The Nation July 16, 2013

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Presidents snubbed in $1.092b Malabu oil deal BUSINESSS Page 11

NEWS Page ??

•Reps report indicts Adoke, Agip, Shell

EFCC to explain state of N2tr seized assets NEWS Page 5

•Ribadu, Waziri, Lamorde for House www.thenationonlineng.net

VOL. 8, NO. 2548 TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

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PDP’s convention plans crash as INEC rejects lists Agency declares delegates from Lagos, Anambra, Kano, others illegal

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LANS by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hold a miniconvention suffered a major setback yesterday.

The National Working Committee (NWC) ordered the Jerry Gana Committee to put on hold the special convention slated for August 31.

The Southwest congress slated for August 24 is also affected.

A statement by the leadership of the party, after its NWC meeting yesterday,

From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

cited anomalies and breaches of the party’s constitution for the action.

The statement, signed by the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Tony Okeke said: “In view of the anomalies and breaches of the constitution of the PDP observed in the actions so far taken by the Special National Convention Planning Committee, the NWC has directed the Committee to put on hold all

Nigeria under fire for hosting al-Bashir

activities relating to the Special South West Zonal Congresses and the Special National Convention, pending the regularisation of the anomalies and breaches so as to forestall a repeat of the events that affected the party’s convention in 2012.

“Consequently, the dates recently announced by the Planning Committee are in the circumstances untenable.

“The NWC, with the view to resolving the protracted problems of the Anambra State

chapter of the party, has resolved to invite major stakeholders in the state to an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting on the 18th of July, 2013 to commence consultations towards finding a lasting solution to the problems of the party in the state, which will lead the party to a successful governorship primary election in the state.

“The NWC viewed with concern recent developments in Rivers State and also resolved to invite the National Vice

Chairman, South South, to come and brief it to enable it take an informed decision that will lead to a prompt resolution of the crisis in the state” The party appears to be in dilemma over delegates in nine states voided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The states are: Sokoto, Taraba, Plateau, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Lagos, Anambra, Katsina and Kano.

The INEC had, in a March 5, Continued on page 4

NIGERIA’S FIRST SIAMESE TWINS TURN 10

•Govt: he’s AU’s guest

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From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

HERE was outrage yesterday over Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir’s presence in Nigeria. al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague is in Abuja attending the Africa Union (AU) summit on HIV/AIDS. International and local organisations are calling on the Federal Government to arrest him in Abuja.

The United Kingdom (UK) also berated the Federal Government for hosting him.

But the government has said it will not order al-Bashir’s arrest because he is a guest

Funke Akindele, hubby separate

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OVIE star Funke Akindele’s marriage to Lagos businessman Kehinde Alm o r o o f Oloyede may have hit t h e rocks, it was learnt yesterday.

Oloyede made a statement on facebook yesterday, announcing a separation: “It is with heavy...

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HIEF Victor Umeh is the chair of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Court of Appeal, sitting in Enugu, confirmed yesterday.

There was jubilation within the premises of the court as Umeh’s supporters sang and danced ...

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

Continued on page 4

Business Page 11

Court clears Umeh for APGA

Boko Haram chief Shekau’s in-laws arrested

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HIRTEEN companies have been barred by the Bereau of Public Procurement from doing business with the government.

BPP Director-General Emeka Ezeh said the 13 entities were barred for offering “corruption money”.

Citybeats Page 61

Continued on page 4

HE Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed yesterday the arrest of Boko Haram leader Imam Abubakar Shekau’s in-laws.

The raid in which the in-laws were arrested resulted in the recovery of some recorded audio messages of the insurgents, the DHQ said.

Also, the DHQ said a recent encounter with the terrorists led to the death of Amir of Bulabulin Nganaram, one of the kingpins on the Joint Task Force’s (JTF’s) wanted list.

It also confirmed that 58 detainees linked with Boko Haram insurgents had been released in Borno and Yobe states.

BPP blacklists 13 companies

News Page 59

Mba set for Europe club

N •HAPPY GIRLS: Nigeria’s celebrated Siamese twins, Faithful and Favour Sobowale-Davies, who were surgically seperated in the United States are 10. Read their capivating story tomorrow.

IGERIA international, Sunday Mba is to leave Glo Nigeria Premier League club, Warri Wolves, on a free transfer.

The contract of the Super Eagles midfielder at Wolves is expected to...

Sport Page 24

•TOMORROW: AKINRINADE SPEAKS ON ALABI-ISAMA’S WAR MEMOIRS P56

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

NEWS

•A cross section of African leaders and ministers at the African Union Special Summit of Heads of State and Government on HIV, TB and Malaria at the International Conference Centre in Abuja...yesterday.

PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN President Goodluck Jonathan is seventh from left.

PDP’s convention plans crash as INEC rejects lists Continued from page 1

2012 letter signed by the secre-

tary to the commission, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaigama, declared that the 2012 ward congresses conducted in the nine states were flawed and, therefore, failed to meet requirements stipulated in the INEC guidelines.

In the said letter, which was addressed to the then Acting national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, INEC observed that the conduct of the congresses was marred by violence, non-compliance with the PDP constitution and approved INEC guidelines.

But at a news conference on Friday, the chairman of the PDP Special Convention Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana, said the same lists of delegates would be used at the August 31 convention.

This has heightened anxiety among party stakeholders on the possibility of INEC rejecting the lists of delegates from the affected states - a development that could invalidate the outcome of the convention if challenged in court.

The Gana committee is being hamstrung by the reality of the situation. An attempt by Gana and the secretary of the convention committee, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu to iron out the matter with the party leadership met a brick wall.

Gana and Ekweremadu went to see National Chairman Bamanga Tukur at his residence last Thursday, but security men at

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Court to rule July 25 in suit against PDP

N Abuja High Court has fixed ruling for July 25 on a motion seeking to stop the planned National Convention of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Presiding judge, Justice Suleiman Belgore, chose the date yesterday after listening to arguments by Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), for the plaintiffs and Emeka Etiaba, for the PDP. The plaintiffs: Abba Yale,Alh. Yahaya Sule and Bashir Maigudu are praying the court for an order of interlocutory injunction,to restrain the party’s National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur and other officers, from holding the scheduled “special convention”,which date was announced by Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Jerry Gana.

The plaintiffs, apart from seeking to restrain Tukur and acting members of the party’s NWC, are also urging the trial court to set aside or nullify all steps and processes that led to the appointment of the latter as national officers of the party.

The plaintifs also want the court to restrain Tukur “from performing any functions or duties assigned to the National Working Committee of the Defendant, following the resignation and removal of all members of the National Working Committee of the Defendant set out in article 29 (1) (b)-(1) of the constitution...pending the hearthe gate prevented them from entering the premises.

The two party chiefs aborted the visit when they were told that the chairman had travelled to his country home in Adamawa State, but Tukur held a meeting with other members of the convention committee in his house a few hours later.

Reacting to the development at Friday’s briefing, Gana said: “It’s true that the Deputy President of the Senate and I went to the

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

ing and determination of this case.”

Yesterday, Okutepa observed that the resignation of the party’s National Working Committee members was an affront on the integrity of the court.

He argued that since the case was still pending in court, the PDP ought to have allowed it to be decided by the court, rather than proceed to appoint members to act in the stead of those that resigned.

“The PDP chose to pick unqualified people to constitute the NWC,which was initially composed by equally unqualified members,who resigned.

“A lot of injuries have been done by PDP,not to itself alone,but to the administration of justice. No person should be seen to be disparaging the court.

“The defendant is not well-constituted and so cannot function” he submitted, adding that the action was deliberately taken to”undermine and disrespect the authority and power of the court”.

In his counter argument, Etiaba urged the court to dismiss the entire suit,saying that former NWC members of the PDP resigned their positions,and the party,”as a political party, sought to move on in a lawful manner,and in line with the constitution.”

chairman’s house to see him.

But we will not take up issues on that because we respect our party chairman. We are not going to discuss our party issues on the pages of newspapers.”

Apparently worried by the development, the convention committee is said to be considering fresh congresses in the nine states to address the lapses before the convention date.

The NWC is said to have accused the Gana Committee of

attempting to usurp its functions, an accusation that had since been dispelled by Gana.

Another option open to the party is to bar delegates from the affected states from participating in the special convention. In that case, only statutory delegates from the affected states would be allowed allowed into the venue of the convention.

This option raises another fear on meeting the required quorum needed for the convention to hold.

Nigeria under fire for hosting al-Bashir Continued from page 1

of the AU and not that of the

government.

The UK Foreign Office Minister for Africa Mark Simmonds, expressed disappointment that Nigeria chose to allow al-Bashir to attend the summit.

The Nigeria Coalition on the International Criminal Court (NCICC) has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to seek arrest warrant against alBashir.

Mark Simmonds said: “The UK has a strong and abiding bilateral relationship with Nigeria.

I am therefore disappointed that Nigeria has chosen to host President al-Bashir of Sudan at an African Union event, despite International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrants against him for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

“This undermines the work of the ICC and sends the victims a dismaying message that the accountability they are waiting for will be delayed further.

“The British Government takes seriously its obligations as a State Party to the Rome Statute and consistently urges other State Parties in all parts of the world to do the same.”

The NCICC called for al-Bashir’s “immediate arrest and surrender to the trial chambers of the International Criminal Court in The Hague for atrocity crimes in Darfur with which he is charged.”

The coalition made the demands in a statement in Abuja by its Steering committee Chair-

man Chino Obiagwu; Vice Chair Dr Abiola Akiyode and Treasurer Mrs. Oby Nwankwo.

“The judiciary in this country has the responsibility to implement legal obligations created by treaties undertaken by Nigeria.

As a state party to the Rome statute of the ICC, Nigeria is under legal obligation to execute within its national jurisdiction the arrest warrants issued by the trial chamber of the ICC against Mr. al-Bashir while in its national territory.

“It is not an excuse that African Union is calling its members not to cooperate with the ICC. The obligation of State Parties to the ICC, who have ratified the treaty, is stronger and legally binding than mere resolution of the African Union. Moreso, a Nigerian judge is in the chambers of the ICC. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent urgent request to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Ms Fatou Bensouda, requesting her to “use your good offices and position to urgently refer the Nigerian government to the UN Security Council for failing to arrest President Omar Al-Bashir and surrender him to the International Criminal Court to face fair trial on the charges against him.”

In the petition dated 15 July 2013 and signed by Solicitor to SERAP Femi Falana, SAN, the organisation stated: “Nigeria is Continued on page 59

Boko Haram chief Shekau’s in-laws arrested The man Shekau

Continued from page 1

DHQ spokesman Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who made the disclosures at a briefing by the Joint Security Committee in Abuja, said the Special Forces in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states were not on any vengeance mission but purely on a mission to restore law and order.

Gen. Olukolade said: “Troops on cordon and search operations in Bulabulin area in Maiduguri last week discovered a vast network of underground tunnels connecting houses and many bunkers, some which have the capacity to accommodate over 100 persons.

“More corpses were also discovered in soak-away. Various weapons were also discovered in the same area.

“Abubakar Shekau’s parents’ in-law were picked up in the raid which also discovered various audio recordings of terrorists’ messages. Recoveries are made almost on daily basis as the operation progresses.

“The media have had opportunity to inspect some of the items recovered from the camps.

The recoveries, among others, include: eight AK47 assault rifles, one G3 rifle, nine AK47 magazines, one Rocket Pro-

Continued on page 4

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ORN in Shekau village in Yobe State, Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau alias Darul Tawheed, until 2009, was deputy to Mohammed Yusuf, the group’s founder, who was killed while in custody.

Shekau was believed to have been killed pelled Grenade charger, five Rocket Propelled Grenade, three FMC magazine, one G3 magazines, 14 IEDs and 166 rounds of 7.62mm Special.

Others are 3 35mm Bazooka; 34 rounds of 5.56mm, 1,740 rounds of 303 inch, 10 rounds of 7.62 NATO, one round of .50mm, one dane gun, one locally made pistol and two mega phones.

“In keeping with presidential directives, a total of 58 detainees linked with Boko Haram insurgents have been released in Borno and Yobe states.

“These comprised 23 women and 35 children. Some of the teenagers confessed that they were conscripted to run errand for the terrorists who paid them paltry N5,000 to monitor troops and set public buildings ablaze.

The women and children were handed over to the governors of

in 2009 during a gun duel with security agents, until his re-appearance in July 2010 in a video clip where he indicated he survived the battle.

He was designated an international terrorist by the United States in 2012 and $7 million reward promised anyone with

Borno and Yobe states for onward rehabilitation and reintegration.”

The Defence spokesman confirmed the death of a key leader of Boko Haram in Maiduguri.

He said: “The mandate of Mr. President to the forces involves the destruction of all terrorist camps/bases, apprehension of perpetrators and bringing them to justice. This mandate has been substantially achieved with destruction of terrorists’ stronghold and bases. In the process, many captives of the terrorists especially women and children, were freed from the camps as their captors fled in disarray.

“A recent encounter in the terrorists main enclaves in Bulabulin Nganaram, Aljajeri and Faluja in Maiduguri metropolis led to the death of Amir of Bulabulin Nganaram, one of the

useful information to capture him. Shekau is believed to have a photographic memory and studied theology. He is fluent in Kanuri, Hausa and Arabic languages.

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima said Shekau is a Kanuri from Niger Republic.

kingpins on the JTF wanted list.

Many women and minors were rescued and handed over to their families by the JTF. “A number of terrorists have been apprehended by the Special Forces. Many of them have also died in battle with the forces.

Various resources, including trained military police dogs facilitated the arrest of insurgents who try to infiltrate the cities after being dislodged from their bases at the outset of the operation.

“Cordon and Search Operations have started enjoying tremendous cooperation of locals.

Several terrorists, including their foreign members, are being tracked down. Key terrorists, especially those in the cadre of Amir as well as those helping in their renewed mobilisation and recruitment of minors are being hunted.”

Olukolade insisted that the Special Operation had reduced the spate of bombings nationwide.

He added: “Notwithstanding the sporadic asymmetric attacks on certain soft targets, you would have noticed a drastic reduction in bombings and attacks on places outside the North-East epicenter of the terrorists. The improved security situation as indicated in general assessment has resulted in the ongoing phased restoration of telecommunication services in the states where it had to be withdrawn at the beginning of operation.

Hence, Adamawa State now has telecommunication services fully restored.

“Highlight of developments on this operation will be discussed subsequently, but we must note that apart from the ongoing operations in the North-

•Shekau

east, there are other joint operations by the security agencies in other parts of the country.

“These include the efforts to Continued on page 59

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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NEWS

Tambuwal, Reps chide EFCC over T N2tr seized assets HE House of Representatives is set to trace the whereabouts of $170 million transferred to an unidentified account. The cash was discovered in an unnamed document and can’t be linked with the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).

House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal spoke while opening a three-day public investigative hearing organised by the Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes to verify the status of all assets seized and recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since inception.

Tambuwal decried the secrecy surrounding seized assets of accused and convicted persons in custody of the anti-corruption agency.

The committee has given pioneer EFCC chair Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and his successor Mrs Farida Waziri till tomorrow to honour its invitation, noting that Section 89 of the Constitution empowered the Committee to carry out such duty.

Represented by the Deputy House Leader, Leo Ogor, the Speaker said:”I have learnt that between 2003 and now, the EFCC has confiscated over 200 mansions and large sums of money through 46 forfeiture court orders.

“These landed property, monies, and business concerns which were estimated to be worth in excess of two trillion naira, included bank accounts, shares in blue chip companies, exotic vehicles, fuel stations, holdings, warehouses and shopping malls among others.

“However, there have been many reported cases of vandalism, improper storage, abandonment and waste. We have reports that some of these properties have fallen into disrepair and that some cannot even be accounted for.

“We cannot allow a situation whereby over 400 cars seized through the diligence of the EFCC for instance continue to rot away.

“We have a vicarious responsibility to ensure that assets seized through forfeiture court orders are prudently and carefully manage to avoid waste and to ensure they are maximally disposed of for the benefit of the public.

“It is not enough to just seize assets, we need to ensure that they are quickly utilised as part of the restitution for the original crime”.

The Committee was, however, shocked that the Nation-

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Lamorde to appear before House tomorrow

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HERE are the N497.482billion looted funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC? Have they been returned to victims or in the Central Bank vault? These are the questions EFCC chair Ibrahim Lamorde has offered to lay to rest tomorrow at the House of Representatives.

Lamorde made the offer to clear the air against the background of insinuations by some lawmakers that the commission does not have a proper record of what had been recovered, a statement by the anti-graft agency’s Head of Media and Publicity Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said yesterday.

The statement reads: “Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde will on Wednesday appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes which is conducting a public hearing to determine the status of assets seized or recovered by the EFCC since inception.

“Though Lamorde was scheduled to appear before the committee today, he was unable to

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

do so due to some prior commitment. He, however, sent a letter of apology to the Committee.

“The letter was delivered by a team of top EFCC management led by the Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Bukar Abba.

“He told the Committee that Lamorde travelled to Lagos for an earlier scheduled appointment and therefore pleaded with the Committee to allow him appear at another date.

“Bukar told the Committee led by its Chairman, Jagaba Adams Jagaba that Lamorde holds the Committee in high esteem and would be ready to appear before it as soon as he returns to Abuja on Tuesday.

“The Committee therefore directs that the EFCC chairman appears before it on Wednesday, July 17.

“The Committee also directed that the chief executive officers of the various organisations which are scheduled to appear before it come in person and not delegate subordinate officers.

•To trace whereabouts of $170m From Victor Oluwasegun and DeleAnofi, Abuja

al Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) however disclosed that from the 70 cases it transferred to the EFCC between 2006 to date, only three have been concluded.

The Committee was also told that N1, 841, 225, 239 was

transferred to the EFCC in different currencies.

NDLEA Chairman Ahmadu Giade told the Committee that once cases were transferred to the EFCC, it is up to it to do whatever it wants with them. He said his agency does not follow up on the cases or the movement

of the monies transferred.

He gave the breakdown as N27, 822, 410; N441, 928, 968 ($2, 832, 878) and N1, 114, 489, 896 ($7, 144, 166 fake dollars); N4, 872, 000 (£20, 300) and N225, 236, 880 (£938, 487 fake); N2, 309, 530 (•11, 266) and N1, 312, 000 (•6, 400 fake); N28, 125, 155 (CFA93, 750, 517) and N400 (5 Cedis).

However, Mr Kunle Lasi-

si, who works for Aminu & Ibrahim and Co, an audit firm commissioned to audit the appropriated expenditure of the anti-corruption agency said the agency was not found wanting in the funding of its operational expenditures.

The Committee wanted to know if the agency funded its operations from seized assets and if certain seized assets accounts were hidden from the auditor in the course of its activities.

Lasisi said the scope of his firm’s duties, as permitted by the constitution would not allow him to audit the agency beyond accounts operated solely on the agency’s appropriated expenditure.

On the missing $170 million, Lasisi insisted that they worked within the scope of their mandate.

“There is no way I will know anything about such money because our scope has to do with how monies appropriated were utilised, our job is to find out if monies were taken from other sources to fund their operations.

“As long as there was no record to that effect, there is no way we are going to audit such account. We only got to know about seized asset accounts and mentioned it because we requested for bank statements from the three banks that have the agency’s appropriated funds account,” Lasisi said.

•Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi (right) speaking after the eighth inauguration of the Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho Governing Council in Ibadan...yesterday. With him are his Osun State counterpart Rauf Aregbesola (second right); Acting ViceChancellor, Prof Adeniyi Gbadegesin (left) and Prof-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Prof Wale Omole.

PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI

Supreme Court, others on vacation From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

THE Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court yesterday began their annual vacation.

The annual vacation, involving only the judges, are expected to last over a month.

Judicial activities are expected to resume from mid-September.

The Federal Capital Territory High Court (FCT) has fixed its own holiday for between August 5 and September 13.

That of the Federal High Court is slated for July 15 and September 13.

Justices of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal are also expected back at their desks at the same period.

It was learnt yesterday that Justice Ramat Ahmed Mohammed and one other judge would act as the vacation judges at the Federal High Court.

Justices Jude Okeke and Peter Affen have been selected to act as vacation judges for the FCT High Court.

TVC News launches on BskyB

By Lucas Ajanaku

TVC News, the 24-hour panAfrican TV news channel from the stables of the Continental Broadcasting Service (CBS) Limited, Lagos, has launched on the UK’s BskyB platform (EPG 572).

The pan-African news channel aims to challenge stereotypes and correct factual inaccuracies and misperceptions about Africa and its peoples.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Nigel Parsons, said: “Without shying away from reporting the conflicts or the corruption, the famines or the wars, the mission of TVC News is also to tell the many positive stories coming out of Africa.” He added: “Stories – good or bad – will be told ‘Through African Eyes’.”

Parsons, who is also former head of Aljazeera English, explained that the news channel serves as a medium for Africans in every part of the world to be heard on the global scene.

Through its fair and fearless reporting, TVC News will tell the unreported stories from under-reported regions across the continent, all from an African perspective.

Senate votes on Constitution amendment today

HE Senate will today in plenary vote on clauses of the 1999 Constitution slated for amendment.

The upper chamber concluded debate on an Act to alter the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and for other matters connected therewith 2013 on July 11.

There are 32 clauses slated for amendment by Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu’s led Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution.

During the three day debate, Senators rejected the proposition for six-year single term for the President and Governors.

•32 clauses to be voted on may kill Mayoral status for FCT From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

But majority of the lawmakers endorsed autonomy for local government.

Some other issues assigned to the committee to consider included state creation, state police, fiscal federalism, role for traditional rulers, autonomy of local government, financial autonomy for State Houses of Assembly and regionalism, indigene and settler issue, separation of the office of the Attorney General and Minis-

ter of Justice and others.

Clause by clause voting by the Senate would enable the two chambers of the National Assembly to meet in conference committee to harmonise areas of differences before sending the report to the State Houses of Assembly for their approval or rejection of the clauses.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang, who spoke on voting pattern in Abuja yesterday said that the Senate is likely to reject the proposal for

Mayoral status for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He noted that the sentiment by majority of the lawmakers is that approving a mayoral status for the FCT may challenge the position of the sitting President and pose a security threat to the country..

Enang who represents Akwa Ibom North East said most of them feel that granting of mayoral status to the FCT is not in the best interest of the country.

He added that in the United States, its capital Washington DC, is under the President and

legislature, making the position of the mayor similar to the position of the local government chairman.

According to Enang, the approval of mayoral status for the FCT is capable of challenging the authority of the President since the intent behind the establishment of the FCT was supposed to be based on neutrality.

He said, “In Nigeria, there are 774 Local Government Councils. If you have a Mayor elected on another party different from that of the President there is bound to be crisis. The idea behind the estab-

lishment of a capital territory was intended to make for neutrality.

“It is not in the interest of national security for us to create a mayoral status for the FCT while there is a sitting President.”

“The trustee of the federation is the President of the country.

That is the practice all over.

“It will not be in the interest of national security and best practices to have a mayor of the FCT. “The FCT was not created to have a governor, instead it was supposed to have a minister appointed to administer it.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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NEWS

Boko Haram...

•Senate President David Mark (second right), House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal (second left), Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha (left) and Managing Director , Julius Berger Nigeria Wolfgang Goetsch during the ground breaking ceremony of the Permanent Site of National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) in Abuja... yesterday.

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE .

State of Emergency was declared to clip their wings. But, Boko Haram members have found a way where there seems to be no way to continue their campaign of violence against the government and the ordinary people, writes Reuters

•A primary school burnt

by Boko Haram in Borno State.

T • From left: Country Manager, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Mr. Solomon Adegbie-Quaynor, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public-Private Partnerships Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi, Team Leader Communications Mr. Abiodun Dina, and Team Leader Contract Manager Mrs. Busola Fashola during the of IFC/International Journal Award to the Lagos State Government on the Eti-osa Lekki Epe Expressway.

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

•Minister of Works Mike Onolememen (left) and representative of The ECOWAS Commission President, Mr Ebirima Njie, at the meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Road Infrastructure, Finance and Justice in Abuja ... yesterday.

,

•ComptrollerGeneral, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Dr Abdullahi Dikko, at a medical screening organised by the NCS and the Ministry of Health in Abuja...yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

HEY crept up to the school under cover of darkness, armed with petrol and automatic weapons.

Most of the teachers and pupils had fled, but some students, one teacher and headmaster Adanu Haruna were still in the compound, one of many rural boarding schools in Nigeria surrounded by forest and farmland.

“They made the students line up and strip naked, then they made the ones with pubic hair lie face down on the ground,” Haruna said, eyes wide with horror at describing the attack on the iron-roofed school built by British colonisers in the 1950s.

“They shot them point blank then set the bodies on fire.”

The Mamudo government school, charred and smelling of scorched blood after 22 students and a teacher were killed there in the July 6 attack near Potiskum in Nigeria’s northeast, was the fourth to be targeted by suspected Boko Haram militants in less than a month.

The attacks reveal much about the rebels who are fighting to revive a medieval Islamic caliphate in northern Nigeria, the type of state they are seeking to establish and the impact of their efforts to do so on the African economic powerhouse.

In a video uploaded to the Internet on Saturday, Boko Haram’s purported leader Abubakar Shekau denied ordering the latest killings, saying Boko Haram does not itself kill small children, but he praised attacks on Western schools.

“We fully support the attack on school in Mamudo, as well as on other schools,” he said. “Western education schools are against Islam ... We will kill their teachers.”

Boko Haram, a nickname which translates roughly as “Western education is sinful”, formed around a decade ago as a clerical movement opposed to Western influence, which the sect’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf, said was poisoning young minds against Islam.

Yet security forces and politicians were the main targets of the armed revolt it started after Yusuf’s killing in a 2009 military crackdown that left 800 people dead.

Since those days Boko Haram has splintered into several factions, including some with ties to al Qaeda’s Saharan wing, which analysts say operate more or less independently, despite Shekau’s loose claim to authority over them.

Before June, there had been only a handful of attacks on the Western-

•Shekau

style schools it so despises.

An offensive against the insurgents since President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in three remote northern states in May, wresting control of the far northeast from Boko Haram and pushing its fighters into hiding, has changed that.

Across north-eastern Nigeria, schools are emptying out, threatening further radicalisation and economic decline in a region left behind by the country’s oil-rich Christian south.

Nassir Salaudeen, a teacher whose son was killed in a strike on Damaturu government school on June 16, the first of the wave of recent attacks, said he had put all his efforts into his boy’s education in the hope he would get a good job.

“They killed him in cold blood, just because he was a student and his father a teacher,” a tearful Salaudeen said. “I regret ever being educated.”

“SOFT TARGETS” For some, the school attacks are a sign the offensive has weakened the Islamist group, which is still seen as the main security threat to Africa’s leading oil and gas producer.

“Given the security clampdown, many of the places like police stations or the military are getting harder for Boko Haram to hit,” said Kole Shettima, chairman of the Centre for Democracy and Develop-

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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NEWS

Violence persists despite emergency

‘

Boko Haram think the secular school system has brainwashed Nigerians to accept the postcolonial Western order and forget the Islamic ways that existed before

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ment. “Schools are soft targets.”

But the attacks also reflect a radical ideology that resents modernity and yearns to wind back the clock to an era before West African lands were conquered by Europeans.

Centuries ago northern Nigeria, like much of West Africa, was ruled

by Islamic empires feeding off transSaharan trade routes connecting Africa’s forested interior with its

Mediterranean coast.

Boko Haram rarely gives statements to the media. But the little it has said suggests it wants to restore those glory days.

Last year, the sect said it wanted to revive the 19th century caliphate of Usman Dan Fodio, an Islamic scholar who threw off corrupt Hausa kings and established strict Sharia law.

•Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi (left) and other members of the Boko Haram Committee at one of the sessions of their fact-finding mission

When Britain established Nigeria as a territory, it agreed to spare the largely Muslim north’s leaders the activities of missionaries, who brought Christianity but also education and literacy that gave the south a head start over the North.

The North was able to retain its Islamic culture but at the cost of suffering economically; political and economic power has shifted to the south and the education gap has played a role in that growing discrepancy.

A lack of education and high youth unemployment has also helped Boko Haram’s Islamist ideology to thrive.

“Boko Haram think the secular school system has brainwashed Nigerians to accept the post-colonial Western order and forget the Islamic ways that existed before,” said Jacob Zenn, an expert on the sect at the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation.

The attacks, which the U.N. children’s fund (UNICEF) says have killed 48 students and seven teachers in the past month, aim to scare parents and their kids away from schools.

“It says: ‘either take your children out of school or put them into an Islamist school we approve of’,” Zenn said, one that teaches only in Ara-

bic and omits courses like science.

He added that such schools need not necessarily be Boko Haram sponsored: there are conservative Islamic schools for children where they study under an Imam and the curriculum is all in Arabic and focused on the Koran. The sect accepts them.

“SCHOOLS DESERTED” Many people are turning away from education altogether.

“The risk isn’t worth it. These guys are just mindless,” said Mike Ojo, a mechanic in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri who is taking his three children out of school.

Even if they stayed, many teachers have left, said teacher Ali Umar from a Maiduguri secondary school, and in many schools there are often too few teachers for the pupils who stay put, leaving them with little choice but to leave.

“I am not prepared to die for teaching. Time to start looking for a new job,” he said, shrugging. “Most of our schools are deserted anyway.”

The spot where Halima Musa’s husband was shot dead at their home on June 16 — in front of her and the children — is still caked with his dried blood, the wall pocked with bullet holes.

They came at 3 a.m., guns blaz-

ing, demanding she open the door.

She begged them to stop as they dragged the teacher out.

“They shot him three times in the head and told me that this should be a lesson not to marry a western educated person or any person that works for President Jonathan,” she said, choking back tears in front of three traumatised children.

Yobe State Education Commissioner Mohammed Lamin complained that the military had not done enough to protect schools from attack, even after they were targeted.

Before the murderous assault on the Maumdo school, there had been an earlier attack on May 8, in which some property was burnt. Headmaster Haruna said the security forces he called for help patrolled initially but stopped after a week.

The military was not immediately available to comment, but it has said in the past it is doing all possible to protect civilians while crushing the insurgents in its offensive.

Schools are a devastating target for an impoverished region suffering a high rate of illiteracy, but Lamin says he is determined that Yobe’s children get educated.

“These terrorists are trying to stop western education but we cannot allow them do that,” he said. “We must do everything to ensure children are safe in the school.”

Bishop, SAN: Nigeria must be free of terrorism

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HE Bishop of the Anglican Communion, Kaduna Diocese, Bishop Idowu Fearon, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Charles Obishai, yesterday said the country must be free of terrorism.

Obishai, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said in spite of the ban on the Boko Haram, the move towards a peaceful agreement was a welcome development.

He said: “Everybody is clamouring for peace. Let there be peace in Nigeria, so if the issue of signing an agreement to bring in peace will settle the matter, let there be peace. For Boko Haram, they have a cause they are fighting.

When they said they were granting amnesty to them, they said no that

it is Nigeria that needs amnesty.

“So, for them, they have a cause they are fighting, unfortunately not known to Nigerians but I think the Federal Government in its wisdom set up a committee that really met with them.

“Since we mandated them to meet with the members of the Boko Haram and find a way out from this trouble, I think whatever peace agreement is signed, I support let there be peace in Nigeria.”

The senior advocate urged Nigerians to embrace the move for lasting peace, adding that they could only go about their normal businesses in a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.

“Once there is peace in Nigeria, you and I can carry on with our functions. Without peace, then

we are in trouble, so let that peace come and stay in Nigeria. If they can really drop their arms under the pretext that they have signed an agreement, let there be peace.

“In war front, when a soldier raises his arms up, you don’t kill him. He has surrendered, you take him as a war prisoner but the moment he wants to shoot at you, you shoot at him. So at this point that Boko Haram has seen reasons and said we are wrong we need peace, we should embrace peace.

“American government said in 2015 there will be no Nigeria, we must debunk that, we must tell them no, that beyond 2015, there must be Nigeria and if these are the steps to take to see that Nigeria exists beyond 2015 so be it.”

Bishop Fearon said only those

benefiting from the current crisis in the country would oppose the cease fire proclamation by the Boko Haram.

Fearon told NAN in Kaduna that Christian groups opposed to the current rapprochement with the insurgents, should learn to encourage the process in the interest of peace.

He said: “I heard some Christian groups were reacting negatively to the Boko Haram announcement of a cease fire. Any Christian who reacts negatively to this act of cease fire is part of the group whom we believed were benefiting from this crisis situation.’’

Fearon expressed concern over the growing distrust among Christians on the efforts of government to end the current security chal-

lenges in the country, adding that “this lack of trust will not help us”.

He said: “I want to plead with the Christian community, especially the leadership in this country, for the sake of peace, since Jesus is known as the Prince of Peace, I think we need to believe people when they say this is what they want.

“I take objection to any leader who says this cease fire should not be trusted, you are not God, do not judge anyone whether a Christian or a Muslim. It would not help the government when we have leaders speaking negatively on the cease fire.’’

The Bishop urged Muslims to use the period of the Ramadan to promote issues that would unite the country and engender peace and tolerance.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16 2013

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NEWS

Obasanjo missed chance to develop Nigeria, says Alabi-Isama

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IGERIA would have been fully democratised had former President Olusegun Obasanjo not squandered the opportunity to bequeath a good constitution and political system for the country, Brig.-Gen. Godwin Alabi-Isama (rtd) has said.

The civil war veteran said Obasanjo left a legacy of insecurity and an ineffective policing system for the country he ruled as a military Head of State and civilian president.

Alabi-Isama spoke yesterday on Lagos-based Television Continental (TVC) monitored

by The Nation.

The topic of the day on the two-hour programme was: Do We Need a New Book on the Nigerian Civil War? It reviewed AlabiIsama’s book on the civil war, titled: Tragedy of Victory: On-theSpot Account of Nigerian Civil War. The programme was an-

Kwara suspends Herald editor over First Lady’s story

By Wale Ajetunmobi and Nneka Nwaneri

chored by veteran broadcaster Yori Folarin.

Contrary to the belief among some politicians that Obasanjo did his best to keep the nation united, Alabi-Isama said the former President’s tenure in a civilian government was a “monumental tragedy”.

The retired soldier said the former President lacked the wherewithal to make the changes needed to put Nigeria on a progressive track.

He said: “That is left for the entire country and some politicians to say that, that man (Obasanjo) did very well. I don’t believe he did very well because he had the destiny, the opportunity to make this country great by putting the best constitution in place, by putting the best politics in place and by repairing the police and justice system, which would have

brought peace. If there is peace, there will be growth and people will be happy. But these things were not there when Obasanjo left.”

The civil war veteran also dismissed the notion that Obasanjo’s efforts led to the end of the 30-month war.

Alabi-Isama said the battle had been won by Nigerian troops commanded by Gen. Benjamin Adekunle before Obasanjo left his base to receive the instrument of surrender from the Biafran forces.

“People normally condemn what somebody else has done and that is what he (Obasanjo) did when we were fighting the war.

For six months, he condemned what Adekunle had done and he didn’t put anything in place. (Gen. Alani) Akinrinade got annoyed, called his officers and finished the war in 23 days, instead of the 30 days we had planned. So, he called Obasanjo and told him: Oga mo ti

pari ogun (Sir, I have won the war); awon olote (enemies) have surrendered to me’. And then, Obasanjo was trying to go there (to receive Biafra’s instrument of surrender), but he could not find the place; he got lost.”

Alabi-Isama, who described the seceding Biafran soldiers as the best in the Nigerian Army, said one of the events that signalled the end of the civil war was when the Igbo in one of the captured cities discovered that Nigerian soldiers were friendly against the propaganda of Biafran soldiers that they would rape and kill their women.

He said: “The propaganda the Biafran side sold to Igbo people was that we would rape their women and kill civilians.

But when they realised that we were feeding people, Gen. Adekunle carrying babies and we were looking after them, the whole town came back and they deserted Biafra. That was the be-

ginning of the end of Biafra.”

The retired soldier urged Nigerians not to dwell in the past so that they do not lose sight of the future by making same mistakes again.

Alabi-Isama also debunked late Prof Chinua Achebe’s claims in his last book: There Was a Country. He said the book contains only what the late author was told and learnt.

“I don’t want a revolt but to tell Nigerians the truth they deserve to know because I was an active participant.

“Though it was 40 years ago, I remember every tiny detail vividly. I was there and saw it all. We moved and advanced from state to state on foot. I was there on the war front from the beginning till the end.

“When we captured Biafran soldiers, we retained them and equipped them. They did very well and because they found us friendly, nobody killed any-

ASUP holds NEC meeting to appraise progress

THE Kwara State Government yesterday suspended the Editor of the Herald, Mr Bisi Abidoye, with immediate effect.

The suspension order was in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Tunji Moronfoye.

The statement said the suspension followed a publication in the newspaper of July 15, entitled: Armoured personnel carrier deployed to guard Mrs Jonathan’s guest house in Bayelsa.

“The unchecked misleading headline is regarded as a serious misconduct, which amounted to serious negligence and dereliction of duties for which Mr Abidoye becomes liable.”

Elumelu threatens to sue EFCC for ‘illegal detention’ From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

A HOUSE of Representatives member, Ndudi Elumelu, has threatened to sue the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for detaining him and subsequently arraigning him for allegations of bribery in the $13.2 billion power probe.

Elumelu, who represents Aniocha/Oshimili onstituency of Delta State, was on June 26 cleared of the charges and discharged and acquitted.

He spoke with reporters in Onicha-Uku, Aniocha North, Delta State.

The lawmaker blamed his travails on those indicted by the report.

According to him, his committee rejected all attempts to be bribed to kill the report.

Elumelu said his lawyers were studying the matter, adding that the anti-graft agency dented his image with the court proceedings.

He said: “Since 2009 till date, if you own internet you would see a barrage of negative comments about the issue. So, I have asked my lawyers to actually sit down properly to look at the issue of us challenging why, in the first instance, I was brought before the court.

body. They were not looking for slogans but security. So, it was not everyone in Biafra that believed in Biafra.

“I am not carnivorous. But we soldiers fed on the flesh of human carcasses on the ground.

With that, we were able to feed ourselves and other natives and drank palm wine. Those who starved were those who left their homes. Those in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, who stayed back home gave us garri, cow and other foods.”

He added that the war would not have lasted as long as it did but for some of the decisions Obasanjo took when he assumed duty as the Marine Commander.

The Tragedy of Victory will be launched on Thursday at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos. The over 600-page book contains 450 pictures and 35 war maps.

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•Cross section of participants at an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting of Ministers of Road Infrastructure, Finance and Justice in Abuja ...yesterday

Jonathan seeks local solutions to HIV/AIDS in Africa

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged African leaders to look inwards and develop local solutions to tackle HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases on the continent.

The President spoke at the opening ceremony of the Abuja+12 African Union (AU) Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Abuja.

He noted that the diseases have been the causes of morbidity and mortality in Africa and posed serious challenges to sustainable socioeconomic development.

Jonathan stressed that the human, societal and financial costs of inadequate action or inaction would be grievous to contemplate.

He said the time was ripe for a final and concerted solution to the diseases.

According to him, African

UN to African leaders: make malaria, others centre of health policy

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BOUT 1,000 days to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) deadline, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon has urged African leaders to place AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria at the centre of public health policy.

Ki-Moon, who was represented at the Abuja+12 African Union special summit on AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria (ATM) by Prof.

Babatunde Osotimehin, the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said the goals were in sight but what was required was effort and strong leadership.

He said: “Less than 1,000 days remain until the MDGs deadline. The goals are in sight but much still needs to be done. Let us heed the From Augustine Ehikioya and Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

leaders must set clear and decisive goals and identify and implement the best adaptable strategies for best and quickest results.

Jonathan said: “I strongly

From Augustine Ehikioya and Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

warning of history: failure to maintain a momentum can halt and can even reverse progress.

My call at Abuja+12 is for renewed leadership and increased domestic and international funding - new investment in improved tests and drugs, stronger health services to deliver them.

“This summit can provide a tipping point in Africa’s progression health. Let us place AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria at the centre of public health policy, including in humanitarian aid, peace-building, conflict resolution and development. Let us finish the job begun at the beginning of the century so we bring greater security, opportunity and prosperity to all the people of Africa.

advocate that Africa should look inwards in search for solutions. We must begin to de-emphasis reliance on external funding and importation of essential medicines required for our treatment programmes.

“We must stand in soli-

darity with one another, be proactive to our health challenges and increase intercontinental scientific research partnerships and development efforts to complement the various national and regional plans already underway.

not write a simple letter.

This has shown how poor our education standard is.”

On the ongoing strike, the chairman said It was not about salary increment, but to compel the Federal Government to honour the 2009 agreement with the union.

“After three years of serious negotiation, government signed the October 2009 agreement with our union.

“The agreement, which aimed at addressing the rot in the Nigerian university system and enhancing its overall efficiency.

ASUU: 300-level varsity students can’t write simple letter

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HE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday decried the level of decay in Nigerian universities. It said 200-and 300-level students could not write a simple letter.

The Chairman of the

Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) branch of the union, Dr Mohammed Aliyu, addressed reporters in Zaria, Kaduna State, on the state of education.

He said: “It is disheartening to note that students in 200, even 300-level, can-

HE National Executive Council (NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) will today appraise the progress made so far in its indefinite strike, which began on April 29.

Mr Chibuzor Asumogba, the ASUP President, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday that the meeting followed the intervention of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Education.

The committee, with the Minister of Education, Prof.

Ruqayyatu Rufa’i and her Labour and Productivity counterpart, Chief Emeka Wogu, had met with the union on July 9, urging them to call off the strike.

Asumogba said the NEC meeting would decide the next line of action to take.

According to him, the union has received the green light on CONTISS 15 migration and other promises.

Kaduna NDLEA arrests ‘major cocaine distributor’

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HE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it had arrested a major cocaine distributor in Kaduna after months of surveillance.

NDLEA Commandant in the state, Mr Mohammed Jibrin, told the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna that the suspect, known in the drug sale circle as “Bishop”, was arrested at his home in Narayi area of the city.

He said the suspect was in possession of over 200 grammes of cocaine.

Jibrin said: “He is well known for cocaine distribution in Kaduna. We nabbed him last week in a kind of surveillance that took us months to reach him. This was because he has been moving from one location to the other, changing his home. “...My focus will be on drug suppliers to Kaduna, because once you cut off the supply and the boys, the youths who are abusing the drugs don’t get the supply, then the demand will definitely go down.”

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NEWS Eleruwa loses bid to retain throne at Appeal Court

Minister hails Ajimobi for transforming Oyo

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From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

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HE Eleruwa of Eruwa Oba Samuel Adegbola yesterday lost a 15year battle to retain his throne at the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan.

The monarch and six others brought a suit against Mr. James Olatunde Idowu and four others following a judgment delivered by Justice Ladipo Abimbola of the State High Court on January 26, 2011 that the current Eleruwa was wrongly picked for the throne.

Justice Monica B. DongbanMensan, in 50-minute judgment, thanked the learned counsel- Demilade Olaniyan and Tona Akande, for their industry, and dismissed the appeal of the appellant.

Justice Dongban-Mensan, who examined some issues raised by the appellant, said the eminent jury were satisfied with the process in which the earlier court conducted the case. It thereby complied with the court process and affirmed the judgment of the High Court.

Oba Adegbola became the Eleruwa in 1998, following the death of his predecessor, Oba Bolanle Olaniyan in 1994.

His removal by an Oyo State High Court on the grounds that his selection, nomination and approval by the state government were irregular, null and void, was affirmed by the Federal High Court.

Speaking with reporters after the judgment, Oba Adegbola said there is no cause for alarm as his counsel are finalising the process of appeal at the Supreme Court.

‘Southwest integration ‘ll redefine Yoruba leadership role’ From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

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HE Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has described the economic integration of the Southwest as a lubricant to catapult the country into one of the world’s leading economies.

He spoke when the executive members of the Oodua Chambers of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture, led by the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief Alaba Lawson, visited him.

The monarch said the aim of the British during colonisation was to exploit and extract the natural resources to develop their country.

Said he: “In Yorubaland, we are self-sufficient in food production. We are a hard working people. We believe there is dignity in labour. We are well-educated and excel in our chosen fields.

“For instance, the Yoruba are the first to produce an engineer, lawyer, woman-medical doctor and business magnate. Our leadership role in the development of the national economy remains unchallenged and indisputable.”

Oba Adeyemi hailed the pro-activeness and foresight of the Oodua Chambers in complementing the determination of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the Southwest to resuscitate the inheritance of the Yoruba founding fathers.

•Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka (right); his wife, Folake (second right); and Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun, during the playwright’s 79th birthday in Abeokuta... yesterday.

Osun tribunal lawyer Kalejaiye for trial today D ETAILS of the alleged illicit telephone exchanges in 2008 between a lawyer, Kunle Kaleijaiye (SAN) and then Chairman of the Osun State Election Tribunal, Justice Thomas Naron, may be made public today as the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) opens hearing in the case against Kalejaiye this morning.

Justice Naron was the chairman of the tribunal that heard the petition filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its candidate, Rauf Aregbesola challenging the election that got the now sacked Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola to office.

Based on the recommendation of the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC), Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, earlier this year, sacked Justice Naron, then of the state High Court.

The LPDC, headed by Joseph Daudu (SAN), began sitting yesterday at the Court of

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

Appeal, Abuja.

The committee will hear the three-count complaint filed against Kalejaiye. The Nation sighted yesterday, a copy of the complaint, signed by lawyer to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dele Oye. Kalejaiye is accused of engaging in "private and confidential telephone conversation" with Justice Naron without the knowledge of the other party, while the tribunal was yet to conclude hearing in the petition involving Kalejaiye's client.

The complaints read: "That you Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN), as a legal practitioner involved in the election petition before the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, Osun State sometime in 2008 engaged in constant, private and confidential telephone communications with

the Chairman of the Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Thomas Naron, during the pendency of the said petitions without informing the opposing counsel or allowing the opposing counsel to be present and by so doing, you created the impression of a special personal favour likely from the chairman of the petitions tribunal and by so doing, you have failed to maintain the high standard of professional conduct expected of a legal practitioner.

"That you, Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN) as a legal practitioner involved in the election petition before the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, Osun State sometime in 2008 engaged in constant and regular telephone communications with the Chairman of the Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Thomas Naron, during the pendency of the

administration is doing it right more than any government in the past. I have abandoned the politics of arrogance, which I played in the PDP for the politics of truth and development.”

He urged his friends and political associates in the PDP not to hesitate to defect to the ACN, which he described as a progressive party.

Ogunbolude pledged to cooperate with the party leaders and government to foster

harmony for the development of the state.

Awe, who presented the defectors to the Deputy Governor, warned leaders against division in the ACN fold, which he said remained indivisible.

The party restated that the incumbent governor remained the choice of the party for the 2014 election based on the landmarks of his administration in the past two years.

Deputy Governor, party chair receive PDP defectors in Ekiti S CORES of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members from Ise/Orun Local Government Area of Ekiti State yesterday defected to the local chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The defectors, led by Mr. Kingsley Ogunbolude, said they were impressed by the performance of the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration, which they believed has delivered on its campaign promises.

They were received by the Deputy Governor, Prof.

Modupe Adelabu and the state Chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe. The duo led political office holders from the area and party chieftains to receive the defectors.

The Deputy Governor hailed Ogunbolude for leading his supporters to the ACN. She assured that the party would not disappoint them, urging others in Emure Local Government to join the winning train.

Prof. Adelabu, whose mother was from Oraye Quarters in Ise-Ekiti, enjoined the people not to disappoint her as their representative in the government.

Ogunbolude said the invitation to join ACN was offered him by the Deputy Governor.

His words: “The Fayemi

OPC rejects al-Mustapha’s release

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HE National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, yesterday dissociated his group from the support given to Hamza al-Mustapha by the founder of the group, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, following his release from prison last week.

In a statement by the OPC leader, entitled: ‘Revolution beacons’, the group said: “We of the Oodua Republic Front (ORF) hereby distance ourselves from the weighty support thrown behind al-Mustapha, the murderer of the matriarch of democracy Kudirat Abiola. Although we foresaw foul play from the beginning of the hearing, we want to assure all and sundry that be-

By Uyoatta Eshiet

lieves in justice that the blood of everyone, who was killed in the course of fighting for this democracy, would hunt every son of Yoruba, who believes he can negotiate justice for a plate of Tuwo”.

Adams said the group distanced itself from the show of shame embarked upon by Dr. Fasehun, whom he said was not representing “our collective decision in this matter.”

He said: “ The Yoruba are known to be Omoluabi (people with integrity), but in this case, some Yoruba figures should be prepared to explain their role in the deals that released al-Mustapha. They neither represent our opinion nor decision.”

said petitions, conducted yourself in a manner that is likely to obstruct, delay or adversely affect the administration of justice and by so doing, you have failed to maintain the high standard of professional conduct expected of a legal practitioner, by engaging in a conduct unbecoming of a legal practitioner.

"That you Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN), as a legal practitioner involved in the election petition before the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, Osun State sometime in 2008 engaged in constant, private and confidential telephone communications with the Chairman of the Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Thomas Naron, during the pendency of the said petitions, conducted yourself in a way calculated to erode the confidence in the Chairman of the election petitions tribunal and by so doing, you have failed to maintain the high standard of professional conduct expected of a legal practitioner, by engaging in a conduct unbecoming of a legal practitioner.”

HE Minister of National Planning and Chairman, National Planning Commission, Dr. Samsudeen Usman, yesterday hailed Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi for transforming the state.

The minister, who spoke during a visit to the governor in his office, also acknowledged the cordial relationship between his ministry and the Ajimobi administration. He said this was commendable.

“Since I have got to Oyo State, I have seen visible signs of transformation. No doubt, the state has changed in terms of aesthetics and urban renewal.

I congratulate you on the efforts you are putting in to change the face of the state,” Dr. Usman said.

The minister, who said he was in the state to attend the annual conference of the Directors of Planning, Research and Statistics holding in Ibadan, said they had not made mistakes coming to the state for the programme.

He said the state was chosen as one of the pilot states for the measurement of Gross Domestic Products (GDP) at the state level, given its age and size.

Boroffice: why I dumped Labour Party for ACN From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja HE Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Robert Boroffice, yesterday explained why he defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Boroffice, who represents Ondo North, told reporters in Abuja that he left LP for ACN when it became obvious that he had become a stranger in the party.

He said although he won his Senatorial election convincingly, the LP did not give him the support he needed for the election.

Said he: “It is true that in 2011, I won election to the Senate on the platform of the Labour Party and by December 2011, I defected to ACN and the reason is obvious.”

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Reform: Ministry takes over pension matters from OFHOS

Reduction in Nigeria’s oil, others limit availability

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OLDMAN Sachs Group Inc. (GS) said price risks for Brent crude in the second half of the year have changed “to the upside” amid production losses in some Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Counhtries (OPEC) nations and political threats to supply.

Reductions in output from Libya, Iraq and Nigeria have the potential to limit availability, the bank said yesterday in an e-mailed report.

Even so, increased production outside the OPEC will probably keep global markets adequately supplied this year, said Goldman, which forecasts Brent crude to average $105 a barrel in the second half. Brent futures traded at about $108 a barrel in London yesterday.

“The risks have shifted more to the upside over the short term due to the possibility of continuing OPEC production shortfalls and increased geopolitical risks,” Jeff Currie, the head of commodities research in New York, said in the report.

OPEC output fell by 370,000 barrels a day in June amid unrest and violence in Libya, Iraq and Nigeria, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in its most recent monthly market report on July 11.

The losses come just as increasing seasonal demand for motor fuels is pushing up global oil consumption, Goldman said. OPEC supplies about 40 per cent of the world’s crude.

11 At the moment there is an average of about 18 hours per day of constant power supply to different parts of the country. This feat was brought about by the implementation of the integrated power sector reform programme anchored on the power roadmap.

- Minister of Information, Labaran Maku

• BPP bars 13 firms from doing business with govt •Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

From Nduka Chiejina

HE Federal Govern ment has removed pension matters from the Office of Head Of Service of the Federation (OHSF) to the Ministry of Finance.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the opening of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) workshop on debarment procedure in Abuja, the Head of Service of Federation, Alhaji Burkar Goni Aji, said: “The Office of the Head of Service will henceforth hands-off direct control of pension matters.”

He said the decision was taken so as to put “a working structure in place,” adding that his predecessors started the reform in the Office of the Head of Service (HoS), including its restructuring.

He said the government has moved “to reposition the pension office which is going to be under the control of the Minister of Finance under

what we call Pension Transition Arrangement Department.”

Also, the Head of Service, said the Group Life Insurance policy of public servants already approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), has been handed over to “the AccountantGeneral of the Federation for implementation.

Aji said the government has observed that the procurement processes as stipulated in the Procurement Act, 2007 has been facing some challenges, including the lack of effective monitoring and compliance by implementing MDAs, adding that sometimes there was outright display of lack of honesty by some contractors and complete disregard to laid down rules.

He explained that these infractions necessitated the various reform measures

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(Assistant Editor)

embarked upon by the BPP to eliminate the identified flops in the process.

“We used to have a-six-office structure where you have six Permanent Secretaries and 25 departments, complete with directors. But today, the office has shrunk to a-threeoffice structure in the HOS with only three Permanent Secretaries and 12 directors.”

BPPDirector-General, Emeka Ezeh, said about 13 companies have already been barred by the Bureau from doing business with the government.

He said the 13 entities were barred for offering corruption money to people, and generally misrepresenting facts and lying about their capabilities with the view to changing the outcome of the procurement process.

Specific sanctions for offenders the BPP boss said, “include that they would be debarred from doing business with the Nigerian government for not less than five

years, including a fine of 25 per cent of the value of the procurement in question.”

Ezeh compared the debarment of erring service providers to what he called, the “traditional system of social sanction, in which if you do something that is criminal, the community will bring you to the market square, and say that this person comes from a family that is known to be thieves and everybody will stop dealing with you. That is even more effective than trying to go to court and then we’ll be there forever and nothing will happen.”

The proposed debarment procedure, Ezeh noted, is one of the mechanisms developed by the BPP to punish procurement related corrupt activities, and inculcate the required discipline in Nigeria’s public procurement system and ultimately improve the way to do business to meet international good practices.

Finance Ministry pays N48b to oil marketers From Nduka Chiejina Assistant Editor

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

-N10.6 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -9% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending -22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -15% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $48b FOREX CFA -0.2958 EUR -206.9 £ -242.1 $ -156 ¥ -1.9179 SDR -238 RIYAL -40.472

Corroborating the BPP Director-General, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Ayim, PiysAyim, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Dr. Jemilah Soara, said, government will provide the necessary support and take all steps to ensure the full implementation of the debarment procedure, once it has been agreed on by all the key stakeholders.

He said: “In furtherance to the government circular debarring any bidder that has been debarred by any international agency, government is happy that we are now developing an in-country debarment procedure that will meet international good practices.”

Ayim said the government will provide the enabling environment for only serious and ethical contractors and service providers to take part in the Federal Government’sprocurement process.

• Group CEO, Primlaks Group, Ravi Hemnani (left), introducing simpli pineapple treat to Sotonye Anga, Community of Agricultural Stakeholders of Nigeria, Prof Pat Utomi, and Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, immediate past chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group at the Eko Le Meridian, Lagos.

HE Federal Ministry of Finance says it has released the sum of N48,085,299,281.50 billion as payments to 19 oil marketers to cover verified subsidy claims.

A statement signed

by Paul Nwabuikwu, Special Adviser to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance said that before this latest payment, a total of N192,502,279,966.50 billion in verified claims had been settled this year.

This he said means that, so far in 2013, total payments made to oil marketers now stand at N240, 587,579,248.00.

$1.092b Malabu oil deal: How oil majors arm-twisted presidents

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HE report of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on the transaction involving the Federal Government and Shell/ Agip companies and Malabu Oil and Gas Limited on Oil Block OPL 245 has revealed that oil majors snubbed the intervention of the three presidents and ended up with the oil block at the end of the day.

The loser in the deal was the local content policy of the Federal Government with the active connivance of some well known Nigerians who got $1. 092 billion in return for their efforts.

Former President Olusegun

From: Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

Obasanjo, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan had all intervened to save the Malabu deal, which eventually went south to no avail.

But the Reps report, which chronicled the atrocities visited on the country by the oil majors in the Malabu deal shows that sometimes the international oil companies are perhaps more powerful than the government in power.

According to the report, one of the cases in point was the approval of former Presi-

dent Olusegun Obasanjo in a letter dated December 2, 2006 addressed to Malabu Oil and Gas that the Oil Bloc OPL 245 should be returned to Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd. The letter from Obasanjo through Edmund Dakoru. the then Minister of State for Petroleum reads in part: “We refer to the above subject matter and are delighted to convert to you that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commanderin-Chief of the Armed Forces having concluded a review of your legal claims for the return of Oil Bloc 245 ( OPL 245) has graciously approved and directed as follows:

•That the Federal Government of Nigeria is amenable to an out-of-court settlement of the claims comprised in the legal proceedings commenced by Malabu Oil and Gas Limited and consequently has agreed to settle your legal claims for the return of the Oil Bloc constituted as OPL 245.

The said Oil Bloc 245 (OPL 245) shall from the dated hereof and with immediate effect be returned to Malabu Oil and Gas limited with full and total reinstatement of all its rights thereto.”

•Any and all previous decisions inconsistent with or purporting to deprive Malabu

Oil and Gas Limited of its rights over the totality of the concessions in the said OPL 245 shall stand absolutely and totally rescinded as if they had never been made.

•Malabu shall immediately upon the receipt of this letter forthwith withdraw, discontinue and or cause to cease any, all every legal proceedings concerning OPL 245 initiated and/ or being maintained by Malabu against the a Federal Government of Nigeria in respect of the Oil Bloc OPL 245.”

In spite of the fact that the position of the Federal Gov•Continued on page 12

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

BUSINESS NEWS Govt, states, councils EU, UNIDO support infrastructure Fed share N718.103b in June with 2.5b euro S T UPPORT came the way of Nigeria yesterday, when the European Union (EU) and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) signed N2.5billion agreement (12million euro) to assist the country in its infrastructural development.

The support, which is aimed at improving infrastructure in the non-oil, productive sectors of the economy, will be delivered through the unique technical competence of United Nations Development Organisation (UNIDO).

The project is part of a wider Financing Agreement signed between the Euro-

From Nike Adebowale, Abuja

pean Union and Nigeria to stimulate the competiveness of Nigeria, and represents one of the many contributions brought by the EU to the people of Nigeria under the 2008-2013, 10th European Development Fund.

The targeted projects are: Promulgation of a National Quality Policy (NQP); the establishment of a National Accreditation Body (NAB), Providing equipment and training for the National Metrology Institute (NMI), Facilitate private participation, and support Conform-

ity Assessment Bodies (CAB); Ensure participation of Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and other stakeholders in the NQI through training and awareness creation on quality and consumer protection.

The National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) of Nigeria Project aims to support the improvement and establishment of standards and quality control agencies, in order to improve the quality of products and services exchanged in the Nigerian and international markets, and thus boost the competiveness of the Nige-

rian private sector,as well as the protection of it’s consumers.

Ambassador of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Dr. David MacRae, and Resident Representative and Director of UNIDO, Dr. Patrick M. Kormawa, signed the agreement.

Macrae said: “The EU attaches a great importance to the diversification of Nigeria’s oil economy, the role of the private sector in the creation of employment and the improvement of the living conditions of all its citizens.

The support brought by the EU, in team with UNIDO to help improve Nigeria’s quality infrastructure, is one good step in that direction.”

HE three tiers of g o v e r n m e n t yesterday shared N718.103 billion for June.

Rising from the monthly Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja, the Minister of State for Finance, and Chairman of FAAC, Alhaji Lawan Yerima Ngama, said N623.767 billion was distributed as statutory disbursements.

He said the Federal Government received N294.038 billion, or 52.68 per cent, state governments received a combined cheque of N149.140 billion, or 26.72 per cent, while the 774 local governments got N114.981 billion, or 20.6 per cent of the statutory disbursements.

Following the stand-off between the states and the Federal Government last month, there was no augmentation for June, because the May augmentation arrears of N92.436 billion was instead distributed in June.

He said N7.617 billion was refunded by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as a result of its

From Nduka Chiejina, (Asst.

Editor)

indebtedness to the Federation Account and distributed in the month of June as well.

In addition, N35.549 billion was disbursed to the threetiers of government under the SURE-P programme.

Also in June, N51.170 billion was shared between the federal, state and local governments as proceeds from the Value Added Tax (VAT).

A gross revenue of N863.026 billion was realised for the month, which was higher than the N590.777 billion received for May by N272.249 billion.

This increase in revenue, Ngama noted, “was due to an increase in crude oil production following the completion of pipeline repairs in some terminals, and the rush to meet the Company Income Tax (CIT) deadline of June 30, for companies with December 31.”

Ngama explained: “Lifting operations were still begin affected by the Force Majeure declared at Bonny terminal and continuous theft and vandalism.”

Akingbola loses bid to stop trial of N47.1b theft charge

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ORMER Vice-President f Intercontinental Bank Plc, Erastus Akingbola has lost in his bid to quash theft charges of N47.1 billion brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, dismissed Akingbola’s application for want of charges,holding that Akingbola’s application is lacking in merit.

The EFCC had charged Akingbola and the General Manager of Tropics Securities Limited, Mr Bayo Dada, to court for allegedly stealing the money belonging to the bank.

The former boss of Intercontinental Bank in an application filed by his counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, (SAN) on July 10, Tthis year, prayed the court to quash the charges preferred against him by the Commission.

He had submitted to the court that there was not enough proof of evidence to link Akingbola to any of the o

By Adebisi Onanuga

counts in the charge brought against him by the commission Olanipekun had argued that since the EFCC failed to obtain a fiat from the Lagos State Attorney-General, it lacked the power to initiate criminal proceedings against his client at the State High Court.

But EFCC counsel, Mr Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), opposed the application and urged the court to dismiss it.

But the trial judge, Justice Onigbanjo in his ruling, said that the Appeal Court had held that the EFCC was qualified to institute criminal proceedings under Section 211 of the 1999 Constitution.

Onigbanjo also recalled that the Court of Appeal, while ruling on a previous appeal filed by Akingbola against the ruling of the former trial judge, Justice Habeeb Abiru, settled the issue of whether or not the defendant should answer the charges preferred against him by the EFCC.

$1.092b Malabu oil eal: How oil majors arm-twisted presidents •Continued from page 11 ernment was conveyed to SNUD by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources in a letter dated December 1, 2006, SNUD refused to let go of the oil bloc. This was confirmed in another letter by the then Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Bayo Ojo to Minister of State for Petroleum.

Consequently, the report stated that SNUD took the Federal Government to the international Centre for the Settlement of Investment Dispute (ICSID) in Washington DC. The Leo Ogor-headed House Committee, which examined the alleged shady sale of OPL 245 to Shell/ Agip Consortium for $1.092 billion and the transfer of the said

amount to Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd as compensation showed that the intervention of two other presidents were also spurned.

Even the late President Yar’Adua facilitated a meeting in January 2008 between Malabu and SNUD, which led to yet another draft settlement agreement.

The report stated: “ That it was contemplated that the draft settlement would have been executed by February 28, 2009. The settlement agreement was, however, not eventually executed by the parties,” because they said “ advice from the Ministry of Justice confirmed that settlement.

Agreement dated November 30, 2006 between Malabu and the Federal Government of Nigeria was valid and subsisting.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

PROPERTY

Tuesday, JULY 16, 2013

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com

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

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

•The $100 million Ikeja City Mall, one of the property built by Actis LLP in Nigeria.

Huge market, big risks

Nigeria’s large population gives it an edge in many areas. It has a huge real estate market, but investors are not coming. A United Kingdom (UK)-based real estate services firm, Jones Lang LaSelle, in its 2012 transparency index, blames the problem on lack of transparency and insecurity. SEYI ODEWALE reports.

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ITH a large middle class, which is second to none in Africa, Nigeria should have a solid property market. Sadly, that is not the case. Although, some large retail shops have come into the country, the potentials of the real estate market remain untapped.

Why? Because of transparency issues and insecurity, says a United Kingdom (UK)based real estate services firm, Jones Lang LaSelle.

In its transparency index for last year, the agency rated Nigeria 96 out of 97 countries.

The 97th country is Sudan.

Despite its poor ranking, Nigeria’s huge real estate market is there for those willing to take the bet. But the world’s established investors have been steering clear of the country.

Those at the commanding height of the sector are either local players or foreign funds that specialise in Africa. “You’re not going to get the European pension money here soon,” said Mark Bradford, Chairman of Property Agent, Jones Lang LaSalle, in

sub-Saharan Africa. “There’s not much of a market (for them) here yet, but the potential is huge.

“Of course, the market is big and with huge potentials, but the only snag is the attitude of our people, including the so-called professionals who often are not sincere,” said a Port Harcourt, Bayelsa State-based real estate manager, Odunmorayo Adesanmi.

He agreed with the report that foreign investors are wary of going into the nation’s real estate market, which he said, is like a minefield.

“It is only in the city that you can get some of your investments back and how many city centres does the country have? Very few,” Bola Olaniyan, another real estate practitioner based in Lagos, said.

The market, practitioners believe, is concentrated in the southern part of the country because of communal unrest and incessant attacks by the Boko Haram sect in the North.

The foreign players in the country include a London-based private-equity firm, Actis LLP,

which has about $1.7 billion investment in Africa. Its Nigeria projects, a report says, include the Ikeja City Mall, a 307,000-squarefoot mall in Lagos. The mall, which was built at a cost $100 million in 2011, has tenants, such as Africa’s largest food retailer, Shoprite Holdings Limited and Samsung Electronics Co. Actis is also spending about $100 million to develop the 194,000 square-foot Heritage Place office building in Lagos, which is expected to be completed and opened in 2015.

David Morley, head of real estate at Actis, was quoted by a report, saying: “Nigeria from an international perspective has attracted more interest over the last two or three years.”

It was speculated in a United Nations’ report that about 58 million people will move to cities in sub-Saharan Africa in the current decade, and that Nigeria is at the heart of this urbanisation. “The country’s economy, powered by a booming oil-and-gas industry, is expected to expand by 6.6 per cent in 2013— significantly above the average for the region.

Lagos is predicted to reach a population of 20 million by 2020, up from its present eight million at the last census in 2006, which would make it one of the world’s biggest cities,” another report said.

One of the challenges facing foreign realestate investors, is the paucity or lack of market data. Unlike most other markets, real estate investors are having a hard time finding statistics with basic information, such as deal prices, supply, leasing activity and property ownership.

The few real-estate statistics available reflect the country’s potential. For instance, prime office rents have gone as high as $70 (about N11,000) per square metre (10.8 square feet) per month in Lagos, the highest in sub-Sahara Africa, excluding South Africa, according to Broll Property Services Limited, part of CBRE Group Incorporated.

The next is Accra, Ghana, with $37 (about N5,800) a square metre. But investing in Ni•Continued on page 18

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Fed Govt to build 550 housing units in flood-prone states

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HE Federal Government is to build 550 housing units in the 22 states ravaged by flood last year, the Kwara State Chairman, Committee on Flood, Relief and Rehabilitation, Alhaji Dabarako Mohammed, has said.

He listed some of the benefiting states to include Kwara, Kogi, Delta, Bayelsa and Niger, where the impact of last year’s flooding was devastating.

Mohammed, who is the Kwara State Head of Service, said the government has adopted measures to

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

mitigate flooding this year. The state, he said, had appealed to hydro stations management to regulate the release of water from dams to avoid flooding, adding that the water could be released gradually when the dam was not filled up.

He said: “We spoke with management of hydro stations in Jebba, New Bussa and Shiroro. We advised them that what they could do to help our people is to regulate the way they release their water. They should

Huge market, big risks

•Continued from page 17

geria, the Jones Lang LaSalle report said: Is not for the faint of heart. The report places the country in the “opaque” category of transparency, meaning that Nigeria suffers from elements of corruption, lack of fundamental data and poor environmental sustainability programmes when building large-scale properties.

Obi Nwogugu, who runs a fund at African Capital Alliance with $165 million in real-estate assets in West Africa, said: “In Nigeria, real estate can be rife with corruption throughout the process.”

Nwogugu’s fund has completed a $36 million office building on Victoria Island in Lagos that is being leased to General Electric Co, this year.

Joining with a strong local operator is necessary to “unravel the complexities and the minefields you might run into,” Nwogugu said.

Another notable challenge to investors is near lack of a secondary

market for modern developments.

In other countries, once developers build and lease out projects, they can sell them to institutional investors. In Nigeria, such demand does not exist, the report said.

“It’s not a market you can fly in and out,” said Actis’s Mr. Morley, adding: “I don’t see Nigeria as a twoor three-year story. I see it as a 20year story.”

According to experts, a possible means of attracting higher-grade capital will come when multinational companies that own operating plants in Nigeria decide to remove those assets from their balance sheets and lease them back.

Procter & Gamble Co., a firm which specialises in manufacturing house disposals and personal hygiene products, last year announced plans to build a $250 million plant in Ogun. If that asset and others like it come up for sale, it could attract more large-scale foreign investors into the market, Jones Lang LaSalle’s Mr. Bradford said, adding: “After that a whole wave might follow.”

Akwa Ibom didn’t get N20b refund from govt, says official

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HE Akwa Ibom State Government has not been refunded N20billion for mending federal roads, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Aniekan Umanah, has said.

In a statement, Umanah said contrary to reports credited to the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, the state was yet to be paid for the job done.

He quoted Ozomgbachi as saying during his visit to Governor Godswill Akpabio that “the sum of N20billion inserted in the 2013 budget was meant to be refunded to states of the federation on repairs of federal roads based on the approval of the President. He further said that the sum of N23billion will be earmarked in the 2014 appropriation for the same purpose.”

Umanah added: “The only time Akwa Ibom State received any re-

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HE Lagos State Government is planning a law to sanitise the real estate sec-

tor.

The law when operational will address malpractices and unprofessional attitude of people in real estate transactions.

Under the law, practitioners are expect to register with the Ministry of Housing.

Director of Estate, Ministry of Housing, Mr Kehinde Abayomi, who disclosed this at the nineth edition of the three-day exhibition of real estate properties in Lagos last week, said it is not only requisite, but now it is also mandatory to register with the Ministry of Housing to practice real estate in Lagos,

fund from the Federal Government for the rehabilitation of federal roads was during the late Yar’Adua administration when it got N2billion despite spending over N120billion on the rehabilitation of federal roads.”

The state, he said, would be glad to receive refunds on all its expenses on the rehabilitation of federal roads, noting that the Akpabio administration has constructed and dualised over 200 kilometres of federal roads. The Uyo-Ikot Ekpene-Aba Federal Highway, he said, is being dualised as part of the over 320 new roads covering over 1,200 kilometres in the State.

The state, Umanah said, was happy with the relationship between the states and Federal Government on critical areas of development, promising to continue to work for the sustenance of the partnership.

not wait until the dams are 100 per cent full.

“We also went to the traditional rulers and chairmen of the councils to identify ten relocations areas in their respective councils for the people. Having done that, we held meeting with the Presidential committee on flood last week and they told us that the federal government is coming to assist the people. It was at the meeting that we learnt that 25 housing units would be constructed in each of the 22 affected states.

He said the committee had identi-

fied areas such as Patigi, Moro, Kaiama, Baruteen and Ilorin as flood prone areas, adding that 60 sites have been designated as where people living in flood prone areas can relocate to. The sites are scattered across six local government areas of the state that were affected by last year’s devastating flood.

The local government areas are Pategi, Edu, Kaiama, Baruten, Moro and Ilorin. Each of them has 10 relocation centres.

The Special Assistant, Emergency and Relief Services to the

•From left: Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesegun Oniru; wife of former Cross River State governor Mrs. Onari Duke and Mr Ronald Chagoury at the Nigeria Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE) lecture in Lagos.

Ekiti eyes N800m FMBN facility

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OURTEEN years after it pulled out of the National Housing Fund (NHF), the Ekiti State Government has held talks with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) on how to return to the scheme.

The FMBN management led by its Chairman, Chief Bisi Ogunjobi, has visited the Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu in her office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital to reopen negotiations.

The delegation’s mission was to sensitise the government on the benefits its participation in the NHF would bring to the state, especially in housing development.

Such benefits include access to a N800 million loan facility already approved by the bank for Ekiti State Housing Investment Corporation.

The deputy governor said Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration was doing its best to make the state first-choice destination for investors, saying that good road networks and rural development are being intensified to fast-track development.

Mrs Adelabu said government

would continue to explore and harness every available opportunity to achieve its agenda on infrastructural development, which according to her, includes provision of affordable houses and estates for civil servants and other residents.

She reiterated the administration’s resolve to deliver dividends of democracy on its Eight-Point Agenda, listing as pri-

‘Government would continue to explore and harness every available opportunity to achieve its agenda on infrastructural development, which ... includes provision of affordable houses and estates for civil servants and other residents’

Law to sanitise real estate market coming

By Ayetoto Temitayo

He added that the ministry would embark on regular training to educate people in order to make real estate investment safe for citizens and investors.

Abayomi, who represented the Commissioner for Housing, Bosun Jeje, commended the organisers of the exhibition for providing an opportunity for developers to showcase their products. He said the exhibition is laudable, the attendance impressive and the quality of products displayed off the hook.

The exhibition, aimed at creating a platform for trade promo-

Governor, Musa Abdullahi said the government had cleared virgin land with tents and mobile toilets and provided about N5million antiflood epidemic drugs as a proactive measure against the impending flood and the associated health demands.

He said Governor Abdullahi Ahmed had provided N10million for the construction of the tents and N7million for the mobile toilets. He urged people living in flood prone areas to relocate to safe areas and be more safety conscious.

tion, investment opportunities and market development for stakeholders in the housing industry, attracted a good number of estate developers and investors interested in real estate development and mortgages.

Head of the organising team, Steve Ike, said the motif behind the exhibition is to celebrate quality, innovation and progress in respect of real estate and allied industry. He also noted that responses from Nigerians have been fantastic.

“A lot of people are looking to investing in real estate particularly, since the fall of our stock

market. Basically, when we organise this kind of event Nigerians come out for them to see investment option, which is what they are witnessing today,” he said.

While speaking on the capability of the exhibition to affect people, Abayomi described the event as impactful because it served as an eye-opener to new development and technology.

He said: “Considering the quality of what is being displayed, if people appreciate quality, there is the tendency to imbibe the quality. The more qualitative a property is the higher the value.”

ority the provision of social infrastructure, stable electricity supply and portable water among others, for the comfort of residents and to attract investors.

The deputy governor described the FMBN as a veritable financial body and assured that Ekiti State would not hesitate to explore the opportunity offered by the bank for the benefit of its workforce.

She urged the bank officials to step up enlightenment programmes to sensitise labour leaders and workers about services offer.

Stating the mission of his entourage, Ogunjobi said the body has been rebranded and expanded to accommodate many people.

He confirmed that the bank, through the NHF, has earmarked N800 million for property development in the state, but insisted the state must rejoin the scheme to access the fund.

Ogunjobi urged the government to facilitate its membership procedure to enable it to access the fund and use it to consolidate the ongoing infrastructural development agenda of the state.

Exhibitors commended the initiative, which to them was an ample opportunity to publicise their products. One of them, Sage Homes, said: “The platform is cool, it is an avenue to sell our homes and we look forward to people’s patronage.”

He said to acquire any of their properties, a prerequisite 10 per cent initial payment is to be made to key into the plan and is expected to finish in 18 months.

Another real estate developer, First Equatorial Properties, praised the organisers, adding that challenges faced include dearth of funds in the system, bureaucratic issues and inaccessible mortgages.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

FROM OTHER LANDS

Judgment leakage

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•Apex court should look beyond the case of the dismissed six

HE Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) has dismissed five non-judicial staff of the Supreme Court and one from the Court of Appeal, for allegedly leaking an undelivered judgment of the apex court. Those accused of the ignominious conduct are Russell Ndenu, Bada Kayode, Festus Ilurimi, Nathaniel Abraham, Olayinka Abiodun, all from the Supreme Court, and Stephen Izonebi from the Court of Appeal.

The alleged leakage was in respect of the case between Senator Alphonsus Uba Igbeke and Lady Margery Okadigbo, over a senatorial election in Anambra State. According to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, the leakage was al-

‘Of course the sacked staff of the two courts must also be subjected to a trial for the leakage. It will not be enough to just sack them, as their other colleagues may be tempted to follow the same path where the financial inducement is right. We also hope that the chief justice will continue her well received effort to heal the judicial process. It is unfortunate, but we wish to inform her that many Nigerians believe that justice can be purchased’

legedly masterminded by Senator Igbeke and Mr. Collins Okechukwu.

We condemn without equivocation the alleged misconducts of the court officials, who probably for pecuniary interests have exposed the judiciary to ridicule.

While we commend the FJSC for quickly resolving the puzzle over who leaked the judgment, we urge it to conduct a thorough audit of its entire staff, to determine their integrity and fidelity to the positions they occupy. It may be necessary to seek experiences from other jurisdictions, on ways of securing the integrity of judgments as it traverses between the judges and their confidential supporting staff.

There is also the need for a mechanism to monitor the members of staff to know those living above their means.

Unfortunately, similar allegations of leakage of judgments have been rife, particularly since the advent of politics, and until now, there has been little success in determining the culprits. We commend the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Mukhtar-led FJSC for acting promptly on this matter; but it also raises question why similar cases in the past appeared not to have been resolved as in the current case.

Probably the mechanisms for such quick resolution were not in place, or the leadership in the past was not interested in determining the sources of such misconduct.

For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to inform the FJSC that tales of similar leakages and sale of judgments is usually rife over election cases, so the judges and the

FJSC should therefore always be on guard.

The non-judicial staff working in the courts must also be made to realise that they form part of the integrity of the judicial process.

While Senator Igbeke has taken an advertorial to deny his involvement in the leakage, it is of utmost national importance that the culpability of the senator and Mr. Okechukwu be subjected to the criminal justice system. The police and other security agencies’ job is made easier by the reported advertisement of the judgment before it was delivered. Whoever placed the advert has the responsibility to confirm to the police and the courts the source of the advertised undelivered judgment. In the overall interest of our judicial process, we urge the Attorney General of the Federation to take up the challenge to ensure that those responsible for this assault on the judicial process are brought to justice.

Of course the sacked staff of the two courts must also be subjected to a trial for the leakage. It will not be enough to just sack them, as their other colleagues may be tempted to follow the same path where the financial inducement is right. We also hope that the chief justice will continue her well received effort to heal the judicial process. It is unfortunate, but we wish to inform her that many Nigerians believe that justice can be purchased. This cynicism over the integrity of judicial process goes as far as the Supreme Court, and it is hoped that the efforts of the CJN would help to restore the lost grounds.

Arresting land grabbing

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•Lagos State House of Assembly moves to tackle a major challenge

T would appear that the Lagos State House of Assembly’s proposed penalties for “land grabbers” in the state were a development that merely awaited its time. Sooner or later, the authorities were perhaps bound to make some move to check perpetrators of the ugly practice of forcible entry and occupation of landed properties in the state.

The violation had, regrettably, attained the status of a dangerous, destructive and negatively lucrative habit. Those who grabbed land were usually ready to go to extremes, with their eyes fixed on rewards. Consequently, many on the receiving end have had their lives shattered and their hopes dashed. The fear of the ubiquitous Omo onile , who sponsor or carry out land seizures, has long become the beginning of wisdom in the state’s estate sector. The Yoruba word has become a loose term for unscrupulous characters who usually claim to have some interest in how land should be sold or developed.

In this context, the provisions of the state’s properties protection bill 2013, which has scaled second reading at plenary, are cause for cheer. This bill, which is, interestingly, sponsored by a private member, seeks to prevent anyone, who without lawful authority, uses or threatens violence for the purpose of securing entry into any landed property for himself or any other person(s). If the bill is eventually passed, a special offence court shall try any person charged with contravening it, and if found guilty, would be liable to three years imprisonment or N300, 000 fine. Also, it states that anyone found with firearm,

weapon or chemical material or in company of any person so armed would be liable to a death sentence, which is a proposal that may prove contentious.

The House of Assembly should be lauded for the thoroughness with which it is going about the issue, with the committees on lands and housing as well as judiciary, human rights and public petitions expected to consider the bill and present reports on it within one month.

This meticulous approach was correctly situated by the chairman, committee on lands and housing, Bayo Osinowo, who reportedly declared, “In Lagos State, land is our major resource. It is our petrol, compared to oil-producing states in the country. Therefore, nothing will be too much to protect its sanctity.”

Furthermore, highlighting what was perhaps the crux of the matter, Osinowo reportedly claimed that 60 percent of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) concerning landed properties in the state were fake, saying that the bill was also aimed at correcting this anomaly. Indeed, those who go about seizing land often do so in the context of claims and counterclaims over genuine ownership of the disputed property. And the fact that these clashes have been known to occur, either before or during construction work, or even after, speaks volumes about the scale of the problem. It is a shameful reflection of social corruption and contempt for the law that people would forge such document.

It should be said that by seeking to criminalise the odious practice, the lawmakers have already sent a welcome signal to those who sustain it. Without doubt, the bill, if passed, would create a

necessary framework for civilised behaviour in the estate sector. The beauty of this bill is that it intends to lay down ground rules for owner-buyer relations in this area, which otherwise would probably continue to witness sour deals accompanied by gnashing of teeth, tears, and even bloodshed.

It goes without saying that the landowning families and their ilk, faced with the possibility of this bill becoming law, need to address with greater seriousness the issues that give them a bad name.

They need to appreciate the embarrassment value of this law in the making. The House of Assembly should take this bill to a logical conclusion. It has all the makings of a people-friendly legislation.

‘It should be said that by seeking to criminalise the odious practice, the lawmakers have already sent a welcome signal to those who sustain it.

Without doubt, the bill, if passed, would create a necessary framework for civilised behaviour in the estate sector. The beauty of this bill is that it intends to lay down ground rules for owner-buyer relations in this area, which otherwise would probably continue to witness sour deals accompanied by gnashing of teeth, tears, and even bloodshed’

Clouds Darken Over Egypt – The military proved disastrously inept when it tried to govern Egypt after the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

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OW, a week after ousting Mohamed Morsi, the first freely elected president, the military is orchestrating an even more dangerous maneuver. We are deeply fearful that Egypt could devolve into civil war, which would add new trauma to a region already in turmoil.

On Wednesday, the general prosecutor’s office issued formal arrest warrants for some of Mr. Morsi’s political allies in the Muslim Brotherhood — the top spiritual leader and at least nine other senior figures — who were accused of inciting the deadly protests that occurred on Monday. That is an outrageous move given that at least 51 protesters were killed by soldiers and police officers, and hundreds more wounded, most of them unarmed as they demanded Mr. Morsi’s release from detention and his reinstatement as president.

On Wednesday, Amnesty International said it had evidence showing that security forces used excessive force against Mr. Morsi’s supporters. Gunning down Morsi supporters and attacking an entire group could destroy hope for the democratic process and could well push the Brotherhood into violent extremism.

There are also plenty of reasons to be alarmed about the military’s plan, put forward on Tuesday, to transition from a militaryappointed interim civilian government to an elected one. The “constitutional declaration” issued by Adli Mansour, the newly installed president, made clear that the government’s authority comes only from the top commander, Gen. Abdul-Fattah el-Sisi.

Experts say it repeats many mistakes of the last transition, including shielding the military from civilian oversight and promising to follow Shariah law. The plan was written in secret; much of the language is vague and concepts like protection of civil rights are ignored.

Moreover, the timetable for amending the constitution, putting it to referendum and holding new elections seems too fast to allow for consensus-building among Egypt’s polarized factions. This rush may well make the process even less democratic and representative of all Egyptians than the last transition from military rule to Mr. Morsi’s government.

At this point, Mr. Morsi’s reinstatement seems virtually impossible. Still, Egypt needs to move from military control to an elected civilian government, but it has to be done in a more thoughtful, inclusive and durable way.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, who oppose the Brotherhood and favor an authoritarian order, are making their influence felt by providing billions of dollars in aid to Egypt and its collapsed economy. It is suspicious that fuel shortages and other problems plaguing Egypt under Mr. Morsi have now mysteriously cleared up.

The United States, which provides $1.5 billion annually, needs to keep nudging Egypt along a peaceful democratic path. Delivering an order of American-made F-16 jets to Egypt anytime soon would be provocative.

There is a special burden on liberals and secularists, the driving force behind the 2011 revolution and Mr. Morsi’s ouster, to move beyond protests to make themselves a functioning political force. That will require more organization and political smarts than they have shown so far.

– New York Times

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: Yoruba is a major ethnic group in Nigeria. The Yorubas are civilized. Professor Wole Soyinka, Africa’s first Nobel Prize winner in Literature is from Yorubaland. The Yorubas gave Nigeria many firsts including the first television service. Many great builders of Nigeria are Yorubas. Lagos, a mega city in Yorubaland of Nigeria, is one of the fastest rising cities in the world. Lagos contributes largely to the status of Nigeria as one of the fastest rising economies in the world.

Although Yorubas are one of the most advanced civilizations in Africa, many Yorubas don’t like anybody to criticize the legendary sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who is of Yoruba origin and of Nigerian heritage. Many Yorubas are strongly intolerant of any form or grade of criticism against Chief Awolowo.

But Chief Awolowo was a strong critic in his time.

The article, “ Awo Family without an Awo,” by Sam Omatseye in his column, “In Touch,” in The Nation of June 6, 2011 generated a lot of positive and negative critical tornados and tsunamis in Nigeria because many Yorubas found it offensive. In the article, Omatseye stated what he thought were the failings of the family of Chief Awolowo.

Some sons and daughters of Awolowo, Awoists, and some Yoruba groups, politicians, business men and women, professionals, students and traders were very angry with the writer as if criticizing the

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EDITOR’S MAIL BAG

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

Awo beyond criticism? late legend of Nigerian politics, his family and legacy was heretical and a taboo.

In his great memoir, “There was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra,” Professor Chinua Achebe criticized Chief Awolowo for his role in the Nigeria-Biafra War (Nigerian Civil War). This made many Yoruba talents, icons, luminaries and legends to generate and direct a great deal of

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anger and hatred against Chinua Achebe.

My question is: is Chief Obafemi Awolowo critically untouchable?

Many exceptionally distinguished people in the world are and were objects of criticisms: legendary poets, famous politicians, iconic captains of industries, extraordinary inventors and innovators, celebrated thinkers and philosophers,

and great scientists; some of them are on the list of Time magazine’s 100 list of all time greatest people.

Why are many Yorubas angry whenever Chief Awolowo is criticized. As people from a great ethnic group in Africa, Yorubas are expected to be tolerant of views people hold on their reverred leader.

They need to understand that he was not a perfect human being. Even the

Rivers: The return of bad old days

IR: The unfolding brigandage in Rivers State does not in any way come as a surprise to us, especially to some of us who have are familiar with the meddlesomness of the powers that be in the embattled state. As it was under the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, so it is under the watchful eyes of President Goodluck Jonathan.

When the five gangsters (for that is truly what they are) acting under the instructions of the powers-thatbe and under the adequate security cover by the highly compromised

Nigeria Police Force, last week, invaded the River State House of Assembly and tried to illegally remove the Speaker of the House, Otelemaba Amachree, in a “democratic coup”, the 2006 Oyo and Anambra states fiascos became readily a reference point. It became evident that our politicians are ready to rock the boat for their selfish interests. It marvels the world how we take a step forward and 10 steps backward.

Sadly, we have learnt nothing from the previous farce. Recall that in similar gestapo manner, 18 out of

the 32 members of Oyo State House of Assembly impeached the then governor Rashidi Ladoja in a flagrant violation of the provisions of Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.

Few months later, renegades in Anambra laid siege in the state. Ten out of the 30 members purportedly impeached Governor Peter Obi. It took the swift and courageous efforts of the Judiciary to restore sanity to the two states.

Interestingly, the above absurdities share a remarkable similarities with the current Rivers imbroglio.

Like in Oyo and Anambra states, the

elected chairmen except during the military era. However,since 2007, when you came on board as the governor, there has been no autonomy for the local governments in the state. Council polls were last held in 2008; since then the state government instituted caretakers committee to man the affairs at the grass roots level. Instead of holding elections, your government has been dissolving an appointing sole administrators for all the local councils.

This is in spite of objections raised by the House of Representatives on

the development.

Your Excellency, I wish to draw your attention to the following constitutional provisions: Section 7,of the 1999 constitution gave the government of every state the responsibility to ensure the existence of democratically elected local government councils under a Law enacted by the state House of Assembly providing for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.

The Local Government Council is meant to facilitate equitable deliv-

ery of basic service to the local areas and it must ensure representation of all groups in the community in the delivery of these basic services.

