March 02, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

...88 D AYS TO GO DA

MORE •I’m not seeking to be president, says Tinubu •AND ON PAGES •’Use of card readers does not violate Electoral Act’ 2-10 •One dead as Accord, APC trade words over Ibadan rally •Kwara governor: it’ll be disastrous to remove Jega

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

VOL. 10, NO. 3141 MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

Marketers halt importation as petrol scarcity persists

N150.00

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The President has no powers under the law to remove the INEC chief without the support of two-thirds majority in the Senate. The President is probably aware of this and that accounts for the alleged subterfuge of going through the route of an epistolary brigandage. They are alleged to be plotting to ask the Head of Service to write Prof. Jega to proceed on a terminal leave

By Emeka Ugwuanyi and John Ofikhenua, Abuja

F

UEL queues grew longer in many cities at the weekend — no thanks to the disagreement over subsidy between the government and marketers.

It was gathered that because marketers have reduced their import, the scarcity may persist.

But the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) plans to triple its supplies to mitigate the shortfall.

Many filling stations in major cities, including Lagos and Abuja, at the weekend either did not sell the product or sold above the N87 price. Many sold at between N97 and N110 Continued from page 4

•www.thenationonlineng.net

•NNPC MD Dr. Joseph Dawha

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LEAVE JEGA ALONE (EDITORIAL) —PAGE 15

•INSIDE: OKUNBOR TAKES OVER AS SHELL MD P6 NNPC FOR PROBE OVER $14.9B LNG CASH P6

•A MAR CH AGAINST EVIL: People take part in a demonstration in downtown Yaounde, against Islamist group Boko Haram and in support of the Cameroonian army engaged in a multi-national MARCH battle against the group...at the weekend. Some 10,000 to 15,000 people took part in the march.

PHOTO: AFP

Fear of new polls shift rises

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WILL THE CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON APRIL 15, LAST YEAR EVER RETURN?

APC seeks sanction for PDP leaders NGOs rise for Jega

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HERE are fears that the March 28 and April 11 elections may be shifted.

The elections were originally slated for February 14 and 28. They were shifted because the Service Chiefs told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that they could not guarantee security. They asked for six weeks to defeat the Boko Haram insurgents troubling the Northeast.

“The same reason is likely to be advanced in making a case for another postponement,” a source said last night.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

The Service Chiefs, The Nation learnt, will tender the military’s recent gains in the war against Boko Haram to make the case for another postponement.

The military says it has made much progress in the anti-terrorism war, retaking towns captured by the terrorists and making arrests.

But, the popular thinking, particularly in the camp of the opposition, is that another shift will allow the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

to perfect its strategies to stay put in office by manipulating the elections.

The strategies include: •the sudden push for the removal of INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega and; •the campaign against the use of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and the Card Reader – two key elements of a fraud–free election, according to INEC. The PDP insists that many wouldbe voters are yet to get their cards.

Besides, the party says the Card Read-

er may go faulty.

Almost 80% of would-be voters have got their cards. INEC says there are spare card readers, should some suddenly go faulty.

Some civil society organisations have stepped up their campaign that the elections should hold as scheduled.

The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said there were fears that another postponement was in the smithy.

Nigerians United for Democracy (NUD) held a rally in Lagos on SaturContinued from page 4

•’COLLAPSED SYNAGOGUE BUILDING NOT CAUSED BY STRUCTURAL DEFECT’ P12

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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MAY 29 ...88 DAYS TO GO

NEWS

I’m not seeking to be The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has opposition party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Presidential Campaign Council (PDPPCO) Femi undertaken to yield his slot to Tinubu after the contained in the statement published below,

T •All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Lagos Central Senatorial District,Senator Oluremi Tinubu (left), Acting Chairman, Lekki Residents Association, Chief Obioha and one-time Lagos Finance Commissioner Wale Edun at an interactive forum with members of the Lekki Residents Association in Lagos...yesterday.

•From left: Managing Director of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Mr. Osagie Okunbor, his predecessor, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu and the company’s Vice President, Nigeria and Gabon, Mr. Markus Droll in Lagos.

•All Perogressives Congress (APC) vice presidential running mate Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, flanked by the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Dispora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa (right) and Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi at a Town Hall meeting with youths in Akwa Ibom, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

•From left: Chief Executive Officer, (CEO), Ultima Ltd, Femi Ayeni; Grand Prize Winner of MTN Season of Surprises/ Who Wants to be a millionaire special edition, Corp member and Founder of JumpStart Academy, Omotola Olabisi Akinsola; General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Richard Iweanoge, at the presentation of a N50 million cheque to Akinsola at Ultima Studio, Lekki, Lagos.

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign continues its descent. This is to be expected.

Because the truth stings them harshly.

They have become a factory of lies. A few days ago, the agent of character assassination who doubles as the busy hatchet man of the PDP accused Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of plotting to be vice president then President through subterfuge.

Clearly, he has exposed the confusion and contradiction within his party and has veered off from the real debate. But he cannot avoid the storm of change already unleashed by the APC. However, the only subterfuge involved in this entire episode, is that eating at Femi Fani-Kayode’s mind.

His mind is an agent of mayhem and a foreigner to facts. The last time we checked, the APC ticket was a Buhari/ Osinbajo one. That is what it is and that is what shall stand.

Fani-Kayode is not as smart as he thinks. If you read between the lines of his hysteria, you will see another . Gen Buhari extreme sentiment: that of surging desperation. His statement indicates that even he now realises that his pay- to bringing reforms to our institutions, master has lost to Buhari/Osinbajo. recovery to our economy and relief to The game is over. The whistle has millions of our citizens who are sufblown. What the fantasy man seeks fering. to do is change the game. He seeks to This latest episode showed that run against Tinubu in hopes that the Fani-Kayode’s hallucinations are now outcome will be better. Fani-Kayode uncontrollable. Again, unable to now grasps at straw in the night wind. make headway against Buhari and Fani-Kayode is on a futile journey Osinbajo, he now wants to run against to shield the populace from seeing the Tinubu. failures of his paymasters. His stateThis plot will not work. Tinubu is ment taken in context indicates that not scheming to become president his paymasters will lose the election. through the back door. He, just like any They are now worried about what qualified Nigerian has the right to walk will happen thereafter. The majority in through the front door if he so deof Nigerians have concluded that they sires. But he is not on the ticket. have done enough damage to our For the job he is hired to do, it is expolitics, economy and security; and pected that a Fani-Kayode will be cannot be tolerated any longer. blinded to the positive nature of the Rather, they should be voted out by Buhari/Osinbajo ticket. If he has failed the people. Their journey of lies and to read and do some research on the deception is at its terminal point. It character of an Osinbajo, let me help lied to Nigerians and the international him. Yemi Osinbajo is fiercely indecommunity that elections had to be pendent. A brilliant mind of great charshifted first because of the Permanent acter and and a consummate reformer Voter Cards (PVCs) issue and later, it and legal crusader. You will not dare became a security ambush to change speak of him in this manner. The APC the date, thus aborting Nigeria’s date ticket is of people of great resolve. But with destiny at the polls. because among your own crowd, you That FFK (Femi Fani-Kayode) is the have people who will willingly debest a ruling party can do as a spokes- stroy, not only our institutions and man speaks volumes about the PDP. country, you think so of others. APC They are bereft of talents and charac- is a party with people of impeccable ters. They are filled with lies and chi- character, courageous and patriotic canery. FFK is simply the worst and leaders, who are out to rescue our namost outspoken of a bad lot. How- tion. And you - Fani-Kayode - are on ever, we welcome his interventions. record to have said so in several interThey are of such low quality and base views. character. His utterances frighten peoIf FFK cannot recognise that Tinubu ple but not in the way FFK intended. is a talent-seeker, man of vision, one Instead of scaring the people away who creates opportunities for the best from the APC, his work scares peo- minds to thrive and serve the public, ple that someone so unfit is so close then he deserves our pity. Tinubu’s to the seat of power, someone so hand is writ large in the brand of good unhinged is given free rein to spit bile governance pervading the Southwest and call that public discourse. One and other parts of Nigeria. He is a must wonder who is unbalanced, the hunter for talents as exemplified in misfit or he who hires him. Keep at it Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos, who FFK. Continue! has redefined governance; talented Most Nigerians are fed up with and hardworking Ibikunle Amosun of this government and desire change. Ogun State; indefatigable Rauf They await eagerly that opportunity Aregbesola of Osun State; eclectic at the polls. They cannot tolerate four Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; the relentmore years of a Fani-Kayode of his less Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of paymasters and his utterances. That Edo State and until recently, Kayode is your agony Fani-Kayode and of Fayemi, who served Ekiti well. Yemi course that of the PDP and its gang of Osinbajo belongs to this tribe of exceldestroyers. You will not be able to lent public servants. deceive majority of Nigerians who are The APC still parades other goverprepared to use their vote for a posi- nors who continue to excel across the tive change. And if only to shield the country. The likes of Governor Rabiu populace from your peculiar brand of Kwankwos in Kano; the tireless Govabuse of power, both you and your ernor Wamakko of Sokoto State and boss must go. The APC is committed other governors in Borno, Rivers, Yobe,

stepp has an Faniparty the O

PO THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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MAY 29 ...88 DAYS TO GO

to be president through the backdoor, says Tinubu

DP) has inubu, O) Femi r the elow,

stepped up its attacks on the All Progressives Congress (APC). It alleged last week that the National Leader of the has an ulterior motive to become president through the backdoor. In fact, spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party Fani-Kayode, told a news conference in Abuja that the APC presidential running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo signed an party’s victory. But the Tinubu Media Office yesterday said Fani-Kayode and his paymasters were lying. In its response, the Office said the PDP’s claim was only good for the trash can.

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Fani-Kayode tried before to be part of the party but left when he found out there was no room for his games.

Because the APC could not help to free him from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and aviation fraud, he ran away to the party that blocked the EFCC on his behalf . Asiwaju Tinubu

Kwara - all of them committed to bringing change to their people.

Bola Tinubu is helping to build the great platform for change; wholeheartedly working and supporting the APC ticket because he believes it is the last best hope to rescue Nigeria from the disaster FFK and his ilks will want to continue to rule us if allowed to. I pray Nigerians will not allow them to misgovern us a day beyond May 29.

If FFK pretends not to know of Tinubu’s efforts to build and support

. Prof Osinbajo

the APC, it comes as no surprise.

Fani-Kayode tried before to be part of the party but left when he found out there was no room for his games. Because the APC could not help to free him from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and aviation fraud, he ran away to the party that blocked the EFCC on his behalf.

On record are Tinubu’s efforts and his contributions to rebuilding the nation and ensuring its democracy.

They are his patriotic obligations. Peo-

ple like FFK will never understand this.

Patriotism is not part of their personal constitution. Everything they do has a private beginning and personal end.

They do nothing regarding the public purpose except to lie about it.

I will not dignify FFK’s outrageous lies with any reply. All I know is that Nigerians know that he is a peddler of falsehood. And millions of Nigerians are with the APC and its leaders.

Tinubu, like millions of APC members, is pleased with the performance

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of the APC ticket on the campaign trail and looks forward to greater accomplishments from the Buhari/Osinbajo team once in office.

Let me restate that Tinubu is a committed democrat and he has demonstrated that times over. He is one man that has chosen to serve this country to the best of his ability. By God’s grace and the support of millions of Nigerians, APC will go on to win the March presidential election and Gen Muhammadu Buhari and Prof

Osinbajo will go ahead to be sworn in to lead this country to better times.

Fani-Kayode cannot just leave Tinubu alone because they see him as their political nemesis. But Tinubu will not be their dart board If they want to see the culprit behind their flagging misfortune, they do not need to glare at Tinubu. They should go home and peer into the nearest mirror. Therein their trouble lies.

Now, FFK has revealed why his party, the PDP has consistently persecuted Bola Tinubu through phony Code of Conduct Tribunal, massive unjustified attacks against his character and integrity, intimidation and harassment. They all have failed. In what is a classic case of abuse of power, the government you now work for have accused Tinubu in the past of baseless and unproven allegations, whereas in your party, including yourself, there are wolves feasting on the commonwealth of the people. For a leadership that cannot define corruption and theft, we are left with a gang of plunderers. You have openly and secretly stolen and plundered the wealth of the nation without the slightest concern about morality and the suffering masses.

The fiction of a thousand FaniKayodes cannot stop an idea whose time has come. The APC is committed to upholding and respecting the tenets of democracy and of bringing a new government that will usher in a new day for a new Nigeria. And that is what Fani-Kayode and his party cannot handle.

The nation has had enough of their shamelessness. Please pack up. It is time to go.

Card Reader and the Electoral Act : Any conflict?

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HE need to instill sanity in electoral activities and outcome in Nigeria has made it necessary for us to move from the antediluvian method of voting where crude force and metal violence reign supreme. The unprecedented clamour for change is not devoid of historical necessity as the volume of condemnation that trailed the 2007 general elections only showed that Nigeria as a nation could not be counted among civilised nations democratically.

It was based on the above that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is required to do everything humanly possible to ensure that we attain electoral transparency that can instill discipline and statesmanship in politicians as for genuine losers to accept defeat and the authentic winners to maintain sobriety in victory. I believe, it is in the light of the above that INEChas introduced the use of Card Reader to determine the genuineness of the identity of voters during accreditation in order to eliminate voting by proxy and associated malpractices.

Unfortunately, while agents of change have been embracing technological advancements recognised and permitted by law to make electoral justice and sanity prevail, we have been inundated by cacophonous calls from various quarters of those who want to maintain the status quo in which electoral violence and brazen rigging are permitted. They have argued that the use of card reader is not allowed by virtue of Section 52 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).

Section 52 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended provides that: • Voting at an election under this Act shall be by open secret ballot.

•The use of electronic voting machine for the time being is prohibited.

• A voter on receiving a ballot paper shall mark it in the manner prescribed by the Commission.

• All ballots at an election under this Act at any polling station shall be deposited in the ballot box in the open view of the public.

The implication of the above in line with Sub-

By Muiz Adeyemi Banire section 2 is that electronic voting is forbidden in Nigeria. The next questions therefore are: what is electronic voting or electronic voting machine?

What is a card reader and is electronic voting machine the same thing as a card reader?

A card reader has been defined as “a data input device that reads data from a card-shaped storage medium…. Modern card readers are electronic devices that can read plastic cards with either a barcode, magnetic strip, computer chip or another storage medium.”

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ card_reader On the other hand, “electronic voting or e-voting refers to both the electronic means of casting a vote and the electronic means of tabulating votes…. This can include punch card systems, optical scan voting systems, Direct-Recording Electronic (DRE) and Internet voting.” See http:/ / w w w . s o u r c e w a t c h . o r g / index.phptitle=electronic_voting.

Electronic voting machine can then be described as a device or machine by which electronic vote can be cast without the use of ballot papers. Examples of such machines are punch card systems, optical scan voting systems DRE and Internet voting.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the electronic voting machine and the card reader are two different devices that are not necessarily deployed together for all purposes. The further import of which is that electronic voting or the use of electronic voting machine for voting is not the same thing as using the card reader to determine the identity of voters in the process of accreditation of voters. What Section 52(2) prohibits as indicated earlier is the use of electronic voting machine but not the use of card reader for accreditation of voters and that is where it stops.

Thus, for all intent and purposes, a card reader simply verifies and authenticates the identity of the voter.

To further buttress the distinction highlighted above, a card reader is not an electronic voting

machine but is a machine to be used for accreditation of voters only before the actual voting. A distinguishing factor is that in electronic voting, ballot papers are not used and cannot be used, but the forthcoming 2015 general elections are ballot paper-based. The use of card reader for the purpose of accreditation hastens the process as accreditation of a voter does not take more than a few seconds. The use of the card reader is based on the use of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) of which fake and purloined PVCs can be easily detected, and this will assist in preventing certain electoral malpractices and assist in ensuring free, fair, credible and peaceful elections across the country.

It should be noted that none of the above-mentioned methods or technologies by which e-voting can be done is being deployed by INEC for the purpose of voting during the 2015 general elections. The implication therefore is that INEC is not engaging in electronic voting which is what Section 52(2) of the Electoral Act 2010 actually prohibits. The law is that what is not prohibited is permitted. According to the Court of Appeal in Ojo Bolarinwa Theophilous v. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2012) LPELR-9846 (CA), The basic canon of interpretation or construction of statutory provisions remains that what is not expressly prohibited by a statute is impliedly permitted.

Thus, since the use of card reader for the purpose of accreditation of voters is not prohibited by the Electoral Act, same is definitely permitted.

Furthermore, accreditation of voters is not the same thing as casting of vote as a person may be accredited without presenting himself to vote.

The difference between accreditation and voting is underscored by Section 49(1) and (2) of the Electoral Act 2010.

Section 49 (1) states that a person intending to vote with his voter’s card, shall present himself to a Presiding Officer at the polling unit in the constituency in which his name is registered with his voter’s card.

Section 49(2) states that the Presiding Officer

•Banire

shall, on being satisfied that the name of the person is on the register of voters, issue him a ballot paper and indicate on the Voter Register that the person has voted.

The meaning of the above is that the process of presenting oneself to a presiding officer with one’s voter’s card and the process of checking of a voter’s name on the voter’s register including the ticking of the name constitute what is referred to as accreditation. In order to separate accreditation from actual voting, the INEC Guidelines and Manual for Election Officials provides that accreditation shall hold between 8.00 am and 1pm or such time as the last person on the queue finishes while , voting commences at 1.30pm or so soon thereafter when accreditation must have been completed till the last person concludes.

It is hoped that the elements stuck to the past would liberate themselves from the twigs of yesteryears and allow this commendable step aimed at fixing our electoral troubles.

Dr. Banire is National Legal Adviser, All Progressives Congress (APC)

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

NEWS Petrol scarcity persists Continued from page 1

per litre.

•An empty filling station in Mushin, Lagos...yesterday as scarcity of petrol hits major cities.

PHOTO: ADEJO DAVID

Fuel scarcity, power supply drop: ‘Evidence of Jonathan’s failure’ T HE APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) yesterday described the return of fuel queues in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos and some major cities and the reduction in the hours of electricity supply to Nigerians as sad reminders of the failure of the PDP-led Federal Government.

Its spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, in a statement, said: “The glaring and inexcusable failure of the PDP government in these two important areas is a sign of gross ineptitude, maladministration and corruption, which is responsible for the sorry economic state the average citizen of Nigeria has found themselves”.

It wondered how a political party, which has been in power for 16 years and which is unable to ensure that its citizens enjoy regular fuel supply being an oil producing and endowed country and electricity having privatised the power sector and given generous financial assistance to operators of the power sector can still feel confident to seek another term in office.

The 3,623.11 Mega Watts (MW), which the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) sent out on February 23, dipped to 3,063.23MW on February 25, resulting in a fall by 559.88MW within two days.

According to the power statistics on the website of Federal Min-

From Tony Akowe and John Ofikhenua, Abuja

istry of Power yesterday, the power generated by the Electricity Generation Companies (Genco) was 3,131.08MW, out which the TCN could not wheel 67.85MW being the gap between the energy sent out and energy generated by the Gencos.

Asked what is responsible for the drop in power supply, ministry’s Deputy Director, Mr. Timothy Oyedeji, said the last he heard of the situation was that Seplat shut down for routine maintenance of gas pipeline.

In the period under consideration, the electricity market dropped to a peak power generation of 3,866.8 to 3,224.8MW, indicating a decline of 642MW. The statement said: “For the people of Nigeria to be again confronted with the specter of fuel scarcity so soon after the harrowing experience of last Christmas period shows that the Jonathan government can never get anything right as Nigeria will continue to be an embarrassment among the oil producing countries of the world.

“The issue is that being unable to set up even one new refinery in the past five years and unable to get existing refineries to func-

tion up to 50 per cent capacity, the people of Nigeria surely need another set of people to be in charge of affairs.

“Those who man the two critical sectors of fuel and power are cronies of President Jonathan and supporters of the PDP that they have no reason to discharge their mandate in favour of the Nigerian people.

“We all remember the hype and fanfare with which the privatisation of the power sector was carried out and yet majority of Nigerians are having less electric power or none at all but are forced to pay outrageous electricity bills to the operators of the power companies who are either card-carrying members of the PDP or are close associates of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“To add insult to injury, the Jonathan government has also given billions of naira to these operators under the guise of assisting them to improve power supply, without result. And this happened after the sector had been sold and the facilities handed over to these private operators.

“We of the APC demand that the Jonathan government and his party explain to Nigerians the reason why fuel scarcity and blackout should persist making

life a hell for Nigerians, despite huge investments and policies put in place to eradicate these problems” The APC Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) stressed that the return of fuel queues was a confirmation that the policies of the Jonathan administration are founded on deceit and insincerity.”

Shehu argued that the recent fuel price reduction announced by the Federal Government was borne out of political expediency, rather than compassion, because the ruling party is desperate to cling to power at all costs, adding that all the emergency projects and palliatives being bandied about by the Jonathan government are intended to pull wool over the eyes of Nigerians.

He said a PDP administration that greeted Nigerians with an unprecedented fuel price increase of N140 per liter in January 2012 has lost the basis to be trusted by Nigerians.

Shehu said the return of fuel queues was like an accident waiting to happen because the recent reduction in petroleum product prices by the Jonathan PDP administration were not based on sincerity, adding that scales are dropping from the eyes of Nigerians day after day and are embracing the imperatives of change for a better Nigeria.

There were queues at filling stations. The situation got worse in Abuja yesterday, with many stations under lock and key.

The few that opened to customers were besieged by residents. Queues extended to the roads.

Besides, the petrol stations which operated yesterday only engaged in skeletal services, selling with few pumps.

At 3.00pm in Kubwa, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Oando stations were shut.

The NIPCO opposite them was overwhelmed by customers.

According to some of the motorists, who were sweating in the scoching sun, they had queued up for petrol as early as 6.00am.

It sold petrol for N87.

Oando at Dutse Junction, also on the Kubwa expressway, had a long queue.

There were two queues stretching over a kilometre to the NNPC super mega station on the same expressway.

Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, at the weekend cautioned the public to desist from panic buying.

In a statement, the corporation said it was working with all downstream industry stakeholders.

The statement said: “ The management of the NNPC has called on members of the public not to engage in panic purchase and hoarding of petroleum products as the Corporation is working with all downstream industry stakeholders to eliminate the noticeable artificially, induced fuel queues in some fuel stations.”

Alegbe added that because of the prevailing situation, the corporation, which has been responsible for 50 per cent of nationwide product supply, has stepped in to address the scarcity by tripling supply from their tank farms in Lagos and other areas in the country, which will be trucked to the hinterland. He told The Nation that the NNPC within 48 hours from Sunday will be able to inject 600, 103.047 metric tonnes of premium motor spirit (petrol) equivalent of 688 million litres into the market.

He urged to consumers to exercise patience and not engage in panic buying as the scarcity

will be arrested as from tomorrow.

The initial cause of the scarcity was a reaction to oil marketers’ report that their stock level was down and the replenishment was not feasible because of unpaid subsidies that stood at N264 billion. The signal from the marketers that they would not be able to import fuel compelled some retail outlets to slow down on sale.

However, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had a meeting with the marketers last week promised that the debt would be fully paid by end of this month.

Based on this promise, the marketers agreed to continue with importation of petrol.

However, the National Assembly last week cut the 2015 subsidy budget of N200 billion by half. This action, The Nation learnt, didn’t go down well with the marketers as their fears were heightened that the government may renege on their promise to pay the outstanding debt let alone additional debt. The marketers before now have been showing concern over budgetary allocation of N200 billion for subsidy in 2015, wondering if that may mean a step to full deregulation of the downstream sector.

Although the Executive Secretary of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Mr. Obafemi Olawore and the President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Chief Chinedu Okoronkwo, could not be reached yesterday, Olawore confirmed to reporters that there was a drop in MOMAN members’ stock but with the meeting held with the Minister of Finance, they would step up importation.

For IPMAN, it was learnt that the level of debt owed them is enormous. Theirs is a complex case because The Nation learnt that many of their members have issues with clearance on the imports they made and without the clearance there will be no payment.

Besides, The Nation also gathered that the banks had stopped granting letters of credits (LCs) to IPMAN members, which worsened the supply situation.

At the moment, only the NNPC through its subsidiary, the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), is importing petrol.

APC alleges PDP plans to push for new election dates

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday raised the alarm over the “relentless scheming” by the Goodluck Jonathan Administration and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to push for another postponement of the 2015 general elections, unless they can perfect a rigging plan, and called for the imposition of global sanctions on whoever scuttles the polls.

In a statement issued in Dubai by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the multi-pronged efforts to prevent the elections from holding as rescheduled include the use of some 23 portfolio political parties to seek a further shift in the election dates and the destabilisation of INEC’s election plan through the orchestrated removal of its Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

It said the “same 23 satellite parties” of the PDP that were used to push for the six-week postponement of the elections have again started testing the waters by pushing for a further shift in the elections in the six states of the North-east, ostensibly to allow the conclusion of the counter-insurgency battle and

Fear of new polls shift rises Continued from page 1

tion dates and the guarantee of INEC’s independence and the security of its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega’s tenure.

The group also expressed their rejection of military rule or any Interim Government in whatever form.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and a group of civil society Organisations under the aegis of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to ensure that the elections hold as rescheduled.

They frowned at moves by some individuals to discredit the leadership of the National Electoral Commission (INEC) and urged the government to ensure the protection of the commission’s “independence, impartiality and credibility.”

They said the measures were required in also to allow those displaced to return home. ‘’The plan is to use the same bogey of insecurity in the Northeast to push for another postponement in the elections. The signs are ominous indeed. The body language of the President and his party does not support the holding of elections. They are mortally afraid of losing because the use of PVCs and Card Read-

“protecting and defending the credibility of the electoral system.”

This was part of conclusions by both bodies after a meeting to examine the “Pre-Election Report and Advisory on Violence in Nigeria’s 2015 General Elections,” issued by the NHRC as a measure to forestall election-related violence, protect human rights and bring accountability to bear for violations of human rights during the general elections.

NHRC and the CSOs stressed the need for the “protection of the independence, impartiality and credibility of the INEC as the body constitutionally entrusted with responsibility for organising elections in Nigeria.”

They expressed their commitment to ensuring the prevention and mitigation of violence, including the need to ensure the existence of a credible capability to address election-related violence and hate speech.

In a statement jointly signed by the Chair-

ers have thwarted their rigging plans,’’ APC said.

The party said while the 23 parties are pushing for the elections to be further postponed, the Jonathan Administration and the PDP are simultaneously forging ahead with their plan to remove Prof. Jega and replace him with a malleable acting Chairman whom, they believe, will do their bidding.

man, NHRC, Chidi Odinkalu and Head, the Situation Room, Clement Nwankwo, both bodies have agreed to establish a joint Technical Working Group to work together in developing clear Rules of Engagement together with protocols for monitoring compliance by security agencies (including the police, military, internal security or para-military units) that may be deployed for election duties in 2015 General elections. The Working Group shall report not later than the 10 March 2015.

“The Situation Room and the NHRC called for politicians from across the political divide to close ranks in protecting and defending the credibility of the electoral system.”

The APC said the PDP was scheming to shift the elections because it planned to perfect a eigging plan. It called for sanctions against the party’s leaders, should the elections be moved.

‘’Once they remove Jega, his replacement will either seek more time to organise the polls or simply jettison the plan to use Card Readers, thereby opening the door for those who have been buying up PVCs to use them. ‘’Is it not interesting that the same Administration that has been flaunting free and fair elections as a key achievement has

now gone for the jugular of the same man who organised those polls? Is the man they don’t want not the same person who organised the 2011 polls which the administration has described as free, fair and credible? What has now gone wrong between them and their poster boy for successful elections? it queried.

APC warned that the consequences of another postpone-

ment of the elections will be dire, indeed, especially because it will create a constitutional crisis that is capable of endangering the country’s democracy and destabilising the country in its entirety.

The party called on Nigerians, especially the civil society, to be very vigilant in the days ahead, as the cloud of uncertainty becomes thicker and the vultures begin to circle.

It also called on the international community to consider imposing stiff sanctions on key members of the Jonathan Administration if they force another postponement or scuttle the polls. ‘’However, we also believe that the international community has a role to play in helping to check the desperadoes who are using the Laurent Gbagbo rule book as if it was made for them, and who will not hesitate to bring the whole system crashing down on all if that is what it will take for them to perpetuate themselves in power.”

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THE NATION MONDAY,MARCH 2, 2015

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NEWS

CJN warns magistrates against scuttling electoral process

PDP criticises Buhari’s lecture From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

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•Mohammed advises ICPC on thorough probe

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HE Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, has warned magistrates against allowing themselves to be used by politicians to scuttle the electoral process.

He also advised the authorities of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) to be thorough in its investigation and support its cases with cogent evidence to avert delays in the prosecution of corrupt cases.

Justice Mohammed, according to a statement by his media aide, Ahuraka Yusuf Isah, spoke in Abuja at the weekend when representatives of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN) and ICPC visited him.

The national executives of MAN were led by its Acting National President, Chief Magistrate Victoria Isiguzo.

“I must urge you to shun corruption and unnecessary affiliation with the political class or politically exposed persons, who may not hesitate to turn you into instrument of intimidation or use

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

you to remove his or her rivals from circulation during this year’s election cycle,” the CJN told the magistrates.

The CJN in January, while inaugurating members and chairmen of electoral tribunals, handed out a similar warning to judges.

He urged the magistrates to stop imposing stringent bail conditions, which indirectly had contributed to the congestion in the nation’s prisons.

He urged them to desist from indulging the police in granting pre-trial detention of suspects because in most cases, the police were ill-prepared to prosecute their cases.

The CJN noted that many people were being held in custody without charges, while others were detained pending further investigation, otherwise known as “awaiting trial”.

He observed that a number of people were being detained on first information reports which, upon examination, might operate as holding charge, thereby

allowing the prosecutor fish for more evidence to back up their trial, while the accused persons languish in custody.

“A corollary to this is the imposition of such bail terms, which an accused has no real hope of meeting. I wish to use this medium to counsel magistrates to judiciously and carefully exercise their discretion to remand and consider alternatives to detention where possible, and to set reasonable bail terms as appropriate,’’ he said.

The CJN said effort was on to ensure proper recognition of magistrates in the constitution as judicial officers.

He said: “Magistrates perform judicial functions and they are bound by the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, but Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) does not recognise them as judicial officers. ‘’Consequently, we are including proposals to the National Assembly that the magistrates be formally considered as judicial officers as defined under Section 318 of

•Mohammed

the Constitution, given the undeniable relevance of our Magistracy to justice dispensation in the country.’’

The CJN told the ICPC delegation led by its Chairman, Ekpo Nta, that the commitment of the Judiciary to speedy dispensation of justice led to the introduction of Practice Directions in 2013 to fast-track major crimes and corruption cases in addition to designating some judges/courts to deal mainly with economic crimes and corruption cases.

Justice Mohammed advised the commission to avail itself of these rules and the designated courts so as to ensure that corruption and economic crimes cases were promptly heard.

The CJN advised the commission to strengthen its investigation and prosecution units and support charges with evidence for speedy trial of cases.

AYS after Gen. Muhammadu Buhari got a standing ovation at Chatham House, London, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is still battling to stop the gains of event.

The PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation yesterday alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) paid Chatham House for Gen. Buhari to speak at the prestigious institute last Thursday. Chatham House is not a profit-making organisation. It is not known to charge fees for hosting dignitaries.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP campaign organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode who made the allegation at a media briefing, also said questions and answers on topics Buhari addressed were leaked to him by the organisers of the event.

He did not provide any proof of this. Neither did he state how much was allegedly paid.

Fani-Kayode insisted that the APC presidential candidate’s trip to London was on medical ground.

Gen. Buhari told reporters after his lecture that he was fit as a fiddle and was, in fact, on his way home for the “final onslaught”.

“There are some interesting facts about the Chatham House outing that Nigerians should know. The event was organised only two days before it took place and well after Buhari had arrived in London,” Fani-Kayode said.

Days before Gen. Buhari went to London, his itinerary was announced; the Chatham House lecture was on top of his list of engagements.

NHRC to begin probe of pre-polls violence, hate speech From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

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HE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has begun investigation into cases of pre-election violence and hate speech.

Members of the governing council/management of commission will soon be dispatched to states like Kaduna, Benue, Lagos and Rivers, which had recorded high cases of pre-election violence.

In a statement yesterday, the commission’s Chief Press Secretary, Mrs. Fatimah Mohammed Agwai, said the NHRC has so far received about 16 complaints from persons and groups on election related violence.

She said the visit by the commission’s officials to the identified states would enable them interact with key political actors and security personnel on strategies to prevent election violence during the general elections.

The NHRC urged “all stakeholders to avail it with useful information to enable it take informed decisions on cases of election violence.”

Gani Adams warns Fed Govt against soldiers’ deployment

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

T •President Goodluuck Jonathan (second left); former Sokoto State Governor Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa (left); Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; Alhaji Musa Zaidu and others acknowledging cheers at the Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Co-Existence in Southern Nigeria Solidarity and Endorsement of Goodluck Jonathasn in Asaba, Delta State...at the weekend.

HE leader of O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Chief Gani Adams, has warned the Federal Government against the militarisation of the general elections.

Adams, however, said soldiers could only be deployed to crisis prone states.

He noted that in such areas, the military should not take over the duties of the Nigeria Police during the March and April elections.

Adams spoke to airport reporters yesterday at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, on his way to Atlanta, Georgia, United States to receive a cultural award.

He urged the government to ensure civility throughout the period of the elections, adding that the deployment of soldiers in the elections must be minimised.

PDP has conceded defeat before election, says APC campaign

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation has described the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) allegation that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was nursing a presidential ambition after General Muhammadu Buhari becomes president as a concrete evidence that the party had conceded presidential ticket to the APC. Director of Strategic Communications of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation Mr. Dele Alake said this in a statement yesterday.

Alake, while analysing the allegation credited to the Director of Media, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, said the scenario started with the assumption that the APC would win the presidential polls on March 28.

He said the time-frame of six months for the action to take place meant that Gen. Buhari and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo would have been swornin as president and vice president on May 29, 2015.

“Any psycho-analyst can read the mind of the purveyors of this concoction of falsehood. Their assumption gives away the fact that they themselves accept the certainty of victory of the APC in the presidential election,” Alake said.

He said the massive support for the APC presidential ticket locally and internationally has inflicted a devastating damage on the psychology of the PDP campaign managers, “leading to an acute case of schizophrenia.”

Alake said the PDP presidential campaign spokesperson shot himself in the foot

in his desperation to spin a conspiracy theory that was childish and merits the condemnation of all right-thinking persons.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Director of Media of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation on the APC and its leaders.

“Fani-Kayode alleged that Asiwaju Tinubu would become president by asking the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to resign after six months in office in the belief that the president, Muhammadu Buhari, may have terminal health challenges.

“That the message came through Fani-Kayode, who, just a few days ago, was brought to answer corruption charges, makes the message incredulous. The whole

world knows the other reasons for the incredulity of any message delivered through him.

“However, to the uninformed, there is no iota of truth in such allegation. It is a product of infantile and wild imagination of a convoluted, distorted and warped mind.”

It added: “In the APC, we do not indulge in oath-taking, pact-signing and such other rituals that the PDP establishment is adept at. Such PDP-induced Okija scenarios have no place in the APC. “Prof. Osinbajo is a thorough-bred, accomplished professor, teacher, pastor, mentor and preacher, who is nationally and internationally acknowledged as a man of probity, integrity, transparency and competence, who can never be part of such inanities.

“Asiwaju Tinubu, on his

part, is the foremost national leader of the APC, who has achieved an enviable political status, fame and stature. He has gone far beyond using subterfuge to attain any political position.

“It is widely known globally that he had been pivotal in midwifing the most potent and formidable opposition movement that has become the nightmare of the incompetent behemoth called the PDP, and to the delight of Nigerians, the desired change they are waiting for.

“Having lost substantial ground politically and seeing the inevitability of an APC victory at the polls, it is the PDP that is strenuously engaging in all kinds of subterfuge from hurling personal abuses and attacks on Buhari and Tinubu; to election postponement antics; to evading

elections at all costs and even the unfashionable idea of foisting an interim government. It is the PDP that is generating crisis to make the elections difficult, if not impossible. Unknown to its campaign machinery, these gimmicks portray the PDP as deep in conclusive disarray.

“Indeed, the fact that the PDP campaign machinery can construct a post-presidential election scenario in which APC would be in power is a significant testimony of their admission that they have lost this election.

“We note this mental and psychological concession of victory to our party’s presidential candidate, but reject the odious scenario. Nigerians should please ignore this latest antic because it is untrue, ridiculous, ludicrous, mundane and jejune.”

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

6

NEWS Military: fleeing Boko Haram on rampage

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S the campaign against Boko Haram is intensified, the military is worried that the defeated insurgents are now on the rampage in the North, setting off suicide bombs.

The military claimed that more children and teenagers, especially female, have been recruited by Boko Haram members for suicide missions.

It also said some of the explosive devices were allegedly stolen from quarry industries within and outside the country.

A top defence source, who released a fact-sheet on the latest dimension in the war against Boko Haram, said the insurgents were targeting motor-parks, schools, worship centres and markets.

The document said: “Following a routing by Nigerian troops in collaboration with forces from neighbouring countries on the platform of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) from most of its operational bases, Boko Haram terrorists have once again reverted to the use of suicide bombers in its evil campaign against Nigeria.

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja “A security alert has thus been sounded for Nigerians to be vigilant and on the lookout for potential suicide bombers already brainwashed and probably drugged by the terrorists.

“Boko Haram members, in their desperation to escape the military onslaught on their camps and their bid to retaliate such offensive, may have resorted to suicide bombings which was their hit-and-run tactic used for some years until 2014.

“This time around, however, the terrorists have been using children and teenagers, especially female, to perpetrate their nefarious activities on soft targets in some Northern states.

“Their major mission is to attack soft targets like motorparks, schools, worship centres, markets, among others, for maximum casualty among the citizens.”

The Defence source alleged that “some of the explosive devices used for suicide bombing were stolen from quarry industries within and outside the country.”

LCCI backs Senate’s tinkering with 2015 draft budget

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

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HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( LCCI) has hailed the outcome of the deliberations of the Senate on 2015 Draft Budget, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework [MTEF] and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

LCCI President Alhaji Remi Bello said at the weekend that many of the decisions were consistent with current realities, which called for spending for national development priorities.

He said: “We commend the Senate’s decision to cut the 2015 National Assembly budget by 25 per cent (N37.5 billion) from N150 billion to N112.5 billion. This will definitely free up resources to finance other priorities.

“The increase of the capital budget from N633 billion to N700 billion is good news. However, this figure remains grossly inadequate in the light of the huge infrastructure deficit in the country and the urgent need to build a robust and sustainable non-oil economy.”

He praised the Senate’s decision to reduce the recurrent expenditure by N116 billion from N2.61 to N2.5 trillion as a welcome development.

He, however, noted that a more drastic reduction in recurrent budget was desirable.

He also endorsed the stance of the Senate on the provision for the contentious Service Wide Vote in the draft 2015 budget.

According to him, the decision to scrap this provision was salutary in the light of the transparency issues that have marred the Service Wide Vote over the years.

Shell appoints Osagie as MD •Sunmonu bows out after 36 years

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HELL Petroleum Development Company has appointed Mr. Osagie Okunbor, as its managing director.

He has assumed office, succeeding Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, who retired on Saturday after 36 years of service.

Okunbor’s appointment had been announced in January while he was serving as a senior adviser in Shell’s Up-

stream International Operated business in The Hague, Netherlands.

The new Shell helmsman, who is also assuming the role of the country chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, brings over 28 years of industry experience and expertise to his new role.

Okunbor is the third Nigerian MD of SPDC and country chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria.

Dangote gets CEO

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•From left: Head, Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Lagos Office Mr. Tam Tamunokombia; Technical Director, Kasapreko Company Limited, Ghana Mr. Kwame Dickson; Special Adviser to The Lagos State Governor on Commerce and Industry Mr. Seye Oladejo; member, Board of Directors, Kasapreko Company Limited Dr. Shija Terhemb and the company’s managing director (Nigeria), Mr. Kojo Nunoo at the launch of the new hologram seal of Alomo Bitters.

ANGOTE Cement has announced the appointment of a new Managing Director, Onne Van der Weijde.

In a statement yesterday, the company said the appointment was part of strategies aimed at consolidating on its successes.

Van der Weijde will report to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Dangote Cement.

