The Nation March 25, 2015

Newspaper of the Year

...66 D AYS TO GO DA

•APC seeks court’s go-ahead for Fayose’s impeachment •Osun obas dissociate selves from Jonathan’s backing •Nigerian politicians under watch, says ex-UN chief •AND MORE ON •Obasanjo warns against hate campaign PAGES 4,6&10

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3164 WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

•www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

150 die in German plane crash

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ESCUERS have recovered the black box of a German Wings plane which crashed yesterday in the French Alps on its way from Barcelona to Duesseldorf, killing all 150 people on board.

The Airbus A320 - flight 4U 9525 went down between Digne and Barcelonnette. None of the 144 passengers or six crew is expected to have survived.

French air investigators were last night examining a black box cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

Investigators are puzzled as to why

•Managing Director/CEO, Guinness Nigeria, John O’Keeffe ringing the bell to close business at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Lagos ...yesterday. With him are (from left) Supply Chain Director, Cephas Afebuameh, NSE Chief Executive Officer Oscar Onyema and NSE Executive Director, Ade Bajomo

•Black Box found the crew did not send out a mayday or distress signal as flight U49525 rapidly lost altitude for eight minutes, or why the pilot did not change course to avoid smashing into a rocky ravine at around 430mph (700kmh).

In the last 10 minutes of the flight, there was total radio silence from the crew of the Barcelona–Düsseldorf flight operated by Lufthansa’s lowcost subsidiary.

Yesterday’s crash happened around Continued on page 59

•INSIDE: BOKO HARAM KIDNAPS 500 IN BORNO P58 LAGOS TO HAVE 260 DAYS OF RAINFALL P8

INEC: voters free to stay back for ballot counting U.S., UK urge peace

TIMING

8a.m.-1pm 1:30pm

V

OTERS can witness the sorting and counting of ballot papers, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Attahiru Jega said yesterday “The results are to be announced to the hearing of all,” Prof. Jega said.

His position sharply contradicts that of police chief Suleiman Abba who said voters should go home after casting their ballots.

The duo spoke in Abuja yesterday during the INEC

•Accreditation

•Voting begins and ends when the last person has voted •Samples of the ballot boxes for Satruday’s elections From Vincent Ikuomola and Faith Yahaya, Abuja

National Stakeholders Summit on the general elections, where Jega unveiled the procedure for the elections and launched the official app “myINEC”.

This is the second time in one week that the INEC is overruling the police chief on the issue. The elections will hold on Saturday.

The Inspector General of Police, who noted that he was

only advising the electorate and politicians to stay away after casting their votes, said waiting behind could contravene the Electoral Act, especially the one that bothers on loitering.

Abba relied on Section 129 of the Electoral Act, which lists some of the actions which could result in electoral offences. Section 129(1)(i) lists, amongst others, “loitering without lawful excuse after

voting or after being refused to vote” as some of the actions, which could be seen as electoral offences.

He, however, assured the people that the police would be civil in their dealings with the public.

Abba’s speech was greeted with an uproar – a sign of rejection. “ I advise, cast your vote and go home and relax,” he said.

Abba, who was replying to the question raised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) representative, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, Deputy Director-General General, Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisa-

Continued on page 4

Buhari to youths: don’t carry arms

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LL Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari yesterday took his non-violence campaign a notch higher by calling on youths not to take arms to the polling units on Saturday.

He spoke at the IBB Square in WILL THE Bauchi, the CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON B a u c h i APRIL 15, LAST State capiYEAR EVER tal, during RETURN?

?

From Austin Tsenzugul and Duku Joel, Bauchi

the Northeast zonal rally.

The Northeast is the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Gen. Buhari, accompanied by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governors Kashim Shettima (Borno), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe) and the APC governorship candidates in Bauchi and Gombe states, was received by a huge crowd.

Urging his supporters to be law abiding, the presidential Continued on page 4

•Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun (third left), his wife, Olufunso (third right), wife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Hajiya Aisha Buhari (2nd right), wife of APC vice presidential candidate, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo (2nd left), Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori (left) and wife of Rivers State Governor, Mrs. Judith Amaechi (right) during the APC Southwest Zone Presidential Women rally at the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta...yesterday.

•SPORTS P16 •POLITICS P17 •MONEY P26 •INVESTORS P28 •LIFE P41 •FOREIGN P59

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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NEWS Countdown to March 28... 3 days to go

‘For every •From left: Director, Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP), Parminder Vir; Founder, Tony Elumelu Foundation, Tony Elumelu; Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Reid Whitlock and Chief Executive Officer/Founder, Java Foods, Zambia and member, TEEP’s Selection Committee, Monica Musonda at unveiling of 1,000 selected African entrepreneurs for the TEEP in Lagos.

Ahead of Saturday’s presidential election, All Progressives Congress (APC) governors met on Monday under the auspices of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) to fine-tune strategies. At the session, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola highlighted the failures of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration and why Nigerians should send the ruling party parking. Below is the text of the address he delivered at the Banquet Hall, Imo State Government House, Owerri.

I

•From left: Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Verdant Zeal Group, Mr. Tunji Olugbode; Chairman, Insight Marketing Comminications, Mr. Biodun Shobanjo; Chairman of occassion, Sir. Steve Omojafor and Guest Speaker, Prof. Pat Utomi during the Role of Innovation in Creating a New Agenda for Nationnal Developmet in Lagos...yesterday.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE

WANT to thank all of you for taking time off your very busy schedules to be part of this session; especially a few days to the elections, which by all accounts could be historic and critical for the soul of our dear country.

Election is a referendum on the performance of the incumbent government and a decision whether to keep it in office or vote it out of office.

As progressive governors who are committed to good governance, this year’s First Quarter Progressive Governance Session is designed to present our assessment of governance challenges in Nigeria today as well as our proposals on what needs to be done to move our country forward, postMay 29.

The parameters of the referendum are defined by issues of national security, economic management, social issues and the like. So, I will start by reviewing briefly the record of the current government and share with you what they say they have done.

Economy

•From left: Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Capital, Yewande Sadiku; Group Managing Director, Skye Bank Plc, Timothy Oguntayo; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Yinka Sanni and Divisional Head, Legal, Regulatory & Company Secretariat, FMDQ OTC Plc, Mr. Atinuke Taiwo at the signing of the N20 billion Series I of the N100 billion domestic commercial paper issuance programme of Skye Bank Plc in Lagos...yesterday.

Let me start with the economy, and share with you a text message that I received from a Nigerian film maker in Nollywood on March 14.

This is what he said:“I will like to bring to your attention that there is a reliable information that our film has been pirated to be released in Alaba on Monday. I also want to confirm to you that the criminals committing this act are known and can be handpicked. There was a meeting with NCC (Nigerian Copyright Commission) last week where to our surprise they invited the so-called pirates for negotiations and discussion on the previous works that they pirated. I am devastated sir and not sure what to do. I am not sure what you can do in your capacity as the executive governor of the State but I believe your approach to resolving issues in Ladipo could bring a lasting solution.

This new development will not only bring a big setback to my business and the industry at large but will discourage a dedicated filmmaker like myself from going all the way in the name of being a Nigeria.

Please do something sir”.

It must be clear to everyone that the greatest problem that people in the entertainment industry have is that their intellectual property rights are not being protected.

This is a law enforcement issue, rather than a cash solution that the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party) and its government has continued to proffer.

It is simple copyright law enforcement and the PDP simply does not get it.

Road

•Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, speaking at a news conference on the presentation of Seasonal Rainfall Prediction and Socio-Economic Implication for Lagos State by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), at the Ministry’s Conference Room, Alausa, Ikeja... yesterday. With him are: Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Adenekan Adebayo (left) and Director, Drainage Contruction & Dredging, Dayo Erinle. Story on page 8.

PHOTO: OMOSEHIN MOSES

As far as roads are concerned, and they are critical to the economic development and prosperity of our people for the movement of people, goods and services, the record of performance offered by the Federal Government is that they have constructed 25,000 kilometers of road.

How true that is, is to be measured by the complaints of PDP governors

themselves, who say federal roads in their states have been neglected.

How bogus this is, is the realisation that the distance between Lagos and London is approximately 5, 025 kilometers. Has the PDP-led Federal Government constructed roads that go the distance of Lagos to London five times? Is it possible to do this by a government that has never had a capital budget of up to 40 per cent in six years?

Housing As far as housing is concerned, please note that after being unable to account for $20 billion which is the equivalent of N3.3 trillion at N165/ $1.00 at the time the money was unaccounted for; after losing 400,000 barrels of oil per day for years, when oil was trading at $100 per barrel, meaning that we were losing $40,000,000.00, the equivalent of N6.6 billion.

Our country’s solution according to the PDP is to borrow $300 million from the World Bank in order to provide mortgage refinancing for all Nigerians. What this means, is that every Nigerian must first buy a house with a mortgage loan, and then apply for his share of the $300 million as a refinancing facility. That is the PDP model for housing.

I know that in Ogun State, there is a better model that places emphasis on housing construction in order to create jobs. I can speak better about my state, where we are building public housing and allocating it to residents at a mortgage rate of 9.5 per cent payable over 10 years. I know that construction is going on in no less than 25 sites, and we have not borrowed one kobo to fund this initiative. It has been funded by tax payers’ money.

Jobs As far as employment is concerned, again their own service record is the place to look. They say that they have created two million jobs. On a straight line analysis, this would suggest at least over 50,000 jobs in each of the 36 states and Abuja.

Simply ask yourself, how many people do you know, who got those jobs. Were they part of the jobs in which people died while stampeding for employment in theNigerian Immigration Service (NIS). Why is unemployment at 24 per cent if this economy is working? What I know is that from only four construction companies, over 5,000 workers have been laid off in the first quarter of the year and in the last two weeks, at least 2,400 bank staff have been laid off.

Security It is easy to summarise the security situation. Thousands killed violently; hundreds kidnapped routinely; 219 girls missing; citizens and even the Federal Government relying on alternative security, like ethnic militia to secure oil pipelines.

While all these happens, year on year, amounts close to N1 trillion

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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Countdown to March 28... 3 days to go

y Goliath, there’s a stone’ ‘

It is the first political party that I know that lost five governors to the opposition without an election. It later lost the Speaker of the Parliament, and eventually its former leader and Chairman Board of Trustees (BOT). The giant is tattering and about to fall. For every Goliath, there is a stone.

•President Jonathan

•Gov Fashola

‘

Where are the reports of these committees?

•Nuhu Ribadu Fuel Subsidy Scandal •Steve Oronsaye Harmonisation of Government Agencies and Department • Justice Alfa Belgore Committee on Abuja Parks and Zoo •Edem Duke’s Committee on Proliferation of Small Arms •Ibrahim Sambo Presidential Fact-finding •PriceWaterHouseCoopers Forensic Audit of the Missing Oil Receipts have been budgeted and expended on defence and security; yet there are unanswered questions of availability of equipment, while a new set of billionaires masquerading as security experts have emerged.

The answer of the PDP-Federal Government and Mr. President himself is that Gen Muhammadu Buhari, who left office in 1985 did not equip the security forces. Clearly the PDP forget that Nigerians remember that they have been in office for 16 years, and President Goodluck Jonathan has to account for six of those years.

They have killed Skekau (Abubakar), the supposed leader of the terrorist group (Boko Haram) at least four times. During one of those killings for which they claim success, they signed a ceasefire with him; from which he quickly played his part by attacking more Nigerians. After the fourth killing, there are now instructions to capture him.

Lies Ladies and gentlemen, there are two common denominators in the record of service of the PDP-Federal Government. The first is “failure” and the second is “lies”. They have failed in their management of the economy and they have been untruthful about how bad the economy is.

These numbers are important.

They dimension the real difficulty Nigerians are dealing with. I expected that when the PDP governors gathered in Lagos, on their poorly conceived mis-adventure, they would have spoken about these issues.

Instead, they were seeking to stop the use of Smart Card Readers (SCRs) which their government approved.

They forgot that they were the ones who approved the use of Permanent

Voters’ Cards (PVCs). They forgot that they postponed the elections because they said enough PVCs had not been issued.

Now that PVCs have been issued, should we not verify and authenticate eligible voters with the SCRs? We recognise the issues in the Nigerian state; we keep a track on them and we have made them the issues in the election as you will have heard from our presidential candidate and his running mate (Gen. Buhari and Prof Yemi Osinbajo).

No amount of ‘Goodluck’ can help the PDP escape from these issues. Our candidates have kept the Nigerian electorate focused on the issues of jobs, security, and corruption.

Our opponents urge that they are moving forward. The question to ask is what their definition of forward is.

Moving the rate of exchange of the naira to the dollar from N120 to $1.00 to N198 to $1.00 is not the way forward. Managing an economy where employers cannot keep people at work because of bad government policies is not the way forward.

Unemployment is not the way forward. Employment is the way. Inventory of imported raw materials trapped in the port is not the way forward to economic recovery. Fuel queues arising from government failure to pay importers is not the way forward.

Blaming the opposition for fuel shortage is not the way forward. The largest economy in Africa that cannot generate electricity is not the way forward. The avoidable loss of human lives, and the unresolved disappearance of 219 young girls is not the way forward. It is the opposite of development. It is the opposite of industrialisation. It is the opposite of job

creation. It is the way backwards. It is not the way to continue.

Ladies and gentlemen, like Vision 2020; like the Seven-Point Agenda; like the comparisons to Martin Luther Kings, Lee Kwan Yew, Nelson Mandela, Barrack Obama, and the Transformation Agenda, all of which have been abandoned because they are not true, it is obvious that our opponents in government, have lost their way.

They are reading the developmental map of Nigeria upside down. So, they do not know the way forward.

The Nigeria ship of state is heading in the wrong direction because the captain cannot navigate. This is the most important reason the PDP and the President must be voted out of power.

In 2011, President Jonathan made a total of 91 electoral promises around power, security and the economy.

Majority of them remain unfulfilled.

Between then and now, he set up a total of 28 committees as his government’s response to critical national issues such as the Nuhu Ribadu Fuel Subsidy Scandal Committee; Steve Oronsaye Harmonisation of Government Agencies and Department Committee; Justice Alfa Belgore Committee on Abuja Parks and Zoo, Edem Duke’s Committee on Proliferation of Small Arms; Ibrahim Sambo Presidential Fact-finding Committee and PriceWaterHouseCoopers Forensic Audit of the Missing Oil Receipts in the region of $20 billion.

The President has either forgotten or refused to either make public the reports of these committees, or implement them. The President resumed work only six weeks ago, because of elections. Nigeria needs a full-time president not a part-time one.

Gen Muhammad Buhari will be a

full-time President, ready to work every day. A full-time president will re-set and re-direct this nation and set her back on the right path. That is the way forward.

The second major reason is that after 16 years of start and stop, policy changes and no verifiable results, this country will benefit from a fresh pair of hands, that will have another look at the problems that have defeated the PDP for 16.

We simply cannot continue on this road that has failed us, and expect different results. A vote for change is the first step in the expectation of different and better results.

Instead of running on their record of service, the party in power has chosen to become film makers, making one poorly scripted documentary after the other.

The tragedy is that after one year of television propaganda, dating back to March 2014, their bird has refused to fly. There is nothing to sell. The good governance road show died on arrival. And the captain was initially honest in Lagos to admit failure.

The PDP-led Federal Government has no credible record to defend, nor a roadmap to rectify the damage they have done to our body politic, our economy and all our institutions.

It is perfectly understandable that when you have an indefensible record like theirs, you resort to despicable diversionary campaign, the like we have not seen before.

We have demonstrated and must continue to demonstrate that there is a gulf of difference between the APC and the PDP, not only in our visions (if they have any) and in our policies, but that we are willing to engage with them in a transparent and accountable manner.

Our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has presented a year 2015 election manifesto, while the only known manifesto of the PDP is dated 1999. We are committed to reinventing governance in Nigeria in order to solve our socio-economic and political challenges.

We were far-sighted when we established the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), where these kinds of questions and issues have constantly been interrogated through effective research, knowledge sharing, consultations and policies, at our quarterly fora.

So, when the APC talks of change, what kind of change are we talking about? How do we plan to redefine the concepts of leadership and responsibility?

The objective here is to demystify governance and restore ownership of the country to the sovereign- the citizens! It means that we must be accountable to the sovereign for our performance and how responsive we are to their wishes and demands. It means that the citizens will always retain the right to “hire and fire”. It means that we must embed the rule of law, political and civil liberties in our political culture. The culture of unbridled impunity must come to a grinding halt!

APC does not believe that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) should be reduced to a bazaar which merely awards contracts to leaders of ethnic militia, posing as socio–cultural groups, to the detriment of constitutionally established institutions and in subversion of the procurement laws.Were these contracts advertised?

Where was due process here?

We are certain that this session will, in many ways, give more clarity and further insight into the kind of change APC represents.

The other presentations will amplify many of the issues I have addressed so far. While not underestimating the enormity of the challenges that will face an APC-led Federal Government.

The APC is proud to have as its flag bearer, a patriot with the public stature and integrity of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who has unreservedly committed to this vision and mission as reflected in his ‘Covenant with Nigerians’ and campaigns promises.

It is not by accident that teeming millions of Nigerians are showing their support effusively for Gen. Buhari.

What I have confirmed since the emergence of Gen. Buhari as our presidential candidate, is that Nigerians still believe in the virtues of probity, selfless leadership and commitment to the greater good inspite of the 16 years of failed PDP government and leadership that they have been unfortunately saddled with.

For many years, I have heard complaints about PDP’s dismal management of our national life. Many Nigerians have expressed understandable frustration that PDP could not be defeated because there was no formidable opposition. Our leaders have heard these frustrations. They have organised rather than agonise.

They have sacrificed their smaller parties and leadership roles to deliver the first-ever political merger in the history of Nigeria.

They will all vote for the APC, but they cannot elect the APC into government. That is the duty of the Nigerian electorate if we must experience change, and save our country.

With the emergence of the APC, PDP began to unravel. With the mismanagement of its top leadership it began to dismember, losing its most vital parts; and making history for all the wrong reasons.

It is the first political party that I know that lost five governors to the opposition without an election. It later lost the Speaker of the Parliament, and eventually its former leader and Chairman Board of Trustees (BOT).

The giant is tattering and about to fall.

For every Goliath, there is a stone.

The APC is PDP’s stone and the people of Nigeria must rise like David to bring this plundering goliath down.

The merger was historic. But it will be more historic if Nigerians elect that merger to office. The people of Nigeria will have taken power by doing so.

Let me underscore once more that while the APC is ready, willing and able to take on the huge tasks of regenerating our country once more, APC is humbled by the enormity of the challenges it has to deal with in the next few years.

Once more, let me re-affirm the commitment of the PGF to continue to provide the platform where our party, governors and other stakeholders will continually engage, reflect on critical issues and challenges, and more importantly, proffer implementable policy options to address these challenges - indeed more than a talkshop!

It is now my privilege to invite you to listen to the presentation of our leader, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the other panel presentations on ”Sustaining Development in Times of Dwindling Resources”, to be followed by an interactive session among the participants.

God bless us all as we work to protect our democracy.

Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Governor of Lagos State, is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

NEWS Buhari to youths: don’t carry arms to polling units Continued from page 1

candidate said: “I was overwhelmed by the large turnout of youths that came out to welcome me from the airport throughout the town to this venue. I want to tell you that those of you that are of voting age and have voter cards should come out on Saturday and vote for the APC from bottom to top.

“I want to also tell you not to carry arms on the day of elections. Go out peacefully and cast your vote and be calm. I say this because the ruling party is looking for excuses not to conduct the elections, so you should not give them the opportunity to do so,” he advised.

He also decried the level of underdevelopment in the country, which he promised to reverse if elected.

Ex-VP Abubakar who was the chief host of the rally, urged Gen. Buhari to bring the North-

•NIGHTF ALL EX CITEMENT NIGHTFALL EXCITEMENT CITEMENT:: Gen. Buhari acknowledging cheers as he rides into Bauchi...last night.

Buhari can’t be disqualified, says APC

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RE there plans to disqualify All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari?

Buhari’s “disqualification” will spark a crisis, which will force another postponement of the general elections.

This, the APC alleged yesterday, is the script the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is likely to be working on.

The APC, in a statement by its spokesman Lai Mohammed in Abuja warned against any “orchestrated, lastminute disqualification of Gen. Buhari to pave the way for an easy victory for President Goodluck Jonathan or even another postponement of the elections. ‘’If it is true, as it is being widely speculated across the country, that the Jonathan Administration has procured a judgement to disqualify the APC presidential candidate on Wednesday (today), when the Federal High Court in Abuja is expected to rule on the issue, then it portends a great danger for our country.”

The elections were initially scheduled for February 14 and February 28 before they were shifted to March 28 and April

•Hearing today From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

11.

The APC said, in addition to other reasons, the six-week postponement of the elections may have been used by those who never wanted the polls to hold in the first instance to shop for such a “satanic” judgment. ‘’Anyone who will disqualify a presidential candidate on the eve of an election can only have one and only one purpose for that: to trigger chaos and pandemonium across the country. Perhaps this is the reason for the deployment of troops across the country to crack down on possible protests and create confusion. ‘’Then, those who orchestrated the disqualification will simply use what they expect to be angry reactions nationwide as an excuse to postpone the elections again, thus triggering a constitutional crisis, the end of which no one can predict. ‘’This is why we are hoping that good reason will prevail and nothing will be done, deliberately, to plunge Nigeria into crisis by the same people who have always been quick

to say their political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian,’’ the APC said.

A Federal High Court in Abuja will today decide whether or not to approve applications by a new set of people seeking to be made parties in a suit to stop Gen. Buhari from contesting the election.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola fixed today for ruling after taking arguments from parties on the merit or otherwise of the applications filed by about five people, including a group, the Fiscal and Civil Rights Enlightenment Foundation (FCREF).

Also seeking to be made a party in the suit are a Lagos lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, an APC member in Rivers State, Chukwuma Orchu, Sunusi Musa and Ahmed Maitarki (who said they were delegates at the party’s last presidential primary election).

Should the judge grant the applications of those seeking to join the suit, the court will adjourn for the plaintiff to amend its originating processes to reflect the new parties. If he refuses to join them, the judge may proceed to hear all pending applications with the

main suit - in line with his earlier ruling.

Justice Ademola on Tuesday elected to take all pending applications together. By this, he intends to hear all pending interlocutory applications by the defendants (the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Buhari and APC) and the plaintiff, with the substantive suit.

Shortly after the judge’s ruling, defendants’ lawyers, led

by Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), drew the court’s attention to the fact that it was yet to resolve the question of whether or not the defendants were properly served, an issue which the defendants raised and asked the court to decide before proceeding to hear the main suit.

The judge adjourned till today to resolve all pending preliminary issues.

The suit was filed on January 26 by a lawyer, Chukwunweike Okafor, who is seeking, among others, an order declaring that Gen. Buhari lacked the educational qualification to stand for the presidential election on the grounds that he allegedly failed to attach his certificate to the form submitted to INEC.

east out of doldrums. He described the region as the most underdeveloped in the country.

“In our town, we have no water, no electricity, no good schools, no good roads and insecurity in now our biggest problem, unemployment and poverty. These are our challenges and I call on you to help us when elected as President come Saturday,” he said.

The APC stalwart, informed Gen. Buhari of the region’s commitment to his ambition to become the president saying; “In Nigeria, the north east is the third highest region with registered voters, the second highest in the north and I assure you that we will support your election100 per cent The governors and the governorship candidates also spoke at the rally pledging not to disappoint the people if voted into the various offices.

Obasanjo cautions against hate campaign From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

•Obasanjo

B

ARELY three days to the presidential election, former President Olusegun Obasanjo is worried over rumours of a likely handing over of power to the military.

Obasanjo said Nigeria is awash with rumours of an Interim National Government(ING) being installed which, he said has been blown away, but wondered whether the rumour of the military take over would also go away.

The former President who quit partisan politics recently with the shredding of his Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) membership card by proxy, spoke at his Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, when the wife of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives

Congress (APC), Hajia Aisha Buhari, and the Southwest women leaders and spouses of APC governors, visited him.

Obasanjo said besides military rule not being fashionable any longer, it is unconstitutional and the Intentional community would not condone it.

According to him, a military coup anywhere on the African soil would neither be accepted nor tolerated by the African Union (AU) member countries until such government is “dismantled.”

He warned that the world was watching Nigeria, saying as the largest country in Africa, Nigeria should be a model to others.

The former President urged Nigeria not to draw the rest of Africa backward and lamented the campaign of hate and division engaged in by those seeking elective.

He charged women to take active part in the redemptive mission for Nigeria, warning that should things go worse, they would be the hardest hit.

Continued on page 59

INEC: voters free to stay back for ballot counting Politicians who stoke violence won’t escape, say U.S., UK

Continued from page 1

tion, if waiting behind to protect votes constitutes loitering, said there would be time to distinguish protection of votes and loitering.

He also stressed that waiting behind under the provision of “lawful purpose” expires immediately one finishes casting one’s vote. The law provides for those who are to wait to protect the ballot, he said.

“There are lawful people assigned to protect your vote,” Abba said.

Noting that the advice also affects the candidates who are standing for elections, Abba urged them to educate their followers on peaceful conduct during and after the elections.

On the deployment of soldiers for the elections, the police boss noted that the military will play a supportive role as stated in the constitution.

Though he noted that he was yet to see the High Court judgment on the issue, he, however, said the military will be deployed to provide cover about 300 metres from the polling units.

N

IGERIA is under world’s focus as it holds presidential and national assembly elections on Saturday, the United States and the United Kingdom said yesterday.

This follows the broadcast on Monday,

by U.S President Barack Obama to Nigerians urging peaceful and fair elections.

Yesterday U.S Secretary of State John Kerry, and U.K Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, reaffirmed the message of peace and crisis-free elections in a joint statement.

They also warned of dire consequence for politicians who stoke violence.

They said: “The elections must be decided in accordance with the rule of law.

It follows that any person who incites violence at any stage in the electoral process, or who seeks power through unconstitutional means, should be held accountable and should understand that the

Jega reassured Nigerians that the commission “has done its best to prepare adequately for the 2015 general elections, so as to make them better than the 2011 elections, and so as to ensure that they meet the aspiration of Nigerians for free, fair and credible elections.

consequences will be severe, both domestically and internationally.

“After an election, it is natural to focus attention on the winner, but in any democracy, the unsuccessful candidates also have critical roles to play.

“No one expects any political leader to retreat from firmly-held policy positions or beliefs, but a losing candidate owes it to his or her country to acknowledge defeat as soon as the popular verdict is clear, to urge supporters to accept the outcome, and to advocate unity in the face of national threats. That is the kind of leadership Nigeria needs.

“A free, fair, and peaceful presidential election does not guarantee a successful democracy, but it is nevertheless an essential ingredient—especially now in Nigeria.

“There are good reasons why the international spotlight is firmly fixed on Nigeria during this critical period and why

“Let me also reassure that INEC and all field officials are determined to be impartial and non-partisan in the conduct of these elections. We will continue to do everything humanly possible to ensure a level playing field for all parties and candidates. And we call on all

we have come together to support an open and credible electoral process “Nigeria is Africa’s largest democracy and what happens there will have an impact well beyond its borders. A successful election, free from violence and with wide participation, accurate vote counting, and responsible leadership from the candidates would inspire the region and spur future progress and prosperity.

“As friends and democratic partners of Nigeria, we urge that the voting for president and parliament go forward as scheduled on March 28; there should be no further delay of this crucial vote “In 2011, more than 800 people died in post-election clashes, and a recent survey shows that half of Nigerians are concerned about political intimidation this time around,” they said.

“The good news is that President

stakeholders, especially voters, candidates and their supporters, to contribute positively to ensuring that the elections are fraud-free, peaceful, as well as free, fair and credible.

“It is also significant to note, that INEC has put plans in place to improve the transpar-

Continued on page 59

ency and credibility of the process of collation of results.”

Jega went on: “Hard copies of result sheets from polling units would be scanned, converted to PDF format and put in database, which would be made accessible for viewing and downloading via the INEC

website. Every voter or stakeholder will hence be able to confirm the accuracy of results from the PUs, which have been conveyed to the collation centres.”

Three ballot boxes will be used in each polling unit/voting point. The box with the red cover/lid will be used for presidential election. The box with black cover/lid will be used for the senatorial election and the box with green cover/ lid will be used for the House of Representatives election.

The INEC boss, who insisted on the use of the card readers in Saturday’s election, said the commission was satisfied with the security and accuracy of the technology, especially as it has proven to be very reliable.

Identifying issues that stakeholders must pay attention to in the elections, Jega said “acContinued on page 59

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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Court awards N500m to APC for shut fundraising platform

HE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday awarded N500 million damages to the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the illegal shutdown of its fundraising platform.

Justice Ibrahim Buba ordered the Nigeria Communications Communication (NCC), Etisalat, MTN, Glo, Airtel and Visafone to pay APC N500 million.

They are to pay the money “severally and jointly” for infringing on the fundamental rights of the party and its members.

APC, in its originating motion, demanded N25 billion damages from the defendants for violating its rights.

Justice Buba dismissed the respondents’ objection to APC’s claim, holding that the party deserves compensation for the loss it suffered.

The judge ordered the telecoms firms “to continue to run, operate and/or restore to its full operative use the SMS Code Platform 35350 created to raise funds for the applicant’s presidential campaign.”

APC had accused the respondents of disobeying the order and had initiated contempt proceedings against them.

The party said it created a “premium SMS code 35350” through which willing donors could contribute to its presidential campaign fund.

Within hours of its deployment, APC said it was getting about five messages of N100 each every minute. A total of

NCC appeals judgment

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HE counsel to the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN), yesterday filed an appeal against the judgment. NCC, in a statement, said it filed the appeal through its counsel on eight grounds.

Usoro contended that the learned judge misdirected itself in law and on facts when it awarded N500 million as damages and compensation to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The lawyer averred that the judge erred in law when he dismissed the appellant’s Notice of Preliminary Objection of March 2, 2015, which challenged the competence of the suit on the grounds that same was unmeritorious.

He added that the judge was wrong when he held that the suit of the first respondent disclosed cause of action against the applicant.

Usoro, in the notice of appeal, noted that the court misdirected itself in law and facts when it

By Joseph Jibueze

5,400 messages were received, it said.

But NCC, in a January 19 letter, directed all telecoms service providers “to avoid running political advertisements that will portray them as being partisan,” adding that it would not “hesitate to sanction any service provider that will flout this directive.”

As a result, the mobile companies suspended the platform. But the party prayed the court to declare that the NCC’s directive violated APC’s guaranteed right to freedom of expression.

It asked for a declaration that the directive was dis-

By Lucas Ajanaku

held that the suit, as constituted, fell under the context of Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution as amended and not rooted in contract.

He explained that the court erred in law and occasioned grave miscarriage of justice when it held that the first respondent seemingly complained of discrimination by the appellant.

The notice of appeal also said the learned judge erred in law when he held that the appellant indeed discriminated against the 1st respondent when it granted the Goodluck/ Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation in 2011, the right to use short codes and did not allow the first respondent same right in 2015.

Another ground was that the judge erred in law when it invalidated the appellants’ directive contained in its letter of January 19, 2015.

criminatory against APC members, since NCC granted similar rights to the Goodluck/Sambo campaign.

APC also sought a declaration that NCC’s directive was ultra vires its powers and contrary to Section 39 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution.

Glo’s counsel Mr. Femi Atoyebi (SAN) urged the court to dismiss APC’s case, saying the telecoms firm did not act on NCC’s directive, which he said was advisory.

“The letter from NCC did not ask the fourth respondent to shut down the code. The letter is only an advice. We did not shut down anything. There was no need for us to do so,” he said.

He said problem arose when APC allegedly advertised the short code before Glo could obtain the necessary approvals to deploy it.

“APC jumped the gun. They advertised the code before permission to start the service.

Besides, this is not a fundamental rights’ case. It’s contractual issue being cloaked as a fundamental rights’ issue,” he said.

NCC’s lawyer Mr. Paul Usoro (SAN) also denied that the commission’s aim in the letter was to stop the telecoms firms from deploying APC’s fund-raising code.

“The NCC is not stopping them,” he said, urging the court to dismiss the suit.

Reject inducement, NYSC DG, Jega tell corps members From James Azania, Lokoja

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HE Director-General, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen.Johnson Olawunmi, and the Independent National Election Commission’s (INEC’s) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, have admonished corps members billed to participate in the elections to shun inducement.

The corps members were assured of prompt payment of their allowances before and after election duties.

Reading from Brig.-Gen. Olawunmi and Prof. Jega message to the corps members at the Lokoja Township Stadium in Kogi State, the state NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Olabanji Agatha, urged them to build on the success of the 2011 elections and make the nation proud.

With their academic exposure, she said, a high sense of patriotism and integrity was expected from them.

Each participating corps member will receive N32,000 for the March 28 and April 11 national assignments.

The message also reads: “As corps members, who have been exposed to a high academic knowledge, ideals and objectives of NYSC, it is expected of you to handle this critical assignment with a high sense of patriotism, integrity, diligence and responsibility.”

Court refuses to list UPN’s presidential candidate, others for polls

By Joseph Jibueze

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HE Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday refused to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to include the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the elections.

It joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as defendants in the suit.

UPN is praying the court to order INEC to list its candidates for the elections.

Ruling on APC’s application, Justice Okon Abang held that since INEC had printed and distributed electoral materials, it could not be compelled to destroy them and print new ones.

This, the judge said, was because UPN filed its suit on February 25 after the postponement of the initial February 14 presidential election.

He said the suit came up for hearing on March 6, a period of 21 days to the rescheduled presidential election.

“The applicant (UPN) cannot create problems for this court and indeed the entire country. The court cannot command the impossible. The plaintiffs cannot file this suit 21 days to the election and expect that it must be heard and judgment delivered before the election.

“Even though the plaintiffs have no claim against the APC, the outcome of this suit will affect the party because it is about an election, which the party is participating.

“This is a pre-election matter and it can be heard after the election,” Justice Abang ruled.

The judge then ordered that APC and Buhari should be joined as second and third defendants.

He directed the plaintiffs to amend its processes to reflect the additional defendants and serve them within three days.

UPN’s presidential candidate Helen Godswill filed the suit with its other candidates following the non-listing of their names as candidates for the elections.

Justice Abang adjourned till May 6 for hearing.

‘APC never promised to make naira equal to dollar’ From Olugbenga Adanikin, Abuja

•President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurating the Phase 1 504MW (Simple Cycle Gas) at Alaoji Power Station, Aba, Abia State...yesterday. With him from left are: Minister of Power Prof. Chinedum Nebo; Abia State Governor Theodore Orji; Minister of Finance and Coirdinating Minister of Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Peoples Democratic Party’s National Chairman Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu and other officials.

PHOTO IBEABUCHI ABARIKWU

I’m here to restore Nigeria to prosperity, says Buhari

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, has affirmed that his mission in the elections is to restore the nation to the path of prosperity.

He stressed that it would be disastrous, if the citizens allowed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rule the nation for another four years.

Buhari, who spoke on Monday at the APC Progressive Governors Session at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Owerri, Imo State, promised to retrieve Nigeria from the hands of corrupt leaders, who have ruined it.

The APC presidential candidate said the elections would determine the future of Nigeria, urging the citizenry to vote out the PDP to enable the APC government begin the restoration of the country’s socio-economic structures that have

been destroyed by a “corrupt PDP cabal”.

Buhari added that corruption and insecurity were the major problems affecting the fabric of the nation, noting that if he becomes the president, an emergency zero-tolerance would be declared on corruption and insecurity.

The APC presidential candidate asserted that the PDP completely ruined the country for 16 years and should not be allowed to rule the country for another four years.

He described PDP as a complete failure for putting the nation into economic, social and political quagmire.

Calling on Nigerians to take part in the polls, Buhari said: “The Igbo nation has been absolutely neglected in the last 16 years by the PDP. We must not allow PDP to rule this country for 20 years. If we do, it will be disastrous for the

country. We are here to restore this nation. So, all of us must collectively vote PDP out of government in these elections.”

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha called on all Ndigbo nation and the citizens to throw their weight behind Buhari, saying the APC would build bridges across the nation.

Okorocha noted that Ndigbo gained nothing from the ruling party in 16 years, adding that PDP should be stopped by everyone from occupying the presidential seat.

He said the Igbo had supported past presidents, but lamented that nobody ever supported their quest of becoming president.

Okorocha noted that no matter how hard the PDP tries to rig the elections, it would not succeed since the APC would not allow them to rig this time around.

Lagos State Governor

Babatunde Fashola called on the Southeast to vote for Buhari, stressing that this year’s elections would serve as a referendum on the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Former Governor of Anambra State Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu advised Nigerians to make the right decision and vote the PDP out, noting that the elections would determine if Nigerians need change or not.

He appealed to the electorate to stand up and vote for Buhari, who, he said, “is a disciplined man” that would stamp out corruption from the country.

Present at the forum were APC candidates, including members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), the presidential campaign council, media executives and leaders of professional groups.

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation has debunked reports that its presidential flag bearer, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, promised to make naira equal to a dollar, if voted into office.

The party said Buhari only described the economic situation, where the value of the naira dropped to N230, as unacceptable.

Deputy Director, Policy and Strategy of the APC Campaign Organisation, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi, made the clarification yesterday at the closing session of the Nigeria Political Party Debates Series (NPPDS), organised by Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja.

The debate was titled: “Manifesto Hour: Political Parties and Citizens”.

Abdullahi, a former minister of Youth, stated that the former Military Head of State was wrongly reported in the media.

He said: “On the issue of Gen. Buhari saying that he will bring naira at par with dollar, I want to say it clearly here that Gen. Buhari never said so. He did not say so. If you are implying on the media report, I want to say that we are protesting to the media organisation that reported that.

“If you read the body of the story, you would have noticed that there was nothing in the body of the report that quoted as saying, ‘I will bring Naira at par with dollar’. He only said it is unacceptable that dollar will be exchanging for N230.”

On project continuity, the former minister said the party would improve on those projects considered beneficial to the people, adding that those that did not represent interest of the people would be terminated, if elected into office.

In his remark, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, explained that the APC was ready to tackle corruption, unemployment and insecurity.

He restated the commitment of the party to creating three million jobs for the unemployed youths, if voted into office.

He said APC would make the job creation a reality by establishing long-term and short-term plans through investment in public works programme.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

NEWS Polls: IGP orders restriction on movements

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (second left) presenting a cheque of N75,000 to one of the fire disaster beneficiaries of Balogun market, Mrs. M. Olaogun (left),during an advocacy for traders on the importance of insurance in Lagos State at the Blue Roof, LTV Complex, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja...yesterday. With them are Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Wale Ahmed (second right) and the General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Osanyintolu.

From Faith Yahaya, Abuja

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S part of efforts to ensure adequate security iduring the general elections, the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has ordered restriction on vehicular movements.

The restriction will take place on Saturday and Saturday, April 11 between the hours of 8.00am to 5.00pm.

Consequently, travellers and citizens, who intend to use roads on these days and hours have been advised to plan alternative times for their travelling.

Retirees accuse PenCom of withholding benefits

‘Nigerian politicians on global watch-list’

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UNDREDS of pensioners are finding it difficult to access their retirement benefits more than a decade after they retired from the Federal Civil Service, it was gathered yesterday.

Those affected claimed they retired after attaining 60 years of the statutory or the retirement age of 35.

According to them, their retirement was prior to the takeoff of the new pension management in 2004.

The scheme was introduced by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to make pension funds easily accessible for retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) policy.

About N8.8 billion contributed by workers under the National Provident Fund (NPF) and the National Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) was transferred to Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) by the National Pension Commission (PenCom).

But those, whose contributions were deducted before the enforcement of the CPS and the introduction of the PFAs in 2004, believe PenCom has been holding on to their funds, thus impoverishing them after serving their fatherland.

One of the affected former federal officials, who pleaded for anonymity, told The Nation that he has not been paid his entitlements, years after he retired from the civil service.

According to him, he never envisaged when he was in active service that he would spend his retirement in penury.

He urged the Federal Government to compel PenCom to do the right thing.

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IGERIAN politicians are being placed on global watch list by notable institutions ahead of the March 28 and April 11 general elections, it was gathered yesterday.

The measure was aimed at preventing any form of election violence that could precipitate destruction of lives and property as witnessed in 2011.

Politicians have been warned to desist from hate speeches and campaigns that could trigger widespread post-election violence across the nation.

Former United Nations Assistant Secretary-General/Registrar of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, Dr. Agwu Ukiwe Okali, who gave the hint in Abuja, said it was part of a “carrot and stick” approach adopted to ensure that the elections are devoid of violence.

