The Nation February 22, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

Buhari meets Tony Blair Speaks at Chatham House –Page 5

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

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CAPTURED

Overly tight cheap underpants force Canada MP out of his seat

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ANADIAN legislator Pat Martin has offered up one of the most original excuses ever heard for hurriedly running out of the House of Commons during a vote, his new cheap pair of underpants was too tight.

Martin, who belongs to the official opposition New Democrats, bolted as members of Parliament began to rise one by one to vote. He later blamed his departure on an unwise purchase at a local store.

"They had men's underwear on for half price and I bought a bunch that was clearly too small for me. I find it difficult to sit for any length of time," he told the chamber to guffaws and applause from fellow legislators.

Martin, one of the more colourful Canadian members of Parliament, did return in time to cast his vote.

Highway of filth A lady navigating her way on a rickety makeshift footbridge on a filthy route in the backstreet of Otto area of Iddo, Lagos. Here man and animal struggle for passage in the face of cholera and other diseases outbreak.

Photo: MUYIWA HASSAN

BAROMETER sunday@thenationonlineng.net

PDP exit: Obasanjo at his enigmatic best

No, military has learnt little

By ADEKUNLE ADE-ADELEYE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

COLUMN

The junta and the hunters (Power formations and hegemonic politics)

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HESE are grave times in Nigeria. Once the hope of Black Africa, it has taken a postponed election to further expose the vulnerabilities of its major institutions. Increasingly besieged and embattled, the Nigerian government is beginning to look like a civilian junta. Of course, a civilian junta is an absurd and oxymoronic formulation; a generic contradiction in terms.

But something new always comes out of Africa. A junta is normally a military tyranny organised and run by military men who do not pretend to be democrats. But where a civilian government drops all the paraphernalia and pretences to civil rule, where the military knuckle assumes critical dominance in the formulation and execution of state policies, then a civilian junta is in active process.

The Nigerian political elite have never been this divided and polarised along ethnic, religious and regional fault lines. But somebody has to be in charge either to reunite the country or to preside over its momentous disintegration whichever may be the case. A civilian junta is in place when in response to grave pressures, an elected ruler, acting in concert and conspiracy with the ranking military echelons, cedes actual and virtual power to the armed forces in order to retain his office and for as long as possible. For such a man, ruling from an armoured car may be preferable to yielding power to opposition elements, It is a very dangerous combination of delusion of grandeur and power psychosis. Africans are more accustomed to the phenomenon of civilian despotism, a situation in which an authoritarian ruler and strongman gathers all the reins of power, particularly the military and security forces, to unleash untrammeled autocracy on the nation . The clearest and classic example of civilian despotism in Nigeria's post-independence history was the eight-year rule of General Olusegun Obasanjo.

In post-colonial Africa, these authoritarian despots always come with a military or semi-military background. The list is endless: Joseph Mobutu, Siad Barre, Omar al-Bashir, Kerekou, Mugabe, Compaore, Nguema Mbasago, Ghaddafi, Yahya Jameh, Samuel Doe, Lansane Conte, Ben Ali , Dennis Sessou Ngueso, Idi Amin Dada, Jean-Baptiste Bokassa, Eyadema and a host of others. Their sad and dismal careers speak to the impossibility of transition from the old African society to some form of political modernity without considerable national trauma and psychic injury.

The Nigerian version of this old African drama and dilemma is as intriguing as it is fascinating. This past week, General Olusegun Obasanjo, the man who threw away the hegemony of his own party in a fit of vengeful hubris, finally blew his top and the lid off the witches brew. It was the inevitable decertification of the old sorcerer's apprentice which may well consume the apothecary itself.

In a publicly enacted ritual of terminal divorce suffused with dark symbolism, Obasanjo presided over the summary dismembering of his membership card of the ruling party. The presence of King Lear in this ominous drama of disinheritance cannot be discounted.

The Fourth Republic was tailormade for an Obasanjo presidency and appropriately built around his explosive personality by its military progenitors. It was an unstable coalition of contraries glued together by the pursuit of power

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nooping around With

Tatalo Alamu

•Jonathan

and its privileges.

But by tearing his membership card in such a violent and dramatic manner, Obasanjo may well presage the violent and dramatic end of the PDP or the Fourth Republic, as the case may be. Yet Nigerians must learn to separate the core import of Obasanjo's interventions, his deep and astute reading of political currents, from the ungainly and unstatesmanlike antics. As the late General Oluleye famously noted, the Owu general is capable of the good and the bad in equal celerity.

By comparing the endgame antics of Goodluck Jonathan to the fatal stalling and stonewalling of Laurent Gbagbo, Obasanjo might have put his finger in the heart of the matter. As we navigate dangerous and uncharted waters, this may well turn out to be an insight of genius which is not available to a classroom professor of Political Science. But the momentous clarity of mind amidst universal confusion may yet return to haunt Obasanjo himself.

Gbagbo was a typical professor of History who refused to learn from and internalise the lessons of history. His was the clearest example of a civilian junta, a military order with a civilian figurehead. He had come to the presidency by pure accident and the law of unintended consequences. The old Ivory Coast had been effectively partitioned by war.

A perpetual outsider forever mumbling superannuated Marxist mumbo jumbo, Gbagbo did not belong to any of the Ivorian major power blocks. Yet with military backing, he succeeded in playing them against each other until Henri Konan Bedie removed the rug from under him in an electoral play off by aligning the dominant hegemonic block behind Alisane Quatarra.

The rump of the old Ivorian military who could not be inconvenienced by the electorate ignored the damning verdict and swung in his favour in a final showdown. Appropriately, Laurent Gbagbo was captured in an underground bunker where he was hiding with his mistress. By then, the whole country was ablaze. Those who sow the winds must reap from the whirlwind.

Three recent instances of the antics of a civilian junta can be seen in the overt deployment of the military in the power game among contending factions as well as the unwholesome deployment of military and security forces in determining the outcome of electoral competition. They speak to a creeping and complete militarisation of governance in what is formally (or formerly?) a democratic polity.

First, was the flagrantly partisan intervention of the military

High Command in the General Buhari certificate saga. It was clear that the military kingpins were being suborned to enter a political fray in a way that would completely compromise their neutrality and the integrity of a national institution. The army should be the last custodian of national order, not subject to the whims and caprices of transient rulership.

Second, was the final say granted to the military echelons in the postponement of elections even in the face of contrary advice by the Council of State, the highest advisory body in the nation. On that august council were at least four former military heads of state.

Symbolism and totems of authority matter. In a democratic setting where the military is formally subordinated to civil authorities, the most civil and courteous thing for the military Brahmin to do would have been to inform their former commanders in chief about the dire security situation necessitating a postponement.

By formally surrendering the levers of power, authority and critical decision making to his military appointees even after the pronouncement of the Council of State, President Jonathan may have wittingly or unwittingly set in motion a chain of events which nobody can predict. More dangerous is the seed of discord this appalling indiscretion has sown among the political class.

If it had been well thought out, the shift in the polls ought to have come with a ban or firm ceiling on political campaigning and advertisement. What is unfurling with the saturation bombardment of the airwaves and the media with Jonathan's campaign jingles technically after elections ought to have been held and Jonathan's deployment of federal resources for image-burnishing trips is nothing but prefabricated rigging.

Third and even more heinous is the involvement of the military in electoral heist as seen in a recorded video that has gone global.

Mum has been the word from the authorities. Even while most of the participants have acknowledged their participation, the presidency is still in denial, claiming that the whole recording was a fabrication.

The outrage of Nigerians who have heard the tape and their irate commentaries in the social media and the internet count for nothing.

Power may get away with perversities but only in the short run. Retribution often comes from totally unexpected quarters. The subsequent interview with Captain Sagir Koli, the officer who secretly taped the unholy proceeding, spoke to some fearsome counterhegemonic rumblings within the military.

The young man came across as fearless and a tad heedless, his body language dripping with deep contempt and venom for the political class as a whole irrespective of party affiliation. If this is the mindset of that volatile stratum of the military, then God help Nigeria in the coming months.

How then did we come to this sorry pass? Whatever happened to Jonathan's pan-Nigerian mandate and the huge swell of national goodwill and affection that marked his coming to power? Jonathan's cardinal problem, it seems, stems from a fundamental incapacity to outgrow his provincial origins and antecedents. He has allowed himself to be miscued by the power sharks that captured him into confusing the advent of a nascent power formation with the arrival of a new hegemonic block. Hegemonic blocks are made of sterner and more solid stuff.

Jonathan has frittered away a golden opportunity to lay the foundation of a modern Nigeria and to become its first truly modern president. By sheer fecklessness, he has allowed the old hegemonic blocks to claw their way back to political contention in a way that has gravely imperiled his own presidential survival.

It is not a question of being a minority president but of sterling endowments. Julius Nyerere, Leopold Senghor and more recently Paul Kagame were all minority presidents in their respective nations. But they succeeded in fostering a visionary hegemonic class for their nations.

Rather than building bridges across the yawning divides of a fractious and volatile nation, Jonathan, surrounded by ethnic revanchists and the traditional carrion feeders who have no sense of proportion or proprietary, began burning bridges, isolating and alienating

dominant blocks and important stakeholders. A transient power formation can continue to delude itself that it's a new revolutionary block as long as it doesn't have to face the electorate. When the moment of truth arrives, it will learn the truth about itself.

As it is, with Jonathan increasingly relying on force and the military knuckle and with the monsoon of multitude at General Buhari's rallies waiting for the final word, only Nigeria's legendary luck can prevent a coalition of altars in a way we have not seen since the sixties. Unless a way is found out of this radical lockhorns through genuine gamesmanship, the gigantic collision and the humanitarian catastrophe that will accompany it will change the demographic complexion of West Africa forever.

It is a case of a junta and its determined hunters. The irresistible has finally come in full view of the immovable. For the first time in the history of the country, we have a civilian junta that is mortally afraid of its political and economic shadow. We also have a military High Command that dreads a ferocious backlash having been sucked into the vortex of political contention perhaps inevitably and unavoidably as a result of the political economy of fighting a dreaded insurgency. And we have their implacably determined hunters.

It is a looming Armageddon, and no one has ever been known to be a clear winner in an apocalyptic meltdown, certainly not the host society. More often than not, and in the absence of genuine revolutionary consolidators, these things end in the mutual ruination of the contending classes. It is time for the wise people in this beleaguered nation to put on their thinking cap.

No nation has been known to survive the combination of economic, political and religious upheavals.

The passage to Den Haag

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ND whilst we are still on the subject of a looming apocalypse, we will like to use this occasion to warn those who are feverishly fanning the embers of tribal and religious animosities in this country with their hate-suffused adverts, their puerile and malignant leaflets directed against particular tribes and religions and the inane drivels of ethnic jingoism from their television and radio stations. The world has become a global village and they are taking note of the genocidal imbecilities of these outpourings by the merchants of hate and mosquitoes of political passion in our midst.

Never in the history of political campaigns in Nigeria have things degenerated to this terrible level of ethnic and religious hatemongering. No one seems to be exempt: from old people who ought to know better and callow youths in want of better civic training. The avalanche of malicious ethnic categorisations and misanthropic bĂŞtise on the internet and the social media makes one squirm in horror and grim premonition.

Everyone is fair game in this campaign of base calumny, including our most revered national icons and globally acclaimed citizens. It is not a good time to be a proud Nigeria.

It may well be that it is the return of the repressed. But more

likely, it is the case of a society seized by Lilliputian leaders who try to drag everybody to their miserable level. It is good to remember that the Rwandan genocide did not begin with the assassination in a plane crash of the Hutu president.

It was preceded and accompanied by hate broadcasts and lethal leaflets urging people to exterminate "nyenze"-- an abominable term for humanity transformed to insects--and for tall trees to be cut down.

Yet, it was not always like that even in Rwanda. According to Mahmood Mamdani, the notable Uganda scholar and many others, "Hutu" and "Tutsi" were becoming interchangeable economic rather than ethnic categories before disaffected lower middle class colonial interlopers arrived to recast the class divisions in their home country with the politics of ethnic identity in their conquered territory. Indeed, there was a ceremony known as "Kwahutura" which meant the shedding of "Hutuness" once the cattle holding multiplied and prosperity arrived.

Snooper has news for those who are fanning the embers of religious, regional and tribal hatred in Nigeria. There is no hiding place for felons. Their names are being complied. When the apocalyptic meltdown arrives, they will spend a long stretch in international incarceration.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

NEWS

Jonathan in trouble over Abuja land deal

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ESPITE moves to improve his sliding campaign fortunes, President Goodluck Jonathan is battling to explain all he knows about a multibillion dollar farm which a non g o v e r n m e n t a l organisation (NGO) says belongs to him in alleged violation of the 1999 Constitution.

But a pro-Jonathan group, New Generation Coalition says the constitution allows a public officer to engage in farming. It also alleged that exPresident Olusegun Obasanjo also benefited from Abuja-Land -ForFarms grab while in office to engage in farming.

According to an NGO , Purpose Driven Initiative (PDI), the farm was incorporated on December 30, 2011 barely seven months after he was sworn in as president for his current tenure which he wants Nigerians to renew.

The farm is about 94,04 hectare plot of land along the highway leading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The group said in adverts in some papers last Friday : “ Let us talk about corruption. This is how the Nigerian government conducts business and fights corruption.

“A sitting President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, incorporated a company, Ebele Integrated Farms Limited in which he is a major shareholder on December 30, 2011.

“Ebele Integrated Farms Limited applied for and was granted 94.04 hectare plot of land, 1689 in Cadastral

•Pro-govt coalition says constitution allows farming •President, Obasanjo in proxy war FROM: Bello Imam, Abuja

Zone EOS Aviation Village, Abuja on January 13, 2014.

“Under the Fifth Schedule Part 1( Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitution, Section 1, ‘a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.’

“Do we need any more evidence of how the Jonathan administration has been fighting or will fight corruption.”

Investigation revealed that crocodiles are some of the livestocks being reared at the aquatic farm.

A source said: “The farm house sits on a hill top overlooking the airport at the nation’s capital with rest chalets and presidential conference rooms.

“I think the farm may worth about $500m when completed. It is believed to being managed by some Israeli experts. As part of the plans, a helipad may be established on the farm, which may be solely export-oriented.”

The whistle-blowing group also alleged that the Minister of FCT, Mallam Bala Mohammed, has abused his office and violated the 1999 Constitution by incorporating Bird Trust Agro-Allied Limited on May 31, 2012.

“The company, Bird Trust Agro-Allied Limited then applied for and was given(by

the same FCT that the major shareholder, Bala Mohammed, heads) a 40.4 hectares, plot 1683 in Cadastral Zone E05 of Aviation Village in Abuja on April 11, 2014,”the group said.

Rising in defence of the President and the minister, the progovernment coalition said Obasanjo enjoyed the same perks while in office.

It said: “Is it corruption?As a sitting President, Olusegun Obasanjo incorporated a company, Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited.

Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited applied for and was granted a 100.12 hectares of land, Plot No.1 Cadastral Zone E09

Kuje, Abuja on June 27, 2005.

“The sitting Minister if FCT, Mallam Nasir ElRufai(now APC chieftain) allocated the land and signed Certificate of Occupancy no. 17c2w-1b99z-9d15rcb2au-34u3 certified to Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited on July 24. 2006.

“Just like Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited, Ebele Farms and Bird Trust Agro Limited are companies in which the sponsors engage in farming and other allied agriculture production and processes.

“Under the Fifth Schedule Part 1 Code of Conduct for Public Officers of the 1999 Constitution, Section 1

states that ‘a public officer shall not put himself in a position where his personal interest conflicts with his duties and responsibilities.’

“Section 2 states that without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph ..., nothing in this subparagraph shall prevent a public officer from engaging in farming.

“Is it corruption for a public officer to engage in farming as stipulated by the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 with the view to making Nigeria selfreliant in food production?”

Findings confirmed that the presidency has

decided to go for broke against Obasanjo for allegedly claiming that Jonathan is corrupt.

A presidency source said: “Let them reveal more, we will also expose more. Whoever lives in a glass house must not throw stones.

“The battle line is drawn, no one can rubbish or stain President Goodluck Jonathan. We have records of personal demands by these socalled anti-corruption saints in the country.”

It is not clear why the coalition dragged Obasanjo’s name into the allegation by the NGO. On Friday , Jonathan declared that Obasanjo was still his godfather, notwithstanding the expresident’s resignation from the peoples Democratic Party.

•Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado (C) addressing the crowd during a demonstration in support of Mayor Antonio Ledezma after his arrest in Caracas, yesterday.

Stop attacks on Obasanjo, Ogun Obas tell President T

RADITIONAL rulers in Ogun State have advised President Goodluck Jonathan to call his men to order in their use of intemperate language , if he wants to make a headway in next month’s presidential election.

The Obas are particularly irked by the

persistent abuse of former President Olusegun Obasanjo by those claiming to speak for the president’s campaign team.

The Obas spoke their mind on Friday at a brief meeting with the president after the commissioning of the Olorunsogo Power Project in the Ewekoro Local Government of the

state.

Obasanjo is a high chief of Owu,Abeokuta, the capital of the state.

At the meeting with the President was the Olowu of Owu,Obasanjo’s quarter,Oba Sanya Dosunmu.

Also present were the Alake of Egbaland and Chairman of the State

Council of Traditional Rulers,Oba Oyedotun Gbadebo, the Akarigbo of Remo,Oba Michael Sonariwo and former governor of the state,Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

Sources close to the meeting said the Obas told Jonathan, who sought their support in the

election, that his men were not helping his cause in anyway by their continued insult of Obasanjo.

They said Jonathan would be the ultimate loser if he failed to rein them in Obasanjo and Jonathan are locked in a long running battle with the former President accusing the incumbent of

mismanaging the country.

He believes the president has not done much in the fight against corruption . He also accused him of depleting the nation’s foreign reservesthrough reckless spendings.

Jonathan countered ,saying that Obasanjo was behaving like a motor park tout.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

NEWS

Fleeing Boko Haram fighters S drown in Lake Chad cores of Boko Haram terrorists drowned in Lake Chad at the weekend as they sought an escape route following a siege to the fishing town of Baga, Borno State, by Nigerian troops.

The insurgents had seized the town last month, and then proceeded to plunder the military base in the town.

But the troops had the last laugh yesterday after catching the insurgents unawares in a complex operation which the Defence Headquarters said involved clearing over 1,500 land mines laid across the area by the terrorists.

Many other insurgents died during the ground and air strikes, the DHQ said.

Five anti-aircraft guns belonging to the sect were destroyed while 34 motorcycles and five vehicles were recovered from them.

The Director of Defence

Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said in a statement that “a large number of terrorists drowned in the Lake Chad as they fled the heavy bombardment by Nigerian Air force heralding the advance of Nigerian troops on mission to flush them out of Baga.

“Not even the strategy of mining over 1500 spots with land mines on the routes leading to the town could save the terrorists from the aggressive move of advancing troops.

“All the land mines were skillfully cleared one after the other. Eventually, the resistance of the terrorists

Buhari meets Tony Blair T o •• To speak at Chatham House on Thursday

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he All Progressives Congress Presidential C a m p a i g n Organization (APCPCO) confirmed yesterday that the party’s flag bearer in the March 28 election, General Muhammadu Buhari, will now address the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, London, on Thursday.

Details of the programme are expected to be released tomorrow by the organisers of the event.

General Buhari yesterday met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London.

With them at the meeting were Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Senator Bukola Saraki.

Also yesterday, Buhari had an interview with a local medium, the “All Eyes on Africa TV Show” with Kemi Fadojutimi .

Gen. Buhari left for London last week for engagements with notable British political and business figures .

Soon after his departure, political opponents, chiefly Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, began circulating rumour that the trip was to

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he plot by hawks in the presidency to make trouble with former President Olusegun Obasanjo is already causing dissension within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The hawks, as reported by The Nation on Saturday yesterday, are drawing up a plan to revisit the probe of the $13.278billion power projects which were executed during his tenure.

This is to extract their own pound of flesh from the immediate past Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party following his dramatic dumping of the PDP last week.

The Ogun State chapter of the party, in a belated move, announced Obasanjo’s expulsion, two hours after he

enable the APC candidate attend to his health.

The governor also claimed that there was no plan for the APC candidate to speak at Chatham House.

However, the Director of Media and Publicity of APCPCO, Malam Garba Shehu, yesterday asked President Goodluck Jonathan to call Gov. Fayose to order “over his continued pestering” of General Buhari with falsehood and death wishes.

Shehu said the APC had learnt on good authority that Governor Fayose has hired people in London who have been trailing the movements of the APC presidential candidate while on his working visit in London.

“Let it be on record that knowing Governor Fayose’s antecedents, we are not leaving anything to chances.

The governor who has published death-wish advertorials on Buhari will stop at nothing. If anything should happen to General Muhammadu Buhari while in London or anywhere, the authorities over there in the UK and at home should know who to hold responsible,” he said.

PDP leaders, Jonathan’s camp bicker over anti-Obasanjo plot •National chair Muazu urges caution

By Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor

publicly tore his membership card.

The Presidency hawks, sources said yesterday, were pushing hard for the probe to go on as a way of publicly disgracing Obasanjo for disparaging President Jonathan and the party.

However, the national chairman of the party, Alhaji

Boko Haram: French minister tours West Africa

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rench Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius began a tour of collapsed and the land forces A comprehensive cordon other locations: Gajigana, West African countries finally stormed the town in and search phase of military Ngaze, Ngenzai, Marte yesterday to show France’s the early hours of Friday. operation, he said, “has now Junction, Mile 90, Yoyo, support for their battle the Islamist “Many of the terrorists commenced to enable troops Kekeno, Kukawa, Cross against died while an unknown but mop up arms and Kauwa, Kangarwa, Amirari extremist group Boko substantial number of them ammunition and also “and other localities where Haram.

Launched in Nigeria in fled with various degrees of apprehend any terrorist who troops have flushed out the injury, in the series of might be hiding in the terrorists in the operations 2009, Boko Haram fighters preceding the entry to Baga.” have recently spread their encounter along the routes vicinity.”

“The troops are now insurgency to neighbouring of advance as troops headed The exercise will also for Baga.” determine details of the dominating and conducting Chad, Cameroon and Niger, He said the troops casualties inflicted or incurred aggressive patrols in the which have now been drawn began clearing the terrorists in the course of the operations. locations. The morale of into the battle to stop the from Baga on arrival in the He said troops are also troops remain high,” extremists.

On his first stop in Chad, town early yesterday. engaging the insurgents in 12 Olukolade added.

Fabius met with the country’s President Idriss Deby Itno, who has sent Chadian forces to Cameroon, and this month also deployed Chad’s army directly into Nigeria for the first time to fight the Islamist insurgents.

“Chad has done the most to assure stability in a region that unfortunately is unstable,” Fabius said, adding that Boko Haram poses “an extremely heavy economic risk for Chad.”

With Chad being a landlocked country, Fabius •Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari said it was very important (left) responding to questions from the Chief Executive Officer, All Eyes on Africa TV Show, that the vital route remain Kemi Fadojutimi (right), during Buhari’s working visit to the United Kingdom at the weekend open between N’Djamena and the Cameroonian port of Douala, which has come under attack by the extremists.

He added, however, that France did not envision any direct intervention in its former colonies, saying France can provide tactical support and “coordination among the countries” as well as intelligence information.

Fabius’ trip to the region, which will also include Cameroon and Niger, is also aimed at raising international funds to battle Boko Haram’s spreading insurgency.

Nigeria and its neighbours reached an agreement earlier this month to deploy a multinational force of some 8,700 soldiers to fight the Islamists in the region around Lake Chad.

Boko Haram has waged a six-year insurgency •R-L: Former Governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, former UK Prime Minister, Mr aiming to create a hardline Tony Blair, APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari and Ogun State Gover- Islamic state in northeast nor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun at a meeting with Blair in continuation of the APC presidential Nigeria, a conflict that has candidate’s working visit to the United Kingdom...yesterday claimed some 13,000 lives.

•Troops survive 1,500 land mines, reclaim Baga—DHQ From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

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Adamu Muazu and some other leaders of the party are said to be fiercely opposed to the suggestion.

They are of the view, according to sources, that subjecting the former president to ridicule will do neither the party nor the president any good.

Muazu’s position is shared by several state governors elected on the platform of the

party.

Such governors have made it clear that they will not be a party to any plan to rubbish the ex-President. “They are insisting that the party must manage the situation well by appealing to Obasanjo to sheath his sword,” one source said.

“They are sending emissaries to him in this regard. So, should Jonathan

and his men move against Obasanjo, it may cause a serious friction within the ruling party.”

The party’s hierarchy is also said to be urging caution in the handling of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, following pressure on the commission by top members

of the PDP and the presidency.

Sources said that was why Muazu had to pass a vote of confidence on him recently at a time some were calling for his head in the aftermath of the postponement of the general elections.

“You will recall that after the Presidential Campaign Organisation accused Jega, of partisanship, Mu’azu wasted no time before passing a vote of confidence on the him.

Muazu, while acknowledging that shifting the date for the general election affected the programme of the PDP, sees no reason not to retain the confidence he has in Jega, because, according to him, the INEC boss is doing a good job,” a source said.

NEWS

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Kukah tasks politicians on nation’s unity, development

Fayose attention seeker, says Senator

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HE Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Rev. (Dr.) Matthew Kukah, has advised politicians to refrain from acts capable of disrupting the unity of the country.

Speaking at a lecture entitled “Democracy in Nigeria, so near, yet so far” in Abuja, Kukah said the political class should not compromise the unity of the country for the 2015 general elections.

He asked Nigerians to pay less attention to insinuations that the country would break up in 2015, and should rather focus on factors that could enhance its unity after the elections.

According to Kukah, Nigerian politicians should be concerned about what they will do for the country at the electioneering period and beyond, rather than what the country will do for them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the cleric as saying politicians should focus on things that would bring development to the country rather than indulge in actions or comments capable of causing disaffection among the people.

Kukah urged politicians to guard jealously the democracy attained in 1999 in spite of Boko Haram threats and challenges to the unity of the country.

He explained that the Nigerian military has evolved in the last 16 years to know that military rule is no longer accepted anywhere in the world.

Mass protest looms if election is shifted again -Balarabe Musa From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

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ECOND Republic governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, said Nigerians will massively protest any fresh attempt to shift this year’s elections.

The insurgency in the Northeast, he said yesterday in Kaduna, is not sufficient to warrant further postponement of the polls.

The Presidential/ National Assembly Elections originally scheduled for February 14 and the Governorship/ State Assembly polls fixed for February 28 were shifted to March 28 and April 11 respectively following pressure from the military that its men would not be available this month in view of their engagement with the terror sect, Boko Haram.

However, Alhaji Musa told reporters at the end of a meeting of his deregistered Peoples Redemption party (PRP) that government should

not take Nigerians for a ride any longer on the issue.

“If election is shifted again, majority of Nigerians will oppose it, they will demonstrate against it,” he said.

“Nigerians will come out massively to oppose it because another shift will not be in their interest.

Another shift will mean that government wants to remain in power.

“If ,therefore, a sixweek delay is the sacrifice which Nigerians have to make to ensure that every registered voter is given an opportunity to exercise (or not to exercise) his constitutional right to vote, so be it. But Nigerians cannot tolerate another shift of election date.

“We will not tolerate another shift because we are nobody’s slave; we are free people, and this country is free. This country belongs to all of us, it does not belong to a clique.”

He added: “Continuation of Boko Haram activities is not an excuse to shift election again because Boko Haram

is occupying less than 14 percent of Nigeria. We can tolerate this.

“We should conduct election in spite of the insurgency. The moment we can have free, fair and transparent elections leading to eligible government in the country, even Boko Haram will respect such government, and they will go to the negotiation table.”

He deplored the high cost of contesting elections in the country.

According to him, anyone seeking to be president will require in the region of N50billion to make an impact.

He also expressed disgust at the deteriorating standard of living in the country saying: “The situation in the country has continued to nosedive and the impact of this on the material well being and circumstances of the mass of our people continues to bite very hard.

“All of this is happening in the midst of unmitigated profligacy, institutionalised stealing of public resources and the

political unaccountability of the ruling classes.

“When we turn to the security situation in the country, matters are not better. Again, things remain as bad if not worse: Boko Haram continues to wax stronger, in spite of all the exaggerated claims by President Jonathan and his security chiefs that they are on top of the situation.

“For us in the PRP and other parties and organisations in the Credible Alternative Alliance (CAA) the postponement of the elections was necessary and inevitable, not for the security excuses proffered

by INEC, but because of the poor handling of the distribution of Permanent Voter Card, (PVC) by INEC. “This is because the right to vote is an entitlement protected by the constitution of the country and so cannot simply be wished away, expunged or nullified by any measure whatsoever, administrative or otherwise, emanating from any government agency and certainly not INEC.”

Niger repels Boko Haram insurgents on Lake Chad

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OKO HARAM terrorists attacked an island on Niger Republic’s side of Lake Chad late at the weekend sparking a gun duel with soldiers.

Residents of N’Guigmi spoke of “heavy weapons and machine gun fire” during the battle which started at about 8pm local time.

The insurgents had first attempted to seize the island earlier this month.

The vast maze of tiny islands and swamp land in the Lake Chad area serves as a hideout for the insurgents group. Last week, Boko Haram members aboard motorised canoes attacked a lakeside fishing village in Chad in the first known lethal attack on the country.

Niger, along with neighbours Chad and Cameroon, has been seeking to hem in the guerrillas within their heartland in northeastern Nigeria ahead of a major ground and air offensive planned for month end.

The Nigerian Army has already stepped up its military campaign, deploying warplanes to bomb Boko Haram camps including Sambisa Forest in Borno State.

•L-R; LagosDeputy Governor, Mrs.Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Lagos State All Progressives Congress chairman,Chief Oladele Ajomale; his wife, Mrs. Adetoun Ajomale; their son, Seyi Ajomale; wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola;Tolu Ajomale and Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC, Dr Oluranti Adebule cutting the 60th birthday cake of Mrs. Ajomale at the weekend... in Lagos

Polls: Gowon calls for prayers

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ORMER Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, yesterday urged Nigerians to intensify prayers for the successful conduct of the March 28 and April 11 elections.

Gowon, founder and chairman of a Christian prayer group, Nigeria Prays, made the call when he and other members of the group visited Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State in Bauchi.

He appealed to every

Nigerian to pray for lasting peace in the country, saying that there could not be any meaningful development in an atmosphere of insecurity.

He said: “Government at all levels are doing their best; the security agencies, the electoral body are preparing very hard for the success of the elections.

“It is our responsibility to pray for peaceful, credible, free and fair elections that will make us

proud as a nation.”

He equally appealed to Nigerians to support whoever emerges victorious at the polls in the interest of the nation.

He added: “Our desire is for God to grant our leaders wisdom and the ability to lead based on equity and justice and together we can move this country to greater heights,” Gowon said.

Responding, Yuguda

acknowledged that prayer remains very crucial in sustaining Nigeria as a nation, particularly with the elections and the current security challenges.

Yuguda, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Aminu Saleh, called on all Nigerians to join the prayer group and pray intensively for peace, love and unity in the country.

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HE Senator representing Osun West Senatorial district, Senator Mudasiru Husain, has described the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, as an attention seeker who is fighting the political battle of his life.

Husain while reacting to Fayose’s allegation that the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who travelled to the United Kingdom on a working visit, is in a London hospital, said “The PDP has become despicably desperate to do anything to take Buhari out of Jonathan’s way. Fayose and his fellow PDP cohorts are not fighting for Nigerians, but for themselves.”

The senator who is also the Coordinator of Buhari/ Osinbajo Campaign Organisation in Osun State, urged Nigerians to pay more attention to the fact that PDP is becoming too desperate to wish Gen. Buhari dead.

Okrika violence: Police vow to arrest culprits

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HE police vowed yesterday to arrest and prosecute the brains behind the recent attack on the APC rally at Okrika, Rivers State during which a police officer was killed The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone 6, Johnson Ogunsakin, called the death of the police officer as sad and painful.

Everything possible would be done to unmask the perpetrators and bring them to justice, he said on a visit to Port Harcourt in connection with the incident.

The AIG told journalists that the death of the officer would spur him to “go to the root of what happened so that his death would not be in vain”.

Three other persons , including a journalist, were injured when gunmen opened fire during the rally at Okrika on February 18.

“There is no time limit for this investigation but I assure you, it is going to be a thorough investigation as we will cover all the grounds,” he said.

The AIG said he would summon an enlarged meeting of Okrika people, cutting across political parties, religious bodies, traditional rulers and youth groups.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Ogunsakin said the police had engaged relevant stakeholders to ensure that such incident did not occur again in any part of the state.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

NEWS

Jonathan assures on stable power supply

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has restated his administration’s resolve to offer stable power supply.

He pledged that the federal government is addressing bottlenecks such as gas pipeline vandalism and others militating against regular power supply.

Jonathan spoke yesterday in Lagos when he inaugurated Egbin Power Plc’s unit six that generates 220 megawatts (MW).

By Emeka Ugwuanyi He said: “The facility is producing not just an improvement in the generation capacity of our nation but it is a clear representation of the next logical step in our aspiration for a reliable and qualitative power supply to our people.

“We are committed to actualising the essence of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005, which strives to

open up the sector and bring in private sector ownership, management and financing to the industry.

