand’s awareness campaign to position MG as retail cars that are highly economical as well as fleet vehicles. Among the models in Coscharis dealership are MG 750, which is the flagship, MG 6, MG 550, MG

5, and MG 3. Particularly the MG cars’ new looks with strong lines, curved edges, and sporty features that reflect a fresh and renewed character have expanded the brand’s market share and repositioned the brand as one of the fastest growing brand in United Kingdom. MG has a British heritage of over 90 years since 1924, and Coscharis Motors acquired the MG franchise three years ago and has since then enjoyed a reasonable patronage.

ŠKODA Octavia picks up another title

HE third generation ŠKODA Octavia has won the best imported car in the compact class in the readers’ choice ‘Best Cars 2015’ The award was organised by the German car magazine ‘Auto Motor and Sport’ (AMS). Since its market launch in early 2013, the ŠKODA bestseller has won 44 national and international car awards so far. The ŠKODA Octavia has also been a great hit on the international markets, with more than 500,000 of the third generation Octavia already having been de-

livered to customers around the world. In 2014, sales of the model increased 8.1 per cent to 388,800. In Western Europe, sales grew by an incredible 22.5 per cent in 2014. Last year, the ŠKODA Octavia was the best-selling new car in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Finland, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Iceland. “The Octavia is very special to us at ŠKODA. We have put our heart and soul into developing this car. Wining this award further proves that we have got a lot of things right,” explains ŠKODA CEO Prof Winfried Vahland.

The third generation Octavia truly is the largest, safest, lightest, most practical, comfortable and environmentally friendly Octavia of all time. The whole model series is also more versatile than ever. There are currently eight versions in the range: the Octavia hatchback, Octavia hatchback 4x4, Octavia Combi (estate), Octavia Combi (estate) 4x4, Octavia RS, Octavia GTEC, Octavia Scout and the especially environmentally friendly Octavia GreenLine. The top of the European line also includes the exclusive Octavia L&K version.

How FRSC,VIO, MVAA and driving schools increase the rate of accidents

HE fear of the judgment of God is the main reason why I decided to write this article in the interest of the innocent Nigerians that are daily becoming victims of road accidents. When the Graduated Driver Licence Scheme was introduced in Nigeria, those of us that know the benefits for road safety were very glad. Alas! The stakeholder in its implementation in Nigeria, FRSC, VIO, MVAA and some driving schools have soiled their hands in a disgraceful conspiracy which has made implementation of the scheme a failure in Nigeria thereby contributing more to road crashes and fatalities as it is clearly evident in the road traffic offences, crashes and fatalities in the country.

Before delving more on what obtains in Nigeria today, I would like to mention how the result-oriented Graduated Driver Licensing system operates successfully in the United States of America (USA). Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programmes are designed to offer Drivers the priviledge of structured learning for the promotion of basic knowledge and skills in driving over an extended period of time. The three stages in the GDL are: 1. Learner’s Permit Stage: At this stage, Trainee Drivers are to hold a Learner’s permit for a period ranging from six months to one year. During this period, the trainee driver must enroll in an approved or certified driving school and undergo comprehensive theory and practical training sessions. The

trainee driver may drive only when accompanied by an adult - licensed driver (supervised driving) he or she must not carry other passengers and must not drive late at night. Before the candidate can proceed to the next stage, he must have driven for not less than 50hours and without committing any traffic offence or at – fault accidents. When certified okay, he or she will them proceed to the Intermediate stage (after passing the standard theory and practical tests). 2. Intermediate Stage – This is also known as the probationary or provisional licence stage. Though the Driver at this stage are allowed to drive unsupervised, they are however restricted from driving late at night and they are mandated to take a second during training classes in

an approved or certified driving school during this stage. Once they have been certified competent without committing any traffic offence and at – fault accidents, they will then proceed to the full Licence stage. 3. Full Licence Stage – “After meeting the requirements of the Learner’s and Intermediate stages, with satisfactory evidences of their attendance of approved or certified driving schools for the acquisition of requisite driving knowledge and skills, he can then proceed to process and obtain full licence. The above licensing process may look tedious or long but no period is too long. So far, it prevents the loss of irreparable lives and valuable properties. It is better to be late than to be the late. Life has no duplicate.

Jide Owatunmise Registrar / Chief Executive, Professional Driving and Safety Academy

This Graduated Driver Licence programme is being successfully implemented in America with commendable reduction in the rate of road crashes and fatalities. • To be continued next week

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

SHOWBIZ

Bobbi Kristina: Angry discussions over funeral plans •As foul play investigations targets boyfriend

S the life of late Whitney Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, hangs in the balance, the family is discussing funeral plans, even as the Browns are said to be preparing for war, because of the way they were treated when Whitney Houston died. Sources connected with the Brown family told TMZ, they are a united front to this extent and will refuse to be disrespected the way they feel they were at Whitney’s funeral. It will be recalled that Bobby Brown stormed out of the funeral after security refused to let him sit with Bobbi Kristina during the service. There are indications the feud has already reignited, as the Houston family security set up a perimeter around Bobbi Kristina’s room shortly after she was taken to the hospital and there was a passcode to gain entrance. Many people in the Brown family were not given the code and it caused uproar. “If something happens to Bobbi

By Victor Akande

Kristina, we will not be treated like children,” said a member of the Brown family. Despite being shunned in these areas, the fate of Bobbi Kristina lies in Bobby Brown’s hand, as he reserves the decision to either continue to keep his daughter on lifesupport or let her pass away. But Bobby Brown was quoted as saying he “can’t pull the plug” that holds Bobbi Kristina’s life, hoping that God will save her. Bobby’s feelings are not shared by doctors, who have advised him she will not improve and pulling lifesupport is an appropriate action. But Brown and his family believe doctors cannot account for miracles, which the family has seen before. Meanwhile, a foul play criminal investigation is ongoing, with accusing fingers pointing at Bobbi Kristina’s boyfriend, Nick Gordon. Law enforcement sources have

said that Bobbi Kristina had certain injuries that have piqued their interest. The suspicion followed a history of violence between Bobbi Kristina and Gordon. Police are said to be looking into a possible altercation more than an hour before Bobbi Kristina was found submerged in a bathtub. Max Lomas, the friend who discovered Bobbi Kristina in the tub, arrived at around 9am that Saturday. He said he hung out with Nick but did not see Bobbi Kristina. He was told she was in the bedroom. Nick wandered away and Max said he didn’t pay attention to his whereabouts. The cable guy showed sometime after 10am and Max said he let him in - Nick was nowhere to be seen. The cable guy said he needed access to the bedroom so Max let him in and discovered Bobbi Kristina in the tub. He screamed for Nick, who ran in and administered CPR. Max claimed Nick allegedly

• Nick Gordon with Bobbi Kristina

cleaned up the home and removed blood stains. The police interviewed both Max and Nick and they want to debrief Max again, but law enforcement

sources say Max’s lawyer insisted on immunity before he spoke again. As at Friday morning, Max hadn’t gotten immunity or talked to the cops.

‘Why they’re fighting us,’ by PMAN interim boss

EQUEL to the statement denouncing Pretty Okafor as interim president of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), despite a court ruling, Okafor said his critics are merely afraid he would make them accountable. The association’s Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Kevin Lucciano, had filed a suit at the Federal High Court, Lagos, challenging Okafor’s appointment as PMAN president. In suit no FHC/L/CS/919/ 2012, the committee

By Joe Agbro

is calling on the court to set aside its earlier judgment, for want of jurisdiction. According to Lucciano, the appointment of Okafor did not follow due process and so should be ignored by all. “I want to use this opportunity to remind Nigerians and all PMAN stakeholders of the fact that it is only the Caretaker Committee that has been empowered by the Ministry of Labour and Productivity to conduct elections and run the affairs of PMAN… besides, this matter is not within the jurisdiction of the court as it is a trade union issue and only the National Industrial Court has jurisdiction at this stage,” he said. Okafor, a member of the Junior and Pretty fame, however, expressed shock at the latest de-

velopment. “I don’t want to join issues with them on going contrary to the court’s judgment,” he said. “I personally met with them and it was unanimously agreed that the new order should subside. So I must confess that I’m surprised that some of them went back to the trenches to reopen the wound that has retrogressed the association for the past 34 years.’’ Okafor said he accepted to pilot the new ship of PMAN out of his passion to champion a formidable music industry, but added: ‘’I’ve sat down and thoroughly thought of why they detoured on our earlier agreement and could only deduce a few reasons, which include the money and property of the association in their possession which they were requested to account for or return.’’ According to him, while exPresident, Tee Mac Itsueli, is in

possession of the Certificate of Occupancy of their landed property in Abuja, Murphy still keeps their automobile while Peace Committee boss, Kevin Luciano is alleged to be in possession of an undisclosed amount of money. “Members of the association rightly demanded that they should return everything to the association but from the way they are behaving, it’s like they don’t want to comply. Hence,the new offensive they are launching against a constituted authority with the backing of the judiciary,’’ he said. He, however, said that part of his new executive’s plans to move the union forward is the implementation of a biometric identity card scheme that will see each member truly belong, and in the event of any handicap or death, be entitled to the sum of N10 million.

Beyonce, Jay Z relocate to L.A

Filmhouse unveils Ali Nuhu as brand ambassador

T is a season of celebration for Kannywood actor, Ali Nuhu, as he has been named brand ambassador for Filmhouse Cinema, Kano. The award winning actor was ushered into his new role on Thursday. The new cinema house, which was opened at Ado Bayero Mall, Kano, followed the opening of an outlet in Apapa, Lagos, recently. The actor took to his Instagram page to share the news with his fans, saying, “Brand Ambassador Filmhouse, Ado Bayero Mall, Kano, as it opens today.” Nuhu’s appointment is coming shortly after his recent victory at

FTER losing a choice estate to a higher bidder in Los Angeles, singing couple Beyonce and Jay Z - remain resolute with their decision to relocate to the Hollywood city. Although they are yet to get another place, they are currently living in a hotel in Beverly Hills, and have enrolled their daughter, Blue Ivy, in school, while looking for an estate to buy on the Westside of L.A. Reports say they have already discreetly looked at a number of homes, but so far, none fit the bill. However, the tuition for threeyear-old Ivy, for a toddler program at an elite private school is put at $15,080 a year. In their determination to move, Ivy was admitted halfway through the school year, which is unusual, as the school generally accepts students at the beginning of the school year. As for why they are moving, sources connected with the couple say they want “a change in lifestyle.” It will be recalled that Bey and Jay spent the summer in a $200K a month rental, near Beverly Hills. There are indications they will

• Nick Gordon with Bobbi Kristina

keep their New York home. The couple lost their first choice to a former Minecraft

mastermind, Markus Persson, who swooped in andsealed the deal for $70M.

the 2015 edition of the MTN/ Kannywood awards, where he was given the Best Actor (Popular Category) at the ceremony. An excited Nuhu had also showed off his award on Instagram, clutching his plaque with the caption; “Just won the Best Ac-