Dr. Okali, who spoke at a news conference organised by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development, noted that the inter-

From Blessing Olaifa, Assistant Editor, Abuja

national community has declared a zero-tolerance for electoral violence.

The conference was attended by board members of the Savannah Centre, including the Founder, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; its Chairman, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais; Nollywood actress, Joke Silva; and the Executive Director of the centre, Ambassador Abdullahi Omaki.

Okali said the visit of former United Nations’ (UN) Secretary General, Koffi Anna, to the country and the call for peaceful polls by the United States (U.S.) President, Barack Obama, a few days ago, showed that global attention and concerns were focused on Nigeria.

He warned that politicians should avoid the Kenya postelection violence, which was taken up by the international community.

“The global terrain has

changed. There are consequences to post-election violence. It is not possible for anybody to think that he will go scot-free after creating grounds for election crisis and chaos,” Okali asserted.

The centre, through its founder and chairman, however, said that they have done everything possible within their powers to ensure that Nigeria experienced free, fair, credible and transparent elections.

It urged whoever wins the presidential election to accept the result in good faith.

It also stated that anyone who feels aggrieved with the results should seek redress through the courts.

Prof. Gambari and Justice Uwais, who spoke one after the other, explained that the centre has met with two former presidents, the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Alake of Egbaland and some traditional rulers in the eastern part of the country on the need to

take proactive measures to prevent post-election violence.

Justice Uwais said the centre, which is also known as the Council of the Wise, hoped to meet President Goodluck Jonathan and other stakeholders before the elections to ensure hitch-free election.

Asked whether the Centre has been able to prevailed on the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience Jonathan, to lower the tempo of campaign speeches, especially about her call on Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) supporters to stone any one that mention “change”, Justice Uwais said the council was for now focusing on institutions and not individual.

He said government should take steps to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Panel reports on the post-election crisis of 2011, stressing that such step would serve as deterrent to would-be troublemakers.

Why Buhari ’ll win on Saturday, by Bamidele

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OUSE of Representatives’ member Opeyemi Bamidele is confident that the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag bearer, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, will win Saturday’s presidential election.

The former Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, who represents Ado/Irepodun/ Ifelodun Federal Constituency, said a “coalition of forces for Buhari by Nigerians” would give the retired general victory at the polls through their votes on Saturday.

The lawmaker, who spoke

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

with reporters in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, said the issue of Buhari has gone beyond political parties, saying the APC candidate has become a movement in Nigeria that everybody has been embracing.

He added that Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), have the ability to make the difference in the nation’s governance.

Bamidele called on Ekiti political stakeholders not to turn the state into a killing field be-

fore, during and after the general elections, urging them to embrace peace and respect the peace accord brokered by the state police command.

He warned politicians against repeating the violence witnessed in the state in the build-up to the 2014 governorship election.

He said: “The issue of Buhari has gone beyond political parties. Buhari has become a movement in Nigeria that everybody has been embracing.

“So, it is no longer about the party where you belong , but

•Bamidele

about Nigeria. I remain a member of LP. “But I want to be part of history as one of those who change the Nigeria’s course for the better.”

APC South Africa, Canada seek UN, AU support for fair polls

HE South Africa and Canada chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have urged the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) to help ensure that the general elections are free, fair, acceptable to all parties and violent-free.

In a communique from their joint meeting, the chapters said all hands should be on deck to ensure the smooth transition from the current administration to the legitimate winners of the polls.

The communique said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be allowed to perform its duties without any form of harassment or inducement, as anything to the contrary would taint the polls’ outcome.

The chapters condemned the massive financial induce-

•Nigerians in Germany endorse APC presidential candidate

By Joseph Jibueze

ment of voters, saying: “We have observed that financial and other forms of inducements aimed at enticing/buying the people’s votes have taken the centre stage in the upcoming election.

“This is only playing on the intelligence and leadership-induced poverty of the people. We believe that a true democracy can only thrive where individuals are allowed to make free choices. We advocate for the entrenchment of democracy through the freedom of choice.”

Bola Babarinde (Chairman), Oludayo Fasina (Secretary), Ismail A. Fagbemi (Treasurer), Sani David (Public Relations Officer), Adeyemi Onikosi,

Taiye Salahdeen and Damola Ore (members) represented APC South Africa chapter, while Bola Ajimotokan (Chairman), Yemi Adegbite (Secretary) and Moses Adegboye represented Canada chapter.

According to them, the military and para-military forces should not be used to intimidate individuals or groups, neither should they be used or participate to truncate democracy.

The communiqué added: “We made bold to say that in line with the international best practices in democracy, Nigerians will not accept any military rule, either through a coup or some unconstitutional interim arrangement because we believe that this will amount to a setback in the democratic process.

“While the economic indicators from some international organisations have pointed out that Nigeria appears to be on a positive stride, these are in sharp contrast with the realities on ground in the country.

“We implore the Federal Government to utilise the country’s scarce resources for the good of the people and prioritise developmental projects rather than some selfserving ends.”

But, Nigerians living in Germany have endorsed the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

The endorsement was announced at a gathering at the Hochfeld Hall, Hochfeld, Duisburg, Germany last week-

end.

Scores of Nigerians were in attendance and they all pledged to ensure their relatives back home vote for the APC ticket.

The Coordinator of the German Chapter of the APC, Hakeem Fashola, said Nigerians living and working abroad were the ones who bear the shame of the failures of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led administration.

“We are tired of being laughed at. Everywhere we go, we are reminded of the terrible image of our country and president. It is getting more and more difficult to hold your head up proudly and say you are a Nigerian. See how they messed us up at the Chatam House when hungry young Nigerians were paid to come and protest against General Buhari. How embarrassing,” Fashola said.

Editors condemn hate campaign •‘Polls should be peaceful’

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DITORS of Nigerian newspapers yesterday frown at the hate speeches that have dominated the campaign in the run down to Saturday’s elections.

They, however, praised the citizenry for the maturity they have displayed in spite of the conduct of politicians and urged them to sustain it by voting peacefully.

They spoke through the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE)’s standing committee, which met in Lagos to appraise the state of the nation.

The communiqué of the meeting by NGE President Mr. Femi Adesina reads: “After the initial postponement of the elections by six weeks, due to security concerns, and the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to get better prepared, it is gratifying that no further postponement is being contemplated. ”The six weeks postponement window has allowed our armed forces, in collaboration with a multi-national coalition from the sub-region, to deal devastating blows on insurgents in the Northeast.We salute the gallantry of the forces, which has made the region more conducive for voting in elections.

“We observe that the campaigns, rather than focus on issues that are germane to our national life, have rather dwelt on individuals. And it was done in such bilious and acrimonious way, whipping up negative emotions and sentiments, emphasising our fault lines as a people. The NGE condemns such in no unmistakable terms. We, however, commend the electorate for keeping their heads, and urge them to do the same all through the elections.

“The stakes are high in the elections, no doubt, but voting to elect leaders is an integral part of democracy. Without a free and fair voting process, we can’t say we have a democracy. We, therefore, do not believe that a country should die because it held elections. On the contrary, elections should strengthen democracy, and reinforce national development. In view of that, we do not agree with any group or interest threatening fire and brimstone over the outcome of the elections.

Nigeria belongs to us all, and is greater than all.”

It added: “The onus is on all stakeholders to comport themselves decently and in order in this season. INEC, political parties, politicians, the electorate, security agencies, the media etc must work for the overall good of the country. Unbridled partisan considerations can only open the door of Armageddon, and when such is opened, nobody can determine who enters through such infernal door.

“When results of free and fair elections are released, let the loser be gracious in defeat, and let the winner be magnanimous in victory. In such contest, there is bound to be a victor, just as there would be a loser. Hell should not boil over.

“We repeat: No country should die because it held elections. Fair play, please. And may these elections strengthen the bonds of our unity in diversity.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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‘OPC‘s act inciting’

HE Yoruba Revolutionary Movement (YOREM), a former arm of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), in conjunction with Africa Market TV, has condemned the actions of the OPC under Chief Gani Adams.

The group, at a briefing coordinated by the national leader, Wale Balogun, decried the war inciting actions of OPC, describing it as a compromise of the Yoruba.

From Bisola Oloyede, Ibadan

“It is criminally wrong for the organisation to impose its will on the people of Lagos. It’s not by force to follow its misguided support of the failed administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“OPC’s resort to intimidation, harassment and destruction of APC billboards and defacing of candidates’ poster is childish, unnecessary, criminally-divisive and myopic.”

Normalcy returns to Oyo

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ORMALCY has returned to the ancient town of Oyo after Monday’s political violence, which claimed two lives.

Hoodlums attacked the Ode-Remo open space, venue of the rally of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Traders were seen displaying their goods as the popular Akesan market was opened for business.

A burnt SDP vehicle was still in the middle of the road close to the Ode-Aremo open space.

From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

Besides Akesan, streets in Pakoyi, Awumaro and Oroki were still littered with broken bottles.

It was gathered that one of the two persons killed was a primary one pupil, who was said to be returning from school. He was said to have been hit by a stray bullet.

Residents have urged security agencies to embark on an intensive surveillance of Akesan and Owode motor garages.

Osinbajo: deliverance for Nigeria on Saturday

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HE vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said Nigerians will be delivered from the grip of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday.

Osinbajo said the electorate must vote out President Goodluck Jonathan to regain their political and economic deliverance. He was dismayed that the ruling party ran the country aground.

Speaking at a town hall meeting with APC leaders and members in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, Osinbajo urged Nigerians to ignore the directive of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba, that voters should go home after casting their ballots.

The former Lagos State attorney general said Jonathan had failed Nigerians and did not deserve re-election.

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

According to him, a vote for the APC presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, is a vote for deliverance from poverty, unemployment and corruption inflicted on them by the PDP administration.

He promised that a Buhari administration’s major focus would be job creation and fighting corruption, which has given Nigeria a global notoriety.

Osinbajo said: “President Jonathan is tired of governance because he is overwhelmed. His government has no focus. As of today, Nigeria is one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

“That is why they are afraid of a Buhari’s presidency because they are afraid of being jailed.

“They know there won’t be room for corrupt practices.

We are promising you that

wonders shall happen again in this country, if Buhari wins this election.

“President Jonathan has failed Nigerians in all aspects and deserves to be rejected by Nigerians. If you look at our programme, all we emphasise is how to provide jobs for our unemployed youths.

“Whether Jonathan likes it or not, the dream of Nigeria becoming a liberated nation shall come to pass on Saturday.”

APC’s Deputy National Chairman (South) Chief Segun Oni urged Nigerians to sack the PDP government because of its failure to stop corruption, which has impoverished citizens.

Another four years of PDP, Oni said, would be an extension of corruption and bad governance.

Oni said: “Nigeria is the only country where over 400, 000 barrels of crude oil are

being stolen daily. Nigeria is the only country where people are being kidnapped without resistance.

“Nigeria is the only country where a President said stealing is no corruption. All these would have to stop for the coming generations to be proud of us as leaders.

Former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi urged the Ekiti populace to use the election to be part of history as one of those who fought for Nigeria’s rebirth.

Fayemi added that those who are afraid of being jailed should not be allowed to perpetuate themselves in office and continue to loot the country.

At the event were former Governor Niyi Adebayo, former Governor of old Ondo State Bamidele Olumilua, former Deputy Governor Prof Modupe Adelabu, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, Opeyemi Bamidele, among others.

Osun APC to Jonathan: respect the law

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has said President Goodluck Jonathan has a duty to respect the law; otherwise his apparent disregard of court orders will threaten the nation’s democracy.

A statement by the Director, Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, said: “It would appear that President Jonathan has no intention whatsoever to respect the Federal High Court rulings not to deploy soldiers for the elections.

“The Federal Government-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) plans to use the military to harass, arrest APC leaders on Friday.

“If Jonathan goes ahead to disregard the legal position on this matter, it would be a worst contempt for law, exhibited by any head of state.

“The consequences ‘for our fledgling democracy’ will be catastrophic.”

INEC gets 6,673 Card Readers in Oyo

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HE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received 6,673 Card Readers for use in Oyo State.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Rufus Akeju, said this yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Ibadan, the state capital.

He said: “In this state we have 5,620 voting points, 6,673 Card Readers have been received. A Card Reader, bearing particulars of not more than 750 voters, will be configured for each unit; 1,053will

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

serve as contingency arrangement for the Card Readers that may malfunction.

“Once fully charged, the battery of a Card Reader can last for about 12 hours with the in-built capacity to hibernate when not in use.

The REC said over 20,000 youths, mostly made up of corps members, have been screened, trained and recruited as presiding officers and assistant presiding officers.

He appealed to youths to eschew violence during the elections.

Group advises youths

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FAITH-BASED organisation, the Christian Conscience, has called on youths to desist from electoral violence and rigging.

The group, after a road show on free, fair elections, also visited Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola.

Delivering the message on behalf of the group, Ven. Folarin Shobo, who led the road show on behalf of its Chairman, Chief Enoch Ajiboso, advised youths to vote for the right candidates and not be swayed by sentiment.

Shobo said: “The Christian Conscience group has been in the forefront of seeking an egalitarian society, where our leaders will be held responsible for their

actions. “We have held several seminars to sensitise Nigerians on good electoral practices.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Christian Religious Matters, Rev Sam Ogedengbe, said: “The government appreciates your efforts and will strive to support and encourage others to emulate your gesture.

“The government is aware of your activities and praise the group for coming out at this appropriate time to sensitise our people on their civic responsibilities.

“The task of educating the people should not be left alone for the government to do rather groups like yours should also be encouraged to do so."

•Southwest coordinator, Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign, Governor Rauf Aregbesola addressing All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters at a campaign rally in Igbaye, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State.

Why I refused to join Mimiko’s camp, by Adefarati’s son

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HE son of the late Ondo State Governor, Adebayo Adefarati, Gboyega, has explained why he refused to join Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s executive council, despite several entreaties.

Gboyega said he refused to join Mimiko’s camp because he knew the governor as a man who will never stand by his word.

He spoke with reporters shortly after organising a rally for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at Akungba-Akoko in Akoko South West.

Osinbajo, who was on a tour of the state, visited Okeagbe, Arigidi, Oka, Isua, Owo, Ore and Okitipupa.

He also visited the Adefaratis in Akungba, accompanied by Rotimi Akeredolu, Paul Akintelure, Bola Ilori, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Victor Olabintan and Ifedayo Abegunde, among others.

Osinbajo said: “Let us protect our votes; we should stand by our votes. We must ensure they count the votes in our presence before leaving the polling units.”

Osinbajo’s convoy was received with jubilation and praises as market women, artisans and students warmly showed their support for the

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

APC with shouts of “change”.

The younger Adefarati said no amount of sweet words or dollars being shared would garner votes for President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said Akoko had been the bedrock of progressives in the state, adding that it would be a landslide victory for Buhari in the state, particularly in Akoko.

“We have never lost Akungba-Akojo to Mimiko, even when the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)

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was not strong in 2011, we still won the wards in Akungba.

“Even though our party lost the governorship election in 2012, we gave our party 1,800 votes to Labour Party’s 400 in Akungba.

“So, our people are yearning for change, forget about the endorsement, it is just names or associations that are endorsing not members. Associations cannot vote but members will vote.

“We have been meeting the people who are the members of these associations and their

reactions are that they want change.

“Mimiko cannot deceive them anymore, they were deceived in 2007 when Mimiko claimed to be part of the Southwest progressives. In 2011, he deceived the masses with cosmetic projects. In 2012, he lied to them but this time around, our people cannot be deceived again. I knew him since the days of my father’s administration. When he invited me, pleading that I should join him, I said to my people Mimiko is not a man who can stand by his word.”

‘No Southwest votes for Jonathan’

HE Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation in Lagos State has said President Goodluck Jonathan cannot get any vote in the Southwest.

The coordinator, James Faleke, said the people will not vote for a President, who has no record of kept promises.

Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives (Ikeja Federal Constituency) seeking re-election, reminded the President that a promise he made on the power sector on August 12, 2010, was not fulfilled five years after.

The lawmaker recalled how President Jonathan promised that Nigerians would enjoy stable power from 2012 at the launch of the Roadmap for Power Sector Reforms at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

“Precisely, Mr. President said: ‘By God’s grace, by December 2012, Nigeria will not only celebrate one day of uninterrupted electricity supply, but we would celebrate one week, one

month and so on of uninterrupted electricity supply.”

Faleke said the people would not vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even if the President moved the seat of power to the Centre of Excellence.

“It doesn’t matter how many weekends the President spends here in the Southwest; it doesn’t also matter how much he gives out, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will still defeat him.

“We’re defeating him. His constant trips to Lagos clearly show that Mr. President has lost it not only in Lagos but in the Southwest. Of course, the people will take his money and still vote according to their conscience.

“If, in the past six years, he has not shown interest in the Southwest, then it is too late to be rushing here every week. The money being wasted as Greek gifts could have been channelled into ventures that would have benefited the society.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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CITYBEATS

Lagos to experience 260 days of rainfall

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AGOS State is expected to experience 260 days of rainfall this year with the maximum annual rainfall predicted to be 1,824mm, Commissioner for Environment Tunji Bello said yesterday.

Bello spoke at a briefing with reporters on the 2015 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction for the state.

According to him, Lagos has been predicted to experience rainy season of between 245 and 260 days, with the maximum annual rainfall predicted to be around 1,824mm, explaining that this maximum rainfall would be experienced within and around Marina.

He added that in general, this year’s rainfall has been predicted to have a delay onset of about two-13 days, with

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

Lagos, Ondo, Ogun and some other states expected to have more pronounced delay onset by eight-13 days.

“An early cessation of rainfall is predicted for most part of the country. However, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Akure, among others are predicted to have later than normal cessation.

“In Lagos, onset dates range between March 26 and April 2, while the season ending is predicted to range between December 3 and 11. NIMET’s day and night temperature derivations for March show that the North is expected to be colder during the day while the South will be warmer,” he said.

The commissioner noted that it was equally predicted that the southern states would be warmer than normal at night, saying, however, that Lagos Island and its immediate environs would be colder than normal.

“Warmer than normal day and night temperature are predicted for most part of the country in April. The little dry season is predicted to occur between July 15 and August 31 in most parts of the country.

However, in comparison to last August, this year is expected and predicted to be drier,” he added.

Bello said among the new ways of improving the content of this year’s Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) was the malaria forecast, which predicted warmer than normal and high humidity at different times across the country.

He said this high temperature and humidity were favourable conditions for the growth of pest, vectors and spreading of diseases, saying that the higher the temperature and humidity, the more rapid the life cycles of mosquitoes and frequencies in mosquitoes bites, urging the public to be well prepared.

“Lagos State is expected to be moderately affected by mosquitoes, nevertheless, it is of utmost importance that Lagosians keep their environment clean to minimise the effects of mosquitoes,” he advised.

CITYBEATS LINE: 09091178827

‘Policeman’ burnt to death on Third Mainland Bridge A

MAN believed to be a police officer was burnt to death yesterday on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

But the police said he was not their man.

The ‘officer’ was said to be on top speed while riding his motorcycle from the Iyana Oworo end of the bridge.

Sources said he was flagged down by some po-

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

licemen and traffic managers, who warned him against over speeding. But he ignored them and on getting to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) axis, he fell and his bike caught fire.

The incident, it was learnt, happened around 6.15am.

It caused a traffic jam that lasted several hours.

Commuters wondered what could have led to the traffic snarl.

According to a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) official, the officer had a tear gas canister on him, which

exploded when he skided off the bike.

Efforts to rescue him failed.

Command’s spokesperson Ken Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said the victim was not a policeman.

Nwosu admitted that a policeman was injured in the incident.

The policeman is in hospital.

Police, thugs clash in Oshodi

•Hoodlums rob motorists near stadium

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HERE was pandemonium in Oshodi, Lagos, yesterday during a clash between the Police and thugs.

According to eyewitnesses, the police came from Alausa, Ikeja to arrest commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada riders.

An Okada rider said the police arrived around noon.

“They usually come around 10am but today (yesterday), the police came around 12pm and started harassing us. Some of our people were arrested with their bikes,” the motorcyclist said.

According to him, anyone caught pays nothing less than N10, 000 to retrieve his bike.

After the police left around 3pm, he said, some boys from Oju Irin came to attack some policemen around Oshodi in annoyance.

“Elections are close by; we wonder why the officers cannot allow us to make money to spend on our family members because everybody will be indoors. They should at least allow us to make some money this

•The vandalised car...yesterday

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

week and stop harassing us.

For how long do we continue with this harassment, that was the reason the guys came out to show their annoyance,” he said.

According to another Okada rider, the police returned in large number around 6pm to deal with the thugs.

“Some of the guys at Oju Irin were arrested; they shot sporadically into the air and people started running for

their lives. My brother, me too, I run ooo,” he said.

When contacted, the command’s spokesperson, Ken Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), promised to find out and get back.

Also yesterday, hoodlums suspected to have come for a rally organised by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) attacked commuters at Stadium Bus stop in Surulere, Lagos, robbing them of money, handsets and other valuables.

According to an eyewitness, the hooligans operated for over 30 minutes unhindered.

One George Essien posted on his Instagram how he was robbed and his car damaged.

“Just got robbed in traffic near National Stadium by some hoodlums on the PDP rally train. Over 30 other cars also vandalised and robbed of phones, money, items. No police in sight in the 15mins operation *ElectionMadness,” Essien wrote.

•Fire fighters battling to put out fire... yesterday.

PHOTO: RAHMAN SANUSI

Petrol-laden vehicle catches fire

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TOYOTA Sienna vehicle marked KTU 652 AY conveying foodstuff and some gallons of petrol caught fire yesterday at Ile-Epo Bus Stop along the Lagos-Abeokuta

By Rahman Sanusi

Expressway.

Mr Lawrence Oladejo, Head of Operations, Agege Fire Station at Oke-Odo in Lagos, who was an eye witness, said:

“I informed our officials immediately because I had to prevent other cars from burning and I thank God no vehicle was affected. People should take precaution on the storage of petrol in vehicles.”

A passerby, who identified himself as Adedotun said the driver ran away.

“There was no casualty. I appreciate the efforts of the fire fighters. They saved lives and property,” he said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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NEWS Osun monarchs: no endorsement for Jonathan From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo

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OME traditional rulers in Osun State have dissociated themselves from the purported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Meeting at the Akinrun Palace yesterday, the monarchs described Jonathan’s endorsement by some traditional rulers at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, as an embarrassment to the traditional institution.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, their spokesperson, the Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Abdulrauf Olayiwola Olawale, criticised the alleged sharing of dollars among the monarchs, who visited the Ooni’s palace.

Oba Olawale urged the people to vote according to their conscience.

At the meeting were Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal; Olokuku of Okuku, Oba Abioye Oyebode Oluronke; Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrasheed Ayotunde Olabomi; Olunisa of Inisa, Oba Joseph Oladunjoye Fasikun; Elende of Eko-Ende, Oba Rauf Adebayo Olaniyan; Oloyan of Oyan, Oba Kelani Adekeye Oyedare; Onirun of Oke-Irun, Oba Isaac Adetoyi Adetunlurese; Elerin of Erin-Osun, Oba Yusuf Omoloye Oyagbodun, among others.

The Akirun faulted the use of beaded walking sticks by some traditional rulers to pray for Jonathan after they endorsed him.

According to him, beaded walking sticks were not part of spiritual instruments to be used to pray for anyone in Yorubaland.

He said: “It is unfortunate that the episode of the endorsement has become the talk of the town.

“Many are even alleging that huge amount of foreign currency was doled out to the monarchs.

“They believe that all traditional rulers in the state were involved.

“It has gotten to a stage that some of our subjects are demanding their own share of the presidential largesse, which we know nothing about. It is quite embarrassing.

“And this is the more reason we are coming out to tell the world that not all of us endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan.

“As traditional rulers, we are not expected to be involved in partisan politics.

“But we can support the government’s good policies and programmes that can promote development in our various domains.

“Our main concern should be supporting good governance, no more no less.

“It is, therefore, our wish and prayer that whoever emerges as the winner will be the one who will bring life more abundant to our people.”

The monarch appealed to politicians to play the game according to the rule and avoid any form of violence before, during and after the elections.

He also appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all law enforcement agencies to ensure a level playing ground for all candidates.

Oba Olawale warned that law enforcement agents should not allow themselves to be used to engage in unlawful arrest and harassment that may lead to disenfranchising anybody from exercising his or her fundamental human right of participating in the election.

•ALL FOR AMBODE: Fashola (middle), Lagos APC governorship candidate Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (second left), his running mate, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule, Ashafa (second right), Saheed Adebule (right) and other party chieftains...yesterday.

INSET: A cross section of party supporters.

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Vote out bad govt, Fashola tells Lagosians

AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola yesterday urged residents to make history and vote out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday.

Speaking at the All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Somolu, Lagos, the governor said Nigerians have another opportunity to turn around the nation’s fortunes on Saturday.

Fashola said: “If you do not like the way your country is governed today, then you will be the first generation that will change a bad government through the ballot.

“That will be historic. President Goodluck Jonathan said he has failed and if you don’t need a failure, vote him out. Every time we’ve had a bad government, it is the military that changed it.

“The military has now said no to coups, you go and do it yourself.

Are you ready to be the generation that will make the history, a gener-

By Musa Odoshimokhe

ation that will vote for change by using the ballot to end bad leadership? If yes, may God bless you as you do so.”

The governor added that there was no law that prevented the electorate from not knowing how their ballots would be handled after voting.

He said Nigerians have the constitutional rights to know the outcome of the elections.

“Some people have said don’t go near the polling booths, keep a distance of 200 meters. Let me tell you something, election is governed by laws. I am a lawyer by profession.

“Those people who say don’t go near the polling booths are reading the electoral law upside down.

“I will turn it up for you. There is nowhere in the law that prohibits you from staying at the polling stations after you have voted. Go and

tell them that I said so.”

He urged the electorate to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner, while they wait patiently to witness the counting of the ballot papers.

“When you are going to vote, take water and snacks along for yourself and your friends.

“When you are going to cast your votes, call your neighbours and tell them to go and do the same thing.

“It is our civic rights to vote those who should govern us and vote out those we don’t like.”

An APC chieftain, Senator Anthony Adefuye, said Nigeria should vote for the APC’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, because of his rare qualities.

He said Buhari is the only leader who has held key positions without owning an oil block.

Lagos APC Chairman Dele Ajomale urged the people to continue to be patient.

He said PDP followers have tried

so hard to provoke APC members, but the party has remained steadfast to the peace accord signed by its leaders.

He said: “They are doing everything to ensure that the elections do not hold. They have been shooting, maiming and challenging us, but we are democrats who believe in the power of the ballots.

“They have even been giving money to everybody they come across.

“I must say, collect their money because it is our money and do the needful. They cannot buy the conscience of Lagosians because our people know what they want.”

Senator Gbenga Ashafa called on the people to remain steadfast.

He said Saturday’s election would be given as a birthday gift to APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who turns 63 on Sunday.

APC, others ask court to order impeachment proceedings against Fayose

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council and 53 others have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the Ekiti State House of Assembly to begin impeachment proceedings against Governor Ayodele Fayose.

In the suit filed on Monday, the plaintiff accused Fayose of gross misconduct for allegedly suggesting, in an advert he sponsored in some national newspapers, that the APC’s presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, will die in office, if he is elected.

They prayed the court to award N50billion against Fayose and 21 other defendants for malicious falsehood against Buhari The APC, which sued through its Legal Directorate, and other plaintiffs, alleged that such act by Fayose was a public misconduct “unbecoming of a Nigerian governor”.

The plaintiffs alleged that Fayose, described as Coordinator of

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation of the Peoples Democratic Party, sponsored the publications using the statutory funds of the Ekiti State government.

They, therefore, want the court to declare that the act of the defendants constitute a breach of Section 95(1) of the Electoral Act (2010) as amended.

They also want the court to declare that the publications by the defendants were meant to confer undue advantage on the PDP’s presidential candidate.

The plaintiffs are also seeking a declaration that the contents of the publications referred to in relief 1 above and all other similar utterances by Ayodele Fayose amount to gross misconduct under the law.

An order pursuant to sections 95(7)(a) and (b) and 8 of the Electoral Act 2010(as amended) directing the first to the 21st defendants to pay N1 million and the 22nd

defendant to pay N2 million daily from January 20, until the cessation of the breaches of the Electoral Act complained of herein.

Alternatively, an order directing the 23rd defendant (the inspector general of police) to investigate Fayose pursuant to Section 95 of the Electoral Act 2010(as amended).

An exemplary and aggravated damage of N50 billion for malicious falsehood contained in the several advertorials and publications, the said sum will be used to enhance the course of ethical and responsible journalism.

The plaintiffs also want the court to order the defendants to publish 10 times on the front pages of major international magazines, television and local newspapers with prominent headlines, retractions of all the offensive publications made by the defendants.

The defendants include Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary Idowu Adelusi; Ekiti State Government; the Attorney-General, the Speaker of

the House of Assembly, and the House of Assembly.

Others include the chairmen of the following local governments in Ekiti State, Ado Ekiti, Aiyekire, Ekiti East, Ekiti South, Ekiti West, Emure, Ido Osi, Ijero, Ikere, Ikole, Ilejemeji, Irepodun, Ise/Orun, Moba, Oye. Other defendants are Fayose and PDP. The plaintiffs stated, in their statement of claim, that the government, House of Assembly, the functionaries of the state, and the local government chairmen are sued as being vicariously liable for “the gross misconduct and errant behaviour of Ayodele Fayose, their governor who is also the Coordinator of the South West Nigerian Branch of the Jonathan/Sambo Presidential Campsign Organisation.

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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NEWS Jonathan took Niger Delta for granted, says Dokubo-Asari

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EADER of Niger Delta People Salvation Front (NDPSF) and one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s strong supporters, Alhaji Mujahid DokuboAsari yesterday accused him of taking the Niger Delta for granted. He spoke at a rally in Warri on Monday evening.

Dokubo-Asari said the President had been betrayed by those to whom he gave his time at the expense of the region.

Dokubo-Asari, who spoke at the programme themed “March for Goodluck Jonathan and Stand up for Great Ogboru’’ , which was organised by the NDPSF, also urged the people of Delta State to vote for the governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP), Chief Great Ogboru.

The former militant leader warned those he described as ‘fanning the embers of violence’ to have a rethink as any act of violence would be met with equal action.

From Bolaji Ogundele, Warri

“Jonathan took the people of Niger Delta for granted.

He favoured others like Dangote, Otedola at our own expense and they have betrayed him. The people of Niger Delta, Northcentral, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and the Yoruba masses have become the corner stone for him. We are celebrating Jonathan’s victory, the support in Delta is overwhelming,” he said.

He described Ogboru as a man with great vision who had contributed to the freedom and emancipation of the Niger Delta people, saying “voting for Ogboru is voting for ourselves. So, we should vote for him on April 11 at the governorship poll.”

Ogboru thanked the organisers and said he believed in the freedom for all Nigerians, adding “Jonathan means well for this country, his opponent cannot be a better alternative”.

Military‘ll deploy gunboats for elections, says Defence chief Badeh

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HE Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall (ACM)Alex Badeh, yesterday said the military will deploy gunboats to provide security for the general elections.

ACM Badeh spoke at the Government Jetty, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, while inaugurating 30 gunboats acquired by the Federal Government to enhance the operation of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield.

He said apart from the primary reason of prosecuting the war against oil theft, the gunboats would also be deployed to secure the elections in the coastal communities.

“Aside from curtailing oil theft, these boats will come in very handy during the forthcoming general elections.

From Mike Odiegwu, Akinola Ajibade, Yenagoa

“Troops of the Operation Pulo Shield would use these boats to dominate the creeks as a warning to would-be troublemakers. We all want peace to prevail. So, troublemakers should be warned”, he said.

In attendance at the inauguration were the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Usman Jubril; Governor Seriake Dickson; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

ACM Badeh said the acquisition of the boats underlined the determination of the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the

problem of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria.

He said one of the steps taken to eradicate oil theft in the country was the establishment of a Technical Committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control (TCCOTPC) by the National Economic Council (NEC).

He said through the activities of the committee, the NEC approved some funds for the Defence Headquarters to procure gunboats for the operations of the JTF, which is saddled with the responsibility of fighting crude oil thieves and pipeline vandals.

He said: “These boats and indeed other resources allocated by the Federal Government of Nigeria would be judiciously deployed for the overall economic benefits of

Akwa Ibom APC petitions INEC over plot to rig elections

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HE Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has petitioned the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega on an alleged rigging plan orchestrated by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) .

The petition signed by Dr Amodu Attai alleged that the party has perfected plan to compromise the adhoc members of staff of INEC. Attai alleged that the sensitive materials, such as collation and final result sheets have been fraudulently obtained by the state government from INEC officials in Uyo. APC alleged that on Monday, most members of the NYSC deployed to the

Creditors sue ministry over N3b debt

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GROUP, JTF House Boat Owners Coalition, has sued the Ministry of Defence at the Federal High Court 1 sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, over an alleged N3billion debt.

The businessmen said the debt was owed in respect of 13 house boats rented for use by the personnel of Military Joint Task Force (Operation Pulio Shield) in the Niger Delta region.

The matter, which came up for hearing on Monday, was adjourned to April 23.

The presiding judge, Justice Lambo Akanbi, said the adjournment was to enable the defendant have enough time to respond to the statement of claim presented by the plaintiffs.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. A.O Yusuf, said: “We just filed and we expect them to pay the money or call us for settlement out of court because the Defence Ministry is a Federal Government parastatal and I know they won’t like to be disgraced before the court.”

Dr. Etiese Etuk, who spoke for the firms faulted the “forceful seizesure” of the “equipment for over 36

From right: Dr. Babalakin, Dr. Kayode Ojutiku, Hadiza Jibril, one of the 10, 000 beneficiaries of the free eye surgery/ treatment and the co-ordinator, Dr. Sola Bob-Egbe at the closing ceremony of the exercise in honour of the Emir of Zaria, Alhaji Shehu Idris who marked 40 years on the throne...yesterday.

By Sina Fadare

state were invited to the Government House, Uyo as part of the plot.

“Reliable intelligence from the meeting indicates that each NYSC member was given N250, 000 for his/her cooperation,” he alleged.

The party also alleged that the Akwa Ibom State Transport Company has been engaged to transfer the fake election materials.

The APC urged Jega to monitor all INEC employees so that they would not rubbish the commission’s good intention.

The party also appealed to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) not to be a willing tool to subvert the peoples will.

From Shola O’Neil, Port Harcourt

months for security surveillance.

“Having not paid us and having done all manners of consultations and appeals we decided to use the last resort which is the common man strategy to come to court to ask for redress and for the payment of our money” Similarly, another rep, Mr. Oloriegbe Majeed said, “the matter was filed to enforce our rights against the federal government. We are Niger Delta people who have house boats and gave them to the federal government for surveillance and protection of pipelines in Nigeria. To our utmost surprise and indignation, we have not been paid for 36 months.

“We have pleaded, we have written, we have done publications, we have done everything that is necessary to be done, but yet the government paid a deaf ear to our complains and that is why we have filed this suit and pleading with the court to give us accelerated hearing so that we can remain in business.”

the country.”

Uduaghan, who was a special guest of honour at the occasion said: We are proud of Mr. President, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan who is on the driving seat, who is the commander-in-chief in dealing with all these issues, the issues of crude oil theft and the issues of Boko Haram.

“On Saturday March 28 is the election and we all must put our hands and everything together to ensure that Mr. President Jonathan wins that election.

In actual fact he has already won by the grace of God.” Dickson said apart from maritime military assets, the state was in need of equipment on land to effectively fight crimes.

Free eye surgery beneficiaries pray for Babalakin

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VER 10,000 beneficiaries of the free eye surgery/ treatment exercise that ended in Zaria yesterday held a prayer session for Dr. Wale Babalakin, who sponsored the exercise through a foundation named after his mother, Ramotu Ibironke Babalakin.

The beneficiaries were treated for cataract, glaucoma and other related visual challenges, during the exercise commemorating the 40 years coronation anniversary of the Emir of Zaria, Alhaji Shehu Idris.

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

While presenting eye glasses to some of the patients who had been operated upon, Dr. Babalakin said, the gesture was in remembrance of his mother’s birthplace and celebration of the Emir on his 40th year on throne.

He said: “We are happy that with this exercise, 10, 000 people were screened, 9000 people were treated, 1000 surgeries were performed, and 4000 received glasses.

“My father was working with the civil service in Zaria, where he met my mother. The reign of the Emir has seen peace and progress and we must continue to support him.”

He promised the Emir that he would think of other areas through which he could further touch the lives of the people of Zaria.

The Emir, who described Babalakin as a Zaria boy and a good son, hailed the businessman for his tireless efforts towards assisting humanity and prayed that God should continue to assist and

uplift him.

The Chief Imam of Zaria and the Zazzau Emirate Council prayed for Babalakin inside the Emir’s Palace.

Before the Zaria event, RIBF had treated over 1000 eye patients in Gbongan, Osun State hometown of Justice Babalakin, where many surgeries were carried out while a large number of eye glasses were also distributed to the needy.

The Foundation replicated this in Owo Local Government Area, where more than 5000 patients were treated.

Rivers APC, PDP clash over alleged plot to steal card readers

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HE All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State yesterday traded words over an alleged plot to break into the warehouse of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and steal card readers.

Rivers APC chair Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya alleged that the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan has perfected arrangements with the state’s leaders of the PDP to break into INEC’s warehouse and steal the card readers for general elections.

Ikanya, yesterday in Port Harcourt, through his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media and Public Affairs, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, stated that the arrangements were recently perfected.

From Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

But, the Rivers PDP Publicity Secretary, Samuel Nwanosike, described the claim as a lie and frivolous, warning the APC leaders against dragging the First Family, especially the First Lady, into Rivers politics.

The President’s wife, an indigene of Okrika, the headquarters of Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers state, had earlier stated that her husband would win majority of votes cast on March 28, but Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the DirectorGeneral of Buhari Campaign Organisation, declared that the First Lady was daydreaming.

Nwanosike said: “APC leaders and members in Rivers State are so desperate to win at all

costs. The allegation by Ikanya shows that the APC members have actually made up their minds to steal the card readers from INEC’s warehouse.

“PDP members do not have such plan, because we have campaigned round the 23 LGAs of Rivers State and the people are ready to massively vote for all the candidates of the PDP. The First Lady cannot be involved in such criminal act. Rivers APC members just want to drag the First Family into Rivers politics, with their ridiculous and frivolous allegation. APC and Amaechi have failed.”

Ikanya said: “We wish to alert the security agencies and the general public of the diabolical plan by the leadership of Rivers PDP to break into INEC warehouse in Port

Harcourt to steal the smart card reading machines. According to our informant in PDP’s campaign organisation, who was privy to the sinister plot, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Rivers INEC, who has been compromised, assured the Rivers PDP chieftains that the gate of INEC would be thrown open around 2 a.m. on March 26, for what has been tagged ‘Operation Bat.’ Ikanya said: “If this fails, then option two will be used, which is to frustrate INEC officials from using the smart card readers in Rivers State or totally stop the conduct of the elections in the state, to save the party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan from imminent defeat awaiting them during the 2015 polls in the state.”

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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WEDNESDAY MARCH 25, 2015

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

The claim that President Goodluck Jonathan breached the agreement to serve for only one term may affect his chances in the North at the general election. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the controversy and its implication for the President’s performance at the poll.

Why North won’t vote for Jonathan I

N spite of the Court of Appeal judgment that President Goodluck Jonathan is qualified to contest the general elections, northern leaders have continued to insist that he signed an agreement with them to serve for only one term and that his conduct amounts to betrayal. The League of Arewa Professionals and Businessmen echoed this view when it said the court ruling has not absolved the President of betraying the North by failing to keep the alleged promise.

According to the league, “a leader is not supposed to vacillate or change at will after he had already given his words on certain issues.” It added: “Nigerians need somebody who will tell them the truth; someone who will take a decision and stand by it. But, Nigerians are no fools.

When a former American President lied to Americans, he apologised to them publicly.

Jonathan has reneged on his agreement with the North; we shall pay him back on March 28. The court judgment cannot relief him of the moral burden that will continue to haunt him for life.”

Second Republic politician and Convener of the Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Muhammed, agrees. He described the decision of Jonathan to seek re-election, as a betrayal of his allies from the North. “It proves beyond all reasonable doubts that he is not a gentleman in politics. Now that he is running, I don’t see him winning the election. He can’t say anything he has done to justify being re-elected and he cannot deny the fact that we are arguing over the promises and agreements he entered into by him; not only with the party (PDP) or the North, but other parts of the country,” Junaid said.