Your Excellency, there is organic disconnection between your administration and the people at the grass root. And once the people of the grass root don’t matter; once the people at the grass root don’t participate in the governance of their area such a society with the government of the day is doomed. Sir, this matter needs to be address now!

• John Akevi Bauchi

Open letter to Governor Yuguda

IR: I feel duty bound as an ordinary citizen of the stateto draw your attention to an issue that is bordering the good people of Bauchi State.I am aware that you have many advisers who have the responsibility to guide you in taking decisions. But I am also aware that a lot of your appointees are interested in advancing their personal interest rather than guiding the governor in the right direction.

Since the creation of Bauchi State in 1976, Local Government administration has been governed by duly

gods are criticized!

Chief Obafemi Awolowo is a great man in the history of Nigeria and Africa. He built many great things in Nigeria like the first television service in Nigeria, mass free education for the Western Region of Nigeria, the Liberty Stadium (now Awolowo Stadium). His newspaper, Nigerian Tribune is the only surviving newspaper today in Nigeria out of the newspapers founded by Nigerian nationalists, outliving the The West African Pilot founded by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and The Daily News founded by Herbert Macauley.

Though Chief Awolowo made great political and economic achievements, many of which still stand strong today, he need not be projected as critically untouchable.

• Uchechukwu Agodom, Kofar Kaura, Katsina

five lawmakers of the Rivers Assembly are trying to rubbish the fundamental principle of democracy anchored on the mantra of quorum.

The five do not only want to have their say, they equally want to have their way at the detrimental of the 27 members. Their act was no less an attempt to criminally ride to power through the back door. Taking a cue from his benefactor, who gave a tacit support to the illegalities in the Oyo and Anambra brouhaha, the President has also given an overt backing to the ongoing madness in the state, though the duo of Abati and Okupe have (in futility) tried to absolve him.

Those asking for the redeployment of the partisan Commissioner of Police from the state missed the point.

For all we know, Joseph Mbu is being used by his paymasters to hatch the plan. The police boss, who has lost every sense of professionalism in his duty, is only but a useful tool for those who are hell bent in enthroning anarchy in our society. His shameful role in the unfortunate crisis is not only a clear violation of the recently launched Code of Conduct for Nigeria Police, it is a demonstration of how a public officer could turn an errand boy in a bid to earn a living in this part of the planet.

• Barrister Okoro Gabriel, Lagos.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

COMMENTS

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AN the president of the Federal What happened to the ring Republic levy war against a state leaders back then: AIG Raphael and get away with it? From the Ige, the apparent Abuja viceroy in the crime, Tafa Balogun, then conduct of President Goodluck Jonathan’s sitting IG, and even Obasanjo henchmen and women in the Rivers himself, the sitting president contrived crisis, that appears the case. who, throughout the crisis, It is nothing short of criminalising the pushed the theory of plausible presidency.

But how much of this deniability? impunity can the civil order bear before AIG Ige, the apparent fall guy, something terrible gives?

Olakunle suffered abrupt retirement The especial tragedy of the Jonathan (even if his retirement time was lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) Abimbola Presidency is, with reckless regularity, it close) and later, sudden death. repeats history as farce.

Mr. Balogun suffered eventual But neither the first Nigerian president humiliation, though his role, to boast a PhD, nor his hyper-educated beyond being the Police IG was aides, seems fazed by this roller-coaster unclear; and his comeuppance cascade into infamy. Such is their total was not directly linked to the Ngige saga. Even Obasanjo has gobble of the sweet poison of naked power – powers they don’t Those who nail Governor Amaechi for “invading” the Rivers continued to suffer progressive devaluation, to the point of even have, had they not chosen to criminalise the presidency, if legislature to clear the mess miss the point. Yes, a governor irrelevance, since his presidential glory days. they ever bothered to read between the lines of the 1999 should be a gentleman. But with a president that tweaks rules Do all these speak to Mbu Joseph Mbu, the commissioner of Constitution, warts and all! for illicit gains, that could be fatal.

Police deep in the Rivers crisis, given his inappropriate conduct Take the latest trigger in the contrived crisis: the Rivers House If you doubt, ask Rashidi Ladoja, the bitter-sweet former and reckless utterances? There are always spiritual consequences of Assembly mayhem of July 9. Now, between the Goodluck governor of Oyo State. He shunned President Obasanjo’s diktat for political rascality that hurt the silent and innocent majority.

Jonathan and Rotimi Amaechi battling camps, there is enough that he surrender his gubernatorial authority to Lamidi Adedibu, Festus Eriye, editor of The Nation on Sunday, in his penetrating villainy to gift a multitude, with some left-over.

Obasanjo’s beloved Ibadan garrison commander, only to holler piece of July 14, described President Jonathan as Pontius Pilate, How can an immaculate, fiery and all-conquering macein the cold for no less than 10 months, victim of an illegal in a piece he headlined “Pontius Pilate strikes again”. That was battler, with the moral ardour of some bathetic Christ clearing impeachment. a brilliant metaphor because before Jonathan, there was Sir his father’s house of worship of a den of thieves, morph into a To those who still want to play the ostrich, pushing “law” Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first and only Prime sanctimonious victim, nestling in a hospital bed; and peeping at without factoring in the lawless temper of its operators, the Minister, and Pontius Pilate I of Nigeria’s troubled political millions of sympathisers, from the vantage point of the lead odyssey of Justice Isa Ayo Salami, under this same Jonathan horizon. photo, on the front page of a national newspaper?

Presidency, is instructive. Salami did his duty by law. But to the Sir Abubakar launched political insurrection at the Western But before you condemn that battler, meet his victim: an lawless in government, that was near-capital crime, for which Region, with his suspect proclamation of state of emergency, apparent constitutional criminal, one of the G-5 renegades who, the no-nonsense president of the Court of Appeal is paying. after a contrived crisis in the Western House of Assembly, just backed by some subversive federal power, felt they could Yes, the Judiciary saved Ladoja; and voided the allied legislative to cripple Obafemi Awolowo. impeach the Rivers Assembly Speaker and, like some tragicrascality in Plateau and Anambra states. But with the Salami Jonathan, Pontius Pilate II, is doing the same, in what would comic pantomime with voice-over, were already on the experience, it is doubtful if that judiciary had not melted into have been the old Eastern Region, although this time, against a subversive ritual, seconding motions, suspending imaginary Heraclitus’s state of flux, no thanks to a hostile Jonathan party mate; but with no less partisan bile, despite his aides’ legislators, voting, getting “elected” and giving “acceptance Presidency. comical denial. Jonathan court historians should check their speeches”!

Amaechi certainly was not pretty, “storming” the legislature history books and tell their principal how the Balewa gambit Must Nigerians be assaulted by such power lunacy? to nip in the bud the putative coup against his office. But he did ended.

To apologists or self-proclaimed purists, who insist the needful to preserve his position in an emerging presidential Which brings us to the Jonathan denial ensemble: two “constitutional criminal” is jumping the legal gun, since no one anarchy. For all you know, if the coup against him had succeeded, “doctors”, Reuben Abati, Doyin Okupe and a Gulak, who has been tried and found guilty, this riposte: if the courts had he would now be shrieking, Ladoja-like, from the wilderness, obviously thinks everybody’s thinking faculty is, as his own, serially voided such legislative banditry in Oyo, Plateau and while his traducers would be mouthing “due process”! No locked in Jonathan’s gulag!

Anambra states, during the Obasanjo-era presidential anarchy, society thrives under such cynical manipulation.

Ahmed Gulak, sounding every inch a power brat, told Prof. can it be less culpable now because Jonathan-era legislative But it is instructive how this Jonathan-era rascality empties Wole Soyinka to be “responsible” (a counsel his principal lunatics are repeating the farce? into the Obasanjo-era mother river, even if Jonathan’s bumbling, ironically needs more than anyone!), because of Soyinka’s stance And here really lies the crux: if Obasanjo could grandstand to use Malthus-speak of basic economics, is “geometrical” while on the contrived Rivers crisis. that Nuhu Ribadu was undermining the Constitution to get rid Obasanjo’s “original sins” now appear “arithmetical”.

Well, Gulak should check his history books. When Balewa of allegedly thieving politicians, what noble cause can the current Talking about “original sin”, the dramatis personae of the was being led astray or even Obasanjo, Jonathan’s political rascals attach to their own subversive activism? current crisis appear to have cleanly forgotten the first outrage creator, was leading himself astray, Soyinka was there, an ever 10 July 2003 (the Rivers outrage followed almost 10 years consistent voice of reason, which nevertheless is the proverbial “True friends of Jonathan must tell him of after, 9 July 2013!), when some Abuja-backed criminals tried to harsh hunter’s whistle, to the hearing of a doomed dog. to withdraw from his Rivers unseat controversial Governor Chris Ngige. It was the classic Those who engage in double-speak, let them. But true friends godfather’s challenge, before the plague of illicit of Goodluck Jonathan must tell him to withdraw from his Rivers misadventure. It is a wide and merry malevolent impeachments based on “simple minorities”, which the latest misadventure. way that leads to infamy” Rivers jokers essayed with devastating consequences.

It is a wide and merry way that leads to infamy.

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epublican ipples

READ Mahmud Jega’s Daily Trust column a fortnight ago, with the title “Gra-gra versus softly-softly”. It was composed in his characteristic meticulousness which also touched a nerve that concerns all. It also involved me, personally. It involved me because the piece was not only about anti-corruption struggle, something I came to be more identified with in the course of my career, but also because I was mentioned, or referenced to, many times in the piece. In the piece, Jega repeated several erroneous notions about my work at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

But to be fair to him, those insinuations were far from being his concoctions. They have been held for a long time by a section of Nigerians who were largely misinformed about the modus operandi of the EFCC I headed or about me as a person. I therefore thought it a duty to correct some of the wrong impressions people have about what we did, for the sake of future and the reading public.

I must, however, appreciate many of the positive things about our operations and modest achievements at the EFCC highlighted by Jega. Those were things we achieved largely because of our resolve to form a strong and professional agency, from the outset. Strong institutions are at the base of whatever things to come out of a system. This was a major focus for us. There were deliberate steps at capacity building that would prove extremely advantageous for the work we did in the five years I was there. I use “we” because the work was never a one man job. EFCC was beyond Nuhu Ribadu, or any individual for that matter. It was a team work. The patriotism, esprit de corp and professionalism exhibited by the team were the secrets for our successes.

But as I always insist, success of anti-graft efforts is hinged largely at the leadership level, especially the political leadership. We were lucky to have the cooperation of the leadership at the time. To the credit of President Olusegun Obasanjo, he let us do the work even at a time we were going against some elements that were extremely close to him. It is therefore amusing when I hear people these days charge me of “selective justice”. Well, perhaps those charges could be passed as the example of what Wole Soyinka called “our collective amnesia”. Take a comprehensive list of high profile people EFCC brought to justice, majority of them were people that could be correctly tagged “Obasanjo boys”. Even though some of them suddenly turn around the moment they found themselves in trouble with the law, as a way of buying public sympathy. Unfortunately, many people don’t strive to stretch the facts to reveal this truth. One largely neglected pillar of our work was the Judiciary and the criminal justice system generally. We had the support of other people in the justice administration chain. Without the will of incorruptible judges and other law enforcement officials, all our modest effort would have come to nought.

Presidential anarchy

Truths, lies and my EFCC days

By Nuhu Ribadu However, the main thesis of Jega’s essay, which was also made clear from the title, was that the EFCC I headed was something of a gra-gra agency - a body that is peopled with exuberant officers eager to arrest suspects in order to hit the headlines. This is a flawed assessment of it. It is also something that people come to believe, largely on account of the agency’s portrayal in the media. EFCC was, and is, never about arrests. In fact, arrest was just a fraction of the entire work. But because arrest is what makes the news, the myriad of steps and processes we follow before and after arrest are mostly overlooked.

Every step in administration of a corruption case is carefully outlined and has its rigours and identified procedures.

A lot of work would have to be put in from the point of accepting a petition or starting a case, analysing it, identifying the key issues and persons, investigation, sourcing documents, obtaining arrest and search warrants, preparing charges and then arrest. We tried to work on each of the steps in a very meticulous manner. It is a little surprise therefore, that throughout my period there was only one person who took me to court challenging his detention by the EFCC. He also lost the suit. The reason was simple: we followed the law and therefore had to do our homework before we pick anybody. Similarly, to point to the meticulous nature of what we did, it is in record that the EFCC recorded a world record of over 90 percent convictions on all the cases we prosecuted.

I don’t think gra-gra would yield these results.

It is also incorrect to say that EFCC didn’t pursue preventive measures as regards corruption. We fully appreciated the fact that the twin strategy of prevention and sanctioning must always go together in law enforcement in general and fighting corruption in particular. The preventive measures of the EFCC were often overshadowed by the news selling headlines about arrests but EFCC took a lot of preventive measures. Major ones include the establishment of the Training and Research Institute that has been carrying out studies on corruption prevention in both public and private sectors.

The institute is in the lead in training of detectives, public servants, bankers and so many others in Nigeria today. The establishment of Financial Intelligence Unit is one of the most important steps in preventive measures of controlling corruption globally; EFCC has done it for Nigeria. EFCC

also worked to establish international networks and linkages, notably with the United Nations, FBI, Metropolitan Police, German BKA, and West African anti-money-laundering group, GIABA, among others.

We also worked closely with many departments of governments, civil society groups, religious organisations and schools, on public enlightenment to stem corruption in the society. EFCC also engaged the National Assembly to amend laws, the judiciary on corruption prevention and justice delivery, the customs, the FIRS, NPA and many states and local governments. In fact, many of the arrests made by EFCC arose out of whistle-blowing efforts through these mechanisms. By the way, arrests and prosecutions are also very powerful tools of preventive measures, because they do send a strong message that one cannot get away with corrupt practice, no matter how highly placed.

The article also mentioned the impeachment of three governors allegedly influenced by the EFCC. I try as much as possible not to be personal by commenting on such cases but the fact that it is suddenly gaining currency, makes it only sensible to clear the misconceptions. The EFCC did not and could not have impeached any governor or force legislators to do so. It will be unfair to deny the legislators the credit of doing their constitutional responsibilities. The EFCC did its part of the responsibility of investigation and submission of findings to the various state assemblies all over the nation.

Some state assemblies had cause to act on such reports, others did not. But we certainly did not force anyone to take any action. My understanding of events then was that two out of the three former governors got arrested in London with millions of Pounds. They absconded from justice there and that triggered chain of events that culminated in their loss of political control of their states and thereby resulted in their impeachments. The former governor of Ekiti State had his own local issues. He lost out with the elite of the state, his political party, and other stakeholders. His ordeals had nothing to do with the EFCC. In all the cases, it was obvious that the governors lost out with their political parties and therefore the assembly members were more than willing to act on the thorough investigation reports of the EFCC. The reports were the extent of EFCC’s involvement in those impeachments.

As a proviso, I want to state that all the actions we took while at the EFCC were taken with the purest of intentions and based on available facts before us at the time. But it is understandable that in everything we do as humans, we are bound to be misunderstood. However, fear of being misunderstood should not be an excuse for not moving to salvage our country. As citizens, we all have the civic responsibility of playing our part in healing the country of its myriad of maladies and guiding it to the coast of prosperity.

• Ribadu is the former EFCC chairman

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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COMMENTS

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OT a few Nigerians, both at home and in the Diaspora were disturbed by the recent turn of events for the worse in the escalating political crisis in the Rivers State chapter of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Not only were they disturbed, they were equally surprised and disappointed at the orgy of violence that attended the legislative session of the House of Assembly last Tuesday and the show of shame put up a day later by the Police which barricaded the Government House in Port Harcourt for close to three hours, firing tear gas into the premises.

And most Nigerians are now not just ashamed of what politicians are turning this democracy into under President Goodluck Jonathan’s watch, but are also afraid that the 4th republic is in peril if the Rivers crisis is allowed to fester and spread to other parts of the country. They fear the Egyptian scenario could play itself out here if care was not taken.

They could be right.

In Egypt as we all know, the military had just kicked out the elected government of President Mohammed Morsi when the country was sliding into seeming unending chaos, replacing it with an interim civilian administration. The chaos though, is continuing and the military (mis)adventure looks unlikely to restore peace, stability and sustainable democracy any time soon.

This is the path the Rivers crisis seems to be taking Nigeria. Remember we travelled this route before twice with disastrous consequences. The political crisis in the western region in the first republic over disputed election got to a head when opposing lawmakers fought one another in the Parliament building at Agodi in Ibadan, using chairs and other movable furniture as weapons. The photographs of members of the regional parliament escaping through the window are there in history books to remind us of that period.

‘If truly he is the leader of his party, then he should be able to call all the warring groups in PDP in the state, including his wife to order in the interest of not just this democracy but also the country’

W

HEN all is said and done, it would appear that the Nigeria- Biafra War did not end on January 15, 1970, after all. Contrary to formal history, the conflict, ignited on July 6, 1967, merely took on new forms and dimensions, following other courses, employing different weapons, and redefined by changing perspectives. It is 43 years after the internecine warfare was deemed over, but fresh wounds are still visible, and the fighting fields are as active as ever. The combatants are still busy, plotting, calculating, and thinking strategy, their vision fixed on the conquest of foes.

This reality is, by deduction, the motivation for the title of a captivating new book on the war by Brigadier-General Godwin Alabi-Isama, paradoxically called The Tragedy of Victory. The 670-page tome loaded with about 500 pictures and maps, promoted as an on-the-spot narrative of combat in the fiery Atlantic theatre, is the latest and, perhaps, the most comprehensive account of the civil war so far, particularly from the federal side.

“We’re back to status quo, which is a complete tragedy,” Alabi- Isama told a team of journalists from The Nation, comprising Sam Omatseye, chairman of its Editorial Board, and two members, Steve Osuji and yours truly. The context was an interview in a book-filled room at the headquarters of Spectrum Books in Ibadan, Oyo State. It was afternoon, and the 73-year-old author, an animated conversationalist, spoke as if shooting at targets, with an impressive presence of mind and precision of expression.

On the fundamental question as to the accuracy of his historical work, he said, “I have 450 pictures in the place. I am talking about facts and figures.” The beauty of his book, he emphasized, was its pictorial fidelity. ”That’s it. That’s all. Otherwise it would be my words versus his words,” he said of the authoritative value of the photos, while positioning the book as a counter –narrative to an earlier account of the war by another major participant on the federal side, speaking of the 1980 book My Command by General Olusegun Obasanjo.

Still on the potency of photos, one remarkable individual who was at the war front in

Rivers: Time to stop the slide The rest of Nigeria practically looked on as the Western Region literarily burnt as supporters of rival political parties engaged in arson and killing in what was known locally as “Operation Wetie”, that is, wetting the subject or object with fuel before setting in fire. They thought it was a Yoruba problem, but they were wrong as the failure of the federal government then to contain it drew the attention of five Majors in the Nigerian Army who staged the first military coup in the country, thus terminating that democratic experience.

And our politicians certainly did not learn anything from that experience as the south west again burnt in the second republic when disputed election in Ondo state in 1983, led to similar arson and killing which together with other political mayhem and similar crises elsewhere attracted the intervention of the soldiers and our second attempt at democracy was halted on December 31st 1983.

Those who could recall these two past experiences have been drawing the attention of the political class to their similarities with today’s crisis in Rivers State and the need to avoid that path, but it does appear they are talking to the deaf.

The crisis that culminated in the free for all fight inside the chambers of the Rivers State House of Assembly last Tuesday has its roots in the plans by rival political camps within the ruling PDP in the state to control the administration and resources of the state after the tenure of Governor Rotimi Amaechi in 2015. While the Amaechi group is intent on him seeing out his second term successfully, it also aims to produce his successor and therefore sustain his legacy of good work, performance and delivery of ‘dividend of democracy’ to the people.

The other camp led by a former

Amaechi ally and now a member of the federal cabinet Nyesom Wike, wants to be in charge and seems not willing to wait till 2015; it wants the governorship now and appears ready to do anything and everything that could bring about this. And it has found a willing ally in the wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan, an indigene of Rivers, who not only wants to build her own political followership in the state but also produce the next governor preferably from her Okrika ethnic group. Together they have sold the idea to Jonathan who has lent the federal might to their project with the selfish belief that that is the only way to guarantee him the two million or so votes from Rivers state in the 2015 presidential election.

Both of them are using the presidential support differently. Wike, with ears of the president, is manipulating the party structure and with the help of a contentious court order has been able, for now, to wrestle the control of the PDP in the state from the Amaechi group, the intention being to either use the party to compel its members in the Assembly to impeach the governor and provide a window for the group to sneak into the Government House or deny Amaechi the party ticket in case a court invalidates his election and orders a rerun. They attempted to push through the impeachment and the outcome was the mayhem witnessed last week at the Assembly.

The First Lady on her part has been using the security agencies especially the police to intimidate the state government to either run the governor out of office now or weaken him so much as to be unable to produce or influence his successor in 2015.

The governor is expectedly not keeping quiet. In the face of the federal onslaught both against his government, his supporters and

Alabi-Isama’s memoir: War by other means

By Femi Macaulay a soft capacity also experienced the interview with Alabi-Isama. There was a small group of observers in the room, and this unobtrusive man was eventually introduced as the war photographer whose lenses captured the violent drama of those unforgettable years. He was 69-year-old Bolomope Amusa, who said, “Photography is the best method of keeping permanent record.” Not only Alabi-Isama owes this man an incalculable debt, the world is indebted to him as well for his visual documentation of the war.

The documentarian’s skill produced an amazing range of pictures that covered various faces of war. Although one individual was not in that room, her spirit hovered. She was Alabi-Isama’s mother, who somehow kept the pictorial treasures, perhaps waiting for this day when her son would need them to tell his own story.

Indeed, Alabi-Isama’s war memoir seeks not only to contradict Obasanjo’s; its ultimate ambition is to rubbish the latter as well.

This is a fascinating combat, to speak in martial terms, for both soldiers belonged to the legendary Third Marine Commandos (3MCDO), with then Lt. Col. Alabi-Isama as Chief of Staff and then Colonel Obasanjo as Commander, having replaced the famous “Black Scorpion,” then Col Benjamin Adekunle, ahead of the surrender of rebellious Biafra. It is an irony of history that both men are shooting from conflicting sides about a war in which they were participants in the same camp. “I’m detribalized, so my thinking is clear,” Alabi-Isama told the interviewers. Apart from the fact that he had a Christian father from the Niger Delta and a Muslim mother from Ilorin, Kwara State, his reference to ethnicity was inevitable, for it was the nub of the escalation of hostilities

that lasted three years. However, although the guns stopped booming in a physical sense, the martial metaphor remains. Interestingly, but sadly, the country is still in a state of war, still torn by the ethnic idea, still held captive by tribal imagination. This noticeable frozenness, of course, has consequences. The intense ethnicization of the space of political power, with the centrifugal results threatening the country’s soul, remains the bane of the polity.

This tragic trajectory informed AlabiIsama’s perspective that the war merely gave a Pyrrhic victory. His position: It neither improved “our humanity” nor enhanced “our unity”. True, the pervasive material poverty, the concentration on self, the expansion of the personal to the detriment of the collective, the continuing assault on uniting cords, even the cynical faithlessness regarding the possibility of convergence in diversity, these are current expressions of the apparent failure of the Nigerian Dream.

“You know those who really lost in this war?” Alabi-Isama asked. He supplied an answer, saying, “The children who witnessed the killing of their parents. Their psyche was marred for life.” In this way, he captured the evil of the time. He recalled words that rekindled the war, such as, “pogrom and counter-pogrom”, “genocide”, “blockade”, “starvation”, “war strategy”, “war reporting and sensationalism”. He also spoke of fascinating afflictions of war, the “tiredness” and “madness” that affected the combatants.

To properly situate Alabi-Isama’s role in the war, it is noteworthy that at the outbreak of hostilities, he was at age 27, according to his book, a troop commander until August 1967, and guarded the Niger Bridge at the Asaba end, before his transfer to the 3MCDO at the Calabar front. He led the attack with

even the larger society in Rivers state, Amaechi has been fighting on all fronts to resist the other group and still be able provide leadership to his people and continue to deliver on his promise of good governance.

This must be a tall order because the federal might arrayed against him is indeed awesome and powerful.

To the chagrin of his opponents, the majority of the people of Rivers are with him, so also are most of his colleagues in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum where he remains the chairman, the presidency’s attempt to polarize the forum notwithstanding.

But the effect of the ‘war’ is beginning to tell on the people. Security situation in the state is getting worse, no thanks to the Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu who seems to be more interested in playing along with the First Lady rather than working with the state governor. Militants, cultists and their likes that were driven out of town five, six years ago are back on the prowl, working for the anti Amaechi forces and terrorizing the people. Kidnapping we are told is on the increase, so are other crimes, but CP Mbu is unperturbed as long as ‘Madam at the top’ and the Minister are happy. He seems to be answerable to no one but the First Lady, not even the Inspector General of Police.

In all of this the president is behaving as if all is well or Amaechi must be brought down to his knees and thought a lesson even if Rivers will burn. This is unfortunate. If Jonathan continues to fold his arms and allow events in Rivers to degenerate further to the point where things would begin to fall apart the blame would be on his head and nobody would cry for him. If truly he is the leader of his party, then he should be able to call all the warring groups in PDP in the state, including his wife to order in the interest of not just this democracy but also the country.

He knows who and what is causing the crisis in Rivers state, he also knows the solution.

He should stop playing politics with us. It is time to act as leader of the nation that his position has conferred on him He should resist the temptation to press the self destruct button. Nigeria can’t afford to travel that road again. NO. While this is not an attempt to justify Governor Amaechi’s actions or exonerate him from whatever blames he deserves, President Jonathan bears the greater responsibility to ensure the survival of this democracy and the country as a united entity.

three brigades from Calabar to liberate Odukpani, Ikot-Okpora, Iwuru, Akunakuna, Itigidi, Ediba, Ugep, Obubra, Afikpo, Oban, Ekang and closed the international border against Biafra at Nssakpa. He also led the 3CMCDO troops from Calabar in April 1968 to capture Creek Town, Itu, Uyo, IkotEkpene, Oron, Eket, Opobo, Abak, Etinan, Bori-Ogoni, Akwette, Afam, Aletu-Eleme, Elelenwa, Okrika and Port Harcourt in May 1968.

His war experience as a tactician and strategist, the highpoint of a military career that spanned 1960 to 1977, forms a major part of the book. His early life also takes some space, with the poignant loss of his father when he was just four years old and the filial bonding with his mother being of particular significance in his story. He actually joined the army as Abdurahman Alabi, taking his mother’s family name, and by age 37 his military career was over, on account of retirement allegedly occasioned by a clash with the establishment.

The Nigeria Project remained dear to his heart, he told the interviewers, adding that he was already looking beyond his first book which will be launched on July 18 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos. He leaked the title of his sequel: “Nigeria-Biafra: A family at war.”

• Macaulay is on the editorial board of The Nation

‘Alabi-Isama’s war memoir seeks not only to contradict Obasanjo’s; its ultimate ambition is to rubbish the latter as well.

This is a fascinating combat, to speak in martial terms, for both soldiers belonged to the legendary Third Marine Commandos’

INSIDE

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

Website: http://www.thenationonlineng.com

Page 25

Gana orientates youths on good leadership

- Page 27

Night life in Abuja

- Page 28

Day of demands for Abuja indigenous people T

‘Our priority is to improve sport facilities’

- Page 40

HE indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory have marked their day. But even as they did so, they made it abundantly clear that mere feasting was not top on the agenda.

The people who marked the day in Gwagwalada on the platform of the Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA), saw it as an opprotunity to unburden their minds and let the authorities know what they really want.

One of their requests was for the Federal Government to democratise governance in the Territory.

They asked that the President of the Federation relinquish his powers as Governor of the FCT and the National Assembly also give up the role of the legislature of the Territory.

The people requested that those powers be given to the original inhabitants and residents of the Territory so that they can freely and directly elect those to govern them.

OIDA expressed support for the

From Bukola Amusan

National Assembly’s proposal for election of a mayor of FCT with executive powers.

The proposal is part of the recommendations by the National Assembly in the ongoing constitution amendment.

OIDA President, Danladi Jeji also expressed their support for the Mayoral status of the city.

Jeji said: “The Senate proposal for an elective mayor, with governorship power, as contained in the constitution review is

hereby accepted by OIDA.“ “But we plead that for the FCT, the democratic institutions of a second tier administration (the state) should be unambiguously entrenched in the constitution when finally amended, “ he said.

The FCT indigenes had proposed the removal of “an unconstitutional democratic deficit” imposed by the military regimes in their memoranda to the constitution review.

Jeji commended NASS for respecting the democratic tenets of the rule of law and constitution-

We are asking for the establishment of an FCT Original Inhabitants Development Commission and major streets to be named after indigenous heroes

ality by satisfying the yearnings and aspiration of indigenous people of the FCT. He said there was a need for the creation of two additional senatorial districts and four federal constituencies in the FCT in line with what obtains in other states of the federation.

“Perusing the activities of government vis-a-vis progressive practice globally, it has become abundantly clear that the indigenous communities of FCT have been seriously short-changed.

“Government has responded to the demands of the Niger Delta for revenue allocation based on the principles of derivation.

“It established a Niger Delta Ministry and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the FCT indigenes have not been so treated, “ he said.

He appealed that 20 per cent of all sales accruing from land •Continued on page 26

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

26

ABUJA REVIEW

FCTA to introduce marathon

T

HE FCT Administration is to introduce a city marathon for Abuja from this year.

FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed disclosed this in Abuja while meeting with senior officials of the FCT Sports Council.

The initiative is aimed at rapidly rejuvenating sports development in the Federal Capital Territory in tune with the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.

Senator Mohammed recalled that in 2012, his Administration, under sports tourism, introduced an FCT PRO-AM Golf Championship, which has remained the highest prized golf tournament in the country.

There are plans to expand the scope of the championship, especially by attaching prizes that would attract professional players from abroad.

“Accordingly, the FCT Administration has resuscitated the FCT Minister’s Under-17 Football competition and well over 8,280 students, cutting across over 760 public and private secondary schools within the FCT, competed for the championship since its revival in 2010,” he stressed.

He emphasised that the outcome of these competitions, especially the Under-13 Primary

•Abuja city Stories from Gbenga Omokhunu and Grace Obike

School competition recently culminated in FCT winning the National Under-13 Football Competition early this year.

His words: “Approval has been granted for the team to represent the country at an International championship in Europe later this year based on the invitation extended by the Nigeria Football Federation”.

The Minister noted the proactiveness and renewed approach of the Sports Depart-

ment of the FCT Social Development Secretariat to also introduce an inter-organisational tournaments amongst different public and private institutions as well as establishments including the military, para-military, educational institutions and clubs, to replace the hitherto FCT Sports Festival.

Senator Mohammed revealed that the initiative would no doubt widen the scope of the competitor in preparation for National Sports Festival.

”To this end, the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory will now compete along with the organisations

for the best representative to be selected for the Elite Games to be introduced soon,” he added.

The six Area Councils of the compete along with the organisations for the best representative to be selected for the elite

ASUU Abuja: Fed Govt paying lip-service to education

T

• •Continued from Page 25

proceeds within the FCT and 40 per cent of all land allocation to individuals should be given to indigenes.

“Major streets in the FCT should also as matter of policy be named after indigenous heroes and traditional leaders.“ Earlier, the General Secretary of ACE, Mr Emma Ezeazu, called on the Federal Government to rectify the development challenges facing the FCT original inhabitants.

“We are also asking for the establishment of an FCT Original Inhabitants Development Com-

Day of demands for Abuja indigenous people mission.”

He said the FCT Indigene day is a day to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the nine indigenous tribes of the Federal Capital Territory namely: Amwamwa, Bassa, Egbura, Gade, Ganagana, Gbagyi, Gbari, Gwandara and Koro.

It is organised to show how peaceful and accommodating we have been to all Nigerians in the

centre of unity.”

“We also want two additional Senatorial districts to be created for the FCT to make it three like other states in Nigeria” “That not less than four additional federal constituencies should be created for the FCT to make it six like other states” “That eleven additional Area Councils should be created in the FCT”he said

HE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Abuja chapter has accused the Federal Government of paying lip service to education.

ASUU has restated their plan to continue with the strike until the government reverses its present posture and fully implement the 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement.

This was made known when the Union comprising the Benue State University, Makurdi, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Federal University of Technology, Minna and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State.

Also included are the Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nasarawa State, University, Keffi and the University of Abuja, met at the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, University to discuss the issue.

The Union in a statement jointly signed by Dr Sulaiman Mohammed, ASUU Abuja Zone Coordinator, Dr Abu Mallam, IPZC ASUU Abuja Zone, Dr Clement Chup, chairman, Uni. Abuja, Dr. Celestine Aguoru, chairman, FUAM, Dr. Aliyu Yahaya Badeggi, chairman, IBBUA, Dr. Abdulfatai Jimoh, chairman, FUTM. Also included is Dr. Theophilus Lagi, chairman, NSUK, Dr. Sylvester Ukwuteno, chairman, KSU and Dr. Ukooh Ikoni, chairman, BSU said: “The Federal Government is attempting to misinform the public that it has made an offer to our Union. The public should note that

the government’s attitude is a deliberate attempt to abrogate the existing agreement and Memorandum of Understanding with ASUU and will never be acceptable to our Union.”

They further reinstated that it is high time the Federal Government of Nigeria understood that the adequate funding of universities is non-negotiable.

The Union said, “It is now very clear that our government has remained unserious and continue to play lip service to education.

Our Universities have continued to deteriorate in terms of facilities, witnessed unprecedented overcrowding of students in classes and hostels and declined in quality, thereby not meeting up with the concept of universality which Universities world-wide are known for and seek to protect.

“Education must be seen and treated as a veritable tool for socio-economic transformation and total development of the entire country.”

They insisted that the strike will prevail until the government implements the agreement it willingly entered into with the Union in 2009 and which its non implementation caused the 2011 strike.

The Union also accused the government of deliberately to honour the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with the Union in January 2012.

They appealed to parents and students to understand that their struggle is in the interest of the nation.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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ABUJA REVIEW

Gana orientates youths on good leadership

N

IGERIAN youths have been advised to believe in themselves and work towards improving themselves, rather than depending on a meritocratic leadership.

Prof. Jerry Gana, who gave the advice during his keynote address at the 15th anniversary and public lecture of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, said that any society which does not raise quality youths is doomed.

He further stressed the fact by referring to Dr. Myles Monroe’s definition of leadership which says: “Leadership is the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by passion, generated by vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose.”

Prof. Gana Stressed the fact that good leaders must always stay connected with the people and

From Grace Obike

since leaders must lead and people follow, then it is necessary for the leader to know the way he is leading and be trustworthy, which comes from character,

competence and courage.

He said, “A leader must have the iron will to set priorities because a leader cannot do everything but must have the willpower to be able to stick to priorities and not deviate from them.

A leader must have the iron will to set priorities because a leader cannot do everything but must have the will-power to be able to stick to priorities and not deviate from the

“A leader should be able to take a few things and excel in it because the society will not remember you for what you say you will do but your achievements.”

He concluded by saying that the youths in Nigeria make up about 60% of the population and that they are the ones that can change the mistakes of the past and bring back the much needed peace and unity that Nigerian presently longs for.

The founder and national commandant of the Nigerian Peace Corps, Amb Dickson Aboh said that he had started the group 15 years ago, as a way of preaching peace, unity amongst Nigerians and the group which now has more than 70,000 members remains the most organised youth organisation in the whole of Nigeria and Africa.

•Prof Gana

Oritsejafor, Utomi advise Nigerians to avoid shortcuts

N

IGERIANS must avoid what appears to be the easy road to success or prominence because it ultimately undermines both the individual and the nation.

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and Professor Pat Utomi dwelt on the ills of shortcuts, saying Nigerians are collectively guilty of it.

Oitsejafor said: “Something went wrong in Nigeria; we somehow got mixed up or messed up as far as values are concerned.”

Oritsejafor and Utomi spoke at the presentation of the book entitled, “Shunpiking; no shortcuts to God” in Abuja.

The duo said: “Don’t cut corners, don’t shortcut because you may never get to your destination. Stand out, do the right thing.

“We have gotten to a point where some people don’t even know the difference between good and bad.

There are some people today who will call good bad and bad good.

But my joy in all this is that the darker a room is, the brighter a little light will shine. So, today, you don’t need to have so much light to shine; that is what most people don’t know. Don’t join them; become a light where you are,” Oritsejafor said.

Prof. Utomi who compared shunpiking to the jet age said, “Even in this computer age, computer works on principles, so I see no reason why we as humans should not

•Pastor Oritsejafor From Faith Yahaya

follow principles.

According to him, “Shunpiking is when you try to circumnavigate principles. It is not that things can be done in a more speedy way.

Shunpiking reduces the time you will travel from one place to the other, when you are shunpiking, you are not necessarily saving time, it is you violating the laid down principles.

“In Nigeria today, there is a lot

•Prof. Utomi of shunpiking, taking shortcuts.

People are not prepared for positions of leadership, they force themselves into those positions and mess a lot of people’s live. So, there is a great deal of shunpiking in our environment” he explained.

Speaking on the importance of the book authored by Reno Omokri, Oritsejafor explained that Nigerians have the potential because they leave this country to other countries and they do the right thing and if they don’t, they end up in Jail but they come back home and start do-

ing the wrong thing.

He however expressed hope that the book will change people’s mindset. “I believe that with books like this, we will change because it is something that goes out to the world and to Nigerians. As we read this, hopefully, God can put that seed in us so that we will begin to want and desire to do the right thing”.

Speaking about his plans as the re-elected President for the Christian body, he said, “As the newly re-elected CAN President, you may say we have done it before but we have not fully done it and that is; the unity of the body. Christians must be one, so we are working on it. We must continue to work on it because it is the greatest prayer Jesus prayed, that we may be one.

We have a project now; we are building the Jubilee centre at the back of the National Christian Centre that will have rooms for people. So many people come here and they are stranded but the centre will help reduce that. Also, it has conference hall and we hope that we can dedicate it this year.

“I think what my heart is crying out for more is to be able to stand out and challenge those who find themselves in advantaged positions.

What are you contributing to the betterment of other people’s lives because one day, your own life will end. Hopefully also, with our prayers, terrorism will move out of Nigeria.

Also speaking on the recent judgment passed on members of Boko Haram responsible for Suleja bombing, Oritsejafor said, “We are Christians and we are told to forgive but I think what is important is the feeling that there is justice. I think that is what it is now because those we lost in the process left people behind, some are widows while some are orphans.

“They will sit back and say if nothing else, these are the people who

did this, they can stay in a place or in a room for the rest of their lives.

That gives a little bit of comfort, it does not solve all the problems but I think the judgement is okay.

“On the alleged agreement that was reached between Boko and Haram and government, my question is, which Boko Haram? I am asking because there was a time they came out and said they have renounced but we still saw killings going on. Also, a week or two later, Shekau came out to say he does not know anything about those renouncing and that it is President Jonathan that needs amnesty.

Again, another group came out of Shekau’s group and they kill foreigners. So right now, there are two deadly groups that we know, so which one of these had an agreement with government?

“To me, the whole agreement issue is suspect but anyone that comes out to say we are no longer interested, it is a good thing because the number of religious fanatics will reduce by one.

The Author of the book, Reno Omokri blamed the shortcuts attitude in Nigeria on the poor setup and lack of developed law enforcement system.

Omokri said, “well, it is just a way that Nigeria is setup and thank God that President Jonathan came with the transformation agenda because if he leaves Nigeria the way it is, nothing will change.

“It is just like you going to Lagos and Abuja, you see Ambassadors beating traffic light, these are things they will not do in their country because of the way the set up is, so we have to change the set up because Nigerians are not more susceptible to crime than people in America or in Japan but it is because we have not yet developed a highly developed law enforcement system and that is why you see a Nigerian leave Nigeria, goes to US or England and behaves very well.” he explained.

In Nigeria today, there is a lot of shunpiking, taking shortcuts.

People are not prepared for positions of leadership, they force themselves into those positions and mess up a lot of people’s lives •From right: Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Account, Solomon Adeola; DirectorGeneral, National Sport Commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye; members of the Committee, Samuel Adejare and Raphael Igbokwe during the Director-General’s defece of an audit query at National Assembly, Abuja

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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ABUJA REVIEW

FCTA on grassroots sports talent hunt

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HE FCT Administration has launched a sports talent hunt in all 62 wards of the Federal Capital Territory in preparation for the National Youth Games.

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed made this disclosure in Abuja while meeting with some senior officials of the FCT Sports Department.

The Minister said the new programme which is tagged “Know, Understand and Appreciate the Game” is being driven by the Social Development Secretariat under direct supervision of the FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, would be used to identify talented youths in preparation for the National Youth Games being contemplated by the National Sports Commission.

His words: “The programme will compliment the ‘Athletes of Hope,” an inter-collegiate athletics championship that began in the Federal Capital Territory since 2006.”

Mohammed recalled that at the recently concluded National Sports

HOS seeks civil service jobs for disabled persons

T

From Gbenga Omokhunu and Grace Obike

Festival, held in the last quarter of 2012 in Lagos, a total of 148 athletes represented the Federal Capital Territory and earned the FCT the 12th position out of the 36th states and FCT, adding that the FCT contingent won 7 Gold, 12 Silver and 10 Bronze.

The Minister remarked that the FCT Administration has been able to upgrade the Basket Court at the Garki Area 10 Sports Complex into a modern synthetic court.

According to him, other courts at the complex such as Squash Hall, Badminton, Gymnasium and a host of others have either been upgraded or being constructed.

He revealed that a multipurpose sports hall planned for the complex since 1992 is being revisited with a view of completing it in earnest.

Senator Mohammed disclosed that the hall when completed would provide for 8 marshal-arts or combats games and 5 team games respectively.

•Senator Mohammed ”The Games are Boxing, Gymnastics, Judo, Taekwondo, Karate, Kickboxing, Kung-fu and Wrestling. Others are Badminton, Basketball, Handball, Table Tennis and Volleyball respectively”, he added.

The Minister noted that for the first time, special funds have been set aside by the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory for the construction of Sports Centres at their respective headquarters.

HE Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, has directed the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), to allocate certain percentage of jobs annually for Persons With Disabilities during recruitment across the country.

Goni Aji gave the directive in Abuja when the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Zainab Maina led an advocacy visit to his office.

He said he has already written a letter to the Head of the Civil service Commission so that the two of them can meet and work out modalities for its full take off.

Aji assured that from next month PWD’s will have easy access to building places, adding that there will be designated parking spaces and ramp while able person’s will be dislodged from such parking places.

“I feel bad each time person’s

From Bukola Amusan

with disability write me about their plight and attach their photographs, I know they cannot compete with us when it comes to strength, but we cannot beat them when it comes to brain work,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister said their visit was to promote better understanding of the plight of PWD’s through the removal of all barriers against them.

She stressed that making public buildings accessible is a right that must be accorded PWD’s in Nigeria.

She said further that “Nigeria fully participated in the UN declaration for a decade of action for PWD’s in 1983-1992 and should adhere to that.’

The Minister noted that when barriers to inclusion of PWD’s are removed the society will benefit hugely from their contributions.

A

BUJA, Nigeria’s seat of government, has many attractions. It could be counted among the best three in Africa and the best in sub-Saharan Africa.

This sprawling capital city possesses a curious blend of African and Western civilizations and it is home to people of divergent ethnic nationalities. It is also fast becoming Nigeria’s power capital by the growing number of political activities that take place almost every other day. In fact, all nationalities of the world are well represented here, because this is where you have all the head offices of diplomat’s, oil companies, and construction companies among others.

The city is well known for its vibrant night life. At about 4:00 Pm or 5:00 Pm if you take a close scrutiny while returning from work, you are held bound by the traffic jam that characterizes the city and you manage to allow your eyes wander to the sides of the road, that is when you will discover the open spaces converted into relaxation spots called (gardens) scattered all over the place. And if you have an adventurous nature, you will not miss to observe how organised these business people are: plastic chairs of blue, white, red are well arranged in their fours with a table in their middle, this is where the fun kicks off for the day. You will hear boisterous laughter emanating from different tables in these parks. What is particularly of interest is the fact that the women here are not as noisy compared to what you find in Lagos outdoor entertainment spots.

Another thing that is also noticeable about Abuja gardens is the issue of class and the additional efforts made by these women to be classy. After all, these parks serve Abuja residents and visitors the opportunity to unwind after the hustling of the day and nobody wants to appear undesirable.

