The Nation March 10, 2015 by The Nation

Newspaper of the Year

•AND MORE •I’ll confront insecurity with grit, says Buhari ON PAGES 2,3,5,6&10 •Okorocha: seven PDP governors to join APC •PDP steps up campaign against Jega, Card Reader, PVCs •Jonathan has divided Nigerians, say Tinubu, Oshiomhole

...80 D AYS TO GO DA

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3149 TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

Oando increases output with Qua Iboe first oil

N150.00

Jonathan, Mu’azu clash as PDP’s hate campaign backfires

IL and gas giant Oando Energy Resources (OER), the upstream arm of Oando PLC, has begun production from its Qua Iboe Field. The feat is despite the slump in oil prices, the impact on global economies and investor confidence in the oil and gas sector being at an all-time low. In 2003, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) awarded 24 marginal fields to 31 indigenous companies, a move initiated by the Federal Government to grow production by expanding the scope of engagement in the upContinued on page 4

•www.thenationonlineng.net

A •Dr. Jonathan

NEW crisis has broken out in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The crisis has been sparked by the party’s presidential campaign organisation’s and First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan’s attacks on some of the North’s prominent politicians.

From Gbade Ogunwale, Abuja

The hate campaign has ignited a row between President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu. Specifically, Mu’azu and other Northern leaders in the PDP have kicked against the

unrestrained vulgar attacks by the First Lady and Jonathan’s campaign spokesman, Femi Fani-Kayode, against All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Mu’azu and other party Continued on page 4

•INSIDE: CHIBOK COMMUNITY TO GOVT: WE WANT OUR GIRLS NOT SCHOOL BUILDING P5

Polls: Anxiety grips African leaders, others over Nigeria Army puts Generals, 20 others on trial

Mbeki meets Jonathan, Buhari, Babangida on violence-free elections

•Falana pleads for accussed

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja and Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

FRICAN leaders are troubled by prospects of violence in Nigeria after the March 28 and April 11 elections, The Nation learnt yesterday. Specifically, the anxiety in and out of the continent is about: •whether the elections, which were rescheduled from February 14 and February 28, will hold; •the likelihood of violence; and •the acceptability of the results. Former South Africa President Thabo Mbeki has met with President Goodluck Jonathan and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari on the fears of world leaders about the elections, stressing the need for a violence-free exercise. WILL THE He also visited former milCHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON itary president Gen. Ibrahim APRIL 15, LAST Babangida at his Hilltop

By Precious Igbonwelundu

YEAR EVER RETURN?

Continued on page 4

•TEARFUL F AREWELL: Relatives of some of the 38 Cameroonian soldiers killed in the battle against Boko Haram FAREWELL: militants, at their funeral at the Military Headquarters in Yaounde ... at the weekend. PHOTO: AFP

FTER three postponements, the Army has started the court martial of two generals and 20 other officers who allegedly refused to fight Boko Haram. Security was tight yesterday at the Officers Mess, 9th Brigade Headquarters, Ikeja Cantonment, venue of the court martial. Reporters, who stormed the venue upon getting information about the trial, were not allowed anywhere close to the area. The trial started in the morning and as at the time Continued on page 4

•TRANSPORTATION P13 •ENERGY P16 •POLITICS P17 •SPORTS P23 •PROPERTY P50

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

MAY 29 ...80 DAYS TO GO

NEWS

Abuja residents s R

ESIDENTS of the Federal Capital City (FCT), Abuja, have expressed support for the use of the Smart Card Readers (SCRs) for the conduct of the forthcoming general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). A cross-section of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday on the desirability or otherwise of the machines, •Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); his Deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); outgoing Managing that any attempt to stop the use of Director, State Aeronautic Engineering Technical System Limited (AETSL), Air Vice Marshal Andy Tsakri (left) and his the SCRs will jeopardise the credsuccessor, Air Vice Marshal Ajibola Jekennu during a familiarisation visit of the AETSL chiefs to the governor at the Oke- ibility of the rescheduled polls. Fia Government House, Osogbo According to them, the March 28 presidential/National Assembly and April 11 governorship/state assembly elections can only be free, fair and credible, if INEC was allowed to use the SCRs to checkmate irregularities. Mr Obiora Chukwuemeka, a civil servant at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, described calls by some politicians to stop the use of the machines as selfish. Chukwuemeka said the non usage of the machines for the general elections could lead to rigging through the Temporary Voter Cards (TVCs). He added that the SCRs, acquired with billions of naira, were aimed to checkmate rigging in the elections and bring development to the country’s electoral process. His words: The use of the machines will not allow rigging of elections, use of TVCs, multiple voting, among others; we must embrace the •From left: ex-Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; former South African President Thabo Mbeki and All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen Muhammadu Buhari after and General Abdulsalami Abubakar (extreme left). when Mbeki and Abdulsalami met with Buhari in Kaduna...yesterday. Behind is them is Buhari's Press Secretary, Alhaji Ya'u Darazo PHOTO: ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE

use of card reader machines introduced by INEC. “We must commend INEC for introducing the machine, which is leaving analogue method of voting to digital era.’’ He said that despite the criticism of the SCRs in Nigeria, the facility is being used by some African countries such as Ghana, among others. Another resident, Mr Sulisu Abdullah, also a civil servant, said the introduction of the machine was a welcome development, adding that it will stamp out poll’s irregularity and fraud. He said: “It can check electorate to ensure that their voter cards presented at the polling units are for the rightful owners. “The performance of the machines deployed to test-run at the weekend in the six geographical areas was huge success, free, fair and was credible enough; we must embrace it.’’ Also speaking, Mrs Philomena Eneche, a business woman, said the SCRs could detect fake PVCs, eradicate ballot-box snatching, multiple voting, illegal thumb printing of ballot papers and snatching of result sheets. She, however, urged the electoral umpire to improve on the identified areas of lapses. Her words: “INEC should try and improve on few lapses on the machines and also educate electorate not to use grease on their fingers because it may prevent them from

CSOs hail electoral umpire over success of mock poll From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

•Former Head of Interim National Government (ING), Chief Ernest Shonekan (right), Founder, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Group, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun and Chief Chris Ogunbanjo at the anniversary of Otunba Balogun’s 81st birthday in Lagos...yesterday.

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (right), receiving a copy of an audio CD produced by Tolu Julius at an interactive session with the physically challenged and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) at the Mission to Rebuild (MTR) Hall, Ibara, Abeokuta...yesterday.

GROUP of civil society organisations (CSOs) - the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room) – has hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for a successful outing in weekend’s field test of the Smart Card Reader (SCRs) and the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the general elections. The group, in a statement yesterday, said the field reports from its deployed observers and other election observer networks from Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Abakaliki, Ado-Ekiti, Kano, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger and Rivers states showed that the SCRs were reliable. It said: “INEC’s demonstration of the use of the Card Readers and PVCs passed the integrity test and must be commended. “On the basis of the test and assurances of improvement, Situation Room calls on the full use and deployment of the Card Readers and PVCs for the 2015 Nigeria general elections. “It should be noted that the exercise was fairly successful. INEC officials performed their duties and functions in a professional manner in collaboration with security personnel. “No friction was recorded between INEC officials and the voters, and clearly, the voters fully embraced the card reader technology and cooperated with INEC officials.” The group urged Nigerians to give INEC all the supports to secure the country’s democratic process and future in free and fair elections. It also urged registered voters, who have not collected their PVCs, to avail themselves of the extension window announced by INEC to get their PVC’s. The Situation Room called on political parties, faith-based organisations, other civic groups and indeed all stakeholders to relentlessly continue in their implementation of programmes aimed at sensitising their supporters and the public. After a review of the mock election, the group recommended among others, that INEC should intensify its efforts on voter education and civic education programme that fully educates the citizens as to why and how they must vote with PVCs. The statement reads: “We implore INEC to use all the resources at its disposal for voter education and leverage on its access to phone numbers of registered voters and communicate directly with them via SMS. “This must be regarded as high priority due to the low turnout of voters as most of them expressed their lack of knowledge of the functionality of the SCRs and the essence of the mock accreditation exercise. “INEC should endeavor to provide alternative SCRs and accessible on Election Day to avoid unnecessary delay in the accreditation process. INEC should develop a process of dealing with the issue of discrepancies of details on the PVC’s and the Card Reader in a way that the SCRs can be reconfigured in a timely manner so as to avoid disenfranchisement of any voter. “INEC should work on the processes and options that will facilitate and fine-tune the biometric authentication process. Adequate provision for transportation must be made for INEC staff especially in the rural areas as delay in deployment of staff and materials on Election Day will be unacceptable.”

PO THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

MAY 29 ...80 DAYS TO GO

nts settle for Smart Card Readers ‘

We are elated that the card reader has proved successful. “We note that besides the languid attempts by traditional election riggers to tarnish this important gadget, the card reader is capable of instilling discipline and integrity in the coming election.

Potential voters in Niger State collecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Office in Suleja...at the weekend.

thumb printing.’’ She noted that cloned PVCs were detected through the device during the biometric verification when INEC conducted mock polls in 12 states across the state. That shows that the machine is effective and reliable,” Mrs. Eneche concluded” Some international observers, Mrs. Rumi Ana Decheva and Uros Urstga, who monitored the mock elections, commended INEC for the initiative, saying that it will add more credibility to Nigeria’s electoral process. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ekiti, Sam Olumekun, who

Lagos APC lauds INEC on biometric verification HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the successful test-running of the card readers. The party said the successful testrun has vindicated INEC’s preparedness for free and credible elec-

tions. In a statement in Lagos by its Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, the APC said: “We are elated that the card reader has proved successful. “We note that besides the languid attempts by traditional election riggers to tarnish this important gadget, the card reader is capable of instill-

monitored the election, said the mock election had convinced Nigerians about the usefulness and relevance

of the machines to the polls. the SCRs had proved that the chalBut the Peoples Democratic Party lenges of the machine was enor(PDP) said the result of the test-run of mous and should not be used for the

ing discipline and integrity in the coming election. “We applaud INEC on this wonderful device and urge it to ensure that the shortfalls recorded during the trial are addressed and the card readers further fortified to ensure that votes decide who wins the elections.”

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election. The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement, said some hitches were reported at the various centre, insisting that Nigeria was not mature for the use of the SCRs now. He identified such lapses as “nonverification of voters’ fingerprints even after authenticating their PVCs.” Metuh listed the other lapses included slow accreditation process due to poor internet server operations in some locations and apparent inadequate knowledge of the SCR’s by both INEC officials and voters.

PDP renews opposition to Card Readers, PVCs

HE People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has stepped up its campaign against Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega. It also renewed its opposition to the use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) and the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the general elections rescheduled for March 28 and April 11. At a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, the PDP Integrity Vanguard, an interest group within the ruling party, raised issues on the integrity, propriety and appropriateness of deploying the card readers and the PVCs for the purpose of the elections. Leaders of the group, Sen. Anietie Okon and Chief Sergeant Awuse sought explanations on why some states in the Boko Haram ravaged Northeast had over 70-80 per cent collection rates of the PVCs when many of the people in such states have been forced out of their communities. The duo of Okon and Awuse said: “Isn’t it curious that Lagos, Ogun and several states in the South trailed behind in PVCs collection despite abundant manpower compared to the Northeast? “Whereas INEC planned and announced that the distribution register of collection would be used, this was disregarded in the Northeast as some states’ INEC offices claimed that the distribution registers were not available and thus distributed without register.” According to them, INEC distributed the PVCs in some states in the Northeast without the use of voter registers and that the commission had decided not to use SCRs in the Northeast. They further alleged that PVCs were simply delivered to some unnamed politicians, district heads and clerics in some unnamed states

Masari kicks as police probe purchase of PVCs in Katsina

LL Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Katsina State Alhaji Aminu Masari has condemned the “rampant’’ purchase of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) by some politicians in the state. Masari, who was House of Representatives Speaker between 2003 and 2007, made the allegation yesterday at an interactive session with the people of Ingawa, Kankia and Kusada Local Government Areas in Kankia. He said: “The rampant purchase of PVCs by some politicians in Katsina State has become a matter of concern to everybody with progressive ideas. ‘’The buying of the PVCs from poor women is an act of wickedness that must be condemned by all political stakeholders. ‘’The action of the group of politicians negates all democratic norms in civilised societies as it is designed to disenfranchise the poor women.’’ He further alleged that members of his APC party caught a serving councilor from Baure Local Government From Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja

in the Northeast. They continued: “Insiders disclosed that the high prevalence of distribution and collection in the Northeast was achievable because distribution registers were deliberately avoided in order to effectively cover up the impending electoral fraud planned by Prof. Jega and the APC. “As we speak, in most parts of the Northeast, millions of PVCs remain in the hands of powerful APC politicians. These cards will never get to their owners. Jega’s plan is to grant SCRs waiver to allow these PVCs to be used! “Without question, Jega has proven to be irredeemably unpatriotic. INEC has just shifted the deadline for PVC collection. Can this shift still be attributed to security frailties? “It is clear that Jega and INEC remain persistently impenitent in their determination to foist a prede-

Area with over 20 PVCs. He said that the councilor was caught with the PVCs while photocopying them in a business centre, even as he alleged that another woman was also caught buying the PVCs in Danja Local Government Area of the state. According to Masari, another person was caught at Mashi Local Government Area while purchasing the PVCs from youths and women. ‘’Our party officials have handed over all the suspects to the police for action so as to serve as a deterrent to others,” he said. He advised all eligible voters to desist from selling their PVCs to the politicians, stressing that such steps will prevent them the right to vote in the right candidate during the polls. When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Aminu Sadiq, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident and said that the command has initiated an investigation into the matter.

termined outcome on Nigerians in the forthcoming March/April elections. “Jega has also demonstrated dismal capacity and paucity of competent ideas to conduct elections in a complex ethno-religious composition like Nigeria. We therefore express total lack of confidence in Jega to superintend these elections, having failed to meet timelines and the benchmark for the conduct of credible elections in any clime. “To attenuate their reprehensible plan further is the fact that Jega’s INEC has also invented a certain ‘incident form’ that will allow anyone to vote if his biometrics cannot be verified or authenticated. “In other words, if the SCRs) Card fails to authenticate the biometrics of a would-be voter, that person simply fills a form and goes ahead to vote! “What then is the essence of the biometrics if they cannot be trusted to provide the last security gateway against electoral fraud? This por-

tends grave danger and is a recipe for unrestrained confusion at the polling stations. “Rather than continue to engage in this chicanery, Jega should come clean and admit failure and save us anguish and national embarrassment. Jega’s integrity and strength of character has been greatly impugned. To allow Jega to conduct the 2015 elections is clearly to become complicit in Jega’s unconcealed criminal intentions. “Card Readers are unarguably a recipe for monumental national disaster and must be discarded at this point because of the obvious intention to use it to rig elections in favour of APC and the consequent attendant threat to peace and security of the peoples of this country. “In what is a classical case of putting the cart before the horse, the National Assembly was deliberately hoodwinked into approving the use of Card Readers days before the test-run that has thrown up inherent weaknesses of the machine. An

•Masari

error margin of three in ten is below the standards of acceptable error in any sphere of human activities and is therefore unacceptable. “The 2011 elections may not have been perfect but it remains the only election in Nigeria internationally acclaimed to be free and fair. If we cannot improve on it, there is nothing wrong with staying with the formula that gave us the best elections ever. We call on INEC to immediately revert to the 2011 system with PVCs replacing TVCs. “The National Assembly must as a matter of urgent national importance investigate the introduction by INEC of so-called “voting points” as INEC’saction is obviously intended to surreptitiously circumvent National Assembly’s express position on the matter. “We believe it is the clandestine way Prof. Jega hopes to achieve his original intention of using them to generate the tie-breaking bank of votes and must not be allowed”.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS Army puts Generals, 20 others on trial Continued from page 1

•Chadian soldiers walk in front of a building that Boko Haram insurgents used as their base before being driven out by the Chadian military in Dikwa on March 2. PHOTO: REUTERS

of filing this report (4:30p.m.), proceedings were still ongoing. The officers include two Brigadier-Generals, J.O. Komolafe and RamsomeKuti; 14 Colonels- A. Laguda, V. Ebhaleme, V.O. Ita, I.B. Maina, I.A Aboi, I.M Kabir, M.H. Abubakar, A. A. Egbejule, N.N. Orok, C.A. Magaji, A.O. Agwu, A.J.S. Gulani, O.O. Obolo and A.M. Adetuyi; one Major M.M. Idris; five Captains M. Adamu, O. A. Adenaike, M. Gidado, M.M. Clark and S. Raymond; as well as a Second Lieutenant, S.O. Olowa. They are the third batch of Army officers who have been accused of alleged treasonable offences (mutiny). The other two batches were condemned to death by firing squad by an Abuja Court Martial. It was learnt that Femi

Polls: Anxiety grips African leaders, others over Nigeria Continued from page 1

Mansion in Minna, Niger State yesterday.

Mbeki extracted a commitment from the duo that the outcome of the polls will be accepted - in line with “legal and democratic norms”, a source told The Nation yesterday. Mbeki, who met with Jonathan on Sunday, was at Gen. Buhari’s Jabi Road home in Kaduna, also on Sunday. He was accompanied to the two sessions by a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar. Mbeki and Abdulsalami left for Abuja after a photo session with Gen. buhari without speaking to reporters. A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Mbeki’s visit had to do with the anxiety in and out of the continent over the general election. “There are apprehensions on whether or not the poll will hold; the likelihood of violence and the acceptability of the results of the elections. “So, the ex-South African Pres-

ident came to extract commitment from the key candidates that Nigeria will not be thrown into turmoil. “He has been on a peace mission to ensure a free and fair poll in the country. He wants any loser to seek redress in court and not on the streets.” Another source said the “recourse to hate politics was disturbing to African leaders who saddled Mbeki with the responsibility of intervening. “You know Mbeki is playing a crucial role in mediation efforts in Darfur and Sudan as Chairperson of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP). Mbeki reportedly said the March 28 and April 11 dates for the elections should not be tampered with. He was also said to have asked Nigeria to drop the winner-takes-all approach in managing the aftermath of the poll. A highly-placed source said: "From the manner Mbeki spoke in Kaduna, he appeared to have come on the mandate of the United Nations. His mes-

sage was in line with that of the international community. "He emphasized the need to respect the Constitution and made a strong case for a free and fair poll. "He said all parties must ensure there is no violence during or after the elections. "Mbeki said given the level of democracy on the continent, parties must avoid a situation of winner takes all. "He said if the ruling party loses or wins or if the poll is in favour of the opposition, the system should be accommodating for all. I think the PDP is afraid of losing and it might have been pushing this. Buhari was reported to have said: "Given my antecedents, I am not a violent person or politician. It is on record that I have always gone to court every time I lost election. "I don't believe in violence, I follow due process of the law. I did not promote or sponsor violence in 2011. Even in 2011, I went to court to challenge the outcome of the poll and I abided by the decision of the court.

"No responsible leader will direct his followers to embark on violence. "We should make sure that the election is free, transparent and fair. Once the process is fair, Nigerians will accept the outcome and you will be surprised how they will respect the decision of the voters." “If you see what happened in Rwanda in 1994, no one will want either pre or post election violence in Nigeria,” the source added. But a third source, who is a former governor, said the trip might have some personal undertone to save Nigeria’s democracy from collapse. “He is an elder statesman and he is concerned about the electoral process in the country,” the source added. Jonathan’s and Buhari’s camps have remained silent on the meetings. Mbeki served nine years as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from June 14, 1999 to September 24, 2008.

Too much blood has been shed in Rivers, says NHRC

OO much blood has been shed in Rivers State, Chairman, Na-

tional Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Prof Chidi Odinkalu has said. He spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt during a visit to the Greater Tomorrow Campaign office of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr Dakuku Peterside. Odinkalu, who is on a factfinding mission to Rivers State,

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

was accompanied by members of the commission’s governing council. Peterside told the NHRC delegation that in the last one year, no fewer than 30 people have been killed in Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area. Odinkalu said: “Rivers State is my home because I have families here and they are on both sides of the divide. I wish to offer my condolences because a lot of blood has been

shed. It does not matter where you belong but at the end of the day, those killed are our brothers and sisters. We didn’t want to sit in Abuja and assume that we know what is happening through twitter. We are here because we want to see both campaigns. We also want to see evidence of those who were killed. Do we have names and documents? Can we get a sense of what is happening? Do we have records? “We will see the Commissioner of Police for more de-

tails. There is no alternative to civil and democratic governance and Rivers State is strategic in this respect. That is why we wish to start from here. Our role is not to take sides. We are all worried, not just because we have families and friends; if we don’t have a country that exists, we can’t even do politics, we can’t do public service or think of improving our country. That is the spirit of this visit, to engage and try to understand the isContinued on page 60

Falana (SAN), Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and another senior lawyer were among the defence team for the officers. Falana, who left in the morning after realising his clients, Brigadier-Generals Ramsome-Kuti and Komolafe, were not brought before the panel yesterday, confirmed the court martial has started. He said the military authority had assured him that they would inform him when his clients’ case would come up. Asked to comment on the charges against the officers, Falana declined on the grounds that his client’s trial has not commenced. He said: “The military authority has told the world that they have just taken delivery of military equipment. I feel there is no need to put them on trial. That is why we congratulated them in the

successes so far recorded. “This confirmed that as at the time they were arrested, there was no weapon to fight. But now that they have weapons, they should release the boys to go and join others to fight.” Yesterday’s court martial was the first time senior army officer would be put on trial for such offences as mutiny in the war against terrorists in Northeast. Army had in December condemned 54 soldiers after finding them guilty for conspiracy to commit mutiny and mutiny for disobeying direct order from superior officers to go to the battle front. The soldiers, however, said they only asked for support equipment before embarking on the operation. Their conviction is currently on appeal by their counsel, Falana.

Oando increases output with Qua Iboe first oil Continued from page 1

stream sub-sector through indigenous participation. However, reports indicate that this proactive initiative is yet to make a significant impact on Nigeria’s petroleum sector, worsened by the present terrain of a slump in oil prices. At present, only eight of the 24 marginal fields awarded are fully operational with the rest still grappling with financial and technical challenges. This redundancy is further aggravated with the continued decline in oil prices. With austerity measures being implemented by the government as part of the oil price shock, local players are increasingly seeking methods to enhance the economic productivity of

their operations via a diversified portfolio. Oando Energy Resources holds a 40% working interest in the field. In its capacity as technical services provider, the company, together with the operator and 60% owner, Network Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (NEPN), brought the field from conceptualisation, through development, to first oil in a matter of 2 years, a record time for fields of this nature in Nigeria. Following the completion of the Maximum Efficiency Rate (MER) testing, commercial oil production from the field’s reservoirs has now commenced at 2,150boepd. The crude processing facility commissioned Continued on page 60

Jonathan, Mu’azu clash as PDP’s hate campaign backfires Continued from page 1

chieftains are said to have taken exception to Mrs. Jonathan referring to Gen. Buhari as being “brain dead” without a word of caution from the President. The First Lady’s position was echoed by Fani-Kayode, who re-stated that “yes, truly, Buhari is brain dead”.

Similarly, Mrs. Jonathan’s reference to “people in the North who breed more children than they can cater for” during one of her campaign stops in Calabar, Cross River State, is also said to be causing disquiet within the party’s leadership. Mrs. Jonathan had said: “Our people do not give birth to un-

countable children. Our men don’t give birth to children they dump in the streets. We are not like people from that part of the country (North)”. In that instance, Mrs. Jonathan was apparently referring to the Almajiri system in the North, a lower stratum of children whose situation her husband claims to be addressing with the establishment of Almajiri schools in some states in the North. Some prominent citizens including some clerics, have continued to register their indignation at the First Lady’s utterances, wondering why Mu’azu and other Northern leading lights in the PDP would keep quiet over Continued on page 60

Jonathan’s govt has divided Nigerians, say Tinubu, Oshiomhole

HE Jonathan Presidency has bitterly divided Nigerians along ethnic and religious lines, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole said yesterday. Lamenting the situation, both leaders canvassed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government should be voted out on March 28. Tinubu spoke in Amuwo Odofin in Lagos during a rally in support of the APC Lagos State governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode. Oshiomhole spoke while receiving hundreds of defectors to the APC in Edo State. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and his Imo State counterpart Rochas Okorocha,

By Musa Odoshimokhe and Mariam Ekene-Okoro

among others, also spoke at the Lagos rally. Okorocha announced that seven PDP governors would join the APC. Tinubu urged the electorate not to fall for the campaign of calumny by the PDP, using religion and ethnicity to polarise the country. “The over 15 years of PDP rule in the country merely points to failure. Jonathan tells you a pathetic story that when he was in school he had no shoe. ‘I am from a poor family; I know what poverty is’; now he has forgotten. “Now he has plenty shoes, plenty clothes and plenty hats, but does that put gari on your

table? If you spend five hours at the gas station without light for your business, is that what we want? They even ask you to pay for the electricity that you did not use. So, that is double jeopardy, by paying for diesel that you did not consume and electricity that was never utilised by you. In that situation, do you want them to continue? “In our schools in Lagos, did we register you on the basis of your tribe? Did we discriminate in our school fees? I am sure you are all aware of how we do things in Lagos. We believe we are the same, so we treat everybody equally. After six years, they have not been able to do anything meaningful for the people. “It is time for them to leave, to allow those with ideas and ca-

pability to lead the country. They do not have the skills to run effective government, so they need to go back and take the position of apprenticeship,” he said. Tinubu railed against ethnicism. He said: ”God decided the language you speak and the tribe you were born in to. It is not your choice; it is the choice of God. When you get to the hospital do you see Christian or Muslim section? Do you see Igbo, Yoruba or Ijaw ward? We are one people. “Does hunger or poverty have tribal mark? Can you go to an Igbo bread seller and say I am an Igbo man, I need bread? Can you go to a Yoruba woman selling roasted plantain and tell her to give you one because you are

a Yoruba person? The road is not labeled Muslim, Christian, or Obatala road? Let not these people continue to deceive us. “Those of you travelling with flights; for instance Dubai, when you want to board the plane, do you ask about the name, tribe or religion of the pilot. All you simply do is to pray to God for a safe flight.” Tinubu said the government had not been able to provide employment and insurance cover for soldiers in the battle front against Boko Haram, but the PDP-led Federal Government is going about distributing foreign currencies to woo voters. “Soldiers and police who are working in danger. Their insurance has not been paid, but they are busy bribing people for votes,” Tinubu said.

•Tinubu

Oshiomhole accused the PDP of stoking religious sentiments to sway voters, adding that its desperation, the PDP has bought some church leaders to preach Continued on page 60

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS

Chibok community to Fed Govt: we want our girls back not school building

EW days after the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, went to Chibok to lay the foundation for the Safe School Initiative of the Federal Government, the community rose yesterday against the Federal Government. The parents called for the release of their daughters rather than building a school in their place. Led by the Caretaker Chairman of Chibok Local Government Council, Mallam Ba’ana Lawan, the community accused the Federal Government of making several empty promises since the adoption of the girls last years. Lawan, at a news conference in Maiduguri yesterday in company of many other prominent Chibok opinion leaders and parents of the Chibok Girls, expressed dismay over the Federal Government’s move to rebuild Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok, destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents after abducting the schoolgirls. The community alleged that “the traumatised parents and the entire people of Chibok community only want their children back home not rebuilding of their destroyed schools”.

•‘Presidency lied about meeting parents’ From Duku Joel, Maiduguri and Grace Obike, Abuja

His words: “It is disheartening to inform you that since the abduction of these girls, the Federal Government did not bother to send delegations to Chibok to sympathise with the parents, instead, the parents were invited to Abuja and conveyed in cargo military plane with no comfort whatsoever. “We still observe that recently, President Goodluck Jonathan visited Mubi and Baga, but failed to visit Chibok to sympathise with our people. “We also observe that the president and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshal Alex Badeh, had severally promised that these girls will soon be released. But it is now more than 300 days, and nothing of such happened. We thanked God and appreciate Governor Kashim Shettima and his wife, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, who did not only visited Chibok when the incident took place, but also secured admission for the 59 schoolgirls that escaped from the Boko Haram to

study in various schools in the country and for all other assistance the governor has rendered to the parents. “It is most unfortunate that Chibok Local Government Area has witnessed six different attacks by insurgents and about 300 people lost their lives with property worth millions of naira destroyed, hundreds of houses razed down as well as food and cash crops looted. The most recent attacks were those carried out at Gatamwarwa, Kautikari and other surrounding villages, where several lives were lost. Yet there was no response from the Federal Government. “We, therefore, condemn the reason best known to the Federal Government instead of bringing back our girls as severally promised, they decided to embark on the reconstruction of the school,” Lawan lamented. Also yesterday, members of the Chibok community have accused the Presidency of fabricating stories about meeting with the parents of the abducted Chibok school girls in Maiduguri last Thursday. They said the Minister of State for

Power, Mohammed Wakil, who ought to represent the president at the meeting, did not meet the parents. The community added that Wakil was represented by his Special Adviser on Media, Olawale Rasheed, who also failed to meet any of the parents or relatives of the abducted school girls. Members of the Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA), which is an umbrella body representing the Chibok community in Abuja, said the president’s representative only met with politicians and associates of the minister and then tagged them as parents of the Chibok girls. Chairman of KADA, Hosea Tsambido said those at the meeting, who spoke, only expressed their personal opinions, but not that of the parents and families of the Chibok girls. He spoke yesterday in Abuja, at a news conference organised by members of KADA in responds to actions and utterances of some government officials they said.

Osinbajo: only honest person can bail out Nigeria

ICE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has emphasised that only government led by a truthful and honest Nigerian like Gen. Muhammadu Buhari can lead the country out of its present challenges. Prof. Osinbajo, who spoke while on a visit to the palace of the Ona of Abaji and Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council of Traditional Rulers, said Buhari as president would do everything possible to end the suffering of Nigerians by drastically reducing the level of the nation’s corruption. According to him, the nation was in serious need of change, stressing that to drive the needed change, the country needed a man of truth and honesty. He reminded the people that it was not just enough to shout change without a honest man driving such change, saying the suffering and poverty in the country was too much for Nigerians to bear owing to stealing. He told the royal father: “I come with special greetings from the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. He would have come himself because Abaji is a special place. All through the time, he has ever contested elections, he has always won here in Abaji. “So, there is a special love that the people of Abaji have for him and I am sure that the love has been transferred now to the APC. In fact, as we approach, we could see that the people were excited. “I have come here to just go round to speak to our people about the change that is coming. We cannot do so without first coming here has a mark of respect to the palace, first to let you know that we have come to greet you and to bring you special greetings from Gen. Buhari and to ask for your blessings upon our enterprise as we go out and meet our people. “I want to say that this country needs a change. The reason why the country needs a change is because the suffering of our people is too much. The poverty is too much, the pain is too much. “Everybody know that it is okay to

FGC Buni Yadi: Fed Govt's delegation meets late students’ parents •PTA chairman: visit one year late From Duku Joel, Damaturu

DELEGATION of the Federal Government led by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Abdul Bulama, has met with the parents of the students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, who were killed by the Boko Haram insurgents in their hostels a year ago. The meeting, which was held at GAAT Hotel, Damaturu, was attended by some of the parents of the students, the school PTA Chairman, Kati Machina, the representative of the school's principal and reporters. In his address, Dr. Bulama, who is also a son of the community, conveyed the condolences of President Goodluck Jonathan to the parents and prayed for the repose of the souls of the 29 young Nigerians, who were killed because they wanted to have a better life by going to school. According to the minister, he was in the state on the instance of Mr. President to share his grief with the parents of the students, stressing that Jonathan felt the pains as a parent and as the country's leader. Dr. Bulama also expressed the concern of the president in bringing an end to the insurgency ravaging the region, while pledging the commitment of the Federal Government in ensuring a better life for the people through the resources from the Victims Relief Funds. He assured that the government would as a matter of urgency rebuild the destroyed college to a better standard than it was as soon as security situation improves. Reacting, Machina, an engineer, noted that the visit of the Federal Government was one year late, expressing anger and grievances of the parents. He noted that the FGC, Buni Yadi was a Federal Government School and expected that the administration would have been in the driving seat to bring succour to the parents, earlier than now. Goni Ali Gujba, one of the parents who lost his son during the attack, regretted the poor handling of the situation by the school authority.

Court grants mandamus to activist to compel INEC not to shift polls

•Prof. Osinbajo (left) and Ona of Abaji...yesterday. From Tony Akowe, Abuja

say change change, change. If a true change must come, then it must be a righteous person, a truthful person and a man we can rely on to bring that change. “It is not enough to just change because it can change for the worst, change to more trouble. That is the reason why we believe, I believe and so many of us believe that the change must be led by a truthful man, a honest man like Gen. Buhari. That is why APC picked him as their presidential candidate and myself as his vice presidential candidate. “Both of us agreed very clearly that this country need a government of honest people who will fight for the common man, fight for education for the common man, fight for security for the common man and fight for so many other things. Even just going to the hospital alone, every Nigerian must be able to go to hospital and be attended to. “Education must be free because without education, you cannot move forward. In the primary schools, our

children must have one free meal a day. Those are some of the things we intend to do when we get into office. Without stopping corruption, there will be nothing. “When the stealing is too much, there cannot be enough money and the man who can stop this corruption is Gen. Buhari. “All I want to say is that we need your blessings, we need your support and the support of the people of Abaji to change this country for good. If Gen. Buhari gets into office, you and I know that this country will never be the same again; this country will be a country that you will be proud of. “Look at insecurity all over the Northeast? Why should people be killed every day and we say we have a president. When he takes over, we all know that he will deal with insecurity and all these issues. That is why we are so sure that March 28, we will go to the polls with our PVCs and cast our votes because we are completely convinced that this country will change”. The Ona of Abaji admonished poli-

PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

ticians to play politics without rancour and avoid character assassination of opponents. He said: “My position as the Chairman of the FCT Council of Chiefs makes this palace home for all politicians, irrespective of their political party. “I want you to carry out your campaigns without rancour and character assassination of your opponent. I want you to place Nigeria first in all your dealings and think of how to enhance our economy. Make our elections hitch-free and credible. To my subjects, I want you to play the game according to the rules. You should not be violent or be intimidated by your opponent”. Prof. Osinbajo also visited Kwali and Kuje area councils, where he addressed party supporters on the need to use their PVCs to effect a change in government. Market women and other residents of the area councils made symbolic donation of N10, N20 and N50 to campaign team of the APC presidential candidate.

USTICE Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court Abuja has granted leave to a human rights activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola, to seek for an order of Mandamus compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Service Chiefs and the National Security Adviser from further postponing the March 28 and April 11 elections. The permission was granted following an ex parte motion filed by the activist and argued by the Festus Keyamo Chambers. In his substantive suit, the activist is seeking for an Order of Mandamus compelling INEC to conduct the scheduled March 28 elections, irrespective of “the advice, position or opposition of the 3rd to 6th respondents (Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval staff and the National Security Adviser. He is also seeking for an order compelling the Inspector General of police “to provide men and materials for the protection and security of the men and materials of the 1st respondent (INEC), during the conduct of the election”. Akinnola is also seeking for on order of injunction restraining the service chiefs from further interfering with INE’s conduct of the 2015 elections. The suit has been adjourned to March 23.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS APCON to screen political adverts, says Tom Adaba •U.S. envoy hails INEC on card readers From Bukola Amusan, Abuja

HE Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) is to begin the screening of political advertisements. Former Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Tom Adaba, who said this yesterday in Abuja, urged media houses to be cognisance of issues in their reports rather than personality. Adaba spoke at a town hall meeting on the role of the media in institutionalising issue-based electoral campaigns in Abuja. He condemned the manner and language of desperation being exhibited by candidates. “Politicians have deviated from the main issues. Media houses have also jumped on the bandwagon, all in the name of seeking patronage. It is unacceptable,” he said. Urging the media to take a stand and draw issues to areas politicians must follow in their campaigns, Adaba said media houses have also contributed to the spate of violence. United States Ambassador to Nigeria James Entwistle, in his remarks at the meeting, lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the test-run of the card readers and its insistence on its use during the elections. Entwistle said the compilation of a database of Nigerian voters is a step in the right direction. Urging parties and their candidates to always work and sustain the peace accord, he admonished media houses on the need for balanced reportage and editorials. Chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group Ibrahim Zikirullahi, who convened the meeting, said character assassination and name calling that have been dominating the media space were disheartening. “It is even worse and disappointing that in the face of offensive and violent messages been pushed by the print and broadcasting media, the regulatory agencies looked away and, therefore, set the stage for potential violent polls,” he said.

•President Goodluck Jonathan (third right); Water Resources Minister Sarah Ochekpe (left); Minister for Communications and Technology Omobola Johnson; Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister for Health Kjhaliru Alhassan; Minister of State for Agriculture Asabe Ahmed and the Minister for Environment Laurencia Laraba Mallam, at the official launch of Growing Girls and Women in Nigeria, at the Banquet Hall, State House in Abuja. PHOTO: AKIN OLADOKUN

I ‘ll confront insecurity with grit, says Buhari

HE presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has said his administration will confront insecurity with determination. He expressed outrage and grief at the latest terrorist suicide bomb attacks in Maiduguri, which left scores of people dead. In a condolence message in Abuja yesterday through his media campaign committee, Gen. Buhari said the frequency with which terrorists destroy lives and property embarrassed him beyond measure. According to him, terrorism achieved nothing good for

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

anybody and that nothing could justify the endless and brutal violence targeted at innocent people, which also destroyed the economic and social lives of the people in areas where terrorists were notoriously active. Gen. Buhari, however, called for increased vigilance, stressing that the ease with which suicide bombers blend with law-abiding citizens and reach their targets undetected was disturbing. He explained that majority of the people had no idea about the features and characteristics of

suicide bombers, and could not, therefore, identify such killers in their company. The statement extended Buhari’s condolences to the families of the victims of the latest terrorist attacks on Maiduguri. The APC presidential candidate also condoled with the families of those affected by the violence in Rivers State, in which some unidentified gunmen attacked and killed APC supporters. Another statement in Lagos yesterday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji

Lai Mohammed, condoled with the families of those killed in the Maiduguri blast as well as the government and people of Borno State. It prayed God to grant repose to the souls of the innocent citizens, who were sent to their early graves, while wishing those who were injured a speedy recovery. “As we have said many times, nothing in the world justifies the killing of innocent men, women and children, and the cowards who have continued to kill and maim must realise that they will not escape justice, no matter how long it takes,” APC said.

APC exposes plan to harass party’s financiers

‘Comments by Jonathan, others inimical to free polls’ N elder-statesman and member of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Ibrahim Babankowa, has described statements credited to President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the rescheduled general elections as erasing hope of credible, free and fair elections. Babankowa, who spoke with reporters in Kano yesterday, said such statements might compromise the exercise. He noted that the president’s statement in the media last week that he would not hand over to the opposition was not befitting a statesman “that benefits much from the system”. Babankowa, who hold the title of Walin Ringim, stated that “the summary of these unwarranted outbursts from the president, his wife and the party over the general elections pointed clearly to a confusion that has sparked desperation on the side of those who should strive to keep peace”. The ACF member warned: “We are in a democracy and not military dictatorship. Therefore, views of the majority must triumph and must be so respected, no matter which side of the divide one may belong.” He advised the president to develop a big heart that would enable him accommodate the good and ugly side of life, pointing out that “such toughness defines a man in line of duty”.

•Party condemns Maiduguri bombings

•Alhaji Lai

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has alleged plans by one of the security agencies, apparently acting at the behest of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, to harass and intimidate supposed sponsors of the party. APC said the move was part of efforts to cripple the party’s activi-

ties in the run-up to the March 28 polls. Its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement in Lagos yesterday, said the agency could only target phantom financiers, “since the APC is, in reality, being financed by Nigerians, and not some money bags”. The statement reads: “We made it clear early on that our party, which has now become a peopledriven movement, is being bankrolled by ordinary Nigerians, who have contributed generously to the party through the platforms that we published in the newspapers for all to see. “Though the Federal Government has used some national institutions to stifle our party’s fundraising efforts, Nigerians have utilised the available platforms to make their donations. It is, therefore, a futile exercise for anyone to harass some innocent people for supposedly financing the APC.”

The APC said security agencies should only serve national, rather than partisan, interests, because while governments will always come and go, Nigeria as a country will remain. “The information at our disposal about the role of the security agencies in the forthcoming elections is very disturbing, despite the public opprobrium that has greeted the role played by the military in rigging the 2014 Ekiti governorship election. “For example, there is a plan for at least 500 security agents to apply to work as ad hoc INEC staff so they can rig for the PDP, while military and police uniforms are being sewn in a PDP-controlled state in the Southwest, with a view to making them available for PDP thugs to wear on election day, so they can harass and intimidate the opposition “There is also the disturbing case of four senior officers of the State Security Service (SSS), who are be-

ing retained for some ignoble role during the general elections, even though they are already due for retirement. It is interesting that these officers, including three at the states and one at the headquarters of the SSS, are all from the Southeast and the Southsouth, which the Jonathanled administration considers its stronghold. “Equally disturbing is the fact that a section of the security services has been making sensitive information available to certain PDP members, including a loose-lipped governor, just to get at the opposition. This is sad because Nigeria is bigger than any political party,” the party said. It, therefore, appealed to the security agencies to be non-partisan, professional and patriotic in carrying out their duties before, during and after the general elections. “Put Nigeria first, don’t favour the PDP, don’t favour the APC and don’t favour any party,” the APC told the security agencies.

Lack of fund threatens 177 road projects, says Works minister

HE Federal Ministry of Works will stop work on about 177 road and bridge projects in the 2015 fiscal year due to paucity of funds, Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, has said. Onolememen, who spoke during a presentation at the Senate Committee on Works’ budget defence in Abuja, said no provision was made for capital allocation for the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGF) for the 2015 fiscal year. About N39, 579,312,175 was proposed as 2015 budget for the ministry and its parastatals for both capital and recurrent expenditure. Of the amount, N11,232,000,000 was proposed as capital budget for

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

the ministry. In 2014, N45,682,844,395 was released to the ministry as at December 2014, of a capital allocation of N98,814,368,704. The minister told the committee that “in view of the lean allocation for the ministry in the 2015 budget, only road and bridge projects have been considered.” He added: “Of the ministry’s portfolio of about 210 ongoing road and bridge projects, 33 have been provided for and the provisions are insufficient to encourage the contractors to sustain appreciable progress of work on site.”

Onolememen said “no provision have been made for other departments of the ministry, such as Road and Bridge Design Department, Mechanical and Electrical Department and Service Department. He noted that in line with the 2015 Budget Circular and given the lean envelop for capital projects, emphasis would be on maintaining the minimum level of activity on the project sites where provisions were made in the proposed budget. He said some of the key projects and those awarded in 2014 earmarked for attention included rehabilitation of Lagos-SagamuIbadan dual carriageway, sections 1 &11 in Lagos/Oyo States; rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt

dual carriageway, sections 1&11; dualisation of Obajana Junction to Benin phase 2, sections 1-1V; dualisation of Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja, sections 1,111,1V; dualisation of Kano-Maiduguri, sections 1-V and others. The minister said the challenge to the timely completion of projects was inadequate budgetary provisions for projects and the non-release of budgeted funds. “This underscores the need for diversification of the sources of funding for highway projects,” he said. Chairman of the committee stressed the need for alternative funding of critical projects, considering the dwindling oil revenue.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS

Police parade woman for ‘setting husband ablaze’

HE police in Ekiti State yesterday paraded a woman, Bukola Ogidiolu, who allegedly poured petrol on her husband, Abimbola, and set him ablaze. Also paraded was a farmer, Moses Ofega, who allegedly shot a Fulani herdsman on his farm after a scuffle. Speaking to reporters, Mrs. Ogidiolu (36) claimed she had a quarrel with her husband following his alleged nonchalance to their

•Farmer arrested for allegedly killing herdsman From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

childlessness. She denied torching her husband for refusing to take her out on Valentine’s Day, which happened to be her birthday. The incident occurred at the couple’s residence in Idolofin in Odo-Ado, AdoEkiti, the state capital. “We had an argument following his nonchalance to my barrenness and we

were fighting. Our neighbours tried to plead with him but he never listened to them. “He ran inside and destroyed my property. But he had forgotten that we have petrol inside and when he was about lighting his cigarette, the keg containing the petrol exploded and my husband caught fire.” Abimbola, who has firstdegree burns with his manhood badly burnt, is receiving treatment at the State

‘No votes for Jonathan in Ondo’

University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, where doctors are battling to save his life. Ofega (30), after killing the Fulani, was said to have poured charcoal on the body at Iyemero-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area, on March 4. He claimed he shot at the herdsman mistakenly after fighting over the destruction of his farm by the deceased’s cows.

Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said members of the Fulani community reported the murder. Adeyemi said detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department traced Ofega into the bush, where he fled. Ofega said: “I didn’t kill him intentionally. I went to the farm that day because I am a hunter. “When I saw that my farm had been destroyed, I had to challenge him and during a scufle, my gun went off and hit him.”

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

HE Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Isaac Kekemeke, has said Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s meetings with various stakeholders will not produce votes for President Goodluck Jonathan. The governor has been meeting with rulers, youths, teachers and political leaders, among others, on the need to vote for the PDP’s presidential candidate. Speaking at a meeting in Idanre Local Government Area with members of the Forum of Ondo State Stakeholders, Kekemeke said the people would work and vote for the APC’s presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Chairman of the State Stakeholders’ Forum, Segun Ojo, said members of the group would work for Buhari. “In Ondo State, APC has the chance of taking over the state; the people are already fed up with the PDP. This is a government that has not paid workers for two months. How will Mimiko convince the workers to vote for PDP?”

Poly reverses unions’ suspension From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

HE management of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State, has reversed the suspension of workers’ unions. The unions are the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Polytechnics (SSANIP). The unions went on strike to protest unpaid allowances and other welfare issues, leading to the closure of the school on January 20 after a protest by students. Chairman of the Governing Council Victor Ebomoyi announced the decision to lift the suspension after its 95th statutory meeting. The council also reversed the order freezing the accounts of the unions. A statement yesterday by the Deputy Registrar (Information), Ade Adeyemi-Adejolu, said the decision was in deference to the directive of Education Minister Ibrahim Shekarau. Ebomoyi said the council’s decision was hinged on the minister’s directive that it would engender the return of peace and normalcy for full academic activities.

