Febuary 7th, 2015 by The Nation

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

PAGE Punches from the economist

HE last time Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made news headlines was in August 2013. That was when he, alongside five others, was disqualified by the screening committee of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) from the governorship primaries of the party for the election in Anambra State. Since that episode ended, the banker extraordinaire has maintained a dignified silence. He admitted taking a long sabbatical leave from partisan politics, watching the drama from the ‘balcony’. That lasted till January 25, when he wrote a piece titled: ‘Buhari vs Jonathan: Beyond the Election’, where he picked holes on the electioneering campaigns by political parties ahead of this month’s elections. He berated the political parties for missing the golden opportunity to sensitise the citizenry about the enormous challenges ahead. Soludo insisted that none of the parties has any credible agenda to deal with major development challenges—corruption, insecurity, economy (unemployment/poverty, power, infrastructure,) health, education issues, especially within the context of the evolving global economy and Nigeria’s broken public finance. Just when the dust generated by the article was about to settle, he opened another Pandora Box titled: “Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Missing Trillions (1)”, alleging that N30 trillion was stolen under the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance ’s watch. However, the articles, although rejected by President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team, got handful of responses both from government, and the private sector operators. The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation described Soludo as being confused and conflicted. It also said Soludo had lost touch with reality. The Director of Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, disagreed with Soludo, saying he read his criticism of the economy under President Jonathan’s administration with amusement. The former bank chief had also noted that the APC had only been making great promises but had failed to explain to Nigerians how it planned to implement its promises in the face of dwindling resources. The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, however, defended the All Progressives Congress (APC). For Fayemi, Soludo deserves commendation for his insightful article, which berated the Jonathan administration for alleged gross mismanagement of the economy and depleting the nation’s resources. Fayemi, who heads the Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign, said the APC would provide jobs through the creation of public infrastructure. Fayemi said the APC had already started addressing the problem of unemployment, pointing out that the states with the lowest rate of unemployment – Lagos, Osun and Kwara – are all APC states. The party, he added, would immediately begin to build refineries, hence, ending the importation of refined petroleum products. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, Prof. Pat Utomi, Oby Ezekwesili, Iyabo Obasanjo, Femi Fani-Kayode and thousands of other

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patriotic Nigerians also raised the content of the debate. Okonjo-Iweala took Soludo to the cleaners, saying his comments amounted to committing “intellectual harakiri”. The Minister, who spoke through her Special Adviser on Media, Paul Nwabuikwu, accused Soludo of single-handedly mismanaging the country’s banking sector between May 2004 and May 2009 and plunging the country into “an incredible accumulation of liabilities that will cost tax payers about N5.67 trillion”. But Soludo said his the report is nothing personal . “I will not bother about the malicious attacks on my person. For me, it is nothing personal. In early 2011, I had a similar heated exchange with the then Finance Minister Segun Aganga. But when the Nigerian economy was at stake and he invited me to a stakeholders meeting in his office (as Minister of Trade and Investment) to discuss Nigeria’s response to the ruinous EUEconomic Partnership for Africa (EPA), I flew into Nigeria for that (at my expense)--- the first and only time I have been to any government office to discuss policy since I left office. It is about Nigeria,” he said. Continuing, he said: “I will show that while you are introducing austerity measures and soon to immiserate the citizens, our public finance is haemorrhaging to the point that estimated over N30 trillion is missing or stolen or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged-- under your watch! We can’t go on like this, and I am convinced that an alternative future is possible”. Soludo said there are three criteria for evaluating a public officer’s stewardship: the evaluation by his employer; the satisfaction of the public he served; and the hard facts of performance. “As I will show on these three counts, I am convinced that I left a world record of public service, and a thousand OkonjoIwealas cannot re-write that history. I served Nigeria under two presidents (Obasanjo and Yar’Adua) and as my immediate bosses, below are their written testimonials of my record,” he said. Like every mortal, Soludo attracts both criticism and praise. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo described Soludo as a true Nigerian. “He is the sort of Nigerian that we all know we can rely on. Among his numerous virtues is COURAGE. I have found in him a man who can take tough and realistic decisions, stand his ground, educate others on the salience of his decision, and work very hard to ensure that the decision is efficiently and effectively implemented. His dedication to duty is first rate. His leadership qualities are admirable and his willingness to listen and learn is simply infectious.

‘It’s no accident that presidential election falls on Lovers’ Day’ — Pages 38 & 39

“Professor Soludo has within a short time emerged as one of the leading lights of our nation. Not because he has a godfather but by sheer hard work, loyalty, dedication to duty, commitment to the nation, creativity, and undiluted association with the reform agenda….” The late President Umaru Yar’Adua had this to say about the CBN under Soludo’s leadership: “… the CBN has performed creditably well in delivering on its core mandates. This is especially even more so in the last five years. Most people would agree that without the successful banking consolidation and effective management of our foreign reserves, the current global crisis would have shaken the financial system and our national economy to their foundations with calamitous consequences”. Soludo said that if the public opinions of individuals and organised groups as expressed in thousands of newspaper/magazine clips during and after his tenure are anything to go by, then 82 per cent of the public largely agree with the sentiments expressed by my two bosses. Certainly, the international community (investors, bankers, scholars, donors, media, etc) took serious notice of the revolution in Nigeria’s monetary and financial system under his watch. The London Financial Times described him as “a great reformer”. Even as the global economic and financial crisis raged in 2008, the United Nations General Assembly appointed Soludo to serve on the Commission of Experts to reform the international monetary and financial system. “You don’t appoint someone who has ‘mismanaged’ his national financial system to reform the global system,” Soludo said. For eight years until 2012, Soludo served on the chief economist advisory council (CEAC) of the World Bank, and together with two Nobel Prize winners in economics and other experts he met periodically and advised two presidents and two chief economists of the World Bank. When he assumed office at CBN, he inherited 89 rickety, mostly family banks all of which put together were not up to the size of the number four bank in South Africa. Many were insolvent, with depositors’ money trapped, and 20 more about to collapse. To get a credit of $300 million probably required all the banks to syndicate it. The banker was courageous to revoke the licenses of 14 banks, including those of his friends, in one day. “The FTBanker concluded that the scale, precision, and cost of the transformation were unprecedented in the world. Before then, Malaysia had the least cost of banking consolidation at five per cent of Malaysian GDP. It did not cost Nigerian taxpayers one penny. Twenty-five new, stronger banks emerged but the powerful idea behind consolidation ignited something even more powerful---‘the race to the top’. Banks raised more capital, and even banks like First Bank, Zenith, GTB, among others, that did not merge with others went on capital raising several times. The consequence was higher levels of capitalisation and within two years, 14 Nigerian banks were in the top 1, 000 banks in the world and two in the top 300,” he said. Soludo said the quantum size of the new banks following consolidation presented challenges of risk management and supervision. “ We deployed all we had and overworked the CBN staff. The carry-over of bad loans from the consolidated banks was quickly cleaned up. To the best of my knowledge, we instituted stringent regulatory and supervisory regime (consistent with best practices at the time). We even had resident examiners in the banks and required bank Managing Directors to personally sign their reports to CBN,” he said. Still, many see Soludo as a reformer whose contributions to Nigeria’s financial sector stability cannot be overemphasized.

Dashed Hopes •Printers lament dull business in spite of avalanche of campaign posters — Pages 13, 14 & 15 — Pages 13, 14 & 15

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

EIGHT DAYS TO PRESIDENTIAL POLL

NEWS 3

EDITORIAL No to postponement

•Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and Presidential candidate of the APC, Gen. Muhmmadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha, during her visit to Imo State yesterday.

Polls: Jonathan demands six-week shift •Jega under intense pressure from President, PDP

•Continued on Page 1 There were strong indications last night that Jega and his team were under pressure to extend the poll willy-nilly. The commissioners were being threatened to either postpone the polls or be ready to quit at the expiration of their tenure in June this year. A dependable source said all but two commissioners are due for reappointment in June. But INEC was undecided on whether to stand its ground that the polls should hold as scheduled, yield to the sixweek extension or opt for a three/four-week postponement. It was evident last night that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government will not provide security for INEC and its field officers unless the poll is postponed. Findings showed that FG’s demand for a six-week exten-

sion was contained in the presentation made to the Council of State by Jega on Thursday at its session at the Presidential Villa. In the 12-page presentation, “Preparations for the 2015 General Elections Progress Report,” made available to our correspondent by a member of the Council, Jega confirmed the readiness of INEC for the poll, but said he could not ignore the alarm raised by security agencies. Jega said: “Yesterday (Wednesday), for example, we received a letter from the Office of the National Security Adviser(NSA), informing us of recent developments in four (4) of the North-East states, stating that safety and security cannot be guaranteed

during the proposed election period, adducing reasons why this is so, and strongly advising that INEC considers rescheduling the elections by at least six (6) weeks, within the provisions of the electoral legal framework, and within which time span it hoped to restore sufficient normalcy for elections to hold. “This is a new development that INEC cannot certainly ignore or take lightly.” Notwithstanding, Jega (as exclusively reported by The Nation on Friday, insisted that INEC was prepared for the 2015 general election more than it did in 2011. “He added: “From the preceding review of the state of preparedness of INEC, in respect of matters under its con-

trol, it is clear that in spite of the discernible challenges, things are not as bad as they have been made to appear in recent media coverage and public discourses. We are doing our best under very difficult circumstances. “In determining whether or not INEC is adequately prepared to conduct the February 2015 elections as scheduled, we should separate what is under the control of the commission and what is outside its control. “For the things under the commission’s control, our accomplishments are to such a degree that we can conduct the election, in spite of identifiable challenges. •Continued on Page 61

Why Jonathan wants shift in poll dates, by Presidency

HE Presidency yesterday explained President Goodluck Jonathan’s disposition to a shift in the February poll dates, saying the President was concerned about the credibility of the outcome of the general election slated for February 14 and 28. According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, Dr. Jonathan’s concerns stemmed from the state of preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the polls. At a news conference in Abuja on Friday, the Presidency raised issues on some registered voters across the federation who have not been able to obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs).

Gbade OGUNWALE, Assistant Editor, Abuja The President also expressed apprehension about the security situation in four Northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Gombe. He is worried that the bloody attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents and the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign may pose danger to the conduct of elections in the four states. Giving a detailed accounts of Thursday’s Council of State meeting presided over by the President, Okupe said: “President Jonathan is not interested, neither is he engaged in any form of subterfuge to pressure INEC to change the dates of the 2015 elections. “Secondly, I wish to state

categorically here that at no time during the entire sevenhour meeting did the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, insist that the elections must hold on February 14th and 28th 2015 as published by some electronic/print media. “Rather, Prof. Jega gave the Council a report on the progress so far made by the INEC on its preparedness for the 2015 elections. “In all its submissions, the only process that was 100% concluded was the preparation and availability of the voters register. “All other processes including provision, distribution and collection of PVCs, printing of ballot papers, distribution of verification machines and other non– sensitive materials, recruit-

ment and training of ad hoc staff, were as at 5th Feb 2015, all works in progress; with some assurance that all will be ready on or before 14th of February 2015. "The Chairman also mentioned clearly that given a little more time, INEC would be in a better position to perfect these processes and its readiness for the 2015 elections." Okupe also quoted the INEC Chairman to have told the Council that for the electoral process to be free, fair and credible, there are other matters which were not under the control of the electoral body. "Principal among which is the issue of provision and guarantee of security of lives and property. •Continued on Page 60

Boko Haram: US offers more help if FG keeps to poll timetable

HE United States has offered more assistance to Nigeria in its fight against Boko Haram if the Federal Government keeps to February 14 and 28 poll timetable. The Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, Marie Harf, gave the condition at the department’s daily briefing on Thursday.

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation The transcript of the session was obtained on Friday by our correspondent. She said the US was committed to the building of capacity of Nigerian troops and other countries in the

region. She said: “We certainly provide a great amount of assistance to Nigeria when it comes to the fight against Boko Haram. “Well, we certainly have, as the United States, provided assistance to help in this fight, and you heard the

Secretary when he was in Nigeria say we want to do more to help the Nigerians. “Part of that depends upon them going forward with the elections as scheduled, holding them – limiting the violence, having credible and fair elections. “So we certainly believe this is a critical challenge. •Continued on Page 4

HE statement issued from the presidency without a sense of shame. President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesperson Doyin Okupe cast an insult on the decency and collective civic faith of our people when he said the country’s leader wants to postpone the elections slated for February 14 and 28 of this year. The expression of “concerns” is no more than a kite from the presidency to shift the election from the dates. We want to state categorically that the elections of February 14 and 28 are sacrosanct, and efforts by the presidency and his party, the People’s Democratic Party, to postpone them undermine the spirit and letter of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Okupe gave a number of reasons for a possible postponement. One, the permanent voter cards insufficiency. Two, insecurity in the northeast. Okupe also said the Independent National Electoral Commission was not ready. He also gave a version of INEC president’s presentation to the Council of State’s meeting on Thursday. The issue of insecurity did not begin today and it has been a persistent problem in the country. The citizens in the states of Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Gombe have not even shown that they are not interested in the polls. Only some designated local governments areas have been taken over by the Boko Haram sect. The INEC President, who meets with party leaders later today, had told the Council of States that he is ready for the elections. He has achieved a substantial compliance in the distribution of PVCs and has repeatedly shown that his commission is up to the task of the polls. He said that he has distributed up to 65 per cent of the PVCs, and was ready to go ahead with the polls. More PVCs will be distributed before February 14. But Okupe, who spoke for the president said there was an area that was outside the purview of the INEC: Security, that is. Is security not the first and primary responsibility of government? If the Jonathan administration that has bungled ignominiously the fight against the subversive sect cannot provide security for the elections, it is an admission of failure. If the president wants to postpone the elections, if even for a few weeks, does it mean that this government would wipe out Boko Haram in a few weeks? This same government that has not been able to roll the insurgents back after a state of emergency, the creation of a division and trillions of Naira on security budget? This is mischief from high places. If the government is concerned today about security, what does it have now that it did not have in the past? Apart from the advances of the Chad and Cameroun armies, ours has been a supine soldiery in that Area. Even those countries cannot give a timeline for the prosecution of the battle against the insurgents. What Okupe did is a roll-back to the years of the June 12 crisis under Ibrahim Babangida where the postponement of election was a fixture that eventually led to an election that was annulled. The president should be clear what he wants. If he wants a postponement, he should tell us he is afraid of an election. The people are poised to vote, and Jega has said he is ready for the vote. What is at stake is not just an election, but the integrity of the constitution of Nigeria. We hope this is not a quicksand from the PDP under Jonathan. The president had always had postponement in mind when he met with the visiting secretary of state of the United States, John Kerry. Kerry suggested that a postponement was not in order. Jonathan said he would hand over May 29, cleverly ignoring the issue of poll postponement. He also sent his National security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to London to fly the postponement kite. Under Ibrahim Babangida, the elections were put off repeatedly as ploys to shift handover dates. So, Nigerians cannot be fooled by any shenanigans from the Jonathan administration. The news report had it that the plot is to put off the elections date after date until it leads to the expiry of Jega’s tenure in June. In that event, two things would have happened. One, the overthrow of the constitution by shifting the handover date. This will mean the president will overstay his constitutional tenure in office. Two, the planting of a new INEC boss who may be pliant to the cause of the Presidency. The consequences of this scenario for calm in the polity are better imagined that delineated. We hope for the peace of this country that it is not the design of the president and his men. According to the constitution Jega is the only person who can decide whether the elections can be postponed or not. A meddlesome president will only undermine the sanctity of the constitution and democratic spirit. This democracy belongs to all Nigerians. It does not belong to the president. He is the leader by a democratic process. He should not be seen to want to subvert it from above.