The statement said the appointment was in furtherance of the implementation of strategies put in place to drive operational efficiency, support its ambitious growth strategies and delivering shareholder value Van der Weijde, who joined with a wealth of experience working as the Managing Director of Ambuja Cement, India, “will ensure strategic, operational and brand synergies are maintained, while underlining renewed management focus on all customer segments”.

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Reps to probe NNPC for $14.9bn NLNG profit

HE House of Representatives is set to probe the whereabouts of $14.9 billion (about N3 trillion) profit the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Company paid to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The amount represents dividends accruing from the sales of liquefied gas from 2004 to 2014 and which the NLNG Company said it paid into the corporation’s accounts.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts, Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, who said this at the weekend, added that the committee would move a motion of urgent national importance at plenary tomorrow to compel the NNPC to bring relevant documents.

But, the NNPC has moved to stop the House from getting the documents as its lawyer, Mike Ozekhome & Co Chambers,

•Corporation heads for court to stop lawmakers From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

wrote the House Committee last Friday saying it has no right to request for the LNG accounts.

Speaking at the weekend, Adeola said: “Just about a month ago, we invited the NLNG to appear before the committee on Public Accounts.

They came and told us that Federal Government has 51 per cent holding in the LNG while 41 per cent is owned by Shell and others in the private sector.

“Yes, if we have 51 per cent, how much of these funds have returned to the Federal Government as dividend? They said they have it. And between 2004 and 2014, they remitted to the NNPC coffers in form of dividends $14.9 billion.

“We wrote to NNPC asking

for an evidence for the sources of revenue, the bank statements, and if there is any expenditure for that account and any other item they can furnish us with.

“We received a letter from their lawyer, Mike Ozekhome & Co, quoting Section 88 and other relevant sections of the constitution as to why they cannot and will not come before the committee with these particular documents.”

The lawmaker said Ozekhome’s chamber was a private law firm and did not represent the law courts and that NNPC’s action showed “that there is more to what we’re seeing.”

He stated that the committee made a simple request on transactions that concern the generality of Nigerians, “and the next line of action is to go to

your lawyer to start writing us and from there move to court to seek injunction preventing us from that document.

“This tells you the extent to which they have used the judiciary to stall a lot of investigations we are carrying out as a House.

“And on Tuesday (tomorrow), I want to come by a motion of urgent national importance so that the House can know what is in the offing as far as NLNG is concerned,” the committee chair said.

He noted that a similar fate befell the investigation of the N10 billion allegedly used by the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison- Madueke, for chartered flights for private travels.

A court injunction truncated the probe by the same House Committee.

APC campaign: Jonathan’s harsh tax policies killing industries

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has said the harsh tax regime and high electricity tariff under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)led Federal Government are forcing many industries to close shop.

The APC campaign assured Nigerians that the party would not impose any harsh tax regime on Nigerians, but would rather employ existing tax policies of government to fund its people-oriented programmes.

Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Campaign Organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, said in a statement in Abuja that under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, the people and the business community were reeling under multiple, discriminatory and harsh tax regime.

He said: “The prevailing harsh tax regime under the PDP government has caused untold hardship on the population while manufacturing industries are threatening to shut down their operations because of the high electricity tariff imposed on them when they depend largely on generating sets to power their factories.

“An APC administration

From Tonu Akowe, Abuja

will make life more bearable and manageable for both the citizens and the business sector by entrenching discipline in public administration across all sectors of governance.

“Second, the party will plug all loopholes through which public funds are being lost.

When these loopholes and accompanying wastages are plugged and corruption reduced to a minimum or totally stamped out as promised by our presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, the government will have reasonable quantum of funds for social investments programmes in education, health, and safety nets such as free school meals for children,

emergency public works for unemployed youths and pensions for the elderly.

“Third, an APC government will seek to ensure that all existing laws and policies on taxation will be implemented judiciously while tax authorities and administrators will be encouraged to do their work with the utmost transparency.

“The PDP is obviously scared of the credible alternative, which the APC represents and will go to any length to lie to Nigerians on any issue, including those on which the APC has not expressed a position.

The majority of Nigerians are looking forward eagerly to the advent of an APC administration as a panacea to the deceit and fraud that has characterised the administration of the

•Dr. Jonathan

PDP in the last 16 years.

“In view of the mood of the nation and the glaring cases of stealing, corruption, fraud and looting that is the character of the administration, we advise the PDP spokesperson to save his breath and make the burden of change and power transfer lighter by advising his party and their government functionaries to start preparing hand-over notes”.

‘168,000 corps members for INEC’s assignment’

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BOUT 168,000 corps members that have registered to serve as ad-hoc workers in the general elections may participate in the exercise.

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, said this at the weekend at a news briefing on the national honours award of the scheme scheduled for today.

The NYSC boss said although 34,000 passed out of the scheme recently, they would still be used as ad-hoc workers during the exercise.

From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

Brig.-Gen. Olawumi, who said about 2.8 million Nigerians have participated in the NYSC since its inception, added that the scheme had put in place watertight strategy that would guarantee the safety of the corps members during the elections.

He also added that about 164 ex-corps members that distinguished themselves during their service year would be rewarded by President Goodluck Jonathan today.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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NEWS

APC petitions NBC against abuses on Ekiti stations

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has petitioned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) against “acts of unprofessionalism and abuses” in the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES).

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, the party called the NBC’s attention to the poor quality control mechanism arising from poor staffing in the leadership cadre of the television and radio stations.

“We have discovered that the core professionals who can advise on the quality control mechanism of the two stations have been sidelined in favour of Governor Ayodele Fayose’s cronies, who do not have requisite qualification to hold their positions.

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

“For instance, apart from the avalanche of contract staff who were hired on the basis of partisan solidarity, the Acting Director General of BSES, Lere Olayinka, has never practised in any reputable newsroom of any print or electronic media anywhere across the country.

“At best, he is a political journalist without any basic grounding in media practice and he is often used by politicians to malign innocent opponents.”

He said Olayinka’s lack of requisite qualification had adverse effects on quality programming and professional touch in the running of the radio and television stations.

The APC spokesman urged NBC to apply its standard to ensure and promote ethics and professionalism in the sensitive profession of electronic communication at BSES. He urged NBC to investigate Olayinka’s qualification, pointing the agency’s attention to various abuses arising from political partisanship and unprofessional conduct at the two stations.

He listed the alleged directive by Governor Ayo Fayose to ban paid APC adverts and jingles in the stations with Olayinka turning the stations to his boss’ megaphone to malign senior citizens and political opponents.

“The stations in one of their news bulletins in November accused the Chief Judge, Mr. Justice Ayodeji

Daramola, of collecting N200 million from APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to influence the judge sitting on Fayose’s eligibility case to rule against him.

“About the same time, an allegation that the 19 APC House of Assembly members demanded N135million from the governor was also broadcast on the stations.

All these were without evidence,” Olatubosun explained.

He added that in another news bulletin, the chief judge was accused of collecting N20 million from Governor Kayode Fayemi’s administration to prevent Fayose’s inauguration, noting that in January, the stations broadcast the allegation that Fayemi donated N1.5 billion

to Buhari/ Osinbajo Campaign Organisation without any proof.

Olatubosun said: “The stations also accused Fayemi of an attempt to transfer N950 million from a bank in Ghana but which the Ghana Central Bank stopped.

“These are all lies aimed at denting the image of these decent Ekiti citizens.

“The BSES is in the habit of copying social media gossips and broadcasting same in the stations’ news bulletins.”

The APC spokesman also accused Olayinka of unprofessional conduct by approving fabricated stories for the private producers and presenters of a popular Yoruba newspaper review programme, Lati Inu Aka.

We won’t go on strike, say police From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

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OLICEMEN in Ondo State have disassociated themselves from the rumours that police officers are planning to embark on strike over poor welfare package.

The officers, who spoke at a briefing by the Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke, also passed a vote of confidence on the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba and Eke. A statement by the spokesman, Wole Ogodo, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, said the IGP’s determination to prioritise police officers’ welfare was sacrosanct.

The statement reads: “Reacting to the rumoured strike, the officers and men ranging from constable, corporal, sergeant and inspector ranks, declared that they were not part of the purported action.

“They pledged their support for IG Abba and Commissioner Eke, thereby committing to maintaining peace in the state.”

JUSUN tackles commissioner From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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HE Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in Ondo State has faulted the comment of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Eyitayo Jegede, on the industrial action.

Jegede was quoted to have said that the “Ondo State government has given the little that are made within the Federal Account to the judicial arm of government”.

In a statement by its Chairman, Femi Ogunode, JUSUN faulted the commissioner’s impression that judicial workers have no reason to continue with the strike because government has complied with the subject of the strike.

Ogunode said since the report of Jegede’s statement, the union had been inundated with requests for clarification and questions.

He said stakeholders have been asking them the rationale behind their refusal to call of their strike, when government had released money to the judiciary.

Ondo traders for Buhari From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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EADERS and members of the Market Women Association in Ondo State at the weekend expressed their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

Over 1,000 market women trooped into the APC secretariat, Akure, where they assured the party leaders of their determination to mobilise their members to work for Buhari, his running mate, Osinbajo and all other candidates.

They hailed Osinbajo for coming to the popular Erekesan Market during his recent Town Hall meeting in Ondo town.

At the event were the candidate for Ondo Central Senatorial District, Chief Tayo Alasoadura and the House of Representatives candidate for Akure North/South, Afe Olowookere.

The traders were led by the former lawmaker representing Akure South 1 Constituency, Tayo Abidakun (Jaja).

Folarin woos traders From Jeremiah Oke, Ibadan

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•Ambode addressing Oba Adesanya and Justice Oguntade at the event

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Ambode gets royal fathers’ backing

HE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has received a massive boost yesterday as he got the endorsement of the Epe Council of Obas. The endorsement followed a meeting of Ambode with the traditional rulers at the Palace of the Alara of Ilara, Oba Akeem Okunola Adesanya.

A retired Supreme Court judge and a foremost leader in Epe, Justice Adesola Oguntade, said Ambode has long been singled out for excellence from the candidates, because of his experience.

Oba Adesanya, led 16 other monarchs to bless the APC candidate. The prayers continued for almost an hour, and it depicted the depth of faith and confidence the monarchs have in Ambode’s leadership capabilities.

Ambode said: “I can say that I’ve been privileged to gather the needed experience to serve Epe and our state further, but I can’t do it alone. I thank you my fathers so much for this overwhelming expression of support and prayers. I promise not to fail you, God helping me.

“It is time for Epe to experience the remarkable growth it has sought in the past 55

years, even as the whole of Lagos is gearing up for a next level. I assure you that the development that will besiege this division will benefit all of us. With your votes for the APC at all levels, I am sure that this growth will be monumental.”

The monarchs who blessed Ambode include the Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Ishola Animashaun; the Aladeshonyin of Odo-Noforija, Oba Babatunde Ogunlaja; the Omola of Odomola, Oba Sikiru Taiwo Odukoya; the Aladegunshenbi of Odoragunshin, Oba Olawale Ogunsanya; the Orijeru of Igboye, Oba Gbadebo Onakoya and the Alade-

Uraka of Poka, Oba Aileru Kolawole.

Others were the Olu-Epe of Epe, Oba Shefiu Adewale; the Alaketu of Ketu, Oba Adegboyega Adefowora; the Olofin Ajaiye of Odo-Orugbo, Oba Adekoya Odusanya; the Onibeju of Ibeju Land, Oba Rafiu Olusegun Salami; the Onilekki of Lekki, Oba Kazeem Olumuyiwa Ogunbekin; the Onimedu of Orimedu, Oba Hamza Atiku; the Elejinrin of Ejinrin, Oba Ishola Babatunde Balogun; the Onitedo of Itedo, Oba Tajudeen Elemoro; the Onise of Ise, Oba Ganiu Adegbesan; and the Alayandelu of Odo-Ayandelu, Oba Ganiyu Asunmo.

George, Lagos PDP elated at stall of Obanikoro’s screening

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FACTION of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has hailed the postponement of the screening of ministerial nominees.

Sources within the party said some Lagos PDP stalwarts were elated about this development as a nominee, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a former high commissioner in Ghana and former minister of State for Defence, is perceived as “power drunk and disrespectful of higher party authorities”.

They said: “It was jubilation galore when we heard the news because most of us in Lagos do not want Musiliu Obanikoro to represent the state at the ministerial level.

“We believe that with him as a minister, he will want to lord it over us all and auto-

matically want to unseat Chief Bode George as the party leader in Lagos.

“A direction that we are committed to resist vehemently, especially when you consider the rising popularity of PDP in Lagos.

“We all saw his behaviour when he was the Minister of State for Defence.

“He turned himself to a god, though he was a junior minister. If he is now made a senior minister, then nobody in PDP Lagos will mean anything to him.

“Look at the way Obanikoro handled his failure to clinch PDP’s governorship ticket, the decision to challenge the primaries result in court and the disdainful treatment of Lagos PDP strongman, Chief Bode George.

“He felt because he was just

coming from the federal level the ticket will be automatic not imagining he might lose to Jimi Agbaje, a relatively new PDP member then. After he lost, all hell was let loose on us.

“You all witnessed the kind of treatment he meted out on the state leaders, Chief George and Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, calling them names.”

After losing the Lagos primaries, it was gathered that Obanikoro was promised a senior ministerial slot as compensation, following a reconciliation meeting led by Vice President Namadi Sambo and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi held in Lagos in December.

Prior to this meeting, Obanikoro had publicly lambasted his party’s conduct of the

Lagos primaries describing it as a ‘sham’.

The former minister also engaged in a war of words with Agbaje and Chief George, consequently making attempts to seek redress in court.

Beside his penchant for vocal outbursts and power , the concerned members of Lagos PDP added that Obanikoro’s role in the ‘Ekitigate’ election rigging scandal has become an embarrassment to the party.

“With the ‘Ekitigate’ tape and video in the public domain, his alleged role and involvement is working against the party winning the election in the state.

“In fact, he can not be trusted as to his total loyalty to the party in Lagos State.”

HE wife of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Mrs. Angela Folarin, has appealed to traders in Oyo State to vote for her husband.

Mrs. Folarin spoke at the weekend when she visited the leaders of the Iwo-Road Traders Association in Ibadan, the state capital.

She said her husband remains the most credible candidate among other governorship candidates because of his exposure and experience.

“My husband will not demolish your shops. You traders form the larger percentage of the state population and your interest must be protected.

“My husband has promised to support traders with loans.

“I want to implore you to trust him and support him.

He will make sure we all get our share of dividend of democracy as promised.”

Amosun approves students’ bursary

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GUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has approved and released the 2014/15 Bursary Awards to Ogun State students in higher institutions across the federation.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology Segun Odubela said N117,271, 000 will be paid to 14, 550 beneficiaries.

According to him, 4,948 final year students, 9,506 on other levels and 96 Law School students will benefit from the award.

Odubela said the bursary would be paid directly into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts and enjoined the students to visit their banks.

He said the government is committed to the welfare of all Ogun State students in line with its Affordable Qualitative Education policy.

The commissioner urged the students to reciprocate the government’s gesture by being law abiding.

He advised them to avoid being used by selfish politicians for anti-social activities, particularly electoral malpractices, as the general election approaches.

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NEWS Tinubu,Osinbajo, Ambode for walk

Ekiti denies APC’s abuse claim From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

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HE Ekiti State government has denied involvement in human rights abuses as alleged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a petition to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Describing the allegation of human rights violation as “spurious and unfounded”, the Ayo Fayose-led administration accused the APC of “misrepresentation of facts and engineering a smear campaign to achieve political gains”.

The government, in a protest letter to the NHRC by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, said it was the out gone APC-led government that carried out human rights violations during its four-year stint.

The protest letter was sequel to a petition forwarded to the NHRC by the state chapter of the APC, which accused Fayose of giving official cover to suspected political thugs allegedly wreaking havoc in many parts of the state in the runup to the general elections.

The thugs, according to the APC, attacked its members, destroyed their property and vandalised posters, billboards and campaign vehicles, among other allegations.

The APC also followed up the petition by sending its representatives to the NHRC who were granted audience by the agency’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Bem Angwe, who promised to investigate the complaints.

Ajayi accused his predecessor, Olawale Fapohunda, of using his position as a commissioner on the NHRC board to orchestrate a campaign of calumny against the Fayose-led government.

The commissioner argued that contrary to the APC’s claims, infraction of rights allegedly occurred during the tenure of former Governor Kayode Fayemi.

‘Stop deceiving Oyo electorate’ From Jeremiah Oke, Ibadan

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MEMBER of the House of Representatives representing Ibadan North, Abiodun Awoleye, has warned President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop deceiving the people with the creation of Ibadan state.

He said the President cannot create a state without the approval of the National Assembly. Awoleye said state creation remains one of the duties of the National Assembly and not the PDP or President Jonathan.

Awoleye cautioned the party against using the creation of Ibadan state as a campaign tool, saying Ibadan state remains the priority of every politician in the state.

The lawmaker berated the strategy, wondering why the party did not create Ibadan state in the last six years.

He said: “I don’t know why PDP and President Jonathan are deceiving our people with state creation.

“He does not have power to create state without the approval of the National Assembly. Our people are very intelligent in Oyo State and they are watching as events unfold.”

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (second left), Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development Toyin Ayinde (third left), his Waterfront and Infrastructure Development counterpart, Prince Adesegun Oniru (third right), Chief of Staff, Mr. Lanre Babalola (second right), Deputy Director, Ministry of Works, Somide Ayodele (right) and Managing Director, State Waterways Authority (LASWA) Yinka Marinho (left) when the governor inspected the Osborne Jetty in Ikoyi, Lagos...yesterday.

One killed, scores injured at Ibadan rally

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N attack on supporters of Accord at Odinjo, Iyana Modina in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday, left one dead and an unspecified number of persons injured.

Two Accord candidatesGbenga Adewusi (House of Representatives) and Ademola Ige (House of Assembly)- organised the rally.

Hoodlums attacked their supporters, which led to the death of one of the party supporters.

Accord, in a statement by the Director General of the Rashidi Ladoja Campaign Organisation, Adeolu Adeleke, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sponsoring the hoodlums.

It posited that the party carried out the attack because of the perceived rising profile of Accord in the state.

Though Adeleke claimed that two Accord supporters were killed, police spokesman Kayode Ajisebutu said

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•Parties trade blame From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

only one person was killed.

The police spokesman said three people had been arrested.

Adeleke said: “Worried by the growing popularity and acceptance of Accord in Oyo State, scores of APC thugs swooped on a peaceful rally of our House of Assembly and House of Representatives candidates, Ademola Ige and Gbenga Adewusi at Odinjo-Ode-Ige, Iyana Modina in Ibadan South-East Local Government.

“The thugs carried guns and other weapons when they stormed the rally and opened fired on our supporters and killed two of them on the spot. Fifteen people were injured, more unknown number of our supporters left with varying degrees of injuries.

“A team from SARS arrested three of the thugs with

pump action guns; other members of the gang fled.”

But the APC denied the allegation, saying thugs among Adewusi’s supporters engaged urchins in a supremacy battle.

The party added that Adewusi had been fingered in a recent unrest when he allegedly led thugs to attack some residents and APC members in Aremo and Ode Aje, to announce his arrival in Accord from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It pointed out that the APC is a party of intellectuals, stressing that it does not habour thugs.

The APC‘s Director of Media and Publicity, Olawale Sadare, said: “Neither our members nor supporters were involved in the fracas, which was recorded at Odinjo yesterday.

“We had it from sources that some thugs in the cam-

paign team of Gbenga Adewusi (aka Arole), who is the Accord Party candidate for Ibadan North East/ South East Federal Constituency engaged some street urchins in a supremacy battle and this resulted in a free-for-all.

“We recall that the same Arole was allegedly involved in an unrest at Aremo/Ode Aje shortly after his defection to his new party from the PDP, when he led political thugs to attack some residents and members of our party in what a source close to him said was to create an awareness of his arrival in Accord.

“APC does not harbour political thugs and we do not sponsor violence in whatever guise.

“Therefore, we urge law enforcement agencies to carry out necessary investigation and ensure those found culpable are prosecuted.”

APC: Ladoja sponsoring lies against Ajimobi

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has accused the governorship candidate of Accord, Rashidi Ladoja, of sponsoring the circulation of a “leaflet of concocted lies” against the Abiola Ajimobi-led administration.

It said the electorate would not be swayed by such lies.

In a statement by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, the APC said Ladoja has a penchant for fabricating lies and circulating same to mislead the public, especially to win undeserved electoral mandate.

It claimed that the former governor was always at the forefront of attempts to institutionalise dirty politics in the state since 2002, when he succeeded to out-do other contenders to get the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The statement reads: “The crude manner in which Ladoja secured the governorship ticket to contest the 2003 election remains fresh

•Accord: it’s not true From Bisi Oladele, Ibadan

in the memory of the original members of the PDP. “The lies he told against the late Lam Adesina to dislodge him from the Agodi Government House were largely responsible for the failure of that administration to complete its well deserved two terms in office.

“We recall that Ladoja also sponsored many lies against the Adebayo Alao-Akala administration in the build up to the 2011 elections but the effect was not in his favour as majority of the electorate knew what to do with their votes. He then sought to discredit the mandate given to Ajimobi by sponsoring infantile lies again.

“Not satisfied with the “hand of fellowship” extended to him by Ajimobi who accommodated several nominees in his government, Ladoja used his loyalists within the corridor of power to obtain some clas-

sified information which he either doctored or twisted to mislead the public.

“At a debate recently, he was confronted by the governor on some falsehood coming from his camp and he left no one in doubt of his character as one who thrives on perjury and mudslinging.

“Ladoja has again begun to sponsor damaging publications, engage the services of rumour mongers and lie merchants to work against the governor and the APC after it became clear that the electorate would vote for the governor based on performance, promise and track record.

“We came across a leaflet being circulated in Ibadan in which Ladoja and his sympathisers packaged some lies and tagged it ’50 reasons why Ajimobi should not be re-elected’.

“We are also aware of a wicked rumour being circulated that scores of passen-

gers disappeared with two Ajumose shuttle buses.

These are the handiworks of the same disgruntled elements.

“As we urge the public to verify every claim from politicians with a view to ascertain its genuineness or lack of it, we call on the Accord leader to change his ways and turn a new leaf as politics should not turned to an instrument of character assassination, subterfuge and mudslinging.”

But the Director-General of the Rashidi Ladoja Campaign Organisation, Adeolu Adeleke, denied the allegation.

He said: “It is part of APC propaganda. If some people levy allegations against a government, and it believes that it is a lie, it should feel unconcerned.

“We have more reasons than those stated in the leaflet on why Ajimobi should not be re-elected. That shows we are not behind it.”

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) will hold a walk/rally from Maryland to Alausa, the seat of government, on Saturday.

Notable leaders, including its National Leader Bola Tinubu, vice presidential candidate Prof Yemi Osinbajo and the governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, are leading the Walk for Change.

Also expected on the train are: Governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), party leaders at the national and state levels.

Organisers of the event, the local chapter of the Buhari/ Osinbajo Campaign Organisation, said the walk will showcase the readiness of Lagosians and the party for the rescheduled general elections.

All lovers of democracy will join party faithful at the Maryland Junction for the event tagged: “Walk for Change”, that will take them through Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way, Allen Avenue and terminate in front of the Assembly Complex, Alausa.

Senator donates lab to school

By Wale Ajetunmobi

THE lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Gbenga Ashafa, has donated a science laboratory building to Isheri Grammar School in Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

Ashafa said the laboratory building was one of the 98 constituency projects he sponsored to boost education and technology in the district.

The building houses four laboratories for chemistry, physics, biology and basic science.

He said: “Providing access to quality education remains our top priority. Personally, I am committed to giving our children the best to boost their morale and interest in education. This laboratory is one of the education empowerment programmes we have executed in our constituency.

“In some schools, we have initiated lofty programmes, including the famous “Backto-School” initiative, which provides writing materials, sets of mathematical instruments, textbooks, school bags and uniform to our children.

He urged the school management to maintain the laboratory.

Procession for Okoya-Thomas

By Kofoworola Belo-Osagie

THE Lagos State University (LASU) will hold a candle light procession and valedictory session in honour of its late Chancellor, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, today.

A statement by the university said the procession by the students, would start at 2.30pm from the Students’ Arcade of the Ojo campus and terminate at the Main Auditorium.

The management announced that the Students’ Union election would hold tomorrow in all the campuses.

The statement noted that the election, which was meant to have held last December, was suspended “to allow the students write their examinations”.

The students were advised to be orderly during the exercise.

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NEWS Jonathan greets Adeboye at 73

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has paid glowing tribute to the “productive spiritual leadership” being offered by Pastor Enoch Adeboye for members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) and Nigerians.

In a congratulatory letter to the General Overseer of the RCCG on the occasion of his 73rd birthday today, President Jonathan also expressed his profound appreciation of the prayerful support which the cleric has given to the present administration.

A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said: “It gives me great pleasure to felicitate with you on the occasion of your 73rd birthday.

“Our administration and the Nigerian nation owe you a debt of gratitude for your

From Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

prayerful support and the productive spiritual leadership you continue to provide, not just for the millions that constitute the membership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God across the world, but also for the entire body of Christ in Nigeria.

“On a personal level, I have left every meeting with you greatly strengthened and deeply inspired by your steadfast faith and commitment to the peace, stability, growth and development of our dear nation.

“I pray that Almighty God continues to imbue you with robust health and enduring fulfillment in the many more years of worthy service ahead of you,” President Jonathan wrote.

He wished Pastor Adeboye very happy birthday celebrations.

MASSOB launches vehicle licences

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HE Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) at the weekend in Owerri, the Imo State capital, launched Biafran particulars and number plates for vehicles and motorcycles.

It said the action was in line with its non-violent principle.

•Urges Ndigbo to support policy From Okodili Ndidi, Owerri

In a statement by the MASSOB Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, the leader of the group, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, who unveiled the number plates at a meeting with the zonal leaders of

MASSOB, urged Ndigbo to embrace the advancement of the Biafran state.

He directed MASSOB leaders to open markets and business places in their areas where only Biafran pounds would be accepted as a medium of exchange.

Uwazuruike assured Ndigbo that in the new Biafran state, “there will be no power outage, corruption and crime.”

Mocha said: “We have our coat of arms, flag, uniformed security men, who are serving as soldiers, policemen, among others.”

Obiano averts mayhem in community •Monarch, elders settle quarrel From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

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NAMBRA State Governor Willie Obiano at the weekend averted what would have been a mayhem in Awka. He suspended the election of a president-general until after the general elections.

The monarch of the kingdom, Obi Gibson Nwosu and the Ozo society, who had been at loggerheads for four years, reconciled.

The suspension of the election into the position held by Tony Okechukwu, an engineer, whose tenure would end on March 17, was contained in a letter to the community by the state government, written by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Oseloka Obaze.

The meeting was held in the home of the head of Ozo society and the oldest Ozo in the land, Ozo Obiorah Eselu.

The community hailed Obiano for what he was doing in Awka and his intervention in the looming crisis over the president-general election.

Comrade Obi Ochije, the chairman of 20 villages in the community (Ezinano), said Obiano’s intervention was an achievement.

‘Alomo Bitters’ wears new hologram seal

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RODUCERS of ‘Alomo Bitters’ at the weekend unveiled a hologram seal to fight counterfeit and enhance easy identification of the authentic product.

Strategically positioned on the cap of every bottle of the drink is a silver-like shining seal with special features and similar to that found on the non-polymer naira notes.

Speaking on the rationale for the new seal, Marketing Manager, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited, producers of the drink, Mr. Peter Adegor, said the need to protect the brand equity and to continue to guar-

By Tonia ‘Diyan

antee consumer safety were paramount to the management.

He said that while between 2011 and 2012 ‘Alomo Bitters’ accounted for about 80 per cent of the bitters market share, the position of the brand has been threatened by the devilish imitation of the original product which made it difficult for the consumers to distinguish their favourite drink from the fake.”We need to exterminate this fear and reassure consumers that they can still enjoy their favourite ‘Alomo Bitters,” he said.

•President, Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, Comrade Isah Abubakar (left), exchanging a signed peace pact with the President, Ijaw Youth Council of Nigeria, Mr Udengs Eradiri, after signing the pact, in Kaduna...yesterday. With them is Head of Department of Geography, Kaduna State University, Prof. John Gambo.

PHOTO: NAN

Supreme Court wants status quo maintained over OMLs sales

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HE Supreme Court has asked parties in a suit involving Brittania-U Nigeria Limited, Chevron/ Seplat and others to maintain status quo and not do anything that might overreach the case.

Justice John Fabiyi, who sat on the appeal, also reminded counsel representing the parties that it was their duty to advise their clients on the need to respect the court’s authority.

The case is in respect of the acquisition of Chevron’s interest in oil mining leases (OMLS) 52, 53 and 55.

Brittania-U’s counsel, Chief Rickey Tarfa (SAN) sought to move a motion for interlocutory injunction pending the appeal’s hearing.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

Seplat’s lawyer Damian Dodo (SAN) informed the court that the appeal itself was ripe for hearing, but that they filed their respondent’s brief out of time.

The court expressed its willingness to hear the substantive appeal.

The Federal High Court in Lagos had granted interim injunction against Chevron and others, restraining them from selling to Seplat Chevron’s 40 percent participation interest in OMLS 52, 53 and 55.

Brittania-U alleged that it won in a competitive bid for the OMLs conducted by Chevron’s investment bankers-

BNP Paribas, in 2013 at a price of USD $1.015 billion.

Seplat appealed to the Court of Appeal in Lagos against the refusal by the Federal High Court to vacate the interim injunction, contending that the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case was being challenged by the respondent.

The Court of Appeal allowed the appeal in June 2014, reasoning that the life of the interim order could not be extended, while the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court was being challenged.

Dissatisfied, Brittania-U appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking the restoration of the injunction granted by the Federal High Court, which was

to last till the motion for the interlocutory injunction is determined.

It was learnt at the weekend that officials of both Chevron and Seplat landed in Port Harcourt, in what was ostensibly believed to be a mission to inspect two of Chevron’s assets that the multinational put up for sale in 2013, the matter of which is now subject of litigation.

The inspection trip came barely a day after the Supreme Court, sitting for the first time over an appeal filed before it, said it was ready to proceed with the main suit and admonished parties to the suit to stay any action on the asset sale and not to do anything that would overreach the case.

Gunshot victims now to be treated without police report, say Reps

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ICTIMS of gunshot wounds will henceforth be treated without Police report, the report on a Bill for an Act to make Provisions for the Compulsory Treatment and Care for the Victims of Gunshot and Other Matters Connected Therewith has said.

House of Representatives members adopted the report last Thursday.

The report, which was sponsored by Nkiruka Onyejeocha (PDP, Abia), Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, was passed and adopted after consideration at the Committee of the Whole.

Mrs Onyejeocha, arguing the bill, said: “The issue of conditional access to medication by victims of gunshot in Nigeria has generated thorny argu-

From Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

ments among scholars, policy makers, medical practitioners and the general public.”

“The central thesis of the argument from all sides revolves around the issue of saving lives vi’s-avis the provision of the extant law”.

According to her, the misinterpretation of the provision of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act, Cap 398 of 1984 has been largely responsible for the refusal of medical practitioners to attend to gunshot victims which often time leads to loss of innocent lives.

The lawmaker said passing the bill will give unrestricted access to medical services by victims of gunshots; as well as

strengthen legal provisions and guarantee peoples’ fundamental rights to life and dignity of their persons.

A legislation with 18 clauses, the bill covers all aspects of gunshot injuries and the circumstances thereto if signed into law will make it mandatory for medical facilities to attend to individuals with such injuries without recourse to police report or approval for the purpose of saving lives.

However, immediate notification must be made to the police regarding such cases.

“Despite the Act providing that, it shall be the duty of any person, hospital or clinic that admits, treats or administers drug to any person suspected of having bullet wounds to immediately report the matter

to the police, medical institutions in Nigeria have severally refused to attend to victims of gunshot requesting such victims to produce police report.

“The refusal of hospitals and other medical facilities to attend to gunshot victims amounts to a negation of the fundamental human rights of those victims to life as enshrined in the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, she said.

Clause 1 of the bill states: “As from the commencement of this Bill, every hospital in Nigeria whether public or private shall accept or receive for immediate and adequate treatment with or without clearance any person with a gunshot wound.

According to Mrs. Onyejeocha, the refusal to treat victims of gunshot also amounts to a negation of the ethics and oath of the medical profession (to save lives) which practitioners swore to keep.

Hospitals denying the provision of medical care and attention to gunshot victims until police report is produced, as it is the practice in Nigeria is not supported by cross-country experiences in places such as the United Kingdom and Canada,” she noted.

Clause 4 of the bill states: “It shall be the duty of any hospital that receives any person with gunshot wound to report the fact to the nearest police within two (2) hours of commencement of treatment”.

While Clauses 5 and 6 of the

bill give the police power to immediately begin investigation into the circumstances surrounding the gunshot upon receipt of a report from the hospital authority; and must not take the victim away from the facility until it is certified by the Chief Medical Director of the hospital that the victim is fit enough to leave and is in no further need of Medicare.

A penalty of six months imprisonment is stipulated by clause 7 of the Bill for doctors who fail to notify the police of such cases and a fine of N100,000 (hundred thousand) on any erring hospital. Clause 9 recommends five years imprisonment with a N50,000 (fifty thousand) fine on anyone who willfully withholds information from the police authority.

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‘Collapsed Synagogue building not caused by structural defect’

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HE collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCAN) building was not caused by structural defects, Coroner Oyetade Comolafe has heard.

A consultant engineer, Oladele Ogundeji, who supervised the project, repudiated claims “that the collapse was caused by foundation defects,” saying: “The building had 28 columns.

Ogundeji, who works Hardrock Construction and Engineering Limited, said a soil test was conducted by a geo-technical engineer whose report informed the building design.

The coroner admitted the amended architectural and structural designs of the building, which were tendered through Ogundeji as exhibit.

Led in evidence by SCOAN’s counsel Mr Olalekan Ojo, Ogundeji told the coroner last Friday that he was trained in Building Technology and Building Engineering in Yugoslavia, adding: “I will not agree that the collapse was caused by structural defect. If it was a structural defect the collapse will be gradual. There will be cracks visible even to a layman.

“When I watched the CCTV footage, everything came down within four seconds. Speaking sincerely, I believe that it must have been

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I watched the CCTV footage, ‘When everything came down within four seconds. Speaking sincerely, I believe that it must have been induced scientifically but I don’t know the means

’

By Adebisi Onanuga

induced scientifically but I don’t know the means.”

The direction and the speed of the fall of the building were not consistent with structural failure, adding: “According to the drawing and based on the geotechnical reports, the foundations were okay. This project is a technological cause, it can be verified.

“Now, when we were working on site, we did not envisage that something like this would happen but after the collapse, an agency of the state, the Lagos State Material Testing Agency came to the site, they instructed that three bases should be excavated, they took some samples and carried out laboratory tests. They came out with the result; the concrete pad footing passed the test, the reinceforcement passed the test and the col-

umns passed the test. Apart from this, the foundation on site that the six-storey building stood upon are still there, they are intact, no rotation and no tilting.”

According to Ogundeji, despite the stress occasioned by the collapse, the foundation still passed the test conducted by the agency.

The results, he said, were in the court’s custody.

When asked about the signs of a building that collapsed because of foundational compromise, Ogundeji said there would have been cracks in the foundation and the wall, adding that the building would have been tilting weeks before its collapse.

Illustrating with a schematic diagram, Ogundeji said: “If it is a structural failure, the whole building would not come down suddenly on no account and when it is coming down it would be gradual, it may take days, weeks or

My wife sent me packing, says man

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32-YEAR-old woman, Folashade Olaleye has prayed the Alakuko Customary Court in Lagos, to dissolve her 12-year-old marriage.

She is seeking to part ways with her husband Sunday Olaleye, who she accused of deriving pleasure from cursing her.

She said they have been quarrelling since they started living as a couple.

Mrs Olaleye, a trader said a day was never complete without a disagreement.

She said: “His mother has been against our marriage from the outset. I couldn’t back out because I was pregnant. None of his relations attended our child’s dedication but his mother came to assist me after our first child’s birth. As I speak, I don’t relate with any of his relations.

“My husband knows the nature of my business; occasionally, I travel out of the country for three to four days and he always complains each time I return despite using the money to cater for our children’s needs. I once advised him to join me in the business because I have a friend whose husband monitors her shop each time we travel. Instead, my husband said he wouldn’t allow a woman to control his movement.

I was sad.

“Since he left home last October, he comes to my place every morning and night to rain curses on me in the presence of our children. I will take care of our children. He is free to visit them whenever he pleases. I don’t need him in my life anymore besides it’s been a year since we slept with each other,” she said.

Olaleye, a 36-year-old motorcyclist, in his defence told the court: “Yes, we disagree a lot and she rains curses on my folks too.

It is also true my mother came to nurse our first child but she stopped coming because of my wife’s attitude. On several occasions, both families have advised us on how to reconcile our conflict but my wife never worked on her flaws. I stopped taking al-

By Adeola Ogunlade

•‘He said he won’t allow a woman control him’

‘

She doesn’t have time for our children. She attends more than four social gatherings in a week. In fact, she is footloose and adulterous because I hear a lot of things from neighbours and I once caught her in company of a man at the junction where I work

By Basirat Braimah

’

coholic drinks and smoking because of her. I tried so many ways to let peace reign but instead, she would shout at me asking me to give her a breathing space. She never asked me to join her business.

“She doesn’t have time for our children. She attends more than four social gatherings in a week.

In fact, she is footloose and adulterous because I hear a lot of things from neighbours and I once caught her in company of a man at the junction where I work. I did not leave the house willingly. My wife sent me away.

Whenever I returned a bit late from work, she sends me back.

My clothes are still in her place because I couldn’t take anything when she sent me away. The last time we slept with each other was four months ago and not a year as she claims. I still love her because of our children if not, dissolution is best for us.”

The marriage produced three children.

The court’s President, Chief Awos Awosola, asked Olaleye to pack his clothes at the petitioner’s house and adjourned the case till March 12.

•Pastor Temitope Joshua

months and it can take 10 years and there will be cracks that even a layman will see it.”

The construction, the witness said, followed best practices, adding that though his client was responsible for the supply of building materials, he gave the specification and suggested the supplier.

He said Dangote cement was used for the construction, adding that every bag of cement procured was used within two weeks of manufacture because the storage room was small.

Ogundeji disagreed with the agency’s recommendation that a raft foundation should have been erected for the structure.

Under-cross examination by Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran, counsel to the Lagos State government, Ogundeji said certified designs were sufficient for the start of the project.

Hearing resumes today.

HE Nigeria School of the Blind (NSB) has trained no fewer than 2,000 visually impaired persons (VIPs) in vocational skills.

At a briefing to herald NSB’s 60th anniversary in Lagos, its chairman, Mrs Biola Agbaje, said the VIP’s were trained in computing, tye and dye, daily skill living, mobility skills, operational skills for job placement, teaching and pastoral care.

The school, she said, does after care service for its ex-trainees with the creation of a Cooperative and Thrift Society.

According to her, N1.9 million has been earmarked to provide start-up soft loans for the trainees or for sponsorship to return to school.

Mrs Agbaje said the school is open to more support and partnership for the next 60 years, adding: “The society must not die because of the good it is doing to the virtually impaired community”.

She recalled that NSB was founded in May 1955 with assistance of the late Sir James Robertson, then Governor-General of the Federation, with a vision to rehabilitate and train visually handicapped adolescents and adults.

From one building, the school, she said, today has different structures which include Braille library, cane workshop, dining room, music studio, hostels, classrooms, cooking and gymnastic rooms.

Court discharges suspected kidnapper C

HIEF Magistrate A.O Komolafe sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, has struck out a kidnap charge preferred against Adebayo Orekoya for lack of dilligent prosecution.

Orekoya was arraigned last June 30 for allegedly attempting to kidnap a Lagos socialite, Adelekan Victor, popularly known as “Ade Lexus”.

The police alleged that Orekoya conspired with other persons at large and attempted to kidnap Victor.

The police alleged that Orekoya last May 10 persistently followed Victor from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital to Pekas Club on Allen Avenue in Ikeja, Lagos with the intent to kidnap him.

The charge reads: “That you Adebayo Orekoya and others already charged to Magistrate’s Court 2, Ikeja in Charge No. MIK/B/132/ 2014 on May 10, 2014 at about 23:30hrs at Pekas Club Allen Avenue, in the Lagos Magisterial District did attempt to kidnap one Ade Victor by persistently following

By Adebisi Onanuga

him from Ibadan in Oyo State to Pekas Club, Allen Avenue, Lagos in an attempt to kidnap him.”