Storm destroys community From Damisi Ojo, Akure

ORE than 100 houses have been destroyed by a rainstorm in Ifira-Akoko, Akoko South East Local Government Area of Ondo State. The 30-minute downpour was accompanied by a heavy storm that uprooted trees and damaged poles and houses. Two churches and a private secondary school had their roofs blown off. A community spokesman, Chief Boboye Ojomo, said property worth millions of naira was destroyed. The Olufira of Ifira, Oba Olu Olugboja, urged the government and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to aid the affected people in his domain.

APC candidate advises clerics

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola cutting the tape to inaugurate the Penisula Intergrated Power Project at Lekki, Lagos.With him are the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate, Mrs. Olunanti Adebule (third right), Gbolahan Yishau (second right) ,Senator Gbenga Ashafa (right), Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources Taofiq Tijani PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES (left) and others

Okorocha admits Ambode into Governors’ Forum

MO State Governor and Chair of the Progressives Governors Forum Owelle Rochas Okorocha has admitted the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, into the forum. Okorocha, who spoke yesterday at a town hall meeting in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, said he was acting prophetically. The governor said he was

destiny who God has prepared for this season. Your lot will only be better under an APC-led government in Lagos. You must not sell your mandate for a mess of pottage.” Okorocha presented Ambode and his running mate, Dr. Oluranti Adegbule, to the people. The APC candidate thanked the governor and the people at the meeting, promising to complete 25 roads in all the local governments.

He assured Lagosians of accelerated development, recalling his experience in the civil service. “My civil service career has made me conversant with the workings of government. “My well thought-out and robust programme of action would definitely take Lagos to the next level. Governance is a continuum and it takes a person with skill and competence not to lose the momentum or even derail the train of progress.”

Customs sanctions 20 officers for ‘illegal acts’

HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said yesterday that it sanctioned 20 senior officers in the last two months for various illegal acts. The Service Public Relations Officer, Wale Adeniyi, in a statement in Abuja, said nine officers were suspended, pending the outcome of investigations. He said: “Eleven others are facing investigative panels set up by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Abdullahi. “Five of them, including a Deputy Comptroller serving in Apapa Port, had appeared before the panel for negligence and improper examination of containers. “The others appeared before the same panel for of-

sure of Ambode’s victory as the people of Lagos have accepted him. He said: “Ambode, a man with a record of excellent performance, served for 27 years in Lagos as auditor general of local governments and accountant-general. “The APC candidate is the best thing to happen to Lagos. He possesses the experience to take Lagos to the next level. “I urge all the Igbo in Lagos to vote for this man of

fences ranging from hacking of passwords, falsification of academic certificates, negligence and general indiscipline. “Also mid-level management officers serving in the ports were also affected in the recent action as five Assistant Comptrollers serving in Tin Can Island Port were among those suspended from service for improper release of seizures. “Two others, also Assistant Superintendents serving in Seme Command, were suspended for alleged rape, an offence said to have been committed in Badagry area of Lagos.’’ Adeniyi said the Comptroller-General had expressed regrets that the involvement of young officers

recently recruited into the service in various illegal acts was worrisome. “Abdullahi had warned that the service will not tolerate such officers, noting that the machinery for investigations in the service will be strengthened to punish erring officers,” he said. Speaking on checkpoints, Adeniyi said the service would go after officers operating illegal checkpoints. He said the ComptrollerGeneral had acknowledged persistent complaints on some routes, particularly around Kogi, Ondo and Edo states. “Abdullahi had assured motorists that special units of his office will conduct special surveillance

operation to apprehend the culprits.” He also warned that officers operating such illegal check points would be severely punished. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled that the service had earlier suspended three Assistant Superintendent of Customs for allegedly extorting $13,000 at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja. The officers allegedly extorted the money during the outward clearance of the passengers on Emirates Airline flight. The suspension now brings to 23 the number of those suspended by the NCS between January and March.

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate in Obokun Constituency in Osun State, Olatumbosun Oyintiloye, has urged religious leaders not to yield to financial inducements by desperate politicians. According to him, some politicians, in their desperation, were going around the country to induce clerics with money. Oyintiloye warned that such money, if accepted, could stain the names and image of religious leaders. He spoke at the 40th Synod of the Methodist Church, Nigeria, Diocese of Ilesa, OtanIle Circuit in Obokun Local Government. Citing the alleged bribery of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) leadership with N7 billion by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said the issue had subjected the body to international embarrassment. Specifically, he urged Christian leaders to rise above earthly encumbrances and pursue their divine mandate in the spirit of Calvary. Describing Christians as the light and salt of the world, he pointed out that those who defies the Holy Spirit cannot be seen as innocent .

Panel orders transfer of land From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

HE Justice Oyejide Falola Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Ipetumodu and Asipa communal dispute has ordered that Songbe in Ejigbo Local Government should take over the land allocated to the community by the surveyor-general. The commission upheld yesterday the recommendation of the surveyor-general on the dispute between Songbe and Osuntedo. It directed the solicitor-general to ensure that nobody obstructed its order, adding that whoever foments trouble should be arrested and prosecuted. The absence of Osuntedo at the peace meeting was condemned. Kuta and Ile-Ogbo submitted names of their representatives, who will work to resolve disputes between the two communities. Chief Johnson Opakanmi is to lead the team from IleOgbo and Chief Abel Fatoyinbo, the Kuta team.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

CITYBEATS L Fashola lashes Jonathan as he opens Glover Road

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola has chided the Dr Goodluck Jonathan administration for not fulfilling its promises to the citizenry. The government, he said, is just deceiving the people, while his administration has delivered on its promises. Fashola spoke on Sundaay night at the commissioning of the 2.18km Glover Road in Ikoyi in fulfilment of his promise to the residents when he commissioned the Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge in 2010. According to him, among the roads he promised to upgrade in Ikoyi, Glover Road is the first of such roads where the government has intervened to improve easy connectivity within the area. Other roads, including First Avenue and Ikoyi Club 1938, are being reconstructed, he said. Fashola noted that the Federal Government which criticised his administration for building the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge, has not kept its own promises made within the same period. He said: “In three years,

•The Glover Road By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

we have finished a first class architectural masterpiece which put Lagos back on the global architectural reckoning. For our political opponents, they say it is expensive, they say every negative thing about it, but we used the same contractor, Julius Berger, to build that bridge. The same contractor has not been able to

help them deliver the Second Niger Bridge that the president promised since 2011. That’s the difference between us and them. “We built you a bridge; they are bringing money to you in the twilight of elections. Do you want me to take that bridge down and give you the money instead? So for those who say there is no difference be-

tween us, there is a clear difference, we do the work, they share the money”. The governor said motorists and bicycle riders would have a respite following the upgrading of the road. Fashola appealed for maintenance of the road, saying if well maintained, it could last between 30 and 50 years. Earlier, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr

Obafemi Hamzat said the bicycle lane is government’s attempt at tackling climate change. He said the use of bicycle would reduce carbon emission and enhance positive lifestyle, adding that the road has all the necessary service ducts and provisions made for street lights. “The road can withstand flooding that characterise rainy season around this

axis of the state. The completion of this road will also improve the driving experience of the people of the community. “This is also a link to the Lekki/Ikoyi Link Bridge through the Alfred Rewane road. We are also on Bank road and First Avenue that will create the necessary links and improve connectivity,” he said.

28 inmates to sit for UTME

Armed robbery suspect nabbed by victim, mob

O fewer than 28 Ikoyi Prison Inmates will write the Unified Tetiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2015 which holds between today and March 21. Ikoyi Prisons School Principal Mr Ayodele Obarewo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday that the inmates were adequately prepared for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)-organised examination. Obarewo said more inmates had shown interest in furthering their education, after attending several reform programmes at the facility.

UCK ran out for a suspected robber when he was apprehended by his would-be victim and some residents of Okoafo on Badagry Expressway, Lagos. Tunde Animasaun and two others had attempted to rob a supermarket attendant at gun point. The attendant’s distress call attracted residents; but Animasaun’s colleagues fled. Parading Animasaun yesterday at the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja, the command’s spokesperson, Ken Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the suspect is a member of a three-man gang that attacked a supermarket about 9pm in February. Nwosu said two others Abiodun and Sodeeq, a commercial motorcyclist, are at large. Animasaun, 25, said the operation was his first. He said: “We were three myself, Abiodun and the okada rider. We went to rob a chemist man; Abiodun pointed a gun at him and asked me to pack some of the provision in his shop including money. The third member is not known to me before. It was Abiodun that told me that he is a member of our gang. “His role is to take us to a robbery operation scene and take us back on his motorcycle. We share money and loot equal. Two of them escaped on the motorcycle when the chemist man grabbed me and wrestled with me and start shouting for help. “When they brought me before the officer in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a superintendent of police SP

CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

The principal said the rise in the number of inmates registered for this year’s UTME was encouraging. Fourteen wrote the examination last year. Obarewo said logistics had been finalised for the conduct of the examination, adding: “We have been preparing the candidates to the best of our ability, and they have equally shown determination and focus to excel. Some teachers have been coming around to take them in various subjects as well as computer practice. They have been showing great zeal to write this examination, especially those whose term will soon expire. Such

candidates are putting extra efforts to excel, to be able to participate in the post UTME. “However, we need more equipment in the facility, which will enable us to accommodate more of the inmates, who are interested in furthering their education.” The school, Obarewo said, has only 10 computers, adding that they are inadequate for the 28 inmates to practice. “We are, therefore, calling on well-meaning Nigerians to assist, “he said. NAN reports that over 1. 4 million candidates would write the examination in 400 centres across the country.

Court adjourns N621m suit against LAGBUS till April 27

•Animasaun By Ebele Boniface

Abba Kyari, he asked me about my parents. I told him that my father had died. My mother took care of me from primary school to junior secondary school. When there was no money to continue, I started learning furniture work but there was no money to do freedom. It was my friend Abiodun that lured me into armed robbery work. He told me that with armed robbery operations, I would be able to get

enough money to do any big business of my choice and open big furniture workshop in Lagos. “I was arrested in my first operation. If I am released, I will never rob again. Police and my mother will be my witnesses. It is better to be a poor man than to be an armed robber. I will not smoke Indian hemp again. I will face my furniture work and help my mother before I marry. I will marry a nurse to reduce cost of family health care.”

N IKEJA High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned till April 27 hearing in the N621 million suit filed by the family of a Lagos businessman, the late Francis Oranyeli against the LAGBUS Asset Management Company Limited, operators of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). The family led by its head, Pastor Victor Oranyeli is seeking N621 million from LAGBUS and its driver, Babatunde Ogun, as compensation for the death of itsbread winner. The other claimants in the suit are the late Oranyeli’s younger brother, Chinedu Oranyeli and widow, Mrs Taiwo Oranyeli. The late Oranyeli was allegedly knocked down by Ogun who drove a bus belonging to the company on September 5, 2013 while standing on the kerb at Ebute Ero, Lagos. The victim sustained spinal cord injury and died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in Idi-Araba, Mushin, Lagos.

By Adebisi Onanuga

When hearing resumed in the case yesterday, counsel to the claimants, Chief Gabriel Amu Justice Atinuke Oluleye that attempts to resolve the matter amicably were being frustrated by the company and its insurers. Amu urged the court to hold the defendant company accountable as the victim was a young man who left behind dependants including a wife, three children and aged parents. But counsel to the defendants Mr. I. Okorie asked for more time to respond to the plaintiffs’ claims. Justice Oluyemi granted his request and adjourned the case till April 27. In their statement of claim, the plaintiffs are demanding for a declaration that the "driving of Babatunde Samuel, the 2nd defendant, in the course of his employment as staff, driver, employee of LAGBUS Asset Management Limited, which led to the

death of Francis Oranyeli on the 5th day of September, 2013 was negligent and caused the death of late Francis Oranyeli." They therefore demanded "a sum of N121, 200,000 being special damages for negligence, reckless, dangerous, and drunken driving committed allegedly by the second defendant whilst in the employment of the first defendant which occasioned and caused the death of the late Francis Oranyeli." The plaintiffs are also asking the court for "N500 million being general damages for negligence, lack of consortium, lack of sustenance and maintenance, bereavement, loss of estate, loss of earnings, traumatic shock and emotional suffering consequent upon the death of Oranyeli occasioned by the lack of due care and negligence of the second defendant, who at all material times was in the employment of the 1st defendant."

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

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•Olajobi (left) with other council officials inspecting one of the burnt offices

•The outer part of the burnt school...yesterday

Fire guts school building, AIT studio F

IRE has razed Ewutuntun Senior Grammar School building and part of Africa Independent Television (AIT) studio in Lagos. The fire was caused by high voltage following restoration of power. The school incident occurred about 10 pm last Saturday; AIT’s was yesterday. The building, a pupil Zainab Mustapha, said consisted of four classrooms, the vice principal, administration and academics, office and the English department. A resident, Mama Aliyah, said: “There has been power outbreak for

By Basirat Braimah and Olalekan Ayeni

days. When electricity officials restored power around 9.30pm, the voltage was very high. I was still trying to switch off electrical appliances in my house when I heard a loud bang. I heard people shout fire. It was when I ran out that I realised the school behind my house was on fire.” It was learnt that the fire was quenched early Sunday by fire fighters. The school’s principal, Mrs Dupe Ojo said nothing was salvaged from the inferno.

“I visited the school immediately I got the news but we couldn’t recover anything. Our computers, furniture, stationery, documents and other essential items went with the fire. It is indeed a great loss,” she said. During a visit yesterday, Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Executive Secretary Dawood Olajobi empathised with the school management and promised to inform the government. “I shall assist in my own way because I know the lost equipments are essential needs for pupils,” he said. The AIT fire was said to

•Fire fighters battling the inferno at AIT...yesterday

have started from an air conditioner in the studio around 9am. It was quickly put out by men of the Lagos State Fire Service from Agege, Ikeja and Alausa divisions. A senior receptionist, Mrs Ebi Lwarence, who spoke with The Nation, said

there were no casualties. Director of Fire Service Rasak Fadipe said his men arrived on the scene 15 minutes after the distress call. “The fire was caused by high voltage. We arrived at the scene shortly after and we spent about 15 minutes

for active fire-fighting operations. “Only the air conditioner was badly damaged as we were able to curtail the spread of the fire,” he said. He urged Lagosians to be conscious of electrical appliances in their homes and offices.

Lagos objects to environmental sanitation case

AGOS State has asked the Federal High Court in Ikoyi to dismiss a suit by a rights activist, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, seeking to declare the monthly environmental sanitation illegal. The plaintiff said the restriction of movement during the exercise from 7am to 10am has no legal basis. Besides, he said, it grossly violates Nigerians’ right to constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement. The lawyer is seeking a declaration that the restriction of movement on the last Saturday of every month, constitutes a breach of his and other residents’ rights. Adegboruwa said no law in Lagos State approves the compulsory detention of citizens at home for three hours for the purpose of observing a mandatory sanitation. Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN); AttorneyGeneral Mr Ade Ipaye; Commissioner for the Environment and the ministry are the respondents. Parties to the suit adopt-

By Joseph Jibueze

ed their written addresses yesterday after which Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned verdict till March 16. Chief State Counsel in the Lagos Ministry of Justice Jonathan Ogunsanya argued that Section 41 of the 1999 Constitution permits the state to make laws that affect the right to freedom of movement, such as the Environmental Sanitation Law of Lagos State, 2000. He said the law vests the commissioner with powers to make regulations towards ensuring a clean environment and public safety. Ogunsanya said keeping people at home for three hours every last Saturday was meant to keep society and environment clean and safe. According to him, there are classified exceptions to the restriction, including ambulance services and those on essential services. But, Adegboruwa argued that Section 39 of the Environmental Sanitation Law could not be the basis for restricting human movement. He urged the court to hold

...keeping people at home for three hours every last Saturday was meant to keep society and environment clean and safe

‘

’

that even if there is any regulation in force which restricts movement, it could not be enforced on roads that are designated as federal highways under the Highways Act, such as the Third Mainland Bridge where he was once arrested by the police and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA). He said the federal roads were built and maintained by the Federal Government, and as such, the state government lacks authority over them. The lawyer is praying for an order restraining the respondents or their agents from restricting his movement and that of other Lagos residents on the last

Saturday of every month He is also asking the court to direct the respondents to forthwith allow him and other residents to move freely on that day, in exercise of their fundamental rights. In a supporting affidavit, Adegboruwa said he had been restricted on several last Saturdays from going out on the grounds of environmental sanitation. For instance, he said last June 28, he was invited by a television station for a 9am programme on a Saturday. “The next morning of June 29, 2013, I set out from my house in Lekki to honour the said invitation. At the Ketu interchange on the LagosIbadan expressway, I was arrested and detained by police officers on the ground that the monthly environmental sanitation was going on. “The expressway was blocked by policemen and officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), also used their pick up vans to block the road, to prevent access and to hinder free movement. “I have a monthly arrangement with one of the companies licenced by Lagos State to clear refuse, and

they deploy their trucks to my house regularly, to dispose of all the waste generated by my household. “I am aware that the sixth respondent has granted several other private firms the right to manage waste disposal in Lagos State. “I verily believe that the restriction of human and

vehicular movement constitutes a breach of the fundamental human right of freedom of movement as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter,” he said. Adegboruwa had successfully sued Lagos State over toll collection on the Ikoyi bridge.

Bricklayer machetes neighbour to death

N Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos has remanded a 29-year-old bricklayer, Ibrahim Tijani, in Prison for allegedly killing his neighbour, Bashorun Okanla. Chief Magistrate M.O Tanimola said the accused would remain in custody, pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The accused, who resides at Okun in Ajah area of Lagos, is facing a charge of murder. Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Elizabeth Ekuma told the court that the late Okanla had complained about the fumes from Tijani’s generator which was filtering into his apartment. “An argument ensued between the duo which led Tijani to enter his room, and pick a cutlass which he used to attack the deceased on one of his legs and the left hand”, she said. Okanla, she said, died in hospital. ASP Ekuma said the offence was committed on February 8, around 2.30pm at Okun Ajah, Lagos. The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. The magistrate adjourned the case till April 15, pending advice from DPP.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS

Seven PDP governors to join APC, says Okorocha

O fewer than seven Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors will join the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman of the APC Governors' Forum Owelle Rochas Okorocha said in Lagos yesterday. He spoke at a rally in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State for the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode. The governor said the governors' resolve will nail the coffin of the PDP. His words: "Now let me tell you that the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has been signed, sealed and delivered. But let me tell you something but don't tell anybody. “It is a secret, about seven PDP governors are coming to hold meetings with us privately, planning to join us. "There is fear in the country. The fear is that they know Buhari is a good man, they know Buhari will win. The fear is that once they announce Buhari on March 28 as winner all the bad people stealing the nation's money will take midnight flight and leave the country. The fear of Buhari is the end of corruption in Nigeria. " He said it took the intervention of Buhari to stop open defecation before it became entrenched again. The governor said Buhari had stopped all forms of indiscipline before the country became a laughing stock among comity of nations for lack of discipline. Okorocha added that the PDP died when the opposition parties merged to form the APC. "The day Babatunde Fashola, Rochas Okorocha and other governors came together, the PDP died in Nigeria. “On February 14, we were supposed to bury the PDP but they changed the date of the funeral to March 28. "Now we are waiting patiently to bury the PDP forever. Let me tell you. You can change the day of the funeral but you can't change the funeral, it must take place. May the soul of PDP rest in peace. "The worst thing that can happen to any nation is to have a bad government and the worst thing that can happen to any family is to have a bad father. “Today, it is obvious that PDP is a bad government. Thank God we came together for change and the change has started.” He urged the Igbo community to vote for Ambode, saying he has the capacity to ensure mutual co-existence of all tribes in Lagos. Okorocha, who was flanked by Fashola and other APC leaders, decried the economic policies of the Federal Government.

•From left: APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Chief Rabiu Oluwa; Fashola; Ambode and his running mate, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule By Miriam Ekene-Okoro and Musa Odoshimokhe

“PDP has cheated you. If you have N100, 000 before, what you now have is N60, 000. “The Federal Government has removed N40, 000 by devaluing the Naira." Fashola urged Lagosians not to yield to the plans of the PDP, which has been bribing people to vote for it. He said the Federal Government wants to take a shortcut to success, without working for it. "All the promises they made to you, have they fulfilled them? "The man has been promising to do more, when he has not fulfilled the promise he made when he was seeking your votes." He said his administration did not only put policemen on insurance scheme but bought weapons to enable them function. "Go to Youtube and listen to Senator Chris Anyanwu, who chairs the Senate Committee on Navy, begging for money for the Navy to fuel its boats. “Yet, Nigeria budgeted over N1 trillion for defence. They said Buhari did not buy guns in 1985. "Are you going to use 1985 weapon to fight 2015 war? They are bundle of liars and do not know what to do. “Please don't sell your PVC because it is your future and your power to vote out the PDP. “The election is about how you secure your freedom. The money he should have used in providing infrastructure is being used to bribe people to get votes. "You gave me 1.5 million votes during the last election, and you can see the result of the votes. What I want you to do for me is three million votes from you for Ambode."

Kidnappers demand N100m

HE kidnappers of a leading industrialist, Chief Festus Adebowale Omotoso, has demanded N100 million. Omotoso, who is the National Life Vice-President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), was kidnapped in his home town, Awe, Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State. He was said to be meeting with some chiefs, when a three-man gang arrived his house. The kidnappers, it was

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

gathered, posed as launderers, who came to return Omotoso’s clothes. The guard was forced by to lead them to where his boss was. A source said: “On getting to the inner room, all the chiefs were ordered to lie down. Chief Omotoso was blindfolded before he was taken away. “N10 million was offered to the kidnappers but it was rejected. They insisted that what they want is N100 million.’’

•The crowd at the event

•Okorocha flanked by Fashola (right) and Ambode.

Ondo Hausa community for Buhari

EADERS of the Hausa community in the 18 local governments in Ondo State yesterday met in Akure, the state capital, to strategise for the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari. The APC supporters debunked the report from “faceless people”, who claimed to have endorsed the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan. A statement by the leader of the APC Hausa Community, Mallam Bala Umaru, dissociated his members from the purported support given to Presi-

PHOTOS: MOSES OMOSEHIN

Folarin gets monarchs’blessing By Jeremiah Oke

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

dent Jonathan. The statement reads: “After an emergency executive meeting of our group, we re-affirm our resolve as bonafide members of the Ondo Hausa Community in support of APC and its candidates. “We are saying emphatically that all our members across all local governments have resolved to use our human and material resources to ensure victory for Buhari and other APC candidates. “Nobody can blindfold us, we have been in this state for several years now. We want the positive change many Nigerians are yearning for.”

HE governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin, has received the blessings of some monarchs, including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi. Oba Adeyemi advised politicians to remember the poor when they are elected. “By God’s grace, your dreams shall be achieved. I want to beg all politicians to shun violence and embrace peace before, during, and after the coming elections. “Folarin is my son. I took him to the Senate in 2003 when he contested and won the Oyo Central Senatorial seat. “Of all the governorship contestants, he is the only one allowed here at the Ojude Aremo. Please when you get to power, don’t forget the poor masses and your supporters,” he said. Folarin also visited the palace of Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Ajagungbade III.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

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E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

Eko DISCO votes N18b for capex By Emeka Ugwuanyi

KO Electricity Distribu tion Company (EKEDC) has earmarked N18 billion for capital expenditure this year, the Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Oladele Amoda, has said. Amoda, who made this known at the firm’s quarterly briefing, said $15 million has been set aside for the acquisition of both Maximum Demand metres for industrial users and aother N20 billion for residential and commercial customers. He said the company is making efforts to improve electricity supply to its customers and it is currently reinforcing its network and exploring embedded generation to complement supply from the national grid. He said power supply from the grid currently hovers around 200 megawatts (MW) to 250MW, a level he said is grossly inadequate for customers on the firm’s network. He said the generation level is a far cry from the needed 700Mw needed to meet its customers’ demand. To address this, Amoda said the company has signed on some power generating firms to provide EKEDC electricity. He listed some of the companies to include Ijora Power 13MW, Apapa Power firm 30MW and Parax, a power firm in Ogijo, Ogun State, 40MW. He said the Eko Power firm is eyeing about 170MW from off-grid (embedded) supply in the next few years. On the debts owed by customers, Amoda stated that before privatisation, the company was owed N10 billion, and mostly by the military and government agencies; these debts have now been inherited by the Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Company Limited (NELMCO). From November 2013 to date, he said that customers owe the company N700 million; debts which are chiefly owed by the military and government but noted that the management is discussing with the military on modality of payment.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil $58/barrel Cocoa $2,686.35/metric ton Coffee ¢132.70/pound Cotton ¢95.17pound Gold $1,396.9/troy Sugar $163/lb RATES Inflation

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

15.87%

Savings rate

91-day NTB

15%

Time Deposit

5.49%

MPR

13%

Foreign Reserve

$34.5b

What does corporate governance do? It ensures that you have set up a structure and a culture within the institution that can drive the business in line with given rules. That’s what corporate governance does. -Seplat Petroleum Managing Director Mr Austin Avuru

CBN rejects NDIC’s usurpation of role

HE Central Bank of Ni geria (CBN) yesterday rejected some proposed amendments to the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Act, saying they were targeted as usurping some of its core mandates. The Governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele, spoke at a one-day public hearing on the “NDIC Act 2006, Cap N102 LFN 2012 (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2015” organised by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions in Abuja. Emefiele represented by his deputy, Sulieman Barau, said the amendments being sought in the NDIC Act should be rejected as they are capable of causing chaos and anarchy in the financial sector. He said some of the proposals seek to confer coordinate functions and powers on the NDIC. He argued that the NDIC being the undertaker cannot seek to be a judge and prosecutor in its own case. Specifically, Emefiele insisted that the implications of the proposed amendment to the NDIC Act enactment would make the NDIC a parallel/coordinate regulator for banks as CBN; confer conflicting supervisory functions and powers on NDIC over banks; an create overlapping regulatory responsibilities for the NDIC. He added that the powers that the Corporation sought to assume and exercise and their consequences were analysed to include: Power to licence banks, power to supervise banks without reference to the CBN, power to determine the licences of banks and power to appoint itself as liquidator. Emefiele said: “It is pertinent to mention that all the above powers, which the NDIC seeks to

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Asst. Editor, Nduka Chiejina, Asst. Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

assume and exercise, are ostensibly to ensure that it carries out its function as a risk minimiser and that depositors of distressed banks and other deposit taking financial institutions are paid in good time to avoid delays. “While the CBN supports the desire to pay depositors of distressed institutions in good time, the proposal to make NDIC “the judge and juror” in cases involving banks is fraught with dangers and is a recipe for financial instability.

“It is indeed the ingredient for chaos and anarchy and is not practiced in any financial system in the world. “There is also the moral hazard of the NDIC as a deposit insurer that charges premium on the basis of the riskiness of an institution which it supervises without recourse to the CBN to rate such institutions as riskier than they actually are in order to enhance the premium charged to bolster the deposit insurance fund. “Consequently, it is essential that the NDIC must flow from its primary function, which is the basis for its establishment, that is, Deposit Insurance.

“Then and only then, will its role in the financial system as it relates to banks and other deposit taking financial institutions be properly defined.” The Managing Director of NDIC, Alh. Umaru Ibrahim, in his presentation said even though disagreements exists, they were not seeking any role out their lawful mandate. Ibrahim said the NDIC is seeking the amendments to ensure safety and soundness in the banking system. He added that the agency was not in competition with the CBN but however cherish its operational independence and mandate as provided by its Act.

• Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi signing the N338billion State Appropriation bill into law at the Government House, Port Harcourt...yesterday. With him is the Leader of the House of Assembly, Hon. Chidi Lloyd.

Major investor demands better terms on Holcim, Lafarge merger

WISS company Holcim is under pressure to se cure improved terms for its shareholders in a planned merger with France’s Lafarge. The planned merger with Lafarge, the parent company of Nigeria’s publicly quoted Lafarge Africa Plc, is expected to create the world’s largest cement maker. Holcim’s largest stakeholder, Thomas Schmidheiny, who owns about 20 per cent of the company, is demanding a better deal, Swiss weekly SonntagsZeitung reported on Sunday, citing people close to the billionaire. The companies hope a combination, which would create a business with $44 billion in annual sales, will help them cope better with the overcapacity and sluggish demand that have dogged the construction in-

By Taofik Salako

dustry since the 2008 economic crisis. However, analysts have seen a potential divergence in earnings prospects as opening the possibility of a renegotiation of the deal which is based on each Lafarge share being swapped for one Holcim share. “Pressure has been building since we first highlighted the rising probability of an adjustment in the merger terms as fourth-quarter results showed company performance diverging further and following the launch of a media campaign voicing discontentment with the deal,” Bernstein analyst Phil Roseberg wrote in a note. Reuters quoted

SonntagsZeitung report that Schmidheiny sees two possible solutions. One is to change the exchange ratio of shares to favor Holcim investors, rather than being one-for-one. Another is a special dividend. The paper quoted another board member as saying the deal will not work in its current form. Holcim declined to comment on Monday, saying only that it was aware of the report. “The board of Holcim has taken note of press statements about shareholder reactions relating to the commercial terms of the combination,” Holcim said in a brief statement. The deal needs anti-trust clearance in five jurisdictions including India, Holcim’s biggest single market, the

United States and Canada. A capital increase needed for the merger also needs to be approved by two-thirds of Holcim shareholders at a meeting due in late May or early June. Baader-Helvea analyst Patrick Appenzeller said Holcim would have to offer shareholders a better deal. “Why should the Holcim shareholders agree to the deal? It’s obviously such a bad deal when you look at the fundamentals,” said Appenzeller, who has a “Hold” rating on Holcim shares. “I expect a 57:43 ratio finally but that will probably only be decided ahead of the shareholder meeting,” he said. Holcim shares rose 0.8 per cent to 75 Swiss francs or $76 on Monday, while Lafarge slipped 1.8 per cent to 64.09 euros or $70.

EFCC arrests two for N495m forex deal From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

HE Economic and Fi nancial Crimes Com mission (EFCC) yesterday said it has arrested two suspected fraudsters for allegedly stealing the sum of $2,250,000 (N495million) from two bankers. The suspects, Uwem Antia and Alhaji Yerima Suleman, were said to have allegedly approached the bankers (Gladys Aginwa and Ale Dennis) in February and offered to sell foreign exchange amounting to $10m US to them. A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects will be arraigned in court soon. The statement said: “After agreeing on the exchange rate, a sum of N672, 750,000 was transferred from Blue Beam Capital Investment Limited and Capital Field Investment and Trust Limited into the account of one of the bankers: Smiles and Light Limited. It was from the banker’s account that the entire sum was moved into Antia’s account: Kafisto Oil and Gas Limited. “Findings showed that the entire sum of N672, 750,000 actually hit Antia’s account. A Bureau de Change operator who changed the money into its dollar equivalent, told EFCC’s investigators that he went with Antia to his bank along Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the transaction was confirmed. “The Bureau de Change operator further said that, Antia subsequently transferred the sum of N666, 250,000 into his own account. He said he worked out the dollar equivalent of the money, which was $3,127,000.

Obiano to flag off $100m Ekcel farm

S part of activities commemorating his one year anniversary in office, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State will on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 commission a monumental site signalling the formal take off of the USD $100 million Ekcel Farm project in Anambra State. The farm project which is sited in Omasi, Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State is a private sector initiative by Ekcel Farms Limited for the development of full scale mechanised agriculture in Anambra State. Ekcel Farms Limited, a subsidiary of Oilserv Limited, is set to partner with recognised global key players in the agribusiness industry, and will focus on meeting the millennium investment goals and objectives of the state government through developing a scheme that will facilitate massive agricultural development in the state.

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Top NRC officials to monitor train service T

HE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has deployed its top management staff to monitor intercity train services, following passengers’ complaints. The exercise meant to improve its services began last month, following this newspaper’s exclusive details of its poor service especially on its Lagos to Kano route. The corporation’s spokesman Mr Abdulraouf Akinwoye who disclosed this, said the move is to check the excesses of NRC’s officials and stop the delays on long distance shuttles. Akinwoye said the corporation will continue to give its best to passengers based on available resources. He said: “At our yearly review we decided that it is time we move out and frontally confront all those issues that our customers have usually complained about especially those on long distance trains. “Beginning from last month, all directors, deputy directors and assistant directors have been mandated to be following our intercity shuttles and at least two officers must go on such trains and they are not only to note the bottlenecks along the way, but to resolve them without further delays.” The monitoring, Akinwoye said, started on the Western Line which runs from Lagos to Kano, adding that the exercise will soon begin on the Eastern Line (Enugu to Gombe), which started operation in January. He said the Managing Director, Adeseyi Sijuwade, is not leaving any stone unturned in ensuring that passengers enjoy the services of the corporation. “We are determined to improve our efficiency and to give the best to the masses that are our major targets,” he said.

•Better train services envisaged Stories by Adeyinka Aderibigbe

Akinwoye added: “Our top officials being on the train, is admittance that things are not right with our services especially on our intercity shuttles. It therefore will help us check many things that our customers complain

about and protect them from further embarrassment.” He said a lot has changed between last year and now, adding that passengers would no longer experience those challenges hitherto facing the corporation. Akinwoye, charged the passengers to do more to protect the cor-

poration’s properties because they are costly. According to him, it is sad that toilets, bathrooms, seats, hand rests, and our overhead orbit fans are being vandalised by passengers. He said anyone seeing these would blame the NRC without any blame put on its passengers.

‘Beginning from last month, all directors, deputy directors and assistant directors have been mandated to be following our intercity shuttles and at least two officers must go on such trains and they are not only to note the bottlenecks along the way, but to resolve them without further delays’

“Our passengers should take the railway properties as theirs because it is our commonwealth that was used in procuring them. People should stop hanging on the train and the roof riders should desist as this is causing more damage to the coaches,” he said. On workers’ welfare, the NRC spokesman said the management and the two labour unions, have agreed on a package which has been sent to the board. Akinwoye said the NRC management will continue to motivate its workers to give their best to the industry.

How to stem road crashes, by FRSC chief 87, 853 traffic offenders held in Ogun

OW can the high rate of road accidents be stemmed? It is by ensuring that only tested motorists are behind the wheels, says the Lagos Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Hyginus Omeje. During a visit to the Ikeja Unit Command of the corps, Omeje noted that many vehicles that were not supposed to be on the road are found, manned by drivers using fake licence. He urged motorists to follow due process in obtaining the licence adding that accidents will reduce if motorists adhere strictly to the rules. Omeje maintained that the rate of accidents involving inexperienced drivers with fake licences is becoming worrisome. These unscrupulous motorists with little knowledge of the road obtain fake licence through touts, who charge them more than the normal fee, he said. The commission, he said, is committed to ending incessant accidents leading to the loss of lives and properties which are caused by inexperienced drivers. Omeje said short circuiting the process, would deny motorists the exposure to practical and theoreti-

•Omeje By Olalekan Ayeni

cal tests before being given their driver’s licence. “Some of these drivers lack adequate knowledge guiding driving on the highways, including the traffic rules and regulations,” he said. Omeje however said there have been improved compliance to the procurement of licences at all the

FRSC offices in Lagos by motorists, adding that the idea of sending proxies to procure it is abating. “More motorists are realising that the agency means business when we said it is an offence for anyone to obtain driver’s licence by proxy because it will be fake and anyone caught driving with fake or without a driver’s licence is risking imprisonment.” He debunked the claim that the licensing process is slow, accusing those behind such campaigns of believing in cutting corner to get things done. Omeje said the Command produced over 5,040 driver’s licence in January, appealing to motorists to follow due process in order to obtain the original document. He warned both Regular and Special Marshals to desist from collecting money from people to help them procure driver’s licence, saying any officer caught would be dismissed and prosecuted. The Ikeja Unit Commander, Mr Olawale Odekunle, said tough time awaits erring drivers as anyone caught would be sanctioned. The command, he said, is partnering with other agencies to end traffic congestion and lawlessness in the state.

HE Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has apprehended no fewer than 87,853 traffic offenders with various offences in 10 years, its Commander/Chief Executive Officer, Ayo Sangofadeji has said. Taking stock of TRACE’s achievements in its first decade of existence, Sangofadeji said the offences included riding motorcycle without safety helmet, driving without safety belt, using mobile phones while driving, illegal parking and overloading. The offenders, he said, were fined and also counselled before their vehicles or motorcycles were released to them. Sangofadeji said TRACE started with public enlightenment and orientation of road users on how best the road can be used, and the need to comply with safety rules before embarking on enforcement. The TRACE boss, who spoke with reporters in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, said the government is committed to a technologydriven traffic management by installing modern devices on the roads. Some of the devices according to Sangofadeji, are Close Circuit Television (CCTV), radar gun, speed detector among others.

• Sangofadeji

These, he said, were being installed to enhance compliance with safety rules and to bring erring motorists to book. TRACE, the commander said, would not relent in retraining its officers on modern road safety management. Sangofadeji added that TRACE will continue to champion road user-friendly education and enforce traffic regulations in the years ahead.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS MARITIME

e-mail: maritime@thenationonlineng.net

Operators draw battle line with NIMASA S over Cabotage fund

HIP OWNERS have drawn the battle line with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) over the management of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF). They are agitating that the management of the fund be transferred from NIMASA to a maritime bank. The firms are alleging that the CVFF has grown to billions of dollars without any of them benefiting from it. Their counsel Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) told The Nation that his clients were unhappy that NIMASA has not used the money to empower them to create jobs. He lamented that most contributors do not know the actual fund in NIMASA’s care, saying it was time the agency made the amount public since it is not the source of the fund, but just the collector.

Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda MaritimeCorrespondent

A maritime bank, Agbakoba said, would be more appropriate to handle the CVFF, adding that NIMASA should not be the repository of the fund. “The only way the government can support the sector is funding, but since the first National Maritime Authority (NMA) Act was created up till NIMASA, all the money that have been allocated for the CVFF, not a dime has been released, showing that there is a problem,” he said. Agbakoba wondered how many can say the NMA or NIMASA supported them to buy a ship. “ If we don’t have funding, we will have a weak sector; so our

role is to continue to put it on the top of the agenda and that is the essence of this briefing,” he said, adding that NIMASA should tell Nigerians the actual size of the fund and why the money has not been disbursed all these years. Agbakoba also said there was the need for practitioners to call on the parties jostling for power to declare their plans for the sector before they are voted into power. “The first thing to do is for the sector to push for a very senior minister; if we do this, he will be close to the president and it will help to shape the relevant policies. “The other thing is to have a very effective maritime institu-

tion, NIMASA is too huge and doing many things; it is doing maritime safety and security, shipping development, Cabotage, seafarers and so on, and yet it is not doing it effectively. The

only way it can be effective is to ask what they can do well, which is maritime safety and security, other jobs should be taken away from them,” Agbakoba said. Also, Lagos State Shippers Association President, Rev Jonathan Nicol, urged NIMASA to disburse the fund and take steps to streamline and profile Nigerian ship owners.

1,500 cartons of frozen foods seized

HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’ in Owerri, the Imo State capital, has seized 1,500 cartons of imported frozen chicken and turkey. It made the seizure six days after taking delivery of 20 patrol vehicles from the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Dikko Abdullahi, to boost its anti-smuggling campaign. The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the items, it was gathered, is about N16.2 million. Its Area Controller, David Dimka, told The Nation that the frozen foods and the vehicles conveying the items were impounded on the Warri-Asaba axis. Dimka said those arrested would be charged to court soon. “The items, imported frozen chicken and turkey, were preserved with dangerous chemicals that are injurious and harmful for human consumption and quite detrimental to the nation’s economy. Nigerians should avoid it despite the fact that it is cheap because it is highly contaminated and adversely affects the kidney if consumed,” he warned.

The Customs chief said other items seized by his unit included 454 bales of second hand cloths with a DPV of N43.5million and vehicles. He wondered why some individuals had remained adamant and unrepentant in smuggling despite the consequence of their action when caught. “While a total of 40 seizures were made last month, today (within the first week of a new month), we have 19 seizures and we will stop at nothing to see that smugglers are brought to their knees because the Customs of yester year is not the Nigeria Customs of today and because we have all it takes to deal with smugglers. Enough is Enough,” he warned. Armed with the logistics and incentives for maximum performance, Dimka assured that the Customs was battle-ready to penetrate all nooks and crannies of the country, including the most difficult terrains to dislodge smugglers from their hideouts. He said 20 suspects, who were nabbed last month, would soon be charged to court after investigations.

Govt urged to pay attention to free trade zones

•Fuel scarcity: Empty Ijora Bridge leading to Apapa Port in Lagos... last Friday.

PHOTO: OLUWAKEMI DAUDA

Shippers bemoan high port charges

HE Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS) has attributed the high cost of clearing goods at the ports to multiple charges. Its President, Mr Jonathan Nicol, listed the five per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) and the one per cent Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) charge as some of the charges. The others are the 35 per cent Automobile Levy and the Common External Tariffs (CET) levy. According to Nicol, these charges affect his colleagues’ capital. The shippers urged the Federal Government to address the problems of industrialists and manufacturers, who constitute the shippers to reduce the costs of doing business at

the ports. He also urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to provide leadership in managing the problems of the shipping community. Nicol said the government should rethink the huge investments in building deep seaports as well as maritime prospects in the next 20 years to attract more cargoes. He suggested that adequate plans be made by the government to secure and promote the local industries, the manufacturing sector and the shippers. He said the government should be concerned with the unstable tariff’ regime and the uncontrollable charges by shipping firms and terminaloperators. He noted that it was the duty

of the government to encourage private entrepreneurs toward sustainable contribution to developing the economy. “When you add the costs of generating power in a factory with salaries, these costs cannot be by-passed whether you like it or not. “You must provide power for your factory and you must pay staff salaries,’’ he said. Nicol said the bottlenecks at the ports were the reason behind the government’s appointment of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) as the economic regulator. Nicol said the shippers were more committed to supporting the government’s revenue generation goal in the industry.

HE Federal Government has been urged to develop the free zones for the economy’s growth. The Executive Secretary, African Free Zone Association (AFZA), Mr Chris Ndibe, who made the call in Abuja, said well developed free zones could generate millions of jobs for the youth. “If free zones are adequately promoted and proper incentives given, investors will be encouraged to invest in the zones which will in turn provide more jobs for Nigerians.’’ He decried the low level of awareness in the public about free zones, adding that promotion was very important to their development. “If Dubai, as developed as it is, still advertises the free zones; Turkey also doing same, why can’t we do same. “I cannot remember when last I saw any advert on the Nigerian free zone on the television; I cannot remember how many times I have seen the distribution of in-house journals about free zone. “I cannot remember how many times seminars and workshops were organised about free zones for stakeholders to know that this thing exists. “If you don’t take promotion seriously and be ready to give incentives that can bring investors into the country, then, your guess is as good as mine.” Ndibe said the level of investment was very low, considering that Nigeria currently had about 27 free zones in the country with only about eight being functional while

all others had become moribund. He said there were a number of zones that had existed for many years without recording a single investment because they were never advertised. “I have always said it that, give the free zone the incentives that it requires, people will be falling on themselves to establish in this country because we already have power distribution challenge. “If you establish free zone that is power efficient, water efficient with all the state-of-art facilities in place and importation of raw materials and operational machinery tax-free, people will cash in. “This is because the return on investment in this country is very high but if they have the backing of government in what they are doing, the sky is the starting point,” he said. According to Ndibe, a lot of investors come to Nigeria to invest, but they leave because they are not encouraged by what they see. He said the free zones in Dubai were not better than those in Calabar or all others in the country. “Yet, people invest heavily in them.’’ Ndibe urged the Federal Government to make adequate budgetary provision for the training and retraining of officers to take the free zones to the next level. He called for encouragement and assistance of the General Electric (GE) which had invested in the Calabar free zone last year.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS AVIATION

Concern over security lax at Lagos cargo terminal

ESS than three months after the Federal Government reopened the Customs bonded warehouse at the cargo terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, over security infractions, stakeholders have expressed fears over laxity of security at the terminal. The experts including aviation security consultants, ground handling companies and airport workers, are concerned over unauthorised movement of persons around the export cargo terminals. They said if something urgent is done to address the infraction, there could be breach of security in the sensitive area where as unauthorised persons could compromise the safety and security of goods flown in and out of the country. The experts who craved anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, alleged that the airport authority is not doing enough in restricting access in and out of the cargo complex. They said the laxity put up by airport security personnel is at variance with the agreement reached by all stakeholders before the terminal was re-opened last December after a two weeks closure. A clearing agent, who identified himself simply as Idris Kanti, said the cargo warehouse has become a fertile ground for people who have no business around the cargo export terminal. He accused the airport security personnel of shirking in their duties of regulating the movement of persons in and around the export terminal. A source hinted that the porous nature of the export cargo warehouse may have informed the decision of Nahco Aviance, one of the ground handling companies to engage the services of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDS) to help protect its facilities and equipment within the terminal. “ In fact, we now flag operators and local regulators where we foresee any threat to Aviation Safety or Security and most especially Air Cargo business,” a source in NAHCO said, stressing that operators must collective work together to ensure that “we never experience any accident this 2015 and beyond.” He said NAHCO has supported security efforts by directly engaging the services of the NSCDC to further help strengthen airport/ cargo security. “We should assiduously work together to target Nigeria’s delisting from the list of High-Risk countries by 2017,” the official stated. But, the association of clearing

Stories by Kelvin Osa Okunbor

licensed agents, has denied any complicity of its members in touting around the export cargo terminal. Its chairman, Alloysious Igwe, said its members carry out operations at the export terminal in line with agreed rules of engagement. Worried over the trend, an aviation security expert, Group Captain John Ojikutu (rtd) has called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) to carry out an audit of the registered clearing agents to enable the authority regulate their operations around the airport . A source close to one of the ground handling firms said security at the export terminals has worsened since the re-opening of the cargo warehouses in December, 2014. “At that time, there was tight security at the entry points into the terminal. All visitors were asked to identify themselves by FAAN security officials before entry. There were always long queues of people who were denied entry. There were no hawkers seen. The whole area was neat and decent,” the official said. “However, with the passage of time, FAAN has relaxed its guards. Now, there are no more checks of identity cards at the entrance of the terminal. Agents and touts who have no business at the airports mill round daily. Now, there are nall manners of hawkers selling foods and fruits. FAAN look the other way and refused to take steps to remedy the situation.” The source said FAAN last year assured the Comptroller-General of Customs that it would increase its manpower in the area of security. Said the official: “The increasingly porous security was the reason NAHCO Aviance enlisted the services of armed Civil Defence Corps. But these could only man those areas concessioned to NAHCO, not the general security of the Airport “Stakeholders think FAAN is not doing enough. They said the only concern of FAAN is how to levy those who happen to pass by the airport. A worker in the sprawling cargo complex even joked that a time would come when FAAN would start taxing every tree and grass that is unfortunate enough to grow in that area,” the official said. But, in a swift reaction, the Director in charge of Cargo Development at FAAN, Dr Uche Ofulue, countered, saying the authority is doing its best to ensure improved security at the cargo

terminal . He said the authority would not look the other way and allow unauthorised persons carry out illegal activities at the cargo terminals . The need for improved security, he explained has become imperative because of the quest by government to maximise the potentials of air cargo business in the country, pointing out that this has brought about the designation of some airports as perishable cargo airport by the Federal Government. He saidthe Federal Government will support any effort aimed at maximising the potentials in the country’s air cargo sector He said: “Some strategic airports in Nigeria such as Akure, Makurdi, Minna, Abuja, Owerri, Calabar, Ilorin, Jalingo, Jos, Uyo, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt have been designated fresh and dry cargo airports, for the direct export of fresh agricultural produce from the surrounding local communities to markets in Europe, the US and other countries across the world.” Meanwhile, Arik Air, has called on the government to deploy armed policemen at the nation’s airports to tighten security in view of the growing terror threats in the country . The airline’s made this known when the new Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Dorothy Gimba, visited the airline’s headquarters in Lagos. The Deputy Managing Director,

Captain Ado Sanusi, said to further tighten security at the terminal buildings and the airside, there is need to have armed police officers at these areas, especially at this time when insurgency is threatening peace in the world, forcing various countries to restructure their security systems, including airport security. Sanusi said that the presence of armed police officials is necessary in order to checkmate disruptive passengers who overreact when flights are rescheduled or cancelled, adding that cancellation and flight rescheduling are a trend in international air travel, which passengers should be familiar with. He assured the new Police boss that Arik Air would continue to support the activities of the Command and gladly respond when called upon to assist. “In view of the new security situation in the world, there is need to have armed policemen at the terminal buildings and at the airside of the airport. This will help to tighten security at the airport and to also complement what the Aviation Security (AVSEC) is doing. This has become very important because of the new security threats in the world and even in the country. “Arik will continue to support the police and whenever we are called upon we will respond. Police can partner with us in order to fortify security in our operations,” Sanusi said. The Commissioner of Police,

Gimba expressed appreciation for the support Arik Air has given the Command, saying that the police would continue to expect such support from the airline. She observed that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos is the hub of aviation in the country and therefore records the highest activities in all the airports, adding that she was fast learning the ropes about the sector. “I came to make myself known because when you come to a place you ought to make yourself known to the community in which you are to take charge of, and policing the airport is not particularly funny. One needs to pay attention, especially to emerging crimes and security threats all over the world,” Gimba said. She commended Arik Air for its engagement of sophisticated security equipment, sniffer dogs and detection devices which she said, assuring that the Command would work with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to see how they could be utilised. “I will study the environment and look at the areas where police presence is needed. Before you can make changes you must understand the system. We commend Arik Air for the operational vehicle it provided us recently. We, on the other hand will also strengthen security in your operations,” she said.