By Ovwe Medeme

tor award (Popular Category) in the MTN/KANNYWOODS 2015”. Born in March, 1974, Nuhu is a Nigerian actor, producer and director who is generally regarded as one of the most prominent figures in Kannywood. To his credit, he has won the Best Upcoming Actor award at the 3rd Africa Movie Academy Awards. He was also nominated as the Best Actor in a supporting role at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards and won Best Actor in a film at the 2013 Nigeria Entertainment Awards.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

THE NATION MONDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2015

1. APC supporters at the presidential campaign in Gombe 2. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (l); APC presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari presenting Adamawa APC gubernatorial candidate, Senator Muhammadu Jibrillah (m), at the APC presidential campaign in Yola 3. President Goodluck Jonathan, PDP chieftains and supporters arriving for presidential campaign in Lokoja, Kogi State capital 4. Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun (2nd right), his wife, Olufunso (right) and his running mate Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga (left) during the governor's re-election campaign rally at Mowe, ObafemiOwode Local Government Area ...yesterday

5. From left: Kanayo.O. Kanayo, Coordinator, Peace Anyiam Osigwe, film producer, Paul Okoli, actress, Nkiru Umeh, Actor Kabiru Ailadun and member of the group, Tope Ajayi, at a media briefing on the forthcoming election in Lagos on Tuesday

6 2

6. HRH Francis Akenzua, Enogie of Evbonogbon and Governor Adams Oshiomhole during the governor's visit to the traditional ruler to seek royal blessings for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the general elections

7. APC, Rivers South-east senatorial Candidate, Sen. Magnus Abe (right) being presented a symbolic broom by the paramount ruler of K-Dere, Chief Donald Gberesuu shortly before the APC ward-to-ward rally in ward 5 and 6 of Gokana LGA

THE NATION MONDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2015

The PDP thinks it can overwhelm Lagos ‘with brute force and state sponsored criminality and, if it is so sure that it will win Lagos, as it has been boasting, why is it precipitating a war in Lagos?

‘

Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi is 50 today. His Chief Press Secretary, Olayinka Oyebode, pays tribute to a simple boss.

Fayemi: Celebrating change agent at 50 I

T was a warm afternoon at the OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa, sometime in March 2013. Dr Kayode Fayemi and I were returning to Lagos after receiving the Samsung Award for Best State Government in ICT Education at an impressive ceremony in Cape Town. Mr Governor, as he is fondly called, had sought to spend some time at the business class lounge of the South African Airline, and because we were engrossed in a discussion, together with another official of the administration, Muyiwa Ogunmilade, he had urged me to come along. After going through my boarding pass and discovering that I was billed to fly the economy class, the female SAA official politely stopped me from entering the lounge. JKF’s attempt to convince her to allow me in order for us to conclude our discussion was met with a straight face by the official. The waitress however said I could be allowed in if the Governor and Ogunmilade could present their gold cards. Pronto, they both brought out their gold cards. Having confirmed the cards the official was about giving another condition when the activist in JKF came out. He politely asked that his card be returned to him and told the officials that he would rather take a walk around the airport with me rather than being denied my company at the lounge. I made a futile protest against his decision to abandon the lounge because of me, knowing he needed to catch some rest. Alas, it was too late. “No, Yinka, it isn’t worth it. What is the big deal about the lounge? Don’t worry, let’s just take a walk around before boarding time:” Thus we left the lounge and spent about half an hour buying books at a particular books store at the airport and the remaining time was spent strolling around before boarding time. That South African experience was, for me, perhaps the most humbling experience I have had as an adult. It was a lesson in simplicity and leadership taught in the simplest manner imaginable. It also typifies the experiences of many who have come in contact with Dr Fayemi whether in the classroom, newsroom, lecture room, political rallies, in the trenches or in the hallowed chambers of the Ekiti State Executive Council where he presided over the affairs of the state, together with his carefully selected team for four impactful years. Fayemi in and out of office believes in two things- service and justice. He believes life is worthless without service- service to mankind. On justice, Fayemi is a firm believer in that timeless Latin legal phrase: Fiat justitia ruat caelum (Let justice be done though the heavens fall). He remains today one of the few Nigerian politicians that have really tested the country’s legal system in the bid to determine some knotty issues. It is no longer news how he fought from one court to another for three and a half years

By Olayinka Oyebode

to retrieve his mandate which he eventually got via the declaration of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin on October 15, 2010. It is also on record that his administration lost some cases in the state courts and that put paid to some actions of the government including the conduct of the local government election which the Peoples Democratic Party stopped through an injunction from the state high court in January 2012. JKF believes that political participation as well as seeking elective office should be motivated by service. He believes that commitment to service and its delivery remains the vital tonic that energises and motivates a public office holder to forge ahead and remain focused even in the midst of competing and conflicting interests. He believes that service does not end with the completion of one’s tenure in office. To him, service continues for as long as one still has his breath. He was recently asked how he has been coping with life after service during a lecture he delivered at the Afenifere Renewal Group annual lecture in Abeokuta,Ogun State last month. His response: “I am still in service. My idea of service does not end with occupying an executive position. Even attending party meetings, executing some assignments on behalf of my party, or town’s union amount to service.” Many believe that JKF’s headship of the hugely successful national convention and presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December last year and his current assignment as the head of Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the party’s presidential campaign have kept him even busier than his former assignment as governor of Ekiti State. Perhaps what they do not know is that such excellent organisational touch he brought to bear on the APC convention- regarded as the best organised in the country’s history- is simply the JKF signature that distinguishes his four year tenure in Ekiti and makes it a reference point in developmental circle. He believes that when a leader provides the right leadership, the followers would embrace excellence and make it an habit. For those who have followed his trajectory right from his students activism days through pro democracy agitation and the current political participation, JKF is guided by the social democratic principle of lifting the weak and vulnerable in the society. His four years stint as governor of Ekiti State witnessed a sincere and consistent effort at banishing poverty and sickness. This was because he knows too well that a poor society is a sick and sickly one. His genuine concern include how transactional politics can be replaced with transformational leadership. How institutions of state can be strengthened in order to ensure effective serv-

•Fayemi

still in service. ‘ IMyamidea of service does not end with occupying an executive position. Even attending party meetings, executing some assignments on behalf of my party, or town’s union amount to service

‘

ice delivery. Whereas his critics would readily fault these ideas, describing them as lacking in immediate political gains. Yet, JKF earns their respect for his commitment to these ideals. His penchant for development and insatiable desire to get the government to provide for the weak and vulnerable in the society led to some policies including the social security scheme which pays 5,000 monthly stipends to elderly indigent citizens above 65 years; free and compulsory primary and secondary education; computer per child initiative in the public secondary schools; comprehensive renovation of all public schools and hospitals; free health for the physically challenged, children under five, pregnant women and elderly citizens among others. The need to spread devel-

opment across the nooks and crannies of the state also led to the introduction of five kilometres road project implemented yearly in all the council areas. And when you add this to the structured empowerment programmes for the youths and women, you have a government that had something for everybody under the JKF administration. As Fayemi attains the golden age today, it is obvious that the energy and wisdom to run even a more impactful race in the second half of the century are bubbling in him like an hyperactive volcano. Born on February 9, 1965 into the family of the late Chief and Mrs. Francis Falade Fayemi. A native of Isan-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area, he had his elementary education in Ibadan before attending Christ’s School, AdoEkiti for his secondary education between 1975 and 1980. John Kayode Fayemi received his first degree in History from the University of Lagos in 1985, a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), in 1987 and a doctorate in War Studies from the King’s College, University of London, England in 1993, specializing in civilian-military relations and defence planning. Prior to joining partisan politics, Dr Fayemi was the pioneer Director Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD). He was a Georgetown University Leadership Fellow in 2000 and a Senior Visiting Fellow in African Studies, North Western University, Evanston, USA in 2004. He is also an Associate Fellow of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Ibadan and was on the Adjunct Faculty of the African Centre for Strategic Studies, National Defence University, USA, between 2001 and 2005. He was a member of the Governing Board of the Open Society Justice Institute, New York and African Security Sector Network. Fayemi has written and lectured extensively on governance and democratization. He is also a recipient of several awards, fellowships and grants including the Ford Foundation grant on Special Initiative on Africa and the Macarthur Foundation research grant. His tenure as Governor of Ekiti State witnessed many reforms and earned the state a number of first positions in the areas of education, agriculture, health, rural development and social empowerment. This was attested to by local and international organisations leading to special recognitions including: Leadership Newspaper’s Governor of the year award, 2012; the Zik’s Prize in Leadership (Good Governance) Award in 2013; Champion Newspapers Governor of the Year award in 2014. Even with what some might consider as his foibles, there is no doubt that in JKF the researcher, the teacher, the activist, administrator and strategist come together with all the ideas that can help us change the way we think and act about leadership, scholarship, political tolerance, social justice and human capital development. From the four corners of the country and beyond come fifty gbosas for this innovator, democrat and change agent- above all, an Omoluabi - as he joins the golden club today.

‘PDP vandalising APC billboards in Lagos’

AGOS State All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of defacing and vandalising billboards, posters and banners of its candidates across the local governments. The ruling party said suspected thugs masquerading as members of the illegal Federal Task Force in Lagos were instigated by the PDP to cause mayhem and provoke APC leaders and followers. The Publicity Secretary, Comrade Joe Igbokwe, who raised the alarm that the PDP was inciting war, said the evidence of vandalisation of campaign materials are visible in Gbagada, Third Mainkand, Osborn and Victoria Island, where vandalised APC banners were replaced

By Emmanuel Oladesu

with those of the PDP. He lamented that suspected thugs and hoodlums instigated by the PDP invaded Osborn with dangerous weapons removed the posters of the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, and the presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, adding that the police deliberately refused to stop the brigandage. Igbokwe added: “Last wednesday, the PDP mobilised its members and thugs and held road users and traffic on Ikorodu Road for eight hours in the pretext of holding rallies. In the process, they targeted all APC posters, billboards and posters on the road for destruction and re-

moval. We are yet to see any police action against such act of recklessness and rascality. This was the same police that threatened to arrest LASAA officials for regulating indiscriminate defacement of Lagos with posters and handbills.” The party official said that the PDP is planning to instigate violence because it has been rejected by Nigerians. He added: “The PDP thinks it can overwhelm Lagos with brute force and state sponsored criminality and, if it is so sure that it will win Lagos, as it has been boasting, why is it precipitating a war in Lagos? “Does it also have the capacity to manage the war in the unlikely event that it wins a state where it is not welcome? Our members are running

out of patience in this continued provocation. While we are trying our utmost best to restrain our members from being drawn into any war that will undermine our well oiled wheel of change, we warn that there is a limit to tolerance and that our members may be forced to react, if to defend themselves and their interests. “Our silence should not be mistaken for submission and docility. We may be forced to react, if pushed to the wall and the perpetrators of this on-going deliberate brigandage will be held responsible for this. We call on the Lagos State Police Commissioner and his command to act quickly and decisively to stop this brigandage. We cannot continue to complain while the PDP is deliber-

•Igbokwe

ately allowed to breach the security and peace of Lagos. Lagosians will not tolerate this criminality any longer.”

