The Nation June 26, 2012 by The Nation

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Expectant mum, four others electrocuted in Ibadan P10 Yakubu Ayegbeni to hit China for N1.5b club deal P24 Court orders N/Assembly to disclose lawmakers’ pay P6 www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

VOL. 7, NO. 2168 TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

N150.00

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (in bow tie), One Day Governor Miss Lilian Ogbuefi (in cap) and members of her executive council at the Governor’s Office, Alausa...yesterday. Behind them are Attorney-General Ade Ipaye (in glasses) and other officials. Story on page 8 PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

NEC raises excess crude account to $10b

Jonathan on security: more heads to roll •Boko Haram could split Nigeria, Mark warns

From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

O protect the economy from persistent global crises, the National Economic Council (NEC) has approved a management process for the $1billion Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). The council also approved increase of the Excess Crude Account to $10billion from the present $5.3billion. This is to provide at least a three-month buffer protection for the economy from the mounting uncertainty of Continued on page 2

•Dr. Jonathan

ECURITY remained on the front burner yesterday, with the President telling Nigerians that this country is “in a trying period”. He pleaded that the stifling situation should not be politicised. The reorganisation and repositioning in the security agencies will continue, he said.

From Onyedi Ojiabor and Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

Dr Goodluck Jonathan spoke at the opening of Senate 2012 Retreat, with the theme: “The National Assembly and National Security: Securing the Future for Development” in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. The President has just re-

moved National Security Adviser (NSA) Andrew Azazi and Defence Minister Haliru Mohammed Bello. The Uyo ceremony was well attended, with Senators chatting and pumping hands. Senate President David Mark seemed to have set Continued on page 2

Jonathan under attack over assets declaration P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan was under attack yesterday over his decision not to make public his assets. The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) and the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) rejected the President’s stand on the issue. To the CPC, Dr. Jonathan is not being “honourable” by his action. The President, during his “Media Chat” on Sunday night, said, when asked why he was yet to declare publicly his assets: “I don’t give a damn about that. The law is clear about it and so, making it public is

WHO SAID WHAT

What is unmistakably clear is that the President’s demeanour on this issue of assets declaration leaves many unanswered questions. Is the President not willing to transparently deal with Nigerians? —CPC By Emmanuel Oladesu, Joseph Jibueze, Kamardeen Ogundele, Eric Ikhilae and Gbenga Omokhunu

no issue and I will not play into the hands of the people. I have nothing to hide. “I declared (assets publicly) under

Under our existing laws, it is not mandatory for any public official to declare their assets publicly; that is why some of us have been calling for an amendment of the law —Yusuf Ali

the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua because he did it, but it is not proper. I could be investigated when I leave office. “You don’t need to publicly declare it and it is a matter of principle. It is not the President declaring as-

With this move, Nigerians will no longer trust their President who should be willing to declare his assets even without any push by Nigerians as a good example —ANPP

sets that will change the country.” The CPC, in a statement, accused President Jonathan of not being honourable. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Rotimi Fashakin, in a statement, said: “The Presidency

feathers the nest of unending corruption in Nigeria. “For the avoidance of any doubt, the Fifth schedule, Part1, 11(1) of the 2010 Constitution (as amended) Continued on page 2

•COURT HALTS RENAMING OF UNILAG P56 •GOVERNORS SEEK STATE POLICE P6

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS NEC raises excess crude account to $10b Continued from page 1

•Globacom’s acting Head of Marketing Adeniyi Olukoya, flanked by Richard Morse Head of Strategy and Innovation (right) and Sales Director, Mike Sidwell, at the launch of Glo Gista, a new pocket friendly tariff plan, in Lagos…yesterday

Jonathan on security: more heads to roll Continued from page 1

the tone for the conviviality. He told the gathering that bombings by the Islamist sect, Boko Haram would not stop the government’s programmes. To Dr Jonathan, it is “unfortunate” that politics has become a major source of insecurity as shown in the “do-ordie politics” of some politicians. He particularly referred to “bitter and inflammatory statements emanating from some politicians”, which “have recent times in the history of this country consumed thousands of innocent lives”. “Now is the time for us to

reclaim our prosperity. We must not play politics with everything particularly on sensitive matters of National Security,” said the President, adding: “This is a trying period for all of us. Nigerians deserve a country that is peaceful and secure. “As elected leaders, our primary responsibility is to protect all our citizenry and those who come here to work and visit. “As food security is necessary, we want national security. We are committed to fiscal responsibility and consolidation. “We recognised that we have several challenges, including

terrorism, which undermines our national security. “The Senate needs a body of all political parties to work to elevate national security above politics. “We have experienced militancy in the oil producing areas in the South, kidnapping and cyber crimes in our country. “Unfortunately, politics has become a major source of insecurity as evidenced in the do-or-die politics of some politicians. “The root cause of this menace is weak moral foundations, poverty, dirty politics, poor governance, unemployment and fanatism. “Whatever may be the cause,

the solution lies in stronger union.” The President went philosophical. He said: “If God didn’t will it, we will not be together today as a country of Christians, Moslems and traditionalists. “If God didn’t will it, we will not be together as people of ethnic groups. If God didn’t will it, we will not be Nigerians of today. “Our unity is the will of God. Those who want to weaken us use axes but we’ve refused to be weakened. “Let us unite to defeat the forces of darkness. Let us unite to prosper. We must work Continued on page 4

the global economy. Vice President Namadi Sambo presided at the meeting at the Presidential Villa Abuja. The NEC is the highest decision making body on the economy, made up of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), minister of finance, minister of National Planning and the minister of Justice and Attorney General of the federation. Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi said after listening to the Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Council made recommendations which include the need to boost the Excess Crude Account from $5.3billion to $10billion to protect the economy from uncertainty. The council also threw its weight behind President Goodluck Jonathan’s plan to appoint members of the SWF board of directors including the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer. Other officers listed for appointment according to Amaechi who was accompanied to the briefing by Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime, Kogi State Governor Captain Idris Wada and Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamusideen Usman, are the executive and non-executive directors. The council which noted that the economy is in good standing however pointed out the need for more judicious borrowing and applica-

tion of funds by different levels of government. He said: “The Council considered a presentation by the Finance minister and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy (CME) Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on the Implementation Update on the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Athority (NSIA) as well as the need to protect Nigeria’s economy from the persisting global economic crisis. Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr (Mrs) Precious Gbeneol, briefed the meeting on the N20.5 billion and N15 billion MDGs Fund for 2012, available to states and local governments. The funds, meant for development projects is only accessible upon fulfilment of specified conditions including funds and bank guarantee bond. The council enjoined states and LGAs to take maximum advantage of the fund by meeting the set conditions so as to access as much as N500 million per state. Minister of Water Resources Mrs Sarah Ochekpe presented the report of the InterMinisterial inspection of the Federal Government water projects numbering about 111 and spread across the country. The report stated that N191.7 billion is required to complete the projects. After consideration, Ameachi said Council stressed the need for all ongoing projects to be completed to achieve meaningful development.

Jonathan under attack over assets declaration Continued from page 1

states thus: “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, every public Officer shall within three months after the coming into force of this Code of Conduct or immediately after taking office and thereafter – (a) At the end of every four years; and (b) At the end of his term of office, submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau a written declaration of all his properties, assets, and liabilities and those of his unmarried children under the age of 18 years. “It is also with grave concern that we view the assertion by the President that as Vice President to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he was forced to declare his assets against his desire. Should this mean that this President is not principled otherwise he ought to have resigned his appointment if he was forced to act against his desire? “What is unmistakably clear is that the President’s demeanour on this issue of asset declaration leaves many unanswered questions: •Is the President of the nation now selecting which provision(s) of the Constitution he will comply with when, in fact, he swore to defend the law of the land? •Is the President’s unwillingness to declare his assets, more than four years after he did so in 2007, NOT frustrating efforts to rationally assess the net increase of his assets since commencement of his service at the nation’s presi-

Assets declaration… Jonathan’s step backward

Y the contemplation of the 1999 Constitution, the President is regarded as the conscience of the country and father of the nation. He is expected to act as an elder statesman, with eyes focused on the future, rather than narrow interim and partisan benefits. In all circumstances, he is expected to lead by example. It is within this context that the constitutional provision on declaration of assets by public officers could best be understood. Section 153 of the Constitution establishes a Code of Conduct Bureau to ensure, among other things, that all public officers, as defined in Part II of the Fifth Schedule, declare their assets on assuming office and immediately their terms of office expire Paragraph Three of Part 1 (A) of the Third Schedule, empowers the Bureau to receive declarations made by all public officers, examine same and keep them in custody. Paragraph 3(C) says the Bureau shall have the power to “retain custody of such declarations and make them available for inspection by any citizen of Nigeria on such terms and conditions as the National Assembly may prescribe.” The Bureau is also charged with the responsibility of ensuring compliance with provisions of the law and referring offenders to the Code of Conduct Tribunal. President Goodluck Jonathan had told a bewildered nation in his media chat on Sunday that making public his assets and liabilities on assumption of office is opdency? •Should the President still be trusted in championing the fight against corruption and lack of probity in public office? •Is the President not willing to transparently deal with Nigerians who showed faith in

ANALYSIS By Bolade Omonijo, Group Political Editor

tional and “personal”. He said: “The Law is very clear about it and so, making it public is no issue and I will not play into the hands of the people…I declared (assets publicly) under late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua because he did it, but it is not proper…You don’t need to publicly declare it and it is a matter of principle.” Listening to the President and reading him in print thereafter, it was difficult to understand the matter of principle the President referred to. He may be right in saying the letters of the Law could be exploited to avoid making the declaration public, but, if his predecessor chose to advance the cause of morality, it is hardly defensible that the President, who served as Vice President under the administration and thus followed suit then, has now decided to settle for very narrow interpretation of the Law unless he is suggesting that so doing would be in violation of the grundnorm. Since the noble step taken by the late President Yar’Adua, first as governor of Katsina State, and secondly as President, some governors have followed suit, voluntarily. Governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo, for example, elected at assumption of office to make open

him by giving him their mandate? •Is he publicly spurning the path of probity that his late boss charted for him? •Is the President above the law of the land? •Should this explain why

their declaration. The President is expected to drive the process. Contrary to the President’s contention that “it is not the President declaring his assets that will change the country”, at a time that the whole world has come to associate Nigeria with corruption, taking such a step would have made a loud statement about his commitment to stamping out the menace. As it is now, the late President Yar’Adua took one step forward, but Dr. Jonathan has taken many backward by his action. In a country where the spirit of the law is considered stronger and more binding than the letters, the President’s action would be considered as retrogressive. This is a time that conventions and traditions are being established. President Jonathan has broken what would have been a good precedence. Why does the Constitution insist that all public officers should declare their assets? Why does the Constitution empower citizens, even when it is not made public, to freely apply for such declaration? Why is the citizen invested with the duty of vetting the declaration, and where he observes discrepancy, encouraged to petition the Bureau? How would he have the details, if it is not made available to all? The President should, in the interest of the country, reconsider his position and join those who have chosen to look beyond sheer legalism.

more horrendous and monumental fraud incidents have occurred in this regime’s life so far more than any other dispensation in the Nation’s history? •Should it be accepted that corruption and opacity in gov-

ernance are integral part of the modus operandi of this Presiden-

cy? •If indeed the President has become an Avatar that cannot be subjected to obeying the law of the land, should there be any expectation that he can be lawfully voted out of office?” “These and many more are the posers for discerning minds. The portent of the President’s persistent refusal to declare his assets are too grave for the salubrious well-being of the Nigerian polity. We call on well-meaning Nigerians to unreservedly condemn this latest insensitivity by the nation’s ruler,” the CPC said. ANPP National Publicity Secretary Emma Eneukwu said: “it is now clear that Jonathan is encouraging corruption.” “It is very wrong for President Jonathan to object to declaring his assets. This further shows that Jonathan is leading by bad example. This is the President who promised to lead with the Rule of Law and preaches transparency. We are disappointed. As an opposition party, we view this development as a failure on the part of government. “Nigerians, by this move, will no longer trust their President who should be willing to declare his assets even without any push by Nigerians as a good example to other political office holders. But it is unContinued on page 60

CORRECTION In the caption of the photograph on page 9 of yesterday’s edition; Rt. Rev. (not Rev.) Christopher Omotunde was enthroned (not newly ordained) as the Bishop of the Diocese of Ekiti, Anglican Communion.

ADVERT HOTLINES: 01-280668, 08070591302, 08052592524 NEWSROOM: LAGOS – 01-8962807, ABUJA – 07028105302 COMPLAINTS: 01-8930678

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS SENATE RETREAT

•From right: Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe and others at the retreat.... yesterday

More heads to roll Continued from page 2 together to achieve our national security objectives. “Although our system of brotherliness rests on separation of powers among the three arms of government, this principle doesn’t call for working in silence. It calls for synergy and modality of purpose. “Our country has walked a difficult road since our independence in 1960 but make no mistake Nigeria is moving forward.” On corruption, he noted that governance requires that the government must continue to tackle the menace at all levels. The President noted that the executive and legislative arms of the government must continue to work together to fight corruption. Jonathan said the government has over the past one year intensified the security system and has carefully studied the activities of terrorists around the continent. He stressed that no challenge is too difficult when leaders cooperate, adding: “I believe through the support of our legislature we will bring the menace of Boko Haram to an end.” Jonathan urged the National Assembly to review laws that would make it easier to track down terrorists and duly punish them. On budget, he said that national budget should always be seen as Nigerian budget and not executive budget. He noted that it was only when annual budget was seen as a fiscal estimate meant to better the lives of Nigerians that its implementation would be easy. He said: “I want to appeal to the National Assembly, we don’t need to quarrel over the budget; the budget is for Nigeria.” Mike identified Boko Haram (Western education is sin) insurgency as a major security challenge. Mark warned that if care was not taken to confront Boko Haram, the sect’s activities might lead the country to break up. He said: “The question is, ‘can elders in the North solve this menace? If they can’t, let them say so. Because the impression the government is getting is that there are some groups of elders who can solve the problem. “I think it is proper for them to come out to solve the problem because Nigeria has to be one for others to exist. “The way the Boko Haram exercise is going at the moment, God forbid, it may result into the break-up of this country because people will not take it for too long. I called on the elders to come out frankly and assist to solve the problem.”

He went on: “How long will the people wait? There is limit to patience, even when it is stated that vengeance is of God”. Mark insisted that government programmes must continue, despite increasing terrorist activities. “Once you stop carrying out your programme, then the terrorists have succeeded. Government programme, must go on as designed. “If Mr. President is to visit Borno State tomorrow, he must visit it. He mustn’t stop because of Boko Haram,” said the Senate President, adding: “If Mr. President is to visit Port Harcourt tomorrow, he must make that visit because the moment the terrorists stop you from accomplishing any government programme then they have succeeded and we don’t want them to succeed. “The consequences of Boko Haram at the moment are so numerous. There is already mass movement on regional basis, which is not good for this country. “It is also promoting ethnic, religious conflicts, which are also not good for this country.” The Senate President lamented that underdevelopment in the north has become “very” obvious. His words: “Already, people are saying the North is not developed and now with Boko Haram; will that add to the development in the North? The answer is no; we are shooting ourselves in the foot.” Mark urged the government to direct its searchlight to how terrorists are funded and where their training is being carried out. But noted that the solution to Boko Haram now is that “we must dialogue with the group”. But he insisted that the sect must make their leaders known “because government cannot dialogue with a faceless group.” According to him, if leaders of Boko Haram come out today for the dialogue, “they will not be arrested because we need to know the people behind them”. Mark said that the fact that leaders of the sect have refused to come out for dialogue is because they know what they are doing is evil. He said: “We must revisit the current law on terrorism. We must seek external support and cooperation. “We shouldn’t be ashamed to do so because if we can’t handle the situation we need to seek support. “All over the world, there is cooperation. Britain is cooperating with America; Israel is cooperating America on terrorism. So, we cannot be an Island on our own.” He said, “The problem we have in this country today is Boko Haram as far as security is concerned. “People have stated the causes of the action of the Boko Haram sect.

•President Goodluck Jonathan (right), Senate President David Mark (middle), Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Senate Victor Ndoma-Egba (standing) at the retreat in Uyo.... yesterday

•Speaker Aminu Tambuwal flanked by Governor Godswill Akpabio and Sultan Abubakar Sa’ad...yesterday

•From left: Senators Gbenga Ashafa, Jide Omoworare and Babafemi Ojudu... yesterday

“They say it is poverty. To me, poverty is not the reason. If every poor man decides to be a suicide bomber, Nigeria’s safety would not exist. “Secondly, people have said it is

lack of education; I agreed, but we cannot overcome that overnight. “Government has taken the right steps in educating the almajaris in the North. We have agreed that the almajaris must be properly educated.

“When we talk of unemployment; again when everybody that is unemployed decides to become a suicide bomber, who is going to remain and how many people are going to be employed?”

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS SEGUN OLUSOLA (1935 - 2012)

Akingbola didn’t benefit from transactions, says witness

LAGOS High Court, Ikeja yesterday heard that the former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Dr. Erastuc Akingbola did not benefit from the transaction for which he is being tried. Mr. Thomas Ayodele, who is the second defence witness made this clarification before Justice Habeeb Abiru. Akingbola and an associate, Bayo Dada, were charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing N47.1 billion belonging to the bank. Ayodele, a former manging director of Intercontinental Capital Markets Limited(ICML) who was led in evidence by Akingbola‘s counsel, Mr. Deji Sasegbon(SAN), said the N2.1billion transaction involving ICML and Regal Investment Company Limited was done with the approval of the board. He said: “On March 10, 2009, Dr, Raymond Obieri, the chairman of Regal sent us a request that we should transfer some money, N2.1 billion for the company. After we received the request, we examined the financial viability and the integrity of the client and sent a memo to the board for approval. The placement was approved by the board before the transaction was made.” Ayodele said ICML later wrote to Intercontinental Bank to increase its

By Adebisi Onanuga

placement funds from N2 billion to N5.5 billion to enable it carry out the transaction. He said: “it was a normal practice for us to ask the bank to increase our placements whenever we have such big transactions involving our clients.” He said the N2.1 billion, which the bank gave to ICML was repaid in June, 2009. Sasegbon tendered a copy of the letter sent by Regal Investment and the memo of approval from the ICML board, which were admitted as exhibits by the court. Ayodele told the court that two Skye Bank cheques totaling N2.5 billion were issued by Chart Well Securities in favour of ICML, which were paid into the account of Tropics. He said: “We needed to lodge cheques into the accounts of our clients and not Tropics alone, to make it look as if they were performing. After the year-end audit, we reverted the transactions. No customer is aware of such transactions but it is a common practice by the banks. The first accused person did not benefit from the transaction because he was not even aware of it.” The matter was adjourned till today.

•Veteran actor Justus Esiri, Mr. Aina Scott, Dr. Christopher Kolade and Aderonke Ajibulu Olusola during the condolence visit to the family of the late Chief Segun Olusola...yesterday PHOTOS: SOLOMON ADEOLA

EFCC: Atuche did not cover up any loan By Adebisi Onanuga

LAGOS High Court, Ikeja presided by Justice Lateefa Okunnu was told yesterday that the former Managing Director of Bank PHB (now keystone Bank) Mr. Francis Atuche did not cover up any loan. A prosecution witness, Mr. David Olom Nkpe, a field detective in the bank fraud investigative department of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said Atuche they found the loans in the books of the bank but as non performing loans. Nkpe was being cross examined by Atuche’s counsel, Mr Anthony Idigbe (SAN). He said he is not aware that anything was done by the defendant to cover up the loans. Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth and the former Chief Financial Officer in the bank, Ugo Anyanwu are standing trial over allegations of stealing N27.5 billion belonging to the bank by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) He said he was not aware whether or not the loans were ratified by the board. Nkpe told the court that he was told by another witness, Phillippa Ulasi, during their interview with her, that the loans were not tendered at the board. The witness confirmed that some of the cheques tendered as exhibits in court were signed by one of the prosecution witnesses, Mrs. Elizabeth Ebi, the Chief Executive of Futureviews Limited He confirmed that the cheques were part of the proceeds of the loan that formed the charge for which Atuche is standing trial. Further hearing continues today.

•Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi signing the condolence register at the late Olusola’s residence...yesterday

Residents flee Damaturu

NE week after the explosions and gun attacks that rocked Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, more residents have continued to flee the metropolis to other states and local government areas in the state. Several vehicles loaded with goods and people were moving out of the Yobe capital to various destinations. Business activities have been picking up with some shops and business premises opening up, while customers rush to buy food items and other household needs. Some of the customers said they were

buying essential commodities that they lacked. NAN observed that most civil servants did not report to work one week after the attack. A civil servant, who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “The fear and tension are still fresh among the people and that is why everyone is very careful of his movement. “Even those that were forced to go out to buy some needs were rushing back home for safety, hours before the commencement of the 4.00p.m. curfew. “

•Eze Ndigbo Of Lagos Nwabueze Ohazulike and first son of the late Olusola, Olujimi...yesterday

Olusola led exemplary life, says Ojudu

HE best legacy a man can leave behind is the act of kindness and making people feel loved, irrespective of their place or status in life, Senator Babafemi Ojudu said yesterday in a tribute to the late Chief Segun Olusola. Ojudu said the alte Olusola towered above so many in being kind and making people loved. He said the deceased never lost contact with his humble beginning, and lived trying to make everything right for the less privileged. Ojudu said the Iperu Remo-born diplomat identified with the right causes, even at the expense of his life. Ojudu recalled that the former Nigerian ambassador to Ethiopia was one of the few who had the courage to openly identify with The News and Tempo during the onslught of the late Gen. Sani Abacha against the two media outfits, which the senator co-founded. He recalled how it was always a morale-booster in those dark days whenever the late Olusola attended the anniversary of the media outfits.

•Captain Gbolahan Olusola, Bukky Akintola, Kehinde Akintola and Toyin Olusola Laditi during a condolence visit to the family of the late Olusola...yesterday

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS Governors’ Forum calls for state police From Vincent Ikuomola, Abuja

OVERNORS have thrown their weight behind the call for the decentralisation of the police. The governors made their position known after a meeting of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja on Sunday night. Reviewing the security situation in the country, they called for an intervention fund from the Federal Government to be given to states with serious security challenge. The governors also resolved to convene a conference on security to profer solution to the nation’s security challenge. The communiqué of the NGF meeting reads: “Forum strongly condemned the current state of violence which has been drifting the nation towards anarchy and called for a multi-dimensional approach to security issues including enhanced coordination and collaboration among security forces, effective use of technology and intelligence, value reorientation, employment generation and sincerity of purpose. “Forum reiterated its commitment to convene a Governors’ Forum conference on security in Nigeria. “State governments are currently overstretched in funding security and call for a special intervention fund, from the Federal Government, especially to the States that are most affected. “Forum identified the increasing need for State police as a strategy for combating the rising insecurity in the country.”

Senator Fasanmi’s wife clocks 80 WIFE of Senator Ayo Fasanmi, Felicia will be 80 tomorrow. A United Kingdom trained nurse and mid wife is an alumni of Queen’s College, Lagos. With two chieftaincy titles – Eyelomo of IkoleEkiti and Iya Abiye of Osogbo, the celebrator thanked her husband for standing by her always. Senator Fasanmi congratulated her on joining the octogenarian club. He said her supportive role in his political career is unquantifiable and cannot be expressed in appreciative words.

‘$620,000 bribe’: Lawan set for legal battle

VEN before the police conclude their investigation into the $620,000 cash-for-clearance row, lead actor, Farouk Lawan has assembled a team of lawyers to fight his battle. For Lawan’s defence against businessman Femi Otedola’s bribery allegation are Rickey Tarfa (SAN), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Israel Olorundare (SAN), Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Sam Ologunorisa (SAN). The team met for hours yesterday in Abuja. A source at the session said: “We have been waiting for the police to conclude its investigation because we have a lot of issues to table before the court. “Ordinarily, Lawan would have been in court by now on

•Lawmaker gets five-man legal team •Probe shifts to ‘strange’ telephone number From Yusuf Alli, Managing Editor, Northern Operation, Abuja

some issues but his counsel have exercised restraint to avoid being accused of attempt to ‘coverup’ investigation. “The onus is on the police to expedite action on their investigation and allow us to meet in court.” The suspended Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Fuel Subsidy Management appeared again yesterday before the police Special Task Force (STF) probing the $620,000 bribe. Lawan confessed to receiving the cash from Otedola to get his Zenon Oil off the list

of companies which collected foreign exchange but imported no fuel. But the probe has shifted to a “strange” number allegedly exchanged between Otedola and Lawan. Also, a fresh dimension to the probe is the discovery that Otedola and Lawan held a meeting in an Abuja hotel where some documents were handed over to the lawmaker. Details of the meeting, which was considered vital to the investigation remained unknown yesterday. Lawan met with the STF team, led by its coordinator, CP Ali Amodu, for about 10 minutes.

A source said: “The interaction with the police was brief. They said they were still expecting the cash. “After the brief encounter, the police told Lawan that it might not be necessary for him to report everyday. They asked him to come back on Wednesday. “I think the police are trying to investigate other dimensions to the bribery saga before sending the case file to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. “One of the bends being looked at is in relation with a special telephone line provided by Lawan during the

last leg of the telephone conversation between him and Otedola. This is contained in the audio tape with the police. “The police are trying to trace the owner of the line from one of the GSM operators in the country and unmask his identity - whether he is a lawmaker or not.” Another source said: “There are many sides to this case that are just emerging. Apart from Otedola’s session with Lawan at home, they had also met at a hotel where some vital documents (including the KPMG Report on the oil sector) were given to the lawmaker. “Lawan is also ready to make available in court a long list of text messages between him and Otedola before the ‘sting operation’.”

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (middle), Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha (fourth left) and House members – Rose Oko (second left); Abike DabiriErewa (third left); Jumoke Okoya-Thomas (third right); Serry Alagbaoso (right); Samuel Adejare (second right) and others during their visit to the governor in Alausa, Ikeja…yesterday PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

Ihedioha to Jonathan: implement subsidy report without delay

OUSE Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to implement the report of fuel subsidy regime probe immediately. He said the bribery allegation against chairman of adhoc committee, Farouk Lawan, is no excuse to treat the report with levity. “I want to assure Nigerians that in spite of the alleged bribery scandal, the report of the Subsidy Committee as adopted by the House remains sacrosanct. “We urge the executive to implement it without further delay,” Ihedioha said. He spoke in a public lecture organised by the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos (UNILAG). It had the topic: The Legislature: Roles,

By Joseph Jibueze and Nneka Nwaneri

Misconceptions and Experience in Consolidation of Democracy in Nigeria. Ihedioha said the House would not depart from the path of honour and responsibility despite the recent developments. “Notwithstanding the recent developments in which one of our colleagues was fingered in an alleged bribery scandal, the House has continued to insist on probity and accountability in the conduct of not only public policy but also in the management of its legislative business and the ethical conduct of members. “The House of Representatives is a pre-eminent democratic national institution which must not be allowed to be rubbished on account of the

actions or inactions of its members,” he said. On amendment of the Constitution, the Deputy Speaker said another phase of the process would be completed by the first quarter of next year. “The Legislature has started the process of amending the Constitution. We intend, however, that the process must be inclusive and participatory. By April next year, we would have amended the Constitution again. “We are not restricting ourselves to any position and are open to receiving any input that would help in the constitutional development and maturity of Nigeria’s democracy,” Ihedioha said. The lawmaker said the House would continue to hold the government and its agencies accountable through its in-

vestigative role, by enquiring into public petitions, through effective use of its powers of appropriation and confirmation, and by protecting the people’s interests. He regretted that the legislature is “highly misunderstood” and “highly maligned even by those who should know better” because of what he called crisis of expectations. “To really understand and appreciate the legislature, we should accept the fact that it is part and parcel of the larger Nigerian society. “To this extent, whatever affects the Nigerian society similarly affects the legislature. We are Nigerians and therefore subject to all the frailties and foibles of the larger society,” he said. Among the guests were the Deputy Speaker of the Lagos

State House of Assembly, Kolawole Taiwo; former Information Minister Dr Walter Ofonagoro, and Chairman, House Committee on the Diaspora Abike Dabiri-Erewa. Also present were Chairman House Committee on Education, Dr Rose Oko; Chairman of the University of Lagos Alumni Association Prof Laide Abass; Chairman House Committee on Budget and Planning, Opeyemi Bamildele; former Special Adviser to the President on Media Mr Segun Adeniyi. Others were Jumoke Okoya Thomas; Dr Sam Adejare; Chairman House Committee on Communication, Hon Tunji Ojo; renowned Nollywood artiste Kanayo O. Kanayo; Mathew Omegere and Ladi Balogun.

Court orders Assembly to disclose lawmakers’ packages

FEDERAL High Court, Abuja, has ordered the Clerk of the National Assembly to disclose details of the salary, emolument and allowances collected by members of the Senate and House of Representatives between 2007 and last year. Delivering judgment in a suit by Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEPAD), Justice Bilikisu Bello Aliyu held that the Freedom of Information Act 2011 permits the group to demand for any public information. ‘’They are of public inter-

From Kamarudeen Ogundele, Abuja

est since the payments were from public funds’’, she said. LEDAP, a non-governmental organisation had in its July 6 letter addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly requested for the information under Section 2 and 3 of Freedom of Information Act. Following Clerk’s refusal to accede to the request, LEDAP in September last year filed a suit asking the court to compel the clerk of National Assembly to furnish it with the requested information.

It claimed in the suit that the legislators were overpaid beyond the rate approved by the law and demanded refund of overpayments. In the suit filed by Chido Obiagwu, the Plaintiff asked the court to declare that ‘’the respondent deemed denial of the information requested by the applicant in its letter dated July 6, 2011 to the respondents on detail of salary, emolument and allowances paid to all members of Representatives and the Senate of the 6th Assembly from June 2007 to May 2011 is an information of Section 1 (1) of the freedom of In-

formation Act 2011. It also asked the court to hold that the applicant has the right to the information under the FoI Act. And an order compelling the respondent to disclose to the applicant within 14 days of the order the detailed information as requested by the applicant in its letter of July 6, 2011 to the respondent. Obiagwu argued that ‘’The applicant has the right to the information it requested from the respondent in its letter of July 6, 2011 in line with Section 1(1) of FoI Act. ‘’The information sought by

the applicant from the respondent does not fall within any of the exception provided under the Act. ‘’Besides, the court has the jurisdiction to order the respondent to disclose the requested information under Section 25 of the Act’’. But counsel to the National Assembly, Yunus Ustaz Usman (SAN) objected that the information requested by LEDAP was not permitted to be released under the Freedom of Information Act, and that the NGO lacked the locus standi to make such request. Overruling the objections,

•Senate President David Mark

the judge said every citizen is entitled to have access to public information under the FoI Act, and ordered the Clerk to release the information within 14 days of the judgment.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS

A pastor, his ex-wives and his faith When Lagos preacher Chris Okotie announced his separation from his second wife on Sunday, the congregation was thrown into a shock. What went wrong? Did the pastor take the right decision? SUNDAY OGUNTOLA reports

BOUT four years ago, it started with a drama. Two days ago, it ended the same way. The founder of the Household of God Church, Oregun, Lagos, Pastor Chris Okotie, announced the end of his second marriage to a shocked congregation. The couple criss-crossed continents for an expensive honeymoon. An excited Okotie declared Stephanie as unbeatable. According to him, his pretty ex-wife was ‘’a culmination of my desire to stabilise as a man.’’ At a point, he even claimed God told him they would have twins. The marriage was not blessed with any child before it collapsed. It was not clear if this had anything to do with the separation. Yesterday, Pastor Okotie’s spokesman, Pastor Ladi Ayodeji, issued a statement. It reads: ‘’The Pastor of our church, the Household of God, Oregun, Lagos, Rev. Chris Okotie announced his separation from Stephanie, his wife of four years, at the end of service last Sunday. ‘’Both parties arrived at this decision after careful review of the prevailing circumstances which pointed to the fact that it is the best option for them at this time. They also agreed not to divulge details of this incident for personal reasons. Rev. Okotie thanked concerned friends and well-wishers and asked for understanding. He also expressed the hope that their decision would be respected as no further details would be given on this issue.’’ In August 2008 when Okotie married Stephanie, a mother of three, the Christian community was divided. His first wife, Tina, left the country for the United States in 1998 and reportedly refused all entreaties to return. His single status attracted many eligible ladies within and outside the church. It also created a web of rumours over who would be the lucky woman. Pastor Okotie said of Tina: ‘’She wanted to go. It was her choice that she didn’t want the marriage anymore and she decided to divorce me. So, God can’t hold me responsible for something I didn’t do. This is the second time for me now to pick it up from where Tina left.” He had a supporter in founder and serving overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare. Bakare attended the wedding thanksgiving and even supervised the cutting of the cake, describing Okotie as a true brother for whom he was happy. On the propriety of the second marriage, Bakare said: “This is a brand new book; anything in the past does not exist anymore.” Now, that new book has been torn. The development has thrown the Christian community into shock. Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Southwest, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, yesterday described it as regrettable and saddening. He, however, called for caution, saying it would be wrong to blame anybody yet. He said: ‘’He needs our understanding and prayers. We should all sympathise with him because it could not have been an easy decision. We can only pray that God will take control so that his ministry can move forward. We cannot pass judgement because nobody can truly know what happened between them.’’ The President of International Church Growth Ministries, Dr Francis Bola Akin-John, however, dismissed Pastor Okotie as a bad example of what a good church leader should be.

•WHEN THE GOING WAS GOOD: Pastor Okotie and ex-wife Stephanie

They also did it

Pan-Igbo group seeks more states A PAN-IGBO socio-political group, Committee 21, has urged the Constitution Amendment Committee of the National Assembly to ensure that Southeast gets new states. The group’s president, Senator Annie Okonkwo, in a statement, said it would amount to injustice to deny the geo-political zone of new states. Okonkwo said: “With all sense of modesty and responsibility, the clearest yardstick to show our deep convictions as a nation committed to justice and fairness, will be positively advertised when the committee grants additional states to the Southeast region unconditionally and unanimously. “In this instance, it is important to emphasize that it should be a state, if no other region gets additional one, but states, if any other region is ever considered for extra, which is really not necessary anyway.” The statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Collins Steve Ugwu, noted that “the constitution as the body of our standard principles of co-existence and governance remains our sacred benchmark for equity, justice and fairness as a country”. He added: “As a Nigerian of Igbo extraction, I’m certain that the honest test of equity that Nigerians expect in this present corrective amendment is best manifested by the amount of justice the Igbo nation of Southeast Nigeria gets out of it. “We cannot be so blessed yet stay so ravaged, and refuse to tell ourselves the simple truths’, he cautioned. And the fundamental truth in this case should be seen in our body of national essence, our constitution which its amendment process should not be diminished or abused by half truths and base selfishness.”

Why breast cancer is rising, by expert

• Pastor Ituah Ighodalo

• Pastor Olumide Emmanuel

PASTOR Chris Okotie was not the first to divorce and remarry. The first popular case was that of the founder of Pentecostal Church of God in Okota, on the outskirts of Lagos, Bishop Bola Odeleke, whose first husband died. She lost her husband in a motor accident in 1990. Three years after, she remarried Rev. Salau, a member of her church. She said in a recent interview: “But I soon discovered that my going to marry him was a wrong choice. He was stealing from me. It was a shock to me because I thought a choir leader in a ministry would at least live a clean life.” Bishop Odeleke divorced Rev. Salau and re-married an Akure pastor, Rev. Pius. The marriage collapsed. She said: “I married Rev. Pius because he was a pastor and I thought at least a pastor would be able to complement my ministry. But then, I was wrong again. I found out that many of what we have today among some preachers is grammar, shining shoes, big English and glamour.” Now, she is single and, according to her, not searching.

•Bishop Bola Odeleke

PASTOR Ituah Ighodalo’s second marriage generated a lot of furore within the Christian community and especially within the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), where he was in charge of its Christ Church, Gbagada branch. Pastor Ighodalo was forced to step down as a pastor in the RCCG over his second marriage to former Miss Lux, Ibidunni Ajayi in 2007. His first wife, Lucy-Ann Summer, a fellow chartered accountant, refused to join him in Nigeria and filed for divorce. Pastor Ituah, as he is fondly called, waited for 10 years before remarrying. Pastor Ighodalo left RCCG to found his church, Trinity Chapel, Landmark village, Lekki, Lagos Island. With his support, Ibidun runs Elizabeth R, an event planning firm. The pastor, who said he once contemplated suicide after losing money in a finance house, had the support of Pastor Tunde Bakare when he remarried.

THE Senior Pastor of Calvary Christian Centre, Pastor Olumide Emmanuel, divorced his former wife, Ify, who runs a gospel music and Christian books’ store on Opebi Street, Ikeja, Lagos mainland. Last year, he remarried his exwife’s former secretary. Ify was some four years older than Pastor Emmanuel. The couple, who lived together in an estate at the back of Phillips, Ojota, appeared happy running their Ikotun-based church, until the bubble burst. The full story of what happened has not been told by either party. Pastor Emmanuel, aside running a growing church, sits on the board of some businesses, such as Common Sense Ltd, Fingerprint Investment Club (FiC), Parable Ventures Ltd. (PVL), Wealth Creation Network (WCN) and Dynamites Forum International (DFI). Pastor Emmanuel is the host of numerous conferences and seminars, including the popular ‘Wisdom for Singles’, ‘Wisdom for Couples’ and ‘How to be a success in life’. His daily and weekly media broadcast, ‘Pathway to Wealth’, is enjoyed by many.

He said: ‘’The problem with divorcees is once they leave the first, they are always vulnerable. He is a classic example of preachers who do not practise what they preach. He is given over to lust. He is one of those giving Christianity a bad name. You don’t quit a marriage because of challenges.” The Senior Pastor of the Glory Christian Centre, Lagos, Dr Iruofagha James, in an earlier inter-

view, said: ‘’Divorce is only permissible when a case of adultery has been established. Even at that, reconciliation is best.” The General Overseer of Agape Generation International Church, Maryland, Lagos mainland, Rev. Toyin Kehinde, said any Christian divorcee who wants to make heaven must seek reconciliation or remain unmarried for life. The Senior Pastor of the Vineyard

Assembly, Ibadan, Pastor Buki Gbenro, shares the same view. Citing Mathew 5: 32, he said: ‘’ Once you divorce and you want to remain a Christian, you must never remarry. To remarry is to become an adulterer or adulteress. People are just walking away these days from their homes, including men of God. They are remarrying. Once you do this, you are acting against the Bible.’’

THE Head of Histopathology Department at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Dr Madaki Ayuba, has blamed the rise of breast cancer cases on lifestyle choices adopted by most people. Ayuba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Jos that people were eating more of processed and refined foods than was previously obtained. He said: “People are also becoming more sedentary in their lifestyles and these are risk factors that make an individual, especially women, prone to the cancer. “We eat more processed food, which is usually high in saturated fat and salt; the more fat in the system increases the chances of breast cancer because it increases a woman’s level of estrogens. “It is important for a woman to attempt to control her weight, particularly after menopause. Once a woman has stopped menstruating, her levels of estrogen and progesterone are much higher than they once were. “Excess fat tissue may cause significant increases in her hormone levels. “Most of us indulge greatly in sedentary lifestyles. We prefer to drive or take the commercial transport system rather than trekking. “We use the elevators rather than the stairs, we sit down most of the day in our offices and we barely exercise; such acts are detrimental to our health.” According to Ayuba, physical activity not only helps a woman reduce her risk of breast cancer by maintaining a healthy body weight, it may also have its own benefits to risk reduction. He said women, who started menstruating at an early age, are susceptible to cancer of the breast. Ayuba advised women and men to ensure they were very familiar with their breasts in order to detect sudden charges and abnormalities.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

CITYBEATS

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

•From left: Mr Toyin Munis Partner Bailey Cole Consulting (Nig.), Mrs Dada Adebimpe, Director Monitoring and Investigation, State Treasury Office, Mr Ola Tubi, Managing Partner Bailey Cole Consulting and Mr Olujimi Ige, Deputy Director Financial Information System at a four-day workshop on Excel modelling and analysis for financial managers and finance professionals held at LCCI Conference Centre, Ikeja, Lagos... yesterday PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

One Day Governor urges action on power, jobs

Requests for generator, bus for alma mater

HE winner of this year's Spelling Bee Competition, Miss Lilian Ogbuefi, who reigned as the 12th One Day Governor of Lagos State yesterday, has urged the government to address the erratic electricity supply that is crippling industrialisation. Ogbuefi, who arrived at the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja as early as 8am to assume work, had earlier

By Miriam Ndikanwu

visited the governor's wife, Dame Abimbola Fashola, at the State House Marina. Ogbuefi, 16, who has just finished her Senior School Certificate Examination at the Lagos State Senior College, Kankon, Badagry, was accompanied by her Executive Council members, comprising her deputy, Miss Ogedengbe Ireti; Speaker of the House of Assembly Master Chibueze Jonathan; Secretary to the State Government Temitope Fumilayo; Commissioner for

Education Moutoe Samto; Commissioner for Health Olebi Favour and Commissioner for Science and Technology Okeke Chima Obi. Addressing members of the State Executive Council at the EXCO Chambers, Ikeja House, said there was need to tackle electricity problem and provide an enabling framework for promoting industrial growth and addressing unemployment. She implored the government to provide a bus and a 250KVA generator for her school, which she

said lacks electricity supply from the national grid. The school bus, she said, would provide succour for many day students. Ogbuefi thanked the government and New Era Foundation, the nongovernmental organisation founded by Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for the competition, which she said has brought her to limelight. She praised the government for the infrastructural development of the state, saying the achievement is possible because of the governor’s purposeful leadership and the commitment and dedication of his team to their jobs. The academic competition among schools, she said, has fuelled students' desire for excellence, adding: “And I can proudly say that Lagos public school is the best and the students can shine anytime, anywhere.” Ogbuefi said her experience as a One Day Governor has exposed her to many things, promising that she will continue to keep the flag flying and make the state proud. Governor Babatunde Fashola said the government resuscitated the school competition because it is a useful block for development of young people. Fashola, who was pleased with Ogbuefi's presentation, said it was further proof that she worked her way towards achieving success. He said the state would always provide an opportunity for all, urging her and her cabinet members to rededicate themselves to more hard work. "There have been many prize winners and if you follow their stories they have gone to the universities to become outstanding students." Her father, Mr Lawrence Ogbuefi, was excited, saying: "I feel on top of the world, my daughter has always been a bright student right from when she was a child and I feel so happy to be here today to witness this achievement." He said his daughter had been of great inspiration to him. "She is my editor, she edits my work for me and she has been a very hard working child," he said.

Traffic management is states' responsibility, says Fashola

AGOS State Governor, Babatunde Fashola yesterday criticised the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) over its plan to control traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge from July 1 to November 6, when the road will be partially close for repairs. Fashola, told reporters at Alausa, Ikeja, that it is the responsibility of a state to manage traffic on roads within its domain, adding that the control of traffic by FRSC is restricted to trunk roads. Fashola described FRSC's announcement that it would control traffic on the bridge during its partial closure as an encroachment on territory. He said: "A trunk road by definition is a road that connects two states like Lagos Ibadan Expressway, that is where the FRSC should be, not within the territory

By Miriam Ndikanwu

of the municipality of a state, but having said that, it is that encroachment of responsibility that might be responsible for the inadequate information. "It's unfortunate that FRSC had gone to make this announcement; if you look into the Constitution in the exclusive legislative list, the only jurisdiction for management of traffic that the Federal Government has, is on federal trunk roads not on roads within the municipality of each state. We cannot continue this desperate encroachment on territories the Constitution clearly sets out responsibilities for different tiers of government," While acknowledging that the responsibility for managing the Third Mainland Bridge is that of the

Federal Government, he said maintaining a bridge and managing traffic were two different responsibilities. "The traffic management responsibility belongs to the state. A bridge that crosses a lagoon within the territory of a city lies within its municipal control for traffic," he said. Explaining the planned repair of the bridge, he said the state effectively managed such partial road closure in the past through the efforts of its traffic control agencies. He implored residents not to panic. "What will go on there is that they are fixing the expansion joint, those are those metal joints between each segment of the bridge that impacts on your vehicle through the vibration, that's what the Federal Government wants to fix. I think

there are about eight joints. Let's remember we have done this before. Four were fixed about two years ago and we managed the traffic by communicating with our people. So, contrary to what has been reported, it is not a total closure, it's a partial closure where diversions will take place depending on what section of the road will be worked upon. "There should be no needless fear, it's all about management, we have done this before, and when we did it, we all remained calm, there were some traffic, but we are better now than we were then when we diverted traffic to Western Avenue, Funsho Williams, Ikorodu Road and also through Murtala Muhammed way, through Carter Bridge Lagos Island," he said.