•From left: Acting Director, Finance and Admin, Federal Airpots Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Chibuzor Nwachukwu, Managing Director, FAAN, Engr. Sale Dunoma, Airpor Manger, Alhaji Muktar Mohammed, Reional General Manager, Engr. Wale Osituyo and General Manager, Procurement, Arc, Niger Temlong during an Inspecting tour of the newly constructed Pilot Lounge at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

Air traffic controllers threaten showdown over poor navigation equipment

EMBERS of Nigerian Air Traffic Controllers Association ( NATCA), have threatened to embark on an industrial action next week over the failure by the management of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency ( NAMA) to implement the agreement reached on the Welfare of its members, as well as the failure of the agency to replace ageing air navigation equipment. A statement signed by the National Secretary of NATCA, Olawole Banji, said members will down tools effective March 15, 2015. Banji said NATCA will not shift ground on its resolve to proceed

on strike, adding that it has given the NAMA management two weeks to allow for the conclusion of approved process of the proposed harmonised allowances for its members agreed on since January 18, 2015. NATCA stressed that it will embark on the strike following the inability of NAMA management to implement all the agreements reached, saying the Controllers are agitating for improved working conditions, especially the replacement of obsolete equipment at various locations across the country, as well as their welfare enhancement.

Meanwhile , the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS ), the body charged with the responsibility of generating information to pilots and the public, has also threatened to confront the management of NAMA for playing politics with professional issues in the organisation . AIS President , Babatunde Shittu, said the management has relegated its members to the background, and make it look as if only NATCA is the professional body in NAMA that is always agitating for improved welfare without considering other bodies. He warned that they will soon

kick start their agitation should government fail to carry them along. It said the report of the Harmonisation Committee clearly demonstrated that Aeronautical Information Services is not recognised in Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) as a professional body, stating that the Aeronautical Information Services is seemingly neglected to the extent that it is hardly carried along in decision making process that directly or indirectly affects it members. “We are now appealing to NAMA Management, to go the extra mile to give AIS smooth landing by meet-

ing the standard set by ICAO.” Shittu called on NAMA to as a matter of urgency train the remaining 122 Aeronautical Information Officers in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO requirement to enable them perform their duty optimally. He explained that transformation from Aeronautical Information Service to Aeronautical Information Management is imminent , the reason he said has made their training a necessity . He lamented the dearth in AIS personnel and the need to address the issue of their professional allowanced and that of the airmen.

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

THE NATION

BUSINESS ENERGY

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Is $20 billion oil cash missing? No, says accounting giant PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), in its forensic audit report on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It said $1.48 billion is missing, and directed NNPC to refund the cash to the Federation Account. It also also recommended how NNPC can be efficiently run to forestall a recurrence. EMEKA UGWUANYI reports.

Facts, figures on alleged $20b missing oil fund, by PwC Background

FTER about a year–and–ahalf, the allegation of stolen $20 billion oil fund in which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was fingered as the culprit has been laid to rest, following the release of the report of the PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) last month. But there is need for the Federal Government to implement some of the auditors’recommendations to enhance the corporation’s efficiency. The missing oil money saga started on September 25, 2013, when the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, now Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, wrote President Goodluck Jonathan, alleging that between January 2012 and July 2013, NNPC lifted 594,024,107 barrels of crude oil worth $65,332,350,514.57. According to him, of this amount, NNPC paid only $15,528,410,098.77, representing 24 per cent of the value. This indicated that the NNPC was yet to account for, and pay to the Federation Account, over $49.8 billion or 76 per cent of oil lifted in the period. On September 27, 2013, the President passed the letter to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, to explain the allegations against the NNPC. The minister forwarded the letter to the former NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD), Andrew Yakubu, on September 30. On October 4, 2013, the minister forwarded the explanations of the GMD to the President. Nothing was heard on the matter for over a month. The NNPC presumed the Presidency and CBN were satisfied with the explanations until it was learnt that on December 8, 2013, the contents of the CBN’s letter were leaked to the media, including the online publications. That is how one of the most controversial issues of the nation started. In view of the weighty allegations, the Senate Plenary directed its Committee on Finance to investigate the alleged unremitted $49.8 billion. The NNPC also explained to the public what happened. The Corporation stated that the CBN governor did not understand the workings of the oil industry and how revenues from oil lifting were remitted to the Federation Account, adding that the CBN actually understated the figures of the lifting by NNPC by 4.13 per cent. The Corporation explained what equity crude, royalty oil, tax oil, volume for third party financing and NPDC equity volume are, just to buttress its point. NPDC (Nigerian Petroleum Development Company) is an arm of NNPC. Yakubu stated that remittances of proceed from each of the five streams are made according to statutory and production arrangements, adding that all remittances due to the Federation Account had been made into that account. In the same period, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, directed the InterAgency Committee comprising the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), NNPC, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)

•Mrs Alison-MaduekeMAMADUEKE

•NNPC GMD, Joseph Dawha

•Former NPDC MD, Briggs

and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to reconcile the various figures given by the two agencies of the government, CBN and NNPC. The Inter-Agency Reconciliation Committee had at the end of its job, established that $39 billion of the alleged that $49.8billion had actually been remitted to the Federation Account and Mrs Okonjo-Iweala announced that the Committee was still working to reconcile the balance of $10.8 billion. But when the Finance Minister and the CBN Governor appeared before the Senator Ahmed Makarfi- led Senate Committee on Finance, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala held on to the $10.8 billion balance but the former CBN Governor held on to $12 billion as the unremitted revenue to the Federation Account. The Group Executive Director of Finance and Accounts, NNPC, Mr. Bernard Otti, to prove accountability of the alleged missing funds, gave a breakdown of the $10.8 billion unremitted funds as follows: Unpaid subsidy $8.49 billion, Maintenance of National Strategic Reserve$0.37 billion, Product and crude oil losses $0.72 billion and cost of pipeline vandalism and repairs $1.22 billion. The CBN Governor later insisted that the amount unremitted to the Federation Account was $20 billion and gave a breakdown as follows: outstanding $12 billion, $6 billion gross revenue earned by NPDC, and $2 billion being payments to third parties. The CBN governor stated that NPDC, being a subsidiary of the NNPC, must remit all its revenue to the Federation Account in line with the constitutional requirement in Section 162 (10) c. He also questioned the legality of NNPC floating subsidiaries to do business and keep their funds, and also the propriety of the process of incorporating NPDC and the strategic Agreements it entered into. The issue of subsidising kerosene also came up before the Senate Committee as well as the resistance by Nigerians when the government wanted to stop fuel subsidy, including kerosene in 2012. The report of the Committee was debated on the floor of the Senate at plenary and it adopted most of the recommendations of the Committee. It, particularly, resolved, based on the recommendations of the Committee, that the allegation of the former CBN governor that some money was missing was false and that no money

(be it $49.8billion, $20billion, $12billion, or $10.8billion) was missing. On kerosene subsidy, the Committee observed that the government policy on the issue was ambiguous, an issue which made the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Petroleum to toe different lines on the matter. To ensure transparency and clarity on the issue, PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PwC) was appointed to look into the allegation and come out with an independent findings. According to the findings, total revenue generated, including additional revenue upon investigation, was $69.34 billion while actual remittance was $50.81 billion. Unremitted revenues by NPDC were $5.11 billion while petrol (PMS) and kerosene (DPK) subsidy was $8.70 billion. The costs attributed to domestic crude was $2.65 billion and other costs not directly related to domestic crude oil operations was $2.81 billion) while salaries and benefits was $1.52 billion. Monthly operations was $0.48 billion and other third party payments, including training course fees, estacode, and consultancy fees, and other vendor payments was $0.81 billion while the NPDC signature bonus was $1.75 billion and its taxes and royalties $0.47 billion. Therefore, updated expected refunds by NNPC/NPDC to Federal Government is $1.48 billion, the report stated.

hearings will be accounted for through the financial statements of NPDC, and any dividend declared will flow into the federation account. Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) subsidy was $8.7 billion, NNPC’s initial costs verified and accepted by the Senate of $2.65 billion, additional NNPC costs, following the audit $2.81 billion. “Added to the revenue is the unremitted NPDC signature bonus due for divested assets and taxes/ royalties totalling $2.22 billion. Hence the net amount attributable to the Federation Account following the above summary is $1.48 billion,” the report stated. PwC further stated that NNPC provided information and explanations on the difference between the gross revenues and aggregate remittances leading to a potential excess remittance by NNPC of $0.74 billion, without considering the expected remittances from NPDC. Other indirect costs of $2.81 billion which were not part of the submissions to the Senate Committee hearings have been defrayed to arrive at this position. “NNPC and NPDC should refund an aggregate amount of $1.48 billion; this is after taking account of the excess remittance described above and outstanding self-assessed taxes, royalties and signature bonuses for divested assets transferred to NPDC. The transfer to NPDC of remainder interests in Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) divested by Shell were validly made to NPDC on the basis of a legal opinion provided by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) to the Senate Committee on the matter. “By reference to the submission to the Senate Committee, NPDC reported crude oil revenues of $5.11 billion (net of taxes and royalties) in the period. Subject to defrayment of its costs, the AGF’s opinion holds that NPDC/NNPC are expected to, ultimately, effect a remittance to the Federation Accounts by way of net revenue (dividend) payment to NNPC. NPDC has not declared a dividend to NNPC on the basis of which remittances are to be made to the Federation Accounts in line with the AGF’s opinion. The matter of dividend (net revenue) from NPDC should be followed up for final resolution.” The auditing firm said that on the subsidy on DPK (kerosene), the Presidential Directive of October 19, 2009

The facts, figures The PwC submitted its report on February 2, this year. The auditing firm stated that its findings bear out some of the key points that were made on proper reconciliation and accounting for crude oil revenues and related subsidy claims, costs and expenses defrayed, and the matter of Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) transferred to the NPDC. It said that the gross revenue generated from Federal Government’s crude lifting for January 1, 2012 to July 31, 2013, was $67 billion reported by the Reconciliation Committee and the total cash remitted into the Federation Accounts in relation to these crude oil lifting, was $50.81 billion and not $47 billion as earlier reported by the Reconciliation Committee. “The balance of the generated revenue is accounted for as follows: Revenue reported by NPDC of $5.11 billion by its then Managing Director Mr. Victor Briggs during the Senate

NNPC and NPDC should refund an aggregate amount of $1.48 billion; this is after taking account of the excess remittance described above and outstanding self-assessed taxes, royalties and signature bonuses for divested assets transferred to NPDC

was not gazetted and there is no legal instrument cancelling the subsidy on DPK. The Senate Committee had also concluded that all that was required was for the Federal Government to propose appropriation for the unappropriated subsidy for the period in a supplemental budget. DPK subsidies in the review period amounted to $3.38 billion, according to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA). The report further stated that the NNPC Act provides that “... Such money as may be received by the Corporation in its operations or in relation to the exercise by the Corporation of any of its functions under this Act, and from such fund there shall be defrayed all expenses incurred by the Corporation.”The Corporation defrays its costs and expenses (including the costs of its loss making subsidiaries), from crude oil revenues in line with the provisions of the NNPC Act.

Recommendations The report noted that the application of the foregoing principle has resulted in the potential excess remittance situation, and indicates that NNPC operates an unsustainable model. It stated that 46 per cent of proceeds of domestic crude oil revenues for the period was spent on operations and subsidies. The Corporation is unable to sustain monthly remittances to the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and also meet its operational costs from the proceeds of domestic crude oil revenues and have to resort to third parties to bridge the funding gap. “At today’s crude oil prices at 62 per cent drop from 2012 levels), if NNPC’s subsidies and operational costs are maintained and crude oil production volumes are maintained at current levels, the Corporation will exhaust all the proceeds of domestic crude oil sales and still require additional third party funding for the deficit. This means that the Corporation will have no funds to make any remittances to FAAC. “In view of the provisions of the NNPC Act which appears to grant NNPC a “blank” cheque to spend money without limit or control, and the gravity of the unsustainability of the NNPC operating model and its implications for remittances (or potential lack thereof) going forward, the NNPC Model must be reviewed and restructured as a matter of urgency. The NNPC Act should be reviewed as its visions contradict the requirement that NNPC be run as a commercially viable entity.” The forensic audit report, like the Senate Committee on Finance’s Probe report, clearly stated that all the revenue generated from Federal Government crude lifting for the period of January 1, 2012 to July 31, 2013 amounting to $69.34 billion was fully accounted for. The report also didn’t indict the NNPC over the allegation of unremitted or missing oil revenue. Therefore, anyone or organisation still circulating information about any unremitted or missing oil revenue or that NNPC was indicted in any report over the allegation is only either being mischievous or displaying disdain for truth, the NNPC boss stated at a forum in Lagos.

TUESDAY MARCH 10, 2015

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

Travails of Niger Deputy Governor Since his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Niger State Deputy Governor Ahmed Ibeto has suffered persecution from his boss of almost eight years. JIDE ORINTUNSIN chronicles his ordeal.

IGER State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and his deputy, Hon. Ahmed Ibeto, were like Siamese twins. Their cordial working relationship threw them up as a role model in a joint ticket mandate and made them the envy of their counterparts in other states. But, on January 19, the political harmony of almost eight years collapsed. Just before the governorship primary of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a crack emerged on the wall of brotherhood. Ibeto had the ambition to succeed his boss as the fifth governor of the “Power State”, but Aliyu had another candidate in mind, despite the initial encouragement he gave to his deputy. Prior to the primary, Aliyu had been telling everyone that it is his wish to have his successor from within his administration. Repeatedly at various fora the governor did not give a chance to anyone “outside” his administration to clinch the party’s ticket. His reason was to ensure continuity of the programmes and policies he painstakingly put in place since 2007. The cordial relationship between Ibeto and his boss, coupled with his complete loyalty and dedication to his boss since 2007, had made Ibeto hopeful. This was further re-enforced by the fact that he comes from Niger North Senatorial zone, which is favoured to produce the next chief executive of the state. But, alas, Ibeto was wrong. Aliyu had a preferred candidate out of the nine aspirants that jostled for the ticket of the party in the 39-year old Umar Nasko, son of a retired General and former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Gado Nasko. The governor did everything humanly possible, despite assurances of a level-playing ground for all aspirants, to ensure that his candidate had a sweeping victory over and above other aspirants. To Ibeto and other aspirants, the party primary was nothing but a sham. But, efforts to seek redress from the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party by all the aggrieved aspirants have hit the rocks. None of their protests was considered. The injustice and humiliation they experienced at the governorship primary paved the way for their exit from the ruling party, with Ibeto leading the pack of defectors. Thus, the political landscape of the state took a new shape when Ibeto and over 300 elected and appointed officers of the ruling PDP from across the 25 local government areas dumped the party for the All Progressives Congress (APC). His defection provided filip for the APC presidential campaign in the state. The reception organised to receive him and other defectors, which was graced by the APC standard bearer, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, dealt a big blow to the ruling party, which has dominated the state for 16 years.

Initially, Aliyu took the development with a pinch of salt. He dismissed Ibeto’s defection as a non issue. For him, Ibeto’s “sojourn” was for a while. In what looks like attempt to woo him back, the governor assured his deputy that his rights and privileges will not be denied. The governor said: “Ibeto reserves the right to determine who and what group he will want to belong to. As far as I am concerned, Ibeto remains the deputy governor of the state and he will continue to enjoy all rights and privileges due to his office.” Ibeto’s travails started weeks after, when the APC profile in the state began to soar. Aliyu resolved that his deputy must be punished. The Chairman of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) saw the defection as a big blow to his muchtouted iron grip and control of the party. The import of Ibeto’s exit dawned on the governor, when he realised that his return to the fold was becoming a mirage. He started looking for constitutional means to punish the recalcitrant deputy. On February 11, Aliyu launched his first attack. He hatched the illegal plan to bar his deputy from the weekly Executive Council meetings in the Government House. He accused Ibeto of making derogatory comments against him at APC rallies. Subsequently, the governor walked Ibeto out of the council meeting, with a threat that he would have nothing to do with his hitherto faithful, loyal and dedicated ally. In an attempt to cover up the sinister motive, the government, through the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Israel Ebije, said Ibeto willingly excused himself from the meeting on moral grounds — a claim the Deputy Governor later debunked. He said: “It is not true that I excused myself out of the council meeting. When I received notification for the Council meeting of the day, I went as usual. The Governor had in his opening remarks said that people and members of the Executive Council were aware that I have decamped from the PDP to the APC and that we have gone on campaign round the state and that I have been calling him a thief. “I explained that I have never referred to him as a thief. The fact is that people wanted to know why I left the PDP for the APC and I have been telling them that I left the PDP because of the injustice and nothing

•Aliyu (left) and Ibeto when the going was good

more. “I know that the Governor has no constitutional power to stop me from attending legitimate meeting of which I am legally a member and if it means going to court to get an injunction, we will do so.” When the governor realised that the deputy cannot be barred, the council sent a three-man delegation led by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Sa’idu Idris Ndako to appeal to Ibeto to stay away from council meetings and promised that all his rights and privileges will not be denied. With this, one would have thought that truce has finally come, but on the February 18, Aliyu violated the unwritten “ceasefire agreement”, by transmitting a letter to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Adamu Usman, of his intention to travel and appointed him as the Acting Governor, instead of the deputy governor. The letter with reference number GHNS/13/72 dated February 17, 2015 reads in part: “I wish to inform Mr. Speaker, that I intend to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to perform the Lesser Hajj between Febuary 19 to 26, 2015. “In my absence, the Hon. Speaker, Niger State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Adamu Usman, will oversee my schedules as the acting governor.” This provocative action of the governor was described as “laughable and unconstitutional” by Ibeto. Irked by the development, former Chief Whip of the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly, Hon. Abubakar Bwari, rebuked the governor, saying he contravened Section 190 of the constitution. He also pointed out that, in the event that a governor is not available to perform his functions, the power to act in his stead automatically rests on the deputy governor. The former lawmaker threatened that, “any blatant disobedience of the constitution by a public office holder

can be grounds for impeachment. The constitution is not anybody’s plaything and we cannot choose when to obey it and when not to do so”. One battle that Ibeto had preempted the government was the rumoured move by the House to initiate an impeachment process against him. He ran to court and secured an order of a Minna High Court, presided over by Justice Aliyu Maiyaki. The court restrained pending the hearing and the determination of motion on notice. Mayaki also gave an order restraining the House from tempering, violating, withdrawing the rights and privileges of the deputy governor pending the hearing of the substantive suit. The trial judge further ordered that the Deputy Governor should not be obstructed from discharging his function and alternatively ordered that all parties in the suit should maintain “status quo ante bellum”. Determined to erase every trace or presence of Ibeto around the corridor of power, it was reliably gathered the governor had perfected plans to eject and relocate his deputy from the precinct of the Government House before his return from the Lesser Hajj. Though the quit notice was purportedly written by the Secretary to the State Government, the relocation order out of the Government House was contained in a letter from the Office of the Executive Governor dated February 27, 2015 with reference no GHNS/ADM/149/1/26 signed by Zainab K. Ishaku, Director of Administration, for Permanent Secretary to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Minna directing the relocation of the Office of the Deputy Governor inside the Government House to a structure located at another area of Minna. The letter titled: Relocation to Office of Bank of Industry reads in part: “In line with the ongoing renovation exercise of structures and facilities

‘It is not true that I excused myself out of the council meeting. When I received notification for the Council meeting of the day, I went as usual. The governor had in his opening remarks said that people and members of the Executive Council were aware that I have decamped from the PDP to the APC and that we have gone on campaign round the state and that I have been calling him a thief’

in Government House, I write to inform you that the next exercise will focus on the Deputy Governor’s Office inside the Government House. “On the basis of that therefore, I wish to inform you to relocate temporarily to the office of Bank of Industry located at F-Layout, Minna. “You will be relocated back to Government House as soon as the renovation is completed. Sorry for the inconveniences the relocation might have caused you”. The deputy governor’s aides were served the letter on Friday and were given 48 hours, till Monday March 2 to move to an abandoned facility owned by a Minna-based businessman, Late Labaran Kago, even when their principal, Ibeto, was away in his village. The eviction order came as a surprise to many staffers of the Government House and members of the public. It raised many rhetorical questions that may never be answered. How come occupants of Protocol and Administration blocks were not relocated when similar exercise was carried out on their structures? Why are staff of the Government House Clinic currently under renovation not relocated? How secure is the environment and neighbourhood of the new office? Is the neighbourhood ideal to accommodate such a sensitive and sacred office of the deputy governor? Why the hurry to relocate the deputy? What are the economic or social implications of the relocation on the lean economy of the state? The latest move to devastate Ibeto through the relocation directive however suffered when on Monday it was discovered by deputy governor’s staff that the abandoned sixbedroom duplex facility was not habitable, conducive and befitting the status of the Office of the Deputy Governor of a state. The building lacked functional electrical and plumbing facilities. No stand-by generator, while the rooms that will serve as offices are without airconditioners. Compared to his inherited colonial structure office in Government House, the cockroach-infested structure situated at an obscure location has been cut off from power supply from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN). The roofs of some of the rooms are also leaking. The reality on ground is that the “new” office and not the one in the Government House is the one that requires renovation.

THE NATION TUESDAY MARCH 10, 2015

are after juicy contracts. It is an unpleas‘ They ant consequence for traditional values when traditional rulers are agents and sponsors of contractors, which are often poorly done

‘

... 80 D AYS TO GO ...80 DA

Royal blessing for President a ruse, says CODER

HE Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) yesterday said that the endorsement of President Goodluck for a second term by selected Yoruba monarchs led by the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, was a ruse, stressing that the region has a contrary opinion. The group urged Yoruba monarchs to avoid behaviours that may expose them to ridicule before their subjects during the electioneering. It said that the monarchs’ penchant for endorsing the President for a second term in utter insensitivity to the popular yearning for change by their subjects may spell doom for their reputation in their respective domains. Its Coordinator, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, condemned the endorsement of the President by Oba Sijuwade and other rulers in his

By Emmanuel Oladesu Group Political Editor

palace, saying that it is despicable He said: “By their despicable conduct, they have cheapened the sacred institution, disgraced the otherwise revered traditional values and refrained from protecting the arts, artifacts and culture of Yorubaland.” Opadokun lamented that Yoruba monarchs have refused to learn from the lessons of history, adding that they have regressed to the mistakes of the past. He added: “We have been unfortunately returned to the inglorious past, which these traditional rulers have taken during the struggle for the return of democracy to Nigeria and the de-annulment of the panNigerian victory of the late Chief Moshood Abiola. It will be re-

called, regrettably, that it is still the Ooni of Ife, who went to Abuja to watch chrograghed and manipulated video clip of the involvement of Gen. Oladipo Diya in the coup attempt. “The traditional ruler came back to tell the whole world that Abacha was speaking sense. This same unpleasant and unguided pronouncement of the so-called endorsement of President Jonathan has come to the fore afresh. Even, if he has decided to canvass for votes for President Jonathan against Gen. Buhari, who disciplined him and the late Emir of Kano for their undiplomatic visit to Israel without clearance from the Federal Military Government, he could attach the animosity and grouse to himself and few people. “Having served Yorubaland in my adult life, I know that Ooni and

•Opadokun

his co-travelers are not speaking on behalf of Yoruba nation. Having known Yoruba for what they are,

these traditional rulers cannot get votes for President Jonathan. They are after juicy contracts. It is an unpleasant consequence for traditional values when traditional rulers are agents and sponsors of contractors, which are often poorly done.” Opadokun urged other monarchs to shun and disown the regression to the past, which Oba Sijuwade has exhibited. He advised them to emulate their northern counterparts, who have refused to endorse the President and advised him to take his message to the people. He added: “Traditional rulers in the North have refused to be part of any of these partisan arrangements. They told President Jonathan to go ahead and convince their subjects to vote for him. They said they are not politicians. That is what is expected from decent traditional rulers.”

Why PDP can’t win in Rivers, by Peterside

IVERS State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Hon. Dakuku Peterside has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will fail at the general elections because it has been rejected by the people. He said the resort to bombing and arson by suspected PDP thugs will not prevent voters from trooping out to vote wisely at the polls. Peterside, a member of the House of Representatives, lamented that the activities of the thugs have aggravated insecurity in the state, promising that the APC government will hatt the pandemonium. The politician told reporters in Lagos that suspected PDP thugs are on rampage because of its imminent failure at the general elections. He said: “APC is a party to beat in Rivers State. We have a good governor, a dynamic man, a team player. There are two parties in the

By Emmanuel Oladesu

race-APC and PDP. Wike and I were in the same university at a time. I was the Student Union Government President then. I have served as Special Adviser on Students Affairs, Special Adviser on Works, Commissioner for Works and I am now in the House of Representatives. We know ourselves.” Peterside described electoral violence as the greatest challenge confronting Rivers, pointing out that 37 lives have been lost to mayhem across the state. He added: “We lost 11 in a day in Abuba. The tragedy also hit Ogugolo and Okrika. many people were injured. Party offices in Okrika and Andoni were burnt. hands were cut off. People were stabbed. In Agua-Odua, people also died in political violence. For us, that is the greatest threat to the sanctity if the electoral process. It is not abating. It will be an issue in the election.”

The standard bearer said he would make security his priority, if elected as governor, adding that states must work with security agencies to combat insecurity. He promised to set up the Rivers State Security Trust Fund and involve communities in policing to protect life and property. Peterside said: “Before Governor Rotimi Amaechi came, PortHarcourt was like Bagdad. Guns were booming. He came and restore order. We have to partner with locals for intelligence gathering. If you get don’t intelligence right, there will be no security. The response time to emergencies must be short. There is need for neighbourhood watch for vigilance.” The APC candidate said his vision is to lead a united, peaceful and prosperous state where transparency, human capital development, physical and infrastructural development and employment generation will be the priorities of government.

Explaining his plans for manpower development, Peterside said: “Education is key. There are new schools. We will look at the content and management. Quality assurance will ensure the maintenance of standard. Community must be involved. We have recorded 98 percent in school certificate exams. We will build on that.” Peterside also promised to defend the health sector, stressing that primary, secondary and tertiary health care system will be reinvigorated. The candidate also said that infrastructural development will be accorded priority. He added: “Road construction will go on. The mono rail will continue. Greater Port-Harcourt Development project will continue. PortHarcourt must have pipe borne water. We want to grow Rivers economy to make it number one. Without dealing with youth unemployment, you cannot deal with security. Unemployment is a

•Peterside

fertilizer for crime. We will encourage agriculture, aqua-culture, agro-allied industry and Songhai farming. We will deepen people’s participation in the oil and gas sector. We will develop tourism.”

‘PPA ‘ll make life better for youths, women’ By Musa Odoshimokhe

•Adegbe

HE Lagos State governorship candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Pauline Adegbe, has promised to create better opportunities for women and youths, if voted into power. She said most of the promises made by politicians to better the lives of women and youths have not been fulfilled, assuring that she will transform the state. She said: ‘’I have seen that lots of things are not working, especially when you look at the challenges

faced by our youths and women. That is why I am in the race to address them. Some of these promises made right from when we were very young have not been met. ‘’Even though I am a woman, I know I can provide for Lagosians what they want in terms of social benefit and education. “Though in this part of the globe, women have not been accorded the respect they deserve. There is always the doubt that woman cannot perform as politician, but people are beginning to see that we have the will power and capacity to make society better.’’ Adegbe said that women have endorsed her candidature, adding that she will not disappoint the electorate. ‘’The response I have got so far from Lagosians, especially women, has been tremendous. I really appreciate God for that. They have applauded my courage and bought into the manifesto of the PPA.’’ She explained that her party will embark on infrastructure development. Noting that the present administration has tried, the standard bearer said she will double the effort to ensure the Lagos State competes with some of the best cities in

the world. She said youths would be trained on vocational skills, the streets boys called ‘area boys’ would be rehabilitated, young girls would be encourage to earn decent living, instead than taking to improper ways of livelihood. She said that the PPA government

will ensure that accidents are reduced on the roads by discouraging motor cycle operators from plying major roads and restrict them to certain areas. ‘’As a mother I am not happy about the carnage on our roads. We will work in that area and see how best to reduce accidents.’’ She said her government will en-

sure every child of school age goes to school. She added: “We are aware that some of our parents pay through the nose to put their children in private schools, but we will tackle this by ensuring that government schools accommodate these children, whose parents are poor.

•From right: Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Asileyun of Sileyun-Ijesa, Oba Peter Ade-Atayero; Asolo of Isolo-Ijesa, Oba John Ade-Adeyemi and Olupoye of Ipoye-Ijesa, Oba Joshua Adefioye, during the grassroot campaign for the general elections at Ilaa-Ijesa, Atakumosa-West Local Government, Osun State…yesterday.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

Goodluck or good judgment?

Better late

LETTER

•FG’s embrace of the electronic revenue system for all remittances is still welcome

HE directive by the Federal Government that all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) should effect an automated channel for remitting all revenues from commercial banks to the Consolidated Revenue Account of the government is welcome. It is in line with Nigerians’ quest for a transparent system of capturing all payments and expenses. There have been suggestions in recent years that commercial banks have been playing games with deposits with them. The huge profits declared by the banks and the unrealistic emoluments paid out to their executives have been hinged mostly on such deals. It has affected the structure of the economy, as core banking duties, including lending to the real sector, have been neglected. Despite guidelines on loans to the agriculture sector, for example, many banks prefer to pay the penalty than adhere to the rules. Enforcement of the e-collection mode is likely to instill discipline in commercial banking in the country. It has also been demonstrated that efficiency and effectiveness are enhanced when electronic platforms are engaged for such transactions. This has been the experience with the Lagos State government which has adopted the method for more than 10 years. It is one of the secrets behind the enhanced internally generated revenue of the state government. We find it difficult to understand why it took the Federal Government

so long to realise that over-dependence on oil revenue could only spell disaster for the country. Had taxes, rates and fees been efficiently collected before the recent slump in oil prices, the effect on the economy would probably not have been so devastating. We also call on the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of NIgeria to be more vigilant in monitoring the use to which the e-platforms are put by the commercial banks. We are constrained once again to point out that there are many countries that depend absolutely on taxes and non-oil receipts. One primary duty of governments in meeting the welfare needs of their citizens is ensuring that the tax net is wide and resilient enough to capture as much revenue as needed to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. At this point that all the indices indicate that tougher times could be ahead for the country, we call on the Federal Government to think out of the box to lead the nation out of the wood. Youth unemployment is at alltime high; the exchange rate keeps threatening to move up inflation rate; public service workers are no longer guaranteed regular payment of salaries and there are threats that institutions of state may collapse if the needful is not done to seal up leakages that have kept funnelling public funds into private accounts of the over-protected super rich.

The Federal Government should revisit the recommendations of panels set up to streamline revenue generation and collection. The loud silence on the reports suggests to the outside world that Nigeria is unwilling to effect changes in the process of governance. This has adversely affected its image. This is the age of technology and digitalisation, Nigeria must not be portrayed as an analogue country that has no use for the electronic device. Just as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted on enforcing electronic accreditation of voters this year, we support the move to get all government money deposited with the Central Bank. Although it has come so late in the day, it is a step in the right direction.

‘Enforcement of the e-collection mode is likely to instill discipline in commercial banking in the country. It has also been demonstrated that efficiency and effectiveness are enhanced when electronic platforms are engaged for such transactions. This has been the experience with the Lagos State government which has adopted the method for more than 10 years’

Oshodi mayhem •There should be zero tolerance to fracas in this all-important Lagos commercial hub

HE last gang warfare at Oshodi, mainland Lagos, among elements of the local National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) is symptomatic of the sheer unpredictability of Nigerian national life. Within a split second, motorists and innocent passersby found themselves trapped in a frightening gang war — with not a few of these ending up as victims of opportunistic robberies and muggings. That is certainly not good enough. Still, the Lagos State Police Command must be commended for bringing down the disturbance and arresting the suspected leading culprits. Briefing the media after an emergency state security council meeting at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, Kayode Aderanti, the Lagos State

‘So, while congratulating the police for rallying to curb the disturbance, they should in future try prevention, the worst of which is better than the best of cure. Oshodi is too important a commercial hub to be left to the whims and caprices of motor park thugs or to the sloppiness of the police in enforcing extant laws’

Commissioner of Police (CP), gave an update on the disturbance. “The Oshodi fracas is not political,” he told the press. “All the principal characters are in custody. Today, we have arraigned 18 of them and they are in jail. And tomorrow,” he pledged, “I am going to arraign about 17 of them. I am not talking about foot soldiers. I am talking about the leaders of these people.” That was great news! It is no use arresting pawns, when the real players, who can cause mischief at the shortest of notices, walk free. Still on rounding up alleged ring leaders, CP Aderanti gave M.C. Oluomo, the Oshodi branch NURTW chairman, a final ultimatum to give himself up or be declared wanted. If Mr. Oluomo is indeed a suspect, the least he could do is give himself up for due investigation. Still, we hope the CP has carried out a thorough investigation before declaring that the fracas was not political. We have no cause to disbelieve him. Yet, we are not unaware that this is electioneering time; and that politicians have the penchant to use factions of road transport workers as foot soldiers, in thuggery wars. The CP also announced the ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks and drugs within 100 metres of the precincts of the motor parks. He warned that should anyone in the park community breach the ban, the police would have no choice but to take over the motor park and enforce a total ban on

union activities. In these democratic times, it is heartwarming the police bans did not come from some arbitrary police code. Rather, it is the full enforcement of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law of 2012, a law which, at its enactment, drew great public enlightenment, concerning its provisions. Which is why it is amazing that barely two years into the new law, everyone appears to have gone snoring on its enforcement. It is bittersweet that the Oshodi fracas has stung the police to enforce that law. But it is also scandalous they had to wait for a crisis that claimed no fewer than three lives, a couple of burnt and vandalised vehicles and robberies on innocent citizens doing their legitimate businesses. This is not good enough. Everyday, there is enough police presence in Oshodi — which is good. What is not good is that, from how the fracas happened and the police reaction to curb future disturbances, it is clear that the police have not been at their optimum. If they had been, they would have fully enforced the new law, and perhaps prevented the mayhem. So, while congratulating the police for rallying to curb the disturbance, they should in future try prevention, the worst of which is better than the best of cure. Oshodi is too important a commercial hub to be left to the whims and caprices of motor park thugs or to the sloppiness of the police in enforcing extant laws.

IR: Truth be told, it is not exactly that President Jonathan has not done this or that. I have journeyed Lagos-Ibadan all my life and the roads have been bad for longer than just six years. Now see hands on it. There has been an improvement in power supply and we have come some distance from where we started. There are efforts in agriculture, housing and so on. President Jonathan is a nice gentleman under whose administration the parliament is stable. Recent economic rebasing indicates that our GDP has grown significantly in periods including under his administration. So why exactly have people lost taste of President Jonathan and are canvassing for him to be sacked ‘prematurely’? First, there are some impeachable offences that President Jonathan is seen to have committed in the parliament of the people. The issues are already there in the open: insecurity, corruption and poor economic management. Some of us find it difficult to relate directly with the situation in the North East. The situation is desperate and it only seems to get worse with no help in sight. His failure is so fundamental and I imagine it is why the likes of CNN and others have chosen to wage a war against our President’s handling of the insurgency. This is one of our fears when a ‘nice gentleman’ like Jonathan holds the office of the President. Even the President’s most ardent supporters may not be able to defend him on his stance against corruption. The President has serially laundered the images of people who have either been convicted on the grounds of corruption or are found wanting for it. The anti-corruption institutions have not been able to prosecute any politician to a logical conclusion, yet these same politicians are easily convicted outside the shores of this country. The DSS has shamefully turned itself to an arm of Jonathan’s campaign organization. The President has made billionaires of political jobbers and social nuisances who ordinarily have not been known for any business acumen. Crooks are busy feasting off our national resources and he instead mounts the podium to celebrate the number of private jet owners in this same country that doubles as having the poorest in international statistics. You erect glorified secondary schools and call them universities. Churn out graduates with little intellectual or employable values who clog our unemployment data without commensurate employment opportunities and you wonder why everyone is against you? The government profiteers gather our money and refuse to create wealth within, divert the fund outside the country and you reel out data on how much wealth you have created that people refuse to see! A good sense of judgment is what you either have or do not have; it can hardly be groomed. The President is ultimately responsible for all the actions taken under his government but do you really trust him? Just as in marriage, election is a union between the government and the people because the decision made by government will impact on your life even after the government is no more. Seeing the way he has managed the boom in crude oil price, would you really trust him with your personal finances? Even on issues that bother on his own ambition and interest, has he made the right choices? Do you not watch the way they go about the electioneering campaign and wonder whether there are no thoughtful ways of doing same? Would you pick a tainted Femi Fani-Kayode to run a critical campaign for you if you were the President? Would you play as easily into the hands of the opposition as he has? •Titi Sanni, Eti-Osa, Lagos.