THE NATION

NEWS

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) says that in spite of the decision by the National Council of State that the 2015 general election should go on as scheduled, “proponents of election shift have not given up on their desperation to scuttle the elections.” But the party vows that “the desperadoes will always fail in their evil machinations, because no power is strong enough to defeat a determined people.” The APC, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday described as provocative the call by “the bogus Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly for the postponement of the elections and the arrest of INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega.” The party said this is one of the new antics of the election postponement campaigners. ‘’It is shameful that those who should be working hard to promote peaceful elections as scheduled are the same ones doing everything possible to trigger violence. Those who should ordinarily be seen as elder statesmen have degenerated to dangerous partisans and shameless promoters of a narrow, parochial interest, at the expense of the national interest,” the party declared. ‘’Who does not know that wherever President Goodluck Jonathan’s interest lies, therein you will find Chief Edwin Clark, whether or not it is in the national interest? Who does not know that the anarchic call by Chief Clark and his cohorts are being made at the behest of a frenzied presidency?’’ It also referred to a statement by PDP Spokesman, Olisa Metuh, as “another indication that those working hard to sink the elections have not given up.” ‘’People like Metuh speak just because they could, not because what they say adds

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Advocates of election shift unrelenting despite Council of State's decision–APC •It's a plot to weaken party financially, says Ideh any value to purpose democratic governance. Nigerians are undoubtedly confounded that the spokesman of a ruling party will be fanning the embers of ethnic discord, at such a sensitive time like this. There must be a limit to desperation,’’ APC said, urging Nigerians to repudiate those who will stop at nothing to bring the nation crashing down instead of losing power through the ballot box.” The party also slammed the Federal Government for striving to scare voters away from the polling booths during the election, which is the implication of the so-called intelligence announced by the DG of the National Orientation Agency and Coordination of the National Information Centre, Mr Mike Omeri. ‘’Saying they got intelligence report that female suicide bombers are planning to attack polling booths during February elections is nothing but scaremongering and wishful thinking. In spite of them, the elections will proceed without violence because Nigerians are ready, willing and able to ensure that. ‘’Omeri, who is serving on the campaign committee of President Jonathan even as he is holding a sensitive national portfolio, should keep his intelligence to himself. No one but his masters will swallow his scaremongering, which is aimed at depopulating polling units during the elections.’’ The APC asked the security agencies to ensure en-

hanced protection for all the 11 presidential candidates contesting next week’s election, “lest anyone exploits the section of the Constitution allowing election shift if anything untoward should

happen to any of the candidates.” In a separate statement he issued yesterday, Itsekiri political leader and Secretary of APC National Convention Committee, Dr.

Alex Ideh, called on Nigerians to “be wary of the antics of anti-democratic forces still clandestinely pushing for the eventual postponement of the February 14 election under whatever guise.”

Describing the move as a silent coup, Ideh said a section of the political class is working in concert with the ruling PDP to surreptitiously drain the financial resources •Continued on Page 5

...INEC, parties meet today

HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday launched a last-ditch move to preserve the February 14 and 28,2015 election dates. The commission invited representatives of all registered parties and Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) to a brainstorming meeting today in Abuja to review the preparations for the polls. Each of the parties will be represented by its national chairman and secretary. Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, is scheduled to brief reporters on the outcome of the meeting later in the day.

Today’s session is a fallout of last Thursday’s meeting of the Council of State which asked for consultation between INEC and the security agencies on the feasibility of the polls. Prof. Jega’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said of today’s meeting in a statement yesterday: “On Thursday, February 5, 2015, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, was invited to brief the National Council of States (NCS) on the preparedness of INEC to conduct the 2015 general elections. He made a presentation titled “Preparations for the 2015 General Elections:

Progress Report.’ “As a follow-up to that meeting, the Commission has scheduled a consultative meeting with chairmen and secretaries of all registered political parties, as well as a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Saturday, February 7, 2015. “Thereafter, the Commission will address a press conference to brief the nation on its decision with regard to whether or not the general elections will hold as currently scheduled.” While briefing the Council of State at the Thursday meeting in Abuja, Prof Jega insisted on going ahead with the elections because, ac-

cording to him, the commission was better prepared than it was in 2011. He got the backing of exheads of state and presidents — Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Chief Ernest Shonekan and Gen. Yakubu Gowon —present at the meeting for the polls to proceed as originally scheduled. But President Goodluck Jonathan, the security agencies and the PDP governors were in favour of rescheduling the elections, citing security concerns in 14 out of the nation’s 774 local government areas. •Continued on Page 5

US offers more help if FG keeps to poll timetable •Continued from Page 3 Boko Haram is a little bit of a different threat than ISIS. Obviously, each threat is different, but we’re very committed to helping the countries in the region fight this.” To win the war against Boko Haram, Harf said Nigeria and allied forces (Chad, Cameroon and Niger) require more capacity and more willingness. “Well, I clearly think if you just look at the sheer amount of violence that Boko Haram has been able to perpetrate that there needs to be more capacity and more willingness among some of the parties. Some of the – there’ve been some times when people have stepped up and really tried to be aggressive against Boko Haram, but clearly more needs to be done,” she added. Asked if Western nations were reluctant in moving against Boko Haram, Harf said: “Well, I think that’s probably a larger analytical question that I’m not going to delve into from here. “I can just speak for the U.S. and what – this building and

this government is very committed to helping Nigeria and the countries in the region build their capacity and push them to take on this fight even more seriously.” On the alleged incursions into Nigeria by Chadian forces to fight Boko Haram, she said she could not confirm it. But she was quick to add that the US thinks a regional effort is needed to curtail the insurgents. She said: “Well, we have obviously seen these reports about where certain troops are and who’s fighting who. We do believe that a regional effort is needed to fight Boko Haram. “Obviously, Nigeria plays the most important role here. So I can’t confirm reports that Chadian forces have been inside Boko – excuse me, inside Nigeria fighting Boko Haram, but we do think that a regional effort is needed. “We’ve talked to the regional partners about it, so I can check and see if there are more details.”

•From left: Archbishop Adewale Martins; Ghanaian Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Fifi Kwetey; Mrs Ifoma Utomi and Her Husband, Pat Utomi; Seventh time congressman in the US, Jerry Waller, and Lagos Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje, at the 12th Centre For Values In Leadership Annual Lecture in Lagos... yesterday.

HE ambitions of Chief Chris Uba, Chief Annie Okonkwo and Prince John Emeka to represent Anambra South, Anambra Central and Anambra North respectively on the platform of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the Eighth Senate, may have hit the rocks. The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja yesterday sacked the Ejike Oguebegoled Executive Committee of the State PDP, which organised the primaries that led to the emergence of the trio and others as the party’s candidates in this month’s elections. The Court also set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja which proclaimed the Ejike

Appeal Court voids Chris Uba, Okonkwo’s senatorial tickets •Sacks Oguebego-led Anambra PDP exco •Ekwunife, Andy Uba, Stella Oduah may reap from verdict Eric IKHILAE, Abuja Oguebego-led Executive Committee as the true leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State, and the Federal High Court’s decision which voided the Colonel Augustine Akunbundo-led caretaker/ad-hoc committee set up PDP to run the affairs of its Anambra chapter. Besides, the Court of Appeal restrained the Indepen-

dent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting the list of candidates that emerged from the primaries conducted by the caretaker committee, saying only the national leadership of the party may submit names of its candidates to INEC. With the development, the national headquarters of the party will have no option but to present incumbent Senator Andy Uba, former minister Stella Oduah and

House of Representatives member Uche Ekwunife as senatorial candidates for the state since they emerged through the primaries conducted by the Augustine Akunbundo caretaker/ adhoc committee. Commenting on the judgment yesterday, Andy Uba said there was “no victor, no vanquished. “ He said he and his brother, Chris Uba, share a common interest, which is the development of Anambra State.

THE NATION

NEWS 5

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

HE Federal Government has filed a fresh charge against seven people, including 29 yearold Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, accused of complicity in the April 14, 2014 bombing in Nyanya, Abuja. They were docked before Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja yesterday. They could not be arraigned because five of them were yet to procure the services of lawyers. Those brought to court include Ogwuche, Akhmad Rufai Abubakar a.k.a. Abu Ibrahim/Maitirare; Mohammed Sani Ishaq; Ya’u Saidu a.k.a. Kofar Rama; Anas Isah; Adamu Yusuf and Nasiru Abubakar.

FG files fresh charge against alleged masterminds of Nyanya blast Eric IKHILAE, Abuja However, the alleged main actor, Ahmed Rufai Abubakar a.k.a. Dr Tsiga, who was said to have driven the explosive laden Volkswagen Golf car used for the bombing, was not brought to court. He was said to be at large. Another judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, had late last year struck out an earlier suit filed against

Polls: Don't relocate, DSS tells Nigerians

HE Department of State Security (DSS) has called on Nigerians living in locations outside their states of origin not to relocate to their home states in anticipation of violence arising from the coming elections. In a statement last night by the spokesperson of the DSS, Ms. Marilyn Ogar, the agency assured the citizenry of their safety in any part of the country before, during and after the elections. The statement said: “It has come to the knowledge of security agencies that people are relocating to their states of origin in anticipation of

Gbade OGUNWALE, Abuja violence during the forthcoming general elections in the country. “We wish to reassure the public of their safety wherever they reside as adequate security is assured for all before, during and after the elections. “We want to also seize this opportunity to caution those who spread falsehood or rumours of violence to desist from such acts.Those who intend to foment trouble are hereby warned that there will be no hiding place, as the long arm of the law will fish them out”.

INEC, parties meet •Continued from Page 4 Jega, according to sources at the meeting, said all logistics had been put in place for a hitch-free exercise and sensitive materials, such as ballot papers, and non-sensitive materials were being distributed. “He said it was left for other agencies connected with the conduct of the elections to discharge their duties,” a source told The Nation. The INEC Chairman said that more than 50 per cent of the 68.83 million permanent voter cards (PVCs) had been collected across the country and, responding to a question on people who had not been able to collect theirs, he retorted: “The PVCs are available but I cannot commandeer all the registered voters to go and collect their cards. I do not think that noncollection of PVCs will amount to disenfranchisement of voters.” Jega dismissed insinuations that the distribution of PVCs can affect the validity of any election. He gave example of Ekiti State where 750,000 PVCs were produced but only 350,000 PVCs were collected. He asked rhetorically: “Did the number of PVCs affect the validity of the poll? With more than 50 per cent of the PVCs collected, we can go ahead with the general election.” It was also gathered that the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), briefed the session on threats to the peaceful conduct of elections in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Gombe states, although Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo was quick to

tell him to count his state out of states threatened by insecurity. Another source at the meeting said the Council resolved that “INEC should be left to go ahead with the decision it deems fit in the circumstance and in the best interest of the nation.” From the Council of State meeting, Jega returned to his office at about 8 pm to launch into another meeting with National Commissioners on how to “sort things out”. A top official said: “The INEC chairman convened the meeting to brief his team on what transpired at the Council of State meeting at the Presidential Villa. “The meeting will also look at all the options available, including the fate of the 14 local government areas where the situation is still tense.” Simultaneoulsy, President Jonathan met with PDP governors to “review the outcome of the Council of State session and re-strategise accordingly,” according to a PDP governor.

Ogwuche by the Federal Government for lack of diligent prosecution. The accused persons are in the new charge of seven counts, accused of conspiracy; engaging in act of terrorism; belonging to Boko Haram, an outlawed group and refusal to disclose to security agencies informa-

tion that would have helped to prevent an act of terrorism. Ogwuche was, in count six, accused of rendering supports to a terrorist group by giving money at different times and places in Abuja to the widows of members of the terrorist organiszation known as Boko Haram.

Ogwuche and Abubakar a.k.a. Dr Tsiga were, in count seven, were accused of carrying out surveillance and identifying Silverbird Galleria and other locations as potential targets of terrorist attack. The accused persons were said to have committed offences contrary to and pun-

ishable under sections 1(2)(a) &(b), 5(b),8(b) 16, 17 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013. Yesterday, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Saidu Diri, effected some amendments to the fresh charge. Lawyers to Ogwuche and Isah, Ahmed Raji (SAN) and Abdulhamid Mohammed did not object to the amendments. Justice Mohammed has adjourned to February 20 for the possible arraignment of the accused persons.

Kano coronates 14th Emir, Sanusi, today

HE ancient city of Kano is wearing a new look as all is now set for the coronation of the 14th Emir of Kano, His Highness, Sarki Muhammad Sanusi 11. Already, the streets of Kano have been beautified in a way befitting royalty. Young princes were seen riding on horsebacks and jubilating as the Emir gets set to wear his crown. The Emir’s Palace, located in the heart of the city, is now wearing a new look, just as the road leading to the palace is now adorned with one of the longest fly-overs in the country, commissioned by ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo a few days ago. The Nation gathered that for security reasons and to ensure orderliness and sanity, the Kano State Government, led by Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, decided to build a magnificent 1500 sitting capacity hall tagged

Kolade ADEYEMI, Kano Coronation Hall 2015 and situated near Kano Government House. The maiden multi-million naira Coronation Hall is one of its kind in Kano. Speaking on the event, Kwankwaso’s Special Adviser on Emirate Affairs, Alhaji Tijjani Mailafia Sanka, said the state government was doing everything within its capacity to make the historic event glamorous and colourful. He said: “The last time Kano people witnessed the coronation of an emir was 51 years ago, so the state government is planning big for this event. “The event would showcase the rich culture of the people of Kano. It is not only for us, the people of Kano, North or Nigeria, but a global ceremony that would depict our cultural endow-

ment,” he said. Also speaking, Director of Press and Ccommunication to Kwankwaso, Alhaji Halilu Baba Dantiye, said that as at Friday afternoon, dignitaries from all walks of life had started trooping into Kano. He said: “As I am talking to you now, everyone of us is busy with logistic arrangements to ensure that our guests are comfortable. We are still expecting important personalities from within and outside the country. “It is going to be a big show and memorable event that will showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Kanawas.” According to him, among those to be expected are former heads of states and presidents within and outside the country, captains of industry, governors, lawmakers, traditional rulers

•Emir of Kano Sanusi cutting across different kingdoms around the world and, indeed, the talakawas. Dantiye also added that already, bold screens have been mounted at various strategic locations such as Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Naisa Recreation Centre, Gwagwaruwa Stadium and other areas where millions of people who could not gain entry inside the Coronation Hall will have the opportunity to view the event, live.

•Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (left) and his Chadian counterpart, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Mahamat, at a bilateral meeting in Abuja.

Advocates of election shift unrelenting despite Council of State's decision–APC •Continued from Page 4 of the APC through the postponement, thereby weakening its effervescence and optimism to win the presidential election. The statement further reads: “I am appalled by this satanic move to alter the electoral calendar which initially started as a rumour but has now become a grave threat to the survival of our growing democratic culture. “It is curious that the post-

ponement is being mooted, not by INEC or any agency in any way concerned with managing the transition. It is rather being advocated by extraneous entities, determined to create the cynical impression that preparations for February 14 are so untidy that Nigeria could be faced with the prospect of an electoral collapse. Nothing could be further from the truth. ”However, the crude truth

is that this whole drama unraveling is a massive puppet trick, behind which is the ugly presence and controlling mind of the PDP and the Federal Government. They hope that by postponement, they will weaken the financial support base of the opposition. “The ruling party has viewed the political horizon and come to stack reality of an impending electoral defeat in the hands of Gen.

Mohammadu Buhari’s panzer forces. The move to postpone the poll is nothing but a last ditch effort to interdict the verdict of the people and an attempt to resist the APC’s tsunami of change. “It is instructive to note that Alhaji Atahiru Jega, who heads INEC, has declared unequivocally that his organisation was fully prepared to conduct the polls; but how some schemers

came to the contrary position remains unfathomable to most Nigerians. “This move to shift the election date on a whim is not only preposterous, it tells the despicable story of a PDP government which values regime preservation far more than good order. It is laced with the trappings of an incendiary contraption ready to explode. This renewed but silent ‘coup’ must be aborted now.