The struggle for power shift to the north started in 2006 when the Northern Union (NU) led by the late Dr Olusola Saraki toured the country to woo the Nigeria’s political stakeholders in the Southwest, South-East and Southsouth to allow a northerner to succeed former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007. The union literally took the battle for power shift to Obasanjo on August 9, 2006, for his endorsement. The argument of the northern elites at that time was the beginning of the current democratic dispensation in 1999 a northerner has not ruled the country.

Even though there was no provision for zoning or power rotation in the 1999 Constitution, but nothing stops a political party from zoning elective offices to enhance unity and ensure that all the zones have a sense of belonging. That explains why Obasanjo settled for the late, Katsinaborn Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as the PDP presidential candidate in 2007. Analysts believe there was an agreement or an understanding among the political stakeholders especially within the PDP in 1999 to concede power to the North at the end of Obasanjo’s tenure. This is owing to the fact Obasanjo owes his emergence as Nigeria’s President in 1999 to the support of northern leaders.

The breached agreement There was power shift to the North in 2007, as envisaged. But, it could not run full circle because the beneficiary, President Umaru Yar’Adua, died midway into his first term in 2010. Jonathan, who was then Vice President, assumed power as acting President, following the declaration of the “Doctrine of Necessity” by the Senate, when it became obvious that Yar’Adua was incapacitated. He was eventually sworn-in as the substantive president when he died.

In 2011, power shift was on the agenda, after Jonathan completed Yar’Adua’s tenure. But, he was allowed to contest the primary, which he eventually won, following a truce brokered by Obasanjo with the northern governors, who were opposed to his candidature. The governors had argued that it will be logical for another northerner to emerge as party’s candidate, so that the North could complete its eight years.

Initially, PDP governors, particularly those from the North, were opposed to Jonathan’s bid to contest the party’s presidential primary. They held up the party’s National Executive Commit-

•Jonathan

•Obasanjo

•The late Yar’Adua

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Nigerians need somebody who will tell them the truth; someone who will take a decision and stand by it. But, Nigerians are no fools. When a former American President lied to Americans, he apologised to them publicly. Jonathan has reneged on his agreement with the North; we shall pay him back on March 28

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tee meeting for days. When it was learnt that Jonathan was going to declare for the 2011 presidential election, the governors met to deliberate on the matter. One of the governors present at the meeting said: “Some of us said given the circumstances of the death of President Yar’Adua and given the PDP zoning arrangement, it was expected that the position would be conceded to North. At that discussion it was agreed that Jonathan would serve only one term of four years. Even when Jonathan went to Kampala, in Uganda, he also said he was going to serve a single term. It was on the basis of that agreement that the northern governors, especially those of the ruling PDP, supported the President during the 2011 presidential election, a decision that offended the sensibilities of majority of the people of the region.”

Obasanjo’s testimony Again former President Obasanjo, who was a staunch supporter of Jonathan’s candidacy in 2011 and who was the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, alluded to the one-term agreement at the PDP convention/presidential primary of January 15, 2011 at the Eagle Square, Abuja. He said: “We are impressed with the report that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has already taken a unique and unprecedented step of declaring that he would only want to be a oneterm President. If so, whether he knows it or not, that is a sacrifice and it is statesmanly. Rather than vilify him and pull him down, we as a party should applaud and commend him and Nigerians should reward and venerate him.

“Let us encourage him to take more good steps to achieve what needs to be achieved for this country by voting for him in landslide victory as the first elected President of Nigeria on basis of our common Nigerian identity and for the purpose of actualising the Nigerian dream.”

In spite of the stiff opposition to Jonathan’s second term bid, Jonathan muscled his way through and eventually emerged as the sole candidate for 2015 presidential election.

Attempt to polarise the North Jonathan’s gambit was to divide the North, by by luring some leaders of the Middle Belt to support his re-election bid. This played out last year

when leaders from the South-south visited Jonathan and asked him to seek re-election in 2015. That in itself is not surprising considering the fact that the President is from the zone. However, what stands out in that visit was the inclusion of leaders from the Middle Belt, who also urged the president to run for a second term.

The visit, according to Chief Edwin Clark, was under the aegis of Congress for Equity and Change and includes among others, the Middle Belt leaders such as former Military Governor of Katsina State, General Lawrence Onaja, Senators Ameh Ebute and John Wash Pam. Onoja and Pam are not just northerners, but strong members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a northern socio-cultural forum that speaks out for the region, and the Northern Elders Forum, which is at the forefront of ensuring that power returns to the North.

Predictably, the visit did not go down well with some northern leaders, who considered it a betrayal of those working for the strengthening of the North’s unity and an indictment on the decades-old slogan of ‘One North, One People!’ The visit also influenced the resurgence of the term ‘core-north’ which includes the Northwest, the Northeast and the fringe North in the Northcentral, populated largely by minority ethnic groups.

The decision of the Middle Belt was premised on the fact that Jonathan comes from a minority tribe like them. But, the northern political establishment was not pleased by the development.

They saw the Middle Belt move as a betrayal, because the formation of a separate political union has been a recurring decimal in the North’s quest to speak and act in unison.

In its reaction to the Middle Belt/Southsouth alliance, the Northern Elders Forum, through its spokesman, Professor Ango Abdullahi, said it is a thing of concern to the North in view of the region’s desire to return to power in 2015.

According to him, “part of the reasons Clark and others were asking President Jonathan to re-contest is simply because of the alliance that the Southsouth and the Middle Belt have entered into. But, we will wait and see whether the alliance of minorities will be sufficient to see him through; when the votes are counted, will be enough to secure victory for the President?

“The North is trying to achieve this unity, not on the basis of selfishness, but on the basis of

•Buhari

right and objectivity, and those who go into alliance with others will still find out that the North will still be here and that the interest of the Middle Belt is best secured within the North.”

On the reason for the Middle Belt’s assertiveness, which invariably polarises the North, Prof.

Ango said: “If you look at the reasons they are giving, it can’t go beyond certain sentiment that has to do with religion rather than anything else.

And if that sentiment is purely based on religion, then that alliance is bound to fail.”

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on the other hand, was more subtle in its reaction to the alliance when it accused the Middle Belt leaders romancing with President Jonathan of creating the impression that the North is divided. It however noted that people have the right to associate, hold opinions and change their minds.

“Members of ACF have the right to change their minds, including decamping across political parties. And that is why the change of mind which manifested during the elections into the Nigerian Governors Forum should not be allowed to factionalise both the Nigerian Governors Forum and Northern State Governors Forum the way they have been factionalised,” ACF said.

A Kaduna-based lawyer, Atiku Mohammed, said politics of ethnic and religious division will not make Jonathan win the presidential election.

He cannot win in all the states in the Middle Belt with a voting population of 7.6 million. Can he win without the votes from Northwest and Northeast?

Mohammed said with the voting population of 18.9 million in the Northwest and the Northeast’s 10 million, the two zones are not a pushover. “The voting population is sophisticated and huge. No politician of worth will turn his eyes against the zone. The figure speaks volumes about the potency and electoral numerical strength of the zones,” he stated.

Analysts say the Middle Belt has always differed with the core North politically for a long time. For instance, the region was reluctant to accept former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the North’s consensus presidential candidate in the 2011. This was part of what fuelled the current division in the ranks of northern politicians.

“Even though the North has been able to dictate, to a larger extent, political and socio-economic happening in the region, the Middle Belt has also not relented in its constant sniping at northern unity and with each passing year, the Middle Belt has continued to fine-tune its quest for freedom.

“With the presidential elections approaching, the North, more than any other time in its existence, needs to accommodate the Middle Belt. It should address all perceived and assumed differences; unite all groups so it can fully approach its quest for power shift in without internal distraction.”

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY MARCH 25, 2015

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That will now also affect our elections. There are ridiculous stories of sharing dollars on the streets. If I have my dollars, why should I be giving it to you because I want to serve you? I don’t have great hope for these elections

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3D AYS TO GO ...3 DA

Challenges before next president, by Akinrinade Former Chief of Defence Staff Lt.-Gen. Alani Akinrinade is the Convener of the Yoruba General Assembly. He spoke with Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU and Political Correspondent MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE in Lagos on the purported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term by Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-political group, his experience as a delegate to last year’s National Conference, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) protest in Lagos, the general elections and the challenges that will face the next President.

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AS the Yoruba Agenda met at the last year’s National Conference?

No, it wasn’t.There are certain things that are sacrosanct to the Yoruba people. For instance, when we talk about true federalism, you don’t just do it on paper. All the elements that go with it like derivation, fiscal federalism must be there. You must have responsibilities attached to the power held. You must have the power to discharge the responsibilities. You don’t give a state police and say that there is a national police being paid for by the central government, which people are free to use, and that, if I want a state police, I must pay for it myself. That is not a fair way to organise true federalism. The major issue is that we wanted a government that is more accountable to the people and the one that is close to the people. It is the parliamentary system that gives that kind of atmosphere to make the government accountable. But, there was no reasonable discussion on it, not to talk discussing the merit of it. The conference was not the kind of assembly that I liked; where you are given a tough subject and you are told to stand up in front of cameras and speak for just three minutes. That is not good enough to articulate real issue or discuss the import of the subject you had to push. To that extent, the Yoruba wants to regroup to look at those reports given at the conference. We want to point out all the areas where they are not acceptable or satisfactory to the Yoruba people. I can tell you that some of our people, I mean other nationalities in Nigeria, are very suspicious of great ideas. In the kind of atmosphere that we are, communities that we live and everywhere in the world, true federalism allows each one to act on his own.

Federalism allows a lot of things to be done in their own way and ability. You are never going to have peace the way things are done in the country. You don’t have peace in Nigeria now.

Today, if it is not MASSOB, then, it will be another militia. Just like yesterday, the Oodua People Congress (OPC) or whatever they call themselves, were carrying arms on the streets of Lagos to harass people. That is not a federal system that we need. You can’t have a governor here, who is responsible for law and order, and some people are subverting the peace of the state. They said they wanted to march, but they were harassing people. They were even given protection by the federal police. They are wielding guns in the streets of Lagos. How can that happen in this 21st century? These are the issues that we must look into. The Yoruba must sit down to look at all these. They are using our men to destabilise our society. They are using our own young people to cause trouble. They even brought militants from the South or East to Yorubaland to foment trouble. This is unacceptable. These are some of the reasons for us to sit together occasionally to review. We must sit together to look at issues that affect us as a nation. I believe today, we are just deceiving ourselves. When we hear people talking about unity. Is it the unity of the donkey and the owner? How can we be talking about unity when people are not happy to relate with themselves?

Afenifere leaders who attended the conference have endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan because they believe he will now implement the report…

This is difficult to explain in non-offensive ways. There are internal synergies in Yorubaland. It is also important to say that there are groups of people who sold us for pittance.

They misled us by trying to move us into what they call mainstream politics. All those who stood against the mainstream politics were regarded as their enemies. There were all sorts of things or information going around in town about some of our eminent politicians, who

people don’t want to recognise. But, I believe during the hours of need in Yorubaland, some people stood up and did very well for us. If it is not for them, we should have been into the mainstream politics of Nigeria. That is not a very good idea. It is full of corruption, almost in a position of brigandage. We cannot accept that for the Yoruba people. There was this group that said it endorsed the Presidency of Jonathan for the Yoruba for another four years. You can do that anytime. But, you cannot do that on behalf of the Yoruba people. You don’t have to do that for me. I don’t believe that everybody in Yorubaland would like to support Jonathan.

We have always been broad minded people, who can think and decide what they want. You have to convince them about it. I am not convinced that the so-called elders were now looking at the Yoruba Agenda vice a vice what we went to do in at the conference. The results have not been encouraging. There are important things that we did not touch, in the name of trying to preserve the unity of the country. I think our countrymen must understand that there are lots of nations in Nigeria that are bigger than many countries in the world and they are doing well. Lagos State alone is bigger than Singapore. Singapore has a name in the world.

The people who built it started from the scratch.

Some of our leaders are so decadent. They think without oil money nobody can go anywhere.

Therefore, you think you can enslave your people simply because you want to have money from oil. These are matters you must think about. Back in the 50s, we did not have anything like oil. Those were the glorious days of Western Nigeria. We had independence before anybody else. The self-government was attained individually. The West took its own and Awolowo made a real gain out of it. Other people began to see that it was possible for the black man to govern himself and they can do better than the colonialists. Awolowo opened a new television station; the Yoruba people were moving at a better speed of development. The Yoruba man cannot go and teach the Hausa man how to produce the millet. If we want unity, it cannot be the unity of donkey and the rider.

The Yoruba General Assembly complained about the marginalization of Yoruba. Has anything changed between then and now?

They gave us the Chief of Staff position in the past two years. I think we must put a line between what we call marginalization. In a democracy, there is a government and there is a constitution. The government will have to deliver on its manifesto; that manifesto has to make the difference. Maybe, there is some coincidental similarities. Therefore, when you stay in the opposition, you allow your government to govern. And if a government feels it can tap from the opposition, it can go to the opposition and take very good people, who are specialists. It happens in America. The Secretary of Defence in the time of Bill Clinton has always been a Republican when Democrats are in government. The one there now is a Republican and he is serving under the Democrats. But, they must be good people, and not the type of thugs we have. Not people charged for murder and so on that they go to Yorubaland to pick to serve.

So, when you talk of marginalization, it is when you go into some institutions of government like the federal court, education and things like that you don’t find our people as if we never went to school. It is as if we never produced a Nobel laureate. They are there. Look at the case of the lady in the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN), who was not appointed to the top job. They brought another fellow when they sacked the one she was next to. She is a competent Yoruba woman who had grown up on the job. They side tracked her. These are the issues and they are staring one in the face. Now, they employ thugs carrying guns round the streets of Lagos.

If you had done what you should do over the years, you don’t need gunmen to get votes. You don’t need a Gani Adams and his people to harass people. They even brought Delta militants to come and parade the streets of Lagos.

It is offensive, very offensive to the Yoruba people and to me in particular.

What are your fears for the general elections?

There could have been no fears. In the old days, the electoral body belonged to the regions.

It did not belong to the Federal Government and we had elections. We now have a Federal Government that people say you have to be in that Federal Government so that you can lord it over some people. That was how the matter of election rigging became a subject. We never had electoral commission that is so pervasive like we now have. We now have a Federal Government that is so strong that it can do anything. That is the reason it has become a do or die affairs for some people. These are the challenges that have taken over election matters in the country. If elections are meant for real service, will people try so hard to win? It has got to the level of brigandage where they are hiring thugs to win elections. Look at governors that have worked so hard. Babatunde Fashola, for instance, who I am older than with about 30 years. He has grey hair. Look at Bill Clinton, look at Barack Obama; that young man. They have grey hair. That is the life of service. In their case, it is a honourable thing to do it. Their legacies are going to endure the history of America.

That is what is called service. It is not service where they have depleted the monetary vault.

You are going to wake up one morning, to write a cheque and nobody will honour it. That is the position of Abuja right now. That is the reason why everybody wants to go there. Let us turn this thing to a life of service and we will have a better political system. That will now also affect our elections. There are ridiculous stories of sharing dollars on the streets. If I have my dollars, why should I be giving it to you because I want to serve you? I don’t have great hope for these elections. There have been too many imponderable reports surrounding it.

People, who should embrace technology in this age, when people are landing Roberts on the Mars, want to take us back to the Stone Age. Ordinary card reader is what they are arguing about. Why the argument? The moment all that happened; we know that they don’t have a clean mind to conducting elections.

So, the American prediction that Nigeria will break is real?

Americans are honest people. They put all the parameter in front of them and had analyzed

First of all, he will inherit a country that is heavily ‘divided.

He will inherit a country that is broke. He

will inherit a country that is infested with some form of virus that has really made them difficult to perform. I am talking about institutions of state that are responsible for justice, law and order

‘

• Gen. Akinrinade

it. They can almost see tomorrow and we have people like that here like in the days of Awolowo. That is what has happened. They put the indices together and they looked at us, they looked at the point we are going to have problem. Even at that time, when they said 2015, I did not think it was in the terms of election.

They saw tomorrow and that is what happened and if we look at the stage as it is now, they are right. We are the one who will prove them right.

What is the purpose of casting doubt in the minds of the people, whether they are going to have elections or not. Democracy is the only weapon the people have to defend themselves.

Now, we are trying to discourage them, still arguing about the system that we left half a century behind. I think the Americans know what they are saying. It is not that they wish us evil, but that is what is happening, when you put the parameters together. Now, that we start another elections year, it looks to me that they are good analysts.

What is your position on troop deployment to elections?

There is no point for troop deployment. Even the police are hardly us in elections anywhere in the world. It is only us that continue to consign ourselves to the Third World syndrome, black man syndrome. To where you cannot be honest, you cannot do things in a way, where everybody is above board. What do you need police at elections for? In fact, there is work on election days. In our own case, we are going to take a whole weekend off and we are going to deploy soldiers on the streets. You don’t need them on the streets. Let those who want to vote for behave themselves. They are the ones who hire the thugs. If the army is still what it used to be, they should go to Sambisa and get the people out. Kick them out of that territory that is the job they are hired for.

If a General in the Army is contesting for the Presidency and he says the certificate is with the military secretary, should that be politicised?

The people who started that argument did not know how much they devalued our country. How much they faulted the intelligence of our people. You know already that all our institutions have been bastardized by the Federal Government and I don’t know if the army is exempted from it. General Buhari himself was the Military Secretary, and the Military Secretary is the custodian of all the documentations of all army officers. No one at the time Buhari joined the army could have got into the army without a proper qualification. There was no way General Buhari could have gone into the military without his certificate. There was no ways he could have become a General without passing through all the military trainings. So, why debase us by starting that kind of argument?

What are the core challenges that will face the next government?

First of all, he will inherit a country that is heavily divided. He will inherit a country that is broke. He will inherit a country that is infested with some form of virus that has really made them difficult to perform. I am talking about institutions of state that are responsible for justice, law and order. The real import of the economy that is collapsing is there. A lot of companies may not be able to pay their workers and other challenging issues like that.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Soldiers and polls •The courts have spoken and the government is duty bound to obey the law

I

F anyone is in doubt about what the role of the military should be during elections in the country, such doubts ought to have gone with court judgments on the matter in recent times. The latest of such judgments was delivered by a Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday.

While delivering judgment in a suit filed

by Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, a member of the House of Representatives and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Justice Ibrahim Buba said deployment of soldiers for polls was unconstitutional. Mr Gbajabiamila had taken President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to court over the legality of deploying soldiers for elections.

The Court of Appeal and a Federal High

‘These judgments are timely and profound, especially given the penchant of the Jonathan administration to deploy troops for elections. The way the present government has been using soldiers for election duties, albeit illegitimately, is most deplorable. Indeed, it is as if we never conducted elections before its coming to power’

Court in Sokoto had earlier said that troops cannot be deployed for elections as President Jonathan did during the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun governorship elections; and as he is even threatening to do in the forthcoming general elections.

As a matter of fact, soldiers had already been deployed in some states for this purpose. With these judgments, it should be stridently clear to President Jonathan that he has no powers to unilaterally deploy soldiers for elections. And, if at all they must be involved, Justice Buba said the president has to go through the National Assembly.

These judgments are timely and profound, especially given the penchant of the Jonathan administration to deploy troops for elections. The way the present government has been using soldiers for election duties, albeit illegitimately, is most deplorable. Indeed, it is as if we never conducted elections before its coming to power. In Ekiti State, the soldiers’ role has become so messy and contentious with the video release by Captain Sagir Koli that implicated top military officers in shameful connivance with chieftains of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to tilt the result of the polls in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). But for the eternal vigilance of the voters in Osun State, perhaps the soldiers would have replicated what they did in Ekiti in Osun, if only with their intimidating presence during the polls.

We align with Justice Buba that there is nothing peculiar about the nature of elections and electioneering in Nigeria, as painted by the defence counsel, Dele Adesina, to justify the president, as commander-in-chief, unilaterally

deploying soldiers to maintain law and order during elections. Apparently those who drafted the constitution took cognizance of a time like this when our kind of incumbent president would not be comfortable having elections without soldiers deployment, when preparing the document.

We equally wonder why the same soldiers who were serially being courtmartialled for mutiny, with some of them straying into neighbouring country on ‘tactical manouevring’ show unusual excitement when deployed for election duties; a job primarily meant for the police. The military itself should know by now that its involvement in elections has altered its perception as the military of the ruling party rather than that of Nigeria.

This is unhelpful of professionalism and is a potential time bomb that could explode unless we stop involving soldiers in partisan election matters.

With the pronouncement by the courts on the matter, it will amount to presidential impunity to deploy soldiers for the polls this weekend. The law is higher than any administration or government. That is the meaning of the rule of law.

Those hinging presidential deployment of troops for elections on the Armed Forces Act no longer have any valid case because even if that is expressly stated in the Act, such provision is a nullity to the extent of its inconsistency with constitutional provision. What we need to do is to reduce the influence of soldiers in elections and this can be done by empowering the police to be able to cope with the demands of the period. In the past, soldiers were seldom seen in public; we have to return to that glorious past.

INEC inferno

•We cannot afford any sort of arson that will endanger a free and fair election

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HE recent conflagration at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) warehouse located within the precinct of its Electoral Institute on Abuja Airport Road is puzzling. More befuddling is the intensity of the firestorm, which reportedly lasted three hours before it was quelled.

Shettima Ngiladar, Director of INEC Security Directorate addressed the media alongside Fidelis Iroegbu, Fire Service Commander, and dispelled fears that the 2015 elections might have been threatened: “The materials for the 2015 elections were not among the materials involved in the fire incident. What the fire consumed was the obsolete disused electoral materials used during the 2011 elections, which were waiting for the right time to be disposed … They are not even non-sensitive materials for the 2015 elections.’’

He continued: ‘From the report at our disposal, the fire started at about 11.00pm and lasted three hours before it was put off by 2.00am. The major problem they had was getting close to the base of the fire incident because the keys were not in this complex. They had to forcefully gain entrance into the place.”

We ask: Should this fire, attributed to an electrical spark resulting from electricity power surge, be deemed to be ordinary? Our curiosity becomes intense when considered that the fire occurred late in the night and raged till early morn-

ing when nobody was expected to be awake, except for probably security personnel on duty. Looking at the electoral season the nation is at the moment, and the strategic role INEC is saddled with, it is not out of place to suspect sabotage in the incident, especially with the ‘do-ordie’ political contest that we are witnessing today. But INEC has dispelled this and so be it.

Nonetheless, we call on the commission to be vigilant and not leave any stone unturned in its resolve to organise and conduct enviable general elections on March 28 and April 11, 2015. We know that INEC has assured that the important materials for the elections are in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) vaults in states across the federation. However, we admonish the apex bank not to compromise the security of those materials. Also, there is need for security fortification whenever these sensitive INEC materials are to be transported from one destination to another, before and after the elections, in view of the tense political situation in the country.

We have always been steadfast in our resolve that INEC should be given the leeway to discharge its constitutional duties without any distraction whatsoever. This resolve is sacrosanct, being something that all meaningful Nigerians at the federal and state levels must endeavour to embrace so that the collective dream of

attaining free and fair general elections this year and beyond can be guaranteed.

Despite putting in place necessary steps to forestall a recurrence of the inferno at the INEC warehouse and other devilish, incubating plans of disgruntled persons against the electoral commission, we also hope that the incident has been formally reported so as to allow for deserved rigorous investigation by the relevant authorities. It is not enough to wish it away as a mere electrical issue, because doing this might embolden those behind the nightmare to perpetuate worse acts against the electoral body as the elections approach.

‘We call on the commission to be vigilant and not leave any stone unturned in its resolve to organise and conduct enviable general elections on March 28 and April 11, 2015.

We know that INEC has assured that the important materials for the elections are in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) vaults in states across the federation. However, we admonish the apex bank not to compromise the security of those materials’

Polls: Vehicle for good governance

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IR: I write to open the eyes of our political contestants to things they might have not considered but necessary to be included in their manifestoes. But, I fear if this will sound relevant to them because of the time to put such to action as the bell of elections is about ringing.

But, will anyone come to my aid? We keep witnessing and experiencing violence and insecurity in Nigeria. The Boko Haram insurgency keeps attacking and weakening our bones. Our country, once renowned for peace and tranquility, is at the verge of a civil strife.

The Chibok girls are not back. What are we going to do? As if this isn’t enough, the economy has been in distress. Our onetime developing nation has stopped moving forward. The reasons are not farfetched. We know that corruption, embezzlement, bribery, mismanagement, greed and self-centeredness have contributed to this.

What are we going to do? Someone said government officials are our representatives and their primary aim is to serve the nation and make the living standards of people better. I also agree but what we are experiencing do not confirm to this. Candidates are at one another’s throats.

Those seeking to be councillors, chairmen, governors and president are tearing one another apart and setting thugs after themselves. It appears the more violent you are, the likelier your chances of getting to political offices.

What then is our fate? Is it that nobody, I mean, not even a single person has seen the state of our country? Is Nigeria not turning into Sodom and Gomorrah? Why do we have to go after worthlessness and become worthless?

As we go to the polls, Nigerians have a choice to determine the direction they want the country to go. Our votes should get us good governance and credible leadership. We need men that can transform and change the nation at all levels.

So, come March 28 and April 11, we have an opportunity to shape this nation again.

Our votes can buy us a better tomorrow or keep things worse. Let’s vote for good governance and great men.

• Abegunde Tunrayo, Department of Mass Communication, Kwara State University.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25 2015

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CARTOON & LETTERS

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IR: Despite all odds, the doggedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the card reader for the forthcoming general elections is highly commendable. Since INEC made public its intention known to bring sanity into the electoral process this time around through the use of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) as well as the Smart Card Reader (SCR), the commission has come under intense attacks from the various political interests, who many observers believe, are threatened that with the adoption of the machine, it may be difficult to manipulate the process any longer.

The card reader is a simple device that authenticates a voter by matching the fingerprint with the code on the chip of a card and keeping a record of all cards that had been read and verified. It is designed in such away that it is capable of eliminating multiple voting to almost a zero level, thus cutting off a major source of election fraud from the polity.

For the first time in the annals of the nation’s electioneering, the electoral body is introducing the card reader aimed at curbing electoral malpractices and INEC said the device would be deployed in all the polling units as well as voting centres across the country. In view of its many inherent advantages of significantly limiting rigging and fraud in the course of conducting proper accreditation of voters, those still opposed to the use of card readers claim that the machine had not been well tested and as such, could not be trusted for use now.

We recall that a group of political parties were the first to join the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in opposing the use of card readers in accrediting voters while the All Progressives Congress (APC) supports its use.

To the critics, the use of card readers for the elections would rather aid the opposition parties’ vested interest to allegedly manipulate the exercise to favour particular candidates and disenfranchise many registered voters or likely winners. At the end, it was agreed that INEC could go ahead with its plan to use the device as obtainable in other progressive nations of the world.

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Card readers: What INEC should still do With the nod by the Senate, the mock voters’ accreditation was conducted in select constituencies across the nation and its outcome was a mixed grill.

In carrying out the mock experimentation, INEC chose one registration area in each of the 12 selected states - Anambra, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Kano, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger and Taraba - to test the workability and efficacy of the device.

Notwithstanding a few hiccups encountered, the mock voters’ accreditation was largely successful.

This could have led to the wide approval granted thereafter by critical stakeholders such as the civil society groups, respected opinion leaders and international observers, who applauded the exercise.

Now that the coast is clear for INEC to use the 182,000 card readers it has acquired, there’s still the need redress some lapses observed during the mock trial before the elections finally begin in a matter of days. There is also the need to get it right to prove cynics wrong that the card readers can actually work effectively! This remains a

major challenge before the electoral body. To begin with, it should ensure that the card reader batteries are fully charged and well preserved such that they do not run down within hours of use.

Secondly, there is the need to reduce to the barest minimum, the stress being encountered in the process of authenticating registered voters as many of them, who had presented their cards during the exercise, could still not be identified.

It should be appreciated that conduct of credible elections remains the right course to attaining sus-

tainable democracy. The use of card readers, from the available information, is not electronic voting but an innovation that would promote the electoral process by empowering voters to elect candidates of their choice meaning that votes would actually count.

But when this is not done and people’s representatives are not credibly chosen, violence, hatred, chaos, anger and crisis become the order of the day. This makes it possible for the wrong persons to occupy elective office without any articulated programmes and policies to address the needs of the state and the citizens. And who suffers?

The entire nation, of course. That is why every effort at holding free, fair, transparent and credible polls should not be wished away.

• Adewale Kupoluyi, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

Abia politics and the Ikpeazu challenge

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IR: It is no longer news that since the creation of Abia State in 1991, no person from Abia South has become governor of the state. So, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), came up with the notion that it is the time for the zone to produce the governor of the state, there were ovations that deafened the ears.

When the party elected Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (PhD) on December 8, 2014 during its primaries as its party gubernatorial flag bearer, the people of the state showed unprecedented interest in him. That primaries were well conducted and adjudged the best in the recent times.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, has been staging against the humble and humane Ikpeazu. Otti and his ilk in their political brigandage and brickbat have characterised Ikpeazu as a stooge. But Ikpeazu has cleared the air on this, saying, “I had my doctorate degree before my 30th birthday. I have taught in four universities, including being the external examiner of

master’s degree students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. It is not possible for someone to think of me as a stooge. All this can only exist within the realms of political propaganda.

“Almost every candidate in the race was once in the PDP, so apparently they all wanted to be stooges. They started singing different tunes when the PDP people said, “we want change but we want to change into certainty not into darkness” and the civil servants said, “we want someone who can keep our jobs and pay us, not someone who will do right-sizing or down-sizing and retrench us at the end of the day.”

Ikpeazu added that, “There is no governor in Nigeria that is anybody’s stooge. And if you played a role in canvassing for votes or helped a governor to be elected, you can’t expect the governor to be your stooge. You can only bring ideas that are beautiful on the table and if it falls into the main frame of a focused administration.

Abia people are all for Ikpeazu.

Otti who has been making noise,

our people are not even sure who the candidate of the APGA is, because Otti came through the backdoor and arm twisted Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba who has since gone to court of competent jurisdiction to challenge the fact that Otti came into the party through the dark and backdoor.

But where is Otti from? An analyst recently wrote, “Where is Alex Otti from? Is he from Arochukwu (Abia North) or from Aro-Ngwa (Abia Central). Some say he was born in Arochukwu but grew up in Ngwa, while others claim he was born in Ngwa but grew up in Arochukwu, with this ambiguity, either way, he is certainly not favoured by the zoning permutation.”

And assuming Otti is favoured by the zoning formula, how does he expect that Abia people will elect such a man with a pedigree problem? It’s obvious that Abia State will have better dividends of democracy with Ikpeazu from the good taste of them, they have been enjoying under the leadership Governor Theodore Orji.

Ikpeazu said that the first plan he has if elected as governor is Abia people. Hear him: “Abia is peopled by people with capacity in various areas. Our human capital is second to none and we are the best traders and very good in commerce. We are also very good with the things we can do with our hands. So in the years ahead we want to leverage on these advantages that God has given us to make sure that the economy of Abia rests on strong pillars of trade and commerce, small and medium scale enterprises.’’

Ikpeazu as the PDP candidate will do creditably well as governor. He is not in this contest to run anybody aground as other contestants like Otti are wont to doing.

One Martin Eze in a recent article published across the divides of media spectrum in the country wrote that Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu is the only candidate that is sure of a hundred percent vote from a political zone, the Abia South.

• Madubuko Hart, nwa4chukwu@gmail.com

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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COMMENTS

Our Girls; Fulani Herdsmen: Farmer War, Boycott Blood Meat: Be a political journalist. Count Your Vote

O

UR Girls’ are still missing since April 15 2014. To them, and 15,000+ murdered, add 90 executed in Damasak and those wives murdered directly by Boko Haram Tony to keep them ‘pure’ till a Marinho heavenly reunion. Did someone say ‘Negotiate with Boko Haram’?

As Boko Haram reduces under the offensive, we face the Fulani Herdsmen Vs Farmers War claiming 5,000+ lives, and another 90 Fellow Nigerians cruelly massacred last week.

Election win or not, statesman, Fulani leader and General, Buhari, must resolve this festering Fulani Herdsmen-Nigerian Farmers leprosy sore before it causes an ECONOMIC BACKLASH BOYCOTT OF ‘BLOOD MEAT’ defined as ‘Meat transported and eaten at the cost of lives & livelihoods of fellow farming Nigerians’.

I disturbingly see cow meat on my plate as the flesh of those murdered children and parents. This senseless War should stop if Nigerians at the end of the cow transport chain, ‘EAT NO MEAT’ for three months. Speaking medically, no one will die from not eating meat, so why should people die BECAUSE WE EAT MEAT? Why can you eat meat delivered by the death of a child? You are an accessory and receiver of stolen goodsfarm grass and crops eaten by the cows. You have blood on your hands.

This is how it was in the 18th C Wild West of America. The war will continue after a boycott if, as suggested by some, it is a cover for a territorial Fulani war disguised as a cow-farmland war. A seeming senseless war or a cunning expansionist strategy? The wickedness of unleashing weaponised OPC on Lagos citizens shows no difference between that group, its leaders and Boko Haram.

Death and terror are just that. No ‘political’ excuses. Boko Haram members murder their wives. We know what OPC does to victims.Enough of the personalisation or ‘partyisation’ of Nigeria’s governance and public institutions by all parties

I

N less than four days from now, Nigerians will troop out in their large numbers to cast their votes for the next president of the country who is scheduled to take over the reins of power on May 29, 2015. As usual, the permutations are high, so also is the anxiety and fear of a possible outbreak of violence should the election be perceived not to be free, fair, transparent and credible. The reason is not far-fetched: this is the first time two presidential candidates of nearly equal status and political standing are slugging it out since the country returned to democratic governance in 1999, that is, 16 years ago.

Not only this, the two dominant political parties – the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC – have proved that they can match one another in strength and stamina.

In the last few months, the campaigns have been frenetic across the country with issues ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous coming under focus and engaging the attention of the politicians in their attempt to either undo or outmaneuver one another. The APC, a rainbow coalition of several parties, parades political heavyweights from across the country. This is the first time such a coalition of political parties has remained united and going into election as one. For this reason, the PDP, the party that has been in control of the affairs of the country for the past 16 years, appears to be threatened in its comfort zone at the apex of political leadership.

in power at federal, state and LGA level and the traditional institutions.

Governance, the private sector and traditional responsibilities are timeless and transcend political tenures. They should not be partisan. Politicians are hired and fired at elections and are 4-8 year employees of the citizens. They must not extort endorsements from the landlord, the institution of governance.

Holding teachers, handicapped, civil servants and unions etc., to ransom to ‘declare for us’ is abuse. ELECTION ALERT: INEC says we must not leave the polling booth after voting.

The IGP must retract any wrong information. Leaving the polling booth unprotected by citizens is an invitation to fraud.

In this election, INEC must make more statements that CITIZENS must OBSERVE & ‘COUNT YOUR VOTE’. Remember to take WATER AND SNACKS in a transparent bag for security for yourself and others including the election staff, neglected for 10 hours, with shops closed.

I worry for young NYSC staff, so much is expected of them, for so little. Have you seen the squalor, poor sanitation and facilities of NYSC camps? Since 1973 or so, Nigeria has stolen billions from the NYSC Scheme. I served NYSC in Jos and Lafia in 1975/6 and am sickened by the debasing hovels given NYSC as accommodation today.

With indifference to any lethal consequences, we again risk their nationalistic NYSC lives for Nigeria. Let no drop of NYSC members’, or anyone else’s blood, be spilt by murderers in the false name of politics. Too many NYSC heroes have died for other people’s greed. NYSC members, we salute you. Nigerian politicians should protect their NYSC ‘children’.

No one should be allowed to make inoperable the PVC Card Readers with the protective role of an impartial Police and the Armed Forces uncompromised by criminal governors. Any ruling party agents cannot be allowed to repeat Ekitigate election revealed by the patriotic military whistleblower who deserved promotion and induction into the ‘Hall of Fame for Whistleblowers’. Recall the whistle blowing Police officer ‘O’.

He should be the Foundation Hall of Fame whistleblower.

All political parties should participate at ‘Political Security Meetings’.World expectations are high for the triumph of democracy in Nigeria. Rigging and Violence are a CIVILIAN COUP ATTEMPT, treason, and prosecutable. Do not forget the newly elected ‘Democracy Saint’ Obasanjo’s role in the recent election ‘victories’.

On Sat March 28th, let no one say ‘no’ to voting. Every voter who ‘siddon look’ and refuses to vote is a vote against his candidate. Let no one be intimidated. We are all ELECTION MONITORS AS RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS. TURN ON YOUR CELL PHONE, RECORD SECRETLY ANY iniquity, UPLOAD TO PREPLANNED INTERNET AND MEDIA’. I suggest you download Meerkat through Twitter and use it to expose political wrong-doing. We are all POLITICAL WAR JOURNALISTS-say Kunle and Kolade M. Let the good outnumber the bad, let honest voters outnumber riggers, let truthful lawyers outnumber lying lawyers, let honest judges outnumber corrupt judges, let police and courts accept electronic evidence of violence- a criminal code crime, let the court injunctions stop, let good overcome evil. NO ONE’S POLITICAL LIFE IS WORTH THE DEATH OF EVEN ONE NIGERIAN. Stay alive to tell the 2015 election story. Long Live Nigeria! VOTE FOR YOUR CANDIDATE, FREELY AND FAIRLY ON SATURDAY MARCH 28TH2015.PS NERC again totally failed to protect Nigerians by not preventing the recently reversed hike in electricity tariff. The NERC board should resign or be sacked for incompetence. And why don’t American police disable people by shooting the people in the arms and leg instead of dead?

‘With indifference to any lethal consequences, we again risk their nationalistic NYSC lives for Nigeria. Let no drop of NYSC members’, or anyone else’s blood, be spilt by murderers in the false name of politics. Too many NYSC heroes have died for other people’s greed. NYSC members, we salute you’

Nigeria needs prayer Now, the die is cast as all pretentions and surreptitious moves to postpone the elections a second time, have hit a dead end.

The elections must hold as rescheduled by the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC beginning from Saturday, March 28.

Although, INEC had been befuddled by a litany of challenges, the electoral umpire had always found a way to wriggle out of the bottlenecks. It is apparent that the stakes of this election are higher than, perhaps, they have ever been. Our economy is reeling under the seething vortex of mismanagement and waste. Our healthcare sector is in shambles, leaving the average Nigerian to patronise quack doctors and all manner of traditional healing homes where their cases are either worsened or are confronted with instant death. Education is becoming costlier to afford just when it’s needed most as many of our youths of school age roam about the streets in search of affordable schools. In fact, the number of available schools, especially the tertiary institutions, is a far cry from the multitude of intending students. It is a known fact that our tertiary institutions can hardly absorb 30 percent of the entire student population, leaving a good number of them to flood neighbouring countries and other overseas institutions in search of placement. The cost to the country in terms of foreign ex-

‘This is the time for the citizens of this country, irrespective of political, religious, ethnic or tribal affiliations, to unite in the cause of renewing Nigeria’s promise because it is time to look beyond partisanship and division and move toward a common ground and real solutions to our problems’

change is colossal.

On the political front, the divisiveness and shrill partisanship among our politicians have almost obliterated the bright light that is shinning on our nation.

Not only this, it has almost effectively exterminated the truest, deepest voice of our citizenry because our leaders have been acting out of greed and naked selfinterest. And we all know that in a nation as rich, as diverse and as powerful as ours in the continent of Africa, the road to greed and self-interest is often the easy road to take. It’s certainly the most tempting. Unfortunately, quite a good number of Nigerians who could have stood up to be counted have been rather too timid, too quiet in calling attention to the kleptomaniac tendencies of our leaders. This should stop if we are desirous of a virile and prosperous nation in the years ahead.

Furthermore, our nation is currently at war and faces new and different threats to its national security. The war has claimed several innocent lives. Besides, many citizens of this country and foreigners alike have lost faith that our leaders can, or will do anything to reposition the country.

The good news is that with this election, we have the opportunity and the obligation to chart a new course for Nigeria. This is the time for the citizens of this country, irrespective of political, religious, ethnic or tribal affiliations, to unite in the cause of renewing Nigeria’s promise because it is time to look beyond partisanship and division and move toward a common ground and real solutions to our problems. It’s time for us to use the coming election to reaffirm our shared values of faith and family, hard work and sacrifice, fairness and equal opportunity for all and create a brighter future for our nation.