For the new visitor you will be amazed by the towering structures of private and government organizations.

The beauty of this city to some people is most visible at dawn aided by the grace of the rising sun, while to the night crawler, it is a safe haven since it is one of our cities with the lowest crime rates.

Not surprisingly therefore, a good number of people see Abuja as an irresistible woman in whose arms they would wish to spend eternity for its sheer hospitality and the fact that, she welcomes you with open arms from airport road, Kubwa and Nyanya. Her long arms stretch from Gwarimpa to Utako from there

•Leisure at night in the capital city

Night life in Abuja

By Umoren Umoren

to Asokoro to Maitama to Garki and you get the climax of this city at Wuse 2.

A visitor friendly metropolis, the first impression visitors get when escaping to Abuja from the ambush of Lagos and Port Harcourt is that of sanity and maximum enjoyment which is guaranteed. To me, the night crawler enjoys this city most, because at night the sea of street lights cascading through the city brings out that hidden beauty usually associated with a

few African cities. It is also by this period (10:00 pm or 11:00 pm) that other forms of entertainment begin to unfold its zeal to pleasure the fun seeker. These forms of entertainment vary according to the orientation and vision of the business owners; they are nightclubs, bars, live band, striptease and cocktails etc.

Eighty per cent of the night clubs are all clustered in Wuse 2, where you have Terminal 5, Cubana, Aqua, Blakes, Basement, Krystal Lounge, Safari, etc, and some of the clubs can be located in some big hotels like Sheraton, Transcorp Hilton and

The beauty of this city, to some people, is most visible at dawn, aided by the grace of the rising sun, while to the night crawler, it is a safe haven since it is one of our cities with the lowest crime rates

some hotels in Asokoro. It is at this time (10pm or 11pm) that you really see people’s real character come up, as you can catch these pleasure lovers or fun seekers (as you may call it) wining and dining and then dancing alingo or kukere to the tune blaring from the huge speakers with the DJ’s in the box standing with speakers on his ears and dark shades on his face shaking his head to the tune.

But recently following spates of terrorists attacks all over the world (in which Nigeria had its fair share) activities slowed these process down and certainly these events (terrorism) sent jitters down the spine of residents and would-be visitors. To worsen matters, the city control unit imposed a curfew that stipulated when to go out or not.

Though prostitution is prohibited but you could feel its presence and traces. It is usually visible in dark spots of the city or some night clubs.

These girls sleep in the day and dress out provocatively in the night and you might stop to ponder “where is this beautiful girl going by now?”

Most of them are students of higher institutions who come from all corners of the country to ply their trade in Abuja because of the belief that politicians and foreigners pay more.

Some are lucky and some are doomed as they do not live to tell the story. Notwithstanding, it is pertinent to know that not all girls are prostitutes, some are responsible ladies who go in group and s o m e t i m e s alone to unwind, but because of the prohibition of prostitution, some of these ladies (in the past) were usually harassed many a time by hotel securities or security agents, but thanks today we are no longer in that messy condition again, because recently the Federal Government decided to tackle this issue of insecurity by its horn, the city have returned to peace and everywhere is now bubbling again as activities are now in full gear.

It is said that after rain comes sun shine so the security situation which otherwise bedeviled the city which is located in the north central has been nipped in the bud and once again everything has returned to normal. So sit back, relax and enjoy the city of Abuja.

•Umoren Umoren writes from Abuja

29

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

fight against corruption in the judiciary by the CJN is a welcome develop‘ The ment. Every lawyer, every sane human being, knows that any jurisdiction where the judiciary is corrupt, it is as dangerous as having a mad man with a loaded AK 47 loose on the streets. Judicial corruption is such a cancer that every society must strive to eliminate. We support the fight against corruption by the CJN and if you look at events of the recent past, some people may seem to misunderstand our position.

See page 35

’

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

INSIDE: SSS, police to prosecute fake printers

The first woman Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Aloma Mariam Mukhtar is one year old in office today. In this report, ERIC IKHILAE examines her efforts at restoring public confidence in the judiciary.

•SEE STORY ON PAGE 30

One year of judicial activism

-Page 32

Required proof for criminal allegations in election petitions: A critique

-Page 33

Legislative drafting and transformative laws

-Page 34

‘Judicial corruption is a cancer we must eliminate’

-Page 35

NBA Lagos election: How the candidates stand -Page 36

‘Courts have power to formulate issues for parties where justice so demands’ -Page 37

•Justice Mukhtar

The political crisis in Rivers State is threatening the rule of law and order. The House of Representatives has resolved to take over legislative duties there until order is restored. Is that the best solution in the circumstance? How can the crisis be resolved? PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU sought lawyers’ views.

How to end Rivers I crisis, by lawyers

T all began with the suspension of a local government chairman by the Rivers State House of Assembly two months ago. Since then, the state has not known peace.

The developments have undermined the rule of law and threatened social order in the oil-rich state.

It reached a crescendo last week when “a show of shame” occurred.

The state’s lawmakers fought with weapons, injuring one an-

other.

Last Tuesday’s fight, according to reports, started following the alleged impeachment of the Speaker, Otelemaba Amachree, by five of the 32 legislators.

Evans Bipi as the new “Speaker”, sparking public outrage.

This did not go down well with the other 27 members, especially because the legislators had pledged their loyalties to the different factions of the state’s crisis-

ridden Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).

Many observers have described the Rivers situation as an abuse of democracy and an infraction of Section 92 of the 1999 Constitution that clearly stipulates the procedure for the impeachment of a Speaker.

Many believe the antics were deployed by the PDP-led Federal •Continued on page 31

30

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

LAW COVER CONT’D

One year of judicial activism •Continued frompage 29

T

HE judiciary, many believe, sunk to its lowest following the face-off be tween former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Aloysius Katsina-Alu and suspended President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) Justice Ayo Isa Salami. At the root of the altercation were perceived corruption and unethical conduct in the judiciary.

This explains the scepticism that greeted the assumption of office of Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who succeeded Justice KatsinaAlu as the CJN. To an extent, Justice Musdapher, in his short tenure, tried to cleanse the judiciary through some policies, the most prominent being the reform measures he suggested in his recommendations to the National Assembly on the aspects of the Constitution that should be reviewed to aid efficiency in justice delivery.

Many were, however, unhappy when his tenure ended before the legislature could act on his recommendations. Most people had nursed the fear of a possible return to the era of a directionless, indolent and corruption-infested judiciary; knowing that continuity in public policies’ implementation is alien to public administration in the country.

This has, however, not been the case since Justice Musdapher’s successor Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar mounted the saddle.

Before assuming office, she acknowledged the rot in the system. When, she appeared before the senate for screening on July 11 last year, Justice Mukhtar admitted that the temple of justice had been desecrated by some elements. She was responding to questions from the senators on the state of the judiciary. She vowed to reverse the trend.

“As at now, it is very bad and I am saddened by it. I will try. I don’t want to sound like a broken record. I will try to make sure that the confidence reposed in the Judiciary, as it was before, is returned. I will try to ensure that the bad eggs that are there are flushed out,” she said. Justice Mukhtar assured that “there will be a cleansing by the National Judicial Council (NJC) based on petitions. It is sad that the ordinary man on the street thinks and feels that he cannot get justice. This is because of the situation we find ourselves. I will ensure that this perception changes.” While she was making pledges before the Legislature, those who knew her, were quick to describe her as “a nononsense woman, who is firm and lives by her words.”

A year into her tenure (having assumed office on July 16, 2012) things seem to be looking up in the judiciary. Justice Mukhtar appears to be matching her words with actions. Discipline seems to be finding its way back to the system.

This no doubt could be attributed to her three-pronged approach to sanitising the judiciary, which seems to be gaining ground.

The first is her resolve to ensure prompt treatment, by the National Judicial Council (NJC), of petitions against judicial officers.

The second is the yearly NJC’s Nigeria’s Judicial Performance Evaluation Report (NJPER) while the third is the newly introduced practice direction for all courts. The practice direction is specifically intended to fast-track trials of offences involving terrorism, rape, kidnapping, corruption, money laundering, human trafficking and related cases.

What was almost becoming a taboo in the judiciary happened in quick succession on her assumption of office. Petitions against judges wer,e before now, left to rot with the NJC. Justice Mukhtar said on May 13, this year in Lagos, at a two-day workshop organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Action Group, with the theme: “The rule of law- the bedrock for sustainable democracy,” that she inherited 139 petitions.

Within few weeks they were treated and 106 were considered vexatious or baseless, with only 33 considered worthy of attention.

She added that 198 fresh petitions have been filed since she got into office. They have equally been treated, with 150 found to be frivolous, 15 are awaiting responses from judges while 21 were slated for consideration.

On November 5, 2012, Justice Mukhtar decided to defer the swearing-in of Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofor elevated with other 11 justices to the Court of Appeal, on the ground that a petition was pending against her, with allegations that Justice Jombo-Ofor had laid claim to two states of origin in her career.

Despite the public outcry that greeted her decision, Justice Mukhtar insisted on due process of law, pointing to the provision of Para-

graph 2 of Part II of the Federal Character Commission (Establishment) Act Subsidiary Legislation, which states that “a married woman shall continue to lay claim to her state of origin for the purpose of implementation of the Federal Character Formulae at the national level.”

The NJC, under her leadership, eventually ensured that Justice Jombo-Ofor got sworn-in as a Court of Appeal Justice on the slot of Anambra State rather than her husband’s state - Abia.

The NJC, under her, took a bold step when on February 28, this year, it recommended the compulsory retirement of Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court and Justice Thomas .D. Naron of the High Court of Justice, Plateau State.

The council also set up a ‘fact-finding’ committee to investigate the allegations against Justice Abubakar Talba of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in respect of the Police Pension case involving John Yakubu Yusuf.

On April 26, this year, upon receiving the report of the fact-finding committee, the NJC suspended Justice Talba from office for 12 months without pay, sequel to the council’s findings that he did not exercise his discretion judicially and judiciously with regard to the sentences he passed on Yusuf, who was convicted for stealing N1.3 billion meant for the payment of pension and gratuities of retired policemen.

Also, the NJC, after treating petitions against Justice Okechukwu Okeke of the Federal High Court, Lagos, issued a serious warning, before he retired from service on May 18, 2013.

Many petitions are still being considered, among which is that involving the former Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Lawal Gummi.

The cleaning effort is not limited to judicial officers.

With the hindsight of experience, Justice Mukhtar knows the havoc some of the supporting staff are capable of causing in the justice delivery system.

This, she noted, at a workshop held on June 17 in Abuja by the National Judicial Institute (NJI) for librarians working in the judiciary.

At the event, the CJN expressed her determination to extend the ongoing sanitisation in the judiciary to support staff.

“Let me quickly add that the fight against corruption in the judiciary is not only targeted at judicial officers, but also against any member of staff of the judiciary who finds luxury or convenience in engaging in corrupt practices or in any other unwholesome conduct.

“It is a notorious fact that this category of workers has in the past caused leakages of judgments written by judges, which were yet to be delivered. Litigants’ applications are at times not filed in their case files thereby denying the judges from acting on them.

“Some of them midwife between the litigants and the judges in the sale of judgment, or provide information to litigants on how some judges can be approached to compromise his or her judgment. All these they do for fee at the expense of judiciary integrity and image,” the CJN said.

True to her words, a few days later, the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC) announced the dismissal of five support staff of Supreme Court workers and one from the Court of Appeal of Abuja division. They were found to have leaked the judgment in the case of Senator Alphonsus Igbeke vs Lady Margery Okadigbo before it was delivered on May 31, 2013.

The FJSC did not stop at that, it also requested the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to further investigate and possibly prosecute Igbeke and one Collins Okechukwu for allegedly aiding and abetting the leakage.

There have been many cases of leaked judgments in the apex court and even in the lower courts before now, but the dismissal was the first time such incidence would be investigated with the culprits apprehended and punished.

This development, no doubt, will serve as a deterrence to this category of workers.

To combat indolence among judges, the CJN has also devised a means of monitoring their performance. This, she said, was in conform-

• Justice Mukhtar at her swearing-in.

ity with the civil service rule, in which any worker who is rated poor or unproductive on performance evaluation could be asked to give way for good hands to take his or her place.

She said the need to monitor judges’ performance stemmed from complaints, by stakeholders, particularly the NBA about the attitudes of judges to work in recent time.

“Many will leave their work and travel for days abroad. This is why I insisted they must obtain approval before traveling abroad. Until this directive, I never thought things were all that bad, because some of the judges will be seeking for permission to travel abroad while the courts are in session, despite the six weeks holiday they are entitled to in a year.

“These are part of the reasons the NJC undertakes performance evaluation from time to time, both at the trial and appellate courts, to determine productivity of the judges and their courts in the states and the Federal Capital Territory.”

The CJN spoke on May 17 , while receiving analysed copies of NJC’s “Nigeria’s Judicial Performance Report (2008-2011)” submitted by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS).

She said the report would aid planning and easy decision making by the NJC. The CJN said it was absurd to observe that some judges couldn’t even deliver up to two judgments in a quarter. ‘’We are now thinking of looking at the performance evaluation of the judges for the purpose of discipline. If a judge cannot deliver three to four judgments in a year, there is no use keeping him on the bench other than to be shown his or her way out’’.

Under this scheme, the NJC sends out its monitoring team to all the superior courts Court of Appeal, Federal and state High Courts, National Industrial Court, Customary and the Sharia Courts of Appeal - which engages in periodic collation of data on the numbers of cases - civil, criminal and motions assigned to each court. The team also gathers data on the number of these cases disposed off and those pending at the end of each quarter.

The same NJC’s committee on performance evaluation maintains a data bank which also contain information on the performance of individual judicial officer.

The report generated by the monitoring team shows, among others, the manner in which the cases were disposed off; whether

‘Observers are of the view that much as the CJN should be commended for her efforts at ensuring a corruption free and efficient judicial system was in place, she must understand the need carry all stakeholders along’

they were cases decided on the merit or they were struck out as non-contested cases. Judges are rated based on the cases disposed on merit.

By this arrangement, judges would be more apt to effectively and expeditiously prosecute cases in their courts in order to register a minimum of four judgment in a year.

Another means devised by the CJN, directed against undue delay in justice administration, is the introduction of new practice direction for courts.

Already, the CJN is working with Chief Judges of states’ High Courts, the Abuja High Court, the Federal High Court and presiding Justices of the various divisions of the Court of Appeal, to put in place an efficient system that will eliminate delays in criminal trials.

The intention is to produce a model practice direction for all courts to fast-track trials of offences involving terrorism, rape, kidnapping, corruption, money laundering, human trafficking and related matters.

In what may yet turn out to be her biggest achievement, Justice Mukhtar also hopes to extended the practice direction to the Supreme Court.

This is to ensure that while the Judiciary awaits the Legislature to effect the necessary constitutional amendment, it should, in the mean time, put in place administrative measures to achieve the much needed judicial reform for quick dispensation of justice.

Observers are of the view that much as the CJN should be commended for her efforts at ensuring a corruption free and efficient judicial system was in place, she must understand the need carry all stakeholders along.

This, they said, requires that she takes steps to ensure that other stakeholders buy into her objectives and plans, with a view to ensuring that the changes being introduced become a culture when she vacates office.

“We should not see all this as her own alone.

Everyone, who desires a judicial system that we will all be proud of; a system that will dispense justice without being influenced; a system that will always be unbiased, we must all buy into this woman’s reform ideas, a lawyer, Christopher Nnamdi said.

Others also suggested that the reform efforts should include capacity building for judicial officers and their support staff; deployment of modern work tools, particularly information and communication technology (ICT); review of the appointment process for judges to allow more openness and public participation.

There is also the argument that an enhanced funding for the sector would also be of immense benefit.

The ultimate wish of all however, is the realisation of a judicial system that serves to dispense justice no matter whose interest is at stake; a system that is blind to external manipulations and serves the good of all irrespective of who is on the saddle.

31

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

LAW AND SOCIETY

How to end Rivers crisis, by lawyers • Continued from page 29

Government, to get its pound of flesh from Governor Rotimi Amaechi, whom the party suspended on May 30, for “anti-party activities”.

Although critics have faulted the state governor for interfering in the affair of the state legislature, which is constitutionally independent from the executive, observers were of the view that Amaechi was the ultimate target of the infamous impeachment, which they likened to some cases during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s tenure, in which perceived enemies of the President were tormented through state legislatures or security agents.

Similarly, President Goodluck Jonathan has been accused by observers as being responsible for the crisis in Rivers State because of his disagreements with the governor on many issues, including his (Amaechi) contesting the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) election against the instruction of the PDP. The presidency has, however, denied any involvement in the Rivers PDP crisis with Amaechi accusing the Federal Government of besieging the state and imposing a Commissioner of Police that is partisan.

It, however, took Tuesday’s deadly assault at the state Assembly for the National Assembly to wade into the matter. The House of Representatives in a motion proposed by Albert Tsokwa (Taraba State) passed a resolution in line with Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution, to take over legislative functions of the state as well as supported the immediate deployment of the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu. Tsokwa, in the motion entitled “Threat to democracy and inability of the House of Assembly of Rivers to sit and transact legislative business in the house”, had noted that the state Assembly had on previous occasions tried to hold its normal sittings and transact parliamentary business but was unable to do so because of hoodlums in the precincts of the House and the inability of the Police to provide the legitimate authorities of the House with security.

Is the House of Reps’ resolution the best solution in this circumstance? How can the crisis be resolved to avoid anarchy and what is the way forward for the state? Lawyers who spoke on the issue differed on the resolution of the House. While some believed it was laudable and called on the Senate to adopt the Reps’ position, others described the position of the Reps as premature and hasty.

The lawyers held that it was the insensitivity of the political class to the plight of the masses as well as their selfish interests that drives their action. They all condemned the violence that took place at the Rivers Assembly.

They blamed Obasanjo as well as the Federal Government for insecurity and unrest in Rivers State. The lawyers insisted that the Rivers crisis was being fuelled because the five legislators and security agencies have the support of the presidency.

Those who spoke on the issue included professors of law Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) and Itse Sagay (SAN); former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Oliseh Agbakoba (SAN); former Kwara State governorship candidate under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) , Dele Belgore (SAN); Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN); rights activist Femi Falana (SAN); constitutional lawyer Dr. Fred Agbaje; activist Bamidele Aturu as well as Lagos-based lawyers Prince Kazeeem Adebanjo and Ebun-Olu Adegoruwa.

Osinbajo said it was a contrived one and a carefully-designed breach of law and order by a minority of members of the Rivers House of Assembly (five in all) with the obvious support of the presidency. He said it was important not to allow “this cynical abuse of power by the presidency to be passed off as a “crisis”.

“It is irresponsible indeed that while the nation reels from the horrendous murder of twenty-nine school children in Yobe by terrorists and the continuing mindless violence in many parts of the North-East, the Presidency’s reaction is to fuel disorder in Rivers State. Every time the Civil authority encourages or permits a breakdown of law and order, it diminishes its own legitimacy, undermines the viability of civil rule itself and excites thoughts of military intervention.”

• Mark

• Tambuwal

• Amaechi

Sagay said it was obvious the five Rivers State legislators (anti-Amaechi) feel they have the backing of the Federal Government and, therefore, the support of security agencies and so they can overwhelm Rivers State by force and overcome the law.

“They think they can totally superimpose the rule of force against the rule of law by deriving their power from the army and the police. Until they are told by those in Abuja that they do not have their support and should abide by the rule of law, they are not likely to stop.”

Ngige, Belgore, Falana, Agbaje and Aturu said the crisis was being fuelled by political intolerance. They accused the presidency of pettiness and culpability. Citing the situations in Oyo, Plateau and Anambra under the Obasanjo administration, the lawyers noted that the presidency was taking a cue from the Obasanjo examples, which were voided by the courts, and none of the people involved in those crises were brought to book.

To Falana, the purported removal of the Speaker violated Section 92(2) of the Constitution which provides that a House Speaker cannot be removed without the votes of not less than two thirds majority of the entire members. “Since there are 32 members of the house at least 22 members are required to vote for the valid removal of the Speaker.”

Ngige said: “For the immediate cause of crisis in Rivers State, we all know it has to do with politics of 2015. The President of Nigeria wants to run again in 2015 and perceives that Governor Amaechi is nursing a vice presidential ambition in the same election. He, therefore, considers Amaechi as a threat to his re-election. I now ask: Is that the reason why Amaechi should be crucified or Rivers State turned into a theatre of war? Why are our politicians so intolerant of opposing views? Are we practising democracy or monarchy where the views of the King are unchallengeable? The crisis in Rivers State is a challenge to the rule of law. A situation where the Commissioner of Police is openly supporting the renegades in their nefarious activities is condemnable.

“It should be mentioned that the Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, was an Assistant Commissioner (Admin) during the Anambra State political crisis of 2003-2004. So, it can be seen that he was thoroughly schooled to unleash what is going on in Rivers State today.”

Belgore described the Rivers State Assembly fiasco as “one act of banditry and political thuggery too many.” He said it was unfortunate the President could not order his minister (Wike) to face his ministerial job and stop unnecessary state politics.

“The presidency cannot bury its head in the sand on this one and absolve itself of responsibility for the crisis…Would a minister whose responsibility is to the Federal Government delve so disruptively into a state’s local politics knowing that such involvement would draw the disapproval of the President?”

Adegboruwa argued that since the case of the removal of the Speaker was in court, the politicians should have left the court to determine his fate.

Aturu wondered how legislators could behave like hoodlums and murderers. “I am thoroughly ashamed as a Nigerian that this kind of thing could happen in the Rivers House of Assembly. The government should ensure that those involved are punished.”

He said: “The reaction of the House, therefore, comes to no more than treating a symptom as though it were the ailment itself. Clearly taking over legislative functions in Rivers State is neither the right approach nor is it even legally tenable.”

He noted that the provision of Section 11 envisages a breakdown of law and order or some other crisis in the state itself, making meetings of the House of Assembly impossible, which he insisted has clearly not been met.

“It is where the civil authority, such as the Police, say or it is clear that they are unable to maintain law and order in the state and this makes it impossible for the House to sit, that the National Assembly may intervene. That situation has simply not arisen. What has happened, so far, is simply that the law and order apparatus appears unwilling to maintain law and order.”

He said to take over legislative duties of the Rivers Assembly would be precipitate and clearly illegal.

Sagay argued that it is totally wrong, premature and of doubtful legality for the National Assembly to take over legislative functions in Rivers State.

“There is no evidence that the Rivers State House of Assembly cannot meet. They met on Tuesday and that power cannot be exercised unless the Assembly of a state cannot meet.

“Now they said, they can only meet when they are guided by policemen, so what? They need to be protected does not mean they cannot meet. In my view, that criteria has not been satisfied for the House of Representatives to pass such resolution.

“Secondly, Section 105 that involves the National Assembly exercising powers of security and Section 305 that involves during a state of emergency all boils down to a situation where there is an emergency, where unless there is a declaration of an emergency, the National Assembly does not have power to legislate or exercise direct power from the federal.

“Although it does not say so in express words, that is the spirit. Thirdly, it is presumptuous for the National Assembly to think it can know what the people of Rivers State need and legislate for them, when it cannot even cope with its own responsibility at the national level.

Ngige commended the Reps for the resolution and called on the Senate to concur.

He said: “With the emergence of a fake Speaker, whose intention of impeaching the Governor of Rivers State with four out of 27 members was in public domain, the resolution of the House of Representatives for the takeover of the business of Rivers House of Assembly under Section 11(4) of the Constitution is very commendable. I hope the Senate will tow the same line as the House of Reps in the interest of democracy.”

Falana also said the House of Reps was in order and acted in accordance with the constitution.

He said: “By virtue of Section 11 of the Constitution the National Assembly is empowered to take over the legislative functions of a House of Assembly of a state if the members are unable to discharge their duties.

“Since the security forces have taken over the assembly complex in Port Harcourt and prevented the members from conducting any legislative business, the House of Representatives was in order when it resolved to make laws for the Rivers State House of Assembly until further notice. However, the resolution cannot be effective unless it is backed by the Senate.”

In Agbaje’s view, the National Assembly taken over of the legislative functions of the Rivers Assembly was not in the interest of the Rivers people.

“That decision of the House of Reps is too

pre-emptory, haste and premature. Is the National Assembly and police not tacitly supporting minority four against the 15 majority members in the Rivers House? Did the 15 members not subsequently sit and transact legislative business after the politically sponsored mayhem? They sat of course!

“The Federal Government is just looking for cheap excuses to impeach the speaker and then later go for the political jogular of Ameachi through a contrived impeachment. All about 2015 general Election!!! First, it was Aso Rock disorganisation of NGF and now, Ameachi’s political base- Rivers State.”

Aturu said the decision of the House was in order as the constitution allows it. He however noted that the situation must have gotten to a level where the State Assembly cannot function and there is imminent danger of lives and property.

“Whether that is the case now, it is a matter of fact. I don’t think we should rush to such decision, but if there are grounds for that, of course we will not allow people to be killed before we allow remedial actions.”

The House of Representatives’ resolution

Osibanjo faulted the resolution to take over legislative duties of the state Assembly but noted that the Reps were in order for calling for the transfer of the Police Commissioner.

The way forward

Agbaje said the way out was for both Jonathan and Ameachi to drop their political ambitions against 2015 general election, otherwise 2015 general election is doomed in advance.

Osibanjo said: “This is why the House of Representatives is entirely on point when it calls upon the IG to remove the obviously compromised Commissioner of Police in the State.

When that is done, and a Commissioner of Police is appointed who will take instruction from the Governor in accordance with the Constitution is appointed, if then the circumstances still exist within Rivers State, which make the House of Assembly unable to sit, then the National Assembly may intervene.”

He called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those who engaged in violence.

Sagay advised that Abuja should issue a statement disowning them and making it clear that they do not have their support. Also, they should mandate the police to do their jobs and discipline policemen who have turned themselves to politicians in Rivers State. “The solution is for the federal government to out rightly disown those who think they have federal might and punish security agents that have become partisan in the cause of the crisis.”

Agbakoba said the solution was for politicians to put the interest of the people first.

“It’s down to the politcal class to put the interest of Nigerians first and all this nonsense will stop.”

Ngige suggested that the National Judicial Council, (NJC) should issue a red alert to all judges sitting in Rivers State to be cautious in dealing with cases arising from the crisis in the state as well as ensure accelerated hearing of cases emanating from the crisis as was seen in the Obasanjo era.

He called on the President to call his party men to order and stop giving support to renegades causing mayhem in Rivers State. Ngige said the President should be “statesman in this crisis and learn from the mistakes of General Obasanjo who enjoyed destabilizing State governments that were not in his good books.

“At the end of Obasanjo’s tenure, what happened to PDP in South West? Instability and turmoil took over including his household.

That’s a lesson for all of us that when you sow the wind you reap the whirlwind. Our President should be a statesman and allow Governor Amaechi to be. Only God can determine who will be our President in May 29th 2015.

Nobody should play God. The President and his wife should not play God.” Aturu said the Presidency must understand that it has the final responsibility as it relates to • Continued on page 32

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

32

LAW AND SOCIETY LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

• From left: Lawal, Martins and Ayi at the event.

SSS, police to prosecute fake printers

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RINTERS who engage in pro duction of fake security docu ments which aid corruption will soon have their day in court, the State Security Services (SSS) and the police have warned.

Anyone caught will not only be tried and jailed, their printing firm will be sealed up and the operators banned from practicing printing in Nigeria.

Besides, any printing firm not registered with the Chattered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria (CIPPON), established by an Act of the National Assembly (No. 24) in 2007 and empowered to regulate printing in Nigeria, will be sealed up.

These warning were given during a printers’ sensitisation forum organised by CIPPON in Sagamu, Ogun State.

It had the theme: Corrective regulatory measures: Curbing the activities of quacks in the printing industry (through the use of CIPPON Corrective Products).

Similar events had been held in Ibadan and in Ilorin. Others are planned.

Ogun State Director of SSS, who was represented by My Bassey Ayi, said a lot of printers do illegal printing of sensitive materials such as certificates, bank and other security documents “inside their parlours.”

“They print these documents for people who are not supposed to have access to them. We will fish such fake printers out,” he said.

Ayi added that such printers even print National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call-up letters for people who did not see the four walls of a university. He urged CIPPOBN-registered printers to help fish them out.

“They are giving security agencies a lot of problems. Somebody can stay in his room and print such sensitive documents. So, you have to help us fish them out,” he said.

Ogun Commissioner of Police Okoye Ikemefuna, represented by Olaiya Martins, a Superintendent of Police, said government is losing a lot of revenue due to counterfeit revenue documents.

The government, he said, also lose money to those who print and distribute fake vehicle licences, drivers’ licences, motorcycle documents, among others.

“If you are not careful, you cannot distinguish the original from the fake document. Such acts are tarnishing the good image of the printing

By Joseph Jibueze

profession.

“Often, we have taken people to court for illegal printing. If you have information about such people, report to the police promptly. CIPPON should swiftly delete such members to serve as a deterrent to others.

“Security is a joint business and cannot be complete without genuine printers helping the security agencies with information to rid the profession of quacks.

“In essence, we are partners in progress. Let the partnership and development of security in the country continue in this regard,” Martins said.

General Manager, Ogun State Printing Corporation, Mrs Oyinkansola Cole, urged printers to be careful about those in their employment.

“We have to be careful about those who work with us. Printer managers must ensure that plates are secure so that dishonest workers do not duplicate them and print counterfeit jobs for illegal purposes.

“You have to ensure that jobs you print for the government or for anyone are not found on the streets on sale the next day, even before the original owners take delivery,” she said.

CIPPON President, Mr Wahab Muhammed Lawal, said to regulate the practice of printing effectively, there must be a uniform standard for each section that make up the printing profession.

Sections under the practice, he said, are: pre-press, press and post-press.

Before the pre-press, there is always a transaction that could be described as ‘offer and offeree’, that is, the award of printing contracts to printing presses, he said.

“The Institute has come up with a ‘standard’, comprising of print products that are to be used by all printing presses throughout Nigeria.

“The use of these print products by printing presses will be a signal to print buyers that printing presses have started restoring integrity in the printing industry, while on the other hand, it will be a warning signal to perpetrators of illegal printing and books piracy.

“These print products are: Customers Traceable Identity Register; Acceptance of Job Order and Campaign Poster against crime under the cover of printing,” Lawal said.

He added: “Your Institute has power to make rules, regulations, code of conduct, to set uniform standard that will enhance professional pricing and to enforce the compliance of the rules and regulations made.

“Sections 23 (b) and 27 says the Council shall ensure that no firm or partnership shall practice as printers in Nigeria unless it is registered by the Council.

“Unless a person is a registered ‘member’ with the Institute, he is not qualified to be appointed or promoted to any senior or executive position in the printing and allied Industry.

“Section 33 (1) (a), (b) and 5 deals with Offences and Penalties. It says: Any person not being a printing professional or licensed printer but for or in expectation of reward practices or hold himself out to practice as registered printer or without reasonable excuse takes or uses any name, title, addition or description implying that he is authorized by law to practice as a professional licensed printer, commits an offence.

“Section 26, Sub-Section 3 and (a) states: There shall be established, a tribunal to be known as Printing Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal (hereafter in this Act referred to as “the disciplinary Tribunal”), which shall be charged with the duty of considering and determining any case referred to it by the Investigating Panel.

“The Chief Justice of Nigeria shall make rules as to the proceeding to be followed and the rules of evidence to be observed in proceedings before the Tribunal.

“Second Schedule Sub-Section 14 says: For the purpose of advising the Tribunal on questions of law arising in proceedings before it, there shall in all such proceedings be an assessor to the tribunal who shall be appointed by the council on nomination of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and shall be a legal practitioner of not less than twelve years standing.

The Chief justice of Nigeria shall make rules as to the functions of assessors.”

Highlights of the event included conferment of awards on “professional fathers for their immense contributions to the growth of the Printing Industry in the past years,” including the oldest printer in Egbaland, 90-year-old Pa Thomas Ewedairo and Rev David Ogunjobi.

How to end Rivers Assembly crisis • Continued from page 31

the security of the people’s lives and property. This is because what happened in Rivers could degenerate. Don’t forget, what happened in the Western Region in the early 60s. he said: “This can lead to a state of emergency, a civil war even, the truncation of the so called emerging democracy. If democracy in the country is truncated, they will suffer most, because they, as politicians, benefit from the system on behalf of the people.

“So, if this democracy is imperiled, they will find themselves in kirikiri.

And I will be very glad they all go to Kirikiri.

The way out of this is that people must learn to govern decently, and governance is not about pettiness; it is not about ambitions, not about what you can get as a person but about service to the people.”

Adegboruwa urged the National Assembly investigate and bring to book all those responsible for the act of violence at the Rivers Assembly.

“It is important that the President too must take steps to restore peace in Rivers State, given the allegations that have since been thrown at him, over his discreet involvement in the crisis rocking the oil rich state,” Adegboruwa said.

Adebanjo said it was not too late for the Jonathan administration to redeem

its already battered image by calling the rebel members to order. Nigerians would not forget the ignoble role the Presidency played in the NGF election when the President almost speedily recognized and gave the Jang faction executive fiat to summon and preside over the affairs of the NGF. Jang had lost the election by 16 votes to Amaechi 19.

“I admonish our President to focus on delivering the much needed dividends of democracy to us and leave 2015 for God to decide. He should promptly address issues such as: Security, Roads, Power, Health, Education etc. May God in his infinite mercies guide our President right. Amin”.

The deepening Jonathan-Amaechi saga

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HIS column about two months ago intervened in the then bur geoning crisis in Rivers State. Then, it had expressed the earnest hope that while playing partisan politics, our elected officials would hold the provisions of the constitution, on which the democratic edifice stands, sacrosanct. Now the crisis appears headed for a denouement, between the forces loyal to the state Governor Chibuike Amaechi and those who claim solidarity with President Goodluck Jonathan. Unfortunately, in this endgame, it seems the protagonists hold the constitution and the laws of the land in utter contempt; which is condemnable.

Last Tuesday, the Rivers State House of Assembly was turned into a battle ground, in the full glare of cameras, to our country’s local and international shame. Unabatedly, the notorious five anti-Amaechi lawmakers, overwhelmed by the apparent cavernous presidential patronage, decided to exercise the powers of a majority in the 32-member House. In disregard to the rule of law, ‘the five’ decided to sit in the legislative chambers to impeach the Speaker of the House, Otelemaba Amachree, despite the provisions of S. 92(1c) of the constitution, that only two-thirds majority, could effect such a removal. Interestingly, the supporters of Governor Amaechi had some months ago claimed that the agents of President Jonathan were going to use the five legislators to unlawfully remove the Governor from office.

The reprehensible abnegation of constitutional democracy in the Rivers House of Assembly in the past week, gives credence to this unconstitutional game plan, and it should be stopped forthwith, in the interest of our democracy. As Governor Amaechi’s men now claim, the plan was to impeach the Speaker of the House, after which a kangaroo impeachment of the Governor would take place, regardless of the provisions of Section S.188 of the constitution, providing on how a governor can be impeached. On why Governor Amaechi invaded the legislative chambers, his media handlers claim that the governor rushed to the legislative chambers to starve off the aberration. Unfortunately, some persons looking like Governor Amaechi’s security details and his supporters in the divided House were caught on camera fighting with the recalcitrant law makers.

After watching the macabre sitcom showing the smashing of the head of Mr Chinda, one of the dishonourable five, and the news item showing the picture of the alleged ‘head smasher’ lying down and claiming to be receiving treatment for wounds incurred while being beaten by the opponents, it occurred to me why Nigerian politics is a zero sum game. You are either in or out. And in an effort to be in, scruples, honour, reputation and integrity must be securely locked in a box and thrown into the sea. This character flaw has also affected those that should never be partisans, like the security agencies, as they serve their misconstrued masters’ interests.

Interestingly, one of the five law breakers, just wedded his delectable heartthrob a few weeks ago, and our own Dame Patience Jonathan, the first lady, was the mother of the day at the weeding. Using the event as a subtext to gauge the quality of governance in her native Rivers State, she denounced Governor Amaechi as a bumbling performer, while expressing her love for Nyesom Wike, the Minister of State for Education in her husband’s cabinet; and also a former Chief of Staff to Governor Amaechi, who obviously nominated him to represent the state, in the federal cabinet. In the drama at the wedding, the first lady declared her undying love for the unquestionable loyalty of Minister Wike and, invariably, the other willing warriors in the anti-Amaechi plot.

Watching last week’s devastating televised macabre drama in the Rivers State House of Assembly, as the members dueled each other, I had privately shuddered at what would have been the fate of the young woman just recently wedded if the manhood of her new husband was smashed in the mayhem, in his effort to show loyalty to the alleged interest of the first lady, Nyesom Wike and the anti-Amaechi plotters.

Or even a worse case, that in an effort to serve the alleged interest of the wife of the President (not a small honour, many may believe), her new husband had paid the ultimate price, with his life. Well, he would have died in the line of duty, I guess?

As the similarity between the man shown in the press lying critically wounded on a hospital bed and the man furiously hunting down his renegade colleague with the fake mace was pointed out to me, by an intrusive reporter, I fully appreciated what loyalty is all about.

Now in the unfortunate event, that murder is committed in that moment of abdication of reason, I guess also that the total loyalty will see the crime passed off as an act of an ‘unknown lawmaker’? The crisis in Rivers like similar democratic tragedies under former President Olusegun Obasanjo makes one wonder whether it is not an aberration to call those callous men in the Rivers House of Assembly, Honourables. In this business of loyalty to one’s political camp, the capacity to commit crime effortlessly seems to flower far above the rule of law.

My humble advice to the dramatis personae is to remember the African adage that the person whose head is used to break the coconut, will not partake in the eating. Also as Governor Amaechi, an elected state executive, suffers humiliation in our pseudo-federal Nigeria, I hope that our political elites would come to realise that the solution lies in constitutionally reducing the overbearing powers of the President and even the governors, in the overall interest of the rule of law in our constitutional democracy.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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LAW & SOCIETY To get a conviction in a criminal matter, the allegations must be proved beyond all reasonable doubt. This piece by a lawyer, AKINTAYO IWILADE, highlights thoughts on a fundamental statutory misconception that has underlined the treatment of criminal allegations made in election petition proceedings. It engages the historical rationale for the requirement that criminal allegations must be proved beyond reasonable doubt and argues that such is incongruous with election petitions and other variants of civil proceedings.

Required proof for criminal allegations in election petitions: A critique

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NGLAND’S William Blackstone was the person re corded to have said: “better that 10 guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer”. Lord Sankey, of the English House of Lords, subsequently summarised the core postulation through his famous ‘Golden Thread’ speech: “Throughout the web of the English Criminal Law, one golden thread is always to be seen, that it is the duty of the prosecution to prove the prisoner’s guilt….If at the end of and on the whole of the case, there is a reasonable doubt, created by the evidence given by either the prosecution or the prisoner,…..the prosecution has not made out the case and the prisoner is entitled to an acquittal. No matter what the charge and where the trial, the principle that the prosecution must prove the guilt of the prisoner is part of the Common Law of England and no attempt to whittle it down can be entertained” Woolmington v DPP (1935) AC 462.

Here, the point must be made that the evolvement of such strict standards was never a product of voluntary benevolence from the old English State. Rather, the evolvement reflects an enduring by-product of centuries of bloody mass agitations against arbitrary arrests, detentions and convictions, carried out by the State and those who arrogated and wielded its powers. The bloody contestations arguably produced human rights documents like the Magna Carta 1213, the Bill of Rights, the American Declaration of Independence 1776, etc. The contents of these have since been reproduced into sev-

eral National Constitutions and other documents of Universal significance, like the United Nations Declaration of Human and Peoples Rights of 1948.

Suffice to say therefore, that the ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’ doctrine evolved from unrelenting human struggles against the arbitrary exercise of powers by the State and its agents.

Instructively, the singular rationale, for the requirement of proving criminal allegations beyond reasonable doubt, was grounded in the social justice imperative of averting the possible tragedies of making innocent people suffer, often irreparably, from State-administered punishments, over ‘crimes’ they did not commit. The ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’ rule was therefore created for nothing, other than ensuring that “only guilty persons are convicted by the State”.

Understandably, Nigeria’s formalized jurisprudence have followed in the tradition espoused by England’s Common Law theorists. Section 138(1) of the old Evidence Act explicitly codified the ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt doctrine’ and it appears to be the statutory foundation upon which Nigerian case laws, on the extent of the applicability of the ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt principle’, evolved over the years.

Consequently, there have been thousands of cases where it has been repeatedly held that the standard of proof in criminal proceedings must be ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’.

But conversely, in civil proceedings, the standard of proof is that of ‘preponderance of evidence upon the balance of probabilities’. The adjudica-

tor is required to place the admissible evidence of the contending sides on an imaginary scale and thereafter, give judgment in favour of the side on which the scale weighs positively heavier (A.R Mogaji & Ors v. R. Odofin (1978) 4 S.C. 91, etc).

However, by Section 135(1) of the Evidence Act, 2011, the statutory requirement is that where there is an allegation of crime in civil proceedings, it must be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

While the logic of its continued application to criminal proceedings remain near faultless, even if sometimes occasioning ‘unintended injustice’, the extension of the same stringent standard of proof, to criminal allegations made in civil proceedings (and shockingly, even Election Petitions), suggests a gross legislative and jurisprudential misconception of the origination and core essence of the ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt principle’.

Like we argued earlier, the strict rule was developed to ensure “only guilty persons are convicted by the State”.

Therefore, it is the end goal of a proceeding that should ordinarily determine the standard of proof to be applied. The ‘strict rule’ ought only to apply where the end goal of a proceeding seeks conviction of a citizen by the State and not where the end goal is a pursuit of compensatory damages, injunctive/restorative reliefs, declarations, restitutive orders etc; such as are often sought in civil and election petition proceedings respectively.

Sound logic is therefore diminished when a Plaintiff, Claimant or Petitioner is required (just to obtain com-

• From left: Mr Aniedi Akpabio, Paul Usoro (SAN) and his wife Mfon at the last NBA Section on Business Law (SBL) conference in Lagos.

pensatory damages, injunctive/restorative reliefs, declarations etc), to demonstrate the wholesome prosecutorial powers of the State to arrest, gather, investigate and even confiscate required ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt evidence’. It becomes more untenable when it is considered that such Plaintiff, Claimant or Petitioner hardly ever possesses the supportive privileges and ‘investigative infrastructure’ available, often exclusively, to the State.

Accordingly, it betrays uneven and illogical justice to impose the onerous ‘proof beyond reasonable doubt’ evidential burden on aspects of such proceedings, in which different outcomes, other than the conviction sought by the State in criminal proceedings, are what is being sought.

From the decisions in Torti v. Ukpabi (1984) 1 SCNLR 214, Nwobodo v Onoh (1984) 1 SC 1, Omoboriowo v. Ajasin (1984) 1 SC 1 etc; to the recent cases involving Buhari v Obasanjo (2005) 13 NWLR (pt. 941) pg 1 at 182, Agagu v Mimiko (2009) All FWLR (pt. 462) 1122 at 1167-1168 and many others, the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and all Lower Tribunals have left no one in doubt of the state of the Law on the standard of proof required to judicially verify criminal allegations made in Election Petitions throughout Nigeria.

The standard is, and remains, that ‘criminal allegations made in Election Petitions must be proved beyond reasonable doubt and; where an Election Petition is founded solely on such criminal allegations and there happens to be a wanting in the stated statutory standard of proof, the petition cannot succeed’. That is the state of the Law today, and it remains firmly so and continually enforceable, except, and until set-aside by an Act of Parliament.

That being the State of the Law, it is posited that there is no logical jurisprudential foundation to support or justify the continued application and imposition of such onerous evidential burden on Election Petitions. A dynamic reversal of the current Law, through concerted legislative and jurisprudential rethinking, is highly desirable.

It must be adequately realised that Election Petitions are a unique branch of civil disputes that strive to determine whether the sovereign will of the people prevailed or was subverted in an electoral process. Thus, the central focus of an Election Petition is certainly not the criminal conviction of so-called electoral offenders but, the broader determination of whether the declared outcome of an electoral contest was wholly reflective of the majority’s votes or otherwise. An Election Tribunal should therefore only

• Iwilade

seek to determine the extent to which the popular will is reflected in electoral outcomes and do clear substantial justice thereof.