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

CARTOON & LETTERS

IR: As the world celebrates great women and the inherent greatness of women as part of the “International Women’s Day”, we can only point to the debris of Chibok Secondary School where the dreams of great womanhood lay burnt and buried from the fiery-furnace-touch of a meaningless extremism. Eleven months after the mindless abduction of more than 200 Chikok school girls, most Nigerians seem to have moved on. After all, shortly after that, our beloved President went dancing in Kano, and many have unashamedly and callously called it a ruse. Amazons like Oby Ezekwesili who have continued to scream for their return have been vilified and demonized. When recently the abduction clocked 300 days, it took the 17 year-old Malala to awaken the conscience of the world (after having awakened our president as to the need to see her parents earlier). I have read many say we should move on, after all, the world has moved on since the mysterious disappearance of victims of M15, the Malaysian airliner which dived to the bottom of the Atlantic

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Lost amazons of Chibokland! and is yet to be seen. But how could the world forget? Or, more pointedly, how would History forgive? Forgive for the security that was not provided as constitutionally provided? Forgive the security officials who allegedly put hurdles on the way of their rescue for their own selfish gains? Forgive the moles in the Army which fed information and arms to our enemies? Forgive, again, the President who, even after so many missteps in the response (like most other things), rebuffed an offer by former President Olusegun Obasanjo who reportedly was to have facilitated the release of 100 of the girls in order to avoid ap-

pearing as not ‘being in charge’? How could History forgive this gross injustice against the daughters of peasants who would, who knows, have brought glory to the fatherland, if their dreams were left untampered by the mad extremists, rag-tag extinguishers of destinies? And so we see, recently, the government trying to bribe History in advance. They sent Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iwuala to Chibok to lay the foundation for the rebuilding of the damaged school and to meet with parents of the kidnapped girls. Methinks that was nothing but a political exigency at the eve of election which I think means nothing, inspires nothing and leads to noth-

Basket of hope for Nigerians

IR: Nigeria is land of unity, opportunities and irrepressible hope, endowed with rich human and natural resources. By nature Nigeria is too integrated to be disunited. Even the great rivers of Benue and Niger understood the efficacy of togetherness hence the Lugardian amalgamation of 1914 was not a mistake since the confluence at Lokoja was never by chance. We should no longer concentrate on our differences but should move on and appreciate our similarities. This is not a time for virulent campaigns but a moment of goodwill and selfless service to the nation. This is not the time for blind optimism, because politics without principle is like putting vinegar in place of water. This is not a time for religious obsession but a period of sacrifice. Give your country that which you should expect to have as people seldom get results not deserved. History is all about the rise or fall of people and their actions. As a result many parties and allied groups have come and gone, yet this is Nigeria. Just like every tree is greater than

its branches, Nigeria is bigger than every individual or group and will continue to be as strong as bone which remains when all flesh decayed. Our founding fathers anchored the foundation of Nigeria on peace, unity and faith but given the present political firmament it is crystal clear that wishful thinking and rhetoric alone would not consolidate the dreams of our fathers. Good governance with its attendant social-economic dividends can only be achieved through collective effort; same with security which is everybody’s responsibility. We cannot afford to do nothing as there could be hope of success in our action. There is hope that one day Nigerians will have faith in one another and support the best candidate for the job without minding whether he is a Christian or Muslim. There is hope that one day the citizens will speak with one voice and make progress. There is hope that one day the monster called state of origin will be erased from the admission forms and files in every

Nigerian school and students admitted on merit. There is hope that one day Nigeria will be corruption- free and the issue of who gets what determined by national interest and not by tribal consideration. There is hope that one day the doom mongers will turn around and become agents of boon. There is hope that one day Nigerians will stand up to let the world know through their cooperation that there is unity in diversity. There is hope that rain will fall again and the seeds shall grow to the benefit of all Nigerians. Until that day, keep the hope alive and do not allow your emotion to manipulate your vision. If you want an ideal nation, you must first of all live by example and become the change you so much desired. Like water, there is no alternative to home. Nigeria is our native land, let us work together and reclaim our manifest destiny. • Comrade Chike Oguanya Suleja.

ing other than the need to #BringBackJonathan. No, it has nothing to do with the globally echoed #BringBackOurGirls. How could History forget in a jiffy that President Jonathan never bothered to mention them in his New Year broadcast, went to Maiduguri but did not bother with mentioning them among other mindboggling indifference on their matters? After all, they are nothing but inconsequential children of equally inconsequential peasants. This visit, compatriots, is all about their 2015 goals; it’s not about our 219 girls. Today, the lost amazons of Chibok

represents every girl, every woman, every boy abducted, violated and if they ever survive, that would have to live with lifetime scars. They represent the several lost dreams of our land. They represent the many children who are displaced without hope, the many orphaned without comfort. The Chibok girls’ saga reveals so glaringly the progressive loss of our humanity as a nation and the many lives whose issues have become politicized. The Chibok girls saga remains a timeless indictment on our government, on their complete apathy to children’s welfare, rights or safety (just as the stunning response to the brutal killing of young boys at the Buni Yadi school and the ensuring dance party), a stab on the dignity of our women. Meanwhile, alas, the dance parties, the apathy and the politicking continues! • Betty Abah Lagos

Nation at crossroad

IR: Most Nigerians are tired of promise and fail since 1999 till date. Lack of electricity is a good example. In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo, promised to stabilise Nigeria’s electricity situation in six months. When he was leaving the presidency after eight years in 2007, electricity was worse than he met it. Many Nigerians voted for his re-election in 2003 believing that he would do everything he could not do in his first term. Every day on national television (NTA), President Goodluck Jonathan’s ministers are on air to feed Nigerians with falsehood about the administration’s “feats” in “every area of Nigeria’s life”. Let’s take the example of roads. President Jonathan is said to have done, or is working on every crucial road in every part of Nigeria. Hardly can every Nigerian know what is happening in every part of Nigeria. But you can always go from the known to the unknown. I heard on the NTA that Ibadan-Ilorin road has been fixed by President Jonathan. This is false. Obasanjo completed Ibadan-Oyo segment; the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua completed Ogbomoso-Ilorin stretch that could not be finished by Obasanjo, while

the old road between OyoOgbomoso along the Ibadan-Ilorin route is still in use. Summarily, most federal roads are still terribly bad. Jonathan and PDP have promised and failed, since 1999 till date. President Yar’Adua promised to declare state of emergency on electricity. Again Nigerians believed and voted for Yar’Adua. He failed to declare any state of emergency on electricity after his election. On his own part, Jonathan promised to transform Nigeria in four years, electricity-wise and otherwise. He has been protecting corrupt persons, because they are his friends. Jonathan and his wife’s desperation have found expression in the instruction: “Stone the opposition.” Jonathan truncated rotational presidency, and has consistently refused to dialogue with Boko Haram. He has obstinately blocked every avenue to peace, and the Western/ Asian predators are encouraging him, so they can sell their weapons. The Army is said to be winning, but Boko Haram is slaughtering and bombing. Should Nigeria continue to dodge dialogue? • Pius OyeniranAbioje, PhD, University of Ilorin.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

COMMENTS Asari has been a bit quiet, HAT the Jonathan presidential since declaring war against the court is deep in the sewers, when it rest of Nigeria, should they should epitomise rarefied refinemake the fatal mistake of not ment, isoutbursts underscored by the crude electioneering by First Lady, Pare-electing his Ijaw kinsman. tience Jonathan. Elder Clark is still quite It is damning symbolism, showing how sprightly. Still at the ferocious low the high office of the Nigerian presiwar front, of the sack Jega camdent has sunk under President Goodluck paign, this respected Nigerian Jonathan. patriot and alter ego of the comIn a clearly unprecedented fashion, Mrs. Olakunle mander-in-chief, is already Jonathan claimed Gen. Muhammadu lordbeek1@gmail.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) Abimbola belting out a diktat: no matter Buhari, the All Progressives Congress what the law says, soldiers (APC) presidential standard bearer and would be used for election duher husband’s top challenger in the March ties, to the raucous applause of 28 presidential election, was “brain-dead”. trillions of PDP members naTrue, the context of the statement, the tionwide! giddiness of the campaign stump, was not Ayodele Fayose? That one dent, the quintessential gentleman, sees no evil, hears no evil! does nothing at half-measures! With the prodigious gift of quite as clinical and as foreboding as it appears in cold print. Still, if Nigeria is organised on the basis of families — as treading where angels dread, he has hollered, what the hell: Besides, the First Lady is notorious for her lexical challenges. indeed, it is — there is something notoriously amiss with a sack Jega, and heavens won’t fall! It is the final declaration of So, beyond demonstrable bad grace and undisguised spite, man who seems unwilling or unable — or both! — to control the self-named Irunmale (spirit) that snacks on jollof rice! Fayose she might not have fully understood the full impact of her his family, on which his spouse is perched, asking to lead 160 has spoken! Which unfortunate law of the land dares demur? blurting. million Nigerians made up of composite families. Still, the in-the-sewers-we-trust orchestra is not limited to Still, what offence, beyond legitimately running for presiStill, if Mrs Jonathan could plead campaign giddiness, what middle-level officers alone, in the Jonathan presidential army. dent, has Gen. Buhari committed to earn personal insults from might Femi Fani-Kayode, the president’s chief campaign Vice President Namadi Sambo too would trade his proud place Mrs Jonathan? Or is the Nigerian presidency the exclusive spokesperson plead, by insisting that, indeed, Buhari was for no one! preserve of the Jonathan clan? “brain-dead”? It was additional evidence, if any were required, After rejecting Olisa Metuh’s branding, and repositioning Thank God she didn’t — and, from her conduct and comportto confirm that President Jonathan’s campaign messages came PDP as “Islamic party” in the North (because Alhaji Namadi is ment thus far, she could not have. But what if Mrs Aishat brewed in the gutter! Muslim and is a northerner) but “Christian party” in the South Buhari, the General’s wife, had responded, tit-for-tat? So, NiMr. Fani-Kayode, is well and truly quixotic, in his bid to sell (because President Jonathan is Christian and a southerner), he gerians would have witnessed the unflattering sight of, if Gen. a winning campaign with a tongue that sears, a voice that barks now flails and wails against the odious idea of a 72-year old Buhari wins, an in-coming First Lady trading insults with the and a mouth that mocks and lies — all on overdrive from a becoming president. That is the latest sagacity from the ultraoutgoing one? What lessons would that have taught the Nigemind that merrily libels. But he is only the most grotesque loyal deputy, even if it is un-African to mock old age. rian youth? face of a hugely cynical, devil-may-care, campaign din: Doyin President Jonathan? He is the proverbial grand masquerade Aside, Mrs Jonathan was also quoted to have told Peoples Okupe, Olisa Metuh, Asari Dokubo and Ayo Fayose — he, the that claims the final flourish! Democratic Party (PDP) supporters to “stone” whoever perfect living example of how not to be a governor. After, for Christian votes, posing in churches nationwide shouted, to their hearing, Change, the APC electoral slogan; Add Pa Edwin Kiagbodo Clark to this list, and you won’t be (most latterly in the South) as perhaps more Christian than apart from thoroughly insulting the North, saying some famiwrong. Even an otherwise classy Reuben Abati appears thorany other; swaggering out, as all-conquering commander-inlies over there produce more children than they could ever oughly enjoying his first sweet lessons in vulgar abuse — judgchief in the victorious Baga road show (to convince the troops care for. ing from the memorable echoes of his latest letter, challenging he is more general than General Buhari that quit the army some So, would the insulted trot to the polls on March 28 and the APC candidate to a presidential debate. 28 years ago, and perhaps make a sweepstakes of barrack votes happily gift her husband the vote, for which she was camAfter lustily orchestrating a certificate non-issue, proudly nationwide), the president, at the weekend, scaled new heights: paigning? announcing political opponents with bad breath and bawling the sporty president is sportier than any other — so, the NigeWhen a First Lady, who ought to be the quintessence of about another allegedly wearing pampers, Mr. Fani-Kayode, rian sporting universe must reward him with their grateful poise, dignity and grace, perennially embodies unrepentant the Don Quixote of the Jonathan presidential campaign, is now votes! coarseness, to the captive cheer of her unfortunate aides, then pushing, full gallop, for war reparations against Candidate If the blessed president made a good campaign surge of posomething fundamental is wrong! Buhari, for his anti-Biafra exploits in the Nigerian Civil War! It liticising churches (never mind that religion is dangerous tinMeanwhile, mum is the word, from her husband, for whose is his latest elixir to further warehouse Igbo votes! der), shows off the army as one in which he is especially well cause she unleashed such unmitigated crudeness. The presiThe others in the din ensemble have not be idle, either. Dr. pleased (even if it is a collective bastion that must never suffer Okupe, ever charging, ever growling, ever battering, has politicisation), why should he not claim sports at his exclusive, “Fani-Kayode is only the most grotesque barked at anyone who cares to listen: mark my words, he growled, partisan ally (even if sports is Nigeria’s most potent unifier, defying any partisan affiliation)? face of a cynical campaign din: Doyin Okupe, Muhammadu Buhari is not electable! Mr. Metuh, fresh from the crushing success of christening the Well, for holier-than-thou Christians who have developed Olisa Metuh, Asari Dokubo and Ayo Fayose APC opposition an “Islamic party”, has rushed post-haste to dissonance at the president’s latest harvest of traditional bless— the perfect living example of how not to declare the INEC card reader (no friend of his party, for no ing from a section of Yoruba Obas from Nigeria’s South West, mysterious reason) an irredeemable failure, even if concrete it is the realpolitik of hardball electioneering: the end justifies be a governor” evidence suggests otherwise the meanness, apologies to Prof. Wole Soyinka!

epublican ipples

This way for presidential sewers

WO famous lines immediately came to mind on hearing ruling of the Federal High Court Abuja ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register Young Democratic Party (YDP). The first is that of George Santayana that – ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it’. The other well known verse is attributed to the American statesman Henry Kissinger: “It is not often that nations learn from the past, even rarer that they draw the correct conclusions from it. Shortly after the ruling filtered in, most Nigerians, like yours truly, would imagine the YDP to be a reincarnation of the Association for Better Nigeria (ABN) – the genie sprung on the political space by the maverick Arthur Nzeribe in 1993 to ambush the nation’s democracy. Though hardly an improved version of the old as one might expect after more than two decades of mutation, YDP seems the perfect PDP Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with all the essential features of the old complete with subterfuge and political toxicity. It was perhaps just as it was designed to be: on the one hand, the ruling by Justice Ahmed Mohammed has sent the nation’s adrenalin soaring; on the other, such has been the jubilation in the camps of the YDP and the PDP that one imagined that they already have a big trophy in their hands. I have struggled to make sense of what is supposed to be its substance over which political vagrants have been dancing naked. My puzzle, to be sure, is one of understanding the basis of their morbid dance. Is it a case of the upstarts seeing what the rest of us cannot see? Or simply one of those situations in which media reportage, aside muddling up issues, may have done grave injury to the renditions of the learned judge? Either way, it must be troubling enough that some political delinquents would seek to abort what seems to be a well laid out democratic pathway. What do we know of the YDP? I watched their officials – five or six of them – on TV during their press conference the other day. They seemed youthful alright (which by the way is sheer tragedy given what they represent); with the exception of the chairman who looked a bit serious, their media outing in all conveyed a picture of school children coerced to make an appearance! As to their middle appellation – Democratic – I confess to having a bit of difficulty reconciling what is supposed to be a legitimate quest to get a party formally registered with the stated resolve to achieve same through the back door and at the pain of bringing the roof of the house down on everyone! On their claim to be a party – I leave the judgement of whether or not the motley assembly of the odd fellows

Policy Sanya Oni sanyaoni@yahoo.co.uk 08051101841

Hand of Esau… qualify to be labelled a “party” to Nigerians given the infinitely elastic interpretation of their rights to form just about any association. After all, I have countless times wondered about the farce under which some deluded fellows would hold the system down only because they have just enough money to rent shops in 36 state capitals all in the name of party formation. But I digress. I do not pretend that I have read the judgment of the Federal High Court Abuja. It seems doubtful that anyone has come across let alone read the full text. Like many Nigerians, I am limited to the snippets as reported in the media which unfortunately comes to pretty little. Which is of course unfortunate given what is supposed to be its import on the orderly process of the 2015 election. Merely by what the inferences and interpretations suggest, a judicial mine is supposed to have been laid in the way of the process. Nothing of course can be fundamentally wrong with the specific order on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately register YDP as a political party. The judge’s finding that the party is deemed to have been registered when INEC failed to inform it of its decision not to register it as a political party within 30 days of receiving its application, is said to find strength in Section 78 (4) of the Electoral Act, 2010ý. On that, I have no quarrel. The part I consider troubling is the varied interpretations of the ruling particularly as touching on the elections barely three weeks away. Here, the issue is whether the court actually ordered INEC to put the name of the YDP candidates on the ballot for the March 28 and April 11 elections? Did it? Could it – or should it have – given the implications? And which candidates are we talking about here – those that emerged with or without INEC-supervised primaries? Could the litigants have been automatically

availed of that right without inviting grievous assault to public policy? Assuming one concedes that the party is truly deemed to have been registered by May according to the law, where should the pendulum of public policy ordinarily tilt given that the printing and logistics for the elections ought to have been concluded before now? Still wondering why Nigerians are apprehensive of the imminence of a judelex coup? Judelex - yes – judiciaryelectoral-executive coup! Look at it this way: The ruling PDP has by words and deeds, shown that it would rather not have the elections. The dithering PDP administration not only gifted itself six weeks to sort out a security mess that it had nearly the whole of eternity to clean up but chose not to, it has in the last three weeks found a ready song in the deployment in card readers which it claimed would disenfranchise voters. It is hard to imagine a worse case of electoral avoidance –I once described it as electoral allergy – by a party in government in a democratic setting! Now, YDP, its minion wants the names of its so-called candidates on the ballot; knowing how impractical the demand is. It offers INEC a gratuitous option of postponing the elections which it knows is unlikely to happen! In the meantime, it purports to procure a judgment, which for all practical purposes, makes it a supremo with the power of discretion over electoral validity? Yes, that is where some have taken us! So, where is the difference between the party with acute electoral allergy and another which insists on not caring a hoot if the entire structure is brought down so it can have its way? Aren’t we again at a point where a band of certified delinquents, aided by the piper, would brazenly suborn the judiciary to their devious schemes? How short some people’s memory can be! See you after the polls. •This column goes on a five-week vacation. God willing, we meet again at the other side of the polls.

‘Where is the difference between the party with acute electoral allergy and another which insists on not caring a hoot if the entire structure is brought down so it can have its way? Aren’t we again at a point where a band of certified delinquents, aided by the piper, would brazenly suborn the judiciary to their devious schemes?

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

COMMENTS “

AM highly honoured to be considered by you for appointment as Secretary of State. I am fully confident that I could serve our country ably and effectively in that role. However, if nominated, I am now convinced that the nomination process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly to you and to our most pressing national and international priorities. That trade-off is simply not worth it to our country. It is far more important that we devote precious legislative hours and energy to enacting your core goals, including comprehensive immigration reform, balanced deficit reduction, job creation, and maintaining a robust national defence and effective US global leadership. Therefore, I respectfully request that you no longer consider my candidacy at this time.” That was Susan Rice, then United States Ambassador and Permanent Representative at the United Nations in a December 13, 2012 letter to US president Barrack Obama requesting the president not to forward her name to the US Senate for confirmation as Secretary of State. Ms Rice, Obama’s National Security Advisor was in line to be named the Secretary of State as the president prepared for his second term. She was to take over from Senator Hillary Clinton who had served in that position during Obama’s first term in office. A top diplomat with a rich experience in the State Department under Ms Madeline Albright during Bill Clinton’s presidency and a member of the National Security team, Ms Rice was as good as getting the prestigious position, the third most powerful in Washington, until the 9/ 11/2012 attack on US consulate in Benghazi,

‘Now that we know the evil that Musiliu Obanikoro can do if given the power and authority, should we still entrust him with the position of a minister of the federal republic? Except we want to destroy this democracy, Obanikoro has no business being near any position of authority and responsibility again in this country’

HE people of Anambra South Senatorial Zone have been at the short end of the stick since the return to democracy. Largely, the inefficiency and godfatherism that has dogged the steps of the zone have thrown up questionable representatives who are either forced down the throat of the electorates by some self-acclaimed godfathers, or people illprepared for the job of representing the people. The ugly situation within the ruling PDP in the zone is worsened by some bizarre political arrangement that have provided one particular family with a blanket cheque to the political future of the zone as they have been allowed the prerogative of choosing which elective position they choose to run and who gets nomination to any elective office. At the last count, they have chosen the juiciest available elective office- the senate. At one time, it was the eldest of the Ubah family political triangle – Senator Ugochukwu Ubah that took the first turn. His immediate younger brother, Senator Andy Ubah, is about to complete his term and is bidding for the second tenure at the Senate for which his party has confirmed but not without a fight with his immediate younger brother, Christian Ubah, who is still battling at the courts to secure the nomination, having claimed it is his turn in the family! While the curious and unwarranted domination of this family in the zone is still unexplained, their imposition of candidates may have become a welcome albatross to the party, given the conspicuous absence of the dividends of democracy, resulting in many electorates in the zone beginning to ask whether democracy has got another meaning. The decapitation of Dr. Alex Ekwueme politically by the Obasanjo administration on one hand, and promotion of godfatherism as represented by the Andy/Chris Ubah family has further alienated the people from government. This is why the emergence of Ernest Ndukwe, former chief executive officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, as senatorial candidate of APGA, outside the fringes of the Ubah family po-

If Obanikoro has a conscience... Libya during which the ambassador, Chris Stevens was killed. In the wake of the attack, Ms Rice, then US Ambassador at the UN made some comments on television suggesting that the Benghazi attack was just a spontaneous reaction to a film released on YouTube in the US mocking the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW), and not a coordinated attack by a terrorist group, and there was no way the embassy in Libya would have prepared for it ahead. This position was later discovered to be wrong as the embassy had intelligence that the attack was likely and the State Department did not react to it quickly. Having just lost an election to President Obama, the hawks in the Senate, especially the Republicans saw this as an opportunity to hit hard at the Democrats as a party soft on national security. And for somebody being proposed to head the State Department making that kind of misleading comments, without proper cross checking of facts, the Republicans believed, showed that she cannot be a good Secretary of State. And they made a meal out of discussing that mistake by Ms Rice, the fact that her comments were based on briefings supplied by the CIA notwithstanding. To save herself the indignity of a humiliating confirmation hearing and also prevent any embarrassment to her leader, the president, Ms Rice, in the overall interest of the United States, told Obama not to put her name forward for confirmation, even though the president had shown support and implicit confidence in her. And the president did. The

rest is history. That was a person with a conscience. Though Ms Rice was sticking to the initial position of the administration as provided by the CIA, it was a mistake not expected of a senior member of the administration, especially one intending to become Secretary of State. She had to pay for the mistake and she did without complaining. Musiliu Obanikoro, a one-time chairman Lagos Island Local Government, former commissioner for Home Affairs in Lagos State, a former distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic, former High Commissioner to Ghana and until recently Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, is a name on the lips of most Nigerians at the moment. A controversial politician, Obanikoro as minister of state for Defence, was responsible for the deployment of soldiers to Ekiti State during last year’s governorship election in that state, a decision, according to recent revelation, that was part of the plot by the Federal government to rig the election in favour of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ayodele Fayose, now governor of Ekiti State. Thank God for that patriotic Nigerian Army Intelligence officer, Captain Sagir Koli who secretly taped Obanikoro and others as they met to plan how to rig the election using the military, now we know to what use the federal government was ready to deploy our military just to make sure the PDP retains power at all cost and by all means. Now we know what Obanikoro is capable of doing if given the

Ndukwe versus the godfathers By Ebuka Emenike litical domination has brought some refreshing angle to the politics of the zone. Clearly, the contest for the senatorial seat in Anambra South zone is set between Ndukwe of APGA, and the incumbent, Senator Andy Ubah of the PDP. As interesting as this contest might be, the difference between the two candidates are very clear. As both have worked for government at the highest level, the depth of the accomplishments, altruism, nationalism, intellectual attributes, and their understanding of service to the people, are available and accessible. But for electorates who may not be fortunate to understand the issues, it become imperative to highlight some of these in relations to the people’s expectation after they have made their choices. For the incumbent senator, Senator Andy Ubah, his more than eight years as the Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to President Olusegun Obasanjo, and four years at the senate for the zone, are riddled with unanswered questions about how the people have missed even the least of the dividends of democracy. Here is a glimpse of all his accomplishments as boldly espoused in his website: ”... Senator Andy Uba remains a cheerful philanthropist to the needy and underprivileged, as well as supporter of noble goals and initiatives. Amongst his contributions to the Nigerian people and to the good people of Anambra State includes; the construction of the Nze Philip Uba endowment building for Mass Communication, named after his late father at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; the building of multipurpose hall for the people of Uga and his numerous donations to various charity homes and organizations in Nigeria”. If these were the only achievements of

the man who seeks to go to the senate for a second term, the electorates may begin to ask what happened to the huge funds approved for each of the senators for constituency projects, running into hundreds of millions of naira. The questions being asked by some observers of the trends in this zone are wont to ask is if the man who called the shots at the Presidency for eight years, and sat at the senate for four years could not attract basic infrastructure to his zone, what fate would befall this zone in the next four years? Today, the two major federal roads in the state, Nnewi Ekwulobia- Oko-Ufuma-Umunze-Okigwe Roads, and Nnewi-Uga- Okigwe Roads, have been in a state of disrepair since 1999. There is no single presence of the federal government in a zone that has produced prominent Nigerians like the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chief Emeka Ojukwu, and former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, among others. Senator Ubah’s performance on the floor of the Senate has become a subject of ridicule as one writer recently described him as a ‘monument of silence’. It is a fact that this senator has never uttered a word on the floor of the senate! His performance at the Senate reminds one of hard-to-believe story of illiterate lawmakers whose only voice to debates and discussions on the floor of the house is “I concur! It is so bad that many hardly remembers the senator as the chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, with all the issues, controversies around this electoral umpire. It does not stop on the floor of the Senate. While each of the senators can boast of providing at least 20 top jobs in the federal government offices and its agencies, no electorate or citizen of the zone can boast of ever seeing Senator Andy Ubah in his office at the National Assembly, talk more assisting them in several other ways that

power and authority over our military. Now we know that if this man returns as a minister as President Goodluck Jonathan is proposing, he will repeat the Ekiti magic all over the country on March 28, during the presidential election, and in selected states during the April 11 governorship election. Now that we know the evil that Musiliu Obanikoro can do if given the power and authority, should we still entrust him with the position of a minister of the federal republic? Except we want to destroy this democracy, Obanikoro has no business being near any position of authority and responsibility again in this country. We have tried him and he has failed, let us not repeat that mistake again. If he were to be a wise person, he should write to President Jonathan today advising him to withdraw his name, now before the senate for confirmation as a minister of the federal republic if only to save what is left of his falling reputation. He should borrow a leaf from Ms Susan Rice and do the needful, and save this democracy from further ridicule. And if both the man and his principal failed to do the right thing, the Senate should be bold enough to reject Musiliu Obanikoro and tell the president to choose another person. In the wake of the Ekiti rigging tape scandal, the president should have known better by distancing himself from Obanikoro. And this is the problem with Jonathan. He kept on associating himself with persons of questionable characters yet his publicists kept on saying he is a good man. Which good man surrounds himself with bad people? Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.

STILL ON JONATHAN’S VISIT TO YORUBA OBAS It does appear that President Jonathan has suddenly discovered the importance of Yoruba votes as he continues his campaigns for a second term in office. In the last couple of weeks he has practically relocated to the South west, visiting one Yoruba Oba after another soliciting their support. Like I said last week, it is rather too late for him. Yoruba are no fools. In 2011 when he got our votes overwhelmingly, how many Yoruba palace did he visit? And who told him the Kabiyesis have a hold on the people to the extent that they can influence their

elected senators do. Obviously, the odds favour Ndukwe, whose renowned intellectual depth and candour, offers a potent resounding voice for the people of the zone. Given his pedigree as the pilot that delivered Nigeria to the promised land of telecommunications revolution, with the attendant transformation of businesses and lives in the country through regulation, Ndukwe is regarded as a huge asset for people transformation. His kind is a sure banker for redefinition of people’s representation and his personality commands the dividends of democracy to the people. Considered an active player qualified for today’s first-eleven brightest in national development contributions, it is agreed that if Ndukwe could do it for the entire nation, he could do much more for his senatorial zone. It is agreed that his personae would elevate the quality of national discourse and debates at the highest law making body. Perhaps, and more importantly, Ndukwe represents a break from the past of godfatherism, nurtured by the PDP that has eaten deep in the fabric of the politics of the zone. Ndukwe’s stature and calibre would also complement the vision and remarkable jobs of the current governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano. This may be the reason why some electorates in the zone have advised the Governor that to pay more than a passing interest on how free and fair elections will be conducted in a zone known for producing results where no ballots are cast! The mantra in this zone is for INEC to give the citizens the opportunity to cast their ballots and to also let the ballots count. •Emenike writes from Ekwulobia, Aguata LGA, Anambra State

‘Ndukwe represents a break from the past of godfatherism, nurtured by the PDP that has eaten deep in the fabric of the politics of the zone’

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

agencies have compromised and so they can no longer ’ The uphold professional ethics. They are not living up to the regulations because members have political affiliations. Even media houses that are supposed to have high sense of judgment and remain apolitical have all taken sides

’

- See page 26

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) and the Advertising Practitioners’ Council of Nigeria (APCON) are empowered to sanction erring media practitioners and organisations. But it appears they are finding it difficult to discharge their mandate. In the ongoing electioneering, there have been hate campaigns, which should have drawn the sanction of NBC and APCON, but the regulators looked the other way. What is a hate campaign? Media watchers cited an advertorial wishing a presidential candidate dead as hate campaign. Why can’t these regulators act? According to lawyers, it is because they lack the independence to enforce their enabling laws, writes PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU.

INSIDE:

N the past, the ruling Peoples Demo cratic Party (PDP) had an easy ride to power. But this may not be so in the forthcoming elections. PDP seems to have met its match in the All Progressives Congress (APC), which has proved to be a formidable opposition. The PDP had boasted that it would rule for 60 years. To gain the upper hand at the polls, both parties have been campaigning vigorously, using every medium at their disposal. The electronic and print media are awash with all manners of advertorials. In some cases, the advertorials do not address issues. Rather, they attack personalities and promote hate. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Nigerian Press Council (NPC) and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) are responsible for checking these abuses, but they have not lived up to expectations, leaving many to ask if they are still relevant. Some ask: Have they become toothless bulldogs? Will they wield the big stick after the hate messages the media carried had done the irreparable damage ? Last week, the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) warned that the NBC and APCON, which regulate broadcasting and print advertising, are by default promoting violence and hate following their seeming inability to sanction erring radio and television stations, industry players and groups, that continuously breach extant laws and regulations governing activities of the agencies. A statement by APCPCO’s Director of Media and Publicity Malam Garba Shehu, said the NBC must match its words with action if it is not to be perceived as indirectly helping in promoting a culture of political violence. “The NBC has soon forgotten the role it played through its inaction against some television stations when they aired a dirty and false documentary on General Muhammadu Buhari, Presidential Candidate of the APC. “The specific code that these television stations have contravened is Section 3.1.2 of the NBC Code, which states that: “Materials/statements likely to incite or encourage the commission of a crime or lead to public disorder shall not be broadcast”. “This is a breach, which attracts severe penalty of suspension of license or outright withdrawal of the license of that station, but to the surprise of many industry observers and Nigerians, to date nothing has been done to the errant stations,” the APCPCO said. The organisation said NBC’s inaction calls into question the neutrality of many government regulatory bodies, especially in an election time where the incumbent President is a candidate. The media is guided by certain rules and regulations to ensure that its privileges are not abused at the expense of the audience, most of whom feed on what they hear, see or read.

Lagos immortalises first female chief judge - Page 27

ernor, Ayo Fayose, suggesting that the APC Presidential Candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was sick and would die in office if elected. It had pictures of past Nigerian leaders, such as Gen. Murtala Muhammed, Gen, Sani Abacha, and Umaru Yar’Adua, who died in office, as well as that of Buhari with a big question mark on it. The advertisement was published by The Punch and The Sun. To many Nigerians, it was a ‘death wish’ as it contained statements such as: “Will you allow history to repeat itself? Enough of state burials.” The said advert was also accompanied by an excerpt from the book of Deuteronomy 30:19: “Nigerians be warned! Nigeria…I have set before thee life and death. Therefore, choose life that both thee and thy seed may live.” None of the media organisations has been publicly sanctioned or warned to serve as deterrent to others. Many are, therefore, worried that the media has not only lost its sense of judgment and neutrality, but its regulatory agencies have been enmeshed in politics that they no longer do their jobs. Some analysts say it will be difficult for the bodies to be effective so long as their heads and board members are appointed by the President. Besides, some of them are under the regulatory control of the Federal Ministry of Information.

The regulators’ powers

Can NBC, APCON stop hate campaigns? The regulatory agencies were created to ensure that materials that flout media laws and ethics, offend the sensibilities of the populace, create division, instigate violence or threaten national security do not reach the consumers. But to many observers, these media watchdogs have done little or nothing to curb the excesses. While Nigerians were not done in their condemnation of campaigns of calumny and mudslinging among candidates, the situation

has taken a more frightening dimension. Sensing that public outcry has awaken most media houses to their ethical responsibilities in handling editorial materials and ensure that most hate messages are no longer replicated verbatim, politicians have decided to use real and pseudonyms in sponsoring advertorials and documentaries against their rivals. An example of such was the ‘wrap-around’ advertisements sponsored by Ekiti State gov-

‘

This is a breach which attracts severe penalty of suspension of licence or outright withdrawal of the license of that station, but to the surprise of many industry observers and Nigerians, to date nothing has been done to the errant stations

‘

Stakeholders seek overhaul of justice sector - Page 37

APCON is the body in charge of regulating and monitoring every advertisement and granting approvals through the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) before a particular advertisement can be published in any media (print, electronic, outdoor). According to the APCON Act, all advertisements shall be legal, decent, honest, truthful, respectful and mindful of Nigeria’s culture. They should be prepared with a high sense of social responsibility and should avoid misinformation; conform to the principles of fair competition generally accepted in business, and of fair comments expected in free human communication. Although APCON’s website indicated that the agency insisted on pre-exposure clearance of all advertisements in order to check all forms of abuses such as misleading statements, spurious testimonials, visual and verbal exaggerations, misleading offers, suggestion or pictures offensive to public decency, it is doubtful whether the offending political adverts received prior approvals before publication. The NPC Act 85 of 1992, as amended in Act 60, 1999, is saddled with the responsibility of maintaining high professional standards for the Nigerian press and sanctioning of erring newspaper houses. It is empowered to look into complaints and serves as a buffer between the press and the public. •Continued on page 26

The next feud within the Ebeano family - Page 39

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

LAW COVER CONT’D

•Prof. Olawoyin

•Fagbohungbe

•Ayorinde

•Adegbite

•Quakers

• Omoyinmi

Can NBC, APCON stop hate campaigns? •Continued from page 21

Despite public outcries over the unethical nature of some newspaper content, the NPC has maintained curious silence on the issue, while some newspaper houses threw caution to the wind and published materials that violated media law and ethics. The NBC Act empowers it to regulate broadcasting in Nigeria. It is mandated by Section 2 subsection (1) of Act 38 of 1992 as amended by Act 55 of 1999 to regulate and control the broadcast industry; receive, consider and investigate complaints from individuals and organisations regarding the contents and/or conducts of a broadcast station as well as regulate ethical standards, determine and apply sanctions including revoking licences of defaulting stations, which do not operate in accordance with the broadcast code and in the public interest. A former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, Adesina Adegbite described the recent advertisements as “appalling and disturbing.” “We have witnessed all sorts of campaign of calumny, direct abusive and insulting political adverts sponsored by politicians/elected political office holders, political candidates and even political parties in some cases. “The trend has been so consistent and provocative and it is to the glory of God that we have not witnessed any outbreak of violence as a result of some of these very crude adverts,” he said. To him, it is obvious that the regulatory bodies have have failed in discharging their duties and responsibilities as regards the monitoring and regulation of the media. “For instance, Section 2 subsection (1) d, f, g, h, l, m, n of Act No 38 of 1992 as amended by Act No 55. of 1999 which established the NBC provides amongst others the following as functions of the Commission: (d) regulating and controlling the broadcast industry; (f) receiving, considering and investigating complaints from individual and bodies corporate, regarding the contents of a broadcasting station and the conduct of a broadcasting station; (g) upholding the principles of equity and fairness in broadcasting; “(h) Establishing and disseminating a national broadcasting code and setting standards with regards to the contents and quality of materials; (l) Regulating ethical standards and technical excellence in public, private and commercial broadcast stations in Nigeria; (m) Monitoring broadcasting for harmful emission, interference and illegal broadcasting; and (n) Determining and applying sanctions, including revocation of licences of defaulting stations, which do not operate in accordance with the broadcast Code and in the public interest. “Similarly, NPC was established by CAP N128 to promote high professional standards for the Nigeria Press. Its core vision is to

create a culture of Ethical Press in Nigeria. “I will not dwell on the role of APCON because it is a body meant to regulate the activities of advertising practitioners. “From the provisions of the Law, which established both NBC and NPC, it is crystal clear that they have failed in maintaining and or enforcing ethical standards amongst the media houses that have flagrantly violated their ethical code of the press,” Adegbite said. According to him, the regulatory bodies have chosen to turn a blind eye because they cannot bite the finger that feeds them. “They are certainly not toothless, what has happened is that they choose to turn a blind eye to the unethical trends going on in the press. The NBC has in the past sanctioned media houses even for filmsy reasons. “AIT, which is accused of being the number one violator of the ethical code of the press, has fallen victim of such sanctions in the past. “One now wonders why the NBC has chosen to shirk its responsibility this time around. Such non-performance or inaction on the part of the NBC can only lead to one conclusion, which is, the Commission is compromised. “Compromise by an institution like NBC can easily be traced to government interference. Until we have regulatory agencies, which are headed by incorruptible professionals, we may not see the end of institutional compromises as we are witnessing today.”

Lawyers’ react Some lawyers believe that regulatory agencies have been compromised with their independence and effectiveness hampered. Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) attributed the situation to weak institutions. “There is no proper regulation and monitoring. The current campaigns have made it very obvious that the agencies have been sleeping. It is a serious issue that must be discussed after the elections so that better regulation can be put in place,” he said. To Chief Felix Fagbohungbe (SAN), the problem simply represents a manifestation of corruption, where the media would advertise offensive messages for money. “The agencies have compromised and so they can no longer uphold professional eth-

ics. They are not living up to the regulations because members have political affiliations. Even media houses that are supposed to have high sense of judgment and remain apolitical have all taken sides. “I think it is time for the public to challenge them in court. If more aggrieved people drag the media houses to court, then the worthiness of the regulators would be seriously questioned. Since the regulatory bodies have gone to sleep or are being influenced not to do their jobs, media houses have taken to partisanship. “Also, the appointment and removal of Directors-General of these agencies should be reviewed and the power stripped off the executive arm of government. Let the legislature be vested with the power because they can do their jobs without fear or favour,” he said. Prof Gabriel Olawoye (SAN) said the agencies’ ineffectiveness is a reflection of the general rot in the country. “We really have to pray to God for something to be done to this rot that is everywhere in this country, from top to bottom. I feel irritated when people refer only to particular politicians because the problem is with the citizenry. “Few people, who have tried to change the situation, have been maligned and their characters badly assassinated. They have been given very bad names. You will even be surprised by those trying to defend people enmeshed in the rot. Journalists need to be more critical and analytical because they are part of the problem,” he said. Mr Norisson Quakers (SAN) said it was time for the nation to start appointing individuals with strong will and integrity to head various institutions so that issues of compromise would no longer surface. He also agreed that power to appoint or remove the head of the regulatory agencies be stripped from the executive and vested on an independent body. “Media houses have been politicised. They have become political tools either as a result of their ownership or patronage and so, the likelihood of being neutral and apolitical as they ought to have been eroded. “How can the regulatory agencies be said to be apolitical when the government has some sort of control, when the Minister of Information, being a member of a political

houses have been politicised. They ‘Media have become political tools either as a result of their ownership or patronage and so, the likelihood of being neutral and apolitical as they ought to have been eroded

‘

party, exercises some level of control? How can you guarantee impartiality when members of the boards and councils are affiliated with the government of the day? “If those agencies have been living up to their responsibilities, some media houses both independent and government owned, would have by now been sanctioned. It is not about the laws because the laws are there. I think the problem we are having is that we are not politically matured. “We have to keep trying until we achieve a level where institutions are independent and seen to be so. We need individuals with high integrity, who will insist on following the laws to the letters when appointed into office not boot lickers, who will do anything to keep their jobs. “The laws are there, but what is lacking is people with integrity, who are principled and would rather resign the appointment than bend the rules. There is need to change the way and manners heads of regulatory institutions are appointed. “We need to take that power away from the executive and hand it over to an independent body that should be created for that purpose. “Also political appointees should be above board and be able to stand their ground irrespective of who appointed them since they have sworn to oaths of office. The level of lawlessness and rascality in this country are worrisome and sickening.” Lagos lawyer, Abayomi Omoyinmi, said the regulatory bodies have not only shown themselves to be toothless, but have heavily compromised in the way they have conspired to promote hate messages and print malicious information. “They have thrown all the ethics and code of their good practice to the winds for monetary gains and nobody seems to be welding the big stick at the erring media outlets. “All sorts of false information with defamatory connotations are flying about all in the name of either making money or the stake and interest of the respective owners of some of these media outlets in the government. “Some of the owners of the media outlets with government patronage have erred, believing that they can always get away with it,” he said. On the way out, he urged the courts to punish offending media organisations with heavy damages where cases of defamation are proven. He also said the National Assembly should pass laws to strengthen these institutions and make them more independent, and apply more severe sanctions on erring media organisations. Not checking these hate messages, he said, could further heat up the polity and “could affect the peace and stability of the nation during this electioneering period”.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

LAW & SOCIETY Lagos State has inaugurated a new courthouse in Ikeja, which it named after its first woman Chief Judge, the late Justice Rosaline Omotoso. ADEBISI ONANUGA reports.

Lagos immortalises first woman CJ

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has inaugurated a new court house in Ikeja. It is located in the highbrow GRA, adjacent the High Court headquarters. It is named after the first female to occupy the office of the Chief Judge, the late Justice Rosaline Ajoke Omotoso who served from April 12, 1995 to February 27, 1996, when she retired. Justice Omotoso, a legal icon, was also the first female Chief Judge in Nigeria and West Africa. She joined the High Court of Lagos State on March 6, 1978. She cut her legal teeth in the Federal Ministry of Justice as a Pupil Crown Counsel on September 16, 1961 and rose to become state counsel in June 23, 1963; Senior legal Assistant, May 25, 1965: State Counsel Grade 1, September 1, 1966; acting Deputy Administrator-General, July 27, 1968; acting Registrar of commercial Legislation, October 15, 1968 and was appointed Director of Commercial Law April 1, 1976. Prior to that, she worked as a clerk in the Health Department, Lagos between 1949 and 1953 and for a few months at Burke and Impey before her appointment at the Federal Ministry of Justice. She was a product of the prestigious Gray’s Inn, London between 1957 and 1959 and passed her final bar examination in Second Class. She was called to the English Bar in February 7, 1961 and enrolled at the Supreme Court of Nigeria in June 15, 1961. She died July 1, 1999. The new court complex features six fully air conditioned courtrooms for judges and magistrates, with Chambers and Secretary’s office attached to each, a reception and waiting area, all sizable and well furnished to a high standard. It also has robing room and library for lawyers, registries, a total of six toilets and four shower rooms, a water treatment plant, furnished staff canteen, separate holding cells for male and female accused persons awaiting trial, two gate houses, a generator room, CCTV facilities for round the clock security and parking spaces for litigants and judges respectively. Governor Fashola in his remarks at the opening of the new court house was a reiteration of the administration’s commitment to law and order which was the minimum requirement of any civilised society. He said it also marked the commitment of his administration to the protection of the rule of law, of lives and an orderly society adding, “there can be no development in any society where law and order have broken down”. This, according to him, was why the government inaugurated similar court houses in Epe, Ikorodu and Lagos Island while those at Igando, Ajegunle and Badagry will soon be completed. Fashola said he had never done anything to undermine the independence of the judiciary, adding that if there are issues between the

two arms of government, it should be resolved through dialogue. He said that the issues between both arms of government could be resolved through dialogue. Fashola said the nationwide strike by the workers was dangerous to the stability of the country and capable of sending wrong signal to international community. He, however, admitted the independence of the different arms of government as guaranteed under the constitution. He remarked that the different arms are also interdependent of each other. He cited that the constitution empowered the governor to appoint and swear in the Chief Judge while the Chief Judge on the other hand is the only person to swear in the governor. He also noted that the legislators cannot function until the governor declared open their sessions. The governor used the opportunity of the opening of the new court house to express his views on the recent strike of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria(JUSUN) embarked upon to enforce a judgment of a federal high court delivered by Justice Ademola Adeniyi on the financial independence of the judiciary. He said the JUSUN did not explore all possible avenues before shutting down the nation’s justice system in their quest for financial autonomy for the judiciary. According to him, embarking on strike to enforce a court judgment was not proper because those constitutionally saddled with such responsibilities are the court’s bailiffs. The Chief Judge, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, in her address at the inauguration of the complex, reiterated her commitment to effective justice delivery in the state emphasising, “more than ever, the state judiciary under the present dispensation is poised to render quality service, consistent with international best practice”. She said efforts would be intensified to ensure that judicial officers and magistrates are adequately exposed to modern trends, technology and techniques in judicial practice through enhanced and effective human capacity building straties. “Further to this , would be our resolve to ensure the comfort of judges, magistrates and support staff in and out of their work environment. This is most essential, more so, as a high level productivity is largely a function of a sound mind and healthy body. Our goal to significantly decongest the prisons and cases pending in our courts, would also be vigorously pursued and accorded their due priority”, she promised. Justice Atilade remarked that the new court complex would boost efforts at ensuring quick dispensation of cases as it would enhance the capacity of the Ikeja judicial Division and Magisterial District. “Tastefully furnished and

•Governor Fashola (middle); Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (left) and Justice Atilade

•From right: Justice Opeyemi Oke; Commissioner for Commerce and Industry Olusola Oworu; Justice Kazeem Alogba; Regent Ikejaland Prince Adekunle Isiaka Apena and Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch Yinka Farounbi

•From left: Justice Lateefa Okunnu, Justice Sybil Nwaka and Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo PHOTOS: ABIODUN WILLIAM

equipped with relevant facilities to create a condusive work environment and commodious office space for judges, magistrates, support staff, counsel and indeed litigants,” she noted. ”Not only are we pleased and proud of this landmark achievement, but do also commend the vision, focus and foresight of this purpose driven administration, ably led by his Excellency, under whose watch the Lagos State Judiciary has witnessed tremendous progress. Indeed, the successful completion and commissioning of this beautiful edifice is heartwarming and most appreciated”, she stated. In a welcome address, the state Attorney General, Ade Ipaye ex-

plained that the idea of the courthouse was conceived in 2008 as part of Governor Fashola’s Law and Order programme, stressing that it is a well known fact that matters of law and order enjoy priority attention in Lagos State. Ipaye pointed out that as the state population soars, the need for judges and magistrates continue to rise. He said therefore that the new court house would provide the state with a unique opportunity to accommodate more judges and magistrates in Ikeja judicial division “ with very conducive facilities and amenities which will no doubt enhance justice delivery as well as the welfare of judges and magistrates. It also affords legal practitioners

and litigants the best of facilities in which to do business and to resolve case. “But we have seen that the dispersal of magistrate courts in the same area is not so efficient and conducive for management. By bringing as many as possible under the same roof, we can ensure access to common facilities like power, security, library, conference rooms, holding cells, etc. We are also better able to ensure that those facilities are well maintained. “We hope therefore that this courthouse will do for Ikeja what the JIC Taylor courthouse is already doing for Lagos - offering a most conducive hub for the resolution of disputes and maintenance of law and order”, he added.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

LAW & SOCIETY ‘Vote for change’

•From left: Odiadi, Dio, Pires and Mrs Odiadi

‘Regulatory compliance needs enforcement’

LAGOS-BASED lawyer, Mr Msoo Dio, has called for bet ter enforcement of regulatory requirements in the consumer goods sector to improve compliance. He said despite the government’s efforts at enforcement, issues of noncompliance persist. “The government is trying in the area of regulation. Unfortunately, there are issues of non-compliance. People still bypass these regulations,” he said. Dio spoke in Lagos after his firm, Msoo Dio & Co, announced its partnership with CISF Private Solutions Ltd, Lisbon, Portugal, at a meeting with the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Samuel Piers, who represented its Chief Executive Officer, Estevao Bernadino Auguusto. The commercial law firm, which also practices in the area of sale and carriage of goods, will provide legal services to the Portuguese exporting company which is seeking to enter the Nigerian market. It will, among others, advise CISF on regulatory requirements for its range of wine and olive oil imports and distribution. “Our role will be to oversee the regulatory issues involving the products, services and goods that will be exported by CISF into Nige-

By Joseph Jibueze

ria. Our role will extend to promoting those products and services to the needed buyers and consumers. We’ll oversee issues of advertisement, trademark, and the competition. “As their agents, we’ll will get the buyers and advise the company on service providers. The company’s CEO is an actively practicing lawyer too. Our knowledge of business brought us together. The main issues that drive some of these businesses are within the core areas of commercial law, such as trademarks and regulatory compliance. This is just a very minute offshoot of commercial law practice. “I and my firm will deliver quality service aimed at ensuring that quality goods and services enter into the economy. “The economy will be strengthened and that will make us happier. We are going to ensure the company complies with regulatory requirements,” he said. Dio hopes the partnership would boost the business relationship between Nigeria and Portugal. “Portugal was the first European country to land on the African soil. As early as the 14th century, the Oba of Benin had an ambassador in Por-

tugal. By then the country was trading on the coast of West Africa and they were the last people to leave. I think they can still rekindle the old ties as they enter the Nigerian market,” Dio said. Piers said CISF exports to countries such as Brazil and Angola and is also into construction. “CISF believes that Nigeria is the biggest market in Africa. It’s a very traditional company in the transportation of merchandise and export going back t 1942 when it was founded by the current CEO’s grandfather. “The partnership will grow the wine market and introduce Portuguese wines which are not already present in Nigeria. Nigerians will get to taste a different kind of wine. With this partnership with Mr Dio, I am sure we can trust Nigeria’s legal systems and regulations. “We are ready to go through the processes – trademark and NAFDAC registrations, as well as incorporation. CISF is a very versatile company, so if the opportunity arises in the engineering and construction sector, we’ll participate,” he said. Also at the meeting held at the Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi, were Mr Tony Odiadi and wife Jacqueline, who are consultants to the transaction.

PVC: Lawyers sue INEC over data loss

HREE lawyers have sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Federal High Court in Lagos over their inability to obtain their permanent voter cards (PVCs). The plaintiffs said they were informed that their data allegedly wiped off after they were duly registered and therefore there was no PVCs for them. According to them, said despite the fact that INEC shifted the PVC collection date to March 8, they have no hope of collecting theirs because their data were wiped off INEC’s database. The lawyers - Chijioke Emeka, Kalu Uduma and Emeka Odikpo - are seeking a declaration their civil and legal rights would be breached if INEC does not issue them their PVCs or provide them an alternative means of exercising their franchise.

By Joseph Jibueze

They also want the court to hold that should they be excluded from the March 28 and April 11 elections due to no fault of theirs, they are entitled to legal damages. The plaintiffs are praying for an order directing INEC to issue them their PVCs or make other alternative arrangements to enable them vote. According to them, their rights will be breached as a result of INEC’s “negligence or mismanagement of its data-base or any other internal hitches” which resulted in the loss of data in the units in which they registered. They plaintiffs said they have been to their registration units severally only to be informed there was no PVC for them due to the data loss.