Olatunji OLOLADE, Associate Editor

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

COMMENTARY

‘

One can say the voice is the voice of Jacob but the hand is the hand of Esau but in this particular instance Nigerians are not blind and can see very clearly. The president should know he can not be a judge in his own case

A shaky election on corruption and security T

HE coming presidential election of February 14 has thrown Nigerian voters into a quandary of sorts, between the devil and the deep blue sea. The quandary is not a matter of choice between the two major parties or the presidential candidates. It is the fear of what to do on a calculated disenfranchisement that could be mistaken for voters’ apathy and an INEC that seems bent on making the terrain safe only for the sort of shaky election that the Council of State has endorsed for it to conduct. Predictably this unexpected political contraption can only midwife a controversial election result and a dangerous future for our fragile democracy. This is not just pessimism, it is a realistic assessment of our political situation and can only be illustrated with an analogy. That is that for now, with this February 14 presidential election, the Nigerian polity has been positioned by INEC, like a suicidal man or a sacrificial lamb standing in the way of a moving train. The result is predictable. Again I say this is no exaggeration and I will prove that today. I start by identifying the institutions, personalities and issues involved in this election and how they have brought the nation to its knees with this impasse that threw the ball in the court of a body like the Council of State to decide on the postponement of the election, a task it deftly passed back to the electoral body responsible for our elections, INEC. The institutions are INEC, the Presidency, and the two political parties. The issues are the two major campaign issues in this election namely corruption and security and the personalities are the two presidential candidates and the conduct of their campaign for power. It is my contention that INEC has been deliberating pussy footing to conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria and the fact that about a third of the registered voters will not be eligible to vote with the required voters card is ample proof of that. It is that simple. The fact that INEC is not prepared to postpone the election to accommodate and increase eligible voter participation in an election the nation spent over 98bn naira of tax payers’ money to organise and for which INEC has four years to prepare, is not only a shame but a lesson in negligence and irresponsibility. INEC officials should go into the field nation wide and see uncollected voters cards because local INEC officials unbelievably and clumsily told voters with the 2011 voters card that they should go to INEC office because the computer used for 2011 had broken down and polling booths have only cards for those who registered in December 2014. Yet this same INEC has boldly and brazenly told the nation and the Council of state that the election must go on without a third of registered voters available On the

Council of State involvement which brought attention to its composition I can only wonder who advised the Presidency on that because it was a callous public mischief. How can a Council of state made up previous coup plotters and those they overthrew, as well as those who cancelled elections, be asked to decide on a touchy issue like postponement of an election like the one we are talking about?. The Council from its composition has no locus or legitimacy in this sort of thing because its composition draws back the hand of the clock in our march towards democracy, as the pictures of the members at the meeting in the media brought back painful and bad memories of our political past as a nation. That the matter was brought before the Council could only have occurred because the Presidency wanted to mischievously highlight the fact that the APC candidate was a member and drive home the point it has made sumptuously in its many media adverts that the APC presidential candidate was a former dictator in power. That however seemed a last ditch, desperate and belated effort because the momentum of change is moving in the direction of this candidate regardless of his being a member of this same Council of State whose role we found quite objectionable in this matter. Next is the role of Presidency in this postponement saga. It seems the presidency has forgotten that the President is a member of Council of State even though it was the same presidency that convened the meeting. The President is a candidate in this election and his party the PDP has been campaigning furiously that the campaign should be post poned because INEC is not ready. Does the same presidency think that the Nigerian public and members of the Council of State do not know that the President Goodluck Jonathan of the Presidency and the Council of State is the same person as the presidential candidate of the PDP asking for election postponement through the numerous paid adverts that Nigerians have been bombarded with bombarded with in the last one week? One can say the voice is the voice of Jacob but the hand is the hand of Esau but in this particular instance Nigerians are not blind and can see very clearly. The president should know he can not be a judge in his own case. The presidency simply mishandled this postponement matter. On the two political parties I have nothing but commendation for the robust campaign they have mounted against each other in the quest for power. In terms of expenditure and costs of advertising however I think the PDP campaign for its presidential candidate must be one of the most expensive in this part of the world. Especially this week when they focussed on the achievements of their candidate and took on expensive, choice, special cover position media space in a way that showed that money was no problem.

‘

One can only wonder if public funds were not being used to promote their candidate which is an illegal act and which should be the subject of a probe in a new government. Moreso as they too should know by now that change is imminent given the public mood of disenchantment and disgust with their very extravagant media buzz and overbearing razz mattaz. Undoubtedly the major issues in this election are corruption and security. Just as the personalities dominating the elections are the PDP candidate, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and APC candidate retired General Goodluck Jonathan. The personality of each candidate has certainly affected the nature and content of the campaign. The PDP candidate is loquacious and has shown this virally on the campaign trail. The APC candidate is taciturn and is not a man of many words. However, in an election dominated by corruption Buhari is truly a five star general compared to a Lilliputan Jonathan who allowed his regime to be swamped by massive corruption to which he diligently and copiously turned a blind eye. This has been the hallmark of his administration and has now skyrocketed to become a huge election albatross and the looming nemesis of his incumbency. On that score, this president has no one but himself to blame. On the handling of security, Buhari’s credentials speak for him while the President’s handling of Boko Haram also say volumes on his capacity in that regard. While Buhari had a military record of having driven insurgents from our borders and pursuing them into oblivion the incumbent President’s handling of Boko Haram has not in any way been commendable. As Commander In Chief he has presided over the loss of our North East to Boko Haram’s borderless caliphate and his negligence has led to the AU creating a regional force to help drive Boko Haram away from capturing more Nigerian towns and killing our citizens in the process. The only valiant thing this president has done against Boko Haram insurgency is that he risked his own personal security in campaigning in the North East which he did not visit when the 200 Chibok girls were abducted last year, and to where he has not gone since the insurgency began. Obviously the lure for votes and political power transcend the loss of thousands of Nigerian lives lost in the North East as well as the kidnapping of the 200 Chibok girls who have not been found till today. It is simply preposterous to seek re election under such circumstances and the PDP candidate should know what to expect from Nigerians on February 14.

• See Knucklehead on page 12

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

COMMENTARY

Random thoughts on the campaign trains NE thing that sets this year’s electoral campaign miles apart from the previous ones is the overWith flowing stream of cheap talk call it pedestrian propaganda. One is also astonished at the creative, even if warped imaginations of Nigerians in twisting real life history to malign or impugn the reputation of oppoE-mail:yomi.odunuga nents. In fact, someone said a for@thenationonlineng.net mer Head of State had put a call SMS only: 07028006913 to some of his colleagues, urging them to find a way of putting a ask, what then is Jonathan if he has refused to halt to the gale of hate-filled messages that con- publicly condemn the perfidious rant of his tinue to resonate on the campaigns trains. It’s kinsmen who threaten war should the incumnot just the election proper that is turning out bent lose in a contest that demands the free will to be a do-or-die venture, even the campaigns of the people to elect their leader? That, by the have been soaked in blood. Well, literarily. If way, has been the greatest malaise against our cheap talks were a major prerequisite for elec- national growth. It is quite apparent that toral triumph, by now some persons wouldn’t Jonathan is not an exception and that is why have bothered waiting for the official his ‘people' keep on appropriating the seat as announcement of the results by the their turn to exhale. No matter how we look at Independent National Electoral Commission it, a clear and present danger lies in the fact that (INEC) before rolling out the drums. we have willy-nilly allow the discourse to veer Unfortunately, that would be carrying opti- from the real issues of development to dovetail mism to an absurd level. into the politics of the North versus the South. The reality is that supporters of the two lead- This is quite unfortunate. ing presidential candidates—President At this time in the nation’s history and with Goodluck Jonathan and General the threats posed by the Boko Haram menace, Muhammadu Buhari---have taken pettiness to those playing the dangerous cards of the a ridiculous level in their campaign strategies. North-South dichotomy will only aggravate They just don’t get it that the modern day the chaos. For, in truth, Nigeria is in distress. Nigerian electorate needs to be persuaded No matter how colourful the campaigns, we rather being coerced in a participatory demo- cannot forget that lives are being lost daily to cratic system. No matter how we look at it, this the insurgents. Those who aspire to lead us election will not be won on a platter of the should appreciate the significance of this mestwisted logic and ad hominem arguments that sage. If they cannot rule over a united and indiis on display daily on social media platforms visible Nigeria, then they should forget such and even the traditional media. Too many lies aspirations. This is surely no time for political are being peddled as truth and the Nigerian imputations and back-biting. The time requires voters are becoming wary of the whole leaders who would see a threat to one as a shenanigan. Nigerian problem that must be tackled headFrom the little that one has been able to glean long. This is no time for sitting on the fence and from the slime-laden campaigns, two things playing the ostrich. stand out; Buhari has been marked as an For example, when Jonathan and Buhari tell unbending dictator who is seeking office with potential voters on their campaign trains that the aim of inflicting more anguish on they plan to end the Boko Haram insurgency Nigerians regardless of the fact that, in a in the next few years, we should take them to democracy, certain institutions are constitu- task on how they would achieve the plan. tionally empowered to check the excesses of There is nothing wrong in asking Buhari if he the executive. It was as if Buhari would be the has now realised that the Nigerian governfirst former Head of State that would be seek- ment has not been killing innocent ing to be elected into the highest office in the Northerners in the guise of hunting down land. On the other hand, Jonathan comes out those blood-sucking insurgents. Just like I see as a woefully pathetic leader with an abysmal no harm in taking Jonathan to task on when he record that has gravely wrecked the ship of realised that those killing, bombing, slaughterstate especially in the last four years. These are ing and inflicting pains on innocent and lawthe two extremes that confront Nigerians and abiding citizens do not fall into a presidential they wait to exercise their rights to pick their categorisation of 'our brothers and relatives!" next leader. Like highly respected The That is no-brainer. We can even ask him to be Economist puts it, the choice on February 14 is categorical of what has happened to the over between a former dictator and failed President! 200 school girls kidnapped in Chibok for over Now, that says a lot about an entrapment 298 days now! between the devil and the deep blue sea. No, don’t get it twisted. While no one can Away from the intrigues of the possibility of accuse Jonathan of doing nothing in pushing shifting the dates for the elections, the unin- back the insurgents, he stands condemned for spiring statements at the campaign podiums a rather belated decision to confront the menand the fixation on issues that have never ace headlong. Mr. President should be man defined the outcome of results, we need to enough to take responsibility for sitting on his understand that elections ought to be won and hands for so long while these agents of terror lost through reasoned logic and informed com- soiled our streets with the blood of innocent mentary and not by sentimental whinging of souls. But those who did not offer him any monumental incongruities. If only Jonathan advice on how best to resolve the matter do not and Buhari can help us in drumming this into have any moral basis to blame him for wieldthe heads of their fanatical supporters, this ing his power to put an end to what has journey would no doubt be less tedious. It is become a national calamity. this failure to grasp this basic fact that has led We can save this country from the brink if the to the worsening tension in the land. Some per- real issues are brought to the fore instead of the sons have simply become paranoid at the pettiness that has been flying over our camlooming prospects of losing power while oth- paign space. As I write this, I shiver to mention ers seems too elated at the possibility of grab- the benumbing things that have passed on as bing it without really giving a deep thought to campaign messages. The two main candidates what they want to do with it! in the presidential race should be worried that The question has been asked: why can’t the millions of Nigerians have reportedly left their candidates campaign on their strengths rather bases to relocate to places they consider safe than spending quality time gloating on the during the election. This casts a serious doubt opponent’s weaknesses? The answer is simple. on what most people consider the peripheral There is pretty nothing much to thump the gestures of signing a peace accord when the chest over. So, the next option is the resort to campaign, in words and spirit, have been anysilly taunts and dirty strategies that beggar thing but issue-based. belief. And so, the argument is no longer about For now, I think the campaign teams have Buhari’s capacity to set Nigeria on the right done a good job of painting the two major contrack of fiscal discipline, economic develop- testants as not only monsters in a deadly race ment and a secured environment. It is now to appropriate presidential power but also as about that part of his that needs to go through potential bunglers in office. Having wasted some sort of purgation. Suddenly, they woke valuable time and raking up dirt from the past up to realise that a man who had contested to justify that line of thought without much election and lost three times in the past is nurs- success, can we please go back to the basics? ing a national aspiration from the blighted The time to end the empty babbling is long position of an ethnic or sectional jingoist. And I overdue. But will they listen?

Knucklehead Yomi Odunuga

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

DASHED HOPES

•Printers lament dull business in spite of avalanche of campaign posters T is the season in Nigeria when one is confronted with exotic campaign posters that struggle to arrest the attention of voters. It is also the time when people who are into the business of printing should be smiling to the banks. Unfortunately, many printers who had expected a boom from the elections have been largely disappointed. Rather than share the printing jobs among different calibres of printers, the current dispensation has seen the few giants in the industry cornering the lion’s share of the business. Lamenting lack of business in spite of the electioneering campaigns

n Gbenga ADERANTI (Assistant Editor) and Innocent DURU n and the posters that dot the landscape, Abdul, a Lago-based printer, said: “When the electioneering campaigns were about to start, I went to borrow money to buy a new generator with the hope that I would get sufficient jobs from which I would make substantial profit to repay the loan as well as the interest it would attract. "Unfortunately, I have not got a single poster job. All the people who

Continued on page 14

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

•Akitobi

•Azeez

•Bade

Printers lament dull business in spite of avalanche of campaign posters

Continued from page 13 had promised to get jobs for me are singing different tunes. I am confused because I don’t know how to pay the money back. "To make matters worse, my relations have continued to pester me for financial assistance because they thought that I would be swimming in money now because of the ongoing political campaign.” Abdul was not alone in his state of disappointment. Visits our correspondents made to Shomolu and Mushin, two parts of Lagos reputed as the hub of printing business in the South West region and by extension the country, revealed that a good number of the printers also had their hopes and expectations dashed. Some of them said they had little or no patronage before the campaigns but had hoped that their fortunes would improve when the campaigns eventually took off. Unknown to them, they were not in the plans of the political office seekers. Prince Bade Abimbolu, a printer and member of Chattered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON), said: “I have not done a single poster since the campaigns began. I own a printing press, but if you get there now, you will find my boys doing nothing because the jobs are not forthcoming. "It is only the privileged few who are close to the politicians that are benefiting from the ongoing political campaigns. If you visit some of these privileged ones, you would see a heap of posters that have been printed without the printer getting reasonable money to foot the bill. "My family members are expecting that I would have sufficient money to give to them because they assumed that we would have jobs to do, but that has not been the case.” Abimbolu blamed the boycott of printers on the fact that printing business has become an all-comer affair, adding: “It is those who do not know anything about this job that are benefitting from it this time around. I went to a higher institution to study printing, but it is people who have no idea of how it works that are benefitting. “For example, if an in-law of a local government chairman is a tailor and she indicates interest in handling the printing job, he would give it to her. If she gets the job for N1 million, she could come here and give out the job for N300,000. At the end of the day, the printer, instead of making a profit of say N200,000, ends up getting peanuts like N20,000. "They could even give a printing job to a medical doctor just to settle him. The few printers that are getting jobs are not getting them directly. It is always from one person to another. “If a company wants to audit its accounts, it gives the job to chattered accountants. If you want to undergo a surgical operation, you go to a doctor. But it is not the same with printing business. They have bastardised it to the extent that a carpenter can handle printing job. A vulcanizer can handle it. Pepper sellers and others can also secure printing jobs once they have the right connections.” Azeez Adeniran, another printer based in Shomolu, Lagos, also expressed disappointment at the development. He said: ‘’Before this electioneering campaign started, I must confess that business was very dull. We were looking forward to the time the campaigns would start with the hope that we would get jobs to do to make up for the periods we were idle. “Unfortunately, the jobs didn’t come from the politicians. No politician has given me a single poster to do. It is unbelievable.’’ Kehinde Akitobi, a printer based in Mushin, Lagos, said: “Before now, we didn’t need to go after politicians for jobs. It was members of political parties

that brought the jobs to us. But that has not happened since this electioneering campaign started. “I did not get any political poster job this time around. I am not the only one who did not get it; majority of our people have not done any posters for politicians in all the political parties. I don’t know where the politicians took the jobs to. “It is not that I did not make efforts to get jobs from them. I made good efforts, but at the end of the day, not even a single job came my way. Some of our colleagues even brought down their charges in order to attract patronage, but all of that was fruitless.” While many of the printers lament low patronage, investigations by The Nation revealed that the quality of the posters displayed by candidates is an issue among the electorate. Hence most of the candidates vying for different political positions are going for high quality posters. Some aspirants are said to have complained about the quality of the jobs done by these printers. In Shomolu and Mushin, two parts of Lagos renowned for printing jobs, many of the printers are said to be using outdated machines which are incapable of printing quality posters. Realising the foregoing, a candidate in Lagos was said to have travelled abroad for his posters. Rather than print on process machine, the candidate printed his job on direct imaging.