“It is a fact that electricity will remain the catalyst for the growth of our economy and electricity supply stabilisation will ultimately improve the lives of millions of Nigerians.”

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, said that the federal government plans to commence electronic monitoring of pipelines and other

facilities channelling gas to power plants to curb incessant pipeline vandalism.

Nebo blamed vandals for its inability to generate targeted capacities but assured that government is working to address the menace.

He stated that the challenges, though not insurmountable, are worsened by the fact that 70 per cent of the total power generation comes from gas-fired turbine and 30 per cent hydro.

He noted last week’s generation dropped to 3,600MW from 4,400MW due to the activities of vandals.

The Chairman of Egbin Power Plc, Kola Adesina, said that the rehabilitated turbine, which generates 220MW, will boost electricity supply to over one million homes in Lagos.

He stated that more residents will enjoy at least additional six hours supply per day of power.

FG constructs 127 Almajiri schools, says minister From Tony Akowe, Abuja

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HE federal government has constructed and equipped not less than 127 Almajiri integrated schools to provide access to basic and qualitative bilingual education to the less privileged.

The Minister for National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, stated this at a strategic stakeholders’ roundtable on the milestone achievements on the Almajiri Integrated Schools programme.

He also said that the government intends to introduce free feeding programme in all the Almajiri schools in the next four years.

Sulaiman also said several of such schools in Sokoto now have boarding facilities and are being used as model for replication in the other states, especially in the north.

He said: “Every pupil in the school is expected to be fed with a quality and adequate ration comprising three square meals and snacks/ fruits each school day and weekends.

“It is pertinent to note that incorporation of agricultural programme and vocational components should be given critical attention.”

The minister explained that from 1960 till date, no systemic, holistic and pragmatic efforts have been made to address the issues around the Almajiris.

NANS demands NYSC online registration reduced to N3000 From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

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HE National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday urged the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to peg the N4, 000 online registration fees to N3000.

Speaking in Abuja after meeting with the management of NYSC, NANS President, Comrade Tijani Usman, endorsed the policy.

He, however, said there was no need retaining the old manual call up system, pointing out it was costly and risky.

He said on no account should anybody exploit intending NYSC members under the system.

•From left: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Egbin Power Plc, Mr Mike Uzoigwe; President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo at the re-commissioning of Egbin Power Plc at Ikorodu in Lagos... yesterday.

Photo: NAN

Fear of electoral violence worries South-South ethnic nationalities

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EADERS of ethnic nationalities in the SouthSouth have initiated moves to sign peace pacts with their counterparts in other geopolitical zones to forestall violence before, during and after the forthcoming elections.

It was gathered that the decision was reached at the weekend when various heads of ethnic nationalities from the South-South including the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (IYC), worldwide, met at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa.

It was learnt that the meeting was convened by the President of the IYC, Udens Eradiri, following fears that the elections could trigger violence across the country.

Confirming the development, Eradiri said the ethnic

• Move to sign peace pacts with north, west, others From:

Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

nationalities met to look at issues concerning security, economy and politics in the region.

He said the leaders agreed to move to the north next week to sign peace accord with other ethnic nationalities to stop act of violence against any political party.

He noted that the leaders faulted the Abuja peace accord signed by candidates including President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He argued that the Abuja accord excluded the youths

who are mostly victims and perpetrators of violence.

“We are moving round to solicit support from other ethnic nationalities from east, west, north and south to sign our own peace accord.

“We want to bring the OPC, Ohaneze, ethnic nationalities in Niger Delta, the Arewa and all other organisations that have been calling for one form of agitation or the other to sign that peace accord for us to have peace during and after the elections,” Eradiri said.

Eradiri also condemned any act of electoral violence against any political party and demanded that President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari should

go for debate ahead of the poll.

He said that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, should consider their recommendation with seriousness.

According to him, INEC should allow persons who could not get their PVCs to use their TVCs to avoid disenfranchising eligible voters.

He appealed to the commission to allow such persons to exercise their franchise with their TVCs. Eradiri lauded the Jegaled INEC for shifting the polls, saying the extension had given many Nigerians the opportunity to prepare for the election.

ADC: Make sacrifices for generations unborn

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HE National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Ralphs Nwosu, has urged politicians to make sacrifices for the interest of younger and coming generations.

Nwosu said national interest should surpass individual gains.

He added that the country had offered most of the current politicians better opportuni-

From: Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja ties than the present generation.

The ADC chairman spoke on the state of the nation at the weekend in Abuja.

He condemned abuse of the Abuja peace accord by some political parties.

Describing hate statements from the politicians as pathetic,

Nwosu emphasised that members of the party were able to conduct themselves within the purview of the law.

“We condemn the campaign of calumny, hate, irresponsible and unpatriotic propaganda, violation of persons and institutions of government.

“We call on all political parties and politicians involved to retrace their steps

and be mindful of the duty we all owe to our country,” Nwosu added.

Speaking on the security officials, the party advised against abuse of the armed forces and security, intelligence officers.

He described the present military as a crop of disciplined professionals committed to safety and security of the nation.

Be professional, APC chieftain tells security operatives

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CHIEFTAIN of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Hon. Toyin Balogun, has warned against politicisation of the Police Force and other security agencies.

Such development, he

stated, could spell doom for smooth transition and the nation’s nascent democracy.

He called on security operatives to be more proactive toward protection of lives and property across the nation.

He also berated Assistant

Inspector of Police, Joseph Mbu, for threatening to retaliate any death against police officers Balogun, in a statement, at the weekend, said: “We cannot forget in hurry how Mbu came to national limelight following his public squabbles

with Governor Rotimi Amaechi while he was a Rivers Police Commissioner.

“It is obvious that Mbu has allowed his office to be involved in political dispute in favour of one side. And it is very dangerous for our democracy.

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NNPC promises to promote in-country capacity From John Ofikhenua, Abuja HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has reiterated its commitment to promoting in-country capacity by leveraging on indigenous companies with requisite technology to add value to the oil and gas industry.

The executive director, Engineering and Technology of the Corporation, Engr Adebayo Ibirogba, stated this while inspecting the fabrication yard of an indigenous company along with some NNPC senior staff from different subsidiaries in Lagos.

Ibirogba noted that Kaztec Engineering Limited is one of the indigenous clients of the Corporation, stating that the fabrication yard of the company is a model of excellence.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division (NNPC), Ohi Alegbe, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

According to the statement, the GED stated that the Nigerian Content Act of the federal government provides a veritable platform for indigenous companies to operate on a level- playing field with other International Oil Companies.

According to him, the NNPC has been at the forefront of those supporting and encouraging the attainment of the local content target for the industry.

Ibirogba said investing in local content will yield some advantages to local fabricators, adding that the federal government would ensure total encouragement of potential investors who want to invest locally.

He said the Petroleum Industry Bill before the National Assembly when passed into law, would further promote the growth of indigenous participation in the sector.

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Prison nabs man over job syndicate From: Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja HE Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) has arrested James Odeh for involvement in a job scam.

Odeh, with another person that specialises in issuing fake letters of appointment to unsuspecting job seekers, was nabbed by the intelligence unit of the Nigerian Prisons Service in Abuja.

Before his arrest, Odeh is said to have issued about 400 applicants with fake appointment letters into the Nigerian Prisons Service.

A statement by the NPS spokesman, Francis Enobore, said: “31 of the victims besieged the National Headquarters of the Prisons Service with fake letters of appointment for documentation on Friday 20th February.

“Investigation, however, revealed that they were duped by conmen who posed as members of ‘replacement board’ of the service.”

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APC senatorial candidate promises good governance

By Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

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HE Lagos West senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Hon Solomon Adeola has assured his constituents of good governance as well as improved standard of living if given their mandate.

Addressing a town hall meeting at Ifako-Ijaye as part of his grassroots campaign over the weekend, he said," The PDPled federal government spends about 72 percent of its revenue on recurrent expenditure and between 26percent-28 percent on capital budget. That is why they are not developing Nigeria. In Lagos we are spending 45percent on recurrent while 55percent is on capital projects. That is why work is going on in all sectors like roads, schools, hospitals, among others."

PDP, he lamented, "is mortgaging the future of Nigeria through desperation to continue to hand on to power."

He however, assured that if elected into the upper chamber of the National Assembly, he hopes "To represent and speak for all my constituents based on articulated agenda," adding: "As an experienced and serving legislator, I will replicate my achievements in the last twelve years representing Alimosho at state and federal level. When elected as a senator, I will work with the executive to bring dividends of democracy to my constituency."

He told the stakeholders that they need to vote for APC because of the change they represent.

Adeola, who is currently the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts was received by a mammoth crowd during the town hall meetings on another occasion, as shouts of "Yayi, Yayi, Yayi" his popular alias, rent the air by enthusiastic supporters, most of whom joined speakers after speakers to drum support for his candidacy.

Magazine names Awo, Soyinka as Yoruba icons

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2014

NEWS

HE late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo has been named the Yoruba Man of the century by a pan Yoruba media online IrohinOodua.

The medium also listed Prof Wole Soyinka and Pastor TB Joshua as outstanding Yoruba personalities that have made unequalled contributions to the upliftment of the glory and grandeur of the Yoruba people.

It described Soyinka as a "stainless steel and the most righteous of the living Yoruba faithful."

The statement was signed by the Editorial Board Chairman of IrohinOdua, Babatunde Adeleke.

According to the statement the three personalities were selected after a careful consideration of the role each has played in the annals of Yoruba modern history as it relates to placing the Yoruba on the positive angle of global reckoning.

NXIETY gripped residents of Oyo town yesterday over the influx of soldiers who stormed the ancient city for President Goodluck Jonathan's visit. The President who was in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Friday for the ommissioning of a power project, was also scheduled to visit the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi111in his palace, as part of his electioneering campaign.

As early as 8am, battleready soldiers stormed the ancient town in motorcade and blew sirens round major streets. Other security agencies like the Skannet police squad, Operation Burst, Special antirobbery squad and anti-riot policemen were also not left out. For about an hour, the ever-busy Owode/Durbar road, along Oyo/ Ogbomoso

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Soldiers storm Oyo as Jonathan visits Alaafin From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.

highway, was closed to the traffic even when the presidential advance team was yet to arrive the town.The highway was later opened to the traffic amidst uproar from residents, including motorists and commercial motorcyclists who described action of the security agencies as '' overzealous''. At the palace, security was tight as residents in their hundreds who came to welcome the President, were maltreated by security personnel who condoned off the entire vicinity.

Cross-section of the residents who spoke with our correspondent wondered why the town should be put under siege by security agencies, especially the soldiers, because of the President's visit. ''We are not in banana republic where authoritarianism, autocracy and flagrant disregard to human dignity is the order of the day. The blaring of sirens and influx of soldiers has caused a lot of psychological trauma to us, even since Friday evening. Most of us are afraid to go to out for our means of livelihood due large presence of the soldiers as if

we are at war. This is serious''.

Another resident, Waheed Oriola said ''this is really a show of intoxicating power.

Muhammadu Buhari, of the All Progressives Congress [APC] came here to campaign around 930 pm and was welcomed with tumultuous crowd at the Alaafin's palace without any security siege.

Agreed that Jonathan must be well protected, but that is not the same thing as putting the entire town under the siege of battalions of soldiers just for the visit alone. What is he afraid of''.

•Lagos East Senatorial District candidate, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, (middle) with Okada riders, during the presentation of helmets to the commercial motorcycle riders in Magodo in Lagos at the weekend.

PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Court declines injunction in Ondo defection suit

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HE Federal High Court sitting in Akure at the weekend refused the application of two APC lawmakers seeking for an interim injunction to prevent Ondo state House of Assembly, its Speaker and the INEC from suspending them or taking any step to undermine their rights and privileges as member of the house of assembly on account of their defection from the Labour Party(LP) and Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to APC last year.

The Presiding Judge, Justice I. M. Sani noted that despite the complaint of the lawmakers/applicants that

V

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

they have been removed as Chairmen of House Committees and their running grants/allowances reduced by the defendants after been served with the pending suit before the Federal High Court, he will not interfere in the internal affairs of the House of Assembly.

The trial Court said it can grant an order for accelerated hearing of the suit in spite of arguments that the Court is not a" father Christmas" who will grant an order not formally applied for by parties before it. Justice Sani said since all

pleadings had been concluded, he ordered for accelerated hearing of suit.

The Court also on its own raised the issue of Jurisdiction of Federal High Court to hear case in line with section 251 of the constitution and directed both Counsels for the Plaintiff and Defendant to address the Court on March 12.

However, in a swift reaction to the suit,the appellants filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure. The appeal was premised on ground that the trial Court erred in law to have refused to restrain the respondents pending the

determination of substantive suit from suspending the Appellants as members of House of assembly when there were avalanche uncontroverted evidence before the Court that the Respondents have started taking steps to undermine the suit.

The two APC lawmakers prayed the Court of Appeal to grant an application for interlocutory injunction against Ondo state House of Assembly and preserve their seat and their rights as member of the house pending the determination of the suit.

Veteran journalist, Makinde, dies at 75

ETERAN journalist and popular entertainment writer, Pa Olutade Makinde is dead.

He died at the age of 75 in his hometown, Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital at about 3.00 am on Saturday, few hours about he was rushed to the Ekiti State University Teaching (EKSUTH).

His younger brother, Mr. Festus Makinde, told The Nation that Pa Makinde was his vivacious self till late on Friday when he played and chatted with his associates till about midnight before he reportedly suffered sudden headache and breathing problems.

The remains of the former Entertainment Editor of the Nigerian Tribune has been

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

deposited at the hospital morgue. He also served as media consultant to many organizations and individuals after his retirement from active journalism.

Early callers to the

residence of the deceased include a former member of the national assembly, Senator Bode Ola, former House of Representatives member, Hon. Olufemi Adeyemi and Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka.

Extolling the virtues of the deceased, Senator Ola described him as humble, intelligent, useful and reliable. Senator Ola said Pa Makinde's death is another proof that life is short and those aloe must spend their loves usefully and impact on their generation positively.

Eschew violence, Osun REC tells politicians

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HE ?Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, has charged politicians to eschew violence and conduct themselves in peaceful manners to make next month's general elections successful. Speaking at the 7th edition of "The Front-liners", an enlightenment programme

From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

organised by veteran journalists in Osun State, Ogunmola urged the two major political parties in the country to give peace a chance.

The REC noted that the postponement of the elections will further guarantee the safety

of over 700 ad-hoc staff to the used by the commission as it is an opportunity for the security operatives to be better prepared in securing the nation.

He added that the shift will facilitate the participation of more eligible voters as more people are now collecting their Permanent Voter's cards.

Obasanjo's conscience'll trouble him Osun PDP candidate From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Osun East senatorial district in Osun State, Prince Francis Fadahunsi, has said former President Olusegun Obasanjo left the PDP long before his 'card tearing' feat of last week. According to the PDP chieftain, the former will have his conscience to contend with as he goes into political retirement.

Speaking with reporters at his private residence in Ilase, Obokun Local Government Area of the State, he said Obasanjo left the PDP when he resigned his membership of Board of Trustees. According to Fadahunsi, who is seeking to represent the people of Osun East senatorial district at the senate, the former president has never attended any meeting called by PDP since that time.

He said: "Obasanjo left the PDP a long time ago. Since he left the BoT? some years back, he was no longer with us. I thank God for him, he would now rest.

But it is unfortunate that he allowed himself to be abused by his constituency, the military. I congratulate Obasanjo because at about 80 years of age he needs to rest. PDP will not worry him, APC will not worry him, it is only his conscience that will worry him now."

Speaking further on the allegation that he runs a detention cell in his house, the politician said: "They are complaining because they were the ones using boys to terrorize our people. These are same boys the APC used to kill and maim people in Ilesa and its environs.

The boys have now turned a new leaf. I only preached to the conscience of these boys.�

Journalists organize debate for candidates

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GROUP of community media practitioners under the auspice of the League of Journalists, Ikorodu (LJI) has organized a political debate tagged "Ikorodu decides" among candidates seeking to represent the people of the old Ikorodu Division of Lagos State at the state and national assemblies.

The event, which was held last Monday at the Engineering hall of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, under the chairmanship of Sir Ayodele Elesho, former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, saw the candidates presenting their agendas to the people of their various constituencies.

As part of the program, Mr. Taiwo Obe, foremost media practitioner and Director of the media clinic, delivered delivered a guest lecture while Hon. Rotimi Erogbogbo, Chairman of the Ikorodu Division Solution Alliance (IDSA) gave the keynote address. Among candidates who graced the debate were Hon. Ola Animashaun of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), S.O.B Agunbiade of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Bolaji Osinowo of the Labour Party (LP).

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

•Buhari

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FTER much hue and cry, Nigerians have accepted the postponement of the general elections by six weeks from February 28 to March 26. Announcing the postponement on February 7, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof.

Attahiru Jega said it was without cost to the nation. The emerging realities have however shown otherwise.

The political parties have returned to the drawing board, updating their work plan. The electioneering has taken a different shape from the mass rallies witnessed before the postponement to quiet and behind- the - scene campaigns. Even the nation's stock exchange is not spared.

Reports by AFP and Bloomberg indicated that the day before the postponement, the Nigerian All-Share Index closed at 29,985 but dropped 2,399 points or 8.0 percent one week later following Jega's announcement.

But more fundamental is the implication of the poll shift for President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his arch-rival, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress(APC). Who benefits, who loses? The first week of the six- week shift ended yesterday. How are the candidates faring? What are the issues and how are they affecting them?

The unending debate on what was behind the poll shift Until the general elections hold, Nigerians will still have to contend with the unending debate on what was behind the poll shift. To Jega, INEC was ready but the Service Chiefs who report to President Jonathan, their Commander- in - Chief were not. They made it clear that they could not guarantee security during the elections.

Did they act on their own? Were they echoing the voice of their Commander- in Chief? Not a few Nigerians believe that the military pressured Jega to postpone the polls to buy time for Jonathan and the PDP. Despite some shortcomings of INEC, like non- availability of millions of Permanent

•Jonathan

POLL SHIFT

Who benefits between Jonathan and Buhari?

Voter Cards as at February 17, Nigerians believe more in Jega's submission than the reason adduced by the security chiefs. Even at the Senate on Wednesday, Jega insisted that he could not guarantee the conduct of the general election on March 26 unless the security agencies are ready.

He had told the Senate, " INEC not being a security agency that could by itself guarantee protection for personnel and materials, as well as voters during elections, the Commission cannot lightly wave off the advice by the nation's Security Chiefs, " a subtle way of asking the security chiefs to do their job.

He said further : "The Commission is specifically concerned about the security of our ad hoc staff who constitute at least 600,000 young men and women, together with our regular staff, voters, election observers as well as election materials painstakingly acquired over the last one and half years.

"This concern is limited not just to the areas in the North-eastern part of Nigeria experiencing insurgency; the risk of deploying young men and women and calling people to exercise their democratic rights in a situation where their security cannot be guaranteed is a most onerous

responsibility. Under such circumstances, few EMBs across the world, if any, would contemplate proceeding with the elections as scheduled.

"No matter the extent of INEC's preparedness, therefore, if the security of personnel, voters, election observers and election materials cannot be guaranteed, the life of innocent young men and women as well the prospects of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections would be greatly jeopardized."

There is no doubt that the President and his party have been on the defensive since the postponement was announced. The military has taken serious bashing, so too the President who has been accused of plotting to scuttle the elections, thereby plunging the country into a contrived crisis which he hopes to profit from.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was unsparing in his criticism of Jonathan.

He said he hoped that the President was by the postponement "not going for broke."

He also said that "the President was playing Gbagbo", meaning that Jonathan has postponed the election to a time he believed is convenient for him to win, like the former Cote d' Ivoire President Gbagbo did in his time.

The losses Anger against PDP Contrary to the permutations by PDP to use the poll shift to buy more time, the development has provoked anger against the ruling party nationwide which may lead to heavy electoral loss. No scenario could better justify this than the panic in the ruling party in the last one and a half weeks. Last week, a ranking member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP invited six senior hands in the Press Corps of the party for an interaction. The experienced political reporters got more than they bargained for when the NWC said: "We have campaigned in 35 states but we discovered that we are disconnected from the people, how can we reconnect with the people? One of the journalists jokingly said: "This is a consultancy, are you ready to pay since you spend so much on image laundering?" Looking downcast, the NWC member listened attentively as journalists reeled out how President Jonathan and the PDP got it wrong in the last four years.

Their verdict: "There is so much pain in the land and Nigerians are angry." The anger has been compounded by allegations that the poll shift was induced by PDP to gain more grounds. Yet, the party is losing more.

Its management of the poll shift did not help matter. While the loquacious Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode said the postponement will "deepen" democracy in the country, the party chose to attack Jega and quickly reversed itself. To reconnect, the PDP on Friday initiated a comeback bid by issuing a statement that the poll shift actually saved Nigeria and INEC from embarrassment. The party said: "The elections would have been chaotic and far from fair and credible as over 23million registered voters would have been disenfranchised for no fault of theirs." The PDP's opposition to the use of card readers has made Nigerians to be suspicious of a hidden agenda to rig the forthcoming

•Contd. on page 10

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NEWS REVIEW •Contd. from page 9

elections. The botched plans to sack the INEC chairman by the presidency added to the woes of the party as it allowed the rumours to fester and taint its image before the President cleared the air during his Media Chat.

A frustrated President Jonathan has decided to take his destiny in his hands by embarking on more consultative shuttle campaign to beg opinion moulders and match-makers to swing votes in his favour. On Wednesday, he relocated to the South-West (using commissioning of projects as baits) to meet with traditional rulers and influential leaders in the geopolitical zone. He is going to replicate same in the remaining five zones to avert "electoral slide."

The resignation of Obasanjo The resignation from the PDP of exPresident Olusegun Obasanjo, who Jonathan likened to a motor-park tout, is a setback for the party. While the PDP is pretending not to lose sleep over Obasanjo's exit, the leaders knew the consequences of the former President's action. He not only resigned, he tore his membership card, clearly sending signals to all and sundry that the President and his party are Nigeria's problem. "Some people have started destroying Nigeria, I will never be in a party that will destroy Nigeria," he declared.

"This Nigeria belongs to all of us and it must not be destroyed. This is my PDP membership card. Where I am standing is that Nigeria belongs to everybody, including babies. We must not allow anybody to destroy it wherever they come from, whatever they have. If they destroy it, it becomes our burden, a burden to our children and the incoming generation," he added.

What a way of asking Nigerians and the international community to reject the party and its candidate! The stormy petrel and social critic, Dr. Junaid Mohammed said: "I can't see how the PDP can survive Obasanjo's exit. A mature party would have survived his exit, PDP by all standards is not yet a mature party, and I, therefore cannot see how it can survive Obasanjo's exit."

Misuse of the military The involvement of the military in Gen. Buhari's certificate saga and attacks on Obasanjo and Buhari by the Armed Forces have made Jonathan to lose a major constituency of ex-military officers who are also key players in the political and economic developments of the country. The President's lack luster response to threats by some ex-militants against ex-Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma is creating ripples in the ex-military officers' circle. The PDP and Jonathan have forgotten a sacred aspect of the history of their party, which was formed and financed by the military through proxy politicians to preserve the nation's unity.

Loss of goodwill in the social media With all the resources at its disposal, the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan has lost its steam in the social media because of what a source described as the "misdirected energy" of those in charge. Jonathan had the upper hand in 2011 but this time around, he is much more derided. Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State attested to this last week when he said if what was being reported by the social media was anything to go by, you would think that Buhari has won the election by about 98 per cent. Realizing the problem at hand, the President on Tuesday appointed Obi Asika as his new Senior Special Assistant on Social Media. He replaces Reno Omokri, who is to work under the new leadership Poor media management Aside from running vendetta advertisements in newspapers and television stations, Jonathan also got it wrong by leaving his campaign media coordination to the whims and caprices of a member of the Board of Trustees of

Poll shift: Who benefits the Peoples Democratic Party instead of the team work of 2011. Even Fani-Kayode cringes before the BoT member to get things.

Virtually all those who partook in 2011 media initiative have been sidelined and a new money mongering team took over. The PDP media machinery, which was initially co-opted, now knows next to nothing about Jonathan's campaign in the media.

Venturing into religious politics The alleged infiltration of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) with N7billion by the Presidency is creating disaffection for Jonathan even in Christendom. Even religious clerics, who initially stuck their neck out for the President, are having a rethink because they don't want their hard-earned reputation tarnished.

Worsening state of the economy Before the postponement, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Prof. Charles Soludo was unsparing of the Jonathan government for its poor management of the economy. He decried the high level of poverty, high level of unemployment, dwindling foreign reserves and the low exchange rate of the Naira. He accused the government of lack of capacity.

Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala and some other officials countered, saying that the economy under Jonathan is being well managed and doing well. They accused Soludo of pursuing sinister agenda. But events of the past two weeks have put a lie to their claim. Take the exchange rate of the Naira as an example. When Soludo spoke, the official rate was N168 to one US dollar.

Today, it is N198 to one US dollar. At the parallel market, one US dollar exchanges for N215. This is no cheering news for manufacturers who import their raw materials. The effects of these in months to come include higher prices, job cut, worsening rate of inflation, among others.

Image crisis for Jonathan For a government which came into office in 2010 through popular agitation for the upholding of the 1999 Constitution, the President has squandered tremendous goodwill. The events of the last two weeks have rubbished all the sympathy and goodwill he had hitherto enjoyed. The local and international perception of Jonathan is that of a leader in the mould of Mugabe.

He came in through a democratic process

•Jega but ironically seems to loathe that very process. He is seen as a good student of former military President General Ibrahim Babangida whose desire was to remain in office even while mouthing meaningless commitments to democracy. Like Babangida, Jonathan is believed to be plotting to truncate the nation's democracy through the promotion of an Interim National Government(ING). The popular belief is that he is doing all this because he is scared of defeat. The US Secretary of State, John Kerry fired the first salvo that clearly underscores the distraught of the international community with Jonathan administration's transition programme.

"The US is deeply disappointed by the

decision to postpone Nigeria's presidential election, which had been scheduled for February 14.

"Political interference with INEC 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 Nigerian government prepares for elections on the newly scheduled dates. The US underscores the importance of ensuring that there are no further delays.

"We support a free, transparent, and credible electoral process in Nigeria and renew our calls on all candidates, their supporters, and Nigerian citizens to maintain calm and reject election-related

Politics of PVC distribution and

T

HESE are no doubt interesting times, and as the Chinese say, may you live in interesting times! Since February 7, 2015 when the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was arm twisted to shift the date of the elections by six weeks, Nigerians have been living in interesting times.

The distribution and collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have, however, led to new tales and reactions. The ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which had always had its way in all elections since the country's return to civil rule, is not having it smooth this time around.

It has therefore been loud in crying foul over the distribution of PVCs and how prospective voters have been collecting or not collecting their voter cards. For instance, the ever garrulous Femi Fani-Kayode, the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, has alleged that the INEC is deliberately making the collection of PVC easier in the north than in the south. His argument is that in the south where the presidential candidate of his party, President Goodluck Jonathan, is 'popular', the electoral body is deliberately making the collection of PVCs difficult or scarce than in the north where Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, is more popular. His argument is that this was a ploy to make the PDP candidate not have enough votes to defeat the opposition.

However, a critical look at the voting pattern from time past and the level of political participation across the country would show

Olayinka Oyegbile, Deputy Editor, examines why some regions have high numbers of collected PVCs anyone who cares to look that the north in terms of political participation has always been more active than the south.

An average northerner is always hungry for political news and knows the strength of politics more than an average southerner. A northerner would invest his last kobo on buying a transistor radio to keep up with local and international news on the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, Radio France Internationale, Radio Dutchwelle, Russia Radio and other international radio stations that broadcast in Hausa language.

On the other hand, his southern counterpart buys ipod, CD player and other gadgets to listen to the music of Obesere, Dbanj, Tiwa Savage and so on.

Any wonder then why the north has many voters than the south?

An average Igbo trader believes more in what he can sell in his shop than the empty talk of a politician who promises to build a bridge where there is no water or a valley.

It therefore should not be a surprise that in the record of distribution of PVCs released last week by INEC, the north had the lead in the number of voters who had collected their cards.

According to the record, out of 52.2 million PVCs so far distributed, 75.94% of the registered 68.8 million would-be voters had been issued their PVCs. Out of this, Zamfara has the highest collection rate of 90% while Ogun has the lowest of 40.86%. This is followed by Lagos, Oyo and

Imo which had less than 40%. Ten other states had over 60% while 15 states had over 70%.

Those hinging collection of PVCs on the readiness of Nigerians to vote or trying to blame INEC for poor distribution or lack of unwillingness of people to collect are only trying to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it, if you don't mind the clichĂŠ.

In 2011, 40,728,990 voted and out of this, 39,469,484 were valid while 1,259,506 were invalid.

Four years earlier, in 2007, about 35,288,984 voted while in 2003 it was 42,018,735 with 2,538,246 invalid votes.

For the 2015 elections, according to the latest figures, registered voters are 68,833,476, while only 52,233,396, meaning 75.88%, have collected their PVCs. But with this level of collection, does this mean all those will vote? Far from it, there is perhaps nowhere in the world where voter turnout on Election Day has been hundred percent. So, Nigeria cannot be different.

Another reason why the north is at the top of the collection list could also be traced to the history of the region, according to Mallam Isa Bala, a political analyst. According to him, right from childhood most northern children are made to be aware of what is going on around them. "I grew up sitting in the zaure (a kind of sitting room) with my father as he tunes from one radio station to the other in search of information. My

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between Jonathan and Buhari?

•PVC violence", he said while reacting to the postponement of elections.

On its part, the UK said: "The decision

by INEC to postpone the presidential elections is a cause for concern. The Nigerian people have the right to credible, peaceful and transparent elections. There should be no further delay in delivering democracy and we urge all to remain calm during this period of frustration.

"While we support Nigeria in its struggle against terrorism, the security situation should not be used as a reason to deny the Nigerian people from exercising their democratic rights. It is vital that the elections are kept on track and held as soon as possible in accordance with international norms."

Worried by the backlash, Jonathan had used different fora, including presidential media chat, to clarify some of these issues but his assurances were treated with a pinch of salt. The President has added a new cliché, "sacrosanct" to the nation's political dictionary in explaining his resoluteness to handover on May 29. He said: "Let me assure Nigerians that a new government will be formed on May 29.They should not be perturbed about rumours that we are planning to send Jega on a terminal leave and other rubbish that is being circulated.

"In 2011, I said I will conduct a free and fair election and that if I lose, I will happily move on and that it should be recorded.

"Then I just concluded the late President

collection father, like most northerners, was very close to his transistor radio of those days. I grew curious and was able to follow events from far and near.

So, for me, it is normal to be politically aware.

And this is not typical of my family alone. A normal northern household was like that. We all grew up getting news from the radio and thus getting aware of what was going on around us."

Talking about the high level of collection of PVCs, Bala said he was not surprised about this.

He averred that an average northerner is politically savvy and does not need any cajoling or prompting to go out and register or cast his ballot. He said the fact that many of his people are also tired of the way things are going on in the country was enough push for them to go out and get their PVCs. However, another respondent from the south East who pleaded anonymity said the low level of registration in the south East is double pronged. According to him, most south Easterners are "independent" of government. Explaining what he meant, he asked, "Which government has built enough factories in our area to make a difference? As far as most of us are concerned, as long as there is peaceful atmosphere to allow us go on with our businesses, we don't care. You think I'll waste my time on a queue when I should be in my shop? No." He believes that governments across all strata have to do more to encourage people to troop out and vote when the time comes. For now, many of them who in the first place reside outside their region of origin sometimes register wherever they are resident thus boosting the number of registered voters in such areas.

•Collection of PVC in Kano

Umaru Yar'Adua's tenure. I said I will be happy to go if I lose. I said this nation is more important than anybody. Anyone who wants to hold the office of President and feels he is more important than the nation is not right.

"So if as of 2011, I made a commitment that if I lose I will go it should tell you more about my stand on free and fair elections."

But the government is battling international image crisis. This explains why it had to send emissaries to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), United States and some strategic nations. According to investigation, a team comprising the Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, ex-Governor Peter Obi and some PDP stalwarts was sent to Dubai shortly after the poll postponement for image laundering. Also, the presidency sent a secret lobby team to the United States to explain why the general election was postponed till March 28 and April 11. The team, headed by an Ambassador, was also expected to affirm the commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan's administration to the May 29 handover date through a free and fair election. A major task given to the team was to "correct the impression that President Jonathan has plan to sit-tight in office or form an Interim National Government."

It was learnt that the team will meet with some members of the Congress, Foreign Policy.

A source said: "There is so much pressure on the Federal Government as a result of the postponement of the general elections. The element of trust between Nigeria and some of these countries has become an issue.

"The situation was worsened by the fact that the postponement came about shortly after assurances were given to John Kerry that everything was on course."

Benefit for Jonathan/PDP A major benefit the PDP is deriving from the poll shift is a rare opportunity to evaluate its campaigns and fill in some obvious gaps, especially in the South-West, North-West, the North-East and parts of North-Central. Already, the campaign loopholes have been identified. A source said: "It may interest you that some strategists of the President are already

discussing with some former PDP leaders who defected to APC, if only to allow Jonathan to secure 25 per cent of the votes in their states."