Among others, they are seeking a declaration that “based on the maxim ‘ubi jus ibi remedium’, the said breach of the plaintiffs’ civil and legal rights by exclusion from voting in the scheduled elections...is a civil/legal wrong which is damnable in general damages.” Justice Ibrahim Buba granted the plaintiffs leave to serve the originating summons on INEC in Abuja. He also abridged to eight days the time within which the defendant may enter appearance in the suit. The judge further ordered accelerated hearing of the suit in view of its urgency, and directed parties to file written addresses. The judge adjourned till March 16 for hearing.

Olanipekun, others hail book on lawyers

BOOK For the love of their Nation - Lawyers as agents of change in Nigeria, written by a journalist, Mustapha Ogunsakin, will be presented in Lagos on March 13. It features a rare collection of interviews with prominent judges such as the late Justices Kayode Eso, and Chukwudifu Oputa; and retired Justices of the Supreme Court such as Justice Odemwingie Uwaifo, and Justice Adesola Oguntade. Other jurists such as Judge Bola Ajibola (SAN), Justice YahyaJinadu, Justice NkemIzuako, and Justice

By Adebisi Onanuga

Samuel Ilori were also featured, among others. The book also profiles some eminent Nigerian lawyers and their contributions to national development, whose activities the reporter published in the course of covering the administration of justice system in Nigeria for 22 years. Eminent Nigerians including Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) have hailed the book.

The Attorneys-General profiled in the book include the incumbent Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), former Attorney General of Lagos State, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), the incumbent, Mr. Ade Ipaye, former Attorney General of Bayelsa State, Chief Anthony George- koli (SAN), the Attorneys-General of Kano State, Mr. Malik Umar, Niger State, MrAbdullahiBawa, and Delta State, Mr Charles Ajuyah (SAN), among others.

HE national Coordinator of Lawyers for Change, Mr. Adeshina Ogunlana has explained why lawyers have been going round the different states of the federation to rally for change. Ogunlana told large crowd of lawyers and potential voters in Ikorodu last Saturday that the group’s idea was to sensitize the people at the grassroots to vote for the candidate that will bring about positive change. The occasion was at a rally and procession of lawyers held in the ancient town of Ikorodu and organised by Lawyers4Change, He noted that the movement was not politically influenced but that their activities was based on the platform of some selected professionals who seek for change in the country. “This is not Nigeria Bar Association but ‘Lawyers 4 change’, which identifies the ills in the country and tries to fight to correct them before it’s too late,” Ogunlara said. He posited that the country would overcome the challenge facing it concerning the threats posed by the Boko Haram or any group planning to disrupt the coming elections. “Nigeria is a very resilient country, we will survive, we survived Ebola and the Civil war, so we will survive the Boko Haram,” he added. He further stated that the association had organised similar programme at Osogbo, Ibadan, Abuja and Ilorin, stressing that it will do the same in Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti,

•Ogunlana By Adebisi Onanuga

and Ijebu Ode respectively. Chairman of the NBA, Ikorodu Branch, Mr. Dotun Adetunji, urged Nigerians to cast their votes for the desired candidate that would make the country attain a better economic status. Adetunji who also spoke at the rallyand procession, called on the general public to go to the various polls and cast their votes and coordinate themselves in a peaceful manner during the elections. He said: “The youth should be careful not to sell their rights and conscience for being thugs to politicians who call for violence for the election. We have to be hopeful and be wise in choosing a better candidate that will be good and effect positive change in our country.

INEC, others sued over ‘imposition’

LL Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial aspirant for Delta South Mr Temisan Omatseye has re-filed a suit at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory against the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and others over the alleged imposition of a candidate. He is challenging the alleged imposition of Prince Yemi Emiko as the APC’s candidate for the senatorial zone. The plaintiff through his lawyers had filed a discontinuance notice to the initial suit at the Federal High Court. It followed a Court of Appeal ruling that the Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction to entertain a matter in which the major reliefs sought are not against the Federal Government or any of its agencies. The plaintiff, through his lead counsel, A.C. Ozioko, said he contested and won the APC primary

By Joseph Jibueze

election held last December 8. But rather than his name, that of the third defendant who he said came second in the primary was sent to INEC purporting him to be the winner contrary to APC’s guidelines and constitution. Omatseye said having won the primaries, he is the lawful Senatorial candidate of the APC in the 2015 general election for Delta South Senatorial District. He is praying the court to hold that the APC is bound to submit his name to INEC as its candidate having won the primaries. The plaintiff urged the court to declare that INEC’s acceptance, recognition and publication of Emiko’s name is illegal; as well as sought an order of injunction restraining Emiko from parading himself as the candidate. The new suit has been assigned to Justice A.S. Adepoju.

Appeal Court dismisses Elerewe’s case

HE Court of Appeal sitting in Akure has dismissed an appeal filed by the Elerewe Family of Owo over a land dispute. An Owo High Court had earlier held that the land belonged to the Sadibo family of Oke -Ogun , Owo. Dissatisfued, the family appealed, praying the appellate court to overturn the lower court’s verdict. The Appeal Court, presided over by Justice Cordelia Jombo-Ofo,

•PCA, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa

By Taiwo Abiodun

dismissed the applicant’s appeal for lacking in merit. It re-affirmed the lower court’s judgement delivered by Justice Olaseinde Kumuyi that the land in dispute belongs to Sadibo family. The court did not award any cost. Justice Jombo-Ofo held: “This appeal lacks merit and is accordingly dismissed. I hereby affirm the judgement of the High Court of Ondo State, sitting at the Owo Judicial Division and delivered by Hon.Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi on March 25, 2010 in suit No: HOW/ 24/2002.” In his reaction, the head of Sadibo family, High Chief Wilson Babatunde Sadibo said he had been vindicated. “It was a landmark judgment. It was indeed a very sound judgement, very articulate, detailed and precise. It did not leave room for controversy. It was a brilliant adjudication,” he said.

Newspaper of the Year

AN 8-PAGE PULLOUT ON NORTHERN STATES

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

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INSIDE Foundation sends displaced kids to school

PAGE 30

Hope for VVF patients

•The physically challenged fabricators at work

Physically challenged, inspired technicians At their workshop where everyone has a physical disability, they fashion out almost anything you can find around the house, from beds to doors and gates to containers. These Kaduna technicians are determined to thrive despite their challenges. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE reports VERY one of them lives with at least a physical disability. Most cannot stand. A few are deaf. But their minds are razorsharp and their sight far. They are the super fabricators of Kaduna. Hating the very notion of holding out a begging bowl before passersby, they learned a trade and have not regretted the decision. They have been fending for not just themselves but also their families. They even make things for other people living with disability. For 13 years, this group of physically challenged people led by Mustapha Abubakar has distanced themselves from begging, deciding to engage in fabrication of households items. Has it paid off? Yes, it has fetched them what they described as “legitimate income”. It started with a federal government-sponsored training, after which, they decided to stay together under one firm. Their metal fabrication workshop, Physically Handicapped Welding Multipurpose Cooperative Society, resulted from that team work. They are 15 in number. Their workshop is located in Kinkinau, a serene part of the Kaduna metropolis. There, they produce iron doors, windows and stoves, which they neatly display for buyers. One interesting thing about this group of welders is that they are all physically challenged. Even their leader Abubakar has a disability. Apart from making money and saving themselves the indignity and other horrors of begging, they also produce wheelchairs for other disabled people at a highly subsi-

dised rate. They also fabricate motorcycle parts. ý When The Nation visited their workshop, the super technicians did not want to be distracted from their work, but they managed to speak with the reporter while still concentrating on the job. They said they took up the business because they wanted to be independent. They expressed the belief that if youths toed the same line, ýby working, the country would have found a way out of its unemployment challenges and also grow the economy.

PAGE 31

Agony of fuel drought The Nation discovered that their products can compete favourably with any made by their able-bodied counterparts anywhere. One of the leaders of the group, Mustapha Abubakar,ý said, “We have been working here for the past 13 years. We were trained under the

We weld gates, burglary-proof, doors and beds. We construct wheelchairs, customised machines for the disabled; it is God’s gift and talent. We construct them ourselves. We are talented but the only thing we need is assistance from government to make our dreams come true. Individuals patronise us; they give us all sorts of works to try our talents and by the grace of God we don’t fail or disappoint them. In fact, our work is less expensive compared to other places they patronise. Take, for instance, construction of burglary-proof; they make it within the range of N8,000 to N10,000 but we do it for as less as N5,000 or N4,500. If people will patronise our works, street begging will certainly become a thing of the past

government skill acquisition programme and we expected that the government would cater for us and empower us. But, when we discovered that the support was not forthcoming we were forced to come together to form this cooperative. We formed a cooperative called Physically Handicapped Welding Multipurpose Cooperative Society. We are into welding work. We weld gates, burglary-proof, doors and beds. We construct wheelchairs, customised machines for the disabled; it is God’s gift and talent. We construct them ourselves. We are talented but the only thing we need is assistance from government to make our dreams come true. Individuals patronise us; they give us all sorts of works to try our talents and by the grace of God we don’t fail or disappoint them. In fact, our work is less expensive compared to other places they patronise. Take, for instance, construction of burglary-proof; they make it within the range of N8,000 to N10,000 but we do it for as less as N5,000 or N4,500. If people will patronise our works, street begging will certainly become a thing of the past.” When asked how they feed their family with what seems to be meagre income, Abubakar said, “Sometimes, we go home smiling because we record high sales and some days, we go home empty-handed because of lack of sales. But we are thanking •Continued on page 30

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Enter a new Chief of Staff

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THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

THE NORTH REPORT

•The displaced children

Foundation sends displaced kids to school M

ODUPE Ozolua and her organisation, the Body Enhancement Foundation, have been active in the camps of internally displaced persons. They have provided funds and jobs tools for displaced women in Gombe State to help them pick up their lives again after Boko Haram insurgents forced them from their homes. Now Ozolua’s team has turned to children in IDP camps in Adamawa State. The 501 children, as the team found out in one camp, have had no access to education since they fled from Boko Haram, so the foundation provided funds and learning materials in addition to paying teachers. The children whose ages range from one to 14 will be taught at the Lamido Lawal Model Primary School, Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Upon visiting the camp, the team discovered the children were not having any form of education like their counterparts in some camps which have temporary schools for the children. At that point, the foundation immediately provided funds for school uniforms, shoes, books, writing materials, boards, chalk, rulers and hired teachers among the displaced Nigerians at the camp to start teaching the camp children. The foundation has also taken up the responsibility of paying the teachers monthly salaries. All the children between nursery and Primary 6 ages at the camp are beneficiaries of the Foundation’s benevolence.

The foundation has provided funds for school uniforms, shoes, books, writing materials, boards, chalk, rulers and also hired teachers among the displaced Nigerians at the camp to start teaching the camp children On February 25 items donated by the foundation were presented to the students at the camp, was the wife of Adamawa State governor, Mrs Hasana Ngilari who also helped distribute the school materials to the children. Modupe Ozolua thanked the governor, his wife the first lady, officials of Adamawa State SEMA and all other relief organisations that have worked tirelessly towards providing different forms of assistance to displaced Nigerians all over the country. In addition, she informed the displaced families that they should be hopeful because God has not forgotten nor forsaken them. She also told the children that their destinies are not tied to a refugee camp, so they should not feel they can’t be as great as they wish to be. Ozolua stated the Body Enhancement Foundation’s sponsored school programme is part of the organisation’s rehabilitation plan for the internally displaced Nigerians, which will impact all camps in Nigeria.

•Ozolua, in Tee-shirt, with her team and camp officials

•The uniforms for the kids

Physically challenged, inspired technicians •Continued from page 29 God for everything. Abubakar is a proud husband and father and is not ashamed to display his family. He said, “I have a wife and four children. They attend both Western education and Islamic school. My first-born is nine years, while the second is 6 years old.ý” ýAnother fabricator, Suleiman Sani, popularly known as Container among his colleague, said, “We are working here and trying to make ends meet. He told The Nation: “All the works displayed here are our handwork. If you were not here while I’m doing this work, you might doubt if I actually did the construc-

tion. There is no work you bring here that we cannot do.ý” Sani who claimed to have been in the business for six years, said he attended a welding school located in the Kakuri area of Kaduna metropolis for three years and since graduating, has been in the business. “Having worked here for six years, I can say I have become an expert and anytime soon, I will go and open my own shop.” The 26-year-old cripple said, “It takes me four days to construct a container,” adding, “This is simply because we encounter the problem of power outage. If not I can complete the work in less than three days. And it costs between N90,000 to N100,000.”

Like others in the business, these physically challenged persons face several challenges. According to Sani, one of these challenges is the lack of capital which has often left them at the mercy of their customers. He explained that since they lack adequate capital, they simply work with their customers’ demand. “When they come with their demands we go ahead and do the work for them,” he said. “But if we have capital we can go ahead to construct the products and showcase them. Whoever wants to buy will pay and we will give it to them. You know, there is no work without its own challenges. We face the challenge of power outage. Again, people feel if they

give us job we will disappoint them. The wealthy men feel we can’t do the job. They prefer to go abroad to buy the things they use. Some of them feel if they give us the job we will not do it effectively. They go to the extent of testing us. Some of them stigmatise us; once they see us they give us alms. We are disabled but not beggars. We want people who will assist us with capital to set up business not one who will give us alms. We want something to keep us going, to sustain us and we depend on solely as source of income.ý” The 26 years old Sani is ýhoping to get married soon but wants to establish his own business before setting up a family. His pride however

is his state of independence. According to him, “I’m fulfilled with the work I am doing at the moment. I don’t depend on anybody and I also don’t wait for anybody to do anything for me before I do my things.” Having taken a bold step by shunning begging for alms, these physically challenged people deserve government’s attention. They need working aids and patronage from government. This will go a long way in attracting others like them into such trades and discourage street begging. ýGovernment programmes such as SURE-P should cater for and focus more on persons with disabilities who have their own trade.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

THE NORTH REPORT

•A surgery session observed by journalists in Bauchi

Hope for VVF patients Despite vesico vagina fistula (VVF) repair facilities in some hospitals, the problem persists. But, thanks to funds from USAID, a non-governmental organisation, Fistula Care Plus (FC+) is rehabilitating patients in Bauchi State. OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA reports

NON-governmental organisation (NGO), Fistula Care Plus (FC+), is providing succour for vesico vaginal fistula (VVF) patients, whose conditions persist even with remedial facilities at hospitals. FC+, funded by USAID, is helping to treat and rehabilitate them with what has been described as better equipment. During a two-day interaction with journalists in Bauchi State, Country Programme Manager of FC+, Dr Habib Saduaki, said the organisation had been supporting the effort by performing surgical procedures and repairs on patients across the country since 2007. Some 10,284, he said, have benefitted from the intervention. The participants were also taken to the Ningi Fistula Hospital, Bauchi. According to Dr Saduaki such an approach will strengthen the local capacity available to women to improve their health and social environment through the implementation of coordinated

model programmes. And that is what this project- Fistula Care Plus (FC+), has done by, “addressing the social and economic status of the community as a whole with focus on girl-child education, adult literacy and income generating skills development for women of childbearing age. Also appropriate, affordable and accessible health services provision at the grassroots level, interventions that has integrate the socio-economic aspects of women‘s health, with the groundwork for total involvement and community participation to address the integrated relationship that exists between the health of women and their social environment have been embarked on. This approach will soon, highlight the contribution that women make to the quality of life within the community.” Dr Saduaki said VVF and RVF (Recto-Vagina Fistula) are holes resulting from the breakdown in the tissue between the vaginal wall and the bladder or rectum caused by

•Dr. Saduaki

unrelieved obstructed labour. “The consequences of such damage are urinary or faecal incontinence and related conditions such as dermatitis and erosion of the skin and other tissues in the vulva and vagina from the constant leaking of urine or faeces. In extreme cases the urethra, bladder and vaginal wall can be completely eroded. If nerves to the lower limbs are damaged, women can develop foot-drop, a loss of coordination with one or both of the lower limbs.” He said, “In addition to these physical problems, VVF and RVF cause acute social problems. Due to constant leaking of urine or faeces and the accompanying smell, most communities consider these women

IDPs return home in Nasarawa

FTER several months of living outside their homes, which they fled during communal clashes, some residents of Nasarawa State have returned. They celebrated the event in Lafia, the state capital, with their gover-

From Blessing Olaifa nor, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Al-Makura. Also part of the celebrations were top government functionaries as well as traditional and religious leaders. Members of various security agencies and outfits also witnessed the ceremo-

ny.

The Al-Makura administration is said to have spent over N340m in interventions during communal disputes for the welfare of IDPs. Resettling the displaced persons in their homes cost the government about

C o u n t r y Programme Manager of FC+, Dr Habib Saduaki, said the organisation had been performing surgical procedures and repairs on patients across the country since 2007. Some 10,284, he said, have benefitted from the intervention outcasts and cut them off from all social activities. Commuting in public transport and engaging in social activities such as naming ceremonies becomes difficult. If the fistulae are not repaired, their husbands may divorce the women. Some leave their families to roam in the cities where they are not known as the outlook for them remain bleak in the community.” His Deputy, Dr Adamu Isah added that USAID funded Fistula Care Plus (FC+), in addition to supporting 19 prevention-focused facilities, works with ten hospitals and Fistula Centres in the prevention, repair and training of health professionals on fistula case management. N170m, the money used to acquire relief materials for the affected persons. Flagging off the ceremony, AlMakura said, “It is with gratitude to God the Almighty that I address you on the occasion of the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state to their various homes. Continued on page 32

Dr Isah said, “The centres supported by Fistula Care Plus include the three National Fistula Centres in the country and some state government owned facilities like the Birnin Kebbi Specialist Fistula Centre, Kebbi State, Faridat Yakubu General Hospital, Zamfara State, Laure Fistula Centre at Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano State, Maryam Abacha Women and Children’s Hospital (MAWCH), Sokoto State, Ogoja General Hospital, Cross River State, Sobi Specialist Hospital, Kwara State, University College Hospital Ibadan, Oyo State among others. “One way the project supports the centre is through the facilitation of what is called “pool effort” during which fistula surgeons are brought from some selected fistula centers to work in a team at a designated fistula centre for the mass repair of women with fistula. This is to increase within a period of one or two weeks the number of women with fistula repaired. We call it ‘pool effort”. During the ‘pool effort’, Fistula Care Plus provides consumables, allowances and other theatre materials needed for the surgeries amongst others.” Medical Officer in-Charge, Ningi Fistula Hospital, Bauchi, Dr Adamu Mohammed said Fistula Care Plus (FC+) has really helped out a great deal in the repair of the clients because, “I have been working with women with fistula in the last three years at the hospital. The conditions under which these women live are unacceptable. It is gladdening that they can obtain back there gynecological track. “Usually, if we repair the fistula, we are repairing and at the same time restoring three functions at a go. One, we are closing the fistula itself; we restore the normal anatomy, i.e, restoring the sexual functions of the vagina, also restoring the normal anatomy, which the restoration of a normal reproductive cycle of the woman, so the woman can bear a child again. “After the repair is done, we Continued on page 32

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

THE NORTH REPORT

•Governor Al-Makura (left) presents some of the relief materials

•Some of the items presented to the returning IDPs

•????????????????????????????????????????????

•Some roofing sheets for the displaced persons

IDPs return home in Nasarawa •Continued from page 31 “It would be recalled that some communities in parts of the state witnessed communal crises in the recent past leading to destruction of lives and property. It also resulted in the displacement of persons who took refuge with their relations, as well as in various camps created by the government. “These unfortunate incidences were tragic, avoidable and a setback

•Continued from page 31 normally tell them that if they take in, she should prepare her mind for selective Caesarean Section. This is because if she delivers through the repaired vagina, the fistula will break down and she will be compelled to come back for fistula repair all over again.” Dr Mohammed said the challenges facing his hospital in the management of VVF and RVF is that, “the seemingly rotational circle, whereby, as we are repairing some cases, new cases are coming in. So we need a holistic approach to prevent these cases. Technical constraint such as stable electricity is another obstacle. Other challenges include training and re-training of personnel, modern instrument, consumables, drugs and payment for accommodation. And that is where the support of USAID funded Fistula Care Plus (FC+) is invaluable. After the CS is even done, the antenatal care should be addressed as well.

to the development endeavours of this administration. You are no doubt aware that to stem the tide of the recurrent crises in the state, Government took far-reaching measures, including the vigorous pursuance of this Administration’s innovative CommunityBased Conflict Resolution initiative to resolve communal misunderstandings and disagreements for sustainable peace and socio-economic development of the State. “It is heartwarming that these meas-

ures have been a catalyst to the restoration of normalcy in the affected communities and, indeed, the state as a whole… “To ensure the safety and comfort of all displaced persons who will return to their original abodes, Government in collaboration with the security agencies created 10 security centres for routine surveillance of the affected communities. “Today’s ceremony therefore marks the commencement of the for-

mal return of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes. It is for this reason that Government has procured building materials, food and condiments for immediate distribution to the affected communities”. Governor Al-Makura listed the materials as: Cement – 15 traillers; Zinc – 2000 bundles; nails – 1000 packets; mattresses – 1000; rice – 1000 bags; beans – 1000 bags; maize – 1000 bags; seasoning– 1000 cartons; noodles – 600 cartons; spaghetti – 400 cartons; macaro-

Hope for VVF patients Every three months, we organise a number of clients to come and be operated upon. This is the 11th edition since we started in 2011. We take in about 50 cases in for repair every three month “Due to logistics, we always pull, that is, schedule the clients together and carry out the repairs in the same period. We cannot, at the moment, be doing repairs on routine basis. Every three months, we organise a number of clients to come and be operated upon. This is the 11th edition since we started in 2011. We take in about 50 cases in

for repair every three month.” The Medical Officer in-Charge said fistula leaves its sufferers in a terrible condition. “If you go and see these patients, you will be demoralised because some of these patients have been divorced by their husbands; they have been abandoned by their relatives and friends, because of the odour

associated with it. “This is because once you come in to this place, it will be smelling and everybody will want to walk away. That is why Fistula Care Plus is taking responsibility for the repairs of these patients free of charge in the country through the collaboration of the Federal Government. This is appreciated here,” Dr Muhammed said. Dr Saduaki, Country Project Manager of Fistula Care Plus said the project will support the hospitals for another five years. According to him, attention will be directed more at preventing new occurrences because, “we need to close the tap while treating the backlog to halt the growing figures of fistula in the country,” he stated. A former Commissioner of Health in Zamfara State and certified Doctors trainer on fistula repairs, Dr Sa’ad Idris said the ‘good thing’ about fistula is that 80-95 percent of fistula can be closed

ni – 300 cartons; sugar – 150 bags; salt – 450 bags; soap and detergent The governor also said cash would be provided for the IDPs to facilitate the transportation of the relief materials to all the identified communities affected by crisis. Governor Al-Makura gave the names of the communities as Iggah, Obi, Arikya, Assakio, Adogi, Daddere, Uggah, Lafia, Kwandere, Shabu, Awuma, Doma, Wamba, Udege, Agatu (Loko), Agwatashi, Jenkwe, and Adudu. He called on the returnees and all communities in the state to continue to sustain peace and harmonious coexistence.

surgically. Leading a team of doctors at the ‘pool effort’, at the NIngi Fistula Centre when reporters visited the centre as part of the media workshop, he said fistula repairs can be challenging too. “This woman here has a combined RVF and VVF (rectum vaginal fistula and vesico vagina fistular) which are abnormal connections between the vagina and the rectum or between the vagina and the bladder. She had had a baby that was supposed to come out through this place (the vagina wall), then it got stocked and this is a bone; so the whole area got dead and opened. This one (pointing at the lower wall of the rectum) got dead again and opened because there is a bone here. So the baby got stocked for a long time, maybe after sometime the head collapsed because the baby died. The baby eventually came out but the damage had already been done,” he said.

Website: http://www.thenationonlineng.com

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

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•A disorderly fuel queue in Abuja

Agony of fuel drought

HIS time, not even the ever reliable young black marketers could save the residents. Fuel dried up at the pumps, leaving motorists, commuters and even the enterprising fuel boys to gnash their teeth. Transport fares rose by 50 per cent and in some cases 100 per cent because the few black marketers who had the products were selling between N200 and N300 per liter and most drivers who had no other option were patronising them, leaving commuters to pay high transport fares. Residents who needed to get to their destinations had to grudgingly pay while others spent time quarrelling and arguing with drivers and their mates. At the Second Gate in Kubwa, for instance, residents were stranded for long periods of time because there were no cars. A private motorist who pulled up at a point called for passengers going to Nicon Junction and Banex. He charged N150 instead of the usual fare of N100. As he informed them of the fare, passengers protested but they only got the driver’s tongue-lashing for their

Actually it is boring hanging out these days with the scarcity in place. I have visited most of my regular joints, both in town and Kubwa here, and I must honestly tell you that this fuel wahala is affecting the fun. So, I can’t wait for it to be over, so that my fun life can get back to normal From Grace Obike remonstrations. “Wetin you dey complain for?” a tout yelled. “You no dey see the kind of line wey dey your front for fuel, even small pikin way dem born today know say scarcity of fuel dey and no go dey argue price with driver.” A taxi driver Elvis, who plies the Banex Junction-Apo Bridge stretch, explained that drivers were not to blamed for the hike in price. He said: “My sister, you will not believe it, but I left home as early as 4:00 a.m. to queue for fuel and only bought it now, which is 2:00 p.m. I paid more than the usual price. So, you cannot expect me, after spending half of the day away from my

business, not to recover my money and lost time.” Aisha, an expectant mother, and also carrying a baby, ran to one vehicle that pulled up to board it but was pushed aside by other more desperate passengers. She said she had been at the bus stop for close to two hours trying to board a vehicle to Wuse Market. It was not as if vehicles going to Wuse were scarce, but she had been stranded for that long because as the cars came, the crowd did not allow her to board, even as some passengers behaved as if they would yank off the doors of the vehicle. “The struggle is too much, everyone is tired and in a hurry to get to their destinations. I can assure you

that the men are not in any way gentlemen; women had to equally struggle. You will not believe it that a woman was almost knocked down by an oncoming vehicle because she was struggling to board a car on the other side of the road. “No one even bothered to stop and sympathise with her after her near brush with death. They just pushed her aside as she was yelling to the driver of the other car. I have to be careful in my condition and no one is ready to sacrifice their space for me in this situation and I won’t even dream of asking. Since the scarcity began, I have to continue to struggle till I get to my destination,” she said. The fuel scarcity hit Abuja hard. The city that was always busy with exotic and regular cars plying the roads in their numbers actually became a ghost of itself during the period of scarcity; less than half the number of cars were seen on the road while the rest were parked at different filling stations or trying to purchase from black marketers. At the NNPC Filling Station along the Kubwa Expressway, vehicles could be seen lining up on all the lanes for a long distance. A private car owner Chris Okon, who spoke

SURE-P budgets N5b for projects

HE Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) will spend N5 billion on eight critical projects in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) this year. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed revealed this while making a proposal for 2015 SURE-P National Budget to the Joint Special Ad-Hoc Committee on SURE-P (Senate and House of Representatives) at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja. The minister said N1 billion out of the N5 billion earmarked by

From Gbenga Omokhunu

SURE-P this year would be spent on the Abuja Rail Mass Transit Project (Lots 1 and 3). Senator Mohammed further said the design and construction of dam treatment plants, tanks and other bulk water supply infrastructure to Karshi Satellite Town would get N750 million, while construction of Usuma Dam, Gurara Road would also get N750 million. He said the provision of infrastructure and construction of 5,000 units of affordable housing in satellite towns of Wasa and Mamusa

West will get N750 million. He stated that N500 million has been earmarked for the provision of engineering infrastructure to Gidan Daya Urban Renewal Site; extension of Karshi -Apo Road (F 106) would gulp N250 million, while other SURE-P projects will get N250 million. The minister also disclosed that the Abuja Rail Mass Transit project has reached 59.17 per cent completion stage as at February, 2015 and assured that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is determined to keep faith with history by

completing this very important project to bring revolution to the economic activities of Abuja as well as bringing succour and solace to the residents of the Federal Capital Territory. The FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Chukwu, the Executive Secretary of Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Mr. Adamu Ismaila, FCT Transportation Secretary Mr. Jonathan Ivoke Achara as well as the FCT Director of Treasury, Ibrahim Bomai, accompanied the minister for the presentation.

with our correspondent, was very upset about the people he referred to as a nuisance. “There is nothing more annoying than having to join the line patiently and waiting for your turn that might never come because no one knows if they have sufficient fuel, then these people that think that they are smarter and in more of a hurry than the rest of us, pushing themselves to the front of the line or to the other gate that we are meant to drive out from. Instead of the attendants at the filling station to tell them to go and join the line, they collect money from them and allow them to drive in as if us here are not human beings. “When we confront them, they denied it or promised not to do it again, but it is a lie because they continued to allow and encourage them which cause chaos,” he said. The scarcity affected the social lives and night life of the city. The fuel line began to swell up in Abuja on Thursday and by Sunday; areas inside the city of Abuja such as Wuse 2 and Maitama began to feel its negative impact. Since the few people that had access to fuel had to be careful to economise it since no one knew when it was going to end. Most people lessen the level of socialisation and stayed indoors, there are no much customers in some bars and clubs and those that tried to beat the odds and hang out felt the difference. Ifeanyi, a resident of Kubwa and ardent socialite who, according to him, usually hangs out, said the fun of hanging out in bars has greatly reduced because most people were either stuck at home or at the filling stations. “Honestly, I can’t wait for this scarcity to be over. I actually bought my fuel from black marketers even though it was more expensive. “Actually it is boring hanging out these days with the scarcity in place. I have visited most of my regular joints, both in town and Kubwa here, and I must honestly tell you that this fuel wahala is affecting the fun. So, I can’t wait for it to be over, so that my fun life can get back to •Continued on page 34

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

ABUJA REVIEW

Agony of fuel drought •Continued from page 33 normal,” he said. Mr. Isaac Ugochukwu, a civil servant said he stood at the bus stop for over three hours before he could get a taxi that charged what he described as reasonable fare compared to the normal transport fare before the fuel scarcity began. “I stood at Dutse Alhaji for over three hours waiting to get to Berger and any vehicle that comes will say Berger from Dutse First Gate is N200, which used to be N100. I could not enter the taxi cabs because I did not have enough money on me. Until one came announcing Berger N150, that was when I rushed inside. “This fuel scarcity is not funny at all. We are really suffering, mostly people like us that depend on our meager resources to take care of ourselves and families. The government should quickly do something about this situation. Is this how they want us to come out and vote for them, when they always fail to get things right?” he said. Another civil servant, Miss Anthonia Somadina said motorists charge N500 from Gwagwalada to town where she works, saying that things have become very challenging to her since the fuel scarcity. “I never thought it would get to this level that transport fares would increase by 100 per cent, because of the assurance from the Federal Government that things are improving. The truth is that there is nothing improving in this country. That is why we have been praying that God should help us in this country, because, Nigerians are suffering. “Where I am working, I do not receive up to N40, 000 which I depend on to take care of myself and my family. If this scarcity persists, only God can save us in this expensive city. It is not easy at all. The government should do something about this problem we are experiencing in Nigeria,” she said. A resident said he left his house at 6:00 a.m. to queue for fuel, but has not been able to get the product at 2pm, saying that the present development is beyond the expectation of Nigerians. “The question most of us are asking is must we continue to suffer this kind of hardship in Nigeria. We have a government, but it is as if this country is without a government. Nigerians are suffering, there is the need for government to find permanent solution to this incessant strike in the petroleum sector,” he said. Another motorist, Aliyu Husein at Total Filling Station at Central Area, explained that for him to be able to buy fuel, he had to sleep at the fuel station, saying that he was able to get fuel at 11:00 a.m. the following day. Our correspondent gathered that 10 litres of fuel in the black market goes for between N3, 000 and N2, 500 which is N250 and N300 per litre, while 20 litres cost N5, 000 causing transport fares to increase on different routes in the FCT. From Federal Secretariat to Mabushi on drop for instance, which used to be N350, is now N500. Also, from Bwari to town which used to cost N200 was increased to N250 and from Area 1 to Bwari which used to be N250, was increased to N300. Miss Favour Chukwuma, a resident of the FCT said: “I wonder what is wrong with our Petroleum Ministry. The workers will just decide to subject Nigerians to suffering without considering anything. Imagine the kind of suffering Nigerians are going through currently and nobody is telling anybody the reason for the scarcity.”

A few black marketers on an Abuja road during the scarcity

Politicians warned against abusive messages

S the general elections approach, a political group under the auspices of The Republican Mind (TRM), has expressed worry over what it described as hate messages deployed by political actors on campaign grounds. The group advised politicians to stop the use of abusive, divisive and indecorous words. It pleaded with politicians to use their party manifestos as the major tool for campaigning. The National Chairman of TRM, Alhaji Shittu Mohammed, who briefed reporters on the state of the nation, urged voters to reject any political party or candidate that fails to undertake policy-driven campaigns. His words: “We are worried by the intensity of the dissemination of intemperate or hate messages by political actors and their sympathis-

From Gbenga Omokhunu

ers as well as the violence being unleashed on political opponents and their properties. This is in spite of the accord signed by the presidential candidates and gubernatorial standard bearers in the states. “Perhaps, we need to remind ourselves of the serious damage that dissemination of hate messages had done to our fragile country with the journey towards democracy truncated many times while we also had to fight a costly and avoidable civil war. We have experienced several religious crises and intercommunal conflicts with attendant loss of lives and properties. It is therefore unfortunate that some political gladiators have chosen not to check the excesses of their followers. “We therefore call on all those involved to stop forthwith the use of abusive, divisive and indecorous

words in campaigning for votes in the forthcoming general elections. They should, instead, use their party manifestos as the major tool for campaigning. They should mass produce and circulate their manifestos to the public to have an issue-based campaign as practiced in other civilised democracies. Indeed, we urge voters to reject any political party or candidate that fails to undertake policy-driven campaign. “We are impressed with the increasing rate at which millions of eligible Nigerians, who would have hitherto be disenfranchised, now collect their permanent voter cards (PVCs). It clearly demonstrates the determination by the public to exercise their civic duties in the forthcoming elections and the increasing political awareness by the people. “We appeal, however, to all eligible voters who are yet to collect

FCTA targets N15b in fees

ANY have criticised the introduction of entertainment and event fee by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) but the authorities of the administration have explained that the new charges would fetch between N10b and N15b in internally-generated revenue yearly. According to the FCTA Director of Economic Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Isa Ari, who addressed reporters on the the introduction of the fee, the revenue gen-

erated through entertainment fee would be used to improve three critical social services to the FCT residents. “This is a task that we want to realize. We are targeting between N10 and N15 billion in the first year and this will grow by 25 per cent in the next five years. So, it is one of the major sources of internallygenerated revenue for the FCT. It is a huge task because anything luxury you want to have you are going to pay five per cent of it,” he said.

•FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed (left), with Chairman, House Committee on the FCT, Emmanuel Jime during a budget defence at the National Assembly. PHOTO: ABAYOMI FAYESE

He maintained that the fee would only be levied on luxury goods as a way of taking from the rich to benefit the poor members of the city, noting that users of services such as DSTV, internet services and liquor would pay five per cent of the total cost of services they enjoy to government coffers. Mr. Ari hinted that the FCT Administration plans to spend the generated revenue to improve health, education and public transportation system in the nation’s capital. His words: “Basically, entertainment fee is there to increase the revenue of the FCT Administration. This is a revenue you find everywhere in the world; most cities of the world. And beautiful cities of the world have acknowledged the fact that this type of fee is important to keep the city moving. “And then we are really targeting specific areas such as education, health and public transportation to support. We felt that these are critical areas that the FCT needs support at the moment. “It is not essentially to stifle residents of the city. We are only saying less than eight per cent of city population controls 80 per cent of the resources and if there is no fee to share, how will those 92 per cent remaining in the city get the benefit? It is only fair that everybody should be encouraged to support entertainment fee in the FCT.

their PVCs to do so immediately. INEC, political parties, the civil society groups, traditional rulers, community and opinion leaders as well as the media should continue to educate Nigerians on the overall benefits of active participation in the electoral process. “We hope that the move would check the consistent reduction in voters turn out in successive elections in the country. For example, 79.52 per cent voted in 1999; 99.32 per cent participated in 2003 and only 28.60 per cent in 2011 legislative election. An independent study commissioned by INEC revealed that only 35 per cent of registered voters took part in the 2011 general elections. This trend must stop in order to entrench democracy in Nigeria. Civic education must be encouraged to deepen citizens’ understanding of democratic governance.” “Before we began, we visited most cities of the world; we have researched so many cities of the world. In the US, Washington which is equivalent of Abuja, has it, if you go to Dubai or Abu Dhabi, they do the same. If you go to London, you have it. Each city of the world has its own way of collecting this levy. If you come back to Nigeria, Lagos State is collecting its fees even with all issues going to Supreme Court.” On whether the tax is backed by law, Mr. Ari quoted Section 11 Entertainment Act Cap. 498 Laws of the FCT Nigeria 207, Section 4 FCT Act Cap. F6 Laws of the Federation, 2004" as the enabling law behind the five per cent entertainment fee. He added that the FCT Administration was only waiting for the presidential accent to the FCT Board of Inland Revenue Bill which has been passed by the National Assembly. “I remember our gazette is available. If you turn to Section 11 Entertainment Act Cap. 498 Laws of the FCT Nigeria 207, Section 4 FCT Act Cap. F6 laws of the Federation, 2004. If you look at the statutes of the FCT as if it is a state which is privileged by Section 299 of the Constitution, we are very capable of collecting this tax. Because of the enabling law, I appreciate the fact that some others have failed, like park and pay. Just of recent, the National Assembly, the Board of Inland Revenue Bill and its waiting accent, “ he said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

ABUJA REVIEW

HERE is a huge difference between the new Chief of Staff (COS) to the President, Brig.Gen Jones Arogbofa (rtd) and his immediate predecessor, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe on their relationship with staff in the State House. Oghiadomhe from Edo State, a former Deputy Governor of the state and elevated to the position of COS when President Goodluck Jonathan assumed office in 2010, was said to have resigned from the position on February 10, last year while Arogbofa from Ondo State, who has a military background, replaced him eight days after. The Chief of Staff is the administrative head of the State House and has great powers and influence in the Presidency. Oghiadomhe, during his tenure, constantly built a wall of about six security aides round himself whenever he appears in public in the State House. While two stern-looking security aides will normally stay ahead of him, there were always two aides walking beside him while about two aides will trail behind him. Either moving from his office to the President’s office or any office in the Villa, the security aides surrounded him as if the seat of power was not safe or was under threat of imminent invasion. When on the move, Oghiadomhe’s aides clear the corridors before their principal gets to any particular point and sometimes shoved aside anybody on the corridor that may not directly be on their principal’s path. Oghiadomhe’s phones were mostly permanently on his ears when walking on the corridors and many staff then thought that he was doing that because he did not want to acknowledge their greetings. Even when the phones were not raised to his ears, he hardly responded to greetings from journalists when walking by the corridor to the council chamber. His gaze was always fixed ahead of him with each step taken with the aura of power and authority that go with his office. Some members of staff then that see Oghiadomhe from far coming in opposite direction most likely will make a detour to hide in any nearby office to allow him pass before proceeding to their destinations. But since Arogbofa took over as the COS, hardly is he seen walking in the Presidential Villa with more than one security aide. He sometimes walks alone. He walks freely and side-by-side with some members of staff on the corridor. The shoving and pushing by security aides of former COS is now a thing of the past, at least for now. Not only does Arogbofa acknowledges greetings from staff on

Enter a new Chief of Staff From the Villa

the corridor, he has severally stopped to crack jokes with some journalists who were on vigil by the corridor waiting to interview some high-profile politicians coming out from the President’s office, Today, members of staff who used to hide in other offices, only stand aside on the corridor to allow Arogbofa pass by. They greet him with respect for his office, knowing that their greetings will be acknowledged. Oghiadomhe and Arogbofa, no doubt, are worlds apart in their approaches to issues and interpersonal relationships during their different tenures as Chief of Staff to the President at the State House, Abuja. Arogbofa’s style has earned him the admiration of members of staff and most journalists alike. Some members of staff and journalists, who were skeptical about the new man and thought that he would revert to the Oghiadomhe’s style as soon as he settles down on the job, have long erased the thought from their minds. With over a year in the saddle, they have not only found Arogbofa as a complete gentleman and someone who knows his onions, but they now love and admire him as he passes them by the corridor on a daily basis. Aggressive monkeys in the Villa Monkeys in the thick forest around the Presidential Villa are

By Augustine Ehikioya supposed to be friendly to an extent, but they are fast becoming aggressive. No thanks to the dry season which has resulted in a sort of drought and made their means of livelihood scarce. The trees in the forest, which were normally green with fruits, have become dry; with most shedding their leaves. As there are very limited eatable items in the jungle, some of the monkeys, which had stayed in the thick forest in the past months, have started strolling out to the car parks of members of staff and the surrounding areas at the seat of power. Not only are they coming out in twos and in groups to look for food, their countenance is now

full of anger like the popular proverb, “a hungry man is an angry man.” On Monday last week, a female member of staff was shocked to her marrow when she experienced a situation that showed the present moody nature of monkeys in the Villa. The member of staff who closed from office around 9:30 that night was holding her handbag in her right hand and food flask and other items in another bag in her left hand as she walked towards the car park. Her car was parked at the extreme of the car park popularly called ‘Nyanya’ among members of staff. A little bit of digression here. The car parks were named according to their proximity to the main entrance

Fed Govt votes $3trn for infrastructure

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has revealed that his administration has fashioned a 30-year national infrastructure integrated master plan that would cost $3trillion to provide infrastructure in the major sectors of the economy. Speaking in Abuja while performing the groundbreaking ceremony of Land Swap Districts, President Jonathan said the master plan would run between 2013 and 2043. He said the 30-year master plan which has been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), would cover the entire major infrastructure such as energy, transportation and security, among others. The President, who was represented at the event by Vice-President Namadi Sambo said the de-

From Gbenga Omokhunu velopment of the 30-year infrastructure plan was in line with his administration’s transformation agenda in meeting with infrastructural gap in the country. His words: “In line with the transformation agenda of our administration and in realising the inadequacies of an infrastructure plan, I directed a 30-year national integrated plan be put together by stakeholders. This plan has been presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and has been duly approved “The national integrated master plan will require a total investment of $3 trillion over a period of 30 years from 2013 to 2043 The sectors for investment include energy about $1 billion, transportation $775 billion, agriculture,

water and mining $400 billion, housing and regional development $350 billion, and ICT $325 million, social infrastructures $150 billion and vital registration and security $50 billion” President Jonathan said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would require about N2.6 trillion in the next four years which he noted would be targeted at providing infrastructure in the territory. “In this integrated infrastructure master plan, the FCT will require about N2.6 trillion in the next four years representing 65 per cent. It would be targeted at providing infrastructure in the territory” he said He remarked that the land swap project by the FCT Administration was a further testimony to the impact of his administration’s commitment in transforming governance, especially in attracting pri-

vate sector investment in public infrastructure. Speaking earlier at the event, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed said 15 investors in the Land Swap project would spend N64 bil-

to the President’s and Vice-President’s offices. The closest car parks to the entrance are the ‘Maitama’ and ‘Asokoro’ parks. Before the ‘Nyanyan’ car park is a mosque on the right side of the road with a dustbin in front of it. As the lady walked past the dustbin, two monkeys suddenly sprang up and held the bag on her right hand. The lady, who did not see the monkeys before then, immediately dropped the bags and ran backwards to the only staff that was coming behind her. As there was no edible item in the bags, the monkeys left them by the bin and jumped over the wire fence to the forest as the lady and the other staff walked towards the bin. The lady, who was trembling from the attack, quickly bent down to pick the items scattered on the floor from the bags before rushing to her car. The other staff had to wait for her to start the car engine and drive off before going back to his car. State House staff and visitors now have to be on their guard when moving around the area, especially in the night. It is also hoped that the monkeys will remain calm as the rainy season sets in to make the trees green again in order to produce fruits for their sustenance.

lion in the funding of infrastructure and housing for the original inhabitants of Abuja affected by the project. He said a total of $6 billion investment is expected to be injected to the project by investors; noting that N4 billion has so far been expended by investors to produce the necessary critical documentation for the districts

In line with the transformation agenda of our administration and in realising the inadequacies of an infrastructure plan, I directed a 30-year national integrated plan be put together by stakeholders…This plan has been presented to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and has been duly approved… The national integrated master plan will require a total investment of $3 trillion over a period of 30 years from 2013 to 2043.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

LAW & SOCIETY

Stakeholders seek overhaul of justice sector

AWYERS and stakeholders in Plateau State have urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong to carry out a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s justice sector if he is elected. They made this call last weekend at the conference hall of the Hill Station Hotel, Jos during an interactive session. The event was to hold last week but postponed by the Lalong campaign organisation in honour of the victims of the twin bomb blast which claimed many lives in the state. One minute silence was observed for the victims before the commencement of the programme. Participants raised many issues affecting justice delivery in the state including non-payment of salary of judges and Magistrates, judicial workers, dilapidated court buildings, lack of court rooms, the non issuance of Certificate of Occupancy to members of the public in the last few years except the ones issued to members of the ruling family in the state. They decried the way the state government is run which a participant described as “the government of the father by the son for the benefit of the mum and other siblings”. They urged Lalong to give them a breath of fresh air in the state when he assumes power as the state governor. Lalong said he was aware of the challenges of the Justice sector and is willing to tackle them once they give him their mandate .He said that no Judge in Plateau State will trek or jump on Okada and Keke when he becomes the governor . Citing the State of Osun model, Lalong promised to build more courtrooms across the state. He promised to adopt the Osinbajo and Fashola approach to court development. He assured of even and equal distribution of developmental projects across the state if elected its governor. In a chat with The Nation, a senior member of Jos Bar, Mr. Titus Mann said: “The interactive session was wonderful, it is the first of its kind in terms of people canvassing for elective positions in Plateau State, it has never happened that an aspirant gathered people like we saw today, to explain himself and seek their input into governance as you saw today. Lalong demonstrated a very deep understanding of the Justice sector and its challenges. The event of today has shown that we have somebody who has taken his time to acquaint himself with the problems of the state and he is ready to tackle them head on, I mean that we have never had it this way in Jos. “I urge the people out there to listen to him, see for themselves and vote him into the Government House in the over all interest of Plateau State.” Mann stated. Mr. Nankin Bagudu said: “ The state has suffered so much in terms of justice delivery, the justice sector is in a mess. In the past 16 years, not a single Court room has been built in Plateau State. We still operate the laws of Northern Nigeria, many courts in the rural areas of the state sit only once a week and in the rainy season they don’t sit at all. There is also the problem of corruption which compounds the whole thing, so, Lalong has a lot to do. He has to build and restore confidence in the people of the state, he also has to open up many neglected rural areas, address communal conflicts and insecurity. I expect him to use the security vote for social projects such as schools, roads, etc. he should also clear the back log of salary, pensions and address the shocking levels of tribalism which the current administration has foisted on the psyche of the people. Bagudu said: “When he becomes the governor I expect him to run a clean and effective government that would produce results. he should be able to first and foremost, define reality, assemble a good team that would help him in effective service delivery. The people of the state would judge him

By John Austin Unachukwu

firstly by the quality of the team he assembles. He should be able to reduce wasteful spending in governance, asses the projects so far undertaken and see what has been done and what needs to be done. “He should ascertain the exact debt profile of the state and how it was gotten and for what purpose. He must avoid the trap of trying to witch-hunt perceived enemies . He himself has spoken at the interactive session that he would not witch-hunt and he would not do as the incumbent state governor has done, just because he does not like the face of the ViceChancellor (VC) of the Plateau state University, he sacked the VC without recourse to due process. There is no doubt Plateau is broke, there are so many unnecessary prestige projects done to promote the ego of the current governor, he must prioritise what he and his team believe is important, he must not promise more than he can deliver. “I believe he is the man for the job because he was a former speaker in this state, he knows everybody who is anything in the state and their background. He also knows the challenges of the state, having been a speaker. I think he is a candidate who does not have the baggage many of the other aspirants have, he is easy going and simple person. He flows easily with people and I believe he takes advice seriously. If he has the right team, he must avoid falling into the trap of seeking to avenge or retaliate for any previous hurt or wrong done to him, if he avoids that, he will succeed. He has suffered and so, I believe he has learnt his lessons. “The judiciary in the state is in sorry state, there are long delays of cases in court, simple cases of recovery of premises can take up to eight years in a magistrate Court, there are no court rooms, there is also the problem of flagrant disobedience of court orders by the Governor of the state, there is also corruption in the system, there is also the problem of lack of payment of salary of magistrates and Area Court Judges. I feel sad that despite the importance of the place of the administration of justice in the society, little attention is paid to this arm. “My appeal to the voter out there is simple vote for change. Vote for Buhari/Osinbajo, vote for Lalong/ Yiden vote APC. Lawyers make good leaders, Chief Awolowo my greatest Nigerian hero was a lawyer, Barrack Obama, Tony Blair, Bil Clinton, JF Kenedy etc were all lawyers. Osinbajo is a lawyer, a trusted and respected one for that matter. I urge all lawyers to vote for the Buhari presidency, he is tested and a disciplined Nigerian. More and more people are now realising that Nigeria needs change at the Federal level” . Former Secretary of NBA Jos Branch, Jim Gotom said: “Rt. Hon Lalong is a colleague I have known for a very long time first as friends growing up in Ali Kazaure street, Jos. Then as a classmate at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos. We also practised together before the armed contested election in 1999. Being a lawyer, I know that Hon. Lalong will excel in governance like most legal minds before him including the late Chief Bola Ige, Chief Solomon D. Lar and recently, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) of Lagos State, this is because of the special skills and versatility of a lawyer. “Being a lawyer, he is familiar with the workings, the problems and the challenges of the Judiciary, he was a Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly for many years. As the State Governor, he will know how to build and sustain a cordial relationship with the Legislators. He was the President of the Goemei Youth movement, so he has first hand experience of the dicey Youth challenges on the Plateau.”