This is more so when it is instructively realised that an Election Petition proceeding is never equal to a criminal trial. The Petitioner can thus never assume a State Prosecutor’s role nor can any Respondent be deemed an accused person standing criminal trial before the Election Tribunal. As such, the evidential ‘inconvenience and complexities’, required of a criminal trial, ought never to have found accomodation in Election Petition proceedings no matter the nature of the allegations forming the claims.

Going further, one may ask, what proving an allegation beyond reasonable doubt entails? First, a crime must be proven to have been committed and secondly, it is very important to establish that the ‘accused’ was directly or constructively culpable in the said crime committed. The proof must also be established in such manner as to point to no other culpable direction but the accused’s. What logically follows, or ought to follow, the outlined proof beyond reasonable doubt preconditions, is a conviction by the State.

Accordingly, where the proof is not to be followed by a conviction by the State, the proof beyond reasonable doubt requirement becomes incongruous, illogical and bereft of any rationally sound or even identifiable jurisprudential roots. This is because civil proceedings (including Election Petitions), are obviously devoid of the fundamental components and requirements of a criminal trial; and more so, the eventual outcomes, and procedural niceties of both, are very clearly distinct.

• To be continued next week

Alleged $1.69m fraud: Ajudua prays judge to disqualify self

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LAWYER, Fred Ajudua, has filed an application before a Lagos High Court, Ikeja asking for the disqualification of Justice Joseph Oyewole, who is handling his case.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Ajudua and an associate, Mr Charles Orie, before the court for allegedly defrauding two Dutch businessmen, Messrs Remy Cina and Pierre Vijgen, of $1.69million between July 1999 and September 2000.

When the matter came up, Ajudua’s counsel, Allens Agbaka, brought a motion seeking to stop further proceedings pending the decision of the Lagos State’s Chief Judge, Ayodele Philips, on the petition seeking the transfer of the case.

In a motion on notice filed by his counsel, Ajudua is praying the court for an alternative order disqualifying Justice Oyewole from furher hearing or presiding over the hearing of his charge No ID/41C/2003 FRN Vs Fred Chijindu

By Adebisi Onanuga

Ajudua and for such orders as the court may deem fit in the circumstance of the case.

He brought the motion on notice pursuant to Section 36 of the 1999 constitution and Section 56(1) and (2)(a) and (b) of the High Court Laws of Lagos State and inherent jurisdiction of the court.

In the application, the defendant listed 11 grounds upon which he is seeking reliefs from the court.

Agbaka said the judge during his ruling on June 25, this year allegedly accused his client of tampering with the prosecution’s witness, adding that the remarks of the judge is prejudicial to the fair hearing in the trial.

According to the motion supported by a six-paragraph affidavit and deposed to by one Bridget Akhagbe, the defence averred that the presiding judge, in making those remarks, have given cause to a reasonable fear and apprehension that

”the first defendant (Mr Ajudua) has been found guilty even before the conclusion of the trial”.

Agbaka also stated that the mere mention of the judge’s name in a previous petition written by Lt-Gen Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd), a former Chief of Army Staff, to the EFCC has a ripple effect on the trial of his client.

According to him, Bamaiyi in the petition, allegedly accused Ajudua of fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars from him while they were together in Kirikiri Prisons.

The money was allegedly paid when Ajudua allegedly convinced Bamaiyi that he would help influence Justice Oyewole during the latter’s trial.

“Having the name of the judge in the hand written petition, His Lordship is likely going to be listed as one of the witnesses,” Mr Agbaka said.

But counsel to the EFCC, Mr Wemimo Ogunde (SAN), in view of the new development, asked for more time to respond

to the application.

Justice Oyewole, therefore, adjourned the matter till September 24, this year for hearing of the application.

Earlier on Monday, Justice Oyewole dismissed an application for quash of charges filed by the defendants on June 7, this year for lack of merit.

Ruling on the application Justice Oyewole held that the applicant was not responsible for the prosecution of the case and therefore cannot ask the court to terminate it.

Ajudua had argued in his application that since the complainant has withdrawn the case and filed an affidavit to stating his withdrawal as witness in the matter, the court should quash the charge.

Ogunde opposed the application, saying it was not known to law for a victim to come to court to file an affidavit of dis-continuance on which the defence would predicate its application for charges to be quashed.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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NATIONAL BAR Legislative drafting and transformative laws The Transformation agenda of any government must enhance its economic and political ideas through the conversion of laws to meet the demand for national development and good governance - President Goodluck Jonathan–The Nigerian Economic Summit, March 18, 2013.

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EGISLATIVE drafting is an ob ligatory mechanism apposite for transforming the laws of any state. Good drafting captures the pivotal purport of any transformation agenda in legislative exertion.

‘Legislative Drafting and Transformative Laws’ by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) holistically uncovers how the skills of legislative drafting can service the transformation of laws to meeting the growing demands of public interest promotion, institutional transformation, the law making process, democratic change, deter crime, fight corruption as well promote good governance.

The first chapter of the book, which is written by Osatohanmwen Eruaga is titled ‘Transformative Legislations and Public Interest Promotion’. The chapter delves into the connection between transformative legislations and the interest of the general public by a consideration of how and when they can be said to be in the interest of the public. The writer presents the argument that transformative legislations should always be in the interest of the general public based on the fact that any democratically elected government of the day holds power as a result of commitments to make or change laws to satisfy various societal needs. She made suggestions as to how to ensure that the interest and rights of the general public are safeguarded during and after legislative drafting process are made.

Chapter two of the book is titled ‘Legislating for Institutional Transformation?’ written by Uchechukwu Ngwaba. It proceeds to determine why institutions are important. The writer makes a unique effort to establish the relationship between good governance, development and institutions. Conscious of strident calls for institutional transformation in Africa, the writer also examines if legislation can be enacted to make institutions perform better in achieving objectives of development and good governance. But what are these institutions? Why are they important and how do they operate? There are the questions that the writer makes a commendable attempt to answer.

Questions however arise whether legislation can form the basis of such transformation. Skepticisms have emerged from some scholars who have viewed the legislature as belonging to the political establishment, and for our purpose in Africa, the postcolonial establishment. In response to skeptics, this chapter argues that legislations still have a very important place in any transformative initiative of institutions in Africa. But legislations alone are not sufficient.

They have to be backed up by institutional behavioural changes that reflect the political will of those at the helm of affairs to engender the desired transformation. It is the combination of these methods and not the isolated approach of legislations that will result in the desired transformation of institutions in Africa.

The third chapter of the book is written by Adejoke O. Adediran and it is titled ‘Towards Transformative Evidence Based Legislation’. The writer makes a proposition for evidence based as the best available scientific evidence and data by legislatures as a basis for their formulation and writing of law. “Transformation can hardly occur where the laws do not adequately solve social problems as those problems keep subsisting. Public resources will continually be used for the enactment of laws as those laws will be subjected to series of amendment. An evidence-based legislation necessarily takes into account the effect it will have on its subjects after coming into force and it is capable of presuming the practicability of its enforcement” (Page 47). After giving credible insights to empirical legal research and the art of designing

BOOK REVIEW Title:

Legislative Drafting and Transformative Laws

Editors:

Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN), DG; Adejoke Adediran, Research Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies) (NAILS)

Publisher:

NIALS Printed by NIALS Press, Abuja

Review by:

Okechukwu Effoduh

evidence0based legislation, the writer expounds the instrumentality of legislation for the achievement of transformation of any country because any policy of the government must be enforced by law. For transformation to take place through law, such law must take into account the present realities in the society it is focused on. The provisions of the law must also be the best option in the situation it is being enacted and for the purposes it is being enacted, as such, must be evidence-based. This will ensure effectiveness, efficacy and efficiency of the law, it is also economical since evidence-based legislation advocates cost effectiveness.

Chapter four is titled ‘Policy, Legislation and National Transformation’ and it is written by Ogochukwu Mgbakogu. The writer focused on studying how these Policies are formulated and the different stages of policy formulation; the goals to be achieved in policy making. She also considers the different kinds of policies and how they become legislations. With the legislative arm of government being in focus here, the writer identifies its functions but in a unique way – by fully examining the role of the legislature in national transformation. The writer emphasized the need for competent and committed laws makers who are able to initiate and give effect to legislations that will in turn lead to national transformation. She uses a home example to highlight the importance and dedication towards a transformed Nigeria by citing the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies whom on the 5th of February 2013 signed the Performance contract with its heads of department and staffs under the various departments where the Director General Professor Epiphany Azinge, SAN, Ph.D emphasized the need for all staffs and Nigerians as a whole to put all hands on deck and provide leadership. The Performance Agreement contract is a yardstick for measuring the job performance of every staff and serves as a fulfilment to the National transformation Agenda.

‘Legislative Drafters and Transformative Laws’ is the title of the fifth chapter. It is an interesting chapter written by Okay Benedict Agu. The writer argues that the Legislative Drafters in the country must imbibe the general principles and procedures arguably considered to be the global best practices strategic to legislative drafting. This is because in his view, when laws are well drafted, the citizens and all stakeholders will understand their obligations and courts can enforce the laws effectively. He posits that Legislative Drafters in the country should have capacity in Institutionalist Legislative Theory and Methodology (ILTAM) and/or legisprudence, that is, to be able to write legislation that solves social problems and analyse Bills within the framework of jurisprudential philosophies about the nature of law itself. The writer says this is to put in place transformative laws that will guarantee a peaceful, just and multicultural society in which each citizen is offered the best chance of improvement in their standard of living and/or human condition.

This writer makes a good attempt on the analysis of the modern best practices and / or principles available to Legislative Drafters in writ-

ing transformative laws that would better the lot of the citizenry. Alterations in the style, techniques or principles in use by Legislative Drafters in the country is advocated in this chapter. The writer demonstrates that building the capacity of Legislative Drafters in the country in Institutionalist Legislative Theory and Methodology (ILTAM) will equip them to draft transformative laws that will solve social problems, guarantee a peaceful, just and multicultural society in which each citizen is offered the best chance of improvement in their standard of living and/or human condition. “Carrying out Legislation Impact Analysis and Post Legislative Scrutiny before and after legislations are put into force to gauge their potency and benefit are crucial enablers to the enactment of transformative laws that will engender social harmony whilst ameliorating our country’s development challenges like pervasive poverty, unemployment, high crime rate, deplorable state of infrastructure and indeed bad governance.”(Page 108) ‘Cost Benefit Analysis of Legislating: Institutionalising Cost Benefit Analysis in the Rule Making Process in Nigeria’ is written by Chukwuemeka Castro Nwabuzor as the chapter six of this book. Simply put, the writer advocates a CBA (Cost Benefit Analysis) regime in the Nigerian legislative houses; he provides a state-of-the-art template in which the CBA can be conducted for proposed legislation!

The writer identifies CBA as purpose driven, thus conducting it early in the game would foster the exclusion of unsuitable options before time and before efforts are expended in translating them from mere ideas to refined options. The essence of the CBA according to him is that it promotes cost effective legislation and that the CBAs when conducted for a proposed legislation in the Nigerian Legislative Houses would ensure that the legislation is not a mere representation of legislative words on paper, but a result oriented one. The participation aspect of the CBA may include the public consultation process; legitimacy and general acceptance by the public would spring from this. Transformation involves change and the pursuit of social change invariably involves an engagement with the law. Conduct of CBA of legislation thus assists in the development of transformative and purposeful laws that shape societal demands through a pragmatic legislative process.

Chapter seven of the book is titled ‘Legislative methodology in developing economies’ by Enuma

Moneke. The writers discourse examines the role of legislatures in Nigeria by focusing on the National Assembly, its functions, constitutional powers and whether it has effected positive transformation since the entrenchment of democracy in 1999. The writer debates in the light of poverty statistics in Nigeria and how it has failed to effect positive transformation and she recommends that the legislative methodology as propounded by L. Mader should be adopted: eight steps for elaborating normative contents built on the separation of diverse analytical steps. The writer posits that for total societal transformation and human development to take place, the National Assembly must in addition to adopting effective legislative systems and methods, ensure that the normative content of the laws enacted breathe life into the lifeless provisions of Chapter II of the Constitution.

Chapter eight of the book is written by Ezirigwe Jane and is titled ‘Legislative Efficiency and Democratic Change’. The Writer identifies firstly, what Legislatures do and then outlines the Historical and Constitutional activities of the Nigerian Legislature with its Composition and then discusses the Law making process in Nigeria. The interesting angle taken by the writer in this chapter is her distinctive attempt to define Legislative Efficiency and to examine the features that make a Legislative Assembly efficient. She took care to view this discourse it in the international scene without assessing any particular Parliament or concentrating on any democracy but concludes with Lessons to be learned for Nigeria.

The ninth chapter is ‘The Role of Draftsman in Law Making Process’

by Vivan C. Madu. The writer identifies the qualities of a good draftsman, the role of a drafts man and explicitly describes the drafting process in Nigeria. In a sub heading in this chapter, the writer makes a brilliant case for drafting as a means of communication: “Although other media exist for communi-

cation within a society such as the sound of a gong, police siren or the sight of the traffic light, language is the most important medium of communication among members of any society. Language as a means of communication can be employed in speech or writing. The manner of the speech and the vocal modulation may contribute to a better understanding of the spoken communication.

As Desdemona once said in the face of Othelo’s impassioned words, ‘I understand the fury in your words but not the words’.”(Page 184 – 185) she cites the preceding as a background to establish that written communication to which legislative drafting relates, is a much more difficult matter. “The words stand alone; we see nothing but the written words and hear nothing at all. There is absence of visual and vocal aids. The errors and ambiguities in a speech could be corrected immediately but in written communication, errors and ambiguities may be difficult to correct or resolve. For example, an error in a statute may require nothing less than amendment of the statute to correct it” (Page 185). The writer makes a case of primary concern that legislative drafting is carried on with such impressive technique of written communication as allows for minimum errors and ambiguity and to make for understanding of the legal communication with less difficulty.

Recommendation:

This book is an authority in Legislative drafting and transformative laws. It is an educating and enlightening work suitable for studies, intellectual discourse and the practice of legislative drafting. It can serve as a proposal towards achieving the transformation agenda of Nigeria. It is also a resource material for academics, draftsmen, lawyers, students and all lovers of knowledge.

It is suitable for persons interested in learning the technicalities involved in drafting laws as well as members of the legislature, involved in making legislations and transforming out extant laws.

Group hails Jonathan on proposed Land Use Act repeal

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HE Real Estate Lawyers Asso ciation of Nigeria (RELAN) has praised President Goodluck Jonathan for his determination to repeal the Land Use Act. President Jonathan spoke at a summit organised be the Rockfeller Foundation as part of Nigeria’s centenary celebration. It had the theme: Realising the potential of agriculture in Africa.

RELAN, in a statement by its VicePresident (Operations) Mr. Adekunle Omotola, noted that the Federal Government’s commitment is in line with the association’s views articulated during its national summits on the Land Use Act. The statement said: “RELAN was not unaware that to repeal the Land

By Joseph Jibueze

Use Act, it must conform with Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended”.

“We are also aware of the fact that the plenary session of the Senate and the House of Representatives are currently debating the report of Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Hon. Emeka Ihedioha-led committees on the amendment of the constitution.

“We are gratified that for President Jonathan to have publicly declared that the Land Use Act will be amended is a right step in the right direction.

“Indeed, President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment is a continuation of the concrete step taken by his

predecessor in office, Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who forwarded a bill to the National Assembly for amendments of some sections of the Act in 2009.

“It is our view that a practical approach by the government to seek an amendment of some sections of the Act is to ensure that the Act wears a human face and to be consistent with democratic norms and ideals.”

RELAN urged the Federal Government to liaise with the National Assembly, Governors and the State Houses of Assembly with a view to facilitating a drastic amendment of the Land Use Act. “By doing so, the Government must have achieved one of its aims to make its vision 2020 a reality.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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LAW PERSONALITY Mr Desmond Yamah is the chairman of the Abuja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). In this interview with Legal Editor JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU, he speaks on the challenges of leadership, lawyers’ welfare, fighting corruption in the Judiciary and sundry issues. Excerpts:

‘Judicial corruption is a cancer we must eliminate’

Y

OU have been the chairman of the NBA Abuja branch for six months. What are the challenges of the office?

The office of the chairman of NBA Abuja branch is tasking and quite challenging. This is a branch that has about 10,000 members and with that kind of number, we are trying to reach out to make every member to feel the impact and importance of the NBA in their professional lives.

How are you going about this?

We have embarked on training for the branch to build the capacity of members in various fields of law practice, for instance legislative advocacy. We are trying to acquire basic knowledge in the art of drafting, the idea of this is to ensure that many of our members to take advantage of the knowledge and skills to do work for members of the National Assembly in terms of initiating and proposing bills for members and even private member bills. We are also working on the areas of human rights because human rights violations are quite rampant in Abuja. A lot of the rights of the people are being violated, especially by the security agencies and some other organisations. We are trying to streghten the capacity of our human rights committee to be able to deal with these challenges. W e are also looking at the area of improving the judiciary and also trying very hard to acquire a Bar Centre for the branch. These are some of the priority areas that we are looking at and in some of these areas, the structures have been put in place, we are looking at the next six months to be able to have tangible achievements from the administration.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice (CJN) Aloma Miriam Mukhtar has taken some bold steps to rid the judiciary of corruption. What is your reaction to this?

The fight against corruption in the judiciary by the CJN is a welcome development. Every lawyer, every sane human being, knows that any jurisdiction where the judiciary is corrupt, it is as dangerous as having a mad man with a loaded AK 47 loose on the streets.

Judicial corruption is such a cancer that every society must strive to eliminate. We support the fight against corruption by the CJN and if you look at events of the recent past, some people may seem to

• Yamah

misunderstand our position.

What is your position?

Our position has been that where there have been established cases of judicial corruption, such judicial officers must be brought to justice because they destroy the lives of people, the rights of people, the interest of people, they destroy the wealth of people by making pronouncement that are not in accord with the sense of justice. In as much as we support the fight against corruption, our position has always been that, the fight should be done in such a way as not to destroy the institution. Judicial corruption is like eroding public confidence in the judicial system.

How do we go about this?

For instance today, many lawyers and their clients, litigants prefer to explore the option of petition as against appeal when they lose cases. No matter how clever a judge wants to be, when giving judgements for which he has been compromised, every average lawyer will know that the judgement is not in accord with established precedents. The law requires that a judge does not give judgment at his whims and caprices, not the way he feels or desires, no. A judge gives judgment based on established precedents and rule of law and every decision reached by a judge, he must give reasons for it.

And when these reasons are weighed against the facts of the case, it is always easy to know whether a judge has perverted judgement or not. Now, a situation where people decide to write frivolous petitions against judges is unfair because it distracts judges from doing their jobs. This is not acceptable in a civilised judicial system. A situation where judges are intimidated, when they give judgments in line with what they think the people will say as against what they believe is the justice of the case, is not also acceptable.

What is your suggestion on this?

A judge must be courageous, this is one of the major attributes of a good judge. A judge must be fair, the judge must be principled. He must be fearless in applying the law and in reaching the decisions that he makes. But today, the judiciary is highly intimidated; we have an instance where a judge of the Federal High Court, said in the open court, I do not know the ruling that I should give,

whichever ruling I give, I am likely to be taken to the National Judicial Council (NJC). When we have a scenario like this, then the institution is seriously threatened and we cannot destroy the institution we seek to protect eliminating corrupt judges. So, there must be established guidelines. There must be established principles of bringing to justice judges that are corrupt.

The trend now is that when lawyers lose a case, instead of going on appeal, they write an appeal against a judge, for giving judgment against me, I will destroy him. We have a situation where litigants threaten judges, most people make frivolous allegations against judges even there in their court.

How do we resolve this?

My advice on this is, let’s fight this cause in such a way that corrupt judges are eliminated from the system and judges who are not corrupt, are also protected against destructive allegations that threaten his career.

It is believed that the standard of legal education in the country has fallen abysmally; consequently, people have called for law to be made a second degree programme, what is your reaction to this?

Well, it depends on how you look at it. Law is a profession like wine that gets better with age.

Now, looking at law, looking at the standard of education in the country, and looking at what you presume to be falling standards, a lot of factors are responsible for this. What are the conditions of our universities; what are the conditions of the faculties of law in the universities; what are the qualifications of the lecturers that you have in these faculties. Now, in arriving at that conclusion that the standard of legal education is falling, you take some of these factors into consideration, the educational sector has been thoroughly neglected by the government. Recently, I had a cause to visit the secondary school which I left in 1990, when I got there, the science laboratory which we used there then is no longer in existence, the school library is no longer in existence.

This is a Federal Government College, then how do you expect the pupils to read and become great scholars. Consequently, if you go to some law faculties today, you cannot find ordinary internet facilities. Online research facilities are not there, the average lawyer cannot do research on the internet, how do expect rising standards of legal education in this circumstance?

What is your advice in this circumstance?

My thinking is that it is not making it a second or third degree programme that will improve the standard, you can have a first degree in a university that is not properly equipped and you come out worse than somebody the graduated from a well equipped secondary school.

Consequently, you can take law as a first degree course in an academic environment that is properly equipped and you come out better than somebody who has practised law for more than 10 years. What we need to address, is the state of infrastructures in our universities and in our Law School. We need to look at the quality of lecturers that we have in those institutions, this

• Yamah

underscores the need for us to have Law Faculties that are properly equipped with state of the art facilities where you have regular supplies of current editions of Law Reports, legal textbooks and high quality teachers as lecturers, who are properly and well remunerated, teachers who are encouraged and who are committed to the course of legal education. Where teachers are not well paid, where adequate facilities are not provided for them to teach, where students do not have access to quality legal materials to enhance their study, we will continue to have these challenges even if you make law a third degree programme. So, it is not making law a second degree course that will improve the standards of legal education, but the quality of our tertiary institutions and the preparedness of the institutions in turning out good students.

Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanisms (ADR) has been described as a faster mode of resolving commercial disputes, how come that we still have a lot of commercial disputes in our courts in spite of the high level of ADR practice in the country?

Well, ADR is a very important component of the judicial process in commercial disputes resolution, because it helps the parties to reconcile and erode all forms of bitterness.

It helps to reduce the workloads in the court system, Many people will say that it is fast, many people will

also say that it has a lot of advantages, but for any society to enjoy the advantages of ADR, the practitioners of ADR need to have quality education in the fields of ADR, I have seen so many situations where people who have gone for ADR with the intention of speedy resolution of their disputes regretted ever going there because the panel members failed or deliberately refused to write and deliver their awards after sitting and sometimes you find out that because they are not directly liable to anybody, they hand out awards that are perverse. I have seen a situation where an award that was given by an ADR panel was a big disappointment. Now, the challenge or disadvantage here is that you have to back to the court system again to seek to set aside the award, this is like going back to the drawing board.

How do we resolve this?

I want to appeal to the institutes to exercise major control over their members, some of them are not giving the Institutes very good names.

The concept is good, the advantages are numerous, but the practice in Nigeria is undergoing a lot of challenges. I always believe that there is always room for improvements, once we have credible members of the institutes who deliver credible awards in line with the provisions of the law and their conscience, I think ADR is a wonderful alternative.

‘My advice on this is, let’s fight this cause in such a way that corrupt judges are eliminated from the system and judges who are not corrupt, are also protected against destructive allegations that threaten their career’

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

36

LAW & SOCIETY

NBA Lagos election: How the candidates stand

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S Lagos branch of the Nige rian Bar Association (NBA), goes to the poll on Friday, its outgoing Chairman, Mr. O. Taiwo Taiwo, has urged contestants not to be desperate in the exercise of their constitutional rights.

He told The Nation: “ They are my friends. I have no particular candidate for any of the offices and I wish all of them well.”

His advised for the contestants, he said they should allow the votes to count and should not exhibit some traits to show that they are desperate for the elecction.

He said: “ There must be losers and winners in the election. The losers should feel free to contest again and may possibly win; after all, I lost election twice before I campaigned and won the last one as the branch chairman.”

He said the new branch executives would be sworn in on July 22, during the branch Annual General Meeting (AGM) when he would feel free to lash out at some members whose electoral fortunes might be imperilled if he lashes out at them, because some of them are contestants in the forth coming elections.

He said: “Whether they win the election or not, I will talk because I am not impressed with their behaviour in the branch. I will definitely lash out at them.”

Meanwhile, a list of about 1,859 eligible voters in the election as approved by the branch electoral committee has been displayed at the Bar centre with a a notice signed by the branch Financial Secretary, Mr Philip Njetene , urging those whose names are missing from the list to forward copies of their Branch Dues and Bar Practice Fees to the Bar Centre at the High Court on or before July 11, at 3.00pm for inclusion on the list.

As is usual in NBA elections, the offices of the branch chairman and secretary are the most contentious and contested offices in this election with three people, Alex Muoka, Martins Ogunleye and Hannibal Uwaifo, contesting for the chairmanship of the branch while Tola Apata and Chukwuma Ezeala are slugging it out for the office of the branch secretary Alex N. Mouka He graduated from the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo in 1990 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1991.

He won the Dr. Graham-Douglas prize for the ‘best and most outstanding student in Company Law and Commercial Practice at the Nigerian Law School. He holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) specialising in International Commercial Law and Secured Credit Transactions.

He was a Legal Officer with ITT Nigeria Limited. In September 1992, he joined the law firm of Messrs.

Tunde Odanye & Co. , which he left in July 1997 as Head of Chambers to set up his practice.

He was appointed a Notary Public by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and was sworn-in on September 22, 1999.

He is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators of the United Kingdom.

Muoka is Treasurer, Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria and Secretary, NBA, Lagos branch.

His practice covers civil litigation and dispute resolution, company and

A

• Taiwo

• Mouka

• Ogunleye

• Uwaifo

• Apata

• Ezeala

commercial law, banking and insurance matters, corporate re-structuring and re-engineering, project and joint venture documentation, communications, construction and development law, trusts, environmental law and intellectual property law.

Mr. Mouka said good leadership, institutional reforms, capacity building among members, welfare of members and discipline in the profession is the core focus of his manifesto.

Martins Ogunleye Mr Ogunleye is the First Vice Chairman, NBA Lagos branch; chairman, NBA Lagos Human Rights Committee (2011-2013); chairman J.I.C. Taylor Memorial Lecture Committee, NBA Lagos, (2011-2013); Member, Human Rights Committee, NBA Lagos (20092011); chairman, Protocol sub- committee, NBA Lagos Annual Dinner 2011; Member, NBA Lagos Law Week Committee 2012; ex-Officio member, Nationmal Association of Catholic Lawyers (2011-date) He has the welfare of members, integration of zonal fora, capacity building for members, enhancing the

capacity of the branch secretariat, ensuring financial discipline, Bar and Bench relations and branch corporate social responsibilities as the focus of his manifesto.

Hannibal Uwaifo Uwaifo has been a very active member and player in the branch since 1990, when he was called to the Bar. He has served the branch in the following capacities, ex-officio member of the Exco-1995-97; Asst. Publicity Secretary, 1997-99.

Secretary, Loc al Organising Committee1997, N.E.C. Lagos-1997; Asst.

Social Secretary, 1999-2001; Chairman, Law week committee 2009, Chairman, Task Force for AGM (Lagos) 2009; Secretary, Judicial Committee 2009-2011, Alternate chairman, Bar Dinner Committee, 2011; Chairman, Law Week Committee 2012 and member, National Executive Committee (NEC) NBA 2008 2012.

He said: “ I discharged my duties in those offices creditably well and with all sense of responsibility. The process of discharging those responsibilities exposed me on first hand basis, to the challenges facing the

branch as a body, the expectations of its members which I have briefly articulated in my manifesto as follows: proper harnessing of the potentials of our branch, branch secretariat and Bar Centre, creation of wealth for our members, dignifying our profession by the provision a 30seater air-conditioned bus for younger members of the Bar and other lawyers who rely on public transport to run their practice, to shuttle between our major practice centres. This will, definitely, bring dignity to the legal profession, mentoring of young lawyers, continuing legal education, maintain an activist Bar within the boundaries of professional ethics, as a member of the International Bar Association (IBA) since 1997, American Bar Association (ABA) since 2005, I can also tap from my experience in those organisations to further the interest of our branch, insurance for members and their spouses.”

Tola Apata He said: “ The office of the secretary of NBA Lagos branch is not that of a “glorified clerk”. Whoever occupies that office is a leader in our noble profession. He must, indeed, have the traits, attitudes and qualities of a good leader. He should be accessible and acceptable to interest groups within the Bar. “There are gender, religious and professional interest sub-groups within the Bar, such as Arbitration, Mediation, Insolvency, Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria ( MULAN),Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON), Young Lawyers etc.

Apata promises each subgroup and interest equal and fair treatment, but with bias and over indulgence towards the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) as it champions the cause of women, the down trodden and other vulnerable members of our society.Apata promises “good, quality professional and organisation leadership to all. He will ensure that the Bar gets its dues from all its members and that the Bar reciprocates by according honour, privileges and protection to its members in the course of law practice.

“To serve the Bar effectively and efficiently at its Lagos branch Secretariat. He will focus on professional training and capacity building in all areas of law. He will initiate the publication of an NBA Lagos Branch Law Reports. He will reactive the ongoing efforts by the Bar to build a permanent secretariat with modern day office and other information communication technology (ICT) equipment.

Babatola foresees and shall work for a proactive Bar, not a reactionary one - one that be “on top of its game” on all issues affecting the legal professional in our country. He specifically called the profession’s attention to section 41 of the Financial Reporting Council Act, 2011, which requires all professionals, lawyers inclusive to register with the Council before they can render services to public entities I.e government organisations, parastatals and public companies. The Bar was not consulted before the Act was enacted. The Bar is now in a precarious position, ever willing to react when the provisions of the Act are effectively implemented against its members! That is what the Bar is presently doing in the litigation on the Money Laundering (Prohibition)

Act, 2011 at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.

The Bar has a duty to fight quacks, by ensuring that no non-legally qualified persons practice law under any disguise.

Above all, whenever the Bar has to identify with the people by undertaking political affirmative action as witnessed in the fuel subsidy removal protest, Justice Salami protest etc.

Apata shall be at the vanguard of such actions.

The Bar that shall ensure the rule of law and not the law of the ruler is Apata’s vision. Each vote for Apata counts and is valuable for the attainment of these lofty ideals.”

Chukwuma Ezeala He said his immense experiences from his services to the branch in various capacities has exposed him to the challenges of the NBA system.

He said: “In these capacities, I have gained immense experience and capacity for management of human/ material resources and projects, more especially, I have gained invaluable insights on the strengths and weaknesses of the NBA system.

“My careful review of our Bar, particularly the office of the secretary reveals that it has been growing from strength to strength due to the committed efforts of our past great leaders and secretaries. However, there is the urgent need to consolidate on the labours of our great Bar leaders while at the same time raising a bar of excellence.

Our secretariat: ”The Lagos Bar has the largest, finest and most successful lawyers in West Africa. However, there is the need to devise ways to bring about optimal utilisation of these intangible but enviable resources for more efficient services to our teeming members Lack of database of Lawyers in the Branch: “This is a fundamental issue, as there cannot be proper planning without a reliable database. Therefore, the compilation of membership register and issuance of identity cards shall be pursued with the utmost vigour. The exercise shall lead to increase in membership strength from the current 3,000 to more than 5,000 members that should be captured in our database.

On minutes and branch resolutions, he said: “It is axiomatic that minutes and resolutions of meetings are very important for any association. Therefore, minutes of the branch meetings shall be regularly and timeously communicated to members. Resolutions at meetings will be adequately publicized to avoid ambiguity in the minds of members.

On the the courts, he said: “The secretariat staff shall be empowered to constructively engage court registrars and the courts towards a seamless administration of litigation and probate related matters.”

He added: “Collaboration and networking among secretariat staff of the NBA branches in Lagos shall be developed with a view to meeting the expectations of an association that is interested in the welfare of its members. This would most likely lead to provision of similar services in Ikeja and other branches where there are courts.”

Court frees Zenon worker of N500m theft charge

LAGOS High Court , Ikeja has dis charged and acquitted a former staff member of Zenon Oil Plc, Mrs. Modupe Makewu, of the N500 million theft charge preferred against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Joseph Oyewole acquitted Makewu, a former financial officer of Zenon oil depot at Ibru jetty, Lagos and her alleged accomplice, Mr Kayode Are, of all the eight count charge preferred against them by the commission.

Justice Oyewole ruled on their no case submission application.

By Adebisi Onanuga

The duo were arraigned on April 24,2009 on an eight-count charge of conspiracy, stealing, forgery and uttering.

The EFCC had alleged that they conspired to divert about N500 million, being money realised from the sale of the company's products.

The prosecution had alleged that some of the funds were diverted to the account of Makewa's firm, Misquabbi Concept.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

However, in the no case submission, their

counsels, Mr E.D. Onyeke and Mr B. Ogundele, argued that no evidence of conspiracy was put forward by the prosecution witnesses against them.

They said the prosecution failed to call vital witnesses during the trial, adding that the charge against the defendants was speculative and should be discontinued.

Delivering his ruling, Oyewole said the six witnesses and 11 exhibits which included the extra-judicial statements of the defendants tendered by the prosecution, failed to establish a prima facie case against them.

He said:"Without evaluating the pieces of evi-

dence adduced so far by the prosecution as to determine whether they are credible thereby circumscribing the discretion of the court and considering the essential legal ingredients of each of the alleged offences, which have been well laid out in the submissions of the two counsel, I hold that the prosecution failed to make out any prima facie case sufficient for the defendants to offer explanations in respect of all the counts.

"In consequence therefore, this no case submission succeeds, the defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted on each of the eight count charge alleged against them,” he added.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

LAW REPORT

‘Courts have power to formulate issues for parties where justice so demands’ In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Date: April 19, 2013 SC. 135/2004, 2013(4) LEDLR-16 Before their Lordships CHRISTOPHER MITCHELL CHUKWUMA ENEH IBRAHIM TANKO MUHAMMAD SULEIMAN GALADIMA NWALI SYLVESTER NGWUTA STANLEY SHENKO ALAGOA BETWEEN ALHAJI RASAKI ABIOLA EKUNOLA

APPELLANT

AND CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA

RESPONDENTS

ALHAJI SAIDU MOHAMMED (Director of Personnel, CBN) SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA •Continued from last week

I

N the alternative, that is to say, without any prejudice to the foregoing argument, the respondents have raised two issues for determination in the appeal itself in the event of being overruled on the preliminary objection as follows: Issue No.1 “Whether the Justices of the Court of Appeal were right that the appellant was not denied fair hear-

ing by the approach of the learned trial Judge in formulating issues for determination without calling Counsel to address it.”

Issue No.2 ‘Whether the lower court was right in all the circumstances in dismissing the appeal filed by the appellant.”

The appellant on his part with regard to the preliminary objection has contended that each of the sixteen grounds of appeal has raised a different distinct and indeed a

specific complaint predicated upon the lower court’s decision as against the respondents alleging that all the grounds speaking generally represent a failure to properly appraise or evaluate or assess the evidence on the record whether oral or documentary before the lower courts. He has opined that whether a ground is one of law or mixed law and facts or facts simpticita is determined by the principle as laid down in O. D. Briggs v. The Chief Land Officer of Rivers State of Nigeria & 3 Ors. (2005) AFWLR (Pt.268) 1626 at 1641 D-F that is it is relevant to construe the substantive ground with its particulars of error as alleged. Applying the said principle to the instant grounds the appellant having categorised the instant grounds of appeal under three subheads has argued that ground one has complained of the judgment of the lower court as perverse being ‘patently erroneous, against the weight of evidence and unsupportable by the submissions”, and has relied on Udengwu v. Uzuegbu & Ors. (2003) 110 L.RC.N. 1702 for so submitting.

And that the particulars in respect of ground one have done no more than describe, emphasize or amplify the nature of the sole complaint raised in the said ground one. He has strangely enough in a moment of truth opined that this is the gist of the appellant’s complaints in all the other grounds being questioned in the appeal.

On grounds 2,3,5 and 9 the appellant has argued that the trial court has “failed to apply the facts correctly to the circumstances of the case” which have led the court to place wrongly the burden of proof on the appellant, and again, which definitely have otherwise misguided the court to a finding that

‘NBA didn’t call for dissolution of Governors’ Forum’ Nigerian Bar Associatrion (NBA) General Secretary Emeka Obegolu clears the air on the comment of the association’s president, Okey Wali (SAN), on the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) crisis.

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ECENTLY, Nigerian news papers, online publications and faceless bulk text messages have been awash with grave misrepresentation of the position of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the crises rocking the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF). The public have been “informed” that the NBA President, Okey Wali (SAN) called for the proscription/banning/deregistration or the scrapping of the NGF if they could not put their house in order. Nothing can be farther from the truth.

Perhaps a brief narrative of the background of the proceedings at the NBA NEC Meeting held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State will suffice to throw more light and enlighten readers on the basis for the position that will be adopted by this writer. Let me also state that as the General Secretary of the NBA with the duty to record and keep records of the proceedings of NEC, I feel a sense of responsibility to set the records straight and afford our members, and, indeed, Nigerians the records for all of us to make our deductions there from.

Wali while making the traditional President’s speech to the NBA NEC traced the history of the Forum to the United States of America, where he identified the vision of the National Governors’ Association of the US as a body formed to identify priority issues and deal with matters of public policy and governance at both national and state levels.

He listed the NGA’s interventionist schemes through working committees and special committees, all designed to raise the bar of good governance for the benefit of Americans.

Coming home, the NBA President noted that the Governors Forum has failed to model itself after the NGA where the idea derives from. He said the existence of such a body should be for altruistic reasons and as such in the best interest of the nation, Nigeria.

Wali concluded thus “The NBA calls on our governors to quickly resolve their crisis and get on with the business of governance which was why they have been elected Governors. If they cannot resolve their crisis very quickly, and face delivery of democracy dividends to their electorates, they must dissolve the body and stop this distraction as sooner than later, Nigerians will call on them, in or out of government to give account of their stewardship.”

The NBA NEC, thereafter, adopted this presidential speech as a NEC resolution. By the adoption, the call became the NBA’s call to the NGF and no longer Okey Wali SAN’s call.

Now, the underlined portion of the statement is instructive for the purpose of the argument - “Whether Okey Wali/NBA has become undemocratic, unlawful, anti-constitution or anti-masses” The allegations differ depending on the person making the allegation and the interest he or she wishes to serve.

The call by the NBA is for the

• Obegolu

NGF to self-dissolve where the forum finds it difficult to live up to its own expectations and objectives.

Self-dissolution of associations registered by Trustees is provided under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, specifically, Section 608.

The NBA president also mentioned his inability to comment on the NGF Electoral dispute due to the pendency of a suit before a court of competent jurisdiction where the election is a subject matter, thereby reiterating the time honoured doctrine of ‘lis pendis’ that protects the sanity of courts and its processes.

NBA acknowledges the freedom of association as enshrined in our constitution and cannot call on an external body to dissolve the NGF, as that would be unconstitutional.

We, therefore,, urge very senior lawyers and commentators to always read speeches of NBA president as the chief spokesperson of the NBA before attempting to critique it and even then appropriate channels of critique and/or dissent should be followed to avoid dragging our profession into the political arena and inviting opprobrium to our Association.

the appellant has not proved his case that is to say as regards the burden of proof and the standard of proof the law have placed on him; he refers to Board of Customs & Excise v. lbrahim Barau (1982) 10 SC.48 at 137, and Ogbechie & Anor. v. Onochie (supra). The appellant has charged the trial court as affirmed by the lower court of failing in its primary duty for not scrutinising the consequences of these grounds as regards the contentious question of whether the 2nd respondent, a co-employee has properly acted in this case on behalf of the 1st respondent as its alter ego or as a busybody operating under a selfish agenda to oust the appellant from his lawful employment; in support references have been made to Ebe Uka v. Chief Kalu Irolo (2002) 7SC (Pt.11) 77 at 103 and lbenye v. Agwu (1998) 11 NWLR (Pt.574) 372 at 392.

On grounds 4, 6, 7 , 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 17, it is argued that grounds 4, 6, 11 and 12 particularly have complained that the court below has failed to apply the law to the facts as averred in the pleadings and on the evidence and again on the trial court having failed to do so; and thus has failed to advert to the requirement in this regard as per the provisions of order 12 Rule 3 - Federal High court Civil Procedure Rules 2000 and Section 137 of the Evidence Act. It is alleged that there is no credible evidence that the 2nd respondent, a co-employee, has been clothed with the necessary authority to carry out all the actions complained herein against him as encompassed in grounds 6, 9, 11,12, 13,14 and 15; in the result that the appellant has charged the court below of having abandoned the real issues as complained in these grounds to engage as alleged in

ground 6 on extraneous matters as regards questions of Master/Servant relationship between the appellant and the 1st respondent. On this submission, one wonders whether the appellant has a firm grip of his case as per his pleadings and evidence before the trial court. He has complained of a failure of duty to appreciate a fact or resolve a point or of shying away from the case as a complaint of law in that the 2nd respondent has no power to query him, to constituting of disciplinary committee, as well as his arraignment, suspension to dismissal which postulations he has submitted have been regrettably misconceived by the respondents in challenging these grounds by the instant preliminary objection. And that on the backdrops of the core complaints clearly registered in grounds 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 17 that they are all grounds of law and sustainable of the amended Notice of Appeal.

On ground 5, 9 and 10: It is argued that within the meaning of Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution that the Standing Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria before which organ, the appellant ought to have rightfully been arraigned that is to say, in an appropriate case is a Tribunal established by law; and has relied for so contending on Garba v. Unimaid (1986) 2 SC. 128 at 186 and to the effect that the proposition has been settled by the finding therein and I quote that: ‘When the Vice Chancellor assumed the disciplinary powers under S.17 of the Act, he became not a court but a tribunal established by law acting in a quasi-judicial capacity...” But he was not independent and not impartial.

•Continued next week

LEGAL JOKES

A

man woke up in a hos pital bed and called for his doctor. He asked “Give it to me straight. How long have I got?” The physician replied that he doubted that his patient would survive the night. The man then said “Call for my lawyer.” When the lawyer arrived, the man asked for his physician to stand on one side of the bed, while the lawyer stood on the other. The man then laid back and closed his eyes. When he remained silent for several minutes, the physician asked what he had in mind.

The man replied “Jesus died with a thief on either side, and I thought I’d check out the same way.”

A

doctor, an architect, and an attorney were dining at the country club one day, and the conversation turned to the subject of their respective dogs, which were apparently quite extraordinary. A wager was placed on who had the most intelligent dog. The physician offered to show his dog first, and called to the parking lot, “Hippocrates, come!”

Hippocrates ran in, and was told by the doctor to do his stuff.

Hippocrates ran to the golf course and dug for a while, producing a number of bones. He dragged the bones into the country club, and assembled them into a complete, fully articulated human skeleton.

The physician patted Hippocrates on the head, and gave him a cookie for his efforts. The architect was only marginally impressed, and called for his dog, “Sliderule, come!” Sliderule ran in, and was told to do his stuff. The dog immediately chewed the skeleton to rubble, but reassembled the fragments into a scale model of the Taj Mahal. The architect patted his dog and gave him a cookie. The attor-

ney watched the other two dogs, and called “Bullshit, come!”

Bullshit entered and was told to do his stuff. Bullshit immediately sodomized the other two dogs, stole their cookies, auctioned the Taj Mahal replica to the other club members for his fee, and went outside to play golf.

A prominent young attorney was on his way to court to begin arguments on a complex lawsuit when he suddenly found himself at the Gates of Heaven. St. Peter started to escort him inside, when he began to protest that his untimely death had to be some sort of mistake. “I’m much too young to die! I’m only 35!” St. Peter agreed that 35 did seem to be a bit young to be entering the pearly gates, and agreed to check on his case. When St. Peter returned, he told the attorney, “I’m afraid that the mistake must be yours, my son. We verified your age on the basis of the number of hours you’ve billed to your clients, and you’re at least 108.”

A hitchhiker is standing on the roadside near the law school with his thumb out. A motorist stops, and asks, “Are you a lawyer?” He tells him that he is not. The motorist drives off. A second motorist stops and asks, “Are you a lawyer?” He again replies that he is not. The motorist drives off. A third motorist, this time a striking, voluptuous blonde, stops, and asks, “Are you a lawyer?” The hitchhiker says that he is. The girl tells him to get in, and off they go.

After a few minutes of admiring the driver, the hitchhiker exclaims, “This is really something.

I’ve only been a lawyer for five minutes, and already I’m thinking about screwing somebody!”