From what is currently on ground, there is little doubt that Nigerians cannot compete and succeed in the Twenty-first Century if we do not genuinely transform ourselves and transform our country from the present sociopolitical lethargy in which the country is mired. Our quintessentially African mix of optimism, dynamism and determination can help us meet this moment.

But we will also need leadership with the ability and willingness to make tough decisions, with the foresight to see around the next bend in history, and with the fortitude to stand up to entrenched, outdated thinking and chart a new path. At this point in the evolution of our country, we need a leader who can unite us around principles that we share and rally us to a common purpose. Nigeria needs a president that will provide the right leadership, a president that will jump-start our import-based and near moribund economy, give lifeline to countless families struggling to make ends meet and ensure that hard work is adequately rewarded with the benefits of a decent living.

And talking about generations yet unborn, we need a president that will be honestly committed to prepare the country to lead the industries of tomorrow by turning Nigeria into a leader in the green economy by investing appropriately in science, technology, and infrastructure. Such a president should be prepared to provide new leadership for a changing world, ending the war with Boko Haram and giving the Northeast and the entire country a new breathe of life as well as joining the rest of the world to tackle the new threats of this century - terrorism. The president we envisage must unite our country around our shared values; stop

Dele Agekameh the cabal from controlling our government and return power in Abuja to the Nigerian people.

As Nigerians, we should not despair. When we are confronted with challenges like what we are currently faced with, all we need to do is not to lose hope but go out to cast our votes for our preferred candidate(s). Let us call our neighbours; our family, and our friends to join hands with us to carry out our civic responsibilities to enable us get it right. We must never give up. And guiding us is a belief in the power we have in our votes if we all work together, a fidelity to the history we share and an indomitable spirit that will propel us to success and stardom whatever the odds.

Therefore, at the threshold of yet another general election to usher in new leaders in the country, what we are confronted with today is how the country can be rescued from perennial under-development, such that one of the most materially endowed nations on planet earth, can fulfill its promise and also meet the expectations of the world. So, Nigerians, shine your eyes. It is not all that glitters that is gold. May God help us; help Nigeria!

Send reactions to: 08058354382 (SMS only)

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

COMMENTS

T

HE opponents of Buhari’s bid for the presidency have found considerable propaganda material in some of the general’s stern and, indeed, undemocratic, albeit reformist and patriotic policies as a military ruler. Exploiting this propaganda with maximum bias, the PDP crowd, led by men who have little regard for balance or context (not to talk of fairness) have dismissed the APC candidate as incapable or unworthy of leading a stable, democratic government.

These detractors naturally ignore the fact that thirty years ago, when Buhari was called upon to lead a military junta, there was a national crisis characterised by suffocating corruption. Hence his impatience with democratic procedures, given the military tradition under which he was operating. He was also a young man overwhelmed by passion and patriotic zeal to rid his country of its class of unscrupulous wheeler-dealers whose debauchery and predation have now practically spiritually and socio-economically bankrupted the country.

Naturally, the last kind of person wanted as ruler by these lords of the Nigerian captive patrimony and their henchmen hunters of political carrion, is the strait-laced Buhari.

Under a system capable of throwing up the very best, one may cavil at his candidature.

The reality, however, is that today, our best are often blocked out by cabals of impunityhardened scoundrels who have hijacked the state in the name of party politics. Buhari has therefore become the popular answer to this unconscionable, ravaging plague of a class.

His commitment/patriotism, his aversion to corruption, and his untainted antecedents in the murky, yet enticing Nigerian political waters, make him eminently qualified.

But there is no need avoiding confronting the issues that Buhari’s detractors have seized upon to argue his rejection. Concerning his lack of democratic credentials, it must not be forgotten that the military junta led by Buhari made no pretensions to democratic niceties, or even to the travesties of democratic institutions which are common in these parts. It however saw itself as reformatory. Thus it tried paying off the accumulated debts of the dissolute Shagari regime, and sturdily stood against enslaving the country to IMF and other institutions, as Babangida later did.

Similarly, the socio-economic climate was made inhospitable to the forerunners or equivalents of subsidy-thief cronies or billion-naira pension scammers like the fugitive Maina (rumoured to be a friend of Jonathan), not to talk of those who have sold the country’s fixed assets to themselves in the name of privatisation.

Unfortunately, the regime also committed some serious human rights violations, including the execution of some merchants-of-death peddlers of hard drugs for easy money, while wrecking other people’s lives. But there were no extra-judicial or mysterious murders unlike in the regimes of subsequent rulers, when even distinguished public figures were slaughtered in their own homes during the civilian rule of so-called democratic governments under whose watch these dastardly crimes have been permanently buried!

Between committed reformist and dissembling neo-fascist?

By G. A. Akinola If Buhari’s human rights abuses as a military ruler could be excused by the nature of non-democratic governments and the passion of a relatively young man to check the excesses of those reducing his country to a state of normlessness, no such extenuations can be found for Jonathan’s attitude to the rule of law, his reactionary views to the prerogatives of his office, and the personal, neo-fascist uses to which he is liable to put state institutions in his reckless pursuit of power or quest for political advantage over the opposition.

Indeed, it is a tragedy for a man of Jonathan’s “education” to feel that his power and authority as president entitles him to indulge in the kind of abuses and perversions of democratic institutions perpetrated by his predecessors, especially since this has been largely responsible for the instability and failure of socio-economic development in the country. It is now well known that Jonathan’s innocent disposition masks an instinctive intolerance for the cardinal principles of democratic governance, such as transparent elections, independence of the judicial and legislative arms of government from the executive, and the primacy of the rule of law.

Thus he has, under a complicit stooge like David Mark, divorced the Senate from national, as against PDP party interests, while estranging the vibrant and largely independent House of Representatives. As another instance of promoting personal and partisan interests over national or institutional considerations, Jonathan routinely abuses his executive powers to get the police and the army to back state governors that have practically usurped the rights of their state legislatures. The first example of this was in Ogun, although the most abominable instance, which also involved a desecration of the office and person of the state chief justice, is the on-going stasis in Ekiti State. It is instructive that the police is now regarded as having merged with the PDP, the president’s party. And recently, the Sahara Reporters published tapes of the abuse of the military to rig the 2014 elections in Ekiti. Also, in the run-up to the election postponement, a right-wing clique within the military leadership appeared to have been insinuated into decision-making.

One only hopes this is not aimed at making the military a bulwark for what seems the PDP ideal of a one-party neo-fascist state.

The problem about Jonathan having another term in office is, therefore, not to so much about what he did or failed to do during his first term. The problem about his continuing as president of Nigeria is far more fundamental, bordering on the kind of person Jonathan is, and the formidable demands that leadership in a postcolonial state call for, even in the best material possible. Unfortunately, cir-

cumstances have not dealt too kindly with African countries and their choice of people to direct their affairs following the catastrophe of colonialism. Because our indigenous religions, political and other cultural institutions are practically in ruins, we are bereft of the ideological and spiritual wherewithal to chart a course through our complex problems. The disparate nationalities that constitute the Nigerian state also lack the common purpose for coming to agreement on the choice of the leadership to inspire us to achieve stability and development.

A critical situation such as ours therefore requires a leadership with two basic endowments – character and intellect, both of them imbued with special attributes including passion, ability to inspire, and a commitment to equity and justice, and to the promotion of the general good above personal or partisan considerations at all times. When we look at Jonathan with dispassion shorn of self-serving preferences and considerations, we find that though he has his attributes, they are not the stuff that are conducive to effective leadership.

For example, in those things that do not concern his personal interests, he lacks passion and commitment. Thus, unlike Buhari, he feels little concern about, or aversion to, evil, which has become so pervasive in the country today. Naturally this raises serious questions about his sense of values. However, in those matters that concern his personal or political interests, he will steamroll every obstacle, while defying all constitutional or moral niceties in the process. Most of the time he resorts to guile and dissembling, clad in his natural mask of bland innocence or insouciance, even when he has just exceeded his constitutional powers, or suborned state agencies to break the law.

In spite of his seeming simplicity, Jonathan is a man of over-weening ambition. He craves power and its perquisites. He also cherishes his friends and cronies, to whom he has been very generous, many say at the expense of state institutional integrity, transparency, and the fight against corruption. But the most hazardous thing about a man like Jonathan remaining at the helm of affairs is his open subservience of national considerations, like peace and stability or the public good, to his political ambition and personal aspirations.

This has become all too obvious in the desperation with which he has abandoned propriety, scruples, and even decency, in the pursuit of the most despicable means to retain power.

A few examples are appropriate: Jonathan has in recent times resorted to bribing and cajoling hordes of unemployed youths in order to secure their votes. It is remarkable that it is only when he craves the votes of these young people that he is aware of the

grave youth unemployment problem. He has also largely been making some strange new friends from the most unlikely quarters. About a week ago, MASSOB, and then OPC, two ethnic militias staged violent, disruptive demonstrations in southeastern major cities, and in Lagos respectively.

The demonstrators, some of whom were armed, were led and protected by the police as they asked for Jega, chairman of INEC, to be sacked. Is it a coincidence that Gani Adams, the OPC leader, according to undenied news, has recently won a ¦ 9 billion “pipeline protection” contract, along with other political friends of the president? At another level, Jonathan unabashedly promotes communal feuds, like the one between the Itsekiri and his Ijaw group, and even within clans of his own Ijaw nationality. But perhaps the most diabolical of the president’s schemes is the exploitation of his Christian faith to win supporters, regardless of the potentials of such gambits for chaos. What does one make, then, of his bland declaration that his bid for reelection is not worth a pint of any Nigerian’s blood?

Surely, a typical Jonathanian sanctimonious posturing and repudiation of responsibility, partly for his own unwitting culpable actions, and also for the campaign of hate conducted on his behalf.

Still, Jonathan may be no worse than the average contemporary politician. But the times demand a leader that can disperse the pall of darkness that hangs like shroud of death over Nigeria’s prospects. And Jonathan is not man to do this. Space has not permitted a discussion of his prodigal dissipation of the country’s resources, thereby prolonging the socioeconomic adversities that have heralded a dissolution of values and mores, while creating social ills like kidnapping, baby factories and sale of human parts. In the final analysis, Jonathan is a victim of the impunity of power, especially as exercised by Obasanjo, his former godfather, and others before him. It is now up to Jonathan, like former African rulers in his position in Benin, Senegal, and Kenya, to allow the electorate a free choice of whom they want as their leader.

•Akinola writes from Bodija, Ibadan

‘But perhaps the most diabolical of the president’s schemes is the exploitation of his Christian faith to win supporters, regardless of the potentials of such gambits for chaos. What does one make, then, of his bland declaration that his bid for reelection is not worth a pint of any Nigerian’s blood?’

Turkey's Human Rights Abuse: Matters Arising

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HE high incidence of human rights violation in Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is such that calls for concern. This is basically because there are a lot of controversial and deplorable actions and policies taken so far by Erdogan-led government, which are clearly antithetical to the fundamentals of human survival.

Such fundamentals include right to freedom of speech, right to freedom of association, right to freedom of assembly, right to freedom of movement, freedom of press, among others.

Since President Erdogan took over the mantle of leadership as Turkish President till date, there has been series of seemingly unimaginable assaults on the rights and liberties of the people of Turkey. These aberrations have manifested in different forms ranging from assault on the media and Journalists, arbitrary arrest and detention of critics of AKP-led government, forceful disruption of public protests, incessant harassment of political opponents, and so on.

For one, the recent arrest and detention of Journalist Mehmet Baransu over the documents he reportedly submitted to the Istanbul Chief prosecutors in the sledgehammer (Balyoz) coup plot is not just uncalled for, but also shows a clear case of deliberate affront on the freedom of the media as whole. Unmistakably, it is the principal duty of the Media to publish and expose anything that

By Usman Habeeb endangers or has the propensity to jeopardize a nation’s national security and, by extension, democratic governance –with a view to forestalling its occurrence.

So the January 10, 2010 publication in Taraf Daily made by Mehmet Baransu exposing the alleged plot by some Turkish military personnel to overthrow a democratically elected government of the day could not have fallen short of reasonable expectation of him as a Journalist. But what rather is far below expectation is the Turkish government’s current deplorable attitude of treating a journalist doing his work as a coup plotter. This is why it is quite preposterous that the Istanbul police could invade the house of Mr. Baransu under the guise of conducting search for up to 12 hours – which in itself is a complete negation of Baransu’s right to private life.

Ordinarily, there is meant to be nothing wrong for the police to do their work in the way or manner it would serves the larger security and national interest of Turkey. But then, a situation whereby a Journalist known for being a critic of the government is being punished for merely publishing documents at his disposal meant to serve the interest of his country, does not speak well about the current leadership in Turkey.

Also it does not make sense that the same Erdogan-led government that often wants its

citizens to believe that it cares for them would descend to the level of subjecting a Journalist to arbitrary arrest and detention for allegedly insulting the son of the President.

Here comes the issue of the reported arrest and detention of Soner Yalcin on the allegation of defaming Bilal Erdogan in his book.

Though Yalcin did reportedly acknowledge the idea of having mentioned the name Bilal in his book, he objected to the impression that he was by that reference talking about Bilal Necmettin the son of President Erdogan. In any case, this points to the level of descent to expanded Presidential immunity which Erdogan’s family members now enjoy at the expense of the rights of the people of Turkey.

More so, the novel issue of disrupting public protest in Turkey by the police through maximum application of naked force on the protesters is another nasty aspect of flagrant abuse of the rights of Turkish folks. Absurd as this attitude of the police is, the sordid killing of Berkin Elvan will remain fresh in the memories of many Turkish people.

Though Berkin Elvan was repotedly shot in the head by the police with teargas canister during June 16, 2013 Gezi park protest prior to Mr. Erdogan’s ascendancy as President (which remains a gross violation of the young lad’s right to life), the fact that the perpetrator of this killing is yet to be brought to justice underlines the appalling state of

human rights in Turkey.

Akin to this ugly development is the issue of President Erdogan’s draft security law, the contents of which remain a source of threat to the basic rights of the Turkish people. Obviously, nothing can be so provocatively frightening to the people of any nation and threatening to their lives than re-designing and reinvigorating the security apparatus and institutions of the state in such a way that makes the people to live at the mercy of those who man them. Since, therefore, President Erdogan has so decided to empower the Turkish police with more powers that allow its personnel to arrest and detain any person(s) involved in any protest for as long as 48 hours and on the grounds of any reasonable suspicion, without recourse to prior approval of the court, then it is crystal clear that Turkey is now a police state.

This of course is certainly not in tandem with circumstances that allow for citizens’ exercise of their basic rights.

But as rightly observed by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its September 29, 2014 report that “Turkey is undergoing a worrying roll back of human rights”, there is an urgent need for restraint and retreat on the part of President Erdogan’s government. Clearly, nothing speaks volumes about this imperative than the report’s submission that “For the sake of Turkey’s future and the rights of its citizens, the government needs to change course and protect rights instead of attacking them”.

• Abeeb wrote in from Abuja

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net Stories by Taofik Salako

Currency in-circulation drops to N1.6tr, says CBN

By Collins Nweze

THE Economic Report of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for January has shown that there is N1.61 trillion currency-incirculation in the month.

The report, released on Monday, showed a drop by 7.6 per cent, in contrast to the increase of 13.9 per cent at the end of the preceding month.

According to the CBN, the development reflected the 3.4 per cent decline in currency outside bank and that total deposits at the apex bank amounted to N6.6 trillion, indicating a decline of 15.0 per cent below the level at the end of the preceding month.

The development, the apex bank added, reflected, largely, the fall in Federal Government and banks’ deposits. According to the CBN, reserve money (RM) fell by 8.2 per cent to N5.4 trillion, at the end of the review month, reflecting the trends in currency-in-circulation.

Available data showed relative stability in money market indicators as the level of liquidity in the market influenced key indicators during the review month.

The CBN continued the use of Open Market Operations (OMO) to pursue its monetary policy objective even as key policy rates were retained such as Monetary Policy Rate at 13 per cent with plus or minus 200 basis points corridor, private sector Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 20 per cent, public sector CRR at 75 per cent and Liquidity Ratio (LR) at 30 per cent.

However, in the foreign exchange market, the bank reviewed the net foreign currency trading position limit of banks from 0.1 per cent to 0.5 per cent in an attempt to increase liquidity in the market.

It also placed restriction on sale of Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) and interbank funds to Bureau De Change (BDC) and other authorised dealers.

He said government’s Federally-collected revenue (gross) in January this year was estimated at N710.78 billion, showing increase of 4.6 and 4.3 per cent above the receipts in the preceding month and the corresponding period of last year, respectively.

At N486.44 billion, oil receipts (gross), which constituted 68.4 per cent of the total revenue, was higher than the receipts in the preceding month.

Provisional data indicated that the total value of money market assets outstanding in January 2015 stood at N7.7 trillion, showing an increase of 1.5 per cent, compared with the increase of 10.2 per cent at the end of the preceding month.

The development was attributed to the 2.2 and 12.8 per cent increase in Federal Government of Nigeria Bonds and Bankers Acceptance, respectively.

NLNG is one of the biggest success stories in our country. From what I am told, the company has invested $13 billion so far since inception, and has become a pacesetter in terms of revenue generation for the government.

-Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga

SEC suspends stockbrokers over illegal N shares sale, others IGERIA’S capital market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has suspended a stockbroking and investment firm-Woodland Capital Market, and the entire directors and other top management officers of the company over illegal sale of investor’s shares.

In a circular, the regulator said the stockbroking firm and its directors and sponsored employees were all suspended indefinitely due to unauthorised sale of shares from an investor’s account without the owner’s mandate.

According to the circular, the suspension was in connection with the unauthorised sale of 3,750 units of PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc shares belonging to an investor and the refusal of the

By Taofik Salako

stockbroking firm to comply with SEC’s directives in this regard.

SEC has also suspended International Standards Securities Limited and the directors and employees of the stockbroking firm.

According to SEC, the suspension of International Standards Securities and its directors and sponsored employees from all capital market activities was due to noncompliance with SEC rules and regulations and deficiencies observed in its operation during a target inspection carried out on it recently.

With the suspension, the two firms will not be allowed to

engage in any capital market activity including primary market activities and trading on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). Also, the directors and sponsored employees of the firms will not be able to partake in any capital market roles or get any capital market-related employment during the period of suspension.

The Nation had reported exclusively that the NSE had investigated and indicted 29 stockbroking firms and four stockbrokers for alleged unauthorised sale of their clients’ shares.

A report on shares fraud, also known as unauthorised sales of investors’ shares, had indicated that several

stockbroking firms surreptitiously sold their clients’ shares and diverted the proceeds. The report by the NSE covered the 30-month period between January 2012 and June 2014.

The report showed that nearly half of the shares frauds have been completed and the indicted stockbroking firms made to restitute the investors, a general reference to order to buy back the shares or pay the investor the value of the shares and all his entitlements.

According to the report, 16 cases were still pending, although the NSE had then taken preemptive measure of suspending the stockbroking firms and stockbrokers. The

•From left: Director Optimentos Limited, Dr.Tunde Ekpe presenting an award to Marketing and Communication Surpport Manager, DHL West Africa, Olawale Oladeji, Head, Human Resources, Olufunmilayo Glover and Skills Training Manager, DHL Nigeria, Laurencia Emema during the Great Place To Work 2015 Award.

pending cases were referred to the disciplinary committee of the council of the NSE. The firms, which cases were resolved and restitutions made to investors, included Adamawa Securities Limited, Dominion Trust Limited, ECL Asset Management Limited, Finbank Securities & Asset Management Limited, GMT Securities and Assets Management Ltd, Kapital Care Trust & Securities Limited, Lighthouse Asset management Limited, Marriot Securities Limited, Maven Asset management Limited, Mountain Investments and Securities Ltd, Nova Finance & Securities Limited, Prime Wealth Capital Limited, Royal Crest Securities Limited, International Standard Securities Limited and Mutual Alliance Investments & Securities Limited.

However, firms that had unresolved cases and were under suspension included Bytofel Trust and Securities Limited, De-Canon Investment Limited, First Alstate Securities Limited, Fittco Securities Limited, Gosord Securities Limited, ITIS Securities Limited, Lakesworth Investment & Securities Ltd, Lion Stockbrokers Limited, Mact Securities Limited, Manivest Asset Management Limited, Omas Investment and Trust Limited, Securities Solutions Limited and WT Securities Limited.

The NSE recently launched an online whistleblowing portal through which investors and other stakeholders can tip off the Exchange on perceived or known infractions. The online portal, known as X-Whistle, allows members of the public to submit information without disclosing their identity while it also provides reference that allows the whistleblower to track NSE’s response and investigation on the tip off.

Microsoft, Unilever, others win Great Place To Work award

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ICROSOFT Nigeria, Unilever Nigeria and six other companies have been declared the best companies to work in Nigeria at the 2015 Great Place to Work Nigeria (GPTWN) Awards.Others that clinched the coveted awards on account of their strong ethical standards and work-friendly environment include Mansard Insurance Plc, Coca-Cola Nigeria, NSIA Insurance, Akintola Williams Deloitte, DHL Nigeria, and Konga.

While Microsoft beat FITC and DHL Nigeria to clinch the award for the category of Delivering Excellence in Wellness, Sahara Group, a major player in the oil & gas sector, trounced Fidelity Bank and Diageo Nigeria to clinch the award in the category of Delivering Excellence in Corpo-

N288b intervention fund won’t fix power, says economist

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By Chikodi Okereocha

rate Social Responsibility (CSR). FITC, which was first runner up to Microsoft however, won the Delivering Excellence in Leadership category. Lagos Business School and FirstBank of Nigeria was first and second runner up, respectively.

Also, Akintola Williams Deloitte emerged winner in the Delivering Excellence in Learning & Development category. The firm beat DHL Nigeria and Accenture Nigeria who were first and second runner up, respectively. A pool of over 75 organisations was assessed from which three were nominated in each category and a winner selected.

Speaking during the third edition of the award ceremony and dinner tagged, ‘Good to

Great,’held on Friday, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Country Manager, GPTWN, Mr. Michael Thomas, said: “The eight companies that made the 2015 Best Companies To Work for in Nigeria list set a high standard for us all. Their outstanding achievement builds a better society by creating great workplaces.”

GPTWN is an affiliate of Great Place to Work, San Francisco, US, a global research, consulting and training institute that specialises in analysing, understanding, selecting and publishing best workplace lists in the country.

The Great Place to Work Awards are a distinctive way Great Place to Work Institute recognizes the accomplishments of organisations across the world who have imple-

Hytera reiterates commitment to Nigerian market

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mented creative and effective approaches to developing trust, pride, and camaraderie within their unique workplaces.The organisers define great workplaces as companies where employees trust their colleagues, take pride in their work and enjoy the relationship with the people they work with.

Thomas, who noted that it’s interesting to see lots of companies build great workplace culture however, said it takes a certain level of courage to blaze the trail and build a great workplace culture. He disclosed that unlike past editions, more indigenous companies are among the awardees.

Also speaking, Chairman of GPTWN, Mr. Ghandi Olaoye, noted that there is a growing desire among companies in Nigeria to build a

great place to work. While describing the awardees as exceptional, he said they represent exemplary corporate citizens.

He urged them to continue to show the way for others to follow.

Explaining the key criteria in the process of determining the winning companies, Mr. Olaoye said the selections were made by critically looking at employee perceptions as indicated in GPTWN Trust Index Assessment. “The Trust Index Survey measures employee perception of his company. It looks at how employees see their organisations and this trust index has a whole lot of questions drawn with an international standard. So we don’t do the rating, the employees do the rating and we send it to the Great Place to Work Institute in San Francisco,” he said.

Moringa: Planting your way to wellness, wealth - P38

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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THE NATION

BUSINESS MONEY

e-mail: money@thenationonlineng.net

N288b intervention fund won’t fix power, T says economist HE N288 billion Power and Air-line Intervention Fund (PAIF) is a drop in the ocean and will not solve power sector funding challenges, an economist and Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company (FDC) Limited, Bismarck Rewane, has said.

Rewane who spoke at the BiMonthly Economic and Business Update for March, said investors would bear the brunt of the tariff reduction by the Federal Government. A significant number of the Distribution Companies (Discos) and Generation Companies (Gencos) are cash strapped, adding that accessing bank credit has becomes a herculean task for them.

He said the implications of these policies on the efficiency and sustainability of the power sector are grave. He said the knee jerk re-

Stories by Collins Nweze

action of policy makers under political pressure will negatively affect the attitude of potential investors in other projects, adding that once elections are approaching, decisions usually made are politically wise, but business foolish.

On oil benchmark, Rewane said: “The proposed oil price and exchange rate benchmarks, albeit more in touch with reality than their previous assumptions, may eventually prove unrealistic. Brent crude has averaged $54.12pb this year – four per cent higher than the budget benchmark. This bench-

mark, although more realistic than the $65pb it was adjusted from, does not give sufficient room to build buffers.

“Given current oil industry dynamics, this benchmark was clearly marked with optimistic expectations of a 2015 oil price range of $50 - $70. Further price drops or sustained periods of sub-$50 prices would inevitably lead to further adjustments to the benchmark or expenditure cuts. It is worth noting that some members of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) countries such as Venezuela, Iran and Angola have assumed benchmarks of

•From left: Director Keystone Bank, Mrs. Maria Olateju Phillips, actress and Keystone Bank Pink Network Ambassador, Ms. Rita Dominic and former Minister of Industry Mrs Nike Akande, at the launch of the Keystone Bank Pink Network in Lagos.

‘How CBN’s N300b facility ‘ll boost economy’

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HE N300 billion facility to the real sector will engender growth, value added productivity and job creation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said.

It explained that the N300 billion Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) will be used to support large enterprises for startups and expansion financing needs of N500 million up to a maximum of N10 billion. It said the real sector activities targeted by the facility are manufacturing, agricultural value chain and selected service sub-sectors.

The fund, it added, is expected to improve access to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to fasttrack the development of the manufacturing, agricultural value chain and services sub-sectors of the Nigerian economy.

It will also increase output, generate employment, diversify the revenue base, increase foreign exchange earnings and provide inputs for the industrial sector on a sustainable basis.

It said the Development Finance Department of the CBN will be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the facility while the activities to be covered under the facility are new, startups and or expansion projects in the following sub-sectors are manufacturing where the company is involved in the production and processing of tangible goods.

It is also involved in manufacturing where the company fabricates,

deploys plants, machinery or equipment to deliver goods or provide infrastructure to facilitate economic activity in the real sector; and such entity must not be involved in the financial services industry.

It said the manufacturers include Small and Medium Scale Enterprise (SMEs) defined as an entities with an asset base (excluding land) of between N5 million and N500 million and with labour force of between 11 and 300.

“Any entity falling within the definition of an SME and/or manufacturer; an entity wholly-owned and managed Nigerian private limited company registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990; a legal business operated as a sole proprietorship and be a member of the relevant Organised Private Sector Associations such as Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, National Association of Small Scale Industrialists,” it said.

It said loan amount is minimum of N500 million up to a maximum of N10 billion for a single obligor adding that any amount above N10 billion requires the special approval of management. The facility shall be administered at an allin Interest rate/charge of nine percent per annum payable on quarterly basis. Specifically, the CBN shall be entitled to earn three per cent as interest and the banks, a six per cent spread.

It advised that borrowers utilise

the funds granted under the facility for the purpose for which it was granted; insure the project being financed; adhere strictly to the terms and conditions of the facility; make the project and records available for inspection/verification by the CBN and comply with the guidelines of the facility.

$40pb,” he said.

For him, the lower oil benchmark price does not get any further support from the production level benchmark. With an average production rate of 1.9mbpd over the past two years, the 2.27mbpd bench-mark is overly optimistic,

particularly as the challenges of oil theft, bunkering, and production shut-ins persist. Furthermore, current global oil industry dynamics may compel OPEC to ensure strict compliance to production quotas by member countries.

This, he added, would mean that Nigeria would have to scale back on its production, leading to a further decline in government revenue.

Bank to provide financial backing for MSMES

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ERITAGE Bank has re-affirmed its business principle to empower more Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the country. This is in addition to many of the similar small businesses it has helped financially since it began operation.

Speaking at a roundtable meeting and MSME Success Stories, themed: ‘The Economic OutlookWhat Future for MSMEs in Nigeria?

Group Managing Director, Heritage Bank, Mr. Ifie Sekibo said the SMEs Clinic was part of the vision of the lender to empower small businesses.

He said although small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) have proved to be the crucial engines of industrial growth in developing economies like Nigeria, it is necessary to create strategies that can withstand the dynamics of the changing business environment rather than focusing on funds generation.

Sekibo said since the SMEs Clinic was established, many small businesses have sprung up and successfully on operation due to, not only the funding, but business advisory it freely offered, adding that financing is not the only problem SMEs face, but other necessary inputs.

He enumerated business built on enduring business platform, and business model among others stand the chance to get loan from the bank.

“Heritage Bank was established as part of the effort to fill the gap left by financial service providers in failing to provide fresh ideas, solution based strategies and specialised service packages to small businesses. We pay a lot of attention to SMEs “Financing is not the problem, but

the other business inputs. Heritage bank has raised a lot of small businesses with SME Clinic. With it, we have built a lot of enduring organisations; we have done more that advisory than money. For us to extend loan to you to finance your business, you must have good business model,” he said.

The industrial experts in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Nigeria’s real sector at occasion unanimously agreed that for the nation to have economic breakthrough as envisaged in the present dispensation of availability of investible funds from the government, the vision of sustainability in business should be taken as paramount by the operators.

The other experts from the financial institutions, business organisations and academia spoke in at the event in Lagos emphasised the relevance of booming SMEs to take the centre stage as a major driver of the economy as well as contributes immensely and filling the dollar drought gap being experienced in the country brought about by the fallen prices of crude in the international oil market.

A senior lecturer, Lagos Business School, Dr. Doyin Salami, who opened the floodgate of speeches in his tagged presentation: ‘2015 Economic Outlook’ said the SME operational strategies in 2015 would be three-pronged on Election, Transition and Normalcy.

Salami, said who wins the present presidential election is not the main issue but the outcome of the election. He maintained that the positive outcome would lead to the smooth transition and expected normalcy in the socio-economic of the country.

•From left: Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema; Minister for Power, Prof.

Chinedu Ositadinma Nebo; Group Managing Director/CEO, Omatek Engineering Services Limited, Mrs Florence Seriki and Group Head, Commercial Banking, (Lagos Mainland III) FirstBank, Mr. Emmanuel Ogundipe at the Omatek Engineering Services NSE Lagos Solar power facility tour.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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MONEY After what appeared to be a major confrontation between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) over some amendments to the NDIC Act, the agencies have agreed to collaborate to ensure financial stability, reports COLLINS NWEZE.

I

T is not in the interest of the banking system to see two key regulators at daggers drawn. That explains the concerns over the regulatory faceoff between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) over banking supervision.

The war between the CBN and NDIC dates back to 1997 when the NDIC was accused by the CBN of taking over its regulatory roles.

By 1998, however, the CBN was able to retain its regulatory position.

Currently, the NDIC wants the representatives of the CBN and the Ministry of Finance on its Board to be amended from directors to Deputy Governor and Permanent Secretary, respectively, to achieve a higher level co-ordination in banking policy formulation and implementation.

Besides, the NDIC Managing Director Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim wants to deepen the corporation’s commitment to transparency, accountability and probity. All employees and board members are required to exhibit high level of professionalism and ethical conduct. This is in line with the standards being demanded from all members of the deposit insurance system worldwide.

CBN vs NDIC: When two elephants fight

NDIC roles

Issues at stake Firstly, Nigerian banks have become conglomerates, having established a number of subsidiaries. In order to prevent such subsidiaries being used as vehicles to circumvent banking laws, rules and regulations or as avenue through which depositors’ funds are dissipated, the NDIC argued that “it is imperative that the Corporation through the auspices of the Financial Services Regulation Coordinating Committee (FSRCC) have access to the books and affairs of all the subsidiaries of insured banks to enable it assess on-going transactions between them. The proposal seeks to ensure that consolidated supervision of banking groups is carried out effectively.” This piece of proposed amendment however, does not sit pretty with the CBN. Following the bank consolidation in Nigeria, the asset base of Deposit Money Banks (DMB) have grown so large that failure of any one of them could pose a serious threat to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF). Consequently, the NDIC is concerned that “there is the need for a statutory contingency plan to address open bank resolution in order to prevent failure as much as possible. There is the need to set up an Insured Institution Resolution fund that would be used to address distress on a going concern basis. We therefore propose the establishment of such a fund in a new Subsection (3) of the extant section 37,” said the NDIC boss.

Equally, the Banking and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) has a provision empowering the Corporation to assume control of certain category of failing banks but the NDIC Act has no provision stipulating the status of the Corporation in such circumstances. Based on this disparity, the NDIC wants its status to be linked to that of a conservator.

“Accordingly, a bank which the Corporation has assumed control of should be protected from attachment of its assets to assist the Corporation restructure the bank successfully. In addition, there is need to prohibit attachment on assets of the Corporation for liability of a failed bank because it is acting as conservator of such bank,” Ibrahim explained.

Speaking further, Ibrahim said that whenever the revocation of the license of a bank and the Corporation’s status as provisional liquidator is being challenged in court, several other suits are also instituted by landlords, judgment creditors, and other claimants against the failed bank and the NDIC. The suits invariably drag the corporation to defend the failed bank even when it’s status is tenuous. As a result of this, NDIC is seeking for an amendment to the existing laws “to ensure that all such suits abate pending resolution of the winding up petition.”

Ibrahim equally told the Senate that the requirement for payment of insured deposit only in the event of revocation of an Insured Institution’s operating license poses restraint on the Corporation’s ability to effectively carry out its mandate.

“Experience has shown that an insured institution may actually be insolvent and not merely illiquid and therefore suspends pay-

that the Corporation sought to assume and exercise and the consequences 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.

Barau argued that “all the above powers, which the NDIC seeks to 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.”

• CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

• Alhaji Ibrahim

ment or is quite unable to meet its obligations to its depositors thereby causing hardship to those depositors even when it’s operating license has not been revoked,” he said.

This proposed amendment he said “therefore seeks to expand the crystallisation of the Corporation’s liability in the payment of insured deposit in Insured Institutions beyond revocation of license to include suspension of payment and inability to meet up with obligations to depositors as a result of insolvency in such institutions. The proposed amendment also seeks to put a time limit on the period of suspension of payments and further reduce the period within which the corporation is obliged to make reimbursement from 90 days to 30 days to its depositors, either by- cash, electronic transfer, negotiable instrument.”

The NDIC put up a strong argument that “there is the need for the corporation to have powers that would enable it pay insured depositors of failed banks even in the face litigation challenging revocation of the failed institutions operating license. This will reduce the extent to which depositors are subjected to untold hardship anytime litigants institute action the corporation to forestall liquidation of a failed bank.”

Section 40(7) does not actually prevent the filling of the application for an injunction preventing payment of insured deposits. The amendment proposed here will enable the Corporation pay insured deposit irrespective of the filing of such application in court as payment of insured deposit will be statutorily obligatory. In the event that the license of the institution is restored, the Corporation would have a right of subrogation.

The proposed amendments also seeks to incorporate provisions aimed at enhancing the legal framework for the Corporation to effectively carry out liquidation activities or non interference from the courts and other challenges. The powers expected, “include acting as liquidator upon the revocation of license of a failed bank, ensuring payment

of deposits to depositors but it’s license has not been revoked, prohibition on the attachment of the assets of the corporation when acting as liquidator in respect of liability of a failed bank and enhanced debt recovery provisions to enable the Corporation recover debts owed to failed banks promptly.”

However the NDIC got a bashing when it asked for “provisions limiting the powers of courts whose effect is to prevent or frustrate the Corporation in performing its statutory obligation and carrying out its mandate.” To this request, lawyers to on the side of the CBN and a Senator who is a lawyer of over 30 years standing in the bar argued against any laws limiting the powers of the courts in any way manner or form.

To the NDIC, “it is most important to note that the above powers proposed were adopted from the laws governing the operations of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in the United States of America along which lines the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation was fashioned. The Corporation is therefore not re-inventing the wheel but is merely adopting best practices that have proved successful over time.”

CBN speaks CBN Deputy Governor Operations Alhaji Suleiman Barau argued that following the decision of the NDIC to amend its 2006 Act, the CBN held various meetings to review the proposals to ensure consistency with the goals of financial system stability.

He drew the attention of the NDIC to several objectionable clauses in the proposed Act, which at the least sought to confer coordinate functions and powers on the NDIC. Specifically, the attention of the Corporation was drawn to the implications of the enactment of the Act as proposed as it would make the NDIC a parallel/coordinate regulator for banks as CBN; confer conflicting supervisory functions and powers on NDIC over banks; and create overlapping regulatory responsibilities for the NDIC.” Barau and the CBN argued that the powers

‘The NDIC wants the representatives of the CBN and the Ministry of Finance on its Board to be amended from directors to Deputy Governor and Permanent Secretary, respectively, to achieve a higher level co-ordination in banking policy formulation and implementation’

Then and only then, the CBN insisted “will its (NDIC) role in the financial system as it relates to banks and other deposit taking financial institutions be properly defined. The founding fathers of the NDIC, he noted, must have had this in mind in setting up the Corporation, as its responsibilities were aptly couched under Section 2 (1) of its enabling Act as follows: “the Corporation shall have responsibility for- insuring all deposits liabilities of licensed banks and such other deposit taking financial institutions (hereinafter referred to as “insured institutions”) operating in Nigeria within the meaning of sections 16 and 20 of this Act so as to engender confidence in the Nigerian banking system.

The NDIC is also expected to give assistance to insured institutions in the interest of depositors, in case of imminent or actual financial difficulties particularly where suspension of payments is threatened to avoid damage to public confidence in the banking system among other roles.

The above responsibilities, the CBN argued, should form the basis of the mandate of the Corporation, because it does not differ from those in other jurisdictions including Canada, Malaysia, and Japan. “Consequently, the new powers that the Corporation seeks to assume and exercise are not only difficult to subsume under its responsibilities as detailed above, but are alien to deposit insurance practices in those jurisdictions.

Other jurisdictions The CBN Deputy Governor emphasized that “the USA banking system can hardly be used as an example of best practice as the dual federal-state banking system evolved partly out of the complexity of the U.S. Financial system, with its many kinds of depository institutions and numerous chartering authorities. It has also resulted from a wide variety of federal and state laws and regulations designed to remedy problems that the US commercial banking system has faced over its history.

The US financial system is therefore unique and not replicated anywhere in the world; hence our concern at the constant reference to the system as “best practice” by the NDIC. Certainly, a country from where the global financial crisis started cannot be cited as an example for the rest of the world to follow.”

Other stakeholders speak At the end of both sides’ arguments, Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismark Rewane cautioned both parties to bear in mind that delays in settling depositors claims on time means that the amount involved for every individual would have lost its value as well as being eroded by inflation. He opted for a speedy payment of the claims of depositors of failed banks and financial institutions so the innocent public does not suffer unnecessarily.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Senator Bassey Edet Otu says that the position of the CBN as the prime regulator in Nigeria’s financial system cannot be disputed. According to him, the committee was committed to ensuring the safety of financial deposits of Nigerians and as such would not support a Bill capable of compromising the powers of both the CBN and the NDIC.

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

THE NATION INVESTORS

•From left: Andy Ojei, member, Governing Council, Institute of Credit Administration (ICA), Adetunji Oyebanji, President, ICA and Prof. Chris Onalo, Chief Executive Officer, ICA, during the inauguration of the 3rd Governing Council of the Institute in Lagos.

Hytera reiterates commitment to Nigerian market

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YTERA, a world leading professional mobile communications solution provider, has reiterated its commitment to the Nigerian market as the company showcases its latest digital two-way radio portfolio at the ongoing Securex West Africa 2015.

Sales Director, Hytera, Felix Zheng said Nigeria remains a very important market for the company and it would continue to provide products and services that meet expectations of the Nigerian users.

He said Hytera had established sales and services network in Nigeria gradually and achieved several achievements during the past five years, especially in 2013 and 2014.

“Now we have a Tetra network with our distributor Briscoe covering the whole Lagos. Many top companies are using our network, like Total, Arik Air. With rapid growing business, Hytera will continue to spend more resource in Nigeria. We are very proud that we could support comprehensive solutions for industries including public security and safety, transportation, oil & gas, civil aviation. We have confidence in the quality of our products and the customized solutions we provided to our customers, we will win the market,” Zheng said.