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

BUSINESS EXTRA

Fed Govt slashes 2015 budget as oil price slump bites

HE Federal Govern ment of Nigeria has more than halved capital expenditure to less than 10 per cent of 2015 spending, axing badly needed infrastructure investment due to the collapse in the price of oil, the country’s main source of revenue, according to the full budget submitted to parliament. The document, seen by Reuters, puts capital expenditure at N387 billion ($2 billion), or 8.9 per cent of total spending of N4.357 trillion. This is a significant drop from the 2014 spending, when capex, or capital expenditure, accounted for 23.7 per cent of projected govern-

By Collins Nweze

ment outlays. It is also only just over half the N634 billion that finance minister Ngozi OkonjoIweala, in her December budget presentation, said would go on capital expenditure and related items. Budget office director general Bright Okogu said the reductions were the direct result of the halving in the last six months of the price of crude, which normally accounts for 80 per cent of the cash flowing in to state coffers. “The capex was severely affected by the huge reduction in revenue,” Okogu told

Reuters, adding that it was easier to wield the axe on infrastructure projects than Nigeria’s notoriously bloated bureaucracy. He said wages were difficult to cut and “you cannot reduce staff numbers overnight,” said. Despite the overall capital expenditure reduction, spending on military equipment was set to rise slightly, reflecting the need for weapons to counter Boko Haram Islamist militants in the northeast. The National Assembly is expected to start discussing the budget later this month and it is likely to be passed some time in March, regardless of who wins the presi-

dential election on February 14, though supplements could be added. One such could be for military equipment if Nigeria secures a loan of up to $1 billion, which President Goodluck Jonathan requested last year. The government’s benchmark oil price for this year’s budget is $65 a barrel, a figure the finance ministry says will not be changed despite crude falling as low as $45 a barrel in January. As well as knocking this year’s overall growth forecast, the impact is being felt in the construction sector, where sources say infrastructure projects that were already moving at a snail’s

pace have been put on ice for this year. Construction firms have halted work on roads, railways and bridges, firing up to a third of workers and maintaining only skeleton crews. One industry source said Ministry of Works disbursements for a major highway were less than 3 percent of the project’s value. The same source put layoffs nationwide at 20,000, while another said at least 5,000 had been let go in the Abuja area alone, a worry for Jonathan ahead of the election, when he faces an opponent accusing him of squandering revenues from high oil prices over the pre-

vious three years. Despite the capital expenditure reductions from December, N2.62 trillion, or 60 per cent of total spending, continues to be earmarked for recurrent expenditure, essentially the day-to-day cost of running the government. National Assembly spending is also in line with last year at 150 billion naira, suggesting Nigeria’s political elite are being spared any belt-tightening. However, doubts are creeping in that the government will be able to meet even its day-to-day obligations should crude prices remain low for months on end.

Diamond Bank cuts loan growth by 50%

IAMOND Bank Plc plans to slow lending growth as the economy faces an increased risk to earnings from a slump in the naira, its Chief Executive Officer Uzoma Dozie said. The bank, which operates in four other West African nations, plans to cut loan growth to 10 per cent this year from 20 per cent in 2014 as “the market is very bearish,” Dozie said during an interview Tuesday in Lagos, the commercial capital. “There is increasing business risk.” The naira has come under pressure, losing about 4.5 percent of its value against the dollar this year, because of declining crude prices, which fell by almost half in 2014. Nigeria relies on crude exports for 95 per cent of its foreign exchange and 70 per cent of government income. “The bank is being conservative by its decisions which are good. “They will protect its capital and reduce exposure to non-performing loans. They’re the kind of decisions that investors will expect from a bank at this

time,” Mike Nwanolue, an analyst at Lagos-based brokerage Greenwich Trust Group Ltd told Bloomberg. Some companies plan their cash flows well in advance and they can’t easily adjust to currency fluctuations, Dozie said. Exchange-rate volatility and difficulty in accessing dollars have resulted in “companies that are profitable, becoming less profitable and those that are marginal now suffering,” he said. Diamond Bank increased customer loans by 18 per cent to N689 billion in 2013, according to a statement published on its website. It seeks a gain of 30 percent this year, Chief Financial Officer Abdulrahman Yinusa said in April. The bank will target small- and medium-sized businesses, manufacturing companies, and the agriculture and energy industries for funding this year, Dozie said. Governor Godwin Emefiele said last week that the CBN may halt the sale of dollars to companies importing the types of goods that are already locally manufactured.

Consumers go for Fanta Apple

OCA-COLA Nigeria’s decision to extend the very popular Fanta brand with a new Apple flavour seems to have struck the right chord with consumers. The great tasting apple-flavoured drink aptly named Fanta Apple was launched in October last year and has already become many consumers’ choice for refreshment, going by the trend observed at markets, malls, restaurants and other channels in Lagos and neighbouring cities. Findings also revealed an increasing shelf presence in malls and small scale outlets across Lagos and neighboring states. A random market survey conducted recently revealed that the fruity Fanta variant has been enjoying patronage beyond its traditional target market, teens and young adults, and this has been attributed to the drink’s great fruit flavor that also appeals to older consumers According to a shopper who spoke to our correspondent, Fanta Apple variant scored big with adults because of its authentic fruity taste. A trader in Balogun Market on Lagos Island, Mrs.

Adebimpe Osho enthused, “People are buying the new Fanta Apple, it is moving market faster than I expected. I didn’t know that sales of the drink will catch up so fast, of course that means people are enjoying it which is good for my business.” The survey also found out that the product is available nationwide in both wholesale and retail outlets in three pack types and four sizes – 35cl and 50cl returnable glass bottle, 50cl glass bottle and PET bottle as well as 33cl can. Other consumers also gave various reasons why they have quickly taken to the drink, with most of them noting that it has authentic apple taste, it is also refreshing and goes well with meals. “Fanta Apple tastes great. It is the first Apple drink that gives the same fruity taste originally like the fruit it was formulated to taste like,” Mrs. Abigail Onyemachara, a house wife who lives in Surulere, Lagos stated. Speaking further, a sales girl based in Lagos, Maureen Okafor told The Nation at an eatery in Ikeja Mall said: “I love Fanta Apple because it is a subtle drink that goes well with meals.”

• Chairman, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Alhaji Aliyu Kola Belgore (middle) presenting goodwill letter to Chairman, Heritage Bank, Akinsola Akinfemiwa (right) while Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele (left), looks on during the AMCON Board Divestment Closure Ceremony, held in Lagos.

AfDB, MasterCard broaden banking access

HE African Develop ment Bank (AfDB) and MasterCard announced a broad collaboration that aims to expand financial inclusion across the African continent. The collaboration seeks to develop solutions that drive inclusive growth in Africa by broadening access and usage of digital financial services. MasterCard brings proven expertise to design and scale

inclusive financial services solutions and infrastructure. The AfDB actively promotes sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction in Africa. Together they will work with African governments and local private sector companies to develop and deliver affordable services that meet the needs of a wide consumer base, especially the traditionally unbanked.

Specifically, the collaboration will seek to build cohesive financial systems that drive inclusion at a country level and enable service delivery to traditionally excluded populations. It will also allow the stakeholders to invest in a set of innovative financial services companies and solutions targeted at addressing barriers that hinder financial inclusion; and share knowledge across academic,

policy and commercial sectors to create thought leadership on financial inclusion and economic development. President of the AfDB, Donald Kaberuka, said: “Despite the phenomenal economic growth in Africa, this has not translated into shared prosperity and better livelihoods for the majority. Growth has to be inclusive to be socially and politically sustainable.

Bharti Airtel’s profit beats estimates

HARTI Airtel Ltd., In dia’s biggest wireless carrier, posted profit that beat analyst estimates as rising smartphone ownership drives growth in data usage. Net income more than doubled to 14.4 billion rupees ($233 million) in the three months ended December from 6.1 billion rupees a year earlier, New Delhibased Bharti said today in a statement. That exceeded the 13.5 billion-rupee median of 24 analysts’ estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Billionaire Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal’s company sees low-cost devices and new technologies driving data usage and in November started a Web portal to help introduce customers to the Internet. With

India’s Internet users estimated to more than double to 480 million by 2017, growing smartphone penetration will boost the number of people accessing the Web on their mobile devices, according to Bharti. “They’re getting some good growth in data,” said Rishi Tejpal, an analyst at Gartner Inc. in New Delhi. “The data revenue hike will continue for a good time as they roll out their 4G network to bigger markets,” Tejpal said, referring to Bharti’s fourth-generation services. As of the quarter ended September, Bharti was offering 4G services in 15 cities in India. The faster 4G network enables quicker downloads of data. Smartphone shipments in

India rose 82 percent to 23.3 million units in the third quarter of 2014 from a year earlier, according to market research firm International Data Corp. The devices accounted for 32 percent of total mobile phone sales in the period, from 19 percent in the corresponding period. Bharti’s sales climbed 5.8 percent to 232.2 billion rupees, according to the company. That compares with the 234.9 billion-rupee median of 25 analysts’ estimates. Shares of Bharti fell 0.7 percent to 368.95 rupees at the close in Mumbai trading, before the earnings announcement. Mobile data sales, including at its Africa operations, rose 62 percent to 28.7 billion

rupees, contributing more than 85 percent of the incremental revenue, Bharti said. Revenue from data in India climbed 74 percent, boosted by a 32 percent increase in the number of users and a 38 percent jump in usage per customer, it said. Revenue from Africa, where the company operates in 17 countries, declined 6 percent in rupee terms in the quarter from a year earlier as local currencies including Nigeria’s naira depreciated in value against the U.S. dollar. Earnings before interest and taxes fell 33 per cent, according to Bharti. Idea Cellular Ltd., India’s second-biggest mobile phone operator by market value, posted third-quarter profit that missed analyst estimates.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS Emerhor: I’m UPU’s endorsed candidate

ELTA State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, has said he is sure of victory in the rescheduled March 11 election. His optimism followed the endorsement of his candidature by the “authentic” Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), led by its President-General, Chief Tuesday Onoge. In a statement at the weekend, Emerhor said the former UPU President, Chief Joe Omene’s alleged endorsement of Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru, was an attempt to mislead the people of Delta Central and the Urhobo. The APC candidate alleged that Ogboru and Omene were working together politically for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the deal the former UPU leadership allegedly struck with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja. Emerhor, who holds the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), stressed that Ogboru’s alliance with the UPU and Omene was a well crafted political strategy to divide the Urhobo votes to enable PDP’s candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa. The APC candidate urged residents of Delta Central and the Urhobo to support APC to enable the party actualise the Urhobo dream of electing him (Emerhor) as the next governor of Delta State on March 28. He warned that should the Urhobo fail to dislodge the Ogboru-Omene political scheming, they would be politically marginalised for another eight years. •From left: Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole; HRH Haliru Momoh, Ikelebe III, Otaru of Auchi; Hassan Kadiri, Chairman, Etsako West Local Government Area and Clem Agba, Commissioner for Environment and Public Utilities, at the beginning of the reclamation works at the Auchi Gully Erosion project at Auchi...at the weekend.