Lagos maternal mortality rate to drop by two-third in 2015

ATERNAL mortality rate will reduce by two-third in 2015 in Lagos State following the adoption of some strategies, Commissioner for Health Dr Jide Idris has said. The strategies, he said, are health education, advocacy and sensitisation. Speaking at a stakeholders' meeting on the dissemination of state and local government areas specific indirect maternal mortality ratio survey conducted in 2010, noted that other strategies adopted are the infrastructural development of primary health care centres; training and re-training of health care providers; procurement of basic obstetrics drugs and consumables and the production of behavioural

By Seyi Odewale

change communication materials. "Health education is a major aspect of the strategies developed to tackle maternal mortality rate and it has shown that health education can reduce maternal mortality rate by 50 per cent. This is why health education will be our major stride, but all other strategies would be implemented along with this," he said. Nigeria, he said, has one of the highest maternal mortalities in the world, stressing that the last national demographic health survey conducted in 2008 put the figure at 545 per 100,000 live births. "This is totally unacceptable especially, since we are approaching the deadline for the attainment of

millennium development goals in 2015. In Lagos State, a committee was set up in 2009 made up of relevant stakeholders to develop a five-year work plan with strategies and activities aimed at reducing the high maternal mortality rate in the state and this culminated in the maternal mortality reduction programme," Idris said. The need to show the state's progress in the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal Five prompted the survey on maternal mortality rate, he said. This, he said, informed the commissioning of the Campaign Against Unwanted Pregnancy (CAUP), to undertake a community-based state and local government area specific survey. "This stakeholders' meeting is thus

aimed at disseminating the findings of the survey, an outcome of which is to build an action plan that would complement the five years work plan developed in 2009 as part of the maternal mortality reduction programme," he said. Maternal mortality reduction, Idris said, needs a multi-sector approach that must involve not only the Ministry of Health, but all other stakeholders if success must be recorded. He said the presentation and analysis of the community-based state and local government areas specific survey would guide in the modification and adjustment of developed strategies aimed at reducing maternal mortality in the state.

One killed in Lagos clash By Jude Isiguzo

ONE person was killed and over 20 others injured yesterday in a clash in Isheri-Olofin, a Lagos suburb. The skirmish, it was gathered, was between land grabbers. The deceased, Waheed Balogun, son of the Oba of Isheri-Olofin, according to sources, was allegedly killed by a Golf car belonging to one of the land grabbers. It was learnt that the deceased was on his way to inspect a landed property when the incident happened. The prince was said to be preparing to proceed to the site on a motor bike when the Golf car allegedly driven by Adio Badmus came from the opposite direction and knocked him down. He died before help could come. It was gathered that his death sparked crisis as his associates alleged that he was killed by land grabbers who were desperate to take over the property. Lethal weapons were freely used during the clash, which paralysed early morning activities in the area. Police spokesperson, Mrs Ngozi Braid said apart from the car driver, no other person has been arrested. According to her, the driver would be charged to court for manslaughter. Policemen have been deployed in the area to restore peace.

Man arraigned for alleged gun possession By Fisayo Ige

A 35 YEAR-OLD man, Akanbi Suleiman, has been arraigned at an Ikeja Magistrate's Court for alleged unlawful possession of firearms. The prosecuting Police Inspector, Samson Ekikere, said the accused, in his statement, claimed to be a member of the Oduduwa Peoples' Congress (OPC) and as a security man at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. He said Akanbi was arrested by policemen on patrol for possessing 16 live cartridges. He was also said to have been in possession of two guns found in his house during a search. Ekikere said Akanbi had no license for the firearms which he claimed he was not using. The accused also claimed that robbers have been terrorising his neighbourhood for long and as such, he had to prepare for them in order not to be caught unawares. He also wrote that he bought the guns and cartridges for his protection, but later found that one of them was not working, so he decided to keep it until he found the person who sold the guns to him. The accused was arrested by the police while escaping from street urchins popularly called area boys, who wanted to collect the cartridge they found on him when he had a motorcycle accident on his way to work. Akanbi claimed that he was beating seriously by the policemen before taking him to their station. The case was later transferred to the Speacial AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) at Ikeja. Akanbi was charged with conspiracy and unlawful possession of firearms, to which he pleaded not guilty. The offence is punishable under sections 409 and 328(d) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011. Magistrate T. Akanni granted him N300,000 bail and two sureties. The matter was adjourned to July 23.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS

I’ve not been adopted yet, says Akeredolu

OAU, NASU face-off: VC alleges threat to life From Adesoji Adeniyi,

PDP condemns ACN selection of Ondo governorship candidate

Osogbo

HERE was a twist in the face-off between the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, and the varsity’s Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU). OAU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tale Omole yesterday alleged threats to his life by the leadership of the university’s branch of NASU. Both parties have continued to point fingers at each other over unresolved labour-related matters affecting the NASU members. Already, NASU members at OAU have begun an indefinite strike over the alleged non-implementation of the 15 per cent CONTISS salary, poor welfare and salary increment, among other demands. The university’s management and NASU have, since last year, been at loggerheads over some demands by the union, which the management has not met. Prof. Omole yesterday alleged that some members of NASU attempted to kidnap him and other principal officers of the university. But the chairman of NASU, Comrade Wole Odewumi, denied the allegation. In a statement by Richard Oyewole, said to be the chairman of the “Committee for Uninterrupted Academic Session”, Prof Omole accused the leadership of NASU of plotting to kidnap him and some other principal officers of the university. The statement reads: “The action was to blackmail the university management to pay some illegal allowances not backed up by the Federal Government circulars. “…Credible information at the disposal of our correspondence indicates that selected members of NASU, in their strategic and tactical planning committee, have concluded plans to kidnap the ViceChancellor and other principal officers of the university to pay some illegal allowances not backed up by the government circulars.”

From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

•Akeredolu

ORMER Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President and governorship aspirant of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has said he has not been endorsed as the party’s standard bearer for the October 20 election. This followed speculations that the national leadership of the party has introduced him to the party’s state executives and leaders as the standard bearer for the election. The Nation learnt that at the meeting organised by the national leaders of the party at its secretariat in

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as “a brood of dictators whose deceit and pretence to democracy are consistently hobbled by its habitual disregard for the rudiments of democratic process”. The PDP was reacting to a denial by ACN National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed that his party was yet to choose its governorship candidate for the October 20 election in Ondo State. A statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary Chief Olisa Metuh urged the ACN to “emerge from its cocoon of deceit to own up to its artful preference for the undemocratic style”. The statement reads: “Who is fooling who? The ACN apparatchiks, under its Pontifex Maximus, met in Lagos in clear aberration of all known tenets of democracy and handpicked Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), as its candidate. The facts are there.” From Damisi Ojo, Akure

Akure, the state capital, Akeredolu was presented to the party executives and leaders. The source, who pre-

ferred not to be named, said the former NBA chief was led by the Southwest National Vice-Chairman of the party who introduced the lawyer as the party’s candidate.

House right to summon Jonathan, says Fashola

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday said there was nothing wrong with the House of Representatives summoning President Goodluck Jonathan to appear before it to answer questions on the insecurity in the country. The governor spoke in Lagos when he received House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha and some principal officers of the House in his office in Ikeja. He said: “If the legislature summons you, you should respond. But I understand that it’s a learning call. Mondays usually are our council meetings. If a House of Assembly summons a commissioner, he has to go and answer. Each ministry has a budget. It’s the right of the people to know because their constituencies ought to know. Thirteen years is not an enough period for us to run as fast as a democracy that has been on for about 600 years. We ought to avoid making the mistakes we make.”

•‘President in touch with Reps’ ‘I am aware that President Jonathan has sent his aides to the leadership of the House on the invitation, but there has not been any formal correspondence from the President on when he will honour the invitation’ By Miriam Ndikanwu and Dele Anofi, Abuja

The President has sent his aides to liaise with the leadership of the House of Representatives over the lawmakers’ invitation, it was learnt yesterday. But Dr Jonathan has not formally or otherwise communicated if and when he will appear before the House.

House spokesman Zakari Mohammed told reporters in Abuja that though the President was aware of the invitation, he has not said anything about when he would appear before the lawmakers. “I am aware that President Jonathan has sent his aides to the leadership of the House on the invitation, but there has not been any formal correspondence from the President on when he will honour the invitation,” Mohammed said. According to him, the invitation should not be taken out of context, because of the security situation in the country. Mohammed said: “It is supposed to be an interface. Since it is a security matter, it should be done behind closed doors where we will rub minds and exchange ideas. As we can see, since the invitation came up, the President has been taking some steps. It may just be that the invitation was a

Ekiti: failed party like PDP can’t recognise achievements

HE Ekiti State Government yesterday berated the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for criticising the Kayode Fayemi administration for alleged underperformance. The ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government in the state said the PDP is not competent to issue such criticism because the Federal Government under the PDP has failed in all fronts. The government was reacting to a statement by the state Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, who said the Fayemi administration has not made any impact in the last 20

The source added that Akeredolu was accepted by all members of the party, including some other aspirants at the meeting. But Akeredolu said the national leadership of the party has not announced him as the flag bearer. He added that the candidate of the party could only emerge through the primaries, which would be conducted soon for the aspirants. The former NBA President said he could not parade himself as the candidate since the party was yet to conduct the primaries. Akeredolu said: “The party’s flag bearer will be determined at the primaries. I can tell you that the primaries of ACN is yet to be conducted and that will be within the next one or two weeks. What I know is that it is then the candidate will be determined.” The legal luminary added: “The party has not taken its decision to adopt me as its candidate yet.”

•Fayemi has performed poorly, says PDP From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

months. He said: “The 20 months of Governor Fayemi of ACN is a failure.” Ogundipe noted that “it is saddening that Ekiti State is in the hand of a governor who knows nothing about governance and it is now clear that Fayemi was rated above his abilities”. The PDP chairman said the governor has “wasted and squandered the allocation received from the Federal Government and the N305billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) since

he assumed office. “We are yet to see any tangible project done by this government. It has done nothing to develop where the past government stopped in developing our state,” Ogundipe said. The PDP chairman said the party would turn the state around, if it takes over governance in 2014. But the government’s spokesperson, Funminiyi Afuye, described the PDP as a “failed party, which cannot recognise or value achievements in any enduring or ennobling form”. Afuye, who is the Commis-

sioner for Information and Civic Orientation, noted that under the PDP, “which today controls the Federal Government, what have Nigerians recorded as gains than killings and maiming, explosions and deaths, inflation and gridlock”? The commissioner said even in Ekiti State, PDP “has no legacy other than maiming and killing of innocent indigenes while all manner of infrastructure decayed”. He said the party, which has taken reckless spending and misapplication of public funds as its hobby, lacks the moral justification to condemn a performing government under the ACN.

wakeup call for the President on the security situation.” Fashola hailed the role of the House at ensuring that the nation is making progress. The governor noted that respecting the summons by lawmakers is an opportunity for public officers to defend their actions before those who elected them to office.

Court orders Ogun electoral body to stay action on council poll By Eric Ikhilae

THE possibility of conducting the local government election in Ogun State dimmed yesterday as a Federal High Court in Lagos restrained the state’s Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) from taking further steps on the election pending the determination of a case before it. OGSIEC has scheduled the election for July 21. But in a ruling yesterday, Justice Charles Archibong restrained the commission from taking further steps on the poll until the hearing of a contempt proceedings pending against OGSIEC, its principal officers, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some of its chieftains are determined. The proceedings, initiated by the state PDP Executive Committee Chairman Adebayo Dayo and Secretary Semiu Sodipo, is against purported officials of the state’s Caretaker Committee of the party, including Ireti Oniyide, Tunde Oladunjoye (now the media aide to Agriculture Minister, Akin Adesina) and Faisiu Bakenne. Also cited for contempt are: OGSIEC and its principal officers, including Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi, Alhaji Korede Lawal, Alhaji Bisiyu Adekanmi, Mutiu Agboke, Oyediran Aina, Kolawole Odesanya and Adetokunbo Williams (described as the moving minds of OGSIEC).

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS

Activist urges Ondo ACN to remain focused HE Convener of Ondo

State Independent Town Hall Meeting, Mr. Tunde Imolehin, yesterday urged the state chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to remain focused as it prepares for the October 20 governorship election. The environmental activist said the media campaigns in some quarters against one of the party’s aspirants, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), is unnecessary because he is fit to lead the Sunshine State. He called for reconcilia-

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Political Editor

tion among the leaders and members of the progressive party, saying pre- and postprimary crises should be avoided in the interest of the party. In a statement in Lagos, Imolehin noted that if it was true that Akeredolu was being supported to emerge as the ACN standard bearer, he is a good choice capable of winning the election.

Civil servants urged to check medical status From Damisi Ojo, Akure

HE Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, has urged the residents, particularly civil servants, to check their medical status to prevent sudden death. The commissioner said the major cause of sudden death is stress induced by mental pressure. Delivering a lecture at the annual Feast of Baracuda organised by the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) in Akure, the state capital, with the theme: Your health our concern, Adeyanju said people are exposed to stress through various ways. The commissioner, who was represented by a doctor in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bolaji Afolayan, said checking one’s medical status is the only way to tackle the disease. He said: “If you experience stress over a long period, you may develop depression, anxiety, insomnia, hypertension and stomach ulcer. If these are not well treated, they may cause sudden death. “While there is little you can do to prevent stress, there are many things you can do to manage it. These include learning how to relax, taking regular exercises and adopting good time management techniques. “Relaxation, such as deep breathing, can help to relieve your stress symptoms. It can help you calm down and take a step back from a stressful situation. If you are experiencing stress, try to soften those feelings by relaxing your muscles and taking deep breath. Start by breathing in for three seconds before breathing out a little longer.”

NITD inducts members today

HE Nigerian Institute of Training and Development (NITD) will today induct about 200 new members, comprising individuals and corporate bodies, at Etal Hotel Ikeja, Lagos. In a statement in Lagos, president of the institute, Mr. Kayode Ogungbuyi, said NITD is developing a code of professional practice to regulate the activities of members and tackle quacks. Ogungbuyi said NITD has taken steps towards making NITD a chartered institute. He said under his leadership, the institute would consider the nation’s future. According to him, NITD now has five active chapters which will increase to 12 before the end of this year and all parts of the country.

Expectant mother, four others electrocuted in Ibadan •One-year-old baby rescued IVE women, including an expectant mother, were yesterday electrocuted in Agbekoja Market, Apata, Ibadan South West Local Government Area of Oyo State. The traders were transacting businesses at the vegetable section of the farmers’ market when a high-tension wire suddenly fell on them, killing the five women. A one-year-old baby boy was, however, rescued alive from the back of his dead mother. The Chairman of the local government, Taofeek Adeleke, has declared a three-day mourning and ordered the market shut to prevent a breakdown of law and order. The ever busy market was empty yesterday. Members of the community and the traders were protesting the alleged insensitive attitude of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) workers to their complaints. At the Garden of Eden Hospital, Apata, where the victims were treated, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr. David Olayiwola, confirmed the death of the five women. He said another patient was treated for minor shock and discharged. The Divisional Police Of-

From Oseheye Okwuofu, Ibadan

ficer (DPO) in charge of Apata Police Station, Mr Agboola Abiodun, urged protesters to avoid breaching public peace. Alhaji Rafiu Raji, who is the Chairman of Apata Market Traders’ Association, said: “I was praying in the mosque at about 5.30am when we heard an unusual noise. “When we rushed out to find out what was wrong, we were shocked to see five electrocuted bodies. We were informed that two others had been rushed to a nearby hospital.” He described the incident as a shock. One of the rescuers and a commercial motorcycle rider, who gave his name as Adewale, said: “When we got here, we found the live wire on one of the women and felt the need to save her as she was struggling. We used a piece of dry wood to remove the wire and rushed her to a hospital with four others.” The traders alleged that they had lodged several complaints at the Apata Business Unit of PHCN on the weak cables in the market. They said the electricity company did not respond to their complaints. In a statement by the Principal Manager, Public Affairs of

•Mrs Afusat Abiade on hospital bed...yesterday PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI

the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company of PHCN, Mr Jide Oyenuga, the company expressed regret over the incident. The statement reads: “The accident, according to information available to us, involved loss of lives (five persons confirmed dead). “While the company sympathises with the government and people of Oyo State on the loss of lives, we once again remind the public of the Town and Regional Planning Law, which stipulates that the mandatory distance of 5.5metres, 15.5metres, and 25metres

•The Coordinator, Ochendo Youth Foundation, Abia State, Chinedum Orji (second left) presenting the keys to a Sienna car to one of the beneficiaries in Umuahia... yesterday. With them is the Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Ude Oko-Chukwu.

‘Save us from environmental hazard’ •Ondo community criticises firm over blasts

ESIDENTS of Oba-Ile community, in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, have criticised the activities of quarry firms operating on the Akure-Owo road. They said their activities endanger the lives and property of the residents. Some youths had stormed the site of one of the quarry companies, Stoneworks Industries Limited, threatening action, if its blasts are not minimised. They were led by Samuel Akinbayo. The youths urged the Minister of Environment, Mrs Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, to save the community from the effect of rock blasting in the area. Akinbayo said the community has petitioned federal and state authorities, including the federal and state ministries of Environment and Mines and Agriculture, security agents and community heads. He said the youths resorted to a peaceful demon-

must be observed as setbacks in relation to low tension, 11KV and 33KVA lines, to avoid any form of accident in the event of line failures. “The public should bear in mind that these electric materials are persistently exposed to ‘mother nature’ which makes them vulnerable to wear and tear. An accident can happen without notice within technical limitations.” A youth leader, Wahab Bamidele (aka Wabo), led other youths on a rescue mission. Police spokeswoman Olabisi Ilobanafor confirmed the incident.

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

stration to the company to express their concern over the danger the blasts pose to life and property of the residents. According to him, the company’s activities pose great danger to the pupils of the Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Akure, whose school is located a few metres from the quarry site.

Customs arrests suspect driving blood stained vehicle

HE Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested two men, described as princes Ademola Adeniyi and Ajayi Adesina – for alleged theft. The suspects allegedly offered the NCS officers N500,000 bribe to buy their freedom but were rebuffed. Adesina was the first to be arrested at Ewekoro in Ogun State. He was said to be driving a blood-stained unregistered Honda Acura MDX Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) when NCS officials appre-

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

hended him at 5am last Sunday. The Nation learnt that the suspect alerted Adeniyi, the suspected kingpin of a group of bandits, about his arrest. Adeniyi hurried to the scene in a lemon green Volkswagen Passat car with registration number (Abuja) KWL560AA, ostensibly to rescue his partner. He was also arrested. Addressing reporters yesterday in Abeokuta, the

• N3.5m frozen chickens seized Ogun State capital, the Comptroller of NCS, Mr Akande Bamidele, said Adeniyi tried to bribe Customs officers with N500,000, but the “patriotic officers” turned down the offer. Bamidele said the vehicle’s interior was dripping with “fresh blood stains”. He added: “In the course of performing our statutory functions, we apprehended suspected hardened criminals. Our officers intercepted

the Honda Acura MDX jeep without a number plate. “We suspected it was an ‘un-Customed’ vehicle. So, it was intercepted. Upon examination, we found fresh blood stains all over the interior of the vehicle. The suspects tried to bribe our officers with N500,000, but our patriotic officers refused to be swayed. “The suspects will be handed over to the state command of the State Criminal

Investigation Department (SCID). Preliminary findings indicate that the vehicle was snatched at gunpoint in Bariga, Lagos State.” The Head of the SCID, Fola Ogunyinka, received the suspects and the vehicles on behalf of the police command. He hailed the Customs officials for their diligence. Besides the arrest of the suspects, Bamidele said the NCS has in the past three weeks seized and destroyed 780 cartons of frozen poultry products worth N3.5million.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Chevron to pay claims on Funiwa well incident By Emeka Ugwuanyi

HEVRON Nigeria Limited (CNL) has agreed to pay claims to the communities affected by the fire incident that occurred on drilling rig, KS Endeavor, which led to months of leakage of natural gas from its Funiwa1A gas well in Bayelsa State. In a statement signed by its General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr. Deji Haastrup, the company said it would address each claim according to its merit, which will be determined and integrated body set up for that purpose. It said: “Chevron Nigeria Limited, operator of the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture, confirms that it plans to address letters of claims it has received from lawyers and representatives of some communities in Bayelsa State and beyond over the rig fire incident that occurred at Funiwa 1A natural gas well on January 16, 2012 approximately six miles (10km) off the coast of Nigeria. “The company will address each claim on its own merit. An integrated independent body, comprising representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Chevron, Bayelsa State Government, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Regional Development Committees of communities, is being set up. Other participants will include National Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). “The body will review all reports of environmental and health assessments and evaluate each claim on its individual mert.”

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil - $123.6/barrel Cocoa - $2,686.35/metric ton Coffee - ¢132.70/pound Cotton - ¢95.17pound Gold - $1,800/troy ounce Rubber - ¢159.21pound MARKET CAPITALISATIONS NSE JSE NYSE LSE

-N6.503 trillion -Z5.112trillion -$10.84 trillion -£61.67 trillion RATES Inflation -12.6% Treasury Bills -7.08% Maximum lending-22.42% Prime lending -15.87% Savings rate -2% 91-day NTB -14.18% Time Deposit -5.49% MPR -12% Foreign Reserve $34.6b FOREX CFA EUR £ $ ¥ SDR RIYAL

0.2958 206.9 245 156.4 1.9179 241 40.472

For almost two decades, Nigeria has been struggling to bring up a new policy to facilitate the growth of housing provision in the country but in the last one year, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has been reaching out to all stakeholders to address the problems of the housing sector - Labaran Maku, Minister of Information

Pension scam: Reps disown Committee’s letter T HE House of Repre sentatives has dis owned its Committee on Pension probing pension administration over a letter written to the Head of Service of the Federation. The letter implored the Head of Service to strengthen the Presidential Task Force on Pension contrary to the position of the Senate that culpable members of the Task Force should be prosecuted. Spokesman of the House, Zakari Mohammed, said the House has not taken a position on the matter, stressing that the House’s position is in tune with that of the Senate. Mohammed, who spoke at a media interactive session yesterday, said the publication did not originate from the House or its Committee. He said: “Since the Seventh Assembly came in, we, and the Senate, have been in tune on issues bordering on the nation and legislative duties.

From Dele Anofi, Abuja

And, of course, when there are indications that our Committees and that of the Senate are not going in the same direction, it calls for worry. “For the avoidance of doubt, we have to clarify the issue on the position of the House on the pension matter. We are on the same page as far as the National Assembly is concerned. “Also, we are stating clearly that the advertorial was not placed by the House Committee on Pension. It is a correspondence between the Committee and the Head of Service of the Federation. “The advert placement was not the handwork of the Committee. We want to make it clear so that it does not look as if we don’t have one National Assembly. We

want to dissociate ourselves from the publication”. Mohammed said the House has several instances to show on its co-operation with the Senate on national issues. “To show that we have always been in tandem with the Senate on national issues, you will recall that if there are issues on the floor of the House, the Senate definitely skip that and the House does the same, if the Senate is having a debate on an issue. “Like the issue of fuel subsidy regime probe that commenced with the Senate, the Senate President had to tell them to slow down when we commenced ours,” he added. Noting that the pension matter is on-going, Mohammed explained that by the time the House Committee

takes its final position, it must have been adopted by at the Committee of the Whole House. “To portray us as not being in tune with the Senate Adhoc Committee on Pension smacks of some level of mischief. The intention of those who placed the advert is not known or what they want to achieve with it. “What is clear is that we know there are corrupt practices in the administration of pension over time. That is exactly what the House Committee and that of the Senate set out to achieve to unravel it”. The spokesman did not, however, deny the content of the advertorial, saying: “It is a correspondence between the House Committee and the Head of Service, but the point is that the House has taken a position.”

• From left: Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BoI), Ms. Evelyn Ndali Oputu and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Industry, Hon. Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo, during House Committee on Industry’s visit to the bank at Marina, Lagos.

DPR decries oil reserves decline

HE Department of Pe troleum Resources (DPR) has expressed worry over the decline in oil reserves, saying the volume of flared gas has dropped to one billion standard cubic feet per day (bscf/d) from 1.4 bscf/d. Its Director, Mr Osten Olorunsola, disclosed this in Lagos when members of the House Committee on Gas visited DPR as part of their oversight function. Olorunsola said in the last five years, there were no tangible investments in the oil and gas industry, a problem which is responsible for the reduction in oil reserves. He said the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) has also contributed to the decline as oil firms have not been making new investments in exploration and production, adding that it would take the country about six

• Flared gas is 1bscf/d By Emeka Ugwuanyi

years to recover. He said: “There is need to invest in the petroleum industry. For the first time in many years, Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves are on the decline.” He said oil production stands at 2.5 million barrels per day while gas production is 8 bscf/d out of which 5.2 bscf comes from associated gas and 2.8 bscf from non-associated gas while the country’s gas utilisation is 6.6 bscf/d. Gas flaring, which was 1.4 bscf/d has reduced to 1bscf/ d, he said, adding that the government is making effort to stop flaring in the country. “`We need to create more revenues from gas. We

should monetise natural gas to develop the country. Nigeria has not commenced gas exploration. It is the next step the government should to look into,” he added. He identified lack of robust legislative and commercial frameworks for gas as in oil, too much of oligopoly that faces the Gas Master Plan and inadequate funding (cash-call issues) as some of the challenges confronting industry and, which slows down gas flare efforts and under-develops domestic market for gas. Inadequate gas transmission and distribution infrastructure and insecurity in the Niger Delta, are other challenges in the industry, he added. Olorunsola said the next strategic intervention by the gov-

ernment should be in the implementation of major gas grid infrastructure to enable delivery of gas to power plants and other end users. He said legal and regulatory frameworks were written for oil, but they didn’t provide a complete commercial framework for gas. Therefore, there is need to strengthen the subsector with a new Gas Act. He said there is need also to invigorate development of infrastructural backbones, such as pipeline transportation network, adding that real time monitoring of pipelines, facilities and production would help track production performance. In his address, the Chairman of the committee, Hon. Ewa Bassey-Eko said the essence of the visit was to find out the challenges facing the agency and to ensure effective spending of government’s fund in the oil and gas sector.

‘Mainstreet Bank cuts 650 jobs’ By Dupe Olaoye-Osinkolu and Dammy Ogunfuyi

TOTAL six hundred and fifty staff of Mainstreet Bank Ltd lost their jobs last Friday, Secretary -General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade John Kolawole said yesterday. Kolawole, who disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos, said the prunning was carried out without due consultations with the two unions in the financial sector Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI and National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFIE). But an official of the bank, who does not want his name in print, said the bank consulted the unions and acceded to some of their requests. The official said the loans given to the affected staff to purchase shares of the bank were written off and that they were compensated. But the TUC scribe said the congress and the unions were shocked when the news of the sack got to them, despite the injunctions given by the Ministerial Tripartite Committee that until the Committee concludes its assignment, no party should take any unilateral action that will affect the other party. He said: “It will be recalled that in the course of the Committee’s assignment, the Federal Ministry of Labour had written a letter to the bank to maintain the status quo by adhering to the above directive. “This is coming after few days of one of the series of the Tripartite Committee’s meetings in Abuja between Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour, the sectoral union and management of Mainstreet Bank Ltd on the outstanding gratuity of the staff of the defunct Afribank Nigeria Plc taken over by the bank.”

Oil firms sales boost Naira

HE Naira traded flat against the United States dollar at the interbank market yesterday as oil firms’greenback sales boosted liquidity in the market. The naira recovered to N162.87 against the dollar, after it touched N163.20 in early trade. It closed at N162.82 to the dollar on Friday. Dealers said liquidity from last week’s dollar sales by oil firms, including the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), of about $500 million was in the market, which was helping support the naira. At the auction, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) sold $350 million at N155.91 to the dollar, compared with $350 million it auctioned last Wednesday at N155.90.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

BUSINESS NEWS

NCC to Reps: we’ve not contravened any law

HE National Commu nications Commission (NCC) yesterday insisted that its position on the location of telecoms base stations in the country is legal. The telecoms regulatory body also said masts constitute less hazards to people contrary to claims in some quarters. The Executive Vice-Chairman of the organisation, Eugene Juwah, who appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Environment, said the

From Dele Anofi, Abuja

conflict with the National Environmental Standard Regulatory Agency, (NESREA) over mast location was caused by the inability to reconcile regulatory differences between the two agencies. Against the Committee’s opinion, Juwah said the Commission followed international standards on safety by supporting telecoms operators on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in

the location of masts. “The major cause of the conflict come from the fact that NESREA Act came four years after the establishment of NCC. So, adequate care was not taken to harmonise certain conflicting issues that were inherent then, but moves are on to resolve those issues. “The issue of setback of five metres is not in any Act. They are contained in our regulations. The laws empower us, as regulators, to make regulations and they

become subsidiary laws. “These are made by the NCC Board just like any other boards. It is just that in harmonising, we did not quite agree which is what is causing the conflict. So, the issue of setback does not require any amendment”. He said NCC has not acted outside the law. “As a regulator, our Act empowers us to regulate services and infrastructure and that is the

main focus of our regulatory mandate for telecommunications industry. So, we have a right to set standards about size and setback of masts, among others. “The Ministry has the responsibility of conducting the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). It has nothing to do with NCC, but it was decided at a meeting that the EIA to be carried by NESREA should not exceed

12 weeks,” he said. Besides, he noted that based on research the reasons for pollution of the environment by the telecoms masts were not tenable. “As a matter of fact, the radiation from a telecommunications mast is less than what we get from our television. This is empirical that can be measured. So, the issue of pollution is very minimal.

Crashed aircraft has $354.5m insurance, says Dana Air

ANA Air said yester day its crashed air craft was insured with all premium paid to date. The airline’s spokesman, Tony Usidiamen, disclosed that the aircraft has an insurance cover totalling $354.5 million. He said the aircraft was insured by Prestige Assurance Plc as (Lead Underwriter), while Lloyds of London, is the foreign insurer. The explained that the aircraft had two insurance covers: $4.5 million for the value of the plane (Hull) and $350 million for third party liabilities. Usidiamen further disclosed that the company has contacted 103 of the 112 families who lost their loved ones

By Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

in the accident. It has also contacted the six embassies managing the communication with the families of foreign victims, he added. These families and embassies have been sent letters of condolence and the insurance documentation necessary to facilitate compensation. He said the company has received completed insurance forms for 23 of the victims, two of which were its staff. He said: “ NCAA guidelines require that where possible, initial compensation payments be made within 30 days of the accident taking place. NCAA guidelines set the compensation level at

$100,000 per victim. On the identification and release of bodies to the families, he said airline has been working with the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) to to expedite the process. He said 98 per cent of DNA samples have been collected and sent to a United Kingdom laboratory for analyses, while the remainder would be sent today. To facilitate the completion of claims’forms by the families, the company has established toll free lines to a crisis management centre to provide assistance, he said. He assured that the airline would continue to provide this service until all claims have been settled.

• From left: Director, Mobile Financial Services, Roam-ware, Mr Ray Kehoe; Executive Director, Domestic Bank Lagos & Southwest, Ecobank, Mr Kingsley Aigbokhaevbo and Managing Director, Mr Jubril Aku, at the launch of Ecobank Mobile Money in Oriental Hotel, Lagos ... PHOTO: BOLA OMILABU yesterday.

FCTA targets N1.08tr from FDI

HE Federal Capital Ter ritory Administration ( FCTA) is targeting over $6.6 billion (about N1.086trillion) from Direct Foreign Investment (FDI) into the city. The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, said yester-

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

day in Abuja that so far, $2.6 billion foreign direct investments have been realised for the Abuja Town Centre Development. Mohammed said over $1 billion is being expended on

the on-going construction at the World Trade Centre, in the Central Business District, adding that negotiations are on-going for another $300 million for the Abuja Industrial Park to be located at Idu. It is handling the project with Turkey.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

ADEYEMI COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ONDO STUDENTS VIOLENT ATTACK ON MANAGEMENT AND STAFF: THE FACTS OF THE CASE BACKGROUND INFORMATION On Monday, 14th May, 2012, the serene and peaceful atmosphere of the College was disrupted by students who went on rampage and destroyed College and private properties. The violent attack which was unprecedented in the history of the College took an unimaginable dimension when students threw caution to the wind and embarked on a deliberate and wanton destruction of properties of the College, Staff and private businesses on Campus. At the end of the mayhem, buildings (Administrative complex, Bursary, some Staff offices, Tantalizers eatery, Ayomidele Bookshop, Student Union Building, etc) and about fortynine (49) vehicles (official and private) were destroyed but no life was lost. We are aware that it is the inalienable rights of students of the College, like other citizens, to express their displeasure on issues that bother on their welfare but in a non-violent manner. Management, to the best of its knowledge, has been proactive in its interactions with students by ensuring that the environment is conducive for learning without them resorting to protests to attract or ‘force’ Management to concede to their request(s). Therefore, with every sense of responsibility, there was no welfare issue on ground that could have warranted the savagery brazenly exhibited by students on that fateful day. Rather, the shocking display of violence premeditated to implement at all cost a 3 week vacation agenda and also cause bodily harm to Management staff and other members of staff was craftily orchestrated by Student Union leaders who had, through their conduct before and after their election/inauguration, exhibited such tendencies. Management wishes to give a detailed account of events that led to this violence and the closure of the College as follows: Events preceding the closure of the College (a) Remote Cause(s) 1. The current Student Union Executive led by Akintola Abiodun was inaugurated on Thursday, 22nd March, 2012 after a rancorous election that took place on 16th of November, 2011. For the first time in the history of the College, thugs and other unscrupulous elements were engaged by contestants who fiercely contested for the position of President. The thugs took refuge in a pub adjacent to the College and started firing gun shots into the Campus from there. But for the pro-activeness of Management in the area of security and the timely intervention of the Nigerian Police, the election would have ended in a bloodbath. However, no death was recorded. This incident led to the closure of the pub after Management lodged a complaint with the State Commissioner of Police, who visited the site and ordered its closure. 2. Shortly after the current President was declared winner of the elections, he agitated to be sworn in contrary to the tradition of swearing-in new executive at the beginning of a new session which co-terminates with the tenure of the previous executive. When this could not be achieved, he resorted to blackmailing Management by alleging that Management was trying to prevent him from being sworn in because of its preference for his opponent during the election. All these allegations came about because of Management’s policy that any candidate contesting for Student Union position should have a minimum CGPA of 3.00 and for the position of President a minimum CGPA of 3.50. The Speaker failed to meet this criterion but was cleared in error and he won the election. Instead of the President to stand up for the truth, fairness and justice, he resorted to blackmail. Some other students petitioned Management and requested that the election of the Speaker be annulled and re-contested which was a legitimate demand. However, because Management wanted to sustain the peaceful atmosphere in the College and at the same time not fall into the trap of being seen as anti-student union, decided to overlook the error but ensure that such will not recur. 3. These events that preceded the election and the inauguration were tell-tale signs that wrong persons, particularly the Student Union President, had been elected by the students as their leaders. All these were highlighted in the speech of the Provost during their inauguration that had the National President of NANS and two other national officers in attendance.

songs. Just at the point the Provost was going out to address them, the students began to haul stones at the venue of the meeting. The attack was so intense that some Management members were hurt in the process and had to scamper for safety. There and then, the orgy of violence began. They destroyed everything in sight including the Student Union Building. Private vehicles and businesses were not spared. The Tantalizers Eatery and a Bookshop located within the College campus were severely damaged. When the situation started to get out of hand, the College Management immediately contacted the Police and they responded by deploying their men on campus. Their presence however infuriated the students who further went berserk and destroyed more properties with impunity and looted cars and businesses. Efforts were made to contact the Commissioner of Police to report the situation and request for reinforcement. The Commissioner after the intervention of His Royal Majesty, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Dr. Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo (Jilo III), responded and deployed armed mobile police to safe guard life and property on campus. As soon as the situation was brought under control, Management closed the College.

4. To show its goodwill to the Student union and to correct the wrong impression that Management was supporting any particular group, Management held a meeting with the Student Union leaders on 4th April, 2012 and the two parties agreed on so many issues, among which is their request for a Two Hundred Thousand Naira take-off grant which Management granted . 5. In view of the antecedents of the Student Union Executive, the Provost at every opportunity appealed to Staff and the Staff Unions, particularly COEASU to talk and advise them not to allow themselves to be used for unproductive ventures. However, because they are true to types, like a leopard which cannot change its skin colour, in just two months of its inauguration, Management had received various negative reports on the conduct of the Student Union Executive. The Association of Table Water Processors, Ondo Zone Chapter wrote Management on the interference in their business by the Student Union leaders and their threat to shut down their business and destroy their vehicles. Others include their uncivilized behaviour of wanting to be served fuel without paying at Muritala Lasisi Petroleum, a filling station in Ondo town and their rejection of the College driver attached to the Student Union bus. This was the same driver that drove the bus without complaint throughout the preceding Executive’s tenure.

5. Following this action, efforts were made to contact friends of the College in the media through text messages to announce the closure of the College on Radio and Television and that parents/guardians should come for their children and wards.

Immediate Causes (b) 1. In the two months preceding the event, the College experienced the untimely death of one (1) staff and four (4) students contrary to the rumour making the rounds that over fourteen (14) students had died. In fact, some newspapers maliciously reported ‘the untimely and mysterious deaths’ of twenty (20) students. While the staff (Mrs. R. M. Olubodun) who died was involved in a ghastly car accident along Ondo/Akure Road on Wednesday 28th March, 2012, the following students died of different ailments/causes:

3. The orchestrated furore on the purported mysterious deaths of students which snowballed into a mindless attack on Management, Staff and properties was a veiled attempt to disrupt the 2011/2012 Harmattan Semester examination already scheduled to commence on Monday, 11th June, 2012. It is clear to Management that the President wanted the students to go home for a three-week break without any just cause, just as he wanted a lecture free day for the students a week before. 4. Students alleged that the art works that dotted some parts of the College usually come alive at night to ‘sell’ goods such as recharge cards. While this allegation could best be described as one of the tales by moonlight, in all seriousness, one wonders how students in a College of Education in the 21st century could rely on this strange story to wreck havoc in the College. Unfortunately, some of these art works which were projects of their colleagues in the department of Fine and Applied Arts were also destroyed.

S/N

NAME

TAIWO, Olaoluwa Gabriel

DEPARTMENT/ MATRICULATION NO. Physical and Health Education PED/11/3069

LEVEL DEATH Degree 1

KAFIDIYA, Moji

Biology

Degree 3

IGBASAN, Victor

Computer/ PESPES/11/0080

NCE

ADENIYI, Akinlabi Frank

Integrated Science ISC/10/0015

NCE 2

TYPE OF Died in his home town Ikere-Ekiti in the presence of his parents on 9th May, 2012. Died in her home town during child birth. Died in his sleep on 23rd April, 2012 in his offcampus residence. He was a sickler. He had sickle cell crisis during the holidays and died in his parent’s house.

As revealed above, all the students died outside the College. We wish to note that whether staff or student, it is Management’s policy to condole with the families of those affected and render financial assistance where necessary and in accordance with regulations. In the above mentioned cases, Management did not do anything less. However, for reasons best known to the Student Union President, Mr. Akintola Abiodun, these unfortunate incidences became a tool to foment trouble in the college. 2. On Saturday, 12th May, 2012, the Student Union President sent a text to the Deputy Provost on the possible outbreak of violence in the wake of what he called “mysterious deaths of students on campus” and that a 3-week break be declared to avert it. On being informed, the Provost promised to invite the Student Union leaders to an Expanded Mangement meeting first thing on Monday, 14th May, 2012 in order to solve the problem. This promise was kept. The President and some other members of the Union including the Speaker and Chief Justice attended the meeting as scheduled. The Expanded Management (including Deans, Directors, Heads of Departments/Units) took time to reason with the students to the effect that going on a 3-week break will not prevent people from dying, more so that no one has control or power over death. In the course of the discussion, the two parties agreed instead to organize a special prayer session on Thursday, 17th May, 2012 at 10.00a.m. The Union leaders thereafter took their leave and Management continued with the meeting initially scheduled for that day in addition to making preparations for the programme. 3. Prior to the meeting, a group of students had alleged that the President and some of his colleagues, visited an Ifa Priest at Igbotako, Okitipupa Local Government Area of the State to prepare powerful charms for him to place at strategic points within the campus to aid his election bid and that he was expected to return to the Ifa Priest for some kind of sacrifice after he had won the election; failing which the charm will boomerang and lead to crisis, bloodshed and mysterious deaths. 4. At about 3:30 p.m. of Monday, 14th May, 2012, while the Management meeting was going on, students, in large numbers and in foul mood converged in front of the Council Chambers singing abusive

Observations of Management 1. The events that led to the closure of the College is very unfortunate, particularly when Management, in the past six years had tried its utmost best to ensure a peaceful environment for teaching, learning and research for staff and students. Management observed with sadness that the violent attack was premeditated and carried out with the full knowledge and support of the Student Union President, Mr. Akintola Abiodun who conveniently disappeared from the scene of the mayhem and never showed up while it lasted. 2. It was also observed that students from some other institutions came in to assist their colleagues in destroying College properties. Without the tacit approval of the Student Union President, it would have been impossible for students from other institutions to come and join their colleagues within to wreck havoc.

5. Curiously too, the Student Union building was also vandalized. The question that readily comes to mind is why destroy a building that belongs to students? The answer is not far-fetched. This Executive took over from its predecessor whose leadership style of accountability, constructive engagement and dialogue with Management on all issues was seen as an ‘aberration’. It earned the former Executive the sobriquet “Management puppet” all because it resisted intense pressure from fifth columnists to practice Student Unionism of thuggery and irresponsible dissent. In year 2011, the immediate past Executive completed and put to use the Student Union building which was abandoned at the foundation level in 2008. The Executive at that time raised funds for the project but ended up embezzling the money and sold about one hundred bags of cement donated by one of the High Chiefs in town for the project. The immediate past Executive was the first in the history of student unionism in Adeyemi College of education, Ondo to render an account of its stewardship and also submitted a report of all its financial transactions during that period. While all previous Student Union leaders of questionable character are in best of terms with the current Executive, the immediate past Executive received cold treatment because of its resolve not to toe the line of self destruction. This subtle antagonism and animosity has resulted in the vandalization of the union building. 6. The tenure of the immediate past Student Union Executive was peaceful and characterized by laudable achievements. They had no special magic wand other than following the path of reason. They engaged in constructive engagement with Management and conveyed the right information to their colleagues on any Management’s position; Management also conceded some grounds because of their mature approach to issues. Where there had been tension over issues, they gave true leadership by playing their role as intermediary between Management and their colleagues. This is a sharp contrast to what is on ground now. 7. The mindset and the leadership style of the Student Union President are now revealed in this mindless and meaningless attack on the peace of the College. He has shown himself to be highly irresponsible and in all sense of the word, very unfit to give leadership to his colleagues. After leading the Student Union Executive to a meeting of agreement with Management in the morning of Monday, 14th May, 2012 on how to forestall the alleged “incessant death” among students, his body language tacitly gave the approval to an orgy of violence never witnessed before in the College. His conduct smacks of subterfuge. ACTIONS ALREADY TAKEN 1. The Campus is now calm. All the students have vacated the College premises while security operatives are on ground to protect lives and properties. 2. A nine-man investigation panel had been constituted by the Academic Board to look into the immediate and remote causes of the incidence and make appropriate recommendation(s) that would forestall future occurrence. 3.