Marketing director, Hytera, Mr. Dylan Liu, said Hytera solution has been adopted by government and public security, utility, transport, and enterprises in Nigeria, which receive benefits of higher operational efficiency and security due to the advanced voice and data features.

“Nigeria is a very important market for Hytera. Our clients here adopt both digital technologies DMR and TETRA well, since they want the best technologies and solutions out there. Hytera is one of the few radio communication providers who can provide complete solutions for public safety & security, transportation, oil & gas industries and companies.

Hytera is committed to deliver more,” Liu said.

He noted that Hytera, the first provider launching DMR Tier III trunking radios in 2010, offers the most complete DMR portfolio, including portable two-way radio, mobile radio, repeater, infrastructure and applications.

He said the company has been

showcasing some of the key products at the exhibition, from cost-effective radios like PD3, PD5& PD6 series, to high-end radios, such as PD705/PD785, which can support DMR trunking mode, smallest DMR radios X1p/X1e, intrinsically safe DMR radio PD795 Ex for oil & gas industry.

“Hytera, one of the few that masters both protocols, also boasts full series of TETRA radios, including portable, mobile, infrastructure and applications. Besides the PT580H portable radio & MT680 mobile radio, in this year, Hytera takes a new Tetra portable radio in this expo, the smallest and most beautiful Tetra radio Z1p,” Liu said.

He pointed out that by bringing infrastructure and terminals of both DMR and Tetra solutions, Hytera has highlighted emergency communication system, smart dispatch system at Securex 2015.

Securex West Africa 2015 is the only exhibition in the region that brings together the entire security supply chain by incorporating cyber security, commercial and homeland security, fire and safety security all under one roof.

•From Left: Chairman, Caranda Management Services Limited, Engr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Managing Director, Mr. Nura Kakira, and Non-Executive Director, Mr. Rislanudeen Muhammed, at the combined 6th and 7th annual general meeting of the company in Abuja

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ARANDA Management Services Limited recorded gross earnings of N389 million in the immediate past year as the outsourcing company distributed a dividend per share of 28 kobo to its shareholders.

Key extracts of the audited report and accounts of the company showed that it recorded gross earnings of N371 million and N389 million in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Profit before tax rose from N37.5 million in 2013 and N85.3 million in 2014 while profit after increased from N32 million in 2013 to N73.9 million in 2014.

The board of directors of the company recommended dividend per share of four kobo and 28 kobo for the 2013 and 2014 business year respectively. It had paid 25 kobo dividend per share in 2012.

Speaking at the combined 6th and 7th annual general meeting of the company, chairman, Caranda Management Services, Engr. Ahmed Ibrahim, told shareholders that the company had successfully transited to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and its financial statements for both 2013 and 2014 were prepared

Caranda grosses N389m, declares 28 kobo dividend in accordance with this globally accepted standard.

He pointed out that the 2013 account was delayed in order to give ample time to the company to convert to IFRS. Following the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for deposit money banks to withdraw from non core banking businesses, Unity Bank Plc has now completely withdrawn its ownership from Caranda Management Services.

The board of Directors of the company has therefore undergone changes during the twoyear period under review. The former Chairman, Dr. Evans Woherem, has since handed over to the new one, Engr.

Ahmed Ibrahim. The management of the company has however remained stable under Mr. Nura Kakira who has guided Caranda Management Services over the years to attain stability and progress.

The other Non-Executive Directors are Mr. Rislanudeen Muhammed, Mr. Abdullahi Salihu, Mrs. Bilkisu Umar, and Engr. Idris Araga.

Outsourcing in Nigeria is an emerging business, and most organizations are now looking at the option of delegating their non-core services to third parties.

In 2006, the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology conducted a study and the report showed an interesting growth of the global outsourcing industry which has drawn the attention of industry leaders and public policy makers all over the world.

The report shows that a viable outsourcing sector assists in the diversification of a nation’s economic base, enabling it to enjoy the benefits of free trade such as lower costs, higher labour productivity, and greater efficiencies.

Caranda Management Services Limited is continuously scanning the horizon for new opportunities, and has recorded impressive strides in an effort to expand its business. As part of its growth strategy, it is currently working with KPMG to develop new business lines and to consolidate existing ones.

NSE, MSCI sign strategic agreement on joint index

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HE Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and MSCI Inc, a global provider of investment-decision support tools , have reached a strategic co-operation agreement to develop and market a co-branded family of indexes for the Nigerian equity markets.

Under the terms of the agreement, existing and future indexes will be co-branded as the MSCI/ NSE indexes. These indexes will include the existing NSE 30 Index and NSE 50 Index, which will become the MSCI/NSE 30 Index and the MSCI/NSE 50 Index respectively.

Also, additional indexes will also be jointly developed and launched in the future based on client demand and market development. The indexes will be used as performance benchmarks and as the basis for index-linked products for investors seeking exposure to the Nigerian capital markets.

Chief executive officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema, CEO, NSE, said, the strategic cooperation will provide the global investing public, listed

Stories by Taofik Salako

companies and other stakeholders in the Nigerian market access to MSCI’s high quality products and internationally recognized brand.

“We are proud to collaborate with MSCI, one of the top and most-respected index providers for global stock markets,” Onyema said.

He said the NSE will continue to innovate and bring products that will deepen the Nigerian market and attract investors to the market.

“The Nigerian Stock Exchange, in cooperation with MSCI, will continue to innovate and bring products to market that will increase the sophistication of African markets, and continue to establish Nigeria as the market for entrepreneurial growth,” Onyema said.

Managing Director and Head of MSCI’s Product Group, Baer Pettit, said the Nigerian market is increasingly becoming important given the status of Nigeria as the largest economy in Africa.

According to Pettit, as the largest economy in Africa, Ni geria is increasingly positioning itself at the center of the development of the region’s capital markets.

“MSCI is very proud to establish a strategic relationship with the Nigerian Stock Exchange, and we look forward to working with them to raise the profile of these indexes around the world. The combination of MSCI’s emerging and frontier markets index expertise and NSE’s position as one of the leading exchanges in the region will, we believe, deliver high quality indexes for both international and domestic investors,” Pettit said.

The MSCI/NSE Indexes will be

‘The Nigerian Stock Exchange, in cooperation with MSCI, will continue to innovate and bring products to market that will increase the sophistication of African markets, and continue to establish Nigeria as the market for entrepreneurial growth’

calculated and disseminated by MSCI, based on the same ind ustry leading standards that apply to the MSCI indexes. MSCI will commercialize the indexes outside of Nigeria while the NSE will continue to serve clients in Nigeria.

MSCI Inc is a leading provider of investment decision support tools to investors globally, including asset managers, banks, hedge funds and pension funds. MSCI products and services include indexes, portfolio risk and performance analytics, and ESG data and research.

The company’s flagship product offerings included the MSCI indexes with over $9.5 trillion estimated to be benchmarked to them on a worldwide basis; Barra multi-asset class factor models, portfolio risk and performance analytics; Risk Metrics multi-asset class market and credit risk analytics; IPD real estate information, indexes and analytics; MSCI ESG (environmental, social and governance) Research screening, analysis and ratings; and FEA valuation models and risk management software for the energy and commodities markets.

Newspaper of the Year

AN EIGHT-PAGE PULLOUT ON THE SOUTHWEST STATES

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

PAGE 29

Royal rumble in Ikere-Ekiti •Two traditional rulers in supremacy battle

•Regent of Ikare Ekiti

In Ikere, the second largest town in Ekiti State, the presence of two traditional rulers- Ogoga and Olukere is causing some disquiet within the royal circle as the two Obas engage in a supremacy battle. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports.

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INSIDE

ITH an estimated population of about 100, 000 residents, Ikere-Ekiti, the second largest town in Ekiti State is home to two traditional ruler, Ogoga and Olukere, both of whom are laying claim to supremacy over the other.

The development, which is almost as old as the town is causing concern within the royal circle following the none presentation of a staff of office to the Olukere Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin by the state government seven months

after he ascended the throne of his forefathers.

Oba Obasoyin wants the staff of office from the government to seal his claim to being a tradition ruler in the town and enable him enjoy the salary and other perks of office, while the Regent of Ikere, Princess Ayooye Adegboye, who is standing in for the Ogoga following the death of her father, the immediate past Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Adegoke Adegboye, would have none of this, insisting that the Olukere is not a king known to the town.

Catholic brothers build model school in Ogun community

PAGE 31

Strategically located in the southern part of the state, and in between two big capital cities of Akure, Ondo State and Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Ikere-Ekiti is the home town of some prominent Yoruba sons and daughter, including world famous singer, songwriter and record producer, Sade Adu; eminent lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) who holds the title of Mayegun of Ikere, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN); world renowned poet and literary giant, Prof. Niyi Os-

Lagos gets cardiac care and renal centre PAGES 34-35

undare; Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 6, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, just to mention a few.

The issue of traditional institution in the community has been one of the most controversial, with the Ogoga acknowledged as the paramount ruler while the Olukere is regarded in history as the first royal institution in the town.

Records since the colonial days favour the Ogoga as the recognized traditional ruler of Ikere while traditional history and local folklore favour the Olukere as the founder

33 days in office: Oyo police boss celebrates victory over criminals PAGE 36

of the community.

While the palace of the Ogoga is located in Uro area of the town, that of the Olukere is situated in Odo-Oja and the two locations are a walking distance from each other.

The last Ogoga, Oba Samuel Adegoke Adegboye, passed on in August last year and no person has been appointed and installed to replace him.

In the meantime, a daughter of his, Princess Ayooye AdegContinued on page 30 and 31

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

30

SOUTHWEST REPORT •Continued from page 29

boye-Oyinlola, was appointed Regent by the state government pending the ascension to the throne of a new Ogoga.

Shortly before Adegboye joined his ancestors after reigning for 43 years, a new Olukere, Oba Ganiyu Ayodele Obasoyin was installed by the kingmakers traditionally charged with the responsibility of selecting the Olukere.

Before Obasoyin ascended the throne , his predecessor, Oba Olufemi Ijasan fought a bitter supremacy battle with the Ogoga which became a celebrated court case in a bid to assert the importance of the Olukere stool.

This was because the Olukere was not recognized by successive governments and was not given a seat among the Council of Traditional Rulers in the state.

But Obasoyin insisted that Ogoga is a “tenant” in Ikere while he (the Olukere) is the “landlord” adding that “a tenant cannot claim supremacy over the landlord.”

Shortly after Obasoyin was selected and installed as the new Olukere, he wrote a letter to the state government to commence the process for his coronation and presentation of a staff of office.

But the response of the state government, according to him, was that before his coronation could be performed and a staff of office handed to him, a new Ogoga must be installed.

Obasoyin believed that the installation of a new Ogoga should not delay his own coronation as history shows that the two traditional rulers existed side-by-side in Ikere and the demise of the late Ogoga should not constitute a hindrance to his receipt of the staff of office.

The Olukere therefore called on Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose to present him with his staff of office seven months after being installed as king.

Obasoyin said the appeal became necessary as the community was getting ready for the Osooro Festival which marks the commencement of the planting season in the community.

He explained that the tradition of the town demands that the traditional ruler should be the first person in the community to plant before others hence the need to ensure his coronation and presentation of the staff of office.

Obasoyin said since coronation of a traditional ruler can only be performed by the government, Fayose should intervene and remove the bottlenecks delaying his coronation for him to occupy his rightful place among brother Obas in the state.

The Olukere said he had written to the government on the matter but was told by the officials of Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs that his coronation is being delayed by the non-installation of a new Ogoga of Ikere.

But Obasoyin disclosed that he had written to the government that his coronation should not be delayed by the non-installation of a new Ogoga maintaining that the Olukere stool had existed before that of the Ogoga.

He regretted that the delay of his coronation had denied him of many privileges including payment of his salaries and allowances as an Oba adding that the last Olukere who reigned for 19 years was also denied the perks of office.

The monarch appealed to his subjects who are growing impatient with the seven-month delay of his coronation to remain calm and be law-abiding and cooperate with the state government to resolve the matter.

His words: “I have sent a memo

Royal rumble in Ikere-Ekiti It has been stated expressly and clearly in the historical books that the Olukere had been an Oba in Ikere before the advent of the Ogoga to the Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs and I am surprised that they asked us to wait until a new Ogoga is installed. The last Olukere was on the throne for 19 years and no dime was paid to him either as salaries or allowances.

“If you go to the Ekiti State Government website and click on Ekiti history, it was clearly stated that we have two Obas in Ikere and the two are on the payroll of the government.

“I have not been paid a dime by the state government because my coronation has not been performed.

I believe the delay is being caused by fifth columnists trying to create disaffection in the community.

“I am appealing to Governor Fayose because we know he believes in justice, equity and fair play and we urge him to accede to our request as soon as possible so that I can perform my duties to the best of my ability so that peace will reign in Ikere.

“Coronation cannot be done secretly it has to be done openly for everybody to see. It is a function to be performed by the government and we have written to the government and it is being delayed based on a letter from the Ministry (Bureau) of Chieftaincy Affairs.

“I have written back to the government that my coronation should not be delayed by (the non-installation of) Ogoga. We have been in Ikere before Ogoga.

“A tenant cannot claim supremacy over the landlord. I have written back to the Council of Obas and cited facts to substantiate our claims that I am the traditional ruler for Ikere and I am expecting a reply.

“Unfortunately, the townsmen and women are not happy but I am appealing for peace and calm from them. We have a government which believes in justice, equity and fair play led by Governor Fayose. I have been speaking to my people to remain calm until government grants our request.

Demanding the same recognition accorded the Ogoga, the Olukere said: “It has been stated expressly and clearly in the historical books that the Olukere had been an Oba in Ikere before the advent of the Ogoga.

“At the demise of every Olukere, there is always an interregnum of three months. The Olukere has a traditional council, the kingmakers and his own chiefs responsible for selection and installation of the Olukere just like the Ogoga.

“If you go the Ekiti State website and click on Ikere-Ekiti history, it is clearly stated there that we have two Obas in Ikere and the two are on the payroll of the government even though I have not been paid a dime by the state government because I had not been installed.

From the ages past, the Ogoga had been the paramount ruler of the Ikere Kingdom and the Olukere is just a worshipper of the Olosunta deity and he is a minor chief.

•Olukere of Ikeere Ekiti, Oba Ganiyu Oba soyin

“The delay is caused by fifth columnists trying to create disaffection in the community. The last Olukere was on the throne for 19 years and nothing was paid to him either as salaries or allowances.”

On the effect of his delayed coronation, Obasoyin said”: It has been affecting the functions of my office so much but as the founder of Ikere, we have to source for funds to perform traditional festivals and other issues that involve money.

“The last Olosunta Festival cost us N5 million and the Osooro Festival also involves spending money due to the fact that government has not been giving us money, it has affected us.

“We are appealing to the governor because he believes in justice, fair play and equity and we urge him to accede to our request as soon as possible so that we can perform our duties to the best of our ability so that peace can reign in Ikere.

“The 5 per cent of the allocation coming from the Federation Account to the traditional council of the town goes to the local government chieftaincy account and the local government council disburses the money as stipulated.

“But the issue of Ikere is not the same because the Ogoga-in-Council has created a special account into which the money is paid.”

None of the officials working at the Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs was ready to offer explanation on what is causing the delay when The Nation sought the government position on the issue saying they must get the approval from the Head of Service before granting any press interview.

When The Nation checked the Ekiti State Government website, it corroborated the view expressed by the Olukere in staking his claim for the staff of office and a seat in the State Council of Traditional Rulers. It reads: “Welcome to the true story of a people whose existence defines unity and their nickname, “Ekiti Parapo”, echoes it proudly. Welcome to the only city ruled by two kings. Ikere-Ekiti, a wonderland wallowing in an admixture of profound civilization and tenacious cultural learning”.

According to the website: “The first Olukere came from Ile-Ife and founded Ikere, much later, the first Ogoga, a hunter, left his base in Benin and came to Ikere on a hunting spree. Reaching Ikere, he went and stayed with the Olukere at his palace. As time passed by, the number of people bringing cases to the Olukere for settlement started increasing by the day until it reached a point when he could not do everything alone.

“He then asked Ogoga to go and stay at Iro to attend to the people on his behalf while he, the Olukere

would continue with other traditional assignments. The Ogoga started carrying out the job assigned to him until he eventually attained the position of authority.

“As ordained by tradition, Ogoga and Olukere usually meet once a year during the Olosunta Festival. That day, Olukere wears his crown while the Ogoga merely wears a cap. Today, both Ogoga and Olukere are, in the best interest of the people, generally seen as the head. And both are on the government payroll”.

Though history tends to support the Olukere’s claim, members of the Ogoga dynasty have refuted this claim describing him as a “traditional priest” and maintaining that the Olukere was never a traditional ruler in the community.

The Regent, Princess Ayooye who spoke with The Nation at the Ogoga Royal Palace said there are plethora of documents to show that the Ogoga is not only the recognized Oba but also the paramount ruler of Ikere and its environs.

She explained that the letter written by the Olukere to the State Council of Traditional Rulers not only embarrassed the community but also angered traditional rulers in the state.

The Regent said the members of the Ogoga Royal Dynasty would have reacted to the claims of the Olukere but were prevailed upon to keep quiet by eminent sons and daughters of the community.

She said: “From the ages past, the Ogoga had been the paramount ruler of the Ikere Kingdom and the Olukere is just a worshipper of the Olosunta deity and he is a minor chief.

“Reading from the Intelligence Report, you cannot be telling the prescribed authority that installed you that you want to become a king. The Olukere had never attended the meeting of the Pelupelu (the sixteen foremost kings in Ekiti).

“The Ogoga appointed him and the Ogoga is the prescribed authority. All the Kabiyesis, the Iwarefa Mefa, the Are Iyin, they know where they belong.

“None of his forbears went to the Pelupelu meetings, he is the priest of the Olosunta deity and he is not the king. For example, if there are issues to resolve, they always bring it to the Ogoga Palace and only very serious ones are taken to the Police.

“My brother, Olukere is not a King, we know only of one Oba in Ikere, we are peace-loving people.

It is during the celebration of the Ijero Festival that the Olukere comes out and people used to come from overseas to witness it.

“The Olukere has a room that he stays in this palace during the festival and they will host all the

wives of the palace. The Ogoga will come out and the Olukere will come out.

“The two of them will face the direction of the Olosunta Hill and they will pray for the peace, progress and development of the community.

“No member of his dynasty had been crowned as king, he should go and look for the Intelligence Report, nobody calls him “Kabiyesi”.

“How many people in his lineage was ever crowned, let his people enlighten him. I wonder, in what way will he become king?”

The Regent obliged our reporter a copy of the “Intelligence Report (Ikere District) written between 1928 and 1935 by Mr. M.T. Bovell-Jones, the Assistant District Officer, Ado-Ekiti and the issue of Olukere could be found on Page 43.

Another document is an official statement that emanated from the Governor’s Office Ado-Ekiti during the reign of Ijasan as the Olukere.

It reads: “The Olukere chieftaincy is a chieftaincy to which Part 1 of the existing Chiefs Edict does not apply. Hence the Ogoga of Ikere will continue to be the prescribed authority in respect of this chieftaincy and in respect of all other minor chieftaincies in Ikere.

“Government, has, therefore directed Engr. Olufemi Ijasan who has been parading himself as the Olukere to stop doing so forthwith and therefore vacate the official residence of the Olukere immediately.

“In effect, the appointment of a new Olukere should commence de novo in line with the custom and tradition of Ikere.”

When asked about the Osooro Festival Obasoyin was referring to as one of the traditional festivals performed by the Olukere, Ayooye said performance of such festivals is the responsibility of the Olukere as the “chief Priest” of the kingdom.

Ayooye said: “He (the Olukere) is the chief priest and the Osooro is one of the festivals he performs to ensure the fertility of the land.

Let him quote the name of his father or ancestors that had been king before him.”

On the history of Ikere having two kings on the payroll of the government, the Regent admitted that she had not visited the state government website to read the content but said defiantly that “anybody can write whatever he likes on the website”.

She concluded: “Ogoga is the paramount ruler and chairman of the traditional council in Ikere. I have been paid the allowance in the local government and I am paying my chiefs here.

“We are going to correct the anomaly that is written on the Ekiti State Government website. To favour him, he can go and write what he likes. Ogoga has been the paramount ruler of Ikere for ages.”

The Olori Omoowa who is the head of the princes and princesses of Ikere Kingdom, Chief M. Adegboye Akapinsa, conducted our reporter round the inner recesses of the Ogoga Palace and showed him a room known as the Owa Ifa. The Olori Omoowa and another palace official demonstrated how the Ogoga used to receive the homage of the Olukere as one of the rite of the Owa Ijero.

Akapinsa claimed that the Owa Ifa is the room in which the Olukere stays after receiving blessings from the Ogoga.

He said: “This is the Owa Ifa, the room which the Olukere stays after receiving blessings from the Ogoga. He (the Olukere) is the only one entering the place once in a year and he come out in the day.

“Olukere Adebusuyi was the last person to come here, nobody installed Ijasan as the Olukere.”

As the controversy continues to rage, it is expected that the state government would find a lasting solution to it and stop the rumblings in the royal circle in IkereEkiti.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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SOUTHWEST REPORT

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Catholic brothers build model school in Ogun community

•Karaole

MUWEN, a quiet community on the fringe of Ijebu-East Local Government Area of Ogun State, came alive last weekend when the Southwest province of the Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers, a Roman Catholic congregation, laid the foundation blocks for a missionary college to be sited in the town.

When completed, the college would be the only post primary school institution in the area following the collapse of the government owned secondary in the town many years ago.

Expectedly, the people were excited by the foundation laying ceremony and the mood of the community was captured in the performance of its cultural troupe, which welcomed guests to the occasion.

For the project to be accomplished, the community gave out 21 acres of its land to the Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers to build the missionary college, where its children can get quality secondary education.

The community residents were led to the ceremony held at the project site by the community head, Chief K.E.T. Adesanya, who described the project as “the lord’s doing”.

In his homily at a two-hour mass held during the ceremony, the Bishop of Ijebu-Ode Catholic Diocese, Most Reverend Father Albert Fasina, described the project as a manifestation of God’s promise to mankind, taking the first Bible reading from Psalms 24:1.

After creation of the earth, Fasina said God gave mankind power and intelligence to explore the land and develop it for people’s benefit. Given the community gesture to give out the land free of charge, the Bishop said the project was inspired and ordained

Vote wisely, APC candidate urged HE All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in Mushin Local Government, Lagos State, Hon Semiu Ishola Karaole (aka KAMS), has urged Nigerians to vote wisely during Saturday’s general elections.

He said APC and its candidates must be voted for based on their achievements.

Karaole, who spoke at his Mushin campaign office, said that Nigerians should be careful, urging them to vote out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming that its members had been lying and fooling the people since 1999. He accused the PDP of failing Nigerians in the provision of security, education, infrastructure, health and agriculture, among others.

He said APC had fulfilled its promises in several ways and was ready to take democracy to the citizens’ door steps.

He said the choices in the coming general elections must be based on whether the promises made by the opposition party members since their election were fulfilled.

Karaole said democracy is a change of promises and a social contract which must be based on trust.

Noting that a candidate that fulfils his promises in the first tenure will not stress much before being re-elected, he said a new candidate that run his campaign on promises, while an incumbent should run on his records.

I

Bishop Fasina (middle) leading the community members and priests in a prayer before laying the foundation block

By Wale Ajetunmobi

by God. Fasina said: “From all indication, we can see that God Himself inspired this project. The Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers approached the community elders to acquire a land for the purpose of education and evangelism. The community wholeheartedly embraced the purpose of the project and donated a chunk of its land without asking for money. This is a sign that God is with us on this land. We shall continue to praise and glorify His name for the purpose of this project.”

The Bishop described the community gesture as an act of sacrifice, noting that students that would be trained in the college would pay back the gesture with academic and spiritual greatness.

Fasina, who hailed the state government for approving the project plan, solicited for support to complete the school. He said: “The Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers are spiritual alms beggars for God. They don’t have gold

and silver to give anyone. They are changing lives through their selfsacrifice and evangelism. We must support this initiative with all we have to make it successful. The Imuwen community and our brothers have given us an initiative that will endure forever.”

Chief Adesanya noted that some religious organisations had offered the community huge amount of money to buy the land, but said Imuwen Development Council (IDC) gave out the land free of charge to the Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers in principle. This, he said, was followed by castigation by some people, who felt the land should not have been given out without pecuniary benefit.

He said: “I rejoice with Imuwen people and congratulate them on this occasion of foundation laying for the Holy Ghost Model College.

I am also congratulating the Roman Catholic Mission for being the first religious group to build missionary school in Imuwen. This is the day the Lord has made. We shall all rejoice and

be glad in it.”

The province head of the Holy Ghost Fathers and Brothers in Southwest, Reverend Father Hyacinth Ogbodo, said the project was initially conceived to be sited in Ijebu-Ode but said the gesture by the community residents made the group to accept the offer.

He promised that the school would be a model for all secondary schools, adding that two pupils from the community who perform excellently in primary school would be given scholarship to study at the college.

Ogbodo used the occasion to appeal for funds to accomplish the project, saying the school would put the name of the community on the world map when completed.

The highpoint of the event was the laying of the foundation block for the school, which was conducted

by Bishop Fasina. Residents hailed the cooperation between the Catholic mission and the community, hoping that the school would bring development to the quiet community.

Doctors urge kidnappers, robbers to spare them of attack

T

HE National President of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria(AGPMPN)Dr OmoEhijele Odafe has urged armed robbers and kidnappers to spare his members from attack because of their humanitarian services to the society.

Besides, he decried the over taxation and other unfriendly levies being imposed on medical doctors which according to him have not assisted in sustaining medical entrepreneurship.

Addressing reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital during the three- day 37th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association, Dr Odafe expressed concern over rampant cases of abduction and killing of private medical practitioners by kidnappers and armed robbers respectively.

According to him:”Doctors are for humanitarian service, we treat everybody, armed robbers and kidnappers should leave our members alone, we have no money, but we are using our skills and intelligence to help the society”.

He called on the Federal Government to provide security for members of the association who are daily being attacked, adding that hazard insurance for private and public hospitals would boost their operation.

The Private Doctors’ president recalled that the first ever case of Ebola disease in Nigeria was detected in a private hospital before it was vigorously tackled.

He urged the Federal Government to provide a health bank for private medical practitioners to

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

enable them access cheap funds as against the normal bank loans which attract 30 per cent interest.

His words “we want to deploy

our resources in funding health care delivery without hardship in order to serve people.

The AGPMPN President hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for

constituting a team to look into the issue of the establishment of World class hospitals in the six geo-political zones of the country for the benefits of the masses.

He advised the government to discourage the sponsoring of public servants for medical check-up in other countries when there are good hospitals in Nigeria.

•L-R: Executive Secretary, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Deaconess Modupe Ajibola-Ojodu; Board Chairman, Lagos State College of Health Technology, Dr. Biola Tilley-Gyado; Member, House of Representatives, Badagry Federal Constituency, Hon. Rafeequat Onabamiro and former Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Princess Serah Adebisi Sosan during All Progressives Congress (APC), Badagry Division Women Forum special interdenominational session for the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his 63rd Birthday Anniversary, held at Ojo council Secretariat, Ojo, Lagos on Monday.

32

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

33

SOUTHWEST REPORT

I

N 1955, the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Agodi Ibadan played host to prominent Yoruba sons and daughters from across all walks of life who had gathered to discuss issues affecting their common destiny.

Drawn from across Yoruba land, the leaders, at the end of their discussion came up with demands that they believed would protect their interest and put the country, then still under colonial rule, on a fast development lane.

Exactly 60 years after, leaders of the present generation of Yoruba have taken the same step, suggesting that the issues of the last six decades were yet to fade away.

It was the same city and the same venue. Only the conferees were different. Yet, the gathering was for the same purpose: which way forward for the Yoruba nation in Nigeria?

Convened by the revered retired army general, Alani Akintinade,Yoruba leaders converged for a summit to discuss issues affecting Yoruba nation in all spheres of life in Nigeria. As it was in 1955, the leaders, who cut across all professions, included traditional rulers, youths as well as Yoruba in Kwara and Kogi states. And the host was the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi.

Attendees include governors Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State: Amosun was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa; Socio-political leaders such as Chief Ayo Fasanmi; Senator Olabiyi Durojaye and General Akinrinade (rtd); erudite lawyers including Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN); and Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN); academics and technocrats including Professors. Akin Oyebode; Bunmi Ayoade and Dr Goke Adegoroye; traditional rulers including the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1 who was represented by High Chief Eddy Oyewole; the Akarigbo of Remo, Dr Adeniyi Sonariwo and the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Ganiy Oloogunebi; religious leaders including the Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix Ajakaye and Chairman of Muslim Community in Oyo State, Alhaji Kunle Sanni; top politicians including former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

Through various presentations, the leaders reviewed salient developments in the last 60 years in Nigeria, especially as they affected the Yoruba and took a common position.

Setting the tone for the talk shop was the host, Governor Ajimobi.

In his welcome address, he highlighted the strategic importance of the city of Ibadan in the political history of the Yoruba across ages and stressed that the venue was as apposite as the time for the summit.

Ajimobi said: “Permit me to express my profound pleasure and appreciation at this unique opportu-

nity to address the great sons and daughters of Yoruba land here gathered. Again, talking about historical significance, this great chamber – the House of Chiefs – for those who were old enough to know its political history, has hosted great men and women of renown in Yoruba land, at various historical junctures. As history would someday record that, at a critical period of our people’s lives as this, we gathered here today to dissect the way forward for the Yoruba in the Nigerian federation, so also did the Obafemi Awolowos, Samuel Ladoke Akintolas, Adekunle Ajasins, Bola Iges, to mention a few, gathered inside this House of Chiefs, innumerable times, to brainstorm on the future of our people. Indeed, today, I feel as if I am addressing the crème de la crème of Yoruba land at the 1951 Yoruba national conference held here on the soil of Ibadan.

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, we do not need anyone to remind us of our rich ancestry and wide geographical contours. We are an ethnic group that spans Southwestern Nigeria and Southern Benin in West Africa. According to the CIA World Factbook, we constitute over 35 million people in total, majority of our population found in Nigeria. These statistics confirm us as one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. Indeed, we share borders with the Borgu in Benin; the Nupe and Ebira in central Nigeria; the Edo, the ¸san, and the Afemai in mid-western Nigeria. The Igala and other related groups are located in the northeast, and the Egun, Fon, Ewe and others in the southeast Benin. The Itsekiri who live in the north-west Niger delta are cousins of the Yoruba, even though they maintain a distinct cultural identity. You could find a significant Yoruba population in Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra Leone, (where you almost cannot find a difference between them and the Saro and the Creole).”

The governor recalled that so many Yoruba have done Nigeria proud as pace setters in various noble careers which partly accounts for why Yoruba have always been in the driving seat in developmental efforts of the country.

His words: “We have a rich political history as Yoruba people, which is apparently linked to our early education, civilization and exposure to western education, far earlier than any other ethnic conglomerate in the country. Christopher Alexander Sapara Williams (1855–1915), a son of Yoruba land, was the first indigenous Nigerian lawyer who was called to the English bar on 17 November 1879. Sir Samuel Layinka Ayodeji Manuwa, (1903–1976) was a pioneering Nigerian surgeon, and was the first Nigerian to qualify to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS), having graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1934. He was one of those whose efforts led to the establishment of the University College Hospital here in Ibadan. I can mention them on and on.”

•Gen. Alani Akinrinde (rtd) and Oyo State Governor, Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi

•Chief Ayo Fasanmi and Former Osun State Govevernor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola

•L-R: Representative of Itsekiri Delta State, Chief Ritalori Igiebor, Rev. Ajakaiye, Chief Niyi Akintola and Former MBA President,Barrister Rotimi Akeredolu

60 years after, Yoruba re-examine their common destiny in Ibadan Prominent Yoruba leaders gathered in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, last Thursday to review their stake in Nigeria and came up with a charter of demand in line with their aspirations as common people, BISI OLADELE reports Ajimobi consequently deplored the alleged marginalization of the nationality in Nigeria in recent times, particularly in the current political dispensation.

“It will interest you to note that, in the wheel of power at the centre, there are only two Yoruba people.

Indeed, out of the 50 most powerful men and women in the executive, legislative, judicial and even security components of power in Nigeria, there are only two Yoruba people.

These are the Chief of Staff to the President, whose choice was almost an afterthought and the Accountant General of the Federation. Never had the sons and daughters of Oduduwa been treated with such ignominy and disregard by a country their forefathers shed their blood to make a shining sun under the heavens.

“In the present political configuration at the federal level, not only are we totally vacant, in spite of our rich political evolution and profound political traits in Nigerian politics, in cases where Yoruba are ever underscored, the worst of us are promoted to lead the best of us. The Machiavellian tactic of dividing us to effectively rule us is on the upswing and they promote an understanding of Yoruba leadership that is laughable and warped in the least. In the same vein we must examine the role being played by that biblical god of money, Mammon, in the fate of Yoruba sons and daughters, especially vis-avis the recent violence unleashed on Lagos by the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC). Was that violence part of our Yoruba culture for which we are known by the rest of the world?

“These are some of the issues that this Assembly must address today.

Indeed, the title of this conference should be, to borrow the title of a piece written by that great columnist and former editor of the Nigerian Tribune, Ayo Ojewumi, Where Do We Go From Here?

“We must collectively resolve whether we want to continue to remain in the current servitude under the PDP or liberate ourselves from the shackles on our feet. A proposed government in which we have been offered the vice presidential slot holds a great hope of tomorrow for us and our children and nostalgia of the past where we participated effectively in shaping the destiny of our nation.” He said.

Taking the microphone from him, the convener, Akinrinade, expressed satisfaction with the turn-out of Yoruba leaders, saying it was an example of the way Yoruba can easily forge a common front against injustice.

He also highlighted the qualities and values of the Yoruba and thereafter rolled out the quality of leadership Yoruba desired.

His words: “We, the Yoruba, are too sophisticated to follow one leader or adopt one political belief. What is required of us is to share a common development aspiration and values much more than what obtains now in the present Nigeria. We cannot afford a leadership that is absent of developmental foresight, that lacks innovative thinking and is not capable of producing the right responses and answers to the challenges of multi-ethnic and multi-cultural politics in the country...

“For us Yoruba people, a Nigerian leader must be ready to make the necessary sacrifices and imbibe core value-laden attributes. The national leader that Yoruba people want and would support should subscribe to a body of beliefs based on our perennial and tested values of honour, dignity, integrity, industry, patriotism, which are encoded in the concept of Omoluabi. The leadership the Yoruba want should be the body of men and women who are believers and are ready to live according to the tenets of Omoluabi and work for its continuous propagation and effectiveness. It is this body of values that should guide us in the process of who we vote for in the 2015 general elections, not corrupted endorsements.”

Akinrinade also condemned the protest by members of the Odu’a People’s Congress (OPC) in Lagos, describing it as “an open threat to our space, a society that is naturally and cultural embracing whose receptive nature is now being abused...”

He then called on the Yoruba to use their votes in the coming election to choose the right leaders and reject wrong ones.

In their presentations, experts also X-rayed the plight of the Yoruba nation in Nigeria and proffered solutions Speaking on the topic: ‘Development Challenges to Nation Building,’ Professor Akin Oyebode emphasized the need for the Yoruba to re-invent

,

•L-R, APC Presidential Running Mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Representative of Olubadan, of Ibadanland, High Chief Eddy Oyewole and Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi at the summit.

We, the Yoruba, are too sophisticated to follow one leader or adopt one political belief. What is required of us is to share a common development aspiration and values much more than what obtains now in the present Nigeria. We cannot afford a leadership that is absent of developmental foresight, that lacks innovative thinking and is not capable of producing the right responses and answers to the challenges of multiethnic and multi-cultural politics in the country...

,,

their leadership position. He said the rights of the Yoruba people should not be allowed to be trampled upon by impostors.

He lamented that the Yoruba delegates to the National conference held last year were unable to liaise with delegates from other regions to promote their agenda due to sitting arrangements and other logistics challenges.

The erudite scholar, therefore, urged Yoruba to press for a constituent assembly that will adopt fundamental laws leading to adoption of a new constitution.

He rounded off his presentation by stating that Nigeria would not break, hence there is no need to canvass for Odu’a Republic.

In his own presentation, legal luminary, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN) emphasized that marginalization of Yoruba is real, as according to him no Yoruba is occupying any of the first 14 positions in the country in spite of their population.

Akintola called for a change within a credible legal framework.

In his own presentation, Professor Bunmi Ayooade, who represented the United States (US) based Odu’a Foundation, expressed worry over the state of the Yoruba society, because, according to him, the Yoruba have surrendered leadership in the country.

Stating that the minority of excellence is always superior to the majority of mediocrity, Ayoade called on the region to shun invitation to trade the future of the Yoruba people.

“There is danger in making Nigeria irrelevant to the Yoruba.” He said.

Speaking in the same vein, a technocrat, Dr Goke Adegoroye, who spoke on the topic: “Marginalization of Yoruba under the Current Dispensation,” posited that Yoruba is the single largest ethnic group in Nigeria accounting for 22 per cent of the total population.

In his own opinion, the third position should be ceded to the Yoruba once the first and second positions go to other regions.

But he said as at today, Yoruba cannot even come to the topmost leadership position in many federal arms, agencies and parastatals, including military and para-military agencies.

Prince Bambo Ademiluyi, who spoke on: “Re-industrialization of Southwest,” called for concerted efforts to ensure that the region, which was once the industrial hub of the nation, regains its position.

In his own comment, Oyinlola posited that Yoruba will achieve more once they are able to come together as one, irrespective of party affiliations.

Senator Anthony Adefuye also elucidated on the marginalization of the Yoruba, saying only seven out of 49 principals of unity schools in the country are Yoruba while there are only eight Yoruba among the 67 chairmen of parastatals in Nigeria.

Senator Durojaye called on Yoruba to be firm and resist intimidation on the Election Day by going out to vote for the right candidates.

Chief Ayo Fasanmi described as “a shame” the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Afenifere.

He said: “I’m saddened by all I hear on radio in recent times. Those endorsing President Jonathan are on their own. We know who to vote for and that is Buhari.

Fayemi said the gathering was not for politics but for the interest of the

Yoruba. He faulted claims that APC governors did not support the National Conference, saying the governors sent delegates to the confab.

Fayemi also recalled that five Southwest governors met Jonathan over the once deplorable state of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway but that he did nothing in spite of the promise to do so. He said they (governors) gave him the alternative of jointly undertaking the project but that he declined.

Fayemi said Jonathan did not attend to the road until it became very shameful.

“When you add this to other complaints, you will see that the current government does not like the Yoruba.” He said.

He added that part of the recommendations of the confab could be implemented now but that the Jonathan administration won’t do it because of insincerity. He said devolution of power is part of the APC manifesto to achieve that.

When he took his turn, Ogbeni Aregbesola said Yoruba have never benefitted from mainstream politics.

“We know our leaders. We know those who led us yesterday but who have compromised today. True Yoruba leaders are here, not only one governor going about like a stray man.”

He said.

The governor charged Yoruba to take their rightful leadership role in Africa but pointed out that they can’t be the light of Africa by collecting money and compromising standards and values.

Calling on the elders to call the OPC to order, he said Yoruba as a nation agreed not to fight one another again by the 1886 accord in OkeImesi. “Tell OPC that money will finish.” He counseled.

He explained that under the current administration, the country is losing 400,000 barrels of oil per day, the value of which he put at N155 billion per day.

According to him, the sum is equivalent of what Osun State earns in allocation for four years.

In a further analysis, Aregbseola said the amount will total N3.56 trillion in four years, the amount he said could build 2,000 kilometers of onelane road in each state of the federation or 1,000 model schools in every state, each of which could accommodate 1,000 pupils.

Rounding off the meeting, the

Vice Presidential candidate of the APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, commended Yoruba for their patience in the face of Federal Government’s weight of opposition. He advised them to keep standing by the truth as usual, stressing that victory was sure in the forthcoming election.

Representatives of Yoruba in Kwara and Kogi states also made comments while the Itsekiri were represented by Rita-Lori Ogbebor. The Olu of Warri also sent a representative, Chief Sunday Rewane, to the summit as they identified with the Yoruba. Ogbebor said Itsekiri migrated from Ijebu and will continue to identify with the Yoruba who stand tall with right values.

A communique was issued at the end of the summit, detailing the charter of demands of the Yoruba in Nigeria.