Umana to stop reckless spending

Edo begins N7.8b anti-erosion battle

KWA Ibom State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Umana Okon Umana, has promised to plug all loopholes in the treasury through which monies are stolen; and completely eradicate wastages and reckless spending of government funds. Umana told thousands of party faithful during his campaign rally in Uruan that when such is done, the state would have substantial savings to fund her laudable programmes. Umana has consistently spoken against the monumental wastages and financial recklessness of the PDP government in the state. He promised to lead a government that would accommodate all the senatorial districts and communities in the state in terms of appointments and amenities. He said: “When we eradicate wastages, reckless spending and plug all loopholes, we will have substantial savings to fund our laudable programmes. ‘While the PDP is a party for the Akpabio people, the APC is a party for Akwa Ibom people.” Umana also said his government would build new roads and fix the bad ones like Ishiet, Mbiakon and Edidep roads in Uruan and also reclaim the beaches in Uruan and turn them into recreational centres.

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of duplicating unexecuted contracts when it was in government in the state. The governor spoke at the weekend when he kicked-started a World Bank-assisted gully erosion control in Auchi, Etsako West Local Government Area; Queen Ede in Ogbeson Quarters, Benin, the state capital and parts of Ekheuan Road, all valued at N7.8 billion. Oshiomhole said he was shocked that the Queen Ede erosion project, purportedly awarded by the former PDP administration, was also reportedly awarded by the Federal Government when his administration approached the Federal Government for intervention. At the Queen Ede erosion site, he said: “My first visit

•Oshiomhole accuses PDP of contract duplication From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

to this place was on a Sunday, about the second or third week of my resumption of office. Someone drew my attention to the fact there was a serious problem in this area. I came around and I was shocked at what I saw. “I saw an abandoned tractor around the valley. When I asked for the status of the project’s report, a ministry official told me the job was ongoing. Subsequently, I invited him to show me what he meant by the job was ongoing. That’s because what I saw here were abandoned equipment; there was not one worker on site. “When we came here, he showed me the tractor, saying that was what they

meant by the job was ongoing, by the fact that there was a tractor abandoned. “But that was not the only thing that I found very, very strange... It was clear that the job was never meant to be done; it was a cover-up to siphon funds. “Few months later, I wrote to Abuja to complain about the erosion challenges in this state. I wrote quite a number, including on Queen Ede (erosion site), particularly when my attention was drawn by the Edo State Ministry of Works to the fact that this erosion was caused by the design errors when the Asaba Road was being built by the Federal Ministry of Works. I asked the Federal Government to provide the funds to fix it. “We were honoured by the visit of the Minister of

Environment. He said he had invited the BeninOwena River Basin Authority official to show me what they were doing about this same erosion. I offered to accompany him. We got here and he showed me the same site that the Federal Government was doing the same job on. “So, you have a real scandal, where the Edo State Government under the PDP awarded this contract and paid for it. The PDP-led Federal Government awarded the same contract and paid money for it. Each of them claimed that they were doing the job. As you can see, they simply caused more complications.” Oshiomhole said the PDP had accused him of borrowing. According to him, Edo State remained the least indebted state in the Southsouth.

Suspected cultists kill Ughelli tycoon

N Ughelli businessman, Michael Onajiyovwi (aka Onamike), has been killed by suspected cultists in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. His killing has added to several other killings in the area by suspected cultists. Onajiyovwi was said to have been shot dead at a popular drinking spot belonging to his wife on the

•Residents decry security agents’ ‘incompetence’ From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Ughelli

Ughelli end of the East/West Road. Residents of the community have blamed security agents for failing to protect them from hoodlums. Onajiyovwi was an electrical parts dealer. He was shot in a drinking spot he

opened for the wife on the Ughelli end of the East/West road. Although details on his death were still sketchy last night, our reporter learnt that he was shot by three gunmen at a close range. A member of the Ughelli vigilance team, who spoke in confidence, confirmed the

incident. He said the incident might be connected with recent cult killings. Efforts to contact police spokesperson, Celestina Kalu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), were unsuccessful. Calls to her mobile phone were not answered.

Activist seeks probe on N5b surveillance contract money meant for the conNiger Delta activist, tract, he also failed to employ in Niger Delta Comrade Omolubi a single youth among the

Newuwumi, has urged anti-corruption agencies to probe the alleged embezzlement of the multibillion naira pipeline surveillance contract awarded to some former militants and tribal groups in the Niger Delta region. Newuwumi’s call came on the heels of revelations that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, was planning to renew the contract, which was awarded between 2010 and 2011.

From Shola O’Neil, Warri

Newuwumi, who is the President of Iwere (Itsekiri) Development Association (IDA), told reporters yesterday that the Itsekiri slots were hijacked by a popular Itsekiri leader and House of Assembly candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election. He said: “This open letter has become necessary because of recent attempt to re-award the Nigerian National Petro-

leum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline surveillance contract in Delta State to a surveillance company, where he (a former militant leader) represents the Itsekiri interest again. “I know the first phase of the contract, which was also awarded to him, was meant to employ more than 1,500 Itsekiri. But to my dismay, this lofty dream by the government for the people did not materialise because of the greed of one person. He did not only embezzle the

Itsekiri.” The activist said a similar contract by the state government was also hijacked by the same clique, which he accused of desperation to cage the ethnic group. The IDA President noted that contrary to the terms of the contract, the Itsekiri front for the contract failed to pay the agreed salary of N120,000 monthly to the 1,500 workers and also failed to provide tools needed to do the job.

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

I’ll ensure accelerated development of Rivers, says Peterside

IVERS State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, has promised accelerated development of the state. The APC candidate also promised to promote love and unity, if he wins the April 11 election. He vowed to be a good ambassador of Opobo Kingdom, if elected governor. Peterside made the promises at the weekend when he visited the paramount ruler

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

of Opobo Kingdom, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja. The PAC candidate, who is a member of the House of Representatives, hails from Biriye Polo, in the coastal Opobo, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area. The 44-year-old Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), said he would protect the interest of the people.

Ayade gets support in Akamkpa

HOUSANDS of people have expressed support for Cross River State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates, Ben Ayade. A huge crowd received him and his campaign train yesterday at the secretariat of Akamkpa Local Government Area. Ayade and his running mate, Prof Ivara Esu, were overwhelmed by the support they got from the people during their rally. Other dignitaries at the rally included PDP State Chairman Ntufam John Okon; Deputy Governor Efiok Cobham and the party’s candidates for the Southern Senatorial Zone, led by the Chairman of the Campaign Council, Governor Liyel Imoke. The crowd chanted sang solidarity songs with for Ayade and the PDP. The PDP candidate danced to the songs with a local dance step popularly called Shoki and waved to the crowd, all smiles. The crowd chanted: Carry go, nothing do you; Ayade, the face of continuity, among others. Imoke urged the people to think of their future. The governor said politics was about the future and less about the present. He said: “The future belongs to you, the youth. Politics is about the future and less about the present. The future depends on the youth. I hear stories of guns and cutlasses being purchased for you to use during the elections. This is not good politics. I must tell you that in your generation, elections should be about issues and performance and not personalities.”

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS LP to adopt Buhari From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

ABOUR Party (LP) Na tional Chairman Abdukadir Salau has said the party will soon adopt All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Salau said the party was considering the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) presidential candidate, Goodluck Jonathan, as the second option. But the LP chairman said the party was not in hurry to take any action, adding that even within 48 hours to the presidential election, LP’s leadership would tell its supporters who to vote for. Salau told reporters at the weekend in Abuja that the LP and other parties were examining the manifestos of the two major parties in the interest of Nigerians. He said: “Other parties will come together, access the situation, to determine which of the two parties promised better life for Nigeria and Nigerians.” The LP chairman said the party would also examine which of the two parties promised peace coexistence among Nigerians and which of them “believed that the unity of this country is paramount”.

Boko Haram: Fed Govt to tighten control on bombmaking materials From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

THE Federal Government, through key Ministries and agencies, are putting in place measures to monitor and control sale, distribution and use of materials that can be used in making Improvised Explosive Devices(IEDs). The violent fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, which had carried out many fatal attacks in the North, has severally relied on the use of IEDs to kick many people. The arrangement to control the bomb-making materials is contained in one of the three security strategy documents, the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST), launched last week by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Preidential Villa, Abuja. The documents were presented by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) It reads: “In order to control and minimize the availability of bomb-making materials, office of the National Security Adviser, Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel and other law enforcement agencies shall strengthen measures to monitor and control the sale, distribution and use of materials that can be used in making IEDs.” “The office of the National Security Adviser in collaboration with other security agencies are to develop a counter-IED strategy for the country.” it added

• Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Electoral Officer for Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mrs Junmai Abubakar, addressing INEC PHOTO: NAN ad hoc workers during their training on how to handle the general elections in Abuja...yesterday

Abductors demand $10m for Dariye’s dad T HE gunmen who kidnapped Mr Dariye Dafweng, father of former Plateau State Govermor Joshua Dariye, at his home in Mushere village, Bokkos Local Government Area on Saturday, have asked for $10 million ransom. “We have just confirmed that the kidnappers dropped a letter in which they asked for $10 million,” Maj.-Gen. Dave Enetie,

Commander of the Special Task Force (STF), said yesterday. The STF chief said the kidnappers also left their telephone numbers. He said: “We are trying to get a copy of the letter and the phone numbers in our efforts to rescue Dariye’s father.” Enetie said the STF’s per-

sonnel had been dispatched to parts of the state to locate the kidnappers, besides the efforts of the search teams combing neighbouring states. Police Commissioner Abu Emmanuel said the command had visited the site of the incident and picked up shells of bullets shot by the gunmen. He said: “There is al-

ready a search-and-rescue team. We hope we should be able to arrive at something as soon as possible.” NAN reports that Dafweng was kidnapped by gunmen, who invaded the Dariye family’s compound, shooting sporadically to scare away people. The gunmen took the old man, dressed him in women’s clothes, and sped off with him on a motorcycle.