Some printers admitted that the quality of printing in China and Dubai (United Arab Emirates) is better than what obtains here, but they believe it is not enough justification to take printing jobs abroad. Explaining the low patronage, Akitobi said: “Politicians have printing press. Besides, there is what we call direct imaging now and because of this, many people may not need to have printing press to do their printing. They could decide to handle it by themselves. “There is a particular politician who has been pasting posters that are of very high quality all around here in Lagos. The poster is about the most circulated in the state. Looking at the quality of those posters, I am sure they were not printed here in Nigeria. He must have produced them abroad or it could be that he did direct imaging." Eraolu Shopping Complex in Mushin, which used to be a beehive of printing activities during campaigns in the past, was a shadow of itself when our reporters visited the complex during the week. One of the printers, who identified himself as Joseph Francis, said: “We are not making any money from the ongoing use of posters for campaigns. I think getting to have contracts to do posters for the politicians is absolutely hinged on what we call man-knows-man. Some of these politicians have printing outfits but may not be directly involved in

There is a particular politician who has been pasting posters that are of very high quality all around here in Lagos. The poster is about the most circulated in the state. Looking at the quality of those posters, I am sure they were not printed here in Nigeria. He must have produced them abroad or it could be that he did direct imaging

their day to day running. “I have one who is a local government chairman in my state, but because of his clout in his party, he gets printing jobs and does them in his press.” Explaining why the quality of posters from abroad are better than the ones produced in the country, Akitobi said: “It is because they are using the latest machines, which are improvements on the machines we are using here. Most printers here in Nigeria don’t have such machines. The best you can find around are the fairly used variants of the machines they are using abroad. By the time you are buying a second-hand variant of a particular type of machine, they would have gone a step further in manufacturing another one with higher qualities. “The few printers who have the resources to acquire new machines that can be compared to the ones abroad bought them at very huge cost. As a result, their charges are always very high because they would have to recoup their money and get some returns on the investment. “Most of the politicians cannot afford to engage such printers because of the cost. This is simply the major reason why some of them who are quality-conscious take their jobs abroad.’’ Reminded that the low patronage could have resulted from the domination of the political landscape by two prominent parties, he said his expectations were high when the campaigns began, arguing that the printers’ fate was not because there are only two dominant parties in the country. He said: “We looked forward to a boom in the business going by the way the campaigns took off. I don’t think our inability to get political posters to print is because there are two dominant political parties. We equally had two dominant parties in 2011, yet we had jobs to do.” But while some printers are experiencing a gloom, it has been a boom for some others. Ade, a Shomolu-based printer, says he has benefitted immensely from printing posters for different politicians. Ade said: “It has been a wonderful time for me because I have been getting jobs. If any printer is not getting jobs in

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

•Campaign posters hanging on poles

this season of electioneering campaign, he should go back to his village to check himself.’’ Another printer, who gave his name as Sunday, said he wished that elections in the country would hold every month. “My brother, this is a season of relief for me because the dryness I experienced before now has disappeared at least for now. I really wish they could be doing elections every day,” he said. Printing paper sellers, others not left out Investigations by The Nation revealed that the lull in printing business had spiral effect. The paper sellers are also lamenting the loss of patronage Akitobi said: “Apart from those of us that are printers, the people that are selling printing papers and other materials are also lamenting. If they are not selling, how would we get jobs to do? It is when their business booms that ours will also boom. Our level of engagement depends on their volume of sales. All these put together make one to keep wondering where the politicians and their allies are getting all the posters they are pasting all over the country.” Katchy, a wholesaler of printing paper, was surprised to hear that there were posters everywhere. “Are there many posters pasted by politicians? he asked, adding: “I am not aware of that. I have been thinking that most of the politicians have been making use of flex instead of posters. “It is true that sales are very low compared to what we had in past elections. My thinking was that it was as a result of the restriction placed on the pasting of posters in the state. Sincerely, I am not aware that there are many posters in the society, because we didn’t see that in terms of sales.” Implication of printing works abroad

Checks by The tion of running Nation revealed that down their income I t is because they some printing outon a daily basis and (foreign presses) are fits had closed appealed to the shop, especially government to adusing the latest mathose who had andress the problem of chines, which are imticipated boom in power supply in the the business but country to help the provements on the were disappointed. industry. machines we are using The worst-hit were He said: “Things those who had borare not going well here. Most printers rowed money in at all for most of us. here in Nigeria don’t anticipation of a We are appealing to boom. the government to have such machines. Akitobi told The tackle the challenge The best you can find Nation that some of power supply becreditors were alcause that is the around are the fairly ready running after major problem that used variants of the some printers to rethe country has. cover their money. Government at all machines they are The implication levels should also using abroad. By the of taking jobs adhere strictly to abroad, according what is stipulated in time you are buying a to Akitobi, is that the laws of CIPPON second-hand variant “it is worsening the established by an level of unemployAct of Parliament in of a particular type of ment and poverty 2007. machine, they would in the country. The “The law says have gone a step furmoney that should that any governhave been circulatment must make ther in manufacturing ing in the country sure that its printing another one with and bringing about jobs are given out improvement in the solely to chattered higher qualities standard of living printers. They are of the citizens not supposed to pawould end up tronise anybody being used to develop the lives of peowho is not a licensed printer. Unfortuple of other nations. nately, those who are supposed to im“Instead of taking the jobs abroad, plement the laws are the people doing the politicians, in the interest of the eco- the contrary. This is why those of us nomic development of the country, who are licensed have nothing doing could give them to bigger printing outand have continued to idle away. fits in the country. When this is done, “Now our institute has pegged Nathe bigger outfits may not be able to do tional Diploma as the basic educational all the jobs alone and would push some requirement for anybody who wishes to the smaller ones. The industry is reto be a printer. So, with the way things ally suffering.” are going, if you don’t have the requirePrince Bade said it has the implicament, you will not be allowed to oper-

ate as a printer. Challenges in printing industry Aside from the disappointment suffered by a good number of printers from not getting posters to print, Prince Bade expatiated that the industry has long been crippled by the economy. He said: “I have been in this business for the past 23 years. Our industry has been the worst hit by the economy, especially by the challenge of power supply. The cost of materials has also skyrocketed. We don’t get patronage from the local government to the federal level. “Before the advent of politics, the months of October to December used to be printers’ season because this is when companies would start printing calendars, diaries and so on. It has not been so in the last four years. “Throughout last year, I printed calendars for just a company. I used to print for no fewer than seven companies. Some others that approached me could not raise funds to finance the project after we had begun.” Azeez recalled that clients used to pay about 50 per cent of their charges before work would start on their jobs in the past. “They don’t do that again. They always want us to use our resources to do the job. If as a printer you have five jobs to do, where will you get the resources to do all that before getting your money from the clients? “When you even finish some jobs, to get the balance is always a tug of war. When you go to some companies to collect your balance, there would always be a long queue of people waiting to collect money from you, not minding if you made profit or loss. A “And if for any reasons you don’t give it to them, you will not get another job from that company. It is really frustrating.”

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

16 ONG before the bandwagon craze for ‘checking out’ of Nigeria began in the mid-80s, a young Nigerian boy made up his mind to move to Europe armed with his secondary school certificate. By the time he would leave Finland 30 years later, he left with a professorial certificate in his bag. Professor Kolawole Raheem’s sojourn in Finland looks very much like a script from a Nollywood movie. When he travelled Finland in 1975, the country was, according to him, a very strange place to go for most young Nigerians. “When I travelled, Finland was actually the last place for any young man to want to go to. It was either you go to the UK or the US. But one of our brothers went to Finland, and he wrote to us to say that it was such a lonely place. He asked me and a childhood friend to come over. But soon after I got there, they left, leaving only me alone there.” Being alone in a strange country was not enough reason for young Raheem to want to give up his dream for education. “You see, in those days, you couldn’t even work and study in Finland. You need to do what you came for, which was to study.” And that was exactly what he did. After acquiring his first degree, he decided to proceed and get a Masters degree before heading back home. “My plan was to get my degrees and come back home,” he told The Nation. Professor Raheem proved that dreams can become true when he eventually bagged his Ph.D, a life-long childhood dream. But by the time he completed his education, he had fallen in love with the country and decided to remain there for the next 30 years. Living in Finland was, however, not a roller coaster affair for him, especially in the early days. At the time, there were only six Africans, including Raheem, in Central Finland. And expectedly, they suffered one form of culture shock or the other. “Where I lived in Central Finland, there were just six Africans. You can imagine that in a town of 40, 000 people. So, everywhere we went, people would peep from their windows and say things like ‘The Negroes are coming. Have you seen the Negroes?’ It was, however, not difficult for young Raheem to cope. According to him, being a young activist, he had plenty of activities to exact his energies on. “I must confess that it was never hard for me to deal with. I was young and at the same time a student activist. The activism really helped me to cope with whatever form of racism that I might have suffered at the time.” Raheem also made a record as the first African to work in the Governor’s Office in Finland. He later left his position in the Governor’s Office and went back to the university as a researcher.”I was the first African to work in the office of the governor. But I later went back to the University of Jyvaskyla.” His areas of study include Environmental Science, Environmental Education, Waste Management, Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Sustainable Development. Despite living comfortably in a foreign land for 30 years, Professor Raheem said he never for once forgot about his African roots. As a culture enthusiast, he was always in touch with developments back home, hoping that he would one day return to contribute his quota to the development of the continent. And when the time came for him to return, he opted for the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, where he is the Head, Centre for School and Community Science and Technology Studies. In the 30 years Professor Raheem lived in Finland, an incident that happened in 1977 has remained green in his memory. It was the year the popular historical film about the slave trade, Root, was released. “While the film was very popular in the US and Europe, we Africans didn’t find it funny at all. It was even made worse because some of these people actually believed that we were animals.”

‘

Everywhere we went, people would peep from their windows and say things like ‘The Negroes are coming. Have you seen the Negroes?... While the film was very popular in the US and Europe, we Africans didn’t find it funny at all. It was even made worse because some of these people actually believed that we were animals...

‘

•Prof. Raheem

into some rivers. Though some would say it is superstition, but the truth is that in those days, they knew that women, during their monthly period, hold some cloth to hold it, and if such women go into the river at such period, they may contaminate the river. That was a kind of mechanism to prevent any calamity that may arise. “Another example is the modern way of treating offenders. The government may take you to court for dumping refuse in a particular place. But in those days, they tell you that if you do it, you may lose your child. Nobody would want to lose a child because of such little matter. “You have the forest conservation idea. They tell you that you cannot cut the trees in the forest, and that if you do, certain bad things would happen to you. Don’t forget that in those forests, you have herbs that are useful to the people. And if people are allowed to go there, the herbs would be wasted. So, the restriction is only a way of preserving the forest.” As an environmentalist, locating the popular dump site in the Ojota area of Lagos is one of Professor Raheem’s contributions in the effort to have a cleaner Lagos. But perhaps, his most cherished job is the collaboration with the former First Lady of Lagos State, Senator Remi Tinubu, whom he fondly referred to as ‘Yeye’. According to him, “Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Yeye Asiwaju, she got the information about our contribution to the Ojota dump site, and she contacted us. You know, she is very interested in a cleaner environment. So we met and discussed how to work together. She has been consistent since then, and that was why she recommended that the winner of the Spelling Bee competition and the two runnersup be taken to Finland. The project is sponsored by the New Era Foundation. The project is one that all of us should be proud of. It is devoid of any form of favouritism. If you observe, the winners have been children from poor homes. And the credit for this should go to Yeye Asiwaju.” In spite of his full-time job as an environmental scientist, the professor has also found comfort in the bosom of culture. His love for culture, he confessed transcends any border line. “I love my culture. It comes first in whatever I do,” he said with a smile. Though he had always related with the Yoruba culture from childhood, the interest received a huge boost after he met with late culture enthusiast, Segun Olusola. The relationship was further expanded when the duo met the National Coordinator of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams. “Baba Segun Olusola helped to hone my love for culture. But I fell in love with Otunba Gani Adams the first day I met him at the home of Chief Olusola. I loved the way he spoke about the Yoruba culture and how we can promote it.” That encounter, he confessed, has further cemented his love and interest for Yoruba culture.

‘The culture shock I suffered in my 30-year sojourn in Finland’ SEGUN AJIBOYE

Now back in Africa, Professor Kolawole Raheem is using his knowledge of the environment to campaign for a better treatment of the environment by Africans. As an environmental scientist, he is canvassing a case for Africans to take a cue from their forebears in the treatment of the environment. “The environmental education we are doing now, which is what we are doing in Ghana; for instance, we found out that women are forbidden from going

Olatunji OLOLADE, Associate Editor

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Why I abandoned oil

Owoeye

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Owoeye

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Night of fun, good music and drama as Ikoyi Club 1938 holds New Year party OR members of the Table Tennis Section of Ikoyi Club 1938, their families and friends, year 2015 started on a grand note on Friday January 30, 2015, when they gathered at the club arena to mark the New Year party. It was a night of fun, beauty and colour, with plenty of food, wine and various brands of drinks on offer. Sure enough, for a long time, the memory of the night would linger, as the people trooped out in their Sunday bests. To add colour to an already colourful night, comedian, Kofi Idowu Nuel, also called ‘Kofi’, treated the guests to various rib-cracking jokes that left many reeling with prolonged laughter. The night kicked off with prayers offered by Mr Anthony Owolabi. In his welcome address, the chairman of the event’s organising committee, Mr Tunji Okesola, said he was particularly happy that God had preserved the lives of the members, and added that it was necessary for the club to set aside a day to rejoice and have fun. He charged the members to enjoy the night. And the members did not disappoint, as they enjoyed every minute of the night with good food, music and drama. The popular ‘Crazy Twins’, with artificial bore-heads and costumes, treated the crowd to dance-drama, laced with acrobatic displays of funny and crazy characters. The duo drew loud applause from the highly appreciative crowd who kept shouting and clapping. The atmosphere became

•From left: Bode Shorinolu; Hon. Bayo Odulana; Past Vice Chairman, Ikoyi Club, Tayo Ajibulu and past Chairman, Ikoyi Club 1938, Chief Lanre Ladipo

•Ola Ojo (left) and Temilope Dovon

n Biodun ADEYEWA n charged when the jesters were treated to doses of exotic wine as they moved from table to table. The highpoint of the event arrived when the guests, both old and young, jumped to their feet to wriggle to the melodious old tunes music supplied by the Shina O musical band. Chairman, Table Tennis Section, Otunba Femi Oduntan, led the guests to the buffet stand, prepared by Eni’s Kitchen. The meal, spiced with exotic wine of different brands, the beautiful sitting arrangement in the hall and the bright crystal light setting combined to make the meal irresistible. The roll call of dignitaries at the event included: Otunba Femi Oduntan, Chairman, Ikoyi Club 1938 Table Tennis Section; Mr Wale Doherty, Chairman Organising Committee; Mr Tunji Okesola; veteran broadcaster, Taiwo Obileye; Adeyinka Adeyemi; Dolapo Dada; Mrs Yewande Banjoko; Mrs Adeola Osho and Mrs O. Balogun. Others were: Captain A. A. Adebiyi; Mr Ogunyemi; Kayode Giwa; Olalekan Shobowale; BabatundeAdebanjo; F. Ola Azeez; John J. Ojo; Anthony Owolabi; Abiodun Sofoluwe; Ade Odunewu; Leo Olagbaiye; Prince Yemi Ademiluyi; Engineer Abiodun Laja; Emeka Ifezuike; Otunba Femi Ajina; Mr Leke Salami; Enginer KayodeAnibaba and Dr. Abiola Awonuga.

•From left: Hon. Secretary, Table Tennis Section, Ade Odunewu; Hon. Captain, Soji Aladesuru; Ronke Aladesuru and Lady Captain, Mrs Dolapo Dada

•Past Chairman, Table Tennis Section, Engineer Biodun Osinowo and wife

•Jide Banjoko

•Otunba Femi Ajinah; Dr Abiola Awonuga; Engineer Kayode Anibaba and Mr Leke Salami

•Mrs Soetan

•Mrs Margaret Owolabi

•Mrs Aremu

•From left: Mr Wale Doherty; Otunba Femi Oduntan, and Tunji Okesola

•A guest

•Mrs Osinowo

Adeola Osho PHOTOS: Biodun ADEYEWA

Continued on page 36

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Arunma Oteh celebrates

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Rostrum queen Abike Dabiri-Erewa

renditions.