As a fall out of the mayhem, the activities of the Student Union have been suspended indefinitely. F. E. ADERINBOYE Registrar

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

AVIATION

‘Arik’s hangar can handle plane repairs’

RIK Air has said its hangar at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos can handle major plane repairs , despite the absence of a major maintenance repair organisation ( MRO) in the country. The carrier has continued to consolidate its partnership with Lufthansa Technik and Cityline for other categories of checks that cannot be handled at the headquarters. Speaking at the airline's headquarters, the Associate Vice President, Operations Control Centre, Ralph Henschen and the Senior Vice President Operations, Rob Thomas explained that the carrier has designed its operations and fleet maintenance in line with global best practices. They explained that from the screens at the operations control centre, those who man the equipment can tell authoritatively where any Arik Air aircraft is. This became possible with the establishment of the operations control centre from where all aircraft, whether in flight or on the grond could be monitored. They explained the technology can only be found in Emirates Air-

Stories by Kelvin Osa-Okunbor

lines in Dubai, as no other carrier in Africa has invested in the technology. From the operations control centre, they explained that the airline could carry out flight planning, personnel roster, fueling, catering and other coordinates needed for flight, even as there is sufficient capacity to ascertain the weather situation for 72 hours before it could deploy its aircraft. The duo explained that with the array of aircraft in Arik’s fleet, Air, which are fitted with the global positioning system( GPS), its aircraft could fly into any airport in Nigeria within or below the approved weather minima. They affirmed that Arik Air takes issues of safety seriously, insisting that its pilots will never fly into any airport if the weather is not good enough to ensure safe operations. They further said that from the operations control centre, the duty mangaers and officials could plan three days flight ahead as its personnel are sent to the United States annually to enhance their compe-

tence in flight dispatch , operations planning and management. On the capacity of the airline to carry out minor maintenance

the CEO of the company said that the agreement has wide implications on the security and sovereignty of the country. “A critical analysis would show that building these airports on the basis so stated have implications for an existing concession agreement between Abuja Gateway Consortium and the FG as well as implications for Nigeria’s security, economy, sovereignty, employment environment and every other facet of life. It is dubious that an agreement of this magnitude can be reached without due process,” the statement said. In a swift reaction, the minister of aviation, Princess Stella Oduah said the company should not entraintain any fears, as government will not shut any investor out of the bidding for the concession.

line checks on its aircraft at the hangar in Lagos at the close of domestic operations every night.

strategy of targeting areas of strong growth in emerging markets. The United Arab Emirates is a major trade partner of Nigeria, which has a population of more than 150 million people, the largest in Africa and the seventh biggest in the world.” The Lagos schedule will provide seamless connections over Abu Dhabi to key North and Southeast Asian destinations and markets in the Indian Subcontinent and Australia. Mr Hogan noted, “Nigeria is also enjoying strong economic growth driven by significant foreign investment, particularly from China, which means there is increasing demand for travel be-

She explained: " Government is making efforts to attract all investors, both foreigners and Nigerians. Everybody will be givin opportunity to express their interest. But , at the appropriate time government will take the necessary decision." Adoki also argued that aside “from the fact that the FG would have successfully shut legitimate Nigerian businesses out of the process, the entire country and her citizens could end up becoming one huge Chinese slave camp going by the fact that the terms of this BOT (build, operate and transfer) agreement are not known to Nigerians.” He also said, “For the avoidance of doubts, Abuja Gateway Consortium won the bid for the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja as

far back as 2007 and paid US$10 Million as initial concession fees to the FGN. The consortium has not been allowed to consummate the resulting contract because of questionable actions similar to this latest fraud being planned for the aviation industry. It is therefore unacceptable that the government would attempt to enter into an agreement with Chinese investors when a consortium that includes Nigerian partners is being shortchanged in a contract that the Chinese are now being given without due process. It is noteworthy to state that both Gatwick and City Airports of London are owned by Mr. Bayo Ogunlesi, a Nigerian, who is the Chairman of Global Infrastructural Group.” Why the Chinese when we have capable Nigerians?

SAHCOL begins construction of warehouse

Etihad Airways’ Lagos-Abu Dhabi flights start July 1 ETIHAD Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has confirmed that flights to and from Lagos, will begin onJuly 1. The direct flights will link Abu Dhabi and Lagos six times a week begin on by a two-class A330-200 aircraft with 22 Pearl Business class and 240 Coral Economy seats. Lagos is the 83rd destination in Etihad Airways’ global network and the return flights will create a new link between Nigeria, Africa’s third largest economy, and the United Arab Emirates. James Hogan, Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer, said: “The launch of services to Lagos is consistent with our

checks on aircraft, they explained that the partnership with Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Cityline has enhanced its capacity to carry out

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

Firm criticises govt for awarding terminal contracts to Chinese BUJA Gateway Consortium has criticised the Federal Government for awarding contracts to Chinese investors to build four international terminals. The terminals are billed for airports in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The deal was said to have been signed by the Minister of Finance Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala on behalf of the government. The firm noted that this deal will have severe implications on existing concession agreement between the above company and the Federal Government. The Abuja Gateway Consortium described the deal as dubious because, according to the company, it did not pass through due process. The statement signed by Miebaka K. Adoki,

•Oduah

•Engineers at Arik Air, fixing a plane’s engine at the firm’s hangar

•Hogan

tween Lagos and other emerging economies.”

THE Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) has started the construction of an ultra-modern 9,000 square metres Custom Bonded Cargo Warehouse at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Cargo Complex The 9,000 square metres cargo warehouse is designed and fabricated by Remco Romania, a division of the Remco Group of companies, with its headquarters in the Netherlands, a group which specialised in designing, building and delivering industrial halls based on an own innovative steel construction concept. The Custom Bonded warehouse, which is expected to be the first of its kind in the West African sub region,

will include, among others, a Cold Room, Strong Room, Racks, Office block of two (2) floors (covering a total space of 800 square meters per floor) and a loading bay, with four (4) loading gates. In addition , the warehouse’s designs has an aluminium coated finish floor on top of concrete floor , which provides additional strength , more friction for rolling equipment and eliminates the possibility of dust emission. The construction of the warehouse, which is expected to be completed within nine (9) months, is being handled by Mazin Engineering, a Zen Group Subsidiary, which specializes in steel fabrication, complementing with civil construction, thereby enabling them to deliver complete projects of steel structures. .

Industry profits to plummet this year, says IATA

IRLINE industry group, IATA has warned that global profits would more than halve this year owing to surging oil prices and the Eurozone crisis, with European carriers suffering losses of $1.1 billion. Tony Tyler, the Director General of International Air Transport Association(IATA), also hit out at a controversial carbon tax scheme put in place by the European Union, saying that it is a "polarising obstacle to real progress". Tyler told the group's annual gen-

eral meeting in Beijing that "2012 is another challenging year. We expect revenues of $631 billion but a profit of just $3.0 billion." That compares with a profit of $7.9 billion in 2011, IATA figures show. Tyler cited the cost of oil as a reason for "anaemic global profitability" and IATA said it predicted an overall average price of $110 a barrel this year using Brent crude oil as a basis, warning political risks could push this up. Brent is currently sitting at $100 a barrel, although it is down more than

$20 from multi-year peaks earlier this year. But Tyler added: "The biggest and most immediate risk ... is the crisis in the eurozone. If it evolves into a banking crisis we could face a continent-wide recession, dragging the rest of the world and our profits down." In a statement released as the AGM began Monday, IATA said it had downgraded its outlook for European airlines in 2012, projecting losses of $1.1 billion compared with its previous forecast of $600 million in losses.

The estimate comes despite figures showing 5.6 percent year on year growth in European passenger traffic in April and predictions global passenger numbers would rise to nearly 3 billion this year compared to 2.8 billion in 2011. "For European carriers, the business environment is deteriorating rapidly, resulting in sizeable losses," Tyler was quoted as saying in the statement. But he added that the global picture was "diverse", with carriers in North and Latin America expected

to see improved prospects from 2011, compared with airlines in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. According to IATA estimates, North American carriers are likely to post profits of $1.4 billion in 2012, a slight improvement on the previous year due to strict management of airline capacity. Carriers in the Middle East, however, are expected to see profits drop by more than half, as are those in the Asia Pacific region -- due in part to slowing Indian and Chinese economies.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

MARITIME

Why Lagos, other ports are unattractive, by importers T

O avoid multiple levies, importers are still diverting cargoes to Cotonou, Benin Republic; Togo and Ghana, The Nation has learnt. Investigation revealed that the cost of doing business at the Port Autonome de Cotonou is cheaper than that of Nigeria. Besides, the Beninois government also offers rebate to Nigerian importers. Apart from paying what is described as “healthy tariff”, the Nigerian importer in Benin is granted additional 15 per cent tariff, a figure that is less than what is paid by his Beninoise counterpart. Also, no goods meant for Nigeria are sold in Benin Republic. The importer has only about three days to get his cargoes across the border. The Nigeria Customs Service is aware of this development, hence the Seme command was given about N10 billion target for this year. Majority of those doing business at the Krake market, on Benin Republic side of Seme border, are Nigerians. They patronise the market for foreign currency. A car importer Mr Sesan Basorun, said importers re-

• NPA MD, Omar Suleiman By Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

located to Cotonou port because of the huge difference in clearing their goods from both countries. For instance, he said while it takes between N370,000 and N450,000 to clear a 2005 Toyota Highlander at the Lagos seaports, importers spend between N140,000 and N150,000 to clear the same good Cotonou. Basorun attributed the huge gap in figures to the multiple levies paid by importers at the nation’s sea

ports. The charges include the Negotiable Duty Certificate fees, seven per cent surcharge, port development, Sugar, National Automotive Council levies and Value Added Tax (VAT). Others include the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme. The importer or his agent is also expected to pay certain charges to the shipping companies and terminal operators, including shipping, terminal handling and empty container levies. The Managing Director, Global Trade Concepts, Mr Raphael Okuwdili, said the seaport system is replete with many charges on imported consignment. This, he said, has made the ports unattractive. According to him, although over 70 per cent of the cargoes for West African countries comprising containerised and general cargos end up in the country, others come in through the seaports, an indication that several goods are being diverted to neighbouring countries.

Terminal operators,he said, used to collect some illegal fees, such as service, bank, concessionaires service, tally clerks, port administrative and sorting charges and commission on turnover, which had been abolished by the former Minister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Suleiman. He alleged that apart from these charges, there are over 30 illegal levies imposed by the terminal operators and shipping companies on port users. General Manager, Public Affairs, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Michael Ajayi, said some Nigerian-bound cargoes are diverted to neigbouring countries because of greed. He said the Federal Government’s policy on reduction of cargo clearing has started yielding results, adding that it now takes seven days to clear consignments, as against 39 days. Ajayi urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure that the Federal Government’s 24-hour cargo clearance policy works by putting in place a framework that would enable lenders to run a seamless 24hour service at the seaports.

Navy moves to stem crime By Uyoatta Eshiet

THE Nigerian Navy has entered into partnership with the Royal and French navies to stem piracy and other criminalities in Nigeria’s territorial waters, and on the West African coast. Royal Navy’s warship, the HMS DAUNTLESS, and the French Navy’s frigate, the L’HERMINIER, berthed in Lagos last week. Speaking during a courtesy call on the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ameen Ikioda, commanding officers of the naval vessels, Capt. Will Warrender of the Royal Navy and Cdr. Bourhis Gwenegan of the French Navy, noted that the deal would strengthen the West Africa coast against piracy and sea criminality. Warrender said the collaboration was timely. It would see the participating countries pool their resources to ensure that the West Africa’s maritime domain is free from criminalities. He said: “It is an absolute honour to come to Nigeria, the first of our visit since the inauguration of the HMS DAUNTLESS two years ago. The HMS DAUNTLESS is one of the most advanced destroyer warships in the world today.”

400 delegates for ports confab By Oluwakemi Dauda, Maritime Correspondent

OVER 400 delegates from port countries in West and Central Africa have converged on Lagos to attend the 35th Annual Council Meeting of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), being hosted by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). The Council Meeting, which was declared open by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, had as its Theme, “Impact of port concession on socio-economic development of our countries.” The event, which also featured the 11th PMAWCA Round Table at Victoria Island, continues till Friday. NPA General Manager, Security Col. Jamil Tahir (rtd) said adequate security has been provided for guests, adding that security personnel, comprising the Police, State Security and other those from security agencies have been deployed for the assignment.

NPA to train Niger Delta youths THE Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is to train Niger Delta youths in maritime studies. The scheme aims to convert them to ratings and officers, maritime security and enforcement officers for cabotage as well as search and rescue operations among others. The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Omar Suleiman, disclosed this when the executives of the National Association of Niger Delta Students (NANDS) paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Lagos. He said: “Youths from the area have a natural inclination for the sea and we want to harness the potential.” The programme also involves training them to become maritime pollution enforcement officers. The NPA boss said as a chief at Eleme and a former Port Manager of Onne Port, he is acquainted with the problems of the region.

New order on cargo clearance The Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited (Terminal ‘C’ TCIP) has given a directive on how goods would be cleared within 48 hours at the terminal. In statement by its image maker Mr Silver Oliver, containers booked for examination between 8.00am and noon would be dropped same day before 2 pm for examination, while bookings made after noon would be dropped at night same day for examination the following day. The order, he said, was part of the vision to achieve excellence in its areas ofoperations and in line with the Federal Government’s desire to achieve a 48-hour clearing of cargoes from the seaports. The terminal, he said, has repaired some of its faulty machines and acquired some new ones, such as two forklifts and four harbour cranes to support the old ones to boost the rate of cargo deliveries.

‘Ports trucks unfit’ •From left: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Prof. Olajide Ayinla; Rear Admiral Akinwale; and Commodore Maiha, at the event. PHOTO: PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU

Navy decries poor funding of hydrography

HE Navy has attributed the slow pace in the de velopment of hydrography to poor funding. Chief of Naval Staff, (CNS),Vice-Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, reprensented by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Naval Training Command Headquarters, Abuja, Rear Admiral James Akinwade said there was need for proper funnding of hydrography by stakeholders or the Presidency. He spoke at the World Hydrography Day (WHD)

By Precious Igbonwelundu

celebration, held at the Nigerian Insitute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR) in Victoria Island, Lagos. The activities of the Navy’s Hydrographic Office, he said, are being solely funded by the Nigerian Navy, adding that it is difficult to execute hydrographic activities from the Navy’s budget. To the Surveyor-General of the Federation, Prof Peter Nwilo, the government must provide adequate funds for

hydrographic activities, even as he maintained that the Navy has to improve its efforts as the body in charge of hydrography, especially in terms of research. In his remarks, the Hydrographer of the Navy and President, Nigeria Hydrographic Society (NHS), Commodore Achinge Maiha said following the adoption of resolution A/60/30 by the United Nations General Assembly, the World Hydrography Day has been celebrated every June 21 since 2006, to

recognise and publicise the vital role hydrography plays in the safety of navigation at sea. Maiha noted that the early recognition of the necessity of international co-operation in the field of hydrography led to the formation of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) in 1921 to promote easier and safer navigation at sea by co-ordinating the activites of the hydrographic offices of the nations to achieve common standard.

By Uyoatta Eshiet

MOST trucks at the nation’s seaports are unfit,Chairman,Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) Chief Remi Ogungbemi has said in Lagos. He said: “Most of us truck owners rely on tokunbo (fairly used) trucks and these trucks have failed tests overseas. There is no way a truck that has failed road tests abroad will pass it here.” He further stated that in Nigeria, the roads affect the trucks. “The most important reason you see some of these trucks in rickety and dilapidated conditions is that, there are so many devourers that devour the proceeds of the truck owners. For example, if a truck has a flat tyre, it will be difficult to change it without having these devourers come nearer to you to extort money. It is even better, when you have a flat tyre, to slash the tyre and go. It is better and cheaper than to change the tyre, because what you will pay for changing that tyre will be more than the cost of the tyre itself. “There are so many devourers. Security agencies are found wanting in this aspect. They see truck operators as Automated Teller Machine (ATM ) that they can just slot in their cards to be vomiting naira for them. So, that is why the money that is supposed to be used to maintain these trucks, even to phase out the aging ones, are taken away directly or indirectly,” the AMATO said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

EDITORIAL/OPINION EDITORIAL FROM OTHER LAND

COMMENT

Let the probe go on •There is no basis for aviation minister’s disagreement with lawmakers’ investigation

HE painful reverberations from the recent Dana Air crash in Lagos won’t just go away. The continuing search for bodies of loved ones, wailings as burial of victims take place, faces of internally displaced persons, disconsolate owners of destroyed properties and sheer anguish as memories and pictures flash by. In the midst of all these, we must find out what happened. While the National Assembly has set up a joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives to probe the aviation industry, the Minister of Aviation prefers that they wait for a report of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). We believe the two investigations should go on, as their responsibilities are not the same. The National Assembly’s joint committee is enjoined to look at the entire aviation sector, while the AIB would only examine the cause of the Dana Air crash. In our recent history, particularly between 2005 and 2006, the country witnessed a spate of air accidents, and despite the public outcry and promises by government, there are still speculations as to the real cause/s of those tragedies. Regrettably, after every clash, the Federal Government and her agencies ask Nigerians to wait for the report of the AIB and when they believe that the pains have receded, no word is again mentioned about those tragedies. That is why we are surprised that the Minister of Aviation is pushing for a suspension of the legislative probe. We note that since her assumption of office, there has been the propagation in the media that she has turned the industry around,

with the massive funds put at her disposal. While the results of her celebrated intervention are yet to be seen, she was led to carry herself around as a messiah in the aviation industry. The so-called turnaround of the major airports increasingly look like a sham, with the quality of work currently going on at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. There is also similar impression that the facilities in the Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu, among others, have been upgraded. Yet, routinely at the Abuja airport, the runway lights go off, and the consequence is that night flights are now a dangerous exercise; yet Abuja is the seat of government. Basic equipment such as conveyor belt routinely breaks down at the MMIA, not to talk of the air conditioners. Again there is the report that the intervention fund in the aviation sector has been badly mismanaged instead of channelling the money to improving the provision of services and efficiency at the airports. Many Nigerians believe that part of the problem in the sector is the result of a compromised regulatory authority. So, let the National Assembly go ahead with its probe of the sector. Nigerians who lost their loved ones in the air accidents, both recently and in the past, need to know the cause of their losses. They need to locate who or what was responsible. Considering that the executive arm had in the past shown unwillingness to let Nigerians into the results of the previous AIB investigations on the causes of the accidents; let’s hope that a legislative

probe will expose the real situation. In investing hope in the National Assembly, we are not unmindful of the unfolding tragedies of compromise by some of their members who are handling important national assignments. While the various probes are going on, it is important that those entrusted with caring for the lives of Nigerians take their responsibilities more seriously. Those in charge of regulating the aviation industry must, when compromised, leave with the shame of being agents of death and destruction, especially when their indifference or conducts contributes to the air disasters.

‘So, let the National Assembly go ahead with its probe of the sector. Nigerians who lost their loved ones in the air accidents, both recently and in the past, need to know the cause of their losses. They need to locate who or what was responsible. Considering that the executive arm had in the past shown unwillingness to let Nigerians into the results of the previous AIB investigations on the causes of the accidents; let’s hope that a legislative probe will expose the real situation’

Contradictory judgments •CJN should do something about it rather than bemoan the practice

USTICE Dahiru Musdapher, Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), has deprecated the contradictory decisions emanating from the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal in the country. The CJN bemoaned the confusion such judgements are creating among legal practitioners and the public at a recent lecture organised by Optimum Law Publishers, publishers of Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR) with the theme: “Judicial Precedent: Taming the Common Law”. He in a long treatise declared: “Quite a number of judgments from the Court of Appeal and some from the Supreme Court confuse lawyers and the public…The practice of distinguishing cases, usually employed by judges to depart from a previous decision, which they would otherwise be bound by, helps keep the law flexible…However, I have noticed with

‘The rate at which judges at the appellate levels are flagrantly abusing the law and precedent is becoming alarming. The CJN has taken judicial notice of it through his comments at the lecture. We only hope that he would take the necessary steps to curb the excesses of errant judges involved in this habit, using the instrumentality of the National Judicial Council (NJC) which at the moment seems not effective in this regard’

dismay that the basis of differentiation has become arbitrary and dents this noble principle.’’ He continued: ‘There must be a restoration of standard empirical reasoning, which satisfies the need for stability and consistency together with ensuring that justice is done always.’ Justice Musdapher equally admonished judges that “When an issue begs for determination, the judge must carefully consider the precedents presented and ensure that the essence of the principles previously established is unmistakably reflected within the context of the current case. The process of differentiation must be clearly and logically explained in our judgment…when a departure becomes expedient to ensure justice in an instant case, a balance between the consequences of change and the reasons begging for such change must be carefully contemplated… We must strive to avoid making changes to establish positions purely on the facts of the instant case without proper consideration of the direct and implied effects of such changes.” The law allows for doctrine of precedent/ stare decisis which promotes certainty of law and restrains judges from exhibiting partiality by insisting that they decide like cases alike- thereby promoting legal equality between parties. We are aware that judges dictate the position of the law at any point in time. They are the custodians and repository of what the law is on any matter. So, they need to be extra cautious in their pronouncements, especially at the semi and final appellate levels, being the courts of last resort. The object of any principle of law is the at-

tainment of justice which the judge must ensure is attained always. The doctrine of stare decisis/ judicial precedent has, sadly, been jettisoned with reckless abandon by some judges. This is without prejudice to our realisation that interpretation is highly nuanced. Despite this reality, we know that exploiting the nuance of interpretation by judges to give judgment per incuriam is unacceptable. We are aware that precedent in law allows lawyers to reasonably advise their clients on any issue regarding a point of law. Furthermore, the principle of per incuriam stipulates that a court has failed to take into account all the relevant and vital statutes or authorities which had major effect on the outcome of a particular case. Per incuriam does not just mean that the earlier court got things wrong. It only means there was a significant lapse; it shows that not only must there have been a failure to take account of relevant authorities; that fault must also have been such a major defect that it seriously affects the reasoning in the case and definitely must have affected the outcome. We doubt whether judges in the nation’s appellate courts are aware of this fact. The rate at which judges at the appellate levels are flagrantly abusing the law and precedent is becoming alarming. The CJN has taken judicial notice of it through his comments at the lecture. We only hope that he would take the necessary steps to curb the excesses of errant judges involved in this habit, using the instrumentality of the National Judicial Council (NJC) which at the moment seems not effective in this regard.

Still up in the air on ‘indecency’

Supreme Court decision on broadcast nudity and expletives was correct but settles little. By an 8-0 vote, the Supreme Court properly has overturned sanctions against two television networks for broadcasting “indecent” content at a time when children might have been watching. But unanimity may have come at the cost of clarity. Instead of deciding whether the Federal Communication Commission’s prohibition of nudity and “fleeting expletives” between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. violated broadcasters’ 1st Amendment rights, the justices ruled only that the agency failed to provide Fox and ABC with fair warning that such programming would be judged unacceptable. Tuesday’s decision involved three programs: the 2002 and 2003 Billboard Music Awards broadcast by Fox and a 2003 episode of the ABC police drama “NYPD Blue.” At the awards, Cher uttered the “Fword” and Nicole Richie used a variation on it. The offending “NYPD Blue” program, as JusticeAnthony M. Kennedy put it, “showed the nude buttocks of an adult female character for approximately seven seconds.” Fox was cited by the FCC for indecency but wasn’t fined. The 45 stations that aired the “NYPD Blue” episode were each fined $27,500. The U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled for the networks on broad 1st Amendment grounds, concluding that the FCC’s indecency rules were so vague and inconsistently applied that they deterred “a vast amount of protected speech.” The Supreme Court could have reached the same conclusion. Even more ambitiously, it could have revisited the 1978 ruling in which it upheld sanctions against a radio station that aired the late George Carlin’s famous “Filthy Words” monologue. That opinion stressed that broadcasting deserves less 1st Amendment protection than other forms of communication because it is “uniquely pervasive” and “uniquely accessible to children.” In their brief, Fox’s lawyers noted that this observation has been rendered obsolete by the proliferation of cable and satellite TV, the Internet, video games and other media. Also, the lawyers noted, technology unheard of in 1978 now allows parents to block programming they believe is inappropriate. Instead of ruling broadly, however, the court held simply that Fox and ABC weren’t given fair notice because their programs aired in 2002 and 2003, before the FCC had adopted its strict prohibition on “fleeting expletives” and nudity. Only Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in a concurring opinion, said the court should revisit its 1978 ruling. Sometimes it’s wise for the court to rule narrowly, and in this case there may have been a reason for the court to sidestep the 1st Amendment issue. Apparently because she previously served on the 2nd Circuit, Justice Sonia Sotomayor did not participate in the case, creating the possibility of a 4-4 tie on a broader holding. Still, the constitutionality of vague “indecency” rules is likely to return to the court — unless the FCC acts on Kennedy’s comment that the court’s ruling “leaves the commission free to modify its current indecency policy.” That’s a hint the commission should take. – Los Angeles Times

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

EDITORIAL/OPINION

IR: “We are shaped by every language and culture…and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war…and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall some day pass, that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve, that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself.” These words are not from the great trinity: Nnamdi Azikwe, Tafawa Balewa or Obafemi Awolowo, neither is the quote from ex heads of state Gowon, Obasanjo or Buhari. These words are from the great bastion of human rights, Martin Luther King, given during one of the march against segregation. I chose this quote to highlight two salient facts that we continue to ignore to our peril: every nation has its challenges and that the division along

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A case for Nigeria’s unity tribal lines is not peculiar to Nigeria, hence, ethnicity should not be used as a tool to hinder sustainable development in our great nation. In recent weeks, leaders of thought and ‘elder statesmen’ have opined that Nigeria may break up or insinuated that it will be better if Nigeria divides along ethnic lines. Admittedly, I used to be one of those who viewed this great nation through the narrow binoculars of tribalism but I have since realized the short comings of this perspective and concluded that we have more to benefit as the states of

Arewa, Biafra and Oodua being a part of one than a sum of many. This is easily understood if we realize that no nation in the world today is free of challenges, it is the manner in which the developed countries approach their problems that make them standout. As recently highlighted by the case of Trayvon Martin, the issue of racism is far from over in the United States. In recent history, Great Britain had to confront the issue of religious bigotry especially in Ireland and it continues to face the challenges of racism and terrorism just like the United

States. China and India are daily confronted with the problem of over population. All these nations, to mention a few, are not from the old Egyptian civilization, they exist now, and are faced with similar problems that currently besiege us but they continually seek and apply methods by which they can overcome. The developed countries work hard at proffering solutions to the problems that confronts them while we continue to wish ours away. This is quite unfortunate. We need to go back to the drawing

The carnage on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

IR: The incessant loss of lives and property on the LagosIbadan Expressway has remained a source of great concern to motorists and road-users. Travellers on the 120 kilometre road that was constructed in the 1970s are constantly subjected to harrowing experience owing to the deplorable condition of the road. The criminal neglect of the road, which is the major link to the eastern and northern states of the federation is an indication of our bad maintenance culture. The statistics released by the Ogun State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps show that between January 2009 and July 2011, over 833 people died on the road while 6,103 were injured in 2,264 accidents. Between January and July this year, 217 travellers lost their lives in 559 accidents, while 1,434 were injured. The frequent accidents on the road are due largely to the neglect of the road by the Federal Government. This scenario is similar to other federal highways in the South-south and South-west geopolitical zones of the country. When the Lagos-Ibadan expressway was concessioned to BiCourtney Highway Services Limited, in 2009, to expand and rehabilitate, Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief that carnage on the road will be reduced. Years after, nothing tangible has really happened while many lives are still being lost, daily to road mishaps and criminal attacks.

Regrettably, the implementation of the project, which was expected to begin immediately, had suffered a long delay due to a number of problems, ranging from the adjustment and re-adjustment of its design; funding issue; securing the Right of Way; the issue of environmental and social impact; and the opposition by some state governments. To put a stop to the perpetual deaths on the Expressway, there is urgent need for all relevant parties to appreciate the importance of this road, both to the national economy and the safety of lives and stop telling tales and giving excuses. The parties should return to the drawing board so that work can start on this unduly delayed project, for the

road alone accounts for 70 per cent of movement of goods across the nation. Other roads such as the Benin-Ore road, which have remained nightmares to East-West travellers should equally receive similar attention from the government and where all public sector-driven projects have failed, even amidst decaying infrastructure, the concession option could be applied for all infrastructural development in the country. Ogun State, just like the Lagos State should strictly enforce the law in which fuel tankers and other heavyduty trucks - which had for long illegally taken over portions of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway - were forcibly ejected. The truck drivers

must be made to use the parks designated for them. Truck operators and drivers should be continuously enlightened on the benefits of compliance with highway regulations, including safe parking. Every useful measure should be taken to prevent accidents and stop the recurrent carnage on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. It is time for the government to take the railway reforms more seriously. The Federal Government should do more to resuscitate and expand the nation’s railway system, in order to decongest the heavy-duty traffic on the overused roads. • Adewale Kupoluyi Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State

board. There is a reason the United States run the presidential system of government and England the parliamentary system of governance. Overtime, each of these nations have discovered the system that works for them. I believe the present presidential system in Nigeria hinders us from having the best candidates at the executive arm of the government, too many compromises have to be made. This may be the reason why we did not have the best president this country deserved, and why the Fasholas of this clime may never become President. Sustainable development was at its peak in Nigeria when we had the parliamentary system. We do not necessarily have to go back to this system, for all I care. What is paramount is that we need to sit at a roundtable and search for a way forward with the fierce urgency of now. Martin Luther King said ‘gradualism is little more than escapism and do-nothingism, which ends up in stand-stillism’. Now is the time to let go of religious bigotry and toxic tribalism. Now is the time to draft a constitution which will be the spring that will propel this great nation to the developmental heights it truly deserves. In 2014, it will exactly be 100 years since the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates that eventually gave birth to the child of destiny: Nigeria. It has been a typical marriage with tests and great moments. We urgently need to take steps to ensure that at the 100 years anniversary of a great union, the bond of tolerance and freedom that has bound us together through fate is not stretched beyond its elastic limit. • Femi Oloro Federal Housing Estate Ado-Ekiti.

The removal of Azazi and Haliru Mohammed

IR: The recently announced sack of both Gen Owoye Azazi (rtd) and Dr Bello Haliru Mohammed as National Security Adviser and Minister of Defence respectively is a welcome development. I consider it overdue in view of the dismal performance of the organizations under the purview of the duo. In more civilized and responsive climes, these gentlemen would have resigned long ago knowing that they have failed the nation and themselves judging by the security indices which have shown them incapable of grappling with the current exigencies.

It is my hope that Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) will be up to the challenges of the situation especially now that the scourge of Boko Haram has become a daily nightmare with the US profiling Nigerians as dangerous terrorists. By this singular move, President Jonathan appears to have woken up to the realities that he has the onus of engendering performance in our national body politic by taking decisive actions expeditiously. Nobody expects the President to do everything all by himself hence he must appoint people but the least we the citizens of this country expect is that he should assess prop-

erly any nominee proposed to him before appointing such person and giving him or her a portfolio and if such person fails to deliver, he should not hesitate to remove him or her. President Jonathan should use this opportunity to do an overhaul of his administration as it is still evident that there are still deadwoods in various government positions and Nigeria cannot make progress with such characters who are not bringing anything to the table. It is also pertinent to advise that in making certain critical appointments, the President should dis-

pense with sentiments. He must be the one to dictate the colour of his team knowing that he is the one to receive the knocks whenever incompetence and poor performance become manifest. The President promised Nigerians transformation which implies radical change both in perception and ways of doing things. The President should use the impetus of having started this to do a thorough clean up and bring back the trust and confidence of teeming masses who believed in his message. • Sir Ernest Elochukwu, Lagos, Nigeria.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

EDITORIAL/OPINION

AKE a look at This Day’s June 22 reportedly hand over a cache photo of Farouk Lawan, the man of marked US $600, 000 (or US in eye of the storm, answering $620, 000) to a private citizen for a sting operation – and a questions from journalists with sartoprivate citizen and oil player rial elegance and a winsome smile, and who had absolutely nothing you probably have in your collection to hide? Why would such a a poster boy’s picture of a society withplayer, as white as snow, volout shame. unteer to play ball, even if Mr. It all echoes a Yoruba snipe: they call Olakunle Lawan had indeed hustled you a rogue; still you strut around with lordbeek@yahoo.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) Abimbola him for bribe? newly stolen goats! This Day’s Olusegun Adeniyi Which is worse: Mr. Lawan smiling suggested it was the rogue elso sweetly, like a dashing hero come ements of the SSS. Maybe. But to town? Or journalists returning the even then, SSS is SSS, rogue infectious smile, as if declaring: “in elements or not. So, well conFarouk we trust”? the perceptive hunch: the so-called surge in subsidy payout, nected individuals have access to state-marked bribes, even When a politician accused of brazen bribery switches on from the budgeted N245 billion to N1.7 trillion, in an election without operatives swooping on the lured culprit? the charm that suggests the grave allegations were the year, had nothing to do with subsidising petroleum products. Indeed, Mr. Otedola would appear well connected. For highest societal compliment, and the famed Fourth Estate Rather, it had everything to do with the cynical hospitality of one, he is among a privileged few who double as players in partakes in such cynical theatrics, the society is even more feting a gullible Abu with his own stolen resources! It is all in the economy; and also part of Goodluck Jonathan’s Economic endangered than it cares to admit! the oily business of public-private sector participation (PPP) Team. For another, he was also part of the privileged few Yet, in this macabre drama of sleaze, Mr. Lawan is only in corruption! that felt too honoured to be suborned by former President but a miniscule sub-plot. It is a play of the infernal giants Besides, those nailed in the report were not exactly poles Olusegun Obasanjo, to raise money for a presidential library, in which Mr. Lawan’s pocket frame is apt metaphor for apart from the largest political racket (sorry, party!) in Africa, even as a sitting president! how tiny his role is in the overall play, though on the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). They probably are its To cut short a long story: the shadow of federal might surface he is the leading actor and anti-hero. big donors. So, should they squeal, after the House and pubseemed to loom, as Mr. Otedola embarked on this peculiar It is just as well Mr. Lawan, a House of Representatives lic opinion had compelled the lethargic federal attorney-gensting – even if failure to swoop on the alleged bribe taker, veteran of 13 years and still counting, was there at the eral and minister of Justice to open prosecution, it could be with hot evidence, appears to have allowed him to somevery beginning. It is meet too that Olusegun Obasanjo, pretty messy. So, comes Operation Sting and Counter-sting! what turn it round to his own counter-sting! the one of the hyena laugh, another central, if veiled, charEnter, therefore, Femi Otedola, the oil marketing baron. To What might federal might gain from all these? Easy: to acter in this grim drama, was there too at the beginning as start with, there are no tears for Mr. Lawan, if indeed he coldiscredit the House report; and portray the committee as a president of the Federal Republic. That would explain the lected bribe, as the reported famous video, reminiscent of the conclave of bribe-extorting blackmailers. Then, to use that apocryphal tale that Obasanjo launched his National AsAbacha-era Aso Rock videos and their reported phantom as excuse to shield those indicted from prosecution and possembly-is-peopled-with-felons bazooka, after he had coups, purports to claim. If the famed Mr. Integrity all of sible conviction; and the government itself from embarrasswatched a certain video. sudden becomes an arch-bribe taker, though alleged, he had ment by possible squealers who would not go down alone. Back then in 1999, the budding imperial president could it coming, as the Americans would say. But the most noxious motive clearly is to use the discrednot brook a puny National Assembly, purporting to blur Still, whatever could have prompted Mr. Otedola, a Nigeited report to re-launch the complete removal of the phanhis all-knowing and all-wise vision for the country. So, rian business royal by any standard, to want to freely tom fuel subsidy. Recall: an earlier bid, last January, brought Obasanjo used the mass media outcry over the legislature’s criminalise himself as a bribe giver, knowing both giver and the Jonathan Presidency to its knees. If that indeed were the huge furniture allowance to put the legislative wannabes taker are liable, by going public on the sordid deal? Yet, plan, then it is good luck to Goodluck Jonathan! in their place. The National Assembly never recovered. another practical manifestation of a society without shame? But before Nigeria’s most unpopular president begins a So, it was too good a tale when Lawan started talking Or a brave effort at saving the endangered species of oily proxy war he cannot finish, let him study hard the fate of the the talk, about patriotism, about probity and about integplayers, nailed by the House committee report? highly diminished Obasanjo. For eight years, he fought rity; and ordinarily critical, if not cynical, Nigerian media And still on that, why would the SSS, a state security organ, proxy battles with real and imagined enemies instead of and people started cozying up to his committee’s report, facing his job as president. All he got was a tragic unravelling as a credible and comprehensive document, exposing big – which was just as well! ‘The most noxious motive clearly is time oil subsidy robbers, caught with fingers in the till; Jonathan is on his way to being the most incompetent presiand a Jonathan Presidency bent on slapping the cost of the to use the discredited report to redent Nigeria ever had. He had better face his job, and shun bazaar on Nigerians as “subsidy removal”. embarking on unproductive power ventures that would furAt last, something good was coming out of the House of launch the complete removal of the ther drag him down the hole. Representatives! phantom fuel subsidy. If that indeed · So, why might the Presidency open a proxy front against • Correction: Ripples first met the late Mrs Ngozi Agbo at the House of Representatives, on account of this good were the plan, then it is good luck to New Age newspaper in 2004, not 1994 as wrongly published news? Definitely not to further slice the diminutive Mr. Goodluck Jonathan!’ last week. The error is regretted and may her soul rest in peace. Lawan! For starters, the House subsidy report underscored

epublican ipples

Sting and counter-sting

PINION would no doubt remain divided on the question of whether last week’s firing of the duo of Andrew Owoye Azazi – the National Security Adviser, and Haliru Mohammed, the Defence Minister by President Goodluck Jonathan came near the measures that Nigerians expected given the latest rounds of the Boko Haram insurgency. By and large – the removal of the duo appears to have been generally well received – if for nothing but at least for its symbolism. As for Gen. Azazi, his stay as NSA had been rather uneventful, if not entirely lack-lustre. Clearly, the serial high-profile bombings under his watch had rendered his occupation of the office untenable. The latest bombings in Kaduna and Yobe merely provided the facesaving catalyst for his hitherto impervious bosses to take him out particularly as he seems to have done very little else other than pontificate on the problems as against developing an effective blueprint to contain the menace, since he got the job in October 2010. Should the nation have expected anything less than sterling performance from the administration on security matters? Just imagine, the nation’s outlay on security has grown to record levels under this Presidency; yet, pretty little – aside the routine, tepid assurances that government was on top of the security situation – has been delivered in terms of making Nigerians feel safer. If the latest cycle of bombings in Kaduna and Yobe seem any measure of how far the security establishment has been able to grapple with the business of developing and deploying intelligence and matching operational dexterity to tame the scourge of insecurity, it is a revelation of how far the nation still had to go. Nearly a dozen strikes after the December 25, 2011 attack on St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madallah, Niger State which left more than 40 dead, we are yet to see an effective strategy of containment in place. For a war that the security forces long admitted was an unconventional one, what we see daily are conventional tactics with successive attacks more daring, more devastating than the preceding one. It is no coincidence that barely three weeks after the Madallah blast, a string of deadly

‘Can the same leaders making the call offer realistic guarantees of possible observance of ceasefire by the sect should government offer to freeze military operations?’

Policy Sanya Oni sanyaoni@yahoo.co.uk 08051101841

New Boko Haram strategy? operations by the Boko Haram sect in Kano would leave some 215 Nigerians dead. In its bid to stamp its unchallengeable authority on the ancient city, the sect regrouped in April to launch coordinated attacks at Bayero University, Kano – slaughtering a score of innocent worshippers during a religious service. Add the dozenplus bombings in the North-east states of Yobe, Borno, Plateau and Bauchi whose casualties we have since lost count, to the relentless clashes between elements of the sect and the security agencies, the picture of a war without end comes as complete. The breakout of the hitherto subdued rage of innocent victims of the insurgency in Kaduna merely adds another dangerous dimension to the mix. Is the Presidential axe part of the overdue overhaul of the security architecture, a signal that a new Boko Haram strategy is in the works? One clearly hopes so. To start with, I do not think that anyone would disagree with the fact that the present approach to containing the menace is ineffectual. Even the President admitted this new realism with his reference to the imperative of a new thinking to deal with the menace during his media chat on Sunday. However, the question of the thrust of the new thinking remains in the realm of speculation at least for now. One option is dialogue. Even that remains at best academic, at least not with the Boko Haram preferring to sneer at the option. This seems understandable given that the sect believes it enjoys both psychological and operational advantage over the nation’s security agencies. And, to the extent that it is deeply embedded in the communities in the North – a fact that also explains its staying power – it can lay claim to the unqualified

advantage of being the de facto authority among northern grassroots elements. Having said that, it needs also to be stated that there is nothing novel in their assumed invincibility or the illusions to which it gives rise. After all, didn’t such illusion once feed the obduracy of the Niger Delta militants until the battle of Gbaramatu changed all that? Between the battle of Gbaramatu and the current insurgency, what seems to be missing are the absence of a clear strategy on the part of the government and the required political will to carry through an effective police action to dismantle the sect’s command and control apparatus. That is where the second strategy comes in – the strategy of containment. That option starts by acknowledging that the current military operations has become a matter of necessity, something to be fought with the full compliments of intelligence and vigour – if need be from house to house – if ever the war would ever be winnable. In other words – a recognition that this is hardly time to yield the space to the army of insurgents. Is President Jonathan ready for this option? Seems to me unlikely. Apart from the huge political costs involved, there are legitimate questions as to whether the President possesses the nerves to take on the shadowy forces behind the insurgency. This is where those who celebrate the appointment of Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) as NSA may find themselves disappointed sooner than later. There is clearly a world of difference between an NSA job, the briefs of Defence Minister and the job of Commander-in-Chief. I honestly do not see how a Col. Dasuki (rtd) – or any appointee for that matter could be expected to cure the President of a self-inflicted handicap. Those expecting miracles had better look up that word – caution. Finally, with due respect to those currently calling for dialogue with the Boko Haram, it seems to me as naive to expect that the group would embrace the dialogue option –without the military first showing their muscle. The elders, notably from the north, currently pleading for a rollback in operations would surely do a better job of assisting the security agencies with information on the activities of the insurgents. This would obviously shorten the pain and the discomfort of having soldiers in their neighbourhoods. Asking the federal government to surrender its firepower while the insurgents are free to let loose their rage on innocent communities seems to me a tough, unrealistic call to make. Can the same leaders making the call offer realistic guarantees of possible observance of ceasefire by the sect should government offer to freeze military operations?