• From left: Lalong, Prof. John Wade, Mrs Eunice Ayida Sambo.

• From left: Hon. Sam Damla, Jonathan Mawiyau and Chairman NBA Pankshin Branch, Chief Sunday Titus Panwal

• Director-General Lalong Campaign Organisation, Rufus Bature; Plateau State chairman of APC, Letep Dabang and Yusuf Izam

• From left: Nankin Bagudu, Luka C. Fwangyil and Garba S. Pwul (SAN).

• From left: Saliu Caka, Jim Gotom, Secretary Plateau State Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Comrade Yerima I. Solomon and former NBA Second Vice-President Mr Steve Abar.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

FROM THE COURT

EFCC arraigns lawyer over alleged fraud

HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a 36-year-old lawyer, Babatunde Ojo, over an alleged N117.3 million fraud. He was arraigned before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, alongside his company, Amberville Communications Limited last week. The EFCC arraigned him on a 48count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and issuance of dud cheque. Counsel to the EFCC, Mrs. Vera Agboje, alleged that the defendant obtained the money from Mr. Matthew Awodiya and his firm, First Hebron Homes and Investment

By Adebisi Onanuga and Peace Iyere

Limited, as part payment to purchase 50 Shops being constructed at Ajah area of Lagos. According to the prosecutor, the shops were being constructed by Verod Capital Investment Limited. She alleged that the defendant forged the signature of Mr. Eric Idiahi, to facilitate the fraud, saying that Ojo committed the offences between April 2010 and August 2012 in Lagos. The prosecutor also accused the defendant of issuing various Standard Chartered Bank cheques in favour of the complainant which were dishonoured when presented

to the banks due to insufficient funds in his account. She said Ojo’s alleged offences contravened Sections 1(3) and 8 (a) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006. According to her, it also contravenes Sections 363 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 and 1(1)(a) of the Dishonoured Cheques (Offences) Act, Cap D11, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge when asked to take his plea. The judge ordered him to be remanded in prison custody. Justice Ipaye subsequently adjourned the matter till March 18, for trial.

Police arraigns man for alleged assault By Peace Iyere

30-YEAR old man, Adeoye Amore has been arraigned at an Ikeja Chief Magistrate court for alleged assault. He is facing a four-count charge of assault, willful damage of property and conspiracy. The prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Nwadioke told the court that the defendant with others now at large came together to commit felony to wit “serious assault and willful damage to property and thereby committed an offence against the law. He said the offence was committed on February 4, 2015 at Ojota, along Ikorodu Road, Lagos. Inspector Nwadioke alleged that the defendant and others unlawfully assaulted one Inspector Omoh Idehai attached to Lagos State Task Force, Alausa by using stick to inflict injury on his right hand and consequently caused him fracture on the wrist. The defendant was also alleged to have hit an iron rod on the crash helmet which Inspector Idehai was wearing and caused damage to the helmet said to be the property of the Nigeria Police Force. He was further alleged to have assaulted Sergeant Aboiralor Christopher also attached to the Task Force at Alausa by using stick on his right hand as a result of which his victim sustained injury on the hand. The prosecutor said the offences committed are contrary to and punishable under Section 1(2)(a) and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. 398, Vol. XXII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 as amended and Section 258(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges. Chief Magistrate A. O. Akinde granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 and two sureties in the like sum. The sureties must have evidence of tax payments within the last three years and be gainfully employed.

Police arraigns 27-year-old for alleged rape, robbery By Peace Iyere

A From left: Sup. of Prisons, Wash Bitrus C. representing the Comptroller of Prisons, Plateau State Command, Martins Apende (left) and Mohammed Sanni Gaigare at the stakeholder interative session held at Hill Station Hotel, Jos.

Shippers Council vows to strenghten regulation

HE Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has restated its determi nation to reduce the cost of doing business in Nigerian Ports. It said it was working to improve efficiency, revenue generation for the government and attract Foreign Direct Investment. The Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr. Hassan Bello disclosed this in a media parley. Bello restated the Council’s readiness to fulfil its mandate. He identified its role as providing market rules, tariffs, quality service, access to facilities and incentives. According to Bello, its duties as a regulator include to assess options for competition, to decide on entry rules, to regulate on pricing freedom and to monitor outcomes. He said: “An efficient and effective regulator plays the roles of an analyst/strategist, advocate, detective, prosecutor, judge, negotiator, educator and manager. “The global competitiveness of Nigerian ports has a major role to play in the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). Port reform no doubt has brought in tremendous benefits to the national economy. “However, there is still the need to harness other potential areas of the

By John Austin Unachukwu

Port sector with a view to bringing down the cost of doing business and enthrone efficiency “The Nigerian Shippers Council was appointed the Port Economic Regulator mid-way after the Ports and Terminals were concessioned. “The Nigerian Shippers’ Council recognised the fact that there existed gaps in the Port S ector and this led to increasing clamour for an economic regulator by stakeholders. In our capacity as the Port economic regulator, our role is to consult, coordinate, moderate and harmonize the various processes and procedures with a view of achieving operational efficiency at our Ports. “Where there is unreasonable resistance we shall not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions to ensure compliance. We shall remain open, independent, neutral and consultative and all decisions will be based on the buy in of Stakeholders. “Finally, we wish to note that NSC is not competing with any other government regulatory agency, but thrives to actualise the mandate of making our Ports the sub-regional hub and international logistics cen-

27- year -old man, Suleiman Balogun has been arraigned before an Ikeja Chief Magistrate court for armed robbery and rape. The Police last Thursday arraigned Balogun before Chief Magistrate Miss A.O. Akinde at an Ikeja Chief Magistrate Court. He is facing a three -count charge of armed robbery and rape. The prosecutor, Inspector Chinedu Nwadioke told the court that the defendant with others now at large conspired to commit felony to wit “armed robbery and thereby committed an offence. He said the offence was committed on November 30, 2014 at a female hostel, Ije Ododo, Alimosho Local Government, Lagos. Inspector Nwadioke alleged that the defendant and others at large, while armed with guns, axes and other dangerous weapons robbed one Janet (surname withheld) of one Nokia handset valued N6,000; N5,350 cash, totalling N11, 350. The prosector further alleged that the defendants also raped their victim, Janet on same day. He said the offences committed are contrary and punishable under Section 1(2)(a)and (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap. 398, Vol. XXII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 as amended and Section 258(1) Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011. The court did not take the plea of the defendant. Chief Magistrate Akinde adjourned the matter to March 31, 2015 and ordered the defendant to be remanded in prison custody.

Ebonyi community seeks end to land dispute By Joseph Jibueze

T •Bello tres” Bello stated. He called for the support and cooperation of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Police, and all other stakeholders stating that the Council shall rely on the political will and support of Government to enable us succeed in this assignment.

LEGAL DIARY

NBA holds Law Week, Dinner THE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Eket branch holds her law week, Dinner, Awards night, public presentation of her Bar Journal and fund raising for their Bar Centre. Date: March 18, 2015. Venue: Royalty Hotels, Eket The Dinner and Awards night will hold on March 20, at the same venue by 7pm. Every other programme holds by 10 am daily. The theme for the law week is “ The rule of law, democracy and good governance in Nigeria: matters arising.” A statement from the branch chairman, Mr. Akpadiaha Ebitu states the key note speaker will be the former NBA President, Joseph B, Daudu (SAN), the BA President, Augustin Alegeh (SAN) will be the special guest of honour while the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Idongesit, Ntem Isua will chair the event.

HE Ishinkwo Youth Assembly (IYA) in Ebonyi State has called for an end to a 100-year-old land dispute between it and Abaomege community. It wants the land amicably shared to put an end to what it described as “morbid communal conflict” and endless litigations. IYA’s president, Mr Innocent Elum, urged Ebonyi people to vote for Engr. Dave Umahi as governor because, according to him, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate promised to ensure the dispute is resolved. Besides, Elum said it was the turn of Ebonyi South Senatorial zone where Umahi hails from to produce the next governor. “We have what we call Charter of Equity or Charter of Conscience. Simply, it is an unwritten agreement by our founding fathers for power to rotate among the three zones. Ebonyi North and Central have taken their turns, with Dr. Sam Egwu and Governor Martin Elechi respectively. It is now the turn of the South. And since Dave Umahi is from the south, what else are we talking about?” Elum faulted Gov. Elechi’s alleged decision to back another candidate rather than Umahi, his deputy, despite their “succession agreement.” “Chief Umahi has been saying without contradiction by Chief Elechi that he struck a deal with Elechi in 2011, and worked for his re-election on the understanding and promise that Elechi would hand over to him at the end of his tenure. “Now, the governor has allegedly reneged on his promise. It is both a moral and legal issue to break a valid agreement,” Elum, a law graduate, said. He added that Ishinkwo is also supporting Umahi because he promised to liaise with the state’s representatives in the National Assembly to construct the F113 road which passes through Ishinkwo from Okposi/ Ukawu to Abaomege. •Elum

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

LEGAL OPINION

Supreme Court strikes out APGA’s factional leader’s application against INEC

HE Supreme Court has struck out an application by a factional leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Maxi Okwu, seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the list of candidates produced by his faction of the party. The apex court, in a ruling by Justice Sulaiman Galadina last Thursday, struck out Okwu’s application shortly after his lawyer, D. S. Pwul (SAN) withdrew it. The court proceeded to grant his prayer for an order of accelerated hearing of the substantive appeal and adjourned for March 24. Okwu had prayed the court for an order directing INEC (named as the 6th respondents in the mail appeal) to accept the list of candidates he submitted as the party’s candidates for the next general elections. He had argued that he had submitted a list of candidates to INEC after his faction held its primaries, but that the Commission has refused to act on them. He contended that INEC, under the law, lacked the power to reject any person nominated by a political party as candidate. Okwu argued that since the substan-

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

tive appeal deals with the determination of who the actual leaders of the party were, it was wrong for INEC to deal with a faction and close its doors against the other. Okwu’s lawyer however withdrew the application when it was opposed by lawyers to the respondents, who argued that the prayer was alien to the issues before the court for determination. Umeh and Shinkafi had argued that the relief sought Okwu was alien to the substantive suit at the trial court, the appeal decided by the Court of Appeal and the appeal pending before the apex court. “Pursuant to the judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on the 18th of June,2014, the 1st and 2nd respondents (Umeh and Shinkafi) are the authentic National Officers of the APGA. Contrary to the false averments, the appellants did not conduct any primaries for the nomination of APGA candidates for the 2015 general elections” he added. They said APGA candidates for the 2015 general elections have all been duly nominated and there is no dispute

before the court arising from the nomination of APGA candidates for the 2015 general elections. “As at the 2nd of February, 2015 when the instant application was filed, the processes for the nomination by political parties have been concluded pursuant to the INEC time table and schedule of activities for general elections 2015 aforementioned” he added. Okwu and Dickson Ogu are claiming to be the actual National Chairman and National Secretary of the party as against Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, who were pronounced the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party in a June 18, 2014 Court of Appeal judgment, a decision Okwu and Ogu are now challenging at the Supreme Court. Okwu and Ogu are, by their current appeal at the Supreme Court, challenging the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja delivered on June 18, 2014 which affirmed Umeh as the National Chairman of APGA and Shinkafi as the National Secretary of the party. The appellants want the Supreme Court to set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal, Abuja allow their appeal and declare them the authentic national officers of the party..

•From left: Saliu Caka, Jim Gotom, Secretary Plateau State Judicial Services Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) Comrade Yerima I. Solomon and former Second Vice-President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mr, Steve Abar at the interactive session of lawyers in Plateau State

Julius Berger to pay woman damages

FTER eight years of litigation, the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri has awarded N603, 180, 560 and 151, 000 Rupees against Julius Berger Nigeria Plc as general and special damages in an appeal and cross appeal instituted by the company against a woman, Philomena Ugo, for medical treatment. The award, according to the Presiding Justice Raphael Chikwe Agbo, is in addition to the initial N28, 516, 680 and 108,000 Lakh that had earlier been awarded by a High Court sitting in Owerri as special damages for Mrs. Ugo’s treatment in Nigeria and part of her overseas treatment. The case with number CA/OW/ 146/2010 was filed by a Lagos-based lawyer, Emeka Ozoani, on behalf of the accident victim Ugo. Ozoani prayed the court for a declaration that a Julius Berger driver, Godwin Obado’s negligence in driving of a company truck with Registration number XA 493 BWR and fleet number B4690 on December 8, 2006 which colluded his client, Philomena Ugo’s car was unlawful, malicious, reckless and negligent. He had also asked for a declaration of the court that Julius Berger is vicariously liable for the reckless, malicious and negligent driving of their truck by Godwin Obado. The case started at the Magistrate Court in Onuimo, Imo state, where Godwin Obado was charged and convicted on Wednesday, the May 21, 2008 on a two count charge of driving without a driver’s license and negligent driving in charge No MCO/64C/2007,

By Adebisi Onanuga

During the trial, Julius Berger commenced a third party proceeding against their insurer, Equity Assurance Plc which they discontinued abruptly without giving reasons. The case later proceeded to the High court in Owerri and it was resolved in favour of Philomena Ugo, Ozoani’s client. But dissatisfied with the judgment of the high court and the cost awarded against it, Julius Berger appealed against the lower courts judgment. Julius Berger hinged its appeal on the ground that the trial judge misdirected itself in law by wrongly evaluating the evidence before it, by holding that the accident was caused by Julius Berger’s driver, in failing to uphold the defendant’s distinctive evidence and by awarding money based on receipts bearing Hilltop clinic and relying on evidence of a Dr. Amachi Uchenna Kachi. On the other hand, Ozoani , the counsel to Philomena Ugo, predicated his arguments on four points viz evidence of the police witness, sketch map of the accident scene tagged Exhibit ‘A’, state of the pleadings and findings of thetrial court on negligence of Godwin Obado. He also filed a cross appeal claiming that the judge erred in law when she failed to make finding on validity or otherwise of Godwin Obado’s driving license and also make award on some exhibits and exemplary damages. At the end of the arguments, the Appellate Court Judges that heard the case

including Justice Peter Olabisi Ige, Justice Frederick O.Oho and the presiding Judge, Justice Agbo unanimously ruled that some part of Ozoani’s cross appeal succeeds. “It seems to have been established by judicial authority that in personal injury cases, two main factors have to be taken into consideration in assessing damages in cases of liability. The Justice of the Appealed Court listed the factors to include financial loss resulting from the injury and the personal injury involving not only pain and suffering but also the loss of pleasures of lif. “That precisely is what this court has done in the determination of this case and as a result of which, we have arrived at the following conclusions as it affects the cross appeal. The cross appeal succeeds in part.” The court further ordered that N500, 000 be paid as general damages for pain, suffering and loss of expectations, N94, 375, 020 be paid as general damages for ongoing medical treatment, N5,727, 540 for item of special damages for drug purchase, N1, 808,000 and N1,200,000 for expenses incurred on nursing and cab as well as 151, 000 Rupees for purchase of walking aids and other aids in addition to N28, 516, 680 earlier awarded by the lower courts Local Government elections in Nigeria have always come with its own crisis. This writeup by Lagos lawyer, Akinpelu Ayokunle Oluwatobi is a critique of the current impositions of local government chairmen in Nigeria.

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com For comments: 08033054939 (sms only)

The next feud within the Ebeano family

LL appears now quiet within the reigning Ebeano political dynasty that has had Enugu state as its exclusive fiefdom, since 1999. Indeed, the installation committee of Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, as the next executive governor of Enugu state, could as well print their program of events, after the recent Federal High Court judgment that confirmed the man popularly referred to as Gburugburu, the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, for the forthcoming gubernatorial election. They will likely go ahead with their plans, even if Senator Ayogu Ezedecides to appeal the High Court’s judgment, over the last party primary. But there will be a major crisis for the group and the people of Enugu state,when it is time for the reigning godfather, Governor Sullivan Chime to fall on his sword, in the tradition of the family. That will happen after he successfully delivers the incomingstate governor and the next godfather of Ebeano family, to the throne.Luckily for the state and the emerging godfather, Hon. Ugwuanyi, his benefactor, Governor Chime, will be partially disabled, considering that his planned relocation to the Senate was disarticulated by the Ekweremadu cyclone, that many including me, did not fully foresee. While I may join other busybodies, to take credit for the early warning that may have helped Senator Ekweremadu, to initiate the early wind that turned into a cyclone; that intervention by the deputy senate president, may also lead to an early and wilful retirement of His Excellency, Governor Chime, from his other throne, as the godfather of Ebeano family. As I have argued on this page, each time I write on Enugu state, Governor Chime without doubt, has had a glorious reign, presiding over Enugu state. His several legacy projects, of which the new ultra-modern state secretariat,is the star project, attests to that. My major concern however remain thefamily’s practice of monarchical democracy, if that oxymoron, can be permitted. So, even as itmay be easier for the next godfather to decapitate what is left of the reigning godfather, because of his diminished stature, arising from the initial shellacking by the Ekweremadu hurricane; the state may be going into the next dispensation with a dual SIM card –in this instance, two godfathers.This may be so, as Ekweremadu will likely stake a claim, to be the godfather to Gburugburu, instead of the state Governor, who traditionally owns that title and position, after committing the traditional regicide. In making that claim, Ekweremadu would have his sympathisers. This is because, but for Ekweremadu’s acceptance of the reconciliation pact, between him and Governor Chime, which paved way for a harmonised party primary delegates, Gburugburu may not have emerged easily as the bonafide candidate of the PDP. So, while Hon. Ugwuanyi no doubt was the original candidate of the governor, his eventual emergence, owes many gratitude to the Ekweremadu’s camp too. Now with Ekweremadu legitimately laying claim to having helped Ugwuanyi emerge, will he not likely want to share the spoils of the title, with him? But, that will depend on what happens at the federal level, with regards to the presidential election. If per chance, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress, wins the presidential election, then Senator Ekweremadu should be wise enough to stay far away from the shooting range of the emergent godfather, Hon. Ugwuanyi. But, should President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan be re-elected, and Senator Ekweremadu also makes it, as the deputy senate president, then Enugu state may have to brace up for a replica of the ongoing Ebonyi state conundrum. In Ebonyi State as is already out in the public domain, the former Senate President and Secretary to the Federal Government, Anyim Pius Anyim, is squaring up with the state Governor Martin Elechi, over which of their preferred candidates would win the next gubernatorial election.In Ebonyi, just like in Enugu state, during the PDP party primaries; the party-forces resident in Abuja, with the duplicitous connivance of the party officials at the centre, gained an upper hand over the state governors. In Enugu, while the governor gave up his senatorial ambition, hewas compensated with his preferred successor, Hon. Ugwuanyi, as the gubernatorial candidate, by the Ekweremadu group. To achieve that détente, Senator Ayogu Eze, was however sacrificed. But in Ebonyi state, the Governor lost everything to the Abuja Mafioso. Governor Martin Elechi’s subsequent attempt to outmanoeuvre Anyim and his candidate, Chief Dave Umahi, who currently is the deputy Governor,through asurrogate Labour party candidate; has ricocheted into another battle, with the Governor receiving an impeachment notice, from a compromised state House of Assembly. As I have said elsewhere, Ekweremadu was wise in tampering his success, by allowing Governor Chime to have his way with regards to the gubernatorial candidates, once he secured his own senatorial seat and a few for his acolytes. For, if he had insisted otherwise, the Governor who no doubt has a large followership in the state, could have ignited a tsunami to confront the cyclone. That would have spelled tragedy for President Goodluck Jonathan who desperately craves a block south-east votes, to gift him any chance, against Gen. Buhari who has majority of the north-east and south-west voters behind him. Considering that President Jonathan may not be willing to risk getting majority of Enugu state votes, Senator Ekweremadu who is from a minority area within the state, could have despite winning the party primary, have a pyrrhic victory; if the reigning godfather, Governor Sullivan, turned desperate, like Governor Elechi. Unfortunately in the party’s trade by barter in Enugu state, Senator Anyogu Eze,who was also angling for the biggest prize in the state, as the godfather, got sacrificed by the Ekweremadu group, which he had aligned with.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

LAW REPORT

Buruku: Why Supreme court ordered fresh election IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA HOLDEN AT ABUJA ON FRIDAY THE 27TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2015 BEFORE THEIR LORDSHIPS MAHMUD MOHAMMED, J.S.C. WALTER S. N. ONNOGHEN, J.S.C. JOHN AFOLABI FABIYI, J.S.C. SULEIMAN GALADIMA, J.S.C. OLABODE RHODES-VIVOUR, J.S.C. KUMAI BAYANG AKAAHS, J.S.C. JOHN INYANG OKORO, J.S.C. SC.164/2012 (2015) LPELR-24420(SC) BETWEEN: 1. BARRISTER ORIKER JEV 2. ACTION CONGRESS OF NIGERIA (NOW ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS) 1. 2. 3.

AND SEKAV DZUA IYORTOM INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) ENGR. STEVE MOZEH

Lead ruling delivered by John Inyang Okoro, J.s.c.

HIS ruling is on a motion on Notice brought by the 1st Respondent/Ap plicant praying the Court for the following orders: “AN ORDER of this Honourable Court to amend, correct and/or set aside the consequential order made by this Honourable Court in its judgment of 30th May, 2014 pursuant to the provisions of Section 141 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) to wit: that the 1st Respondent/Applicant stand for a fresh election with other candidates for the Buruku Federal Constituency of Benue State. AN ORDER directing that the 1st Respondent/Applicant be immediately issued with the certificate of Return by the 2nd Respondent and sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives. AN FOR SUCH FURTHER ORDER OR ORDERS as this Honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.” In support of this application was a 15 paragraph affidavit. Annexed to the affidavit were two exhibits. Exhibit 1 was the judgment of the Supreme Court containing the consequential order sought to be amended or set aside while Exhibit 2 was the judgment of the Federal High Court which nullified Section 141 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). The 1st Respondent/Applicant filed his written address which was adopted and relied upon at the hearing of this motion. The Respondents did not oppose the application. In the written address of the Applicant, the Learned Silk, Yusuf Ali, SAN, who represents the Applicant, formulated one issue for consideration. It states:“Whether in view of the facts and circumstances of this application and given the provisions of Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act and Order 8 Rule 16 of the Supreme Court Rules 1999 (as amended), the reliefs in the application ought not be granted?” In his argument, the Learned Silk submitted that a combined reading of Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act and Order 8 Rule 16 of the Supreme Court Rules 1999 (as amended) empowers the Supreme Court in certain circumstances to review its judgments, notwithstanding the finality of its judgments. Also, that by virtue of Section 6 (6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), there is an inherent power in the Supreme Court to grant the prayers of the Applicant. On the grounds upon which the Supreme Court may review its judgment the Learned Silk cited the following cases: Alao v. ACB Ltd (2000) 9 NWLR (Pt.672) 264, Ede v. Mba (2011) 18 NWLR (Pt.1276) 236, Ojiako v. Ogueze (1962) 1 All NLR 58, and Igwe v Kalu (2002) 14 NWLR (Pt.787) 435 at 453. Learned Silk submitted further that the basis of the refusal of the Supreme Court in declaring the Applicant as the winner of the said election was exclusively on the provision of Section 141 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as

APPELLANTS/RESPONDENTS

RESPONDENT/APPLICANT RESPONDENTS

amended) whereas the Federal High Court in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CSI/2011 between the Labour Party Vs Hon. Attorney General of the Federation (Exhibit 2) delivered on 21st July, 2011 had annulled the said provision. According to him, Section 141 of the Electoral Act (supra) has been completely wiped out of the Electoral Act by the said judgment of the Federal High Court. He opined that the Supreme Court in its judgment in Exhibit 1 was obviously oblivious of the fact of the nullification and obliteration of the provision of Section 141 of the Electoral Act upon which the consequential relief ordering a fresh election was hinged. It was his further submission that given this factual situation, and in view of the fact that Courts exist for justice, the Supreme Court was urged upon to correct the error varying the consequential order for fresh election with an order swearing in the Applicant herein as the member representing Buruku Federal Constituency of Benue State. He cited the cases of Amaechi V INEC (2008) All FWLR (Pt.407) 1, Odedo v. INEC (2009) All FWLR (Pt 449) 844 and Inakoju v. Adeleke (2007) All FWLR (Pt.353) 3 at 203. Relying on Amaechi V INEC (supra) and other cases decided by the Court on the issue, he urged the Court not to deviate from its previous decision on the matter. He urged the Court to grant this application. In considering the application, the Court stated clearly from the outset that by virtue of Section 235 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Supreme Court cannot sit on appeal over its own judgment, noting that the provision gives a stamp of finality to any decision of the Supreme Court. The Court further stated that there is no constitutional provision for the review of the judgment of the Supreme Court by itself or any other body. And that is without prejudice to the powers of the President or of the Governor of a state with respect to prerogative of mercy. See Eleazor Obioha V Innocent Ibero & Anor (1994) 1 NWLR (Pt 322) 503. The Court stated its position in several decided cases that the Supreme Court possesses inherent power to set aside its judgment in appropriate or deserving cases but that such inherent jurisdiction cannot be converted into an appellate jurisdiction as though the matter before it is another appeal, intended to afford the losing litigants yet another opportunity to re-state or re-argue their appeal. The Court cited the case of Chief Kalu Igwe & 2 Ors V Chief Onwuka Kalu and 3 Ors (2002) 14 NWLR (Pt.787) 435 at 453 paragraphs F - H and page 454 paragraphs A - C, where the Supreme Court, per Ogwuegbu, JSC held as follows:-

•Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Mahmud Mohammed “I shall state that this Court possess inherent power to set aside its judgment in appropriate cases. Such cases are as follows:(i) When the judgment is obtained by fraud or deceit either in the court or of one or more of the parties such a judgment can be impeached or set aside by means of an action which may be brought without leave. See Alaka V Adekunle (1959) 6 Ch. D 297, Olufunmise V Falana (1990) 3 NWLR (Pt.136) 1. (ii) When the judgment is a nullity. A person affected by an order of court which can properly be described as a nullity is entitled ex debito justitiae to have it set aside. See Skenconsult Ltd. V Ukey (1981) 1 SC 6, Craig V Kansen (1943) KB 256 and 263, Ojiako & ors V Ogueze & Ors (1962) 1 NCNLR 112, (1962) 1 All NLR 58, Okafor & Ors v. Anambra State & ors (1991) 6 NWLR (Pt.200) 659 at 680. (iii) When it is obvious that the court was misled into giving judgment under a mistaken belief that the parties consented to it. See Agunbiade V Oku-Noga & Co (1961) All NLR 110 and Obimonure v. Erinosho (2000) 2 NWLR (Pt.643) 14.” The Court affirmed that the Supreme Court made a decision in appeal No. SC.164/2012 decided on 30th May, 2014. In that judgment, the Court made three consequential orders, one of which was that the 2nd Respondent i.e INEC should conduct fresh election into the vacant seat of Buruku Federal Constituency of Benue State in the House of Representatives within three months (90 days) with the first Respondent/Applicant as the candidate of All Progressives Congress. The Court noted that the basis for that consequential order was Section 141 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which states:“An election tribunal or court shall not under any circumstances declare any person a winner at an election in which such a person has not fully participated in all the stages of the said election.” The Court in interpreting the above section stated that it is quite clear that the said section refers to some Courts for which the Supreme Court is not part of citing Section

‘An election tribunal or court shall not under any circumstances declare any person a winner at an election in which such a person has not fully participated in all the stages of the said election’

133 (2) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which define “tribunal or court” in Section 141 which states: “(2) In this part, “tribunal or court” means: (a) in the case of Presidential election, the Court of Appeal and (b) in the case of any other elections under this Act the election tribunal established under the constitution or by this Act.” Thus, the Court held that the Supreme Court not being one of the Courts mentioned in Section 133 (2) of the Electoral Act is not one of the Courts to which Section 141 regulates. The Court further held that this is much more so since the issue for consideration was not an election petition appeal but a pre-election matter stating that in appropriate cases, the Supreme Court has exercised its Power to order successful litigants to be sworn in immediately without the rigour of having to go through another election and the Applicant herein should not be an exception. See Amaechi v. INEC (2008) All FWLR (Pt.407) 1 Orhena Adugu Gbileve & Anor V Mrs. Ngunan Addingi & Anor Appeal No. SC. 193/ 2012 delivered on 31st January, 2014, Jenkins Giane Divine Gwende v. INEC & 3 Ors, Appeal No. SC.255/2013 delivered on 24th October, 2014. The Court held that clearly, the definition of “tribunal or court” does not include the Supreme Court or the Federal High Court hearing and determining pre - election matters. The Court held that it is trite law and an unassailable legal principle that the express and unambiguous mention of one thing in a statutory provision, automatically excludes any other which otherwise would have applied by implication with regard to the same subject matter. This the Court stated is usually captured in the Latin maxim which states “Expressio unis est exclusio alterus.” See Ogbuniyinya v. Okudo (1979) 6 - 9 SC 92, PDP V INEC (1999) 11 NWLR (Pt.626) 200, Buhari V Yusuf (2003) 14 NWLR (Pt.841) 446. On the whole, in its well considered opinion the Court held that the application is meritorious and was thereby granted as prayed. Accordingly, the consequential order No 2 made in the judgment of the Supreme Court in appeal No SC.164/2012 delivered on 30th May, 2014 which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election into the vacant seat of Buruku Federal Constituency of Benue state in the House of Representatives was set aside. LawPavilion Citation: (2015) LPELR-24420 (SC) Compiled by: LawPavilion

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NATION SPORT

Benzema: I want to win Ballon d'Or

EAL Madrid attacker Karim Benzema has revealed that he

dreams of winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or at some point in the future, although he realises it would take some extraordinary performances to achieve his goal. Barcelona attacker Lionel Messi and Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the prestigious individual award in recent years, with the Argentine bagging the trophy four times in the last seven years and Benzema's team-mate emerging victorious on the remaining three occasions.

Nevertheless, the France international refuses to bury his dream of once being regarded as the best player in the world. "Winning the Ballon d'Or remains one of my objectives," Benzema told BeIn Sports. "I am not going to lie about it. The Ballon d'Or is always in the back of my mind. Every player dreams of winning it. "What I would need to do to win it? I would have to win a lot of titles and score 80 goals or so in one year!" The 27-year-old then went on to admit that he went through a difficult period

after joining Madrid from Lyon in the summer of 2009. "I was quite happy with my move to Madrid, but after the first few weeks I felt lost without my family. "It was very difficult for me. I had to put in a lot of hard work, things I did not necessarily do at Lyon. It was like another dimension. "All the hard work has helped me develop. I know what I am worth now. This is my sixth year at Real Madrid. Had I been just any other player, I would not have stayed at Madrid this long." Benzema also briefly dis-

cussed the upcoming Clasico later this month and stressed that Barcelona are an opponent he likes to come up against. "The Clasico is the best game there is in the entire world. Everybody has to be at 100 per cent. It's the biggest game out there. Things go really fast and you feel enormous pressure. "Barcelona are an opponent that suit me, though." Madrid travel to Camp Nou on March 22.

Messi could leave Barca, admits club director Braida IONEL Messi could still leave Barcelona, the club's sporting director Ariedo Braida has admitted. The 27-year-old has a contract with Barca until June 2018 but has a limited fee release clause of •250 million.

•Messi

Messi was linked with a possible departure from Camp Nou earlier in the season as his relationship with head coach Luis Enrique deteriorated. And while Braida remains confident the Argentina international will remain committed to Barca, he accepts that the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City, backed by billionaire owners, could one day make an offer to meet the staggering release-clause fee. "I think that it is nearly impossible to see Messi leave Barcelona, but it could happen with clubs like PSG and Manchester City around, who have a lot of money to spend," Braida, who has replaced

Andoni Zubizarreta at Barcelona, told Esport 3. "Strange things happen every now and then. "Messi is not simply a footballer. He is a phenomenon, an extraterrestrial. He is up there with Pele and Diego Maradona. "He has incredible speed and takes aim at goal in an impressive way." Braida was general director at AC Milan for 28 years and recently joined a new technical committee at Barca to help oversee planning for the first team, with former sporting director Zubizarreta dismissed after a trophyless campaign and question marks over his transfer policy.

Robben: Mourinho vital for my career

•Benzema

AYERN Munich attacker Arjen Robben has hailed Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho as an "important" influence on his career. The Netherlands international worked under the Portuguese coach during his time at Stamford Bridge between 2004 and 2007, but was eventually allowed to leave to join Real Madrid. Robben has since gone on to become one of the best attackers in the world, though, and he has no hard feelings toward his former mentor. "Mourinho was very fair, very good," the Bayern star told Daily Mail. "The only problem was the injuries. He could not count on me. It was frustrating for both of us and it became difficult. But in a football point of view, he was very important. He helped me mentally. "I think I had a positive development at Chelsea. I was very young when I ar-

rived, only 20, and the problem I had was injuries. "At the time, you hear people say you are made of glass. I was angry because I felt like I was always having to defend myself. I know now something was wrong with my body. "I'm a very explosive player and need everything to be right. I started working with an osteopath the last year I was in Madrid and have stayed with him. I have control of my body now and know when I can 'go'." Robben also praised Louis van Gaal, with whom he worked at Bayern and the Netherlands' national team, having played a key role in guiding the Oranje to third place in the 2014 World Cup, and has a lot to thank the 63-year-old for. "From the first day Van Gaal made me feel important. He gave me an important role and I had a great first year. I am very thankful to him. "He is a coach who makes individual players better. That is rare nowadays. "I have a lot of confidence he will be a success at United. He needs time to build his team. When he qualifies for the Champions League - and he has a realistic chance of winning the FA Cup - if that happens, he has had a great season." The Dutchman then went on to voice his admiration for his current coach at Bayern, Pep Guardiola. "I've had the privilege to work with a lot of great coaches and Guardiola is certainly one of them. I'm 31 but over the last 18 months I feel I've made steps forward.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

‘Wonder’ capsule to detect cancer, others discovered

ERE is some good news for cancer of bowel patients. The ailment can now be treated. Treatment is also available for colorectal cancers. Dr Anthony Sonade, a United Kingdom (UK) trained gastroenterologist, who specialises in diagnostic and preventive colorectal cancer, has introduced PillCam Capsule Endoscopy for the management of such cancers. PillCam Capsule Endoscopy is a high technology diagnostic tool which can be used for investigating and managing gastrointestinal tract diseases. According to Sonade, PillCam Endoscopy is like a capsule, encapsulating a camera. In addition, the package has data recorder, sensor belt and Rapid 8 software. Sonade said: “I have practised for over two decades and it has been difficult for professionals to diagnose problems with small intestine and the bowel. Most patients are opened up for diagnoses, which are painful to them. The PillCam capsule is a size of large vitamin capsule with camera, which is able to take 80, 000 images (pictures) i.e. 40 pictures per second of the whole gastrointestinal system. “Before the patient swallows the Pill, she or he is purged as the capsule passes through the gastrointestinal tract, it starts transmitting images and data wirelessly to a data recorder worn by the patient. Once the procedure has been completed, the video images are downloaded from the data recorder onto a computer with the Rapid 8 software and

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

then reviewed and translated by a skilled physician, who will look for abnormalities or a healthcare provider trained on that,” Dr Sonade stated. He said the capsule is a single use, adding: “Once the images are interpreted, and for example, if cancer is detected, it will be located, or if it has spread. That diagnosis will assist the physician to set to work in removing the cancerous growth.” The groups of people that cannot swallow the capsule are, “people that are vomiting and cannot keep fluid down; amazingly, expectant mothers can take the capsule. I have seen a pregnant woman who was bleeding. We did top and bottom endoscopy on her but could not find the cause. So we placed her on the capsule, a perfect diagnosis was made and she was treated and mother and the growing foetus were ok,” said Dr Sonade. Already the Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria (SOGHIN) is collaborating with Inscope Global Resources Limited, the company that markets the device in Nigeria, and Dr Sonade sheds light on this: “I have been able to negotiate a price for Africa, with the manufacturer. Dr Funmi Lesi of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) is the front for the society, who I am discussing with, so that more physicians can use this for their patients, because screening, timely and accurate diagnoses are sine qua non

•Dr Sonade

to prompt treatment. “The success rate of the use is 90 percent. We used to think the size was an issue, but the capsule has a special coating on it and is easy in Paediatric care. So if a paediatric can get it down successfully and paediatricians get the diagnoses right in them, then we are proud. Any hospital that needs same can place order, and we deliver, there is no problem with storage as we deliver to the physician’s schedule with his patient.” His colleague, Dr Seyi Adeeko at Inscope Global Resources Limited, added that the Pillcam capsule will be deployed by medics investigating patients who are exhibiting symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, or bleeding; screening for early-stage colorectal cancers and polyps with

• Demonstration by a lady on how the device functions. The captured images are displayed on the screen, for interpretation. Inset: PillCam capsule.

a full and complete view of the colon and for monitoring pre-existing conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). On why he chose to work hand in hand with the expert, Dr Adeeko said: “Dr Sonade is a man that knows his onions. He trained in the UK and chose to come back to Nigeria, his fatherland with this innovation. He has transversed the field of Gastroenterology; diagnosis and long term management of

Legislators urged to pass anti-tobacco bill

•Governor Godswill Akpsbio explaining some points to Dr. Yemi Johson of Cadiocare Medical Services Ltd, after signing MoU with the Akwa Ibom State Government to Manage the Ibom 20th Anniversary Specialist Hospital.

HE outbreak of bird flu, aka avian influenza, in some parts of the country will not pose any threat to public health, the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has said. PAN president Dr Ayoola Oduntan, said the disease is wellcontrolled, adding that the type, which occurred in the country, does not kill. He said the type of bird flu in Nigeria does not pose any threat to lives because “it is only a disease of birds, which rarely affects man”. According to him, there are 15 sub-types of avian influenza. Only two are capable of affecting humans. “The two deadly types of bird flu have never occurred in Nigeria before,” he added.

NON GOVERNMENTAL organisation (NGO) is pushing for the passage of the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB). The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) said Nigeria is among the 180 countries that signed the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) treaty 10 years ago, to control the use and sale of tobacco products. The organisation spoke on the 10th anniversary of the treaty. ERA’s Director, Corporate Accountability and Administration, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the occasion should be a re-commitment to fighting the devastating health, social, economic and environmental consequences of tobacco and tobacco use. He said Nigeria’s effort to domesticate the treaty in form of the National Tobacco Control Bill (NTCB) has suffered setbacks, adding: “For instance, in 2011 when it went

‘Don’t panic over bird flu outbreak’ By Wale Adepoju

Explaining how they become deadly, Oduntan said each of them must mutate before it can become harmful enough to pose any risk to man. He advised people, especially farmers, to check for symptoms of bird flu, which include chicken’s ruffled feather or soft-shelled eggs. Others are when chicken is depressed and shows droopiness or when there is sudden drop in egg production. There is also loss of appetite, cyanosis (purplish-blue colouring) of wattles and comb, edema as well as swelling of head,

eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks. The chickens could also have symptoms of green diarrhoea, blood-tinged discharge from nostrils, in-coordination, including loss of ability to walk and stand and pinpoint hemorrhages (most easily seen on the feet and shanks). Also, there is respiratory distress, increased death losses in a flock, sudden death and nasal discharges. The association said the outbreak is subsiding, adding that it was better managed than the one, which occurred in 2006. Oduntan said the simple method of curtailing the spread is having

inflammatory bowel diseases (ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s); diagnostic and therapeutic gastrointestinal endoscopy (gastroscopy and colonoscopy); investigation and management of dyspepsia, IBS and change in bowel habit; pancreatic and liver diseases and the latest Capsule endoscopy. He is leading development of IBD services and is the principal investigator of IBD studies. He is also regional lead for Bowel cancer screening.

bio-security in place to nip the disease in the bud. “Also, any farm with weak biosecurity needs to ensure that it is strengthened. By so doing, the disease would be prevented,” he said. The PAN chair said most places affected by the outbreak are mushroom farms where bio-security in either poor or non-existent. He said the disease is not new in most advanced countries, such as the United States, Britain and Thailand as well as Egypt, among others but is treated as a mere disease of birds without much dust being raised over it. “Nobody in those countries

By Wale Adepoju

through the readings, scaled Public Hearings and was passed by the Senate and House of Representatives it was not signed by President Goodluck Jonathan.” Oluwafemi said there is a renewed attempt to pass the bill by legislators, adding: “It is still suffering from tobacco industry attempts to ensure only a weak legislation is passed.” He also said: “As we join the rest of the world to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the FCTC we are renewing our call for the National Assembly to pass the NTCB into law without further delays” “The health of our citizens continues to hang in the balance as the National Assembly delays the passage of the bill. The tobacco industry is very content with the delays and hiccups bedeviling the passage. The anniversary should therefore be a wakeup call for our lawmakers to expedite action and take this life-saving treaty serious” is shouting about it, rather they control the epidemic and they keep moving on,” he said. Oduntan spoke of eggs being produced by chickens as the most nutritious food next to breast milk, adding that people should not because of the incident stop eating it. “It is excellent for the foetus, children and expectant mothers as well as everybody,” he said. The sector, he said, has provided jobs for no fewer than 12 million people across the country, adding that it can employ more people with the government’s help. He said people through their criticism, which is not constructive, have been pulling the sector down since the outbreak.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

HEALTH

Registrar warns pharmacists against breaching ethics

HARMACISTS have been warned against breaking on the ethics of the profession. According to the Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Mr. Elijah Mohammed, any errant pharmacist would be punished. Such defaulting pharmacists will be made to face PCN’s disciplinary committee and sanctioned, if found guilty. Mohammed told rporters in Lagos: “The system is faced with moral and ethical crisis arising from decades of neglect, disobedience and passivity by many which have produced a culture of pharmacy practice that lacks selfactualisation, control and the true commitment to the ethics of the profession. The system is bedeviled with landmark legislation and executive recklessness, a situation that has assumed illegality on demand and removed the essence of pharmacy practice from the public arena.” He likened the system to, “the Nollywood industry with all shades of actors acting various scripts to suit a hodgepodge of producers and directors alike. The pharmacy practice has long suffered from a generational gap with little genuine appreciation, understanding and co-operation between the older and younger generations of practitioners.” Mohammed said there was the need to bring together these generations to infuse them with common vision, a unified sense of purpose and recognition of their mutual independence. “These generations moving together towards a shared goal, can accomplish more than each of them could achieve separately. What it would take to lose everything was for one generation to fail in transferring its beliefs and principles to the next. The consequence of this was for the practice standing now at crossroads where it either turns back to the god of pharmacy, for redemption or face

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

greater deterioration and ultimately self-extinction,” he stated. “We are going to move from transactional to transformational leadership structure in the system. Transformation leadership, occurs when all concerned subscribe to the core values of integrity, honesty, dedication and transformation. Revolution rarely begins suddenly. Instead, it grows over time as people become less satisfied with the conditions as they are. One incidence will lead to another and tension mounts until finally catalytic event becomes the flash point that propels them into action”. He said: “These critical times call for radical response from people of conscience. Traditional means, methods and modes of thoughts and actions, are insufficient to meet the needs of the present hour. A more drastic approach, therefore, is required. In every generation, people of conscience usually come forth from within to bring about a change for good. These people are men and women who are satisfied with nothing less than undivided devotion to the good of humanity, uncompromising obedience to the will of doing what is right and an unflinching engagement with a culture that is hostile to all things of good conscience”. The Registrar said there is a need for resultoriented regulation, monitoring and controlling activities for all aspect of pharmacy practice in Nigeria including the education and training of pharmacists and pharmacy-related personnel through the use of highly motivated officials, backed with adequate logistics and cutting-edge technology. ‘As a professional body’, he asked rhetorically, “must we wait for this to happen before we know that things must change for good?