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Fun, good music and drama as Ikoyi Club 1938 holds New Year party Continued from page 33

•From left: Mrs Abimbola Sowemimo; her husband, Adeniyi Sowemimo and Lateef Dada-Bashiru

•From left: Mrs Ify Onukwuba; Ms Ada Nwaojigba and Mrs Sola Adeosun

•From left: Mr John Ojo; Mr B. K. Abayomi and Mr Anthony A. Owolabi •Taiwo Obileye

•Dr and Mrs Olalekan Shobowale

•The Cracy Twins performing

•A guest at the event •Comedian, Kofi Idowu Nuel

PHOTOS: Biodun ADEYEWA

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

with Email: bineharriet@gmail.com

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

He promised me paradise, but all I got was hell! (5)

So, the casual leave you took from work was so you could be sleeping with that bitch behind my back! Why are you so wicked, Kel? Why are you doing this to me? This was not what you promised! Here I am heavily pregnant and all you could do is be sleeping around with this intruder, a home wrecker!

Escapades of fun-loving city ladies Co-ordinated by Patience Saduwa 08023201831 (sms only) psaduwa@yahoo.com

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Wisdom: The winning key

Family

Forum

with Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Tel: 01-7341546-8 Email: counselling@faithoyedepo.org

‘

FOR

, Only Sisters

with Mercy Michael sms or call 07034722111 forsistersonly@yahoo.com

Dealing with ‘monster’ called ex (1)

Continued next week

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

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

THE NATION, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2015

58 News

APC disagrees with PDP over achievements in health, education sectors T HE All Progressives Con gress (APC) yesterday disagreed with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the achievements recorded in both the education and health sectors by the Federal Government. The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Lai

Frank IKPEFAN and Olugbenga ADANIKIN, Abuja

Mohammed, and its Director, Planning and Research, Bolaji Abdullahi, at a debate

organised for Nigerian political parties in Abuja by the Centre for Democracy and Development, argued that “the Jonathan government has failed to deliver health care to rural people.

Mohammed said the APC, if voted into power, would establish a mobile health care network. He also said more health care centres would be established in the rural areas in

order to make health care delivery accessible. Mohammed said “it is better to prevent diseases than spending huge resources to cure them.” He said “most Nigerians do not have health insurance policies despite the achievements claimed by the present government in the sector.” Mohammed said: “We are going to build our health care system by providing more health care centres and more midwives.” But the PDP’s Head of Publicity, National Secretariat, Mrs. Chinwe Nnorom, and a chieftain of the party, Dr. Katchi Onunaju, said the Federal Government had refur-

bished 1,500 health centres. They said their party had a five-year health care plan which it had begun to implement. They said: “It is very expensive to deliver health care. Health sector is very expensive.” On education, the APC said those in the primary schools were not learning anything. “Our programme will focus on improving the quality of education. The curriculum of colleges of education has nothing on primary education,” they said. The PDP said “the quality of education is being improved nationally”.

David-West tackles Clark on call for Jega's resignation

•From right: President, Aqua Foundation, Dr. Oladipo Ogundele; Senator Ganiyu Solomon; Public Relations Officer, Adetutu Adesonowo and Secretary, Ms Nkiru Ejiofor, during the presentation of ‘Legislative Achievement Award‘ to Senator Solomon by the foundation in Lagos. PHOTO: BIODUN ADEYEWA

Oritsejafor to politicians: don’t cause trouble

S the nation prepares for the February elections, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has urged politicians to shun any act capable of causing violence in the country. Oritsejafor expressed strong worry over the spate of Boko Haram attacks in the country, calling on leaders at all levels to engage in meaningful dialogue in order to stop the senseless killings. He made the call yesterday at the retreat of the National Christian Elders’ Forum in Abuja, saying “enough is enough”. The CAN boss stated that if

Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja truly the intention of politicians is to serve the people, they should eschew activities capable of causing harm. While urging them to play by the rules, he noted that election would come and go, but Nigeria will continue to exist. He said: ”I am puzzled by the conduct of some politicians in the country. Is politics not supposed to be service to the people? If you get into any political position, you should be there to serve the people. “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to our politicians again that it is not a do-

or-die affair. “Let us remember that elections will come and go and Nigeria will remain. So, let us play the game according to the rules. I appeal to your conscience. I watch television; I see how a lot of people are being maimed and killed. Let us do what is right so that Nigeria will remain Nigeria.” Reacting to the alleged political intolerance in the North, Oritsejafor maintained that it was wrong for anyone to prevent the other from identifying with any candidate of his choice. “It is a very terrible thing. From the reports we get, especially from the North, there are people who are afraid to go

around, identifying with candidates of their choice because of the fear of victimization. “I think this is wrong. If this is democracy, everyone should be allowed to vote for any candidate of his choice. They should be allowed to do what they think is right,” he said. Also speaking, the Chairman of the forum, Mr. Solomon Asemota, said the meeting was called to enable Christian elders brainstorm on the various challenges confronting the nation with a view to coming up with far-reaching recommendations. According to him, a communiqué from the meeting will be sent to the Federal Government.

At 72, Buhari still fit, capable to lead Nigeria —APC

HE All Progressives Con gress (APC) has said its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, is very fit and capable of leading the country at the age of 72. The Chairman of the Mobilisation Committee of the APC’s flagbearer, Senator Muhammadu Magoro, made the assertion during a press briefing held at the North-West Secretariat of the party in Kaduna yesterday. Senator Magoro said “age is about numbers and performance is about the right mindset.” He said: “We all know that the President of Zimbabwe, Mr. Robert Mugabe, is in his early 90s, and just about two weeks ago, he was elected the Chairman of the African Union (AU). “If all Zimbabweans are wrong, all Africans cannot be wrong. They find an attribute in him that will help in moving the country forward, and he was given the opportunity and the same applies to General Muhammadu Buhari because of his incorruptible status and his concern for the downtrodden. Nigerians want to give him

Abdulgafar ALABELEWE, Kaduna

chance to make a change and his age can never be a barrier,” he said. Speaking on violence in the electioneering, Senator Magoro said: “It is very sad that the ruling party is pointing all its five fingers at us.The APC is a party

of peace.” He called on APC’s supporters to desist from violence because the change they are looking for will not come through cutlasses, knives or guns. I advise all our supporters to collect their PVCs before the set deadline. “As a member of the mobilization committee, we thank all Nigerians for support they gave

•Buhari to our flagbearer during his tour around the country. The real task is on February 14 when they must come out to vote for the change they want,” he said.

Presidential candidates urged to honour non-violence pact

RESIDENTIAL candi dates of the two leading political parties, President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), have been urged along with their teeming supporters to respect the non-violence pact recently signed concerning their campaign. Former presidential candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), Otunba Owolabi Odebudo, who had earlier

dropped his ambition in support of the candidacy of President Goodluck Jonathan, made this appeal at a press briefing in Abuja yesterday where he also called on Nigerians to collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs) to enable them vote in the Feburary elections. Otunba Odebudo, who recalled that his decision and that of its party to step down for President Jonathan, was predicated on a forceable situation whereby a clear winner might not emerge in the first round of the election, which may eventually overheat the polity.

The former DPP flagbearer said since opinion poll had already put two candidates in the lead as dominant, he would call on ten other candidates in the race to step down for President Jonathan, as the ten candidates may eventually drop out in the event of a second round ballot. He said his stance for calling on the 10 candidates to drop their ambition for President Jonathan was also based in the interest of the nation, since according to him, "their programmes have a lot in common with the transformation agenda of President Jonathan."

former Minister of Pe troleum, Prof. Tam David-West, yesterday described Chief Edwin Clark's call on Prof. Attahiru Jega to resign his appointment for refusing to agree to the postponement of this month's poll as “irresponsible.” Clark and some notable Nigerians had called for Jega's resignation on Thursday following the latter's insistence on conducting elections as scheduled. While speaking to our correspondent on the telephone in Ibadan yesterday, the former minister said by calling on Jega who is the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resign for insisting on conducting elections as scheduled, confirmed that Clark does not like

Bisi OLADELE, Ibadan Nigeria as he professes. He said “the call is a confirmation that President Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have a hidden agenda.” David-West further said: "Chief Edwin Clark's call for Prof. Jega's resignation is the most irresponsible demand. By his call, Clark has shown that he does not like this country. "The development is good for Nigeria. I thank God that what is happening is bringing new dynamics to Nigerian politics. This is the first time in the history of Nigerian politics that a government in power is afraid of election. It is a paradigm shift in the dynamics of Nigerian politics."

Boko Haram fighters flee Cameroon after attack

AMEROONIAN offi cials said yesterday that Boko Haram fighters who attacked a town in the far north killing nearly 100 people had retreated to Nigeria. Government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary said Cameroonian soldiers assisted by Chadian forces successfully chased hundreds of the extremists out of the town of Fotokol. However, the terrorists attacked a border town in Niger Republic, the second foreign country attacked by the group in one week. The Boko Haram’s assault inside Cameroon marked an escalation by Boko Haram. After being bombed out of several Nigerian towns, hundreds of Boko Haram fighters responded by attacking Fotokol in Cameroon, razing mosques and churches and warning Nigeria's neighbours not to join the battle against their insurgency. Last week, African leaders authorized a 7,500-strong force to fight the extremists, including pledges of troops from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin. The Bosso, Niger Republic

Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja attack came as regional leaders met for a second day in the Cameroonian capital to finalize plans for a coordinated military response to the terror group. On Wednesday and Thursday, Boko Haram fighters attacked a town inside Cameroon, leaving nearly 100 people dead and some 500 others wounded, according to Cameroonian officials. Abba Hassan, a pharmacist reached in Bosso, said other Boko Haram militants attacked the community early yesterday and that soldiers fought an hour-long battle with them that caused the Boko Haram members to withdraw, leaving the streets deserted. "Niger and Chadian planes are conducting surveillance at the moment in town and troops on the ground are combing through the streets," Hassan told The Associated Press by the phone. The region of Niger where the violence took place is an area where refugees already have arrived by the thousands, seeking safety from Boko Haram attacks elsewhere.

Elections ‘ll be free and fair, says Mark

RESIDENT of the Senate, David Mark, has said the forth coming elections will be free, fair and credible. He said the polls would be violence-free because “the government has put in place measures to ensure fairness.” Mark, who spoke while addressing youths from 102 wards across the nine local government areas comprising Benue South Senatorial District of Benue State, appealed to the youths across the country to be agents of peace, instead of taking to violence during the polls.

THE NATION, SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2015

TUNBA Iyiola Omisore,the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun State yesterday lost the plot to unseat the winner of that election, Governor Rauf Aregbesola. The State Election Petition Tribunal struck out Omisore’s petition by which he sought to have himself declared winner. The tribunal said the evidence presented before it by the petitioner was, at best, a hearsay. The tribunal chairman, Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime, in her eight-hour judgment affirmed Aregbesola's victory and declared that the petitioner and his party, the PDP, failed to prove their case convincingly that the election was characterized by fraud, irregularities, harassment and intimidation of voters on the day of election. The petitioners, she pointed out, even showed no proof of how voters were chased away from voting centres as they had alleged, and their allegation of multiple voting was unsubstantiated. She said they could not cite a single case of multiple voting during the cross examination of their witnesses. On the petitioners' allegation of the use of under aged persons by the APC to perpe-

Osun: Aregbesola floors Omisore at tribunal Governor: it’s triumph of people’s will

HE Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described as the triumph of the will and wishes of the people, the verdict of the Osun Election Petition Tribunal which awarded him victory. Aregbesola, in a swift reaction to the judgment, said in a sane society, his opponent in the August 9, 2014 governorship election, would not even approach the election tribunal because there was no redress to be sought in the first place. “It is pertinent to state here that ab initio, those who went to the tribunal knew that the petition lacked any substance whatsoever. It is a share waste of the time of the judiciary. And they knew”, he said. Aregbesola, in the statement made available by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon, congratulated the people of Osun on the victory, saying it is a confirmation of their dogged desire for good governance as demonstrated by the four years of the first term of his administration. Adesoji ADENIYI, Osogbo

trate electoral fraud, Justice Ikpejime said no one was mentioned as an under aged person before the tribunal. The tribunal referred to the results of the election in 17 local government areas of the state - Ayedaade, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Boripe, Ede North, Ede South, Ejigbo, Ifelodun, Ilesa

East, Ilesa West, Irepodun, Irewole, Iwo, Obokun, Olaoluwa, Olorunda, Oriade and Osogbo – which the petitioners wanted to be voided. It said although the petitioners brought 43 witnesses to push their case the tribunal, after a thorough scrutiny petitioners' prayers found their evidence lacking merit. Similarly dismissed as un-

COSEG, SWICO commend YCE for rejecting Jonathan HE Yoruba Council of

Elders (YCE) has been commended for saying openly that it had dissociated itself from the Afenifere’s endorsement of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. The Coalition of Oodua Self-determination Groups (COSEG) and the South West Independent Campaign Organisation (SWICO) praised the group’s doggedness in a statement issued in Lagos yesterday. The statement signed by Dayo Ogunlana, the Chairman of the COSEG, and Moses Olafare, the Director General of the SWICO, reads in part: “We view the desperate plan by Jonathan's regime to shift the dates of the 2015 elections as unnecessary and uncalled for since the only constitutionally recognised body in that regard, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has repeatedly maintained its readiness for the elections. “Surrogates of the president, led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), have not hidden their disdain for a sane democratic process in

their persistent calls for the postponement. “However, we must let the world know that those calling for the postponement of the elections are desperate political robbers, working for the presidency and should be held responsible if anything untoward should happen before, during and after the elections. “The call by some elders of the country, led by Chief Edwin Clark, Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Senator Femi Okunrounmu, for the arrest or resignation of the INEC boss, Prof. Attahiru Jega, is self-serving and diversionary. We are also alarmed that up till now, those threatening to make the country ungovernable, if one candidate loses are still not reprimanded by these highly compromised elders. Edwin Clark and his cohorts should tell the world the offence committed by Jega, aside that he has refused to join their call for postponement. “It is on this note that we

must salute the doggedness of the leadership of the Yoruba Council of Elders for dissociating self from the evil adoption of President Jonathan by the factionalised Afenifere. With this singular act, YCE has shown clearly that the interest of the people shall be sacrosanct to them, unlike those who are out to fend for themselves and their immediate families with the blood of the masses of the South West. “We are convinced that posterity will not forgive those renegades in Afenifere for their evil plot against the Yoruba. Those misleading our people to vote President Jonathan under the present condition in Nigeria must be living in the jungle as it is in no way hidden that Nigeria, under Jonathan, is badly run. Anybody canvassing for a man who has shown disdain for our people and neglected them all these while cannot be real leader or voice of Yoruba people. We cannot trust this Jonathan again.”

APGA promises good governance

HE All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has promised to establish good governance in Lagos State by giving dividends of democracy to the people if voted into power in the February 28 governorship election in the State. The gubernatorial canditate of the APGA in Lagos State, Prince Adeshina Olayokon, while addressing party supporters in Lagos yesterday said his party has a well entrenched grassroot presence that would make it spring suprises in the state in the coming elections as it is fielding

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candidates in all elections. He stated that the APGA is set to use its existing infrastructure, high population density and high talented human resources to establish good governance in Lagos State, asserting that the question of faction in Lagos State chapter of the APGA had been laid to rest and the only recognized gubernatorial candidate of the party who is duly recognized by the INEC was his humble self, who also doubles as the state Chairman of the party. Describing the APGA as a beautiful bride as the politics

of Lagos State is concerned, Prince Olayokun said the party is well embraced all over major areas in Lagos State by the Ibo communities, as well as other tribes as it was evident by their choice of candidates cutting across all tribes. He said the APGA has made tremendous and wonderful progress in some states of the federation which include Zamfara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo, Anambra, Abia, Imo and Lagos, urging all members to join the campaign to sensitize Lagosians to vote for the APGA in the coming elections.

“We must salute the courage of our people that in the face of overwhelming intimidation, harassment of unimaginable proportion, they stood by their government and ensured reelection. This is a further affirmation of the fact that any government that makes the people the centre of its policies will always find the people solidly behind it,” he said. Governor Aregbesola further re-assured the people that his government would not relent in its zeal to make Osun the hub of the most profitable commercial centre, not only in the South-West, but in Nigeria as a whole. “Our target is to make this small corner of the earth a centre of reference in all that is great and elegant. The history of our place tells us that civilization was not alien to us and that indeed, our people were epitome of innovation, technology, industry and enterprise. “We must revamp this and make our people proud again among other nations of the world,” he concluded

true was the claim by the petitioners that duplicate copies of Forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C and EC8D used during the election were not signed and

stamped. Justice Ikpejime then struck out the petition and upheld the declaration of Aregbesola by the INEC as

winner of the poll with 394,688 votes against Omisore's 292,747 votes. The court room was filled to the brim by chieftains of the PDP and APC while security in and around the premises was tight. The proceeding commenced at 9. 00 am and ended at about 5.00 pm. As news of the judgment spread, residents of Osogbo, the state capital, trooped out in their thousands in jubilation. Not even the downpour that followed could stop them. Major streets, including Oke-fia, Olaiya Junction, Gbongan Road, Oja-Oba, Ayetoro and other parts of the town, were jampacked by people jubilating over the court’s verdict. They were soon joined by Governor Aregbesola and other chieftains of the party in a victory parade round the town.