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

EDITORIAL/OPINION

OT many thought it could ever happen; an Islamic leaning party winning a presidential election in Egypt of all places. But that is exactly what we have now in the most populous and arguably, most powerful Arab nation as Mohammed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) has been declared winner of the presidential run-off election in Egypt, held about a fortnight or so ago. And in a marked departure from what had been the norm in most parts of the West, congratulatory messages have been pouring in from Washington, London and other western capitals, acknowledging the historic nature of Mursi victory: 51.73% of the votes cast to his opponent Ahmed Shafiq’s 48.27%. Even Israel, considered by most Arabs as an enemy has similarly reacted to the leadership change in Egypt. If this election had taken place about a decade or so ago, the result would have been nullified by the dictatorship that had been in charge of Egypt since the era of the Pharaohs and the western powers would have backed the government. So, why the change of heart now? Simple. Things have changed, thanks in part to the Arab spring and to some extent, the terror attacks on the West by some elements in the Arab/Islamic world which have forced western leaders not to be indifferent to what their stooges are doing in Arab capitals. The victory of the Brotherhood started

‘While nobody has been able to link the activities of the terror group directly with the result of past elections in the country, the populace perceived injustice on the part of some of the state governments, especially those they consider not legitimate, coupled with rampant corruption in high places may be fuelling the popular support for Boko Haram in the north’

HERE would have been no need for a rejoinder to whatever damage to history the henchmen of Nigeria’s ‘New Labour’ are visiting on the movement given the embarrassing implosion within NLC but for matters of honour and integrity; and most profoundly, to correct the unacceptable distortion of institutional records by my friend, Comrade Issa Aremu in a recent interview published in several newspapers. His flippant reference to former General Secretaries of the NLC in that interview is neither reasonable nor justifiable and his construction of history was a fascinating window into his mind. Logically, crisis brings out the very best in people just as it could also bring out the worst in them. Very unfortunately, the crisis in the NLC, no thanks to a strange tradition of labour politics, is bringing out only the worst in some of our comrades. Was it necessary for Comrade Aremu to disparage former General Secretaries of Congress for no provable infractions, especially those who are dead? Is it possible that all those who came before Aremu were not good, in spite of the incredible sacrifices and contributions they all made to the growth of Congress? In the interview which sounded more as a monologue than an interrogative process, Aremu went on a patronizing rendition of substantive issues of labour administration from too self-interested a position. The first point to clear is how Aremu came by a sentence such as “This is historical too because the workers from day one wanted to elect their general secretary in 1978 when we did restructuring”. Comrade Aremu was expelled from ABU, Zaria in 1981. That means that in 1978, he was nowhere near any form of labour politics in Nigeria as to have participated in the re-structuring that took place then. So, who are the ‘we’ in the above sentence? It might have been pardonable if the distortion stopped here! Unfortunately, Aremu went on to circulate a grave, mean lie that the appointment of the first General Secretary of the NLC was influenced by the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua who was Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters. This is a most callous assertion which can only be understood in terms of a hidden grouse against Comrade Aliyu Dangiwa. Everyone in the labour movement knows

Let the music play on with the parliamentary election, and in allowing the wish of the people to stand, Egypt’s military rulers (who have been in charge since the popular revolt that removed Hosni Mubarak from power last year) and their backers in the West must have learnt from the experience of Algeria which annulled a parliamentary election in 1992 which the religious leaning Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) was poised to win. That decision plunged Algeria into a serious political and security crises slightly higher in tempo to what Nigeria suffered following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Perhaps, the seed of the Arab Spring was sown then but was not allowed to germinate by the West, particularly France which was vehemently opposed to FIS because of fear of having another religious leaning government in the Middle East after the Islamic revolution in Iran. That fear was unfounded as Algerians were merely showing their dissent towards the ruling National Liberation Front (FNL) which had been in power then for over 30 years, a period characterized by corruption. Even at that over 50% of the electorate stayed away, neither supporting FNL nor FIS. But the West did not see this. Encouraging the military to step in, then President Chadli Benjedid was forced to resign, FIS proscribed and its leaders arrested and detailed, while a military-backed ruling council was put in place. That marked the beginning of what some later described as civil war in Algeria with thousands killed on both sides. For the nearly one decade that the war lasted, no fewer than 10,000 Algerians were abducted and probably killed

by FIS militants according to the government then while about 7,200 disappeared into the hands of government forces and allied militias. The unnecessary bloodletting was caused by the government, backed by the West’s refusal to respect the wish of the Algerian people. Perhaps if General Sani Abacha, the inheritor of General Ibrahim Babangida’s criminal annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election had not died when he did, and his warped political transition programme had come to its conclusion, with him probably elected as Nigeria’s president, the Algerian situation would have been child’s play. Ethnic militias as we all know had started springing up in different parts of the country then ready to challenge the Abacha regime while his security agencies had begun systematic elimination of real and perceived opponents. For a nation of over 150 million people, the catastrophic effect of another civil war on the country and the people as well as the West African sub-region is better imagined. Why is it that most leaders, particularly in Africa don’t want to respect the wish of their people, especially if such was against them? Recall that in 1983 the Second Republic of President Shehu Shagari collapsed because the then Federal Government had lost its legitimacy in the eyes of the Nigerian people after the sham election that gave Shagari a second term, against all expectations, earlier in the year. The people, especially the military politicians believed Shagari rigged the election and had lost its legitimacy. So, when they struck on New Year eve in 1984, not a few Nigerians jubilated.

A number of reasons have been adduced for the ongoing terror attack being unleashed on the country by a group simply known as Boko Haram and the seeming support it has been enjoying from the ordinary people in the north. While nobody has been able to link the activities of the terror group directly with the result of past elections in the country, the populace perceived injustice on the part of some of the state governments, especially those they consider not legitimate, coupled with rampant corruption in high places may be fuelling the popular support for Boko Haram in the north. It is about time the respective state governments began to listen to the people and do what they want. If a government is of the people it will enjoy their support, but if there is any doubt about its legitimacy you can expect the kind of crisis that took place in Algeria. The Hamid Kazai government in Afghanistan can expect no peace once North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces leave because the people see it as an imposition by the US and the rest of the western alliance. The Taliban Islamists which was driven out by western forces under the guise of fighting global terror before the installation of Kazai are still very much entrenched in the country. And just as the West has been forced to accept some sorts of quasi-Islamist regime in Iraq and now in Egypt, the best solution to the so-called threat posed by Islamic leaning parties around the world, whether in the Middle East, Africa or Asia is to listen to them and engage them. They may not be too far away from what the so-called secularists want. The more they are alienated the popular they become with the people especially in countries with bad and corrupt regimes. And now that the rest of the world is welcoming President-elect Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the best they could do for the other parts of the world, where clamour for political freedom is still at its highest is to rule responsibly and respect the rights of religious minorities. After all, other religious minorities especially Jews lived happily with Muslims during the time of the Prophet Mohammed (PBOH). Now that Egypt is free so to speak, let the music play on in other places still yearning for this kind of freedom.

Issa Aremu and the burden of intrigues By John Ejoha Odah that four persons were interviewed for the first General Secretary of the NLC. These were Aliyu Dangiwa who was a lecturer in Public Administration at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; the late Dr Lasisi Osunde who was equally a lecturer at the University of Lagos; Comrade Bernard Obua, a trade unionist and then the late Professor Ahmadu Jalingo, the NEPU Political Scientist from Bayero University, Kano who withdrew once it was clear that Dangiwa was a nominee of the equally late Dr Bala Usman, then an elected trustee of the NLC. It was Comrade Hassan Summonu and Co who interviewed the team. Once Dangiwa got the job, Dr. Osunde and Bernard Obua were subsequently made Deputy General Secretaries. Dr Osunde eventually succeeded Dangiwa as General Secretary. He, too, retired upon attaining the stipulated age of retirement. It is a most uncharitable comment for Aremu to say that Dr. Osunde was tired and fatigued as General Secretary. If a 65-year-old man is not to be tired by then, who should? Comrade Aremu arrived at myself, whom it appears was his main reason for his longish, reductionist historiography or, if you like, revisionist piece. According to Aremu, “now the real box, how do you put the General Secretary? That is how John Odah, for a long time was more or less acting before some people put pressure and Comrade Adams said we must confirm him, with all sorts of resistance, to become General Secretary.” There are two issues here. One, how does the General Secretary of NLC get appointed? The NLC Constitution is quite clear on this. It says the National Executive Council of NLC appoints the General Secretary who shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation. The second issue in Aremu’s imagination is about my acting for a long time before some people put pressure on Comrade Oshiomhole to confirm me. The facts are that when the Oshiomhole leadership of the NLC was elected in February 1999, Comrade Salihu Mohammed and I were made Acting General Secretary and Acting Deputy General Secretary respectively. In September of that year, Mohammed re-

signed citing personal reasons and the search for his replacement began. Interviews were conducted and two candidates shortlisted; Sola Iji, the General Secretary of Association of Senior Staff of Food and Beverages and Abdullahi Shehu, General Secretary of National Union of Banks and Financial Institutions Employees. For reasons which I cannot go into here, both were not appointed. At the NEC meeting of the NLC in March 2001, I was confirmed substantive Deputy General Secretary and the NEC said I should act for six months and if I did well, I would be confirmed substantive General Secretary. In December 2001, NEC confirmed me as General Secretary. If one adds the period spent looking for a suitable General Secretary – from September 1999-March 2001, to the period NEC decided that I should act as General Secretary till my confirmation, this adds up to two years, three months. Compare this to Aremu, who acted as General Secretary of Textile Union from 2000-2008, and one can then‘understand’ Aremu’s arithmetic of who, between him and myself, spent longer time in acting capacity. Aremu’s central theme in his monologue is that “full time has now become sittightism” for General Secretaries. This is a meaningless phrase. For a unionist who barely escaped sanction by his own union for attempting to smuggle a motion on ‘democratizing’ the office during the last delegates conference, Aremu must, indeed, be so desperate about this ‘democratisation’ of the office of General Secretary. But the NLC Conditions of Service says every full time staff of NLC will retire when he attains 65 years of age. When I was being confirmed as General Secretary in 2001 at the age of 41, everyone knew I would be around for quite some time. Ten years down the line, some people became desperate to shove me off. Comrade Oshiomhole became General Secretary of Aremu’s textile union in 1982 and spent 26 years on that position before bowing out in 2008. S.O.Z. Ejiofoh, the veteran’s veteran, was appointed the first General Secretary of what is now Amalgamated Union in 1977 and retired around 2009,

thus spending 32 years in the service of the workers. Anyone familiar with our labour movement will know the tremendous services these people offered to their unions. Aremu talked glibly about how they in the textile union elect their General Secretary. Everyone in the labour movement knows how this peculiar situation came about as part of the strategy to beat Uba Ahmed, Abacha’s Labour Minister and the late General Sani Abacha who were trying to stop Comrade Oshiomhole, then General Secretary of the textile union, from contesting for the NLC Presidency. When our forebears were fashioning the constitution of the NLC and industrial unions in 1977/78, they consciously chose the British model of union organisation, where General Secretaries are appointed and oversee the secretariats of unions being the engine rooms of these unions. The fact that up to now, only the textile union nominally “elects” its General Secretary out of the nearly 60 industrial unions in Nigeria points to the fact that this model has served our movement well. Invariably, it is absolutely difficult to find any other explanation for Aremu’s agenda of ‘democratisation’ of the General Secretaryship of the NLC at this point in time beyond providing him the opportunity to “contest” and “win” and fulfill his openly secret desire to occupy this office. While there is nothing condemnable in this ambition, the tactics observable with my comrade are not in tandem with the spirit of the struggle in our movement. I didn’t expect Aremu to be charitable to me but to give the impression that I was picked from nowhere is contradicted by the evidence. It is contradicted by what his superiors said about me when I celebrated my 50th birthday less than two years ago. These testimonies are documented for anyone to assess. At times like this, it is very easy for those with personal agenda to go about posing to be repository of wisdom of the crisis. But even at that, we should conduct ourselves in a way that resolves the crisis rather than Aremu’s self-centered interventions. •Odah, erstwhile General Secretary of the NLC.

PROPERTY

Tuesday, JUNE 26, 2012

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

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

email:- property@thenationonlineng.net

From Sketch’s ruins, a shopping mall grows

•The soon to be inaugurated Shoprite Mall in Ibadan

PHOTO: FEMI ILESANMI

The Sketch (remember it?) used to sit pretty on the vast land. Since the paper owned by the Odu’a states died, the property has been abandoned. But from the ruins of the property will soon emerge the Odu’a Heritage Shopping Mall housing, among others, retail giant Shoprite and other outfits. OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE & OSEHEYE OKWUOFU report that the emergence of the shopping mall in the Central Business District (CBD) of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, will change the face of the property market. •CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

•FMBN raises e-collection platform for housing fund - PAGE 26

•LAWMA transforms Makoko community

- PAGE 39

•Abuja has housing deficit, says Minister - PAGE 40

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

FMBN raises e-collection platform for housing fund

HE Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has launched an electronic platform for collection of National Housing Fund (NHF) deductions from employers. Tagged the NHF e-collection platform, the device makes it possible for NHF deduction, collection and remittance to be done electronically by designated commercial banks in Nigeria through their existing information technology structures. FMBN Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Mr Gimba Ya’u Kumo, in Abuja said once a designated NHF collection bank is instructed by an employer to pay workers’salaries, the corresponding NHF components of the salaries will be automatically deducted and, instantly, channelled into a dedicated NHF collection account. A payment schedule indicating the identity of each employee and amount contributed by the employee is also automatically generated and FMBN immediately credits each contributor’s NHF contribution account with the corresponding amount remitted for that month, the FMBN boss explained. Kumo said the e-collection platform will address a number of problems facing the NHF scheme, such as refusal of some employers to deduct their employees’ NHF contributions, failure of some employers to remit NHF contributions after deducting such contributions from their employees and failure of some employers to provide remittance schedules to FMBN. All these sharp practices enable some unscrupulous employers of labour to misappropriate NHF monies or even embezzle such

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst Editor

funds. The e-collection platform will help promote transparency and accountability in the collection of NHF and make it possible for more eligible Nigerians to access NHF loans for building, renovation or purchase of residential houses. For example, the platform will make it easy for NHF contributors to check their NHF contributions using the NHF e-cards on any ATM machines nationwide, the amount of money they have contributed to the NHF scheme and thus be in a position to know if their employers are making the appropriate NHF remittances as and when due. The NHF e-collection platform is embedded with features that secure contributors’ contributions and indeed the system instantaneously sends an SMS alert to the contributor’s mobile phone once the NHF deduction hits the NHF collections account. In addition, each contributor is registered and issued NHF e-collection card with similar security features as the normal ATM card. However, no withdrawals can be made from the NHF account until the contributor satisfies the requirements for refund of contributions as specified by the NHF Act 1992. Kumo praised the Minister of Lands Housing and Urban Development, Ms Amal Pepple, for her landmark achievements aimed at making delivery of affordable houses for the Nigerian masses possible. Such achievements include the recent approval of new National Policy on Housing and National Policy on Urban Develop-

•From left: Managing Director/CEO, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN); Managing Director/CEO, Nigerian Navy Post Service Housing Scheme, Rear Admiral Itunu Hotonou and Minister of Lands Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Amal Pepple, at the launch of FMBN ‘s NHF e-collection platform in Abuja ... at the weekend.

ment, and now the introduction of the NHF e-collection platform. He assured the public that the “NHF e-collection platform will go a long way in ensuring accountability on the part of employers as their workers can easily track remittance records based on the embedded system of instant alerts and on-line access to record of contributions that the NHF e-collection platform provides”. The FMBN chief added: “This will achieve the ultimate goal of transparency, sustainability, reliability

and acceptance regarding National Housing Fund transactions for the benefit of contributors nationwide”. Kumo disclosed that a pilot test of the NHF platform with an organisation, which has about the largest number of employees in the country resulted in a 150 per cent increase in monthly NHF collections from the organisation, thus indicating high effectiveness of the platform. He assured that when fully deployed nationwide, it is expected

that NHF monthly collections will increase by at least 500 per cent, a development the FMBN boss said would boost the Bank’s mandate of providing finance for decent and affordable mass housing for Nigerians. Kumo urged NHF contributors, employers and labour groups to fully embrace the NHF e-collection platform which the Bank has just launched, as it is the right step to take for provision of decent and affordable housing for NHF contributors.

will complete the outstanding work to suit their specifications”. Group Managing Director, Odu’a Investment Company Limited Alhaji Adebayo Jimoh said: “When we talk about the real estate, which is one of the five major growth sectors, the critical aspect of it is location. When I discovered that there was a paradigm shift in terms of the shopping habit of Nigerians because of exposure, I started peep-

ing into the area of space and I discovered the abandoned premises of the defunct Sketch, which had not been used for the past 12 years”. He promised the public good shopping experience in a conducive environment just of it is abroad. Jimoh said after the completion of the mall, the group would look towards massive investment in residential buildings.

From Sketch’s ruins, a shopping mall rises •CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

MAJOR advantage of shopping malls is the diversity in tenants and increased income from rent. A typical shopping plaza has a mix of gift, jewellery, auto, pharmacy, music and video. It also has entertainment, shoe, clothing stores, fast food and specialty restaurants. Leases on shopping malls space are longer than that of residential buildings. This translates to fewer turnovers in tenants, lower management costs and steady income. Shopping centre leases can run for five to over 10 years, thereby making them more attractive to future buyers. The leases hold a lot of attractions for developers who use them as a selling point to attract buyers. An attraction for a housing estate or an apartment is its nearness to services such as shopping malls, schools etc. The advent of Shoprite, the exquisite megastore,in some major cities in the country in the last years has led to marginal appreciation in property prices where ever they are located because of customers ‘invasion’. Wherever Shoprite is, there is also a huge demand on land for ancillary services. In Lagos for instance, the location of Shoprite in Palms Shopping Centre, Victoria Island; Adeniran Ogunsanya Shopping Mall, Surulere, Lagos; Ikeja City Mall all in Lagos; Polo Park Amusement Centre, Enugu and Abuja has impacted possively on the real estate sector.

At the inauguration of a network of roads at Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, Governor Babatunde Fashola promised to site Shoprite on the axis. This, he said, is a sure way for the people to grow economically, especially in terms of property appreciation. The proposed Shoprite being promoted by Ibadan Odua Investment Company will not only lift Wemabod, the property arm of the conglomerate but also positively impact on the skyline of the ancient town. Comfortably sitting on a land measuring 8,000 and 6,000 square metres, the mall, now practically completed, is a configuration of two imposing buildings, woven together by intricate metals, structures, and steep rooflines. The architectural masterpiece, which has become the toast of prospective property managers and merchants of international repute has the input of reputable architects, structural engineers, and quantity surveyors. The Italian construction giant,Cappa D’Alberto, is the main contractor. No fewer than 2,000 applicants, The Nation learnt, are ready to either rent or manage the expansive Odu’a Heritage Mall adjudged as one of the biggest shopping malls in West Africa . Facilities, such as fitness gym, amusement park for children, cinema, restaurant, and food court amongst others have been provided. On the facility management of the mall, Head, Estate &Technical Services, Odua Investment Company Limited, Mr Olufemi

•The Shoprite mall in Ikeja, Lagos

Adesope, said it would be managed by a reputable facility management company with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will ensure the transfer of knowledge to personnel of the company after an agreed period of years. On the completion date, Adesope, said: “The work is practically completed.What remains are a few internal dressings which, is deliberate. Each tenant

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

‘

I agree that we should do away with the wig and gown and adopt a more indigenous dress code. I think we have had enough of it. In England for instance, in the last court which they now call Supreme Court as against the House of Lords, they do not use wigs anymore, and the gown they use is ceremonial. So, I think if we can adopt an attire that will be uniformly accepted and suit our environment. We should drop both the wig and gown, but if not, then, I think we drop the wig.

’

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

•Mark

• SEE PAGE 34

•Musdapher

Few days to his exit, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher, has sent a bill to the National Asembly for an amendment of certain sections of the Constitution relating to the judiciary as part of his reform agenda. The Bill contains about 50 proposals. Is this the beginning of the much-desired change in the judiciary? Lawyers x-ray some of the proposals, listing the pros and cons. ADEBISI ONANUGA, ERIC IKHILAE, JOSEPH JIBUEZE and PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU write.

Will Musdapher’s bill sail through? • Lawyers differ over CJN’s proposed judicial reform

E has a few weeks left to go as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), but he is not relenting in his reform of the judiciary. Last week, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who is bowing out of office on July15, sent a bill to the National Assembly as part of his reform agenda. In the Bill tagged: “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (5th Alteration) Bill, 2012", the CJN is proposing about 50 amend-

ments to the Constitution, as it relates to the judiciary and its operations. According to Justice Musdapher, the proposed alterations are intended to strengthen the judiciary and reduce the seemingly intractable delay in justice administration. The proposal seeks changes on the number of Justices of the Supreme Court (JSCs), qualification for appointment as justice, retirement age and discipline, among others.

It also seeks to modify the appellate jurisdiction of the apex court by providing that interlocutory appeals and related matters can only be by the consent of the Supreme Court. The CJN also seeks to streamline the traditional jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to preserve what he describes as, “those core jurisdictions of the Federal High Court, particularly those that affect the Federal Government and its agencies.”

On the age for appointment as JSC, the CJN proposed an increment from the current 15 years post-call to 25 years. To qualify for appointment as a Justice of the Court of Appeal (JCA), a lawyer must have put in 20 years at the Bar as against 12 years. To qualify for appointment as a judge of the High Court, Justice Musdapher is proposing that a lawyer must attain 15 years post-call as against the current 10 years. He also

wants a reduction in the number of justices at the apex court from 21 to 16. He recommends that an advisory jurisdiction be created for the Supreme Court. To this effect, he is canvassing that a new section, Section 232 (A) be inserted in the Constitution. The Bill also contains a proposal

•STORY ON PAGE 28

Inside: Court orders airline to defend minor’s suit - P.30 Govt must focus on good governance to curb terrorism - P.36

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LAW COVER CONT’D

• Speaker House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tabuwal

• Ngige (SAN)

• Odinkalu

• Ebeh

Will Musdapher’s bill sail through? aimed at shrinking the appellate jurisdiction of the apex court. It suggests an alteration to Section 233 of the Constitution to ensure that disputes over chieftaincy affairs terminate at the Court of Appeal. Justice Musdapher, however, wants the retention of the CJN as the head of the judiciary and Chairman of the National Judicial Council. This is despite suggestions that the headship of both institutions be separated, in the wake of the questionable role the NJC played in the Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and Justice Isa Ayo Salami dispute. The Bill, which many said contains far-reaching recommendations capable of affecting the judiciary positively and the other way, is viewed by stakeholders in various ways. While some believe it’s a worthwhile effort that could be improved on by his successor, should it scale through the National Assembly, others described it as a cosmetic approach to reforming the sector as the proposals are not fundamental enough. Critics argue that the proposed increase in the years required for qualification as either judges or justices will make no difference if the appointment process is not reviewed. To them, what difference will it make for one to possess additional years if only what is required to become a judge is who you know and the son/ daughter of who you are? They suggested a fundamental review in the process that will allow the emergence of the best and brightest via a competitive and transparent procedure. They also queried the retention of the provision allowing the CJN to act as the head of the NJC. This, the critics say, is reflective of the fact that the current headship of the judiciary is not disposed to a clean break from the past. To them, there is no way the nation will not witness the perceived abuse of power under the immediate past CJN in relation to the Justice Salami case. They also faulted the proposal requiring an appellant to first seek the leave of the apex court in relation to interlocutory appeals. To them, the problem of delay is not with the number of appeals filed, but with the level of commitment to duty exhibited by the justices. They argue that the plan to limit interlocutory appeals in certain cases to the Court of

Appeal level will occasion injustice in cases where wrong decisions are handed out and the party dissatisfied with the decision is prevented from going ‘upstairs’ to test the decision, but is compelled to return to the trial court on the basis of such faulty decision. There is also the suggestion that rather than shut out certain classes of cases from the apex court, as the Bill seeks to achieve with the requirement for leave on interlocutory appeal to the apex court and the suggested amendment to Section 233 of the Constitution, the CJN should propose the creation of a separate court to attend to political matters. This, they said, becomes imperative because of the realisation that the apex court appears to be devoting most of its time to addressing political disputes. The critics also faulted the CJN’s suggestion for a reduction in the number of justices at the apex court. To them, it appears a contradiction of what the CJN seeks to achieve with the Bill. They argued that it appears like running forward and backward at the same time and yet seeking to make progress. They wonder how speedy dispensation of cases could be achieved with fewer justices even with the planned reduction in its workload. There is also the argument that the proposed amendments, coming at the twilight of the CJN’s tenure, may not be actualised. According to them, since the CJN will not be around to see the process through, his successor, who may not share his position on how to reform the sector, may simply ignore the Bill and allow the legislators deal with it the way it suits them. This development, observers argue, results from the high turnover among heads of the nation’s courts, a problem created by the process of their emergence. They contend that a departure from the current process of choosing heads of courts, that will ensure that such heads stay in office for between seven and 10 years, is desirable to allow them enough time to make positive impact before the expiration of their tenure. Lawyers including Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN), Chairman, the National Human Rights Commission, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, Dr Adewale Ojo, Nojim Tairu, and Anthony Ebeh commended the CJN’s initiative, but suggested other ways the desired reform could be attained.

Ngige, who is aspiring to become the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president, said the incoming CJN must ensure that the reforms Justice Musdapher initiated are actualised. “The journey of a million mile starts with a step. The CJN has started an initiative for judicial reforms which I think are quite commendable. “He will certainly not be in the office to complete the process as he is retiring mid July, but the incoming CJN, Aloma Mukthar JSC, will continue where Musdapher stopped. “Realistically, the CJN has merely initiated a process for judicial reforms which are yet to be actualised. It will, therefore, be premature to express satisfaction or otherwise. “However, the proposed constitution amendments are quite commendable.” Odinkalu commended the CJN for his boldness to address some of the ills in the judiciary. He also noted that some of the recommendations could be effected without amending the Constitution. He cited the proposed amendment to reduce interim appeals to the Supreme Court, saying: “I think it is an abberation for the Supreme Court to list and hear every appeal submitted to it. “The Constitution says there is a right of appeal on such and such cases. It doesn’t say that the Supreme Court shall have an obligation to hear on merit every appeal submitted to it. “The Constitution as it is does not preclude judicial imagination or the evolution of sensible docket management practice and doctrine. On the contrary, it allows it. The court has hamstrung itself from doing this through evangelical kind of over-literalised jurisprudence. “Why do we need a constitution amendment for a measure that can be achieved through a rule change, a practice direction or a doctrinal evolution please? he asked.” To Ojo, the CJN deserves a level of commendation for initiating this volume of amendments to the Constitution. He said although there were still areas requiring attention, the National Assembly should help carry through the proposals by passing the Bill into an Act. He said there were administrative procedures that the CJN should address, which do not require an Act of the National Assembly to carry through.

Ojo disagreed with the CJN on his recommendation for a reduction in the number of judges at the apex court. He said what the nation requires at this moment was an increase in the number to allow for speedy disposal of cases. Ebeh disagreed with the CJN’s recommendation subjecting interlocutory appeals to the consent of the apex court. He argued that such requirement will occasion injustice in most cases. “Yes, because of abuse we are trying to throw the baby away with the bath water. A lot of interlocutory applications that are upheld or dismissed at the court of first instance or the Court of Appeal which normally go to Supreme Court are set aside. “Many times, these interlocutory decisions determine the cases. So, if we say you cannot go beyond the Court of Appeal, and the decision is patently wrong, yet you can’t go higher than that, and you come back to the court of first instance to continue the matter based on that defective ruling on interlocutory application, can those parties get justice? “I also saw that the CJN included the fact that they should reduce the number of the justices of the Supreme Court from 21. That will be a calamity. A lot of us are saying double the number; the reason being that the Supreme Court is one and not like the Court of Appeal that has divisions. “Cases at the Supreme Court have taken up to 15 to 20 years to be heard and you still want to reduce the number of justices. Are we preparing for doomsday or we are preparing to deliver the Nigerian people. “Obviously, we are preparing for the former. So, if I were to advise the CJN, I would say there is a need to double the number of the justices,” Ebeh said. Lagos lawyer Mr Jonathan Iyieke said: “The CJN’s proposal to expand the jurisdiction of the apex court is a welcome development, depending on the contents and context of the new jurisdictional power. “However, care should be exercised in the expansion as I think that the appellate cases before the apex courts are challenging. “On the composition of NJC, it’s only good to the extent that the loopholes which gave vent to the recent/ongoing constitutional crises between former CJN Aloysius Katsina-Alu and PCA Justice Isa Salami do not reoccur again.”

Court to rule on Okereke-Onyuike’s application on July 19

USTICE Christopher Balogun of the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, will on July 19 rule on whether to stay proceedings in the case by the Lagos State government against a former DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Dr Ndi OkerekeOnyuike. The government charged her with N3.3billion theft, which she denies. Her lawyer, former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), faulted Section 273 of the state’s Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), 2011, which prohibits suspension of proceedings in a criminal trial. He said it is “a legislative taboo” and unconstitutional. In a motion, Olanipekun prayed the court to stay proceedings on the matter until an appeal they filed at the Court of Appeal is determined. Okereke-Onyiuke is challenging a ruling by Justice Balogun, in which he assumed jurisdiction and said the

By Joseph Jibueze

defendants should be brought to court for arraignment. Olanipekun said the Court of Appeal has fixed hearing on the appeal for November 12, and so continuing will the case at the High Court may foist a state of fait accompli (helplessness) on the appellate court. According to him, should the judge go on with the trial, it cannot suspend its judgment should it happen that the appeal had not been concluded. “Your Lordship cannot continue any trial and postpone verdict when the Constitution has proposed a time-limit of 90 days within which you shall deliver judgment after final address. “Your Lordship doesn’t have the Constitutional right to preserve your judgment, which is what the ACJL is saying. Section 273 is an unconstitutional section. The constitutional right of appeal vested on the

applicant has not been taken away by Section 273. “The provision is abnormal and amounts to legislative judgment. It is a legislative taboo and it should be withdrawn with apology. “It conflicts with Section 66 of the Constitution which vests the powers of the court on the judge. The Lagos State High Court is a creation of the Constitution and not the state legislature. “Therefore, the Lagos legislature cannot water down the constitutional powers vested in the High Court or forbid it to stay proceedings,” Olanipekun said. Citing several laws that back staying of proceedings pending appeal, the senior advocate urged the judge to follow judicial precedence rather than abide by an “unprecedented provision”. But counsel to Lagos State, the Solicitor-General, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the application.

He said: “Once the jurisdiction is challenged, the only jurisdiction the court has is to enquire and determine whether it can entertain this application for stay of proceedings, but will, in line with Section 273 of the ACJL, refuse the application. “This is because this court no longer has power to stay proceedings in a criminal matter since this provision was enacted in 2011. The section is valid and binding on this court as well as on the parties.” Pedro said the Constitution empowers the state House of Assembly and the Chief Judge to make rules for regulating the High Court’s practice and procedure. He said issues of stay of proceedings have always been decided by judicial precedence and not by judicial statute. “All previous decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court on the issue of stay of proceedings in criminal trial are inapplicable to the present application

because they were all decided before the ACJL was enacted and so were never considered as far as Lagos State is concerned,” he said. Lagos state government had filed two separate charges, accusing Okereke-Onyuike, her deputy, Alhaji Lance Musa Elakama and six others of alleged N3, 301, 000, 000 billion theft while at the Stock Exchange. The others are Creative Financial Services Limited, Mining System Limited, OPDC Properties Limited, OAK Business and Finance Company Limited, Uzoma Henry Onyekuru and Kingdom Securities and Finance Company Limited. In one of the suits, Lagos said Okereke-Onyuike and Elakama as officers of the NSE and Mining Systems limited on or about June 20, 2008 at the NSE Building with intent to defraud conspired to steal various sums, property of the Exchange.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LEGAL OPINION

Implication of Justice Bello’s judgment in suit against INEC, others S UMMARY of judgment deliv ered on June 5, 2012 by Jus tice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/82/2011, between Bedding Holdings Limited (plaintiff) and the Registrar of Patents, Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Emchai Limited, Tambco United Nigeria Limited, Anowat Project and Resources Limited, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)and INEC’s Chairman, Professor Attahiru Mohammed Jega (defendants). Background facts of the case Sometime in October 2010 or thereabout, while the Federal Republic of Nigeria was preparing for the conduct of another round of General Election all over the country, the electoral umpire of the country’s electoral process-Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) sought for companies to bid for the contract for the supply of Transparent Ballot Boxes for the conduct of the said election. Pursuant to the invitation by INEC, three companies applied for the contract for the supply of the Transparent Ballot Boxes. The companies are: (1) Emchai Limited (2) Tambco United Nigeria Limited and (3) Anowat Project & Resources Limited. The companies fraudulently misled INEC into believing that they had the patent right in and over the product-Transparent Ballot Box. On getting the information about the contractual transaction being initiated between INEC and the aforementioned companies, Bedding Holdings Limited, which is the company that has the bona fide patent right in and over the said Transparent Ballot Boxes officially wrote to INEC informing it that it is the bona fide patentee of the said product. Bedding Holdings Limited also emphasised the point that, in fact, INEC is very much aware of its patent rights over the said product as INEC had previously sought and obtained its license in respect of the said products in 2003 before they were supplied to INEC. However, for reasons best known to INEC, it ignored and defied the letter from Bedding Holdings Limited and proceeded to award the said contract to the companies, without the consent and authority of Bedding Holdings

By John Okoriko

Limited, the patentee, as allowed in law. In furtherance of the contractual transaction, INEC wrote an application to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) seeking the ratification/confirmation of the contract it had awarded to the company for the supply of the Transparent Ballot Boxes to INEC by the said company, albeit on a false foundation based on fraudulent misrepresentation. The FEC’s decision to ratify the award was anchored on the misrepresentation of facts as contained in the memorandum presented to the FEC, which inter alia stated at paragraph 5 that: “While noting that the company that supplied the boxes in 2006, Emchai Limited has the patent to its design and specifications; and in order to maintain standardization, the Commission decided to adopt the direct Procurement method in the award of the contract for the Transparent Collapsible Ballot Boxes as provided in section 42 (1) (a) (b) and (c) of the Public Procurement Act 2007” (Underlining supplied for emphasis.) Copy of the said FEC memorandum is hereto attached for ease of reference and to inspire conviction as ANNEXURE 1. Again, having become aware of this next move by INEC and the companies, Bedding Holdings Limited wrote another letter dated November 25, 2010 to His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria informing him of the fact that Bedding Holdings Limited is the bona fide patentee of the said products. There was no response. At the end of the day, with the collaboration of the companies (which cleverly and fraudulently misrepresented the facts to the Federal Executive Council as to the real owner of the said products by presenting fake patent certificates in respect of the said products) and the connivance and assistance of INEC, the Federal Executive Council was misled into erroneously approving and confirming the contract for the supply of the said Transparent Ballot Boxes. Obviously, this was done without the consent, licence and approval of Bedding Holdings Limited who is the actual owner of the said patented products.

The legal action against INEC, the three companies and other defendants. Aggrieved by the illegal, immoral and fraudulent acts of the said companies as facilitated by INEC, Bedding Holdings Limited filed the instant suit in the Federal High Court Abuja by way of Originating summons for the determination of the following questions, to wit: 1.Whether by the express and combined construction and interpretation of the provisions of Sections 1, 2, 6 (1) and 13 of the Patent and Designs Act, Cap. P12, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (hereinafter simply called ‘‘The Patent and Designs Act’’) the Plaintiff’s Certificate of Registration of Patent Rights No. RP 12994 and Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. RD 5946 issued to the Plaintiff since January 12, 1998 in and over the invention named, Transparent Ballot Boxes by the 1st Defendant, take priority for and over the Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. NG/RD/2010/ 702 subsequently registered and issued by the 1st Defendant to the 3rd Defendant on October 14, 2010, in and over the same invention renamed, Tambco Ballot Box, having regard to the fact that the Plaintiff’s Certificates, which are earlier in time, are still valid and subsisting to date. 2. Whether by the express and combined construction and interpretation of the provisions of Sections 1, 2, 6 (1) and 13 of the Patent and Designs Act, the Plaintiff’s Certificate of Registration of Patent Rights No. RP 16642 and Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. RD 13841 issued to the Plaintiff on November 17, 2006 in and over the invention named, Electronic Collapsible Transparent Ballot Boxes by the 1st Defendant, takes priority for and over the Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. NG/ RD/2010/708 to the 4th Defendant, subsequently registered and issued by the 1st Defendant to the 4th Defendant on 14th October, 2010, in and over the same invention renamed, Collapsible Transparent Ballot Box, having regard to the fact that the Plaintiff’s Certificates, which are earlier in time, are still valid and subsisting to date. 3.Whether by the express and combined construction and interpretation of the provisions of Sec-

tions 1, 2 and 6 (2) of the Patent and Designs Act, the Certificate of Registration of Patent Rights No. RP 16571 and Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. RD 13610 issued by the 1st Defendant to the 2nd Defendant in and over the purported invention named, Envopak Ballot Boxes on August 31, 2006 was done in accordance with the provisions of 6 (2) of the Patent and Designs Act, in view of the fact that the terms of the claims and the description of the literature of the Patent under ‘CLAIMS’ together with the description, diagrams, specifications, and drawings also attached as the design, both relate to a security seal (ENVOSEAL), while the 1st Defendant erroneously issued a Patent and Design Rights in and over Envopak Ballot Boxes, to the 2nd Defendant which is obviously and radically different from what is claimed by the second Defendant in its patent and/or Design. 4.Whether if questions 1 and 2 above are answered in the affirmative and question 3 is answered in the negative, this Honourable Court can invoke and exercise its Constitutional and statutory powers under Sections 6 (6) and 251 of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 9 (1), 22, 25 and 26 of the Patent and Designs Act to nullify the respective Patent and/or Designs of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants, as they were subsequently and erroneously issued to them by the 1st Defendant mala fide and in clear contravention of the express and combined provisions of Sections 1, 2, 3, 6 (2), 13 and 14 of the Patent and Designs Act. In the determination of the said questions, Bedding Holdings Limited claims against the Defendants jointly and severally as follows: 1. A declaration that by virtue of Sections 1, 2, 6 (1), 13 14, and 19 of the Patent and Designs Act, the Plaintiff’s Certificate of Registration of Patent Rights No. RP 12994 and Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. RD 5946 issued to the Plaintiff since January 12, 1998 in and over the invention named Transparent Ballot Boxes by the 1st Defendant is still valid and subsisting. 2. A declaration that by virtue of Sections 1, 2, 6 (1), 13 14, and 19 of the Patent and Designs Act, the Plaintiff’s Certificate of Registration of

Patent Rights No. RP 12994 and Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. RD 5946 issued to the Plaintiff since January 12, 1998 in and over the invention named, Transparent Ballot Boxes by the 1st Defendants takes priority for and over any subsequent registration with respect to Transparent Ballot Boxes, especially the Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. NG/RD/2010/ 702 registered and issued by the 1st Defendant to the 3rd Defendant on October 14, 2010, in and over the same invention and renamed, Tambco Ballot Box, and thereby preclude the Defendants and/or any other person(s) whosoever from infringing on the exclusive rights of the Plaintiff in and over the said Patent and Designs of the Plaintiff as the 3rd Defendant’s Design is NOT new contrary to the express provisions of Section 13(3) (a) of the Patent and Designs Act. 3. A declaration that by virtue of Sections 1, 2, 6 (1) and 13 of the Patent and Designs Act, the Plaintiff’s Certificate of Registration of Patent Rights No. RP 16642 and Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. RD 13841 issued to the Plaintiff on November 17, 2006 in and over the invention named, Electronic Collapsible Transparent Ballot Boxes by the first Defendant is still valid and subsisting. 4. A declaration that by virtue of Sections 1, 2, 6 (1) and 13 of the Patent and Designs Act, the Plaintiff’s Certificate of Registration of Patent Rights No. RP 16642 and Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. RD 13841 issued to the Plaintiff on November 27 2006 in and over the invention named, Electronic Collapsible Transparent Ballot Boxes by the 1st Defendant take priority for and over any subsequent registration of Industrial Designs, especially the Registration of Industrial Designs Rights No. NG/RD/2010/708 to the fourth Defendant, subsequently registered and issued by the first Defendant to the fourth Defendant on October 14, 2010, in and over the same invention renamed, Collapsible Transparent Ballot Box, and thereby preclude the Defendants and/or any other person(s) whosoever from infringing on the exclusive rights of the Plaintiff in and over the said Patent and Designs of the Plaintiff as the fourth Defendant’s Design is NOT new contrary to the express provisions of Section 13(3) (a) of the Patent and Designs Act. • To be continued next week

Aniekwu wins NUC award

N associate professor of law on sabbatical at the Nige rian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) Dr. Nkolika Ijeoma Aniekwu has won the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) Doctoral Theses Award (NUDTAS) for the best Ph.d Theses in the Nigerian Universities System in law in 2009. The NUC conferred the award on her at the University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue State. Mrs. Aniekwu is a research fellow and resource person to many affiliated institutions in Africa, Europe and the United Kingdom. She has presented several conference papers on feminist legal theory, cultural relativity, health and human rights in international and regional events. She is recognised for her research in the interdisciplinary issues of gender specific human rights and international humanitarian law within sub- Saharan Africa. Many of her researches and articles have appeared in international publications and academic jour-

By John Austin Unachukwu

nals and are focused on the linkages of regional municipalities with universal institutions, and the ways national legal systems negotiate gender specific human rights protection in different cultural, political and social environments. In 2009, her doctoral dissertation was rated by the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos, as ‘an appreciable mastery of the area of study, and a clear exposition of the concept of human rights in Nigeria.’ Aniekwu teaches Advanced Legal Method, Research, and Reproductive Health Law at postgraduate levels at the Department of Public Law, University of Benin,and NIALS, Lagos, and is supervising three doctoral candidates working on post-colonial feminism, health law and gender. Her book, Legal Methodology and Research in Nigeria, was described by Prof Susanne Karstedt of the School of Law, University of Leeds, United Kingdom. as ‘a classic text in empirical and legal research methods.’

Her recent book, Reproductive Health Law: A Jurisprudential Analysis of Gender Specific Human Rights for the African Region, has received wide national and international recognition and has been described by Jane Krishnadas of the School of Law, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK as ‘one of the best books on the subject to have come out of the African sub region.’ The text is a conceptual legal analysis of emerging issues in women’s reproductive health and rights, and is being used as a recommended text in the post graduate programme in reproductive health law at the Faculty of Law, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. In October 2010,Aniekwu pioneered the LL.M course in reproductive health law at the Faculty of Law, University of Benin. The project was the catalyst that culminated in the publication of her book which spans many years of research and works in progress in international law, human rights, health and gender.

• Aniekwu

Aniekwu is the editor of the forthcoming NIALS Journal of

health law and policy at the NIALS.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

FROM THE COURT

Bank sues firm over alleged N2.7b debt

IRST City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB) has sued an oil marketing firm, Triquest Energy Limited, and its proprietor, Alhaji Mumuni Dagazau, for an alleged N2,779, 38,958.22 debt. In the suit filed at the Lagos High Court through its lawyer, Biodun Layomi, the bank alleged that sometime in March 2008, Triquest Energy Limited got documentary import finance facility from it on two different occasions. It said the facilities worth $35milliion, were obtained by the firm for the importation, trading or marketing petroleum products. The bank averred that Dagazau personally guaranteed the facili-

By Eric Ikhilae

ties. It added that the firm executed a letter of domiciliation of payment in its favour and equally undertook to domicile payments, from the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) for transaction financed by the bank into the company’s account with the bank. It alleged that against the parties’ agreement by parties, Triquest Limited could not meet the repayment obligations because of its alleged diversion of proceeds and other defaults. It accused the firm of breaching the covenant of the repayment of the facilities as contained in the offer

letters. The bank averred that as at September 30, 2010, the company’s outstanding debt stood at N2,779,738,958.22 when interest stopped running on the firm’s account. It further averred that the defendants have refused to liquidate their indebtedness despite several demands. It is, therefore, claiming against the defendants: N2,779,738,958.22 and interest at 25 per cent per annum; N30 million as general damages for breach of contract and N20million as cost of prosecuting the case. The court has adjourned the case to June 27 before which the defendants are to file their defence.