• Mohammed

• Nwakwo

Mohammed lamented that, “The pharmacy profession and indeed the nation has watched, mostly in silence, as the voice of reasoning and the laws of the practice have been progressively legislated out of the public arena just as the gladiators worship at the altar of greed, materialism and selfishness to perpetuate the malevolent deeds. My mission is a revolution devoid of violence and destruction but of love, professional sanctification and radical devotion to what is good that can bring the pharmacy community out of the woods. This is only achievable through a process of self and systemic transformation and actualisation. “The way forward, is for the system to create the opportunity for self-transformation through training and re-training, education and mass enlightenment campaign. That, is the only way to elicit the spirit of self-conviction and embedment of the mentality of ‘what must we do to be saved, the passion for and to do good for humanity which is the essence of the pharmacy practice’. Other ways, he said, will be to motivate the people to solve problems through collective

responsibility and empowerment rather than reinforcing the over-lordship of the state on citizens. He said:”We should see ourselves as a bridge generation that builds on the past, lives in the present and plans for the future”. On his intention, Mohammed said: “I am here to rebuild the pharmacy practice, the civic office is too serious to be entrusted in the hands of charlatans, when serious people turned away from leadership roles, the field will be left to those who have nothing to offer than crass opportunism and damage to the people’s wellbeing. I call on all pharmacists to embrace the oath taken and abide by the ethics of the practice because there is no room for compromise again, under the new administration.” The Chairman; Bruno Nwakwo, said all fields of pharmaceutical practice will be visited and regulated, “we are in the business of healing through medicines. So let all pharmacists, especially in the clinical and community practices, cross check prescription brought to them by patients, so that wrong prescriptions can be tracked and patients saved.”

Airtel unveils 7979 Ebola shortcode for Africa

OLLOWING its partnership with the African Union (AU) Commission on the fight against Ebola in West Africa, Airtel Nigeria has dedicated new SMS short-code, 7979, to raise funds and drive awareness for the initiative. The initiative, operating under the hash tag ‘#AfricaAgainstEbola’, will use the 7979 dedicated platform to raise funds for the deployment of African health workers to affected countries. To support the initiative, Airtel customers are encouraged to send ‘StopEbola’ as an SMS and as a single word to the short-code, 7979 at N100 (One Hundred Naira) per SMS. All monies realised from the SMS campaign will be donated totally to the AU Fund set up to kick

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

Ebola out of Africa. Thus far, Ebola has claimed over 9,637 lives across some parts of West Africa since it was first reported in Guinea in December 2013. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), this is the largest outbreak on the continent, affecting mostly Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said Airtel Nigeria is committed to the partnership with the African Union on the initiative as this is in sync with the company’s CSR strategy of touching and saving lives. According to him, “as a major stakeholder with operations in 17

African countries, we are intensely interested in the communities and people we serve just as we are passionate about creating platforms to uplift the less privileged. This partnership with AU provides a fine opportunity for all of us at Airtel Nigeria to join in kicking Ebola out of Africa”. Mr. Ogunsanya had also donated mobile phones, sim cards and airtime to all the 290 Nigerian doctors, nurses and other care-givers, who have volunteered to join the fight against Ebola. He urged other private sector organisations to join the telecommunication operators in the effort to raise funds and awareness for the fight against Ebola, which has brought grief to many families in West Africa.

Group urges review of HIV treatment for students

HE Programme Manager, Positive Action for Treatment Access, Francis Umoh, has called for the decentralisation of the voluntary and counselling and treatment centre (VCT) to rural areas. This is to increase the awareness and access to treatment of HIV and AIDS by youths. Umoh spoke at the health seminar and free medical fair organised by E-Hon for Health Initiative (EHI), a sub-project of the Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative (CYFI). It is an initiative established by the United States Consulate, Lagos organised for over 500 students drawn three education districts in Lagos. The programme featured seminar talk on drug abuse, HIV and AIDS awareness, free medical test and distribution of school books, mathematical sets and counselling session from young leaders. According to him, the only way to identify new cases of HIV infection and provide the needed support at the grassroot particularly among youths is the

By Adeola Ogunlade

decentralisaton of (VCT) centres in rural areas where we have high cases of infection. Umoh said although there are comprehensive care services for HIV and AIDS patients in secondary and tertiary hospitals, “The promotion of VCT at the primary healthcare centre is the entry point for the reduction of HIV and AIDS infection. The first point of call is to promote VCT for HIV patient at the primary health centre because it is the first call of entry of HIV infection and we have to reach the youth wherever they are”, he said. He cited a recent research conducted by PATA in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Health and UNICEF, stating that many HIV positive secondary school students are dropping out of the treatment circle because of the challenge of transportation, and structure created around the VCT that is not friendly to them”.

In her words, the team leader of the fair, Kikilope Olarore said that the project was established to provide an interactive e-Health information dissemination platform that will enlighten and engage at least 5,000 adolescents in Lagos on adolescent-relevant healthcare issues through SMS social media, radio drama and a concluding Medical Fair. She said that the project which started officially with support and authorisation from the Lagos State Ministry of Education in July 2014 is currently engaging at least 2,500 adolescents and secondary school students through SMS and social media across 11 schools in the 6 Education Districts in Lagos. The Health information sent through SMS and social media platforms (especially Facebook and 2go) is based on sexual reproductive health, substance abuse and general hygiene. “The secondary schools are also visited periodically for further engagement with students, advocacy and counseling as required’, she said.

Stakeholders move against neurological disease

HEN would a cure be found for multiple system atrophy (MSA), a rare neurological disease, which affects five out of 100,000 people across the world? This is the question many are asking. Patients, families and friends, among other stakeholders are seeking ways to stop further deaths from this disease. Every year, March is declared the awareness month to sensitise people on the disease. Many Nigerians have died from this ‘strange’ disease, and as a result , a nongovernmental Organisation (NGO), Funmi Fashina Foundation (FFF) and other stakeholders are determined to raise awareness on MSA. According to the organisation, very little is known about MSA in the country, even among medical practitioners. For this reason, the organisation said it has joined other stakeholders worldwide to raise awareness and to find cure for the disease. It further said: “It is an opportunity to boost awareness for MSA and to unite in defeating this dreaded disease.” A neurologist at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL), Prof Njideka Okubadejo said the disease has no known cure. According to her, about five out of 100,000 Nigerians are also living with the disease based on global statistics because the country has no data of her own.

By Wale Adepoju

She said the disease presently has no known risk factors, cause, remission or cure, adding that it is characterised by problems with movement, balance, Ataxia and other autonomic dysfunctions. MSA, she said, usually progresses more quickly than Parkinson’s disease, stressing that there is no remission from the disease. “The average remaining lifespan after the commencement of symptoms in patients with MSA is 7.9 years. Almost 80 per cent of patients are disabled within five years of onset of the motor symptoms, and only 20 per cent survive past 12 years,” she said. Prof Okubadejo said the rate of progression differs in every case and speed of decline may vary widely in individual patients. To provide better management for patients, the foundation has organised different programmes, such as training of doctors and other health workers. FFF carried out awareness treks/ walks to sensitise the public in Ikoyi/ Victoria Island, Surulere and Maryland, as well as Ikeja. The foundation was established in the memory of Mrs Oluwafunmilayo Khafasat Fashina and is geared towards providing awareness on this health condition; support individuals and groups with MSA, as well as their families and on-going MSA research.

LUTH conducts free eye screening

HE Guinness Eye Centre, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) will provide free glaucoma screening to the public starting from today, to commemorate the World Glaucoma week celebration. Venue is the Guinness Eye Centre from 9.00am to 4.00pm. The three day programme will end on Thursday, March,12. According to the Head, Corporate Services, Mrs Hope Nwawolo,

the programme is part of the hospital’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and is geared towards helping to raise awareness for glaucoma which is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. “The general public is hereby invited to take part in this free exercise as early detection is one of the preventive measures to prevent blindness from the disease,” she stated.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

ENERGY

Indigenous firms float aviation fuel company

IX indigenous oil firms have pooled resources to set up a Joint Users Hydrant Installation (JUHI 2) firm to enable them have a large chunk of the aviation fuel market, which is dominated by International Oil Companies (IOCs). The firms are Masters Energy Limited, CITA Petroleum Limited, ASCON Oil Nigeria Limited, ARCON Petroleum, Ibafo Oil and Techno Oil. Multinational oil giants, such as Mobil, Texaco, Chevron and Total built the JUHI 1. Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and British Petroleum, which metamorphosed into African Petroleum (AP) and later Forte Oil. Director, CITA Petroleum Limited, Mr. Thomas Ogunbangbe, said the building of JUH1 2 by the firms was part of efforts to establish the local oil firms in the aviation fuel business. He said foreign firms have dominated the business for decades, adding that the indigenous firms have built Joint Users Hydrant Installation(JUHI 2) platform to check the dominance of oil majors in the country. Ogunbangbe said the firms spent billions of naira to provide the facility, adding that they have stamped their feet in that segment of the market.

By Akinola Ajibade

He said the aviation fuel installation platform has boosted the market and serve as alternative to the one built by international oil firms. He said: “Joint Users Hydrant Installation 2 is wholly owned by the Nigerian companies as part of strategies to provide uninterrupted fuel supply to airline operators and further win more market share. The project is massive because it costs the firms billions of naira to provide it. Six companies were behind the project. They are ARCON Petroleum, ASCON Oil, Masters Energy, Techno Oil, Ibafo Oil and CITA Petroleum.’’ Ogunbangbe said the JUHI 2 was located a few metres to CITA fuel storage plant at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. He said that oil firms get their fuel through the pipelines constructed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure uninterrupted supply of the product. “There is a pipeline from Atlas Cove to Mosimi to the airport. The first JUHI was built by foreign oil firms, while the second one was constructed by local oil companies. To protect the pipelines from destruction, NNPC has provided a station around the airport

to monitor the pipelines and further ensure that fuel was distributed to the oil companies,” he added. The spokesman of Masters Energy Limited, Emmanuel Iheanacho, said his firm is one of the stakeholders that put up JUHI 2 to supply fuel to airline operators. A consortium of oil marketing firms provided the facility, adding: “Masters Energy is one of the partners in JUH1 2 project. The facility was in line with the aspiration of the oil firms to record growth.” The Lagos Zonal Trustee, Independent Marketers Branch of NUPENG, Kofoworola Oladehinde, said Mosimi is one of the biggest oil storage facility that supplies NNPC depots in Ejigbo (Lagos), Apata in Ibadan (Oyo State), Ilorin depot and others. The NNPC constructed pipeline from Mosimi to some parts of Lagos to enable it supply petroleum products to users. “What I know is that pipelines were run from Atlas Cove to Mosimi depot where I work, to some designated places in Lagos. It is possible there are pipelines connecting Lagos airport with Mosimi depot. Aviation fuel is different from the ordinary fuel used by vehicles. Even if a pipeline from Atlas Cove supplies airport with fuel, it still needs to be treated to fit into use of aircraft,” he added.

‘Non-passage of PIB delaying investments in oil, gas sector’

HERE has not been any major investment in the oil and gas sector in the last four years, due to the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Frontier Oil Limited, Dada Thomas, has said. He said Nigerians should hold the lawmakers responsible for the non-passage of the PIB. Thomas said: “I don’t believe that the bill would be passed into law before this National Assembly goes. I think the PIB will have to be addressed by the incoming National Assembly.’’ He said as long as there is uncertainty surrounding the bill’s passage, the exploration and production firms might not want to invest. “The damage is that there has not been any exploration in Nigeria to find new oil or gas reserves. We need to make sure that the cloud of uncertainty, which is the lack of passage of the PIB is removed so that people know, the rule of the game. With the uncertainty removed, the regulators will be able to know what their roles and responsibilities are, and every stakeholder, including the communities, will know the rules of the game in the operation of the industry,” he said. Thomas urged political leaders to put politics aside and think of the economic well-being of the people and the nation. He said: “They should put politics aside and do what is good for Nigerians

By Ambrose Nnaji

and investors so that we have a bill that would address all the concerns and needs of the various stakeholders including the investors. We need to show commitment to the growth of the industry.” Also, the Managing Director, Treasure Energy Resources Limited, Rivers State owned Oil and Gas Company, Eddie Wikina, in a telephone interview, agreed that the government is prolonging investments in the country due to the non-passage of the bill. He also listed corruption and insecurity as other major factors affecting investments in the sector. According to him, if the bill is passed into law, it will help to check corruption in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). He said that the government has misapplied the funds appropriated to the corporation by put them in wrong priority areas. Since the NNPC is not autonomous of the Federal Government, it acts on instructions. Wikina claimed the government was aware of this and continued to play down the passage of the bill. “Such a bill as the PIB has been shrouded in so much secrecy that certain unscrupulous elements begin to profit from the quagmire. Such a bill should be openly debated in the Senate and passed immediately in the interest of the nation,” he stated, urging the lawmakers to pass the bill before they go in May.

More gas filling stations coming

•From left: General Manager, Human Capital, CITA Aviation Fueling Company, Mr. Ola Azeez Ogungbangbe and General Manager, Operations, Mr. Olasimbo Betiku, during a media parley on development in the aviation fuel market in Lagos.

HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will provide more outlets that will sell Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to users of cars that run on such gas, the Group Executive Director, Gas & Power, NNPC, Dr. David Ige, has said. At a stakeholders’forum in Lagos, Ige said the development became necessary to enable users get the product to fuel cars. He said a pilot scheme on the use of compressed natural gas for cars was initiated in Benin City, the Edo State capital by NNPC, adding that the scheme was a success. He said: “About Compressed Natural Gas for cars, let me give you a brief analysis of what NNPC has done. The Corporation started a pilot project in Benin City and it was successful. There are six gas filling stations in Benin City. There are over 4,000 cars running on natural gas in Benin. It is possible to drive a vehicle

By Akinola Ajibade

from Benin to Lagos on gas. NNPC would replicate this in other parts of the country soon. We would make sure that we make progress in that direction.” Ige said a new gas station was opened on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to enable people buy gas for their cars. He said there was low awareness on compressed natural gas, promising that NNPC would do something on it. “It is quite unfortunate that many people do not know that there are cars that use natural gas in the country,” he added. He said the government is committed to the development of the nation’s gas industry, adding that more people would access gas for their cars soon. According to him, efforts are being made to ensure that people use gas for socio-economic activities, noting that Nigeria has gas that is enough to met the growing needs of the populace.

How legal tussle is hindering acquisition of Chevron’s assets

LEGAL tussle is delaying the planned acquisition of Cheron’s divested oil blocks by Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Amni International Petroleum Development Company Limited, Belema Oil Limited. The planned acquisition is expected to boost indigenous participation in the exploration and production (E&P) segment of the oil and gas industry. A source told The Nation that it is important for the parties to resolve the issue amicably in the interest of the industry. The problem started in 2013 when Chevron Nigeria Limited put up for sale three acreages oil mining leases (OMLs) 52, 53 and 55. the oil giant said it would sell the three oil blocks to one preferred bidder. Over 30 firms bidded for the assets.

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

When the bids were opened, Brittania-U bidded $1.6 billion, it later revised it to $1.015 billion; while the Seplat Consortium consisting of Seplat, Amni and Belema bidded $800 million. The consortium, which was declared the preferred bidder, signed the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) on November 28, last year with Chevron. Not satisfied with the outcome of the deal, the highest bidder, Brittania-U went to court, seeking an injunction to restrain Chevron from selling the oil blocks to the Seplat Consortium. The High Court in Lagos granted Brittania-U’s prayers; it further granted an extension while the issue of jurisdiction was pending. The Seplat Consortium went to the Appeal

Court to challenge the High Court’s injunction. The Appeal court ruled in Seplat’s favour and vacated the injunction but Brittania-U headed for the Supreme Court to contest the appeal. But Chevron and Seplat Consortium obtained Ministerial Consent for the deal when injunction was not in effect and on February 5, last year, they announced that they had completed the acquisition of 40 per cent interest in OML 53 with NNPC holding 60 per cent. Seplat was named as the operator. Seplat also acquired 56.25 per cent equity interest in Belema to provide financial and technical support to Belema. But on February 24, this year, Hon. Justice Fabiyi of the Supreme Court of Nigeria after listening to a request by Rickey Tarfa (SAN), lawyer to Brittania

U, who urged the apex court to grant an interlocutory injunction requesting Chevron to stay action on the transfer of the assets, OML 52, 53 and 55 to Amni, Seplat and Belema Oil, and to Chevron/Seplat’s lawyer D. D. Dodo (SAN) told them to advise their clients to respect the court’s order and not take any action that would affect the case. The contending parties are awaiting the Supreme Court. The defence, however, said that since the Ministerial Consent was obtained when the injunction was vacated, the law was respected. It also added that Chevron didn’t say the assets would be given to the highest bidder but to the preferred bidder. Stakeholders have been asking why similar transactions were carried out and concluded by

Shell without any problem while Chevron’s is enmeshed in controversy. Shell sold its interests in OMLs 4, 38 and 41 to Seplat, a special purpose vehicle (SPV), formed by Shebah and Platform Petroleum. The Chief Executive Officer of Seplat Austin Avuru said: “Seplat as company that prides itself with corporate governance and due process will not do anything that offends the laws of this country. We went through a very rigorous process of bidding for an asset from Chevron and we signed Sales and Purchase Agreement with Chevron. We ran the full course and got the ministerial approval, concluded the transaction with Chevron. We broke no laws, whatsoever.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

THE NATION

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

BUSINESS PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com 08062722507

property@thenationonlineng.net muyiwalucas2002@yahoo.com

Several government housing schemes have been criticised as unaffordable by those they were meant for. But the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is insisting that it has made concerted efforts at delivering affordable houses, writes MUYIWA LUCAS

HE passion with which the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, has talked about her plans to house Nigerians and reduce the country’s 17 million housing deficit is infectious. She is always quick to flaunt her milestones in the sector, which she claims included reduction in housing deficit, improvement in the quality of houses delivered and increased affordability. These feats, according to her, have been achieved through the construction of 61, 000 units of houses in the four years of the present administration; the flag off of 100, 000 housing units across the country, including the creation of 23, 000 new housing mortgages; projected four million houses in three years; foreign direct investment and energising the biggest housing development by the private sector in Nigeria. In trying to reduce the deficit in housing, Mrs. Eyakenyi explained that her ministry encouraged direct funding through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) and the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). This aspect, it is believed, is where the establishment of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) has a role to play. The NMRC has the responsibility to take charge of refinancing the mortgage institutions to provide affordable housing to Nigerians. The NMRC is said to have offered 23, 000 new mortgages and 10,000 new housing units so far. Mrs Eyakenyi said the flag-off of the first 20,000 units out of the 100,000 housing units, which according to her are specifically for workers, was done in Apo, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), last year.

PPP and Financing Mrs. Eyakenyi said the 10,000 hous-

•Private housing schemes: how affordable are they?

Building affordable houses for all ing units project took off in Abuja at Gwagwalada, and was undertaken by a Signature Company from Dubai. Aside this, she said there are private developers who also come up with housing projects. She explained that there is cordial relationship with the World Bank through the Ministry of Finance. The NMRC, she said, has got from the World Bank about $300million to be repaid in 30 years at zero interest rate. This is to help the re-inauguration of the mortgage institutions in the country to support the housing sector. Developers, she said, will be investing about N300 million in the 20, 000 housing units in Apo for the initial take-off of the project, while the ones in Gwagwalada being handled by Signature homes from Dubai, is going to put up about 4,000 housing units with a budget of about $80 million for one developer. Other developers, numbering about 10, the Minister explained, will be contributing 200 housing units. “We also have other developers about to mobilise to site and we are processing their docu-

mentation, the signing of MoU before they are taken to site of about 200 hectares of land to ensure we give each developer, depending on their financial strength and what each its interested in delivering, to ensure timely delivery,” she said.

Affordability Mrs.Eyakenyi said when considering the affordability of a house, the various cadres of civil servants and target for them play a vital role. She said: “For a low income person on level three to four, earning may be N20,000 in a month over a period of time, what level of a home can such a person own through his or her own finance afford?” She said such consideration made the ministry to provide a one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, including studio apartment, that is, one-bedroom portable home that a bachelor can stay conveniently with toilet/bathroom closet and kitchen cabinet. She assured that once the cadre has been identified, the government will fix prices to fit into the different cadre at subsidised cost. “Why I say subsidised is that government will provide the land free of charge and the government through the ministry will do different types’ de-

Firm commits to quality housing

ORTHRIGHT Properties Limited, owners of Forth right Gardens, has reaffirmed its commitment to reducing Nigeria’s housing deficit. The company has flagged off the sales of its site, the Forthright Gardens Annex, a servicedplot estate located at Km 14, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, behind Punch Place, Magboro. Its Managing Director, Mr. Isaac Akintoye, said: “We intend to reduce Nigeria’s housing deficit by supporting the government in its effort to provide stan-

dard and pocket-friendly housing to Nigerians.” He assured prospective buyers and investors of value for their money, adding that they stand to enjoy services and facilities such as: global C of O; 24-hours security to be provided by well-trained officers; perimeter fencing and gate; road network and drainage; serene and beautiful landscape; dedicated transformer; flood/security lighting; ample parking facility; intercom system linked with the estate security post; active recreation/green area; standard plots; mortgage facil-

ity and instalment, among others. Forthright Gardens Annex is the second phase of its project, after the first phase had recorded huge success and patronage from Nigerians. Akintoye said: “Forthright Properties Limited has a growing capacity to contribute its quota to meet the housing demands of Nigerians, as it is evidently clear that government alone cannot meet this. To this end, we are promoting construction of more housing units for Nigerians,” he said.

sign, electrical, mechanical then bill of quantity and the cost of doing that is on government. “Apart from that, supervision, which is the most important thing to ensure that the standard is maintained, is done by professionals in the ministry free of charge. So, that takes off part of construction cost and at the end of the day we will be left only with the cost of materials; the labour for the construction. “If it is a private developer who handles it, the highest is to top up with 50 per cent, at least to compensate for the time and the resources he or she will bring to do the construction. So, that is a way to put the cost of construction at a very low rate and that is what we meant by affordable. Again, the rate at which a private developer will build to sell is different from the rate the government sells, because government incurs that cost of land, supervision and all.”

Curbing building collapse She said the ministry is making serious move to curb building collapse in the country, adding that this led to the review of the country’s building code, but not being implemented. She regretted that some contractors ignored laid down specifications for putting up structures which usually lead to building collapse. “When the mixture of sand outweighs the cement, the building may collapse after a short while, either because of heat or excessive down pour. There are standards for laying foundation for one-bedroom, a flat or for laying a foundation for a storey building, the rods, concretes are all part of the standard that must be adhered to,” she explained. However, the ministry has addressed stakeholders to ensure

•Mrs Eyakenyi

that the building code ethics are strictly followed to curtail building collapse in the country.

Challenges so far Notwithstanding the lofty initiatives and the seeming inflow of private developers into the sector, there are still challenges. “The challenges I have faced, borders on funding to go out and look for developers and partner with government and Nigerians to also come to partner, I think basically that is our major challenge, because when you talk about building, you need funding,” Mrs. Eyakenyi said. Besides,the ministry not having a land of its own constitutes another challenge. It pays to acquire land for its projects. “We now go to the state governors for them to partner with us because the federal government is bringing projects to their states. All we need is for them to acquire land as compensation and give us the C of O and a letter of exchange, then we will now call in the developers to put up a structure for the benefit of the people of the state, however, some states have not responded,” Mrs Eyakenyi said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 09-03-15

Nigerian equities open with modest rally T RADING resumed yes terday at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on broad bullish sentiments as investors continued to take positions ahead of release of more corporate earnings. With 28 advancers to 18 decliners, aggregate market value of all quoted equities on the NSE added N50 billion in new capital gains. Market analysts said the sustained uptrend was due to bargain-hunting and positioning by investors scouting for high dividend yields and capital appreciation in anticipation of impressive company results for 2014. The benchmark index at the NSE, the All Share Index (ASI), appreciated by 146.56 points or 0.47 per cent to close at 31,195.93 points as against its opening index of 31,049.37 points. Aggregate market value of quoted equities rose by N50 billion to

By Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

close at N10.410 trillion compared with its opening value of N10.360 trillion. Price trend analysis showed that Cadbury recorded the highest price gain of N3.38 to close at N41.28 per share. It was trailed by UACN, which gained N1.21 to close at N36.73. Julius Berger appreciated by N1.01 to close at N44 per share. Guinness Nigeria rose by 85 kobo to close at N129 while Nigerian Breweries chalked up 80 kobo to close at N145.95 per share. On the downside, Mobil Oil Nigeria led the losersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; chart with a loss of N8 to close at N153 per share. Presco lost N1.53 to close at N29.24. Ashaka Cement dropped by

60 kobo to close at N17.90 per share. PZ Cussons declined by 56 kobo to close at N27.43 while Ikeja Hotel dropped 30 kobo to close at N4 per share. Total turnover stood at N5.04 billion on 466.163 million shares in 5,601 deals. Banks dominated the activities chart with Zenith Bank emerging the most traded equity with 71.61 million shares valued at N1.60 billion. FBN Holdings followed with 67.94 million shares worth N608.63 million. FCMB Group placed third with 55.53 million shares valued N132.84 million. Diamond Bank traded 39.61 million shares valued at N181.40 million. United Bank for Africa (UBA) recorded a turnover of 39.30 million shares worth N161.51 million.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 09-03-15

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

MONEYLINK

Naira falls to N199/$ as further devaluation looms Stories by Collins Nweze

•CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

HE naira yesterday fell by 1.5 per cent to N199.10 per dollar before it recovered to trade at N199.01. The naira is depreciating for a seventh day to the weakest level since January 1999,

extending losses this year to 7.8 per cent, the most among 24 currencies tracked by Bloomberg. “Traders are seeing higher uncertainties in the market with the postponement of the election. There is speculation on the naira with many buying dollars in anticipation of imminent devaluation before the election or after,” said Lanre Buluro, head of research at Primera Africa Securities Ltd. Investors are delaying decisions to commit money to Nigeria as escalating violence by the Islamist group Boko Haram in the northeastern region prompted the

electoral commission to push back the vote by six weeks to March 28. The Central Bank of Nigeria reduced foreign-exchange reserves to a threeyear low in a bid to defend the naira with dollar sales. In November, policy makers weakened the midpoint of the official exchange rate to 168 per dollar from 155 and raised the benchmark borrowing cost to a record 13 per cent. The CBN will probably intervene by selling dollars to contain the naira’s decline, said Primera’s Buluro. “The naira is becoming a campaign tool for the opposition party, the authorities

will want to do everything to provide support,” he said. Yields on Nigeria’s $500 million of Eurobonds due July 2023 climbed seven basis points to 7.45 per cent, the highest since Feb. 2. The 195member Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index fell 0.3 per cent, declining a fourth day. The gauge is down 16 per cent this year, the most among 93 primary equity indexes tracked by Bloomberg. The Global X MSCI Nigeria Exchange Traded Fund had a record $2.6 million of inflows last week, increasing assets to $17 million in the fund that was started in April 2013

Enterprise Bank unveils loan scheme

NTERPRISE Bank has introduced a unique product specially designed to cater for, unions and cooperatives in line with the bank’s commitment to continually delight her growing clientele across the country. The product, named “Union & Cooperative Loan Scheme,” offers credit facilities to employees who belong to the same union or cooperative association in an organization. Enterprise Bank announced in a statement that subscribers to the loan, which features a reasonable interest and a group life assurance, will access various sums, which are available with repayment tenures of

Access Bank, British Airways partner on reward initiative A CCESS Bank Plc in col laboration with Brit ish Airways has launched a Reward Initiative that offers discount to the lender’s Visa Card holders when they purchase of British Airways tickets using their cards. The scheme allows the bank’s cardholders stand the chance to get a 35 per cent discount on all flight tickets to any route flown by British Airways from either Lagos or Abuja. The 35 per

cent discount is applicable to all ticket classes including Business, Premium Economy and Economy. Speaking at the launch of the product, Segun Ogbonnewo, Head, Channels Group, Access Bank Plc, said the partnership with British Airways is aimed at improving the lifestyle of the Bank’s customers noting that payments for ticket bookings can also be made online

with the use of Access Visa Card. “Access Bank and British Airways agreed to introduce this Reward Initiative into Nigeria’s financial landscape in line with the Financial Inclusion initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) even as it serves as a platform to bring more and more of the under-banked and unbanked into the world of banking,” he said.

Head, Card Products at the Access Bank Head Office, Justin Ijeh said: “The Access Bank, British Airways Reward Initiative will help customers Pay, Fly and Save. Customers with Access Visa Card can Pay for flights in the convenience of their home or office, fly with a renowned and trusted airline and save up to 35 per cent on all fares. This is something we are proud to champion.” The lender through this ingenious offering is reaffirming its position as a leading

•Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe and innovative player in the Nigerian and African Financial markets.

up to three years. According to the statement, the “Union & Cooperative Loan Scheme,” is a product that has been carefully crafted for associations and unions in organizations like local governments, government agencies, schools, health institutions, companies among others.Such organisations are expected to provide the bank with a level of guarantee to ensure monthly deductions from the members of the borrowing association throughout the tenor of the facility among others. Enterprise Bank that is currently in a business combination exercise with Heritage Bank to serve its customers more satisfactorily in a strong, bigger and better bank has been consistently introducing new products and services that serve the different strata of society, including undergraduates, young university graduates, youth corps members, young business entrepreneurs, farmers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) just to mention a few. The introduction of these products, the statement added, is in the spirit of the promise by the financial institution to constantly seek new ways of improving the standard of living and lifestyle of the people.

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

126.04 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.63 1.39 1,744.73 1,104.77 112.34 121.16 1.67 1.29 1.32 0.95 1.17

125.82 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.62 1.33 1,744.73 1,104.00 111.75 120.30 1.62 1.28 1.32 0.93 1.17

ECONOMIC INDICATORS FOREX RATES (NairaVs Dollar) February 23, 2015

Inflation: December

Monetary Policy Rate

Interbank ($/N)

199.00

Black Market ($/N)

215.00

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

$33.2b

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

$60.91

London Inter-bank Offered Rates (LIBOR)

Tenor Money Supply (M2)

GAINERS AS AT 02-03-15

SYMBOL JBERGER ETERNA UACN UBN AGLEVENT UBCAP CONTINSURE CHAMPION FBNH FIDELITYBK

O/PRICE 39.98 2.51 37.00 8.92 1.09 1.33 0.82 5.07 7.61 1.22

C/PRICE 44.00 2.69 38.84 9.36 1.14 1.39 0.85 5.20 7.80 1.25

CHANGE 4.02 0.18 1.84 0.44 0.05 0.06 0.03 0.13 0.19 0.03

LOSERS AS AT 02-03-15

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

ACADEMY NASCON OANDO MANSARD FO STANBIC CUSTODYINS UBA AIICO WEMABANK NB

1.11 6.46 13.90 2.85 223.00 25.75 3.90 3.75 0.74 0.96 139.00

C/PRICE 1.06 6.20 13.35 2.76 216.10 25.07 3.80 3.66 0.73 0.95 137.74

CHANGE -0.05 -0.26 -0.55 -0.09 -6.90 -0.68 -0.10 -0.09 -0.01 -0.01 -1.26

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

15.033

15.977

15.809

17.177

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 TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

SHOWBIZ Why I shun AGN, by Yemi Solade

OLLYWOOD actress, Genevieve Nnaji, fulfilled her promise of having a dinner with 11 fans, who have been selected from some Nigerian universities. The initiative was part of a build-up towards the justconcluded Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA) of which the actress is an ambassador of the lead sponsoring brand, Amstel Malta, a product of Nigerian Breweries Plc. The lucky fans; Bare Mitchel Uzuajeme, Jesse Bankole, Aribisala Ayobami, Kalu Nnamdi, Korie Priscaline, Ode Isaiah, Uniloh Fidelia, Isong Mfoniso Effiong, Okiriguo Princewill Ehis, Mark Jonathan Tukura and Okuku Precious, who are outstanding Theatre Arts students, were excited to join the actress at the exclusive AMVCAs date at Eko Hotel, as part of the all-expense paid trip they enjoyed to the awards show. Genevieve, during the dinner, advised the students on their chosen discipline and shared her experience with them, from the start of her career. ‘This is one experience I’m

• Genevieve with some of her fans

Genevieve dines with fans By Joe Agbro Jr.

so sure not to forget. Listening to her journey to success straight from the horse’s mouth was really inspiring and I know for sure that every effort put into being the best is certainly worth

everything,” Mitchel, a student of University of Lagos. Other universities from where the aspiring actors were picked include University of Benin, University of Abuja, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and University of PortHarcourt.

Impressed by the interaction she had with the students, Genevieve said: “They definitely know what they want and I’m very confident this date was a good step in the right direction. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing them at the top.”

Hubert Ogunde museum opens April

HE family of the late doyen of Nigerian art, Hubert Ogunde, will be opening a museum in honour of the deceased. The gesture is to mark the 25th anniversary of the demise of the late icon of art and culture. Scion of the late sage, Bayo Ogunde, made this known when members of the National Troupe of Nigeria paid him a visit in his Ososa residence on Saturday, March 7.

By Ovwe Medeme

Ogunde said it is a thing of joy that the legacy of the actor, singer and filmmaker still lives, years after his passing. He announced that April 24 has been fixed for the celebrations. Artistic Director of the National Troupe, Akin Adjuwon, said that the body will be collaborating closely with the family on the opening of the museum. “I’m very

impressed with the organisational strength of the family and it really strengthened my belief in the fact that the development of art in traditional African culture is pursued by families. Like Bayo Ogunde, the son of the doyen said today, the artistic calling is not a general one. What I saw today has just confirmed again that maintaining the memory of Hubert Ogunde in this family and the way they are

organising the museum to become a tourist destination is one of our very strong focus,” he said. Accompanying the Director on the trip were Arnold Udoka, Head of Dance and Choreographer of the National Troupe; Hilary Elenu, Deputy Director in charge of Technical Services of the National Troupe; Bisi Ayodele, Head of Administration; artistes and some staff of the agency.

Jos Theatre Festival begins

• Scene from 'The Man Who never Died' by Barrie Satvis, staged at Jos Theatre Festival (2012)

OVERS of theatre in the tin city of Jos can look forward to enjoying a marathon of stage plays, as the ninth edition of the Jos Festival of theatre kicks off today. The Festival which runs to March 14, will showcase a number of plays to be staged at the Alliance Francais premises from 4:30pm to 7pm daily.

By Joe Agbro Jr.

The theme of the festival is ‘Untold Stories…making a difference through the arts.’ The line up starts on Tuesday with a performance of August Wilsons’ King Hedley II,a story on the struggles and secrets warped around a young black man named King Hedley II. King leaves prison and reunites with his

mother and wife, Tonya. He detests his mother’s boyfriend of many years who suddenly resurfaces. King’s wife becomes pregnant but wants an abortion because there is little guarantee King would not end up in jail again. Last Stand, written by Sefi Atta and directed by PatrickJude Oteh, is about a dying old man’s wish to correct past

CD Kah features Reminisce in ‘Kilofa Packaging’ remix

P and coming music artiste, CD Kah, on Monday, dropped the remix of his single, Kilofa Packaging, on major online music sites. The song features Nigerian singer, rapper and song writer Reminisce. CD Kah, who plays RnB Afro hip-hop, is signed under the Qoymoz Gang label gang. According to CD Kah, Kilofa Packaging was born to address people who feel too much about themselves. “Kilofa Packaging is like a slogan,” he said, “referring to people ‘forming’ that they have money, bragging that they are rich but they don’t have nothing.” The artiste, whose real name is Sodiq Oloyede, has been singing since his secondary school days, but went into singing full-time in 2013 and has so far recorded over 50 songs including Aye nlo with Emmashine, Ese ni with K Solo, and shay na bastard with Puffy T. With Aye Nlo, he was able to perform with the likes of Faze, Olu Maintain, Terry G and Klever J.

misdeeds. In the play, General Mashood, after three failed marriages is bogged down by a terminal illness with his sister caring lovingly for me. He desires his son to manage his estate but a strained relationship exists between them. Also scheduled to be staged is Adinoyi Ojo Onukaba’s ‘Body Parts,’ a play that revolves around a group of unemployed young men who create jobs for themselves by selling their body parts. What follows is as hilarious just as it is thought-provoking. Other plays to be performed include Castles In The Air (Barclays Ayakoroma) and The Bonds of Interest (Jacinto Benavente). The festival which has received support from the U.S. Mission, Nigeria, Grand Cereals Limited and others will also feature daily workshops and exhibitions.

• CD Kah

OLLYWOOD actor, Yemi Solade, who is known for his outspokeness, has opened up on why he is not an active member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN). In a recent chat with The Nation, the Madam Dearest actor revealed that AGN merely represents certain interests. “AGN is there to represent the interest of certain people. But it doesn’t represent me. It doesn’t in anyway, because all I do, I do for myself. I fight for my cause. I open my loud mouth to talk about the industry. I talk about what I know. And most of the time, I talk about what happens. I am one of the very few artistes who say things the way they truly are.” Asked to speak on the regime of the current president of the association, Ibinabo Fiberesima, Solade said it is marked by discrimination. “I am a member of AGN no doubt, a dormant one, for all I care. But I think that the division that is prevalent probably is the reason someone like me would not even attend AGN meeting. I don’t like arrogant people and I see a lot of that there. There is no reason for tribalism in the art. I’ve done acting, played roles from different races other than Yoruba that I come from. And I’ve been applauded. I performed before the Omo N’oba N’edo Uku Akpolopolo in 1996/97 and he didn’t believe I don’t have Benin blood. I did Isibueperi and people thought I was Igbo. I did Madam Dearest and people thought I had something to do with Ghana. So, why would anybody in Nigeria think that because I’m not from the East, I shouldn’t be treated fairly well, no I wouldn’t stay there.” Solade further blamed the

By Mercy Michael

division in the Nigeria movie industry on the press, wondering why some Nigerian actors are tagged English and others, Yoruba. “You don’t call Olu Jacobs an English actor and call Yemi Solade a Yoruba actor. I am a Nigerian actor of Yoruba extraction. Olu Jacobs, Omotola Jalade are Yoruba actors. RMD is a Warri, Delta actor. Pete Edochie is an Igbo actor. So why would a journalist say one is an English actor, are they from England? “I’m going to start a crusade and advocacy to begin to correct this anomaly. The tag Yoruba actor or whatever actor is derogatory. You want to relegate me to the background. When I know that I am not a bench warmer. I have been there before a lot of them trained professionally. For me, I will not go to where people don’t appreciate me. There is a popular dictum that says you don’t go to where you are tolerated, you go to where you are celebrated.” On Toyin Aimakhu being Vice President of AGN, he said, “That’s political. Most people who hold political offices are not the active ones in the field because it is when you become less active in the field that you think you want to administer. That is what happens. Ibinabo for instance does not go on location. I can’t remember seeing her in any flick recently, but that doesn’t mean she’s not an actor. Toyin Aimakhu, I don’t know what she does. VP for all I care is an alter ego of the president. Just like a Deputy Governor in a state. They are just there because once the governor is active, what is the role of the deputy?”

• Yemi Solade

Joejo drops Gimme Dat By Ovwe Medeme

UDDING Afropop singer, Usiwoma Joshua, aka Joejo has released a new track titled Gimme Dat. According to the up and coming artiste, the track, which is his first official release for the year 2015, is meant to beam light on the current political state of our country, while also addressing the tragedies befalling the nation. Gimme Dat, Joejo says, features his peers in the industry; Mo Remi a female solo singer with vibrant vocals as well as a young emerging rapper, Gee Wayne. “For now I have just released two songs. My first debut single titled Listen was released late in 2013. I followed it up with a video, which was shot and released in December 2014 when I returned from a brief hiatus. I then released another song that was a prospective hit track. Actually, the song is still trending within and outside the shores of Nigeria. It is titled Happy People,” he said. Joejo embarked on his journey into the entertainment sphere at the age of 12 when he started singing and performing. “I then improved in my skills gradually and I started making and performing my own songs from school carnivals to street carnivals just to gain that street credibility and love from peers and the people around me. Professionally it started two years ago after the release of my first debut single, Listen an Afropop song with an R&B vibe. The song eventually made the number two trending hashtag on twitter Nigeria trending table,” he revealed.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS First Lady’s men dump Dudafa From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

HE camp of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has dumped its initial plan to replace Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson with the Presidential Assistant on Domestic Matters, Dr. Weripamowei Dudafa. The camp is said to have agreed to work for the emergence of the suspended chairman of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Sam Inokoba, as the party’s candidate for the 2016 governorship election. The decision, it was learnt yesterday, was taken at a meeting in Yenagoa on Sunday. It was gathered that the meeting, which was held at the residence of a key political figure in Yenagoa, was attended by two serving senators and three serving members of the House of Representatives. A source said the camp decided to replace Dudafa with Inokoba because he was considered too young and inexperienced to manage such a sensitive office. The source said: “It is generally believed that the next zone to produce governor is Bayelsa Central. The west and east have produced governors. It remains the central part. “Inokoba is being rewarded for his role as a mole in Dickson’s government by leaking sensitive information to the camp of the First Lady. “All the while, Inokoba too had secretly nursed the ambition to become governor but was bidding his time.”

Those who wish to hijack Rivers treasury’ll fail, says Amaechi

IVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has declared that those who wish to hijack the state’s treasury will fail. Amaechi spoke yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, while signing into law the 2015 Appropriation Bill of N338 billion. The Rivers governor assured the people that his administration would continue to be purposeful in expending the state budget, stressing that his government had been frugal with the state’s funds. He said: “We will implement this budget until May 29. Nobody can say that we did not perform, from education to health, when people say our legacy is education, I laugh. The health centres that we have built all over the state are there as projects that will be remembered by all. The roads, if you remember when we took over, how narrow our roads were and how many roads we had in the state.” Amaechi said he could account for how funds were spent on various projects. The Rivers governor said: “Let me thank the House for the opportunity to sign one more budget before I depart from office. I am excitedly looking forward to departing from this of-

Wike: governor blackmailing me

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has accused Governor Rotimi Amaechi of blackmailing him. Wike said the people were determined to end “the unpleasant days of Amaechi and his associates”. He spoke during his campaign tour of wards 15, 16 and 17 of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area yesterday. Wike said Amaechi has failed to provide basic amenities for the people. He assured the people that he would stop the seizure of lands from the people. “This election is about stopping the negaFrom Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

fice, because it is extremely tedious, but I must thank you that all efforts at breaking down the House and government were not successful. “You can see that my brother and friend in Ebonyi State is battling with the same people. The same people who do not obey laws are battling him in Ebonyi. They tried it in Adamawa State in the same illegal manner, they removed the governor. Here, they were not successful. Let me, on behalf of the Rivers people, my family, that is, my wife and children, thank all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

tive legacies of Amaechi and setting Rivers State on the path to development. The people have pledged their support to PDP, because this is the only way to speedy development.” The state PDP governorship candidate hailed the Akpor people for always supporting his political ambition. He promised to rehabilitate its link roads and improve on internal roads, saying the blackmail adopted by Amaechi and his associates would not stop the PDP. Wike urged the people to vote President Goodluck Jonathan as well as other PDP candidates and said Nigerians would not allow the country to be dragged backwards by the APC.

Amaechi urged Rivers people to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, and rescue the state from the hands of those he described as intending hijackers of the state’s treasury. He berated the Rivers governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Nyesom Wike, and described him as unfit for governorship in Rivers State. Amaechi said: “I do not have mansions as they have. They have mansions, even behind the Government House (in Port Harcourt) and they are not ashamed. I have not done a contract, neither have I taken Riv-

ers State government money and refused to execute the job. I have said here that Nyesom Wike has the contract to do the road project inside the stadium (Adokiye Amiesimaka). He has abandoned the contract. He has taken N3.5 billion and abandoned the job. He has not addressed that and then he is accusing us. That is, I am talking about abandoned contracts. “I have told Rivers people that the road from Eneka to Rukpokwu was done by Nyesom Wike. The road is completely in a state of disrepair. That same man is going to Rumuagholu and saying he will do road. He wants me to name the companies that he used to do the roads?

From Kolade Adeyemi Kano

•Edo State Governor Oshiomhole (second left) receiving a Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Mr Edegbe Ugbogbo, (left), who defected to the All Progressives Congress in Benin City...yesterday. With them are Mr Victor Ekhator (second right) and Secretary, Edo State APC Chief Osaro Idah.

‘Serving commissioner led attack against APC in Kaduna’

PROMINENT member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Southern Kaduna, Rev. Yunana Oganto, has alleged that last Saturday’s attack on the party’s senatorial campaign train was led by a serving commissioner in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government. However, the PDP in a statement it circulated to reporters on Sunday said APC members were just trying to attract public sympathy to their party ahead of the election. Oganto, who spoke in a telephone interview with The Nation, alleged that it was unfortunate that a serving commissioner could stoop so low to lead an attack on an opposition party members. APC at the weekend alleged that its senatorial candidate in the Southern Kaduna Zone, Dr. Ishaku Shekarau, was attacked by hoodlums at Fadan Kagoma in Jema’a Local Government. A statement made available to reporters by the spokesperson for Kaduna State APC

Shettima replies Fani-Kayode

NDLEA arrests 92 in Kano HE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano State said it arrested 92 suspects for drug offences between January and February. The Commander, Mr. Garba Ahmadu, briefed reporters yesterday in Kano. He said 39 suspects were arrested in January and the rest 53 were apprehended last month.