Eligibility: Court orders service of documents on Jonathan

FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has ordered that President Goodluck Jonathan be served with court documents in relation to a fresh suit challenging his eligibility to stand for re-election. Justice Ahmed Mohammed granted an exparte order directing the service of the court documents on the President either through the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) or the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

The judge made order for substituted service on the court documents on Jonathan in view of the complaint by the plaintiff, Nkemjika Nkemjika that it was impossible to effect personal service on the President, who resides in the well-fortified Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. Nkemjika, in the suit is urging the court to determine whether, having regard to the provisions of sections 135(1)(b) and 135(2)(b) of the Constitu-

tion, President Jonathan was qualified to contest this year’s presidential election. Named as defendants with Jonathan, include the AGF, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Assembly. It is the plaintiff’s main contention that President Jonathan’s second term in office will end on May 29 this year, because Section 135(2)(b) of the Constitution that determines the tenure of office of the

country’s President, did not make any provision for a Vice-President to complete the unexpired tenure of office or unexpired term of office of a deceased President. He contended that President Jonathan would have been eligible to contest this year’s presidential election if he had won an election overseen by the Senate President in 2010 in accordance with the provision of Section 146(2) of the Constitution. Justice Mohammed has adjourned hearing in the case to February 26.

‘We’ve endorsed Saraki as Kwara political leader’

HE Etsu Tsaragi in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, Alhaji Aliyu Kpotwo, has said traditional rulers have unanimously endorsed Senator Bukola Saraki as the political leader of the state. The monarch spoke at Tsaragi when he hosted Saraki’s campaign train for his re-election, led by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Kpotwo said first class monarchs chose Saraki following the demise of his father, Dr Olusola Saraki, “to lead us politically”. According to him, politics in Kwara remains “a heritage. He added: “If I will not want any destruction to my father’s heritage, then I should do nothing to destroy the political structure that has been of immense benefits to us.” Kpotwo said the people

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

of the town resolved to make public their political interest, adding that the town had suffered in the past because of “wrong information peddled against us”. He said: “We don’t want it again. We need to let the world know where we belong and what we stand for.” The Etsu, who hailed Saraki for initiating the reconstruction of his palace, also praised Ahmed for completing the project. Kpotwo said: “Anyone here before now, who decided to come to Tsaragi will see monumental development achieved under the Ahmed administration. “Therefore, nobody should tell us that we need to vote for Ahmed for his second term. Instead, we are begging him to come out

and re-contest. His first term was a great blessing to us. We will mobilise our people to return him to power.” At the palace of the Lafiagi monarch, also in the same local government, Emir Kawu Haliru said traditional rulers were the harbingers of peace in Nigeria. He said: “They are our people. We know them very well and we can prevail on them to tow the line of peace, irrespective of the prevailing circumstances. That is why we still believe that we should be given a constitutional role to play in Nigeria.” The emir noted that “in our own Lafiagi, we would not renege on the political agreement between our forefathers and Ilorin people”. He added: “They were always doing things in common. We will not allow this age-long harmonious rela-

tionship to end during our own time.” Saraki spoke on the imperative of good governance as the pivot for viable democracy to thrive. The senator said his movement from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) remained the greatest step ever taken in his political career. The former governor said his active involvement the campaign for APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, was a project “aimed at rescuing Nigeria” from the claws of bad governance. Saraki said: “When we decided to leave the PDP for APC the other time, some people felt that we took the wrong step then. But today, everybody has fallen in line with what APC stands for.”

Kogi PDP chieftain, others join APC From James Azania, Lokoja

CORES of ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in Kogi State at the weekend defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The defection took place at Ayangba in Dekina Local Government Area during APC’s Kogi Eastern zonal rally. Governor Idris Wada is from Odu-Ogboyaga, a distance of less than 30 kilometres from Ayangba. Among the defectors were two former PDP governorship aspirants, Air Vice Marshal Salihu Atawodi and Senator Nicholas Ugbane. They joined the progressives with their supporters. Other prominent PDP members who defected to the APC included former Accountant-General of the state, Elder Ubolo Okpanachi; former State PDP Chairman Emmanuel Dangana Ocheja; former Kogi State Teaching Service Commission Chairman Mallam Sani Ogu and former House of Representatives member Samson Abdul Ihiabe (aka Positive). The venue was filled to capacity. The crowd went into jubilation when former Governor Abubakar Audu drove into the venue in a long motorcade. Audu told the people that the defection of the “political gladiators into the APC” indicated that the reign of the PDP had ended. The former governor described the defection as a further boost for APC’s success in the March and April general elections. On behalf of the defectors, Atawodi said the decision to join the progressives followed wide consultations with major stakeholders. He described the PDP as a party of mediocre individuals who were not interested in the nation’s progress but their personal gains. Ugbane said the PDP’s ship was sinking, adding that he would not to be among its victims. He said: “Kogi State under the PDP government is the least developed state in Nigeria.”

THE NATION MONDAY FEBRUARY 9, 2015

NEWS Private security to INEC: we’re ready for elections

Nigerians urged to shun violence By Tokunbo Ogunsami

By Precious Igbonwelundu

MEMBER of the EtiOsa Local Government Chieftaincy Committee and the Secretary, Elegushi Royal Family, Chief Muritala Adedoyin Elegushi, has urged Nigerians to shun violence before, during and after the elections. Elegushi, the Alaawe of Ikate land, who spoke in Lagos yesterday, said people should not see election as a do-or-die affair. According to him, winners should be magnanimous in victory and losers should be gallant because the most important thing was the survival of the country. He decried the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for postponing the elections to March 28 and April 11 because of insecurity. Said he: “If the Federal Government cannot contain the Boko Haram insurgency between 2011 and now, how are we sure it will tackle the militias before the elections?” Chief Elegushi advised youths not to allow politicians to use them to cause violence because of money. “Most politicians’ children are in overseas, safe. Politicians are wise. They hide their children in overseas and use the children of the poor to foment trouble, exposing them to danger. Youths should not risk their lives because of pecuniary gains.” Elegushi enjoined the electorate not to sell their votes, adding that they should elect candidates who could perform. His words: “Nigerians should not just obtain Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), they should exercise their franchise. INEC should, however, be impartial.”

‘Maternal mortality ‘ll be curbed’ From Tayo Johnson and Bisola Oloyede, Ibadan

HE wife of former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, Mrs. Kemi Alao-Akala, has promised that maternal mortality would be reduced if her husband was reelected. Mrs. Alao-Akala, whose husband is seeking reelection on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), addressed reporters in Ibadan. She said: “I want to do something different this time. I am interested in maternal mortality. Our women should not die when giving birth. I will also look into the mother to child transfer of HIV. I will be interested in women’s welfare more than before.” Mrs. Alao-Akala vowed to prioritise women empowerment. Her words: “We have a lot of women in politics. Many of them have Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) This means women play a vital role in the society. I will ensure women are empowered. We have a lot of goodies for them.”

•The NNS CENTENARY...at the weekend

Navy takes delivery of another warship

N line with its fleet recapitalisation efforts, the Nigerian Navy (NN) took delivery at the weekend of a newly-built Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) from China. The vessel, NNS CENTENARY came barely a month after the Navy received a refurbished Cutter class warship, NNS OKPABANA from the United States. Tailor made for Nigeria by the China Ship Building Company Limited, NNS CENTENARY is one of two newly-built vessels for the Navy aimed at improving its war against oil theft. With a capacity of 1800 metric tons; 3000 nautical miles range, 95 metres long and 12.2metres wide, NNS CENTENARY is the first NN ship with the ability to recover spilled oil as well as combat inferno in oil rigs.

•Nigeria records $18.1b trade volume from China By Precious Igbonwelundu

The ship, which sailed for two months from China before arriving in Nigeria, marked the first time in 32 years the country has bought a brand new and tailor made vessel designed to meet peculiar Nigeria challenges, it was learnt. Receiving the vessel at the Naval Dockyard, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin said the vessel will enhance the NN’s capacity towards executing her constitutional duties as well as open new vistas in the relationship between Nigeria and China. He praised President Goodluck Jonathan for recognising the importance of effective maritime secu-

rity to the nation’s economic wellbeing and giving “unprecedented support to the fleet recapitalisation pillar of the NN’s transformation plan. “The arrival of NNS CENTENARY on Nigeria bears testimony to the commitment and resolve of the President to emplacement a strong and virile Navy capable of protecting Nigeria’s maritime interests against all forms of threats. “This ship is one of two OPVs acquired from China for the NN. The second one is expected to arrive in Nigeria later in the year and a substantial part of its finishing and fittings will be done here in Nigeria. This is to enhance Nigeria’s indigenous shipbuilding capacity

and create job for our unemployed youths,” he said. The Consul General of China, Liu Kan, who represented the Asian country’s Ambassador said the OPVs was the biggest military corporation both countries have entered into, just as he disclosed that the bilateral relationship of the two countries have increased greatly. Kan said that the trade volume from China to Nigeria rose by 33 per cent last year with the total figure amounting to $18.1 billion. In an interview with reporters, the Managing Director of the ship company, Dapo Oguntayo described the vessel as a plus to the navy, noting that the NN has not bought any new vessel since 1983.

HE Association of Licenced Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN) has expressed its willingness to be deployed as volunteers by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the forthcoming general elections. The group at the weekend declared its readiness to deploy its personnel across the country, following the military’s stance that it cannot guarantee security if elections were not postponed. The association is to deploy its personnel to troubled northeastern states alongside other security agencies to ensure peaceful elections. Addressing reporters in Lagos, the association’s executives, led by its President, Davidson Akhimien, said their decision was borne out of their love for the country. He said the association as a responsible and patriotic player in the country was duty bound to contribute it’s quota towards the success of the elections by making its men available for security duties across the country including the troubled states. It also urged INEC to consider allowing persons with Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs) vote so as to reduce the number of disenfranchised voters. It urged politicians to refrain from mudslinging, describing it as a recipe for violence, just as it advice security agencies deployed for elections purpose to remain apolitical. On the alleged plans by terrorists to use female suicide bombers to cause havoc during election, the group urged voters to be vigilant and look out for both males and females suspected terrorists.