38

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

39

ABUJA REVIEW NEWS

•From left: Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Abubakar A. Bagudu; Commandant- General Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), Dr Ade Abolurin and Vice Chairman, Senator Olubunmi A. Adetunmbi during the visit of the Senate committee to NSCDC office in Abuja.

•President Goodluck Jonathan shaking hands with Minister of State, Defence, Olusola Erelu Obada. With them is the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika during the Nigerian Army Day Celebration 2013 at the Eagles Square.

•From left: Programme Manager Cleen Foundation, Chinedu Nwagwu; African Director, MacArthur Foundation, Dr Kole Shettima and Executive Director Cleen Foundation, •From left: Area Council chairmen, Hon. Shaban Tete Ishaku (Kuje); Hon. Daniel Ibrahim Kemi Okenyodo, at the presentation of security threat assessment towards 2015 election (Kwali); Hon. Yahaya Garba (Abaji); Hon. Micah Jiba (AMAC), and the Minister of State for in Abuja.

FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide during the Joint Account and Allocation Committee meeting in the minister’s office, Abuja.

•From left: Minister of State for Education, Nyeson Wike; Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ioraer Ortom; Minister of Labour Chukwemeka Wogu and FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed during the Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

•From left: Chief Executive Officer, Fresh and Young Brains Development Initiative, MS Nkiruka Nnaemego; Economic Justice Gender Officer Oxfam, MS Boyowa Roberts and Associate Country Director Oxfam, MS Tomi Ademokun, during the World Population Day and 10th Anniversary of Maputo Declaration on Agriculture in Abuja.

•From left: Director-General, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr. Benjamin Dikki; Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama and Director, Solicitors Department Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Olusola Moore during the meeting of National Council on Privatisation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

PHOTOS: AKIN OLADOKUN

•Chairman, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Mr. Segun Aina (left) presenting a compendium of the institute to the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark during a courtesy visit to the National Assembly.

PHOTOS: ABAYOMI FAYESE

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

40

ABUJA REVIEW

T

HE Federal Capital Territory Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) has distributed N2,213,498,696.45 among the six area councils and other stakeholders in the FCT being revenue that accrued for the month of May 2013.

The amount represents an increase of N52,966,708.99 (about 2.5 per cent) over the N2,160,531,987.47 shared by the six area councils of Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali for the month of April 2013.

The Chairman of FCT Area Councils JAAC and Minister of State for FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, who confirmed this during the Committee’s meeting in Abuja, said Value Added Tax (VAT) accounted for the bulk of the revenue from the Federation Account.

She gave the breakdown of the allocation as: N1.059 billion from VAT, N821.59 million from Statutory Revenue Allocation, N250.35 million from Excess Crude, N56.77 million from Subsidy Reinvestment and Empow-

FCT councils share N2.2b erment Programme (SURE-P) and N25.54 million being refund by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

The FCT Area Councils JAAC, according to the minister, transferred N905.89 million to the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) for the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries in the six area councils.

The Committee, in line with statutory requirement, also transferred N95.04 million to the FCT

Area Councils Pension Board (ACPB) being 15 per cent pension fund, N89.93 million for LEA Teachers Entitlement, N59.32 million for FCT Immunisation Plus days, N48.92 million being contribution for health insurance, N36.87 million being contribution for sanitation in the six area councils and N22.13 million to the FCT Area Councils Service Commission being one per cent training fund.

Abuja Municipal Area Coun-

The amount represents an increase of N52,966,708.99 (about 2.5 per cent) over the N2,160,531,987.47 shared by the six area councils of Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali for the month of April 2013

cil received the lion share of the revenue allocation of N199.85 million for the month of May 2013, while Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils got N169.12 million and N157 million, respectively.

The FCT Area Councils Joint Account Allocation Committee also disbursed N151.35 million to Kuje Area Council, N138.61 million to Kwali Area Council and N138.59 million to Abaji Area Council.

On SURE-P funds, Abuja Municipal got N16.77 million, Bwari (N9.28 million), Gwagwalada (N8.50 million), Kwali (N7.79 million), Kuje (N7.45 million) and Abaji (N6.96 million).

The Auditor-General for FCT Area Councils, Dr. Fred Omaka, told the members of the Committee that biometric audit of all the workers in the area councils would take off on July 29, 2013.

The JAAC meeting was attended by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Engr. John Obinna

Chukwu; Secretary of Area Council Services Secretariat, Alhaji Yahaya Ibrahim Gwagwa; Commissioner representing FCT in Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Mr. Philibus Bussa; Abuja Municipal Area Council Chairman, Hon. Micah Jiba; Bwari Area Council Chairman, Hon. Yohanna Peter Ushafa; Kuje Area Council Chairman, Hon. Ishyaku Tete Shaban; Kwali Area Council Chairman, Hon. Daniel Ibrahim; Abaji Area Council Chairman, Hon. Yahaya Garba Gawu, and Gwagwalada Area Council Chairman, Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri.

Others at the meeting were: Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Area Councils and Resettlement, Alhaji Yusuf Tsaiyabu; Auditor General of FCT Area Councils, Dr. Fred Omaka; Director of Satellite Towns Development Agency (STDA), Alhaji Tukur Ibrahim; Head of Environment, STDA, Mr. Segun Olusa; Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Environment, Mr. Ayo Sotinrin; Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Area Councils, Mr. Abu Jisalo.

T

HE FCT Minister and FCT Minister of State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed and Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, respectively, have pledged to improve the agenda of the Social Development Secretariat especially in sports development.

Secretary, FCT Social Development Secretariat, Mrs. Blessing Onyeche Onuh, disclosed this at a media briefing to present a midterm report of her Secretariat at Cyprian Ekwensi Centre, Abuja.

The Secretary emphasised that the Social Development Secretariat has never had it better than now as the volume of achievements are there for all doubting Thomases to see.

Onuh reiterated that since the inception of the present FCT Administration in 2010, concerted efforts have been made to deliver efficient social services to the residents of the Territory in line with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

She recalled that within the past year, the Social Development Secretariat has organised various skills acquisition training programmes in which about 5,000 women received support from the Secretariat.

Onuh who noted with satisfaction cited the completion and commissioning of the multi-million-Naira Dame Patience Jonathan Youth Support Centre, Nyanya as one of the remarkable achievements of Senator Bala Mohammed led FCT Administration.

According to her, the Secretariat in its efforts to create job has distributed 100 customised tricycles to youths from all the six Area Councils of the FCT. The Secretary said that the Bwari Vocational Centre being used by the physically challenged persons, hitherto abandoned has been renovated and re-opened for public use.

Onuh stated that the FCT Administration under the distinguished leadership of Senator Bala Mohammed established Women Rehabilitation Centre Sabon Lugbe to provide vocational skills to repentant commercial sex workers and that the Centre has so far graduated over 3,000 vulnerable women since inception.

Her words: “Training is on-going at both the Bwari Vocational Centre and Lugbe Women Centre, 100 from each of the Centres would be graduating by the end of this month, July, 2013 where all the graduates will receive N100,000 each from the FCT Administration as starter packs to enable them start their own businesses”.

The Secretary also recalled that

•

‘Our priority is to improve sport facilities’

Stories from Gbenga Omokhunu and Grace Obike

in order to effectively coordinate the activities of youths in the FCT and to ensure that they fully embrace government initiatives as well as realizing their full potentials, the FCT Administration approved the establishment of a Youth Development Department in 2011. ”Presently, the Secretariat is at the verge of producing the Abuja Tourism Master Plan which should enhance the effective development of the tourism sector in the FCT,” she added.

The Secretary also revealed that

the Secretariat has commenced the enumeration of Hotels, Motels, Guest Houses, Restaurants, Eateries and other Hospitality industries in the FCT with a view to regulating and classifying the facilities in line with international standard practices.

She further said that the Secretariat has developed a road map entitled “Women Empowerment Transformation Strategy”, aimed at Peace Building and Wealth Creation and to this end, 650 women in 5 skill lies including Shea butter

making from the six Area Councils in the FCT have so far been trained.

Onuh also added that the Secretariat through the Gender Department has registered 120 Multi-Purpose Cooperatives from the six Area Councils of the Territory.

She expressed her sincere gratitude and appreciation to the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed and the FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide for their role in actualising the programmes of the Secretariat.

•Oloye Olajumoke

42

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

POLITICS

43

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Rivers State has become a theatre of war, ahead of the 2015 general elections. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN writes on the implication of the protracted feud between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi for security in the state.

T

When will peace return to Rivers?

HE political crisis rocking the Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new twist last week, with the unsuccessful attempt by five out of 32 members of the House of Assembly to unseat the Speaker and replace him with another member.

There was commotion in and outside the chambers of the House between the pro and anti-Governor Rotimi Amaechi law makers. Hoodlums allegedly sponsored by the supporters of the five legislators unleashed terror on members loyal to the governor. The Speaker and some of his colleagues were critically injured in the fracas.

their people and to appease an anonymous force behind their plot. We have seen this during the Obasanjo administration. It failed. This one too will fail,” Sani stressed.

Politics of 2015

Partisan role of the police The Assembly had on previous occasions tried to hold its normal sittings and transact parliamentary business.

But it was unable to do so as a result of the presence of hoodlums in the precincts of the House and the failure of the Police to provide security for the majority members loyal to the governor.

Curiously, the Rivers State Police Command, which had pledged to provide security for the sitting on Tuesday, July 9, watched the violence unleashed on the members without any intervention. But the five lawmakers gained entrance into the Assembly Chambers and held a “session,” amid tight security provided by the police.

A lawyer, Chief Emeka Ngige, said the crisis in Rivers State is a challenge to the rule of law. He condemned a situation where the State Commissioner of Police is openly supporting the renegades in their nefarious activities.

Ngige, who spoke with our correspondent, noted that the Police Service Commission (PSC), as presently constituted, is a toothless bulldog adding that, otherwise, the Commissioner should have been brought to book.

“A PSC under Parry Osayande would not tolerate the acts of indiscipline of the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State. It should be mentioned that this Commissioner of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu, was an Assistat Commissioner (Admin) during the Anambra State political crisis of 2003-2004. So, it can be seen that he was thoroughly schooled to unleash what is going on in Rivers State today.

Civil Rights activist Mallam Shehu Sani also condemned the partisan role of the police in the festering political crisis in Rivers state. He told The Nation in an interviewthat the police had clearly shown that it cannot be trusted with the protection of life and property of the pro-Amaechi group.

Sani described a situation where the Commissioner of Police is seen to have taken sides, as unfortunate.

He said: “The police have taken side with the anti-Amaechi forces. This portends a danger to political and security order in this country. If Governor Amaechi collapses, our democracy is in imminent danger.

“The Federal Government is being pulled into a demeaning war of attrition in Rivers and which will produce no good to either President Goodluck Jonathan or his government. Rotimi Amaechi has today been turned into a voice of dissent and resistance against fascism and dictatorship.”

A Port Harcourt based social critic, Mr Bernard Briggs, indicted the police for what he described as show of shame in handling the political crisis Briggs said: “If the police have played the role of an unbiased security outfit,

•Dr Jonathan

the crisis would not have gone to this extent. But the State Police Command under Mbu Joseph Mbu has made us to realise that the police can provide security for only those who are in the good book of the powerful in Abuja.

How do you explain a situation where the Commissioner of Police is at loggerhead and not ready to take directive from the governor recognised by the constitution as the chief security officer of the state?

“At a stage Mbu withdrew the governor’s police security outfit thus exposing him to danger. I doubt if the Police Commissioner had restored the Speaker’s police security withdrawn at the peak of this crisis .

Mbu should know that those in power today will not be there forever. He, as a civil servant, should not owe allegiance to politicians but, should discharge his duties accordingly so that, after leaving the service, he will have a piece of mind.

On the promise by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to investigate the role of the police in the fracas at the Rivers State House of Assembly, the social critic said it is a distraction. What other evidence does the IG needed to establish that his men in Rivers have compromised than what happened on Tuesday when the police gave cover to five legislators to commit illegality and turned their eyes against the terror being unleashed to the 27 lawmakers outside the Chambers of the House of Assembly, he asked.

“Why is it now that the IG is aware that his men in Rivers have fallen short of expectation? Where was he all this while when Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the elders of Rivers State and the lawmakers called for the redeployment of Mbu? What he said recently was that he has not received a formal complaint. But who wrote him now before sending a team to Rivers State? To me, the action of the IG is face saving; it is belated. Nigerians are not fools. We know the IG is acting a script written by Aso rock”.

Social critic and political activist Professor Tam David-West indicted the police for poor handling of the

•Mrs Jonathan

crisis in the Assembly. David-West, who warned that, if the Rivers crisisi is not handled with caution, especially by the police that has taken side with Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike, it will turn into a national crisis, the end result of which no one can predict. .

David-West urged the Inspector General of Police to call his men to order and ensure they discharge their functions accordingly. I was surprised that the police failed to disperse the hoodlums hired by Wike to disrupt the lawmakers from sitting. Surprisingly, the five legislators gained entrance into the chambers and attempted to conduct a kangaroo meeting before they were dislodged by Amaechi and his security men. I don’t know what signals we are sending to the international community. Are we not making ourselves a laughing stock? What kind of democracy are we practising in this country, he queried.

Jonathan, Patience and Wike factor Against the backdrop of President Jonathan’s denial of involvement in the crisis, David-West said Nigerians should not believe him. He said President Jonathan, his wife and Wike should be held responsible for the crisis.

According to him “the man purportedly appointed Speaker by the five legislators, Evans Bapakaye Bipi, is a relation of Jonathan’s wife. Patient and Bipi are from Okirika in Rivers State. When Bipi wedded recently, Patient spent more than a week for the event. She nearly shut down Port Harcourt. Bipi is using his relationship with Patient to cause problems in Rivers State.

“Okirika factor is being brought into the crisis. Bipi is an Okrika man and a relation to Patient, also an Okirika woman, but married to an Ijaw man from Bayelsa State.

“The Speaker, Chidi Lloyd, is Kalabari. The Kalabari will not allow an Okirika man to take over the office of the Speaker through the back door as been planned by Jonathan, his wife and Wike. It is a dangerous dimension

•Amaechi

that can set River State on fire”.

Culture of impunity Ngige said that what we are witnessing today in Rivers State is culture of impunity. He said the remote cause is the culture of impunity, which General Olusegun Obasanjo sowed in this country during his infamous eight years rule. He went further: “The monumental rigging of national elections by the PDP-led government in 2003 and 2007 produced charlatans and renegades as our representatives at different tiers of government. Illegality, they say, begets illegality. These renegades are the ones determining the fate of other Nigerians at different level of government today.

“The impunity, which we are witnessing in Rivers State today, is not a new phenomenon in our polity. It has happened before in Oyo State where Adedibu held Governor Ladoja to ransom, in Anambra where the Ubas organised the worst mayhem ever witnessed in the history of the state, with properties worth billions of naira destroyed and in Plateau State where Governor Dariye was held to ransom by forces loyal to the sitting President.

The examples are endless. None of the people involved in these crises were brought to book and so, the impunity continues till date,” he added.

Sani said the President cannot claim innocence in this matter. The Federal Government, according to him, is culpable in the unfolding events. It shows how intolerance and desperate the President is in his attempt to crush any dissenting voice and to extinguish any glimmer of light of hope in our democratic process, he said.

“Jonathan is fighting a war that will ridicule him and destroy his legacies.

It was the same kind of war that Obasanjo fought with Atiku that is being re-enacted between Jonathan and Amaechi, This kind of political battle is hatched, nourished and sustained by political cronies who are benefitting from the on-going confrontation.

“These so-called five members do not represent the interest of the people and the Rivers State. They are hired guns working against the interest of

‘Our President should be a statesman and allow Governor Amaechi to be. Only God can determine who will be our President on May 29, 2015. Nobody should play God. The President and his wife should not play God’

It has been observed that the crisis in Rivers is rooted in the political ambition of President Jonathan to re-contest, which he has not made public.

The Presidency is suspecting Governor Amaechi of having a vice presidential ambition, which the President considered a threat to his political career. Amaechi has denied this on several occasions.

Ngige said: “For the immediate cause of crisis in Rivers, we all know it has to do with politics of 2015. The President of Nigeria wants to run again in 2015 and perceives that Governor Amaechi is nursing a vice presidential ambition for the same election.

He therefore, considers Amaechi as a threat to his re-election.

“I now ask: Is that the reason why Amaechi should be crucified or Rivers State turned into a theatre of war?

Why are our politicians so intolerant of opposing views? Are we practising democracy or monarchy where the views of the King are unchallengeable?”

Jonathan’s men have succeeded in elevating Amaechi to national prominence and importance, Sani. He said what the people of the Southsouth need to understand is that they still need the support of other Nigerians, even after Jonathan’s Presidency. “By what is happening in the South-South is simply drawing the battle line,” he added.

Sanni urged Nigerians to stand on the side of justice and truth. This kind of war will only end up with Jonathan staining himself whichever way is the outcome of the battle, he added.

On the possibility of the Presidency declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, he said: “Declaration of a state of emergency will be seen from the reality of its truth and the truth is not other than an attempt to bring down Amaechi and send him to jail. A state of emergency in Rivers State is very much unnecessary because the violence and crisis there are synthetic.”

Ngige admonished Jonathan to thread softly. He said: “The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should call his party men to order. He should have a rethink on the crisis.

Withdrawing the soldiers guarding the Governor as well as removing the armoured tanks stationed in front of the Government House could not have been done without the permission of the Presidency. It smacks of pettiness and desperation for the presidency to be giving support to the renegades causing mayhem in Rivers state.

“The President should be statesman in this crisis and learn from the mistakes of General Obasanjo who enjoyed destabilising state governments that were not in his good books. At the end of Obasanjo’s tenure, what happened to PDP in Southwest? Instability and turmoil took over including his household. That’s a lesson for all of us that when you sow the wind you reap the whirlwind. Our President should be a statesman and allow Governor Amaechi to be. Only God can determine who will be our President in May 29, 2015. Nobody should play God. The President and his wife should not play God.

44

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

POLITICS PERSPECTIVE

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi spoke with reporters in Lagos on his endorsement for a second term by the party leaders, national security and 2015 elections.

EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

My fear for 2015 polls, by Fayemi

W

HAT is your position on the removal of immunity for the President, Vice President, governors and their deputies?

I have both conceptual and practical problem with the constitutional reform as being carried out by the National Assembly. With greatest respect to the members of the House of Representatives, when they claimed that they have held 365 meetings in their constituencies to gather feedback from the people, I think it is fundamentally flawed and disingenious way of conducting constitutional reform process. Either in the best global practices or even in the terms of elementary feedback mechanism, I don’t think it qualifies. What has happened has not met the basic aspect of legitimacy. I am of a thought that this process will end up in referendum that all Nigerians will have a say.

Constitution is a serious matter to exclude the citizenry from it.

On immunity, my own position tallies with what they say. I have consistently said immunity should be limited to only civil matter and that anyone who commits a crime and expected to be protected by the law is first, not democratic and second, not interested in good government. Since we all agree that the bane of our country today is corruption, criminality in high office, whether it is electoral criminality or grand theft of the public treasury, criminality is criminality. I have always believed that the only justification for immunity is when a politician designed to distract person doing a job from delivering the job with pedestrian and irresponsible cases in court. That has nothing to do with criminality and I think I still hold strongly that view.

Immunity for civil matters should be adhered to. However, lawyers can be dangerous and difficult. They can turn civil cases to criminal issue depending on what they are fighting for.

In that wise, I don’t think immunity is a matter for just the National Assembly to decide. Majority of the proposals that I have seen from the Lower Chamber have truly undermined the spirit of federalism throughout the world. As a matter of fact, in some part of the world, the unit that is responsible for election is the local government or county that runs election. It is from here they calculate the election from the number of local governments across the country. Many countries don’t have what is called Federal Electoral body; Britain, USA, all of them. I don’t know many countries with federal electoral bodies. We only do our own thing in Nigeria in reverse order and yet, we expect to get correct outcome. It doesn’t work that way. There is logic to principle of federalism and that logic is subsidiarity. But in our country, we want to be unitary state, yet masquerade as a federal state. But I do know that many of the National Assembly proposals for constitution amendment may not see the light of the day unless they are not coming to the States House of Assembly.

What is your reaction to your endorsement for a second term by your party?

I have come to be very wary about this term, endorsement. It has become bastardized word courtesy Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF). Seriously speaking, I think it is a burden when people say that you have done well.

The burden of doing more becomes enlarged. That is what has come out of the endorsement that our leaders gave to me last December and the affirmation by Chief Bisi Akande and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

I also think seriously that what we have learnt from Lagos and Edo experiment is that if good governance is entrenched, it will be useful and helpful for the parties not to change candidate arbitrarily unless there is a compelling reasons to do that and those reasons should include those conditions listed in the Nigerian constitu-

• Dr Fayemi

tion like temporary or permanent insanity, ill-health and others like that. If we are to consolidate on things that we have achieved, then it makes sense unless the candidate chooses not to contest.

Our constitution allows second term.

Obviously, you cannot legislate against ambition. With the endorsement, I felt a sense of elation on one hand and surprise on the other because it imposes enormous burden on one, not just to do well and protect the things that have been made but to also protect our people because I am sure Abuja is eyeing Ekiti State very interestingly. They considered those of us in the Progressive Forum as governors to be taken out at all cost. But they will discover on the ground that they will have very little to sell to our people. As far as we are concerned there are clear and consistent changes in all of these states.

What will the opposition be bringing to the market to sell to the people at the end of the day? The important point here is that endorsement is not an election. We have a lot of work to do.

It’s great that our leaders recognised the work that we have done so far but election is not going to be a child’s play.

We have prepared for a very tough election because we know full well that the other side will not sit idle even before 2015 and the election in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun will be a dress rehearsal for 2015.

Is it not confounding to you that insecurity has persisted in the country?

We have almost moving to a point where our leaders need a serious strategy; and economic cum security strategy. I don’t know how that is going to come about but the Council of State and opinion leaders might need to step back and look at the possibility to organise Security Summit. One, there is a body led by the Minister (Turaki) talking to the various players in this unfortunate development. But I do think what we are confronted with now is poverty insecurity complex. That is the challenge that we must address.

‘Maybe, their thinking is that, if we keep the North perpetually busy with these crises, election may not take place there in 2015 and that we can annex the area. That is likely where our own will come from. I’m throwing this out as my reflection rather than certainty’

How do we tackle it?

The last time I spoke about five sides to issue of Boko Haram. The most prominent one is the religious angle, but it is not devastating like economic strand. It is when people feel they have nothing to lose that some of these things happened.

We ought to pay more attention in involving of the military in civilian affairs.

I know the implication is that you are not in charge and that they should come and rescue you. That rescue can be defined in elastic by involving military in civilian matters. You are sending a sub-minimal message to the military that you cannot take good charge of the situation and that must be worrisome in the light of what we have seen in the last two days in Egypt.

It should worry us that we are playing with fire. What is our youth development programme in Nigeria? We have 60% population under 25, and majority of these young people are totally fed up with Nigerian state. For one to be young and idle, other forces will find use for you. That’s the part of the country’s major problem and we are not dealing with it the way it should be done. Those who are in the power corridor seem to be totally detached from their people. We certainly need coherent strategy and that strategy must almost be a marshal plan. State of emergency should have been a component of the comprehensive marshal plan that we need in this country. And the plan must be based on special economic security because we must be able to cut off the oxygen that is fuelling what is going on.

If you don’t cut that oxygen, it will continue to get to other parts of the north.

I happen to know the governors of Borno and Yobe very well. The governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima is one of the smartest governors we have in this country and it’s been so sad that Boko Haram has diminished the impact of the work he is doing in Borno State. People know what the governor is made up.

What is the implication of the insecurity for 2015 polls?

I think there is a fifth columnist in this government that is desirous of this crime being perpetrated becaus of politics in 2015; or it helps to put the President in the bad light. It could be either way.

Those who are out to get the President and destroy him and those who seek to protect him and protect his agenda of return. Maybe, their thinking is that, if we keep the north perpetually busy with these crises, election may not take place there in 2015 and that we can annex the area.

That is likely where our own will come from. I’m throwing this out as my reflection rather than certainty. But we are not the only country afflicted by this kind of challenge but it refuses to go because of little attention we pay to intelligence. Up till now, the police intelligence unit is virtually zero, military intelligence is not as impressive as one expect. We are just left with the State Security Service (SSS). That seems to have a bit of the arm of it. And that leaves us with enormous challenges.

Almost coming to the reality of national intelligence report as we go near 2015.

Maybe there is something the American saw which we didn’t see that Nigeria may disintegrate by 2014. But,we don’t need to resign ourselves to fate. We need to make a clarion call to Mr. President and all of us in the leadership position to begin to respond to issues. This is one of the issues discussed at NGF that we should make resources available to the afflicted states. In our view, you cannot have about 10 million children there outside and not see correlation between helplessness and hopelessness of these young people.

There is correlation somewhere, poverty and violence are related and we must do certain things to separate them. We can take specific steps.

Right now, the bulk of what is happening under the state of emergency is being paid for by those states where the rule is in place. So, you can see what is happening that if Borno State gets a monthly allocation of say N5 billion every month and it devotes N2.5billion to keep the Joint Task Force in place. That is zerosum in economics.

• Akande

•Buhari

In this piece, Iluogwikphe Ogbhembe contends that the proposed party, All Progressives Congress (APC), will be a credible alternative platform in the next general elections.

APC and wind of change

I

N the world of law and philosophy, one would ask, (who will guard the guardians themselves?)

“Quiscustodietipsos-custodes?”

Are we not still at crescendo is a pertinent question I presume we should all be asking ourselves today? Ironically, our situation is almost if not in a predicament that may lead to a state of quagmire of probably no return if urgent and decisive steps are not to betaken, yet! Sycophancy refuses to abate from our acts and no one wants to bell the cat. To make a difference is by providing governance with superior ideas filled with innovations that can bring about acceptable development in which ethnicity, zoning, religion that has scandalously rare its ugly head have no place. To be accurate, this type of good governance is totally elusive because the PDP administration has not been able to provide such since 1999. I don’t mean to be so pessimistic.

The birth of All Progressives Congress (APC), a new political platform is a clear signal that Nigeria is about to walk on the right part of a true democratic state. Now that we have an alternative political party to provide succor even if only for the flavor of change, I expect Nigerians to whole heartedly embrace this party as a beacon of hope for a new Nigerian as this is our dignified specific.

All over the world, countries that are positively functional with true democracy are nations where democracy is rotated by elections among major political parties. This gives flavor to policies of divergent views which brings about possible ways to move nations forward. Accepting otherwise means we are not ready to move on with the rest of the world. When a political party rules for almost two decades without much meaningful development and opposition not strong enough to unseat that incumbent even when crisis reendowed like what we have seen with the PDP, the people are simply in chains.

So, if men with a history of progressive abilities from their different political platform as we have seen come together and bent ready in creating an opportunity to freedom for us, we can only make the most desired change possible by cueing behind them. Any alliance to wrestle power and redefined hope for a Nigeria of our dream should be welcomed. Change is a consistent solution that always comes. Looking at the space and time, the APC seems to be the unstoppable bulldozer for this change today and if APC can put one of Nigeria’s important political defect in check, the imposition of candidates which is an all important issue beside this great birth, a new dawn will truly be born!

This PDP administration has succeeded herself at the centre for fourteen years of our nicest democracy.

What we see at every new dispensation is claims of obliviousness of bad policies of the out gone by same recycled politicians from same political party. I’m not being contemptuous here: First dispensation, Dr.Goodluck Jonathan was Deputy Governor, Second dispensation he was Governor, third dispensation he was vice president/ president and in this fourth dispensation he is president. Same people with glaring inability to govern have held on to power since 1999.

In reality, our economy is in shambles because with ideas so synonymous, nothing can be an additional value.

The civility of the world has surpassed the level where governments like that of the PDP with lots of lapses like advertised failed policies years after years, pervading unemployment sniffing lives out of our teeming population, deepening corruption with empty anticorruptions promises, insurgency out of control, lack of almost all basic amenities and far from having a clear solution can still be allowed to remain in power. This and more are reactionary forces and we can’t all be complacent at this predicament.

Iluogwikphe R. Ogbhemhe, Port Harcourt,

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

ENERGY

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TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Kerosene price may go up over cooking gas scarcity

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HE scarcity of Liquefied Pe troleum Gas (LPG) (cook ing gas), a fallout of the disagreement between Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Nigerian Liquified and Natural Gas (NLNG) may push up the price of kerosine.

The President, Nigerian LPGas Association (NLPGA), Dayo Adeshina, said the face-off between the two government agencies was grounding activities, especially in the LPG sub-sector.

He said if the scarcity continued it may result in the price of kerosene going up to N250 per litre.

By Akinola Ajibade

The demand for kerosene, he said, increased because of the scarcity of LPG. “We may not appreciate the enormity of the situation we have on our hands now, until we get to a time the problem gets out of hand.

The truth is that by the time LPG depots are dried up, consumers of cooking gas will have no other option than to depend on kerosene for their cooking. So, as the demand for the product increases, the price of the product will go up, too, according to the law of demand.

“So, with the product being sold

currently at N130, consumers may yet pay as much as N250 or more for a litre as the current scarcity of cooking bites harder.”

He said the three LPG terminals in Lagos, including PPMC, Navgas and NIPCo, had dried up as the vessel, Gaz Providence, which was to supply them the product, has been detained and prevented from berthing.

Adeshina said the development was not healthy for the industry and the economy as the crisis, if not addressed, may worsen the scarcity even after the vessel is released and allowed to discharge its content.

“Just as we seek the immediate release of Gaz Providence, we will also like to implore the government to intervene so that the two warring parties can sheathe their sword in the interest of the country. This is because the vessel being detained is a 9,000 tonnes capacity one, despite the monthly consumption being over 12,000 tonnes.

“So, what this means is that even if the vessel is released today, it would only be able to meet consumption for no more than one month. By this it means that if the standoff between NIMASA and NLNG is not resolved before then,

we may be going from a bad-toworse situation.

Adeshina said the call for the release of the vessel was not borne out of sentiments but sound reasoning as the owners of the vessel had paid necessary fees.

“This is not about taking sides between the two parties, but about following sound logic.We believe nothing stops NIMASA from releasing the vessel even while it pursues its case with NLNG.This is because the owners of the vessel have paid all statutory fees and so should be allow to discharge the contents of the vessel for onward supply to terminals and depots,” he said.

‘Oil firms face losses over 2015 poll’

O

IL producing firms in the Niger Delta risk losing their investments to preand post-2015 election conflicts unless urgent steps are taken to avert such crises, the United States Institute for Peace, has said.

In a special report, titled: What next for security in the Niger Delta, the group said major conflict drivers were still in place in the region despite the Federal Government’s decision to grant amnesty to militants.

In the past, the region witnessed kidnappings, killings, destruction of oil pipelines and wells and loss of revenues arising from oil theft, among other problems that attracted the attention of local and international agencies.

According to the report, issues such as wavering leadership on security, the closedown of amnesty in 2015, exclusion of some militants, divisions within the oil producing communities and post-election results, among others, could lead to violence and eventual disruption of oil facilities in 2015.

It said: “Some possible triggers could have only distant ties to elections. In the run up to 2015, for in-

By Akinola Ajibade

stance, violence could flare around law enforcement efforts , particularly Joint Task Force (JTF) action on oil theft.

During the 2000, skirmishes between soldiers and militants over stolen oil triggered a number of larger violent episodes. Some of the more financially independent groups could react badly to a crackdown on theft, not least those that have enjoyed period of impunity.”

The report said militants dissatisfied with, or excluded from the amnesty programme could launch fresh attacks before the voting day, adding that there are many splinter groups, or factions that could fuel violence based on their perceived wrong treatments by the government.

“While the amnesty has prevented some youths from committing crimes, such as kidnapping of expatriates and destruction of oil facilities among others, the programme and the complimentary initiatives have not meaningfully reduced the widespread corruption, zero-sum resource competition, under employment, local economic dysfunction, high youth unemployment, environmental degradation, lack of public accountability or criminality that fuelled past violence in the region,” the report said.

BPE to hand over distribution firms to investors soon

T

HE Bureau of Enterprises (BPE) will soon hand over the distribution companies to core investors that met the capital requirement.

The companies include: Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Benin Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Eko Electricity Distribution Company Plc. Others are: Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Jos Electricity Distribution Company Plc, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc and Yola Electricity Distribution Company Plc. Speaking to The Nation, thhe Head of Media, Ministry of Power, Mr Timothy Oyedeji, said the payment of the 100 per cent capital requirement by the bidders was mandatory to ensure the successful privatisation of the power sector.

The government, he said, was waiting for the successful bidding distribution and power generation firms

By Akinola Ajibade

to meet the 100 per cent capital regime.

He said: ‘’Though the companies have paid 25 per cent of the capaital outlay, they are required to pay the remaining 75 per cent in line with the directives of BPE. When they pay the outstanding, the companies would be handed over to the bidders in the next couple of months.’’

The BPE had announced the receipt of $335 million from the bidders for the generation and distribution firms last November.This followed a due dilligence process conducted on the distibution and generation power firms.

The process included clearing the preffered bidders for the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) generation and distribution firms, ensuring that they have the capacity to do the job.

Others are decision of the government to reach an aggreement with the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to guarantee the cooperation of workers in the handing over process, and raising finance to pay the entitlements of the workers exiting PHCN.

•Transmission lines

Senate won’t rush into passing PIB, says panel T HE Senate will not rush the passage of the Petroleum Bill (PIB) into law to avoid shortchanging Nigerians, the Chairman of its Committee on Gas Resources, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, has said.

She said efforts were being made to ensure the speedy passage of the Bill, adding that it was the desire of the committee to ensure that the legislation is all-encompassing, spelling the dos and don’ts in the oil and gas industry.

Senator Nwaogu said the bill was an important document that should be given priority because it would remove fears about the oil industry, especially the gas sector. She added that if passed into law, it would address bottlenecks in oil and gas operations in the country.

The Bill has passed the first and second readings and is at the domain of public hearing. She noted that it would be detrimental to the economy to rush the processes of passing the Bill into law, without allowing experts’ input. This is to ensure that, at the end of the day, the Bill would be seen as a democratically-assembled document comprising inputs from experts in oil and gas and other sectors, Senator Nwaogu said.

“That is why we are going to hold a public hearing, and for my Com-

By Ambrose Nnaji

mittee on Gas. We want to ensure that this document has a transparently identifiable dos-and-don’ts for gas exploration, production and processing and gas distribution.We don’t want a situation where we would say we have a petroleum industry law that does not take into account the peculiarities in gas exploration, processing and distribution,” she stated “We want to ensure that the volume of gas we have translates into increase in revenue profile for the country, and ensure that the new document gives opportunity for investment in the gas sector, as well as ensure that there would be easy entry into gas business in the country and easy exit of gas business at the same time.

“We expect that this petroleum industry law as it affects gas, would help to create more wealth for Nigeria, more employment for Nigerians, and at the end of the day place Nigeria in the committee of nations as regards gas production and gas exploration,” adding that domestic gas development could be used

to reduce the continuous abuse of our environment through deforestation and through gas flaring by putting a stop to the practice.

She said if there is a law that prohibits gas flaring and ensures that we create a conducive environment for investors to come into the gas infrastructure business, firms would come in from outside the country that would want to establish a network of gas pipelines.

She agreed that it is only when the government offers incentives, as well as taking some deliberate policies to attract investors into gas development, that people would come in to invest, adding that both the content companies would come and have a share of gas development projects in the country.

She also said the committee would ensure it X-rays the PIB to ensure that gas and its operations in the country are well-carried out and that the law would protect investors, punish offenders, and ensure that those capedwealth by some oil companies for many years, were released into the basket of investible assets where Nigerians could find them attractive to go and bid for them.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

His Excellency, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Executive Governor of Ondo State, Governor’s Office, Akure.

Mr. Governor Sir,

AN OPEN LETTER TO ONDO STATE GOVERNOR, DR. OLUSEGUN MIMIKO OVER THE ORCHESTRATED PLANS TO PITCH THE UGBO PEOPLE IN CONFLICT WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ONDO STATE THROUGH DELIBRATE DISTORTION OF FACTS We watch with total dismay and consternation the shenanigans orchestrated against the Ugbo people over their God-given natural resources by some highly placed political appointees who have used their privileged positions to fester primordial sectional interest.

Precisely on the 9th of November 2012, Chevron wrote to the three existing oil associations of AICECUM, OBE Confederation, and ASICOPC and the Ondo State Government requesting for a meeting with the stake holders on the following issues: 1. Merger of the three existing oil association of AICECUM, OBE Confederation and ASICOPC. 2. Agitation for recognition as Oil Producing Communities by Mahin, Aheri and Etikan.

3. Controversy between OBE Confederation and ASICOPC over Opollo Oil well.

It was on this note that Mr. Governor convened a meeting with the stakeholders to deliberate on the issues as raised by Chevron. On the issue of merger, Chevron requested that the three associations within its operational areas should merge and gave a deadline of 30th April, 2013 for the merger to be completed. It was on this premise that the three associations recognised by Chevron with previous operational MoUs agreed to merge and came out with an all embracing umbrella body known as the ILAJE UGBO COASTAL COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (IUCCDC).

At the conclusion of the merger process, OSOPADEC being the organ of government saddled with the responsibilities over Oil matters, wrote to Chevron and introduced the new organisation and its officers.

On the second issue of the agitation for recognition by Mahin, Aheri and Etikan, it was the concensus that the recognition should be based on scientific proof and empirical statistics which led to the setting up of a technical committee. It is important to state at this junction that ever since the setting up of the technical committee, a serving commissioner in the state, who hails from Mahin has gone to town boasting, that he in collabration with his Mahin brother in Chevron, will influence the report of the committee to reflect the aspiration of the Mahin people.

On the third issue, the crisis has since been resolved amicably.

It is therefore a rude shock to learn that a certain political appointee of late has unilaterally declared the merger process inconclusive and is bent on using the instrumentality of government, blackmail, outright lies, subtle cajoling and distortion of facts to thwart and frustrate the merger because of the non inclusion of JOINT OIL MINERAL UMBRELLA BODIES EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF MAHIN KINGDOM (JOMUBEC), an association begging for recognition. At various levels, this smart aleck has continued his deft and wicked moves manipulating everybody and influencing every decision, taking advantage of inadequate knowledge of other government functionaries of the area and deceit to push through. There is no gainsaying that merger connotes the joining together of two or more associations with the same ideology to become one for the purpose of administrative convenience and not for recognition of AGITATORS. The merger process was done in the collabration with the Ondo State Government and Chevron who initiated it. Oil producing communities, communities’ leaders, royal fathers and all relevant stakeholders. Throughout the process, it was never an issue that an association that ought to be part of the merger was left out. Why now?

It cannot therefore be said that the process of merger of oil associations in Ilaje Ugbo is not complete simply because JOMUBEC which is seeking to be recognised by Chevron is not included in the merger. Those who are seeking to be recognized and others who are already recognised and existing with very long years of relationship with the oil companies are not on the same footing. Whenever they become recognised they can either be merged with the existing associations or a new organization is set up to take care of their interest.

It is also worthy of note that, in Delta State, Chevron signed two seperate MOUs with the Ijaw and Itsekiris, and are operating same simultaneously.

Your Excellency will recall that at the said meeting, there was no controversy with the merger of the three associations, but the only contention was the agitation for recognition by Mahin, Aheri and Etikan as Oil Producing Communities and it was the position or the Ondo State government as recognition is within the exclusive purview of DPR and NNPC in collaboration with the operating companies based on empirical veritable statistics.

For the sake of emphasis, we submit the issue of merger is no longer an issue for discussion but that for implementation on the willingness of the three existing associations that have been relating with Chevron long before the merger proposal.

While we are not in any way opposed to any arrangement that Chevron and ODSG find suitable and convenient to them in respect of the merger, we shall resist with all vehemence and means available to us, any arrangement to undo what the entire oil producing communities, oil blocs or organisation, communities’ leaders and royal fathers in the oil producing areas have put in place.

We dare say respectfully sir, that we shall also resist any attempt to coerce, compel, impose, stampede or force our people into any marriage of inconvience which is detrimental to our collective interest. We condemn in strong terms the shenanigans of a top political appointee from Mahin who rather than use his exalted position for the good governance, peace and harmony in the state, will rather promote primordial animosity and sectional interest.

It is also instructive to note that it is more than mere coincidence that whenever this serving commissioner is in government, the rivalry, bitterness, agitation and dichotomy between the various sections of Ilaje nation snowballs and gets to its peak. With the foregoing, Mr. Governor Sir, it is our demand that Your Excellency will graciously: 1. Appoint an Ugbo person into your cabinet who will help to give an informed and balanced opinion on Ilaje issues.

2. Allow the will of the people in respect of the merger to prevail so that we can continue to enjoy the peace that has pervaded the area since your assumption of office.

3. That Mr. Governor should set in motion an independent and unbiased team to liaise with relevant agencies with a view to ascertaining the claims of the agitators for recognition in Mahin, Aheri and Etikan.

In conclusion, Mr. Governor Sir, we hereby urge, you to prevail on your cabinet member, a political appointee from Mahin, who rather than work with the administration for the general interest of the people, will prefer to ignite crises through the promotion of sectional interest and unbridled partisanship in the affairs of the state. He should be cautioned to live up to his oath of office and discharge his duties accordingly. The present seemingly crises rocking the merger of associations in the Ugbo land are nothing more than an opportunity to use the machinery of state to tie the destiny of a section of Ilaje people to the recognition of a group by Chevron as oil producing communities and thwart the collective effort of the people. Sir, the merger should not be basis for agitation for recognition of JOMUBEC. Thanks for your anticipation urgent intervention.

Signed

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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DISCOURSE

Text of a lecture delivered by a professor of African History, Prof Rufus Taiwo Akinyele, of the Department of History and Strategic Studies, University of Lagos, at the institution’s Inaugural Lecture on June 22.

Lines, space in human affairs: Minorities and marginals

•Continued from Friday

A

NOTHER strategy is the use of constitutional safeguards to protect the interests of the minorities. The Indian and Chi nese Constitutions acknowledge the cultural and educational rights of minorities. Lebanon has experimented with proportional representation while a specific number of seats is reserved for the scheduled castes and tribes in India. Joseph Stalin, the architect of the Soviet National Policy, expressed a strong faith in the efficacy of the approach when he argued that: A minority is discontented not because there is no national union, but because he does not enjoy liberty of conscience, liberty of movement, and so on. Give him these liberties and he will cease to be discontended.

Attractive as the approach may appear, the minorities, including those in Nigeria, have always preferred other arrangements for many reasons. The first is that the protective clauses are difficult to interpret and enforce. Second, the dominant groups who control the apparatus of government can always set the safeguards aside using the excuse of national security and development as camouflage. Third, there is the disagreement on whether the equality guaranteed under protective clauses should embrace affirmative action in favour of minorities as illustrated in the case brought

by Greek Albanians to the World Court in 1935. The Greek Albanians wanted their private schools to remain open when the Albanian government said all schools in the country should be closed.

The dispute centered on the interpretation of equality – equality in law or equality in fact? The court granted the prayer of the Greek Albanians.

Ethnic pluralism or multi-culturalism is increasingly receiving the endorsement of the international community as a solution to ethnic minority problems the same way democracy is now accepted as the ideal form of government. This is based on the realization that ethnic and political boundaries rarely coincide.

Indeed, a minority situation can only arise when two or more groups are brought under the same political or administrative umbrella. The degree of minority consciousness will however depend largely on the nature of the treatment received from the dominant group and the forces generated in reaction to this. Brazil is one country that has officially adopted this policy. To a large extent too, this approach is enshrined in our own slogan of ‘Unity in Diversity”. Our own national experience has shown that peace is more than the absence of war. This approach has not in any way allayed the fears of ethnic domination in the country.

Lastly, we come to the territorial solution which is most preferred by ethnic minorities. The territorial approach to resolving the ethnic minority problem could assume the form of revision of boundary, creation of autonomous regions or the granting of outright independence to minorities. The ethnic minorities in Nigeria have always preferred the creation of states along ethnic lines in the belief that this will shield them from their dominant neighbours. The assumption has always been that there is no better way to allay the fears of the lamb that finds itself in a zoo with the lion than the iron cage. The fact that is often overlooked is that minority is a contextual term and the alteration of the administrative boundary is capable of reproducing the ‘we’ versus ‘they’ category with the associated fears and grievances. Hence, the unending agitation for more states in Nigeria.