Buhari-APC gains Soaring image for Buhari Unlike the President, the poll postponement has given Buhari positive local and international mileage. Apart from The Economist, the ultra conservation British magazine, endorsing the APC candidate, the New York Times prefers him to Jonathan, described by The Economist as a "failed President." In its editorial titled "Nigeria's miserable choices", The New York Times linked the postponement of the general elections to plans to frustrate the APC presidential candidate.

Nigeria's Ambassador to the US, Prof.

Ade Adefuye, was unsparing when he described the editorial as "biased and ignorant." Adefuye said: "The election management body has always been allowed a freehand in conduct of its activities including the time table for the elections. In arriving at the decision to postpone the elections, INEC chief, Prof.

Jega, said 'no one pressurized INEC to take the decision. The commission took into consideration the prevailing situation in the country in the build up to the Feb. 14 earlier scheduled for the commencement of the elections." He said the issues involved, including distribution of the permanent voter cards; card readers and security were "acknowledged in a research conducted by the U.S.-based National Democratic Institute and the International Republic Institute after a four-week stay in Nigeria."

Buhari as the underdog After much battering in the media, most voters now see Buhari as the underdog and APC is now benefiting from the sympathy for its candidate.

Buhari is profiting daily from the local and international bashing of the President and his party. The APC, no doubt, has the momentum. The National Chairman of APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun, who spoke during a stocktaking session with party leaders in Abuja on Tuesday, said: "I don't think I need to bore you with the events of the last few days and weeks. It is very clear through your own very hard work that your party, the APC, is coasting home to an overwhelming victory.

"Anywhere we have gone to starting from the East, South-South, South-West and the totality of the Northern states, the cry has been unanimous. The people have internalized the need for change and have taken possession of the need for change and before you even open your mouth to talk to them, it appears as if they know more about change and the need for change, the necessity for change, the imperative for change than even you that has come to them to ask for their votes."

Benefits for APC The acceptance of the poll shift by APC and its presidential candidate put paid to propaganda by the PDP that the opposition is violent. The conciliatory speech of Buhari drew instant praise for him.

He earned tremendous international respect. The APC was careful in not playing into PDP and presidency's booby traps. They had expected APC supporters to pour onto the streets in protest but that was not to be, to the disappointment of the ruling party.

Defections Since the poll shift was announced, there had been some campaign mileage for APC. The Deputy Governor of Niger State, Musa Ibeto and six members of the House of Representatives have defected

•Contd. on page 12

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Poll shift: Who benefits between Jonathan and Buhari?

•Contd. from page 11

to the opposition. The development signposted more sympathy and followers for the APC, no matter how few. Significantly too, the APC now controls the majority in the House of Representatives which may make things a bit difficult for the ruling party in the next few months.

Court decisions The decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court against use of troops for election duties have added value to APC under the six-week period of poll shift. Apart from vindicating APC's position, the court verdicts underscored why the nation ought not to have gone through the poll postponement.

Although the presidency may not comply with the judgments, the voters can exercise their voting discretion better.

Massive rally in Borno The mammoth crowd at the APC presidential campaign rally in Maiduguri, Borno State caused more jitters in PDP camp because it showed the people of the North-East preference for the opposition. Prior to the rally, some PDP stalwarts had questioned the high rate of collection of Permanent Voter Cards in the state where many people have been displaced because of insurgency.

The rally also confirmed the

D

ESPITE the mobilisation and enlightenment campaigns, why did many Nigerians refuse to register to vote? After registering, why are some people refusing to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs)?

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. According to the National Population Commission, the country's population, based on 2005 census, is 180 million. But, the number of expected registered voters, which consists of citizens of 18 years and above, is not proportional to the census figures spread across the six geo-political zones.

According to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), 68,833,476 registered to vote in this year's elections - these are people with Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs). For them to be eligible however, they must exchange their TVCs with the Permanent Voter Card (PVC). As at last week 52,275,367 had obtained the PVCs. During the 1999 transition programme, 57, 938, 945 Nigerians registered to vote. If we take the 68. 833.

476 TVCs however as basis, there is any increase of 11 million would- be voters.

How significant is this number in a country of 180 million ?.

Some experts are of the view that many Nigerians are not enthusiastic about voting, either due to their lack of faith in the ballot box, or fear of election as an acrimonious exercise. Disapproval of bad governance and sheer apathy triggered by ignorance, could also be a factor.

With five weeks to the March 28 and April 11 polls, there is the likelihood that the 52 million that have collected the PVC will rise significantly. INEC, chaired by Prof. Attahiru Jega, is optimistic that more Nigerians will still obtain the cards before the closing date.

That however dose not mean that every Nigerian who has collected the card will finally vote. Relative to the demographic distribution across the states, it is evident

readiness of the North-East for the general election.

Acceptance of Card Readers by the Senate The successful operation of Card Readers Machines on the floor of the Senate by Jega and his National Commissioners resolved a major electoral hurdle for the nation. While the PDP is opposed to the use of card readers, APC accepted it. INEC said there is no going back on the use of the device.

Military success in Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Yobe The harvest of successful campaigns against Boko Haram insurgents in Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, and Yobe states are to the benefits of APC because the military has no excuse for further poll postponement. And with the collection of PVCs now at about 80 per cent, all is set for the inevitable general election.

Challenges In spite of its little edge, it is not yet Uhuru for the APC. The party has some challenges before going for the poll.

Complacency With PDP on the defensive on all issues, complacency may set in for the APC if care is not taken. A Minister once asked: "Why should Buhari and his supporters be behaving as if they have won the poll? What has given them the confidence? Who says Buhari will win the poll?" Sensing danger, the National

Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu warned party leaders against taking the electoral situation for granted. He said: "Let us use this period not only to fasten our belt, but to wear our parachute and put our safety valves on our boats to strengthen ourselves because no one will serve you power if you don't take it. It is not like going to Chinese Restaurant and say you want noodles. The determination is yours. We know that now that they have not been able to achieve a violent booby trap they set, they have other things up their sleeves.

"Don't under estimate these people as you go back home. Turn yourselves to great vigilantes for freedom, liberty and democratic government in this country.

There is nothing to be ashamed of because if you look at the history if this government, you will discover that they are reckless, unsympathetic to Nigerians.

The soul of our country is security."

Avoiding being drawn into religious issue The APC needs to be more tactical as the PDP is desperate to drag it into religious politics in order to mar the chances of the opposition. The party appreciated this danger when Buhari met with Christian leaders from the North during the week. But APC must certainly watch its back because some influential Christian leaders are serving as foot-soldiers for the President.

Depletion of resources

With 52 million PVCs collected, Jega is on course RESULTS OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS •1999 •2003 •2007 •2011

Obasanjo Falae Obasanjo Buhari Yar’Adua Buhari Jonathan Buhari

(PDP) (AD/APP) (PDP) (ANPP) (PDP) (ANPP) (PDP) (CPC)

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Political Editor that the mobilisation for voters' registration did not yield expected results.

In 1999, the total number of registered voters across the 36 states was 57,938,945.

The analysis according to zones is as follows: Southwest 11,921, 036; Northcentral 7,566,935; Southsouth 7,941,551; Southeast 7,373,282, Northwest 11, 962, 131; and Northeast 7, 697, 605. According to INEC led by the late Justice Ephraim Akpata, the percentage of voter turnout was 52. In that presidential election, the total number of votes cast were 30, 280,052. The total valid votes was 29,848,441. It was a far cry from the number of registered voters, which was 57, 938, 945. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 18, 738, 154 votes to beat the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) candidate, Chief Olu Falae, who polled 11,110,287.

In 2003, more parties had been registered.

No fewer than 20 parties fielded presidential

18,738,154 11,110,287 24,456,140 12,710,022 24,638,063 6,605,2999 22,495,187 12,214,853

(61.94%) (32.19%) (69.60%) (18.66%) (58.89%) (31.98%)

candidates. Apart from the PDP, ANPP which fielded Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) of Col. Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (retd), 17 other parties fielded presidential candidates. The smaller parties included United Nigeria Peoples Party, National Conscience Party, Progressive Action Congress, National Democratic Party, Justice Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Peoples Mandate Party, All Peoples Liberation Party, and New Nigeria Peoples Party. Others were Movement for Democracy and Justice, African Renaissance Party, Democratic Alternative, Nigeria Advanced Party, Better Nigeria Progressive Party, National Action Council, Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria and Masses Movement of Nigeria.

In four years, the number of registered voters rose to 60, 823, 022. The number of voters who cast their votes was 42, 018, 735, representing 69 percent. Total valid votes were 39, 480. 489. Obasanjo of the PDP scored 24, 456, 140, representing 61 per cent. Buhari got 12, 710, 022, which was 32 per cent. A

Presidential Elections

Register Voters

Total Votes

Percentage

Invalid/Blank Votes

Total Votes

February 27, 1999

57,938,945

30,280,052

52.3%

431,611

29,848,441

April 19, 2003

60,823,022

42,018,735

69.1%

2,538,246

39,480,489

April 21, 2007

61,567,036

---------------

58%

-------------

35,397,517

April 16, 2011

73,528,040

39,469,484

53%

1,259,506

38,209,978

If APC has any problem to address within the six-week window, it is about funding. From Buhari, most APC chieftains are poor and the hectic campaign has overstretched their resources. The same dilemma is facing the party's structures at the state level.

PDP does not mind emptying the vault to win this poll. There are stories of how PDP is mopping up PVCs in APC stronghold in order to deactivate these voters.

More work in South-East and South-South The opposition ought to do more work in the South-East and SouthSouth where it is winning more supporters. In the last one week, a former Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States, Ignatius C. Olisemeka and ex-Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Festus Odimegwu have come out strongly to vouch for the integrity of Buhari. They were strange but necessary voices at a testy moment for the opposition. There may be more hidden voters like these personalities in the two geo-political zones.

The state of the battle Barely one week into the six-week reprieve, APC is having an edge over PDP. But with Jonathan pulling the strings, the opposition needs to be watchful and cautious. Five weeks is a long time in politics. post mortem report on the election showed that it was characterised by multiple voting.

About 6 million votes were believed to have been fraudulently added to the final tally.

In the April 21, 2007 presidential poll, 61, 567, 036 registered to vote. Only 35, 397, 517 votes were recorded as valid. The late President Umaru Yar'Adua scored 24, 638, 063 votes (69 per cent) to beat Buhari, who got 6. 605, 299 votes. There were 25 presidential candidates.

In 2011, 20 presidential candidates participated. The registered voters were 73, 528, 040 out of which 39, 469, 484 voted (53 per cent). Total valid votes were 38, 209, 978.

Shortly after the polls postponement, Jega's media aide, Kayode Idowu, expressed worry about the reluctance of some registered voters to collect the cards.

He said the rate of collection dropped, following the shift. Giving reason for this, he said many people believed that they could still meet up before the expiration of the extension date.

Civil society groups attributed the reluctance to many factors. "There are people who have relocated from where they registered. They may not bother to go back to collect the cards because of distance," said Dr. Yemi Ayeobasan, a lecturer at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, who added: "It is also about enthusiasm. Generally, people believe that they have been voting, but there are no dividends of democracy."

Another lecturer, Olaotan Kuku, said: "INEC workers are also frustrating people.

Personnel efficiency is poor. It gives headache. People will not want to spend a whole day chasing cards. On Oworonsoki, you see people trooping out, but the cards are elusive. People are complaining that they are finding it difficult to get the cards.

Some people have given up on the cards."

On Friday, the Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Akin Orebiyi, assured that the cards were ready, urging Lagosians to approach their polling units for them. He also promised that the complaints by the people will be attended to. "The cards are available. We appeal to people to come for them in time. They should not wait till the closing date."

What this year's election my reveal is the true level of enthusiasm and participation of Nigerians in the electoral process. The adoption of PVCs and card readers may eliminate voting by proxy and multiple balloting. The INEC, going by the new figure of PVCs collection can be said to be on course.

Ropo Sekoni

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Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Our good man tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

Nigeria's President who sees no evil, hears no evil

B

Y now, psychologists should be busy studying who the man, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, is. That is if they have not already concluded their findings on him. The man, who is the President and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has denied being Pharaoh or Herod. He said he is not even Nebuchadnezzar. No matter what anybody says, he is entitled to his opinion.

But one of the issues I have with the president is the dissonance between some of his words and his actions, or the actions of his ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which he cannot, unfortunately, say he is not aware of. I was in the third service at the Winners Chapel on January 25 when President Jonathan visited the church. When Bishop David Oyedepo asked the congregation to pray for him, and even when he (Jonathan) made his brief remark at the service, one saw a meek President; one who could possibly not hurt a fly.

However, I always find it difficult to reconcile this mien with some of the developments in the country, like in the Ekiti show of shame, and to some extent, the Osun governorship election of last year; or in his handling of corruption matters. Even his involvement in the sequence of events that led to the postponement of the general elections that should have started on February 14 is suspect. Would President Jonathan say, in his true Christian conscience, that what Captain Koli Sagir alleged concerning the disgraceful way very senior soldiers - Generals and all - were used to intimidate the opposition during the Ekiti governorship election last year was false? Or that he was not aware of it? Even if he was not, ignorance is no excuse in law, especially at his level. Then, now that a participant has spilled the bean, what has he done? Or is he still holding on to his earlier position that it never happened? Does playing the ostrich make President Jonathan a good man?

Sometime last week, I watched the video where former President Attah Mills of Ghana was speaking on a 'sting operation' conducted at a Ghanaian airport, to see the extent of the rot in the place, and perhaps, by extension, the country. The way the president spoke you could feel the palpable anger and a strong determination to exterminate corruption in Ghana in him. It was the same Ghana that got deputy minister of communications, Victoria Hammah, sacked for merely contemplating stealing in November 2013, at a time when our own president was still dilly-dallying over what to do with Stella Oduah, then Minister of Aviation, over the scandalous purchase of two bullet-proof cars for N255million.

Not for John Mahama, Ghana’s current president any attempt to make any distinction between stealing and corruption. Not for him any dilly-dally; he went straight for Hammah's job. That is how you know a leader who is serious about fighting corruption.

Corruption is not a Nigerian; I mean it is everywhere that fowls are stolen at night.

The difference is that chances of getting away with corruption are very high in this country and that is because instead of calling those involved the thieves that they are, the Jonathan administration, and to some extent others before it, cultivate them. Again, between President Mahama and President Jonathan, who is a good man?

In recent times, I have received numerous text messages that a particular political party has been giving fertiliser, for instance, with the president's picture on the bags. And my position on this is simple: those whose

• Jonathan Christian conscience or Moslem conscience, or even pagan conscience can stomach it should not hesitate to take whatever money, fertiliser or rice, etc. that the ruling party or any party for that matter offers them now for the sake of the election. It is our common wealth. No genuine investor or person who made legitimate income would be throwing money or Greek gifts to voters on the eve of elections.

What is important is that after taking such unsolicited gifts, you still vote according to your conscience, realising that those giving such gifts are themselves no fools. Not only will they recoup their 'investment' after winning election, what they will take would be several times more than what they gave. Offering Greek gifts is not a way to be a good man.

Then, one of the poisoned chalices the president is dangling for reelection. He said he would create Ibadan State if reelected. Those clamouring for it are probably politicians who themselves know that even the present 36 states are not viable. Will Ibadan State too be going to Abuja for handouts at the end of every month? A devout president who goes to churches to seek God's face ought not be doing such a thing because he knows it is not one of the things Nigeria needs now. You cannot mix politics with God. In essence, President Jonathan must decide which he wants to serve: wars and chariots or the power of the Most High. I say this because the president cannot be moving from church to church in search of whatever, only for soldiers to be deployed at the slightest opportunity to intimidate innocent citizens. Our hope that the president and his ruling party would reckon with court judgments forbidding the use of soldiers for elections in the coming elections was dashed on Thursday by the Two Brigade Commander/Sector 2 Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, Brigadier-General Koko Essien, who insisted that soldiers "will be involved in the election to the extent that is allowed by law". We have been having elections long before the Jonathan administration and we know our soldiers had not been as visible in previous elections as they have been under this administration. Yet, the law has never changed. We all know the circumstances under which soldiers can be drafted for election purposes and the process to do that. So, that cannot be an issue.

But we have never had a situation where politicians would be giving orders to military officers on how to intimidate the opposition during election as they allegedly did in the Ekiti State governorship polls and which the military authorities have not responded to, even though they were swift in replying Gen-

I also do not know of any traditional ruler in the southwest zone who would openly canvass support for President Jonathan, knowing the groundswell of opposition to his government and reelection in the region.

Any of them who makes the mistake of saying the president is a good man would be reminded they said so of the Babangidas and the Abachas of this world, etc. Yet, see where they landed us

eral Olusegun Obasanjo for saying the president wants to use the service chiefs for his tenure elongation agenda. What the military authorities did not know or pretend not to know is that the military brought this kind of suspicion to itself. Obasanjo merely said what is in the minds of many Nigerians. Our laws could not have envisaged a situation where more than 1,000 soldiers would be drafted to a place like Ekiti just to conduct governorship election when there were no sufficient troops to send to confront the Boko Haram insurgents in the troubled northeast. It is such abuse of the military that we are talking about; and that, I suppose, is what the courts too have outlawed.

Now, we are hearing a lot of speculations, some of which ordinarily are easy to dismiss because they are just unthinkable in 21st century Nigeria. Obasanjo had even warned against (?). But we cannot wish these speculations away because that was how the speculation about postponement of elections started and the government tried all the tricks in the world to no avail. It eventually had to force its way through. Anything is possible when you have a good man who is also the leader of a democratic party that is afraid of elections, as president. The latest now is that the president is visiting some 'Yoruba leaders', whatever that meant! The point is that only a fool would not know that those who met in Akure last week and are parading themselves as Yoruba leaders cannot even speak for their own immediate families, not to talk of the Yoruba race. That race is too sophisticated for any wool to be pulled over its face. President Jonathan has been in office for more than five years, if he had any intention to restructure Nigeria, he should have done that. It is the kind of 'divide and rule' that his administration has been doing; going to the north to assure of one thing and coming down south to assure the exact opposite. I also do not know of any traditional ruler in the southwest zone who would openly canvass support for President Jonathan, knowing the groundswell of opposition to his government and reelection in the region. Any of them who makes the mistake of saying the president is a good man would be reminded they said so of the Babangidas and the Abachas of this world, etc. Yet, see where they landed us. The Yoruba race is one that neither forgives nor forgets when people commit political sacrilege. Such people remain renegades for life!

Yet, no one can blame the government for whatever shenanigans it might be planning to stay put or avoid elections perpetually. That is what happens when people are not punished for crimes against the State. If General Ibrahim Babangida and his co-travellers who annulled the popular wish of Nigerians in 1993 had been severely punished, today's leaders would not see those shenanigans as an option.

We should be on red alert over this our man who is so good that he hardly can make mistake that could attract criticism. When the other time, The Economist said it would not endorse President Jonathan because he has not done well, he said he did not need the magazine's endorsement for reelection.

Reports only last week said he had sent some people abroad to launder his government's image. I don't know of any other country in the world that launders its image several times like Nigeria; yet the image remains as dirty as ever.

When Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka said both the president and General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential hopeful of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have some sort of k-leg, the former as a result of his current performance, and the latter as a result of his antecedents, the president's men took offence. Such is the goodness of their boss that everybody must eulogise him like they have deceived him over the years to the point that he is now struggling (or is it desperate) to have what should be on his laps just for the asking.

Democracy: to be or not to be?

By Jayeola Adedotun

P

OLITICS is a never-ceasing process of civic education and incremental consciousness, according to Aristotle. But for Nigerians, the political tide seems to be towards the dark sides.

An outbreak of political frenzy looms, and the soon to be conducted general election has heightened political tension throughout the nation. This election period has undoubtedly brought into public attention, aspirants, whose carefully designed aims are made known to induce the masses into perfecting their 'real motives'. But under what guise? To liberate the majority at the receiving end of a cruel system of political prejudice, or to strengthen a system that will indulge their self-absorbed and mismatched motives.

Nigeria, a nation that is supposedly expected to steer the course of positive change in Africa is politically and democratically backward, and these regressive developments show no sign of winding down - save in our dreams. Its damaging effects is evident in our socio-economic and global status, and much of these is centred around the doleful acts of our leaders. Their penchant for administering willful and outrageous policies is astounding and unmatched anywhere in the world.

Nigeria's political setting is awash with individuals that will rather bask in illicit abundance to the detriment of the masses, while they imbue the masses with a sense of belonging, entitlement and unrestrained crave for a blissful political reins, as they go about their never-ending and self-tagged "transformation agenda".

Their continuing blatant and devil-maycare approach to the plight of the people is becoming increasingly worrisome and embarrassing. If not for any other reason, government's failure to contain and curtail the state-of-unrest in some parts of the country indicates political incompetence.

What do we say of a government that has repeatedly failed in the aspect of education, infrastructure, health, security, and perpetuated lots of encroachments on the fundamental human rights of its citizens?

The world has seen a long list of countries overcome a period of political turmoil and bad governance more critical than ours. Nigerian leaders are not blind to the truth, they are more concerned with robbing the nation of its purposefulness, and protecting their damned political circus of low-lives, who are bent on holding the nation accountable for their crimes. The truth is that they lack the political will, drive and wit to save our day. Their archives of initiated and perpetuated atrocities is startling.

We live in an era where adherence to principle and practice of good governance shrink to the call of the ruling cabal, while the rule of law is being consigned to oblivion because it is so nearly true, yet still false. Nobody seems to care, while everybody does whatever one does when one struggles to survive. Common sense prevails over the rule of law as the notion: "power resides where men believe it resides" comes to mind. But Martin Luther King Jr. once said: "we know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." This will require a national effort of conscience and true struggle. •Adedotun writes from Ilaro, Ogun State.

14

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

COMMENT

Towards our date with destiny 3 It is therefore wishful thinking if those behind election postponement plan or hope to benefit in terms of electoral support from change of election dates E said on this page last week that Nigeria's date with destiny has been delayed by six weeks as a result of the decision the country's security chiefs made to devote the time allocated for the presidential election of February 14 and 28 to fighting the menace of Boko Haram in the northeast corner of the country. Arising from last week's postponement of the presidential election is an episode-by-episode examination of the political campaign that signalled a decision of majority of citizens to resist continued collapse of their dreams into the economic and social problems thrown up by decades of substandard governance.

As this page has observed several times, Nigeria's malaise did not start with the incumbent president; it only got compounded under his presidency. The persons who have been helping the incumbent to govern have also perfected tricks (used by military governments in particular) to hoodwink citizens to believe that the government, like several governments before Jonathan's, has been doing its best on account of which citizens should use their vote to retain Jonathan for another four years. Using the case of national security to justify sudden postponement of the election is a game that Nigeria had experienced before, especially during General Babangida's military dictatorship. Primaries and elections were cancelled by Babangida, citing national security as excuse, and most Nigerians accepted to give Babangida the benefit of doubt until the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

From military to post-military era, the power of the federal government has been so enormous that anyone in control of such power who is willing to use the power to his or her advantage can do so and hope to get away with such impunity. The postponement of the election is one such use of power to give advantage to the incumbent president and several invisible characters in and out of the corridor of power who are afraid of what emerged as the Buhari Phenomenon or Effect

W

during the four weeks of campaign after the emergence of Buhari as APC's presidential candidate and of Professor Osinbajo as his vice presidential candidate.

When President Jonathan said in his recent media chat that he had contested election against General Buhari before and that the situation was not as filled with tension as the 2015 one, made to be so largely by the "people that surround Buhari," he too must have recognised the high voltage of the Buhari Momentum. What those who clamoured and still defend the postponement of the election by six weeks are missing is the meaning of the Buhari Phenomenon. It should not be hard for watchers of the campaign to recognise that it is not the impact of the campaign per se that has produced the electrifying effect of APC's presidential campaign in particular. It looks more like the decision of individual citizens to stop the collapsing of their dreams into the mess that Nigeria has meant to them.

Just like President Jonathan, this writer has also seen a major transformation in General Buhari and in the character of citizens who follow him during his campaign in different parts of the country. The picture that emerges from Buhari's campaign, in contrast with that of President Jonathan, is also different from what obtained in 2011. In 2011, Goodluck Jonathan was the darling of the people just as General Buhari has been during the 2015 campaign. Citizens seem to have made up their minds to chart their own destiny by giving their trust to Buhari, as far as the near fanatical followership of Buhari in different parts of the country has suggested. The 2015 campaign is not just about Jonathan versus Buhari. It looks like a contest between Jonathan and a new idea and vision of and for Nigeria on the part of citizens.

It is therefore wishful thinking if those behind election postponement plan or hope to benefit in terms of electoral support from change of election dates. The evidence before our eyes about Buhari as the personification of an Idea is not likely to be eroded by years of postponement of the election that is to

give citizens the opportunity to choose who they want to govern them beyond May 29. It may not be clear to Buhari himself and to his ardent supporters that Buhari has become an instrument of change in the hands of citizens who throng his campaign rallies. It is the magic of the fusion of a new idea and a candidate with respect to Buhari that appears to be missing in the campaign rallies of the PDP and the incumbent president.

The evidence before citizens' eyes is the maturation of an idea believed or perceived by citizens to have been embodied in the persons of Buhari and Osinbajo. Those currently governing Nigeria need to pay more attention to the nuances of the thronging around of Buhari and Osinbajo of voters. I have witnessed all the elections in this country since 1959. I have not seen anyone in which the desire for change acquires the high wattage of the 2015 campaign. The closest to this is the election in Western Nigeria in 1965 when the people of the region wanted to use their votes to put to shame a federal government that they believed had set out to destroy the dreams of the region.

For those around then, it was not surprising when citizens reacted against the rigging of that election.

Thus, it is advisable for those handling the 2015 elections (whenever they are finally allowed to take place) that the elections are free, fair, and credible. When citizens mass around a presidential candidate the way they have done in the last five or six weeks, it becomes dangerous for the society if such citizens are prevented from expressing their real choice through the ballot box. It will not matter who at the end majority of citizens vote for; what will matter is that citizens are given free choice to use their vote and that such votes are allowed to count.

Those who are now calling for the use of Temporary Voter Cards, need to realise that it is too late in the day to do this. We said several times in this column at the beginning of the discussion of permanent voter cards by the National Security Adviser and all the political parties that temporary voter cards should be used if distributing PVCs became

impossible before February 14. But now that candidates and citizens have accepted the delay of the elections for six weeks, it is illogical for any political party to call for the use of TVCs. It is also illogical for any political party to campaign against the use of card readers. Using card readers does not amount to electronic voting. An electronic card reader is only a device to confirm the authenticity of the PVC being presented at the poll. It does not make sense to revert to the use of TVCs that cannot be verified, especially after citizens have accepted to wait for additional six weeks before exercising their fundamental rights to choose their leaders. Reverting to use of TVCs is more prone to rigging than using PVCs that can be verified.

INEC needs to pay more attention to the fact that the Southwest region is lagging behind other regions in the distribution of PVCs. Voters in the Southwest should not be denied the opportunity to use their votes to negotiate a new destiny. So far, too many citizens are having problems collecting their PVCs in the Southwest and this is evident in the latest release of numbers of cards collected across the country. In my household of four, I am the only person that has been able to obtain PVC in Alausa. My wife whose photograph was pasted on the wall has not been able to obtain her card. On the three occasions we went to MKO Abiola Gardens for this purpose, the staff there have not been able to find the PVC of my wife and two other family members among the mountain of cards on and under their table.

While the country's security chiefs use the next five weeks to fight Boko Haram terrorists, INEC should double its efforts to bring out the PVCs of citizens duly registered to vote. INEC needs to know that Southwesterners have the same right as residents of other regions to dream anew about Nigeria. They also have the same right to use their votes to bring a new Nigeria into being or keep the old one. This right can only be exercised by those with their PVCs in their hands by election time.

To be continued.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

COMMENT

15

Military and our democracy Assurances by the military that it is set to defend democracy is suspect

T

RYING times. These two words best describe the situation with the Nigerian Armed Forces today. The ruling by a Justice Abdul Aboki-led panel of Appeal Court Justices that Mr. Ayodele Fayose's election was marred by intimidation and harassment by soldiers let loose by the military authorities has called to question the self-assigned roles that men who bear arms to defend the state now perform in civil matters.

While ruling on the contention by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the military presence at the polling units and the streets on the Ekiti governorship election poll date made the exercise unfair and thus lacking in credibility, Justice Aboki said: "The question is that who ordered deployment of military or soldiers in the Ekiti governorship election? Was there any act of insurrection to warrant the call on the military to restore order? And was such deployment in accordance with sections 217 (2)(c) and 218(4) of the constitution?

"There is nothing before us in the records in answering the posers positively.

"With this, whoever unleashed soldiers on Ekiti State disturbed the peace of the election on 21st June 2014, acted in flagrant breach of the Constitution, and flouted the provisions of the Electoral Act which required enabling environment by civil authorities in the conduct of elections."

We agree with him. And, it remains to be said that, in such circumstances, it cannot be determined who would have won if the polling was free and fair. It could not have been easily determined how the deployment could have affected turnout, especially with the hostile disposition of the security forces to the APC before Election Day. It is gratifying that the APC has decided to challenge the finding of

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye •Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile •Associate Editors Taiwo Ogundipe Sam Egburonu

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye

It is not a favour being done the polity, but a primary responsibility.

However, the vaguely disguised motive for the statement was betrayed as the military spokesman said: "The Armed Forces of Nigeria is quite conscious of the fact that apart from its primary constitutional role of defending the country from external aggression and internal insurrection, it also has the responsibility of providing support in aid of civil authority such as the need to provide complementary security arrangement to protect our electoral process."

In view of the ruling of the Appeal Court on wrongful deployment of troops for electoral purpose, the position of General Olukolade appears a contradiction of its pledge to uphold the Constitution. What the two-star General said in that statement is a disregard of the law of the land and he must be told in clear terms that an insubordinate Armed Forces is an anathema in a democracy.

It is unfortunate that the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, sees nothing wrong in the flagrant disregard for the law, sensibilities and mood of the nation that sending soldiers to usurp the functions of the police would amount to. We call on the President to speak out and let the nation know his mind on this. As the law states, even to put out insurrection in the land or any part thereof, the President would require the approval of the National Assembly to deploy troops. Elections are not wars.

Polling is no excuse to militarise the country and turn weapons purchased at great costs to combat insurgents showing surprising strength in 14 local government areas against innocent people who are merely engaged in performing their civic obligation.

LETTER

C

onsidering the reckoning of the sophistication of Yoruba in the political evolution of Nigeria both at national and at international levels, it is pertinent that much is expected from any pan socio-political organisation that is set up as an umbrella body for the propagation and protection of the common interests of the Yoruba in all ramifications. In this light, the Afenifere readily comes to mind.

However, the recent pitching of tent with the ruling political party (PDP) for the February 2015 election by Afenifere has continued to be marred in a heated and an unending controversy, accusations and counter-accusations from the Yoruba. While some people do not see anything wrong with the partisanship posture of the organization, other see the action of the group as an act of sell out which is at variance with the wishes of the majority of the Yoruba both at home and in Diaspora who believe that it was high time the PDP was changed at the Federal level with the All Progressives Congress (APC) that is seen as the alternative party than can

the courts below at the Supreme Court.

The Appeal Court ruling is instructive against the background of the military's current overbearing posture in the democratic space. While announcing the postponement of the elections earlier fixed for February 14 and 28, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, had hinged it on a military diktat that the safety of the polling officials could not be guaranteed. The service chiefs had unanimously claimed that they would be in no position to deploy troops for the civic exercise if it was held any time before the new date. It amounts to overruling INEC that has the constitutional responsibility of organising elections. It is to be noted that, while the military has the duty of warding off external aggression and fighting the country's enemy, the police have the duty of protecting the citizens and only using minimal force in combating electoral crimes.

It is even more ludicrous that the military, through the Director of Defence Information, Major-Gen. Chris Olukolade, found it necessary to issue a statement pledging a superfluous commitment to defending democracy. In normal times, this should be taken for granted.

Afenifere and its wishful endorsement

effectively tackle the two main problems facing Nigeria today as a country insecurity and corruption.

Going down the memory lane, if the views expressed by Chief Babatunde Oduwoye, a former Alliance for Democracy Whip in the House of Representatives and a onetime Publicity Secretary of

a faction of Afenifere is anything to go by, then it can aptly be summarized that the protracted problem that is easily identifiable with Afenifere right from onset has been that of unnecessary endorsement of a political party against other political parties without a recourse to the diverse political interests

and lack of balancing capability when it comes to taking a serious political decision as the one on endorsement of one out of the presidential contestants in the Feb 2015 election which is around the corner.

Chief Oduwoye was asked if it wouldn't be a better idea if a transformed

Afenifere endorses credible and tested candidates that believe in its core values across all the political parties, he replied thus: "I agree with you and that is why I will say irrespective of the political party you belong to, if an individual is seen by its immediate community to be of good background, credible, re-

sourceful and believes in Afenifere credo, such a candidate should be endorsed by Afenifere".

Without mincing words, other socio-political associations in Nigeria outside Afenifere such as, Ohaneze-Indigbo, the Arewa Consultative Forum, just to mention a few, have a lot to learn from the stance of the like of Chief Oduoye on the enthronement of bad governance through prejudiced political interest and selfcenteredness of the leadership of socio-political organizations in Nigeria.