Clerk jailed six years for forgery, fraud

CLERICAL officer with a Lagos-based company, George Imemba, has been jailed for six years for altering and forging the company’s documents to aid fraud. It was gathered that the convict’s former employer, World Wide Commercial Ventures Limited, had reported cases of stealing, forgery, altering documents and falsification of other company documents at a police station in Lagos which led to his arrest and arraignment in court. It was also gathered that the offence was committed in the company’s Lagos and Abia states offices. The convict was, however, arrested in Abia state by the police and arraigned there on a 37-count charge of forgery, stealing and related offences. Delivering judgment, Magistrate Michael Okogbue held that the convict was found guilty of forgery and altering various documents. He, however, held there was no tangible evidence to convict him for the allegation of stealing the

By Jude Isiguzo

sum of over N5million as alleged by the company.The Magistrate held that the prosecutor did not prove the case of stealing, contained in counts one and two, beyond reasonable doubt that the convict stole the money. According to the Magistrate, to establish a case of stealing , three variables must be looked at, which include that the ownership of the items said to have been stolen must be established; the thing stolen is capable of being stolen, and that the thing stolen was fraudulently taken or fraudulently converted. The Magistrate further held that due to the convict’s plea for leniency, the court has no option than to tamper justice with mercy. The magistrate therefore ordered the convict to either pay a monetary fine or serve the six months jail term. He said: ‘’I have heard the plea in mitigation by the convict’s counsel. The charge against him carries a punishment of between two to seven years imprisonment. Never-

theless, the court is prepared to tamper justice with mercy in this case. “We discharge and cautioned in counts 20 to 37 of the charge, but in counts three to 19, the accused is sentenced to pay a fine of N3,000 per count and in default, will serve for six months jail term. “The two counts of stealing are accordingly dismissed. Counts three to 13 of forgery, the accused person is found guilty as charged. Count 20 t0 36 relating to altering of documents, the accused is found guilty and in count 37 for fraudulent false, the accounting, the accused is found guilty as charged,’’ the court held. The Magistrate held that the convict was brought to the court by the Commissioner of police, because the cases of forgery and fraud as well as stealing are crimes against the state. He added that the convict joined the company in 2009 and few months after he joined the company, he perpetrated the acts of altering and falsifying documents.

Alleged breach of contract: Court orders Emirates Airlines to defend minor’s suit

WELVE-YEAR-OLD Henry Utseoriselaju Aragho, who was denied travelling to Dubai from Lagos by Emirates Airlines four years ago, despite holding valid travel ticket, has got a reprieve from a Federal High Court, Lagos. Master Aragho, who was eight in 2008, along with his parents(Mr Henry Omatsola Aragho, Mrs. Rosaline Amaju Aragho; family members – Mr Emmanuel Oru and his wife, Mrs. Madgalene Ada Ikomi-Oru) were to go on Christmas holiday to Dubai but the airline desk officials after confirming the boy’s travel ticket gave him boarding pass but failed or neglected to issue him a seat number. At the last departure gate, the airline officials said the boy could not board and advised the parents to proceed to board and leave their son behind, an option not palatable to the minor’s parents. After several plea, the gate was closed and the flight left without the complainants. When the young Aragho along with other plaintiffs approached the court of Justice M.B Idris , for redress the airline filed a preliminary objection citing the Convention for the Unification of Rules relating to International Carriage by Air signed at Montreal on May 28, 1999(Montreal Convention) the plaintiffs brought the case two years after the incident(statute barred).

But counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Layi Babatunde (SAN) contended that Montreal Convention was not applicable to his clients’ case because the convention only applied to complaint which arose from aviation accident, loss of luggage, being taken to a wrong destination, and delay. Relying on plethora of legal authorities, the learned Senior Advocate who is also the Editor-in – Chief of Supreme Court Judgments (SC Report) argued that the suit was well grounded in contract. Justice Idris in his 24-page verdict agreed with Babatunde and held that the preliminary objection raised by the airline had no merit, adding that, “ On the whole, I cannot find my way in granting this application. I am of the view that the Respondents(Araghos and Orus)’s claims are rightly grounded in contract and, therefore, not statute barred in the circumstance on the limitation period for claims in contract and not in

tort is six(6) years and not two years. The Preliminary Objection fails and it is dismissed. N10,000 cost is awarded in favour of the Respondents”. The plaintiffs now have the opportunity to prove their case. In the 32 paragraph written statement on oath deposed to by the minor’s father, Omatsola, the court was invited to make the following orders: •of aggravated damages against Emirates Airlines “for wilful misconduct for N80million and or general damages for gross negligence and or wilful misconduct occasioning breach of contract, ruined Christmas holiday, trauma, inconveniences, embarrassment and loss of esteem ; •Special damages particulars of – Cost of Visa to Dubai for four of them at $ 745, local transportation to and fro the Airport at N48, 000; Hotel Reservation at 1950 Dihrams; and Miscellaneous expenses at N50,000.

‘Master Aragho, who was eight in 2008, along with his parents (Mr Henry Omatsola Aragho, Mrs. Rosaline Amaju Aragho; family members – Mr Emmanuel Oru and his wife, Mrs. Madgalene Ada Ikomi-Oru) were to go on Christmas holiday to Dubai but the airline desk officials after confirming the boy’s travel ticket gave him boarding pass but failed or neglected to issue him a seat number’

LEGAL DIARY Shehu Hamman Abba (Shagari) of J. K. Gadzama (SAN) & Associates LP. weds Fauziya Shehu Abba. Date: Friday, June 29, 2012 Venue: The late Alhaji Abba Girei’s residence, Girei Local Govt Area, Adamawa State. Time: 2.30 p.m.

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com

APGA and opposition parties

HE orchestrated crisis rocking the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) is quite unfortunate. The real tragedy is that the crisis appears to be self inflicted; and coming shortly after the death of their revered party leader, Ikemba Emeka OdumegwuOjukwu, I think the dramatis personae should be embarrassed. Of course, I am referring to Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and the National Chairman of the party, Chief Victor Umeh. The media report is that they are locked in a battle of wits over the call for a local government election in the state. From historical hindsight, there is also the chance that they are unconsciously dancing to the drum beats of the masquerade at the centre, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Alliance for Democracy (AD) and then All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) surely have enough experiences in our recent history as to what a disingenuous Presidency can do to opposition political parties all in the name of capturing states controlled by the opposition. But unlike in the past, there is no yet clear evidence that the Presidency is interfering in the affairs of the party, even though President Goodluck Jonathan is different from former President Obasanjo in style and where he is interfering, it may not be clear. What is sure is that because the end of Governor Peter Obi’s second and final term is in sight, the political actors in the state and elsewhere has started to strategise and where necessary destabilise their opponents. There are those who claim that Governor Obi is planning to install his successor from outside the party, and all the possible hurdles on the way have to be removed. The Governor is definitely entitled to try to influence his party’s choice of a successor, and his party leaders should not have a problem with that possibility; as long as he is willing to submit the process to constitutional modalities of the party and the 1999 constitution. Unfortunately, politicians in lack the patience for an ordered progress based on the rule of law. Indeed, most politicians are not aware of the provisions of sections 221 to 229 of the constitution on political parties. For them it is all about capturing power, without a vision of what to do with it. In the dispensation, it may be unfair to categorise Governor Obi as among the dregs of performers, despite the best efforts of Mallam el-Rufai to tear his budgets and programmes apart. Indeed, the governor is known for his advertised frugality. Regardless of the swing, Governor Obi has made reasonable impact in Anambra State, and has my respect and I guess that of many Nigerians. Even surviving the hawks that tried to undo his first tenure and going ahead to win a reelection is a huge achievement in a volatile and mega-

money politics state like Anambra. If I have my way I will bring Obi and his party Chairman, Umeh to agree to a peaceful resolution of the crisis in the interest of their party, Ndigbo and Nigeria. As honourable men, which I believe, they are, they should know that it will amount to bastardising Ojukwu’s heritage, if while they are supposed to be still mourning his passage, they start a fight over his estate. Who will forget the distrust Obi begging for reelection, with Umeh in tow, while the then gracefully ageing Ikemba Nnewi was leading the charge? Who will forget that ndi Anambra despite the pressure from other interests granted Ikemba, his last wish, by reelecting Governor Obi? If Umeh where to be available to the highest bidder during the reelection period, Obi’s reelection would have been much more difficult, if not torpedoed. For the governor to try to dump him now as alleged is not the right way to pay back. I think it is also important for Ndigbo to have a solid party as an alternative in the Southeast to the rampaging PDP. For any insightful person, the Governors of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) push themselves to perform when they remember that the alternative if they fail will be the PDP. Instead of destroying APGA fighting themselves, the leadership of APGA should go into alliance with the ACN to try to wrestle power from the PDP. With the tragicomedy playing out in the struggle for the Presidential ticket of PDP for 2015, is it not likely the party will self-destruct, and why destroy the alternative for the Southeast? Even to get the state to function better, there is the need for a strong opposition party or parties as an alternative to the poor governance of the PDP, particularly at the centre. I have the confidence that with careful planning, the PDP can be upstaged from the centre and there is the urgent need to do that, if our country would not go down with the party. Reeling from one scandal to another, the only sustaining power of the party is their come and chop ideology, if that amounts to one. The charge to change party politics in Nigeria needs to be lead from all the corners of the country, all at the same time, and the South East must not be found wanting. Governor Obi and Chief Umeh should reconcile. As I argued earlier, the Governors of the Southeast lead by Obi have invested so much in the Jonathan’s Presidency, and unfortunately, there is yet nothing to show for that unflinching support. I think it is time for them to begin to plan an alternative strategy, and setting fire on part of their homestead is definitely not one such way.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NATIONAL BAR

NBA election: Race for Daudu’s job hots up practices shall include training in ethics, practice management and Information Technology. We shall also encourage our service providers in these areas to focus on training us in areas that would give us cutting edge which would enable us compete globally. This aspect of my contract with you is dear to me. Our professional competence eventually determines the revenue base, independence, viability and strength of our association. The (expanded) robust continuing legal education programme would, inter alia, feature enlightening topics in such areas as use of national, regional and international human rights provisions before International and domestic courts, professional ethics, practice management, costs, professional fees and charges, use of Freedom of Information Act for legal practice, forming and sustaining partnerships, communication law practice, maritime law practice, Pensions fund law practice, Insurance law practice, maritime law practice, Consumer protection law practice, negotiation skill, mediation skill, arbitration, copyright and patents law practice, trade union law practice, public interest litigation, class actions, new law of evidence, advocacy skills, information technology etc. • Wali (SAN) (left) and A. B. Mahmoud (SAN) at the last Criminal Justice Reform Conference, in Asaba, Delta State.

ITH about a month to the Delegates Conference and election of new officers for the Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) in Abuja, candidates contesting for various offices in the association are intensifying their campaigns to get votes. The hottest offices seem to be that of the President of the NBA, occupied by Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN); the First Vice-President, occupied by Blessing Ukiri and the General Secretary of the Bar, occupied by Olumuyiwa Akinboro. Below are profiles, agenda and programmes of the contestants. Okey Wali’s Strategic Agenda Okey believes there are a lot to be done for the NBA and the profession , but he is limiting himself to the pursuance of some strategic focal points the actualisation of which will leave a positive lasting impact on the association and the judiciary. To this end, he has initiated six programmes that would serve as the cardinal focus of his administration if given the mandate to lead the association from August this year. Believing his predecessors, such as Chief T.J.O. Okpoko (SAN), 1998-2000; Chief OCJ Okocha (SAN), 2000-2002; Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), 2002-2004; Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), 2004-2005; Prince Lanke Odogiyon 2005-2006; Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), 20062008; Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), 20082010 and the incumbent Daudu (SAN) had done a lot in the promotion of the profession and the Bar in Nigeria, Wali reckons it would amount to stagnation or institutional reversal of fortune if the laudable legacies of these illustrious predecessors are not consolidated. Thus, his carefully chosen six-point agenda does not only comprise consolidation objectives but also targets expansive forays into untrodden areas - to bring revolution into the administration of Nigerian justice system, using NBA as the powerful platform. These six-point agenda comprise professionalising the secretariat, continuing education for lawyers, institutional collaboration with regional, international organisations, Bar Associations, strengthening and reformation of human rights programmes, capacity building for lawyers at all levels and anti-corruption campaigns. A comprehensive set of programme of actions have been developed to drive each of these six-cardinal points to procure success commensurate with the vision. Each of these cardinal agenda is highlighted below: Professionalising the Bar Driven with the vision to have a modern professional national secretariat that will efficiently co-ordinate the activities of the NBA, I plan to restructure the secretariat by reinforcing and professionalising the quality of its operations via measures like remodelling the management and administrative systems as well as strengthening the various directorates for the optimisation of their performances. There will also be enhanced financial responsibility of the various organs, proper budgeting, accountability and transparency in issues relating to finance and development of strategies for more fundraising to improve the exchequer of the association.

By John Austin Unachukwu

Each year, more lawyers are called to the Bar than the preceding year. This means that our membership base grows. This membership growth creates a continuous challenge on our National Secretariat on how best to meet our individual and collective needs as members of the association. I, therefore, propose that to lay the foundation for overcoming this challenge, we need to professionalise the operations of the secretariat to enhance and strengthen the Directorates. This may mean merging or splitting existing directorates and, if necessary, create new ones. These directorates shall be publicised so that every member of our association can easily identify the first port of call at the secretariat when in need of the services of our national secretariat.This overhaul must include a restructuring of our administrative and management systems in order that continuity is enshrined. The objective is to ensure that even if our elected officers change, there will be no information or process gap in the core activities of our association. Elected officers must also be recognised as leaders and servants who would be made to play adequate roles under a professionalised Bar. The elected officers under my leadership shall be committed to effective budgeting and fiscal responsibility. We shall also devise means of improving and increasing our revenue base of the association. The heart of professionalism is the entrenchment of good governance and good governance cannot thrive without democracy. The Bar must be made not only to pursue good governance in Nigeria but must lead by example. Branches of the NBA shall be empowered and connected as part of the critical movement for professionalising the Bar. There shall be a proactive pursuit and advocacy to get a new Legal Practitioners Act, Legal Education Act and Legal Services Commission Act to put the bar and the legal profession at the highest standard of professionalism. Continuing Legal Education & Professional Development It is trite that knowledge and skills yield easily to stagnation and by extension ignorance. Thus all forms of knowledge must be constantly updated and improved to remain relevant, competitive and progressive. With this in mind, the NBA will place a premium on continuing legal education for lawyers. Accordingly, there is a plan to restructure and strengthen the NBA’s Institute of Continuing Legal Education and to develop continuing legal education programmes that would equip lawyers with adequate and relevant skills to make them competitive in local and international markets, especially in increasing globalisation of the legal profession. I recognise that my predecessors have focused on some of these areas, I commit to consolidating this focus. The Continuing Legal Education will be encouraged to ensure that disadvantaged branches benefit from them. Our core concentration in order to achieve best

Blessing Ukiri • Continued from last week

He was the Outstanding Legal Practitioner – Nigerian Bar Association, 2004; Distinguished Graduand Award, Faculty of Law, University of Benin; recipient of the Award of Excellence, Faculty of Law, University of Nigeria; receipient of the Award of Distinction, University of Benin Alumni Association. He also received the Achievement Award – Nigerian Bar Association, Port Harcourt Branch; Award of Excellence, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS); Service Medal Award, Nigerian Bar Association, PH Branch.10. NBA Merit Award – Nigerian Bar Association; Meritorious

• Ukiri

Service Award, Nigerian Bar Association, Abeokuta Branch; Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of Benin Alumni Association;Award of Excellence in recognition of enviable Achievements by the class of 1985 Law School; Role Model Award – Amazon of Delta State at the 20th Anniversary of the Creation of Delta State; Niger Delta Role Model Award, 2011. He was also one of the 50 Guardian Newspaper men of Distinction and Integrity in Nigeria this year. Ukiri has held several responsible positions and made positive contributions to the legal profession as: member of Congress of the University of Benin; Secretary-General, Law Students’ Association (LAWSA) of the University of Benin; Assistant Secretary, NBA Port Harcourt branch; Public Secretary, NBA PH Branch; Secretary, NBA PH Branch; National Financial Secretary NBA; National Third vice-president, NBA; National Second Vice-President, NBA and National first Vice President, NBA.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LAW & SOCIETY AT THE NBA LAGOS LAW WEEK DINNER AT CITY HALL, LAGOS

•Left: Chief Kole Abayomi and Justice Solomon Hunponu-Wusu

•From right: Chief Ziggy Azike and Mr Rikey Tarfa (SAN)

•Mr Adedeji Adebiyi and Hon. Justice Bukunola Adebiyi

•Mr Alex Ter and Osas Uwaifo

•Mr Ademola Sadipe and his wife, Omipe

•Hon. Justice Ayisat Apesanwo and Hon Justice Habib Abiru

•From left: Hon. Justice Babajide Johnson and Hon. Justice Olatunde Oshodi.

• Chairman NBA Lagos branch, Taiwo Taiwo (left) and Ladi Rotimi Williams (SAN)

•Justice Opeyemi Oke and Kunle Bantefa

•Mr Sunday Dare (right) and Mr Doyin Olowe

PHOTOS: NIYI ADENIRAN

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LAW PERSONALTY Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, in this interview with PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU, speaks on the state of the nation, the legal practice and the way forward.

Many sub-standard materials in National Assembly, says Akinjide

HY did you choose law? Because law is very interesting. It is the finest thing I have ever done. Another thing I have done which I love very much is journalism. So, if I had not been a lawyer, I would have been a journalist. Who inspired you as a youngster? I had lawyers as role models in America, Europe as well as Africa and Nigeria in particular. In Nigeria, people like Adeyemo Alakija, Obafemi Awolowo, Rotimi Williams, Bode Thomas, among others What are your major challenges as a lawyer? I do cases in court; attend to clients in the chambers, facing problems of litigations. The most challenging case you ever handled? Innumerable. It is impossible for me to say it is this case or that case. I have been confronted with that question for many years and if I try to answer the question, the next time another person will come with the same question another tim, I will be faced with the same problem again. So, it is limitless. What is your perception of legal practice viz-a-viz your early days? The legal practice today is different from the past. I started practising law about 55 years ago and at that time, the practice of law was just as it is in America or Europe. The standard in Nigeria was very high, but many years after, it is not as high as it used to be. How do we enhance our legal practice to meet with international standard? Law practice in Nigeria is of international standard. I go to America, Geneva, France, England to argue legal issues, the only problem we have here is that most of the lawyers we are producing now are not as good as my days. The standard of education has fallen. We need to have excellent universities, good prospectus and first grade teachers not third grades. We need first grade dons. The recent appointment of Gambia’s Fatou Bensouda as Chief Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC), what does it tell of our system? It portrays the role of Africa and, in fact, the black race as being an eminent front burner in the legal

world. I do not look at her as a Gambian, but as a black African and we should be proud of her. It shows that we are up to date and we are as good as the Americans and Europeans. I read her profile in The Time Magazine of America where she was given two pages, one page article and, the other, her picture. I must say I am extremely proud of her, particularly as a member of the Gambian bar where I also go to attend courts. I am sure she will perform well. As the Attorney-General in 1979, you championed the abolition of death penalties as capital punishment. Would you still stand on such ideals today in view the spate of reckless murder of innocents? The climate at that time was different from what it is today. aT present, see terrorists taking innocents lives, you see armed robbers riding on citizens in the highways, you see all manner of evil things but in my time there was peace and amity. At that time, every weekend or at most fortnightly, the parties and government sit together and sort things out and the Chairmen of the party will preside over the meeting while the president will sit as a member. The Senate president, the speaker and all the key members will be in attendance and whatever we sorted out was carefully done. When I was the Attorney General, the ruling NPN did not have majority in either the Senate or House of Representatives, yet all our measures were going through with no problems at all. Is there any decision you would have reversed if you had the opportunity, do you have any regrets? I have no regrets. I entered parliament before independence when we were still under Britain and I do not regret it. I was in parliament at the time of independence and I continued to be in parliament after independence as a cabinet minister, and also when the military handed over power to civilian rule in 1979, I became the Attorney-General under the presidential system of government which I support. So, I have no regret at all. I only advocate that quality brains should go to parliament. Although we have some excellent brains there, most of them are substandard materials and

should not be there at all. On the alarm by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) about spate of judicial corruption and his call for the creation of special courts to try corruption cases? The CJN deserves the greatest respect and whatever proposals he brings forward deserves to be considered very carefully. I know he has excellent advisers and the CJN will not make frivolous statements. The Minster of Interior recently said inmates awaiting trials out number convicted criminals. So, how do we fast-track dispensation of cases to decongest the prisons? Do not forget that we have got a complicated system in Nigeria. We have 36 states and the FCT, making 37 states. Each one has its own legal system and their own high court add that to the Federal High Courts all over the country, and then the Supreme Court. So, our system is very complex and complicated and I hope that authorities concerned will ensure that all these things move speedily. To operate true federalism, don’t you think it will be wise for states to be allowed to create their own Appeal and Supreme courts? I do not agree to that because it will cause a lot more complications. If you allow states to create their own Appeal Courts, it means you are going to have a minimum of 37 states Appeal courts. All appeals from these 37 courts will now go to the court of appeal and from there to the Supreme Court. It is going to create more problem than is solved. So, I don’t think it is a wise thing to do at all. What of state policing, considering the alarm by some states governed by the opposition parties for the decentralisation of the

Police? I do not think that statement is correct. The Police is federal but the state commissioner is a member of the State Security Council and he works with the governor daily. Of course, he is under the Inspector- General of Police, but that does not confuse the monopoly of power being centrally controlled, but shared by the governor. When I was the AttorneyGeneral, a matter like that went to the Supreme court and we won. As the NBA seeks to review its constitution, what areas do you think need amendment? Well, you are talking of 36 states and the FCT. For any constitutional amendment, we should allow each state of the nation to bring its proposals, then we look at it and debate it dispassionately without any bias, and with national interest as the primary interest. Are you in support of a Sovereign National Conference (SNC)? No, I am not. You cannot have an SNC because if you do, it shows there is a government that controls the elected government of the country. You cannot have two governments. The president was elected by the whole country and the National Assembly leadership was also elected by elected representative from all parts of the country. We cannot have two parallel governments. Those who are talking about SNC do not understand what they are talking about because you cannot have an elected President with his cabinet, an elected National Assembly and still talk about SNC. What are your suggestions on judicial reforms? We have got an excellent judiciary, but I think we are going

wrong in creating too many Courts of Appeal in the country. If you have many Courts of Appeal, it means many appeals will now go to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court will not be able to cope. In that area, we have to be extremely careful. What is your assessment of the tenure of former Lagos Chief Judge, Justice Akande (rtd)? She was an excellent and a very good lady while in office and I have great respect for her. She brought in quite a number of reforms in Lagos and so we wish her a very good retirement. What is your expectation of the new Lagos Chief Judge? I expect that Justice A.A. Philips will do very well. I know her. She is a good lady and respectable. Do you support the call for the abolition of the SAN title on the grounds that it delays justice delivery and encourages corruption? I do not agree with that statement at all. The grounds do not hold water. I am the Chairman of the SANs and we do hold regular meetings to ensure that things go on well. Why should anyone call for its abolishment? It is practised in Canada, Australia, England among others. Do you not think it is time for Nigerian lawyers to stop appearing in court in the colonial ‘wig and gown’? I agree that we should do away with the wig and gown and adopt a more indigenous dress code. I think we have had enough of it. In England for instance, in the last court which they now call Supreme Court as against the House of Lords, they do not use wigs anymore, and the gown they use is ceremonial. So, I think if we can adopt an attire that will be uniformly accepted and suit our environment. We should drop both the wig and gown, but if not, then, I think we drop the wig. Is it right for governments to engage private prosecutors? As long as the prosecutor is independent and incorruptible, there is nothing wrong with it. Do you plan to retire soon from active practice? There is no retirement in the legal profession. Once you are in it, you are there for life. I am just enjoying law now. I do not know of lawyers who retire unless those who changed their profession. I am enjoying law now and I will continue to enjoy it. What is your advice to young lawyers and to the nation? i enjoy the company of young lawyers a lot. As you can see, I have about 20 young lawyers in the chamber who are either youth corps members or for attachments and that is great fun for me. I relate with them and teach them even things that are not law and it makes me happy.

• Aiku (SAN)

• Chairman, EBF, Kemasuode Wodu

• Hajiya Kwaku

screened out by the Taiwo Taiwoled committee, which was set up in Akure to screen the contestants. Also, the Arewa Lawyers Forum(ALF) has written to the Southwest Lawyers Forum (Egbe

Amofin) informing it of its adoption of candidates for the forthcoming election of the NBA. The ALF at its meeting at the Eagle Suites, Markurdi, Benue State and presided over by its Chairperson,

Hajiya Fatima Kwaku, adopted following candidates: Mr Caleb Dajan, First Vice-President; E. A. Haruna, General Secretary; S. H. Garungabas Third Vice-President and Ma’sud M. Alabelewe, Welfare Secretary.

• Akinjide

Egbe Amofin, Arewa adopt candidates for NBA election

GBE Amofin also known as Southwest Lawyers Forum last weekend in Ibadan adopted candidates for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) election. In a meeting held at Afe Babalola Bar Centre in Ibadan and chaired by Pa Bandele Aiku, (SAN), the group gave opportunity to the contestants for various offices at the election address it. The contestants canvassed votes and support from members. Thereafter, non- members were asked to leave. A letter from the Eastern Bar Forum (EBF) to Egbe Amofin informing it of the adoption of Okey Wali (SAN) as the candidate of the EBF for NBA Presidency was read and adopted. It is the turn of the EBF to produce NBA President. The following members were

By John Austin Unachukwu

adopted by the Egbe Amofin: former chairman, Kaduna branch, NBA, Olumuyiwa O. Olowokure for General Secretary; Siyonbola Ganiat Adetutu for Treasurer; Gbolahan Gbadamosi for Publicity Secretary; Ma’sud M. Alabelewe for Welfare Officer and Gabriel Opayinka for Second Assistant Secretary. The group decided that Pa Aiku (SAN) should meet with the chairmen and secretaries of the group to determine their flag-bearer for the office of NBA president and that of the first vice-president, since none of the two candidates O. J. Erhabor and Awoniyi agreed to step down for the other. The third contestant to the office, former Chairman NBA, Lagos branch, Mr Folusho Fayokun was

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LAW & SOCIETY

OR the pioneer chairman and pillar of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) Section on Business Law (SBL), Mr George Etomi, last week was memorable. He was conferred with a Life Achievement Award by the SBL for his contributions to the growth and development of the body. Etomi was the only awardee at the SBL dinner , which held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos. The event was attended by distinguished Nigerians including Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke; his predecessor, Donald Duke and SBL Chairman, Mr Gbenga Oyebode. Etomi is a renowned lawyer based in Lagos State. He attended the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU), where he obtained his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B). He was called to the Bar in 1977. He obtained his Masters (LL.M) from the London School of Economics and attended the Chief Executive Programme of the Lagos Business School in 1998. Etomi started his career in one of the premier commercial law firms in Nigeria, Chris Ogunbanjo & Co under the mentorship of Chief Chris Ogunbanjo, who he describes as his role model. During his 35 years of active practice, he gathered a wealth of experience in diverse areas of law and as a result, has contributed immensely to the development of corporate/ commercial law practice in Nigeria. His practice areas cut across energy and natural resources law, aviation law, building and construction law, banking and finance law, arbitration, telecommunications, legislative drafting and competition law and policy. Etomi has special interest in oil and gas law and has worked over the years with many multinational

• From left: Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), Mrs. Efe Etomi; Mr Etomi; Mr Imoke; Gwen Nwachukwu and Chairman, StanbicIBTC, Atedo Peterside at the event

Group honours Etomi By John Austin Unachukwu

oil firms keeping close to his heart the cause of the people of the oil producing states for whom he acted as a mediator and champion of their cause. He is passionate about continuing legal education and it was no surprise that he became the first chair when the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Section on Business Law (SBL) was created. During his tenure, the NBA witnessed a vibrancy never known before in its history in continuing legal education. The SBL hosted five consecutive world class business law conferences, which attracted participants from all over

the world and which firmly placed the NBA in the international law conference map. The Section opened lawyers to many new frontiers. Apart from the conferences, the Section organised special events, seminars, workshops and dinners, which created a bond among commercial law practitioners in the country. Etomi has served in different capacities. In 1990, he was a delegate on the Subcommittee on Legal Drafting of the United Nations General Assembly; the following year, he was a director in Daily Times; from 2000 – 2002, he was the Chairman, Finance Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association.

Fuel subsidy: Oil firm drags Reps to court

N oil and gas marketing company, Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, has dragged the House of Representatives and the Hon. Farouk Lawan-led Ad-hoc Committee on the Monitoring of the Subsidy before a Federal High Court in Abuja. Defendants in the suit include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Inspector-General of Police. In an affidavit in support of the originating summons the company stated that when the committee was set up, the committee wrote its managing director to make detailed presentation on its activities as they affected the importation and distribution of petroleum products which was honoured. It further stated that while the managing director was making the presentation, no impropriety was levelled or raised against it, neither was any impression or indication given that there was any discrepancy or lapses in his presentation. It noted that the managing director left the meeting convinced that he satisfied the committee and provided necessary information about its operations with regard to the subsidy, only for the committee to come up with findings alleging impropriety against the company and a resolution that it should refund N13.2billion. The company wants the court to determine whether having regard to the provision of Section

By John Austin Unachukwu

6(1) and (6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, it was competent for them in the exercise of their powers under Section 88(1)(a and b) (I and ii) of the constitution to take a decision or adjudge that petroleum products on which it received subsidy refunds for N13.2billion from the Federal Government is not sustainable and, therefore, not good enough to attract any subsidy payment. In the suit filed on its behalf by Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), the company further wants the court to determine whether it was lawful for the any of the defendants to act or take any action or step against it or any of its officers in respect of any matter relating to or arising from the committee’s report as adopted or approved by the House in its resolution passed on April 25, this year as it affects the company. It wants the court to make a declaration that by virtue of Section 6(1) and (6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, the resolution of the House by adopting the subsidy report particularly was it concerns the company, is ultra vires and consequently unconstitutional, null and void. The firm also wants the court to make a declaration that by the rules of natural justice and Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the House and the committee were bound to make available to it detailed particulars of the allegations concerning the importation, distribution and consumption of petroleum products and the payment of subsidy from 2006 to 2011.

The firm further wants the court to declare that the resolution of he House approving the report of the committee that it should N13.2billion is contrary to the rules of natural justice and section 36 of the Constitution and therefore illegal, null and void. It urged the court to declare that the AGF, EFCC, ICPC and IG are not entitled in law to act or take any step on account of the report by the House and committee. It wants the court to restrain the defendants and their agents from taking any action or step against it and its officers based

From 2006 –2010, he was a member of the National Executive Committee, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA); in 2009, he was the Vice-Chairman of the National Advisory Council of Designated NonFinancial Institutions, a body set up by the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering

(SCUML); he is a member of the Nigeria Squash Federation; and the Vice-Chairman and the Patron of the Lagos Squash Racket Association. For his contributions to the Law and scholarship, Etomi has been conferred with many awards: They include Honorary membership in the Association of Fellows and Legal Scholars of the Centre for International Legal Studies in Austria; a ‘Trailblazer’ award from the NBA Section on Business Law for excellent leadership and meritorious service towards the development of business law in Africa (2010); a ‘Lifetime Achievement’award at the maiden edition of the Nigerian Legal Awards (2010); an award from the NBA Lagos Branch in recognition of his immeasurable contribution for the growth of legal practice and the branch (2011); in 2010, a research centre was named after him: “The George Etomi Centre for Strategic Investment and Corporate Governance”by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, (NIALS). Etomi is the principal partner at the law firm of George Etomi & Partners which he established in 1984. He has published notable works and papers that has indeed added value to the growth of this noble profession. He plays squash and golf. He is married and has five children.

Abuja to host NBA delegates’ conference

HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has shifted the venue of its Delegates Conference from Kaduna to Abuja. The NBA President,Joseph Bodunrin Daudu (SAN) disclosed this while inaugurating the 97 th branch of the NBA in Ikere- Ekiti. Kaduna was initially chosen as the venue for the Delegates Conference in keeping with the tradition of the Bar, which allows the outgoing President to host the last National Executive Council (NEC) in his home branch. Since Daudu has Kaduna as his home branch, therefore, Kaduna was chosen to host it. However, recent terrorist attacks and bombings in Kaduna and other parts of the North have given lawyers sleepless nights over the choice of Kaduna as the delegates conferernce venue. Daudu said: “ At the Lokoja NBA NEC meeting, held on May 24, 2012, the NEC reviewed the situation especially in the light of the assurances given by the authorities in Kaduna

State and retained Kaduna as the venue of the delegates’ conference” “Since then, there have been troubling developments, Kaduna has since experienced devastating terrorist attacks. This happened on June 10, 2012. The senseless bombings were followed by senseless reprisal killings” “Death toll is said to be in the hundreds and at the moment, there is a 24 hour curfew. Most crucial is that Government is not yet in full control of the situation. The question to ask is whether in the face of this unpredictable and volatile situation the Bar should allow thousands of lawyers into such a location?” Daudu added: “I have consulted widely with all segments of the Bar and the consensus is that the venue of our delegates’ conference be moved to another location. The delegates’ conference will be held at Abuja on the dates previously agreed upon. The secretariat will provide further details.”

• Mike Igbokwe (SAN) flanked by his wife Dora and Apostle Alexander Bamgbola, at the service of songs for his mother, the late Madam Margaret Nkiruka Igbokwe, at the Household of God Church, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

LAW & SOCIETY How to curb terrorism is still tops the agenda on national discourse. With the attacks and killings unabating, the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) in Lagos,has held a training on law, security and counter-terrorism. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports.

‘Govt must focus on good governance to curb terrorism’

HAT is the best way to curb terrorism? A retired colonel, Bello Fadile, said it is by governments focusing on good governance and human security. He said when governments summon the political will to say no to corruption and bring an end to poverty, youth unemployment, which leads to restiveness political intransigence, religious fanaticism and intolerance, terrorism will be unable to fester. Fadile, who holds a doctorate in Law, believes that an end to unbridled greed, primordial differences, illiteracy, armed banditry, thuggery and other ills, will occasion a reduction in terrorism. The former Director of the Nigerian Army Legal Services spoke at a training course on Law, Security and Counter-terrorism, organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Services (NIALS) in Lagos for security and anti-graft agencies. Fadile, now Managing Partner, Justice and Peace Consultants, such as social ill create an “enabling” environment for terrorism. “These are all factors in creating insecurity and, of course, terrorism in one form or another,” he said, adding that good governance is the key. “It is possible and doable if we focus on good governance and human security. “It is the ‘man’, in the long run, that determines the way forward when government or rather when the leadership summons the courage and applies the political will to say no so the social ills,” he said. To Fadile, all “war-war” and no “jaw-jaw” will never end any conflict, just as military force alone can not end terrorism. It was in recognition of that fact, he said, that the United Nations office for Humanitarian Affairs produced a book on negotiating with armed groups that are non-stateterrorists. “It is clear, therefore, that negotiation as a measure can go a long way in helping resolve conflicts and restore peace and security within our region,” he said. He added: “We have the willingness to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security within available resources and cooperation with the western world. “We, as part of the solution, should now take another look at the challenges facing us and see what we can do to overcome them, that is, let us own our security and keep it. Then we can make a difference in the war against terror.” Agreeing with Fadile, NIALS’ Director of Research, Prof Bolaji Owasanoye, who spoke on Informational and Communication Technology (ICT) and National Security, said an idealistic definition of national security encompasses social security, food security, economic and technological security. “Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State policy would have been the platform for enhancing security by development, but they are not justiceable,” he said. Owasanoye said national security measures include pursuing a development agenda in aid of social and economic security “as foundation of society,” which he said can be possible by making socio-economic rights enforceable. According to him, the use of In-

formation and Communication Technology is crucial to ensuring national security and to effectively tackle terror. “ICT is an effective tool towards achieving the broad aims if national security howsoever government sees it. It is useful to assist government gather information to create a giant database of its citizens’ activities,” he said. Such information, he said, can be gleaned from telephone traffic, emails, internet surfing, video surveillance, Close Circuit Television, documentation of citizens, financial tracking, medical records, covert hacking, among others. Owasanoye said ICT enhances security in various ways but also challenges privacy and constitutional rights. “The dilemma is that for each measure there is both a positive (public or national interest) component and negative (violation of individual privacy or constitutional right) component,” he said. However, the law empowers security agencies to access private information where national security is involved. He quoted the Supreme Court as saying in the case of Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari vs Federal Republic of Nigeria: “The corporate existence of Nigeria as a united nation is greater that an any citizen’s rights. Where national security is threatened the human rights of those responsible take second place.’ Owasanoye said though ICT aids protection of national security, it can also be used to jeopardise it. “Weak legal and policy regime on use of ICT are indicators of dysfunction and vulnerability of national security to ICT,” he said. Quoting Benjamin Franklin, Owasanoye added: “The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either.” He added: “In effect, ‘to be secure, we must be free.’” Non-state actors in law-making Speaking on the roles of non-state actors/ pressure groups in the lawmaking process in another course by NIALS, Senator Babajide Omoworare said they include mass awareness and public enlightenment, press campaign, bill drafting, and lobbying. They also engage in advocacy, monitoring and acting as watchdog. Such groups include civil society organisations, community and faith-based organisations, non-government organisations, professional and trade associations. “The roles of pressure groups must be sustained to strengthen democracy. Constant collaboration with the parliament must be sustained. “There must be mutual support and fair criticism. Constant dialogue and round-table must be a culture between the parliament and pressure groups. “There needs to be periodic review of the activities of the pressure groups to forestall deviation from their primary objectives and methodology,” Omoworare, a lawyer, said. Dr Yusufu Dadem of the Nigerian Law School said non-state actors attempt to influence the content of the law-making agenda and process through lobbying. “The challenge in Nigeria is never to pretend that there are no lobbyists in the corridors of our

• Prof Azinge (SAN)

• Prof Owasanoye

• Ag Institute Libarian, Ufuoma Lamikara and Charles Edosomwan (SAN) at the event.

legislative houses, but how do we control them? “This is due to the absence of a regime that regulates lobbying as is done in other advanced democracies which set standards for registration of lobbyists, disclosure of their clients and fees received; punishment for crimes committed by lobbyists. “This ensures transparency and accountability because both they and legislators will be held accountable if and when the need arises.” Also of concern to Dadem is the fact that less attention is paid to the workings of the legislature at the state level. This he attributed to the interference of governors and vestiges of centralised military governance. “The Houses of Assembly would have to fight for their independence and respect. “A constitutional amendment creating Houses of Assembly Commissions with financial autonomy would help the legislature at the state levels to work for the interest of the citizens rather than the state’s chief executive,” Dadem said. Offering the best legal advice Government lawyers are required to give their opinions independent of the political objectives of their superiors. But this is not always as easy as it seems. However, experts say every legal advice offered must be done in good faith. Leading the discussions at NIALS’ Government Legal Advisers/Law Officers’ Course was former Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan (SAN). He said it behooves lawyers in the ministries of justice, authorities,

institutions and agencies to ensure that arbitrariness is eschewed and that the tenets of rule of law are abided by in all government decisions. “Whatever opinion that is required of a lawyer, be it one of government or in the private bar, it must be delivered in good faith and candour. Opinions must never be written from a conclusion to the question. “Government lawyers must give their opinions independent of the political objectives of their superiors. The lawyer’s duty is to ascertain and declare the laws while the duty to politick and forge policies lies elsewhere. “In truth, an honest opinion always has the redemptive effect of aiding conscientious governments effectuate people-oriented policies and actions.” Uwensuyi-Edosomwan said apart from a firm grasp of the facts on which an opinion is given, as well as the need to be technically and Information Technology (IT) savvy, a legal adviser must stick to the law. “A government lawyer, just like his counterpart in the private sector or practice, must have a deep propensity for research. No care can be said to be too much in crafting an opinion that would help deliver good governance to the people. “On the other hand, great harm in loss and disaffection may occur when government action is based on a sloppy or faulty opinion,” he said. A government lawyer, therefore, owes a duty of care to his employers and is not immune from censure in negligence. “Even though the private lawyer’s liability in damages for negligence may not be the lot of the government lawyer, the latter

is, however, liable to discipline under his contract of service and relevant statutes flavouring his employment. “Gross incompetence or negligence could be the basis of termination, dismissal or demotion by his department or superiors,” Uwensuyi-Edosomwan said. A Research Professor at NIALS, Paul Idornigie, said lawyers play critical roles in public/private partnerships. A government lawyers, therefore, needs to understand applicable legal and regulatory framework. He will be expected to offer legal assistance in reform transactions, strategy, drafting terms of reference, drafting appropriate bidding documents, creation of regulatory framework as well as vetting and negotiation of contracts. He ensures that the issues addressed in the design stage are captured in the contracts, that there are efficient enforcement mechanisms, as well as monitors compliance. “The role of the legal adviser is not only to draw attention to obstacles but also to recommend ways to address them. “The scope and complexity of the legal issues are practically unlimited: they concern both public and private law, international (public and private) and foreign laws. Expertise in these areas is required,” Idornigie said. NIALS Director-General Prof Epiphany Azinge (SAN) said the courses were designed to keep participants abreast of emerging trends in law. For instance, he said a wrong advice by a lawyer to government could have far-reaching effects to a nation’s economy; hence the need for government lawyers to be equipped.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

LAWMA transforms Makoko community

AGOS Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has transformed a slum community, Makoko, by clearing the filth and completing a Resource Centre, as part of its commitment to ensuring a cleaner environment through its Community Clean-up Campaign. Addressing journalists at the event, LAWMA Managing Director Mr Ola Oresanya said the Resource Centre is to inculcate sanitation habits and encourage grassroots participation in improving residents economy. The project, which began last November, was embarked upon to ensure the community collaborated with LAWMA to sustain a clean environment. The site on which the Resource Centre/ Recycling Bank stands was an illegal dumping ground for more than 10 years where unhealthy activities inimical to the community went on. Oresanya, who was represented by the General Manager, Technical Services ,Alhaji Jelili Olubori, emphasised the immense benefits of the centre to the community. He advised the community to embrace the opportunities made available on the LAWMA initiated Waste to-Wealth programme. He encouraged the residents, especially the youths, to take advantage of the centre by picking and bringing recyclable waste materials, such as plastic and papers and get paid. Olubori said the centre could also serve as a recreation ground for residents besides the buy-back cum recycling bank. He appealed to individuals to take ownership of their environment and support the government in the drive for a cleaner city.

•Makoko roundabout, Yaba, Lagos

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst Editor

The Baale of Makoko Community, Prince Raymond Adekunle Olaiya, who led other s to the inauguration, praised LAWMA for executing such a laudable project in the community. He also pledged that they will adopt the programme and mobilise all residents to take advantage of it. He recalled the treat to healthy living in the community some years back occasioned

by the mountains of refuse and thanked the government for the new lease of life. Presently, over 50 members of the community comprising men, women and youths have been employed under the 3C programme. It would be recalled that LAWMA embarked on the Community Clean-up Campaign (3C) last year to encourage grassroots participation thereby creating awareness and

educating members of the community on the importance of community health and hygiene. The programme involves the exploration of technical and human capacity in partnership with the Community Development Associations (CDAs), community focal persons, women leaders, non-governmental organisations and religious groups with the sole aim of getting rid of slums and inner com-

munities of backlog of refuse that had accumulated over the years, constituting health and environmental hazards to residents. On the future of such initiative, the LAWMA boss said the programme has come to stay as they will soon move into Otumara in Otto community where he decried the poor standard of living of the people and the undisciplined attitude to waste disposal.

Agents, to coordinate the marketing and letting of the completed development. He praised the hard work and professional competence of consultants and contractors and assured prospective tenants of a truly first class business accommodation in Incar Plaza. Among the unique occupational benefits of the plaza, are: up to 10 years

fixed rent, long term lease, security of tenure, high speed lifts with granite floors and mirrored ceiling. Others are Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) for mobility convenience, fire prevention sprinkler systems and alarms, underground park with loading bay and full high specification security system, among others.