Uba, Okonkwo, Emeka not substituted as PDP’s candidates

HE Court of Appeal, Abuja did not order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to substitute the names of Chief Chris Uba, Senator Annie Okonkwo and Prince John Emeka as candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Anambra South, Central and North senatorial districts. Counsel to the Ejike Oguebego-led Executive Committee of the PDP in Anambra State, Gordy Uche, said in Abuja on Saturday that contrary to media reports, the issue of who was the party’s candidate was never before the trial court and as such could not have formed part of the issue before the appellate court. Some media reports claimed that the Court of Appeal ordered INEC to substitute the names of Uba, Okonkwo and Emeka with that of Senator Andy Uba, Uche Ekwunife and Stella Oduah as the PDP candidates. Uche said the background was based on the judgment by Justice Kekemeke of the FCT High Court, in the case between Emma Mbamalu and Chuks Okoye. He said Mbamalu and Okoye were not parties in the case and that when Oguebego learnt of the case and they (Oguebego and Okoye) applied to the court to be joined as interested parties, the court refused to join

Okonkwo: I remain PDP candidate

HE Senator Annie Okonkwo Campaign Organisation has said he (Okonkwo) remains the authentic Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Anambra Central. In a statement by the campaign organisation signed by Collins Steve Ugwu, it said Okonkwo has not been replaced. The statement reads: “For the avoidance of doubt and to keep the records straight, we make bold to state categorically and to inform our supporters that Senator Annie Okonkwo at this moment remains the candidate for Anambra Central on PDP’s platform. “The Court of Appeal ruling that has been so recklessly adapted to this comical orchestra to purport that our distinguished From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

them, and went ahead with the matter. Uche said his clients later approached the same court, presided over by Justice Kekemeke to grant them leave to appeal against the judgment it gave in the case. The judge refused and in his ruling, he went into another issue which was not what was before him, by saying the tenure of Oguebego and his executive had lapsed. He went on: “But then, normally and legally judgments bind the parties before it. This Court of Appeal in its judgment tried to take the position now although they were not parties to the suit then, that the suit concerned the PDP in Anambra State, the one before Kekemeke

Senator Okonkwo has been replaced as the candidate never made such consequential order. Rather, it cautiously reaffirmed his eminent position as the party’s candidate by returning everyone to status quo ante bellum. This status quo is that ‘the validly elected PDP candidate for Anambra Central, whose name is validly submitted to INEC and whose validity shall subsist is Senator Okonkwo’. “We appreciate the goodwill of our supporters, who have sustained and energised our campaign momentum so far, despite the irritations we must accommodate, just as we welcome those campaigning for us. But we insist such entertainment should have character, not tasteless falsehood.”

but that is not the law because there were specific parties before Kekemeke and who the court also refused to grant leave to appeal. This judgment has nothing to do with the delegates’ lists. “It has nothing to do with the candidates whose name have been sent to INEC and another very important thing you should remember is that these candidates whose names have been submitted to INEC were not parties to either the case before Justice Kekemeke or the appeal before the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Appeal cannot now make an order to remove somebody whose name has already been sent to INEC. “You also remember the provision of the Electoral

Act that once somebody’s name has been submitted to INEC, that it cannot be substituted or removed even by INEC except the person is dead or he resigns willingly, which is not the situation here. “These people whose names have been submitted are not dead, neither have they withdrawn from the race. So there is no way that judgment could be said to operate against these candidates. At worst, with relation to the Anambra State Executive Committee of the party, it brings the parties back to the status quo as if the judgment never existed, it does not mean that the primaries were never conducted or that their names ought to have been submitted in the

first place. “It is also noteworthy that as at the time the matter was pending at the trial court, the primaries have not been held. So the issue of primaries was not what was before the trial court and cannot now be what is before the appellate court. Because an appeal is merely an appeal from the issues before the trial, so the issue of candidates was never before the trial, the issue was whether the PDP can be allowed to set up a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the state executive committee, whose tenure was still subsisting. “In previous decisions of these courts, including the Federal High Court Port Harcourt Division, they have all held that the tenure of the Oguebeho-led executive is still subsisting that the national body does not have the powers to appoint a caretaker committee. “So the issue being bandied about that INEC should remove Chris Uba, Prince John Emeka and Senator Annie Okonkwo was never before the Court of Appeal. INEC cannot even go ahead to act, based on that judgment because as at Friday, my clients, Oguebego and Chuks Okoye, have filed an appeal before the Supreme Court and also filed an application for a stay of execution.”

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

FOREIGN NEWS

Japan seizes Syria-bound journalist’s passport

APAN’S authorities have seized the passport of a journalist planning to travel to Syria, local media say. It was necessary to confiscate Yuichi Sugimoto’s passport in order to protect his life, the authorities said. The 59-year-old photographer, who had planned to enter Syria on 27 February, described the move as a threat to the freedom of press. Two Japanese hostages were killed by Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria in January. However, Mr Sugimoto

told reporters that he had no intention to visit areas controlled by IS. It is said to be the first time the Japanese government has taken such a step. The foreign ministry says it is in accordance with a provision in the country’s passport law, that allows a confiscation in order to protect the passport holder’s life. Mr Sugimoto, who has covered conflict zones in Iraq and Syria before, insists he has always taken precautions and retreated when in danger. “What happens to my freedom to travel and freedom of

the press?” he told the Japanese paper Asahi Shimbun. He said he was planning to travel to Turkey before entering Syria with a former soldier who had previously worked for Kenji Goto, a fellow journalist who was taken hostage, and killed in Syria last month. A second Japanese citizen, Haruna Yukawa, was also kidnapped and killed by IS militants. After the handling of the hostage crisis, approval ratings for the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have gone up, recent polls show.

Recovered AirAsia bodies hit 100

NDONESIAN crews pulled out more bodies following last year’s crash of an AirAsia jet, raising the total to 100 so far, authorities said yesterday. Of the 100 bodies recovered, 72 have been identified, police said. Efforts are underway to identify the remaining victims.

international community. “The successful conduct of these polls would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and enable the country to continue to play a leading role in the promotion of regional peace and security,” he said. Lagos lawyer Femi Falana said the security chiefs who said they could not guarrantee security for the poll could be tried for treason. In an open letter yesterday, Falana said: “Since the President could not persuade the National Assembly to pass a resolution for tenure elongation on spurious grounds, the service chiefs allowed themselves to be manipulated to subvert the democratic process. “Thus, by causing the election to be postponed, the National Security Adviser (NSA) and the security chiefs have staged a coup against the Constitution. “They are liable to be prosecuted for the grave offence of treason at the appropriate time.” He added: “If the satanic Boko Haram sect is not defeated by the armed forces of the republics of Chad, Cameroon and Niger in the next six weeks, the security chiefs are likely to ask for another postponement of the general elections on the grounds that the operations in the Northeast have not been successfully concluded. “As such extension cannot be accommodated under the Electoral Act and the Constitution the democratic process may be terminated by the security chiefs to pave the way for the much-touted Interim national government.” Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko called for the resignation of the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police for orchestrating the shift in the elections. The governor said: “All the ser-

vice chiefs and the IGP should resign now for dereliction of their duties as they have failed the nation and Nigerians. “The shift in dates was orchestrated by the PDP but the action is just akin to the fruitless efforts of a sinking ship or a dying person. “They should therefore honourably resign as they could not guarantee safety of Nigerians on election days as their statutory and civic duties. “How can the Boko Haram and a myriad of security challenges, which have been bedeviling Nigeria for some years be solved in paltry 36 days. “All of us should be patriotic and pious enough to put Nigeria first above our egocentric and diabolical interests,” Wamakko, urged. He said the APC and its members were law-abiding; “hence, abhor any acts capable of causing a breach of the peace and unity.” Gen. Buhari’s running mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said President Jonathan should resign or be impeached for his failure to secure the country. In a tweet on his handle @Prof Osinbajo, he said “If the president says ‘I’ve lost the capacity to guarantee the security of lives and property’, it’s certainly an impeachable offence. “If a government needs to put adverts in the (news) papers, to advertise what they’ve done after six years, then there’s a big problem. “My personal reaction (to the polls shift) was one of disgust. I was disgusted that government chose to be so devious. “All former Heads of States agreed: if the insurgency is happening in 14 LGAs, surely the elections can go on? “It’s ironic that in many countries where insurgencies happen, elections go on, Nigerian troops keep the peace there. “PVCs collection in Adamawa

and Yobe, where there is insurgency, is over 70%. ”We’re becoming accustomed to the impunity of this government. And I think it’s so sad that they would go against the wishes of the people. “ Also speaking on a radio programme monitored in Lagos yesterday, Osinbajo said: “I think it’s so sad that they would go against the wishes of the people. “There has never been 100 per cent Permanent Voter Card collection. Ekiti and Osun states; less than 60 per cent, all of a sudden, the government is concerned.” Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi accused the Presidency of “polluting the military” to facilitate the polls shift against the wishes of Nigerians. “It was apparent that the military and presidency boxed INEC to a tight corner by merchants of retrogression to get the postponement to achieve their devilish motives. “I believe what we are expected to do as democrats must be those things that would strengthen democracy. For military to be saying that it would overcome insurgency it had failed to curtail in five years. Is that not standing logic on its head? You could see that Nigerians are very unhappy. “To me, this is more of a civilian coup against democracy because for military to have said that it cannot provide security for INEC top prosecute the election implies that it is hands in gloves with the presidency. This is a travesty and a danger to our democracy. “Military is a product of Nigeria and not the father of Nigeria and it must do everything to protect this democracy.” The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) also flayed the polls shift. ASUU President Dr Nasir Fagge told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the

with the banned Muslim Brotherhood. Mr Greste was freed a week ago. A decree issued by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi last November allows the deportation of foreign prisoners. Mr Fahmy, who held dual Canadian and Egyptian citizenship,

postponement has been going on for the past five years or so. What is the likelihood that in six weeks time, the security situation will be different from what it is today? “Again, what exactly is the numerical strength of the Nigerian Army and security agencies in Nigeria, such that they cannot continue their military activities in the North as well as provide necessary cover for the elections? “Is it that Nigerian Army is so weak and decimated that it cannot face offensives on the different fronts simultaneously? There are endless questions to be asked,” Oguntade said. Ajibade believes the Federal Government is playing a dangerous game that could precipitate a serious constitutional

crisis. To him, it is not expected that INEC’s decision should be compelled by advice received from agencies of the government in power. “This derogates from the supposed independence of INEC and leaves it at the mercy of the government of the day. “There is no reason to believe that the reasons adduced for compelling this postponement, viz. the security situation in the Northeast of the country and a consequent shortage of military personnel will abate in six seeks, so what then? A permanent postponement until the security situation abates? To Ngige, INEC has shown Nigeria to be a “never-ready country of unserious people where anything goes.” Keyamo described the post-

ponement as the ruling party imposing its will on the umpire. “What started as a joke when the NSA flew the election postponement kite in London has become an ugly reality. The implication of this is that Nigerians should be vigilant from now on,” he added. Other lawyers said INEC was almost helpless and could not have gone ahead with the elections without security backing. Nwobike said: “In this instance, INEC has, through its chairman, adduced some reasons for postponing the election. Whether or not those reasons are compelling and verifiable cannot be questioned by public opinion. “What we should all do is to continue to have confidence in INEC and the electoral process.

renounced his Egyptian nationality this week in an attempt to secure his release. Egyptian and Canadian officials had indicated that he would be deported to Canada. Mr Mohamed is an Egyptian who holds no dual nationality.