The offence, according to the police, is punishable under Sections 271 and 410 of the criminal laws of Lagos State 2011.

Orekoya pleaded not guilty.

Despite several adjournments, the police failed to produce witnesses, the Investigating Police Officer, (IPO) also failed to appear in court.

Discharging the defendant last Thursday, Chief Magistrate Komolafe said it was clear the police were not ready to prosecute the case.

Defendant’s counsel Terry Badmus told reporters that the court’s decision justified his claim that the police cooked up the charge against his client.

He said he would file a suit against the police for malicious prosecution.

•Oshodi Isolo Local Government Executive Secretary Dawood Olajobi (middle) with (from left) Adesanya Yusuf; Council Manager Kolawole Hundeyin; Alhaji Lanre Malik and Mrs Atinuke Ajayi all members of the transition committee of during a sensitization programme with the officials of staff of the council on the importance of Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) at the Secretariat in Oshodi, Lagos.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Leave Jega alone •Any plot to remove the INEC boss tempts danger and disruption for Nigeria

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HE warning is potent and unequivocal. Some senators belonging to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on February 26 cried out that the hierarchy of the ruling party under President Goodluck Jonathan planned within a week to oust Professor Attahiru Jega as the umpire of the postponed presidential and other polls.

Whatever the merit of the alarm, we want to sound it loud and clear that all those who contemplate Jega’s ouster are not only cowards but weak-minded subverts of our law. They are courting disaster for this democracy, a system that now stands frail from ceaseless pounding of lawlessness from the bigwigs of the president’s party and their peevish cohorts.

They mouth the rule of law in one breath, and in the other they act as dedicated gangsters who now see Nigeria as their fiefdoms of avarice and rapine.

The APC senators’ warnings may have been dismissed as partisan ranting, but they have not spoken out of a vacuum.

Henchmen of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have not had flattering words for the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). They have accused him of holding meetings he is not on record to have held. They have accused him of cohabiting with northern hegemonists without evidence. They have also tried to tar him with partisan prejudice by saying he meets with elements of the opposition APC, also without proof.

The president has openly shown displeasure with Prof. Jega over his disagreement with • Jonathan him over whether the postponed elections should have held. In the last presidential chat, he let everyone hear that he had the powers to remove Jega, although the media weighed in on words to the effect that he had no intention to eject the electoral umpire. The point though is that his intention is not material to the law. He has no powers of any arbitrary sort to remove Professor Jega as the arbiter of the polls now scheduled for March 28 and April 11, 2015.

The APC senators, led by Senator George Akume, noted that the cynical strategy to remove Jega is the well-worn path of sending him on a terminal leave.

They know that if they do that, they can settle on a pliant figure to conduct the polls and do their bidding in rigging the polls in their favour.

Two fundamental things are wrong with this fiendish design. One, it is against the law. The president has no powers under the law to remove the INEC chief without the support of two-thirds majority in the senate. The president is probably aware of this, and that accounts for the alleged subterfuge of going through the route of an epistolary brigandage.

They are alleged to be plotting to ask the head of service to write Prof. Jega to proceed on a terminal leave. The INEC chief

has said his term of office does not end until late June this year. So why not ask the man to complete his duty to his fatherland? But because of fear of the outcome of the elections, some desperadoes in the inner sanctum of the president, with his apparent backing, have decided to ratchet up the tension in the country.

As the APC leaders quoted from the memo of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation dated 11th August 2010, “I am to further inform you that paragraph 1 of the Circular clarified that the content of the Circular is only applicable to core officers who run the civil service to retirement at thirty-five (35) years of service or sixty years of age and not for a definite tenure as is the case under reference.”

Prof. Jega is not a core officer of the civil service but he was appointed for definite

• Jega

tenure. He does not fall into the bracket of those who can be slammed with an indefinite leave prior to leaving office.

Two, even if the INEC chief falls into that bracket, it reeks of indecency for the presidency to plot his ouster knowing full well that every right-thinking person will believe it is done out of spite and fear. It therefore lacks commonsense to contemplate Jega’s ouster under whatever guise.

The Jonathan administration was unhappy with the press statement from the INEC chief when he attributed the election postponement to the failure of the service chiefs to guarantee security, especially in the northeast because of the rampaging presence of the Boko Haram sect. The service chiefs have come under vehement hammer over what many see

as the undue militarisation and corruption of the top tier of the military. The same military has been accused of lack of spunk and discipline in mowing down the vicious sect in the northeast. Gains have been recorded in the past weeks, and much of it has been attributed to the skill and ferocity of the neighbouring countries, especially Chad Republic. The president, in ceremonial combat fatigue, visited the reclaimed territories while it is still not clear how much our military contributed to the good news.

Yet, the same military is now being urged by Jonathan loyalists to conduct the polls, even though the Court of Appeal has said it is against the law, and only in emergencies can soldiers play a role in the civil society.

We must draw the nation’s attention to a group that operates under the amorphous name Southern Nigerian People’s Assembly. Some of the members include former Federal Commissioner of Information Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, a member of a Yoruba group called Afenifere, Femi Okurounmu and former information minister Walter Ofonagoro. This group that lacks wisdom or any discernible patriotic zeal has called for Jega’s ouster, and the nation should beware of them.

The president cannot claim ignorance of the bombardment of advertorials in the media from his known loyalists calling for the replacement of Professor Jega. If the president cannot restrain them, it is because he is in sync with them.

That is dangerous. The nation is fragile enough as it is, and we do not want the president to take the tension up by any notch.

Optimists have asserted that Nigeria is familiar with crises of this sort and we, somehow, finagle our way into peace.

That is ominous optimism. The first and second republics, the June 12 crisis, and other crises have never been resolved. We went through patchworks only to return to the sanguinary moment we experienced before. Bloodshed and systemic disjuncture often tore down the society.

Even though Nigeria has managed to survive, it is not always a guarantee that the past survival will determine the next one.

It could be the disaster next looming. That is why the best path is law and decency.

Following a path of ousting Jega negates this spirit and tempts anarchy.

‘The cynical strategy to remove Jega is the well-worn path of sending him on a terminal leave. They know that if they do that, they can settle on a pliant figure to conduct the polls and do their bidding in rigging the polls in their favour. Two fundamental things are wrong with this fiendish design. One, it is against the law. The president has no powers under the law to remove the INEC chief without the support of two-thirds majority in the senate’

Spare Nigeria of an impending jaga jaga!

S

IR: When Prof. Attahiru Jega replaced Prof.

Maurice Iwu as Chairman INEC, Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief and hoped that, finally, the “wuruwuru” and nightmares that characterized the much derided and vilified 2007 elections were over! Attahiru Jega was roundly welcomed and he proceeded to conduct the 2011 elections in a much more respectable and credible way than his predecessor. And the seeds of hopes for a well-organised 2015 were planted. The 2015 elections, Nigerians hoped, would be the country’s affirmation of its belief in the democratic process.

That was until that fateful day when in the glare of television lights at the INEC Media Centre, he made the announcement that INEC was postponing the elections earlier scheduled for February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11, 2015.

Anybody who had been following Prof Jega all along would confirm that that was not the erudite professor of Political Science addressing the Press.

His immaculately white capstan in which he was garbed could not hide his bewildered befuddlement. He approbated and reprobated.

“Yes, INEC is ready to conduct the elections,” he said. Yet, in the next sentence he gave a litany of reasons that make the Roman Catholic Church’s Litany of Saints tame which revealed INEC’s unreadiness to conduct the elections.

The reactions to this announcement have been a flurry of activities, statements, protests and what have you against and in support of the decision.

Somehow, some unanimity was reached about the constitutionality of INEC’s action. INEC has the right to make such a change, especially, since the change still fell within the window of opportunity established by the Nigerian Constitution.

Since then, Prof Jega’s attempts at explaining the issues involved in the decision have been more confounding. The more he tries to explain the features of INEC’s arrangements for the elections to “key stakeholders,” the more complex his explanations have become and the more questions have arisen. So, we are left in a worse situation listening to him than before he began speaking.

From my humble perspective as a Nigerian, three things MUST not happen from now on! First, Prof Attahiru Jega cannot, must not, should not resign or be fired as Chairman of INEC until after the elections are o-v-e-r!

Secondly, March 28 and April 11, 2015 are sacrosanct elections days in Nigeria. Nothing, absolutely nothing, must CHANGE those dates.

Thirdly, anything that can undermine Nigerians’ belief in the integrity and credibility of the elections must be done away with, in the interest of Nigeria. Already, word is going around, in spite of Prof Jega’s explanations, that the Card Readers, yes Card Readers that INEC intends to use at the polling stations are being deployed for the purposes of sending fictitious data to INEC’s Data Centre, which will then be used by INEC to make pronouncements on the outcome of the elections.

These three issues are potential time bombs for a country already on the precipice of major turbulence. The country should be spared of these dire circumstances. We cannot afford to get out of “wuruwuru” and then move straight ahead into “jagajaga.” So, help us God. • Prof Angelicus Onasanya, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: When Paul Collier, the professor of Economics at the Oxford University wrote in his book “Wars, Guns & Votes - Democracy in Dangerous Places”, not a few development media journalists criticized him for indulging in illicit generalization about the problems of insecurity in Africa especially considering the tripartite roles of civil unrest manifesting in wars, weapons and the elusive pursuit of peace through democratic practices.

But Africa is indeed a hotbed of crisis. And Nigeria is living up to the calling as the battleground. The nation has been in the news across major news outlets around the world; providing daily items for the media with nothing short of bad advertisements for the continent in

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

Fuelling the fire: Journalism and Boko Haram reports (often contrived) of insurgency and the perceived failure of the security agencies to repeal these attacks. While the nation groans under the threat of insecurity, politicians are busy perfecting their acts and strategies to win the elections either by “rigging” or “shifting” of the elections; and the media busy feeding on all sorts from rumours to outright falsehoods.

Reports on threats of Boko Haram

especially in the run up to the general elections have dominated the media. Almost half of every news bulletin on Nigerian television stations is dedicated to stories on Boko Haram. Newspapers sell more with screaming banner headlines announcing Boko Haram exploits or rarely of the bravery of our soldiers as Chris Olukolade or the Defence Headquarters would want; radio is not any better. A very common but

disturbing practice is the undue publicity given to the dreaded group with every video. Every time Boko Haram releases videos, the newsrooms go crazy; feasting over it; some even broadcast their videos end-to-end thereby directly aiding the group to push its deadly agenda. No censorship. No sense of responsibility to the society and the Nigerian state.

Real news informs and enlight-

Re: President can sack INEC chairman

IR: I read Dr. Kayode Ajulo’s interview published on page 42 of The Nation of Tuesday, February 24, particularly as it concerns the powers of the president to sack the INEC chairman.

Ajulo in his interview gave affirmation to the question whether or not the president has the right to sack the INEC chairman. He claimed that his position stem from the provisions of the constitution and other extant laws even though he cited no particular section of any law or constitution. He finally concluded by asserting that the president appointed Jega, therefore has the right to fire him.

With due respect to Dr. Ajulo, I greatly differ. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a creation of section 153(1) (f) of the 1999 constitution as amended and not a creation of the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria. By the provision of section 154(1) of the constitution aforesaid, the appointments of chairman and members of INEC are made by the president subject to confirmation by the senate. In essence, in the appointment of chairman and members of INEC, the president has the originating powers of the process of installing an INEC chairman. However, once the INEC chairman is confirmed by the senate, the president loses

the powers to initiate the process of his removal from the office and therefore cannot originate or activate the process of removing the chairman or members of INEC. By the provisions of section 157 of the 1999 constitution which deals with removal of a person holding the offices created by section 153 which includes INEC (but excludes members of National Population Commission), for such an office holder to be removed by the president, the president will act on an address supported by two-third majority of the senate requiring or praying that such an office holder be removed for inability to discharge the functions of the office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct.

The implication of section 157 of the constitution is that for INEC chairman or any member of the commission to be removed, the process of such removal must be initiated by the senate through a panel or committee who must investigate the allegation during which the officer affected must be heard.

Following the investigation, and report of the panel, the senate of the whole of 109 members shall in a session by not less than 73 persons pray the president to remove the

affected chairman or member of the commission. The figure 73 is next approximate to two-third of 109 as held by the Supreme Court in the case of INAKOJU Vs. ADELEKE (2007) 143 LRCN @ 89.

I hope Dr Ajulo knows that the commission enumerated under section 153, (INEC inclusive) is separated from such federal bodies that draw their lives, existence and

operations from ministries and executive departments like the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The power to remove INEC chairman is not domiciled with the president but requires a joint effort of senate and the president.

•Victor C. Nwaugo Esq. Hospital Rd, Aba, Abia State

ens. It should not, in and of itself, incite or propel negative responses.

Not for a nation in dire need of responsible and development-oriented journalism like Nigeria.

News should lead to rational response and reason, not reactionary impulse. What Boko Haram is doing and promoting through its media, is evil and unconscionable to the lowest imaginable. From the abduction of Chibok girls to videos of treasonable speeches; the news that the captives were being sold and used as suicide bombers provides the information from which we can form a reasonable response.

The showing of the actual videos promotes only the most reactionary of responses; it stoops to the level of Boko Haram and moves us backward, instead of forward.

Journalists would therefore do our society more good by adhering to the time tested principle of sieving through information for public consumption. And there are criteria for this. A key criteria is: Boko Haram wants us to show it. If Boko Haram wants you to show something, you should start with the principle of ‘How can we avoid doing that?’

Sometimes you can’t, because it’s editorially a key part of the story.

But in this case, we can if we want to.

• Adedeji Ajayi, TVC News, Lagos

Fani-Kayode’s flurry of fictions

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IR, President Goodluck Jonathan left no one in doubt about the type of campaign he wanted to run when he picked well known loose cannon with no modicum of decency, Femi Fani-Kayode, as his campaign spokesperson.

Known for throwing decency to the gutters with toxic Facebook posts, the Osun State-born law graduate, had conducted himself in the last few years in a manner that makes one wonder if the globally respected Cambridge University will ever be proud of such product.

Fani-Kayode has since discharged his duty to type – daily regaling us with tissues of lies to demonize the candidacy of General Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the APC. First, he sold to the media the non-issue of Buhari’s certificate, and even when the Katsina School where General Buhari had his secondary education

released the statement of result of the general and the master list issued by Cambridge University which conducted the exam in 1961, he declared it fake.

Fani-Kayode and his Social Media hirelings have thrown everything – including the kitchen sink – in the direction of the General. They have forged medical reports in the name on a non-existent “Ahmadu Bello Teaching Hospital” to declare Buhari as having prostate cancer. They have circulated “minutes” of imaginary meetings to say Jega met with Northern elders in Kaduna (in other reports, Dubai) on rigging elections; they have hired commercial protesters to embarrass General Buhari in London.

They have paid millions of naira to put up adverts in national dailies in the name of a fictitious “Muslim” group in the South West endorsing Buhari because “they wanted Islami-

zation of the South West”.

Fani-Kayode was yet again at his lying best when he addressed the press few days ago accusing APC of having made their vice presidential candidate, Yemi Osinbajo, sign to an oath to resign after six months in office. It is more unfortunate that the press which should have by now been familiar with the wicked fabrications of Fani-Kayode, gave this hogwash undeserved prominence.

The election is less than four weeks, and I know Fani-Kayode’s fiction machine is still being oiled to produce more between now and the election date, if they ever allow the election to hold. The task of extricating Nigeria from these fiction vendors and setting it on the path of progress is the business of every patriotic Nigerian.

• Suraj Oyewale Ajah, Lagos

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

COMMENTS

Afenifere: Still consequential or now futile?

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N clarity, Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-political group is no longer what it used to be. Once upon a time, it was a body respected and honoured by the people of the old Western Region. Its story has changed.

Purposely in the early 1950s, the leadership of the Yorubabased political party, the Action Group under the leadership of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo established the forum tagged ‘Egbe Afenifere’ to tackle predicaments of the people. It was with a mission to inform and propagate the principles and ethics of the party to their people who neither speak nor understand foreign language.

This group that loves its people for good discovered the good things that would transform their lives. Specifically, it revealed agenda that would make all school age children in the region to be enrolled in primary school at government expenses. It also guaranteed free medical expenses in the hospitals for all children from birth to the age of eighteen.

All the concepts were materialized in genuineness and authentic faithfulness. To exhibit fundamental and comprehensive transformative thrust of the political party, schools for adults, plainly meaning ‘Ile Eko Awon Agba’ were established in the region to teach farmers, artisans, market women, among others to read and write; the goal being to eradicate illiteracy in the region within two decades. This was also based on the leadership’s believe that it would be intricate misruling a literate people with capacity to preserve their rights.

Notwithstanding the opposition to Awolowo who was the party’s leader and to the Afenifere group by some political men in the region who distrusted them, dedication in sincerity made the implemented purpose to become fulfilled.

Till today, in Southwest of Nigeria, there are still feasible products of the Egbe Afenifere agenda through the longdefunct Action Group. The policy set the party apart from other parties, not only in the region, but in all parts of the country. The Egbe Afenifere was not an all-inclusive sunshade for all political propensities in Yorubaland, it was an umbrella for those who pledged to its ethics and principles.

The story has changed to the other side of progress and benefit to the people even as some of the present elders

were supposed to be conscious of the reality of the established Afenifere. Once Pa Abraham Adesanya who later headed the group died, Egbe Afenifere became irrelevant and has continued to decline. Pathetically, it has now relegated itself to licking its wounds in a hushed bend of the Southwest - without influence and without impact on the people and the region as it used to be.

That Afenifere was recently mobilized by Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko to ally with President Goodluck Jonathan and endorse his ambition to remain in office is a clear indication of taking a wrong step at the right time. Definitely Afenifere’s endorsement was not made on behalf of true Yoruba people that earnestly desire for change.

Is it sensible to see an idle Afenifere justly speaking for a larger Yoruba populace? How many of those elders making pronouncements have ever been voted for in Yorubaland?

What impact do they even have upon their local communities? Can they even win ward elections?

Endorsement or no endorsement, nobody can enforce the neglected people on how to vote, who to vote for or not to vote for.

Peoples Democratic Party has ruled for 16 years without moving Nigeria forward. It has proved itself a disgraceful party - of immense corruption and ineptitude. The leaders now move round to share public funds and resources just to inspire being voted for. It is as if they are unaware that many Nigerians today remain unimpressed of the cluelessness and deceitfulness of the party and its leadership.

Today’s Afenifere is surely out of value. Its claimed meaningless endorsement is claimed to enable him implement the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference. The conference that swallowed billions of national funds ended mid last year and nothing has been done of its report as if it has been a wasted effort. Will anybody still believe that President Jonathan will implement what he has been failing to do when he resumes office to cover the unrighteousness of his allies?

What if he wants to implement as promised but again prove incompetent to do what Afenifere wants? Indeed, what has he really attained in Southwest region in the last 6 years that should make him reliable and dependable?

Must it be because the Southwest woman he had wanted to install as Speaker of the House of Representatives failed is the reason why no other Yoruba people of value will be in position of power in the nation today? Or why should he be more loving to the Yorubas of nonintegrity? Just imagine the likes of the Kashamus, Obanikoros, Omisores, Fayoses, Bode Georges who are his Yoruba allies. It is as if he is saying that those in criminalities and in self-interests are the best Yorubaland

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HIS is the greatly expected month of political determination in Nigeria and a month of great political expectations. But so was last month, with the general elections originally slated for February 14 and 28. It is unsurprising that the controversial six-week rescheduling of the polls has generated further controversy about the developing story of democratic continuity and the possibility of discontinuity.

It is a measure of the pregnant atmosphere that President Goodluck Jonathan, for whatever it was worth, made an attempt to clarify his intentions at the February 22 opening mass for the plenary Assembly of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria ProCathedral, Garki, Abuja. Jonathan declared: “There is no way Goodluck Jonathan, elected by the people with clear mandate, will now go and head an Interim Government.

The only interim government anybody can constitute is that of the military government which, of course, will not be accepted.” He added: “ECOWAS, AU, UN won’t accept it. And Nigeria will not be a pariah state. Clearly, the insinuation of interim government to me is treasonable.”

However, it is illuminating that when he also said, “Elections will be conducted as scheduled by INEC,” referring to the new dates of March 28 and April 11, he went on to paint a picture that suggested that the rearrangement might not be inviolable. He said: “Look at what happened in Gombe on February 14…If the elections had been held, the casualty figure after that attack in Gombe would have been great.”

In other words, security or insecurity is likely to remain a determining factor regarding even the fresh election timetable. Jonathan highlighted this reality at the February 19 launch of four ships at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos. He said: “We must conduct elections as sched-

‘Not much is ever realistic in the theatre of the absurd, and even the seemingly realistic is often consumed by the unrealistic. This may explain why the political and electoral authorities appear to be fixated on what is perhaps an unreasonable idea, which is, holding the elections in abeyance until things hopefully get better in the troubled areas.

How long will the country have to wait for normalcy in these places before elections can hold generally?’

Subtraction makes sense uled by INEC because within this period, we are convinced that we will return the North to the level where the activities of extremists will not affect our elections. We are working night and day and I have directed that Nigerians be briefed regularly.” Jonathan further said: “We will rout Boko Haram. Our capacity has increased sufficiently and officers and men are doing wonderfully well. The ongoing activities to contain the sect will also provide conducive atmosphere for elections to hold in the region.”

It is food for thought that Jonathan appears to be led by a one-track mind in this delicate matter. There is a critical and commonsensical question which exposes his cunning: What will happen if the atmosphere in the affected areas remains electorally unconducive?

To properly grasp the significance of this question, it is useful to reflect on the February 7 statement by the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, on why the elections were postponed a week to the first vote. According to Jega, “Last Wednesday, which was a day before the Council of State meeting, the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) wrote a letter to the Commission, drawing attention to recent developments in four Northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe currently experiencing the challenge of insurgency. The letter stated that security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February for the general elections.”

Jega continued: “This advisory was reinforced at the Council of State meeting on Thursday where the NSA and all the Armed Services and Intelligence Chiefs unanimously reiterated that the safety and security of our opera-

could offer.

Many are still ready to vote for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) today not for any perfection in him, but simply because he is considered as a better alternative to the ruling president that is desperate to resume office and continue to disastrously waste the goodness of the nation for a total of 10 years .

There is no prominent Nigerian Jonathan and his campaign organisation has not stolen ‘endorsement’ from.

He has been visiting all manner of churches, traditional rulers and communities which he had abandoned in his last six years in office. He adopted Ekiti State burdensome and tyrannical Governor Ayodele Fayose’s stomach infrastructures mentality by sharing rice and dumping the money he ought to use to be of promotion to life of the masses that are now in joblessness, poverty and developmental depression. We all learnt last week that PDP had to share foreign currencies to the oppressed Nigerians in the United Kingdom so that they can protest against Buhari who they confessed they have nothing against.

That the so-called Afenifere is not supporting Buhari is not because those elders hate him. The truth is that they are just working to oppose Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who is a National Leader of Buhari’s main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). This is why I comply with the view of an earnest Yoruba leader, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd) who condemned the endorsement. He said: “if this old men that are shouting marginalization a few months ago, can sit today to endorse the same man that is marginalizing them, then their brains need medical examination.”

Akinrinade observed that Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s emergence as APC vice presidential candidate, an in-law to the Awolowo family, is enough to unite Yoruba to work for a common interest like Afenifere of old. He portrayed the endorsement of Jonathan, against the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket as a serious disservice to the Yoruba race. “How can these people be speaking for Yoruba, when they abandon their own son to celebrate a man that sees them as nothing for complete four years? He continues to deceive them with implementation of National Conference, as if that is where our future lies.”

The retired General charged Yoruba youths to take their destiny in their hands, as the old men are not good role models. He depicted them as a group of sadist working unremittingly against Yoruba interest because of their hatred for a single man. He then counseled the scrapping Afenifere group to use their last days wisely since they will be answerable to God Almighty who created them one day.

He is right in wisdom. Failing Afenifere leaders does not speak for the entire Yoruba race. They have become inconsequential set who cannot dictate for Yorubas who are still sensible.

tions cannot be guaranteed, and that the Security Services needed at least six weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the insurgency in the Northeast; and that during this operation, the military will be concentrating its attention in the theatre of operations such that they may not be able to provide the traditional support they render to the Police and other agencies during elections.”

There must be something magical, not to say illogical, about the six-week time frame set for the conquest of insurgents who have carried out terroristic activities since 2009.

Optimism won’t win the terror war, no matter how well dressed. The naked pessimism of the people is unmistakable.

It is puzzling, even disturbing, that there is little or no evidence of the possibility of success regarding the publicised six-week target. On the contrary, there is evidence to suggest that it might be a mission impossible. The magical realism is underscored by ongoing efforts by Nigeria and four neighbouring nations, Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, to tackle the Islamist guerrilla force by creating a regional force. Reports said the contributions to the multinational force total 8, 700 individuals and its objective is to “foster a safe and secure environment in the impacted regions.”

Interestingly, Colonel Mahamane Laminu Sani, Director of Documentation and Military Intelligence of Niger’s armed forces was quoted as saying, “There are initiatives by our countries to make sure Boko Haram doesn’t get out of control, but we have a deadline of end-March to put the joint force into practice.” If the activation of the joint force is expected at the end of March, and Nigeria’s presidential poll is scheduled for March 28, what is the sense in the confidence of the Jonathan administration that Boko Haram would have been crushed before that particular election?

The government wants the people to suspend disbelief and believe that the local troops would have cut the militants down to size before the vote, but is this realistic?

Not much is ever realistic in the theatre of the absurd, and even the seemingly realistic is often consumed by the unrealistic. This may explain why the political and electoral authorities appear to be fixated on what is perhaps an unreasonable idea, which is, holding the elections in abeyance until things hopefully get better in the troubled areas. How long will the country have to wait for normalcy in these places before elections can hold generally?

The concept of electoral subtraction is worth consideration, meaning that the elections can be conducted excluding the unsafe areas, if it comes to the crunch. This is no time for the puristic argument that such electoral reasonableness would amount to the disenfranchisement of the circumstantially disenfranchised.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

18

COMMENTS

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AGOS State House of Assembly last week, resolved to invite Ms Josephine Agwu, a cleaner at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos to celebrate her for a rare display of honesty and integrity.

Reports had it that Ms Agwu had in the course of her duties, found N12 million in various currencies and returned it to the owner. That was the third time she was returning lost monies for the collection of their owners.

Apparently moved by this uncommon show of honesty and patriotism, the Deputy Whip, Rotimi Abiru, under matters of urgent public importance, called the attention of his colleagues to the fact that being the third time the lady was returning lost monies, the matter should not be allowed to pass just like that.

He recalled that the lady who earns a paltry N7, 800 monthly was given $50 the second time she found and returned lost money. Other contributors noted though the incident did not take place within an establishment of the Lagos State government, yet it was not out of place to appreciate her as a sign of moral motivation. Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji therefore directed the clerk of the House to invite Ms Agwu for members to appreciate her.

Though Ms Agwu is yet to appear before the state assembly and the nature of the goodwill of the house yet to be determined, there is still every reason to commend the assembly for its kind and visionary gesture. It is not only heartwarming but very patriotic for members to have realized such a rare display of integrity should be encouraged especially in a country held down over the years by monumental corruption. This is more so given the strategic importance of our airports.

Being the gateway to the country, our airports have before now come under serious bashing from the outside world for sundry ills that go on there including corruption. At the heat of the Ebola virus scare sometime last year, a group of American security officials in transit had alleged that one of them was pursued and injected a substance suspected to contain the Ebola virus in an insecure area of that airport. The report which was meant to paint black the airport security was aptly denied by airport authorities for lacking in any shred of truth. They had faulted the

Emeka OMEIHE 08112662675 email: EmekaOmeihe@yahoo.com

A citizen of example claim because no such case was reported to any of its security outfits. Nothing was again heard from the US officials who bandied the claim. And nothing came out of the report of the test they claimed the victim who was admitted at a US hospital on arrival, was said to have undergone. This matter has been deliberately brought in here to underscore the kind of negative image our airports have before now, been subjected to for reasons best known to their sponsors. There have also been other instances in the past the nation has been treated with video clips of the corruption that go on in the airports involving our security men. All these have tended to give the image of our airports as an insecure, corrupt and unsafe place for business.

It is this negative rating that has been put a lie to by the uncommon display of honesty by the conduct of the airport cleaner. This is especially the case given that this marks the third time she would return monies forgotten by their owners. A country that is interested in good moral standing, cannot afford not to appreciate and celebrate such a patriot. That is the duty the Lagos State House of Assembly has taken up and it should be appreciated by all and sundry.

The state assembly deserves commendation for not allowing the contributions of the cleaner to pass unsung.

Not with the high level of dishonesty that bestrides the nation’s entire landscape. Not with the concomitant corruption in high and low places that has held this nation prostrate and stultified all efforts at genuine economic development.

The contributions of the assembly are better appreciated when it is realized that the incident occurred in a federal

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HE late music maestro, Sunny Okosun, once captured the current situation in Nigeria when, in one of his hit songs, he said: “Which way Nigeria”. The situation in Nigeria now calls for a more sombre and serious concern than the way the government seems to summarise it. No doubt, this is not the best of times for the Jonathan government which seems to be getting everything wrong even in its build up to the coming election. The country has been thrown into such a frenzy since the president decided to pursue his second term ambition in such a desperate manner. The whole country is now enveloped with confusion that nobody really knows or can predict the direction the country is headed.

From politicians to businessmen, economy watchers, industry captains, professionals to the ordinary man on the street, everybody seems to be singing the same song “which way Nigeria”.

Indeed, Nigerians are genuinely confused, as nothing seems to be working except the agenda to re-elect the president. Our people are worried because nobody is offering them explanation on why the economy is in shambles or how long the country will continue to cope with the no security, no light, no water, no employment and no food situation. They are in the dark as to when the rebased economy of the nation will translate to better life for them. They are eager to see the 25,000 km road the Jonathan government claims to have constructed and the improved rail system the federal government says it has built. People want to see where the achievement reported in the SURE-P scorecard are situated or who the beneficiaries of the government youth employment programmes are. They want to know who are those benefitting from the much publicized agriculture programmes of the federal government when majority of Nigerians are hungry.

They truly want to know why our currency has been devalued twice in less than two months if everything is alright as the government wants us to believe. They are tired of living on

‘What Nigeria needs now is to make a statement that we are truly the giant of Africa which will always show the world the best part of us. That is why the president should move the country forward with maturity, magnanimity and understanding. By allowing the people to have their way, he too will write his name in gold’

establishment which ordinarily, should be outside its area of authority. But it refused to be constrained by this temporary line of divide since the heuristic value of celebrating the cleaner will rob off positively on the moral bearing of the entire society. That is the way it should be and the assembly deserves to be commended. It has by this rare display of patriotism lived up to the motto of the state as the centre of excellence.

Beyond the gesture, there are other potent issues thrown up by the incident.

The first has to do with the conduct of Ms Agwu’s employers. There is nothing on record to show they appreciated this cleaner of example. For her to have returned lost monies for three consecutive times, meant there is something very special about her. She is a rare person; an uncommon Nigerian. She ought to be celebrated and hugely rewarded in order to send the message very unambiguously that honesty pays. She is poorly paid but not poor in spirit. That is why even with her meager salary, she was not moved at the sight of N12 million.

In a country where armed robbers would have cleared any obstacle at sight to carte away such a huge money; in a country where employees disappear into the thin air with smaller amounts entrusted to their care, it is only proper the cleaner should be hugely rewarded not only by her employers but the federal government. These are the kind of people that deserve the yearly national awards and not the sundry characters that should ordinarily have had nothing to do with them. It is therefore only proper that the

federal authorities seize the momentum set by the Lagos state assembly and demonstrate very unambiguously that honesty and integrity pay. She works at our airport and it is immaterial whether a private company employed her for that purpose. The good example she has consecutively displayed is for the overall good of the country.

It is also important that other Nigerians of exemplary quality; no matter how lowly placed, are identified, celebrated and rewarded as a mark of encouragement to others who have been sold to the idea that life is all about hook and crook. And they are many.

But there is also a contradiction which the loss of such a hefty sum has brought to the fore. In a country where the majority find it nigh impossible to feed, is it not scandalous that people could easily forget such a huge sum of money? In a clime where even a third of that amount would make a big difference between life and death for a majority, does it not speak of the wide gulf between the rich and the poor that such an amount can be easily forgotten?

These are some of the issues that have been brought to the fore by the incident.

You can imagine the big temptation it was for someone who earns less than N8, 000 a month to have returned N12 million she found on a platter of gold. Many would have seen that as a golden opportunity to make it. For such people, Ms Agwu may have lost an opportunity to conquer poverty. But they are wrong. For her, honesty and integrity pay better and life is not all about money.

Such a moral bearer ought to be appreciated by all.

‘In a country where armed robbers would have cleared any obstacle at sight to carte away such a huge money; in a country where employees disappear into the thin air with smaller amounts entrusted to their care, it is only proper the cleaner should be hugely rewarded not only by her employers but the federal government’

President and his love of office

By Lateef Ibirogba promises that nobody will fulfill. They find it hard to believe that our country is destined to fail and cannot comprehend why it should be the duty of the President to come and be personally involved in inducing Lagosians with money or why our Vice-President should be desperate to the extent of leaving government business in Abuja and move office to Kaduna, for one week, to go and, like his boss, personally share money shamelessly.

Our condition is even more worrisome now as the government appears not to know what to do to stop the naira from its daily slip against other currencies. Everybody is alarmed because never in our history has the naira been so battered, not even in the dark days of the Abacha regime because the naira was stable at 83 to one dollar even in the face of sanctions against the country then. Unfortunately, the President seems more comfortable with the deceits and concocted message of acceptance he gets from his aides and the manipulated report of upwards movement of the economy he receives from his voodoo economists who for selfish reasons, always tell him that there is no cause for alarm. That is why he is still being fooled that Nigerians want him and will vote for him. But if only the president can ponder over the precarious situation the country is in now and compare it with when he was elected four years ago, he will be able to appreciate the extent at which things have really gone bad. In 2011, the naira was 120 to one dollar and Nigerians were crying; that time, kidnapping had not become so lucrative as it is today and that time, impunity had not reached the level it is now. That time, people still looked up to government to provide them security and that time, the country was one whole entity without a Boko Haram republic. Today, because the President has used the last four years pursuing his ambition, Nigeria has attained a terrorist nation status and more people have been killed by the insurgents than even during the civil war. We have entrenched corruption as a way of life so much that even stealing, to us, is no longer corruption; our naira now exchanges for over 200 to the dollar, and everybody now virtually lives in the hand of God, as the government cannot guarantee security for anybody. In fact, the only people that are getting it right, as far as the president is concerned, are the liars who tell him that the whole country wants him to run.

The big question is of what use is the mandate that the President is seeking when he cannot use it to better the people.

Why does he need another four years when he has not justified the current term? Why should Nigerians re-elect him when he has failed his promises to them? Why is he going back on his words that whatever he cannot achieve in four years he won’t be able to do in 100 years? One is not sure that it is the same picture of Nigeria that the people are seeing that the president is seeing. Or could it be that it is his obsession for power that is taking the best of him?

The president has to come clean about his agenda for the country now. He has to weigh his options and take a quick decision on the direction he wants the country to head for the sake of keeping the country together. He has to now decide which friends he wants to keep so that he can take a decision on which formula to apply to stop the country from meandering like a rudderless ship as it is currently doing. The President must now accept reality that change is inevitable and that change cannot be achieved if the country will still do things the same way by the same people using the same formula and allow the Nigerian people have their way. Everybody knows that Nigeria is sick and needs deliverance but whether the President will jettison his penchant for office and allow the CHANGE pill being offered by the people to save the country depends on how patriotic he is and more importantly whether he actually sees himself as the father of the nation. Perhaps it is right for the President to know that it doesn’t remove anything from him to step down and bow to the wishes of the Nigerian masses who are clamouring for that change. In fact, doing this will portray him as a statesman who loves Nigeria and will make him go down in history as the hero of our democracy. It will give him a global fame, increase his coast and give him respect and recognition across generations. This is the best the President can do for himself, our country and our generation so that our case will not be like Libya or Syria.

Therefore, the president should quickly call his praise singers to sheath their swords, mellow down on their aggressive and desperate politics and stop heating up the polity. Their unguarded statements in the name of politics and their careless behaviour are not in his best interest . What Nigeria needs now is to make a statement that we are truly the giant of Africa which will always show the world the best part of us. That is why the president should move the country forward with maturity, magnanimity and understanding. By allowing the people to have their way, he too will write his name in gold.

•Ibirogba is a member of Lagos State Executive Council

21

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

JOBS

CEO

‘How ground handling firms can break even’ - P. 33

Jobs prospect as HSE berths - P. 31 News Brief Shell targets 210,000 bpd from Bonga field TO boost production from Bonga, the mega deepwater oil field of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), the firm has put in place an initiative called Bonga Business Improvement Plan (BBIP) aimed at increasing production from the asset from its average daily output of 148,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 210,000 bpd.

–Page 22

BoI supports card manufacturing with N1.1b THE Bank of Industry (BoI) has set aside N1.1 billion for the manufacturing industry.

–Page 22

IGI pays N3.5b claims in 2014 INDUSTRIAL and General Insurance Plc (IGI) has paid claims worth N3.5 billion to its policyholders in 2014, the Group Managing Director, Rotimi Fashola has said.

–Page 24

DATA STREAM

NSE to withdraw brokers’ licences over illegal shares transfer

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HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) will withdraw the licence of any stockbroking firm that transfers shares without the authorisation from their owners.

Besides, such firm pay a fine of not less than N5 million.

These are the highlights of major amendments to the rules and regulations being considered by the council and management of the Exchange.

A draft of the amendments obtained by The Nation indicated that the Exchange seeks to equate unauthorised transfer with unauthorised sale of shares, which had earlier been provided for in the existing rules. This will ensure that brokers and dealers that engage in any unauthorised transaction will be dealt with under a body of rules. By implication, the amendment seeks to block a legal loophole that views sale transaction as different from transfer transaction.

According to the amend-

By Taofeek Salako

ment, “no dealing member shall sell or transfer any securities without the authorisation of the owner and any such dealing member that has sold or transferred any securities without the authorisation of the owner shall not be permitted to keep any benefits accruing from such transaction, including but not limited to bonuses, rights, cash dividends, capital appreciation, and any profit accruing therefrom whatsoever.”

The amendment further seeks that “Any dealing member that sells or transfers securities without the authorisation of the owner shall be required to buy back the securities along with any accrued benefits within a period of 14 business days from the day the dealing member is required to buy back the securities by the Exchange”.

Besides, where the sale or transfer transaction is N5 million and below in value, the broker or dealer shall be li-

able to pay a fine of N1 million or three times the value of the sale or transfer, whichever is higher. Such a broker or dealer will also be made to pay N5, 000 for every day from the day on which it is required to buy back the securities by the Exchange until the day it completes buying back the shares for the owner.

In the event that the sale or transfer transaction is higher than N5 million in value or where the broker or dealer has engaged in such unauthorised sale or transfer of securities previously, the NSE shall withdraw the dealing licence of such dealer. In addition, the broker shall be made to pay a fine of N5 million or three times the value of the sale or transfer, whichever is higher.

The broker shall also be made to pay additional daily fine of N5, 000 from the day of the sanction until the day the dealer or broker completes buying back the shares for the owner.

According to the rule, where the dealing member is unable

to buy back the sold or transferred shares within the stipulated 14 business days period as a result of stock unavailability or illiquidity, the dealing member shall immediately notify the Exchange of this fact in writing and the Exchange shall determine the best monetary value in the circumstances to be paid to the owner.

However, the rule underscores the importance of fair hearing and legal representation prior to application of any sanction on the dealing member. The amendment provides that no dealing member shall have its licence withdrawn unless the disciplinary committee of the council of the Exchange has made a finding that the dealing member engaged in the unauthorised sale or transfer of securities and has made a recommendation to council that the licence should be so withdrawn.

However, the broker or dealer will be suspended from trading on the Exchange during the period of any investigative or disciplinary proceedings.