On the whole, a combination of measures is necessary to reduce minority problem to a manageable level. The ideal solution is recommended in the Report of the Minority Rights Group International quoted below: The only system that would appear to work in the long-term is one that does not create boxes which minority representatives have to fit themselves into, and which enshrines minority rights in the Constitution; operates affirmative action, but not rigid quotas, where necessary to overcome entrenched historic discrimination; promotes understanding and knowledge of all communities in society through the education system and media; and guarantees a vice to all parts of society, including minority women.

Ethnic minorities can go to any length to press for the creation of their dream states. Two examples will be cited as illustration.

One from Sri-Lanka and the other from China. The root of the problem between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil minority in Sri Lanka can be traced to 1958 when the Tamils demanded recognition of their language. The aggressive self-determination and government repression resulted in the assassination of the Prime Minister, W.R.D. Bandaranaike. Consequently, the Tamil Federal Party was banned and the leader of the movement incarcerated or executed. In the course of the struggle, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was born to fight for the creation of an independent country called Eelam in the Northern part of Sri Lanka, with Capital at Kilinochchi. From guerrilla warfare, the crisis degenerated into a civil war in July 1983. By the time Velupillai Prabhakaran, the LTTE warlord, was killed on 19 May 2009, U. N. report indicated that more than 70,000 people had been killed in the 26 years war in Sri Lanka.

The case of the Uyghurs (Uighurs) in China is particularly instructive. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) officially recognizes 55 ethnic minority groups collectively referred to as Shaoshu Minzu. The dominant group is the Han. In China, ethnic minorities live in autonomous regions and have freedom to use and develop their languages and preserve their cultures and traditions. In addition, since 2001 the Ethnic Development Plan (EDP) was instituted to accelerate the development or modernization of the autonomous regions particularly through the construction of roads and the establishment of industries. The belief is that this special treatment will facilitate their integration into the larger

• Prof Akinyele

‘Nigeria is a nation space because it lacks the “coherent philosophy of reproducing our existence, of harmonizing coexistence, or integrating the constituent parts into a discernible, functional whole – all of which transforms a mere nation space into a true nation state’

Chinese culture. The gains of this policy have however been eroded by persistent Han chauvinism that has become a source of irritation. Reports indicate that the groups that are less willing to assimilate, such as the Tibetians, the Uyghurs and Mongols are ridiculed as violent and backward. Besides, it is argued that the execution of the development project has increasingly paved the way for the influx of the Hans into the indigenous homelands, ostensibly in search of employment. Worse still, the strict control of religion – radical Islam and Christian Pentecostalism – since 2005 has heightened the tension between the Uyghur Muslim population in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and the government in Beijing. In 2008 alone, more than 1,300 people were arrested and detained in the region. The crackdown resulted in the riot of July 2009 in which 197 people died and hundreds of others were injured. Although the repressive measure has stopped the open rebellion, the Uyghurs have continued their agitation for the creation of an independent state called East Turkestan by other means. First, I wish to recall that on 7 March 2008, a 19-year old girl had attempted to hijack a commercial aircraft on a flight from Urumqi, the capital of China’s Muslim Xinjian region, to Beijing. The plane had to be diverted to Lanzhou in Western Ganzu Province after she was found with suspicious liquid. And, since 2009, the Uyghurs have unleashed “silent terror” on the Han population. For instance in September 2009, there was the widespread report that the Uyghurs were secretly stabbing the Hans with hypodermic needle in the crowd. The needle assault precipitated demonstration that led to the arrest of several suspects in Hotan, Altay and Kashgar in the South, North and West of the country. Reports indicated that although more than one hundred people showed evidence of being pricked, no death or strange sickness was recorded. The cat and rat war has continued and it is not clear how it will be resolved.

Contextualizing minority problems in Nigeria Origins and Dimension before 1954 Nigeria is a multi-ethnic country and the fear of ethnic domination is one of the major obstacles to nation building. Although the huge size of the country has endowed her with abundant human and material resources that can be harnessed for growth and development, Nigeria’s multiple ethnicities have provoked the fear of sectional domination that has repeatedly threatened the stability of the country. This explains why the country has remained a nation space instead of a nation state. A nation space is essentially a country stripped of nationhood. In essence, this is a new way of saying that Nigeria has remained a mere geographical expression.

As Professor Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Laureate argued, Nigeria is a nation space because it lacks the “coherent philosophy of reproducing our existence, of harmonizing co-existence, or integrating the constituent parts into a discernible, functional whole – all of which transforms a mere nation space into a true nation state.

The division of the country into administrative districts, provinces and states, at different stages of Nigerian history, created minority problems for which the different groups demanded territorial solution. Mr. Vice-Chancellor, sir, it is the study of this phenomenon in historical perspective, particularly before 1954, that is my main contribution to boundary studies in Nigeria. Before I submitted my Ph.D Thesis in 1990, the popular view was that the genesis of minority problems in Nigeria can be traced to the adoption of the federal system of government in 1954 and the subsequent regionalization of sources of wealth and power. This view, articulated by James Coleman, was amplified by succeeding generations of historians and political scientists. The error stemmed from the optical illusion of confusing the genesis of the problem with the period it ascended into the centre stage of the political process. Admittedly, the pair of words, ‘minority’ and ‘states creation’ gained currency in Nigeria in the 1950s. I equally share the belief that the latter was intended as a solution to the problem created by the former. The point that was not appreciated is that minority separatism did not become a central issue in national politics before 1950 because it manifested itself on a limited scale and in particular instances. The root of the crisis can be traced to the creation of the country and the Indirect Rule System imposed on the country by the British during the colonial period. While the Indirect Rule system granted local autonomy to homogenous communities that were constituted into separate districts under their own rulers, it jeopardized the interests of others that were merged with other ethnic or linguistic groups. These other groups actively canvassed for the redrawing of the boundaries.

The list includes the agitation of Remo for a separate division from 1922 to 1938. The goal was realized on 1st April, 1938, when Remo was separated from Ijebu Ode Native Authority on the recommendation of the Martindale Commission of Inquiry. There was also the demand of the Western Igbo for the creation of Western Igbo Province, initiated in the Legislative Council in 1941. The relationship between this separatist movement and the Mid-West and Anioma State Movements of subsequent years, suggests that some of the contemporary issues in minority/dominant relations may have been in existence earlier than presumed. There was also the agitation of the Bende Ofufa for a transfer from Bende District of Owerri Province to join their Ibibio kinsmen in the Ikot Ekpene District of Calabar Province between 1910 and 1923.

The separatist agitation of the Ika-na-Annang, also an Ibibio community in the predominantly Igbo populated Aba Division

of Owerri Province, illustrates the influence of material attraction on the development of minority situation. The main reason given by the Senior District Officer (S.D.O.) Aba for authorizing the transfer of eleven of the villages to Calabar Province in 1953 was that “their departure will solve one of the problems of minority groups in the division.”

The agitation of the Ekiti of Ilorin Province for a transfer to Southern Nigeria spanned from 1901 to 1938. Two of the villages, namely, Ilofa and Odo-Owa, in the protest petition of 1911, described their association with Ilorin as the “alignment of a fox with sheep.” The attempt of the British to subjugate the Tiv under the paramount ruler of their Jukun neighbours resulted in the creation of the office of the Tor Tiv in the 1930s.

The objective of the Bata separatist movement in the Adamawa Province was to replace the Hausa Fulani oligarchy with the rule of the “son of the soil”. The issue was at the centre of the relationship between the Jirai Bata and the colonial government from 1950 to 1955. Ethnic self-determination was similarly at the root of the crisis that rocked Zangon Kataf district of Zaria Province from 1914 to 1946. The campaign was spearheaded by Usman Sokop Kaje, who the colonial administrators described as “an agitator of the worst kind”. By 1946, the Kataf were up in arms against the Hausa in Zangon Kataf. The spread of the revolt to all the southern districts formed the basis for the demand for a separate division in 1952.

The geographical spread of the cases cited above suggests that minority agitations were not confined to a section of the country in the period under review. Particularly interesting is the variety of strategies employed by the groups under discussion to pursue their separatist goals. The commonest method was protest petition, sometimes accompanied by deputation. A few of the communities also engaged lawyers to argue their cases. This was helpful in the case of the Remo in 1935 but failed to achieve the goal for the Kataf in 1942.

The boycott of tax, services and institutions was sometimes adopted by the communities to show their dissatisfaction with their state under the existing arrangement. For instance, the Bata and Ekiti of Northern Nigeria were extremely reluctant to pay their tax in their provincial headquarters, since such payment was customarily interpreted as an outward sign of subjugation instead of a civic obligation. The village of Uto Uso in Eastern Nigeria even refused to participate in the election of 1950 and refused to accept sacrament from the priests from Umuahia until they were transferred to Calabar Province. More dramatic is the case of protest migration. When the adjustment to the protectorate boundary failed to place all the Ekiti in Southern Nigeria, the Ore of Otun, and his supporters embarked on a protest migration to Ado Ekiti where they remained from March to May 1914.66 A similar protest migration, led by one Ogunbiyi a Prince of Obbo, resulted in the establishment of New Obbo which incidentally was found to be half mile into the territory of Northern Nigeria when the provincial boundary was demarcated in 1928.

On the whole, the numerous instances of agitation encouraged the colonial administration to embark on a policy of re-aligning administrative boundaries with ethnic frontiers, especially after 1929 .The Aba Women’s riot of 1929 apparently encouraged the colonial administration to pay more attention to the ethnic configuration of the districts and the way they were administered. This approach kept minority agitations at a manageable level before 1954. The gradual transfer of political power to Nigerians in the last decade of colonial rule created a new situation. The enfranchisement of the masses encouraged political aspirants to define themselves as ethnic champions in the competition for offices.

This, in turn, encouraged the expansion and fusion of communal groups resulting in the emergence of modern identities that were not known to the people of the past. The idea of a Yoruba race and an Igbo nation emerged in this way.68 The effect of this on the body politic was aggravated by the structural imbalance of the Nigerian federation. Not only was the North larger than the East and West put together, each of the regions also had a majority group that controlled the machinery of government. The ethnic politics of the period convinced the smaller ethnic groups that independence would confer the status of slaves on them, except the map of the country was redrawn. In the Memorandum submitted to the Minorities’ Commission in 1958, the traditional rulers of Calabar wrote: We informed the Governor-General of the Federation that we would even like to be carved out a territory directly under the Colonial Office rather than to enjoy Nigerian freedom in the East (Eastern Region) which is a licence to do abominably.

This was the basis of the states agitations that led to the setting up of the Willink Commission in 1957 to examine the fears of the minorities and propose the means of allaying them.

The minorities complained of marginalization in elite recruitment, disrespect of their custom and tradition by their dominant neighbours and of discriminatory neglect in the distribution of government amenities such as roads, schools, water projects and scholarships. As could be expected, the in-built majority of the Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani conferred an advantage on them because of the bloc voting. This linkage has made Nigerians to associate number with power and dominance with the majority groups. On the whole, the number of state requests rose to fifteen.

The important ones include the request for a Middle Belt State from the North, the Mid-West from the West, Calabar-OgojaRivers State (C-O-R) from the East, in addition to the request for constituting each of the provinces in the C-O-R area into a state.

The minorities opted for state creation in the belief that the creation of such new states will transform them into new majorities or shield them from the direct influence of their dominant neighbours. However, the Willink Commission turned down all the state requests either because it judged that the case of domination had not been proved or that the creation of the states proposed will initiate fresh problems. Philip Mason expressed this point lucidly: Neither Ogoja nor Rivers showed themselves very anxious to be subject to Calabar; enthusiasm for a state that would have revived the old Benin empire dwindled as one moved away from Benin; the areas that displayed any interest in the Middle Belt State were few and scattered and their total inhabitants fewer than those who were either indifferent or, as one of them put it, preferred Fulani rule to Tiv. To be Continued

52

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

53

NEWS

‘Fajuyi’s widow lived a life of honour, integrity’

Oyo students protest hike in fees From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

P

E

KITI State Governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi has eulogised the late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi’s widow, Madam Eunice, saying she “lived a life of honour and integrity.”

Madam Fajuyi died in her sleep in the early hours of July 12 in the family home at Okesa, Ado-Ekiti. She was 84.

Her husband, the late Col. Fajuyi, then Military Governor of Western Region, was murdered with Gen. Aguiyi Ironsi in a bloody coup on July 29, 1966.

Governor Fayemi, who met the deceased’s surviving son, Donald, his wife, Lanre and Ms. Eunice Toun Lawanson at the family home during a condolence visit yesterday, said she refused to remarry after the death of her husband, despite her young age. She was then

From left: The deceased’s daughter-in-law, Mrs. Fajuyi; Ekiti State Governor Dr. Fayemi; and the deceased’s son, Mr. Fajuyi, during a condolence visit by the Governor in Ado-Ekiti... yesterday.

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

38.

He said: “Mama kept faith and refused to remarry despite her beauty and young age. After the death of her husband, she kept his memory in her heart.

“They (the late Col. and Madam Fajuyi) would remain a source of pride to the

Ekiti for their integrity, courage and compassion for the people. They also left behind a legacy, which stresses honour, integrity and character. We will continue to be guided and encouraged by these virtues.

“On that fateful day, he (Fajuyi) would have escaped.

But he sacrificed himself to honour his visitor and country. It is for this that we re-

member him.”

Governor Fayemi went on: “I was already planning to arrange a package for her the week she died. I was planning to meet her. Her death is a great loss. We can only try to sustain the values and virtues they lived for.

“Mama lived a great life of commitment to her husband, children and Ekiti State. Our government will preserve the

legacies these icons left behind. This is the most important thing we owe them.”

Speaking to the bereaved in respect of the funeral plans, the governor said the state would support them, adding: “This is certainly not a family affair. Government has a role to play and we will do everything we consider necessary.

You shall hear more from us on this.”

Ogun West ACN backs Amosun for second term

T •Amosun

T

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ogun West has said it is supporting Governor Ibikunle Amosun for a second term.

Its Chairman, Mr. Daniel Adejobi, said: “Our attention has been drawn to comments by some opposition sponsored groups and persons within and outside Ogun West insinuating that the Senator Amosun administration has been unfair to our senatorial district in terms of the distribution of government infrastructure.

“There is no truth in this insinuation. Governor Amosun is a lover of the Ogun West people and this was displayed during the first 24 months of

20 ACN council chairmen endorse governor

WENTY Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) local government chairmen in Ogun State yesterday endorsed the Governor Ibikunle Amosun for a second term to ensure the progress and continuity of his transformation agenda.

In a joint session in Abeokuta, they hinged their endorsement on his “achievements in infrastructural development, road construction, education development, building of model schools, provision of textbooks and writing materials, among others, in the last two years.”

Addressing reporters at the end of the meeting attended by 14 of the 20 chairmen, the Secretary, Mr. Sunday Akinyemi, also said Amosun has created over 10,000 jobs, secured life and property, improved welfare of civil servants and provided potable water.

He said: “In the light of this, we the ACN chairmen, Ogun

State chapter, support the second term bid of Governor Amosun in the 2015 general election.”

Akinyemi, who is the Yewa North ACN Chairman, said the governor has also improved the agricultural sector with the provision of tractors, heavy equipment as well as distribution of fertilisers and agro chemicals to farmers.

The Chairman of the state Chairmen (ACN), Olalekan Adegun, said the decision taken by them in respect of the endorsement enjoyed the support of the party elders, youths, women groups and supporters.

He added that what is of paramount importance to the people is who develops the state, hence the support by all for Amosun’s second term.

the administration. He has touched people’s lives in a short period.

“The present administration will go down in the history of the Yewa-Awori zone as the government that has done a lot to cater for the welfare of our people.

For instance, our area has one of the worse roads in the state. But the governor is determined to reverse the trend.

The roads, whose contracts have been awarded in Ogun West, are OkeOyinbo-IdagbaOlodo Road, Ilo-Awela Road,

the zone to investors, it will also ensure that farmers do not go through stress before bringing their produce to the markets.

“Construction work is at an advanced stage at the two model schools in Ilaro and Ado-Odo, and the abandoned Owode International Market is being renovated.

“Pupils in primary and secondary schools are also enjoying free education. They are given free textbooks and instructional materials. Several of the dilapidated classrooms

Ayetoro-Lafenwa Road, the 107- kilometre Ilara-IjounEegua-OjaOdan-Ilase Road and Sango-Ijoko-Akute-Ojodu Abiodun Road.

“Our people are appreciative of the effort to construct the 107-kilometre Ilara-IjounEegua-OjaOdan-Ilase Road that passes through four of the five local governments in Yewa, namely Imeko-Afon, Yewa-North, Yewa-South and Ipokia.

“For the benefit of those oblivious of the importance of the road, besides opening up

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

have been rehabilitated.

“The dilapidated health facilities have also been rehabilitated and indigenes of Yewa-Awori have secured employment in the civil service and government agencies.

“The Ogun West people are supporting the governor in his effort to rebuild our state.

“Well-meaning YewaAwori people have given Governor Amosun the green light to run for a second term to complete the good work he has started.”

urged to imbibe virtues Oyo Speaker bemoans revenue allocation formula Youths OUTHS have been urged to imbibe the virtues to enable

O

YO State House of Assembly Speaker Mrs. M onsurat Sunmonu has described the present revenue allocation formula as grossly inadequate.

She said it has incapacitated many states and local governments in the discharge of their roles.

Mrs. Sunmonu spoke yesterday when she addressed officials of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), led by a Federal Commissioner, Otunba Ademola Ayodeji, who visited her.

She said the states shared a greater burden of the inadequacies as they carried out repairs and reconstruction of federal roads since the citizens could not dif-

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

ferentiate between federal and state roads.

The Speaker said the money spent most times is not refunded by the Federal Government that gets the larger share of the revenue allocation.

Mrs. Sunmonu said for the states and local governments to perform optimally at improving the living standard of the citizenry through the provision of basic amenities, the abnormalities associated with the revenue allocation formula must be addressed

by RMAFC. She assured its team that the state would join other states in proposing a revenue allocation formula to meet up with the present

economic reality.

Messrs Olusegun Olaleye, Sikiru Alli and Olusegun Ajanaku hailed the RMAFC officials for visiting the state.

They urged the commission to consider the submissions made by the stakeholders so that the new revenue formula, when finally adopted, would assist other tiers of government than it is now when the Federal Government takes almost half of the total revenue.

Otunba Ayodeji said they were in the state as part of the sensitisation drive to meet the stakeholders so that they would submit memoranda capable of assisting the commission in arriving at an acceptable revenue sharing formula.

Y

them become responsible citizens and good leaders in future.

They have also been advised to be divinely connected to God through divine diligence, an act described as an essential key to greatness.

The youth leader of Apostolic Faith Church, Post Office Road, Mushin, Lagos, Mr. Dare Bamgbose, gave the advice at a seminar organised by youths of the church to commemorate the 2013 Youth Day celebration.

The event, with the theme: ‘Be Divinely connected’, was held at the church auditorium.

Bamgbose enjoined youths to see God as a central part of their lives, adding that if they obeyed His commandments, He would bless them.

He advised youths to be diligent and utilise the opportunity provided by the church through the bringing of seasoned professionals as facilitators of seminars in the church.

Mr. Bamgbose said the nation is blessed with versatile and talented youths, adding that if they are well groomed, they would become the envy of all nations.

Mr. Segun Oladeji led the opening hymn before the first facilitator, Mr. Sam Fadiora, delivered a lecture on the topic: ‘Diligence in Our Professional Pursuit’.

He implored youths to imbibe virtues, such as diligence, excellence, hard work, self- motivation, self-development, loyalty, punctuality, honesty and humility.

Other speakers include Messrs Ayo Elegbeleye and Lanre Badotan.

ART-TIME degree students of the Ekiti State University, Oyo campus, are protesting what they call hike in tuition fees by the authority.

The Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo is affiliated to the university for the award of degrees in Education-related disciplines.

The protest began last Friday as students marched on the streets, carrying placards.

They marched to the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, protesting “the sudden increase in school fees.”

Oba Adeyemi was said to have advised them to be lawabiding and abstain from unlawful acts. He said their grievances would be tabled before the appropriate authorities.

But at 6am yesterday, the students, with the support of some NCE students of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, barricaded the main entrance to the college with bonfire, preventing vehicular movement.

Administrative and academic activities were paralysed. The students drove away the lecturers.

Efforts to speak with them proved abortive, as they referred our correspondent to the management.

Neither the director nor any of the assistant directors was on duty to speak.

But in a telephone interview with the acting Provost of the college, Mr. Oyewobi, he said the part-time degree students were protesting against increase in fees from N20,000 to N45,000. He said the protest was embarked upon by the degree students and not the NCE students.

His words: “As students, you know their mentality. A few of them may decide to sympathise with the degree students. But our students are not involved and there should be no basis for it.”

Osun-Osogbo festival holds August 23

T

HE 2013 edition of the Osun-Osogbo festival is to hold on August 23, Alhaji AbduRasaq Adejare, the Aare Alasa of Osogboland, has said.

Adejare, who is the head of the 2013 Osun-Osogbo Implementation Committee, announced the date yesterday in an interview on the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, Osogbo.

He said the traditional Iwopopo, a public procession in which all Osun-Osogbo stakeholders, would march through Osogbo, had been slated for August 12.

The Osun-Osogbo devotee said the day symbolised the cleansing of the streets as participants are expected to sweep the roads preparatory to the arrival of visitors.

He said Osogbo indigenes would, from August 13, begin to welcome visitors from all over the world in readiness for the celebration.

The preliminary activities, according to him, include the art exhibition on August 14 and a special drama feature on Ina Olojumerindinlogun on August 15.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

54

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 15-07-13

N

Equities open stronger with N107b gain

IGERIAN equities opened this week with a strong bullish run as investors looked ahead to the impending second quarter and first half earnings reports of quoted companies.

Large fast moving Consumer Goods Companies (FMCGs) spurred the market to a momentous start with capital gain of N107 billion.

Aggregate market capitalisation of all equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) trended upward to N11.946 trillion as against its opening market value of N11.839 trillion.

The All Share Index (ASI), the common value-based index that tracks all equities on the NSE, improved by 0.90 per cent from index-onboard of 37,382.49 points to 37,720.32 points. This pushed the average year-to-date return at the stock market to

By Taofik Salako

34.34 per cent.

With more than two gainers to a loser, the widespread market rally was further orchestrated by increased demand for FMCG stocks.

Guinness Nigeria topped the gainers’ list with a gain of N14.89 to close at N266.

Seven-Up Bottling Company followed with a gain of N4.99 to close at N59.99.

Julius Berger Nigeria reached another high with addition of N4.87 to close at N74.89. Nigerian Breweries garnered N3 to close at N168. Unilever Nigeria rose

by N2 to N60. Dangote Cement chalked up N1 to close at N190. Presco added 85 kobo to close at N39.85.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria rose by 83 kobo to N55.10 while UAC of Nigeria gained 75 kobo to close at N59.25 per share.

On the other hand, CAP topped the losers’ list with a loss of N2.50 to close at N46.

Berger Paints dropped by N1.09 to close at N9.85.

Arbico fell 62 kobo to close at N5.60.National Salt Company of Nigeria declined by 31 kobo to N12.89. Eterna lost 19 kobo to close at N3.16.

Dangote Sugar Refinery dropped by 17 kobo to N12.17 while Access Bank lost 10 kobo to close at N11.20.

Investors staked a total of N2.46 billion on 189.46 million ordinary shares in 5,284 deals. The financial services sector remained the dominant sector with a turnover of 133.12 million shares valued at N1.15 billion in 2,791 deals.

On stock by stock basis, FCMB Group was the most active with a turnover of 21.48 million shares valued at N106.97 million in 94 deals. Custodian and Allied Plc followed with a turnover of 16.43 million shares valued at N26.45 million in 18 deals. FBN Holdings was third with turnover of 13 million shares worth N235 million in 575 deals.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 15-07-13

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

55

MONEY LINK

CBN, banks prepare ahead of FATF’s Sept. visit

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HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and commercial banks are carrying out preliminary preparations ahead of the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) Financial Action Task Force (FATF) proposed visit to Nigeria in September, The Nation has learnt.

CBN Acting Director, I.T Nwaoha said the proposed visit by ICRG is to afford the group the opportunity to determine the effectiveness of the country’s implementation of its laws and regulations as well as compliance with international best practice.

He said the ICRG will also evaluate both the public and private sector institutions’ implementation frameworks. He said a favourable result of the country’s Anti-Money

• CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido

CBN and NFIU. The CBN has also called for evidence of record keeping for a minimum of five years after severance of relationship with customers,” he said.

He said the FATF placed Nigeria among the grey list countries that had not made significant progress in the their AML/CFT regime and the country has been working hard to exit the group.

Stories by Collins Nweze

Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regime will enhance her chances of exiting the FATF grey list. He said the CBN has therefore implored all relevant stakeholders to adequately prepare for the exercise.

Nwaoha said the banks are expected to henceforth, display AML/ CFT notice on banking halls, ensure actual implementation and documentation of customer identification, verification requirements, customer due diligence and show evidence of trainings conducted for staff on AML/CFT issues.

“There is also need for evidence of rendering relevant returns to

GT Bank sensitises customers on forex transactions

G

UARANTY Trust Bank Plc (GT Bank) has sensitised its foreign exchange (forex) customers on ways of carrying out seamless transactions.

Speaking at the GTBank Settlement Forum held in Lagos, the bank’s Managing Director/CEO, Segun Agbaje said the lender decided to bring representatives of Central Bank of Nigeria, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Nigeria Customs Service, warehousing agents, port terminal operators among others to enable them enlighten customers on ways of filling an efficient and effective forex transactions.

The bank, in a report presented to its customers explained the easy steps to initiating online letter of credit (LC) on its tracking system. It said customers can simply access its trade tracking system from the comfort of their homes, or offices. Such customer can also log on to the bank’s trade tracking system by inputting his account numbers and password.

Thereafter, he initiates a request, clicks on the LC, then LC application and agree on the LC policy.

“Then a new LC request page appears where the customer concludes the LC application request,” it said.

Sterling Bank, Jumia, offer discounts to customers S

TERLING Bank has partnered with Jumia.com.ng, Nigeria’s number one shopping destination to offer customers amazing shopping discounts on its platform.

In a statement, the bank said the partnership offers incentives to its debit card using customers. For purchases made using a Sterling Bank debit card (ATM card), customers get discounts of up to 10 per cent of the cost of any item bought.

Speaking at the partnership, the Chief Finance Officer of the Bank, Abubakar Suleiman said the partnership is geared towards bringing value to the lender’s debit card carrying customers shopping on Jumia.com. Besides, he said the initiative encourage customers to embrace the culture of cashless transactions.

Jumia.com.ng co-founders, Raphael Afaedor and Tunde Kehinde said : “As we mark our first anniversary

and one year of online retail in Nigeria, we have decided to go into various partnerships and today we announce one of such great partnerships with Sterling Bank Plc. This will see both organisations’ offer great value to customers; while using such promotions to raise awareness on the ease and advantages of the CBN’s cashless policy. Above all, this is one of many ways Sterling Bank Plc and Jumia look to say thank you to their many customers”.

Meanwhile, savouring early reports from receiving agents and stockbrokers, Managing Director, Sterling Bank, Mr Yemi Adeola has reassured shareholders that picking up their rights amounts to raising the proverbial golden hen that will continuously build up their nest eggs.

Sterling Bank is raising N12.5 bil-

lion through a rights issue of about 5.889 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N2.12 per share. The lender had traded at a high of N3.05 at the stock market. The shares have been pre-allotted on the basis of three new ordinary shares of 50 kobo each for every eight ordinary shares of 50 kobo each held as at May 20, 2013.

Application list, which opened on June 24, 2013, will run till July 31, 2013.

Speaking at the weekend, the Sterling Bank boss said the net proceeds of its ongoing rights issue would be used to upscale its growth and strengthen the bank’s operations for continuous improved benefits to all stakeholders.

He said the additional capital would be used to fund the bank’s growth plan including expansion and modernisation of branch network and information technology.

The funds would also be used to support the bank’s growing retail and corporate banking businesses.

Amount N

Rate %

M/Date

3-Year 5-Year 5-Year

35m 35m 35m

11.039 12.23 13.19

19-05-2014 18-05-2016 19-05-2016

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 350m 150m 350m 138m 350m 113m

MANAGED FUNDS Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

NIDF NESF

OBB Rate Call Rate

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

INTERBANK RATES 7.9-10% 10-11%

Date 28-04-2012 “ 14-04-2012

GAINERS AS AT 15-07-13

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

CHAMPION IPWA 7UP CORNERST CUSTODYINS JBERGER PORTPAINT GUINNESS AIRSERVICE UNILEVER

7.07 0.82 55.00 0.57 1.60 70.02 6.58 251.11 4.60 58.00

7.77 0.90 59.99 0.62 1.72 74.89 6.99 266.00 4.80 60.00

0.70 0.08 4.99 0.05 0.12 4.87 0.41 14.89 0.20 2.00

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

Year Start Offer

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

July ’12

MPR

6.50%

6.50%

12%

Standing Lending Rate ,, Deposit Rate ,, Liquidity Ratio Cash Return Rate Inflation Rate

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 1.00% 12.10%

8.50% 4.50% 25.00% 2.00% 12.10%

9.50% 5.50% 30.00% 2.00% 11.8%

ARBICO BERGER NEIMETH ETERNA NEM CAP AFRIPRUD PAINTCOM NASCON UNITYBNK

O/PRICE 6.22 10.94 1.30 3.35 0.76 48.50 1.75 1.89 13.20 0.64

C/PRICE 5.60 9.85 1.21 3.16 0.72 46.00 1.70 1.84 12.89 0.63

CHANGE 0.62 1.09 0.09 0.19 0.04 2.50 0.05 0.05 0.31 0.01

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

Movement

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

Exchange Rate (N) 155.2 155.8 155.7

Date 2-7-12 27-6-12 22-6-12

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

LOSERS AS AT 15-07-13

SYMBOL

The report said online application provides a safe and convenient platform for the bank’s customers. It said there is no need to obtain and fill physical LC form in order to initiate transaction even as the process ensures easy monitoring of transactions.

Director-General, SON, Joseph Odumodu said the body is in technical partnership with relevant stakeholders to ensure availability of relevant and current product standards that are imported into the country.

He said modalities are also in place towards timely review of such standards as it may be considered necessary by the stakeholders.

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) said in a report at the forum that the future of payment system in the country, which is directly linked to the settlement process in trade, looks bright. it said the adoption of Point of Sale (PoS) terminals will increase from 27 per cent to over 60 per cent, offsite Automated Teller Machines and Kiosks will be in fashion; interest-based payments will increase; and cash will still remain ‘king,’ though with reduced dominance.

DATA BANK

FGN BONDS Tenor

He however, said Nigeria has largely addressed its action plan and improved its overall supervisory AML/CFT framework.

He said the ICRG of FATF has however, scheduled to conduct onsite visit to Nigeria early September, 2013, to confirm that the processes of implementing the required reforms and actions are underway to address previously identified deficiencies.

Offer Price

Bid Price

ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH 9.17 9.08 KAKAWA GUARANTEED 1.00 1.00 STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE INVE 140.00 139.52 AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 157.90 157.86 LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL 0.80 0.78 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.17 1.17 BGL NUBIAN FUND 1.12 1.11 FBN MONEY MARKET FUND 100.00 100.00 FBN FIXED INCOME FUND 1,000.00 1,000.00 NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. 1,832.46 1,832.16 PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND 13.66 12.99 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 1.33 CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST 1.87 1.80 STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY 11.299.87 10,963.71 • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUNDARM AGGRESSIVE • OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2012

Current 07, Aug, 2012

8.5000 8.0833

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

56

NEWS RAMADAN KAREEM

SOLAT TIME (Oyo) Fajr Zuhr Asr Magrib Ishai

– 5:14 – 12:52 – 4:16 – 7:07 – 8:20

am pm pm pm pm

(Rivers) Fajr Zuhr Asr Magrib Ishai

– 5:07 – 12:39 – 4:04 – 6:50 – 8:03

(Kaduna) am pm pm pm pm

Fajr Zuhr Asr Magrib Ishai

– 4:53 – 12:37 – 4:01 – 6:57 – 8:11

•From left: Governor Wada; Ogbeni Aregbesola; Dr Tambuwal and Mallam Musa Dangogoh Aliyu at the event.

Aregbesola, Wada seek peaceful co-existence

G

OVERNORS Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Idris Wada of Kogi States

have called on Muslims to pray for the country’s peaceful existence during the Ramadan.

RAMADAN GUIDE WITH FEMI ABBAS e-mail: femabbas@yahoo.com Tel: 08122697498

O

Tafsir in Nigeria

NE of the undisputable aiding instruments of Tafsir is literacy. The more literate the Muslims are in the relevant language, the more they are likely to understand the Qur’an through Tafsir. And no one who thoroughly understands Tafsir will be ignorant about Islam or even life.

Muslims who are deeply schooled through the Western system of education will discover that virtually all the sciences, social sciences and arts, originated from the study of Tafsir.

Even some scientific terminologies confirm this. It therefore takes real scholars, not just reciters of the Qur’an or speakers of Arabic language, to be exponents of Tafsir. This is a rare factor that is conspicuously missing in Nigeria.

There is a sharp difference between translating the context of the Qur’an and interpreting them expositorily. The one is shallow. The other is deep. Ordinarily, Tafsir is not supposed to be an annual Ramadan affair. It is should rather be a daily practice for scholars who are ardent in it.

Although Tafsir gains more popularity in the month of Ramadan because every true Muslim wants to get closer to Allah through familiarization with the Qur’an, it is not limited to that sacred month alone and it should not be seen as such.

Going by the limit of their knowledge and the extent of their unwillingness to learn more, only a few Islamic scholars in Nigeria are qualified to tutor the populace in Tafsir. Most of the so-called Nigerian Muslim scholars (Alfas) have turned Tafsir into an annual commercial jamboree which fetches them what they regard as Ramadan booty. Their motive of engaging in Tafsir is more ulterior than religious.

What most of those Alfas often dish out in the name of knowledge is mere hearsay. And that is why majority of Nigerian Muslim audiences at Tafsir Centres can hardly benefit from what they hear in those Centres.

Tafsir is a special field of discipline meant only for research oriented students scholars. But unfortunately, it is one area of study which has very few institutions of learning in Nigeria.

Because of this problem, the Qur’an has been translated into very few Nigerian languages so far. And today, copies of the vernacular Qur’an so translated can hardly be found on book shelves even as most of them are virtually out of reprint. With this situation, how can Nigerian Muslim populace thoroughly understand the Qur’an? This is a great challenge to truthful Muslims who are blessed by Allah. They can pull resources together and jointly finance the reprinting of reviewed copies of the Glorious Qur’an in appreciation of Allah’s special favour on them. And that can be best done in this sacred month.

The governors made the call in their separate remarks at the annual Ramadan lecture organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society in Abuja.

Aregbesola, who chaired the occasion, described Ramadan as a season for sober reflection when the prayers of Muslims were speedily granted by God. He enjoined Muslims to use the holy month for spiritual rejuvenation and dedication to the peace, unity and development of the nation.

He said: “Ramadan is the best season on earth; it is a time when life is easier and our prayers granted faster. We must therefore avail ourselves of this opportunity and pray for the peace, unity and development of this nation.”

The governor, who decried the spate of insecurity and underdevelopment in the country, called on Muslims to be in the fore front of nation-building.

He stressed the need for Muslims to acquire both Islamic and western education, for them to make any meaningful change in the society.

He urged Islamic organisations like Al-Habibiyyah to continue to contribute their quota to national growth through lectures and advocacy.

Earlier, Governor Wada stressed the need for unity among Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic or religious creed.

He urged Muslims to use the Ramadan period to be closer to Allah and shun all manner of vices.

“We have to use this period (Ramadan) to be united and faithful to God; we must do as

Ramadan 7th, 1434AH

am pm pm pm pm (Source: Islamicfinder.org)

much good to everyone and think of the unity, peace and progress of our country. We should think of how best we can move our nation forward,” he said.

The Kogi State Governor urged Muslims to use the period to feed and help the poor and needy in the society.

The Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Mallam Mohammad Bello, who delivered a lecture, urged Muslims to be upright in their endeavours.

“Ramadan is the right time for us to reflect on how to get things right; it is the duty of every Muslim to worship Allah according to the dictates of the glorious Qu’ran and the Sunnah,” he said.

He urged prospective pilgrims to hajj to have the right intention and follow the rules and procedure for pilgrimage.

Represented by Secretary of the commission, Dr Bello Tambuwal, he said NAHCON had been striving over the years to make hajj hitch-free in the country.

The Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah Mosque, Alhaji Fuad Adeyemi, said the organisation’s goal was to enlighten Muslims on Islam and contribute to national development.

He said it had introduced various programmes such as the Al-Habibiyyah food bank, zakat foundation, Arabic for beginners, street to school programme, to touch the lives of both Muslims and non-Muslims.

The lecture was attended by Islamic scholars, traditional rulers, politicians, civil servants and Muslims from all walks of life.

•Secretary to the Lagos State Government Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule and former Commissioner with the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) Alhaji Musibau Oyefeso at the late Alhaji Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu Memorial Ramadan lecture held at LTV 8 Ikeja, Lagos.

PHOTO : OMOSEHIN MOSES

NSCIA urges leaders on responsibilities

N

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

IGERIAN Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Secretary-General Prof Is-haq Oloyede has urged the country’s leaders to be conscious of Allah in discharging their responsibilities to the followers.

The apex Muslim body also called on Muslims to shun violence and pray for leaders at all levels for Allah’s guidance and justice.

Oloyede enjoined Muslims to pray for peace and tranquillity in the spirit of Ramadan fast.

Oloyede hailed the governor of Bayelsa state, Henry Seriake Dickson, for the paid advertisement of his felicitation with Nigerian Muslims over the commencement of Ramadan, thereby displaying a good understanding of the letters of religious tolerance in a pluralistic society like Nigeria.

“It is a gesture worthy of emulation. The council commended special Ramadan service by Dana Airline and urges all other corporate bodies to always extend to Islam and its festivities the usual courtesies,” he said.

Iftar: Council earmarks N3 million

C

ARETAKER Chairman, Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Alhaji Kabiru Garba, said the council would spend more than N3 million to feed the needy during the ongoing Ramadan.

Garba told the inauguration of the feeding committee members in Gamawa that: ‘’Twenty one mosques have been selected to benefit from the feeding exercise and the money will be distributed, based on the expected number of people to feed in each selected mosque.’’

Some of the selected mosques designated as feeding areas included Gamawa Central, Gololo South and North and Jadori mosques.

Others were Tumbi, Kore, Alagarno, Godiya and Kafiromi village mosques.

He urged members of the feeding committee to be just, fair and fear Allah in carrying out the responsibility bestowed on them.

Muslim Community holds lecture

K

ASUMU/Isokan Muslim Community in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State will hold its second Ramadan lecture on JSunday.

The programme entitled: ‘Islam and the importance of striving for Allah’, will be held at the Nitel’s land. It will be hosted by the Chief Imam of Kasumu/Isokan Central Mosque, Alhaji AbdulRahman Oluwakemi.

The chairman of the event is Alhaji AbdulRasheed Opadijo, while the Chief Imam of Ajigbotoluwa Central Mosque, Ibadan Alhaji AbdulGaniy Adekunle Hamzat will be the guest speaker.

The chairman of Mosque Building Committee, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Gbolagade, urged all Muslims to devout more time for spiritual programmes especially in the holy month of Ramadan.

This, he said, will make them reap maximum benefits inherent in the month.

RAMADAN DIET Abu Hurayra related that the Prophet said: If a person does not avoid false talk and false conduct during fasting, then Allah does not care if he abstains from food and drink.

If anyone omits his fast even for one day in Ramadan without a concession or without being ill, then if he were to fast for the rest of his life, he could not make up for it.

(Bukhari).

Sponsored by ALHAJI JUBREEL & ALHAJA SHERIFAT ABDULKAREEM, Chairman, Agege Local Govt Area, Lagos

57

THE NATION TUESDAY JULY 16, 2013

NEWS

JTF uncovers 35 illegal refineries in Warri •15 suspects arrested •Don’t give Boko Haram media visibility, says DHQ

T

HE Defence Headquarters yesterday said the Joint Task Force (JTF) has uncovered 35 illegal refineries in a shrine in Warri and arrested 15 suspects as part of the war against oil theft.

The Defence Headquarters spokesman, Brig-Gen Chris Olukolade, broke the news at a briefing by the Joint Security Committee in Abuja.

Gen Olukolade said: “In the Niger Delta, the operations are making progress with the breakthrough, especially in the arrest of vessels involved in illegal bunkering and the destruction of illegal refineries.

“Fifteen suspects have been arrested and three barges impounded. Some illegal refineries earlier destroyed were noted to have been reactivated elsewhere. Some notorious leaders of kidnap groups have also been arrested.

“The troops are currently engaged in aggressive patrols to sustain this tempo of

From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation

activities to checkmate and forestall emergence of new criminal groups in the region.”

On the crisis in Plateau State, Gen Olukolade decried the unwarranted attack on men of the Special Task Force (STF).

He added: “Despite the efforts and successes of the STF in executing its mandate in the Plateau, a trend of unwarranted attacks on men of the task force was noted.

“This trend has been stopped as no recent case has been reported. Besides the rampant attack on communities, cattle rustling was also prevalent in the state. The STF has, however, been able to tackle this crime to some extent by recovering the stolen cattle and returning them to their owners.”

He added: “Nigeria remains the fifth largest troops contributing country in peace support operations.

The Nigerian military is cur-

rently involved in peace keeping missions in 11 countries.

“Prominent among these missions are United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) ,United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Force in Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), United Nations Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara (MNURSO), United Nations Operation in Cote D’Ivoire (ONUC), United Nations Intervention Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB) and the United Nations Multi-dimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MNUSMA). This particular mission was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 21000 in 2013 to take over from African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA).

“Accordingly, the Force Commander of defunct AFISMA, Maj. Gen Shehu

Usman Abdulkadir has returned to Nigeria with his staff, following the transfer of the operation’s mandate to the UN. “Others include establishment of Level 11 Hospital in Sudan and Cote D’Ivoire.

However, the level 11 hospital in Cote D’Ivoire is being relocated to Mali.

“We are proud to say that in all these missions, which our troops are participating in, they have exhibited a high degree of professionalism and competency.”

Olukolade pleaded with Nigerians to support the military because the nation is undergoing a “peculiar security challenge.”

He said: “The security situation in Nigeria is a peculiar challenge and ought to be appreciated as such. The forces are now to focus on protecting the population while mopping up the remaining terrorists and preventing them from any freedom of action to perpetrate mayhem and terror.

“Consequently, the security

No plot to kill Udoedehe, says Akwa Ibom govt

T

HE Akwa Ibom State Government yesterday denied an alleged plot to kill the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in the 2011 governorship election, Senator James Udoedehe. It said it has nothing to do with it.

By Joseph Jibueze

Special Assistant on Media to Governor Godswill Akpabio Jackson Udom quoted the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Aniekan Umanah, as saying that Udoedehe’s allegation was

unfortunate.

Umanah said no one can bring down “the towering achievements of Governor Akpabio”.

“The people of the state and Nigerians know better and appreciate the work that the Akpabio administration has

done,” Umanah said.

According to him, the governor is peace loving and will never contemplate evil against anyone.

The spokesman said Akpabio would rather explore legal means to settle any matter brought to his attention.

‘Jimoh Ibrahim angry over lies’

F

OREMOST entrepreneur and Group Managing Director of Energy Group Conglomerate, Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, has lambasted a section of the social media that has been circulating what he described as baseless and unfounded rumours about him.

He has therefore challenged perpetrators to come out in the open if they are ready to withstand the legal consequences of their actions.

Ibrahim, in a statement yesterday, said his attention has been drawn to false information circulating on the internet about Air Nigeria and a purported invitation to him to deliver a lecture on anti-corruption in the United Kingdom.

He said the statement was false; and that at no time did any person or organisation invite him to deliver any lecture on corruption in England.

Ibrahim said the only invitation he received was from the Nigeria Police Force to deliver a lecture in Lagos two weeks ago and he had informed the Commissioner of Police in charge that he would be represented by the General Counsel of Energy Group, who prepared the paper and was fully authorised to deliver the paper on his behalf.

He pointed out that the Police in return sent a plaque to him in appreciation of the gesture.

Ibrahim warned jobless people “who have nothing to do to return to university classrooms for proper education since their degrees have expired.”

agencies call on all Nigerians to continue to support the ongoing fight against terrorism.