Also at the summit were Oyo State Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Alake-Adeyemo; former Ekiti State Governor, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; industrialist Chief Kola Daisi; Chief K. O. Latunji; Senators Sola Adeyeye, Bayo Salami and James Kolawole; former Minister of Aviation, Professor Babalola Borisade; National President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero and former Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Wale Omole.

Others include former Military Governor, Mid-Western Region, General Samuel Ogbemudia; Chairman, Ibadan Elders Forum, Ambassador Olu Saanu; Chairman, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Hon. Wale Oshun; Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi; Prof. Adebayo William; Director General, Development Agenda for Western Region (DAWN), Mr Dipo Famakinwa and the Group Managing Director, Odu’a Investments Ltd, Mr Adewale Raji.

Also in attendance were the Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix Ajakaye and; Chairman, Muslim Community in Oyo State, Alhaji Kunle Sanni.

Traditional rulers present include the Eleruwa of Eruwa, Oba Samuel Adegbola; the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, who was represented by Chief Samuel Otolorin; Oba Kolawole Sowemimo of OwodeEgba; the Onigboho of Igboho, Oba John Bolarinwa and the Onijeru of Ijeru who was represented by Chief Elijah Popoola.

•L-R: Prof. Adebayo Williams, Senator Salami Adebayo and Comrade Yusuf Reubami

•L-R: Gen Sameul Ogbemudia (Rtd) and former VC Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Wale Omole

•L-R: Princess Bisi Ogundoyin, Prince Tahjudeen Olusi and Chief Mrs. Ronke Okesanya

•L-R: Arct. Muyiwa Ige and Director General of DONN Communication, PHOTOS: FEMI ILESANMI Mr. Dapo Famakinwa.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

34

SOUTHWEST REPORT

•Some of the state of the art equipment •MRI machine

Lagos gets cardiac care A state of the art Cardiac and Renal centre owned by the Lagos State Government went into operation last week, raising the hope of local treatment for those suffering from cardiac and renal-related diseases.

OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA reports.

N

IGERIANS with either renal and/or cardiac medical problems need not travel abroad anymore to get treatment following the commissioning of a state of the art facility in Lagos to take care of their peculiar medical needs.

The one stop medical facility owned by the Lagos State Government was constructed on a once flood prone piece of land within the premises of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Annex, Gbagada General Hospital, Gbagada, Lagos.

The 67-bed facility already opened to the public, spreads over three floors and provides a state of the art cardiac care and renal centre, with eight specialized out-patient clinics, Catheterization Laboratory or Cathlab (the second in the country) and a 64-CT scan.

A catheterization laboratory is an examination room in a hospital or clinic with diagnostic imaging equipment used to visualize the arteries and chambers of the heart, and treat any abnormality found.

The Centre built by Deux Project Limited, has a four-bed intensive care unit; a modular theatre unit with two theatre suites with laminar flow air-control, central sterilization and supply unit; four bed recovery room echo lab; stress lab; 24 dialysis machines; pharmacy; laboratories; ophthalmology clinic for eye screening; physiotherapy/rehabilitation unit; conference rooms; seminar rooms with Telemedicine facility; consultants’ and resident doctors’ offices and four unit. It also has two units of five bed high dependency wards.

Commissioning the facility last

Wednesday, Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola said: “This will be a centre of reference for cardiac and renal patients allowing for cardiac investigation and treatment through catherisation and insertion of pacemakers, open heart surgery, cardiac by-pass operations and a host of similar life-saving procedures.”

Fashola reiterated the determination of his administration to fulfill the promises he made to the electorate in providing sustainable healthcare, adding that “the turning point was when we took President Yar’Adua to a Saudi Arabia hospital to manage a kidney ailment. It was a low point for us because we have it on good authority that the Saudi hospital was built by Nigerian doctors who left the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) in the 80s.

“Many of them, who I met on my travels, complained that they wanted to come home and practice but there was no hospital comparable to where they were accustomed to working. I told them that we would do something. We now have a hospital that has 24 dialysis bed stations, 20 beds for general ward use, two high dependency wards with five beds each for patients in intensive care, four post-surgery beds for patients who just finished surgery, two post-cathlab beds, two surgical theatres built to the most contemporary standard to cater for people who are critically ill”.

He said: “Every detail has been taken care of, including the fact that there will be no strike by any of the employed member of staff, in the employment of the state’. Care, he also said, has been given to details in the construction and equipping of the centre to ensure that all equipment, instruments and fittings in the hospital are of international standards.

“All the equipment, instruments as well as clinical and non clinical furniture have been sourced from the leading manufacturers in the world. In the last sixteen years, the government of Lagos State has invested a lot of resources in revamping the health sector, as it is a centre of excellence driven to cater for taxpayers and its citizens.”

Governor Fashola said: “Even the road network was considered.

Gbagada residents including Medina Estate, Deeper Life Church, the hospital itself and others in this area always experience flooding. We were advised to replace the laterite with concrete for the roads. That has been done and it will last for at least fifty years.”

Knowing what Nigerians go through abroad when seeking for treatment, Fashola said: “We also foresee the start of medical tourism from across West Africa into Lagos. So, we have

planned accommodation within the complex for relatives who may want to accompany (their ailing) relatives here for treatment and the land for construction and management has been set aside.

We will discuss with some hotel owners, if they can also set up some branches here. If our sick people and their accompanying relatives pay abroad for accommodation and feeding, there is no excuse not to make these payments to these investors. “ The Health Commissioner, Dr Jide Idris said the state embarked on the project as a result of the government’s determination to provide quality healthcare, following a result of the statistics gathered from the different missions, which hitherto helped it in deciding what medical facilities to provide.

He said: “Statistics from the free hypertension and diabetes screening programmes conducted in the state in the past seven years revealed that on the average, 20 per cent of the clients had

hypertension, while five per cent had diabetes mellitus. The prevalence of endstage renal disease in Nigeria is estimated at 290 per one million. For these patients, renal replacement therapies in the form of dialysis or kidney transplant are critical to improve the quality of their lives and prolong same.”

Dr Idris said: “Apart from the fact that cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels throughout the body, they range from the common ones, such as hypertension and coronary heart disease to the uncommon congenital malformations (that are acquired from birth).

“In Nigeria, only 50 units provide dialysis services with 15 or 30 per cent of these in Lagos, while 80 per cent are in the private health sector. The state established modest heamodialysis units at the Gbagada and Alimosho General Hospitals as well as the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, with only few public health facilities performing

renal transplant procedures. The construction of the new cardiac and renal centre was really inspired by the medical missions that came to the state and did some procedures on patients between 2004 and 2011,” he said adding that the facility, though put in place by the state government, but is being run as a concession by Renescor Health Limited Liability Partnership.

“Not only that, we also do know that these two diseases jointly cause serious complications in people who have these problems; and once you have these problems, you have them for life if they are not properly treated”, Idris explained.

The Commissioner said the State government had over the years earmarked as part of its free health policy quite a huge chunk of its budget to sponsor people abroad on various medical problems that could not be treated in the country where the needed expertise and facilities are not available stressing that it is the copulation of these factors

‘PDP’s deceit on creation YOUR party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was seemingly coasting home to victory in the general elections scheduled for February 2015, before the sudden postponement. How would you rate your party’s chances at the re-scheduled polls?

Our chances are very bright. Ask the ordinary

•Aleshinloye

The promise by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to create Ibadan State out of Oyo State, if it wins the general elections, has been described as not only deceitful but also laughable by a member representing Oyo State in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Committee, Mr Ayodeji Abass-Alesinloye. He had a chat with BISI OLADELE and SIKIRU AKINOLA. Nigerians about the two candidates and they will tell you it is General Muhammadu Buhari who so many Nigerians have seen as their incoming president, whose popularity has made the incumbent to push for the postponement of the elections.

Do you think Buhari still has the kind of rating he had before the postponement, considering the fact that President Goodluck Jonathan has used the period of the postponement to gain foothold in the South west following his series of meetings with some Yoruba traditional rulers?

Honestly, Buhari still has that rating. Of course, people are more prepared now and for the first time too. We have to be honest with ourselves, we saw it coming. The popularity was too much. It was obvious and that was why they shifted the election.

They had thought that by extending the election for six weeks, they would be able to correct some mistakes and that is why you see them running helter-skelter. But unfortunately, people are just collecting his (President Jonathan’s) money, they are more than before committed to ejecting him from Aso Rock. People want change.

You give them money today but you have not been able to stop the killing and maiming of Nigerians (by the insurgents). So if you are giving money to those who cannot convince anyone to vote for you, it does not matter.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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SOUTHWEST REPORT

and renal centre that prompted the State government to build the Cardiac and Renal centre. ”A copulation of these factors prompted the need for us to build facilities locally, find a way of staffing them locally to provide the needed services to treat people of these ailments, reduce the number of money we are spending to sponsor people abroad, and more importantly to build local capacity,” he stated.

Dr Idris said setting up of the facility will help bring back home Nigerian medical specialists referring to the facility as a form of ‘brain gain’ to defeat the ‘brain drain’ phenomenon stressing that over the years quite a number of indigenous medical personnel have left the country for greener pastures outside of the country due to lack of infrastructure and facilities with which to exhibit their skill (locally).” ”We have over 2000 specialists in the United States, similar number in Europe and Canada. And this is one

way of brain gain instead of brain drain because if you established a facility with the right equipment and infrastructure, we can use that to attract the specialist abroad back home where they can exhibit their expertise and at the same time build local capacity here. That was the basic underlining reason why we decided to embark on this project,” he said.

Giving detailed description of the features of the facility, Senior Nursing Supervisor, Mrs Kemi Ogunyemi said: “The 67 bed facility sits on 2, 317 square metres or 24, 792 sqaure feet of land.

The design provides access to all the floors by two bed lifts and a wide ramp which allows two trolleys to pass simultaneously. Fire service stair ways are provided at the side of the elevators and at the back of the building.

“The Ground floors is the Renal centre. There are four specialist clinics with reception/waiting area, offices for social workers, counseling, dietician, clini-

cal psychologists, a large conference room with vending machines. So also are Medical Records office; Triage area, pharmacy; four large dialysis cubicles with five bed stations each; four other dialysis rooms, i.e., two private and two isolation rooms; technical room; kitchenette ; treatment room and Sluice room.”

She said the Cardiac centre is located on the first floor. “It has four specialist cardiac clinics with reception/waiting area; resting and stress test electrocardiography (ECG) rooms; Echocardiography laboratory and exercise room; Cardiac rehabilitation room; community conference room; two private wards; six cubicles with five bed each-two of these are specially equipped for high dependency critically ill patients and Side laboratory.

“While the Second floor has Telemedicine conference room; theatre suites, two with reception and central sterile services department (CSSD); anesthetist, re-

of Ibadan State laughable’ You alleged that the PDP candidate is going round the South West, giving people money to vote. Are you saying the APC and its candidate are not doing the same?

Yes. As I am talking to you, I can boldly say I am working like a volunteer which is okay for me. What we are saying is that we want things to change in Nigeria. And I want my name to be mentioned as part of those who effected the change. Even General Buhari did not give a dime during the primary and he won. Why? It was because we knew he has something to offer this nation. PDP has said so many things about Buhari but none has pointed to him as a corrupt man. He has not given money to anyone.

We saw the tempo at which President Jonathan has been going around campaigning in the last couple of weeks, giving out money. And three out of the four weeks (he was engaged in doing this) Buhari was outside the country and still, the people love him.

What is your take on PDP’s strident opposition to the use of the card reader in the general elections?

On the card reader, there has never been a country where people will say they don’t want election malpractices and they will reject card reader. The card reader is like one man, one vote. Just like the umpire is canvassing for the usage of card reader, we are also re-echoing it. Why will a party like PDP be canvassing against the card reader when in actual fact, all

the developed countries of the world, including those not as big and influential as Nigeria, have tested and used it? Why should our case be different? I think the whole world is going hi-tech and we cannot be left behind. I think what we are saying basically is that we as opposition party don’t want INEC to support anybody. What we want is free and fair election.

Many states across the country have not been able to meet their financial obligations, and yet as you alleged, the PDP is doling out money to people. Don’t you think this will influence voters to vote those who can meet the immediate needs?

Nigerians are so wise. People know what they are doing. When we had election in 2011, the rate of sophistication was not much. Go to the social media and see what is going on. Having given out the money, go and see people’s comments and reactions. Go and see the reactions of those who collected money.

We know the money they are spending.

Now, states cannot pay salaries. As I speak with you, February allocation has not been shared and March is going to an end. And you can see them doling out money but I pity these people who give money because Nigerians are watching.

People will voice out their anger. Remember that the late Obafemi Awolowo said that a time would come when, no matter the party you are in or the tribe you come

from or the status you attain, people will come under one platform to challenge their oppressor.

The governorship candidate of the PDP in Oyo State has been promising the creation of Ibadan State if the PDP wins both governorship and presidential elections. Don’t you think that may affect the chances of your party, especially in Ibadan?

Go and write it down, the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Oyo State will not make the top three positions when the result of the gubernatorial election is announced. Here is a man who was in the Senate for eight years, four of which was as Senate Leader. He never for once made a move towards the creation of Ibadan State. Let him tell us what he did for Ibadan in those inglorious years.

What he could not do for Ibadan as Senate Leader, can he now do it on his own? What he is saying is even not in tandem with the current reality. This is an issue that has been discussed at the national conference and which is undergoing a process in the House of Representatives. And it is not only Ibadan State. He is not doing anybody a favour as this has been on for a numbers of years. And of course, state creation is only feasible during military regime and not in a democratic dispensation. So, anytime the people hear the jingle (on his promise) they always laugh. They would see the result.

covery and perfusion rooms; five bed intensive care unit; 64 slice CT scan; Catherisation laboratory and two bed recovery room; offices for specialist physicians and surgeons; ECG room and side lab and treatment/medical room.”

The Managing Director of Renescor Health Limited Liability Partnership, Dr. Ladi Awosika who signed the concession agreement with the government gave kudos to the State government for building the state-of-the-art facilities which he described as first of its kind in sub Saharan Africa taking out South Africa and Angola.

He said the Cardiac and Renal centre has been built to very good specification and, “specialists who have signed up with the company attest to it. The centre has facility for telemedicine which will make every procedure going on in the facility to be reviewed by colleagues anywhere in the world thereby ensuring that training and cutting edge facility therapy will be available at the facility.

•Fashola

Awosika explained that Messr Renescor is made up mainly of Nigerian specialists in Diaspora who could not get any space to work in Nigeria, and that when they saw what was on ground; they pledged to contribute their quota through the facility. ”As at today we have about 200 Nigerian specialists who have signed on to be a part of this. Some of them have decided that it will not even be for money, rather they will take one or two week vacation to be at this centre to impact their knowledge and skills to the people of Lagos in particular and Nigeria in general”, he said.

Awosika said more facilities of the magnitude of the cardiac and renal centre is required in the State to be able to satisfy the demand of more than 21 million residents of the State and promote medical tourism in Lagos. He thereafter pledged that his company will not let down on the concession.

‘Tinubu means well for Yoruba’ From Damisi Ojo, Akure

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leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Nigeria, Alhaji Amoda Bello has warned some factional Afenifere L e a d e r s against attacking the National leader of the All Pro- •Asiwaju Tinubu gressives Congress, (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Bello said the former Lagos State governor has good plans for the Yoruba race, stressing that whatever political step taken by him would always be to the benefit the Yoruba people.

The NURTW leader, who spoke with reporters in Akure, the Ondo state capital said Yoruba should be grateful to Tinubu for not allowing them to play the second fiddle in the country.

He urged the Afenifere leaders to accept the former Lagos State governor as the leader of Yoruba race, saying Tinubu shares the same political

ideologies with the late Chief O b a f e m i Awolowo.

His words: “No amount of campaign of destruction that could stand in the way of Ahmed Bola Tinubu. He is a great leader. The achievements he has made, no Yoruba leader has ever made such, except Chief Awolowo.

“He has two things that he has done for us as Yoruba. He has single-handedly formed a political party and the political party is accepted all over the country.

This is a great achievement.

“A man that has promoted a lot of people who are now leaders of their respective states. They are the governor Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos State, these are products of Tinubu who we can be proud of.

Come and see the person he is grooming in Ondo State, Bola Ilori, if this man speaks with you, you will notice that he is an intellectual.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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SOUTHWEST REPORT

33 days in office: Oyo police boss celebrates victory over criminals •Recovers 23 vehicles, over 3,000 ammunition

•Recovered cars with the suspects

•Recovered motorcycles with the suspects

Four weeks and three days into his new assignment as Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Alhaji Muhammad Musa Katsina is celebrating victory over criminal with a warning that his command will not tolerate their activities. TAYO JOHNSON reports.

Commissioner of Police include; Funshoý Aderope was arrested because I knew that Alhaji Sokoto would Jeffery, Oyelade Ganiyu, Bala Aliu, Yahaya Mohammed come for me but they rushed to pick the call and told (receiver based in Kano), Oladotun Oluwafemi, Babalola him that I have been arrested. Its only two cars I have Kazeem Shuaibu Busari aka Damendra. helped Alhaji to cross over to Cotonou” he said He stated that two locally made cut to size single Katsina further disclosed that 17 Bajaj motorcycles barrel gun with two live cartridges and 49 live berretta were also recovered from syndicates that specialised pistol ammunitions were recovered from them. in snatching motorcycle from their victim and In an interview with The Nation, one of the suspects, rebranding such to look as new before selling to a notorious car snatcher, said he had been arrested before unsuspecting members of the public. for the same crime, adding that:”I do not use gun to Meanwhile, five suspects who specialized in snatch cars from their owners, most Oyo State selling human parts were also arrested by residents are careless with their cars, most the Oyo State police command. of them don’t lock their cars. Most car According to Katsina, the suspects owners in Ibadan are not security had excavated six graves at a conscious. We will just enter the Muslim cemetery located car easily and drive it away”. around Lifefort In a related development, International School, Katsina disclosed that a Land Apete, Ibadan and cruiser jeep belonging to human parts taken from Deltaý government with the dead. registration number: DT “Following a 25B31 was snatched at gun petition to the police point but was intercepted command that by a team of policemen there is a criminal led by Inspector Samuel activities taking Godwin along Saki/ place at Muslim Ilesha Baruba road when cemetery atý one suspect named Apete, my men Opuoro John was swung into action attempting to cross the and arrested five border into Benin suspects who Republic. confessed to the “When he was caught alleged crime” he he tried to bribe the police said but he was rebuffed. All The suspects effort s have been put in include; Abati Kolade, place to apprehend his Tayo Akinrinola, accomplice” he said Ramon Korede, Mojeed But the suspect, Opuoro Adediran and Saki explained that it was one Alhaji Adediran.

Oyo State Sokoto who resides in Cotonou that Similarly, following a tip Commissioner of Police, Muhammad called him from Lagos to collect a off by members of the public, Katsina car in Ore from one Emeka. the state police command “When I collected the car, I was calling recovered over 3,000 rounds of 7.6mm Alhaji on phone and he was directing me on live ammunition from some hoodlums how to move and the routes to follow but when I got around Idi-Iroko community in Soka area of Ibadan. to Saki I was feeling sleepy, so I told him and he advised The police boss said:” Following timely me to park the car and sleep. He promised to come and information through a telephone call at Sanyo collect the car there, but where I was sleeping there was division that some hoodlums were noticed ýaround a police check point nearby, so two policemen came to Idi-Iroko community in Soka area, Ibadan, a team of me and asked me who the owner of the vehicle was detectives led by the DCO was dispatched to the area. before I was arrested.

The hoodlums on noticing the presence of the “Alhaji didn’t tell me that it was a stolen car. He told policemen jumped off their motorcycle and ran into me that it was from the customs men that he buys his the bush. 3,000 rounds of 7.6mm live ammunition cars. I warned the policemen not to pick my call after I were recovered alongside a motorcycle”

,

“OYO State is a peaceful state, and we will not allow criminals and hoodlums to create a state of anarchy here. I am ý warning criminals and political thugs in the state, because the Command will not watch the state being thrown into confusion through their activities.”

These were the words of the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Muhammad Musa Katsina, while parading suspects allegedly involved in various criminal activities including armed robbery and car snatching to the public in commemoration of his 33 days in office.

Katsina, who assumed office as Commissioner of Police in the state a little over a month ago, told journalists at the state command headquarters, Eleyele,, that no fewer than 23 stolen cars were recovered by his men from the criminals and their accomplices both in Oyo State and other states like Lagos, Ogun, Kwara and Kano.

He said the Command’s intelligence gathering paid off recently, when officers and men of its Special Anti Robbery Squads (SARS), conducted a painstaking discreet investigation leading to the recovery of assorted cars which were either snatched from their owners at gun point or stolen from where they were parked.

Giving details of how the cars were recovered, Katsina explained that:” Two cars were recovered from Lagos, five from Ogun, two from Oyo, 11 from Kwara and Kano States respectively.

“One Adejuwon Olanipekun aka Marshal, a member of a notorious armed robbery gang which specialised in snatching posh cars at gun point was arrested on 19th February, 2015 at about 9:30am along Lagos/Ogun State axis” Other suspects arrested along with Olanipekun according to the

I was sent on an errand with my brother’s car at 8pm on the 6th of March, but on getting to Oke –Ado area of the city, three people on a motorcycle told me that I should stop that my tyre was flat, on getting down they just grabbed the door and threw me away. I called my brother immediately and we reported the matter to the police and our car was foundtwohourslater

,

Commending the policemen, Jamiu Adebayo whose brother’s car was among the ones recovered by the command thanked the security operatives for their efforts at combating crime in the State.

He said:” I was sent on an errand with my brother’s car at 8pm on the 6th of March, but on getting to Oke –Ado area of the city, three people on a motorcycle told me that I should stop that my tyre was flat, on getting down they just grabbed the door and threw me away. I called my brother immediately and we reported the matter to the police and our car was found two hours later” Katsina assured the members of the public that the criminals arrested will not be spared as they will be made to face the full wrath of the law immediately investigations were concluded.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

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THE NATION INVESTORS

Nebo assures on listing of power companies

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INISTER of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, has assured that the unbundled and privatized power companies would list their shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

He gave the assurance during an inspection tour of the energy-saving installations by Omatek Ventures Plc at the NSE. According to him, the power companies will list their shares soon in line with the terms and agreements of their privatization.

He lauded the innovative product of Omatek Ventures Plc as one that is capable of assisting to solve the problem of power wastage and consumption in the country.

Omatek had installed energy ef-

•Lauds Omatek on energy-saving project ficient light-emitting diode (LED) lightings at the NSE, which is expected to save energy cost by over 75 per cent.

According to him, what Omatek has done at the NSE is a giant leap in the sense that it is in tandem with Nigeria new renewable energy and energy efficiency policy and the stock exchange has taken the bull by the horn by allowing this process of LED process of lighting.

“I would like to congratulate Omatek on this very innovative way of finding solution to a massive national problem of power consumption and wastage of

power. I want to congratulate the managing director of Omatek, Mrs. Florence Seriki for the thoughtfulness that got her to go to the stock exchange to sell the idea. But if the idea was being sold and not bought by the stock market, we would not be here today so I also want to congratulate the chief executive of the NSE for his foresight, visionary leadership and his adaptation and adaptability to new technology,” Nebo said.

He also commended the collaboration between the NSE and Omatek to integrate the solar

component of the energy-saving project.

In her remarks, Seriki said the company has decided to reduce consumption in every household using Omatek LED bulb.

According to him, the company is using the NSE as an example to tell the whole world that Nigeria has joined the league of those that have embraced the energy reduction and consumption savings policy.

“So we have made sure we reduced lighting and power consumption from between 70 to 95 per cent and this has helped tre-

mendously in most of the schools and homes. The 60 watts bulb in Nigeria is being replaced by Omatek 6.7 watts bulb. It is white with five years duration. What we are saying to Nigerians and Africans is that this is a solution for manufacturers and factories.

There would also be retail products that would not require installation that consumers can go to the shop to buy by themselves.

They range from 12 watts. Our LED bulbs have actually solved security and fire problems solved fire problems because they don’t blow up. We are also commissioning retail ones for everyone to buy I think we are all entitled to have light,” Seriki said.

United Capital records N1.84b net profit

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NITED Capital Plc recorded modest growth of five per cent in net earnings in 2014 as the financial services company struggled with almost flat top-line.

Audited report and accounts of United Capital, formerly known as UBA Capital, for the year ended December 31, 2014 showed that profit after tax rose marginally from N1.76 billion in 2013 to N1.84 billion in 2014.

The company recorded gross earnings of N 4.68 billion, indicating an increase of 2.3 per cent. The gross earnings were driven primarily by fee and commission Income, which accounted for 39 per cent, while investment income accounted for 35 per cent.

The company also grew net interest margin, which is income generated from funds under management by 103 per cent. However, operating expenses increased by 18.6 per cent from N2.1 billion in 2013 to close at N2.4 billion in 2014. The increase in operating expenses adversely impacted the bottom-line.

Further analysis showed that the company grew balance sheet by 20 per cent to N95.29 billion in 2014 as against N79.48 billion in 2013. The company’s cash and cash equivalents made up 33 per cent of the group’s assets, while financial assets made up 61 per cent. Shareholders’ funds stood at N9.31 billion while return on average equity was 21 per cent.

Management of the company said its performance showed resilience noting that the profitability level was achieved notwithstanding that the company operates predominantly in the capital market space where the equity market in general posted a negative return of 16.1 per cent in 2014.

The management of United Capital said it was confident of its ability to sweat the growth in assets to achieve greater profitability in future.

According to the company, man-

•Executive Director, Business Development, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Haruna JaloWaziri (left) presenting a gong to the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Business Development (IBD), Mr. Paul Ikele, during a visit to the Exchange by the Institute in Lagos.

agement’s current drive is for a reduction in cost to income ratio through income growth from all the businesses as well as the deployment of recently acquired information technology infrastructure to drive efficiency.

The company assured that it will continue to play a leading role across its areas of operations in trusteeship, investment banking, asset management and securities and looks forward to expanding its scope of operations to comprehensively cover the entire investment life-cycle.

Shareholders of UBA Capital had in December 2014 approved the change in the name of the company to United Capital Plc, paving the way for the investment banking and capital markets group to conclude the process of name change.

Speaking on the rationale for the name change, chairman, United Capital, Mr. Chika Mordi said the new name reflects the company’s shared determination to transform the continent’s financial sector, delivering exceptional value to both its shareholders and customers.

According to him, the company has a proud heritage as one of Africa’s leading financial services companies and it would build on its heritage and use its new brand identity as a catalyst to create greater values.

United Capital was until recently a member of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group. It was spun off and its shares distributed to existing shareholders of UBA in compliance with the new banking regime that requires banks to form holding company structure to hold non-core commercial banking subsidiaries or divest from such businesses. It was subsequently listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). In 2013, it was named the Best African Investment Bank at the Africa Investor Awards.

•From Left: Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; Honourable Minister of Power, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Chinedu Nebo; Group Managing Director, Omatek Plc, Engr Florence Seriki, and Group Head, Commercial Banking, Lagos Mainland 3, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Ogundipe at the tour of Omatek's Energy Efficient LED Lightings installed at the NSE in Lagos.

I

IGI targets higher shareholders’ value NDUSTRIAL and General Insurance (IGI) Plc is moving

unto a new phase of growth that will lead to better growth and unlock higher returns for shareholders.

Group managing director, Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc, Mr. Rotimi Fashola, said the company has embarked on intensive restructuring that will enhance its position in the insurance industry and lead to better performance.

According to him, some of the

restructuring efforts include the overhaul of the company’s human resource machinery and injection of seasoned professionals into its management team.

He added that the company is diversifying its investments into real estate and landed property while improving its extensive network of branches in Nigeria and some other parts of the world.

“The repositioning of the company will not only benefit the business but investors and stakeholders. Our next phase is to consolidate those investments in a way that grows return on investment and shareholders’ value,” Fashola stated.

The IGI restructuring exercise was included in investment note sent to the NASD Plc, the over-thecounter market where shares of the insurance company are traded.

NASD commended what it described as the laudable move by the company management noting that this could impact positively on the share valuation as it trades on the over-the-counter platform.

IGI Group comprises of Global Trust Savings and Loans Limited, Global Trust Bank Limited and National Insurance Corporation Limited, all in Uganda; Societe Nouvelle D’Assurances Rwanda Limited, Industrial and General Insurance Company (Ghana) Limited, IGI Life Assurance Limited, Ghana; IGI Gamstar Insurance Company Limited, Gambia; IGI Pension Fund Managers Limited, Monarch Communications Limited, All Crown Registrars Limited and In-

ternational Health management Services Limited.

IGI recently strengthened its board of directors with the appointment of three new directors icnlduing the former Defence Minister and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, and former Head of Service of the Federation, Professor Oladapo Afolabi.

Ahmed is an accomplished public administrator who has served in top government positions. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration both from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He also has honorary Doctorate Degrees in Law and of Letters awarded by the University of Abuja and Bayero University, Kano respectively. He was appointed Head of Service of the Federation in 2000, Defence Minister in 2007 and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in 2008.

Afolabi attended the University of Ife and graduated with a Bachelor of Science. He also obtained Master’s degrees in Biochemistry as well as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Applied Chemistry from the same university. He won a fellowship at Howard University, Washington, United States, as an International Atomic Energy Agency Fellow in 1983. He played a major role in organising the first Ecological Summit in 1988, which led to the creation of the Federal Ministry of Environment. He had a flourishing career in the civil service, where he rose to become the Head of Service in 2010.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

38

SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Essiet_daniel@yahoo.com 08180714151

In recent years, Moringa leaf has caught the attention of the global market. This is because of its potentials to end malnutrition, revolutionise health, wellness and serve as natural cosmetics. The impact has translated into business opportunities for Nigerian farmers and investors, who have joined in the rush to make money from the miracle shrub. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

Moringa: Planting your way to wellness, wealth

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FTER years of grappling with poor income, some investors and farmers are embracing the cultivation of Moringa plant, which has been described as a miracle medicinal plant.

While scientific proof of the medicinal and healing potential of this plant is yet to be made public, it has been alleged in various quarters that Moringa plant has been used to treat arthritis, cancer, asthma, stomach pains, heart problems and parasitic infections, among other diseases.

Therefore, Moringa, which has its origin from the Himalayas region in India, is now the toast of a lot of young investors and entrepreneurs in the Sub-Saharan Africa countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, SierraLeone, amongst others. They are investing in Moringa, now identified as one of the most promising crops . This has also given birth to a growing industry of processing and marketing of the plant.

Stakeholders in the agriculture business have claimed that Moringa’s cultivation is on the increase because of its high demand.

It is either eaten as a meal or used as food supplement, aimed at replenishing the human body system, especially in strengthening of the immune system.

Aside the health advantage of moringa plant is its business side.

This has made many executives to turn their attention to it. One of them, Natural Nutrient Limited Chief Executive, Mr. Sola Adeniyi, has turned his interest in healthy living to a successful business of growing, processing and distributing Moringa products across the country.

He started the business in 2009

•Moringa powder

•Adeniyi on his farm

after a six-month intensive training at Songhai Centre, Port Novo and Ghana Permaculture Institute.

After planting moringa on two plots of land in Lala Town, near Abeokuta, Ogun State, the business picked up after a few years.

Convinced that it was the way to go, he thought of processing the produce to extend its shelf life and bring him more money. From his N7,500 savings, Adeniyi bought a blender and some containers and started processing and packaging his first products.

Initially, it was challenging for him to break through a new market. But today, it is a success story.

Not only has the business expanded to 12 acres, Adeniyi has also helped other Nigerians to set up moringa farms across the country with the

biggest in Warrake, besides Auchi in Edo State. And with a growing market, he supplies moringa to a number of customers and marketing outlets.

Unlike other crops, one outstanding quality about moringa is that it can grow on poor soil and resist drought. Its leaves and seed pods are tasty, high in vitamins and grow quickly, and can purify salty water.

On the whole, the properties of the moringa are extraordinary. It is in recognition of this that health shops now distribute the product, whether in creams, oils, teas, leaves and seedpods.

One unique feature about the plant is that every part of it can be processed into marketable products because they are all useful.

Adeniyi said Moringa takes about three months to mature. The guaranteed market for the produce has assured him of steady income.

After harvesting, he processes it into powder, while other entrepreneurs, who buy from him transform it into a large array of products comprising noodles, porridge, cookies, cake and nutrition powder.

The market is growing because people are utilising the leaves, consuming them as food and tea and this has changed their lives and health status.

Adeniyi said Moringa business is lucrative because of its many economic and health benefits. According to him, moringa seed is highly sought after with a kilogram selling between N2, 000 and N2, 500.

“Imagine if you have just 1, 000 moringa trees on your farm,”? asked Adeniyi, as he exposed the huge money making potential of the moringa plant.

Although he is not into its export, he is however, challenging Nigerians with huge funds to invest in its large-scale cultivation to explore the numerous opportunities inherent in the export market.

While there is much money through its exports, however, importing countries have raised high quality standards on products coming into their country.

The cherry news, however, is that technologies have evolved to show people what to do, to get the

quality of moringa seed or moringa leaf powder needed in the market.

His experience in the business has made him a consultant to his colleagues. Many people visit his farm to seek knowledge and listen to his success story. He is also ready to educate communities, small-scale farmers, traditional leaders, municipalities and government departments on the nutritional values of the Moringa tree.

While moringa is a good business, Adeniyi noted that it a while to learn how to plant and process it properly.

He, however, observed that a lot of people are interested in the business because they have seen how lucrative it is, but they are not ready to seek proper training and learn the right way to go about it.

According to him, Moringa cultivation offers good and relatively low investments in business opportunity for several unemployed and underemployed persons and a road map to making Nigeria a prosperous nation.

Turning apps development into successful business Applications (apps) development business is now a money spinner. Many entrepreneurs, particularly the female ones, are exploring the field with innovative ideas. They are coming up with digital projects and applications that not only boost the service industry, but make them smile to the bank. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

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PPLICATIONS (aaps) development is a huge industry with revenue potential worth millions of naira. This is because thousands of Nigerians are using apps to communicate, work and play.

In fact, thousands of Nigerian users depend on all kinds of applications on their mobile phones to help them to be more productive in their work.

In the last five years, telecoms and other service businesses have joined the fray, giving a boost to the industry by integrating mobile apps within their processes.

Following this, off-the-shelf or custom mobile apps and services are hot on demand, creating new and bigger opportunities for entrepreneurs involved in mobile app development.

One of the female entrepreneurs taking advantage of this is Ommo Clarke, founder and Chief Executive, IBez Nigeria, who is leveraging on the exponentially increasing rate of mobile penetration to provide mobile value added services that could have impact on Nigerians.

In the last three years, young and experienced tech entrepreneurs

have stormed the market with digital technologies to offer solutions to many challenges across the economy, aided by a growing mobile phone market and increasing smart phone user base.

Following the impact, the software applications development business is witnessing a boom and many entrepreneurs entering the sector to sell innovative ideas are making good money.

A United Kingdom (UK) trained software developer, Clarke returned home to discover that Nigerians were facing challenges that could easily be solved using technology solutions.

After doing some research, she came up with some internet based solutions. Clarke is developing special apps to address challenges across sectors.

The first was Handy Jacks, an application to help Nigerians find local vetted and trained tradespeople and technicians on demand. The inspiration for the app came from her experience of not finding competent tradespeople for her household repair and maintenance jobs.

Subsequently, she came up with Lets-Share, a solution for professionals to find rooms to rent in a

house or flat where they cannot rent a build alone.

She discovered that people have spare rooms in their homes and are willing to rent out to verified people.

Along the line, she also created an online dating site, a gaming and hotel reservation applications.

Following her little achievements, Clarke is already described as a serial entrepreneur.

On the whole, she is happy to run her own business. Before now, she thought of entrepreneurs as a special breed of people with a zillion brains that always come up with amazing ideas. She never thought she was in that category.

According to her, the first time she thought of starting her business was when she worked with a software company in the UK. She was doing so well there and it dawned on her that she was achieving so much as the owners of the companies she worked in.

She didn’t make any move and just continued climbing up the career ladder until the credit crunch in 2008. On her return to Nigeria, she decided to do something for herself.

The first challenge she faced

was that Nigerian businesses didn’t appreciate locally developed software applications, and that many IT professionals did not properly understand the end-toend process of software development, or indeed, how to build robust, scalable software.

The other issue was that a lot of small businesses and government agencies were still using manual paper based operational systems.

Having succeeded abroad, she was determined to start up a truly indigenous software company to show that local people can be good software developers, help showcase and promote locally developed applications.

As a software developer with an extensive background as international consultant, Clarke understands what it takes to offer a mobile application that could have a significant impact on the lives of millions.

With another partner, Omon Ohiro, a code programmer, she has assembled a small team of software enthusiasts, geeks, strategists, analysts, designers, developers and project managers, all focused on building exceptional software applications.

A key advantage of small app

•Clark

developers is their agility and ability to take advantage of new opportunities incredibly quickly.

With more than 50 million cell phones being used nationwide, Nigerian app market is literally one of the fastest with no signs of slowing down.

For her, it is the perfect time to jump into the mobile game. The strategy is to react more quickly to the app revolution by developing apps with a chance to jump ahead of the masses and not be left behind.

For her, there are opportunities for entrepreneurs, building on the growth of mobile and digital platforms to develop new services for Nigerians hungry for apps on their smartphones.

So far, she has provided bespoke application development services and proprietary software products to businesses and consumers.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

39

BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL

•Chairman /CEO, International Work Family Integration, Hon. Charles A. Osezua presenting an award to HR Director Microsorft Deji Ajibola, during the Great Place to Work Award. With them are: Business Group Lead Office, Ade Ajayi; HR Operations,Irene Ainabe; CPE Lead Tobi Oyebola; Corporate Affairs Director, Ijeoma Abazie and Developer Experiences Director Mr Shina Oyetosho.

ChemChina to buy Italian tyre T maker, Pirelli C

HINESE state-owned National Chemical (ChemChina) is to buy Italian tyre maker, Pirelli, in a deal which values the firm at •7.1billion (£5.1bilion).

The move is the latest in a string of takeovers in Italy by cash-rich Chinese buyers.

The takeover gives ChemChina access to technology to make premium tyres and gives Pirelli greater access to the Chinese market.

Pirelli shares were 2.56 per cent higher at •15.62.

ChemChina’s tyre making unit, China National Tire & Rubber, is to buy the 26.2 per cent stake in Pirelli owned by Italian investment firm

Camfin. It will then launch an offer for the remaining shares.

Camfin said the bid would be launched by a consortium controlled by ChemChina, but also part-owned by Camfin investors, who include Pirelli boss, Marco Tronchetti Provera, Italian banks UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo, and Russia’s Rosneft.

The offer will be launched at •15 per share, valuing the group at •7.1billion excluding net debt of almost •1billion.

Following reports of the deal last Friday, shares in Milan-listed Pirelli hit a 25-year high, closing at •15.23.

Pirelli Chief Executive Tronchetti Provera, who started working for tyre maker in 1986 after marrying a member of the Italian family that founded the firm, will remain in his post.

Previous Chinese acquisitions in Italy include stakes in power grid firms Terna and Snam, turbine maker Ansaldo and luxury yacht maker Ferretti.

IMF’ll co-operate with AIIB bank, says Lagarde

I

NTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde has said the body would be “delighted” to co-operate with the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

The AIIB has over 30 members and is envisaged as a development bank similar to the World Bank.

Mrs Lagarde said there was “massive” room for IMF co-operation with the AIIB on infrastructure financing.

The United States has criticised the UK and other allies for supporting the bank.

The US sees the AIIB as a rival to the World Bank, and as a lever for Beijing to extend its influence in the region.

The White House has also said it hopes the United Kingdom will use “its voice to push for adoption of high standards”.

Countries have until March 31 to decide whether to seek membership of the AIIB. As well

as the UK, other nations backing the venture include New Zealand, Germany, Italy and France.

Mrs Lagarde, speaking at the opening of the China Development Forum in Beijing, also said she believed that the World Bank would co-operate with the AIIB, China established the Asian lending institution in 2014 and has put up most of its initial $50billion (£33.5billion) in capital.

Dollar resumes fall, gold firms after Bullard comments

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HE dollar resumed its fall on Monday after its steepest weekly drop in three to one and a half years, as comments by a top Federal Reserve official added to last week’s dovish policy message.

The dollar’s fall helped copper and gold prices to firm while European shares dipped, giving back some of last week’s strong gains, and U.S. futures pointed to a flat start on Wall Street.

St Louis Fed President James Bullard told CNBC that the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of major currencies, was not far from fair value and it was unclear how much more it would strengthen against the euro.