COMMODITY PRICES Oil

$54/barrel

Cocoa

$2,686.35/metric ton

Coffee

¢132.70/pound

Cotton

¢95.17pound

Gold

$1,396.9/troy

Sugar

$163/lb RATES

Inflation

8%

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

15.87%

Savings rate

3%

91-day NTB

15%

Time Deposit

5.49%

MPR

13%

Foreign Reserve

$34.5b

FOREX (RDAS) US Dollar

168

Pounds

253.26

Euro

190.6968

Swiss Franc

181.1907

Yen

1.4316

CFA

0.2889

WAUA

235.9975

•Former Education Minister, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili (second left) flanked by Team Lead, Events and Sponsorship of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Mr. Matthew Obiaziwkor (right); Brand Manager, Coffee, Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Eucharia Onwuelingo; and Marketing and Sales Specialist, Enplug Social Media Display, Mrs Adebisi Adebiyi (left), at the FCMB exhibition stand during the Social Media Week Lagos Conference.

I

‘Private firms listing bill may be counter-productive’

F the proposed bill seek ing to compel firms with shareholders’funds and yearly turnover exceeding N40 billion and N80 billion to convert to public liability companies (PLC) and get their shares listed on the stock exchange is passed into law, many companies may be forced to relocate from the country, Chairman of African Capital Alliance (ACA), an independent investment firm in Nigeria and West African region, Mr. Dick Kramer, has warned.

By Chikodi Okereocha

The bill known as the ‘Private Companies Conversion and Listing Bill 2013’ was sponsored by Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market Institutions, Hon. Chris Emeka Azubogu.

When passed into law, the bill would compel a private firm that falls into the category to, within 12 months

from the commencement of the bill, take steps to convert from a private limited liability company to a public company within the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

Such a company shall, within one year, lists its shares on a stock market. A private liability company, which the provision of the bill applies, shall maintain or cause to be maintained

proper accounts and records to enable fair view to be formed of its assets, liabilities, income and expenditure. The hope was that the bill would deepen the capital market and also boost the economy.

But Kramer, a former Managing Partner of Arthur Andersen & Company, argued that if the bill was passed as proposed, many countries would have distrust for Nigeria and many companies would decide to leave.

‘Why Nigeria’s gas reserves remain static’

By Akinola Ajibade

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ACK of infrastructure, non-passion for explo ration and lopsidedness in government policies have been identifed as reasons for the Nigeria’s 187 trillion cubit feet of proven gas reserves and 600 trillion cubic feet of unproven gas reserves, the first Nigerian Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr Basil Omiyi, has said.

Omiyi, who spoke on the sideline of the 12th Annual Aret Adams Lecture series in Lagos, said there had not been an increase in the gas reserves years after it was discovered, a development he blamed on the country’s inability to explore her gas potential.

This situation, he reckoned, would have been different had the country explored its gas potential to the fullest while at the same time make new discoveries. ‘’Nigeria is actually scratching gas on the surface in terms of value. If the country has fully explored its gas, by now gas volume must have reduced and new investment must have been propped it up,’’ Omiyi said.

Omiyi said though a lot had been done in infrastructure provision, it had not translated to a meaningful growth. “Why can’t we bring people to invest in infrastructure to get the needed value proposition in the sector,” he asked?

He explained that Australia has 10 Liquifield Natural Gas (LNG) projects, while Nigeria is still contemplating three LNG projects that refuse to spring up.

“If Australia with a smaller population can boast of 10 LNG projects, as well as develop its domestic and international gas market, and Nigeria is battling with just three projects, then questions should be asked as to where Nigeria stands when it comes to the issue of using gas as a catalyst for growth,’ he said.

According to him, there is the need to develop the local and foreign gas market if Nigeria would bring about the desired growth in energy sector and the economy in particular, saying that effective fiscal regimes and legislation need to be put in place to achieve the desired results in this area.

Also, the Managing Director, Frontier Oil Limited, Thomas Dada, said Nigeria has been banding huge figures in the area of gas reserves for over a decade, without being able to record tangible growth.

“We have heard different figures on the gas reserves. We do not know which one to believe and which one we should jettison. But all we know is that the country has a huge gas reserves that has been static due to lack of commitment on the part if the government and other stakeholders,’’ he said.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

26

BUSINESS NEWS

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Advert revenues not yet in GDP

HE revenue from the advertising sector has not been factored into the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because proceed from the sector has remained meagre, the Chief Executive Officer of X3M Ideas, an advertising agency, Mr. Steve Babaeko, has said.

At the 40th anniversary of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) last year, it was revealed that the industry contributed over $2 billion (over N300 billion) to Nigeria’s economy, a far cry compared to earnings from Nollywood.

Indeed, Nigeria’s entertainment and media revenues will hit about US$8.5billion in 2018, more than double from the 2013 figure of US$4.0billion at a CAGR of 16.1 per cent, says PriceWaterHouseCooper in a recent report. And while the fortune of the country’s advertising industry jerked up only in 2013 to N103.8 billion, above N91.9 billion that was recorded in 2012, the nation’s advertising industry suffered a 10.52 per cent drop when compared with the N102.7 billion earned from advertisers.

Therefore, because of these sterling figures from the en-

By Adedeji Ademigbuji

tertainment industry, revenue from Nollywood have been has been factored into the GDP. Babaeko said the allure of Nollywood and how its stars are celebrated has endeared the industry to global audience. “It is about perception really. If you gather the labour force of advertising industry, it is part of the enterprise that is going on that has not really been factored into our GDP because whatever happens to the movie industry and music industry of this world the same yard stick must also be used for the advertising industry,” he said.

He said Nollywood is a burst in terms of revenue because the power of the stars endeared the industry to global audience. Babaeko, therefore, advised practitioners to tell their own story like Nollywood to become one of the most sought after industry.

“So, the industry has been able to realise that being able to tell the story of what you have done in a beautiful manner cannot hurt you. You have to be able to tell the story of your efforts in a very profound and eloquent manner I think that is the stage we are at now,” he said.

Shell targets 210,000 bpd from Bonga field

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O boost production from Bonga, the mega deepwater oil field of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), the firm has put in place an initiative called Bonga Business Improvement Plan (BBIP) aimed at increasing production from the asset from its average daily output of 148,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 210,000 bpd.

SNEPCo’s General Manager, Offshore Assets, Effiong Okon, said the BBIP was launched in April, last year with a tagline “Bonga Unleashed – 210!”

He said BBIP is a transformational journey, that is not just about increasing the SNEPCO Bonga asset’s oil production levels and cash flow from its average of 148,000 bpd to 210,000 bpd. “It is also about building a deeper sense of pride in production in the hearts

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

and mind of our people and driving the nine year old asset towards being a high reliability organisation,” he added.

The strategic journey, according to the oil major began in first quarter of last year with a team consisting of Shell employees and consultants, who carried out interviews, deep dives and diagnostics sessions.

The team was charged with looking at all aspects of Bonga operations and interfaces to figure out required actions to bridge identified gaps to potential.

To achieve the aspired production within schedule, the skilled identified and mitigated threats to safe production. There were also monthly knowledge sharing and collaborative fora for project man-

agers and change agents.

Decision Review Boards (DRBs) were also held on improvement plans and actions.

The Business Improvement Lead, Global Production Excellence, Joe Gandolfo, said the DRBs were made up of a few senior team members and under the BBIP, DRBs were expanded to include team members closer to the operations.

“Not only has the BBIP helped us elevate challenges and threats, it has fostered a climate of increased transparency and openness. People feel freer to speak their minds and raise issues without fear of reprisals. In 2014, for the first time ever, we had zero Total Recordable Cases,” he added.

On the initiative, former Competence and Operations Excellence Manager,

Emeka Maduekwe, said: “We now have integrated functional support teams working together to identify and deal with any high impact threats that could hamper safe production.

Identified threats are then consolidated in a central database, prioritised and actions taken to address them are tracked through the weekly, monthly Operations Reliability Improvement Process meetings.”

The Bonga Operations Manager, Theo EkiyorKatimi added: “Bonga will continue to strive to be number one value generator for the Shell Group. We aim to maintain a high and stable production environment which will further encourage shareholders’ confidence. Basically, we want to produce more, spend less and BBIP will enable us deliver on this goal.”

Stakeholders seek support for cocoa farmers

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HE government has been urged to support the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) to enable its members respond to the growing food insecurity in the country.

CAN’s spokesman, Mr. Robo Adhuze, said the government should distribute more seedlings to cocoa farmers to boost their production. He said his colleagues needed farming input, such as seedlings, shade trees, ammonia and plantain suckers.

He said there was the need for the distribution of the seedlings to replace old cocoa trees because of their declining yields.

By Daniel Essiet

Adhuze, who is also Chief Executive, Centre for Cocoa Initiative, canvassed the need to train farmers on how to improve their yield.

He also urged the government to target using agriculture to transform the rural areas, adding that this would help create a diversified, better integrated and modern rural economy.

The Team Leader, Cocoa Value Chain, Dr. Peter Aikpokpodion, noted that cocoa produce from Nigeria are of high premium at the international market and have the potential to build a virile economy.

‘Re-launch of MTN TruTalk not for profit’

T

HE re-launch of MTN TruTalk is not for profit-making but to enable the firm’s customers and phone users to do more on the network in line with the BetterMe package it launched early this year.

Speaking at the re-launch in Lagos over the weekend, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), MTN Nigeria, Bayo Adekanbi, said the offer would allow subscribers to enjoy the opportunity to talk more at half the prevailing call time rate. He said 11 customers would be chosen by the MTN subscriber which would become his or her first 11 to enjoy the offer at 11k per sersond.

General Manager, Corporate Services at MTN, Funmi Onajide, said the oc-

By Lucas Ajanaku

casion was to restate the telco’s commitment to the BetterMe creed, to ensure that its customers could continue to do much more with what they have.

“You would recall that we promised at the beginning of the year that 2015 would be a year of innovative propositions from MTN; it is thus my pleasure to formally welcome you to the re-launch of the MTN TruTalk with the addition of the Family & Friends and MyBest Friends. This new package gives our customers greater value for money by extending the amount of call time through offering the opportunity to make calls at half-price to specific people,” she said.

• From right: Lagos State Police Commissioner Mr Kayode Aderanti; Executive Director, Lagos and West Directorate, Keystone Bank, Mr Innocent Ike; Divisional Head, Corporate Services, Keystone Bank, Mr Raymond Onomerike and DCP Johnson Kokumo, DC Operations, Lagos State, during the presentation of patrol vehicle to the Lagos Police Command by Keystone Bank.

BoI boosts card manufacturing with N1.1b

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HE Bank of Industry (BoI) has set aside N1.1 billion for the manufacturing industry.

BoI’s Managing Director, Rasheed Olaoluwa, told The Nation after his facility tour of SecureID Limited in Lagos, that the bank is supporing the sector because it remains a growth driver and has huge potential for job creation.

“Manufacturing in Nigeria is taking a new edge.

I am delighted at what I have seen today. We are witnessing a successful backward integration of activities in the card indus-

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

try through local production of cards. The company has established capacity and smart manufacturing techniques. As a customer of our bank, we have supported the business and this shows that the facility has been effectively utilised,” he added.

With a capacity utilisation level set at 70 per cent, Olaoluwa explained that BoI continues to raise its stake in industries that enhance job creation adding that the company, with improved capacity would employ at

least 350 people from the teeming unemployed population in the country.

The Managing Director of SecureID Limited, Mrs Kofo Akinkugbe, noted that the company has the capacity and the quality of operational and administrative personnel to produce chip and PIN-based smartcards that support payments and biometric identification, verification and authentication purposes. “We provide turnkey solutions for the smartcard identity industry from project start, through design, manufac-

ture and personalisation to final card packaging/ fulfillment. SecureID supports a wide range of card products, such as EMV SmartCards, GSM SIM cards, Magnetic-stripe debit cards, Loyalty cards, Contactless dual interface chip cards, Multipurpose secure identity cards and Mifare cards,” she said.

She reiterated that her firm’s local production of smart cards for the financial sector, telecoms and public sector has reduced the level of imports and exposure to the foreign exchange market.

ANLCA seeks duty-free auto parts for importers

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HE President, Associa tion of Nigerian Li censed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, has urged the Federal Government to grant zero per cent duty to importers of automobile parts.

Shittu told The Nation that the duty free policy would encourage manufacturers to bring in their equipment and that this would, in turn, help to create more jobs and sup-

By Oluwakemi Dauda

port local assembly plants to manufacture world-standard vehicles.

“Rather than being sellers of imported parts, we should be able to encourage local manufacturing to give jobs to our people. It is good we see a lot of them are in Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha, Anambra State. It is good if the government can formulate a deliberate policy to

assist those people, so that they can import the equipment required for the manufacturing free of duty charge, as a matter of encouragement and national policy,” he said, adding that such would generate employment in the country.

The ANLCA chief said the auto firms would provide jobs for many Nigerians and boost the economy, considering the huge market for vehicles in the country.

He also urged the government to give the necessary attention to small scale enterprises in the auto sector to boost made-in-Nigeria vehicles in the next five years. He said the 70 per cent import duty imposed on vehicles by the Federal Government would push the business of vehicle importation to ports of the neighbouring countries and urged the government to prepare for the imminent diversion.

THE NATION MONDAY, ???????????????, 2015

BUSINESS

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

22

BUSINESS NEWS

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Advert revenues not yet in GDP

HE revenue from the advertising sector has not been factored into the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) because proceed from the sector has remained meagre, the Chief Executive Officer of X3M Ideas, an advertising agency, Mr. Steve Babaeko, has said.

At the 40th anniversary of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) last year, it was revealed that the industry contributed over $2 billion (over N300 billion) to Nigeria’s economy, a far cry compared to earnings from Nollywood.

Indeed, Nigeria’s entertainment and media revenues will hit about US$8.5billion in 2018, more than double from the 2013 figure of US$4.0billion at a CAGR of 16.1 per cent, says PriceWaterHouseCooper in a recent report. And while the fortune of the country’s advertising industry jerked up only in 2013 to N103.8 billion, above N91.9 billion that was recorded in 2012, the nation’s advertising industry suffered a 10.52 per cent drop when compared with the N102.7 billion earned from advertisers.

Therefore, because of these sterling figures from the en-

By Adedeji Ademigbuji

tertainment industry, revenue from Nollywood have been has been factored into the GDP. Babaeko said the allure of Nollywood and how its stars are celebrated has endeared the industry to global audience. “It is about perception really. If you gather the labour force of advertising industry, it is part of the enterprise that is going on that has not really been factored into our GDP because whatever happens to the movie industry and music industry of this world the same yard stick must also be used for the advertising industry,” he said.

He said Nollywood is a burst in terms of revenue because the power of the stars endeared the industry to global audience. Babaeko, therefore, advised practitioners to tell their own story like Nollywood to become one of the most sought after industry.

“So, the industry has been able to realise that being able to tell the story of what you have done in a beautiful manner cannot hurt you. You have to be able to tell the story of your efforts in a very profound and eloquent manner I think that is the stage we are at now,” he said.

Shell targets 210,000 bpd from Bonga field

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O boost production from Bonga, the mega deepwater oil field of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), the firm has put in place an initiative called Bonga Business Improvement Plan (BBIP) aimed at increasing production from the asset from its average daily output of 148,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 210,000 bpd.

SNEPCo’s General Manager, Offshore Assets, Effiong Okon, said the BBIP was launched in April, last year with a tagline “Bonga Unleashed – 210!”

He said BBIP is a transformational journey, that is not just about increasing the SNEPCO Bonga asset’s oil production levels and cash flow from its average of 148,000 bpd to 210,000 bpd. “It is also about building a deeper sense of pride in production in the hearts

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

and mind of our people and driving the nine year old asset towards being a high reliability organisation,” he added.

The strategic journey, according to the oil major began in first quarter of last year with a team consisting of Shell employees and consultants, who carried out interviews, deep dives and diagnostics sessions.

The team was charged with looking at all aspects of Bonga operations and interfaces to figure out required actions to bridge identified gaps to potential.

To achieve the aspired production within schedule, the skilled identified and mitigated threats to safe production. There were also monthly knowledge sharing and collaborative fora for project man-

agers and change agents.

Decision Review Boards (DRBs) were also held on improvement plans and actions.

The Business Improvement Lead, Global Production Excellence, Joe Gandolfo, said the DRBs were made up of a few senior team members and under the BBIP, DRBs were expanded to include team members closer to the operations.

“Not only has the BBIP helped us elevate challenges and threats, it has fostered a climate of increased transparency and openness. People feel freer to speak their minds and raise issues without fear of reprisals. In 2014, for the first time ever, we had zero Total Recordable Cases,” he added.

On the initiative, former Competence and Operations Excellence Manager,

Emeka Maduekwe, said: “We now have integrated functional support teams working together to identify and deal with any high impact threats that could hamper safe production.

Identified threats are then consolidated in a central database, prioritised and actions taken to address them are tracked through the weekly, monthly Operations Reliability Improvement Process meetings.”

The Bonga Operations Manager, Theo EkiyorKatimi added: “Bonga will continue to strive to be number one value generator for the Shell Group. We aim to maintain a high and stable production environment which will further encourage shareholders’ confidence. Basically, we want to produce more, spend less and BBIP will enable us deliver on this goal.”

Stakeholders seek support for cocoa farmers

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HE government has been urged to support the Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) to enable its members respond to the growing food insecurity in the country.

CAN’s spokesman, Mr. Robo Adhuze, said the government should distribute more seedlings to cocoa farmers to boost their production. He said his colleagues needed farming input, such as seedlings, shade trees, ammonia and plantain suckers.

He said there was the need for the distribution of the seedlings to replace old cocoa trees because of their declining yields.

By Daniel Essiet

Adhuze, who is also Chief Executive, Centre for Cocoa Initiative, canvassed the need to train farmers on how to improve their yield.

He also urged the government to target using agriculture to transform the rural areas, adding that this would help create a diversified, better integrated and modern rural economy.

The Team Leader, Cocoa Value Chain, Dr. Peter Aikpokpodion, noted that cocoa produce from Nigeria are of high premium at the international market and have the potential to build a virile economy.

‘Re-launch of MTN TruTalk not for profit’

T

HE re-launch of MTN TruTalk is not for profit-making but to enable the firm’s customers and phone users to do more on the network in line with the BetterMe package it launched early this year.

Speaking at the re-launch in Lagos over the weekend, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), MTN Nigeria, Bayo Adekanbi, said the offer would allow subscribers to enjoy the opportunity to talk more at half the prevailing call time rate. He said 11 customers would be chosen by the MTN subscriber which would become his or her first 11 to enjoy the offer at 11k per sersond.

General Manager, Corporate Services at MTN, Funmi Onajide, said the oc-

By Lucas Ajanaku

casion was to restate the telco’s commitment to the BetterMe creed, to ensure that its customers could continue to do much more with what they have.

“You would recall that we promised at the beginning of the year that 2015 would be a year of innovative propositions from MTN; it is thus my pleasure to formally welcome you to the re-launch of the MTN TruTalk with the addition of the Family & Friends and MyBest Friends. This new package gives our customers greater value for money by extending the amount of call time through offering the opportunity to make calls at half-price to specific people,” she said.

• From right: Lagos State Police Commissioner Mr Kayode Aderanti; Executive Director, Lagos and West Directorate, Keystone Bank, Mr Innocent Ike; Divisional Head, Corporate Services, Keystone Bank, Mr Raymond Onomerike and DCP Johnson Kokumo, DC Operations, Lagos State, during the presentation of patrol vehicle to the Lagos Police Command by Keystone Bank.

BoI boosts card manufacturing with N1.1b

T

HE Bank of Industry (BoI) has set aside N1.1 billion for the manufacturing industry.

BoI’s Managing Director, Rasheed Olaoluwa, told The Nation after his facility tour of SecureID Limited in Lagos, that the bank is supporing the sector because it remains a growth driver and has huge potential for job creation.

“Manufacturing in Nigeria is taking a new edge.

I am delighted at what I have seen today. We are witnessing a successful backward integration of activities in the card indus-

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

try through local production of cards. The company has established capacity and smart manufacturing techniques. As a customer of our bank, we have supported the business and this shows that the facility has been effectively utilised,” he added.

With a capacity utilisation level set at 70 per cent, Olaoluwa explained that BoI continues to raise its stake in industries that enhance job creation adding that the company, with improved capacity would employ at

least 350 people from the teeming unemployed population in the country.

The Managing Director of SecureID Limited, Mrs Kofo Akinkugbe, noted that the company has the capacity and the quality of operational and administrative personnel to produce chip and PIN-based smartcards that support payments and biometric identification, verification and authentication purposes. “We provide turnkey solutions for the smartcard identity industry from project start, through design, manufac-

ture and personalisation to final card packaging/ fulfillment. SecureID supports a wide range of card products, such as EMV SmartCards, GSM SIM cards, Magnetic-stripe debit cards, Loyalty cards, Contactless dual interface chip cards, Multipurpose secure identity cards and Mifare cards,” she said.

She reiterated that her firm’s local production of smart cards for the financial sector, telecoms and public sector has reduced the level of imports and exposure to the foreign exchange market.

ANLCA seeks duty-free auto parts for importers

T

HE President, Associa tion of Nigerian Li censed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, has urged the Federal Government to grant zero per cent duty to importers of automobile parts.

Shittu told The Nation that the duty free policy would encourage manufacturers to bring in their equipment and that this would, in turn, help to create more jobs and sup-

By Oluwakemi Dauda

port local assembly plants to manufacture world-standard vehicles.

“Rather than being sellers of imported parts, we should be able to encourage local manufacturing to give jobs to our people. It is good we see a lot of them are in Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha, Anambra State. It is good if the government can formulate a deliberate policy to

assist those people, so that they can import the equipment required for the manufacturing free of duty charge, as a matter of encouragement and national policy,” he said, adding that such would generate employment in the country.

The ANLCA chief said the auto firms would provide jobs for many Nigerians and boost the economy, considering the huge market for vehicles in the country.

He also urged the government to give the necessary attention to small scale enterprises in the auto sector to boost made-in-Nigeria vehicles in the next five years. He said the 70 per cent import duty imposed on vehicles by the Federal Government would push the business of vehicle importation to ports of the neighbouring countries and urged the government to prepare for the imminent diversion.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

23

BUSINESS NEWS

NEPC, USAID to boost export goods

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HE Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) is set to diversify the economy from oil to non-oil, its Executive Director/ Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, has said.

He spoke during a visit to his office in Abuja by the new Chief of Party, United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Nigeria Expanded Trade and Transport (NEXTT), Mr. Marc Shiman.

Awolowo said the Council was making efforts to access international funds for product development, market research, capacity building for exporters among other technical support that would help enhance the quality of exportable products from Nigeria from development partners like USAID/NEXTT. He observed that efforts to diversify the economy would soon yield results as the Federal Government through the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) had identified 13

By Toba Agboola

National Strategic Export Products (NESPs) that would replace oil while it would be supported by two key NEPC initiatives – the One State One Product (OSOP) and Nigerian Diaspora Export Programme (NDEX).

Awolowo pointed out that the aim of OSOP was to identify and develop in each state, one non-oil product across its value chain for export, adding that the initiative takes cognisance of the country’s comparative advantage in terms of the vastness of its natural endowments.

On NDEX, he disclosed that the project has two components – the Nigerian Heritage City and the Nigerian Cuisine Beyond Borders.

According to him, “this programme is to leverage on the large population of Nigerians in Diaspora as a means of introducing the best of Nigeria to their host countries and communities just like China Town in USA”.

He however pointed out that for exporters to leverage on the huge potentials in the sector there is need for value addition as no nation can survive by merely exporting raw commodities.

Shiman disclosed that about $3 million special fund tagged – Product Development Fund (PDF) was made available by USAID for operators along the LAKAJI Corridor Development Project to access under specific guidelines and through a transparent process.

He said the fund would provide support for research, training and capacity building, business process among other technical assistance along the Corridor.

Shiman explained that the goal is to develop and expand exports as well as attract investments from Nigeria, adding that to ensure a transparent process for accessing the fund NEPC has been nominated as a member of the Committee that would administer the fund.

Wind to water machine berths in Africa

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MACHINE that guarantees clean, hygienic water has been introduced into the market.

Known as Eole, the machine converts wind to water, and the water produced from it has quality exceeding the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard for safe or clean drinking water.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Rainbow Pages Resources Limited, West-Osemwegie Maria-Anthonette whose company is the promoters of the machines exclusively authorised by •The machine Aquavolve LLC, France, to perform marketing, sales, distribution

By Muyiwa Lucas and maintenance servicing of all its option of being solar powered. “This products in Nigeria, explained that is most ideal for communities and the machines suit numerous uses industrial uses. No electrical grid is whether civil or military and ideal needed. It is most suitable for areas in case of emergency, while also bewhere the main resource is natural ing eco-friendly and very userand constant exposure to the sun and friendly. suffers from water scarcity. They can According to West-Osemwegie, the be installed anywhere and its comatmosphere is filled with moisture, ponents have been carefully selected hence, this innovative technology is to ensure easy maintenance,” she asable to turn the moisture from the sured. atmosphere into drinking water. ExPastor Chris Okafor, General Overplaining the working process, she seer of the Liberation Ministries, who’s said that it involves the use of ambichurch is spearheading the innovation, ent air, as the fan blades rotate and explained that the initiative is not just take in the atmospheric air, takes it another kind of business; rather, it is a through condensation, and sends solution that will ensure that each family same to the filters for purification, and people in the rural and urban areas after which it is taken into the speare able to get clean and affordable cial water storage built into the mawater to drink. “I feel very sad when I chine. Further purification of the hear that most death recorded among water is done through the large in infants is waterborne diseases. So this built filters, which also ensures that Wind to Water machine will meet the carbon block filtration, ultra filtraneed of the people and quench their tion, and ultraviolet filtration are thirst, assuring them of safe water too,” done, passing through various deOkafor explained, adding that it is diffivices including mineralisation carcult to get drinkable water in most places tridge for quality control. because even what is packaged in nylon “No carbon dioxide is released, no and sold as pure water is not actually ground water or surface water is clean. pumped and the environmental imHe said that his ministry decided to pact is practically nil,” said go into the venture realising that govOsemwegie, who further explained ernment alone can not solve the entire that the machines, which come in inproblem of the community. dustrial or domestic sizes, has the

NB launches Ace Roots to tackle Orijin

A •From left: Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Mr. Oscar Onyema, presenting a gong to President, Abuja Chambers of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) Mr. Tony Ejinkeonye,during the visit of ACCI to the Exchange in Lagos at the weekend.

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US growth revised down to 2.2%

HE slowdown in the United States economy at the end of last year was more pronounced than previously thought, official figures have shown.

The world's largest economy grew at a yearly pace of 2.2 per cent between October and December, against a previous estimate of 2.6 per cent, the Commerce Department said.

The downward revision was due to a slower rise in business inventory investment than previously estimated.

The US economy grew at an annual pace of five per cent in the previous quarter.

The slowdown in growth from the third quarter was caused by a rise in imports and a downturn in government spending.

The second estimate of US growth is based on a more complete source of economic data.

Investors took the revised figure in their stride, with the Dow Jones index almost unchanged in opening trading, at 18,200.

"The reason for the lack of concern is that the slowdown was due in part to a far smaller than previously estimated inventory build-up, in turn thought to be partly due to port strikes", said Chris Williamson, chief economist at Markit.

"The weaker stock build-up late last year bodes well for first quarter growth."

Economists are pretty upbeat about the general state of the US economy, despite the slowdown in the fourth

quarter.

Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70 per cent of economic growth, is strong, thanks in part to dramatic falls in the price of petrol, giving consumers more money to spend on other things.

Unemployment is coming down and with negative inflation, the Federal Reserve has little choice but keep interest rates at close to zero for the time being.

Earlier this week, Fed chair Janet Yellon said the US economy was improving, while the employment market remained fragile. In her twice yearly address to Congress, she said there was still a good degree of flexibility as to when rates could be increased.

Greek debt crisis: German MPs back bailout extension

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HE German parliament has voted to extend financial aid to Greece by another four months.

The extension - approved by creditors last week in exchange for a series of Greek government reforms - needs to be ratified by eurozone members.

Some MPs had expressed doubts about the deal and there is substantial public scepticism but the vote passed easily.

It comes after police and protesters clashed during anti-government demonstrations in Athens on Thursday.

They were the first such disturbances since Greece’s leftist Syriza was sworn in as the main govern-

ment party exactly a month ago, promising to renegotiate the country’s debt and end austerity.

Dozens of activists hurled petrol bombs and stones at police and set cars alight after a march involving hundreds of protesters. Some carried banners calling for Greece to leave the EU and for its debt to be cancelled.

Eurozone finance ministers on Tuesday approved a set of reform proposals submitted by Greece.

As the dominant economic power in the EU, Germany’s approval was regarded as crucial and on Friday the overwhelming majority of MPs granted it. A total of 542 voted for the proposals, with 32 voting against and 13 ab-

stentions.

However, the vote was preceded by a ferocious debate, with catcalling and jeering, reports the BBC’s Berlin correspondent Damien McGuinness - reflecting the unpopularity of the bailout extension among two-thirds of German voters.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble spoke in favour of the deal, telling parliament: “We Germans should do everything possible to keep Europe together as much as we can.”

“We’re not talking about new billions for Greece ... rather it’s about providing or granting extra time to successfully end this programme,” he insisted.

FTER finalising its merger with Consolidated Breweries (CB) PLC, which led to about 21 brand portfolios in its kitty, Nigerian Breweries (NB) has launched a new product, Ace Roots, in what industry observers described as a direct competition with Guinness Ready to Drink (RTD) brand, Orijin.

The management of NB, after finalising the merger with CB, on December 31, last year, launched its biggest marketing onslaught against Guinness Orijin.

The Sales Director of NB, Hubert Eze, while presenting the brand, said the launch was informed by the quest to meet the needs of consumers and reconnect them to an era when herbal drinks hold sway to cure many health challenges.

He said though NB is not claiming

that the product is a health drink, the new product is blended with African herbs mixed with spirit.

“We want to take our consumers back to the root. Sometimes, we don’t look back,” he said.

While publicly doing what he called a “comparative marketing” on competitors product, Eze said with the significant growth of the ready to drink market since 2008 that is majorly driven by Orijin, NB is coming to the market with a unique selling point.

“Nigerian Breweries entered the Ready to Drink (RTD), market with Ace and Breezer, the growth of the market is driven by Orijin. Orijin was introduced with bitters and RTD and Orijin was driven by mouth and words based on myths and fallacies. But the claims were not equal to reality,” he said.

Firm holds security exhibition March 24 FIRM Montgomery West Africa is holding a security exhibition in Lagos from March 24 -25.

According to the firm’s Managing Director, Ms Tori Abiola, the event holds at Eko Hotel and Suites Convention Centre, Victoria Island.

At a briefing, she said over 40 exhibitors are being expected at this year’s exhibition tagged Securex West Africa, adding that last year, over 60 exhibitors and 2,000 visitors were at the exhibition.

She said security was no longer an issue to be neglected. Ms Abiola said: ‘’We believe Securex is coming at the right time, especially as it is coming a few days to the general elections.

It is aimed at safeguarding sector,’’ adding that his firm has the wherewithdal to deal with them. ‘’Ours is the longest running event in West Africa.’’

She said the forum would create a platform for key stakeholders to meet for two days and proffer solution to problems in the sector. There

A

is a seminar segment were issues affecting the sector would be tackled. ‘’We want to offer practical solution to wearied Nigerians. There is security threat around us – in the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast, cybercrime in the financial institutions, among others. We want to carry the government along in the scheme of things. It is a national platform for dialogue. It is an exclusive show for the government and those in the private sector to boost the culture of installation, maintenance, training, etc,’’ she added.

A partner in the exhibition is the Nigerian Institute for Industrial Security (NIIS). Its Executive Secretary, Wilson Esangbedo, said the show had been on for four years and that his members found the past exhibitions useful. He said in the first two years, security providers attended and users were able to know learn about new technological products and gadgets. He said this improved service delivery. The event is a blessing in disguise, he added.

24

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS INSURANCE

IGI pays N3.5 billion claims I

NDUSTRIAL and General Insurance Plc (IGI) has paid about N3.5 billion claims to its policy holders, the Group Managing Director, Rotimi Fashola has said.

Fashola, who made this known to reporters in Lagos, said the management and board members of the company are determined to regain market leadership and delight shareholders with robust returns on investment.

He said they have carried out a holistic appraisal of their operations and taken steps to address their limitations. According to him, the challenges confronting them are being tackled head-on and they are vigorously pursuing a policy that will ensure prompt payment of claims and commissions, an issue which has always generated controversies and bad blood in the insurance industry.

Fashola noted that the challenge of getting their accounts ready on time and approved by the regulator body, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), has been addressed. He said the problem apparently was caused by their inter-

Stories by Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

national subsidiaries, which had different accounting standards.

He said: “There has been appreciable improvement year on year and things will continue to get better, as we are committed to NAICOM’s directive that accounts should be presented by April. With the full cutover to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and the experience curve we now have, future accounts will be out as at when due.

“For us in IGI, it is a new dawn.

The pedigree of IGI is well known to most of you in this gathering. The company started operations in 1992.

In 1996, barely four years after it commenced business, it became the first private insurance company in Nigeria to achieve one billion naira in premium income.”

He noted that in 2004, the company maintained its leadership position in the industry with a record premium income in excess of four billion naira, the highest at that time in terms of volume of business by any private insurance company in Nigeria.

“In 2005, IGI launched the African Expansion Programme, which underlined its resolve to be a key player in the African insurance market. This initiative led to the acquisition of 60 per cent majority shareholding in the National Insurance Corporation (NIC), Uganda’s number one insurance company, after a competitive international bidding exercise. This groundbreaking feat was followed by similar investments in Sonarwa and The Gamstar, the largest insurance companies in Rwanda and the Gambia respectively, where IGI has the controlling shares.

“It is important to mention that one of the intentions of the Africa Expansion Programme was to complement efforts of the Federal Government to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign investment profile, especially within the African region.

This explains why IGI is flying Nigeria’s flag overseas by playing significant roles in the economies of other countries in the continent.

“Today, IGI is a household name in East Africa, as its investments in the region are doing very well and

running profitably. We are proud to note that our foreign investments have encouraged and emboldened other businesses, especially banks, to make a foray into other African countries. The insurance industry and our national economy are the better for it.

“IGI remains the most endowed insurer not only in operational spread, but also in asset base. That strength is being leveraged to restore IGI’s dominance in its chosen markets and products. Currently, our investment in real estate/landed properties and subsidiaries is huge and concentrated.

It is worth about N22 billion, which far exceeds the threshold stipulated by law. The concentration is largely due to the crash of the quoted equities market. However, we have started restructuring our assets and offering some of the properties for sale. This is aimed at boosting our liquidity and enhancing our capacity to promptly meet our obligations.

The restructuring has generated over N2 billion in the last one year, part of which has been

ploughed into repositioning the company.

“Our expansion in Africa, branches in Nigeria and other investments are all reflected in our financial statements. We are taking a long-term view of our investments and are already benefiting from the diversification effect on our portfolio. Our next phase is to consolidate those investments in a way that grows return on investment and shareholder value. Therefore, we have rested further expansion in the meantime to enable us concentrate.

“We are restructuring our operations and repositioning the entire organisation for optimum performance for the benefit of our business, our investors and all stakeholders. In particular, our marketing team has been strengthened and streamlined to serve the brokers more expeditiously. To this end, six brokers units have been created for effective and efficient service delivery, including ensuring real time documentation and payment of commission,” he said.

LASPEC pays N31.8b to retirees

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• From left: President of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Mr. Ayodapo Shoderu; Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel; President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Mr. Bola Temowo; and a Past President of NCRIB, Mr. Feyisayo Soyewo when Daniel paid a courtesy visit to NCRIB Board meeting held at Insurance Brokers’ House in Lagos.

‘NAICOM‘ll protect policyholders’

O

NE of the prudential and supervisory powers of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) is about helping to protect the people from the failure of any insurance institution by ensuring the institution is adequately run, the Commission’s Director, Inspectorate, Barineka Thompson, has said.

He made this known while speaking to reporters on the Roadmap for Transforming the Insurance Sector in Nigeria, which requires NAICOM identifying risks and ensuring that appropriate supervisory action, is taken to keep the risks, which an institution is exposed, at an acceptable level.

Thompson stated that Section 40 of NAICOM Act requires appropriate steps to be taken for the purpose of protecting policy-holders or potential policy-holders of an insurance institution against the risk that the insurance institution may be unable to meet its liabilities or fulfill the reasonable expec-

tation of policyholders or potential policy-holders.

He said NAICOM’s role is to facilitate the orderly conduct of insurance business through appropriate regulation, noting that the commission has historically implemented the requirements of the law as it concerns minimum capital requirements for operation of insurance companies, consumer protection, solvency and orderly exit of companies.

He noted that the pillars of the commission’s strategy have been to deepen insurance penetration; strengthen insurance institutions through effective regulatory framework; improve communication with all stakeholders to ensure transparency, public trust and confidence; transform the commission’s processes, people and systems, and optimise revenue collection and effective management of assets.

NAICOM’s regulatory and supervisory practices were subjected to

loan IMF/World FSAP review in 2013.

He said: “The current transformation agenda is offering the industry the opportunity to readjust its governance, operational structures and leverage on the interest and support provided in the policy direction of the Commission.

“It is expected that companies will begin to review their strategic business and operating models, overhaul product portfolios and distribution strategy, enhance ICT capability and other elements that can stimulate the growth of their overall business.

“NAICOM will remain focused on the issues relevant to the protection of policyholders, growth of the insurance sector and promote financial stability.”

Insurers, he said, must keep pace with evolving regulations, which are becoming more stringent, affecting everything from capital requirements, to commission rates and customer care.

HE Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) has paid N31.89 billion to its retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), its Director-General, Adekunle Hussain, has said.

Hussain stated this in Lagos during the 16th retirement bond presentation by the state to retirees. He said with the current presentation, the money paid from inception of their retirement bond certificate presentation in 2010 till date is N31.89 billion for 6,078 retirees, while the monthly deduction of 7.5 per cent from the salary of every employee and the counterpart 7.5 per cent contribution by the state government since inception of the scheme in 2007, has also increased to N56.99 billion.

He said Lagos has presented N1.4 billion to 305 retirees, which had already been remitted into their respective Retirement Savings Account (RSA) with the Pension Fund Administrators in addition to their monthly contributions.

He urged the retirees to contact their PFAs for necessary documentations toward accessing and enjoying their

benefits.

Speaking on the progresses made on the CPS in the State, Hussain said “while some states are yet to commence the implementation of the CPS, Lagos had continued to wax stronger with the scheme despite the fact that the government needed to attend to various levels of developmental projects with the limited resources.

“Since the commencement of the CPS, Lagos had not relented in its resolve at ensuring that the retirement benefits of its retirees were paid as at when due.

“Presentation of the certificates was part of the commitment and determination of Lagos State to make life worth living for its workers while still in service and at retirement,” he added.

Head of Service, Lagos State, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, said the presentation of the bonds confirmed that the state appreciated the efforts of the workers. She asked the retirees not to subject themselves to ventures that could make them lose their savings to trivialities and sharp practices.

Lawal is Man of the Year

T

HE former President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), Fatai Lawal, has emerged the Inspenonline Insurance Man of the year.

Fatai, the Managing Director Sterling Assurance Nigeria Limited, was named at the Awards by Inspenonline last week.

Inspenonline Media Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chuks Udo Okonta, said the winner deepened insurance awareness by writing and donating books.

He said the awards, which started two years ago with the recognition of two distinguished individuals and an underwriting firm, has now come to stay.

He said: “This year, we decided to raise the bar by setting high standards to judge the operations of companies and the impact made by individuals in moving insurance and pension business forward.

“To achieve this, we gave the public the opportunity to select those to be celebrated by calling for votes. Having harmonised the votes, which came from different parts of the country,

we benchmarked the scores with the set standard to arrive at the winners we are celebrating today.”

Other winners are AIICO Insurance Plc, which emerged the Insurance company of the year; FUG Pensions Limited, Pension Fund Administrator of the Year; YOA Insurance Brokers Limited and Glanvill Enthoven Insurance Brokers Limited, Insurance Broker of the year.

The Professional Excellence Award went to insurance mogul, Prof. Joe Irukwu; the Best Professional Group went to the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria and Association of Registered Insurance Agents of Nigeria; Corporate Brand went to Mansard Insurance Plc, Leadway Assurance Limited while Corporate Social Responsibility Award was won by Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc. The organisers also recognised firms that distinguished themselves, with Excellence Award. They include the National Pension Commission, Lagos State Pension Commission, Goldlink Insurance Plc and Pension Transition Administration Directorate.

25

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

ISSUES

• Lagos ports

Shippers’ Council in the eye of the storm Last year, the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC) was temporarily appointed as seaports economic regulator, with a mandate to, among others, check arbitrary charges at the ports. However, almost a year after, the ports remain uncompetitive and unattractive for business due to the rising cost of doing business. This has pitched the council against importers, clearing agents and other stakeholders in the maritime industry, OLUWAKEMI DAUDA reports.