We call for more understanding of the international community represented by the foreign media.

“We urge them to be objective, fair and responsible in their reportage so as not to jeopardise the integrity of the operation.”

The Defence spokesman urged the media not to give Boko Haram insurgents visibility.

He said: “This is a typical style of insurgents in sustaining their mission even when it is obvious that they are no more relevant. We call on the media to deny them the visibility which they so badly desire.

“It will serve a better purpose if our media would refrain from giving prominence or recognition to terrorists’ activities in the media channels. “The emphasis or attention given to their activities tends to embolden them to commit more atrocities simply to gain attention.”

Don’t impose, PDP aspirants warn From Nwanosike Onu,

M

Awka

EMBERS of the crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State have told the National Working Committee (NWC) not to impose any candidate on the people.

The aspirants took the decision yesterday in Awka after a meeting at the Smithland Hotels.

The meeting was attended by former Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Kelue Molokwu, former executive members Ejike Onuorah, Tony Nwabuona, Ken Arinze, Okey Chukwuogor, among others.

They said: “Let us not make mistakes like before by doing the selection of a candidate, there must be primaries where the choice of the people will emerge, any contrary thing will spell doom for the PDP in Anambra State.

“Nobody is interested in the imposition of candidates and this has been responsible for the failure of the party after the era of Dr. Chris Ngige, the sufferings had become unbearable.”

Lawyers sue National Assembly, police over Rivers crisis

T

By Joseph Jibueze

WO lawyers Tamunoteim Asobari and John Kpakol yesterday sued the National Assembly and the InspectorGeneral of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar at the Federal High Court, Abuja, over the political crisis in Rivers State.

They are urging the court to declare that there are no facts to indicate that the Rivers State House of Assembly is unable to carry out its legislative functions as provided in the Constitution.

Therefore, the plaintiffs want the court to nullify the National Assembly’s resolutions aimed at restoring order in the state.

They sued the Senate, Senate President David Mark, the House of Representatives, Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, Abubakar and Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Government Senator Kabiru Gaya.

Asobari stated in the court papers that he is a native of Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, while Kpakol claimed he hails from Gokan Local Government Area.

They are seeking a declaration that by the provisions of Section 215 (2) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly cannot give directives to the IGP or the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State or any other police officer regarding maintenance of law and order.

The lawmakers, the plaintiffs said, also have no constitutional power to direct Abubakar to re-deploy Rivers Commissioner of Police Mbu Joseph Mbu or any other officer for that matter.

They sought a declaration that the resolutions passed by the Senate and the House directing the police chief to re-deply Mbu usurps and undermines the powers of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Therefore, the resolutions should be declared unconstitutional, null and void, they prayed.

The lawyers are also urging the court to hold that the resolutions passed by the Senate mandating its committee on States and Local Government Areas (whose chairman is the sixth defendant) to investigate “the sticky situation” between Governor Rotimi Amaechi and Mbu and “the crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly” is unconstitutional, null and void.

Al-Mustapha still in service, says Nigerian Army HE Nigerian Army

T

has said Major Hamza al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Head of State, Gen. Ssani Abacha, is still in its service.

Colonel John Agim, who represented the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, spoke yesterday at the Joint Security Information Managers media briefing, at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

Agim was responding to a reporter’s question on the fate of Major al-Mustapha, whose death sentence was quashed by the Court of Appeal in Lagos last Friday.

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

Agim said: “With regards to Major al-Mustapha’s release, I want to confirm that he is still in the Army. The case is going to be handled by the Army administration in line with the harmonised terms and conditions of service.”

The former CSO was tried for the alleged murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Bashorun Moshood Abiola.

Al-Mustapha was in detention for the 15 years the trial lasted.

58

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

NEWS

Offa monarch: Victorious house urges Kwara to execute court verdict

Ahmed to Nigerians: embrace community service From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

KWARA State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has urged Nigerians to embrace the culture of community service to enhance the quality of service delivery and socio-economic development.

The governor spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, when he received a 15-man volunteer team from the United States on empowerment programme to Oko community.

He noted that given the enormous developmental challenges in the country and the increasing expectations of the people, it is necessary for Nigerians to partner the government for impactful development programmes.

According to him, no administration can do it alone.

Ahmed said his administration has created windows for small and medium scale entrepreneurs (SMEs) to access over N250 million in revolving credit to grow their businesses.

He stressed that another N100 million has been earmarked for a second set of beneficiaries to jump-start their businesses.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, AbdulWahab Oba, the governor said his administration was familiar with the needs of youths, especially the unemployed, hence the establishment of the Kwara Bridge E m p o w e r m e n t Scheme(KWABES) and the International Vocational Centre at Ajasse-Ipo, to train youths in market-relevant vocational skills.

PUBLIC NOTICE EDOZIEM I formerly known and addressed as Miss. AUGUSTA EDOZIEM now wish to be known as Mrs. AUGUSTA EMEKA BEKE. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

AUNSIEM I, formerly known, called and addressed as Miss Aunsiem Chitua Oluchi Lucky now wish to be known, called and addressed as Mrs Eche-Bright Chitua Lucky Oluchi. All former documents remain valid. Nursing Department, IMSU, FRSC and general public should take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE ERETE

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chimereucheya Erete now wish to be known as Mrs. Chimereucheya Benjamin. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

IBEH

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibeh Amaka Lilian now wish to be known as Mrs.Ohadumokwu Amaka Lilian. All former documents remain valid, NYSC and general public please take note.

KRUKRUBO

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Krukrubo Vaida Halliday now wish to be known as Mrs.Akinfe Vaida.

All former documents remain valid, NETCO Ltd and general public please take note.

ANYAOGU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Anthonia Anyaogu now wish to be known as Mrs.Ken-Chukwumah Anthonia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NNADI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Clementina Ngozi Nnadi now wish to be known as Mrs. Ogolo Ngozi Emmanuel Clementina. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

AZU

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwulari Eleanya Azu Akuma now wish to be known as Mrs.Nwulary Eleanya Caleb Nwokeka.

All former documents remain valid. TSI Holdings Ltd,Nigeria Bar Association and general public please take note

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

B

•From left: Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Ifeanyi Okowa; Chief Medical Director, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Dr Peter Alabi; Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Margery Okadigbo and Senator Babajide Omoworare, a member of the committee, during the committee’s visit to the teaching hospital in Abuja... yesterday.

Zuba crash: Death toll rises to six

T

HE Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has said the death toll from Saturday’s road crash at Dan Kogi, on the Zuba-Gwagwalada Road in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has risen to six.

One of the 14 injured passengers reportedly died on Sunday at Lucas Hospital, Madalla, Niger State. Five others were confirmed dead on the scene.

The Zuba Unit Commander of the FRSC Akptobo Paulinus, said the crash occurred at 6pm at Azman Filling Station when a tanker laden with fuel with registration

B

By Yinka Aderibigbe

number XG 340 RED, suddenly developed a brake failure and rammed into a stationary Abuja Urban Mass Transit bus conveying some passengers.

He said the impact of the crash also affected three Golf cars (AT 529 LIN, SBG 418 AA and RAN 208 AA), a Toyota Sienna bus (GX 135 ABC) and three motorcycles.

A statement by the Corps Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Jonas Agwu, said the combined efforts of FRSC rescue team and other agencies, such as the

police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (VIO) and the Fire Service, took the dead and the injured victims to the Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, Lucas Hospital Madalla and St. Mary Catholic Hospital, Gwagwalada.

According to Agwu, an empty tanker was secured from the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to trans-load the content of the crashed tanker before restoring normal traffic flow on the scene of the crash.

Also, the Corps has set up a

special task force on the crash scene (Dan Kogi) to stamp out illegal activities of road transport operators, which account for numerous crashes on the route.

Speaking at a meeting of the police, Directorate of State Security Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the FRSC with the Emir of Zuba, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, the Zuba Unit Commander of the FRSC explained that intensive patrols are to be carried out along the corridor to fend-off illegal activities of transport operators that create obstructions along the route.

Two truck-loads of fertiliser missing in Benue

ENUE State Governor Gabriel Suswam has expressed shock at how two truck-loads of fertiliser disappeared from the Ministry of Agriculture, Makurdi, last week.

The Nation learnt that some unidentified persons entered the building, where the fertilisers were stocked in the New Garage area of Wadata, and loaded two trucks of the commodity.

Each truck, it was also learnt, takes at least 600 bags of fertiliser, meaning at least 1,200 bags were stolen.

The development, a source said, has caused a furore in the government.

The police were said to have begun investigation to unravel the circumstances leading to the theft.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Neeyum Tsavnum, told reporters that the ministry’s warehouse, where the fertilisers were kept, was burgled.

He said the robbers had an easy access to the warehouse.

‘Niger spent N7.2B on fertilisers in six years’

T

HE Niger State Government bought and distributed fertilisers worth over N7.2 billion in the last six years, it has been learnt.

It has also begun the distribution of 6,000 metric tonnes of the commodity for the current farming season.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, addressed reporters in Minna, the state capital, on the activities of the ministry.

He said this year’s fertilisers cost N7.9 million.

The distribution of the commodity by the state government at a subsidised rate, Matane From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

According to him, the robbers did not destroy the padlock, showing that they unlocked the padlock.

Tsavnum added that only 150 bags of fertilisers were stolen.

The permanent secretary

From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

said, was to complement Federal Government’s Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme (e-wallet scheme) for this year’s farming season.

According to him, under the state government, fertiliser intervention farmers are to buy a bag of SSP fertiliser at 50 per cent subsidy for N3,000 while NPK and Urea varieties go for N4,000 each.

The commissioner also said another 130,662 bags of NPK and Urea were distributed to farmers under e-wallet scheme at 50 per cent subsidy.

said the security man on duty claimed to have slept when the incident happened around 3am of the fateful day.

The police yesterday confirmed the investigation of the missing trucks of fertilisers.

Police spokesman, Daniel Ezeala, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said two

persons, including the security man on duty during the theft, have been arrested.

Ezeala said the command would unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the commodity.

He said investigation is on while the arrested suspects have been granted bail.

Mohammed gets rousing welcome in Kwara

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EMBERS and supporters of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kwara State yesterday thronged the Ilorin International Airport to give the party’s national spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, a rousing home coming.

Mohammed, who is the Publicity Secretary of the newly formed All Progressives Party (APC), arrived at the airport at 8am. Party supporters were at the airport as early as 6am.

An ACN member in the House of Assembly, Temitope Olayonu, led party supporters who welcomed the ACN chief.

Others included a former member of the Assembly, Ayo Id-

•Ramadan lecture tomorrow owu; former Acting Chairman of the party, Mr. Kayode Olawepo and Prince Shuaibu Olarewaju, a member of the newly constituted executive of the party, among other progressives.

Mohammed was in company of his wife, Alhaja Kudirat.

He was surprised at the show of love and camaraderie by the party faithful.

The crowd sang various songs of solidarity on seeing Mohammed.

The convoy moved from the airport to his home country in Oro, where he addressed the crowd. Traffic was crawl-

ing in Ilorin during the journey through the capital town.

The ACN spokesman explained developments within the APC and its centrality to the development of Kwara State, the party’s preparation for the forthcoming local government election and the visit of Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola to Kwara tomorrow as the special guest of honour at this year’s Lai Mohammed Annual Ramadan Lecture.

An ACN chieftain, Alhaji Hassan Daudu, hailed the party’s leader in the state for his steadfastness and political sagacity that have pushed the op-

•Alhaji Mohammed

position thus far.

He prayed God to guide Mohammed.

Mohammed will tomorrow host Aregbesola and other dignitaries from the Southwest at his annual Ramadan programme in Oro.

OLSTERED by the recent court judgment, the victorious Olugbense ruling house - one of the ruling houses in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State - yesterday urged the government to instal its son, Prince AbdulRauf Adegboyega Keji, as the Olofa of Offa.

An Appeal Court, sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, last week voided the over three years’ rule of Oba Mufutau Mohammadu Gbadamosi, of Anilelerin ruling house, as the Olofa. The sacked monarch has challenged the Appellate Court’s ruling at the apex court.

Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the spokesperson of the Olugbense ruling house, Prince Saka Keji said the Offa stool is vacant.

Keji explained that the enforcement of the Appeal Court judgment by the state government would ensure “peace, justice, fairness, equity and adherence to the principles of the rule of law, which forms the bedrock of democracy”.

He added: “There is no Olofa in Offa until the state government does the needful to enforce the court judgment. This is necessary to ensure that peace continues to reign supreme in Offa.

“We appeal to all Offa sons and daughters at home and in the Diaspora to remain calm, law-abiding and go about their lawful businesses.”

The prince stressed that “the landmark judgment, which ruled that it was the turn of Olugbense ruling house to fill the vacant stool of Olofa of Offa on the demise of Oba Olawore Olanipekun of the Anilelerin ruling house in 2010, has put the Olofa chieftaincy status in proper historical perspective”.

Keji said: “It is astonishing, disgusting and naïve that some uninformed people, out of mischief, have been even suggested that the Olugbense ruling house should allow a sleeping dog to lie and allow perfidy to continue.”

Police warn vehicle owners

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HE Ogun State Police Command have warned owners of accidented and abandoned vehicles parked at State CID, Eleweran, Abeokuta and Atan Divisions to remove them or lose them to members of the public through auction after 14 days of this publication.

They are Volkwagen Passat Salon Car with registration number XB719LES; Paragon bus XA968BDG; Volkswagen bus XN68KRD; Toyota Camry car EW64KJA; Toyota Camry car DW841APP; Toyota Corolla car AL734KSF; Sephia car LX161EKY; Mercedez Benz bus XA707RRT; Mazda 323 car BK507EPE; Honda Accord (ash colour) unregistered; Volkawagen Golf car AQ27EPE; Nissan Almera car unregistered; Volkwagen Golf car CG222GGE; Volkwagen Bora car KWL560AA; Honda Accord car MK790KJA; Nissan Bluebird BL585KRD; Nissan Primera BJ92KTU; Mazda HV412ABC; Four (4) Bajaj motorcycles unregistered, two(2) Honda motorcycles unregistered, Lifan motorcycle QU901KJA and Jincheng motorcycle QJ402AAA.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

59

NEWS Boko Haram chief Shekau’s in-laws arrested Continued from page 4

check the activities of oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta, restoration of peace in the Plateau as well as tackling armed banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes confronting our country. Let us look at the achievements and developments at these other on-going operations.”

The Defence spokesman said the Special Forces had complied with the rule of engagement and they are now enjoying much cooperation from the civilian populace.

He said: “As relative peace gradually returns to the affect-

ed states, peace and confidence building mechanism have been put in place to consolidate on the modest achievement.

“One of the gains of the confidence building process is that civilian populace are now not only willing to volunteer information on suspected individuals in their vicinity but are prepared to get physically involved in apprehending them. Defence Headquarters Assessment teams who visited the states observed increased commercial activities as banks, markets and other public places have been opened and in business.

“The forces in this operation

are quite conversant with the rules of engagement. Constant monitoring is ongoing to ensure there is no violation and where there is, to instantly investigate and punish perpetrators.

“Nigerians and our friends abroad must realise that the security operations were necessitated by the need to secure and restore the rights of Nigerian citizens who were being abused by the activities of terrorists.

“The terrorists have not only violated Nigeria’s sovereignty, they have committed mindless atrocities against citizens and there is no way such abuse, lawlessness and hate ideology could

be encouraged or allowed to continue.

“While the forces will remain accountable, the prying eyes of various activists should equally focus on the unending and condemnable atrocities of terrorists rather than desperately trying to play to the gallery by seeking evidence to indict the forces of non-existent human rights abuses. The forces are not on any revenge mission but purely on a mission to restore law and order.”

Although Olukolade praised the press for its understanding, he faulted some foreign reports on the Special Operation.

Court of Appeal affirms Umeh as APGA chair

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HIEF Victor Umeh is the chair of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Court of Appeal, sitting in Enugu, confirmed yesterday.

There was tumultuous jubilation within the premises of the court as Umeh’s supporters sang and danced as soon as the judgment filtered out of the courtroom.

Many of the supporters of the former factional chairman, Chief Maxi Okwu in the court premises immediately switched support for Umeh. Some of them started removing the Tee-shirts given to them by Okwu which they wore

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From Chris Oji, Enugu

to court.

The appelate court quashed the judgment of the Enugu State High Court delivered by the State Chief Judge, Justice Innocent Umezulike on February 8. That judgment sacked the entire National Working Committee of APGA on the grounds that their tenure expired in 2010.

In a lead judgment delivered by Justice Tom Yakubu, the appellate court granted all the four reliefs sought by the applicant (Umeh) and resolved all the issues set out for determination in his favour. Justices Paul Galinje

(Chairman) and Modupe Kwasami associated themselves with the judgment.

Justice Yakubu dismissed all the objections raised by the respondent, Jude Okuli, against the appeal saying the lower court had no jurisdiction ab initio to entertain the case brought before it, since according to him, the plaintiff having been expelled by his state chapter from the party, had no locus standi to institute the action.

He said that even if Okuli was not expelled from the party, he was neither a contestant for the position of National Chairman or a member of the NWC whose interest may be affected if Umeh re-

mains in office.

On Okuli’s expulsion from the party, the court frowned at the decision of the lower court restoring him as a member of the party when he (Okuli) had in his affidavit admitted that he was expelled from the party, stressing that the trial judge went beyond his powers in granting a relief not sought by the plaintiff.

“The court must concern itself to the issues submitted to it by parties, the judgment of the lower court smacks of a sympathizer weeping more than the bereaved and the court is not suppose to be a Father Christmas or a charitable organization.”

First Lady sues for peace in Rivers State

ORRIED by the crisis in Rivers State, First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan yesterday called on all actors in the crisis to sheath their swords in the interest of the innocent citizens in the state.

In a statement issued by her Special Assistant on Media, Ayo Osinlu, the First Lady noted that the poor including women and children always bear the consequences of such impasse.

She also warned the political heavyweights in the state

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

not to allow the crisis to be hijacked by miscreants and hoodlums.

The statement reads: “This office wishes to call on all feuding parties in Rivers State to spare a thought for the social, political and economic costs of the crisis, and consider an urgent way to resolve all political differences.”

“It is our position that the greater consequences of the impasse is, as usual, reserved

for the poor, the weak and the vulnerable, especially women and children, who are usually innocent bystanders in all these.”

“This derives naturally from the saying that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”

She went on: “On a larger scale, we subscribe to the fact that conflicts and violence are the most lethal threats to peace, which itself is the irreducible minimum condition for development.”

“The situation must there-

fore not be allowed to degenerate to a level that can be hijacked by miscreants and hoodlums, thus exposing everyone to insecurity from which there may be no easy escape.”

“We therefore call on elders of the state to position themselves appropriately in the circumstances, and continue to seek the highest good of Rivers state and its people, by stone-walling the activities of the few who would rather fan little embers into a consuming inferno.”

Nigeria under fire for hosting al-Bashir Continued from page 4

a state party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, having ratified the Statute in September 2001. Under Article 87, the ICC Prosecutor can refer a state party that refuses to cooperate with a request from the ICC to the Assembly of States Parties or, where the Security Council referred the matter to the Court as in this case, to the Security Council.”

The organization said: “President Omar Al-Bashir is currently in Abuja attending a conference. SERAP notes that the International Criminal Court already issued two arrest warrants for Omar Al-Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. The warrants, issued in 2009 and 2010, charge him with criminal responsibility on 10 counts, including murder, extermination, forcible transfer of population, torture and rape.”

But Minister of Foreign Af-

fairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, yesterday said al-Bashir is in Nigeria at the instance of the AU. He said Nigeria has no choice than to remain committed to the decision of the AU. Ashiru, who spoke with our correspondent from Brazil, said: “Remember AU in 2009 passed a resolution not to cooperate with the ICC on indictment of President Al Bashir.

“He is therefore not in Nigeria at our instance. Nigeria’s commitment to AU remains firm.”

The 2009 Resolution of the AU reads: “[The AU] decides that in view of the fact that a request of the African Union [to defer al-Bashir’s indictment] has never been acted upon, the AU member states shall not co-operate pursuant to the provisions of Article 98 of the Rome Statute of the ICC relating to immunities for the arrest and surrender of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to the ICC.”

Amaechi raises panel on House crisis

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IVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi last night inaugurated a nine-man commission of inquiry on the July 9 and 10 crisis in the House of Assembly.

The commission is to submit its report on or before October 15.

A serving Judge of the Rivers State Judiciary, Justice Biobele Georgewill, is the Chairman of the commission, with Baribura Gbaragbo, Goddy Agbaraosimini, Iboroma Ak-

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

pana, Ejike Iwediba, Desmond WOsu (ithe Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State University Science and Technology (RSUST), Port Harcourt), as members.

But Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Felix Obuah said: “Amaechi cannot be a judge in his own case. Amaechi is a principal suspect in the matter.”

Group seeks end of money-politics

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N a bid to help restore dignity in the electoral system and give voice to the voiceless, a non-governmental organisation, Egbe Alatunto (The Reformers) will hold a one-day seminar on the theme: Implication of Money in Politics.

A statement signed by the group said it will hold tomorrow at the Standard Ho-

tels, 3/5 Ifelodun Street, Ilasamaja, Mushin, Lagos by 10am.

The organisers said the seminar aims to change “relations of power that have brought about poverty, underdevelopment, destruction of our value system and a clan of selfish and corrupt leadership through education.”

Your Sexual Health & You: Novelty Tips, Questions & Answers

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THE NATION TUESDAY JULY 16, 2013

NEWS Two ‘Wike supporters quit’

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From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

HE 17 councillors of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, hitherto loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, are now divided.

Two of the councillors- Linda Wali (Ward 16) and Ndamati Onunwo (Ward 8)- have joined the camp of Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).

The 15 others, led by the leader of the Legislative Council, Henry Odum, at a briefing yesterday in Port Harcourt, declared that Wike remained their leader and they would continue to support him and President Goodluck Jonathan.

Odum said: “Quite unfortunately, two of our colleagues (Wali and Onunwo) have sold out. They could not stand firm as representatives of their people. Onunwo is a member of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Both of them have been bought over.

“Initially, we were working together. Wali and Onunwo suddenly decided to abandon the cause and join Amaechi.

Truth shall prevail. We want justice to be done. We will soon be vindicated.”

The councillors described the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers- Michael Okechukwu Chinda (Obio/Akpor II constituency), Kelechi Godspower Nwogu (Omuma), Evans Bipi (Ogu/ Bolo), Martins Amewhule (Obio/Akpor I) and Victor Ihunwo (Port Harcourt III)- as heroes of democracy, urging them not to be deterred.

Mini-convention divides Southwest PDP

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HE crisis rocking the Southwest Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has escalated, following the inability of the six troubled chapters in Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti to agree on consensus candidacy for the national offices zoned to the region.

The Zonal Caretaker Committee, led by Chief Ishola Finani has been mobilising the chieftains to support consensus candidates for the National Vice Chairman (Southwest), National Secretary and National Auditors in the spirit of reconciliation.

However, there have been discordant tunes as forces opposed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo are plotting to edge out his loyalists from the residual intra-party

•Lagos chapter rejects Oladipo as Acting Secretary

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Group Political Editor

elections.

Also, the former National Secretary, Brig-General Olagunsoye Oyinlola (rtd), is said to be angry with the party for denying him sympathy, following the release of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) report, which did not fault his election in the last controversial convention.

The former Osun State governor is in court seeking the revalidation of his election.

However, there are moves by some chieftains to raise another candidate for the slot at the proposed mini-convention. Sources said that

Oyinlola may seek a court injunction restraining the Convention Committee chaired by Senator Jerry Gana from holding new election into the office of the National Secretary, pending the determination of his suit.

Ahead of the convention, the Lagos State chapter has dissociate itself from the purported Southwest meeting, where Prof. Wale Oladipo was nominated to replace Dr. Remi Akintoye as the Acting National Secretary.

Its Publicity Secretary Gani Taofeek, said the Acting National Secretary was endorsed by the Party’s National Executive Council (NEC), adding that Oladipo’s

nomination amounted to a betrayal of leadership.

He said: “The present occupier of the seat of the Acting National Secretary was endorsed by the NEC. The NEC is a higher authority than the Zonal Executive Committee. This hierarchy of authority must be understood by all. Taking actions outside the decisions of the NEC would be tantamount to making ultra vires decisions and Lagos PDP cannot be part of this”.

Urging the PDP National Executive Committee to discountenance Oladipo’s nomination, the Publicity Secretary said that it would further create crisis in the zone.

Eight killed in cult clash

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IGHT persons may have died in a clash between two cult groupsIcelanders and Greenlandersin Asarama community in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

It was gathered that the clash took place at the funeral of an indigene, Patience Owen.

A joint statement by the Paramount Ruler of Asarama, Appolus Nteijab; the Chairman of Asarama Divisional Council of Chiefs, Ubonile Francis Abadi and

From Clarice Azuatalam, Port Harcourt

the Chairman of Asarama Community Development Committee (CDC), Ndeendeng Atagwung, called on “ the government and the police to strengthen security in the area”.

They asked that a police station and men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) be stationed there to prevent a recurrence.

Police spokesperson Angela Agabe said she was not aware of the incident.

Legogie for burial on Saturday

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From Osemwengie Ben Ogbemudia, Benin

HE funeral of the late Senator Albert Legogie has been fixed for July 18 to 20.

There will be a requiem mass at his home, 27 Ruben Agho Road, Benin City, the Edo State capital on Thursday.

The deceased’s eldest daughter, Jennifer, said there would be lying-in-state at the High Court of Justice, where a memorial service would be held on Friday.

The body will be interred on July 20.

• Hundreds of people who defected from from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ise /Orun Local Government in Ise-Ekiti...yesterday

Policeman ‘beats up’ traffic official

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FFICIALS of the Edo State Traffic Management Agency yesterday left their duty post, following an attack by a policeCHANGE OF NAME NUMAWON I, formerly known and addressed as NUMAWON SAMUEL BABATUNDE now wish to be known and addressed as AMOSU SAMUEL BABATUNDE. All former documents remain valid.

Badagry Local Government, Lagos State Civil Service Commission and general public should take note.

MISSING TITLE DOCUMENT This is to inform the general Public that the original Title document for our property at No 20 Aloba Street Ebutte-Metta registered as Yinus Sumade Alao is missing.

If found, pls 07039409021.

For the Family Abiodun Alao.

call

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

man on one of their colleagues.

The EDSTMA officials were also annoyed that their boss, Sunday Nosa Aideyan, allowed the policeman to take the colleague away after the attack.

One of the workers, who pleaded for anonymity, said the plain-cloth policeman disobeyed traffic laws and was chased by officials, who stopped him at Okhoro Junction on New Lagos Road.

The worker said: “The policeman disobeyed traffic laws. Our men caught him at Okhoro Junction and he did not identify himself. He just brought out a stick and hit one of them on the head.

“Our oga was there; he did not do anything that was why we left. The policeman took our colleague away. Everybody was annoyed.”

LOSS OF DOCUMENT This is to inform the general public that the Nigerian International Passport No. A03425824 Issued to AJI BECKY DEZUNGWEN PILORGET, James Ishor Close, GRA Gboko, Benue State. All effor to trace it prove abortive.

Any person with useful information of this should contact: 08160729742

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Akinrinade calls for national conference

HE Nigerian civil war settled nothing so Nigerians should convoke an assembly to discuss and settle the country’s problems, Lt.-Genl Alani Akinrinade, a retired Chief of Army Staff and civil war hero has said.

He spoke with top editors, led by Sam Omatseye, the Editorial Board Chairman of The Nation.

Gen. Akinriande said most of the problems that caused the civil war were still around today, under different names, echoing the title of Brig-Gen. Godwin Alabi-Isama’s Civil War memoirs: The Tragedy of Victory, to be presented to the

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By Olakunle Abimbola

public on July 18.

“I think that we have been a bit negligent,” he told the editors in the corroborative interview to confirm some claims by Gen. Alabi-Isama, who was his colleague at the Third Marine Commando sector of the war.

The Civil War raged from 1967 till 1970.

“We should have taken stock of what factors caused the war, dissected them one by one, and sit down to resolve them so that such problems never happen again,” he said.

“It is better we sit down and

really resolve this problem in the interest of everybody.

Let’s recognise the problems that we have in the country.”

He recalled the death of Isaac Adaka Boro, the Niger Delta folk hero and leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force. The group was the first to highlight federal attention to the region’s environmental challenge and concluded that the cause for which Boro died, after he helped to capture Port Harcourt for the federal troops, had not been realised.

“What Boro stood for, we have refused to address till tomorrow. But if we don’t address these issues,” he

warned, “Nigeria is not going to go very far.”

Gen. Akinrinade predicted that the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency would not solve the Niger Delta problem anymore than the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidency solved the Yoruba problem.

“Well, I’m sorry for them,” he said of the Niger Delta political elite. “All they do now is to want to hold the Presidency, which the Yoruba held for eight years and were worse for it. When they hold it for eight years,” he warned, “they would also be worse off for it.”

•Full text of the interview will be published tomorrow.

One injured in PHCN workers’ clash in Edo

NE person was injured yesterday in a clash between members of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Staff and the National Union of Electricity Employees.

Both are workers’ unions in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

The clash led to a blackout in some parts of Benin City, the Edo State capital and its environs as PHCN offices were locked.

Customers, who visited the offices, were told that

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

there was a strike.

The clash between NUEE and SSAEAS occurred at the headquarters of the Benin Zone as members of SSAEAS insisted on resuming duty.

Security was strengthened around the premises to prevent destruction of property as the office was locked by NUEE. Branch President of SSAEAS Chris Egunyanga said one of their members was injured while they prevented NUEE from locking the office.

Egunyanga said they were not part of the issues NUEE has with the PHCN management.

He said: “We don’t have any problem. Our sister union said it has issues with the management here. The members came here last Thursday, drove our members out of the office and told them not to come to work today.

“On our part, we saw it as an affront and told them if they have issues, they can engage management but they should not involve our members. We are not part of

the issue they have with the management. We want to work but they said we should not work.”

NUEE’s General Secretary Joseph Ndem said the fracas ensued because SSAEAS stopped them from locking up the office.

He accused the senior staff and management of holding secret meetings with the new investor without informing NUEE. PHCN’s Public Affairs Manager Babatunde Fadipe said the management would not interfere in the issue between both unions.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2013 CITYBEATS LINE: 07059022999

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CITYBEATS

Actress Funke Akindele's marriage crashes

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BOUT 14 months after movie star Funke Akindele’s wedding, the marriage seems to have crashed.

Her husband, Alhaji Kehinde Almoroof Oloyede, announced their seperation on facebook yesterday.

Funke could not be reached for comments as all her phones were switched off.

Her elder sister and spokeperson Ayo-Ola Muhammed promised to react to the matter officially and at the appropriate time.

Announcing their separation, Oloyede said: "It is with heavy heart that I am announcing the separation of me and my wife, Olufunke Akindele. We have both agreed to go our separate ways because of irreconcilable differences. We are still best of friends and we would forever remain good friends."

The couple got married on May 26, last year, laying to rest speculations about her relationship with fellow actor Femi Adebayo.

In her late 30s, Funke, popularly called Jenifa, after the title of her hit comedy flick, is one of the actresses in top demand in Nollywood. Reports say she was on a movie location in Warri, Delta State when her husband announced their seperation.

Funke shot into limelight through the rested television drama; I Need to Know, and soon became a prominent Yoruba actress and film producer.

Following the success of

By Mercy Michael

Jenifa, the actress became the toast of producers of English comedy movies who invited her to Asaba, to play alongside comedians like Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme (Aki and Pawpaw); John Okafor, Charles Inojie, Charles Awurum, Victor Osuagwu and Okay Bakasi among others.

Most of the actors and actresses who spoke to The Nation said they were not aware of the break-up. Some said they stopped being close to the actress after she got married.

A source said Funke last week placed some of her properties in her husband’s care before travelling to Delta State.

The source said it would be

shocking if the news is true.

Funke and husband were known to be living separately since they got married last year. Oloyede, who is said to have three other wives, is known to merely visit Funke's apartment occasionally.

A woman was said to have giving birth to Oloyede’s sixth child recently. Another source said this child has led to the couples seperation.

News of the baby came about the same time rumour of Funke's pregnancy went viral on social media. The actress was later said to have had a miscarriage.

Our source noted that the rumour of the break-up could be true "because if the facebook page of Al-moroof was hacked, he could have debunked the statement credited to him."

•The couple during their wedding last year

Ten kidnap suspects paraded

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HIRTY-eight-year-old Adeyinka Jagbojagbo, aka, native doctor, was full of in regrets yesterday. when he was paraded with nine others for alleged kidnapping.

He said he was deceived into making charms for the suspects who allegedly carried out a joint kidnap operation with another gang.

Jagbojagbo said: "I am a native doctor. When they approached me, they said they wanted to join me in serving the god of iron; hence, they wanted me to do protective charms for them. I did not know that they wanted to use them to kidnap human beings. The only paid me N200,000."

The other suspects are: Aduloju Taiwo, 33; Jimoh Olalere, 40; Rotimi Jegede, 25; Michael Sunday, 25; Chigozie Ideh, 32; Kabiru (Jagbojagbo's 30-year-old younger brother); Adeshina Mutiu, 28; Ope Dada, 25, and Ufot Akaniyene, 30.

During their parade at the Command Headquarters, Commissioner of Police Umar Manko, said: "On July 3, Aduloju Taiwo and Jimoh Olalere were arrested in Elemoro area, Ajah, in connection with the abduction of Kingsley Ifeanyi. After their confession at the Special Anti -Robbery Squad (SARS) Scorpion House, GRA, Ikeja, they helped the operatives, led by Superintendent of Police (SP) Abba Kyari, to effect the arrest of the remaining eight members of the gang."

‘I never knew the Chinese victim who paid N8.5 million ... we held Ifeanyi for five days, while the white man was with us for a few days because he paid on time’

By Ebele Boniface

The police chief said they all confessed to the kidnap of Kingsley and Mr Kuang Vingjun, a staff of ZIE Nigeria Limited at 20, Udi Street, Osborne Estate, Ikoyi, adding that they got a ransom of N8.5 million from Vingjun, a Chinese national.

Manko added: "One of the suspects, Ufot, a staff of ZIE, who also resides in the same premises with Vingjun, his boss, confessed to supplying the information that led to his kidnap. He said his share was N700,000."

When the home of the gang's armourer, Michael Sunday, was searched, Manko said, two locallymade double-barrel pistols and 18 live cartridges were

recovered. The hideout used for keeping victims at Epe, he said, was also located and searched.

Taiwo said: "I planned Ifeanyi's kidnap. I am the leader of the two gangs. I am a professional driver. I was invited to arrange the kidnap job. The person that gave me the job said his salary was N15,000 and that he had not been paid for six years. He said he was only being given food and accommodation.

"I got only N2.5million. I did not know the Chinese victim who paid N8.5 million. The second victim paid only N500,000. We held Ifeanyi for five days, while the white man was with us for a few days because he paid on time."

On why they abducted Ifeanyi, he said: "He sells block and he also claimed to be a land speculator. I gave him two lands, but he cheated me by paying me only N1,700,000 for both plots. I organised his kidnap to teach him a lesson. I am the commander of both gangs that formed the joint gang.”

Manko said the suspects would soon be charged to court.

College alumni hold lecture MEMBERS of the Our Lady of Fatima College, Auchi Old Boys Association, Lagos Chapter, are set to hold a lecture and raise N10 million to tackle the problems of the school. It is billed for Satur-

day at the Airport Hotel Ikeja. Their spokesman, Victor Badaiki, said Professor Eddy Erhagbe will be guest speaker, while Chief Ferdinard Orbih is chief launcher.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013

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TODAY IN THE NATION

TUESDAY, JULY 16, 2013 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

‘True friends of Jonathan must tell him to withdraw from his Rivers misadventure. It is a wide and merry way that leads to infamy’ VOL. 8

NO.2,541

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

F

ORMER military president General Ibrahim Babangida’s greatest fear, I gather from some persons who see him from time to time, is that despite his many accomplishments, he will be defined by a single event: the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

That fear would seem to explain why, over the past five years, he has been labouring desperately to re-write the very public record of the crucial events of the time, and to latch on to anything from that era that could soften what is sure to be history’s harsh judgment on him.

Irony of ironies, he has seized the very election he annulled with such brazen casuistry as his path to redemption.

He was back peddling that line the other day, in an interview with ThisDay, on the 20th anniversary of that election.

“Well, it has come and gone,” he said of the poll. “Whatever I feel about it, at least, Nigerians agreed on one thing, that we, the administration, succeeded in holding one of the best and freest elections ever held in this country.”

Then, this: “I can say I feel proud. We may not have achieved the objective but at least, we conducted an election that was not rigged, an election that was not marred by violence, an election that is still being referred to in the country.”

In case he has forgotten, here, in his own words, is what he said in his June 24, 1993, national broadcast justifying the annulment: “ . . . Even before the presidential election, and indeed at the party conventions, we had full knowledge of the bad signals pertaining to the enormous breach of the rules and regulations of democratic elections.

“But because we were determined to keep faith with the deadline of 27th August, 1993 for the return to civil rule, we overlooked the reported breaches. Unfortunately, these breaches continued into the presidential election of June 12, 1993, on an even greater proportion.

“There were allegations of irregularities and other acts of bad conduct leveled against the presidential candidates but NEC went ahead and cleared them. There were proofs as well as documented evidence of widespread use of money during the party primaries as well as the presidential election. These were the same bad conduct for which the party presidential primaries of 1992 were cancelled.

“Evidence available to government put the total amount of money spent by the presidential candidates at over two billion, one hundred million naira (N2.1 billion). The use of money was again the major source of undermining the electoral process.

“Both these allegations and evidence were known to the National Defence and Security Council before the holding of the June 12, 1993 election. The National Defence and Security Council overlooked these areas of problems in its determination to fulfill the prom-

RIPPLES FASHEUN IS MY FATHER –al-Mustapha

..so you are now from ONDO STATE?

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

IBB: A tormented mind at work

•Babangida

ise to hand over to an elected president on due date.

“Apart from the tremendous negative use of money during the party primaries and presidential election, there were moral issues which were also overlooked by the Defence and National Security Council. There were cases of documented and confirmed conflict of interest between the government and both presidential candidates which would compromise their positions and responsibilities were they to become president.”

Then, the coup de grace: “It is true that the presidential election was generally seen to be free, fair and peaceful.

However, there was in fact a huge array of electoral malpractices virtually in all the states of the federation before the actual voting began. There were authenticated reports of the electoral malpractices against party agents, officials of the National Electoral

Commission and also some members of the electorate.

“If all of these were clear violations of the electoral law, there were proofs of manipulations through offer and acceptance of money and other forms of inducement against officials of the National Electoral Commission and members of the electorate.

“There were also evidence of conflict in the process of authentication and clearance of credentials of the presidential candidates. Indeed, up to the last few hours of the election, we continued, in our earnest steadfastness with our transition deadline, to overlook vital facts.”

But Babangida was not done yet.

“For example, following the Council’s deliberation which followed the court injunction suspending the election, majority of members of the National Defence and Security Council supported postponement of the election by one week,” he continued. “This was to allow NEC enough time to reach all the voters, especially in the rural areas, about the postponement.

“But persuaded by NEC that it was capable of relaying the information to the entire electorate within the few hours left before the election, the Council, unfortunately, dropped the idea of shifting the voting day. Now, we know better.

“The conduct of the election, the behaviour of the candidates and post-election responses continued to elicit signals which the nation can only ignore at its peril. It is against the foregoing background that the administration became highly concerned when these political conflicts and breaches were carried to the court.

HARDBALL

W

OLAKUNLE ABIMBOLA

“It must be acknowledged that the performance of the judiciary on this occasion was less than satisfactory. The judiciary has been the bastion of the hopes and liberties of our citizens.

“Therefore, when it became clear that the courts had become intimidated and subjected to the manipulation of the political process, and vested interests, then the entire political system was in clear dangers. This administration could not continue to watch the various high courts carry on their long drawn out processes and contradictory decisions while the nation slides into chaos.

“It was under this circumstance that the National Defence and Security Council decided that it is in the supreme interest of law and order, political stability and peace that the presidential election be annulled. As an administration, we have had special interest and concern not only for the immediate needs of our society, but also in laying the foundation for generations to come.

“To continue action on the basis of the June 12, 1993 election, and to proclaim and swear in a president who encouraged a campaign of divide and rule among our ethnic groups would have been detrimental to the survival of the Third Republic.. . .”

My apologies, reader, for drawing so copiously on Babangida’s broadcast formally announcing and justifying the election annulment. A paraphrase would not have done justice to it, I fear. Nor would it have shown so starkly the irreconcilable differences between Babangida’s 1993 evisceration of the poll in question and his desperate bid to canonize himself for conducting what he now advertises as a model and a signal achievement, if not his crowning glory.

The ThisDay interview raises anew the question: When did Babangida know that the election he denounced so forcefully was indeed “one of the best and freest elections ever held in this country?”

When did it occur to him that it was “an election that was not rigged, an election that was not marred by violence?”

If he came to that judgment before his broadcast and yet annulled the election, history will charge him with perfidy and grand perjury. If he came to it after the broadcast but chose not to correct the record, history will hold him accountable for the tens of thousands who lost life, limb, livelihood and estate in the struggle for the validation of the election.

•For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

al-Mustapha the hero, Kudirat the villain?

HAT a decidedly deleterious end to a 15-year cause; what political, historical and judicial ferment that would emanate from this singular judgment of the Lagos Division of the Appeal Court? To paraphrase Williams Shakespeare, all the elements, including the facts are so mixed (up) in this cause that the heavens would quake at its inglorious finale. If the prosecution was dodgy, the defence was cagey and the bench lackluster in marshalling the majesty of the law. Thus what would have been a landmark pronouncement, a defining moment in Nigeria’s legal history has left us all in a grand quandary that will keep us deliriously busy for a long time yet.

Hamza al-Mustapha, the loquacious Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the late military head of state, General Sani Abacha was on January 30, 2012, sentenced to death by hanging by the Lagos High Court. He was found guilty of the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola on June 4, 1996. Kudirat was the wife of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election and Chief Abiola was in detention for insisting on his mandate when his wife was assassinated in broad daylight in Lagos. But last Friday, July 12, 2013 that verdict of the lower court was upturned by the appellate court which discharged and acquitted al-

Mustapha claiming that it could not find sufficient ground in linking the accused persons with the commission of the crime. Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan, an aide of Kudirat accused of masterminding the killing was also let off the hook.

While Hardball will allow learned folks and judicial experts to chew the legal curds of this intricate matter, it needs noting that the appellate judge was particularly scurrilous and disparaging of the 326-page judgment of the lower court. In what sounded like throwing of tantrums, the appellate judge said: “It was preposterous that a 326-page judgment was only concerned in securing a conviction at all cost..”

It is hard to see the need for so much harsh words and so much berating in upturning the position of the trial court. If the lead appellate judge showed little verbal felicity in discharging her duties what do we make of the Kano State Governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who described al-Mustapha as a hero?

“Hamza al-Mustapha was taken away in 1999 in tattered clothes and in chains under a pitiable situation; but today, he has returned a hero. We have always insisted that he was unjustly held. We felt concerned and decided to be part of justice.” It is curious though not explained, how the governor became ‘part of justice,’ but Kwankwaso’s remark was un-

guarded, insensitive and uncalled for, especially if we consider al-Mustapha’s antecedents as exposed during the trial and at the Oputa Panel.

Though the former Abacha henchman has been acquitted of the death of Kudirat Abiola, he was in the thick of the intrigues surrounding that death and other deaths and near-death like Pa Alfred Rewane, Alhaja Suliat Adedeji and Chief Alex Ibru, to name a few.

Have we forgotten so soon that of season murderous impunity when terror stalked the land with an especial swagger. al-Mustapha was at the helm of that official terror machine and he can neither be acquitted of nor absolved from that. Leaders must show particular sensitivity in public speech. The law of the land may have afforded al-Mustapha a reprieve but the fact is that Kudirat Abiola remains dead, murdered in cold blood on a Lagos highway. Her children are entitled to justice and Kwankwaso, if he were a leader he was truly meant to be, ought to be sensitive to that fact. Finally, no country can deign to make progress if it does not know its heroes and heroines. M.K.O. Abiola died in the struggle for democratic ideals in Nigeria, his wife was murdered, his businesses were ruined and there has not been restitution yet; to describe the chief suspect in the gruesome drama as a hero is for want of another word, regrettable.

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