•Odunayo Joseph Mopa, Kogi State

Nigeria, politics and the prospect of governance

A

S the elections to usher in a new set of leaders, is just by the corner the permutation and other intrigues are high with major stakeholders making all sorts of statements, that is capable of tearing the country apart.

The political parties and their candidates are all pushing and mudslinging each other in order to win and woo potential voters to cast their votes. While those who are perceived as elder statesmen are making pro-

vocative statements that are really unbecoming of them.

Generally speaking, it portends a very dangerous scenario, that if care is not well taken it can plunge the country into chaos The whole is geared towards the prospect of having good governance in the land, that the country was unable to have in spite of the nascent democracy, that was in place in the last sixteen years. The inability of those elected to steer the ship in various political of-

fice has tremendously failed or rather abdicate their social responsibility to the electorate towards the provision of the dividend of democracy across board.

That was the reason(s) the political horizon was overheated with such provocative statements and mudslinging pervaded the political space by the actors of recent, that call for concern on the part of those, who wish the country well in every ramifications.

The prospect of good

governance provided the podium for the opposition parties to come together to challenge the ruling party, that has been in the arena for sixteen years of the history of the present political dispensation.

The arena is now so saturated with different kind of political tactics in order to see, that the people voted for the party or the one that can have the required votes to form the government at both the centre and the states.

But what is needed is decorum and play in accordance with the laid down procedures as outline by the electoral body charged with the conduct of elections in this country.

Though, the various parties has the right to woo support from the people in order for them to cast their votes for them, it need to be done in such a way, that is in tandem with the known democracies in the world.

•Usman Santuraki Jambutu, Jimeta-Yola

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16

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

COMMENT

It's time for President Jonathan to decelerate tension nationally

If the president, in particular, is concerned with what history will say about him, his considerable energies should now be directed at how to leave a lasting legacy

I

T appeared to me strange then, if not sinister, that in propounding his theory of a mutually assured post-election crisis, whoever of President Jonathan or General Buhari, wins the presidential election, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi did not canvass a free, fair and transparent election, but rather suggested a somewhat uncritical acceptance of the result by not just the candidates, but also their millions of supporters, obviously with diverse tolerance levels, knowing only too well , that in Nigeria, a group of these supporters would most probably have been rigged out. I instantly remonstrated by pointing out on these pages that it was curious he could so suggest when it was obvious that the PDP, being the party in power, unlike the APC, can very easily use its position to compromise the integrity of the election as it has done severally in the past to the extent that a sitting president Yar' Adua could not help confessing that he was rigged into office by the party. I then wondered as to why Professor Akinyemi, rather than wanting the election's integrity be assured by both parties, he preferred to commit them to accepting it, willy nilly, no matter the process that threw up the result.

My fears would be confirmed soon after when some reputable international diplomats suddenly materialised, claiming to underwrite a Memorandum of Understanding amongst the presidential candidates but also, with nary a mention of the integrity of the process. After all, post election conflagrations do not

just happen on their own but because a foul play is suspected.

All these thoughts came poignantly back to me on the exposure of the secretly recorded audio tape of the Ekiti gubernatorial election of 21 June, 2014. The tape is believed to have been recorded by a Captain Sagir Koli, who served as the intelligence Officer to a Brigadier-General of the Nigerian Army who allegedly collaborated with some chieftains - also named in the tape - of the PDP to rig the election. Listening to the tape, one hears several references to not just the Army Chief of Staff but also to the highest echelon of government, namely, the presidency.

It therefore occurred to me that, being past masters at rigging elections, the PDP must have lashed onto Prof Akinyemi's patriotic concerns and hurriedly got the respected diplomats on board to oversee a MOU they could hide under as it should naturally have moderated a likely violent response to their 'victory'. This conjecture is absolutely reasonable given the fact that the involvement of the military in rigging the Ekiti gubernatorial election produced such a roaring success that it might have been concluded that it becomes the party's template for all future elections, especially the presidential which they believe would result in a band wagon effect. This conclusion has been further confirmed by the fact that two of those who were captured on the tape - Governor Ayo Fayose and Musliu Obanikoro - are known to have boasted at different times

later, that PDP would win all the elections in their respective states hands down. Declared Obanikoro, boastfully, in an interview with the Punch, published on Sunday, 28 December, 2015: "Ogunlewe said in his interview with Sunday Punch that he doesn't know whether the PDP will win in the Southwest. He said it is not yet time for him to talk about that. But it is time for me to talk about it. I can tell you that we are going to win. The president is going to win BIG; WE ARE GOING TO CLEAR THE SOUTHWEST. YOU CAN MARK TODAY'S DATE AND QUOTE ME'.

I am sure Nigerians now know where Obanikoro was coming from.

No thanks to a patriotic Captain Koli.

So incensed, therefore, has the PDP been about the Court of Appeal, Abuja circuit's confirmation of an earlier Sokoto High Court decision that the president has no constitutional right, whatever, to involve the military in the conduct of elections. In the decision affirmed by the Appeal Court, Justice Abdul Aboki , in his lead judgment in the Ekiti State Governorship Election appeal on February 16, had held that "even the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian armed forces and to unleash them on peaceful citizens, who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders.

"Whoever unleashed soldiers on Ekiti State, disturbed the peace of the election on June 21, 2014; acted in flagrant breach of the Constitution and flouted the provisions of the Electoral Act, which required an enabling environment by civil authorities in the conduct of elections."

Knowing what we now know, it

should not surprise Nigerians that elements within the PDP are still urging the president to disregard these weighty judicial pronouncements and go ahead to deploy soldiers during the coming elections. Fortunately, Nigerians can go to sleep because we do not have an outlaw for a president.

We can rest assured that without the president appealing to the Supreme Court to vacate that ruling, and getting the apex court to so pronounce, he could not as much as deploy a single member of the Nigerian armed forces to election duties. President Jonathan would never be caught so cavalierly disrespecting the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which he swore to uphold; especially given that he should ordinarily have been embarrassed by the mere allegation of the military's involvement, on his orders, in the rigging of the Ekiti election.

But I digress.

Ahead of that conjecturable plan to again rig the 2015 elections in line with the Ekiti template, it seems to me obvious that Messrs Kofi Annan and Emeka Anyaoku were most probably used by the PDP to pull its chestnuts out of the fire. I am persuaded by my good knowledge of Professor Akinyemi , dating back a half a century, that PDP, in its sheer desperation , merely quickly lapped on to his suggestion and invited the gentlemen to assist in ensuring there was no post election crises in Nigeria, as happened in 2011, after they would have viciously rigged it. The statesmen must have believed themselves lending their weighty reputations to a worthy cause.

Having thus been caught smack , both in the Ekiti electoral heist, which the 'son of his father' thinks

he can bury under some outlandish grammar, and its forward plan to again use the military to rig the 2015 elections, clearly indicating the hands of God in our affairs, I think the time has come for the PDP and its agencies to sober up, repent and commit itself to Nigeria. Rather than foisting tension all over the country as we see daily in Ekiti, but was much more bestially demonstrated at Okrika this past week, I think enough should now be enough for that party which serially misuses both the military and the police. Rather than spreading fear, killing, detonating bombs and spreading mayhem, I think PDP and its agencies, known and shadowy, should now concentrate their energies and limitless resources on making the elections free and fair, campaigning on President Jonathan's record, these past six years. If the president, in particular, is concerned with what history will say about him, his considerable energies should now be directed at how to leave a lasting legacy. If he does this and wins the election, his stock amongst the citizenry, and internationally, will rise but, even where he loses, he would have left his name in gold.

Like former President Obasanjo, God has shown him abundant, even unmerited favours and Nigeria, in turn, has been more than good to him. It, therefore, behoves him to think less of the self, be grateful to God, and jettison as many as he can, of all these fair-weather political 'friends' and hangers-on, who are here today, gone tomorrow. The president must think, and reflect, on how far the Almighty God has taken him, far away, from those Otueke days of shoe-less-ness.

I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

I know a thinker when I see one. He/she generally goes around with his/her hands folded behind, face downwards, brow knitted and lips moving in a silent fashion, speaking words not even his guardian angel can hear. Nope, I have not seen anyone like that around here since I came into adulthood.

don't know about you but anywhere I turn now, I find myself facing, eyeball-to-eyeball, one or another larger than life portrait of a political candidate vying for one post or the other in advertorial messages. Worse, each message is declaring the superiority of the fellow's talents and gifts which even he/she never suspected he or she had. My fear is actually that by the time we are done, they may begin to think they are supermen and attempt to fly off into the stratosphere or parts unknown.

We have no way of knowing where these advert writers have sprung from, but they are making my head swivel. Here, I am told a candidate has been tested and so can be trusted; there, a candidate is sure because his name ends with something that rhymes with the word; here, a candidate is Nigeria's lost answer because he is on the winning questioning team; there, a candidate is the only panacea to corruption; there, a candidate is boko haram's only poison... When I put all these together, I am tempted to ask, did anyone put much thinking into how not to make Nigerians look like gullible fools?

Incidentally, today, February 22, is World Thinking Day, but you'll never guess who is celebrat-

I

ing it. This I will not tell you in case it makes you think you are not qualified to be in their midst. I am also not qualified to be in their midst; they think too hard for my liking. For starters, how can anyone think of naming a particular day, World thinking Day? With that question in mind, I went to Google and searched it up.

There it was, complete with theme, history and raison d'etre. Humbled, I ate my pie quietly and fell to ruminating, goat style. The page began by telling me that the day was instituted as far back as 1926. Imagine that. Who could have guessed that thinking had been around for as long as that? Next, it told me that the theme for this year's celebration is 'We can create peace through partnerships.' I really like the sound of that one. Now, what remains is how to break the news to Buhari and Jonathan that they can be partners in this electoral thing that seems to be dividing the country straight down the middle. Gently, I guess, very gently.

Well, reader, I told you a while back that my PVC was hot and rearing to go to the electoral day. I am sad to report that it has not gone anywhere near its supposed duty post as I am still holding and staring hard at it and wondering if it

will not expire in my hands, right before my very eyes. One of the first things that occurred to me from viewing those posters was that the sellers seemed to think each of their candidates was a hard sell. Let's start with Jonathan.

There are those who believe that the man Jonathan is deeply troubled by his present. They are saying that in his very presence, the electricity situation seemed to grow worse. Entire families are managing to die from inhaled generator fumes; casualties of generator explosions are increasing, all because of irregular supply of electricity to the citizenry. Among other things as well, the country seems to be sliding into the doldrums right under him with corruption kicking wild and unshackled, making the gulf between the rich (on government money) and the poor (without government money) larger. All together, they say, he is leaving the populace disenchanted; but he says he is ready to transform all that.

On the other hand, there are those who believe that the opposition candidate, Buhari, is deeply troubled by his past. They say that as a past military head of state, he was rather brusque, brutish and talked largely in decrees, so did not have much patience for democratic things. Imagine, they say, he never smiled at anyone. As a matter of

fact, he was said to have sent some people to prison for displaying too much freedom. Suddenly, they say, here he is canvassing for their votes in a democratic fashion; but he says he is ready to change all that.

Now, I hope you understand why I am holding my card and thinking over which is more momentous: change or transformation. It's not as if I particularly chose today to do my thinking because it is the day the world chose that we should all do our thinking in; like a cow, I have chewed the cud several times over the matter without really coming to a conclusion.

I think the real matter is that no one appears to have been doing some thinking over many matters in this country. I know a thinker when I see one. He/she generally goes around with his/her hands folded behind, face downwards, brow knitted and lips moving in a silent fashion, speaking words not even his guardian angel can hear, save he/she alone. I think they generally call them poets. Those were the signs a king in a far away land once saw in a man and ordered him arrested. What was the charge? He was arrested for thinking too much.

Have you seen the way Nigerians move around? Phew, I believe it's worse than an epileptic frenzy. So nope, I have not seen anyone looking like a thinker around here since I came into adulthood.

I guess then it is safe to say that Nigerians are not thinkers; if they were, this country would not be like this. People would not illegally stack up billions of the nation's currency intending to use it for himself or herself alone, not knowing what would become of him/her the very next moment. People would change their attitude to work, neighbours and their diet. People would realise that their stay in this world is often no more than seventy years with a little plus so there really is no point wasting any of those precious years quarrelling or fighting or even sleeping too much. Like someone said, there is plenty of time to sleep in the grave.

If Nigerians did any thinking, they would realise that money does not answer all things, contrary to popular belief; faith, grace and love are much readier currency. More, if Nigerians were thinkers, they would be more interested in leaving a country where their progenies can comfortably call home.

On this World Thinking Day, let us take a few moments to think, think deeply about how we can make peace through partnerships: eating together maybe, working together maybe, and definitely loving this country and our neighours as we ought. As for me, I'm once more holding my card and thinking. Seriously, I'm thinking, I'm thinking...

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

COMMENT

17

(104) General Momoh (unretired), NOT General Obasanjo (retired): an open letter to the Defence Headquarters, Attn: General Chris Olukolade It has to be restated that the military as an institution is neither as inept in the discharge of its duties nor is it being misused for political ends in the manner the retired General Obasanjo … has probably been made to believe From statement from Defence Headquarters, Monday, February 16, 2015 Dear General Olukolade:

O

n one level, General, you have my sympathy. As the General in charge of information at Defence Headquarters in Abuja, your job at the present time is not an easy one, no, not by a long stretch! The reputation of the Nigerian armed forces or more specifically, the collective reputation of the top brass, the Service Chiefs, is in tatters. The claim of our armed forces to professionalism of the highest order and to integrity and impartiality in the electoral process has been severely, some would say shamelessly compromised. This is why I start this open letter to you, General, with an expression of sympathy: yours is not an easy task, this task of retrieving the army’s honour, respect and integrity in the face of the near universal contempt of Nigerians and the international community for recent widely publicized unprofessional, corrupt and dishonourable actions of top members of the armed forces.

To those reading this piece who might think that I am being sarcastic in expressing sympathy for your onerous task, General, I wish to draw the attention of such readers to the Statement that you personally made about two weeks ago on behalf of our country’s armed forces. I have that Statement in front of me as I write this open letter to you, General. It is a dignified and well composed Statement. In it you unequivocally affirmed that the armed forces of our country will remain, in your own words, professional, apolitical and non-partisan in the present electoral cycle. You stated that there were no ulterior motives in the Service Chiefs’ letter to the INEC Chairman that caused the postponement of the elections from February 14 to March 28. In fact, in the Statement you made the following ringing assertion that I wish both to endorse and to bring to your attention and the attention of all Nigerians: “No excuse will be acceptable for any act of commission or omission that tends to compromise the law or the electoral process as well as

•General Olukolade

decent conduct or judgment on the part of any service personnel while discharging duties related to elections in any part of the country”.

I have said that this Statement of yours, General, is dignified and well composed, adding that it makes affirmations of dedication to professionalism, integrity and decency which every patriotic Nigerian should endorse.

However, this is only if your Statement is read in a decontextualized act that ignores things that are happening in our country at the present time that make your assertions almost meaningless if not even hypocritical, General. In support of this strong observation, I will advert to two incidents both of which cast grave doubts on the sincerity of the assertions that you make in this dignified and well composed Statement of yours.

Since the first incident is the milder of the two examples that I wish to discuss, I will deal with it first before coming to the second and far more damaging incident.

First then, is the incident at the National Peace Committee Meeting in Abuja on February 2, 2015, when the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, stated for the whole country and the world to hear that the armed forces were in a state of complete readiness for the elections on February 14. Indeed, in order to underscore his point, Air Marshall Badeh stated further that though the armed forces were engaged in counter-insurgency campaigns against Boko Haram, they had capabilities to ensure security for the whole country. Moreover, one by one, the other Service Chiefs present at the occasion echoed Air Marshall Badeh’s assertions: Army Chief of Staff, General Kenneth Minimah and Chief of

Air Staff, Air Marshall Adesola Amosun.

Here, it is necessary to state that the Service Chiefs made these assertions in order to quell rumours that were already circulating that the elections were going to be postponed, rumours that were so rife that the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, came to Nigeria with the sole purpose of dissuading the Jonathan administration from postponing the elections. At any rate, on February 2 the Service Chiefs gave assurance that they were ready for the February 14 date for the elections. However, three days later, on February 5, these same Service Chiefs wrote the infamous letter to the INEC Chairman completely reversing themselves.

Up till now, none of these Service Chiefs has thought it fit and proper to explain to Nigerians why they reversed themselves, why within the space of 72 hours they moved from readiness for and commitment to elections on February 14 to a need for six weeks to quell the Boko Haram insurgency before they could be sure that they had the capability to assure security throughout the country. General Olukolade, you too have not thought it fit to give Nigerians the reason(s) for this volte face of the Service Chiefs between February 2 and 5. As a matter of fact, you have acted as if this about-turn did not happen and as if Nigerians do not remember that it happened. Believe, me Nigerians do remember it; moreover, they will recollect it if another about-face makes the Service Chiefs ask for another postponement of the elections beyond March 28.

I now come to the second and

far more damaging occurrence that makes your Statement almost meaningless, to the point of hypocrisy and bad faith, General.

I refer here to what is now known as “Ekiti-Gate”. Since I am sure that you do know what this alludes to, I will explain it very briefly here, principally for the benefit of those readers of this piece who may not have come across it on the Internet. Thus, “Ekiti-Gate” refers to an audio clip that has gone viral on the YouTube. In the clip, a currently serving Brigadier General in the Nigerian Army, Aliyu Momoh, is distinctly heard receiving instructions from Ayo Fayose and other chieftains of the PDP on how to play his own part as a representative of the Nigerian Army in rigging the Ekiti State gubernatorial elections for Fayose. It is bad enough that General Momoh features prominently in this damaging and treasonous conspiracy; what is even more incredible is the amount of disrespect and condescension that Momoh receives from politicians who are little more than glorified thugs.

General Olukolade, do you think that the Nigerian Army can clean itself of the shame, the odium that General Momoh has brought to the armed forces if you do nothing about the incident?

For your information, General, though President Jonathan denounced this audio clip as a fabrication without having ordered any investigation to ascertain its authenticity, one of the principal figures in the clip, Ayo Fayose himself, has confirmed its veracity. In a statement issued this past Wednesday that was signed by Governor Fayose’s Special Assistant for Public Communications and New Media, one Lere Olayinka, Fayose admitted that it was indeed his voice that is heard in the clip and that he was merely rebuking Brigadier General Momoh for being partial to the APC. Moreover, we now know that the person who secretly recorded the clip and forwarded it to the Internet so that the country and the whole world can get to see the collusion of high placed elements within the Army with the PDP in the present electoral cycle is one Sagir Koli, a Captain in the Nigerian Army who has since gone AWOL and fled into exile in fear for his life. My question to you, General, is why are you silent about this audio clip? You are the Director of Information at Defence Headquarters: why are you silent on this scandal that has more or less made nonsense of the claims of professionalism, decency and impartiality in your Statement of two weeks ago?

In case you do not perceive the intent of these questions, General, let me point it out to you: if you remain silent on this Captain Sagir Koli affair, it means you are in collusion with

what General Momoh did in the “Ekiti-Gate” outrage, you and the Service Chiefs and the military top brass. This past Monday a Statement came from Defence Headquarters that bitterly condemned General Obasanjo for daring to assert in public denunciations that the Service Chiefs were used by Jonathan to plot tenure extension for himself and, more generally, that the military has been politicized in the present electoral cycle. I do not know if you had a hand in that Statement, General Olukolade. I say this because that Statement was also silent on General Momoh and Captain Koli. In other words, a statement is made

by Defence Headquarters savaging Obasanjo, a retired General for dragging the name of the army into mud; meanwhile, the same statement completely leaves unmentioned the name of a serving General who has actually rubbished the reputation of the army top brass by the way in which he was treated by political thugs like an errand boy for whom no amount of condescension was too much.

Thus, it is the height of mendacity for the statement issued by Defence Headquarters this past Monday to have asserted the words that serve as the epigraph for this piece: “It has to be restated that the military as an institution is neither as inept in the discharge of its duties nor is it being misused for political ends in the manner the retired General Obasanjo… has probably been made to believe”.

Some final, open-ended questions for you, General. I pose them not to receive any responses from you as such but as teasers to the invisible or hidden state of politics within the armed forces of the country as we lurch to another round of fateful elections. How many Generals of the like of Aliyu Momoh are in the armed forces?

Are they few or are the top echelons of the military brimful with officers that cannot stand up to corrupt, power-drunk, neofascist political thugs? Are the junior officers and other ranks full of the likes of Captain Sagir Koli? And is this why you are silent about “Ekiti-Gate”? Are political sentiments across the spectrum of officers and nonofficers in the armed forces reflective of, on the one hand, the deep yearnings for justice, peace, security of life and possessions and above all else, better conditions of life for the majority of our peoples and, on the other hand, the forces that wish to keep us in darkness, injustice and stagnation? General, can you give assurance that the army will conduct an investigation into Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh’s role in “Ekiti-Gate”?

Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

18

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

COMMENT

2015 presidential election: Reality or mirage?

L ET'S face it; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that contested the general elections of 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 isn't the same PDP that's contesting that of 2015. It has become irredeemably factionalised, fractioned, fractured and fragmented by a combination of overconfidence, reign of impunity and lack of internal party democracy. On the other hand, the multiplicity of weak opposition parties that contested past elections succeeded in coalescing into a formidable opposition party - the All Progressives Congress (APC).

What's happening to the PDP is what generally happens to any ruling party where political forces and power blocs with vested interests succeeding in betting the party's fortunes on a political and power neophyte. It happened to the IRI in Mexico, to a post-Jimmy Carter Democratic Party in the US and a post-John Major Conservative Party in Great Britain.

That the opposition presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, is majorly perceived today as a knight in shining armour or a type of messiah, if you will, is the biggest indictment of an incumbent president who equally received a pan-Nigeria mandate just four years ago that's only surpassed - in terms of depth, scope and breadth - by the June 12 mandate of Chief MKO Abiola in the electoral history of this nation.

Can a man who frittered away so much political goodwill still be expected to fully recover lost grounds within the six-week period the national security adviser and service chiefs have availed him with? Although the answer would largely depend on Jonathan's deftness in handling the issues that will sway voters, such as corruption, insecurity and unemployment, it appears to me that such an objective would amount to a mission impossible.

Yes, Jonathan doesn't have to

W

HATEVER comes out of Africa's most populous country is not only the business of Nigerians, but also that of the international community, business community and media. Thus, the whole world is patiently waiting on the outcome of the polls.

Nigerians have never been so enthusiastic and relentlessly optimistic about any election in the history of democracy,they had hoped this year's presidential polls, scheduled for February 14, would be different and so much is expected of the outcome. This time, we would get it right. The ruling PDP is about to lose the presidential election in a keenly contested poll since 1999, opposition parties have united behind a single presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The change was imminent.

After months of spirited campaigning by the two prominent candidates, a poll showed Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan running neck and neck.

The election was declared too close to call. Hitherto, Nigerians usually know the winner of a presidential election months before voting day, this was a refresh-

started a clandestine campaign to lobby traditional rulers and opinion leaders to accept a Jonathan-led Interim National Government (ING) from May 29 - as a panacea for quelling potential violent protests in the North and Niger Delta if either Jonathan or Buhari emerges victorious - shouldn't be dismissed offhand. Just like when the national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, ignited the fire of election postponement with his surprise stance at a London conference, kites are already being flown for the cancellation of the rescheduled presidential elections and establishment of an ING. First off the starting line is the coordinator of the National Information Centre and DirectorGeneral of the National Orientation Agency, Mike Omeri, who recently stated that intelligence reports disclosed that Boko Haram has started recruiting fighters aimed at making the "general area" unsafe for the rescheduled general elections. Really? And are the service chiefs equally taking appropriate measures to neutralise that threat?

Next on the queue is Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan - who with the likes of Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) constitute the arrowhead of Jonathan's campaign strategy in the PDP Governors Forum magisterially declaring that a sixweek period is too short to make the country safe and secure for the conduct of general elections.

Uduaghan has recommended an indefinite postponement of the elections.

So far, no one from the presidency or the ruling party has called him to order. And to project a false sense of a broad consensus, Dan Nwanyanwu, the loquacious chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Labour Party, has equally taken on the hatchet job of campaigning for the shifting of elections to an indefinite date, ostensibly to

"afford the federal government the opportunity to tackle the intractable crisis threatening the corporate existence of the country," regardless of the fact that the party's national executive committee has told him that he is on his own. What damnable hubris!

But the icing on the cake is embedded in the written notice to Jega by the service chiefs to the effect that a minimum of six weeks is required "in the first instance." Now, figure this out yourself: what happens when the need arises for a "second instance," "third instance" or whatever instance, as is the case with the present-continuous declaration of emergency in the northeast? If the presidency and the PDP reluctantly allow the elections to hold as rescheduled it can only mean that sinister plots are afoot.

It's already being alleged that advertorials asking Muslims to only vote for Muslim candidates are actually sponsored by PDP supporters in a two-fold bid to reinforce Buhari's characterisation as a Muslim bigot and instigate Christians into trooping out en-mass to the polling booths, at the same time perceived APC strongholds are systematically depopulated and disenfranchised through scaremongering pamphleteering and/or dispossession of their PVCs under the guise of 'empowerment programmes.'

There's equally talk of getting a pliant judge to jettison the use of smart card readers and rule in favour of rigging-prone TVCs with no time left for an appeal as well as the implementation of a "shock and awe" strategy using the police, military and security agencies to intimidate and pulverize APC chieftains. But I've this strong feeling that things would quickly return to normal if the major dramatis personae can only see the shadow of the International Court of Justice at The Hague looming large over their shoulders!

•Okoye writes from Abuja.

...Another Boko Haram victim

him with state resources and at the detriment of national stability and unity.

After the postponement, there is low level of public confidence that the elections will be free and fair. Also, the nation is presently divided along northern and southern line with the two major contenders controlling each region and any attempt at rigging will increase the risk of violence immediately after the election.

Free and fair elections distinguish true democracies from those merely masquerading as one.

Though nominally democratic since the end of military rule in 1999, Nigeria has yet to hold a presidential election free of ballotrigging, voter intimidation and other decidedly undemocratic practices. The ruling PDP has ensured victory for itself, by hook or by crook, in every single Nigerian presidential election conducted since 1999. It is high time that Nigerians rise up to and reject any attempt by the ruling party to frustrate them by saying no to tyranny, intimidation and dictatorship.

•Bush-Alebiosu is Chairman, House Committee on Treaties and Protocol, Abuja.

•Jonathan

•Buhari

By Tiko Okoye

build prisons to incarcerate corrupt officials - or be as draconian as Buhari of yore, but the president must be seen to be genuinely angry about the negative impact the hydraheaded monster is having on the nation's overall development, because as the saying goes, "It's either Nigeria destroys corruption or corruption will destroy Nigeria." It's equally very difficult to see how the military can accomplish in six weeks what it has been unable to do in five years. The same is equally true of any efforts to curb the irresponsibly high rate of youth and graduate unemployment.

Truth be told, the president and the ruling party have boxed themselves into a very tight corner. There's a saying that you can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can never fool all the people all of the time.

While primordial considerations still influence voter patterns in this nation, the truth is that a significant proportion of the citizenry has grown much wiser and refuses to fall for the scare

By Dayo Bush-Alebiosu

ing change. This was good for the country's democracy.

The Electoral Commission (INEC) which stated a week ago that elections will go on despite attempts to use various reasons to postpone it , announced that, while it was substantially ready to conduct elections on February 14, it is constrained for security reasons to postpone voting for six weeks and thereby choosing March 28, as an alternative date, It is the hope that the 1.5million internally displaced persons will have been relocated and Boko Haram will be a thing of the past before the next election.

Prof. Attahiru Jega, head of the INEC, said Nigeria's service chiefs had told him they needed to concentrate on military operations meant to defeat the dreaded Boko Haram group within six weeks, a feat they could not achieve for more than six years since the inception of the insurgency in the country. If Boko Haram can be trampled in six weeks, why did it

tactics and smear campaign of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation. Buhari has become even larger than the APC. His momentum has assumed a life of its own and he has transfigured into an unstoppable phenomenon or movement.

Buhari indeed has more to gain from the time extension than Jonathan because it provides him ample opportunity to positively tackle the image of a Muslim bigot that has been making the rounds. His recent meetings with the Council of Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, his endorsement by leaders of the Northern Christian Leaders Forum and the unusual ominous warning by the Archbishop of Enugu Anglican Province, Most Rev (Dr) Emmanuel Chukwuma, that Jonathan's "sectional visits to (only Pentecostal) churches could be counter-productive as the orthodox denominations would pay him back for his nonchalance and continuous neglect" clearly indicate that he's making considerable headway in this direction.

That's why allegations that the presidency and the PDP have

take this long? Thus, the postponement of the election as rightly observed by most Nigerians and in particular the advocates for Change in the country; it is a major setback for democracy.

Admittedly, the situation in the north east of the country calls for a major military response, this fact did not just become apparent to the Commission or to the military chiefs or the government who might just be checking the list in an attempt to perfect its rigging tactics.

Perhaps, it is an attempt to give the president and the PDP a chance to restrategise in the face of the support mustered by the opposition-the hand writing is on the wall, this is the end of an era for the ruling party since its accession to power sixteen years ago.

The postponement is definitely suspicious and gives Nigerians a cause for concern. Not only can the election go on in Nigeria, experiences in the presidential election in Afghanistan, Ukraine and even in Iraq makes the excuse

of insurgency unfounded and baseless at this critical moment.

After the failed attempt by the president to invite the INEC Chairman for a private meeting on the need for the postponement, an offer openly rejected by the Chairman on ground that such will affect public confidence in the Commission, thus, a military intervention. Nigerians should at this time not go to sleep the script is still being read, perhaps, the next move is to send Jega on a compulsory leave or an outright removal from office for not implementing or singing the tune of the president.

The intimidation has already started after the postponement, a major leader of the opposition party is presently under siege by the Nigerian military in Lagos, sadly, this is coming at a time where neighbouring countries (Niger, Chad etc ) are donating military personnel to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram. It is apparent that the President is in a desperate attempt to hold on to power and will not relent in his attempt to bring down any attempt to stop

FESTUS Eriye's column returns on March 8, 2015

19

LIFE

SUNDAY

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

•Continued on Page 20

20 SUNDAY LIFE

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

•Continued from Page 19

• Some of the widows with Mrs Asabe Yar’Adua founder Sheu Musa Yar’Adua foundation (in black) and Mrs Igbokwe during one of their programmes

Widows and one woman’s uncommon passion

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Gboyega Alaka takes a look at the new trend of artistes open romance and endorsement of politicians and political parties.

•Agbomhere.

SUNDAY LIFE 21

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

22 SUNDAY LIFE For your Sunday amusement, Taiwo Abiodun profiles some mind-boggling errors as committed on signboards, billboards, banners and even vehicles, and also prescribes punishment for offenders.

• Photos : Taiwo Abiodun

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

SUNDAY LIFE

•Niyi Satimehin

23

24 SUNDAY LIFE With half of his body decaying, many expect ex-police officer, Hassan Fatai Olisagho, to be long dead, but he has survived for nine years and now calls for help to live again.

Taiwo Abiodun reports

• Olisagho

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

30

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

ETCETERA

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi

POLITICKLE

deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

Significant terms The cynic’s guide to Nigeria The writer further considers the following to be fundamental issues in the season of choice.

Education. Boko Haram’s ‘Western Education is Forbidden’ mantra may be reprehensible, but the government’s neglect of education funding and development devastates as well. A succession of underperforming education ministers has barely helped.

With less than 10% of the annual budget regularly accorded the sector, one obvious defect is the consistent failure rate of 30% in school certificate examinations.

Significantly, poor structures, archaic methods, inadequate staff and an illiterate, unemployed cum unemployable youth population mark the future.

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

Corruption. Considering its consistent recital, the recent rating of Nigeria as 136th most corrupt nation by Transparency International appears to shame all but the unpatriotic lot in power. With N32.8 billion in police pension funds unaccounted for and an estimated N74.4 trillion siphoned by public officials in the last 25 years, much of it dumped in bank accounts abroad, the evidence is overwhelming.

Despite official cover-up, former Central Bank governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s assertion that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) accounts missed $20 billion is barely tempered by renowned firm PricewaterhouseCooper’s forensic audit report of $1.48 billion to be refunded by NNPC and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). Public scepticism is nevertheless amplified by Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole’s allegation of a further $30 billion Excess Crude Account (ECA) absent from the national coffers.

It doesn’t just rain in the climate of sleaze and oversized egos. It pours.

There is more: N1.7 billion fuel subsidy payments to fake oil marketers, N10 billion to hire private jets by petroleum resources minister, Diezani AlisonMadueke, N800 million immigration job fraud and N83 billion Malabu oil block scam.

Yet, the anti-corruption war is winnable, according to the government. But corruption (‘mere stealing’ in Jonathan-speak) is a fundamental problem that requires immediate overhaul of ideas and system than cosmetic repair of national structure and image daily singed at home and abroad. And the remedy is definitely not voting billions for food and travel for the president and vice-president.

CHEEK BY JOWL

Industrial unrest. After the exertions of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) for improved working conditions and better investment in the academic and oil sectors, health workers and judicial workers dug into the trenches.

JOHESU (Joint Health Sector Unions) and JUSUN (Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria) went on strike for months with the latter agreeing to a partial suspension.