D

ESPITE its capacity to generate for the country an estimated N7 trillion in revenue, the Nigerian maritime sector remains inefficient and uncompetitive.

High cost of doing business at the ports, cumbersome clearance procedures, bottlenecks in cargo evacuation, inadequate cargo handling equipment, and lack of transparency, among others, have conspired to make the ports inefficient and uncompetitive, forcing many importers to patronise ports in neighbouring countries, especially Benin Republic.

Government’s regulatory agencies and relevant ministries have confirmed the massive diversion of cargoes to ports of neighbouring countries, which are later substantially smuggled into the country through the numerous porous land borders, resulting in loss of huge revenue to the government.

This was why President Goodluck Jonathan, last year, appointed the Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC) as seaports economic regulator. The council was given the mandate to reduce cost of operations at the ports. However, one year after, the council appeared not to have lived up to its mandate, and this has become one of the sore points in the nation’s maritime business, as importers and clearing agents kick.

Cost of clearing containers At the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos, the cost of clearing containers remained the same, between N150, 000 and N300, 000. Investors and importers under the aegis of Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS) said the high cost of clearing cargoes have remained high at the ports. They attributed this to multiple charges imposed on imported goods.

President of the association, Mr. Jonathan Nicol, said the five per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) and the one per cent PAAR charge were some of the many charges Nigerian shippers pay.

He gave others as the 35 per cent automobile levy and the Common External Tariffs (CET) levy.

According to him, the combined cost implication of the charges on one consignment takes away most of the shipper’s capital. “The Federal Ministry of

Finance has to provide leadership in managing the problems of the Nigerian shipping community. Government should think about the huge investments in building deep sea ports as well as maritime prospects in the next 20 years to attract more cargoes,” he said.

Also, a frontline licensed clearing agent and a former chairman of Tin Can chapter of SALS, Dr Farinto Kayode, said at a meeting of clearing agents in Lagos that Customs charges originating from the PAAR system was becoming unbearable. He noted that as a final document and as far as value of cargo was concerned, the Customs could only query PAAR based on quantity.

Litigation against NSC There have been squabbles between the NSC and terminal operators over the execution of a court judgment ordering the operators to stop ‘illegal’ revenue collection

‘Government’s regulatory agencies and relevant ministries have confirmed the massive diversion of cargoes to ports of neighbouring countries, which are later substantially smuggled into the country through the numerous porous land borders’

at sea ports.

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, last December 17, ordered the operators to stop the collections from importers and clearing agents, which the NSC contended was illegal.

The operators appealed the judgment and asked the High Court to suspend its execution pending the determination of their appeal.

But the NSC returned to Justice Buba, praying him to compel the operators to pay N150 billion for allegedly disobeying his order. In a statement, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) Mr Femi Atoyebi (SAN), accused the NSC of making frantic efforts to ride rough shod over the judicial process.

Atoyebi accused NSC of adopting illegal and unacceptable method because the case is a subject of an appeal, adding that STOAN also has an application for stay of execution before Justice Buba.

The statement reads: “The law in Nigeria is that whereas, there is an appeal against a court decision and a motion for stay of execution/injunction is filed, none of the parties must do anything to frustrate the hearing of the appeal until the application has been determined.

“It is also trite that the court from which an appeal lies and the court to which an • Continued on page 26

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

26

ISSUES •Continued from page 25

appeal lies have a duty to preserve the ‘res’ (subject-matter) so that the appeal, if successful, is not rendered nugatory. We consider that the NSC lawyers should have advised them appropriately of the correct position of the law and if they did, it would appear that the NSC is refusing to follow the advice. We hasten to add that the NSC publication and any further step that may be taken by them in a bid to frustrate the pending appeal and foist on the Court of Appeal a situation of complete helplessness would be highly contemptuous of the court and we would not hesitate to apply the full weight of the law on such persons as may have authorised the publication.”

Another maritime lawyer, Mr. Chidi Ilogu (SAN), said the NSC cannot execute the judgment delivered in its favour against members of the Association of Shipping Line Agencies (ASLA) on Shipping Line Agency Charges (SLAC) yet because of a pending appeal.

Ilogu, who is the Counsel to ASLA, said members of the association, being dissatisfied with the Federal High Court judgment delivered on December 17, last year by Justice Ibrahim Buba, immediately filed a ‘Notice of Appeal’ challenging the entire judgment of the lower court.

The lawyer said the judgment is being appealed on the grounds that the NSC cannot perform economic regulatory role at the ports in Nigeria pursuant to a presidential directive, which is inconsistent with the extant laws of the country including the NSC Act and regulations made pursuant thereto; that the purported economic regulatory functions are ultra vires the powers of the NSC as presently stipulated under the enabling Act, which has not been amended; and that the purported presidential directive, being inconsistent with the NSC Act, is null and void and of no effect.

“In addition to the said notice of appeal, the plaintiffs filed an application for a stay of execution and/or injunction pending appeal.

“It is a trite principle of law as established in a plethora of cases that where an appeal is pending and the applicant has applied for a stay of execution of the judgment appealed against, the parties to the appeal are enjoined to maintain the status quo – being the subsisting position before the judgment of the lower court,” Ilogu said.

He said the purpose of an application for stay of execution is to preserve the ‘res’ and “the parties are legally obliged to avoid taking any steps that may foist a fait accompli on the Appeal Court and render its decision nugatory given that the rights and obligations of the parties are yet to be determined to finality by the appellate court”.

He averred that the shipping companies and the shipping line agents were not collecting any illegal charges from port users as they are within the right to maintain the status quo.

“The NSC is well aware of the pending appeal and application for stay of execution and has indeed, filed a response to the application for stay of execution before the trial Court and same is yet to be heard.

“Nigerian Appellant Courts have held that a party, who has appealed and asked the Court for a stay, will not be held in contempt merely because he has not obeyed the order which he is appealing against or which he wants stayed or suspended pending the appeal.

NSC’s lawyer’s position But NSC’s lawyer Mr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) disagreed, saying: “The mere fact that there is a pending application for stay of execution and an appeal do not remove the effect of the judgment we got. Our position is supported by a Supreme Court decision that it will be unfair to allow a losing defendant ‘to continue cutting down and selling economic trees on the land’ adjudged by the trial court not to belong to them simply because of a pending application for stay of execution and an appeal.

“What the appellants, who have been found not to be the owners of the land in dispute want of this court, in effect, is for the court to lend its authority to the appellants, for them to continue devastating the land in dispute by being allowed to continue cutting down and selling the economic trees on the land while the owner of the land – the respondent – sits back and watches, helplessly, the fruits of his judgment being denied him. That will be justice inverted. I will not be a party to such an inversion.

“This Supreme Court decision is apt to our

•Mrs Okonjo-Iweala

•Bello

• Agbakoba

Shippers’ Council in the eye of the storm case. Applying the decision, it is clear that the terminal operators cannot continue to impose and collect illegal charges on the pretext that they have filed a pending application for stay or appeal.”

Why the council is worried The Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr. Hassan Bello, is worried. His worry arose from the country’s quest to achieve the status of hub of shipping activities in the West African sub-region amidst an uncompetitive and unfriendly port sector.

The council is also dealing with stakeholders, who have been playing without the rules as the port terminals were concessioned to private operators without consideration for appointing a regulator to assess options for competition, to decide on entry rules, regulate on pricing freedom and monitor outcomes.

Expectedly, the operators resisted attempts by the NSC to introduce reforms at the ports that will engender attractiveness and competitiveness by dragging the regulator to Court.

Bello said the global competitiveness of Nigerian ports has a major role to play in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Port reforms, he said, has brought tremendous benefits to the economy.

“However, there is still the need to harness other potential areas of the port sector with a view to bringing down the cost of doing business and enthrone efficiency,” he said, noting that a vacuum was created by the absence of an economic regulator that will act as a referee, and the vacuum has made it difficult for the nation to enjoy the gains of the reform.

“Niger and Chad Republics would rather go to Cotonou in Benin Republic than Apapa in Lagos because of so many reasons. There is the deployment of technology there and things are done at fairly transparent level,” Bello said, adding: “we have to counter that and make our ports efficient so as to attract cargoes from our competitors.”

Competition, he said, is central to regulation. “How do we make the ports competitive?” he asked, stating, “You have to have an economic regulator, who is like an auditor, he is focusing on the efficiency of the ports, which is based on some key performance indicators. These include questions like, what is the turnaround time for vessels? What is the dwell time of cargoes? What is the clearance process? How

do you evacuate cargoes from the ports to their final destinations? What are the incentives? What are the infrastructure available? What is the level of corruption or transparency? The importers then have to weigh it whether to bring their cargoes to Apapa or go to Cotonou.”

Bello explained that what the NSC did in the last few months was to have consultations with various stakeholders.

“We held many breakfast meetings and dinners trying to sell an idea. The idea is simple. If the game is played by the rule, it will be for the benefit of all. When you have chaos or brigandage it will not benefit anybody in the long term. I am happy we have generally got an acceptance by stakeholders both in the private or public sector,” he said.

Bello said in Shippers’ Council capacity as port economic regulator, is to consult, coordinate, moderate and harmonise the various processes and procedures with a view to achieving operational efficiency at the ports. However, where there is unreasonable resistance, he said the council will not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions to ensure compliance. He, however, said they shall remain open, independent, neutral and consultative and all decisions would be based on the buy in of stakeholders.

Highlighting the effect of economic regulation on the regulated entities in the transport and logistics chain, Bello said terminal operators will experience protection of their investments from undue interference, leading to guaranteed return on investments and increased profitability.

There will also be predictability in processes and procedures, assurance of level playing ground, and availability of common user information service provided by the regulator.

On the part of the government, Bello said there will be improved revenue generation; improved infrastructural development; improvement of the nation’s global competitive index and consequent attraction of FDI. He noted that the shipping companies will experience improved delivery of marine and terminal handling services leading to reduced turn-around time of vessels and reduced cost of vessel operations.

Also, an effective regulation will engender professionalisation of freight forwarding practice, leading to elimination of touting, sanitisation of the port environment and the promotion of global linkages.

‘Nigeria requires an economic regulator for shipping sector. The Federal High Court has held that the NSC is an economic regulator. It is only when the NSC is empowered to regulate that stakeholders in the sector can turn around the fortunes of their businesses and generate huge revenue for the nation as their counterparts in other jurisdictions’

“We wish to note that the NSC is not competing with any other government regulatory agency, but striving to actualise the mandate of making our ports the subregional hub and international logistics centre. On this note, we call for the support and cooperation of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Nigeria Customs Service (NCS); Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON); National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); the Nigeria Police, and all other stakeholders.

We shall also rely on the political will and the support of the government to enable us succeed in this our assignment,” Bello said.

Outdated shipping policy Agbakoba, a maritime lawyer and former president of Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS), said he is organising a policy dialogue that will bring together all stakeholders to highlight the constraints in the shipping sector, which at present are preventing Nigeria from becoming the maritime hub of Africa and an international maritime centre.

He said the Nigeria’s shipping policy framework is outdated and incoherent. The last major review was 28 years ago i.e the Nigerian Shipping Policy (NSP) Act No 10 of 1987. As a result, Nigeria’s ports have become uncompetitive.

“Nigeria requires an economic regulator for shipping sector. Until recently, there is no clearly recognised economic regulator for the shipping sector. The Federal High Court has held that the NSC is an economic regulator. It is only when the NSC is empowered to regulate that stakeholders in the sector can turn around the fortunes of their businesses and generate huge revenue for the nation as their counterparts in other jurisdictions such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and USA do,” he said.

Having been appointed as the economic regulator of the ports eight years after the port concession exercise when private companies took over cargo handling operations, NSC has been taking steps to ensure that Nigerian ports become competitive again and attract more cargoes.

This is because Nigeria has the destination of cargoes. More than 65 per cent of the imports into the West and Central Africa sub region end up in the country of an estimated 170 million population, the largest in the continent.

“I remember what we say then that Nigeria is the hub. Nigeria cannot be a hub, you cannot decree a hub. The shipper has a choice, he enters into contract of affreightment and chooses port of discharge,” Bello said, during a recent media interaction “We have to look at the Nigerian ports and find out why neighbouring ports are having more cargoes than Nigeria and that is the function of an economic regulator. That is what the NSC has been addressing. It is not an easy thing,” Agbakoba added.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

27

28

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

MONEYLINK

Foreign exchange reserves down to $31.57b

T

HE foreign reserves fell to $31.57 billion by February 25, down 8.33 per cent from $34.44 billion a month earlier, latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed on Friday.

The CBN has been drawing down on reserves to support the ailing naira, hit by falling global oil price and escalating tensions ahead of forthcoming presidential elections next month.

The naira suffered its biggest monthly fall in over five years last month, dealers said, citing concerns over political uncertainty and the CBN’s ability to

•Naira closes N198/$ on inter-bank Stories by Collins Nweze

manage a currency hurt by weak oil prices.

The naira shed 8.3 per cent to the dollar in February, worse than a 6.9 per cent fall in November after CBN devalued the currency by eight per cent in order to save its foreign reserves.

However, reserves have fallen steadily and were down 8.6 per cent

by February 26, to stand at $31.46 billion after the apex bank stepped up support for the currency.

The naira closed at N198 on the interbank market on Friday, a level it broadly traded at this week.

At its weakest, the naira was quoted at a record low of N206.60 to the dollar earlier this month, a decline of 20 per cent since the start of November 2014.

The naira crashed through a psychologically important level of N200 to the dollar last month in a rout triggered by weak oil prices and escalating tension

over the postponement of a presidential election in Africa’s top oil producer, prompting the CBN to scrap its bi-weekly forex auctions.

The local unit of Mobil asked commercial lenders to bid for $15 million on Friday, as the firm sought to buy naira to meet its local obligations.

The results of the bidding are due out today. The central bank scrapped its bi-weekly currency auctions this month and a market body said it would sell dollars only at N198, a move that amounts to a de facto devaluation of the naira.

FirstBank trains NGOs, firms on social investment

Sterling Bank raises online credit by 200%

S

TERLING Bank Plc has increased the minimum amount for online “quick cash” from N3,000 to N10,000. The Social Lender Scheme introduced last year targets 6,000 beneficiaries for the current year.

Last year, the lender disbursed over N5 million to over 2,000 online customers within six months of its introduction. Over 90 per cent of the amount advanced has been paid back by the beneficiaries.

Social Lender scheme provides a platform for online followers who are customers of the bank to obtain these monies via social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

The bank’s Group Head, Strategy & Communications, Mr. Shina Atilola who disclosed this at the weekend, explained that the scheme was repackaged because of its success story for the bank, the quality of feedback from members of the on-line community and the impressive pay back rate of the beneficiaries.

•Sterling Bank CEO Yemi Adeola

He explained that the bank has taken the decision to increase the minimum amount for lending because “our target market has been faithful to the terms of the agreements reached during the launch phase, they have been faithful with repayment and this has inspired confidence.”

The scheme, according to Mr. Atilola, has integrated with exist-

ing financial structures of the bank such that users of the online platform now access quick cash by normal methods of withdrawing cash. These funds according to him, are easy to access and delivered via convenient platforms.

Mr. Atilola explained further on how it works: “Our friends on Facebook or Twitter can apply for quick cash by visiting the Social Lender site. Users who request for the loans on the Social Lender platform are rated by the algorithm that calculates their social reputation using various criteria; based on this, the request is either granted or rejected”.

With the introduction of the scheme, the bank’s chief strategist said that the bank was making it easier for potential and existing customers to bridge short term financing needs. The bank’s chief strategist said that customers also had the option of quick cash via this platform by sending requests to a short code; 30812 on any network.

•CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

F

IRSTBANK has partnered with the Lagos Business School (LBS) to train non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and corporate organisations on best practices in managing Corporate Social Investment (CSI).The twoday sustainability workshop held at the weekend in Lagos for NGOs and corporate organisations is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the FirstBank Sustainability Centre.

The objective is to create, disseminate and apply knowledge, build capacity and promote best practices in sustainability education. The progrmme provided opportunity for experts to address social and environmental concerns of customers, investors and the media. An expert on sustainability issues, Delia Nzekwu, urged corporate organisations and NGOs to take right decisions on Corporate Social Investment by applying professionalism, systematic and pragmatic expertise.

According to her, CSIs should be

well planned with strategic guidelines, well budgeted for, in-house staff or consultants properly engaged and projects well-monitored.

She observed that key to managing CSI lies in aligning concerned projects with core business of the organisation and getting employees to share in the vision.

“In order to manage CSI very well, employees must be made to share in the vision of the organisation. NGOs should recruit people who are passionate about their vision,” Nzekwu stated.

Another resource person Dayo Oluwole, of Kasher Quality Consulting insisted that “a socially responsible organisation is one that runs a profitable business and takes into account all the positive and negative environment, social and economic effects it has on society.”

FirstBank’s spokesperson, Mrs. Folake Ani-Mumuney, said the workshop provided capacity building for NGOs that want to partner with corporate organisations on their sustainability programmes.

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

123.29 37,975.58 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.63 1.39 1,754.31 114.17 121.16 1.67 1.29 1.32 0.95 1.17

123.03 37,975.58 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.62 1.33 1,754.31 113.55 120.30 1.62 1.28 1.32 0.93 1.17

ECONOMIC INDICATORS FOREX RATES (NairaVs Dollar) February 23, 2015

Inflation: December

8%

Monetary Policy Rate

Interbank ($/N)

199.00

$1

Black Market ($/N)

215.00

$1

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

$33.2b

London Inter-bank Offered Rates (LIBOR) Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$60.91

Tenor Money Supply (M2)

GAINERS AS AT 25-02-15

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

CHANGE

IKEJAHOTEL UBN CONTINSURE STERLNBANK LIVESTOCK DANGFLOUR ETERNA MANSARD NB OANDO

3.41 9.00 0.85 2.27 2.13 3.39 2.60 2.89 135.51 13.55

3.75 9.84 0.92 2.38 2.23 3.53 2.70 3.00 140.00 13.99

9.97 9.33 8.24 4.85 4.69 4.13 3.85 3.81 3.31 3.25

LOSERS AS AT 25-02-15

SYMBOL AFRIPRUD DIAMONBNK ACADEMY MAYBAKER UNIONVENT NAHCO SKYEBANK NEIMETH RTBRISCOE UBCAP REDSTAREX

O/PRICE 2.80 4.10 1.06 1.73 0.66 4.51 2.12 0.74 0.76 1.45 3.71

C/PRICE 2.66 3.90 1.01 1.65 0.63 4.31 2.03 0.71 0.73 1.40 3.60

CHANGE -5.00 -4.88 -4.72 -4.62 -4.55 -4.43 -4.25 -4.05 -3.95 -3.45 -2.96

N16.42 trillion.

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

N17.2 trillion

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

16.5%

1 Month 2 Months 3 Months 6 Months 12 Months

19 Feb

20 Feb

Rate)%

Rate (%)

0.1735 0.2147 0.2615 0.3841 0.6709

0.1715 0.2108 0.2626 0.3857 0.6744

Nigerian Stock Market Indices NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

12-02-15 Rate (%) Rate (%) 13-02-15

Overnight (O/N)

14.683

76.583

1M

15.033

15.977

3M

15.809

17.177

6M

16.493

17.908

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

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

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

Statistics All Share Index Mkt Cap (NGN’bn) Deals Volume (mn) Value (NGN’mn)

19 Feb 29,282.04 9,770.36 3,385 564,28 6,087.80

20 Feb 29,383.93 9,804.36 3,714 377,75 6,568.66

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Feb. 13, 2015

Rates

T-bills - 91

12.44

T-bills - 182

13.85

T-bills - 364

13.92

Bond - 3yrs

15.92

Bond - 5yrs

17.22

Bond - 7yrs

16.59

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

29

EQUITIES

Nigerian equities gain N198b in February N

IGERIAN equities rode on the back of increased bargain-hunting and positioning for the new earnings seasons to record a modest gain of N198 billion in February. The bullish performance in the second month contrasted sharply with the downtrend that started the year when equities lost N1.63 trillion.

Aggregate market value of all quoted equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed February at N10.045 trillion as against its opening value of N9.847 trillion for the month. This represented capital gains of N198 billion.

The benchmark index at the stock market, the All Share Index (ASI)-a value-based common index that tracks prices of all shares on the NSE, closed the month at 30,103.81 points compared with its opening index of 29,562.07 points for the month. This indicated month-onmonth average gain of 1.83 per cent.

The upswing in February moderated the negative overall market situation as average year-to-date return improved to -13.14 per cent as against -14.70 per cent recorded in January.

Analysis of the price movement trend showed widespread bullish sentiments during the month with investors showing greater interests in undervalued banking stocks. All the group indices at the NSE closed higher, with the exception of the consumer goods index which closed on the downside.

The NSE 30 Index, which tracks the 30 most capitalised stocks at the stock market, recorded a month-onmonth average return of 2.71 per cent. The NSE Banking Index recorded the highest gain of 10 per cent. It was followed by the NSE Oil and Gas Index, which rose by 8.13 per cent. The NSE Lotus Islamic Index, which tracks stocks that comply with Islamic jurisprudence, chalked up 7.53 per cent. The NSE Industrial Goods Index showed a modest appreciation of 0.46 per cent while the NSE Insurance Index inched up by 0.11 per cent.

Total turnover during the month stood at 7.74 billion shares worth N92.25 billion in 84,768 deals. Financial services sector continued to dominate the market with a monthly turnover of 5.94 billion shares valued at N46.28 billion in 50,330 deals.

However, the market remained in the negative over the two-month period. Average year-to-date return remained negative at -13.14 per cent, equivalent to a loss of N1.43 trillion over the two-month period.

Nigerian equities had lost about N1.63 trillion in January, indicating average month-on-month loss of 14.70 per cent.

Aggregate market value of all quoted equities on the NSE closed January at N9.847 trillion as against

Stories by Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

its opening value of N11.478 trillion for the month. This represented a loss of N1.63 trillion. The ASI closed January at 29,562.07 points, indicating a year-to-date return of -14.70 per cent. It had opened the year at 34,657.15 points The performance in the first month had raised the spectre of the grueling bearishness in 2014 when Nigerian equities ranked among the worst-performing stocks globally with average full-year decline of 16.14 per cent. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities closed 2014 at N11.478 trillion as against its opening value of N13.226 trillion for the year, indicating a loss of N1.75 trillion during the year.

Most analysts expected the market to be dominated by bearish sentiments in the first half, but the pricing trend is expected to pick up in the second half.

Managing director, Finawell Capital Limited, Mr. Tunde Oyekunle said the market situation would improve towards the end of the first quarter as the political risks subside.

“Specifically, the economic and political risk of the country is currently too high for multinational and foreign investors. Factors influencing this includes dwindling price of Brent Crude Oil, uncertainty of the election transformation period, decreasing value of Naira and unfavourable foreign exchange. Local investors are further affected by the increased vola-

tility of the market due to increase in movement band from daily allowable change of five per cent to 10 per cent,” Oyekunle said.

Group head, research, Lead Capital Plc, Mr. Sadiq Waziri, attributed the earlier downtrend to the pump and dump technique adopted by most traders at the NSE. According to him, traders forced the market to close high towards the end of 2014 by pumping up the share prices in order to ensure that their portfolios closed the year on a good note.

“They all adopted the same tactics to close the market high and dump in the New Year. Since everybody has the same strategy, the market will suffer for it,” Waziri pointed out.

He, however, noted that the market situation will moderate after the elections, adding that investors should expect stronger performance after the swearing in of the newly elected government.

Head, Research and Intelligence, BGL Plc, Mr. Femi Ademola, said the security challenges in the North East, which is scaring away many strategic investors and the continuous decline in oil price with its effect on exchange rate stability as well as political uncertainty had created a risk scenario that is making investors to be afraid to risk their money into the market.

He, however, added that most of the identified problems are transitory and the market may ride over remaining concerns after the elections.

Analysts at Vetiva Capital Management Limited however said investors in Nigerian equities may earn an average double-digit return of about 16 per cent this year, in spite of the bearishness that started the year.

Vetiva, in its outlook for 2015, stated that Nigerian equities have been significantly undervalued by the previous bearishness and would witness considerable recovery this year.

Analysts at Vetiva noted that while the performance of the equities market will correlate with the global oil price trend, a mid-point analysis suggests that Nigerian equities can make potential average return of 16 per cent this year.

Analysts pointed out that while valuations appear relatively cheap, sustained pressure on oil prices will likely continue to constrain investor re-entry into equities. Analysts thus anchored their 2015 return expectation for the All Share Index (ASI) of the NSE on oil price performance in the year.

According to analysts, using 16 year data, a correlation factor of 72 per cent between Brent crude prices and the ASI was established. The assumption of Brent crude recovering to $70/bbl by year end indicates a 22 per cent recovery from 2014 end position; thus, factoring in 72 per cent correlation suggests that amidst much volatility, the ASI holds a potential 16 per cent return in 2015 to 40,201.56 points.

“Our scenario analysis indicate that at $100/bbl level, ASI would hold a potential 54 per cent return for the

year, whilst at $20/bbl price level, the return potential is -47 per cent.

Given that the market selloff in the final quarter of 2014 was broad based, we believe a market recovery in 2015 will equally be broad based,” Vetiva stated.

“We expect a moderate recovery in oil prices in 2015, driven largely by a marginal improvement in global economic growth, which should support demand, but will still be overshadowed by supply, stemming any sustained rise in the oil price. Our sense, however, is that the prospects of a sustained recovery will be based on whether price weakness triggers substantial reduction in non-OPEC supply and/ or a cut in OPEC production either at the June 2015 meeting or earlier.

The former could be influenced by the risk of delayed shale projects if prices stay well below projected break-even for too long, and the latter by the risks of running large budget deficits and lower growth prospects resulting from depressed oil revenues. Other risks that could trigger an uptrend in oil prices would be: supply disruptions in the Middle East, an aggressive buildup in China’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), and a more intense winter in the US These events however need to be significant enough to alter oil market fundamentals by tightening supply in order to sustain the oil price rebound. In our core scenario, we expect the Brent to gradually rise from the current levels to US$60/bbl by first half of 2015, and up to US$70/bbl levels by year-end 2015,” Vetiva noted.

•From left: Ms. Megan Foster Counsellor (Political), Canadian High Commissioner’s Office; Mr. Marcello DiFranco, Deputy Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria; Mr. Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Mr. Perry Calderwood, Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria; Mr. Ade Bajomo, Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, NSE and Ms. Sarah Branco, Trade Commissioner, Canadian High Commissioner’s Office during the Canadian High Commissioner’s visit to NSE in Lagos.

Ahmed, Afolabi, others join IGI board Resort Savings and Loans launches Yayale ORMER Defence Minister and Defence Minister in 2007 and the and 1993, in Nigerian-American Secretary to the Government Secretary to the Government of the Merchant Bank, including a sixhousing scheme for youths of the Federation, Alhaji Federation in 2008. month credit internship in Boston

R

ESORT Savings and Loans Plc, a primary mortgage bank quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), has launched a housing scheme for Nigerians within 25 and 40.

Speaking on the launch of the mortgage bank’s new product tagged “Early Home Owner”, Managing Director, Resort Savings and Loans Plc, Mr. Abimbola Olayinka, said the new product would allow young people to own their houses.

According to him, the product was initially provided to members of staff of the bank and proved to be successful. It is now being extended to the general public to support the housing aspirations of the majority of Nigerians.

He explained that Early Home

Owner requires every customer to make a minimum equity contribution equivalent to 20 per cent of the value of the property to be purchased, subject to a maximum mortgage loan amounts of N6 million.

“The equity can be paid over 12 months period within which period, the customer is expected to maintain consistent banking relationship with us. This is essentially for the purpose of getting to know our customers better, so that we can serve them better,” Olayinka said.

He said the loans for the product will be granted at an attractive interest rate, adding that the mortgage loan can be repaid over a maximum tenor of 10 years.

He noted that another important feature of the product is that the property to be purchased is usually the sole collateral of the mortgage loan.

F

Yayale Ahmed has been appointed as a non-executive director of the Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc. Ahmed was appointed alongside former Head of Service of the Federation, Prof Oladapo Afolabi. The board of IGI has also appointed Mr Kenneth Aigbinode and Foluso Gbadamosi as Executive Director.

Ahmed is an accomplished public administrator who has served in top government positions. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration both from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

He also has honorary Doctorate Degrees in Law and of Letters awarded by the University of Abuja and Bayero University, Kano respectively. He was appointed Head of Service of the Federation in 2000,

Afolabi attended the University of Ife and graduated with a Bachelor of Science. He also obtained Master’s degrees in Biochemistry as well as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Applied Chemistry from the same university. He won a fellowship at Howard University, Washington, United States, as an International Atomic Energy Agency Fellow in 1983. He played a major role in organising the first Ecological Summit in 1988, which led to the creation of the Federal Ministry of Environment. He had a flourishing career in the civil service, where he rose to become the Head of Service in 2010.

With experience in financial sector spanning over 25 years, Kenneth Aigbinode began his banking career in Barclays Bank in 1975. He worked for 10 years, between 1983

with the bank’s affiliate, Bank of Boston, USA. He joined the repositioning effort at Owena Bank where he established and ran the corporate banking division as Deputy General Manager for five years.

Between 1998 and 2003, he was in Fidelity Union Merchant Bank where he rose to become the Acting Managing Director. He oversaw the bank’s transformation from merchant banking to commercial banking and its positioning among the leading banks in Nigeria. In 2004, he joined New Nigeria Bank as an Executive Director, responsible for business development until early 2005. The Central Bank of Nigeria engaged him for six months in 2005 as part of an interim management board to oversee the affairs of Assurance Bank towards an orderly liquidation.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

Taxation

Computing tax returns using the FIRS tax calculator

C

OMPUTING taxes can be so cumbersome, especially for the tax types that do not consider any deduction or relief; such tax types include the Value Added Tax (VAT) which is currently 5% of the total sum and the Withholding Tax (WHT) whose rate depends on the particular transaction in question and is also applied to the total sum.

Other tax types which consider certain deductions and reliefs for the benefit of the taxpayers usually require some measure of technical expertise in their computation, especially in the identification of the deductions and reliefs allowed.

Conscious of this fact, the Federal Inland Revenue Service(FIRS) incorporated a tax calculator application in its redesigned website to help users compute their taxes and at least have an idea of the amount of taxes they should pay, based on their income.

The tax calculatoris one of the best features on the redesigned FIRS website. This will help taxpayers have an estimated idea of their tax assessment before they file their returns at the nearest FIRS office or via the e-filing platforms.It is designed to take care of computations for both individual (PAYE and Personal Income Tax) and corporate (Company Income Tax) taxpayers.

By Olumide Solate

The corporate section takes cognisance of the type of industry the company operates in, the statutory deductions allowed by the Company Income Tax Act, the applicable capital allowance and unrelieved losses as well as the number of years the company has been in operation. If all the required fields have been correctly filled, a hit on the ‘CALCULATE TAX’ generates the Company Income Tax, corresponding Education Tax and the Information Technology Development Levy (where applicable).

The individual/enterprise section caters for persons in paid employment, partnership businesses and those that are self-employed. This section makes provisions for both earned (from paid employment) and unearned (other income such as rents, royalties etc.) income. It also considers the statutory deductions allowed in the Personal Income Tax Act (PITA) such as the National Housing Fund contribution and the pension contribution as well as the statutory consolidated relief allowance. After filling all the required fields, a hit on the ‘CALCULATE TAX’ button gives the tax payable broken into monthly instalments.

For further inquiries, go to http://www.firs.gov.ng/contactus/Pages/Feedback.aspx

• Acting Executive Chairman, FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed Mashi

The Tax Calculator is specifically designed to make life easier for all classes of taxpayers. If you ever experience any page loading issue while using the platform, please refresh your page.

31

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS JOBS

• Health and safety workers

Ensuring safety in the workplace should be the concern of firms. But many do not care about their workers’ safety. Their attitude negates the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) principle advocated by labour institutions. If the practice is adopted, it will throw up more jobs, reports TOBA AGBOOLA.

Jobs prospect as HSE berths W

HAT is Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) all about? It is about safety in the workplace and a conducive environment for the personnel. HSE is hardly practised here. Only a few firms have imbibed HSE, which has become a culture abroad.

HSE professionals are needed in oil and gas, banks/financial institutions, manufacturing,

telecommunications, waste management, construction, transportation and the public service.

According to Managing Director, Hybrid Consulting Limited Mr. Dapo Omolade, as part of the gradual acceptance of HSE in Nigeria, many multinational companies and local industries now require well trained professionals and operatives in their organisations.

He said: “For instance, in the ar-

eas of insurance, knowledge of HSE is creating and can create more jobs as it will help insurers to put an accurate figure down, such that if risk portfolio is high or low, they know what premium to charge.

“Health, safety and environment aside, jobs can be created in their thousands in the areas of safety and project. Risk management professionals dedicated to prevention of losses and promotion

of occupational health, safety, security, environment and project management methodologies are on the increase. The minimum of 5000 jobs can be created from safety alone in one year.”

He said there must be laws to guide safety professionals, adding that young graduates can also be trained to work in multinational companies where Indians, Philippines and South Africans now hold sway.

“To make this happen, the body for HSE regulation which is long overdue in Nigeria must be made to see the light of day. Employing more trained HSE professionals as most multinational and local firms understand will not reduce profit. Safety will increase the bottom line. Safety improves performance and •Continued on page 32

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

JOBS •Continued from page 31

productivity and produces more value while reducing cost.

“The knowledge and practice of HSE is very little in Nigeria. This also is due to the orientation, mindset and belief of the people most particularly the attitude of leaving everything in the hands of God. The quality and type of education received is also another factor responsible for the lamentable state of HSE in the country and in the sub-region.

HSE as a career and professional option could have been more popular if these factors were not militating against it.”

Companies where HSE is not practised, he noted, do not place a premium on their workforce.

According to him, there are many incidents to recount where honest, hardworking Nigerians have lost their lives, or limbs due to industrial-related accidents that could have well been avoided with a simple HSE measure and enforcement.

An occupational safety and health practitioner, Desire Obanefe, said the country has a deficit of HSE practitioners. The government, he said, has not shown its readiness to boost occupational safety and health.

He said: “For example, according to a report of the National Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS), Geneva, Switzerland, Nigeria have 39 Labour Inspectors and these inspectors are supposed to inspect 5,888 registered factories aside unregistered production companies.

“Also in another report of the International Trade Union Congress (ITUC) for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) general council review of the trade poli-

Jobs prospect as HSE berths

• Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity Alhaji Kabiru Turaki

cies of Nigeria, there were 550 labour inspectors in Nigeria who carried out 1,500 inspections in 2010/11. From these figures it is clear that the ministry which has the primary responsibility to ensure that companies comply with occupational safety and health regulations in Nigeria does not

• Omolade

have the manpower capacity.

“Apart from not having enough inspectors, there is also the question of whether the present inspectors have the needed training in occupational health and safety standards as is obtained internationally.

“I believe the Ministry of La-

bour and Productivity and other relevant agencies are not supposed to have problems with manpower to carry out workplace inspections. This is because in recent times there has been significant awareness about occupational safety and health among career seekers and many young

people, both experienced and fresh graduates have been developing themselves in various aspect of HSE. “For this reason, I am very convinced that if the government is serious about getting more qualified hands to carry out factories inspection, they will get more than enough occupational health and safety professionals.”

The two Rs of Roles and responsibilities Health, Safety and Environment professionals provide professional, technical and competent advice on HSE in the workplace to managers, employees and contractors.

The HSE manager works with the wider management team to develop awareness about Health, Safety and Environment laws and lead proactive activities. He also ensures compliance with Global Risk Management Standards and work to improve the safety culture of employees and contractors.

Other roles include improving the safety results as measured by the key performance indicators; managing relations with government health, safety and environment agencies; representing his at government and industrial forums; reviewing and updating safety procedures in conjunction with line managers and systems of work to ensure compliance with codes of practice.

The manager ensures that technological developments, best practices and good relations are maintained at all times. He ensures that his firm’s interests are protected and encourages compliance with global risk management standards, and runs severe and fatal injuries prevention programmes.

CAREER MANAGEMENT

Politics in the work-place: Are you an owl or a fox?

T

O be effective and to survive, managers require leadership competencies which include envisioning, mental energy and stamina, a sense of purpose, ability to continue learning, ability to handle organisational politics, understanding and managing teams, facilitative in approach, being intuitive, change management, communication, stress management, balancing ambition and integrity, etc.

Countless hours of training, books upon books, academic and non-academic papers and vital units of business education curriculum have been devoted to one of the above competencies/skills or the other.

However, little has been written about organisational politics, either because many find the subject distasteful or perhaps because it is deemed to be worthy of study. Neither is it found in the syllabus of any management programme of MBA course that I have come across. What a waste! It is possible that more people’s careers flounder on the rocks of organisational politics than for many other reasons. Yet it is an area of great interest to practising managers. An exceedingly high proportion of the extra-curricular questions (i.e. those asked in the bar at the end of the day) in most out-of-site training programmes centre on this thorny area.

Whether we want to admit it or not, the stark reality is that there is heavy, sometimes dangerous politicks, is going on in our establishments and corporations.

While it may not be surprising to find it in government institutions and corporations, the academia is not left out. Even the so-called blue chip companies are not left out, including the local subsidiaries of trans-national corporations. In our environment, the basis of the politicking is a little more complex and the instrument of practice can be scary.

Organisation politics here is complicated by unbridled nepotism, ethnicity and corruption. It is not unusual for pro-

By Olu Oyeniran

motions, appointments and postings to be done on one or more of the above considerations rather than merit and competence. And the instrument ranges from the absurd to the macabre-juju, assault, arson and, even, assassination!

So, how can politics be defined and, more importantly, how can it be survived?

If company politics can be described as ‘the way we do things around here’, then surely it can also be described as ‘the way that we do things to people around here’.

It is sad truism that whatever people gather to tackle a task, there will be tension, rivalries, jealousies, hidden agendas and plain old-fashion mischief. Not only do people want to achieve the task their own way, they also want the way that the task is approached to reflect glory in certain specific directions and to help the careers of specific individuals or groups. It may not be pleasant, but, whether your place of work is a merchant bank or a monastery, it is unavoidable.

Indeed, there is evidence to show that the more senior and better educated the participants, the more prevalent and unpleasant will be the politics. At Marks & Spencer’s Head Office in London in the 70s, a number of highly qualified, talented individuals played fast and furious political games. The reasons? The awesome organisation in its retail stores did not extend to Head Office, where many senior professionals were somewhat under-employed. As the saying goes, ‘the devil makes work for idle hands’, and the spare hours were filled with all sorts of intrigue.

The concept of political animals is a popular one, and the University of Birmingham has conducted intriguing studies on the nature of these beasts in organisations. Researchers identified two

axes behaviour: • That of being ‘well-read’ in what was going on politically within the organisation: having an interest in the different factions’ power camps and power plays. The degree to which one was wellread could be high or low • That of having an interest in self and the promotion of one’s own aims versus that of having a prime interest in the fortunes and welfare of the organisation.

With these axes in mind, it then became possible to identify four discrete orientations and to label each with the name of the animal most representative.

Orientation 1: Here the individual was politically well-read and had a high interest in the fortunes of the organisation rather than self. This individual they labelled the Wise Owl. Owls are both liked and respected; furthermore, they are seldom hunted and usually survive. There is one downside, however: they do not often get to the head of the forest.

Orientation 2: In this box the individual was well-read and took an active interest in the politics; moreover, the individual promoted him- or herself actively within the organisation. Here we have the Crafty Fox. The fox is not always popular, for it hunts and it can create mayhem, but usually it is a survivor.

Occasionally, it oversteps the mark and is hunted down, but even fox hunt in the area of southern England where I live are anything to go by, I’m glad to say!)

Orientation 3: In the first of the lower boxes is found the person who is politically ill-read, but who on the other hand has a high degree of self-interest.

The researchers contemptuously label this individual as the Donkey – both stubborn and stupid. The donkey is used as a beast of burden, resents it and is seldom

thanked. It never reached the top.

Orientation 4: The final box contains those who are badly read politically, who have no interest in improving their knowledge or skills and yet who continually put the organisation before self, Loyalty, blind loyalty, is the name of the game, and these people are labelled Sheep, unquestioning naive. It often happens that the sheep end up in the slaughterhouse.