The dollar, which hit a 12-year high this month, was down 0.5 percent at 1227 GMT, having dropped 2.6 percent last week after the Fed eased fears of an aggressive rise in its in-

terest rates.

“People are just a bit nervous about the dollar’s strength at the moment,” said James Hughes, chief market analyst at online broker eToro.

The benchmark FTSEurofirst share index dropped 0.7 percent, pulling back from a seven-year high.

Spanish yields nudged higher after the anti-austerity party Podemos made big inroads in regional elections, with a vote split across the political spectrum offering a possible foretaste of national elections later this year. “...with Podemos there’s some political risk as we don’t know how strong they will be in general elections and how much this might influence the established parties in their programmes,”

said DZ Bank strategist Daniel Lenz.

Attention was also returning to Greece, with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras due to meet Angela Merkel in Berlin later Market moves were modest, though, tempered by the prospect of purchases by central banks as the European Central Bank’s trillion euro quantitative easing scheme enters its third week.

Oil prices also came under pressure, with Brent hovering just above $55 a barrel, after top exporter Saudi Arabia said it would only consider cutting output if other producers outside OPEC did so too.

Analysts at Barclays forecast on Monday that if OPEC production held near levels of near 30 million barrels per day (bpd), the market surplus would expand from 0.9 million bpd to 1.3 million bpd.

‘Nigeria faces jobs glut’

HERE won’t ‘ be new jobs in Nigeria in the next few years, unless the economic situation improves, the former Group Managing Director,Access Bank Plc,Aig- Imoukhede has said.

Speaking with The Nation, on the sideline of the 2015 Annual Lecture organised by Women In Business (WIMBIZ), Imhoukhede said the unfavourable economic condition is threatening the ability of the government and the private sector to create new jobs.

He said naira the declining value of naira has further compound the economic problems, adding that the exchange rate has moved from N165 to a dollar to N197 to a dollar between December to March 2015.

He said: ‘’The unfavourable exchange rates, liquidity squeeze, crash in the prices of stocks, among others have combined together to affect jobs creation in the country. Nigeria will struggle to meet its jobs creation target of 10million by 2020.

The country has recorded over N500billion Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But that has not been able to translate to meaningful economic

By Akinola Ajibade

development. Income is going to be reduced in nominal terms due to shortage of funds among key economic players. It is not likely that we would be laughing in the country soon.

He added: “Expenses are going up; and in nominal terms our wages are not going up. Consumers are going to feel less favourably secured. The confidence level has reduced and it would be difficult to expand or grow businesses. People are going to face challenges irrespective of their status. Adversity cannot be avoided; what the Federal Government and Private Sector Operators need to do is to put in place is ways or measures of surviving it.”

He said women entrepreneurs could only mitigate the effects of bad economy, when they a clear vision of what they intend to do or areas they are trying to navigate, understand and provide a sound risk management frameworks, move closer to their bankers to keep abreast of developments in the global financial industry.

Wiko, Jumia unveil Getaway phone

T

HE Wiko ‘Getaway’ has been un veiled the Android smartphone into the market. It is produced

by Europe’s fastest growing mobile phone brand, Wiko.

The company has also collaborated with Jumia, a top-tier online shopping platform, to further build the Wiko brand and deepen its penetration.

The partnership, which has kicked off is set to complement the launch of the new device which will be a key feature on the online store’s website alongside earlier models.

Wiko’s Country Sales Manager, Mr. John Peters, said that Wiko is committed to offering varieties and quality to Nigerians.

He said: “The Getaway is stylishly crafted to feel amazing in the hand – the combination of the stylish aluminum bezel with the soft touch back. It is a smart device that offers you freedom to enjoy communication and exciting interaction on various social media platforms. Wiko is positioning the Getaway as a device which is the best of both worlds that is Style and Performance you will be proud to show off. The Getaway is the latest Wiko smartphone that fulfils our promise of delivering the best

of stylish design, combined with the latest technology and fantastic quality at amazing prices.”

The new Wiko Getaway is a premium smartphone designed with features that offer users unique viewing experience with its 5.0 inch LCD screen. It runs on Android KitKat with 1.3GHz Quad core, has an 13MP auto flash rear camera and 5MP front camera with a 16GB in-built memory which gives users the luxury to install more apps and save content.

Channel Marketing Manager, Wiko, Mr. Adebayo Adams, said the relationship between the two firms was achievable due to the clear focus of both parties in terms of objectives and target audience.

He said: “Wiko as a brand has emerged to become the game changer in Nigeria’s mobile phone market. Particularly, Wiko targets the youth segment of the market and Jumia has as good reach to the younger generation, which is one reason why the partnership is strong and we are able to do a lot of things in common. Jumia stands out among other e-commerce platforms and it has done excellently well vis-à-vis its performance with mobile devices.”

40

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

BUSINESS AFRICA

CIBN accredits GTBank Training Academy T

HE Guaranty Trust Bank Training Academy for pre-entry level staff has been accredited by the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) as a School of Banking Excellence.

It is in recognition of the quality of the entry level programme which takes fresh graduates through an intensive Four-month pre-career course.

The criteria for endorsing the GTBank’s Academy for Basic Banking by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) focused

on evaluating the level of alignment of its curriculum with the professional papers of CIBN and the Competency Framework of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

CIBN, the sole accreditation agency for the Banking and Finance industry in Nigeria, set up a panel of eminent Scholars and seasoned Bankers in September last year to assess the curriculum and learning facilities of the academy. At the end of the evaluation, the panel applauded the high learning standards of the academy as well as the foresightedness of the Bank to set

up a credible institution that prepare participants for a professional banking experience whilst recommending the academy as a School of Banking Excellence.

Part of the accreditation is the exemption of trainees who are successful at the GTBank Entry Level Training programme from nine courses in the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigerian (CIBN) Professional Certification exam.

The GTBank Recruitment is credible and transparent as it ensures that eligible candidates who have applied to work with the Bank by

submitting the relevant documents on the bank’s career portal are shortlisted for a computer-based assessment covering Spatial Reasoning, History/Current Affairs, Abstract reasoning, Verbal and Numeric reasoning etc.

The assessment is designed to determine if the shortlisted applicants possess the requisite skills for a job role in the bank. Successful candidates are then invited for three different stages of interviews, predocumentation, panel and one-onone interview.

Candidates who make it through

to the Final Interview stage of the recruitment, will be offered a place in the bank’s four-month EntryLevel Training Programme, where they are expected to make a minimum average score specified at the beginning of the Programme, before they are absorbed into the Bank as staff .

The GTBank School of Banking Excellence was set up with a competency-based curriculum where participants are trained and tested on practical, social, and technical aspects of Banking as well as personal development.

DealDey appoints Red Star Express as agent

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•From left: Chairman, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Mr Udeme Ufot (MFR), President, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Aig-Imoukhuede and CEO E-Motion Advertising, Mr Paul Onyiag at an 'Evening with Udeme Uffort' hosted by E-Motion Advertising in Lagos.

Smugglers defy Diamond’s ban in Central African Republic

D

IAMOND smuggler Akani Natacha Glawdys tilts a tiny gem in her palm and smiles as a sparkle ripples through the rough yellow rock.

“See?” she asks excitedly in a room at the Relais des Chasses Hotel in the Central African Republic capital, Bangui. “A bit cloudy, so not the best, but still good.” If it were clearer, the stone could fetch as much as $2,000 from local traders, who export to buyers in Europe, she explained. The gem’s opacity means it will only fetch $700.

Gladwys, 34, is part of a trafficking network that unashamedly flouts a diamond-trading ban imposed on her country by the Kimberley Process, a global gem-verification group

formed to halt the outflow of precious stones from conflict zones. It’s a sign of the complete chaos in Central African Republic, the only country among 22 diamond producers to be covered by a ban.

The embargo was imposed in May 2013, two months after an alliance of mainly Muslim militias known as Seleka overthrew President Francois Bozize, a Christian. The takeover was marked by the widespread killing of civilians and other crimes, Human Rights Watch said. The United Nations says more than 2.5 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance.

The Kimberley Process banned the trade in Central African Republic gems because, according to the

Egypt, others sign deal to end Nile dispute

T

HREE African leaders have signed an initial deal to end a long-running dispute over the sharing of Nile waters and the building of Africa’s biggest hydroelectric dam, in Ethiopia.

The leaders of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan signed the agreement in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.

Egypt has opposed the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, saying it would worsen its water shortages.

Ethiopia says the dam will give it a fairer share of Nile waters.

In 2013, Ethiopia’s parliament ratified a controversial treaty to replace colonial-era agreements that gave Egypt and Sudan the biggest share of the Nile’s water.

Egypt’s former President Mohamed Morsi said he did not want war but he would not allow

Egypt’s water supply to be endangered by the dam.

The three leaders welcomed the agreement in speeches in Khartoum’s Republican Palace, and watched a short film about the Grand Renaissance Dam that highlighted how it could benefit the region, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Sisi said the project remained a source of concern to Egypt.

“The Renaissance Dam project represents a source of development for the millions of Ethiopia’s citizens through producing green and sustainable energy, but for their brothers living on the banks of that very Nile in Egypt, and who approximately equal them in numbers, it represents a source of concern and worry,” he said.

group, there was no way to determine whether conflict diamonds had been eliminated from the country’s shipments. The Kimberley Process represents 81 countries, including the U.S., the European Union, Russia, China and South Africa.

Even before the ban, millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds left Central African Republic via the black market. High taxes on diamonds -12 per cent compared with 3.25 per cent in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo—led to about 30 per cent of output being smuggled to Cameroon or Sudan’s Darfur region, according to the International Peace Information Service, or IPIS, an Antwerp, Belgium-based research group.

The illegal diamond trade continues to flourish, according to a UN panel of experts on Central African Republic. Since the ban was introduced, at least 140,000 carats of diamonds valued at $24 million have been smuggled out of the country, said Aurelien Llorca, coordinator of the UN panel.

Illicit diamond revenue is used to buy arms, pay soldiers and enrich rebel leaders of the main militia groupings: Seleka and a mostly Christian force, Kasper Agger, a Central African Republic analyst with the Washington-based conflict-resolution group, Enough Project, said in an e-mail.

Diamonds in Central African Republic, which ranked as the world’s 10th-biggest producer by value in 2012, have funded successive military regimes since the country gained independence from France in 1960. Rulers have treated the industry as a “cash cow,” imposing high taxes on exports and demanding a share of production to help sustain political support, according to IPIS.

ED Star Express is partnering DealDey to take online shopping to greater height.

DealDey has appointed Red Star Express to handle its logistics, by providing their customers with the option of picking-up their orders at over 20 Red Star Express locations nationwide.

Some of the locations include Apapa, Kakawa, Enugu, Akure, Jos, Lokoja, Benin City, Owerri and others. The customers place their orders and have the option of selecting Red Star Express close to them.

The Managing Director, Red Star Express, Mr. Sule Bichi, noted that the world is a global village characterised by technological advancement.

“Red Star Express strongly believes in creating new opportunities to enable Nigerians enjoy products of technological advancement as their peers from developed countries. This is aimed at building stronger future and positively contributing to the economic development of our country through job creation,” Bichi said.

The courier firm helmsman added that the company supports innovative solutions and initiatives that provide real value for customers.

“At Red Star Express we value our customers and are configured to deliver high quality services. ‘’The deal is another opportunity to provide our valued customers with unique e-commerce services to positively impact their lives,” he added.

His DealDey counterpart, Mr. Etop Ikpe, said customers remain invaluable assets to DealDey and “we are elated to be partnering with Red Star Express. This is because Red Star is a great brand that is synonymous with quality service delivery, safety, and reliability”.

He said DealDey will leverage on Red Star’s strong networks to grow its business and reach.

“At DealDey, we believe that innovation and well-structured improvement strategy are key to business growth. We are, therefore, looking forward to a value-driven partnership that will delight Nigerians across our networks,” he added.

Micro Station opens outlet in Ikeja

M

ICRO Station Limited has opened a new state-of-theart retail outlet in Ikeja,

Lagos.

The outlet,located at Kodesho Road at the popular Ikeja Computer Village market, is the eighth of such investments. It followed the inauguration of the company’s Sango-Ota outlet last November.

Micro Station’s outlets in Victoria Island, Computer Village, Awolowo Way in Ikeja; Oshogbo; Ikorodu, Mushin and Sango-Ota, have been serving its customers with quality products that meet their various needs.

The Managing Director, Micro Station, Mrs. Tinuola Coutroupis, said the addition to the company’s list of sales outlets, was borne out of its expansion roadmap to increase its footprint across Nigeria to serve its customers better.

“The new retail outlet provides easier access to our customers to get all the devices that they need in a conducive environment for those customers who do not want to storm into the hurly-burly inside the Computer Village market before making their purchase,”she said.

Coutroupis noted that Micro Station had embarked on an aggressive branch network expansion, which will take it to as close as every doorstep of every discerning individual that desires quality mobile devices at a time when Nigeria’s mobile telecoms indus-

try is awash with fake and substandard products.

“So, our Kodesho outlet is on a major road and gives customer the convenience needed to make their purchase and it is our belief that accessibility is key and therefore, we chose an area that is easily accessible, no matter where our customers are coming from.”

Promising the company’s commitment to open more sales outlets, Coutroupis said, with the opening of the sales outlet, Micro Station’s customers would have access to various devices that would be on sale, both high-end and midend phones, tablets and other devices. ‘’At Micro Station, we have placed customer satisfaction first in our scheme of things. We want customers to get the best value for their hard-earned money, no matter how much they are spending.

“As such, we have carefully selected our partners and are bringing both the high-end and mid-end range of devices that meet and surpass the expectations of our growing net-worth customers,” she added.

Head, Retail Businesses and Services, Micro Station, Mr Emmanuel Ekuma, said the company would work with its philosophy of placing priority on customers, adding that as part of this, the company provides after-sales services that are second to none to its valued customers.

Deutsche Bank names head of South African branch

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EUTSCHE Bank AG said it has appointed Simon Denny head of investment banking for South Africa.

Denny, who takes over from Kevin Latter, will be based in Johannesburg and report to Peter Wharton-Hood, chief country officer, the bank said.

He joined the bank in 2008 in South Africa and he is a director.

Denny has advised on many South African deals including the 68.2 billion rand ($5.68 billion) Steinhoff-Pepkor transaction and the 10.6 billion rand ($883.52 million) sale by SAB Miller of its stake in Tsogo Sun, Deutsche Bank said.

THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

Life

41

The Midweek Magazine E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Text only: 08023058761

NTDC gets information desk – PAGE 43

How to make marriages work – PAGE 44

4

4

•Gillian

Voices to an enigma – PAGE 44

PHOTO: OZOLUA UHAKHEME

‘The Lagos I miss’

-SEE STORY ON PAGE 42

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

•Iga Idunganran Entrance

•Five Cowrie Creek

•Gillian

PHOTO: OZOLUA UHAKHEME

Last Friday an exhibition of 39 photographs of some iconic buildings in Lagos taken in 1954 by Gillian Hopwood, 88, opened at WheatBaker Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME .

D

O you remember St. Anna’s Court at Tinubu Square in Lagos demolished in 1960? Do you also recall the architectural design of the Central Mosque on Victoria Street before it was replaced in 1984? Do you know the Kit-Kat on Moloney Street, the first branch of John Holt? Photographs of these iconic structures and others like the old Apapa Docks by Marina foreshore that was ideal for an evening walk are being presented in an exhibition: A Photographer’s Odyssey, by Gillian Hopwood in Lagos.

Hopword, 88, is a rare Briton. She is among the few Britons who came to Nigeria before Independence and still finds joy living in the country. Since 1954, she has been working in Lagos as an architect and photographer, when she joined her husband, Prof John Godwin, also an architect in a professional adventure of a life time.

The couple spent their prime time documenting the environmental changes, urban renewal and growth of Lagos via photography, thereby providing photographs of 60 years.

Before she left London by sea to Lagos, Hopwood’s father gave her a camera to document her twoweek sea passage from England.

She began using the camera dur-

‘The Lagos I miss’ PHOTOGRAPHY ing Sunday walks along the tree lined streets of old Lagos. After taking pictures she would return home and develop the film literally in a small cupboard in the bedroom which was the darkest place she could find, and cooling the chemicals in the kerosene refrigerator in the kitchen.

Gillian and John are graduates of the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London and they worked as partners in Lagos. After spending a year on Brickfield Road in Ebute Meta, Lagos, they lived and worked in Onikan, Lagos for 60 years. Later they founded an architectural firm, Godwin & Hopwood.

Hopwood’s years in Lagos have been eventful, especially in environmental and heritage preservation. Apart from being among the few pioneer professionals that shaped the policies on urban renewal and development of modern Lagos, she also contributed to philanthropic projects as member

of social groups, such as Business and Professional Women’s Group, Motherless Babies Home, Soroptimist International, Eko Club, National Association of Nigeria and Legacy.

To preserve her photographs of iconic buildings of which many have been demiloshed, Hopwood took the negatives out of Lagos.

“The negatives were professionally taken care of all these years,” she said “This set of photographs was taken over several Sundays in April to May 1954, when the weather was good for photography. Each photograph’s composition was thought about carefully as film was expensive and had to be used sparingly, she said.”

She photographed iconic buildings and areas in old Lagos, including the Central Mosque and Tinubu Square, Holy Cross Cathedral and Upper Broad Street, and the Brazilian Quarter and Onikan.

“I then developed the negatives in

the dressing room (inside a cupboard) of our small flat in Ebute Meta, and sent them to my father for printing and sharing with the family in England,” she recalled.

Between 1954 and 1984, their architectural firm grew and they opened shop in other parts of the country. During the oil boom, the firm built many manufacturing industries in Lagos, the New Nigerian building in Kaduna and Toyo Glass, among others.

She said shortly after, they were approached by the then DirectorGeneral of National Commission for Museums and Monuments to identify old buildings that would be preserved. This, according to her, led to the founding of Legacy, a historical and environmental interest group in 1995, which has documented and restored many important old buildings, including Jaekel House at the Nigerian Railway Corporation in Lagos, which today is a museum.

Hopwood and Godwin have also written several papers documenting the growth of Lagos and have dedicated much of their time to

preserve and restore buildings in old Lagos.

“But you can’t expect to preserve every building because the land is getting smaller for the residents of Lagos. However, we must document them via photography. In Legacy, we have preserved some old buildings in Railway quarters and the Ilojo Bar near Tinubu Square. Most times, the political will to adopt an old building for a new use is not always there,” Hopwood said.

According to her, most public buildings here become deelict for want of maintenance, noting that preserving a building is preserving one’s heritage.

“In fact, you feel bad and troubled inside when you go back to find the building you designed left in bad condition. When you preserve your buildings, you are spreading your budget, but you are preserving your heritage,” she added.

In appreciation of their contributions, she and her husband were •Continued on Page 43

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THE NATION WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015

The Midweek Magazine

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

‘The Lagos I miss’ •Continued from Page 42

granted Nigerian citizenship in 2013.

Hopwood holds the title of Erelu Baakole of Owu and was honoured with member of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2012.

A Photographer’s Odyssey, an exhibition of 39 black and white photographs taken by Hopwood in 1954, opened last Friday, at the Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi’s Lagos along with the release of a book with the same title, which presents the growth of Lagos through photographs taken over 60 years. The exhibition will run till April 9.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola in the foreword of the book said: “Lagos is an enigma and this book, A Photographer’s Odyssey captures the development and essence of this ever changing City-State over a 60-year period. This book now helps to create a torch passing moment between my generation and that of my children.”

Mosun Ogunbanjo, Director of Wheatbaker Hotel, sponsor of the exhibition, said: “The frank, naked and non-judgmental nature of the photographs leaves the viewer to reach his or her own conclusions regarding present day Lagos, whilst the side notes capture the richness of a moment in time.”

Reminiscences “It will interest you to know that Britain was bankrupt after the World War II. So we were looking for something to do outside Britain. We came to Lagos as fresh professional architects who were not diplomats.

One good thing was that John joined the Island Club where he interacted with Nigerians. That was a good thing that connected us with the people. He is a trustee of the Island Club. We were very fortunate to come to Lagos at the time we came. It was at the time of transition. One of the major early projects we handled was the designing of the Northern Nigeria Police College.

In fact, I never thought all these pictures would become treasures. All said, no regret coming to Lagos but the civil war was one.

This was not the Lagos I met in 1954. There were fewer people on the road, everybody has an acre of land. It was much more relaxing. But today, so many people are coming into Lagos every day. Lagos is a narrow strip of land. My husband once said that

•Ebute Ero Wharf

one day, Lagos will expand to Ibadan. Those days there were lots of forest and fewer houses. Lagos was divided into GRA, old parts and there were different influences such as the Brazilians, Saros etc.

Life at Ebute Metta “We were conned into thinking we could not live without a cook, a steward and a small boy all in a PWD type flat. When our assistant architect came out and lived next door – it was years before I found out that my cook was cooking on my electric oven for him!! Two of the best things which happened before I arrived was that John was invited to join the Island Club and I met Aduke Alakija. And he was invited to join the Lagos Yacht Club, which provided space for children’s recreation and a breezy open space as before long we only had a small compound on Lagos Island. Our very

local entertainment in our first house, in Oil Mill Street, was enjoying watching the films, albeit obliquely, with sound, from the outdoor cinema two doors down from us across our neighbours garden.

“The Railway Compound used to be a beautiful environment. It has been altered anyway but can be made beautiful again. I missed steady electricity, moving around easily, driving myself and walking around.

However, there was a time when anything expatriate was bad. People sometimes openly challenged expatriate (Oyinbos) to go back to their countries. Even at that, I did a strange thing one day on my return from England. I walked alone from Marina to Onikan. And what did I get in return?

Lots of greetings from passersby. I feel sorry for expatriates who do not move around in Lagos because they will not know Lagos.

‘Lagos is an enigma and this book, A Photographer’s Odyssey captures the development and essence of this ever-changing City-State over a 60-year period.

This book now helps to create a torch passing moment between my generation and that of my children’

Revisiting old locations “We had actually hoped to take them after 25 years as we were watching Lagos develop. Old Lagos disappearing, New Lagos emerging. “What was there before”? – I cannot remember….Again the idea was put on hold although we were motivated to take comparative images as Tony was in Nigeria and working with us which made it a good opportunity for the three of us to be involved with taking the record shots in 1984.

At this stage we already had the seeds of an idea to publish a book of comparative images. The idea had to be put on hold after the new sets of pictures were taken and the negatives were stored away with the originals!

Confidence on getting a book published “I did not have the confidence. I fear that I am the pessimist in the family, but John is always optimistic and he insisted that we got on with it so “Never say never” – and, in fact, it is wonderful to be here today after 60 years in Nigeria presenting you with our book and photograph exhibition. John and I spent many hours deliberating, remembering, laughing, smiling and putting this book together.”

Of all the 39 photographs for the exhibition, Five Cowrie Creek, which shows the Creek Hospital where her son, Tony, was born in 1954 is very dear to her. Only 15 of the photographs are for sale.

NTDC gets information desk at Abuja Airport

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HE Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) has unveiled a Tourism Information Desk at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Its Director-General, Mrs Sally Mbanefo, said the desk would assist tourists with tourism information on Nigeria, noting that the launch was part of the corporation’s efforts to promote domestic tourism and assist in collating data on tourists entering the country.

According to her, the information desk will showcase tourism assets because many tourist sites are unknown.

“The reason we are unveiling this portal is to give Nigerians information about our numerous tourism sites that are not known to tourist. As you know we are promoting domestic tourism which means that before we can begin to market outsider we want foreigner seeing many Nigerians enjoying what we have.

“Nigeria have so many tourism attracted sites but nobody know them, that is why we are going to different states to known what they have so as to market those sites for the state government in order to increase revenue generation in the country not only that this will provide job opportunity for our teaming unemployed population,” she said.

She noted that ‘the information Centre would equally assist through ease enquires for both arrival and departure tourist. We have already got approval for two airports,

TOURISM we got approval for Abuja and Lagos to start with and will soon replicate in all international airports in Nigeria.’

Mbanefo added that the initiatives would also promote security of tourists by recommending to tourists the accredited taxis and hotels in the country.

“We are partnering with VIKO taxi car hire service at the airport and the idea is to let travellers that arrive the city to know that there is security in Nigeria. With this, NTDC will recommend for them credible and accredited taxi and hotels in Nigeria. NTDC want to use this to market the tourism assets of Nigeria and to improve the image of Nigeria.

She thanked the Minister of Aviation Mr. Osita Chidoka for providing NTDC with a bigger space where it would easier for the corporation to market Nigeria.

“We want Nigerians to know that tourism is here to stay and tourism is here to replace oil,” she said.

Head of FAAN Communication Mrs. Yakubu Henrietta lauded the NTDC initiatives, saying that information desk would go a long way in promoting Nigerian culture. “This stand that has opened today by NTDC is truly great as the desk will promote Nigeria and provide foreigners coming into the country and with adequate information on Nigerian tourist sites as well

•Mrs Mbanefo (centre) with visitors during event.

as which hotel to stay.

“I am happy that this stand is located in a very strategic place in the airport that will allow everybody that comes see the information desk both at international and domestic wing. This is a very good development,” she said.

In a related development, the corporation and the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire are partnering on tourism development. The Cote d’Ivoire Ambassador to Nigeria, Madam Toure Nee Kone Maman who paid a courtesy call on the NTDC director-general, said the two countries are blessed in tourism ‘hence it is expedient for a synergise to propel the development of the two countries.’

Ambassador Maman noted that the partnership would ensure an increase in the

tourism traffic between the two countries, adding that the synergy would also encourage investment between the two nations, “and we shall ensure timely implementation of the MoU we would sign with the NTDC. Mbanefo assured that Nigeria’s achievement in tourism would double by 2017, explaining that “the fall in the price of oil in the global market has propelled an encouraging shift of focus from oil to tourism.

She said: “At present, tourism contributes about four per cent to our GDP, but it would have increased to about eight per cent in the next two years.” The NTDC boss reiterated that the focus of her administration is on domestic tourism, that would encourage Nigerians to travel within Nigeria and for foreigners to travel to Nigeria.

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The Midweek Magazine

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LOT cannot be exhausted about this man. He has written about himself, others have written about him. Depending on the angle he is viewed from, Olusegun Obasanjo could be perceived in varying lights – great, villain, thug, joker, soldier, chicken farmer or just a jolly old man.

His rambunctious character has been the subject of many books. Yet, Akanda Eda: The story of Olusegun Obasanjo, a new book, joins the array, unfolding the continuing enigma.

Several authors, including Obasanjo himself, exhaust their opinions about the soldier, leader, Owu Chief, African statesman, and global leader via apt essays and pictures.

In all, OBJ as Obasanjo is popularly referred to, emerges as a great person, or Akanda Eda, which in Yoruba, the language of OBJ’s birth, translates as ‘the special breed.’

Unlike many books, it skips the bullshit usually associated with many biographical narratives – drawing on tedious genealogical lineage and heavy leanings on accounts of very early years. Rather, Akanda Eda quickly jumps into the main narrative of Obasanjo in public life with an introductory essay by the editor of the book, Dare Babarinsa, titled: ‘Born To Be Different.’

Other essays would skim about Obasanjo’s formative years – his birth, school at Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta between 1952 and 1956, how he had to enlist in the army in 1958 after secondary school. Through the army, Obasanjo would acquire engineering training. The essays also dwell on Obasanjo as military head of state, life as a farmer, and as a politician and Nigerian civilian president.

In the book, OBJ writes about how in 1957 he had passed the examination for admission into University of Ibadan but because of paucity of funds, he could not attend. About how Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone also offered him admission, while the UN offered him a scholarship to study geology either in India or the US. He, however, opted to go for the Officer Cadet training in Teshie, Accra, Ghana. At that period, he was faced with the

E-mail:- ozoluauhakheme@yahoo.com

Voices to an enigma BOOK REVIEW Title: Akanda Eda: The story of Olusegun Obasanjo Edited by: Dare Babarinsa Reviewer: Joe Agbro Jr Publisher: Gaskia Media Limited Pagination: 200

tough decision of how to tell his mother he had enlisted in the military. He never did. Instead, he merely said he was going for further training as a teacher. When he joins the army, he recalls his girlfriend, Oluremi, who later became his wife, feeling he made a bad decision.

‘She asked me if I would turn out like one of the ordinary soldiers living in her father’s house in Abeokuta,’ he writes. ‘I said yes. She was not amused by my answer, and for the six months I stayed in Teshie, she never replied any of my letters.’

However, it was in the army that greatness was thrust on him multiple times. From missing death by the whiskers

on more than one occasion, he became president of Nigeria in 1976 at the age of 39.

He would relinquish power to a civilian president, only to become a civilian president himself 20 years later. Eight years after serving two four year terms, the 78-year-old Obasanjo is still vibrant. The essays in Akanda Eda attempt to capture his story. It does not fully succeed, becoming rather a mere teaser.

Hate him or love him, OBJ’s greatness cannot be dismissed. But there are many reasons for people to love and hate him. In fact, he widely commands both. Perhaps, the editor falls into the category of those who ‘love’ OBJ because Akanda Eda seems to dwell more on Obasanjo’s achievements. This way, Obasanjo’s personae is not fully captured, considering the slants of essays chosen.

Aside confronting and ensuring reforms in some sectors of the economy like the telecoms and the power, introducing anticorruption watchdogs, some slights of the former Nigerian leader were glossed over in the selected essays. For instance, no essay mentions some of the controversies which have trailed his time in public service. One of such is whether he actually wanted a third term. But reading OBJ’s letters, including the ominous missive he recently wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan, one gets the feeling that even out of power, OBJ still remains a passionate Nigerian. The prose

How to make marriages work

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HE 21-chapter book by Olayinka Ogunmekan is a well-researched work on wedding and marriages. It addresses among others fundamental issues in marriage such as life during marriage, meaning and types of marriage, weddings dos and don’ts and how to keep a marriage. It also includes illustrations on sexual positions and many other things that one must know about marriages and weddings.

In Chapter one, the writer defines marriage, and types of marriage where he mentioned marriage because of children, for pregnancy, based on material gain, arranged marriage, unconditional marriage. In all these he said the best is unconditional because others end drastically except unconditional.

According to him, unconditional marriage is the one ordained by God, based on genuine love, understanding and fairness, but all the marriages have their advantages and disadvantages.

“There is none that is full of proof as any of them could break up if the couple do not know how to handle bad situations. A successful marriage is not the one where the couple is happy with themselves when things are good, but when things are not very normal and when things are down,” it stated.

Chapter two talks about the road to marriage, which starts with introduction and ends with actual wedding. In this chapter he tried to point out changes and inventions that have been made and introduced to the African wedding of today and advised that people go back to the old ways of doing things.

Chapter four explains that God and not the husband, is the head of the family while the husband and wife are students in the college of marriage. “If couples have this at the back of their minds they will tolerate themselves more and have less friction,” the writer said.

He advised that the foundation of marriage is very important and before a couple ties the knot one of them must ensure that one of the spouses has somebody he or she looks up to in case all internal entreaties fail as nobody is perfect and people can change.

He explained problems that can come up in marriages and ways to correct them. He also advised that people should not allow infatuations becloud their sense of judgment on who to marry.

Still in chapter four the writer stated that people have a choice of who to marry. “Black or light complexioned, tall, average or short, an introvert or extrovert, well-kept or carefree, flashy, reserved or just calm, number of children, where and how to live, the type of work

BOOK REVIEW Title: The Anatomy of marriage: How to make marriage work Author: Olayinka Ogunmekan Reviewer: Medinat Kanabe Publisher: Literamed Publications (Ghana) Pagination: 152

to do and whether both of you should work.”

According to the writer these are very important things to ponder before marriage.

On how to keep a marriage, the writer suggested that one should be able to manage conflicts that may crop up occasionally. “Talk to your spouse with some respect, and always be willing to look at the ugly situations very well before you pass comments and judgments. Do not continue to give excuses when you are accused or a wrong is pointed out to you. Never be ashamed to admit your fault. Talk courteously and try to look for ways and means to resolve issues instead of looking for how to punish or set trap for your spouse.”

The book mentioned that spouses should try to look good always and call themselves pet names. Chapter seven focuses on tolerance where it described tolerance is one major thing in a successful marriage. It stated though there is always a limit to the tolerance level of any human being, in marriage there should not be any limit. If people want their marriages to stand the test of time and last forever, there are some secrets that should remain secrets.

“This is not to encourage deceit, but to advise that there are some past mistakes that were innocently done and would never be repeated as they could damage the trust between the couple.

“For example, does it make sense for a lady

to start counting the number of boyfriends she had before the marriage in the name of honesty. Another mistake ladies make is getting home to tell their husbands who and who made advances at them while at work of when they go to parties with friends,” it stated.

Chapter 10 is on security feeling, while 11 dwells on sexual life. The writer identified sexual life as one major reasons for the success or failure of a marriage. He said sex is very important in marriage and disagreed with people who say there have substitute for sex in marriage.

According to the book, the usual position is for the man to do all the work in a ‘deem-light’ or no-light at all in the room, but now it is bare and in some cases the wife does more of the job than the ‘lazy man.’ It gives other reasons why sex is good for couples, the dos and don’ts of sex life of a couple and gave an illustration of sex positions on page 63 of the book.

The writer advises in Chapter 12 that couples should show love to each other. The chapter focuses more on men as the writer tells them not to beat up their wives, take them out more often, buy them gifts during their birthdays while the next chapter advises that couple should make it a point of duty to sleep on the same bed every night even though they have different rooms.

Chapter 14 is on relationship with in-laws. It states that women are very poor when it comes to relating with in-laws. It explains that: “In the Nigerian environment, a wife is always wrongly looked upon as being junior or at times inferior to members of the husband’s family.

“To get their support, you have to play along with them. As the wife, you must persevere and win them to your side.”

Chapter 15 talks about polygamy, reasons for it, influence on the children and pieces of advice that a lot of wisdom is needed to succeed in a polygamous home in modern times. The next chapter is on polyandry.

Chapter 17 is on the children. It explains that children can make or mar a marriage.

employed by the indefatigable letter writer drips with brilliance, whether he is castigating or mending. But OBJ is also a man of action too.

In chapter 12, Africa’s Elder Statesman, written by John Iliffe, various exploits of Obasanjo are detailed. It is poignant to note how Obasanjo restored the leader of Sao Tome and Principe after he was ousted by the military in that country. Other events as recorded in the article also show the leadership role which Obasanjo has played in global affairs, especially on the African continent.

The book also reveals Obasanjo as a husband, father and family man. However, he is not just concerned with his children.

The article written by John Olowofela explains what transpired when Obasanjo went on an official visit to Akwa Ibom State where he met a widow who pleaded for help.

“He there and then asked the barefooted son of the widow to be brought to Aso Rock Villa where he put him in a first class primary school in Abuja,’’ writes Olowofela.

‘The boy has now completed his secondary education at The Bells, the school owned by Obasanjo in Ota and has moved on to the university.’

The all-colour book is rich with photographs – pictures of Obasanjo with different people and many people mentioned in the essays are plentiful.

However, unlike the essays which have bylines, the identities of the photographs are mostly obscure. And while the subject of the book is interesting and the layout is rich with colour, the publishers did not pay adequate attention to some cheap errors.

Akanda Eda hardly provides any new insight to understanding Obasanjo. Rather, it offers bits of his personae in a book filled with pictures, ensuring less monotony that boring texts on grey pages often bring. It offers a wide populace an easier avenue to leaf through the many sides of Obasanjo. And that is perhaps the best thing the book has to offer.

Foundation mentors students

By Chinasa Ekekwe

PHOTOGRAPHY

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NOWLEDGE came the way of 20 students of Community Senior Secondary School, Mushin,Lagos, benefactors of a day of photography under the Youth Empowerment Through Contemporary Art(YECA).

Organised by African Artists’ Foundation(AAF), YECA is a programme targeted at the youth in communities in Lagos State through art courses, mentorship, and exhibition opportunities.

The aim of YECA is to provide vocational training, the acquisition of livelihood skills and a solid extra-curricular outlet for youths in secondary schools and to position art as a viable career path.

The day of photography held at the Community Senior Secondary School, Mushin.

The pupils were shared into four groups. A group was assigned to a photographer with a theme to work on. Thereafter, the students went out within the school environ with a photographer to take pictures that would best describe the theme that was assigned.

The themes included Handwork, Street and School game, Portraiture and Election and Trade. The photographers at the event were Benedicte Kurzen, Robin Maddock, Jide Odukoya and Bayo Omoboriowo. Before then, the students had a brief lecture on the basis of handling a camera, taking pictures and how technology has converted the Camera Oscura into the digital camera that is trending today.

Gallery Manager, AAF and Coordinator/ Facilitator, YECA, Mr Olayinka Stevens, said that YECA is part of AAF’s quest to give back to the society as an art organisation. He said that it is important to start teaching the students now at the early stage.

“YECA began in February, 2014 with Euba Secondary school, Mushin,Lagos. The organisation then proceeded to Community Senior Secondary school, Mushin this year.

“The day of photography is also an avenue of developing a close contact with the students and involve them in AAF’s activities like exhibitions, festivals and so on. Apart from photography, they are also taught paintings, sculptures and also contemporary art”.

Mr Stevens said that the organisation is also working with two schools on the Lagos-Island; Isaleko Senior Secondary School and Girls Senior Academy.

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MONEYLINK

Wema Bank grows profit by 59% to N3.09b

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EMA Bank has de clared N3.09 billion Profit Before Tax (PBT) for the financial year ended December 31, 2014 which represents a 58.8 per cent increase from N1.95 billion it declared in the same period in 2013.

The bank also grew its Profit After Tax by 48 per cent to N2.37 billion from

Stories by Collins Nweze

N1.59 billion recorded the previous year.

The bank’s Managing Director/CEO, Segun Oloketuyi said the lender also recorded a 19 per cent growth in customer deposit volumes largely from the commercial and retail banking segments, despite government regulation on cash reserve.

“Our loans and advances to customers increased by 51 per cent, as the Bank was able to lend more to productive sectors of the economy.

In addition, the Bank has continued to ensure strong risk management, and this is evidenced by the level of nonperforming loans ratio at 2.5 per cent,” he said.

Oloketuyi said the lender

continues to record year on year, improvement in its financial performance. “The bank has improved significantly on its profitability and customer growth despite shrinking margins and intense competition. This progress recorded is a result of the continued execution of our three-year growth strategy – Project LEAP,” he added.

Stanbic IBTC inaugurates customised card

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TANBIC IBTC Bank has launched the Stanbic IBTC Priority Pass, a customised card that gives holders access to unique benefits at over 700 airports.

Stanbic IBTC Bank’s Chief Executive, Yinka Sanni, said the product demonstrates the lender’s determination to deploy technology that brings

added value to the lives and businesses of its clients.

The product, he added, represents a milestone in the drive to move customers forward by continuously introducing value-added products and services that suit their lifestyles.

Sanni, who spoke at the product launch in Lagos, said the product is another step towards

leveraging innovation and evolving technologies to serve customers better. “At Stanbic IBTC Bank, we are poised to always avail the best solutions to enhance the lives of the people we serve. This product is yet another manifestation of this quest,” he stated.

Also speaking at the event, the Head of Personal Banking Joyce

Uredi stated that the introduction of Stanbic IBTC Priority Pass is as a result of the Personal Banking team’s constant work to meet the lifestyle needs of their customers.

“Banking is fast moving beyond just financial needs and becoming about creating an experience that fits the lifestyle of our customers,”she said.

Courteville GMD recognised

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HE Group Managing Director, Courteville Business Solutions Plc, Mr. Adebola Akindele has received the ’Businessday Top 5 Nigerian CEOs to watch out for in 2015’ award.

The award /dinner event sponsored by Microsoft Lumia was held along with the “Top 25 CEOs of Quoted Companies in Nigeria”.

The Top 25 CEOs is a yearly publication of BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit (BRIU) that focuses on the chief executive officers (CEOs) of companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) who aroused positive interest in the Nigerian capital market. The maiden edition was held in 2013.

Prominent CEOs in the Nigerian Business Community were present to partake in the event, among the awardees were the MD/CEO of Stanbic

IBTC Holdings, Sola DavidBorha, Mr. Adetunji Oyebanji, Chairman/MD Mobil oil Plc and Jubril Aku, GMD/CEO Ecobank, to mention a few.

Also in attendance at the award/ dinner event were the executives of Courteville Business Solutions Plc, Rotimi Olaoye (Deputy Managing Director Finance and Admin), Femi Niyi (Executive Director Project, strategy & Research), Oye Ogundele (Executive Director African Expansion) and Doyin Rasaq, Head, Corporate Affairs Unit.