The worst thing that can happen to a people is for the governor to be a contractor. The moment the governor is a contractor, then everything is finished. That means what you are seeing is an attempt to hijack the treasury of Rivers State and we would not allow that. Please go home and campaign for an APC government, go home and campaign for Buhari.” Prior to the presentation of the Appropriation Bill for the governor’s assent, the Leader of the House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd, who represents Emohua, expressed the House’s appreciation for the amount allocated to capital and recurrent expenditures. Lloyd said the state’s capital expenditure of N219 billion and recurrent expenditure of N119 billion appealed to the Assembly, which earlier passed the budget after closely studying it. Commissioner for Finance Dr. Chamberlain Peterside said the Amaechi administration would continue to pay salaries, pensions and conduct the business of government within the appropriation law.

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

Campaign Council, Samuel Aruwan, said Shekarau, in company of APC stalwarts, was in the town to attend the annual Gwong Day celebration when he was attacked by the thugs, who wielded dangerous weapons and chanted PDP slogans. Shekarau’s car was vandalised by the hoodlums. The statement said: “Explaining how the attack happened, Shekarau said: ‘On getting to the venue, I was subjected to a thorough security check. Suddenly hoodlums started attacking me with clubs and dangerous weapons. I escaped, but they destroyed 16 cars belonging to our party and my bulletproof car. “’The security personnel saw all that transpired and none of them tried to repel the hoodlums, who were brought to Southern Kaduna in droves. “’It is quite unfortunate and condemnable. How can such a thing be allowed by a government that said it wants peace? It is a clear case of inciting violence and intimidation in the name of politics.’”

•It’s not true, says PDP Aruwan said the attack on Shekarau was the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting APC supporters in Kaduna State. The attacks have not been restricted to persons. Last week in Zaria, thugs, assisted by security agents, destroyed APC billboards. Rev. Oganto, who is also the Head of Research and Strategy, Buhari Support Organisation (BSO) in Abuja, said the PDP foresaw its waterloo and resorted to violence against the opposition. PDP said in a statement, although not signed by any official, but made available to reporters through the Director General, Media and Publicity to Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero: “It is no hidden secret that a trouble maker is usually the first to cry foul at a fight he starts.” The statement quoted Timothy Bakut, a witness, to have said: “The event was very calm and peaceful. Proceedings went on as planned by the organisers. His Excellency, Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero,

was seated as the special guest of honour, the former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Andrew Yakubu, an engineer, was also seated as the chairman. So was Dare Akau, who was the invited guest speaker. “Not only were these distinguished dignitaries present, they were punctual, as it was in honour of our late hero Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa. “The festival was going on as planned and the mood was calm. You could feel the euphoria in the air. However, this peace was short lived by the arrival of Dr. Ishaku Shekarau and a band of his hooligans in the name of APC supporters. “At his arrival (which was late of course), the peace and general calmness disappeared. It was replaced by the usual ranting and chanting of APC supporters, ‘CHANGI DOLE!’ Their noise was so loud that it overshadowed the microphones and speakers used at the event.

“This partly contributed to why Shekarau did not hear when the ushers were telling him where his seat was. He went to another invited guest’s seat. It happened that the gentleman just returned from relieving himself and he explained to Dr. Shekarau that the seat belonged to him. “This was all the APC supporters needed to disrupt the event. They started raining down obscenities as well as chanting their usual slogan! These led to a commotion and an altercation ensued between them and the peaceful youth. It was obvious that the APC supporters had no respect for leaders and the memory of Yakowa! The youth overpowered the thugs and peace was restored. “It was regrettable that at a point, the windscreen of some APC vehicles were smashed. So also were private vehicles’ windscreen. There was a commotion between the thugs and youths. But as usual, the APC chose the PDP to blame and they did this so quickly, even when people were still at the event.”

ORNO State Governor Kashim Shettima yesterday chided spokesman of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign council for calling for his trial over the abduction of the Chibok girls. Shettima described Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode as “an adult with the mentality of an infant”. Fani-Kayode berated Governor Shettima, for allegedly ignoring security reports and the counsel of the Federal Government against holding the 2014 May/June West African Examination Council in Chibok. He said the abducted Chibok schoolgirls would have been saved the ordeal for which they have been subjected these past 329 days had the governor taken the advice and acted in accordance with the security reports that the town was not safe for the examinations. He said the governor should be ready for investigation and prosecution after leaving office if found guilty in the circumstances that led to the abduction of the girls. The former Minister of Aviation spoke in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Sufuyan Ojeifo. The PDPPCO spokesperson said: “Shettima will not be governor forever and when he is no longer in office, his role in the Chibok affair would be investigated and, if found wanting, he would be prosecuted.” But in a statement by Isa Gusau, the Borno governor spokesman, Shettima said: “Long before Fani-Kayode was appointed, his employer and our dear President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had in 2014, set up a Presidential Fact-finding committee on the missing Chibok schoolgirls which was made up of serving and retired security officials, civil societies, elders from Chibok, the Christian Association of Nigeria, Muslims, journalists, labour groups, the National Council on Women Societies and many others with the mandate of establishing facts concerning the circumstances that led to the kidnap of the schoolgirls.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS

Ebonyi workers begin indefinite strike

Ekweremadu assures on N52b NILS project

EPUTY Senate President Senator Ike Ekweremadu yesterday assured that the permanent site of the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS) would be completed soon. He spoke during an assessment tour of the phased-funded N52 billion project on the Musa Yar’Adua Way (Airport Road). Ekweremadu, who was conducted round the project by the Managing Director of Julius Berger Nigeria, Detlev Lubasch, accompanied by the Director-General of NILS, Dr. Ladi Hamalai and Julius Berger’s Abuja Divisional Manager Hartmut Warnecke said the project could not meet the April 2015 completion target due to lack of fund. He stressed that the National Assembly would complete the project and make it selfsustaining in the next few years. The senator, who doubles as the Chairman of NILS’ Governing Council, said: “This is the major project of the National Assembly in the last few years, as it is exclusively funded from our budget. “So, in addition to our overhead costs, this is exactly what has been taking the chunk of the National Assembly over several fiscal years. “But, this institute is not only going to help us save more money when completed, but it will also bring in foreign exchange as the hub of parliamentary training in Africa. “We used to train a lot of our parliamentarians and parliamentary workers abroad, but we felt it is not sustainable. “So, we are beginning to domesticate our train-

•Ekweremadu

HE organised labour in Ebonyi State yesterday declared an indefinite strike to begin today, following government’s non-implementation of the minimum wage and non-payment of September 2011 salary. Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council Comrade Ikechuk-

wu Nwafor, after the union’s meeting with organised labour, accused the government of its unwillingness to meet its demands. “Following Ebonyi State government’s unwillingness to meet the demands of the organised labour,

with respect to the implementation of the report of the committee, which revisited the table of the Ebonyi State Civil/Public Service Salary Structure and September 2011 withheld salary, the organised labour in Ebonyi State hereby declares an indefinite strike, with effect from March 10. “Accordingly, civil/pub-

lic service workers in Ebonyi State’s employ, local government employees and teachers are directed to proceed on an indefinite strike until government meets our demands. “Workers are mandated to stay in their homes and await further directives from the leadership of the organised labour,” the statement said.

From Onyedi Ojiabor, Assistant Editor and Sanni Onogu, Abuja

ings. For instance, we are working with the Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC, to set up a centre here. “We are already working with the University of Benin and the National Open University on various degree programmes in legislative studies. “As you can see, what we have here is a state-ofthe-art facility that will have an ultra-modern library in just as the US Library of Congress with superb audio-visual facilities. “There are also various ICT-driven classroom blocks that can take between 150 and 250 students. The project, comprises an aesthetics buildings, student hostels, staff quarters, including a small clinic.” The deputy Senate president said building the capacity of the parliamentarians was paramount to the survival of democracy in the country and Africa, hence the need for a sustained training. He said legislators could not effectively oversight the executive unless they had the requisite capacity to do so. Senator Ekweremadu, who expressed satisfaction at the level of work, described the project as the first in Africa. He said: “It is going to be Nigeria’s contribution to intellectual, good governance and the development of democracy in Africa, especially in the area of legislature.”

•Imo students jubilating for receiving laptops from the state government.

WO brothers, Chinedu Mba, 32, and Sunday Mba, 50, were yesterday arraigned at a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, for allegedly belonging to the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). The accused are facing a two-count of conspiracy and belonging to an unlawful body. The prosecutor, Inspector A.O. Fadipe, told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 23 at 22, Ajijedudun Street, off Agunlejika Bus Stop, Ijeshatedo, Lagos. Fadipe said the accused had prohibited MASSOB

’I’ve vowed to follow Ojukwu’s footsteps COALITION of ten thousand women, known as the Anambra Women of Substance, gathered yesterday to support the senatorial ambition of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh. The event took place at the popular Odumegwu Ojukwu Park, opposite the Governor’s Lodge. Wife of Anambra State Governor, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, was in attendance. Umeh told the women that he was going to the Senate to restore the dignity of Ndigbo. He said when he gets to the Senate, he would ask questions concerning the welfare of Ndigbo the way the late Dim Chukwueme-

From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

ka Odumegwu Ojukwu asked when he was alive. Umeh described the Anambra Women of Substance, with a population of 28,000, as the best and most disciplined in the state, saying he would wipe out their tears, if elected. He said: “I will give you effective, courageous and bold representation. I thank you for this endorsement and I promise that I will support this wonderful group.” Obiano’s wife, who spent over an hour at the podium listing the achievements of the present administration led by her husband, Chief Willie Obiano, hailed the women for their understanding. About 6am, the women

from the seven local governments filled the park, with some of them carrying newborn babies, while some were expectant mothers. Mrs. Obiano said the present administration would turn Anambra State into the Dubai of Nigeria in the next four years, adding that the state. Founder of the coalition Chief Sampson Umejidike Ifediba assured Mrs. Obiano and Umeh that the group would never organise such a gathering again for any other person in the central zone. Also in attendance was the APGA Anambra South senatorial candidate and former Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, among others.

Two brothers arraigned for MASSOB membership From Ogochukwu Anioke, Abakaliki

membership identity cards and one pound of Biafran currency. He said the offences contravened sections 42 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The News Agency of Ni-

geria (NAN) reports that Section 42(a) says that any person who is a member of an unlawful society is liable to imprisonment for three years. The accused pleaded not guilty. Chief Magistrate Mrs. A.O. Soladoye admitted the accused to bail on N50, 000

each with two sureties each in like sum. She ordered that the sureties show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State government, reside in Lagos and show genuine means of livelihood. She adjourned the case till April 3 for mention.

‘At Oracle we don’t waste but save lives’

RACLE Farms Ltd has said it does not waste human lives but saves them. It said in a statement: “The attention of Oracle Farms Ltd has been drawn to media reports, particularly the one credited to Comrade Philip Agbese, the national coordinator of the National Democratic Front (NDF), who is said to have petitioned the inspector-general of Police on the death of Simeon Shikor, said to be one of our workers. “The report claimed to have quoted a family member, whose identity it did not disclose, of accusing Dr. Ortom of complicity in the death of the deceased for ritual purposes, obstructing investigation into the death and refusal to provide assistance for his funeral. “It is unfortunate that Mr. Agbese, a well-known Man Friday of the Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, has resorted to playing politics with the death of someone who he knows nothing about and has not been acquainted with the circum-

stances of his demise. “The facts of the case are different from the obvious false briefing that Mr. Agbese received from his pay masters. “The deceased, the late Michael Chiko, an indigene of Ayilamo in Logo Local Government Area of the state was not a worker of the farm but someone given temporary accommodation on the premises on humanitarian grounds. “In the afternoon of March 2, I received a call from the farm that he had collapsed and died some metres from his home. ‘’I reported to Dr. Ortom, who directed that I report to the police immediately, which I did. “Officers from the Police ‘D’ Division in Makurdi accompanied me and some workers of the farm and we picked up the body and deposited it at the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi. Thereafter, we were requested to make statements at the station, which we did and were allowed to go.

“Representatives of the family have since approached us and the police to allow them take the body for burial, but Dr. Ortom insisted that an autopsy be conducted to ascertain the cause of death. “Members of the family have related with us with understanding and I am not aware of any complaint or petition that they have lodged with the police or any authority on the unfortunate death. “While we await the outcome of the autopsy, we wish to state that we, at Oracle Farms, share the same vision with Oracle Business Ltd Foundation, which is committed to saving lives through intervention in the treatment of snake bite victims, hernia patients as well as general poverty alleviation through several empowerment schemes. “Within the last three years alone, the foundation spent over N50 million on hospital retainership on some of the aforementioned cases. “We are neither ritualists nor cultists and Benue people know that at Oracle Farms Ltd we don’t waste but rather save human lives.”

THE NATION TUESDAY MARCH 10 , 2015

NEWS

Suspected gunmen kill family of seven in Jos A A

62-YEAR-OLD retired police officer, Baba Jacob Wangte, his wife, Mrs. Ruth Jacob, 50, and five other members of the family have been killed by suspected gunmen. The incident occurred on Sunday night at Sabon Layi in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. Government troops said two Fulani men were ambushed and killed in the renewed fighting in the local government. This brings the casualty figure to nine. The Chairman of Barkin Ladi Local Government, Mr. Emmanuel Loman, accused the Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis of failing to protect the victims and failing to arrest the suspects. The victims included the son of the retired police officer, Katop Jacob, 27, his wife Rachael, 21 and three of his grandchildren. Loman said: “The attacks started since last week in some villages and continued on Sunday. About 10pm, Baba Jacob and seven members of

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos

his family were attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen, who killed the entire family. “The deceased would have been saved if operatives of the STF had responded to a distress call when residents noticed the gunmen a day earlier.” The council chairman confirmed that the retired police officer belonged to the Mupun ethnic group from Pankshin Local Government Area of the state and lived in Barkin Ladi since he retired. He said he wondered why such a big family could be wiped out in one day. According to Loman, “women protested the inability of the STF to stop the attacks on their communities on that day. “That protest was not enough to attract the government troops in charge of the area. Unfortunately, that night, the gunmen returned

and wiped out an entire family. Instead of going after the gunmen, the soldiers were chasing villagers, who gathered to defend themselves and their community. “The soldiers were busy arresting youths, while the Fulani, who launched the attack, were allowed to escape. “The women were angry when two of their children were apprehended. Instead of arresting the attackers, the soldiers arrested innocent youths, who were defending themselves.” He said he had informed the authorities to take action on the behaviour of the STF members. He condemned the incident, saying the attackers were well-known to some members of the STF. The spokesman for the STF codenamed ‘Operation safe haven’, Capt. IKedichi Iweha, who confirmed the attacks and killings, denied STF complicity as alleged by Loman.

He said: “The attack started three days ago in Rim, Sho and environs. Our men were deployed there to restore peace. We contained the attacks and reprisals. However, two Fulani men were ambushed and killed. The attack and counterattack continued this morning, but our men are trying their best to restore peace. “The STF will do its best to prevent further killings. We urge the residents to give information to the security agencies and desist from taking the law into their hands. “We have arrested some people in our efforts to restore normalcy. We arrested two youths with AK 47 guns. We don’t think these youths have our permission to use such weapons in self-defence. So, the claim of the women that the weapons were for self-defence is not acceptable to us. “We will continue to do our best to stop further killings. It is unfortunate that some have died. I don’t know if the victims were members of a family.”

ACF blasts Gani Adams over call for Jega’s sack From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

NORTHERN socio-cultural group Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) yesterday blasted the Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Chief Gani Adams, over his call for the sack of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega. The OPC leader, according to the ACF, had called for the sack of the INEC boss on the basis of the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), introduction of card readers and the creation of 30,000 polling units, which he claimed favoured the North. The ACF, through its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammadu Ibrahim, in a statement in Kaduna yesterday noted that the body would not have reacted to the OPC leader for obvious reasons. The group, however, said Adams’ utterance was laughable and pedestrian, noting that the OPC leader lacked the understanding of the constitution and the electoral law. According to the forum, it portrayed him (Adams) as ignorant of the digital age where transparency was the hallmark of free, fair and credible elections. It said the utterances of the OPC leader was not only parochial, but portrayed him as seeking political relevance. The ACF said: “It is not the tradition of the Arewa Consultative Forum to respond to such unguarded and misinformed statement by leaders of socio-cultural groups or any individual for that matter on national issues. “However, we find it necessary to respond to Chief Adams’ false claim that the creation of additional 30,000 polling units was fraudulently done by INEC to favour the North. “In fact, based on scientific and statistical analysis of the INEC data, the North was shortchanged. Nigeria with a total registered voter figure of 70,383,427 in 2011 and when divided by the proposed INEC 150,000 polling units across the country, every polling units in any state should have 469 voters per unit to make it easier for voters to cast their votes.” The statement noted that that was as a result of the hue and cry over the additional units from southern leaders that forced INEC’s creation of the 30,000 units. The forum said the creation of the units would not change the number of registered voters. It urged leaders at all levels to guard their utterances, especially on issues they were not properly informed. “Nigeria belongs to all of us and we must work towards our common interest. We should strongly emphasise what binds us together and not what divides us,” the ACF added.

‘Ambode a choice that ‘ll brighten Lagosians’ future’ By Tokunbo Ogunsami

•From left: Oyo State Commisioner of Police Muhammed Musa Katsina in handshake with All Progressive Congress (APC) State House of Assembly Candidate, Hon. Oladapo Adesina after signing the register at the Peace Accord for candidates from PHOTO :FEMI ILESANMI all the registered political parties at the Iyaganku Police Command, Ibadan...yesterday

N7b bribe: PDP is blackmailing religious leaders, says El-Rufai

HE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government of blackmailing religious leaders, to weaken their moral authority. El-Rufai, who addressed reporters yesterday, was reacting to an allegation that the Federal Government gave N7billion and N12billion to the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Islamic bodies, to campaign for President Goodluck Jonathan. The APC standard-bearer said Imams were invited for a seminar in Kaduna, organised by the Office of Vice President Namadi Sambo, on how to achieve a violence-free poll. According to him, the Islamic clerics attended the occasion innocently, thinking they were there to seek a way forward for successful elections, “but their pictures were taken and circulated to the media, with an allegation

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

of receiving N7billion for the Jonathan campaign.” The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who noted that CAN was also blackmailed, said the allegations had pitched the Islamic and Christian clerics against their followers. He added: “The plan of the PDP-led government is to undermine their reputation and blackmail them in such a way that religious leaders can not tell their followers the

truth about the way the country is being mismanaged.” El-Rufai recalled that that was how the revered traditional institution in the North was desecrated in 2011 and the people almost rose up against some emirs during and after the elections. He warned people not to fall into the PDP’s ambush by insinuating allegations against religious leaders, saying they remained the only institution people listened to, because the ruling party had compromised traditional

institutions. According to him, monarchs and religious leaders are used as shock absorbers for suing for peace during upheavals, such as war or crisis. “The traditional institution has been weakened by the government. So we shouldn’t allow religious bodies and clerics, who are the last line of defence, to be destroyed by PDP,” the APC governorship candidate added. He promised that an APC government in Kaduna State and at the centre would restore the lost glory of the traditional institutions and religious leaders and organisations.

One soldier injured in clash with worshippers, says Army

HE Army yesterday confirmed the clash between some of its men and some worshippers in Southern Kaduna on Sunday that led to the death of no fewer than six people and others injuredý. Even though, it claimed that there was no official

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

statement about what transpired yet, the Army said one of its soldiers in the area was also injured. Spokesman of 1 Division Col. Abdul Usman told our correspondent that a senior officer had been sent down

Gidan-Waya to ascertain what really transpired and report back to the division. Some of the survivors of the clash have been discharged from a State General Hospital. Others are still lying on their hospital beds.

HE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has been described as a choice, which will brighten Lagosians’ future. The Media Director of Akinwunmi Ambode Kommittee of Friends (AA’KOF), Elder Kayode Olopade, who spoke yesterday at the APC rally in Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State, said Ambode was the most qualified among the candidates vying for the governorship seat. He said a vote for him would ensure the continuity of good governance started by the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and sustained by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN. Before the rally, AA’KOF members embarked on house-tohouse campaign to sensitise Amuwo Odofin residents to vote for Ambode on April 11. Addressing the crowd, the APC standard-bearer urged Lagosians to vote for him “and our party’s other candidates, to avoid derailing the democracy train.” His words: “My predecessors, our National Leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Fashola have set a precedent, which should be built upon. This is why residents should vote wisely by electing me and other APC candidates. “I assure them of good roads, potable water, health care services, decent houses, employment and other goodies. Lagosians should ensure that they continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy by voting for APC candidates on April 11.”

Physically-challenged to sue Jonathan From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

HE Southwest People with Disability has expressed its readiness to sue President Goodluck Jonathan for his ‘refusal to sign’ the Disability Bill into Law. The National Leader of the group, Mr. Paul Adelabu, spoke at the weekend at a rally organised by the physically-challenged for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in Ibadan. He said they decided to support Buhari because Jonathan refused to sympathise with their plight. Adelabu, who is also the special adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on People With Disability, said the President had disappointed more than 20 million Nigerians living with disabilities. He added: “The National Assembly twice passed a disability bill, but President Jonathan refused to sign it. That bill represents our rights, our life, freedom to speak and freedom to move about without fear of discrimination. There are many public buildings, such as banks that we cannot access because they are not disablefriendly. “Two months ago, I challenged the President in Lagos on the bill. He is not interested in our welfare. We have resolved that we will not vote for him. We have also decided that we are giving him seven days ultimatum, starting from today (Friday), to sign the bill.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS

LENT

10 Chadian soldiers killed as foreign troops retake Borno town

Theme: will you be carried or buried at Text:”..... the beggar died, and was carried by the angels..... the rich man also died, and was buried (Luke 16:22)

HE passage from our text is about story of rich man, poor Lazarus and the rich man’s brothers. The rich man was a man that God blessed so much (James 1:17). He was so rich that he was always arrayed in royal robes. He built a house (it could have been many houses), that had a gate (and perhaps a gate-keeper), had the rare luxury of possessing dogs that were trained to know how to cater for the less-priviledged, something the owner of the dogs was possibly clueless of, and ate so lavishly that remnants of the food dropped on the floor. On another hand was Lazarus, a Godly man that had no means to meet his numerous needs some of which were food to eat, clothes to put on, shelter over his head and medicare for his health issues. This is not an abnormal situation as Jesus Christ had promised us that, “ ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always (Mark 14:7). Suffice to say no matter how much we try, the poor shall always co-habit with the rich in the church, family and society at large. In same vein, there were the rich man’s brothers who were only concerned about this world and ignorant of the fact that there is reward for whatever we do on earth, either good or bad (Eccles. 12:13-14; Rev. 22:11-12). They had their deceased rich brother as mentor and were following his footsteps - his self-centeredness, narcissistic attitude, selfpreoccupation orientation and wicked ways of life. One day however, death, which is the end of all men came (Eccles. 7:2) for the rich man and Lazarus, as a thief in the night (1Thess. 5:2). It is recorded that the burial ceremonies of both of them had different colorations; while the rich man was buried, obviously by men, Lazarus was carried by angels. As a very rich man in the society, it will not have been out of place to have given the deceased a week-long burial program (or more) comprising of service of songs, wake-keep and lying in state before bringing the corpse to church in a very expensive gold casket with undertakers adorned in colourful garments carrying the casket from an expensive siren-blowing ambulance. There is also a high likelihood that inside the church to pay ‘last respects’ would have been men and women from different societies and clubs adorning different special uniforms (aso-ebi) and other “big shots” in the society. It is expected that at such an occasion there would have been a very colourful Programme of events with the deceased’s pictures at various occasions and countries taken with the high and the mighty. Also in the program of events would have been “Tributes” by close family members and societies of which he had either been a member, an officer or patron eulogising the departed rich man. For the funeral service of such a ‘man of timber and calibre’, Choir from different churches must have rendered Special numbers, in attendance would have been an assemblage of hordes of priests arrayed in flowing garments and a message delivered by one of the topmost in the Ecclesiastical world.

For Lazarus, a man who had his abode at the rich man’s gate, he might have died either on his way to the rich man’s house for crumbs or at the gate where he either passed on without crumbs or died when the rich man’s dogs were licking his wounds. At his death, the Local Government officials must have been informed by the rich man’s neighbours or family members that ‘a corpse is lying on our street’. The officials must have responded to their call to dispose off the poor man’s remains anywhere. However, the angels recognised him and took him away. The rich man that was buried with pomp and pageantry had a smooth trip to a place of everlasting torment and regret while Lazarus was carried by angels into the bosom of Abraham. The rich man cried in his torment that “ Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame”. Father Abraham replied him that, “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” In his torment, the rich man remembered his five brethren and pleaded that Father Abraham should send Lazarus to his five brethren that they don’t come to the place of torment where he has ended his journey. Father Abraham told him that they have Moses and the prophets to tell them. Brethren, the word from Moses and the prophets to you is that for everything that has a beginning, there surely must be an end. You have a beginning and will surely have an end one day at a time unknown or unprepared for. Secondly, you are placed wherever you are by the mercy of God; you have a responsibility to cater for the lesspriviledged, the sick, the orphans, the widows, the hungry and the imprisoned, and not to live like that foolish rich man (1 John 3:17). Thirdly, kindly note beloved that after death, comes judgment. Brethren, a day is coming when the certificates/degrees that you laboured for or are striving to acquire shall expire, the marriage contracted (or about to be) based on “till death do us part” shall be parted, the position you are holding tightly to shall be given to another person and your wealth and possessions shall be handed over to others. It is better to be carried by angels than be buried by men. It profits nothing to gain the whole world at the expense of one’s soul (Matt. 16:26). Jesus is calling you to change your ways today, surrender your life and your possessions to Him, live a life that is holy and pleasing to Him (Col. 1:10), give yourself to generosity, strive to be carried by angels at the end of your sojourn here and ensure that you don’t lose your eternal home. Prayer: Dear God, please teach me how to live here on earth to be worthy of being ‘carried’ by your angels like Lazarus

NEWS Jonathan, Mu’azu clash as PDP’s anti-North campaign backfires Continued from page 4

what they consider an assault on their collective cultural values. The Northern establishment is said to have taken the silence by Mu’azu and other prominent Northern chieftains of the party on Mrs. Jonathan’s verbal assaults as acquiescence or approval. Faced with opposition from his home base, the PDP National Chairman was said to have voiced his objection to the affront and is said to be exhibiting a lukewarm commitment to the President’s campaign. This is said to have caused divisions between Mu’azu and some prominent chieftains of the PDP on one hand and President Jonathan and a horde of party chieftains from the South on the other. But the party’s National Publicity Secretary Chief Olisa Metuh, has denied it all. In a statement he issued on Monday, Metuh dismissed the report as “spurious” and an attempt to drag down the party chairman.

Metuh said:”As one of the founding fathers of the PDP, the National Chairman has continued to add immense value with his mature and decent approach to issues in keeping with the tradition and vision of our great party, a disposition that has continued to attract massive support across board for our presidential flag bearer, President Goodluck Jonathan. “Indeed, we are aware that the aim of those behind the mischievous report is to sow seed of discord and cause confusion within our ranks, distract the leadership and undermine our presidential campaign, which is now coasting swiftly to victory to the chagrin of the opposition. “It is incontrovertible that the National Chairman has been at the forefront of our presidential campaign train and enjoys an excellent working relationship with President Jonathan as exhibited in their bond at rallies, visits and meetings with stakeholders across the country. “Whereas we recognise the zeal and enthusiasm of some of

our supporters who are repaying the opposition in their own stock, our National Chairman, as the face of the PDP, has remained restrained despite numerous unwarranted provocations, a stance which does not in anyway detract from his commitment to the campaigns but reinforces our values and dedication to unity, peace and stability of our dear nation. “This exemplary style of politics played significant role in reducing the tension in the polity

ahead of the elections and has also endeared our party to a majority of Nigerian citizens and key stakeholders in the electoral process. “It is to the credit of the National Chairman that his leadership stabilised our party at its critical moment and successfully achieved unity among our leaders and members while strengthening the confidence of Nigerians in the PDP as the only vehicle to deliver democracy dividends to them.”

Govt summons Indonesian ambassador

HE Federal Government yesterday again summoned the Indonesian Ambassador, Mr Harry Purwato, over the country’s planned execution of more Nigerians by firing squad for drug-related offences. Amb. Danjuma Sheni, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a meeting with the envoy in Abuja that the death sentences should be converted to life imprisonment.

He told the envoy to speak with his home government to tamper justice with mercy in order not to allow anything to jeopardise the “very robust and excellent relationship“ between Indonesia and Nigeria. “Your Excellency, I have been asked to summon you to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to appeal to you to talk to your government about the proposed execution of three Nigerians, who are currently on the death row in your country.”

Oando increases output with Qua Iboe first oil Continued from page 4

in the fourth quarter of 2014, was delayed until the completion of the associated cluster crude delivery and sales infrastructure into the Qua Iboe Terminal for commercial production. Commenting, Pade Durotoye, CEO Oando Energy Resources said: “We are delighted to have achieved this milestone, having taken this field through the full cycle of asset development, from drilling to facility engineering, construc-

tion and commissioning and also increasing our organic production contribution from our portfolio. We will now be focusing our attention on maturing the potential of this field through seismic acquisition and interpretation, and a possible multi-well drilling program. We hope the Qua Iboe field will follow in the footsteps of our successful Ebendo field, where production has increased from 900bopd (gross) at inception to over 7,500bopd (gross) through the identification and

drilling of new reservoirs in the field”. The opportunity is clear in that these marginal fields can be turned into valuable production assets if the oil and gas companies have the requisite financial, technical and local capability. Oando has realized this opportunity barely nine months after the completion of its landmark $1.5bn ConocoPhillips Nigeria acquisition deal. This achievement reinforces its technical capabilities and further crystalizes Oando’s position amongst majors

in the sector. The company has grown exponentially in its oil production from 5,000boepd to 53,100boepd; recent actions are evidence that despite the gloomy outlook for the sector Oando is well positioned to continue to create and realise value for its shareholders. With a focus on organic growth such as ‘Qua Iboe’ and more prospective acquisitions and mergers, the company is well on its way to reaching its daily output target of 100,000boepd in the coming years.

O fewer than 10 Chadian soldiers and 300 Boko Haram fighters are believed to have been killed since troops from Chad and Niger crossed into Nigeria on Sunday in a major cross-border offensive against the sect, a Chadian officer said yesterday. The officer, who asked not to be named, also confirmed reports from Niger sources that the joint offensive had freed the border town of Malam Fatouri and Damasak, about 10 km further to the south, which had been previously held by Boko Haram. About 30 Nigerien and Chadian soldiers were injured in the battle, it was learnt. “We have kicked the enemy out of these areas and they are now under our control,” one of the military sources said. Damasak is the town south of Niger border, where Niger and Chadian troops have been massing in recent weeks ahead of the offensive. The source said about 300 Boko Haram militants had been killed in fighting. There was no official confirmation of the toll

and it was not possible to verify the figure. “We had permission from Nigeria for this action,” the source said. There was no immediate comment from Nigeria, which has launched its own offensive against the militants, whose gains forced Nigeria to delay elections that were due in February. Boko Haram’s six-year insurgency, which aims to carve out a caliphate in Nigeria’s northeast, has killed thousands. The group has pledged allegiance to Islamic State (ISIS), which rules a self-declared caliphate in parts of Iraq and Syria, according to an audio clip posted online on Saturday. Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin have this year mobilised forces to help Nigeria defeat the group after it seized swathes of territory and mounted crossborder attacks. Nigeria and its neighbours have been working to pull together plans and rules of engagement for a regional force of 8,700 troops but cooperation between the region’s armies has been strained at times.

Jonathan’s govt has divided Nigerians, say Tinubu, Oshiomhole Continued from page 4

against the APC and taint it as a Muslim party. He warned the PDP not to polarise the country along religious lines, saying it is dangerous for the polity as both Christians and Moslems have been victims of what he called the PDP’s misrule in the past 16 years. According to him, the PDP has made copies of a documentary which has been distributed in churches to the effect that the Gen. Muhammau Buhari (the APC presidential candidate) would Islamise the country when voted as the President on March 28. He said: “Some pastors after collecting money are now preaching that Buhari wants to convert the nation to Islam. When Buhari was Head of State with absolute power, did he convert Nigeria to Islam? Did he convert Dodan Barracks to Islam enclave? Are there not Christian Generals all over the place? “The issue of this election is not about religion or tribe. It is about who has what it takes to repair our country. It is about who will give us light. If PDP couldn’t give us light in 16 years, shouldn’t we give it to someone else? Take a critical look at this election, when NEPA takes light, do they segregate between Christians and Muslims? When

they bring fixed charges, do they differentiate between Christians and Moslem? Are both Christians and Moslems not suffering the inefficiency of PDP’s 16 years of mis-governance? “They are saying APC is a Muslim party. How can a party that parades Christians, such as me, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Prof Yemi Osinbajo and many others, be described as a Moslem party? Now let’s look at it, if Nigeria’s problem is about religion, since 1999 till now, Christians have ruled the nation for 14 years, how come if it is really about religion that despite ruling for 14 years, Nigeria that ought to be like heaven is still like hell? “Nobody should use God’s name to deceive the people. The matter of governance is not about what you claim but about the state of your heart. In this state, from 1999 till now, all those that have governed Edo State are all Christians yet those that governed from 1999 till 2007 did nothing. Are we not all Christians but is it all of us that worked? They even stole from church because when you do not pay salaries for three months can the workers pay their tithe? ”In Edo State, Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers live together in peace and harmony. Across Edo State you find people of different religions and nobody should bring religious war to Edo State.”

‘Too much blood has been shed in Rivers’ Continued from page 4

sues. Nobody wants a situation when we end elections and the country is not governed or stable enough. We must all work to see how we can pull ourselves back to a place of civility and minimise violence. And we must rise to the challenge of protecting our country by ensuring that we are committed to a better country. “Now in the latest incident in Okrika, we had a man in uniform killed. It is unacceptable... We are going to visit PDP campaign office, Rivers State police command and INEC to ensure the end of incessant attack in the state.” The NHRC chief said it was unfortunate that those killed and those whose properties have been damaged are citizens of this state, adding that politicians can only govern when the society is stable. Peterside, on behalf of his party and the campaign organisation, thanked Odinkalu for his

commission’s interest in the crisis in Rivers State, adding that his supporters would not consider reprisal attacks no matter the provocation. He said: “I am sure that before coming to Rivers State, you must have received - with mixed feelings - our stories of political violence. These negative stories appear to have overshadowed the achievements of this government. Your visit, I must say, will show you that we are peace-loving people. When we experience one form of violence in one part of the country, the ripple effects are felt in other parts of the country. So, it is in our best enlightened interest to ensure that whenever it occurs, we put a check for the good of all of us. “In the last few weeks, most of you would have read about Rivers State with the political violence, kidnapping, robbery, killing and one conflict or the other. It appears that the negative stories have dropped our accomplishments and the successes we have recorded.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

SPORT EXTRA

Ujah apologises over goat celebration A NTHONY Ujah's goal celebration in Koln's victory over Eintracht Frankfurt could go down as one of the most memorable of all time, with the striker opting to share the moment with a goat. There were just eight minutes remaining at the RheinEnergieStadion when Ujah finished emphatically to put the home side 4-1 up. The Nigeria international made immediately for the touchline and club mascot Hennes the goat, with the 24year-old forward taking the rather unusual step of grabbing the animal by the horns in jubilation. Ujah's celebration took the crowd, and indeed Hennes, by surprise, with Ujah taking to Twitter to apologise for his exuberance after the match. Ujah wrote: "Sorry to Hennes. I was a bit too hard

on him!" before the tweet was later removed. Ujah's strike sealed just a second home win of the season for Koln.

Although Frank-furt netted a late penalty, Koln ran out 4-2 winners to climb to 11th in the Bundesliga standings.

Lagos FA, sponsors unfold plans for award

N an effort to make this year's edition of the Winners Golden Bet sponsored Lagos FA Cup, lots of new innovation has been introduced to make more glamorous and exciting. According to the local organizSing committee of the championship, starting from the round of 32, there will be Man of the Match award in all the matches up to the finals, with the winner going home with the sum of 10,000:00 courtesy of the sponsor, Winners Golden Bet. It was also noted that apart from Man of the Match award in every match up to the finals, there will also be award for the Most Valuable Player (MVP), Highest Goal Scorer and Best Behaved Team with each of the awards going with sum of 50,000:00. Media was also not left out of the goodies with award for the Best Print, Best Radio, Best TV Coverage and Best Photo journalist for the championship to be presented on the final day. There will also be an award for the most supported Club in the championship, both the media and most supported awards are all courtesy of the Lagos State FA. According to Deji Beecroft Assistant General Manager of Winners Golden Bet, We agree with the vision and mission of the Seyi Akinwunmi, led board of Lagos State Football Association hence the decision to introduce all this awards as a way

to encourage the players as well as the clubs too. He disclosed that at the end of every match starting from round of 32, Man of the Match award will given out to the outstanding player during the match. He, however, urged all the participating clubs to continue to maintain high level of discipline as displayed in the rooky matches, adding that Lagos State FA has done well with their organizational ability.

Meanwhile, all the winners in the Rooky matches has all won the sum of 15,000:00 each courtesy of Board of Lagos FA. However, the round of 32 will begin on Sunday, with Goodland Rangers FC taking on Tranzeet FC in the first match of the day, It will be the turn of Eko Akete FC and Oceania FC in the second match, While Pro side, Ikorodu United will battle Freestan Sports for a place in the next round.

THE NATION TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015

TODAY IN THE NATION

TUESDAY, MARCH 10, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.10

NO. 3149

‘Fani-Kayode is only the most grotesque face of a cynical campaign din: Doyin Okupe, Olisa Metuh, Asari Dokubo and Ayo Fayose — the perfect living example of how not to be a governor’ OLAKUNLE ABIMBOLA

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

ACH time President Goodluck Jonathan tries to educate the misguided Nigerian public about what is often glibly called “corruption,” he reminds me of an earlier era, and of Vice Admiral Augustus Aikhomu. Remember him? Aikhomu was the gruff mariner who, as Chief of General Staff, ranked second in the regime of military president Ibrahim Babangida, appointed to replace the strong-willed Ebitu Ukiwe. Never so happy as when confounding opponents and confusing friends, Babangida woke up one day and announced that, in keeping with the Constitution of the Federal Republic, Aikhomu had become civilian vice president under the military regime. Apparently also in keeping with the Constitution that Babangida was operating a loose-leaf document, the pages of which he shuffled endlessly, he announced several months later that the former naval chief turned civilian, had been promoted to the rank of Admiral. Aikhomu had no patience with all the fancy footwork that was the preoccupation of his principal. Irascible and, withal, blunt as a cudgel, he told it exactly as he saw it. He was a reporter’s delight, always forthcoming with delicious quotes. One day, reporters assembled for his customary Friday afternoon news conference, asked for his reaction to yet another damning report on the Nigerian economy that the IMF/World Bank had just issued. “What report?” he snickered. “Do you know that those so-called reports are written by small boys like yourselves?” Back then, the dominant issue in public discourse was “misappropriation” of public funds. For the most part, when people talked at all about “corruption” in public office, they did so only in whispers, checkmated by Decree 2, under which the government vested itself with the power to detain anyone for as long as it pleased, without judicial review. And Aikhomu was the decree’s chief administering officer. But Aikhomu saw through the subterfuge. From “misappropriation” of public funds, it was but a short step to “embezzlement” of the same. So, he re-framed the discourse, such as it was. The problem, he said, was not so much misappropriation as misallocation of public funds.

RIPPLES

PRISON IS MY UNIVERSITY, says freed suspect

•••and as a Graduate of KIRIKIRI UNIVERSITY what did you study?

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

This thing called corruption

Unfortunately, weighed down by state duties and the twists and turns and the labyrinthine trajectory of his principal’s duplicitous political transition programme – in which he dutifully acquiesced, by the way —Aikhomu did not have the time to work out with lexical finality the difference between “misappropriation” and “misallocation” of public funds. But from what I could make of it, misappropriation, with its undertone of embezzlement or plain theft – “original stealing” as the immortal Afrobeat king Fela Anikulapo Kuti called it—was the cardinal sin. Misallocation of public funds was not worth all the blather. In practical terms – and here I am second-guessing the mariner – if a public official used funds earmarked for a hospital to build himself a country home with a swimming pool and a helipad, he had merely misallocated the funds, and did not deserve the kind of condemnation to

ROM President Goodluck Jonathan to Chibok, it would appear a monument for grieving parents, in lieu of their missing 219 school girls. So, the parents should forget their girls and embrace the new monument erected in the girls’ memory? Last week, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Finance minister and coordinating minister for the Economy, represented President Goodluck Jonathan at the foundation laying ceremony of the Chibok portion of the Safer Schools Project. It is a proposed, glittering new facility to replace the old school Boko Haram terrorists, on 14 April 2014, razed just after carting away 276 school girls from their dorm; girls about writing their 2014 May/June Senior Secondary School Certificate examinations. Though 276 girls were kidnapped, 57 escaped by their wits, even if the military high command told a lie back then that most of the girls had been saved, even when the Jonathan Presidency was still debating in its mind if the claimed “kidnap” was not the work of mischievous enemies. Well, in President Jonathan’s Chibok tragic script, complicated by a shambolic campaign that seems to target votes by all means necessary, he still appears mortally scared of the Chibok hearth. Nothing, it appears, will make him visit that blighted territory! When the tragedy broke, the president was

which an official who misappropriated such funds deserved to be subjected. It might even be argued that if the official moved such funds into his private bank account, it would still have been a mere mislocation — putting the funds away in the in the wrong place — rather than a misappropriation. And here we are, more than two decades later and no wiser until the eminent scientist and respected taxonomist in him moved Dr Goodluck Jonathan to take time off his demanding re-election schedule to clear up the semantic mess and complete Aikhomu’s unfinished work. And he has gone about the difficult task with the fine sense of discrimination that only a world-class ichthyologist can call up at short notice and amidst the kind of distraction that only a few in his exalted league can even begin to imagine. In the popular understanding, and even in the minds of the lexicographers, corruption consists basically in dishonest acts. The Explanatory Memorandum to the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 says rather laconically that “corruption” includes bribery, fraud and other related offences. But the body of that law goes on to define corruption to the point of saturation. Corruption is in play, it says, when a public official asks for, receives or obtains property or benefits of any kind for himself or others, agrees or attempts to receive such rewards for himself or others, for benefits or favours already granted or expected to be granted. And so on and so forth. Conviction carries a seven-year jail term. That is the law of the land. That is the law appointees of the Jonathan administration have been administering, with funds approved by the National Assem-

HARDBALL Chibok: monument in lieu of stolen girls busy dancing Azonto in Kano at an illicit, if not outright illegal, campaign, which his Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) put in place, well before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) blew the whistle for formal electioneering. When the crisis won’t just disappear, thanks to Oby Ezekwesili’s #BringBackOurGirls lobby, First Lady, Patience Jonathan settled for a scandalous harangue, which spectacularly backfired. Dame Jonathan’s intention was to, on TV, try and intimidate the Chibok school principal and the traumatised parents. In the end, she ended up trying herself and roasting her husband’s presidency, as callous and barren of all empathy and compassion — Dia ris God oooo! Then when Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager and the globe’s most famous victim of Taliban terror, came to town, a shamefaced president had no choice. Yet, rather than surmount the fear of visiting Chibok, he summoned the Chibok girls’ parents to the Presidential Villa, an event marked by alleged sleaze. Some Presidency officials were alleged to have tampered with the monetary

bly. That is the law under which the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has prosecuted and sent to jail, by its own count, thousands of wayward public officials. But the ICPC and its agents, we now know, have been labouring not just under a misapprehension, but, under a delusion to boot. For, as Dr Jonathan has been saying, in statements heard around the world, the things people call “corruption” in Nigeria fall far short of the threshold. Those who are forever beating the government on the head with allegations of overarching corruption would be closer to the mark if they talked instead about stealing. I hope they are listening, all those dogooders who compile the International Corruption Index and the so-called foreign donors. In whatever case, the amounts usually cited as evidence of corrupt dealings are piddling. One official creams off, say, N5 billion in pension funds and they rush to cite that as evidence of corruption. Easy, gentlemen. This is not Burkina Faso. We are talking about the largest economy on the entire African continent, and the 16th largest and one of the fastest-growing in the whole wide world. From Dr Jonathan’s seminal submission, it would seem to follow that the law under which ICPC has been prosecuting and jailing innocent persons is misconceived, at least insofar as it presumes to act on a matter in which its jurisdiction is dubious at best, and to the extent that it has been punishing acts it misconstrues as corrupt when it should have been punishing ordinary stealing. That kind of enactment has no place under Nigeria’s legal system – a system undergirded by the rule of law, of which Dr Jonathan himself is the foremost apostle. It has done too much harm already. Dr Jonathan should act with his accustomed dispatch and move the National Assembly to void the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act of 2000 and its instrumentalities, going back to the day he took office. It is time to end the costly and damaging misperception that corruption rather than ordinary stealing is Nigeria’s problem. •For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above gifts to the distressed presidential visitors. So, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s latest visit to Chibok, in lieu of her principal, appeared to continue the running tragic soap of presidential avoidance. After the commanderin-chief’s triumphant foray to the hot Boko Haram front at Baga, visiting Chibok to launch the “new, improved” school project, should have been “bean cake” for the latterly all-conquering commander-in-chief, but alas! To be sure, the Safer Schools Project is laudable. If the odyssey of the Chibok 219 gifts their hurting community safer schools, which averts future Chibok 219s, that cannot a bad thing; and the project should be encouraged. But the problem with the Okonjo-Iweala visit, aside from the umpteenth Chibok snub by the president, is the crass desperation for votes. Though Mrs Okonjo-Iweala played it cool, suggesting the visit had no political colouration, you could almost feel the leashed presidential-divine-right-to-garnervotes-no-matter-our-bad-behaviours gnome, almost snapping clear of the ministerial placid surface! Well, it’s over to the Chibok parents. Whether an enhanced school can replace their loving girls would be clear on March 28, when the parents do their presidential referendum.

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