Boko Haram: Nigeria, Chad end ILITARY delegations parley in Abuja from Nigeria and

Chad yesterday concluded a bilateral meeting to review the progress of the ongoing counter terrorism campaign being conducted in the Lake Chad Basin area. The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, made the disclosure in a statement last night. The statement said: "The forum noted with satisfaction, the recent successes in the various fronts of the operations and resolved on additional

Yusuf ALLI, Managing Editor, Northern Operation measures to sustain the momentum of the campaign. "They also resolved to enhance established structures for the coordination and logistics of the combined operations towards a speedy defeat of terror in the region. "The bilateral forum where the Nigerian military delegation led by Air Chief Marshal

Alex Badeh and the Chadian's led by Major General Brahim Mahamat discussed details of the ongoing onslaught on terrorism is a follow-up to an earlier one held last month. "The two countries are currently involved along with others in military operations aimed at stamping out the activities of terrorists who have constituted a menace to security in the entire region."

THE NATION,

News

RESIDENTIAL flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is appalled that neighbouring Chad and Cameroun are turning out to be more successful at the battle front against Boko Haram than Nigeria.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 Nigeria’s poor performance,he says,is a disgrace. “It’s a big disgrace for Nigeria. It is now Cameroon and Chad fighting the insurgency more than Nigeria. We will build the capacity and Nigeria should be able to secure its territorial integrity,” Buhari told Reuters.

‘Why Jonathan wants shift in poll dates’ •Continued from Page 3 “The Security Chiefs were unanimous in their advice to the Council that it will be impossible for now for them to guarantee security of electoral materials, INEC Staff, and the voting population in the areas currently engulfed by the war against insurgency,” Okupe added. The President’s aide stated further that some opinions were proffered that elections may be allowed to hold on the February 14 in the 32 states not affected by the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign; while local elections may thereafter hold in those areas after the security situation would have improved. He continued: “The President made it clear that he cannot in good conscience endorse an electoral arrangement where people from a section of the country would be excluded from the electoral process, due to no fault of theirs, or by virtue of just being unfortunate residents of an area under siege of terrorism. “According to Mr President, this situation will tend to confirm the deliberate falsehood already being propagated in some parts of the country that he was encouraging the war in the North East to ensure that voters in the APC states of the North East were not allowed to vote in the 2015 elections. “The final conclusion was that INEC should in view of the several submissions made in the Council by the former presidents, state governors and the security agencies, go and consult further after which they should communicate their decisions to the Nigerian people on the suitability or otherwise of the February 14thand 28th dates. “For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerians are hereby re-assured that there has never been, and never shall be any plan to cancel the 2015 elections, for any reasons whatsoever. “It will not happen, and the May 29th date for the swearing-in is sacrosanct. All talks about interim government arrangement is pure fiction. “The consideration behind the possibility of change of date is to allow those who may be disfranchised from voting on the 14th February to have an opportunity to exercise their lawful rights to vote and participate in the general elections. “The new wave of successes being recorded by the military in the war against insurgency, especially with the arrival of new effective combatant equipment and machinery, plus the newly revamped cross-border co-operation with Niger, Chad and Cameroonian military, offer a very genuine hope that in a very short while, the situation in the affected states will be brought under such reasonable control that will guaran-

tee safety of the electoral process and electorate in the war front region of the North–East at a no distant future.” The Presidency insisted that the only set of people who stand to benefit from a shift in election dates are Nigerians who desire to vote and have not been able to collect their permanent voters cards (PVCs) and other innocent citizens living in the war zone who may not be able to vote on the 14th February. The President’s aide recalled that in 2003, 2007 and 2011, the elections were held in April, and the hand-over date was not affected. He challenged the opposition to tell Nigerians in clear terms what dangers the change of date from February 14th portends to the electoral process or to the Nigerian electorate. “It will also be good if the opposition tells us who stands to benefit or be disadvantaged from any shifting of date and how. “This administration remains committed to a transparent, credible all inclusive free and fair elections, and will ensure that it employs all powers available to it to guarantee that this happens without any infringement on our sacred constitutional provisions,” Okupe stated.

It’s a disgrace that neighbours must take on Boko Haram –Buhari Troops from neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon, all much smaller and poorer than Nigeria, have been battling the terrorists who have seized territory in Borno State. Niger Republic said yesterday its troops killed 109 Boko Haram fighters in an attempted attack on Bosso close to the border with Nigeria. The attack was repelled. Buhari said that he was com-

mitted to using the courts if there are irregularities in the voting, and would not call his followers into the streets. “I’m optimistic that I won’t lose. But we signed an undertaking that it will be violence free,” Buhari said. “We are attempting to stabilise a multi party democratic system.” Buhari’s party,APC, insists that this month’s elections should proceed as scheduled

,saying the only reason the pro-Jonathan camp is pushing for a delay is that it knows he will lose if voting goes ahead now. “There will be no delay. But if INEC is compromised then it will be too bad,” said Buhari. Buhari said his administration also intends to tackle corruption within the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC) and plans to reopen

an investigation into missing crude revenues of around $20 billion. He would also tackle the theft of crude tapped from pipelines in the Niger River delta. “Our main objective is to secure the country. We will not tolerate insurgency, sabotage of the economy by the blowing up of installations, by stealing crude and so on.... All these things will be things of the past.”

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, delivering President Goodluck Jonathan’s condolence message to the family of the late Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas in Lagos yesterday. With him are (from left) Mr. Hakeem Alobo-Bakare (son-in-law); Mr. Ayodeji Okoya-Thomas (son); Mr. Ayo Iroche, and Mr. Ibikunle Taiwo (son-in-law).

Mbu cautions officers on use of force

OLICE officers in Lagos and Ogun states have been warned to comply with the force’s standard operational guidelines on elections and minimize the use of force on civilians. The Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone II, Lagos, Mr Joseph Mbu gave the admonition at the commencement of a two-day workshop for Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in the zone aimed at securing the general elections. Mbu who said the workshop was the third phase of an elaborate programme of training and sensitization put together, to make police officers aware of their roles and responsibilities in the forthcoming elections, noted that it was also an opportunity to acquaint his personnel with relevant applicable laws and statutes that empower them to ensure effective and efficient discharge of their duties. He reiterated the commitment of the police to ensure safety and security across the nation before, during and after the elections, urging his men to see the use of force as the last resort, bearing in mind the need to respect human rights. “In the final stage of the programme, each one of you is to return to your respective Area Commands

Precious IGBONWELUNDU and Ebele BONIFACE and Divisions and lecture your subordinates. The intention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is to ensure that the knowledge you have obtained,flows down to all officers to be deployed on election duties. “The NPF is the lead secu-

rity agency in charge of maintenance of internal security; this must be guarded with all diligence. The implication of this is that all other security agencies that are to be involved in securing the elections are doing so in support of the Force. “This onerous responsibility therefore requires

that every police officer displays the highest order of professionalism in the discharge of their duties. “The workshop will contribute immensely to empowering officers with the knowledge required to perform at their best before, during and after the elections, and should therefore be taken with all seri-

ousness,” he said. Mbu further directed that all the participants at the workshop should through their Commissioners of Police (CPs), ensure they submit reports of lectures conducted for their subordinates as fallout of the knowledge they garnered from the exercise.

Ajimobi inaugurates NYSC orientation camp

O V E R N O R AbiolaAjimobi of Oyo State yesterday inaugurated the newly-constructed NYSC orientation camp in Iseyin. The governor performed the inauguration of the camp as part of his campaign tour of the OkeOgun zone of the state. It would be recalled that National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) in the state had been operating its orientation camp from a temporary site for over 20 years before the advent

of the present administration. While inaugurating the project, Ajimobi rated said the orientation camp epitomized the quality of his administration, adding that the dualized Iseyin township road would also be inaugurated very soon. In her response, the state coordinator of NYSC, Mrs. Funmilayo Akin-Moses commended the various achievements of the governor, particularly in the education sector.

The governor, while addressing a crowd of All Progressives’ Congress(APC) faithful at the campaign ground, said that his administration had done a lot for the people of Iseyin through political appointments and massive infrastructural development. Governor Ajimobi had earlier held a meeting with stakeholders and religious leaders at the secretariat of Iseyin Local Government ,

where he sought for continued unity and peaceful co-existence among all religious adherents, stressing that his administration would not tolerate politics of bitterness, deceit and character assassination. At the palace of Sabiganna of Iganna, Oba Muhammed SoliuOyemonla commended Ajimobi for the administrative wizardry which he had exhibited in the development of the state.

I did not shun workers’ debate—Kwara gov

G O V E R N O R Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has denied reports in a section of the media that he shunned a debate organised by the State Joint Labour Congress yesterday in Ilorin. Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr.MuyideenAkorede,

Ahmed said on the contrary, he was unable to participate in the debate due to his attendance at the National Council of State meeting which held in Abuja on Thursday. Ahmed said he informed the Chairman of the state council of Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) Comrade Umar Farouk of his inability to attend the event be-

fore his departure for Abuja to attend the crucial meeting, which discussed vital issues of national interest. He commended Kwara labour leaders for organizing the debate as part of their contribution to the development of the nation’s democracy, adding that he would continue to hold the leadership and

membership of the state labor unions in high esteem as partners in development. He expressed his willingness to engage with the workers as part of a series of stakeholder meetings he intends to hold to deepen his administration’s engagement with the public in line with its commitment to transparency and accountability to the people.

THE NATION SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

NEWS

Jonathan demands six-week shift •Continued from Page 3

•Locally made improvised explosive device uncovered by Adamawa Police Command on Friday in Yola Photo: NAN

Feb 14 polls: Kogi youths vow to deliver 92% votes to Buhari •Say debate snub not a weakness A HEAD of the February 14th presidential election, Kogi Youths Arise Group (KYAG) has vowed to deliver over 92 per cent of the votes in the state to the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential aspirant, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The group disclosed this yesterday at the official launching of the group and the donation of campaign materials to further stamp the authority of its presidential aspirant in the state and effectively deliver its message to all homes. Speaking on behalf of the group, one its state coordinator, Comrade Adesayo Ismail said the group has members across the 21 local governments in the state with the aim of canvassing support for Buhari. His words: "our agenda for now is to make sure that Gen. Muhammadu Buhari wins election in Kogi state beyond 90 per cent. Initially people have been saying the target was 75 per cent, but as at today we can boast of 82 per cent, we have to surpass that, that is the reason why this group is on. We will deliver over 92 per cent of our votes to Gen. Buhari" Ismail revealed that the group was duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and vowed that; "henceforth, we shall be a voice in who rules in this country start-

Gbenga OMOKHUNU, Abuja

ing from Gen. Buhari and we shall be a voice in the 25 constituencies of whoever represents Kogi state and we shall be a voice on who becomes the governor of Kogi state in October 2015 when Kogi state election will be conducted" He noted that the call for a presidential debate at this hour was an act of desperation on the part of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stressing that PDP as a party as never believes in a debate. "Remember in 1999, the two presidential candidates were Chief Olu Falae and Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, a debate has to be between two persons, Falae was the only person who appeared and entertained questions." "In 2011, the general debate that was organized, President Jonathan refused to attend, the one he attended was organized by one organization and the credibility of that particular one was in doubt." "It is just desperation, a party that has never believe in debate, we know it was just a believe that it will be an opportunity for them to talk against our presidential candidate," Ismail added. Earlier, the sponsor of the project, Alhaji Yahaya Bello said it was obvious that the

clarion call for change across the nation could not have come at a better time than now when the country is bedeviled with an avalanche of problems ranging from failing economy, diminishing value of naira, insurgency, growing poverty among others. He stated that, with effect from May 29, 2015, the government of Buhari on the platform of APC is poised to address all these problems and implement the party manifesto with the aim of giving Nigerians a new lease of life. Yahaya noted that, "come February 14, we must all rise through the use of our PVC and tell PDP government at the centre that 16 years of inept administration is enough and we cannot afford to go through another four years of poor leadership that will bring more hardship to the majority of the people as sadly witnessed especially in the last six years of his administration." He emphasized that the positive change being clamored for was not about Buhari as an individual but about Nigeria where everyone has a stake, while urging its members to be very vigilant and avoid or resist violence of any form. Campaign materials distributed among others include: four new buses, posters, T-shits and caps.

Police, army recover 19 IEDs in Adamawa T

HE police and the army in Adamawa state yesterday recovered 19 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in Song Local Government area of Adamawa state. The police said the have IEDs were intended for attacks on several public structures in the state,the most prominent being the River Benue Bridge,Jimeta. Police Commissioner Gabriel Adaji told reporters that the IEDs

Barnabas MANYAM, Yola

were 99% ready for detonation at the time of their recovery. Adaji displayed the items which he said belonged to Boko Haram. The IEDs,according to him,were primed to cause maximum havoc in the state. He said that a good citizen tipped off the police about the suspicious movement of some strange people in the

mountainous areas of Song local government area. He said the police and soldiers immediately moved to the area and recovered the IEDs. However, no arrest was made. Mr. Adaji said the IEDs recovery saved the State from a catastrophe and possibly the worst explosion ever in the Northeast since the commenvement of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Compared with the 2011 general elections, for instance, our systems are definitely more robust now. “Among others, we have greatly improved register of voters, having removed over four million multiple registrants; voters will use PVCs; and accreditation using card readers will reduce the likelihood of fraud. “Consequently, although our state of preparedness may not be 100 per cent or perfect, and although a bit more time of additional preparation would enable us improve and perfect the current level of preparedness, we believe that we’re ready for the elections as planned.” But Jega added a caveat that INEC had no choice but to appreciate certain developments beyond its control. He said: “However, we also believe that it is necessary to take into context the things outside the control of the Commission, such as: the attitude of politicians, political parties, candidates and voters; and significantly, security for election personnel, materials and voters, especially in areas under insurgency, which only the appropriate authorities can definitely speak on. “No matter the extent of our readiness, if there are serious security concerns, the successful conduct of free, fair, credible and peaceful elections would be greatly jeopardised. INEC has been working with these authorities, especially under the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) but our concerns have not been assuaged. “I am sure that this august body will also be apprised of the security situation for the elections by the responsible authorities.” The INEC chairman also gave insights into the preparation for the election, including the distribution of permanent voter cards, procurement of ballot papers and other non-sensitive materials. He said: “We have had to procure additional ballot boxes for the 2015 general elections. We have planned to use three separate ballot boxes for February 14 elections, one each for the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections; and two ballot boxes on February 28, one each for the governorship and state House of Assembly elections. Virtually all these have been delivered to the states, who are busy distributing them to INEC LGA offices. “We have also, since the middle of December 2014, finalised arrangements for the production of ballot papers and result sheets. Indeed, deliveries of these have commenced on schedule and the deadline for deliveries of all the sensitive materials is February 10 (for the last batch of elections scheduled for February 28).” He also said since 65 per cent of the PVCs had been collected, Nigerians can go to poll. Jega said: “As at February 3, 2015, out of the 66,323,850 Permanent Voters Cards already taken to the states for distribution, a total of 45,098,876 or 65.81% of the total have been collected by voters. Thus, about 34% of the PVCs are yet to be collected. “Our initial methodology for distribution of PVCs, given budgeting constraints, was to distribute PVCs at the polling unit level, where registration took place, for three days at the end of which the remaining PVCs were taken to INEC LGA offices from where voters, who could not collect, would be able to collect them until January 31, 2015. “Evidently, many voters did not, or could not, collect at the INEC LGA offices. “There are a couple of key questions to address: first, should INEC not conduct elections until every registered voter has collected his/her card? It is virtually impossible for every registered voter to collect his card (ill-health, travel, apathy, indolence, death, etc) “Second what rate or percentage of collection is acceptable for an election to take place (51%, 75%; 90+ %)? In this case, whatever percentage is agreed upon, it would imply that a date for the election could not be fixed until it is attained. “Our assumption is that since in the recent verifiable electoral history of our country, voter turnout in any election has never come close to 65%, PVC collection rate of this irreducible minimum percentage point would or should be acceptable for the conduct of elections. More so because by the scheduled first date of the 2015 general elections, i.e. February 14, the rate of PVC collection would have by far exceeded this. In any case, the commission would appreciate advice on this matter.” On the use of Temporary Voter Cards, Jega explained why it is difficult for the nation to revert to the method. Jega added: There have been demands that the Commission should revert to the use of Temporary Voters Cards (TVCs) issued during the 2011 registration and the subsequent Continuous Voters Registration (CVR). The