Private sector workers are set to follow suit if fears of mass retrenchment in industries most affected by the naira’s devaluation and rising cost of production are realised.

But swift cutbacks in reaction to production variables indicate panic more than sound economics. For one, fluctuation in revenue and cost is often cyclical as a boom period usually succeeds the bust, and vice versa.

As witnessed in the electricity sector where new owners of the unbundled power holding company downsized only to re-engage the workers when faced with production hitches and labour issues, it is better to plug leakage and improve efficiency first.

The lesson, as missed by managers of the Nigerian economy, is to always save for the rainy day.

The eight per cent devaluation of the Nigerian currency last November has not worked. The naira has since slumped 17 per cent against the dollar, the most among 24 African countries.

As welfare and opportunities for development of manpower and infrastructure go, the government needs to act more and react less. Only then would it break the chain of unrest by resolving dispute and stemming future crisis, lest parents and, on a foreseeable tomorrow, children down ancestral tools.

QUOTE The hardest thing about any political campaign is how to win without proving that you are unworthy of winning.

—Adlai Stevenson

Jokes Humour Soiled Logic THREE men walk into a bar. The barman tells them, “If you can sit in my store room for a day, I’ll give you free beer forever.”

The first man walks out after five minutes and says, “It’s impossible. You got a swarm of flies in there.”

So the second man tries his luck, but can’t take more than an hour.

Finally, the third man goes down. When he returns a day later, the others ask him how he did it.

He says, “Easy! I passed faeces in one corner and sat in the other corner!”

Voracious Monkey A GUY walks into a bar with his pet monkey.

He orders a drink, and while he’s drinking, the monkey jumps all over the place, eating everything behind the bar. Then the monkey jumps on to the pool table and swallows a billiard ball.

The bartender screams at the guy, “Your monkey just ate the cue ball off my pool table – whole!”

“Sorry,” said the guy. “He eats everything

in sight, the little fool. I’ll pay for everything.”

The man finishes his drink, pays and leaves.

Two weeks later, he’s in the bar with his pet monkey, again. He orders a drink, and the monkey starts running around the bar.

The monkey finds some berries on the bar. He grabs one small piece, sticks it up his anus, pulls it out and eats it.

The bartender is disgusted. “Did you see what your monkey did now?” he asks.

“Yeah,” says the guy. “He still eats everything in sight, but ever since he swallowed that cue ball, he measures stuff first.”

Not Ready A GUY walks into a bar and asks for a beer. He downs it, looks into his pocket and asks for another beer. He drops that too, looks into his pocket and asks for another.

The man does this a few more times until the bartender asks, “How come you ask for a beer, gulp it, then look in your pocket?”

The man says, “Because there is a picture of my wife in my pocket and I’m going to keep drinking until she looks good enough for me to go home.”

•Adapted from the Internet

Writer ’s Fountain ROFESSIONAL Writing briefs: For practical writing—Take a pencil to write are on your own essentially. No one is making you do it. It’s your choice, so you might with on journeys because pens leak. But take two as well get on with it. pencils in case one breaks, and take some paper Be warned though: you can never read to write on. your own book with the innocent anticipation Try and do back exercises as you travel. The that comes with that first delicious page of a pain that comes from sitting in one position for new book, because you wrote the thing. You too long is distracting. have been backstage, so to speak.

Aim to hold the reader’s attention, but You have seen how the whole thing begin by holding your own. Then guess what works. Still, you could ask a friend or two to fascinates your reader even though taste dif- look at it before you give it to anyone in the fers between readers. To work efficiently, you publishing business. This friend should not are likely to need a thesaurus, a rudimentary be someone with whom you have a romantic grammar book, and a grip on reality because relationship, unless you want relationship nothing worthwhile comes easy. problems.

Writing is hard work. But it is also gamJust in case you are lost in the plot or bling. Other people can help you but you experiencing writer’s block, you do not have to wander on the streets or sit in the middle The quick and odd: •A hedgehog’s heart beats 300 times a minute of the forest for ideas. Retrace your steps to where you went wrong, instead. You could on average. also change the person or change the tense.

•A hippopotamus can run faster than a man.

•A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just Or change the opening page.

Prayer or meditation may also be helpful. one night.

•A human being cannot sneeze with their eyes You could try reading something else or constantly imagine the magical package that open.

•A human cannot kiss his elbow with his lips. is the finished, published version of your magnificent book.

P

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

IN VOGUE

By Kehinde Oluleye

Tel: 08023689894 (sms) E-mail: kehinde.oluleye@thenationonlineng.net

5

Raising a voice for the Nigerian girl With Temilolu Okeowo temilolu@girlsclub.org.ng 07086620576 (sms only) Please visit my blog www.temiloluokeowo.wordpress.com for more inspiring articles. Twitter@temiloluokeowo

Continued on Page 53

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

-- Page 53

Falling oil prices: Oil firms settle for mergers •Oil platform

T

Page 56, 57

Stanbic IBTC boosts SMEs •Sola David-Borha

Page 57

AfDB, Ecobank, Diamond, UBA lift Benin with 1150billion CFA franc

HE West African Development Bank (BOAD) has hinted of plans to raise XOF115 billion to support the 2014-2015 cotton season in Benin. Members of the banking pool include ECOBANK (Agent Bank), BOA, Banque Atlantique, BGFI, Diamond Bank, BSIC and UBA. The BOAD in its capacity as arranger is raising funds to

A

FORMER staff of the Nigerian Shippers' Council (NSC), Mr. Akinyemi Musa, who claimed to have been forcefully retrenched by the management, has demanded the sum of N100million compensation as damages.

The embittered staff who paid a visit to the corporate headquarters of Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation newspaper titles, in Lagos, over the weekend, alleged that his summary dismissal from the Council under very humiliating circumstances without any reason from his employers "was a deliberate act of instigation, ethnic cleansing, witch-hunting, man's inhumanity to man and against the popular tenets of moral justice."

Forcing back tears, Musa said since his forceful dismissal over the last two decades, he has had to endure a very pitiable existence, due in part by loss of livelihood.

"I can't find the right words to describe my travails in these past two decades. It still looks like a dream to me. Life, to say the least, has been most unkind.

As the breadwinner of my family with no regular income, it has been difficult to survive these past years of living in hell," he lamented.

Going down memory lane, he recalled that in 1993, a detachment of security operatives allegedly working on the orders of the management of the then Nigerian Shippers' Coun-

Stories by Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

support the cotton season in Benin for the third consecutive year. The agreement relating thereto was signed by and between Mr. Christian Adovelande, President of BOAD and the Managing Director of the Office national de soutien des revenus agricoles (National office for

farm income support) (Borrower) and the Managers of local banks involved in the transaction.

This agreement was signed as part of the mandate on technical and financial assistance entrusted to BOAD by the Government of Benin in February 2014 with the aim of mobilising funds for the 2014-2015 cotton seasons.

BOAD succeeded in rallying

around itself local banks to raise a facility of XOF115 billion, to which the local banking system contributed to the tune of 79 per cent.

Funds mobilised will be used to cover financial needs during the 2014-2015 cotton season, including cotton purchase from producers, ginning as well as storage, evacuation and marketing of cotton fibre and by-products.

Forced retrenchment: Ex-staff demands N100m damages from Shippers' Council cil (NSC) bundled him out of the office.

"All entreaties to get the management to explain to me what happened were futile as my life became threatened and so I had to go on exile."

Since his return from exile few years ago, all efforts to seek redress have met a brick wall, he said. "As I said, I lost my job in very questionable and very embarrassing circumstances.

Ever since my forceful dismissal from office and since my return from exile, I have been making efforts to seek redress to no avail. Right from the time of the former Managing Director, Chief Adebayo Sarumi, who later became the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, who was my supervisor at the time, I couldn't succeed that time. Even my lawyers, Chief Mike Ozekhome, waded in to the matter. I later went to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

"The Commission did admit that it was wrong for me to have been forcefully thrown out of the office and maltreated without any query whatsoever.

So, the Commission had written several times to the Council, just to be able to resolve the issue amicably between both parties but the Council stalled the process."

Expatiating, Musa said

55

•Musa unfazed by the lackadaisical attitude of the Council, he kept going to the headquarters of the Council on Park Lane, Apapa, and was later assured that the current Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer was ready to resolve the matter in his favour just so he doesn't take the Council to court, but said at the end it was all a hoax.

"The Council did invite me to a roundtable, where I told them my position, which is that they should restore my earlier status and allow me to formally resign so that I would be due to my entitlements and all that.

But at the end of the day, the Director, Legal, came back to tell me that the management said it could not do anything about my case. Instead, they said I should find evidence as to why I was sacked. It was at this point I suspected foul-play because as

I remember, no reason was given for my dismissal.

"Considering the humiliating, incalculable damage to my psyche, person, immediate and extended family as a result of loss of income, I'm seeking the sum of N100million compensation from the Council," he demanded.

When The Nation visited the Council during the course of the investigation, it was received by the duo of Ignatius Nweke, Deputy Director, Public Relations and his counterpart at the Admin department, Alh. M.B. Abubakar, who at first denied any knowledge of the matter, but later confided in The Nation that Musa used to be on the employ of the Council before he was sacked. They, however, failed to give reasons for his forceful dismissal, even as they assured that he would be invited for further discussion on the matter.

Speaking with a staff of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the South West Zonal office in Lagos, who asked not to be named because he is not authorised to speak on behalf of the Commission, he confirmed that the Commission had intervened in the matter but didn't make any headway.

•From left: Chief Executive Officer, Con-Edge Enterprises Solutions Ltd, Joel Osebor; Chief Executive Officer of Knight & Bishop Consultancy Ltd, Mrs. Mope Abudu; and Marketing Manager, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Bennett Frimpong at a Small and Medium Enterprises training programme organised by Stanbic IBTC Bank in Lagos…recently

•Kumo

‘Nigeria’s mortgage industry still lagging behind’ Page 58

'Nigeria's investment climate improving'

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FOLABI Folayan, Managing Director, Securities Africa Financial Limited, speaks on the nation's promising investment climate.

Brief background Securities Africa Financial Limited was incorporated as PSL Limited in 2001 with special focus as an operator in the Nigerian Capital Market. Then it was a subsidiary of Prudent Bank Ltd. In 2009, the company changed its name to Skye Stockbrokers Limited to reflect the new name taken up after five banks merged to become Skye Bank Plc. Upon deciding to divest its interest in non-commercial banking businesses, Skye Bank gave up its shareholdings in the company and this brought Securities Africa Limited into the picture owning majority of the shares with other local investors taking up some shareholdings. The company has done well for itself in terms of brand recognition and product/service offerings.

Our primary business focus as a company is Stockbroking as the company is registered as a Dealing member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Our parent company is Securities Africa Limited, a Global company which has offices in major financial centres in the world and a strong presence in South Africa. There are also other local shareholders.

Challenging operating environment The market has been very challenging. We have however leveraged on our past relationship with Skye Bank Plc, our relationship with Securities Africa Limited which gives us access to foreign flows, our strong knowledge of institutional investors' trade and our large clientele base. One of our efforts at remaining relevant and to meet the needs of our clients and the yearnings of investors and prospects in the Nigerian capital market is the introduction of our Real Trade product.

Unique selling points We deliver prompt and accurate execution of mandates or deals, as well as ensure accessibility to timely and accurate market research on publicly listed companies.

Besides, we are offer first class financial advisory, ensure provision of information/data on various investment instruments, offer superior personalised customer service, as well as give unrestricted dealer access.

We provide competitive and concessionary pricing as well as access to foreign flows/trades.

We also have cutting edge products such as Eaglet - a product designed for children. It allows parents invest in their children on a monthly basis by opening a Stockbroking account in their favour ad Stocks are bought on a regular basis.

Smart - is for young executives who want to plan their future/retirement by investing in stocks on a monthly/ regular basis for the long term.

Non-discretionary portfolio management - We build equities portfolios on behalf of clients by investing in quoted securities in conjunction with the clients. What we do is offer advice and allow client to take the decision.

Stockbroker to issues - We act as stockbroker to public offers/ capital market issues.

Registrar liaison services - We liaise with Registrars on behalf of our clients to process certificates dematerialisation, collection of outstanding shares certificates and bonuses, Investment research - We provide accurate, timely and reliable research reports to our clients and prospects alike through our regular market intelligence reports.

In Securities Africa Financial Limited, our asset is our crop of staff as we are blessed with competent and dedicated human capital. Their selfless service has helped greatly to move the company to this height.

Milestones The recapitalisation of our company as mandated by Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the recent addition to our products, i.e. "Real Trade" products are our recent milestones.

ICT compliance I dare say, greatly. We are using the latest version of our software; our data/server is hosted in the cloud, hence our operations are not limited to an office location and this gives us great advantage with regards to speed and reliability of transaction execution. Our uptime is nearly 100 per cent.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

BUSINESS

Falling oil prices: Oil firms settle T

HESE are not the best of times for operators in the oil and gas sub-sector.

The reason for this is not far to seek: oil and gas companies worldwide are badly affected by the unprecedented drop in oil prices, with companies pulling back on investment spending, laying off workforce, suspending payment of dividends, and buying back their own shares.

Thus, investors are selling their energy stocks following the plunge in the prices of crude oil, with shareholders bracing for a wave of dividend cuts, share-repurchase delays and worldwide reduction in capital spending.

Global outlook Though the plummeting prices of crude oil is affecting operators in low cost producing environments like Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, its most adverse effects is felt in the high cost producing countries like the North America and Nigeria.

Even Royal Dutch Shell and Total's track record of paying dividends could not sway investors as over $30 billion in market capitalisation was said to have been wiped off in one fell swoop in Europe at the peak of the slump in oil prices.

The price of Brent, which hit $115 per barrel in June 2014, has witnessed a steeping decline to less than $50 per barrel, fuelling concerns that over $100 billion of new investments would be put on hold this year.

As the oil and gas-producing companies face cash crunch, oil service companies are also not left out as the shares of even the biggest oil services provider by market capitalisation, Schlumberger Limited, dropped by over 20 per cent within the past few months.

Dire consequences There have been a number of consequences of this sharp oil price fall, one of which has been an increase in merger & acquisition activity in the global oil & gas sector.

For instance, in oil services, Halliburton and its United States rival, Baker Hughes, sealed merger deal valued at $35billion.

The Nation can authoritatively report that the biggest potential take-over in this sector would be the discussion between Royal Dutch Shell and British Petroleum, where Shell has expressed interest to buy over BP shares despite the fact that BP is one of the largest oil firms valued at over ÂŁ136 billion at its current 425p share price. If the deal sails through, that will make it one of the largest oil and gas firms in the world.

Despite a late-year plunge in crude oil prices and robust merger and acquisition (M&A) activities, global valuers of oil and gas said that the first 10 months of 2014 fuelled an increase in the total transaction by 23 percent to $173 billion.

This rebound in 2014 transaction value is particularly noteworthy for the industry after transaction value for global upstream oil and gas M&A deals fell by almost half during 2013 to $140 billion, the lowest level since the 2008 recession.

In 2013, rather than shopping for deals, oil and gas companies shifted their focus to developing their vast inventories of previously acquired reserves, resources and acreage.

"The uncertainty was caused

With the plummeting global oil prices, small oil companies are considering mergers and acquisitions as a way out of the credit crunch in the sector, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

•Oil platform

by the severe decline in oil prices during the final two months of 2014, which nearly brought deal activity to a standstill," said Christopher Sheehan, Director of energy M&A research.

Nigeria not immune The falling oil prices has also begun to take its toll on Nigerian independent companies, including those that recently acquired assets from Shell and its partners as most of the transactions were structured on the basis of an oil price of $100 per barrel.

With the price falling down to less than $60, it is not clear how the companies and the financial institutions that funded the acquisitions would restructure the repayment terms.

SEPLAT, which was simultaneously listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange last year, was also hit as its shares, which was listed on April 14 at N576 per share and later appreciated by 25 per cent to N720.56 on July 6, at a point recorded 34 per cent capital loss.

Having successfully emerged as the largest Nigerian independent company through consolidation, SEPLAT initiated another landmark acquisition in the industry when it recently confirmed that it made preliminary approach to Afren Plc for a possible business combination.

Afren, which is also listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), had also announced the move by SEPLAT regarding the merger talk but said it was still at a preliminary stage.

SEPLAT has formally notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) regarding the plan.

"SEPLAT has, in accordance with the provisions of Section 10 of the Amended Listing Rules of the NSE, notified the exchange of the announcement by Afren Plc, dated 22 December 2014. SEPLAT confirms that it has made a highly

preliminary approach regarding a possible combination with Afren.

SEPLAT, however, notes that there can be no certainty that an offer will be made or as to the terms of any offer," the NSE had said in a statement.

According to the NSE, SEPLAT acknowledged that in accordance with Rule 2.6(a) of the UK City Code on Takeovers and Mergers, by no later January 19, 2015, it must either announce a firm intention to make an offer under Rule 2.7 of the code or announce that it does not intend to make an offer, in which case the announcement will be treated as a statement to which Rule 2.8 of the code applies.

SEPLAT added, however, that this deadline can be extended with the consent of the UK Takeover Panel in accordance with Rule 2.6(c) of the Code. The company noted that further details could be provided at this stage due to the highly preliminary status of events but assured that further announcements would be made as soon as there is the need.

The discussions between SEPLAT and Afren had continued following an extension granted by the United Kingdom Takeover Panel to January 30, for the companies to make a final decision.

SEPLAT had successfully refinanced its existing debt facilities with a new $700 million sevenyear secured term facility and $300 million three-year secured revolving credit facility. The $700 million seven-year secured term facility was facilitated by a consortium of Nigerian banks comprising First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc and Zenith Bank Plc. On the other hand, the $300 million three-year revolving credit SEPLAT, which lost out on the assets that Shell divested in October 2014, has been on the hunt for acquisitions in Nigeria, encouraged

by falling oil prices.

The Chief Executive Officer of Shoreline Natural Resources Limited, Mr. Kola Karim, told Bloomberg recently that small oil-producing companies in Nigeria, facing slumping prices and rising debt, may need to combine to survive.

"We don't have that much leverage, the rapid drop is unprecedented for the country's small producers," he said.

"The reality is there have to be mergers in the industry because it is difficult in a down market when you're a small producer trying to weather the storm alone.

"Already at $50 a barrel, we are under water," Karim said.

The financial pressure is compounded by the security threat, he said. "You face the devil on all sides.

"I foresee a huge combination of mergers in the local market, we're also looking for opportunities," said Karim. "You are better being part of a bigger player, so you can save on your cost and make good margins," he added.

Promising outlook Speaking with The Nation over the weekend, an official of one of the IOCs, said that the current drop in the prices of crude oil was an opportunity for the new investors that acquired oil blocks to "drill new wells and build pipelines and wait for high price regime before going into production."

Mergers & Acquisition only safe option Unlike in the time past when many smaller oil companies never seemed to tinker with the idea of mergers as an option, the situation has since changed as more Nigerian companies have now realised the need for mergers and acquisitions in a global business such as oil.

A landmark consolidation that took the independent Nige-

rian companies to the next level was witnessed in 2009, when Platform Petroleum Limited, an entity controlled by Mr. Austin Avuru, and Shebah Petroleum Development Company Limited, controlled by Mr. ABC Orjiako, formed an independent company.

This consolidation produced Seplat Petroleum Development Company, an independent oil and gas exploration and production company incorporated and operating in Nigeria.

Before this deal was consummated, Avuru was managing Platform Petroleum, which was one of the few companies that put their marginal fields on production.

Founded precisely in June 2009, SEPLAT was established to facilitate the acquisition of Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 4, 38 and 41 from Shell, Total and ENI. The establishment of SEPLAT marked a turning point in the operations of the Nigerian independent companies as it became the first Nigerian company to hit a production capacity of 70,000 barrels per day, which is more than the combined production capacity of all the marginal fields.

The formation of SEPLAT and their successful acquisition of OMLs 4, 38 and 41 encouraged other Nigerian companies to form consortia to position themselves financially and technically viable to acquire bigger acreages being relinquished by the IOCs. Buoyed by the success of SEPLAT in the OMLs 4, 38 and 41 deals, more Nigerian independent companies came together to synergise among themselves and in some cases, with foreign entities to bid for the acreages sold by Shell, Total, Chevron, Eni and Agip.

Recent divestments In the most recent divestments of onshore assets comprising

fo

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

for mergers OMLs 18, 24, 25 and 29 by Shell, Nigerian independent companies also formed consortia with local and foreign entities to raise the required technical and financial capacity to clinch the assets.

For instance, the Aiteo-led consortium acquired OML 29 along with the 60-mile Nembe Creek trunk line sold by Shell and its partners in a $2.562 billion deal.

Other members of the consortium include Tempo Energy Resources - promoted by Timi Aladetimi, who is also the owner of Ankorpoint Energy - which has a 10 per cent stake, while Taleveras, owned by Igho Sanomi, holds five per cent equity in the consortium.

According to the shareholding structure, total number of shares of the consortium is 2.7 billion units, with Aiteo Energy Resources Limited, owned by Benedict Peters, holding a total volume of 2,294.999,999 billion shares.

Oil prices of less than $50 per barrel makes production unprofitable for smaller companies that pump at a cost of $30 per barrel.

Taxes and extra security costs to protect installations cut into profits, according to analysts, including Pabina Yinkere of Vetiva Capital Management Ltd. Oil majors, such as Shell and Exxon Mobil, with larger economies of scale, pump at lower costs of about $15 for a barrel, Yinkere said.

Meanwhile, over $1billion has been invested in the Nigerian oil and gas industry to create capacity and execute Nigerian Content scopes provided on the Egina deep water project, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Ernest Nwapa, said at the weekend.

Egina-Total Exploration and Production's $15bn deep water project is the first major oil and gas project to be started under the Nigerian Content Act and it includes an FPSO unit, an oil offloading terminal and subsea production systems such as risers, 52km of oil and water injection flowlines, 12 flexible jumpers, 20km of gas export pipelines, 80km of umbilicals and subsea manifolds.

Speaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when he unveiled Saipem's new double/ quadruple joint plant, the Executive Secretary stated that the investment worth $60million was made towards delivering Saipem's Nigerian Content scope on the Egina project.

He added that the plant was worthy of celebration as it confirmed that the Board's strategy to include Capacity Development Initiatives (CDIs) in major projects was working.

He informed that CDIs would promote opportunities for training, knowledge and technology acquisition, adding that shop floors were expanding and capacity to execute work in Nigeria had increased substantially.

Speaking further, Nwapa reiterated that over $5bn worth of investments have been made in Nigerian yards since the signing of the Nigerian Content Bill into law by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2010, especially by PETAN member companies and other firms like Aveon, Cameron, Ladol, Nigerdock, FMC, Tenaris, EWT etc while about 40,000 tech-

•Allison-Madueke

•Nwapa

BUSINESS

I

T was a Success Showcase alright, but this was different. It marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. The event at the exclusive Yard 158, Event Centre, Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja, was witnessed by the unique crowd of Forever Living products distributors from across the country who watched the hardworking, award-winning Forever Living Products Nigeria Country Manager and Managing Director, Mr. Cornelius Olanrewaju Tay and his wife, Caroline Olabisi Tay, bowed from a company they grew to international repute.

According to management sources, Forever Nigeria and Benin Republic had grown over the years, in size, sales quantum and distributorship network that no one couple could hope to cope with the demands of the office.

Thus, it was the mandate of Senior Vice President, Forever Living Products International, Mr. Bill Lewis from the Forever Living President, Mr. Gregg Maughan, to pass on the mantle of leadership from the couple to three distinguished young executives for the future progress and development of the company. At the helm of affairs, according to Mr. Lewis, is Mr. Olusegun Israel-Adegboye as Country Sales Manager; Mr. Loye Akinyele as Director, Finance and Administration and Mr. Bode Olasinde as Director of Operations.

The climax of the event, however, was the announcement by Mr. Bill Lewis, Senior Vice-President, Operations at Forever Living Products International, who is based in the company's headquarters in Arizona, USA, which immediately ended all speculations and apprehension that had gripped the head office of the foremost multi-level marketing company in Nigeria.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Lewis commended the retiring couple for their dedication and commitment that saw the Nigerian company moving from the 11th position to the 3rd in Global Ranking during the time they served, a position the new executives have vowed to sustain and improve upon.

Speaking on his new role in the company, Country Sales Manager, Mr.Olusegun Israel-Adegboye said: "Yes, Mr. and Mrs. Tay, brought this company to a healthy path, they elevated the business to its esteemed

57

New managers take over Forever House After decades of meritorious service at Forever Living Products Nigeria, Mr. Cornelius Olarenwaju Tay and his wife, Caroline, finally passed the baton to the trio of Mr. Olusegun Israel-Adegboye as Country Sales Manager, Mr. Loye Akinyele as Director, Finance and Administration and Mr. Bode Olasinde as Director of Operations to run the affairs of the company at a very colourful ceremony in Lagos. position internationally. We will now take off and move it to the next level.

We are now looking at incorporating wider and newer markets. The Forever Aloe-Vera based products, provide an immense invaluable opportunity and we believe that aside those we have in the networks, there are so many other people that can benefit from it. Those are the markets we are also focusing on. We will provide our distributors with new tool to enhance their individual business growth. We are looking to reduce the very high and increasing unemployment rate by using the social media and other technologies to reach the youths to create reliable streams of income".

Mr. Israel-Adegboye has every reason to be confident. Having gone through a gruelling recruiting process over several months, he especially received intense training from the company owners and executives in Arizona before coming to his new position. Apart from setting up and successfully run an insurance multilevel network in Nigeria, for over five years, he has also been a trainer and a mentor at the prestigious entrepreneur development institutes in Nigeria, the FATE Foundation, on a pro-bono basis.

"I believe that entrepreneurial growth is a key to economic development that is why I feel very much at home in Forever which is spread out through very remote regions in Nigeria. The owners of the business have seen my profile and they are quite comfortable with it. I had the privilege to meet with Mr.

Rex Maughan, the Chairman/ Founder and Senior Management of Forever Living Products International from Arizona. We also had formal introductions with staff and distributors in Nigeria. We all know where Forever is at the moment and we are all looking upwards to the next chapter."

The same confidence was reflected in the words of the new Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Loye Akinyele. "If you consider that I have done this for over a year, you will realise it will be of the same in financial contribution and more importantly to ensure that bonuses are paid on time and we will utilise all available channels open to us so that products are there when needed. You recall that most of the NAFDAC and other government regulatory agencies awards happened under my desk for the past one year and a half. So, we intend to continue to maintain our relationships with NAFDAC and the other regulatory bodies."

On the change of guard, Akinyele said: "This was rumoured for over one year. The staff are used to how we have been working and I think they were happy the way things had gone. We will continue our Success Showcases across the country. It is something that our distributors look forward to."

Mr. Bode Olaside, the new Director of Operations had been part of the success story in Forever House.

His new position, fifteen years after joining the company as personal assistant to the Managing Director, six months to the operation of the company in Nigeria, makes him a round peg in a round hole.

•Avuru

nical jobs were being created per annum.

He credited the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, and the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, for providing the political support and conducive environment to implement the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content and Development Act. "Their support strengthened the Board to overcome local and international resistance from very powerful forces," he added.

The Executive Secretary also commended Total for its continued investment in Nigeria despite the challenging economic environment, particularly the fall in crude oil prices, adding that NCDMB was focusing more on its developmental roles owing to the need to build collaboration to achieve targets set by the Act. Already, their partnership had achieved several firsts in the industry, one of which is PCNL's qualification to produce the 5LPP coating on pipes and joints. Another company, Mudiame, also secured accreditation to carry out high tech qualification tests on the project.

•The new management at Forever Living Products Nigeria Limited, from left: Director of Finance and Administration, Loye Akinyele; Director of Operations, Bode Olaside; and the new Country Sales Manager, Mr. Olusegun Israel-Adegboye at the Lagos Success Showcase event.

I

Stanbic IBTC Bank boosts SMEs

N its quest to build a strong and viable small and medium scale enterprises sector, Stanbic IBTC Bank, a member of the Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, organised a capacity building workshop for its clients operating in the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) sub-sector.

The two-day seminar, held in Lagos, attracted over 400 participants.

Justifying the need for the workshop, the bank said it was aimed at equipping SME operators with financial, marketing and management skills that they can readily deploy to transform their businesses and grow their bottomlines.

"The SME sector is pivotal to the economic growth and development of any nation and Nigeria is no exception,

Stories by Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf which is why the seminar was conceived to avail SME operators exposure to modern and innovative marketing, financial and management skills that are useful to their businesses and which will help them to attract the necessary funding for growth," Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Obinnia Abajue, said.

Abajue, who was represented by the Head of Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Lloyd Onaghinon, stated that Stanbic IBTC Bank, backed by the rich heritage and know-how of the Standard Bank Group, is committed to building a strong SME base in

Nigeria and one of the ways it hopes to achieve this is by empowering operators with the right business skills and adequate funding.

Speaking further Abajue added that the course content and the resource persons, who are highly skilled and experienced, have been carefully chosen to ensure participants derive maximum benefits from the seminar. "We have streamlined the seminar course content to include essential topics such as building financial records, achieving success in marketing, business planning, and people - management, among others.

The seminar is aunique offering by Stanbic IBTC to develop and sharpen participants' business skills," Abajue stressed.

58

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

BUSINESS

LOT of efforts have been made towards recapitalising the bank.

How soon will this happen?

Very soon. Timing is very essential. There are few issues now. You know we are in the season of politicking so government will concentrate more in that area now. But we have been promised that it will happen as soon as possible.

What amount are you looking at as recapitalisation for the bank?

What we have requested for is N250 billion. But at the moment, there are a lot of competing needs, security, infrastructure. But I know that they will do it.

To what extent have you been able to resolve the issue of the NHF concerning some states that pulled out?

As at today, we have only six states that are not in NHF and particularly Lago.

What happened is that they have formed cooperative societies on their own.m So, they are contributing indirectly to NHF. As for the other states, we are talking to them and as soon as possible we will see what we can put on the ground. This is because workers want to see actual action; they want to see the mortgages created. This is what we are trying to do in all the 36 states, to be able to build the houses, create the mortgages and at the end of the day, we will be able to convince them. But I can assure you that in the next 10 to 11 months, all the states will be back.

Within the next four years, how many mortgages are you looking at creating?

It depends on availability of funds. But I hope to create based on the memorandum of understanding with NLC, TUC and NECA. We should be able to do at least four million.

Developers are not really giving Nigerians affordable houses. What do you think is responsible for this problem?

The houses are expensive in the sense that cost of materials for constructing these houses are also high. So, there is need for reduction in the cost of cement, there is need for a reduction in the cost of iron rods and other accessories that will make up the houses. Once that is done, I think it will go a long way in reducing the cost of the houses.

These are the issues we are trying to address, it has been an area that I have laid so much emphasis and concern on because if you look at the earnings of Nigerians particularly somebody who earns N18,000, that is not up to $100 going by today's exchange rate. That person is not in a position to buy even a one-bedroom apartment going by the present structure. So, what we are trying to do is working together with the ministry to see if we can have discount on some of the inputs that make up the house like discount on cement, discount on rods for construction and so forth.

However, what we are trying to do on our own is to introduce new building methods that will now reduce the cost of houses ultimately.

We just came back from Thailand with officials of FCDA, Ministry of Lands, and Housing and Urban Development. After the Tsunami, they commissioned seven universities to do research on affordable and sustainable housing. We have seen the development in that country. We took sand from Kuje here and they took it to three of the universities and it was discovered that it is even 17 times better than their own

'Nigeria's mortgage industry still lagging behind' The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) is targeting to recapitalise the bank to the tune of N250 billion and desires to contribute 15 per cent to the nation's GDP in the coming years.

Managing Director of the FMBN Gimba Ya'u Kumo spoke with Assistant Editor Nduka Chiejina on these issues and more.

• Kumo

sand. So, they are producing some blocks for us with less than five per cent cement content. So, if we do that, that issue of affordability will be addressed. Because apart from addressing the issue of affordability, we want to address that issue of delivering quality houses. This is because most of the houses particularly in Abuja today for which some of the mortgages have been created; you will end up paying for a mortgage for 20, 25 years.

How are we sure that these houses will last up to that time?

We want to check that aspect because for us to be able to give you mortgage for a particular tenor, we have to make sure that the house will be able to stand within that period. With the support of Nigerians, these are some of the things we want to do.

Accessibility to land is still an issue, how do you plan to tackle it?

I agree with you, but we have put an MoU in place whereby we

are working with various state ministries of land and we are also working with the various labour organisations for the land to either be allocated to us as a government bank or to be allocated to labour directly. Why we are doing that is to reduce the cost because if you allocate it to the developer directly, he will put any cost he likes on the property. And we insist that the particular government that is allocating whether it is a state, federal of even a local government that the land should be allocated freely particularly on the houses that we are building for NHF contributors. I am happy to say that as at today, in all the six zones where we have pilot projects, we are doing on the ministerial pilot scheme all the land that have been given to us are donated free by the various state governments. I want to call on other state governments that if we approach them or if the labour leaders approach them, they should please make land

‘

available.

You just got re-appointed for a second time in office. How do you intend to improve the fortunes of the bank?

We will work to continue to provide quality and affordable houses to Nigerians and strive to improve the bank's balance sheet to modify its standing as a financial institution.