Buhari begs Nigerians Continued from page 4

•Falana

security issue which the shifting of the polls was predicated on, was not sufficient. He expressed doubt if the six weeks extension would be enough to tackle the security issue. “However, if the election umpire has been convinced enough to have the elections postponed, especially as it concerns security, then let us give them the benefit of doubt. “All I can say at this point is to call on Nigerians to organise themselves very well and keep their eyes open. “I also want to seize this opportunity to appeal to them to use this period to ensure that they collect their voter cards and ensure that they do not only vote but also ensure that their votes count,” Dr. Fagge said. TUC President Bobboi Bala Kaigama described the postponement as “a great setback capable of truncating the country’s frail peace. The Congress urged Nigerians to remain calm and desist from violence. “We therefore charge the security agencies to put their acts together to return the country to the path of peace devoid of security challenges that may serve as another set of excuses for further postponement. The national institutions must not be trivialised on the altar of politics. ”We wish to reiterate that the swearing in date (May 29) is sacrosanct to avoid plunging the country into constitutional crisis,” TUC said.

solve and commitment to rescue our country from the current economic and social collapse from this desperate band. “Our desire for change must surpass their desperation to hold on to power at all cost. We are clearly dealing with people who feel they can get away with placing their personal interest over those of our nation and its citizens. What is at stake is the very survival of our country. We must not allow this temporary delay to abort this great opportunity. “ While I share the pains and frustration of my fellow citizens over this development, my deep faith in the democratic process assures me that this country, with your support, will overcome. “We must remain resolute and rise above all provocations. We must continue to trust in the entire democratic process and in INEC, which has been brought under so much pressure in the last few days.” But, said Gen. Buhari, the APC will no longer tolerate any interference with the democratic process. He added: “Our trust can only serve to encourage the electoral body to remain steadfast and remain committed to the rule of law. I wish to state strongly that our party will not tolerate any further interference with the electoral process. The rescheduled elections of March 28th and April 11th, 2015 must be sacrosanct. “Nigeria is definitely greater than any of us, and much more important than our individual ambitions. Before us there was Nigeria, and long after we are gone there will still be Nigeria. Let us continue to do our part to make it the great country that it should be. We must rescue our dear country. God being on our

Service chiefs have failed Nigeria on security, say lawyers Continued from page 4

the co-pilot was flying the jet as the more experienced pilot monitored the flight. Things may have gone wrong in a span of three minutes and 20 seconds, triggering a stall warning that sounded until it crashed into the Java Sea, according to Indonesia’s transportation officials.

Al Jazeera journalists for retrial

OHAMED Fahmy and Baher Mohamed were sentenced to seven and 10 years respectively last June. A court ordered a retrial last month. They were arrested in 2013 along with Australian colleague Peter Greste after being accused of collaborating

NEWS Jonathan, service chiefs under fire Continued from page 4

AirAsia Flight 8501 plunged into the sea on December 28 as it flew from the Indonesian city of Surabaya toward Singapore. It had 162 people on board. Divers resumed their attempt to lift up the fuselage of the Airbus jet on Sunday after earlier attempts failed. Before the plane crashed,

In doing so, it behooves the political class and the political parties to manage the information that they feed their followers and members. Prof Fagbohun believes INEC should be given the benefit of the doubt. “The reason why this particular shift of date has become contentious and of concern to Nigerians is that there is suspicion of political meddling and interference in this latest decision of INEC,” he said, adding: “The responsibility of the Commission is to protect the suffrage rights of the people. To a very large extent and as far as humanly possible, INEC, in my view, has maintained a decent arm’s-length relationship with the administration. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mrs Funke Adekoya, said the excuse that the military

will be engaged in special operations for six weeks and so cannot guarantee security during the polls is not tenable. She said the army’s role is to protect Nigeria against external aggression, while the police focuses on enforcing civil obedience, including during elections. She said: “Two issues concern me; firstly is the military’s first function to provide internal security in the country. Their first function is to protect us from external aggression. “What happened to the Nigeria Police Force whose main role is to provide internal security? The military is to provide internal back-up, they are not the main actors. “Secondly, if in six weeks time the military say they are still engaged with Boko Horam what happens to our elections?”

side, we shall salvage Nigeria together. God Bless Nigeria!” Gen. Buhari, who responded to questions from journalists, insisted that the shift was a delay tactic by the Presidency and the PDP. He said: “I am a member of the Council of State and INEC gave us a comprehensive plan of their readiness to go ahead with the elections. INEC is the body that will organise and conduct elections in this country. It is up to the government to secure INEC. “But with the military we have, if for five years the Nigerian military cannot secure 14 local governments-10 in Borno, two in Yobe and two in Adamawa-out of 774 local governments in this country, doesn’t that mean a delay tactic? What they couldn’t do in six years, can they do it in six weeks? “But again, it is absolutely clear to us that elections must be held at least 30 days before 29th of May. So, this is the last card INEC and the government has. We don’t know the type of government they want to bring, whether a military government or a civilian government. But an elected government must be in place 30 days before May 29 this year. “We will not tolerate any further interference because it is constitutional. INEC has played its last card. “If you listened to the explanation of the Chairman of INEC, 30 days to 29th of May, elections must be held and having shifted the date, to March 28 and April 11, that is the last card. So, the Federal Government has to secure this country on the 28th of March and 11th of April respectively for the election to take place. “Otherwise, whatever they do is going to be unconstitutional and it is up to Nigerians to accept or reject it.” At the briefing were the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the DirectorGeneral of APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Governor Rotimi Amaechi; a former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Abia State Governor, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, a former Gombe State governor, Senator Danjuma Goje, ex-Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki, former Anambra State Governor, Chris Ngige, Deputy National Chairman (South) Chief Segun Oni, Deputy National Chairman (North) Lawal Shuaibu, National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, Director of Organisation, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Boss Mustapha, a member of the House of Representatives Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, former Secretary of INEC, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, ex-National Chairman of ACN, Chief Audu Ogbe, and a former acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje.

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

CITYBEATS A Row over Ayangburen stool

ROW has broken out over the selection of Odofin of Ikorodu, Chief Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, as the Ayangburen-designate. Some members of the Lasunwon Ruling House to which he belongs are claiming that he emerged the oba-elect in breach of an existing pact. Under the agreement which was entered as consent judgment in a 2007 suit before an Ikorodu High Court, Shotobi and the Adegorunshen branch of the ruling house were said to “have conceded that they would have no right in fu-

•Ruling house rejects kingmakers’ choice Shotobi and the Adegorun•‘I was validly selected’ shen branch of Lasunwon By Kunle Akinrinade

ture to the next chieftaincy title that is due and available to Lasunwon ruling house.” The ruling house became eligible to fill the Ayangburen of Ikorodu stool following the death of Oba Salaudeen Oyefusi last August.

Despite the challenge from some quarters, Shotobi is insisting that he was validly chosen by the kingmakers with his family’s support. The ruling house’s General Secretary, Chief Mukaila Adekogbe, and aggrieved members of its Lambo Lasunwon, Odujumo Araba/Ewejube and Odusajo branches, accused Shotobi of breaching the said agreement. In a statement, they said: “Consequent upon the demise of Oba Oyefusi on August 2, 2014, the chieftaincy stool of Ayangburen became vacant. Succession to the throne is governed by the declaration made under Section 4(2) of the Chiefs Law 1957 regulating the selection to the Ayangburen chieftaincy. “One of the aspirants to the throne is Chief Shotobi, who succeeded to his present title of Odofin of Ikorodu upon the terms of settlement signed by the parties in suit No IKD/57/2007. Chief Shotobi was the defendant while the Lambo branch of Lasunwon ruling house was the claimant. “To avoid an imminent defeat in the said suit, Chief

Ruling House conceded that the claimants would have no right in future to the next chieftaincy title that is due and available to Lasunwon ruling house. The present tussle is caused by the misconception of Chief Shotobi and his supporters as to what the word “chieftaincy” embraces. His view is that the stool of Ayangburen is not included in the word “chieftaincy”. He is in error. “We, the Lambo branch; Odujumo Araba/ Owujebe branch and Odusajo branch of Lasunwon Ruling House, predicate our stand on the definition of the word “chieftaincy”. We therefore hold that the kingmakers who are fully aware of the consent judgment quoted above are desirous to upset the applecart. This is mischievous and we urge the government of Lagos State to call the Ikorodu kingmakers to order so as to avoid a repeat of the disaster of 1952 which engulfed Ikorodu after the demise of Oba Adenaike Alagbe.” Dismissing the allegations as baseless, Shotobi said: “The kingmakers have confirmed me as the Oba-elect. If the kingmakers have cho-

sen me as the candidate for the stool, who else would say anything contrary to upturn their decision? “The Lasunwon Ruling House is made up of four branches and I come from Adegorunshen branch of the ruling house. It was a keenly contested race as other branches presented their candidates to the kingmakers; at the end of the selection exercise I was picked by the kingmakers as the best candidate for the throne.” A member of his family, Chief Sunday Ogede, said due process was followed in selecting Shotobi. The outcome of the exercise, he said, had been forwarded to the state government through Ikorodu Local Government, describing the controversial agreement which allegedly disqualifies Shotobi from the stool as being misrepresented by the aggrieved party. “The purported agreement mentioned by those against Shotobi does not encompass ascension to the stool of Ayangburen because there are other chieftaincy titles members of the family are entitled to occupy such as Adegoruwa and Otunba of Ikorodu. Obas and Chiefs Law of Lagos State, Cap 02,1979, defines a chief as a person whose chieftaincy title is associated with

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

•Shotobi

a native community but lower than of an Oba. An Oba, as defined by the same section of the law says that an Oba “is the paramount traditional ruler of a native community recognised as such by the government under any law and includes Aholu (of Badagry). Besides, the progenitor of the ruling house, Lasunwon, was once the holder of Odofin title and he later became the monarch of Ikorodu and he did not relinquish the former title. Another instance was that of Oba Ladega, who was the Adegoruwa of Ikorodu and did not resign from office before he later became the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, “he added.

Do the right thing, Lagosians told

PIRIT of Lagos, a nonpolitical, non-religious organisation dedicated to behavioural transformation, has begun a state-wide road tour to sell its Do The Right Thing campaign to the people. Its ambassadors have been visiting parks, markets,major bus stops and terminals in all local government areas of the state, urging people to embrace democracy and orderliness. The group’s Project Director, Olaniyi Omotoso, said:

By Basirat Braimah

“We are out in the streets to urge Lagosians to change those attitudes that negate the spirit of Lagos. We are letting them know that it is wrong for people to dispose their waste arbitrarily; it is wrong for people to dash across the roads where there are pedestrian bridges; it is wrong for people to evade taxes and so on and so forth. “As the elections are around the corner, the people need to collect their Per-

manent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote according to their conscience, and not along their primordial or parochial sentiments. The people of Lagos must be actively involved in the process of electing those who will be in positions of authority. It is part of their civic responsibility. “The Spirit of Lagos, since its inception, has championed attitudinal change campaigns as a way of restoring sanity to Lagos State.

“Before this current campaign of ‘Do The Right Thing’, we had ‘CHANGE YOUR THINKING’ campaign which has the primary objective of restoring those unique values that made Lagos a safe, just, prosperous and neighbourly place to live in and visit in the past”. The team has visited Mushin market, Ojodu Berger, Ijesha Bus Stop, PakoAguda, Festac, Ajegunle, Oke Ira in Ogba, Anthony and Okokomaiko among many other places.