N4.1b Incar Plaza will change Abuja skyline, says Mutallab

CLASSY office and retail development structure in Abuja is set to enhance the business and commercial landscape of the nation’s capital city. The Incar Plaza, according to the promoters – Incar Nigeria Limited, the best in its category in terms of will be location, size, facilities and services. Chairman of Incar Nigeria Ltd, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, told The Nation the plaza is a product of an uncommon vision by the promoters, to bequeath a truly commercial monument that will complement government’s efforts at creating a new capital city for the needs of the future. Mutallab, who is a former chairman of First Bank Plc, said Incar Group was set to deliver more unique projects comparable to what is obtainable outside the shores of this land. The plaza is set within a land area of one hectare with additional adjoining land area of two hectares for landscaping and outdoor recreation. Incar Plaza, according to the Project Manager, Mr Adekunle Alonge, is a sevenstorey complex with a gross floor area of approximately 34,000 square metres and a lettable space of 21,000 square metres, giving an overall space efficiency of approxi-

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst Editor

mately 62 per cent. On car park, Alonge said the building has a provision for 200 cars. He said the project which is being executed at a cost of N4.1 billion is financed by First Bank Nigeria Plc. It is expected to be completed before the end of the year. The architect, El-Mansuratelier Co, who spoke through their Principal Partner Tunde Oyekola said the plaza utilised the best available practice worldwide to create a technical and occupational superior features. He praised the project sponsors for the huge investment in fire prevention and fighting system which, according to him, will enhance safety of occupants and propertie. Oyekola said all the technical components of the building were carefully designed, assembled and put together to ensure the highest standard, user satisfaction and assist post development maintenance, operation and management of the building. On the occupational structure for prospective tenants, Mutallab revealed that the promoters have approved the adoption of an innovative tenancy approach to occupation. This approach, according to him, is intended

•Incar Plaza, Abuja

to give potential tenants the opportunity to enjoy certain benefits of owner occupation of the plaza at comparatively low annual rent and predictable total occupation cost. He said thet two firms of estate surveyors & valuers, - Nelson Thorpe Alonge and Bode Adediji Partnership have been appointed as Joint Lead

Lands ministry workers warned against extortion

ORKERS of Enugu State Ministry of Lands and Urban Development have been warned against extorting money or embezzling public fund in relation to land transactions. The warning is coming on the upward review of fees payable for land transactions, issuance of certificate of occupancy(C of O) and other title documents by 100 per cent.

From Chris Oji, Enugu

The commissioner, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ujam, who gave the warning, said any worker caught in the act would have his or her appointment terminated. Ujam told reporters in Enugu at the weekend that a member of staff of the ministry was now on suspension for extorting money from some

members of the public with a view to influencing allocation of land. Saying that the development was in line with the ongoing reforms in the ministry, he also disclosed that several others who committed similar offences in the past have been transferred to other ministries. The commissioner hinted that the ongoing reform was designed to sanitise the ministry and enhance

transparency in all land transactions as well as evolving best practice in land management and administration. He advised the public,especially property owners to be mindful of those they interact with to avoid being duped. On the increase of fees payable, details of the fees are contained in an internal memo signed by the

commissioner. The memo indicated that the state executive council in one of its deliberations approved the adjustment. The adjustment, which came into effect from March 28 this year, affected approval fees, registration, non refundable deposit, inspection fees, preparation/survey fees, premium among other fees.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT Jonathan opens Akwa Ibom road

•Bimbo Ajayi, Ladipo Lewis and Titi Adeleye at Architects 2012 Biennial General meeting held in Lagos PHOTO: OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE

Abuja has housing deficit, says Minister

INISTER of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohamme has admitted the high housing deficit in the city,and promised to step up measures to address it. He said the FCT Administration will continue with its deliberate policy of providing decent residential accommodation to the ever increasing population. Speaking while inaugurating the Amal Pepple Housing Estate, Lugbe I Extension and Ebele Okeke Housing Estate, FHA Phase II, Lugbe. Mohammed said the provision of housing accommodation is one of the priorities of his administration because it is in tune with the Trans-

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

formation Agenda and commitment of the Goodluck Jonathan administration to improving the living standards of the Nigerian people. Mohammed recounted that President Jonathan last year laid the foundation stone of the Goodluck Jonathan Civil Servants Estate in Kagini, along Murtala Mohammed Expressway, Abuja. He said the estates being inaugurated are designed to provide public servants roofs over their heads, not only while in service, but after retire. The minister said such gesture

would surely improve productivity of the workers and motivate them to contribute their quota to national development. Mohamed described the former Heads of Civil Service of the Federation the estates were named after, as renowned amazons who have left indelible footprints in the sands of time in public service. Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, at the event, pleaded with the FCT Minister to allocate additional plots of land to build more estates for career civil servants. The events attended by some former Heads of Civil Service current and retired Permanent Secretaries and several directors.

ENATOR Joy Emodi is bold, frank and influential. Last May 13, she was in the team of the Nigerian Law School (NLS) that Class ’88, visited Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital. Also in the team was the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Chief Anyim Pius Anyim, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, his counterpart from Cross River State, Mr Liyel Imoke, former deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche and the Chairman of Independent Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Ekpo Nta. At the dualised Aka – Nung Udoe Road, the outspoken Emodi could not hold back her feelings as she said: “To be honest with you, I am impressed that a state government can provide what I have seen in this state today. “It is a clear manifestation that Governor Goodwill Akpabio is a person who loves his people. I have never seen this number of projects in any state that I have been to, I mean real solid projects.” Yesterday provided the people of the state, another opportunity to showcase the amazing wonders of good governance to the world when President Goodluck Jonathan came calling. The state under Governor Akpabio’s leadership has been a beehive of activities with construc-

tion taking place in all parts on the one hand, and on the other hand, week after week, annual general meetings, retreats, conferences and excursions bring visitors from within and outside the country to the state. Yes, from the Ibom International Airport to the flyovers, the Tropicana Entertainment Complex, massive road projects, ultra modern governor’s lodge, hospitals to Ibom Power Plant and other projects, many now look up to Akwa Ibom as a model of good governance. Of course, it is no longer news that Akwa Ibom, has in the last five years, become the nation’s destination of choice, neither is it news that the Senate’s Retreat is holding in Uyo. Perhaps what is most appealing is that President Goodluck Jonathan, who will officially declare open the retreat, is also inaugurating Africa’s first e-Library and Resource Centre, and the Aka – Nung Udoe road project all executed by Akpabio. When Governor Akpabio said he was going to turn Aka Nung Udoe Express Way into an infrastructural masterpiece few understood what he was talking about. He talked about plans to build a modern pedestrian walk way, modern bus stops, overheard bridges, a 21st century drainage system. He also promised the highway will become the standard by which all other roads will be judged.

Institute calls for review of National Building Code RCHITECTS under the aegis of their umbrella body, the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Lagos State chapter have called for the review of the National Building Code introduced in 2006 by the Federal Government. It challenged the government on its review based on its fiveyear revision clause. They observed that the lack of its implementation has led to squalid developments in most cities, especially Lagos where settlements are spontaneous, untidy and vulnerable to terrorism. It made the observation in Lagos at their yearly Biennial Gen-

• Elects new officers By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst Editor

eral meeting. They also decried the absence of adequate skilled construction artisans and tradesmen in the various categories in the sector linking it to poor quality construction and building failures. While making a case for a definite social housing policy to aid the provision of housing units for various socio-economic classes of residents in the state, they deployed government’s inefficient land management system and high cost of land transaction that is disincentive to mass housing development for the private sector. They called for housing topologies and selling costs that would be tailored towards the true earnings of the citizenry and an efficient system of allocation free of corrupt practices. Further, they made a case for a robust research into indigenous building materials and alternative building construction methodology to support sustainable mass housing development. In a related development, they elected the following officers, Chairman- Ladipo Lewis, Vice Chairman-Titi Adeleye, Secretary- Bayo Ohunmefun, Treasurer- Paul Egwakhide, PROSamson Akinyosoye, Welfare-Nkechi Nnama and Financial Secretary-Innocent Okoli to run the affairs of the institute in the next two years.

From left: President of the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers Busola Awojobi; his predecessor Victor Oyenuga and Deputy President of the institution, Samuel Ilugbekhal, after the conferment of honourary doctoral awards on them by Bradley University,US at the University of Lagos on Saturday.

Town planners plan new scale of fees for members

SSOCIATION of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON) has adopted a new scale of fees for registered practising town planners. The uniform scale will enable members operate professionally and also earn approved fees for every category of job rendered to clients. ATOPCON President Toyin Ayinde spoke at the institute’s 2012 AGM in Lagos recently. He urged town plan-

Nigerian firm wins British property award

ANIEL Ford & Co Limited, man aged by a Nigerian, Mr. Yemi Edun has clinched the ‘Best Property Management Agency’ at The Lettings Agency of the Year Awards 2012 sponsored by Zoopla.co.uk.in association with The Sunday Times and The Times of London. North London-based Daniel Ford & Co won in the Silver-Best Property Management Agency (0-200 properties) category. The firm specialises in overseas landlords, giving it an edge in the highly-competitive lettings market, said the Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Mr. Yemi Edun. Judges praised “the agency’s highly com-

pliant systems and processes, which are managed by a dedicated compliance professional,” a role they believe clearly demonstrates the team’s awareness of the increased responsibility of managing property for overseas clients. Over 450 leading lettings agents from across the UK attended a glittering ceremony at The Lancaster London Hotel opposite Hyde Park where the winners of only dedicated awards for the lettings agency industry were revealed. The winners received their awards from former Olympic Champion, Sir Matthew Pinsent who thrilled the audience with some incredible stories of his achievements.

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie Asst Editor

ners, especially consulting town planners on the need to be continuously be aware of new trends in practice and in the ever changing structure of human settlement. He said:” Since settlements keep changing, our planning strategies must be very participatory or progressive as the cannon of town planning is to ensure ultimate wealth in the future.” The president, who was represented by his Vice-President, Mr Moses Ogunleye, asked them to remain resolute, especially at this period of our national development, when physical planning is yet to be given the desired attention. He recalled their successes in building bridges with other professional bodies and mass enlightenment programmes to educate the public on the important position the town planner occupies in the sector. According to him, a major outcome of positive relationship with other bodies is the soon to be implemented new professional scale of fees for town planning services.

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

The emergence of Kogi State Governor Idris Wada as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the primaries last year is being contested in court by two chieftains of the party, Jibrin Isah (also known as Echocho) and Oyebode Makinde. KAMARUDEEN OGUNDELE examines the case.

Echocho vs Wada: Waiting for the judiciary

S the Federal High Court, Abuja is set to deliver judgment in the suit against Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, this Friday, the political machinery of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been set in motion again. The winner of the January 2011, PDP primaries, Jibrin Isah and another governorship aspirant, Oyebode Makinde, are challenging the swearing-in of Wada as governor. For those who have been following events in the state, the issue is which of the two primaries won by Echocho and that won by Wada enjoys the status of legitimacy. Last Thursday, Wada made a political journey to the PDP national secretariat where he met the national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and other officers. He allegedly sought the intervention of the party in the dispute between him and Echocho. Could this mean that Wada is jittery as being insinuated? However, in a statement by Echocho signed by his Special Adviser, Phrank Shuaibu, he appealed to the PDP to allow natural justice and rule of law to prevail. He said that reconciliation shall not be “at the expense of justice, fairness and the rule of law”. But the question on the lips of the people of Kogi is will justice prevail? Or will it be sacrificed on the alter of political expedience? Echocho had argued that the primaries that gave him the ticket was in line with Section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution and 25(8) of Electoral Act 2010 as amended. Many have also erroneously likened the case in Kogi to that of former Bayelsa Governor, Timipre Sylva, who lost his case against Seriake Dickson why fighting for the governorship ticket. Sylva was challenging his exclusion from the governorship primaries won by Dickson. The Supreme Court after hearing him declined jurisdiction to go into the merit of the case dismissing it as a pre-primary election matter which no court can adjudicate upon. At the last hearing date, Echocho had told Justice Abdul Kafarati why Wada must vacate the seat for him. Contrary to argument by Wada, Echocho said his case is different from that of Sylva which the Supreme Court declined jurisdiction on. His Counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), maintained that the judgment of the Supreme Court which nullified the tenure elongation of five former governors including that of Kogi was not an issue in Sylva’s suit unlike now. Besides, he argued that in the case of Bayelsa, it was Sylva who went to court to invalidate the primaries which he won while Echocho is in court to validate his own. Isah had won the primaries before the INEC postponed elections in five states including Kogi. The action followed an Abuja Federal High Court’s verdict which held that the tenure of the five governors is beyond May 29, 2011 having won re-run elections. When the commission released a new date for the election, Kogi PDP conducted another primary election in September in which Wada emerged as the winner. The Court of Appeal upheld the decision. Dissatisfied, the commission went to the Supreme Court to challenge the decision. While the case was pending for determination before the apex court, INEC chose to take laws into its own hands by conducting a governorship election four days after it addressed the apex Court. Wada eventually won the election defeating the candidate of the Action Congres of Nigeria (ACN), former governor Abubakar Audu. By going ahead to conduct the election, was INEC not appropriating judicial functions to it-

self by not informing the Supreme Court that it wanted to hold elections in Kogi State on the 3rd of Dec.,2011, as at the time it addressed the Apex Court on November 29 or after it purportedly held it, to inform the court before judgment was delivered on January 27, 2012? Is it not proper for INEC, after purportedly holding the said election, to have withdrawn its Appeal, so that the Supreme Court would not have declared that the term of office of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris be terminated on the May 28, 2011? The Supreme Court in its January 27, judgment however, ruled that the tenure of the governors had elapsed on May 28, 2011; more than six months before the primaries won by Wada in violation of Section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution. The question is, if as rightly held by the Supreme Court, the tenure of Ibrahim Idris ended on 28th May, 2011, when was election held to that office in accordance with Section 180(2) and(2a) of the Constitution? Can the said section be waived or frittered away by INEC? What of the mandatory provisions of Section 25(8) of the Electoral Act? Is INEC above the Constitution and the Electoral Act? When was the primary election that produced Mr. Wada conducted? Was it before or after the expiration of the tenure of Ibrahim Idris on May 29, 2011? When was the notice of election given? And what is the significance of the date of January 30, 2012 when INEC directed that Mr. Wada be sworn in? Who did Wada succeed on January 30, 2012? Was it Ibrahim Idris whose tenure ended on May 28, 2011 or Mr. Wada succeeded the vacuum that existed between May 29, 2011 and January 30, 2012? Blaming INEC for the confusion in Kogi, Olanipekun argued that it was the commission that got the judgment that sacked the former governors and thereby reactivated the earlier PDP primaries conducted in January 2011 ahead of the May 29, exit date. He said the present cause of action arose at the instance of the Supreme Court judgment on tenure elongation. By the judgment of the apex Court, Olanipekun said the September 2011 primaries won by Wada had become extinct and no longer applies because it was not conducted within 150 days to the exit of former governor Ibrahim Idris. He argued that the only valid primaries that can avail the party is that won by Echocho in January 2011. Olanipekun further argued that in the case of Bayelsa, it was Sylva who went to court to invalidate the primary which he won but Echocho had not gone to court on his own, rather his cause of action arose at the instance of the Supreme Court judgment on tenure elongation. Adopting his written address, Wada’s counsel, Chris Uche (SAN) however, argued that it was not in dispute that there were two primary elections held in January and September, 2011 and that the plaintiff participated in the two prima-

•Wada

ries. Submitting that the case of Sylva which was dismissed by the Supreme Court had finally halted the suit of the plaintiff, he urged the court to rely on the judgment of the Supreme Court to dismiss the instant suit. He also argued that every claim of the plaintiff is as to the effect of the April 2011 election and as long as the said election was cancelled, every other election relating to it is automatically canceled adding that the suit before the court is an internal affair of the party. Counsel to INEC, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) submitted that the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the matter because the plaintiff is asking the court to interpret the judgment of the Supreme Court on tenure elongation and also asking it to give a consequential order. He further submitted that Section 251(1)(q)(r)(s) of the 1999 Constitution did not permit the court to do such a thing adding that the court has no power or right to interpret what the constitution will imply in the judgment of the Supreme Court. According to him, the reliefs sought can only be granted by the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. He urged the court to dismiss the originating summon as a clear abuse of court process. In his own submission, PDP’S counsel, Olusola Oke argued that the reliefs sought by the plaintiff especially 3-8, is seeking to nullify the election which the party won. By the Judgment in PDP against Sylva, Oke said the Plaintiff is estopped from seeking enforcement of January 2011 PDP primaries. According to him, under Section 285 of the Constitution, jurisdiction to question the validity of an election is with the tribunal. He therefore urged the court to dismiss the suit of the plaintiff. After listening to parties in the suit, Justice Kafarati adjourned till June 29 for judgement. A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, presided over by Justice Zainab Bukalchuwa had remitted the case back to the trial court following amicable settlement reached by the parties in the suit. The re-assignment was at the instance of the Wada who through his counsel, Chris Uche SAN

‘When was the primary election that produced Mr Wada conducted? Was it before or after the expiration of the tenure of Ibrahim Idris on May 29, 2011? When was the notice of election given? And what is the significance of the date of January 30, 2012 when INEC directed that Mr. Wada be sworn in? Who did Wada succeed on January 30, 2012? Was it Ibrahim Idris whose tenure ended on May 28, 2011 or Mr. Wada succeeded the vacuum that existed between May 28, 2011 and January 30, 2012’

•Jega

told the Court of Appeal that he wanted the matter taken away from Justice Donaltus Okorowo and be re-assigned to another judge. In the suit for determination before Justice Kafarati, Echocho is asking for an order setting aside Wada’s swearing in and for an order directing INEC to conduct a fresh election pursuant to the January 27, judgment of the Supreme Court. He also wants a declaration that INEC which is an institution established by the Constitution is under a duty to obey and comply with decision of the Supreme Court delivered on January 27, 2012. He is asking the court to declare that INEC being the appellant in Appeal No: SC/357/2011 between INEC(as appellant) V Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (as respondent) which prayed the Supreme Court to decree and declare that the term of office of the last holder of the office of Governor of Kogi state constitutionally lapsed on 28th May, 2011 by the virtue of Section 180(2) of the Constitution and which appeal/reliefs the Supreme Court allowed cannot rightly and in good conscience be heard and allowed to jettison or misinterpreted in any way the said judgment of the Supreme Court to again defeat the clear wordings of Section 180(2) and (2A) of the same Constitution. He also wants the court to declare that the purported election to the office of Governor of Kogi State held by the defendant during the pendency of its appeal to the Supreme Court in Appeal SC/357/2011 and which purportedly produced the 2nd defendant as Governor-elect of Kogi State was unconceivable, unconstitutional, null and void and of no effect whatsoever. He is praying the court to declare that the election that brought Wada in was done in violation of the mandatory provisions of Section 178(2) of the Constitution, Section 25(8) and 31(1) of the Electoral Act. He is also praying the court to declare that the letter issued by the INEC on January 30,2012 directing Wada to be sworn in based on the December 3, 2012 is contemptuous, null and void and of no effect. Makinde is seeking a declaration that the 1st Defendant Order/directive that the 3rd Defendant be sworn in as Governor of Kogi State is unconstitutional, null, void and ultra vires. That the 1st Defendant Order/directive that 3rd Defendant be sworn in as Governor of Kogi State when the 4th Defendant is discharging same function pursuant to section 191(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is unconstitutional, null, void and ultra vires. That the 3rd Defendant cannot hold himself out/or parade himself as the Governor of Kogi State and that the 1st Defendant is bound to conduct a fresh election into the gubernatorial seat for Kogi State based on fresh primary by the political parties.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

POLITICS Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji MujahidAsari Dokubo, was in Benin City to rally support for Governor Adams Oshiomhole. He spoke with journalists on some issues, including Boko Haram and the 2015 elections. Correspondent OSAGIE OTABOR was there.

PDP’s eight years in Edo a waste - Dokubo T

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has warned you to stay away from the state during the election over your recent comments. How would you react to that? Clear conscience fears no accusation. The warning was not directed to any particular party. It was made in the direction of any body who attempts to manipulate the election. But if the PDP believes that it was directed at them so be it because the people of Edo state cannot afford to go through the trauma they went through the last time when their mandate was stolen and it took them time, as they went through pains and people even died to reclaim the mandate. I think the PDP should be calling for free and fair election. If there is no PDP Federal Government, I don’t think the PDP will be playing God in Edo State or else where. The truth is that without a PDP Federal Government I don’t think the PDP can contest election in Edo state and hope that they can win up to five per cent of the votes because of their antecedent in the state. For eight years the PDP was here they destroyed the state. There was nothing to show that there was government. So, you support the Oshiomhole re-election bid... Today the people can see for themselves the difference between Adams Oshiomhole and the rest. After Dr Samuel Ogbemudia and Professor Ambrose Alli, the state went dead; everybody went to sleep. But Adams has rejuvenated the state, he has woken the people up. If it was in a society where polls opinion matters, by now we would have known the loser and the winner. Oshiomhole would not even go through the rigours of campaigning. There is a new Edo State today and anybody who cannot see it is not fair to the people of the state and they should reject such a person. So the PDP knows that they do not have any locus to take any body to court, I am free to say any thing I want to say, go any where I want to go to as long as I don’t flout the law of the land. And what I have said in this particular situation is very true that nobody should attempt or even think of rigging this election. The people will not allow this election to be rigged, the peoples’ votes must count. Do you think Oshiomhole stands a chance against the PDP with the federal might behind it? I am a supporter of Goodluck Jonathan and the Goodluck I know cannot do such a thing. However, some people change when they get into office. But it will not be to the advantage of Goodluck to rig the election in Edo State for PDP because it will cause serious problem in his base. If he allows the unity that was there before his election to be eroded due to pressure from some cabals, then he will see the other side of the people. The whole people of the SouthSouth got up to say to hell with tyranny; they looked at arrogance eye ball to eye ball and said you don’t have the powers to stop us and they voted for Jonathan. Even

• Dokubo

though Oshiomhole is an ACN man, even though Alhaji Dokubo is not a PDP man, we came together with one voice and brought Jonathan. It was not PDP that brought Jonathan to power, Jonathan enjoyed the popular vote of the people. And it will be very very wrong for Jonathan to pay the people of Edo State by backing any plot to rig Oshiomhole out of power when the entire people of the state appreciate his performance. If that happens, people like us will say you no longer represents our interest so go and use your federal might. I don’t think Jonathan is ready to gamble with the good will he enjoys from the people, he will not. There is a clamour by some people that Jonathan should not contest in 2015... Ordinarily, it will be too early for any one to be talking of 2015. But I was the first to publicly say that Jonathan has no right to say he would not be running because we in the South-South are entitled to two terms. And Jonathan is in the best position as a sitting President to run for the term. That is the tradition everywhere. But I want to say it is premature for anyone to start talking about 2015 now. Jonathan has just been in government for one year and he has to show reasons why the people should re-elect him. And these reasons will be based on his development achievements, fighting corruption, enhancing democratic values, for me these are the issues. But for now, because of the well known arrogance of some people, everybody has taken a very rigid stand; we have been forced to take a stand. Jonathan is from the South- South and as his people, we have been forced to take a stand. So you now find out that judging Jonathan’s administration based on performance is no longer there, people are now saying since you have decided, we too have decided . The situation has come to ‘monkey no fine, but the Mama like am’. If you were to assess Jonathan’s government, what would you say?

You cannot ask me now to assess Jonathan’s government based on performance, we have passed that stage because the day we decided to be fair, the northerners were not ready to be fair. Over the years people have not only been feasting on us but also insulting us. Now instead of discussing at round table about our economy, what they are saying is the right of the north to rule. No no, it is not your right. You don’t contribute any thing to this fraudulent union. These are the issues, but Jonathan has been there in one year and you expect him to clear all the rots of over 50 years. He is not Prof. Peller of TB Joshua, he is not a miracle worker. The rot has been there, but that does not mean that we are encouraged by what is happening now. But we cannot come out to say it because the battle line has been drawn. We cannot leave our flanks open because the enemy will infiltrate. But, there are issues about his handliing of insecurity in the country... They said Boko Haram. How does Boko Haram affects me? If they are doing Boko Haram where they are and they don’t come to my place to do their Boko Haram, that is fine by me. But if we are living in a good society where everything is fine, then we would have started making some comments that this thing is wrong or this is good. But we are no longer there. An atmosphere of a failed society has been created where everybody is now in the trenches to defend his or her territory. Nobody will accept this arrogance again. As far as I am concerned, if there is a realistic census the South will be five times more populated than the North because there is no where in the world where the desert part of a country is more populated than the tropical forest, it is not possible. As far as I am concerned, there are more Ijaw people than Fulani people in this country because I have traveled to see Ijaw people every where. Ijaw people are migrant people just as the Fulani are also migrant people. So why should they call us minorities?

‘Azazi’s sack is shameless’ From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

FORMER Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, has described as shameless the sacked Defence Minister, Dr. Haliru Bello; and the National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi (rtd). Adesina, who said this yesterday after the commissioning of the Gbadamosi Olowoporoku Adesina Memorial Mosque, Felele, Ibadan, stated that rather than being committed to national assignments, political office holders allowed themselves to be distracted. President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday sacked Bello and Azazi over the growing level of insecurity in the country less than two hours after returning from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he attended the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development. Adesina said that like most other bad politicians in government, Azazi, whose tenure was characterised by violent attacks by the fundamental Islamic sect, (Boko Haram), should have resigned long ago. This, he noted would pave way for better hands to contribute their ideas to governance. He said : “The removal of Azasi was good. Since he was there what did he do? The security situation in the land had been worse. We have had the worse scenario of violence with high sense of insecurity. There has been persistent bomb blasts in most parts of the north. I say it again that Azazi should have resigned since if he was a man of integrity. “I can recall that late Dr. Tai Solarin resigned his appointment as head of the then Public Complaint Commission as a result of his failure to drive with his driving license with him. He had the license but kept it at home. That is an example of a man of integrity.” While lamenting that the country had continued to relapse into hardship as a result of bad leadership since independence. This, he said, called for ‘national stakeholders’ meeting.’ Adesina said : “Unfortunately, the replacement of Azazi with Sambo Dasuki, a retired colonel of the Nigerian Army, might not be the solution to the unrest and serial killings by the Boko Haram. We need a national meeting. You may call it National Conference, Sovereign National Conference or anything you like. But, much as I am tired of praying for Nigeria, I want to say that the only hope I see is for the stakeholders to meet and discussed whether we want to continue to live as a nation or not.” He urged the president to look beyound party sentiment and call all leaders in this country together with the aim of tackling all the challenges facing the nation.

HURIWA to Jonathan: address security challenge, corruption now

HE Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a non-governmental organisation. has urged the federal government to address the twin problems of security and corrup-

tion. In a statement by the National Coordinator, Mr. Emmauel Onwubiko, and the media officer, Miss Zainab Yusuf, the Association took exception to President Goodluck Jonathan’s failure to openly, publicly declare his assets in line with established precedence which was started by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua under which Jonathanwas Vice President. It tasked the federal government to effectively implement result-oriented and pro-active security measures to address the nation’s grave security challenges and to resuscitate the anti-graft war to save Nigeria from imminent collapse. HURIWA said there is nothing on ground to show that government is willing to confront the security nightmare facing Nigerians with a long term, sustainable and efficient strategies. The group said the piecemeal and fire brigade approach adopted by government through massive deployment of armed soldiers in parts of northern Nigeria without the commensurate consolidation of intelligence gathering mechanism will not produce meaningful result in the long run. “THE President Goodluck Jonathan-led federal government has in the last one year failed woefully to address the two strategic areas of breakdown of law and order in the North and the moribund anti-graft war. These fundamental problems are capable of undermining the sovereignty of Nigeria and could result in the imminent collapse of our nation-state.” HURIWA also tasked the Federal Attorney General and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to work in synergy to activate the justice sector mechanism that would make the prosecution of all arrested suspects of terrorismrelated killings in competent courts of law efficient and result-oriented.

• Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (middle); Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun (second right); Speaker Ogun State House of Assembly Hon. Suraj Isola (left); former Head of Service Princess Iyabode Odulate (second left) and current Head of Service Mrs Modupe Adekunle at the 2012 Civil Service Day celebration held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

‘Mercury soaps can cause kidney diseases in children’

OAPS with mercury substances can cause Chronic Kidney Diseases (CKD) in children, Prof Timothy Adedoyin of the Paediatrics and Child Health Department, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has said. He spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital while delivering the institution’s 109th inaugural lecture. Adedoyin said: “The use of

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

soap containing mercury on children is a modifiable risk factor in CKD. The soap like bleaching cream has mercury which is injurious to the kidney. “There is no uniform distribution of mercury and since it has poor lipid solubility, it accumulates mostly in the kidneys with insufficient renal excretion resulting in renal damage.” He listed other identifiable

risk factors of complications to include use of cream containing steriod, excessive use of analgesic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and inadequate management of diarrhoea illness and malaria. He defined CKD as kidney damage manifested by structural or functional abnormalties lasting three or four months with or without decreased glomerular filtration rates.

Adedoyin said the disease, cost effective to manage remains one of the most devastating child hood disorder,”it robs them of school hours either due to frequent hospital admissions and follow- up attendance at clinic.” The professor of paediatrics reeled out statistics of kidney transplants in Nigeria to date, putting the figure at 156 with a private hospital in Lagos doing over 73 per cent of such cases.

He put the age range of the recipients at between 13 and 67 years. besides he said the graft survival in a year was about 84 per cent. He added that of the 14 that have been transplanted for more than 10 years, only 10 are alive. Adedoyin urged Nigerian government to provide dialysis and transplanting equipment and treatment free to its citizens just like some advanced countries.

‘Climate change biggest threat to health’

•From left: President, Nigeria Medical Students’ Association (NIMSA), Mr Eilojie Omobude; General Secretary, Mr Adeniyi Adetola and NAFDAC Director-General, Dr Paul Orhii after receiving an award at the 1st NIMSA Yearly Auwal Mohammed Shanono National Health Summit at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Lagos. PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

DON at the Department of Chemical Pathology, (Toxicology/Micronutrient Metabolism Unit), College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof John Anetor, has described climate change as the biggest health threat of the 21st century, stressing that it needs urgent attention. Anetor spoke at the 47th Scientific Conference of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Lagos State Branch, in Lagos, entitled: The Impact of climate change on maternal health: ameliorative role of translational medicine. He said the problem would affect people in the future. There will be heavier rains with attendant flooding, higher temperature, hurricane and acid rain, among others, Anetor warned. To corroborate Anetor’s warning, the Nigeria’s Environmental Study Action Team (ESAT) said the country is likely to suffer from climate change due to economic development. “As the country’s economy improves, its per capita greamhouse gas emissions

By Wale Adepoju

may approach that of developed nations,” it added. Anetor said the earth will experience more heat caused by a rise in temperature because of human activity. “Asthma, one disease bio-indicator of climate change, will increase. The increase in asthma incidence, prevalence and morbidity over recent decades will present a significant challenge to public health,” he said. Anetor also said: “It is expected during the century, that the average temperature of the earth will rise with conservative estimate that it will exceed the safe threshold of 20C above preindustrial average temperature. It is expected that rises will be greater at higher latitudes (temperature as high as 2-3 0C by 2009 and 4 and 5 0C) in Northern Canada, Greenland and Serbia.” He said there would be change in patterns of disease, water and food insecurity, threat to shelter and human settlement extreme climate events such heat and cold.

urged to be of good conduct 1.78 Nigerian kids can’t access polio vaccine, Nurses ISTURBED by the public’s be a motivation that must be reciprocriticisms of nurses’ attitude cated with positive attitudinal change, O fewer than 2.7 million to eradicate polio, was declared to work, the Assistant Direchard work and total commitment to duty. says group children in six countries polio-free in 2012. She said the state government’s detor (Nursing), Ministry of Health, La-

do not have access to polio vaccination, the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has said. Of this figure, 1.782 million are Nigerian children. Polio is still prevalent in Kano, Kebbi and Jigawa among other states because of lack of access to vaccine. Lagos State, however, has recorded a near zero prevalance after introducing borderline vaccination to curb the disease . According to UNICEF statistics, thousands of children are not vaccinated. Nigeria accounts for over 66 per cent of total missed children out of the 2.7 million children. Kano has the highest rate of 9.8 per cent, Kebbi 9.7 per cent while Jigawa records 8.5 per cent of the total 66 per cent of the unvaccinated children. The report, entitled: Every Missed Child, which is the latest quarterly assessment of the global cases of the disease, said polio is at its lowest levels, and limited to fewer districts, within fewer countries than ever before. IMB Chair Sir Liam Donaldson said: “These are the children that the world forgot, growing up with no protection from polio at a time when most of the world’s parents have long-forgotten what polio even is.

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha and Wale Adepoju

“The world has the opportunity to end polio for good, but it will not happen if the programme remains so desperately under-financed.” He said the GPEI’s funding gap of almost N150billion, out of a total 2012-13 programme budget of N300billion, was indicative that vaccination campaigns for this year would have been cancelled in 33 countries, leaving 94 million children under-immunised. In a letter to the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Donaldson said: “This is an extreme and unacceptable risk. It could set this global endeavour back by many years, and vastly increase the eventual cost of achieving eradication.” According to the report, the polio virus is taking refuge in a number of “sanctuaries”, specific areas of the six affected countries where the virus can multiply and prepare for a fresh attack on the vulnerable. These sanctuaries exist because too many children in them are being missed. As an example of what can be done, the report singles out the impressive success in India, which, despite being long-regarded as the most difficult place

“India’s achievement is nothing short of momentous, and should greatly enhance confidence that polio can be eradicated worldwide,” said Donaldson. Of the six countries where polio persists, the report said: “Pakistan has shown significant progress so far this year, with half as many cases as in the same period in 2011. Chad has made progress also with only three cases this year and a new effort to reach vulnerable nomadic communities. Neither Angola nor the Democratic Republic of Congo have recorded a single polio case in 2012. Nigeria is a continued cause for concern with large numbers of children being missed in the northern states.” It said further that ongoing circulation of polio virus in Nigeria is putting millions at risk in neighbouring countries. Afghanistan is “on the critical list” with insecurity compounding deeper systemic problems with the programme. Just weeks after polio was declared a global health emergency at the 65th World Health Assembly, the IMB said it hoped the resolution passed would rally countries behind polio eradication as a common cause and ‘global public good’. It also said the initiative has a great potential that could extend far beyond polio.

gos State, Mrs Dorcas Shonibare, has advised her colleagues to be disciplined and selfless. She spoke at the mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme for nurses at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja organised by the Lagos State Nursing and Midwifery Committee. Mrs Shonibare said the number of nurses in the state is an indication that they are important to health care. She said the provision of adequate remuneration and welfare for them should

sire for a safe, affordable and qualitative health can only be achieved if nurses do their work. Things, Shonibare said, are happening so fast in the sector. Nurses will do themselves a disfavour not to catch up with what is obtainable in their profession, she added. Assistant Director, Nursing Services, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Mrs. Modupe Shode said, committed nurses would be rewarded, adding that there is dignity in labour and reward for hard work in the state.

Philips seeks health partners

LECTRONICS giant, Philips, is set to partner with the Federal Government, public and private sectors on how to improve health care in the country. According to the company, providing the required health care technology will reduce mother and child death and ensure the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) four and five. Its District Manager, Africa, Mr Roelof Assies, said there was the need to improve maternal and child care in Nigeria, stressing that the introduction of ClearVue, an ultrasound equipment, is to achieve that. The equipment, which was introduced during the Lagos stopover of Philips’ third pan-African Cairo to Cape Town road show, exemplifies

the company’s commitment to more cost-effective, simplified, patient-focused health care solutions with high clinical performance. Quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO), he said: “Globally, more than two billion people struggle to get access to the most basic forms of imaging. Specifically, there is a high demand for basic ultrasound solutions in most countries across Africa, as they expand and upgrade health care infrastructure to stem the shortage of basic health care services in many regions. Improving access to health care is also on the agenda in Nigeria.” Assies said the company has also invested in local human resources and clinical training to improve advanced diagnostic healthcare facility in the country.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

ENERGY THE NATION

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

The negative impact of non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) on the oil and gas industry has become a dominant topic in almost every industry forum in Nigeria. The tenure of the seventh assembly of the National Assembly is gradually diminishing and in no distant time, the legislators will be primarily concerned about 2015 election and reelection. Who is delaying the submission, consideration and passage of this bill? EMEKA UGWUANYI looks at the issue.

What’s delaying Petroleum Industry Bill?

•Diezani

T was cheery news when President Goodluck Jonathan announced during his May 29 Democracy Day national broadcast that the presidency would submit the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to the National Assembly before end of June for consideration and passage. But four days to the end of the month, investigation by The Nation showed neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate has received the bill. The concern expressed by stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, is that despite the length of time the bill spent in the hands of the sixth assembly legislators, it was not passed and the bill may go the way of the former one. The reason given by some stakeholders in the industry for non-passage of the bill in the previous assembly was that there were multiple versions of the bill and it was difficult to harmonise them coupled lobbying by some interest groups who didn’t find some of the provisions of the bill favourable. Besides, the international oil companies (IOCs) found aspects of the bill on fiscal regimes, especially taxes as well as provisions on acreage leases unfavourable especially when such leases are kept unproduced within a given time. However, the current administration took cognizance of all the contentious issues, hence the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, constituted taskforces that comprised industry technical think-tanks to reevaluate the bill, and address the grey and contentious areas to be acceptable and beneficial to the stakeholders. Going by the mandate and timeframe given the taskforces, the assignment ought to have been completed at least in the last one

month. It was based on the timeline that President Jonathan made his pronouncement.What is delaying the PIB? With the delay, will the National Assembly be able to deliberate on it and pass it into law before end of this year as promised by President Jonathan? The fear expressed by operators is that before end of next year, the legislators and members of the executive arm of the government would primarily be concerned with election and reelection campaigns for 2015 and bill may suffer another setback.

Need to pass the bill The Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria’s oil and gas industry regulator, Mr. Osten Olorunsola, last week decried the level of lack of fresh investment in the industry.He noted that for the first time in Nigeria’s history there was an obvious decline in oil reserves estimates between 2011 and 2012 and wondered what will happen between 2014 and 2017 in terms of oil and gas production, since no major investments have been recorded in exploration in the last five years. He attributed the development to the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill adding that the decline and gap non investment in the exploration and production segment of the industry has created, would take the country about five to six years to recover. The DPR chief also noted that every concerned citizen of Nigeria should feel worried over the diversion of investment from IOCs to other countries in East and West Africa. He cited Shell and ConocoPhillips. Benefits Hundreds of billions of naira and employment opportunities, according to various industry reports, have been lost due to non-passage of PIB. Passage of the bill, according to operators, would substantially plug the wastages, fraud and corruption in the industry such illegal bunkering, petroleum products importation scam, man-hour wastages in public organisations following unbundling and commercialisation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), among oth-

ers. Alison-Madueke also noted that the PIB when passed into law is the key that will undoubtedly open the oil and gas industry into a new era and we as a country will leverage on it to achieve Federal Government’s aspirations. Government is not unmindful that a lot of investment decisions are currently on hold while the government is losing potential revenues that could have accrued to it due to proposed changes in the deep water fiscal terms. The Chairman, Emerald Energy Resources Limited and former Special Adviser on Petroleum Matters to President Musa Yar’Adua, Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah said that the “new draft of the long-awaited PIB is close to being finalized, potentially ending years of uncertainty that has blocked developments in the industry. “As you know, licensing rounds, contract renewals and investments have been put on hold for about five years now pending the new bill to

regulate the oil and gas industry. The passage of the bill into law would serve as a breath of fresh investment air into the industry for the revival of our national economy.” Explaining reasons the PIB is critical to the well being of the oil and gas industry and the economy, Egbogah said: “The PIB is meant to change everything from fiscal terms to overhauling the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It is an enabling legislation, holistic in depth and scope that will bring the Nigeria oil and gas industry well into the 21st century modernity. It provides all the legal and commercial framework for full and comprehensive reformation/ re-engineering of the industry. It will create a liberalized, deregulated professional oil and gas industry.” He also said that the PIB will outlaw gas flaring from December 31, this year. A section of the bill provides that “natural gas shall not be flared or vented after December

2012 in any oil and gas production operation, block or field, onshore or offshore, or gas facility, except under exceptional and temporary circumstances. “Any licensee who flares gas or vents gas without the permission of the minister (in special circumstances) shall be liable to pay a fine, which shall not be less than the value of the gas. “There shall be no grant of discretionary awards” but the grant of petroleum prospecting licence or a petroleum mining lease shall be by open, transparent and competitive bidding process conducted by the Nigerian Petroleum Inspectorate, which shall be the successor to the assets and liabilities of the Petroleum Inspectorate of NNPC, DPR and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Authority (PPPRA). These among other reforms that will come with the passage of PIB will usher a new effective,result and people oriented oil industry. Hence,the call for the passage of the bill as soon as possible.

•From left: Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc; His Excellency, Jean J. Gauthier, Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria and Alex Irune, Manager Group Office, Oando PLC at the Global Petroleum Show held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Experts differ on oil production increase

XPERTS and technocrats from various fields of the economy have differed on whether nigeria should increase its oil production or leave it at the current level. They spoke at the first Energy Policy Strategy Series organised by Emerald Energy Institute for Energy Economics,Policy and strtegic studies of the University of Port Harcourt in Lagos last Thursday. While industry chieftains such as Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, Chairman of Emerald Energy Resources Limited and former Presidential Adviser on Petroleum Matters and the Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Osten Olorunsola, among others advo-

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

cated for maximization of oil production to enable the country use the proceeds from oil sale on developmental projects and infrastructure. Others said the was no need for production increase and argued that Nigeria is still in the process of development and if we exhaust the resources now, the time we would need them, we may not find a place to buy from and besides, the proceeds from oil sale in the past 50 years were not utilized. Therefore, it would be better to leave the resources in the ground than to waste it extravagantly. For instance, the Director-Gen-

eral of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Professor Bola Akinterinwa, among other, disagreed that unproduced oil was a disadvantage. They argued that it was better to keep the oil in the ground that for the proceeds to be frittered away by corrupt politicians. Additionally, Akinterinwa opined that when Nigeria becomes developed, it would need the raw materials and if they had been depleted, industrialisation may be stunted. However, Egbogah said that Nigerian crude oil and gas reserves was not about to finish and that using Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) estimation techniques for

reserves, there could be 100 to 200 years more of production. He said that Nigeria is already developing and that it needs all the resources it can muster to develop and that optimum production would bring the need money it needs, which is critical because nobody knows what value can be gotten from oil in the future, with advances in technology and renewable energy. Olorunsola corroborated him by saying that tar sands and other unconventional means of oil production coupled with increasing technology may render fossil fuels uncompetitive and Nigeria would be the loser because there would

be nobody to buy the resources any longer. He expressed concern that for the first time in Nigeria’s history there was an actual decline in reserve estimates between 2011 and 2012 and wondered what will happen between 2014 and 2017 in terms of oil and gas production, since no major investments have been recorded in exploration in the last five years. He added that the trend in which IOCs divest from Nigeria and invest the proceeds in East Africa is not a good signal and calls for a buckling up on the part of Nigeria. However, all the participants ex•Continued on page 48

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

ENERGY

‘Nigeria’s gas discoveries are opportunistic‘ T

HE Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has said that all gas discoveries in Nigeria were made in the process of exploring for crude oil and that there has not been any absolute effort to exploring for gas despite the huge gas resources in the country. The Director of Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Osten Olorunsola disclosed this when the

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

members of House of Representatives Committee on Gas paid a visit to the agency’s headquarters in Lagos as part of their oversight function. The DPR chief said that Nigeria in terms of gas reserves ranks 8th in the world and number one in Africa but noted that “all natural gas discoveries are incidental to

exploration for crude oil. “Nigeria’s gas reserves endowment may be up to 600 trillion cubic feet (tcf), which is the reason the country is often described as a gas province with little oil.” He said that high proportion of natural gas accumulation is concentrated in the Niger Delta; and substantial discoveries have been made in the deep offshore area adding that exploration efforts in

the Benue Trough, Chad Basin and Anambra Basin show that the inland basins have potential to add to national gas resource volumes. He told the committee that the DPR is not relenting in its efforts to creating as much revenues from gas as oil as well as address environmental issues and end gas flaring. The agency, Olorunsola noted is working with the operator companies and other stakeholders to develop domestic market and create new industries out of the old oil industry. “Similar to oil, the sector aspires to grow the gas resource base aggressively to catalyze growth of the wider national economy,” he added. He, however, noted that as a result of undue bureaucracy, gas flares down progresses slowly in addition to lack of robust legislative and commercial frame works for gas as in oil, which accounts for the underdeveloped domestic market for gas. He called for inadequate funding of the sector and the need to reverse the current inadequate gas transmission and distribution infrastructure and insecurity in the Niger Delta. On the strategic intervention needed in the gas sector, Olorunsola noted the importance of the implementation of major gas grid infrastructure to enable delivery of gas to power and other end users, implementing the com-

mercial framework for gas, putting in place a transitional framework to facilitate gas access in the short to medium term, particularly for the power sector, facilitate the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill and initiate aggressive gas exploration to discover more gas reserves. It is imperative to step up gas exploration, production and utilization because of the nature of the global oil market where prices continue to swing. The President of GWEST LLC Washington DC, United States, Paul Michael Wihbey, said: “Nigeria now finds itself at the crossroads between geopolitical determinants on oil pricing upon which its revenue calculations are determined and fundamental changes in the global oil market stemming from the successful application of new cost-effective technologies that have brought, and are bringing, new supplies of unconventional oil and gas to consumers. These sources include gas and oil shale, oil sands, ultra deep water, and offshore presale fields.” He said that International Energy Agency (IEA) said that demand for gas in European Union to increase 18 percent over the next 20 years and seven percent will come from Middle East and North Africa, MENA/Qatar, adding that it is time for Nigeria to plan to position itself and take advantage of the development and market.