TVCs have no chips and therefore cannot be verified/authenticated by the CRs. “Also, there are more than four million cases of multiple registration; people with TVCs, who have been removed from the certified Register of Voters for the 2015 elections. “Once the use of TVCs is allowed, many of these would inundate polling units on Election Day; their names will not be in the register, and they would start agitation that they have been ‘disenfranchised’, as was the case during the Anambra State governorship election in November 2013. “In any case, people who collected PVCs no longer have TVCs because they used them to exchange for PVCs. Additionally, a high percentage of voters had to use the attestation forms provided to collect their PVCs due to loss of TVCs on account of floods, insurgency, etc. Meanwhile, Jega last night invited all chairmen and secretaries of political parties to a meeting on Saturday. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said: “On Thursday, February 5, 2015, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, was invited to brief the National Council of States (NCS) on the preparedness of INEC to conduct the 2015 general elections. He made a presentation titled “Preparations for the 2015 General Elections: Progress Report.’ The National Security Adviser (NSA) and Armed Services Chiefs also briefed the Council on the current security situation. “As a follow-up to that meeting, the Commission has scheduled a consultative meeting with chairmen and secretaries of all registered political parties, as well as a meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Saturday, February 7, 2015. “Thereafter, the Commission will address a press conference to brief the nation on its decision with regard to whether or not the general elections will hold as currently scheduled. “ Although the statement was silent on the agenda, it was gathered that four issues might be considered. • The issues are as follows: Should the poll timeline be extended by six or three/four weeks • What rate of percentage is acceptable to conduct the election(51%,75% and 90+% • To use PVCs or TVCs • Security threats A National Commissioner said: “We are closer to postponement because Jega and his team’s hands are already tied. We cannot go ahead with the general election without security. “When we had full security complement in 2011, more than 11 corps members were killed. If we go ahead with the poll, who will protect the ballot process in a nation prone to political violence. “We have been boxed into a corner because all the service chiefs said they cannot provide security for the general election based on certain indices at their disposal.” Investigation however revealed that the poll shift may be Jega’s undoing as some hawks have plotted a Plan B to force him to proceed on terminal leave from March in preparation for his exit on June 13. A highly-placed source said: “Once INEC yields to a six-week poll shift, Jega may be on his way out because by March, he is expected to proceed on terminal leave preparatory to his exit as the commission’s chairman on June 13. “So, you can see that INEC is really in a culde-sac. Either way, the forces against INEC are overwhelming.” The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who spoke with our correspondent last nigh, said: “We will attend the meeting convened by INEC but we have our fears and suspicions because everything seems to have been primed.” Only on Thursday, the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, led by Chief Edwin Clark, called for the resignation and arrest of Prof. Jega for allegedly conniving with Northern leaders to rig Jonathan out during the February polls. Clark, with whom were Dr. Walter Ofonagoro, Dr.Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Dr. Femi Okurounmu, also demanded the postponement of the elections. The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday responded to the Clark group’s position, describing it as one of the new antics of the election postponement campaigners. ''Who does not know that wherever President Goodluck Jonathan's interest lies, therein you will find Chief Edwin Clark, whether or not it is in the national interest? Who does not know that the anarchic call by Chief Clark and his cohorts are being made at the behest of a frenzied presidency?'' the APC asked in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Fresh crisis hits Edo PDP •Youths seal party's secretariat over N1.2bn alleged rally funds

n Osagie OTABOR and Ben OGBEMUDIA, Benin n fresh crisis has hit the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over alleged non-disbursement of funds made available to the chapter for last Thursday's presidential campaign rally in the state. Youths, numbering over 200, stormed the party's secretariat along Sapele road in Benin City and sealed it up to protest the failure of the party leadership to pay them for their presence at the Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, venue of the campaign rally. The youths, under the auspices of Grassroots Youth Initiative (GYI), caused heavy traffic on the highway, as they blocked the party's gate, demanding for their share of the N1.2bn provided for the rally by the presidency. It was learnt that the protesters took to the streets after they allegedly refused the N20,000 offered to them last night. They specifically mentioned the Edo State Director General of President Jonathan Campaign Organization, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as being responsible for keeping the money meant for them. The youths carried placards bearing inscriptions, such as "PDP pay us our money" and "Our youth must grow". The National President of GYI, Osarobo Idahosa, said he was part of the campaign planning committee in the state, but was surprised that only N20,000 was given to him to pay thousands of youths mobilized for the rally. Idahosa said he personally mobilised youths to the stadium, but was not paid any money. Another protester, who gave his name as Cromwell Aigbona, said, "It is a new time and a new dawn. It is time our leaders recognized that there are youths in the state. We will not be used and dumped. The time has come for the youth to say no to use and dump. We want transparency. "Our money has not been given to us. That is why we are here. We want to tell the leaders of PDP that we want to move on." A PDP leader, who pleaded anonymity, alleged that the protest was sponsored by a former governorship candidate of the party and founder of Goodluck to Goodluck, Gen Charles Airhiavbere. He said, "The money was shared to all the leaders. IzeIyamu is not concerned about this money. This protest is because of one person within the party. Airhiavbere paid and sponsored this protest," he alleged. However, while reacting to the allegation, Airhiavbere said, "It is not true. They should address their problems." Pastor Ize-Iyamu, however, accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) for sponsoring the protest because of the crowd that attended the presidential rally. Ize-Iyamu denied collecting N1.2bn for the rally and said what was spent on the rally was less than what the APC spent on its own rally. "We have never seen that kind of a crowd at a rally. We are optimistic that this will translate to votes for us on February 14. "The APC was terrified about the rally attendance. The story of N1.2bn is another lie from the APC camp. The money that came for the rally was pittance. We want to assure the youths that the disinformation was to cause disarray in our ranks. The protest was inflamed by the disinformation from the APC."

Man held for making love to 98-year old granmas •Another paraded for raping 50-yr-old woman 57-year old man, Anselm Osagie, has been arrested for having unlawful carnal knowledge with a 98-year old woman. He was alleged to have committed the offence on January 3rd, 2015. The victim is said to be the mother of the suspect’s landlord.. Anselm, who denied the allegation, said a co-tenant who saw the old woman sitting on his bed while he laid down raised the alarm. He said the old woman has been coming to his room since October last year. The suspect, who was paraded alongside 43 other suspects, said he was beaten and accused of making love to an old woman before the police arrested him. Also paraded was one Famous Aibangbe who raped a 50-year old woman inside a bush at Upper Sakponba. A fake journalist, who

n Osagie OTABOR, Benin n posed as a reporter with the Voice of America and Voice of Germany, Yakubu Farouk, was also paraded. He was arrested after interviewing the head of Hausa community in the state. Farouk said he studied mass communication at the Benue State Polytechnic and was earlier sacked for embezzling N300,000 belonging to his former employer. Police Commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, said the suspects would soon be charged to court. Adebanjo, who is heading to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, said his two-year stewardship in the state has witnessed adequate policing across the state. He listed the achievements recorded to include the reduction in bank robberies and drastic reduction in kidnap cases.

•Large crowd of women who attended the APC Women rally at Owerri...yesterday

Asari Dokubo, other ex-militants join Jonathan’s campaign train in Bayelsa •President slams anti-Dickson groups RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan campaign train, on Friday, stormed Bayelsa State, the president home state, with several former Niger Delta militants on hand to rally support for his re-election bid. The rally, which held at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex in Yenagoa, witnessed a large turn-out of party supporters. The crowd went into frenzy, as they cheered for former Niger Delta militant leader, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who rode past earlier on the top of a dark Mercedes Benz 4x4, stretching his fist out of his white robe in a power salute. Meanwhile, thousands of supporters, wearing the red and green of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) cheered as Jonathan took the stage after hours of dancing to singers and a live band."I know you love me and I love you," Jonathan told the roaring crowd, before adding, "I will make sure that everybody, in one way or another, tastes the fruits of democracy." President Jonathan came down hard on persons and establishments, who he accused of working against the administration of the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, saying that persons opposing Dickson are his enemies. He said: "Those who don't like the governor (Dickson) don't like me because I am working with the governor. I have read stories. Some people are coming to spoil your minds. "If you don't like the leadership that we put in place, then you don't like me. So, don't allow people to spoil your minds. I have noticed that you young people, 0.4 per cent of you who are here have been instigated by people who don't like us. "But I am telling you that you must work with the governor of this state for

n Mike ODIEGWU, Yenagoa n you to benefit. We are together, we work together to bring dividends of democracy to this state. "Don't allow anybody to deceive you. I am telling you as your brother. I am telling you as your uncle. You must work with the government to make sure that we develop this state. You have to work with us." The president was apparently reacting to the attitude of a section of the crowd allegedly sponsored by anti-Dickson's camp. The camp continually booed the governor on different occasions during the rally. Even as the president spoke about his cordial relationship with the governor, the crowd intermittently punctured his speech with hate chants against Governor Dickson. Investigations revealed that most of the persons who booed the governor were bearing banners and campaign posters depicting the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN). It was gathered that the development was part of the alleged plot by TAN and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to use political thugs to humiliate Dickson at the rally. But Jonathan, in his speech, disappointed the crowd who waited for him to reel out his achievements in the state in the past four years. Instead, he said: "We have done a number of things which I would not like to bore you with. We will do more. I know you like and love me and I like and love you too." He said he was not in the state to campaign, but to thank the people for supporting all his political aspirations from the state to the federal level. Trouble started for Governor Dickson, when as the host, he climbed the podium

to deliver his welcome address. Hardly had he started speaking than a section of the crowd, in a rehearsed manner, shouted him down, with some telling him to shut up. Dickson, who said the rally was a homecoming for the president, continued with his speech as the crowd grew in their unruly behaviour. As the thugs persisted in their booing, the governor urged the president not to join issues with people who brought rented crowd to the rally to actualise their selfish interest, and restated his support for the President, and asked him not to have sleepless nights about the support of voters in the state. But while the governor and his wife, Rachel, recognized the First Lady in their order of protocol and poured encomiums on her, Mrs. Jonathan refused to recognize them in her order of protocol. Dickson and the First Lady have been at daggers' drawn over the latter's alleged plot to undermine the governor and unseat him, allegedly using TAN as a platform. In her speech, the First Lady called on women in the state to support her husband, recalling that when her husband was in the state as a governor, he carried all the women along. Earlier in his speech, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, alluding to a chieftaincy title conferred on him by the state council of chiefs, referred to the election as war and said they would win the battle. "We will fight the war and we will win the war. Mr. President has not failed us. He has transformed Nigeria and we now have the largest economy in Africa," he said. Asari Dokubo and several other former militant leaders, including Tompolo, Kuku and Boyloaf among others, at a recent meeting in Yenagoa, threatened to go to war and make a return to the days of militancy if Jonathan does not get a second term.

DSS arrests, releases Sylva over threat to First Lady PERATIVES of the Department of State Service (DSS) on Friday arrested a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva, in Abuja for unclear offences. Curiously, Sylva was picked up on the day President Goodluck Jonathan with his campaign team was in Bayelsa State for a presidential rally. Sylva is the leader of the All

n Mike ODIEGWU, Yenagoa n Progressive Congress (APC) in the state. A DSS source, however, said the governor was only invited for questioning and was later released. He said the invitation would have been in connection with the series of threats by some youth groups to publicly disgrace the First Lady, Dame Patience at the

rally. Youth groups under the aegis of the Bayelsa Youth Vanguard (BYV) and Mangrove Boys of Bayelsa (MBB) had threatened on different occasions to deal with Mrs. Jonathan if she accompanied her husband to the rally. The both predicated their stance on the meddling of Mrs. Jonathan in Bayelsa politics, undermining and plotting to unseat Governor

Seriake Dickson. A source from the Aso Rock Villa hinted that the security agencies where working on the theory that the opposition was behind the groups. The source who pleaded anonymity said: "They are of the opinion that the real intention of persons behind the threats is to embarrass the President and give the world the impression that even at home Jonathan is not wanted.

NEWS

THE NATION, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Jonathan does not deserve second term, says group

Anambra community pledges support for Ngige, APC

n Nicholas KALU, Calabar n

n Nwanosike ONU, Awka n HE re -election bid of Senator Chris Ngige for the Anambra central zone senatorial seat received a major boost yesterday when the people of Umuoji, in Idemili North Local Government Area, assured him of their support. Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State, is seeking re-election into the senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The people gave the assurance when Ngige visited them in continuation of his campaign tour of the state. In his speech, the former President- General of Umuoji Improvement Union (UIU), Chief Obi Onwuachu, said that the community would continue to support Ngige and continue to deliver their votes for him for the good works he did in the town during his time as governor and as a senator. Onwuachu said Ngige endeared himself to the people with his laudable programmes, especially the distribution of transformers in all the communities in the zone and his scholarship scheme to secondary and tertiary students. Speaking in similar vein, an APC chieftain in Umuoji, Chief Okey Obadike, commended Senator Ngige for what he described as his excellent performance in the senate. Addressing the crowd, Ngige commended the community for their support and pledged to attract more constituency projects to the zone if he wins the election. Before his visit to the community, Ngige had audience with the Catholic Laity Council, where he said that Umuoji had supported him in his political carrier, promising to always deliver the dividence of democracy to the people.

•Former governor of Anambra State and the Deputy Director-General of the PDP National Campaign Council, Mr. Peter Obi ( right), with Mr. Mitchell Toomey, Director, UN Millennium Campaign, who paid him a courtesy visit in his Abuja home, for coming first in the implementation of the UN millennium goals during his tenure as governor.

South East women march for Buhari •Salvage Nigeria, APC candidate’s wife tells Igbo women EVERAL of thousands of women on Friday, trooped out in Owerri, Imo State capital, as part of a programme organized by the All Progressives Congress (APC) South East Women Mobilisation, to drum up support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress in the February 14 general elections, General Muhhamadu Buhari. In her address to the women, wife of the presidential candidate of the APC, Hajia Aisha Buhari, has called on Nigerian women to work for the unity of the country. Hajia Buhari, supported by the wife of the vice presidential candidate of the APC, Oludolapo Osinbanjo, spoke

• Continued from back page traditional photographs and signed autographs. The tape of Codjia’s show-of-shame in favour of the Tunisians must be in CAF’s archives. I wish CAF chiefs could show the Tunisians the tape to show them how their fans misbehaved during the game. The fans had whistles, which they blew to confuse our players. Aside, these fans had laser torchlight, which they flashed into the eyes of the Nigerian players during the better-to-be-forgotten game. Indeed, each time a corner kick was to be taken, the rays from several torch lights which the fans hit the eyes of the Eagles goalkeeper. It was part of their ploy to score a goal as the game went through its course. I still feel that the penalty kick which Osaze Odemwingie lost was because of the tense atmosphere inside the stadium and the unsportsmanlike conduct of the home fans using their whistles, cat calls etc to distract him. If Nigeria hadn’t sent home Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Victor Agali and Celestine Babayaro for indiscipline, Eagles would have won the game because these three lads would have ignored the fans’ antics to score their penalty kicks, like Okocha did. Nigeria lost the game on penalties. Most of us (Nigerians) in the stadium were ironically happy that the Eagles lost because that was the reason why we left the premises without injuries and even deaths. Yes, it would have been that serious, given what we faced entering the stadium and what we encountered in the course of the game, starting with the Tunisia FA chiefs’ refusal to play our correct national anthem. Many people argued that the act of

n Okodili NDIDI, Owerri n yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, during the South East APC zonal rally, held at the Dan Anyiam Stadium. In her speech, she enjoined the crowd of APC women to support the change that will midwife a new Nigeria, where she said the Nigerian women will have a feel of what governance is all about. She stated that for a new Nigeria to be actualized, the people should vote for the APC, assuring that once this is done, they would know that they have played a prominent part in the salvation of Nigeria.