Speaking at the award/ dinner, Mr. Akindele said, “this has been a delightful surprise for me, it is a clear evidence that Nigeria and Africa as a whole appreciates our effort to make the world a better place and that our contribution to the Nigerian economy is recognised”

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NEWS

LENT

Theme: God will always have the final say Theme: God will always have the final say Text:”.....ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good....” (Genesis 50:20)

I •Chairman of the Care.Organisation.Public Enlightenment (COPE), Prof Osato Giwa-Osagie (second right), Chief Executive Officer Mrs. Ebunoluwa Anozie (right), Brand Manager of X3M Ideas, Ms Oluseun Adenuga (left) and Copy Writer at X3M Ideas, Adefemi Taiwo during the unveiling of the COPE's new logo at its office in Lagos…yesterday.

•Executive Secretary, Eti-Osa Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mr Alaba Ajayi (second right) being assisted by former Chairman of the council, Prince Anofiu Elegushi and council manager Mrs Oluyemisi Rosiji (right) present a gas cylinder to a beneficiary/representative of Market Women Mrs Fatima Ganiyu at the distribution of Gas Clyinders to residents of the council under the Eko Free Gas programme at the local government in Lagos...yesterday. with them is Secretary Mrs Risikatu Ibrahim.

PHOTO: DAYO ADEWUNMI

My husband’ll protect you, says Buhari’s wife

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IFE of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hajia Aisha Buhari yesterday urged women to vote for her husband, General Muhammadu Buhari.

Mrs. Buhari, who spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during the Southwest Women presidential rally, said if her husband is elected, he would protect women and children.

She was in the company of the wife of her husband’s running mate, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his wife, Olufunso.

Buhari’s wife rued the spate of killings in the North by insurgents.

She reminded the tens of thousands of APC women and their supporters at the rally that she understands the plights of the women and chil-

•Woos Southwest voters dren in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Mrs. Buhari said:”As I stand before you here, my heart goes to our sisters, mothers, daughters and grandmothers from the Northeast, particularly Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, who do not have the opportunity to gather like this. I pray for peace in the Northeast.

“I am from the Northeast and I know what it is to wake up in the morning and see your daughter been taken away and your husband slaughtered. It is a terrible thing! My heart goes to them.

“As you are aware, each region of this country has its own peculiar problem. My husband was in Lagos some days back. He had a Town Hall meeting with some professional women where he emphasised that domestic violence or violence against

women in any form will not be accepted under his administration.

“His administration will have zero tolerance to domestic violence against women. In that case, I want to assure you people; the beautiful women of the Southwest that you will be protected.

“When my husband was in Lagos during the primary elections, he told Nigerians that he has no money to buy them. He believes in a government of integrity, honesty and accountability.

“I’m standing before you today, just like taking an oath: when you vote for General Muhammadu Buhari, he will protect women and children.”

The APC National Women leader, Hajia Ramatu Tijani, asked Nigerians to vote for change to set the country free from poverty, insecurity, job-

Court replaces Ondo House of Reps candidate

‘We’ve not in PDP strategic committee’

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HE trio of Shaka Momodu, Jide Ajani and Abraham Ogbodo –– all journalists, have said they are not members of the Strategic Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as alleged by a contributor, Olabode Johnson, in his article: “Crossing the line: Shaka Momodu’s obsession with Tinubu.” The article was published on March 13.

Okorocha urges Imo indigenes in Lagos to vote APC

By Oziegbe Okoeki

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MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has urged the state’s indigenes resident in Lagos to vote for the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor, who spoke at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, when he visited Imo people, said they should vote for the party’s presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and other candidates, to enjoy good governance.

He advised jobless Imo indigenes to return home, as they would be engaged.

Okorocha explained why he was seeking re-election. He said it was necessary for him to continue his good work.

The governor said he had fulfilled his promises to the people, which included curbing kidnapping, armed robbery and other crimes. His words: “Today, Imo is safe. You go out and come in anytime you like without anyone threatening your life. I’ve also introduced free education.”

lessness and breakdown in basic social facilities.

She said more than 300 days after the abduction of the Chibok girls, nothing has been done.

Amosun said given this critical period of the nation’s history, the country needed Buhari and Osinbajo for stability, chart a better path for its rapid growth, development and unity.

At the rally were Lagos State Deputy Governor Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire; her Osun counterpart Mrs. Grace Laoye –Tomori; governors’ wives-Mrs. Omoshalewa Ahmed (Kwara); Mrs. Judith Amaechi (Rivers); Mrs. Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Mrs. Florence Ajimobi (Oyo)-; Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Iyalode of Yorubaland, Alaba Lawson, wife of former Ekiti State Governor Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, wife of APC National chairman, Mrs. Odigie-Oyegun, among others.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

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USTICE Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace an All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the House of Representatives in Ondo State.

The judge, in a judgment yesterday, ordered INEC to replace Mrs. Yejide Ogundipe, earlier announced by INEC as APC candidate for Odigbo/Ile-Oluji/Oke-Igbo Federal Constituency with Festus Ayodele Adefiranye.

Adefiranye sued Ogundipe, APC and INEC for choosing Ogundipe; he claimed he came first in the APC’s primary, having scored the highest number of votes.

He added that he was surprised to discover that it was the name of Ogundipe, who came second in the primary that was forwarded to INEC. Justice Kolawole yesterday faulted Ogundipe’s claim that the party replaced the plaintiff after its appeal panel recounted the result of the primary.

He said it was obvious, from the evidence tendered by parties, that the plaintiff was not present when the appeal panel was recounting the votes.

The judge said he had read through APC guideline submitted to the court by parties and found that there was no provision which empowers the party’s appeal committee to recount.

T is scripturally affirmed that when one is determined to get to a higher level, or be somebody of importance in the society, and one can compliment same with discipline and diligence, dreams will become a reality. Paul, in his epistle to the Corinthians, however elucidated further on that axiom, that determination, discipline and diligence will only be able to guarantee result if it has the backing of the Almighty God. In1 Corinthians 3:6-7, he wrote that, “ I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase”. Also in Philippians 4:13, Paul wrote that, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”.

It therefore does not matter how much of conventional or diabolical effort one puts into the things of life or the atrociousness of opposition from close or far quarters aimed at eliding God’s purpose for man, life or nation, the Almighty God has the final say, and His will shall superimpose other wills, schemes and desires.

Paul told the Romans in Romans 9:15-16 that, “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy”. While it is great to determined, perfect to be disciplined and rewarding to be diligent, it is God’s mercy that decides whether the efforts will cascade into result. Solomon explicated this that “.....the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all” (Ecclesiates 9:11) Joseph was a man that God loaded with horrendous benefits, prepared for a higher calling and had revelation of divine purpose at a tender age of seventeen years. As a son of old age, Israel in a show of love made him a coat of many colors which became the kickoff for strong antipathy by his brethren. To compound this envy and animosity, Joseph in obvious innocence, shared his dreams with same brethren that, “.... we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf...... I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me” (Genesis 37:7,9).

In the light of that, Joseph’s brethren began to design ways aimed at truncating divine purpose. When his father sent him to them to inquire of their welfare, they plotted to kill him forgetting that, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Proverbs 21:1). The Almighty God made them change their minds and they decided to put him inside a well without water so that he could die of hunger and thirsty. While they sat down to eat bread, God directed the steps of the Midianites merchantmen to where they were which made them to change their decision and for pecuniary benefit, they sold their brother to them for twenty pieces of silver (Genesis 37:25-28).

The will and desire of Joseph’s brethren was to annul God’s plan and purpose forgetting that, the Almighty God has capacity to disappoint the devices of the crafty so that their hands are forbidden from performing their enterprise (Job 5:12). From slavery, God took over, guided his steps and ordered his movement to the place of dream actualization. He was transited from the hands of the Midianites to the house of Potiphar. From there, he was moved to the prison for an offense he never committed and from there he was catapulted to the highest position in Egypt. Beloved in Christ, it doesn’t matter where you are now and what you are facing, God has capacity to, and shall, take you from where you are to where He has destined for you, in the name of Jesus.

At what junction are you in life? Are people ganging up against you because of your “coat of many colours”, are you being maligned and destroyed by people that are close to you as a result of your dreams, have you been sold out to a location where they opine that your star will not be manifest, are you in trouble without having your hand in sin, have you, even in your innocence, been convicted by powers that are superior to you or you have been consigned to the prison and it looks like all is lost, there is hope for you. The Almighty God has the final say, and not any man.

When God steps into your life, He suspends opinion polls that have confirmed you as a failure and changes you from a perceived underdog to the favorite. He also ensures that where “....thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations” (Isaiah 60:15). He changes your story and reverses everything that has been against you. He will ensure that as people associate themselves against you, they are broken in pieces and as they gird themselves, the anointing of God shall break them into irreplaceable pieces. As they gather to take take counsel against you, their counsel shall come to nought and whatever evil word they have spoken or speaking against you and God’s plan cum purpose for your life shall be made ineffective (Isaiah 8:9-10). This shall be your portion in the name of Jesus.

What you need to do is come to Jesus, confess your sins to Him, depart from every evil ways, trust in Him with all your heart and don’t lean on your understanding (cf 1 Samuel 2:9).

In all your ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes, fear God and depart from evil (Proverbs 3:5-7). May God frustrate every evil counsel against you in the name of Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, we commit our affairs unto you, frustrate the counsel of man and let your will alone be done in our lives, in Jesus’ name.

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NEWS

‘Boko Haram kidnaps 500 in Borno’

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ESIDENTS of Damasak in Borno State said yesterday that Boko Haram insurgents kidnapped over 400 women and children, as they left the town when it was freed by troops from Niger and Chad, a few days ago.

“They took 506 young women and children, killing about 50 of them before leaving,” a trader, Souleymane Ali, told Reuters.

“We don’t know if they killed others after leaving, but they took the rest with them.”

Lt.-Col. Toumba Mohamed, the Nigerien commander of the Niger-Chad forces in Damasak, said residents reported between 400 and 500

women and children kidnapped, according to Reuters report.

Yesterday, the Defence Headquarters said troops took over the control of Pulka, also in Borno State, after a fierce encounter with Boko Haram militias.

Troops also arrested a male suicide bomber, who was on a mission to attack Kwaya Kusar Market in Borno State.

A plot by two women suicide bombers was yesterday aborted by troops at Aouno in Borno State.

The Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who spoke in a statement in Abuja, said there

was no going back on the mission against the insurgents.

The statement said: “Troops on Monday evening took full control of Pulka in Borno State after a fierce battle with terrorists, who have been operating in the town.

“The town has been serving as one of their major access to the Mandara mountains and supply route out of the country and link towards Cameroon.

“Cordon and search have begun after the air and land operation that overpowered the terrorists. ”Also in the mission area, a male terrorist suspect, who

disguised as a lady dressed in hijab, was nabbed by vigilant troops, as he made for a mission to kill innocent citizens in Kwaya Kusar Market in Borno State, on Saturday.

“He is in custody of the troops and has given information on the mode of their operations. ”In another development, the mission of two women suicide bombers was yesterday aborted by troops in Aouno, also in Borno State.

“But they succeeded in blowing themselves up with no military or civilian casualty, as they apparently intended to. The mission against terror continues.”

Kogi to investigate pupil’s death

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OGI State government has set up a committee to investigate the cause of the accident involving a state-owned mass transit bus conveying the pupils of Faith Academy Secondary School, Lokoja, and a truck belonging to a cement company, on Sunday.

The Nation yesterday reported the accident, which resulted in the death of one of the pupils, Jalekaiye Dominion. Others were injured.

The bus, it was confirmed, was conveying 54 boarding house pupils and four teachers from Sunday service.

Dominion was said to have died from head injuries.

From James Azania, Lokoja

The injured are receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja.

Deputy Governor Yomi Awoniyi yesterday announced the committee set up to probe the accident.

He spoke when he visited the school and FMC, saying Governor Idris Wada ordered an investigation into the accident.

Awoniyi said the government would bear the responsibilities and pay the medical bills of the injured.

The deputy governor said the government asked for an inventory of those involved in the accident, saying it shared in their pains.

Buhari’s wife woos women From Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

•Nigeria High Commissioner in Australia, Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni, being assisted by his wife Yemisi (second left) to cut his 60th birthday cake at a thanksgiving service at The Redeemed Christian Church of God; The Throne of Grace Parish, National Headquarters, EbuteMetta, Lagos.

With them are their daughters–Ojuola (right); Bolanle (left) and Lola.

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IFE of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Hajiya Aisha, has urged women to support change by voting for the APC. She spoke during her visit to Kebbi State with Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, the wife of Gen. Buhari’s running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Hajiya Aisha, who was received at the airport in Birnin Kebbi by the wife of the Kebbi State APC candidate, Dr. Zainab Atiku Bagudu and thousands of supporters, said APC was committed to women empowerment and their involvement in leadership and political positions.

She said if the party wins, vulnerable children, including the almajiri, would be given attention and projects meant for them executed in good faith.

Mrs. Buhari advised the women to ensure that they collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

She urged them to avoid abusive campaigns and not stone anyone, “as APC is a peaceful and law-abiding party.”

Dr. Bagudu thanked the duo for the visit and assured them that APC would win in Kebbi State, as the electorate was ready for change.

During the visit, Mrs. Buhari and Mrs. Osinbajo inaugurated blocks of classrooms in Argungu Local Government.

APC accuses Aliyu of plotting to rig election •Govt: accusation baseless

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HE All Progressives From Jide Orintunsin, Minna Congress (APC) in Niger State has alleged “He has collected revenue that it has uncovered a plot by more than any governor in the Governor Mu’azu Babangida history of the state. He has colAliyu to use the Army to rig the lected bonds from the capital Niger East senatorial election. market. We think if he believes It said the governor, who is he has developed the state, this the Peoples Democratic Party is the time to give the people (PDP) candidate, had not been his result, what he has done campaigning in any village, with the money collected.

“Instead, he is depending on thereby taking the people for security agents to use force for granted.

In a statement in Minna yes- him to win election. He must terday by the APC Publicity Sec- be told that the people’s rights retary, Mr. Jonathan Vatsa, the must be respected. The people opposition party alleged that must exercise their franchise Aliyu did not campaign because without intimidation and fear.

“They have planned not only he planned to use the Army to to use the security agents, who rig the election in his favour.

But the governor refuted the are well briefed, to intimidate allegation, describing it as base- voters to vote for the PDP, but •From left:Eze Ndi-Igbo of Igbogbo Bayeku,Eze Enwemadu Livinus, Eze Ndi-Igbo of Ikosi/Kosofe Local Government, Kelvin less and the rumblings of a de- also to use them to disallow the agents of other parties from Nwaoha, Senator Gbenga ‘Chukwuemeka’ Ashafa, the Ugochinjere I of Igboland and State leader, Igbo Coalition in All feated party.

Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Chris Ekwilo, during the Endorsement of Senator in Lagos...yesterday.

Aliyu, who spoke through his escorting the results to the colPHOTO:MUYIWA HASSAN Chief Press Secretary, Israel lation centres, to give room for Ebije, said it was not true that he rigging.”

Vatsa advised APC supporthad not met his people, stressing that the opposition could ers not to be intimidated, adding that security agents should “We have all done our best. should also know that he is not not determine how PDP should be neutral and fair to all.

IVIL rights activist and From Tony Akowe, Abuja conduct its campaign.

But it is very clear that the ob- an Abraham Lincoln who will a senatorial candidate He said: “We urge our supThe opposition alleged in the He alleged that the country stacle to end this insurgency is be contesting election every of the All Progressives porters not to be intimidated, statement that “it is a common had witnessed looting of pubJonathan’s government. It had day. We have to do all we can Congress (APC) in Kaduna knowledge that the governor but be steadfast in prayers State, Mallam Shehu Sani, has lic treasury and killings of in- reached a point where I told on March 28. We have made has not visited any village in against those plotting to supnocent citizens since the that very clear in Kaduna, to the Boko Haram people to stop said the President Goodluck Niger East, yet he is seeking to press the people’s wish.

Jonathan administration has Jonathan administration came calling my phone because we the sitting Vice-President that represent the same people at the Change has come for Niger into office. were completely frustrated. the 3.1million registered votnever been interested in endSani said: “For the last 16 There was no interest on the ers in Kaduna are prepared to Senate. He has no courtesy to State and the people must reing the Boko Haram insureven tell the people what he has sist any attempt to subvert it.” years, it has been a case of side of the government to end be killed. gency. done for the last eight years. waste, of corruption, of mass “The Jonathan administrathe insurgency.

He said the President frusmurder of innocent citizens by “We all have a stake in demo- tion is an affliction. It is a curse trated efforts to end the insurthe ineptitude and incompe- cratic government. We have on Nigeria. They have looted gency. done all these because we be- over $45billion in the last six Sani, who spoke at a tence of the ruling party.

“From the sidelines, as a citi- lieve that Nigeria can be great years he served as a President.

HE Bishop of Bauchi Catholic Diocese, Most Rev John sensitisation workshop Goltok, is dead. organised by the Buhari/ zen, I did my best to see how again. I don’t have to stand here Over 65,000 Nigerians have we could bring an end to the and sing the praises of Gen. been killed. We have seen how He died last Saturday at Our Lady of Apostle’s HosOsinbajo Youths Support Boko Haram insurgency.

That Muhammadu Buhari because a government openly sup- pital, Jos after a brief illness. He was 50.

Groups and the Proud Talakawa Movement (PTM), said when informed my decision, in Sep- he lives in Kaduna like me. So ported terrorism. They keep A statement by Fr. Justine John Dyikuk on behalf of the giving oil pipeline contracts to Director of Communications, Bauchi Diocese, said: “There effort was being made to end tember 2011, to go to former we leave those praises.

President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Tompolos, the Asari “But we know his potentialithe insurgency, it became clear will be vigil mass today at 6pm at St John’s Cathedral, Bauchi. that the Jonathan administration to join in the struggle to end ties and what he is capable of Dokubos, the Gani Adams and Tomorrow there will be funeral mass at 10am at St. John’s Boko Haram insurgency. doing for Nigeria. But we so on”. was an obstacle to it.

Cathedral, Bauchi.”

Sani: Jonathan not interested in stopping Boko Haram

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Catholic Bishop of Bauchi dies

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NEWS INEC: voters free to stay back for ballot counting Continued from page 4

creditation for the elections would start at 8am and end at 1pm while voting would start at1:30pm and end when the last person votes”.

The INEC Chairman stated that ballot papers in the wrong boxes would be sorted and put in the right boxes, but some political parties present at the event opposed the idea on the grounds that it was against their agreement with INEC. While promising that hard copies of the result sheets would be scanned and published on INEC’s website after the elections, Jega noted that the commission was doing its best to ensure that the elections are free, fair and credible. ”INEC is determined to be impartial. We will continue to

do all that is possible to ensure a level-playing field for all political parties,” he said.

The police chief, also yesterday, clarified his statement that voters should not remain at the polling unit, after casting their votes.

He said he did not ban them but advised Nigerians against remaining at the units after casting their vote.

He said his advice is based on the provision of Section 129 (1) of the Electoral Act. The IGP made the clarification in Abuja when he met with 59 Police Mobile Force (PMF) Squadron, 19 Counter Terrorism Units (CTU) and 12 Special Protection Unit (SPU), as part of preparations for the election.

He said: “Police did not ban anybody from staying after

casting their votes. Rather, what I said and I stick to it is this, ‘we advice voters to go after casting their votes’. Provisions in Section 129 listed activities that constitute crime .”

Highlighting the functions of the special forces, Abba said: “The challenges that will require your assistance on the election days include the escort of the election materials and INEC officials a day before the election to the place where the materials and the officials will be kept before they are moved the following morning to various polling centres.

“After the conduct of the election, you will be needed to provide necessary back-up to conventional police as well as providing security for those who have exercised their rights by protecting their votes.”

The IGP also urged politicians to go the right way in case they are not satisfied with the outcome of the result.

“All necessary measures are being to taken to prevent violence especially when results are announced and I want to urge the politicians to go the normal process in challenging the result rather than go the way of violence.”

The police chief said the Force had enough men to deploy in the 150,000 polling units.

Abba said: “We have about 150,000 polling units and there are enough deployments arranged for each of the polling units and in collaboration with all stakeholders, they will do everything possible to prevent the commission of crimes and the eruption of violence.”

Polls: politicians who stoke violence won’t escape, say U.S., UK Continued from page 4

Jonathan and General Buhari have repeatedly and publicly stressed their commitment to non-violence before, during, and after Election Day. “Both candidates have affirmed their intent to act solely through legal channels in pursuing any concerns that might arise regarding the fairness of the vote.

“It is imperative that they— and their backers—live up to this pledge. Elections should be decided at the ballot box and, if necessary, in the courts; not through efforts to coerce others.

“Respect for the constitutional process and the independence of Nigeria’s Independent National Election Commission, (INEC), is the right approach, and the only one that offers a

Obasanjo warns against hate campaign as Buhari’s wife visits Continued from page 4

Obasanjo said: “I am happy to hear directly from you, Mrs Buhari that the campaign so far, from the assessment has gone very well.

“Unfortunately, issues that should have been the main items of our campaign have been relegated. We have serious issues of security, we have serious issues of our economy, we have issue of unemployment particularly, youth unemployment, we have serious issues of infrastructure, these are issues among others that I believe the campaign of those who are interested in the present and the future of this country should be directed at.

“How are we going to get them? What are we going to do?

not trivial issues of certificate or no certificate. Not trivial issues of when somebody is talking about someone is a Nigerian and not a Nigerian.

“I said it, this is what they had in Cote d’Ivore and that led them into almost a very serious problem, not issue of religion, not issue of tribe, not issue of sections but issues of unity. I hope this will be the last time in the history of this country that we will have this type of campaign of hatred or division.

“I think the emphasis should be on what unites us, not what divides us and when I look at the faces of you ladies here, it is very difficult for me to know. I think we should empathise on things that unite us, we should talk more on what will make this country

not a just country but a great country.

“And that is the challenge before Nigerians today and particularly before those who are aspiring either at the state or at the national level, how can this country be made to be a great country. God has given us all that we need, that we are not what we should be, we can not blame God, we should blame ourselves.

“I do hope we will get things more right. A lot of rumours are flying around, I think we have gone away from the rumour of Interim National Government (ING) because that is not in our constitution. I hope we will soon go away from the rumour of handing over to the military because the military is not meant to run affairs of a nation in terms

of running government.

“And the intentional community will not condone it particularly African Union (AU). We have said and it is part and parcel of the Acts of the AU, any government that is brought about not on the basis of the constitution will not be accepted, will not be tolerated and will not be a member of the AU until that government is dismantled.

“It shouldn’t be, we are the largest country in Africa, we should be a model, setting examples, we shouldn’t be drawing Africa backward, I hope we will not. I hope at the end of this exercise, we would be where we should be, leading Africa and showing examples for the rest of Africa and indeed the rest of the world.

“We have the goodwill of many people, I watched, last night, President Obama talking about our constitution, I watched out brother from Ghana, the current Chairman of ECOWAS talked about our constitution, they are all interested, they all wish us well, should we wish ourselves anything less?”

Mrs Buhari lauded the former President for being a true nationalist, adding that Obasanjo often traversed party lines and primodial sentiments while addressing issues affecting the country.

She said: “Baba exercises his prowess as a father, as a former Head of State of Nigeria twice, we are here today to show our appreciation the way you handle things as a stateman and also a nationalist.”

sustainable way to address Nigeria’s many challenges.

“The countries we represent, the United States and the United Kingdom, strongly support the pledges articulated by the Nigerian candidates.

“This is a country rich in resources and blessed by a creative and dynamic population.

Its leaders can be extremely effective as evidenced by their swift action to prevent Ebola from establishing a foothold in their nation—thus saving thousands of lives.

“Overall economic growth rates are healthy and parts of the country are doing well. And yet, Nigeria has been held back by local tensions, a wide disparity between rich and poor, the lack of an adequate safety net for the disadvantaged, shortages of electricity, a rigid bureaucracy, and widespread corruption.

“These challenges have made the country vulnerable to internal conflict including kidnappings, murders, and other atrocities perpetrated by Boko Haram.

“Nigeria’s next government will need the support of all its citizens to address these challenges, and its unity will make it easier, on the security side, for regional neighbours and the larger international community to provide necessary help.

“We urge all eligible Nigerians to vote, to resist those who attempt to incite violence, and to come together as one country to defend against terrorist threats and to build the shared prosperity and enduring freedom all Nigerian citizens deserve.”

FOREIGN

Ebola: Liberian minister thanks Nigeria

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HE Liberian Minister of Education, Hon Etmonia Tapeh, has thanked Nigeria for its support during the trying period that Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) ravaged the country, leading to the death of about 4,000 Liberians.

She spoke at the opening of the 63rd Annual Meeting of the council of the fivemember countries of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) in Lagos yesterday.

The three Ghanaian candidates who had the best results in the May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) among the five countries were rewarded at the event.

The meeting would have held in Liberia but was moved to the international office of WAEC in Nigeria at Agidingbi, Lagos.

•Ghanaians sweep 2014 WASSCE awards Mrs Tapeh said preparations for the meeting had started in ernest after the 62nd meeting hosted by Sierra Leone early last year before the EVD epidemic came knocking.

She said its debilitating effect on the economy, healthcare and education sector forced the change of venue to Lagos.

The Minister said: “We had begun preparations to host the 63rd meeting of Council; committees had been inaugurated; while all of these efforts were underway the Ebola Virus entered our borders and completely overwhelmed our country.

“A state of emergency was declared, schools were closed, and a 9pm to 6am curfew was instituted. All these events adversely affected

travel to and from the country, the economy collapsed, businesses shut down, and development projects came to a halt. The government and businesses reduced staff and thousands of our compatriots lost their lives.

“We express our thanks and appreciation to all of your support in the Ebola fight. We are especially grateful to the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for its generous donations towards continuing the fight.”

“We thank all of you. We owe a debt of gratitude to you all. You proved to be real pan Africanists. We owe a debt of gratitude for your selflessness, advocacy and solidarity to our country during a very difficult period in our history. With the inter-

vention of God, all of those underlying efforts have yielded fruit as our country is gradually moving into recovery.”

As part of the event, the council presented the International Excellence Awards to Hasan Mickail (first, with T-score of 682.0933), Kenya Blackyl (second, 680.4287), and Archibald Enninful (third, 676.9348).

The examination was written by 2,018,467 candidates from the member countries - with the largest chunk coming from Nigeria.

The Ghanaians have dominated the awards since they were introduced in 1998. Between 2008 and 2014 (save for 2010 when there was no award), a Nigerian has only come third once (in 2011).

Canada to extend air strike camapaign against IS militants

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ANADA will extend its air strike campaign against Islamic State (IS) into Syria, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced.

“In our view, ISIL [IS] must cease to have any safe haven in Syria,” Mr Harper said in the House of Commons.

Canada’s mission against IS will also be extended for one year, beyond October’s election and well into 2016.

Opposition leaders have criticised Mr Harper for drawing Canada into a war with unclear objectives.

The move means Canada will be the first Nato country, other than the United States, to strike inside Syria.

IS controls land on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border - and the US expanded its air strike campaign against the militant group into Syria in September.

It has been joined in similar strikes by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

The Canadian prime minister announced the change as he asked for a vote on the measure in the House of Commons on Tuesday.

“The government recognises that ISIL’s power base, indeed the so-called caliphate’s capital, is in Syria,” Mr Harper said, adding fighters and heavy equipment were moving across the border from Iraq for protection against strikes.

Mr Harper said Canada would not seek the “express consent” of the Assad government.

“Instead, we will work closely with our American and other allies, who have already been carrying out such operations against ISIL over Syria in recent months.”

The measure is expected to pass as Mr Harper’s Conservative Party controls the House of Commons.

Thomas Mulcair said Canada had “no place in this war” The major opposition parties voted against the initial approval of military force against IS. New Democrat Party leader Tom Mulcair told the Commons on Tuesday Canada had “no place in this war”, while Liberal leader Justin Trudeau said Mr Harper had been “steadily drawing Canada deeper into a war in Iraq”.

Black Box of crashed German plane that killed 150 found Continued from page 1

11.am local time in calm weather. Unverified information from plane-tracking websites appeared to rule out an explosion or a mid-air stall, both of which would cause a much faster descent. Experts said planes such as the Airbus would be able to glide for some distance in the case of total engine failure.

David Learmount, the operations and safety editor of Flightglobal, said on Twitter: “German-operated A320s do not crash in the cruise. Not these days. This one is weird.”

The dead are believed to include 16 German schoolchildren. French and German leaders have expressed shock.

“This is the hour in which we all feel deep sorrow,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters, adding that she was planning to travel to the crash site.

A rescue helicopter has reportedly reached the site of the crash, in a remote mountain area.

Gilbert Sauvan, a local council official, told Les Echos newspaper that the plane had “disintegrated”.

“The largest debris is the size of a car,” he said.

The passengers included a German school class on its way back from an exchange trip.

Sandrine Boisse, a tourism official from the ski resort of Pra Loup, told the BBC that she had heard a strange noise in the mountains at around11:00 (10:00 GMT).

“At first we thought it was

on the ski slopes, an avalanche, but it wasn’t the same noise,” she said. “I think it was the noise of when a plane goes very quickly down.”

The plane began descending one minute after reaching its cruising height and continued to lose altitude for eight minutes, Germanwings managing director Thomas Winkelmann told reporters.

He said the aircraft lost contact with French air traffic controllers at 10:53 at an altitude of about 6,000 feet Although it began its life as an independent low-cost carrier, Germanwings is wholly owned by its parent Lufthansa.

It operates increasing numbers of the group’s point-topoint short-haul routes and takes many passengers from German cities to Mediterranean sunspots.

The airline has an excellent safety record with no previously reported accidents. The average age of its Airbus fleet is just over nine years old, though flight 4U 9525 was a 24-year-old A320.

The plan was to phase out the Germanwings brand and replace it with Eurowings.

There has been a longstanding dispute with the Vereinigung Cockpit union over early retirement. Pilots went on strike for three days around this time last year French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he had sent Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve to the scene and a ministerial crisis cell had been set up to co-ordinate the incident.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.10 NO.3164

TODAY IN THE NATION ‘With indifference to any lethal consequences, we again risk their nationalistic NYSC lives for Nigeria. Let no drop of NYSC members’, or anyone else’s blood, be spilt by murderers in the false name of politics. Too many NYSC heroes have died for other people’s greed.

NYSC members, we salute you’

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

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ODAY I publish below the last of the three articles I promised the reader on March 4 in my tribute to the late Malam Abubakar Gimba, a former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors, a great writer and, for me at least, one of the greatest personifications of humility and simplicity. The reader will recall that I promised to reproduce the three articles, including one by Gimba, which were my best in the last fifteen years, for their eloquence and continued relevance to our politics.

The 2011 column by Eniola Bello, aka Eni-B, ace columnist and now managing director of Thisday, reflects on the shameful role so-called Corporate Nigeria has played in our politics – and economics since at least 2003, culminating last month in a whopping 21 billion Naira plus fund raiser for President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign war chest, and this in flagrant violation of our Constitution and Electoral law.

Before Eni-B’s piece, however, a word about the almost full page advertorial that has been published by virtually all our national dailies since last weekend, claiming that a vote for General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), on Saturday will be a disaster for Nigeria and Africa. The message was simply good old mendacious religious fear-mongering and both messenger and the vehicle which first published the claim are malicious neoconservative demagogues.

First, the vehicle. The Washington Times (WT) was founded in 1982 by the media arm of the controversial Unification Church whose founder is the even more controversial late South Korean, Sun Myung Moon. The church has been accused of brainwashing its members and its founder was convicted in 1982 for tax dodging in America. WT is arguably the most right-wing and the most Islamophobic newspaper in that God’s own country.

Richard Grenell, the author of the article, is as right-wing as WT, possibly even more so, as the longest serving spokesman of the American Permanent Mission at the United Nations when the Republicans held sway in the White House. He became the first openly gay spokesman of a Republican presidential candidate when he was briefly hired by Mitt Romney in the 2012 American presidential election which Romney lost to President Barack Obama.

As for Grenell’s message, the least said about his crude and clearly untenable attempt to link Buhari with Boko Haram and to the even more bloodthirsty ISIS in the Middle East, the better. Ostensibly sponsored by a “Move On Nigeria”, the message had the character of PDP and Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor’s CAN, as the religious wing of the party, stamped all over it.

And now to Eni-B’s corporate area boys.

People and Politics By

MOHAMMED H ARUNA ndajika@yahoo.com

Corporate Area Boys

‘ Jonathan had every cause to host Corporate Nigeria to dinner. For one, many members of the group dipped their hands into their deep...

’

Jonathan and the Corporate Area Boys

By Eni-B Thisday 30 May 2011 They came from all parts of the country, even if it wouldn’t be out of place to describe them as the Lagos business crowd. They were dropped one after the other in state of the art cars at the entrance of the State House, Marina Lagos. They turned out mostly in well tailored suits, with not a few in full national attire, particularly of the South-south variety. They milled round the expansive premises of the State House as early as 6.00pm, men and women ostensibly at the top of their game. They exchanged banters all around - a handshake here, backslapping there; a hug at one end, a peck on the cheek at another.

In this select crowd were most of Nigeria’s biggest entrepreneurs, bank chiefs, captains of industry, CEOs of blue chip companies, top players in the oil and gas sector, and many other big employers of labour. All members of a group elegantly called Corporate Nigeria, those in this privileged crowd were at the State House, Marina Tuesday last week to honour the invitation of President Goodluck Jonathan, in what was described as a thank you pre-inauguration dinner.

Jonathan had every cause to host Corporate Nigeria to dinner. For one, many members of the group dipped their hands into their deep pockets for hefty donations which Jonathan generously deployed to fund his presidential campaigns. For another, in other climes, such presidential dinner provides a good avenue for a serious head of government to socialize with the crème de la crème of the business community, put faces to names, drop one or two ideas on the administration’s economic direction, and get some feedback on business challenges from government action or inaction. What can be achieved in such an informal environment may be much more than days of tedious sessions at workshops

and seminars.

Unfortunately, neither the president nor Corporate Nigeria seized the opportunity to make any meaningful statement. Neither appeared to understand why the need for that kind of presidential dinner.

Guests were supposed to be seated before 7.00pm when the president was scheduled to arrive. Jonathan did not arrive until 8.00pm.

And there was no apology for arriving an hour behind schedule! Could that be an indication of the respect he has for the members of Corporate Nigeria? Even with Jonathan seated, it was a battle to keep the guests on their tables.

There was a complete breakdown of order and discipline as many people moved from one table to another ostensibly to exchange greetings, but apparently to be noticed. Nobody listened to Compere Ali Baba’s repeated appeals that guests should keep to their tables and stop moving about. Was that the respect the president was deserving, even with envoys of other countries quietly seated? Or was it just a general lack of decorum and self-respect, an indication of the disorganization in the nation’s business community?

The conduct of the business of the day was not any better. After the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mallam Yayale Ahmed, had introduced the president with the usual time-wasting flurry of protocols, Chairman Stanbic/IBTC, Mr. Atedo Peterside, set the tone of what was to come in what were described as goodwill messages. First, he said Jonathan’s victory at the polls was not because of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but in spite of the party. Then he said at his polling unit in Victoria Island Lagos, for instance, the same people who voted for the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the National Assembly polls voted for Jonathan in the presidential, before returning to vote ACN in the governorship and State Assembly elections. Concluding, Peterside said his wife and daughter not only assisted INEC officials in counting the ballots during the presidential elections, he added that it is members of Corporate Nigeria who should thank Jonathan for saving them from going on exile should some other candidate have won the election.

Following Peterside’s speech, there appeared to be a competition among the other speakers to dress Jonathan in borrowed robes of undeserving praises. One speech after the other got worse in fawning adulation and praise singing. Chairperson of Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Mrs Stella Okoli, spoke about

HARDBALL

A

BOUT a week to the country’s controversially rescheduled March 28 presidential poll, President Goodluck Jonathan further demonstrated a familiar slyness at a strategic book launch. A book on Jonathan, titled The People’s Choice, written by Rev. Fr. Charles Imokhan, was unveiled at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on March 20. From the look of things, not only the book title and the timing of the presentation spoke volumes about the publicity stunt; the author’s priestly status was also significant as it subtly suggested a spiritual endorsement.

Interestingly, on the occasion, the more Jonathan made efforts to mask motives, the more he involuntarily exposed himself. Hear what he said in an attempt to hide his visible desperation for a second term in office: “Sometimes people ask me, ‘Mr. President,

Bestseller for nothing from what we read and what we see, we see you are still smiling unruffled.’ Yes, nothing will really ruffle me because I’m willing and ready to serve but I’m not desperate to serve.”

He added: “And that’s what keeps me going and if all of us who want to hold office from the least – a councilor or chairman of a council, a member of the State House of Assembly or member of the House of Representatives, Senate, or President; if all of us are always ready and willing to serve our people, but we are not desperate in our mission, then of course Nigeria will be a better place for all of us.”

Of course, it is easy to contradict and debunk Jonathan’s self-portrait by highlighting the deviously controlled choreography that

continues to drive his reelection ambition.

Then a question: Who says his alleged smiling face proves that he is “unruffled”?

It is noteworthy that Jonathan reportedly thanked the author for “representing me to Nigerians”. According to him, “Because my story is a humble story and whenever I read write ups about me, especially my personal account from my birth to when I got into the limelight as a deputy governor, most times the accounts are not very accurate.” Jonathan said of the new book: “I think the only accurate account will be when I write when I leave office. But to some extent this particular account is reasonably close; the whole story has been captured except for minor details.”

TONY MARINHO

Jonathan’s wisdom, intelligence and humility in a gaseous effusion that was more emotional than meaningful. When Wakilin Adamawa Hassan Adamu said Jonathan is the only incumbent that has so far organized a credible election in Africa, I couldn’t help shouting in shock disbelief. Otunba Funso Lawal won the award for cringing servility. He not only gave the president a Yoruba name, ‘Oladipupo’, he called First Lady Patience Jonathan, ‘our beloved mummy’. Although I couldn’t see Lawal from where I was sitting in the hall, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he gave a deep bow while acknowledging Jonathan’s wife.

Not one of these speakers who spoke for Corporate Nigeria mentioned, even in passing, the serious challenges Nigerian entrepreneurs face daily. Not one of them said anything on what they expect from the president to make the business environment friendlier. Not one cared to point out what could be done to make the economy better.

There were no demands and of course, Jonathan made no promises. Only Bukola Saraki who represented the state governors reminded the president that those in the hall expect from government policies that would grow the economy, make their businesses thrive so there could be more billionaires.

When it was about 10.30pm, close to four hours after the event started, and there was still no sign Jonathan was going to speak, I took my leave. I could not understand how a president who is concerned about the problems of the country could afford four hours at a dinner that should end in two hours, listening to meaningless speeches. I could not understand how serious CEOs would waste executive time patronizing the president with words they even do not believe.

Listening to those speeches, the image that immediately came to my mind was that of Area Boys who ambush car owners in Lagos traffic, cringing and begging for money even while barking platitudes in that guttural voice, “Father! You will live long!

Chairman, more blessings!”

I now know how most members of Corporate Nigeria only thrive on waivers. They are no more than Corporate Area Boys.

Re: “Impunity: like Nigeria, like Niger State” Sir, Reference your piece, “Impunity: like Nigeria, like Niger State” (February 25).

Since you started your article with the Chinese proverb, you should have ended it with another one which says “Man proposes, God laughs” or better still, the African proverb, “A stubborn fly, follows the corpse to the grave.” Sir, you have spoken well.

Tony Ogunbiyi. +2348037172645.

Words of wisdom for those who think they can impose their will on Nigerians in the coming general elections by subterfuge or the use of ethnic militias or abuse of the security forces.

MH. •For comments, send SMS to 08059100107

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above It is unclear whether Jonathan would eventually write his “accurate account”, and whether it would beat the latest book in patronage. The current book may be described as a bestseller of sorts, judging by how much money it attracted, reportedly N170m. It is a striking irony that The People’s Choice is a dubious bestseller about a brand that is hard to sell. The flattering attention that the book enjoyed from the zealous sycophants in Jonathan’s camp further mirrored a moral decay that is beyond comprehension.

If the book launch was intended to influence the electorate in the expected presidential election, the political schemers and their dreamy objective can be sure of a big zero.

The people’s choice will be determined by the people themselves and not by any predetermined plot by power desperadoes.

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