Our strategy will involve developing proactive and effective strategies to attract offshore funding for affordable housing to Nigerians as well as improving service delivery to NHF contributors across the country.

We also plan to look at improvement of members of staff welfare across board to ensure a well-motivated workforce and profitable operations.

The new management will also ensure the completion of ongoing housing estate projects under the Ministerial Pilot Housing Scheme nationwide and

Our strategy will involve developing proactive and effective strategies to attract offshore funding for affordable housing to Nigerians as well as improving service delivery to NHF contributors across the country. We also plan to look at improvement of members of staff welfare across board to ensure a well-motivated workforce and profitable operations

’

the completion of the Goodluck Jonathan Legacy Estate in Kaba District in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will be vigorously pursued.

I also want to assure the federal government and other stakeholders in the sector, of our determination to sustain the cordial relationship we enjoyed in the previous years.

I use this opportunity to request that the same support and cooperation enjoyed by the previous executive management team be equally extended to the present team. As a returning member of the team, I have had the privilege of experiencing the various challenges facing the FMBN as well as the housing sector in general.

We have tried to improve on the little we found on ground.

People say we did well but we are just starting and we hope within the next few months we will be able to do more so that the results of the efforts will be realised.

We have set an agenda for ourselves and chief among them is the recapitalisation of the bank.

We have made substantial progress on that. In the next few weeks we will see results on the table. We will work hard to continue to satisfy the yearnings of Nigerian workers.

Do you think a single digit mortgage rate is feasible given the current economic indices?

Yes, our rate has always been single digit.

Our estate development loan or construction loan is 10 per cent, our mortgages are at six per cent and we also intend to extend that same rate to the informal sector so that we can make the houses affordable to them. Nigerians cannot afford any anything above single digit because the average income is very low. That's why we are providing a buffer whereby they are able to pay.

Like we took the minimum wage of N18,000 as a base, with that you can be able to do a mortgage of N450 monthly. So this is the minimum the informal sector beneficiaries are expected to pay. But this will be difficult for some of them, so we are looking at a subsidy.

Is there any way that primary mortgage institutions can be prevailed upon to charge single digit interest rates?

If you say government, you are talking in terms of agencies that deliver mortgages. On the government side, for now, it is only FMBN that is really delivering mortgage. And our mortgage is single digit, six percent. That is what President Goodluck Jonathan has told us and that is what we are doing.

We charge our mortgage at the rate of six per cent on a long tenure basis, 15, 20 and even up to 35 years.

How would you describe the mortgage industry in Nigeria at the moment?

The mortgage industry in Nigeria is just starting. If you look at the size of our contribution to the GDP, it is less than one per cent. But my target before I leave here is that we should be able to contribute at least 15 per cent.

That is why we are putting a lot of issues on ground to be able to drive this process.

How will you do that?

If you look at the National Housing Fund (NHF) that we are managing, out of the 170million population less than one per cent are the ones contributing. So, we said this is not good, hence we have extended it to reach the other segments of the society that are not in formal employment.

59

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

T

HE much trumpeted 'Kero Correct' initiative which is billed to bring down the price of house hold kerosene to N50 per litre as against N130 per litre is yet to take off even at most Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation [NNPC] filling stations.

The new 'Kero Correct' initiative has as its main objective, according to the Executive Director, Commercial, Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Frank Amego, "to cut off the several layers of middle men, who make it difficult for the end users to enjoy the subsidy on the product."

It should be recalled that three years ago, the federal government introduced a similar programme 'Kero Direct' scheme which aimed to ensure adequate supply of kerosene to all parts of Nigeria at the official price of N50 but only succeeded in making multibillionaires out of close allies of the presidency and Petroleum Resources Ministry involved in the scheme.

Kerosene is the most subsidised fuel product, but Nigerian masses have always been denied the benefit of the subsidy due to illegal activities of middle men who connive with corrupt officials to abuse the process.

The 'Kero Correct' initiative is designed to distribute and sell kerosene directly to end users from NNPC retail mega and affiliate stations across the country at the government regulated price of N50 per litre.

Petroleum analysts, however, have also hoped that as the 'Kero Correct' initiative takes off, other independent filling stations will also be forced to review the price of kerosene down in order to retain their customers.

However, almost all the petroleum filling stations affiliated to NNPC visited by our reporter are yet to review their price down to N50 per litre, while a majority of the staff working at the filling stations claimed not to be aware of the programme.

Findings last week revealed that while most filling stations owned by the main marketers had no kerosene in stock, the majority of the stations owned by the independent marketers were selling kerosene between N110 and N140 per litre.

Most main marketers like Total, NNPC, Oando, Conoil, MRS, etcetera had no kerosene in stock and still dis-

When will 'Kero Correct' scheme take effect?

•Nigerians queue at an NNPC filling station for Kerosene

played between N100-N120 as the going price of kerosene per litre while most of the independent marketers like General Oil, First Royal, Ali Bashy, Rain oil, Pentagon, etcetera have kerosene and are selling between N110N130 per litre.

However, most Mobil stations, which is a major marketer, have stock and are selling at different prices which ranged from N120 to N125 per litre.

For instance, the Mobil filling station at Pleasure Oke-Odo on Abeokuta Expressway sells for N110 per litre while the one at Masalashi along Shasa road sells for N125 per litre.

While a majority of the NNPC fuel stations had none in stock, for example the NNPC filling station on LASU road and the one at Idimu - Iyana Ipaja claimed not to have stocked kerosene for a period of over two months. The NNPC filling station at Pleasure, OkeOdo Abeokuta Expressway, had stock and sold for N100 per litre.

On why they were not selling at the federal government-controlled

price of N50, Mrs. Funke Daramola, the assistant manager, said it was almost impossible to sell at that price considering the high price they buy kerosene.

"In fact, the only place that may happen in the whole of Lagos State may be at the NNPC mega station at Ikoyi because they get direct stock from the government.''

But the question is: how many people cook with kerosene in Ikoyi?

The majority of the masses who need kerosene reside on the mainland.

Questioning the practicality of the Kero Direct scheme, Mrs Daramola said there are a lot of intrigues in the kerosene market. "Apart from the official money one pays to procure the product, you still have to pay to other informal sources, making it impossible to sell to consumers at N50 per litre."

Speaking further, she noted that her filling station stopped stocking kerosene because of those intrigues but just started selling again last Monday.

Commending her management

for selling kerosene at the price of N100, she pointed out that other filling stations were even selling as high as N140.

At the Total filling station also on the Abeokuta Expressway, opposite the Ile epo Market, an official who refused to give his name but claimed to be the manager said that Total filling stations were not selling kerosene because they had not been supplied with any product.

Though the management displayed a sign of N50 per litre for kerosene, the supposed manager of the station said he did not see how that would be possible going by the cost at which the product is procured.

Staff of Total filling stations at Toyin Street Ikeja and Idimangoro , confirming what their colleague said, disclosed that their filling stations have not been supplied with kerosene while they had no price display of kerosene at their stations.

All the Conoil visited had no kerosene or the price displayed. Staff

at the Conoil filling station at Ikeja Along bus stop on the Abeokuta Expressway said when they had stock, kerosene was sold for N110 while Mr. James Balogun who manages the filling station situated at Abule Egba bus stop said that the price they will sell will be determined by the cost of the product.

At Forte Oil station formerly called AP, close to Cement bus stop on Abeokuta Expressway, the manager of the station, who particularly pleaded that his name should not be published, said they usually buy kerosene for N98 per litre from the depot.

"When you now add the cost of transportation, it becomes even higher. So, how can we now sell to consumers for N50? To sell at that price then, our cost price should be about N38 or even less."

Still speaking, he said, "Currently we sell at N110, making very minimal profit. We cannot afford to sell higher than that because we have competitors."

Independent marketer NPCO, Rab Oil on Dopemu road sells for N115per litre while the likes of ASCON, Tetragun also in the same area had none.

However, the General Manager NNPC Retail, Ufford Ibanga, assured that all the 524 NNPC retail mega, floating mega and affiliate stations across the country would be involved in the 'Kero Correct' scheme.

He had said previously that 25 non-governmental organisations (NGO) and other volunteers have been engaged to monitor the distribution and sales of the kerosene at the corporation's mega and affiliate stations nationwide.

The PPMC, he said, has stock of kerosene as well as the necessary facilities to ensure efficient distribution of the product from Lagos and Oghara in Delta State to NNPC retail mega and affiliate stations across the country.

The Chairman of the 'Kero Correct' Committee and Manager Media, Group Public Affairs Div., Nwakwu Anthony, said the NGOs and volunteers would help monitor the discharge and sales of the product, ensuring orderliness at points of sales as well as serve as whistle blowers.

Share a Coke: An authentic personal brand experience

G

LOBALLY, consumer goods companies have since recognized the increasing sophistication of their target markets and are going above and beyond normal advertising, marketing and sales "strategies" to attract consumers and build brand loyalty.

A number of brands have done well in this area in recent times, for instance Samsung launched the NX camera range with the innovative campaign "We Are David Bailey" - a campaign that inspired many everyday persons to discover the photographer in them using the high - performing Samsung NX1000; Emirates Aviation Experience campaign was fantastic; while Dove's 'Real Beauty Sketches' was compelling. These campaigns did not only capture attention both online and offline but also resonated with consumers across different segments of the market.

Just when consumers thought they had seen it all, it emerged that no one had reckoned with the wizardry (it's really much more than creative genius!) of one of the world's oldest brands, but whose uncanny ability to retain a youthful appeal across generations remains a conundrum to brand analysts around the world. Of course, I

am referring to the inimitable CocaCola and its "Share a Coke" campaign!

At the last count, the Share a Coke campaign which debuted in Australia in 2011 had launched in more than 80 countries. Nearly, four years after, the campaign continues to create enduring ripples of excitement wherever it is launched, as consumers and even nonconsumers of Coca-Cola see their names emblazoned on Coca-Cola cans and bottles, in place of the brand's iconic logo. What is equally touching for most people who are enamoured of the campaign is the feeling that with the message "Share a Coke with ‌" the brand is giving them a positive recommendation as persons worthy of love and connection.

How do you get your consumers to continually love your brand and remain loyal? Put their names on an iconic product and bask in the phenomenal reception.

The terrific buzz currently being created in Nigeria by the share a Coke campaign since the launch in January 2015 and is now approaching fever pitch, is truly a one-of-a-kind consumer experience that sets a brand above the crowd and earns enduring consumer connection and brand loyalty. The response to the Share a Coke campaign

•Coca-Cola product

by Nigerian consumers across age and social divides clearly illustrates the child in all of us.

In many stores, anxious consumers with emotions alternating between excitement and frustration search stacks of Coca-Cola packs for particular names; in selfies pestered all over the social media, celebrities proudly show off cans of Coke heralding their names. An industry watcher, SuyiAdelakun said the Share A Coke campaign clearly shows how much Coca-Cola understands its target market and how far the brand is prepared to go to woo and embrace its

consumers in such an intimate way that no other brand has ever dared to imagine.

"One key take-out is that the campaign leveraged on a trending behaviour which borders on a penchant for personalization" Adelakun noted. He went on to identify the long celebrated practice of going for customized number plates on automobiles, personalized inscriptions on T-shirts as existing consumer behaviour that Share a Coke campaign has mirrored and amplified in an extraordinary way with dramatic result".

"A person's name is his identity- it is personal and special to him or her.

Having your name printed on a bottle of Coca-Cola is mind-blowing and tells you the brand recognizes you as a person and not a sales statistic. It is an irresistible overture. More so, this is not just any brand but the very iconic Coca-Cola brand" On his part, AnayoAnudu, a consumer was quick to say that Coke has pioneered another unforgettable innovation with the Share a Coke campaign which is bound to revolutionize consumer marketing.

Another consumer, Michael Ani argued that the Nigerian consumer is naturally aspirational. He contended that Nigerians by their behaviour aspire to be what the people they admire or follow are; so if a particular celebrity keys into the Share a Coke campaign you can be sure that a good number of his fans will also key into the campaign. It is not a bandwagon effect; it is simply because by our nature, human beings are imitative," he stated.

With the Share a Coke campaign, Coca-Cola has earned its stripe as arguably the world's most seductive brand. These are surely not comfortable times for its competitors.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

60

A positive storm is brewing

EBERE WABARA

T

WORDSWORTH H 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

‘Banter’ non-count

HE first three blunders this week are from a full-page advertorial signed by Chief T. A. Orji (Ochendo), CON (Governor, Abia State/ Chairman, South East Governors’ Forum and published in THISDAY of January 9: “We, the Governors and the people of the South East zone welcome the PDP flag (standard) bearer….”

“Mr. President (sic), as you begin your Presidential (sic) campaign for (in) our zone….” “…let us joyfully embrace the only President who has shown love to Ndigbo in words and in deeds.” Get it right: in word and in deed.

“As a humatarian (humanitarian), philanthropist, God fearing and kind hearted (God-fearing and kindhearted) brother….”

“APC raises fresh alarm, alleges rigging plot, clampdown of (on) opposition leaders” “PDP, APC trade banters at NLC conference” ‘Banter’ is uncountable.

“Customers smile home with sports utility vehicles at (in) PZ promo in Benin” Niger Delta Chronicle: Sport-Utility Vehicles (SUVs)” “Customs FOU Zone C arrests 18 over (for) smuggling” “Group G4 calls for violence free (violence-free) election” “Vote for a Kind hearted (kind-hearted) Leader (sic)” (Powered by the 7 wise preachers) ‘Announcement’ in “ O b i t u a r y Announcement” is redundant because ‘obituary’ is an announcement!

“MASSOB warns state govt over harrassment” Spell-check: harassment, but embarrassment “Our dreams must keep coming into (to) reality in Lagos…We endorse Akin Ambode— a public servant of 27 years (years’) standing” In case you did not know, ‘Double A’, by my own inalienable proclamation, is the governor-in-waiting.

Quote me anywhere!

“Its (It’s) either they are talking about GMB dying soon or….”

“I pray that you do not experience death of your child/children…talkless of (let alone) being taunted and mocked!”

“This is what Goodluck Jonathan and PDP has (have) turned to campaign

theme!”

“The documentary mentioned how he divorced his late wife and some other beer parlour (pub) gist.”

“Again, Muhammad Buhari has never referred or attack (attacked) President Jonathan’s family.”

“He only concentrates (concentrates only) on issue based (sic) (issues-based) campaign.”

“Let’s keep going forwards (forward).”

“Niger (Nigerien) army repels insurgents’ attacks” FEEDBACK NEWSMEN are told to avoid stating the obvious, shun excess luggage and Keep It Short and Simple (KISS). Therefore, both “ghastly” and “fatal” were needless in “eighteen people were killed (18 fatalities) and two others seriously injured in a “ghastly” (already frightening) accident on...”

See Wordsworth, Feb. 15.

Second, the reported teenage mother was “delivered of....” It is not proper to state that “a teenage mother who just delivered”. Women do not deliver but are “delivered of” babies.

I join calls on you not to be discouraged by the annoying misuse of English by our local media. Some professionals are incorrigible and impervious to the weekly corrections which your column offers on the appropriate use of English.

You may want to know that I have newspaper cuttings (musty) of such columns, including “Caught Out” by Ladbone (Lade Bonuola) of the old Daily Times. Please, keep educating us. Also X-ray the misuse of synonyms. For instance, on Xmas decorations, “prices (prizes) are now given...”

Sunday Vanguard, January 25, Page 6. On Page 19 of the same title of February 1, Flavour Nabania is reported “to walk (work) out in the gym”. A piece on “Buhari’s presidential gamble” stated on Page 56, Sunday Vanguard, January 25, that “Aper Aku and Busari Adelakun both died in prison due to poor maltreatment.” What an over-kill!

“Poor” is needless. We have civil society, not societies (Nigerian Tribune, Page 1, February 5) Homophones seem to confuse many writers. For instance, The Nation, Page 67, February 15, reported Fashola as asking the

service chiefs to toe (some writers would have used “tow”) the “part (occurred two times) of honour” by resigning but the writer/ editor got it right just once.

Also writing on Christmas decorations, “prices (prizes) are now given….”

Sunday Vanguard, January 25, Page 6. On Page 19 of the same title of February 1, Flavour Nabania is said “to walk (work) out in the gym”. A piece on “Buhari’s presidential gamble” stated on Page 56, Sunday Vanguard, January 25, that “Aper Aku and Busari Adelakun both died in prison due to poor maltreatment.” What an over-kill! “Poor” and “mal” from the Latin word “malus” mean the same thing — bad.

By the way, there is a single “civil society” but many civil society groups and not “civil societies protest polls shift” (Nigerian Tribune, Front Page, February 5).

KOLA DANISA, 07068074257 EBERE, I have to chip in again. “…the average journalist usually burns this professional flag, forgets their human past” is informal usage while “… the average journalist usually burns this professional flag, forgets his or her past” is formal usage.

Out of a lawyers’ population estimated “at about 20,000” (at 20,000 or to be about 20,000) only five females “have been opportune” (had have the opportunity) to adorn the silk. Special note on usage: “opportune” is an adjective, e.g. an opportune moment (not a verb – it is not verbalized).

Rotimi Fasogbon thanks for your observation on this, too.

The preponderance of the views aired by the people centres on/upon (not around/round) issues like corruption and unemployment.”

Before embarking on the strike (or industrial action)….

Another Note: In Christendom and current usage, “cleric” has been classified very oldfashioned. It is now restricted to Muslim Cleric/ Clerics. Use Clergyman, Clergywoman, Pastor, Priest, Minister or Woman Minister, Reverend, Evangelist, etc.

“In fact” is preferred to “in actual fact”.

Old boy, keep the flag flying!

BAYO OGUNTUNASE (08056180046)

istory is upon us, asking something bold of us.

Those who hear must respond to its call because history is impatient. If we tarry, history shall not. If we fail to act as the situation requires, history will still move forward and its pen will write an unanswerable verdict against us. All the prior achievements and feats we have recorded in the past will matter little unless we now answer the challenge now facing us.

We have come to the place where things must change or we shall sink. For the nation to continue as is constitutes nothing less than an invitation to doom.

Such a fate we shall not abide.

The hour is late and our chance for national progress reduces with each idle moment.

The way Nigeria is governed must change and change dramatically. This means the shape of politics must change.

Nigeria must be a prosperous, secure, safe nation that helps weaker nations attain peace and stability. Instead we are beset by woe on all sides. Boko Haram falls upon our people in the North. MEND in the Niger Delta falls upon us. Kidnapping and robbery encircle the nation as if we have become a training ground for criminal misconduct.

Rich in manpower and material resources Nigeria should set the agenda for economic development and broadly shared prosperity on the African continent. Today, the opposite is the case. Instead of having a wealth of domestically produced goods in our manufacturing basket, we hold a virtually empty basket. As such, we have become a basket case.

More Nigerians than ever before suffer under the daily grind of poverty. Unemployment is so rampant among our youth that finding a job is no longer the natural progression of life. It is seen as a miracle.

Even then, upon finding work, too many people soon discover they labour for wages below the subsistence level. For them there is too many days left until the end of the month after the money is finished. With too little food and more tears in their eyes than drinkable water in their cups, they stare into the darkness of despair on a constant basis.

This is not the way of a great nation. It is the way of heartless and mean governance that puts the interests of small elite above the interests of the common working man and woman who are the soul and backbone of this nation.

We should have a vast land transportation system that moves our active, energetic population safely and moves our goods and produce cheaply. Instead, our roads have become portals of death where people perish by the dozens — one accident after another.Yet, those in command do nothing for the average Nigerian who is forced to run this gauntlet of death for his daily crumbs of bread. Instead, those who could improve this situation for the good of all do just enough to make things better for themselves.

Where the road is bad, they budget for it, still the road gets worse off. Where the road is impassable, they offer excuses and empty promises. The touted improvement in electricity supply is now a mirage. In the midst of petrol dollars and abundance of natural gas Nigerians are without a commensurate standard of living.

Our billions are embezzled and shared to cronies. The slogan of the ruling party is power, but corruption is the fuel that powers

•Tinubu Bola Ahmed Tinubu

their government.

In a prior age, an arrogant ruler reportedly once scoffed regarding her starving population, “let them eat cake.” Today, our rulers scoff at our people “let them face death.”

The current way of governance makes nation building impossible. What it does is make poverty and the erosion of a just society inevitable.

We have gathered at this hour and in this place to put an end to this national corrosion. We have assembled to bring a new day and a new Nigeria to our people.

The Nigerian people are decent and hard-working people.

They also are long –suffering. Just because they are long –suffering does not mean they should be forced to suffer until death comes.

Our people have had enough of having nothing. The current government’s trademark is to throw empty words and hollow action at our problems as if doing nothing will cause our troubles to leave from sheer boredom.

Instead, trouble mounts.

If this is the government’s idea of transformation, I will have none of it. It seems their notion of change is to go from slow motion to no motion at all.

If they want to stand still, that is their right. However, they have no right to force the whole nation to stagnate with them. We have things to accomplish and progress to make for the good of the people.

If they have nothing to offer except the nothing they have been giving us, let’s join hands with others to sweep them aside, so that we can keep pushing through and move this nation upward and forward.

This is why we hold our convention today. This convention portends the coming of great political change. A storm is brewing. Don’t be frightened. It is a positive storm with a positive wind. Those things that have no roots and offer no solution to the plight of the people shall be swept away. This storm will change the political terrain forever. I am not afraid of this storm. I welcome it because the storm is us- our new vision. Our new party.

I stand to tell you that for the good of Nigeria this must be the last and final convention of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN). As one of the national leaders of this party, I have dedicated myself to our political collaboration. I am attached to it in the strongest way. I am proud of what we have accomplished.

Had we not held fast in the Southwest against onslaught and intrigue, Nigeria would effectively be a one party state.

When history rights its tale of the past decade, it will say the ACN preserved Nigerian democracy when it came under great threat.

But we must enter a new phase if poverty and want are to be lifted from the backs of our people. Given the destructive nature of PDP governance, we can no longer be satisfied with preserving democratic practice and with serving as the opposition. The first step in

changing Nigeria for the better is to change government for the better.

Weighing all things in the balance, if I must decide between the existence of this party and the improvement of Nigeria, I must choose the improvement of Nigeria. That is our duty and responsibility. While it would be most comfortable to remain with our party as is, with its unique symbol, manifesto and constitution, we are not here to do what is comfortable. We are here to do what is right for our people and our country.

We are here to answer to a greater, higher calling. That calling is the love of Nigeria.

To rescue Nigeria from the blight of mis-governance, we must join hands with like-minded progressives in other parties and organizations. We must sacrifice our current partisan identity to create a larger one capable of assuming leadership at the national level. This and only this offers the best chance for Nigeria at this stage. We dare not miss this chance because we cannot be sure of another.

I ask you my brothers and sisters to take pride in what ACN has accomplished but to have the vision and courage to see that our national imperatives require us to enter a new phase of political maturity, sacrifice and cooperation in order to bring an era of progressive governance to the whole of Nigeria and not just part of it. If we must end the ACN identity to form a new party so that Nigeria can survive and our people can live better life and face a rewarding future, then so be it.

We shall do this with serious yet happy purpose and no regrets.

May your chests fill with pride at what we have done and may your hearts fill with optimism at the better future that we shall create.

Join me today in voting to move our party into merger with the ANPP, CPC, other parties and organizations to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

I assure you that the place we are going will be your house of political fulfillment. We shall have a meaningful voice in the APC. The principles of democracy, justice, visionary governance and liberty that shaped the ACN shall carry over into the APC. The new party will be as welcome a home as the ACN. It will just be a bigger house for a larger political family.

It shall be this family that saves Nigeria by bringing to the people the creative policies that promote wide prosperity, employment, infrastructural overhaul, education, health care, civil rights, peace, stability and justice.

Thus vote with me to close the historic and noble chapter on the ACN so that we can begin a new and bigger book called the APC. For us this is not a sad ending, it is but the beginning of a great beginning. Let us do what is right so that when history writes its account of this day, it shall write that we lived up to our moral duties by doing what the moment required.

For a better Nigeria, the ACN must join with other parties to merge into the APC. This is our last best hope.

There is nothing else to do.

Thank you and God bless this convention and God Bless Nigeria.

•This momentous speech made by the former Governor of Lagos at last ACN convention on April 18, 2013 foretold the change in Nigeria which is about to happen in the next five weeks.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

I

F you ask Winifred Okeke what makes life exciting, she quickly tells you that it is the opportunity to give small scale entrepreneurs a new lease of life.

Apart from the individual assistance she renders to some, she is also part of a number of networks which help to provide the support system needed.

"The private sector needs to be strong and ready to make the business environment more conducive for small business owners," she says.

"I went into water business and it was a turning point in my life. It is called OWN table water and the name came from the acronym of my names. Initially, I found that the business was highly competitive because the men dominated the business in the area.

However, I was not discouraged, it actually made me put in energy and I had the passion to make a difference. I broke into their midst and this was not new to me because I always like to challenge the men right from school. We started from sachet and graduated to bottle and the business is thriving in Enugu State," she recalls, with a ring of excitement in her voice.

What was she doing before this? She deadpans: "I was a full time banker for thirty years and I retired as a senior manager with the African Continental Bank. I did banking with the Institute of Bankers in London. In those days, they did not have banking in the universities in Nigeria and I had a very fulfilling career."

Expatiating, she says: "Afterwards Enugu State govern-

'Small businesses need all-round support' xxxx

Winifred Okeke is the president of the women's wing of the Nigeria Association of Medium and Small Enterprise (NASME) in Enugu State. In this Interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about life empowering people with small businesses, running a thriving water company, tapping from the potential the ongoing projects, challenges of an entrepreneur, among others ment gave me an appointment as the Managing Director and I started what they called ESWEMA, it is the equivalent of the LAWMA that you have in Lagos under the Enugu State Management Authority."

You also want to know if she pioneered the project and she says at the risk of sounding immodest, "The programme was going on with a different name and I was enlisted. However, they were not able to fulfil the objectives and that was the point that I came in. I had powers unlike those who worked before who were general managers, and I was a managing director directly under the governor. That was during the tenure of Chimaroke, and I got to do so many things without the usual protocol and rigmarole of the civil service."

As for the secret of her success, she says: "First, I would say that the awareness I had was very useful, then there was also commitment as well as the involvement of the people. I succeeded in getting the people involved, unlike what obtained in the past. It was exciting getting them to understand the importance of sanitation and I enjoyed immeasurable cooperation from the citizens even though I am not from the

• Okeke state; I am from Anambra State."

So what are some of the transformations that occurred during her tenure? you ask. "I made away with all the dumps in the state, maybe I should say all the major dumps. I cleared

every major dump before I left.

Just before I came in, it was horrible; but we brought a new orientation and I was forthright. The greatest strategy is to that I refused to pay them until the work was done."

This took her to the next

phase of her life and she set up a water company.

She adds: "Apart from getting rid of the waste, we also tapped into the potential available in making wealth from waste. A number of people were empowered this way and their lives were transformed in the process. We got other states like Cross River to come into the project, but somehow we didn't go as far as I wanted. We were about combining the whole project when I left."

So what were some of the challenges Okeke encountered?

"Some people were not happy with what we were doing. There were other challenges like funding, especially with the vehicles that should be used. The dumps that I cleared made me really happy. Each time I passed those streets, I got excited. There were a number of awards and recognitions. I got one of the biggest awards from the army and I am a life member of a male group."

Happily, she takes you into her world and some of the opportunities highlighted for the womenfolk. "What we are doing at the moment is to train those who would train others.

We are also training young girls in skill acquisition, this includes area like fashion and it is a way of empowering the young ones to discover the opportunities

and potential that would transform their lives."

Okeke goes on to tell you that she was also the secretary of the general wing before the women's wing came into existence. "Some of the other projects that we have done also have to do with enhancement of skills for members, networking and collaboration with local and international organisations for growth and development. The general group is about twelve years while the women's wing is just about three years. As women, we have been trying our best but the problem, however, is that we do not have the wherewithal to be on the same level with the men. You need a lot of funds to do all the things required. We are also building our permanent office and that project is gulping a lot of the resources at the moment."

Asked about the changes that she hopes to make, Okeke replies this way: "There are a number of projects in the pipeline and our desire is to turn around the fortunes of members significantly. NASME is an arm of the presidency and it is in different parts of the federation. Some chapters are as old as twenty years but I joined the organisation about five years ago."

National Enterprise Development Programme: one year after

W

HEN the federal government launched the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) in February 2014, it was conceptualised and thought out to provide business support services and access to finance for MSMEs in the country and to add one million jobs yearly.

Laudable as this vision was, the programme is turning out to be another white elephant funding initiative, existing at best on the pages of papers, analysts have said.

President Goodluck Jonathan at the launch said: "This programme will be a change agent, not only training millions of young and able Nigerians and harnessing the unbridled entrepreneurial energy in our society but also providing them with affordable and accessible finance to act as a catalyst for their ambitions and enable them to achieve their dreams."

Nigerians are yet to see the real impact of the training for millions of the

Bukola Aroloye in this report takes stock of the activities of the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) in the last one year people under the programme even though the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, which is managing the fund, has the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDAN) and the Bank of Industry (BOI) as agencies under it.

Mr. Celestine Okeke, a political economist and the Head, Business Development at Roschistan Limited, who has been following the development in the country with regards to MSME funding, told our reporter that the failure of government interventions to propel real growth in MSMEs' activities can be traced to the failure of the series of intervention funds by the federal government.

He said: "Nigerian entrepreneurs are yet to have an articulated training and or access to finance path detailing how they can benefit from the programme, neither

has the Bank of Industry managing the fund publicised a document detailing the workings of the programme different from other initiatives in its books.

"SMEDAN on its part has failed to mobilise the several thousands of Nigerians it has expended several hundreds of millions to train in the past years to access the funding initiative.

Instead, it is embarking on another round of training for Nigerians and not necessarily entrepreneurs as the process of selecting those to be trained leaves much to be desired. One would have expected SMEDAN to embark on a re-training exercise for the several Nigerians it has trained in the past years with a view to granting them access to the programme."

Against the backdrop of the promises made by the president on the need to train our youth to create employment rather than go out to be employed, the office of

the senior special adviser on job creation was seen to be embarking on training/ workshop on how to write resume for youths.

Celestine, while baring his mind on this development, said: "If the adviser on job creation spends her office's funds to train youths on how to write resumes, who then is driving NEDEP?" He further disclosed that a visit to the Bank of Industry will reveal, quite sadly, the level of commitment the ministry and its agencies have to the programme.

"You will be confronted with the reality that there exists no separate application form for NEDEP, there exists a low level of information/knowledge of the initiative by the staff of the bank. The application form given to entrepreneurs who visit the bank for enquires is the same form given for commercial loans, forms asking for collateral when

NEDEP demands no collateral for certain amounts," he added.

Stakeholders have continued to argue that while they support the efforts of the federal government to create jobs via the provision of improved access to finance, they want the government to ensure that the several funding initiatives being launched by it do not end up like those that failed in the recent past.

The recent addition of GEM (growth and employment project) to the funding initiatives available to Nigerian entrepreneurs is both a welcome and confounding development. The questions on the lips of keen observers are, what level of achievement have we made with NEDEP and other funding initiatives to warrant the launch of another initiative by the same government?

What are the inadequacies observed with NEDEP that is necessitating the launch of

GEM? As against launching GEM, why not strengthen NEDEP? These are pertinent questions entrepreneurs are asking or are these initiative cases of the more you look the less you see.

Mr. Monday Ewan, the Director Planning Coordination and Extension of SMEDAN, in his reaction, said, "if you refer to the enabling act establishing SMEDAN, it is very clear that it remains the overall coordinating agency for MSMEs but unfortunately, a lot of government MDAs are venturing into MSMEs and when you look at their acts you will realise they have no business doing so without collaborating with us."

Celestine urged the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to, as a matter of urgency, make NEDEP more accessible to Nigerian entrepreneurs by making SMEDAN, ITF and BOI more responsive and structured/ staffed to meet the objectives of the programme.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

63

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

INTERVIEW

D

O you agree the church is divided on the forthcoming elections?

I think that is glaring for those who have eyes to see there is a real division.

From my research and observations, it started some 25, 30 years when some Pentecostal preachers started saying that Christians should get involved in politics. They started what we are seeing this. But I believe that true believers should be apolitical.

I believe Christians are citizens of two countries.

We are citizens of heaven and Nigeria, for example.

That is why God created our feet to be on ground and our heads high. I believe that is how we should live.

There are Christians that God will use in the marketplace, like Joseph and Daniel. They will influence governance and everyone will see them.

But when it comes to pastors and ministers of the gospel, our calling is higher than politics. We shouldn't have anything to do with politics. We should only guide, nurture and help our followers to be good representatives of God in the political scene.

I always say that the church should not be a friend or enemy of government. The church must be the conscience of government and the society. We should keep government in check and in line.

Will it be wrong for the church to endorse candi-

'We have gone too far with politics' The President of International Church Growth Ministries, Dr Francis Bola Akin-John, spoke with Sunday Oguntola on why churches should remain apolitical. dates?

It is absolutely wrong.

Why? If the church can produce people for politics, should it be able to say 'we believe in so, so person.

Please vote for him or her'?

It should never endorse for the sake of fair play and justice. You can produce them but you have to leave people to make their choices. If I have two or three persons vying for the same office in my church, as a pastor I can have my private preference but it will be wrong of me to come and say 'support this person'.