76 oil wells: Akwa Ibom faults Cross River’s claims •Lawal Taofeek ,Manager ,Corporate Affairs, Nipco Plc (right) receiving a CSR service excellence award in education from Apapa Local Government Chairma, Hon. Ayodeji Joseph at a ceremony to honour Nipco while Miss Ogechi Nwosu (centre) a pupil of the adopted school - Apapa Primary school , watches with admiration.

Oil firms evacuate workers from GoM

IL companies operating the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) have begun to evacuate their workers the oil gulf as tropical storm Debby strengthens. Dow Jones newswire said that Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Marathon Oil Corporation, and Murphy Oil Corporation are evacuating all nonessential personnel from their Gulf of Mexico operations as the likelihood of a tropical storm in the region increases, the companies. Removing nonessential employees is generally the first step in preparing for the onset of a tropical cyclone. BP PLC, Chevron Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell PLC and other oil and gas companies operate oil rigs and platforms staffed with thousands of workers in the Gulf. The National Hurricane Centre

said a large weather system near the northern coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula has a 70 percent chance of becoming a tropical storm during the next 48 hours. The system is expected to travel into the northern Gulf area before veering off, although forecasters disagree on the direction it would go, said Michael Brennan, senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Centre. “It’s a large system already,” Mr. Brennan said. “It could go more eastward toward the Florida panhandle, but others think it will go more westward toward the Texas coast.” Anadarko operates the Independence Hub, a cluster of 11 gas fields about 120 miles southeast of Biloxi, Miss., that produced nearly 10 percent of total Gulf natural gas in 2010. In all, Anadarko produced

Experts differ on oil production increase •Continued from page 47

pressed worry about the declining fortunes of the Nigerian petroleum industry and called for quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill to mitigate the slide. In his keynoted address, Paul Michael Wihbey, President of GWEST LLC Washington DC and a visiting scholar at Emerald Energy Institute titled: Strategic developments in the Middle East and implications for the Nigerian oil industry highlighted the huge opportunity costs and market share for Nigerian oil and gas. But he noted that Nigeria for instance has declined from being the third largest exporter of crude oil to the

United States, to being the sixth as of February this year, with volumes falling from over one million in the late 1990s to just 350,000 barrels in February. He attributed the decline to factors ranging from uncertainties in the Nigerian environment as a result of the stalled reform law, to new advances like shale oil and “fracking,” which have made available over one million barrels a day in areas that had stopped producing oil in the US. Wihbey also pointed out that Nigeria was not doing enough to achieve its production potential and was in essence committing economic mistake.

about 157,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day in the Gulf in 2010. “If the weather appears to move in the direction of any of our facilities, we are prepared to immediately remove all workers and safely shut in production,” Anadarko said in a bulletin on its Website announcing the removal of nonessential employees. Marathon Oil said production continues at its Gulf of Mexico wells, which produced 34 million barrels of oil equivalent a day in 2011. Murphy, which operates the Thunder Hawk, Medusa and Frontrunner platforms in the Gulf, is also removing nonessential employees from the area. “We are monitoring the storm closely,” Murphy spokesman Barry Jeffery said. “There has been no impact on operations.” Apache Corporation, Chevron Corporation, ConocoPhillips and Royal Dutch Shell said they are monitoring the situation but not yet evacuating employees. Other companies’ plans weren’t immediately known. Tropical storms and hurricanes can be disruptive to the U.S. Gulf’s massive energy infrastructure. Gulf of Mexico federal offshore production accounts for 29 percent of oil and 12 percent of gas production in the U.S., down from about 30 percent for oil and 17 percent for gas in 2005, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. As of March, federal offshore production from the Gulf was 1.4 million barrels of oil per day and 4.4 billion cubic feet of gas per day, down from its peak of 1.7 million barrels of oil a day and 6.3 billion cubic feet of gas per day in 2010.

OON after some people who claim to be indigenes of the ceded Bakassi peninsular to Cameroon had protested in Cross River State over the ownership of the 76 oil wells, the people of Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have strongly condemned the protest describing it as uncalled for and part of an orchestrated propaganda aimed at confusing some members of the public. On Thursday last week, a group of people reportedly staged a peaceful demonstration in Calabar, Cross River State Capital over the disputed 76 oil wells which the Supreme Court is billed to deliver judgment on July 10, 2012. In a statement, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Akwa Ibom State, Aniekan Umanah, said a socio-cultural group in Mbo local government area of Akwa Ibom State, the Ibaka Development Organisation (IDO) , reacting to the protest in Uyo, observed that the demonstration by the purported indigenes of Bakassi was a cheap blackmail sponsored to whip sentiments ahead of the Supreme Court ruling on the case instituted by the Cross River State Government. The Chairman of the Ibaka Development Organisation, Engr. Asuquo Ating told newsmen that the protest was unwarranted since the facts of the ownership of the oil wells are clear and locates the wells within Akwa Ibom territory. He reasoned that since the case is still in court pending its final determination, it was totally wrong for the people to start making unnecessary comments as ‘with the assumption that such could attempt to influence the proceedings of the court.’ Ating recalled that the Supreme Court had in 2004 decided in a similar case brought by Cross River State that the state was no longer a littoral state with the ceding of Bakassi peninsular to Cameroon and therefore cannot benefit from the 13 percent derivation funds. He said those that demonstrated

were not Nigerians as the said group still parading themselves as indigenes of Bakassi were stopped from participating in the last 2011 general elections in the country. Ating stressed that the people of Cross River State should be thankful to Akwa Ibom State for allowing more than N600 million to be drawn monthly from the allocation of the Akwa Ibom State government and paid to Cross River State Government under the guise of ‘effect of oil exploration on the environment’ and wondered why the people of the area are trading ‘half truths.’ On the status of the puported Bakassi indigenes, Ating argued that the issue of Bakassi returnees should be of greater concern to Akwa Ibom State than any one else pointing out that since the peninsular was ceded to Cameroon about 10 years ago, the brunt of managing returnees had been of greater concern to Akwa Ibom who had larger number of citizens residing there. According to him, there was no need to heat up the polity through irrelevant demonstrations as it was not going to affect the position or decision of the court of the case. A source close to the legal team of the Akwa Ibom State in the Supreme Court said the state government is relying mostly on the judgement earlier delivered by the same Supreme Court in the case of Attorney General of Cross River State Versus Attorney General of the Federation. In the said judgment, the Supreme Court had held inter alia that “in considering the merit of the plaintiff’s case, it is important to bear in mind the effect of the judgment of International Court of Justice date October 10th, 2002 ...with the result that Cross River no longer has a seaward boundary. “In effect Akwa Ibom is contending that with the complete handover of the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon in 2008 marked the collapse of the negotiations and fundamentally altered the equation.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

ENERGY The operators of the petroleum industry have argued that some provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act (NOGICDA) have some grey areas that need to be addressed. EFURU OBUA, petroleum law and policy expert took a critical look at the Act

Nigerian Content Act: An analysis of the law T

HE Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act signed into law in April 2010 by President Goodluck Jonathan has been acclaimed worldwide as the singular most radical and comprehensive piece of legislation governing local content in the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria. Previous attempts at harmonising laws for the sector in this respect were ineffective primarily because the guidelines were ad-hoc, inconsistent and sometimes incoherent and remained more or less impotent. The initiator of the Bill Senator Lee Maeba, noted that there was basically no law guiding the activities of operators in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Accordingly he enjoined his colleagues in the National Assembly to rise to the occasion of developing a comprehensive bill to regulate operations in the industry on Nigerian Content. The Act sought to correct the low levels of indigenous participation especially in exploration and production, which resulted in capital flight; excessive use of expatriate staff who are in top managerial positions; unemployment for Nigerians; lack of technical capacity and overall stunted economic growth. In tackling these challenges, the Federal Government of Nigeria came to the realisation that the domination by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the oil and gas industry , inordinate dependence on foreign fabricated goods, preference for expatriate staff among other factors were major obstacles in the country’s path to economic emancipation and development and that it was imperative to arrest this situation through a deliberate government policy that would enhance increased participation of local indigenous companies in all aspects of the Nigerian oil and gas industry via a comprehensive industrial and economic growth strategy for the country. The main focus of the Nigeria Content Act is to increase the economic and social benefits of oil resources to Nigeria through value added capacity building and local participation. This Act is a follow up on the Nigerian Content Directive issued by NNPC in 2006 which lacked adequate implementation. The body charged with the implementation of the Act, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board headed by Engr. Ernest Nwapa has not only proved

that laws are capable of rigorous implementation in this country but that no one is above the law. The IOCs and other stake holders can testify that the oil and gas landscape in Nigeria has changed completely and that the industry is no longer business as usual – they are now under an obligation to comply with the law. It is hoped that the foundation laid by the current regulator is sustained by his successors. Nigerian Content is defined as “the quantum of composite value added to or created in the Nigerian economy through the utilization of Nigerian goods and services to the petroleum industry within acceptable quality, health, safety and environmental standards in order to stimulate the development of indigenous capabilities.” The key provisions of the law include; Nigerian Content management philosophy for project execution: Part 1, Section 2 of the Act states that “All regulatory authorities, operators, contractors, subcontractors, alliance partners and other entities involved in any project, operation, activity or transaction in the Nigerian oil and gas industry shall consider Nigerian content as an important element of their overall project development and management philosophy for project execution.”. Issues: The first point to note is the language of the Act, which uses the mandatory word ‘shall,’ making it abundantly clear that an obligation, is placed on operators to strictly observe the provisions of the Act. Nigerian content under this provision is to be an inescapable part of all operations. First consideration to be given to Nigerian Operators: Part 1, Section 3, states that “Nigerian independent operators shall be given first consideration in the award of oil blocks, oil field licences, oil lifting licences and in all projects for which contract is to be awarded in the Nigerian oil and gas industry subject to the fulfilment of such conditions as may be specified by the Minister.” Section 3 (2) states that there shall be exclusive consideration to Nigerian indigenous service companies which demonstrate ownership of equipment, Nigerian personnel and capacity to execute such work

to bid on land and swamp operating areas of the Nigerian oil and gas industry for contracts and services contained in the schedule of services Section (3) states that compliance with the provisions of this Act and the promotion of Nigerian content development shall be a major criterion for award of licences, permits and any other interest in bidding for oil exploration, production, transportation and development or any other operations in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Issues: Section 3 adopts key words which are significant in the interpretation of its provisions; they are ‘’ First Consideration’’ and ‘’ Exclusive Consideration’’. The obvious presumption and interpretation is that Nigerian operators and service companies will receive preferential treatment in the award of contracts and will only be disqualified where they do not possess the competencies necessary to secure the contracts or undertake the projects. Section 3, also combines regulation and incentive in that whilst it makes it mandatory for indigenous companies to be considered first in the award of contracts, it offers an incentive to operators who demonstrate compliance with local content by increasing their prospects of winning bids or securing contracts. It is the section that focuses on participation of indigenous operating and service companies and offers a huge opportunity for their

growth and expansion in the industry. It is noted that the Act does not define “First Consideration” and expects the operator to demonstrate how “First Consideration” is assessed by it in the evaluation of bids. To rephrase, how does the operator measure First Consideration and what parameters are used. The reasonable assumption would be where Nigerian goods and services are able to meet internationally acceptable standards in terms of quality and value. Accordingly, an indigenous company that meets these criteria will enjoy First Consideration and it will be absurd to expect otherwise on a proper construction of the Act. Submission of Nigerian Content Plan for all projects: Part 1, Section 7, states that in any bidding for any licence, permit or interest and before carrying out any project in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, an operator shall submit a Nigerian Content Plan (the plan) to the Board demonstrating compliance with the Nigerian content requirements of the Act. The plan must contain provisions giving: First consideration to the utilization of Nigerian goods and services (see Section 10 (1). First consideration for the training and employment of Nigerians in the work programme for which the plan was submitted, (see Section 10 (1) (b) : Issues: Section 10 (1) is aimed at local production of goods and services thereby supporting small and medium enterprises while Section 10 (1) (b) is aimed at developing manpower and local skills. The

•Efuru

multiplier effect is job creation and skills acquisition. Full and Fair Opportunity for Nigerians: Part 1, Section 15 states that “all operators and alliance partners shall maintain a bidding process for acquiring goods and services, which shall give full and fair opportunity to Nigerian indigenous contractors and companies : Issues: This provision is coterminous with Section 10 and directed at the growth and development of local businesses. First consideration for employment, training and submission of employment training plan: Part 1, Section 28 states that Nigerians shall be given the first consideration for employment and training in any project executed by any operator or project promoter in the Nigerian oil and gas industry while Section 29 provides for the submission of employment and training plan. •Efuru, a solicitor with over 20 years experience, holds a Masters Degree in Petroleum Law and Policy from the University of Dundee, Scotland. She practices in the United Kingdom and Nigeria. •To be continued next week

Oil prices may not continue to fall says IEA chief

ARKETS should not expect oil prices to continue to fall while emerging market demand remains strong and shut-ins persist at key sources of supply, the head of the International Energy Agency, Maria van der Hoeven told Reuters. Brent crude oil dipped below $90 on Friday before recovering to $90.25 per barrel. Maria van der Hoeven said the dip would not necessarily reduce the strain on consumer economies. “It depends how long prices will be at lower levels because economic recovery is not something for today or for tomorrow.” Oil hovered at an eight-month low near $78 a barrel Friday in Asia after signs of slowing global eco-

nomic growth triggered a sharp plunge in the oil price. According to Associated Press, benchmark oil for August delivery was down 7 cents to $78.13 a barrel at late afternoon Singapore time in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $3.25 to settle at $78.20, the lowest since October, in New York on Thursday. In London, Brent crude for August delivery was up 33 cents at $89.56 per barrel on the ICE Futures exchange. Crude fell from $84 earlier and has plummeted 26 percent in less than two months as signs mount of a slowdown in the global economy, led by Europe that would reduce demand for crude.

•Pade Durotoye, Chief Executive Officer, Oando Exploration and Production Limited (left) in a conversation with Katrin Oberin of The Times of London during a seminar at the Lagos Oil Club.

Chevron begins production from Apoi field

OLLOWING the sealing and abandonment of Funiwa 1A gas well located offshore Nigeria, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), has commenced production from its Apoi field shut-in in the wake of the fire incident that occurred on drilling rig KS Endeavor on January 16 this year. In a statement yesterday, Chevron Corporation said its subsidiary, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), has sealed and abandoned the shallow water Funiwa 1A natural gas well after completing the drilling

of a relief well. “Production at the North Apoi field, which had been shut in as a precaution, has also been restored and the field is now producing approximately 2,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd),” the company said. On January 16, a fire started aboard the shallow-water jack-up drilling rig KS Endeavor, which was contracted by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) and operated by FODE Drilling Nigeria Limited. The rig was drilling a natural gas

exploration well, Funiwa 1A, approximately six miles (10 km) off the coast of Nigeria and in roughly 40 feet (12 m) of water. There were 154 personnel on the rig and a support barge, and 152 were safely evacuated. Tragically, the fire claimed two lives. After failed efforts to stop the fire, the company with approvals from Nigerian authorities, in February hired the Transocean Baltic rig to drill a relief well to extinguish the fire, in order to seal the leaking gas from Funiwa 1A well.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

ENERGY Hon. Alphonsus Gerald Irona, an engineer and the Deputy Chairman House Committee on Gas, speaks with EMEKA UGWUANYI on the gas sector and other issues in the petroleum industry.

Why there is no new deadline on gas flare down H OW would you assess the gas industry? It is an evolving industry. What we are used to is oil but you know that by the time you produce oil, you have associated gas as a by-product. But now we have not developed the right technology to gather the gas. However, with the gas master plan, there is a lot of intensive effort known as gas revolution to ensure that Nigeria exploit abundant gas resources. Oil companies have been discouraged from flaring even though they are still flaring, there is deliberate policy by the government to discourage flaring and invest in gas to liquid projects. This in turn will generate revenue for the government, increase technological know-how and encourage investment in the petroleum sector. Nothing is heard about gas flare deadline. Does it mean that the government has relaxed deadline and sanctions on flaring? You know that the deadline has never been met by oil firms. And there is no need setting a timeline when you know that they cannot meet it. What we are doing in the gas committee is to look at the possibility of increasing the level of tax they pay on the volume of gas being flared? If we impose stringent conditions for oil firms flaring gas, the International Oil Companies (IOCs) will be constrained to flare down. Given this scenario, we are looking into the several statutes with a view to reviewing them and making them more stringent for them to pay more and discourage gas flaring, which has some serious hazardous effects on the environment and which is not healthy in the petroleum sector and the nation. What are you looking at as the new penalty on gas flaring? We will look at the best global best practices and then be able to benchmark. It is not an arbitrary payment. We will look at what is obtainable in Venezuela, Brazil and some other oil and gas producing countries to be able to justify whatever conditionality that will be applied because most these oil companies are international players. So whatever we are going to put in place must be commensurable with what is applicable in similar oil producing countries where they operate. The best way I think to achieve flare down is through this option. If they consider what they would pay, if they consider the investment they have to make and options available, they will be constrained because they have the capital. They have a lot of contacts to access offshore capital to execute projects. Take for instance in 2012 budget, we were able to look at some of the proposals. For instance, in my constituency, we have a community called Akri in Oguta where the Nigeria Agip Oil Company operates. In the budget for this asset, the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) approved for Agip to flare down and they are going to convert gas to liquid. You know that most of the power plants in the country that are now being built and being proposed are to be powered by using gas. There is also a Gas Aggregators Association where you have willing producers and willing buyers but the greatest problem we have is on gas storage. I think the technology is being developed and by the time it is on board, the issue of gas flaring would have been minimised. Generally, gas flaring

has been minimised but we want zero flaring. That is the ultimate, because of the consequential health hazard associated with gas flaring. What is the greatest challenge facing the gas committee and theimpact on the nation generally? Gas like I said is evolving phenomenon and if you look at the volume of reserves we have in gas, it is so enormous, over 50 per cent more than our strategic oil reserves. Our greatest challenge now is on how to make sure that this gas resources are exploited and assessed to the generality of Nigerians. Now, most Nigerians are using kerosene as a source of energy for cooking. If you look at Ghana, they use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) more than Nigeria. I think Nigerians should be galvanised and given some level of orientation on how to use gas. It is more environmentally friendly, it discourages deforestation and in any event due to deforestation, the area would be prone to erosion. So, it is to the best interest of this country to develop that we develop an alternative energy source using gas. Not only that gas is more environmentally friendly, it is equally in abundance and the generation and exploitation of gas will encourage investment in the petroleum downstream sub-sector where there is a lot of industries that will make use of gas as feedstock like fertiliser firms and petrochemicals will spring up. Our greatest challenge is to make sure that gas is exploited to the benefit and maximum use by the country. What is the committee doing with regards to associated gas gathering from assets of companies that don’t need the gas or have where to utilise or store the gas. Can another company come and take from the field? What is obtainable now is that in the Joint Venture (JVs) operations and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) agreements are only applicable to oil. Gas comes as an associated product, so, whatever they produce as gas, it is the Federal Government that decides on how it would be used and there is no legal framework on that, which has stalled investment in the gas sector. There is no Act that says if a company produces gas, this is the ratio of which it will be shared. What the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) tends to do is that it will be a holistic issue where the derivatives - both oil and the gas will be operated by enabling legal framework.

There will be enabling legal framework for the exploration and exploitation of gas. What is on ground does not encourage the international oil companies (IOCs) to put in funds and because the environment is not conducive for that, there is lull in the investment climate as far as gas is concerned. We feel and I believe strongly that by the time the PIB is passed, we would have had an institutionalised framework where the IOCs and the stakeholders would be able to operate and when they invest, they will know what is in there for them. Currently, there is no legal framework for the exploitation and exploration of gas. Gas supply is a major challenge in the power sector and the IOCs are accused of not meeting their gas supply obligations. What is the committee doing to compel them to meet this obligation? Like I said earlier, there is Gas Aggregators Association of Nigeria. It is a body of gas producers. Gas is not what you produce and keep. Therefore, there must be willing producers and willing buyers. Again, they must have a channel to convey it. They must also have a sustainable means of protecting those channels. There have been a lot of sabotage and pipeline vandalisation. Therefore most of these pipelines are being ruptured. For instance, the Delta State Government recently had a meeting stakeholders’ meeting with the power sector, the oil producers and the gas aggregators. The whole essence was on how to protect the pipelines and talk to communities where the pipelines are, because they were very hostile. They were vandalising the pipelines, some were using dynamites and unlike oil where you just have spill, in this one, the effect could be very devastating. There must be a very proactive effort by the government and the stakeholders to ensure that those facilities are protected. It is only when the facilities are protected that the gas will move from the area of production to the points where it is needed. If these things are not done, there will be constant disruption of gas supply and when gas supply is not constant and enough, there will be power problem. I think we as stakeholders must be able to address the issue holistically, gas producers, the power sector, the government but all the stakeholders. The land lords are demanding that 50 per cent of proceeds should be set aside for them. These are some of the thorny issues be-

•Irona

cause there is no way Nigeria’s power system could be improved without diversifying gas, coal and hydro. Therefore, all efforts should be made and geared towards making sure that the gas lines are not interrupted, which can only be achieved by sensitizing and networking with all concerned. The low consumption level of LPG in Nigeria has been in the front burner over the years, what is the House committee doing to boost consumption and make the product available at affordable prices to end users? Nigeria is the third largest exporter of LPG globally. But if you produce and export and your people don’t have the product to consume, you have to question yourself. The question is lack of awareness and that doesn’t fall within the purview of the legislature. So, if we produce for export because Nigerians are not using the gas, this is due to poor awareness. What we should be asking is how we create enabling environment to make sure that gas is produced. Most Nigerians are ignorant and believe that gas is dangerous and that they cannot use it because it will explode and catch fire. There must be a deliberate policy by the relevant organs the government to educate and re-orientate our people on the usage of LPG. They will prefer to use firewood, which is not even cheaper, healthy, economically viable, environmentally friendly and economically sustainable. There must be deliberate policy by the government to encourage Nigerians to use this resource that is very abundant in the

country. In the United States here, most of the vehicle use gas as fuel. It is cleaner, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly. So, if we are the 10th largest producer and exporter of gas, there must be a deliberate policy by the government to make sure that what we produce is substantially consumed locally. The relevant government’s agencies and not the legislators should be urged encouraged to do their work. Nigerian Gas Company and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited should be able to carry out orientation and awareness campaign to let people know that what they think about gas, is not what it is. That gas is cheap, effective and that the hazard is minimal. What is the priority of your committee? The most important priority of our committee is to achieve massive exploration and exploitation of gas. When that is done, there would be employment. The unemployed graduates will have where to work. There will be a chain reaction but now because gas is not being exploited, nobody is working and nobody is being employed. If deliberate policy of the government is implemented to explore and exploit gas, there will be opportunities in the gas sector. Like I said earlier gas has greater potentials to generate more revenue for Nigeria and once that is done, it would herald a new era of gas revolution in Nigeria. The focus shouldn’t just be on gas master plan and gas revolution but the ability to implement them and make sure that Nigerians get value for their natural resources.

Energy prices

Domestic prices of petroleum products

Energy & Oil Prices OIL ($/bbl)

Companies

PMS

AGO

DPK

Conoil

97.00

160.00

140.00

97.00

160.00

140.00

Total

97.00

160.00

140.00

Oando

97.00

160.00

140.00

Mobil

97.00

160.00

140.00

Texaco

97.00

160.00

140.00

PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME Nymex Crude Future Dated Brent Spot WTI Cushing Spot OIL (¢/gal)

79. 76 90. 37 79 36

Energy

97.00

160.00

140.00

Fagbems

97.00

160.00

140.00

Nipco

97.00

160.00

140.00

1. 99% 1. 83% 1. 95%

06/22 06/22 06/22

PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME Nymex Heating Oil Future 253.37 Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future 256.99 NATURAL GAS ($/MMBtu)

0.84 1.98

0. 33% 0. 78%

06/22 06/22

PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME Nymex Henry Hub Future 2.63 Henry Hub Spot 2.50 New York City Gate Spot 2.61 ELECTRICITY ($/megawatt hour)

INDIGENOUS

1.56 1.63 1.52

PRICE*

0.04 0.02 0.05

1.67% 0.81% -1.88%

06/22 06/22 06/22

CHANGE % CHANGE TIME

Mid-Columbia, firm on-peak, spot 12.40 10.00 416.67% 06/22 Palo Verde, firm on-peak, spot 28.47 -0.36 -1 .25% 06/22 BLOOMBERG, FIRM ON-PEAK, DAY AHEAD SPOT/ERCOT HOUSTON 24.75 -8.75 -26.12% 06/18 • Bloomberg Oil Buyers Guide

MOTORING

THE NATION

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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

To appreciate the new Toyota Avanza, one needs to put all prejudices aside and accept it for what it is – an affordable family Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) with more power, improved comfort and fuel efficiency, writes TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO.

•Toyota Avanza

PORTING the new family face of Toyota, the Avanza looks more refined than its predecessor with large windows forming part of its visual identity. The storage capabilities are exceptional. Put to test, it’s storage abilities coped well with a small family trip, effortlessly consuming nuclear family luggage. With an improvement in fuel efficiency, the new Avanza can cover 12 kilometres with just one litre of fuel. Apart from improvement in fuel consumption and engine performance, Toyota has enhanced the steering system for more efficient performance. This and many others were featured during the unveiling of the new Avanza by Toyota Nigeria Limited (TNL) at its corporate office, in Lekki, Lagos. The Avanza added 20mm to its former length and 30mm width while retaining its height and wheelbase. Fielding questions from Motoring Correspondents, TNL Head of Marketing Mr Andrew Ajuyah said the Avanza since its entrance into

Toyota unveils Avanza the Nigerian market has made tremendous impact, especially among small business owners, families and shuttle service providers. According to him, the new Avanza remains a buyer’s choice as a multi purpose vehicle (MPV), because of its engine size, comfort and road handling. The Avanza drives well but its van-like proportions means it does move around quite noticeably in the wind. That said, IT is always

comfortable, it handles well and never suffers too much from excessive body roll. This is because of a revised suspension setup comprising a MacPherson strut front and multi-link with lateral rod rear. The Avanza is available in four variants including 1.3 manual transmission, 1.3 automatic transmission, 1.5 manual and 1.5 automatic transmission as against two specifications of 1.3MT and 1.5AT in the old model. It also retained its turning radius of 4.7m and

ground clearance of 200mm. The steering system has changed from the hydraulic system to electric power type, which is smoother and softer. Also the vehicle owes its ride-comfort and handling stability to improved suspension. Engineers from the stable of the auto firm also sustained the sevenseat configuration, but with more flexibility. The seats can be adjusted to take more load depending on the need. The three-row seating can be adjusted to offer more

‘Within the interior, the dashboard has been completely redesigned with quality materials and sound system with ipod and CD player. The steering wheel is now multi-functional as the driver can control sound system without taking his hands off the steering wheel’

space for cargo with the compact body. Within the interior, the dashboard has been redesigned with quality materials and the sound system with ipod and CD player. The steering wheel is now multi-functional as the driver can control sound system without taking his hands off the steering wheel. Assessing the state of sales, Ajuyah said there has been a drastic drop in auto sales. This, he attributed to government’s inability to purchase new vehicles and the chain of events in the banking sector. “What drives automobile sales is government purchase and the commercial sector, in the last five months, the government had planned its revenue from oil sales, subsidy removal, but unfortunately oil production declined resulting in government cutting down on spending. “Happenings in the banking sector where retrenchment has been going on is also affecting the auto market. You don’t expect a bank that is retrenching staff to be buying new vehicles,”he said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

MOTORING

FERMA inaugurates stakeholders’ committees on road maintenance

HE Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Federal Road Maintenance Agemcy (FERMA), Mr Gabriel Amuchi has inaugurated two committees. They were inagurated last Tuesday. They are FERMA Stakeholder Committee on Road Maintenance and FERMA Stakeholder Committee on Road Maintenance Funding. The stakeholder committee is to

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

fashion out an actionable strategy for generating or accessing additional revenue for carrying out road maintenance, as stipulated in the FERMA Amended Act, 2007, to further promote the progress in the road maintenance area of the transformation agenda. The committees are made up of members drawn from management staff of the Agency as well as the National Association of

Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON). Amuchi urged the committees to develop the requisite framework for regular meetings between FERMA and major stakeholders in the road infrastructure sub sector. The committee on funding is to consider and explore ways of additional funding for road mainte-

nance and ensure that monies generated are properly allocated to the maintenance of Federal roads. National Co-ordinator of NARTO and former member of FERMA governing board Alhaji Lawal Isa, said the initiative of FERMA bringing on board stakeholders from the private sector into the planning and implementation of its operations is one that should be emulated by other agencies and organisations in the public service.

Isa observed that the world over, the practice is to ensure that government and the private sector work in harmony to serve the public. He posited that if the identified stakeholders are adequately carried along, their inputs will go a long way in securing the support of stakeholders in the sector and that of the public in general for FERMA’s activities, which he said will be in the interest of the economy as a whole.

50,000 Honda Civic recalled

BOUT 50,000 of the 2012 Honda Civic have been recalled because of a potential issue with the left driveshaft in the United States. The automaker claims that the driveshaft “may not have been properly assembled, potentially allowing it to separate from the outer CV joint while in operation.” While such a separation could result in total loss of power to the wheels and the inability to securely park the vehicle without the

use of the parking brake, Honda claims that no incidents related to the issue have been reported. Earlier this year, Honda recalled about 45,800 Honda Odyssey minivans for faulty tailgate struts, 8,700 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX SUVs to fix a problem in the fuel tank, and 1,300 CR-V to correct a controlarm problem. Roughly 1,100 of the Civic were recalled in May over a potential fuelleak issue.

Nigeria Auto Guide unveiled

•Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Comrade Kayode Opeifa flanked by Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Driving School (LASDRI) Mr Ayodeji Oyedokun (right) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Lagos Acting Chairman Tajudeen Agbede during a tour to LASDRI, Oshodi, Lagos. PHOTO: TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO

Coscharis launches Range Rover Evoque

N iconic model of Range Rover has been launched . Courtesy of Coscharis Motors, the new model is tagged Range Rover Evoque. It was launched last Thursday. Evoque is a Sports Utility Vehicle that possesses the control ride and refined comfort of the Range Rover sports in a smaller, lighter and more agile package. Speaking during its launch at Oceanview Restaurants, Victoria Island, President/CEO, Coscharis Group, Dr Cosmas Maduka said it is designed and built to deliver the assured responsive on-road performance demanded by premium sector customers who find the current line up too practical and conservative. “This iconic model of Range Rover has been launched in other markets last September. But our principals did not release the Evoque to our market because the quality of our gasoline is not compatible with the engine of the vehicles that were initially launched in other markets. They delayed ours to retune the engine and make them compatible with the quality of gaso-

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

line that is locally obtainable in our market and today we have a perfect product before you that is suitable for our market,” he said. Said he: “The concept of the interior design is completely at a different level. This is not just another moving object, it is Range Rover Evoque and it is about making a difference. The Evoque has a character. Just take Evoque out there whether for adventure or on-road pleasure drive, you will soon discover the difference about (SUV). “On previous occasions, I have maintained that our company is envisioned to remain a market leader in the auto segment in Nigeria. This variant of Range Rover helps to buttress this claim as the Evoque is an iconic model in the Range Rover brand among competition in its segment. I am so happy with the Evoque because it supports our corporate philosophy – “value for your money.” “Our intent is to attract young buyers to complement our already established older customers. As such we

expect 90 per cent of our potential customers to be entirely new customers. In other words, the Evoque is designed to start appealing to who would never have considered the Range Rover brand before. Some of that comes from the car’s size, which is compact, fuel economy, maneuverability, on-road capability and style.” Evoque, Maduka noted, is a cross breed with the premium characteristics to meet the expectations of both classy female and male customers the young and the young at heart. "Our expectation is that with the Range Rover Evoque, Coscharis and Land Rover will, within the shortest time, be able to widen the Land Rover market share within Nigeria and globally. Our commitment is to remain relevant and foremost in the automobile sector despite what our competitors do. Consequently, relevant innovation and reinvention are two key drivers in our business orientation with our customers being the focus. As at date, the Evoque has outsold all other Range Rover models within its first week of arrival into the Nigerian market," he said.

HE maiden edition of the Nigeria Auto Market Guide was unveiled last week in Lagos. The book, which consists of the corporate profile, enlists the profile of the main auto distributing companies, with emphasis on their mission and contacts. Managing Editor, Nigeria Auto Market Guide, Mr Frank Kintum, said the personality profile featured the brief Curriculum Vitae (CV) of some of the brains behind the auto industry, as well as the profiles of some government officials connected to the industry. “Agencies connected with road transportation, such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), National Automotive Council (NAC). The publication has also provided readers with some relevant information, such as a comprehensive classified listing of auto companies, tyre companies, insurance companies where genuine auto insurance can be obtained,” Kintum said.

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, Hon Biodun Akinlade, said the book will go a long way in guiding all interested in the auto market. “It is my hope, Akinlade said, that even schools and institutes offering transport studies will find this publication as a useful guide. National Executive Secretary, Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Mr Francis Ehiguese, praised the effort of the authors. Marketing Director, Elizade Motors and Chairman, auto sector of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Olu Tikolo, said: “The Nigeria Auto Market Guide is long overdue because the industry lacks a publication of this kind that will help those outside the industry know the serious players in the business.” Similarly, Managing Director, BKG Exhibitions, Mr Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, said the guide was like a missing link.

NURTW boss advises members

HAIRMAN, Surulere Branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Alhaji Oluwadamilare Jimoh has urged members to desist from engaging in any act that could drag the union backwards. Jimoh stated this in a chat with journalists. He enjoined the new executive against listening to rumours and other side-talks capable of distracting them from implementing their good programmes for the union. Jimoh urged them to be focused

By Adebisi Onanuga

and get to the root of all matter before passing judgement. He expressed confidence with the leadership of Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede. He said that the steps taken so far by the new leadership has been very encouraging. “Since he assumed office three months ago, there has been relative peace in the union” he said adding “those in the habit of formenting trouble should please desist from doing so.”

SAFETY DRIVING

HE rainy season is a period that requires drivers to exhibit maximum responsibility to self, to the vehicle, passengers, other road users and the environment. Drivers must be physically and mentally fit, with good vision, avoiding the use of stimulants, alcohol or drugs, observing rest periods and should never drive under fatigue; they should be able to interpret road signs and pavement markings correctly and be ready to obey them. It is imperative for drivers to ensure that vehicles are in very good condition, the windshields should be clean with functional and good wipers, good and well adjusted headlamps, functioning electrical systems and good tyres to ensure

Driving safely during the rain (2) By Ayodeji Oyedokun

effective grip on the road surface. Furthermore, the comfort and safety of passengers rest squarely on the drivers and this is strictly tied to the condition of the vehicle and the driving habits of drivers. A well maintained vehicle will ensure comfort of the passengers, while competence and defensive driving techniques will ensure their safety. De-

fensive driving is when the driver is aware that every other road user is a potential danger to him, knowing full well that they feel so towards him too and as such, takes adequate precautionary measures always to prevent a crash. This involves yielding to other road users even when one has the right of way and refusing to blind the other road user with high beams when blinded. Maintain-

ing adequate following distance and engaging the Search, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute (SIPDE) principles always, will also suffice here. The responsibilities of governments and agencies in charge of safety on the roads cannot be overemphasized. Across the world, recent trends involve programmes and designs aimed at assisting

‘This rainy season is a period that requires the drivers to exhibit maximum responsibility to self, to the vehicle, to the passengers, to other road users and to the environment’

drivers to reduce serious injuries and fatalities either by creating crash-friendly road transportation environment, insisting on minimum safety standards for imported vehicles or by providing rescue and emergency services. Human beings cannot but make mistakes but the punishment for such mistakes should not be serious injuries or death. Oyedokun, former Zonal Commanding Officer, Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, is the Managing Director/CEO of Lagos State Driving School •To be continued next week

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 25-6-12

NSE relapses as high-cap stocks depreciate T HE Nigerian stock market started this week on a negative note as losses by several highly capitalised stocks coloured the overall market position. Aggregate market capitalisation of all equities relapsed to N6.818 trillion from its opening value of N6.830 trillion, indicating a decline of N12 billion. The market had gained N15 billion on Friday to close at N6.830 trillion. This had put the weekly return on a modest positive outlook. However, with losses suffered by highly capitalised stocks such as Nigerian Breweries, Zenith Bank, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) and United Bank for Africa (UBA), the market slipped to the negative again yesterday. The benchmark All Share Index (ASI) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) also

By Taofik Salako and Tonia Osundolire

dropped from index-onboard of 21,394.77 points to 21,357.22 points. With 18 losers to 16 gainers, Arbico topped the losersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list with a drop of N1.23 to close at N23.47. Nigerian Breweries followed with a loss of N1 to close at N100. Zenith Bank lost 18 kobo to close at N13.72 while FBN and UBA dropped by 2.0 kobo each to close at N10.91 and N3.73 per share respectively. Also, Stanbic IBTC Bank dropped by 30 kobo to close at N6.05. Avon Crowncap lost 15 kobo to close at N2.95. Portland Paints and Chemicals fell by 13 kobo to N2.50 while Union Bank of Nigeria, National Salt Company of Nigeria and Dangote Flour Mills lost 10 kobo each to

close at N3.70, N4.50 and N5 respectively. On the upside, Access Bank and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated led the gainers with 30 kobo gain each to close at N6.40 and N10.80. Newly listed Fortis Microfinance Bank rallied 25 kobo to close at N5.50. Eterna chalked up 14 kobo to close at N3.31. Total turnover stood at 271.02 million shares valued at N1.33 billion in 3,648 deals. The Conglomerates subsector was the most active with a turnover of 119.034 million shares worth N131.319 million 465 deals. Banking subsector followed with a turnover of 113.35 million shares valued at N550.12 million in 1,853 deals. Others with relatively high volume were health care, consumer goods, services, industrial goods, oil & gas, ICT and construction/ real estate with 8.860 million shares, 7.321 million shares, 4.030 million shares, 3.4676 million shares, 3.166 million shares, 3.020 million shares and 2.184 million shares respectively.

NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 25-6-12

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

MONEY LINK

Okonjo-Iweala seeks resource mobilisation for ECOWAS

HE Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, has stressed the need for effective and efficient mobilisation of resources to enhance the development of ECOWAS member states. The Minister, who made this known at the opening of the 4th meeting of the West Africa Tax Administration Forum (WATAF), held in Abuja, yesterday, said information sharing among member countries is also critical to resource mobilisation and revenue generation. ``As the Ministry of Finance, we will maintain a keen interest in the work of WATAF, which is expected

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

to assist in developing strong tax administration in West African countries and make them well positioned to generate revenue for governments within the region so as to meet their huge developmental needs. “This initiative agrees with the global focus on domestic resource mobilisation especially for developing nations, and I believe that West African countries can use this forum as a platform towards achieving our individual and collective developmental goals,’’ she said, according to a statement issued by the Director, Communications and Liaison

Department of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Emmanuel Obeta. Represented by the Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, said FIRS has taken the lead in implementing the provisions of the National Tax Policy as regards wide network on international and regional treaties. She said membership of such international bodies help to promote both international and regional cooperation in the areas of exchange of information, capacity building and collaboration in tax policy and administration. Earlier, the Acting Executive Chairman of FIRS, represented by

Osy Chuke, the Coordinating Director, Support Services Group (SSG), said the meeting represented a major step in achieving the vision to make WATAF a major voice on tax policy and administration in the region. He said the forum was conceived to enable the region find a common solution to issues on general tax administration and revenue generation that would facilitate the developmental agenda of member nations. ``The forum is the brainchild of my predecessor, the immediate past Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui Okauru and is therefore our baby at the Federal Inland Revenue Service. It was conceived as a platform for finding common solutions to tax

NDIC, stakeholders’ confab holds in Abuja

By Collins Nweze

HE Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) is planning a one-day sensitisation seminar for judges and other key stakeholders. The participants are expected to brainstorm on the ways to improve the administration of justice towards effective implemen-

tation of deposit insurance system (DIS) in the country. The seminar, with the theme: “The Challenges to Deposit Insurance Law and Practice in Nigeria” which holds in June, 27 at the NJI main auditorium, Abuja will be declared open by Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher.

operating with Ecobank to explore joint trade and investment opportunities in the future across the group’s networks in 32 countries in Middle Africa. India’s trade with Africa has doubled over the past four years to over $50 billion, with the Indian government setting a 2015 bilateral trade target of $90 billion. This has been accompanied by stronger in-

IRSTBANK Nigeria Plc has introduced a Visa debit card, that can be linked to both naira and dollar accounts of its customers. The product, according to a statement, has enabled the lender meet the e-payment needs of its customers. The product is Chip and PIN enabled, giving users online real-time access to their funds. The card can be used to make payments through Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Point of sale terminals and web merchants. The bank said Europay, MasterCard and VISA EMV- Chip and PIN card have the highest security guarantee for customers’ transactions based global best practices.”The dual currency card, which can be linked to both naira and dollar accounts, when you are in the country or abroad, has a life span of two years and is used any-

vestment ties, with Indian investments in Africa totaling USD 2.4 billion in 2008?. Commenting on the MoU, Arnold Ekpe, Ecobank’s Group CEO, said: “We look forward to working very closely with the Export-Import Bank of India to facilitate the growing trade and investment flows between Africa and India.”