Customs intercepts eight ‘car smugglers’

IGERIAN Customs Service (NCS) officials have arrested eight suspected smugglers in Ogun State while ferrying cars into the country. The suspects were handed over to the police following their arrest in the bush path of Idiroko in Ipokia Local Government Area of Ogun state.

By Kunle Akinrinade

Ogun Area Customs Command spokesman Mr Usman Abubakar said the command recorded significant seizures last month, adding: “A total of 84 seizures with total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N81, 246, 069 were made in January 2015 as against 80 seizures recorded in January 2014. Our men have been carrying

out their statutory duty towards reducing smuggling in the state.” “Apart from arresting car smugglers, the command has further stepped up its war against smugglers of rice and sundry items on land and sea as we sometimes collaborate with men of the Western Marine Command in Lagos to intercept and pre-

vent rice smugglers from using waterways within our territory to carry out their illicit business. “This is to further sound a note of warning to smugglers to desist from the act as our men are more than ready to contain their activities which are inimical to the economic progress of our country,” he added.

•From right: Oniba of Ibaland in Lagos State, Oba Goriola Oseni; Executive Secretary, Iba Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Isiaka Yaya; Council Manager, Mr Emmanuel Aina and Iba LCDA’s All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Tunde Lawal at a stakeholders’ forum on budget at the council’s secretariat

THE NATION MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL 10 NO 3120

TODAY IN THE NATION ‘Those things that make non-indigenes unsafe outside the boundaries of their ethnic origin, those things that mark them out for selective attack each time their hosts feel aggrieved, are the greatest impediment to our national development. They are the things to watch if we are honest with ourselves’ EMEKA OMEIHE

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

SAM OMATSEYE

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan once had a father. His name is Olusegun Obasanjo, aka Owu Chief. Father was so good to him that he schemed for him, imposed him on others, defended him against a weak and wizened man he made an elder brother to Jonathan. Predictably the elder brother passed on. Eventually, father did Goodluck the ultimate favour. He perched him on power. Son showed gratitude to father. Father gloated openly over the triumph of son. He loved the son because he seemed pliant, obeying his every caprice. With time, however, Goodluck did not have a good relationship with father. He looked at the reign of Obasanjo and saw how independent he was, how he flexed his taut and crackling political muscles. He wanted to be like him. But he discovered that they had different traits. He could not perform the press-ups and other political regimens exercises like father. Father is a bull, bullying, hectoring and riding roughshod. He is of a different breed. If father is bull, he loves another kind of creature, the one that does not shout or snarl, that leaves no mark where it inflicts damages, the feline, subterranean, slithering, sinuous, singeing masterpiece of the bush. The snake, that is. He had to have another father. Quietly he divorced his father, and adopted another one, from the past. His name is Maradona. The difference though is that the Maradona he wanted to adopt was a colourful man, a soldier who had quotable quotes like “we should use what we have to get what we want,” which was a code for corruption. Or that he is “the evil genius.” He also had an elegant wife, even if many thought her a beautiful shrew. Goodluck does not have the panache, that dramatic flair. His marries a woman without any of the attributes of elegance or taste or refined breeding. His speeches are droll, quotable only for their lack of insights and puerility. For instance, he says, “Boko Haram will go away someday” or “I am not Pharaoh…” Or “I don’t give a damn.” But he loved the essentials of the man Maradona. He loved the art of deception, which is what snakes have in common with generals. IBB was a general who basked in deception until he deceived himself out of power. When you bring deception to governance, you go very far like the snake though. The Owu Chief sulked quietly in his Ota farm before he started writing letters in his usual flourish and showing openly that storm brewed in the once halcyon family, and father and son no longer hugged or backslapped. Scowls now reigned where smiles bloomed. Perhaps that explained why he visited his father recently. He wanted to hone the skills of deception from the father-master. The father rejoiced in his Minna mansion at the visit of the son. He played his Maradona game, by first adopting Jonathan, then renouncing

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In fact, HOLY GHOST FIRE!!! Consume them, plus the MONEY

IN TOUCH

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

•Winner, Informed Commentary (DAME)

The ambush ’ •Dr. Jonathan

•Prof. Jega

him by saying his corruption makes mincemeat of his own fabled rottenness in office. Later he seemed to adopt the son again. It is credit to his Maradona majesty that no one can say for sure if he backs Jonathan or not. In the last Council of States meeting, he pitched his tents against Jonathan’s generals who said they did not want Jega to go ahead with the polls. Maradona father knows how to tread without footprints. But Jonathan has been playing true to his new father. In the now contentious issue of postponed elections, he began by playing the game like his new father. He met with United States Secretary of State John Kerry who suggested that it was not proper to postpone the polls. Jonathan the faithful Maradona did not say he disagreed about election date. He simply said he would hand over on May 29. Just then, his National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, trotted to Chatham House in London where our governors and sundry politicians like to flaunt their credentials. He, a national security adviser, did not speak about security issues in the upcoming polls. He lamented over Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that were not in enough hands for the elections. The presidency still said they were going to the polls on February 14. INEC chief Attahiru Jega assured the nation that he was ready for the polls and that 96 per cent of the PVCs had been sent to the states, while at least 66 per cent had been delivered to prospective voters. When the PVC debate slipped out of the hands

When in March Jonathan and his men still know they are headed for a defeat, they would still raise the spectre of insecurity... I foresee a Jega resignation or ouster of some kind, and a struggle between those who want the constitution and those who don’t

‘

of the PDP, they began to shift the debate to security. Elements from the PDP began to suggest that February 14 was unrealistic. We should put it off. Reason: insecurity in the Northeast. Jega said most of the Northeast was not in the hands of Boko Haram. Even though the national average of persons with PVCs was 66 per cent, the average in the Northeast was over 70 per cent in Gombe, Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. In the Council of States meeting, only the service chiefs and Jonathan and the PDP governors did not want the elections. Former heads of state and chief justices and APC governors wanted it to go ahead. The whitlow of the west was singled out as pro-Jonathan, anti-election, anti-people henchman in the

HARDBALL

ARDBALL demurred. The original, or if you like, the instinctive title of this piece was “Agbata ekee elders on the prowl”. But one thought it would be too restrictive. It was changed to “Elders on the prowl”, but that seemed too tepid and too susceptible to being overlooked as it did not quite carry the message. Well, the survivor, “Elders for sale”, is the compromise candidate. But you know what they say that if it is not the original, though it may not be fake, it ain’t the original. Agbata ekee is Igbo colloquial phrase which roughly translated means: to share illegal gains or booty. It can also be interpreted as commissioned agents. Yoruba has a similar but more sinister version of the same phrase known as apa pin. Short, bullet-shaped and morbidly penetrating, it roughly translates to ‘slaughter and share’. In the sense of savage hunters and also in the sense of putting down national patrimony and parceling it. This is the feeling one gets these days as we cruise inexorably to election day. It is actually a season of endorsements and all manner of groups are hawking the ‘hot’ commodity to anyone who would pay. Well, all is also fair in

Elders for sale politics you may say but when supposedly respectable elders who are supposed to be our guiding light in times of national crisis are neck-deep in it, then there is cause for alarm. Examples are numerous but let’s highlight a few. Afenifere, an influential Yoruba group led by eminent men and women, have long endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan. Their reason? He is the only person who can implement the decisions of the National Conference. Sounds like a baby babbling, abi? Ohaneze, the Igbo socio-cultural group, has been boiling in the cauldron of its own insouciance for some time now – endorsing and de-endorsing until it does not even matter to anyone anymore. Last Friday, in one national newspaper, a page 7 report had, “ Ohaneze fails to endorse any candidate,” while a full page colour advertorial on page 44, apparently from another faction endorsed President Jonathan. Igbo ‘leaders’ scrambling for a pot of porridge. Ndigbo Lagos, the inconsequential group with hardly any influence, has also declared a

meeting. His name is Olusegun Mimiko, otherwise known as the quisling governor of Ondo State. Insistent, the president sent out his mouthpiece, the voluble Doyin Okupe, - who was recently disgraced in a church - who showed that the president was afraid of the polls. He said one area was outside the powers of INEC: security. So the trump card was eventually in the open. When a snake wants to strike it will show itself since it is not a spirit. This newspaper reported on Saturday that the President demanded a sixweek postponement from Jega. That very day, Jega announced that he was putting the polls off by six weeks. The witch cried last night and the child died this morning. Who does not know the connection? In times of crisis, people show their true colours. We know the president cannot hide his false meekness. He can go to as many churches as he pleases and tell the Christians that he does not want to campaign as though he is talking to fools. We know the president was afraid of the polls all along. We know wolves in sheep clothing. He has come out, like autumnal leaves, in true colours. We should realise that Jega was coerced to change the polls dates, no matter what the INEC chief says. Jonathan withdrew security by letting his collaborating cowards of service chiefs declare they cannot work for the elections. Jonathan is the commander-in-chief. He it is who has abdicated his first duty to the citizens. The service chiefs only played along. Jega could not answer the question as to whether he could guarantee that the elections would take place on March 28. He alluded to the constitution, which mandates an election a month before May 29. Nigeria is, apparently, relying on Chad and Cameroun who have turned the giant of Africa’s army into a dwarf of cowardice in battle. Smaller neighbours have become the Samson and David of the war on terror. Does that guarantee that they will sweep Boko Haram out by March 28? The Americans with all their sophistication have said it will take years to defeat Islamic State in the Middle East. Jonathan says six weeks. I foresee a constitutional quagmire that will bring the nation to brinkmanship, if not to its knees. When in March Jonathan and his men still know they are headed for a defeat, they would still raise the spectre of insecurity. They would invoke the doctrine of necessity and say that they want the constitution changed so that we can get more time to prepare for elections. May 29 will no longer be sacrosanct. I foresee a Jega resignation or ouster of some kind, and a struggle between those who want the constitution and those who don’t. What we see today is a president who is running away from a time. But he cannot run away from time. He is running away from the people also. But both time and people will catch up with him. Maradona did same, postponed election after election and handover dates after handover dates. Eventually, the inviolate voice of the people spoke. Time always overthrows tyrants.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above blanket endorsement; so is another mushroom body called Igbo Leaders of Thought, which is a racket run by barely half a dozen people. It has neither leadership nor thought and its endorsement would ordinarily not add any value to any candidate. But endorsement happens to be a seasonal business so they might as well make the best of the season. No one seems to be immune to the political flu being spread by the biggest party in Black Africa. Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, needed a quick back flip and a touch of equivocation to catch the attention of the gravy train. In a ‘bold’ interview he had said that he was not sure he would vote his party’s presidential candidate. And pronto, Mr. Candidate dashed to the hilltop and swiftly, the ‘oracle; on the hilltop upped the ante by equivocating some more. “Nigeria under Jonathan is in safe hands,” he fobbed. But can you beat this: One child of his leads the campaign for PDP and another for APC; all in Niger State. Pure genius you say? Well with elders like this, you can only have a country like Nigeria?

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