We should welcome everybody and let them present themselves. We should leave our people with their conscience to pick whoever they want.

Church leaders should never be seen with government officials. In an ideal society, there should be a separation between church and state.

If we keep hobnobbing with government functionaries, giving them our pulpits and platforms to campaign, we are setting ourselves up for a big fall. If you look at other nations, you find that it leads to persecution in later years. The people will start seeing the church as one of their oppressors since its leaders

• Akin-John

are seen with government officials.

To me, the closeness of President Jonathan to church leaders is nauseating. He is throwing it on people's faces. It is distressing and discrediting. Now, if he loses, the church will be in trouble. People of other faiths can destroy us because they will now see themselves in power. That is why it is always good for the church to remain in between: don't be friendly or antagonistic of the govern-

ment.

What will likely be the aftermath of the church's romance with politicians?

I am afraid for the church in Nigeria. I have real, serious fears. I cannot but say it; I cannot keep quiet. When this is over, many people will fall out of faith. Many of the public will lose confidence in us.

Without that confidence, we cannot evangelise the world.

There was a time in the UK when the church and

state were one. What happened? It led to the Dark Ages of the church. The church became corrupt; politicians messed up everything. Cathedrals started closing down and people stayed away from worship centres.

If we are not careful, that will happen so soon in Nigeria if we don't retrace our steps. We have gone too far romancing with politicians. Many church leaders believe they need government to protect their schools and enterprises.

This is why you always see them in government circles.

But you can have the government on your side without popular support. If the people turn against you, you are finished.

I pity the church leaders involved. Many of them will face the full wrath of the people when this is over. If they manage to escape, the coming generations will suffer the backlashes of their unholy alliance.

Should religion determine who Christians vote for?

I don't believe so. If you have a fellow Christian who is well groomed, competent and ready to serve, you can consider voting for that person. At least, you are sure he won't get

there and mess things up.

But if you don't, it becomes difficult because you have to be able to vouch for someone before you vote for him.

If it is a Muslim that is credible and competent, go ahead and vote for him. For me, it is about who can deliver and provide good governance; someone who will not steal but have the interest of people at heart. It is not all Christians who can do that just as not all Muslims can do it. So, you have to consider competence above religious sentiments in choosing who to vote for.

Does this mean no pastor should stick out his neck for any candidate?

Yes, my brother. You can have personal choices and candidates but never use the pulpit to advance those sentiments. Let it be a personal matter because your members have the right to have any political inclination of their own.

There is nothing that says you are right and they are wrong.

Don't use church's platform or resources to advance any political interest. You only owe your members sound, biblical teachings on how to be politically involved and make a difference. Anything beyond this amounts to abuse of office.

NEWS

Adeboye to Nigerians: Demand accountability HE general overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has challenged Nigerians to hold elected public officials to accountability, transparency, probity and good governance.

He said the era of voting and leaving elected officials to run the show without accountability was over.

Adeboye spoke last Sunday at the special monthly prayer and thanksgiving service of the RCCG, Throne of Grace, National Headquarters in Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

T

By Adeola Ogunlade According to him, many office holders are looting public treasury and getting away with it because Nigerians are indifferent and have refused to ask pertinent questions that will move the country forward.

Adeboye, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Personnel and Administration, Pastor Johnson Odesola, noted that it is high time Nigerians, particularly youths, engaged elective representatives at federal, state and local government level on issues such as infrastructural develop-

ment, power supply, health care, education, food supply and other national issues.

He said: "We need to begin to ask our leaders what they want to deliver and what they have delivered in time past that should earn them our votes," he said.

Adeboye argued that demands for accountability become imperative because no corrupt leader has ever been jailed rather they are getting chieftaincy titles and pardon for corrupt practices.

He added that whatever is acquired illegally will fly like wings, urging elected officials to desist from looting.

Foundation prays for peaceful elections

A

faith- based non-governmental organisation, Awesome Treasures Foundation, recently concluded a national prayer session in Lagos ahead of the rescheduled general elections.

By Nneka Nwaneri The group also emphasised that Nigerians should vote their conscience during the polls.

Its founder, Mrs. Olajumoke Adenowo, said the coming polls should not be taken for granted,

saying they will determine how the country will fare for at least the next four years.

She called on Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs) and avoid inducement from corrupt politicians. • L-R: Wife of the Founder of Revival Assembly Church, Emmy Madubuko; President of Strategy for Mentoring Initiative and Leadership Empowerment (S.M.I.L.E), Bimpe Martins; Mrs. Olajumoke Adenowo, CEO, AD Consulting limited and founder of the foundation; Nollywood actress, Ufuoma Ejenobor McDermott; presenter and model, Jimi Tewe with CEO of Inspiro Consulting, Steve Harris, at the prayer summit

64

WORSHIP

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

NEWS

COLUMN

Assemblies of God gets 650 new reverends FTER serving for a •Sets for great awakening minimum of eleven

A

years on full time, 650 pastors of the Assemblies of God Nigeria have been ordained as reverend ministers.

The ordained ministers also passed the prescribed examination and screening exercises in accordance with the tradition of the church.

Among them were 596 men and 54 women.

They were ordained at the international conference centre of the church, Evangel Camp, in Okpoto, Ebonyi State before national and regional leaders during a 3-day annual leadership

By Sunday Oguntola retreat with the theme championing the great awakening.

Conducting the ordination service, the general superintendent of the church, Rev (Dr) Chidi Okoroafor, assured that the event will lead to a great change in their ministries.

He urged them to focus and depend on God and eschew mundane attractions.

Assisted by all serving and retired executive committee members, Okoroafor performed the sacred consecration.

The ordination was preceded by the retreat during which the church leaders re-

ceived fresh auction to function for the next one year.

The general superintendent said the church will be pursuing a seven-point agenda covering spiritual emphasis, infrastructural development and human capital development for 2015.

He challenged them to position themselves for divine guidance so that the church can witness a great awakening.

There was also the general committee meeting during which the leaders took far-reaching resolutions on the church.

• Some of the newly ordained reverend ministers... at the event

Catholic men seek credible polls HE Catholic Men Organisation of Nigeria (CMON) has charged Nigerians and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to work towards free and fair elections this month.

It also appealed to Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to be able to elect credible leaders.

The national president of the organisation, Dr Adedeji Adebajo, said Nigeria cannot afford anything less than credible polls.

He urged politicians to avoid inciting and inflammatory statements during campaigns while shunning the do-or-die attitude.

T

By Ibrahim Adam According to Adebajo: "All we are appealing for is proper election. In other parts of the world, election is the easiest thing but in Nigeria, it has been taken as more or less a do- or- die affair, which should not be.

"We are appealing to our politicians to be able to accept defeats and congratulate whosoever wins.

"We also appeal to these titans to please obey to the letter the peace accord they signed recently."

He lamented that over 1.5 million Nigerians have been turned to refugees in the nation, charging the federal government to do everything humanly possible to win the ongoing war against terror-

ism.

"If only 12 men were killed in France and the entire world could stand for them, then what is happening in Nigeria?

"Apart from those killed by the insurgents, over 1.5 million Nigerians have been turned to refugees in their own country.

"We therefore appeal to the federal government to do whatever is necessary to bring the massacre of Boko Haram to an end.

"Our soldiers are known to be gallant in actions; they won lots of laurels maintaining peace in other countries.

"We want them to replicate the same in our country so that no part of Nigeria should be lost to any insurgent."

Living Faith

By Dr. David Oyedepo

Revelation: Master Key To A World Of Exploits! (2)

I

N my teaching last week, I said revelation is no respecter of nations; wherever light shines, darkness bows.

Revelation commands the same authority anywhere under the sun. Also, I showed you how revelation puts an end to your struggles.

This week, as I conclude this teaching, we shall be considering the proofs of revelation, why we need the Spirit of wisdom and revelation and channels of impartation for the Spirit of wisdom and revelation.

Proofs Of Revelation: Revelation is the breaking forth of light in your spirit from the Word of God. Revelation means divine secret or insight. The following happens when you encounter revelation: •Divine Health (Proverbs 4:20-22): You need strength and stamina to command exploits. There is no man of exploit that will not require strength and Supernatural stamina. ...But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits(Daniel 11:32).

More revelation equals more strength and more strength equals more exploits.

•Supernatural Exploits (Isaiah 60:1-3, 8, 22): By revelation, you command the attention of kings. God gave Solomon the Spirit of wisdom and revelation that made him wiser than all men, and commanded the attention of all the Kings on earth (1 Kings 4:29-34). He dominated his world by the gift of wisdom and revelation. A small one can be turned into a strong nation by revela-

Apostolic Church commissions road, building

F

or the first time in almost half a century, the Apostolic Church, Nigeria Lagos, Western and Northern Area, (LAWNA) has a tiled road network.

The church's president, Pastor Gabriel Olutola commissioned it recently with a building.

Olutola told our correspondent: "This church has been here for almost half of a century but there was no permanent road so we made a road and an-

By Medinat Kanabe other entrance many years ago but it wasn't tiled, which gave us many inconveniences especially with the dust we experienced."

The dust, according to him, changed the colours of most of the buildings in the premise.

"Our temple wasn't left out. We had to dedicate it without finishing it because we were scared what the dust would turn it to if we finished it.

"So, we decided to grade

the road first before finishing the building. So for the first time we have a tiled road."

The road network that leads to different parts of the church, Olutola said, is named after all past LAWNA chairmen and the incumbent.

They include Late Pastor J.O Akisoya, Zaria Area Superintendent; Late E.A Okon, First National President and Late Pastor J.A Babatope, First African Superintendent for Ilasa Area.

T

tion. Revelation repositioned Joseph from a prisoner to the leader of a nation. What you know determines where you are; if you know better, you will change levels.

•Peace (2 Peter 1:2): When you have revelation, you live continuously in peace. Knowledge is the channel for peace; the deeper the revelation, the calmer you will be. Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them (Psalm 119:165). People of revelation are never disturbed; they are calm at all times.

Finding the Word is finding rest (Matthew 11:2830).

•Joy (Jeremiah 15:16): Anyone flowing in revelation automatically and naturally flows in joy. You cannot flow in revelation and still be held down by depression. Revelation triggers the joy of the Lord in you-joy unspeakable full of glory. It triggers addictive joy that cannot be tied to anything natural.

Why do we need the Spirit of wisdom and revelation?

•It supernaturally quickens our spiritual understanding (Isaiah 11:13): It is impossible to comprehend spiritual things intellectually, because intellectualism is in the natural realm. Therefore, it takes the operation of the Spirit of God to comprehend spiritual things (Genesis 41:38-39). The deeper your insight, the greater your level of command.

•It determines our level of result (Matthew 13:23):If you must change your level of result, you must change your level of understanding. So, the

more you understand, the better your blessings and results are enhanced.

•To escape the region of death (Proverbs 21:16):The Spirit of wisdom and revelation takes you from the region of death to the realms of life.

Channels Of Impartation For The Spirit Of Wisdom And Revelation: Impartation simply means the transference of virtues.

•The Word (Luke 5:17).

•Laying of hands (Deuteronomy 34:9).

•The prophetic mantle (Psalm 45:8).

When you get into the realms of revelation, you encounter sweetness.

Every real light brings about real change; it enhances your spiritual weight. Revelation is it!

Today marks the end of all your struggles, in the name of Jesus Christ!

Friend, the power to be imparted with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, is for those saved. You get saved by confessing your sins and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.

If you are not saved, you can do so right now, as you pray this prayer: "Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious blood.

Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the Living God. Today, Lord Jesus, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!"

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge.

For further reading, please get my books -The Force Of Freedom, Walking In Dominion and Born To Win. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively.

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

General overseer praises Ukpai at 70

HE General Overseer, Adoration Family Ministries aka Jesus House of Assembly, Apostle Phil Okunerere, has congratulated renowned evangelist, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai on his recent 70th birthday celebration in Rivers State.

Speaking in his office in Port Harcourt, Okunerere said Ukpai has touched many through the word of God and his investment to humanity.

He described Ukpai as

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

a father, philanthropist, great achiever and a true man of God committed and dedicated to serve God and humanity.

He noted that Ukpai has made a great sacrifice in Christendom, which made him a leading light in his generation.

He prayed that God Almighty will strengthen him as he continues the journey of wining souls for Christ.

Apostle Okunerere said: "I was at his birthday celebration few days ago in Port Harcourt; men of God came from different states of the federation to testify how the great man of God touches their lives.

"To be frank, it is good news for God and man to know that somebody somewhere is wining souls for Christ.

He is great achiever and a true man of God who can give anything for the work of God."

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015 CHANGE OF NAME OLANIRAN

I,formerly known and addressed as Badmus Oladimeji, now wish to be known and addressed as Olaniran Oladimeji.All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Immigration Service and general public should take note.

AKANDE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Akande, Omolola Kafayat now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Awolope, Omolola Kafayat.All former documents remain valid.

University of Jos, Dept. of Medical Laboratory Science and general public should take note. E

OMOTAYO I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Omotayo, Abolanle Olamide, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kolawole, Abolanle Olamide.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OBENDE

I,formerly known and addressed as Obende, Oluwafemi Michael, now wish to be known and addressed as Oladimeji-Oye, Oluwafemi Michael.All former documents remain valid. Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti and general public should take note.

ADEPOJU I,formerly known and addressed as Adepoju, Risikat A. Ajoke Ojuolape, now wish to be known and addressed as Ajala, Risikat A. Ojuolape.All former documents remain valid. Federal Ministry of Education, IPPIS and general public should take note.

FARRI-FADEYI I,formerly known and addressed as Farri Fadeyi Oluwakemi Raliat, now wish to be known and addressed as Fadeyi Oluwakemi Raliat.All former documents remain valid.General public should take note.

ADOSUYI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Adosuyi, Mary Funmilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ojuolape Mary Funmilayo.All former documents remain valid.

Ose Local government and general public should take note.

NINILOLA

I,formerly known and addressed as Ninilola Abike Misturat, now wish to be known and addressed as Ninilola Abike Misturat Aroyewun.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

SHOGUNLE I,formerly known and addressed as Oluwagbeminiyi Abiola Shogunle now wish to be known and addressed as Oluwagbeminiyi Abiola Alli.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

SOSANYA I,formerly known and addressed as Sosanya, Oluwadamilola Agnes, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olusola, Oluwadamilola Agnes.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AWOFIRANYE I,formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Adetutu Regina Awofiranye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adetutu Regina Olufiranye.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AGBOOLA I,formerly known and addressed as Agboola Oluseyi Christiana, now wish to be known and addressed as Sowunmi Oluseyi Christiana.All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OLUNUGA I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Olunuga Adeola Yetunde, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ojeleke Afeola Yetunde.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEKUNLE I,formerly known and addressed as Adekunle Abigeal Taiwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Adebisi Abigeal Taiwo.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

POPOOLA I,formerly known and addressed as Olayinka Abosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Olayinka Abosede Akano.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OMOKOYA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omokoya Omolabake, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lawanson Omolabake, all former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

65

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME TAIWO I,formerly known and addressed as Taiwo Oluwakemi Titilope, now wish to be known and addressed as Ogunlana Oluwakemi Titilope.All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

SHUAIBU I,formerly known and addressed as Maryam Tahir Shuaibu, now wish to be known and addressed as Maryam Tahir Hassan.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AZIEKWE I,formerly known and addressed as Aziekwe Chioma Loveline, now wish to be known and addressed as Nwagbo Chioma Loveline.All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OLORUNSOLA I,formerly known and addressed as Olorunsola Feyisayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Ogundele Feyisayo Esther.All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OROGBEMI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Orogbemi Oluwole Olufemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olugbemi Oluwole Johnson.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IGILI I,formerly known and addressed as Igili, Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, now wish to be known and addressed as Nwabueze Chukwuebuka Emmanuel.All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/BIRTH I,formerly known and addressed as Christian Nwogu Chimsom, now wish to be known and addressed as Korie Nicholas Chibuzo. My date of birth is 17th February, 1976 not 27th December, 1982. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ODUMUDO I, formerly known and addressed as Odumudo Josephine Ogochukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Emejulu Josephine Ogochhukwu. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ENIAFE I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. ENIAFE TOSIN HOPE, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss FOLORUNSO TOSIN HOPE. All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

PETER I formerly known and addressed as Miss JEBI PETER now wish to be known as Miss ABUL ASEMOTA JOY. Nigeria Immigration service and the general public should please take note.

NWOSU

I formerly known as Nwosu Ugonna Olaraiche, henceforth wish to be known, called and addressed as Fakile Ugonna Olaraiche. All documents bearing my former name remain valid. Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the general public should take note.

EZESIOGWUGWU

JOSH-ADEKEYE

ABEGUNDE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss ABEGUNDE JANET ADEOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS JULIUS JANET ADEOLA.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLUWALOMOJO

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss OLUWALOMOJO VICTORIA OLAYINKA, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs JOHN-DASTOCK VICTORIA OLAYINKA OLUSINA. All former documents remain valid. Ondo State teaching service commission and general public should take note.

FASUNLADE I, formerly known and addressed as Ademola Ezekiel Fasunlade, now wish to be known and addressed as Ademola Ezekiel Afolabi, all former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

OKON I, formerly known and addressed as MISS CHRISTIANA STEPHEN OKON, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CHRISTIANA UDUAK EKONG, all former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

OMOLADE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Omolade Veronica Alaba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omolade-David, Veronica Alaba. All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Miss BABALOLA RUKAYAT OLAITAN, refers to one and same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Miss MOHAMMED RUKAYAT OLAITAN. Now as Mrs ADEWOLU RUKAYAT OLAITAN. All former documents remain valid.

General Public, please take note.

AKAGU

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Joy Onyinyechi Akagu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Joy OnyinyechiObinnaIrokwe. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AMADI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amadi Rachael Ihunda, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Wali, Anokuru Rachael Ihunda All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AKE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oluchi Ake, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluchi Precious Nwafor. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

IJEZIE

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Nwabrije Precious Nkiruka and Awari Precious Nkiruka refers to one and same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Nwabrije Precious Nkiruka. All former documents remain valid.

WAEC, Madonna University, Elele, Rivers State and general public should please take note.

UZOSIKE

OPARA

I,formerly known and addressed as Toyin Josh-Adekeye, now wish to be known and addressed as Oluwatoyin Falodun.All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

UKOT I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Awajioboroinyem Geoffery Ukot, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Joyce Awajioboroinyem Barthnengia. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UBOCHI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Rosemary Amarachi Ubochi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rosemary Amarachi Lokochi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibrahim, Aishat Alilat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Momodu, Aishat Alilat. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I BOLARINWA TOHEEB ADEBAYO. hereby confirm that I am also known as BOLARINWA TOYIB ADEBAYO . refers to as the same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as BOLARINWA TOHEEB ADEBAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AMIPITAN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ijezie Osinachi Gift, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwokorie Osinachi Gift. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

BADMUS

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OPARA ROSEMARY PEACE. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ATILOLA ROSEMARY PEACE. All former documents remain valid. Solid-rock securities & investment PLC. And the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Blessing Ngozi Ezesiogwugwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Blessing Ngozi Ezenwosu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzosike Chidinma Queen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sato, Chidinma Queen. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Badmus Adetoun Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Musa Adetoun Elizabeth.All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IBRAHIM

ONYEODI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss ONYEODI NGOZI FAVOUR, now wish to be known as Mrs. ADENIRAN NGOZI FAVOUR. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.Vera Nathaniel

AZUH I formerly known and addressed as Miss Precious Ucheoma Amarachi Azuh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Precious Ucheoma Amarachi Nwachukwu.

All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

TAIWO

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Taiwo, Maria Adenike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Dahunsi, Maria Adenike. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OKOBI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Okobi, Mmeme Joan, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okobi Mmeme Uwemedimo.

All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLAPEJU I formerly known and addressed as Miss Olapeju Oluwakemi Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aghimien Oluwakemi Grace. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OYEWOLE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyewole, Margret Olaide, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Bello, Margret Olaide. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Hospital Management Board, Key Stone Bank, Nurses Welfare Scheme and general public take note.

OKON

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS CHRISTIANA STEPHEN OKON, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CHRISTIANA UDUAK EKONG, all former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Mr. Japhet Maduabuchukwu Ezeh and Mr. Japhet Maduabuchukwu Ezeaghabalu refers to one and same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Japhet Maduabuchukwu Okechukwu. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc. and general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Anietie Ime Effiong and Godwin Ime Nkang refers to one and same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Anietie Ime Effiong.

All former documents remain valid.

Century Energy Services Ltd (Century Group) Skye Bank and general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, Waleru Temple Iroanya and Wordu Temple Inanya refers to one and same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as Waleru Temple Iroanya. All former documents remain valid. WAEC, NECO, JAMB and general public should please take note.

ADESETAN I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesetan, Dorcas Oluwaseyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adigun, Dorcas Oluwaseyi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

UDUMA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Uduma, Sandra Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sunday Sandra Chinyere. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

TAIWO I formerly known and addressed as Miss Taiwo, Maria Adenike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Dahunsi, Maria Adenike. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ADELUGBIN I, formerly known and addressed as Adelugbin Adeniyi Samuel, now wish to be known and addressed as Ademola Adeniyi Samuel, all former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AMIPITAN ELIZABETH ODUNAYO, now want to be known and addressed as Mrs. OMOTOSO ELIZABETH ODUNAYO. All formal documents remain valid. Ekiti State Civil Service Commission, Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) and general public should take note.

EZEEANYAGU I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chiamaka Juliet Ezeeanyagu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chiamaka Uche Nwachukwu, all former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

OKORIE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss BERTHA IFEOMA OKORIE, now wish to be known as Mrs. BERTHA IFEOMA NWAUDE. Al former documents remain valid general public please take note.

JUBRIL I formerly known and addressed as Miss JUBRIL OLAYINKA MONSURAT, now wish to be known as Mrs. FOLORUNSO OLAYINKA REBECCA. All former documents remain. General public please take note.

ENWELIKWU I formerly known and addressed as Miss ENWELIKWU MARY MAGDALENE, now wish to be known as Mrs. ONOGUWE MARY MAGDALENE. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

OSOH

I formerly known and addressed as Miss OSOH ULOMA JENNIFER, now wish to be known as Mrs. CHINDAH ULOMA JENNIFER. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

ANEKWE I formerly known and addressed as Miss ANGELA OGOCHUKWU ANEKWE, now wish to be known as Mrs. ANGELA OGOCHUKWU OLANIPEKUN. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

ONWUKA I formerly known and addressed as ONWUKA ANITA CHIKODI, now wish to be known as IFEANYI ANITA CHIKODI. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

KESIMO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kesinro Deborah Folasade, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Abe Deborah Folasade. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

OLAWUYI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Olawuyi Modupeola Comfort now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Alabi Modupeola Comfort. All former documents remain valid. State Universal Basic Education Board and general public take note.

AJIBADE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajibade Folasade Suwabat. now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akanbi Folasade Suwebat. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

ADEDOKUN I formerly known and addressed as MISS. ADEDOKUN ZAINAB ADERONKE . Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLUDE ZAINAB ADERONKE. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

OLUBANJO

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. OLUBANJO FUNMILAYO BOSEDE . Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. KOMOLAFE FUNMILAYO BOSEDE. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

OGUNPEHIN I formerly known and addressed as MISS. RISQUAH ADENIKE OGUNPEHIN. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. RISQUAH ADENIKE.ADELANI IBRAHIM. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

ADEGBEMI

ADEOLUGBENGA I formerly known and addressed as Adedeji Odulana Michael Anthony Adeolugbenga, now wish to be Known and addressed as AdedejiOdulana Mic-Anthony Adegbenga.

All former documents remain valid. Lagos State Government, banks and general Public please take note.

LAWAL I formerly Known and addressed as Miss Lawal Folasade Ayanwumi, now wish to be Known and addressed as Awe Folasade Ayanwumi Esther. All former document remain valid. The general public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss ADEGBEMI ADEOLA OPEYEMI. Now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs AWOMODU ADEOLA OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

EKUMA I formerly known and addressed as Ekuma Elizabeth Chinahum now wish to be known and addressed as Eze-Obia Elizabeth Chinahum.

All former document remain valid .The general public please take note.

OKEWOLE

ADESAYO I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesayo Labake Patience , now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adekoya Labake Patience . All former document remain valid . The general public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Mr OKEWOLE ADEKUNLE OLALEKAN. Now wish to be known and addressed as Mr OLAKUNLE ADEKUNLE OLALEKAN. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

UKOT I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Awajioboroinyem Geoffery Ukot, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Joyce Awajioboroinyem Barthnengia. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

GARUBA I formerly known and addressed as Kabiru Olayinwola Garuba now wishes to be called Kabiru Olayinwola Abubakar. All documents nearing my former name remain valid. General public should please take note.

EBODA I formerly known and addressed as Mr. Kazeem Adefowope Eboda now wishes to be called Mr. Kazeem Adefowope Babatunde Tomola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

JOGUNOMI I formerly known and addressed as Miss Simbiat Omolabake Jogunomi now wishes to be called Mrs Simbiat Omobolanle Jogunomi-Bamgboshe. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OGUNTOYE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oguntoye Olawanle Bosede Cecilia now wishes to be called Mrs Onayele Olawanle Bosede Cecilia.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

ALADEJIMOKUN I formerly known and addressed as Miss Aladejimokun Oluseyi Adefunbi now wishes to be called Mrs Oluseyi Adefunbi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OGUNGBILE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogungbile Muinat Olubukola now wishes to be called Mrs Yakub Muinat Olubukola. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AJIBOYE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajoboye Funke Folake now wishes to be called Mrs Adenuga Funke Folake. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

SIJUWOLA I formerly known and addressed Sijuwola Mopelola Sade now wishes to be called Omoniyi Mopelola Sade. All former documents remain valid UNILAG and general public should please take note.

OMOTEHINSE I formerly known as Miss Omotehinse Temiloluwa Amuwa now wishes to be known addressed as Mrs Tomoloju Temiloluwa Amuwa. All former documents remain valid. LUTH and general public should please take note.

UDORAH I formerly known as Miss Chinelo Agatha Udorah now wishes to be known addressed as Mrs Chinelo Agatha Anosike. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ENIGBOKAN I formerly known as Miss Oluwatobi Olamide Enigbokan now wishes to be known addressed as Mrs Oluwatobi Olamide Ogundele. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AGBOOLA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Olufunmilola Omolara Agboola now wish to be known as Mrs. Olufunmilola Omolara Adeyemi. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just N4,500. The payment can be made through - FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number - 2017220392 Account Name VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert and teller to - gbengaodejide @yahoo.com or thenation_advert @yahoo.com.

For enquiry please contact: Gbenga on 08052720421, 08161675390, Emailgbengaodejide@ yahoo.com or our offices nationwide.

Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

66

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

NEWS

•From left: Assistant Campaign Manager, Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Organisation, Ikeja Chapter, Mrs. Fola Awolala; Lagos Coordinator, James Faleke and Campaign Manager, Ikeja Chapter, Mrs. Bank Anthony Funmi-Ade at a news conference in Lagos … yesterday

Uche calls for reflections at Lenten

T

he Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Uche, has charged Christians to meditate and pray for the country during the Lenten period.

He spoke during the Ash Wednesday service, which marked the beginning of this

year’s Lenten season.

Uche appealed to Nigerians not to do anything that will truncate the nation’s democracy.

“We should all say no to military coup and emergency rule.

Our incoming elections must be credible and every well

meaning citizen of our country must accept the people’s verdict in good faith.

“If one does not win now, he or she should wait for the next four years,” he stated.

He called on Nigerians to unite and avoid acts capable of attracting divine wrath.

Calls for Ekiti poly rector’s sack unreasonable, says CSOs

T

he Coalition of Civil Society group has described the call for the sack of the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Mrs. Theresa Taye Akande, as unreasonable and ill conceived.

The President of the CSO, Comrade Olayemi Success,

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

who spoke with newsmen in Abuja yesterday, said the staff should have directed their grievances towards the federal government that approved the new salary structure under CONTISS 15 without cash backup.

He said demanding for

the sack of the rector was wrong.

Success called on the staff of the institution to reconsider their stand and be more reasonable while also urging the federal government to fulfill agreements with the staff of Polytechnics.

67

THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

Zimbabwe's Mugabe marks 91st birthday as country struggles

P

RESIDENT Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe turned 91 yesterday , with his supporters vowing to back him to run his full term until 2018 and beyond despite nagging questions about his health and an economy that is crumbling under his watch.

Mugabe's recent fall at Harare Airport fuelled renewed speculation that old age is catching up with the man who has led Zimbabwe since independence in 1980. The spry Mugabe, however, succeeded in breaking his fall and apparently was not injured.

His officials said he is in good health.

In addition to being in power in Zimbabwe, this year Mugabe is also chairman of the 54-nation African Union and the 15-nation Southern African Development Community.

Low key events marked yesterday's birthday but lavish celebrations are planned next Saturday in the resort town of Victoria Falls. Those celebrations will be held by the 21st February Movement, the group that has planned Mugabe's birthday celebrations since 1986. Members of Mugabe's ruling paty, ZANUPF, say they are raising more than $1 million for the festivities.

The celebrations are leaving a sour taste in the mouth for some Zimbabweans battling to survive under economic deterioration that has led to company closures, massive unemployment and successive food shortages.

Zimbabwe's once prosperous economy took a severe knock in 2000 when Mugabe began seizing white-owned farms. Allegations of vote-rigging and violence in elections that year brought the United States and the European Union to impose travel and financial sanctions on Mugabe, his inner circle and some state institutions and firms.

An empowerment law forcing foreigners to sell at least 51 percent of their shareholding to governmentapproved black Zimbabweans has scared investors, said economist John Robertson.

Mugabe's "Look East" policy encouraging Chinese investment has failed to stabilize the economy, he said.

"The celebrations show what has gone wrong in this country. Only those close to Mugabe feast while the rest of us starve. Look around, everyone is now a vendor," said John Ratambwa, an unemployed 23-year old Harare resident. "At 91 one has to rest.

Ninety-one years is too old an age to lead a vast country like Zimbabwe," he said in downtown Harare, whose sidewalks now teem with people selling wares.

Former Yemen president flees capital Y EMEN'S former president left the capital after Shiite rebels who surrounded his house let him go under international and local pressure, aides close to him said yesterday.

The aides said former President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi left Sanaa and later arrived in Aden. They say Hadi later plans to leave the country to receive medical treatment.

Hadi has been under house arrest for several weeks following a coup by Shiite Houthi rebels. The rebels earlier captured the capital, Sanaa, in September. The aides say the rebels let Hadi go after pressure from the United Nations, the U.S., Russia and local political parties.

The aides spoke on condition of anonymity as they weren't authorized to speak to journalists.Witnesses said Houthis and others in the area later ransacked Hadi's house and at least three people were seen each taking out a Kalashnikov assault rifle from the house.

Jamal Benomar, the U.N. envoy to Yemen, said that rival factions, including the Houthis, have agreed on a new legislative body consisting of former and new lawmakers to serve during the country's upcoming transition period.

O

NE of the world's tallest residential towers caught fire early Saturday in Dubai's Marina district, sending hundreds of residents pouring into the streets as bright yellow flames raged several stories high. No one was reported killed.

The fire broke out at about 2 a.m. in the 86-story Torch tower on the northeast end of the densely populated waterfront district, which is packed with multi-story skyscrapers.

High winds whipped through the area, fanning the flames, and debris from the fire cluttered nearby streets.Dubai's police chief, Maj. Gen. Khamis Mattar alMuzeina, said in a statement that firefighters put out the blaze before it caused serious damage.

Several balconies were

•Mansour Hadi But a coalition of Yemeni parties voiced objections to the plan, describing it as an insufficient half-solution.

Ahmed Lakaz, spokesman of the Unionist Gathering

Party, which is taking part in the dialogue, said the parties told the Houthis that they would be out of the process if Hadi was not freed.

Yemen has been locked in

Fire guts Dubai skyscrapers damaged, and a number of people who sustained minor injuries were treated by ambulance crews at the scene, he said.The cause of the fire was not immediately clear. Investigators were examining the scene, but there are no indications of foul play, alMuzeina said.

The Dubai blaze happened a day after a fire gutted a building on the outskirts of the Emirati capital of Abu Dhabi, killing 10 laborers who had been illegally living in a storage area inside. Another eight people were wounded in that fire.

The Torch is managed by Kingfield Owner Association Management Services, which is arranging temporary shelter and supplies for affected residents. It said in a state-

ment that everyone inside the tower was successfully evacuated.

"All fire safety systems functioned effectively during the incident thereby restricting fire damage to the exterior of the building," it said.The Marina area is home to dozens of towering apartment blocks and hotels, many of them built over the past decade. They are popular with Dubai's many expatriate professionals.

Police blocked off areas around the Torch. Residents of at least one neighboring tower were told to evacuate as a precaution because of strong winds, but they were later allowed back inside.

Two residents of the Torch said they were told the fire started around the 52nd

Ukraine 'attacks' despite ceasefire

U

KRAINE'S military and Russia-backed separatist rebels have accused each other of continuing to mount attacks a week after a ceasefire was called.

Ukrainian security spokesman Colonel Andriy Lysenko said that one serviceman was killed and 40 wounded in attacks over the past day.