FGN BONDS 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

Amount Amount Offered ($) Demanded ($) 150m 150m 138m 138m 113m 113m

Price Loss 2754.67 447.80

7.9-10% 10-11%

PRIMARY MARKET AUCTION (T-BILLS) Tenor 91-Day 182-Day 1-Year

Amount 30m 46.7m 50m

Rate % 10.96 9.62 12.34

Date 28-04-2011 “ 14-04-2011

GAINERS AS AT 25-6-12 SYMBOL

JAPAULOIL ACCESS RTBRISCOE FORTISMFN PAINTCOM ETERNA LIVESTOCK WAPIC EVANSMED ETI

O/PRICE

0.60 6.10 1.68 5.25 1.52 3.17 0.95 0.74 0.57 10.50

C/PRICE

0.63 6.40 1.76 5.50 1.59 3.31 0.99 0.77 0.59 10.80

NGN USD NGN GBP NGN EUR NIGERIA INTER BANK (S/N) (S/N) Bureau de Change (S/N) Parallel Market

Current Before

C u r r e n t CUV Start After %

147.6000 239.4810 212.4997

149.7100 244.0123 207.9023

150.7100 245.6422 209.2910

-2.11 -2.57 -1.51

149.7450

154.0000

154.3000

-3.04

152.0000

153.0000

155.5000

-2.30

153.0000

154.0000

156.0000

-1.96

C/PRICE 23.47 2.50 2.95 1.40 6.05 1.46 1.50 1.06 3.70 4.50

CHANGE 1.23 0.13 0.15 0.07 0.30 0.07 0.07 0.03 0.10 0.10

DISCOUNT WINDOW Feb. ’11

July ’11

Dec ’11

MPR

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% 12.6%

NIBOR Tenor 7 Days 30 Days 60 Days 150 Days

NSE CAP Index

27-10-11 N6.5236tr 20,607.37

Date 29-2-12 27-2-12 22-2-12

Rate (Previous) 4 Mar, 2012 9.0417 9.6667 11.2917 12.1250

Rate (Currency) 6, Mar, 2012 10.17% 11.46% 11.96% 12.54%

28-10-11 N6.617tr 20,903.16

% Change -1.44% -1.44%

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS Name

LOSERS AS AT 25-6-12

SYMBOL O/PRICE ARBICO 24.70 PORTPAINT 2.63 AVONCROWN 3.10 GTASSURE 1.47 IBTC 6.35 AIRSERVICE 1.53 CUSTODYINS 1.57 STERLNBANK 1.09 UBN 3.80 NASCON 4.60

Exchange Rate (N) 155.8 155.8 155.7

CAPITAL MARKET INDEX Year Start Offer

CHANGE

0.03 0.30 0.08 0.25 0.07 0.14 0.04 0.03 0.02 0.30

Amount Sold ($) 150m 138m 113m

EXHANGE RATE 6-03-12 Currency

INTERBANK RATES OBB Rate Call Rate

where VISA logos are displayed,” the statement said. The bank explained that the card has a three digit number on the reverse of the card for additional security for web transactions, adding that the hologram on the right hand is an additional security feature, which assures of the authenticity of the product. According to the bank, the product is easy, convenient, has portable access to funds and is accepted at over 29 million locations and for cash withdrawals at over 1.8 million ATMs in over 200 countries worldwide wherever its logo is displayed. The product also has a daily ATM withdrawal limit of N100,000, and maximum daily POS transaction limit of N500,000 locally while daily ATM withdrawal limit of $1,000 when used abroad.

WHOLESALE DUTCH AUCTION SYSTEM

MANAGED FUNDS

NIDF NESF

policy and administration matters in the region and is therefore a body which we should all support.

DATA BANK

Tenor

Initial Current Quotation Price Market N8250.00 5495.33 N1000.00 N552.20

•Okonjo-Iweala

FirstBank floats dual currency card

The dignitaries expected at the event are Justice Aloma M. Mukhtar of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice G. O. Oguntade, retired Supreme Court Justice, Dr. Koyinsola Ajayi (SAN), Ricky Tarfa (SAN), Dikko Mahmoud SAN), Director-General of Nigerian Law school, Dr. Mamman Tahir and MD/CEO, Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr Olusegun Agbaje.

ETI Signs MoU with EXIM Bank of India COBANK Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) to promote and finance trade and investment flows between Africa and India. A statement from the bank said the pact will see EXIM Bank co-

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Offer Price

Bid Price

ARM AGGRESSIVE 9.17 KAKAWA GUARANTEED 1.00 STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE 124.80 AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND 101.42 THE LOTUS CAPITAL HALAL 0.74 BGL SAPPHIRE FUND 1.09 BGL NUBIAN FUND 0.95 NIGERIA INTERNATIONAL DEB. 1,731.88 PARAMOUNT EQUITY FUND 8.95 CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST 1.39 CENTRE-POINT UNIT TRUST 1.87 STANBIC IBTC NIG EQUITY 7,470.98 THE DISCOVERY FUND 193.00 FIDELITY NIGFUND 1.67 • ARM AGGRESSIVE • KAKAWA GUARANTEED • STANBIC IBTC GUARANTE • AFRINVEST W.A. EQUITY FUND

9.08 1.00 124.68 100.57 0.72 1.09 0.93 1,722.27 8.51 1.33 1.80 7,275.56 191.08 1.62

Movement

OPEN BUY BACK

Bank P/Court

Previous 04 July, 2011

Current 07, Aug, 2011

8.5000 8.0833

Movement

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS N1b more for Anambra mission schools From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi

ALARIES, pensions and allowances of teachers in any mission school returned to its original owner would be paid by the Abia State Government, Governor Theordore Orji assured proprietors yesterday. He said such payments would be made for two months after handing over the schools to the missions. Orji assured churches last year that his administration would return schools taken over by military fiat shortly after the Civil War ended in 1970. In line with the promise, Orji forwarded an Executive Bill to the House of Assembly in March last year. The Bill was eventually passed into Law in May and had since been assented to. Speaking to the proprietors, led by their chairman and Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Rev. Lucius Ugorji, at the Government House, in Umuahia, Orji said his administration will pay all other entitlements of the teachers.

Child trafficking: NAPTIP exonerates Anambra orphanage home

EPRIEVE has come for the Christian Compassionate and Motherless Babies Home, Obosi, Idemili North Area of Anambra State. It got a clean bill of health from the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP). Officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development had, in collaboration with the police, raided the orphanage and went away with 21 kids to Awka, the state capital. Trouble started for the home following reports that it was engaging in human trafficking and other related offences. But the proprietor, Rev. Maxwell Ogazi took his case to the Enugu office of NAPTIP, from where officials were sent to investigate the allegation. In a chat with reporters, the cleric said: “I decided to get to the root of the matter because the Ministry of Women Affairs had through their claim, said I was running an illegal orphanage home and took away 21 innocent children.”

Fashola to public officers: share your experience

•From left: Kas, the Nigerian hip hop star; Mrs. Anuoluwapo Akintola; and the Sales and Marketing Director, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc, Mr. Peter Folikwe, at the “Vitafoam Day Out with Customers” at the company’s Comfort Centre in Surulere, Lagos.

Court halts renaming of UNILAG

USTICE Stephen Adah of a Federal High Court, Ikeja yesterday suspended the renaming of the University of Lagos to Moshood Abiola University, Lagos by the Federal Government. Justice Adah ordered that the status quo be maintained pending full determination of the suits challenging the renaming of the university made during a national presidential broadcast by President Goodluck Jonathan. Both the alumni association and some students of the university had filed separate

By Adebisi Onanuga

suits before the court challenging the propriety of renaming the university of Lagos through a broadcast by President Goodluck Jonathan. “No action should be taken to jeopardise this res (subject matter of the suit) pending the hearing and determination of the suit,” he said. The order of the trial judge, though an interim order, followed the requests by the counsel representing the plaintiffs in the two suits, Mr. Afolabi Fashanu(SAN). Fashanu, had urged the

court to give an “an interim order” to maintain the status quo, pointing out that the application for the order was urgent because the Federal Government was “desperate” to give effect to the presidential pronouncement. The National President and Secretary of the Alumni Association of the university, Prof. Olayide Abass and Femi Olatunji, respectively, on behalf of the association, instituted the suit. The seven students who instituted the suit on behalf of the entire students of the university of Lagso are, Ogun-

mola Olajide, Olawaye Elijah, Boatman Eniekenemi, Mathias Abraham, Asimiyu Ayodeji, Banjo Omojomi and Balogun Ismalia. Listed as respondents in the two suits are the University of Lagos, the Council of the University of Lagos, the Senate of the University of Lagos, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Bello Adoke and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The alumni association and the students are seeking nine, but same, reliefs from the court.

NUC suspends part-time programmes

HE NATIONAL Universities Commission (NUC) yesterday announced the suspension of all part-time programmes in federal universities. NUC Executive Secretary Prof Julius Okojie said the commission would streamline part-time programmes to accommodate not more than 20 per cent of the students’ population in the universities and also stop the establishment of satellite campuses. Okojie said: “Many students study illegally under

From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

the part-time programme system. Very soon we will do staff and students’ audit. For now, all part-time programmes have been suspended. We are going to streamline them. “No university should have more than 20 per cent of its students’ population on part-time with excess capacity to teach. All parttime programmes must be located on campus. We do not want satellite campuses any more.” The NUC chief announced

the accreditation of 30 programmes of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Giving a breakdown, he said four programmes - Cooperative Management, Entrepreneurship and Business Management, Agriculture Extension and Management and Hotel & Catering Management, were granted full accreditation, 29 programmes were granted interim accreditation. Nursing Science was denied accreditation for not meeting the requirements. Okojie said: “What we are

From Ugochukwu Ugoji-Eke, Umuahia

the schools to the missions. Orji assured churches last year that his administration would return schools taken over by military fiat shortly after the Civil War ended in 1970. In line with the promise, Orji forwarded an Executive

Bill to the House of Assembly in March last year. The Bill was eventually passed into Law in May and had since been assented to. Speaking to the proprietors, led by their chairman and Catholic Bishop of Umuahia Diocese, Rev. Lucius Ugorji, at the Government House, in Umuahia, Orji

Mantu frowns at insecurity From Barnabas Manyam, Yola

ORMER Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, has frowned at the insecurity in the country. He urged Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to seek the face of God. According to him, what Nigerians are experiencing today has never happened in the history of the nation. He said the security challenges have defied human understanding. Mantu said: “The insecurity we are witnessing at present has defied human understanding. What we need do now is to go on our knees and pray to God Almighty for divine intervention. I think we need spiritual cleansing because something has gone wrong and we all need to be born again,” the ex-deputy president of the Senate said. Mantu, who was in Lamurde to attend the funeral of the late Paschal Bafyau, former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), told reporters: “Today, we have joined the club of terrorist nations. “Nigeria is under total siege as a result of insecurity. “In the North, we have the issue of Boko Haram to tackle.

Retirees protest non-payment of 21 years benefits Segun Balogun

going to do is look at the technical report, which will wspell out in details why those disciplines and programmes score those grades. “If it is in library they know they have to improve their library facilities if it is learning environment they know what to do. “We would be in very close touch with them to tell them how to do it because within two years, we have to go back again. If they score interim in those programmes we would deny them accreditation.”

Mission schools’ return: Abia to pay salaries, pensions, gratuities ALARIES, pensions and allowances of teachers in any mission school returned to its original owner would be paid by the Abia State government, Governor Theordore Orji assured proprietors yesterday. He said such payment would be made for two months after handing over

AGOS State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday hosted the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha. He urged public officers to always give back to the society by sharing their experiences. The governor who spoke at the Lagos House, Alausa, where he received Ihedioha, who was in Lagos to deliver a lecture at his alma mater- the University of Lagos, added that such public officers, having seen it all, should go back to tell the younger ones the way it is. He described as commendable that Ihedioha is returning to his alma mater to give a lecture unlike many, who only go to such institutions to bag honourary degrees. Fashola said: “By going back there to share some details about what you are doing with public time and purse, you will touch and inspire some boys and girls with your lecture into a quest for life of service in the public sphere. “I hope many more of us will find time to do similar things our service tenure and also write books about our experiences.”

said his administration will pay all other entitlements of the teachers. Orji, however, told the proprietors that whatever promises made by his administration would not be binding on his successor. He said they would have to renegotiate with the next administration after 2015.

CORES of formerworkers of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday defied heavy police presence and staged a peaceful protest at the company’s Marina office on Lagos Island over the non-payment of their retirement benefits for 21 years. The protest coincided with a five-day delegates meeting of the Port Management Associations of West and Central Africa. The protesters said about 3000 of them were retrenched nationwide in 1991 by the NPA management and that since then, none of their benefits, including pension, gratuity and a redundancy allowance, has been paid. Many of the protesters, who are well above 60s, displayed placards and chanted disapproving slogans like ‘ole-ole,’meaning ‘thief-thief.’ Some of the placards read: “NPA must obey Supreme Court order”; “21 years of pension not paid” and “NPA, stop joking with our lives, 21 years of dribbling is over.”

Court grants ex-Finbank MD, director leave to travel out for medical treatment By Adebisi Onanuga

Lagos High Court, Ikeja presided over by Justice Lateefa Okunnu on Monday granted leave to the former Managing Director of FinBank Plc, Mr Okey Nwosu to travel out of the country for medical attention. Justice Okunnu also granted leave to Dayo Famoroti, the 2nd defendant in the suit instituted against Okey Nwosu, to travel outside the country for medical attention. The former Finbank Managing Director and Famoroti are standing trial along with two other directors of the bank in a N16.2 billion fraud suit instituted against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The other directors facing a 26 count charge of alleged stealing and illegal conversion of the sum of N16.2 billion are Danjuma Ocholi and Agnes Ebubedike. The court ordered the Chief Registrar of the court to release the international passport of both defendants to enable them travel out for medical traetment. Counsels to both defendants, Anthony Idigbe (SAN) and Yemi Sowemimo, had filed applications in which they sought leave of the court for their clients to travel out for medication.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS

Nine injured as explosion rocks Bauchi

INE persons were on Sunday night injured in an explosion that rocked Bayan-Gari, a popular area in the Bauchi metropolis. The Secretary of the Bauchi State Red Cross Society, Abubakar Adamu, told our reporter yesterday that the injured people had been taken to the hospital. No group has claimed responsibility for the explosion that partially damaged an uncompleted church. A blast occurred in one of

From Austine Tsenzughul, Bauchi

the brothels in the area on May 7 during which three men and a woman were injured. The victims included the man suspected to have brought the explosive to the brothel. Bauchi State Police Commissioner Mohammed Ladan confirmed the incident. He said: “It’s true; there was an explosion yesterday (Sunday) at Bayan-Gari about 9:30 pm. Nobody died. Those in-

jured were taken to the hospital and are receiving treatment. The person who planted the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) is yet to be arrested.” Efforts to speak with some of the victims at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi (ATBUTH) were not successful, as the medical workers denied our reporter access to them. The police commissioner denied that a suspect was arrested on Sunday about 4pm

with IED while attempting to detonate it at JIBWIS Secondary School, Bayan-Gari when the Islamic students were receiving lessons. His words: “Nobody was arrested yesterday with IED. If somebody was arrested, I should have been informed as the police commissioner.” Security has been tightened in churches in Bauchi. Investigation showed that most of the churches that usually attracted large worshipers were manned by 30 armed mobile policemen.

STF averts tragedy in Jos From Marie-therese Nanlong, Jos

HE Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crises yesterday averted tragedy in the Plateau State capital when it alerted the anti-bomb squad of the Police Command to the discovery of two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at Tudun Wada. The bombs were defused The Tudun Wada locality has experienced two explosions with a number of casualties recorded. According to a statement signed by the spokesman for the Special Task Force, Captain Salisu Mustapha, no casualty was recorded and the situation is calm. He urged residents to be vigilant and report suspicious persons, activities or strange objects to the security agencies.

Nigeria may lose more territories to Cameroun, says Bakassi leader

•Governor Liyel Imoke opens the GLOW Project Office, while his wife Obioma and Speaker of the House, Larry Odey, look on.

Kaduna relaxes curfew From Tony Akowe, Kaduna

Gov Yakowa

ADUNA State Government yesterday relaxed the eight-day curfew it imposed on the state, following an outbreak of

violence after bomb explosions rocked three churches in Kaduna and Zaria. While the residents of the four local governments that make up the Kaduna metropolis are allowed free movement for nine hours from today, residents of the other 19 local governments will be allowed free movement for 12 hours. The 24-hour curfew was relaxed for four hours last Friday to allow Muslims observe the Jumat prayers and it was also relaxed on Sunday to enable Christians attend service. A statement by the Senior

‘For today, Monday, June 25, people can move freely from 12 noon to 4pm. For tomorrow, Tuesday, June 26, people in Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi and Chikun local government areas can move freely from 7am to 4pm. While for the remaining 19 local government areas, people can move from 6am to 6pm. Everybody is advised to remain peaceful’ Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Reuben Buhari and made available to

The Nation said residents are free to move about from 12 noon to 4pm on Monday. The statement reads: “After deliberations, the Kaduna State Security Council has reviewed the curfew hours as follows: “For today, Monday, June 25, people can move freely from 12 noon to 4pm. “For tomorrow, Tuesday, June 26, people in Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi and Chikun local government areas can move freely from 7am to 4pm. While for the remaining 19 local government areas, people can move from 6am to 6pm. “Everybody is advised to remain peaceful.”

14 nabbed for pre-registered SIM cards in North Central

HE enforcement and awareness drive by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) against illegal sale and distribution of pre-registered SIM cards in the country, seems to be paying off with two states recording no activity, while 14 persons have been arrested across the other three states. The commission embarked on an enforcement action in the North Central states of Nasarawa, Benue, Kwara,

Vehicle owners warned The Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba has warned owners of abandoned vehicles parked at Ojo and Onireke police stations to remove them or lose them to the public through auction. The vehivles are Ford E250 bus marked CF203KSF, Mazda 626 car KS391EKY and Espero car marked HL972KJA.

Kogi and Niger, with a combined team of NCC officials and law enforcements agencies, but Kwara and Nasarawa recorded none of such illegal activities, an indication that those earlier involved in the trade have abandoned the ne-

farious activities. However, in Markudi, the Benue State capital, five persons were arrested in Wurukum and Modern markets, while another two were nabbed in Lokoja, Kogi State capital. Head of Enforcement of NCC, Mr. Efosa Idehen, who

led the team to Makurdi, said the commission is fully determined to ensure that there will be no hiding place for anybody engaged in the sale or distribution of pre-registered SIM card in the country because it is an illegal act.

2015: ACN moves to defeat CPC in Nasarawa

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Nasarawa State chapter, has said it is mobilising and reinforcing to become a

From Johnny Danjuma, Lafia

formidable force and strong opposition to the ruling Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), ahead of the

Lecture on Mushin

HE Obafemi Awolowo Institute of Government and Public Policy will on Friday hold a lecture on Mushin in Lagos: the past in the present, at the Malaria Research Centre Auditorium of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos. The lecture, in collaboration with the Lagos State University (LASU), will be delivered by Prof. Emeritus Sandra Barnes from the Department of Anthropology, University of Pennyslyvania, United States. Prof. Barnes is the winner of Amaury Talbot prize for best book on Africa. The Institute’s Board of Trustee Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, will chair the occasion. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) is the special guest of honour.

2015 elections. The party, which has been “dormant” since 2007, recently conducted its primary election. The new chairman, Bashir Mohammed Jabiru, said the ACN now has a platform to act as the opposition to the CPC administration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, adding: “We are happy that we are now on ground in Nasarawa. Before the end of this year, the party will have offices in the 13 local governments.” According to him, the new leadership of the party has set it on a path to get its first seat in the House of Assembly after the July 7 by-election.

IGERIA runs the risk of losing more of its territories to Cameroun, a pro-Bakassi group warned yesterday. The group-’The Coalition to Save the Bakassi People of Nigeria,’ warned of the consequencies of the Federal Government support for Akwa Ibom State against Cross River State over the ownership of the disputed oil wells. Its coordinator Mr. Ani Esin said the posture of the federal authority may in the long run force Nigeria to yield more territories to Cameroun beyond what was ceded as ordered by the International Court of Justice (IJC) in Hagues, The Netherlands. Esin, whose organisation spear-headed the recent protest by the Bakassi indigenes in Calabar, also criticised the claims by the people of Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom that because Akwa Ibom indigenes had a sizeable presence in Bakassi Peninsula before it was ceded to Cameroun, they, more than Cross Riverians, were the bigger victims. The former chairman of Bakassi Local Government said the protest by his people was against the injustice meted out to them by the Federal Government. Insisting Bakassi people have nothing against Akwa Ibom, he was, however, at a loss as to why the people of that neigbouring state are always quick to join issues with them whenever they cry over their plight. “About 15 per cent of Akwa Ibom indigenes reside in Cross River. Does that make them the owners of the state? Does the fact that some of their indigenes reside in Bakassi make them the owners of that territory? Why is it that when Bakassi people protest against the ceding of their land, the people of Akwa Ibom will stand on roof-tops to defend the rights of Cameroun?” Esin also wants answers to how Akwa Ibom became the owner of the said oil wells after Bakassi was ceded from Cross River to Cameroun when the former and the latter do not share any maritime boundary. “If Cross River is going to lose oil wells because of Bakassi, why will Akwa Ibom be the beneficiary when Bakassi was not ceded to Akwa Ibom? Why should Akwa Ibom people be happy over our plight? Is it because they did not lose any territory? They should tell Nigerians what territory Mbo lost to Cameroun. They were squatters in Bakassi, who took off the moment the crisis broke,” he stated. He said unlike Akwa Ibom indigenes, some Bakassi aborigenes, who are from Cross River, are still living in the territory and expectedly, are being subjected to inhuman treatment by Cameroun. He said the map presented at the Supreme Court by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, was different from the one produced after the ICJ judgment that ceded Bakassi to Cameroun.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS THE BATTLE FOR EDO

PDP,ACN bicker over rigging plots T HE ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Edo State and the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday accused each other of planning to rig the July 14 governorship election. Reacting to an allegation by the ACN that it was sewing uniforms for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in China for use during the poll, the PDP accused the ruling party of colluding with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to manipulate the election. According to its Chairman, Dan Orbih, the PDP had written thrice to the electoral umpire on why some Corps members should not be used for the election. It also alleged that an INEC consultant collected $40,000 from the ACN for the production of official tags for election observers. State Chairman of the PDP Dan Orbih said the tags were to be given to ACN thugs who would then pose as electoral observers. Orbih, who spoke at a briefing yesterday, said Corps members could be

‘We believe in free, fair, transparent and credible election. That is why we preach one-manone-vote’ From Osagie Otabor, Benin

brought from other states for the election but not those serving in the state. The PDP Chairman urged the ACN to report to security agencies if it knew where the NYSC uniforms were being sewn. Orbih said: “There is no truth whatsoever in the allegations. We provided video evidence of Corps members at an ACN rally and their leaders did not deny it.

“We are totally against the use of Corps members serving in the state. “We don’t believe they will be good umpires. We don’t trust them. In the interest of justice, Prof. Jega should not use them. “We believe INEC has capitulated and treated Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the ACN with kid gloves too often even to the extent of the governor making ridiculous and impossible demands like asking for the voter registration to be suspended.” But the ACN Chairman, Thomas Okosun, said it was not in the character of the party to bribe any INEC official. His words: “We believe in free, fair, transparent and credible election. That is why we preach one-manone-vote. Let them show evidence of the bribery allegation. They are the ones who bribe and not the ACN. “As for the Corps members, I like to state that we did not bribe them. They are not people you can corrupt. We have confidence in them as they are neutral people. PDP knows that the game is up for them.”

‘Oshiomhole not wooing voters with kerosene’

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole is not wooing voters with the sale of kerosene, his Senior Special Assistant on Petroleum Matters, Aloaya Omoike, has said. He described the allegation of deliberately selling kerosene to the people on campaign grounds as a wicked fabrication designed to dent the government’s image . In a statement, the aide said the Federal Government had flagged off the sale of kerosene in the state at N50 per litre to enable the masses have access to the product.

By Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy Political Editor

He added that the crowd which attended the campaign dwarfed the population of kerosene buyers. The Federal Government’s Kerosene Initiative Scheme is also being enjoyed in other states, including Ekiti, Ondo, Katsina, Benue, Anambra, Akwa-Ibom, and Delta. Omoike said the PDP can’t win the election by indulging in propaganda. He advised its chieftains to concentrate on important issues. He said it is an insult that

•Oshiomhole

the governor, who has delivered education, good roads and social amenities, is alleged to be wooing people with kerosene.

Defend your votes, LP candidate urges

ABOUR Party (LP) candidate Andrew Igwemoh has urged party supporters to wait after voting and defend their votes. Igwemoh told his supporters that the only way to prevent rigging is for them to monitor the counting up to the collation centres. He spoke at a campaign rally in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

He said: “At the point of counting, make sure you shine your eyes. We know how people have been stealing our votes. We now have the capacity to defend your votes. If they move, you move. We will stand by you.” State Chairman Sam Omede said the party would field candidates for all elections.

APGA expels chairman, others From Osagie Otabor, Benin

HE All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Edo State has expelled its Chairman and Deputy Chairman, Maj Joseph Osagie and Anthony Nwanzor. The former chairman and his deputy were expelled by two third of the executive at the weekend in Benin City. Four others were also expelled. The new Chairman, Godfrey Ehimhen, said the members were expelled because they defected from the party without consideration to the party’s constitution. Ehimhen said there was no need to accommodate the expelled members since they have joined another party. Nwanzor said his decision to leave APGA was well conceived.

Omede said the people were made to believe there was no money in the state until the arrival of Governor Adams Oshiomhole. He said Oshiomhole was proving the LP’s belief in social justice. Omode said: “It is time for us to recognise what we stand for. We will resist election riggers. Vote to take over Edo State. We have the people who can perform.”

Candidates for debate today

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

EPUTY governorship candidates of the seven parties contesting the July 14 governorship election in Edo State will today engage in a debate organised by the Nigeria Elections Debate Group (NEDG). NEDG Chairman Aremo Taiwo Alimi, in a statement, yesterday in Benin, said the debate and associate programmes are aimed at giving Nigerians an opportunity to meet all the candidates and know their programmes for the state. The debate, according to Alimi, would assist the electorate in making informed choices during the election. Alimi said the debates would commence at 5pm. The governorship candidates would meet tomorrow.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS

Soldier arrested for alleged drug peddling

PRIVATE from the Nigeria Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, (EME), Auchi, Edo State, has been arrested by the National Drug Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for alleged drug trafficking. He was arrested at Uzebba in Owan West Local Government Area after some wraps of cannabis were discovered in the boot of his car. NDLEA State Commander Sani Ibrahim made thie known yesterday at a brief-

•NDLEA impounds N5b drugs From Osagie Otabor, Benin

ing to mark the United Nations (UN) Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. He said: “Right now, as I’m talking to you, we’re processing his remand to prison custody.” The state NDLEA boss said illicit drugs worth N5billion were impounded between January and June across the 18 local governments. He listed them as 19, 612.4

kilogrammes of Cannabis Sativa, 12.5 grammes of cocaine and 6.5 grammes of Heroine, including 67 hectares of Cannabis Sativa farm. Ibrahim said of the 151 suspects arrested within the period, 23 convictions were made. Seventeen vehicles and three motorcycles were impounded. He said 64 persons are undergoing counselling and

rehabilitation, adding that the command will destroy another set of counterfeit drugs worth N30 billion. His words: “Having worked in Edo, Delta andthe neighbouring states, Delta is the most volatile, the most challenging is Ondo. “Delta and Edo have the same pattern of operation, including cultivation storage and haulage. But in Delta, you have only one chance of operation, which is warehousing.”

Navy arrests 16 Filipinos for alleged oil theft

HE Central Naval Command (CNC) in Bayelsa State has arrested 15 Filipinos for alleged crude oil theft. The command also impounded their vessel, MT. St Vanessa, suspected to have stolen 8.5million litres of crude oil on the Akassa Coast. It was learnt that the vessel ‘steals’ 500,000 litres of

From Isaac Ombe, Yena-

crude daily within the short period it entered the Akassa waters. MT. St Vanessa was reportedly on the waters for about 10 days before it was apprehended. Briefing reporters, the Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Johnson Olutoyin, said the Navy’s ef-

forts to combat illegal activities in the maritime domain is paying off. He said: “From June 5 to 18, the MT Saint Vanessa was observed on the RMAC in the Akassa/Brass area. “For about 10 days, the vessel moved between locations 100 nautical miles off Brass/Akassa to another location about 10

nautical miles off Brass/ Akassa area. “The vessel moved towards Brass/Akassa in the night and moved back into the deep ocean in the day as shown on the RMAC print-out. “But the crew claimed they were directed by the owners to roam about the waters without clear details of a specific task.”

Amnesty trained 6,549, says Kuku

•Kuku

HE Federal Government has trained 6,549 Niger Delta youths.

Giving the breakdown during the third anniversary of the Presidential Amnesty Proclamation for ex-militants, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Kingsley Kuku, said 2,216 graduated from Welding and Fabrication, 1,933 from Entrepreneurship, 60 from Pipe Fitting, while 103 graduated from carpentry. Kuku added that the programme has produced 700 graduates in Oil Drilling & Marine related courses, 89 from Electrical Installation , 205 from ICT, 857 from Crane and Heavy Duty, 49 from Boat Building, 60 in

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

Pipefitting and 263 from other fields. According to him, the programme is working with FATE Foundation, SMEDAN and Fortis MicroFinance to establish small businesses for over 80 per cent of these graduates. “ I make bold to assert that it is not all gloom for our great country as peace, safety and security continue to prevail in most parts of the country, particularly in the Niger Delta. “ Today, on the watch and

Dickson defends college AYELSA State Goverrelocation nor Seriake Dickson

yesterday defended the planned relocation of the College of Education from Okpoama to Toru-orua in Sagama Local Government. Former Governor Timipre Sylva is from Okpoama. The governor said a maritme academy would be sited in the community, which is by the ocean. A bill is in the House of Assembly to effect the change of name and its relocation. Dickson spoke when the Okpoama Kingdom Council of Chiefs visited him to persuade the governor to change

From Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa

his mind. He said the government’s decision was in the best interest of the state. The governor told them that the decision to relocate the college was done in the best interest of the state. He said it was to place “the college in a more strategic area where it can be easily accessed as well as achieve its objectives within record time.” Dickson pleaded with the people to see the govern-

•Dickson

ment’s decision as one “done in the best interest of the people without malice.”

Cross River ACN alleges judicial interference

HE Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate for the February election in Cross River State, Usani Uguru Usani, has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC). He alleged plans by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to interfere with the judicial process in the Election Petition Tribunal. According to the candidate,

From John Ofikhenua, Abuja

“some politicians will go to Abuja to join some of their colleagues to influence the Presidency to “instruct” members of the tribunal to pervert justice. He noted that their request include ruling against his reliefs, to make adjournments beyond the statutory 180 days that are due for trial and to

annul the election and grant another election, which is an opportunity for them to ensure victory for the PDP. Usani added that the PDP has also planned to exploit any technical grounds possible as a basis to strike out his petition. The ACN candidate pointed out that “we still have hope for the judiciary and trust that the matter will be dispensed with.”

N20m scholarship in Rivers

HE Leader of Princewill Political Associates (PPA), Prince Tonye Princewill, yesterday in Buguma, Asari Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State released N20 million for the annual King Amachree XI

From Clarice Azuatalum, Port Harcourt

Scholarship Scheme. The scheme was set up by Princewill and his father, King Theophilus Princewill, to assist indigent students in higher institutions.

This third edition includes an additional 100 students selected from the 23 local governments bringing the number of recipients to 200. The disbursement would be in Buguma on Saturday.

able guidance of President Jonathan, the tranquility in the once restive Niger Delta has led to an astronomic growth in the nation’s economy. From a paltry production level of 800,000 barrels crude oil per day at the peak of the Niger Delta crisis in the first quarter of 2009, Nigeria currently produces between 2.4 and 2.6 million barrels per day.”

PFN expels pastor for alleged affair

HE Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has expelled Rev. Lucky Utakpa Oghenemiroro of the God’s Gifted Ministry International for allegedly having an extra-marital affair. Oghenemiroro allegedly impregnated a woman, divorced his wife and married his mistress. The PFN Chairman, Rev. Emman Eredoro, GeneralSecretary Dr. Mereh O.Wariri and other executives handed over the letter of expulsion to the cleric at the weekend. They said the body has exhausted all efforts to make him retrace his steps but to no avail.

From Polycarp Orosevwotu, Warri

“This expulsion becomes necessary as we cannot condone this behaviour from a minister of the gospel. “You know that the word of God forbids such activities.” The body said since Oghenemiroro has failed to show good example to members of his congregation and the PFN, he was not worthy to be a member of the association. But, Oghenemiroro said marriage is not by force. “As we all know, if I say I will not marry you again it is not by force. My ex-wife’s father has refunded the dowry to me and the matter is in a Customary Court. What more do they want?”

SSS foils protest in Delta From Okungbowa Aiwerie,Asaba

TATE Security Service (SSS) agents yesterday prevented workers at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, from storming the hospital premises. The workers, dressed in black,were said to have been prevented from entering the premises because of their black attire. The hospital’s Joint Action Committee (JAC) has paralysed activities at the institution since June 6. The Nation gathered that in the last fortnight, about 100 diabetic and 50 hypertensive in-patients have been sent home. The fate of 50 HIV/AIDS patients due for routine test on Friday hangs in the balance. The workersare seeking promotion for grade level 10 officials to grade level 11, a policy that was put on hold by the Federal Government, according to the leadership of JAC at the hospital. But the Medical Director , Dr. Leo Erhunmwunsee, described the strike as unjustified, insisting that what the unions are asking for is contrary to the government’s stand.

THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

NEWS

Jonathan under attack over assets declaration Continued from page 2

fortunate that the President is not willing to listen to Nigeri-

ans. “If a President who publicly

says he is fighting corruption is not ready to declare his assets, then, it also means that he is deceiving Nigerians. We should pray that the situation will not go from bad to worse. A lot of things are going wrong in his government and yet he sees nothing wrong.” SNG and ARG doubted Jonathan’s commitment to accountability and good governance, stressing that he has declined to show good example by refusing to publicly declare his assets. SNG spokesman Yinka Odumakin described the President’s remark as “unfortunate at a time people are clamouring for openness and transparency in governance”. He said the President’s remarks underscored his apathy to the promotion of ethical values in administration. ARG’s Kunle Famoriyo described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government as “a disaster”, adding that the President, who is the symbol of the ruling party, aptly mirrors the party’s position on transparency. To Famoriyo, the President has failed to lead by example. He advised him to follow the footsteps of his predecessor, the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, saying that it is not too late for him to publicly declare his assets. Famoriyo said Nigerians would continue to have the feeling that Dr. Jonathan has something to hide because of his passion for secrecy. Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), Mr Yusuf Ali (SAN) and Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) said the laws need to be amended to make public assets declaration binding. Osipitan said the laws do not made the President to declare his assets publicly, but if he wants to demonstrate greater transparency, he can choose to let the public know what he owns. “Under the Constitution and the Code of Conduct Act, it

doesn’t have to be a public thing. He needs to declare it to the appropriate authority, namely the Code of Conduct Bureau. It’s not a public thing. “But then, some people have gone ahead to establish a pattern of also making it public after declaring to the Code of Conduct. One or two people have made their own public. But it is not compulsory that it should be made public. “But if he wants to demonstrate transparency, then he can decide to make it public, so that whoever has information about it can challenge it. For Ali, there is no alternative to amending the laws to compel public declaration of assets. He said: “Under our existing laws, it is not mandatory for any public official to declare their assets publicly, and that is why some of us have been calling for an amendment of the law to make it mandatory for public officials to declare their assets publicly. “It is now left to the individual. That is the problem. It is a matter of discretion and you can’t criticise them if they exercise their discretion one way or the other. He has the right to do it or not to do it. And it the way it is, it will be wrong for someone to say ‘Why did not do it? “So, there should be no discretion. The law should be amended accordingly so that it will be obligatory for people to declare their assets publicly.” Ozekhome said once assets have been declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau, they are as good as public. According to him, anyone can apply to the Bureau for information on the declaration by virtue of the Freedom of Information Act. Akin Olujimi (SAN) Former Attorney General f the Federation and Minister of Justice, Akin Olujinmi (SAN) said although the President is not under obligation to declare his

assets publicly, doing so will help raise awareness among public servants. His words: “The reason people insist is to show his transparency. People expect you want to rule by example. If he is able to declare publicly his assets, everybody will know this is what Mr. President has when he assumed office. At the end of his term, he is also expected to declare his assets so if we have a significant change, then you will want to ask questions. To ask questions you must know exactly what he declared when he assumed office. That is the wisdom. “But constitutionally, there is no requirement for public declaration. In terms of transparency and the need to show example to others and to fight corruption, then public declaration of his assets is not wrong. If anything, it only encourages people to believe that he is not only ready to fight corruption but that is ready to show the whole world you can judge me by what I have when I assumed office and what I have at the end f the day. Niyi Akintola (SAN) “The President was right when he said the law did not require him to make public his asset declaration. “The problem is not that what is declared is not made public. The problem is that most public officers engage in what I call: Anticipatory declaration of asset. They declare what they don’t have and once in office, they strive to meet that declaration. “It is not whether or not it made public. If we have the political will to implement the laws, majority of our public officers will be in prison by now. All you need to do is to work with the relevant agencies, if for instance, his tax remittance does not tally with his declared asset, he can be jailed on that basis for tax evasion. “But morally, he should have made it public having served under a former president that made his asset declaration public.”

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THE NATION TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

www.thenationonlineng.net

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

TODAY IN THE NATION

VOL. 7

NO.2,167

‘Can the same leaders making the call offer realistic guarantees of possible observance of ceasefire by the sect should government offer to freeze military operations? ’ SANYA ONI

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

HENEVER our newspapers characterise an individual rather casually as an “icon,” I invariably say to myself: Here they go again, squandering that power to confer status that is one of their most important functions. But when in reporting the death last week of Segun Olusola they described him as an “icon” of culture, I experienced no such misgiving. They were right on the mark. Olusola earned that distinction many times over as pioneer television broadcaster, playwright, director, curator and diplomat who, by sheer force of personality and conviction, turned the plight of refugees in Africa into a personal crusade that has attracted global attention. The ”Village Headmaster” he created for television remains, more than 50 years later, one of the best indigenous drama programmes ever featured on that medium, with its brilliant evocation of Nigeria’s rural life and its unforgettable cast, among them Sisi (Elsie Olusola) Clara, the wife who predeceased him. Who can forget, to take another of his many creations, the quiz show “Take A Trip,” which was grounded on a comprehensive profile of Nigeria? Or his unfailingly judicious and insightful interventions in discussions on various aspects of Nigeria’s culture? His photo gallery and personal art collection could only be put together by a person who attached the highest importance to culture, not by a dilettante. In sum, Olusola was in an exact sense an icon on matters cultural, and the media had it right when they described him as such. Unfortunately for the true icons that still abound in our midst, the term is much overused. It is used on reflex, from habit as it were, and perhaps for want of a more nuanced summation. If just one-tenth of the individuals the media have at various times designated as “icons” were true originals, Nigeria would not be in its present sorry state. Until a fortnight ago, Farouk Lawan, a ranking member of the House of Representatives and chair of the House SubCommittee on Petroleum Subsidy, and Femi Otedola, the diesel mogul, occupied the higher ranks of the national iconology sustained at least by the media, if not actually created by that institution. The one was integrity personified, and the other symbolised wealth derived from having the foresight to corner, ap-

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

As ‘icons’ totter and tumble

•The late Amb. Olusola

parently by lawful means, the lucrative market for a scarce commodity. If he added no value to the product, he at least created wealth as well as jobs. Now both are in varying degrees unmeshed in the putrid, long-running scandal that I have earlier called “Subsidy-gate” in this space. The story has become tediously familiar, at least in outline. The House sub-Committee on which held hearings into how trillions of Naira were handed over to companies importing refined petroleum as “subsidy” payments issued, in the face of dire threats and cajolery, a report confirming what the public already knew, namely, that the “subsidy” regime was a scam with no redeeming grace.

RIPPLES THERE IS HOPE FOR NIGERIA, SAYS KUMUYI

Yes HOPE, our usual CONSOLATION

‘Who made the first contact that was apparently not videotaped? The answer is crucial, for it could help in determining whether Lawan solicited a bribe or was ensnared by Otedola, acting on his own or as a proxy, more likely as the latter, for it is hard to imagine him as a crackerjack sleuth’ As the Report gathered cassava flour in a jittery Presidency, Otedola stepped forward to claim that Lawan had demanded $3 million as a price for not naming his firm as one of those that had obtained fraudulent “subsidy” reimbursements. Otedola says he then went on to report the matter to the secret service, which gave him $620,000 in marked notes, plus a secret device to record future proceedings. Lawan has admitted collecting the money, but only for the purpose, he says, of using it as evidence that Otedola had tried to bribe him. Apparently, a reported attempt to collect the balance was also designed to serve the same purpose. But in the event, it was Otedola who took the matter to the authorities.

HARDBALL

NYONE who invested an hour or two on Sunday night listening to President Goodluck Jonathan holding court on national television on a whole range of issues would have come away with more questions than answers. The President was at his reasonable best but there were times when he could barely hide his irritation on being at the receiving end of an unrelenting torrent of criticism. “The fact is that criticising Jonathan is a big business in Nigeria,” he said. Some of his statements at the weekend will guarantee the continued boom of this “business.” Asked why he had not declared his assets, the President said: “It is personal and I don’t give a damn about that. The law is clear about it and so making it public is no issue and I will not play into the hands of the people. I have nothing to hide. I declared under the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua because he did it, but it is not proper. I could be investigated when I leave office. You don’t need to publicly declare your assets and it is a matter of principle. It is not the President declaring assets that will change the country. We should go after

Media chats and mixed messages issues that will develop the country.” What principle are you going on about, Mr. President? Yar’Adua was not required by law either as governor or president to make a public declaration still he chose to do so. He understood that being president was not just about legality, but also about being a moral compass and an example. To be president you are not required to be a paragon of virtue, or an angel walking around with a halo. Still people want to be proud of their leader and the example he sets. In a country like Nigeria with a long and terrible history of corruption and misconduct by people in high places, it would be a breath of fresh air to have a leader who doesn’t conveniently settle for the lowest common denominator in a matter as sensitive as declaration of assets. He may not be required by law to make the declaration public, but what state-

Still, the issues are far from clear-cut. Who made the first contact that was apparently not videotaped? The answer is crucial, for it could help in determining whether Lawan solicited a bribe or was ensnared by Otedola, acting on his own or as a proxy, more likely as the latter, for it is hard to imagine him as a crackerjack sleuth. If Lawan intended to use the money he collected as exhibit, why did he sit on it for so long? Why did he not take it to the authorities? At least he had before him the example of former EFCC chief Nuhu Ribadu who coolly collected $15 million in bribe money from James Ibori, deposited it with the Central Bank, and obtained a receipt. The Jonathan Administration may well have played no part in the matter, but the speed with which its agents moved to assail the report thereafter with a view to scuttling it is unlikely to settle all doubts to the contrary. As for Lawan and Otedola, not even the most indulgent section of the news media is going to call them icons any longer. They are headed for the gallery of individuals once hailed as icons but now remembered if at all as products of hasty or misguided canonisation, not merely as instances of what James Thurber called “unnecessary dignification.” That gallery has an impressive membership, cutting across gender and creed and tongue and tribe and class and industry, and is largely a media creation. Today, journalists strive to outbid each other in conferring spurious awards on the very officials or institutions they are detailed to cover, often staging for the purpose the kind of ceremonies meant to honour truly distinguished achievement. And the persons accorded such dubious honours show up in pomp and circumstance to collect them, and thereafter to treasure them as authentic attestations of their measure and mettle. It is not only the press that creates false icons, however. The Federal Government is just as guilty. Every year, and for the most part, it confers the highest national honours on officials who just happen to be occupying or to have occupied the right post at the right time, with scant regard to actual achievement. This game has gone too far. It raises questions about the judgment of the awarding authorities, erodes their credibility, and does great violence to what remains of the national value system. •For comments, send SMS to 08057634061

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above ment is Jonathan making by clinging so tenaciously to his right to keep his assets secret? A national leader should not just live above board, but should also be seen to be doing so. If there is truly nothing to hide, why fight so vigorously to keep it out of the public domain? The President said he didn’t “give a damn” about demands for a public declaration. His choice of words unfortunately exposes the contempt which the typical Nigerian office holder has for the people who put him there in the first place. He may not “give a damn” but Nigerians are fed up with living in a country with too many secrets. They are demanding a new era of openness and transparency, and the President can take the lead here and be an example. Unfortunately, he has elected not to do so. On any given day the average American knows what President Barack Obama earned in the preceding year and what he paid as taxes. Here the leader would hide under some convenient legal provision to keep what he thinks is “personal” from prying eyes. That, Mr. President, is setting a very low standard indeed.

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