So, where is the best position to be politically? Having put this question to a wide variety of executives from different countries and cultures, the answer is invariably ‘just to the right of the Fox/ Owl divide (i.e. a combination of both, but being slightly more of a Fox). In other words, they were saying that you have to know the political forces at work and have to keep up to date with the trends and development here. In addition, you have to know how to play the game in order to appreciate the games was not worth the sacrifice or one’s own personal integrity and self-respect. So, to survive, the effective leader must be ‘aware’ and must learn to apply this awareness in ethical ways that reinforce the leader’s credibility rather than detract from it. All the essential skills of questioning, listening and above all intuition must be used to the full. Having the antennae out of all times is not being manipulative and does not sacrifice integrity. It is simply being smart.

Acknowledgement: we have relied heavily on John Maurik, Management Consultant and author, Discovering The Leader in You (McGraw-Hill, 1994) and The Portable Leader (McGraw-Hill, 1997).

•Oyeniran is Lead Consultant, EkiniConsult & Associates.

He can be reached on Jobsearchhow.com.ng Tel 08083843230 (SMS Only).

33

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

THE CEO Ground handling companies require huge cash for operational equipment. In this interview with Aviation Correspondent KELVIN OSA-OKUNBOR, Skyways Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) Managing Director Mr Oluropo Owolabi says zero tariff on such equipment, allocation of more space at airports to mount the equipment and reduction in multiple taxes can create a more conducive atmosphere for ancillary service providers.

• Mr Owolabi

‘How ground handling firms can break even’ T

HE Skyways Aviation Handling Limited (SAHCOL) has invested in cargo warehouse to boost its operations. Has this project enhanced your operations?

We have just completed this project you mentioned and it is the biggest not only in Nigeria, but in West Africa and perhaps one of the largest in Africa. The investment in this project was borne out of the desire to enhance our operational capacity to give us an edge in cargo ground handling and passenger handling in Nigeria’s airports. We are driven by the need to boost our operational capacity, and one of the ways of achieving this is to pool resources to build facilities like the cargo house, which invariably will put us in a leading position as a foremost cargo, passenger and ground handling company. We operate around the airport where we simply carry out ancillary services to airlines and cargo companies. The new cargo warehouse is now assisting us to carry out our duties of cargo and passenger facilitation. Before the warehouse was built, facilitation was at a slower pace, but all that has improved now.

Double taxation is a major concern for operators. How is SAHCOL coping with this?

Well, ground handling companies and others in the aviation sector are grappling with many challenges. Overtime, as a company, we have made representations to the government to draw attention to the challenges we are facing in the business. Over taxation of ground handling companies is a key challenge for us and we (operators) think this should be seriously addressed by the government. It has always been a serious issue which is yet to be resolved, but I

understand that presentations have been made to the Minister of Aviation, who has passed it to a committee to look into it and make appropriate recommendations. I am very positive that the government will look into it and come up with ways to assist us.

All the multi-million Naira equipment we invested and pay duties on are stationed on the tarmac for our operations and cannot be parked on the street, yet we are still being billed by FAAN for this. Do they expect us to take our equipment like the FMC Commanders to the street? The government meant well for the industry when it said it was embarking on the upgrading of airports, but at the same time, it should be supportive when handling companies are buying new equipment to be able to facilitate passengers and airline needs. So, I sincerely believe that since airlines are enjoying zero tariff on aircraft spare parts, the same should be extended to handling companies on the equipment being imported

by giving us duty free concession on spare parts. We have been agitating on this for long. As ground handling company, we complement the work of passenger airlines, by providing support services to their aircraft for passenger and cargo operations.

What are the major constraints SAHCOL is facing?

As a ground handling company, we operate in an environment that is logistic intensive. Consequently, we are constantly working to ensure that our operations run on schedule under circumstances that we can handle. But it is disturbing that we are not allocated enough space to position our operational equipment at the airside of major airports. We consider this a major challenge because after the airport authority, airlines and ground handling companies should be the next most important operators. Given this consideration, that we complement the responsibilities of airlines, we should be given more land space to carry put effec-

‘It is disturbing that we are not allocated enough space to position our operational equipment at the airside of major airports. We consider this a major challenge because after the airport authority, airlines and ground handling companies should be the next most important operators’

tive operations. After FAAN, the next most important entity that must be appreciated at the airports are the handling companies.

The handling companies must be given more space. Our operational equipment needs to be positioned very close to an aircraft on arrival. Once an airport is built, there must be a place given to handling companies to position their equipment. You cannot expect an aircraft to arrive and then it takes about 20 minutes before you position your equipment that is not standard practice because there could be an emergency. That is why in most airports, you see some space allocated to airlines to park their equipment, so the handling companies too should be given a space to ensure that these equipment are parked well. These are challenges in most of our airports.

What is the way around this challenge?

FAAN should realise that airlines and handling companies are complementary to the airports and that they must be able to allocate space to them without extra cost to park their equipment. It is statutory. You cannot build an airport and not make provision for where equipment should be parked safely. They are modern equipment and if they are dilapidated, FAAN has the right to order their removal so as not to constitute hazard to safe and secure airport operations.

But as it is now, most of us are having new equipment because of new airlines that have started operations. The airport authority should do something about this to ease our operations. Also the charges imposed on the handling companies are exorbitant, especially the charge on space allocation.

•Continued on page 34

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

THE CEO

‘How ground handling firms can break even’ •Continued from page 33

Many years ago, ground handling companies only paid charges from their annual profit to FAAN. To pay additional charges as we are being asked by the airport authority to pay now amounts to double taxation. The government must look into this issue so that FAAN would not ask us to pay charges on the space provided for us to park our handling equipment and at the same time expect us to pay certain per cent of our profit as tax that is harmful for our business. That would amount to double taxation and the earlier government looked into this, the better. We have complained and officially written to the Ministry of Aviation about this.

In what ways could the government assist ground handling companies?

We sincerely hope that the government would assist ground handling companies in implementing the rules that govern the procedures of clearance of cargo at the Customs facility at our airports. Putting in place very clearly designed operational procedures by all government agencies at the airports that deal with cargo will reduce the incessant closure of cargo warehouses.

Such closure is not good for ground handling companies, because we lose billions of Naira. We think government could do more to improve security at the warehouse because inadequate security arrangement had forced us to engage extra hands to secure people’s baggage. Also, the government should intervene by increasing the size of airport aprons to avoid the congestion of cargo at peak periods because whenever there is cargo congestion at the apron we incur more cost as we have to engage extra hands to decongest the place. So, if there is expansion of the apron, it would make the operating environment more conducive.

For now, we have to work extra hours with the men of the Nigeria Customs Service to decongest the tarmac because of the small size of the apron where the cargo freighters are parked. So, its a lot of workload.

The government could also provide modern conveyor belts at airports to make the passenger baggage reclaim seamless. If the conveyor belts are not working or are not good, passengers do not want to know whether or not it is our responsibility. So, we have to go extra mile by doubling our staff on shift to meet the challenges. Don’t forget that we also pay overtime allowances to our staff for working extra hours to be able to meet passengers’ expectations.

What was the impact of last year’s closure of the Customs bonded warehouse on the operations of SAHCOL? We are even yet to get out of it. So, as it is now, it has been very difficult to compute our losses. No doubt, we lost millions of naira. Don’t forget that we have to increase our manpower to assist in the clearing of backlog of cargo teso be able to meet up with the expectations of our customers during the festive seasons.

What are the lessons from that episode?

The lessons learnt from that closure are very clear. It is a learning curve for all operators including clearing agents to follow due process in the clearance of cargo. If you are an agent and you wanted to clear goods on behalf of your client, you have to follow due process because you are not the custodian of the goods. In effect, what the Customs is saying is that things must be done properly henceforth. They have said there should be a streamlined procedure on ways goods are cleared. The clients have no business inside the warehouse. Let the agents bring out the goods for examination by the Customs after the Customs have finished their examination and certified it okay. The system introduced by the Customs will trigger information in the documents, not only here in Lagos but also in Abuja. This will ease clearance of the goods to be released and immediately the Customs get the release order, hand it over to licensed Customs Agent which in turn bring the release order to us after payment of all necessary handling charges. We then open our warehouse for the agent to locate the goods and thereafter load it into the waiting van and move out of our warehouse; and you have nothing to do with the Customs again. For example, if you have a cargo to clear as an agent, we will appreciate if you have cargo to clear tomorrow, why can’t you come today to process all your documentations once and for all and by the time you come to the warehouse the following day, it’s a matter of showing your documents to our

• Owolabi

‘The provision of security gadgets to deter and detect dangerous tools such as guns, bombs and other explosive materials is that of the government. On our part, we assist the government in the provision of Xray machines for the screening of exports and imports.

It is, therefore, the job of the Customs to screen all inbound and outbound goods’ officials for verification and thereafter get your cargo released within a very short period.

How is SAHCOL grappling with operational rules and procedures affecting cargo freighting?

The rules and procedures are applicable internationally and we should respect and operate as stipulated. The freighters arrive with their fuselage load of cargo. You offload to the cargo warehouse, palletise and de-palletise and stack them on to the racks for Customs examination. In fact, the new warehouse has taken cognisance of these procedures, so that cargo operations are not in a mess when the warehouse begins operations. It has taken care of passengers’ and customs needs and those of the airlines in terms of their pallets and for passengers as regards their baggage. Then Customs, in terms of facilities to be provided to allow them function well. All these are now being provided by SAHCOL. When do you hope to inaugurate your new cargo warehouse?

Before the end of February 2015, we will start the test running of the facilities provided in the warehouse. The type of facilities there are a complete village on its own.

We are looking at March 2015 for the formal opening of the new warehouse.

What is unique about your new cargo warehouse?

Just list all that is required in the handling of cargo, we have the facilities in place at the new warehouse. We have facilities for handling human remains, facilities for dangerous goods, for cold-room storage and for freezers. We also have facility for the handling of radio-active materials, for safe keeping of valuables. We have facility for perishables like Vaccines and Pharmaceutical products and so on. We are, therefore,

providing facilities for all the necessary needs that are expected in a warehouse.

How is SAHCOL handling security around the airport as it affects its operations?

The provision of security gadgets to deter and detect dangerous tools such as guns, bombs and other explosive materials is that of the government. On our part, we assist the government in the provision of X-ray machines for the screening of exports and imports. It is, therefore, the job of the Customs to screen all in-bound and outbound goods. Ours is to accept the goods already screened by the Customs after they must have carried out 100 per cent checks of all imports. That is why we have depalletisation of all imports. You don’t just carry goods from the tarmac and hand it over straight to the owner or clearing agents, it undergoes a lot of procedures. We are conscious of security and ensuring that banned items are not brought in through our warehouse. If you ask the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) officials, they will tell you the level of cooperation between NDLEA and SAHCOL in this circumstance. They will tell you that we are partners in progress and if not excellent in ensuring that illegal items does not pass through our warehouse. Let me say this, SAHCOL has nothing to do with the process of detecting banned items.

When agents bring goods, we have officials of the NDLEA, NAFDAC, Customs and Plant Quarantine and other security operatives to scrutinise all items. It is during such exercise that some of these illegal items are detected. All necessary procedures are carried out and completed before the cargos are handed over to us and there to the apron for onward loading into the aircraft.

Do you have plans to make SAHCOL a

quoted company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)?

We are surely working towards being listed on the stock exchange. But, our ambitious plans have been hampered by some factors not limited to the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease that affected many countries in West Africa. This came at a time when we had concluded plans to expand our operations in the West African Coast; otherwise we would have been operating in one or two other West African countries.

However, anytime from now, once we get the green light on the resolution of the Ebola crisis, we will go back to those countries to resume negotiations.

How are you handling issues of global certification and training for SAHCOL staff?

We are driven by human capacity development, and this explains why we invest in the training of our staff. We have over the years benchmarked our operations within the requirements of global best practices.

We have attained the certification of the global air transport body, International Air Transport Association (IATA). We achieved this over nine months ago.

What will you say is the motivation for your staff?

Industrial harmony has been paramount in the mind of our Chairman, Mr. Taiwo Afolabi, the Board and Management of SAHCOL. We appreciate that if the staff are not cooperative, it’s hard to achieve positive changes. The staff have been wonderful in making SAHCOL a success story. The management and board of the company have ensured that they are well remunerated and their welfare taken care of, including training and re-training to improve on their skill and proficiency. Our staff will continue to smile as we improve on our services. Our staffs are well taken care of and we hope to enhance their pay package based on our revenue. We plan to improve the quality of service so as to attract more clients.

If you want your staff to work well, you must endeavour to remunerate them well.

You can’t afford to use your staff like slave.

They know that we have zero tolerance on the issue of pilfering. It is on record that we’ve been doing that and also on record that our staff have seen passengers’ belongings and reported to the management which in turn returned such items to the rightful owners. They usually report back to us and we have always commended them for such good conduct. We give them commendation letter in addition to financial reward so as to encourage them to do more. At the same time, whoever messes up with passengers’ luggage or cargo, we show them the way out.

How will you rate SAHCOL in equipment acquisition?

We have the best ground handling equipment so far in the country. We are, however, not satisfied yet, because the more we improve and expand on our service delivery, the more we will need to acquire additional equipment to meet up with the demand of our clients. The types of equipment we use are not the type you buy and keep.

The more the need arises, the more equipment we add.

Is SAHCOL expanding its clientele base?

We have many airlines that we cater for.

In this business you gain some and lose some. That is the game. I can assure you that those we work for enjoy our services very well. We look forward for more customers in 2015. Our customers come first in our line of thought before any other thing.

So far, on the domestic scene we handle almost 80 per cent of the airlines, while on the international we have 40 per cent of the business.

What is the scale of your operations?

There are few of our operations you can see and others you can’t. Don’t forget we operate in almost 18 airports in the country. Most state governments in the country are agitating for our presence to be felt there in their states. Right now, in addition to the 18 airports, we are also in Uyo, Asaba and Owerri.

W hat is the capacity of your new ware house?

The square meters of the space to accommodate cargo are over a 100, 000 square meters. The essence of the new warehouse is to handle exclusively exports, which the Minister is aggressively canvassing. The old warehouse will be totally dedicated for imports.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

BUSINESS

MOTORING

The Range Rover Evoque’s progressive exterior and interior design is a beauty to behold. The carefully revised exterior, together with the introduction of full-LED adaptive headlamps and six new alloy wheel designs, creates more visual impact than ever before, reports TAJUDEEN ADEBANJO

• Range Rover Evoque

New Range Rover Evoque unveiled

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AND Rover’s award-winning design team has enhanced Evoque’s contemporary interior for 2016. The highlydistinctive cabin is defined by premium quality materials, clean surface treatments, and the bold intersection between the solid horizontal elements of the instrument panel and the powerful vertical lines of the centre console. Its centrepiece is an all-new eightinch touchscreen infotainment system with a clear, intuitive user interface fitted as standard equipment across the range.

Luxurious front and rear seats retain Evoque’s outstanding levels of comfort and support while introducing a sportier, more technical aesthetic to perfectly complement the progressive exterior design language.

A portfolio of two distinctive seat designs, with three different materials, is available with three increasingly sophisticated levels of adjustment, from eight-way electric adjustment for both driver and passenger, to luxurious 14-way electric memory seats with four-way lumbar support and fully adjustable bolsters.

A selection of grained Taurus leather and premium Oxford hides create an even more

luxurious interior. At the top-of-the-range, the all-new seats are distinguished by exquisitely crafted ribbed and perforated leather feature panels. Oxford leather also extends to the mid and upper sections of the dashboard, the door casings and centre console compartment for the ultimate premium interior.

Revised interior door casings in both the front and rear of the vehicle echo the striking new seat design, with a clean, contemporary feel; the armrests are reprofiled for a leaner, tauter appearance, with revised contour lines and extra feature stitch lines adding crisp definition. Meanwhile, the introduction of soft-touch, deeply padded premium surfaces maximise the door casing’s exceptional tactility.

The Range Rover Evoque’s progressive exterior and interior design has evolved. The carefully revised exterior, together with the introduction of full-LED adaptive headlamps and six new alloy wheel designs, creates more visual impact than ever before.

All-new front and rear seats complemented by three new interior colourways, revised soft-touch premium surfaces, and the introduction of a new eight-inch touchscreen to Evoque’s interior architecture further increase the premium compact SUV’s wide-ranging appeal.

According to Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Design Director and Chief Creative Officer, the Range Rover Evoque first established and then dominated the luxury compact SUV sector generating worldwide acclaim and sales success.

“Our challenge has been to evolve the Evoque design without diluting its distinctive character,” McGovern said.

With revised specifications, and a comprehensive suite of desirable option packs, customers can specify the perfect Evoque to meet their lifestyle.

Available in both coupé and five-door

body styles, Evoque’s bold and progressive design reaffirms its class-leading status for 2016.

“When Evoque debuted in 2011, it translated the LRX concept car’s radical design language to reality almost entirely unaltered. Four years on, Evoque’s leading-edge design retains its wow factor and continues to turn heads,” said Phil Simmons, Exterior Realisation Director, Land Rover.

“Our carefully considered design evolution, both outside and in, ensures Evoque’s status as a ground-breaking automotive design is safeguarded for years to come,” he said.

At the front of the vehicle, a new bumper creates a more muscular appearance and features significantly enlarged lower air intakes. New slimline LED fog lamps are repositioned from the middle to the top of the air intakes, creating a more streamlined appearance and further emphasising Evoque’s assertive road presence.

Powertrain In South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa markets the current 2.2-litre SD4 turbo diesel engine will continue to be offered, paired with the unique-in-class nine-speed automatic transmission.

Land Rover has also developed two compact, lightweight and low-emissions fourcylinder turbocharged Ingenium engines for EU6 markets, optimised to meet stringent new emissions legislation. High-pressure direct injection, low-friction internal components, stop-start technology, and smart regenerative charging maximise performance and environmental sustainability while significantly reducing running costs across the range.

The advanced new EU6 emissions compliant Ingenium diesel engines are under-going evaluation for local introduction as soon as practical.

“A process of continual powertrain development means Evoques supplied with the new Land Rover-developed Ingenium engines make Evoque 18 per cent more efficient than at launch in 2011,” said Murray Dietsch, Director of Land Rover Programmes.

“All Evoque engines,” he said, “are designed to be incredibly refined, potent and fuel efficient on-road, but they are also engineered to complement Land Rover’s classleading off-road capability. Land Rover’s incredibly punishing test schedule ensures that they do.”

The Evoque will be available with Land Rover’s 2.2-litre TD4 turbo diesel engine, with outputs of 140kW and 420Nm. Alternatively, buyers can specify the Si4 2.0-litre petrol engine. Both engine derivatives are mater, as standard, to a four-wheel drive system and an advanced ZF nine-speed automatic transmission.

The all-aluminium four-cylinder Si4 engine features an advanced low-inertia turbocharger, high-pressure direct fuel injection and twin independent variable-valve timing, while twin balancer shafts maximise refinement.

A suite of advanced infotainment and driver-assistance systems keep Evoque at the cutting-edge of technological innovation.

In-Control Touch provides easy and intuitive access to infotainment functions via an all-new eight-inch touchscreen, while satellite-navigation with voice recognition increases convenience yet further.

Elsewhere, new driver-assistance and consumer-centric features debut: Autonomous Emergency Braking, Attention Assist Estimation, Lane-Keeping Assist, All-Terrain Progress Control and a Hands-Free Tailgate.

“Technology is an essential part of every Evoque customer’s lifestyle,” said Danella Bagnall, Vehicle Line Director, Evoque.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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MOTORING

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YUNDAI Motors Nigeria Limited has introduced another affordably priced B-segment Xcent saloon car.

Tagged ‘Hyundai Xtra Savings Festival,’ it comes with free maintenance package, comprehensive insurance and registration within the first year of purchase.

The incentive aimed at making customers appreciate the value of their investment during the first year of procurement, Mr Jatin Nadkarni, Head of Sales and Marketing at Hyundai Motors Nige-

Hyundai introduces Xcent sedan Stories by Tajudeen Adebanjo

ria Limited said.

Nadkarni is convinced Hyundai Xcent sedan will attract more customers and subsequently raise Hyundai market share in the Bsegment grouping.

A 1.25Litre Kappa Dual VTVT capacity saloon car, the Xcent, according to him is expected to compliment surging demand for a simi-

lar B-segment Hyundai Grand i10 model that was launched in November last year.

He described Xcent as an elegantly designed and versatile new level of art and innovation car with comfortable and spacious cabin mated to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

“We are delighted to introduce another B-segment car to cater for the growing need of budget cus-

tomers who prefer affordably priced functional and reassuring saloon car for daily travels,” he said.

The Xcent can comfortably convey five passengers and it responds to every expectation including a generous trunk and alluring cabin colour, textures and a sport appeal that could easily make large car envious.

The Xcent is amazingly respon-

sive and gets off to fantastic start without sacrificing the brilliant aerodynamic appeal that makes the car the best entry level sedan yet.

Hyundai Xcent also shows a sharp styling with a whole new level of innovation that attests to the luminously crafted exterior which leaves an everlasting impression on all those who catch a glimpse of it.

Kia to showcase dual-clutch transmission

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IA has announced application of the all-new sevenspeed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) to the production of the new Kia cee’d GT Line – which makes its global debut at the 85th Salon International de l’Automobile in Geneva tomorrow.

The new DCT will be paired with the cee’d GT Line’s 133 ps 1.6-litre CRDi diesel engine. Capable of handling larger torque outputs than Kia’s existing six-speed torque converter automatic (up to 300 Nm), the DCT’s fast-shifting nature is ideally suited to the new cee’d GT Line’s sporty image.

Drivers will benefit from faster gear changes than a traditional torque converter automatic transmission, as well as lower running costs. It is anticipated that the new DCT will offer lower emissions and higher fuel economy, pending European homologation tests later in the year. It will be made available on a wider range of Kia models in the future.

The new transmission is the first

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of its type from the brand, and has been developed in-house by Kia’s research and development teams at its Namyang, Korea R&D centre.

The new DCT has been engineered with low fuel consumption and a sporty driving feel when in manual mode, and with comfort and smoothness when left in automatic mode.

Throughout its development, Kia’s R&D teams targeted a three to five per cent improvement in acceleration (0 to 100 kph) and five to seven per cent improvement to fuel efficiency, depending on model.

The DCT is made up of two dry clutches, each fitted with electric motor-driven clutch actuator to improve responsiveness, and an innovative hollow double-gear input shaft. The hollow shaft itself allows the system to quickly engage even gears, while a solid shaft that runs through the middle operates odd gears. This crossed gear shifting enables continuous power delivery and more efficient packaging, two development cornerstones for the engineering teams behind the project.

• Training Manager, CG-Eko LLP, Mr. Sunday Tanimowo (seventh left), with some students of CG-Eko Training Centre, standing beside the Ford Ecosport donated by Ford Motor Company to the training centre in Lagos

Hyundai India wins Most Awarded Auto Brand

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YUNDAI Motor India Limited has won the country’s most prestigious automotive award Indian Car of the Year 2015 (ICOTY).

Lexus tops dependability study

EXUS has been voted the most dependable brand for the fourth year in a row in J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study, which for 2015 saw the average number of problems per brand rise significantly.

It should be noted, however, that criteria for the study was enhanced this year, particularly in the area of technology, which is proving troublesome for many vehicle owners, so scores in the 2015 study should not be compared with scores in previousyear studies.

Nevertheless, Toyota brands have continued to perform well in general, with Toyota ranking third and Scion ninth. General Motors Company (GMC) brands also performed well, with Buick ranking second, Cadillac

fourth and Chevrolet 10th. GMC just missed out on a top 10 result, having ranked as the 11th most dependable brand in the study. The worst performance brand this year was Fiat.

The scores for all of the brands included in the study are shown above, along with the top three individual nameplates for popular vehicle segments.

The influential study, now in its 26th year, examines problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of 2012 model-year vehicles.

Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles, based on 177 specific criteria, with a lower score, called the PP100, reflecting higher dependability. For the 2015

study, more than 34,000 vehicle owners were surveyed, and the industry average PP100 score was 147, or about 1.5 problems per vehicle.

According to the researchers, the results show that technology is playing an increasingly critical role in owners’ perceptions of overall vehicle dependability, which, in turn, is impacting their likelihood to repurchase the same brand next time around. The top two problems reported by owners are Bluetooth pairing/connectivity and built-in voice recognition systems misinterpreting commands. These are also the most frequent problems reported by owners at 90 days, according to J.D. Power’s most recent Initial Quality Study.

Hyundai Motor becomes the only auto brand to win two consecutive ICOTY awards.

The award symbolises Hyundai Motor’s commitment to Indian customers by offering world class standards of quality products, design and experience.

The adulation for brand Hyundai saw the company win as many as 32 prestigious awards from the country’s leading automotive media. The awards have been instituted by the most eminent jury of all the prominent automotive publications in the country like Top Gear, AutoCar, Motoring World, Car India, Zigwheels, Overdrive, Auto Bild, AutoX, Hindu Business Line, NDTV, EVO, Motorbeam, Vikatan Group, Flywheel and Car Dekho.

Earmarking 2014 as the Year of Excellence, Hyundai Motor India had set record sales in 2014 at over 4.10 lakh units driven by growth across segments like the Grand i10, Xcent, Santa Fe and recently launched Elite i20.

Celebrating the success, HMIL Managing Director Mr B S Seo said: “We are overwhelmed by winning an unprecedented number of awards and recognitions from India’s most respected and influential automotive media. These awards demonstrate strong appreciation and acceptance of our trendsetter products and making them a huge success. With this, we intend to thank all our customers, media and jurors who have chosen our products making Hyundai as the most loved, caring and trusted car manufacturer in India. We intend to continue with our growth in 2015 by entering newer segments and will continue to offer world class products to the Indian market.”

As a commitment to the Indian market, Hyundai launched the Elite i20 within five months of the successful launch of Xcent and Santa Fe improving the domestic volumes and increasing market share.

How FRSC,VIO, MVAA and driving schools increase the rate of accidents • Continued from last week

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RIVING schools that issued their certificates to candidates without the information of the candidates submitted to FRSC website and/or supervising Unit commands (Spanning the three months duration) should be sanctioned. d. All driving schools should submit the list of candidates they presented for licence processing on monthly basis to the Association of Driving Instructors of Nigeria (ADIN) as a form of checks and balances. e. There should be a monthly interactive session of the FRSC with the National Executive Officers of the Association of Driving Instructors of Nigeria (ADIN) to deliberate on the level of compliance by the FRSC and the Driving Schools FRSC Licence pro-

duction Department should give the officers of the Association (ADIN) the privilege of seeing the list of candidates presented for licence production every month and compare with the list submitted by its members to know the level of compliance and effectiveness.

This if done will also put a stop to the cloning and unauthorised use of Driving School certificates by FRSC, VIO and MVAA for Driver Licence racketeering. f. Possession or use of the old licence should be declared illegal and any candidate holding the old driver licence and the fake new Licence should be arrested and prosecuted. There must be open air announcements to enlighten Nigerians on this. g. It is a truism that safety of irreparable lives and valuable properties must not be compro-

mised. It therefore behoves the authorities of the Federal Road Safety Commission and other stakeholders, not to give room to favouritism in the implementation of the above-mentioned steps, no matter the status or position of the candidates either in the government or private sector. h. The Federal Road Safety Commission should embark on secret monitoring of driving schools and FRSC capturing centres/Licence production Department to ensure full compliance with the steps suggested above. i. Call a stakeholders meeting comprising representatives of FRSC, State VIO, MVAA and Association of Driving Schools (ADIN) and notify them of the new policy and procedures to enhance confidence and compliance.

The above are just our suggestions to your goodselves for con-

sideration based on our experience and findings in the past few years.

We are very confident that if strictly implemented, they will put an end to the sharp practices hitherto perpetrated by driving schools (Certified and Uncertified), FRSC, MVAA and VIO. This will also go a very long way in further boosting the accomplishment of the objectives of the graduated Driver Licensing Scheme as well as the reduction of road traffic crashes and fatalities in Nigeria.

Any government official, driving school, organisation or individual that is still opposed to the adoption and implementation of the steps suggested above is either a direct or indirect beneficiary of the driver licence racketeering conspiracy or ignorant of the workability of the graduated driver licensing scheme.

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

It is time for the Federal Government, State Governments, National Assembly, State Assemblies and the Judiciary to rise up to their responsibilities as touching Road Safety in Nigeria to reduce the rate of road crashes and fatalities in Nigeria. Let us all put a stop to lip service while innocent lives and valuable property are wasting away on the roads everyday.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

38

SHOWBIZ

Furious 7’s Abu Dhabi premiere cancelled for Vin Diesel

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URIOUS 7 star, Vin Diesel’s daddy duties have put the brakes on a planned Abu Dhabi premiere for the next instalment in the popular street-racing action franchise.

Diesel and his partner, Paloma Jimenez, are expecting their third child, and so could not leave that to chance.

The notoriously private actor, 47, already has daughter Hania and son Vincent, but has never publicly announced that he and Jimenez are expecting another child.

The new baby likely will arrive around the same time that Diesel’s next film, Furious 7, hits theatres April 3. But the news has forced Universal to

cancel a splashy world premiere March 10 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, one of the film’s locations, because Diesel (also a producer on the pic) is opting not to go.

“He wants to be with his family at the birth; it’s a beautiful thing,” says a source. “What human being wouldn’t?”

A rep for Diesel couldn’t be reached, but a source adds that the premiere now will be April 1 in Los Angeles. According to a studio source, Universal is “happy to premiere the film in L.A., birthplace of the franchise, where a core fan base exists.”

Diesel is known to keep details of his personal life closely guarded. He never made a formal birth announcement for either of his children. On Aug.

•Cast of Furious 7 26, 2013, he made the only public appearance with his partner and their kids, stepping out to receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Diesel is very much the face of the Fast & Furious franchise,

which centre son his character, Dominic Toretto, and Paul Walker’s cop-turned-street racer Brian O’Conner. Walker’s tragic death in a car crash in November 2013 delayed production on Furious 7 and

pushed the release date from July 2014 to April 2015. Furious 7 also stars Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibsonand Ludacris.

The Fast & Furious franchise

has earned a stellar $2.38 billion worldwide since launching with the first film in 2001.

The most recent instalment, Fast & Furious 6, earned $788.7 million worldwide.

Why we banned Fifty Shades of Grey, by Censors Board

•Patricia Bala, DG of NFVCB

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HE National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), has cited ‘public interest’ as reason it has banned a foreign film,Fifty Shades of Grey, from Nigerian cinemas.

The film, which had earlier started showing in Nigeria, has also been outlawed by the movie regulatory agency of Kenya.

In a statement released at

the weekend, the NFVCB further reaffirmed its resolve to attend to submitted movies with utmost dispatch and the display of due diligence in its role as the industry gatekeeper.

According to the agency, a total of 23 movies were approved in December, 2014 and January, 2015.

It explained that out of the movies approved for home viewership in December, 2014, English Language productions topped the list with five films while Bini Language films were four, followed by two Yoruba films and one Hausa Language film. Three of the combined NFVCB approvals were rated “15” while the rest got the “18” rating.

In January, 2015, English Language movies were 10 out of the 11 approved mov-

ies, leaving one for Yoruba Language category. Three of the films were rated ‘15’ while the rest had ‘18’ classification.

Among the approved English Language movies for the two months under review are: Here We Stand, The Invisible Bond,Twins Apart, My Brother, My Enemy, Adadioranma, The Baby Must Not Die and Second Burial.

The Bini Language movies include, Ogue Nozutu and Odumamwen while the Yoruba Language movies include Ayo Igbalaand Aye Keji. Bugu da Kari is the only Hausa Language movie.

All approved movies, the NFVCB said, are to be released with appropriate consumer advisory regarding imitable technique, strong language, violence, drug abuse and fetish rituals.

Winner of Diamond Bank TVC contest signs music deal

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S part of his reward for winning the Diam o n d Bank #youneedanewbank theme song remix competition, Nnamdi Oluchukwu, aka Solitude, has signed a record deal with Major Bangz, producer of the hit tracks “Alobam” and ”Shoki.”

The new theme song is aimed at promoting the bank as the new model for customer-focused banking in Nigeria.

The competition which was in two phases – a dance and remix competition – required contestants to send in video entries of original dance or song remix of the TVC campaign while the public voted for their favourite videos.

Entries with the highest number of votes emerged winners and their owners were rewarded with a cash prize of N250, 000 for the dance competition and N1.5 million and a record deal with Major Bangz in the remix category.

Four runners-up were rewarded with cash prizes of N150, 000 each.

By Joe Agbro Jr

Solitude, an Asaba, Delta State-based artiste, clinched the N1.5 million cash prize alongside the recording deal while The Amazing Crew, an Ilorin, Kwara State-based dance group, won the dance competition and was rewarded with N250, 000.

“I have participated in many song competitions but #youneedanewbank was a different experience for me as the selection process was very transparent,” said Solitude who has been a musician for eight years.

“My friend actually introduced me to the competition and we actively monitored the votes online.”

He said further: “Based on my experience, I can confidently tell people that Diamond Bank fulfills its promises as I got everything as promised. My musical career has gotten a huge lift from this competition and I will be dropping my song, produced

by Major Bangz, shortly.”

Speaking during a courtesy

visit of the winners to the bank, AyonaTrimnell, Divisional Head, Corporate Communications, Diamond Bank Plc, said the competition provides opportunities for up and coming artistes to make their mark in the fast growing Nigerian music industry.

She said: “We had many interesting entries and Nigerians selected their favourites.

We hope that the opportunities offered by this competition will help our winners realize their ambitions and also propel them to be worthy ambassadors of the country, particularly in the area of music.”

According to Tade Davis of The Amazing Crew, it was a pleasant surprise to have won the competition.

“We are mainly students based in Ilorin and logistics is usually a challenge for us in participating for competitions like this,” said Davis.

“When we learnt of the #youneedanewbank competition we immediately applied; more so as the entries

•Lupita recieving an award

Thief belittles Lupita Nyong’o’s Oscar dress

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NTIL the dress got missing and was returned by the anonymous thief, the white custom Calvin Klein gown Lupita wore to present J. K. Simmons’s Best Supporting Actor, at the just-concluded Academy Awards, was one of the biggest stories of the show.

It caused more stirs as police were flustered as to how her Oscar dress escaped detection when it was taken from her hotel room, but soon discovered it was thrown off her balcony.

TMZ reported that the cameras weren’t trained on Lupita’s door and none of the cameras on the floor showed anything suspicious.

The guy who stole the dress

•Returns outfit, says it’s fake had called the news medium, Friday, with a road map to its recovery in The London West Hollywood bathroom where the 12 Years a Slave actress had lodged. The thief said he knew where the cameras were placed in the hallway so he was never seen. As for the dress, he claimed he threw it over the balcony and someone on the ground picked it up.

On why he returned the dress, the thief said he took two of the pearls off the dress and down to the Garment District for appraisal, but found they were worthless.

He then decided to return the dress.

According to the thief, he regretted not taking Lupita’s Oscar gift bag instead, which he valued at $125,000.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles sheriff’s spokeswoman Nicole Nishida said the dress found on Friday afternoon at a West Hollywood hotel “greatly resembles” the pearl-adorned Calvin Klein Collection by Francisco Costa dress Nyong’o wore to the Academy Awards.

She said detectives are attempting to verify the recovered dress is the same one Nyong’o wore.

Encrusted with 6,000 white Akoya pearls, Fortune estimated it was worth $150,000.

• 2nd Right, Ayona Trimnell of Diamond Bank flanked by Chineme Agwuna of Wild Fusion, Adewara Christian, Tade Davis and Tosin Ayodeji of The Amazing Crew were going to be uploaded online and selection was through public voting. We are

deeply grateful to Diamond Bank for making this competition truly Nigerian in out-

look by creating a level playing field for all competitors irrespective of their location.”

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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40

MONDAY MARCH 2, 2015

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

The road to the governorship election in Kano State has been rough. The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Alhaji Salihu Takai, are warming up for the poll. KOLADE ADEYEMI examines the fierce battle for power and the chances of the two candidates.

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HEAD of the April 11 governorship election in Kano State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), the two major parties with strong candidates, are poised for a fierce battle. The campaign for the election has taken Alhaji Salihu Takai of the PDP and Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje of the APC to the 44 local governments. The die is now cast; there is a stiff contest to capture the attention of the electorates.

The battle has been taken to the airwaves.

Supporters of the two candidates are now engaged in a war-of-words at local radio stations. Using blackmail and propaganda, they are castigating one another and selling their candidates to the public. Though the two candidates have consistently urged their supporters to eschew violence, political thugs loyal to them continue to flout this non-violent stance, especially during rallies and road shows. The Kano State Police Command, however, are not taking it cool, as the police have been arresting and prosecuting party supporters who engage in thuggery and violence.

Last week, police paraded 23 suspected political thugs, including a female, alleged to have sponsored the killing of one of the victims during a political clash. The State Commissioner of Police Idris Ibrahim told reporters that a clash between two political rivals in Ladi Makole, Warawa Local Government Area, resulted in the killing of one person and wanton destruction of properties. He said the police and other security agencies are prepared to provide security during the elections, by ensuring that enough men are deployed to the nooks and crannies of the state.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Zone, Alhaji Muhammadu Tambari Yabo, has read the riot act to politicians, saying police were ready to arrest and prosecute anybody engaged in electoral violence, no matter how highly placed. He said: “We have not forgotten the 2011 elections and the violence that followed it. That was a sad experience that no one would want a repeat. So, we should be prepared to have elections that will be free, fair, peaceful and rancour-free. We should make sure that our activities are within the ambits of the law. Let me give the Ghana example where electoral officers and returning officers move freely with electoral materials (on their bicycles) after elections without molestation or harassment from anybody.

We should not be seen to be carrying offensive weapons while on political rallies.

Don’t carry anything you can use to take advantage of your brother in a way of inflicting injury on him. Our wish is that what happened in 2011 will not repeat itself again and as the custodians of law and order, we will do our best as police men to make sure that we will not record election violence this time round.”

Tambari drew attention to Section 94 (2) of the Electoral Act which prescribed a fine of N2 million or two-year imprisonment or both to persons convicted for being in possession of offensive weapons during political rallies or on the election day. He said he has directed all Commissioners of Police under him to bring the law to full bear no matter, whose ox is gored. Yabo added: “I wish to strongly warn at this juncture that the police and other law enforcement agencies will bring into bear the full weight of the law on all violators of electoral and other national laws. These laws are very categorical in guiding your conduct during electioneering campaigns,” he added.

Ganduje said the APC will record 100 per cent victory in the most populous state.

Ganduje who spoke to reporters during an interactive session in his office, also declared that the victory of the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in the 2015 general elections is sure, citing calamitous leadership allegedly run by the PDP at the centre. From Ganduje’s calculations, the APC is ready to sweep the 40 House of Assembly seats, 24 House of Rep-

•Ganduje

•Takai

Ganduje, Takai battle for Kwankwaso's seat resentatives seats, three Senatorial seats and the governorship seat in Kano. He added that Buhari’s victory in Kano would be 100 per cent.

He said: “The die has been cast, we are ready for the race and, Insha Allah, and we shall succeed. For our President-in-waiting, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, we are working very hard to give him the maximum votes here in Kano. If possible, all those who registered, even those who are not in the APC, we are begging them, we are soliciting for their support, we are appealing for them to vote for our president because of the different shortcomings, different man-made calamities, we require somebody who is upright, somebody has the political will, somebody who is strong, somebody who can fight injustice -- no matter what will happen to him and to any other person. So, we shall continue to do that to ensure that we contribute our quota being the most populous state. We want to lead in giving him (Buhari) the maximum vote, may God help us.

“We are also working very hard to ensure that all our candidates will be able to make it in the forthcoming elections. For the governorship, Insha Allah, we shall celebrate, we shall rejoice together, but we have to work hard before that time. Here in Kano, the issue is continuity, the issue is consolidation — consolidation with new innovations, consolidation with ideas and consolidation with a lot of planning and calculations. Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso has done an excellent job. Hence, there is a need to consolidate and complete those projects that we may not be

able to complete within the period of this administration. But, beyond that, we need to introduce new innovations in critical infrastructure in Kano State.”

On his agenda for the state, he said: “We have done a lot in education. My administration, Insha Allah, will consolidate and lay emphasis on qualitative education; because looking at the quality of education all over the country, I am sure you’ll agree with me that it is appalling. Look at WAEC and NECO results, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. So, we shall ensure that there is quality in the system; and of course in terms of quantity, we shall continue to improve. We are even attacking it from so many fronts—even those who are beyond school age are included. We shall introduce adult education, so that we capture all those that cannot read and write.”