He did not state a total number of attacks, but said there were 10 mortar attacks on Ukrainian forces in the village of Shyrokyne on the fringes of the strategic port city of Mariupol. Col Lysenko said rebels continued to move equipment toward Mariupol.

a political crisis since the Houthi rebels took over the capital and eventually forced the resignation of the elected Western-backed president and dissolved the parliament while keeping Hadi under house arrest.

The political crisis cast also doubts on the United States' ability to continue its counterterrorism operations, especially with loss of Hadi, a strong U.S. ally.

However, the U.S. has continued to target al-Qaida's branch in Yemen, known as alQaida in the Arabian Peninsula, with drone strikes. Tribal sources said Friday that two suspected al-Qaida members were killed in a drone strike in the southern province of Shabwa.

Meanwhile , Houthis tried to storm a special forces base outside the capital, exchanging fire with troops there, most of whom are loyal to Hadi's predecessor, Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The fighting killed three people, security officials said.

Saleh's aides say he considers the base key to his survival and would never allow it to fall under Houthi control, unlike most of Sanaa's other military installations, which are already in the rebels' hands. Those aides spoke on condition of anonymity as Saleh had not authorized them to speak to reporters.

Concerns persist that rebels aim to seize the city which would aid establishing a land corridor between mainland Russia and the Russia-annexed Crimea peninsula.

The rebels claimed Ukrainian forces launched 15 shelling attacks overnight, including on parts of Donetsk, the largest rebel-controlled city.

An agreement reached by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France called for the guns to go quiet on Sunday.

The warring sides were supposed to begin drawing back heavy weapons from the front lines on Tuesday, but

international monitors say they have seen no sign of that yet. Russian and Ukrainian military officials overseeing the hoped-for peace process announced yesterday that the Ukrainian government and the rebels had worked out a plan to begin the weapons pull-out.

Heidi Tagliavini, an envoy for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) who led the talks with Russia and Ukraine that also included rebel figures, remained cautiously hopeful."There is not a single day in the Ukrainian conflict when we can feel sure what the next day will bring," she said.

floor. Flaming material falling from the initial fire then set a lower part of the building ablaze, they said. One of the residents, Steve Short, 53, of Liverpool, England, praised the work of firefighters who arrived quickly. He said fire alarms alerted residents to the blaze and building management sent workers knocking on doors to ensure residents got out.

Resident R.J. Morlock, 33, of Houston, Texas, shot video on his phone that showed bright yellow flames reaching what appeared to be several stories on two separate parts of the building. He said residents were nervous coming out but fire crews were able to bring the situation under control.

Egypt court acquits ex-oil minister of corruption charges N Egyptian court acquitted former oil minister Sameh Fahmy of charges of selling cheap gas to Israel and squandering public funds and threw out his 15-year jail sentence, a judicial source said on yesterday.

Fahmy was first arrested and held in custody in April 2011. Prosecutors said former president Hosni Mubarak's government sold gas at preferential rates to Israel and other countries, costing Egypt billions of dollars in lost revenue.

The ruling is likely to raise fears among human rights activists that the old guard was making a comeback, especially as it came after a court in November dropped charges against Mubarak of conspiring to kill protesters in the 2011 uprising as well as graft charges related to gas exports to Israel.

Fahmy was sentenced in June 2012 and had successfully appealed his sentence in 2013.

The Court of Cassation ordered a retrial and Fahmy was released shortly after.The judicial source said the Cairo Criminal Court found Fahmy and five others innocent of the charges.

"The verdict is the headline of the truth. The court heard the witnesses' statements and had faith that the defendants did not commit any violations and therefore the court issued the innocence verdict," Fahmy's lawyer, Gameel Saeed, told Reuters.

A security source said Fahmy did not appear at yeterday's court session.The ruling did not apply to Hussein Salem, a major shareholder in East Mediterranean Gas, which exported the gas to Israel. Salem was given a 15-year prison sentence in absentia by the court in June 2012. He had fled to Spain after the uprising.

Many Egyptians who lived through Mubarak's era view it as a period of autocracy and crony capitalism. His overthrow led to Egypt's first free election. But the winner, Islamist president Mohamed Mursi, was ousted last year by then army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi after mass protests against his rule.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015

WORLD NEWS

EFORE being granted mainstream entry, selected chapters of minority history are given a thorough wash. After being pasteurised, they are given broader exposure.

By then, they are no longer Black history. They have been transformed into White history in blackface. Every commercial retelling of Black history dons this mask of a mask. Subtle distortions in presentation produce grave distortions in the lessons derived there from much like an initial deviation in the course of a vessel will take the ship to a vastly different destination unless the course is swiftly corrected.

Those who control the medium do more than control the message and the messenger.

They pick them. As the years transpire, popularised Black history has been steadily turned into a false light. It no longer serves to enlighten; it now often obscures the deeper questions raised by the actual march of history.

Events are recast so that history becomes a stranger to itself. Black history has been bent and domesticated. It now indoctrinates both Blacks and Whites to believe the society we now have is the product of a great awakening that broke old chains by the force of new law.

The Civil Rights Movement (CRM) is portrayed as the second American Revolution, made this time without weapons and battle but with moral suasion and compassion. Although important, the CRM has been overstated. The fruits of the CRM are the fruits of political compromise; political compromise is always preceded by a moral one. The CRM changed America for the better but that change was more incomplete than comprehensive, more fragile than it was full.

Most Blacks remain estranged from what they seek. For everyone one part of this failure for which they bear responsibility, society bears two parts. Yet, they are being told, by the commercialised salesmen of Black history, that reform has run its course. Your condition is your fault. Go get some bootstraps then pull yourself up by the odd contraptions. Once a progressive, educative too, Black History is now an instrumentality of those who would rather maintain the extant power relationships underlying the political economy. That which was instituted to help us from the hole is now being used to deceive us that we have already escaped. All the while, the hole gets deeper and we sink deeper in it.

Despite being the work product of a brilliant, highly talented Black filmmake,r the movie Selma falls into this genre of misconception. It is the telling of Black history purposefully made palatable to Whites because its message is the needed reform has been had. This means that the story of the current Black condition is not that reform has been insufficient but that the people have been to insufficient to live up to the reforms. Most Whites now insist that this blanched interpretation is the only credible one.

If Black history is to retain any meaning except as an appendage of mainstream history we must not become gulled by seeing a finely crafted production featuring heroic black figures. While devoid of the flash and glitter of a Hollywood production, our analysis must strive to be more apt and enlightening that the people may better see the limited dimensions of what has been accomplished in their true behalf and the vast expanse yet to be travelled.

Selma is the latest attempt to homogenise Martin Luther King into an establishment icon.

King has been reduced to a slice of himself. He has become a civil rights amulet. In the popular image, King’s work is almost wholly defined by the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the March on Washington and the Selma demonstrations which helped galvanise political support for the 1965 Voting Rights Act, seen by many as the legal culmination of the CRM. Mainstream history treats the Selma episode as King’s best hour. This error tosses aside the last three years of King’s life as if they were lost years. Those years contain his most humane efforts. The works performed during this challenging period are more instructive to our present condition than are the civil rights achievements so publicly heralded. The Bus Boycott, the March, and Selma brought King fame. The hard work he did after 1965 confirmed his greatness.

This more progressive aspect of his contributions is willfully ignored by the mainstream. They do not want many people to know this part of his life, fearing the people too may walk this line. This could change the structure of America in ways the civil rights legal measures could never contemplate and in ways that would discomfit the establishment.

1965 was a watershed year, but the water did not all shed into the same channel. The CRM had joined different streams of Black political thought in an often tendentious coalition.

Traditional Black elites and radical activists agreed to work toward the agreed goal: the end of legal racial discrimination. (The only recorded meeting between Martin Luther King and Malcolm X was at the Capitol when both attended congressional hearings on the Voting Rights Act.)

Black history month: Why Selma” and not Memphis Measure with care whose history you accept for neither the past nor the dead can loudly contend how they are dressed.

•In a scene from 'Selma,' David Oyelowo plays Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with Tessa Thompson, Corey Reynolds and Colman Domingo

The decision to focus on civil and political rights was apt as it represented the largest yet most attainable goal to which all Blacks could agree. It was the common denominator to which all major strands of Black political thought could agree. With Voting Rights Act’s passage, the ad-hoc political coalition began to crumble.

Upon winning this battle, the conformist Black elite had its full. They attained their key objective.

Destruction of the most obvious racial barriers would allow them entry into the mainstream. The door of Integration well served them because they were positioned close to it. They just needed the legal key to open it. The majority of Blacks remained miles from the door without means to close the distance. Having a key would do them little good except to serve as a cruel joke of which they were the butt, a stinging keepsake of the oceanic expanse between the high promise of civil equality and the lowly reality of their economic weakness.

The elite would expand and grow in absolute numbers yet remain a small fraction of the overall Black community. Having achieved most of what they wanted, they would exit the politics of protest to enter mainstream electoral politics. They would no longer posture to change the system. Their modest aim was to gain greater security for their class not be fighting the establishment from within, but by becoming loyal to it, come what may.

With each year, the Black political class would become more glued to the power establishment.

Their role changed without outcry from or due notice to the people. They would no longer represent the Black community to the White establishment. They would serve as establishment envoy to the people, explaining to the broken and poor why more could not be done and to be patient and grateful because their decrepit condition was the best attainable at the given moment. The phrases, “We are doing all that we can” or “All that can be done is being done,” are almost always dismissive lies used on those whom the speaker does not feel are entitled to any intelligent explanation.

Today’s unimaginative Black political leaders are the direct heirs of the moderate, CRM elite.

They both enjoy the same easy conformity to Money Power and an establishment devoid of goodwill toward the majority of the people.

On the other side of the spectrum were the young activists. Many of them performed the heroic, dangerous grassroots civil rights work mobilising people to protest and vote. The foci of their grassroots activity moved from the rural communities of the south to major cities across the nation. These activists recognised civil rights

legislation by itself would not answer the question of the worsening ghettoes and super-ghettoes into which too many Black communities had turned.

Many young activists openly shunned CRM nonviolent tactics. This was not as radical a departure as portrayed. The CRM always contained re was always an important armed element in the CRM. During a meeting at the height of the movement, a senior national leader wanted to poll how many of the grassroots organisers attending the meeting carried weapons while doing their work. They all raised their hands; they all were armed.

The Black Panthers symbolised this aspect of Black political thought. They saw the Civil Rights Movement as a first step toward radical revolution that would likely prove violent. More because of their revolutionary message than because of their access to weapons, the Panthers were hunted down like dogs. Reactionary groups like the Black Muslims carried weapons. Since they did not challenge the status quo, they were not targeted as severely as the Panthers.

Between the moderate establishment and the radicals, stood Dr. King. By appearance and vocation, he seemed to belong with the elite. To his eternal credit, he did not limit himself to their cause.

His vision was much broader. The Voting Act did not end the campaign. It signaled the beginning of the more fundamental battle.

King charted unexplored territory for someone considered a member of the Black elite. He remained loyal to nonviolence but would pursue goals that beckoned a drastic, near violent restructuring of the American political economy. In his ways and means, he remained true to the established norm.

Yet, his ends borne more affinity to the radicals than to the Black establishment.

Thus the Black establishment put him at arm’s length. When he publicly denigrated the Vietnam War and when he espoused the rights of the poor by supporting workers and their unions, moderate Blacks joined the White chorus, labeling him a “troublemaker.”

Meanwhile, radical blacks said he was too much an establishment figure due to his reliance on dialogue and nonviolence.

King saw himself not solely as civil rights leader. The CRM was part of a larger struggle, the fight for depressed minorities and the poor in the land of plenty. That fight was itself part of a greater struggle: that of human dignity in all lands for all people.

King was not killed for his CRM role. The Voting Act was penned three years before his death.

America had already absorbed the initial shock of the legislation and had co-opted much of the CRM

by then. Rarely is a man assassinated for events several years removed. Famous men are more often assassinated in fear of what they may yet do. He was brought down in Memphis because the work he was doing there was consonant with a larger vision to radically reform America’s political economy. Thus, the mainstream will forever downplay King’s journey to Memphis.

Instead, it will act as if his march ended with Selma.

The Voting Act did not challenge the power structure; it confirmed. For Black people, the Act is rightfully viewed as a major achievement. On another level, the legislation was merely a tool in a fight about which Blacks were dimly aware.

The measure was a bit of leverage in the tussle between the moderate and conservative wings of the White establishment. In a way, this echoed the end of slavery a century before. When North and South fought over slavery, the quality of life of the bondsmen was not the main consideration.

The true issue was which segment of the national elite would stamp its name on the shape of the nation for the remainder of the 19th century. The status of the Negro was essentially a device by which the two sides kept score in this intramural power scrum.

In a subtle way, Selma exposes the limited nature of the Voting Act. The film inaccurately portrays President Johnson as opposing the Act. While Johnson had no personal love for blacks and amply directed expletives at us in his private discourse, his record of supporting Black voting rights is incontrovertible. As Senate majority leader, he shepherded the first voting rights legislation outmaneuvering vehement filibuster by fellow Southerners in 1957. As president, he signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Johnson supposed the 1965 Voting Act as a logical progression of the 1957 measure.

However, the film portrays him as a negative force. Portraying him as a hero would lessen the dramatic impact. By sending the message that the Act had to overcome presidential opposition, the film depicts it as more radical a reform than it really was. If the film showed Johnson as a cooperative agent, discerning people would begin to notice the skunk among the minks, the maggot in the honey jar.

The aims of the CRM and the Voting Act, in particular, were modest ones more favorable to the elite than the Black majority. Most of White establishment was assuaged that the Act would not damage their position. Some knew they would benefit by gaining the elite as pliant junior partners in a national political coalition.

Black people gain the right to vote without molestation. Due to their lack of economic muscle, they remain restricted to choosing between the two parties created by the establishment. Thus, they remained on the leash owned by Money Power. Occasionally, an individual race may present a progressive alternative. In the main, the parties and their candidates guard the status quo. The differences between the parties are those of nuance and style, rarely of substance. They offer no workable solutions to the conditions of those living in maw of poverty.

Yes, if you ask a slave, he would select the less serfdom over pure servitude if his choices were thusly limited. My wager is that he would rather a third option: actual freedom. Yet, that option was not on the menu then and is not on the table. Neither major party offers an economic agenda to relieve the American working class from three decades of stagnant wages, increasing household debt and growing poverty.

Well-acted and crafted, Selma seems to be an attractive bundle of political sophistry. A joint venture between members the White and Black establishment, it leads you close yet astray. Its implicit message is that the CRM is the zenith of the struggle for racial equality and dignity.

Everything that follows is epilogue. King realised the CRM was but a chapter in a larger, more important book.

To proclaim victory at that point would have been like the America’s Founding Fathers celebrating victory because they signed the Declaration of Independence. The signing of that document did not end the Revolutionary War; it was the true beginning of it in all of its ramifications. Selma and other messages like it caricature King as his one-dimensional, civil rights miniature. They tame him, turning this ever-evolving progressive and humane figure into a symbol of a status quo that would make him bristle. The things he abhorred 50 years ago still hold sway.

King has become an object of political taxidermy. They have brought him inside the hall of political legitimacy only after having killed him and stuffed his political legacy with their own notions. They mount him on their walls and tell us to be glad because King has won. They have made him a hero, they say. In reality, they have turned him into their trophy and have tried to obscure his true legacy in the process. This expropriation will not stand forever. Truth comes if slowly. One day, we shall take him back and display his fuller legacy because that is where the greater good and justice lie.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2015

NEWS

'Jang never imposed anyone on us'

Polls: Another shift would be too costly, says APC

By Musa Odoshimokhe HE Lagos Sate Coordinator of the Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Organisation, Hon. James Faleke, has said the country cannot afford any further postponement of the rescheduled elections.

He alleged the postponement was a manipulation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to undermine the democratic process.

Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives, told reporters: "We say no to further shifts of the goal post in the middle of the game.

"Beyond the security challenges, Nigerians know the reason the date were postponed.

"It was to allow the ruling PDP re-strategise and burn out the opposition financially since they have the war chest.

"We know that the bazaar has been on. But one thing is sure, the PDP cannot continue to fool Nigerians all the time."

Faleke added that those rooting for the military involvement in the electoral are enemies of the country.

He explained that there were underground moves by the PDP to undermine the rulings of High Court and Appeal Court in Abuja and Sokoto that soldiers should not be drafted to monitor elections.

"If the ruling party goes ahead to do this, the President would have presided over a lawless party and we put them before the people's court."

Faleke stressed that the call for the use of Temporary Voters Cards (TVC) was not in the interest of democracy, noting that the protagonists of such idea have something up their sleeves.

"TVC will jeopardise the whole process. When we had the opportunity to use it during the Osun and Ekiti states election it was not used and in this case it cannot work.

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Obi canvasses support for Jonathan

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ORMER Governor of Anambra State and the Deputy Director General, South of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Campaign Council, Peter Obi, has called on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan in his unrelenting efforts towards the development of the nation.

He spoke yesterday during the inaguaration of the rehabilitated Egbim Power plant in Lagos.

Speaking to the reporters after the event, Obi said that under Jonathan Nigeria has continued to witness salient revolution in all sectors.

Obi, who insisted four years was nothing in the life of a country, appealed to Nigerians to vote Jonathan for continuation of his transformation agenda.

He said: "If we vote him, it is not just about him as a person, but about equity and justice.

"The Niger Delta produces the wealth of the nation and besides the fact that Jonathan is doing very well, allowing him four more years is a way of expressing appreciation to the Niger Delta Zone for producing the wealth of the nation, just as denying them that will foist a sense of alienation on them."

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From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

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•Activists from Russia's anti-Maidan movement waving various patriotic flags in central Moscow, Russia yesterday to to mark an anniversary of Ukraine's pro-EU protests that started on Kiev's central Independence Square, widely known as the Maidan PHOTO: AP

NHIS to expand coverage to primary schools P

UBLIC primary pupils across the country are to be covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) before the end of the year.

Dr. Femi Thomas, the Executive Secretary of the scheme, disclosed this yesterday.

He spoke at the inaguration of the newly constructed Emergency and Trauma Unit Complex of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Medical Centre in Bida, Niger State.

Represented by Dr. Eke Jonathan, Head of Programmes, NHIS, Thomas said new programme to drive

From: Jide Orintunsin, Minna

coverage of pupils in public schools will be introduced under "Public Primary Pupils Social Health Insurance Programme".

According to Thomas: "NHIS is totally committed to ensuring that every Nigerian is guaranteed access to quality and affordable health care, irrespective of socio economic status.

"That is why we want to cover all primary school pupils before the end of 2015."

He further said that Mobile Health Insurance Programmes and

Community Based Social Health Insurance Programme (CBSHIP) would be intensified in the year.

He added that with a renewed mandate of 30 percent population coverage by 2015, the NHIS has since realised the need to adjust its processes.

He hinted the scheme has begun implementation of reforms towards expanding coverage.

The Executive Secretary commended the management of the polytechnic for efficient management of NHIS funds which accounted for 90 percent of the resources used

in the construction of the Trauma Unit.

The Rector of the institution, Engr.

Abdullahi Sule, said the completion of the project was a realisation of his administration's vision of transforming the Polytechnic Medical Centre from a consulting clinic of a four- room dispensing and treatment unit in 2006 to a 21 - bed centre in 2014.

He commended the federal government for establishment of NHIS, which he said has become a blessing to Nigerians in terms of accessibility and affordability.

ASUP threatens to shut polytechnics again

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IGHT months after suspending its industrial action at the instance of the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has issued a twoweek ultimatum to the federal government.

ASUP warned the government to implement the tents of the agreement or face yet another protracted strike in the nation's polytechnics.

The union said that the decision of the government to suspend the implementation of CONTISS 15 salary structure was provocative, ill timed and retrogressive.

The decision, it added, was a flagrant breach of the trust and character of the agreement that led to the suspension of the strike in July, 2014.

National President of the union, Comrade Chibuzor Asomuga, stated these at a news conference in Abuja.

•Accuses govt of provocation From Tony Akowe, Abuja

He said the strike, expected to resume on Wednesday, was occasioned by failure of government to honour agreements with the union.

Asomuga lamented the failure of government to attend to demands by the union, which led to prolonged strike between 2013 and 2014.

He pointed out that the polytechnic sector is still undergoing a frenzied recovery from the scars of the last strike.

He also condemned what he called cases of maladministration, wanton abuse of executive privileges, breach for law and intimidation of the union and its members in some polytechnics across the country.

The ASUP's helmsman stressed that the union will

not condone such excesses any longer.

On demands of the union, he said:"The federal government should, without further delay, dissolve the governing councils of the federal polytechnics Oko and Ado Ekiti as they have become burdens rather than solutions to the myriad of problems bedevilling the sector.

"That the circular issued by the Ministry of Education suspending the implementation CONTISS 15 migration be withdrawn with immediate effect as the suspension is ill-timed and counterproductive and will create further tension in the sector."

He further explained: "In July 2014, our union suspended the strike on the plea of the then new Hon Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau, who had requested for a three- month

moratorium to enable him tackle the lingering problems.

"Unfortunately and sadly too, since the suspension of that strike and despite our strong reminders to government on the pending issues and repeated assurances from Honourable Minister of Education, none of the issues has been addressed to a logical conclusion.

"In a strange twist, rather, and without recourse to the content and spirit of the understanding on which the union suspended the strike, the Federal Ministry of Education on the 26th of January 2015, under the guise of a proposed verification exercise, issued a circular directing the suspension of the CONTISS 15 Salary Structure which implementation dates back to 2009, thereby, creating further confusion in the sector."

HE Acting National President of the Berom Youth Movement (BYM), Rwang Dantong, has risen to the defence of Governor Jonah Jang.

He debunked allegations that the governor imposed anyone on the party in Plateau State.

Jang, according to Dantong, did not impose the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Senator Gyang Pwajok, on the party as widely speculated.

He said: "We from Plateau North sat in our meeting and took note of the massive dividends of democracy provided by Governor Jang, who is a candidate of the zone.

"And we reasoned that since candidate from the zone who never had the opportunity to produce government for the state for over 30 years could perform better than all governors who came from other zones, it will be in the interest of the entire state to have another governor from the zone for the sake of continuity.

"We also consider the fact that, even if there is any zoning arrangement in the past, all the three zones have taken their turn and the zoning arrangement had gone round.

"Let the zoning start all over again from Plateau North to enable the state to consolidate the achievements recorded by Gov. Jang."

He went on: "With this thinking, we from the Northern zone decided to approach Gov Jang and made our observation known to him.

"We told him why we wanted another governor from Plateau north. But Gov Jang asked us to go and present a name of a qualified candidate from the zone.

"But as a mark of respect for the governor, we returned to him and asked him to name someone he trusts and someone who can sustain his infrastructural development efforts.

"That was how Gov Jang suggested the name of Senator Gyang Pwajok, who the governor said, has been part of his administration.

"Apart from that we agreed with him that Senator Pwajok is an intelligent man who can deliver on the yearning and aspirations of Plateau people.

"So, we say without mincing words that Governor did not impose the man, it was based on our wish as a zone, we know we were going to contest with candidates of other zones, so we simply came out with our own best."

"In the primaries of the party, candidates from all the zones contested the primaries and delegates of other zones decided to vote for candidate of Plateau North, Senator Pwajok.

QUOTABLE “The stability of this country is critical in terms of the economy of this country. Rating agencies downgrade countries that are going into elections because the feeling is that there would be crisis.”

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 3134

—Presidnet Goodluck Jonathan during a recent press interview.

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan was in Lagos last week to commission four warships as well as meet various Southwest leaders over next month’s polls. To win the election, he will need a sizable support from the Yoruba states, after it emerged his support base in the North could no longer be guaranteed. To help the president, Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State is pressing hard on Yoruba leaders, especially the Yoruba political organisation, Afenifere, to endorse the president. Some two weeks ago or so, Afenifere, tired of just being Dr Jonathan’s fanatical apologist, gave that endorsement lavishly and remorselessly as his leading southern eulogist. But since then a few things have happened, chief among which was the worldwide negative reaction to the postponement of the general elections, that shook Dr Jonathan’s confidence in his reelection chances. He thus apparently needed reassurance. That extra assurance was given him by the meeting convened by Dr Mimiko in Akure last week, a meeting presumably called to enable the Yoruba review the outcome of last year’s national conference.

Presided over by Ayo Adebanjo, and attended by, among others, Frederick Fasehun and Gani Adams, the meeting once again enthusiastically endorsed Dr Jonathan in crassly political, divisive and bigoted terms that made many wince.

They were obviously more preoccupied with the politics of Jonathan’s reelection than having a dispassionate review of the confab report. For instance, reacting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket, which has their son Yemi Osinbajo as running mate, the Afenifere leaders said a vote for the APC was a vote for disaster. “...We have openly identified with Jonathan in this presidential election because we do not want the Buhari experience again,” began Dr Fesehun incredulously with the ethnic triumphalism and vulgar logic most of us have sensibly outgrown. ‘‘Some people said they were born to rule but we want to let them understand that Yoruba people are born to lead and guide to the right path. Some people are showing Buhari as the guiding light but they don’t know what Buhari is. Four more years of Jonathan is acceptable than eight years of nightmare under Buhari...Jonathan is the only good thing available to Nigeria and I come out to say boldly that it is either Jonathan or nothing.” Boastful, sickening.

Convinced in the words of Chief Adebanjo that voting APC presidential ticket would be a “mistake Nigeria cannot afford,” the Mimiko/PDP meeting reiterated its endorsement of Dr Jonathan and asked the Yoruba people to follow suit. Though Chief Adebanjo complained that the meeting was dominated by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful, he was not dissuaded by its partisan connotation to sign the communiqué of the meeting purporting to represent the feelings and aspirations of the Yoruba race. It is clear the Yoruba are divided, as they have been from time immemorial, and Afenifere is an unscrupulous faction in that division.

The Afenifere endorsement is unlikely to amount to much, for most voters have already made up their minds whom to vote for: whether for Dr Jonathan in the case of those who stress his Christianity but discount the president’s appalling failings, lack of vision and irritating dubieties, or for Gen Buhari in the case of those who are sick and tired of the domestic and international ridicule the president has subjected Nigeria to, and of the general indiscipline, economic decline and constitutional infractions that hallmark his presidency. For an organisation that immodestly tried to prop up Dr Mimiko as the new Yoruba leader simply on account of his October 2012 electoral victory, it is not entirely implausible that its leaders,

Jonathan’s Southwest endorsements miscomprehending the fundamentals of leadership, are driven by private and base sentiments.

Paradigms shifted when M.K.O. Abiola vied for the presidency in 1993.

It became clear that anyone who hoped to win presidential election must appeal to both the North and South in sufficient percentages, must not be seen as an ethnic champion, and must be judged to be honest, fair-minded and ready to work for all.

Former president Olusegun Obasanjo did not win in 1999 because he was a better thinker and politician than Olu Falae, but because he was seen as the politician with the broader appeal.

Former president Umaru Yar’Adua was foisted on the country. On his own, let alone in combination with the previously unknown and undistinguished Dr Jonathan, there was no way he could have won. The question then is, does Dr Jonathan have the broad appeal, the discipline and the know-how to win in March, for which Afenifere has staked its future and whatever is left of its reputation?

The Afenifere endorsement is unlikely to have been prompted by the national conference report, as they disingenuously said, for they are not so stupid to imagine that a superficial and disinterested Dr Jonathan could unilaterally push through the restructuring they imagine. Explanations must be sought elsewhere. Perhaps the place to begin is the division among the Yoruba, which has sadly appeared to ossify broadly along two main lines: for or against APC leaders. There is no chance of conciliation in the near future, for the factors that divide the Yoruba seem cast in granite and have very little to do with Dr Jonathan’s competence or otherwise, his promises which he breaks with disarming ease,

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his honesty or lack of it, national conference or no conference, or even his belated federal appointment palliatives to the Yoruba which were activated by reelection politics. Afenifere leaders actually see APC leaders as intransigent, grasping and illiberal; and APC leaders see Afenifere as anachronistic, ideologically vacuous and selfish.

But at bottom, the competition is really about economic/financial power and political influence.

Barely a few years after the inauguration of the Fourth Republic, APC leaders unceremoniously overthrew Afenifere hierarchs in a bloodless political coup d’etat that is still resented by the latter till today. That coup consigned Afenifere to the backbench of Yoruba politics from where they have growled and struggled to make their voices heard. The resentment will grow, and Afenifere leaders will continue to fight back, for they sense that the APC does not always have the best generals in the states they govern, or deploy the best tactics to win either elections or the hearts of the Yoruba. Poor strategies rather than poor ideas made APC to lose Ondo and Ekiti, and even the states currently under their control are only holding on by the skin of their teeth. To stand a chance at all, and under the circumstances enumerated, Afenifere has little choice but to throw in its lot with the PDP. But therein is the fatal paradox they must contend with: should the Afenifere/PDP combination overcome the APC, Afenifere would ineluctably disappear, for the logic of its existence within the PDP world would no longer be tenable.

The economic/financial factor is a major issue among the Yoruba, and has always been.

If they are to survive as a group, Afenifere leaders must seek alternative sources of empowerment. The only alternative available today is the Jonathan government, from which both Dr Fasehun and Otunba Adams, envying the likes of Niger Delta militants, are fighting tooth and nail to get pipeline protection contracts. Should Dr Jonathan win, both gentlemen, who have spoken vulgarly of a sense of entitlement, would be accommodated in Nigeria’s rent economy. Like Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti and Dr Mimiko, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) leaders have a foreboding of the cruel fate that awaits them should APC win the presidency.

The division in the Southwest is only painted in grand and altruistic colours. In reality, however, it is a bitter and acrimonious struggle for life and sustenance.

Afenifere and Dr Mimiko’s PDP group gave their endorsement not because they cared whether Dr Jonathan perished or Nigeria was restructured, but that APC should flounder and drown, by whatever agency that end could be procured. The endorsers do not mind being encumbered with the loathsome prejudices of the past, or that their enunciation of hatred for a section of the country could easily inspire crimes against humanity. Nor have they intelligently deconstructed the problems of Nigeria and examined the paradigms necessary for rebuilding and renewing the country. Nor do they bother, even if they appreciate the consequences, about the danger of the entire Yoruba endorsing one party, a pitfall the Ohaneze Ndigbo and the Muslim community have carefully tried to avoid.

Centuries after the Yoruba generalissimo, Afonja, famously endorsed a rebellion against the larger and deeper interest of the empire he was assigned to protect, historians have continued to assess the consequences of his fateful action. There is nothing in their past and present to show that the Yoruba have learnt any lessons, or that in the continuing dynamics of nationbuilding they have the cultural fluidity and intellectual depth and elasticity to make adjustments for the future. Worse, as Afenifere’s disgruntlement and ethnic and religious hatred against the North have shown, and as the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) also displayed last week in their meeting in Lagos with Dr Jonathan, the Southwest has not wholeheartedly embraced the lofty principles and values upon which their progenitors founded and nurtured their great race, principles and values that are, alas, periodically betrayed sometimes by a whole generation.

The six-week Boko Haram war

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan promised a six-week war against the Boko Haram sect to finish them off.

Notwithstanding widespread doubts about the feasibility of ending the war at such a short duration, when it had lasted for all of five years and more, he seems set to accomplish his goal. He based the short duration of the final battles on the multinational force of about 8,000 troops from Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Nigeria, and the delivery of the war equipment he had been expecting. This expected final push made him support INEC’s postponement of the February 14 elections, he said. Going by his now famous reputation for dissembling and stretching his own side of the story, few believed him. But if Boko Haram is neutralised within the space of time he asked for, he will come across as altruistic in his request for election postponement, no matter what the truth is and whatever anyone might think.

There is, however, no question that had the momentum of the campaigns favoured Dr Jonathan, the elections would have held in February, and he would have swept to victory. In all likelihood, Dr Jonathan secured the postponement in order to catch his breath and to restrategise to enable him win reelection. But as this column pointed out last

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week, and as a few international newspapers also suggested, whether he wins the war in the Northeast or not, the minds of northeasterners are pretty much made up whom to vote for. They showed it during the campaigns of Dr Jonathan and Gen Buhari. It is unlikely that anything, including the drastic restoration of peace in the region, will swing votes for the president. Too many things had gone wrong in the region for which they hold him largely responsible.

They do not hold him responsible for the outbreak of the insurgency, but they are appalled by his handling of the revolt, which festered until it sucked in Nigeria’s lowly neighbours to the point where Cameroonian

and Chadian armies were either succouring our troops and refugees or even liberating many of our towns, or as in the case of Niger Republic, even insulting our troops for cowardice. In addition, northeasterners have remained unimpressed by his lack of empathy, his contempt for the region’s elite, his wild accusations against the people of the region for conniving at the insurgency, and the scandal of mishandling the Chibok abductions, which is unlikely to be mitigated by the return of the kidnapped girls.

Dr Jonathan has been in office for nearly six years, and Nigeria has rearmed and fought major ECOMOG wars since 1990, but he has consistently blamed the poor equipment of Nigerian troops on his predecessors, particularly Gen Buhari. The fact is that he misread the revolt, misjudged his capacity, and misdirected the war efforts until too much damage was done, and even now has not proved that he understands the political, cultural and economic dynamics of the revolt. It is for these that he will be held responsible, and for which there will be no electoral rewards for him, in this election or in a future account of the history of this unfortunately sanguinary period.

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Website: www.thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 E-mail: sunday@thenationonlineng.net Editor: FESTUS ERIYE