Mrs.Buhari, who was given the Ibo name Ogechi, meaning God’s time, harped on the need for the unity of the country at all time, adding that, “we are one in this country and we should work together irrespective of religion or ethnic differences.” Urging support for the reelection of Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, and other APC candidates, she charged the women to return to their communities and mobilize for the party. Also addressing the women, the Imo State First Lady and Zonal Leader South East Campaign Initiative, Nneoma Okorocha, described women as agents of change, noting that change

revolves around them as home builders. She urged the women in South East to give massive support for the APC presidential candidate, adding that the change has started in Imo State and will spread to other parts of the zone. According to her, the emergence of Buhari as the nation’s president will restore the economy and security of the country. In his remarks, Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, described Buhari as a great and disciplined Nigerian who is poised to end corruption. He added that, “when Buhari takes over as president, criminals will flee the country.”

A bad dream playing the wrong anthem was a ploy to insult out sensibilities since we had played three group matches and a quarter-final game in the competition before the Tunisian tie. For the Tunisians, all was fair in warfare. Rightly so, Nigeria protested to CAF on two grounds; the organiser’s refusal to play our national anthem and the Tunisians’ conduct before, during and after the game. Nothing happened from CAF; nor was there any apology for not playing our national anthem. The referee (Codjia) continued handling matches until he retired, despite that ignoble penalty that helped the hosts tie the game against Nigeria. If you ask me, it serves the Tunisians right, what happened to them in the game against Equatorial Guinea. When referee Cudjia favoured them 11 years ago, the Tunisians called it human error and celebrated. I wonder why they are not seeing the referee’s decision now as a human mistake. Different strokes, you may say, dear reader. Recall again in 2006 AFCON semi-final in Egypt where the hosts locked horns with Senegal. No prize for guessing who the hosts were. The Egypt versus Senegal game had a Cameroonian referee Divine Evehe, who overruled himself after pointing to the penalty spot for a kick to be taken against the hosts Egypt. It was a blatant foul play on Senegal’s Diomansy Camara in the dying minutes of the game with scores at 1-1. Egypt eventually won the game 2-1. So, why are the Tunisians trying to make what happened to them in Equatorial Guinea look like a deliberate attack on them?

Expectedly, CAF’s disciplinary board has fined Tunisia $50,000 for “insolent, aggressive and unacceptable behaviour of the players and officials of the Tunisian team” during the quarter-final match against host country Equatorial Guinea. They will also pay for the damaged property at the Estadio de Bata last Saturday. CAF ordered Tunisia to send a letter of apology, or provide evidence of the unfairness of CAF and their officials, before midnight Thursday. Failure to do so will lead to additional sanctions, including a possible ban from the 2017 Cup of Nations, according to the communiqué to the Tunisia FA. But the Tunisians refused to apologise. The world is watching to see what CAF chieftains will do to the Tunisians. CAF also condemned the conduct of Tunisian Football Federation President Wadie Jary, who entered the pitch to criticise the referee. Perhaps the difference between what happened in 2004 and 2006 is that the Referees’ Committee of CAF has suspended Seechum Rajindrapasard for six months, following his shambolic handling of the quarter-final game between hosts Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia. The decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting held at the CAF headquarters in Bata, Equatorial Guinea on the 2nd February, 2015, where the CAF Referees Committee reviewed the performance of the referee. The Referees Committee noted with regret the poor performance of the referee, including an unacceptable failure to maintain calm and ensure proper control of the players during the

socio-political organization, the Southern Nigeria Peoples Mandate (SNPM) has said President Goodluck Jonathan has failed Nigerians and does not deserve another term in office. The group, made up of Concerned South-South Movement (CSSM), South West Business League (SWBL), South East Peoples Agenda (SEPA) and Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF), in a communique signed by their president, Augustine Chibudum, made available to The Nation in Calabar, said, “We gathered to review the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan and recent happenings in the country, especially as it affects the people of southern Nigeria, and a unanimous votes of no confidence, necessitated by his failure to fulfill numerous promises made by him to the region, was passed on the president.” The communique read, “It will be recalled that President Jonathan promised to build two new refineries in Lagos and Baylesa states in 2010. He also gave us assurances that the old refinery in Port Harcourt and Warri will be rehabilitated so that our people will no longer imported refined fuel. “Two years later, instead of bringing our suffering to an end, President Jonathan, on January 1 2012, increased the price of petrol from N65 to N125 despite all the cries by Nigerians. Today, the cost of petrol is N100 per liter instead of N87 and kerosene N120 instead of N50 per liter,. “Nigeria is the only country in the world that sells kerosene higher than petrol. Today, the two old refineries President Jonathan promised that will resume full production by December 2012 are in decay, while the new ones he promised to build are non-existent.

match. The suspension is immediate, which means Rajindrapasard will no longer officiate at the Orange AFCON 2015. His name will also be removed from the CAF “A” Elite Referees panel. Good decisions, no doubt, but I hope this would be the last of a referee’s inefficiency at the Africa Cup of Nations. CAF chiefs must be praying for an end to the competition’s bad dream following the appalling conduct of the Equatorial Guinea players and officials over a purported bad call from the referee in the 82nd minute in the second semi-finals against Ghana’s Blacks Stars on Thursday night. The Ghanaians were leading comfortably. The conduct of the players and coaches instigate their fans to storm the pitch in search of the referee’s head. The game was held up for 20 minutes during which the fans rained all manner of objects unto the pitch. The referee commenced the game in line with the rules to allow for the remaining eight minutes and Ghana held their 3-0 lead till the end. Another big decision for CAF for a troubled competition which had to be shifted to Equatorial Guinea, when the previous hosts Morocco backed out of hosting the event because of the deadly disease Ebola. The first backlash at Nigeria’s absence from the 2015 edition is likely victory for Yaya Toure as the next Africa Footballer of the Year. His first goal in the tournament came in the semifinal game and it was a thunderbolt that left the DR Congo dumfounded. If Cote d’ Ivoire lift the AFCON trophy and Yaya continues to steer Manchester City through its matches in the Barclays English Premier League, then he will be the obvious choice for the award, his fifth consecutive feat.

TOMORROWPUNCHLINE IN THE NATION

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL.9, NO. 3119

I do not envy Professor Attahiru Jega right now. I think he is perched on a hillside that is overlooking some jagged rocks ending on some more jagged rocks below on one side, and a deep, deep sea on the other —Oyinkan Medubi

Since I wrote my piece, I have learnt that Dr. Clement Isong was not CBN governor at the time. But the substance of my write up remains unassailable. Enjoy.

E is a veritable enigma. A most un likely and unusual politician. He is a reticent, retiring persona. Politics is a very public vocation. He is sparing with his words. The successful politician is often loquacious. Like the trained soldier, the skilled politician is often a master of intrigue and deception. He can be blunt and truthful to a fault. I write of none other than the man of the moment – General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In approximately six weeks, the ascetic General leads his party in an epic electoral encounter with the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In his discipline, focus, tenacity and stubborn commitment to principle, Buhari reminds one of the immortal Chief Obafemi Awolowo. But unlike Awo, there are strong indications that Buhari is unlikely to end up as “the best president Nigeria never had”. In spite of his prodigious talent, Awo never succeeded in building a national pan-Nigerian platform to actualize his ambition of leading Nigeria. In the APC, Buhari has such a platform that has made his candidacy a viable proposition and his emergence as President a very real possibility. Buhari’s fate has in many ways been tied with that of Nigeria over the last several decades. He fought in the civil war to preserve Nigeria’s territorial integrity. He was once Military Governor of the North-Eastern State that now comprises Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe states. He led the clinical military operation that decisively crushed the Maitatsine extremist Islamic uprising in Kano between 18th and 29th December 1980. When rebels from Chad invaded part of the country during the second republic, the General’s troops not only repelled but pursued them right up to Ndjamena until he was recalled by a dithering President Shehu Shagari. By 1983, the politicians had effectively dug the grave for democracy by the sheer scale of their corruption, impunity and utter disregard for the rule of law. General Buhari emerged as the Head of a corrective military regime that dislodged the leprous political class and sought to restore the country to sanity. Unable to cope with the alleged puritanical rigidity of Buhari and his deputy, General Tunde Idiagbon, the regime was overthrown by successors who led the country down the slopes of economic, political and moral debauchery from which she is yet to recover. Ever since the return to civilian rule in this political dispensation, the promise of democracy has largely continued to elude Nigerians substantially because of the lack of competent,

Buhari’s hour cometh?

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In the APC, Buhari has such a platform that has made his candidacy a viable proposition and his emergence as President a very real possibility

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•Buhari visionary, disciplined and morally untainted leadership at the centre. The General has offered himself for service three times at the polls without success. Not only has all kind of mud been thrown at him, he has often been the victim of brazen electoral manipulation. At last it appears that the Daura-born General’s hour of fulfilment is at hand. He has emerged as his party’s presidential flag bearer in transparent, credible and competitive primaries. All his opponents at the primaries have rallied to his support. He is running on a platform more viable and formidable than he has ever done before. He seems tailor-made to counter the twin demons of insecurity and corruption that constitute the greatest bane of the country today. It is impossible for Buhari’s opponents to credibly question his personal integrity and unblemished record of incorruptibility. His light in that respect shines in the darkness. The darkness can neither comprehend nor extinguish it. Buhari has kept a disciplined distance from the PDP since 1999, a rare feat in a polity where everyone scrambles to identify with the resource-laden centre and to be in opposition is anathema. He has refrained from joining those northern politicians clamouring clannishly for power to return to the north. He has put himself forward for service simply on the basis of his personal merit.

As is always the case, Buhari and the APC should expect their opponent to viciously attack his person and character. Anyone in their shoes would do the same. They cannot win in a campaign based on issues. They will thus dredge up the General’s alleged ‘past sins’ and seek his political crucifixion. Luckily, the renowned virologist and consistent social critic, Professor Tam David West of the University of Ibadan has responded copiously to these allegations, ruthlessly debunking them in his book, ‘The Sixteen ‘Sins’ of General Muhammadu Buhari’. Like the meticulous and clinical scientist that he is, Professor David West itemises the allegations against Buhari and effectively debunks each and every one of them. The APC must find a way of getting this book to as many Nigerians as possible before the election. Professor David West’s weapons are facts, figures, photographs and incisive logic. His capacity for documentation and record keeping is as impressive as that of the legendary late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Now, is Buhari a saint? No. Let that mortal without sin cast the first stone. Was the military government led by Buhari without fault or blemish? No one says so. But Buhari’s alleged ‘sins’ pale into insignificance beside the gross impunity and moral perversion being witnessed in the country today. Those mortally afraid of a Buhari presidency have over the years sought to tag him as an Islamic fundamentalist. Incidentally, Professor Tam David West, a Christian from the Niger Delta was Minister of Petroleum in the Buhari/

Idiagbon administration. Other Christian Ministers in Buhari’s military government include General Domkat Bali (Defence), Dr Onaolapo Soleye (Finance), Dr Emmanuel Nsan (Health), Commodore Sam Omeruah (Information), Patrick Koshoni (Works) and Chike Offodile (Justice). Dr Clement Isong, a Christian was Central Bank Governor. These were certainly key offices. Christians appointed as Military Governors under Buhari were Allison Madueke (Anambra), Jeremiah Useni (Bendel), Michael Bamidele (Ondo), Oladipo Diya (Ogun), David Mark (Niger), John Atom Kpera (Beune), Dan Archibong (Cross Rivers), Ike Nwachukwu (Imo), Oladayo Popoola (Oyo), Bitrus Atukum (Plateau) and B.L. Letimah (Rivers). Of the 19 military governors at the time 11 were Christians, seven were Muslims and one, Gbolahan Mudasiru of Lagos State was a Grail Messenger. Professor David West tells the following interesting story on page 22 of his book, “In 1984 (Geneva), as a Christian Oil Minister, and consequently the leader of the Nigerian delegation, I made OPEC to halt its conference (meeting) for Christian members to go home and celebrate Christmas. A meeting was scheduled for 25 December 1984. Their Excellencies obliged, but not without some objections by some member countries. On my return from Geneva, I reported to the Head of State, General Buhari, what happened in Geneva. He did not object at all. He even sent me handsome Christmas presents”. Would that be the attitude of a religious fanatic? Equally enlightening is the following account by Professor David West on page 26 “In early 1984, at a State Banquet at State House, Marina, Lagos, in honour of a visiting ‘Number Two’ in a North African intensely Islamic state, General Buhari was most generously offered $4 billion interest free financial aid. Buhari in his characteristic humility expressed very sincere appreciation and gratitude to our brother North African Head of State. But he most elegantly refused to accept the generous, huge financial assistance: ‘We (Nigeria) will pull ourselves up by our boot traps’. The $4 billion generosity was double what the country was negotiating with the IMF under Shagari with all the terrible conditionalities”. Ah! Just imagine if Nigeria had persisted on that path of discipline, self-reliance and sanity. It is unfortunate that the manipulation of religion for political purposes has reached unprecedented heights under the Jonathan presidency. But as Professor David West also rightly noted “The pleasant Nigerian reality is that no Muslim Head of State can make Nigeria an Islamic state; and no Christian Head of State can make Nigeria a Christian State” because “the essential or the constitutional secularity of the Nigerian state has not changed”. The good thing is that things have degenerated so badly under President Jonathan’s watch that religion is unlikely to serve as the opium of the electorate in next month’s election.

Ade Ojeikere on Saturday talk2adeojeikere@yahoo.com

A bad dream

OMORROW in Malabo, a new Africa Cup of Nations champion will be crowned. Will it be the Elephants of Cote d’ Ivoire or the Black Stars of Ghana? The winner won’t be Nigeria’s senior soccer team, Super Eagles. And no reference has been made about the Eagles since the Africa Cup of Nations began in January beyond being the defending champions. It has been a bad dream for soccer-crazy Nigerians. Many people don’t watch the AFCON matches because it would remind them of the Eagles’ shambolic showing in the qualifiers. Some have taken solace in celebrating the fall of Congo and South Africa to massage their egos since both countries ensured that the Eagles watched the competition on television. Despite the Eagles’s absence, the continental soccer tournament didn’t lose its excitement – the upsets, suspense and drama.

Winners celebrated. Losers took their fate on the chin, except for the Tunisians, who have been the spoilsports of the competition with the way their players and officials have handled the controversial penalty kick awarded the hosts, Equatorial Guinea, to tie the game at 1-1 in one of the quarter-finals. The Tunisians took the law into their hands by beating the referees, their opponents and their fans. They destroyed properties within and outside the stadium premises. The organisers of the competition, the Confederation of Africa football (CAF), are toying with banning the Tunisians from the 2017 edition. CAF chiefs also want to ban the guilty players and officials. The Tunisians alleged that the Equatorial Guineans were favoured by the referee because they are the hosts. Very interesting, if you ask me, given what happened in favour of the Tunisians in 2004. Let me remind you, dear readers, that Tunisia hosted the 2004 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. And

what happened last week Saturday was the diabolical replay of the injustice which the Tunisians enjoyed in 2004, when they hosted the championship. So, it hurts, dear Tunisians? The Tunisians have forgotten how they refused to play Nigeria’s national anthem before the semifinal game between the Super Eagles and the Carthage Eagles at the Rades Stadium. The Tunisians played our old anthem “Nigeria we hail thee, our own dear native land...” We were all shocked because we had played matches before that semi-final game with the correct anthem “Arise o compatriots…” But this isn’t the story I want to tell, dear readers. In that semi-final game, Austin Okocha shot a depleted Nigerian side ahead in the 64th minute after Nwankwo Kanu had waltzed through the Tunisian defenders only to be brought down inside the 18-metre box. Okocha stepped forward to convert the kick into a goal. But Republic of Benin referee Coffi Codja had other ideas when he whistled for

a dubious penalty kick in favour of the Tunisians, which resulted in the equaliser. The equaliser came in the 76th minute raising the poser why the referee was in a hurry to save the Tunisians. History has an uncanny way of repeating itself. The Tunisians have by the conduct shown that they are bad students of history; otherwise, they should have taken what happened against Equatorial Guinea with equanimity. Codjia was condemned by the international media, with tapes of that game going viral. Dear reader, you can still watch this game on You-tube to see what happened on that ill-fated night. The decision highlighted major discussions for a very long time because Codjia at that time was rated the best African referee. Nigerians didn’t take the laws into their hands. We left the stadium for our homes while our players still exchanged jerseys with their opponents. Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha et al took the

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