He added that his administration will concentrate on the provision of stable power supply under Independent Power Project (IPP), road construction, transforming Kano to a mega-city, integrated rural development, boosting the agricultural sector and increasing Internally Generated Revenue (IGR.) The Director-General of Kano State Hisbah Board, Alhaji Abba Sa’ad Sufi, said: “Dr. Ganduje has all it takes to succeed our leader, Governor Kwankwaso. As the Deputy Governor and Second-in-Command of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, he is part and parcel of the development we are witnessing in Kano. He was there as the Deputy to Governor Kwankwaso between 1999 and

‘The Kano governorship race promises to be an interesting one. The two candidates are popular and with the capricious nature of Kano politics, pundits believe that it would be difficult to make a clear-cut prediction on who will emerge the winner on April 11’

2003. He is also here now; and he knows how Governor Kwankwaso manages the economy. He has been part of all the decision-making and as a leader with a great mind and great ambition for Kano, Governor Kwankwaso would not have entrusted such an important mantle to somebody who has not been tested and trusted. Everybody in Kano and those who have been visiting the state recently are aware that a revolution is going on; and it will take only a fool to say that these good tidings that are flowing in Kano should not continue. So, Dr. Ganduje is there for continuity. He is there to build on the legacies of his boss and also introduce innovations that will take Kano State to greater heights.

Ganduje is not a small fry in Kano politics.

He has been there for over four decades and he is one of the bulldozers in the political landscape. A foundation member of the PDP, he gave up his ambition to govern Kano in 1999, after he was pressured by stakeholders to step down and support Kwankwaso, who eventually picked the ticket and chose him as the running-mate. Ganduje was Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport between 1994 and 1998. He was Kwankwaso’s deputy between 1999 and 2003. Before then, he served as Administrative Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA); Development Secretary of Kwalli Development Area; Sole Administrator of Abaji Area Council; Chairman, Gwagwalada Area Council; Special Adviser (Political) to Kwankwaso when he was Defence Minister; Executive Secretary of Lake Chad Basin Commission and Assistant Secretary of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic. Many believe that Ganduje’s wealth of experience in politics and civil service put him at a vintage position to win.

Takai, the PDP candidate, is also not a novice in Kano politics. He has the full backing of the former governor, who is now Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau.

Takai is also believed to be in the good books of the Ulamas and some traditional rulers.

In 2011, he challenged Kwankwaso under the platform of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), but was defeated with just 60,000 votes. His supporters believe that, this time round, Takai would make it to Government House. He has been campaigning all over the state. But, he may face challenges in some places because of the emergence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as the APC presidential candidate. Though Buhari is not from Kano, he has a big following in the state; he is loved and cherished by the Talakawas.

Takai was former Commissioner of Local Government Affairs during the Shekarau administration. According to Farouk Iya, the white-beaded Malam remains the only candidate that can defeat the APC in Kano. Iya is a close associate of the PDP candidate. He had to resign as Commissioner of Education when Kwankwaso dumped the PDP because he was not ready to jump ship. Today, he is the Director-General of Takai Campaign Organization.

Takai said that his ambition was not a door-die affair, but an art of God and a sincere intention to rescue Kano from “the mercy of a very harsh government that is making life unbearable for all.” He added: “It is a pity that the state government has distanced itself from the population and has been involved in destructive activities, rather than being constructive. They do not seem to have concrete plans to develop the state, but are needlessly engaged in unnecessary waste of public funds.”

Takai said his government would concentrate more on agriculture, education, security, health, commerce and industry, human development, as well as infrastructural development.

The Kano governorship race promises to be an interesting one. The two candidates are popular and with the capricious nature of Kano politics, pundits believe that it would be difficult to make a clear-cut prediction on who will emerge the winner on April 11.

THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 2, 2015

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a senator, you are just a glorified councillor. It ‘As is not as if you are given an allocation to run affairs of your state or you are getting funds somewhere to run the affairs of your state

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88 D AYS TO GO ...88 DA

Former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin is the Oyo State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in next month’s general elections. He spoke with reporters in Ibadan, the state capital, about his programmes and chances at the poll. JEREMIAH OKE was there.

Folarin: ‘I ‘ll fight for Ibadan State creation’

W

HY do you want to become the next governor of Oyo State?

Like I always say, there are lots to be achieved in government, especially in a state where we have teeming youths and limited industries. Many of our youths are so smart, intelligent and industrious, but there is nobody out there to assist them to achieve their goals. I believe when I become governor, it will be a gateway for the people of the state to improve their standard of living, especially the youths.

While in the Senate, the people of Ibadan expected you to facilitate the creation of Ibadan State as one of the ranking members of the House. Did you make any effort at all?

Yes, I did. You will agree with me that there are procedures and stages of facilitating and executing of projects in democracy, unlike military regimes. Having said this, during my tenure in the Senate, we were going round the 36 states of the federation to meet with the traditional rulers and opinion leaders to know their plight. Topmost on our findings was the quest for the creation of more states; it was the only thing from Maiduguri to Calabar, from Lagos to Sokoto, it kept reverberating. The report was submitted to the President and he was bold enough to set up a National Conference to discuss how Nigeria will move forward, unlike his predecessors. Meanwhile, topmost on the agenda of the National Conference was the creation of more states, of which Ibadan State was among. The document has been submitted to the President and he is working on it. The President just mentioned in Lagos recently that he deliberately did not hand over the document to the present Senate because they might not be able to conclude working on it. He said he will submit it to the incoming Senate. So, we can see that to create states in a democratic government is not a child’s play. We kick-started the process of creating Ibadan State and we are happy the process is still progressing and I’m sure that the next four years, starting from May 29, Ibadan State is going to be created.

Many people believe you did not execute any project in Oyo State while in the Senate.

How will you react to this?

As a senator, you are just a glorified councillor. It is not as if you are given an allocation to run the affairs of your state or you are getting funds somewhere to run the affairs of your state.

A lot of people are looking at it as if, as a senator, I should have been be able to affect the whole of the state, forgetting that my constituency is limited to Oyo Central, which comprises of five local governments in Ibadan, four in Oyo and two in Ogbomosho land, which makes it

11 local governments. So, if you are in Oyo South and you are expecting my project in such areas, it is not possible because I cannot bring money from the Central to spend in the South.

I cannot influence the siting of projects in the Central and push it to the South. Having said that, I did a lot of projects while in the Senate; the kind of hospitals that were influenced here, the state government does not have such standard of hospitals. Olode used to be a remote area without health centre before we facilitated a comprehensive one there. Pade village used to be a village of one of the former governors of this state, another hospital was also sited there with full facility. Read my lips, go there and confirm these. All were well equipped, but the inability of the state government to staff the hospital is shameful and disgraceful. Apart from the hospital in Oyo, we also facilitated the Araromi market in Oyo and 7.5 kilometre of road was tarred in Sanusi Ishola to link OyoOgbomosho Road. We also facilitated the construction of many roads in that community, which also include Awe-Ilora Road. OlubadanGbagi-Monatan express roads, which links Iwo roads and Olode area with drainages were facilitated by me too. Our intention was to bring Egbeda Local Government, which is far from people, closer to them and to reduce the traffic pressure on Iwo Road, by bringing people off from Gbagi. It will make it easier for those who are coming from any part of that axis to use that road as alternative and it really worked. In terms of education, we constructed many classrooms across our constituency. In terms of water, over 100 communities benefited from enjoyed borehole projects from me. Ordinarily, I don’t believe in celebrating such things. Over 52 communities also benefited from our electrification projects. We gave 500kva transformers to nothing less than 15 communities or more.

We have roads that were tarred and fitted with streetlights in Egbeda Local Government. I did all these things, but I don’t believe in celebrating them. Now, gentle men of the press, let me ask you this question: how many times did you see Obama commissioning a project like that?

These are the things that should ordinarily come to the people because it is their money.

Few weeks ago, the governor advised you to wait till Ibadan State is created before you can run for governorship...

By God’s grace, we shall all live to celebrate Ibadan State. Meanwhile, he was not advised to wait till we create Ibadan State in 2011 when he contested for the same office.

Are you not afraid of the election, considering that you are a first timer, while other candidates are former governors?

I am not afraid of any of them because I have experience, exposure and commitment to take the state to the next level.

What gives you the confidence that you will win?

When you talk too much, you will talk nonsense. If you talk too much, you tell lies. I am confident of victory and we are going to win with a large margin. I draw my strength from the fact that the people of Oyo State see that there is need for change. The youth have not really benefited from this democratic government since 1999 because the setting has not been favourable to us. Thank God for somebody like late Chief Adedibu who propped me up in the year 2003 and helped me to clinch the Senate seat. I was in my 30s then. Tell me, which of the political parties have you ever seen sending somebody between the age of 30 and 40 to Senate? For me now to come out and contest for governorship seat, it is commendable. Check all the other contestants, they are all above 60 years old. I have been telling people that it is not possible to solve the problems of ipad with typewriter. I am like an ipad, while other contestants are like typewriters and if you go to some offices today, you will see the typewriters are packed under their tables. So, I believe the Oyo State youths, men and women who believe in us will park all these old cargo under the table and elect me, because my age makes me a link between the old and young.

What will you do differently, if you win?

Well, they may have good intentions, but their policies are not impacting positively in the lives

‘To create states in a democratic government is not a child’s play. We kick-started the process of creating Ibadan State and we are happy the process is still progressing and I’m sure that the next four years starting from May 29, Ibadan State is going to be created’

•Folarin

of the people. Like I used to say, my government will involve the people of the state and we are going to embark on projects with human face. We are going to consider the interest of our people first before we take any policy.

If you read through our manifesto, all we have for the four years is people-centred and youths are taking the front seat. A lot of things are going to be done differently. When you talk about youth empowerment, we are not going to do the kind of scheme they called ‘yes oo’ which the present administration is using to enslave our youth. This is wickedness because their children cannot do such job they are giving out to the masses. We have a better scheme which will help the youth to be independent on their own and make huge money on their own. We will not be giving them fish. Rather, we will teach them how to fish. The present administration cannot understand this because his cabinet is full of old cargoes that we need to offload.

How can you assess the performance of the present administration?

It is total failure. Now, let’s take it one after the other. In Ibadan, for instance, projects are executed based on sentiments; people should beware. He was saying all the time that major cities have been dualised and so on and so forth.

In Ibadan, the major entrance to Ibadan from Lagos, ask them how many killometres of road have they been able to dualise and at what cost?

That is the question we should ask them. From toll gate to challenge is not up to two kilomitres; they should be bold enough to tell us the cost.

They have also dualised Iyaganku-AleshinloyeJerikho-Eleyele, the whole of that dualization is not up to 10 kilometres. All these areas we mentioned, including Challenge, are not up to 15 kilometres. So, Ibadan does not deserve 20 kilometres of road from the Ajimobi administration in four years?

‘We ‘re on rescue mission in C’River’

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•From left: Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (left) greeting the Seriki of Kara Market, Alhaji Gbadamosi Mohammad, during one of the governor's interactive sessions with non-indigenes at Oba Odeleye Park, Abeokuta. With them is the Seriki Hausawa of Egbaland, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan.

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Cross River State, Mr. Odey Ochicha, has lamented the slow pace of development in the state, stressing that the APC is on rescue mission.

Ochicha told reporters in Calabar, the state capital, that ‘’Cross River State has sunk so low in many indices of development that it needs a salvage brigade to bring her back on feet again.”

He said: “Let those who are on the highways and the byways know that a man who is on a rescue mission for Cross River State has arrived; ready to take on the job.

“Cross River State is broke and heavily indebted; our dear state is the third most indebted state in the federation…already the state is experiencing difficulties in paying workers’ monthly salaries .The situation is likely to get worse in the coming days in the light of the

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

continuing slide in crude oil prices.”

The candidate promised that if voted in, his administration will design cardinal programmes for the economic emancipation, which will include agriculture, processing and aggressive marketing of cash crops like cocoa, oil palm and cassava.

He said tourism and manufacturing will be developed to support agriculture, while education, healthcare delivery and infrastructure will also be cardinal to the development index of the state.

Ochicha lamented the privatisation of some state-owned medical facilities. He said the development has made it difficult for the people to have access to basic healthcare.

He urged Cross Riverians to come out en masse and vote for the APC during the March 28 and April 11 polls.

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THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 2, 2015

Armed Forces have no business with ‘The the internal security of the country, except with the approval of the National Assembly under certain circumstances

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88 D AYS TO GO ...88 DA

Group warns against re-enacting ‘June 12’

The Pro-Chancellor/Chairman, Governing Council of Imo State University (IMSU), Prince Alex Mbata, says Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha’s policies will earn him people’s vote at the election. He spoke with reporters in Owerri, the state capital.

A

‘Okorocha’s policies ‘ll guarantee him second term’

W

HAT is your view on the governor’s policies? It has received a lot of bashing with some of his political opponents saying it is not working?

You need to go to Imo State and ask the people if it is working or not. It is not enough for some people to stay in Lagos and throw stones instead of commending the good job Owelle is doing. The truth is that Imo has never had it so good not just in education but on all fronts. But if there is any area the governor has scored close to 100 per cent, it is in education. His free education program alone is enough to give him second term in office.

Students in the state primary and secondary schools are not just going to school free but getting stipends and things like uniform and sandals. The people of Imo are no fools , they know a government that has done well and would do everything to ensure continuity with their votes. Education is the biggest industry in Imo state and Owelle’s government has invested heavily in that area and as I said earlier that alone is enough to bring him back to Douglas House. In fact, as things stand now there is no vacancy there. Outside education, the governor has equally done well.

For the first time since after Mbakwe, we are having a government that is developing every part of the state simultaneously. Go to Orlu, Okigwe , Uguta, the story is the same. So, why won’t such a governor get a second term. What Imo people should rather be praying for is for the governor to keep doing what he has started when he returns. His rescue mission agenda must continue. Imo can’t afford to return to the land of Egypt when we are on the march to the prom-

‘The governor deserves a pat on the back over what it has done to the University’s Teaching Hospital in Orlu. A lot more will be done to the other programmes of the university’ ised land.

What are your plans for the university?

I must start by saying a big thank you to Governor Okorocha for the appointment, which came late last year. I m happy the governor deemed me fit to serve the state in that capacity and I won’t disappoint him and the people. First, my vision is to take the university to the next level. I m by his grace a very successful entrepreneur.

Whatever I touch becomes gold and this is courtesy of God’s grace and now that I m involved in the state university, I will do my best to ensure that it becomes one of the best in the country. You know many employers don’t want to engage graduates of state universities, but IMSU will be different. You know the governor is passionate about education and with his support we will make IMSU a real citadel of learning. I have held meetings with the authorities of the university and we are going to ensure that the problems of the university are solved.

So far, what have you identified as the major problems of the university?

As you know the university is a young one when compared with the first generation universities like UNN , ABU and UI. So it would understandably have the problem

•Mbata

of infrastructure, that of hostels to accommodate the students etc. But, the state government is doing all it can to change all that. The governor deserves a pat on the back over what it has done to the University’s Teaching Hospital in Orlu. A lot more will be done to the other programmes of the university. My vision is for the university to have world class facilities and we are on the same page with the governor on this.

How can the youths be prepared for a better future?

Well, I’m the CEO of AMB Global group of companies, which has interest in Oil and Gas, real estate, manufacturing and hospitality industry. Ours is a fast growing outfit with corporate headquarters in Lagos. We are investing heavily in Imo State in line with the appeal made by the state government for the state industrialists to come home and invest. ABM now has one of the biggest industries in Imo state and we have only done the first phase of the industry. My vision is to employ as many Imo youths as people as a way of reducing unemployment in the state. If that is done the crime rate in the state will reduce and let me also give the governor a pat on the back in the area of security because he has done al lot in that area. You will agree with me that the rate of kidnapping in Imo has gone down, thanks to the security measures and network put in place by Okorocha.

•APC House of Rep candidate Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, Lagos state senatorial district Senator Gbenga Ashafa, The Tutor General Education district II Barr. Sholari Magaret, school Principal Mr. Alasan sule Yakubu, Deputy Executive secretary Ikosi Isheri LCDA Mrs. Martins Biodun during the commissioning of the science laboratory at Isheri grammar school by senator Gbenga Ashafa.

PHOTO: ABIODUN WILLIAMS

GROUP, the Civil Society Coalition on Good Governance, has vowed to resist any attempt by the Jonathan Administration and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to truncate the electoral process.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos, the group accused the Federal Government of planning to reenact “June 12”, adding that the signs are there for everyone to see.

The spokesman for the group, Comrade Declan Ihekaire, said there are fears about the postponement of the elections, the removal of the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega and the formation of an interim national government.

He warned that the consequences of any attempt to subvert the will of the people will be catastrophic, particularly, for impoverished Nigerians, who are already pushed to the wall.

Ihekaire called on the ruling party to put the interest of the country above individual and narrow interests. He urged them to desist from actions that will push the country to the brink of disintegration.

On the use of military during elections, the civil society group said: “The Armed Forces have no business with the internal security of the country, except with the approval of the National Assembly under certain circumstances. Their foray into politics and electoral matters is a constitutional infringement that must not be tolerated.

“We commend the courageous judgment of the Appeal Court, Abuja on this matter. The Justice Abdul Aboki-led five man panel of the Appeal Court barred the Armed Forces in the conduct of future elections in the country, as such constituted a violation of both

By Leke Salaudeen

the Constitution and the Electoral Act. “We therefore call on the military hierarchy to ensure that their officers and men are insulated from politics and not used for election purposes or for the harassment of citizens and members of the opposition.”

Ihekaire called for immediate redeployment of Assistant Insector General of Police (Zone 2) Mbu Joseph Mbu for ordering the police under his jurisdiction to kill 20 civilians for every policeman killed during the elections. He described the statement as irresponsible and called for his re-deployment to the Northeast to combat terrorists, since he claims to be a lion.

He said: “Mbu represents a rotten apple in the police and a threat to public safety, his careless, reckless and irresponsible threat to kill 20 citizens for every policeman killed have clearly shown the type of police officer he is.

“But, our bigger worry is not that he is quoted as having said this, but that the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has not moved quickly enough either to deny it or to put distance between them and this statement. There is a principle of proportionality that must underlie law enforcement response to unlawful conduct even with provocation.

“Given his antecedents, especially while serving in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as Commissioner of Police, we have no doubt that Mbu is a threat to public safety, a threat to credible elections, a threat to the rule of law and ultimately a thread to our fledgling democracy,” the activist stated.

Ambode fit to rule Lagos, says group

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HE Support Group for the Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Akinwunmi Ambode has said that the standard bearer has no health challanges. The group said Ambode is fit to rule.

At a conference in Lagos, the Chairman of the Mobilisation Committee for the support group, Mr. Fola Tinubu said, the rumour was being peddled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He said Ambode is hale and hearty, adding that the candidate has been moving across the state, seeking the mandate of the people.

He said: “The information is being peddled by PDP, but I wish to state that our governorship candidate has been campaigning throughout Lagos, nothing to suggest that he has health challenges.”

Tinubu said the support group, which comprised people who contested with the candidate at the primaries and other lovers of the candidate, will do everything possible to ensure that Ambode emerges as the governor.

He added: “We believe more hands must be on deck to repel the forces of retrogression symbolised by the PDP, which seek to hoodwink Lagosians and lure them out of their comfort zones, to a future whose possibilities is today represented by the rudderless leadership provided at the federal level.

By Musa Odoshimokhe

“All Lagosians need to do is to ask themselves if they will like to be governed by a party that has failed to deliver on the most critical duty of the government which is security.

“Ambode seeks to consolidate a Lagos safe for you and me. But, with the schizophrenic disinformation and misinformation of the PDP, with the hypocritical and false propaganda of the PDP, it is possible for the voters to take these achievements for granted and be short-changed.”

Tinubu further said that the road show, which the support group will embark on, is meant to renew the call for a better Lagos under Ambode, who will consolidate the the gains of the present administration.

He said that the APC government has done so much that it will be counter productive for those without deep knowledge of governance to start to experiment with Lagos. “What we are saying is that Lagos is too sophisticated for people without previous experience on public management. You cannot Learn with Lagos, you have to be tested and trusted to keep the centre of excellence going.”

Tinubu stressed the need to consolidate the gains of the administration, adding that Ambode was eminently qualified to occupy the position and move the state ahead.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

•Gbadebo’s car

Youth leader injured in crash L AGOS State chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Chairman Comrade Taofeek Gbadebo was injured in an accident on Isiwu-Ikorodu Road last Thursday night.

An 18-seater bus heading towards Epe hit Gbadebo’s car at Adamo bus stop at 8: 45 p.m.

His Mitsubishi Gallant, with number-plate NYCN 01, was damaged.

Gbadebo sustained injuries in his eyes, nose and arms.

The windscreen of his car was shattered and the driver’s door condemned.

The tyre, shock absorber

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PASTOR, who allegedly intended to e x c h a n g e N5million for $50million, has been duped by a fiveman gang.

Three of the gang members were arrested by operatives of the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command.

They are Chukwuma Anierobi, 52, Thomas Adekunle, 52 and Thomas Benz, 50.

Police said they were arrested for allegedly duping a pastor based in the South-

•Executive Secretary Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area Moshood Anisere (left) presenting a key of bus to one of the Area Officer Akeem Adeniyi.

With them (from left) are Wahab Akerele; the Council Manager, Bukola Dalumo; Oladotun Olakonle and Council Treasurer, Olamide Ojikutu (behind).

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

and side mirrors were also affected.

The bus veered into the bush and hit a log, resulting in the shattering of the rear windscreen.

Gbadebo told The Nation that no one was injured in the bus.

“It was shocking; I can’t really say how it happened.

All I know was that it was in the night. I saw the bus coming and the next thing I heard was a bang. We hit ourselves. When I saw the wreck of my car, I immediately took a bike to the nearest hospital for treatment; because I noticed that blood

•Gbadebo’s bleeding nose

•Gbadebo during treatment

‘

It was shocking; I can’t really say how it happened. All I know was that it was in the night. I saw the bus coming and the next thing I heard was a bang was oozing out of my nose, even as I experienced sharp pains in my eyes and arms,” he said.

The NYCN leader blamed the accident on the bad road.

According to him, the bus driver was trying to avoid potholes and collided with

’

him “There are lots of potholes on that road; it’s actually a federal road and most vehicles avoid plying the road due to the potholes.

The driver was trying to do same, which led to the collision,” he said.

Asked if he is pressing for

Pastor loses N5m to fraudsters

By Ebele Boniface

east of N5million, under the pretence of buying a land and erecting a structure for a foreigner at $50million.

A gang member, Ifeanyi, who is at large, brought the idea; Benz got a foreign number that was used to call the victim to ask if he was interested in the deal.

They lodged in a hotel in Ikeja and invited the Pastor.

When he came, they handed him a box containing

•Gbadebo after treatment

$50million dollars and he took a flight back to the East.

On getting home, he realised that the dollars were photocopies. Since then, he has not been able to reach the gang.

Benz, who pretended to be London-based, said his role was to clear the money.

“I called the victim (pastor) and told him that he will collect the cargo through Air France as the clearing agent. After I informed him that his money had arrived,

I went to meet him where he lodged telling him the money for clearing was N870, 000. I also said officials of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) wanted to open the box but since I stopped them, they requested N5million and he pleaded to pay N3.5miliion.

“Pastor said he operates a joint account with his wife and asked me to prepare the papers which I did. He paid all the money we requested,

•The bus

any compensation, Gbadebo said: “I am not.”

“I just thank God that no

life was lost. Will I be pressing for compensation from the grave if I had died?” he asked.

carried the box and got a flight back to the East. When he opened the box, he called saying that the dollars were fake. I asked him to shut up and I switched off my phone.

We all collected N700, 000 each as our share.”

Adekunle from Itaido in Ekiti State said: “I was the one he called when he opened the box. Our intention was to continue to extort money from him but the way he reacted made us end the game. I also assisted in clearing the defaced dollars with chemicals.”

Group fumigates community POISED to curb the spread of mosquitoes, a community-based organisation, Oshodi Noble Heritage, has fumigated some streets in the vicinity at the weekend.

Leading the team, the Secretary of the organisation, Rasheed Olawale, stressed the need for a mosquitoes-free environment, saying a community devoid of mosquitoes, will be healthy.

Olawale urged members of the community to always ensure a cleaner environment.

“Our interest is to help curb the spread of malaria through mosquitoes.

Mosquitoes are killer insects which carry and transmit diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, chikunguya and West Nile,” he said.

The chairman Fabukade Community Development Association (CDA) Mr Tunde Tobun, described the gesture as one that will help the community prevent communicable diseases.

“I am very excited because it has been a while we have seen this type of initiative, we are very grateful,” he said.

“We take our children to the hospital every time but with this, we believe that chances of our children fallen sick will be prevented,” he said.

The Secretary of the CDA, Mr Sulaiman Emiade who took the team round for the fumigation exercise thanked them for their foresight.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

46

NEWS

•Peterside addressing crowd of supporters at the Nkpolu Oroworukwo Community during a ward rally in Port Harcourt...at the weekend

Removing Jega now will be disastrous, says Ahmed From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

A

NY attempt by the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government to remove Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chair, Prof Attahiru Jega as being speculated in some quarters will have a reverberating effect on Nigerian’s democracy, Kwara state Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has said.

He added that Jega’s ouster at this critical time will cast a serious doubt on the sincerity of President Jonathan’s plan to conduct credible, free and fair elections.

The governor told reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital, adding that the “consequence of replacing him is like changing the rules in the middle of the game which I think will negatively affect people’s perception to seriousness in ensuring a proper electoral process and ultimately good governance in Nigeria.”

Alhaji Ahmed said: “We are aware that some stakeholders are not comfortable with Jega’s preparedness for elections. We have seen how attempts have been made in picking holes with the process which has been adjudged, I repeat, which had been adjudged to be better than the preparations we had in 2011.

“We are all aware that first, the desire not to allow elections to go on as originally scheduled has sent some negative pictures to people’s minds with respect to preparedness and seriousness and sincerity hold this election.

“However, with the unfolding events that we are seeing, we want to believe that not only is the federal government ready to carry on with this election, as put together in the new timetable.”

No evil man ‘ll lead Rivers, says Peterside

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HE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said no evil man will lead the state.

The APC governorship candidate spoke during a prayer session at Timber Market, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt at the weekend.

He told the traders that God alone gives power and that in fullness of time, God’s choice would be revealed. ”Men will boast that they have power. They will say they are connected to secret societies. They will say they have influence. They boast daily here in Rivers State about their Federal connection and about how they are oppressing and intimidating their opponents.

‘In APC, we boast only about our God, the ancient of days, The I am that I am, The Lion of the tribe of Judea and Jehovah Jireh, so we are not intimidated. ”God is interested in Rivers State because of the cry of the children of God. Because He is interested in Rivers State, no evil man will lead this state. Because God is interested in this state, He will not give our state to those who will harass and intimidate non-indigenes.

Wike to APC candidate: stop attacking me

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HE Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Nyesom Wike, has warned the Rivers State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Dakuku Peterside, against attacking his personality He spoke at the Mega Rally of Ward 18, Eagle Island in Port Harcourt yesterday.

Wike warned the Rivers APC governorship candidate against uncontrolled allegations during political rallies, threatening to open up on the former Commissioner for Works.

“He shouldn’t dare me because I will publish these facts the way we published Amaechi’s actions in Government House and they are yet to respond.”

Speaking on his contract with the people of Eagle Island, the Rivers PDP governorship From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

Because God is interested in Rivers State, no tout will rule over our state. Anybody who will put our people in pain will never rule over us. Only God fearing person who will be committed to improving the lives of Rivers people will be voted for. ”Our governor, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has tried for us. He built world-class schools, health centres and provided opportunities for our people without any form of discrimination. Anybody running for

candidate promised to build a public primary school in the area, reconstruct internal road in the area and site a security post in the community.

He added that his administration would develop a beach in the area and improve the living condition of the people.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator George Sekibo advised the Eagle Island residents to vote for PDP as the future of the state rests with a PDP victory.

House of Representatives member Blessing Nsiegbe assured Barrister Wike that the residents of the Island will join other Nigerians to ensure he becomes the next governor of the state.

The Rivers State PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah, hailed the people to vote for Wike and the PDP.

the office of the governor because he wants to destroy Governor Amaechi’s legacies will not succeed. We all know that some person’s only interest in government is to steal more money and impose more taxes on you but we will not allow that.”

The Chairman, Timber Market Association, Chief Livinus Chike said members of his association were working and praying for Peterside.

He urged the candidate to be steadfast and to continue reaching out to his supporters.

Speaking at a Town Hall Meeting with new voters in

Rivers State which held at Dr. Obi-Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt. The APC candidate who described creativity, talent and innovation as virtues closely associated with youth, warned that a people or government that ignored its young people, do so at its own risk.

He promised to protect the interest of the youth by investing heavily in education, entertainment, sports, arts, agro-allied sector, expansion of ICT platforms, capacity building and skills enhancement programmes, among others.

“I will work for you. I will serve you and I will deal with your concerns. If anybody wants your votes, let him tell you how he will provide you with education, employment, prosperity and hope.

As a party, we recognise the fact that you are an asset to us. That is the reason we must address issues of interest to you.

“The reality today is that an average young man or woman who graduates may not have a job in the next 10 years. Yet, some of you are talented actors, footballers and entertainers. For instance, in this hall, there are youths who can excel in the most competitive football leagues in the world and there are also actors here who are future Oscar winners.

“I know that some of you are very brilliant but you have not been given the right opportunity. We will continue with the scholarship, bursary and educational programmes of Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. But we will introduce a scholarship scheme for indigent students.

I promise that under our watch, no child will be denied access to education.”

Some of the youth expressed confidence in Peterside, describing him as a competent administrator who couldbe relied upon.

Fed Govt clarifies position on Okpella water project

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HE Federal Government, at the weekend, said the Okpella water scheme in Edo State is an ongoing project.

Edostate government last week accused the Federal Ministry of Water Resources of siphoning the N800 million meant for the project.

The ministr’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Istifanus Musa, in a statement in

Abuja, said the water scheme had not been complted because of insufficient funds.

He explained that the water scheme was listed among projects documented by the ministry at the inception of the Goodluck Jonathan administration for completion.

The project was initially awarded by the Petroleum

Trust Fund (PTF) in 1998 and later transferred to the ministry after the winding down of the PTF in 2000.

He said: “The contract was initially awarded for N321,190,848.41,advance payment made by PTF was N157,860,865.74, certified works by PTF (supply of pipes and fittings) was N262,458,447.76 and the liabilities inherited by the Min-

istry was N104,597,582.04 .

The Ministry has so far paid N60,000,000 .00.

“The ministry under took nationwide assessment of several abandoned project in the water sector, includng the Okpella Water Supply Project, which was estimated to cost N800,000,000 and documented them properly for completion by the Federal Government.

“The project was later reviewed by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) to N789,934,486.00 in the 2011 to ensure its completion. However, due to funding constraints, the project was only provided for in the appropriation for 20122014 with the total releases of and payment of N60,000,000 only in 2012 and 2014.”

THE NATION MONDAY MARCH 2, 2015

47

NEWS

Suspected suicide bomber lynched in Bauchi

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N angry crowd at a market in Bauchi yesterday beat up a teenage girl to death after accusing her of being a suicide bomber.

The police and witnesses said she was set ablaze.

A second suspect, also a teenage girl, was arrested at Muda Lawal, the biggest market in Bauchi city.

A spate of suicide bombings has been attributed to Boko Haram Islamic extremist group, which wants to enforce strict Islamic laws

across Nigeria.

The group has threatened to disrupt the country’s March 28 presidential and legislative elections, saying democracy is a corrupt Western concept.

In Bauchi, the two girls aroused suspicion by refusing to be searched when they arrived at the gate to the vegetable market, a yam vendor, Mohd Adamu said.

“People overpowered one girl and discovered she had two bottles strapped to her body,” he said. “They

clubbed her to death, put a tyre doused in fuel over her head and set it on fire,” he added.

“It seems doubtful the girl was actually a bomber, as she did not detonate any explosives when she was attacked,” said Police Deputy Superintendent Mohammad Haruna. He described her as a victim of “mob action carried out by an irate crowd.”

Recently, some girls as young as 10 have been used to carry explosives that detonated in busy markets and

bus stations, raising fears that Boko Haram may be using some of its hundreds of kidnap victims in bomb attacks.

It’s unclear whether such girls detonate explosions themselves or whether the bombs are controlled remotely.

President Goodluck Jonathan last week condemned the Boko Haram insurgents for choosing soft targets and said the series of bombings were a response to the Nigerian military’s recent success in seizing back scores of towns that had been in the

hands of the extremists for months.

A multinational military force, including Nigeria’s neighbours is being formed to stop Boko Haram’s attacks outside Nigeria’s borders.

Some 10,000 people died in Nigeria from Boko Haram’s violence last year, compared to 2,000 in the first four years, according to the United States Council on Foreign Relations. Some 1.5 million people have also been driven from their homes.

Three dead as thugs attack LP supporters From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

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HREE persons have been confirmed dead and several others injured, following attacks on Labour Party (LP) supporters at Amaigbo Ward in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State by suspected thugs of a popular party.

One of the deceased was Osu Emegha, while the identities of the other two could not be ascertained.

A witness, Nkumah Okoro Agha, told our reporter that the thugs besieged their meeting, brought out machetes and other weapons and attacked people.

He said they cut the deceased’s neck and he later died at Mater Hospital, Afikpo.

“Over 10 other supporters were injured. Most of them are being treated at Mater Hospital, Afikpo”, Agha added.

Police spokesman Chris Anyanwu said he was yet to be briefed. He assured of the command’s readiness to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.

Anyanwu urged youths to desist from unleashing mayhem on the supporters of other parties, adding that the matter would be investigated and the case referred to the Police Command in Zone 6, Calabar, Cross River State.

Two Chibok girls lose fathers, uncles From Grace Obike, Abuja

WO Chibok girls in captivity have lost their fathers, with one of them losing her father and two uncles.

The Chairman of the Chibok Community in Abuja, Hosea Tsambido, said their bodies were discovered after raids by Boko Haram insurgents, which left scores dead in Thlulaimakalama, Gatamularwa and Ntabang communities.

Tsambido said it was unfortunately that some of the girls might return and find out that their parents were dead.

He spoke yesterday in Abuja at a news conference organised by members of the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy, to mark the second week of their six weeks countdown.

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Aliyu relocates deputy From Jide Orintunsin, Minna

THE face-off between Niger State Governor Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and his deputy, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, has worsened, as the governor has directed the latter to move out of his office located in the Government House.

Ibeto was directed to relocate to ‘F’ Layout Quarters, about 1500 metres from the Government House.

It was learnt that the directive was contained in a letter by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Sa’idu Ndako, last Friday.

He was given till the close of work today (Monday) to relocate to his new office.

Contacted on the phone last night, the deputy governor said he was yet to be formally informed of any relocation.

“I have not been in Minna since Friday. I just returned to town. I am yet to be informed, may be when I get to work tomorrow,” Ibeto said.

‘No UNIJOS student died’ From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

•From left: All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives candidate, Dogara Yakubu; Bauchi State APC governorship candidate, Mr Muhammed Abubakar; his running mate, Alhaji Nuhu Gidado and APC Bauchi Campaign DirectorGeneral, Alhaji Ahmed Akuyam, at the party’s governorship campaign in Bogoro, Tafawa Balewa and Dass LGA ...at the weekend

Security operatives kill suspected hoodlum

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ECURITY operatives yesterday killed a suspected hoodlum in a gun battle in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The suspect, believed to be in his 30s, was said to be a policeman from Okene, Kogi State.

The incident occurred at Anifowoshe community, Pakata, Ilorin.

The gun duel was said to have started about 2am and lasted till 11am.

Police Commissioner Salihu Garba confirmed that there was an operation in the area. In the gun battle, a member of the security team, it was learnt, sustained bullet wounds in his arm.

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

A team of the Kwara State special security operative code-named: ‘Operation Armony’, was drafted to join in the operation.

Residents were held hostage for hours. The main road near Government Girls Day Secondary School was blocked by the security team, thus preventing vehicular movement.

When our correspondent arrived at the scene about 12:30pm, the building was riddled with bullets.

A source said the security operatives had been on the trail of the suspect for three days.

He was said to be hiding in

the apartment he rented for his mother and wife at Anifowoshe annex when the security operatives, comprising soldiers and Air Force personnel, swooped on him.

A resident, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent that the suspect was believed to be a terrorist.

When the exchange of fire became fierce, the suspect was said to have hidden in the roof, while security agents were unrelenting.

The security men reportedly took away the suspect’s body.

A source said: “We started hearing sporadic gunshots about 2am. We thought political thugs fighting.

“Later, we discovered it was an Ebira man, who rented an apartment for his mother and wife in the area, who engaged security men in a gun duel.

Among them were soldiers and Air Force officers.

“I think they have been on his trail for three days because they were about evicting him from the house. I knew him (the suspect) to be a policeman.

“Before the operation started, they evacuated every occupant and seized their phones. The suspect went into hiding. Later, it was discovered that he was hiding in the roof. They overpowered him, although he shot a soldier in the arm.”

Deputy Speaker, eight others disown impeachment notice against Elechi

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HE Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly and eight other lawmakers at the weekend disowned the impeachment notice served on Governor Martin Elechi by 15 legislators, including the Speaker.

The nine lawmakers include the Deputy Speaker, Chief Blaise Orji (Afikpo Southeast); the Majority Leader, Sam Nwali (Ikwo North); Oliver Nwachukwu (Abakaliki North); Eloy Ogbonna (Afikpo North East) and Mrs Helen Nwaobshi (Abakaliki South).

Others are: Mrs Mabel Aleke (Ohaukwu South ); Eni Uduma Chima (Afikpo South West); Princess Lilian Igwe (Ivo) and Michael Ikechukwu

By Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

Nwankwo (Ebonyi North West).

In a statement by the legislators read on their behalf by Eni Uduma Chima before reporters in Abakaliki, they said: ‘’The House of Assembly has degenerated into a political party platform for the realisation of the ambition of the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi Nweze, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, and who wants to rule Ebonyi State at all cost and by all means, fair or foul.’’

Eni said members of the As-

sembly were beaten up, dispossessed of their belongings, intimidated and disallowed from participating in the proceedings by thugs, who said they were enjoying police protection.

Eni, who said the declaration of six seats of members of the House vacant by the leadership was illegal, added that those affected were challenging it in the Federal High Court, Abakaliki. He decried the impeachment notice served on the governor.

Said he: “The resolution of the 15 members of the Assembly, led by Speaker Chukwuma Nwazunku, contravened Section 188(4) of the 1999 Constitution as

amended. Fifteen members cannot be the ‘two-third’ majority of the members’ of a 24member House. Desperate attempts and overtures are being made to induce and intimidate us into yielding, against the demand of justice and good conscience, to the plot for the impeachment of our dear governor, a founding father of Ebonyi State.

“We have resolved that none of us shall attempt to go to the Assembly complex to forestall a breakdown of law and order and to ensure the security of the lives of our people.”

We cannot in this life and forever sign or attempt to sign any document seeking to remove from office Governor Martin Elechi .

THE VICE Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof.

Haward Mafuyai, has said no student died as a result of explosions.

It was reported in some media that 12 students might have died from blasts.

Prof Mafuyayi, however, debunked the report, saying no student of the university died.

The VC addressed reporters in Jos yesterday.

‘Wada unfair to workers’

By Musa Odoshimokhe

THE dissolved Kogi State local government councils’ chairmen have accused Governor Idris Wada of being insensitive to the plight of council workers.

The governor procured a High Court judgment to dissolve elected council chairmen towards the end of last year, a source alleged The source said for the last five months, the state, through the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, took over direct payment of local government employees, but paid 50 per cent of workers’ salary, less than what the chairmen paid.

Govt urged to stop illegal drilling From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

THE Association of Water-well Drilling Rig Owners and Practitioners (AWDROP) has urged the government to tackle illegal drilling operations of Asian drillers in the country, which it said has caused ecological danger and is threatening their profession.

The National President of the association, Mr Michael Ale, spoke yesterday during the extra-ordinary emergency meeting of AWDROP, with the theme:”Impending dangers in drilling activities in Nigeria”, held at Grand Serene Hotel, Ibadan.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

49

FOREIGN NEWS Egyptian parliamentary polls to be delayed

Netanyahu goes to US for Iran speech

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ARLIAMENTARY elections in Egypt are set to be delayed after the Supreme Court ruled part of an election law unconstitutional.

The ruling struck down part of the law that defined electoral districts.

Voting had been due to start on 21 March and run into April.

A electoral commission spokesman said a “new timetable” was being drawn up.

Egypt’s main assembly was dissolved in 2012. The election is due to be the final transition from military rule.

Former army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi took power after the overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

He was later elected president in May 2014.

The elections were scheduled to be held in several stages, but Sunday’s ruling has forced authorities to rethink their plans.

•Netanyahu

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SRAELI PM Benjamin Netanyahu is on his way to the US to argue his case against a possible nuclear deal with Iran.

Mr Netanyahu says the deal would be inadequate to prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear bomb.

He is due to give a speech in Congress on Tuesday which was not agreed in advance with the Obama admin-

istration, angering the White House.

The speech comes two weeks before Israeli elections, with his Likud party under pressure in domestic polls.

The US and other powers the so-called P5+1 - are negotiating with Iran on its nuclear programme.

They want a framework agreement by the end of the month which addresses concerns that Iran is seeking nuclear weapons technology, something Tehran denies.

Before getting on the plane for Washington, Mr Netanyahu described his trip as a “fateful and even historic mission”.

“I feel deep and genuine concern for the security of all the people of Israel,” he said.

“I will do everything in my ability to secure our future.”

Mr Netanyahu was invited to speak in Congress by Republican leaders.

But the BBC’s Barbara PlettUsher in Washington says the move has angered Democrats, some of whom feel forced to choose between Mr Obama and their desire not to upset Israel.

Several Democratic members of Congress including Vice-President Joe Biden have said they will not attend the speech.

The Israeli leader is expected to talk about Iran and Islamist militant groups.

But US Secretary of State John Kerry said he hoped the speech would not turn into “some great political football”.

LENT Theme: The revival in His arrival Text: "......we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. ( Luke 5:5-6)

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N sundry places the Bible has admonished us never to trust in anyone, no matter how intelligent, seemingly kind, nice or trustworthy the person may be ( Jer. 17:5-8). Human beings have limitations but the Almighty God who created the heavens and the earth is unlimited in power. He created everything and they are all subject to His desires and commands ( Psalm 62:11; John 1:3; Col. 1:16-17). Isaiah, in Chapter 40:28-29, described Him as the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He is the One that never faints or gets wearied and there is no searching of his understanding. He is the One that gives power to the faint, and to the people with no might, He increases their strength.

It is against that background that Jesus Christ said emphatically that ".....without me, you can do nothing" ( John 15:5). What this implies is that because He is the vine and we are His branches, we need Him to bring forth good fruits. That explains why He said that by separating yourself from me, you can do nothing.

The passage from where our text is picked tells a story of a professional fisherman, a man who knew his onions when it comes to fishing, a man who knew that to be successful fisherman, you must go fishing at night, a man who recognised that the spoils you get is dependent on the tools you work with and the experience of the workforce you have. The man, Simon Peter, complied with all that was needful to be successful in the business but regrettably, he failed woefully. While he was washing his net, Jesus Christ arrived at the scene, saw other fishermen and boats there but had favour on Simon Peter. Jesus Christ requested to use Simon's boat for evangelism work and he obliged.

Thereafter, He asked him to cast his net on the right side which the man complied with despite knowing that such an instruction did not conform with the rules of successful fishing. His obedience however, brought many fishes to his net to the extent that his boat started sinking and his net broke (Isaiah 1:19). His arrival heralded a great revival in the life of the miserable Simon Halleluyah!

When He favours you, He would suspend the laws of nature for you, destroy whatever is called impossibilities, rebuke powers holding you to the same position and open the gateway of awesome testimonies for you. David expounded further on this in Psalms 102:13 when he said "....... the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come." Beloved in Christ, a set time is different from the general time for everybody. A set time is a customised time for specific individuals and for unique purposes. A set time is set aside for something important for the one who sets it. A set time is the time when the alarm sounds for all and sundry to know that something is about to happen to the owner of that time. A set time is a call to action. A set time can be a time for wedding, employment, promotion, childbirth, house warming, graduation etc. During this lent season, your set time shall come, in Jesus' name.

When it comes, then you shall build houses, and inhabit them; you shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. You shall not build, and another inhabit; you shall not plant, and another eat: As the days of a tree shall your days be and as His elect, you shall long enjoy the work of their hands. You shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; The fruits from your loins shall be acknowledged as the seed of the Lord with their offspring. Before you call, God will answer you and while you are yet speaking, God will hear. ( Isaiah 65:21-24) Not only that brethren, when He steps into the boat of your life, as He did with Simon, His favour will bring to you what you don't deserve as He did with the Israelites in Exodus 12:36 when they were leaving the land of bondage, it was recorded that ".. the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so

that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians." ( cf 1 Kings 11:18-20; Nehemiah 2:4-6) The favour of God does not only give what is undeserved but makes a way where one never knew that there was one - His favour literary suspends all natural laws as He did with Simon Peter. Suffice to say that the fishes that have been running away from your net at night time despite your toiling shall compulsorily rush towards your net in the daytime effortlessly.

Queen Esther found herself in a gotcha when Mordecal asked her to intervene in the predicament of the Jews who through the conscription of Haman were about to be exterminated. It probably would have been easy for her to plead the cause of her people before the King but she wasn't permitted by law to see the King except the King called for her. Anyone who flouted this law would be put to death. Mindless of this law, Queen Esther requested her people to fast and pray for her as she was determined to face the King. God accepted the fasting and Prayers of the Jews, she went in to the King "... and when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom ( Esther 5:2-3).

The favour of God that gave Simon a net-tearing and boatsinking experience came into action in the life of Queen Esther too, the King did not only waive the law of death by giving her access to see him but offered her an "open cheque", even before uttering a word, to ask for whatever she desired, even to half of his kingdom - what an awesome God! When His favour comes for you brethren, He will grant you unbelievable elevation and recognition such that where you have been called a nobody, He would make you an eternal excellency and the joy of many generations. Then, "... the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee:........ thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted ( Isaiah 60:10-12) - Halleluyah!

The only guarantee for progress in whatever area of life (business, marriage, ministry, education, economy etc) is the arrival of His favour. No wonder the Scripture says that, it's ".....not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it". ( Zech. 4:6-7). His arrival removes every human and/or spiritual mountains, destroys satanic foundations or evil inheritances plaguing lives and destinies, breaks curses from known and unknown quarters, liberates from evil captivity and releases to awesome testimonies. ( cf Acts 2:47).

During this season of lent, you need to surrender all of you (time, talent and resources) to Him like Simon did, obey Him to the letter, trust absolutely in the Lord with all your heart, don't lean unto your own understanding ( Prov. 3:5) and don't rationalise how your miracles will come. The Almighty God who turned things around for Simon Peter shall do likewise for you.

You shall not only have a net breaking and boat sinking experiences but you shall be an eternal reference point like Simon Peter, in Jesus' name.

Prayer: Father, give me grace of your divine visitation today and let your favour take me from where I am to where you have purposed for me, in Jesus' name.

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NEWS Jonathan reappoints Idabor as NOSDRA boss From Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has approved the reappointment of Sir Peter Idabor as the Director-General/ Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).

Idabor, in a statement in Abuja by the agency’s Deputy Director/Head Public Affairs, Mr. Henshaw Ogubike, was made the agency’s DG in 2011 before his recent re-appointment for another four years.

Expressing gratitude to the President for the confidence reposed in him through his re-appointment, he pledged to redouble the agency’s efforts to realise its mandate, especially with regard to oil spill management.

Swagga Bitters kicks off in-bar promo

G •L-R: Executive Secretary, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos State, Deaconess Modupe Ajibola-Ojodu; Deputy Director, Environmental Services and Monitoring, Ministry of Local Government, Lagos State, Mr. Asunmo Babafemi; Council Manager Mr Segun Ajayi and Head, Environmental Health Department, Mr Adeyemi Tella during the monthly environmental sanitation in FESTAC Town, Lagos.

50 firms forge tax certificates, says ICPC •Anti-graft agency discovers 45, 000 ghost workers at Ministry of Finance

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VER 50 of the 156 major firms doing contracts with the Federal Ministry of Works allegedly forged their tax certificates, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission(ICPC) c h a i r Ekpo Nta, has said.

Nta stated this at the weekend in his presentation before the Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and anti corruption.

The ICPC boss also said that the management of all the firms involved in the scam are currently being prosecuted for not paying the correct taxes to the Federal Government.

Nta, who described the development as worrisome, noted that by the action of the firms, had denied tertiary institutions their appropriate funding since the Tertiary Education Funds are monies paid in form of taxes by companies.

He said: “We have gone into direct intervention with the Federal Inland Revenue Service. Most of the big companies that do business for government have not been

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

paying correct taxes or have been using forged documents.

“I can give you clear examples, 156 companies that did business with the Federal Ministry of Works, we got involved and over 50 had forged tax certificates and we are prosecuting them.

That has now led to a total change in respect of persons who want to get involved in government business.

“You know that TETFUND depends on monies that come from companies. So, if you don’t pay company taxes, TETFUND does not get the money they should get to improve the education sector and that is why we targeted taxation to help improve funding of this other sectors of the economy.”

The ICPC boss also said that his commission had been able to save over N100 billion for the Federal Government in the Federal Ministry of Finance where it discovered 45, 000 ghost workers.

His words: “Of course you know what we have done in the Ministry of Finance,

where over 45,000 ghost workers were discovered.

That action has saved over a N100 billion for the government.

“We have a robust relationship with the Federal Inland Revenue Service. We have actually jailed some of their staff that are not doing the right thing and of course the Bureau for Public Procurement. We work hand in hand with them now.

“So, if anyone provide false statistics through bidding exercise, they will refer you to us and that has now started cleaning out that sector.

Nta told the Committee that his commission had closed down over 26 illegal degree awarding institutions while their proprietors are currently being prosecuted.

He said that the agency had saved a female undergraduate of the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, who was allegedly victimised by some of her lecturers for 12 years on campus because she refused to give in to their sexual advances.

The ICPC boss said: “Now there is a student at the Uni-

versity of Nigeria, Nsukka, who spent eight years without graduation and was been victimised, we moved in, through us he graduated.

“We moved into Ambrose Ali University, a girl stayed there for 12 years on the basis of sexual harassment. ICPC moved in, she has graduated and we are working on prosecuting all the officials involved.”

Nta said there were TETFUND projects in all universities, Colleges of Education and Polytechnics because the ICPC had ensured the release of N25 billion to all the deserving institutions that have been tighten up in their system.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and anti corruption, Senator Victor Lar, praised the agency for its efforts at ensuring sanity in the system.

Lar was of the opinion that the current administration had done well in the fight against corruption because of the steadfastness and doggedness of the ICPC and its sister agencies.

RAND Oak limited, a marketer and distributor of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in Nigeria is taking bar activations to a new level. The company has begun an In-Bar promotion across the country on the wings of its bitters brand, Swagga Bitters which has gained acceptance and popularity among the various social classes.

The promotion began after the Valentine open House party and will run for two months; it aims at treating soccer- loving fans to enjoyable viewing experience. The activation runs Thursday through Sunday across football viewing centers with participating bars as Kingsley Bar, Gwarinpa; Lick a Finger, Ondo; Pavilion Bar, Oshogbo; C.Y Bar, Benin; TeeDreams, Calabar and many more.

How we will revive the economy, by Osinbajo

N

IGERIA loses 400,000 barrels of oil daily to activities of saboteurs without anyone being brought to book by the government, the Vice Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said at the weekend.

The inability of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)led Federal Government to stop the oil thieves, he said, was causing a huge loss in resources and revenue to the nation.

If voted into power, Osinbajo said the APC-led government would block all the loopholes through which the country’s resources were being stolen.

The APC vice presidential candidate, who said every programme of the party centred on job creations, spoke at a meeting with young professionals at Nelos Place Event Centre in Ikeja, Lagos.

For two hours, Osinbajo stood before the large gathering of youths, answering questions on how APC government would fix the nation, if elected into office.

He dismissed the rumour that he would resign to pave the way for the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to assume office as vice

By Wale Ajetunmobi

president.

Osinbajo described the rumour as nonsense, saying the peddlers had exhausted their thinking faculties.

He said: “Let me say it clearly that I have never entered any kind of negotiation with anybody, especially on such an important issue of how to we are going to deliver our nation from the challenges we are facing. For me, I have commitment to turn around our country for good and I would take it as privilege to serve my country at that level of government. We have many challenges to tackle and I will not allow this nonsense to distract us.”

On the state of economy, Osinbajo said corruption remained the fundamental factor pummelling the nation’s growth.

He observed that the PDP government had mismanaged the country and rendered it bankrupt in providing basic services to the masses.

He said: “When we are talking about fixing the economy, we must first tackle corruption, which is ingrained in the system. If our natural resources and earnings from oil are brazenly stolen by criminals, we lose revenue in the process.

When have the Yoruba started to pick the crumbs?

Contrary to the belief of some Yoruba elders that President Goodluck Jonathan will implement the 2014 National Conference Report, elderstateman and senior citizen of Ekiti State, Chief Deji Fasuan says no resolution of previous confab ever seen the light of the day.

R

ECENT developments in the political space are contradicting some presumed norms among the Yoruba. This human specie though rooted in diplomatic garb has always refused to play the underlings. Proud of its historical and cultural background, the Yoruba though suffered many reverses during the internecine wars of pre-colonial era never abandoned their traditional dignity and self assurance.

The current foray of some appointed Yoruba leaders especially from parts of Ogun and Ondo states would have been laughable were it not

because of the seriousness of their adventure. Most of the actors, like this writer are Octogenarians and therefore should know that in the twilight of our lives we should be remembered for what we do to enhance our race and our nationality. To me and to many in the Southwest, it is unacceptable for a few aging people, many of whom are seeking to take their pound of flesh from perceived enemies within the Yoruba nation to want to pull all our people in a political compartment. Refusing to accept the plurality of positions even within the Yoruba nation, this body of

otherwise respectable and revered leaders is dragging the Yoruba people into the mud.

Originally they were ‘pure’ Awoists, undisputed advocates of the welfarist state and of course the heirs-apparent of the old sage. Even Awolowo’s worst enemies during and after his lifetime never attached the tag of opportunism to the philosophy-politician.

The above explanatory notes are necessary to debunk the present move by some Yoruba of Ondo and Ogun extraction who want us to believe that ‘restructuring’ of the Nigerian nation state is possible under the present dispensation or can be achieved revisionists should realise that no resolution of previous – Confab – 1988/89 and 1994/ 95 have ever been implemented to the benefit of the reformists. We are not under any illusion that smart politicians

and political activities are driving the current move to equate restructuring as the real change necessary to achieve a just an equitable society. The Ondo State Governor, indeed a smart alec, has his own agenda. Being the chief operative of the present order in South/West Nigeria, he can profitably employ any subterfuge to sell his political wares. But even then this crusading should carry a minimum requirement of openness and decency. For now, nobody can deny the effectiveness and sagacity of Governor Olusegun Mimiko who has been described as the PENKELEMES i.e Adegoke Adelabu, of our time. Smart, suave, persuasive, if cynical, he is always on the stumps.

The latest Confab was a great revelation of the disconnect within the Yoruba subethnic groups. While for ex-

ample, Ekiti had six members in the Confab, Ondo had nine while Ogun had nineteen, in some cases attendants included both husband and wife.

This distortion reminds one of our bitter experience in the old Western Region where some public servants were more equal than others depending on whether you came form Ijebu Province, Egba/ Egbado Province, Oyo Province or Ondo Province. The upper echelons of the Public service were reserved for the Adebanjos, Onabanjos and Lanihun Ajayi’s of this world.

This kind of situation should first of all be addressed rather than seeking an ephemeral restructuring of Nigeria. For history has consistently shown that the Yoruba, back at home, are not equal. To use the implementation of the Confab resolutions as cover for herding the Yoruba into a

•Chief Fasuan

political camp is unreasonable, unacceptable, stupid and naïve.

Today, the Yoruba hold less than 5% of all sensitive political and management positions in the Federal set-up.

Sure, politicians and their privies have their masters and collaborators but to pretend they are acting on behalf of the Yoruba nation is totally unacceptable, for we have passed this way before.

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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OPEN LETTER TO DR. GOODLUCK EBELE AZIKIWE JONATHAN, (GCFR) PRESIDENT, C-in-C, OF THE ARMED FORCES, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

W

e have a situation of crime in progress at Oghalegbu Okija! A man who claims “Oil” was found in our land and the Government has directed him to secure the farm lands’.’The Government gave him the land to develop?’ ‘He bought the farm lands from some five men who are NOT from the communities where the lands are LOCATED’. ‘He has court papers from those who went to court and won the cases at the courts from who he intends to buy’. He is just fencing the land and afterwards he will call the owners to come and line up at their own portions and he will pay them’. THESE ARE SOME OF THE FALSE CLAIMS. The so called court papers were obtained by fraud as the owners of the land never went to court with anyone over their lands and NEVER sold to anyone! As ridiculous as these claims are, these are what this land thief is saying and the Police are watching while he enters into people’s farmlands; destroys them, and is fencing them off as we write!

This man claim his ‘power base’ comes from his alleged closeness to Mr President, including his bogus claims of being Federal Government’s ‘’business partners’’, custodians of their alleged billions of dollars stashed abroad. Claims of choice mansions at various locations in London, New York, Canada, Paris, Houston, Dubai, etc. His conducts and lifestyle desecrate the decency of the decent. His loud display of ill gotten wealth is annoying to all decent people. How can an individual who was not voted for in any election carry more Police and armed Soldiers in his convoy than the Governors?

In Okija, thousands of widows, mothers, youths, full & part time farmers, young and old, have been displaced from their ancestral farmlands at various locations by him. This criminal audacity by a wanton lawless fellow who should not have any business with any country’s government official, even in a banana republic, is not only on-going, but the Security Agencies and even Anambra State Government is playing to the gallery! This man claim to be in partnership with a former Governor of Anambra State, through the chain of companies, businesses, oil blocks, aircrafts they control. As a serving Governor, this former Governor doled out C of Os to the man in such a manner that was so scandalous. What is happening is unprecedented and an open abomination!

Mr. President visited Okija some years ago to attend a ceremony on invitation of an erstwhile SA to Mr. President.

During the visit under reference, the then SA paved way for Mr. President to be received at the residence of this land thief! That single visit became a nightmarish turning point in Okija as he has since then criminalized that visit. He has capitalized on that visit to act in such lawless ways that even the drug war lord of Colombia (Escobar) did not imagine or attempt some of the atrocities and criminal impunities being committed by this man. He is destroying a once peaceful Town! The litany of sundry criminal atrocities committed and still being committed at Okija by this man cannot be catalogued in a single letter. Here are just a few examples: CRIME IN PROGRESS AT OGHALEGBU OKIJA: Between December 2014 and January 2015, this man invaded Ohalegbu Okija with armed thugs, Soldiers and Police men on illegal duties on several occasions in an attempt to steal their farmlands. The invasion was captured on video. The video can be seen on www.utube.com go to “Oghalegbu Okija land crisis”. The video speaks for itself! It was a cowardly act against unarmed innocent villagers. This type of atrocity was not committed even during the civil war. How can this be happening under a democracy and the authorities are silent? Before the attack, he had plotted with his partners in crime and abducted 7 innocent members of Oghalegbu, Umuzu and Ohukabia communities on 20th of Dec, 2014, took them to Abuja where they were held in communicado for 26 days. The President General of Oghalegbu, a lawyer, was later abducted on Jan 13th 2015, at the premises of CP Anambra just after a meeting with the CP in a manner that smacks of savagery, unprofessionalism and then taken to Abuja where he was detained, all on trumped up charges! As at date, this man is still using armed thugs, “Soldiers” and Policemen on illegal duty to carry out his spate of criminal assault on the hapless villagers.

The men and youths are beaten and some of the women are molested and flogged. A particular widow almost lost one of her eyes from flogging and beating. One of her eyes is dripping water and will likely go blind! She went stark naked and put her buttocks on the ground and dragged it back and forth over a stretch of miles and cursed this man and anyone who supports him in his bid to disenfranchise the people of their lands and ancestral heritage. Another woman went stark naked and walked from one market to another, cursing him and the former Governor, and others who are aiding and abetting the criminal scheme. Hundreds of women have protested to the Police at Okija, yet....

What is happening at Okija is a gross violation of the socio-economic and human rights of the people under Nigerian laws, as well as under the UN and African Charter - The Universal Declaration on Human & People’s Rights. The Nigerian State must rise up and defend her citizens. That is the right, just and equitable thing.

Since year 2010, this man blocked a major access road (near his house) that has been there before his fore fathers were born and converted it into a personal drive way. The road remains blocked till date and Okija people or visitors who pass through there not knowing it has been blocked are harassed and chased by his gang of armed thugs, Police men and Soldiers on illegal duty, etc.

He makes the bogus claim that it is the State Security Services that directed him to block the Road since Mr. President usually spends weekends in his house? We know these are false claims but what we don’t understand is why a private individual should block a public way and the law enforcement agencies stand aloof despite persistent complaints from citizens, whereas the actions complained of are criminal offences punishable under our laws.

This man has forcefully and fraudulently acquired tens of thousands of hectares of farm lands in Okija and the records at Anambra State Ministry of Lands show that this former Governor revoked lands belonging to other people without following due process and criminally ceded such lands to this man.

Is NCAA aware helicopters park at Okija and is used to harass residents in Ihiala LGA as it pleases this man while flying at very low altitudes. NCAA and FAAN does not monitor what he does or where he parks ‘“his aircrafts’’ even when there is no airport at Okija? If any aircraft is taking-off from Okija after sleeping overnight, who handles the manifest, conducts security checks, ensures the safety and flight regulations are followed, that no contrabands are loaded in the aircraft, etc? Who ensures it is the Pilot on record that flies the aircraft and not a Boko Haram mercenary who has been paid millions of dollars to deliver weapons? What is happening? Is anyone incharge?

Who are the Directors of companies this man claim to own and how much taxes have they paid in Nigeria or other countries? This man moves about with Military vehicles having machine guns mounted on them as escorts and he claims he has such approval? Given to a private citizen? By who?! A privilege reserved for only a few designated very senior military Generals within the hierarchy of flag Officers and military Chiefs, as is the tradition all over the world. Can one imagine that kind of assault on our collective national psyche? A most humiliating insult to those in the military who serve meritoriously for decades before they could earn such privileges!

Police and other law enforcement agencies are watching while this man is committing economic genocide against various communities in Okija! Why should the Police fold their hands and watch when malicious destruction of kilometers of farmlands are taking place despite persistent complaints by the owners of the farmlands? We hereby invite the National Media (both print and electronic) to visit Oghalegbu Okija in Ihiala LGA and see things for themselves. Resist his mouth watering bribes and report truth!

Does the IGP understand what a terrorist training camp is? How can a terrorist training camp exist in Anambra and the other law enforcement agencies including the DSSS. How can an Inspector General of Police of a Nation get a Petition that there is a terrorist training camp somewhere in a country that is at war with terrorists and fail to investigate such a claim thoroughly before jumping to make arrests? Even after investigation, given the on-going war in the country, the IGP is required to brief the Chief of Defence Staff, National Security Adviser, the Security Council, et al (National Security Team) and present the intelligence and evidence gathered before an operation could be ordered and a lot of planning goes on before such an operation is launched! All these are supposed to be done assuming there is indeed a terrorist camp. We know there is none! The arrests were done at the behest of this man to aid him cow the people and forcefully enter their farmlands and attempt to acquire them by fraud.

A situation where officers of the Nigerian Police drive all the way from Abuja with official vehicles to Okija, move into the private residence of a person and from there launch attacks on innocent villagers, grabbing whoever they can,

forcing them into vehicles to take them to Abuja to go and detain them, constitute a moral and professional outrage. It violates the operational rules of engagement, procedure and applicable laws. If such should be encouraged, then we don’t need State Police Commands! How can the Police engage in such folly with the tax payers funds?

Basically, this is a case where the Police having been compromised irredeemably and is helping an individual in his efforts to forcefully and fraudulently steal land belonging to scores of communities, families, groups and individuals!

Where is the Rule of law? All those detained by the Police were stark illiterate villagers who could not read/write.

Until their lawyer came and insisted on reading the Petition, they had no idea what their offences were! Yet, the IPO took advantage of their illiteracy and wrote ‘’confessional’’ statements for them and forced them to thumb print. One of them who dared to ask that the statement be read and explained to him before he could thumb print was threatened that his legs would be shot if he dared ask again. The sponsors and supporters of this evil shall be violently and speedily judged in such a manner that will cause people to have the fear of God, unless there is genuine repentance. The fingers that wrote that false petition shall become leprous within 21 days from the date of this Publication unless there is genuine repentance and confession, which must be made before Oghalegbu Okija people.

This famous land thief has been boasting how he doled out millions of Naira to the Police to arrest our people so he can enter our farmlands as he has done now. In fact, he is the one who is trying to establish a terrorist training camp. Else, let him explain why he is fencing over 15 kilometres radius of farmlands and has deployed over two thousand armed robbers, kidnappers, thugs, Police and Soldiers on illegal duty across the length and breadth of the farmlands, acting in a deranged manner. The military authorities are saying they have withdrawn all soldiers attached to this man but we urge them to storm the scene of crime where this man is wrecking havoc and determine whether those in military fatigue there are soldiers or fake soldiers. The video under reference here clearly show soldiers marauding up and down in the bush and the people doing all they can which is shout at them!

The immediate removal of the Chairman Police Services Commission is an urgent necessity. He compromised his position by going to sleep, dine and wine in the house of a notorious fraudster at Okija. It was this fraudster who pulled the fraudulent two Billion Naira Police Housing Project. He was declared wanted by the Police at a point in this country! The records are still there. For three days in December 2014, the Chairman was hobnobbing between three Points Hotel Awka and the Homes of these criminals. It was during that period that the plot to conduct mass arrests of our people were hatched over wine in a state of drunken stupor amidst innocent young girls lured into lion’s den through the demonic beauty contest organised in Okija by this popular land thief. The removal and appropriate sanctions for the concerned Army Commanders or officers who has been supplying illegal Soldiers and weapons with which the dupes has been terrorizing and brutalizing our people.

There are incontrovertible evidence that Chairman PSC and other senior officers were in Anambra and specifically with the famous land thief and the big time fraudster and Police “Contractor” for some days between the last week of Dec 2014 and the first week of Jan 2015. Their activities were on video and in the internet. The Phone records are there also! Denial is out of it. As the land thief was running his mouth talking to group led by a notorious robber from Oghalegbu Okija who is an electrical parts dealer at Onitsha, all he said were recorded by him with his phones. How he got permission from the President and gave the IGP and DIG to arrest so & so… boasting to illiterates and villagers with the name of the President of Nigeria?

The two criminal co-travelers from Okija forgot the simple saying: ‘if you are living in a glass house, don’t throw stones!’’ We shall put details of their houses and assets and that of the former Governor in the public domain. From their houses and assets in London, France, New York, Houston, Dubai, Canada, Onitsha, Lagos, we shall let the world would know who they are. Their bank accounts and shady oil and business deals we shall track down and give them the Ibori treatment. How dare you steal lands belonging to widows and the fatherless and mock them to tell their God to come and stop you! We shall also meet you in courts across the globe. We shall watch your trials unless you perish before the trials. What you need do to avert these go beyond rushing to your occult prophets. You need genuine repentance.

CLAIMS HE BOUGHT THE LANDS AND POSSESSES COURT JUDGEMENTS? This man claims he bought the lands. From Criminal trespassers? Who are not from the land bearing communities and therefore could not have inherited or sold any lands there. The portions of lands involved in the litigation/so-called court judgment are just a few plots of land outside where he is now devastating and fencing. If you claim you bought land and on attempt to enter there you observe uproar from thousands of people, any decent person would pause and find out what is happening. Instead of doing so, he is sponsoring armed thugs, killers and assassins to kill those he considers a threat to his criminal trespass!

AS A GREEDY LAND THIEF, HE HAS NOW DESTROYED KILOMETRS OF FARMLANDS BELONGING TO THOSE WHO NEVER WENT TO COURT WITH ANYONE WHATSOEVER OR DISCUSSED, NEGOTIATED OR SOLD THEIR LANDS TO ANYONE! WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE! HIS CLAIM OF HAVING PAID MONIES DOES NOT APPLY TO US THE ACTUAL OWNERS OF THE LAND AS WE NEVER DISCUSSED WITH HIM NOT TO MENTION PAYMENT OF ANY AMOUNT! This claim and blackmail is a tool deployed by these men to cause disaffection among thousands of Community members.

It has not worked as the people know the truth!

ABOVE ALL, appeal is pending at the Court of Appeal (Suit No: CA/121/2014) against the judgment based on which this man moved into the ancestral farmlands of several communities who did not discuss with him or sale their lands to him. Besides the appeal Court case, there are other pending cases at Ihiala High Court and other courts.

NATIONAL SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF THIS UNPRECEDENTED LAWLESSNESS and criminal negligence

by NCAA, FAAN need not be overemphasized. Revenues accruing to NCAA and FAAN are subverted. How can we be sure the pilots and helicopters are not involved in air lifting weapons to Bokoharam for millions of dollars per trip, and perhaps other subversive activities? When they are not supervised or monitored? The licenses of the Pilots and aircraft should be revoked and cancelled!

SERIES OF ASSASINATION ATTEMPTS AND PLANNED ASSASINATION: This man and his partner in crime (the “Police Contractor” Chief/thief) have been boasting of how the Chairman of Police Services Commission will give them special marksmen who will carry out assassinations of all those opposed to their land theft scheme at Okija.

That is the same way the arrests were conducted without any shred of evidence. We want to place it on record. Series of assassination attempts were made in the past.

Mr. President, we want the armed thugs, Vigilante men, the Police and Soldiers providing cover for them to be arrested and prosecuted according to the laws of the land. This man should be arrested and prosecuted for malicious destruction and criminal trespass with his cohorts before the people revolts. He is living on borrowed time. All those claiming all is well are his paid mouth pieces. The tension is palpable!

Our Youths are very restive and the situation could degenerate fast. The women – widows, mothers, and fathers are grieved. We would humbly suggest that this matter be addressed urgently because injustice any where is a threat to justice everywhere. The prayers of thousands of widows have reached heaven and Mr. President needs to act! The people know they have a President whose name is being used to oppress them. They are waiting for his reaction.

They are voters. Will they vote with tears in their eyes? Their livelihood has been taken away! The farms being destroyed is will cater for their needs for years to come. Now where will they turn to? Hunger will drive some of their children to crime. Silence cannot help this situation. This man must be called to order!

We urge members of the State and National Assembly representing our communities to visit the scene of this atrocious crime, meet the people and find out things for themselves and report back to their various institutions for further necessary actions. Or can you ask for votes if you show no care, concern or speak out against this great evil?

CONCERNED STAKEHOLDERS ON BEHALF OF THE OPPRESSED AND DOWN TRODEN AT OKIJA

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

SPORT EXTRA

2015 AYC: Eaglets fail to win bronze T

HE Golden Eaglets of Nigeria finished fourth at the 2015 AYC after losing 3-1 to the Syli Babes of Guinea in a 3rd/ 4th place playoff match at the Stade Général S. K. Goals from Aboubacar Toure and Abdoulaye Keita in the space of five minutes

gave the Syli Babes a 2-1 lead over the Golden Eaglets at half-time.

The game was off to a predictably fast start, with both sides looking to win the third place match at the Stade Général S. K. After a couple of tame efforts, however, Eaglets had the lead 28 minutes into the game, when Victor Osimhen bundled in a superb team effort.

Nigeria should have increased their lead not long after, when Abdullahi Suleiman was given far too much room but his header was saved by goalkeeper Moussa Camara.

Immediately after Suleiman forced the goalkeeper to the save, Nigeria looked distinctly secondbest, struggling to craft any moves and surrendering possession to Guinea as soon as they got the ball.

Guinea did find their equaliser when Aboubacar netted an absolute beauty into the far corner over Akpan Udoh, stunning the Nigerian fans into silence.

Just as Guinea's goal appeared to deflate the Nigerians, the Syli Babes were in the lead Keita's fantastic effort resulted in amazing goal.

Nigeria was probably looking the more likely

team to level as half-time drew closer, but the Guineans held on.

After the break, Abdullahi wasn't effective with his setpieces as Eaglets struggled to create any clear-cut chance.

With thirty-one minutes left to play Guinea made another breakthrough as Keita powered in his second goal of the day.

Guinea almost made it 4-1, but it took the bravery of Udoh to deny Alseny Soumah from scoring.

The Nigerian side lacked the energy to take the game to their opponents and couldn't shrug off the disappointments of crashing out to South Africa in the semi final on Wednesday.

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THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

THE NATION MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015

55

TODAY IN THE NATION

MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL 10 NO 3141

‘In a country where armed robbers would have cleared any obstacle at sight to carte away such a huge money; in a country where employees disappear into the thin air with smaller amounts entrusted to their care, it is only proper the cleaner...’

EMEKA OMEIHE

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

T

HERE is no better way for a rich man to flatter the poor than to call himself a farmer. Except for symbolism and passing curiosity, the rich farmer does not smell the earth, skin a goat, and scoop the crop. He loathes the ritual drudgery of seed time and harvest.

The poor sow in tears; the rich reap in joy.

He is the boss, owns the large hectare of land, prefers the Mercedes coupe to the tractor, would rather roll in cash than in grass.

There are exceptions to these executive farmers, though. Take the exponent of Ujamaa and the late Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere who turned his country into a vast idyll of farmers. He died as a humble tiller of the earth. So is Jose “Pepe” Mujica, the 78-year-old president of backwoods Uruguay. He is the acclaimed poorest president in the world, who lives on his farm and shuns the glitz and glam of office.

As an earthy man, the Owu chief, according to urban legend, exults in the ambience and toil of farming. But he does not work his farms into bountiful harvest. His hirelings do.

Writer Eugene Ware does not like to call most of these big men farmers. Hear him: “The farmer works the soil, the agriculturist works the farmer.” So where do we place Ebele Integrated Farms Ltd? Is President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of shoeless origin a farmer or agriculturist? He has not come out to say a word about his 94 hectares of land originally meant for aviation purposes.

In refined democracies, presidents defend themselves in their own words and voices. His spokespersons say he has done nothing wrong owning a farm acquired while in office. Farming is allowed for all public officers. On that score, the president has done no wrong. He is contributing to food security. But there are Orwellian questions to ask.

How come the president is giving himself 94 hectares of land? Experts say a hectare approximates a football field. So 94 hectares will amount to 94 football fields.

So, President Jonathan does not only hail from a village, he has made one. He is both village chief and president. He is not only the president of a vast Nigeria, but the owner of a village farm. You may call it Ebele village.

How come a president acquires a company when he is in office? He has collided a right with a wrong. The right is that the law allows him to own a farm while in office, according to subsection 2 (b) of part 1 to the fifth Schedule of the Constitution.

The wrong is that it is unlawful to do busi-

SAM OMATSEYE

IN TOUCH

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

•Winner, Informed Commentary (DAME)

Ebele’s animal farm ‘ is That is what

called conflict of interest. Was that not the reason he fired his best minister yet, Barth Nnaji? Now should the president not fire himself – and of course the FCT minister?

•Jonathan

•Mohammed

ness while in office. Those two wrongs cannot make a civic right. It means no one is expected to do the business of farming while in office. The law therefore espouses the humble farmer. It means you cannot allow the task of farming to detract from your civic responsibility.

If you cater to the welfare of over 100 million people, the law forbids you to run a business. The president knows that the farm is not just a farm but a huge investment for profit. We know that 94 hectares is not to feed his family or sell a few bananas. So those who defend the president should understand the law. The president has violated the law in spirit, even if he can defend himself that he is technically allowed to farm. We must note that most

RIPPLES

MY HUSBAND SHOULD BE RE-ELECTED –Dame Patience Jonathan

Okay...NA ONLY YOU WAKA COME?

’

public officers do this under fronts, which is roundly condemnable. It is remarkable, though; that the president pursues his farm dreams with sinful audacity.

The more crucial point is that the president acquired the land through his appointee, the Abuja minister, Bala Mohammed.

The man allotted 94 hectares to the president. He then allotted over 40 hectares to himself. How could the president complain when he too is on the take? That is what is called conflict of interest. Was that not the reason he fired his best minister yet, Barth Nnaji? Now should the president not fire himself – and of course the FCT minister?

That is why we have an Orwellian matter on our hands. In Animal Farm, George Orwell’s animals that make the laws say, “all animals are created equal.” Later when

HARDBALL

O

NCE upon a time, in a small hamlet that once had a remarkable name among hamlets, lived a notable group of elders who contrived to establish themselves under the name, Aferafera. They are men of means; they are men of learning, men you would recognise in a crowd.

Though they may act mean, which is an irony, they are no mean men.

Though the Aferafera may not be models of celestial graciousness, you would not accuse them of Satanism or vile machinations either. Perhaps their crime may well be that they love themselves much more than they love others. It is either that they dwell in their beautiful world of self interest, which naturally galls the people who are condemned to be around them or that such hapless people are merely envious.

But because it is a hamlet peopled by Aferaferas and other people, stuff will always happen, which will converge divergent interests. Stuff like this: one cool evening in this hamlet, commotion broke out around the village square. Some youths had circumscribed a rascally lad better known by his

law meets experience, the reigning pig acquires more powers and privileges. It then turns the matter around: some animals are more equal than others.

The farm laws are different for the president. He can appoint the man who gives him the plot of land, and he can be the entrepreneur, president, lawgiver, profiteer, etc.

That is different from the average farmer in Otukpo, who tills out oranges, yams, tomatoes from his humble earth. Is he a farmer like Jonathan? He does not occupy a public office. Even those who do know they cannot own businesses, no less farm businesses. It is like the story we read in younger days: Jonathan’s farm is bigger than theirs. His is a presidential farm. All agricultural laws are not made equal.

Jonathan’s is more equal than others.

If the president had acquired the land without attaching it to a company, could we have defended him? Not easily. We should have asked, when will he have the time to juggle his work as commander-inchief chasing Shekau and saving the Naira from its monumental crash? That is the spirit of the law. Once you have it as business, you have negated the principle of integrity in office.

In the case of the Owu chief, he is not innocent. Did he not acquire some of the farms across the country when in office?

The reference by the Jonathan defenders to Obasanjo Farms Limited does not justify the president’s action. Two wrongs, as the cliché goes, cannot make a president right and another wrong.

I don’t think it is only a matter of law, but of decency. We recall the obscenity of the probe of the former FCT minister, Nasir El-Rufai, and how some of those defending the president now took a swipe at the FCT minister then over conflict of interest.

Nothing wrong with a president retiring as a farmer, even as an agriculturist. It glorifies the earth and enhances food security.

It laughs at H.L. Mencken’s assertion that “no one hates his job so heartily as a farmer.” Not so for United States presidents who were farmers. But they did not allocate lands to themselves. Lincoln, Jackson, Jefferson and even Washington were farmers to varying degrees. In modern times, Jimmy Carter is the most famous, and to lesser degree, Lyndon Johnson. They could not contemplate allocating such swaths of land to themselves.

The difference between that society and ours is the rule of law. They obey, we defy.

Unlike the animals of George Orwell’s novel, no one is a law to himself.

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

Old men and the loot-bag – a fable public name: Alapapin.

The angry youths held Alapapin by the scruff, well hampered and made ready for a mob judgment. Alapapin scuffled and screamed his innocence loud enough to rouse the entire hamlet. Presently, some members of the Aferaferas invited the mob into the walled precincts of the imposing edifice of one of their kinds.

What would the matter be, they asked?

Alapapin is the thief, they chorused. All the livestock that had disappeared in this land all these years, this is the thief. Here is the evidence right here in his bag. The wine tapper here had espied him from up the palm tree as he snatched a little goat, stuffed a rag in its mouth and threw it in this bag. The tapper hurried down, trailed him and alerted the rest of us. Here, in this sack, is the live evidence.

Well Alapapin what do you have to say, the Aferafera elders asked him?

My Lords, the owners of this land, you all know me in this hamlet. Though a stranger

I may be here but I won’t have young men accuse me falsely. Am I not the handy man of this hamlet? Am I not the same who fetches, who digs who erects and who traps the biggest game for our elders? When did I become a thief? How can they mistake this little game I have in this sack for a goat? My noble elders, if these excited young people do not know a game in a sack I believe you do. Do look into this sack and tell these young rascals what you see...

The exhibit-in-a-sack was passed to the Aferafera elders, about six of them. The atmosphere was electric as each of them peered into the bag and grunted. After they were done they looked at each other nodding and declaring in unison – it is indeed a poor little game in this sack. Now let Alapapin be; and as you know, what shall we do without him.

You must disperse now; return to your chores. The youth left; much crestfallen.

Moral: Every man has a price; even old men.

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